Striking in al-Ándalus: why Islamic State attacked Spain
The location and targeting of Islamic State's latest attack, on the Spanish city of Barcelona, deviates from the group's previous efforts.
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Articles on Syria
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Friday essay: the photographer, the island and half a million lifejackets
In late 2015, 200,000 refugees a month were arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos. Tasos Markou went there to photograph their plight - and ended up joining the locals to help the new arrivals.
Why Russia needs troops from the Caucasus in Syria – and how they bolster Moscow’s ‘eastern’ image
By sending troops from the North Caucasus to Syria, Russia is returning to its old habits.
Why Trump must stop being Trump to survive
U.S. President Donald Trump's insistence on being "himself" is doing substantial damage to the United States, both domestically and abroad. A former Clinton White House adviser on Russia weighs in.
Why a 2,500-year-old Hebrew poem still matters
Psalm 137 – best known for its opening line, 'By the Rivers of Babylon' – is a 2,500-year-old Hebrew psalm that deals with the Jewish exile -remembered each year on Tisha B'av.
Turnbull’s Trump parody was only a brief Twitter hit in June
Australian Twitter users largely ignored news from Syria, North Korea and other trouble spots in June, focussing instead on domestic politics.
Global series: Countries in combat
From Syria's civil war to women being traded as slaves on WhatsApp, this Global series brings together the past year's most-read conflict reporting, written by the world's top experts.
Lessons Australia could learn from other countries to strengthen peace and stability
To maximise the long-term effectiveness of Australia’s foreign policies, there would be great value in strengthening our conflict prevention and resolution capabilities.
Is Syria really a ‘climate war’? We examined the links between drought, migration and conflict
Too much emphasis on environmental stress overlooks the role of politics and economics.
Putin’s opening gambit in the new Great Game outfoxes Trump
Against the backdrop of the G20, Russia and the US have made a deal over Syria. But it's Putin who holds the winning hand.
Mosul is taken back, but Islamic State is not finished yet
While Islamic State might be taking significant blows, including the recapture of the key Iraqi city, there is no reason to expect the violent and radical group will disappear.
Tragedy in the Nuba Mountains: hunger and starvation are constants
The world has turned its back on the Nuba people of Sudan. Despite the critical need for food, none of the organisations involved in helping people in dire need have attempted to deliver aid to them.
The Islamic State is on its knees, but its legacy will long haunt the Middle East
After a major defeat in Mosul, Islamic State seems to have suffered a blow that could end its goal of establishing a cross-border caliphate in the Middle East.
Is it ever a good idea to arm violent nonstate actors?
The US is doing so with increasing frequency around the world – most recently with Kurdish fighters in Syria. A scholar explains what can go wrong, and why this approach is likely to continue.
Justice in Syria: five ways to prosecute international crime
The push for accountability in Syria exposes the challenges of international criminal justice.
When Trump met Putin, and how the Russian won the day
While the full details of the much-anticipated Trump-Putin meeting are not yet known, it appears Donald Trump gained little while conceding much.
Trump’s friendly meeting with Putin further blurs US-Russia relations
A foreign policy expert takes a look at how the high-profile exchange between the U.S. and Russian leaders went down.
Key players in Syria swap denials and accusations as evidence of sarin use piles up
Denial and obfuscation have always been a part of chemical warfare.
After Islamic State falls, we should expect aftershocks in Syria
US-backed forces in Iraq and in Syria are in the process of rooting Islamic State (IS) fighters out of their strongholds in northern Iraq and eastern Syria. In the case of Mosul in Iraq, the removal of…
Trump threatens Syria – and puts himself under pressure
Donald Trump's predecessor once made an empty threat against Bashar al-Assad – and it didn't end well.
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Professor of International Politics, University of Birmingham
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Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
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Lecturer in International Relations and Security Studies, Curtin University
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Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, UNSW
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Lecturer in International Relations, Lancaster University
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Professor in The Division of Global Affairs and The Department of Political Science, Rutgers University Newark
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Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Deakin University
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Director, Middle Eastern Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
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Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of California, Los Angeles
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Honorary Fellow, Deakin University
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Professor of Middle East Policy Studies and Director of the Olive Tree Scholarship Programme, City, University of London
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Chair in Peace-Building, Co-Director of Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University
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