Tag : Syria
Russian, Syrian provocations prompt US reinforcement in Eastern Syria Security Area
By tom On Saturday, September 19 th, 2020 · no Comments · In And more news stories ,News stories ,WritingBy Tom Squitieri, Talk Media News WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has ramped up its proactive and defensive activities in northeast Syria to ward off increased provocations to the U.S force in the security zone patrolled by Army troops, Pentagon officials said. Returning to the security zone are at least six Bradley Fighting Vehicles, along withRead moreFour columns in U.S. News and World Report
Please use this link to read four columns on foreign affairs that I was honored to have appear in U.S. News and World Report. https://www.usnews.com/topics/author/tom_squitieriRead moreKey Questions Everyone Should Be Asking About Syria
President Obama is at a tricky and dangerous point regarding intervention in Syria. (U.S. News) During the Haiti coup of the early 1990s, the lines were unusually clear. On one side were the junta leaders and their supporters. There were the people who backed deposed president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. And then there were those who onlyRead moreIt’s almost the same old story….
It is a shame that Vladimir Putin could not acquire the girth of predecessor Boris Yeltsin. Then it would make it even more appropriate that he is channeling the role of Senior Ferrari in the real life Syria-version of the film Casablanca. In Casablanca, robust Sydney Greenstreet deftly played Senior Ferrari. His character was the proudly self-proclaimedRead moreWinter Brings Polio to Syria
Refugees in Syria face a humanitarian crisis with the outbreak of disease. (U.S. News) We see the explosions from the artillery shells. There are photos of charred or bullet ridden bodies, crying children and cowering civilians. These are the faces of war that are easily captured and conveyed, and they tell a lot. What isRead more
The paucity of hope
Nothing seems to be safe in Egypt these days. Political opponents of the military leadership are the chief targets for the attacks, attacks that include live fire from security forces. They are not alone: The seething rampages have spread to Christian churches, the media, foreigners, those held in custody, and even to the corpses waitingRead more-
How many times can the game change?
In January 1864, some strangely dressed men with odd accents arrived in the camp of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, whose troops had been reeling from shortages of arms and supplies. They demonstrate a new weapon – an amazingly high powered accurate “repeater” rifle – and offer it to Lee. He accepts. And the armingRead more -
Mr. Assad, meet Mr. Milosevic….
Bashar Assad, let me introduce you to Slobodan Milosevic. Technically, you cannot shake his hand – at least today. Milosevic died in his cell in The Hague, after the nation that he led into war and ruin emerged to form a tentative democracy. The new Yugoslav leadership traded Milosevic for economic and political benefits withRead more -
Border Crossing Euphoria
That perfect moment of the triumph of the people happened again in Syria. The rebels captured another border crossing between Syria and Turkey, lowering the Syrian flag and raising their own banner. It is a symbolic moment of victory – and in a bloody civil war abundant with various factions and no real positive endgameRead more -
As we thought. Not.
We are now deep into year two of the Arab world convulsions. Not one country across the North African-Middle East arc is settled. Even where it sounds quiet it is not. Two years from the first cry of freedom, very few things are how the outside world predicted. As Egyptians vote for their president inRead more -
Bad moon rising again, this time over Syria
There were many dangers faced by reporters during the four-year Bosnia war. Gunfire. Freezing. Food poisoning. Checkpoints manned by drugged out crazies. Yet one fear stood out, and it was usually away from the fighting. That was going to Zenica, a city in the central part of the area controlled by the Bosnian government. TheRead more -
Dancing With Wolves
You hear many words of wisdom traveling through the Mideast, all which offer insightful pondering to events past and present. Watching the tragic escalation of events in Syria and the failing efforts to bring the fighting to a close bring to mind words often spoken by the Kurds of the region, who are well-versed inRead more
