Society, Culture, and Security Vedran Kuljanin

Why Kosovo Matters: What the West Doesn’t Understand About the Balkans- Part III

In the final piece to his “What the West Doesn’t Understand About the Balkans” series, Vedran Kuljanin looks at why Kosovo is an important piece of land to both Albanians and Serbians alike and how the West misdiagnoses the problems present.

Canadian Armed Forces Jayson Derow

Democracy at the Point of Bayonets: Can Regime Change Stabilize Syria?

Western military forces have demonstrated that they are effective in implementing regime change. But such regimes failed to foster stability or eradicate jihadist extremism, and thus, war persists and blood is still spilt. Jayson Derow discusses why the overthrowing of the Assad government will not ease tensions within the Syrian civil war or the battle against ISIS.

Canadian Armed Forces Roderick Ramsden

An Unknown Existential Threat: Financial Crisis in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The most significant threat to the existence of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Peshmerga is not ISIS, but rather an ongoing economic crisis. Roderick explores this financial crisis and discusses the implications as they relate to the mission against ISIS and the refugee and internally displaced persons emergency.

Canadian Armed Forces Jayson Derow

You Break it, You Own it: War Must not be Dictated by Deadlines

Not only do unclear objectives delegitimize war efforts, but so too does setting a time limit for withdrawal. Jayson Derow discusses why any political and military success against ISIS will not be sustainable unless accompanied by a comprehensive political process and an enduring commitment to the complete eradication of ISIS.