South Sudan

Countering Iran’s Covert Chemical Weapons Program

Turkey, The Kurds, And The U.S.: The SDF Partnership Hits a Strategic Wall

Masoud Barzani’s February 6 meeting with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi spotlights a decade of U.S. partnering that helped defeat ISIS in eastern Syria, but never produced a political endgame. After holding territory east of the Euphrates, the SDF suffered setbacks in mid-January clashes and then reached a January 30 understanding that allows Damascus to expand security control in remaining SDF areas. Some fighters could be absorbed into Syria’s army, while U.S. forces weigh next steps for ISIS detainee operations and their remaining footprint.

RSF seizes El Fasher, forcing Sudanese Armed Forces withdrawal

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has captured El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur State, forcing a complete withdrawal of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). On October 26, RSF personnel stormed the...

Why No States for the Druze or the Kurds?

Self-determination in the Middle East is inconsistent. For Muslim Palestinians, statehood is seen as an unfulfilled destiny. Yet for religious minorities like the Druze or ethnic groups like the Kurds,...

5 Reasons Why South Africa Must Remain on FATF’s Financial Crime Watchlist

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed South Africa on its “grey list” in February 2023, identifying critical weaknesses in the country’s ability to combat money laundering and terrorist financing....

Previewing TikTok Case Oral Arguments Before the Supreme Court

Guterres embraces the authoritarians

By attending a three-day summit in Russia and lending credence to Putin’s despotism, the U.N. secretary-general is effectively spitting in the faces of both Ukraine and Israel.

Expert Panel Rejects Claims of Famine in Northern Gaza

The Famine Review Committee (FRC), a body consisting of five prominent scholars of food security and nutrition, on June 8 rejected as not “plausible” the conclusion that northern...

How António Guterres betrayed the Jews

He has lent his imprimatur to one of the worst antisemitic blood libels to emerge from the halls of the United Nations—and there have been many.

UN Equates Israel With Hamas in ‘Children in Armed Conflict’ Blacklist

The United Nations’ (UN) institutional bias against Israel was on display on June 13, as the Secretary-General’s annual report on children in armed conflict included the Jewish...

Iran’s Raisi joins long list of political leaders involved in mysterious crashes

It isn't expected that presidents should go missing or be involved in crashes. However, historically, a number of important political and military leaders have met their end in crashes.

Building Virtue Into Virtual Assets

Virtual asset providers face a host of constraints that erode their reputation and promise. Yet they can still reach their lofty potential of bring more inclusive and verifiable means of exchange by demonstrating virtuous engagement with global financial sytems, write Amit Sharma and Elaine Dezenski

Cancel Russia’s UN Contracts

Congress should insist that U.S. dollars not fund United Nations procurement from Russian companies.

Biden Can Reset the UN’s Discriminatory Approach to Israel

The United States led when it persuaded the General Assembly to repeal its 1975 vote declaring Zionism to be racism. It should now actively and decisively lead the effort to end the Commission of Inquiry, which the UNHRC created to conclude essentially the same thing.

UN Peacekeeping in Cyprus: So Much for Deterrence

In Hans Christian Anderson’s children’s classic The Emperor’s New Clothes, the unfortunate emperor parades around the streets in his birthday suit, confident that his fine garments are seen by everyone...

China’s Potemkin Peacekeeping

The CCP is using its increased U.N. peacekeeping presence to shift international norms about human rights.

Authoritarian countries will try to use coronavirus vaccines as an internal cudgel

The world will have to work to keep distribution of scarce lifesaving resources equitable

Below the Belt and Road

Corruption and Illicit Dealings in China’s Global Infrastructure

Why the United States should sanction the mastermind of China’s crackdown on the Uighurs