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This Is How ISIS Smuggles Oil - 0 views

www.buzzfeed.com/...this-is-how-isis-smuggles-oil money Oil Smugglers ISIS ISIL Syria
shared by jreyesc on 13 Nov 14 - No Cached
  • Turkish-Syrian border
  • The militants can make more than $1 million a day selling oil from fields captured in eastern Syria.
  • In recent months, the government has vowed to crack down on illicit oil, and police have targeted smuggling routes, seizing oil drums and digging up pipelines.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • helped make ISIS the world’s richest extremists.
  • Rebel groups targeted oil resources from the regime in battles often overshadowed by higher-profile fronts in the war — namely in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, where there were refineries and oil fields.
  • Strapped for cash, the rebels smuggled some of the oil to buyers in Turkey, whose government was one of the Syrian opposition’s main backers, having already opened its borders to activists, fighters, and refugees.
  • Omar would receive a call from a commander in the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the U.S.-backed rebel coalition, telling him to head to the Syrian side of the border.
  • If he took in $1,500 in a night, he would give $500 to the FSA commander and another $500 to the Turkish border guards. “You can’t really say that we are smuggling oil, because we take permission from the Turkish side and the Syrian side,” Omar said. “But since it’s under the table, we call it smuggling.”
  • it controlled Raqqa, and soon after it was battling for control of the rebel-held parts of Deir Ezzor.
  • As ISIS gained new oil fields, Omar kept smuggling. He may have worked along an FSA-run border, but he knew he was buying the oil from middlemen who had taken it from ISIS’s hands.
  • For ISIS, the profits were startup funds as it built up its self-styled caliphate, buying weapons and paying salaries.
  • U.S. airstrikes now targeting its oil infrastructure, ISIS can make over $1 million a day from the trade
  • ISIS controls 60% of the oil-producing resources in eastern Syria, he said, plus a handful of marginal oil fields in Iraq.
  • The group sells most of it within its own territory in Iraq and in Syria — which covers more than 12,000 miles, a size comparable to Belgium, and includes some 8 million people, a population approaching Switzerland’s. Desperate residents need the fuel to run their cars, generators, and bakeries.
  • It was the worst example of a wartime pillage that has stripped Syria of everything of value, from scrap metal to precious artifacts. “I just want to show the world what they are doing to my country,” he said.
  • jreyesc on 13 Nov 14
     
    ISIS has become very rich extremist group because of the oil smuggling business they are involved in.
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Fatah, Hamas agree to cede control of Gaza to unity government - Arab-Israeli Conflict ... - 0 views

www.jpost.com/...aza-to-unity-government-376331 hamas control gaza unity government conflict
shared by jshnide on 13 Apr 15 - No Cached
  • jshnide on 13 Apr 15
     
    Israel's view of the new Palestinian unity government in the Gaza Strip. The sharing of power allowed over 70,000 people to return to government work.
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Strife in Libya Could Presage Long Civil War - NYTimes.com - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...libyan-unrest.html
shared by wmulnea on 21 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • Salah Badi, an ultraconservative Islamist and former lawmaker from the coastal city of Misurata.
  • Mr. Badi’s assault on Libya’s main international airport has now drawn the country’s fractious militias, tribes and towns into a single national conflagration that threatens to become a prolonged civil war. Both sides see the fight as part of a larger regional struggle, fraught with the risks of a return to repressive authoritarianism or a slide toward Islamist extremism.
  • the violence threatens to turn Libya into a pocket of chaos destabilizing North Africa for years to come.
  • ...37 more annotations...
  • Ansar al-Shariah, the hard-line Islamist group involved in the assault on the American diplomatic Mission in Benghazi in 2012
  • Their opponents, including the militias stocked with former Qaddafi soldiers
  • The ideological differences are blurry at best: both sides publicly profess a similar conservative but democratic vision.
  • an escalating war among its patchwork of rival cities and tribes.
  • Motorists wait in lines stretching more than three miles at shuttered gas stations, waiting for them to open. Food prices are soaring, uncollected garbage is piling up in the streets and bicycles, once unheard-of, are increasingly common.
  • Tripoli, the capital and the main prize, has become a battleground
  • The fighting has destroyed the airport
  • Constant shelling between rival militias has leveled blocks
  • Storage tanks holding about 25 million gallons of fuel have burned unchecked for a month
  • with daily blackouts sometimes lasting more than 12 hours.
  • many Libyans despaired of any resolution
  • In Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city, the fighting has closed both its airport and seaport, strangling the city.
  • the rush toward war is also lifting the fortunes of the Islamist extremists of Ansar al-Shariah, the Benghazi militant group.
  • The United Nations, the United States and the other Western powers have withdrawn their diplomats and closed their missions
  • “We cannot care more than you do,” the British ambassador, Michael Aron, wrote
  • Until now, a rough balance of power among local brigades had preserved a kind of equilibrium, if not stability
  • the transitional government scarcely existed outside of the luxury hotels where its officials gathered, no other force was strong enough to dominate. No single interest divided the competing cities and factions.
  • But that semblance of unity is now in tatters, and with it the hope that nonviolent negotiations might settle the competition for power and, implicitly, Libya’s oil.
  • In May, a renegade former general, Khalifa Hifter, declared that he would seize power by force to purge Libya of Islamists, beginning in Benghazi. He vowed to eradicate the hard-line Islamists of Ansar al-Shariah, blamed for a long series of bombings and assassinations.
  • General Hifter also pledged to close the Parliament and arrest moderate Islamist members
  • he has mustered a small fleet of helicopters and warplanes that have bombed rival bases around Benghazi, a steep escalation of the violence.
  • moderate Islamists and other brigades who had distanced themselves from Ansar al-Shariah began closing ranks, welcoming the group into a newly formed council of “revolutionary” militias
  • a broad alliance of Benghazi militias that now includes Ansar al-Shariah issued a defiant statement denouncing relative moderates like the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood. “We will not accept the project of democracy, secular parties, nor the parties that falsely claim the Islamic cause,”
  • the general’s blitz has now stalled, it polarized the country, drawing alarms from some cities and tribes but applause from others.
  • the loudest applause came from the western mountain town of Zintan, where local militia leaders had recruited hundreds of former Qaddafi soldiers into special brigades
  • the rival coastal city of Misurata, where militias have allied with the Islamists in political battles and jostled with the Zintanis for influence in the capital
  • the Misurata and Islamist militias developed a reputation for besieging government buildings and kidnapping high officials to try to pressure the Parliament. But in recent months the Zintanis and their anti-Islamist allies have stormed the Parliament and kidnapped senior lawmakers as well.
  • the newly elected Parliament, led at first, on a seniority basis, by a member supportive of Mr. Hifter, announced plans to convene in Tobruk, an eastern city under the general’s control.
  • About 30 members, most of them Islamists or Misuratans, refused to attend,
  • Tripoli’s backup airport, under the control of an Islamist militia, has cut off flights to Tobruk, even blocking a trip by the prime minister.
  • a spokesman for the old disbanded Parliament, favored by the Islamists and Misuratans, declared that it would reconvene in Tripoli
  • In Tobruk, a spokesman for the new Parliament declared that the Islamist- and Misuratan-allied militias were terrorists, suggesting that Libya might soon have two legislatures with competing armies
  • Each side has the support of competing satellite television networks financed and, often, broadcast from abroad, typically from Qatar for the Islamists and from the United Arab Emirates for their foes.
  • Hassan Tatanaki, a Libyan-born business mogul who owns one of the anti-Islamist satellite networks, speaking in an interview from an office in the Emirates. “We are in a state of war and this is no time for compromise.”
  • Fighters and tribes who fought one another during the uprising against Colonel Qaddafi are now coming together on the same side of the new fight, especially with the Zintanis against the Islamists. Some former Qaddafi officers who had fled Libya are even coming back to take up arms again.
  • “It is not pro- or anti-Qaddafi any more — it is about Libya,” said a former Qaddafi officer in a military uniform
  • Beneath the battle against “extremists,” he said, was an even deeper, ethnic struggle: the tribes of Arab descent, like the Zintanis, against those of Berber, Circassian or Turkish ancestry, like the Misuratis. “The victory will be for the Arab tribes,”
  • andrea_hoertz on 21 Sep 14
     
    Article explains the civil war that is erupting in Libya. Islamist extremists are trying to take over the country and towns and tribes of Libya are choosing sides. Tripoli has been the biggest battle ground and its airport was destroyed.
  • wmulnea on 11 Apr 15
     
    This NYT article gives an excellent outline of the prominent factions fighting in Libya, and the purpose and goals of those factions as of Aug, 2014.
  • wmulnea on 11 Apr 15
     
    This NYT article gives an excellent outline of the prominent factions fighting in Libya, and the purpose and goals of those factions as of Aug, 2014.
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Libya Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni re-appointed | eNCA - 1 views

www.enca.com/-militia-control-chaos-deepens
shared by wmulnea on 09 Apr 15 - No Cached
  • wmulnea on 09 Apr 15
     
    Thini is reinstated as prime minister of Libya, although the official government is in hiding and has lost control of vital parts of the country's infrastructure to Islamist militia..
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Syrian rebels losing grip on Aleppo | World news | The Guardian - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...n-rebels-losing-grip-on-aleppo aleppo syria regime control assad
shared by ralph0 on 04 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 04 Feb 16
     
    Assad regaining control of Aleppo, as pro-government forces manage to force the opposition out.
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How Russian bombing is changing Syria's war, in 3 maps - Vox - 0 views

www.vox.com/...russia-syria-bombing-maps Russia syria bombing control regime isis
shared by ralph0 on 17 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 17 Feb 16
     
    Awesome article about the recent Russian bombing of Syria and how it affects the big picture. This article has some time-lapse maps with territories highlighted on it. It is very helpful in better understanding how current events are affecting the territories being controlled.
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Saudi Arabia tightens media laws - Al Jazeera English - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...20115135621233618.html #SaudiArabia #socialmedia #facebook #censorship
shared by hwilson3 on 09 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • hwilson3 on 09 Mar 16
     
    This article discusses the media controls that Saudi Arabia put into place in order to avoid political revolutions like the ones in Tunisia and Egypt. It also discusses an attempted protest started via Facebook that was never actualized.
  • hwilson3 on 09 Mar 16
     
    This article discusses the media controls that Saudi Arabia put into place in order to avoid political revolutions like the ones in Tunisia and Egypt. It also discusses an attempted protest started via Facebook that was never actualized.
1More

A Remote Syrian Airstrip Hints At A Growing American Military Role : Parallels : NPR - 0 views

www.npr.org/...growing-american-military-role syria ISIS USA foreign policy obama planes airstrip
shared by ralph0 on 25 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • ralph0 on 25 Mar 16
     
    This article comments on the growing US involvement in Syria. It refers to a remote airstrip in a Kurdish-controlled town, with American planes arriving and leaving often.
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Biden questions Israel's commitment to peace, defends Iran nuclear deal - UPI.com - 0 views

www.upi.com/...9731458555901 iran deal America politics biden israel commitment
shared by ysenia on 23 Mar 16 - Cached
  • ysenia on 23 Mar 16
     
    Despite constant criticism of Iran Nuclear Deal, Joe Biden still defends the plan. Claims that the U.S. is ready and able to take action if Iran breaks the deal and says America has full control over Iran.
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Erdogan: We will flood the EU with refugees - 0 views

southfront.org/ill-flood-the-eu-with-refugees turkey Erdogan syrian refugees
shared by atownen on 31 Mar 16 - No Cached
  • atownen on 31 Mar 16
     
    Another issue Turkey is constantly dealing with, is the problem with the thousands of Syrian refugees at their border, in addition to the mini-civil war w/the Kurds, and its questionable oil business with ISIS. This article points out Erdogan's requests for the EU to deliver more funds to control the border situation. Different point of view from the other two articles I bookmarked this week.
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UN says Syria refugees pass three million - Middle East - Al Jazeera English - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...n-mark-201482952430880804.html
shared by benjaming9 on 01 Oct 14 - No Cached
  • benjaming9 on 01 Oct 14
     
    This article shows the alarming amount of people that have dispalced by the Syrian regime and surround forces fighting for control. Many of these refugees are children.
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Syria__3__362593a.jpg (940×613) - 0 views

www.thetimes.co.uk/...Syria__3__362593a.jpg
shared by benjaming9 on 26 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • benjaming9 on 26 Sep 14
     
    This is an image of the resources avaliable to the US near Syria as well as different facilities and bases in Syria controlled by the assad regime.
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Turkey and the PKK: How to deal with Syria's Kurds - 0 views

www.economist.com/...-unsettles-government-how-deal PKK ISIS Turkey ISIL
shared by cbrock5654 on 13 Oct 14 - No Cached
  • cbrock5654 on 13 Oct 14
     
    This is a news report by The Economist about the Turkish government's reaction to ISIL's assault on Kobane, a Kurdish town in Syria on the border of Turkey. This town is one of three enclaves that are governed by the Kurds. Turkey ceded the area to PKK control, but PKK leaders claim that by not assisting in the fight, the Turkish government is supporting ISIS, because it has a deep-rooted fear of any Kurdish autonomy.
  • cbrock5654 on 13 Oct 14
     
    A SENIOR commander of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a rebel group that has been fighting for Kurdish self-rule inside Turkey since 1984, declared on...
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Syria warns against foreign intervention - Middle East - Al Jazeera English - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...-state-201491114243147712.html
shared by benjaming9 on 15 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • benjaming9 on 15 Sep 14
     
    This is a response by several groups about Obamas adress regarding the attacks on ISIS within Syria. Damascus and the Assad regime and the Coalition of Syria are fighting for control of Syria and are at odds with the Presidents words. Also a Russian minister accused these proposed atatcks of being "an act of agression" and would violate international law. Yes, because Russia ALWAYS abides by international law
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CDC | Facts About Chlorine - 0 views

emergency.cdc.gov/...facts.asp cdc chlorine symptoms health
shared by hkerby2 on 02 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • hkerby2 on 02 Feb 15
     
    In this link the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, offers information on chlorine gas poisoning including: what chlorine is, where it is found and how it is used, exposure, how it works, signs and symptoms, and long term health effects. This is beneficial for understanding one of the main chemical weapons in Syria, chlorine gas.
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China says Muslim Uighurs have joined Islamic State group | The Seattle Times - 0 views

www.seattletimes.com/...ave-joined-islamic-state-group china ISIS muslim
shared by fcastro2 on 16 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • fcastro2 on 16 Mar 15
     
    Chinese officials say that members of the country's Muslim Uighur ethnic minority have gone overseas to fight with the Islamic State group, which controls sections of Syria.
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ANNE R. PIERCE: Beware ISIS strategy that fortifies Russia, Iran, and Syria - Washingto... - 0 views

www.washingtontimes.com/...-isis-strategy-fortifies-russi strategy russia syria
shared by fcastro2 on 16 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • President Obama stressed the importance of showing the world “we are united in our resolv
  • Demonstration of united resolve against blood-thirsty terrorists whose ranks, ambitions and territory have grown exponentially is important
  • forging strategy to battle ISIS without also forging strategy to thwart Syria, Russia and Iran is a terrible mistake
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • brutality and aggression of the Islamic State, he still whitewashes the brutality and aggression of established states Syria, Russia and Iran, and still ignores the need for grand strategy to deal with them
  • We must, therefore, take Iran, Russia and Syria, and the collusion between them, seriously.
  • potentially, an even greater threat to the “free world” than ISIS. Because they are terror sponsors and supporters, WMD in their control means WMD out of control, susceptible to being sold or given to fanatics who are willing to work for their cause
  • working with the Iranian, Russian and Syrian regimes to address Middle Eastern problems and fight ISIS is a sure way to alienate Middle Eastern moderates and traditional partner
  • Russia’s staunch support of Syria and Iran; its ruthless aggression in Ukraine; and its expansionist designs in Eastern Europe, should make containing Russia an American foreign policy priority
  • Instead, much of the White House plan for combating ISIS plays right into Syrian, Iranian and Russian hands, for it revolves around their plans –which include allowing Assad to stay in power, legitimizing Russian-sponsored “peace conferences” that buy Assad time and raise Putin’s stature, accommodating the Iranian nuclear program, and giving Iran the lead in the battle against ISIS and in the Levant.
  • the United States has been mostly passive, while Russia, Iran and its proxies, and al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists, have seized the day.
  • opened the door to extremist groups eager to hijack the Syrian revolt and/or defend the Syrian regime
  • Iran and Russia have worked stolidly to protect Assad and capitalize on the chao
  • While the Obama administration justified its unwillingness to give meaningful aid to Syrian rebels with fear of helping extremists within rebel ranks, that stance allowed extremism within Syria to metastasize
  • development so serious that it now requires a military respons
  • Russia provided cover for Syria in the UN, and supplied many of the very weapons Assad uses to massacre civilian
  • the administration has endorsed yet more Russia-sponsored “peace talks”
  • President Obama and Secretary Kerry have backed even further away from demands that Assad leave, while even the goal of a transitional government which characterized the previous talks has been dropped
  • fcastro2 on 16 Mar 15
     
    Working with the Iranian, Russian and Syrian regimes to address Middle Eastern problems and fight ISIS is a sure way to alienate Middle Eastern moderates.
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اطلعوا على خارطة انتشار "داعش" في العراق - النهار - 0 views

www.annahar.com/...%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82 ISIS maps Iraq Syria
shared by micklethwait on 12 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • micklethwait on 12 Jul 14
     
    Zones under ISIS control in Iraq and Syria.
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