Posted on August 30, 2015. Tags: Daesh, Foreign Policy, independence, International Security, Iraq, IS, ISIL, ISIS, Islamic State, KRG, kurdistan, Middle East, Politics, stability, World
Kurdistan is a nation that encompasses parts of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, but it is not a state. In post-Saddam Iraq the Kurds have had success in forming a new autonomous Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) with their own military. In July last year, KRG President Masoud Barzani asked his parliament to prepare for an independence referendum. The Kurds have a […]
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Posted in Conflict, Iraq, Middle East, Security Issues, Syria, US, World
Posted on March 5, 2015. Tags: International Affairs, International Relations, International Security, Iraq, ISIS, Islamic State, Middle East, Syria, Terrorism
It can be difficult to stay optimistic about peace while an atmosphere of gloom permeates the contemporary Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. It is nearly impossible to watch the news without being inundated by provocative visuals of ISIS’s atavistic executions of U.S. journalists and perplexed by ISIS’s seemingly uncanny ability to recruit Westerners. […]
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Posted in Conflict, Iraq, Islam, Middle East, Religion, Syria, Terrorism, US, World
Posted on February 21, 2015. Tags: Arab Spring, Asylum Seeker, boat, Brussels, consequences, Death, Dublin, Europe, Frontex, Hungary, Immigration, International Security, Iraq, Ireland, IS, ISIS, Italy, Middle East, Migration, navy, problem economy, Refugee, Sea, Syria, Terrorism, Threat, Triton, UN, UNHCR
John Donne famously reminded us that ‘no man is an island’. Likewise in today’s polycentric, ever-globalized, and interconnected world, no state can remain untouched by social, economic, or political influences from neighbouring states. As terrible as Islamic State has been for people living in Syria, Iraq and Libya, its effects on Europe are also increasingly being felt. […]
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Posted in Africa, Conflict, Economic Security, Europe, Germany, Humanitarian Intervention, Iraq, Islam, Middle East, Refugees, Security Issues, Syria, Terrorism, UN, World
Posted on February 20, 2015. Tags: Baltic States, China, Cold War, Crimea, Cuba, Cuban Missile Crisis, Europe, European Union, France, Human Rights, International Security, NATO, Poland, Putin, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UK, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Last year I criticized some of the hawk-like voices, including that of David Brooks of the NYT, which were calling for Barack Obama to increase the fear factor in dealing with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. I should point out that I am decidedly not a fan of Putin, whose actions in Crimea and Ukraine have been reprehensible. However, we need […]
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Posted in Conflict, Europe, Russia, Security Issues, Ukraine Conflict, Uncategorized, US, World