Category: Blogs

Why Iran Shouldn’t Get the Bomb: The Limits of IR Theory

By Robert Manning

In an essay creating shock and awe amongst the chattering class, Kenneth Waltz, one of the nation’s most prominent International Relations (IR) scholars and the doyen of the “realist” school tries to make the case “Why Iran Should Get the Bomb” in the July/August issue of Foreign Affairs. While in some respects, this provocation is […]

Turkey has invoked NATO’s Article 4 before, over tensions with Iraq

By Adam Levine, CNN Security Clearance

Top News: Morsy Starts Consultations over Presidential Team

By Tarek Radwan

President-elect Mohamed Morsy moved into the office once occupied by ousted leader Hosni Mubarak and started consultations Monday over the formation of his presidential team and a new government, an aide said. Many supported Morsy as a representative of the uprising that toppled the old regime and a chance to challenge the military.

Dutch Foreign Minister on Syria-Turkey Crisis: Military action is ‘out of the question’

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  The Nato charter gives it permission to act without the UN, but there is little appetite for military action.

Turkey could have downed 114 planes for airspace violations: General Staff

By Hurriyet Daily News

From Hurriyet Daily News:  Turkey’s air space has been violated 114 separate times so far this year but each instance was quickly resolved peacefully, the General Staff has said following Syria’s downing of a Turkish warplane for violating its airspace.

Who is Egypt’s New President, Mohamed Morsy?

By Nancy Messieh

Earlier today, the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) announced Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Dr. Mohamed Morsy as the winner of Egypt’s first democratic elections after the ouster of Hosny Mubarak. Early Life and Education Born on August 20, 1951 to a middle-class family in a small village in the Eastern governorate of Sharqiya, Dr. Mohamed Morsy […]

Warplane crisis tests Syria’s air defenses

By Peter Apps, Reuters

From Peter Apps, Reuters:  While the exact circumstances remain far from clear, the shooting down of a Turkish warplane shows Syria’s military to be capable, extremely jumpy and increasingly drawn into confrontation with its most powerful neighbour.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister challenges Syria’s account of shooting down Turkish jet

By Jonathon Burch, Reuters

From Jonathon Burch, Reuters:  Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking some 48 hours after the jet was shot down near both countries’ sea borders, told state broadcaster TRT the plane had been clearly marked as Turkish

Content of Turkey’s diplomatic note to Syria over downing of jet

By Hurriyet Daily News