In The News

Iranians Display Unity: Wall Street Journal

Aresu Eqbali and Sune Engel Rasmussen January 6, 2020
The US targeted killing of powerful commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad has united Iranians and their leaders call for retribution. Esmail Qaani vows to carry on Soleimani's work of orchestrating interventions and shadow wars throughout the Middle East, suggests, “The minimum retribution for us is to remove America from the region.” Iran also announced its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear...

Idlib Violence Spurs Refugees: Spiegel

Melanie Amann, Giorgos Christides, Steffen Lüdke, Peter Müller and Maximilian Popp January 6, 2020
Idlib, one of 14 governorates in Syria, has a population of about 3 million people, according to the United Nations. As a rebel stronghold during the Syrian civil war, Idlib is under siege from Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime, with residents desperate to flee to nearby Turkey. “The Idlib offensive could finally mark the end of the war in Syria -- but also the beginning of a new mass exodus,”...

US Kills Iranian Commander: Washington Post

Louisa Loveluck January 3, 2020
The United States used a drone to kill a group of Iranian commanders in Baghdad, including Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, a powerful and popular leader of the elite Qud Force. “After a week in which frictions between the two countries had sparked a siege of Baghdad's U.S. Embassy by supporters of an Iranian-backed militia, Thursday's airstrike appeared to be aimed at crippling a force that...

Public Misled on Afghan War: Washington Post

Craig Whitlock December 9, 2019
The war in Afghanistan has been underway since 2001, and confidential documents suggest that US officials hid evidence that the longest war in US history was unwinnable, reports Craig Whitlock for the Washington Post. Those documents entitled "Lessons Learned" were obtained after a three-year legal battle and include assessments from generals, diplomats, aid workers and Afghan officials...

US Allies, Trump and Syria: Atlantic

Uri Friedman November 15, 2019
The United States withdrew about 50 US Special Forces from Syria in October and “generated a wave of angst across the world about the United States unceremoniously dumping its allies and terminating the international system it has led for more than 70 years,” writes Uri Friedman for the Atlantic. The abrupt, chaotic withdrawal compounded a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of Kurds have died, more...

Trump Lifts Sanctions on Turkey: New York Times

Michael Crowley and Lara Jakes October 24, 2019
The price may be heavy for the US abandoning Kurdish allies and its role in stabilizing territory in northeast Syria – delegating security to Russia and Turkey. Turkey’s president advised the US president about its plans to invade northern Syria on Oct 6, and Trump ordered US troop withdrawal. Not waiting for the US troops to exit, Turkey made its move October 9, touting plans to create a buffer...

US, Turkey Reach “Ceasefire” on Syria: Vox

Jen Kirby October 18, 2019
After the US withdrew troops from Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria, Turkey moved in to take control. Supporters and opponents of the US president lashed out with criticism for abandoning Kurdish allies who fought the Islamic State. A week later the US hastily organized a ceasefire that gives Turkey control over northern Syria. The Kurdish people have five days to leave their homes. The ethnic...