Epstein Secrets

terview with Ray Takeyh Article 3. RCR The Brotherhood's Walking Korans Hillel Fradkin and Lewis Libby Article 4. Foreign Affairs Alawites for Assad: Why the Syrian Sect Backs the Regime Leon Goldsmith Article 5. Project Syndicate The Paranoid Style in Chinese Politics Minxin Pei Article 6.

Lebanon, and so forth. And when Iranians look at the region, they seem to feel--and increasingly, others are joining them in that opinion--that the Bashar al-Assad regime may prove in fact more durable, that he may somehow survive this insurrection and this wave of protest, and if Assad survives and can someho

me Leon Goldsmith April 16, 2012 -- Since the start of the revolt in Syria, the country's Alawites have been instrumental in maintaining President Bashar al- Assad's hold on power. A sect of Shia Islam, the Alawites comprise roughly 13 percent of the population and form the bulk of Syria's key milita

es of such clandestine attacks. "Drones have really become the counterterrorism weapon of choice for the Obama administration," says Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown law professor who helped establish a new Pentagon office devoted to legal and humanitarian policy. "What I don't think has happened enough is takin

ttention allowed Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, to intensify his persecution of Sunnis. Then, after Syrians rebelled against Bashar al- Assad, the Islamic State expanded across Iraq's western border into Syria, later renaming itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Significantly, when

ation's inattention allowed Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, to intensify his persecution of Sunnis. Then, after Syrians rebelled against Bashar al- Assad, the Islamic State expanded across Iraq's western border into Syria, later renaming itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Significa

in December 2011, ISIS did not follow them home. "In its various incarnations," notes Daniel Byman, a counterterrorism expert who is a professor at Georgetown, the Islamic State "focused first and foremost on its immediate theater of operations." Although ISIS was happy if people inspired by its message s

. Then, after Syrians rebelled against Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic State expanded across Iraq's western

tion's inattention allowed Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nuri al-Malild, to intensify his persecution of Sunnis. Then, after Syrians rebelled against Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic State expanded across Iraq's western border into Syria, later renaming itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Significantly, when

n December 2011, ISIS did not follow them home. "In its various incarnations," notes Daniel Byman, a counter-terrorism expert who is a professor at Georgetown, the Islamic State "focused first and foremost on its immediate theater of operations." Although ISIS was happy if people inspired by its message st

esponse has not grown grimmer or louder. As recently as May 6, Secretary of State Clinton was still talking about a "reform agenda" in Syria, as if Bashar al-Assad were a slightly misguided bureaucrat rather than the murderer of roughly 1,000 unarmed demonstrators. As for the president, though the White House

d giving the demonstrators moral support would immediately circulate over the Internet. American sanctions against Syria, meanwhile, have not named Assad, and there has been no call for him to step down. Why is the administration appearing to stick with Assad and refusing to call for his ouster? A k

e a significant change in the administration's attitude toward the peace process," said Middle East analyst Gregory Orfalea, who formerly taught at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service. "He's leaving because it's status quo." Mitchell will be replaced—in the interim by his deputy, David Hale— and anothe

for other world leaders or their ambassadors. Only in the past twelve months has he met with Pope Benedict XVI, Middle East Peace Envoy Tony Blair, Bashar Al Assad of Syria, President Tabu& Vazquez of Uruguay, President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, President Hamid Karazai of Afghanistan, Yemeni President

I, Middle East Peace Envoy Tony Blair, Bashar Al Assad of Syria, President Tabu& Vazquez of Uruguay, Pr

so. This will be a tragedy not just for Al Waleed but for the many charity causes be champions. In 2005 he donated $40 million each to Harvard and Georgetown Universities to set up Islamic studies centres. He also endowed Cambridge and Edinburgh universities in Britain with $31 million to set up similar

filiations, may be the region's closest analogy to Libya — without oil, said Paul Sullivan, a Georgetown political scientist. "The brutality of the Assad regime in Syria and the Saleh regime in Yemen is still being felt," he said. "But with the demise of Muammar el-Qaddafi, the light at the end of the

k state, splintered national army, and strong tribal affiliations, may be the region's closest analogy to Libya — without oil, said Paul Sullivan, a Georgetown political scientist. "The brutality of the Assad regime in Syria and the Saleh regime in Yemen is still being felt," he said. "But with the demise

bout an Israeli raid in Syria on August 1, 2008. It revealed that in it a group of Israeli commandos killed General Suleiman, a top aide to President Assad who had been working with North Korea to build a nuclear facility in Syria. Israel had destroyed that facility in Operation Orchard nearly a year ear

ions intelligence specialists. So he had him disguised as a utility worker and smuggled out in a van to the residential compound of the Ambassador in Georgetown. A few days later, he was dropped off at a shopping mall, “Why did you go to such effort if Pelton had neither documents nor access to the NSA?” I as

and giving the demonstrators moral support would immediately circulate over the Internet. American sanctions against Syria, meanwhile, have not named Assad, and there has been no call for him to step down. Why is the administration appearing to stick with Assad and refusing to call for his ouster? A key

response has not grown grimmer or louder. As recently as May 6, Secretary of State Clinton was still talking about a "reform agenda" in Syria, as if Bashar al-Assad were a slightly misguided bureaucrat rather than the murderer of roughly 1,000 unarmed demonstrators. As for the president, though the White House ha

be a significant change in the administration's attitude toward the peace process," said Middle East analyst Gregory Orfalea, who formerly taught at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service. "He's leaving because it's status quo." Mitchell will be replaced-in the interim by his deputy, David Hale— and another