The biggest battle of Yemen's most recent civil war is underway, and honestly, there's good reason not to know much about what's going on. From Reuters: Arab coalition troops stormed the airport in Yemen’s main port Hodeidah on Tuesday and captured large areas of the compound in battles with Iran-aligned Houthis, a Yemeni military source, … Continue reading Yemen, As Simple as Possible
What the hell is going on between America and Iran?
What in the hell is happening between America and Iran? It's been easy to get lost in the details. A complicated deal, the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Protocol of Action, just had one of its key members, the United States, pull out. This has been painted as both stupid and brave, by the usual suspects. America's … Continue reading What the hell is going on between America and Iran?
The Saudi Driving Ban and the Shadow of the Ikhwan
Reuters reports the historic driving ban reversal: “Saudi Arabia will never be the same again. The rain begins with a single drop,” Manal al-Sharif, who was arrested in 2011 after a driving protest, said in an online statement. King Salman announced the historic change on Tuesday, ending a conservative tradition which limited women’s mobility and … Continue reading The Saudi Driving Ban and the Shadow of the Ikhwan
The Future of an Unwieldy Iraq
As if Iraq didn't have enough to worry about, now come reports of its once-secured southern regions rumbling with unrest. From Reuters: Worsening clashes among tribes and a political void is threatening security at oil installations in Iraq’s main southern oil producing region, officials and security sources said. Iraq has concentrated security forces in the … Continue reading The Future of an Unwieldy Iraq
Egypt’s War On Sunni Supremacism Goes To Libya
From Reuters: Egyptian air strikes destroyed 12 vehicles loaded with arms, ammunition and explosive material trying to cross the border from Libya, the army spokesman said on Tuesday. The airforce acted after hearing that "criminal elements" had gathered to try and cross the western boundary, the army statement said, without giving details on exactly where … Continue reading Egypt’s War On Sunni Supremacism Goes To Libya
Assad’s Big Push To Recover His Eastern Border
Bashar al-Assad hadn't had control of his Iraqi frontier for years. It's a major headache; it's allowed Sunni rebels to supply themselves from Anbar, a favorable route for Gulf states hoping to keep the war going. It's also allowed the Islamic State to slide supplies from its shrinking Iraqi domains to its shrunken Syrian ones. … Continue reading Assad’s Big Push To Recover His Eastern Border
Saudi Arabia’s Culture Wars Strain The Kingdom
Saudi clerics take to Twitter to condemn music. Saudis bark back. The culture wars reveal a Kingdom under stress.
Donald Trump is Going to Love Egypt’s Dictator
Abdel Fatah al Sisi will get big smiles from Trump, but perhaps not much else.
America’s Growing Boots on the Ground in Syria: Associated Press
Trump bragged a lot about killing the Islamic State, but his leaked first draft isn't much different than what Obama did.
Syria’s End Game
(Thrilled to announce that The 21st Century Made Super: How We Can Survive is now available for pre-order on Amazon! If you're looking to support the work done here, please buy a copy, review it, and share it! For indie authors looking to find a way, reviews are critical, so every review, regardless of what's in it, … Continue reading Syria’s End Game
