Security
Mexico court ruling hints at marijuana policy change
A historic ruling by Mexico’s Supreme Court regarding marijuana use could act as precedent to spur an about-face in Mexico’s drug policy. On November 4th, Mexico’s Supreme Court voted to
Status quo in Azerbaijan election, but future less certain
Azerbaijan’s economy has grown spectacularly over the last 15 years, due to an abundance of fossil fuels in the Caspian Sea. Elections on November 1st appeared to show continuity but the
Risks in Pakistan’s tactical nuclear weapons policy
Recent clarifications in Pakistani nuclear policy confirmed speculations that Islamabad has an alarmingly low threshold for tactical nuclear weapon deployment. Here are the geopolitical risks that emerge from Pakistan’s now
Will NATO trigger a war with Russia?
Heads of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are considering sending 4,000 ground troops in to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as a response to Russia’s actions in the Crimea
Evidence of a Rohingya genocide in Myanmar
The United Nations has been called upon to investigate recent claims that Myanmar has committed genocide against Rohingya Muslims. What are the expected repercussions if the allegations are found to
Three Insights from Underwhelming U.S-Pakistan Nuclear Talks
Despite the highly precarious nature of Pakistan’s nuclear program, early reports of U.S.-Pakistan nuclear negotiations in mid-October appear to be overblown. Though the prospects of such a deal are not
Iran’s military and economic investment in Syria
Since the early 1980s, Iran has invested substantial political and economic capital into Syria. Tehran will continue to support the Assad regime, acting as a counter-point alongside Russia to the
Team Obama’s Low-Risk, High-reward Move in Syria
Contrary to critics, Obama’s decision to deploy Special Operations troops to Syria is neither a giant step forward into a quagmire, nor a meaningless symbolic gesture. In fact, as far
Israeli-Palestinian tensions threaten regional overspill
As violence surrounding worshipping status at the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary grows, what are the chances of a regional conflict escalation and how can we understand the current tensions? The tragic
Coffee, anyone? Multinationals take risks in war-torn South Sudan
Uganda is withdrawing its troops from South Sudan. This will heighten political risks for investors and businesses across South Sudan in the short and medium term. In the long-term, high
