Orientul Mijlociu

Special Analysises

Why is there a war in Syria?

A peaceful uprising against the president of Syria almost eight years ago turned into a full-scale civil war. The conflict has left more than 360,000 people dead, devastated cities and drawn in other countries. Even before the conflict began, many Syrians were complaining about high unemployment, corruption and a lack of political freedom under President Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded his father, Hafez, after he died in 2001. In March 2012, pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in the southern city of Deraa, inspired by the “Arab Spring” in neighbouring countries. When the government used deadly force to crush the dissent, protests demanding the president’s resignation erupted nationwide. The unrest spread and the crackdown intensified. Opposition supporters took up arms, first to defend themselves and later to rid their areas of security forces. Mr Assad vowed to crush what he called “foreign-backed terrorism”. The violence rapidly escalated and the country descended into civil war.

Read More

După modelul lui Putin, Erdogan şi-a făcut armată privată de mercenari pentru a reînvia gloria apusă a Imperiului Otoman şi pentru a se menţine la putere

Grupul militar privat Sadat, compus din mercenari şi format după modelul armatei private a liderului de la Kremlin, Wagner, este folosit de preşedintele Turciei în războaiele din Siria şi Libia, duse spun unii pentru restabilirea gloriei de altă dată a Imperilului Otoman.

Emergencies Make Awful Law: Why are Casinos Treated More Favorably than Churches During a Pandemic?

[T]he government may not discriminate against religion in general or any particular religion in particular. It need not exempt religious institutions or practitioners from rules that are generally applicable to similarly situated institutions or citizens, but it may not impose especially onerous rules on religion that limit its free exercise.

Russia strengthens military base near US troops in northeast Syria

The Russian military has reportedly strengthened its presence at the Al-Qamishli Airbase in northeastern Syria, a new report said this week.

According to Avia.Pro, the Russian Air Force moved a number of helicopters and a cargo plane to the Al-Qamishli Airbase recently, which comes only two weeks after a traffic incident with the U.S. military.

Can Turkey lead the way in regional cooperation on Black Sea gas?

On August 22, Turkey announced the discovery of Tuna-1: 320 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas off its Black Sea coast. Though questions remain as to whether it is economically viable to start production – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested this could happen as early as 2023 – the news could not go unnoticed in other littoral countries of the Black Sea. The discovery may well help spur regional cooperation.

Erdogan nurtures elite mercenary force to rival Russia’s Wagner Group

A close confidant of Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Adnan Tanriverdi claims expertise in all the dark arts of warfare.

In the eyes of some, he is the Islamic world’s most powerful gun-for-hire, a well-connected ex-general with thousands of battle-hardened Syrian mercenaries at his command. A close confidant of Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Adnan Tanriverdi claims expertise in all the dark arts of warfare, from sabotage and counter-insurgency to assassinations.