Next Cold War 3/14/16. Geneva peace talks resume today.  A Syrian rebel group claims responsibility for shooting down a Syrian fighter jet in a Hama airfield.  Experts disagree on whether rebels used MANPADS missiles or anti-aircraft guns to shoot it down. Another suicide bombing attack occurred in Ankara, which the

Next Cold War Roundup 3/11/16.  The Obama Doctrine and the Underside of Buses _ A very long read in the Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg, “The Obama Doctrine,” is based on an interview with Pres. Obama, describes a president with a “natural reticence toward getting militarily ensnarled”, mismatched with his hawkish and/or

Next Cold War Roundup 3/9/16 Syrian peace talks are expected to resume on Monday, though delegates have begun to arrive in Geneva already.  240,000 people in besieged areas have received humanitarian aid and aid workers are still working to get access to six more areas.  VP Joe Biden is visiting

Next Cold War Roundup 3/7/16 There are widespread reports that the truce in Syria has produced a massive decrease in violence and death. Broader peace talks are scheduled for March 9 but the Syrian opposition are still undecided.  The battle for Mosul is starting and there are reports from Raqqa

Next Cold War Roundup 3/4/16 The Syrian ceasefire continues to mostly hold. A US carrier strike group has moved into the South China Sea. A follow up meeting was held on the Minsk agreement with no breakthroughs while fighting on the front line in Ukraine increases.  An RT journalist traveled

Next Cold War Roundup 3/2/16 The US military is escalating their role in Iraq and Libya.  Saudis are threatening to destabilize Lebanon and open a new front in the Syrian war on its border with northern Lebanon by arming Sunni proxies there.  Turkey is on shaky ground with its NATO

Next Cold War Roundup 2/29/16 Iraq _ ISIS suicide attacks in Sadr City, a Shi’ite district of Baghdad killed at least 70 people on Sunday. 112 people remain in hospital. The attacks were deliberately aimed at civilians in markets. “The market bombings in Sadr City were the deadliest attack in

Next Cold War Roundup 2/26/16 The Cessation of Hostilities in Syria is scheduled to begin today at 5pm Eastern (Feb 27 00:00 Damascus time).  There was a significant contrast between the words and tones of Pres. Obama and Pres. Putin in their delivered messages to their respective countries on the ceasefire

Next Cold War Roundup 2/24/16 Javelin Missiles Show Up on Battlefield in Syria _ Just as a cessation of hostilities agreement is being implemented, Javelin anti-tank guided missiles are showing up on the battlefield in Syria, in the hands of YPG Kurds in Shaddadi, in the Hasakah region.  Many US-backed

Next Cold War 2/22/16 Saber Rattling Saudi FM Tells Der Spiegel Saudis Want Syrian Rebels MANPADs. _ “In an interview, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir expresses his continued support for regime change in Syria and his desire for rebels to be supplied with anti-aircraft missiles that could shift the balance