Author Archives: jonathanspyer

Targeting the jihadists. Source: TheAustralian The Australian, 2/10 On Wednesday, Russian aircraft carried out the first bombings of rebel positions in Syria. The operation was not a surprise. It was the latest, most dramatic episode in a significant increase in Russian support … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 25/9 The latest moves on the regime side in the Syrian war suggest an effort by the regime’s allies including Russia to ‘freeze’ the conflict, rather than to continue it to victory.  This is because victory in the … Continue reading →

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/09/21/israel-syria-russia-military-concerns-liebermann-pkg.cnn/video/playlists/intl-latest-world-videos/

Jerusalem Post, 11/9 Moscow doubles down on support for Assad with military buildup in northwest Syria The current increase of the Russian military presence in northwest Syria is a function of the declining military fortunes of the Assad regime. It … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 14/8 Iran and Saudi Arabia have tabled rival peace plans for Syria, but their aims are irreconcilable and no end to the conflict is in sight. As the civil war over the ruins of Syria grinds on into … Continue reading →

PJMedia, 1/8 In late June, I traveled to Iraq with the purpose of investigating the role being played by the Iranian-supported Shia militias in that country. Close observation of the militias, their activities, and their links to Tehran is invaluable … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 31/7 The latest events in northern Syria constitute a bold move by the Turkish leadership to deal with a most pressing problem, from their point of view. That problem is not the continued existence of the Assad regime, … Continue reading →

Sunni Arabs see deal as facilitating further Iranian regional subversion, confirming US withdrawal from the Middle East Jerusalem Post, 18/7 The response in the Arabic-speaking world to the conclusion of a deal between the P5+1 countries and the Islamic Republic … Continue reading →