Syria Caesar’s Law: Who Does it Target, and How Will it Affect President Assad?

Syria Caesar’s Law: Who Does it Target, and How Will it Affect President Assad?

In mid-June, the US sanctions against Syria will escalate, with the enactment of “Caesar’s Law“, sanctions designed to “pursue individuals, groups, companies, and countries that deal with the Damascus government.” This law – purportedly named after a Syrian army officer who smuggled out thousands of photos of torture by the Syrian army in prisons –…

A Reconsideration of Domestic Challenges to Achieving a Peaceful Settlement in Libya

A Reconsideration of Domestic Challenges to Achieving a Peaceful Settlement in Libya

One of the greatest difficulties Libya faces is the restoration of legitimacy to governance and the reconstruction of the State. The ‘transitional’ arrangements for governing Libya were imposed by the ‘international community’ after NATO destroyed the country’s State institutions and infrastructure with massive bombardments in 2011, supposedly to enforce a ‘no-fly zone’ imposed by a…

The New Cold War with China

The New Cold War with China

America’s pundits and politicians have largely concluded that a new Cold War with China — a period of intense hostility and competition falling just short of armed combat — has started. “Rift Threatens U.S. Cold War Against China,” as a New York Times headline put it on May 15th, citing recent clashes over trade, technology,…