Syria: Uprising, Revolution Or Civil War? -- Basma Atassi and Cajsa Wikstrom, Al Jazeera
Two years after peaceful protests called for political reform, thousands are dead and millions are displaced.
Those who planned and participated in the early demonstrations against the government of President Bashar al-Assad never thought they were setting the stage for a civil war.
Inspired by the protests that toppled the regimes of Tunisia and Egypt, protesters hoped President Bashar al-Assad could be removed in weeks. But two years on, Assad - while effectively ruling over less than half the country - remains the head of state.
What started as a series of peaceful protests against corruption with calls for political reform turned into an armed struggle as people took up weapons amid a brutal crackdown by regime forces.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Two years on, aid efforts struggle to keep up with a shattered Syria -- Tom A. Peter, Christian Science Monitor
Two years on, fate of Syria in Russian and Turkish hands -- Alan Philps, The National
Preventing mass atrocity after Assad -- Daniel Serwer, Reuters
The Illusion of a Compromise in Syria -- Hassan Mneimneh, Real Clear World
Netanyahu and his partner-rivals -- David Horovitz, Times of Israel
Israel - Palestine: As more people bemoan the death of a two-state solution, Barack Obama must strive to keep it alive -- The Economist
A line in the sand: Iran’s mullahs warn President Obama to avoid the Temple Mount -- Washington Times editorial
Are Iranians Buying Obama’s Tough Talk? -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary
Kenya: A Dictator’s Last Laugh -- Ngugi Wa Thiongò, New York Times
Why the First Latin American Pope Inspires Less Hope Than We Hoped -- Tim Padgett, Time
Argentina’s Dirty War Casts a Pall Over Bergoglio -- Christopher Dickey, Daily Beast
Faithful to Fidel -- Carlos Puig, International Herald Tribune
After Chávez, What Happens to Venezuela's Oil? -- Roben Farzad, Bloomberg Businessweek
Codify the drone war -- Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
For America, Decline is a Choice -- William C. Martel, The Diplomat