Jarabulus: Another Escalation in the War between Turkey and the Kurds

by Robert Olson On August 24, Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield, an attack on the Islamic State (IS) stronghold of Jarabulus, a small town located on the Turkish-Syrian. While Turkey has had troops on the Syrian side of the border… Continue Reading

Why Victory Over IS Won’t Solve the Real Problem Facing Iraq and Syria

by Derek Davison A recent spate of high-casualty Islamic State-linked attacks in France, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and (arguably) Orlando, Florida, has raised fears about the group’s ability to carry out international terrorist strikes while also obscuring its failures at… Continue Reading

Putting Out the Syrian Fire

by Jo Comerford and Mattea Kramer As war between President Bashar al-Assad and various rebel forces raged across Syria, as the Obama administration and the CIA armed rebel factions of their liking while continuing an air campaign against the militants… Continue Reading

Can Putin Save Syria? Can Anyone?

by Aurélie Daher The Russian intervention in Syria has triggered a wave of comments and critiques in the media on both sides of the Atlantic and all along the shores of the Mediterranean and the Gulf. Analysts freely speculate about… Continue Reading

Who Is Putin Really Protecting Assad From?

by Mark N. Katz In Ukraine, Moscow has openly declared that its motive for intervention and support for separatist forces has been to counter the West. In contrast, Russian officials have characterized their support for the Assad regime in Syria as… Continue Reading