WPR Articles Sept. 23 — Sept. 30

Who Will Save the Yazidis?

By: Mark S. Smith | Briefing

Earlier this month, the U.N. for the first time named a victim of human trafficking as a goodwill ambassador for the dignity of survivors of such atrocities. Nadia Murad Basee Taha, who survived captivity as a sex slave of ISIS, gives an international voice to brutalized young Yazidi women and children.

How the EU Can Use Russia Energy Ties to Keep Ukraine Tensions in Check

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Briefing

Geopolitical strategies to keep the peace appear to be breaking down in Ukraine, but Europe has a geo-economic approach for managing the conflict: energy. Ukraine and Russia are bound together in a mutual web of dependence on transiting Russian gas that acts as a brake on escalation.

Maori Remain Marginalized in New Zealand Society and Government

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

A new report shows that white New Zealanders are more likely to be given a warning by police for minor crimes than indigenous Maori, who are more likely to be charged, confirming what advocates say is the bias of the justice system. In an email interview, Margaret Mutu discusses Maori rights in New Zealand.

Can the Center Hold? State Fragility Comes to the U.S. and France

By: Judah Grunstein | Column

In the jargon of the foreign policy community, the key to preventing instability and restoring order is good governance. Yet in the U.S. and France, political legitimacy has been eroded not by the lack of good governance, but by policies pursued through institutions that seem to meet all the criteria for it.

Constitutional Rights Do Little to Ensure Gender Equality in Senegal

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

A group of grandmothers on the outskirts of Senegal’s capital, Dakar, are using their influence to promote modern health care and medicine in a bid to improve women’s health, a plan that many hope can be replicated across the country. In an email interview, Hawa Ba discusses women’s rights in Senegal.

Can the U.S. Pursue Consensus in Latin America and Still Support Democracy?

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In this week’s Trend Lines podcast, WPR’s editor-in-chief, Judah Grunstein, and host Peter Dörrie discuss Central America’s “other” migrant crisis, U.S. military engagement in Africa, and reforming WHO funding. For the Report, Eric Farnsworth joins us to explore Obama’s approach to Latin America.

Facing the Effects of Climate Change, the Caribbean Focuses on Adaptation

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

According to a recent U.N. report, climate change will cause more frequent and severe droughts in the Caribbean and its seven water-stressed countries. That will affect agriculture, with the risk of food shortages. In an email interview, Carlos Fuller discusses the region’s climate change policy.

How Far Can the U.S. Military Go to Building a Technology-Enhanced ‘Super Soldier’?

By: Steven Metz | Column

Technology that will have a profound impact on the U.S. military is on the way. Some innovations will simply make military hardware more effective. But others have the potential to change humans themselves. As this technology matures, it will face mounting political opposition, for good reason.

New Drug Routes Through Lawless Libya Raise Questions About ISIS’ Role

By: Frederick Deknatel | Trend Lines

The New York Times recently reported on new routes for smuggling hashish from Morocco to Europe via Libya that raise suspicions about whether ISIS is profiting off the drug trade. While Libya’s criminal economy has flourished, there are risks in overstating the links between drug smuggling and terrorism.

U.S. Military Assistance to Africa Is Growing. But Is It Succeeding?

By: Nathaniel D.F. Allen | Briefing

U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, has turned into an integral player in responding to African security challenges. But its expanding mandate is dogged by the reality that the relationship between combating terrorism, safeguarding national interests and fostering political stability is not always clear.

Could the U.N. Survive a Trump Presidency Intact?

By: Richard Gowan | Column

It is time for a serious assessment of what a Donald Trump presidency would mean for the U.N. For most of this year, this prospect has seemed little more than a topic for passing drollery. With the U.S. elections just over 40 days away and opinion polls suggesting a tight race, it seems less funny.

Will Obama Be America’s Last Free-Trade President?

By: Erik Brattberg | Briefing

As president, Barack Obama has adopted the traditional bipartisan orthodoxy in Washington on free trade. But as his administration draws to a close, free trade has become a poisonous issue in the current American presidential campaign, making the future of Obama’s trade legacy increasingly uncertain.

Can U.S. Intelligence Restore Public Trust on Balancing Secrecy and Openness?

By: Ellen Laipson | Column

Last week, CIA Director John Brennan expressed his commitment to regaining the trust of the American public. The intelligence community’s efforts deserve recognition, even if striking the balance between secrecy and openness remains a subjective call, one ultimately made by those who hold the secrets.

Discontent Is Rising as Suriname Tries to Fix Its Flailing Economy

By: The Editors | Associated Press

Corruption and falling commodities prices have many worried that Suriname is turning into the next Venezuela. Businesses are closing; inflation is rising; and the economy is predicted to contract by 2 percent this year. In an email interview, Robert Looney discusses the economic crisis in Suriname.

Many Syrian Refugees Aren’t Going Anywhere. They Need the Right to Work

By: Saskia van Genugten, Lorraine Charles | Briefing

The world has begun to sense the permanence of Syria’s refugee crisis. Those who have fled violence are unlikely to return home anytime soon. Host countries and donors are now focusing on how to provide sustainable livelihoods and integrate Syrians, in particular by bringing them into the workforce.

Why Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs Are the Key to Diversified Growth

By: Ernest Nti Acheampong | Feature

Africa’s youth-heavy population can transform the continent’s economy, insulating itself from the perils of a resource-driven approach. Some governments, notably Ghana and Kenya, are taking the lead. But hurdles remain, from poor funding to corruption, slowing the pace of bottom-up entrepreneurship.

Tunisia’s Democratic Gains Have Done Nothing for Its LGBT Community

By: Karina Piser | Trend Lines

Last week, five Tunisian civil society groups submitted a report to the United Nations, decrying systemic attacks on members of Tunisia’s LGBT community. Despite progress since the overthrow of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, many say that discrimination has worsened over the past five years.

Don’t Count Iran’s Nascent Space Capabilities Out

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

The head of Iran’s space agency announced plans to launch three satellites into orbit within the next year: the Doutsi earth-observation satellite, the Tolou remote sensing satellite and the Aat Sat telecommunications satellite. In an email interview, John B. Sheldon discusses Iran’s space program.

New European Border Agency a Rare Show of Unity for a Fractured EU

By: Maria Savel | Trend Lines

The new European Border and Coast Guard was formally approved this month and is due to enter into force in a few weeks. EU member states have shown increasingly rare unity over the need to protect Europe’s borders, even though divisions over how to handle the migrant crisis are as prevalent as ever.

The World Needs a Peace Treaty Between Men and Women

By: Valerie M. Hudson | Briefing

The world must find a way to end violence and discrimination against women. In any other context, the violence committed by men against women would be considered warfare. When the two halves of the population do not live in peace with one another, how is it possible to eliminate other forms of instability?

Will Anti-Trade Sentiment in the U.S. and Europe Lead to Reform or Catastrophe?

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

At Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton’s first presidential debate Monday evening, there was one topic on which their positions were not diametrically opposed: trade. Skepticism about the benefits of free trade has changed the tone of the discussion about a matter many economists believed had been settled.

Deal to End Guinea-Bissau’s Deadlock Instead Stokes Risk of Another Coup

By: Charles Pembroke | Briefing

Earlier this month, Guinea-Bissau’s political factions agreed to a six-point roadmap to form a consensus government and end more than a year of deadlock. But the ambitious deal is unlikely to overcome the deep divisions within Guinea-Bissau’s parliament or address the fundamental drivers of instability.

How Innovation and Youth Can Transform African Economies

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In this week’s Trend Lines podcast, WPR’s editor-in-chief, Judah Grunstein, and host Peter Dörrie discuss discrimination against women, politics in Guinea-Bissau, and Syrian refugees’ right to work. For the Report, Ernest Nti Acheampong joins us to talk about young entrepreneurs in Africa.

To Prevail Against Violent Extremism, the U.S. Needs Universal National Service

By: Steven Metz | Column

America’s conflict with violent Islamic extremism will require a multigenerational effort. One initiative could help steel national will for that fight, reinforce a sense of shared national purpose, and shrink the pool of young Americans willing to become terrorists: universal national service.