{"id":25950,"date":"2019-01-02T18:34:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-02T23:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?page_id=25950"},"modified":"2020-01-09T13:07:19","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T18:07:19","slug":"landis-news-2018","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Landis in the News 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"news_archive_list\">\n<li>Browse Archive By Year<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/\">Current<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2019\/\">2019<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"active\" href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2018\/\">2018<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2017\/\">2017<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2016\/\">2016<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2015\/\">2015<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2014\/\">2014<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2013\/\">2013<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2012\/\">2012<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2011\/\">2011<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2010\/\">2010<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2009\/\">2009<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2008\/\">2008<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2007\/\">2007<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2006\/\">2006<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2005\/\">2005<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2004\/\">2004<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.iran-newspaper.com\/Newspaper\/Page\/6954\/The%20World\/14\/0\">?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 29, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>????? ?????<br \/>\n???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ????????<br \/>\n?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??: ???? ?? ????? ???? ? ??????? ??? ? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? ???. ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????. ??? ??? ???????????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ????: ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????. ?? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???. ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>VOA News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syrian-government-forces-move-into-manbij\/4719538.html\">U.S. Denies Syrian Forces Taking Over Manbij<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 28, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Everybody is negotiating; the Russians are in the middle of it and clearly the Americans are, too,&#8221; Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East department at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA. &#8220;The Syrian army doesn&#8217;t want to get into a clash with Turkey. That would be a losing proposition. Neither does the YPG or anyone else,&#8221; Landis added.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Newsweek<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/trump-never-wanted-syria-war-election-2020-1268719\">Donald Trump Is Keeping Promise To Withdraw From Syria So He Can Win the 2020 Election, Experts Say<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 24, 2018<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Turkey started threatening to start shelling northern Syria, which made Trump actually pay attention to the situation,&#8221; Joshua Landis,&nbsp;head of the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center for Middle East Studies and the blog Syria Comment, told&nbsp;<em>Newsweek<\/em>, arguing that the president had, until now, largely let figures such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House national security adviser John Bolton handle the issue. &#8220;This forced him to stick his nose in Syria policy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He has been fairly consistent in saying that he wanted the troops home. He promised Turkey that the policy of arming the YPG was only temporary until ISIS was destroyed,&#8221;&nbsp;Landis added, referring to the People&#8217;s Protection Units, a Kurdish militia considered to be a terrorist organization by Ankara. &#8220;It was Pompeo and Bolton who made the lie of this being a forever policy.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Who.What.Why.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/whowhatwhy.org\/2018\/12\/23\/trumps-decision-to-abandon-us-allies-in-syria-more-than-meets-the-eye\/\">Trump&#8217;s Decision to Abandon U.S. Allies in Syria: More Than Meets the Eye<\/a><strong><br \/>\nDec 23, 2018<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The US move to depart Syria, some experts such as the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Joshua Landis say, will also force others to assume the American liabilities and increase US leverage vis-a-vis enemies such as Iran. &#8220;What is behind Trump decision on Syria besides fear of war with Turkey? Trump preparing for elections and reverting to his campaign promise: end stupid wars. US cannot &#8216;confront&#8217; Iran effectively while alienating Turkey. Arming KSA is not enough strength for a Mid East policy.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>France 24<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/20181220-us-pullout-leaves-syria-kurds-exposed\">US pullout leaves Syria Kurds exposed<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Turkish escalation in Syria seems to be bearing fruit,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.&nbsp;&#8220;Clearly this decision is a blow to Kurdish aspirations and hopes in north Syria, but the Kurds have been preparing for just such a day,&#8221; he said.&nbsp;The Kurds have long tried to secure self-rule in the area and have taken a frontline role in the West&#8217;s fight against IS way beyond their heartland&#8217;s boundaries in a bid to win durable support.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Le Figaro<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lefigaro.fr\/international\/2018\/12\/20\/01003-20181220ARTFIG00268-comment-un-retrait-americain-pourrait-bousculer-les-equilibres-en-syrie.php\">Comment un retrait am\u00e9ricain pourrait bousculer les \u00e9quilibres en Syrie<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 20, 2018<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u00abSi vous voulez combattre l&#8217;Iran, quel pays devez-vous avoir de votre c\u00f4t\u00e9? La Turquie. Les Am\u00e9ricains ont construit leur politique \u00e9trang\u00e8re au Moyen-Orient sur l&#8217;Arabie Saoudite, mais celle-ci est tr\u00e8s affaiblie. Regardez <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lefigaro.fr\/international\/2018\/12\/18\/01003-20181218ARTFIG00175-au-yemen-une-treve-fragile-dans-la-ville-cle-de-hodeida.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">la guerre au Y\u00e9men<\/a>!\u00bb, rappelle dans un <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/user\/ahvalpod\/erdogans-escalation-against-us-in-n-syri\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">poadcast<\/a> l&#8217;universitaire am\u00e9ricain Joshua Landis, mentionnant le conflit y\u00e9m\u00e9nite o\u00f9 Riyad, \u00e0 la t\u00eate d&#8217;une coalition sunnite, combat les rebelles houthis soutenus par l&#8217;Iran chiite. \u00abObservez comment Erdogan a utilis\u00e9 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lefigaro.fr\/vox\/monde\/2018\/10\/23\/31002-20181023ARTFIG00072-renaud-girard-arabie-turquie-qui-dominera-le-sunnisme.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">la carte Khashoggi<\/a>. Maintenant, le Congr\u00e8s am\u00e9ricain vote contre (Riyad). La position des \u00c9tats-Unis sera extr\u00eamement affaiblie au Moyen-Orient si elle n&#8217;a pas la Turquie de son c\u00f4t\u00e9\u00bb, pr\u00e9cise le directeur du Center for Middle East Studies de l&#8217;Universit\u00e9 d&#8217;Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/syrian-war\/turkeys-syria-threat-does-trick-expert\">Turkey&#8217;s Syria threat does the trick-expert<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;President Trump was always the weakest link in American position in north Syria,&#8221; said Landis, director of the Middle East Studies program at the University of Oklahoma. &#8220;The national security teams under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton have taken a much more aggressive stance in Syria, which has switched from being purely anti-ISIS mission to a rollback Iran position.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Foreign Policy<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2018\/12\/19\/trumps-stunning-about-face-on-syria-islamic-state-isis-trooops\/\">Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Stunning&#8217; About-Face on Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec. 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cTrump never really bought into the arguments by Bolton and Pompeo that Washington needed to maintain a military presence,\u201d not only to deal with the Islamic State but also to counter Iran, said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cThey walked him back once before, but he was clearly not convinced.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/446904-usa-war-syria-achievements\/\">Win for Turkey, loss for Kurds, election rhetoric for Trump \u2013 experts on U.S. pullout from Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, thinks the withdrawal is partly for US internal consumption, but is also aimed at removing a liability in the region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the president returning to his campaign rhetoric\u201d&nbsp;as the 2020 campaign looms, Landis told RT.&nbsp;\u201cHe\u2019s going back to his original story, which is \u2018The Middle East wars were stupid, and what are we doing there? Why did we spend $5 trillion in the Middle East\u2019?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Euronews<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/tr.euronews.com\/2018\/12\/14\/firatin-dogusunda-kartlar-yeniden-dagitiliyor\">F?rat\u2019?n do?usunda kartlar yeniden da??t?l?yor<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Oklahoma \u00dcniversitesi\u2019nden Suriye uzman? Prof. Joshua Landis, ABD\u2019nin T\u00fcrkiye ile bir \u00e7at??ma istemedi?ini, keza Washington\u2019un Orta Do?u\u2019daki politikalar? a\u00e7?s?ndan T\u00fcrkiye\u2019nin askeri ve siyasi olarak kilit \u00f6nemde oldu?unu vurguluyor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Buzz Feed News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeednews.com\/article\/mitchprothero\/isis-researchers-have-become-the-collateral-damage-of-the\">Now Academics Studying ISIS Are Feeling The Heat Of An Internet Crackdown<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 8, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, an expert on Syrian politics at the University of Oklahoma, said that the attempt to restrict access to Zelin\u2019s site is particularly worrisome because it shows officials still can\u2019t tell the good guys from the bad. He notes that the most dangerous corners of the internet remain unmonitored, while Jihadology, Zelin\u2019s blog, is easily found.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/shows\/crosstalk\/445604-yemen-trump-administration-iran\/\">Yemen on the brink <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Dec 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Yemen and the politics of denial and deceit. The Trump administration\u2019s continued support of the Saudi-led war is morally indefensible and strategically counter-productive. Blaming Iran for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen only ensures more suffering. It is time to end this senseless conflict.<br \/>\nCrossTalking with Joshua Landis and Giorgio Cafiero.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>France 24<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/eblnews.com\/video\/joshua-landis-syria-truce-attempts-448490\">Joshua Landis on Syria truce attempts<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 29, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis Director: Center for Middle East Studies and Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma offers insight into the latest truce attempts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>BBC World News<br \/>\n<strong>Nov 26, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Around The Empire<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/aroundtheempire.com\/2018\/11\/19\/ep76-istanbul-summit-europe-astana-feat-joshua-landis\/\">Ep 76 Istanbul Summit: Europe Joins Astana Process feat Joshua Landis<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Middle East expert Joshua Landis returns to the show to discuss the recent summit in Istanbul, Europe\u2019s move to join the Astana process, the war in Syria, the Khashoggi Affair and the forces aligning against the current US foreign policy in the MidEast.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/usa-turkey\/khashoggi-and-gulen-cases-rocking-washington-ankara-ties-jerusalem-post\">Khashoggi and G\u00fclen cases rocking Washington-Ankara ties &#8211; Jerusalem Post <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The Jerusalem Post concluded by quoting Joshua Landis, an academic and expert on Syria, who maintains leveraging the Khashoggi killing regarding U.S\u00e7 policy in eastern Syria is plausible.<br \/>\n\u201cTurkey wants one thing from US: Stop arming Kurds. By pressuring MbS, Turkey shows Trump that US Mid East policy is vulnerable,\u2019\u2019 Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Palladium<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/palladiummag.com\/2018\/11\/14\/how-blindness-on-syria-reveals-cracks-in-media-epistemology\/\">How Blindness On Syria Reveals Cracks In Media Epistemology <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The PR battle had decisively turned, and the actual battle was turning decisively, too. Militarily, most rebel gains had been met with worse reverses. Rebel forces near Damascus had been encircled, as key neighborhoods made separate truces with the government. Rebels were quickly swept from the Qalamoun region. Homs, the former \u201ccapital of the rebellion,\u201d was almost completely taken by government forces, and the Aleppo front was in total stalemate. Iranian and Russian support for Assad was only increasing, and Hezbollah\u2019s forces were having decisive impacts on the battlefield around Damascus. Overwhelming popular support for the rebellion had failed to materialize: the army remained loyal (something Joshua Landis correctly understood in 2012), and large numbers of urban Sunnis continued to support the Assad government, or at least refused to support the rebellion. The commentariat\u2019s projections of imminent rebel victory continually failed to obtain in large part because they failed to account for the support that Assad\u2019s allies and domestic base were willing and able to give.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/turkey\/manbij-idlib-turkeys-deal-making-syria\">From Manbij to Idlib: Turkey&#8217;s deal-making in Syria <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 8, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis agreed that Turkey was a major player in northern Syria today, but pointed to the unstable nature of the Idlib deal.<br \/>\n\u201cBoth Assad and the Russians insist it is a temporary deal that must lead to the disarming and apprehension of the jihadists as well as the restoration of Syrian sovereignty,\u201d Landis said.<br \/>\nEuropean powers have recently backed Ankara in calling for a permanent ceasefire in Idlib.<br \/>\n\u201cThey are both worried about further refugee flows into Europe and even more worried that the Idlib jihadists could be driven into Anatolia and perhaps into Europe as well,\u201d he said. \u201cThey would prefer them to remain in Idlib, which is exactly what Syria and Russia insist cannot happen.\u201d<br \/>\nLandis said the Manbij deal was \u201cdependent on America&#8217;s military might\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Washington Post<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/lawmakers-raise-alarm-about-isis-attacks-against-syrias-druze-population\/2018\/11\/07\/333c5872-b360-495a-92af-f5ef6ef50a73_story.html?utm_term=.8b6f88480242\">Lawmakers raise alarm about ISIS attacks against Syria\u2019s Druze population<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 8, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe refusal of Washington to cooperate or coordinate with the Assad regime or Russia in the battle against ISIS has clearly left a big logistical hole through which ISIS is able to maneuver,\u201d said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Kurdistan 24<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kurdistan24.net\/en\/news\/34cd5725-cf1f-429e-a19b-8a4fdcdb64c4\">Syrian Kurds says US not pleased with Turkish cross-border shelling<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 3, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>According to Joshua Landis, head of the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, the US had previously prevented Russian and pro-Iranian forces from attacking US-protected forces in the Tanf enclave, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the East of Euphrates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe US will need to prevent Turkish cross-border attacks as well. If it does not, Turkey will escalate quickly,\u201d he said. \u201cThe [Bashar al-Assad] government and Iran will also dial up the pressure on the American enclave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, Landis noted Iran and Turkey are all opposed to an American presence in the northeast of Syria.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Preston Business Review<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/prestonbusinessreview.com\/islamic-state-revival-decimated-terror-group-ambushes-us-backed-forces-in-syria-video\/22889\/\">Islamic State revival? \u2018Decimated\u2019 terror group ambushes US-backed forces in Syria (VIDEO)<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Nov 1, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Fighting between competing factions in Syria has given the nearly-vanquished terrorist group some breathing room to \u201cplay back and forth,\u201d Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told RT. He attributed Islamic State\u2019s ability to maintain a foothold in Syria to the chaotic nature of the conflict. \u201cEvery surrounding neighbor of Syria \u2013 and including the Syrian government \u2013 have had other enemies to fight, and other concerns.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/442792-syria-isis-attacks-terrorism-us\/\">Islamic State revival? \u2018Decimated\u2019 terror group ambushes US-backed forces in Syria (VIDEO)<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 31, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Fighting between competing factions in Syria has given the nearly-vanquished terrorist group some breathing room to \u201cplay back and forth,\u201d Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told RT. He attributed Islamic State\u2019s ability to maintain a foothold in Syria to the chaotic nature of the conflict. \u201cEvery surrounding neighbor of Syria \u2013 and including the Syrian government \u2013 have had other enemies to fight, and other concerns.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Milliyet<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.milliyet.com.tr\/yazarlar\/verda-ozer\/istanbul-zirvesi-2769384\/\">?stanbul zirvesi<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 31, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>ABD\u2019deki Ortado?u Ara?t?rmalar? Merkezi Ba?kan? Joshua Landis\u2019e g\u00f6re, T\u00fcrkiye\u2019nin Avrupa\u2019y? katmak istemesi i\u00e7in bir sebep daha var. \u201cErdo?an ayn? zamanda Rusya\u2019y? Fransa ve Almanya ile dengelemek istiyor. \u00d6zellikle de Rusya\u2019n?n Esad\u2019la birlikte ?dlib\u2019e sald?rma ihtimaline kar??\u201d diyor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Iranian<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iranian.com\/2018\/10\/28\/germany-france-broke-us-boycott-of-syria\/\">Germany And France Just Broke The US Boycott Of Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 29,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>There weren\u2019t exactly any breakthroughs at the four-way summit involving France, Germany, Russia, and host Turkey in Istanbul on Saturday, but the event itself was a significant victory for one side in terms of optics.<\/p>\n<p>Says Syria expert Joshua Landis: \u201cThe real importance of France and Germany going to Turkey to meet Putin and Erdogan is that they are effectively hiving off from the US by joining the Astana process.\u201d Ultimately, according Professor Landis:<\/p>\n<p>They are breaking the boycott of Syria, while preserving the \u201cneed for elections\u201d talking point.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>BBC Newshour<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/p06q18sq?ocid=socialflow_twitter\">Will Istanbul&#8217;s Syria conference be any different?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>President Erdogan is hosting a summit with Russian, French and German leaders to discuss the war in Syria. Neither the US or the UN are involved. Joshua Landis is Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Alarabiya<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/english.alarabiya.net\/en\/webtv\/programs\/diplomatic-avenue\/2018\/10\/27\/Diplomatic-Avenue-Syria-expert-Joshua-Landis-on-De-Mistura-s-failed-efforts.html\">Diplomatic Avenue: Syria expert Joshua Landis on De Mistura\u2019s failed efforts<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Al Arabiya\u2019s New York Bureau Chief Talal al-Haj speaks to Joshua Landis, an American academic who specializes in the Middle East and is an expert on Syria.<br \/>\nHe is the head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and since 2004, he has published the blog Syria Comment.<br \/>\nThe outgoing UN special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told the Security Council on Friday that Damascus rejects the composition of a committee proposed by the world body to draw up a new constitution. Landis comments on this.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>EFE<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rtve.es\/noticias\/20181021\/caso-khashoggi-mero-traspies-relacion-entre-eeuu-asaudi\/1824220.shtml\">El &#8220;caso Khashoggi&#8221;, un mero traspi\u00e9s en la relaci\u00f3n entre EE.UU. y A.Saud\u00ed<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 21, 2018<\/strong><br \/>\nDesde entones, apunta el director del Centro de Oriente Medio de la Universidad de Oklahoma, Joshua M. Landis, &#8220;EEUU aprendi\u00f3 que el que domina el petr\u00f3leo, domina el mundo&#8221; y, por eso, luch\u00f3 para controlar el golfo P\u00e9rsico, donde se encuentran algunas de las mayores reservas de hidrocarburos del planeta.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/s\/2ykr26rygee6ezq\/World%20Views%20October%2020%20Gleibermann%20FINAL.mp3?dl=0\">World Views October 20 Gleibermann FINAL.mp3<\/a><br \/>\nFrom Jacque Braun (Univ. of Oklahoma)<br \/>\n<strong>Oct 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Foreign Policy<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/2018\/10\/19\/norwegian-diplomat-tops-un-short-list-for-syria-envoy\/\">Norwegian Diplomat Tops U.N. Shortlist For Syria Envoy<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe U.N. has got its hands tied, because Russia and Iran are determined to keep Assad in power, and the U.S. is determined to frustrate this,\u201d said Joshua Landis, the head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.\u201cHow does some U.N. guy waltz into the middle of all this and try to put the pieces back together?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>TRT World Now<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c8LEfGgncZo#action=share\">One Year Since Raqqa Recovered From Daesh<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The director for the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, Joshua Landis talks about once Daesh ruled Raqqa&#8217;s anniversary of recovery.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>VOA<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/us-says-committed-to-syria-iraq-beyond-anti-is-efforts\/4618042.html\">US Says Committed to Syria, Iraq Beyond Anti-IS Efforts<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Some analysts say it may take a long time for stabilization efforts to help local communities in areas formerly held by IS fully recover.<br \/>\n\u201cRaqqa has not seen much rebuilding, although some schools have been cleared, electricity restored and areas successfully de-bombed,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br \/>\n\u201cThe U.S. has always drawn a distinction between stabilization and rebuilding, although it may be a difference with little real distinction, because so long as lives are not rebuilt in Raqqa, the likelihood of further violence remains,\u201d Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Washington Post<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/saudi-arabia-transfers-100-million-to-us-amid-crisis-over-khashoggi\/2018\/10\/17\/22b23ae1-c6a4-43a4-9b7d-ce04603fa6ab_story.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.75485e4e4a58\">Saudi Arabia transfers $100 million to U.S. amid crisis over Khashoggi<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>McGurk, the State Department envoy, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday to discuss how the $100 million in stabilization money would be spent, said a State Department official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.<br \/>\nThe official said the timing was a coincidence and that transferring the $100 million \u201chas multiple steps, all of which clicked through over the past two months.\u201d<br \/>\nMiddle East experts said the timing of the transfer probably sent a clear message to the Trump administration.<br \/>\n\u201cIn all probability, the Saudis want Trump to know that his cooperation in covering for the Khashoggi affair is important to the Saudi monarch,\u201d said Joshua Landis, a professor at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cMuch of its financial promises to the U.S. will be contingent on this cooperation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Corriere Della Sera<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.corriere.it\/esteri\/18_ottobre_17\/siria-la-guerra-chi-paghera-la-ricostruzione-8e4e08b4-d1e6-11e8-8c19-5eedde3c97b0.shtml?refresh_ce-cp\">La Siria dopo la guerra, chi pagher\u00e0 per la ricostruzione? <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Pi\u00f9 possibilit\u00e0 vengono invece dal fronte europeo. La UE applica dal 2012 sanzioni restrittive sulle attivit\u00e0 economiche col regime e ribadisce la contrariet\u00e0 a sostenere qualunque ricostruzione senza un effettivo processo politico. Ma la realt\u00e0 sul campo sembra andare in una direzione diversa dai proclami di Bruxelles. \u00abUE e sanzioni non hanno bloccato i singoli stati membri \u2013 conferma Ahmed \u2013 da mesi vediamo i loro rappresentanti sfilare a Damasco in cerca di contatti per il futuro business della ricostruzione\u00bb. E ultimamente \u00e8 la logica stessa delle sanzioni che \u00e8 diventata oggetto di critiche anche dall\u2019interno. \u00abLa Siria rappresenta per l\u2019Europa un vero dilemma \u2013 sostiene Joshua Landis, professore dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 dell\u2019Oklahoma e considerato uno dei massimi esperti di Siria \u2013 da una parte \u00e8 comprensibile la volont\u00e0 di mantenere un regime internazionale basato sul rispetto dei diritti umani ma dall\u2019altra non si pu\u00f2 semplicemente voltare le spalle ai siriani. Perpetuare le sanzioni danneggerebbe molto pi\u00f9 la popolazione che il regime\u00bb. I primi segnali di una distensione da parte europea cominciano infatti a trapelare. A settembre la Turchia, col beneplacito di Mosca, ha invitato Francia e Germania a partecipare a una conferenza sulla Siria entro la fine di quest\u2019anno. E altri paesi potrebbero seguire.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Kurdistan 24<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kurdistan24.net\/en\/news\/fc64dcb4-282a-47ee-83ac-b68979edafcb\">SDC says Syrian FM statement \u2018not conducive to dialogue\u2019 <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>While the Kurdish-led SDC and the US-backed SDF want a decentralized Syria and for Damascus to recognize the autonomous administration in North and East of Syria, Damascus still prefers a centralized regime.<br \/>\n\u201c[President Bashar] al-Assad needs the Kurds to rule the north, but I doubt he is serious about any real form of autonomy that will satisfy Kurdish demands. He believes in a centralized Syria,\u201d Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, told Kurdistan 24.<br \/>\n\u201cHe may be willing to allow Kurds to keep more of the wealth of the region but real cultural or regional autonomy comparable to Iraq? I doubt it. Baathism, Arabism, and his history are all against it,\u201d he concluded.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/441260-trump-netanyahu-brotherhood-palestine-crackdown\/\">Trump, Netanyahu share \u2018brotherhood\u2019 in opposition to Palestinians as Israeli crackdown intensifies <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 15, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>They\u2019ve really &#8220;aligned themselves very closely,\u201d Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle-East studies at the University of Oklahoma, told RT.<br \/>\nIsrael has resorted to using live ammunition to disperse the demonstrations, and has even called in airstrikes in retaliation against attempts by Palestinians to breach Israel\u2019s border fence. Tel Aviv has also instituted economic punishments, announcing earlier this month that it would restrict waters used by Palestinian fishermen by 33 percent.<br \/>\nAccording to Landis, the Trump administration has been a boon for Israel. During the Obama years, there was \u201cgreat tension\u201d between Washington and Tel Aviv, even though they were \u201caligned in terms of their foreign policy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Washington Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2018\/oct\/10\/jamal-khashoggi-disappearance-after-saudi-consulat\/\">Journalist&#8217;s disappearance creates diplomatic crisis: &#8216;The Saudis have a lot of explaining to do&#8217;<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 10, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>We accuse the Iranians of exporting terrorism,\u201d said longtime regional analyst Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cWell, this looks an awful lot like the Saudis are exporting terrorism, and that puts a bone in the craw of the Trump administration\u2019s whole narrative that it\u2019s better to be friends with Saudi Arabia than Iran.\u201d<br \/>\nThe incident is likely to cool even further the frosty relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, battered by Ankara\u2019s decision to side with Qatar in a diplomatic feud with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Mr. Khashoggi as a \u201cpersonal friend\u201d and has issued increasingly harsh public statements demanding that the Saudis clarify what happened to him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=S-oj7uw_UA0&amp;feature=youtu.be\">The Conservative Edge Show #29: A Retrospective on Iraq<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Oct 2, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The Conservative Edge deals with issues &#8220;Domestic and International&#8221; that affect the lives of Americans, their understanding of government and society, education of their children, and their belief systems. The show covers ideas on conservatism, economics, investments, and constitutionally protected freedoms.<br \/>\nSubstance is our Hallmark!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Radio War Nerd<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/posts\/radio-war-nerd-21680881\">Radio War Nerd EP #150 \u2014 Idlib &amp; the Syria Endgame, with Joshua Landis<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>NewsStatesmanAmerica<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/world\/middle-east\/2018\/09\/idlib-father-s-dreams-hang-turkey-russia-deal-0\">In Idlib, a father\u2019s dreams hang on the Turkey-Russia deal<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, a Syria expert, said: \u201cIt certainly delays an offensive and makes a final political solution just a little more likely.\u201d However, he inserts a caveat that the chances of a military assault on Idlib are still high.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAssad has stated many times that he intends to retake all Syrian land,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is unlikely that Assad will accept a permanent rebel enclave in Idlib.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>MilitaryTimes<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/09\/25\/the-white-house-just-revealed-massive-mission-creep-in-syria-heres-why\/\">The White House has revealed massive mission creep in Syria. Here\u2019s why.<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sept 26, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe argument that ISIS is going to come back if America leaves Syria seems spurious to me,\u201d Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said.<br \/>\n\u201cISIS has never spread in a country where there\u2019s a strong state,\u201d Landis said.<br \/>\nNow, ISIS has already shifted back to a grass-roots insurgency, similar to the group\u2019s previous iteration that was known as al-Qaida in Iraq.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>France 24 TV News Hour<br \/>\n<strong>Sept 23, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Background Briefing<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.backgroundbriefing.org\/\">Russia is Giving Israel a Free Hand in Syria to Go After Iranian Targets<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>September 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Russia is Giving Israel a Free Hand in Syria to Go After Iranian Targets &#8211; Joshua Landis<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Russian TV Interview-newshour<br \/>\n<strong>Sept 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BBC<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/p06lg1lp\">Russia and Turkey to create buffer zone in Idlib<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sept 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The demilitarised zone will separate government forces and rebel fighters. It would be patrolled by soldiers from both Russia and Turkey. Joshua Landis, the head of the Center For Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma says the agreement is important.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Inquirer<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www2.philly.com\/philly\/columnists\/trudy_rubin\/idlib-syria-russia-turkey-us-war-chemical-weapon-20180914.html\">Will anyone save Syrians in Idlib from possible massacre by Putin, Assad? | Trudy Rubin<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sept 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;The United States, the Gulf states, and Europe encouraged a lot of Syrian rebels to become involved,&#8221; says noted Syria expert Joshua Landis, &#8220;and now they don&#8217;t want to take responsibility. Everyone is trying to shed crocodile tears, but we&#8217;re all complicit.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>DW<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/idlibs-civilians-in-survival-mode-for-syrian-assault\/a-45361655\">Idlib&#8217;s civilians in survival mode for Syrian assault<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sept 9, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Russia and Syria have demanded that Idlib&#8217;s population surrender and go through the sort of reconciliation process that [the province of] Daraa has gone through. HTS has refused all requests and said that it will cut the heads of any traitors who negotiate with the Syrian regime,&#8221; Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told DW.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org\/c\/s\/ahvalnews.com\/idlib\/turkey-and-idlib-conundrum?amp\">Turkey and the Idlib conundrum<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 8, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In Idlib, HTS has been the predominant group since it defeated the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham group in July 2017. Essentially HTS was previously the al-Qaeda offshoot Jabhat al-Nusra, a group so notorious that U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefires in Syria two years ago explicitly excluded that militant group alongside Islamic State.<br \/>\n\u201cThe world is looking to Turkey to save the province from a terrible humanitarian crisis,\u201d Professor Joshua Landis, a noted Syria expert and the Director of the Middle East Studies Department at the University of Oklahoma, told Ahval News.<br \/>\n\u201cTurkey will need to come up with a workable plan for dissolving or displacing the militant Islamist militias such as HTS,\u201d Landis noted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>CrossTalk RTV<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/shows\/crosstalk\/437655-trump-world-order-madness\/\">Trumpian trajectory<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 5, 2018 <\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>From Syria to the European Union, from Iran to Turkey and North Korea &#8211; what kind of world order is the Trump administration striving to create? Is there a method to all of this \u2018madness\u2019? Clearly the old world order is under threat and is intensifying. What will replace it?<br \/>\nCrossTalking with Joshua Landis, Abdel Atwan, and Mark Almond<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>CNN<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Trump warns Syria, Russia, Iran against attack on rebel stronghold <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 4, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Turkey, which has closed its border to fighters and civilians, has vowed that a regime incursion into Syria would constitute a &#8220;red line.&#8221; But analysts say there is little that it can do in the face of Russian and Syrian resolve to root out the fighters.<br \/>\n&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of tough jihadists in the region and Syria&#8217;s not going to digest them. The regime is not going to accept them, so they&#8217;ve got their backs against the wall,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, director of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br \/>\n&#8220;They&#8217;re facing death, and Turkey has made it clear that they&#8217;re not going to take them.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Washington Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2018\/sep\/2\/mohammed-bin-salmans-aramco-ipo-cutoff-signals-sau\/\">Saudi crown prince&#8217;s ambitious reforms quashed with &#8216;postponement&#8217; of Aramco IPO<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Sep 2, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The crown prince \u201chas been rather clubfooted and has scared away investors,\u201d Joshua Landis, director of the Middle East Center at the University of Oklahoma, said in a phone interview.<br \/>\nWidely known as MBS, the charismatic and popular prince is the acknowledged power behind the throne of his father, King Salman, and has spent the past year introducing \u2014 some say force-feeding \u2014 political and social liberalizations in one of the world\u2019s most hermetic kingdoms.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Defense Post<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/thedefensepost.com\/2018\/08\/31\/kurds-northern-syria-stability-us-military-presence\/amp\/?__twitter_impression=true\">Kurds tie northern Syria stability to continued US military presence<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 31, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe Defense Department and State Department have long seen staying in Syria for the \u2018Long Haul\u2019 as necessary for leverage against Assad, helping the Kurds and rolling back Iran,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br \/>\n\u201cPresident Trump has been the squeaky wheel. He surprised everyone by saying that he wanted to bring the troops home soon. This caused his national security community to do damage control and try to convince him to prolong the operation,\u201d Landis told The Defense Post<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Syria:direct<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/syriadirect.org\/news\/infographic-idlib-last-resort-for-more-than-one-million-displaced-syrians\/\">Infographic: Idlib, last resort for more than one million displaced Syrians<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>According to Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies, the mass movement of civilian populations into Idlib represents the culmination of a years-long military strategy by the Syrian government to hem in Syrians deemed to be pro-opposition, while pressuring Turkey on its borders.<br \/>\n\u201cThis was seen as a way to get rid of all these people,\u201d Landis tells Syria Direct. \u201cIn their heart of hearts, the [Syrian government] would like to drive up through Idlib and chase out hundreds of thousands.\u201d<br \/>\nWith nowhere left to be displaced to in Syria, and Turkey sending mixed signals about its willingness to absorb more refugees, this enormous population now stands in the crossfire of what could be the last great battle of the Syrian conflict.<br \/>\n\u201cPeople are stuck in the middle of these two big elephants\u201d says Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>CNN<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Once dismissed as &#8216;fake,&#8217; Syria reveals fate of people thrown into &#8216;slaughterhouse&#8217; jails <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>With Russian and Iranian backing, Assad remains in control. And, in an apparent attempt to turn the page on one of the darkest chapters in the country&#8217;s seven-year war, human rights groups say that Syrian officials released the death notices of more than 800 prisoners over the course of this summer. However, the bodies of loved ones, have not been returned.<br \/>\n&#8220;The war is winding down and (the government) is trying to normalize relations with the different parts of Syria as quickly as it can,&#8221; says Joshua Landis, Syria expert and Director of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. &#8220;A big part of that is explaining what&#8217;s happened to people.&#8221;<br \/>\nWith the civil records of some of Syria&#8217;s missing now marked &#8220;deceased,&#8221; the government could be getting rid of some bureaucratic bottlenecks, and re-instituting government order and processes. The wives of deceased prisoners are now officially widows. Property disputes that hung in the balance because owners were missing can be resolved. The government hopes this will allow people to move on, as the war dwindles.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Mindanao Examiner<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/mindanaoexaminer.com\/end-of-the-line-for-hayet-tahrir-al-sham-in-syria-al-jazeera\/\">End of the line for Hay\u2019et Tahrir al-Sham in Syria? \u2013 Al Jazeera<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 30,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I doubt if Turkey or others would be able to avoid an attack on Idlib or its takeover by the regime,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University. Unless the US does something drastic, such as establishing a no-fly zone over the province, Syrian forces supported by Russia\u2019s airpower will undoubtedly retake it, Landis told Al Jazeera.<br \/>\nLandis agreed that time was up for the armed group as Hay\u2019et Tahrir al-Sham\u2019s options have become exhausted, especially with Turkey.<br \/>\nThe Turkish government will not allow HTS members to resettle in Turkey for fear of being accused of harbouring \u201cterrorists\u201d, thereby complicating ties with Western intelligence agencies.<br \/>\n\u201cHTS has reached the end of the line,\u201d said Landis, also the author of the Syria Commentblog.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2018\/08\/line-hay-tahrir-al-sham-syria-180829132318259.html\">End of the line for Hay&#8217;et Tahrir al-Sham in Syria?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 29,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;I doubt if Turkey or others would be able to avoid an attack on Idlib or its takeover by the regime,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University.<br \/>\nUnless the US does something drastic, such as establishing a no-fly zone over the province, Syrian forces supported by Russia&#8217;s airpower will undoubtedly retake it, Landis told Al Jazeera.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera Arabic talk show<br \/>\n<strong>Aug 29, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Aljazeera Arabic<br \/>\n<strong>Aug 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Russian TV news<br \/>\n<strong>Aug 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BBC<br \/>\n<strong>Aug 11, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BBC<br \/>\n<strong>Aug 12, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Voice of America<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/water-crisis-looms-as-syria-military-conflict-winds-down-\/4547493.html\">Water Crisis Looms as Syria Military Conflict Winds Down <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 28,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, said the four-year drought &#8220;caused immense suffering in Syria,&#8221; and forced more than a million people to leave their farms in eastern Syria and to migrate to cities or the edge of cities. &#8220;It was that population,&#8221; Landis said, &#8220;that in many ways laid the groundwork for civil war.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Newsweek<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us-going-attack-syria-again-russia-thinks-so-getting-ready-action-1091430\">Is U.S. Going to Attack Syria Again? Russia Thinks So and It&#8217;s Getting Ready for Action<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In discussing the tension between the U.S. and Russia in Syria, Joshua Landis, head of the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center for Middle East Studies and the blog Syria Comment, told Newsweek that this &#8220;back and forth&#8221; appeared to be &#8220;a replay of the lead up to the Ghouta Campaign,&#8221; located in the recently-retaken suburbs of Damascus and &#8220;in which both sides accused the other of planning the use of chemical weapons.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>BBC NEWS<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-45237372\">US-Turkey row: Pastor a &#8216;pawn in personal feud&#8217;<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Turkish officials have said the bank did nothing illegal and shouldn&#8217;t be penalised. Meanwhile the feud continues. Mr Trump wants Mr Erdogan to release Mr Brunson for humanitarian reasons. If Mr Brunson is found guilty, he could face up to 35 years in prison. But there are other reasons too, says Joshua Landis, a professor of Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. He says that if Mr Trump wins Mr Brunson&#8217;s freedom, then the president can claim that his &#8220;strong-arm tactics&#8221; are effective in the realm of foreign policy. Besides that, says Mr Landis, securing the release of Mr Brunson would be welcomed by &#8220;the religious right&#8221;. &#8220;That&#8217;s his bread and butter,&#8221; says Mr Landis. &#8220;He&#8217;s doing this for them.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Newsweek<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us-feud-turkey-helps-russia-and-iran-syria-1073081\">U.S. DISPUTE WITH TURKEY HELPS RUSSIA AND IRAN IN SYRIA, WHERE WASHINGTON IS LOSING ALLIES<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;It appears there are two contradictory things going on in U.S. foreign policy,&#8221; Joshua Landis, who heads the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center for Middle East Studies and the online blog Syria Comment, told Newsweek. &#8220;One being driven by the White House for domestic reasons and one driven by the Department of Defense for strategic reasons.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/news\/world\/1004533\/Donald-Trump-Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan-US-Turkey-sanctions-Syria-Hassan-Rouhani-Putin-russia\">Trump SHOOTING HIMSELF in foot\u2019: US-Turkey sanctions may STRENGTHEN Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Centre for Middle East Studies and the online blog Syria Comment, told Newsweek: \u201cIt appears there are two contradictory things going on in US foreign policy.<br \/>\n\u201cOne being driven by the White House for domestic reasons and one driven by the Department of Defence for strategic reasons.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Straights Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/world\/middle-east\/turkey-crisis-risks-souring-military-ties-with-us\">Turkey crisis risks souring military ties with US<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, director of Centre for Middle East Studies, told AFP that Turkey&#8217;s ejection from Nato would be disastrous.<br \/>\n&#8220;There&#8217;s no upside to kicking Turkey out, it&#8217;ll just force Turkey into Russia&#8217;s hands,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>South China Morning Post<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/How Trump is risking a military mistake of \u2018epic proportions\u2019 by souring US ties with Turkey\">How Trump is risking a military mistake of \u2018epic proportions\u2019 by souring US ties with Turkey<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cTurkey is going to be hurt the most because it\u2019s weaker and America is just a big elephant,\u201d says Joshua Landis, director of Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Voice of America<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/Eerie Calm Pervades Idlib as Government Forces Amass\">Eerie Calm Pervades Idlib as Government Forces Amass<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>August 11, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA he thought the Syrian government was hoping to retake Idlib the same way it recently recaptured the southern city of Daraa \u2014 by negotiating &#8220;reconciliation agreements&#8221; with the various rebel militias that are at each other&#8217;s throats.<br \/>\n&#8220;[President Bashar al-] Assad&#8217;s strategy is to divide and conquer in Idlib province, in the same way that he did in Daraa,&#8221; Landis said. &#8220;There were 56 militias. More than half of them reconciled with the government and put down their guns. This left the remaining militias in a very weakened and vulnerable position. And this is why the Syrian government and army [were] able to sweep through Daraa in less than a month&#8217;s time and conquer the place.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/Turkey on alert as threat of Idlib \">Turkey on alert as threat of Idlib &#8220;bloodbath&#8221; rises<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 9,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Should Assad regime forces take Idlib, Turkey could also face accommodating up to 100,000 rebel fighters, many of whom have ties to Al-Qaeda, according to Syria scholar Joshua Landis,director of Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br \/>\n\u201c(The) Turkish government doesn\u2019t want them in Turkey, and it wants to see some gains from its Syrian adventure, which so far has brought nothing but pain, expense, and refugees into Turkey,\u201d said Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Litchfield County Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/KentPresents brings together experts across the field for weekend of brainstorming\">KentPresents brings together experts across the field for weekend of brainstorming<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 8,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In discussing Kent Presents: A Festival of Ideas Benjamin Rosen states, we have had Joshua Landis, director for the Center of Middle East Studies and professor at University of Oklahoma. He writes SyriaComment.com, a daily newsletter on Syrian politics that attracts some 200,000 page-reads a month. He has been to the conference twice and the response has been extraordinary.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Syria:direct<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/As Syria\u2019s proxies converge on Idlib, what\u2019s next for Turkey\u2019s northern state-within-a-state?\">As Syria\u2019s proxies converge on Idlib, what\u2019s next for Turkey\u2019s northern state-within-a-state?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 6, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Ankara is digging deep into northern Aleppo\u2019s nominally rebel-held towns and villages\u2014and it doesn\u2019t plan on leaving anytime soon, says Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies.<br \/>\n\u201cTurkey is prepared to, in a sense, quasi-annex this region,\u201d Landis tells Syria Direct\u2019s Madeline Edwards.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Weather Channel<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/features.weather.com\/exodus\/chapter\/jordan\/\">Depleted: Water and Patience Are Running Out in Jordan<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Aug 1, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Identity in Syria is tied up in rain. It\u2019s all about social geography: how it was created over thousands of year and how it continues to impact daily life. This argument has best been articulated by Joshua Landis, professor at the University of Oklahoma. Water scarcity exacerbated by climate change has only made more apparent what\u2019s been present throughout history.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Reuters<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">For buoyant Assad, Syrian war enters tricky phase <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The pan-Arab Alsharq Alawsat newspaper has reported details of a Turkish proposal to Russia over Idlib that includes the idea that rebels there surrender heavy weapons to the Turkish army. Such proposals &#8211; including that rebels be reorganized into a &#8220;national army&#8221; &#8211; are likely to be anathema to Assad.<br \/>\n&#8220;If Assad has reiterated one consistent refrain through the years of uprising, it is nationalism. When Assad says he will take back every inch of Syrian soil, we should believe he means it,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, an expert on Syria and head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/How big a threat is ISIL to the Syrian government?\">How big a threat is ISIL to the Syrian government?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>July 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center of Middle East Studies was a guest in this discussion of ISIL (ISIS) and the threat it poses to the Syrian government.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Al-Arab Online<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Death toll from ISIS attack climbs to 240 in predominately Druze Sweida <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 26, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Writing on Twitter on Thursday, Director of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma Joshua Landis suggested that the Sweida attack may have been a diversion intended to distract the Syrian army from advancing upon established Islamic State positions within the Golan.<br \/>\nNews websites in Sweida alleged that some of the jihadists who took part in the attack had previously been given safe passage out of the Yarmouk refugee camp in southern Damascus to the Badiya desert by the government. The Sweida websites posted images purporting to show ISIS fighters killed in the assault with identification cards showing they were from Yarmouk.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ahval<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/afrin\/kurdish-fighters-increase-attacks-turkish-posts-around-afrin\">Kurdish fighters increase attacks on Turkish posts around Afrin <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 24,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In this article Joshua Landis offered insights into the future of Syria&#8217;s north.\u201cThe YPG did not contest the Turkish conquest of Afrin once it became clear that the only outcome would be greater destruction of the region and a high rate of Kurdish deaths,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cAll the same, there was considerable doubt within the Kurdish community about the wisdom of not contesting the conquest more vigorously.\u201d<br \/>\nLandis said it was far from clear what would happen in Syria\u2019s north.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Voice of America<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syrian-media-hundreds-of-refugees-returning-from-lebanon\/4495215.html\">Syrian Media: Hundreds of Refugees Returning From Lebanon<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>July 23,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Syria expert Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA that it is very difficult for many former rebels and their families to accept life under government control again.<br \/>\n&#8220;It&#8217;s a miserable decision for each of these families to make: families who have people who have fought on the rebel side because many of the most established rebels have decided not to return under Bashar [al-Assad&#8217;s] control and they have gotten on buses to leave for the north of the country, where rebels still hold sway. But the vast majority of people don&#8217;t want to leave their homes and don&#8217;t want to become refugees. The situation is very bad and they are throwing themselves at the mercy of the Syrian government,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rompkrant<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Invloed van Iran in Syri\u00eb zal blijven, ook als de oorlog voorbij is <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, die een Syri\u00eb-expert is aan de Amerikaanse Universiteit van Oklahoma, is er daarom van overtuigd dat Isra\u00ebl ten onrechte vertrouwt op Russische beloften en toezeggingen. Volgens hem ,,zal de Iraanse presentie in Syri\u00eb blijvend zijn en is Rusland niet van plan om Iran te dwingen dit land te verlaten\u201d. We beleven daarom niet de terugkeer naar een oude en wellicht vertrouwde orde, maar de geboorte van een nieuwe constellatie, die weinig goeds voorspelt voor de stabiliteit van de regio. Martin Janssen is Arabist en woont in Jordani\u00eb<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>DW<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">In Syria, rebel defeat marks &#8216;end of revolution&#8217; <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 13, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Deraa is the end of the Syrian revolution,&#8221; Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and editor of Syria Comment blog, told DW.<br \/>\n&#8220;All of Syria&#8217;s remaining &#8216;independent&#8217; rebel militias are in the southeast. Once they are dismantled, the only region where rebel militias will hold sway is in the north \u2026 But the militias that hold sway in the north are under direct US and Turkish control.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Voice of America<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syrian-army-moves-to-retake-cradle-of-revolution\/4476636.html\">Syrian Army Moves to Retake &#8216;Cradle&#8217; of Revolution<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jul 10, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Syria expert Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA the Syrian government is putting an end to the last independent rebel militias around Daraa, which in effect signals the death knell of the revolution against President Bashar al-Assad that began in 2011.<br \/>\n&#8220;This is the end of the revolution, so there will be a new phase, because once the south is finished and consolidated, or more or less consolidated, the regime is going to move its best troops up to Idlib province and it is going to want to take back as much land as it possibly can from Turkey and we do not know how this is going to work out, because Turkey is not going to allow the Syrian Army to drive the tens of thousands of rebels who have collected in Idlib into Turkey,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>France 24<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/20180705-syria-talks-deraa-jordan-israel-russia-assad\">Syria talks resume after day of bombardments <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>July 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The latest offensive, according to Joshua Landis, head of Center for Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University, meant not just the end of the rebellion in Deraa. \u201cThis is the end of the Syrian revolution. Everybody could see it coming \u2013 perhaps not as quickly as they thought, but the Syrian military has amassed a major force \u2013 it has moved in with air power, everything,\u201d said Landis.<br \/>\nFor the Deraa-based rebels who have been virtually abandoned by the international community, the situation was very grim, explained Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Voice of America<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/syrian-government-forces-close-in-border-jordan\/4469403.html\">Syrian Government Forces Close In on Jordanian Border <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>July 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Reuters news agency reported Thursday that allies of the Syrian government in Lebanon are claiming that Hezbollah is participating in the operation to recapture southern Syria for the government.<br \/>\nJoshua Landis, who teaches at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA he thinks &#8220;Hezbollah will play an advisory role,&#8221; but the &#8220;Syrian government has every incentive to take control of the [border with Israel],&#8221; which is close to the Jordanian border as well, &#8220;and not to allow Iran or Hezbollah to control Syria&#8217;s foreign policy by going to war with Israel on the border.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=n9NZSblhqTs&amp;feature=youtu.be\">?? Is the battle for Deraa decisive for the war in Syria? | Inside Story<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>June 24, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>YouTube video discussing the battle for Deraa. Joshua Landis says it is one of three areas Assad has promised to take back.<br \/>\nGuests:<br \/>\nSami Nader &#8211; Director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs<br \/>\nMamoun Abu Nowar &#8211; Retired Jordanian Air Force General<br \/>\nJoshua Landis &#8211; Director, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Al-Monitor<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.al-monitor.com\/pulse\/originals\/2018\/06\/congress-trump-resume-aid-syria.html\">Congress wants Trump to resume aid to Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>June 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe US government&#8217;s refusal to allow any funds to be spent on Syrian reconstruction in government-held areas not only ties the hands of US officials who may seek to leverage concessions from the Syrian government, but it is also more likely to hurt the Syrian people than the Syrian regime,\u201d Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al-Monitor. \u201cThese additional financial restrictions will do little to loosen regime control over the people and will likely serve to delay the restoration of education and health institutions the people depend on.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Lobe Log<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/lobelog.com\/what-happens-now-in-syria\/\">What Happens Now in Syria?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>June 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>To get a sense of where the conflict stands now and where it might be heading, LobeLog spoke recently with University of Oklahoma professor Joshua Landis, who has been covering the war from its Arab Spring origins at his Syria Comment blog.<br \/>\nJoshua Landis: Assad has won the major battle against the uprising. There\u2019s no real organized, armed opposition in Syria anymore. There are these pockets that you talk about, these \u201cdeconfliction zones\u201d that are being protected by outside powers. There\u2019s Daraa, which Israel and the United States have told Assad not to attempt to take back although it looks as though he\u2019s going to push in that direction. There\u2019s Idlib, which Turkey is trying to protect.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/programmes\/insidestory\/2018\/06\/led-coalition-commit-war-crimes-syria-raqqa-180605175041277.html\">Did US-led coalition commit war crimes in Syria&#8217;s Raqqa?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>June 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A report by Amnesty International said there is strong evidence the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in Raqqa violated international law and may have committed war crimes.So can the coalition be held accountable?<br \/>\nGuests:<br \/>\nHaid Haid &#8211; Syria consulting research fellow at Chatham House<br \/>\nElias Farhat &#8211; military analyst and retired Lebanese army general<br \/>\nJoshua Landis &#8211; director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>IRIN<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">As Syria looks to rebuild, US and allies hope money can win where guns lost <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>May 22, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>According to Joshua Landis, who heads the Centre for Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University, Washington\u2019s strategy of blocking reconstruction and keeping troops in oil-rich northeastern Syria aims at creating a quagmire\u201d for al-Assad\u2019s Iranian and Russian allies.<br \/>\nThe US policy should be gratifying to America\u2019s allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia,\u201d Landis told IRIN. But it will leave 18 million Syrians in the lurch\u201d, he said, referring to the number of people thought to still reside inside Syria.<br \/>\nLandis said that Washington and its allies are using the language of human rights\u201d to disguise a mean policy in noble cloth\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Haaretz<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/us-news\/.premium-bolton-europe-won-t-have-choice-but-to-join-u-s-sanctions-on-iran-1.6078743\">Trump Administration&#8217;s Next Iran Battle: Enforcing Sanctions on India, China and Europe<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>May 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma is quoted in this are that discusses the Trump administration&#8217;s attempt to enforce sanctions on Iran.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/investingwiththebuyside.com\/podcasts\/\">Investing with the Buyside<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>May 12,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis director of Center for Middle East Studies takes part in a podcast that focuses on giving the average investor some of the information that gives institutional investors an advantage.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>El Mundo<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Israel e Ir\u00e1n: un choque desigual <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>May 10, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Israel ha demostrado una y otra vez que su ventaja tecnol\u00f3gica y su potencia a\u00e9rea sobre Ir\u00e1n son excelentes. El equilibrio de poder entre Ir\u00e1n e Israel se inclina del lado de Israel tan profundamente que no hay mucho que Ir\u00e1n pueda hacer para da\u00f1ar a Israel&#8221;, opina Joshua Landis, analista del conflicto sirio asociado a la Universidad de Oklahoma. Aunque matiza: &#8220;Sobre el terreno sirio, Ir\u00e1n es mucho m\u00e1s poderoso que Israel. Es poco lo que EEUU o Israel pueden hacer para retroceder a Ir\u00e1n en Siria&#8221;. Leer<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>MDC for Middle East and African Studies<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/dayan.org\/content\/rami-makhlouf-and-syrian-war-economy\">Rami Makhlouf and the Syrian war economy<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 28, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Now that many parts of the country have been destroyed, those close to the regime aim to capitalize on rebuilding projects. Most recently, thanks to a government decree, a spin-off of Makhlouf\u2019s Damascus al-Cham Holdings joint-capital investment firm is positioned to control a planned massive real estate project \u2013 including a large new shopping mall \u2013 in place of the slums of Damascus. This is specifically designed to attract a new elite class which will be loyal to the regime.[6] Moreover, Syria expert Joshua Landis noted recently that Makhlouf\u2019s firm has received a license for Syria\u2019s first mortgage finance operation\u2014giving the Makhlouf-Assad family even deeper control of the economy in addition to another mechanism for shaping the demographics of Syria\u2019s housing landscape.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>94.1 KPFA The Ralph Nader Radio Hour<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/kpfa.org\/episode\/the-ralph-nader-radio-hour-april-23-2018\/\">Beating City Hall\/What\u2019s Really Going On in Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 23, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Ralph welcomes independent candidate for California Lieutenant Governor, Gayle McLaughlin, who talks about how she and small group of progressive reformers turned around the city of Richmond, California. And one of the foremost experts on the Middle East, Professor Joshua Landis, clues us in to what exactly is going on in Syria, and what we should do about it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Yahoo7 News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/western-strikes-syria-turning-point-never-115828484.html\">Western strikes on Syria, turning point that never was<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In discussing the strikes on Syria carried out by the U.S. and its allies,Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said all the United States and its allies had achieved was to uphold a norm on the non-use of chemical weapons.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Straits Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/world\/middle-east\/mission-accomplished-most-syrians-wonder-whats-next-after-us-led-strikes\">Mission accomplished? Most Syrians wonder what&#8217;s next after US-led strikes<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>If the West refuses to invest the resources needed to determine Syria&#8217;s future, its efforts to penalise Mr Assad will make life worse for average Syrians.<br \/>\n&#8220;You are not punishing Assad, you are punishing the poor Syrian people,&#8221; said Dr Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The New York Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/04\/15\/world\/middleeast\/syria-us-airstrike.html\">After U.S. Strikes, Syria Returns to War as Usual<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 15, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Some counter that if the West refuses to invest the resources needed to determine Syria\u2019s future, its efforts to penalize Mr. Assad will make life worse for average Syrians.<br \/>\n\u201cYou are not punishing Assad, you are punishing the poor Syrian people,\u201d said Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cIf America\u2019s objectives are countering terrorism, stabilization and the return of refugees, all of these will fail.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>DW.com<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-led-strikes-on-syria-a-move-with-unpredictable-consequences\/a-43389488\">US-led strikes on Syria: A move with unpredictable consequences<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said the United States had tried to look strong in a situation where it does not have much leverage, and seeks to leave Syria.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>BBC Newshour<br \/>\n<strong>Apr 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Russia TV<br \/>\n<strong>Apr 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Turkish RTV<br \/>\n<strong>April 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Aljazeera English Program<br \/>\n<strong>April 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>France 24 TV<br \/>\n<strong>April 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CNNi News<br \/>\n<strong>Apr 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis discusses U.S., UK and France launching 105 missiles at Syria<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Al-Monitor<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.al-monitor.com\/pulse\/originals\/2018\/04\/pentagon-acknowledge-us-contractor-presence-syria-iraq.html\">Pentagon acknowledges US contractor presence in Syria for first time<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 13, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Despite their nonkinetic role, some experts say contractors face many of the same dangers as the US troops and Syrian forces who battled Russian mercenaries in February. With IS on the run and multiple US antagonists ready to push out the United States and its allies, civilian personnel risk getting caught in the crossfire.<br \/>\n\u201cI would give America a six-month honeymoon here,\u201d said Joshua Landis, the director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies. \u201cTurkey, Syria and Iran are just sitting there, waiting to stick shivs in us.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Express<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/news\/world\/944784\/world-war-3-Syria-Theresa-May-Donald-Trump-United-States-Middle-East\">World War 3 THREAT: This is why the US needs to stop Syria, reveals Middle East expert<\/a><strong><br \/>\nApr 12, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Donald Trump has to stop Syria if they are using chemical weapons because \u201cweapons of mass destruction work\u201d, warned Joshua Landis.<br \/>\nDr Landis, Director of Centre for Middle East Studies, told Russia Today: \u201cThe US after all demonstrated that weapons of mass destruction work when it used the atomic bomb at the end of world war 2 and it brought about the end.<br \/>\n\u201cThe surrender of the Japanese because as we recall in March 1945, the US killed about 140,000 people, the largest single day of death in Tokyo using firebombing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Military Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2018\/04\/12\/strikes-on-syria-pose-risk-of-conflict-with-russia-and-us-troops-on-the-ground\/\">US strikes on Syria pose risk of conflict with Russia<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Apr 12, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Given that Trump has also been vocal about his desire to pack up and end the U.S. mission to Syria \u2014 which would be a dream come true for Russia, Syria, and Iran \u2014 it seems unlikely that any adversaries would want to do anything that could force Trump to stay, according to Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies.<br \/>\n\u201cLook, the Russians are winning here. They don\u2019t need to respond,\u201d Landis said. \u201cThey need to get Trump out of north Syria. They don\u2019t want to get into a fight. They\u2019ve been bending over backwards to avoid that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>On Point<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wbur.org\/onpoint\/2018\/04\/10\/syria-chemical-attacks-and-the-worlds-next-moves\">Syria Chemical Attacks And The World&#8217;s Next Moves<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 10, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, author of Syria Comment, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, comments on the Syrian chemical weapons attack and what it means for Syria and the possible response from the world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rudaw<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rudaw.net\/english\/analysis\/07042018\">What would happen if Trump pulls US forces out of Syria? <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Apr 7, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, a Syria expert from the University of Oklahoma, also predicts that a major power vacuum will result from a US withdrawal from Syria in the foreseeable future that would have with profoundly negative results for the Kurds.<br \/>\n&#8220;Ankara and Damascus would race to capture the territory that US troops and the US air force withdraw from,&#8221; Landis told Rudaw English. &#8220;But just because special forces may not be located in Syria that does not mean the US air force would not assist the SDF.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8220;It is not at all clear to me that the US would abandon the SDF entirely,&#8221; he concluded.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/423293-ankara-turkey-russia-iran\/\">Will Syria peace trio succeed given all three have different agendas?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Apr 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director at the Center of Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma, argues \u201cit is going to be very difficult\u201d for these trilateral efforts to rebuild Syria, considering US troops are still stationed there.<br \/>\n\u201cWhat we are seeing today is that Syria is increasingly being divided into three zones: a Russian and Assad zone, an American and Kurdish zone and a Turkish zone where the rebel militias hold sway,\u201d he noted. Landis said that \u201cthis is a period of great turmoil.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Military Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2018\/04\/04\/trump-wants-troops-out-of-syria-but-his-generals-may-resist\/\">Trump wants troops out of Syria, but his generals may resist<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>April 4, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>While the president seems content with eliminating ISIS holdovers and pulling out, the generals he tends to trust may be interested in pursuing broader, more strategic concerns in the region.<br \/>\n&#8220;The only reason for staying there in the long run is to hurt Iran and Russia,\u201d Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies, told Military Times.<br \/>\n\u201cThe United States in this northern Syria region has control over 50 percent of Syria&#8217;s oil, and much of its best agricultural land,\u201d Landis said. \u201cSo by denying that to [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad, we can make him extremely poor and we can stop him from rebuilding.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Daily Star<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailystar.com.lb\/News\/Middle-East\/2018\/Mar-21\/442501-whats-left-of-isis-in-syria.ashx\">What&#8217;s left of Daesh in Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, predicted a real resurgence was unlikely, however.<br \/>\n&#8220;It is very difficult for ISIS to get its feet back on the ground. The situation is nothing like it was in 2014,&#8221; he said, stressing that the Syrian army had grown stronger.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Reuters<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">EXPLAINER-Foreign powers obstruct more Assad gains in Syria <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 15, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>U.S. goals have broadened beyond fighting Islamic State to curbing Iran and paving the way diplomatically for Assad&#8217;s eventual departure, though Washington&#8217;s call for &#8220;patience&#8221; on that front points to the difficulties.<br \/>\n&#8220;The Syrians are dreaming of how to use guerrilla war against the Americans, but it is hard to get to them and they are protected by the YPG. America has gotten smarter about occupying Arab countries,&#8221; said Syria expert Joshua Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>El Pais<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">La guerra de nunca acabar da ox\u00edgeno al ISIS <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 15, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Los generales norteamericanos se quejan amargamente de la sangr\u00eda de los mejores combatientes de las YPG (Unidades de Protecci\u00f3n del pueblo, milicia kurda), desplazados al frente Afrin&#8221;, constata Joshua Landis, editor del portal especializado Syria Comment. &#8220;Tambi\u00e9n lamentan que Siria y Rusia no hagan todo lo que est\u00e9 en su mano contra los \u00faltimos milicianos del ISIS, mientras vuelven a enfrentarse a insurgentes que amenazan al Gobierno&#8221;, asegura en un correo electr\u00f3nico el director del Centro de Estudios sobre Oriente Pr\u00f3ximo de la Universidad de Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>LA Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world\/middleeast\/la-fg-syria-seven-anniversary-20180314-story.html\">Seven years on in Syria: Nobody seems willing to stop the bloodshed<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>And the fighting has raged on, said Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center for Middle East Studies, in full view of the world.<br \/>\n&#8220;Syria has engaged a great deal of the world&#8217;s attention in the last seven years,&#8221; Landis said. &#8220;The problem is that no one really cares about Syria the country, it&#8217;s that they care about the geographic position of Syria and they want leverage.<br \/>\n&#8220;They care about Syria, but not the Syrian people.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Gulf News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/gulfnews.com\/news\/mena\/syria\/syria-war-shifting-gears-but-still-deadly-1.2187311\">Syria war shifting gears but still deadly<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 13, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The organisation that once administered millions of people still has a few fighters hunkering down in desert hideouts, but its territorial ambitions have been dashed.<br \/>\n\u201cIt is very difficult for Daesh to get its feet back on the ground,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br \/>\nHe warned that it would retain the ability to carry out spectacular attacks and suicide bombings.As they invested forces and equipment in the war on the extremists, world powers were also staking their claim to increased influence in the region.<br \/>\nAfter foreign militaries finished wresting back one Daesh bastion after another, parts of Syria that had seen a relative lull in fighting became the focus once again.<br \/>\n\u201cWhat we are seeing is the scramble for Syria right now,\u201d said Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>FAIR<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/fair.org\/home\/media-erase-us-role-in-syrias-misery-call-for-us-to-inflict-more-misery\/\">Media Erase US Role in Syria\u2019s Misery, Call for US to Inflict More Misery<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 7, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>America currently controls 28 percent of Syria (Foreign Policy, 1\/25\/18), precisely the opposite of being \u201con the sidelines,\u201d and has recently declared its intent to continue occupying the country indefinitely (New York Times, 2\/22\/18). As Joshua Landis (Syria Comment, 1\/15\/18), director of the Center for Middle East Studies, notes, the US controls \u201chalf of Syria\u2019s energy resources, the Euphrates dam at Tabqa, as well as much of Syria\u2019s best agricultural land.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Wesa.fm<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/post\/first-aid-convoy-makes-its-way-rebel-controlled-syrian-territory#stream\/0\">First Aid Convoy Makes Its Way To Rebel-Controlled Syrian Territory <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Mar 5, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Here &amp; Now\u2018s Peter O\u2019Dowd speaks with Joshua Landis (@joshua_landis), director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>ISPI<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispionline.it\/it\/pubblicazione\/afrin-ghouta-and-post-scramble-syria-19721\">Afrin, Ghouta and the post-IS scramble for Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 27, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>ISPI interviewed Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and a leading expert on Syria, on unfolding events.<br \/>\nAfrin, a Kurdish dominated region of north Syria that borders Turkey, has been at the center stage of the latest dangerous escalation between actors involved in the conflict. What is happening and why has Turkey invaded Afrin?<br \/>\nA week ago, it seemed that a cease-fire in Afrin between Turkey, Russia, Assad and the YPG or Kurdish militia had been concluded. According to this agreement, the Syrian army would move into Afrin, disarm the YPG and send them to the east, thereby restoring Syrian sovereignty to Afrin, allowing the Turks to withdraw their forces and stop their advance into Afrin.<br \/>\nWhat happened then?<br \/>\nTurkey greeted the Syrian pro-Assad militias that advanced into Afrin with artillery fire, claiming that the Assad forces had come to defend the YPG rather than disarm them. So, clearly, the negotiations failed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Swiss Radio<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.srf.ch\/sendungen\/echo-der-zeit\/konzession-fuer-schweizer-fernbusse\">Konzession f\u00fcr Schweizer Fernbusse <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<strong>Feb 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BBC news<br \/>\n<strong>Feb 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rudaw<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rudaw.net\/english\/analysis\/21022018\">Assad in Afrin: Possible ramifications of Damascus&#8217; deployment <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, a Syria specialist from the University of Oklahoma, argued just before this deployment that it could well constitute &#8220;a win-win for everyone.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8220;Turkey wins because its YPG problem in Afrin would be solved,&#8221; he told Rudaw English. &#8220;The Kurds win because they would not be defeated by a hostile military and would thus save life and home. The Syrian government would win because it restores its sovereignty over another region of Syria and would show that it can serve as a protector rather than threat to local populations.&#8221;<br \/>\nEven the United States and Russia would benefit he argues, &#8220;because they can state that they have worked for stability in Syria.&#8221;<br \/>\nThe only stumbling block Landis foresees is the US government &#8220;dilemma&#8221; over &#8220;whether it weighs stability in Syria over its goal of rolling back Iran.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Wall Street Journal<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/almost-100-killed-in-bombardment-of-hard-hit-suburb-of-syrian-capital-1519124180\">Syrian Forces Backed by Russia Bombard Hard-Hit Suburb of Capital<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis offers insight into the military action in Eastern Ghouta. Including the role of Russia in the Assad regimes attacks.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ga\/default.aspx\">Will Turkish and Syrian armies fight in Afrin?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>After seven years of war, the complex mosaic that is the battlefield in Syria can still surprise. The US, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the Syrian regime are all involved with forces on the ground and desperate to make political gains. Afrin, in northern Syria, is now the focus of the conflict, and the situation is getting even more complicated. Last month Turkey launched an operation to seize Afrin from the Kurdish fighters of the YPG &#8211; a group Ankara considers &#8220;terrorists&#8221; and a threat so close to its border. The US has been supporting YPG in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in Syria and continues to do so, making relations with Ankara even tenser. And Turkey is now facing a new and more direct confrontation. Syrian pro-government forces will help the US-backed Kurdish soldiers in fighting Turkish troops for control. What&#8217;s next for war-torn Syria? Presenter: Peter Dobbie Guests: Mehmet Yegin &#8211; affiliate of the political science department at Bilkent University Salih Muslim Mohammed &#8211; diplomatic committee member of Tev-Dem &#8211; The Movement for a Democratic Society Joshua Landis &#8211; director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma Al Jazeera News<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>BBC<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/w172vr1mdss2ldm\">Josh Landis on Newshour<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of the center for Middle East Studies at University of Oklahoma, says Turkey is determined to crush the YPG. As a result the Kurds have turned to the Syrian government in order to lay down their arms to stop Turkey&#8217;s attacks. Landis says everyone could come out a winner.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Who.What.Why.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/whowhatwhy.org\/2018\/02\/14\/major-powers-mingle-syria-explosive-mix\/\">Major Powers Mingle in Syria in an Explosive Mix<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThis is a scramble for position in Syria,\u201d Joshua Landis, a prominent Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma, told WhoWhatWhy. \u201cAs long as ISIS was still a powerful force in Syria, the US and Russia worked together to concentrate on defeating ISIS, and they agreed on deconfliction zones around Syria \u2026 but now that ISIS is destroyed, and it\u2019s just a policing matter, there is a scramble for the endgame.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Hurriyet Daily News<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hurriyetdailynews.com\/opinion\/murat-yetkin\/how-long-will-and-can-the-us-stay-127146\">How long will and can the US stay in Syria? <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 12,2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Robert Ford, who resigned as the U.S. ambassador to Damascus in 2014, asked Congress to decide whether it wants an indefinite presence in Syria and to instruct the Trump administration \u201cto identify benchmarks and timelines for when political conditions in Syria are such that American forces can withdraw.\u201d<br \/>\nStressing that the U.S. has spent some $12 billion on its operation in Syria, excluding CIA activities, according to American expert Joshua Landis, Ford said: \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of money and it\u2019s not clear when those outlays will stop\u2026 Our military and civilian personnel on the ground in Syria will be targeted, eventually.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Gulf News<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/gulfnews.com\/news\/mena\/syria\/paroxysm-of-anxiety-after-israeli-jet-downed-by-syria-1.2171276\">\u2018Paroxysm of anxiety\u2019 after Israeli jet downed by Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 10, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Prominent Syria expert Joshua Landis, head of the Centre of Middle East Studies at Oklahoma University, thinks the downing of the Israeli jet \u201cwill send Israeli politicians into paroxysms of anxiety.\u201d<br \/>\nSpeaking to Gulf News, he said: \u201cThis is proof that Israel\u2019s redlines are being shifted by new Syrian capabilities\u201d saying that previous attacks had been at zero cost for Israel whereas now, \u201cone of their top line US jets has been shot down\u201d.<br \/>\nLandis added: \u201cIsrael will undoubtedly seek to make Iran and Syria pay a heavy price in order to deter further action. This is sure to open a new chapter in the Syrian-Israeli conflict<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Irish Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/global.factiva.com\/ha\/default.aspx#.\/!?&amp;_suid=154022258411004441348782549859\">Fresh conflicts emerge in post-Isis environment <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 9, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>US Syria expert Joshua Landis told the France24 satellite channel that Washington seeks to use US Kurdish-held territory to deprive Damascus of oil and agricultural resources. The US will also block reconstruction funds for Syrian territory held by the government &#8211; currently 65 per cent of the country &#8211; in order to keep Syria &#8220;weak&#8221;, he says.<br \/>\nThis would suit Israel which, reportedly, intends to use Islamic State, al-Qaeda and other proxies to establish a 40kms deep buffer zone to exclude Syrian and pro- Iranian forces from the Golan Heights ceasefire line.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Al-Jazeera news TV<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=27&amp;v=dg11YOs3Hno\">?? Is Syria&#8217;s de-escalation deal over? | Inside Story<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 7, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis offers insight into the Syria de-escalation. Landis states that the ceasefire was negotiated because everyone wanted to fight ISIS. Now with ISIS being rolled back the great powers have turned their focus to grabbing control of land in Syria.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera Inside Story<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/programmes\/insidestory\/2018\/02\/syria-de-escalation-deal-180207183807227.html\">Is Syria&#8217;s de-escalation deal done?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 7, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The truce was supposed to bring temporary relief to hundreds of thousands of Syrians suffering from severe food and medicine shortages. Instead, Russian and Syrian government forces launched a new wave of air raids and shelling, plunging besieged rebel-held areas into even more despair. So what exactly triggered the latest round of violence? And who can stop it?<br \/>\nPresenter: Folly Bah Thibault<br \/>\nGuests:<br \/>\nDmitriy Frolovsky- political analyst and researcher of Russian affairs in the Middle East<br \/>\nHisham Jaber- retired Lebanese army general<br \/>\nJoshua Landis- director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Wall Street Journal<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/syrian-offensive-creates-new-frictions-among-foreign-powers-1517780655\">Syrian Offensive Creates New Frictions Among Foreign Powers<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Feb 4, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIdlib really represents the massive complications that Syria presents to everybody because it is the last rebel stronghold. But at the same time it is the biggest stronghold of al Qaeda-affiliated rebels and deeply committed Islamists,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Energy Intelligence<br \/>\n<a href=\"file:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/Syria%253a_The_US_War_Isn't_Over_Yet.pdf\">Energy Compass<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 136px; top: 40455px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/Syria%253a_The_US_War_Isn't_Over_Yet.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 136px; top: 40099px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/Syria%253a_The_US_War_Isn't_Over_Yet.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 136px; top: 38583px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/Syria%253a_The_US_War_Isn't_Over_Yet.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Feb 2, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>However,&nbsp;Washington&#8217;s&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;position&nbsp;rests&nbsp;on&nbsp;shaky&nbsp;legs,&nbsp;with&nbsp;supply&nbsp;lines&nbsp;and&nbsp;support&nbsp;dependent&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;Incirlik airbase&nbsp;in&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and&nbsp;overland&nbsp;supply&nbsp;via&nbsp;Iraq.&nbsp;And&nbsp;while&nbsp;US&nbsp;control&nbsp;of&nbsp;northeast&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;and&nbsp;its&nbsp;resources&nbsp;means&nbsp;it can&nbsp;frustrate&nbsp;Moscow&#8217;s&nbsp;efforts&nbsp;to&nbsp;impose&nbsp;its&nbsp;will,&nbsp;it&nbsp;is&nbsp;in&nbsp;no&nbsp;position&nbsp;to&nbsp;push&nbsp;through&nbsp;its&nbsp;own&nbsp;solution.&nbsp;The&nbsp;likelihood&nbsp;is that&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;&#8220;standoff&#8221;&nbsp;between&nbsp;&#8220;the&nbsp;Russians&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Americans,&nbsp;between&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#8221;&nbsp;develops&nbsp;and&nbsp;&#8220;the whole&nbsp;region&nbsp;gets&nbsp;locked&nbsp;into&nbsp;a&nbsp;downward&nbsp;cycle&nbsp;of&nbsp;pain,&#8221;&nbsp;warns&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;expert&nbsp;Joshua&nbsp;Landis.<br \/>\nAny&nbsp;bold&nbsp;initiative&nbsp;to&nbsp;break&nbsp;the&nbsp;deadlock&nbsp;is&nbsp;unlikely.&nbsp;&#8220;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;content&nbsp;to&nbsp;ensure&nbsp;that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and Russia&nbsp;don&#8217;t&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;the&nbsp;fruits&nbsp;of&nbsp;their&nbsp;gains,&#8221;&nbsp;explains&nbsp;Landis<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>SYRIA:direct<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/syriadirect.org\/news\/joshua-landis-\u2018the-war-is-coming-to-an-end-and-the-us-should-let-it-end\u2019\/\">Joshua Landis: \u2018The war is coming to an end, and the US should let it end\u2019<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 31, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The Syrian government controls most of the country\u2019s major cities. Yet rebuilding Homs, Aleppo and other Syrian cities destroyed by airstrikes and ground fighting with rebels requires billions of dollars and years of work.<br \/>\nBut US-backed rebel forces control \u201c50 percent of Syria\u2019s oil and gas,\u201d along with a major swathe of the Baghdad-Damascus highway\u2014cutting off two major revenue streams for the Syrian government, says Joshua Landis, director of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s Center for Middle East Studies.<br \/>\nThe result? The US is \u201cpunishing\u201d the Assad government economically at a time when it should be promoting economic growth in the region, Landis says.<br \/>\n\u201cIf the United States pursues the policies that it is pursuing today,\u201d Landis tells Syria Direct\u2019s Justin Clark, \u201cwe are going to get a region that is fragmented, weak, that can\u2019t grow and nothing is allowed to heal.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Soundcloud<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/medyascopetv\/this-week-in-turkey-47-with-joshua-landis-on-the-syrian-kurds-and-regionalglobal-powers\">This Week in Turkey (47): with Joshua Landis on the Syrian Kurds and regional\/global powers <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 26, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, who is the head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, discusses U.S. relationship with Turkey. Landis discusses the future of U.S. presence in Northern Syria. He says, &#8220;U.S. is staying in Northern Syria and will continue to assist the Kurds in the region&#8221;.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>War Nerds Radio-podcast<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/posts\/preview-radio-us-16885102\">PREVIEW: Radio War Nerd #118\u2014Afrin Invasion, Turkey &amp; US Syria Policy, with Joshua Landis<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 23, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Here is a 25+ minute preview of Radio War Nerd episode 118 with Joshua Landis trying to make sense of Turkey&#8217;s invasion of Syria&#8217;s Afrin province, US strategy in the region, and the nature of sectarian warfare . . .<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>RT<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/416586-washington-arming-kurds-afrin-operation\/\">\u2018US broken promises to stop arming Kurds triggered Afrin op\u2019 \u2013 Turkey&#8217;s ex-FM to RT <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Relations between the NATO allies \u201chave been going from bad to worse in the last several years,\u201d noted Joshua Landis, Director at the Center of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cThe US has begun to write Turkey off as a partner and a security ally in the region. Turkey felt increasingly that the US is siding with Kurdish nationalism in Syria, in Iraq, defying Turkish interests.\u201d Landis believes.<br \/>\nWashington\u2019s announcement to create a predominantly Kurdish border force in Syria was \u201cthe final straw\u201d Landis said. Although the US later backtracked on the thousands-strong \u201cBorder Security Force,\u201d its stated intention to maintain a military presence in Syria has further fuelled the flames.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Der tagesspiegel<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tagesspiegel.de\/berlin\/tuerkei-und-usa-scheidungsgrund-syrien\/20871418.html\">T\u00fcrkei und USA: Scheidungsgrund Syrien<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 21, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Nach der Aufl\u00f6sung des IS-\u201eKalifats\u201c will Washington im Syrien-Konflikt vor allem einen weiteren Machtzuwachs des regionalen Gegenspielers Iran verhindern, sagt Joshua Landis, Syrien-Experte an der Universit\u00e4t von Oklahoma. Die neue Kurden-Truppe dient Amerika demnach als Instrument, um den an Bodensch\u00e4tzen reichen und landwirtschaftlich wichtigen Norden Syriens dauerhaft kontrollieren zu k\u00f6nnen. Der Iran, Russland und Syriens Pr\u00e4sident Baschar al Assad sollten auf diese Weise an einem endg\u00fcltigen Sieg im B\u00fcrgerkrieg gehindert werden.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>EL PAIS<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/elpais.com\/internacional\/2018\/01\/19\/actualidad\/1516375712_429044.html\">Oriente Pr\u00f3ximo en la era de Trump<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 20, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cEn 2018, el Ej\u00e9rcito sirio continuar\u00e1 reconquistando el territorio retenido por los rebeldes en la provincia de Idlib (norte) y en la frontera jordana\u201d, pronostica Joshua Landis, editor del portal especializado Syria Comment y destacado analista regional. \u201cNo podr\u00e1 recuperar toda Siria porque est\u00e1 apoyando a las Fuerzas Democr\u00e1ticas Sirias (FDS) en aproximadamente el 30% del pa\u00eds, y el Ej\u00e9rcito turco respalda a grupos rebeldes sun\u00edes en un peque\u00f1a zona situada al norte de Alepo\u201d, detalla en un correo electr\u00f3nico el tambi\u00e9n director del Centro de Estudios sobre Oriente Pr\u00f3ximo de la Universidad de Oklahoma. \u201cPero s\u00ed creo que la mayor\u00eda de los combates terminar\u00e1n antes de fin de a\u00f1o, salvo en esas regiones\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ausland<br \/>\n<a href=\"file:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/PresseJan192018.pdf\">Zum Amtsjubil\u00e4um k\u00f6nnten Lichter ausgehen<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 361px; top: 43243px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/PresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 361px; top: 42887px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/PresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 361px; top: 41355px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/PresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Jan 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Nach Aufl\u00f6sungd es IS-\u201eKalifats\u201cw ill Washington im SyrienKonfliktv or allem einen weiteren Machtzuwachs des regionalen GegenspielersI ranv erhindern, sagt Joshua Landis,S yrien-Experte an der Universit\u00e4t von Oklahoma. Die neue Grenztruppe dientden USA demnacha ls Instrument, um den an Bodensch\u00e4tzen reichen und landwirtschaftlichw ichtigen Norden Syriens dauerhaft kontrollieren zu k\u00f6nnen. Der Iran, Russland und der syrische Pr\u00e4sident, Bashar alAssad, sollten aufdiese Weise an einem endg\u00fcltigen Sieg im B\u00fcrgerkrieggehindertwerden.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>KOMMENTAR &amp; HINTERGRUND<br \/>\n<a href=\"file:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/FreiePresseJan192018.pdf\">US-Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr Kurden vertieft Zwist mit Ankara <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 430px; top: 43599px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/FreiePresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 430px; top: 43243px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/FreiePresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sendToPdfFiller\" style=\"left: 434px; top: 41695px;\" title=\"Open with PDFfiller\" data-url=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=25950&amp;action=editfile:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/Marjan\/AppData\/Local\/Packages\/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\/TempState\/Downloads\/FreiePresseJan192018.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Jan 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Nach der Aufl\u00f6sung des IS\u201eKalifats\u201c will Washington im Syrien-Konflikt vor allem einen weiteren Machtzuwachs des regionalen Gegenspielers Iran verhindern, sagt Joshua Landis, Syrien-Experte an der Universit\u00e4t von Oklahoma in den USA. Die neue Grenztruppe dient den USA demnach als Instrument, um den an Bodensch\u00e4tzen reichen und landwirtschaftlich wichtigen Norden Syriens dauerhaft kontrollieren zu k\u00f6nnen. Der Iran, Russland und der syrische Pr\u00e4sident Baschar al-Assad sollten auf diese Weise an einem endg\u00fcltigen Sieg im B\u00fcrgerkrieg gehindert werden.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Express Newsline<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/expressnewsline.com\/2018\/01\/17\/president-vows-to-uproot-terror-nests-in-syria.html\">President vows to uproot &#8216;terror nests&#8217; in Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 17, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;The US has redefined its goals in Syria to include two important additional reasons for its continuing presence: not only to police against a comeback of ISIS, but to also gain leverage for a political process to gain traction, and roll back Russian Federation and Iran&#8221;, Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said in a phone interview.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The New York Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/01\/16\/world\/middleeast\/syria-kurds-force.html?smid=tw-share\">U.S.-Backed Force Could Cement a Kurdish Enclave in Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua M. Landis, a Syria specialist at the University of Oklahoma, said in an email that the United States was effectively \u201cbacking an independent state north of the Euphrates River,\u201d one that controls a large portion of Syria\u2019s oil and gas reserves and its main electric dam and that has its own army and Kurdish-language school curriculum.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>LA Times<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world\/middleeast\/la-fg-kurds-border-force-20180116-story.html\">Turkey says U.S. &#8216;stabbed us in the back&#8217; by aligning with Kurds on Syrian border<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;The U.S. has redefined its goals in Syria to include two important additional reasons for its continuing presence: not only to police against a comeback of ISIS, but to also gain leverage for a political process to gain traction, and roll back Russia and Iran,&#8221; Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said in a phone interview. &#8220;They believe they can deny Iran and Russia the fruits of their victory in Syria by keeping Assad weak and Syria poor.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Aljazeera Inside Story<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/programmes\/insidestory\/2018\/01\/trump-playing-fire-backing-kurds-syria-180115165543651.html\">Is Trump &#8216;playing with fire&#8217; by backing Kurds in Syria?<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 15, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>US support for Kurds in Syria is leading to threats of retaliation from Turkey.<br \/>\nA coalition of countries led by the US is planning a 30,000-strong force in Syria, just across the border with Turkey.<br \/>\nTurkey&#8217;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thinks the Kurdish-led force is a threat and is vowing to attack the city of Afrin in northern Syria.<br \/>\nAfrin is a major stronghold of YPG Kurdish fighters. Turkey considers the YPG a &#8220;terrorist&#8221; group linked to the Kurdistan Workers&#8217; Party (PKK). Its PKK fighters have waged a long war against Turkish dominance.<br \/>\nHow much volatility will be added to the war zone?<br \/>\nPresenter: Jane Dutton<br \/>\nGuests:<br \/>\nGiran Ozcan &#8211; Peoples&#8217; Democratic Party representative to the US<br \/>\nMetin Gurcan &#8211; security analyst and former military officer in Turkey<br \/>\nJoshua Landis &#8211; Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rudaw<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rudaw.net\/english\/middleeast\/syria\/07012018\">Resisting Assad advances, rebel enclave near Damascus may face onslaught <\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 7, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said the ongoing rebellion in Eastern Ghouta contrasted with the regime \u201cpresenting itself as the winner\u201d of Syria\u2019s war elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe persistence of the East Ghouta resistance has become a major embarrassment and liability for the Assad regime,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The Assad regime, militarily backed by its ally Russia, has retaken control of more than half of the country with a string of victories against rebel and jihadist forces.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt hopes to convince the international community that it faces little opposition any more save for the enclaves on the margins of Syria,\u201d Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Morning Star<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/morningstaronline.co.uk\/article\/escalating-war-west\u2019s-responsibility-slaughter-syria\">Escalating the war: the West\u2019s responsibility for the slaughter in Syria<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Jan 3, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Professor Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, explained that the US had \u201cprolonged the civil war and has abetted the terrible destruction\u201d and \u201cdestabilised the region.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul class=\"news_archive_list\">\n<li>Browse Archive By Year<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/\">Current<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"active\" href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2018\/\">2018<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2017\/\">2017<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2016\/\">2016<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2015\/\">2015<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2014\/\">2014<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2013\/\">2013<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2012\/\">2012<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2011\/\">2011<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2010\/\">2010<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2009\/\">2009<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2008\/\">2008<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2007\/\">2007<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2006\/\">2006<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2005\/\">2005<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2004\/\">2004<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Browse Archive By Year Current 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Aljazeera ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? Dec 29, 2018 ????? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25950","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.8.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Browse Archive By Year Current 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Aljazeera ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? Dec 29, 2018 ????? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??: [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Syria Comment\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-01-09T18:07:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@joshua_landis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"62 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/\",\"name\":\"Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-01-02T23:34:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-01-09T18:07:19+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Landis in the News 2018\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Syria Comment\",\"description\":\"Syrian politics, history, and religion\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment","og_description":"Browse Archive By Year Current 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Aljazeera ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? Dec 29, 2018 ????? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??: [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/","og_site_name":"Syria Comment","article_modified_time":"2020-01-09T18:07:19+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@joshua_landis","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"62 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/","url":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/","name":"Landis in the News 2018 - Syria Comment","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png","datePublished":"2019-01-02T23:34:59+00:00","dateModified":"2020-01-09T18:07:19+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#primaryimage","url":"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png","contentUrl":"chrome-extension:\/\/nekpbihglnapolbhgdeldjgagcjegmab\/img\/icon-fill.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2018\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Landis in the News 2018"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/","name":"Syria Comment","description":"Syrian politics, history, and religion","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P38J3A-6Ky","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25950"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26241,"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25950\/revisions\/26241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}