WPR Articles Jan. 12, 2015 - Jan. 16, 2015

No Shortage of Potential Work for International Peacekeepers in 2015

By: Richard Gowan | Column

Libya, Syria, northern Nigeria and eastern Ukraine are among the places where international stabilization forces could be called upon to intervene in 2015. Like it or not, U.N. and NATO planners will need to have up-to-date plans for military interventions that could unfold at short notice.

Internal Exile: The Plight of Dominicans of Haitian Descent

By: Liliana Gamboa, Laura Bingham | Feature

In 2013, a Dominican court ruled that a woman born in the country to Haitian parents in 1984 should be retroactively deprived of Dominican nationality due to her parents’ migratory status. The decision touched off a political and humanitarian crisis that stretches beyond the island nation’s borders.

New Deals Shore Up China’s Stakes in Venezuela and Ecuador

By: Paul Shortell | Briefing

China has rapidly become an indispensable economic partner for Venezuela and Ecuador, which face mounting challenges in 2015 as oil prices tumble. China’s injection of much-needed capital into both economies signals Beijing’s commitment to solidifying its foothold for South America’s energy resources.

In Bulldozing Rafah, Egypt’s El-Sissi Repeats Counterterrorism Mistakes

By: Frederick Deknatel | Trend Lines

Last week Egyptian authorities announced plans to completely bulldoze the city of Rafah bordering the Gaza Strip to create a “buffer zone.” In its efforts to stem weapons smuggling and Hamas’ alleged support to Sinai militants, the Egyptian government could stoke more backlash and unrest.

Political Violence Tests Burundi’s Stability Ahead of Elections

By: Cara E. Jones | Briefing

Recent violence has touched all corners of Burundi. The timing is suspicious, with elections, the third since the end of a civil war in 2005, set to begin in May. Burundi’s unrest is even more worrying in the wider regional context, with violence flaring in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Peshawar Attack: Pakistan’s Weak Security Puts Cities in Line of Fire

By: Shehzad H. Qazi, Aminah Khan | Briefing

After last month’s attack on a school in Peshawar, significant changes in strategic thinking and internal reforms are needed to make it a watershed moment for Pakistan’s security policies. With weak counterterror infrastructure, Pakistan’s major cities are too vulnerable to militant violence.

Uganda-North Korea Ties Skirt Limits of Sanctions

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

Uganda and North Korea agreed to strengthen bilateral ties during a visit from Kim Yong Nam, head of North Korea's parliament, in late October last year. In an email interview, Andrea Berger, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, discussed North Korea’s ties with Uganda.

Calling Russia’s Bluff on Iran Nuclear Talks

By: Richard Weitz | Column

Despite fears to the contrary, a meeting yesterday between high-level Russian and Iranian officials produced no shift in Russia’s stance on Iran’s nuclear program. The lack of drama is yet another welcome sign that Russian threats to abandon the U.S. on the Iranian nuclear issue are mostly bluff.

Mexico’s Pena Nieto Attempts to Burnish Image With Washington Visit

By: Maria Savel | Trend Lines

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s visit to Washington last week came after a difficult six months, following the massacre of 43 students in Iguala and a series of corruption scandals. Despite continued U.S. support on security and immigration issues, Pena Nieto is struggling to bolster his image.

After the Torture Report: What’s Next for the CIA?

By: Frederick P. Hitz | Briefing

As the new year opens, and the dust has begun to settle from the release of a report last month by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the CIA’s use of torture in the war on terror, it is time to ask what changes, if any, the report’s revelations will bring about for the agency in the coming years.

Ahead of Israel Visit, Japan’s Abe Looks to Expand Ties

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

Earlier this month, Israel approved a plan to strengthen trade ties and boost security cooperation with Japan. In an email interview, Ben-Ami Shillony, a professor emeritus in East Asian studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, discussed Israel-Japan relations.

With No-Show in Paris, Obama Remains in Reactive Mode

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column

The Obama administration’s failure to send a high-level representative to the Paris unity march is being described by some as a gaffe. The decision process on this issue suggests that the administration remains in reactive mode, sticking to established plans rather than adapting to new circumstances.

Despite Tougher Policy, France’s Hollande Still Seeks Solid Russia Ties

By: Bruno Tertrais | Briefing

Following a long-standing Gaullist tradition, France has been careful to maintain good relations with Russia while remaining a member of NATO. But the Ukraine crisis has led to a significant change in France’s Russia policy, as evidenced by the saga over the sale to Russia of two Mistral-class warships.

In Bitter Irony, Jihadi Women Serve as Useful Propaganda

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

When French officials announced they were searching for a woman as an accomplice in the attacks on a Jewish grocery store in Paris, many shook their heads. How was it possible that a woman born and raised in the West could be committed to an extremist ideology that is hostile to women?

The Paris Attacks and the Logic of Insurgency

By: Steven Metz | Column

To understand last week’s horrific terrorist attacks in Paris first requires understanding the core logic of insurgency. Because insurgents are weaker than the government, they need help from the other side, even if it is unintentional. Whoever planned the Paris attacks is counting on this.