Section: Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (Israel)
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...
International Law and the Downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
Wreckage from downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, image via Wikimedia CommonsBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,414, January 21, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Iran’s prevarications about its responsibility for the shooting down of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 during the recent escalation of tensions with the US...
The Leviathan Natural Gas Field Could Be a Game-Changer for Israel-EU Relations
view of the Mediterranean from Haifa, photo via Wikimedia CommonsBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,411, January 19, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The vast Leviathan natural gas field off the Haifa coast could be a game-changer for Israel’s relations with the EU. Europe is currently dependent on Russian natural gas. A reliable and...
Takeaways from the US Impeachment Imbroglio
Impeachment protesters, photo by Master Steve Rapport via Flickr CCBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,402, January 13, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The three impeachments to date in US history (Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump) and the Nixon impeachment inquiry and resulting presidential resignation shed light on the current...
