Hafez al-Assad
American warplanes have effectively become Assad’s best weapon
Everyone agrees that ISIS needs to be stopped in Iraq and Syria, but there’s almost no agreement among Western countries and their allies on how to get rid of Bashar al-Assad. And as they focus on terrorist groups, they may find themselves actually turning to Assad for help.
Syrian artists use puppets, YouTube to comment on, illustrate ongoing civil war
Syria’s artists have long been unable to criticize their government and its leaders. In the wake of the current uprising, though, that prohibition has been lifted, if not officially, in practice. A group of artists are using puppets and YouTube to criticize the government and illustrate its violence.
Syrian Alawite defector lives life stuck between two worlds
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad bases his power on his Alawite minority. They make up a big portion of his Army and his government leadership. So, when an Alawite defects, he’s cast as an outsider from his own people, but also by the rebels, who don’t trust any Alawites.
In one of Turkey’s most religiously diverse provinces, close ties with Syria fuel support for Assad regime
In Turkey, the civil strife in Syria has meant refugees streaming across the border. In mostly-Muslim Turkey, most Turks are staunchly on the side of the Sunni Muslims trying to overthrow Assad rule. But in Hatay province, a former Syrian province and one of the most diverse provinces in the country, more people support Assad, perhaps than anywhere outside of Syria.
Landmines cut off escape route of those fleeing Syrian violence
As Syrians flee the increasing violence in Syria, and as government forces increase intensity of their crackdown, many refugees are discovering that Syrians forced have planted anti-personnel mines along the border — making their escape extremely dangerous.
