1962 India-China War Redux?

1962 India-China War Redux?

Indian analysts have been comparing the military buildup on the India-China border in eastern Ladakh to the Doklam standoff in 2017. This was only to be expected, since the leitmotif is once again a road construction in disputed border regions.  In Doklam, India feared that the Chinese road would give its military access to heights…

Syria Caesar’s Law and How it Will Affect Lebanon: Israel Will be Targeted

Syria Caesar’s Law and How it Will Affect Lebanon: Israel Will be Targeted

The enactment of “Caesar’s Law” – the new US sanctions designed to “pursue individuals, groups, companies, and countries that deal with the Damascus government” – is apparently directed against Syria but in reality aims to subdue Lebanon and its population to accommodate Israel’s conditions. Lebanon’s “Axis of the Resistance” member, Hezbollah, has an open conflict…

West Bank Annexation Plan Tests Gulf-Israeli Relations

West Bank Annexation Plan Tests Gulf-Israeli Relations

Despite warming relations with Israel, Gulf Arab monarchies are at least publicly opposing Tel Aviv’s unilateral decision to annex 30-40 percent of the West Bank next month. The main reason pertains to public opinion in Gulf states and the Islamic world at large remaining firmly pro-Palestinian.  Faced just nine years ago with a region-wide revolt…

Will a Response follow Washington’s Attempts to Undermine International Institutions?

Will a Response follow Washington’s Attempts to Undermine International Institutions?

After Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, his desire to pursue the America First strategy by not only reshaping the internal political landscape but also changing the existing world order in line with US interests became readily apparent. The US leader began to show that his view of what US national interests…

Finally, the EU and Trump See Eye-to-Eye on One International Policy: China

Finally, the EU and Trump See Eye-to-Eye on One International Policy: China

Both Trump and the EU are turning on China for very similar reasons but with different timescales ahead of them. The West still struggles with what it requires from China and whether it wants to get rich and become a big spender, or become poorer and flood western markets with cheaper and cheaper goods. Expect…