Lenore Martin's reflection on Turkish-Syrian-Iranian relations is a reminder that among the reverberations of the upheaval in Syria may be a realignment on the Kurdish question

While often unnoticed, even in usually informed commentary, there have been periodic indicators of Iranian-Turkish cooperation vis-a-vis Kurdish nationalist insurgents.  As Lenore Martin notes, both Syria and Iran might seek to stoke the Kurdish insurgency against Turkey as a riposte to Ankara's recent hostility to the al-Asad regime.

Rosa Parks would approve

Does the Arab League now have attention of Bashar al-Asad? Equally important, will the elites of Damascus and Aleppo rethink their tacit support for the regime?

"The people want international protection, an air embargo and relief from the murderer."

Romney: "I don’t think America should play the role of the leader of the peace process, instead we should stand by our ally."

UNESCO votes 107-14 with 52 abstentions to admit Palestine. US

The admission of Palestine to UNESCO will prompt cuts in US funding of the agency.  These punitive cuts will hurt UNESCO, but they also serve to illustrate how isolated the US has become on the issue. A U.S. official stated that "there are consequences" if the vote approves Palestinian membership in UNESCO, but there are also consequences of the US being in splendid isolation with Israel. 
What remains is for Palestine to sign and ratify the UNESCO constitution.


[Added: To minimize the reality of auto-ostracism by the U.S., expect to see a stream of pieces, such as this one, extolling Israel's value as a friend of the U.S.]

Sensible commentary on the Libyan intervention and the fall of Qadhafi

Professors Haider Ala Hamoudi and Abbas Kadhim named Senior Fellows of the Institute for Iraqi Studies

For the biographical details and publication information, see this link.  http://www.bu.edu/iis/non-resident-fellows-2/

Libyan Victory Lends Momentum to Syrian Rebellion in Idlib: "Congratulations Libya: Soon in Syria"

October 21, 2011

Fellowship Opportunities for Iraq-based scholars at the Boston University Institute for Iraqi Studies

Civill-Military Relations in the Middle East, ed. by Carsten Jensen

Includes:

"The Study of Civil-Military Relations and Civil-Society in the Middle East and
North Africa" by Augustus Richard Norton and Ali Alfone