Category: Josephine Koury
After Suleimani
“How is the killing of Suleimani likely to change Iran’s grand strategy and Quds Force operations in Iraq and beyond? Who is Ismail Qaani, the new commander of the Quds Force, and how is he likely to approach these challenges and adapt his organization to the changed circumstances?” On May 26, the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) hosted a virtual panel discussion examining the new Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leadership. The discussion examined how the killing of Suleimani is likely to change Iran’s Quds Force operations. The discussion was moderated by Hussein Ibish and featured three guest speakers:
Ali Alfoneh: Senior Fellow, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
Kori Schake: Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
Joseph L. Votel: General, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Hussein Ibish (Moderator): Senior Resident Scholar, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
Structural Changes in the IRGC
Alfoneh outlined various transformations in Iranian foreign policy that Suleimani instituted during his command of the IRGC.
- He was able to establish a multinational Shi’a army spanning the Middle East and parts of southern Asia. This includes militias within Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
- He transformed the IRGC to a large expeditionary force. Before the ongoing wars in Syria, only a small portion of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was deployed beyond its borders.
- Because of his personal charisma, he managed to transform clandestine operation groups within the IRGC into popular mobilization forces. In Syria, he was able to mobilize both Iranians and non-Iranians to participate in the conflict.
Alfoneh predicts that:
- Iran will continue to utilize its multinational Shi’a army because of the many successes under Suleimani. One success in particular was ensuring the survival of the Assad regime in Syria–an expressed and defined mission of the Quds Force.
- Iran will engage in a much more aggressive national security strategy. This will result in the IRGC participating in more acts of expeditionary warfare.
- It remains unlikely that a personality cult will develop around Suleimani’s successor, Ismail Qaani. He lacks Suleimani’s personal charisma.
Strategic Impact in Iraq
As the commander of the Quds Force, Suleimani led Iranian extraterritorial military and clandestine operations. Votel believes that the killing of General Suleimani is a defining moment in the US relationship with Iraq in particular. Going forward, the United States must clearly communicate its regional strategy and create better diplomatic channels to counter Iranian influence in Iraq.
Schake stressed that Iranian success in Iraq can be attributed to both Suleimani and Iran’s ability to mobilize its militias. She believes that the United States cannot be seen as a trustworthy partner for Iraq because of its on again, off again support for the Iraqi government. This indecisiveness has led to unsuccessful American foreign policy and increased space for Iranian influence. Iran’s regional campaigns have proven to be quite successful because of Tehran’s ability to nurture long term relationships.
Share this, I'll really appreciate it:
Tenuous transitions
“The two most populous countries in the Horn of Africa—Ethiopia and Sudan—are both struggling with once-in-a-generation political transitions. Complicating these already tenuous transitions is a convergence of worrying trends, such as widespread food insecurity, severe pressure on public finances, ongoing or unresolved internal conflicts, large numbers of displaced persons, and now, the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the transitions in Ethiopia and Sudan may determine the broader prospects for peace in the region for years to come.” On May 28, the United States Institute of Peace held an online discussion on the specific challenges facing the political transitions in these countries. The discussion was led by Aly Verjee and featured four speakers:
Manal Taha: Sudan Program Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Payton Knopf: Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Aaron Maasho: Independent Journalist
Emebet Getachew: Ethiopia County Program Manager, Life and Peace Institute
Aly Verjee (Moderator): Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Current Context
In opening remarks, Verjee underscored that moments of great promise and great peril characterize the current transitions of both Ethiopia and Sudan. Striking parallels in regard to internal tensions, inclusivity, economic and environmental pressures, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic tie these nations together despite their differences.
Sudan
Taha believes that in order to make any real progress, the transitional government of Sudan must change its focus of reform within the capital of Khartoum to the regions in which the revolution began. Security reform, in particular, remains complicated in Darfur because of the presence of various armed groups. During the transition in Sudan, the voices of youth and women have remained underrepresented. This notable weakness of the transitional government can in part be attributed to the inherent patriarchal social structure of Sudanese society. To remedy this problem, Taha calls for further solidarity among Sudanese women across political and socio-economic lines.
Knopf highlighted that in the year since the Sudanese revolution took place and Omar al-Bashir was deposed, many citizens maintained unrealistic expectations for the pace of change within Sudan. The vast majority of Sudanese people sense opportunity for renewal, reinvigorating Sudanese cultural pride and patriotism that was tarnished from years of brutality by the al-Bashir regime. The establishment of the transitional arrangement in Sudan avoided the worst-case scenarios of state fragmentation or dramatic escalation of violence.
Ethiopia
Speaking on the election of Abiy Ahmed as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Maasho noted that a sense of optimism initially erupted across the country. Since then, Ethiopia has remained quite fragile and ravaged by ethnic tensions and rivalry. In the last three years, ethnic violence has led to the displacement of nearly three million people. Although the Ethiopian government has pressured displaced peoples to return to their communities, further eruptions of violence remain likely. Notably, Maasho believes that Covid-19 has generated a downward economic trajectory that will exacerbate tensions.
Getachew stresses that the government of Abiy Ahmed is trying to further consolidate its power and build institutions reflective of its own interests. The failure to establish checks and balances will result in authoritarianism. It remains too early to discern whether democracy has truly arrived in Ethiopia. In regard to the status of women, Getachew praised the appointment of women to various governmental positions. Although this may signal that Ethiopians are ready for women to hold key positions within society, one must remain skeptical of deeply entrenched ideas that have informed gender-based discrimination.
Share this, I'll really appreciate it:
Peace Picks | June 1 – 5
Notice: Due to recent public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live-streaming.
- Webinar: How COVID-19 and the oil shock will reshape the Middle East | June 1, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM | Brookings | Register Here
COVID–19 and the recent plunge in oil prices have shaken the Middle East to its core. Middle East economies rely heavily on oil, remittances, and tourism, all three of which have been decimated by the second-order effects of the pandemic. The simultaneous shocks will challenge states across the region, particularly those that are already struggling or are otherwise fragile. With added pressure on governments to slow the spread of the virus, the pandemic will ultimately change both domestic and regional politics and economies in the Middle East.
Speakers:
Hady Amr (Moderator): Nonresident Senior Fellow, Center for Middle East Policy
Jihad Azour: Director, Middle East and Central Asia Department – International Monetary Fund; Lebanon’s Finance Minister 2005 – 2008
Samatha Gross: Fellow, Foreign Policy, Energy Security and Climate Initiative
Rola Dashti: Undersecretary General and Executive Secretary – United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia; Former Minister of Planning and Development for Kuwait
- Egypt’s Diplomacy in War, Peace, and Transition | June 1, 2020 | 10:30 AM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to host a virtual panel with the American University in Cairo (AUC) to launch Egypt’s Diplomacy in War, Peace and Transition, a book by AUC’s dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP), Nabil Fahmy. The book examines the transformation of Egyptian diplomacy within the region and globe, covering a wide range of issues including the Arab-Israeli peace process, nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, and relations with major international and regional players. Fahmy offers unique insights sharing his experiences as the country’s Foreign Minister and Ambassador to Japan and the United States.
Given Egypt’s myriad economic and geopolitical challenges, what role might it play in the regional de-escalation efforts? Egypt’s Diplomacy in War, Peace and Transition offers a series of potential trajectories for the future of Egypt and its relations within the region and the world. The panelists will discuss the development of Egypt’s foreign policy as well as the past and ongoing regional processes.
Speakers:
Lisa Anderson: Former President, The American University in Cairo
Amb. Nabil Fahmy: Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Egypt, Founding Dean of GAPP and Distinguished University Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy, The American University in Cairo
Paul Salem: President, Middle East Institute
Tarek Masoud (Moderator): Professor of Public Policy and Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, Professor of International Relations, Harvard University
- Navigating the Future of South Yemen | June 2, 2020 | 11:00 AM | Middle East Institute |Register Here
South Yemen today faces many turbulent converging challenges, from the spread of COVID-19 to floods, electricity cuts, and The Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) self-rule decision. The April 25th self-rule decision by the STC drew international concern about the potential for escalation in the South and implications for the Riyadh agreement, which the Saudis brokered between the internationally recognized government of Abed Rabbeh Mansour Hadi and the STC last year. Meanwhile, military confrontations in Abyan threatens a new conflict south of the country.
The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to host a virtual panel of Yemeni experts to explore the various current dynamics impacting South Yemen and how they view the path forward. What are the hurdles facing the implementation of the Riyadh agreement? How will the STC’s self-rule decision impact future peace negotiations? How has the Hadi government responded to the flooding and electricity cuts and COVID19? Is the STC capable of dealing with the security and economic challenges and delivering good governance?
Speakers:
Dr. Saadaldeen Ali Talib: Former Minister of Industry and Trade, Yemen
Dr. Abdelqader al-Junaid: Physician and well-known political activist in Ta’iz
Yasmin Al-Nadheri: Executive Director, Peace Track Initiative
Amr Al-Beidth: Member of the Presidential Council, the Southern Transitional Council
Fatima Abo Alasrar (Moderator): Non-resident Scholar, Middle East Institute
- Breaking Bread: Food in Times of COVID-19 | June 2, 2020| 9:30 AM| Middle East Institute | Register Here
In this period of global lockdown and anxiety, food has emerged as a central player – a source of comfort and community-building for some, for others a reminder of growing economic uncertainty and inequality.
In the Middle East, with its strong culinary culture, the pandemic has led to a revival of traditional food practices and recipes that have long been advocated by many, as well as to questions about how to advance small scale farming and more sustainable agriculture, in response to growing economic challenges.
The panel “Breaking Bread: Food in Times of COVID-19″ will explore the role that food has played during this unprecedented pandemic with a focus on Middle Eastern communities. Bringing together voices from the Arab world, whose contributions have shaped this conversation, panelists will also explore how this pandemic might change our relationship to what we eat and how we grow it.
Speakers:
Aisha Al Fadhalah: Co-Founder, MERA Kitchen
Mirna Bamieh: Artist, cook and Founder of Palestine Hosting Society
Kamal Mouzawak: Founder of Lebanon’s first farmer’s market, Souk El Tayeb, restauranteur, and food entrepreneur
Antonio Tahhan (Moderator): Syrian-Venezuelan food writer, researcher and storyteller
- The Threat of Israeli Annexation: Regional and International Implications | June 3, 2020 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Arab Center Washington DC | Register Here
Arab Center Washington DC and the Institute for Palestine Studies are organizing a webinar to discuss the implications of the Israeli plan to annex vast areas of Palestinian land and extend Israeli sovereignty over illegal settlements in the West Bank. The discussion will also explore the implications of the recent announcement by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas that the PA will end all agreements and understandings signed with Israel and the United States.
Speakers:
Noura Erakat: Human Rights Attorney, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University
Leila Farsakh: Associate Professor and Chair, Political Science Department, University of Massachusetts Boston
Khalil E. Jahshan: Executive Director, Arab Center Washington DC
Rashid Khalidi: Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies, Columbia University, Co-Editor, Journal of Palestine Studies, President, Institute for Palestine Studies-USA
Nasser Al-Kidwa: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Yasser Arafat Foundation, Former Palestinian Representative to the United Nations
Raef Zreik: Associate Professor of Law, Ono Academic College, Co-Director of Minerva Center for the Humanities, Tel Aviv University
Tamara Kharroub (Moderator) : Assistant Executive Director and Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC
- East Asia in the Post-COVID-19 World: China and Beyond | June 3, 2020 | 11:00 AM – 12:30PM | Johns Hopkins SAIS | Register Here
This webinar will discuss the Reischauer Center’s new COVID-19 Policy Research Task Force report, examining how East Asia’s successful COVID-19 response is accelerating the region’s geopolitical rise. While considering the changing role of China in regional and global affairs, the seminar will also examine in detail the heightened evaluation of other nations, including Korea, Japan, and Singapore, due to their effective pandemic responses and dynamic medical diplomacy. The webinar will also consider emerging patterns of conflict, and how East Asia’s centrality in the world medical supply chain may be reconfigured as Europe and the United States legislate medical supply reforms.
- Turkish-Russian Cooperation and Implications for Black Sea Security | June 4, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Middle East Institute | Register Here
Defying warnings and threats of sanctions from its NATO allies, Turkey went ahead with its purchase of the Russian S400 missile defense system. The first elements of the system arrived in Turkey last summer. Subsequently, the US has removed Turkey from the F35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Turkey will not be able to import any F-35s, and its aerospace industry will lose out on billions of dollars in F-35 contract work and the associated technology transfer. But Turkey still needs fighter jets. The Middle East Institute (MEI) Frontier Europe Initiative is pleased to host a panel of experts to discuss the future of Turkey’s defense posture.
What are Turkey’s options? Can Russia fill the gap? Where does Turkey’s S400 decision and the US decision to kick Turkey out of the F35 program leave NATO? Will this lead to a fundamental shift in Turkey’s geostrategic outlook?
Speakers:
Caglar Kurc: Adjunct Instructor, Department of International Relations, Bilkent University
Aaron Stein: Director, Middle East Program, Foreign Policy Research Institute
Maxim Suchkov: Senior Fellow and Associate Professor, Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Gonul Tol (Moderator): Director of Turkey Program and Senior Fellow, Frontier Europe Initiative, Middle East Institute
Share this, I'll really appreciate it:
Covid crackdowns and mobilization
“Government responses to the new coronavirus are disrupting civil society all over the world. But while government measures are dramatically restricting civic space, the global crisis is also catalyzing new forms of mobilization.” On May 20, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a discussion on “Global Civil Society and the Pandemic.” The discussion was moderated by Thomas Carothers and featured three other guest speakers:
Thomas Carothers (Moderator): Senior Vice President for studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Yousseff Cherif: Deputy Director of Columbia Global Centers, Tunis
Maureen Kademaunga: Doctoral Researcher at the Human Economy Research Program, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Janjira Sombatpoonsiri: Associate Fellow at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Vijayan MJ: Independent researcher and writer, Research Collective, New Delhi, India
Current context
In his opening remarks, Carothers touched on the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s current research on the state of civil activism throughout the world. There are conflicting narratives. On one hand, there has been a trend toward governmental restriction on the role and function of civil society. On the other hand, a new generation of dynamic, fluid, and tech-savvy civil activists has emerged despite increasing state restrictions.
Carothers believes that the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies this dualism within civil society. Many governments throughout the world have implemented state lockdowns and have increased restrictions on freedom of movement, freedom of association, and freedom of speech. Carothers views the current period as “the most restrictive period in living memory for civic activism.” Despite this fact, Carothers highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic creates an enormous need for citizens to engage, respond, and find ways to improve governmental responses to the virus.
Changing roles
Cherif highlights new roles the COVID-19 pandemic has created for civil society groups in Tunisia. Many organizations have shifted their work from democracy promotion and governance to combating COVID-19. This includes aiding hospitals, distributing masks, and cleaning public spaces. In places where the government has proven to be inefficient or too weak to act, civil society groups have continued the work of government and have led COVID-19 relief initiatives. Although the Tunisian government has shown interest in working with these groups during the pandemic, Cherif believes that future cooperation remains unlikely.
Kademaunga believes that the government of Zimbabwe has utilized the COVID-19 crisis to justify further restrictions on civil society groups. Government human rights abuses against civil society groups in Zimbabwe are increasing. Simultaneously, these groups continue to increase their efforts in assisting the government of Zimbabwe in the provision of essential services during the current lockdown.
Vijayan states that civil society groups in India quickly changed their agendas at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. During the initial stages of the pandemic, civil society groups took charge when the Indian government remained absent. Indian civil society groups have been more efficient than the Indian government in devising a plan of action.
Transformation of activist means
Cherif observes that the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the online presence of civil society groups on various digital platforms throughout the Arab world. Civil society groups have utilized webinars as spaces for new online discussions. Notably, some have started to increase their educational initiatives online.
Kademaunga predicts that the shift towards online platforms post-COVID-19 will harm those in rural areas who do not possess widespread digital access. Previously, in Zimbabwe they accounted for the majority of civil society participation. Kademaunga stressed that this changing dynamic will foster heightened inequality between rural and urban areas. Ultimately, those within urban centers will dominate the agenda making processes for civil society groups.
A pivotal moment for legitimacy
Cherif regards the COVID-19 pandemic as pivotal to how ordinary citizens view the legitimacy of civil society groups. Previously, the majority of Tunisians viewed civil society groups as unfavorable and distant from the rest of society. Due to their integral role in providing support during the current crisis, these groups have gained legitimacy and favorability.
Kademaunga believes that the COVID-19 pandemic will bring about a major change in the perception of civil society society groups in Zimbabwe. Traditionally, the government of Zimbabwe has fueled negative discourse against civil society groups. However, the role of civil society groups in providing aid amid the COVID-19 pandemic disproves negative stereotypes that portray these groups as being in opposition to the interests of general citizens.
Share this, I'll really appreciate it:
Peace Picks | May 26 – 30
Notice: Due to recent public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live-streaming.
- The IRGC Quds Force After Suleimani | May 26, 2020 | 9:30 AM | Arab Gulf States Institute | Register Here
The January 3 killing of Major General Qassim Suleimani, commander of the expeditionary Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, brought the Quds Force further to the forefront of the Islamic Republic’s “maximum resistance” campaign to counter the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign. However, the new Quds Force leadership is not only inheriting a military organization stretched thin over a vast geographic area but also faces greater public hostility against the Islamic Republic and its allies in places like Iraq, the main arena of rivalry between the United States and Iran.
How is the killing of Suleimani likely to change Iran’s grand strategy and Quds Force operations in Iraq and beyond? Who is Ismail Qaani, the new commander of the Quds force, and how is he likely to approach these challenges and adapt his organization to the changed circumstances?
Speakers:
Hussein Ibish (Moderator): Senior Resident Scholar, Arab Gulf States Institute
Ali Alfoneh: Senior Fellow, Arab Gulf States Institute
Kori Schake: Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
General Joseph L. Votel: U.S. Army (Ret.)
- Nuclear Deterrence with Russia and China: How are U.S. Course Corrections Needed? | May 26, 2020 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | CATO Institute | Register Here
As the United States shifts the focus of its foreign and defense policies toward great‐power competition, experts have paid more attention to Russian and Chinese nuclear force postures and strategies. The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) paints a concerning picture of recent developments in both potential adversaries, noting the growth of arsenals and approaches to nuclear strategy that vex U.S. policymakers. The assessments and threat perceptions laid out in the NPR will drive U.S. nuclear strategy for the rest of the Trump administration and potentially beyond because they inform plans for U.S. nuclear modernization.
In the two years since the 2018 NPR’s release, the Trump administration has put its stamp on America’s approach to nuclear deterrence. The administration is clearly worried about the nuclear arsenals and strategies of Russia and China, and many of the NPR’s more controversial items, such as the low‐yield Trident warhead, are explicitly tied to nuclear developments in potential great‐power adversaries.
But has the United States accurately diagnosed the most important problems posed by other great powers? Is Washington designing the right solutions to these problems? What are the risks of misdiagnoses and/or wrong policy solutions? The COVID-19 pandemic has made finding answers to these questions all the more urgent. The economic fallout of the public health emergency will likely create strong budgetary pressures and subject the multidecade, $1 trillion–plus nuclear modernization plan to closer scrutiny.
Speakers:
Eric Gomez: Director of Defense Policy Studies, CATO Institute
Fiona Cunningham: Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University
Michael Kofman: Direction of the Russia Studies Program, CNA
Amy F. Woolf: Specialist in Nuclear Weapons Policy, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress
- Democracy’s Defenders – American Diplomacy in the age of COVID-19 | May 26, 2020 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Brookings | Register Here
In his new book, “Democracy’s Defenders: U.S. Embassy Prague, the Fall of Communism in Czechoslovakia, and Its Aftermath,” Brookings Senior Fellow Norman Eisen examines the role of American diplomats in supporting the end of Communism three decades ago and promoting democratic values since.
On May 26, Governance Studies at Brookings and the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group will co-host a webinar to discuss themes in Eisen’s latest book. Panelists will explore the role of the foreign service in advancing American values abroad, what we can learn from the successes and failures of U.S. foreign policy in Central and Eastern Europe over the past three decades, and the lessons foreign policy holds for all those facing the challenges of transatlantic relations today. The talk will also focus on how American diplomacy and transatlantic democracy has responded to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Today many of those same Czechs and Slovaks are walking the identical boulevards, now wearing masks—does the U.S. still support them in this latest crisis?
Speakers:
Norman Eisen (Moderator) : Senior Fellow, Governance Studies
Alina Polyakova: Former Brookings Expert, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis
Jeff Gedmin: Editor-in-Chief of The American Interest, Senior Fellow-Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Co-chair-Transatlantic Democracy Working Group
- Humanitarian Operations During COVID-19 : A Conversation with Michelle Nunn of CARE USA |May 26, 2020 | 4:00 PM – 4: 45PM | Center for Strategic & International Studies | Register Here
The spread of Covid-19 continues to dominate global attention. Governments are primarily focusing efforts on the domestic response to the virus. With 168 million people in need of humanitarian assistance globally, including 70 million forcibly displaced, understanding how the pandemic will impact the most vulnerable is vital to implementing an effective response. In this upcoming series, the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda will speak with leadership across humanitarian institutions about the challenges their organizations face during Covid-19. Our featured guests will give their insights on how the pandemic is changing the humanitarian landscape and the impact it has on the delivery of lifesaving assistance now and in the near future.
The Center for Strategic & International Studies is pleased to invite Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA, for a discussion on CARE’s response to the pandemic and the challenges they foresee on the horizon. This conversation will look at what strategies have been implemented, with a particular focus on the gender and economic development impacts of the pandemic.
Speakers:
Michelle Nunn: President and CEO, CARE USA
Jacob Kurtzer: Interim Director and Senior, Humanitarian Agenda
Katherine Bliss: Senior Fellow, Global Health Policy Center
- Tenuous Transitions in Ethiopia and Sudan | May 28, 2020 | 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM | United States Institute of Peace | Register Here
The two most populous countries in the Horn of Africa—Ethiopia and Sudan—are both struggling with once-in-a-generation political transitions. Complicating these already tenuous transitions is a convergence of worrying trends, such as widespread food insecurity, severe pressure on public finances, ongoing or unresolved internal conflicts, large numbers of displaced persons, and now, the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the transitions in Ethiopia and Sudan may determine the broader prospects for peace in the region for years to come.
At this critical time in history for the Horn of Africa, join USIP and experts from Ethiopia and Sudan for a discussion on the specific challenges facing the political transitions in these two countries, as well as key parallels.
Speakers:
Aly Verjee (Moderator): Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Manal Taha: Sudan Program Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Payton Knopf: Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
Aaron Maasho: Independent Journalist
Emebet Getachew: Ethiopia Country Program Manager, Life and Peace Institute
- Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan: Prospects and Potential Trajectories | May 28, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM |Middle East Institute| Register Here
As the United States continues to engage in peace talks with the Taliban, even as Washington considers its future military presence in Afghanistan, the country’s uncertain future provides an opportunity for regional power competition. Recent developments have laid the groundwork for coordination between Iran and Russia in this space, a cooperation which has implications for Iran’s rivalry with Pakistan. At stake in this interplay of regional interests are long-term geopolitical, military and economic interests that can be shaped for years to come.
How might Iran approach the divergent and common interests of Iran, Russia and Pakistan in Afghanistan? What are Iran’s priorities, and where might opportunities emerge for cooperation or conflict? How might Iran balance these competing interests, and what will be the impact on the ground in Afghanistan? The Middle East Institute is proud to host a group of experts to address these questions and more.
Speakers:
Madiha Afzal: David M. Rubenstein Fellow, Foreign Policy program, The Brookings Institution
Fatemeh Aman: Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Atlantic Council
Kamran Bokhari: Director of analytical development, Center for Global Policy
Amin Tarzi: Director, Middle East studies, Marine Corps University
Alex Vatanka: (Moderator) Senior Fellow and Director, Iran program, Middle East Institute
- Jihadism at a crossroads | May 29, 2020 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Brookings | Register Here
Although jihadist groups have gripped the world’s attention for more than 20 years, today they are no longer in the spotlight. However, ISIS, al-Qaida, and al-Shabab remain active, and new groups have emerged. The movement as a whole is evolving, as is the threat it poses.
On May 29, the Center for Middle East Policy will host a virtual panel event to discuss the current status of jihadist groups. The panel will feature Thomas Hegghammer, senior research fellow at the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment and author of the new book, “The Caravan: Abdallah Azzam and the Rise of Global Jihad.” Other panelists will include Tricia Bacon, assistant professor at American University, and Bruce Riedel, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Brookings Senior Fellow Daniel Byman will moderate the discussion.
Speakers:
Daniel L. Byman (Moderator): Senior Fellow-Foreign Policy, Center for Middle East Policy
Bruce Riedel: Senior Fellow-Foreign Policy, Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, Center for Middle East Policy, Director- The Intelligence Project
Tricia Bacon: Professional Lecturer, School of Public Affairs, American University
Thomas Hegghammer: Senior Research Fellow-Norweigan Defence Research Establishment (FFI)
- Strained Cooperation or a Final Rupture? China – U.S. Relations Amidst a Global Pandemic | May 30, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Johns Hopkins SAIS | Register Here
The discourse surrounding Sino-US relations in the past decade has often been framed in the context of the “Thucydides Trap,” where conflict between a rising power (China) and the world’s incumbent power (America) is inevitable. The global pandemic has heightened international tensions and is testing global cooperation frameworks. This forum on Saturday, May 30, invites Dr. Adam Webb, Dr. David Arase and Dr. David Bulman to discuss how the global pandemic is impacting nternational relations.
Speakers:
Dr. Adam Webb: American Co-Director, Hopkins-Nanjing Center, Resident Professor of Political Science
Dr. David Arase: Resident Professor of International Politics, Hopkins- Nanjing Center
Dr. David Bulman: Jill McGovern and Steven Muller Assistant Professor of International Affairs and China Studies, Director of Pacific Community Initiative at Johns Hopkins University SAIS
RSS - Posts
