damascus – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Further destabilisation in the Middle East possible according to new report

By Guest PostJuly 10, 2013Politicsaleppo, arab gulf states, assad, China, crisis in egypt, damascus, destabilization, east west stand, Environment, ex cathedra manner, gareth stansfield, geopolitical flux, hizbullah, homs, interests of israel, iranian nuclear targets, Iraq, jordan, lebanon, levantine neighbours, michael clarke, middle east, neo imperialist, proximity to europe, proxy, proxy war, region wide war, revolutionary guard, rusi, russia, saudi arabia, sectarian hatreds, security council, security institute, south lebanon, strategy, sunni islamist militants, syrian civil war, turkey, un, university of exeter, western capitals

The crisis in Egypt is already having a negative effect on the Syrian civil war and contributing to further destabilisation of the wider Middle East according to a major new report.

Professor Gareth Stansfield from the University of Exeter’s Strategy and Security Institute and the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies wrote the report, for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), an independent think-tank for defence and security which advises governments and the wider policy community.

‘The Remaking of Syria, Iraq and the Wider Middle East’ report suggests that important as events in Cairo are, they distract Western attention from the much bigger game being played out in Syria which significantly risks changing the Levant after a century of relative territorial stability. Professor Stansfield who is also an RUSI’s senior associate fellow analysed the impact the Syrian civil war could have on the future of the Middle East state system across the Levant. (more…)

Health in conflict: A public health student undertakes a challenging internship in Lebanon

“In Syria it is a fast death; here it is a slow death,” a woman lamented as she described her situation as a refugee in Lebanon escaping an escalating civil war in her homeland.

Each woman’s story was different, but they were all sad, grim. Another refugee had five children and a husband who is detained somewhere back home. “When a father is present you might be able to afford some of the children’s needs, but if he’s not, from whom do you seek help?” she asked. (more…)

Tag Archives: damascus

Further destabilisation in the Middle East possible according to new report

Health in conflict: A public health student undertakes a challenging internship in Lebanon