WPR Articles Friday, Aug. 21, 2015 - Friday, Aug. 28, 2015

In Familiar Move, U.N. Recycles Old Proposals to End Syria’s War

By: Richard Gowan | Column

Peacemaking is a repetitive business. Mediators and diplomats handling protracted conflicts rarely come up with entirely new ways to end them. The U.N. Security Council did just that last week, recycling old proposals to end the Syrian war and selling the initiative as a minor breakthrough.

From China to India, States Risk Unrest With NGO Crackdown

By: Brent Crane | Briefing

A new law in Cambodia that critics say endangers the autonomy of NGOs is the latest in an alarming spate of efforts by authoritarian and nationalist governments to reduce the reach of NGOs across Asia. But such restrictions might end up weakening rather than strengthening ruling parties.

Nine Years After Fiji’s Last Coup, Civil-Military Relations Still Blur

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

Earlier this month, Fiji’s military chief, Mosese Tikoitoga, resigned, saying he wanted to start a career in the foreign service, raising questions about the state of civil-military relations in Fiji. In an email interview, Vijay Naidu, professor at the University of the South Pacific, discussed Fiji’s domestic politics.

Travel Bans to Terrorism Hot Spots Won’t Deter Foreign Fighters

By: Benoît Gomis | Briefing

Earlier this month, following Australia’s lead, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper proposed prohibiting travel to terrorism hot spots like Iraq and Syria. But a travel ban is likely to be ineffective and even counterproductive in dealing with homegrown terrorism and the flow of foreign fighters.

The Islamic State’s Brutality May Not Be Its Undoing

By: Steven Metz | Column

Brutality is a defining characteristic of the Islamic State. For many, that fuels rage and a desire to strike at the group in any way possible. To assess where brutality might lead the Islamic State and what the U.S. can do about it requires working through the disgust to understand brutality’s purpose.

More The Danger of America Asking Its Army to Do Too Much By: Steven Metz | Column The U.S. Army’s ability to do many things, from humanitarian relief to high tempo combat, has always been one of its selling points. But this utility can be pushed too far as demands grow: A case can be made that today America is asking its Army to do too much with the resources it is given. French Train Attack Revives Fear of Foreign Fighters By: Maria Savel | Trend Lines The thwarted attack last week on a high-speed train traveling to Paris has many Europeans on edge. The EU has been working to improve counterterrorism data sharing, but has made little progress. Yet the risks of homegrown terrorism and foreign fighters returning home to Europe from the Middle East remain. How the TPP Could Disrupt U.S. Aid Plans in Central America By: Eric Farnsworth | Briefing At first blush, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Obama administration’s aid plans for Central America appear unrelated. But the trade deal could unintentionally impede Central America’s economic development, especially its labor market, undermining Washington’s policy and security goals in the region. Democratic Detour: Guiding ‘Good Coups’ Back to Democracy By: Clayton Thyne | Feature After the Cold War, the conventional wisdom that coups are bad for democracy ushered in a flurry of policies meant to dissuade and condemn them. But the mismatch between policies and actions in responding to more recent coups illustrate a broader puzzle: Might some coups actually be good for democracy? From Cairo to Cape Town: Africa’s Huge Tripartite Free Trade Deal By: Finbarr Toesland | Briefing The ambitious, 26-member African trade agreement known as the Tripartite Free Trade Area aims to bring together three key African trading blocs and create a common market spanning the continent from Cairo to Cape Town. But there are still many barriers that must be overcome to make it a success. Iraq’s Future Is About Much More Than the Islamic State By: Ellen Laipson | Column For months, the focus on Iraq has been its role in the fight against the Islamic State. But in Baghdad, other dynamics are in play, as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has taken on corruption and governance shortcomings. It’s not too late to support the push and pull of democratization in Iraq. Israel’s Least Bad Options the Day After the Iran Deal By: Chuck Freilich | Briefing While Iran has not abandoned its long-term nuclear aspirations, the nuclear issue is likely to be on the back burner for the foreseeable future if the Iran deal is sealed. In these circumstances, Israel, after repairing its ties with the U.S., faces three primary challenges in a rapidly changing Middle East. What Went Wrong: Republicans Keep Ignoring the Lessons of Iraq By: Michael A. Cohen | Column Jeb Bush’s major foreign policy speech earlier this month offered a lesson in the pitfalls of a politician named Bush talking about Iraq. But Bush and other Republican presidential candidates are doing more than engaging in historical revisionism; they are missing the larger lessons of what went wrong in Iraq. Amid Border Dispute, Maduro Pins Venezuela’s Ills on Colombia By: Frida Ghitis | Column Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has found a convenient scapegoat for the multiplying problems besetting Venezuela’s economy and its people: neighboring Colombia. And it’s just in time to affect crucial legislative elections in December that could threaten his hold on power. Upstart Parties Podemos and Ciudadanos Redraw Spain’s Political Map By: Omar G. Encarnación | Briefing As Spain heads into general elections this fall, all eyes are on two new political parties threatening to upend the political establishment: Podemos, the fiery left-wing movement, and Ciudadanos, or Citizens, often referred to as “the Podemos of the right.” Despite opposing politics, they have much in common.