Turkey seeks to refresh NATO ties to balance Russia

Turkey seems to have failed to get all it wanted from the NATO summit in London, but even an incomplete outcome meets its purpose of balancing ties with Russia by refreshing ties with NATO.

Syria

Erdogan to hold up NATO plan unless allies recognize terror threats against Turkey

Seeking a terror designation for Kurdish forces in Syria, the Turkish president has reaffirmed his threat to block a NATO defense plan for the Baltic nations and Poland as the London summit commences.

Syria

Intel: How Russia is changing course in Syria

Putin’s Special Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin traveled to Damascus Dec. 2 to meet with President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria

Syrian front lines heat up, especially in Idlib province

Syrian government forces have intensified their attacks in Idlib, the country’s last opposition stronghold.

Syria

Report: China, Russia worried about militants' return from Syria

Beijing and Moscow are concerned that citizens who left to fight with jihadi groups in Syria could stoke radicalization at home following their return.

Syria

Turkey bets on NATO as escape route in S-400 crisis

In a move to buy time, Erdogan is taking the S-400 crisis to NATO grounds, as Ankara’s testing of the Russian-made system the week before a NATO summit shows Ankara still has maneuvering room.

Syria

Despite stepped-up military actions, Turkey still faces jihadi threats

Ankara’s past haphazard policies complicate crackdown on IS; Iran hard-liners gain from protests; Syrian Kurds may not give up sales of Syrian oil to Damascus.

Iraq

Pentagon rethinks how to protect diplomats, aid workers in Mideast war zones

The Pentagon's push for more authority to provide security to diplomats and aid workers in conflict zones could allow US aid to penetrate deeper into war zones.

Yemen

Syrian Kurdish refugees spout fury at Turkey’s Erdogan

At the Bardarash refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan, where over 10,000 Syrian Kurds are currently sheltering, any mention of Turkey prompts fury and disgust.

Iraq

Smuggling crackdown highlights resilience of northeast Syria’s oil trade

Despite a joint Kurdish-US crackdown against oil smugglers from northeast Syria toward government-controlled territories, trade continues.

Syria

How Iran's protests could impact foreign policy

Critical comments from France and Germany about the Iranian protests could further accelerate the dismantling of the Iran nuclear deal.

Israel

IS designates Turkey as its next base

The Islamic State has selected Turkey as its next base to reorganize, recruit and plan.

Iraq