CENTRAL COMMAND: CENTCOM & THE LONG WAR - CounterStrikeMedia

NEW LAND WARFARE DOCTRINES FOR INDIA, PUNJABI MASTERS IN PAKISTAN JAIL SHARIF AGAIN

12/23/2018

INDIA:
India's Land Warfare Doctrine 2018
By Joy Mitra, The Diplomat: “A 2018 iteration of India's Land Warfare Doctrine merits a close look.”

Indian Army announces new land warfare doctrine
(IHS Jane’s 360) The Indian Army (IA) is seeking to create integrated battle groups (IBGs), expand its cyber warfare capabilities, and induct energy-directed weapons as well as artificial intelligence-based systems to manage multiple security challenges, the service announced in its Land Warfare Doctrine-2018.

Sharif jailed – but masters may be losing control of game

Why the US pushed the ‘India office’ out of the Pentagon

AFGHANISTAN:
Pakistan Acknowledges Indian Role in Afghanistan
By Samuel Ramani, The Diplomat: “On December 11, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi surprised international observers by acknowledging India’s stake in Afghanistan and asking New Delhi to help end the war in Afghanistan.

So the President Wants Out of Afghanistan: What Happens Next?
By Jonathan Schroden, War on the Rocks: “Earlier this week, I took a look back at a congressionally mandated assessment of the war in Afghanistan that I led nearly five years ago. Yesterday, reports emerged that President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to develop plans to withdraw 7,000 troops from Afghanistan, potentially as early as this spring. Given this news, it is worth revisiting a part of our assessment that I did not discuss previously: our consideration of two withdrawal scenarios.”

Joint operations in the Indian military remain a chimera

TALKING TO THE TALIBAN & PEACE NEGOTIATIONS FOR YEMEN

12/21/2018

Robert D. Kaplan writes: Do we owe it to the Afghan people to stay? Not if the ideals that we claim to represent appear unachievable. Spending billions and stationing thousands of troops there with no end in sight to stem a deepening chaos is simply not sustainable policy. Even a small fraction of that money could be better spent on smarter infrastructure investments in Asia, such as liquid natural gas terminals and dual-use ports in Vietnam to compete with China’s maritime Belt and Road Initiative. – New York Times

THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT

12/21/2018

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-excavation-reveals-new-findings-about-the-ark-of-the-covenant-1.6727179

SPILLOVER FROM IRAN'S SOUTHEAST BORDER WITH PAKISTAN & IRAN'S COMING CIVIL WAR

12/21/2018

How insecurity in Iran's southeast could benefit UAE, Pakistan
Regional rivalry over maritime trade has intensified speculations in Iran about possible Emirati-Pakistani involvement in the recent terror attack in the southeastern port of Chabahar.

China, Pakistan hatch ‘secret plan’ to build new fighter jets: NYT
BY ASIA TIMES STAFF
Military projects said to be designated as part of Belt and Road Initiative

What will Iran’s looming civil war look like?

ILLICIT TURKISH ARMS STILL FLOW INTO LIBYA

12/21/2018

FDD

TRUMP'S PULL OUT FROM AFGHANISTAN & SYRIA

12/21/2018

DAVID GOLDMAN, PJ MEDIA: TRUMP DOES NOT OWN SYRIA

US Troop Withdrawal from Syria Could Fuel Gulf Assertiveness

It was time to leave Syria anyway
(Defense One) ISIS is a spent force militarily, and whatever mandate the United States might have had in Syria has run its course. We are not there to take the nation into our custody to rebuild it, or to confront Iran, Russia, and Assad.

Barack Trump and the failure of leadership on Syria

Analysis: The costs of withdrawal from Afghanistan
President Trump's decision to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan will have consequences. The Taliban and al Qaeda will declare victory, while the US will find it harder to hunt terrorists throughout the region.

Russia’s Chechnya model for Syria will only deepen the conflict

To Succeed in Syria, Don't Withdraw — Rebrand
// Hassan Hassan
The president's plan is a disaster. If he wants to claim victory, there's a better way.

U.S., AFGHANISTAN:
Pentagon Planning to Withdraw Up to 7,000 Troops From Afghanistan
By Lolita C. Baldor, AP: “The Pentagon is developing plans to withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American troops serving in Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Thursday, marking a sharp change in the Trump administration’s policy aimed at forcing the Taliban to the peace table after more than 17 years of war.”

The Islamic State is not defeated in Syria. Or anywhere else. Look at Africa.
Emily Estelle | AEIdeas

MATTIS GONE = BIG GAINS FOR IRAN REGIONALLY

12/21/2018

Trump made the right decision to quit Syrian conflict
BY M.K. BHADRAKUMAR
Despite the criticism, there is a strong argument that the US president has done the right thing by withdrawing his forces from Syria

FDD

FDD: TRUMP IS OBAMA

Trump’s Syria pullout shakes up US Mideast policy
The US president’s snap decision to withdraw 2,200 US troops from Syria will have an impact across the region.

BENNY AVNI: NY POST
The Syria withdrawl may be Trump’s biggest blunder to date
In what will likely mark the worst foreign-policy decision of his presidency to date, President Trump on Wednesday announced that he is ceding Syria to the jackals. “We have defeated…

Barack Hussein Trump and the failure of leadership on Syria
Danielle Pletka | AEIdeas
Far from “ending” any war a la Obama, Trump, like his predecessor, has ensured a continued threat to US interests and a victory for Tehran and terrorists. As the president himself might say, this is weak.

The Secretary Of Reassurance Has Resigned: Farewell To Mattis

FIXING THE AFGHAN PEACE PROCESS

12/19/2018

Fixing Afghanistan’s flawed peace process
NEMATULLAH BIZHAN
In February, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban unconditional talks to negotiate a political settlement. To support the process, the United States also initiated direct talks with the Taliban, which the Taliban had been demanding. The Taliban have since responded by intensifying their campaign of violence, killing hundreds of civilians, including 10 candidates in the recent parliamentary election and their supporters. The Taliban have also refused to talk to the Afghan government. Many Afghans want...

IRAN: PLAN B, AMIR TAHERI

12/19/2018

Iran: Toward a Plan B

“More Chants, More Protests: The Dey Iranian Anti-Regime Protests”
More Protests, No Progress: the 2018 Iran Protests”

THE GREAT MAN OF HISTORY THEORY FALTERS IN IRAQ & long war journal on resurgence of isis in syria

12/18/2018

Ahmad Chalabi and the Great Man Theory of History by Richard Hanania

Analysis: The Islamic State hasn’t been defeated
President Trump claimed earlier today that the Islamic State has been "defeated" in Syria. But an unknown number of the group's top leaders, including presumably Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remain alive. And there are likely thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq, where they operate as insurgents.

"More Chants, More Protests: The Dey Iranian Anti-Regime Protests"

"The Salafi-Jihadi Base in the Sahel: December 2018"

TUNISIA: HOME OF ARAB SPRING ERUPTS . . . AGAIN

12/18/2018

'Red Vests' flood Tunisian streets on 8th anniversary of revolution
Tunisia's answer to France's Yellow Vest protests, Les Gilets Rouges, is advocating for poor and marginalized Tunisians with economic and social demands.

Tunisian activists ready to walk the walk
A group of young Tunisian civil society activists established the Red Vest campaign in protest against the worsening economic and social situation in Tunisia.

SAUDI'S HAVE DAMAGED THEMSELVES IN DANGEROUS TIMES

12/13/2018

Marc A. Thiessen writes: Today, when it comes to Saudi Arabia, Trump is — like Bush — in an impossible position. The United States must stand for human rights. But it must also preserve its relationship with Saudi Arabia, the only nation in the Middle East that can serve as a bulwark against Iran, the main strategic threat to U.S. interests in the region. – Washington Post

Michael Singh writes: To maintain a strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia, there are several steps the United States can take to make its diplomacy with Riyadh more effective and make clear that U.S. support is not unconditional. At the same time, the Khashoggi episode should serve as a wake-up call for American policymakers looking to work increasingly through allies in the Middle East as the United States shifts its attention elsewhere. U.S. policy toward other partners in the region must also be reset if these partnerships are to remain effective. – War on the Rocks

David Pollock writes: In the wake of the Khashoggi scandal, a rare new public opinion poll in Saudi Arabia shows wide popular concern about corruption and a number of other internal problems. At the same time, the survey data demonstrates only minority support for the official initiative of Islamic reform. Ironically, then, this prime locus of support on the part of outside powers for Saudi policy shifts is also precisely the area of greatest internal debate. – Washington Institute

NETANYAHU OUTLASTS HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS & MARTIN KRAMER DISCUSSES ISRAELI TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN STATESMANSHIP

12/13/2018

Zev Chafets writes: The prospect of a snap Israeli general election has faded for the moment, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition surviving the sudden departure of a key ally. […]Many of Netanyahu’s critics see this as golden opportunity to bring him down. But I think they are too optimistic. For one thing, the prime minister is popular, more so than any of his key rivals. For another, it is not certain that he will be indicted before the election. And finally, even if he is, that may not stop him from running — and winning. – Bloomberg

MARTIN KRAMER: SANDBOX

IRANIAN PROXIES IN LEBANON MURDER CIA STATION CHIEF UNDER REAGAN & LEBANON GETS IRANIAN PRECISION MISSILES

12/12/2018

WINEP’s Katherine Bauer, Hanin Ghaddar, and Assaf Orion: Iran's precision missile project moves to Lebanon

LEBANON IS COLLAPSING FAST, HAMAS & IDF TUNNELS

12/9/2018

PAKISTAN SERVICES SAUDI NUCLEAR INTERESTS & IMRAN KHAN SUPPORTS TERROR CHIEF

12/9/2018

VOX
NATIONAL INTEREST
INSS ISRAEL

Video shows Pakistan minister vow ‘full support’ to terror chief
BY KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID
Leaked footage, showing Interior Minister Shehryar Afridi promise 'full support' to UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed and his groups, expected to create trouble for Imran Khan govt

WHY THE ARABS ARE RE-WELCOMING ASSAD; AND WHY RUSSIA'S ECONOMY IS LESS DEPENDENT ON US SANCTIONS

12/7/2018

Why Russian Domestic Politics Make U.S. Sanctions Less Effective by Thomas Wonder

The Road to Damascus: The Arabs March Back to Befriend Assad by Kamal Alam and David Lesch

IN THE WARLORD'S SHADOW: THE AFGHAN FIGHT AGAINST THE TALIBAN

12/7/2018

A Game as Old as Empire: The Return of Proxy Wars in Afghanistan
By Tamim Asey, Small Wars Journal: “History is repeating itself in Afghanistan. Proxy wars and great power politics is returning to the country."

A Path Forward in Afghanistan
By Bharath Gopalaswamy, Atlantic Council: “One year on, there appears to be little to show for U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s strategy for Afghanistan.”

Five Years Ago, We Assessed the War in Afghanistan for Congress: How Did We Do?
by Jonathan Schroden

IRAQI ETHNIC NATIONALISM & POOR GOVERNANCE FOSTERS THE RETURN OF THE ISLAMIC STATE

12/7/2018

NORTH AFRICA, POST ARAB SPRING

12/6/2018

A wave of economic austerity is squeezing the Arab world’s middle class, pushing a segment of society that is key to growth and stability into making painful cutbacks and fueling discontent. […]The protests have stirred memories of the Arab Spring revolts, which toppled a number of governments and united the poor and middle class over shared complaints. – Wall Street Journal

Jonathan Spyer writes: The Sunni Arab populations of Syria and Iraq have been the main losers of the region’s decade of disarray. Islamic State looks to harness the fury of many of the young men of these communities to the banner of its brand of political Islam. Something familiar is stirring in the dusty and remote corners of central Iraq. The West should pay attention. – Wall Street Journal

THE IDF TARGETS: NASRALLAH; JERUSALEM OPENS UP TO SUDAN

12/6/2018

Smadar Perry writes: We must recall that Hezbollah has huge quantities of missiles, some of which can reach almost the entire territory of the State of Israel. And yet Hezbollah does not use them. And another fact: Israel knows exactly where Nasrallah is hiding, at what address, on what floor, and yet did not even try to kill him once. To some extent he is protected, unless he commits a terrible folly. – Ynet

Why is Israel forging secret ties with Sudan?
Hamas condemns the current normalization of ties between several Arab countries and Israel, at a time the Israeli media is talking about efforts to stop arms reaching the Gaza Strip through Libya and Sudan.

ASSAD HOLD ON TO POWER

12/6/2018

Danny Makki writes: Against all odds, the Syrian government has managed to hold on and win the country’s seven-year civil war. As the focus now shifts from fighting to recovery, the transition to governance in a post-conflict environment is creating new and unexpected challenges. Areas of Syria previously loyal to the government are becoming increasingly vocal about these challenges, especially on social media. – Middle East Institute

Samuel Oakford writes: While many in the Trump administration want to avoid replicating what they see as the United States’ experience in Iraq, where a perceived early withdrawal ceded space to an extremist insurgency, the White House has offered another reason for keeping troops on the ground: Iran. Tehran has helped provide significant battlefield support to Assad’s forces, which, along with Russian help, has served to turn the tide of the conflict, and the White House’s overriding rationale for staying in Syria has shifted focus to Iran. – The Atlantic

EGYPTIAN POLITICAL LIFE UNDER AL-SISI & RUSSIA RETURNS TO THE MIDDLE EAST

12/5/2018

Egypt’s political life still struggles under Sisi
Egypt’s political parties are witnessing internal divisions that further deteriorate poor political partisan activity.

In the Middle East, Russia is back

WINEP’s Mohamed Maher: How Russia challenges the United States’ investment in Egypt

Mohamed Maher writes: The United States could lose the benefits of its long-term investment in Egypt due to the continuing rapprochement between Cairo and Moscow, which seems to have hit a new peak after four years in development. Evidence from the past year indicates that this trend towards cooperation between the two states is significantly more than just a fleeting trend or an attempt by the Egyptians to improve their negotiating position with the United States. – Washington Institute

During a show on Channel 1 TV (Iran), the IRGC’s Aerospace Force commander General Amir Ali Hajizadeh reviewed maps of different U.S. airbases in the region, including Al-Udeid in Qatar, Al-Dhafra in the UAE, and Kandahar in Afghanistan, saying that they are all within Iranian missile range. He also said that American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman are within range, and that the U.S. military presence that used to be a threat to Iran is now an opportunity. – Middle East Media Research Institute

THE LEGACY OF IRAQI ISLAM UNDER DICTATORSHIP & THE IMPACT OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION ON ISLAM

12/4/2018

The Legacy Of Saddam's Islam
by Samuel Helfont via The Caravan
Anyone examining Islam in Saddam’s Iraq (1979-2003) and the legacy of that period today is quickly confronted with a tangled web of problematic definitions and eclectic ideologies. Untangling this web is essential for identifying what really drives Iraqi politics, and doing so provides one with some hope that sectarian differences can still be overcome. Paradoxically, it also does not augur well for the chances for stability in the country anytime soon.

Contradictions Of The Faith
by Sanam Vakil via The Caravan
On February 11, 2019 Iran will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Iranian revolution and the creation of Iran’s Islamic government guided by a clerical leader known as the vali-e-faqih. This anniversary is important for numerous reasons including that the Islamic Republic, having survived many political storms, has outlasted the expectations of many. Under renewed political and economic pressure from US sanctions and Washington’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear agreement, this anniversary has added symbolism for Tehran.

Book review: ‘The Future of Iran’s Past: Nizam al-Mulk Remembered’
Michael Rubin | Middle East Quarterly

Book review: ‘Crisis, Collapse, Militarism and Civil War: The History and Historiography of 18th Century Iran’
Michael Rubin | Middle East Quarterly

IMRAN KHAN'S FIRST 100 DAYS: DISMAL; PAYMENT CRISIS COMING FAST & CPEC UNDER ETHNIC DURESS

12/4/2018

PTI govt unable to devise a way out of Pakistan’s financial turmoil
IMAD ZAFAR
Pakistan is going through financial turmoil. The Karachi Stock Exchange on Monday lost 1,200 points in early trade after the State Bank of Pakistan predicted a slow economic growth rate of 4% for the financial year 2019 and amid rumors of Prime Minister Imran Khan telling journalists that midterm elections could not be ruled out. On Friday, the Pakistani currency saw its worst decline of the decade when it plunged 10 rupees against the US dollar...

Khan govt hits Islamist group with sedition, terrorism charges
BY F.M. SHAKIL
Khadim Hussain Rizvi and other leaders among thousands rounded up after TLP leaders made fiery speeches during wild protests last month over Aasia Bibi acquittal and fears of another destabilizing rally

Balochistan militants exploit unease over Chinese influence
BY KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID
An attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi by separatists has raised more doubts over Beijing’s hopes of securing a route to the strategic port of Gwadar

CPEC may invite hybrid warfare against Pakistan

SECULARISM, NATIONALISM, ISLAMISM: MAKING MODERN MIDDLE EAST
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terrorism-tactics-and-transformation.pdf
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CHANGING DYNAMICS OF SALAFI JIHADI MOVEMENTS

FOREIGN AFFAIRS - THE ARAB SPRING @ 5
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BIN SALMAN & THE REFORM OF SAUDI ARABIA
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NATIONAL INTEREST, ARAB SPRING
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FOLLOWING VISION 2030

MEF RADIO LIVE

SECTARIANISM MIDDLE EAST.pdf
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THE PAKISTAN READER

ARAB SPRING & POLITICAL REFORM
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ISRAELI NEWS NETWORK

THUCYDIDES & THE LONG WAR PROBLEM

250 YEARS OF AMERICAN IRREGULAR WAR

AEI - CRITICAL THREATS PROJECT: SALIFI JIHADI MOVEMENTS GROWING

ABBAS MILANI HOOVER PAGE: IRAN & U.S. RELATIONS

HOOVER INSTITUTION BLOG ON THE NEAR EAST

JEWISH INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF AMERICA

FATA PAKISTAN RESEARCH CENTER

ISRAELI NUCLEAR POSTURE & DOCTRINES

CONTAIN, DEGRADE, DEFEAT: PLAN FOR MIDDLE EAST

THE PLAN TO DEFEAT THE ISLAMIC STATE & al-QAEDA

CENTER FOR SECURITY, REGIONAL STUDIES, KABUL

AfPak POLICY OPTIONS

ISLAMISM & INTERNATIONAL ORDER

HOOVER INSTITUTION PUBLICATION ON U.S. NEAR EAST POLICY

Israeli Security & Gulf States

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HOW ISRAEL WINS

FREE BOOKS ON MIDDLE EAST

AEI: GLOBAL JIHADI THREAT & BEYOND

HOOVER: OPERATIONAL GUIDE FOR THE LONG WAR

THE ETTINGER REPORT: U.S. ISRAELI RELATIONS

GOOGLE NEWS PAKISTAN

HOW TO WIN WORLD WAR IV

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LONG WAR

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