Today, I’m going to elaborate on a post that got a lot of attention recently on our Facebook page: Russia has been in an economic recession due to Western sanctions and the decline in oil prices–however, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has reached an all-time high, with 9 out of 10 Russians approving of...
On July 1, 2013, the Brazilian National Soccer team ousted the Spanish National team in the finals of the FIFA Confederations Cup in front of their home fans in Rio de Janeiro. The night that followed was a night of nationalistic pride to say the least, but not in the way that President Dilma Rousseff...
Nishil Thakkar Hello everyone! My name is Nishil and I am so excited about my upcoming internship with the World Affairs Council of the Greater Richmond Area! As a graduate from the IB program at Henrico High School, as well as a future attendee of the School of International Service at American University,...
When discussing the Eurozone crisis, most news stations spend most of their time focusing on the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain). These are the countries that have faced the most economic turmoil and pose some of the greatest risk to the future of the Euro. However, another...
Having examined the Assad regime, the anatomy of the opposition, the goals of the opposition, the international reaction, Syria’s relations with its neighbors, and the chronology of the conflict, all that is left to consider is the future of Syriaand its 16-month revolution. With Assad still claiming popular support and refusing to step down, the...
Syria, like any other nation, has a complex system of alliances and enmities with its neighbors, all of which have influenced, and in turn, been influenced by the ongoing revolution. Those relationships can determine the effect of the revolution on the countries that border Syria. This blog aims to explore the profound effect of Syria’s...
Ever since its publication in 1532, Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Princehas caused many debates over one of its most famous lines- “the ends justify the means.” This thesis has been embraced and rejected alike by a wide variety of monarchs, politicians, and leaders, and it can still be applied and utilized today. As one looks at...
The protests in Syria have gripped the nation for the past year. The spark from the revolutions of Egypt and Tunisiacaught in Syria, and quickly escalated into a full scale fire. Which groups are leading the protesters? Who are their members? Are they united in their efforts or are there many groups vying for power?...
The Arab Spring has caused a diverse response among a variety of nations and international bodies, inspiring sanctions or military reaction against dictators for some nations and steadfast support for the current leaders in others. While largely dependent upon the conflicted nation, some sort of reaction has always been provoked. Syria is no exception to...
The Syrian Revolution began on March 18, 2011 in the city of Daraa, where schoolchildren had been arrested for writing slogans inspired by the Egyptian and Tunisian Revolutions on the walls of their school. Security forces shot on the crowd that was peacefully protesting their arrest and killed four, which triggered more widespread protests (Al...