ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

by Ramsey Clark and Abdeen Jabara - We recently visited Egypt leading a delegation of lawyers to observe the situation of human rights in that country. We were troubled by what we saw and heard. We are also troubled by the United States’ support for a government installed by a military coup. The United States and more than 160 States have agreed to respect and ensure the right to participate in one’s government, for example, by agreeing to article 25 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. Nevertheless, as this right came under serious attack in Egypt, the United States continues to support the Egyptian military as it imposes its will on the Egyptian people. This support should stop until and unless the freely and fairly elected government is restored. The military coup that took place in Egypt on 3 July 2013 is a serious violation of the right to participate in one’s democracy. It is a violation of the rights of the majority voters in the Egypt’s presidential and

  Click to Enlarge A recent escalation in militant attacks on oil pipelines in eastern Colombia has taken about 3 percent of Colombia's daily oil production offline, according to government figures. Amid the escalation, Colombian state energy firm Ecopetrol on April 7 declared force majeure on some shipments of crude oil. The renewed targeting of oil infrastructure is probably tied to the ongoing negotiations between Bogota and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known by its Spanish acronym, FARC. The rebel group, likely in conjunction with the smaller National Liberation Army , or ELN, is probably using the attacks as leverage ahead of the country's presidential election on May 25. Although rebel groups have used explosives to target Colombia's oil pipelines for decades, the recent attacks against the pipelines in the Colombian departments of Norte de Santander and Arauca -- combined with protest activity -- have proved particularly disruptive. On Apr

Members of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany arrive for a hearing on Feb. 11.(ULI DECK/AFP/Getty Images) Summary The rise of nationalist parties such as the National Front in France and Jobbik in Hungary has been well publicized, but a more subtle challenge to European integration is emerging from constitutional courts and national parliaments. Reports that Berlin is investigating potential reforms to gain greater parliamentary control over the German constitutional court show that the main economic and political force in Europe can already foresee much larger institutional hurdles in its attempts to stabilize the eurozone. With no end in sight for the eurozone crisis, Europe's perennial tension between integration and national sovereignty will only intensify. EU member states will eventually begin serious negotiations to reform the bloc's institutional framework. These negotiations will be contentious at the EU level, but for Germany they could also ignite serious de

Foreign ministers from the Nordic, Baltic and Visegrad countries meet in Narva, Estonia, on March 7 to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.(MARKO MUMM/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Despite their strong Western integration, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are vulnerable to Russian destabilization tactics via energy, trade, political and cultural links. It is highly unlikely that Russia would intervene militarily in Estonia, a NATO member, to protect ethnic Russians. More concerning than a military conflict with Russia is the prospect of trade blockades, a step that could quickly damage the Baltics economically, with little Western allies could do to help. But Moscow's most likely move is to use the ethnic Russian minority living in the Baltic states -- a minority that constitutes more than a quarter of the population in Estonia and Latvia and around 6 percent in Lithuania -- to attempt to destabilize the three countries. Analysis In light of Russian actions in Ukraine allegedly designed to prot

A U.S. F-15C Eagle readies for takeoff at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania on April 1. (PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Lacking the capability to secure their sovereign airspace, the Baltic states have long relied upon NATO members to provide assistance and support. As Russia continues to assert itself across its Western periphery, the issue of collective defense has become compelling for many former Soviet states. For countries such as Bulgaria, which can only respond to airspace incursions with a small number of aging aircraft, a mission like the Baltic air patrol would solve many problems. Analysis The NATO Baltic Air Policing mission has been ongoing since March 30, 2004, and provides interceptors for the policing of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian airspace. The Baltic states currently do not have the assets to provide their own airspace security. Click to Enlarge The mission has been carried out in various rotations, typically lasting two to four months, and is part of th

Summary The stagnation of Venezuela's energy infrastructure is the backdrop for a social and political struggle that has been building for decades. Protests that have rocked the streets of cities from Caracas to San Cristobal since early February seem to be dying down, for the moment . However, this by no means indicates that Venezuela's troubles are over. The country is defined by its contradictions, and deep divisions exist even within seemingly united political groups. For the Venezuelan energy sector, this means that uncertainty will remain prevalent, limiting the government's ability to address key structural concerns. Analysis Venezuela's unrest had long been simmering due to an increasing scarcity of basic goods, soaring inflation and deteriorating physical security throughout the country. But the current wave of protests truly gained traction on Feb. 12 when far-right opposition group Voluntad Popular attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the street, mark

FARC Commander Ivan Marquez reads a statement during peace talks in Havana on April 4.(YAMIL LAGE/AFP/Getty Images) Summary A recent escalation in militant attacks on oil pipelines in eastern Colombia has taken about 3 percent of Colombia's daily oil production offline, according to government figures. Amid the escalation, Colombian state energy firm Ecopetrol on April 7 declared force majeure on some shipments of crude oil. The attacks have affected the Bicentenario and Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipelines. The renewed targeting of oil infrastructure is probably tied to the ongoing negotiations between Bogota and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known by its Spanish acronym, FARC. The rebel group, likely in conjunction with the smaller National Liberation Army , or ELN, is probably using the attacks as leverage ahead of the country's presidential election on May 25. Analysis FARC and the Colombian government began the 23rd round of peace talks in Havana on April 4

MOSCOW — The separatist demonstrations again churning through eastern Ukraine have raised fears of a Crimean-style invasion by the 40,000 Russian troops coiled just over the Russian border. But Moscow’s goals are more subtle than that, focused on a long-range strategy of preventing Ukraine from escaping Russia’s economic and military orbit, according to political analysts, Kremlin allies and diplomats interviewed this week. Toward that end, the Kremlin has made one central demand, which does not at first glance seem terribly unreasonable. It wants Kiev to adopt a federal system of government giving far more power to the governors across Ukraine. “A federal structure will ensure that Ukraine will not be anti-Russian,” said Sergei A. Markov, a Russian political strategist who supports the Kremlin. Russian officials have said they envision a system in which the regions elect their own leaders and protect their own economic, cultural and religious traditions — including the forging of inde