Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Asif Haseen and Monalisa Dash The recent takeover of the Assad regime by an Islamist rebel group—Hay’at-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—has unleashed a power vacuum in post-Assad Syria wherein competing groups backed by different regional and foreign players are vying for control. Surprisingly, on Friday, comments by Recep Tayyip Erdogan …
December, 2024
-
19 December
How Italy’s PM Meloni could bridge the gap between Trump and Europe
A few years ago, it would have been unimaginable that Italy would be home to one of the most stable governments in Europe. Italian coalition administrations tended to last just over a year before collapsing, making Italy predictably unpredictable. But a series of factors, including government crises in …
-
19 December
The Future of Syria’s Kurds
Two main obstacles stand in the way of a territorially coherent Syria. As Syrians celebrate the end of the tyrannical regime of Bashar al-Assad, the war-weary Syrian state faces a combustible set of challenges to its political, security, and territorial governance. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), tasked with proving …
-
19 December
Washington Is the Most Consequential Player in Syria’s Next Act
Almost everyone in the region expects America to remain engaged. The region may be ready for a real push for a comprehensive peace. The stunning collapse of the Baathist Assad regime in Syria has everyone opining on winners and losers and repercussions in the region and beyond. Accordingly, …
-
19 December
Tehran’s Gamble: The Cost of Proxies and Isolation
Besides Israel, two powerful players are dominating the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia, orbiting in contrasting domestic and regional goals, although being authoritarian and conservative regimes at the same time. The Middle East, a region that once was referred to as the cradle of Civilization, plunged into …
-
19 December
Syria crisis: ‘Key priority’ is preserving evidence of crimes
The historic shift of power in Syria and the possibility of finally accessing evidence of horrific human rights violations could bring accountability closer than ever – if only proof can be preserved. The historic shift of power in Syria and the possibility of finally accessing evidence of horrific …
-
15 December
Turkey’s Syria Conundrum
Turkey is seen as the victor after the fall of Assad. Nonetheless, Ankara cannot ignore a Kurdish role in the post-war settlement. Once upon a time, Turkey’s then-prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hosted Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, for a family holiday in Turkey and planned a Middle East …
-
15 December
Syria’s Uncertain Future
The world watched Sunday as Bashar al-Assad, the brutal leader who ruled over Syria for 24 years, was driven out by rebel forces. The Syrian people, who persevered through a civil war lasting longer than a decade, celebrated in the streets at the news of al-Assad’s fall. This …
-
13 December
Israel And Donald Trump 2.0: Rerunning Trump 1.0?
So much has changed in the Middle East that the new administration will find it difficult to simply repeat its previous policies. It wasn’t at all surprising that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Donald Trump on his election win, …
