20Feb/17

North Korea, the US and the Status Quo

20 February 2017Americas, China and NeighbourhoodBritish, Chilcot, China, Iraq, North Korea, South Korea, USJon Kofas

In the age of “fake news” and President Donald Trump claiming that Sweden was riddled with terror attacks which of course never took place, and of perpetual corporate and state-media propaganda passed

10Jul/16

Iraq: The Strategic Lessons of Chilcot

10 July 2016Defense & Security, Europe, Middle EastBlair, Bush, Chilcot, Gulf War, Iraq, Middle East, Sykes-Picot, UKJulian Lindley-French

“The danger is, as ever with these things, unintended consequences” Prime Minister Tony Blair, 2002 It is 12 volumes and 2.6 million words in length and took 7 years to prepare. Yesterday

27Mar/16

Iraq Analysis: Prime Minister Caught Between Status Quo & A Cleric

27 March 2016CESRAN Blog, Middle EastAbadi, Baghdad, Green Zone, Iraq, Sadr, ShiiteOmar Al Nidawi

In Iraq, the menace of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, has reared its head again, posing serious challenges to Prime Minister Abadi and his plans for government

13Feb/16

Repairing the Policy-Making Processes of the United States: The First Step in Improving Its Defense

13 February 2016CESRAN Blog, Defense & SecurityAfghanistan, China, defense, DOD, GAO, IED, Iraq, MRAP, North Korea, Robert Gates, Russia, SIG, USJ. Duncan Southall

Former US Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Robert Gates explained on the January 21, 2016 Business Insider website that our military’s biggest weakness is sequestration, compounded by unpredictability in the budgeting process.

15Sep/15

A New Wave of Turkey’s Return to the Arc of Crisis

15 September 2015CESRAN Blog, Defense & Securitydesecuritisation, Hard Power, Iran, Iraq, JDP, MENA, NATO, securitisation, Soft Power, Syria, TurkeyGoktug Sonmez

Turkey’s relationship with the Middle East and North Africa has been quite controversial since the very proclamation of the Republic due to the new elite’s reservations about establishing close contact with the

14Jan/15

The Iranian Role in Iraq is Underreported

14 January 2015CESRAN Blog, Middle EastAl Qaeda, al-Malaki, Badr Brigade, Iran, Iraq, ISIS, Sunni, USJ. Duncan Southall

News reports tell us that negotiations have been delayed between the U.S. and Iran on nuclear weapons. But the reports divert our attention on Al Qaeda/ISIS while supporting the Shia’s diversion of

Tag: Iraq