by Mark N. Katz Just as it does for the Bashar al-Assad regime and its internal opponents, Russia’s announced drawdown of forces from Syria raises uncertainties for regional powers with stakes in the ongoing conflict there. Some in Saudi Arabia… Continue Reading
by Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner In recent weeks, Lebanon has become a brighter flashpoint in the intensifying geopolitical rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Since the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and subsequently the League of Arab States, designated Hezbollah… Continue Reading
by David Isenberg The performance of private security contractors (PSCs) working for the U.S. government in war zones is a mixed bag. Sometimes the PSCs operate very well, but the accountability and oversight of them leave something to be desired. Sometimes… Continue Reading
by Jean-François Seznec and Samer Mosis Saudi Arabia and the other OPEC members have made it abundantly clear that their priority is to aggressively defend market share, not stabilize global crude prices. Consequently, prices are low at the pump and… Continue Reading
by Robert Olson On March 15, Duran Kalkan, one of the main leaders of the PKK, stated that March would be a Kurdish Spring, at least for the Kurds in Turkey. Kalkan announced that the PKK would extend its war… Continue Reading