The West should seek the further weakening of Islamic State, but not its destruction. A weak but functioning IS can undermine the appeal of the caliphate among radical Muslims; keep bad actors focused on one another rather than on Western targets; and hamper Iran’s quest for regional hegemony. Source Besa
Russia, Iran and Turkey are meeting in Kazakhstan to discuss rebuilding efforts as the war in Syria ends. After having played such pivotal roles in Syria, they’ll be jostling over who gets what from the Syrian government. Source: Aljazeera
French President Emmanuel Macron announced tax cuts for middle-class workers and a more representative parliament on Thursday to quell five months of yellow vest protests that have damaged his presidency. In a nationally televised speech, he also warned that France and Europe must better fight illegal migration. Source: AP
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for deeper cooperation in the economy and defense in a Wednesday summit with Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte, eager to keep the country from leaning too far in favor of China. Source: Asian Review
