Section: Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (Israel)
Russia’s Shift from “Greater Europe” to “Greater Asia”
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, photo via Office of the President of RussiaBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,483, March 15, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Though analysts tend to portray Russia’s foreign policy as truly global (that is, independent of Europe, the US, and China), the country is plainly tilting toward Asia. The Russian political...
Russia’s Troubles in 2020 Will Be Close to Home
Нижний Новгород. Митинг против коррупции – Anti-corruption rally in Nizhny Novgorod, photo via WikipediaBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,468, March 4, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: From a foreign policy standpoint, Russia should be fairly secure this year. In the Middle East, its main competitors will remain divided; while on a global scale,...
A Fragile Anti-US Alliance: Russia Accuses China of Technology Theft
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, photo via Office of the President of RussiaBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,467, March 4, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The relationship between Russia and China is based on shared short-term strategic interests, but their differences lie just beneath the surface. Occasionally they erupt into the public eye, as...
The Inherent Threat of the Nuclear Launch Button
John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office during the Cuban Missile Crisis, public domain photo via Wikimedia CommonsBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,459, February 26, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Though the Cold War ended long ago, there remains a danger that a nuclear launch might be initiated. This could occur as a result of human decision-making,...
Turkey’s “Defense Line”: An Ideological Front
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Resmi Hesabi, Flickr, public domainBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,448, February 14, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Turkey’s latest moves in Libya and the eastern Mediterranean should be viewed in the context of the recent Kuala Lumpur Summit, which announced the emergence of a new ideological bloc to counter Saudi...
The “Deal of the Century” Is a Stimulus, Not a Blueprint
Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and Benjamin Netanyahu, GPO photo by Kobi Gideon via Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Flickr CCBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,446, February 11, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: President Trump’s peace plan must be understood as a systemic impetus toward a new breakthrough rather than as a practical blueprint for...
Could Chernobyl Syndrome Take Hold in Iran?
Wreckage from Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, photo by Mehr News Agency via Wikimedia CommonsBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,434, February 3, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The display of fundamental incompetence, followed by denial and a cover-up, that accompanied the recent shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger airliner by Iran are...
Chinese Biological Warfare: The Case of Dr. Xiangguo Qiu
Dr. Xiangguo Qiu, photo via Twitter feed of Public Policy ForumBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,430, January 31, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In July 2019, a rare event occurred in Canada. Suspected of espionage for China, a group of Chinese virologists was forcibly evicted from the Canadian National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg,...
With Putin’s Proposed Changes, Russia Begins Its Transition to One-Party Rule
Vladimir Putin, image via Office of the President of RussiaBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,421, January 24, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Vladimir Putin’s proposed changes to the Russian constitution portend a shift toward one-party rule and lay out a framework by which he can continue to be a major power broker well beyond the end of his...
The Killing of Soleimani Will Not Stop Iranian Aggression
Qassem Soleimani in 2018, photo by Mahmood Hosseini via Wikimedia CommonsBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,415, January 21, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The killing by the US of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani will not temper Tehran’s intention to continue its aggressive regional policy, either directly or through its proxy...
