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Grey Definitions of Genocide

Grey Definitions of Genocide

Naming genocide something else does not make a difference to the victims. Indeed, why anyone would want to re-label a crime against humanity?

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Saudi Arabia and the End of the Rentier State

Saudi Arabia and the End of the Rentier State

With a young, restless population and decreased oil revenues, Saudi Arabia needs to abandon its rentier economic system and build a more sustainable model.

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The Energy Sector: A Prime Target for Cyber Attacks

The Energy Sector: A Prime Target for Cyber Attacks

U.S. lawmakers are concerned about the lack of preparation for a possible long term power outage caused by a cyber-attack against the energy sector.

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NATO and Russia Increase Contacts, Yet Rift Lingers

NATO and Russia Increase Contacts, Yet Rift Lingers

While continued attempts at dialogue seek that elusive common ground, some transparency and risk-reduction measures are in trial mode to keep open channels.

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Obama Lifts Arms Embargo on Vietnam

Obama Lifts Arms Embargo on Vietnam

Despite concerns human rights violations in Vietnam, Obama opted to fully lift the arms embargo on lethal military equipment during his recent visit.

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Amid Setbacks, ISIS Embraces Traditional Terrorism Paradigm

Amid Setbacks, ISIS Embraces Traditional Terrorism Paradigm

ISIS has abandoned its blitzkrieg-style land grab. Improvised explosive devices, suicide vests, and car bombs have once again become the order of the day.

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Florence Fang’s “100,000 Strong Foundation”: Education or Indoctrination?

Florence Fang’s “100,000 Strong Foundation”: Education or Indoctrination?

For the Communist Party, there is no such thing as education or cultural exchange for its own sake: everything is political, everything is ideological.

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The UN Post-2015: Great Decisions Spring Updates

The UN Post-2015: Great Decisions Spring Updates

With Ban Ki-Moon’s term as the United Nations Secretary-General ending this year, many candidates have been put forward to replace him.

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The Fall of ISIS Begins with Mosul

The Fall of ISIS Begins with Mosul

Taking back Mosul would be a key victory for the Iraqi Army and coalition forces and a disastrous defeat for the Islamic State.

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Causeway Bay Incident: Swedish Diplomacy under Challenge

Causeway Bay Incident: Swedish Diplomacy under Challenge

The Causeway Bay Bookstore incident and Beijing’s response has posed a serious challenge to Sweden’s “human rights diplomacy.”

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NATO Back on Dual-Track?

NATO Back on Dual-Track?

NATO should strengthen both aspects of this renewed dual-track policy—responding to the security needs of its most exposed members, while at the same time advocating dialogue and transparency to diffuse tension in their relations with Russia.

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Cameron’s Anti-Corruption Summit: A First Step in a Long Road

Cameron’s Anti-Corruption Summit: A First Step in a Long Road

International cooperation on transparency and a coordinated effort to target secretive tax havens and offshore financial arrangements tied to illegal activities were among the issues discussed at the summit.

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ISIS Increased Attacks Abroad are a Sign of Weakness

ISIS Increased Attacks Abroad are a Sign of Weakness

ISIS’s increased activity abroad is a sign of weakness rather than strength: the group has lost around 20% of its territory in Syria and over 40% in Iraq since its peak expansion in August 2014.

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What We Really Need From Obama’s Visit to Hiroshima

What We Really Need From Obama’s Visit to Hiroshima

At Hiroshima, the U.S. should project a tone of deepening conciliation, highlighting that the real cement between us and other nations—in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas—is a culture of freedom.

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Parallel Diplomacy in Conflict Resolution: Hope for a Safer World

Parallel Diplomacy in Conflict Resolution: Hope for a Safer World

Where governments are unable or unwilling to venture, at least publicly, for fear of losing credibility with their electorates or their allies, parallel diplomacy can offer a way forward.

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