Jordan may establish a “safe zone” in Syria
If Turkey does the same, and if Israel establishes a protectorate over the Druze population east if the Golan Heights, this will be an important part of the fragmentation of Syria into statelets. Add in the Kurds. Syria doesn’t exist anymore.
Three months after ISIL took the capital of Ramadi, Iraqi troops and militias are trying to take it back. ISIL is qualitatively superior to its opponents but badly outnumbered by them. Furthermore, ISIL has no countermeasure to airstrikes.
Nothing terribly new here. Israel has been one of the few foreign countries to buy Kurdish crude. Other countries are reluctant because Baghdad has legal rights to the oil or a share of it. Israel cares little for Baghdad because it sees Baghdad as allied with a bitter foe, Iran. Israel wants to have Kurdistan in its influence. So do a lot of the countries, including Iran.
Legion of Honor bestowed upon men who fold train attacker
Three Yanks and a Brit will receive the prized French award today for stopping a Moroccan armed with a Kalashnikov. The award was begun by Napoleon Bonaparte.