Epstein Secrets

e past five years. And Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda in Iraq's front group in Syria. is attempting to hijack the secular resistance to Syrian President Bashar al•Assad. These developments threaten not only to unravel the gains made since Page I 1 of 2 EFTA_R1_01956110 EFTA02674570 2007, but also to energize the

secular resistance to Syrian President Bashar al•Assad. These developments threaten not only to unravel

i leaders took concrete steps to keep demonstrations peaceful by searching protesters for weapons. Even after eight Sunni protesters were killed in Fallujah in January, both sides managed to de-escalate. That all changed last week. It began in the town of Hawija, near Kirkuk, where Iraqi Security Forces

ther than avoiding war, it's hard to know what Obama wants. I know what he says, but actions always speak louder than words. For instance, he wanted Bashar al- Assad to cease using chemical weapons. His language was strong, nearly warlike: "Assad's government gassed to death over a thousand people, incl

t said, it's unlikely that Mr. Maliki will have the stomach to retake the Sunni- majority areas of western Iraq anytime soon. The rump Iraq, like the Assad regime in Syria, will be ever more in thrall to Iran, and committed to domestic policies that make the reconstitution of the country via a politica

egion." Perhaps including Iraq. The Benghazi committee is organizing as Iraq crumbles, its army disintegrating as the enemy approaches. In January, Fallujah fell to forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaeda affiliate. ISIS's conquest of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city (its population

is achieved we will seek at Geneva ways of better dealing with the terrible internal humanitarian situation. International aid goes to the needy in Assad controlled areas where the population is greater and apparently lesser amounts to the non-Assad controlled areas where the need is probably greater

orst conflict so far this century. Meanwhile, the international community has been disastrously divided. Since the fighting began, Syrian President Bashar Assad has had Russia's explicit international support. But while Russia's strategy, from the outset, has been coherent and well- defined, the West's has n

the start of the war in Iraq, groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda have taken control of key Iraqi cities, including the symbolically important city of Fallujah. EFTA00684516 The Geneva II conference offers an opportunity to address these dangers. But risks abound. We still do not know who will represent

autocrats foster instability and economic stagnation—=ot stability—in the Middle East. =/p> Syria: 2013 will be viewed as the yea= that President Bashar al-Assad turned the tide in the war in Syria. As Adam Entous and =iobhan Gorman detailed in a Wall Street Journal story this week, "all-in" military support

ria. As Adam Entous and =iobhan Gorman detailed in a Wall Street Journal story this week, "all-in" military support from Iran and Hezbollah allowed Assad to retake crucial territory. The Obama administration, however, blinked. Obama had vowed to punish Assad for any chemical weapons attacks. Yet the p

ly dece=t former Lebanese finance minister, is blown up after criticizing Hezbollah=92s brutish tactics. Another pro-Al Qaeda group takes control of Fallujah, Iraq= Explosions rock Egypt, where the army is now jailing Islamists and secular activists. Libya is a mess of competing militias. What's going on

seen in other North African states, such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. I think it is likely to happen before too long. TB: What about Syria? DP: Assad's power is steadily diminishing and I cannot see how his regime will remain long in power. TB: Should the United States get involved there? DP: No

that many days of protest in Iraq have gone EFTA00683494 almost unnoticed in the United States. Iraqi army troops killed five Sunni protesters in Fallujah on Jan. 25, after a month of anti-government protests in Anbar, Nineveh and Salahuddin provinces and elsewhere for which thousands turned out. Al-Q

happen before too long. TB: What about Syria? DP: Assad's power is steadily diminishing and I cannot see

more than twice that many days of protest in Iraq have gone almost unnoticed in the United States. Iraqi army troops killed five Sunni protesters in Fallujah on Jan. 25, after a month of anti-government protests in Anbar, Nineveh and Salahuddin provinces and elsewhere for which thousands turned out. Al-Qae

IGHT_028748 --- PAGE BREAK --- states, such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. I think it is likely to happen before too long. TB: What about Syria? DP: Assad's power is steadily diminishing and I cannot see how his regime will remain long in power. TB: Should the United States get involved there? DP: No, A

more than twice that many days of protest in Irag have gone almost unnoticed in the United States. Iraqi army troops killed five Sunni protesters in Fallujah on Jan. 25, after a month of anti-government protests in Anbar, Nineveh and Salahuddin provinces and elsewhere for which thousands turned out. Al-Qae

HT_027122 --- PAGE BREAK --- states, such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. I think it is likely to happen before too long. TB: What about Syria? DP: Assad’s power is steadily diminishing and I cannot see how his regime will remain long in power. TB: Should the United States get involved there? DP: No,