Unintended Consequences of Striking Syria

Unintended Consequences of Striking Syria

By David L. Phillips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at ISHR  ___________________________________________________________________________ However limited or narrow in scope, striking Syria will have consequences across the "Shiite Crescent" that spans Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. The term was coined in 2004 by Jordan's King Abdullah II, who warned that Iran's support for Shiite forces in the Middle East sought to "alter the traditional balance of power between the two main Islamic sects and pose new challenges to U.S. interests and allies." Military action in Syria could embroil the United States in civil wars from the Tigris to the Levant; U.S interests could also come under direct attack. A steely-eyed view of regional dynamics and contingency planning are critical to optimizing U.S. objectives. Iran Iran gains strategic depth by supporting Syria. As Iran's proxy, Syria serves several Iranian goals, including rivaling Saudi power in the region. Syria is also a launch point for terror attacks against Israel. Iran provides Hezbollah with advanced surface-to-surface missiles through a...
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Field Notes: Lebanon’s Home of Hope

My experience filming for OCHA's Global Humanitarian Day Campaign By Dâna Barakat, student at Columbia University In an attempt to get some preliminary research done for my thesis, which looks at the challenges faced by street children in Lebanon, I decided to spend a few weeks there this past summer. As soon as I arrived, I read an email that was going to change my summer. It was from David, a Public Information Officer at the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), asking me if I was interested in producing a short film for their global humanitarian day campaign. I had met David only a day earlier, through a wonderful adjunct Professor at CU, and he decided to give me a shot at this great opportunity. OCHA was looking to showcase 5 humanitarian workers from around the world who are making a significant difference in their respective communities. After meeting with aid workers from orphanages and NGOs all over the country,...
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