by David Keen and Larry Attree The Syrian war is entering new phase. The Islamic State (ISIS or IS) has been pushed out of Raqqa amid disturbing scenes of carnage and destruction. An unrepentant Bashar al-Assad regime, with the help… Continue Reading
by Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky The Syrian ceasefire that began on December 29 is the latest diplomatic coup for Russian President Vladimir Putin. It remains to be seen whether this initiative, which builds on the momentum of earlier talks… Continue Reading
By Francois Nicoullaud For the time being, the Islamic Republic of Iran revels in the fulfilment of the “divine promise” embodied by its victory in Aleppo. The Pasdaran, or Guardians of the Revolution, have given their all for five long… Continue Reading
by Mark N. Katz Some initially expected that the shocking assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey by an off-duty Turkish policeman would have soured Russian-Turkish relations. If anything, though, this episode appears to be drawing Moscow and Ankara even… Continue Reading
by Paul R. Pillar Among large-scale tragedies involving human suffering and the many examples of man’s inhumanity toward man, only a few capture our imaginations and sway our collective emotions. The question of which specific episodes achieve this special salience… Continue Reading