Iran's missile development
Iran's active approach to rocket development was illustrated by the November 2008 test firing of a new missile, the Sajjil. A solid-fuel rocket with a range of 1,800 kilometres, the Sajjil suggests an advance in Iran's missile capabilities. However, significant progress would take years to come to fruition and would need to be demonstrated in many further tests.
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Combating piracy off Somalia
The high-profile seizure of ships such as the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star and Ukraine's weapons-laden Faina have focused attention on the escalating incidence of piracy off the Somali coast. Several multinational coalitions of warships have moved to patrol the affected waters. However, the area is huge and naval action is constrained. As long as Somalia remains a lawless state, a military presence can do no more than address the symptoms of the problem.
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The evolving terrorist threat
Recent terrorist trials in the United Kingdom have shed new light on the different types of terrorist threat faced by Western countries. In most cases, suspects were 'home-grown', in that they were radicalised in Britain and involved in British-based plots. However, a distinction has emerged between groups formed through direct, real-life contacts and groups developed principally via the Internet. Each category presents different challenges to the security services and police.
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India arms for the future
As India modernises its armed forces and shifts its strategic focus beyond its immediate neighbourhood, its major arms purchases are projected to triple over the next five years to more than $35 billion. At the same time, India has shown a new willingness to engage with Western suppliers – provided they are happy to commit to a long-term presence in its domestic defence sector.
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The Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute
The interruption of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and much of the European Union in January exposed the fact that little has been done to safeguard Europe’s gas supplies and reopened the question of possible alternative sources and transit routes. However, it will be harder than usual to finance new pipelines during the global economic crisis. For the time being, the EU may be better served by developing a gas strategy and exercising what influence it has as a major customer to properly engage Russia and Ukraine on the issue.
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