‘THE REAL DICTATOR’
Asma al-Assad was once hailed by Vogue magazine as Syria’s “Rose in the Desert.” But since the death of her mother-in-law, she’s emerged as a brutal power player in her own right.
Jeremy Hodge is an investigative journalist covering Syria and Iraq, along with Middle East petroleum, defense, and finance sectors. His articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Nation, Le Monde Diplomatique, Al-Jazeera, and other outlets. He is fluent in Arabic.
BYE BYE BASHAR?
Vladimir Putin wants a stable Syria, with billions from abroad for his oligarch cronies to rebuild the country. But Assad's infamy and the ayatollahs stand in the way.
PAYBACK TIME
A paralyzing pandemic, the redeployment of U.S. troops away from front lines, huge political uncertainty, and a completely collapsed economy: What more could ISIS—or Iran—wish for?
CORNERED
Turkey's President Erdogan and the other players may think this is a blood-drenched game of chess, but nobody is winning as new refugee floods threaten Europe.
LAST GASP
Turkey, the last lingering patron of the Syrian opposition, has proven unable to intervene effectively. For domestic reasons, it may be unwilling to do so as well.
NO WAY OUT
It’s a showdown in Idlib province that pits Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and Assad against Turkey and its militia allies. But what’s the U.S. up to? Where’d the TOW missiles come from?
THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL
Trump’s petulant decision to pull out troops while pretending sanctions can prevent Turkey from slaughtering former U.S. allies has merely opened the door wide to Assad and Putin.
DECISION TIME
On a confused battlefield, the U.S. intervened to stop some Syrian and Russian forces advancing into the region to support the Kurds sparking fears of dangerous flash points.