Middle East Politics.Net » Syria

Turkey and Water to Iraq and Syria

davidhulme — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:33:29 +0000

September 4, 2009 Turkey had a change of mind on how much water it could release to its neighbors, Iraq and Syria.

David Hulme

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Former President Carter Meets with Exiled Hamas Leader

pshapiro — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:33:57 +0000

Late into the hours on Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter met with Khaled Meshaal, the militant leader of Hamas who lives in exile in Damascus, Syria. We know that the major issues discussed in that meeting include the fate of Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped by Hamas back in the summer of 2006 and has been held captive ever since. The 2^nd issue is a broader negotiation for peace. There has been a six-month ceasefire that has by and large held in Gaza. That peace agreement ends this week. We will have to wait and see how that plays out. Jimmy Carter’s last meeting with Meshaal was in April. When he returned to the United States, he was under great criticism from the Bush administration, which called the meetings unhelpful. The United States classifies Hamas a terrorist organization.

Paul Shapiro

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Lebanon and Syria, Another Viewpoint

sanajong — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:55:18 +0000

Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party leader had harsh criticism for Aoun’s visit to Syria last week. It seems as if Lebanon is not only at odds with Syria personally, but also at odds with Syria’s reconciliation with the world. He heavily berated the hypocrisy of Aoun’s visit and proclaimed that he would never reconcile with his neighbor.

Why is it that Aoun is able to put the past aside and forge a relationship in order to promote unity in the Middle East, but Jumblatt cannot?

Sade San A Jong

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Aoun’s Church Tours

sanajong — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:51:40 +0000

As Lebanon’s Michel Aoun visited Syria, he toured some of its churches and Christian religious sites. This article explains the author’s frustrations with the niceties and falsehoods that the world adopts at the expense of the people in the Middle East.

Sade San A Jong

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Syria on Stage Again

sanajong — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:48:42 +0000

As Syria steps onto the main stage again and foreign dignitaries are eager to do business with its president, Bashar al-Assad, is it necessary or fair for the West, under pressure from Israel, to continue to demand that it break ties with Hamas and Hezbollah?

If these are legitimate and recognized political parties in the Middle East –what legal grounds do we have in order to make such demands?

Sade San A Jong

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Damascus and Washington

sanajong — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:46:03 +0000

Syrian top officials praise president-elect Obama’s choice of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. They see in this Obama’s seriousness for achieving peace in the Middle East. Progressive liberals back home however, who have backed the Obama candidacy for President are not happy with his choice. Of course, they too want peace in the Middle East, as stability there would provide stability around the world, especially in the United States. In addition, Obama plans to rescind the Syria Accountability Act and send a US ambassador to Syria in 2009.

What do you think are the positives that we have to look forward as a nation in terms of relations with the Middle East now that Hillary Clinton is our new secretary of state?

And what do you think about the young president-elect’s willingness to allow Syria to play again on the national stage?

Sade San A Jong

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Syrian Nuclear Effort Confirmed

sanene — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:04:00 +0000

December 4th 2008, as samples were taken by western agents from the Orontes River in Syria, they confirmed Syria’s resumed nuclear program. According to these unidentified agents, the evidence found last month were presented to the IAEA as it indicated Syria’s nuclear activity. What makes matters worse for Syria is that these findings came after Syria declined to give UN officials access to three of its suspected nuclear sites. This is just the latest in Syrian circumventions of UN searches and avoidance of international questions about its nuclear aspirations.

Samuel Anene

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Reconciliation between Lebanon and Syria Impossible

sanene — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:37:49 +0000

December 4th 2008, the leader of the Lebanese Parliament, Walid Jumblat, suggested that a peace between Syria was impossible and not feasible. Jumblat said Wednesday that the incumbent coalition wants and needs to win in order to avoid “Syrian tutelage.” He reiterated that if the incumbent party was unable to win, then Syria would succeed in sequestering Lebanese institutions and imposing its quasi-colonial rule, going back to the thirty year period of 1976 to 2005. He reiterated that reconciliation between the two nations and a reversion back to Syrian control over Lebanon was out of the question.

Samuel Anene

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US Return to Damascus?

sanene — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:30:11 +0000

December 4th, even as difficulties have been fundamental in the relationship between the United States and Syria it appears the return of an American ambassador is not far away. President Assad said Thursday that because of improved relations, the return of an American embassy to Damascus was going to happen in early 2009, sending “clear signals’ to Damascus US efforts to improve relations between the two.

Samuel Anene

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Hillary Clinton Symbolizes U.S’s Effort for Peace

sanene — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:26:40 +0000

In Syria, the appointment of Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State symbolizes the United States effort to procure peace. They have even gone as far as proclaiming this appointment as the mechanism that will help the United States become a sign for positive change in the Middle East. The enthusiasm is not unfounded as Syrians believe that her husband’s effort on Israeli- Syrian peace talks will permeate some of the focal points of the new Secretary of State’s political agenda.

Samuel Anene

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