Recent Posts

Egypt wary of Turkey’s moves in eastern Libya

Ankara is expanding its influence in eastern Libya, deemed an area of Egyptian ​​influence. Following months of conflict and accusations between the two parties, the relationship between Turkey and the Khalifa Hifter-led Libyan National Army (LNA) has seen a relative thaw. On Jan. 20, Turkey’s Ambassador to Tripoli Kenan Yilmaz …

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The Taliban’s Comeback Is a Conundrum for Iran

No one in the Iranian government was sad to see U.S. and NATO troops leave Afghanistan. In fact, Tehran would prefer to have the Taliban next-door than often-hostile Western powers. But Shiite-majority Iran has also been a target of attacks in the past from the Sunni Islamist Taliban, and it …

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Houthi Attacks Could Derail UAE-Iran Diplomacy

A series of deadly explosions in Abu Dhabi, the normally placid capital of the United Arab Emirates, has created a strategic quandary for the UAE government. Its leaders are in the midst of a major diplomatic reinvention, seeking to develop good relations with all of their regional neighbors, including, notably, …

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There is no NATO open-door policy

In the current crisis involving Russia, Ukraine and Western countries, it is often asserted that because the NATO alliance has an “open-door” policy, Ukraine must retain its right to join the alliance someday. That is incorrect. While Russia should not be allowed to veto Ukraine’s hypothetical membership in NATO, there …

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Parsing the Evidence: Will Russia Invade Ukraine?

This week, with Washington rejecting two of Moscow’s three key security demands, Russian military equipment massing near the border with Ukraine and NATO “prepared for the worst,” the question dominating global affairs remains: Will Russia invade Ukraine? The White House answer is a qualified yes, the Kremlin’s a qualified no. …

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Russia, US exchange accusations over Ukraine at UN

Russia accused the West on Monday of “whipping up tensions” over Ukraine and said the U.S. had brought “pure Nazis” to power in Kyiv as the U.N. Security Council held a stormy and bellicose debate on Moscow’s troop buildup near its southern neighbor. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield shot back that …

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