[This is a collection of news updates on Syria compiled from multiple sources by the editors.]
Developments
Senate Committee Approves Resolution Authorizing U.S. Strikes on Syria in a 10-7 vote, which means the resolution will now move to the Senate.
Rep. Brad Sherman Explains How the White House Could Win the Syria Vote An edited interview conducted prior to the above vote, giving an insider perspective on how one member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee thinks.
Putin Warns Against ‘Illegal’ Military Action in Syria, Bypassing UNSC A 10-minute interview with Vladimir Putin on Russia TV, where he talks about the chemical weapons debate and intervention.
Exclusive: Former Syria Defense Minister Defects in Break With Assad On the defection of General Ali Habib
Who is Ali Habib? Syria’s Highest Ranking Military Defector Hassan Hassan profiles the man on his blog.
Syria Direct reports the alleged abduction of Abdulthawab Shahrour, the head of the government’s forensics unit in Aleppo, who would be “a major asset to the regime in the debate over who used chemical weapons on civilians in Aleppo.”
French MPs Debate Syria Military Action
Labs to Start Syria Chemical Weapons Analysis of the samples collected in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta.
Opinions
"A Strike Against Syria Forecloses the Possibility of a Political Solution": Bassam Haddad on MSNBC`s Chris Hayes Show “A limited strike, first of all, will not be effective. Second of all, it will make the conflict more volatile, and third of all, it forecloses any possibility of a political solution down the road. It’s basically eliminating that possibility for the sake of very limited gains that can spin out of control and bring the entire region into this conflict.”
The New America: Between Modesty and Madness Al-Akhbar’s Ibrahim al-Amin covers those latest developments suggesting “what is at stake is much more than what happens in the Middle East. America’s key political, security, economic, and military institutions are wondering just how much influence their country still wields in the world today.”
Activist: Airstrikes Will Not Help Us Anderson Cooper’s 360 program, in which he interviews activist Zaidoun Zoabi who opposes a US strike.
Striking Syria: Illegal, Immoral and Dangerous Phyllis Bennis argues that “crucially, a military strike without United Nations authorisation undermines the urgent need for serious, tough diplomacy to end the Syrian war.”
US Action in Syria Must Level the Playing Field The National’s editorial responding to the talks about US action in Syria: “From the outside, a political solution looks unworkable in Syria. But from inside, the opposition and those who currently serve in the state institutions can formulate a plan for transition. The opposition has repeatedly said that it will maintain state institutions.”
Analysis
Walking a Fine Line on Syria Brian Whitaker comments on the latest draft of the senate resolution on Syria, suggesting that Obama is going for two strategies simultaneously, as “the plan, while tackling chemical weapons, is also to pursue a "negotiated political settlement" by means that are at least partly military.”
Obama Hints at Larger Strategy to Topple Assad in Effort to Win Over Republicans “While stressing that Washington`s primary goal remained "limited and proportional" attacks, to degrade Syria`s chemical weapons capabilities and deter their future use, the president hinted at a broader long-term mission that may ultimately bring about a change of regime.”
Libya’s Lessons on Syria Karim Mezran, Jason Pack and Haley Cook argue that “as Libya demonstrates, a justified limited intervention can turn out worse than a more comprehensive, well thought-out one.”
Policy, Reports and Statements
AIPAC Strongly Urges Congress to Back Syria Strike The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was also called out by a New York Times contributor as “the 800-pound gorilla in the room,” a statement that was quickly suppressed from the article.
Iran Plays Supporting Role In House Panel Debate on Syria Barbara Slavin highlights some of the key comments and concerns raised by the members of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
Other
This Jon Stewart Episode is Everything Wrong With How we Talk About Syria Max Fisher provides an overview of the segment.
Jon Stewart Video pokes fun at various problematic aspect the strike, including that it was advised by some architects of the Iraq war and that it seems to be motivated by a campaign for credibility.
John McCain Plays Poker While Colleagues Discuss Bombing Syria As if it were not problematic enough, he later tweeted “Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing - worst of all I lost!”
How Assad’s Soldiers Mock Barack Obama
Arabic
وسط الدماء أسماء الأسد منشغلة بتوريث ابنها و برشافتها
Al-Arabiya on a British report about Mrs. Al-Assad, Asmaa’s preoccupation with fashion and physique while Syria suffers from blood and the possibility of a foreign military attack.
أيها السوريون… بلادكم ليست لكم
Nasri as-Sayegh sheds light on those who are sidelined amidst all the blood and international, regional, and domestic politics: the Syrian people.
حرب إلى ما لا نهاية: الخطة الأمريكية في سوريا
As’ad Abukhalil on the US plan and goals in Syria.
Ibrahim al-Amin on Hezbollah’s role and reaction to the American strike on Syria.