by Joshua Landis The renewed US offensive against Iran is not so much about its nuclear capability or even its missile program; it is about Iran rollback and hobbling its economy. Ever since President Obama signed the Iran agreement, howls of disapproval… Continue Reading
by Joshua Landis The problem with letting the Turks hold Raqqa and presumably the entire Euphrates Valley that is now held by ISIS is that the Turks are endeavoring to hem in the Kurds. To do this, Turkey hopes to establish… Continue Reading
by Derek Davison Last week, open warfare broke out in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah between militia forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government and forces affiliated with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). Street-level clashes between the… Continue Reading
by John Feffer The classic image of the dictator clinging to power, resisting the world’s entreaties to resign, and fending off internal attempts at ouster is that of an old man, stubborn and long past caring what others think. He’s… Continue Reading
by Derek Davison Several recent events suggest that the tide in Syria’s four-year-long civil war may be decisively turning away from President Bashar al-Assad and toward a coalition of rebel forces. In late March, rebels succeeded in capturing the important… Continue Reading