Research Briefing
Defence personnel statistics
This note provides information on the current and future strength of the UK Armed Forces
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Research Briefing
Possible military action against Islamic State: how relevant is the “Responsibility to Protect”?
The US has been conducting airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq since early August, and at the time of writing has just launched similar airstrikes on IS militants in Syria. Here in the UK, MPs have been recalled to Westminster to discuss whether the UK should itself launch airstrikes on IS militants in
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Research Briefing
Iraq, Syria and ISIS – recent developments
The advance of ISIS in Iraq and Syria seems to have been slowed, but Western and regional states are struggling to formulate a convincing response to it
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Research Briefing
NATO Wales Summit 2014: outcomes
The 2014 NATO Wales Summit discussed Russia, Ukraine, Iraq, defence spending amongst allies and the end of combat operations in Afghanistan.
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Research Briefing
EU Institutional Appointments in 2014
The EU has just appointed four new institutional leaders: the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This Note looks at the background to the four recent appointments.
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Research Briefing
International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill [Bill 14 of 2014-15]
The International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill 2014-15 would put the 0.7% aid target in legislation and would create a new body to carry out independent evaluation of aid spending.
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Research Briefing
Ukraine: towards a frozen conflict?
The conflict in Ukraine is in danger of becoming a "frozen conflict" with no clear peace agreement in sight.
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Research Briefing
France: Government reshuffle
Details of the recent Government reshuffle in France.
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Research Briefing
Extending Qualified Majority Voting in the European Union: does this mean the end of British sovereignty?
A report is doing the rounds via Twitter and various blogs (e.g. Inquiringminds and pjcjournal) about changes in the European Union in November 2014 that will mean the end of British sovereignty. They also claim that the Prime Minister’s promise to hold an in/out referendum by 2017 is spurious because it would be “illegal” under
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Research Briefing
Military and Humanitarian Assistance to Iraq
The substantial gains made by Islamic State fighters in the last few months, which has seen ISIL forces advance on the northern city of Irbil and forced thousands of people from religious minorities to flee their homes, has prompted the US, UK and other Western governments to take more concerted action in Iraq.
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Research Briefing
Gaza ceasefire agreement
A summary of the Gaza ceasefire agreement of August 26, which put an end to hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants.
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Research Briefing
UK arms transfers to the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan
After rapid advances by the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS or ISIL) towards Erbil, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdish Region, the UK government has indicated that it may send arms to the Peshmerga, the Kurdish Regional Government's security force.
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