Worldview 11.1.11

Worldview 11.1.11
A young Syrian, with words on his face reading "Assad or no one else," demonstrates in support of embattled President al-Assad. AP/Bassem Tellawi
Worldview 11.1.11
A young Syrian, with words on his face reading "Assad or no one else," demonstrates in support of embattled President al-Assad. AP/Bassem Tellawi

Worldview 11.1.11

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In Syria, some observers are worried that an all-out civil war could erupt. The Assad regime has heightened its crackdown on protesters. The U.S. ambassador recently left the country. And, with Turkey’s support, deserted soldiers are taking up arms against the regime. We discuss the latest in Syria with Omar Dahi, a professor at Hampshire College. Also, while many of the infrastructure projects funded by the World Bank and the IMF are ostensibly designed to help the world’s poorest nations, they often end up benefiting big business and the bottom line at the expense of local populations, especially women and children. We discuss this trend with Elaine Zuckerman, founder and executive director of Gender Action, a watchdog group for international financial institutions.