Donald Trump Is Now a Real American President
Even a personality as big as Donald Trump can’t escape the geopolitical realities of the Middle East.
Asia
Trump Strikes Syrian Base in Wake of Chemical Attack
Analysis and commentary about Donald Trump’s first direct military action against Bashar Assad.
The Weird Worries of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
Having failed to talk Barack Obama into a war with Iran, the Emirati rulers hopes to have better luck with Donald Trump.
Trump’s Plan to Defeat Islamists Looks a Lot Like Obama’s
Donald Trump’s plan to “bomb the hell” out of the Islamic State has been wisely toned down by his generals.
The Future of the Middle East is Turkey, Iran and Islamic Socialism
Turkey and Iran are the region’s natural hegemons. Islam and socialism provide the necessary social glue.
Syria’s Endgame
Syria could become a patchwork of Russian, Turkish and American-backed enclaves.
Defeat in Mosul Will Not Eliminate the Islamic State
Pushing the Islamic State out of Mosul could bring more destruction to the capitals of Europe.
A Tale of Two Cities in Mosul
A sense of normalcy is returning in liberated Eastern Mosul. In Western Mosul, the Islamic State still rules.
Trump Blunders by Withdrawing from Trans Pacific Partnership
The new president disheartens America’s allies in the Pacific and cedes the initiative to China.
Erdoğan’s Blowback: How Personal Ambitions Plunged Turkey into Crisis
The Turkish president played with fire in Syria and undermined democracy at home. And he’s not done yet.
Israeli Right Jeopardizes Alliance by Hectoring Obama
Right-wing leaders in Israel act as if America needs Israel more than the other way around. They’re wrong.
Andrei G. Karlov Is Not Franz Ferdinand
Geopolitics shape events, not the other way around. The assassination does not upset Russo-Turkish relations.
Aleppo Has Fallen. Now What?
Now comes the time for battle against the remaining jihadists, coupled with Turkey’s war against the Kurds.
Joining Assad and Russia Against Islamic State Is Foolish
Donald Trump’s pact doesn’t make sense. Neither Assad nor Russia is interested in defeating the Islamists.
Why Taiwan Could (Still) Start World War III
If Donald Trump pushes China too far, its leaders may feel they have no choice but to respond.