Commentaries
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(This paper is based on a speech given by HES Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the former deputy prime minister and the former minister of foreign affairs of Kuwait, at the German-Arab Friendship Association in Berlin, Germany on Thursday, 11/1/2017)
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the Middle East while millions of refugees now roam the world. Terrorism has reached its pinnacle, and metastasised into the so called Da’esh. Key states in the region are now fighting
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This commentary aims to examine the linguistic divergences in the Daesh’s communication strategies in attempts to attract and recruit women from various social and geographic backgrounds through Daesh media platforms. It is argued that while Arabic texts tend to employ a more theological rhetoric; English and francophone1 texts tend to employ a rhetoric emphasizing social inclusivity as means to attract North American and European (Western) women to join Daesh. This commentary refers to adaptation as a Daesh recruitment strategy, which takes into account the significant variety of motivations amongst Daesh supporters.
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At the end of September 2015, Russia stepped to the fore as an openly intervening power in Syria. Since then, pro-Assad forces have reestablished a firm military foothold, recaptured vast swaths of land, and safeguarded what is now a largely uncontested Alawite sphere of influence along the Mediterranean governorates of Latakia and Tartus, extending further south along the Syrian-Lebanese border to the capital, Damascus.
Probably the most striking characteristic of Russia’s military involvement stems from the heedlessness of its conduct: Moscow’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and agile diplomatic moves have pro
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Publication Title: The Fallout of Russia’s Syria Campaign in the North Caucasus
Author: Sebastian Maier
Date of Publication: 1st of June, 2016.
The latest news coverage on war-torn Syria has been overwhelmingly dominated by the strong symbolic message sent by the Damascene regime by gaining ground against Islamic State as it recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert at the end of March 2016. At the same time, but largely unnoticed by the international media, Islamic State’s Caucasus governorate, proclaimed in sum
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The “2016 White Paper on German Security Policy and the Future of the Bundeswehr” is the most imperative recent document to lay out the Germany’s principles and tools in shaping security policy at large. It discusses key elements of security policy, describes the international security environment, identifies strategic priorities, and points out areas of engagement in which Germany has the opportunity to shape policy. On first read, the paper´s most noticeable strength is the depth in which it explores its many concerns, from traditional policy power plays to the topical challenges of mass migration and climate change. The paper a
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Ennahda, the Tunisian movement and political party, held its 10th congress from May 20 to May 22, 2016. The event was closely followed by local, regional, and international media and attended by high-level dignitaries and delegations.
Due to the private nature of the congressional sessions, one can only read about what has transpired through leaked reports from the closed sessions: since these reports are leaked by movement leaders and senior members and intended to influence the public and the Tunisian political class in particular, they are often of little help in understanding ‘what is happening insid
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English translation currently unavailable.
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Research Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Sebastian Maier writes a commentary titled: “Calm before the storm? Hezbollah solidifies its foothold along the Lebanese-Syrian border.” Published on the 1st of May, 2016.
Maier begins by citing the satellite imagery acquired by DigitalGlobe in early April 2016, which was confirmed by the global intelligence company Stratfor. The imagery Maier writes, “appeared to confirm a buildup of military fortifications, including artillery caches and defense positions, erected by Hezbollah in a
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“Some Observations on the Significance of President Xi Jinping’s visit and the Problem of the Sino-Saudi Relationship.”
By, Mohammed Al-sudairi.
Published Rabi Al-Thani, 1437/February, 2016.
Saudi Arabia was accorded the honor of being the first destination on President Xi Jinping’s, tour, which as Al-sudairi argues, “is perceived as being a critical catalyst towards re-energizing the relationship after several years of drift.” In add