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tdford333

Daniel Byman | Why Drones Work | Foreign Affairs - 0 views

www.foreignaffairs.com/...why-drones-work

shared by tdford333 on 08 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • Whereas President George W. Bush oversaw fewer than 50 drone strikes during his tenure, Obama has signed off on over 400 of them in the last four years
  • And they have done so at little financial cost, at no risk to U.S. forces, and with fewer civilian casualties than many alternative methods would have caused.
  • So drone warfare is here to stay, and it is likely to expand in the years to come as other countries’ capabilities catch up with those of the United States.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Critics of drone strikes often fail to take into account the fact that the alternatives are either too risky or unrealistic.
  • Even the most unfavorable estimates of drone casualties reveal that the ratio of civilian to militant deaths is lower than it would be for other forms of strikes.
  • signature strikes,” which target not specific individuals but instead groups engaged in suspicious activities.
  • After a strike in Pakistan, militants often cordon off the area, remove their dead, and admit only local reporters sympathetic to their cause or decide on a body count themselves. The U.S. media often then draw on such faulty reporting to give the illusion of having used multiple sources. As a result, statistics on civilians killed by drones are often inflated.
  • data show that drones are more discriminate than other types of force.
  • Yemen’s former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, also at times allowed drone strikes in his country and even covered for them by telling the public that they were conducted by the Yemeni air force.
  • As officials in both Pakistan and Yemen realize, U.S. drone strikes help their governments by targeting common enemies.
  • A 2012 poll found that 74 percent of Pakistanis viewed the United States as their enemy, likely in part because of the ongoing drone campaign. Similarly, in Yemen, as the scholar Gregory Johnsen has pointed out, drone strikes can win the enmity of entire tribes.
  • Many surveys of public opinion related to drones are conducted by anti-drone organizations, which results in biased samples.
  • And for most Pakistanis and Yemenis, the most important problems they struggle with are corruption, weak representative institutions, and poor economic growth; the drone program is only a small part of their overall anger, most of which is directed toward their own governments.
fcastro2

France, Britain dismiss calls to renew relations with Syria's Assad | Reuters - 0 views

www.reuters.com/...n-france-idUSKBN0LV1QM20150227

france britain syria relations ISIS politics

shared by fcastro2 on 06 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • France and Britain dismissed on Friday any suggestion of restoring relations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying this would likely end all hope of a political transition and push moderates into the arms of radical Islamist groups.
  • With the rise of Islamic State insurgents, some European |Union member states are critical of the position in Paris and London and say it might be time to re-establish communication with Damascus given that a four-year-old revolt has failed to overthrow Assad
  • "In reality, Bashar represents injustice, chaos and terror. We, France and Britain, say no to all three
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • the French and British foreign ministers hit back at those who sought a rapprochement with Assad by saying he was using the fear of Islamic State, which has seized wide areas of northern and eastern Syria, to win back international support
  • countries would have to work with Assad to defeat Islamic State, while the U.N. envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said earlier this month that Assad must be part of the solution for defusing the conflict in Syria
  • This week a four-man cross-party delegation of French parliamentarians traveled to Syria and some met with Assad, and triggering a national debate on the issue
  • An initially peaceful street uprising against Assad has spiraled into a civil war that has seen a level of suffering some diplomats see as justifying contacts with Damascus in pursuit of a political solution
  • Britain and France see Assad's departure as a precondition of peace negotiations but the collapse of his government has become less likely as the war grinds on inconclusively
  • For our own security, we must defeat Islamic State in Syria. We need a partner that can act against extremists. We need a negotiated political settlement
  • compromise would be needed between elements of the existing government and relatively moderate opponents of Assad.
  • fcastro2 on 06 Mar 15
     
    Both Britain and France have shunned Syrian President Assad in their quest to fight terrorism. They oppose all that the Syrian government stands for and this is why they will continue to dismiss the Syrian government and any ties with them. 
Briana S

Rick Santorum shows need for moral society so democracy thrives | Liberty University - 0 views

www.liberty.edu/...index.cfm

Rick Santorum speech Islam violence

shared by Briana S on 01 Dec 14 - No Cached
  • Briana S on 01 Dec 14
     
    November 10, 2014 : By Drew Menard/Liberty University News Service Rick Santorum, the one-time presidential candidate, took the stage at Liberty University's Convocation on Monday to emphasize the important role that America plays in shaping the world. In order for this influence to continue, he added, it is imperative that Americans remain grounded in morality. How weird is that?? ^^^ So I was going to post the article that criticizes how Rick Santorum blatantly links Islam straight to violence and talks about how different they are from Christians, but its interesting to see how reframing happens in media so shamelessly. The above description is about how Santorum's speech (which took place at a conservative college) was so enlightening... even though it was totally just a political stunt because he's running for Prez in 2016 (lol other article: http://thinkprogress.org/world/2014/09/29/3573218/rick-santorum-baptist-ministers-jihad/)
fcastro2

Islamic State executes three of its Chinese militants: China paper | Reuters - 0 views

www.reuters.com/...is-china-idUSKBN0L90T620150205

china syria extremist ISIS war

shared by fcastro2 on 13 Feb 15 - No Cached
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 13 Feb 15
       
      China is concerned with rise of Islamic State. May pose threat to its farthest region. 
  • ign of wa
  • But Beijing has also shown no sign of wanting to take part in the U.S.-led coalition's efforts to use military force against the militant group
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 13 Feb 15
       
      China does not want to join efforts to stop ISIS
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Around 300 Chinese extremists were fighting with the Islamic State after traveling to Turkey
  • Chinese man was "arrested, tried and shot dead" in Syria in late September by the Islamic State after he became disillusioned with jihad and attempted to return to Turkey to attend university
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 13 Feb 15
       
      1st Chinese extremist shot dead for attempting to flee.
  • "Another two Chinese militants were beheaded in late December in Iraq, along with 11 others from six countries. The Islamic State charged them with treason and accused them of trying to escape
    • fcastro2
      fcastro2 on 13 Feb 15
       
      Many others who were fighting with ISIS killed for "treason"
  • Islamic State, which has seized parts of northern and eastern Syria
  • killed hundreds off the battlefield since the end of June, when it declared a caliphate.
  • Chinese officials blame separatists from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) for carrying out attacks in Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people. But they are vague about how many people from China are fighting in the Middle Eas
  • China was opposed to "all forms of terrorism"
  • "China is willing to work with the international community to combat terrorist forces, including ETIM, and safeguard global peace, security and stability," Hong said.
  • Human rights advocates say economic marginalization of Uighurs and curbs on their culture and religion are the main causes of ethnic violence in Xinjiang and around China that has killed hundreds of people in recent years. China denies these assertions.
  • hina has criticized the Turkish government for offering shelter to Uighur refugees who have fled through southeast Asia, saying it creates a global security risk.
  • The Islamic State has killed three Chinese militants who joined its ranks in Syria and Iraq and later attempted to flee
  • China has expressed concern about the rise of the Islamic State, nervous about the effect it could have on its Xinjiang region, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan.
tdford333

Aid for Yemen Dwindles as Need Rises Amid Chaos - NYTimes.com - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...outhis-continue-offensive.html

yemen medical

shared by tdford333 on 03 Apr 15 - No Cached
  • Aid for Yemen Dwindles
  • Residents said that water had been cut off for days and that electricity was out for hours at a time.
  • raising fears of a lengthy war that is expanding the destabilizing regional conflict between the Persian Gulf monarchies and Iran.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • aid agencies intensified their warnings on Tuesday about the toll on civilians and hospitals, which are running critically low on medical supplies.
  • The Houthis, acknowledging their alliance with Iran but denying acting on its orders, have been able to extend their offensive despite intensifying airstrikes by Saudi warplanes across Yemen.
  • physicians had treated more than 500 people in the last two weeks in Aden, including burn victims from explosions at an ammunition depot and passengers on a bus that had apparently come under shelling.
  • unable to reinforce its surgical teams or bring in supplies
  • not been able to negotiate the safe arrival of the aircraft.
  • tdford333 on 03 Apr 15
     
    Battle in Yemen has left many displaced and in need of goods and healthcare. The blockade has made it difficult for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid to Yemen.
sgriffi2

Tunisia's Political Pluralism - 1 views

http://www.albawaba.com/blog_roundup/tunisias-political-pluralism-662028This source talks about the success that Egypt has made in the political field since the Arab Spring. It talks about the role...

#world #politics

started by sgriffi2 on 03 Mar 15 no follow-up yet
aacosta8

CyberOrient - 0 views

www.cyberorient.net/article.do

Arab Spring Egypt Tunisia Libya Cyberactivists

shared by aacosta8 on 26 Jan 16 - No Cached
  • aacosta8 on 26 Jan 16
     
    CyberOrient: Online Journal of the Virtual Middle East In places, especially in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, social media became prominent in revolutionizing the Middle East. Blogs such as Facebook, Twitter and Flicker became critical to introducing new political changes.
mkulach

UK condemns Muslim Brotherhood in break from Obama administration | Fox News - 0 views

www.foxnews.com/...from-obama-administration.html

Brotherhood Egypt security international

shared by mkulach on 08 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • mkulach on 08 Feb 16
     
    The U.K. government accuses the Muslim Brotherhood of being sympathetic to terrorists and a risk to British national security. They accuse the United States of not waking up to the reality of their threat. They state that the Brotherhood has been affiliated with Hamas, and even though they criticized al Qaeda's 9/11 attack, many state that 9/11 was actually fabricated by the US, which raises a concern for Britain.
natphan

Red carpet for President Sisi's convoy criticised in Egypt - BBC News - 0 views

www.bbc.com/...world-middle-east-35523899

egypt Politics president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi arab spring

shared by natphan on 09 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • natphan on 09 Feb 16
     
    A red carpet for the motorcade of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has been the cause of much criticism. The display, while supposedly meant to "give joy to the Egyptian people," according to BBC, but audacity of the gesture has upset many.
ralph0

As Syria Devolves Further, Allies Criticize American Policy - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...ayyip-erdogan-syria-kurds.html

syria policy war turkey erdogan pkk kurds

shared by ralph0 on 10 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 10 Feb 16
     
    It really frustrates me that the US is often very outspoken about rights, freedom and democracy. Yet time and time again, I have seen that politics are nothing more than a pursuit of interests. The US continues its "ambiguity" of action in Syria, essentially furthering the spread of chaos. Now Turkey, and important US ally is frustrated that the US has been siding with alleged Kurdish terrorist groups.
mcooka

Schooling in a crisis: the case of Syrian refugees in Turkey - ODI HPN - 0 views

odihpn.org/...e-of-syrian-refugees-in-turkey

refugee schooling crisis turkey Syria camps education

shared by mcooka on 17 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • The Syrian civil war has created one of the largest and most intense episodes of human suffering of the early twenty-first century.
  • 387,883, with 200,039 living in government camps and 164,143 living in rented apartments
  • Turkey’s efforts to meet the needs of refugees have been spearheaded by the Afet ve Acil Durum Yonetimi Baskanligi
  • ...36 more annotations...
  • majority of refugees are women and, especially, children; of the 200,000 refugees in Turkish camps, about 60% are children.
  • t was left to him to find tents, wooden flooring, carpets and paving bricks, desks, chairs, drawing boards, teaching aids and, of course, textbooks
  • urkish Red Crescent
  • acquired through AFAD channels a
  • egging
  • he result
  • ten large tents with floors
  • drawing boards
  • electricity
  • computer projectors.
  • limate control consisted of large fans
  • he pre-school director in Islahiye Camp used empty office and storage space in the warehouse to house five rooms full of loud young children
  • preschools enjoyed the largest proportion of age-group participation.
  • camp schools are administered by Turks
  • curricula are not recognised or sanctioned by the Turkish education authorities, and so licenced Turkish teachers cannot be assigned to them.
  • amp education directors rely heavily on volunteers from among the refugees themselves
  • time and instruction with the children is often inconsistent
  • not be able to teach in Arabic
  • There is little incentive for parents to commit their children to learning a new language
  • Closely related to the issue of language is the curriculum
  • eenage students in the camps generally do not have access to the secondary schooling
  • Indeed, one source of tension between Syrian parents and the Turkish authorities has been the Syrian demand for special classes for advanced students whose preparations for university entrance exams were interrupted by the war.
  • Syrian schools have opened outside of the camps with funding from the local government,
  • using the Syrian curriculum and books salvaged from Syrian schools and reproduced
  • Gaziantep
  • namely Syrian demands for the separation of the sexes in classrooms
  • Syrian parents also tend to insist that their daughters wear headscarves (hijab) in public and in schools, while it is illegal for Turkish teenage girls to cover their hair at school.
  • Tensions over the separation of the sexes, curriculum and language of instruction are compounded by the politics of Syrians’ refugee status
  • y contrast, the Turkish government chose not to officially recognise the Syrians as refugees as defined by UNHCR, and did not ask UNHCR to register the newcomers as refugees.
  • officially designate Syrians as refugees would limit Turkey’s involvement in the Syrian civil war,
  • Turkey has allowed arms and non-lethal aid through its territory to supply the Free Syrian Army
  • here are also concerns that Syrians, desperate for income, take jobs at lower wages than Turks
  • Even guests can outstay their welcome, and with no end in sight to the civil war and no prospect of a return of Syrians to Syria, Turks are beginning to question how long they can sustain their assistance. I
  • une 2013 AFAD began accepting offers of financial and other aid from outside agencies, including UNHCR and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
  • The schools developed in Syrian refugee camps in Turkey provide valuable models for establishing schools for rapidly growing refugee populations.
  • The next critical challenge for Syrian education in Turkey is what to do with the growing number of Syrian teenagers who need to finish their high-school studies at accredited schools in order to compete for places at universities in Turkey or elsewhere.
  • mcooka on 17 Feb 16
     
    This was probably the most interesting article I have read about education in the MIddle East. It is from the "Humanitarian practice Network". This article is about Turkey and the Syrian refugees, who are not documented as refugees, and the growing desire for improvements to education. Right now, the education which is in place for Syrians is adequate for a temporary stay of preserving knowledge. It is not designed to be used long term, to advance students, or to prep them for universities. This article looks at those issues and tensions which are happening currently in Turkey
csherro2

'We will participate': Saudi military admits US coalition mulling ground invasion in Syria - 0 views

www.rt.com/...48-saudi-syria-ground-invasion

egypt ISIS Syria war revolution

shared by csherro2 on 01 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • csherro2 on 01 Mar 16
     
    Saudi Arabia has acknowledged that the US-led anti-ISIS coalition has held a "political" discussion about a potential ground troop deployment in Syria. Riyadh's statements have been criticized by Damascus as destructive and a threat to regional security.
eyadalhasan

Middle East: Who lost the region? (Opinion) - 0 views

www.cnn.com/...index.html

middle east international affairs opinion

shared by eyadalhasan on 01 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • eyadalhasan on 01 Mar 16
     
    None of this should surprise. After all, it's a presidential election year, and it would be downright un-American not to blame or criticize someone. But who or what is actually responsible for the unhappy state of affairs in the muddled Middle East? Here are some plausible possibilities.
aromo0

Donors: keep out | The Economist - 0 views

www.economist.com/...non-governmental-organisations

ngos egypt donors rights

shared by aromo0 on 06 Apr 16 - No Cached
  • aromo0 on 06 Apr 16
     
    Egypt is requiring all NGO's to seek permission from a government appointed committee before being able to receive foreign funds. The government is attempting to filter out those organizations that promote the western vision.
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