The regime and its allies will probably try to peel away U.S. partners or take military action in vulnerable areas, so Washington should prepare to counter such efforts. President Trump’s announcement that CIA chief Mike Pompeo will replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state has apparently caused a stir in Damascus. The Assad regime historically… Keep reading →
Whatever the two leaders discuss at the G20 summit, the Trump administration must work urgently to develop a new Syria strategy that articulates a clear vision for the country’s future and the U.S. readiness to protect it. On July 7, U.S. president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet on the sidelines of… Keep reading →
The U.S. Senate passed this week a measure to codify, strengthen and expand sanctions against the Russian Federation in response to its activities in Ukraine, cyber-attacks, interference in the U.S. Presidential election, and activities in Syria.
Everyone knows how Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas has been a complicating factor (to say the least) for Western political leaders in their reaction to Vladimir Putin’s Ukrainian adventures. And now energy analysts are seeing the Russian president lining up similar leverage with nuclear power, in Eastern Europe and beyond. “Gazprom cutting Ukraine’s energy just… Keep reading →
Crude oil transportation in the US ballooned to 1 million barrels per day in recent years as production swelled beyond existing pipeline infrastructure capacity. A series of explosive accidents involving crude oil train cars has sparked regulators to strengthen rules and safety measures governing these pipelines on wheels. “Tens of thousands of these older tank… Keep reading →
Coal and oil and gas producer Consol has agreed to sell its Consolidation Coal Company subsidiary, which holds five West Virginia coal mines, to Murray Energy for $3.5 billion. Consol aims to whittle its assets down to growth markets – natural gas production and coal for export – as the future of US power generation veers more… Keep reading →
Reports in a Lebanese newspaper detail a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, in which bin Sultan suggested a joint Russian-Saudi strategy to manage oil production volumes and prices, according to Platts. “‘Let us examine how to put together a unified Russian-Saudi strategy on the subject of… Keep reading →
