December 25, 2024 “Nobody can feel finally secure as long as others are persistently insecure,” argues Norman Myers in his book. Today, demarcations of the transboundary water resources is increasingly tied to national security. As resources become more contested, states that rely on these shared resources are prone to tensions. The Khor Abdullah waterway, which separates southern Iraq from northern Kuwait, is an important example of how a maritime border dispute is framed within the logic of security and shape both the security discourse and foreign policy of two states accordingly.
October 31, 2024 The upcoming US presidential elections continues to exert pressure on the already fragile MENA regional affairs. The uncertainty arising from a prospective second Trump administration has raised concerns in the eyes of US allies in the trans-Atlantic and Asia-Pacific regional orders. Despite the Biden administration’s initial declared commitment to multilateralism, reinvigoration of alliances, and upholding the institutional foundations of the liberal international order, the US-led order has been fast eroding. In the face of shifting economic power to Asia, heightened geopolitical tensions triggered by great power politics, and eruption of regional conflicts, Biden administration has largely proven ineffective to devise corresponding policies. Not only the economic and political foundations, but also the conflict mitigation function of the existing international order has been put into shatters.
October 31, 2024 The State of Qatar is the first Arab country and the second Muslim country after Brunei Darussalam to be admitted to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) of the United States recently. The inclusion of Qatar in the VWP is touted as a recognition of the “strategic partnership” between the two countries. Qatar and the United States have enjoyed strong ties for years, and Washington officially recognized Doha as a “major, non-NATO ally” in 2022. With the VWP, Qatari citizens will have the opportunity to travel to the United States for business and tourism purposes for up to 90 days. In return, US citizens will also be eligible to take advantage of the same privileges when travelling to Qatar.