The Iranian Nuclear Talks: A Primer

by Derek Davison Iran and the P5+1 (the US, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany) are meeting for a third round of negotiations on April 8-9 in Vienna as part of an attempt to reach a final nuclear deal… Continue Reading

Turkey’s Election Results Seem to Validate Erdogan’s Authoritarianism

by Derek Davison After a campaign involving a corruption investigation and nation-wide bans on social media, and an election day marred by deadly violence, Sunday’s municipal elections in Turkey resulted in what appears to have been a clear victory for… Continue Reading

Ukraine Primer IV: Competing Narratives

by Derek Davison Russia moved to annex Crimea this week, as Ukraine evacuated most of its soldiers from the peninsula. Tensions in eastern Ukraine seem to have reached a tense equilibrium, even as reports of a Russian military build-up along… Continue Reading

Do Neocons Want a Deal with Iran?

by Derek Davison As talks over a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear program continue in Vienna (the next round will be April 7-9) it seems that even those neoconservatives who supported sanctions and negotiation as peaceful paths to a settlement… Continue Reading

Ukraine Primer III: Crimea’s Secession Vote

by Derek Davison Crimeans voted “overwhelmingly” to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a March 16 referendum. The Obama administration declared shortly after that “the international community will not recognize the results of a poll administered under threats of… Continue Reading