How a pink flower defeated the world’s sole superpower After fighting the longest war in its history, the United States stands at the brink of defeat in Afghanistan. How can this be possible? How could the world’s sole superpower have battled continuously for 15 years, deploying 100,000 of its finest troops, spending more than a trillion dollars on its military …

Recently the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned the world that dangers to the world economy had risen and that a collective action is needed to boost the global economy, with volatile financial markets and low commodity prices creating fresh concerns about its health. Given these circumstances, a combination of monetary and fiscal policy and structural reforms was needed to strengthen …

On 22nd February 2016, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) issued its Fact Sheet entitled “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2015” which includes new information on arms transfers in 2015 and updated information for 1950-2014. This Fact Sheet highlights key trends and issues in arms transfers that are revealed by the new data. It lists the main exporters and …

In recent months, Indian premier Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Mian Nawaz Sharif have opened first tentative steps to resolving border tensions between the both countries. If the two nations come into a political and, eventually, economic harmony, it could change the geopolitical map of wars and chaos in the world dramatically for the better. It would be the …

The South China Sea, a popular trading route that holds a mother lode of natural oil and gas reserves, has been a source of escalating tensions in Southeast Asia for decades. In recent years, China and some of its neighbours have ramped up their activities to stake a claim in the area, going as far as building new islands and …

With the rapid melting of ice, the Arctic region is increasingly becoming a more accessible zone for commercial fishing, freshwater, minerals, coal, iron, copper, oil, gas, and shipping — the reason why it is catching the world powers’ attention. Arctic states — Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Russia, Norway and the US — are in a rush to exploit the opportunities …

When Arab streets exploded with fury, from Tunis to Sanaa, pan-Arabism seemed, then, like a nominal notion. Neither did the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ use slogans that affirmed its Arab identity, nor did angry Egyptian youth raise the banner proclaiming Arab unity atop the high buildings adjacent to Tahrir Square. Oddly, the Arabism of the ‘Arab Spring’ was almost as if …

By the standards of any other Western country, the role played by faith in America’s presidential race seems enormous. A recent poll by the Pew Research Centre confirmed that being a professed atheist would be a deadly liability for anyone hoping to enter the White House. Some 51% of voters would be less likely to vote for a candidate who …

Russia is not hiding its goals in its Syrian war, and is not ambiguous about its alliance with Iran and the Assad regime. Moscow has decided that the war in Syria is a Russian war on “Islamist terrorism,” that will not stop until it declares victory. Whether it prevails or becomes bogged down in the Syrian quagmire, Russia has decided …

The United States and its Western allies have legitimate concerns as to why they should risk blood and treasure in support of Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine, especially if providing these distant countries with financial support, military assistance and political leverage in international affairs could lead to a confrontation with Russia. Meanwhile, the Russian bear remains unpredictable and aggressive. It is …