2012-09-02 By Richard Weitz Since Saddam was ousted in 2003 until recently, two issues have dominated the Iraqi-Syrian relationship. Syria’s initial decision to host the remnants of the Iraqi Baath Party who fled Baghdad aroused fear and resentment with the new government in Baghdad. Iraqi authorities suspected that Syria was allowing…
2012-08-27 By Richard Weitz Despite their deep historical, cultural, and economic ties, relations between Iraq and Syria have been characterized by mutual suspicion and hostility during much of the last half century. The two countries have distinctly different religious compositions. Most Syrians are Sunnis, while most Iraqis are Shiites. In practice,…
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…
2012-07-14 By Lt. General (Retired) Gaviard Last June, in the backdrop of the growing number of casualties in Syria, the French President did not rule out the possibility of a military intervention. As a recent poll showed, the majority of the French public is in favor of an armed solution to…
2012-07-11 By Richard Weitz The preoccupation with the current Turkey-Syria crisis needs to be placed in context of the evolving global situation. With much of Europe paralyzed due to the Euro crisis, and with U.S. attention drifting eastward, Turkey has the opportunity to emerge as one of NATO’s new leaders.…
6/27/12: By Dr. Stephen Blank Evidently the Administration thinks it can persuade Russia to resolve Syria’s civil war by simply abandoning its ally, Bashear Assad, and thereby facilitate a Yemeni type solution there where Assad simply leaves Syria.[i] Moscow too has sent envoys around the world telling everyone that it…
By Dr. Richard Weitz 12/08/2011 - While the possibility of foreign military intervention in Syria is small, it is growing. In this context, Russia’s considerable military, diplomatic, and economic ties with the Syrian regime weigh heavily on everyone’s minds. The Syrian Dynamic is a Major Fault Line for…
Russia Exporting Missiles to Syria: It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world! By David J. Smith David J. Smith is Director, Georgian Security Analysis Center, Tbilisi, and Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Washington, and was formerly Ambassador to the Strategic Arms Control Talks in the Reagan Administration. Published…
