The imminent fall of Aleppo and the Trump Administration
December 5, 2016
With the Assad regime, and its Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah allies, making major in-roads into the rebel-head eastern district of Aleppo, it now looks like only a matter of time until the city falls to the regime. With US President-elect Trump having pledged to ignore the Syrian conflict and to seek a partnership with Russia, but also having pledged to fight back against the Iranian drive to dominate the region, and with the fall of Aleppo likely to provide a major boost to the Iranian axis – the events in Syria look likely to place the Trump Administration in a dilemma over Syria when they take over. This Update features analysis of that dilemma.
Moving the US Embassy in Israel/ End of Israel’s Population Bomb?
November 24, 2016
This Update deals with the possibility US President-elect Donald Trump may fulfill a campaign pledge and move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Israel’s actual capital since 1950, Jerusalem, as a a US law passed in 1995 requires.
Video: Bangkok Track II conference – “Islamist Movements and Middle East Turmoil: Implications for Southeast Asia
November 22, 2016
Veteran Israel commentator Ehud Yaari delivered a very perceptive overview of the Middle East at a public session hosted by the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS) in Bangkok: “Islamist Movements and Middle East Turmoil: Lessons from and Implications for Southeast Asia”. It is highly recommended viewing.
Both PA and Hamas face financial squeeze/ Mosul and the lessons of Gaza
November 18, 2016
This Update features two articles about the serious financial problems of both the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. In addition, it includes an article from two former senior American military officers about the lessons being learned from Israel’s struggle with Hamas’ terror tunnels in Gaza in the battle for Mosul, which is also believed to be riddled with tunnels by ISIS.