2017 was full of this conflict and that and 2018 is not looking to be much better……will not be a peaceful year…….

It’s not all about Donald Trump.

That’s a statement more easily written than believed, given the U.S. president’s erratic comportment on the world stage — his tweets and taunts, his cavalier disregard of international accords, his readiness to undercut his own diplomats, his odd choice of foes, and his even odder choice of friends. And yet, a more inward-looking United States and a greater international diffusion of power, increasingly militarized foreign policy, and shrinking space for multilateralism and diplomacy are features of the international order that predate the current occupant of the White House and look set to outlast him.

https://www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-conflicts-watch-2018

I will be watching the Middle East and North Africa closely this year…..ISIS may be defeated but the region is far from peaceful……

From the diplomatic shakeups in the Gulf to the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq, the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) witnessed dramatic shifts in 2017. As the year comes to a close, Brookings scholars have come together to share their expectations for what the year 2018 has in store. Below are their brief outlooks.

https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/the-middle-east-and-north-africa-in-2018-challenges-threats-and-opportunities/

One country to watch will be Turkey……it appears as if they are trying to re-establish the old Ottoman Empire……

For a number of years, the Turkish government has tried to strengthen relations with countries that were formerly part of the Ottoman Empire. It’s part of what GPF sees as Turkey’s re-emergence as a regional power. One of the regions in which it has tried to establish a growing presence is North Africa, where the Turkish president has spent much of this week on state visits. It’s important to remember, however, that Ankara still faces a number of barriers to restoring its past glory.

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/north-africa-signs-turkish-revival/

For international relations wonk like myself 2018 will be an interesting year that could set the tone for the next decade……..