Category: Blogs

With an Eye on Iran, Gulf Countries Seek US ‘Security Guarantee’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

UAE’s Ambassador says ‘gentleman’s agreement’ must be replaced with ‘something in writing’ The United Arab Emirates and its five partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—worried about Iran’s hegemonic ambitions in their neighborhood—want a US “security guarantee,” Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s Ambassador in Washington, said May 7 at the Atlantic Council. “We are looking […]

Best of Friends: Why Reassuring European Allies is a Job for Special Forces

By Magnus Nordenman

US and European special forces have been incredibly busy over the last decade in global hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan. But as major counterinsurgency operations recede, there is still work for them to do, not least in Europe

Top News: Forces Loyal to Libya’s Tobruk Shoot Down Rival Warplane

Forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognized Tobruk-based government said that on Wednesday they shot down a warplane belonging to the rival Tripoli-based government.

‘Russian Propaganda is Really Working,’ Warns Crimean Activist

By Melinda Haring

Activist Urges US Government to Step Up Efforts in Crimea Russia has banned Taras Berezovets from visiting his family in Crimea. His crime: launching Free Crimea, a nongovernmental organization focused on disseminating impartial information about Crimea, in December 2014. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) considers it an extremist organization.

New Survey: Germans and Americans Disagree on Russia, Global Leadership, and Trade

By Pew Research Center

Seven decades after the end of World War II and a quarter-century after the end of the Cold War, roughly seven-in-ten Americans see Germany as a reliable ally, and about six-in-ten Germans trust the United States, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

Top News: Egypt Court Rejects Suit Demanding Entry Ban for Hamas Members

By EgyptSource

An Egyptian court rejected Wednesday a lawsuit calling for an entry ban into Egypt for members of Hamas. The Commissioner Authority of the State Council rejected the lawsuit filed by lawyer Samir Sabry saying the lawyer did not elaborate on his grounds for demanding the ban.

Court Ruling Threatens Egypt’s Labor Movement

By Khaled Dawoud

A recent ruling issued by the Supreme Administrative Court, outlawing labor strikes, has called into question the ability of Egyptian workers to defend their interests peacefully. The ruling, which forcibly retires striking employees, was criticized by labor and human rights activists for several reasons. First, it ignores article 15 in the Constitution, which states that […]

EconSource: Iraq’s Baiji Refinery Still Under Threat From ISIS Militants

By EconSource

Pentagon officials said they are worried that Iraq’s Baiji oil refinery could fall to the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) in the coming days. For weeks, US military officials have said that control of the refinery has been bitterly contested between Iraqi forces and ISIS militants.

Wanted: A Real Peace in Pakistan’s Northwest

By Nazia Khan

“Peace has been restored,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, declared on a visit to North Waziristan earlier in May. He commended the Pakistani army for reestablishing order in the tribal agency that abuts Afghanistan and has been used as a safe haven by a variety militant groups. He also called on those displaced by the […]

When the Kremlin Makes An Offer You Can’t Refuse

By Stephen Blank

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has multiple dimensions, and the energy dimension is one that has been underestimated. Russia has sought to make Ukraine dependent on its abundant energy since 2006. The reason is simple: Russia wants economic and political control over Ukraine and it wants to enmesh Ukraine’s government and elites in a web of […]