Syrian security forces killed two people after storming a northern village in search of an alleged high-profile defector from President Bashar al-Assad's regime.  This increased the death toll from the past two days to about 19.  Yesterday, security forces increased pressure on demonstrators by firing on thousands of marchers, resulting in 17 deaths. On Friday, the European Union announced it was banning oil imports from Syria.  British Foreign Secretary William Hague ...

Days after the U.S. State Department released it's annual report on terrorism and labelled Iran as the "most active sponsor of terrorism," Iran retaliated by accusing the U.S. of being the "biggest sponsor of terrorism."  Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast condemned the report findings by citing that the U.S. supports "the most active supporter of terrorism in the world," Israel. The State Department report says that by supporting groups such ...

The United Nations Human Rights Council opened an emergency session on Syria yesterday, with the support of Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The council passed a resolution ordering an investigation into the human rights violations in Syria, and called for an immediate end to the violence. The resolution was opposed by China, Russia, and Cuba. And a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website on Tuesday criticized foreign pressure on Syria. State Department ...

Reuters speculates that the recent success of rebel forces in Libya could embolden opposition in Syria and inspire a stronger international response. And in the New York Times, Anthony Shadid describes Syria as the emerging "front line of the Arab revolts." Given the chain of events in Libya, "the arithmetic of the region seems to be betting against authoritarian rule that fails to reform." Yet Syrian activists remain cautious of drawing too many ...

Andrew Tabler recommends that the U.S. lead in strengthening multilateral pressures on the Syrian regime, the E.U. implement oil sanctions to deprive the regime of a vital source of income, the U.S. continue to support the valuable work of Ambassador Robert Ford, and the Senate immediately confirm his nomination. In contrast, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) described the new sanctions as  "long overdue," and called for Ford's immediate withdrawal from Damascus. Writing in Foreign Policy, Josh Rogin ...

Following President Barack Obama's call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the European Union issued an identical call for the Syrian leader's departure. E.U. Foreign Policy chief, Catherine Ashton, cited “the complete loss of Bashar al-Assad’s legitimacy in the eyes of the Syrian people and the necessity for him to step aside.” Then Britain, France, and Germany said in a joint statement that Assad "can no longer claim to lead the country," ...

Writing in Foreign Policy, Josh Rogin speculates on why, despite indications last week that President Barack Obama would to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, Obama has failed to do so. Rather, the U.S. administration is now arguing that a firm call from the U.S. for Assad to leave would make little difference. Providing analysis from various scholars and drawing on information from officials, Rogin demonstrates how ...

Semira Nikou, from the United States Institute of Peace, speaks with Seyed Hossein Mousavian, the former foreign policy adviser to Iran's former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on whether Iran is "ready" to begin diplomatic negotiations with the United States.   According to Mousavian, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be "ready to negotiate" once Iran is offered the "right solutions package" by the P5+1 (five permanent members of the ...

Josh Rogin of Foreign Policy writes that Congress is starting to warm to the idea of confirming the U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford to Damascus despite the fact that some on Capitol Hill are still against the confirmation of having a U.S. ambassador to Syria.  Some on Capitol Hill are reluctant to confirm Ford since many other countries are withdrawing their envoys as a means to protest against President Bashar ...

Randa Slim writes in Foreign Policy about the whether or not the decision by the U.S. Treasury to freeze assets of Syrian businessman Mohammad Hamsho and his business will send a "strong message" to the pro-Assad business community and potentially increase the possibilities for pressuring the Syrian regime.  According to Slim, the business community is the "key to the survival of Bashar al-Assad" therefore, sanctions against businesses will be very ...

According to author David Schenker, U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford has come under heavy scrutiny in recent months and is sometimes regarded as the 'totem' of bad American policy in Syria. In early July, Ford made his way to Hama to express U.S. sympathies and demonstrate solidarity with the protesters. However, the Obama administration "marred these actions though a series of equivocations and delays." Over the past weekend, the administration released yet another statement condemning ...

In the Wall Street Journal, Elliott Abrams argues that American leadership can ultimately help prevent a civil war in Syria.  Thus far, Abram argues that the U.S. has not had a strategy toward Syria except "prayers that Syria doesn't turn into Libya." Abrams writes that because the Alawite society has different degrees of support for the Assads, it is important for the U.S. to address them both publicly and privately through ...