E-Notes

E-Notes are policy-oriented articles covering current developments around the globe that impinge upon American foreign policy and national security priorities. 

AHL, FPRI, USA

Connecting Flights?: International Tourism and Foreign Relations

The Horowitz Report: It Wasn’t a “Witch Hunt” But It Wasn’t Pretty

In what was probably the most anticipated report on intelligence activities since 9/11, Michael Horowitz, the Inspector General for the Department of Justice, issued a “redacted for public release” version of a Review of Four FISA Applications and the...

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Merkel’s Foreign Policy Muddle

Whether “Queen of Europe” or “Leader of the Free World,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel has acquired many accolades in nearly fifteen years at the helm of Germany and of Europe. But today German power is fading, in no small part...

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Obama and Trump: Foreign Policy Opposites or Twins?

Traitors in ancient Rome were punished with damnatio memoriae or “condemnation of memory,” where they were literally scrubbed from history, their names obliterated from the records, their statues smashed into the dust. Donald Trump has sought to perform a...

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Terrorism & Counterterrorism in 2019: The Year in Review

2019 was a year of highs and lows for counterterrorism forces around the world. In the first several months of the year, al-Shabaab, the Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Boko Haram all launched devastating attacks, respectively,...

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United Russia is Dead

On November 23 in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the 19th annual Congress of the United Russia Party, which the organizers declared as the kickoff to Russia’s parliamentary campaign season. Many analysts were listening to the speech...

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The Extradition Case of Dmytro Firtash, A Ukrainian Oligarch with Global Connections

The Kremlin’s influence over political and business networks is everywhere these days, or so it would seem. Russian-style disinformation, corruption, and military doctrines are regularly discussed in the U.S. press. These stories often appear incredible. Yet, individuals like Dmytro...

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Grassroots to the Rescue: Advancing Egyptian-Israeli Peace

This past March marked the 40th anniversary of the ratification of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty—a peace that has remained in limbo ever since the ink dried from my uncle’s signature. ...

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The Odd Couple: Singapore’s Relations with China

In November 2016, China seized nine armored vehicles that Singapore had shipped through Hong Kong on their return from a training exercise on Taiwan. A day after the seizure, China’s foreign ministry announced that “the Chinese government has always...

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