U.S. Foreign Policy

Latvia’s Military Industry Marks its First Decade

The Federation of Security and Defense Industries of Latvia recently celebrated its ten-year anniversary. Although the military industry in Latvia predates the federation, the industry has grown markedly in the last decade. The military industry in Latvia has developed...

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High North, High Tension: The End of Arctic Illusions

For a long time, the Arctic was seen as a zone free of geopolitical tensions. Apart from joint military drills between NATO members and Russia that were discontinued after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, “High North, low tension” was the...

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Democracy at Stake in South Africa

Flawed Democracy Since the end of Apartheid, the South African government has functioned as a one-party dominant democracy. The African National Congress (ANC) has provided political stability for an emergent nation that some feared would be torn apart by...

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In Sierra Leone’s Elections, the Economy Is the Key Issue

The Youth Factor Sierra Leone, a West African nation of approximately 8 million people, is scheduled to hold general elections on June 24. Over 3.4 million people have registered to vote. People under 35 comprise nearly 60 percent of...

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When Diplomacy Goes to War

As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, several questions remain about what the US government would have, could have, and should have done differently since the war started. Should the United States have funneled more weapons and...

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Seven Lessons from Latvia a Year After Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

A year has passed since Russia escalated its war against Ukraine to a full-scale invasion. When writing about the first Latvian reactions to the Russian attack, we noted the geographical proximity with both aggressor and victim made Latvians feel...

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The Turkish Veto: Why Erdogan Is Blocking Finland and Sweden’s Path to NATO

Finland and Sweden grew closer to Western institutions in the post-Cold War era, and EU accession in 1995 meant that Stockholm and Helsinki finally abandoned their neutrality policies. Both countries remained militarily non-aligned but cooperation with NATO increased through...

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Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: A Youthful Revolution?

Since its return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria has been ruled by a male gerontocracy. Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent president, is eighty, and only 2.6 percent of the seats in Nigeria’s parliament are held by women. People under thirty...

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Turkey’s New Foreign Policy: Ankara’s Ambitions, Regional Responses, and Implications for the United States

  For the past century, Turkey’s foreign policy has been driven by the need to preserve the achievements of the Lausanne Treaty in the face of often serious threats from major powers. As a result, Turkey was a predominantly...

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How the Battle for the Donbas Shaped Ukraine’s Success

As the Russian-Ukrainian War enters the winter, Ukrainians have reason to be cautiously optimistic about the course of the war. Following a strategic offensive at the end of August in multiple regions, Ukrainian forces have retaken nearly all of...

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