Topic: Bashar Assad
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Briefing
Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
President Obama said Assad's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line' for US. Did he use sarin or any other chemical weapon against his own people?
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When dictators fall, so do their banknotes
The following now defunct or possibly soon-to-be defunct banknotes are imbued with the symbols and iconography of their leaders, past and present.
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Not just sexy Kim Jong-un: 5 times the Onion has fooled foreign media
When the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, took as straight news The Onion's declaration that stout North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was 2012's "Sexiest Man Alive," it became the biggest foreign media outlet to be fooled by the satirical American newspaper. But it is not the first. Here are several other foreign news sites that took Onion fiction as newsworthy fact.
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War with Iran? 5 ways events overseas could shape Obama's second term.
The threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program is the most urgent example of the foreign-policy challenges that face President Obama in his second term. Here are four others.
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In key Syrian city, snipers and bombing tear at fabric of daily life
As rebels and the Syrian government battle for control of Aleppo, residents tap caution – and dark humor – to survive.
All Content
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Iran's Khamenei condemns Boston Marathon attacks, but takes jab at US policies
Iran's supreme leader was emphatic in his condemnation of the Boston Marathon attacks, but criticized the US for decrying attacks on its own civilians while carrying out drone strikes elsewhere.
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In rebel fighter's personal story, the arc of Syria's war
When The Monitor first met Syrian rebel fighter Abu Omar last July, he was buoyant and determined to bring down the Assad regime. Now his outlook is a bit more grim.
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Can US-Russia relations get back on track after human rights blacklists?
President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin are hinting at hopes of getting past disputes over human rights to issues of mutual interest to the two powers, like missile defense.
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The Monitor's View: Looking for Obama's agenda in Syria
As killings in Syria worsen, more people look to Obama for action. But the mental preparation for action doesn't start with the White House.
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Terrorism & Security Foreign ministers struggle to find common ground on Syrian conflict (+video)
Russia has been unmoving in its opposition to stronger action against the Assad regime, putting it at odds with the rest of the G8, meeting today in London, on how to resolve the Syrian conflict.
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Kerry makes no further U.S. commitments in Syria
The situation in Syria and the North Korean threats were high on the agenda when G8 leaders gathered in London on Wednesday. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made no further U.S. commitments in Syria, but spoke of the need for the opposition to become better organized.
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Iran's 'axis of resistance' loses its Palestinian arm to Syrian war
Sunni Hamas has broken its longtime ties with the Assad regime to fight alongside the predominantly Sunni Syrian opposition.
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Were chemical weapons used in Syria? UN team poised for probe.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called for a chemical-weapons investigation of an alleged March 19 attack, but he’s apparently gotten cold feet. Here's why.
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Syrian army launches counteroffensive, calls on rebels to lay down arms
The Syrian army targeted rebels with heavy airstrikes in at least seven cities and regions Sunday, killing at least 20 people. The government also called on rebel fighters to surrender their weapons.
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Amid Syrian tensions, Lebanon elects new prime minister
Lebanon's new Prime Minister Tammam Salam, pledged to protect his country from neighbor Syria's civil war. Salam may also struggle to unite politically divided Lebanon.
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Opinion: In Syria, the only way out is a political deal
As in Northern Ireland, no matter how much the warring sides in Syria struggle for a battlefield win, fighting is unlikely to bring either side a real victory. The main parties need to sit down and negotiate a mutually agreed political transition and power-sharing plan for afterward.
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UN approves Arms Trade Treaty. Will US Senate ratify it?
The Arms Trade Treaty, the first international regulations of the multibillion-dollar trade, passed by a 154-to-3 vote. Some members of Congress have opposed it.
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Backchannels From every direction, arms for Syria
France is pushing hard, it seems, for Western powers to arm Syria's rebellion. If they get their way, they'll be joining an already crowded playing field.
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Two years on, aid efforts struggle to keep up with a shattered Syria
Embattled aid workers in Syria say they can only do so much to counter the effects of the spiraling conflict, which is now entering its third year and shows little movement toward a political solution.
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Terrorism & Security War draws closer to Lebanon with Syrian threat of attack
In an ominous turn, Syria warned Lebanon today against continuing to provide refuge for rebels battling the Assad regime, saying its restraint was limited.
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France dials up pressure on US to arm Syrian rebels
France and Britain are pushing the European Union to drop an embargo against arming Syrian rebels. Their push is at odds with with current US policy.
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Backchannels Terrorism and freedom fighting along the Syria-Iraq border
When some rebel groups kill Syrian government soldiers, the US applauds. When others do the killing, it's 'terrorism.' Why?
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U.N. peacekeepers freed: Syrians release 21 hostages
Syrian rebels have released 21 U.N. peacekeepers held hostage for four days. The peacekeepers crossed from Syria to safety in Jordan on Saturday afternoon.
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Syria: Violence prevents rescue of UN peacekeepers
On Friday, a U.N. mission to rescue 21 Filipino peacekeepers was aborted due to fighting near the village where they were being held. The peacekeepers were taken hostage Wednesday by a rebel group near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
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Terrorism & Security UN peacekeepers pull out of Syrian-Israeli DMZ as civil war edges closer
The eight peacekeepers, who were escorted into Israel by the IDF, are part of the same battalion as 21 UN troops who were captured by Syrian rebels on Wednesday.
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Terrorism & Security Syrian rebels: UN peacekeepers captured in Golan are our 'guests' (+video)
A hostage situation that began when Syrian rebels captured UN peacekeepers working in the Golan Heights yesterday seems to be rapidly deescalating as the captors scale back their threats.
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How Post-Chávez era depends on Maduro
The death of longtime Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, leaves questions about that country's future. Vice President Nicolas Maduro is the likely successor, but it's unclear whether he will pursue the same socialist policies as his predecessor. A state funeral for Chávez will take place on Friday.
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Syrian rebels seize UN peacekeepers in Golan (+video)
Syrian rebels are holding about 20 UN peacekeepers who monitor the Israel-Syria border in an attempt to force the withdrawal of Syrian Army forces from a nearby village.
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Terrorism & Security Nearly 1 in 20 Syrians are now refugees (+video)
Neighboring nations are straining to handle the 1 million refugees generated by two years of fighting.
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Hugo Chavez legacy: a wedge between US, Latin America (+video)
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, who died Tuesday, made it his mission to sway Latin American leaders away from the US and toward his brand of populist socialism. Chavez made strides, but his influence in the region had been waning.
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