Ankara
Speaking Thursday before the U.N. General Assembly, just one day after the latest massacre of civilians by government-affiliated forces, Kofi Annan warned that the crisis in Syria was on a disastrous course. “If things do not change, the future is likely to be one of brutal repression, massacres, sectarian violence and even all-out civil war,” he said. “All Syrians will lose.” READ MORE >>
Will Syria’s Sectarian Divisions Spill Over Into Turkey?
Observers of the growing humanitarian crisis in Syria are increasingly worried that the conflict will turn into sectarian struggle, and with good reason: The Assad regime has enjoyed overwhelming support among Syria’s minority Alawite population while the country’s Sunni majority is leading the anti-Assad rebellion. But the conflict poses another risk. It may stir sectarian tensions in Turkey, which could, in turn, complicate any international intervention against Assad’s regime. READ MORE >>
The only real surprise about the six-point peace plan for Syria put forward by United Nations envoy Kofi Annan is why it took until yesterday, the eve of its proposed ceasefire, for the world to declare it a failure. Reacting to the latest violence throughout Syria on Monday, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that Washington is “not hopeful” that Tuesday would see a cessation of hostilities. But any such hope was naïve to begin with. READ MORE >>
Why Turkey Hasn’t Intervened in Syria
The Case for Organizing a Military Force From Muslim Countries to Intervene in Syria
This article is a contribution to ‘What Should the United States Do About Syria?: A TNR Symposium.’ READ MORE >>
Five Things Obama Can (and Should) Do to Topple Assad
The Strongman
As If We Needed Any More Proof That Obama's Courting of Turkey Was Another in His String of Failures
The courting was actually of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the personification of the new Turkey. And it wasn't as if Erdogan was an unknown quantity. READ MORE >>
