Events in Syria have recently clearly taken a turn for the worse and there is an increasing amount of evidence that the Russian task force in Syria is being targeted by a systematic campaign of “harassing attacks”. First, there was the (relatively successful) drone and mortar attack on the Russian Aerospace base in Khmeimin. Then …
Continue reading Escalation in Syria – How Far Can the Russians be Pushed?
In the slideshow that is Middle Eastern politics, the series of still images seldom add up to make an enduring narrative. And the probability is high that when an indelible image appears, it might go unnoticed – such as Russia and Saudi Arabia wrapping up huge energy deals on Wednesday underscoring a new narrative in …
Continue reading Putin Prefers Aramco to Trump’s Sword Dance
The recent publication of the notorious “Kremlin list” that is to become the basis of yet another round of anti-Russian punitive measures planned by the White House, was empowered by the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. This law proclaims Russia to be an official enemy of Washington, along with North Korea and Iran. However, various political …
Continue reading Are America’s Hawks Any Good Against China’s Dragons?
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he would order airstrikes against Syria if the rumors that its government has used chemical weapons (CW) against civilians are confirmed. Never backed up with any solid evidence, such reports crop up from time to time in the Western media. In some cases the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons …
Continue reading Exacerbation of Tensions in Syria: Who Stands to Gain?
Bilateral relations are the most strained in decades over numerous issues, most notably: • for the July 2016 coup attempt Erdogan blamed on exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen living in America; • Washington providing heavy weapons to Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria; and • its plan to establish a 30,000-strong largely Kurdish YPG border security force …
It looks like the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long history of skirting corruption scandals may be running out of time. For decades, Netanyahu has been accused and investigated for various shady schemes. Twenty years ago, police even declared him so implicated that they recommended he be charged. But like the cat with nine lives, …
Continue reading Netanyahu Is in Trouble, But Who will Replace Him?
Once again, nuclear Armageddon is just a push of the proverbial button away. Donald Trump has reawakened Cold War fears over nuclear apocalypse, as the recent panic in Hawaii demonstrates. Meanwhile, not since Barry Goldwater has the mental health of a president been the source of so much debate. Every tweet, every unscripted wisecrack, every …
Shortly before midnight on September 3, 1944, an African-American sharecropper named Recy Taylor was walking home from church with two companions in Abbeville, Alabama when the women noticed a green Chevy sedan drive past four times before finally rattling to a stop just a few feet ahead. Seven white men, armed with knives and guns, …
Continue reading As American as Apple Pie: Rape in a Culture that Looks the Other Way
Considering the high rate of wheat consumption, one wouldn’t suspect that the wheat industry has created a massive problem. Yet, looking at the facts surrounding this industry and this food source will give you pause. The documentary What’s With Wheat examines the dynamics that shaped modern wheat and the business around it. It offers insights …
