Epstein Secrets

ing began more than a year ago, few predicted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad would ever teeter toward collapse. Now, though, the demise of Damascus's current leadership appears inevitable, and Syria's revolution will likely be an unpredictable, protracted, and grim affair. Some see similarities

nited States, to direct military actions, even when they entail enormous risks. And obviously, the bin Laden operation is the most dramatic, but al- Qaeda was on its [knees] well before we took out bin Laden because of our activities and my direction. In Afghanistan, we've made very tough EFTA00719570

ship may well find itself quietly experiencing an improbable nostalgia for its intractable — yet entirely predictable and effectively tame — foe in Damascus. Ankle 3. Foreign Policy Jim Baker: Realists have been EFTA_R1_00537938 EFTA02029057 successful stewards of foreign policy Josh R0611 August

actor with an agenda independent of the mainstream Syrian opposition, given the growing reports of the emergence on the battlefield of various al- Qaeda affiliated jihadist groups. Syria's borders with Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq have become increasingly porous — Sunni insurgents and jihadists once en

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

the court's action calling it a coup and took to the streets in protest. In Yemen, the army regained control over 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, th

ng Israel's frontier with Syria and Lebanon after Lebanon's Hezbollah militia said a fighter was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus last week." The Israeli military has since "boosted its forces on its northern front." An Israeli military spokeswoman "said on Sunday that an Isra

le scopes that would be used to 'kill American soldiers." She "was in contact with two undercover FBI employees, one of whom she believed was an al- Qaeda member." The AP (7/24) reports that she "contemplated using her federal coronavirus relief payment to support al-Qaida," but the FBI could no confir

sing began more than a year ago, =ew predicted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad would ever teeter tow=rd collapse. Now, though, the demise of Damascus's current leadership appe=rs inevitable, and Syria's revolution will likely be an unpredictable, protracted, and grim affair. Some see sim=larities

nited States, to direct military actions, even when they ent=il enormous risks. And obviously, the bin Laden operation is the most dramatic, but al- Qaeda was on its [kne=s] well before we took out bin Laden because of our activities and my dire=tion. In Afghanistan, we've made very tough decisions bec

at=20EI ron/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Wi ndows/Tem porary%20Internet%20Files/Conte=t. I E5/NXRD KT39/11%20May.doc#c> Fpreign A=fairs Isr=el's Man in Damascus Efraim Halevy <http://www.foreignaffarrs.com/author/efraim-halevy> Article 4. <file:///ClUsers/Efrat=20EI ron/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Wi ndows/Tem

th of Iran's involvement in the fig=ting. It is entirely conceivable, in other words, that a post-Assad regime in Syria would be explicitly pro=96a1 Qaeda or even more openly pro-Iran. Either result would be unacceptab=e to Israel. Of course, an extended civil wa= in Syria does not serve Israel's inte

ary 27, 2012 -- Hamas's no longer undisputed leader Khaled Mashaal is now in deep trouble. He's having difficulty finding a new home after leaving Damascus, and during his travels across the Arab world, he's meeting with growing opposition to his policies from within his own movement. This is the most

f the successor regime to the Assads. The opposition forces have been endorsed not just by the US, but also by al- EFTA_R1_00230060 EFTA01842755 Qaeda, which must be a first. Remembering that western weapons once supplied the precursors to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the west should be extremely

icals would turn out to be the Palestinian Islamists of Hamas. Yet, Tuesday's announcement that the Hamas leadership has officially relocated from Damascus, and its public declarations of support for the Syrian rebels, suggest a dramatic political break with Iran — and with it the end of any illusion

out of Syria. Particular attention should be paid to preventing them from being transferred to Hezbollah and Iran or falling into the hands of al- Qaeda. Washington should also develop contingency plans with these countries and the Syrian opposition to prepare a disaster response plan for the possib

ng Israel's frontier with Syria and Lebanon after Lebanon's Hezbollah militia said a fighter was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus last week." The Israeli military has since "boosted its forces on its northern front." An Israeli military spokeswoman "said on Sunday that an Isra

le scopes that would be used to 'kill American soldiers." She "was in contact with two undercover FBI employees, one of whom she believed was an al- Qaeda member." The AP (7/24) reports that she "contemplated using her federal coronavirus relief payment to support al-Qaida," but the FBI could no confir

ver majority, Erdogan portrayed himself as a neo-Ottoman savior. "Believe me, Sarajevo won today as much as Istanbul, Beirut won as much as Izmir, Damascus won as much as Ankara!" he told cheering crowds at a victory speech in the capital. "The West Bank and Jerusalem won as much as [Turkish Kurdistan'

Pakistan." But is anyone still listening? As Sept. 11 approached in Washington, Republicans and Democrats were talking about the wars against al- Qaeda and the Taliban as an enterprise in need of rapid closure — if not a monumental folly. "Ten years later, we look at the situation, and we say, we h