UAE Withdraws from Yemen

by James M. Dorsey A United Arab Emirates decision to withdraw the bulk of its forces from Yemen shines a spotlight on hard realities underlying Middle Eastern geopolitics. The pullback suggests that the UAE is preparing for the possibility of… Continue Reading  

Why Is American Aggression Missing in Action?

by Tom Engelhardt Headlined “U.S. Seeks Other Ways to Stop Iran Shy of War,” the article was tucked away on page A9 of a recent New York Times. Still, it caught my attention. Here’s the first paragraph: “American intelligence and… Continue Reading  

Will Haftar’s External Supporters Change Course?

by Giorgio Cafiero On April 4, General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive on Tripoli, catching off guard the western militias loyal to the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). In the last three months, the violence… Continue Reading  

The Ethics of Regime Change

by Helena Cobban Two detailed accounts have appeared recently of cloak-and-dagger operations undertaken by Western intelligence agencies to effect the defection of high-level officials of governments targeted for regime change. In his new book, Assad or We Burn the Country:… Continue Reading  

Libya: Flashpoint in French-Italian Ties

by Giorgio Cafiero One of the important dynamics shaping Libya’s five-year-old civil war is France’s support for General Khalifa Haftar and his forces in the Libyan National Army (LNA). Although officials in Paris generally deny backing Haftar, or remain silent… Continue Reading