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On Thursday, April 6, President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes against Syrian military infrastructure targets in response to an apparent chemical weapons attack by Syrian President Bashar Assad. Now, Congressional leaders are asking Trump to outline his broader strategy for dealing with the Middle East conflict. Among their questions are how Trump plans to defeat the Islamic state, or ISIS, and how he will deal with Assad’s regime in Syria without creating a failed state. Listen to hear more about the challenges of creating a broader Syrian strategy.
Story Length: 3:06
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October 4, 2016
4:24
In the fifth year of the Syrian civil war, more than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives and more than 11 million people have fled their homes. The city of Aleppo in Syria remains under siege and rebel areas are being bombarded daily by warplanes, killing hundreds of people. The cease-fire between the Russian supported Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad and the U.S. backed rebel groups collapsed. There was a deadly attack on a humanitarian convoy, which led to the United Nations halting aid to Syria. In addition to aerial attacks, there are ground offensives, and the water supply was cut off to the opposition-held half of the city. Listen to hear more about the escalation of fighting in Syria.
Read MoreMay 20, 2016
4:58
The Obama administration promised to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country this year, but it has made little progress toward this goal. A top refugee official explains how the U.S. will keep working to fulfill this promise. Citizens and politicians alike have strong opinions on refugee issues. Some people think we must invite those in trouble into our country, while others worry that welcoming refugees could threaten our safety. Government officials hope to listen to all concerns as they work to protect people’s safety at home and abroad. Listen to this story and then have your students debate America’s responsibility to Syrian refugees.
Read MoreMarch 9, 2016
3:30
The Syrian government and the opposition have agreed on a cease-fire in Syria, which has resulted in a significant drop in violence. The fighting hasn’t completely stopped since there are reports of some airstrikes that violate the agreement. With this truce, the United Nations hopes to deliver more aid to starving people under siege, which has not been possible until now. Russia and the United States agreed on the cease-fire plan, even though they back opposing sides in this war. There are plans to hold talks to bring the Syrian regime and opposition together, but the situation is still very fragile. Listen to hear more about the cease-fire in Syria.
Read MoreNovember 23, 2015
3:31
The United States House of Representatives voted to pause the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program, even though the war in Syria has led to millions of refugees looking for safe haven in Turkey, Europe and the U.S. After the attacks in Paris, Republican lawmakers are afraid that terrorists will enter the U.S. disguised as refugees. The current plan is to settle 10,000 Syrians using a rigorous process including screenings and background checks from the FBI and Homeland Security that take between a year and a half to two years to complete. Republicans say it’s not enough and it’s better to be safe than sorry. This story aired before the House passed the bill to pause the program with a veto-proof majority. The President is opposed to pausing the program, and it's unclear when the Senate will consider the bill. Listen to hear more about this backlash against Syrian refugees.
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