Fixing America’s Failed Strategies in the Middle East
The Middle East is both central to key United States interests and prone to instability. Yet US national security and defense strategic guidance has struggled to account for the unique demands of the region. Calls for strategic divestiture from the region have grown in prominence among analysts and policymakers alike in recent years.
Former CIA operative: regime change in Iran is much harder than the US thinks
The United States and Israel have done significant damage to Iran’s military and security apparatus. Senior commanders have been killed at a pace rarely seen in modern warfare.
Russia’s new military: The rise of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group
Kremlin-linked oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the notorious Wagner Group PMC, is taking power away from the traditional Russian military establishment and fostering President Putin’s dependence on his resources and advice. This trend will undoubtedly propel the escalation of the war in Ukraine and possibly inflict irrevocable damage to the future utility of the Russian Armed Forces.
Tensions in Tbilisi: Is there a Russian migrant crisis?
Competition for jobs was high in Georgia even prior to the influx of Russians. So the arrival of tens of thousands of working-age, often high-skilled individuals from an antagonistic country could, if it has not already, lead to further frustration among Georgians.
Georgia’s major seaports form a vital link in the transit of commerce via the Black Sea, but they are threatened by local and transnational involvement in illicit seaborne trade motivated by high income inequality, poverty, and population displacement. Enhancing maritime security in this geostrategic South Caucasus transit state aligns with the strategic interests of the U.S. and NATO.
War crimes in Ukraine: Failure to prosecute Russia will damage international security for years to come
Historically, Russia has escaped accountability for the war crimes it has committed. The war in Ukraine must not follow the same path. Otherwise, the entire international security architecture will bear the consequences of such impunity.
In Turkish-Russian relations, the Ukraine grain deal is not the point
The Ukraine grain export deal, which Turkey helped mediate over the summer, was saved last week to much fanfare; but the central unaddressed issue remains lifting Russia’s illegal blockade of Ukrainian ports, so Ukraine can freely trade with the world.
Russia’s War on Ukraine: Iran’s Growing Role and the Nuclear Threat
In today’s episode, Alistair Taylor sits down with experts from MEI’s Frontier Europe Initiative to assess the trajectory of Russia’s war on Ukraine. They discuss Russia’s growing attacks on critical infrastructure, its recent deployment of Iranian drones and their impact on the battlefield, the potential nuclear threat, and where things might be headed from here.
Lukashenka’s visit to Abkhazia: A prelude to recognition?
Almost immediately following a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka quietly traveled to the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia for the first time. Given Belarus’s isolation from the West and deep dependency on Russia, it is highly likely that Lukashenka’s visit to Abkhazia was directed by his Kremlin counterpart.
Albania finds itself caught in the middle as Iran and the West square off
Albania, a close U.S. ally, has found itself on the front line of the clash between the West and Iran. Though angered by the MEK’s presence in Albania, to date, there is little evidence to suggest that Tehran intends to further fuel the conflict with Tirana. This could change, however, If the Iranian proxy war with the U.S. and Israel intensifies.
Iulia Joja interviews Henry Sokolski, the executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, about how tactical nuclear weapons might play into Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine strategy.
Opinion: Meet the tough women leaders taking on Vladimir Putin
It’s striking, the large number of brave women who are leading the protests against Iran’s violent and vicious theocratic regime. It’s likewise notable that young women lead the Ukrainian organization just awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Arguably less noticed yet equally important: Across Europe, it’s women who are transcending political and geographic boundaries to call for an end to Russia’s brutal aggression.
