If yesterday's post on the deteriorating situation in Aleppo made it sound like it's Assad's forces who are doing most of the killing, that's because...well, because Assad's forces are doing most of the killing, as they have for the entire war. But the rebels aren't exactly innocent here: Rebel fighters launched an assault in Syria's … Continue reading Two to tango

Obviously it was five years ago today (technically; he was reportedly killed very early in the morning on May 2, local time) when Osama bin Laden was killed by US Special Forces in Abbottabad. Well, maybe. It's late and I'm writing this to avoid paying attention to the Penguins-Capitals game, which is driving me crazy. … Continue reading Today in War on Terror history: Osama bin Laden shuffles off the stage (2011)

When last we checked in, America and Russia were scrambling to salvage a Syrian ceasefire that was beginning to look more like an aspiration than a reality. And they just succeeded! Except... The Syrian government has called local truces near Damascus and in the northern province of Latakia but has excluded the main battlefield in … Continue reading Hostilities in Aleppo have un-ceased

After a much-needed break, I'm going to try to get back to some regular blogging. But in order to do that, I've got to make some sense of what's been going on while I've been away--for my own sake far more than for yours. This is part of a series of pieces over the next … Continue reading Catching up: Iraq

32 Iraqis were killed today in a pair of ISIS car bombings in the southern city of Samawah. 21 people were killed yesterday in a car bombing in Nahrawan. "Mission Accomplished." Asshole.

This post has been incorporated into another post, so please go there instead!

After a much-needed break, I'm going to try to get back to some regular blogging. But in order to do that, I've got to make some sense of what's been going on while I've been away--for my own sake far more than for yours. This is part of a series of pieces over the next … Continue reading Catching up: Iran

Good news, everybody! Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin are on this Syria thing and they are going to clean this shit up: The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama have discussed the situation in Syria and agreed to increase coordination between the special services and militaries of the two countries. … Continue reading On the case

It's UKIP Grand Wizard village idiot party leader Nigel Farage: The Ukip leader, a prominent member of the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, took aim at Obama ahead of the president’s visit to Britain next week, during which he is expected to express support for the remain camp. “Mercifully, this American president, … Continue reading Right tosser of the day, innit?

After a much-needed break, I'm going to try to get back to some regular blogging. But in order to do that, I've got to make some sense of what's been going on while I've been away--for my own sake far more than for yours. This is part of a series of pieces over the next … Continue reading Catching up: Syria