International intervention and the politics of building peace: ‘liberal...
International intervention in war-affected regions is the subject of much academic attention. Scholars and policymakers alike have been keen to understand the impacts, positive and negative, that...
View ArticleThe Iran deal Is worth it, even if they misbehave
As Congress’ vote on the Iran deal this week enters the theater of the absurd, a resolution edges closer. Cases have been made for and against the deal and its future capital for U.S. foreign policy....
View ArticleAcademic Diary: Escalating violence in Israel, a view from Bethlehem
As I am sitting here writing this contribution at 8:50 in the morning, I can already hear signs of the relentless fighting that has been going on for over ten days around Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem:...
View ArticleCould Iran be the next country to legalise cannabis and opium?
After Uruguay courageously legalised the use of cannabis under a new drug policy, could Iran be the next country to make it legal? From the outside, the image of Iran as retrograde and inherently...
View ArticleCoup attempt and terror bombings demonstrate Turkish lives don’t matter to...
Last week’s coup attempt by military forces in Turkey — the military’s first overt attempt to take power since 1980 — came as a great shock to the international community. At least 290 people were...
View ArticleNew Challenges – Is the Taliban in Transition?
On 21st May, an American airstrike killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan. This operation, which involved multiple drones, comes as a relief to many, as...
View ArticleWhy the real test for Colombia’s peace begins after the demobilization process
On Aug. 29, 2016, the Colombian government and the leftist insurgent group FARC initiated a cease-fire. The two parties had reached a remarkable peace accord a few days earlier, hoping to end 52 years...
View ArticleColombia has voted no on its plebiscite for peace. Here’s why and what it means
On Sunday, the Colombian people rejected the recent peace deal that the Colombian government had reached with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after 52 years of civil war. The...
View ArticleEven more unpredictable: Trump’s U-turn on Syria
“When you kill innocent children – innocent babies – babies – little babies with a chemical gas that is so lethal, people were shocked to hear what gas it was, that crosses many, many lines. Beyond a...
View ArticleHow effective is UN peacekeeping?
Peacekeeping is at the centre of the UN’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. Today, more than 100,000 soldiers and police from 125 countries are serving as blue-helmeted UN...
View ArticleIrrelephant: The Misleading Connections Between Terrorism and Ivory Poaching
The world is experiencing an ‘environmental crime crisis’. Dwarfed only by the trafficking of drugs, humans and counterfeit goods, the illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be the fourth largest type...
View ArticleUS Space Policy and Strategic Culture
The United States has a consistent Strategic Culture, centered on a sense of exceptionalism, values-driven foreign policy, casualty aversion, as well as strong leadership. These features reflect in its...
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