Qasem Soleimani began his military career with the Iran-Iraq War and gained a reputation for being incorruptible. He was then appointed to lead Iran's notorious Quds Force where he supported conservative clerical elements in the Iranian government and clashed with student protestors.
Qasem Sulamani, who runs Iran's efforts in Syria, plays a critical role in helping Bashar al-Assad stay in power. Iranian-backed militias, including Hezbollah, provided the regime with competent fighters which helped them recapture cities like Aleppo and turn the tide of the war in Assad's favor.
An in-depth look at the career of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and the impact he had on the Middle East.
The conflict in Syria and Ukraine are driven by economic interests as opposed to superpowers looking for a strategic win. In both cases, regional powers are funding the wars for resources, specifically oil being sold to India and China.
The Russia administration sees the Taliban as a potential threat to spread destabilization and contaminate Russia's sphere of influence. They are interested in the continued operation of a pipeline dream that will carry oil and gas beyond Central Asia with the Taliban as the government in waiting.
The speaker believes that George W. Bush was a more active partner in decision-making than people give him credit for and that Obama's failure to respond adequately in Syria was his single worst action while in office.