Author: M Barbu

US has taken FARC off its terrorist list, giving insight into Biden’s foreign policy

The Biden administration has signaled how it will use its power to designate different groups as terrorists as part of its foreign policy efforts.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the Colombian rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, off the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations list at the end of 2021.

I know the importance of this decision because I worked on adding and deleting groups and individuals on multiple lists, including the Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Russia Deploys Warships to Black Sea in Dangerous Escalation Near Ukraine

The deployment, which Moscow has described as routine exercises, risks escalating a flashpoint in the strategic sea lane that Russia has previously used to pressure Kyiv.

Russia deployed more than 20 warships into the Black Sea on Wednesday, representing a troubling new source of potential military escalation at a time of already heightened tensions with Ukraine and its Western backers.

US-Backed SDF Retakes Key Prison in Battle with Islamic State

A massive and well-planned operation by the Islamic State to free thousands of the terror group’s fighters from a prison in northeastern Syria is over, more than six days after the attack plunged the facility and surrounding neighborhoods into chaos.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced Wednesday they had taken full control of the al-Sina’a prison in Hasakah, a make-shift detention facility that housed an estimated 4,000 IS fighters, as well as about 700 to 850 boys and teenagers from IS families.

Abu Dhabi and Paris Aligned on Regional Security in the Persian Gulf

Uncertain about the U.S commitment to secure the Persian Gulf, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is looking to France and others to help fulfill its security requirements.

The UAE and other Gulf states likely see France as leverage to secure additional U.S support, rather than an as a possible replacement for the U.S. security umbrella.

Iranian President Visits Moscow to Broaden Ties to Russia

The January visit of Iran’s President Ibrahim Raisi to Moscow aligns Iran and Russia more closely.

The two countries see common interest in countering growing pressure on them from the United States and other western powers.

Iran and Russia are negotiating a long term economic and military accord similar to that between Iran and China.

Yemen: As conflict escalates, MSF cares for displaced people in Marib

Violence in Yemen’s Marib governorate is intensifying as warring parties fight to claim control over the strategically important region. According to local authorities, the population of Marib city, which was once less than half a million, has swelled to nearly three million as people are displaced by the fighting. Most who fled their homes are now totally reliant on humanitarian assistance, though it does not always reach them.

Burkina Faso: Ongoing conflict and displacement exacerbate medical needs

Months of tension and protests in Burkina Faso culminated in a military takeover on January 24. This political crisis comes as conflict continues in the country, causing violence and displacement and leaving many people struggling to find food, water, shelter, and medical care. Humanitarian organizations have also been hit by the violence, making it extremely challenging to provide much-needed aid.

How to Manage the Threat of an Expanding Islamic State in Africa

Every expert on transnational jihadism knew that eradicating the Islamic State’s self-declared “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq would not lead to the end of this brutal, malignant movement. Since it had become as much an ideology and a brand as an actual organization, holding physical territory and establishing a proto-state were important but not vital for the Islamic State, at least in the near term. In response to its battlefield defeats in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State has been dispersing, keeping its brand alive with hopes that someday it can take another shot at creating a state.

What’s in Store for Venezuela in 2022

After the disappointments of 2021, can Venezuela’s government and opposition get negotiations back on track in the year ahead?

Venezuela enters 2022 with persistent challenges but also some tangible opportunities. Left behind are the unrealistic aspirations of the immediate exodus of Chavismo — leaving room for the incremental development of democratic co-existence. But for any positive change to occur, the Maduro government and democratic opposition will need to return to the negotiating table, where they have established a platform for coordination and progress on issues such as restoring democratic institutions, humanitarian relief and, ultimately, elections. The international community, especially the United States, will be a key player and should not fall into a pattern of inertia. In the Venezuela of 2022, small efforts can make a real difference in the lives of ordinary citizens.