Why Syria Is Not Being Bombed -- Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star
The daily massacre of civilians in Syria continues. Seventy nations meet Friday in Tunis for the first “Friends of Syria” gathering, (as first reported here Feb. 12). Their issue: Why is there no international military intervention, as there was in Serbia in 1999 and, more pertinently, Libya last year?
Unlike Moammar Gadhafi’s one-man show, the Bashar Assad regime is anchored in Baathist ideology and multiple centres of power — his minority Alawite community, the military forces and a dozen security services. Also, there’s no unified professional army with a central command, as in Tunisia and Egypt, which sacrificed presidents to preserve themselves. In Syria, the uniformed mostly owe their jobs to the Alawite cabal.
Unlike Gadhafi, Assad has friends: Russia, China, Iran and Hezbollah.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Why the world isn't intervening in Syria -- Kyle Almond, CNN
Syria's Civil War Rages, as Alawites Press On -- Daniel Brodie, Real Clear World/Jerusalem Post
The risks of telling the Syria story -- Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor
As conflict in Syria worsens, the West asks: How many more bodies before Assad’s allies finally see sense? -- Con Coughlin, The Telegraph
Getting Iran to back down on its nuclear program -- David Ignatius, Washington Post
Is the Senate trying to force Obama to go to war? -- MJ Rosenberg, Al Jazeera
Why Iran thinks it needs the bomb -- Ray Takeyh, Japan Times/The Washington Post
If Israel strikes Iran, it'll be because Obama didn’t stop it -- Ari Shavit, Arutz Sheva
Reza Kahlili and the Truth About Iran -- Pamela Geller, American Thinker
Can the Taliban Avoid Fracturing Over the Qatar Peace Talks? -- Sami Yousafzai and Ron Moreau, Daily Beast
Dodging Bombers in Sudan -- Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times
Mubarak's trial leaves Egypt with open wounds -- Dina Zayed, Reuters
Greek Deal Leaves Europe on the Road to Disaster -- Clive Crook, Bloomberg
David Cameron and No 10 are losing their grip on the reins of power -- Sue Cameron, The Telegraph
Scoring the Global War on Terror -- Andrew J. Bacevich, The Nation
How would U.S. respond to another terrorist attack? -- Frida Ghitis, Miami Herald
Falklands Flare Up - Could a New Oil Find Re-Ignite an Old Conflict? -- John C.K. Daly, Huffington Post
As gas prices rise, should US oil industry stop exporting? -- Ron Scherer, Christian Science Monitor
Oval Office or Starship: What a leader needs -- John Yemma, Christian Science Monitor