CENTRAL COMMAND: CENTCOM & THE LONG WAR - CounterStrikeMedia

HOW IS FRANCES' COUNTER-TERROR POLICY IN AFRIA DOING? WHAT'S THE MIDDLE EAST GOOD FOR? VICTOR DAVIS HANSEN ANSWERS

1/11/2020

France's Counterterrorism Efforts in West Africa and the Sahel with Michael Shurkin

Is the Trump Administration trying to find an exit, or rather to change our posture in the Middle East? It’s trying to collapse all the reasons we’ve been there for 70 years down to a smaller footprint. Those currently dependent on Middle Eastern oil are primarily China and the EU. Why do we still have troops there? Because we don't want the oil wealth to accumulate in hands that will create a nuclear bomb; and we don't want to create a platform for the likes of Black September, or the later al Q and ISIS.
Soleimani had one great gift: he understood the Obama Administration . . . China takes about 40% of the oil that goes through the Strait of Hormuz.
https://amgreatness.com/2020/01/05/what-is-the-middle-east-in-the-middle-of-anymore/

WHAT'S PAKISTAN'S NEXT MOVE IN KASHMIR

1/6/2020

Anticipating Pakistan’s Next Move in Kashmir by Nishank Motwani

AFTERMATH: AMERICA'S WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

12/28/2019

HOW THE ABORTIVE ARAB SPRING CONTINUES

12/23/2019

Algeria appoints new government
Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad formed his government on Thursday after being appointed Saturday by newly elected President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Several key posts remained unchanged, however, seemingly signaling unchanged state policies. Algeria is facing its biggest political crisis in decades while it grapples with declining energy revenues. In a separate development, Algeria on Thursday released Lakhdar Bouregaa, a prominent opposition activist who was detained last June for allegedly insulting the army, along with dozens of others arrested in a crackdown on the mass protests that toppled President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Read More
reuters.com

Tunisian president says parliament to vote on Cabinet lineup
Tunisian President Kais Saied approved on Thursday a proposed new Cabinet lineup made up of independent members and passed it to parliament for a vote to be scheduled by Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. Designated Prime Minister Habib Jemli said his government would focus on the weak economy. According to Jemli, his proposed lineup will win majority support in the deeply divided parliament that was elected about three months ago. Read More
reuters.com

IRAQ:
Sistani: The (Not-So) Hidden Hand Behind Iraqi Politics
By Lydia Khalil, the interpreter: "The influential Shiite cleric has avoided formal participation in government, but what he does now could be critical."

Jonathan S. Tobin: Iran's Regime Will Fall if U.S. "Keeps Pressure On"by Gary C. Gambill and Marilyn Stern
Middle East Forum Radio
December 11, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/60091/jonathan-s-tobin-irans-regime-will-fall

Tunisia’s new president commemorates Arab Spring uprising
Tunisia’s President Kais Saied on Tuesday vowed to meet the demands of the 2011 revolution that toppled autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. “I will work despite manipulations … and plots … to honor your demands,” he said during a gathering commemorating the start of the uprising in Sidi Bouzid. The central province has been the scene of regular protests against unemployment and poverty ever since street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi's immolation in December 2010 ignited the Arab Spring. Ben Ali died in September while in exile in Saudi Arabia.
Read More
al-monitor.com

Algerians protest new president
Thousands of people took to the streets of Algiers on Tuesday against Algeria’s newly elected president. Former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune won last week's presidential election with 58% of the vote despite widespread public opposition that led to a low turnout. Algeria's high court confirmed his election on Monday, paving the way for his inauguration on Thursday. Tebboune said he was ready to hold talks to “build a new Algeria.” But protesters rejected the call, with many questioning the legitimacy of elections they see as a tool for ruling elites to keep their hold on the country.
Read More
alaraby.co.uk

WINEP’s Dennis Ross and Dana Stroul: The United States can offer the people of Lebanon and Iraq something Tehran can’t

2020: TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY GAME IN ASIA IN RETREAT

12/23/2019

More Distractions Loom for the US in 202
By Emil Avdaliani, December 22, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Impeachment hearings in the US have overshadowed important geopolitical developments in Eurasia that will affect Washington’s position in 2020 and beyond. The US’s failure to improve relations with Seoul and Tokyo strengthens China’s position in the Asia-Pacific. Similar processes are unfolding around Ukraine, where Kyiv might—in the absence of US support—be pressured into accepting Russian demands on Donbas.
Continue to full article ->

Japan’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Shaping a Hybrid Regional Order by Céline Pajon

ISRAEL: THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP EXAMINED, HOW THE IRANIAN'S ARE WINNING WHILE IMPLODING & qatar turkish alliance grows

12/13/2019

REFORMING ISRAELI ELECTION SYSTEM

Trump reelection likely despite impeachment, buoying defense industry outlook
(Forbes) The share prices of the nation’s top three defense pure-plays (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon) are all up about 50% since Trump’s inauguration, thanks to a demand environment in which military contractors don’t need to take market share in order to grow revenues and returns.

Blue and White's nightmare scenario: Saar defeating Netanyahu
The Blue and White party needs Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a rival, or else it would loose its energy.

Choice books on Israel, 2019

Trump’s Iran strategy is working. Here’s why
Saeed Ghasseminejad — Fox News
President Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran is working, despite warnings of a backlash against the U.S. for the economic sanctions he has imposed on the Islamic Republic. As protests continue in Iran, security forces may have killed over 1,000 people who are calling for an end to the country’s dictatorship, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook told reporters recently. The continuing protests show that the Iranian people are directing their anger at Tehran’s corrupt and oppressive regime, even though American sanctions helped push Iran into a deep recession. Read More

The Iranian regime identified weaknesses in its internal security apparatus during the November gasoline riots.The regime staged a brutal crackdown and blocked the internet to end the anti-government protests. Regime officials seek greater control over Iran’s information space and security services in anticipation of future unrest.The internet shutdown in November sparked international and domestic criticism of the regime and hurt Iranian businesses.
Check out detailed analysis on:

ARTHUR HERMAN: MOSAIC

Democratic Frontrunners Are Wrong About Aid for Israel
Putting America’s annual $3.8 billion of military assistance to Israel on the chopping block makes for good politics. But it makes no sense for U.S. national security.

Trump’s Iran strategy is working. Here’s why

Saudi Arabia and Israel: Who Needs Whom?
By Frank Musmar, December 12, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Extreme instability and mistrust are heightening tensions in the Persian Gulf, especially between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. America’s appetite for military engagement has waned after nearly two decades of war and the region lacks any form of collective security framework, leaving a considerable security vacuum. The Gulf states’ overtures to Israel are part of an effort to salvage America’s security commitment to the area while shoring up a relationship that can mitigate Tehran’s rising influence.
Continue to full article ->

Iran fills the Vacuum Created by Trump's Withdrawal by Con Coughlin •

Brothers in Arms
Aykan Erdemir and Varsha Koduvayur — FDD Report
On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, enacting a land, sea, and air blockade. Qatar’s neighbors charged the country with supporting terrorists, collaborating with Iran, and sowing the seeds of chaos around the Middle East. The sudden move closed Qatar’s only road link to foreign markets, through which it received nearly 40 percent of its food requirements. Qatari residents panicked, picking clean supermarket shelves. But the panic subsided less than 48 hours later, as Turkey began sending cargo planes with food and other goods. Read Mor

Netanyahu’s plan for winning an outright majority in the Knesset
If he wants his right-wing ultra-Orthodox bloc to win 61 seats so he can form an immunity coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will need Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked to run as part of the New Right list and pass the electoral threshold.

The ultra-Orthodox dilemma on slamming Liberman
Ultra-Orthodox politicians fear that any attacks against Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman would actually reinforce him within secular electorate.

Netanyahu’s relations with Likud members: The ultimate test
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nurtured his relationship with Likud members for more than three decades. Now he's not sure that they will continue to follow him.

Iraq's Ninevah province turns back on Shiite forces
The Ninevah provincial council has voted to replace a governor who was close to Iran-backed forces.

Who is responsible for the new wave of killings in Aden?
It's hard to determine which side or sides are behind the latest wave of killings as a new round of military escalation looms in Yemen’s south, which has seen skirmishes in Abyan province between the two partners of the Saudi-led coalition.

THE PAKISTANI CITADEL & THE WRATH OF KHAN: HOW WE GOT TO THE AFGHAN CROSSROADS

12/8/2019

Afghanistan is not Vietnam
Frederick W. Kagan | AEIdeas
Afghanistan isn’t Vietnam. It isn’t even Iraq. George W. Bush did not lie America into this war. The “revelations” in The Washington Post are only new to people who have forgotten front-page news from a few years ago

WHY ITS OVER FOR KHAN

US-India declaration has a Sino subtext
(The Sunday Guardian) Mutual concern regarding multi-faceted authoritarian challenge posed by Beijing is manifest throughout it.

Flight Risk
By Paul Morris, Strategy Bridge: "Airpower and Afghanistan have been linked intrinsically since before the nation became independent from British control in 1921."

Musharraf Sentenced to Death in Absentia for Treason with Sameer Lalwani

THE STATUS QUO IS WHAT PAKISTANI ELITES DEFEND

THE PAKISTANI 1972 CONSTITUTION STILL MATTERS

BROOKINGS

CRUX OF PAKISTANI IDENTITY: CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONS

ASIA TIMES

PAKISTAN: ON PATH TO SELF DESTRUCT

THE MENTAL SLAVERY THAT IS PAKISTAN

Analysis: How the US arrived at this critical crossroads in Afghanistan
The decades of mistakes and deceit has led us to the brink of a major foreign policy failure. A peace deal will absolve the Taliban for its decades of steadfast alliance with al Qaeda.

IRAN MOVES MISSILES INTO IRAQ WHILE LEAVING NUCLEAR ACCORD WHILE DOMESTIC DISSENT RISING FAST

12/7/2019

The Mullahs' Losing Game by Amir Taheri •

MIDDLE EAST:
U.S. Officials: Iran Is Secretly Moving Missiles Into Iraq
By Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post: “Iraq is suffering from protests, ISIS threats and the need to find a new prime minister after Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned earlier this week, and Iran wants to exploit the power vacuum in Iraq."

THE ISLAMIC STATE PENETRATES PAKISTAN, IRAQI P.M. RESIGNS & WOLFOWITZ COMMENTS ON US ALIGNMENT IN NEAR EAST

11/28/2019

ASIA TIMES

As protests in Iran become more frequent, Iran's top leaders and security forces fear that popular unrest threatens the future of the Islamic Republic. In a new National Interest op-ed, Michael Rubin analyzes the protests of 1999, 2001, 2009, and 2017 and concludes that a regime crackdown may lead to a civil war. The result? A military dictatorship that eliminates the enforcement of Islamic law. Continue here.

As anti-government protests in Iran escalate, AEI’s Danielle Pletka took to Twitter to ask colleagues and close observers whether the regime is at risk. Experts provided their feedback, detailing events on the ground, the nature of Iran’s police state, the risks a collapsing economy poses to the system of the Islamic Republic, and the stakes for the United States and, ultimately, for the people of Iran. View the responses here.

Two months after the US abandoned its allies in Syria, Paul Wolfowitz in The New York Times reflected on alternative ways to limit American involvement in the still-critical region of the Middle East. Wolfowitz discusses the success of the Gulf War, in which America's mission to protect the Kurds was a model for low-cost and low-risk intervention, as a prototype for President Donald Trump's future operations in Syria. Finish here.

The second battle of Fallujah: 15 years later
(Marine Corps Times) The dust and grime were finally starting to settle as the sun set in Iraq.

BIBI BARELY HANGS ON WHILE SHAPING EVENTS IN ISRAEL & WHY ITS OVER FOR THE PA

11/23/2019

Netanyahu’s rival accelerates campaign for party leadership
Gideon Saar wants to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: He’s more hawkish than Netanyahu; he campaigns for a new status quo with the ultra-Orthodox; and he stresses the importance of engaging Israel’s Arab citizens in dialogue.

Israeli opposition leader rejects defense pact with US
The leader of Israel's main opposition Blue and White party on Monday opposed the prospect of a mutual defense pact with the United States, warning it would endanger the Israeli army's freedom of action and break with decades of defense policy. “Blue and White under my leadership will not support an international agreement that will limit Israel’s actions and the IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] ability to protect the country from the threats it faces,” Benny Gantz tweeted. The remarks come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he briefly broached the subject with US President Donald Trump ahead of the September elections.
Read More
timesofisrael.com

How Palestinian Leaders Sabotage Palestinians' Interests by Khaled Abu Toameh •

Israel Will Only Attain Peace through Victory by Nave Dromi
JNS
November 24, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/59971/israel-will-only-attain-peace-through-victory

Liberman, Lapid miscalculate about Likud rebellion
Both Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman and Blue and White co-leader Yair Lapid mistakenly assumed that some Likud members would break ranks and join a Gantz-led unity coalition.

Israel Comes Down With the American Disease
Editorial of The New York Sun | November 23, 2019
https://www.nysun.com/editorials/israel-comes-down-with-the-american-disease/90914/

Netanyahu at war with legal system
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be standing now with his back against the wall, but he still succeeds in keeping his supporters on his side.

Avigdor Liberman drives Israeli politics crazy
Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman had promised that he would not accept any other solution than a "liberal unity government," and so far, he has kept every last letter of that promise, even if driving all politicians crazy.

Why Liberman ends alliance with ultra-Orthodox
After he prevented the formation of a right, ultra-Orthodox government following the April and September elections, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman has sharpened his statements toward the ultra-Orthodox.

ISLAM: THE RISING NATION STATE IN THE MIDDLE EAST & INDIA'S TRIANGULATION AGAINST IRAN REMAINS RIYADH

11/19/2019

RUSSIA CANNOT HANDLE NORTHERN SYRIA

HOOVER

ASIA TIMES

"So long as Iran dominates the Middle East, a new Baghdadi will rise," Tzvi Kahn, The Hill

Jennifer Cafarella and Jason Zhou write: The U.S. is pursuing the wrong diplomatic goal. American policymakers are biased toward viewing a cessation of hostilities as the most important sign of diplomatic progress in Syria and thus overlook opportunities to shape Syria’s long-term trajectory. The U.S. must widen its aperture for what diplomacy in Syria can and must achieve. The U.S. should set as its overarching goal keeping space open for political competition within Syria and reinvigorating and relegitimizing a stale and discredited diplomatic process. – Institute for the Study of War

Neil Hauer writes: It is of course impossible to predict the future here, but it seems very likely that Moscow has finally bitten off more than it can chew in its Syria ceasefire-keeping operations. Separating regime and rebel soldiers, or even patrolling an inactive Turkish-Kurdish frontline is one thing; pacifying an active war zone and preventing the outbreak of a full-blown insurgency is another. […]Whatever comes next, it is certain that Russia’s military police have their work cut out for them in north Syria. – Middle East Institute

"Uranium Particles Found in Iran: Why it Matters," Andrea Stricker and Tzvi Kahn, FDD Policy Brief

JPost’s Seth J. Frantzman: Syria is an increasingly dangerous chessboard for Iran in the Middle East

A new public report, Iran’s Military Power, produced by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, details how the 40-year-old Islamic regime boosts its relatively weak conventional forces with “a hybrid approach to warfare” that relies on missiles, naval forces, and proxies to threaten its neighbors. – Washington Examiner

Iran is building space capabilities that could be a launching pad to developing intercontinental ballistic missiles and has made progress in its efforts to disrupt GPS and communication satellites, according to a new report from the Defense Intelligence Agency. – C4ISRNET

Seth J. Frantzman writes: Now Iran must decide its next step in Syria. The role of its IRGC Quds Force has been key to supporting the Assad regime while also benefiting on the side. But Iran understands that its role is entangled with the regime and also with Russia. Its presence must not undermine either of these two. In addition, the Syrian regime and Russians are focused more on the north today, while there are questions about what the US is doing in the east. […]Towards that end, it has invested in new missiles, drones and other technology which it has transferred to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. While those transfers have made Iran’s role in Syria even more dangerous, any seasoned chess player knows that pieces spread too thinly across the chessboard may result in checkmate. – Jerusalem Post

John Dunford writes: Russia also likely intends to deploy new air defense systems to Qamishli, allowing it to constrain further the freedom of movement of the U.S. in Eastern Syria. Meanwhile, the U.S. expanded its ground patrol routes to villages west of Qamishli. The U.S. will thus likely come into closer contact with the growing number of pro-regime forces – including Russians – based in and around Qamishli. – Institute for the Study of War

Earl Anthony Wayne and Christopher D. Kolenda write: The U.S. approach needs to test credibility and build trust via a step-by-step process, and, if successful, work toward reductions in violence and toward Afghan political negotiations. Efforts may best advance by initially pursuing simple measures that do not require large concessions and building from there. These could include coordinated statements of peace principles, shared disaster hotlines, joint civilian casualty investigations, etc. If the Taliban fail to partake in such steps, then the futility of additional efforts will be clear. – The Hill

INDIA AND THE US HOLD HANDS WHILE RUSSIA TAKES LIBYA & WHY IMRAN KHAN'S TIME WITH PAKISTAN IS FINISHED

11/17/2019

WHY IMRAN KHAN IS FINISHED

CPEC STILL HOLDS PAKISTAN

Congress Moves to Sanction Russians for Mercenary Surge in Libya
By Jack Detsch, Al-Monitor: " Congress is preparing bipartisan sanctions on Russian mercenaries and other suspected human rights violators in Libya, Al-Monitor has learned, as the Donald Trump administration looks to use the recent entry of Moscow-linked paramilitaries into the conflict to reinvigorate a long-dormant American strategy in the war-torn country."

The Classicist: Defending The Trump Doctrine
interview with Victor Davis Hanson via The Classicist
The president’s approach to foreign policy is unconventional — but might be the best approach for a changing global environment.

Russia is intervening in Libya. Should we care?
(RealClear Defense) The U.S. has abandoned its partners in the fight against ISIS, and the Russians are capitalizing on the void.

China’s lead in the AI war won’t last forever
(Bloomberg) Artificial intelligence will be very useful in controlling a police state. But a police state may not be very good at controlling artificial intelligence.

US, India bolster their military partnership in Tiger Triumph exercise
(Defense News) The U.S. and India are set to kick off this week a major joint military exercise: Tiger Triumph.

US, India bolster their military partnership in Tiger Triumph exercise

THE EMIR FOR THE FAITHFUL DRAGS ON FOR THE LONG WAR

11/12/2019

Caliph Incognito: The Ridicule Of Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi
by Cole Bunzel via Jihadica
The last week of October 2019 was an eventful one in the history of the Islamic State. On October 25, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, its leader and caliph, blew himself up during a U.S. special forces raid on his compound in Idlib Province, Syria. The next day, official spokesman Abu al-Hasan al-Muhajir, a potential successor to al-Baghdadi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in nearby Aleppo Province. On October 31, the Islamic State confirmed the fatalities in an audio statement read by al-Muhajir’s replacement, Abu Hamza al-Qurashi, who went on to announce the appointment of a certain Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as the new “commander of the believers and caliph of the Muslims.” The adjective Qurashi in their names denotes descent from the Prophet Muhammad’s tribe of Quraysh, one of the traditional qualifications of being caliph.

The Road to an Iranian Attack on Israel
By Prof. Eytan Gilboa, November 15, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Israeli political and military leaders have warned against the possibility of a major military confrontation with Iran, which wants to deter Israel from disrupting its attempts to build military bases in Syria and Iraq and to construct factories in which Hezbollah can convert its huge arsenal of rockets into accurate missiles. This threat is more acute in light of the American failure to respond to recent Iranian provocations in the Gulf. Israel should adopt an aggressive new strategic approach to meet this threat, in coordination with the US and in consultation with Russia.
Continue to full article ->

Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD; in re: Taliban overruns district HQ in Zabul. Eleven districts in the province, three have come under Taliban control since July. Grinding down the Afghan forces. One of the biggest problems in the entire war is that no one’s telling us why we’re there. No explanation that we have an enemy committed to ending the Western way of life, and it starts in a [region like this]. Successor to al-Baghadi, the Emir of the Faithful (Amir al-Muminin): Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. They still have a network and a robust media operation. “That both the group’s emir and spokesman have adopted al-Qurayshi in their jihadist names is significant, because it means they are claiming descent from the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad.”

The al Qaeda component in Afghanistan: remains a vital network for Taliban. Al Q provides expertise, training, and support; Talban give al Q safe haven, freedom of movement. As one succeeds in operations, so does the other. Al Qaeda will stay there irrespective of what the US does. There are thousands and thousands of al Q fighters n Afghanistan, and not leaving. A Saudi in Syria connected to al Q network put out a vid blaming al-Baghdadi for errors. Al Q helped birth ISIS in the first place. A key issue: al Q does not advertise what it’s doing in Afghanistan, stays under the Taliban banner, whereas ISIS advertises every little thing it does.

BEIRUT BURNS. . . AGAIN & WHY ABBAS IS THE LAST PRESIDENT FOR THE PA

11/10/2019

https://www.ft.com/content/3463589e-ffc7-11e9-b7bc-f3fa4e77dd47
●   https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/why-iran-wants-the-lebanon-and-iraq-uprisings-to-fade/
●   https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/293535/the-revolt-against-iran
●   https://www.timesofisrael.com/yemens-government-separatists-sign-power-sharing-deal-to-stop-infighting
●   https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/riyadh-agreement-delivers-political-gains-in-yemen-but-implementation-less
●   https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/yemen/massive-plaudits-greet-yemen-deal-uae-us-kuwait-un-arab-league-hail-riyadh-agreement-1.67632206

  https://palwatch.org/page/16701
●   https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/november/israeli-watchdog-group-says-billions-in-aid-donated-to-palestinians-is-missing-given-to-terrorists
●   http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/268555
●   https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-elections-are-looking-likely-and-may-be-spectacularly-bad-for-abbas/

40 YEARS LATER: WHY IRAN HELD US HOSTAGES & WHY A ONE STATE SOLUTION IS DELUSIONAL

11/5/2019

Iranian Protests Were Not about the Price of Gas by A.J. Caschetta
The Hill
December 2, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/60015/iranian-protests-were-not-about-the-price-of-ga

The real reason for the Iran hostage crisis, 40 years later
Michael Rubin | Washington Examiner
Perhaps it is time for liberals and European diplomats who lament the fact that US-Iran relations seemingly continue to deteriorate to stop blaming Washington. Instead, the fact that Iran not only attacked America’s embassy but also continues to occupy it suggests that its antipathy to international norms and the framework of diplomacy remains unreformed.

U.S. Deterrence in the Middle East Is Collapsing

Lebanon is a basket case run by a terror group: don’t fund it

Expanding U.S. pressure campaign on Iran could reach a tipping point

Iraqi Protesters Vent Anger at Iran-Backed Militias

Danielle Pletka took to the pages of The Washington Post to analyze the protests occurring in Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt. She argues that Western governments must demand that the region’s leaders answer to their own people before we face another wave of refugees, the next iteration of the Islamic State, and Baghdadi’s successor. Keep reading here.

Katherine Zimmerman explains that eliminating a leader of a Salafi-jihadi group does nothing to fill the gaps in security and governance that drive vulnerable communities into the arms of Salafi-jihadists. Instead, the US should shift to a civilian-led strategic approach that uses foreign assistance and soft power to strengthen communities at risk of Salafi-jihadi penetration.
Read more here.

Giselle Donnelly analyzes the dramatization of Trump’s announcement and contrasts it to President Barack Obama’s announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death. Rather than being a formal announcement of America’s success, Trump’s statements served as a stream-of-consciousness performance for the president’s commitment to a reduced presence in the Middle East.
Finish here.

Michael Rubin points out that while Iraqis have had enough, Iran’s proxies would rather kill than accept democratic will. For Iraqis, the current battle is about government accountability and fighting corruption. For the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, what is going on in Baghdad, Karbala, and Basra may be a dry run. Learn more here.

The Delusional One-State Solution by Matthew Mainen
The Jerusalem Post
November 4, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/59838/the-delusional-one-state-solution

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/07/why-iraqs-protesters-are-still-in-the-streets/
· https://www.vox.com/2019/11/5/20947668/iraqs-protests-baghdad-mahdi-tehran-explained
· https://www.foxnews.com/media/iraq-protest-prime-minister-resign-iran
· https://time.com/5721115/lebanon-iraq-protests-iran/
· https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/why-iran-wants-the-lebanon-and-iraq-uprisings-to-fade/
· https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-5021982

November 4 marked the 40-year anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans captive for 444 days. Four decades later, has the Islamic Republic of Iran changed its ways? This week, Danielle Pletka and Marc Thiessen sat down with AEI’s Kenneth Pollack to discuss exactly what happened on that day 40 years ago, how the hostage crisis set Iran on a course of enmity with the US, and whether President Trump's Iran approach differs from those of his predecessors. Listen here.

HOW THAT DOG BAGHDADI DIED; US HITS HIS REPLACEMENT TOO & PAKISTAN RETURNS THE DON'S CALLS

10/29/2019

How Could the Turks Not Know Where Baghdadi Was Hiding? by Seth Frantzman
The Jerusalem Post
November 3, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/59727/did-turkey-know-where-baghdadi-was-hiding

The Battle of Baghdadi
Clifford D. May — The Washington Times
The elimination of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is a battle won. But it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, the end of the “endless war.” Islamism, in all its fury and diversity, goes marching on. Five years ago, Mr. Baghdadi was proclaimed (by his followers) the caliph — successor to the Prophet Mohammed. Even Osama bin Laden was never so audacious. The Islamic State in Iraq, a splinter from al Qaeda, had been organized in 2006. Read More

Afghanistan on the Edge? Elections, Elites, and Ethnic Tensions by Andrew Watkins

AI and Irregular Warfare: An Evolution, Not a Revolution
Edit by Daniel Egel, Eric Robinson, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Charles T. Cleveland, and Christopher (CJ) Oates

U.S. Deterrence in the Middle East is Collapsing
John Hannah — Foreign Policy
As welcome as was the U.S. raid that lead to the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi over the weekend, it can’t erase the damage done to U.S. interests in the Middle East over the past few months. Whatever explanations U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters put forward to justify his impulsive decision to withdraw U.S. forces from northeastern Syria earlier this month, the searing images that followed told a far different tale. Read More

Syria: United States Seeks Strengthen Coalition Against ISIS. The United States on Monday said they want to increase the presence of coalition forces combating the Islamic State in northeastern Syria. “There was never an idea that we would abandon the mission of going after ISIS ... This is a major effort that is continuing,” a senior State Department official said. The announcement comes following a U.S. operation which killed ISIS leader al-Baghdadi over the weekend and amid the Turkish incursion into the region. The United States will convene a meeting with coalition leaders on November 14. Reuters

American commando raid to kill al-Baghdadi was launched from al-Asad airbase, rehearsals conducted in Erbil
(Military Times) The American commando raid that bagged Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was launched from the sprawling al-Asad airbase in Anbar province Iraq, according to a source on the ground with direct knowledge of the operation.

Kurdish informant provided key intel in operation that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
(NBC News) Kurdish-led forces allied with the United States provided information — including used underwear for a DNA analysis — that was key to the operation that killed the Islamic State group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Kurdish forces in Syria said Monday.

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2019/10/abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-killed-himself-during-raid-u-s-says.ph

US Afghanistan peace envoy takes efforts to Pakistan
(The Associated Press) A U.S. peace envoy remained in Pakistan on Tuesday as part of efforts to find a negotiated end to Afghanistan’s 18 -year war, even though President Donald Trump has not expressed any interest in resuming talks with the Taliban.

Al-Baghdadi’s ‘number one replacement’ is dead, Trump says
(Military Times) U.S. troops have successfully taken down the top replacement for Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to President Donald Trump.

BIBI & GANTZ: THE ISRAELI SLOG; SAUDI LED COALITION HEATS UP IN YEMEN, WHY IS GERMANY IN LIBYA

10/27/2019

Egypt escalates campaign against Turkey's Erdogan
Egypt is working to mobilize Arab states and the United Nations against Turkey's president over his foreign policies and criticism of the Egyptian government.

Netanyahu and Gantz Need to Learn the Hebrew Word "Mamlachtiut"
By Dr. Asaf Romirowsky, October 28, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Israeli notion of mamlachtiut does not translate well into English. Coming from the word mamlacha, or kingdom, the word suggests the quality of acting in a sovereign-like fashion. David Ben-Gurion used the term when he spoke of the Jews’ usage of military power while exercising caution with their political power. In Israeli history books, the term is conjured every time the nation faces a major juncture that requires individuals and factions to transcend partisan loyalties. Judging from their behavior in the recent elections, Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz both appear to be fuzzy on the meaning of the word.
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Arab coalition in Yemen repositioned under Saudi command
The Saudi-led coalition said Sunday its forces have repositioned in Yemen’s southern city of Aden to come under the command of Saudi Arabia. The redeployment comes as part of the coalition’s efforts to coordinate military and security operations. The move follows a power-sharing deal struck over the weekend between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and southern separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates.
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arabnews.com

German foreign minister heads to Cairo after stop in Libya
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is scheduled to meet today with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo. Maas’ visit to Cairo follows a brief stop Sunday in Libya, where Maas met with the head of the internationally recognized government, Fayez al-Sarraj. The two discussed Germany’s offer to host an international conference on the Libyan conflict. Eastern military commander Khalifa Hifter has been leading an offensive against the government in Tripoli since April.
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english.ahram.org.eg

Russia, Egypt kick off first air defense drills
Russia and Egypt launched their first air defense drills at the Egyptian air defense troops’ tactical training center on Saturday. The Russian Defense Ministry said the goal of the exercises is to share experience between the Russian and Egyptian military and ensure airspace security. The exercises will take place through Nov. 7 in Egypt with more than 100 Russian anti-aircraft gunners participating.
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tass.com

SHARIF: RAGE AGAINST THE PAKISTANI MACHINE

10/27/2019

HOW SHARIF IS WINNING PAKISTAN'S DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT

THE FUTURE OF PAKISTAN

ASIA TIMES

RUSSIA MOVES INTO NORTH AFRICA: ALGERIA GOES TO MOSCOW WHILE THE HOUSE OF SAUD TRIES TO CONSOLIDATE IN YEMEN

10/25/2019

Putin's Policies Are Not New
By Emil Avdaliani, October 30, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: It has become fashionable to link Russian foreign policy moves of the past 20 years solely to President Vladimir Putin and his close associates. But what is viewed as innovative is in fact an intensification of much older policies that long preceded Putin’s rise to power.
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PAUL STAROBIN
Putin’s Middle East?
Exploring the implications of Russia’s increasing engagement in the region—and the American drawdown.

Clarity Amidst Chaos: The Implications of Trump's Syria Policy
By Dr. Alex Joffe, October 27, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The American withdrawal from Syria has produced chaotic results – but as with many aspects of President Trump’s presidency, it offers an opportunity to view realities with a new clarity. The nature of Turkey under Erdoğan, European weakness, and the unwillingness of America to support indecisive military missions have been revealed. These realities demand new approaches to European defense and to Middle Eastern engagement and disengagement.
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Algeria judges go on strike ahead of presidential elections
Algeria’s judges and prosecutors began an open-ended strike on Sunday demanding the independence of the judiciary after a major reshuffle that affected thousands. The Ministry of Justice carried out the changes earlier this month, in a move described by the National Magistrates' Syndicate as “a stranglehold by the executive over the power of the judiciary.” Meanwhile, protesters took to the streets Friday for the 36th week in a row to demand that Dec. 12 presidential elections be delayed until more of the ruling elite step down following President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation in April.
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middleeasteye.net

Russia and Algeria discuss cooperation
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Algeria’s interim President Abdelkader Bensalah on Thursday on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa economic summit in Sochi. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost cooperation in the technical and military fields. The first-ever economic summit aims to boost economic relations and joint projects between Russia and African countries. Algeria is one of Russia’s leading partners on the African continent and signed a $7.5 billion arms deal with Moscow in 2006.
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tass.com

Saudi Arabia is pursuing a limited cease-fire with the al Houthi movement to secure its southern border. The al Houthis have long sought to pressure Saudi Arabia to accept a cease-fire. Iran is attempting to leverage the Yemen cease-fire talks to advance its effort to split the Gulf States from the US and consolidate the influence of its al Houthi partners in Yemen.Check out detailed analysis in the Yemen File on:
- Saudi-al Houthi Relations
- The Conflict in Southern Yemen

Turkey's Invasion of Syrian Kurdistan as Seen from Tehran
By Dr. Doron Itzchakov, October 25, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Though it prompted angry reactions from senior officials in Tehran, the Turkish attack on Syrian Kurdistan offers both pros and cons for the Islamic Republic – and the potential positives likely outweigh the negatives.
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Turkey's Nuisance Value
By Burak Bekdil, October 25, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Turkey’s value for the West is not about the good it can offer but the evil it might choose not to spread. In recent years western tolerance of Turkey has stemmed not from appreciation of its advanced democratic culture but from fears of the chaos it can unleash.
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PUTIN CONQUERED THE MIDDLE EAST, HERE'S HOW THE AMERICAN'S GET IT BACK

10/23/2019

U.S., TURKEY:
Our Untenable Alliance with Turkey
By Victor Davis Hanson, National Review: "There are about 5,000 members of the U.S. military, mostly airmen, stationed at the huge, strategically located air base in Incirlik, Turkey, northwest of the Syrian border."

The Kurds are not angels
But among the many Muslim nations, America has had no better friend.

Putin conquered the Middle East. The US can get it back.
Hal Brands | Bloomberg Opinion

Seven Pillars: What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East?'
Michael Rubin and Brian Katulis | AEI Press

Putin is the New King of Syria by Jonathan Spyer
The Wall Street Journal
October 16, 2019
https://www.meforum.org/59645/putin-is-the-new-king-of-syria

Tehran’s tyrants have been provoked

Trump’s Syria pullout, aiding Russia and Turkey, is when America stopped leading the world
Since the end of WWII, every other president understood that U.S. power and wealth can only be sustained by assuming great responsibility.

Lost in the Furor Over Syria: Alliances are a Means, not an End
by Doug Bandow and Christopher Preble

Trump’s Turkey problem

ASSAD, OR WE BURN THE COUNTRY: ISLAMIC AUTOCRACY IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

10/18/2019

100 YEARS OF KURD FAILURE & HOW THE SUDANESE ARE FAILING THE ARAB SPRING

10/15/2019

South Sudan’s fragile peace deal is faltering less than a month before the country’s president and armed opposition leader are meant to form a coalition government and begin the long recovery from a five-year civil war. […]The U.S. has said it will reevaluate its relationship with South Sudan if a new government isn’t formed next month. – Associated Press

Trump's Misguided Syria Policy
by Josef Joffe via The American Interest
History will judge Trump as harshly for his betrayal of the Kurds as it has the apostles of “peace in our time.”

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2019/10/islamic-state-sleeper-cells-target-raqqa.php

The Invisible Hand of Military Merger: Organisational Culture in Kurdistan
By Verena Gruber, Defence-In-Depth: "When it comes to unifying formerly hostile armed forces, the autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq (KRI) provides an outstanding example."

10 reasons why Trump is wrong to support Turkey
Michael Rubin | The National Interest
As Islamic State prisoners go free and hundreds of thousands of Kurds, Christians, and Yazidis flee Turkey’s bombardment, how true are the assumptions driving Trump’s turn toward Turkey?

Kurdish, Syrian, And Turkish Ironies
by Victor Davis Hanson via National Review
Critics now upset about abandoning our Kurdish friends demanded abject withdrawals — and the abandonment of friends — in Afghanistan and Iraq.

THE SAUDI'S GO IT ALONE & AL-QAEDA DOMINATES THE SUBCONTINENT

10/15/2019

Going it alone: Saudi Arabia’s economic realities after attacks
Karen E. Young | Al-Monitor

ETHIOPIA, EGYPT WAR OVER WATER & SUDAN FAILES FORMATION OF UNITY GOVERNMENT

10/13/2019

South Sudan: Machar Seeks to Delay Unity Government. South Sudan’s main opposition leader, Riek Machar, is calling for a six-month delay in the formation of a unity government following the failure of the government to push a peace deal through. "It's not rocket science that the government in Juba lacks political will to implement the peace deal," Puok Both Buluang, Machar's spokesman, said. Al Jazeera

US hosts Nile dam talks at Egypt’s behest
The United States has invited the foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in an effort to mediate a feud over a giant Ethiopian hydropower dam over the Nile River. Washington is hosting the talks at the behest of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who asked President Donald Trump to help mediate the dispute during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September. Egypt fears that the dam will further exacerbate its already dire water shortage woes and has asked the World Bank to help mediate among the parties. World Bank Group President David Malpass is expected to attend Wednesday’s talks if all three parties participate (Egypt and Ethiopia have already confirmed their attendance).

The meeting will be hosted by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rather than the State Department, for reasons that remain unclear. The US mediation comes as Russia has been playing an increasingly active role in Africa, hosting its first-ever Russia-Africa summit in Sochi last week. In an Oct. 3 statement, the White House said it supported the negotiations between the three countries to reach a “cooperative, sustainable and mutually beneficial agreement.”

WHY THE FALL OF MOSUL MATTERS

10/13/2019

https://www.amazon.com/They-Will-Have-Die-Now-dp-B07Y5MTKZV/dp/B07Y5MTKZV/ref=mt_audio_download?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=

national-identity_web-1.pdf
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AFRICA'S POST COLONIAL ERA ENDING
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AFRICAN ARAB SPRING

AFRICAN ARAB SPRING
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ISHMAEL IS NOT FATHER OF ARABS

ISHMAEL NOT FATHER OF ARAB CIVILIZATION
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DEFEATING SECTARIANISM IN MIDDLE EAST

rand_rb10052.pdf
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SECULARISM, NATIONALISM, ISLAMISM: MAKING MODERN MIDDLE EAST
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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

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REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LONG WAR

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