The origins and evolution of the Grinch that derailed the Arab Spring

The Pakistanization  of Turkey and the Afghanization of Syria in the new proxy-war   by Ahmed E. Souaiaia*   Witnessing the first democratic elections in Tunisia in 2011, I stood at the edge of the city listening to residents explaining the role of “neighborhood watch committees” in keeping peace and protecting personal and public property. Read more

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Turkey’s lost and future opportunities in Syria

by Foti Benlisoy and Annalena Di Giovanni Turkey A few months ago, in January 2013, an accident in a steel factory of Gaziantep, a bordering town in southwest Turkey, claimed the lives of seven workers. Under normal circumstances such news would have passed unobserved and eventually forgotten; Turkey is after all a country in which Read more

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Between the Kurdistan and Syria crises lies Turkey’s moral and legal dilemma

by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Casualties of Syria’s war Turkey’s zero-problem with its neighbors foreign policy doctrine did not survive the Arab Spring test. At first, Turkey’s Justice and Development Party leaders took a cautious position regarding the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings. Their confliction was especially on display during the Libyan armed rebellion when Turkey, a member of Read more

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Revolutions and rebellions and Syria’s paths to war and peace

by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Another massacre in Syria: click  on image to view video In less than a month, peaceful Tunisian and Egyptian protesters ousted two of the most authoritarian rulers of the Arab world. The human and economic costs: a total of about 1100 people dead (300 in Tunisia and 800 in Egypt) and Read more

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News: Attacks on Kurdish neighborhood in Ras al-Ain, Syria

According to activists affiliated with the Syrian Monitor of Human Rights and the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria, a number of armed groups crossed over from Turkey to attack Kurdish neighborhood in Ras al-Ain/Sere Kaniye in north Syria. The attackers were identified as the brigades of Ahrar al-Umma, Ahrar Gowayran, Mishaal Tamo, Read more

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News Analysis: French intervention in Mali and the paradox of foe-ally militant Salafism

Based on recent events, observers might be mystified by the seemingly unprincipled French involvement in regional and world crises. When the Tunisian uprising that jump-started the Arab Spring began, French leaders sided with the regime and prominent French politicians fell from grace after the revolution succeeded in removing Ben Ali. Then, France did not take any public Read more

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News Analysis: A political solution of the Syrian crisis might be in the making

Syria Since the last disappointing meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria in Morocco, which was not attended by Secretary Clinton, diplomats have been active trying to find common ground for solving the Syrian crisis. Most notably, there has been a change of tone in the statements by the supporters of the opposition forces represented Read more

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News analysis: The Arab Spring, contradictions, and state sovereignty

Late last month, the leader of Ennahdha movement of Tunisia, Rached Ghannouchi started a world tour. He delivered several lectures and was interviewed by western media. In one of these interviews, he declared  that “the Arab world is going through a transition phase which needs coalitions to govern, which brings together Islamist and secular trends… Read more

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