VIOLENCIA CRECIENTE, DI VERSIFICADA, SIN CONTROL

Top of the Agenda: Syrian Tanks Moves into Deraa The Syrian military advanced into the southern city of Deraa (BBC), the town where activists originally launched their calls for political reforms last month. Witnesses report that security forces fired openly on protestors, and that five people may have been killed. Al-Jazeera reports that military forces are also leading crackdowns in the Damascus suburb of Douma and the coastal city of Jableh. This is the first time that Syria has deployed tanks (FT) against the protesters since the demonstrations began in March. Analysts say both sides' positions have now hardened and the standoff is unlikely to be ended by a negotiated solution of further reforms. State security forces and armed militias known as al-shabbiha have killed hundreds and led house-to-house raids in search of activists in the last month. Over a hundred people died innationwide crackdowns (NYT) over the weekend that began with protests after prayers on Friday. Foreign journalists have mostly been banned from Syria, making it impossible to confirm reports (Deutsche-Welle) on the ground. In addition, electricity and communication lines have been cut off in many of the locations occupied by regime forces. Analysis: In this transcript from CFR, Mohamad Bazzi discusses the implications of the violent anti-government protests in Syria. Mideast expert Fouad Ajami writes that it is unlikely that the Qaddafis and Mubaraks could have entertained thoughts of succession for their sons had they not seen the ease with whichSyria became an odd creature (WSJ)—a republican monarchy. On his CFR blog Pressure Points, CFR's Elliott Abrams examines the Obama administration's response to the violent crackdown by the Assad regime. This article from the New York Times suggests the crisis in Syria represents a “moment of truth” for President Bashar al-Assad, and will test his willingness to impose reforms on his Baath Party. MIDDLE EAST: NATO Strikes Target Qaddafi Compound NATO air strikes bombarded a compound used by Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi in the capital of Tripoli (Bloomberg). The attack came as loyalist forces continued to beset the city of Misurata with rocket attacks, in an effort to wrest control of the sole rebel possession in the country's west. Yemen: Anti-government protestors took fire from Yemeni security personnel in the city of Taiz. Thousands of activists continued to rally for the immediate resignation (BBC) of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, despite his already having agreed to step down in a Gulf-supported deal. PACIFIC RIM: Japan PM Under Pressure to Quit After his ruling party's losses in local elections on Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan faces new demands to step down, as he struggles to contain a nuclear crisis (Reuters) and find ways to finance post-quake reconstruction. Japan's ability to rebound from its triple disaster in March will require more than just rebuilding; it will demand restructuring in areas from energy and farm policy to decentralization of power, write Brian P. Klein and CFR's David S. Abraham. North Korea: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who will visit North Korea (AFP) this week with a group of other retired state leaders, said the trip would focus on food shortages, human rights, and denuclearization. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: Taliban Stages Prison Break Afghan and NATO forces are attempting to recapture four hundred and seventy-five prisoners, mostly Taliban insurgents, who managed a mass prison break via a tunnel in Kandahar (Guardian). Pakistan: Trucks carrying supplies from the port of Karachi to NATO troops in Afghanistan have resumed after protests over drone strikes (BBC) blocked a key road for three days, officials say. The crisis in U.S.-Pakistani relations followed mounting mistrust over the U.S. war in Afghanistan, in particular. But Washington should seize the chance to reinvigorate ties rather than look elsewhere for partners, says CFR's Daniel Markey. AFRICA: Bomb in Nigeria Ahead of Elections Three bomb blasts exploded at a hotel and a motor park in the northeastern city of Maiduguri (Reuters), killing at least two people ahead of governorship elections. Authorities suspect the radical Islamic group Boko Haram, a group that has been responsible for hundreds of killings in the past two years. Morocco: Organized via Facebook, thousands of protestors in Casablanca called for an overhaul of Morocco's governance (CNN) and rejected the draft constitution presented by King Mohammed. AMERICAS: Leaked Gitmo Docs Offer New Insights More than seven hundred classified military documents released by Wikileaks (NYT) offers new insight into the evidence against men still locked up at the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. With his new executive order on Guantanamo in March, President Obama acknowledges that the controversial detention center will remain open for some time, says CFR's Matthew Waxman, but provides improved protections and review processes. Mexico: At the largest mass gravesite ever found, one hundred and seventy-seven bodies have been pulled from deep pits used by drug cartels for executions (WashPost), authorities say. This Council Special Report analyzes the drug war in Mexico and argues that the United States should help Mexico address its pressing crime and corruption problems. EUROPE: France and Italy to Work Out Immigrant Dispute Silvio Berlusconi and Nicolas Sarkozy intend to turn to the European Union with proposals for revisions to the Schengen treaty on open borders, which hopes to resolve a standoff (FT)between the two countries on how to deal with a recent flood of North African migrants. In this CFR podcast, Jean-Phillipe Chauzy of the International Organization for Migration says the massive flight from Middle East and North African turmoil has highlighted immigration problems plaguing the European Union. France: Anti-nuclear activists are expected to hold protests along the border (AFP) with Germany to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.