Syria Unrest — International Points

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September 20, 2024

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by Anup Shah
This web page Created Tuesday, June 05, 2012

This web page: https://www.globalissues.org/article/799/syria.
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Introduction
Information tales from IPS

Introduction

Syria is among the oldest locations the place civilization has thought to have began. Its capital, Damascus, is among the oldest repeatedly inhabited cities on the planet. All through historical past it has seen many modifications, violent and in any other case.

At the moment it’s comprised of plenty of ethnic teams, principally Arab, although an inexpensive variety of Kurds, Armenians are additionally current. There have additionally been plenty of Iraqi refugees and the primary Arab group are themselves from completely different sects and denominations.

Round January 2011, following on from the Arab Spring the place protests in opposition to ruling regimes erupted in plenty of Center East international locations, protesters in Syria got here out demanding President Bashar al-Assad and his authorities step down. In response, Assad despatched in troops with some cities and areas being besieged for weeks and months. Each professional and anti-government protest gatherings have at occasions been giant.

Picture: Demonstrations in Hom. Credit score: Bo yaser

Criticism of Syria’s crackdown has been fairly widespread. The Arab League has responded by suspending Syria’s membership. Syria claims that it’s preventing an insurgency that’s terrorist by nature and claimed Al Qaeda is concerned. It has not been potential to confirm that declare so many see it as a cynical excuse.

The ruling regime is a sect of Shia, so has assist from Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, whereas the opposition is basically Sunni, thus receiving assist from different Center East international locations, reminiscent of Saudi Arabia and others.

1000’s have been killed — civilians and armed combatants. Some are asking the West for a navy intervention like there was in Libya, however the US particularly is just not eager on one other navy intervention despite the fact that they’ve been overtly hostile and demanding of the Syrian ruling regime for a few years.

Picture: Professional-Assad Rally. Credit score: Newtown grafitti

China and Russia even have shut ties with Syria and so far haven’t been eager on any motion condemning Syria and have even vetoed some actions. Some papers have reported Iran and others serving to Syria with weapons, whereas others additionally talked about the opposition being armed by the West.

Mainstream media protection is after all a part of the difficulty; understandably the brutal regime crackdown has been met with shock, horror, and so on. However the protection has additionally been one-sided within the sense that related sorts of violence dedicated by US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan don’t obtain related criticism, however a lot flatter and measured reporting as a substitute. Media Lens covers this level in way more element declaring many propaganda issues in mainstream media protection and is value studying.

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