Let’s be realistic about war!   In recent years a conviction has taken hold among some on the right, usually held by the left, that wars were an unnatural state of affairs that would not exist without conspiracies by the military-industrial complex, profiteering defense contractors, warmongers, covert interests looking to spread chaos, and everyone and everything except the actual causes of wars. Most wars are fought to seize territory. Denying one of the most basic patterns...

Israel Seeks Gains in Other Arenas - Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser   The agreement to begin the release of hostages in exchange for a 42-day ceasefire—intended to transition into a permanent one—includes significant concessions. These involve the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, including numerous convicted murderers, the return of the Palestinian population to northern Gaza, the influx of humanitarian aid, the reduction of the...

As Turkey doubles down on its Islamist agenda, the Kurds remain one of the region’s few forces pushing in the opposite direction.   In 2014, as Syria descended into chaos, the United States made a pragmatic decision. Section 1209 of the National Defense Authorization Act authorized the Pentagon to arm and train vetted Syrian opposition groups. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) emerged as Washington’s most reliable partner. With U.S. support, the Kurds...

The fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria will force Iran to make significant shifts in its military doctrine, analysts told The Press Service of Israel   “This is going to force the Iranians to make serious compromises in the long run, because they are now more exposed in the region and they are more exposed internationally, and also because of the weakening economic situation and the isolation of the regime,” Dr. Meir Javedanfar, an Iran lecturer at Reichman...

As jihadist rebels gain ground in Syria at the expense of Iran, an analyst told The Press Service of Israel that “a quick victory” of Islamists in Syria is bad for Israel.   “A long-term conflict in Syria between pro-Turkish Sunni groups, very close to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, on the one hand, and what they call the Iranian ‘axis of resistance’ on the other hand, is good for Israel because it reduces the resources that both of them can throw into...

We are in the midst of a powerful Russian response across Ukraine.    Fyodor Lukyanov, in his incisive analysis, points out that the ongoing standoff over Ukraine has effectively become a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO (US), two nuclear-armed entities now operating without the safeguards of Cold War diplomacy. The breakdown of private, backchannel communication, once the cornerstone of managing nuclear deterrence, has given way to comms via public posturing playing...

Experts unanimously agree that international forces tasked with preventing the organization’s resurgence in southern Lebanon are unlikely to succeed.   While Israel has achieved many of its goals in the war against Hezbollah, the blow to the terrorist organization was not fatal, and the future of an anticipated ceasefire agreement will depend on Israel’s ability to prevent future attacks, experts told The Press Service of Israel. “The Israeli objective –...

The many ways last night's attacks were devastating for Iran pointed out   The IDF, with dozens of F-35 and F-16 aircraft, which flew two thousand kilometers, for three hours and in three different waves, 20 military strategic points in Iran, including military complexes, air defense systems, missile manufacturing plants and surface-to-surface missile launchers of The Revolutionary Guards were attacked in the districts of Tehran, Qom, Khuzestan and Ilam, and all the fighter jets...

The volatile region of southern Lebanon has long been a focal point in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict   Its proximity to northern Israel combined with terrain that is favorable for guerrilla warfare make the region a strategic asset for Hezbollah. From southern Lebanon, Israeli cities such as Haifa, Safed and Nahariya are well within range of Hezbollah rockets, while terrorists firing smaller anti-tank rockets strike fear in smaller communities near the border. Hezbollah...

Cybernetic economist: It sounds almost like an anecdote, but the most popular query at the end of January 12 in Russian-language search engines is related to the personality of Andrei Removich Belousov.   The Ukrainian segment of the Internet is also, to put it mildly, excited by the completely unexpected appointment of a new Russian Defense Minister. Indeed, it is difficult to find a more unusual head of the military department. Andrei Removich is a purely civilian person, about...

The history and activity of the military alliance. - April 4, 2024 marks 75 years since the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.   NATO’s Establishment The doctrine of "containing the USSR" announced by US President Harry Truman in March 1947 was one of the pre-requisites for establishing NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). In 1948, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France, signed the Treaty of Brussels, on...

'Israel is sinking into chaos, Arab world is watching us closely,' Mideast expert, Dr. Mordechai Kedar says.   Middle East expert, Dr. Mordechai Kedar, spoke to Israel National News – Arutz Sheva, on Israel and the Arab world. Dr. Kedar, “The Arab world is watching us closely and they notice the demonstrations immediately. As a matter of fact, they actually broadcast the demonstration on a live broadcast on Saturday night. They quoted the Israeli channel and showed it...