Deadly Raid on Syrian Students Protesting
On Wednesday , students gathered to protest at the University of Aleppo. Security forces raided the campus breaking up the demonstration. Four students died, 28 were injured and 200 were arrested. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, warned that the events could mark a turning point for Syria's second city, triggering residents to mobilise in solidarity with the students. White House press secretary Jay Carney stated "if the regime’s ...
HRW: War Crimes in Idlib
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report titled "They Burned My Heart': War Crimes in Northern Idlib during Peace Negotiations," documenting Syrian security forces perpetuating "extrajudicial executions, killings of civilians, and destruction of civilian property that qualify as war ...
May 2, 2012
Category: Civil War, Featured, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Protests, Syria, US foreign policy
More Violence in Syria Despite UN monitors
Today , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 26 deaths, despite the declaration of a cease fire and presence of UN monitors. Civilian deaths were concentrated in the Idlib province. Twelve soldiers were also reportedly killed in the province ...
Freedom House: “Breakthroughs and Pushback in the Middle East”
On Tuesday, Freedom House released their annual freedom of the press report entitled “Press Freedom in 2011: Breakthroughs and Pushback in the Middle East.” Dramatic improvements in media freedoms occurred in the region—specifically in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt—as citizens overthrew their autocratic leaders, ending an era of tightly censored media information. Tunisia and Libya made record-breaking improvements in 2011, transitioning from among the world’s most oppressive countries to partly free. Despite ...
May 1, 2012
Category: Bahrain, Civil Society, Egypt, Freedom, Iran, Journalism, Libya, Media, Middle Eastern Media, Syria
The ‘Third Current’ of the Syrian Uprising
On Monday, Syrian state TV reported nine deaths and 100 wounded when a bomb exploded in the Syrian town of Idlib. State TV blamed the violence on opposition suicide bombers, although opposition forces denied involvement. The International Crisis ...
April 30, 2012
Category: Congress, Featured, Syria, UN Security Council, United Nations, US foreign policy
Obama ‘s “Board Against Mass Murders” Under Debate
Writing for Foreign Policy, Christian Caryl addressed President Barack Obama decision on Monday to create a body called the Atrocities Prevention Board (APB). The APB directly informs the highest levels of administration - including the White House - on mass human rights violations. The controversy
Should Assad Go? Congress is Divided
Republicans cannot decide on whether Bashar al-Assad should go, says Josh Rogin. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Casey’s (D-PA) resolution condemning the violence in Syria revealed divisions in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Bob Corker ...
POMED Notes: Confronting Damascus: U.S. Policy Toward the Evolving Situation in Syria, Part II
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing on examining U.S. response to the evolving crisis in Syria. The witness were Marc Lynch, a professor at George Washington University, Andrew Tabler, a next generation fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Mara Karlin, instructor in strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University. Steve Chabot (R-OH) presided over the committee. For full event notes, ...
April 26, 2012
Category: Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Protests, Syria, US foreign policy
“Syria’s Phase of Radicalization” and an Inside look at Kitaba Farouq
The International Crisis Group (ICG) released a report discussing the radicalization of they Syrian opposition groups as a result of continued violence. The report goes into detail highlighting the specific ways in which the violence has worsened even ...
Ban Ki-Moon Announces Decision to Expand Monitoring Mission
Secretary General of the U.N. Ban Ki-Moon announced his decision to expand the observer mission in Syria, placing an additional 300 observers on the ground in Syria by the beginning of next week. Monday saw an escalation in violence, ...
April 24, 2012
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Human Rights, Sectarianism, Syria, UN Security Council, United Nations
20 People Killed in Syria Day After UN Resolution on Observer Mission
Today, just following the U.N. resolution on the deployment of 300 observers in Syria, 18 people have been reportedly killed in the central city of Hama. Thirty U.N. observers are expected to arrive in Syria this week. If U.N. General Secretary Ban ...
Obama’s Executive Order Targets Technology in HR Abuses
President Barack Obama issued an executive order today that allows U.S. officials to impose sanctions against companies who use technologies, including cellphone tracking and Internet monitoring, to help carry out grave human rights abuses. The order particularly ...
April 23, 2012
Category: Featured, Freedom, Government, Human Rights, Iran, sanctions, Syria, Technology, US foreign policy
April 22, 2012
Category: Featured, Government, Human Rights, Syria, UN Security Council, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: Syria: U.S. Policy Options
On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing to discuss U.S. policy options for Syria amid the recent developments of the deployment of U.N. monitors, a fragile ceasefire, and a continued humanitarian crisis. Presenting testimony was Professor of Middle East Studies at the NESA Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University Murhaf Jouejati, Director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic ...
April 20, 2012
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Category: Committee Meetings, Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (Senate), Event Notes, POMED, Syria, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee: Recent Developments in the Middle East: The Security Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee conducted a hearing on the recent developments in the Middle East, particularly relating to Syria. The speakers were the honorable Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense, and General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) chaired the hearing. For full event notes, continue reading below or click here for the PDF Buck McKeon reflected on the ...
April 20, 2012
Category: Arab League, Civil War, Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Event Notes, Syria, US foreign policy
Assange Inaugurates Television Show with Nasrallah
Michael Young writes in the Daily Star about Julian Assange’s new talk show, which debuted on Wednesday with an interview with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The article notes that the show is on Russia Today, a Kremlin sponsored channel. Young mentions that a major topic of conversation revolved around Syria. Nasrallah states that Hizbollah had contacted the Syria opposition, but, “from the beginning we have had a regime that is willing ...
Syrian Ceasefire Violated by Both Sides
Reports have emerged that Syrian forces have sent a barrage of mortar fire at an opposition stronghold in Homs, which has been under almost continuous attack since a ceasefire began last Thursday. Likewise, Syrian state news SANA reported there were two separate roadside bombs which killed ten members of the security forces and a civilian. The recent spat of violence erupted in the midst of the arrival of an advance team of ...