Economics

The last 11 months have been an unlikely journey for oil, with its widely unanticipated price dive, Saudi Arabia’s uncharacteristic refusal to stem the bloodletting, and financial havoc for petro-powers and energy companies.  But as improbable as the journey has been, it is not over. A number of …

Foreign terrorist fighters joining the ranks of Islamic State and other militias in the Middle East are a growing threat to many countries, inside and outside the EU. On this backdrop, the EU Commission is launching a new program to help partner countries to counter radicalization in the …

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is rising again under young new leaders despite the sentencing of former president Mohamed Mursi and the widespread jailing of its members, one of its senior figures has said. Mursi was sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole last week on charges arising from …

By Robert N. Hein Ever since the Chinese military philosopher Sun Tzu outlined principles required for the conduct of war in the fifth century B.C., military strategists have opined on what those principles are, and whether currently accepted principles need revision. A strong case exists for the principles …

By Reiji Yoshida Prime Minister Shinzo Abe embarks on a seven-day tour of the United States this week, the highlight of which is a summit with President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday. The meeting has taken on added importance for the two leaders as their countries engage …

Peter Harris From the National Interest Greece’s domestic turmoil is well documented, but Greek foreign policy over the past three months has been equally fraught with turbulence, frustration and failure.  For despite the coming to power of Syriza—a vigorous, outwardly uncompromising and almost revolutionary party of government—the Greek state …

A comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran is “closer than ever” but the work is far from over with key issues unresolved, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has told a global gathering on nuclear disarmament, where he and Iran’s foreign minister met on the sidelines. Several of the …

By Louis Ritzinger From the National Interest On March 25, a Saudi-led coalition of ten Arab states began an aerial bombing campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had taken control of the capital, Sana’a. The Houthis were steadily progressing to the port city of Aden, where the …

By Christoph Reuter An Iraqi officer planned Islamic State’s takeover in Syria and SPIEGEL has been given exclusive access to his papers. They portray an organization that, while seemingly driven by religious fanaticism, is actually coldly calculating. Aloof. Polite. Cajoling. Extremely attentive. Restrained. Dishonest. Inscrutable. Malicious. The rebels …