Other research

Suggested or rudimentary other research
The biggest, best, or most important pages at the wiki tend to be linked from the front page,, the sidebar, and elsewhere. The following includes a semi-comprehensive list of other, more obscure pages, along with ones thought of and noted but waiting to even be started (red links). The pages up range from stubs to pretty impressive, but aren't very well linked into other pages and kind of floating by themselves. Some have developed and might graduate to more prominent placement. Feel free to click a red link and follow the prompt to create a page, if you know a little about it and can start sharing links. Or propose more red links for someone else to start. Why not?

New Suggestions (2014)
(it's not 2014 but close enough) I decided to revive this old page, especially now that there's more of a community than there once was. And I have a subject I'm not ready to really deal with but that might deserve a page. There's been a big enough gap I feel new suggestions deserve a whole new fresh spot. What to do with the rest is another story. --Caustic Logic (talk) 14:10, 17 December 2013 (UTC)


 * L.A. Gang Members: An odd case. Two formel Los Angeles gang mambers appear in Syria, fighting alongside government forces, "putting it down" on "enemigos," on "the fucking front line, Homies." There are a number of different sources, mainly American. I like Vice, so I'll link their piece. The two men are called Wino and Creeper. Creeper is Latino, most say, linked to Mexican mafia and the Sur 13 gang. Wino is Armenian, of the Westside Armenian Power gang, and apparently of Syrian ancestry. Neither is coming back to the U.S., spreading their "terrorist skills" or getting Obamacare. They were both deported years ago. My impression is/was Wino went to Syria, later agreed to fight, invited Creeper, tried this recruitment video. Seems poorly advised. A friend of Wino's in L.A. told Vice:
 * Barev Hokis, a US-based Armenian friend of Wino, confirmed that his name is Nerses Kilajyan. Hokis told VICE News that both men in the video were deported from the US back to Syria.
 * “He is protecting our Armenian villages neighborhoods from rapist terrorists that are trying to rape and kill my innocent Armenian people,” Hokis wrote. “He was deported from Los Angeles back to Syria along with the other guy with the tattoos, he is also Armenian that was deported back to Syria. They are protecting our children from those blood thirsty demons.”


 * Abbas Khan: BBC News, Dec 27:
 * An inquest into the death of a British doctor who died in a Syrian prison has been opened and adjourned. Syrian authorities believe Abbas Khan hanged himself in his prison cell, Walthamstow Coroners Court heard.Mr Khan died days before he was due to be released, and his family believe he was murdered by the Syrian regime. 
 * The UK Foreign Office has said Mr Khan, who died earlier this month, was "in effect murdered".
 * "In effect murdered," as far as I can tell, is a rather loaded way of saying "violently killed by himself or someone else," with a strong and probably unfounded suggestion it's the latter. --Caustic Logic (talk) 13:58, 28 December 2013 (UTC)
 * "In effect murdered," as far as I can tell, is a rather loaded way of saying "violently killed by himself or someone else," with a strong and probably unfounded suggestion it's the latter. --Caustic Logic (talk) 13:58, 28 December 2013 (UTC)


 * IHH - al-Qaeda-linked charity in Turkey, raided and shut down now by Turkish authorities. Starter material: NSNBC with lots of details that ideally would be double-checked, vs. Al-Jazeera, CNN for lamestream coverage. --Caustic Logic (talk) 00:27, 18 January 2014 (UTC)


 * ISIS vs. Islamists: This whole episode, especially as it tries for a good-al-Qaeda/bad-al-Qaeda setup, is worthy of some study. SOHR says over 1,000 people have been killed so far in these fights. --Caustic Logic (talk) 21:13, 19 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Crane-Da Silva-Nice Torture Report or Torture Photos from "Caesar": CNN reports "A team of internationally renowned war crimes prosecutors and forensic experts has found "direct evidence" of "systematic torture and killing" by the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, the lawyers on the team say in a new report." The report: Syria Board of Inquiry Doha PDF (Prepared for Carter-­‐Ruck and Co. Solicitors of London.) The photo with the article shows a man with censored things done to his face and chest, and zero proof who he was or who did it. I'll review the report, but the article summarizes:
 * The bodies in the photos showed signs of starvation, brutal beatings, strangulation, and other forms of torture and killing, according to the report.
 * In a group of photos of 150 individuals examined in detail by the experts, 62% of the bodies showed emaciation -- severely low body weight with a hollow appearance indicating starvation. The majority of all of the victims were men most likely aged 20-40.
 * A complex numbering system was also used to catalog the corpses, with only the relevant intelligence service knowing the identities of the corpses. It was an effort, the report says, to keep track of which security service was responsible for the death, and then later to provide false documentation that the person had died in a hospital.

From highlights: "Defector provided thousands of photographs of victims, a new report states" "The defector, codenamed "Caesar," allegedly photographed as many as 50 bodies a day" (Do ANY of them show normal access to areas rebels couldn't access, like actual staffed prisons? Or is it in all some room, some dirt yard, etc.?) --Caustic Logic (talk) 00:28, 22 January 2014 (UTC)


 * No sign whatsoever of forensic examination of the digital media - the jpeg file data as compared to what they portray. This is normal procedure. EXIF data would show actual image dates - not the file dates you normally see, plus usually the camera model and sometimes serial number and GPS coordinates. Failure to do this basic and very easy check indicates to me they didn't want to know the answer. At this stage the images could easily have been from Qatari prisons or more likely from Libya.
 * I'm reminded of the Mandy Rice Davies quote "He would [say that], wouldn't he" --Charles Wood (talk) 01:48, 22 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Excellent points. They'll point out every "tramline injury" and define what that means, but they seem to have no firm grasp on when, where, and by whom these images were taken. Besides no sign of assessing this crucial information, there are signs they actively have avoided it. If they knew from the EXIF data when they were taken, or were calling on that knowledge, they wouldn't likely say "the images were said to have been produced during a time of armed conflict in Syria," and so they had to consider if the injuries were from combat (uh, no). Ever so careful those guys were. A relatively minor point: "bandages, most of which appeared make-shift, were present in 9%." Are makeshift bandages more a state prison or rebel field clinic thing?
 * Also, I made a link best filled in with the best title. In case someone more knowledgeable on these issues and more methodical wants to start it up. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:31, 22 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Landmines Massacre? SOHR Facebook, Dec 27
 * Reef Dimashq: Tens of Islamist rebel fighters were killed by a regime ambush at dawn today near the town of Qastal and the historic town of Ma'loula, 20 rebels were injured by the ambush with no reports of regime losses so far. Reports that 15 people were killed by landmines in the area between Yabrud and al-Nabek.
 * Me:
 * 15 people in a day killed by land mines requires explaining that's all but impossible to provide. Anyone been complaining about alleged landmines lately? Suspects for blowing some people they hate up with grenades or whatever actually happened.

(moved to start the page --Caustic Logic (talk) 03:47, 29 December 2013 (UTC)
 * Aleppo "Barrel Bombs Massacre"

Aleppo Rooftop Massacre
(forthcoming)

Enhanced view of the killing of men trying to surrender: xgiC4z0h4L4 Now where were the details? ... --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:10, 4 March 2014 (UTC)

Peaceful Protests, And ...
On the protests, their motives, methods, co-existence with armed rebellion, repression, allegations, popular understanding, etc.
 * The Events of March 2011 Dara'a, the one place where peaceful protesters killed by the government was most clear, actually worth a closer look
 * Jabhat Al-Nusra (Al-Nusra Front)
 * Farouk Brigade
 * Syrian Islamic Front
 * Sectarianism in the Syrian Conflict

Murky Massacres

 * Jneid Masacre East of Aleppo, around. Feb. 8, 2013: 18-40+ killed
 * Queiq River Massacre Aleppo, January 29, 2013: Reported 65-80+ executed men and boys found in the river
 * Haswiyeh Massacre, near Homs around January 10, 2013, more than 100 people killed. Actual massacre: reported 30+.
 * Maan Massacre Late December, 2012, in the Alawite village Maan, Hama province
 * Halfaya Bakery Bombing (listed also below) December 23, 2012: Over 100 reported killed.
 * Aqrab Massacre Dec. 11, 2012. 125-233 mostly-Alawite civilians reported killed. The story given by rebels is clearly untrue, but what really happened to their prisoners remains unclear.
 * Douma Massacre (late October)
 * September 26, the Deadliest Day Including, but not limited to, a large number of small massacres coordinated across Syria to achieve the tally, Sept. 26, 2012
 * Aleppo prisoner massacres, September 9, 2012, around 50 killed
 * Douma Hostage Massacre 16 killed, August 17, 2012
 * Jdeidat Artouz massacre App. Aug. 1, 2012, with Yalda massacre, app. 85 reported dead
 * Mazraat al-Qubeir massacre North of Al-Houla, June 6, 2012, reported 78+ killed
 * Douma Massacre (early July) Late June/early July, 2012
 * Jisr Al-Shughour massacre Early June 2011, 120+ reported dead
 * Previous Houla massacres (prior to May 25, 2012)
 * Moadamiyeh Al-Sham From at least summer 2012 up to the present, numerous mysterious executions and massacres, torture, etc. as seen in many videos, especially from an opposition morgue in this southwestern Damascus suburb.
 * Mazraa Massacre – June 23, 2013, in Mazra'a, a tiny farming area southeast of Aleppo.

Chemical Weapons Allegations
(ordered for timeline effect - to see the newest, go to the bottom of each list) (Washington draws a red line: Obama announces drawing of the line Dec. 3, others in the know describe the line as "red")
 * Against the government
 * Sarin Preparation Allegations of early Dec. 2012
 * Actual alleged attacks
 * Dec. 6 Daraya, near Damascus (and sort of in Deir Ezzor)
 * Dec. 8 Al-Safirah, near Aleppo
 * Dec. 23 Somewhere in Homs


 * Against the rebels
 * Tekkim Chemical Test Video Or, perhaps, videos, published Dec. 5, 2012 and later...
 * Dec. 22 Daraya, near Damascus

Other War Crimes

 * Idilb Hostages ... situation, as per SOHR here, mid-Feb. 2013
 * Al-Shaddadi Petroluem Company Massacre Hasaka province, Feb. 12, 2013
 * Shelling of Salah Eddin Mosque al-Ashrafia, Aleppo, February 2013
 * Buraq Factory Bombing February 6, 2013
 * Aleppo University Attack Jan. 15, 2012
 * Bakery Bombings and other Attacks on Food (final title and page created once there are three covered, and this article or equivalent to be cited)
 * Halfaya Bakery Bombing Over 100 reportedly killed, December 23, 2012
 * Shelling of a bakery in Aleppo Oct. 23, 2012
 * Jaramana Car Bombings November 28, 2012
 * Deir Al-Asafir Playground Bombing Northeast of Damascus, Nov. 25, 2012
 * Damascus Car Bombing, Oct. 26


 * Shelling of Turkish territory (or revised title idea) October, 2012
 * Abduction of Oerlemans and Cantlie July, 2012
 * The attack on Al Ikhabaria TV June 27, 2012
 * Abduction and execution of state workers
 * Acknowledged Rebel Attacks on Hospitals
 * Suspect Attacks on Hospitals

Other Other

 * Attack on Wadi Khaled and Heesha (Lebanon) late Februaruy, 2013
 * The shooting-down of the fighter jet over northern Damascus, Feb. 20 or so, is an issue worth looking at. Hight death tolll from that aerial bombing, rather arbitrary too. Almost a like a shot-down jet crashing down was mixed into the toll. Powerful argument for better AA weapons for the rebels. Allahu akbar, that's indiscriminate. Will set a link when I figure out even which neighborhood it hit. A video still shows smoke in the streets with tallish buildings. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:48, 21 February 2013 (UTC)
 * The Downing of the Turkish Jet
 * Weapons and fighters entering Syria
 * In support of the government
 * In support of the insurgents
 * Nicole Mansfield

The Truth and its Opposite

 * The Shabiha: Ghost Stories?
 * Syrian Rebel Fakery
 * Khaled Abu Saleh