Turkey Takes On Kurds in Evolving Qandil Operation

Turkey Takes On Kurds in Evolving Qandil Operation

Despite growing tension over the June 24 elections, Turkey’s agenda in recent days has been taken over by its military operation against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq’s Sidekan region. At the moment, about 1,500 Turkish troops of a commando brigade and a light infantry brigade responsible for border security at Semdinli, along with gendarmerie and…

The “Manbij Model” Is Promising, But It’s Still Far from Perfect

The “Manbij Model” Is Promising, But It’s Still Far from Perfect

The so-called “Manbij Model” that the US and Turkey agreed to in jointly administering the strategic city following the YPG’s withdrawal is promising but nevertheless imperfect because it fails to address the Kurdish-led “deep state” that controls the SDF’s political and military activities in northeastern Syria. The US and Turkey finally reached a deal to…

The Ethnic Cleansing of Sunni Arabs in North Eastern Syria Will Come Back to Haunt the United States

The Ethnic Cleansing of Sunni Arabs in North Eastern Syria Will Come Back to Haunt the United States

From “De-Ba’athification” in Iraq to “De-Shi’afication” in Syria Of the dozens if not scores of tactical, strategic and fundamental mistakes the US made in Iraq after illegally invading and occupying the country in 2003, was a strategy which sought to inflict a punitive socio-political and economic disenfranchisement of the Sunni Arab population of the Arab…

Russia’s Friend, Assad Foe, US Ally: Turkey Faces Tough Choices on Syria

Russia’s Friend, Assad Foe, US Ally: Turkey Faces Tough Choices on Syria

Conflicting interests and a realignment of alliances over Syria have left Turkey with tough choices to make as the US looks to confront another nuclear-armed power south of the Turkish border. Officials are adamant Ankara won’t be forced into taking absolute sides as in the Cold War. There is currently no possibility of Turkey allowing…

Is Trump “Retreating” from Syria Because of the “Rojava Civil War”?

Is Trump “Retreating” from Syria Because of the “Rojava Civil War”?

Trump’s surprise announcement that the US will be “coming out” of Syria “very, very soon” probably won’t lead to the full-fledged retreat that some people are expecting, but this tactical downscaling would nevertheless be a response to the “Rojava Civil War” if it does indeed happen, and the influence of Turkey’s looming anti-terrorist intervention in…

The FSA’s Victory in Afrin Exposed Alt-Media’s Fake News about Syria

The FSA’s Victory in Afrin Exposed Alt-Media’s Fake News about Syria

According to a wide range of Alt-Media outlets and pundits, Operation Olive Branch has been nothing but defeat followed by defeat for President Erdogan’s FSA proxy forces…until now. The FSA’s victory in Afrin exposed Alt-Media’s fake news about Syria in such a startlingly direct way that the outlets and individuals which previously peddled inaccurate narratives…