Difference between revisions of "Syrian War"

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==US policy: Cold War revisited==
 
==US policy: Cold War revisited==
  
The Obama position started in support of Assad, with Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] calling him a reformer. As of late, the Obama administration has been telling him to step down. In March 2013, Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] indicated for the first time that the U.S. is training elements of the Syrian belligerent forces. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Kerry appears to confirm US helping train Syrian opposition http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Fox News, March 05, 2013]</ref> Russia is Syria's ally and has been supplying the regime with weapons. Putin is angry with the Obama administration for helping the jihadists,<ref>Putin has been fighting similar forces in Chechnya for a decade.</ref>  blaming the U.S. for the deteriorating situation.  A NATO fighter jet was shot down by Syrian armed forces after intruding into Syrian airspace from Turkey.<ref>NATO has been testing Syria's Russian-supplied air defences as talk of a no-fly zone has been floated. Among NATO, only the US has the capability to implement a no-fly zone.</ref>   
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The Obama position started in support of Assad, with Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] calling him a reformer. As of late, the Obama administration has been telling him to step down. In March 2013, Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] indicated for the first time that the U.S. is training elements of the Syrian belligerent forces. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Kerry appears to confirm US helping train Syrian opposition http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Fox News, March 05, 2013]</ref> Russia is Syria's ally and has been supplying the regime with weapons and air defence. Putin is angry with the Obama administration for helping the jihadists,<ref>Putin has been fighting similar forces in Chechnya for a decade.</ref>  blaming the U.S. for the deteriorating situation.  A NATO fighter jet was shot down by Syrian armed forces after intruding into Syrian airspace from Turkey.<ref>NATO has been testing Syria's Russian-supplied air defences as talk of a no-fly zone has been floated. Among NATO, only the US has the capability to implement a no-fly zone.</ref>   
  
 
Obama has sought to do more for the jihadis and has vowed to work with Turkey to topple Assad. In addition, [[Qatar]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] have set up a base in Turkey to help funnel supplies and weapons. <ref>[http://www.rt.com/news/syria-rebel-base-turkey-qatar-230/comments/ Turkey sets up secret anti-Assad rebel base with Saudi Arabia and Qatar - reports, RT.com, July 27, 2012]</ref> Israel does not want to see chemicals weapons in the hands of rebels and has publicly announced they have military plans to stop that transaction. [[Iran]] says they will not let the Assad regime collapse and is prepared to attack Qatar and Saudi Arabia. <ref>[http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/01/source-iran-readies-attacks-against-saudi-arabia-qatar/#ixzz22KvLDJfmSource: Iran readies attacks against Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Daily Caller, August 1, 2012]</ref>
 
Obama has sought to do more for the jihadis and has vowed to work with Turkey to topple Assad. In addition, [[Qatar]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] have set up a base in Turkey to help funnel supplies and weapons. <ref>[http://www.rt.com/news/syria-rebel-base-turkey-qatar-230/comments/ Turkey sets up secret anti-Assad rebel base with Saudi Arabia and Qatar - reports, RT.com, July 27, 2012]</ref> Israel does not want to see chemicals weapons in the hands of rebels and has publicly announced they have military plans to stop that transaction. [[Iran]] says they will not let the Assad regime collapse and is prepared to attack Qatar and Saudi Arabia. <ref>[http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/01/source-iran-readies-attacks-against-saudi-arabia-qatar/#ixzz22KvLDJfmSource: Iran readies attacks against Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Daily Caller, August 1, 2012]</ref>

Revision as of 16:15, March 30, 2013

Syrian Civil War began March 2011 with the simultaneous uprisings in many Mideast countries known as the Arab Spring, however the belligerent forces by the second year were largely non-state combatants and veterans of the Iraqi insurgency.

Belligerents

The government is comprised of Alawites of the Shia Islam religion led by Bashar al-Assad of the Ba'ath Party, a secular-socialist party. Embolden by the successful ousting of leaders in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, Sunni Muslims of the Free Syrian Army, foreign insurgents from Iraq, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chechnya, the U.K.,[1] Ireland[2] and terrorist forces have been furiously attacking government troops. The Syrian army would chase them down in occupied areas such as Homs, and bombard the city. Some of the regimes forces that were reluctant to fire on their own people in the early days of fighting abandoned the government and fled to Turkey. A large refugee population has fled to neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. [3]

UN deadlock

Western nations have asked the UN to condemned military actions, call for a cease fire and punish Syria with sanctions, however Russia and China have vetoed these efforts. About half of the 1.5 million people in need of aid in Syria are children and adolescents, says a UNICEF spokesperson. [4]

Changing character of opposition

The character of the opposition and insurgency has changed since the Arab Spring; in July 2012, opposition jihadis started attacking the government in their capital of Damascus. Since President Obama approved aid to rebels, a suicide bomber penetrated and killed the President's brother-in-law and the army military commander, signaling terror groups now constituted the main belligerent opposition. Brigade of Islam took credit for the attack. Also in July, jihadis launched attacks on Syria's most populated northern city of Aleppo. Rebels had captured all Iraqi border positions until government forces fought back. Iraqi trade routes are a valuable lifeline to the regimes survival.

US policy: Cold War revisited

The Obama position started in support of Assad, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling him a reformer. As of late, the Obama administration has been telling him to step down. In March 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry indicated for the first time that the U.S. is training elements of the Syrian belligerent forces. [5] Russia is Syria's ally and has been supplying the regime with weapons and air defence. Putin is angry with the Obama administration for helping the jihadists,[6] blaming the U.S. for the deteriorating situation. A NATO fighter jet was shot down by Syrian armed forces after intruding into Syrian airspace from Turkey.[7]

Obama has sought to do more for the jihadis and has vowed to work with Turkey to topple Assad. In addition, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have set up a base in Turkey to help funnel supplies and weapons. [8] Israel does not want to see chemicals weapons in the hands of rebels and has publicly announced they have military plans to stop that transaction. Iran says they will not let the Assad regime collapse and is prepared to attack Qatar and Saudi Arabia. [9]

The Muslim Brotherhood will seek to rule Syria when the Assad regime collapses. Huge stockpiles of chemical weapons and, like Libya, elements of Al Qaeda terrorist group pose regional threats in the post-Assad era. [10]

The Christians in Syria are fearful of losing the protection and tolerance they have enjoyed under Assad and the Ba'athists if the Obama-armed jihadis win.[11]

Turkey

The Turkish government has condemned the war in Syria. Also, they house 90,000 refugees from Syria. In October, Syria shelled a Turkish border town killing five civilians. Turkey's Parliament authorized military operations against Syria. The bill opens the way for unilateral action by Turkey's armed forces inside Syria. [12] Turkey responded by shelling Syria for five days. Earlier in 2012, Syria shot down a Turkish fighter plane killing two pilots.

Israel

Israel warplanes bombed a Hezbollah weapons supply convoy inside Syria, destined for the Assad government. [13] Mortar shells from the Syrian conflict often land in Israel held Golan Heights. Shimon Peres called for an intervention of the arab countries in Syria.[14] The israelian intelligence chief warned that Assad is readying chemical weapons.[15]

Iraq

Al Qaeda of Iraq massacred 48 Syrian government troops after they fled into Iraq. They were chased out of Syria by rebel forces and ambushed as they sought to seek safe refuge. [16]

Jordan

In October 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the U.S. sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to help bolster Jordan's military and help with the refugee crisis. [17]

U.S. domestic dissent of administration policy

A majority of Conservatives feel the U.S. should stay out of this civil war. In addition, they feel arming Islamic rebels is not in our interests. Conservative Rand Paul believes the Obama administration is funneling weapons to Syrian terrorist organizations through Libya. [18] A few Republicans such as Mitt Romney have called for arming the Syrian Islamic opposition with weapons.[19] A majority of Democrats have expressed no opposition to the Obama administration policy of funding extremists and toppling Assad.

See Also

References

  • Syria: Jihadists With “Birmingham Accents” Heard Among Islamist Rebel Faction Fighting Assad Regime, Weasel Zippers, July 29, 2012
  • http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2012/0922/1224324260134.html
  • Jordan: Syrian army shoots dead Syrian refugee boy, Fox News, July 27, 2012
  • UN worries showdown in Aleppo could be imminent, Fox News, July 27, 2012
  • Kerry appears to confirm US helping train Syrian opposition http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Fox News, March 05, 2013
  • Putin has been fighting similar forces in Chechnya for a decade.
  • NATO has been testing Syria's Russian-supplied air defences as talk of a no-fly zone has been floated. Among NATO, only the US has the capability to implement a no-fly zone.
  • Turkey sets up secret anti-Assad rebel base with Saudi Arabia and Qatar - reports, RT.com, July 27, 2012
  • Iran readies attacks against Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Daily Caller, August 1, 2012
  • http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/16/us-intelligence-officials-tie-al-qaeda-iraq-to-syrian-bombings/
  • http://www.worldwatchlist.us/world-watch-list-countries/syria/
  • [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/10/04/turkey-wont-declare-war-on-syria-despite-shelling-official-says-642342356/#ixzz28Ouoi4SH
  • Israeli airstrike targeted convoy of trucks inside Syria, US and regional officials say, Fox News, January 30, 2013
  • http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130312/urgent-israels-peres-urges-syria-intervention-arab-force
  • http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/14/israeli-intelligence-chief-says-assad-readying-chemical-weapons/
  • 48 Syrian soldiers killed in al-Qaeda ambush in Iraq, Times of Israel, March 4, 2013
  • US sends troops to Jordan to help deal with Syria crisis, UK Guardian, October 10, 2012
  • Sen. Rand Paul: Is Obama Administration Hiding Arms Trade to Jihadists? The New American, March 5, 2013
  • http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/08/romney-hope-is-not-strategy-in-middle-east/
  • External links