Epstein Secrets

demonstration here recently shows that Syrians share the yearning for dignity that's sweeping the Arab world - and also illustrates why President Bashar al-Assad so far hasn't been threatened by this tide of anger. Here's what happened on Feb. 19, according to accounts provided separately by a Western diplo

ar. The police officers were reprimanded. The crowd eventually dispersed, and some (perhaps with official encouragement) began chanting in favor of Assad. The government did another sensible thing: Rather than try to suppress information about the event (which would have been futile, EFTA00586493

an and Egyptian militaries. Moreover, neighboring monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia, with its own EFTA00586512 25 restive Shia population in the Eastern Province, see Bahrain's current government as their first line of defense against unrest in their own countries and may try to help Hamad retain control. M

ty to get in the way of "this narrative" by arguing that external intervention would be disastrous, are roundly condemned as complicit in President Assad's crimes against humanity. This school of journalism - the Guardian and Channel Four are good examples of this "I-was-there" reporting - that empha

gdom Divided Elham Fakhro March 8, 2012 -- Saudi Arabia's "day of rage" planned for last March failed to gain ground, and protests concentrated in the Eastern Province fell short of producing a national consensus around demands for political reform. The country's domestic stability has been attributed to a combin

secretary-general Annan's plan for a political settlement was announced, the Turkish leadership made it clear that there could be no solution with Assad in power. With this policy of direct confrontation, Ankara not only strove to obtain the moral high ground. It also sought to precipitate the fall

t has arrested prominent Shiite dissidents -- always suspected of possible ties to Iran -- and doubled the number of Saudi National Guard forces in the Eastern Province, home to the vast majority its 2 million-plus Shiite citizens as well as the close to 90 percent of its oil production. Oil markets might have tak