Arab World

“It would affect their ability to fight immediately.” (The Progressive) – The murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has intensified Washington’s debate over the war in Yemen. On February 13, by a 248-177 vote, the House of Representatives passed a War Powers Act resolution to end U.S. participation in the war. But officials in […]

Syria

Lindsey Graham to embattled SecDef on Syria Withdrawal: ‘Dumbest F*cking Idea’

AFP

Washington, DC (AFP) – Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan was quizzed by US lawmakers on President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw US forces from Syria The fate of Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan was thrown into the spotlight Wednesday following media reports of a fraught discussion he had with senior US lawmakers over […]

Featured

How Kushner and other Key Trump Officials Plotted to Give Saudis the Atom Bomb in Return for Billions

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform has issued a Report on a plot to make billions of dollars by selling Saudi Arabia sensitive American nuclear technology that could allow the Kingdom to develop nuclear weapons. The scheme required breaking US law, which forbids technology transfers that might […]

Europe

Europe Rejects Trump’s demand they Take Back Captured ISIL Extremists

AFP

by Francis Curta with Dmitry Zaks in London | – Paris (AFP) – European officials on Monday gave a cold shoulder to a call by US President Donald Trump to take back citizens captured in the fight against Islamic State jihadists in Syria for prosecution back home. Concerns rose about the fate of European nationals […]

Kurds

Leftist Syrian Kurds who defeated ISIL Plead with Europe not to Abandon them as Trump Did

AFP

By Valérie LEROUX | – Paris (AFP) – A top Kurdish official has called on Europe not to abandon Syrian Kurds once the battle against the Islamic State group is over and to help set up an international force to protect them from Turkey. European powers “have a political and moral responsibility” to the Kurds, […]

Yemen

Despite House Resolution, US Military Still Helping Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen

AFP

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – The US is still supporting the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen, an American army general told AFP Sunday, days after lawmakers voted to end involvement in Riyadh’s war effort. The US continues to “provide support to the coalition, in particular to help them… be discriminative in targeting and to minimise the […]

Saudi Arabia

European Union to add Saudi Arabia to Money Laundering, Terror Blacklist

AFP

The European Commission proposed adding seven countries including Saudi Arabia to the EU’s money-laundering blacklist of governments that do too little to thwart the financing of terrorism and organised crime Brussels (AFP) – The European Commission on Wednesday proposed adding seven countries including Saudi Arabia to the EU’s money-laundering blacklist of governments that do too […]

Syria

Russia, Turkey, Iran Delighted at US Syria Withdrawal

AFP

By Maria PANINA Sochi (AFP) – The leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran hailed the planned US withdrawal from Syria as they met for talks Thursday on how to work more closely together in the country’s long-running conflict. Hosting his Turkish and Iranian counterparts in the southern city of Sochi, President Vladimir Putin said the […]

Syria

Russia, Turkey and Iran are holding a Summit on Syria and not inviting Trump

AFP

By Maria PANINA | – Sochi (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to host his Iranian and Turkish counterparts Thursday to discuss how to resolve the conflict in Syria as Islamic State jihadists made a last stand in the east of the country and Washington prepares to withdraw troops. A flurry of diplomatic […]