Eurasia

Israel steps up military planning against Iran’s nuclear program

Recent reports on Iran accelerating its uranium enrichment are pushing Israeli leaders to inspect concrete plans. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant agreed on Wednesday night on a multiyear defense budget, a large portion of which will be dedicated to preparations for …

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UAE’s IDEX weapons fair brings in Russia, China, and billion-dollar deals

The United Arab Emirates’ defense expenditure amounted to $22.5 billion last year and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2027. Abu Dhabi’s biennial weapons exhibition generated billions of dollars in military product and technology agreements after the fifth and final day of the event on Friday, which saw both …

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As Germany’s relations sour with Iran, pressure grows on Berlin to do more

Activists in Germany are doubtful whether the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats will thwart the death sentence of German-Iranian national Jamshid Sharmahd. German human rights activists are pressuring the government in Berlin to take firm steps against Tehran, to halt the death sentence handed down on Tuesday to dual German-Iranian …

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Ukraine war at year 1: Russia-Iran alignment threatens delicate Middle East balance

US officials say Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given Iran a chance to hone its drone warfare skills while potentially expanding its proxies’ footprint in Syria, risking escalation with Israel. One year into Vladimir Putin’s ill-fated war against Ukraine, US officials have grown increasingly wary that a military partnership of …

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5 Reasons Why Much Of Global South Isn’t Automatically Supporting The West In Ukraine – OpEd

In October 2022, about eight months after the war in Ukraine started, the University of Cambridge in the UK harmonized surveys conducted in 137 countries about their attitudes towards the West and towards Russia and China. The findings in the study, while not free of a margin of error, are …

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As great power competition in the Middle East heats up, polling data shows a complex picture of popular attitudes

Apart from Europe and the South China Sea region, the Middle East and North Africa is one of the epicenters for what the U.S. has termed “great power competition” especially between the U.S. and China, although Russia also figures into the assessment. There is particular sensitivity to China’s perceived economic …

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Iraq needs renewables, but they won’t solve its power problems without broader reforms

Two decades on from the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, efforts to improve the country’s electricity infrastructure have lagged. Despite massive hydrocarbon reserves, including the world’s fifth-largest proved crude oil and 12th-largest proved natural gas reserves, Iraq struggles with chronic electricity shortages. Citizens do not have access to reliable electricity …

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Saudi-Houthi talks could pave the way for intra-Yemeni ones, but will they ensure sustainable peace?

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 18, 2023, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said, “We need to find a way to get the Yemen truce reinstated but then we need to work to transition it to a permanent ceasefire,” referring to the U.N.-sponsored truce …

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Challenges of mechanized and combined arms warfare: Lessons for Ukraine from Syria and Iraq

The flurry of announced plans to increase Western military aid to Ukraine continues. The United States and some North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies have now pledged to deliver advanced infantry fighting vehicles and main battle tanks, and they are apparently considering advanced fighter jets, as well. If the West …

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The dilemma of public sector salary payments in Yemen

Amid international efforts to resurrect the fragile peace in Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthi militia is imposing stringent conditions for their return to the negotiating table. The group is demanding the payment of civil servant salaries and a portion of oil revenues as prerequisites for peace, but with a catch: Paying …

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