As Europe confronts Jihadists from across the Mediterranean, Arjun Singh lays out measures to upgrade NATO’s maritime operation for better European security.
Tag: Middle East
The Islamic State Mounts a Resurgence Amid COVID-19
The Islamic State (IS) may not occupy as much contiguous territory as it once did, but that has not diminished its resolve to spread global terror. Emily Mullin examines how the jihadist group is exploiting COVID-19 to gain respite, and what this means for NATO operations in the Middle East.
The United State’s Changing Strategy towards the Middle East
In this article, James Cho argues that the first step of understanding a nation’s behaviour is to understand its interest. He suggests that the the U.S’s changing strategy towards the Middle East is an example.
European Natural Gas Geopolitics on a Collision Course?
Following the Dutch discovery of the Groningen field, and British, Norwegian and Danish discoveries in the North Sea during the 1960s and 1970s, natural gas appeared to offer Europe an opportunity to decrease its dependence on Middle Eastern oil. However, demand for gas quickly outpaced supply, leading West European buyers increasingly to rely on Soviet Read More…
Climate Change: An Unspoken Factor in the Syrian Civil War
Climate change crises are on the rise around the world, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa. In Syria, the loss of resources and the increasing number of IDPs are increasing the countries’ ever prevalent vulnerability, making it one of the most daunting humanitarian crises of our time.
The Economic State of Syria
The Syrian Civil War is drawing to a close, and at long last. Since its inception in March of 2011, the conflict has provoked utter calamity on a scale not otherwise seen since World War Two. Originating from an unassuming incident, the war has spiraled out of control, with the resulting carnage leaving upwards of Read More…
Egypt Is Becoming Central to NATO-Area Geo-Economics
The Arab Spring threw a wrench into Egypt’s promising liquified natural gas (LNG) industry. Now, with stability returned to that country and the discovery of new gas deposits in the Nile littoral, Egypt is poised to become a major source of energy to the E.U. market. As auspicious as this sounds, it raises the stakes in an already volatile region marked by militarization and beset by inter-state strife and transcontinental tension.
A Tale of Two Salmans
Thirty years after the “Satanic Verses” controversy, the transnational threat to freedom of speech and the press is more acute than ever. The recent murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi – likely orchestrated by Saudi Arabia – is a case in point. So far, the pressure has been on Washington to punish Saudi Arabia, but Justin Dell argues that this issue is too combustable to be left to bilateral relations. What is needed is a broader multilateral approach, first to holding Saudi Arabia responsible for Khashoggi’s murder, and then to uphold the universal values of freedom of speech and expression. Only then can some kind of justice be obtained without risking the further destabilization of the Middle East.
Iranian interest in Iraq and ramifications on NATO
In this article, Sivan Ghasem highlights Iran’s role in Iraq and the current umbrella of militia’s that operate under Iran’s direction. She underscores the measures of hard and soft power executed by the Iranian regime and how this could effect relations with NATO.
Why is Canada taking leadership in Iraq?
In this article, Taylor Allen highlights Canada’s current objectives within Iraq including most notably the recent appointment of Major-General Dany Fortin as Commander-designate of the NATO Iraq mission (NMI).