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Why Russia Intervenes

Why Russia Intervenes

Far from being an anomalous event, Russia’s coercive military pressure on Ukraine in the aftermath of the Maidan revolution is typical of the way great powers, including the United States, have behaved in the past.

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2014 NATO Summit: ‘Crucial’ to Say the Least

2014 NATO Summit: ‘Crucial’ to Say the Least

As the leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) convene in Wales for a two-day conference, the world watches how the most important and powerful joint-military and political alliance will handle the myriad of problems it must face in many corners of the globe. With Russia knocking on the door of Eastern Europe  and […]

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The FPA’s Must Reads (August 9–15)

The FPA’s Must Reads (August 9–15)

Our five favorite longreads and blog posts from the past week.

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The pitfalls of sanctions and financial warfare

The pitfalls of sanctions and financial warfare

Sanctions are all the rage in contemporary foreign policy circles. Following interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, Western populations rightly are less and less supportive of direct military action, especially of any initiative involving “boots on the ground.” Sanctions provide a tempting policy solution to decision makers all too conscious of public opinion; a sort of “financial […]

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The Dangers of Investing in Conflicted Areas

The Dangers of Investing in Conflicted Areas

Investments in Colombia in the ’80s and ’90s were often limited to large multinational companies. These companies would take the risks to mine in Colombia’s regions despite the dangers present to their employees. On many occasions, Colombians and foreign nationals were kidnapped for ransom, and many international workers and influential Colombians would not survive or were […]

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Candid Discussions: Reza Marashi on U.S.-Iran Relations and Regional Dynamics

Candid Discussions: Reza Marashi on U.S.-Iran Relations and Regional Dynamics

  Reza Marashi is Research Director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).  Prior to NIAC, Mr. Marashi worked in the Office of Iranian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.  He was also a political analyst at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS), covering China-Middle East issues, and previously a consultant at a Tehran-based […]

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Global Value Chains Mean That Trade Barriers’ Costs Become Compounded

Global Value Chains Mean That Trade Barriers’ Costs Become Compounded

  G20 Trade Ministers met July 19 in Sydney, Australia, and reported the proceedings in a Chairman’s Summary. The only major media coverage of the event highlighted a joint report, of the OECD, World Bank, and WTO, on “Global Value Chains (GVCs).” For those acquainted with trade policy, the ministers’ call for trade-supporting measures is familiar. […]

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The Difficulties in Handling a Melee of Policy Decisions

The Difficulties in Handling a Melee of Policy Decisions

The last three weeks in world politics has been nothing less than a complete disaster of the international community. Since the end of the 2014 World Cup, it appears that anything that President Obama would have considered to be a major issue has appeared as a crisis upon a crisis. Unfortunately, there has been mostly […]

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The FPA’s Must Reads (July 26 – August 1)

The FPA’s Must Reads (July 26 – August 1)

Our favorite longform articles and blogs from around the web this week!

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The Arab World and the Security Crisis in Syria and Iraq

The Arab World and the Security Crisis in Syria and Iraq

Karen Elliot House, Bessma Momani, Kamran Bokhari and Ayham Kamel joined Reza Akhlaghi of the Foreign Policy Association to discuss the growing regional instability, Arab policy, and the breakdown of security structure in Iraq and Syria.

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The FPA’s Must Reads (July 19 – July 25)

The FPA’s Must Reads (July 19 – July 25)

Our favorite longform articles, blogs and podcasts from around the web this week.

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Managing Iran’s nuclear prowess

Managing Iran’s nuclear prowess

Clearly, there is a danger in the prospects of a bomb controlled by such Iranian hardliners. However, there are those in the United States who continue to apply a punitive calculus formulated on every perceived lie and outright deception by the Iranian government over the last 30 years — of which there admittedly have been many — as justification to force a no domestic enrichment agreement. This position is wrong, indefensible, and risks diplomatic failure.

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The FPA’s Must Reads (July 12 – July 18)

The FPA’s Must Reads (July 12 – July 18)

Our favorite longform articles and blogs from around the web this week.

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The FPA’s Must Reads (July 5 – July 11)

The FPA’s Must Reads (July 5 – July 11)

Our five favorite long reads and blog posts from the past week.

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Will the Tea Party Prove to Be the Ex-Im’s Slayer or Savior?

Will the Tea Party Prove to Be the Ex-Im’s Slayer or Savior?

The Tea Party’s efforts to kill the Export-Import Bank of the United States may be the very thing that assures the agency’s survival. And that would be a shame. The Ex-Im, as it is known, was established 80 years ago as the Export-Import Bank of Washington. Its raison d’etre was to finance the sale of […]

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