Washington, Moscow & the Invisible Tip of the Syrian Iceberg

January 15, 2012
By Georgy Gounev – first printed by American Thinker Jan 15, 2012

The obvious truth is that Syria is in deep crisis. What remains unclear is the vast area encompassing the answer to some important questions involving the regime that ruled Syria for decades. For instance, what are its strengths (if any) and its weaknesses? What about the background of the motivation and the actions of the international enemies and supporters of President Bashar Assad?

Iran, the U.S. and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis

By George Friedman Reprinted From Stratfor Jan 17, 2012
The United States reportedly sent a letter to Iran via multiple intermediaries last week warning Tehran that any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz constituted a red line for Washington. The same week, a chemist associated with Iran’s nuclear program was killed in Tehran. In Ankara, Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani met with Turkish officials and has been floating hints of flexibility in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.