War in Libya: A Rare Instance of U.S.-Russian Cooperation

by James M. Dorsey There is little that Russia and the United States agree on these days. Renegade Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar may be a rare exception. As Haftar’s mortars rained on the southern suburbs of the Libyan… Continue Reading

A Power Shift to the East: Iran and the SCO

by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi and Seyedrasoul Mousavi On June 8-9, the 18th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held in Qingdao, China. The SCO consists of eight full members (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, India, and… Continue Reading

Can Russia Succeed Where America Failed in the Middle East?

by Mark N. Katz At a recent Valdai Discussion Club conference in Moscow, the Russian participants were highly critical of U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East (as were many speakers from the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. itself).… Continue Reading

White House Syria Statement Raises Eyebrows

by Derek Davison The Trump administration may be gearing up for another military strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military. Late in the day on Monday, the White House released the following statement: The United States has identified potential preparations… Continue Reading

Why Does Moscow’s Perennial Quest for Recognition Go Nowhere?

by Igor Torbakov The rise of Donald Trump’s administration in the United States was supposed to be a boon for Russia. Instead, it has become a source of profound disappointment for the Kremlin. Russia’s expectation was that Trump’s remarkable electoral… Continue Reading