Security
Japan: military expansion and instability in East Asia
With an incursive China, relaxing American input and an ambiguous Trump-Kim relationship, Japan bolsters its military capabilities to face uncertain times.
Brexit effect on security in the UK
The downstream effects of Brexit, and particularly a no-deal Brexit, have harrowing consequences for the safety of Britons. If there is no deal on 29 March, the UK’s counterterrorism and policing operations risk being significantly burdened by borders and hindered by restrictions on intelligence sharing.
UAE’s relations with Somalia flounder over Qatar
Since the election of the new Somali President in 2017, the country’s relationship with the UAE has deteriorated steadily. The UAE risks undoing its record of progress in the Horn of Africa.
Yemen – Hopeful Ceasefire in Hodeida
An immediate ceasefire in Yemen’s besieged city of Hodeida came into effect on 18 December and was the first serious step towards establishing peace in the war-torn kingdom. A resumption in violence now threatens the fragile agreement. However, the shifting narrative concerning Saudi Arabia’s role will play a critical role in resolving the conflict – or at least in alleviating the tragic humanitarian crisis.
Bridging the Gap in Emerging Technology: “Overmatch”
Originating in the 2017 National Security Strategy, the United States is underway with its philosophy of “Overmatch” to bridge the gap in emerging technologies with Russia and China.
Kosovo: Creating a full army out of its security force
Last December, the Government of Kosovo declared that it is turning the Kosovo Security Force into a fully fledged army. This development greatly concerns Serbia, which still maintains that Albanian-dominated Kosovo is Serbian territory.
The Ukraine conflict in 2019: Prospects for de-escalation look remote
It has been almost five years since the signing of the Minsk Agreements, which represent the only existing conduit for the gradual de-escalation of this conflict. Increasing ceasefire violations and obstruction of monitoring suggest that de-escalation remains unlikely.
Ramzan Kadyrov’s unchecked power in the Caucasus
Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the Chechen Republic, has sparked controversy with his recent acts of aggression in neighbouring Republic of Ingushetia. Despite years of human rights abuses in Chechnya, Putin has remained virtually silent, effectively condoning these actions and bolstering Kadyrov’s regime.
How the US lost the (dis)information war
It was a war that America apparently didn’t even know was being waged – until the 2016 elections turned out to be the front line. Now the U.S. is scrambling to catch up with Russian infowar capabilities. But how did it get left so far behind?
A true European army is coming
French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for the creation of a ‘true European army’ was echoed in dramatic fashion by German chancellor Angela Merkel in mid-November and has brought the debate over a shared European military back into the public eye. This may mark a watershed moment in European politics.
