Epstein Secrets

rtunity the regime once possessed is being jeopardised by its actions. Brutal repression has overshadowed belated, half-hearted reform suggestions; Bashar has squandered credibility; his regime has lost much of the legitimacy derived from its foreign policy. The international community, largely from

t did not have to be so. The protest movement is strong and getting stronger but yet to reach critical mass. Unlike toppled Arab leaders, President Bashar Assad enjoyed some genuine popularity. Many Syrians dread chaos and their nation's fragmentation. But whatever opportunity the regime once possessed is

ss. Unlike toppled Arab leaders, President Bashar Assad enjoyed some genuine popularity. Many Syrians dr

. Vladimir Putin has even revived Leonid Brezhnev's notorious practice of putting dissidents into psychiatric institutions. According to journalist Andrei Soldatov, Russia is also working to prevent a "Facebook Revolution" by proposing that the owners of online social media be responsible for all content post

le, including by the repeated use of chemical weapons, and yet has remarkably culminated in the re- legitimization of the person responsible for it, Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian civil war— particularly the White House's inept and improvisational response to it—has accidentally transformed Putin into a major powe

military aid to moderate groups in the Syrian opposition, enough to raise their hopes but not enough to ensure success on the battlefield. And when Assad used chemical weapons against civilian neighborhoods, Obama threatened military action — only to back off, again dashing the hopes of pro-U.S. fact

hat they serve their jail time in their native country. Instead, they were flown back to Moscow, given a hero's welcome, then let go. According to Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, authors of The New Nobility: The Restoration of Russia's Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB, this operation—equal

ammad Suleiman, a top aide to President Bashar al-Assad who had been working with North Korea to build a

71 184 | HOW AMERICA LOST ITS SECRETS 2008. It revealed that a group of Israeli commandos killed General Muhammad Suleiman, a top aide to President Bashar al-Assad who had been working with North Korea to build a nuclear facil- ity in Syria. Israel had destroyed that facility in Operation Orchard nearly a year e

n thinking, a former U.S. communica- tions intelligence worker who stole American state secrets, such as Snowden, would be under the FSB’s scrutiny. Andrei Soldatov, the co-author of the 2010 book The New Nobil- ity: The Restoration of Russia’s Security State and the Endur- ing Legacy of the KGB, who was personal

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

n Russia. At the very minimum, a former US intelligence worker who stole American state secrets, such as Snowden, would be under the FSB’s scrutiny. Andrei Soldatov, the co-author of the 2010 book The New Nobility: the Restoration of Russia's Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB, and who was personal