Ancient Syria: A Three Thousand Year History

Ancient Syria: A Three Thousand Year History
Trevor Bryce (Author)

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Syria

Syria has long been one of the most trouble-prone and politically volatile regions of the Near and Middle Eastern world. This book looks back beyond the troubles of the present to tell the 3000-year story of what came before: the peoples, cities, and kingdoms that arose, flourished, declined, and disappeared in the lands that now constitute Syria, from the time of the region's earliest written records in the third millennium BC, right through to the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century AD.

Across the centuries, from the Bronze Age to Imperial Rome, we encounter a vast array of characters and civilizations, enlivening, enriching, and besmirching the annals of Syrian history: Hittite and Assyrian Great Kings; Egyptian pharaohs; Amorite robber-barons; the biblically notorious Nebuchadnezzar; Persia's Cyrus the Great and Macedon's Alexander the Great; the rulers of the Seleucid empire; and an assortment of Rome's most distinguished and most infamous emperors. All swept across the plains of Syria at some point in her long history. All contributed, in one way or another, to Syria's special, distinctive character, as they imposed themselves upon it, fought one another within it, or pillaged their way through it.

But this is not just a history of invasion and oppression. Syria had great rulers of her own, native-born Syrian luminaries, sometimes appearing as local champions who sought to liberate their lands from foreign despots, sometimes as cunning, self-seeking manipulators of squabbles between their overlords. They culminate with Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, whose life provides a fitting grand finale to the first three millennia of this ancient civilization. And yet the long story of Syria does not end with the mysterious fate of Queen Zenobia. The conclusion looks forward to the Muslim conquest in the 7th century AD: in many ways the opening chapter in the equally complex and often troubled history of modern Syria.

• Rank: #308886 in Books
• Published on: 2014-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Freya Stark in the Levant (The St Antony's College Middle East Archives)

Freya Stark in the Levant (The St Antony's College Middle East Archives)
Malise Ruthven (Author), Freya Stark (Author), St. Antony's College (Corporate Author)

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Syria

In 1927 Freya Stark stayed in Beirut, taking lessons to improve her Arabic, before moving on to Damascus in 1928. Returning in 1939 to Aleppo, and again in the 1950s to explore the deserted Byzantine cities of the Orontes valley, for Freya Stark the Levant was the foundation for her love of the Middle East. This volume includes some of her best photographs.

• Rank: #106533 in Books
• Published on: 1994-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 120 pages

The Third Crusade: Richard the Lionhearted Vs. Saladin (Great Battles Through the Ages)

The Third Crusade: Richard the Lionhearted Vs. Saladin (Great Battles Through the Ages)
Samuel Willard Crompton (Author)

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Syria

• Rank: #120563 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.57" h x 6.28" w x .52" l, .95 pounds
• Binding: Library Binding
• 112 pages

Syrian Crisis: Review, Timelines and Facts

Syrian Crisis: Review, Timelines and Facts
Michael Dylan Cora (Author)

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Syria

By the second decade of 21st century, Syria has become one of the centers of attention in the Middle East zone. With this book, an academic and research material, we have tried to gather and compile the publicly available material, academic sources, research papers, news and media broadcasts, and other relevant information together, as they are originally published or broadcasted, in order for the researchers, scholars and other interested parties to have a single complete reference guide. The book contains reviews, researches, news and reports on Syrian Crisis between 15 March 2011 and 31 August 2013. Around 100 thousand people (by August 2013) have died in Syria since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011. As the conflict starts to gain a character of a civil war, according to experts on the Middle Eastern region, the international community has to be very careful to handle the situation properly. It may pose a threat not only to the shaky stability in the Middle East, with extremism involved, it may likely become a serious threat to the international security. The civil uprising was still active and the U.S. and its allies were on the edge of a punitive military attack when this book was published.

• Rank: #224816 in Books
• Published on: 2013-08-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 146 pages

Under the Wire: Marie Colvin's Final Assignment

Under the Wire: Marie Colvin's Final Assignment
Paul Conroy (Author)

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Syria

Zero Dark Thirty meets 127 Hours—a riveting war journal from photographer Paul Conroy, who accompanied Marie Colvin (called by her peers “the greatest war correspondent of her generation”) during her ill-fated final assignment in Syria.

• Rank: #194980 in Books
• Published on: 2013-10-08
• Released on: 2013-10-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .0 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 344 pages

Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad; New Updated Edition

Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad; New Updated Edition
David W. Lesch (Author)

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Syria

In this timely book, David LeschAone of the only Westerners well acquainted with Syrian President Bashar al-AssadAsheds new light on the ophthalmologist-turned-tyrant and how his regime has failed his country. For this updated edition, Lesch has added an epilogue that discusses the formation of the Syrian Coalition; the use of chemical weapons; whether or not outside nations should intervene; Al-Qaeda and Jihadist groups in Syria; the lessons of Iraq; the Geneva Communique plan for the country’s future; and the ongoing human cost of the Syrian conflict.

• Rank: #186688 in Books
• Published on: 2013-08-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .79 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

A Baghdad Cookery Book (Petits Propos Culinaires)

A Baghdad Cookery Book (Petits Propos Culinaires)
Charles Perry (Editor)
(6)

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Syria

Al-Baghdadi's Kitab al-Tabikh was for a long time the only medieval Arabic Cookery book known to the English-speaking world, thanks to A.J Arberry's path-breaking 1939 translation as `A Baghdad Cookery Book' which was re-issued by Prospect Books in 2001 in Medieval Arab Cookery. For centuries, it has been the favourite Arab cookery book of the Turks. The original manuscript is still in Istanbul, and at some point a Turkish sultan commissioned a very handsome copy which can still be seen in The British Library in London. In the twentieth century the Iraqui scholar, Daoud Chelebi, produced a modern transcription which served as the basis for Arberry's translation. Charles Perry has re-visited the manuscript and discovered many possible errors and amendments that affect the interpretation of these essential recipes for the understanding of medieval Arab cookery. He has produced a new Enlish translation incorporating these ammendments and fully annotating his variations with the 'authorised' version. Scholars will now have a definitive text on which to work. They will also have this text in an inexpensive and handy format, just the thing for a learned lady's handbag.

• Rank: #120295 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01
• Original language: Arabic
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 7.36" h x 5.59" w x .31" l, .41 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Syria: From the Ottoman Empire to the Rise of the Ba'ath

Syria: From the Ottoman Empire to the Rise of the Ba'ath
Kevin Weese (Author)

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Syria

A researched history of Syria focusing on the time periods of 1800-1970.

• Rank: #137922 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-09-14
• Released on: 2013-09-14
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Syria in Perspective: An Orientation Guide - History, Assad Years, Recent Events, Geography, Economy, Society, Security, Military and Terrorist Groups

Syria in Perspective: An Orientation Guide - History, Assad Years, Recent Events, Geography, Economy, Society, Security, Military and Terrorist Groups
U.S. Government (Author), Department of Defense (Author), U.S. Military (Author)

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Syria

This unique ebook provides a thorough introduction to critical information about Syria, produced by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Technology Integration Division June 2011. Contents include:

Chapter 1: Geography - Introduction * Location and Area * Geographic Divisions and Topographic Features * Rivers and Lakes * Climate * Major Cities * Environmental Concerns * Natural Hazards * Assessment

Chapter 2: History - Introduction * Ebla * Waves of Invaders * Aramaeans, Assyrians, and Persians * Ancient Greek Conquest * The Roman and Byzantine Era * The Spread of Islam * The Umayyad Era * Fatimid Rule * Saladin, the Ayyubids, and the Mamluks * The Ottoman Era * End of the Ottoman Era * World War I * The French Mandate * Coups * The Baathists * Baath Ascendancy * The Early Assad Years * Lebanon * Bashar al-Assad * Recent Events * Assessment

Chapter 3: Economy - Introduction * Resources * Services * Industry * Agriculture * Trade * Standard of Living * Investment * Transportation * Economic Outlook * Assessment

Chapter 4: Society - Ethnic Groups * Political Refugees * Literature and Arts * Social Customs * Male-Female Relationships * Sports * Assessment

Chapter 5: Security - Introduction * U.S.-Syrian Relations * Relations with Neighboring Countries * Military * Terrorist Groups * Other Security Issues * Assessment

Syria lies at the northern end of one of the world's most volatile regions. Modern-day Syria was once part of a larger geographical territory that encompassed the coastal and inland areas along the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Known as Greater Syria, or the Levant, this region roughly included the current states of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as the present-day Palestinian territories and a portion of southern Turkey. Over time, the boundaries of these regions changed but conflict has been a constant. In recent times, two of Syria's neighbors—Iraq and Lebanon—have been plagued by wars that have periodically devastated their countries. In addition, Syria played an active military role in the 2011 Lebanese conflict. Syria's southwestern neighbor, Israel, has fought three wars against Syria and its allies since 1948; it currently occupies the Golan Heights, which was Syrian territory after WWI until 1967. Syria's relations with its other two neighbors, Turkey and Jordan, have often been frosty as well, with standoffs over issues ranging from water rights to terrorism support. The Assad regime has also had to face internal threats, and has responded by using its feared security apparatus to relentlessly discourage dissent.

Since Syria's independence in 1946, U.S.-Syrian relations have both improved and soured. In 1967, the U.S. severed ties with Syria after the Six-Day War with Israel but resumed relations again in 1974 when Syria and Israel signed a disengagement agreement. In 1979, the U.S. designated Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism for providing support and safe haven for organizations the U.S. has designated terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Relations became further strained during the 1980s with the U.S. suspecting a Syrian role in the U.S. Embassy and Marine barrack attacks in Beirut, Lebanon, and also U.S. attacks on Syrian installations in Lebanon. Syria helped secure the release of hostages aboard the hijacked Trans World Airlines flight 847 in 1986 but continued suspicion of Syrian involvement in terrorism led to administrative sanctions and the recall of the U.S. ambassador in 1986. The ambassador returned to Syria after Syria expelled terrorist group Abu Nidal Organization from the country. Relations were again improved when Syria supported the international coalition against Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War and it cooperated with U.S. counter-terrorism efforts.

• Rank: #163576 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-09-11
• Released on: 2013-09-11
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

2013 Master Guide to Syria and the Syrian Chemical Weapons Crisis: Threat of U.S. Military Strike by Obama, Congressional Options, Sarin Nerve Gas, Civil War, Rebel Groups, Bashar al-Assad

2013 Master Guide to Syria and the Syrian Chemical Weapons Crisis: Threat of U.S. Military Strike by Obama, Congressional Options, Sarin Nerve Gas, Civil War, Rebel Groups, Bashar al-Assad
U.S. Government (Author), State Department (Author), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (Author), Department of Defense (Author), U.S. Military (Author), Library of Congress (Author)

Download: $9.99 (as of 09/15/2013 15:16 PST)

Syria

This massive ebook provides an up-to-the-minute compilation of authoritative documents and reports about Syria and the ongoing chemical weapons attack crisis, including the threat of U.S. military intervention, with professional analysis and background information. There is coverage of the ongoing uprising and the crackdown against the protesters; the current President, Bashar al-Assad, and the long rule of his father; the government, military, human and religious rights, terrorism and U.S. sanctions, exports, trade, and business information, statistics on all facets of Syrian life, and much more.

Contents include:

Possible U.S. Intervention in Syria: Issues for Congress - The war in Syria and the debate over possible punitive U.S. military action against the Asad regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons pose a uniquely challenging series of questions for policy makers. The overarching questions remain how to define, prioritize, and secure the core interests of the United States with regard to Syria's complex civil war. The immediate questions are whether and how best to respond to the apparent use of chemical weapons in Syria and how such a response might affect U.S. interests and standing regionally and globally. In weighing these questions, many Members of Congress and Administration officials are seeking both to protect concrete U.S. national security interests and to preserve abstract international security principles that may serve those interests. A mass casualty chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21 was the latest and most deadly of a string of reported instances where Syrian forces allegedly have used chemical weapons despite President Obama's prior statement that the transfer or use of chemical weapons is "a red line" that would "change his calculus."

Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress - The use or loss of control of chemical weapons stocks in Syria could have unpredictable consequences for the Syrian population and neighboring countries as well as U.S. allies and forces in the region. Congress may wish to assess the Administration's plans to respond to possible scenarios involving the use, change of hands, or loss of control of Syrian chemical weapons.

U.S. Government Assessment of the Syrian Government's Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013 - The United States Government assesses with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, 2013. We further assess that the regime used a nerve agent in the attack.

Chronology of Civil War, 2011-us.html13 - Complete compilation of statements, speeches, and position papers from the White House, President Obama, and the State Department, including Secretary of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton from the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011 through the chemical attack crisis.

Syria Background Information - Comprehensive data about all aspects of Syria.

Country Profile: Syria (Library of Congress) - This Library of Congress Federal Research Division Country Study is an exceptional review of Syria and its history.

Syria in Perspective: An Orientation Guide - A thorough introduction to critical information about Syria, produced by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Technology Integration Division June 2011. Chapter 1: Geography, Chapter 2: History, Chapter 3: Economy, Chapter 4: Society, Chapter 5: Security

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Syria - The Syrian energy sector continues to suffer from the combination of ongoing fighting between government and opposition forces and stiff Western-led sanctions.

Syria - Complex Emergency: USAID Humanitarian Assistance * Chemical Weapons: A Summary Report of Characteristics and Effects * Facts About Sarin

• Rank: #219876 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-09-13
• Released on: 2013-09-13
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response

Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response
Rhoda Margesson (Author), Susan G. Chesser (Author)

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Syria

The ongoing conflict in Syria has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. An estimated 6.8 million people in Syria, almost one-third of the population, have been affected by the conflict, including more than 4.2 million displaced inside Syria (estimate as of August 15, 2013). On September 3, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that the number of Syrians displaced as refugees exceeded 2 million, with 97% fleeing to countries in the immediate surrounding region, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa. The situation is fluid and continues to worsen, while humanitarian needs are immense and increase daily.

U.S. Assistance and Priorities

The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance and is part of the massive, international humanitarian operation in parts of Syria and in neighboring countries. In FY2012 and as of mid-August 2013, the United States has allocated more than $1 billion to meet humanitarian needs using existing funding from global humanitarian accounts and some reprogrammed funding. U.S. humanitarian policy is guided by concerns about humanitarian access and protection within Syria; the large refugee flows out of the country that strain the resources of neighboring countries (and could negatively impact the overall stability of the region); and an already escalating and protracted humanitarian emergency. The Obama Administration’s FY2014 budget request proposes an increase in FY2014 Emergency Refugees and Migration Assistance (ERMA) funds with an allocation of $200 million for the humanitarian response to Syria.

International Response

The international humanitarian response is complex and struggles to keep pace with urgent developments that have risen well beyond anticipated needs. Access within Syria is severely constrained by violence and restrictions imposed by the Syrian government on the operations of humanitarian organizations. Two U.N. emergency appeals, which identify a total of $4.4 billion in humanitarian needs, are less than 47% funded as of September 3, 2013.

Ongoing Humanitarian Challenges of the Syria Crisis and U.S. Policy
As U.S. policy makers and the international community deliberate over what, if any, actions they can or should take on the Syria crisis, possible humanitarian policy considerations for Congress include

• issues related to U.S. assistance and priorities, such as funding an ongoing humanitarian response;

• labeling or “branding” of humanitarian aid delivered to Syria so that recipients are aware of its American origins and the United States receives adequate political benefit; and

• balancing the Syria response with domestic priorities and other humanitarian concerns worldwide.

The United States has a critical voice regarding humanitarian access in Syria, the pace of humanitarian developments and contingency planning, support to neighboring countries that are hosting refugees, and burdensharing among donors.

This report examines the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria and the U.S. and international response and will be updated as events warrant. For background and information on Syria, see CRS Report RL33487, Armed Conflict in Syria: U.S. and International Response, by Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard, and CRS Report R43201, Possible U.S. Intervention in Syria: Issues for Congress, coordinated by Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard.

Most of the data presented in figures and tables and discussed in the text of this report refer to information available in mid-August. In an effort to keep pace with breaking developments, where new information on overall refugee numbers and funding percentages is referenced in the summary and text of this report, it is identified by a date of Sept 3, 2013.

• Rank: #215263 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-09-04
• Released on: 2013-09-04
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Possible U.S. Intervention in Syria: Issues for Congress

Possible U.S. Intervention in Syria: Issues for Congress
Jeremy M. Sharp (Author), Christopher M. Blanchard (Author)

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Syria

Reports of a mass casualty chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus are reshaping the long-running and contentious debate over possible U.S. intervention in Syria’s bloody civil war. Obama Administration officials and some foreign governments believe that on August 21, 2013, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Asad attacked opposition-controlled areas in the suburbs of the capital with chemical weapons, killing hundreds of civilians, including women and children. The Syrian government has denied the accusations categorically and blames the opposition for the attack. United Nations inspectors who were in Syria to investigate other alleged chemical weapons attacks collected and are analyzing information related to the incident. Varying accounts suggest that several hundred to more than 1,000 people were killed from exposure to a poisonous gas, with symptoms consistent with exposure to the nerve agent sarin.

Possible punitive U.S. military action against the Asad regime is now the subject of intense debate, amid the broader ongoing discussion of U.S. policy toward the Syrian civil war and its regional consequences. The August 21 incident is the latest in a string of reported instances where Syrian forces appear to have used chemical weapons despite President Obama’s prior statement that the transfer or use of chemical weapons is “a red line” that would “change his calculus.” The President and senior members of his Administration have argued that the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “when countries break international norms on chemical weapons they are held accountable.” At the same time, President Obama still maintains that extensive, sustained U.S. military intervention to shape the outcome of Syria’s civil conflict is undesirable. Prior to the August 21 incident, U.S. military leaders had outlined options to accomplish a range of U.S. objectives, while warning that U.S. military involvement “cannot resolve the underlying and historic ethnic, religious and tribal issues that are fueling this conflict.”

Members of Congress have expressed a broad range of views on the question of an immediate U.S. military response, with some expressing support for military action and others expressing opposition or questioning how a military response would advance U.S. policy goals in Syria and beyond. For more than two years, many Members of Congress have debated the potential rewards and unintended consequences of deeper U.S. involvement in Syria. Some Members have expressed concern that the Administration’s policy of providing support to the fractured Syrian opposition could empower anti-American extremist groups, while others have warned that failure to back moderate forces in Syria could prolong the conflict and create opportunity for extremists.

As Members of Congress consider the merits of possible military intervention in Syria, they also are reengaging in long-standing discussions about the proper role for Congress in authorizing and funding U.S. military action abroad and the efficacy of the use of force in shaping global events or deterring dictatorships from committing atrocities. This report poses and attempts to provide answers to a number of policy questions for lawmakers grappling with these short- and long-term issues. For additional background on Syria, see the following CRS Reports: CRS Report RL33487, Armed Conflict in Syria: U.S. and International Response, by Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard, CRS Report R42848, Syria’s Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress, coordinated by Mary Beth D. Nikitin, and CRS Report R43119, Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response, by Rhoda Margesson and Susan G. Chesser.

• Rank: #101404 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-09-03
• Released on: 2013-09-03
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Syria and the USA: Washington's Relations with Damascus from Wilson to Eisenhower

Syria and the USA: Washington's Relations with Damascus from Wilson to Eisenhower
Sami Moubayed (Author)

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Syria

Selected as a 2012 Outstanding Academic Title by CHOICE

The early years of Syrian-US relations can be described as hopes dashed, hopes revived. Although American missionaries had visited the Middle East in the nineteenth century, it was not until after World War I that Syrian and US dignitaries met in an official capacity. The relationship had its ups-and-downs: warm under Woodrow Wilson; virtually non-existent under Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge; revived under Franklin Roosevelt when Syria sided with the Allies to declare war on Nazi Germany. In the aftermath of World War II the relationship took a new turn, as the US was accused of involvement in the series of coups and counter-coups that rocked the young republic from 1949 until the ill-fated Syrian-Egyptian union of 1958. Engagement and the right to self-determination were the rule of the game in the post-Wilson era, but this quickly transformed into espionage and covert activity during the Cold War when the US saw Syria as a Soviet proxy in the Middle East. In the forty years between 1919 and 1959, envoys from the White House, along with presidential candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties, Secretaries of State, and US celebrities like Eleanor Roosevelt and Helen Keller all came to Damascus and reported - in many different ways - their observations. Featuring original research and previously unpublished material, this book will be essential reading for scholars of the Middle East and US Diplomatic History and twentieth-century International Relations.

• Rank: #259653 in Books
• Published on: 2013-11-26
• Released on: 2013-11-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .0 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics

Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics
Hanna Batatu (Author)
(3)

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Syria

In this book, the distinguished scholar Hanna Batatu presents a comprehensive analysis of the recent social, economic, and political evolution of Syria's peasantry, the segment of society from which the current holders of political power stem. Batatu focuses mainly on the twentieth century and, in particular, on the Ba`th movement, the structures of power after the military coup d'état of 1963, and the era of îvfiz al-Asad, Syria's first ruler of peasant extraction. Without seeking to prove any single theory about Syrian life, he offers a uniquely rich and detailed account of how power was transferred from one demographic group to another and how that power is maintained today.

Batatu begins by examining social differences among Syria's peasants and the evolution of their mode of life and economic circumstances. He then scrutinizes the peasants' forms of consciousness, organization, and behavior in Ottoman and Mandate times and prior to the Ba`thists' rise to power. He explores the rural aspects of Ba`thism and shows that it was not a single force but a plurality of interrelated groups--prominent among them the descendants of the lesser rural notables--with different social goals and mental horizons. The book also provides a perceptive account of President Asad, his personality and conduct, and the characteristics and power structures of his regime. Batatu draws throughout on a wide range of socioeconomic and biographical information and on personal interviews with Syrian peasants and political leaders, offering invaluable insights into the complexities of a country and a regime that have long been poorly understood by outsiders.

• Rank: #1045693 in Books
• Published on: 1999-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.29" h x 6.22" w x 1.22" l, 1.70 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 424 pages

The Heights of Courage: A Tank Leader's War On the Golan (Contributions in Military History)

The Heights of Courage: A Tank Leader's War On the Golan (Contributions in Military History)
Avigdor Kahalani (Author)
(17)

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Syria

In October 1973, the State of Israel was invaded by Egyptian and Syrian forces. Despite early losses, Israel managed to outfight its opponents. The brief and bloody Yom Kippur War stands as a unique chapter in modern military history. Fought primarily by tank units, the war became a story not only of battle strategy and tactics, but also one of human discipline, endurance and sacrifice.

While many historians have chronicled the events of the Yom Kippur War, few have been seasoned by actual combat. Avigdor Kahalani, commander of a tank battalion on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War, describes this experience in The Heights of Courage. Beginning with a description of the initial Syrian offensive, he recounts the personal endeavors of his men, their fears and their ambitions, as well as their emotional and physical hardships. His stark account traces the efforts of the Israel Armored Corps as they struggle to overcome extreme difficulties and setbacks. The author describes their ultimate penetration into enemy territory and their approach to within forty kilometers of Damascus.

• Rank: #96083 in eBooks
• Published on: 1992-02-18
• Released on: 1992-02-28
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress

Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress
Mary Beth Nikitin (Author), Paul K. Kerr (Author), Andrew Feickert (Author)

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Syria

The use or loss of control of chemical weapons stocks in Syria could have unpredictable consequences for the Syrian population and neighboring countries as well as U.S. allies and forces in the region. Congress may wish to assess the Administration’s plans to respond to possible scenarios involving the use, change of hands, or loss of control of Syrian chemical weapons.

Syria has produced, stored, and weaponized chemical weapons, but it remains dependent on foreign suppliers for chemical precursors. The regime of President Bashar al Asad reportedly has stocks of nerve (sarin, VX) and blister (mustard gas) agents, possibly weaponized into bombs, shells, and missiles, and associated production facilities. Chemical weapons and their agents can deteriorate depending on age and quality. Little is known from open sources about the current size and condition of the stockpile. Syria continues to attempt to procure new supplies of chemical weapons precursors, which are dual-use, through front companies in third countries. Most countries that have had chemical weapons arsenals in the past have destroyed these weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention, or are in the process of destroying them. The U.S. intelligence community cites Iran, North Korea, and Syria as having active chemical weapons programs.

While the United States and other governments have said they believe the Asad regime has kept its chemical weapons stocks secure, policymakers are concerned about what could happen to these weapons in the course of the civil war, such as diversion to terrorist groups or loss of control during a regime collapse.

Reports in early December 2012 quoted unnamed officials as saying intelligence showed possible preparations for use, but this was denied by the Syrian government. Since then, press reports have discussed several alleged incidents of chemical weapons use in Syria by both the government and opposition forces. A United Nations chemical weapons inspection team is negotiating with Syria on access to the sites to investigate. On June 13, 2013, the White House released a statement saying that following its investigation, “our intelligence community assesses that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year. Our intelligence community has high confidence in that assessment given multiple, independent streams of information.” The June 13 statement said that chemical weapons use had resulted in an estimated 100-150 deaths in Syria.

President Obama and other world leaders have said that the use of chemical weapons against the civilian population would be met with consequences, which could include the use of military force. There is also concern that Syria could transfer its chemical weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Administration officials have stated that the United States has been working with regional allies to detect the movement of chemical weapons, prepare interdiction scenarios, and mitigate possible use against military or civilian populations. The June 13 White House statement said that in response to the Asad regime’s use of chemical weapons, the President has authorized the expansion of military assistance to the opposition forces in Syria.

During conflict, the intelligence community and Special Forces units would likely play a major role in locating and securing such weapons in a combat environment. The nature and recent course of the conflict in Syria suggests that rapid changes in control over critical military facilities may occur. U.S. government programs established to secure or remove chemical or other weapons of mass destruction through threat reduction or nonproliferation programs have focused on destruction or scientist redirection in an atmosphere of cooperation. At present, such programs are providing border security assistance to neighboring states. U.S. policymakers and Congress may wish to review and [...]

• Rank: #111632 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-08-us.html
• Released on: 2013-08-us.html
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Letters from the East (Crusade Texts in Translation)

Letters from the East (Crusade Texts in Translation)
Malcolm Barber (Author), Keith Bate (Author)

Download: $19.22 (as of 09/02/2013 16:30 PST)

Syria

This volume presents translations of a selection of the letters sent by crusaders and pilgrims from Asia Minor, Syria and Palestine. There are accounts of all the great events from the triumph of the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 to the disasters of Hattin in 1187 and the loss of Acre in 1291. They convey the immediacy of circumstances which were frequently dramatic and often life-threatening, and show us the feelings of those who lived in and visited the crusader states. Some of the letters translated here are famous, others hardly known, but all offer unique insight into the minds of those who took part in the crusading movement.

• Rank: #391045 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-08-28
• Released on: 2013-08-28
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and I)

Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and I)
Bassam Haddad (Author)

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Syria

Collusion between business communities and the state can lead to a measure of security for those in power, but this kind of interaction often limits new development. In Syria, state-business involvement through informal networks has contributed to an erratic economy. With unique access to private businessmen and select state officials during a critical period of transition, this book examines Syria's political economy from 1970 to 2005 to explain the nation's pattern of state intervention and prolonged economic stagnation.

As state income from oil sales and aid declined, collusion was a bid for political security by an embattled regime. To achieve a modicum of economic growth, the Syrian regime would develop ties with select members of the business community, reserving the right to reverse their inclusion in the future. Haddad ultimately reveals that this practice paved the way for forms of economic agency that maintained the security of the regime but diminished the development potential of the state and the private sector.

• Rank: #94385 in Books
• Published on: 2012-08-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.02" h x .59" w x 5.98" l, .85 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 280 pages