PHOTO: President Bashar al-Assad
I spoke this week with Pidgin Politics, part of the new Australian podcasting network Pidgin, about the crisis in Syria.
The discussion reviews the 4 1/2-year conflict from its origins to the present day, including:
*What were the causes of the conflict?
*Who is Bashar al-Assad?
*Who are the main foreign powers involved and have they “taken over” the regime and/or the opposition and rebels?
*What is the situation on the battlefield?
*Is partition of Syria likely?
*Can President Assad ever bring “stability”?
*Is there an “outcome” that can be foreseen?
The 45-minute podcast also considers the Australian Government’s proposals for the conflict, including the announcement that 12,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq will be accepted and that the Australian Air Force will join the US-led coalition attacking the Islamic State.
