Geopolitical
“Circles of the Righteous”: Vehicle for the Basij to Influence Iran’s Presidential Election Campaign
Written by ITIC
The circles of the righteous are operated as part of a program to further the indoctrination of Basij members, applied since June 2008 in mosques across Iran that serve as Basij bases. According to the Basij chief, there are approximately 200 thousand such circles in the program. Each circle ...
Reads: 174
Geopolitical Journey: Europe, the Glorious and the Banal
Written by George Friedman
We flew into Lisbon and immediately rented a car to drive to the edge of the Earth and the beginning of the world. This edge has a name: Cabo de Sao Vicente. A small cape jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, it is the bitter end of Europe. Beyond this point, the world was once unknown to Europeans, ... Read more: Geopolitical Journey: Europe, the Glorious and the Banal
Reads: 159
Iran’s Plans to Take Over Syria
Written by Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Dr. Shimon Shapira
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In mid-April, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah paid a secret visit to Tehran where he met with the top Iranian officials headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Gen. Qasem Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps. Suleimani prepared an operational plan ...
Reads: 236
Geopolitical Journey: Nostalgia for NATO
Written by George Friedman
Several years ago, I wrote a series of articles on a journey in Europe. It was intended both to be personal and to go beyond recent events or the abstract considerations of geopolitics. This week I begin another journey that will take me from Portugal to Singapore, and I thought that I would ...
Reads: 191
In Egypt, Tension Between Mursi Regime And Military, And Calls To Restore Armed Forces To Power
Written by L. Lavi
Introduction
After months in which the Egyptian military kept a low profile and refrained from direct involvement in politics, its reentrance into political matters has recently become apparent, and some in the armed forces and the opposition are even raising the possibility that it could return to ...
Reads: 278
Redlines and the Problems of Intervention in Syria
Written by George Friedman
The civil war in Syria, one of the few lasting legacies of the Arab Spring, has been under way for more than two years. There has been substantial outside intervention in the war. The Iranians in particular, and the Russians to a lesser extent, have supported the Alawites under Bashar al ... Read more: Redlines and the Problems of Intervention in Syria
Reads: 187
Challenges Continue After Maduro’s Election in Venezuela
Written by Nancy Menges and Luis Fleischman
According to results reported by the national Elections Committee of Venezuela (CNE), Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’s chosen successor and protege, won the Venezuelan presidential election by a skimpy margin of less than 2%. Once again the Chavistas won because they took advantage of huge state resources ... Read more: Challenges Continue After Maduro’s Election in Venezuela
Reads: 227
Beyond the Post-Cold War World
Written by George Friedman
An era ended when the Soviet Union collapsed on Dec. 31, 1991. The confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union defined the Cold War period. The collapse of Europe framed that confrontation. After World War II, the Soviet and American armies occupied Europe. Both towered over the ...
Reads: 402
Jordan’s King Warns Obama; America Backs Muslim Brotherhood Agent as Syria’s Next Ruler
Written by Barry Rubin
”Don’t scare anyone. But once you gain ground then move ahead. You must utilize as many people as possible who may be of use to us.” –Joseph Stalin to future Communist dictator of Hungary Mattyas Rakosi, December 5, 1944.
It really isn’t too hard to understand what is happening in the Middle East ... Read more: Jordan’s King Warns Obama; America Backs Muslim Brotherhood Agent as Syria’s Next Ruler
Reads: 745
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