Europe
Cold War nostalgia as ‘missile shield’ goes live
The US anti-missile station in Romania was officially activated, to harsh protests from Moscow—as NATO prepares to deploy German troops in the Baltic republics.
Tag: World War 5
Greater Middle East
Syrian Kurds declare autonomy —at what price?
Kurds officially declared their own "Federation of Northern Syria"—to be swiftly denounced by the Assad regime, the opposition and regional powers alike.
Greater Middle East
Syria: ‘ceasefire’ signals escalation (of course)
The Syrian ceasefire announced in Munich does not apply to US or Russian air-strikes on "terrorists," and comes as Turkey and Saudi Arabia are preparing military intervention.
Greater Middle East
Syria: will fall of Aleppo internationalize the war?
As Syrian regime troops and Russian warplanes advance on Aleppo, some 100,000 have fled the city for the Turkish border—prompting Turkey and Saudi Arabia to threaten intervention.
Watching the Shadows
Obama’s seventh year: a World War 4 Report scorecard
World War 4 Report offers its annual annotated assessment of Obama's moves in dismantling, continuing or escalating the apparatus of the Global War on Terrorism.
Greater Middle East
Syria: ‘peace’ declared amid carnage, starvation
The State Department named "bringing peace" to Syria as a 2015 accomplishment—as Russian air-strikes continue on schools, and starvation sets in behind rebel lines.
Greater Middle East
Kurds caught in Russo-Turkish game… again
Amid counterinsurgency against Kurds in Turkey, Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtaş is received in Moscow—now executing a grisly counterinsurgency in Syria.
Greater Middle East
Syria: ‘peace deal’ signals escalation (of course)
The UN resolution on a democratic transition in Syria assumes this can happen under Assad's rule. The US is now openly blocking with Russia over support for the dictatorship.
Greater Middle East
Syria and Ukraine wars headed for convergence?
Russian naval forces got in a confrontation with Turkish vessels in the Black Sea, with control of contested oil platforms off the Crimean Peninsula at issue.
Greater Middle East
Turkish pot calls Russian kettle black…
Turkey's prime minister accuses Russia of "ethnic cleansing" with air-strikes targeting Turkmen in Syria—as Ankara continues to attack Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq alike.
Greater Middle East
Syria: civil wars in the civil war
A growing split between secular and Islamist elements of the FSA is unfortunately mirrored by a breach between Kurds and Ankara-backed Arab and Turkmen forces.
Central Asia
Russo-Turkish pipeline route on hold amid crisis
With Moscow threatening sanctions against Turkey, plans for a Russo-Turkish free trade zone and joint gas pipeline route appear be on hold.