Andrew Tabler

Hezbollah Role in Syria Highlights Widening of Conflict

Syrian government forces and their Hezbollah allies from Lebanon pounded rebels yesterday in an offensive to retake the strategic city of Al-Qusair, as the country’s civil war escalates into a regional conflict.

Syrian Opposition Leader Al-Khatib Quits, Citing ‘Red Lines’

Syrian opposition leader Moaz al- Khatib, whose offer to hold talks with President Bashar al- Assad’s regime was resisted by his comrades, resigned as head of the rebel coalition as the Arab League agreed to recognize the group as Syria’s representative.

Kerry Says U.S. Will Give Aid, Funds to Syrian Fighters

The U.S. will provide support directly to Syrian rebel fighters for the first time, increasing U.S. involvement in the two-year-old war to oust President Bashar al-Assad, Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Syria Elite Dance to Dawn as Risk of Assad Collapse Fades

Sometime after midnight on a recent Thursday in Damascus, restaurant manager Aziz Asfahani joined friends at the newly opened Bartini lounge bar, where Syria’s elite dine and dance till dawn on tabletops to the thump of patriotic songs.

Arab Nations to Join U.S. in Pressing Russia Over Syria Resolution at UN

Arab and Western nations are planning a diplomatic push at the United Nations to persuade Russia to back the Arab League’s call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to relinquish power.

Syrian Rebels Seek More Global Support at Morocco Meeting

The rebels battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been seeking recognition, money and resources for months. Now that they’ve started making significant progress toward ousting him, they might get some.

Syrian Carnage Fails to Budge Russia From Mideast Ally

The slaughter of children and women in the Syrian town of Houla, reminiscent of past massacres that provoked the United Nations to step in, has failed to budge Russia into stepping away from its only Mideast ally.

Syria Seeks Urgent Arab Summit as Assad Forces Continue Protest Crackdown

Syria called for an emergency Arab League summit after the organization suspended the country as President Bashar al-Assad’s government pressed on with a crackdown against demonstrators.

Army Strain May Block Assad Repeating Father’s Blitz Nationwide

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ability to fight back against the biggest threat to his family’s four-decade rule is hampered by a wavering army and an enemy it can’t pin down.

Obama Emulating Washington Wary of Foreign Entanglements

President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech signaled a desire to avoid foreign entanglements that could endanger his domestic agenda. George Washington wasn’t able to do that, and Obama may not be either.

"It's being seen as something where the U.S. is more concerned with counter-terrorism issues than the plight of the Syrian people."

- Andrew Tabler on Dec 10, 2012

Syria

United Nations

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