Posts From Jacob Purcell
Iraq’s deepening political dysfunction
The recent occupation of Baghdad’s Green Zone by followers of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr highlights the country’s entrenched political deadlock, which poses a significant source of political and security risk
Liberalization in Burma creates new investment opportunities
While not without risks, the recent opening of Burma to the outside world is creating a plethora of lucrative new opportunities for investors.
Libya’s troubled future
Despite the recent success of UN mediation efforts, an end to Libya’s civil war remains unlikely for now. Recent unification talks have raised the prospect of ending the civil war
The impact of the independence of Kurdistan
In this second of two articles on Kurdistan, GRI examines the likely repercussions of an independent Iraqi Kurdistan. The previous article made the case that this is a good time
Why the timing is ideal for Iraq’s Kurds to declare independence
In this first of two related articles, GRI examines why it is a good time for the Iraqi Kurdish population to declare independence. The next article will examine the regional
Will Turkey and Saudi Arabia intervene in Syria?
Over the past several weeks, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly discussed intervening in the Syrian conflict. Is this sort of intervention likely? In recent days, the possibility of Saudi
Is partitioning Syria a viable option?
US Secretary of State John Kerry recently said that partitioning Syria may be a possibility. In this debate series, GRI asked whether Syria would remain united. Jacob Purcell presents why,
Will U.S spying hurt ties with Israel?
Will the recent leaks of the Anarchist surveillance program cause further stress for already tense relations between Washington and Israel? On Friday, January 29th, the online journal The Intercept and