Epstein Secrets

Another Syria Peace Conference Editorial I NYT WikiLeaks, Drought and Syria Thomas L. Friedman Article 3. The Washington Institute Avoiding Assad's Forced Solution to the Syria Crisis Andrew J. Tabler Article 4. Now Lebanon Does the US seek an Arab-Iranian "equilibrium?" Hussein Ibish Ar

to this week's Syria peace talks in Montreux, Switzerland, does little if anything to change the Assad regime's approach to those talks. President Bashar al-Assad's statements in recent days indicate that he and his backers are attempting to pressure the United States and the rest of the "London 11" countries s

ld act as a multiplier on social and economic pressures already at play and undermine stability." ■ "Yehia does not believe that the [government of Bashar al- Assad] will allow any Syrian citizen to starve. ... However, Yehia told us that the Syrian minister of agriculture ... stated publicly that eco

tlement. Whatever the case, the attempt to include Iran in the talks should come as no surprise -- for months, UN Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has privately and publicly lobbied Western and Arab countries to allow Iran into the Geneva process. While Secretary of State John Kerry has said t

program, and now, as a result of November's interim agreement in Geneva, it does not even fear international economic sanctions. Neither the Bashar Assad regime nor Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria see any prospect of material U.S. intervention. And the main pressure being applied in the Israeli- Palestin

eapons program, and now, as a result of November's interim agreement in Geneva, it does not even fear international economic sanctions. Neither the Bashar Assad regime nor Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria see any prospect of material U.S. intervention. And the main pressure being applied in the Israeli- P

suggests that things are so bad Barack Obama has asked for "options." Three years into the war and the president wants a plan. In all probability, Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator, is not cowed by Obama threatening options. He continues to bomb his own people — barrel bombs, cluster bombs — and starve reca

st be giggling. Options that "may not exist" has the sound of Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the "Wizard of Oz": "Put 'em up. Put ' em up." For Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations mediator for Syria, this may come too late. He has failed to end the civil war if only because Assad won't. (Assad even seized

rael's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and AIPAC supporters in Washington remained nearly silent for weeks, even EFTA00678420 after evidence of Bashar al-Assad's murderous chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians outside Damascus. And they remained quiet even after Obama indicated that he was preparing a

t followed the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and EFTA00678416 Moammar Gaddafi in Libya; and preventing the future use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in a desperate last stand. These issues are crucial, so they're worth special attention. "I don't anticipate revenge killing," said Fand, ad

in and over Syria. On the face of things, there are few grounds for optimism. Absurdly, Syria is not even formally on the agenda in St Petersburg. Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League envoy for Syria, is apparently not even due to attend the meeting. Add to EFTA00678425 that Russia's generally obstructio

said to be American-supplied. This humiliating defeat shows the rise of the Islamist rebels, most of whom oppose political dialogue with President Bashar al-Assad's regime and call for the establishment of a Qur'anic-based state. It also demonstrates the near-collapse of the FSA, which the west had hoped would

s no military solution for Syria, although that may be self-evident, I do not believe that every player in this game believes that. Does President Assad believe that? President Assad believes that at the end of the day you need a political solution. But I believe that those who are pushing for a U.S

re workable. We have discussed this with various friends; we've discussed this with Turkey, we've discussed this with [U.N. Special Representative] Lakhdar Brahimi, we've discussed this with the Syrian government. Have you talked with the United States about this? We have not had any discussions with the U.S.

took place in Mohamed Ali square on December 4th. EFTA00668482 Syria: As the United Nation's estimate of the official death toll reached 60,000, Bashar Al Assad proposed a peace initiative on January 6th comprising a national reconciliation conference and a new government. His appearance and tone on nationa

earance and tone on national television was reminiscent of Qaddafi's last ditch efforts at restoring order in war-torn Libya in the middle of 2011. Assad's rare appearance and proposal contrasted with the facts on the ground, particularly several new defections, most crucially the head of the military

ity continue, but without noticeable progress. Following a meeting with Assad on December 24th in Syria, UN—Arab League Joint Special Enjoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi held a third trilateral meeting with US and Russian diplomats on January 11th in Geneva. According to press reports, Brahimi was quoted after the me

The Islamic State has not replaced its black flag with a white one= nor has it shrunk appreciably in size. Obama's attempt to unsea= Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has not produced much either, other than in=reased violence and chaos in the poor, benighted country. The Pentag=n's effort to train and re-insert

The Rus=ian government claims that it is targeting the Islamic State, but many of =he air strikes appear to have hit other rebel groups fighting the Assad re=ime. And in the 11 EFTA_R1_00006487 EFTA01732892 short period that the air strikes have taken place, =hey've predictably generated the usual

e claim that leaders around the world were illegal=y profiting from the Oil for Food program. These charges were around=the same time that UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi indicated that Chalabi would l=kely not be welcome in a future Iraqi government. Up until this time= Chalabi had been mentioned a number of times by

, the question may well be redundant because military intervention is already taking place in a variety of ways. Russia and Iran continue to supply Bashar Al-Assad's forces with arms and military advice, while elements of Lebanese Hezbollah may also be involved in fighting anti-Assad units. At the other end of

folly of a `game- changing' intervention. Such a course of action must have the magnitude to tip the balance in favor of the rebels and accelerate Assad's downfall. Those opposed to intervention represent a spectrum of opinions. Some are pacifists who oppose all wars. Others are political orphans o

ome a fig leaf to hide inaction. Over the past two years, numerous diplomatic efforts have been made, including two missions led by Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi, two diplomats of the highest standing. Thanks to inside knowledge, we can report that Brahimi has offered the fairest and the most realistic comp

initiative spearheaded by Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, a new plan by Syrian opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib - comprising a dialogue with President al-Assad based on the principle of the regime's departure-offers a glimmer of hope. Upon meeting with al-Khatib on February 3rd *, the foreign ministers of Ir

war and the general volatility permeating the region. Despite the lack of progress of an international peace initiative spearheaded by Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, a new plan by Syrian opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib - comprising a dialogue with President al-Assad based on the principle of the regime's departu