Yearly Archives: 2023

Entretien exclusif avec un commandant du Hezbollah en Irak : « Les Américains n’ont jamais combattu Daech »

The Cradle s’est entretenu avec un haut responsable militaire du Hezbollah en Irak sur le rôle crucial joué par le défunt commandant iranien de la Force Quds, le général de division Qassem Soleimani, dans la conduite de la résistance contre Daech. Qassem Soleimani, le commandant iranien de la Force d’élite …

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Iran’s pursuit of soft power in the Balkans

The Balkans presents a crucial junction for Tehran as an access point to Western Europe and an avenue for advancing its regional political and economic interests. The Balkan region is strategically important for western countries as a geographic bloc through which they can increase their influence in former Soviet Eastern …

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In Munich: West sounds alarm over Global South stances

The recent conference on international security policy focused extensively on the significance of the Global South to the west’s security. As power competition with China and Russia intensifies, the west is compelled to reassess its approach to relations with these countries. “I am struck by how much we are losing …

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Putin’s ‘civilizational’ speech frames conflict between east and west

In his Federal Assembly address, President Putin emphasized that Russia is not only an independent nation-state but also a distinct civilization with its own identity, which is in conflict and actively opposes the values of ‘western civilization.’ Russian President Vladimir Putin’s much awaited address to the Russian Federal Assembly on …

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In a US-China confrontation, West Asia will bow out

The prospect of a US-China war has entered the realm of reality. Increased provocations from US military and political officials regarding the status of Taiwan – which China considers to be part of its historic territory – have heightened the possibility of confrontation in recent years. With only 13 out …

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Jihadi ‘Counterterrorism:’ Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Versus the Islamic State

Abstract: Once allies in the same organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Islamic State have an interesting history that turned them into ‘frenemies’ from April 2013 to February 2014 and then outright enemies over the past nine years. This led to a broader global fight between al-Qaida and the …

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Meet the “White Power Rangers”: The Far-Right Violent Extremist Group Gaining Traction in Russia

A little-known far-right extremist group known as the “White Power Ranger Squad” (WPRS) seems to be gaining traction within Russia as the country prepares for a protracted conflict with Ukraine. The group, which recruits and trains members inside Russia, is some combination of a survivalist, reconnaissance, tactical, and weapons enthusiast …

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A “Biden Doctrine” for the Middle East

A top U.S. policymaker on the Middle East, Brett McGurk, this month articulated a “Biden Doctrine” consisting of major principles guiding U.S. policy toward the region. Notably omitted from the doctrine was a potential U.S. response to Iran’s increasingly viable nuclear weapons program or mention of regional counterterrorism operations. The …

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One Year After Russia’s Invasion, Will Support for Ukraine’s Displaced Continue?

Over eight million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine one year ago, in what many experts agree is the most significant displacement of people in Europe since World War II. Europeans’ general welcoming of Ukrainian refugees starkly contrasts the continent’s discourse around refugees from the …

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Russia-Ukraine Fighting Devolves Into Hand-To-Hand Combat

Much of Russia’s yearlong invasion in Ukraine has devolved into infantry fighting in the eastern regions of the country, in part because Moscow’s forces are short on artillery munitions, the British Ministry of Defense said Sunday. In its latest assessment, London said, “Recent evidence suggests an increase in close combat …

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