Epstein Secrets

ns, with thousands more imprisoned and tortured or driven from the country. Many Syrian activists fear the toll may be far higher. A newly released Human Rights Watch report details that army units have been given "shoot to kill" orders in dealing with unarmed protesters. In the last two days alone, at least 150

e of his control of Syria's security forces, is "first in command, not second." Bashar's comment that he doesn't own the country is reminiscent of Qaddafi's denial that he had any position of authority in Libya at the beginning of the unrest there. Likewise reminiscent of Qaddafi, who repeatedly claim

at the claim is demonstrably false -- his calm demeanor during the interview underscored this distinction between him and the emotionally unstable Qaddafi. Perhaps a better comparison for Bashar is to Qaddafi's own designated successor, his son Saif al-Islam, who was also seen as a potential force of

nuary 2011, that they have the upper hand, and they do not need to fear public accountability or questioning," said Heba Morayef, a researcher for Human Rights Watch. In the more than seven weeks since Mr. Morsi's ouster, security EFTA_R1_00441178 EFTA01964430 forces have carried out at least three mass shoot

e ownership of that process in an inclusive manner and thereby make it self-sustaining. Ditto Libya, where President Obama removed Col. Muammar el- Qaddafi's top-down, iron-fisted regime, but he declined to put U.S. troops on the ground to midwife a new social contract. The result: Libya today is no mo

illed by anti-riot forces during unrest in and around Tahrir Square, the epicenter of protest. Police routinely beat demonstrators, women included. Human Rights Watch has documented torture and abuse of detainees by soldiers. Military personnel carried out abusive "virginity tests" on women in detention. Servile

of Arab rulers," Muammar al-Qaddafi. For four tormenting decades, Libyans had been at the mercy of this prison warden, part tyrant, part buffoon. Qaddafi had eviscerated his country, the richest in Africa yet with an abysmally impoverished EFTA_R1_00234071 EFTA01845125 population. In the interwar

have seized northern Mali, the military in the south appears intent on striking back at rivals who carried out a failed countercoup in late April. Human Rights Watch accused the army of engaging in a campaign of "horrific" abuse against opposing soldiers at the junta's headquarters outside Bamako. One witness rep

ns in Mali and Niger over several decades, and analysts in the region say the most recent uprising in Mali is closely linked to the fall of Colonel Qaddafi, whose weapons are suspected of playing a major role in the Malian rebels' success. That success led to intense frustration in the 7,00o-strong Mal