US statements on SDF show attempt to avoid past commitments
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN In a December statement US Secretary of Defense sought to portray the SDF as seeking a Kurdish state as a way for the US to […]
Category Archives: Articles
Everything you NEED to know about Iran’s Imam Ali base at Albukamal, Syria
Iran is building a base near Albukamal in Syria near the Iraqi border. The base was built next to a site occupied by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shi’ite militia with […]
After Al-Jazeera airs documentary on Israeli raid, Hamas brags
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Al-Jazeera ran a documentary looking at an Israeli operation in 2018 that didn’t go according to plan. Hamas is now celebrating what […]
Did Israel fight a 48 hour conflict in Gaza to stop a two-front war with pro-Iran proxies?
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN A version of this appeared at The Jerusalem Post on November 15 ‘On both the northern and southern fronts, the situation is tese and fragile and […]
NATO exercise with Israel ‘Crystal Sea’ 2019 increases partnership and medivac cooperation
NATO conducted an exercise with Israel, called “Crystal Sea” in late October, 2019. NATO notes that it was “designed to develop regional medical support to ensure that any health issue among […]
Jeffrey, Satterfield head to Turkey to jazz up relations on eve of Erdogan visit
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN US officials who view Turkey as America’s natural ally are heading a State Department delegation to Ankara that will seek to work closely with Turkey on […]
Syria withdrawal, Baghdadi and a momentous October: Seth J. Frantzman looks at the Middle East
The month of October were momentous for the Middle East, with the US withdrawal from Syria, Turkey’s invasion and protests in Iraq. Rising Israel-Iran tensions are also on the map. […]
Amiri, Kata’ib Hezbollah blame US, Israel for Iraqi protests, Khazali vows revenge
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN *This article appeared in a slightly different form as ‘Iraq’s Pro-Iranian politician Amiri blames US-Israel for protests’ at The Jerusalem Post Hadi al-Amiri, the head of the […]
October 6, 2019 to October 13, 2019: The week the US pushed eastern Syria to destruction and Turkey, Assad came in
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN A timeline of events in eastern Syria during the period the US announced a withdrawal and the time the SDF signed an agreement with Damascus. ALL […]
A statement about Eager Lion, Central Command’s largest and most complex exercise, in Jordan
I received this in September and forgot to post it, posting it now just for future reference. Lieutenant Colonel James Dunphy, lead CENTCOM Eager Lion planner: “Eager Lion, U.S. Central […]
