Rouhani’s budget transparency stokes Iran unrest
Hopefully this FT article can be viewed; normally there is a pay wall. A "taster" passage:
Quote:
As disgruntlement festered over rising living costs and complaints that Mr Rouhani had failed to back his promises of reform grew louder, the budget exposed the large amounts of taxpayers’ cash allocated to religious institutions and other entities affiliated to factions within the Islamic regime.
Link:https://www.ft.com/content/d3f6eebe-...2-2c9be7f3120a
Analysis of the emerging Israeli-Iranian conflict
An analysis of the regional competition which focuses on Iran and Israel by a UK-based, American analyst. It opens with:
Quote:
Just last month, the long-simmering Israeli-Iranian conflict came out of the shadows when Iran sent a drone across the Jordanian border into Israel, and Israel retaliated with air strikes on several targets including the Iranian drone operators at a Syrian base in Palmyra, northeast of Damascus. The two sides appear to be on a collision course as Iran penetrates further into a hollowed-out Syria and Israel tries to frustrate that effort. The current status quo, where Israel limits itself to enforcing its publicly stated red lines in Syria, is likely to continue. However, new events that change the intentions of the parties could lead to miscalculation and uncontrollable escalation.
Link:https://www.thecipherbrief.com/artic...llision-course
Don't Let Israel and Saudi Arabia Drag the U.S. Into Another War
Bruce Reidel has a strongly worded article 'Don't Let Israel and Saudi Arabia Drag the U.S. Into Another War' and sub-titled:
Quote:
We have listened to the siren call of war in the Middle East too often in the past. A ‘New Middle East!’ we are told. The results have been disastrous.
The 2007 Bob Gates story is new to me and explains the author's final comment:
Quote:
The lesson of Gates’ meeting in 2007 is highly relevant to today’s situation. The American people would be wise to lose their cool if the administration listens to those who are all too eager to send Americans into harm’s way to pursue fantasies.
Link:https://www.thedailybeast.com/dont-let-israel-and-saudi-arabia-drag-the-us-into-another-war?
Qassem Soleimani and Iran’s Unique Regional Strategy
A "long read" by Ali Soufan in CTC's 'The Sentinel' on this remarkable opponent, at times it is painful reading.
The Abstract states and with my bold:
Quote:
Abstract: In recent years, Iran has projected its power across the Middle East, from Lebanon and Syria to Iraq and Yemen. One of the keys to its success has been a unique strategy of blending militant and state power, built in part on the model of Hezbollah in Lebanon. The acknowledged principal architect of this policy is Major General Qassem Soleimani, the long-serving head of Iran’s Quds (“Jerusalem”) Force. Without question, Soleimani is the most powerful general in the Middle East today; he is also one of Iran’s most popular living people, and has been repeatedly touted as a possible presidential candidate.
Link:https://ctc.usma.edu/qassem-soleiman...ional-strategy
The article objective:
Quote:
This article reviews Soleimani’s career and assesses his contribution to Iran’s regional ascendancy.
This was merged into this main thread on Iran.
Iran’s Deadly Puppet Master by Stanley McChrystal
A short article in FP (beware it may behind a paywall) that is a balanced viewpoint, although I suggest his admiration or respect for the man and Iran's strategy may annoy some.
Link:https://foreignpolicy.com/gt-essay/i...sem-suleimani/