US President Donald J. Trump’s threat to devastate Turkey’s economy if Turkish troops attack Syrian Kurds allied with the United States in the wake of the announced withdrawal of American forces potentially serves his broader goal of letting regional forces fight for common goals like countering Iranian influence in Syria. Mr. Trump’s threat coupled with…
The Middle East is of essential importance to the world. It serves as a center for the world’s energy balance and for the transit of goods through the Suez. It harbors the Holy City of three world religions. It is a center of extreme and deadlocked conflicts. Some of the states are internally unstable, even…
He surprised the Iraqis, castigated Obama-era policies in Cairo and announced an anti-Iran conference for next month. But as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returns to the United States following a seven–day tour of the Middle East, analysts say the world remains none the wiser about the direction of the Trump administration’s policies in…
“Stop the ENDLESS WARS!” implored President Donald Trump in a Sunday night tweet. Well, if he is serious, Trump had best keep an eye on his national security adviser, for a U.S. war on Iran would be a dream come true for John Bolton. Last September, when Shiite militants launched three mortar shells into the…
Trump’s National Security Advisor is visiting the GCC+ (the Gulf Monarchies plus their Jordanian and Egyptian allies), Israel, and Turkey in an effort to explain to them the grand strategy that the President has in mind by withdrawing American forces from Syria. There are plenty of moving pieces and the situation remains fluid, but it’s…
Pakistan is traversing minefields as it concludes agreements on investment, balance of payments support and delayed payment oil deliveries with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth USD$13 billion that are likely to fawn growing distrust in its relations with neighbouring Iran. Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan expects to next month sign a memorandum…
