Middle East

Iraqi Kurdistan oil and gas outlook

By John Roberts

As the war against ISIS renders borders increasingly malleable and further strains relations between Erbil and Baghdad, the likelihood of a declaration of independence from the Kurdistan region of Iraq increases. What are the options for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to capitalize on its oil and natural gas reserves, as well as options that would be available to an independent Kurdistan?

In Syria, the United States Must Navigate a Complex Intelligence-Sharing Landscape With Russia

The Obama administration will carefully consider what intelligence it shares with Russia pertaining to enemy targets in Syria in part due to the belief that the Russians do not apply the same degree of care to avoiding civilian casualties, a senior US official said at the Atlantic Council on September 13. Noting that the US […]

Fighters from the Caucasus Join ISIS to Fight Russia

By Feras Hanoush

People from the countries of the Caucasus, a region situated between Europe and Asia that broke politically from the Soviet Union in the late twentieth century, are an important resource for the Islamic State (ISIS).

The Fears of Syrians Living in Turkey

By Hasan Arfeh

During the hours of the failed coup against the Turkish government last month, Syrians living Turkey—including refugees, employees, politicians, and journalists—were just as anxious as the Turks. The same anxiety was present when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travelled to Russia on Tuesday, August 10, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.