Vanessa Newby | Leiden University (original) (raw)
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Books by Vanessa Newby
Syracuse University Press, 2018
Papers by Vanessa Newby
Research Handbook on Civil-Military Relations , 2024
This chapter explores the connections among two fields of studies that have prima facie not much ... more This chapter explores the connections among two fields of studies that have prima facie not much in common: the literature on peacekeeping and that of civil-military relations. Peacekeeping- a quintessential tool of multilateralism- is connected in multiple ways to distinct facets of civil-military relations. We identify and review four distinct debates that in different ways establish connections and linkages between peacekeeping operations and civil-military relations and reviews its main arguments. The first is a set of debates about what influences the decision to deploy personnel to a peacekeeping mission. The second relates to the practices of military actors who are deployed in peace operations alongside civilians, for example NGO workers and humanitarian actors. The third set of debates include a growing body of research that explores how the peacekeeping experience influences domestic civil-military relations. The fourth debate, which is in its infancy, has started to explore and problematize civil-military relations within the peacekeeping missions themselves, unveiling a wealth of actors, relations and interactions that have been underexplored. We conclude this chapter by outlining several promising avenues for future research.
Global Studies Quarterly, 2021
ABSTRACTTo commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Resolution 1325, this introduction discusses ... more ABSTRACTTo commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Resolution 1325, this introduction discusses the state of the field in the women peace and security (WPS) agenda and outlines the challenges to implementation. It begins by introducing the current gaps we see in WPS practice, many of which are driven by insufficient data and lack of funding. The section that follows provides a brief discussion of the global diffusion of the WPS agenda. We highlight the important contribution the Global South has made in implementing the agenda in the absence of great power leadership and the stultified progress of the Global North. We argue that the WPS agenda remains hampered by poor national implementation, a lack of support for civil society initiatives and a failure to recognize the importance of its application in context. The final section introduces the articles in this issue, showing how they advance an emerging human security agenda: integrating WPS into UN-led security initiatives like R2...
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 2019
Third World Quarterly, 2017
UN Chronicle, 2017
No one will forget the scenes of women rallying in the streets and public squares of the Arab wor... more No one will forget the scenes of women rallying in the streets and public squares of the Arab world, demanding the overthrow of repressive regimes that had been in power for decades. Those scenes were an important signal that Arab society was changing for the better.
Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations
Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international rela... more Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international relations. In the peacekeeping environment, for what purposes should credibility be built and how can it be signaled? Despite being listed by the UN as a success factor in peace operations, our understanding of credibility in peacekeeping remains limited and focused on deterrence. This article argues that credibility in peace operations must be built for both deterrence and cooperation purposes. Drawing on the international relations, civil war, and peacekeeping literatures, it conceptualizes credibility in peacekeeping by identifying the purposes for which credibility must be built and signaled: deterrence and cooperativeness. It contends that while a peace operation’s ability to deter is limited, signaling cooperativeness - credibility in cooperation—enables a force to cultivate cooperation with national and subnational audiences. This helps to create a more predictable security environmen...
Global Governance, 2022
Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international rela... more Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international relations. In the peacekeeping environment, for what purposes should credibility be built and how can it be signaled? Despite being listed by the UN as a success factor in peace operations, our understanding of credibility in peacekeeping remains limited and focused on deterrence. This article argues that credibility in peace operations must be built for both deterrence and cooperation purposes. Drawing on the international relations, civil war, and peacekeeping literatures, it conceptualizes credibility in peacekeeping by identifying the purposes for which credibility must be built and signaled: deterrence and cooperativeness. It contends that while a peace operation’s ability to deter is limited, signaling cooperativeness - credibility in cooperation—enables a force to cultivate cooperation with national and subnational audiences. This helps to create a more predictable security environment by enabling the force to function on a daily basis.
Journal of Deradicalization, 2022
In the process of shifting far-right ideas from the fringes to the centre of the political spectr... more In the process of shifting far-right ideas from the fringes to the centre of the political spectrum, the alt-right has infiltrated online spaces to mainstream extremist ideas. As part of this process, female alt-right influencers have emerged within various popular social media platforms and fringe outlets, seeking to build credibility for the movement with new audiences. Contrary to previous assumptions about women as harmless adherents of far-right ideology, alt-right women are emerging as “organic intellectuals”, influential in the formation of everyday beliefs and principles in congruence with the tenets of far-right ideology. Their narratives strategically weave far-right ideological discourses, such as the imminent crisis of white identity, with topical matters on lifestyle and well-being. This article examines the rhetoric of online influencers as they shape an ideological space which is contributing to the normalization or mainstreaming of far-right ideas. In doing so, it addresses two questions: How do alt-right female influencers narrate a far-right identity? How do they mainstream white supremacist ideas online? Drawing on new empirical material from a series of far-right podcasts, this article demonstrates that alt-right women strategically construct a “liberated” female identity rooted in femininity, traditionalism and gender complementarity, and problematize feminism and women’s emancipation as constitutive of the crisis facing the white race. It further identifies the presence of an elaborate cultural narrative around white victimhood which alt-right influencers use to mainstream their ideology. To counter the perpetuation of far-right ideas in society, women’s participation in shaping far-right ideology should not remain unaddressed. This article sheds some light on how a small but highly visible group of influencers are actively working to promote a dangerous far-right ideology.
Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troop... more Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troops to act as a buffer between Israel and Hizbullah. The challenges faced by UNIFIL troops on the ground can at times seem almost farcical. Wandering cows and goats are capable of putting forces on high alert, but this highlights the sensitivity to territorial violations felt by both parties to the conflict. On any given day, peacekeepers can be confronted with random rocket attacks from sub-state militias, violent civilian protests, IED attacks or a confrontation between militaries that has the potential to trigger a regional war. Managing both inter and intrastate issues makes UNIFIL a complex mission despite the fact that it was borne of an era when peacekeeping missions tended to be kept simple. How do we understand UNIFIL today in the context of the changes that have occurred in peacekeeping over the past twenty years?
European Journal of International Security, 2020
Twenty years after the passing of Resolution 1325, the participation of women as military personn... more Twenty years after the passing of Resolution 1325, the participation of women as military personnel in peacekeeping operations remains limited. Women currently comprise just under five per cent of military personnel in UN peacekeeping missions, and the UN consistently calls for more. We contend the low numbers of female military personnel in peacekeeping reflects a lack of gender mainstreaming in national militaries globally. This article introduces the problem of sidestreaming, the practice, deliberate or unintentional, of sidelining women and relegating them to specialised spaces in international peace and security while attempting gender mainstreaming or increased gender integration. Drawing on empirical evidence from national militaries we show how and where sidestreaming occurs with the result being that women remain clustered in gendered and low-status spaces in national militaries and in specialised spaces in peacekeeping operations. This has a negative effect on retention an...
This thesis uses an ethnographic approach to investigate the microprocesses of a peace operation ... more This thesis uses an ethnographic approach to investigate the microprocesses of a peace operation to understand whether peacekeepers on the ground can make a difference to their security environment. I examine the work of UNIFIL in South Lebanon since the implementation of Resolution 1701 in 2006 and describe the work of local actors in the UNIFIL mission and their engagement at three levels: the local, the national and the international. This thesis asked the following research questions: (1) How do peace operations influence their security environment? and; (2) What factors effect UNIFIL local engagement? This research has found that at the subnational or local level, UNIFIL is able to influence its security environment and thus contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. It does this by sustaining local connections that serve to alert the mission to small incidents that it prevents from developing into bigger conflicts. The area of operations has experienced...
Contemporary Politics, 2016
Rebuilding the local legitimacy of a national army after civil war is an important part of securi... more Rebuilding the local legitimacy of a national army after civil war is an important part of security sector reform (SSR) to help ensure the survival of the institution once the statebuilding bandwagon has moved on. The peacebuilding literature argues local ownership can provide international actors with local legitimacy. This article shows how an international actor can help to legitimise a local institution. Using new empirical material, this article examines the capacity-building work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with the Lebanese Armed Forces, and opens up the ‘black box’ of the micro-processes of SSR. First, it shows how an international actor can build the local legitimacy of a national army over time to build local knowledge and develop strong relationships with key stakeholders at national and civilian levels. Second, it explicates the political tensions that impact local and international agency and create hybrid solutions on the ground. Finally it argues that a successful hybrid solution in peacebuilding is possible when the normative values of the SSR project are accepted by key stakeholders and the local population. The article argues that UNIFIL’s SSR is assisted by the factors of time, flexibility, and pragmatism.
International Peacekeeping, 2015
This article uses the case study of UNIFIL in South Lebanon to provide fresh empirical evidence o... more This article uses the case study of UNIFIL in South Lebanon to provide fresh empirical evidence on how peace operations influence their security environment. This article discusses the micro processes of peace operations to show how peace and stability can be maintained though small incremental measures employed consistently over time. Threats to stability are controlled by the actions of both military and civilian actors within a peacekeeping mission: Peacekeepers and Political Affairs Officers. Response mechanisms used by peacekeepers include: a visible security presence; responding to violations; reporting; and collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces. Preventative measures used by Political Affairs Officers include, liaison with the military, monthly tripartite meetings and the generation of micro-security arrangements. This article argues two factors facilitate the effectiveness of these mechanisms: good coordination between civilian actors and military actors in a peacekeeping mission and the use of a technocratic approach to resolving disputes on the ground.
Global Studies Quarterly, 2021
los artículos en este problema y demuestra de qué manera promueven una agenda emergente sobre la ... more los artículos en este problema y demuestra de qué manera promueven una agenda emergente sobre la seguridad humana: integrando la WPS en las iniciativas de seguridad dirigidas por la ONU, como la responsabilidad de proteger (Responsibility to protect, R2P), y los desafíos de la implementación de la agenda sobre WPS en diversos contextos locales y nacionales. Concluimos sosteniendo que, para afrontar futuros retos, la agenda sobre WPS debe ampliarse para incluir áreas que no pertenecen a las concepciones tradicionales de la seguridad y adoptar toda la jurisdicción de las amenazas a la seguridad en evolución, particularmente los obstáculos estructurales que evitan el empoderamiento de las mujeres de manera global.
Syracuse University Press, 2018
Research Handbook on Civil-Military Relations , 2024
This chapter explores the connections among two fields of studies that have prima facie not much ... more This chapter explores the connections among two fields of studies that have prima facie not much in common: the literature on peacekeeping and that of civil-military relations. Peacekeeping- a quintessential tool of multilateralism- is connected in multiple ways to distinct facets of civil-military relations. We identify and review four distinct debates that in different ways establish connections and linkages between peacekeeping operations and civil-military relations and reviews its main arguments. The first is a set of debates about what influences the decision to deploy personnel to a peacekeeping mission. The second relates to the practices of military actors who are deployed in peace operations alongside civilians, for example NGO workers and humanitarian actors. The third set of debates include a growing body of research that explores how the peacekeeping experience influences domestic civil-military relations. The fourth debate, which is in its infancy, has started to explore and problematize civil-military relations within the peacekeeping missions themselves, unveiling a wealth of actors, relations and interactions that have been underexplored. We conclude this chapter by outlining several promising avenues for future research.
Global Studies Quarterly, 2021
ABSTRACTTo commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Resolution 1325, this introduction discusses ... more ABSTRACTTo commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Resolution 1325, this introduction discusses the state of the field in the women peace and security (WPS) agenda and outlines the challenges to implementation. It begins by introducing the current gaps we see in WPS practice, many of which are driven by insufficient data and lack of funding. The section that follows provides a brief discussion of the global diffusion of the WPS agenda. We highlight the important contribution the Global South has made in implementing the agenda in the absence of great power leadership and the stultified progress of the Global North. We argue that the WPS agenda remains hampered by poor national implementation, a lack of support for civil society initiatives and a failure to recognize the importance of its application in context. The final section introduces the articles in this issue, showing how they advance an emerging human security agenda: integrating WPS into UN-led security initiatives like R2...
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 2019
Third World Quarterly, 2017
UN Chronicle, 2017
No one will forget the scenes of women rallying in the streets and public squares of the Arab wor... more No one will forget the scenes of women rallying in the streets and public squares of the Arab world, demanding the overthrow of repressive regimes that had been in power for decades. Those scenes were an important signal that Arab society was changing for the better.
Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations
Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international rela... more Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international relations. In the peacekeeping environment, for what purposes should credibility be built and how can it be signaled? Despite being listed by the UN as a success factor in peace operations, our understanding of credibility in peacekeeping remains limited and focused on deterrence. This article argues that credibility in peace operations must be built for both deterrence and cooperation purposes. Drawing on the international relations, civil war, and peacekeeping literatures, it conceptualizes credibility in peacekeeping by identifying the purposes for which credibility must be built and signaled: deterrence and cooperativeness. It contends that while a peace operation’s ability to deter is limited, signaling cooperativeness - credibility in cooperation—enables a force to cultivate cooperation with national and subnational audiences. This helps to create a more predictable security environmen...
Global Governance, 2022
Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international rela... more Credibility has been used to explain theories of deterrence and cooperation in international relations. In the peacekeeping environment, for what purposes should credibility be built and how can it be signaled? Despite being listed by the UN as a success factor in peace operations, our understanding of credibility in peacekeeping remains limited and focused on deterrence. This article argues that credibility in peace operations must be built for both deterrence and cooperation purposes. Drawing on the international relations, civil war, and peacekeeping literatures, it conceptualizes credibility in peacekeeping by identifying the purposes for which credibility must be built and signaled: deterrence and cooperativeness. It contends that while a peace operation’s ability to deter is limited, signaling cooperativeness - credibility in cooperation—enables a force to cultivate cooperation with national and subnational audiences. This helps to create a more predictable security environment by enabling the force to function on a daily basis.
Journal of Deradicalization, 2022
In the process of shifting far-right ideas from the fringes to the centre of the political spectr... more In the process of shifting far-right ideas from the fringes to the centre of the political spectrum, the alt-right has infiltrated online spaces to mainstream extremist ideas. As part of this process, female alt-right influencers have emerged within various popular social media platforms and fringe outlets, seeking to build credibility for the movement with new audiences. Contrary to previous assumptions about women as harmless adherents of far-right ideology, alt-right women are emerging as “organic intellectuals”, influential in the formation of everyday beliefs and principles in congruence with the tenets of far-right ideology. Their narratives strategically weave far-right ideological discourses, such as the imminent crisis of white identity, with topical matters on lifestyle and well-being. This article examines the rhetoric of online influencers as they shape an ideological space which is contributing to the normalization or mainstreaming of far-right ideas. In doing so, it addresses two questions: How do alt-right female influencers narrate a far-right identity? How do they mainstream white supremacist ideas online? Drawing on new empirical material from a series of far-right podcasts, this article demonstrates that alt-right women strategically construct a “liberated” female identity rooted in femininity, traditionalism and gender complementarity, and problematize feminism and women’s emancipation as constitutive of the crisis facing the white race. It further identifies the presence of an elaborate cultural narrative around white victimhood which alt-right influencers use to mainstream their ideology. To counter the perpetuation of far-right ideas in society, women’s participation in shaping far-right ideology should not remain unaddressed. This article sheds some light on how a small but highly visible group of influencers are actively working to promote a dangerous far-right ideology.
Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troop... more Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troops to act as a buffer between Israel and Hizbullah. The challenges faced by UNIFIL troops on the ground can at times seem almost farcical. Wandering cows and goats are capable of putting forces on high alert, but this highlights the sensitivity to territorial violations felt by both parties to the conflict. On any given day, peacekeepers can be confronted with random rocket attacks from sub-state militias, violent civilian protests, IED attacks or a confrontation between militaries that has the potential to trigger a regional war. Managing both inter and intrastate issues makes UNIFIL a complex mission despite the fact that it was borne of an era when peacekeeping missions tended to be kept simple. How do we understand UNIFIL today in the context of the changes that have occurred in peacekeeping over the past twenty years?
European Journal of International Security, 2020
Twenty years after the passing of Resolution 1325, the participation of women as military personn... more Twenty years after the passing of Resolution 1325, the participation of women as military personnel in peacekeeping operations remains limited. Women currently comprise just under five per cent of military personnel in UN peacekeeping missions, and the UN consistently calls for more. We contend the low numbers of female military personnel in peacekeeping reflects a lack of gender mainstreaming in national militaries globally. This article introduces the problem of sidestreaming, the practice, deliberate or unintentional, of sidelining women and relegating them to specialised spaces in international peace and security while attempting gender mainstreaming or increased gender integration. Drawing on empirical evidence from national militaries we show how and where sidestreaming occurs with the result being that women remain clustered in gendered and low-status spaces in national militaries and in specialised spaces in peacekeeping operations. This has a negative effect on retention an...
This thesis uses an ethnographic approach to investigate the microprocesses of a peace operation ... more This thesis uses an ethnographic approach to investigate the microprocesses of a peace operation to understand whether peacekeepers on the ground can make a difference to their security environment. I examine the work of UNIFIL in South Lebanon since the implementation of Resolution 1701 in 2006 and describe the work of local actors in the UNIFIL mission and their engagement at three levels: the local, the national and the international. This thesis asked the following research questions: (1) How do peace operations influence their security environment? and; (2) What factors effect UNIFIL local engagement? This research has found that at the subnational or local level, UNIFIL is able to influence its security environment and thus contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. It does this by sustaining local connections that serve to alert the mission to small incidents that it prevents from developing into bigger conflicts. The area of operations has experienced...
Contemporary Politics, 2016
Rebuilding the local legitimacy of a national army after civil war is an important part of securi... more Rebuilding the local legitimacy of a national army after civil war is an important part of security sector reform (SSR) to help ensure the survival of the institution once the statebuilding bandwagon has moved on. The peacebuilding literature argues local ownership can provide international actors with local legitimacy. This article shows how an international actor can help to legitimise a local institution. Using new empirical material, this article examines the capacity-building work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with the Lebanese Armed Forces, and opens up the ‘black box’ of the micro-processes of SSR. First, it shows how an international actor can build the local legitimacy of a national army over time to build local knowledge and develop strong relationships with key stakeholders at national and civilian levels. Second, it explicates the political tensions that impact local and international agency and create hybrid solutions on the ground. Finally it argues that a successful hybrid solution in peacebuilding is possible when the normative values of the SSR project are accepted by key stakeholders and the local population. The article argues that UNIFIL’s SSR is assisted by the factors of time, flexibility, and pragmatism.
International Peacekeeping, 2015
This article uses the case study of UNIFIL in South Lebanon to provide fresh empirical evidence o... more This article uses the case study of UNIFIL in South Lebanon to provide fresh empirical evidence on how peace operations influence their security environment. This article discusses the micro processes of peace operations to show how peace and stability can be maintained though small incremental measures employed consistently over time. Threats to stability are controlled by the actions of both military and civilian actors within a peacekeeping mission: Peacekeepers and Political Affairs Officers. Response mechanisms used by peacekeepers include: a visible security presence; responding to violations; reporting; and collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces. Preventative measures used by Political Affairs Officers include, liaison with the military, monthly tripartite meetings and the generation of micro-security arrangements. This article argues two factors facilitate the effectiveness of these mechanisms: good coordination between civilian actors and military actors in a peacekeeping mission and the use of a technocratic approach to resolving disputes on the ground.
Global Studies Quarterly, 2021
los artículos en este problema y demuestra de qué manera promueven una agenda emergente sobre la ... more los artículos en este problema y demuestra de qué manera promueven una agenda emergente sobre la seguridad humana: integrando la WPS en las iniciativas de seguridad dirigidas por la ONU, como la responsabilidad de proteger (Responsibility to protect, R2P), y los desafíos de la implementación de la agenda sobre WPS en diversos contextos locales y nacionales. Concluimos sosteniendo que, para afrontar futuros retos, la agenda sobre WPS debe ampliarse para incluir áreas que no pertenecen a las concepciones tradicionales de la seguridad y adoptar toda la jurisdicción de las amenazas a la seguridad en evolución, particularmente los obstáculos estructurales que evitan el empoderamiento de las mujeres de manera global.
Griffith Asia Quarterly, Nov 8, 2013
The Sunni-Shi’a sectarian split has in recent years been accused of being the primary cause of th... more The Sunni-Shi’a sectarian split has in recent years been accused of being the primary cause of the on-going violence in the Middle East. Here I describe the complex relationship this schism has with politics in the region. I explore this phenomenon at three different levels of analysis: the local, regional and international. I argue that in terms of motivating political actors, religion and politics form a hierarchy of importance. At the local level religion has the strongest effect, and is where we see the greatest level of violence. At the regional level I show that politics and religion appear to be of commensurate import. At the international level of Great Power politics religion plays the weakest role in motivating actors, however owing to what I term the ‘Sectarian Lifecycle’, international affairs still acquire a religious significance. This is due to high media consumption in the Middle East that means international affairs directly touch local affairs in real time and as such have the potential to trigger violence. I also show that at all levels the Sunni-Shi’a divide generates a tension between the short-term and long-terms goals of political actors. Finally this article argues that US-Iranian engagement would make it possible to dampen down the sectarian fire in this conflict without recourse to war.
Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troop... more Since 2006, the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stationed up to 15,000 troops1
to act as a buffer between Israel and Hizbullah. The
challenges faced by UNIFIL troops on the ground can
at times seem almost farcical. Wandering cows and
goats are capable of putting forces on high alert, but
this highlights the sensitivity to territorial violations
felt by both parties to the conflict. On any given day,
peacekeepers can be confronted with random rocket
attacks from sub-state militias,2 violent civilian
protests, IED attacks or a confrontation between
militaries that has the potential to trigger a regional
war. Managing both inter and intrastate issues makes
UNIFIL a complex mission despite the fact that it was
borne of an era when peacekeeping missions tended
to be kept simple. How do we understand UNIFIL today
in the context of the changes that have occurred in
peacekeeping over the past twenty years?
Social Science Korea Human Rights Forum, Jun 6, 2014
Global Responsibility to Protect (GR2P)
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 62 (3) : 438-439, Sep 2008
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 61 (4) : 564-566, Dec 2007
Last week the US took aim at the the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) over the i... more Last week the US took aim at the the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) over the issue of Hizbullah’s weapons storage in the south of the country, in the UNIFIL area of operations. The US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley criticised the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Michael Beary saying 'General Beary says there are no Hezbollah weapons. That’s an embarrassing lack of understanding of what’s going on around him'.
It’s hard to know at times if Trump has any Middle East specialists on his speech writing team or... more It’s hard to know at times if Trump has any Middle East specialists on his speech writing team or whether he’s just fired them all. His comments after a recent meeting with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri, have become a source of mirth here in Lebanon after he stated: 'Lebanon is on the front lines in the fight against ISIS, al-Qaeda and Hezbollah'. The fact that Hizbullah currently dominates the Lebanese government surely must have made Hariri wince, even if imperceptibly. Equally troublesome at the local level in Lebanon was Trump’s conflation of Hizbullah with the violent extremism of ISIS and Al-Qaeda....
The Lebanese civil war was, at heart, a battle over contested conceptions of the Lebanese state. ... more The Lebanese civil war was, at heart, a battle over contested conceptions of the Lebanese state. Was it to be secular and West-aligned, or closer to the (predominantly Muslim) Arab world?
Last month a suicide bomber was stopped in his tracks in a cafe in the heart of West Beirut in a ... more Last month a suicide bomber was stopped in his tracks in a cafe in the heart of West Beirut in a scene worthy of a Hollywood action thriller. The man from the city of Sidon in South Lebanon was thrown to the ground in the busy Costa Coffee café in Hamra by the Lebanese Armed Forces, who then prevented him from detonating eight kilograms of shrapnel-laden explosives. He's believed to have been acting on an Islamic State request for increased terror attacks on civilians in Lebanon to help spread confusion and distrust between the religious sects and increase Lebanon’s overall vulnerability to religious extremism.
The situation of the Syrian refugees is steadily deteriorating. A joint report on the vulnerabil... more The situation of the Syrian refugees is steadily deteriorating. A joint report on the vulnerability of Syrian refugees in Lebanon issued on 16 December by the WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR is clear on this. Key areas of risk are in the areas of schooling, food and job security, personal safety and inadequate nutrition for children.
Following civil war, re-establishing the legitimacy of a state’s army is a crucial part of securi... more Following civil war, re-establishing the legitimacy of a state’s army is a crucial part of security sector reform and international actors can aid this process. The capacity-building work of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon provides a useful example of this.
Lebanon has a great deal to be concerned with: the absence of a president, the most concentrated ... more Lebanon has a great deal to be concerned with: the absence of a president, the most concentrated refugee influx per capita in the world, a poor economic outlook, latent terror threats and failing infrastructure. And whilst perhaps it has perhaps become a cliché, the fact is many of the problems affecting the country remain connected to its former civil war and to its neighbours, Israel, Syria and Palestine.
Incredible though it may seem, after the events in Turkey this weekend Lebanon is looking like on... more Incredible though it may seem, after the events in Turkey this weekend Lebanon is looking like one of the most stable states in the Middle East, despite not having a president or a fully-functioning government.
On 7 April, the Lebanese internal security forces intercepted a kidnap attempt by British child r... more On 7 April, the Lebanese internal security forces intercepted a kidnap attempt by British child recovery agents on a Beirut street. The agents were acting on behalf of an Australian woman, Sally Faulkner, to recover two of her children, Noah (4) and Lahela (6), whom she claims were taken by her ex-husband last year and retained without her permission in Lebanon.
And so the painfully slow process of agreeing on a new president for Lebanon continues. A breakt... more And so the painfully slow process of agreeing on a new president for Lebanon continues. A breakthrough — of sorts — was reported last month when candidate Samir Geagea announced he was pulling out of the race and would endorse his rival, Michel Aoun, potentially arresting Christian indecision over which candidate to support. However in November last year, Sa’ad Hariri, Geagea’s longstanding ally in the Sunni-Christian political alliance — the March 14th bloc — announced he was nominating alternative Christian candidate Suleiman Franjieh. This has triggered another stand-off and there remain two candidates to choose from: Aoun or Franjieh.
Lowy Interpreter www.lowyinterpreter.org, Mar 17, 2015
Lowy Interpreter www.lowyinterpreter.org, Mar 6, 2015
Lowy Interpreter www.lowyinterpreter.org, Feb 20, 2015
Lowy Interpreter www.lowyinterpreter.org, Feb 9, 2015
OsservatorioIraq, Dec 2, 2013