Warring factions should be able to provide an orderly structure to stop battles. Being able to end the war long enough for a cease fire is important in establishing authorities that can actually govern.
February 22, 2016
By the AP
...The U.N. special envoy for Syria (click here) says he will convene a task force designed to help monitor a new cease-fire agreement as soon as it takes effect later this week.
February 22, 2016
By the AP
...The U.N. special envoy for Syria (click here) says he will convene a task force designed to help monitor a new cease-fire agreement as soon as it takes effect later this week.
Staffan de Mistura says the cease-fire reached by the United States and Russia and set to begin at midnight Saturday in Syria gives the two world powers the task of making sure that everyone else abides by it, too.
The agreement does not apply to the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. De Mistura emphasized the U.N. considers them terrorist groups, and "no one else."
Russia, a strong backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has faced claims that its airstrikes have hit opposition groups that Moscow considers terrorist groups, but the U.N. does not....
If Syria is finally recovering from the complete anarchy and death regime of Daesh, it is time to look to Libya to resolve the last of their strong holds.
There are no safe haven for them anymore. If Syria is coming to a resolve of governance, the only place still an anarchy is Libya.
February 21, 2016
By Eric Schmitt
...Even as American intelligence agencies (click here) say the number of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria has dropped to about 25,000 from a high of about 31,500, partly because of the United States-led air campaign there, the group’s ranks in Libya have roughly doubled in the same period, to about 6,500 fighters. More than a dozen American and allied officials spoke of their growing concern about the militant organization’s expanding reach from Libya and across Africa on rules of anonymity because the discussions involved intelligence and military planning....
The good news continues. An alliance of Muslim countries never before imagined.
22 February 2016
By Reuters
Riyadh: The Middle East’s largest ever war games (click here) are now underway and will boost military cooperation between the 20 Muslim nations taking part, host country Saudi Arabia said on Monday.
The Northern Thunder exercises, which began on Feb. 14 and will run until March 10, involve more than 150,000 troops from the Gulf Arab nations, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, Sudan and Senegal.
“The Council of Ministers ... expressed the hope that these exercises achieve what was defined as their goals in exchanging expertise and raising the level of military coordination,” cabinet said in a statement.
The statement also praised “the levels of preparedness and administrative and supply capabilities” shown by the nations participating in Northern Thunder exercises....
If Syria is finally recovering from the complete anarchy and death regime of Daesh, it is time to look to Libya to resolve the last of their strong holds.
There are no safe haven for them anymore. If Syria is coming to a resolve of governance, the only place still an anarchy is Libya.
February 21, 2016
By Eric Schmitt
...Even as American intelligence agencies (click here) say the number of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria has dropped to about 25,000 from a high of about 31,500, partly because of the United States-led air campaign there, the group’s ranks in Libya have roughly doubled in the same period, to about 6,500 fighters. More than a dozen American and allied officials spoke of their growing concern about the militant organization’s expanding reach from Libya and across Africa on rules of anonymity because the discussions involved intelligence and military planning....
The good news continues. An alliance of Muslim countries never before imagined.
22 February 2016
By Reuters
Riyadh: The Middle East’s largest ever war games (click here) are now underway and will boost military cooperation between the 20 Muslim nations taking part, host country Saudi Arabia said on Monday.
The Northern Thunder exercises, which began on Feb. 14 and will run until March 10, involve more than 150,000 troops from the Gulf Arab nations, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, Sudan and Senegal.
“The Council of Ministers ... expressed the hope that these exercises achieve what was defined as their goals in exchanging expertise and raising the level of military coordination,” cabinet said in a statement.
The statement also praised “the levels of preparedness and administrative and supply capabilities” shown by the nations participating in Northern Thunder exercises....
