South China Sea

China has built up artificial islands in an act that many fear is an attempt to gain more control of the South China Sea. If they succeed in this mission it will greatly affect a number of nations in that area that use the sea for trade and natural resources. But China has met resistance by the United States of American who have exercised what they claim is their rights to freedom of navigation and overflight. This passive aggressive move is a clear indication that the a United States does not recognize the artificial islands as Chinese territory and will not  act as if they are.


The United States may soon be joined in these fly-overs and sail-byes by their close ally, Australia. Australia is one of the greatest powers in that section of the world and the attempt by China to control the South China Sea should be seen as a threat to national security. Australia has admitted that there are plans in the making, but has not shared when or if they will be enacted.


China is protective of its islands, and clearly considers those lands as territory that the United States has no right to be flying or sailing so close by. Australia should be concerned.


Read the article here.

Canada's Withdraw

With the dawn of Canada's new administration under Justin Trudeau many changes seems to be on the horizon. One change that has already been enacted is the campaign promise that Canada would withdraw their jets from a campaign against ISIL. Though President Obama appears to have taken this declaration calmly, this action would drastically change Canada's role in the international community.


Trudeau promised more military trainers to aid Iraqi forces, but the overall involvement of the country in the fight against terrorism will be minimalized. How this action will affect other countries views on Canada is yet to be determined. This action is perhaps drawing Canada into a more isolationist attitude that could deeply affect its future involvement in global affairs.


After Canada's announcement U.S. officials have stated that Canada will still be a valuable member of the global coalition. However the U.S. led campaign in Iraq and Syria must now readjust, and how this action will ultimately affect foreign relations is still to be seen.


Read article here.

Staying in Afghanistan

In a recent article in the Washington Post, President Obama's promise made while campaigning for president was broken as he declared that instead of withdrawing all, or near all, troops from Afghanistan the troops would instead stay. This news has come in the wake of renewed fighting in the area and with the growing Middle Eastern threat from Russia and the rising problem with the Kurds.


While some may criticize President Obama for failing to keep his promise, his decision is well with reason and very understandable. Withdrawing the U.S. from Afghanistan could allow for extremists to occupy the land and further complicate and extend the problems in the region.


However, some military officials says that the current military presence is not strong enough to fully accomplish the U.S. goals in the region. It is not enough, they claim, for President Obama to simply leave the forces there and ignore the problem, letting it pass to the next President.

The Problem with the Kurds

This article posted in the Washington Post highlights how complicated the fighting in the Middle East has become, especially when the Kurds are concerned.

Turkey expressed concern over Russian aid to the Kurdish group within Turkey, a group labeled by many countries as extremist. Turkish leaders are concerned over the safety and integrity of their country and are quick to criticize any actions that lead to the enabling of this group that has been threatening national security. 

Russia has been quite active in this area in recent weeks, and this new action in Turkey could indicate attempts to gain further control within this region. Turkey is a very strategic country geographically, any turmoil could give outside countries a chance to gain control. Russia is very interested in gaining control, and is willing to use the Kurds to obtain it.

Turkey turned to the United States to complain about the arming of Kurdish extremists in Turkey. While the United States have acknowledged the Kurdish in Turkey as a terrorist group, the country is using the Kurdish in Syria to help in their fight against ISIL. They have provided weapons to the Syrian Kurds, an act that Turkey decries for fear those weapons will eventually be handed to the Turkey Kurds. But is the United States willing to give up a military force for what may happen?

The multifaceted issues of this problem are many and tightly interrelated. The Kurds are a people group that not many are certain how to deal with, and this issue brings that to harsh reality. In both uplifting and putting down the Kurdish forces more turmoil is certain to arise. 

Who to Blame?

Bombing a hospital is a horrific act, considered a war crime by all and the most recent result of an airstrike by U.S. forces. Though the U.S. has now claimed that Afghan forces requested the strike, as seen in this article, many still question the authenticity of their late and contradictory sentence and decry the act as unforgivable.

This news has come in the wake of Russia's broadening attacks in Syria and casts the U.S. in a negative light and has set a majority of its own citizens against the continued actions in the Middle East. The general public has grown weary of the continuing conflict, and as such stories reach back to the states further resistance grows.

But when Russia is advancing what the United States needs is not resistance but further support if they wish to keep the Middle East from Russian control.

Russian Goals

Russia has become more involved with the Middle East, sending in military forces to Syria, an action the United States has been refusing to take. The Russian force has met very little effect and many question if such a small force will affect anything in the country for the long run. However, while Russians are willing and calling for more troops, military conquest is not at the forefront of Russian action.

The article here suggests that the Russian action was made to undermine United States presence and control in the area. Russia and the U.S. have been historic enemies, and even after the fall of the Soviet Union the rivalry has not ended. In the new global age the two countries vie for control in Europe and the Middle East. This is Russia's next move, and though their future actions are not certain they will certainly be calculated toward one goal: undermining the United States of America.

The United States much react to this threat.