Crashing Currency Chaos Spreads Across the Global South

Crashing Currency Chaos Spreads Across the Global South

The Iranian rial: crash. The Turkish lira: crash. The Argentine peso: crash. The Brazilian real: crash. There are multiple, complex, parallel vectors at play in this wilderness of crashing currencies. Turkey’s case is heavily influenced by the bubble of easy credit created by European banks. Argentina’s problem is mostly to do with the neoliberal austerity…

The Syrian-Iranian Military Deal Strengthens Russia’s “Balancing” Strategy

The Syrian-Iranian Military Deal Strengthens Russia’s “Balancing” Strategy

No real details were publicly revealed about the new military deal that was clinched after the Iranian Defense Minister’s trip to Damascus but the Islamic Republic’s top military representative earlier told reporters that “No third party can affect the presence of Iranian advisers in Syria”, in what was clearly a response to aggressive American and…

Will Someone in Washington Play the Ace of Spades before November?

Will Someone in Washington Play the Ace of Spades before November?

With regard to American foreign and security policy, President Donald Trump presents a paradox. Aside from some harsh bluster (“fire and fury” directed towards Pyongyang in the lead-up to an unprecedented US-North Korea summit), Trump generally seems to want more peaceful ties with the rest of the world and an end to wasteful and dangerous…

Is a ‘Suez’ Event Being Prepared for Syria?

Is a ‘Suez’ Event Being Prepared for Syria?

So, the metamorphosis is done. President Trump has finally, fully, shed his 2016 Campaign ‘skin’ of loosely imagining a grand foreign policy bargain that could be the foundation for “WORLD PEACE, nothing less!” as Trump tweeted when imposing sanctions on Iran. We wrote, on 3 August, quoting Prof Russell-Mead, that Trump’s ‘8 May metamorphosis’ (the US exit from JCPOA),…

The Long Shadow of the Gulf Crisis: Qatar Emerges as Key Player in Gaza Crisis

The Long Shadow of the Gulf Crisis: Qatar Emerges as Key Player in Gaza Crisis

Dug in for the long haul in its increasingly bitter dispute with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Qatar is emerging as a key player in efforts to prevent tension between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, from spinning out of control. Qatar’s increasing role counters Saudi and UAE efforts to…