Archive for 2009

2009 Syria: An Assessment at Year’s End

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Washington Reaffirms Sanctions on Syria as Gift to Israel

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

News Round Up (27 December 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, December 28th, 2009

End of Arab Cold War Makes Syria Man in the Middle

Posted by Joshua on Friday, December 25th, 2009

Assessing Hariri’s visit to Lebanon and Syria’s Rise

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Hariri Speech Reveals Bad Arabic; Adam Ereli Possible Ambassador to Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, December 21st, 2009

Hariri Goes to Damascus; US Gives More and Better Arms to Israel

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, December 19th, 2009

When is a Dictator not a Dictator?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, December 18th, 2009

“Reshuffling the Cards?: Syria’s Evolving Strategy,” by Peter Harling of ICG

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Turkey’s “Zero Crescents, Zero Axises, and Zero problems” Foreign Policy is Catching on.

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

The US Love-Hate Relationship with Mukhabarat

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Prhttps://joshualandis.com/blog/wp-admin/edit.phpesident al-Assad Announces the Passing Away of His Brother Majd

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Sharaa on Turkey, the US, Lebanon; Diplomats on Bus Explosion; Turkey’s Leadership

Posted by Joshua on Friday, December 11th, 2009

Is Syria to Blame for the Bombings in Iraq?

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Bus Bomb? Syrian-Israel Peace Talks? SSNP, Turkey is Warned, Washington is Broken

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

“Jordan is a model that works, whether we like it or not,” – Rami Khouri

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Bus Explosion in Damascus Sets off Wild Speculation

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Obama’s Speech, Syria’s Central Banker, Aleppo

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Will India’s Proposal to Invest Billions in Iran Undermine US Sanction Drive? Is Turkey the Winner?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Dubai Blues and Iraqi families Suffer in Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, November 30th, 2009

Swiss Minarets, Syrian Vulture, Israel Imports Syrian Books, Hamas Bans Women Dancers

Posted by Joshua on Monday, November 30th, 2009

News Round Up (28 November 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, November 28th, 2009

A Memoir-Novel of Tadmur Military Prison, reviewed by S. Taleghani

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, November 28th, 2009

“Has Syria Won?” in the Economist

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 27th, 2009

News Round Up (25 November 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Syria and Iraq and Lebanon and ….

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

France Champions Syria While US Says Differences with Damascus are “Profound”

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Azmeh and Zubaida Join the Neolibralism Debate.

Posted by Joshua on Monday, November 16th, 2009

Omar Dahi and Ehsani Debate “Neoliberalism” and Economic Reform

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 13th, 2009

Assad in Paris

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 13th, 2009

Netanyahu Talks Peace for the Press; Syrian Subsidies

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Lebanon Gets a New Government

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

News Round Up (6 November 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, November 6th, 2009

Israeli Trojan Horse Proves Lame: Syrians Unveil New Secret Weapon

Posted by Alex on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Observations along the road to Kassab and the streets of Aleppo, by Ehsani

Posted by Alex on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

It’s the Economy Stupid – Ehsani Comments

Posted by Joshua on Friday, October 30th, 2009

Why Turkey Went to Iran and What it Means

Posted by Joshua on Friday, October 30th, 2009

Turkey’s “Zero Problem with Neighbors” Reaches Iran: New Currency Deal Eliminates Dollar

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, October 29th, 2009

The Turkey-Syria-Iran Alliance Heats Up; The Economy, Tepid

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Ambassador Imad Moustapha Critiques National Geographic Article on Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, October 26th, 2009

“The Syrian Exception: Between Modernization and Resistance” by Caroline Donati

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, October 25th, 2009

The Association Agreement; Authoritarianism; and Arab winds of change

Posted by Joshua on Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Syria’s Four Seas strategy, by Yoav Stern

Posted by Alex on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

“The Murders at al-Sukariya” by Reese Erlich and Peter Coyote

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

King Abdullah II of Jordan: “Keeping the statu quo means sliding into darkness.”

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

News Round Up (19 October 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

News Round Up (18 October 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Will Syria Give up the Golan as it Gave up Alexandretta?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Alex on Saudi Arabia; Hamidi on Turkey

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, October 11th, 2009

King Abdullah’s Visit to Damascus – A New Era of Arab Relations?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, October 10th, 2009

More Tooing and Frowing on Engagement with Syria

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Angelina Does Damascus; Saudi King on his Way; Syria’s Attitude toward an Iranian Nuke

Posted by Joshua on Monday, October 5th, 2009

Can Obama and Sarkozy Succeed?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, October 2nd, 2009

“Engagement is Still On,” by Joshua Landis

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 27th, 2009

“Can Former Iraqi Baathists in Syria Ever Go Home?” by Andrew Lee Butters

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 27th, 2009

“Tea on the Axis of Evil,” a film by Jean Marie Offenbacher

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Syria’s Integration: What Changes Will it Bring?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Is Syrian-US Engagement at an End?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Muhammad Atta in Aleppo; Muslim Brothers; Oil

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Turk & Syria – Assad Interview: Muslim Brothers, Kurds, Iraq, Israel

Posted by Joshua on Monday, September 14th, 2009

Iraq-Syria Row Calming, but Maliki Needs to Shift Blame for Elections

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, September 13th, 2009

EU postpones Syrian accord; Ignatius on Syria; Butters on Beirut

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, September 12th, 2009

France has Led the West out of Bush Think and into Engagement with Syria

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Turkey Changes Heart, Says It Will Increase Water Flow of Rivers

Posted by Joshua on Friday, September 4th, 2009

Turkey Says More Water For Iraq, Syria Is Unlikely

Posted by Joshua on Friday, September 4th, 2009

“Merchant of Death” and “Flash Back” by Steven Barbar

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 29th, 2009

The Syrian Public Sector, Corruption, Taxation, and Government Services” by Ehsani

Posted by Joshua on Friday, August 21st, 2009

Syria Seeks to Separate US Relationship from Arab-Israeli Conflict

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, August 20th, 2009

The American MidEast Leadership Network’s Virtual Scrapbook

Posted by Alex on Friday, August 14th, 2009

News Round Up (Mon Aug. 10, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, August 10th, 2009

Bashar ElSbihi Clarifies

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, August 9th, 2009

The Push for Peace

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 8th, 2009

Hariri Majority thin with Jumblatt Defection; Brits Urge Peace

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Opposition News and Bashar Sba’i’s Return

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Sanctions on Hafiz Makhluf and Muhammad Nasif Khayr Bek Extended

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Ali Khan says Goodbye to Damascus and SC readers

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 31st, 2009

Mitchell Moves Ahead With Normalization of US-Sy Relations for Iraq Security and More

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

First analysis of the Mitchell Meeting

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 27th, 2009

What is Mitchel up to in Damascus?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 24th, 2009

Mitchell to Syria; Arafat Murdered?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

The Obama Peace Engine Splutters

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

News Round UP (Sunday 20 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 20th, 2009

Idea for a Nature Park on the Golan begins with Imad (Ed) Jazairi

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, July 19th, 2009

News Round Up (17 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, July 17th, 2009

Economic News (16 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Hof in Israel; Britain and Arms

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Israel Frightened of Golan on a Platter or Without Platter

Posted by Joshua on Monday, July 13th, 2009

Echoes from Ugarit… and Beyond, CD Review by Salma Al-Shami

Posted by Alex on Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Syria Wants Center Stage

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, July 12th, 2009

News Round Up (9 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Muallem: “Yes, we want the Golan Back on a Silver Platter.”

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

Will Syria Serve Up Iran on a Silver Platter?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

Who Will Be the Next US Ambassador to Syria?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, July 4th, 2009

News Round UP (4 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Scholarly Articles; Bolton; First Lady on Democracy

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

News Round Up (1 July 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

“Syrian Population Growth and Unemployment” by Ehsani

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

News Round Up (30 June 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Apologies to Howard Schweber and Barak’s Settlement Shuffle

Posted by Joshua on Monday, June 29th, 2009

Why Turmoil in Iran Will Not Cause Peace Between Israel and Syria

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, June 28th, 2009

“Hillary is Wrong About Settlements,” Elliott Abrams & Saudi Arabia

Posted by Joshua on Friday, June 26th, 2009

Ambassador Redux and its Implications

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 25th, 2009

US Will Send Ambassador to Syria

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Syrian Reformers Increasingly Agree that EU-Syrian Association Agreement Should be Signed

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, June 20th, 2009

News Round Up (19 June 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Friday, June 19th, 2009

Syrian-Israeli Peace Made Easy by Cobban

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

News Round Up (June 17, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Iran, Mitchell, Lebanon and Iraq

Posted by Joshua on Monday, June 15th, 2009

Carter Blasts Feltman

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 11th, 2009

The Mitchell Visit: Why it is Important

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Popular Vote Favors Lebanon’s Opposition, Despite Loss

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Rafik Schami’s “The Dark Side of Love”

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

“New Personal Status Draft Law Does Not Permits Polygamy for Christians,” by Tyler Golson

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Syrians Silent and Disappointed but Ready to Put Lebanon Behind Them

Posted by Joshua on Monday, June 8th, 2009

Elections Run Smoothly in Lebanon Despite Final Fear Mongering

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, June 7th, 2009

Will Obama Put Syria at the Center of a Peace Plan?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Steps Syria has Taken to Win US Favor

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Syria’s Battle for the Hearts of the West, by S. Farah

Posted by Alex on Friday, June 5th, 2009

“Obama’s Speech: a Syrian Reaction” by Ehsani

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, June 4th, 2009

“Will There Be a US Ambassador in Damascus by September?” By Landis

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

News Round Up (June 2, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Kerry’s Unusual Role in Mediating U.S.-Syria Relations

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

US-Syria relations: time to hit the reset button?

Posted by Alex on Sunday, May 31st, 2009

Leaving for Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 25th, 2009

The Reasons for ‘Syria’s Positive Caution’ Toward Obama Policy,” By Ibrahim Hamidi

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 24th, 2009

“Raqqa and Beyond” by Ali Khan: Dispatch 23

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Spiegel article Probably a Plant

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

“New Evidence Points to Hezbollah in Hariri Murder,” by Erich Fallath

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

Israeli poster pulled from the London subway after the Syrian Embassy complained

Posted by Alex on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

Syria’s New Tax Code

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 22nd, 2009

“Kilo Set Free,” by Khaled Oweis

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Is Obama Turning into a Bust?

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

“Hassakeh,” By Ali Khan (Dispatch 22)

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 18th, 2009

News Round UP (May 16, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, May 16th, 2009

“Who Killed Hariri? The Simplest Theory” By t_desco

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 15th, 2009

Ire over US Sanctions Causes Policy Review in Damascus

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

SYRIAN BA’THIST MEMOIRS: Review by Nikolaos van Dam

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

Syria Eats Sanctions but Looks to Mitchell Visit for Understanding

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 10th, 2009

Obama Sanctions Syria

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 8th, 2009

Obama Should not Renew Executive Order Sanctions on Syria this Weekend

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, May 7th, 2009

What is Feltman Doing in Damascus?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, May 7th, 2009

Syria and Washington, the Likely Path Ahead

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Hamas and Hizbullah Reach out to Obama

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 4th, 2009

Netanyahu goes for Palestinian over Syrian Track; Lebanon Elections

Posted by Joshua on Monday, May 4th, 2009

“Trip Around and Across Syria!,” By Ali Khan #21

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

“Dialogue is the Best Startegy,” Austrian F.M. Interview with Hamidi

Posted by Joshua on Friday, May 1st, 2009

Hariri Tribunal Releases Lebanese Generals for lack of Evidence

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 30th, 2009

US Will Work with Lebanon Opposition – Experts Say

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 27th, 2009

Is Clinton’s Visit to Lebanon a Challange to Syria or just a pep rally?

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 26th, 2009

Lieberman, the perfect foil – Lebanon

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 26th, 2009

The Status of Women in Syria – A debate

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Assad to Austria, 5 New Ministers, Oil, and Lebanon Elections

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 24th, 2009

The National Salvation Front Folds

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Syria – magic ruins and 1001 nights, and a few other things

Posted by Alex on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

News Round Up (19 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 19th, 2009

Imad Moustapha and National Day – The Golan

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 19th, 2009

Ali Khan “At the Hamam”

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 17th, 2009

Hizbullah and Elections

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 13th, 2009

News Round Up (12 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Farid Ghadry’s Leadership of the Reform Party of Syria Expires

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 10th, 2009

Ray Close on the Golan

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 10th, 2009

News Round Up (8 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

Muslim Brotherhood Breaks with Khaddam and NSF

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 6th, 2009

“The Return of the Old Middle East,” by Greg Gause

Posted by Joshua on Monday, April 6th, 2009

News Round Up (5 April 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, April 5th, 2009

Stocks Prices are Up – Peace is Down

Posted by Joshua on Friday, April 3rd, 2009

News Round Up (April 1, 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Summit Shame and Hersh’s “Syria Calling”

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

“A Night at the Theater with Saadallah Wannous” by Ali Khan

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 29th, 2009

Syria’s Bourse – The Launch & Recommendations for Enhanced Liquidity

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Khalid Michal Interview by Paul McGeough

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Arab Unity? Yes on Kurds, No on Palestinians, Perhaps on Lebanon

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Ali Khan: Dispatches from Damascus and Lebanon

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Arms, Nukes, Bolton, Birds, and Wine

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, March 21st, 2009

Engagement and its Many Critics

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 20th, 2009

Iranian Defector Reportedly Tipped Off U.S. on Syria Nuke Plant

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, March 19th, 2009

“Interview with President Bashar al-Assad” by Alix Van Buren in La Repubblica

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

Arab Unity: Can Saudi Arabia Change with the Middle East?

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 16th, 2009

Nasrallah’s Rhetoric Directed East or West?

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Stock Market Opens: Historic Day for Syrian Capitalism

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Assad on Stability in Lebanon

Posted by Joshua on Friday, March 13th, 2009

Chase Freeman Withdraws from DNI

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

Assad on Lebanon Elections, Hariri Tribunal & Peace

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

A new strategic alliance: Iran, Syria, Turkey and Iraq?

Posted by Joshua on Monday, March 9th, 2009

Private Universities; Haykal Wins; Syriacs Hang On

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 8th, 2009

“Syria could be softening stance on dissidents,” Phil Sands

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, March 8th, 2009

Arabesque Festival in DC

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, March 7th, 2009

Is the US Becoming More Humble or Just Less Silly?

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, March 7th, 2009

Sanctions on the Table?

Posted by Joshua on Thursday, March 5th, 2009

“Middle East Peace and the U.S.-Saudi Relationship:,” by Lippmann

Posted by Joshua on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

“Why Syria Will Not Get the Golan Back” by Landis

Posted by Joshua on Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Syria Dresses Up

Posted by Joshua on Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Kerry’s Visit Brings Some Hope

Posted by Joshua on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

New Round Up (Feb. 18 2009)

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Asad, “An ambassador is important… There is nothing real yet.”

Posted by Joshua on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Ambassadors, Kerry, Levey, Sanctions, and Peace

Posted by on Sunday, February 15th, 2009

A New Middle East Strategy for the Age of Obama

Posted by Alex on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Is Syria Putting a Price Tag on a US Brokered Peace with Israel?

Posted by Joshua on Friday, February 6th, 2009

Old Damascus – Restored or …? Beit Rumman as an Example

Posted by Joshua on Friday, February 6th, 2009

Balancing “Change” and “Prudence” will be an arduous process for President Obama

Posted by Alex on Monday, February 2nd, 2009

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