Blogs Fall 2016

 

Why the Tide May Be Turning for Assad
12/01/2016
By: Max Powers

The civil war in Syria, like most other conflicts, has experienced normal ebbs and flows of conflict: As one side makes gains, the war seems to be heading in the favor of the opposition. As the other makes or reverses those gains, the war seems to be leading to a regime victory. This cycle has repeated since the early days of the conflict; however, with the ongoing regime… Read More

 

Reelection in Austria
11/30/2016
By: Sonam Kotadia

Eight days following the Brexit referendum, another shock reverberated across the European Union: In Austria, a small alpine country nestled between Germany and the edge of the former Iron Curtain, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the presidential election held in May on the grounds of concerning irregularities in the… Read More

 

The Arctic Conflict: A Result of Climate Change
11/30/2016
By: Chase Bloch

Just a few decades ago the arctic was a region of the world with little political or economic interest. This lasted up until the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sparked new territorial interests in the region beginning in 1996, when Norway became the first Arctic country to ratify the UNCLOS resolution. UNCLOS doctrine states that… Read More

 

Shifting Allegiances: Rodrigo Duterte and US-Philippine Relations
11/30/2016
By: Gabe Wacks and Jason Williams

As the United States begins its much-lauded “pivot to Asia”, all is not well in its regional bloc. The Philippines, a keystone in US foreign policy in south-eastern Asia, has recently engaged in a confusing political clash with the United States. President Duterte of the Philippines, known for his brash language and aggressive political posturing, made headlines when he used pejorative language to describe President… Read More

 

Global Leaders Committed to Climate Protection Initiatives
11/01/2016
By: Emily Smith and Robin Wilson

The United States and China have formally committed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change months after the Paris Agreement. This agreement committed the two nations and signifies the beginning of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a lower carbon footprint. It will be a long process for those who have ratified the agreement… Read More

 

Trojzab (Trident)
11/01/2016
By: Justin Tomczyk

“Międzymorze” – Latinized as Intermarium – is a theoretical geopolitical union stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The concept was proposed by Jozef Pilsudski (1867-1935), a Polish statesman and military leader during the interwar period. The goal of Intermarium was to create a “Third Europe” between the two historic centers of power: Russia and Western Europe. While Pilsudski’s dream never materialized beyond limited… Read More