How does it work?

How does the regime manage to get so many thousands of people to take part in its sham “popular” demonstrations of support to the President? Well, take the candle light vigil, for instance, in which a reported 50,000 students took part, though actual on the grounds estimate put the number at 20,000 only. All the authorities had to do in this case was to collect the ID of the students from different Syrian university all over the country, the IDs they have to sue in order to gain entrance to the exams hall, and voila. Continue reading “How does it work?” →

The Monarch!

So I was wrong. I admit. However moronic Bashar had been at one point, he has now very much proven to be his father’s son. Or, at least, as it might be easier for some of us to believe, “fate” seems to have conspired to make him so. Still, no matter how about we put it, the end result is the same: Bashar is now a full-fledged autocrat, worthy of our full-fledged contempt. Continue reading “The Monarch!” →

What if Bush met Bashar?

Many of my colleagues tend to feel quite disheartened whenever a Syrian-American or a Syrian-European rapprochement seems to be looming, and with good cause. After all, their freedom and the quality of their lives, not to mention their very lives, seem to hang in the balance, their particular stands vis-à-vis US interventionism, the West in general and West-assisted efforts at democratization, notwithstanding. Continue reading “What if Bush met Bashar?” →

The (S)Elections!

Syrian Elector plans a live around the clock coverage of the Syrian Parliamentary elections, starting Saturday evening and ending on Monday evening. Reactions by average citizens, experts, opposition figures, and academics, even US officials when possible, links to relevant articles and reports will be included. And so will your comments, if you have any to make. Your views, analyses, remembrances and/or jokes on this interesting showpiece of Baath dramatizations and on elections and reforms in Syria in general will be appreciated by one and all at Syrian Elector and will be inserted all through the ongoing commentary on events. Write in either Arabic or English, the Syrian Elector Team will take care of the translation. Direct your correspondence to: tharwacolamus @ gmail.com Continue reading “The (S)Elections!” →