{"id":26231,"date":"2020-01-09T12:59:42","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T17:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?page_id=26231"},"modified":"2020-01-09T13:24:28","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T18:24:28","slug":"landis-news-2019","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Landis in the News 2019"},"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 class=\"active\" href=\"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/landis-news\/landis-news-2019\/\">2019<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a 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\n\n<p>PBS Newshour<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/intensified-offensive-in-idlib-province-puts-syrian-civilians-on-the-run\">Intensified offensive in Idlib province puts Syrian civilians on the run<\/a><br><strong>December 24, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>One of the problems with Idlib is, it&#8217;s the largest collection of al-Qaida-affiliated fighters in \u2014 left in the world.<\/p><p>And there are about 30,000 militants. This is why the international community is not coming to the defense of these rebels, because they don&#8217;t \u2014 they&#8217;re torn. We saw that America just destroyed caliph Baghdadi, who was in Idlib province. Many ISIS members have taken refuge there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Al Arabiya<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6Ffe7XcihDQ&amp;feature=youtu.be\">Interview with Dr. Landis<\/a><br><strong>November 29, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis&#8217; interview starts at 33:00 minutes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Lobe Log<br><a href=\"https:\/\/lobelog.com\/qa-syria-the-u-s-and-the-incoherence-of-donald-trumps-incoherence\/\">Q&amp;A: Syria, The U.S., And The Incoherence Of Donald Trump\u2019s Incoherence<\/a><br><strong>November 7, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>To get some perspective on what has been a rapidly developing situation,&nbsp;<em>LobeLog<\/em>&nbsp;spoke with Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and expert on Syria.<\/p><p>&#8220;In many ways, our foreign policy in the Middle East has become dissociated from the broader national interest and certainly from public opinion. This is a problem for any elected official, because we\u2019ve spent\u2014as Trump continually reminds us\u2014six or seven trillion dollars in the Middle East for nothing, or what seems to be nothing to the American public. Politicians can\u2019t really explain what that money has bought us. With a foreign policy establishment that has become very anti-Iran and very pro-Israel, and is willing to spend trillions of dollars to pursue these policies, the American people feel like they\u2019ve been abandoned by Washington,&#8221; Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval<br><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/abu-bakr-al-baghdadi\/how-much-did-turkey-know-about-baghdadis-location-syria\">How much did Turkey know about Baghdadi&#8217;s location in Syria?<\/a><br><strong>November 4, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cIt seems clear that Huras al-Din knew of Baghdadi&#8217;s presence and was receiving money from ISIS,\u201d Landis said, referring to al-Qaeda\u2019s unofficial affiliate in Idlib. Recently uncovered ISIS documents purportedly show that the group paid at least $67,000 in protection money to Huras al-Din.<\/p><p>Landis added that while we can\u2019t know for sure if HTS leader Julani knew about Baghdadi\u2019s presence \u201che does claim to control the Idlib enclave and HTS is the dominant force there.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>WJCT<br><a href=\"https:\/\/news.wjct.org\/post\/if-us-takes-syrian-oil-it-may-violate-international-laws-against-pillage-0\">If U.S. Takes Syrian Oil, It May Violate International Laws Against Pillage<\/a><br><strong>October 31, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The U.S. has not declared war on the Assad regime, but University of Oklahoma Middle East scholar&nbsp;Joshua Landis&nbsp;told NPR that the occupation of the Deir el-Zour oil fields by U.S. forces is really all about keeping the government that owns that oil from having it. &#8220;The main reason for America to retain that oil is to deny it to Assad,&#8221; Landis&nbsp;says. &#8220;This is not about ISIS \u2014 this is about greater policy in Syria, to hurt the Assad regime and to gain and retain leverage on the part of America.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>WhoWhatWhy<br><a href=\"https:\/\/whowhatwhy.org\/2019\/10\/31\/us-celebration-of-isis-raid-may-be-short-lived-as-turmoil-brews\/\">U.S. Celebration of ISIS Raid May Be Short-lived as Turmoil Brews<\/a><br><strong>October 31, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>This articles features a tweet from Dr. Landis. &#8220;US policy is real in melt down phase,&#8221; he tweeted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The New Yorker<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/our-columnists\/trumps-baffling-plan-to-pillage-syrias-oil\">Trump&#8217;s Baffling Plan to Pillage Syria&#8217;s Oil<\/a><br><strong>October 30, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Most of all, the new policy\u2014which may keep some five hundred American troops in Syria\u2014wasn\u2019t well thought out, U.S. officials and Middle East experts told me.&nbsp;Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma, described it as \u201ccockamamie.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>KUOW<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kuow.org\/stories\/fact-check-president-trump-s-plans-for-syrian-oil\">Fact Check: President Trump&#8217;s Plans For Syrian Oil<\/a><br><strong>October 28, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>That would be a costly undertaking, according to Joshua Landis, who directs the Center of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. &#8220;This whole oil region needs to be rebuilt,&#8221; Landis said. &#8220;So if America is going to get in the business of retaining these oil fields, it will have to invest hundreds of millions of dollars, in theory, to make them exploitable.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Arab Weekly<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thearabweekly.com\/sochi-deal-keeps-us-troops-kurds-out-oil-rich-area\">Sochi deal keeps US troops, Kurds out of oil-rich area<\/a><br><strong>October 26, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cPutin\u2019s offer to use his diplomatic skills to defuse escalating tensions in the Middle East could not come at a better time \u2014 particularly because the American foreign policy process is in shambles,\u201d University of Oklahoma Professor Joshua Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>NPR<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2019\/10\/26\/773675428\/the-future-of-u-s-troops-in-syria\">The Future of U.S. Troops in Syria<\/a><br><strong>October 26, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis at the University of Oklahoma said that ISIS started with these refineries that were sort of the size of container-sized trucks. The U.S. found those, bombed those. Then they started selling the crude oil to people who were building big stills and boiling the oil. And those got bombed. And then ultimately, he said it evolved from there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>NPR<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2019\/10\/25\/773532475\/trump-considering-keeping-u-s-troops-in-syria-to-safeguard-oil-fields-from-isis\">Trump Considering Keeping U.S. Troops in Syria To Safeguard Oil Fields From ISIS<\/a><br><strong>October 25, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis says that &#8220;the main reason for America to retain that oil is to deny it to Assad. This is not about ISIS. This is about greater policy in Syria to hurt the Assad regime and to gain and retain leverage on the part of America.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Slate<br><a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/news-and-politics\/2019\/10\/trump-syria-oil-kurds-graham.html\">We Can&#8217;t Keep the Oil<\/a><br><strong>October 25, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>As Joshua Landis, editor of the Syria Comment website, notes, the Russians and Turks will in effect control the oil.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Guam Daily Post<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postguam.com\/the_globe\/nation\/who-gains-in-the-battle-for-syria-s-northeast\/article_12ba93a6-efcd-11e9-b663-8b677efcc8e5.html\">Who gains in the battle for Syria&#8217;s northeast?<\/a><br><strong>October 17, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cDamascus needs the Kurds. The Kurds and Damascus have two things in common: enmity for Turkey and a desire not to see Sunni rebel militias ruling the northeast of Syria,\u201d said Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cBut they don\u2019t agree on anything when it comes to ruling northeast Syria.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Hidden Forces Podcast<br><a href=\"https:\/\/hiddenforces.io\/podcasts\/joshua-landis-us-withdrawal-end-of-rules-based-global-order\/\">U.S. Withdrawal and the End of the Rules-Based Global Order<\/a><br><strong>October 16, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Demetri Kofinas speaks with Joshua Landis, a Middle East scholar and Syria expert about the disorderly withdrawal of American forces from Syria and the larger shift in the balance of power that we are seeing as nations scramble to remake alliances in the wake of America\u2019s absence.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>EL PA\u00cdS<br><a href=\"https:\/\/elpais.com\/internacional\/2019\/10\/14\/actualidad\/1571050740_222414.html\">El pacto entre los kurdos y El Asad revoluciona el tablero de la guerra siria<\/a><br><strong>October 15, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Para Joshua Landis, acad\u00e9mico de la Universidad de Oklahoma, \u201cel juego ha cambiado\u201d con el pacto entre kurdos y Damasco, e incluso se han simplificado un tanto.<\/p><p>\u201cAhora que EE&nbsp;UU est\u00e1 fuera de la ecuaci\u00f3n, hay m\u00e1s posibilidades de que dos actores estatales [Siria y Turqu\u00eda] puedan alcanzar un acuerdo,\u201d si bien el camino por delante es complicado, a\u00f1ade Landis: \u201cEl apoyo turco a la oposici\u00f3n siria y a milicias islamistas, as\u00ed como sus aparentes ambiciones territoriales, enfurecen a Damasco. Adem\u00e1s, hay parte de la poblaci\u00f3n \u00e1rabe [en territorio bajo dominio kurdo] aterrorizada por un regreso del r\u00e9gimen.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Background Briefing with Ian Masters<br><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-830442635\/the-kurds-desperate-deal-with-assad-and-russia\">The Kurds Desperate Deal with Assad and Russia<\/a><br><strong>October 15, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Ian Masters interviews Dr. Joshua Landis over recent Kurdish strategic endeavors.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>France 24<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/20191015-syria-s-kurds-us-allies-of-convenience-left-in-the-lurch\">Syria&#8217;s Kurds, US allies of convenience, left in the lurch<\/a><br><strong>October 15, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;Trump has decided that Turkey is much more important than the Kurds,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. &#8220;And I ultimately don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s just Trump&#8217;s decision \u2013 America sees Turkey as much more important to its interests,&#8221; Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>PBS NewsHour<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/what-trumps-syria-withdrawal-means-for-the-kurds-russia-and-american-allies\">What Trump\u2019s Syria withdrawal means for the Kurds, Russia and American allies<\/a><br><strong>October 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;The notion of pulling out of Syria is, I think, well-made. And there&#8217;s no good way to pull out of Syria. The real mistake was getting into Iraq and invading Iraq and turning over the apple cart in this region to begin with. But Americans don&#8217;t see any benefit coming out of these wars.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Reuters<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-syria-security-turkey-kurds-deal\/syrian-kurdish-leaders-damascus-deal-to-protect-border-politics-later-idUSKBN1WT0LN\">With U.S. letdown, Syrian Kurdish leaders lose bargaining chip<\/a><br><strong>October 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Despite oil trade and shared enmity towards Turkey, Damascus and the Kurds \u201cdon\u2019t agree on anything when it comes to ruling northeast Syria,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cWhere they are going to have big differences is over language, the schooling, the military autonomy, all the mechanisms of self-rule.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Washington Times<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2019\/oct\/14\/trump-saudi-arabia-deployment-undercuts-bid-end-fo\/\">Trump&#8217;s bid to end &#8216;forever wars&#8217; undercut by Saudi troop deployment<\/a><br><strong>October 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cPresident&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;is making our policy in the Middle East a policy of countering Iran,\u201d said Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><p>\u201cHe does want to get us out of these \u2018forever wars.\u2019 You could see it with his push for talks in Afghanistan and now the pullback in Syria. He campaigned on it, and he wants to pump it now for domestic political purposes.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>RT<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/470871-us-troops-pullout-kobani-turkey-damascus\/\">US troops \u2018leave\u2019 Kobani as Turkish incursion advances and Kurds make deal with Damascus<\/a><br><strong>October 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>With the Syrian Army on the move, pressure is mounting on Turkey, according to Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><p>\u201cThe Syrian government is going to try to go across and get the oilfields, the gas fields that are so crucial for Syria\u2019s economic wellbeing,\u201d&nbsp;he said, adding that they also want to take control over prime agricultural land and the Tabqa Dam, which the Americans and the Kurds have held. Landis fears that without enough diplomatic effort, an all-out war could break out between Turkey and Syria.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>WhoWhatWhy<br><a href=\"https:\/\/whowhatwhy.org\/2019\/10\/12\/erdogan-risks-syria-becoming-turkeys-vietnam\/\">Erdogan Risks Syria Becoming Turkey&#8217;s &#8216;Vietnam&#8217;<\/a><br><strong>October 12, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThe US government has great hopes for the constitutional committee, which it believes can move Syria toward elections, overseen by the United Nations, that will replace President Assad,\u201d Joshua Landis, a prominent Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma, told&nbsp;<em>WhoWhatWhy<\/em>. Speaking shortly before Trump decided to pull US troops back, Landis added that this is a key reason why the US is keeping a force in northern Syria in the first place.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>TRT World<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N4m57eMYQh8\">Trump&#8217;s Syria U-Turn<\/a><br><strong>October 10, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis&#8217; video interview begins at minute 16:02.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>VOA News<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/middle-east\/diplomacy-aims-unite-kurds-damascus-against-turkish-advance-syria\">Diplomacy Aims to Unite Kurds, Damascus Against Turkish Advance into Syria<\/a><br><strong>October 10, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA that he &#8220;doubts the US government will allow the Syrian military to move north of the Euphrates River even if its YPG (Kurdish allies) asks for this.&#8221; &#8220;The US,&#8221; he says, &#8220;is an ally of Turkey and an enemy of (Syrian President Bashar al) Assad and Iran.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>OnPoint<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/onpoint\/2019\/10\/08\/syria-turkey-us-kurdish-forces-islamic-state\">U.S. Pulls Troops From Northern Syria Ahead Of Turkish Operation<\/a><br><strong>October 8, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Podcast interview with Dr. Joshua Landis, who is introduced at minute 16:34.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Australian Broadcasting Company (Podcast)<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/radionational\/programs\/breakfast\/turkey-expected-to-invade-syria-following-us-withdrawal\/11581226\">Turkey expected to invade Syria following US withdrawal<\/a><br><strong>October 8, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The US President&#8217;s decision to effectively give Turkey the green light to invade northern Syria has been met with contempt by America&#8217;s global partners and even prominent Republicans.<\/p><p>Dr. Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies from the University of Oklahoma, shares his expertise on the issue in this podcast.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/10\/turkey-military-preparations-syria-incursion-complete-191008082547251.html\">Turkey: Military preparations for Syria incursion &#8216;complete&#8217;<\/a><br><strong>October 8, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, a Syria analyst from the University of Oklahoma, said Trump&#8217;s move was the latest to throw American foreign policy into disarray.<\/p><p>&#8220;This shows a real collapse of the foreign policy process in the White House \u2026 People are guessing what America will do next. This is clearly not good,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Organization for World Peace<br><a href=\"https:\/\/theowp.org\/one-step-closer-to-peace-in-syria-constitutional-committee-formed\/\">One Step Closer To Peace In Syria: Constitutional Committee Formed<\/a><br><strong>October 3, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said in an interview with Aljazeera that he fears that if only Syrians decide the future of Syria without any people immersed from the international community, things might remain the same.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Stock Podcast<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thestockpodcast.com\/saudi-oil\/?fbclid=IwAR3lyfrGX51bVReO_zmgNfXIxtuzJ5rXwyiBclhAO0X88HJfU8UV283sbx0\">Saudi Oil, Iran, and the Abqaiq Attack<\/a><br><strong>September 28, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The event was the single largest loss of Saudi oil production in history. Immediately after the attack, Yemen\u2019s Iranian-backed Houthi\u2019s claimed responsibility. However, Prof. Landis is convinced that Iran is ultimately&nbsp;responsible, and the country with the most to gain from an attack on Saudi oil infrastructure. In this interview, Prof. Landis also provides an explanation as to the strategic significance of Saudi oil and the Persian Gulf to the broader geopolitical interests of the US.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Al Jazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/09\/guterres-announces-formation-syria-constitutional-committee-190923144730234.html\">UN&#8217;s Guterres announces Syria constitutional committee formation<\/a><br><strong>September 23, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis,&nbsp;head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al Jazeera it was &#8220;hard to hold up much hope&#8221; for the committee&#8217;s viability.<\/p><p>&#8220;The Syrian government has put its foot down and said that only Syrians are going to decide the future of Syria&#8230; It has won the war so it&#8217;s unlikely to allow for outside powers and the UN to change the constitution very much,&#8221; Landis said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Le Figaro<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lefigaro.fr\/international\/l-iran-peut-il-a-son-tour-exercer-une-pression-maximale-sur-les-etats-unis-et-leurs-allies-20190918?fbclid=IwAR319SJtsEMp5YEqo5jhDweYCK9Jw7s8-c526EHIONE05jRlDT6s7WGX8dI\">L\u2019Iran peut-il \u00e0 son tour exercer une \u00abpression maximale\u00bb sur les \u00c9tats-Unis et leurs alli\u00e9s?<\/a><br><strong>September 18, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u00abL\u2019Arabie saoudite soutiendrait une guerre entre les \u00c9tats-Unis et l\u2019Iran si elle peut se cacher derri\u00e8re Washington, mais pas une guerre o\u00f9 elle doit se placer en avant, car elle perdrait\u00bb, analyse sur Twitter Joshua Landis, professeur associ\u00e9 \u00e0 l\u2019Universit\u00e9 d\u2019Oklahoma et sp\u00e9cialiste du Moyen-Orient.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Week<br><a href=\"https:\/\/theweek.com\/speedreads\/865367\/trump-actually-smart-outsource-military-action-iran-saudi-arabia-middle-east-expert-argues\">Trump was actually smart to outsource U.S. military action in Iran to Saudi Arabia, Middle East expert argues<\/a><br><strong>September 17, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Trump&#8217;s tweet has some strategic merit, argues Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma.&nbsp;Landis isn&#8217;t arguing that Iran wasn&#8217;t behind the attack \u2014 in fact,&nbsp;Iran has a clear motive&nbsp;\u2014 but he notes that the Saudis have been more cautious in assigning blame to Iran than the Trump administration has, and Trump was more cautious than Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump also appears&nbsp;less than eager&nbsp;to get into another war in the Middle East \u2014 for good reason.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>BPR Business &amp; Politics<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bizpacreview.com\/2019\/09\/17\/dem-tulsi-gabbard-trump-acting-like-saudi-arabias-bh-826231\">Dem Tulsi Gabbard: Trump acting like Saudi Arabia\u2019s b***h<\/a><br><strong>September 17, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But according to&nbsp;Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma, Trump isn\u2019t trying to \u201cpimp\u201d out the American people \u2014 he\u2019s trying to deescalate tension by putting the onus of a potential war on Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTrump is actually smart to kick the ball to the Saudis,\u201d he tweeted over the weekend. \u201cEveryone is saying, \u2018What? Let the Saudis decide US foreign policy!\u2019 But this is right out of Obama\u2019s playbook when he sent the decision to bomb Syria to Congress, knowing they would not support it. KSA will not support war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Times<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.co.uk\/article\/syria-assad-holds-rich-cousin-so-he-can-pay-putins-war-loans-pl7pplrm6\">Syria: Assad holds rich cousin so he can pay Putin\u2019s war loans<\/a><br><strong>August 31, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, an American academic with contacts close to the regime, said he understood that the row was largely about money.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\nKCBS Radio, The Crisis Next Door<br><a href=\"https:\/\/kcbsradio.radio.com\/media\/podcast\/crisis-next-door\">Syria Turns on Turkey<\/a><br><strong>August 30, 2019<\/strong>\n&nbsp;\nOn The Crisis Next Door, Jason Brooks talks about the latest developments in Syria with Professor Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.\n&nbsp;\nVoice of America<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/middle-east\/syria-fighter-jets-target-turkish-convoy-syrian-territory\">Syria Fighter Jets Target Turkish Convoy in Syrian Territory<\/a><br><strong>August 19, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA that Khan Sheikhoun is &#8220;extremely important to the Syrian government&#8221; because &#8220;it sits astride the main highway linking Damascus to the north of the country.&#8221; He says it is vital to the reconstruction of the country and viability of Syria&#8217;s northern capital, Aleppo.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Arab Weekly<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thearabweekly.com\/us-turkey-safe-zone-augurs-fracturing-syria-foreign-areas-influence\">US-Turkey \u2018safe zone\u2019 augurs fracturing of Syria into foreign areas of influence<\/a><br><strong>August 17, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cSyria is unlikely to be unified for a long time,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><p>\u201cTurkey has territorial ambitions in Syria. Many influential groups in US foreign policy circles are also saying that the US should remain in north Syria for the long haul, which is not promising,\u201d Landis said via e-mail.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>New Delhi Times<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newdelhitimes.com\/pentagon-daesh-slight-comeback-causing-stir-in-region\/\">Pentagon: Da\u2019esh Slight Comeback Causing Stir in Region<\/a><br><strong>August 9, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma, says Islamic State \u201cremains a problem, despite the destruction of its caliphate.\u201d He says that the group\u2019s ideology remains strong among \u201cthe women and family members of IS fighters that have been placed in the al Hol camp,\u201d and that many IS fighters \u201ccontinue to carry out guerrilla attacks.\u201d Al Hol is a Kurdish-run camp for those displaced from former Islamic State-controlled areas, including wives and children of former fighters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera YouTube<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xt_LSrOET9Q&amp;feature=youtu.be\">Can the U.S. and Turkey bridge their differences over Syria&#8217;s Kurds?<\/a><br><strong>August 7, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis&#8217; interview begins at minute 5:09.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jerusalem Post<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/Middle-East\/Civilian-Tragedy-in-Idlib-as-Regional-Players-Continue-to-Fight-it-Out-597495\">Civilian Tragedy in Idlib As Regional Players Continue To Fight It Out<\/a><br><strong>August 2, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>However, noted Josh Landis, University of Oklahoma professor and director of the Center of Middle East Studies, following an eight-year-long battle against an array of rebel groups ranging from ISIS Islamists to Sunni opposition forces, the Assad regime has retaken an estimated 70 percent of Syrian territory and is determined to take reunify the country.<\/p><p>\u201cRussia has consolidated a \u2018row\u2019 of states in the Middle East: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran \u2013 at least what they are trying to do and the USA is jockeying over power [there] with Russia and Iran in a continuation of the Cold War game,\u201d Landis told The Media Line. \u201cRussia sees the north of the Middle East as a part of its sphere of influence, so does Iran. There are more Shi\u2019ite [Muslims] in the north.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Voice of America<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/middle-east\/syrian-refugees-border-camp-face-humanitarian-crisis\">Syrian Refugees in Border Camp Face Humanitarian Crisis<\/a><br><strong>July 25, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA that the &#8220;Rukban camp has been a problem for years, with 50,000 people stuck in the middle of the desert.&#8221;<\/p><p>He said the Syrian government &#8220;originally refused to provide food and other supplies to the refugees there because it fell within an American no-fly zone and housed families of rebel fighters who were being trained and paid for by the U.S. to fight the Syrian government.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/features\/abdel-basset-al-sarout-controversial-singer-syria-war-190612073649441.html\">Abdel-Basset al-Sarout: Controversial singer of Syria&#8217;s war<\/a><br><strong>June 12, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said that al-Sarout&#8217;s participation in the rebellion was not marked by sectarian ideas at first.<\/p><p>&#8220;His revolutionary fervor passed through an initial period of youthful innocence and revolt in the name of dignity and freedom that was hardly marked by religion,&#8221; said Landis. &#8220;But a growing sense of despair and abandonment awakened in him a deep sense of sectarian anger, followed by a turn toward the Salafi-Jihadist ideology embraced by such groups as al-Qaeda and ISIS.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Bloomberg<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2019-05-30\/my-search-for-a-tablecloth-in-damascus-shows-the-ravages-of-syria-s-eight-year-war\">My Search for a Tablecloth in Damascus Shows the Ravages of Syria\u2019s Eight-Year War<\/a><br><strong>May 29, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThe loss of this traditional Syria is akin to losing one\u2019s parents,\u201d says Joshua Landis, director of the Center of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Landis, whom I first met in Damascus in 2005 while he was on a fellowship, runs an influential Syria commentary&nbsp;forum.<\/p><p>\u201cSyria was the memory and essence of the Middle East, and now it is largely gone,\u201d says Landis, who\u2019s married to a Syrian. \u201cSyrians are in mourning and feel a terrible need to commemorate their sense of loss\u2014not just for the many who have died, but also for the places and things that gave a particular texture to life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Sputnik International<br><a href=\"https:\/\/sputniknews.com\/analysis\/201905241075291187-trump-iran-strategy\/\">Trump&#8217;s Iran Strategy Prompts Split in US Congress and White House<\/a><br><strong>May 24, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, an American academic and the head of&nbsp;the Centre for&nbsp;Middle East Studies at&nbsp;the University of&nbsp;Oklahoma, noted that the Democrats&#8217; efforts to&nbsp;resist the Trump administration&#8217;s policy that could drag the US into&nbsp;a war with&nbsp;Iran are &#8220;weak.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Voice of America<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/extremism-watch\/could-blacklisting-muslim-brotherhood-complicate-us-diplomacy-middle-east\">Could Blacklisting Muslim Brotherhood Complicate US Diplomacy in Middle East?<\/a><br><strong>May 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;For America to write off this important part of politics in the Middle East is really to hobble any kind of intellectual debate and the freedom of American diplomats to operate in this region,&#8221; said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<br>Ahval<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/syrian-war\/why-turkey-building-wall-around-syrias-afrin\">Why Turkey is building a wall around Syria\u2019s Afrin<\/a><br><strong>May 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Professor Joshua Landis, head of the Middle East Studies Department at the University of Oklahoma, said Turkey\u2019s wall serves several purposes.<\/p><p>\u201cThe cement wall around Afrin represents a visual reminder of Turkish control,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is meant to indicate to both inhabitants of Afrin and the world that the border is permanent; Ankara is serious about staying in north Syria. On a more practical level, the wall provides security against insurgents and those who seek to return Afrin to Kurdish control and expel the Turks and Arab militias.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval<br><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/turkey-fsa\/turkey-backed-fsa-launches-operation-syrias-tal-rifaat-region\">Turkey-backed FSA launches operation on Syria\u2019s Tal Rifaat region<\/a><br><strong>May 4, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cIn gaining Russian partnership to patrol Tal Rifaat, Turkey is using its regional leverage against the Kurds of northern Syria,\u201d Professor Joshua Landis, a noted Syria expert and head of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Ahval.<\/p><p>\u201cRussia is in effect punishing the YPG for its cooperation with the United States east of the Euphrates,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don&#8217;t know what Russia has asked Turkey for in exchange for its Tal Rifaat cooperation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>MPN News<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/us-state-department-investigate-civilian-casualties-syria-iraq\/258036\/\">US State Department Offers $4.5m Grant to &#8220;Investigate&#8221; Civilian Casualties in Syria and Iraq<\/a><br><strong>May 1, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The article features a Tweet from Dr. Landis, discussing U.S. presence in Syria.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Voice of America<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/extremism-watch\/soleimani-mastermind-irans-mideast-expansion\">Soleimani: Mastermind of Iran\u2019s Mideast Expansion<\/a><br><strong>April 12, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cSoleimani does carry a lot of weight in the Iranian government,\u201d said Joshua Landis, director of Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><p>\u201cWhen Bashar [al-Assad of Syria] traveled to Iran earlier this year, Soleimani met with him rather than the foreign minister. It was a photo op, meant to boost moral inside Iran at a time of economic stress and sanctions. But it underlined the accomplishment of Soleimani in helping to win the war in Syria,\u201d he added.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Global Finance<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gfmag.com\/magazine\/april-2019\/rebuilding-syria\">Rebuilding Syria<\/a><br><strong>April 9, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>According to Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, there is still a strong desire outside the region to see Assad pushed from office. \u201cThe Western international community is determined to keep Syria poor, in hopes of gaining leverage to use against Assad,\u201d Landis says. \u201cWestern governments and UN agencies continue to propose a \u2018political solution\u2019 for Syria.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Asia Times<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asiatimes.com\/2019\/04\/article\/syria-leases-mediterranean-port-to-iran-raising-alarms\/\">Syria leases Mediterranean port to Iran<\/a><br><strong>April 5, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>For Tehran, which is suffering under crippling US sanctions, a long-sought Mediterranean foothold is a potential game-changer. \u201cEveryone wants a Silk Road nowadays, and ports are a good place to start,\u201d said Oklahoma University Professor Joshua Landis, speaking to Asia Times.<\/p><p>\u201cIran dreams of building a strong regional economy based on trade, highways and pipelines that cross from Iran to the Mediterranean. Helping to build up Syrian ports is only one element in a much larger vision of prosperity and shared interests. Most important will be the day that Iran can sell its oil and gas to Europe by transporting across Iraq and Syria,\u201d said Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>D\u00dcNYA<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/tr\/suriyeyi-bekleyen-ikinci-sava%C5%9F\/a-48044926\">Suriye\u2019yi bekleyen ikinci sava?<\/a><br><strong>March 24, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Oklahoma \u00dcniversitesi&#8217;nden Joshua Landis ise, yolsuzluktan ekonomi politikas?na ve Suriye\u2019ye y\u00f6nelik yapt?r?mlara kadar bir\u00e7ok konunun ili?kili oldu?una dikkat \u00e7ekerek, \u201cSuriye\u2019de durum daha da k\u00f6t\u00fcle?ecek\u201d diye konu?tu.<\/p><p>Joshua Landis ise, yolsuzlu?un bir\u00e7ok Ortado?u \u00fclkesi gibi Suriye\u2019nin de on y?llard?r \u00e7\u00f6zemedi?i bir sorun oldu?una dikkat \u00e7ekti.<\/p><p>Suriye\u2019deki sistemi \u201cb\u00fct\u00fcn b\u00f6lgede oldu?u gibi y\u00f6netim g\u00fcvenlik ve istikrar sa?lar, halk politik haklar?ndan vazge\u00e7er, soru sormaz\u201d ?eklinde tan?mlayan Landis\u2019e g\u00f6re, Suriye\u2019ye y\u00f6nelik yapt?r?mlar?n da etkisiyle \u201cher i?in masa alt?nda halledildi?i yolsuzluk \u00fczerine kurulu, ?effafl???n olmad??? bir sistem in?a edildi.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/03\/anatomy-caliphate-rise-fall-isil-190320140536453.html\">Anatomy of a &#8216;caliphate&#8217;: The rise and fall of ISIL<\/a><br><strong>March 23, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>According to Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, &#8220;hit-and-run&#8221; attacks executed by ISIL sleeper cells are going to persist in both Iraq and Syria.<\/p><p>As such, &#8220;ISIL is far from being destroyed as a terrorist organization,&#8221; Landis adds.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Sputnik International Radio<br><a href=\"https:\/\/sputniknews.com\/analysis\/201903211073412541-usa-saudi-arabia-relations\/\">Academic: Many People Hope to Profit from Close Saudi Arabia-US Relations<\/a><br><strong>March 21, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Radio Sputnik has discussed the issue of US-Saudi Arabia nuclear deals with Joshua Landis, an American academic who specializes in the Middle East and the head of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval<br><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/syrian-war\/turkey-and-russia-strike-jihadist-weapons-boost-cooperation-syria\">Turkey and Russia strike jihadist weapons, boost cooperation in Syria<\/a><br><strong>March 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>In a tweet on Wednesday, Joshua Landis, director of the Middle East Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joshua_landis\/status\/1105941896604667905\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">described the bombing&nbsp;<\/a>as an &#8220;effort to pre-empt attacks on Hmeimim airbase &amp; solidify cooperation on Idlib deal.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Oklahoma Channel 9 News<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.news9.com\/story\/40118305\/turkey-cries-terrorism-after-first-ladys-visit-to-tulsa\">Turkey Cries Terrorism After First Lady&#8217;s Visit To Tulsa<\/a><br><strong>March 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>OU professor of International Studies Joshua Landis said the visit opened &#8220;an ongoing wound&#8221; between the US and Turkey. He added it didn&#8217;t do anything to improve a relationship which has &#8220;soured&#8221; in recent years as the US has continued to back Kurdish forces in the region, which Erdogan also views as a terrorist organization. He added the First Lady and her staff likely walked into a situation they didn&#8217;t realize was so sensitive.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>France 24<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/20190313-eight-years-assad-clings-but-beleaguered?ref=tw\">Eight years on, Assad clings on but beleaguered<\/a><br><strong>March 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, of the University of Oklahoma, painted a grim picture. &#8220;The Syrian map is one of division and despair,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Over 30 percent of the country is occupied by foreign governments who have built and funded local militaries.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera Podcast<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=otYu-bfg31Q&amp;t=607s\">Syria In or Out<\/a><br><strong>March 1, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Australian Radio Interview &#8211; Rear Vision<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fonodio.com\/share\/wp8zoxm80r7bqjnl\/6wyn8ra7k57r94ak\/dwkv43x967a3azy7\">Is the war over in Syria?<\/a><br><strong>March 1, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>VOA News<br>Syrian Kurds Seek Other Means of Trying IS Militants<br><strong>Feb 26, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>For the SDF, however, to appropriately address the issue of IS foreign fighters, some experts like Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, offers a different approach.<\/p><p>&#8220;The SDF could make a deal with the Syrian government to try the ISIS members for killing Syrians, just as the SDF has done by turning them over to the Iraqi government, which will try them for killing Iraqis,&#8221; he told VOA.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval Podcast<br><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/ahval-272210349\/no-actor-involved-in-syrian\">No actor involved in Syrian conflict supports the Turkish version of the buffer zone<\/a><br><strong>Feb 16, 2019<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Podcast interview with Dr. Joshua Landis, Director of the University of Oklahoma&#8217;s Center for Middle East Studies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/02\/syria-civilians-face-familiar-threats-rebel-held-areas-190216090203889.html\">Syria: Civilians face familiar threats in rebel-held areas<\/a><br><strong>Feb 16, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said that Turkey&#8217;s influence over&nbsp;Hay&#8217;et Tahrir al-Sham&nbsp;has waned.<\/p><p>&#8220;Turkey is supposed to control Idlib, but it does not. HTS has defied Turkish requests all along,&#8221; he said.&nbsp;He added that the fear that the Syrian government might still invade Idlib is possibly causing the group to opt for desperate measures.<\/p><p>&#8220;At any moment Syria could decide to invade forcing the HTS fighters to flee,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No doubt, many are looking to feather their nests or stash away money to ensure they can smuggle themselves out of Syria to some safer place.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval<br><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/sochi-agreement\/sochi-talks-highlight-russias-upper-hand-syria\">Sochi talks highlight Russia&#8217;s upper hand in Syria<\/a><br><strong>Feb 16, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Professor Joshua Landis, a noted Syria expert and Director of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, pointed out that the three powers welcome the announced U.S. withdrawal from Syria \u201cbut beyond that, their disagreements over how to settle the disputed territories of north Syria were glaring,\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cTurkey is still pressing to control a buffer zone inside the length of its Syria border,\u201d he said. \u201cNeither Russia or Iran agree with this, not to mention the Syrian government or the YPG.\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cSyria, Iran and Russia insist that HTS must be removed from Idlib and the province restored to Syrian sovereignty. They insist Turkey has not fulfilled its side of the Sochi agreement to bring the terrorist group to heel.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/02\/battle-isil-nears-190213182326754.html\">What next as battle against ISIL nears an end?<\/a><br><strong>Feb 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said once the battle against ISIL was won, historical rivalries among the Arabs and Kurds would resurface.<\/p><p>&#8220;The Jazeera region of Syria is framed with minorities, ethnic and religious,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It has always presented a difficult challenge for rulers whether Ottoman franchises or Damascene. Today the situation is even more challenging because there has been so much violence, destruction and impoverishment. And Arabs and Kurds are bound to compete and come to blows over political and economic power.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Sputnik International<br><a href=\"https:\/\/sputniknews.com\/analysis\/201902131072355001-islam-societal-ethics\/\">Islam vs Societal Ethics: Scholars on How Public Perception Affects Religion<\/a><br><strong>Feb 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>For his part, Joshua Landis, an American academic who specializes in&nbsp;the Middle East, presumed that public opinion could have been shaped by&nbsp;the long string of&nbsp;revolutions in&nbsp;the MENA region.<\/p><p>&#8220;Middle Eastern societies are going through&nbsp;a period of&nbsp;crisis and revolution,&#8221; Landis noted. &#8220;The Iranian revolution was the first Islamist revolution. It turned out&nbsp;a secular, pro-Western government. The Arab uprisings of&nbsp;2011 are in&nbsp;some ways a continuation of&nbsp;this upheaval. Many secular, military leaders have fallen as&nbsp;a result or, in&nbsp;the case of&nbsp;Syria, almost fallen.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Military Times<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2019\/01\/22\/isis-car-bomb-targets-us-troops-in-syria-one-week-after-four-americans-were-killed-in-manbij\/\">ISIS car bomb targets US troops in Syria one week after four Americans were killed in Manbij<\/a><br><strong>Jan 22, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><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, told Military Times in September.<\/p><p>Landis suggested that the U.S. should get out of Syria and \u201callow the country to knit itself back together.\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cWhat America is doing today, which is dividing Syria without spending significant money to rebuild, is going to open the doors for al-Qaida or ISIS to come back,\u201d Landis said. \u201cWe\u2019re just keeping this hollowed-out region, hollowed out.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/01\/turkey-ready-syria-manbij-erdogan-tells-trump-190121011835123.html\">Turkey ready to take over Syria&#8217;s Manbij, Erdogan tells Trump<\/a><br><strong>Jan 21, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al Jazeera that Erdogan did not want to talk to the security and foreign policy teams around Trump, as these officials want US troops to stay in Syria.<\/p><p>&#8220;Erdogan knows that Trump wants to leave Syria, so he only wants to talk to the US president, not his team,&#8221;&nbsp;Landis&nbsp;told Al Jazeera.<\/p><p>&#8220;People around Trump believe troops should stay in northern Syria to continue with the fight against ISIL, roll back Iran, and protect the Kurdish fighters there,&#8221; he added.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Kurdistan 24<br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.kurdistan24.net\/en\/news\/6c6a246e-d077-4866-b0c0-37fd8559dc8a\">U.S. reaffirms commitment to protecting Kurdish allies<\/a><br><strong>Jan 21, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>On Saturday, following a two-day visit to Ankara, US Senator Lindsey Graham (R, South Carolina) called for a major delay in the pace of the US withdrawal,&nbsp;warning&nbsp;that an unplanned, uncoordinated departure of US forces could lead to a \u201cnightmare\u201d for Turkey, which could face \u201cchaos\u201d on its southern border.<\/p><p>The following day, on Sunday, Erdogan and Trump had&nbsp;another&nbsp;phone conversation. Prof. Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, suggested to the Qatari news channel, Al-Jazeera, that Erdogan was reaching out to Trump, in the belief that Trump was more sympathetic to his views than Trump\u2019s advisers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The National Interest<br><a href=\"https:\/\/nationalinterest.org\/feature\/will-isis-attack-accelerate-trumps-syria-pullout-41772\">Will the ISIS Attack Accelerate Trump&#8217;s Syria Pullout?<\/a><br><strong>Jan 16, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThe danger to U.S. troops is much higher in Manbij, where Turkey and the U.S. faced off and Turkey demanded that the YPG, or Kurdish forces, not be present. This required the U.S. to go out on patrols, which puts them at great risk. If the U.S. decides to police a buffer zone between Turkey and the Kurdish parts of Syria, more Americans will be killed,\u201d said Oklahoma University Professor Joshua Landis, who heads their Center for Middle East Studies.<\/p><p>The kind of policing mission Landis describes makes the deaths of U.S. troops \u201cprobably inevitable,\u201d in his words, and creates increasing liabilities on the ground.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>RT News<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/shows\/crosstalk\/448915-syria-bolton-foreign-policy\/\">Leaving Syria?<\/a><br><strong>Jan 16, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis&#8217;s interview begins at 1:23 minutes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HyLNMsAnXK4\">What&#8217;s the U.S. Plan for Iran?<\/a><br><strong>Jan 14, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Dr. Landis&#8217;s interview begins at 3:05 minutes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Arab Weekly<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thearabweekly.com\/ankara-might-not-have-free-hand-syria-after-us-exit\">Ankara might not have free hand in Syria after U.S. exit<\/a><br><strong>Jan 13, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The development could reinforce efforts by the Assad government to regain international acceptance after almost eight years of war, said Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. The \u201cYPG will patch up relations with Damascus as soon as US troops pull,\u201d Landis wrote on Twitter.<\/p><p>If Damascus teams up with the Kurds to fight ISIS in eastern Syria, the United States will face a dilemma, Landis wrote.<\/p><p>\u201cIf Assad and the YPG begin to cooperate on counterterrorism, Washington will have to follow. This, I believe, is what really infuriates the Bolton crowd. US policy has been to turn out Assad, not to reopen relations with him,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>WhyWhatWhy<br><a href=\"https:\/\/whowhatwhy.org\/2019\/01\/11\/chaotic-haggling-follows-trumps-syria-withdrawal-plan\/\">Chaotic Haggling Follows Trump&#8217;s Syria Withdrawal Plan<\/a><br><strong>Jan 11, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThe real danger of a Syria withdrawal for the Bolton crowd is that it will force the US to reopen relations with the Assad government, especially on counter-terrorism &amp; ISIS,\u201d&nbsp;tweeted&nbsp;Joshua Landis, a prominent Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cIt would be final blow to Washington\u2019s anti-Syria &amp; anti-Iran policy. It will be a blow to Israel. For it would mean that the world will slowly accept Iran\u2019s new security architecture for the northern Middle East as the best form of counter-terrorism and security.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahval<br><a href=\"https:\/\/ahvalnews.com\/syria\/jihadi-takeover-idlib-could-spell-trouble-syrian-kurds\">Jihadi takeover of Idlib could spell trouble for Syrian Kurds<\/a><br><strong>Jan 10, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, told Al Jazeera that the al-Qaeda-affiliated militia was stronger and better led, while Turkey-sponsored NFL collapsed.<\/p><p>\u201cHTS&#8217;s conquest of Atareb and Darat Izza dashes any notion that the National Liberation Front that was cobbled together by Turkey to act as a new Syrian national army is actually a cohesive or effective fighting force,\u201d Al Jazeera quoted Landis as saying.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>VOA News<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.voanews.com\/a\/pompeo-meets-top-iraqi-officials-during-unannounced-visit-to-baghdad\/4735738.html\">Pompeo Meets Top Iraqi Officials During Unannounced Visit to Baghdad<\/a><br><strong>Jan 9, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA that Secretary Pompeo is facing a strategic dilemma in Iraq: &#8220;America&#8217;s position in Iraq, like its position in Syria, is on thin ice, because Iran &#8212; in Iraq &#8212; has really won the day and ultimately we&#8217;ve seen that the rise of sectarian sensibilities and sectarian animosities in the larger Middle East has undermined America&#8217;s position and strengthened Iran&#8217;s position, because Iran is (a majority) Shi&#8217;ite country&#8230;and the U.S. is seen to be a pro-Saudi, pro-Sunni, pro-Gulf country,&#8221; said Landis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.srf.ch\/news\/international\/us-armee-in-syrien-vielleicht-ist-der-rueckzug-die-beste-antwort\">Vielleicht ist der R\u00fcckzug die beste Antwort<\/a><br><strong>Jan 6, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>SRF News: Wie ernst ist es Trump mit seinen Abzugspl\u00e4nen wirklich?<\/em><\/p><p>Joshua Landis: Es scheint ihm damit sehr ernst zu sein. Bolton und Aussenminister Mike Pompeo hatten Trump offenbar empfohlen, eine Anti-Iran Politik zu betreiben, mit dem Bekenntnis, lange in Syrien pr\u00e4sent zu bleiben. Und Trump lehnte es ab, das Dokument zu unterzeichnen.<\/p><p><em>Und jetzt m\u00fcssen die beiden just jene Politik den T\u00fcrken und den Israeli verkaufen, die sie gar nicht unterst\u00fctzen. Wie macht man das?<\/em><\/p><p>Joshua Landis: Es zeigt, wie gross das Chaos im Weissen Haus ist. Trump hat Nationale Sicherheitsberater eingestellt, deren Ansichten sehr viel militaristischer sind als seine eigenen. Im Wahlkampf versprach Trump, er w\u00fcrde die USA aus ihren stupiden Kriegen herausholen, und er verurteilte die Nahost-Politik seiner Vorg\u00e4nger Obama und Bush. Jetzt kehrt er zu seinen urspr\u00fcnglichen Versprechen zur\u00fcck, weil er schon den Wahlkampf f\u00fcr seine Wiederwahl in zwei Jahren betreibt. Das hat seine Berater \u00fcberrascht: Sie dachten, sie k\u00f6nnten ihre eigene Nahost-Politik machen und Trump w\u00fcrde ihnen einfach folgen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Aljazeera<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2019\/01\/manbij-residents-limbo-withdrawal-uncertainty-190105094328241.html\">Manbij residents in limbo amid U.S. withdrawal uncertainty<\/a><br><strong>Jan 5, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said while Syrian President&nbsp;Bashar al-Assad&nbsp;was unlikely to give the Kurds complete autonomy, it might be open to some cultural concessions.<\/p><p>&#8220;For Kurds, there are bad choices all around,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But now, the Syrian government is entering America&#8217;s shoes. The Kurds may not be happy with this but that&#8217;s what they are likely to get.&#8221;<\/p><p>Landis said the people of Manbij had &#8220;kept their heads down&#8221; and refrained from expressing outright loyalty to either side in the war. They might now be better off sticking to the same playbook.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Vice News<br><a href=\"https:\/\/news.vice.com\/en_us\/article\/a3mm74\/the-kurds-are-getting-super-cozy-with-assad-now-that-trump-called-syria-sand-and-death\">How Trump&#8217;s Sudden Withdrawal From Syria Is Bringing the Kurds and Assad Together<\/a><br><strong>Jan 4, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Among all the bad options for the Kurds, Assad\u2019s return to the northeast region, where Mabij is located, appears to be the least catastrophic outcome \u2014 even considering their decades-long abuse at the hands of his family\u2019s rule.<\/p><p>\u201cThere is a deal to be made,\u201d said Joshua Landis, a Syria specialist at the University of Oklahoma. \u201cThe Syrian government needs the Kurds to help police the north and the Kurds needs the Syrian military to protect them against the Turks.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\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 PBS NewshourIntensified offensive in Idlib province puts Syrian civilians on the runDecember 24, 2019 One of the problems with Idlib is, it&#8217;s the largest collection of al-Qaida-affiliated fighters in \u2014 left in the world. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"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-26231","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 2019 - 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-2019\/\" \/>\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 2019 - 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 PBS NewshourIntensified offensive in Idlib province puts Syrian civilians on the runDecember 24, 2019 One of the problems with Idlib is, it&#8217;s the largest collection of al-Qaida-affiliated fighters in \u2014 left in the world. 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