Tag Archives: Iraq

Analysis: US believes Syria is overplaying its Hand in Iraq

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 17/09/2009 The scheduled meeting Thursday of the Syrian and Iraqi foreign ministers is unlikely to lead to a swift resolution of the simmering feud between the two countries. The government of Iraq is furious at the mounting evidence … Continue reading →

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Analysis: Did long Arm of Iran reach Dead Sea Highway?

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 19/01/2010 The revelations of possible Iranian involvement in the attack on Israeli diplomats earlier this month in Jordan appear to offer the latest evidence of direct engagement by Teheran in subversion and paramilitary activity across national borders. The … Continue reading →

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Rewarding Bad Behavior

Posted on March 16, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Global Politician- 12/01/2011 US President Barack Obama’s recent decision to appoint a new ambassador to Damascus is further proof positive of the effectiveness of the strategy pursued by Syria over the last half decade. It also showcases the sense that … Continue reading →

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Fire from the Mountain

Posted on March 15, 2011 by jonathanspyer

23/10/2010 In the badlands between the borders of Iraq, Turkey and Iran, a small band of Kurdish separatists continue to wage their war. Our PKK contact and driver arrived at the appointed time outside the hotel in Erbil. We had … Continue reading →

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For Assad, Conflict is a Raison d’Etre

Posted on March 9, 2011 by jonathanspyer

05/09/2009 The Baghdad government’s assertion of Syrian responsibility for the explosions which killed more than 100 people in Iraq on August 19 has re focused attention to Syrian policy vis-a-vis its eastern neighbor. Syria’s approach in Iraq offers a prime … Continue reading →

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The Common Hatred

Posted on March 9, 2011 by jonathanspyer

15/08/2009 The arrest this week of the “Zeitoun terror cell” is a significant moment in the ongoing battle between the Egyptian security forces and homegrown Islamist extremism. The cell, we are told, plotted to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to Egypt, … Continue reading →

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Re-engaging with Reality

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Haaretz-20/09/2005 Two key processes currently taking place in the Middle East Israel’s disengagement and the sharp scaling-down of Western hopes for a remade, democratic Iraq ­ reflect the durability of existing patterns of regional political behavior. Middle East politics remains … Continue reading →

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