Nataraj & Constant, RCW
Brooks Tigner, Atlantic Council
Germany's defense budget is on the march upwards, but can Berlin maintain the spending momentum given the prospects of a slowing global economy? There are also questions about how the country should spend its defense euros in the long term, say defense officials and policy experts.
Clayton Crockett, National Interest
There appear to be multiple ways in which both Kuwait and Oman can forge strategic alliances within and beyond the GCC without tying their fates to the house of Saud.
Anthony Cordesman, CSIS
The future security and stability of Iraq is a vital United States national security interest. Iraq is a critical component to any kind of stability in the Gulf and to the secure flow of petroleum to the global economy. It is a key to containing Iranian influence, and enhancing the security of our Arab security partners and Israel. It is a key to countering the image that the United States invaded Iraq for the wrong reasons in 2003 and left it weak, divided, and unstable. Читать дальше...
Tara Varma, ECFR
The yellow vests could have more influence than expected on the debates leading up to the European Parliament election
Jorge Lpez Arevlo, Worldcrunch
The Trump administration had more than America's commercial deficit with Mexico in mind when it demanded an overhaul of the 25-year-old North American trade deal.
Paul Salem, World Today
Paul Salem looks at how the region will fare if Trump carries out his threatened withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan.
Paul Roderick Gregory, Forbes
The European Union is moving to turn Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, into a regulated utility. Oddly, Germany found itself pitted against the rest of Europe on the deal.
Zha Daojiong et al, ChinaFile
In testimony last week before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats asserted that China's actions reflect a long-term strategy to achieve global superiority. With China's global influence and tensions between Washington and Beijing growing apace, what is the best way to understand how China envisions itself in the world? Some contend China's leaders seek global preeminence; others, that they are principally focused... Читать дальше...
Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Policy
France's president is pushing around Britain, Germany, and Italyand going back to his country's foreign-policy roots.
Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald
Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro may be forced out of power and democracy restored if the current escalation of U.S. and international economic sanctions keep growing.
