Trump Presidency Likely to Result in Improved U.S. – Russia Relations

December 11

Introduction Throughout Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, he has praised Russian president Vladimir Putin and expressed his desire to improve U.S. – Russia relations (Diamond, 2016); which have sunk to a Cold War level under the Obama administration. This could signal the beginning of an unprecedented U.S. – Russian alliance; one that is likely to result […]

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The Fallacy of U.S. Policy in Syria

November 05

Introduction As all hope of an agreement between world powers on the proper course of action to take in Syria disintegrates, the shortcomings of U.S. policy are becoming increasingly obvious. Support for the insurgency by the U.S. and its allies is bolstering radical Islamists groups such as the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra (JN), […]

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U.S. Announces New Sanctions Against Iran: P5+1 Negotiations Will Likely Suffer

January 02

The U.S. recently announced that it has decided to enact new sanctions against Iran; potentially sabotaging any hopes that the P5+1 had of reaching a deal with Iran over its nuclear program. This move raises the question of why the U.S. has decided to potentially sabotage something which may have had a host of long […]

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Russia’s Relationship With North Korea Evidences Need to Restructure UNSC

December 19

Today, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Vladimir Putin has extended an invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to come to Moscow next year to attend the 70th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany. This invitation highlights the fact that Russia continues to conduct business with rogue states in defiance of United […]

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Nigerian Presidential Candidate Muhammadu Buhari Appears Positioned to Win February Election

December 18

It was recently announced that Muhammadu Buhari will be running as the main opposition candidate against Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria’s presidential election, which will take place in February 2015. Buhari has a reputation for ruling with an iron fist. However, he is respected as being one of the few Nigerian presidents who did not use […]

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Iraq and Iran: A Beneficial Partnership

December 08

Since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, the country has developed a closer working relationship with its Shiite partner, Iran. While this relationship is not openly advertised, it is beneficial for Iraq and will help in establishing regional stability for two primary reasons. First and foremost, this partnership will help curb the spread of […]

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Boko Haram Insurgency Gains Momentum: Jonathan Seeks to Extend State of Emergency

December 02

Boko Haram has continued to make strategic gains in the northern Nigerian states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno, despite the government’s efforts to eliminate the insurgent group. Following the abduction of 200 Nigerian girls, international pressure led Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan to crack down on Boko Haram. However, these efforts appear to have done little […]

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A Profile of Muslim Brotherhood Leader Mohammed Badie

July 15

Mohammed Badie, the current leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and its 8th general guide, was born on 7, August 1943 in El-Mahalla El-Kubra Egypt. He graduated in 1965 from Cairo University, where he received a degree in veterinary medicine; he later went on to receive a doctorate in veterinary medicine form Zagazig University in 1979. […]

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A Profile of the Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

July 10

Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai, better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is the former head of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and now the Caliph Ibrahim of the Islamic State. It is believed that Baghdadi was born in 1971 somewhere near Samarra Iraq. Not much is known […]

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The Potential Implications of Foreign Support for the Syrian Opposition

July 07

Introduction Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, the international community has shown its staunch support for the insurgency despite its radical leanings. This can be attributed to the fact that many states are using certain elements of the Syrian insurgency as proxies in pursuing their various strategic objectives. According to a Washington Post article […]

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