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fcastro2

A daring plan to rebuild Syria - no matter who wins the war - Ideas - The Boston Globe - 0 views

www.bostonglobe.com/...story.html

syria plan war politics china russia the west

shared by fcastro2 on 23 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • The first year of Syria’s uprising, 2011, largely spared Aleppo, the country’s economic engine, largest city, and home of its most prized heritage sites. Fighting engulfed Aleppo in 2012 and has never let up since, making the city a symbol of the civil war’s grinding destruction
  • Rebels captured the eastern side of the city while the government held the wes
  • , residents say the city is virtually uninhabitable; most who remain have nowhere else to go
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • In terms of sheer devastation, Syria today is worse off than Germany at the end of World War II
  • ven as the fighting continues, a movement is brewing among planners, activists and bureaucrats—some still in Aleppo, others in Damascus, Turkey, and Lebanon—to prepare, right now, for the reconstruction effort that will come whenever peace finally arrives.
  • In a glass tower belonging to the United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, a project called the National Agenda for the Future of Syria has brought together teams of engineers, architects, water experts, conservationists, and development experts to grapple with seemingly impossible technical problems
  • It is good to do the planning now, because on day one we will be ready,”
  • The team planning the country’s future is a diverse one. Some are employed by the government of Syria, others by the rebels’ rival provisional government. Still others work for the UN, private construction companies, or nongovernmental organizations involved in conservation, like the World Monuments Fund
  • As the group’s members outline a path toward renewal, they’re considering everything from corruption and constitutional reform to power grids, antiquities, and health care systems.
  • Aleppo is split between a regime side with vestiges of basic services, and a mostly depopulated rebel-controlled zone, into which the Islamic State and the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front have made inroads over the last year
  • The population exodus has claimed most of the city’s craftsmen, medical personnel, academics, and industrialists
  • It took decades to clear the moonscapes of rubble and to rebuild, in famous targets like Dresden and Hiroshima but in countless other places as well, from Coventry to Nanking. Some places never recovered their vitality.
  • Of course, Syrian planners cannot help but pay attention to the model closest to home: Beirut, a city almost synonymous with civil war and flawed reconstructio
  • We don’t want to end up like Beirut,” one of the Syrian planners says, referring to the physical problems but also to a postwar process in which militia leaders turned to corrupt reconstruction ventures as a new source of funds and power
  • Syria’s national recovery will depend in large part on whether its industrial powerhouse Aleppo can bounce back
  • The city’s workshops, famed above all for their fine textiles, export millions of dollars’ worth of goods every week even now, and the economy has expanded to include modern industry as well.
  • Today, however, the city’s water and power supply are under the control of the Islamic State
  • Across Syria, more than one-third of the population is displaced.
  • A river of rubble marks the no-man’s land separating the two sides. The only way to cross is to leave the city, follow a wide arc, and reenter from the far side.
  • Parts of the old city won’t be inhabitable for years, he told me by Skype, because the ground has literally shifted as a result of bombing and shelling
  • The first and more obvious is creating realistic options to fix the country after the war—in some cases literal plans for building infrastructure systems and positioning construction equipment, in other cases guidelines for shaping governanc
  • They’re familiar with global “best practices,” but also with how things work in Syria, so they’re not going to propose pie-in-the-sky idea
  • If some version of the current regime remains in charge, it will probably direct massive contracts toward patrons in Russia, China, or Iran. The opposition, by contrast, would lean toward firms from the West, Turkey, and the Gulf.
  • At the current level of destruction, the project planners estimate the reconstruction will cost at least $100 billion
  • Recently a panel of architects and heritage experts from Sweden, Bosnia, Syria, and Lebanon convened in Beirut to discuss lessons for Syria’s reconstruction—one of the many distinct initiatives parallel to the Future of Syria project.
  • “You should never rebuild the way it was,” said Arna Mackic, an architect from Mostar. That Bosnian city was divided during the 1990s civil war into Muslim and Catholic sides, destroying the city center and the famous Stari Most bridge over the Neretva River. “The war changes us. You should show that in rebuilding.”
  • Instead, Mackik says, the sectarian communities keep to their own enclaves. Bereft of any common symbols, the city took a poll to figure out what kind of statue to erect in the city center. All the local figures were too polarizing. In the end they settled on a gold-colored statue of the martial arts star Bruce Lee
  • “It belongs to no one,” Mackic says. “What does Bruce Lee mean to me?
  • is that it could offer the city’s people a form of participatory democracy that has so far eluded the Syrian regime and sadly, the opposition as well.
  • “You are being democratic without the consequences of all the hullabaloo of formal democratization
  • A great deal of money has been invested in Syria’s destruction— by the regime, the local parties to the conflict, and many foreign powers. A great deal of money will be made in the aftermath, in a reconstruction project that stands to dwarf anything seen since after World War II.
  • fcastro2 on 23 Feb 15
     
    While it is still unclear as to who will win the Syrian conflict, there are people who are already looking towards the future and a better Syria. Plans are being made but, of course, these plans will entirely depend on who wins the war. 
tdford333

Yemen crisis reignites fear of al-Qaeda global threat - BBC News - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...world-middle-east-32243683

shared by tdford333 on 13 Apr 15 - No Cached
  • Yemen crisis reignites fear of al-Qaeda global threat
  • tdford333 on 13 Apr 15
     
    US intelligence cites AQAP as the most globally dangerous of all al-Qaeda's regional branches because of its proven ability to smuggle bombs on to planes bound for the West.
kbrisba

PressTV-Tunisian forces kill nine militants - 0 views

www.presstv.ir/...ian-forces-kill-nine-militants

shared by kbrisba on 29 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • kbrisba on 29 Mar 15
     
    In the west-central part of Tunisia, military forces have killed at least nine militants during an operation carried out in the late hours of Saturday in Gafsa region. Military forces also confiscated arms and explosives from the terrorists. Reports say the militants were members of the so-called Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade which is believed to be behind the deadly attack on the Bardo Museum in the capital on March 18.
ralph0

If the Syria ceasefire fails, Isis will be the least of the west's problems | Michael C... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...an-saudi-arabia-vengeful-assad

Russia Iran Syria war regime opinion the guardian

shared by ralph0 on 17 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 17 Feb 16
     
    This article states that Russia and Iran have been changing the situation in Syria according to their own agendas. It is in Russia and Iran's interests to maintain Assad's rule in Syria. Consequently, the article states that the west should get involved before Russia and Iran have done too much.
amarsha5

In Tehran, Waiting For Signs Of Change In 'A New World' : Parallels : NPR - 0 views

www.npr.org/...signs-of-change-in-a-new-world

iran sanctions nuclear deal economy

shared by amarsha5 on 18 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • amarsha5 on 18 Feb 16
     
    NPR talks to Iranians hoping for a change in the country's international perception and a prospective lift in economic sanctions on the country through the negotiation of a nuclear deal with the West.
ralph0

Turkey shelling Syrian Kurdish militia in northern Aleppo - YPG - RT News - 0 views

www.rt.com/...334811-turkey-shell-ypg-syria

syria ceasefire democracy hypocrisy turkey kurdish shelling

shared by ralph0 on 07 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 07 Mar 16
     
    How is Turkey getting away with this? It is noteworthy that the Aleppo mentioned is not the city, but the province which extends much further north. However, I still fail to understand how countries can get away with blurring lines and breaking international law, while I have to pay simple traffic fines. What will be the response of the idealistic democracies of the West?
hwilson3

Islamophobia: Understanding Anti-Muslim Sentiment in the West - 0 views

www.gallup.com/...nti-muslim-sentiment-west.aspx

#gallup #poll #Islam #Islamaphobia

shared by hwilson3 on 02 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • hwilson3 on 02 Mar 16
     
    This gallup poll provides statistics on Isalmapobia in the United States. All of these statistics really show an inside look at how many Americans view Muslim people. A lot of the hate or fear surrounding Islam is due to a lack of accurate portrayal in areas such as news outlets or even film and television.
  • hwilson3 on 02 Mar 16
     
    This gallup poll provides statistics on Isalmapobia in the United States. All of these statistics really show an inside look at how many Americans view Muslim people. A lot of the hate or fear surrounding Islam is due to a lack of accurate portrayal in areas such as news outlets or even film and television.
ralph0

Future generations will despise our 'realism' on Syria | Nick Cohen | Opinion | The Gua... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...-alternative-to-isis-and-assad

Syria political realism west us obama cameron

shared by ralph0 on 11 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 11 Mar 16
     
    Another article about the political realism shown by Western countries in their policies on Syria. It states that history will look on the war in Syria critically, making the claim that they would never have stood by watching.
sambofoster

How the West Undermined Women's Rights in the Arab World - 1 views

www.jadaliyya.com/...n%E2%80%99s-rights-in-the-arab

Women Activism Arab World

shared by sambofoster on 23 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • pvaldez2 on 23 Feb 16
     
    This article is based on some of the research that Nicola Pratt conducted over the past two years on women's activism in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, from independence until the Arab uprisings. Nicola collected over one hundred personal narratives from middle class women activists of different generations. The article includes the rise of radical movements after 1967, the counter-revolution (post-1967), and re-popularizing and de-popularizing women's rights after 2011.
  • sambofoster on 31 Mar 16
     
    This article is based on some of the research that I have conducted over the past two years on women's activism in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, from independence until the Arab uprisings. I collected over one hundred personal narratives from middle class women activists of different generations.
irede123

Lebanon is being forced to collapse - RT Op-Edge - 0 views

www.rt.com/...on-isis-security-collapse-west

lebanon isis syria

shared by irede123 on 08 May 16 - No Cached
  • irede123 on 08 May 16
     
    "But Hezbollah appears to be the only military force capable of effectively fighting against ISIS - in the northeast of the country, on the border with Syria, and elsewhere. It is also the only organization providing a reliable social net to those hundreds of thousands of poor Lebanese citizens"
fcastro2

Are China and Russia Moving toward a Formal Alliance? | The Diplomat - 0 views

thediplomat.com/...oving-toward-a-formal-alliance

china russia alliance politics

shared by fcastro2 on 04 Feb 15 - No Cached
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 04 Feb 15
       
      Why is this relationship forming now? Ukraine Crisis, they want a multipolar world, China/Japan dispute, & Russia and the NATO expansions. 
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 04 Feb 15
       
      Advocates for China-Russian alliance. Shared strategic interests and possible length of this alliance, U.S. and its Allies threat to Russia leaves in no choice but to side with China, but may lead to another cold war.
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 04 Feb 15
       
      Opponents of China-Russian Alliance. China could be dragged to war by Russia, Russian's unwillingness to be a junior to China, Russia wants good relations with ALL Asian countries. They believe this alliance is unrealistic and a strategic partnership is more reasonable. 
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • In the joint statement issued by China and Russia, the main message is that China-Russia relations have reached a new stage of comprehensive strategic partnership and this will help increase both countries’ international status and influence, thus contributing to a more just international order
  • China secures a long-term (30 years) provision of natural gas from Russia and Russia can reduce its dependence on the European markets as well as strengthen Russia’s position against Western sanctions
  • Russia is now moving closer to China’s side with regard to the territorial disputes between China and Japan
  • China and Russia last week vetoed a draft UN resolution to send Syria to the International Criminal Court for war crimes. China and Russia had vetoed three previous UNSC resolutions condemning Syria
  • China and Russia signed a huge natural gas deal that is worth about $400 billion.
  • China and Russia will deepen cooperation under the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building in Asia (CICA), a new security framework in Asia-Pacific that conveniently excludes the U.S. and Japan.
  • , the main trigger is the recent Ukraine crisis that has seriously damaged Russia-West relations
  • mutual strategic needs as both China and Russia want to create a multipolar world that is not dominated by the U.S., particularly as China faces threats from the US-led alliance in Asia
  • China’s chance of winning maritime disputes with Japan partly depends on maintaining a good relationship with Russia
  • the NATO expansion is a serious threat to Russia’s national security and as such Russia has to fight back
  • new China-Russia alliance is now emerging and this will eventually lead to a multi-polar world order.
  • problems in China-Russia relations such as historical mistrust, the lack of a common threat, and conflicting interests in Central Asia
  • he most important factor determining whether China and Russia should form an alliance is whether the two countries have shared strategic interests and how long such shared strategic interests can last
  • China nor Russia could become a member of the Western bloc led by the U.S. because other allies of the U.S. would feel threatened by China and Russia
  • thus Russia has no better alternative to siding with China
  • , China’s number two position in the world means that China will not be supported by the U.S. with regard to most international affairs issues
  • Yan also refutes the argument that a China-Russia alliance against the U.S. would lead to another cold war.
  • ould be potentially high costs of such an alliance due to common problems such as fears of abandonment and entrapment
  • U.S. militarily threatens both China and Russia at the same time
  • Russia is unwilling to be China’s junior partner in the relationship
  • Russia wants to maintain good relations with all Asian states and thus will not side with China when it comes to territorial disputes between China and Japan
  • China-Russia alliance is unrealistic and a strategic partnership is more flexible and better for China.
  • seems that in the near future a formal alliance between China and Russia will not happen due to a variety of reasons.
  • China could be dragged into an unnecessary war by Russia
  • , a formal alliance will not occur
sgriffi2

Mona Eltahawy- Columnist - 0 views

I found the website of the female writer Mona Eltahawy. On her website it says "during the 18-day revolution that toppled Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, she appeared on most major media outlets, ...

#women #womensrights #egypt

started by sgriffi2 on 03 Mar 15 no follow-up yet
mharcour

Hope For a Two-State Solution - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...solution-israelis-palestinians

Israel Israeli-Palestinian conflict Palestine West Bank

shared by mharcour on 28 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • mharcour on 28 Feb 15
     
    In this Guardian editorial, a Palestinian touches on the subject of Israel encroachment, the state of the two-state solution, and proposes hope for a divided future.
fcastro2

Russia's Putin, Egypt's Sisi say committed to fighting terrorism | Reuters - 0 views

www.reuters.com/...pt-syria-idUSKBN0LE1O020150210

russia putin egypt terrorism ISIS Syria politics

shared by fcastro2 on 02 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • United by a deep hostility toward Islamists, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russia's Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday they were both committed to fighting the threat of terrorism.
  • Sisi, who is fighting a raging Islamist insurgency in the Sinai region, said Putin had agreed with him that "the challenge of terrorism that faces Egypt, and which Russia also faces, does not stop at any borders
  • utin, making his first state visit to Egypt in a decade, said they agreed on "reinforcing our efforts in combating terrorism
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • The Kremlin chief was the first leader of a major power to visit Egypt since former army chief Sisi became president in 2014
  • Sisi has repeatedly called for concerted counter-terrorism efforts in the Middle East and the West. Egypt has fought Islamist militancy for decades, mostly through security crackdowns that have weakened, but failed to eliminate, radical group
  • Putin has also resorted to force against Islamists, sending troops to quell a separatist rebellion in Chechnya, but still confronts insurgents in parts of the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus region
  • Egypt and the Soviet Union were close allies until the 1970s when Cairo moved closer to the United States, which brokered its 1979 peace deal with Israel.
  • Sisi has since opened up to Moscow, describing Russia on Tuesday as a "strategic friend"
  • Putin, facing Western isolation and sanctions over his support for pro-Russian separatists in neighboring Ukraine, received a grand welcome in Cair
  • Putin said he expected a new round of talks on the Syrian conflict, following on from a meeting of some opposition figures and the Damascus government in Moscow last month
  • The Moscow talks, which ended on Jan. 29, were not seen as yielding a breakthrough as they were shunned by the key political opposition in Syria and did not involve the main insurgent groups fighting on the ground
  • Moscow has been a long-standing ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
  • fcastro2 on 02 Mar 15
     
    Not only is Russia aligning with Syria, but it is also getting closer to Egypt and its government. Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi believes that its relationship with Russia is a "strategic alliance" which is what other middle eastern countries, such as Syria, believe. 
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