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Afghanistan/Pakistan
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747.
(Afghanistan)

Corruption, cronyism, and poor rule of law are major issues challenging the stability and
functionality of the Afghanistans government. Both national and provincial governments
struggle to provide basic services or control areas under their jurisdiction.
(Government)

Elections are often blemished by voting inconsistencies and fraud. Election turnout is
often low and results are limited, as the country remains insecure and unstable.
(Government)

The resurgent Taliban and their supporters want to dislodge U.S. forces from
Afghanistan, as well as attack the Afghan, Pakistani, and U.S. governments. The
insurgents ability to use Pakistan as a safe haven makes it very difficult for the Afghan
and international forces to fight them. (On the Issues: Afghanistan/Pakistan)

Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the US actively supported mujahidin
resistance fighters in its quest to contain the Communist threat promulgated by the Soviet
support for the Afghan government. (Afghan - US Relations)

The subsequent years after the invasion witnessed civil wars and the rise of the Taliban in
Afghanistan, who would become the enemy of the US shortly after. (Afghan - US
Relations)

Mutual commitment to the strengthening of Afghan sovereignty, stability and prosperity
and to the final defeat of Al Qaeda forces forms the basis of the agreement. [May 2012,
the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement] (Afghan - US Relations)

After various attacks on political figures to polio vaccinators that include mass bombings
and shootings, the head of government, Nawaz Sharif, has not taken action [24 January
2014] (Pakistan Is in the Grip of Chaos)

Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents,
many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.
(Pakistan)

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Egypt
Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations
and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster.
Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new parliament was in place in early
2012. (Egypt)

I have been repeatedly saying that the leaders of any country, including Egypt, should
first of all listen attentively, most sincerely, to the voices of people, United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. (Egypt: Secretary-General Calls on Leaders)

Less than three years after the popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak, the
democratically elected government has been overthrown and the Egyptian military is
running the state. (In Egypt 2013)

These protesters were directing their demands to step down toward General Abdel Fattah
al-Sisi, the leader of a military coup that ousted Morsi, and the man who now presides as
the military commander in an interim government. (In Egypt 2013)

More people have been killed since the military launched a major campaign against
suspected Islamist militants in northern Sinai in September 2013. (Profile: Egypt Armed
Forces)

If al-Sisi does stand, few doubt he has a good chance of winning. He is wildly popular
and currently has no serious rivals. (Profile: Egypt Armed Forces)

Saudi Arabia declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, escalating new
campaign against the group with sweeping ban. [3/7/14] (Kirkpatrick)

Egypt's military-backed government is widening crackdown against opponents in Muslim
Brotherhood and perceived critics, detaining reporters, as well as activists and Islamists.
[2/20/14] (Fahim)

Security forces have detained an Egyptian employee of the United States Embassy who
worked as a liaison to the Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptian news reports said Wednesday,
stirring fears of pressure on Western diplomats who communicate with the Islamist
opposition. [2/12/14] (Security Forces in Egypt Detain Employee)

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood marched in cities across Egypt on Friday,
protesting the governments decision to declare the group a terrorist organization.
(Muslim Brotherhood Supporters)
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Iran
The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend
its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations
and responsibilities. (Iran)

In November 2013 the five permanent members, plus Germany, signed a joint plan with
Iran to provide the country with incremental relief from international pressure for positive
steps toward transparency of their nuclear program. (Iran)

Tehran's failure to report significant parts of its program to the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), and insistence on developing all aspects of the nuclear fuel
cycle, has led many states to worry that Iran's true intention is to acquire nuclear
weapons. (Iran Nuclear Threat Initiative)

Iran is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and is actively
working to acquire, develop, and deploy a broad range of ballistic missiles and space
launch capabilities. (Iran Nuclear Threat Initiative)

The scope and status of Iran's chemical and biological activities are unknown, but the
most recent Western intelligence estimates have downgraded the likelihood that Iran
maintains significant offensive chemical and biological weapons programs. (Iran
Nuclear Threat Initiative)

The International Atomic Energy Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear
material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. [3/3/14] (Nuclear Safety)

In accordance with the terms of this Agreement, on all source or special fissionable
material in all peaceful nuclear activities within its territory, under its jurisdiction or
carried out under its control anywhere, for the exclusive purpose of verifying that such
material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
(International Atomic Energy Agency)

Iran confirmed that Iranian officials had complied with their commitments: suspending
the production of 20 percent-enriched uranium, which is a few technical steps short of
weapons grade; disabling thousands of centrifuges used to make that fuel; and beginning
to convert its stockpile into a much less potent form that cannot be weaponized. [1/20/14]
(Gladstone)



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Israel/ Palestine
Israel in late 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its
military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but continues to control maritime, airspace, and other
access. (Gaza Strip)

Attempts to form a unity government failed, and violent clashes between Fatah and
HAMAS supporters ensued, culminating in HAMAS's violent seizure of all military and
governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. (Gaza Strip)

The status quo remains with HAMAS in control of the Gaza Strip and the PA governing
the West Bank. (West Bank)

One of the major barriers to the creation of two contiguous, sovereign states for
Palestinians and Israelis is the existence and continuing growth of illegal Israeli
colonies (widely called "settlements") on land long recognized by the United Nations as
part of Palestine. (Illegal Israeli Settlements)

In 1996, Israel responded to international pressure and announced it would no longer
build new settlements, although it continued to grant permits for expansion of existing
ones. However, the government looked the other way when religious settlers established
their own colonies. (Illegal Israeli Settlements)

Hamass roots are in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it is
supported by a robust social/political structure inside the Palestinian territories.
(Hamas)

HAMAS has publicly expressed a willingness to accept a long-term cessation of
hostilities if Israel agrees to a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem
as its capital. (Hamas)

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% (West Bank)

Gaza Strip is entirely Palestinian Arab (Gaza Strip)

The PLO under Yasser Arafat gradually won international recognition as the
representative of the Palestinian people, culminating in the Oslo Accords with Israel in
1993. (Palestinian Territories Profile)

Syria
Influenced by major uprisings that began elsewhere in the region, anti government
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protests broke out in the southern province of Dar'a in March 2011 with protesters calling
for the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge, the
legalization of political parties, and the removal of corrupt local officials. (Syria)

Syria has allegedly received direct assistance from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea
in developing its WMD and ballistic missile programs. (Syria The Nuclear Threat
Initiative)

War crimes and crimes against humanity have been carried out on Palestinian and Syrian
civilians in Yarmouk, on the outskirts of Damascus, which is under brutal siege by Syrian
government forces. (Syria: Yarmouk under Siege)

UN chemical weapons inspectors have confirmed that the nerve agent sarin was used in
an attack on the Ghouta agricultural belt around Damascus (Syria Chemical Attack)

The UN report said several surface-to-surface rockets capable of delivering significant
chemical payloads were identified and recorded at investigated sites. (Syria Chemical
Attack)

MSF that they received approximately 3,600 patients displaying neurotoxic symptoms in
less than three hours. [8/21/13] (Syria: Thousands Suffering Neurotoxic Symptoms)

The presumed flight paths of the rockets converge on a well-known military base of the
Republican Guard 104
th
Brigade, situated only a few kilometers north of downtown
Damascus and within firing range of the neighborhoods attacked by chemical weapons.
(Lyons)

Syria possess several hundreds of tons of sulfur mustard, stockpiled in its final form,
several tens of tons of VX, VX is the most toxic among the known chemical warfare
agents, and several hundreds of tons of sarin, representing the bulk of the arsenal.
(Syria/Syrian Chemical Programme)

Syrian President Bashar al-Asad is the ultimate decision maker for the chemical weapons
program and members of the program are carefully vetted to ensure security and loyalty.
(Government Assessment of the Syrian Government)

Syrian regime views chemical weapons as one of many tools in its arsenal, including air
power and ballistic missiles, which they indiscriminately use against the opposition.
(Government Assessment of the Syrian Government)
Ukraine
Ukraines democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and
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endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.
(Ukraine)

President Yanukovych's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU,
in favor of closer economic ties with Russia, led to a protest occupation of Kyiv's central
square. The government's eventual use of force to break up the protest camp in February
2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, and the
president's abrupt ouster. (Ukraine)

Russians: 58.32%; Ukrainians: 24.32% [Crimea] (Crimea)

Many of the Ukrainian soldiers had been forced to give up their weapons and had seen
the chief of Ukraines navy defect to the Russian side. (Shuster)

The referendum gives voters in the autonomous region the option to secede from Ukraine
and join Russia, or to return to policies that give Crimea even greater autonomy from
Kiev, opening the door to join Russia down the line. (Rayman)

The Russian soldiers lack of insignia allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to deny
his troops were occupying Crimea. His Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, has said he
has no idea where they got all that Russian hardware. (Shuster)

Russian forces also infiltrated an air base at Novofedorivka and took up position along a
runway; took over a military hospital in the regional capital, Simferopol; and moved onto
a Ukrainian base used by a motorized battalion in Bakhchysaray. (Chivers)

Pro-Russian civilians and police officials are becoming aggressive towards journalists
who do not identify themselves as pro-Russian. (Chivers)

Parliament found the president unable to fulfill his duties and exercised its constitutional
powers to set an election for May 25 to select his replacement, currently there is no
president. (Higgins)

Russia does not recognize the new Ukrainian government, Lavrov was reluctant to sit
down with the foreign minister for direct talks. (Labott)


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