Greater Middle East

More Green Berets to Syria: on whose side?

Obama is to mobilize 250 troops to Syria, helping Arab militias fight ISIS. Will these militias be brought under the Kurdish-led coalition—or will the Kurds be isolated to appease Turkey?

Africa

Darfur: Sudan planning ‘Final Solution’?

Amid a referendum portrayed by Khartoum as a step toward peace, regime-backed militias unleash a new scorched-earth campaign in Darfur—reviving calls for US intervention.

The Caucasus
Nagorno-Karabakh

Nagorno-Karabakh in Russo-Turkish game

As the worst fighting since a 1994 truce breaks out in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey’s President Erdogan asserts himself as protector of Azerbaijan, pledging to back Baku “to the end.” (Map: Wikipedia)

Greater Middle East

Obama-Putin deal for partition of Syria?

The announced Russian military withdrawal from Syria has raised suspicions of a quiet deal between Putin and Obama for the partitiion of country into "spheres of influence."