The battle to regain Mosul from Daesh kicked off at 12 midnight October 17, 2016 with the participation of more than 25,000 Iraqi troops from various legions. Mosul is Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Iraq. It was once the country’s second-largest city, with a diverse population of about 1.2 …
Read More »Trump Needs Foreign Policy
Donald Trump has excited many voters with his challenge to the status quo. For Americans increasingly accustomed to—and frustrated by—their leaders’ politically-correct and clichéd foreign policy declarations, he appeared both courageous and pragmatic, especially in comparison with Hillary Clinton’s ritualistic repetition of establishment dogmas. Yet Trump has also …
Read More »Is Russia Preparing for War?
Is Russia preparing for a new war in Ukraine? The answer—according to some of the best analysts specializing in the region—is: Maybe. Some, like former The National Interest editor, Dr. Nikolas Gvosdev, currently the Jerome E. Levy Chair for Economic Geography and National Security at the U.S. Naval …
Read More »Agreement with Oman Demarcates Iran’s Longest Maritime Boundary
Iran and Oman have exchanged papers related to an agreement signed last year that maps the exact location of their common sea borders, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said. In a note released on Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi described the agreement …
Read More »The European Union: A Cautionary Tale
Britain’s decision to leave the European Union is a lesson in moderation. The story of the Continental bloc began with the 1952 creation of the Coal and Steel Community, a common market for coal, steel and iron ore that encompassed France, Italy, West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and …
Read More »Here’s Why Turkey’s Syria Intervention Is A Huge Gamble
Abu Mostafa was elated. Backed by Turkey’s armed forces, his Free Syrian Army unit racked up a series of rare victories against ISIS fighters in northern Syria this week, retaking five villages from the jihadi group on Tuesday. Turkey’s intervention in Syria is meant to push ISIS and …
Read More »In Aleppo, a potential turning point for Syria
Aleppo, Syria’s commercial powerhouse and a symbolic rival to the capital Damascus, has been under siege for most of a civil war that is well into its sixth year. But the intense fighting there now, where the rebels that once dominated the city are fighting to stave off …
Read More »Battle for Mosul Weeks Away as 500 US ‘Advisers’ Jet In
Hundreds of American troops have arrived in Iraq to co-ordinate a looming assault on Mosul, the largest city still under the control of Islamic State. Nearly 500 US military advisers have flown into Qayyara airbase 40 miles south of the city in the past week as their commanders …
Read More »This Year, A Muslim Holy Day Is The Day After 9/11; Here’s Why That Matters
This September 11 will be the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that ripped a hole in the soul of the world. The cowards who perpetrated these acts also scarred the image of Islam, so much so that when millions of Muslims condemned these attacks from their mosques …
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