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MENASource

Jun 7, 2018

Factbox: Jordan’s austerity protests

By Rachel Rossi, Shruti Kumar, and Aisha Han

Jordan, a key Western ally and major recipient of US aid, has recently experienced its largest protests since 2012. The ongoing protests began in May as a direct response to the new tax bill backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which increases tax brackets, widens the tax base, and penalizes tax evaders. The IMF […]

Macroeconomics Middle East

IranSource

Jun 7, 2018

Sanctions or Self-Sabotage? The story of Iran’s oil industry

By Ellen Wald

Following the lifting of international sanctions in January 2016, there was a great deal of optimism for Iran’s oil economy. Even though the global oil industry was a year into a price collapse, many companies were eager to explore investment opportunities in Iran’s neglected oil and gas assets. The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Iran’s oil […]

Iran Oil and Gas

New Atlanticist

Jun 7, 2018

How Russia Exploits Japan’s Soft Approach

By Maria Shagina

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 tested Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ability to strike a balance between the G7 and Moscow. On one hand, Japan, as a G7 member, is expected to join the international community in its condemnation of Russia’s meddling in Ukraine. On the other, Japan values its relationship with Russia, which […]

Japan Russia

UkraineAlert

Jun 7, 2018

Ukraine’s Veterans Are a Powerful Constituency. Who Will Control Them?

By Lauren Van Metre

On February 27, Ukraine’s parliament voted to establish a new Ministry for Veterans, pending the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers. The parliament has been active on veterans’ issues, adopting more than thirty laws in the last three years to provide social services and protections. But more than twenty ministries and government departments handle veterans’ […]

NATO Security & Defense

MENASource

Jun 6, 2018

Elections in Libya: No alternative?

By Karim Mezran

Many sensible, rational, and fundamentally correct objections have been raised by members of the press, regional experts, and NGOs.

Elections Libya

New Atlanticist

Jun 6, 2018

The G7 Summit in the Age of Trump

By Joshua Kadish

As the world awaits the much-anticipated summit between US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12, the president must first prepare for another important meeting: the G7.

France Germany

New Atlanticist

Jun 6, 2018

NATO Allies Poised to Sign Off on US Plan to Deter Russian Aggression

By Brooks Tigner

BRUSSELS – The expected nod by allied defense ministers on June 7 for a new “readiness initiative” to deter aggression against NATO’s home territory will set in motion a reactive capability that the Alliance has not seen since the end of the Cold War, according to allied officials. “This is big stuff, it involves no […]

NATO Russia

MENASource

Jun 6, 2018

Turkey’s election: Anything is possible

By Aaron Stein

After sixteen years in power, Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) is facing a serious challenge from an allied opposition in the run-up to the June 24 national election. In a first, Turkish voters will head to the polls that Sunday to vote on candidates for parliament and the presidency. The election is the first […]

Elections Rule of Law

IranSource

Jun 6, 2018

US Asian Allies Should Take a More Active Role in Preserving the Iran Deal

By Sirous Amerian

In negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Barack Obama administration had goals beyond non-proliferation. It was seeking to “pivot” to Asia and to reduce US military involvement in the Persian Gulf that dates back to the 1979 Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. This goal, which was ennunciated before Obama […]

Iran

New Atlanticist

Jun 6, 2018

Iran: What Next?

By Peter Westmacott

There were few surprises when US President Donald J. Trump announced on May 8 that the United States was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. The United States and the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany, and the European Union negotiated the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive […]

European Union International Organizations