During last year’s civil war in Libya, the Muammar Qadhafi regime’s weapon stockpiles were looted, and highly destructive arms quickly spread throughout Libya and the region. Twenty-one months into the revolution in Syria, the country is witnessing a similar experience. Though the United States officially opposes the provision of weapons …
The final presidential debate, on foreign policy, is scheduled for Monday, October 22. Moderator Bob Schieffer announced that the topics will be: “America’s Role in the World,” “Our Longest War—Afghanistan and Pakistan,” “Red Lines—Israel and Iran,” “The Changing Middle East and the New Face of Terrorism,” and “The Rise of …
The efforts of United Nations envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to negotiate a ceasefire between the Syrian military and rebels for the Arab holiday Eid al-Adha are likely to be fruitless. Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) begins this year on October 26. While this holiday focuses on the prophet Abraham being …
On Wednesday, Turkey retaliated against a Syrian mortar attack earlier in the day that killed five civilians in the Turkish border town of Akcakale. Turkey responded in kind with limited artillery attacks against Syrian army outposts. Whether planned or not, Syria’s shelling of Akcakale is just another step in the …
Turkish fears of an emboldened Kurdish population in Syria are rising. Since the Syrian uprising began in February 2011, Syria’s Kurdish population has taken advantage of the power vacuum in the country’s north and sought to expand its influence. Since last summer, the Syrian government’s mass killing of civilians has …
The “Arab Spring” arrived in Damascus with a vengeance this week—despite the brutal repression meted out by the Assad regime. Today, the Syrian defense minister was assassinated in a suicide bombing at the national security headquarters building in the capital. CNN reported that the explosion was caused by a car …
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s embattled regime is moving chemical munitions out of storage depots. It remains unclear whether the regime is deploying these weapons in the field or is trying to keep them from falling into the hands of rebels, who have …
A ceasefire between Syria’s government and rebel forces appeared, for a moment, to be on the horizon. But in reality it was nothing more than a mirage that evaporated over the weekend when dictator Bashar al-Assad’s government demanded concessions from the opposition who have been under unceasing attacks for the past year. The Guardian …
The U.N. Security Council finally reached an agreement on Syria yesterday. In typical U.N. form, it amounts to more talk than action. Russia and China acquiesced to a non-binding presidential statement calling for “a ceasefire in Syria and opening conflict areas to humanitarian aid.” The statement contains no ultimatum for …
