Russian President Vladimir Putin’s penchant for military adventurism abroad has gained him celebrity status, thanks in part to his asymmetrical methods. His geopolitical resumé contains a number of marginal successes, including the 2008 invasion and de facto annexation of portions of Georgia, the propping up of fellow strongman Bashar al-Assad…

Throughout his 20-plus year rule, Vladimir Putin has consolidated power through graft, intimidation, manipulation of the Russian legal system, and forcefully silencing critics. Putin’s ability to sustain subservience and loyalty to his authority is no small feat, especially in a political culture of ruthless power politics. His reputation as a…

All too often technology and distance desensitizes us from overseas crises and conflicts, and the people suffering and dying in their midst. In unfortunate circumstances such as these, some individuals understand only the language of violence. Ukrainian-American Lena Beneke knows this all too well. Beneke, a married mother of two…

The cultural, ideological, and historical disparities between the U.S. and China are vast. This East-West chasm attracted the attention of Columbia, Illinois, native and former Springfield resident Tom Funfsinn during his time as an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Illinois Springfield from 2008 to 2015. …

Ghana is one of Africa’s biggest postcolonial success stories. Since declaring independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, the West African state has enjoyed a high degree of prosperity and rule of law, due to sustained economic growth and a strong societal emphasis on education. Robust governmental institutions have flourished…

Turkish-Russian relations are being strained by a series of regional standoffs throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus Region. …

Current Turkish foreign policy may be best illustrated by former US President Theodore Roosevelt’s big stick diplomacy proverb, only in reverse. That is, walk loudly and carry a small stick. Under the ultra-nationalist leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s geopolitical ambitions have become increasingly confrontational, reckless, and overambitious. Its insistence…

The historic Abraham Accords Peace Agreement — the official framework for rapprochement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain — signals a shift in the fundamental landscape of Middle Eastern politics and ushers in a new chapter of US-Israeli relations. The UAE and Bahrain are the third and…

Furious over the targeted killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani by the US military in Bagdad, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei demanded in January that “the Americans’ corruption-stirring presence should come to an end” in Iraq. As it happens, Christmas came early for Khamenei, at least in part. Gen…