The United States has been funding Syria opposition groups since 2005.
Syria, the United States, and the El Salvador Option (Part One)
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Middle East & North Africa
Taliban Vaccination Ban: Paranoia or Based in Fact?
CIA taints polio vaccination campaigns by using them as a cover for espionage.
U.S. in No Position to Condemn Alleged Russian Transfer of Helicopter Gunships to Syrian Regime
The Obama administration’s opposition to the alleged Russian arms sale is the result reflects a desire to weaken the Syrian regime’s ability to combat rebels armed by U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Congress Attempts to Legislate Away Containment of Iran and Replace It With War
Iran could be forgiven for interpreting our coercive diplomacy as a reason, were it so inclined, to arms itself with nuclear weapons.
The Pitfalls of Presidential Priestliness
One of the most resonant details from The New York Times’ recent feature on the Obama administration’s targeted killing program is the president’s apparent fondness for the writings of Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo, two early Christian thinkers who attempted to reconcile the pacifist teachings of Christ with the compromises that leaders must make in their inherently violent line of work. The president, it is suggested, strives to wage a “just war” against militants abroad, exacting only as much violence as is necessary to protect the United States from harm.
Algeria and the Arab Spring
A year ago, waves of uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa swept away western-backed tyrants one after the other – first Tunisia’s Ben Ali, then Egypt’s Mubarak… It seemed the list of toppled dictators was bound to go on and on. These uprisings were unforgettable historical events and the emancipatory experience was so contagious that people all over the world were inspired. Occupiers from London to Wall Street were proud to “Walk like an Egyptian”.
West Falls for Iran’s Show of “Sanitizing” Parchin
To Iran, uranium enrichment is a bargaining chip.
Congress Pushes for War with Iran
In another resolution apparently designed to prepare for war against Iran, the U.S. House of Representatives, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan 401–11 vote, has passed a resolution (HR 568) urging the president to oppose any policy toward Iran “that would rely on containment as an option in response to the Iranian nuclear threat.”
Review: Eclipse of the Sunnis
The destruction of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 created a power vacuum in the center of the Middle East. Nearly a decade of sectarian warfare and chaos ensued as militants from various communities fought mercilessly for control of Iraq. Ethnic, tribal, and religious divisions proved to be stronger than any unifying national Iraqi identity after the Ba’athist regime collapsed. Ultimately, the Shiites, who comprise 60-65 percent of Iraq’s population, won control of the state.
Will Stuxnet Start Another Arms Race?
As with nuclear weapons, cyber-defense lags behind cyberwarfare.