Syria
U.S. Report on Religious Freedom in Middle East
May 20, 2013
Blasphemy and apostasy laws were applied in a discriminatory manner in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2012, according to a new report by the U.S. State Department. “These laws are frequently used to repress dissent, to harass political opponents, and to settle personal vendettas,” Secretary of State Kerry said on May 20. more
U.S. Intervention in Syria
May 10, 2013
Jane Harman and Zbigniew Brzezinski debate a U.S. intervention in Syria on Morning Joe. "I hope we have a strategy to work this out diplomatically with the Russians on the other side and the leader is moved out even if he stays in country and another transitional government takes his place,” said Jane Harman. more
Syria: What's Really Happening
May 08, 2013
"In Syria, there are no good options, American credibility is at stake, and the pressures to act are considerable in the face of great uncertainties," writes Aaron David Miller in Salon.com. more
U.S. Report on Religious Freedom in Middle East
May 20, 2013Blasphemy and apostasy laws were applied in a discriminatory manner in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2012, according to a new report by the U.S. State Department. “These laws are frequently used to repress dissent, to harass political opponents, and to settle personal vendettas,” Secretary of State Kerry said on May 20.
U.S. Intervention in Syria
May 10, 2013Jane Harman and Zbigniew Brzezinski debate a U.S. intervention in Syria on Morning Joe. "I hope we have a strategy to work this out diplomatically with the Russians on the other side and the leader is moved out even if he stays in country and another transitional government takes his place,” said Jane Harman.
Syria: What's Really Happening
May 08, 2013"In Syria, there are no good options, American credibility is at stake, and the pressures to act are considerable in the face of great uncertainties," writes Aaron David Miller in Salon.com.
Obama's Syria Dilemma
Apr 30, 2013President Obama is now faced with a dilemma: Defending his red line could undermine his carefully crafted strategy of steering clear of direct military involvement in the Syria crisis. Aaron David Miller notes several points the president should keep in mind as he grapples with this conundrum.
A Conversation with Sarkis Naoum
April 15, 2013 // 3:00pm — 4:00pm
The crisis in Syria drags on with consequences that are already reshaping the neighborhood. What is the future of the Assads and of Syria itself? And what are the implications of the Syrian crisis for Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran? Join us for a conversation with Naoum, one of the Middle East’s and Lebanon’s preeminent journalists and analysts for a regional tour d’horizon.
Defining American Priorities in the Middle East
November 20, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:30pm
From Iran to Syria, to an unresolved Israeli–Palestinian issue, the Obama administration faces some extraordinary challenges in the Middle East that are likely to make 2013 a critical year. How does the United States prioritize its objectives? Is it realistic to think about solutions to these problems, or are managed outcomes more relevant?
A Conversation with Ambassador Edward Djerejian
November 15, 2012 // 8:45am — 10:00am
Edward Djerejian, the former United States Ambassador to Syria and Israel, discusses recent developments in the Middle East after the Arab Spring.
Soviet Policy Toward Syria, 1976-1986: Factionalism and the Limits of Influence (1986)
Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series #212, 1986. PDF 44 pages.
The Syrian Refugee Crisis is Pushing Lebanon to the Brink
The Syrian refugee issue in Lebanon is threatening to become the real humanitarian crisis in the region. There are more Syrian refugees in Lebanon than in any other country in the region. Straddled by a weak economy, domestic political infighting, and internal divisions over the crisis in Syria, Lebanon is finding it hard to cope with the evolving problem inside its borders. In the absence of a quick and sustained international support, the refugee issue in Lebanon could become a full blown crisis with domestic and regional implications for Lebanon.
The Demons Besieging Lebanon: Iran’s Tighter Grip
Hezbollah’s main strength in Lebanon is not its weaponry. Its real backbone is its popular support, which guarantees Hezbollah’s control over state institutions. Iran may be prepared to lose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it is certainly not ready to lose Lebanon. Now that Hezbollah’s popular support in Lebanon is waning, Iran will do whatever it takes to overcome the results of Lebanon's parliamentary elections in 2013.