Too Many Coincidences: The Likelihood That a Lab Leak in Wuhan Led to the COVID-19 Outbreak

More than a year and a half after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the way in which its causative virus first emanated remains unclear. While new viruses appearing within humans usually derive from animal viruses, a series of exceptional coincidences in Wuhan, China prior to and during the onset of the pandemic strongly support the laboratory leak theory.

Rocket Fire from Lebanon and Its Implications

The recent rocket fire from Lebanon into Israeli territory connects with Hamas’s overall strategy of expanding the scope of the confrontation between itself and Israel that sharpened during the war in Gaza in May of this year. It is by no means clear that Israel is equipped to prevent this from becoming a regular event.

Turkey’s New Moves in the Eastern Mediterranean

In July 2021, Israel expressed full support to the Republic of Cyprus in the wake of the unilateral reopening of the Varosha coastline by Turkey. Last year, it also showed solidarity with Athens during Greek-Turkish tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. While the tripartite partnership is progressing, Ankara is seeking to expand its footprint in the region and is pursuing a two-state solution in Cyprus. It is also applying a new foreign policy methodology to Greece while remaining adamant in its demands.

Give War a Chance: Turkish Leader Finesses Political Defeat

Burak Bekdil
July 30, 2021
Paper No. 2109

Turks are hungry for fairy tales. Any feel-good news propaganda—including Erdoğan’s “The West, including the Germans, are jealous of us!” tirade—finds millions of receptive listeners in Turkey’s postmodern marketplace of absurdity.

The Ultra-Conservative Leanings of Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan Raise Eyebrows

Widely seen as a populist with ultra-conservative inklings, Pakistani PM Imran Khan increasingly appears to reinforce widespread traditionalist attitudes that reject religious tolerance as well as the rights of women and minorities.

Demonstrations in Iranian Khuzestan Demand an End to the Islamic Regime

Amid a fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, nightly demonstrations are occurring inside Iran—especially in the oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan. The protests initially concerned a water shortage and power outages, but have since turned into demonstrations demanding an end to the Islamist regime.

How Long Will the Aegean Sea’s Peaceful Summer Last?

Burak Bekdil
July 27, 2021
Paper No. 2106

How sustainable will the Aegean Sea’s peaceful summer of 2021 prove to be? For Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the primary reason for peace in the Aegean has been the threat of further Western sanctions amid Turkey’s ongoing economic descent. But his election campaign for the 2023 race could drive him back to his bullying, aggressive self in terms of regional policy to consolidate conservative and nationalist votes.

Iranian Dissidents to Visit Israel

Erfan Fard
July 26, 2021
Paper No. 2105

At the end of July 2021, a delegation of eight Iranian opposition members will visit Israel to take part in cultural and political meetings planned by the Institute for Voices of Liberty (IVOL). These meetings could lay the basis for a future relationship between Israel and Iran after the collapse of the ayatollahs’ dictatorship.

The US Is Undermining the Abraham Accords

In contrast to the Trump administration’s tough stance on Iran, President Joe Biden’s willingness to negotiate with and reach a weak agreement with Iran undermines the strategic rationale for the normalization agreements between Israel and the Gulf states.

The American Colossus May Crumble

Lev Stesin
July 23, 2021
Paper No. 2103

The US is no longer the country that recovered from the Pearl Harbor disaster and won WWII, or that both morally and economically sustained itself throughout its prolonged ideological conflict with the Soviet Union. The people of the once great country are confused and disoriented. Once America’s feet of clay crumble, the colossus will never rise again.

Perspectives Papers