New threats from al-Qaeda
The events of the last few weeks underline the global threat posed by al-Qaeda, which will probably now turn to targets in Europe. Spain should pay particular attention to this risk
Uncategorized
The Madrid Massacre: The Iraq Connection
The March 11 terrorist bomb attacks seem to have had two objectives: the general one of striking at the heart of Europe and the much more specific one of forcing a Spanish withdrawal from Iraq. This analysis explores the possibility of a connection between March 11 and the situation in Iraq
Benchmarks for Maximizing Spain’s Power Potential in the EU: The Implications of Assigning Voting Power Based on Real Population Size
This analysis provides an assessment of the optimal voting threshold for Spain in the likely event that the Nice treaty is abandoned for a system in which voting power in the European Union is decided by real population size.
Securitizing Migration after 11 March
This analysis draws on the recent experience of the United States to address perceived immigration risks since 9/11, and weighs the prospect of adopting similar approaches in Spain and the European Union following the 11 March terrorist attacks in Madrid
Possible consequences of the terrorist attacks in Madrid
These are a series of considerations on the consequences of the attacks of 11 March, with some suggestions that may help stem the most negative effects
Terrorism in Morocco: a security concern for Spain
The terrorist attacks last May 16 in Casablanca force Spain to pay a greater attention to the state of Morocco’s internal affairs. Eventual instability in Morocco would affect Spain, given the importance of Spanish interests there, of their common sea and land borders and of the nature of the recurrent problems between the two countries.
The Brazilian economy in Lula’s first year (Part II): the search for stability and the challenge of international insertion
In the first part of this piece of research we analysed the performance of the Brazilian economy in 2003 and the key role assigned to fiscal policy in winning back the confidence of the financial markets and stabilising prices.
The “silver bullet” option: anti-leadership strategies in the fight against terrorist organisations
States threatened by terrorism, from the US to Russia and from Israel to Colombia, have pinned a large part of their hopes of ending violence on the use of surgical attacks on the leaders of the armed groups they confront. The trust placed in such anti-leadership actions, however, may be based more on political need than on solid strategic analysis
The Berlin summit, the leadership of the ‘Big Three’ and the future of the European Union
The summit on 18 February 2004 that brought together French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair sparked a lively debate on the leadership sought by the ‘Big Three’ in the European Union, that will comprise 25 member States as from 1 May next.
The difficult rapprochement between Spain and Equatorial Guinea
Various attempts have been made to improve the strained nature of the relationship between Spain and Equatorial Guinea. The strange incident involving the departure and sudden return of the naval vessels Patiño and Canarias demonstrates the difficulty of rebuilding relations between the two countries even at times when their interests appear to converge
Investment delocalization: challenges and opportunities
The diversion of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Spain to the new EU members through the growing practice of ‘delocalizing’ production units calls for new and innovative public policies to enable Spain to attract foreign investment in higher value-added sectors.
Confronting the Population Gravity Shift: Changes in the World Order?
This analysis focuses on the potential shift in power relations as a result of the world’s changing demographic landscape, and how this is likely to influence the European outlook on the future