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.

Planet Watch

Antarctica: …and still it melts

Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement comes just as an unprecedentedly huge piece of Antarctica’s ice shelf is on the verge of breaking off from the continent. (Map: Geology.com)

Iran

Iran: Kurdish guerillas renew attacks

After Kurdish guerillas attacked an Iranian border patrol, Tehran blamed Turkey for failing to prevent "terrorist" infiltration—even as Turkey is building a security wall along the frontier.

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 Assad—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 that a crematorium has been installed there?

Syria

Syria: Trump approves plan to arm Rojava Kurds

The Rojava Kurds, caught in a pincer between Turkey and ISIS, are being forced to accept superpower aid—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.

Iraq

Iraq: Turkish air-strikes heighten contradictions

Turkish air-strikes on Kurdish militants both in Iraq and Syria place the US in an increasingly contradictory position—torn between its NATO ally and the most effective anti-ISIS forces.