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Articles by Will McEniry
Tough Talk and Sanctions Hide Declining US Interest in the Middle East - Australian Institute of International Affairs
Donald Trump has substituted Republican talking points for a rational foreign policy. His ability to do so points to a larger truth: the Middle East just doesn’t matter to America as much as it used to.
Colombia's Peace Put to the Test - Australian Institute of International Affairs
The recent announcement by the former commander the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Ivan Marquez, could reignitean insurgency in Colombia and impede the ability to achieve peace. The Peace Agreement Negotiations started in 2012 in Cuba, with the signing a peace accord in 2016. This opened tangible possibility of ending a long story of violence, killing and suffering.
How the Iranian Revolution Has Survived 40 Years - AIIA
Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has weathered a devastating eight-year war with Iraq, international sanctions, domestic power struggles and many other challenges. How has it survived four decades? Professor Amin Saikal gave a presentation “Iran: The Islamic Regime’s Resilience under Pressure” at the AIIA ACT on 17 April. Three key variables account for the Islamic regime’s survival since 1979.
ISIS Foreign Fighters and the International Criminal Court - AIIA
There is potential for ISIS foreign fighters captured in Syria to be tried by the International Criminal Court. If this proves possible, it could open up a pathway for it to exercise its jurisdiction in the broader context of the Syrian conflict. Twenty years ago, a treaty established the International Criminal Court (ICC) with a mandate to end impunity for perpetrators of war crimes and prevent such atrocities.
Justifying Iran's Missile Program - AIIA
Iran’s missile program has received worldwide condemnation. But for a cash-strapped state with outdated military hardware, developing an advanced missile capability is an effective and cost-efficient way to guarantee its security in a hostile region. If you have been following Iran in the news, you have probably heard much about its missile program. Alongside the coverage of its disputed nuclear ambitions, there is also much reporting on its ballistic and, more recently, cruise missile testing.
The Betrayal of Israel’s Historic Promise - The Betrayal of Israel’s Historic Promise - AIIA
Israel’s recent policies threaten to undermine the very values upon which it was founded. Over the past three decades I wrote more than two hundred articles about Israel, envisioning it to be a democratic state, independent and free, a champion of human rights, a force of unity for world Jewry, united in its citizenry, admired by its friends, envied by its detractors, and above all at peace with the Arab states and especially with the Palestinians.
EU-Australia Free Trade Talks: Services Essential - AIIA
Although agricultural trade has dominated the headlines, the EU – Australia Free Trade Agreement has far greater implications for the service sectors. Why services? The EU is by far the biggest global exporter of trade in services with US$1009 billion worth of exports in 2017, representing more than 25 per cent of global exports. Including intra-EU trade, EU countries exported US$1.9 trillion of services in 2017, representing more than 37 per cent of all world exports.
An Ambitious Approach to the Australia-EU Free Trade Negotiations - AIIA
With international trade tensions increasing, it is more important than ever to hasten efforts to achieve an Australia-EU free trade agreement. Australia may not be the EU’s largest trade partner but make no mistake: the achievement of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia and the EU will send a powerful signal internationally about our combined commitment to cooperative approaches and rules-based international trade.
International Broadcasting: Setting the Agenda - Australian Institute of International Affairs
The Prime Minister’s announcement of $3bn for infrastructure investment in the Pacific was a missed opportunity to enhance Australia’s soft power through international broadcasting. Today in Townsville, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a “step up” for Australia in the Pacific, including an Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility, a greater role for the Australian Defence Force and an expansion of Australia’s diplomatic posts.
A Convenient Murder: The Khashoggi Affair in Saudi-Turkish-US Relations - AIIA
Jamal Khashoggi’s murder has shifted US focus away from Ankara’s poor treatment of journalists and allowed Turkey to take the offensive to an embattled Saudi regime. The murder of Saudi activist and journalist Jamal Khashoggi is no longer in doubt. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly made a statement referring to his ‘heinous death’. The problem is that the ‘heinous’ crime appears to have taken place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.
Full Steam Ahead with ‘Davos in the Desert’ Despite Khashoggi’s Death - AIIA
While Jamal Khashoggi’s death tarnished the Crown Prince’s reputation, Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative went ahead. Since his disappearance on 2 October in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Jamal Khashoggi’s alleged murder at the hands of Saudi agents has dominated the media and international diplomacy.
A Defence of Christianity in Troubled Times - AIIA
It is no exaggeration to say that Christianity is in nearly existential crisis in the West. It is perverse that the West is trending atheist as the rest of the world is trending religious. Australia is about to become, if it has not already become, a majority atheist nation. This is something unprecedented in all the long Aboriginal and European and modern multicultural history of our land. It is worth pausing to remark.
From Vogue to civil war: the rise and fall of Asma al-Assad - AIIA
The public image of the first lady has been important to the Syrian government before and during the war. Who really is Asma al-Assad? In March 2011 Vogue magazine published an article ‘A Rose in the Desert’ that honoured the chic style of Syrian First Lady Asma al-Assad. Not long after the publication of the article, a brutal and seemingly never-ending war broke out in Syria in which President Bashar al-Assad and his opponents have committed numerous atrocities against innocent civilians.
The Archaeological Impact of the Syrian Conflict - AIIA
Conflict has caused great damage to Syria’s ruins and monuments. While reconstruction is an enormous project, it would create employment opportunities for deprived Syrians. The Syrian conflict has caused great damage to Syria’s ruins and monuments of historical interest, including in Palmyra and Aleppo. While it is feasible to reconstruct sites through detailed plans, there are challenges in initiating this process.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous? Australia in Chinese Eyes - AIIA
Chinese people once regarded Australia as a friendly, safe, stable country with a beautiful natural environment and reliable system of law and government. Now, Australia-China relations have surely never been more critical. Once upon a time, Chinese people regarded Australia as a friendly, safe, stable country with a beautiful natural environment and reliable system of law and government. No longer.
Hodeida: The Beginning of the End of the War in Yemen? - AIIA
The battle for the port of Hodeida is pivotal for the ongoing conflict in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. The battle for the control of the Yemeni port of Hodeida has begun with mercenaries funded by the United Arab Emirates launching a major offensive, Operation Golden Victory, against the Red Sea port.
The Politics of Aviation - AIIA
Aviation is being transformed into a new form of soft power. While we might like to think that aviation soars above it all, recent examples show how aviation can be politicised. Aviation has been integral to globalisation. It has increased the speed at which trade, travel, and diplomacy occur.
The UAE's Geostrategic Plans in Yemen and the Gulf of Aden - AIIA
While on the surface the United Arab Emirates is a well-behaved “little brother” to Saudi Arabia, its recent actions in the south of Yemen, the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden show that the UAE is slowly but surely positioning itself to become a formidable regional power independent of the Arab regional hegemon. On April 30 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) deployed troops to the Yemen-controlled island of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden without approval from the Yemen government or Saudi Arabia.
The State of Religion in Politics - AIIA
The separation of church and state isn’t the same as separating religion from politics. Countries that have enshrined secularism have found themselves discussing religious architecture, law and clothing. What is the common thread between two Indonesians whipped for gambling, a young man sentenced to jail for planning a terrorist attack in Sydney, and an attack on refugees in Sweden.
Iran's Hijab Protests: The Girls on Revolution Street - AIIA
The ‘Girl on Enghelab Street’, silently waving her hijab above her unveiled head in Tehran, has prompted a new round of protest against Iran’s modesty laws. Is there the momentum for change? The end of 2017 and the start of 2018 saw a wave of anti-government protests in major cities and towns throughout Iran. Together, they became the largest protest in the country since the Green Movement during the disputed 2009 presidential elections.
Gulf Crisis Update: Escalating Tensions - AIIA
The Gulf Crisis has revealed the exceedingly complex nature of relations in domestic, regional and international arenas. Continued disputes have called into question the relevance of the Saudi troika. Since June 2017, the Gulf region has been embroiled in a bitter dispute between Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council-3 (GCC-3), comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
Is Bashar al-Assad the Future for Syria? - AIIA
Government forces appear to be close to a military victory in Syria after almost seven years of chaos and anarchy. But after a relentless and brutal war, has the optimism of its Arab Spring been forgotten? The seven-year Syrian conflict appears to now be in its final stages. According to ex-US Ambassador Robert Ford, who served in Syria for the years leading up to the 2011 crisis.
Syrian Civil War: A New Russia-US Solution? - AIIA
Even with Islamic State defeated on the ground in Syria and the battlelines of the long-running civil war the subject of UN peace negotiations, the country remains torn by conflict. Could a recent Russia-US joint declaration be the beginning of the end?
Contempt of Court: Reviving the Reputation of the ICC - AIIA
The International Criminal Court was conceived as a bulwark of fairness, justice and the rule of law against those charged with the gravest crimes against humanity. In 2017, however, the court’s future seems increasingly under threat. Despite the almost universal approval of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) mission in principle, participation in the court has always been spotty at best. Recently, even existing member states have been questioning its legitimacy.
You're either With us or Against us: Politics in Saudi Arabia - AIIA
Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 200 people in a supposed crackdown on corruption. However, many suspect a more insidious motive that puts Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman at the centre of an authoritarian purge. The detaining of dozens of royals, government officials and military officers initiated by the Saudi palace last week, as part of a state-claimed ‘anti-corruption probe’, is the latest in a wider trend of power consolidation around the upper echelons of the monarchy.
Arresting Reform: Saudi Arabia’s New Moderation and One Family's Survival - AIIA
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman had members of the royal family and top government officials arrested this week in his crusade to reform the country. But there is more going on behind the royal curtain and it’s not necessarily for the good of the people. In late October, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared that Saudi Arabia would return to a moderate Islam in the hopes of attracting further outside investment and even foreign tourism.
100 Years Since the Balfour Declaration: Birth of an "Irrepressible Conflict" - AIIA
From humble beginnings, the Balfour Declaration has sparked one of the longest unresolved international disputes in history. At its 100-year anniversary, the Arab-Israeli troubles look no closer to ending.
Succession Uncertainty in Oman Threatens the Switzerland of the Middle East
In the increasingly unstable Middle East, the one country that has maintained its neutrality has been Oman. But new uncertainty about the sultanate’s leadership succession means there is a risk it may not remain the valuable backchannel negotiator the West has relied upon. While several Arab states of the Persian Gulf are embroiled in a diplomatic quarrel against Qatar, there is one Gulf state that many commentators overlook.
Change or Continuity? Rouhani’s Second Term
The re-election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani means the country will continue to benefit from relaxed sanctions. However, further social liberalisation will be limited and Iranian foreign policy will be largely unchanged. Many believe Hassan Rouhani’s win in Iran’s presidential election on 19 May represents a clear rejection of the ideological establishment, and a desire to see Iran engage further with the international community and reform its domestic politics and society.
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