After the al-Houla massacre Syria has reached a tipping point. Though there is certainly a consensus that something must be done, until now there has been little agreement over what this action will entail.
6. Regions
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The Return of Politics in China
In China, recent discussion of an economic crash masks an unpredictable control mechanism to prevent it: the return of politics.
NATO’s Many Hats: Ukraine and Azerbaijan at the Chicago Summit
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=”http://www.globaltimes.cn/attachment/090722/fa51f45ba3.jpg” captiontext=” US Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday voiced support for Ukraine’s NATO bid and its own will to choose allies.”] The 2012 Chicago Summit was the biggest NATO summit to date, with over sixty leaders in attendance, as well as “folks who were exercising their freedom of speech and Read More…
The Annan Plan: Internal Failure but External Hope
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=” http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/incoming/article7564966.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/Syrian+rebels ” captiontext=”Syrian rebels in Idlib clash with government forces.”] Kofi Annan’s six point plan has been sidelined as a total failure by many political observers and increasingly by those within the Obama administration. It may be argued that the Syrian rebels agree, given a recent bombing of army troops guarding United Nations observers. The Read More…
Egypt’s Landmark Elections: Brotherhood or Bust
With no clear winner, a run-off election has been scheduled for mid-June between the top two candidates, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohmammed Morsiand Ahmad Shafiq, who once served as Prime Minister during Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
Sex, Security, and Democracy in Afghanistan
[captionpix align=”left” theme=”elegant” width=”320″ imgsrc=” http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/2/17/1329499523173/Fawzia-Koofi-008.jpg” captiontext=”Fawzia Koofi, MP: the Afghan parliament’s first female deputy speaker (Photo: the Guardian)”] Afghanistan was at the top of the agenda when world leaders met this month at NATO’s Chicago summit. Important issues, including a timetable for troop withdrawal and the Alliance’s post-2014 support and training role, were agreed upon. Read More…
Breaking The Bottleneck: Maritime Terrorism and “Economic Chokepoints” (part 1)
The probability of a terrorist attack on a major North American port may be low for some security analysts, but given the catastrophic effect an attack could have on such “economic chokepoints,” the costs could be immeasurable.
Partition Imminent? The Continuing Saga of the 2012 Mali Coup
In the latest news to come out of Mali, two rebel groups have joined forces to fight for the independence of the north of the country and the creation of an Islamic state.
Report from Chicago: David Cameron Keeps Calm, Carries On
The British Prime Minister was confident and in control at the press briefing he gave on Monday at the conclusion of the NATO 2012 Summit in Chicago.
Nuclear Armed Iran: Missing the Bigger Picture
Talks in Baghdad with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany have resumed over Iran’s contentious nuclear program. The negotiation process is likely to be a long one and no breakthrough accords are expected at this meeting.