Month: September 2023

The Origins of the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait Reconsidered

For over 30 years, policymakers and scholars have taken for granted that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait simply to seize its oil. That narrative misleadingly suggests that the Iraqi invasion happened to coincide with, but was unrelated to, the dawn of the post-Cold War era. In fact, Saddam’s decision-making was inextricable from his interpretation of the end of the Cold War. In late 1989 and early 1990, he posited that Soviet retrenchment portended a five-year period of American unipolarity, after which Japan and Germany would restore a global balance of power. Until that new equilibrium emerged, Saddam genuinely feared that the United States and Israel would use their unchecked power to destabilize his regime in pursuit of their hegemony over the Middle East. In the summer of 1990, Kuwait’s oil overproduction persuaded the Iraqi leadership that the Kuwaiti royal family was complicit in the U.S.-led plot that they believed was already in full swing.

Overreach in Africa: Rethinking U.S. Counterterrorism strategy

Key points

Due to an overly broad definition of threat, the United States currently commits far too many military resources to counterterrorism, especially in Africa.

The United States is pursuing military action against at least thirteen terrorist groups in Africa, but only one of those groups has the “global reach” to be a threat to Americans. Consequently, the U.S. military is fighting a slew of counterinsurgency—not counterterrorism—wars in Africa today, a strategy that borders on nation-building.

Triangulation Of Eurasia: The North-South Corridor Underreported But Pivotal For Common Future – Analysis

Introduction

In the fluid global order, initiatives to articulate cooperation to its best mutual outcome, as for exchange of resources and synergies are relevant more than ever. The mighty Asian triangular format of RIC (Russia – India – China) is relatively well known although underreported in scholarly and popular writings.

Wagner’s Head Is Dead, Now Bury The Body – Analysis

Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead in a plane crash, alongside Wagner Group’s co-founder and operational commander, Dmitry Utkin. They leave behind a business empire and thousands of security contractors in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The Kremlin has a few options to clean up the debris: they could completely disband Wagner, force a rebranding, or pursue some form of nationalization.

The Contagion Of Coups In Africa – OpEd

Africa is on the boil once again. The rule by the ballot box is being replaced with the rule of the gun. The military is no longer content to remain in the barracks but has chosen to be at the steering wheel of power, driving the politicians away from the public arena into infamy and political obscurity. From West Africa, especially the Sahel, down to Central Africa, and Northeast Africa, the military has seized power sending dictators out of business.

Ethics Of Neurotechnology: The Intersection Of Neuroscience And Military Applications – Analysis

The rapid advancement of neuroscience and technology has given rise to a field known as neurotechnology, which involves studying and applying techniques to interact with and manipulate the human brain. This can range from medical development that assists in treating neuro-biological disorders to neurological data mapping and many evolutions yet to come. While the medical field is well regulated on average globally, the growth of neurotechnology is unprecedented and thus requires oversight.

Key US Intelligence Tool Set To Expire – Analysis

(FPRI) — At the end of this year, America’s most important intelligence tool is set to expire. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allows the government to collect signals intelligence on foreign targets, even when that collection includes communications with Americans. However, Section 702 needs congressional approval to continue, and vocal critics both inside and outside Congress consider Section 702 unconstitutional.

The African Summer Of Discontent – Analysis

In many ways, the Sahel today is at the forefront of major natural experiments to determine how mankind will adapt to climate change, technological innovation, global population movement and the restructuring of world politics, urbanization, social change and rapid population growth, as well as inter-religious contact.

L’Occident prépare-t-il de nouvelles guerres en Afrique, en Asie et en Amérique ?

Les analyses du géopouvoir revêtent une importance capitale, car la plupart des gouvernements disposent d’équipes spécialisées dans l’étude approfondie des idées avancées, des voies possibles et du pronostic des événements, jusqu’à montrer de nouveaux points de conflit insoupçonnés, tout cela dans le but d’organiser la politique étrangère et intérieure de leurs nations.