ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

It took 70 years, but the European Union finally signed a pact today (Nov. 13) agreeing to integrate military funding, weapons development, and deployment of European defenses. In a way, creating a unified mega army. US president’s Donald Trump’s frequent accusations that EU countries do not pay enough into NATO has been one catalyst for them move forward with a unified plan for military cooperation. The other is that it could legitimately diminish the bloc’s dependence on US military support. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, called the pact “historic” as “the real problem is not how much we spend, it is the fact we spend in a fragmented manner.” She also said it would strengthen the work of the US-led Nato. The UK had always resisted the idea of joint EU defense, fearing some kind of big “European army,” but the country’s planned exit from the bloc has removed that hurdle, allowing 23 other EU countries to move forward. Once Brexit happens, the UK could still possi...

ANWAR AMRO (AFP/File) The crisis in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia in particular leads to further escalation in the region. Anticipating the collapse of ISIS, the participants in the conflict act with intensity. Since our October 8 report on the issue entitled “ The Saudi Purge: The Middle East Is On The Verge Of New War “, the situation has deteorated further in the region. In Saudi Arabia, the purge continues. The Middle East Eye  reports  that senior Saudi figures were tortured and beaten in the purge under the banner of an anti-corruption movement, conducted by current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He has overseen arrests of hundreds of people, including senior royals, ministers and tycoons, with some of them reportedly being tortured so badly during their arrest or subsequent interrogations that they required hospital treatment. Even Prince Bandar bin Sultan — Saudi Arabia’s most famous arms dealer, longtime former ambassador to the US, and recent head ...

Photo: RIA/Aleksey Davichev According  www.alyaoum24.com , Morocco considers buying Russian S-400 missile systems in order to diversify their military, as Morocco wants to be prepared for future wars. The Moroccan-Russian negotiations came to a close on October 11 during an official visit of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to Morocco. 11 agreements were signed, agricultural, educational, tourism, energy and military spheres. Morocco takes part in joint military production projects with India, China and Brazil. They are interested in acquiring anti-air missile defense systems, by way of licensing production from other countries. Military expert Abdel Rahman Mekkawi considers the transaction a decision to be made primarily by Russia, as a sort of balancing measure between Morocco and Algiers in Northern Africa. In an Akhbar Al Yaum interview, Mekkawi said that Morocco and Russia have a lot of common military interests in Northern Africa. He added, that future war...

Palestinian leaders of the Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank, Jaafar Ezzeddine (R) and Tariq Qaadan (C) answer journalists’ questions after their release from an Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Jalama, near Jenin, on May 8, 2013.. (photo credit:SAIF DAHLAH / AFP) The IDF arrested an Islamic Jihad leader in the West Bank on November 13 morning, an IDF spokesperson said in a statement. The Jerusalem Post  reported  that the person in question is Tariq Qa’adan, arrested for his “activities” in Islamic Jihad. “This unjust arrest of the leader Qa’adan is a part of the occupation’s latest escalation against Islamic Jihad and our people,” Islamic Jihad said in statement, according to Palestine Today. This arrest follows the statement by Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Major Gen. Yoav (Poli) Mordechai  issued  on November 11, in which he warned Islamic Jihad against escalating the situation. “We are aware of the plot being ...