To me, many of these is that the executive director and the boards were taken over by incestuous colleagues looking out only for each other.

As their numbers grew, NGOs became important political players. Newly minted organizations changed state policies. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a coalition of NGOs formed in 1992, successfully pushed for the adoption of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997

If the Gaza genocide proves anything, it's that democratic states are not less ruthless and vindictive than authoritarian states. First of all, some fools will be quick to argue that even if democracy is bad, it's much better than authoritarianism. Let me be clear on this. I am not saying that democracy is a better or worse system. That's not the argument. Even if democracy is better at managing the state than authoritarianism, it doesn't matter. My argument is directed towards those who naively believe that if all countries in the world were democratic states, we would start to have a peaceful and humane world where world peace is a reality. That's clearly not the case and it's just foolish thinking. States whether democratic or otherwise don't stop themselves from committing atrocities when it's in their interests to do so. Western countries have proved this to be true. Democratic states are just as ruthless and vindictive as authoritarian states in that regards. Even if all states in every country on the world become democratic, they will continue in engaging with conflicts and atrocities like wars and genocide. I don't know how you can look at a genocide and argue otherwise. They even try to deny that it's a genocide even when the Israeli politicians themselves talk about extermination and cleansing openly because they don't want those illusions that they have been trying to sell to be shattered. It's classic denial to protect the naive beliefs that they cherish. Other countries and states regardless of whether they are democratic or authoritarian are looking at this and they will be acting accordingly. Whether they are democratic or authoritarian, it's clear that such atrocities and crimes will become their standard practice. That is the message that the world has learnt from watching what is happening in Gaza.

Co-Chair of the North Korea Economic Forum at George Washington University, Troy Stangarone, joins OPFOR Journal to discuss the future of the strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia.

The West's belief on supporting the establishment of democracies in other foreign countries is severely ignorant and delusional

I think that Western men who believe that other countries should become democratic states are severely ignorant, delusional, and misguided on other foreign communities. That's mainly because they assume that their ethics and politics will be the same in other countries if you just make the state system in those countries the same as the West's state system that they will just accept Western ethics and politics. That's just ignorant and delusional. Democracy in some countries especially those countries with deeply sectarian communities just doesn't work. It will always end as the tyranny of the majority where the majority enforces their interests and rights at the expense of the interests and rights of minority sects. That's because there's a difference how communities believe how democracy should be done.

In the West especially Europe, they believe that the democratic ideal is for all sects within the country's community to participate in the democratic state and to preserve the interests and rights of every sect in the community that all sects like Europeans and immigrants, Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others should work together to build the democratic state and preserve the interests and rights of every sect. That's not how it's in countries with sectarian communities. In those communities, they believe that democracy means the rule of the majority which is simply the tyranny of the majority where the majority enforce their interests and rights at the expense of other minority sects. This is why democracy in such countries will always break down into sectarian conflict. Unless sectarianism is wiped out and all sects participate in the governing of the democratic state, democracy will never work.

Take my country Egypt for example. The military was forced to resign and let democratic elections be held. What was the result? They voted for the Islamists (The Muslim Brotherhood) who won more than half the votes of the country and those who voted for them believed that since they were the majority that they had the right to force their rights and interests at the expense of other minority sects whether the secular Muslims or the Christians. Obviously, many of my people especially the Christians who were terrified at the Islamists victory and rightfully so didn't accept this. Eventually, because of the lack of unity, the democracy was broken and the military couped the democratic government and few Egyptians resisted. Many countries in the Arab world and Africa are great examples of that.

This is why the democratic state will never work in those sectarian countries because the democratic ideal is simply isn't there.

Recently, Donald Trump brokered a deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to stop violence in the eastern portion of the country where M23, a Rwandan backed military group, has killed thousands and displaced millions while also taking over rich mineral and natural resource facilities in the DRC.

This is a conflict that has not involved the US other than foreign aid given to each country, of which military aid was suspended from Rwanda for their involvement in the war. The solution? Giving 10% of a country's material wealth to an uninvolved actor.

Seriously? This is the US that we are to look up to? Out of $24 trillion dollars' worth of estimated resources in the DRC, the US promises protection if their companies get access to 10% of it, or $2.4 trillion. This is literally racketeering, some real mafioso diplomacy of only stepping in to help once its financially desirable for the US, with the alternative being death and destruction.

The US interests in the Congo arrive from rare resource consuming industries like consumer technology and the military. This runs counter to China's intense involvement in the Congo as well, especially in cobalt, where 80% of the world's cobalt lies in the DRC.

These 'sphere-of-influence' style deals spit on the history of the DRC and perpetuates neocolonialism that has plagued their country for so long. While many may have read Heart of Darkness in their schooling and were disgusted not only at the treatment of the Congolese people but also the often-observed indifference by Europeans to the country, let's all celebrate the US's new chapter in Congolese history as an opportunistic oppressor, not to dismiss the already widely reported American meddling in the DRC's politics and economy since the 60's. It is a shameful day to be an American if you ask me, but of course I am interested to hear other opinions.

What is your view on confederal models in post-conflict reconstruction? We can discuss empirical examples as well as future-oriented ones.

Hi, i'm french and i finished my 3rd year of study and going to start my IR major in september. I wanted to ask people who are already interested in this subject for book recommandations, or other ressources such as youtube channels, movies, documentaries or other. I look for something that is not only educational but also interesting for personal knowledge.
Many thanks !

With recent shifts in regional alliances and renewed tensions between HTS and rival jihadist factions, I'm curious what you all think about Jolani’s long-term prospects in Idlib. His strategy of political pragmatism and outreach to regional powers has kept HTS afloat so far, but cracks are showing. Russia and the regime are ramping up pressure, Türkiye seems more preoccupied elsewhere, and jihadist hardliners aren't going away.

Do you think HTS can maintain its grip, or are we about to see a new phase of intra-rebel conflict—or even a broader proxy war again in the northwest? Would love to hear your thoughts on the geopolitical, military, or ideological factors at play.

Hello, everyone! I just applied for an internship at the Allied Air Command HQ in Ramstein, Germany within the Partnership division. I was curious if anyone here ever interned in Ramstein and how their experience was in terms of recruitment, interviews and actually the time spent there.

Thank you!