LATEST ANALYSIS:
Normative Costs of Normalizing Al-Assad
Recent efforts to rehabilitate al-Assad will set a damaging precedent for accountability, just as the international community has expressed the need to hold Russia to account for similar human rights violations in Ukraine - Burcu Ozcelik for Carnegie Endowment.
Russia Today rolls out in Eastern Europe
As Russia intensifies its onslaught on Ukraine, Serbian President Vučić cosies up to the Kremlin & RT launches a Serbian language version of its site, angering the EU. Serbia does not seem to be helping itself. Helena Ivanov for UnHerd.
Will Republicans Defy Trump’s Authoritarian Cult of Personality?
Brian Klaas explains how to understand Trump’s grip on the Republican base, we need to look not to American history or US political science, but to authoritarian politics.
Is China’s Xi Jinping a Responsible Stakeholder?
During Xi’s career, intelligence agencies have often grossly underestimated him. It’s critical for President Biden and his national security team not to get Xi wrong, again. Kenneth Dekleva for The Cipher Brief.
The Death of American Democracy?
Bitterly divided and reeling from the Jan 6 attacks, the USA stands on the brink of another Trump presidency. Will it become a democracy in name only? Arthur Snell explores on Doomsday Watch.
Is Iran’s Arab Spring doomed?
David Patrikarakos writes for UnHerd that the leaderless protestors need another Khomeini. Until that happens, this will only ever be half a revolution.
After Ukraine: Into the Age of Anarchy
In Doomsday Watch, Arthur Snell talks to Brian Klaas and Jason Pack, exploring the state and future of the already teetering global order amidst Russia’s war in Ukraine.
What Happened to Liz Truss Can’t Happen Here
Brian Klaas for The Atlantic on how Liz Truss’s resignation shows that British democracy is still working while American democracy flounders.
How the West should respond to nuclear war
Putin cannot afford to lose wars, even if deploying a tactical nuclear weapon is the only alternative. David Patrikarakos explains how the West can respond to his mentality for UnHerd.
Arab Geopolitics 2022: A region between conflict and normalisation
Umberto Profazio’s policy paper for NDCF explores the new version of the non-aligned movement in the MENA region that has been been long in the making, and what implications this has for the Arab region.
This revolt is existential for Iran’s evil regime
The young protesters’ battle for freedom and equality is more likely to succeed with our support - David Patrikarakos for The Telegraph.
Moving UK Embassy in Israel would be a British Betrayal
Alexandra Hall Hall assesses reports that the UK’s embassy in Israel could move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the Byline Times.
Charting a New Direction: Turkey and Israel Normalise Ties
Despite pundits racing to ring the death knell for Israel-Turkey relations, it was never a foregone conclusion that the strategic relationship was over - Burcu Ozcelik for Manara Magazine.
‘Great British Democracy’ Who Voted For This?
The UK’s political system currently resembles an unelected autocracy rather than a truly representative democracy, writes Alexandra Hall Hall in the Byline Times.
Putin’s Choices in Ukraine are Going from Bad to Worse
Russia is testing whether its people have the stomach to fight, but as social media gets flooded with refusals to accept mobilisation, is Vladimir Putin running out of means to cling on to power? Stepan Stepanenko writes for International Policy Digest.
The Golden-Handcuffs Solution for Autocrats
Autocrats are rising in new places and old ones are staying in power for decades. In The Atlantic, Brian Klaas suggests a solution called Golden Handcuffs: sometimes coaxing despots into exile to give their people a chance at democracy and a fresh start.
Is Libya on the brink of another civil war?
Jason Pack sits on a panel for Al Jazeera’s Inside Story discussing how global disorder and international meddling has contributed Libya's recent violent political conflicts.
Where is Britain’s Liz Cheney?
Alexandra Hall Hall explores the worrying trajectories of the US Republicans and the UK’s Conservative Party in the Byline Times
Cancel Ukrainian debt to avoid the winter becoming a killer
Stepan Stepanenko writes for politics.co.uk on the necessity of cancelling, not freezing or restructuring, Ukrainian war debt in order to deal with the invasion and preserve lives of the civilian population.
Russian Grain Deal Will Prolong Ukraine War
Stepan Stepanenko writes for EurasiaReview on how any Russian grain deal risks prolonging Russia’s war in Ukraine and endangering long term supply by propping up tyrannical rule.