Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Stasa Salacanin
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Europe appears to be powerless to tackle the migrant issue
Although the outbreak of Covid-19 has calmed the tension on the Greece-Turkey border, significant challenges remain as it is uncertain if the migrant crisis will flare up again as soon as the pandemic is over. Years of Turkey-EU disputes about Syrian refugees culminated in early March on the border...
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Is Iran employing a new tactic in Iraq?
Ever since the US air strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) deputy commander Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis in Baghdad in January, Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq have launched a series of attacks against America and its allies. Following Soleimani’s killing, Iran has declared openly...
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Turkey and the West remain far apart
The killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in an airstrike last month in Syra’s Idlib Province not only brought Turkey and Syria to a state of undeclared war but also worsened Ankara’s relations with Moscow. As Turkish and Russian goals in Syria seem to be at odds, there are growing...
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Is it the end of the honeymoon for Russia and Turkey?
Although six hours of talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow a couple of weeks ago have resulted in a ceasefire and averted a full-scale war between Turkey and Syria, it is doubtful whether the Russian-Turkish relationship will be restored to its former level entirely....
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Foreign mercenaries are flocking to Libya
Thousands of foreign mercenaries — “private military contractors” — are flocking to Libya, adding fuel to the fire of the civil war while further complicating the efforts to resolve the bloody conflict. In recent years, the North African state has become a paradise for hired guns from all over...
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With the Syrian economy on the verge of collapse, recovery seems like mission impossible
A devastating civil war and international sanctions have destroyed Syria’s economy, leaving it with a GDP that is a third of what it was in 2010. The monetary crisis and depreciation of the currency is the latest chapter of the country’s economic meltdown. Despite the lack of accurate statistics,...
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Regional partnerships may solve tensions in Eastern Mediterranean
Natural gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean have been the source of regional geopolitical reshuffling. While the utilisation of vast reserves may have a game-changing impact for the countries dependent on imported hydrocarbons, it also exposes serious disagreements regarding defining zones of interest, delineating sea areas as part of countries’ sovereign territories and...
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Eastern Mediterranean: A new hotbed of tensions at the European doorstep
The first major discoveries of gas and oil deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean in has greatly accelerated the geopolitical dynamic of the region and beyond. While the area’s subsea riches have raised high hopes and opportunities for all the countries in the region, this potential “gold mine” has also launched...
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Riyadh Agreement: The start of a peace process or the beginning of a new war?
At the beginning of November, warring parties from Yemen’s south reached a power-sharing deal which aimed not only to defuse tensions among Arab alliances in South Yemen but was also seen to as a step closer towards ending the war in the country. The tensions between the Saudi-backed Hadi government...
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Iran’s deteriorating economy widens gap between ruling establishment and its people
As Iran further expands its nuclear enrichment program, the country’s economy is plummeting under the heavy weight of US imposed sanctions. Growing dissatisfaction and disappointment with the current establishment have caused even deeper divisions within Iran’s society. However, it is still unsure how Iran’s ruling elite will respond to growing economic...
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Europe’s irrelevance in Syria
Over the past years, Europeans have been helplessly impotent to openly engage (diplomatically or militarily) in Syria and offer a plan or solution which would pursue the bloc’s security interests. The recent Turkish offensive in north-eastern Syria makes perfect an illustration of the EU’s inability to initiate a clear policy...
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Daesh lives on despite the loss of its ‘caliph’
While the death of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi represents one of the most successful anti-terrorist actions in recent history and was a severe blow to Daesh, his death is rather symbolic given that the threat from the notorious group remains serious. Many analysts believe that his killing won’t have a...
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Erdogan’s resettlement plan is dangerous and expensive
Although the Turkish offensive in north-east Syria has ceased for five days, concerns are mounting over the humanitarian impact of the operation to push Kurdish-led forces, which Turkey regards as terrorists, out of the area. Ankara’s plan to resettle millions of refugees into the area and its president’s threat to flood...
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What is behind Saudi’s military failures?
The recent attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and devastating retaliatory attacks by Yemeni forces exposed Saudi military vulnerabilities. Assaults should not come as a surprise, as it was just a matter of time, when, how and where the Houthis would strike. However, the results of these attacks are...
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Iraq: The Middle East’s new battle front between Israel and Iran
In the last two months, several unexplained explosions occurred in Iraq, significantly damaging ammunition warehouses and weapons storage sites. All targets have been associated with Iranian-backed Population Mobilisation Forces (PMF), suggesting that explosions could not be a mere coincidence as they were probably caused by precision air strikes. Though...
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UAE-Iran meetings indicate possible re-assessment of Emirates’ foreign policy
The recently-held meetings between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iranian officials have caught many by surprise, particularly given that, not long ago, the UAE – along with Saudi Arabia – was one of the main opponents of Tehran and a vocal supporter of the US administration’s policy of...
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The Middle East Strategic Alliance is just another marginalised initiative
The US creation called the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) — dubbed widely as “Arab NATO” — has made no progress in the two years since it was announced. The initiative has triggered controversy from the very beginning, and it would take a miracle for it to emerge any...
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The UAE remains the most influential player in Yemen, despite its troop withdrawal
At the beginning of July, the UAE started to reduce its troop numbers in Yemen, signalling a shift in its military engagement. The move has been interpreted as a sign of the Emirates trying to distance itself from its main coalition partner, Saudi Arabia. Despite the troop drawdown, though,...
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Why is the BDS movement under fire in Germany?
It is two months since the German Bundestag (parliament) passed a symbolic, non-binding resolution designating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement as “anti-Semitic”. The controversial motion has triggered a noisy debate in Germany and beyond which reads that the campaign to boycott Israeli goods, artists and athletes is...
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How vulnerable is Saudi Arabia to Houthi missile and drone attacks?
As the crisis between Iran and the US heats up, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have intensified their missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia. Such attacks are in retaliation for the Saudi-led coalition intervention in Yemen, and demonstrate clearly the growing military capabilities of Yemeni fighters and the...
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The US arch rivals likely to gain most from reinstated Iran sanctions
Reinstated sanctions on Iran have brought a new complexity to Tehran’s relations with those countries which supported the deal, especially Russia. A new reality has forced both countries to face tough decisions, testing the strength of their bilateral partnership. Many assume that Tehran, facing maximum pressure and isolation, does...
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The European elections brought no change for the Middle East
At the end of May, almost 500 million citizens across the European Union voted for Members of the European Parliament to represent them over the next five years, shaping the political orientation of the EU for the immediate future. While the results reflect voters’ desire for some real change,...
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Can Iran withstand the US pressure?
Ever since US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out from the nuclear deal with Tehran and reinstated the most draconian sanctions ever imposed, many have wondered whether Iran can withstand the pressure aiming to bring it to its knees. Although Iranian leaders are assured that they will resist stubbornly,...
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Saudi Arabia and Morocco's wounded friendship
For the last two years, the traditional friendship between Saudi Arabia and Morocco has been seriously shaken. Even though officials from both sides have lately tried to lower their tone and deny deterioration of their bilateral ties, there is a strong perception that these once close allies have reached a low...