Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The post-Qaddafi power vacuum in Libya has made the country a ripe environment for the spread of the self-proclaimed Islamic State.
China has announced sweeping changes to its military, but there are many challenges ahead regarding the implementation of these reforms.
Hardliners in Iran maybe in the minority, but they continue to have the bulk of political and coercive power.
A recent drone strike targeting ‘Jihadi John’ had diplomatic and strategic implications leading into talks in Vienna on the war in Syria.
Both President Xi and President Obama recognize the importance of a good Sino-U.S. relationship and the need to cooperate despite differences.
Russian military activities in Syria could create a recruitment boon for the global jihadist movement, and highlight Russia as a target for that movement, as opposed to the United States or other Western partners.
The increase of Russian supplies and presence in support of the Bashar al-Assad’s regime is part of the Russian plan to start negotiations on the ground to resolve the Syrian crisis.
The killing of several Mexican tourists has raised questions about the military aid Egypt receives from the United States.
To the Kremlin, Assad is not the source of the problem in Syria—he is actually the way to solve it.
A Russian attack on NATO’s eastern member states was never likely. At the same time, the threat of escalation in eastern Ukraine and the potential for more direct Russian and NATO involvement in the fighting there is a clear and present danger.