By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Reuters reports that Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan allegedly bullied European leaders and threatened to drown Europe in refugees if his terms were not met. He wanted 6 Bn Euros to keep the 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey happy enough in that country to discourage them […]
Israel frets about “Iran as Neighbor” if Aleppo falls & al-Assad Regime Wins
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – An Arabic site that aggregates Facebook and other social media postings reports that Israeli officials are filled with anxiety and consternation about the possibility that the regime of Bashar al-Assad will conquer Aleppo with Russian and Iranian help, and will go on to reconstitute itself. It […]
5 Worst Foreign Policy Moments of GOP New Hampshire Debate
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The New Hampshire GOP debate’s most charged moments were probably more domestic, as with Chris Christie putting Marco Rubio in his place as not having actually done anything and as overly reliant on his single script. But inevitably with this gang, war, torture and sundry mayhem […]
Syria Rebels face Collapse as Thousands flee North Aleppo
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Friday, the Syrian Arab Army and its Hizbullah and Iranian/ Afghan allies made further progress in taking the area just north of Aleppo. They were apparently mainly fighting al-Qaeda, which had a stronghold in the city of Ratyan. The Russians subjected it to intensive bombing […]
Syria: The Mother of all Battles for Aleppo is Joined
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Aided by a massive Russian bombing campaign and Hizbullah and Iranian (or likely actually Afghan) reinforcements, the Syrian Arab Army has broken out of the siege imposed on West Aleppo by rebel forces toward the north, and now seems positioned to besiege East Aleppo, which is […]
Obama Condemns hatred of Muslim-Americans, Affirms their Importance to Nation
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Obama spoke Wednesday at a Baltimore mosque in an explicit pushback against the hatred for Muslims being promoted by billionaire real estate developer Donald J. Trump and others among the Republican presidential candidates. Trump has scapegoated all Muslim-Americans for the violence committed by a tiny […]
Foreign Policy Winners and Losers in Iowa
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Iowa Caucus voters likely voted mainly on domestic policy issues, though security and terrorism have been a big part of the campaigns as well. Now that the smoke is clearing, it is worth considering the foreign policy implications of the winners of the primary. Iowan […]
ISIL kills 70 in bombing of Shiite Area, Damascus, in bid to derail Talks
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) claimed responsibility Sunday for bomb attacks in the Syrian capital of Damascus that seem likely to have aimed at derailing the tentative talks in Geneva. First, a Daesh agent set off a car bomb next to a bus transporting Shiite fighters for the […]
Turkish-Russian Airspace Conflict as Ankara-backed Turkmen flee Syria
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Russia rejected as “propaganda” on Saturday renewed Turkish charges that its fighter jets had crossed Turkish territory. NATO asked Moscow to respect its joint airspace. A promontory of Turkish territory sticks down into northern Latakia, and it would be very difficult to conduct the sort of […]
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