What We Are Reading Today: Return of the Junta by Oliver Slow
In 2021, Myanmar's military grabbed power in a coup d'etat, ending a decade of reforms that were supposed to break the shackles of military rule in Myanmar.
Protests across the country were met with a brutal crackdown that shocked the world, but were a familiar response from an institution that has ruled the country with violence and terror for decades.
In this book, Oliver Slow explores the measures the military has used to keep hold of power, according to a review on goodreads.com.
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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Israel's goal might be regime change in Iran: Experts
CHICAGO: Israel's military assault against Iran could continue for weeks, with the possible goal of regime change, a panel of experts hosted by the Middle East Institute said on Saturday. Panelists included retired Gen. Joseph L. Votel, former commander of US Central Command; retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, former commander of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet; and Alex Vatanka, MEI senior fellow and Iran specialist who also teaches at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Vatanka said it is too early to determine if Israel's main goal besides crippling Iran's nuclear program is regime change, but 'we might be going in (that) direction.' He added: 'That's certainly what I think a majority of Iranian officials think that Israel wants. The big unknown in all of this is whether the Israelis somehow can get (US President Donald) Trump to buy into it the way he bought into the initial attack on Iran.' Israel has launched attacks against an array of Iranian targets, including its military leadership and nuclear program. Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones at Israel. The panelists were in agreement in their belief that the conflict would not expand to include other countries. Iran's leadership will define victory as being its 'survival,' Vatanka said, adding that while Israel has the backing of the US and 'most of Europe,' Tehran 'isn't getting any help from anyone.' He said: 'I don't think they're getting help from what's left of the axis of resistance … I question what the axis of resistance members can actually do at this point.' Its members include Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been severely weakened by Israel's military, and the Houthis in Yemen. It included Syria until the fall of President Bashar Assad in December. Donegan said: 'I think the question is, does Iran think they've done enough in terms of lashing back that they can throw an olive branch to get some talks going again? I think it's a long shot, to be honest, that they'll come to the table in the near future.' Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, but 'the problem with closing Hormuz is they then don't get the economic benefit of flowing their oil out,' he added. The end game will be defined by how far Israel intends to go with its war, the panelists said. 'The Americans are playing the good cop here. President Trump has kept the door for diplomacy open,' Vatanka said. 'The Israelis are playing the bad cop, saying, 'If you don't give Trump what he wants then we'll come after you.''
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
After Day of Nationwide Protests, Trump's Military Parade Rolls Through DC
President Donald Trump's long-sought military parade rolled through the streets of downtown Washington on Saturday, but the celebration of the US Army's 250th anniversary was marred by a day of violence and discord. In the hours before the parade began, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched and rallied in streets in cities from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, protesting Trump's actions while in office. Earlier in the day, a gunman assassinated a Democratic lawmaker and wounded another in Minnesota and remained at large. Meanwhile, Israel and Iran exchanged further attacks early on Sunday, stoking fears of a mushrooming conflict between the two nations. All of it followed a week of tension in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration raids resulted in Trump calling in National Guard troops and US Marines to help keep the peace, over the objections of the state's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. The parade, which fell on Trump's 79th birthday, kicked off earlier than expected with thunderstorms forecast in the Washington area. Tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery rumbled down the parade route along storied Constitution Avenue, an unusual sight in the US where such displays of military might are rare. "Every other country celebrates their victories, it's about time America did too," Trump told the crowd following the parade. Thousands of spectators lined up along the route. Trump watched the proceedings from an elevated viewing stand behind bulletproof glass. Some of the president's opponents also managed to find a spot along the parade route, holding signs in protest. Other demonstrators were kept separate from the parade crowd by local police. The US Army has brought nearly 7,000 troops into Washington, along with 150 vehicles, including more than 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker armored vehicles, four Paladin self-propelled artillery vehicles, and artillery pieces including the M777 and M119. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with his 79th birthday, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP) ARMY'S HISTORY The parade traced the history of the Army from its founding during the Revolutionary War through modern day. Trump frequently stood and saluted troops as they marched by. Members of Trump's cabinet including Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio looked on. Trump had first expressed interest in a military parade in Washington early in his first 2017-2021 term in office. In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington to celebrate the ousting of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War. The celebrations were expected to cost the US Army between $25 million and $45 million, US officials have told Reuters. That includes the parade itself as well as the cost of moving equipment and housing and feeding the troops. Bryan Henrie, a Trump supporter, flew in from Texas to celebrate the Army's anniversary and did not see any issues with tanks rolling down the streets of Washington. "I don't see a controversy. I will celebrate safety and stability any day over anarchy," 61-year-old Henrie said. Earlier in the day, thousands marched in Washington and other cities in protest of Trump's policies. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, and marked the largest outpouring of opposition to Trump's presidency since he returned to power in January. In Los Angeles, however, the situation remained tense. About an hour before a downtown curfew, police officers mounted on horses were aggressively pushing back demonstrators, using gas, flash bangs and other less lethal munitions, causing large groups to panic and flee. Protesters were firing what police called commercial-grade fireworks against officers, along with rocks and bottles. Some demonstrators wore gas masks and helmets and vowed to stay in the area for many more hours. A crowd earlier had confronted soldiers guarding a federal building, yelling "Shame! Shame!" and "Marines, get out of LA!" Anti-Trump groups planned nearly 2,000 demonstrations across the country to coincide with the parade. Many took place under the theme "No Kings," asserting that no individual is above the law. Thousands of people of all ages turned out in and around Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan, many carrying homemade signs that played off the "No Kings" theme. Members of the far-right Proud Boys, ardent Trump supporters, appeared at an Atlanta "No Kings" protest, wearing the group's distinctive black and yellow colors.
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel issues an evacuation warning to Iranians residing near reactors in Iran
Israel on Sunday issued an evacuation warning to Iranians residing near weapons reactors in Iran, an Israeli military spokesperson said in a post on X. Developing
