“We should facilitate people engaging with each other. We should not dictate to them what they should do. We should facilitate the people of Syria deciding about their own future, rather than setting the parameters on what they need to do. We should also agree that Iran …

Gareth Porter A former Obama administration official has asserted that the Iranian nuclear deal marks a radical break with past U.S. policy, contradicting the official White House stance that the agreement is not leading to a new U.S.-Iran relationship. John Limbert, a Farsi-speaking veteran diplomat who was among …

Since the beginning of the Saudi-led coalition’s onslaught on Yemen, more than 6,000 people, half of which were civilians, have been killed. In the continued bombing of Yemen, 119 air strikes have been conducted that have hit hospitals, schools and camps for the internally displaced persons and refugees. …

Andreas Ulmand With its saber-rattling over the last months, the Kremlin has succeeded in taking large parts of the Western elite under its “reflexive control.” That term refers to a Soviet strategy of action designed to trigger desired reactions on the enemy’s side. Moscow has done its utmost …

Lorenzo Kamel The Thirty Years’ War started in 1618 as a conflict between various Protestant and Catholic states in the Holy Roman Empire. It brought devastation and major population loss to the heart of Europe. Many observers of today’s Middle East have found similarities with that distant past. …

As the US presidential election fast approaches in November, the greatest political spectacle of the year is in full swing. Say what you want about the US, but there is no other country that knows how to put a show on in the same way as our American …

Noah Smith The Independent wrote the recent name change of Jabhat Al-Nusra will not keep them from being bombed. But, it just might because it removes Jabhat Al-Nusra from an official list of terrorist organizations. They’ve distanced themselves from Al-Qaeda, which requires more investigation and validation. It will mean …

The head of U.S. Central Command said Thursday that a recent trove of captured intelligence out of Syria is providing a “deeper” insight into the Islamic State’s war machine. “I think it is extraordinarily important. … It is beginning to provide us deeper understanding of certainly their tactics …

Just three or four years ago, no one was talking seriously about a role for Russia in the Middle East. It is indeed amazing how Vladimir Putin, with minimum investment, has achieved all this in such a short time. He is now publicly invited by Saudi Foreign Minister …