Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Returning to Hafiz al-Assad’s Syria: Bashar Heads Back to the Future in 2020

Nikolaos van Dam on Syria, Assad, the Opposition, Refugees, Kurds, Terrorism, & the Future of the Middle East

Is the US Decision to Withdraw from Syria in 2019 a Mistake like its Decision to Withdraw from Lebanon in 1983? – By Prof. Robert Rabil

Syria: is it time for the West to talk with Assad?

The role of MI6 in Egypt’s decision to go to war against Israel in May 1948 by Meir Zamir

A look back at Kamal Jumblatt and the Progressive Socialist Party

Nationalism, War, and The Future of The Middle East – by S. Farah

The Plight of the Druze Hostages Held by ISIS & the War on the Islamic State – by Talal el-Atrache

Juliette El-Mir Saadeh: Gender politics and women in armed conflict in Syria

U.S. Involves itself Ever Deeper in Middle East with No Clear Strategic Interest – By Sam Farah

US Policy Toward the Levant, Kurds and Turkey – By Joshua Landis 

Mahdi al-Harati: a Libyan Force Multiplier

Unwinnable: Britain’s war in Afghanistan 2001-2014- by Tam Hussein

Nationalism Between Europe and The Middle East – By Sam Farah

Russia’s Escalation in Syria: Making It Tougher to Fight ISIS? – By Nicholas A. Heras

Why the U.S. Should Team Up with the Kurds & Not Turkey to Take Raqqa and Destroy the Islamic State

The Arabs at War in Afghanistan: From the Cradle of the Jalalabad School of Jihad to Syria and Iraq

Prison Radicalisation: Dealing with Muslim Inmates with Terror Convictions, By Tam Hussein

The Virtues of Sham: The Place of Syria in the Muslim Sacral Imagination

Marie Colvin’s Death Was Tragic, But It Was Random

Dealing with Syria’s Foreign Fighters: A Liberal Conundrum

A Day in The Life of The Jungle: Syrians Camped out in Calais

Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) and the War in Syria

“The Lens of History and Assad,” by David W. Lesch & Carey Latimore

“President al-Assad’s First Speech – An Insider’s Account,” by Ehsani

Call for Submissions: Syrian Studies Association Prizes for Outstanding Dissertation and Article on Syria

Quwat al-Jalil: A Pro-Assad Palestinian Syrian Militia

“A Trip to the ‘Caliphate’: Oppressive Justice under ISIS,” By Omar al-Wardi

“The inside Story of the British Suicide Bomber of Ramadi,” By Tam Hussein

News Round-Up

Syria: Should the United States Do More? — Debate at the McCain Institute

The Story of Shami Witness

The Factions of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab)

Interview with Sayyid Hashim Muhammad Ali: Commander of the National Ideological Resistance in Syria

Majlis Shura al-Mujahideen: Support for the Islamic State

The Dawn of Freedom Brigades: Analysis and Interview

Bay’ah to Baghdadi: Foreign Support for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State (Part 2)

The Suwayda village of Dama and Druze Militias: A Case Study

Al-Qa’ida in Islamic Maghreb and Arabian Peninsula Statement on the U.S.-led coalition against IS

“ISIS Is Weaker Than It Looks,” By Balint Szlanko

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part IV)

The Factions of Raqqa Province

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part 3)

Abdullah ibn Zubayr Battalions of Deir az-Zor Reject Fighting ISIS

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part Two)

The Desert Falcons: An Elite Pro-Assad Force

The Latakia Front: An Interview on the Rebel Side

The Assad Regime and Jihadis: Collaborators and Allies?

EXCLUSIVE: Moroccan ex-Guantánamo Detainee Mohammed Mizouz Identified In Syria

Syria’s Top Five Insurgent Leaders

Buffer Zones: Can They Help?

Regime Gains Ground—For Now

The Raqqa Story: Rebel Structure, Planning, and Possible War Crimes

Why Are Syrians So Prone to Factionalism? by Abdul Ahad; Ahrar al-Sham Takes Jarrah Air Base

Chemical Weapons; Jabhat al-Nusra; The End Game; Recognizing National Coalition

News Round Up (1 December 2012)

“The Struggle for Abu Kamal: Peace after Defeating the Dictator’s Forces,” by Asaad al-Saleh

Opposition Claims 4 Jets Shot down Today – The Alawite Existential Dilemma

Syria: the Strategic Prize for New and More Religious Sunni Leaders of the Middle East

“State of the Internal Opposition,” by Ammar Abdulhamid

Was Insufficient Economic Growth A Critical Factor? – A SyriaComment Article From 2006 By Ehsani

Could Syria’s Current Predicament Have Been Avoided Over A Decade Ago? – By Ehsani

Ajami’s Syria Rebellion; Homs Bombed

Military Casualties Rise; President Spreech; Houla

Syrians Must Be Encouraged And Not Discouraged to Talk About Sectarianism – By Ehsani

Former Secretary James Baker Commenting On Syria – The Charlie Rose Show

“The Declining Number of Christians in Aleppo, Syria,” by Ehsani

Ehsani: What About The Regime?

Where In The Tunnel Are We? – By Ehsani

Haplogroup U – Are We More United And Similar Than We Think? – By EHSANI

An interview with Syrian opposition activist Louay Hussein

The Issue Of Foreign Intervention – US Calls on Assad to “Step Down Now”. Robert Ford, making a difference (By Ehsani)

Reactions to the U.N Vote And Is the E.U. About to Sanction Syria’s Central Bank? (By Ehsani)

The First Legally Binding Decision Against Syria Fails At the U.N. (By Ehsani)

The Import Suspension Decision Was Indeed “Temporary” – (By Ehsani)

Syria Faces A New Economic Reality – By Ehsani

More Economic Pressure. Assad Will be Ousted “Sooner or Later”? Sarkozy asks why the Region’s Christians Don’t Emigrate? The Six Killer Apps (By Ehsani)

Suspending New Car Imports into Syria (By Ehsani)

Aleppo – Remarks by the newly appointed Governor (By Ehsani)

News Round Up (September 20th, 2011) – By Ehsani

News Round Up (13 August 2011)

News Round Up Aug 10, 2011

Ramadan Begins with Wide Spread Crack Down

Free Syrian Army Founded by Seven Officers to Fight the Syrian Army

News Round Up (5 May 2011)

News Round Up (2 May 2011) and Debate on “‘Doomsday scenario’ if Syria fails” by Sly

News Round Up (1 May 2011)

Ammar Abdulhamid, a leading Activist, and Joshua Landis Discuss the Syrian Uprising

A Damascus Cameo

Syria: the Dangerous Trap of Sectarianism,” by Nikolaos Van Dam, ambassador and author

Western Press Misled – Who Shot the Nine Soldiers in Banyas? Not Syrian Security Forces

As Calm Returns to the Streets, Syrians Ponder Their Future

“Is Syria Different?” by Heydemann, Lawson, Lesch, and Seale

What is Missing or Exaggerated in News of the Uprising? – Heydemann, Lawson, Lesch, Seale

Will the Opposition be Successful? Heydemann, Lawson, Lesch, Seale

“Syria: the boldness of Bashar al-Assad” by Brian Whitaker

Syria Dividing: Most Large Cities Calm. The Troubles in Latakia Lead to Army being Deployed

Lesch, Tabler and Harling

Pro Bashar Demonstrations in Aleppo; Shooting in Latakia; 20 Dead in Deraa; 10 Shot in Sanamin

Deraa: The Government Takes off its Gloves: 15 Killed

Syria’s Opposition Divided. Demonstrations Have Different Goals

Demonstrations Grow

Three to Five Killed in Deraa Demonstration; Unrest Spreads

News Round UP (7 march 2011)

The Revolutions – What do They Mean?

Clinton: Omar Suleiman should lead transition; Wisner: Mubarak “must stay in office” during a power transition

Syria’s Challenge: A Modern Secular Family Law, by Elie Elhadj

The Hariri Tribunal and Hizbullah; Syria Loves Turkey

“Stop Wahhabi Indoctrination of Syrian Youth,” by Elie Elhadj

“Syrians Were Not Behind the Hariri Assassination,” Former US Offical to as-Safir

Skewed Balance of Power between Israel and Syrian Impedes Peace

Syria Comment Clean

Bashar al-Assad Interview on Charlie Rose

“What is Behind the Syria Scud Scare?” By Joshua Landis on Foreign Policy

The Coupling of Iran and Israel Policies- Criticized

The Great Mending of Fences – Arabs Find Some Order

“The Turkish Judicial System: Guardians of the Ancient Regime,” By Firat Demir

Moshe Ya’alon, Israel’s Vice Premier, Explains How Netanyahu “Maneuvers” to Avoid Agreement

“Why Doesn’t Washington Give Syrian Internet Users a Thumbs Up Too?” by Laura Pitel

Will Israel Flex Its Muscle Further?

Nuclear Power Plants Fashionable in Middle East; Israel Pokes Fun at Biden

“Erdogan and the Military: One Authoritarianism for Another” by Serdar

Elaine Imady: “A Damascus Life: Walking a Tightrope, How a Multi-cultural Family can Thrive”

Turkey’s “Tulip Revolution”?

Robert Ford Named US Ambassador to Syria

“The Real Debate the Syrian Economic Team Should be Having” by Ehsani

When is a Dictator not a Dictator?

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

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

News Round Up (28 November 2009)

Lebanon Gets a New Government

Ambassador Imad Moustapha Critiques National Geographic Article on Syria

The Association Agreement; Authoritarianism; and Arab winds of change

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

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

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

More Tooing and Frowing on Engagement with Syria

“Engagement is Still On,” by Joshua Landis

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

The Obama Peace Engine Splutters

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

News Round UP (4 July 2009)

Scholarly Articles; Bolton; First Lady on Democracy

US Will Send Ambassador to Syria

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

Iran, Mitchell, Lebanon and Iraq

Rafik Schami’s “The Dark Side of Love”

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

Spiegel article Probably a Plant

“Who Killed Hariri? The Simplest Theory” By t_desco

Syria and Washington, the Likely Path Ahead

Lieberman, the perfect foil – Lebanon

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

News Round Up (19 April 2009)

Hizbullah and Elections

Summit Shame and Hersh’s “Syria Calling”

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

Stock Market Opens: Historic Day for Syrian Capitalism

Assad on Stability in Lebanon

Sanctions on the Table?

New Round Up (Feb. 18 2009)

“The One State Solution” by Elie Elhadj

Carter in Damascus as US and Israel try to Pressure Syria on UN inspections

Life on the edge

“Forces of Stability: Syria and Iran or the USA?” by Jihad Makdissi

“The Two Emigrants المهاجران,” Reviewed by Ketan Gajria

Ali Khan – “Dispatch from Damascus 8”

“The Collapse of Kouefati Industries – Aleppo in Shock,” by Ehsani

News Roundup (22 Sept 2008)

News Roundup (6 Sept. 2008)

Odds and Ends

“U.S. to meet three Syrians, but no warming in ties”

New Books by Evelyn Shakir, Keith Watenpaugh, and Sabrina Marvin

The Syria Comment Hall of Fame

“Should America push political reform in the Middle East?” by Eva Bellin

A Political Breakthrough In Doha

Bush Administration Policy in Disarray

News Round Up (11 May 2008)

Hizbullah Proves it Does Not Want a Tehran on the Mediterranean

“The Syrian Economy,” by Ibrahim Hamidi

As Commodity Prices Soar, the Income Gap Rips at Society’s Middle

“Syria’s Economy Tsar Says the Middle Class is Reviving” by Ibrahim Hamidi

Analyst: US sent destroyer to keep lebanon under its ‘wing’

Diagnosing Failure: The Case of Lebanon

“Lebanese diva arouses emotion, controversy in Syria,” by Oweis

Electoral math: The history of a failing formula

Lebanese Skeptical Deal for New Gov. Will Fly

“Syrian Americans: The Identity Balancing Act,” by Salma al-Shami

“Lebanon’s Exodus” by Rana Fil: Newsweek

“At Mideast Talks, U.S. and Israel Seek to Isolate Iran by Wooing Syria,” WSJ

“Hezbollah: Maneuvers held near border in ‘response to enemy’,” AP

Economist Responds: What do Subsidy Cuts tell us about the Baath? Is it Washed Up?

Economist on the price of Gasoline in Syria

“Hizbullah Recruits Sunni Palestinians and Lebanese to Bolster Arabness,” by Hugh Macleod

Muslim Brotherhood: “Christian or Woman can be President of Syria”

“Israel’s Syria Raid Opens Rifts ,” by Jay Solomon

“Analysis: Iran, Syria in gas deal,” by Derek Sands

Israeli Commandos Seized Nuclear Material in Syria, claims London Times

News Round Up (1 Sept 2007)

“Hamas to Show an Improved Hand,” by Simpson & King