Facing mounting pressure, the Arab League called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to immediately cease the brutal hostilities against his people. By a near-unanimous vote, the Arab League expressed its hard-line position against Damascus through the threat of economic and political sanctions if the ultimatum is not responded to by Wednesday. This decision demonstrates the […]
Israel paid Syrian President Bashar Assad’s grand-uncle $100 million for the Golan Heights before the Six-Day War in 1967, says a former close friend to assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Dr. Mahmoud Jame’ said Sadat was briefed on the deal, according to the Jordanian-based Albawaba website. Jame’, a member of the first Consultative Council in […]
by Daniel Pipes National Review Online November 8, 2011 The Arab upheavals of 2011 have inspired wildly inconsistent Western responses. How, for example, can one justify abiding the suppression of dissidents in Bahrain while celebrating dissidents in Egypt? Or protect Libyan rebels from government attacks but not their Syrian counterparts? Oppose Islamists taking over in […]
Turkey may have bungled relief efforts for the earthquake victims, but then Turkey has bigger fish to fry. Turkey has been increasingly asserting its control over the Syrian opposition to the Assad regime in the hope of securing influence with a new regime that will replace the Baath regime. It is plain that Turkey was originally […]
Syrian President Bashar Assad has warned the West of an “earthquake” across the Middle East if Western powers intervene in Syria. Speaking to the British Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Assad said western countries “are going to ratchet up the pressure, definitely.” “But Syria is different in every respect from Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen,” he added. “The history […]
Bahrain and Syria are countries ruled by sectarian minorities. Bahrain’s Sunni royal family rules over a Shia majority whereas the Assad regime, which rules over a Sunni majority, belongs to the tiny Alawite sect. While this division has exacerbated both of the uprisings, the similarities end here. Bahrain’s royal family has reacted to the protests […]
Arab foreign ministers are slated to discuss suspending Syria’s membership in the Arab League at an emergency meeting due to be held in Cairo on Sunday, Egypt’s semi-official newspaper Al Ahram reported. The report, quoting diplomatic sources, said ministers may also consider the possibility of recognizing the newly-formed opposition Syrian National Council. Sunday’s meeting is […]
by Daniel Pipes National Review Online September 27, 2011 In a Middle East wracked by coups d’état and civil insurrections, the Republic of Turkey credibly offers itself as a model thanks to its impressive economic growth, democratic system, political control of the military, and secular order. But, in reality, Turkey may be, along with Iran, […]
The United States is scrambling to avoid a diplomatic crisis at the U.N. over a Palestinian statehood vote and a promised U.S. veto. As other countries try to find a way to defuse the crisis, Palestinian officials asked for U.N. recognition of Palestinian statehood yesterday. How did it come to this? Heritage’s Kim Holmes contends […]
by Daniel Pipes National Review Online August 30, 2011 The world’s longest ruling head of state, Mu’ammar al-Qadhdhafi (the correct transliteration of his name), would have been ruler of Libya for exactly 42 years on Sept. 1. As he leaves the scene, his wretched reign deserves an appraisal. Qaddafi took power at the age of […]
