Archive for the 'US' Category

Syria: is it time for the West to talk with Assad?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, September 19th, 2019

Saudi Arabia, Shi’ism and the Illusion of Reform – by Robert G. Rabil

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

60 years after Iraq’s 1958 July 14 Revolution by Christopher Solomon

Posted by Chris Solomon on Friday, August 24th, 2018

Winning in Syria and the Middle East – By David W. Lesch and Kamal Alam

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 16th, 2018

Helsinki Meeting Does Little to Clarify America’s Syria Policy – By Joshua Landis 

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 16th, 2018

The Think-Tanks Bark and the IRGC Moves On

Posted by Aymenn Al-Tamimi on Friday, July 13th, 2018

Thoughts On Southern Syria

Posted by Aymenn Al-Tamimi on Sunday, June 24th, 2018

It Would Have Been Preferable Not to Militarily Intervene in Syria – By Ambassador @nikolaosvandam

Posted by Joshua on Friday, June 8th, 2018

U.S. Involves itself Ever Deeper in Middle East with No Clear Strategic Interest – By Sam Farah

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018

The Last Thing the Middle East Needs Now Is Another War  – By Robert Rabil

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 27th, 2018

Trump May Be Right – By David W. Lesch

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, April 17th, 2018

Syria, Deterrence of Chemical Weapons and U.S. Policy in the Middle East – By Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 12th, 2018

Foreign intervention in Syria: Isn’t it time to admit that the war against the Syrian regime is lost? – By Nikolaos van Dam

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, March 8th, 2018

US Policy Toward the Levant, Kurds and Turkey – By Joshua Landis 

Posted by Joshua on Monday, January 15th, 2018

Assessing Nikaolas Van Dam on Syria’s Fate – by Steven Heydemann

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 17th, 2017

“No Justice for Khan Sheikhoun,” by Aron Lund

Posted by Aron Lund on Monday, November 6th, 2017

Trump’s Iran Policy is More about Rollback Than Nukes; It Will Cause More Failed States – by Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, October 14th, 2017

Will the U.S. Abandon the Kurds of Syria Once ISIS is Destroyed? by Landis, Itani, Simon

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, October 1st, 2017

Who Gassed Khan Sheikhoun? The Investigation Begins

Posted by Aron Lund on Tuesday, July 25th, 2017

End of US Support for Syrian Rebels Sounds Death Knell for Attempt to Roll Back Iran & Russia in Syria – By Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 20th, 2017

Rollback? Trump’s Iran claims not just flawed but dangerous – by Steven Simon

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, July 5th, 2017

China, the U.S, and the Future of the Middle East – By Sam Farah

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 1st, 2017

Russia’s Escalation in Syria: Making It Tougher to Fight ISIS? – By Nicholas A. Heras

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, April 8th, 2017

Why the U.S. Should Team Up with the Kurds & Not Turkey to Take Raqqa and Destroy the Islamic State

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 17th, 2017

America’s Failure – and Russia and Iran’s Success – in Syria’s Cataclysmic Civil War – By Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, January 12th, 2017

Aleppo and America’s Syria Policy – by Robert G. Rabil

Posted by Joshua on Monday, October 3rd, 2016

“Turkey’s Syria Intervention,” by Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, August 28th, 2016

“Who is to blame for Syria’s nightmare?” By Ehsani2

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, July 31st, 2016

“What the Rebel Loss of Aleppo Will Mean for Syria,” by Landis, Heras, Lund & Abdulhamid

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 29th, 2016

The Ten Most Important Developments in Syria in 2015

Posted by Aron Lund on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016

“Regime-Change without State Collapse is Impossible in Syria,” Landis Interviewed by RT’s Sophie&Co

Posted by Joshua on Monday, November 9th, 2015

Media Maskirovka: Russia and the Free Syrian Army

Posted by Aron Lund on Sunday, November 8th, 2015

How to Understand Those 60 Trainees

Posted by Matthew Barber on Friday, August 14th, 2015

Train-and-Equip: Fight for Pluralism in Syria

Posted by Matthew Barber on Monday, March 9th, 2015

J.K. Gani’s “The Role of Ideology in Syrian-US Relations” — Reviewed by Julio Rivera

Posted by Matthew Barber on Saturday, February 7th, 2015

Nusra’s Offensive in Idlib & its Attempt to Destroy Washington’s Allies. November 2014

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

Joshua Landis & Robert Ford discuss Syria at Wilson Center event

Posted by Matthew Barber on Sunday, June 15th, 2014

Syria: The West Should Stop Raising False Expectations – By Nikolaos van Dam

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 19th, 2014

“Why Syria’s Assad heads to Geneva from a position of strength,” by Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

“Syrian Chemical Weapons & the Possibility of Ending the Civil War,” by William R Polk

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 29th, 2013

Round Up: Lethal Aid, Human Interest Stories, Lebanon

Posted by Matthew Barber on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013

Obama Owes Syrians and Americans a Vision of Syria’s Future

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Clerics in Egypt Call for Global Jihad Against Regime’s Shiite Allies, Egypt Cuts Syria Ties

Posted by Matthew Barber on Monday, June 17th, 2013

Sorting out David Ignatius

Posted by Aron Lund on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013

Drones, A New Alawite Opposition, Obama in Israel

Posted by Matthew Barber on Saturday, March 23rd, 2013

“Women: The Forgotten Victims” by Aida Dalati

Posted by Joshua on Friday, December 28th, 2012

“Syria’s Long Civil War” by Glenn Robinson

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 30th, 2012

Will Sanctions Bring Down the Syrian Regime?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Qaddafi’s Death, Mazoot Prices, Opposition

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

The First Legally Binding Decision Against Syria Fails At the U.N. (By Ehsani)

Posted by Ehsani on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Opposition National Council Formed; Opposition Gets Armed; Building Boom in Syria as Sanctions Bite;

Posted by Joshua on Monday, September 19th, 2011

Four of Syria’s Biggest Businessmen Hit with EU Sanctions as Anger and Fear Spread

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 4th, 2011

“We Will Have to Eat Brown Bread,” Adib Mayaleh, Head of Syria’s Central Bank

Posted by Joshua on Friday, August 26th, 2011

Sanctions and Their Impact; The Opposition Forms Transitional Parliament

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 20th, 2011

Baath Party Calls Emergency Meeting; Latakia; EU Weighs Broad Sanctions

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

“The US Won’t Use Force against Syria,” Chief of Staff Mike Mullen; Armed Gang Controversy

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

An interview with Bassam Alkadi, President of the Syrian Women Observatory

Posted by Alex on Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

Syrian Opposition to Meet in Turkey: May 31 – June 2

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Obama to Assad: “Lead that transition, or get out of the way.”

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, May 19th, 2011

Assad Sanctioned – What Can it Do for America?

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

US closer to declaring Assad’s rule in Syria illegitimate

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Clinton Calls Bashar al-Assad a “Reformer” -Syria Lifts Emergency Law

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 27th, 2011

News Round Up (27 February 2011)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, February 27th, 2011

The sad irony of it all – the USA and the Arab world…

Posted by Alex on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Syrian Authorities Jubilant about Prospect of Mubarak’s Fall and Shifting Balance of Power in the Region

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, January 30th, 2011

Lebanon Remains Hostage to the Arab-Israeli Conflict with US Blessing

Posted by Joshua on Monday, January 24th, 2011

Obama Trapped in Bush’s Lebanon War

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

Wikileaks: “Syrian-Iranian Relations return to normal”; Jordan, Turkey, and US Seek Improved Iran Relations; Hariri Tribunal Delayed;

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, December 18th, 2010

WikiLeaks: Saudi Proposed Arab Force to Invade Lebanon; Makhlouf Sanctions; Mughniya Murder

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, December 11th, 2010

Wikileaks: “General Rifi is convinced that Syrian authorities are directly responsible for all three crimes,” said a cable classified by Jeremy Feltman

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, December 5th, 2010

Wiki Leaks: First Cut

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, November 28th, 2010

“Defining a Constructive Role in the Middle East,” by Ahmed Salkini

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Can the US Convince Hariri to Stand up to Hizbullah with the Lebanese Tribunal?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, November 18th, 2010

More WikiLeaks – Kerry: “Israel should return Golan”

Posted by Joshua on Monday, November 1st, 2010

Syria Gets Better Russian Missiles

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 19th, 2010

News Round Up (13 Sept 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, September 13th, 2010

“Bush White House Wanted to Destroy the Syrian State by Force and With Urgency,” Tony Blair

Posted by Joshua on Friday, September 3rd, 2010

News Round Up (29 August 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Will rising tensions in the Middle East lead to another catastrophic war?

Posted by Alex on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

News Round Up (22 July 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Is the Obama Peace Effort Over?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Hizbullah Arms; Senator Specter to Damascus; Cordesman: “Iranian Threat Exaggerated”

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, July 10th, 2010

Skewed Balance of Power between Israel and Syrian Impedes Peace

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

What Effect will Turkey’s Switch to Israeli Opponent have on Syria and the Regional Balance of Power?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, June 25th, 2010

News Round Up (25 June 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 24th, 2010

What Are US Tech Firms Doing in Damas? NeoCon Dreams of Regime Change

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Overview of Syrian-US Relations

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 17th, 2010

US-Syrian Diplomatic War; US Tech Firms to Syria; Trade Union w. Turkey

Posted by Joshua on Monday, June 14th, 2010

News Round UP (23 May 2010) Kerry in Damascus

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Medvedev’s Visits to Syria and Turkey – News Round Up (14 May 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 14th, 2010

“Will failure to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict mean a new Cold War in the Middle East,” By Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

News Round Up (May 6, 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Who is Changing the Regional Balance of Power?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Iran, Syria, and US in War of Words as West Bank is Digested by Israel

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Freeman: Israel is useless to US power projection

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Is a Hizbullah – Israel War Likely?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Turkish-Syria Military; How to Sanction Syria? Obama Keeps Jewish Leaders Happy

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

US and Israel Agree; Missile Controversy Plays Out

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 26th, 2010

Why are US Analysts Surprised that Syria Arms Hizbullah?

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 25th, 2010

“Syria’s National Day Celebrations at the Library of Congress”, by Ford Prefect

Posted by Alex on Sunday, April 25th, 2010

Missiles and More

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 23rd, 2010

News Round Up (22 April 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

The Scud Issues Has Legs – State Dept Summons Syrian Diplomat

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

News Round Up (19 April 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 19th, 2010

News Round Up (18 April 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Why Having a US Ambassador in Damascus is Important

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 15th, 2010

News Round Up (14 April 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Ambassador Ford’s Confirmation Delayed

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Netanyahu: “We will oppose an imposed solution”

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Renewed talks between Israel and Syria unlikely

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 4th, 2010

Kerry Creates Good Will in Damascus

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Kerry to Syria Keeps Hope Alive

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Why Syria Must Burnish its “Resistance” Credentials in the Face of Obama’s Inaction on Settlement Expansion

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Moshe Ya’alon, Israel’s Vice Premier, Explains How Netanyahu “Maneuvers” to Avoid Agreement

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 28th, 2010

News Round Up (21 March 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 22nd, 2010

News Round Up (March 19, 2010)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 19th, 2010

Syrian Economy; Israel – US Clash

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 19th, 2010

Ambassador Ford Hearings; Petraeus’s Testimony; Hof in Damascus to Discuss Peace

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 19th, 2010

Will Israel Flex Its Muscle Further?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Petraeus Asks that Palestinians be Considered Middle Eastern and Not European – Politics Prevail over National Interest

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Syria NOT Pursuing Nuclear Power, Biden Flounders, Ford to Confirmation

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 14th, 2010

“The Armenian Genocide: The Islamist and Kemalist Consensus,” by Firat Demir

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

John Kerry and Leveretts Talk to Assad

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Clinton to Damascus?

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 1st, 2010

Reactions to the Assad-Ahmadinejad Summit

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Assad and Ahmadinejad – “There is No Separating Iran and Syria”

Posted by Joshua on Friday, February 26th, 2010

Will Engaging Syria deal a “Blow to Iran”? Not Likely.

Posted by Joshua on Friday, February 19th, 2010

Obama Nominates Ambassador to Syria as Businessmen Rush in

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

The Case for Syria

Posted by Alex on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Economy Grows at 4%ish; Saudi Handshaking; Israeli-Syria Verbal Jousting

Posted by Joshua on Monday, February 8th, 2010

More on New US Amb., War Bluster, Hariri Court

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Israel and Syria Threaten War as US Pushes for Talks: Feltman and Abrams Explain US Policy

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Has Washington Decided to Focus on Syrian-Israeli Peace?

Posted by Joshua on Monday, February 1st, 2010

“The US Censors Syrian Internet,” By Idaf

Posted by Joshua on Monday, January 25th, 2010

Hariri Speech Reveals Bad Arabic; Adam Ereli Possible Ambassador to Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, December 21st, 2009

Sharaa on Turkey, the US, Lebanon; Diplomats on Bus Explosion; Turkey’s Leadership

Posted by Joshua on Friday, December 11th, 2009

Bus Bomb? Syrian-Israel Peace Talks? SSNP, Turkey is Warned, Washington is Broken

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

“Jordan is a model that works, whether we like it or not,” – Rami Khouri

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Will India’s Proposal to Invest Billions in Iran Undermine US Sanction Drive? Is Turkey the Winner?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

“Has Syria Won?” in the Economist

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 27th, 2009

News Round Up (25 November 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Syria and Iraq and Lebanon and ….

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

France Champions Syria While US Says Differences with Damascus are “Profound”

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Netanyahu Talks Peace for the Press; Syrian Subsidies

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Lebanon Gets a New Government

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

“The Murders at al-Sukariya” by Reese Erlich and Peter Coyote

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Can Obama and Sarkozy Succeed?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Is Syrian-US Engagement at an End?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Syria Seeks to Separate US Relationship from Arab-Israeli Conflict

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, August 20th, 2009

The American MidEast Leadership Network’s Virtual Scrapbook

Posted by Alex on Friday, August 14th, 2009

Sanctions on Hafiz Makhluf and Muhammad Nasif Khayr Bek Extended

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Mitchell Moves Ahead With Normalization of US-Sy Relations for Iraq Security and More

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

First analysis of the Mitchell Meeting

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 27th, 2009

What is Mitchel up to in Damascus?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 24th, 2009

Mitchell to Syria; Arafat Murdered?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

News Round UP (Sunday 20 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 20th, 2009

News Round Up (17 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 17th, 2009

Syria Wants Center Stage

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, July 12th, 2009

News Round Up (9 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Will Syria Serve Up Iran on a Silver Platter?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

Who Will Be the Next US Ambassador to Syria?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Scholarly Articles; Bolton; First Lady on Democracy

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Why Turmoil in Iran Will Not Cause Peace Between Israel and Syria

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, June 28th, 2009

Ambassador Redux and its Implications

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 25th, 2009

News Round Up (19 June 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, June 19th, 2009

News Round Up (June 17, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Steps Syria has Taken to Win US Favor

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Syria’s Battle for the Hearts of the West, by S. Farah

Posted by Alex on Friday, June 5th, 2009

“Will There Be a US Ambassador in Damascus by September?” By Landis

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

News Round Up (June 2, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Kerry’s Unusual Role in Mediating U.S.-Syria Relations

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

US-Syria relations: time to hit the reset button?

Posted by Alex on Sunday, May 31st, 2009

The Reasons for ‘Syria’s Positive Caution’ Toward Obama Policy,” By Ibrahim Hamidi

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Is Obama Turning into a Bust?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

News Round UP (May 16, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Ire over US Sanctions Causes Policy Review in Damascus

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Syria Eats Sanctions but Looks to Mitchell Visit for Understanding

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 10th, 2009

Obama Sanctions Syria

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 8th, 2009

Obama Should not Renew Executive Order Sanctions on Syria this Weekend

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, May 7th, 2009

Imad Moustapha and National Day – The Golan

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 19th, 2009

News Round Up (12 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Farid Ghadry’s Leadership of the Reform Party of Syria Expires

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 10th, 2009

News Round Up (8 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

“The Return of the Old Middle East,” by Greg Gause

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 6th, 2009

News Round Up (5 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 5th, 2009

News Round Up (April 1, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Summit Shame and Hersh’s “Syria Calling”

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Engagement and its Many Critics

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 20th, 2009

Nasrallah’s Rhetoric Directed East or West?

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 15th, 2009

A new strategic alliance: Iran, Syria, Turkey and Iraq?

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 9th, 2009

Is the US Becoming More Humble or Just Less Silly?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, March 7th, 2009

Sanctions on the Table?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, March 5th, 2009

“Middle East Peace and the U.S.-Saudi Relationship:,” by Lippmann

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

“Why Syria Will Not Get the Golan Back” by Landis

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Syria Dresses Up

Posted by Joshua on Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Kerry’s Visit Brings Some Hope

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

New Round Up (Feb. 18 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Asad, “An ambassador is important… There is nothing real yet.”

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Ambassadors, Kerry, Levey, Sanctions, and Peace

Posted by on Sunday, February 15th, 2009

A New Middle East Strategy for the Age of Obama

Posted by Alex on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

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