Bilal Saab makes the case for a more precise use of the term ally:
The word “ally” is used far too casually in Washington’s Middle East lexicon. It’s time to break this bad habit, because the truth is that with the exception of Turkey—a NATO member—the United States does not share a single alliance with any Middle Eastern country.
Submitted by Rakesh Upadhyay via OilPrice.com,
OPEC-member Angola, which is dependent on oil for 95 percent of its export revenues, is facing an urgent cash flow problem, and the only way out is external help as the dominoes start to fall.
Yesterday, Russia said there was a virtual deal assured with Saudi Arabia to "freeze" production (at record levels) that did not require Iran's participation. And now, it appears the Russians are walking that confident "hope" back. Russia's energy minster just told a briefing that the Doha "freeze" deal would be "loosely-framed with fed detailed commitments."
Not exactly what the market was hoping for...
Syrians are heading to the polling stations to elect a new parliament as a new round of Syria peace talks kicks off in Geneva. President Assad’s opponents and Western powers have denounced the poll as illegitimate. The US has dismissed out of hand the Syrian poll to elect a new parliament saying it doesn’t reflect “the will of the people.” But in 2005 Washington welcomed voting in neighboring Iraq when the country was also gripped by war. RT reports: Voters on the territories occupied by terrorists can travel to the nearest polling station to cast their votes.
President Barack Obama is meeting his top national security officials at the CIA today to come up with a plan to deprive the Islamic State in Syria of land and power. The endgame in Syria is approaching as the fragile peace talks continue. President Obama must decide to either have a military plan for the total defeat of ISIS in the region, thus giving Kurds more power and angering the Turks, or to maintain the current Status quo.