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 MoreDupă 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.
Anti-Turkey alliance emerging in the Arab World
The intended target of the UAE-Israel alliance is not Iran but Turkey, whose regional clout poses a threat to Gulf rulers, says David Hearst, the editor in chief of Middle East Eye.
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.
Haftar received a warship from Russia to repel the Turks off the coast of Libya
The Libyan National Army [LNA – ed.], led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, received a repaired Soviet Dolphin-class warship under Project 1159, with the help of which it should repel possible Turkish attacks off the coast of Libya.
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.
US support to the Lebanese Armed Forces benefits regional security and stability
In May 2007, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) faced one of its greatest challenges to date as it battled the dangerous terrorist organization Fatah al-Islam in the Palestinian camp of Nahr Elbared, one of the most densely populated areas in northern Lebanon.
Europe’s Anti-Immigrant Parties and Illiberal Leaders
The continent is a hotbed for populist movements, mostly driven by anti-immigrant sentiment. In countries where those parties have won power, particularly in the east, they have often attempted to dismantle democratic institutions.