Latest Articles about Foreign Policy
Finland Raises Terror Alert as Jihadist Scene Grows More Complex
Finland elevated its terrorism threat assessment for the second time in 18 months in November of 2015. According to the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (FSIS) the terrorist threat against Finland is increasingly complex—and while the threat of “structured attacks by terrorist organizations” remains low by... MORE
Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood and the Struggle for Post-Revolutionary Libya: A Profile of Shaykh Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi
Andrew McGregor The rise to power of Mu’ammar Qaddafi (1969-2011) in Libya led to major changes in the observation of Islam in a deeply conservative Sunni Muslim North African nation. While establishing Shari’a as the basis of Libyan legislation, Qaddafi sought to disrupt the dominant... MORE
Boko Haram’s Foreign Fighters in Libya
Jacob Zenn The Libyan uprising that broke out in 2011 was followed by a civil war that has lasted five years. During this time, the Islamic State has set up three “provinces” in Libya, although al-Qaeda and other rebel groups have maintained a strong presence... MORE
Muhammad al-Madhuni: Islamic State’s Leader in Western Libya
Zainul Abid Muhammal al-Madhuni is an Islamic State commander operating from the Libyan city of Sabratah, which is presently controlled by militias. He was born in 1953 and grew up in Ain Zara, located in central Tripoli, though he holds an Iraqi passport under the... MORE
The Islamic State’s Veteran Leader in Libya: A Postmortem Profile of Abu Nabil al-Anbari
Nathaniel Barr The Islamic State’s Syria and Iraq-based leadership has taken an active role in overseeing and supporting the group’s operations in Libya since pro-Islamic State jihadists first gained a foothold in the country in mid-2014. The Islamic State (IS) leadership has encouraged migration (hijrah)... MORE
Despite Bilateral Diplomatic Contacts, Russia Hardens Its View of US as the Enemy
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, the frequency and intensity of high-level contacts between Russia and the United States “are unprecedented.” US Secretary of State John Kerry has regularly visited Moscow to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and with President Vladimir Putin.... MORE
New Momentum in the Russia-China Partnership
Many observers of the Russo-Chinese relationship continue to believe that it is merely a marriage or axis of convenience, which will only last as long as it does not damage its two players’ other rational interests. This attitude clearly embodies the distinctive belief, particularly prevalent... MORE
Implications of Azerbaijan Moving Closer to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
On March 14, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadiarov signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) granting it the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The SCO’s Secretary General Rashid Alimov told journalists, “Azerbaijan’s SCO dialogue partner status will allow it, by... MORE
The Influence of Russian Military Reform on PLA Reorganization
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is in the midst of the biggest reorganization and reform effort since the 1980s. Among the major changes announced, the country’s primary nuclear deterrent, the Second Artillery Corps, was upgraded to a separate service branch called the PLA Rocket... MORE
Beijing Ups the Ante in South China Sea Dispute with HQ-9 Deployment
China’s recent deployment of HQ-9 missiles to the Paracel Islands represent part of a larger effort to consolidate the country’s position in the South China Sea. While the deployment in itself only adds an incremental improvement to China’s ability to control the Paracel Islands, its... MORE