Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Peter Van Buren
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The problem with a post-Tillerson State Department
Donald Trump may be denying it, but there seems no doubt that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is a marked man. Last month the speculation was on how soon United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley would replace Tillerson. Last week, a fresh burst of reports signaled the end for the secretary...
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What you need to know about the post-Daesh battle for the Mideast
With Daesh in fatal decline and the edges of Kurdistan afire, the Middle East is entering a new era, dominated by the Saudi-Iranian power struggle. The United States, which did so much via its unnecessary invasion of Iraq and tragic handling of the post-incursion period to nurture the growth...
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Why the Kurdish referendum means the end of Iraq
There are many worthy markers that America’s Iraq Wars have been a terrible, terrible waste, but as history loves a signature event, let it be the 25 September, 2017 Kurdish independence referendum. While the referendum is non-binding and the final vote tally may not be known for several days...