In April of 2021, the United States government announced its withdrawal from what was at the time the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Twenty years of combat, 3609 dead NATO troops, and trillions of dollars later, Allied forces withdrew, and left the country vulnerable for the Taliban to seize control once again, like they had thirty Read More…
A fifth term secured in power. Another six years claimed as the country’s head of state. On track to becoming the Kremlin’s longest serving leader since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Welcome to the world of Mr. Vladimir Putin. Last month, Russia held its eighth presidential election, although it was predetermined who would emerge victorious. Yet, Read More…
As NATO’s seventy-fifth anniversary approaches, the alliance finds itself confronted by Russian revanchism and invasions in Eastern Europe, growing anti-Western alliances in Asia, and tenuous and uncertain political trends in many member nations. Yet to NATO, this is familiar territory – much of the same dynamics are occurring now as during the Cold War (1947-91), Read More…
To mark the 75th anniversary of NATO, the NATO Association of Canada, Toronto, organizes several events that will highlight NATO’s alliance and Canada. We received the following invitation: “We invite you to be a part of this initiative and share your organization’s contribution to NATO’s collective history.” My, or rather our “organization” is the Canadian Association Read More…
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the threat of pro-Kremlin disinformation in Europe has become a matter of increasingly pressing concern. This is particularly true for NATO members that provide Ukraine with significant military and humanitarian aid. Between February and March of 2022, Russia’s state budget for mass media increased by 433 percent, as “the audience and reach Read More…
Abstract: This article compares experiences gained in KFOR and ISAF and what they might equip Allied leaders to anticipate in the Western Balkans, should Moscow begin to create trouble on that front to shore up its position in Ukraine. Post-conflict missions and humanitarian operations conducted by NATO-led forces have revealed successes, lessons learned, and challenges to civil-military Read More…
Abstract: Given North Korea’s recent advancement in its nuclear weapons development program, should South Korea finally acquire the nuclear bomb? In this article, Program Editor Mark Davis Madarang Pablo analyzes the prospects of Seoul becoming a nuclear-armed state and provides policy options for the United States and the broader NATO Plus Alliance to assist in Read More…
Ethiopia has officially completed its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). GERD is a $4.7 billion investment project located on the Blue Nile tributary, through which 85% of the Nile’s water flows. The dam is 30 kilometres long – Africa’s biggest hydroelectric project – producing 6,000 megawatts of electricity in a country where 66% of the Read More…
In the face of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine, the existing Atlantic energy infrastructure has found its Achilles’ heel, namely a reliance on resources controlled by powers with interests that are inimical to the rules-based international order. According to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance’s goals in the face of this new crisis have Read More…
In this article, Senior Research Fellow Dr. Robert M. Cutler covers NATO’s July 5th Military Committee meeting, its select partners, and its challenges. Specific attention is paid to the strengthened energy-security relations between NATO and Azerbaijan.