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Low Expectations for Arab League Summit, ISW Fact Sheet Shows
Mar 27, 2012 - Anonymous
Contact: Tricia Miller
(202) 293-5550 x210
[email protected]
Washington, D.C. – As participants head to Baghdad for this week’s Arab League Summit, the Institute for the Study of War takes stock of the opportunities and challenges for Arab leaders at the conference. In a new fact sheet ISW researcher Stephen Wicken notes that the summit will give Iraq a chance to showcase its stability, and it will give neighboring countries a forum to debate ways to intervene in Syria.
“Syria will be the central focus of the summit, despite its suspension from the Arab League in November 2011 in response to President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on uprisings there,” Wicken writes. “Since then, the situation has continued to devolve into a humanitarian crisis as well as a serious threat to regional stability.”
Much has changed since the last Arab League Summit was held in Sirte, Libya in March 2010. Leaders in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen have been deposed, and U.S. forces have withdrawn from Iraq. A summit planned for 2011 in Baghdad was postponed because of all the unrest.
ISW analysts are available to provide context on the ongoing challenges in Syria and Iraq. Senior Research Analyst Joseph Holliday has published two reports on the conflict in Syria, “ Syria’s Armed Opposition” and “ The Struggle for Syria in 2011.” Ramzy Mardini published “ Iraq’s Recurring Political Crisis,” a look at the first two months in Iraq since U.S. troops left, and he continues to publish weekly updates on the situation in Iraq.
To talk to an analyst about the Arab League Summit, please contact Tricia Miller at [email protected] or at (202) 293-5550 x210.
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The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization. ISW advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. We are committed to improving the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve U.S. strategic objectives.