Killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
Release Date: 01/04/2020
Killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
The killing of Iranian Al-Quds Force Commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani by the United States (January 3rd, 2020), launched a shock wave that ripples through the Middle East. Qassem Soleimani was the Al-Quds Force commander. The Al -Quds force is an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG). The IRG reports directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Soleimani was the spearhead, the lead strategist – in charge of designing, leading, and implementing Iran’s hegemonic vision in the Middle East. His role was to spread Iran’s reach and influence and make...
info_outline
Why Did Al Jazeera Air a Story About Turkey's Brutal Oppression of Journalists?
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
On July 6, 2019, Qatari-owned Al Jazeera aired the first of a three-part show called "" highlighting Turkey's brutal oppression of treatment of Turkish journalists and thinkers. The report aired while Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar was in Washington, DC meeting with US President Trump. This is intriguing because Qatar and Turkey have a close relationship. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President Turkey, constantly strives to position himself as the leader of the world in the Middle East, challenging major Arab Sunni states like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and...
info_outline
Belly Dancing in Baghdad
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
Iran wants to gain control of the area from Iran to the Mediterranean Sea. Controlling Iraq is critical to that end.
info_outline
Transition of Power Within Hezbollah?
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
An Audio Version of my latest Intelligence Bulletin that Zooms In & Zooms Out to understand if there is a transition of power underway in Hezbollah and if Hassan Nasrallah is on his way out?
info_outline
Rapprochement In Syria
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
President Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria has accelerated the Arab world's rapprochement to Assad. But there is a price to pay...Who are the possible winners and who are the potential losers?
info_outline
Zoom In ~ Zoom Out | Lebanon & Iran
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
info_outline
Lebanon and The STL as of October 7 2018
Avi Melamed ~ Inside The Middle East | Because True Knowledge is A Real Asset
This podcast explores the latest on the investigation of The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), an international tribunal established in March 2009, whose primary mandate is to hold trials for the people accused of carrying out the attack on February 14, 2005 which killed 22 people, including the former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri, and injured many others.
info_outlineThe killing of Iranian Al-Quds Force Commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani by the United States (January 3rd, 2020), launched a shock wave that ripples through the Middle East.
Qassem Soleimani was the Al-Quds Force commander. The Al -Quds force is an elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG). The IRG reports directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Soleimani was the spearhead, the lead strategist – in charge of designing, leading, and implementing Iran’s hegemonic vision in the Middle East. His role was to spread Iran’s reach and influence and make Iran the superpower in the region. And he did so primarily by creating, supporting, and nurturing a network of militias throughout the Middle East including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Iraqi Shi’ite militias, Yemeni Houthi forces, Afghan and Pakistani Shi’ites militias, etc. Under Soleimani’s command, Iran deepened its hold in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip.
Some argue that the assassination of Soleimani will increase tensions in the Middle East. This outlook confuses cause and effect: Tensions in the Middle East have intensified over the past decade because of the violent Iranian aggression which Soleimani spearheaded. Aggression which has led to Syria's destruction and the disintegration of Lebanon and Iraq. Aggression that threatens maritime routes and safe passage in the Arab (Persian) Gulf and the Red Sea, a direct attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities that spiked oil prices and compromised the world's oil supply. Aggression that has fueled and intensified tensions - including direct military confrontations - between Iran and its proxies and Israel.
Links to some related articles I have published:
Zoom-In on the Middle East (December 2019)
Part 3 | Alarms on Lebanese-Israeli Border: Preemptive Actions to Prevent a Wide-Scale War in The Middle East (October 2019)
Belly Dancing In Baghdad (July 2019)
A Dangerous Loop in the Persian (Arab) Gulf (June 2019)
Increasing Probability for Large-Scale Collision Between Israel & Iranian Proxies in 2019 (January 2019)
The Israeli – Iranian Direct Collision: At the Threshold of Critical Junctions (February 2018)
My Enemy is My Best Asset (September 2017)
Pax Amer – Iran (March 2015)
Masters of Chaos: The Iranian Mullah Regime (June 2010)
Is War in the Middle East Inevitable? (February 2012)