FPI Resources on the Escalating Syrian Crisis

Since March 2011, troops and militias loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad have killed as many as 14,000 civilians.  The February 2012 ceasefire brokered by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has failed to halt the Assad regime’s violence.  As Syria’s internal political and armed opposition groups continue their resistance, Russia is now reportedly attempting to ship attack helicopters and other military assistance to the Assad regime.
 
The Foreign Policy Initiative believes that the following op-eds and analyses may be helpful as policymakers and lawmakers examine options to vet and directly assist internal Syrian opposition groups, and to create safe zones to protect civilians from the Assad regime’s relentless attacks

FPI Resources

• The U.N. Excuse – FPI Director William Kristol – The Weekly Standard Blog – June 1, 2012

• What Obama Must Do in Syria after the Failed Annan Plan – Foreign Policy Initiative and Foundation for Defense of Democracies – April 10, 2012

• FPI Fact Sheet: The Case for Intervention in Syria – Foreign Policy Initiative – March 15, 2012

• Foreign Policy Experts Urge President Obama to Take Immediate Action in Syria – Open Letter – Foreign Policy Initiative and Foundation for Defense of Democracies – February 17, 2012

• Foreign Policy Experts Urge President Obama to Take Action Against Assad – Open Letter – Foreign Policy Initiative and Foundation for Defense of Democracies – December 19, 2011

• Towards a Post-Assad Syria: Options for the United States and Like-Minded Nations to Further Assist the Anti-Regime Syrian Opposition – Foreign Policy Initiative and Foundation for Defense of Democracies – November 8, 2011

Additional Resources

• America, Russia, and the Tragedy of Syria – Fouad Ajami – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – June 19, 2012

• [Event] – Getting Serious on Syria: Can We Close the Assad Era Without Opening a Can of Worms? – Keynote Address by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) – American Enterprise Institute – June 18, 2012

• Syria’s Regime is Incapable of Resisting Attack – Michael Weiss – Henry Jackson Society – June 18, 2012

• Obama Fiddles… – Thomas Donnelly – The Weekly Standard – June 14, 2012

• Defensive Propaganda – Tony Badran – NOW Lebanon – June 14, 2012

• Syrian Intervention is Justifiable, and Just – Anne-Marie Slaughter – Washington Post – June 10, 2012

• They Died for Westphalia – Leon Wieseltier – The New Republic – June 8, 2012

• The Battle of Syria – Clifford May – National Review Online – June 7, 2012

• U.S. Options for Syria: Action vs. Inaction – Michael Singh – Washington Institute for Near East Policy – June 7, 2012

• Assad’s Fall is in America’s Interests – Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – June 6, 2012

• Toppling Syria’s Assad – Max Boot – Los Angeles Times – June 5, 2012

• The Real Reason to Intervene in Syria – James Rubin – Foreign Policy – June 4, 2012

• Impotence Abroad – Lee Smith – The Weekly Standard – June 2, 2012

• For Obama, Intervening in Syria Would be Good Policy and Good Politics – Danielle Pletka – Washington Post – June 1, 2012

• What Does the Syrian Opposition Believe? – David Pollock – Wall Street Journal (subscription required) – May 30, 2012