Why Putin Pulled the Trigger

Photo Credit: Screengrab from YouTube. On February 24 at around 5:00 AM local time, Russian forces invaded Ukraine. This should be unsurprising given the widespread media and government coverage over the preceding months. However, the West is now scrambling for explanations, often resorting to calling Putin an irrational tyrant. Perhaps he is tyrannical, but he … Continue reading Why Putin Pulled the Trigger

The New Great Game

The Dragon, Eagle, and Bear play the Great Game. Photo Credit: Global Village Space. Central Asia has always been an important crossroads of great powers. Just to name a few, the Persians, Russians, British, and Chinese have all struggled for influence. The United States is now an important stakeholder in the region—at least since its … Continue reading The New Great Game

China: Myanmar Is Not Libya

Photo Credit: Reuters. Myanmar's ambassador to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun, urges action against the military coup at the end of his speech to the General Assembly. Myanmar’s coup earlier this year showcased the fragility of democracy and how quickly things can change for the worse. The United States rightly condemned the coup and imposed … Continue reading China: Myanmar Is Not Libya

What Ever Happened to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Photo Credit: Agency for the Statistic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Popis: Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Dayton Accords, the agreement that ended the Bosnian War and instituted power-sharing between the state’s three constituent peoples, marked its 25th anniversary late last year. Two-and-a-half decades later, where is Bosnia and Herzegovina … Continue reading What Ever Happened to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Beware of Nagorno-Karabakh

Photo credit: Tim Ryan Williams/Vox The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh recently flared up after decades of relative stability. A Russia-negotiated ceasefire that came into effect on November 11 will hopefully stop the violence. Whether or not the peace holds going forward, it is not in the interest of the United … Continue reading Beware of Nagorno-Karabakh

Lest We Forget the Uyghurs

Photo Credit: Huseyin Aldemir/Reuters The Chinese Communist Party since 2017 has committed genocide against its Uyghur Muslim citizens in East Turkestan (Xinjiang province). The United States should officially designate this as a genocide and spearhead an international pressure campaign against the Chinese government. With an official designation of genocide, the United States will be able … Continue reading Lest We Forget the Uyghurs

Navalny and Nord Stream 2: Russia is not a Reliable Partner for Europe

A road sign directs traffic towards the Nord Stream 2 gas line landfall facility entrance in Lubmin, north eastern Germany, on September 7, 2020. Photo Credit: Getty Images//Odd Andersen The poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has given the governments of Europe another chance to prove that they oppose Russia’s untrammeled aggression. This time, … Continue reading Navalny and Nord Stream 2: Russia is not a Reliable Partner for Europe