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MENASource

Jun 10, 2015

Top News: United States Prepares Plans for More Troops and New Base in Iraq

By MENASource

The United States is expected on Wednesday to announce plans for a new military base in Iraq’s Anbar province and the deployment of around 400 additional US trainers to help Iraqi forces fight the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) and help plan a counterattack to retake Ramadi.

MENASource

Jun 10, 2015

Top News: Police Foil Terrorist Attack at Karnak Temple in Luxor

By EgyptSource

Egypt’s security forces said they foiled a suicide bomb attack at the ancient Karnak temple in the southern city of Luxor on Wednesday.

MENASource

Jun 10, 2015

EconSource: World Bank Says GCC countries Need to Slash Public Spending

By EconSource

The World Bank’s chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa, Shanta Devarajan, said Tuesday that while falling oil prices have led to welcome subsidy reforms in Gulf countries, they urgently need to develop new ways to distribute oil wealth and shrink the public sector.

MENASource

Jun 10, 2015

Turkey’s Parliamentary Elections: The Vote and Beyond

By Eyup Civelek

Turkey held its twenty-fourth parliamentary elections on Sunday June 7, 2015. While most analysts focused on the pivotal role played by the Kurdish-affiliated People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in swaying voters away from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), fewer have focused on the equally critical—and spontaneous—role of Turkish civil society in monitoring the process […]

Turkey

AfricaSource

Jun 9, 2015

Free Trade Pact Highlights Egypt’s Pivot Back towards Africa

By J. Peter Pham

On Wednesday, presidents and other leaders representing twenty-six African countries meeting at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh signed an agreement to launch a “Cape to Cairo” free trade zone spanning the length of the continent. The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), as it will formally be known, will embrace three of Africa’s […]

Ethiopia North Africa

MENASource

Jun 9, 2015

One Year On: Legislation Under Sisi

By EgyptSource

Since his election, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued and amended over 100 decrees. In the absence of a seated parliament Sisi enjoys full legislative power and has issued decrees aiming to address the economic, security, and political issues facing Egypt today.

North Africa
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama, June 17, 2015

NATOSource

Jun 9, 2015

Obama Again Urges Cameron to Keep NATO Defense Spending Commitment

By BBC

Barack Obama has pressed David Cameron to maintain Britain’s commitment to meeting the Nato target of spending 2% of GDP on defence.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jun 9, 2015

United States Cannot Lead from Behind in the Arctic

By John-Daniel Kelley

Even as the United States celebrates the beginning of its chairmanship of the Arctic Council, it hesitates to take leadership in the Arctic region. This reluctance highlights a dichotomy between US strategic interests in the Arctic and that of every other Arctic power which, if not addressed, increases the likelihood of regional instability. 

Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Jun 9, 2015

Everything You Thought You Knew about Right-Wing Parties is Wrong

By Alina Polyakova

The Russian government and its proxies in eastern Ukraine have consistently branded Kyiv’s government a fascist junta and accused it of having Nazi sympathizers. Moscow’s propaganda is outrageous and wrong. In fact, Ukraine’s radical right political parties—Right Sector and Svoboda—have been marginalized.

Eastern Europe Ukraine
USS Lake Erie conducting missile defense test, May 15, 2013

NATOSource

Jun 9, 2015

Norway To Participate in NATO Missile Defense System

By The Local (Norway)

Norway has agreed to play a role in the Nato missile defence system, with Prime Minister Erna Solberg saying that as a “committed Nato member”, the country’s participation is “necessary.”

Missile Defense NATO