Monthly Archives: October 2020

Russia’s post-Soviet weakness is really an opportunity

Сразу три союзные России страны – Армения, Белоруссия и Киргизия – одновременно столкнулись с острыми кризисами, что заставляет еще раз задуматься о том, насколько эффективной была союзническая и интеграционная политика Москвы на постсоветском пространстве. Угрозы, которые происходящее может представлять для России, очевидны, но в то же время кризисы можно использовать …

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Iran air defenses bolstered near NW border amid Karabakh war: Army chief

The chief commander of Iran’s Army has said the Islamic Republic has bolstered its air defenses near the northwestern frontier amid ongoing clashes over the disputed Nangorno-Karabakh region. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, who also commands Iran’s Air Defense Headquarters, made the remark on Tuesday as fighting continued between Azeri and …

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China's 2nd aircraft carrier Shandong completes testing, training mission, to be combat-ready by year-end

China’s first domestically made aircraft carrier, the Shandong, has completed regular testing and training missions at sea that focused on actual combat after serving in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy for 10 months, China Central Television (CCTV) reported Tuesday.

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India enacts new laws allowing non-locals to buy land in disputed Kashmir

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government has been introducing major changes to the laws governing the ownership of land in the Indian-administered Kashmir since its decision to abolish the disputed Himalayan region’s autonomous status last year.

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Professional Development for Countering Transnational Organized Crime

Transnational organized crime (TOC) is a growing threat in Africa as technology and growth in trade link the continent ever more closely to licit and illicit opportunities in the global marketplace. Livelihood challenges, political instability, and weak state legitimacy in some countries also amplify vulnerabilities to TOC in its various …

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A Light in Libya’s Fog of Disinformation

Divisions within Libya’s civil war have been amplified by foreign-sponsored disinformation campaigns. Reconciliation and peacebuilding will require local actors to reclaim Libya’s digital spaces. Nested within Libya’s ongoing civil war are a fog of falsehoods, distortions, and polarizing narratives that have engulfed Libyan social media networks and online news outlets. …

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Does the U.S. Nuclear Umbrella Still Protect America’s Allies?

The next president should move swiftly to reassure allies that the U.S. nuclear guarantee remains credible—or risk rapid nuclear proliferation. One important consequence of the fraying of U.S. alliances over the last few years is the reemergence of concern in allied capitals about the credibility of the U.S. nuclear guarantee. …

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Russian strike on Syria’s Idlib fighters a ‘message’ to Turkey

Latest escalation comes amid increased Turkish military involvement in a region stretching from Syria to the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. Russia and Turkey are two sides of the same coin. They are both heavily involved in some of the world’s most significant ongoing conflicts including in Libya, the Caucasus and …

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