Category: Blogs

Top News: Libyan Militia Says Ceasefire Reached to End Airport Battle

By MENASource

The Zintani militia battling the Misratan militia over control of Libya’s main airport is ready for a peaceful solution after five days of heavy fighting, a Zintani militia spokesman said on Thursday

Behind Iraq’s Selection of a New Speaker

By Ramzy Mardini

With the election of a new speaker of parliament earlier this week, the Iraqis have begun the formal process of forming its next government. On Tuesday, Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish parliamentarians appointed a new speaker of parliament, bringing them one step closer to determining the fate of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Nevertheless, the procedure had […]

Point/Counterpoint: Iran Nuclear Talks

Atlantic Council experts Barbara Slavin and Matthew Kroenig discussed on July 17 what’s at stake in the most recent extension to the Iran nuclear talks.

Airliner Shot Down Over Ukraine: Rapid Reaction by Atlantic Council Expert John Herbst

By John Herbst

Around the time the plane disappeared, Russian Col. Girkin (Strelkov) on his ‘VKontakte’ page (‘VKontakte’ is the Russian Facebook equivalent) noted that a plane (which he called an Antonov – a Ukrainian transport plane) had been shot down in the region of Torez. The post also mentioned that the local authorities had warned all not […]

In the Ukraine War, Putin’s Veil of Deniability Has Vanished

By James Rupert

The Kremlin’s thin veil concealing its waging of war against Ukraine effectively disappeared weeks ago for anyone carefully watching the evidence. But now it has vanished even for the casual observer. Moscow’s escalation of the war since the start of July has created too much clear evidence to permit President Vladimir Putin any further benefit […]

Needing Better Control in Ukraine War, Moscow Sends in an Old KGB Hand

By Irena Chalupa

Vladimir Antyufeyev Fought Dirty Wars in Latvia, Moldova, Georgia; He’s Just the Man the Kremlin Needs  Last week the Russian-backed “Donetsk People’s Republic” became even more Russian-led. The two Muscovites at the top of the separatist leadership introduced the latest Russian citizen to join their team – and the one with the most prominent role so far […]

New US Sanctions on Russia: A Good Step, Two Weeks Too Late

By John Herbst

Putin Used West’s Hesitation to Escalate Kremlin’s War on Ukraine The news that the United States has sanctioned several major Russian banks and firms, greatly limiting their use of American financial markets, is the first good news in months in terms of Western support for Ukraine. The designation of Vnesheconombank (Bank for Development and Foreign […]