The Eastern Mediterranean and the EU Parliamentary Election

The states of the Eastern Mediterranean should pay close attention to the upcoming European parliamentary election, as its outcome will influence geostrategic and economic developments in that region. Israel, Cyprus, and Greece will have a major role to play in strengthening Western relationships in the region for decades to come.

China and the Sudan Coup

On April 11, 2019, Sudan’s long reigning president Omar Bashir was overthrown in a military coup after 30 years at the helm. China, one of his staunchest supporters, must now assess how to maintain its relationship with the African nation, which lies on a critical spot on the prospective Belt and Road route.

The Low Birth Rate Is South Korea’s Greatest Strategic Threat

South Korea faces security threats and economic challenges from competitors in Asia and around the world, but the greatest long-term threat to its national interest is the demographic challenge posed by the low birth rate. The failure of the South Korean government to increase the birth rate poses a serious long-term danger to Korea's economy and security. The Israeli social and economic environment could offer a constructive example for policy reevaluation on this issue.

German Intelligence Issues Taboo-Breaking Report on Muslim Antisemitism

The German Agency for Domestic Security recently published a report on Muslim antisemitism in the country – a development that is unprecedented not only for Germany but for all of Europe. The report makes clear that Muslim antisemitism is a major problem in Germany. At long last, Muslim antisemitism in Germany has been officially detailed for the public.

Iran Must Demonize Its Enemies to Justify Itself

The consolidation of revolutionary regimes through demonization of ideological and political foes is a common practice, and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been no exception to this rule. Indeed, the Islamist regime’s intense preoccupation with constructing a negative image of its adversaries has become one of its foremost defining features.

Turkey and the EU: A Doomed Engagement

Burak Bekdil
April 28, 2019
Paper No. 1155

The March 31 elections, which blended victory with defeat for Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, put a further brake on Turkey’s de facto stalled membership talks with the EU. The Islamist strongman appears to be the willing political hostage of Turkey’s grey wolves.

Sometimes Might Makes Right: Saving International Organizations from Themselves

Concerned over repercussions threatened by the US, judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague denied the request of the court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, to investigate war crimes allegedly committed by the US and its allies in Afghanistan. This decision has significant implications for lawfare battles the Palestinians are conducting against Israel and the information wars Israel is conducting against hostile organizations and movements such as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction movement (BDS).

Trump’s Foreign Policy Is Not Chaotic

Though politicians and scholars harshly criticize President Donald Trump’s foreign policy as chaotic, his policymaking seems to be based upon a sound and consistent political approach, contrary to that of his predecessor in the White House. Several decisions taken by Trump can fall under the rubric of the political science theory known as “Supersession,” which stipulates that changing circumstances and the passage of time are formative guidelines to the handling of international conflicts.

The Future of the China-Russia Alliance

Odds are that China and Russia will prove to be long-term US rivals. However, it may just as well be that their alliance will prove to be more tactical than strategic, with the China-Russia relationship resembling US-Chinese ties: cooperation in an environment of divergence rather than convergence.

Crafting a Regional Policy to Contain Erdoğan

Turkey poses a long-term threat to the security of the Middle East. Containing Neo-Ottomanism requires a defensive policy that integrates Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the Kurds into a regional alliance.

Perspectives Papers