The Trump Administration has bracketed the previous Iran containment policy in favor of a confrontational approach based on coercive sanctions aiming to cripple the Islamic Republic and bring about a regime change. Reflected in the United States’ unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal, Trump’s Iran policy faces formidable challenges and is unlikely to succeed. Kaveh L. Afrasiabi and Nader Entessar highlight the deep flaws in Trump’s Iran policy and call for the resumption of dialogue between the United States and Iran as an alternative to the present hostile climate between the…
The White Helmets, a group of emergency response volunteers, have received international acclaim for their heroic work in the Syrian civil war. On 21 July 2018, approximately 422 White Helmet volunteers and their families were successfully evacuated from Syria by the Israel Defense Forces. Vageesh Jain argues that future evacuations of aid workers at imminent risk would be catastrophic for the health of the Syrian population.
The term “Libya model” has gone from being an example of successful denuclearization in North Africa, to an explicit threat of military action on the Korean peninsula. This article will examine the differing definitons of the term and explore Libya’s fit as a model for North Korean denuclearization. Brian Choquette dissects the rationale for Libya’s abandonment of WMD, and looking ahead, contrasts it with the modern reality of the DPRK.
The People’s Republic of China’s rising interest in the Indian Ocean is causing tensions for its neighbors. While Chinese intentions regarding the South China Sea are known in the international community, China's increasing movement in the Indian Ocean have sparkled a sense of tension and uncertainty for India, which raises a new question – is the Indian Ocean going to be the new South China Sea?
In this article, Aayush Mohanty examines India's foreign policy choices in response to increasing Chinese assertiveness in Asia. The two choices are that India pursues closer bilateral ties directly with the United States, or with Australia, Japan, and the United States through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
Mozambique’s two civil conflicts are both results of the country’s defining challenge: managing its transition into becoming a fossil fuel economy.
With a weakened Germany after recent elections, limits on France’s hopes for further European integration, secessionist tensions in Spain, and democratic backsliding in Hungary and Poland, democracy seems incapable of addressing current issues in Europe. We asked Sheri Berman, professor of political science at Barnard college and an expert in European politics, about the challenges that democracy faces in the Old Continent.
