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MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

The Obama Doctrine: Hof Remarks in Beirut

By Frederic C. Hof

The key source for what we might call the Obama Doctrine is the president’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2013. The speech was preceded by a policy review in the White House during the summer of 2013. That review was overseen by the new Assistant to the President for National […]

Syria

Trade in Action

Apr 24, 2014

TTIP Action: April 24

By Global Business & Economics Program

TTIP Action aggregates the latest news and best analysis from across the United States and European Union on the ongoing negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs
President of Estonia Toomas Henrik Ilves and Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Dec. 9, 2010

NATOSource

Apr 24, 2014

Central Europe Frets About NATO’s Ability to Curb Russia

By Steven Erlanger, New York Times

Today’s NATO, hollowed out by years of European military cuts and deployed mostly to help fight far-off battles in places like Afghanistan and Libya, is no longer as prepared to counter a newly assertive Kremlin, its own leaders acknowledge.

NATO Northern Europe
Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland in Prague, Feb. 4, 2014

NATOSource

Apr 24, 2014

US Calls For Senior Russian Official to Help OSCE Negotiate Disarmament of Separatists in Ukraine

By Victoria Nuland, Department of State

[W]e have not seen the kind of major de-escalation that we’re looking for, nor have we seen serious Russian efforts to help the OSCE, or to speak out against the separatists since Geneva.

OSCE Russia

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

Resurrecting the Egyptian Conscience to Say No to Violence

By Amrou Kotb

A Friday afternoon editing shift at a Cairo-based media outlet is customarily filled with reports detailing the casualties of violent post-Friday-prayer demonstrations. A final update on clashes in Cairo’s Ain Shams on March 28 contained the same terms we have become accustomed to seeing: “clashes turn violent,” “tear gas,” “supporters of the ousted president,” and […]

North Africa

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

Top News: US to Release Additional Funds to Egypt upon Congressional Approval

By EgyptSource

Washington said on Wednesday it would move forward with releasing $650 million in funding for Egypt, continuing to ease a partial aid suspension following the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi last year and a violent crackdown on his supporters.

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

Top News: Jordan Amends Anti-Terror Law to Face Syria Fallout

By MENASource

Controversial amendments to Jordan’s anti-terrorism law seek to curb the influence of homegrown al-Qaeda affiliated jihadists fighting the Syrian regime. New articles added to the law and approved by MPs on Tuesday deem “joining or attempting to join armed or terrorist groups, or recruiting or attempting to recruit people to join these groups” acts of […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 24, 2014

Russia’s Ex-Prime Minister: US Should Sanction 600-Plus Moscow Officials

By James Rupert

Mikhail Kasyanov: Oil Price Drop Could Bankrupt Kremlin in Six Months; Putin Overestimates His Ability to Cope The Obama administration and its European partners should add hundreds of Russian legislators, business executives and government ministers to those barred from travel and financial transactions in the West, Russian former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov said yesterday. As […]

Russia Ukraine

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

What Next For US Policy in Syria?

By Frederic C. Hof

When national security advisor Susan Rice oversaw a Middle East policy review last summer, the guiding concept was to limit the president’s investment of time and energy in the myriad crises of the region. Considering himself to have been elected to end wars, restore the economy, institute national health care, and rebalance foreign policy in […]

Syria

MENASource

Apr 24, 2014

The Political Process in Libya

By Karim Mezran

Libya’s road to democracy is shaky at best. Security is deteriorating, with targeted killings, criminal attacks, and bombings on the rise and clashes between rival armed groups—some apparently with government legitimacy and others not—growing more frequent. While these negative trends put tremendous pressure on the transition, Libya’s political process, albeit fickle, manages to keep moving. […]

Libya