Michael Weiss

Its regional strategic project, the so-called Ring of Fire around Israel, the projection of its power in the form of paramilitary organizations and militias, most important of which its prize asset, Hezbollah, utterly decimated. Senior leadership of Hezbollah has been wiped out, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

Its regional strategic project, the so-called Ring of Fire around Israel, the projection of its power in the form of paramilitary organizations and militias, most important of which its prize asset, Hezbollah, utterly decimated. Senior leadership of Hezbollah has been wiped out, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

Its regional strategic project, the so-called Ring of Fire around Israel, the projection of its power in the form of paramilitary organizations and militias, most important of which its prize asset, Hezbollah, utterly decimated. Senior leadership of Hezbollah has been wiped out, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

If you believe the Israelis, they've taken out 80% of Hezbollah's arsenal of short and mid-range rockets. Hamas has been destroyed in Gaza, although that's more limited. But by and large, the IRGC has taken a pounding. And the IRGC was largely responsible as the ground army for Assad's recapture of so much territory in the last decade.

If you believe the Israelis, they've taken out 80% of Hezbollah's arsenal of short and mid-range rockets. Hamas has been destroyed in Gaza, although that's more limited. But by and large, the IRGC has taken a pounding. And the IRGC was largely responsible as the ground army for Assad's recapture of so much territory in the last decade.

If you believe the Israelis, they've taken out 80% of Hezbollah's arsenal of short and mid-range rockets. Hamas has been destroyed in Gaza, although that's more limited. But by and large, the IRGC has taken a pounding. And the IRGC was largely responsible as the ground army for Assad's recapture of so much territory in the last decade.

I mean, there was a point at which it looked fairly credible that Damascus could fall to a consortium of different rebel groups, including those backed by the CIA, backed by some Gulf Arab states, backed by Turkey, and even backed by Jordan. CIA ended its program several years ago under the first Trump administration. We have no assets in place here except in one base in southern Syria, Al-Tanf.

I mean, there was a point at which it looked fairly credible that Damascus could fall to a consortium of different rebel groups, including those backed by the CIA, backed by some Gulf Arab states, backed by Turkey, and even backed by Jordan. CIA ended its program several years ago under the first Trump administration. We have no assets in place here except in one base in southern Syria, Al-Tanf.

I mean, there was a point at which it looked fairly credible that Damascus could fall to a consortium of different rebel groups, including those backed by the CIA, backed by some Gulf Arab states, backed by Turkey, and even backed by Jordan. CIA ended its program several years ago under the first Trump administration. We have no assets in place here except in one base in southern Syria, Al-Tanf.

So former Free Syrian Army rebels we recruited and are stationed there. And mostly they're there to kind of monitor things. Iranian shenanigans in that part of Syria. But we have no skin in the game except in eastern Syria where we are there strictly in a counterterrorism capacity to fight ISIS. So we have this group called the Syrian Democratic Forces.

So former Free Syrian Army rebels we recruited and are stationed there. And mostly they're there to kind of monitor things. Iranian shenanigans in that part of Syria. But we have no skin in the game except in eastern Syria where we are there strictly in a counterterrorism capacity to fight ISIS. So we have this group called the Syrian Democratic Forces.

So former Free Syrian Army rebels we recruited and are stationed there. And mostly they're there to kind of monitor things. Iranian shenanigans in that part of Syria. But we have no skin in the game except in eastern Syria where we are there strictly in a counterterrorism capacity to fight ISIS. So we have this group called the Syrian Democratic Forces.

They are led by Syrian Kurds that are aligned with the PKK, which is a Designated terror organization, but we like to pretend that it's not because they're really good at fighting ISIS.

They are led by Syrian Kurds that are aligned with the PKK, which is a Designated terror organization, but we like to pretend that it's not because they're really good at fighting ISIS.

They are led by Syrian Kurds that are aligned with the PKK, which is a Designated terror organization, but we like to pretend that it's not because they're really good at fighting ISIS.

What has happened now is a former al-Qaeda franchise, and I'll get into why we know it's former, which has spent the last several years creating a state apparatus in northwest Syria, Idlib province, and a state apparatus that does things like controls the traffic, electricity grids, had a COVID relief plan, jihadis who do sort of technocratic governance, believe it or not.

What has happened now is a former al-Qaeda franchise, and I'll get into why we know it's former, which has spent the last several years creating a state apparatus in northwest Syria, Idlib province, and a state apparatus that does things like controls the traffic, electricity grids, had a COVID relief plan, jihadis who do sort of technocratic governance, believe it or not.

What has happened now is a former al-Qaeda franchise, and I'll get into why we know it's former, which has spent the last several years creating a state apparatus in northwest Syria, Idlib province, and a state apparatus that does things like controls the traffic, electricity grids, had a COVID relief plan, jihadis who do sort of technocratic governance, believe it or not.

They have been champing at the bit to go on the offensive against Assad because they realize he has never been weaker than he is now. As I mentioned, his – not his strategic partner, his patron, the Iranians, are a busted flush more or less. The Russians are, as you may have noticed, preoccupied elsewhere.

They have been champing at the bit to go on the offensive against Assad because they realize he has never been weaker than he is now. As I mentioned, his – not his strategic partner, his patron, the Iranians, are a busted flush more or less. The Russians are, as you may have noticed, preoccupied elsewhere.