EDITORIAL

Claudiu-Nicolae Sonda
(Postgraduate student in the M.A. Program - the International and European Relations-in the Linkoping University, Sweden)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 4 April 2015

No discussion over the Black Sea region can be complete without referring to the energy field, more specifically oil and gas resources, pipelines, and transit routes. The energy sector is crucial not only in economic terms, but also for security. By security we mean energy security, defined as 'the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price'. Furthermore, we are talking about security in traditional terms, mainly the danger of inter-state conflict over the control /access to natural resources...Read more

Ioannis Mantzikos
(RIEAS Senior Analyst)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 29 March 2015)

Elections have always been high-stakes affairs in Nigeria but the build-up to the 2015 elections has been accompanied by unprecedented levels of tension and anxiety. Two closely matched parties—the People's Democratic Party (PDP) of President Goodluck Jonathan and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) led by General Muhammadu Buhari—appear confident of securing victory. The national elections in 2011 accelerated the general northern alienation from the Abuja government that feeds Boko Haram...Read more

Georgios Tsichritzis
(Postgraduate Student, Intelligence and Security Studies,Brunel University, UK)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication Date: 23 March 2015

This article examines in what degree, the conduct of intelligence by paramilitary groups resemble or differ from national intelligence. Paramilitary is a militarised force whose function, is similar to a professional military but is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces. Specifically, this essay will focus on terrorist intelligence. It will trace different terrorist groups, examining the basic rational and doctrine that precedes its operational actions. The article will prove that the level of sophistication and meticulously planning of operations of a lot of sub-state groups can be compared with this of their state counterparts. While some "hostile reconnaissance" is amateurish, and easily detected, a significant amount is professional and very difficult to detect. It seems that a lot of sub state actors have learned that in order for an operation to be successful, good intelligence plays a vital role. The article will analyse and explore the doctrine, intentions and organization of well-known terrorist and paramilitary groups: Al-Qaeda, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), (Irish Republican Army) IRA, and Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC)...Read more

Tassos Symeonides
(RIEAS Academic Advisor based in Seattle, USA)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas) Publication date on 14 March 2015

As these lines are drawn, the "negotiation" war between Greece and Europe's "central powers" led by Germany escalates by the minute. It is now obvious to all but the most unjustifiably optimistic that Greece is, most likely, en route to breaking her "eternal bonds" with the European club one way or another. Whether it will be by "Grexit" or some other "accident" remains to be seen....Read more

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 6 March 2015

The Security Jam Report was officially launched on March 4, 2015 at a debate with General Philip Breedlove, NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and Ambassador Alain Le Roy, incoming Secretary General of the European External Action Service. RIEAS has been coalition partner and Antonia Dimou's, Senior RIEAS Adviser, recommendations were included in the final report.

The report comes at a time of heightened tension including Russia's confrontation with the West over Ukraine and the new threat posed by the so-called Islamic State. European Union and NATO leaders must act urgently to set up a security organisation in the Middle East, create an EU consensus on immigration, asylum and human trafficking, and open up jobs for women in intelligence operations, according to the 2,300-strong Jam community. The experts also urged the creation of an international 'Cyberpol' agency... Read more

Dimitris Mouchlidis
(Director of Communication, Regnum Communication & Strategy based in Athens, Greece)

Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) – Publication date on 26 February 2015

The necessary compromise so that Greece remains in the euro area was completed with the agreement on reforms submitted by the Greek Government a few days ago. Auspiciously the country closes five years in a program. All these years, society, public opinion, political parties and the political system in general have not been able to put up with the idea of the Memorandum. In other words, all this time the country is in a state of denial...Read more