The internationalization of the Syrian civil war has been accompanied by an increased emphasis on the Sunni-Shia divide. The divide is not religious–it is an extension of power politics. The Syrian government is supported by Iran, Hezbollah from Lebanon, and Russia. The rebels are supported by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and, to a limited degree, the US and some European states. The lineup of states is only partially religious, and the Muslim supporters of Assad are Shia, and the Muslim supporters of the rebels are Sunni. But religion is being used as a way to mobilize support for both sides–the cause of the violence is not religious.
The US and the Taliban are finally going to negotiate face to face. The Taliban have established an office in Qatar and have designated a delegation to conduct talks with the US. The negotiations are long overdue, and it is not clear what substantive issues can be discussed since the US has signaled its intention to leave Afghanistan at the end of 2014. But the discussions can minimize the potential misunderstandings associated with the US pullout. More importantly, the negotiations will begin even thought President Karzai has publicly opposed them in the past. The distance between the US and Karzai is an important precondition for forward movement in Afghanistan politics.
The protests in Brazil continue, but the reaction to them by President Dilma Rousseff is markedly different from Prime Minister Erdogan to the protests in Turkey. She is quoted as saying: “Brazil woke up stronger today. The size of yesterday’s demonstrations shows the energy of our democracy, the strength of the voice of the streets and the civility of our population.” Whether she can effectively respond to the demands of the protesters remains to be seen, but her acknowledgement of the legitimacy of the act of protesting is encouraging.
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