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Friday, April 3, 2015

WPR Articles March 30, 2015 - April 3, 2015

WPR Articles March 30, 2015 - April 3, 2015

Nigeria, Yemen Wars Mark New Era of Ad Hoc Crisis Management

By: Richard Gowan | Column
War is back in fashion. Across northern and western Africa and in the Middle East, governments are resorting to force to counter regional threats. This proliferation of regional military actions potentially signals a trend toward an increasing fragmentation of international crisis management.

To Meet Growing Demand, Jordan Turns to Nuclear Energy

By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Last week, Jordan signed a $10 billion deal with Russia to build its first nuclear power plant. In an interview, David Schenker, director of the program on Arab politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, discussed Jordan’s nuclear energy policy.

As U.S. Nears Iran Deal, Traditional Middle East Allies Grumble

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column
The U.S. efforts to secure a nuclear agreement with Iran have exposed rifts with America’s long-standing Middle Eastern partners, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. These three countries are by no means fully aligned with the preferred American vision for the region.

Singapore Faces Challenges Near and Far in Post-Lee Kuan Yew Era

By: Prashanth Parameswaran | Briefing
After Lee Kuan Yew’s death earlier this month, questions remain about the durability of his legacy in Singapore. While changes have been afoot there, particularly since Lee retired from politics in 2011, they are likely to develop into larger economic and political challenges amid growing regional and global uncertainties.

Buhari Will Need an Inclusive Team to Bring Change to Nigeria

By: Alex Thurston | Briefing
While Muhammadu Buhari’s election has strengthened Nigeria’s democratic institutions and could bring a higher level of competence to government, change could be slow to materialize. Buhari’s first test will be to assemble an inclusive team to solve Nigeria’s many challenges.

Hard-line Politics in India and Pakistan Stymie Deeper Trade Ties

By: Shehzad H. Qazi | Briefing
The elections of Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi in Pakistan and India had raised hopes for better economic relations between the two countries. But once again, trade normalization and greater economic integration have fallen victim to nationalist politics and parochial interests.

As Greek Bailout Payment Stalls, Threat to Eurozone Grows

By: Maria Savel | Trend Lines
Despite recent talks, Greece and its creditors failed to agree on a list of reforms that Athens must implement before the next $7.8 billion tranche of its bailout package is released. Both sides are trying to stay optimistic, but the situation is dire, with Greece rapidly running out of money.

Caspian States Boost Security, Economy With Trilateral Partnerships

By: Richard Weitz | Column
Russia’s assertive approach to reclaiming a sphere of interest in the post-Soviet space has highlighted the security dilemmas facing the Caspian littoral countries. In response, several Caspian states have turned to trilateral formats to pursue targeted economic, energy and security collaboration.

End Game: Al-Shabab as a Model for the Islamic State’s Decline

By: Clint Watts | Feature
What might the decline of the Islamic State look like? The best recent historical model may be al-Shabab, the terrorist group that once governed Somalia but which has now entered a state of gradual decline. Such a comparison would be useful for dealing with the implications of IS’ likely fall.

Saudi Arabia Risks Quagmire in Yemen Campaign

By: Peter Salisbury | Briefing
Despite almost a weeklong Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen to dislodge them, Houthi rebels have continued to push on into the south of the country. In the event of a ground invasion, the Saudis could find themselves facing the same kind of challenges the U.S. faced in 2003 after invading Iraq.

East Africa Trade Deal Another Step to Closer U.S.-Africa Economic Ties

By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In late February, the United States signed a trade deal with the East African Community (EAC), the bloc of five countries around Africa’s Great Lakes. In an interview, Nora Carina Dihel, a senior trade economist at the World Bank, discussed U.S. trade with the EAC and the rest of Africa.

France Doubles Down on Battle-Hardened but Overstretched Military

By: BenoƮt Gomis | Briefing
On March 11, France unveiled an updated version of its Military Programming Law for 2014-2019, a five-year blueprint for the country’s force structure and defense budget. However, in a climate of stagnant economic growth and fiscal constraints, doubts persist about how sustainable the plan is.

Hopes for Democracy, EU Integration Fade in Erdogan’s Turkey

By: Frida Ghitis | Column
It wasn’t very long ago that Turkey was seen as a country in the midst of a great democratic transformation, but there is a growing consensus that it is rapidly drifting away from democracy. The driving force behind the country’s dramatic change of direction is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Road to Iran’s Agreement on a Framework Nuclear Deal

By: The Editors | Trend Lines
With Thursday’s news that Iran and six world powers agreed on a framework deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, WPR is making background reading available for free. The articles cover topics from leaps of faith in the talks to the U.S.-Israel split on Iran.

Hard Choices Await Next U.S. President on Middle East

By: Steven Metz | Column
In January 2017, a new U.S. president will move into the White House. He or she will immediately instruct the National Security Council to assess American national security strategy and provide policy options. No assessment will be more complex and important than the one dealing with the Middle East.
 

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