Category: Blogs

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MENASource

May 21, 2019

What’s new, and what’s not, in the Kushner Middle East peace plan

By Ambassador Richard LeBaron

On May 19, The White House announced a “Peace to Prosperity” workshop to be held in Bahrain June 25-26 as the first step in its plan for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The meeting was described as “a pivotal opportunity to convene government, civil society, and business leaders to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement.” 

Israel Middle East

MENASource

May 21, 2019

Kuwait’s apprehension about normalizing relations with Syria

By Theodore Karasik and Tristan Ober

With the Syrian civil war winding down, politicians and observers alike recognize that President Bashar al-Assad has managed to retain his position as Syria’s head-of-state. Some countries have moved swiftly in acknowledging the outcome of the conflict by reinstating diplomatic ties with the Assad regime and reopening embassies in Damascus. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, which, to varying degrees, opposed Assad after the civil war erupted, are two salient examples of this trend.

Middle East Syria

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2019

Theresa May’s last chance

By John M. Roberts

British Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled on May 21 a supposed new deal for Britain’s departure from the European Union that looks remarkably like the deal Parliament has already rejected three times.

European Union Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2019

How to push back against Kremlin’s malign influence

By David A. Wemer

The United States needs to do more to push back against Russia’s attempts to disrupt democratic societies around the world, Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow in the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, told US lawmakers on May 21.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Russia

EnergySource

May 21, 2019

An approach to reduce unproductive flaring of natural gas: The development of new gas-to-liquid technology

By Nichole Liebov, PhD

Natural gas, which consists primarily of methane, accounts for nearly one quarter of global energy production. Although the shale gas boom significantly increased the supply of natural gas, natural gas cannot be transported to processing plants using existing infrastructure for petroleum. Consequently, remote sources of natural gas are in effect “stranded.” Methods to use this […]

Oil and Gas

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2019

The drums of war

By Nabeel Khoury

The Trump administration’s warning about an imminent attack by Iran in the Middle East appears to be unfounded and its escalation of pressure on Tehran part of a strategy to win concessions from the Islamic Republic.

Conflict Iran

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2019

The Christchurch call and the failure of US leadership

By Emerson T. Brooking

The United States’ snubbing of the document represents a retreat from previous counterterrorism pledges. It also reveals a dangerous divide between the White House and US allies regarding the growing threat of white ethno-nationalist extremism.

Disinformation English

UkraineAlert

May 20, 2019

Q&A: Ukraine’s got a new president. How did he do on inauguration day?

By Melinda Haring

On May 20, Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as Ukraine’s sixth president. His inauguration speech was ambitious: he called for early elections, urged parliament to end parliamentary immunity, pass electoral reform and the law on illegal enrichment. He also wants parliament to sack the head of the SBU, the prosecutor general, and the minister of […]

Conflict Democratic Transitions

New Atlanticist

May 20, 2019

European elections are a win, of sorts, for Greece

By Katerina Sokou

Overcoming the strains with its European partners, Greece is heading to its first European elections after the crisis with its biggest parties claiming not only to be pro-European, but also to be fighting populism.

Elections European Union

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

May 20, 2019

Why Europe’s election matters in Poland

By Katarzyna Pisarska

The election will be a vote of confidence in the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and reveal the level of public support for two competing visions for the future of Europe: an integrationist, open, and solidarity-driven Europe or a conservative “Christian” Europe of sovereign states.

Elections European Union