The question is to which extent old members are still regrouping in the Iraqi and Syrian desert, or whether freed IS prisoners are re-joining the group
Julien Barnes-Dacey comments on the ongoing standoff at a Syrian prison
The question is to which extent old members are still regrouping in the Iraqi and Syrian desert, or whether freed IS prisoners are re-joining the group
Julien Barnes-Dacey comments on the ongoing standoff at a Syrian prison
Basically, these are two failed states. This circumstance provides IS with enough opportunities for retreat and allows it to exploit local grievances for its own purposes.
The big problem is the governance and security vacuum in Syria and Iraq, says Julien Barnes-Dacey
t is hard to think of any Western leader who has been even half as engaged as Macron across the range of high-priority issues confronting the Middle East
Julien Barnes-Dacey writes about Macron’s Middle East ambitions
The Biden administration is not going to invest in placing the Assad regime under significant pressure […]The result is regional actors recalibrating
Julien Barnes-Dacey comments on how the US is using a softer touch in the Middle East under President Joe Biden
The region’s been crowded out by other global crises, but there’s also a sense of Western hopelessness after so many years of crisis
The situation in the Middle East has deteriorated significantly in more countries and in more ways in the last two years, observes Julien Barnes-Dacey
I think calling it ‘diplomatic rehabilitation’ goes a bit too far, but a kind of regional re-integration has been going on for a while now
Julien Barnes-Dacey analyzes what the new Syrian-Jordanian deal on energy for Lebanon means for Syria
Frankly, it’s just about a somewhat functioning government and a few reforms. Not the kind of comprehensive reforms we were talking about six months ago.
Almost everywhere in Europe, the Libyan government will now be given some time, says Julien Barnes-Dacey
The contacts are fairly low level and distant and we would fall into a trap of our own making if we equated that to diplomatic recognition
Julien Barnes-Dacey says that maintaining low level contacts with the Syrian regime does not contradict the EU’s position on diplomatic recognition
‘Opposition’ candidates are hand-picked by the regime and might even vote for Assad themselves
Julien Barnes-Dacey thinks that Syria’s presidential ‘election’ is not even worth talking about
These countries are primarily interested in tying Syria closer to the Arab world again – away from Iranian and Turkish influence
Julien Barnes-Dacey says that some countries in the region are already interested in the normalisation of relations with Syria