Book Flash: A strike on Syria.

For all the attention paid to Miley Cyrus this week, there is a very real possibility of the United States becoming embroiled in a conflict with Syria (and possibly Russia... and provoke Iran). The military strike would be in response  the purported use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government.  Currently, there is both bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition to a U.S. Military strike in Syria. There is also a large number of U.S. Legislature upset with the administration for not properly consulting them. All the while pundits are claiming this could be WWIII, a conspiracy by the government or another chance of using war as economic stimulus.

The question of whether to strike Syria goes beyond the political. It raises very real questions about the ethics of taking action. So, should the U.S.  engage in military action against Syria? We won’t make that call; feel free to discuss it in the comments.  But here are some resources to help you expand your knowledge of the conflict:

Web

The C.I.A. World Factbook entry on Syria

Library Resources

Biography Reference Center: Bashar al-Assad, Leader of Syria (short)

Syria : the fall of the house of Assad by David W. Lesch (2012)

David W. Lesch, a Middle East scholar examines the failure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad focusing specifically on the administration's response to the Arab Spring.

In the lion's den : an eyewitness account of Washington's battle with Syria By  Andrew Tabler.

The behind the scenes account of the Post-9/11 Era in Washington, DC. as they attempt to craft a “New Middle East.”

Woman in the Crossfire: Diaries of the Syrian Revolution by Samar Yazbek

A well known journalist and novelist from the Alawite community chronicles her activity in the Arab Spring, the beginning of the Syrian civil war and her escape from Syria. Provides an extremely important insiders insight into the secretive Alawite ethnic group that Bashar al-Assad comes from.

The Syrian Rebellion by Fouad Ajami

The Syrian Rebellion is a historical perspective on the current rebellion in Syria. It focuses on the history of the nation, and the differences in skills between Bashar al-Assad and his father/predecessor Hafez al-Assad

Eleventh Plague : The Politics of Biological and Chemical Warfare by Leonard Cole

A specialists account of the use of Chemical and Biological weapons through out history.  Includes information on chemical nerve agent, the Japanese subway attacks and use of chemical weapons by Iraq vs. Iran. 

For more information regarding Syria, Chemical Weapons or our Govermental relationship with Syria come to the Patchogue-Medford Library or PMLIB.org. Our thoughts are with the Syrian people who are the true victims of this conflict.