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Syrian Kurds say US presence important to regional stability

Thirteen years after the start of Syria’s conflict, countless woes remain for millions of Syrians. For people in the Kurdish-majority northeast, one concern tops all else: whether neighboring Turkey will carry out another ground invasion that could put an end to their semiautonomous region, carved out in the wake of …

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ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in February 2024

ISIS carried out at least 33 confirmed attacks in February in the Homs, Hama, Raqqa, and Deir Ez Zor governorates. These attacks killed at least 35 pro-Assad regime soldiers and 25 civilians and wounded at least 33 more soldiers and civilians. There were also eight high quality* attacks during the …

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A Détente Option for Iran

America Needs a Simpler Policy—but Not Rapprochement On April 1, Israeli warplanes attacked a building in Damascus that is part of the Iranian embassy there, killing seven senior figures in the Iranian military. Tehran has yet to respond. But when it does, the scale and nature of its actions will …

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Iran Is Winning the War

Right now things look good for Israel. But the Islamic Republic is playing the long game. And its advantages, alas, are many. Is there an ending to the Gaza war and all its complementary confrontations in which Iran and its proxies lose and Israel and the United States win? On …

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Insecurity Erodes Chances of Civilian Rule in Niger and Mali

Some experts have expressed fears that with the increasing violence in the Sahel, due to the multiplicity of armed groups, it’s hard to see how a political transition could actually take place. “All parties now acknowledge that the challenges in the region are even higher than expected,” says Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, …

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ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in March 2024

ISIS carried out at least 69 confirmed attacks in March in the Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Raqqa, and Deir Ez Zor governorates. These attacks killed at least 84 pro-Assad regime soldiers and 44 civilians and wounded at least 51 more soldiers and civilians. There were also 19 high quality* attacks during …

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Iran’s Grand Plan: Bring Down The Jordanian Regime, Attack Israel From The East, And Thwart The Western-Sunni Normalization Project – And This Could Begin This Friday, Iran’s Qods Day

Introduction In recent days, the grand Iranian plan is emerging – the plan with which the Islamic revolutionary regime is continuing despite the killing, in Israeli air strikes, the senior command of its IRGC Qods Force in Syria and Lebanon. The upcoming stage of this plan involves bringing down the …

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Grand strategy: ‘shield of the republic’

Key points Grand strategy is a state’s theory about how to provide for its own security. Leaders must decide how to best translate scarce means into political objectives. Limited resources and the high stakes of national survival force leaders to prioritize.Military power is dependent on wealth, industry, geographical endowments, population …

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A Crack in Putin’s Armor

On Friday, March 22, gunmen toting assault rifles stormed Crocus City Hall, west of Moscow in the Krasnogorsk district, shot the guards and, as graphic videos show, opened fire on the concert audience without restraint. More than 6,000 tickets had been sold for the performance by the famed Russian rock …

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Ukraine is at great risk of its front lines collapsing

According to high-ranking Ukrainian officers, the military picture is grim and Russian generals could find success wherever they decide to focus their upcoming offensive. KYIV — Wayward entrepreneur Elon Musk’s latest pronouncements regarding the war in Ukraine set teeth on edge, as he warned that even though Moscow has “no …

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