[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=” http://www.policymic.com/articles/7792/photo.jpg” captiontext=” French Election 2012: Sarkozy and Hollande.”] It seems that the Élysée Palaceis heading for a change. François Hollande is leading with 28.6% of voter support after the first round of the French presidential elections held on April 22, while Nicolas Sarkozy is just behind him with 27.2%. According Read More…
4. Programs
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Talking Somalia with Dr. Christopher Daniels
Interview by James M. Bridger Given the dangers associated with conducting research in the country, Somalia has long suffered from a dearth of genuine academic and journalistic inquiry—resulting in a number of myths and misconceptions. Seeking to counter this, Dr. Christopher Daniels has carried out extensive research in Somalia and the wider region in an Read More…
The F-35 Wake-Up Call
By Rodnie Allison [captionpix align=”right” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=”http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2012/04/03/li-ferguson-02447622.jpg” captiontext=” Auditor General Michael Ferguson held a news conference shortly after tabling his spring report on Tuesday. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press).”] “Devastating”, “Biting”, and “Not a Pretty Picture” – just some of the statements that followed the release of Auditor-General Michael Ferguson’s first report to Parliament. Yes it is official, Read More…
The EU’s Misguided Move to Fight Pirates Onshore
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=”http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1405/5178639570_e09c65894f_z.jpg” captiontext=” While successful at deterring and disrupting pirate attacks, foreign military operations alone cannot end Somali piracy.”] When confronting the crisis of Somali piracy, the preferred strategy of the international community has been to deploy naval vessels to protect vulnerable ships and deter and disrupt pirate attacks. The refrain that Read More…
NATO, The African Union and the Fight Against Piracy
By: James Marcus Bridger One would be hard pressed to find an article analyzing Somali piracy—be it journalistic, academic, or militarily focused—that does not make the claim that this maritime problem can only be solved on land. In the four years that the international community has attempted to address this crisis, however, a coherent and Read More…
The F-35: At What Price?
By: Rodnie Allison In four years Canada will receive the first of sixty-five F-35A multi-role combat aircraft. These aircraft represent much more than a means to regulate airspace or dictate conditions on the ground. They represent a commitment to the NATO alliance structure, the integration of strategic industrial resources among like-minded governments, and finally, the capacity Read More…
Things Fall Apart: Nigeria Slides toward Sectarian Conflict
By: James Marcus Bridger Just two short years ago, the Islamist militant organization Boko Haram was discounted by government and intelligence officials as a spent force that lacked the organizational capabilities to threaten the state or endanger foreign interests. By 2011 however, the group had evolved from a small religious sect to a simmering regional Read More…
Storm Brewing over Mistral Sale to Russia
By: Simon Miles It has long been acknowledged that Russia possesses a powerful military; but equally broadly accepted that it is in dire need of modernization. Of late, the Russian government of Dmitri Medvedev and Vladimir Putin has been taking steps to rectify this defect and bring the Russian military in line with the standard Read More…
Guatemala: Central America’s Most Tormented Nation II
By: Kavita Bapat The advancements to the drug trade made by the Mexican Zeta cartel in Guatemala have turned the nation into more than just a way station for drugs travelling from Colombia to the US. Guatemala is increasingly becoming a storehouse and staging area for drugs awaiting safe passage into Mexico. Although military rule Read More…
Guatemala: Central America’s Most Tormented Nation
By: Kavita Bapat On 8 December, Mexican police seized 205 tons of drug precursor chemicals at the bustling Lazaro Cardenas port. The chemicals originated in China and were destined for Guatemala’s Puerto Quetzal, one of the world’s busiest intersections for illegal drugs. Guatemala’s position as an interlocking state between Colombia and the US along with Read More…