Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The Cipher Brief on January 8, 2017
Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th president, subscribed to the philosophy, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” a line attributed to Sun Tzu, the famous sixth-century Chinese military strategist. Mr. Lincoln was also noted for saying, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” Donald Trump, soon to be America’s 45th […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking on November 28, 2016
A Major Transnational Crime Many of us have followed the tragedy of Syria and the attendant heartbreak of streams of Syrian refugees pouring into Europe. The Syrian civil war has produced nearly five million refugees and even more internally displaced (IDPs). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates another nine or so million refugees, […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on December 26, 2016
The UN Security Council resolution is just one more fruitless international effort to address a conflict that refuses to end. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote on December 23 is a fitting end to the Obama administration and, of a different sort, to the term of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The vote—on a resolution […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The Cipher Brief on November 5, 2016
Throughout American electoral history, the Al Saud family, particularly the kings, has refrained from commenting on U.S. presidential candidates. But in their ubiquitous majlises – both formal and informal gatherings held up and down the Kingdom’s social ladder where men and women (separately, of course) gather to discuss just about everything – there must be […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Oil & Gas 360 on August 17, 2016
Saudi Arabia and its neighbors in the Persian Gulf play an indisputably important role in global oil and gas markets. Much of the news that comes out about the region fails to capture the nuances that exist between the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, however. Speaking Wednesday at EnerCom’s The Oil & Gas Conference 21, […]