Central America

Taiwan sacrificed to Central America geopolitics

Panama is the latest Central American nation to switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Bejing—under pressure of China's fast-growing economic presence on the isthmus.

Greater Middle East

Qatar crisis places US regional policing in pickle

Qatar's diplomatic isolation by the other Gulf states, accused of supporting terrorism in the region, heightens contradictions for the Pentagon's use of the critical al-Udeid Air Base.

Syria

Syria: US targets pro-Assad forces for second time

US jets attacked a convoy of Iran-backed militia forces loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar Assadā€”ironically within one of the new “deconfliction zones” established by the US and Russia.

Greater Middle East

Trump betrays Kurds in schmooze with Erdogan

In his White House meeting with Erdogan, Trump was sure to pledge support against the PKK "terrorists"—even as the US is backing PKK-aligned Kurds against ISIS in Syria.

Syria

Syria: ‘crematorium’ at regime death camp?

Rights groups have long charged the Assad regime with mass murder at its Saydnaya military prison. What are we to make of US claims thatĀ a crematorium has been installed there?

Syria

Syria: Trump approves plan to arm Rojava Kurds

TheĀ Rojava Kurds, caught in a pincer between Turkey and ISIS, are being forced to accept superpower aidā€”but with costs for Syrian revolutionary unity against ISIS and Assad.

Iraq

Syria: a No-Fly Zone for Rojava?

Following Turkish air-strikes on their forces in northern Syria, Kurdish leaders in the region issued a call for a "no-fly zone"—heightening the contradictions for Washington.

Syria

Syria: Russia and Assad dropping Rojava Kurds?

Insistence on regional autonomy and a federal solution for Syria is straining the de facto alliance between the Rojava Kurds and Damascus, despite their mutual enmity for Turkey.

North America

Trump-Putin breach: real or charade?

Is Trump's breach with Putin real, or is all the sudden sabre-rattling part of an elaborate charade to throw Congress off the scent of ongoing Trump-Putin collusion?

Syria

Hawks fear anarchist haven in Syria

The ultra-hawkish Henry Jackson Society warnsĀ that the US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria are allied with anarchists and elements of the Turkish and European armed left.

The Andes

Venezuelan oil goad in US-Russia game

Amid growing crisis in Venezuela, it emerges that the country's state oil company, heavily indebted to Russian giant Rosneft, made a big donation to Trump's inauguration festivities.