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Atlantic Council blogs provide short-form analyses from Council experts and a wider community of global voices on the world’s most important news stories.
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SyriaSource

Nov 4, 2015

ISIS’s Malice for the People of Deir Ezzor

By Fikram

If one wishes to live safely in Deir Ezzor, he must swear allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). ISIS grants those who pledge their loyalty lucrative pensions and salaries, the best living accommodations, and favorable treatment, allowing said individuals to do what they want and come and go as they please—even after ISIS sealed the […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Nov 4, 2015

Top News: November 4, 2015

By SyriaSource

– Syrian government troops retake Aleppo supply route from ISIS– Russia calls for consensus on opposition group designations in Syria– Russian air strikes killed twenty-three civilians, say Syrian activists– Turkey detains nine ISIS suspects planning suicide attacks– Turkey’s President Erdogan says new constitution should be priority– Iraqi leaders attend funeral of invasion backer Chalabi

Syria

MENASource

Nov 4, 2015

Sisi in London: What to Expect

By H.A Hellyer

From November 4 to 6, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will be in the UK on an official visit. It marks the first trip to London by an Egyptian president since the January 25 revolutionary uprising in 2011. The trip raises a number of questions around Western engagement with Egypt under Sisi, particularly from one […]

North Africa

MENASource

Nov 4, 2015

EconSource: Qatar to Spend Cautiously, Avoid Big Budget Deficit

By EconSource

Qatar will put together a state budget for 2016 that avoids a large deficit despite lower revenues resulting from low oil and gas prices, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Tuesday in a speech to the government’s Advisory Council.

UkraineAlert

Nov 4, 2015

Poroshenko Not Serious About Fighting Corruption, Says Anticorruption Reformer

By Melinda Haring

Bogdan Yakymiuk radiates optimism. But despite his quick smile, the thirty-seven-year old reformer is deadly serious when it comes to corruption. “Over 30 percent of our yearly budget is being stolen one way or another through corruption,” Yakymiuk said in an October 27 interview in Washington.

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 4, 2015

“We Must Keep the Focus on Ukraine and Spread the Truth,” Says New Ukrainian Ambassador

By Larry Luxner

Valeriy Chaly, Ukraine’s new ambassador in Washington, sees the United States as his country’s “main strategic partner” and says he wants to use that bilateral relationship “to resolve the crisis created by Russia in Eastern Europe and find the best model of security in this part of the world.” Chaly, 45, presented his White House […]

Russia Ukraine

SyriaSource

Nov 3, 2015

Flash Point: Syrian Regime Says ‘Transitional Period’ Is Only in the Minds of Those Who Do Not Live in Reality

By SyriaSource

According to a Reuters report, Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has rejected the concept of a Syrian political transition underlying the June 2012 Geneva Final Communique and the more recent Vienna Joint Communique issued only days ago. Mekdad told Syrian state television during a visit to Tehran, “We are talking about a national dialogue […]

Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin, August 17, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 3, 2015

Putin’s Tragic Miscalculation

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Project Syndicate

The truth is that the young democracies of Central and Eastern Europe sought to join the EU and NATO – and worked hard to gain membership – because they longed for peace, progress, and prosperity.

European Union International Organizations

SyriaSource

Nov 3, 2015

Top News: November 3, 2015

By SyriaSource

– UN panel head prepares for Syria gas attacks probe– UN envoy urges Syria ceasefires– Iran says may quit Syria talks over spat with Saudi; Russia trying for talks in Moscow– Turkey detains fifty-seven linked to Gulen– Turkish jets strike Kurdish targets in northern Iraq– Iraq parliament bars Abadi government from passing reforms unilaterally

Syria

MENASource

Nov 3, 2015

Top News: Iran Says May Quit Syria Talks over Spat with Saudi; Russia Trying for Talks in Moscow

By MENASource

Iran said on Monday it would quit Syria peace talks if it found them unconstructive, citing the “negative role” of Saudi Arabia, in the latest spat between the regional rivals that jeopardizes efforts to ease turmoil across the Middle East. Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that Iran would not participate if the talks were “not […]