Author Archives: David Habakkuk

Urban Wars, Tomorrow’s wars ?

Posted on September 16, 2018 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD   Aleppo, Mosul, Raqqa, Ghouta … A few years ago, nobody would have known these names. With the rise of the "Islamic State" in the Middle-East, and the civil war in Syria, those cities have become battlefields … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, The Military Art | Comments Off on Urban Wars, Tomorrow’s wars ?

Seven Years into the Civil War: What is left of the “Syrian Arab Army” ?

Posted on February 16, 2018 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD Time and again since 2011, there have been reports about the erosion of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), with some observers even arguing that there is not much left of it. The influx of pro-regime foreign fighters … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Syria | 38 Comments

Drifting sands: America’s strategy in Syria

Posted on January 18, 2018 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD As the war in Syria is entering a new phase, the US will have to deal with issues that will prove very difficult to incorporate into a single comprehensive strategy.     There was an eerie sense of … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Iraq, Middle East, Syria | 64 Comments

The Battle for Mosul: IS’ swansong or yet another shapeshifting ? (part 3)

Posted on March 30, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD Chatter is getting louder these days about the Mosul offensive against IS nearing its end. Considering the significant territorial gains achieved by Iraqi forces, this is obviously a positive development. The coming victory however will come at … Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq, Middle East, Syria | 46 Comments

Confronting Iran ? President Trump entering uncharted waters in Yemen (2)

Posted on February 11, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick Bahzad "Morality is the weakness of the brain. It can be dangerous when it is not alleviated by thought and reason"(from A Season in Hell, by Arthur Rimbaud) As explained in part (1) of this piece, President Trump … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Middle East, Yemen | 29 Comments

Confronting Iran ? President Trump entering uncharted waters in Yemen (1)

Posted on February 10, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick Bahzad "I need not tell you, Sir, that the Red Sea is as much closed as the Gulf" (from 20 000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne) So this is where President Trump apparently decided to make his … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Middle East, Yemen | 47 Comments

Is NATO really obsolete ?

Posted on January 20, 2017 by David Habakkuk

 By Patrick BAHZAD Very shortly, Donald Trump will be sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States. By all accounts, his Inauguration will resemble no other in recent history. The country is deeply divided and the gap between … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 61 Comments

35 pages in January

Posted on January 13, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD The snow ball effect keeps on growing. Three days after Buzzfeed published the incendiary private intelligence report that had been circulating inside the Beltway for months, there is still no end in sight to the whole media … Continue reading →

Posted in government, Intelligence, Russia | 184 Comments

Is it just me or has someone decided to go after Trump ?

Posted on January 11, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD  There are nine days left until Inauguration Day and it feels like each one of these days is going to count. A shit-storm of epic proportions is blowing over the US, coast to coast, and I cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Borg Wars, Current Affairs, government, Intelligence, Politics | 58 Comments

The Battle for Mosul: IS’ swansong or yet another shapeshifting ? (part 2)

Posted on January 2, 2017 by David Habakkuk

By Patrick BAHZAD   We are now over two months into the battle for Mosul, and the initial optimism has definitely faded away. The palpable sense of doggedness about the urban combat taking place in the Eastern parts of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq, Middle East | 63 Comments