Russia, Ukraine, and the West’s grand delusion
Freedom must be defended or surrendered – there’s no third option
Tartus
Pompeo’s Cyprus Visit a Sign of U.S. Reengagement in the Eastern Mediterranean
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the Cypriot capital of Nicosia on Saturday to address both Turkey’s ongoing oil and gas exploration in Cypriot and Greek waters as well as Russia’s efforts...
Policy Briefs
Burning Bridge: The Iranian Land Corridor to the Mediterranean
Monographs
Russia’s Gas Web Ensnares Europe
New pipeline projects throughout the Middle East could boost Russian influence there while also ensuring the country’s role as the prime supplier of energy to Europe.
Op-eds
Report: Iran And Russia Violated UN Weapons Sanctions
The Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia used a smuggling route to transport offensive weapons, allegedly in violation of UN Resolution 2231, Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on...
Op-eds
‘Iran Building Missile Factory In Syria’
Syria’s Baniyas on the Mediterranean sea between Latakia and Tartus is the site of a large oil refinery. Before the civil war broke out in 2011 travel guides suggested tourists visit the Cr...
Op-eds
The Lebanese Prime Minister Is Stuck, and He’s Improvising
A high-level delegation of Lebanese politicians and bankers reportedly will visit Washington later this month to try and convince Congress to soften impending sanctions l...
Op-eds
Russia Risks a Showdown with Israel Over Hezbollah in Syria
Back in 1967, Moscow shrugged when Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Straits of Tiran, cutting shipping routes to the Israeli port of Eilat—Israel’s only one in the Red...
Op-eds
After Nuclear Deal, Iran Looks to Profit in Syria
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s powerful, ideological military force, is one of the country’s most influential institutions, with major stakes in key sectors of the econ...
Op-eds
Flying in the Face of U.S. Sanctions
Mahan Air is an Iranian passenger airline that also happens to be a favorite with the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC uses Mahan planes to ferry weapons and personnel...
Op-eds
Did Poor U.S. Planning Prompt Russia’s Rise in Syria?
Russia's recent airstrikes in Syria are prompting concerns that America is losing power and political influence in the region. And the fact that Russia is reportedly targeting positions that...
Op-eds
We’re Losing The War, Do Something
What will it take to get pundits and pols to stop looking at the current crisis as a random collection of national and regional issues, rather than what it is: a global war? They ought to be able...
Op-eds
Syria Spillover: The Growing Threat of Terrorism and Sectarianism in the Middle East
Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Corker, and distinguished members of the committee, on behalf of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies,it is a...
Legislative Testimonies
Why Russia Won’t Let Crimea Go
Last week, as Russian forces tightened their grip on the Crimean peninsula, the Russian Navy...
Policy Briefs
Next on Syria: Leading From Russia?
Having failed to obtain a United Nations resolution on Syria, or assemble a robust coalition of the willing, or provide the American public with any clear strategy surrounding his plans for a lim...
Op-eds
A Tale of Iran, Syria and a Busy Oil Tanker
Although sanctions have forced Iran to cut back dramatically on its shipping traffic, some Iranian-linked vessels continu...
Op-eds
Russia, Wannabe Superpower
Will Putin’s ban on adoptions finally help U.S. officials grasp the nature of Russia’s political leadership?
Op-eds
Romney on Iran’s ‘Route to the Sea’
Why focus on the realities of terror-sponsoring rogue regimes, when you can mock Gov. Mitt Romney instead? After Monday night’s Obama-Romney foreign policy debate, the Washington Post&r...
Op-eds
The Shredded Tapestry: The State of Syria Today
A Trip Report (Turkey, August 10-30) Background The trip was arranged for the purpose of helping an independent American film company do...
Op-eds
Strategic Geography and the End of Assad
The latest military developments in Syria are now generally understood as ushering in a new phase in the Syrian conflict. What’s less observed is that the minority Alawite regime’s ma...