political issues

The Russian-Turkish relations are complex and enigmatic in their strategic aspects. It has been dominated by pragmatism in all its spheres. These relations have spanned over centuries and they are deeply intertwined. Each country has its own policies that aim to achieve and affect the other country. Each country has international ambitions conflicted with the ambitions of the other. Each country intends to establish its ties with the other for a different set of reasons. However, there are overlapped geostrategic arenas and determinants that represent epicenters of conflict between the two countries. Additionally, international effects and conflicting religious and nationalist grounds that stand against building normal relations between the two countries. However, with the development of the intellectual structure and the advancement of cooperative political and economic traditions, the relations between the two countries will be pushed toward getting integrated under a unifying Eurasian umbrella. Yet, achieving this unity is still far-fetched due to the differences in terms of motives between the two countries.

Any sort of change, even if it was a spontaneous one, faces natural and artificial challenges. Indeed, the same thing happens when an entire political system undergoes change through revolution; all of its institutions, or at least, its high-ranking leaders, which have been ruling for long decades, might be replaced. This study focuses only on domestic challenges relevant to revolution and the way in which it is managed, and the risk that the revolution will be high jacked by opportunists or countered by the former regime. The second part of this study explains the deep-rooted challenges a revolution could encounter
such as the political, security and economic challenges, along with the new emerging challenges resulting from the change within the environment and from the actors whose interests would be affected.

The rise of the populist far-right and its prominence within the political landscape in the European countries is a political and social phenomenon that has gained unprecedented attention whether from governments, study centres, academic research, civil society, and human rights organizations all over the world. This can be attributed to an array of reasons among which are the rise of some of the far-right parties and politicians to power. Those parties and politicians endorse ideologies, principles, programs, and policies based on racism, radicalism, xenophobia, hate speech, and instigating violence against refugees, asylum seekers, and minorities, especially, the Islamic minorities.

The last few years have been characterized by the implosion of the financial situation of the public retirement system across Arab countries in general, and Tunisia, in particular. This study discusses the increasing imbalances between paid benefits (expenses) and the contributions of the affiliates (revenues) since 2005. Over the course of the last decade, the restoration of the fiscal balance was unattainable and the imbalances reached alarming levels as the deficit was estimated at 793.224 million dinars in 2017. In addition, the rate of the growth of retirement expenses has exceeded the rate of the growth of the retirement revenues despite the attempts of the public retirement institute to expand revenues through investment as a way to minimize the deficit and improve the financial situation in the short and long run. This study aims to analyze the causes and impacts of financial imbalances within the public retirement system and to understand the intricacies and complexities of the public retirement system in terms of its laws, reformations, and microeconomic, macro-economic, and demographic variables. The study also seeks to pinpoint futuristic problems and risks and to probe the main reasons and factors that caused the public retirement deficit, especially reaching the optimal decision to reform and amend this system. Finally, this paper tries to put forward futuristic scenarios for the financial state of the public pension system by using a multi-layer artificial network, which will help in attaining the best solutions and adequate reformations.

The cooperation in the field of building dams and solving the existing irrigation problems in the Sultanate of Oman represented a complementary aspect to its present political and economic relations with Iran, due to the great experience it gained in constructing dams and water projects in some countries of the world. This rapprochement between the two parties culminated in the signing of several joint agreements on the establishment of a set of water-related projects in the Sultanate of Oman, the most prominent of which is the agreement to supply it with Iranian potable water. Even though the Iranian water project is old and the Iranian authorities have previously promoted it to some Gulf countries such as Qatar and then Kuwait. However, it decided to offer it back to the Sultanate of Oman, taking advantage of the strength of its strong relations with it, which are based on common interests between them, but the project was kept secret for several political, economic, and technical considerations that prevented its establishment on the ground.

This research studies and analysis India - Gulf Cooperation Council relations. The relations between these two occupies significant importance due to their increasing role at the regional and international levels. In fact, India is one of the rising powers that has an immense influence on regional and international interactions. Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council states enjoy a substantial geostrategic and economic importance for great powers owing to their strategic position and energy resources, namely oil and natural gas. Accordingly, India-Gulf Cooperation Council ties have adopted a pragmatic and balanced policy that aims to secure India’s interests, especially the economic interest, and further the Indian presence in the Middle East region. The need for energy resources and the absence of other available options to ensure the continuity of India’s economic growth make Gulf Cooperation Council states of paramount significance for Indian decision-makers.

Smart power is a modern terminology related to international relations, which refers to a mixture of hard power and soft power strategies. This term played an important role in American foreign policy, and then the concept expanded greatly and countries relied on it more, and it became a pillar of strength for many countries that seek to find a place for themselves in the international arena, including (China, India, Turkey, Israel, Iran).
This concept emerged mainly in the American context, when Joseph Nye presented it in 2003 in the context of talking about the decline of American power in the world, in light of the rise of some middle powers and their assumption of a pivotal position on the international scene, and the need to restore the United States of America to its international position by relying on sources Its soft and hard power is part of a smart foreign policy strategy without being satisfied with one source of its power over another, especially with the failure to employ US military power in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Personalism emerged in a historical era in which the world, Europe and France were witnessing the end of a civilized era that extended from the end of the Middle Ages until the early twentieth centur , characterized by being a capitalist structure, a liberal approach and a bourgeoisie of values. Personalism came not only as an attempt to answer a new era and the birth of a new civilization that is still obscure, but also as a response to the Marxist school of materialism and atheistic existentialism, setting its ultimate goal of remaking( the Renaissance).

Strategic stability is considered one of the utmost strategic factors that governs the frameworks of the strategic relations between the United States and Russia. Both sides have destructionist nuclear capabilities that disincentivize either of them from initiating the first nuclear strike, which would be met by a second nuclear strike, leading to mutually assured destruction, where neither side would prevail. Therefore, both those nuclear powers have sought since the emergence of strategic stability as a concept during the cold war and up to this day to enhance and maintain this stability through a set of strategic treaties and agreements. Those agreements along with the reduction of the nuclear stockpiles have helped in maintaining the strategic stability despite the occasional crises and confrontations, especially the Ukrainian crisis in February 2022, in which Russia limited its response to the threat of using nuclear weapons. This threat is not similar to the real use of nuclear weapons, which risks the destruction of both countries. Thus, as strategic stability was effective and important in the past, it must continue to be so in the future, because the absence of such stability means walking down the path of mutual destruction and the destabilization of global peace. This indicates the nexus between nuclear capabilities and entrenchment of strategic stability.

The issue of Western Sahara is one of the influential issues that have attracted the attention of many Arab and African countries and the international community in general. Given the geographical location of Western Sahara and its natural and mineral wealth, it has become the focus of contention and conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front since 1975. Despite the Arab, African and international initiatives to get an end to the matter, they did not find any benefit in the face of the two sides' insistence on their position. Accordingly, many countries, including Iran, had a position on this issue, which exceeded four decades.
conflict over it have resulted in many developments, so that it has become an outlet for the entry and intervention of many countries according to their interests, especially some major countries such as France, Spain and the United States of America. From this point of view, these countries were keen to continue this problem and to prevent a solution from being reached to perpetuate their interference in the region. As for Iran, it also tried to use its attitude on the issue according to its interests at that stage. Although the principle of supporting vulnerable peoples and repelling injustice is what Iran adopted in its foreign policy after the Iranian revolution, this does not prevent Iranian interests from being present in Iran's stances and policies toward foreign issues, including the issue of Western Sahara. Iran's position on the issue was characterized by instability and change from time to time according to its interests, and these attitudes were a direct cause of severing and restoring relations between the two countries.

This study aims to introduce an attempt for analyzing and criticizing the perception and understanding of the contemporary Iraqi political mindset regarding the issue of reform. Three main questions this study will attempt to address and answer. What is the perception and understanding of the Iraqi political mind with regard to reform? how did this understanding come to be? what could be observed about this understanding?. The study adopts the critical normative approach in analyzing and criticizing the modern Iraqi political discourse on the issue of reform and change. This study consists of an introduction, two sections, and a conclusion. The first section entitled “Conceptual Framework” deals with the concept of reform and the features of the Iraqi political reason and its structure. The second section deals with analyzing and criticizing the notion of reform in the contemporary Iraqi political mind. This chapter is divided into two separate sections examining the idea of reform in contemporary Iraqi politics and its critique

The Ethiopian Renaissance Dam represents a dangerous turning point in the history of Egyptian-Ethiopian relations, as it poses a serious challenge to the downstream countries, especially Egypt because the Nile River represents the essence of its existence, continuity, and economic development and political and social stability. Ethiopia took advantage of the turmoil in Egypt that ensued the January 2011 revolution and embarked on building a dam on the Blue Nile without prior agreement with the downstream countries and without consideration for the historical treaties that regulate relations between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan. That organized the relations between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan. Egypt has adopted several diplomatic and technical options to face up the crisis of the Renaissance Dam. Egypt has tried, through its water policy, to minimize the effects of water shortage in the Nile River resulting from the construction of the Renaissance Dam.

The study of tribalism is a subject of utmost importance. In Iraq, political life coexists with tribalism. In fact, tribalism in its essence is both a social and political phenomenon. Analyzing the political aspect of tribalism reveals that tribalism entrenches its existence and its effects on individuals, society, and the state, and none of these can overlook the political role of tribalism. Iraq is a pluralistic society, ethnically and politically. Tribalism is thrusting its presence in the political process and political behaviour, including nomination, voting, protesting, and even joining political parties.

As the pace of economic growth and economic dependence on foreign markets, raw materials, fuel, and other resources from overseas, was growing, China launched the "Belt and Road Initiative" to further its economic achievements. The new initiative represents a strategic gateway for China to enhance its economic integration with the global economy. China relies on this initiative to connect the world continents through a network of roads, railways, and maritime lanes to foster trade cooperation between China and the rest of the world. The “Belt and Road Initiative” extends from Asia to Africa and Europe and all the way to Latin America. The new project invokes the idea of the historical Silk Road. For China to meet its insatiable need for overseas markets to export its surplus products, the Gulf region becomes one of the main Chines priorities. The Gulf region lies in a strategic corridor connecting central and south Asia with Africa and Europe. It also represents a bridge that allows China to expand its economic presence in Africa and Europe, as China seeks to connect a wide range of countries encompassing wealthy and poor countries alike

The Turkey plays a pivotal role in Libya, through the support it provides to the legitimate government in Libya, and this support includes the field of energy, construction and other infrastructure, and on the other hand, it believes that its presence in Libya enhances its influence and highlights its strength. As it seeks to consolidate and deepen its influence there to achieve several factors, most notably: the establishment of a new regional system to transform its role from a mere regional player to a more powerful and distinguished major player. Turkey also aspires to be the most influential force in shaping Libya’s political future, and securing a foothold in Libya will provide Turkey with a stable and secure source of oil and gas, which it lacks.

The current study attempts to shed light on the issue of armed conflicts in Libya in terms of the reasons that turned the peaceful demonstrations against the Libyan regime to armed conflicts between the demonstrators and the Libyan regime supporters ,Although the Libyan regime was over when the former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi killed , those conflicts did not stop ,the increased instead what is more ,the study aims to find out how those conflicts affected the neighboring countries of Libya, including Algeria and Egypt, by studying the most important security, political and economic threats that accompanied the stage of armed conflicts in Libya

This paper introduces a study about the concept of societal security and Egypt’s vision 2030. Furthermore, the paper discusses how Egypt’s vision 2030 seeks to achieve societal security in its modern sense. As the member states of the United Nations have adopted the UN sustainable development goals that were introduced in 2015 and to be achieved by 2030, Egypt’s vision came congruent with the international vision yet, with certain particularity. In 2016, the Egyptian government put forward its strategy for sustainable development under the rubric “Egypt’s vision 2030” to guide Egypt’s trajectory for the next fifteen years. This long term developmental strategy covers political, economic, and environmental domains. However, this strategy faces serious challenges that could impede the achievement of its developmental goals.

This study seeks to examine the participation of faculty members in the decision-making process at the colleges of Education, Basic Education, and Languages and Human Sciences of the University of Garmian. The study aims to identify the most important objective and subjective barriers that prevent their participation in the process. In order to achieve the study objectives, descriptive (survey) approach has been utilized. Accordingly, a survey questionnaire comprising 56 sections divided into 12 themes has been developed. The validity and reliability of the data have been verified. The questionnaire was handed out to 116 members of the teaching staff at the colleges of Education, Basic Education, and Languages and Human Sciences of the University of Garmian, accounting for 43.1% of the whole research community and faculty staff of the University, which stands at 269 members in total. The faculty members were selected by the stratified random sampling method. The results of the study show that the level of participation of faculty members is low and that there are many objective and subjective barriers facing them and hindering their participation in the decision-making process.

The phenomenon of violent extremism is one of the entrances to the international, regional and local crises, especially those that were accompanied by changes in political regimes, or the growing popular resentment against the ruling authority. The phenomenon of extremism has emerged in the Middle East and has taken international dimensions, as if what happened with what is known as the Arab Spring revolutions is the official announcement of the emergence of the phenomenon of extremism in societies of change. What we live in today reminds us of previous historical stages, which many countries and societies have gone through in their various forms and levels. The phenomenon of extremism and extremism in it is an old phenomenon that arose and developed with the emergence and development of intellectual theory at the religious or ideological level, and the repercussions it has on the human lifestyle and its impact on the behavior of societies in general.

This study discusses the geopolitical dimensions of the Iraqi defense diplomacy and the mechanisms that allow it to move within a strategy whose main objective is to renew Iraq's effectiveness in the Middle East region.Through his defense diplomacy’s visions in charting his behavior towards his foreign relations by creating a space of joint cooperation with other countries as urgent strategic priorities, based on the criterion of openness to multiple circles and leading to the promotion of national reconciliation, achieving its strategic goals and facing security challenges. The study concludes that defense diplomacy represented a qualitative shift in the paths of the Iraqi foreign policy approach, especially as it seeks to create a diplomatic act to obtain international support to support Iraq's efforts to develop its military and security capabilities.
Defence diplomacy has become an increasingly common tool that States use today to advance their national interests. The term "defence diplomacy" was first officially used by the British Ministry of Defence in the 1990s, a term used for many cooperative military activities conducted with other countries where there is no generally agreed definition or even a widely used definition of the term. But it is common to emphasize the peaceful use of the army (equipment, personnel and knowledge) to build trust and goodwill, which excludes any use of force. In this regard, it can be considered a subset of soft power, through which the practitioner seeks to change the behavior of other actors in the international system to secure their national interests.

What makes African nations reach out to make pacts with their neighbors and the international community, or to militarize? Fisher and Anderson (2015) claim that African governments readily embrace militarization after internal strife and civil wars and that after 9/11, security agreements with the United States re-enforce this already occurring ‘illiberal’ state building phenomena in Africa; encouraging military security regimes. The cause de jour of this predicament from the US side being fear of terrorist elements spreading across the African continent from Asia and the Middle East all the way to Europe and the United States. A nascent study by Le Van (2010) implies that countries in Africa receiving higher aid packages from the U.S. might be more likely to react positively to the presence of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)—the US’s newest theater command—and to be more likely to cooperate in international agreements on security and trade

Collective security and international cooperation are an integral and inseparable system where the state must give and support in exchange for requesting and getting back based on reciprocity. Although parts of the approach may seem offensive, the principles and motives of the state are defensive. The data collected for this research were extracted from interviews conducted in a semi-structured style and from policy analyses achieved through observing procedures, reviewing related legislation, and a detailed review of all previously associated policies. Based on the methods used in this policy, the Sultanate of Oman has integrated collective security within its national security strategy by adopting international efforts within its guidelines. This has occurred through ratification and taking the necessary measures to implement them as part of its legislation and applying internationally agreed standards in its policies. These methods are proactive and aim to intervene and stop the terrorist attacks before they happen, eliminating the terrorist threat.