Turkey

In one of the first, albeit small signs of the de-escalation of violence in the Idlib province of Syria, Russian and Turkish troops carried out joint patrols along the all-important M4 highway. The northwestern part of Syria has been a bloody, violent place since late last year.  “Within the framework of the Moscow agreement, the […]

The most recent ceasefire in Syria, which was initiated by the Russians and Turks, has temporarily (at least) stopped the bloodshed and the massive humanitarian wave of refugees streaming for the Turkish border. But that ceasefire, while beneficial to both the Turks and Russians, isn’t so for the Iranians, while it leaves the Syrian regime […]

In a move that is hoped to curtail the increased violence in the Syrian province of Idlib Turkey and Russia have announced a ceasefire agreement for Idlib, after a six-hour meeting in Moscow. Idlib is the last rebel stronghold in Syria and has been the hub of increased violence and bloodshed since December when a […]

Turkey launched a massive operation in Syria targeting government troops after the recent attack on Turkish troops last week left at least 34 Turkish soldiers dead, the country’s defense chief said on Sunday. “Operation Spring Shield, which was launched following the heinous attack (on Turkish soldiers) on Feb. 27 is successfully being carried out,” Defense […]

On Thursday, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed and dozens more wounded during airstrikes conducted by the Syrian Air Force (SAF) in Idlib province. The incident comes at a time where tensions in Northern Syria are sky-high between the Syrian military, Russian forces, and the invading Turkish army and its local proxies. For the past weeks, […]

The European Union has agreed to authorize new naval patrols off the Libyan coast. The deployment of warships is intended to be part of a renewed effort to effectively implement a United Nations arms embargo on the war-torn North African state. The announcement follows Austria’s decision to not exercise its veto right, which it had […]

The situation in northwest Syria has reached dangerous levels with the Syrian, Russian, and Turkish armies on a collision course. The United Nations is warning that the deteriorating situation could result in a “bloodbath” unless the sides can agree to a ceasefire. Airstrikes by the Russians, in support of the Syrian government of Bashar Assad, […]

Last week, a Russian military vehicle tried to pass an American patrol somewhere in Syria. The attempt, however, had a slightly different, and hilarious, result from what the Russian driver imagined. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-pC2YQRPVo

Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Forces conducting a patrol to protect key terrain and natural resources were attacked at a pro-Syria regime checkpoint, near Qamishli, Syria, Feb., 12. The U.S.-led Coalition commonly patrols the area in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces to deny malign actors’ access. You can read more about the incident here. […]

It seems like everyone has been trying to exact a pound of flesh in Syria during the long civil war that has lasted nine years. With the Islamic State making inroads into establishing a caliphate in the power vacuum as well as rebels trying to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad, the entire situation […]

An already tense situation has escalated into a deadly tit-for-tat violent struggle in northwest Syria. The Syrian government troops of President Assad have attacked Turkish troops killing six in an artillery barrage in Idlib. The Turkish military responded with strikes of their own, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported that they hit over 40 Syrian […]

The use of soft power in foreign policy is often aided by the knowledge that should it not be effective, military (hard) power is waiting in the wings. Following this argument, it seems logical to conclude then that when boots are on the ground, soft power has come up short. The military’s mission is to […]