Regardless of what is happening today on the surface of things, and regardless of how much trouble Bashar & Co. have got themselves into, being able to maneuver the country into and through a peaceful democratic transition requires the aegis of a number of Good Sunnis and Good Alawites. Continue reading “In Search of the Good Alawites!”
Category: Syrian Politics
Word to the Mother!
Well, things are moving at a pretty rapid pace at this stage. The UN investigative committee did not waste any time and has just upped the ante way up than anyone would have expected a mere few days ago. Gone is all the foolish talk about a deal between the US and the regime, or… are the French (and the Saudis) forcing the hands of the Bush Administration on this? Let’s not forget here folks, the Syria regime’s real antagonists have always been the French. Continue reading “Word to the Mother!”
A Cautionary Note!
Despite its sensationalist nature, we really should not read too much into Khaddam’s recent “act of apostasy.” His was a strong jab for his age, but it will not be a knockout blow by a long shot.
Indeed, the regime does not seem to completely unprepared for this move, as some analysts are suggesting, it is just that there strategy cannot be include an element of self-incrimination. They have to denounce Khaddam’s corruption, and soon others a well. But they will attempt to sue this momentum for the planned and long-expected launch of a Bashar-led “Corrective Movement” against the last vestiges of the Old Guard, as I have argued in my comment below. Continue reading “A Cautionary Note!”
Managing Transition!
The VP bombshell will definitely overshadow what I was planning to do by way of ending this year. Still, I will end this year by sticking to my plan. The following link is to a little effort of mine meant to help the opposition inside Syria get their act together over the next few months. It is not something that would not have occurred on the minds of many of them, but I think that framing things in this manner might help stir a necessary and more focused debate. This is the link to the English text, and this one is to the Arabic.
Happy New Year everyone! There is hope for freedom yet.
Heretically yours,
Ammar