On Tuesday, President Obama announced that the newly formed Syrian Opposition Council is the only “legitimate representative” of its country’s people. This was a big step as the international community has increased its efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad’s reign. By recognizing the Syrian Opposition Council, the U.S. joins Britain, France, and other Arab … Read more
The Syrian crisis is a hot topic in the U.S. Presidential election. Republican candidate Mitt Romney has criticized President Barack Obama’s policies in Syria and suggested that the United States should take a tougher stance on ensuring rebels receive the assistance they need. So far, the Obama administration has limited its assistance to “non-lethal support,” … Read more
Turkish fighter jets forced a Syrian passenger plane to land in Ankara, the Turkish capital, on October 10. The plane was suspected of carrying weapons from Russia. The airliner was traveling from Moscow to Damascus with only thirty-five passengers and two crew members, even though the plane’s maximum capacity is one hundred eighty passengers. Turkish … Read more
It’s true – China, Russia, and Assad have quite the love affair. It’s no secret that Russia and China blocked the Arab League’s request to the United Nations Security Council for intervention in Syria because of their own national interests. Russia loves selling AK-47s to Bashar al-Assad. China enjoys a monopoly over Syria’s imports. But … Read more
Most conversations about Syria and Turkey currently revolve around the Syrian uprising, the regime’s repression of it, and a certain Turkish warplane shot down recently near the Syrian-Turkish border. However, a pre-existing, lower-level dispute between the two countries regarding the waters of the Euphrates river existed long before the uprising began, and will certainly continue … Read more
Following the warplane incident on June 22, when Syrian forces shot down a Turkish warplane, Turkish and Syrian relations have become further stressed by additional military response. Yesterday, Turkey responded by scrambling six fighter jets near the Syrian-Turkish border. Turkish officials claim this is a response, not only to the June 22 incident, but three … Read more
On June 22nd, Syrian armed forces shot down a Turkish F-4 Phantom Warplane, which burst into flames and crashed into Syrian territorial waters. Syrian authorities assert that the aircraft entered its airspace at low altitude and high speed, and that its defense forces acted legally in taking it down. “There was no hostile act against … Read more
This Saturday, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law will be holding its annual Sutton Colloquium. This year’s topic is “Arab Spring and Its Unfinished Business: Law & Policy Issues.” While the speakers and their academic interests are diverse, I think that all of the speakers should address one underlying and generally unasked question: … Read more
The Denver Journal of International Law & Policy is one of the oldest international law journals in the United States and is ranked internationally. It is managed and edited by students at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
