Epstein Secrets

egime. Instead, demonstrations spread to more Syrian cities and villages, the rallying point being lifting the military siege on the city of Daraa. Damascus accuses Hariri supporters, Khaddam's mercenaries, Muslim Brothers, Salafists, al-Qaida terrorists, and sleeper cells planted by the former Egyptian

former ruling party, the NDP. Yemen The Gulf Cooperation Council's compromise initiative was finally accepted by both the opposition and President Saleh last week. The compromise agreement stipulates, inter alia, that President Saleh will relinquish power within thirty days, on the proviso that he a

East Update [[email protected]] Middle East Update - May 25-31, 2011 Middle East Update May 25-31, 2011 Syria International pressure on Damascus is mounting. After the US imposed sanctions on the Syrian leadership earlier in May, the EU foreign ministers agreed to impose travel bans and to fre

ark, protesters can disperse to unlit alleyways to escape arrest—a tactic Syrian activists call "tayyara" or flying. Yemen The authority of President Saleh's government continues to erode rapidly and Yemen appears to be edging closer towards a civil war. Tribal fighters in the capital of Sanaa, have gain

is also determined to improve relations with Syria, and rumors have surfaced that the new chief of Intelligence, Murad Muwafi, has secretly visited Damascus twice. These developments have generated questions about the emergence of a new axis, but a likelier explanation is that the new leadership is dete

litary elite made it impossible to end the Houthis' rebellion, or stem the tide of the secessionist movement in the south of the country. President Saleh did not work to extend the writ of the state beyond major urban centers lest the sheikhs turn against him. He also did not give as much attention to

eeks has had little impact on the continuing violence in Syria. UN-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on July 9. The focus is now on promoting dialogue between the regime and opposition groups. Russia's ongoing support of the Assad regime has been a

er three towns previously held by al- Qaeda. President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi continues to wrestle for control of the military from former President Saleh's family and friends. On June 18, the U.N. Secretary-General announced his intention to open a small office of the Special Adviser on Yemen for one

replaces the old idea of dynasty. The regime of the Al-Assads does not believe in freedom of information. An American journalist friend of mine, in Damascus during the regime of the father, Hafez, witnessed a failed attempt to assassinate that president, and he accordingly filed a report to his wire ser

ge and willing to do something about it. But does Yemen have sufficient cohesion in its makeup to prevail over its combustibility? The prospect of Saleh coming back as president touches in Tawakkul Karman a self-destructive anger. "If [he] returns and is president, people will blow themselves up. We

ces reportedly killed more than 30 protesters on Friday and used attack helicopters in the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour. The following day, Damascus announced that 120 police and security forces were ambushed and killed by terrorist elements in Jisr al-Shughour. There were reports of armed clash

t those of IPI. Yemen Yemen is in a state of political paralysis and the power vacuum is enticing to separatist and terrorist movements. President Saleh's future political plans remain murky. German and Saudi doctors operated on the President in Riyadh removing shrapnel from his chest and neck. Saleh

eir rule. Had we begun this process with Abdullah Saleh of Yemen in 1978 or with Mubarak in 1981, things

ression, as do reports that the White House blocked Pentagon and CIA plans to arm the opposition that's fighting to overthrow Iran's client regime in Damascus. An America that won't help proxies in a proxy war isn't likely to take the fight directly to Iran's nuclear facilities. In rejecting Mr. Biden's off