International Relations Episodes

The Muslim NATO brings Turkey, Saudi Arabia and nuclear armed Pakistan into a collective security relationship. Is it a sign of waning US power ? Or fear that Iran and Israel have become too dominant in the Middle East ?

The NATO Summit was held in Ankara and attended by the 32 leaders of all members. The meeting afforded President Erdogan an opportunity to showcase the presidential complex to a global audience as well as the prominence of Turkish armed forces. He and President Trump appeared to get along quite well.

Xi Jinping continues to purge cadres and senior officials with a view to stamp out corruption .

Public Diplomacy between the US and NATO allies in particular needs to be revived. Keir Starmer of the UK, Emanuel Macron of France and Friedrich Merz of Germany have struggled with the US direction under Donald Trump. While direct communication has been difficult at times, there are other equally effective channels of diplomacy that need to be actively deployed to ensure good relations with the US.

Venezuela’s ex President sits in a New York jail awaiting trial as a narco terrorist. Meanwhile Oil Giants are reluctant to re-enter Venezuela because of past political instability. What does the future hold ?

Significant foreign policy activity by the Trump Administration in January 2026 will have long lasting impacts: Venezuela, Iran, Greenland, Board of Peace.

President Trump has announced his administration plans to purchase Greenland, a Danish dependency in the Arctic 3 times as big as Texas. The President has cited security concerns, but there is little support for the move either in Denmark, Greenland, NATO capitals or the US.

Nicolas Maduro was the President of Venezuela until he was deposed by a US Delta Force team, early Saturday January 3rd along with his wife Cilia Flores. Successive US administrations have confronted Maduro and before him Hugo Chavez over a host of issues including drugs.

Rich Outzen analyzes the dynamics of the Armenian and Azerbaijan relationship and its neighbors Turkey. Russia and Iran. He also highlights TRIPP. Reasons for optimism.

Ireland’s neutrality policy is not backed up by strong military infrastructure. While the Irish public might consider a modest increase in defense spending, neutrality is not open for discussion.

NATO, a 32 nation defense treaty, founded 76 years ago in 1949, has survived the Cold War and collapse of the USSR. Today it confronts Russian aggression in Ukraine with an uncertain outlook.

Ambassador Sullivan served as the Deputy Secretary of State 2017-2019 and Ambassador to Russia 2019 -2022 in both the Trump and Biden Administrations. He played a pivotal role shaping US policy in the Ukraine War.

Citizen diplomats try to keep US Russian contacts alive.

Is Coercive Diplomacy as efficacious today as it once was ? Or have targets - like Russia - learned to hedge the risks from US economic, military and diplomatic sanctions.

The Israel Hamas Ceasefire came into effect January 19, 2025. Yet Israel 🇮🇱 originally rejected a similar deal months ago. Will the new Trump Administration seek to cut a better deal for Israel and the US at the expense of Iran 🇮🇷 and its’ terrorist allies ?

President -elect Trump has offered to acquire Greenland 🇬🇱 from Denmark 🇩🇰 because of its mineral wealth and strategic location. Will this move to expand the US borders become a key foreign policy goal for the new administration ?

NZ revamps its foreign policy, concerned about its strategic security.

The Mediterranean Region needs to enhance its security arrangements in light of the changed geopolitical status quo.

Pentecostal Evangelical missionaries head to Muslim countries to spread the Gospel.

The US and UK will furnish nuclear submarine technology to Australia to provide 8 nuclear attack submarines through the 2040s.

Western Democracy versus Authoritarianism.

Mexico’s presidential election is June 2nd: the two front runners are women. The new President will be inaugurated October 1, 2024.

Sweden’s 20 month struggle to join NATO: what Turkey 🇹🇷 won.

Growing policy collaboration between California and the UK through the efforts of the British Consulate General in San Francisco. Influencing policy on on cutting edge issues like AI, Climate Control, Alternate Energy.