In The News

India and Pakistan in Uncharted Waters: BBC

Soutik Biswas March 1, 2019
India launched air strikes against militants in Pakistani territory on 26 February, and Pakistan responded hours later with air strikes across the Line of Control dividing Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir. The strikes across the Line of Control were the first since 1971. Pakistan “also claimed to have shot down two Indian Air Force jets in its airspace in Kashmir and arrested two pilots on...

Modern Diplomacy: Advanced Persistent Cyber Threats

Al Lewis January 31, 2019
Global online connectivity presents and exposes many vulnerabilities. Writing for Modern Diplomacy, Al Lewis explains that advanced persistent cyber threats share six characteristics with terrorism: “asymmetry, cost effectiveness, contributions of loose associations, will to succeed, impossibility to completely defend, and contagion.” However, those waging cyber-attacks, unlike terrorists, are...

BBC: US Steps Up War in Somalia

Tomi Oladipo January 7, 2019
The terrorist group al Shabab controls large areas of Somalia. Since March 2017, the US military received broad approval to intervene and prevent coordination with other extremists throughout Africa including al Qaeda. The US attacks, targeting militant groups and leaders, have killed more than 500, and a report from BBC News does not anticipate that an announcement on US troop reduction in...

NPR: Taliban Meets With US Officials

Colin Dwyer December 18, 2018
Afghan Taliban have met with US officials to discuss peace, but the group refuses to meet with representatives of the Afghan government. The focus of the meetings in the United Arab Emirates is to end the war underway since the 9/11 attacks and the 2001 US invasion that unseated the Taliban. The Afghan government has offered to recognize the Taliban as a political party and proposed ceasefires –...

Washington Post: Bomb Targets and Trump’s Words

Philip Rucker October 25, 2018
Nationalism is defined by Oxford Living Dictionaries as “Identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.” The extreme ideology regarding any criticism as threat is especially dangerous when so many challenges are global in scope. Yet Donald Trump proudly proclaims his stance as nationalist and...

Reuters: World Court and US Sanctions on Iran

Stephanie van den Berg October 4, 2018
The International Court of Justice ordered the United States to ensure that its sanctions on Iran do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety, reports Stephanie van den Berg for Reuters. The United Sates rejects the court decision, plans to terminate the 1955 Treaty of Amity with Iran and suggests that Iran’s real complaint is US withdrawal from the international agreement on ending...

Los Angeles Times: Syria Prepares for Final Showdown With Rebels

Nabih Bulos August 29, 2018
The Syrian government is eager to end the civil war that has raged since 2011 and prepares “for a multi-front offensive it hopes will provide a path for finally ending a grinding civil war, the fate of Idlib province and its 3 million residents is now the subject of diplomatic jockeying among the world powers that have had a hand in the war,” reports Nabih Bulos for the Los Angeles Times. After...