2012-08-09 By Richard Weitz Now that all U.S. combat forces have left Iraq, Iranians believe that the Iraqi government will become even more cooperative on matters of importance to Tehran. Similarly, al-Maliki’s recent confrontational policies with Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds, much to the dismay of Turkey and the United States,…
2012-08-07 by Richard Weitz Turkish analysts are well aware of Iran’s considerable influence in Iraq. Tehran disposes of several important assets in the country, including (like Turkey) geographic proximity, a newly self-conscious and empowered Shiite majority that appreciates Iran’s centrality to the Shiite faith, and influential pro-Iranian factions embedded within…
2012-08-06 by Ed Timperlake And so it begins, yet again: “President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for rebels seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, U.S. sources familiar with the matter said. Obama's order, approved earlier this year and known as an…
2012-08-05 By Richard Weitz Turkey views Iraq as a key area of interest and influence. Turkey has several core interests in Iraq: Cultivating ties with the various Iraqi factions, Preventing terrorists from using northern Iraq as a base of operations; Balancing the influence of Iran; Securing access to Iraqi oil…
2012-08-03 In an interview this month with Lt. General Jan-Marc Jouas, Second Line of Defense had a chance to discuss the challenges of defense in the Korean Peninsula. This area remains a key driver for U.S. forces in the Pacific, and any consideration of how to strengthen alliances in the…
2012-08-03 By Richard Weitz Iran had several motives for assisting the Iraqi insurgents during the 2005-2008 period. A first goal was to create a security buffer zone. Many Iranians saw Iraq as their first line of defense against a foreign invasion, considering that many past attacks had come from the west.…
2012-08-02 An Interview with Lt. General (Retired) Charles R. Heflebower Lt. Gen. Charles R. Heflebower was Deputy Commander in Chief, United Nations Command; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, Republic of Korea and U.S. Combined Forces Command; and Commander, 7th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air…
We have just published the second Strategic Inflection Report. This report focuses upon the Euro crisis and its strategic consequences. The Euro crisis is not simply a financial dynamic. It is the end of a period of history. The confluence of several trend lines: the unification of Germany, the end…
