Members of the SPLM-N riding in a technical. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Sudan is in the midst of a political transition that many hope will fulfill the demands of the nation’s people for civilian government. Three decades of authoritarian rule under Omar al-Bashir, which sowed widespread popular distrust in the state and fueled longstanding social, … Continue reading Pursuing Peace in Sudan
Category: Regions
The European Union’s Defense Ambitions Threaten to Undermine European Security
Signing the joint notification on the permanent structured cooperation. Photo Credit: Tauno Tõhk/European Council. In recent years, the European Union has put forth a host of initiatives aimed at improving the region’s defense and security. These proposals are wide-ranging, covering areas from defense spending to a “European Army.” While efforts to create improvements in defense … Continue reading The European Union’s Defense Ambitions Threaten to Undermine European Security
A New Balance of Power in the Middle East? Consequences of the U.S. Abandoning the Kurds
Smoke rising in Rasulayn after Turkish shelling. Photo Credit: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images. Turkey’s invasion into Northeast Syria in the wake of the Trump Administration’s withdrawal of troops that were supporting Kurdish partners in the area has left the once stable region in turmoil. The United States’s choice to leave Kurdish allies … Continue reading A New Balance of Power in the Middle East? Consequences of the U.S. Abandoning the Kurds
Keeping the Navy Ship Shape: Assessing Lessons from the Past
Dreadnoughts of the German High Seas Fleet. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons. One of the most prominent challenges confronting today’s Navy is lack of manpower. Despite calling for an increase in fleet size to 355 ships, the Navy has struggled to keep enough sailors to maintain operational readiness for the 285 ships it currently has. While … Continue reading Keeping the Navy Ship Shape: Assessing Lessons from the Past
Bolivarian Brotherhood: The Roots of the Cuba-Venezuela Relationship and its Future Trajectory
Representatives meeting at the XIII Meeting of the Political Council of ALBA. Photo Credit: Nina Zambrano Díaz. Foreign Ministry of Ecuador. On September 26, the United States imposed sanctions on Raúl Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro and head of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC), over Cuba’s support for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The … Continue reading Bolivarian Brotherhood: The Roots of the Cuba-Venezuela Relationship and its Future Trajectory
How Turkey’s “Safe Zone” Could Become a Killing Field for Syria’s Civilians
A woman and her children flee Northern Syria as Turkish forces advance. Photo source: REUTERS/Rodi Said. At a meeting in mid-September Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan outlined a plan to create a safe zone in northern Syria wherein up to three million Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey could be relocated.[i] This plan, though, rests … Continue reading How Turkey’s “Safe Zone” Could Become a Killing Field for Syria’s Civilians
America Needs an Arctic Strategy
An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard, and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters assigned to the 1-207th Aviation Regiment, Alaska Army Air National Guard, fly over the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Hampton (SSN 757) during Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016. Photo Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd … Continue reading America Needs an Arctic Strategy
Estonia’s Digital Embassies and the Concept of Sovereignty
An e-Estonia display. Photo Credit: E-Estonia. INTRODUCTION I have previously covered e-Estonia and the strategic risks Estonia’s e-government platforms pose for Estonian and NATO cybersecurity by presenting a ready center of gravity for adversarial cyber operations.[i] That risk is calculated against the revolutionary benefits that e-governance has brought Estonia, making the country’s administration incredibly flexible, … Continue reading Estonia’s Digital Embassies and the Concept of Sovereignty
Is Green the New Black? Katharina Schulze is Reshaping Politics in Germany’s Bavaria
Katharina Schulze in front of a green background. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons. At 34 years old, Katharina Schulze does not fit the stereotypical mold of a Bavarian politician. She is young, dynamic, and a self-described feminist, not to mention a member of the Green Party. Although one might picture an older, male, Christian Social Union … Continue reading Is Green the New Black? Katharina Schulze is Reshaping Politics in Germany’s Bavaria
Unfreezing the Status Quo: Palestinian Politics After Mahmoud Abbas
Palestinian President Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly. Photo Source: Reuter/Lucas Jackson. In mid-September, Israel held its second election in five months to determine the makeup of the 22nd Knesset. Noteworthy was the impressive performance by Benny Gantz and his centrist Blue and White Party, which outmaneuvered Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud for a 33-32 seat … Continue reading Unfreezing the Status Quo: Palestinian Politics After Mahmoud Abbas