In The News

CSM: Tech Companies Caught Between US, EU Ideals

Amanda Paulson June 28, 2017
A recent cluster of terrorist attacks has prompted French and British politicians to introduce regulation imposing financial penalties on internet firms that do not sufficiently curtail the flow of extremist propaganda. As a result, YouTube, its parent company Google, and Facebook announced their own plans to preempt these laws that could negatively affect their financial bottom line as well as...

Stars and Stripes: Mattis Rejects Mission Creep in Syria as New Chemical Weapons Threat Alleged

Tara Copp June 27, 2017
The Pentagon has reported “active handling of chemical weapons” at a Syrian airbase, where chemical weapons were launched in April, and the White House warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would “pay a very heavy price” if the weapons were used. The US ambassador to the United Nations added “The goal at this point not just to send Assad a message, but to send Russia and Iran a message."...

The Guardian: Qatar Given 10 Days to Meet 13 Sweeping Demands by Saudi Arabia

Patrick Wintour June 24, 2017
Saudi Arabia is demonstrating insecurity and intolerance for other points of view by leading a trade and diplomatic embargo against tiny neighbor Qatar and then issuing a 13-part ultimatum. Saudi Arabia’s population is 15 times larger than Qatar’s 2.2 million. Qatar denies that it funds or harbors terrorists, and certainly not more than Saudi citizenss have been reported to do. The demands...

Sydney Morning Herald: UN Convention and “Climate Refugees”

Jane McAdam June 15, 2017
The UN Refugee Convention, drafted after World War II, strives to balance the needs of refugees and governments, but cannot help every displaced person. The world has seen great advances in communications, transportation and security, but a substantially larger global population, increasing inequality, terrorism and environmental degradation are challenges that leave critics claiming the treaty...

Haaretz: ISIS Assault on Tehran May Lead to Surprising Alliances in the Middle East

Zvi Bar'el June 8, 2017
Islamic State terrorists struck the Iranian parliament and Khomeini shrine in Tehran, leaving 17 dead. Throughout the region and stretching into Afghanistan and beyond, the terrorist group has targeted Shias, moderate Muslims and anyone that does not agree with their extremist goals. Conspiracy theories abound, and war in Syria has fueled extremism, attracting jihadist fighters from around the...

Brookings: The $110 Billion Arms Deal to Saudi Arabia Is Fake News

Bruce Riedel June 8, 2017
During Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May, he announced a $110 billion arms deal, a claim reported by YaleGlobal and other media. “Only problem is that there is no deal,” writes author Bruce Riedel. “So far nothing has been notified to the Senate for review. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the arms sales wing of the Pentagon, calls them ‘intended sales.’ None of the deals...

Al-Ahram Weekly: Failure in Geneva

Bassel Oudat June 4, 2017
The Syrian opposition and Assad regime attended a sixth round of talks in Geneva to end the civil war, just before Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East. Little progress was reported, and there is a sense that the talks in Geneva compete with Russian-led talks in Astana to end the war. UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura proposed “formation of a precarious human rights and constitutional...