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Charles Glass started covering the Middle East in 1973, and was chief correspondent for ABC News for many years. His new book is Syria Burning: A Short History of a Catastrophe.Glass opens with comments on the breakdown of the cease-fire, and the recent attacks on Aleppo by Syrian and Russian raids.
Asked how many different rebel groups are fighting the Islamic State and the Assad government, Glass cites Jane’s Defense estimate of 1,500 militias.
We discuss the failed US policies, especially the twin targets of bringing down IS and the Assad government and the role of regional leaders like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran. And we talk about Turkey, the unreliable “ally” that his its own agenda, mainly pummeling the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq and Syria.
Glass also provides some offshore perspective on US policy, Obama, and the 2016 presidential candidates.
And we discuss recent articles Glass has written about new books from Israeli activist Jeff Halper and the American veteran and policy critic, Andrew Bacevich.