Category Archives: Uncategorized

UN’s Test with the Rohingya

September 15, 2017 On December 15, 2016, respected think-tank International Crisis Group published a report titled, “Myanmar: A New Muslim Insurgency in Rakhine State” (*). This was following the attacks on Border Guard Police (BGP) bases in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine … Continue reading

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A World in Conflict and Turkey

September 11, 2017 Asked in a Guardian interview whether he had known a more dangerous time in his 30-year career, NATO’s Secretary General Stoltenberg said: “It is more unpredictable, and it’s more difficult because we have so many challenges at … Continue reading

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From “Redlines” to “All Options on the Table”

September 4, 2017 In a world of transformation, diplomatic jargon is also undergoing change. Some key expressions no longer carry the weight they once did. 9:11 Terrorist attacks led to worldwide support for the US. The North Atlantic Council invoked … Continue reading

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Afghanistan: More of the Same

August 25, 2017 President Trump’s remarks on the strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia did not break new ground. The principal challenge, as before, remains Afghan leaders forging a united front not only to fight the Taliban, al-Qaeda, tribalism, warlordism … Continue reading

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German-Turkish Relations: The Downturn Continues

August 21, 2017 According to a recent Pew Research Center survey titled, “Publics Worldwide Unfavorable Toward Putin, Russia”, in few countries surveyed did people exhibit confidence in Putin to do the right thing regarding world affairs (1). Globally, a median … Continue reading

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World’s North Korea Conundrum

  August 13, 2017 Following his first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago on April 7, President Trump said, “… the relationship developed by President Xi and myself I think is outstanding…”  On July 30, a disappointed President … Continue reading

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Afghanistan Moving up on Washington’s Agenda

August 7, 2017 For some time now, the Trump administration has been working on a “new strategy” for Afghanistan; a task which unfortunately offers little room for innovative approaches. Reportedly, this new strategy would authorize the Pentagon to set troop … Continue reading

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Middle East’s Failures and External Meddling

July 31, 2017 On April 4, 2017, toxic substance spread after Syrian warplanes dropped bombs on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the rebel-held Idlib province. The West and Russia offered conflicting explanations for the tragedy. Three days later, US … Continue reading

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Arab World in Disarray

July 24, 2017 The competition between Tehran and Riyadh for regional supremacy attracts a lot of international attention. Precision forecasts in today’s turbulent and unpredictable Middle East remain risky. However, in retrospect, one cannot but observe that the trend has … Continue reading

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Diplomatic Realignment in the West?

July 16, 2017 Dissolution of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War. The profound changes in structures which had governed East-West relations for five decades led to a unipolar world at the center of which was the … Continue reading

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