An influx of Iranian troops into Syria is complementing Russian airstrikes in attempting to shore up the Assad regime.
An Inevitable Triumvirate: Syria, Russia, and Iran
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Syria
Will Russia Become the “Main Engine” of the Destruction of the Islamic State?
The Russian military moves to shore up the Syrian Regime in its fight against the Islamic State and other rebel forces.
Where’s There’s War, There’s Refugees
War inevitably spawns refugees.
No Game Will Be Changed by Attacking the Islamic State From Turkey
The Islamic State isn’t going anywhere soon.
How the Islamic State Makes Terror Palatable to Those It Rules
The Islamic State has two advantages over the chaotic violence of Iraq and the murderous Assad regime in Syria: services and justice.
Nuclear Weapons Program Probably Not Among the Many Crimes of Assad
The building destroyed in a 2007 Israeli raid most likely wasn’t a nascent nuclear weapons program begun by Syrian President Assad.
What Purpose Do the Islamic State’s “Faces of Death” Videos Serve?
In the past, the Islamic State’s uber-violent videos may have been part of a recruiting scheme, but their purpose has become more focused.
Islamic State Turns Moral Relativity on Its Head Once and for All
Recent research reveals that retribution is a natural consequence of a moral code, but the Islamic State is breaking all the rules.
Stephen Walt’s Call to Adopt a Containment Policy Toward the Islamic State
Don’t be surprised to find the Islamic State in the UN one day.
Syrian President Assad Using Islamic State to Defeat Other Rebel Factions
The head of a Syrian exile group called Assad’s warplanes “an air force for ISIS.”