Greek Deterrence of Turkey: Living to Fight Another Day

Greece is facing a serious security challenge from Turkey, a fellow NATO country. The recent deterioration of bilateral relations has generated suspicion and distrust in Athens. The upcoming exploratory talks are bound to fail. The Greek deterrence strategy is shifting significantly because the possibility of conflict is growing.

7 + 3: Greece As Part of a Mediterranean Bloc

Rauf Baker
October 1, 2020
Paper No. 1766

Given the historical ties of Athens with Middle Eastern countries, Greece is an ideal candidate to play a pivotal role in a Mediterranean bloc to include Israel, Gulf States, and European countries with the object of repelling Turkey's expansionist ambitions. The participation of Greece could help the region reach its economic and political potential amid the dispute over local energy reserves.

The EU’s Discrimination Against Israel Continues: Housing Demolitions

The skewed reporting of housing demolitions in the West Bank is yet another tool with which the EU engages in blatant discrimination against Israel. But does it help the Palestinians? Readily available information on such demolitions suggests that the EU’s bias hurts them more than it benefits them.

China Could Signal Increased Engagement with Iran—But It Hasn’t Done So

There are two ways Beijing could signal its interest in moving ahead with a proposed $400 billion economic and military cooperation agreement with Iran: by pushing for Iranian membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and renewing interest in a China-Pakistan-Iran-Turkey energy pipeline. China has not moved on either one.

The Yom Kippur War: Much More than an Intelligence Failure

Two messages continue to ring out on the eve of the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. One concerns the severity of the intelligence failure at the time, and the other promises that the right lessons have been learned and the IDF is now prepared for any scenario. When the failure is portrayed as essentially the lack of an intelligence warning, it is easy to promise that it has been diagnosed and remedied in a way that prevent its future recurrence. But an in-depth look at the war shows that the reasons for the fiasco went far beyond the intelligence failure.

The Long Roots of the Yom Kippur War Debacle

The IDF’s difficulties at the outset of the 1973 Yom Kippur War stemmed from an inherent command flaw rather than an intelligence failure as is commonly believed. The roots of this flaw date back to 1957, when Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan decided on an early retirement age for IDF personnel so as to enable them to embark on a second career. Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion, who saw the dangers of the decision, opposed it but did not use his authority to revoke it.

Trying to Forecast Post-COVID Society

In times of major uncertainty it is important for the strategist to define key issues that could be relevant in shaping the future. By following their developments and gradually adding additional subjects, one can get a clearer picture of where society is headed. The longer the COVID-19 pandemic lasts, the more likely it is that there will be major areas in which the post-virus reality differs significantly from the pre-virus reality.

Why Do the Arabs Hate the Palestinians?

For many reasons, the Arab world is not at all interested in giving the Palestinian Arabs a state. The Palestinian Arabs don't really want one either, because why kill the "refugee" goose that lays the golden eggs?

The Palestinians Have Been Lying For Years. Can They Still Get Away With It?

The Palestinians have been lying in all directions for far too long. A gullible liberal public might buy into their lies for a while, but not forever. The UAE and Bahrain are no longer swallowing Palestinian lies, and other Arab states might join them.

The Dangerous Waters of the Mediterranean

The national agendas of Greece and Turkey continue to clash in the Mediterranean. Even if Turkey discontinues its explorations south of the Greek island of Kastelorizo in the medium term, it will be difficult for the two to conduct a productive bilateral dialogue. The European idea of a multilateral summit of all Eastern Mediterranean countries is more promising, but not yet concrete. Israel supports the right of Greece to delimit its continental shelf and favors regional cooperation as a member of the East Med Gas Forum (EMGF), but understands that as matters stand, the possibility of a breakthrough is limited.

Perspectives Papers