Topic: Bashar Assad
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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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.
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Twitter-hacking Syrian Electronic Army: How much state support does it have?
The Twitter hacks by the Syrian Electronic Army – the most recent hit The Guardian – reflect a shift toward disseminating propaganda and attacking Syria’s perceived enemies in the media.
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Obama 'red line' on Syrian chemical weapons gets a bit grayer
President Obama has said Syria's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line.' Evidence is mounting, but Obama's desire for an international response throws prospects for action into doubt.
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The Monitor's View: Revenge, or fear of it, must not lead Syria to chemical warfare
President Obama and other world leaders must speak directly to both Assad and rebel leader about avoiding revenge killings. That is necessary to prevent escalation of the war with chemical weapons.
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A no-fly zone over Syria? Harder to do than in Libya, warns top US general (+video)
Some US lawmakers want the US to establish a no-fly zone over Syria. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, questioned Tuesday whether that would do much to reduce Syrian attacks on civilians, never mind that it won't be easy.
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Can cooperation on Boston bombings bridge US-Russia distrust? It will be hard. (+video)
Since the Boston bombings, Russia has shared intelligence and Putin and Obama have pledged to cooperate. But US-Russia distrust runs deep, experts caution.
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Syrian regime's core supporters begin to drift away
Support for Assad among the Alawites, a religious minority, is waning. But sectarian hostilities and increasing religiosity make Alawites hesitant to join the opposition.
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Terrorism & Security Site of assassination attempt on Syrian prime minister sends warning to regime
The Syrian prime minister escaped the bombing unharmed, but the attack – in one of Damascus's wealthiest neighborhoods – shows the safe zone for regime members is shrinking.
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Obama’s 'red line' on Syria: An Iraq-like 'slam dunk' moment? (+video)
President Obama said a 'red line' would be crossed if the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against rebels. Might that propel the US into war, as those elusive 'weapons of mass destruction' did in Iraq?
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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The Monitor's View: Of one mind about chemical weapons and protecting the innocent
Probable evidence of chemical-gas use in Syria may soon force world leaders to intervene. Their decision should be based on a principle enshrined in a global ban of such weapons – a respect for the innocence of civilians in not being harmed by this indiscriminate tool of war.
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Syria chemical weapons: Where did they come from? (+video)
The roots of Syria's chemical weapons program lie decades in the past, perhaps back to the 1970s. Other countries were early suppliers. What's uncertain now is if Syria can make its own chemical weapons.
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Syria chemical weapons: Pentagon weighs evidence, plans response
Pentagon officials say they are still trying to confirm reports that Syria has used chemical weapons against civilians, but that they are preparing a military option for any outcome.
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AP tweet that rattled stock markets exposes media vulnerability
The news media are relying more on social media – both as a reporting tool and to disseminate their own content. But a hack of the AP Twitter account shows how things can go wrong.
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Backchannels Should use of chemical weapons in Syria be a 'game changer?'
Last month President Obama called chemical weapons use by Syria a 'game changer,' but why do US interests change if chemical weapons are used?
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White House all but sure Syria used chemical weapons – but needs to be sure
Since August, President Obama has laid down use or transfer of Syria’s chemicals weapons as a 'red line.' The White House letter puts the US closer to acknowledging such a line has been crossed.
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Chemical weapons in Syria? What Obama's high bar for proof could mean.
Three key US allies – Britain, France, and Israel – have said Syria has used chemical weapons in its civil war, but the US, wary of intervening in the conflict, is calling the evidence 'inconclusive.'
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Could chemical weapons in Syria force Obama's hand?
President Obama last August declared that any use or transport of Syria's chemical weapons would constitute a 'red line' for US policy toward the country. Now Israel, Britain, and France say they have evidence that Syria has crossed that line.
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Two bishops kidnapped by rebels, says Syrian government
Two bishops were kidnapped by 'a terrorist group,' say Syrian officials. Several Muslim clerics have been killed, but the two bishops are the most senior Christian leaders caught up in the conflict which has killed more than 70,000 people across Syria.
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Syrian rebels intensify rocket attacks into Lebanon
Rebels fighting the Syrian government are shelling villages on the Lebanese side of the border in order to curb a Lebanese group's efforts to help the Syrian regime.
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US, Russia missed chances to intercept Tamerlan Tsarnaev
Russia warned the US about the future Boston Marathon bomber back in 2011. But when Mr. Tsarnaev returned to Russia the next year, authorities there apparently left him alone.
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In Middle East Kerry pushes for Turkey-Israel rapprochement
Secretary of State John Kerry is in the Middle East exploring options for renewed peace efforts. On Sunday, he urged Turkey and Israel to normalize relations, which broke down after Turks were killed in an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010.
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Pentagon sends troops to Jordan to counter Syria chemical weapons threat
The Pentagon said this week it would send a small number of troops to Jordan to help forces there deal with Syria's chemical weapons threat and to prevent the civil war from spilling over.
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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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