Tag Archives: Syria

Duplicitous Assad is getting away with Murder

Posted on March 9, 2011 by jonathanspyer

23/11/2008 British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has just completed an official visit to Syria. This was the first visit of a senior British elected official to Damascus since 2001. Following the visit, the British media revealed that Miliband has agreed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove

Posted on March 9, 2011 by jonathanspyer

24/10/2008 The decree by President Bashar Assad announcing the establishing of full diplomatic relations between Damascus and Beirut represents the latest stage in the emergence of Syria from diplomatic isolation. On a symbolic level, the announcement appears to suggest Syria’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Mischief in Damascus

Posted on March 9, 2011 by jonathanspyer

01/10/2008 As the days pass since the car bombing in the southern suburbs of Damascus, furious speculation is continuing as to who was responsible. No organization has taken responsibility – leaving the rumor mill free to grind on. The Syrian … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Syrian Games Without Frontiers

Posted on March 8, 2011 by jonathanspyer

16/01/2008 The ongoing impasse over the appointment of the next Lebanese president, after Emil Lahoud stepped down on November 24, is the product of Syrian machinations and interference in Lebanese politics. The agreement reached on Sunday in Cairo may finally … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Old-Think Rides Again

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Haaretz-27/11/2006 The curtain is now descending on United States and allied hopes that a democratic, stable Iraq might yet emerge from the 2003 invasion of that country. As the endgame is played out, one may glimpse the contours of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Virtual Diplomacy, Real Damage

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post-29/11/2009 The statement by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Riyadh last week expressing French willingness to mediate talks between Syria and Israel is the latest indication of Syria’s emergence from diplomatic isolation. Damascus has largely rebuilt its links with … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Manifesto reveals a more Sophisticated, Confident Hizbullah

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post-15/12/2009 Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah this week announced the publication of a new political manifesto, outlining the goals of his movement. The document is the successor to Hizbullah’s first manifesto, published in 1985, and many regional analysts have hailed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lebanon: Conflict widens to Syria

Posted on March 7, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post-03/02/2010 In the last week, senior Israeli policymakers made statements of an uncharacteristically bellicose nature regarding Syria. It is unlikely that these statements were made because of sudden random irritation toward Israel’s hostile northeastern neighbor.  Rather, the statements probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment