Recent Posts

It’s time to replace the guarantor powers

Britain, Greece and Turkey have all failed in their assigned roles When the Republic of Cyprus was born in 1960, she was given three “god-mothers” – Britain, Greece and Turkey – who were meant to shield and protect the new-born baby against the threats confronting a new state in its …

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Die EU darf den Verantwortungslosen nicht nachgeben

Der Brexit ist im Grunde eine klare Sache. Die Regeln dafür sind in jahrelanger Kleinstarbeit festgezurrt worden. Dass London nun den Streit um die Grenzen in Nordirland neu entfacht, ist völlig unverständlich und wirft sehr fundamentale Fragen auf. Sind die britischen Verhandlungsführer tatsächlich so dilettantisch und kurzsichtig oder einfach nur …

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Brussels offering to help Johnson out of mess

A detail in the story of Brexit, often forgotten, is Boris Johnson’s support for Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement at a third Commons vote in March 2019. Having resigned from the cabinet in protest at Mrs May’s plan, he endorsed it, not because he changed his mind about the content, but …

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Lebanon August Trends

What happened? The parliament approved the formation of a new government led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, ending a thirteen-month period during which Lebanon was governed by caretaker authorities. Separately, Hizbollah imported fuel directly from Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Why does it matter? The cabinet’s appointment ended an …

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Will China Replace the US in Afghanistan?

Despite heightened expectations, significant Chinese assistance to Afghanistan is unlikely to materialise soon. The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul on 15 August has strengthened speculation regarding a rising Chinese role in Afghanistan to replace the US-led coalition’s two-decade-long presence. The Taliban have recently called Beijing a ‘top ally’. China played its …

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ISIS financier arrested in al-Hol camp: coalition

“Recently, 2 terrorists were arrested including a Daesh (ISIS) financier.” The US-led coalition confirmed on Thursday that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carried out a successful anti-ISIS operation that resulted in the arrest of an ISIS financier in the notorious al-Hol camp. The official Twitter account of the US-led coalition …

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Egypt looks to expand counter-terrorism cooperation with Sudan

Egypt is seeking greater cooperation with Sudan’s transitional authorities to track down terrorist elements, including Islamic State and those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood . Sudanese security forces, led by the country’s intelligence services, have been cracking down on Islamic State (IS) members over the past weeks. Five members of …

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