Geopolitics / Lebanon – The Autumn of the Autocrats

Foreign Affairs – If the assassins of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri sought to make an example of him for his defiance of Syria, the aftermath of the crime has mocked them. For a generation, Lebanon was an appendage of Syrian power. But now the Lebanese people, in an “independence intifada,” are clamoring for a return to normalcy. The old Arab edifice of power has survived many challenges in the past, but something is different this time: the United States is now willing to gamble on freedom.
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Geopolitics / Law – New Rules for War?

Naval War College Review – The overarching factors of asymmetry and moralism dominate the political discourse and frame the understanding of Americans. From those factors emerge specific issues of real ethical concern. Just war principles and the law of armed conflict help, but both leave room for interpretation. Ultimately, these issues require moral reasoning and reflection.

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