Topic: Syria

Obama: Syria Isn't Another Iraq

PBS

President Obama defended the administration's decision to "ramp up" their support to Syrian rebel forces by, among other things, providing some lethal aid, during a sprawling interview with Charlie Rose that aired late Monday night on PBS.

By John Hudson

Mar 2, 2012

Syrian Rebels Are Out of Food and on the Run

A bleak series of reports on retreating rebel forces in Syria depict a movement that's out-gunned, out-maneuvered and out of basic food and medical supplies.

Comments | 172 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Mar 2, 2012

Obama: 'As President of the United States, I Don't Bluff'

Bluffing, the dangers of letting Iran play the victim, and the lack of buddy-buddy time with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu--it's all in The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg's interview with President Obama.

Comments | 1,301 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Mar 2, 2012

Red Cross Convoy On Its Way to Homs

The International Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent have sent a seven-truck convoy of food and medical supplies to the city of Homs after rebel fighter drew from the city under siege.

Comments | 689 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Mar 1, 2012

Finally, China and Russia Are Condemning Syria

The entire United Nations Security Council is doing something about the increasingly horrific situation in Syria.

Comments | 2,135 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Mar 1, 2012

Weather Gives Syrians a Reprieve, Britain Closes Its Damascus Embassy

The British foreign secretary announced today that the UK has closed its embassy in Syria and has sent home its entire diplomatic staff.

Comments | 975 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 29, 2012

U.N. Tries Humanitarian Angle on Syria, Ground Offensive Underway in Homs

The United Nations is working on a new Security Council resolution designed to win support from China and Russia by focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Comments | 994 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 28, 2012

Seed Safety Deposits: A Special Kind of Syrian Doomsaying

All kinds of things portend escalating war in Syria, such as the country's envoy storming out of a U.N. meeting on the country's crisis, but the quiet deposit of Syrian seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault carries a special kind of apocalyptic prediction.

Comments | 369 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 28, 2012

Injured Western Journalists Reportedly Make it Out of Syria

Though there are multiple reports that journalists Paul Conroy and Elizabeth Bouvier have been safely removed from Syria, we're all just waiting for confirming YouTube documentation.

Comments | 597 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 28, 2012

Death Tolls Rise as 'Massacre' Continues in Syria

Calls for increased sanctions, including those targeting individual members of the Syrian leadership, have done nothing to deter the government's quest to crush opposition activists through increasingly violent means. 

Comments | 992 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Feb 27, 2012

The Syrian Activist Hit List Looks Like It's Real

Mother Jones has published an in-depth look at a 718-page document supposedly leaked from intelligence forces inside the Bashar al Assad's regime that they're calling the "Syria hit list."

Comments | 1,319 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 27, 2012

'89 Percent' of Syrians Voted to Keep Assad in Power until 2028

Stopping themselves short of 100 percent, Syrian television reports that 89.4 percent of Syrians approved the new constitution proposed by President Bashar al-Assad, and that 57.4 percent of the population turned up to vote.


Comments | 103,342 Views

By Seth Abramovitch

Feb 26, 2012

Syrians Not Being Slaughtered Welcome to Vote on New Charter

As its citizens continue to be killed by their own military, the polls in Syria have opened today on a sham referendum that could keep President Bashar al-Assad in power until 2028. 

Comments | 1,207 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Feb 24, 2012

U.S. Pledges $10 Million For Syrian Aid as Evacuation of Homs Begins

After the International Red Cross opened up talks with the Syrian government, aid workers started to evacuate sick or wounded women and children from Homs on Friday.

Comments | 1,023 Views

By John Hudson

Feb 24, 2012

'Friends of Syria' to Assad: Cease-Fire or Else...

There's nothing like a vague threat to show you mean business.

Comments | 1,359 Views

By John Hudson

Feb 23, 2012

Romney's Plan Could Put 75,000 Troops in Syria

Wednesday night's GOP debate saw a lot of tough talk when it came to intervening in Syria, but a new report by the United States Central Command gives an ominous view of what destabilizing the Assad regime could do.

Comments | 2,069 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 23, 2012

Injured French Journalist Desperately Needs to Get Out of Syria

In a six and a half minute video posted to YouTube Thursday, Edith Bouvier, a journalist at Le Figarois pleading with the French government for her evacuation after she was hurt in the same shelling attacks that killed Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik.

Comments | 4,222 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 23, 2012

United Nations Compiles Syrian War Criminal List It Can't Enforce

It's sort of exciting that the United Nations has a secret list of Syrian officials that it may probe for war crimes in the International Criminal Court, but even they admit that the list (just like their resolution against Syrian violence) is worthless at the moment.

Comments | 1,581 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 23, 2012

Syrian Forces Were Targeting Journalists

Following the deaths of Marie Colvin and photojournalist Remi Ochlik, there are new troubling reports that Syrian forces targeted journalists and even thought up pre-planned excuses for their deaths.

Comments | 1,128 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 22, 2012

Two Journalists Killed by Shelling in Syria

Two Western journalists — one French and one American — have reportedly been killed by military shelling in the besieged Syria city of Homs.

Comments | 1,264 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 21, 2012

State Department Hints at Deeper Syria Involvement

The United States has kept the conflict in Syria at arm's length, but a State Department spokeswoman on Tuesday suggested the U.S. would consider getting involved beyond diplomacy if it couldn't persuade the government there to step down in the face of a popular uprising.

Comments | 690 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 20, 2012

McCain Wants to Arm Syrian Rebels

Two U.S. senators said the United States should arm Syrian rebels, a plan that got a dubious reception from the top military brass and preceded a sharp warning from China's national paper that Western support could lead to a civil war.

Comments | 1,347 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 17, 2012

Journalists and Readers Mourn the Loss of Foreign Reporter Anthony Shadid

Anthony Shadid, who spent two decades covering conflicts and change in the Middle East as a correspondent for The New York TimesThe Washington Post, and others, died yesterday while on assignment in Syria

Comments | 1,290 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 15, 2012

Assad Schedules a Referendum in Syria Nearly Lost to War

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has finally made a move toward ending the burgeoning civil war there, approving a draft of a new constitution geared toward political pluralism and scheduling a national referendum for it on Feb. 26.

Comments | 728 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 15, 2012

Syria Calls for Vote on New Constitution as Shelling Continues in Homs

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has called for a referendum on a new national constitution, despite the fact there's been no let up on the fighting in the city of Homs.

Comments | 187 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 14, 2012

Syrian Forces Attack 'Randomly' as Neighbors Consider Arming Rebels

The situation in Syria is starting to look a lot like an all-out civil war, as government forces stepped up their bombardment of the rebel stronghold of Homs, and neighboring countries took the first steps toward arming the rebels.

Comments | 822 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 13, 2012

Syria Rejects U.N. Peacekeeping Proposal and Resume Shelling on Homs

Syrian authorities rejected an Arab League proposal for a U.N. peacekeepers to enter the country, while its forces have begun shelling Homs for a the tenth day.

Comments | 345 Views

By Seth Abramovitch

Feb 11, 2012

Syrian Revolutionaries Assassinate General

Syrian rebels have successfully killed the first, high-ranking official of President Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime, as the violence spreads to the capital.

Comments | 5,032 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 10, 2012

Bombs Hit Military Targets in Syria as Violence Continues

Two large explosions targeting military units in the Syrian city of Aleppo went off on Friday, as shelling and mayhem continue throughout the country. 

Comments | 1,030 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 9, 2012

Cartoon

Israel and the Big Bad Wolves

Cartoonist Steve Benson on Israel's very hairy situation.

Comments | 2,099 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 9, 2012

Syria's Nightmare Continues: 'Bashar Assad Is Not Human'

Homs continues to be pummeled by Syrian forces who shelled the city for the sixth straight day on Thursday, killing more than 30 people with rockets fired into residential neighborhoods.

Comments | 2,856 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 8, 2012

Assad's 'Commitment' Involves Shelling Homs Over and Over

Bashar al-Assad sure has a funny way of showing he's "committed" to ending violence as Syrian forces shelled the city of Homs Wednesday morning, continuing the bombardment for the fifth day in a row.

Comments

By Adam Martin

Feb 7, 2012

Italian, French, Arab Ambassadors Leave Syria as Russia Reaches Out

France and Italy have both recalled their ambassadors to Syria, as have Gulf Arab countries, but Russia has sent a special envoy to the embattled country, where violence between the government and rebels increased on Tuesday.

Comments | 590 Views

By John Hudson

Feb 6, 2012

What Happens If We Intervene in Syria?

On Sunday, the U.S. proposed an international coalition of the willing to aid Syria's opposition following a decision by Russia and China to block a U.N. effort to end the violent conflict.

Comments | 5,345 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 6, 2012

U.S. Shutters Embassy in Syria, Recalls Diplomats

The U.S. has closed its embassy in Damascus and recalled its diplomatic staff, including Ambassador Robert Ford, out of concern that the Syrian government couldn't protect the workers amid unrest.

Comments | 233 Views

By Seth Abramovitch

Feb 5, 2012

Hillary Clinton Decries U.N. 'Travesty,' Calls For Syrian Coalition

In response to yesterday's dark day for Syrian democracy, an outraged Hillary Rodham Clinton called for the international community to join the U.S. in pushing back on the al-Assad regime.

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Seth Abramovitch

Feb 4, 2012

Russia and China Veto U.N. Resolution on Syria

Coming on the deadliest single day of the Syrian uprisings, Russia and China vote against a U.N. Security Council resolution that sought to put an end to Bashar al-Assad's brutal crackdowns. 

Comments | 2,280 Views

By Seth Abramovitch

Feb 4, 2012

Obama Condemns al-Assad's 'Disdain for Human Life and Dignity'

President Obama issues a strong condemnation of Bashar al-Assad, after Syrian forces launch "an unprecedented attack" on his own people. At least 260 are dead.

Comments | 569 Views

By Adam Martin

Feb 2, 2012

If Assad Leaves Syria, Where Can He Go?

Bashar al Assad's best bet for leaving Syria before he gets killed by angry citizenry like Col. Muammar Qaddafi looks like exile, but finding somewhere for him to go may be tricky.

Comments | 785 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 31, 2012

The Hardest Part About Getting Things Done in Syria? Convincing Russia

In order to help the Syrian people, concerned nations are going to have to convince Russia first, which is what Hillary Clinton and other world leaders are convening in New York on Tuesday to do.

Comments | 172 Views

By Adam Martin

Jan 27, 2012

U.N. Stopping Short of Sanctions in Syria

The United Nations wants to try to stop the escalating violence in Syria after an Arab League monitoring mission couldn't do it, but the global organization (which includes some Syrian allies) doesn't appear to be planning any sanctions.

Comments | 345 Views

By Adam Martin

Jan 24, 2012

Arab League Members Are Fleeing Syria Observer Mission

The Arab League's observer mission in Syria is deteriorating pretty quickly, as the six member states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council withdrew their people as the Syrian foreign minister pledged to continue the state's crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Comments | 337 Views

By Eric Randall

Jan 20, 2012

The U.S. Is Preparing to Close the Syrian Embassy

The U.S. is preparing to shut down its embassy in Syria and evacuate its personnel by the end of the month, reports The Washington Post

Comments | 862 Views

By Ted Mann

Jan 15, 2012

Closer to an Actual Intervention by Arab League in Syria

The chief official of Qatar suggests Arab nations could send troops into Syria to stop President Bashar al-Assad's violence against his own people.

Comments | 1,768 Views

By Adam Martin

Jan 11, 2012

French Journalist Killed in Homs as Syria Situation Deteriorates

The news from Syria is often grim these days, but on Wednesday it had an extra air of tragedy: Two journalists covering the unrest there were reportedly killed in an explosion during a demonstration.

Comments | 2,208 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 10, 2012

Syria's Bashar Assad Says He Won't Step Aside

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad delivered a defiant televised address on Tuesday saying that he will not step down and will not institute new democratic reforms, insisting that unrest in his country is the work of a foreign conspiracy.

Comments | 1,230 Views

By Adam Martin

Jan 5, 2012

Syria Tries to Mollify Monitors as Activists Allege Torture

Syrian state television announced Thursday that the government had released 500 prisoners as part of the Arab League's plan to end the crisis, but activists there say it's covering up ongoing human rights violations, including torture chambers.

Comments | 489 Views

By Adam Martin

Jan 2, 2012

Syria Withdraws Tanks, Frees Prisoners, Kills Protesters, Arab League Says

Syria's military has complied with some parts of an Arab League plan to stop a government crackdown on protesters, having withdrawn its heavy weapons from cities and freed prisoners, but it's still shooting people, Arab League officials said.

Comments | 690 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 1, 2012

Even the Arab League Wants Their Monitors Out of Syria

After days of protests and continuing violence, an Arab League advisory board issued a statement Sunday morning calling for the monitoring group to withdraw from Syria.

Comments | 1,865 Views

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