This article examines the question: why and how the wave of democratization in the Middle East has receded, giving way to the prioritization of security in the post‐Arab Spring by conducting analyses at three levels: societal, state, and international. By applying the main concepts and theories found in the literature on democratization and securitization and Read More >
Syria
U.S. National Security Strategy 2018- English, French, Russian, Dari
President Donald Trump released his administrations U.S. National Security Strategy. See his vision here. The four main pillars of his new strategy include: Protecting the U.S. from threats. Promoting American prosperity. Preserving “peace through strength.” Advancing American influence. Take a look at his vision and further explanation of the pillars here in: English (web-link); English Read More >
Arab States and the Alienation of the Masses: Pre and post Arab Spring
State polices and the strategic choices of the ruling elite have alienated the Arab people. This paper analyzes the source of the Arab masses alienation by the state using the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) and the World Wide Governance Indicators along the following dimensions: lack of political participation; unstable democratic institutions; lack of political Read More >
Irregular War: ISIS and The New Threat From The Margins
Over the past two years, several books have appeared focusing on Islamic State (IS). These have largely focused on its history, its ideological appeal or its propensity to make use of social media to spread its message of hate. Other publications have examined the subject matter from a military perspective – that of counter-insurgency. In Read More >
The Evolution of Islamic State’s Strategy
Despite having a vast number of forces arrayed against it – the United States-led coalition, Putin’s Moscow, Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, Kurdish Peshmerga and the regimes in Baghdad and Damascus – Islamic State (IS) has expanded into other areas. Despite losing territory in Iraq and Syria, IS is growing in the Far East, the Read More >
Countering ISIS Online Propaganda
In the recent years, ISIS’ propaganda has become a major point of discussion among academicians and policy makers alike. The propaganda churned out by the group has reached massive proportions and has produced a certain quality just due to the numbers. Slick videos, graphic designs and remarkable photo shopping skills are characteristic of the group’s Read More >
ISIS Lone Wolf Attacks: Implications for Indian Security
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has faced many military losses in the middle east. It lost its last stronghold of Libya, Sirte and many key towns and cities in Iraq and Syria such as Fallujah, Kirkuk, Manbij and Dabiq among others. In this backdrop, since mid-2016, the group has called for increased Read More >
Countering Violent Extremism
What Are Common Myths About CVE? 1-Extremists have some unique signs that can be Identified easily. ´Contrary to popular Perceptions, extremists can be ordinary citizens well-educated, well-off employed , have a family and don’t suffer from poverty, marginalization, alienation or psychological disorder . ´They can blend in society and hide their convictions even from their Read More >
ISIS Administrative and Territorial Organization
The structure of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is very much a product of the organization’s ideological evolution and a reflection of its intended future. It is at once an organization seeking to remake the global order and one that operates quite similarly to states in the system it is trying to Read More >
The Gulf in a Wider Context: Outside Nation-States in the Intensifying Iranian-Arab Security Competition
Russell contends that Iran’s relations with its Arab neighbors do not take place in a hermetically sealed regional environment. Rather, both Iran and the Arab states balance one another by leveraging relationships with nation-states from outside the Gulf. He addresses the role of foreign powers in shaping Iran-Arab relations. The chapter traces the evolution of Read More >