Iran
Iran’s land-grab in Syria
Iran's government and companies close to the elite Revolutionary Guards have signed major economic contracts with Syria, gaining control of large areas of the country.
Tag: Great Game
Syria
Russia ‘withdraws’ from Syria —not
Despite misleading media accounts, Moscow has only withdrawn its aircraft carier from Syria’s coast, and is in fact beefing up forces at its bases within the country.
Watching the Shadows
Obama’s final year: a CounterVortex scorecard
With a Trump despotism looming, CounterVortex offers its final assessment of Barack Obama's record in addressing the oppressive legacy of the Global War on Terrorism.
Syria
Great Power betrayal to re-unite Syrian revolution?
Now abandoned by all the Great Powers, Syria’s popular resistance is again emphasizing internal unity against the Assad dictatorship, bridging Arab and Kurdish forces.
Greater Middle East
Russia betrays Kurds as Syria alliance shifts
After initiating talks that exclude Washington, Turkey and Russia each accused the US of backing "terrorist groups" in Syria—obviously meaning the Kurds.
East Asia
Taiwan Strait in the Trump world order
Did Tsai Ing-wen exploit Trump's anti-China stance to score a point against Beijing? Or was she herself played by Cold Warriors who seek to exploit Taiwan in the Great Game?
Greater Middle East
Trump victory: green light for Aleppo’s destruction
Backed by unrelenting Russian air-strikes, Syrian regime forces advance on rebel-held eastern Aleppo, a grim inauguration of the fascist world order dominated by Trump and Putiin.
East Asia
China factor in the Trump world order
Xi Jinping is weighing whether he will be invited to join the authoritarian New Order—or whether Putin will desert him for Trump, and the two of them will gang up on China.
Greater Middle East
The new Axis: Moscow, Damascus, Washington
Trump's election has given Russia a green light for the destruction of Aleppo; Bashar Assad now has the open support of both superpowers in his war of extermination.
Iraq
Syria and Iraq in the Trump world order
Trump intends to divide Syria with Putin the way Hitler divided Poland with Stalin—but will the US will be able to control its sphere amid social collapse and sectarian maelstrom?
Europe
‘Russian nationalists’ behind Montenegro coup plot
Montenegro's chief prosecutor accused "nationalists in Russia" of having organized a criminal group to overthrow the government during last month's elections in the Balkan country.
Greater Middle East
Syria: ‘pause’ before international storm?
Despite a "humanitarian pause" in the bombing of Aleppo, Russian air-strikes continue in the surrounding countryside—each day heightening risk of superpower confrontation.