The Case for Regime Change in Syria (5)

According to reports coming out of Syria, security forces are currently laying siege to two different villages in the northern parts of the country, in the provinces of Idlib and al-Hassakeh to be specific. The two sieges are separate and have been instigated by two different sets of very local circumstances. In other words, there are no political overtones here.

Still, the two incidents are rather significant and quite ominous on two counts: the incompetence and corruption of the local authorities seem to lie at the heart of both incidents, and, in both cases, local authorities seem to be acting completely on their own, serving the interests of their various local leaders and being given a free hand by the central authorities. Continue reading “The Case for Regime Change in Syria (5)” →

Learning Democracy!

Many analysts and regional experts continue to assert that democracy in our region can only come in the aftermath of a long and well-planned and managed reform process and that for this reason we should really work to alleviate the various external pressures exerted on the various regimes in the region to give them more time to implement the needed reforms. Continue reading →

A Feast Full of Lies & Cannibals!

With the head of the Syrian parliament announcing the formation of a committee in charge of formulating a new elections law, the “reform process” in the country is really proceeding along. Soon, we will have another born-obsolete elections law to be shelved next to the born-useless party laws, which in turn sits pretty cozy next to the born-redundant NGO laws, all to the ennoblement and joy of all those wonderful committee members who worked so hard to surpass our wildest expectations and prove that they are even more stupid that we had ever dared think. Continue reading →

Con Artists, the Moral High Ground and the Future of Syria!

My friends Scott Lazensky and Mona Yakoubian of the United States Institute for Peace are currently touring Syria meeting with various Syrian officials and dissidents in an attempt to present some assessment of the situation on the ground at this stage. Their visit, however, has given Syrian officials a golden opportunity to issue one denouncement of American policy after another and, more importantly, to make one ridiculous assertion after another. Continue reading →