The United States and Russia brokered ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and few of the fighting groups is scheduled for February 27, 2016, 00:00 local time. While Washington described the agreement as yet another major diplomatic … [Read more...] about Syria Ceasefire Will Not Defeat ISIS
Moscow
Washington: Russia Should use Smart Bombs in Syria*
Washington has ramped up criticism of Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria, complaining that the Russians are using “dumb” bombs when America uses “smart” bombs almost exclusively. Is Washington right, and are the Russians just trying to wipe out … [Read more...] about Washington: Russia Should use Smart Bombs in Syria*
The Syrian Threat to Israel*
Left: Map of Syrian Civil war/ Global conflict in Syria - liveuamap, February 22, 2016 There are more than two dozen state and non-state actors battling over the prostrate body of what used to be Syria, one of the artificial entities carved out in … [Read more...] about The Syrian Threat to Israel*
Increasing Militarization of the Middle East *
Left: Definition of Middle Eastern countries: Central Intelligence Agency Recent developments in the Middle East show a disturbing trend to add to all the other disturbing trends that have emerged in the region since the "Arab Spring" began in 2011. … [Read more...] about Increasing Militarization of the Middle East *
Obama’s Millennial Problems
President Barack Obama, in his State of the Union address to Congress, along with calling Ukraine a Russian "client state", which infuriated the Ukrainians, referred to conflicts in the Middle East "...that date back millennia" It's not clear what … [Read more...] about Obama’s Millennial Problems
Key factor in sharply-improved Putin-Netanyahu strategic ties? The Obama White House
Left: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Sept. 21, 2015 / EPA Israeli-Russian strategic cooperation already good was markedly improving in early October 2015. The primary impediment … [Read more...] about Key factor in sharply-improved Putin-Netanyahu strategic ties? The Obama White House
Characteristics of Palestinian “Popular Activists” Confronting the IDF (Oct 3 – Nov 22, 2015)
Left: Cartoon from the website of Fatah's information unit accusing Israel and the United States of executing Palestinian children (website of Fatah's information department, December 12, 2015). The latest ongoing Palestinian terrorist attacks … [Read more...] about Characteristics of Palestinian “Popular Activists” Confronting the IDF (Oct 3 – Nov 22, 2015)
The Middle East Poker*
Left:U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and foreign ministers from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Europe in Vienna, November 14, 2015 in a bid to step up diplomatic efforts to end the four-year-old conflict … [Read more...] about The Middle East Poker*
What Should Israel Worry About?
A former director of the Central Intelligence Agency recently stated that the intelligence community in the U.S. has a perfect record of identifying future threats: "We have never been right". The one thing we know nothing about is the future. … [Read more...] about What Should Israel Worry About?
Turkey’s Story on Downing Russian Jet Doesn’t Add Up*
Left: Putin: Turkey's Downing Russian jet "is a stab in the back, carried out by the accomplices of terrorists." The Turkish story on the Russian jet shoot down does not hold up. In fact, the evidence points to a deliberate provocation by Turkey … [Read more...] about Turkey’s Story on Downing Russian Jet Doesn’t Add Up*