US Opinion and Commentary

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Syria’s Darkest Hour

Posted October 24th, 2016 at 4:06 pm (UTC-4)
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After more than five years of conflict in Syria, retreating without having found a solution is not an option. Although the new map of players complicates things, there is no doubt that they must all participate in a peace deal; otherwise, any agreement will prove ephemeral.

Bring Syria’s Assad and his Backers to Account Now

Posted October 24th, 2016 at 10:49 am (UTC-4)
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Escalate the conflict. The United States must challenge the status quo and end the regime’s war crimes, by force if necessary. This need not require some major pronouncement. Indeed, for now, a quiet warning may be more effective, since a major public announcement would almost certainly polarize the situation further.

Who’s Winning the Middle East’s Cold War?

Posted June 22nd, 2016 at 3:29 pm (UTC-4)
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Iran also has an overwhelming manpower advantage, with a population of an estimated 77 million, compared to Saudi Arabia’s 28 million. And while its army is far less well equipped than its rival’s, it is much larger….This has left the Saudis feeling abandoned and vulnerable.

How Feeding Syrians Feeds the War

Posted February 12th, 2016 at 12:58 pm (UTC-4)
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Herein lies the crux of the problem for USAID and other humanitarian organizations. Their attempts to fulfill short-term needs can create patterns of dependence and conflict that worsen the ongoing war and its aftermath. If public services are indeed crucial for popular support, the key question becomes: To whom exactly is USAID channeling support?

Meet the Man Showing the World What Airstrikes are Doing to Syria

Posted December 22nd, 2015 at 11:51 am (UTC-4)
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For Jarrah and his ragtag team at ANA Press — an open source news platform operating in Turkey and Syria — documenting the mounting civilian death toll has become a new phase in their ongoing mission. Their latest challenge has been to show the human impact of Russian airstrikes …

World View: Cruz-Rubio Debate Important

Posted December 17th, 2015 at 10:21 am (UTC-4)
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The Bush Doctrine of regime change (pursued by Obama reluctantly and often in the breach) has failed repeatedly. At this point, it may be impossible to remove Assad for the foreseeable future, something the Obama team is beginning to recognize.

Like it or Not, America and Russia Need to Cooperate in Syria

Posted September 17th, 2015 at 11:43 am (UTC-4)
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The expansion of Russia’s military role in Syria has real risks. Both Russian political and military leaders and the Russian people still remember Afghanistan … Another risk is a potential collision with the United States and its allies, who have long been striking IS targets in Syria and who can also bomb Assad’s forces

Syria’s Assad Doubles Down on War Crimes

Posted August 18th, 2015 at 2:53 pm (UTC-4)
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By Barbara Slavin Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may hobble on in office for a while, but his place in history is already indelibly fixed as one of the most brutal and incompetent leaders of his era. Now in control of at most a third of Syria after four years of failing to quell a multi-sided […]