Abstract
Abstract
Iran’s regional strategy has been a matter of controversy over the past decades. The country has sought to establish itself as a key cultural, political and economic player that links the Middle East and Asia. Iran’s strategy in the region underwent changes due to the regional trends that have often been triggered by external powers’ military intervention, as well as the administrative changes in Tehran. The latest Iranian presidential election has opened a new door for the country’s foreign policy strategies.
After the fall of the Gaddafi regime there was - allegedly - a great opportunity to make Libya a role model for other states in the region. For various reasons this opportunity is gone. There are several indications that Libya is on the way to a lengthy civil war. Some kind of Lebanonization could be the destiny of the country.
As probably everybody is aware an unstable Libya could have a significant negative impact to the region and also to our own countries.
13 years after the tragic events of 9/11, al-Qa‘ida can count on as many regional nodes as never before as well as on a still significant influence over the wider jihadi galaxy, thus showing the strenght of its message and of its modus operandi.
However, the past few years were marked by the surge of a number of factions that, while sharing several features with the group founded by Osama bin Laden, developed new and often competing political views. Such new actors pose a threat to al-Qa‘ida’s supremacy over the whole jihadi community.
In this context, the e-book "New (and old) patterns of jihadism: al-Qa'ida, the Islamic State and beyond" will adrees the following questions: how did the Islamic State emerge in Iraq and Syria? How serious is the challenge it poses to the international community and to al-Qa‘ida? What impact is to be expected on the Tunisian and Libyan Ansar al-Shariah branches operating throughout North Africa and beyond? Can Sinai become the next frontier of jihadism, and how is it affected by instability in Libya and Palestine? Who are the European jihadists fighting in Syria and Iraq? How do security agencies perceive the threat of transnational extremist networks, and which strategies do they implement to face them?
Today, Wednesday 25 June, Libyans go to the polls for the second time since Gaddafi’s fall in 2011. The atmosphere surrounding the polls is not one of enthusiasm and participation. Libya is slowly but steadily slipping into a period of protracted violence, if not a full blown civil war. Elections were seen by many as a panacea but they may turn out to be a missed opportunity if no meaningful reconciliation is started and if a low turnout affects legitimacy.
In late last May the Pope paid a visit to the Palestinian Authority and Israel. He also invited both presidents, Mahmud Abbas and Shimon Peres, to pray together in Rome, which they did on June the 8th. It all went well. The Pope is a great person, full of charm and good intentions. Abbas and Peres represent the best of their respective peoples. They both radiate openness and rationality. For the Palestinians the visit was significant as another voice of global importance calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
A series of lectures held by international guests and addressed to experts and academics, dealing with a variety of issues concerning the evolution of regional and global scenarios.
The event has been held in Rome, Centro Studi Americani (Via Michelangelo Caetani, 32).
Addressed to academics, researchers, journalists, students and doctoral candidates.
For any further information please contact:
Dr. Carolina de Stefano
phone: +39 02 86 33 13 228