Trump’s Crude Justification (Carnegie)
Written by: Karam Shaar
“On October 6, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria as he declared victory over the Islamic State. The controversial announcement made way for the Turkish military incursion into northern Syria, which led to the clearing of the Turkish-Syrian border area from Kurdish forces that the Turkish government consider to be terrorists.”
Turkey Begins Resettling Refugees in Northeastern Syria (Foreign Policy)
Written by: Lara Seligman
“Turkey has begun shuttling Syrian refugees across the border into northeastern Syria despite dangerous security conditions in the border towns—the first sign Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is moving forward with his plan to resettle some 3 million Syrians living in Turkey into 20 miles of formerly Kurdish-held territory.”
As Lebanon’s economy drowns in debt, Syria’s begins to sink as well (The Economist)
“Now Lebanon’s crisis is rippling across the border into Syria. Their economies have long been linked. Syrian labourers rebuilt Lebanon after its civil war, which ended in 1990. Banks in Beirut were a safe place for wealthy Syrians to park their cash. Since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, businessmen have used Lebanon to skirt sanctions and do deals abroad.”
Turkey and Russia Judged Bigger Risk Than ISIS for U.S. Troops in Syria
Written by: Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Eric Schmitt
“American commanders have requested guidance on dealing with an attack from those armed groups and others from Iran and the Syrian government, but officials say they have received muddled direction.”
Fearing conscription into Assad’s army, Syrian Kurds flee to Iraq (The Defense Post)
Written by: Elizabeth Hagedorn
“When Giwan fled his city of Amuda in northeastern Syria two months ago, the ongoing Turkish military offensive wasn’t the only reason he packed his bags.
“Not everyone fled due to the war. Many of us fled in fear of the regime,” explained the 27-year-old refugee who asked that his real name not be used.
He and roughly 10,000 other Syrians now live in tents at Bardarash camp near the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk. Giwan, like most of his neighbors in the camp, paid a smuggler to cross the border into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”
US Military Leaders, Congress Spar Over Syria Pullout (Voice of America)
Written by: Carla Babb
“U.S. lawmakers and military leaders sparred Wednesday over the U.S. decision in October to pull troops out of northern Syria amid the threat of a Turkish offensive.”
Life after war: The impact of conflict on Syrian artists
Written by: Natasha Hall
“After a scrawled graffiti message in Daraa, Syrian artists began to express themselves more than they ever could since the Assad family took power. Revolutionary art exploded on to the global scene during the Arab Spring. Particularly in Syria, artists, writers, and filmmakers found a new voice, free of fear. Defiance, grief, and frustration were themes which carried through multiple forms of media from fine art to the written word.”
