The fall of Ramadi and Palmyra to the Islamic State (ISIL) has rekindled the debate in Washington over the viability of the Obama Administration’s strategy for defeating ISIL.  What was already a behind-closed-doors criticism has mushroomed into a very public debate, following Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s May 24 …

Both Iran and Turkey are racing to increase their gains in Iraq while the Arab Sunni states are trying to strengthen their ties to Iraqi Sunni tribes. In the case of Tehran, it is busy now trying to establish a larger presence in Kurdistan. For its part, Turkey’s …

If anyone speaks, however cautiously, about Syria’s existence as a sovereign state, one must admit that the line between the opposing sides—ISIL and the foreign Jihadists fighting with it on the one hand and Hezbollah, Iraqi, Pakistani and Iranian militias on the other—disappears.   ISIL, by definition, does not …

By Velbona Zenelli The economies of the Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia — still lag behind the rest of Europe. The regional average income levels fluctuate from an annual level of $5,300, to as low as only 31% …

By Stephen Richter Russia is rattling its saber. China roams around the South China Sea. Here we go again. According to some, we are said to be “at war.” Thankfully, for now it is just a “war of ideas.” That is intended to offer some comfort. But even …

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held bilateral talks behind closed doors on the sidelines of the first European Games on Saturday. BAKU (Sputnik) —  Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Alexander Novak, head of Russia’s state-run nuclear corporation Rosatom Sergei …

European countries, international creditors and the Greek opposition have declared a war on Greece (resembling the one on Yugoslavia) but the government will stay true to its election promises, Labor Minister Panos Skourletis of Syriza said.  “The months following the elections were extremely hard. Never before has the government, which …

Richard Phillips For conservative hawks in the United States, a chief outcome of the First Gulf War was that it removed, once and for all, the Vietnam “syndrome” from the American psyche. Vietnam Lessons for the United States in Iraq 1. Be careful which side you choose. 2. …

By Sungur Savran So at long last, despite all the meanders and sideways and detours of history, the logic of social struggles has finally put its stamp on the politics of Turkey. The resounding defeat of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP at the polls in the 7th June general elections in …