Yearly Archives: 2020

US-Iran tensions in Iraq and the effect on civil society

While Iraq’s domestic political crisis continues, the geopolitical face-off between the U.S. and Iran has broadened out, ensnaring civic actors in a mainly military (non)confrontation. Militias have launched rockets at the Green Zone in Baghdad, which houses government buildings and all international representation, seemingly in line with the wishes of …

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Navy takes delivery of final Block II Super Hornet, looks ahead to Block III

Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17.

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IntelBrief: The United States is Struggling to Regain Influence in Syria

As Syrian dictator Bashar al-Asad continues seeking to gain control over rebel-held territory and move toward claiming victory in the Syrian civil war, the United States is looking to consolidate and expand its presence in the eastern provinces of Deir al-Zour and al-Hasakah. The primary U.S. presence has remained in …

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IntelBrief: The Wagner Group: A Russian Symphony of Profit and Politics

The Wagner Group is a Russian private military company (PMC) created in 2014 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an oligarch with close ties to Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin, also known as Putin’s chef because of a lucrative catering business that satiated Putin’s tastes, has long served as a Russian proxy to help Moscow …

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IntelBrief: Saudi Missteps Destabilize Global Oil Market

In early 2020, the global oil market has been in free fall from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a clash between two major producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The oil price crash is the first such collapse since the United States has become a major oil producer, a development …

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Finding Europe's Hidden Conservatives

Civilizationists’ top concern is not battling climate change, building the European Union, or staving off Russian and Chinese aggression; rather, they focus on preserving Europe’s historic civilization of the past two millennia. They worry about Europe becoming an extension of the Middle East or Africa.

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Planning for Post-Corona: Five proposals to craft a radically more sustainable and equal world

COVID-19 has shaken the world. It has already led to the loss or devastation of countless lives, while many people in vital professions are working day and night to attend to the sick and stop further spread. Personal and social losses, and the fight to stop these, demand our continued …

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