February, 2025

• 14 February

  Which Countries Are Most Exposed to US Aid Cuts; And What Other Providers Can Do

  While it is still unclear how long the current freeze on US foreign aid will last, and when and where it might resume, it seems the US, under the second Trump administration, may be ready to abandon its role as a lead aid provider. If so—other countries will need to …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Authorities in Somalia warn against financing terrorism

  

  Somalia’s government Saturday sent stern warnings to businesses and individuals that pay extortion money to al-Shabab, saying the full force of the law would be brought against traders and individuals who pay the al-Qaida ally. Presenting a unified front, Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail and Minister of …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency, Special Edition

  ISIS carried out at least six confirmed attacks in November in the Homs, Hama, and Deir Ez Zor governorates, killing at least eight pro-regime soldiers and two civilians. There were also two high quality* attacks carried out during the month. ISIS attacks in central Syria declined for the third consecutive …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Lebanon: President Aoun, PM Salam Form Government

  

  Twenty-six days after Nawaf Salam was assigned to form a Lebanese government, the decrees for its formation were announced on Saturday from the Presidential Palace. President Joseph Aoun accepted the resignation of Najib Mikati’s government. The Council of Ministers is scheduled to hold its first session at the Presidential Palace …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Combat losses and manpower challenges underscore the importance of ‘mass’ in Ukraine

  

  Ukrainian forces managed to blunt Russian territorial advances and inflict significant casualties and material losses in 2024, even with ammunition shortages and a deficit in infantry. However, Ukraine will need continued Western support and better manpower-management to avoid further battlefield setbacks. While 2024 was a difficult year for Ukraine on …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Post-Assad Syria Would Do Well To Retain Their Country’s Strategic Partnership With Russia

  

  Just because a course of action is considered to be the most rational doesn’t mean that it’ll be pursued. Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra told the Washington Post last week that the interim government might allow Russia to keep its air and naval base in the country so long …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Dynamics Of Changing The Global Order: Return Of Trump, Greenland And Positioning On Geopolitical Chessboard – OpEd

  

  The dynamics of changing the global order The global order has undergone significant changes in recent decades, which have been intensified by specific factors. The emergence of new global powers such as China and India is consolidating their roles as new economic, technological and military superpowers. The competition between the …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Geopolitical Vision Of The Future: Serbia In The New Global Order – OpEd

  

  The world is experiencing tectonic shifts that will define the geopolitical landscape for decades to come. The emergence of a multipolar world, driven by the rise of China, Russia, and other BRICS members, poses a challenge that compels the United States to redefine its strategy for global leadership. President Donald …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  The Rise Of Right-Wing Extremism: Islamism In Damascus – Analysis

  

  As early as 2011, during the initial days of the Arab Spring, I anticipated the rise of Islamist imperialism within the global rise of right-wing exclusionary movements. The events continued to follow that same catastrophic trajectory as the extreme right from Indonesia and the Indian Subcontinent to the Middle East …

  Read More »
• 14 February

  Russian Military Moves To Revive Secret Soviet Submarine Base – Analysis

  

  As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its third year, Ukraine’s growing offensive capabilities have forced the Russian military to work harder to protect its assets, including its battered Black Sea Fleet (BSF) (see EDM, November 8, 2022, March 11, 26, August 13 [1], [2], 2024). Media reports indicate that Russia …

  Read More »