There appears to be a serious escalation in the works in the Syrian civil war. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu indicated that both Turkey and Saudi Arabia are willing to send ground troops into Syria to relieve the siege of Aleppo and to prevent the Assad from gaining control of the city. If such a move occurs, it will place Turkish and Saudi troops, both US allies, in direct confrontation with Russian air power. RT (once called the Russian Times) is labeling the decision by Turkey and Saudi Arabia as “catastrophic.” Iran is also warning Turkey and Saudi Arabia against the move.
There are many disputes in the world that are quite long-standing, but few rival the split between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The division between Western and Eastern Christianity dates back to 1054 BC, although the issue dividing them actually goes back even further. This week, however, the leader of Roman Catholicism, Pope Francis, and the leader of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Patriarch Kirill, met in the Havana, Cuba airport. It is doubtful that the fundamental issues can be solved quickly, but, given the passions surrounding those issues, the meeting itself was extraordinary.
Virtually all analysts of world politics are aware that the international system is changing rapidly from the order established by the US after 1945. What is unclear is what kind of order will replace the liberal order supported by the states that we generally call “The West.” A former German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, contributes to the debate. While he does not outline a new order, he suggests certain things that it is unlikely to include.
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