In a lightning offensive Syrian rebels seized Aleppo and are threatening other regime-held territories in the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s closest allies, Russia and Iran, pledged unconditional support to his government on Monday, while a number of other countries invested in Syria - including Turkey, Israel and the US - are watching developments closely. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the recent book The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East, joins Thanos Davelis to look at this new cycle of violence and instability and break down what it means for the region.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

What Syria’s Revived Civil War Means for the Region

Syria's rebel offensive is astonishing - but don't write off Assad

Greek Current Cafe featuring Steven Cook, Michael Rubin, Jonathan Schanzer, and Endy Zemenides

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