Recent Posts

Pegasus: A Spy Story Turning into a Nightmare

The surveillance scandal and subsequent lack of government action is a national scandal that threatens Hungarian democracy. he spyware and the covert surveillance used against journalists, civilians and an opposition mayor could be the most severe abuse of power in Hungary since the democratic transition three decades ago. “Shocking”, “unbelievable”, …

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Afghan Government Facing ‘Existential Crisis’

The Afghan government in Kabul will be fighting for its life and could well fall to the Taliban after the United States completes its military withdrawal from the country in August, according to a U.S. government watchdog charged with monitoring events on the ground. Despite a series of cautiously optimistic …

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Iraq Policy Revolves Around Iran

On July 26, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi made his second visit to Washington to discuss the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq as part of the fourth and final round of the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue series. President Biden and Prime Minister Kadhimi announced that the U.S.-Iraq combat mission in …

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Shockwaves in Tunisia as the Country is Upended by a Political Crisis

Growing countrywide protests over quality-of-life issues, including worsening health and the economic crises, have upended Tunisia’s political system. Tunisia has been ravaged by COVID-19, its healthcare system besieged by the scale and scope of the pandemic. A lackluster vaccination campaign outraged Tunisians and led to the dismissal last week of …

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The Crisis in Tunisia

On July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, froze the parliament, suspended the legal immunity of parliament members and took control of the general prosecutor’s office. He warned against any armed response to his actions: “Whoever shoots a bullet, the armed forces will respond with …

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