Trump’s fantastic phone call with Pakistan’s PM (Claude Rakisits, The Strategist)

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/trumps-bizarre-call-pakistans-pm/

Afghanistan: Obama’s last and reluctant troop decision (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

President Obama, flanked by his Secretary of Defense—Ashton Carter—and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr.— announced at the White House on Wednesday 6 July his latest—and last—troop adjustment for Afghanistan.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/afghanistan-obamas-last-reluctant-troop-decision/

Letter from Washington: back to the future with Clinton’s foreign policy (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/letter-washington-clintons-foreign-policy-back-future/

The fallout from the assassination of Mullah Mansour (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

On 21 May, Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour, leader of the Afghani Taliban, was assassinated by an American drone strike in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, just across the border with Afghanistan. Mullah Mansour’s death was announced by President Obamaduring his visit to Vietnam. It’s the most successful American operation in the region since the elimination of Osama Bin Laden five years ago. The political decapitation of the Afghan Taliban will have far-reaching consequences at three levels: on internal Taliban dynamics; on the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan; and on US–Pakistan relations. Let me address those in that order

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/fallout-assassination-mullah-mansour/

Letter from Washington: America’s Saudi dilemma (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

Washington has a serious long-term relationship dilemma with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And President Obama’s April visit to Saudi Arabia—the fourth one as president—was all about trying to shore up that relationship. Notwithstanding the usual official statements, I seriously doubt it did the job

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/letter-from-washington-americas-saudi-dilemma/

Letter from Washington: Trump’s bizarre and dangerous foreign policy (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

Following Senator Ted Cruz’s much expected defeat of Donald Trump in the 5 April Wisconsin primary, Trump’s goal of winning the majority of delegates by the time the Republican Party holds its convention in July has now become even more elusive.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/letter-from-washington-trumps-bizarre-and-dangerous-foreign-policy/

Letter from Washington: Syria, the ceasefire and how Putin outfoxed Obama (Claude Rakisits, ASPI The Strategist)

First, the good news. The American and Russian-brokered ceasefire in Syria, the ‘cessation of hostilities’, which became effective on 27 February, has been holding. Sort of. The guns have certainly not fallen silent—far from it—but there’s been a significant decrease in bombing, shelling and other kinetic activity. The last attempt at a ceasefire nearly four years ago, then brokered by the UN, collapsed within hours. So on the face of it things appear promising.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/letter-from-washington-syria-the-ceasefire-and-how-putin-outfoxed-obama/