The violence in Syria has been spilling out into the region for some time (Lebanon and Turkey), but there was a dramatic escalation of violence with the downing of a Turkish fighter plane by Syrian forces. We still do not know all the details and Turkey has been diplomatically circumspect so far. Syria claims that it was a “mistake” but such an admission accomplishes little. There will be domestic pressure for Turkey to respond, and it will be a test of Erdogan’s political ability to restrain a nationalist impulse.
The protests in Egypt continue, with both sides claiming victory in the recent presidential election. There are also conflicting reports about whether former President Mubarak is still alive. It seems likely that the military will only tighten its control in the face of the growing protests, but it is unlikely that those measures will be effective. One wonders how long the stalemate can last.
The Rio+20 Earth Conference issued its final report and the universal reaction to the report is disappointment. Think Progress has issued an analysis of why the summit failed and how the report could have been stronger. It is hard, however, to imagine how the summit could have been more successful given the economic weakness that seems to be pervading the global economy.
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