Epstein Secrets

Syria could change the orientation of a regime that has been Iran's closest Arab ally, and a weapons supplier to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. As recently as last November, Kerry said after meeting Assad: "I remain absolutely convinced that there is an opportunity to have a different relat

vor aggressive action by the United States to bring the violence in Syria before the UN Security Council or seek sanctions, as was done when Libya's Moammar Gaddafi began attacking his people last month. "I think it's premature," Kerry said. "You have to see what develops in the next hours. It could reach that

gtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/01/AR2010090106666.html> collapsed within weeks. Israel's recent battle with the armed Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip left many predicting a wider fight in the futurechttp://www.washingtonpost.corn/world/middle_east/some-in-israel-see- acquiescence-in-iron-dome-miss

e East in his first year in office, with the rise of Islamist governments and the widening repercussions of civil revolt. After Obama helped topple Moammar Gaddafi<http://www.washingtonpost.corn/wp- dynkontent/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030905672.html> in Libya in 2011, many in the region wondered when he would e

e Alawite regime in Syria to maintain a foothold in the Levant through groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since the return of Syria to Sunni control would unravel a key pillar of Iranian deterrent strategy, we can expect that Iran is doing everything p

nd Syria. In both cases, the insurgents are seen in the West as the "good guys," battling corrupt, autocratic leaders. Personally, I wish that both Moammar Gaddafi and Bashar al-Assad would give up power tomorrow. But that doesn't seem in the cards: Both leaders have shown they're willing to kill thousands of