Guns versus Butter is the classic debate for every state, but in the Eastern Mediterranean it is a special challenge as the area is often a difficult neighborhood and many of the states are facing immediate social, and economic problems and limitations. The current Greek-Turkish jousting in the Eastern Mediterranean has once again brought the topic to the forefront.

Food Security and Food Insecurity is an increasing issue in many countries as more and more states are importing food in a global marketplace, which makes food access that much more difficult. Many of the political issues of the last 15 years in the region are directly related to issues of food insecurity and access, including the Arab Spring demonstrations of 2010.

Hydropolitics and Hydrowars....The resource, which is mostly contested is not oil and gas, rather access to water, as states compete for water as a necessary resource of life and energy. Israel and Jordan, Turkey and Syria and Egypt and Ethiopia are all currently caught in competition for water and for access to rivers. A competition with the great probability of conflict, rather than peace.