GPF Team
Latest From Author
Explaining This Week in the Middle East in 40 Minutes
June 9, 2017
Jacob L. Shapiro and Kamran Bokhari make sense of the numerous geopolitical developments that occurred in the world’s most volatile region this week. Click here to sign up for free updates on topics like this.
The Islamic State Changes Course in Syria and Iraq
June 9, 2017 The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces began an invasion of eastern Raqqa on June 6. They captured the neighborhood of al-Mashalab before IS stopped their advance. Meanwhile, Syrian army forces loyal to Bashar Assad crossed into Raqqa province and are now less than 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Raqqa city.
The Syrian army has also moved against IS in Aleppo province and outside of the city of Hama, and continues to push east from Palmyra toward the IS heartland. The Islamic State is reeling, no longer in a good position to defend its capital. That means its strategy must change, and along with it, our baseline assessment of its strategic imperatives in Syria.
North Korea may be the biggest black swan of all
Watch List: June 8, 2017
The Islamic State’s Fallback
June 8, 2017 Its strategy is changing, and our model must change with it.
North Korea: Structured for Survival
June 8, 2017 What explains the longevity of the Kim dynasty?
The Geopolitics of the American President