Libya’s Spillover Effect

by Wayne White Libya remains broken and violent. Secular forces made gains against Muslim extremists in Benghazi recently, but the advantage has shifted from side to side since early this year. And two rival governments vying for power amidst a… Continue Reading

Explainer: The Oil Price Plunge

by Sara Vakhshouri In the past several days—despite the conflicts affecting Iraq, Syria, Iran and Russia—oil prices have been on a downward trend, hitting their lowest number in the past four years. As of October 2014, oil prices are more… Continue Reading

Trouble Brewing in Kurdish-Controlled Kirkuk

by Mohammed A. Salih* Ebril — The Kurdish flag is flying high in the wind from the rooftop of an old brick house inside Kirkuk’s millennia-old citadel, as Rashid – a stern-looking man sitting behind a machine gun – monitors the… Continue Reading

Iraqi Turmoil And the Global Oil Market

by Sara Vakhshouri On Saturday June 21, Iraq’s largest refinery at Baiji finally succumbed to the forces of the radical Sunni militant group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, often referred to as the Islamic State in… Continue Reading

Russia, China Finally Sign $400 Billion Energy Deal: Why Now?

by Sara Vakhshouri After almost a decade of negotiations, Moscow reached a 400 billion dollar energy deal with Beijing yesterday, allowing the Russian state-controlled Gazprom to export gas to China for 30 years. The key agreement guarantees long-term market access… Continue Reading