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Internal and External Security Dynamics of Qatari Policy Toward the Syria Uprising
Comillas Journal of International Relations | nº 05 | 065-077 [2016] [ISSN 2386-5776] 65 DOI: cir.i05.y2016.005 INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SECURITY DYNAMICS OF QATARI POLICY TOWARD THE SYRIA UPRISING Las dinámicas de seguridad internas y externas de la política de Catar frente al levantamiento sirio Kristian Coates Ulrichsen Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Autor Affiliate Professor, Henry M Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington-Seattle E-mail: [email protected] Qatar played a leading role in supporting the opposition to Bashar al-Assad since the beginning of the Syrian uprising in 2011. While Kuwait emerged as a key (unofficial) conduit for financial Abstract transfers from the Gulf States to Syria and backing from Saudi Arabia initially took the form of illicit flows of militants and weapons to groups of opposition fighters, Qatar from the start adopted a political approach to organizing the Syrian opposition, in addition to providing tens of millions of dollars to rebel groups. Qatari support increasingly controversial as it was perceived to be tied to groups linked to the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. During 2012, Qatar and Saudi Arabia backed competing groups, contributing to the fragmentation of the opposition, before responsibility for the “Syria file” passed decisively from Doha to Riyadh in spring 2013. This signified a major setback to Qatar’s ambition to become a regional power and highlighted how Qatar’s Syria policy was undermined by the lack of institutional capacity to underpin highly- personalised decision-making processes. Qatar; Syria; Saudi Arabia; Syrian civil war; Syrian opposition; rebel groups; terrorism financing; Key words foreign policy Catar; Siria; Arabia Saudí; guerra civil siria; oposición siria; grupos rebeldes; financiación del terrorismo; política exterior Recibido: 25/9/2015. -
Has the Syrian War Entered a New Phase?
Analysis Report 50/2013 25th September 2013 Mario Laborie Iglesias HAS THE SYRIAN WAR ENTERED A NEW Visit our Sign up for our Newsletter PHASE? website This document has been translated by a Translation and Interpreting Degree student doing work experience, IGNACIO CUEVAS MARTÍNEZ, under the auspices of the Collaboration Agreement between the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid, and the Spanish Institute of Strategic Studies. HAS THE SYRIAN WAR ENTERED A NEW PHASE? Abstract: The present document offers a brief revision of the different phases of the Syrian civil war; it analyzes the possible consequences that the August 21 chemical incident in Damascus may have with a view to the future of the war; and it considers the options for his ending. Keywords: Syria, civil war, chemical weapons, Assad, political opposition Analysis report 50/2013 1 HAS THE SYRIAN WAR ENTERED A NEW PHASE? Mario Laborie Iglesias ANALYSIS The fact that the Syrian regime has agreed to destroy its chemical weapons, as a way to prevent a punitive attack by the Western powers led by the U.S., has been greeted with relief by the foreign offices all over the world1. On September 21, according to the deadlines set by the Russia- U.S. agreement signed in Geneva, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) received the initial declaration of the chemical weapons that Syria has in possession2. On August 21, the most remarkable chemical weapons incident of the war took place3. That day a rocket attack, equipped with a chemical agent (sarin gas), killed 1,429 people in a Damascus suburb4, according to the U.S. -
Timeline of International Response to the Situation in Syria
Timeline of International Response to the Situation in Syria Beginning with dates of a few key events that initiated the unrest in March 2011, this timeline provides a chronological list of important news and actions from local, national, and international actors in response to the situation in Syria. Skip to: [2012] [2013] [2014] [2015] [2016] [Most Recent] Acronyms: EU – European Union PACE – Parliamentary Assembly of the Council CoI – UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria of Europe FSA – Free Syrian Army SARC – Syrian Arab Red Crescent GCC – Gulf Cooperation Council SASG – Special Adviser to the Secretary- HRC – UN Human Rights Council General HRW – Human Rights Watch SES – UN Special Envoy for Syria ICC – International Criminal Court SOC – National Coalition of Syrian Revolution ICRC – International Committee of the Red and Opposition Forces Cross SOHR – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights IDPs – Internally Displaced People SNC – Syrian National Council IHL – International Humanitarian Law UN – United Nations ISIL – Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant UNESCO – UN Educational, Scientific and ISSG – International Syria Support Group Cultural Organization JSE – UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to UNGA – UN General Assembly Syria UNHCR – UN High Commissioner for LAS – League of Arab States Refugees NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization UNICEF – UN Children’s Fund OCHA – UN Office for the Coordination of UNRWA – UN Relief Works Agency for Humanitarian Affairs Palestinian Refugees OIC – Organization of Islamic Cooperation UNSC – UN Security Council OHCHR – UN Office of the High UNSG – UN Secretary-General Commissioner for Human Rights UNSMIS – UN Supervision Mission in Syria OPCW – Organization for the Prohibition of US – United States Chemical Weapons 2011 2011: Mar 16 – Syrian security forces arrest roughly 30 of 150 people gathered in Damascus’ Marjeh Square for the “Day of Dignity” protest, demanding the release of imprisoned relatives held as political prisoners. -
PH Lecture Draft
University of South Wales Public Lecture, 20 March 2014 SYRIA: THE WORST WESTERN FOREIGN POLICY CATASTROPHE OF RECENT TIMES? (draft) Peter Hain MP for Neath and former UK Middle East and Cabinet Minister The Syrian horror has been unfolding since March 2011, and it is estimated that there have been more fatalities per head of population than any recent conflict in the region, with a death count averaging a colossal 117 per day. Government forces have unleashed waves of terror, while their Jihadist opponents, affiliates of Al Qaeda, have imposed their own medieval barbarity. The death toll is widely believed to be well over 100,000 (the last figure the UN released in July 2013 before conditions made further accurate estimates impossible). The Oxford Research group has reported 764 cases of summary execution of children. In the Damascus suburbs that were hit by chemical attacks, people died – and still are dying – from hunger. The number of Syrians in need of food aid is estimated to be as high as 10.5 million which is almost half the population. The murder and torture of thirteen year old Hamza Al-Khatib by government forces early on in the conflict showed Syrians and the world that no-one was safe, whatever their age, gender or religion. The names of cities like Homs – partly evacuated by the UN after being under siege for over 600 days – have joined some of the world’s worst atrocities: evacuees described the situation inside as ‘genocidal’. In February 2012 the entire Baba Amr district of Homs was destroyed, and very little is known of the fate of those who lived there. -
Syria7.Pdf 1 April 2014 Page 1 of 59
www.rbs0.com/syria7.pdf 1 April 2014 Page 1 of 59 Syria: March 2014 Copyright 2014 by Ronald B. Standler No copyright claimed for quotations. No copyright claimed for works of the U.S. Government. Table of Contents 1. Chemical Weapons & Some Atrocities 2-8 Mar 2014 9-15 Mar 2014 16-22 Mar 2014 23-29 Mar 2014 2. Why Peace Negotiations Futile Ukraine diversion Remarks by Ambassador Ford on 1 March Developments in Saudi Arabia 3-8 March U.N. Secretary General wants to restart Geneva2 negotiations (3, 14 March) Gen. Idriss Coalition refuses to negotiate with Hezbollah (6 March) Council wants to return to the National Coalition Coalition renounces Geneva2 (10 March) Assad seems to be winning the civil war Brahimi afraid of elections in Syria (13 March) Coalition belligerent (15 March) USA closes Syrian Embassy (18 March) Syria frustrated with Geneva2 (18 March) Humanitarian aid trucks from Turkey to Syria (20-21 March) Ban realizes U.N. Resolution 2139 failed Brahimi admits more negotiations unlikely soon (24 March) Foreword My first essay on Syria covered dates from 8 Sep 2013 to 5 Oct 2013, and chronicled the history of: the threat of U.S. military strikes on Syria, the aborted proceedings in the U.S. Congress on the approval of Obama's request to use a military strike to punish the Syrian government for using allegedly chemical weapons on 21 Aug, the 16 Sep Report of United Nations Inspectors that concludes chemical weapons were used in Syria on 21 Aug, the Russian concern with the export of experienced terrorists from Syria (20 Sep) and www.rbs0.com/syria7.pdf 1 April 2014 Page 2 of 59 tersely — and incompletely — discusses the scourge of Islamic terrorism, the evolution of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118 on the removal of chemical weapons from Syria, and why I believe peace negotiations are futile with the current conditions in Syria. -
La Política Exterior De Qatar Qatar´S Foreign Policy
Año 2 | nº 05 Enero-Abril 2016 ISSN 2386-5776 La Política Exterior de Qatar Qatar´s Foreign Policy Guest editor / Editor invitado: Mehran Kamrava. Georgetown University-Qatar David Roberts, Gawdat Bhagat, Fred H. Lawson, Rory Miller & Kristian Coates Ulrichsen Departamento de Relaciones Internacionales Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales SUMARIO Año 2 | nº 05 Enero-abril 2016 ARTÍCULOS I ARTICLES The four eras of Qatar’s foreign policy ...................................................................................................................1 Las cuatro etapas de la política exterior de Catar David B Roberts Energy as a main driver of Qatari foreign policy ............................................................................................. 18 La energía como motor principal de la política exterior de Catar Gawdat Bahgat Qatar’s security alignment with the United States: strategic constraint or facilitating condition? ....... 33 La armonización en seguridad de Catar con los Estados Unidos: ¿restricción estratégica o circunstancia favorecedora? Fred H. Lawson Qatar’s foreign policy engagement with the European Union: evolving priorities of a small state in the contemporary era ......................................................................................................................................... 46 El compromiso de la política exterior de Catar con la Unión Europea: las prioridades en evolución de un Estado pequeño en la época contemporánea Rory Miller and Khalid al-Mansouri Internal and external security -
Six Years of War in Syria Political and Humanitarian Aspect
SIX YEARS OF WAR IN SYRIA POLITICAL AND HUMANITARIAN ASPECT NR: 005 MAY 2017 RESEARCH CENTRE RESEARCH CENTRE © TRT WORLD RESEARCH CENTRE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PUBLISHER TRT WORLD CONTRIBUTORS PINAR KANDEMIR RESUL SERDAR ATAS AHMED AL BURAI OZAN AHMET CETIN MUHAMMED LUTFI TURKCAN RAZAN SAFFOUR ALPASLAN OGUZ AHMET FURKAN GUNGOREN MUHAMMED MASUK YILDIZ ESREF YALINKILICLI ACHMENT GONIM ALONSO ALVAREZ COVER PHOTO BURCU OZER / ANADOLU AGENCY (AA) TRT WORLD ISTANBUL AHMET ADNAN SAYGUN STREET NO:83 34347 ULUS, BESIKTAS ISTANBUL / TURKEY www.trtworld.com TRT WORLD LONDON PORTLAND HOUSE 4 GREAT PORTLAND STREET NO:4 LONDON / UNITED KINGDOM www.trtworld.com TRT WORLD WASHINGTON D.C. 1620 I STREET NW, 10TH FLOOR, SUITE 1000 WASHINGTON DC, 20006 www.trtworld.com Content 07 INTRODUCTION 08 RUN UP TO THE WAR IN SYRIA 21 POLITICAL ASPECT: SYRIA POLICIES OF INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL ACTORS 22 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 23 THE UNITED NATIONS 30 THE EUROPEAN UNION 34 THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES 35 STATES 36 TURKEY 43 THE UNITED STATES 50 RUSSIA 57 IRAN 61 SAUDI ARABIA 64 CHINA 66 NON-STATE ACTORS 67 SYRIAN POLITICAL OPPOSITION 73 DAESH 76 PKK’S SYRIA OFFSHOOT: PYD-YPG 80 HEZBOLLAH 83 HUMANITARIAN ASPECT 88 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 96 INTERNALLY DISPLACED SYRIANS 98 REFUGEES IN TURKEY 106 REFUEGES IN JORDAN 108 REFUGEES IN LEBANON 110 REFUGEES IN THE EU 116 CONCLUSION: SHOCKWAVES OF THE SYRIAN WAR 120 ENDNOTES TRT World 6 Research Centre TRT World Research Centre 7 Introduction At TRT World, we aim to do things differently. Since missed opportunities to restore stability in the war- we started the TRT World on 27 October 2015, we torn country. -
1 Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising
Seven Years of Research on the Syrian Conflict 1 Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising (2014) Haian Dukhan Introduction 1 Historians, sociologists and political scientists have shown a great interest in tribalism, ethnicity and religious identities in the Middle East for many years, and have attempted to study their influence on the stability of the states in the region.2 The resilience of tribes towards the traumatic events of the twentieth century highlights their capacity to adapt to changing conditions on the ground, such as the shock of colonialism, which created new political borders in the Middle East, thus hindering tribal movement and migration, and the shock of Arab national-ism, which considered the tribe as a backward part of society that needed to be modernized and incorporated into modern society.3 Arab tribes in Syria have always maintained their culture, solidarity, local leadership and considerable control over their in-ternal affairs. However, since the 1950s, new challenges have emerged that threaten tribal structure and the tribe’s traditional way of life. Two distinct periods of Syria’s contemporary political history may highlight the relationship between the state and the tribes: the period before and the period after Hafez al-Assad’s seizure of power in 1970. The character of this relationship ranged from the state’s confrontation with the tribes to incorporation. More recently, the Arab Spring was accompanied by the emergence of a variety of new phenomena. Most studies have focused on the re- emergence of Islamism and democracy and their by-products.4 This article attempts to explain the re-emergence of tribalism. -
Irak Qui Les Oppose Depuis Trois Mois Et Au Levant) Rant En Syrie a Aussi Incité Les Auto¬ Aux Djihadistes De L'etat Islami¬ Rités Koweïtiennes À Durcir Le Ton
INSTITUT KURDE DE PARIS Information and liaison bulletin N°349 april 2014 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCID) aqnd the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (The Fund for action and support of integration and the struggle against discrimination) This bulletin is issued in French and English Price per issue : France: 6 € — Abroad : 7,5 € Annual subscribtion (12 issues) France : 60 € — Elsewhere : 75 € Monthly review Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 15 A.S. ISBN 0761 1285 INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tel. : 01-48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01-48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail: bulletin@fikp.org Information and liaison bulletin Kurdish Institute of Paris Bulletin N° 349 April 2014 IRAQ: GENERAL ELECTIONS IN A DIVIDED COUNTRY. IRAQI KURDISTAN: HOLDING PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS IN THE REGION. SYRIA: CONTROVERSY OVER A LINE OF TRENCHES ALONG THE KURDISH BORDER. STRASBOURG : A RESOLUTION BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ABOUT IRAN. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS: THE LATEST REPORT OF THE CPJ REGARDING IRAQI KURDISTAN. CINEMA: THE RELEASE OF HINER SALEEM’S FIRM “MY SWEET PEPPERLAND” ATTRACTED A LOT OF ATTENTION. IRAQ: GENERAL ELECTIONS IN A DIVIDED COUNTRY he first Iraqi elections tors, defied the terrorism by turn- parties” to advocate a change in since the departure of ing up at the polling booths to elect the polling method. Thus “seven the US troops took place 328 members of Parliament for a 4 compensating seats” have been in a tense atmosphere year term of office. -
The Arab Cold War Redux
REPORT ARAB POLITICS BEYOND THE UPRISINGS The Arab Cold War Redux The Foreign Policy of the Gulf Cooperation Council States since 2011 FEBRUARY 28, 2017 — MICHAEL STEPHENS PAGE 1 The Arab uprisings and their aftermath have precipitated the reshuffling of alliances, assertions of force, and a great deal of anxiety among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was once somewhat placid. The rise of Iran’s influence, the demise of old allies such as Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, the United States’ retrenchment from the region, and the spread of sectarian conflict in many of the eastern countries of the Arab world have all shaken the Gulf monarchies. Vying for influence and backing different factions in proxy conflicts, they have begun to assert themselves on the regional stage in unprecedented ways. But while conflict rages and regimes fall around them, the Gulf countries appear, for now, to be facing futures that are internally stable—even if they will exist in an increasingly fractious, unhappy, and hostile neighborhood. The Arab uprisings of 2011 marked a watershed moment for the Middle East, and not just for those Arab states that underwent dramatic changes in their politics, but also for the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Vastly wealthy, with powerful western allies, the GCC states appeared as paragons of stability in comparison to many of their fellow Arab nations. But despite their relatively comfortable positions, Arab rulers of Gulf countries have struggled to fully come to terms with the monumental changes wrought -
Dynamic Stalemate: Surveying Syria's Military Landscape
POLICY BRIEFING May 2014 DYNAMIC STALEMATE: SURVEYING SYRIA’S MILITARY LANDSCAPE CHARLES LISTER BROOKINGS The Brookings Institution is a private non-profit organization. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its scholars. Copyright © 2014 Saha 43, Building 63, West Bay, Doha, Qatar www.brookings.edu/about/centers/doha TABLE OF CONTENTS I. A Complex Affair ...........................................................................................................................1 The Opposition Camp ..............................................................................................................2 The Pro-Government Camp .....................................................................................................3 II. An Unstable Opposition ................................................................................................................5 III. Jihadi Dynamics ...........................................................................................................................8 IV. Pro-Government Forces Fight Back ...........................................................................................11 V. Conflict Assessment .................................................................................................................... -
1 Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by St Andrews Research Repository 1 Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising Haian Dukhan Introduction 1 Historians, sociologists and political scientists have shown a great interest in tribalism, ethnicity and religious identities in the Middle East for many years, and have attempted to study their influence on the stability of the states in the region.2 The resilience of tribes towards the traumatic events of the twenti- eth century highlights their capacity to adapt to changing con- ditions on the ground, such as the shock of colonialism, which created new political borders in the Middle East, thus hindering tribal movement and migration, and the shock of Arab national- ism, which considered the tribe as a backward part of society that needed to be modernized and incorporated into modern society.3 Arab tribes in Syria have always maintained their culture, soli- darity, local leadership and considerable control over their in- ternal affairs. However, since the 1950s, new challenges have emerged that threaten tribal structure and the tribe’s traditional way of life. Two distinct periods of Syria’s contemporary polit- ical history may highlight the relationship between the state and the tribes: the period before and the period after Hafez al- Assad’s seizure of power in 1970. The character of this rela- tionship ranged from the state’s confrontation with the tribes to incorporation. 1 2 Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising More recently, the Arab Spring was accompanied by the emer- gence of a variety of new phenomena.