An Unending U.S. War in Syria

by Paul R. Pillar Amid a week of attention-grabbing drama about the dysfunction of Donald Trump’s presidency, it almost escaped notice that his administration is putting U.S. troops in harm’s way in a foreign war for a new purpose—a purpose… Continue Reading

The Battle for Idlib: A Potential Catch-22 for China

by James M. Dorsey An impending Russian-backed Syrian assault on Idlib, the war-wracked country’s last rebel stronghold, risks putting Uyghurs in the spotlight at a time that the Muslim world has remained silent amid mounting media and academic attention on… Continue Reading

Competition in the Eastern Mediterranean: Is Trump Missing the Point?

by James M. Dorsey A Trump administration decision to sanction two key Turkish officials in retaliation for the continued detention of an American cleric coupled with unqualified support for Israel and the adoption of a backseat in Syria threatens to further undermine… Continue Reading

Idlib Further Complicates Turkish-Russian Relationship

by Giorgio Cafiero and Theodore Karasik On July 26, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in South Africa on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The two met against the backdrop of growing Turkish concerns… Continue Reading