Syria+Simulation

**Assessment:**

** You will take part in an emergency meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the recent events in Syria and to debate the need for actions, if any, to be taken against the government of Syria or the insurgents. The topic to be debated is whether actions of the rebel groups are acts of freedom fighters or terrorists designed to disrupt the recognized government of Syria and/or whether the acts of the Syrian government are acts of "state terrorism" against their people or a government protecting the nation. ** ** Two students will represent the Syrian government and two students will represent the three major groups of the opposition. The remainder of the students will work in pairs to represent bordering countries of Syria as well as a select number of other countries. ** ** Students will debate the issue from the perspective of the Syrian group or the country they represent. ** ** The countries to be included are Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, France, Iran, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, China, and Russia. **

** Below are links to help you gain information on your group or country: ** __ **Syrian Governmen**t __** : **



[|Violence in Syria Stems from Foreign Aggression]

[|Iranian Review on Violence in Syria]

[|U.S. Hires Thugs to Remove Syrian Regime]

[|Lakhdar Brahimi America's New Point Man in Syria]

[|U.S. and Israel Create Army of Terrorists in Syria] Video:[|Assad compares Syrian Crackdown to Surgeon saving a patient's life]

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Can be used to back Bashaar's case that their are terrorists fueling the rebels:[|Slideshow on Growing Jihadi in Syria]

__** Syrian Rebels ** : __

** 1. Syrian National Council ** ** [|Syrian National Council] **

** [|SNC] **

** 2. National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change (NCC) ** ** [|NCC] **

** [|NCC and Syrian Regime] **

** 3. Free Syrian Army (FSA) ** ** [|FSA] **

** [|Defying a Dictator: Meet the FSA] **

This video provides a view of the rebel fighting:

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** Countries Taking part in Debate: **



** The Links below can be used by all countries **: **This site has statements of all countries on the Syrian Conflic**t: [|International Reactions to the Syrian Civil War]

**This site has background information on all countries. Good for Getting to Know your Country**: [|Alapedia] **This site is good for foreign relations between Syria and many nations:** [|Foreign Relations between Syria and other Nations] **This site is good for researching Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Lebanon**: [|Volatile relations in Middle East]

** China **:

[|CIA Factbook]

[|BBC Profile on China]

Video: China's stance on Syriamedia type="custom" key="20853950"



[|China Syria Relations]

[|Why China won't Condemn Syria][|China opposed to safe zone in Syria]

** Egypt **:

[|CIA Factbook on Egypt]

[|Arab Uprising Country by Country]

[|BBC Profile on Egypt]

[|Egypt Trying to Persuade Iran to Drop Assad] Good Overview video on Egypt's Arab Spring: media type="custom" key="20853968"

** France **:

[|France -Syria Relations]

[|CIA Factbook on France]

[|BBC Profile on France]

[|UNeasy relationship Between France and Syria]

** India **: [|CIA Factbook on India]

[|BBC Profile on India]

[|Do Not Take Sides on Syria]

[|India Syria relations]

[|Facts about India Syria Relations] [|India's Position on Syria: A tight Balancing Act]

** Iran **:

[|CIA Fact Book on Iran]

[|BBC Profile on Iran]

[|Iran Syria Relations]

[|U.S. Institute on Peace Review of Iran Syrian Relations]

[|Iranian Worries of the Defeat of Assad]

** Iraq **:

[|CIA Factbook on Iraq]

[|BBC Profile on Iraq]

[|Iraq Syria Relations]

This article is about how the Syrian Conflict is causing a rise in Religious fanatics in Iraq [|Here]

** Israel **:

[|CIA Factbook on Israel]

[|BBC Profile on Israel]

[|Israel Syria Relations]

**This article highlight Israeli concerns about Syrian fighting**: [|Syrian Crisis Fuels already Volatile Relations in Middle East] [|Syria: The View from Israel]

** Jordan **:

[|CIA Factbook on JOrdan]

[|BBC Profile on Jordan]

[|Jordan Syria Relations]

**Select the country of Jordan in the website [|Here]** **This Article pertains to Jordan as well as other Arab countries [|Unrest in Middle East]** **[|Refugee Camps in Jordan]**

**[|Refugee Conditions in Tent Cities in Jordan]**

** Lebanon :**

[|CIA Factbook on Lebanon]

[|BBC Profile on Lebanon]

[|Lebanon Syria Relations]

[|Tensions Mount on Syria Lebanon Border]

[|Lebanon Worries ABout Spillover effect of Syrian Crisis]

[|Terrorist Havens in Lebanon]

** Russia **:

[|CIA Factbook on Russia]

[|BBC Profile on Russia]

[|Russian Syria Relations] This is a great site to get an overview of the relationship between the two countries

[|Why Russia Won't Yield on Syria]

[|Russia wants Sanctions against Syria Lifted]

** Saudi Arabia **:

[|CIA Factbook on Saudi Arabia]

[|BBC Profile on Saudi Arabia]

[|new Chapter for Syria Saudi Relations]

[|Saudi Syrian Relations: A Historical Divide]

[|Saudi Arabia's al Qaeda Challenge]

** United Kingdom **:

[|CIA Factbook on the United Kingdom]

[|BBC Profile on UK]

[|UK Syria Relations]

** Turkey: **

** [|CIA Factbook on Turkey] **

** [|BBC Profile on Turkey] **

** [|Turkey Syria Relations] **

[|Turkey does not see Syria War in Sectarian Terms]

[|Fleeing Syrians Playing Cat and mouse with Turkish Troops] Turkey will only allow Syrians with passports across its borders

** The Simulation: **



Now that your research is done we are ready to begin the work of presenting your research ** : ** ** Opening statements: **

**Position papers**:

** Below is a sample of a position paper filled out for a fictitious country ** :



**Below is a sample position paper based on the template for a country**:

**Below is a sample position paper based on the template for the Syrian Government:**
 * Below is a sample position paper based on the template for the Syrian Rebels: **

**Rules and Procedure for Simulation**:



Videos: to Review Topic:

** UN View on Syria **:

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** Impact of War on the people of Syria **:

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** Below is President Obama's Speech to he General Assembly on September 25, 2012 **: media type="youtube" key="Z6d4FxgDB4I" height="315" width="560"