BALKAN STUDIES

Shaun Riordan
(A Former British Diplomat and Director of ZEIA)

Copyright: http://www.shaunriordan.com/?p=266 - Publication date on RIEAS web site (www.rieas.gr) on 6 March 2016

Historians of the future will compare our reactions to the migrant crisis with those of our grandparents to the plight of the Jews in the 1930s. We may not come too well out of the comparison. We need to provoke ourselves in to new thinking, and more important, action. Feuerbach thesis nº11 – the aim of philosophy must be to change the world, not just think about it. Our political elites have already demonstrated their inability to tackle the issues, preferring personal ambition to humanitarian solidarity....Read more

Ourania Tsichlaki (CCO)
(Certified Confidentiality Officer (CCO) authorization by Business, Espionage Controls and Counter Measures Association. She works at the Private Security Industry, has studied Security Management and graduated in shipping studies. She received trainings in various security issues and has contributed in "SINTAKTIS Review" and "Security Manager Review")

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 24 April 2016

Security issues are rapidly changing. The existed knowledge and training are in front of the phenomenon of t/2, (t/2 is the phenomenon that the acquired knowledge in desks is not valid after some time due the new produced knowledge and the transformation in several sectors e.g. technology, medicine etc. t/2 is not the same for every scientific or technological sector) even though security does not dispose a large scale degree of change like scientific studies...Read more

Dr. Goure
(Vice President with the Lexington Institute, a nonprofit public-policy research organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. He is involved in a wide range of issues as part of the institute's national security program).

Copyright: http://lexingtoninstitute.org/ - Republication date on the Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas) on 15 October 2015.

The Eastern Mediterranean is in crisis. The focus of U.S. and NATO security concerns is moving inexorably westward from Iraq and eastern Syria as a result of the civil wars in Syria and Libya, the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, massive refugee flows to Europe, the expansion of Iranian influence in the Near East, uncertainty in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship and renewed Russian presence in Syria. Add to these problems the discovery of major energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and the expansion of the Suez Canal, and the likelihood of expanded conflicts in the area is growing along with the importance of NATO facilities at Souda Bay in Crete, Greece. Read more

Dr. Goure
(Vice President with the Lexington Institute, a nonprofit public-policy research organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. He is involved in a wide range of issues as part of the institute's national security program).

Copyright: http://lexingtoninstitute.org/ - Republication date on the Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas) on 11 October 2015.

Even as the Greek economy struggles to establish equilibrium and politicians in Athens work to implement new austerity measures, its military continues to provide security and support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance in the Eastern Mediterranean. NATO's southern flank has been hit by a wave of security challenges including mass illegal immigration, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and arms trafficking. As a result, NATO's maritime forces are stretched thin responding to this increased demand. Recent international crises at sea underscore the need for collective NATO efforts and new training demands to protect member nations... Read more

By Cecile Abi Tayeh
(RIEAS Research Associate)

The article is edited by Antonia Dimou (RIEAS Senior Advisor)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 13th September 2015

Millions of people have fled their homes because of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. The biggest crisis is centered on Syria, where the number of those fleeing to other countries has currently exceeded four million. Many who are able seek refuge in Europe. This often involves a perilous journey across the Mediterranean, a journey that has cost the lives of thousands of men, women and children. One of the deadliest events was the loss of around 800 people according to the UN in the Mediterranean Sea coming from Libya to Italy. Another event happened in August 2015 where bodies of 49 migrants were found in the hold of a fishing boat - most of them died because of smoke inhalation. This has raised the total number of human losses in 2015 to more than 2,300 dead migrants in the Mediterranean Sea...Read more

By Andy and Mike Manatos*

Copyright: Kathimerini Daily (originally appeared in Greek) Publication Date on RIEAS (www.rieas.gr): 6th September 2015

In light of the United States' past record, the people of Greece have every right to be wary of American officials becoming deeply involved in Greek matters. As members of a Greek-American family that has been fighting in Washington, DC for Hellenic and Orthodox issues at the highest levels of the American government for over 80 years, no one has witnessed more of these bad policies up close than we.

However, we write this piece to let you know that today is different. The stars seem to be aligning. Most encouraging, the #2 person in the White House, Vice President Joe Biden, framed and proudly displayed on his wall the headline of my publically referring to him as Joe "Bidenopoulos" immediately following his election in 2008. Biden remains a lifetime loyal friend. And our President, Barack Obama, together with his Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew, may be referred to as Greece's best friends in recent negotiations to keep Greece in the EU...Read more