This end of year review is part of a series from Backbench’s editorial team as they consider some of the themes that have dominated 2020. The views expressed in these reviews are those of the editors themselves and do not…
As the military conflict in Artsakh ends with Azerbaijani forces having the upper hand, the majority Armenian population must either flee or risk extermination. On Monday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a Russia-brokered deal with Azerbaijan to put a…
With the Middle East as flammable as ever, the war that nobody wants may be just around the corner. In his first electoral campaign, and during his time in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump has continually preached against increased…
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump declared victory against ISIL and announced the withdrawal of approximately 2000 American troops from Syria – a move that has attracted controversy at home and abroad. His fellow Republicans have labelled it a ‘huge’ mistake…
On September 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Erdogan met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran for a trilateral meeting on the future of the war in Syria. The three major military powers meet as the Syrian Arab…
On 12 May, parliamentary elections were held across Iraq to decide the next holders of the 329 seats in the Council of Representatives. As the sole legislative body, parliament is responsible for appointing the country’s president and, by extension, the…
In 2011, foreign powers intervened in the Libyan Civil War with one aim in mind: to oust the Gaddafi government. Once the deed was done, a transition government was installed and the newly liberated nation was abandoned, left to handle…
When Saudi Arabia launched a diplomatic crusade against Qatar last June, it was widely speculated that the crisis would reach a swift resolution, as was the case with a similar situation three years prior. However, 2014 saw a quieter conflict in which…
Threatened with a motion of no confidence, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma announced his resignation with immediate effect on the 14th of February. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa assumed the role of acting president and, the following day, was elected unopposed to succeed Zuma…