Diplomacy & Crisis News

Chaque président français promet, en début de mandat, d'en finir avec la « Françafrique »… puis passe à autre chose. Dans leur vaste enquête , Pascal Airault, ancien journaliste à Jeune Afrique, et Jean-Pierre Bat, responsable du fonds Jacques-Foccart aux Archives nationales, relèvent qu'au relatif (...) / Afrique, Angola, Cameroun, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Nucléaire civil, Niger, Matières premières, Guinée, Diplomatie, Relations bilatérales, Coopération bilatérale - 2016/07

Une guerre de cent ans L'auguste Revue des deux mondes se lance dans la bataille pour flétrir l'extrémisme contestataire : « La CGT, qui représente 2,6 % des salariés, peut-elle imposer à tout un pays un bras de fer jusqu'au-boutiste ? » (30 mai 2016). Plus d'un siècle auparavant, après la grande (...) / Idéologie, Médias, Mouvement de contestation, Presse, Syndicalisme - 2016/07

Турецкие СМИ сообщают со ссылкой на свои источники в спецслужбах о том, что теракт в стамбульском аэропорту имени Ататюрка был предположительно организован Ахмедом Чатаевым (Ахмад Шишани), известным чеченским джихадистом, примкнувшим к ИГ (организация, запрещенная в России), а его исполнителями стали двое граждан России. Происхождение третьего смертника устанавливается. К такой информации стоит относиться осторожно и воспринимать ее как предварительную: очень часто в аналогичных ситуациях в первые дни после трагедии озвучиваются версии, которые впоследствии не подтверждаются. Тем не менее, в Турции проходят аресты представителей северокавказской общины и проверки в районах их компактного проживания. Имеют ли нападавшие какое-либо отношение к этой общине, пока неизвестно. Попробуем разобраться в том, что мы о ней знаем, и зачем русскоязычные джихадисты в ИГ могли взорвать турецкий аэропорт.

The rolling up of a major ivory smuggling network in Tanzania by police last year, and the ongoing trial of alleged ringleader Yang Fenglan, also known as the “Ivory Queen” and her accomplices, demonstrates once again the continued profitability of the illegal wildlife trade that is destroying East African biodiversity, as well that of other ecosystems in southern and central Africa.

The illegal networks compete with conservation efforts that, while trying to breed sustainable populations for endangered animals, also allow for legal hunting of these same animals to help finance those projects. The poaching, being totally unregulated and driven by far-removed foreign demand, threatens such efforts. And the poachers themselves are well-equipped to defend their kills by force: at least 27 park rangers died guarding African wildlife preserves.

It is significant that Yang, a Chinese national who described herself as a networker for local and foreign businesses, made use of the wider Chinese economic community to bring the ivory out of the country. A similar network—but even larger than this one—was exposed in Kenya in 2013, smuggling ivory out of the country by land, sea, and air. According to Kenya’s The Standard, “the dealers conceal their identities through layers of non-existent companies using fake identity cards” and “there is always a collision between airline staff, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials, KWS [Kenya Wildlife Service] staff stationed at the airport, and police,” with low- to mid-range employees of airports and marine terminals taking bribes to let the ivory out of the country.

Far from being a world of doctored shipping manifests and container units full of tusks, though, the goods come out in dribs and drabs hidden among cheap foodstuffs and consumer goods. Yet these drops in the bucket add up—in 2011, for instance, a whopping 40 tons of ivory was interdicted as part of the enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) treaty.

Though China maintains an anti-poaching force in Zimbabwe, is party to international accords, and has advanced legislation domestically to cut back on wildlife farming, the prevailing stereotype is one of ravenous Chinese consumers and lackluster enforcement by China hardly helps this image. Yet the United States and European Union are not all that far behind the PRC.

The Chinese market is mainly for luxury goods such as decorative furnishings, gourmet delicacies, or traditional medicine. These are major draws in Western nations as well, but also common is the acquisition of live endangered species for private collections. That such corruption for the movement of illegal wildlife products could be so institutionalized within the border control system has national security implications as well—the ease with which staff can be plied with money to look the other way on contraband is of immense value to criminal organizations, intelligence services, and armed non-state actors.

Poaching is a source of revenue for some of the latter, such as al-Shabaab in Somalia. Using the country’s charcoal exports (which themselves are of questionable legality) to the Gulf States as cover, elephant ivory and rhino horn poached in Central and East Africa makes its way through Somali brokers to points further east. The amount of money the group earns from its role as a middleman is not entirely clear—perhaps several hundred thousand dollars a month—but the profits probably go to the upkeep of its military forces.

This trade exacts a brutal toll across the continent: in Mozambique, for instance, the rhinoceros is as of 2013 extinct and elephant populations have been halved since 2010. Even South Africa, where conservation efforts are relatively well-funded, poaching of rhino horn has exploded since 2008 and park rangers are playing catch-up to stem the tide.

Somalia’s role in this supply chain stems from its “lawlessness”—though it would be more accurate to say its multiple legal systems, in the absence of a national government, that are critically lax when there is a profit to be made. This makes it an attractive clearinghouse for certain dealers, but also a very unpredictable one given the security situation.

Hence much of the multimillion dollar trade going out through more stable routes in countries where there are functioning national institutions and expatriate communities to co-opt—as even al-Shabaab makes use of the Somalia diaspora in Kenya to ensure a smooth flow of operations. The lack of common enforcement protocols also enables the trade, as some nations are much less punitive towards traffickers—though hard jail time or threat of death at the hands of wildlife sanctuary guards or militaries seems to have little effect on the smugglers’ morale.

Border controls in some of the less-settled areas are effectively nonexistent—and it would be hard to enforce them, not least because the people who do live there have livelihoods depending on free movement. Acquisition of live animals or hides, eggs, horn, and tusk, is not simply the province of well-armed mercenaries. Poaching is also a former of substance in some of the least-governed and most-ignored reaches of the Congo River Basin or on the borders of the Central African Republic, and, more recently, organized raids coming out of war-torn South Sudan.

The post Security Context of Illegal Wildlife Trade in East Africa appeared first on Foreign Policy Blogs.

The flag of Rojava (Source: http://ariarzen.deviantart.com/)

Elegantly summarizing the spirit of decentralism, economist E. F. Schumacher declared in 1973, “small is beautiful.” British writer G. K. Chesterton noted in his novel The Napoleon of Notting Hill that a true patriot “never under any circumstances boasts of the largeness of his country, but always, and of necessity, boasts of the smallness of it.”

On the Kurdish question, scholarly work and media coverage have mainly focused on the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, sidelining the Kurdish issue in Syria. But understanding the rapidly changing developments in Syria has become a strategic necessity. Other than inflicting a series of defeats on ISIS, what has been noteworthy is the speed with which the Kurds have emerged from obscurity to become a major force in Syria.

Thomas Jefferson was regarded as the founding father of “American decentralism.” Sketching his ideal in a letter from Monticello in 1824, Jefferson favored the creation of smaller “wards.” In Jefferson’s description, each ward would thus be a small republic within itself, and every man in the state would thus become an acting member of the common government, subordinate indeed, yet important, and entirely within his competence.

It turned out that such “wards” have also been formulating through the locals of “Western Kurdistan,” this time under the name of “cantons.” By the summer of 2012, as Syria collapsed into fighting factions, the Syrian Democratic Forces (PYD) moved decisively to assert control over three pockets of territory with majority Kurdish populations in the north of Syria: Jazira, Kobane, and Afrin. By early 2014, the PYD had styled these as “cantons” of local administration under the collective name Rojava (‘West’) to represent Western Kurdistan, and had held elections to local assemblies.

Rojava’s model aims to be inclusive, and people from a range of different backgrounds are encouraged to be involved (including Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Syrian Turkmen, and Yazidis). A decision was even made to introduce affirmative action for ethnic minorities. There is also a quota for women’s participation in government, as well as for youth.

Many analysts look at Rojava’s decentralism model to be influenced by a type of “libertarian socialism,” under which states become less relevant and people govern through councils, in contrast to national sovereignty, which places the power in the hands of government. “Libertarian socialism” is a fairly recently coined term for a fairly old idea: socialists who embrace the view that individuals should be free. However, they differ from what we generally understand by the term ‘libertarian’ in denying the right to private property. Thus, “left libertarians” embrace the view that natural resources, land, trees, and so on should be held collectively. But libertarian socialism is unable to explain to us how such a system is more efficient in the creation and distribution of wealth.

Predictions about Rojava’s performance may remain speculative. Profoundly isolated from mainstream economics, left-wing anarchists rarely explained how their preferred society would function. Although economic development is an incremental process (investing in physical and human capital, and making marginal improvements in the rule of law), the doorstep conditions toward development mean that the process is not easy to engineer.

As it exists today, the autonomous region of Rojava is one of the few bright spots to emerge from the tragedy of the Syrian crisis. Despite the hostility of almost all of its neighbors, it has not only maintained its independence, but also followed a remarkable democratic experiment that has the most progressive women’s rights record and a multi-ethnic, multi-religious model for the region. Rojava has also armed forces that are effectively fighting ISIS.

By recognizing Rojava’s potential, the U.S. would gain a viable democratic partner in the fight against ISIS. It would be a strategic mistake to confine America’s foreign relations to nation-states alone, which are rapidly losing their exclusive claim in representing the peoples of the Middle East.

The post The Rojava Model appeared first on Foreign Policy Blogs.

« Je suis devenue moi-même quand je suis partie en Espagne. Autrement, j'étais la sœur de Ténine ou la femme d'Albert. C'était la vraie vie qui commençait, c'est pour cela que j'ai des souvenirs extraordinaires de la guerre d'Espagne, c'est les meilleurs moments de ma vie. » Grand mérite de l'ouvrage (...) / Espagne, Europe, Femmes, Histoire, Intellectuels, Solidarité, Guerre d'Espagne 1936-1939, Guerre civile, Mouvement de libération - 2016/07

L'écrivain-cinéaste Alexander Kluge publie une imposante somme narrative : Chronique des sentiments I, première pierre de l'édition complète (ou presque) de son œuvre littéraire, revue et réorganisée par ses soins. Il était temps. Né en 1932, l'auteur appartient à la génération qui a vécu, adolescente, (...) / Allemagne, Cinéma, Culture, Idées, Littérature, Seconde guerre mondiale 1939-1945 - 2016/07

Instance emblématique de l'Organisation des Nations unies (ONU), le Conseil de sécurité fait l'objet de jugements radicalement opposés. Certains louent sa réactivité dans des crises qui menacent la paix (notamment en Afrique). D'autres l'accusent de préserver les privilèges indus des cinq vainqueurs (...) / Conflit, Droit international, Géopolitique, Sécurité, Pacifisme, Relations internationales, Organisation internationale - 2016/07

En juin 1914, plus de soixante trains se dirigent vers Zacatecas, au Mexique. À l'intérieur voyagent des soldats, des canons, des chevaux. Pancho Villa suit, à cheval. C'est la division du Nord qui avance, l'armée révolutionnaire de Chihuahua, pour attaquer cette ville enserrée dans une vallée, à 2 (...) / Mexique, Histoire, Bande dessinée - 2016/07

Welcome to my blog.

My name is Gergely Varga, I’m an international relations and security policy expert, with a PhD from Budapest Corvinus University. Currently I’m working as a non-resident fellow of the Center for Strategic and Defense Studies (CSDS) at the National University of Public Service.

I launched this blog to share my take on international security issues effecting Europe and the wider transatlantic region. As for what to expect balanced approach in understanding competing perspectives, favoring realism in an age of ideologues and extremists, a cherish for traditional values and support transatlantic cooperation in a rapidly transforming world.

I bring extensive research experience from the area of international security studies to this blog: I joined CSDS in 2008 after finishing my law and history studies at ELTE University. In 2012 I was a visiting fellow in Washington D.C. at the Center for Transatlantic Relations Johns Hopkins University. I have written numerous publications, most of the focusing on my primary research areas, US foreign and security policy, NATO, transatlantic relations and European security challenges.

Üdvözlöm a blogomon.

Dr. Varga Gergely vagyok, biztonságpolitikai szakértő. Jelenleg a Nemzeti Közszolgálati Egyetem Stratégiai Védelmi Kutató Intézetének külső munkatársa vagyok, doktori címemet a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem nemzetközi kapcsolatok szakán szereztem meg.

A blogon Európát és a tágabb transzatlanti térséget érintő nemzetközi biztonsági kérdések kerülnek előtérbe. A blog szellemisége a felmerülő versengő perspektívák megértése tekintetében kiegyensúlyozottságot, az ideológikus és szélsőséges megközelítésekkel szemben a realizmus előtérbe helyezését, a hagyomásos értékek iránti elkötelezettséget és a transzatlanti együttműködés támogatását fogja tükrözni.

Az itt megjejelő cikkek írásakor széleskörű kutatási tapasztalatokra hagyatkozom: 2008-ban kerültem a Stratégiai Védelmi Kutatóközpontba miután befejeztem jogi és történészi tanulmányaimat az ELTE-n. 2012-ben 10 hónapig a washingtoni Johns Hopkins Egyetem Transzatlanti Kapcsolatok Központja vendégkutatója voltam. Számos publikációm jelent meg a fő kutatási területemet, amerikai kül és biztonságpolitikát, transzatalnti kapcsolatokat, NATO-t és az Európai biztonsági kihívásokat érintő kérdésekről.

Language Undefined Tag: StrategoNATOUSA

The honeymoon period is now over for the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, which formally ended the civil war in August 2015. Its guarantors need to act urgently in the next days to save it and prevent the country from returning to full-scale combat.

(Own report) - Just a few days before the NATO summit opens in Poland's capital Warsaw, German think tanks are not only pushing for stationing combat troops at Russia's borders but even for the expansion of the West's nuclear arsenal. A "revision" of NATO's "nuclear strategy" is "urgently needed," because, vis à vis Moscow, for a "credible deterrence" a "nuclear component" is necessary, explained the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The German government's main military policy think tank, the Federal College for Security Studies (BAKS) is also calling for the transatlantic alliance to reach a "new strategic nuclear consensus," to contain Russia, the "anti-western power." The implementation of the missile defense system in NATO's eastern European member countries is also explained with Moscow's alleged "aggressivity" and the derived need for "deterrence." The western military alliance demonstrates its "political capability to take action" against Russia, by its "close involvement" of the formally neutral countries Sweden and Finland "in NATO processes," according to the author. Besides, both think tanks admit their commitment to militaristic "global crisis management." According to the Adenauer Foundation, NATO must be able to address and "neutralize threats wherever they arise." The think tank explicitly considers the "flow of migrants" in this category.

L'ex-plus haute fonctionnaire européenne chargée de réguler l'activité d'Uber travaille désormais comme lobbyiste pour Uber. L'art du pantouflage — vendre au privé une influence acquise dans le public — atteint ici son apothéose. / Droit, Économie, Entreprise, Personnalités, Technologie, Transports, (...) / Droit, Économie, Entreprise, Personnalités, Technologie, Transports, Groupe de pression - 2016/07

La victoire du Brexit constitue bien un coup de tonnerre pour l'ensemble du Vieux Continent. Car, cette fois, il sera difficile d'ignorer le suffrage universel en s'appuyant sur une classe politique désavouée par le résultat du référendum du 23 juin afin de rafistoler un arrangement rejeté par le (...) / Europe, Royaume-Uni, Démocratie, Mutation, Politique, Protectionnisme - 2016/07

Westerners said the web could never be controlled. Lu Wei, China's departing internet czar, proved them all wrong.

The country's top court declined to revisit a law that targets gay sex — the latest setback for the subcontinent’s LGBT community and its struggle for equality.

The Islamic State seized a trove of weapons from U.S.-backed rebels, including U.S. ammunition, mortars, and a pickup truck.

Young Syrians living in Lebanon are attempting suicide in ever greater numbers.

How Democrats changed their decades-old approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict — and why the fight isn’t over yet.

More than two months after a convoy of vehicles carrying Samantha Power hit and killed a Cameroonian child, the family is being paid by Washington.