Extending the transport of Russian gas via Ukraine after 2024 would likely benefit both Russia and Ukraine. Stopping the flow of gas, on the other hand, would be painful for whichever side initiates it. At the end of 2024, a five-year agreement expires governing one of the oldest and biggest …
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February, 2024
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16 February
Lebanon may not want a war, but one could be on its way
A broken economy, a political vacuum and spreading regional violence have left the Lebanese people stuck between the Israeli military and Hezbollah “Disastrous”, “decimated” and “impoverished” – these are just some of the words used by Nasser Saidi, a former economy minister and deputy governor of Lebanon’s central bank, to …
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16 February
China is testing its freeriding strategy in the Red Sea
In April 2023, many foreign observers found themselves startled when senior diplomats from Iran and Saudi Arabia met at a China-brokered summit in Beijing—the first high-level meeting between both inveterate foes in several years. Beijing appeared to demonstrate a new diplomatic prowess—an active willingness to mediate tensions in one of …
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16 February
Russian nuclear anti-satellite weapons would require a firm US response, not hysteria
The prospect of space combat is gripping Washington this week. The White House on Thursday confirmed that Russia is developing a “troubling” anti-satellite capability, following statements from leading members of Congress and ensuing reports that Russia is working on a nuclear-armed, on-orbit, anti-satellite weapon. The news has sparked concern about …
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16 February
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Was A Pragmatic Means Of Managing The Soviet-Nazi Security Dilemma
Whatever one may think about its lack of morality, it was coldly pragmatic and wasn’t responsible for sparking World War II, just for temporarily putting off what proved to be its most deadly phase in Europe. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (MRP) is back in the news after President Putin explained to …
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16 February
Iran Update, February 14, 2024
Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei discussed the removal of US forces from Iraq, counterterrorism, and border security with senior Iraqi politicians in Baghdad on February 13 and 14. Iranian judicial officials rarely travel abroad. Acting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohsen al Mandalawi claimed that the Iraqi Parliament will pass …
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16 February
Deaths Linked to Militant Islamist Violence in Africa Continue to Spiral
Fatalities linked to militant Islamist violence jumped by 20 percent in the past year, claiming more than 23,000 lives—a new record. Over 80 percent of these deaths were in the Sahel and Somalia. Highlights Fatalities linked to militant Islamist violence rose by 20 percent in the past year (from 19,412 …
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15 February
The World’s Gyre – OpEd
The US is edging closer to war with Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, a state security agency composed of armed groups, some of which are close to Iran, but which for the main are Iraqi nationalists. The US carried out a drone strike in Baghdad, Wednesday that killed three members of …
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15 February
The Global Deep State: A Fascist World Order Funded By The American Taxpayer – OpEd
The debate over U.S. foreign aid is a distraction. That’s not to say that the amount of taxpayer money flowing to foreign countries in the form of military and economic assistance is insignificant. Even at less than 1% of the federal budget, the United States still spends more on foreign …
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15 February
Biden’s Dilemma: Navigating Political Support Amid Global Conflict – Analysis
The United States (US) Congress is currently facing an unprecedented strain, primarily due to the ongoing tug-of-war between Republicans and Democrats on a range of issues, spanning from domestic politics to international and geopolitical matters. Importantly, domestic issues now seem inseparably hyphenated with US national security and international politics. In …
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