Israel’s Syria Occupation, Trump’s Peace Deals, Excessive Force in Chicago, and More

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As Israel continues to bomb parts of Gaza during the ceasefire, its military forces are also deepening the occupation of southern Syria. As Anagha Subhash Nair reports, Syrian farmers and agricultural workers worry that Israel is seeking to tighten its grip on the region’s water resources.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has continually boasted of ending seven wars in seven months. The president himself says he raised that tally, insisting he has ended eight wars. In a new piece of commentary at Inkstick, Miriam Frost argues that the figure is simply fictitious.

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“Behind the Fanfare, Trump’s Peace Deals are Built to Fail” by Miriam Frost (Oct. 27)

The list of conflicts the president claims to have ended is unusual, including countries that may not even have realized they were “at war.” More troubling is the suggestion that any of these conflicts has truly been resolved. As the Trump administration will soon discover, signing an agreement does not guarantee peace.

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“Pakistan’s Domestic Issues Are Just as Grave as Taliban Conflict” by Marcus Andreopoulos (Oct. 28)

In recent weeks, deadly clashes between the Pakistani military and the Afghan Taliban have drawn international attention. Yet, Pakistan faces a potentially graver threat from within as domestic protests put Islamabad in a tight spot.

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“Israel’s Deepening Occupation Puts Southern Syria’s Water at Risk” by Anagha Subhash Nair (Oct. 29)

Already occupying the Syrian Golan Heights for decades, Israel pushed further into its neighbor’s territory after rebels uprooted former ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Now, Syrians in Israeli-occupied territory complain of forced displacement and arbitrary arrests — and accuse Israeli forces of exploiting their water resources.

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“In a Post-Unipolar World, a New Vision for US Grand Strategy?” by Adults in a Room (Oct. 30)

In this month’s Adults in a Room column, experts consider the future of US grand strategy. With the unipolar moment over and US global dominance continuing to wane, they say, a wider breadth of perspectives is needed to adapt to the circumstances of tomorrow.

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“Deep Dive: ‘Excessive Force’ During Trump’s Chicago Crackdown” by Inkstick (Oct. 31)

In a new report, Human Rights Watch notes that federal law enforcement agents have used “excessive force” against peaceful protesters, media workers, volunteer medics, and legal observers, among others, during rallies at an ICE detention facility in Chicago’s suburbs.

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