Good article by @ajaltamimi, underlining the extent to which #Iran/#IRGC has integrated its influence within #Syria's state, not separate/parallel to it.
His argument against "think tanks" though, targets a specific sub-set or orgs, not all by any means.
#pt: To anyone opposed to #Iran's expansive position in #Syria who looks honestly at the issue, the days of "rolling back" or "defeating" #Tehran in #Syria are long gone - though containment of its strategic threat/s is a perfectly feasible objective, if it's genuinely pursued.
#pt: The most credible #Iran threat to raise is not its extensive influence over militia, but its strategy of deploying/growing strategic military assets - directly & indirectly - in #Syria to threaten the interests of the U.S & its allies.
- That's a whole separate discussion.
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- They seek to enable a meaningful political process, in which there’s an opposition entity to sit at the table. I’d say that is honorable.
@steelejourno#pt: Here, @steelejourno says UK, US, France & "Gulf Arab monarchies” want ceasefires to protect rebels, not civilians.
In #Idlib, nothing could be further from the truth. None of those countries have *any* ties to rebel groups in #Idlib, who only equal ~0.5% of the population.
#Israel says #Syria’s air defense fired “dozens” of anti-aircraft missiles from several batteries across the country over the space of 40-mins… *after* #IAF planes had returned to #Israel.
Fascinating work by @HaidHaid22 - looking at initiatives (or a lack, thereof) by the #SDF & the #FSA to reconcile/rehabilitate/reintegrate #ISIS detainees in northern #Syria.
- Surging strains on the #SDF's makeshift prison network holding 1,000s of #ISIS prisoners, raises risks of eventual #ISIS attacks, aimed at replicating #Iraq’s 2012-3 “Breaking the Walls.”
Here, a @UKLabour MP praises a notorious conspiracist who says meeting Bashar al-#Assad was her "proudest" moment.
She's justified incendiary weapons & barrel bombs on civilian targets; suggested 9/11 was a false flag; Zionists rule #France & the #CharlieHebdo attack was fake.
St. Joseph’s Church in the village al-Quneya - the one cleaned by White Helmets - in west #Idlib suffered substantial damage when it was bombed by #Assad regime forces in April 2013.
So much for being the protector of Christians & #Syria’s minorities.