Will Drones Push the Middle East Past the Point of No Return?
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Will Drones Push the Middle East Past the Point of No Return?

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or drones, both armed and unarmed, have altered how states and insurgents conduct warfare in the Middle East. The widespread proliferation of these weapons, combined with the range of capabilities they confer and their potential to alter the logic of escalation between states, may cause significant inter-state conflict to occur.  An…

The Problem of Wikipedia

The Problem of Wikipedia

Over the course of my life I have watched integrity shrivel up and die everywhere in the Western world. It is not like it was ever really abundant, but there was a goodly amount of it, and it had authority. People, especially those in public life, weren’t shameless as they are today. In the past…

CPEC and Pakistan’s “Pivot to Africa”

CPEC and Pakistan’s “Pivot to Africa”

Last week’s Africa Envoys’ Conference in Islamabad saw Pakistani diplomats brainstorming the best ways for their country to pivot to the eponymous continent, with the key takeaways being to prioritize military diplomacy and entrepreneurial engagement along what could prospectively be described as S-CPEC+. *** Pakistan’s “Pivot To Africa” Pakistan is getting ready to expand its…

Who holds the Initiative, and Who has the Power to Mobilise the Street in Iraq?

Who holds the Initiative, and Who has the Power to Mobilise the Street in Iraq?

There is little doubt that Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr controls the streets in Iraq and can make peaceful protests violent when he chooses. Notwithstanding the presence of several smaller players and those genuinely asking for serious reforms, Sayyed Moqtada can move the street in the direction he wants. However, the strategic objectives of Sayyed Moqtada are…