A weak central government, a fragmented military and Islamic terrorism threaten to turn the Sahel nation into a geopolitical confrontation zone.
Islamic State has faced considerable losses in recent years, but not enough to permanently prevent the organization from resurging.
On February 9, 2022, the United States-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS issued a communique stating that it “remains resolutely committed to achieving the enduring defeat of ISIS. Recent events in Syria underscore both the success we continue to have in degrading Daesh/ISIS leadership and the continuing threat the terrorist group poses in the region and beyond.” Is the terror organization close to making a comeback? Despite sporadic successes, it still has a long way to go.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its twelfth month. Reporting on the conflict understandably focuses on the day-to-day fighting and destruction, but it is important for Americans and U.S. policymakers to understand the larger issues raised by the war and the U.S. role in it. The following Defense Priorities analysis aims to improve understanding of these issues and what U.S. policy should prioritize as the war continues.
Map of Ukraine and contested territories
Key points
The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation (SVR RF) says US occupation forces deployed in Syria’s strategic al-Tanf region, near the borders with Iraq and Jordan, are reportedly providing military support to Takfiri Daesh terrorists and training them for field operations in Ukraine.
It’s been one month since Russia invaded Ukraine. What Vladimir Putin and much of the world originally expected to be a quick and easy victory over their smaller neighbor has rapidly devolved into a military disaster for Russia. The Pentagon estimated more than 7,000 Russian soldiers had been killed since the invasion started, while NATO believes the number could be as high as 15,000. Russian generals continue to die, and reports are describing mass desertions and fratricide on the front lines. As much of the world celebrates the modern David versus Goliath story, cracks in the veneer of Russia’s supposed military might have shone through long before the invasion of Ukraine, and a four-hour battle that unfolded in Syria in 2018 is one of the most striking examples.
The war in Ukraine is also affecting regional stability in the Middle East, where the entire area could also erupt into open conflict in short order. One of the factors that could ensure peace or cause the war to begin is the tiny Special Forces base in al-Tanf, Syria.
