Commentary

EurofighterBritain and the Gulf States The UK Prime Minister’s visit to the Gulf region was dominated by the need to solidify defence ties and repair recently strained political relations. By Mohammed Shakeel
7 Nov 2012
PoppyRemembering the Falllen in 2012 For Remembrance Day, we highlight a selection of articles commemorating the fallen, the act of remembrance in Britain today.
29 Oct 2012
Latin AmericaWill America Look South? US Policy in Latin America Latin America received a brief, but important, mention in the recent US presidential debates. However the region’s importance to the US is pronounced and will only grow in the future. The US needs to take tangible steps to better relations with the region and its important players. By Michael Shifter
26 Oct 2012
Kuwaiti TowersKuwait Enters an Uncertain and More Violent Era Kuwait’s opposition have announced they are boycotting upcoming Parliamentary elections after an Emiri decree changed the election law. This will worsen the political divide and escalate the violence of clashes.
25 Oct 2012
Lebanon crisisLebanon in Limbo: No Escaping the Syrian Gales The 14 October assassination of top intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan has underscored that Lebanon cannot disconnect itself from Syria. The Lebanese state will be put under severe stress in the months ahead.
24 Oct 2012
State DepartmentAssessing American Power: Defence and Security Survey 2012 RUSI's third annual survey of its defence and security community assesses the role and place in the United States in the world. Published during the US presidential election campaign, the survey takes stock of the Obama presidency and the proespects for US foreign policy.
24 Oct 2012
American flag smallUS Power: Both Candidates Will be Constrained by the Same Strategic Choices Retrenchment will be the dominating theme for US foreign policy whoever wins the presidential elections on 6 November. The next president will face a protectionist Congress; a military undergoing huge defence cuts; and a public opinion that has lost interest in foreign affairs and feels that nation-building should begin at home.
23 Oct 2012
MinaretHow the Two Candidates Approach the Islamic World Barack Obama was elected four years ago on the promise of a rapprochement with the Arab and Islamic world. His failure to effectively implement that vision, coupled with anti-American protests and the murder of a US Ambassador in Libya, have resulted in widespread disappointment. But will Mitt Romney’s promise of being more hard-nosed help the situation?
23 Oct 2012
East Asia MapAsia and the US Elections: Foreign Policy Challenges The US presidential elections will be watched in Asia for further clues of how the American focus on Asia will manifest in practice over the next four years. Understanding how different Asian states respond according to their own circumstances will keep the next US administration very busy indeed.
23 Oct 2012
China flagTrouble in the East China Sea Potential exploitation of the energy reserves has transformed the Ryukyu island chain issue into a flashpoint for nationalist sensitivities in Japan and China. In the context of leadership transitions in China and possibly Japan, this could escalate into a significant regional issue.
23 Oct 2012
Iran flagIran’s Currency Wars The recent collapse in the value of Iran’s currency symbolises Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency: one of political and economic mismanagement. There is an economic imperative for the next president to end Iran’s international isolation or the Islamic Republic will face even greater economic pain.
17 Oct 2012
Hugo ChavezThe Bolivarian Revolution Strikes Back Having won a fourth six-year term in office, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez has ensured that his Bolivarian Revolution will prevail for now. However, despite having secured victory at the polls, key security challenges and the risk that a political crisis could still unfold in Venezuela in the period ahead have not disappeared.
12 Oct 2012
EADS-BAE MergerBAE-EADS Merger: What next after the collapse of the deal? The failure to bring the businesses together represents a bitter blow to advocates who sought the creation of a new, European, global aerospace-defence giant, and raises questions about BAE Systems’ future strategy.
11 Oct 2012
NATO LogoNATO’s Treaty Obligations to Turkey: Theory and Practice With the violence in Syria spilling into Turkey; Turkey as a NATO member has the right to call on the support of the alliance under Article 5. However implementing collective security is always more complex, thus a full scale NATO response in Syria is unlikely.
5 Oct 2012
Turkey Flag 2Turkey Lashing Out At Syria: A Sign of Frayed Nerves In Ankara Turkey's recent diplomatic offensive has been brought to an abrupt end by the Syrian conflict which spilled into Turkey last night. Last night's violence has revealed the weakness in Ankara's position resulting from its failed approach to the Syria Crises.
4 Oct 2012
Barack Obama 5The US and the Arab World: The Failures of Engagement The recent protests in the Middle East may have been sparked by the anti-Islamic film produced in the US, but Middle Eastern opinion has been shaped to a much larger degree by US foreign policy rather than its cinematography.
18 Sep 2012
Eurofighters In FormationSigns of the Times - Consolidation in the European Defence Market The rumoured merger between EADS and BAE Systems is a reflection of longer term trends within the defence industry. But short term impediments will have to be overcome to ensure this deal goes through.
14 Sep 2012
EADS-BAE MergerBAE Systems-EADS Merger: Dealing with the Concerns The proposed merger of BAE Systems and EADS has naturally attracted a number of concerns, from safeguarding sovereign defence industries to job cuts through rationalisation. But are these concerns with foundation?
14 Sep 2012
BAE SYSTEMS SHIPThe Merger Between EADS and BAE Systems is Long-Overdue The marriage between EADS and BAE Systems is logical as the defence market shrinks further and the United States pivots towards Asia. The challenge will lie in the governments that influence these two firms.
14 Sep 2012
German Tornado 2A Tornado in a Teacup? Examining Germany's Alleged Nuclear Strike Aircraft Modernisation Leaked information to the German press alleges that the coalition government has reneged on a previous pledge to remove US tactical nuclear weapons from Germany. The subsequent reporting frenzy heightens the decades-long national anxiety over nuclear issues. But it seems no one has paused to ask whether the original allegations stand-up to scrutiny.
7 Sep 2012
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