#1 Syria: The Front Line of a Global War

The United Nations General Assembly met this week. With many world powers facing crisis: the war in Syria got top billing, but the migrant crisis, Cuba, China and the concerns about global warming were also on the docket.

The most tense part of the meeting surround conflicting views on how to handle the war in Syria. Russia and the United States agree the Islamic State needs to be stopped. Yet, the two super powers clash on views about President Assad. After agreeing to work together to combat the Islamic State, Russia ramped-up airstrikes on October 1, 2015. The problem, according to the Pentagon, is that the targets of those strikes were not Islamic State strongholds, but rather rebel fighters trained by CIA to fight Assad’s regime.

We reported earlier on how the situation in Syria was looking more and more like a proxy war between the US and Russia, and now it seems our fears are facts. How the US responds, or doesn’t respond, will likely influence our foreign policy foreseeable future. This is an important story.

This video is an overview of recent developments and how these sides are forming:

At the United Nations this week:

French authorities have launched a criminal probe against the Assad regime for alleged war crimes committed between 2011 and 2013, sources told a news agency on Tuesday night.

Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary war crimes inquiry on September 15, a source close to the case and a diplomatic source said.

The investigation is drawing in particular on evidence provided by a former Syrian army photographer known by the codename “Caesar”, who defected and fled the country in 2013, bringing with him some 55,000 graphic photographs of scenes from the brutal conflict.

Here’s President Obama on Syria:

Here’s President Putin on Syria:

Here’s an NBC wrap-up of what to expect from this historic meeting:

When President Obama takes the podium on Monday during the United Nations General Assembly, he will be part of a cavalcade of world leaders — from Russia to Iran — whose nations are at the fore of global crisis and conflicts.

That means that a wide range of contentions — from strained relations between the U.S. and Russia over the annexation of Ukraine and movement in Syria, to the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, to the impact of global climate change — could be addressed during the 70th anniversary of the founding of the U.N.

Here are some of the expected highlights:

Russia

On Monday, the president will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a face-to-face that could prove tense as the two nations have had icy relations since Russia annexed portions of Ukraine and amidst the growing Russian military presence near the Syrian port city of Latakia.

“The situation in Ukraine continues to be of significant concern and our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine will be front and center throughout our discussions, particularly with President Putin,” Ben Rhodes, White House national security adviser, told reporters on Thursday.

Image: Russian troops during shift change outside Privolnoye military base in Crimea, Ukraine. — *Russian troops during shift change outside Privolnoye military base in Crimea, Ukraine. Ed Flanagan / NBC News*

The U.S. supports rebels fighting Assad, but both Washington and Moscow have a common enemy in ISIS — the target of U.S.-led airstrikes.

The meeting provides an opportunity for the president to ask Putin directly about Russian military forces in Syria.

“There’s a lot of talk and now it’s time for clarity and for Russia to come clean and come clear on just exactly how it proposes to be a constructive contributor to what is already an ongoing multi-nation coalition,” said Celeste Wallander, the White House National Security Council’s senior director for Russia. “That’s a question for President Putin, and it’s a question we’ll be posing to President Putin.”

Iran

While President Obama is not expected to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during the U.N. sessions, U.S. Secretary John Kerry is expected to speak with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif. The White House expects those conversations to center on the historic deal between Tehran and six world powers aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program as those countries near an October target to begin implementing the agreement’s terms.

The administration will discuss concerns about Iranian destabilizing activities in the region and will also use those conversations as an opportunity to raise the issue of the detained Americans being held in Iran.

“There will be a clear message about our continued and grave concerns about the ongoing detention of Americans in Iran,” Rhodes said.

Cuba

White House officials say President Obama and Cuban President Raul aren’t expected to formally meet during the Cuban leader’s first attendance at the U.N. General Assembly. However, they are expected to cross paths in their first opportunity to see each other since the normalization of relations in July.

According to The Associated Press, which cited unnamed officials, the Obama administration is considering abstaining from the annual vote condemning the American economic embargo of Cuba.

China

The United States and China agreed not to “conduct or knowingly support” cyber-theft of intellectual property or commercial trade secrets, the presidents of both countries announced Friday in an address at the White House Rose Garden.

On the heels of the agreement, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to stress the impact of global climate change.

“Climate change will be high on the agenda in that bilateral meeting. As the two biggest emitters of the world, the leadership shown by the U.S. and China heading into the U.N. session and the meetings in Paris will be critical to a successful outcome,” Rhodes said. “So after the breakthrough last year in terms of the United States and China both announcing targets in terms of emissions reductions, we’ll have an opportunity to put some additional meat on the bones in the discussions over the next two days about the commitments the United States and China will be taking into Paris.”

Syrian Refugee Crisis

The surge of thousands of people from war-torn regions in the Middle East and Africa to European countries will also be a topic of discussion during the session.

The Obama administration said earlier this month it is willing to take in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year.

“Of course, we will have to be addressing some very significant global challenges,” Rhodes said. “Certainly, the counter-ISIL efforts, which was a focus last year, will continue to be a focus this year given the summit the president is convening. And it relates to both the situation in Iraq and Syria, and our efforts to combat ISIL, and also the humanitarian challenges that are emanating from the region will certainly be a topic this year.”