[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week]
Regional and International Perspectives
Riyadh to Beirut: A Post-Assad Ultimatum Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister asks Lebanon’s Prime Minister to “cooperate in exchanging information” on the leakage of “any weapons” from Syrian territories.
Syria-Lebanon Border: A Show of Force Afif Diab gives an update on the military buildup at the Syria- Lebanon border.
Bitter memories, little hope for Syrians Erin Banco and Sophia Jones meet refugees in Jordan’s Zaatri camp, who are dealing with PTSD and harsh living conditions.
Welcome to the ’Kurdish Spring’ Pepe Escobar analyzes Turkey’s anxiety over Syria’s decision to leave some areas to the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party
Inside Syria
Dash to enter Damascus with rebels shows government still in control
Refused, confused or pleased to be sectarian in Syria? Rita meets with a young man from the FSA, who she says “has become increasingly sectarian.”
Syrian Narratives
On Defections and Developments in Syria: PBS NewsHour Interview with Bassam Haddad and David Lesch
Breaking the Arab News Sultan Al-Qassemi on Al Jazeera and Al Arabiyya’s biased coverage of the events in Syria.
Arab Spring Overdose? Author responds to Al-Qassemi’s argument, highlighting some contradictions.
A Note on the Complexities of the Syrian Uprising The author says the dominant antagonism in Syria “is that between the regime, a state-capitalist bloc, and the popular masses based in the working class.”
Bilad al-Sham: Jihad’s Newest Hot Spot Radwan Mortada gives a list of important “Islamist militias” inside Syria.
Syria: The Military Option Nicolas Nassif says “there will be no alternative to continued military operations” until one side achieves a military victory that translates into political gains.
The Islamist Tones of the Syrian Uprising Karl Sharro says opposition’s lack of a clear political vision gives way to a religious mobilization which not everyone can relate to.
Battles for Damascus and Aleppo Nicolas Nassif explains what the fighting in Syria’s two major cities tells us about the developments of the crisis.
The Way the Wind Blows in Syria (and Beyond) Jeff Klein says climate change played a role in the Syrian uprising.
Syria’s “Liberated” Future Shamus Cooke notes a shift in narrative in western media, a hypocritical move “to sell this bloodbath as an advance of democracy.”
Conflicts in Aleppo Determine Syria’s Fate Interview with Dr. Mahmoud Vaezi Vice President for Foreign Policy Studies on the significance of the battles in Aleppo
The Eccentricities of Bashar al-Assad As’ad AbuKhalil suggests Bashar’s aloofness is either due to the fact that he grew up in a “ruler’s court” or because he no longer is running the show.
The Scorpion and the Frog Ty Mccormick says Syria long supported terrorist groups within its borders, hence it should not be surprising to see the emergence of some taking advantage of the crisis.
Civil war in Syria: The end of the beginning? Franco Galdini says the collapse of the government could bring a full-scale civil war.
`My classmate is a war criminal` Testimonies from those who studied with Bashar al-Assad.
Capture the Flag Sami Moubayed provides a short history of the Syrian flag.
Syria’s Crumbling Pluralism Civil Disintegration and Ethnic Cleansing Kapil Komireddi says the situation is worsening for minorities in Syria.
Could Syria’s Current Predicament Have Been Avoided Over A Decade Ago? Ehsani says the black hole in which Syria is plunged could have been avoided had the Syrian regime dealt differently with the Damascus Spring.
Riad Hijab defection drives wedge into fractured party Robert Fisk argues Hijab’s departure “does not constitute a body blow for the President.”
Assad`s assault risks wiping out Syria`s past and its future
Partition is a viable option for Syria Dilip Hiro buys the sectarian narrative and dangerously argues that “a viable alternative for them (Alawites) is retreat to an Alawite-majority zone where the Christians, who have allied closely with the Baathist regime, would be welcome.”
Do the Assads fear Alawite anger? Michael Young says Assad is not likely to be interested in an Alawite state “an alternative that is almost certain to consume him.”
Aleppo Now and the Future of Armenians in Syria Keith Watenpaugh on the developments of the uprising in Aleppo.
A death knell for diplomacy? Al Jazeera’s program on Kofi Annan’s departure.
`We Are the New Government`: Rebels Plant Seeds for Syria`s Future Raniah Salloum meets rebels who took control of a Syrian border post, and admit the need “to be careful about [their] image."
Safe Harbor for the Wounded Raniah Salloum meets a Syrian ‘rebel’ in a Turkish hospital.
Imperialism and the Left
Syria Divides the Arab Left Nicolas Dot-Pouillard sheds light on the “leftist” positions.
Syria, imperialism and the left Alex Snowdon says “the nature of the Arab revolutions has been dramatically altered by the geo-political context and the role of imperialism.”
Syria, the Left and a Revolution Divided
Hezbollah Without Syria As’ad AbuKhalil argues Hezbollah can live without the Syrian regime and envisions a post-Assad period.
Syria`s Pipelineistan war Pepe Escobar exposes the economic interests of countries in the region, who rely on Syria for their energy supplies.
Art and Social Media
Syria Conflict Finds a Voice in Hip Hop Syrian artists advocate for the “Third Line,” and try to break the pro and anti-government dichotomy.
Raymond Boutros: The Last Communist Khalil Sweileh draws a portrait of this Syrian director and his prolific career.
Syria`s ancient treasures pulverised Robert Fisk on the destruction of historical monuments in Syria.
Syria Picture Faked, Say Bloggers
Policy and Reports
Month-by-Month Summary of Developments in Syria (Updated) International Crisis Group’s summary of latest events.
Syria conflict: a year of deaths mapped with data collected by the Syrian Shuhada
Syrian Crisis as a Reversed Two-Level Game Kursad Turan’s report evaluating “the positions adopted by the actors involved and the potential of a peaceful resolution in the near future.”
Arabic:
Abd Al-Bari Atwan writes about the defection of the Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab and its implications on the Assad regime.
سوريا وديمغرافية ما بعد الثورة
This is a report by George Kadr about the factors that controlled Syrian demographics before the revolution, and the implications of Al-Assad’s brutal response after.
العقيد الأسعد والأميرة السلمية
Subhi Hadid writes about the militarization of the revolution and the mistakes committed by those who say that they are part of an armed struggle against the regime, such as FSA leader Riad Al-Asaad’s false accusation of the city of Salamiyah as being loyalist to Al-Assad.
أعداء مستقبل سوريا يغتالون عقولها: اتهامات متبادلة… والمحصلة واحدة
Tarek Al-Abed writes about the current situation in Syria and the killing that both sides of the conflict are committing.
رداً على رياض الشقفة: «بيتكم من زجاج»
Michel Kilo responds to Riad Asheqfeh’s criticism of his stance towards the defected general and Assad’s childhood friend Manaf Tlass.
المراقبون سيتحولون إلى بعثة سياسية تتبع جيفري فيلتمان أربعة أسماء لخلافة أنان: موراتينوس الأوفر حظاً
Tarek Al-Balout writes about the possible heir to the Annan Plan after Kofi Annan had resigned from the mission and its transformation from a military plan to a political one.
Abd Al-Bari Atwan writes about the future of Syria after Al-Assad and the West’s interference.
Asad Abu Khalil writes about the Syrian military intervention in Lebanon in 1976.
«معارك دمشق»: مقاربة طبقية
لمن تكون الغلبة في حلب؟