Syrian president Ahmed al-Shara’s drive to centralize the country and marginalize minority communities shows no sign of abating. Seven months after seizing power, Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Shara, had successfully recast himself from a jihadist once subject to a $10 million US bounty into a pragmatic statesman and the nation’s best hope for reunification and […]
Ahmed Al-Shara: Syria’s Fragile Strongman Read More »
Despite his rhetoric about democracy and inclusivity, Syria’s new president is steering the country back toward military dictatorship. At the Victory Conference on January 29, Ahmed al-Sharaa stood in military fatigues before an audience of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) members and Islamist militia leaders as he was declared Syria’s transitional president. Alongside this announcement, he suspended the constitution and ordered that
Syria’s Dictatorship Trap Read More »
On Wednesday, November 27, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa (commonly known as Abu Mohamad al-Jolani), and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched a lightning offensive against the Assad regime. By December 1, they had seized Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. One week later, Bashar al-Assad’s regime is on the verge of collapse. While the volatile geopolitical
The Fall of the House of Assad Read More »
Ukraine’s daring incursion into Kursk provided a much-needed morale boost and sparked renewed debate over Russian redlines and escalation. Most importantly, it demonstrated that Kyiv would continue to fight for its sovereignty and territory through any means necessary despite waning Western support. However, once it became clear that the offensive failed to achieve its primary objective of diverting
Ukraine Risks Falling into a Trap in Kursk Read More »
As Israel launches its offensive on Rafah at the peril of the hostages and its international standing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again demonstrated that his primary objective is to ensure his political survival by catering to the messianic Far Right. Netanyahu has argued that an assault on Rafah is key to achieving total victory. However, after nearly
The Middle East’s Perfect Storm Read More »
Twenty months into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war grinds to a bloody stalemate with no end in sight. Neither side can afford or accept defeat; for Ukraine, this is an existential fight, and for Russia, the outcome of this war will have profound ramifications on foreign policy and domestic stability, which presents a survival threat
Trapped in a Forever War Read More »
Three years ago, Belarusians took to the streets to protest the fraudulent presidential elections that saw dictator Alexander Lukashenko reelected as president for the sixth time. The regime responded with a brutal crackdown, leading to the West breaking off diplomatic relations and imposing sanctions. Since then, Lukashenko has adopted an increasingly belligerent stance against his
The Slow Invasion of Belarus Read More »
While Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine nearly one year ago was undoubtedly motivated by his desire to leave a mark on history, the risk of a humiliating defeat has united Russian elites in support of the war, regardless of their ideological convictions. Russia’s hawks consider this war as part of a wider
The False Promise of Regime Change in Russia Read More »
