StratNews Global

A year after the junta seized power in Myanmar, the situation continues to be bleak: there’s no let-up in violence, the economy is in bad shape and the military keeps cracking down on opponents. But it hasn’t been able to consolidate control, says Thomas Kean, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Frontier Myanmar’, a fortnightly magazine. In this podcast with StratNews Global, Kean, who is also a senior consultant with the International Crisis Group, says the current military rule has both parallels and differences with 1988 when the military had seized power. Listen in for more.

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The recent Houthi drone attacks upon the UAE is significant as it has dragged another actor into the over six-year-long Yemen conflict which so far was being conducted between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Dr Alvite Ningthoujam, Assistant Professor at Symbiosis School of International Studies and an expert on West Asia believes that the timing of the attacks is significant as the Houthis – who are rapidly losing territory in Yemen – want to draw the attention of the international community. He adds however that given that there is an “Iranian fingerprint” as far as the supply of drones to Houthis are concerned, it is possible that the drone attacks could also be seen as an Iranian pressure tactic during the ongoing JCPOA talks. Such drone attacks suits Tehran, as it would serve its “maximalist agenda” of ensuring concessions from the West before a deal is signed while also being seen as the state that can ensure stability in the Middle East.

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The Ukraine crisis shows no signs of waning; the United  States has rejected Russia’s demand to bar Ukraine from NATO but diplomatic initiatives continue. Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine,  France and Germany have reaffirmed commitment to the long-standing ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is eyeing the long game and wants to be a player in the systemic rivalry between China and the United States, says Velina Tchakarova, director of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy. And by doing  so, Putin seeks to erase European powers from the equation, Velina told  StratNews Global. Asked about the relevance of NATO in the current  geopolitical order, she replied in the affirmative, adding that the Cold  War-era alliance needs to demonstrate hard power. Listen in for more.

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After the Malian junta pushed back elections by four years, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed harsh economic sanctions on the country. There have been huge protests in Mali against the sanctions, with most of the anger directed at former colonial power France which has had a troop presence in Mali for nearly a decade now. In this podcast with StratNews Global, Michael Shurkin, Director of Global Programs at 14 North Strategies, says neglecting the importance of building narratives and image has cost France and the western powers dear. He also dwells on the role of Russia. Listen in for more.

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Tensions have been raised as North Korea continues to conduct ballistic missile tests. The tests which came after the United States put more sanctions on the DPRK has most people wondering as to how far Kim Jong Un is likely to go and what is likely to be the US’s response. Korea expert Professor Ramon Pacheco Pardo who is Professor of International Relations at King's College London and KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance believes that North Korea sees the tests as a “window of opportunity” for talks and win concessions from both South Korea and the Americans. They feel the timing is opportune for them right now as the region is particularly sensitive with Beijing heading into the Winter Olympics next month and South Korea heading into elections in March. On the US’s side, Professor Pacheco believes that the Biden administration will not consider North Korea a priority right now and will possibly sit with a new South Korean president post March to devise a new strategy. As far as other actors are concerned, Professor Pardo believes China is particularly unhappy with the tests given the timing but there is little Beijing can do to rein in North Korea because the border is currently closed right now.

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A meeting of the foreign ministers of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was to take place in Cambodia—the current chair of the 10-member bloc—next week has been postponed indefinitely. The official reason is that some members can’t make it due to other engagements but there’s more to it. The Malaysian foreign minister has said some members had reservations about Cambodian PM Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar earlier this month, the first by a head of government since last year’s military coup in Myanmar. The Cambodian leader justifies his engagement with the junta as necessary but not all in the bloc are convinced. Given the sharp divisions within the group, what’s the way forward? In this podcast with StratNews Global, Hunter Marston, a researcher at the Australian National University, who focuses on Southeast Asia, offers his views. Listen in for more.

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A video released by the Chinese official media on New Year’s Day shows troops with a Chinese flag and claims that the location was Galwan. Propaganda videos by the Chinese are not uncommon but this one was meant—mainly for Chinese audiences—to project that Xi Jinping has a fim border policy in place, says Tibetologist, historian and author Claude Arpi. In this podcast with StratNews Global, Arpi also dwells on the bridge that China is building across Pangong Lak. Listen in for more.

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Gabriel Boric, 35, will be Chile’s youngest president. The former student leader and Leftist candidate defeated his far-right rival José Antonio Kast in a highly polarising election in which the two candidates put forth starkly different visions for the Latin American nation. Both of them come from parties that have never governed Chile. In this podcast with StratNews Global, John Londregan, Professor  of politics and international affairs at Princeton University in the U.S.  tells us about the road ahead for what was once South America’s most  stable economy.

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The recent flurry of high-profile visits conducted by the UAE suggests that the Emiratis are looking to not just bolster but balance ties with fellow countries in the region. The visit by Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett – the first time an Israeli PM has officially visited the UAE – occurring just after the UAE NSA Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Iran for talks with Iranian leaders is a case in point. Navdeep Suri, former Indian ambassador to the UAE says that such talks not just with Iran and Israel but with other nations such as Syria and even Turkey – a country once viewed with hostility by the UAE – suggests that the Gulf country may now be looking to adjust in a region which it believes will soon see reduced American influence. Suri’s contention, which comes in the face of the Gulf nation publicly rejecting the US F-35 fighter jet deal for French Rafales, suggests that Middle East politics may be undergoing a change with geographically small but rich nations such as Qatar and UAE slowly coming into the forefront.

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What’s behind Saudi Arabia’s decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic missionary movement launched in India nearly a century ago, which has a huge following, especially in South Asia? It’s an attempt by an authoritarian regime that has been accused of human rights abuses to repaint the image of the kingdom and its leader (Crown Prince Mohd bin Salman) in the West that has little knowledge about Islamic movements, says Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. In this podcast with StratNews Global, Ambassador Ahmad shares his views on the heart of the conflict. Listen in for more.

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