In The News

Militant Threats in Africa: Wall Street Journal

Michael M. Phillips March 28, 2020
Africa is confronting increasing militant threats from extremists, including Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and Boko Haram. However, the United States has reduced its military presence in Africa by cutting 17 percent of personnel over the past two years – actions aligned with an adjustment of its worldwide troop commitment and the Trump administration’s strategy of reducing dispersed actions against...

US Coronavirus Conflict With China: The Hill

Stephen S. Roach and Daniel L. Arbess March 25, 2020
COVID-19, a threat to social and economic activity, requires a global solution, explain Stephen Roach and Daniel Arbess. Scapegoating is “stressing the U.S.-China relationship, inhibiting collaboration and enabling China to fill the global leadership void,” the two write. Collaborative research and ending the trade war, especially on medical supplies, could save US lives. China’s strict...

Refugee Crisis for EU: Financial Times

Jim Brunsden and Michael Peel March 5, 2020
EU foreign ministers tried calling a meeting, at Greece’s request, to address a new wave of Syrian refugees after conflict has intensified in Syria’s province of Idlib. Turkey has indicated it would no longer restrict refugees from reaching Europe. Turkey’s president suggest the policy is due to the lack of international support for refugees. "European countries have resisted Russian...

Turkey-Syria Tensions Escalate: Al Jazeera

Linah Alsaafin and Zaheena Rasheed February 28, 2020
The Syrian government's indiscriminate air raids, backed by Russian airpower, aim to crush opposition forces in Idlib. The attacks killed more than 30 Turkish troops. “The toll is the deadliest suffered by the Turkish army since it intervened in Syria in 2016 and is raising fears of a direct confrontation between Turkey and Russia on the battlefield,” reports Al Jazeera. By one rescue worker...

New Delhi Riots: Reuters

Devjyot Ghoshal and Manoj Kumar February 27, 2020
For more than two months, protesters in India have objected to the Citizenship Amendment Act that opens a path to citizenship for non-Muslims in three neighboring countries. Riots broke out and turned violent in New Delhi, disrupting the capital and contributing to 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries. “The Citizenship Amendment Act has sparked accusations that Modi and his BJP are undermining...

EU and US Disagree in Munich: Washington Post

Michael Birnbaum, John Hudson and Loveday Morris February 24, 2020
The annual Munich Security Conference exposed widening disagreements between the United States and Europe in terms of foreign policies, tariffs, national defense and more. This conference’s theme of “Westlessness” shows the concern of some political elites over a multipolar world as China and Russia gain power. Western rules-based international order remains the best option for the ensuring...

Russia Wants Trump Reelected? Washington Post

Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris, Josh Dawsey and Anne Gearan February 21, 2020
US intelligence officials confirmed previous reports that Russia favors reelection of President Donald Trump. A Washington Post suggests that notification to members of congress angered Trump, who questioned why the House intelligence committee was briefed before the White House. He removed the acting director of national intelligence. “Trump announced Wednesday that he was replacing [Joseph]...