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 Paul R. Pillar Whenever Russian president Vladimir Putin makes a significant move, several common reactions are routinely heard in American discussion. One such reaction, as Mark Katz notes, is to remark on how clever Putin supposedly is. Another common… Continue Reading
by Mark N. Katz Putin shocked the world last September when he sent Russian forces to intervene in Syria. He shocked the world again this week when he announced that he was withdrawing the main part of those forces.
by Mark N. Katz On March 14, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov talked about how Russian-Iranian relations had reached a “new level,” and how Moscow has “been persistently developing friendly relations with Iran.” Moscow and Tehran have, as is well… Continue Reading
by Mark N. Katz Numerous reports indicate that Russia’s military intervention in Syria has succeeded in halting the loss of territory that the Bashar al-Assad regime had been experiencing in the months before it began. Moreover, it has enabled Damascus to… Continue Reading