Syrian President Assad is also losing the public relations war.
History — Not to Mention Reality — Aren’t on Assad’s Side
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Democracy & Governance
The Pentagon as a Global NRA
In the U.S., the National Rifle Association (NRA), an ultra-powerful lobbying group closely allied with weapons-making companies, has a strong grip on Congress — it gives 288 members of that body its top “A-rating” — and is in a combative relationship with the White House. Abroad, it’s so much simpler and less contested. Beyond U.S. borders, the reality is: the Pentagon, with the White House in tow, is the functional equivalent of the NRA, and like that organization, it has been working tirelessly in recent years in close alliance with major weapons-makers to ensure that there are ever less controls on the ever more powerful weaponry it wants to see sold abroad.
On Brink of Admission to EU, Some Croatians Still Euro-skeptic
Daniel Bucan characterizes Croatia as a state desperate for attention and respect.
The MONUSCO Contradiction
Elevating the military role of UN peacekeeping forces would do little to address the root causes of instability and violence in the Congo. MONUSCO needs to be a force for stability in a diverse field of international actors, and it needs to help provide for a more durable system of civilian protection—one that resonates far beyond the battlefield.
Whither Serbia’s Future When Its Citizens Elect “The Undertaker” President?
Voting the nationalistic Serbian Progressive Party into power reflects, in part, disillusionment with the Democratic Party.
A Focal Points Roundtable: Is the Taliban Losing?
A panel of experts looks at the U.S. and NATO end game in Afghanistan.
Bulgarians Wear Their Pessimism as a Badge
In a 2009 Gallup poll, Bulgaria ranked at the bottom of the world in their view of what life would be like for them five years hence.
Magnitsky Act and Dima Yakovlev Bill Revive Cold War
If it weren’t for punitive acts by the United States, Russia wouldn’t have banned adoptions by Americans.
How Will Obama’s Reconfigured National Security Team Approach the Middle East?
It will likely use a combination of hard and soft power utilizing diplomacy, coalition building, political pressure, and military power.
In Mexico, No Matter Which Party Holds the Reins, the People Lose
Part 2 of an interview with Drug War Mexico co-author Peter Watt.