If you’re looking for an exigesis of the politics of the conflict between the United States and Iran, read elsewhere. This is an authoritative analysis — based on open source material– of the implications of the Iranians’ use of a Scud missile in the strike against the Al Asad Air Base in reaction to…
By Ralph SavelsbergMoscow is making sure no one forgets the role it has played in the Middle East, while Beijing searches for inroads in a region President Trump has pledged to leave.
By Paul McLearyA Special Forces vet returns to the Pentagon to help fill a key commando office that has been without permanent leadership for months
By Paul McLearyExperts warn that Iran almost certainly now has the cyber tools to inflict physical damage on US critical infrastructure.
By Theresa HitchensWe asked some of Washington’s best informed and smartest people about the likely consequences of the killing of Iran’s Qassem Soleimani.
By Colin Clark, Theresa Hitchens and Paul McLearyTEL AVIV: The Iranian secret service is busy trying to put its hands on the person or persons that leaked the information that allowed the US to kill Maj. Gen Qassem Soleimani minutes after he got off a plane from Syria. If it was a leak… Middle Eastern sources say that the Iranians are totally bewildered…
By Arie EgoziAs President Trump threatens strikes on Iranian military and civilian targets, British warships and a US Marine MEU head to the Middle East.
By Paul McLearyTEL AVIV: Five days ago, an undisclosed intelligence agency intercepted a telephone call made by the head of Iran’s Quds Force, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in which he was heard ordering his proxies in Iraq to attack the US embassy in Baghdad, as well as other Israeli and American targets, with the aim of taking hostages, Israeli sources say.…
By Arie Egozi and Colin ClarkWhile Washington warns of conflict with Iran, some former Trump administration officials complain the persistent problems in the Middle East are hurting the promised reset to meet Chinese, Russian challenges.
By Paul McLearyIntended as a prudent reprioritization, the dramatic shift in demand for more “great power gurus” threatens to shelve the experience and institutional knowledge accumulated over the last two decades.
By Alexandra Evans and Alexandra StarkThe political chaos in Israel, with a third general election in less than a year has delayed decisions about crucial aircraft, including the replacement for the old CH-53, whether to buy the V-22 and the urgent need for the KC-46A .
By Arie EgoziA senior Israeli defense source who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Washington has not realized that the Hezbollah is Iran’s very strong proxy and that supplying weapons to such an organization that actually is calling the shots in Lebanon is sheer stupidity.”
By Arie EgoziIsraeli defense sources say they believe the types of targets and the Iranian casualties incurred will force Iran to retaliate. At least 23 were killed in the night attacks across Syria, 16 of whom are believed to be Iranians.
By Arie Egozi
PRELUDE: Early morning, 0240 Baghdad time on January 17, 2020 (1840 EST 16 Jan 2020), marked the 29th anniversary of the start of Operation Desert Storm. It was a turning point in the conduct of warfare and set the conditions for modern warfare. The recent hostilities between Iran and the United States reinforce the importance…
By David Deptula