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Syria: A Crisis in the foundation!
Syria has been plagued by “birth issues” or “state-building problems” since it formed as a state or proto-state in the modern sense following World War I (1914-1918). These problems emerge with every crisis the country experiences, whether large or small. It seems there is little possibility of overcoming them, as no one has attempted it […]
Turkish Development Plan for Kurds: A New Version of the “Reform of the…
The Turkish government has announced a $14 billion “regional development” plan, which aims to address the economic challenges facing the southeastern regions predominantly inhabited by Kurds. This initiative was introduced by Minister of Industry and Technology Fatih Kacir as part of a broader strategy to bridge the economic gap between this region and the rest […]
Tishreen Dam: The Frontline Defense of the “New Syria”
Since the end of November 2024, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been countering attacks launched by factions of the so-called “Syrian National Army,” with continuous Turkish air and artillery support. The SDF has successfully prevented these factions from advancing and capturing the strategic Tishreen Dam and Qara Qozak Bridge, thereby imposing new dynamics on […]
Hafez al-Assad: An Analysis of His Rule and Political Legacy
In Muhammad Haidar’s book “The Baath and the Great Apostasy” (1998 edition, publisher unspecified), we can read the following statement about the Baath Party Congress’s decision to remove Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad and Chief of Staff Mustafa Tlass from their positions: “I believe that General Salah Jadid was fully aware that the Defense Minister and […]
Syria ponders about foreign powers advice
Few Syrian voices have denounced the European advice offered by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian to the Syrian interim government. In fact, the denunciation has taken on a tone of defiance, with phrases such as “we don’t need foreign interference” and “we can solve our own problems without […]
Is Saudi Presence in Syria a Qatari-Turkish Arrangement?
Saudi Arabia is taking the lead among Arab states in engaging with the transitional government in Damascus, an effort perceived as aimed at securing an early foothold in the Syrian capital and preventing Qatar and Turkey from dominating the landscape. In this context, The Wall Street Journal reports on the competition for influence in Syria, […]
Terrorism and Democracy: Contradictory Approaches to the Kurdish-Turkish Peace…
In conjunction with developments in the Syrian and regional context following Bashar al-Assad’s escape and the fall of his regime in Damascus, attention is now focused on the changing Kurdish political scene in Turkey, particularly in light of recent statements and actions from political leaders. Despite differing circumstances, the implications of the Turkish government’s potential […]
The Turkish Syria vs. The New Syria
The active diplomatic efforts undertaken by the “caretaker” government suggest that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham has a clear program for shaping a new Syria after 54 years of rule by Bashar al-Assad and his father. The visits made by the ministers of foreign affairs and defense, as well as the head of intelligence, to Saudi Arabia […]
The End of Syria as We Knew It
Syria as we knew it is over. This notion did not arise solely from the fall of the regime; in fact, it predates it. When I wrote in an article several years ago that Syria as we knew it no longer exists, both as a society and a state, and that the use of these […]
Israel is rebuilding its regional doctrine and preparing for a war scenario with…
By The Kurdish Center for Studies
Ankara and the “New Syria” Project: Control, Turkification, and…
The Turkish government is racing against time to capitalize on the change that occurred in Syria on December 8, 2024, marked by the fall of the Syrian regime and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions to power in Damascus. With the diminishing influence of Iran and Russia, and the evident divisions […]
Syria: The Land of Grand Stories that Must End
The conflict in and over Syria appears to continually necessitate the invocation or fabrication of grand Stories. In this article, we will borrow the term “Story” from Yuval Noah Harari, who has skillfully employed it to discuss the significance of Stories in a global context. The world has always needed stories to be told—such as […]
The Kurds, Turks, and Arabs in the ‘Nation-State’… A Second…
A number of unoccupied border cities and towns in northern Syria are shrouded in darkness and fear as they face heavy bombardment, assaults on essential service infrastructure, and attempts of occupation. In Afrin, a brutal and organized genocide is taking place, standing as a testament to the triumph of hatred under the watchful eyes of […]
Israel and Turkey: Competing for Influence in the Middle East
Israel and Turkey lack experience in managing conflict between the two states, as they are essentially allies and politically close countries. Their military and intelligence cooperation remains active and influential, having played a role in supplying Azerbaijan with weapons, which enabled it to secure victory in the recent Artsakh/Karabakh war. Additionally, intelligence cooperation continues, particularly […]
Ankara’s Agenda in the New Syria: Occupation, Turkification, and Kurdish…
In parallel with the large-scale offensive launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on November 27, which concluded on December 8 with its forces entering the capital Damascus without significant resistance, leading to the collapse of the regime and the flight of former President Bashar al-Assad, pro-Turkish factions under the National Army initiated a military campaign dubbed […]
The New Syria in the American Orbit
In the spring of 2015, Jaish al-Fatah, a military coalition between Jabhat al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar al-Sham, took control of the entire Idlib province. In the summer of that year, they advanced south into the Al-Ghab Plain following the rapid retreat of the Syrian regime’s forces. Subsequent information confirmed that the objective of capturing Homs […]
Bahçeli’s Illusions Surrounding Aleppo Fortress
On 12 November 1918, the first group of French troops entered Constantinople to occupy the city under the Mudros Armistice, which had been signed just days earlier on 30 October. French General Després entered the city on horseback. Did the Turks have a problem with the occupation? This is a significant and complex question, but […]
The End of Assad’s Era: Envisioning a New Syria
After the Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, the Syrian people are experiencing an atmosphere of liberation from the regime that Hafez al-Assad established in 1970 and that his son continued. The military manifestations of the regime have faded, the security apparatus has disappeared, and prisons and detention centers have opened their doors, resulting in the […]
The Uncertain Future of Syrian Kurds
The Assad regime effectively collapsed 12 days after the start of “Deterrence of Aggression Operation,” after a bloody rule lasting nearly 14 years. Ultimately, the regime came to an official end when its leader fled without engaging in one last ‘honorable’ battle. However, the remnants of the regime—beyond the brutal prison scenes and family photo […]
Russia Wastes Its Most Important Imperial Achievement in 350 Years
Russia could not save former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when opposition forces advanced towards the capital, Damascus. Ultimately, Moscow lost its most significant strategic investment outside the borders of the former Soviet Union, marking the furthest extent of Russia’s reach in the Mediterranean throughout its imperial history since Peter the Great ascended to the throne […]
NYT: Al-Julani talks with Tehran, the Revolutionary Guard Accepts Defeat
Over the years, Iran has invested considerable blood and money to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and help him survive a civil war that threatened his rule. Iran has operated military bases, arms depots, and missile factories in Syria, using it as a conduit to arm its allies across the region, according to a report […]
Russia Faces a “Saigon Moment” in Syria… and the World?
There are many speculations outside the realms of politics and strategy regarding the recent offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria and the sudden collapse of the regime’s defenses and those of its allies. The naive perspective suggests that Moscow has grown weary of the regime and is punishing it until the crisis is resolved; […]
Aleppo in the Hands of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham: Will It Join Turkey’s…
On November 27, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and other allied jihadist factions launched a large-scale military operation named “Deterring Aggression.” During this operation, they managed to capture the city of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, along with dozens of towns and villages in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates. They seized large quantities of weapons and equipment from […]
Syria’s Liquid Landscape: The Aftermath of Aleppo’s Fall
The map of the armed conflict remains liquid as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham advances beyond the borders of Aleppo to the outskirts of Hama province. While Syrian regime forces struggle to repel the advancing troops following an unprecedented series of withdrawals, leaving behind heavy weapons and hundreds of thousands of residents, pro-Turkish National Army factions have […]
Germany: Approaches to Political and Economic Crises
Disagreements among the three parties forming Germany’s “traffic light” coalition government led to its collapse. Chancellor Olaf Scholz officially announced that he would request a vote of confidence from parliament on December 16 to authorize the current interim government to run the country until the early parliamentary elections scheduled for February 23, 2025. The “traffic […]
Who is wary of Trump’s return?
With four years in the White House from 2017 to 2021, Donald Trump can arguably be seen as one of the most committed U.S. presidents to his campaign promises. During his campaign, he stated that the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran was “the worst deal ever signed in history,” and he fulfilled this promise by […]
‘Permanent Security’ Operation: Destroying ISIS Both Militarily and…
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched extensive combing and search operations named “Permanent Security” from November 7 to 13, targeting areas in the southern and northern countryside of al-Hol and its camp. This operation coincided with precise and surprise raids on several homes and hideouts used by ISIS sleeper cells, forming part of the SDF’s […]
Trump’s Cabinet Appointments Raise Concerns in Turkey
As Republican President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term as President of the United States, Ankara is receiving mixed signals regarding the nature of its relationship with Washington. On one hand, Trump’s first term was generally positive for Ankara, as it managed to seize new territory in northern Syria in 2019, despite facing […]
Trump II Returns to the White House
In the recent U.S. presidential election, Kamala Harris became the fourth vice president to lose in a contest held at the end of their presidents’ terms. The previous instances include Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968, and Al Gore in 2000, with George H.W. Bush in 1988 being the only exception. These four […]
Is the Republican Party Becoming the Representative of Workers and Farmers?
In the new American, and perhaps European world, it is not far-fetched to imagine that right-wing parties and traditional conservatives will become the leaders of the working class and workers. The middle class has been politically disintegrating for decades, and this process has accelerated in recent years. This phenomenon is observed globally, not just in […]