Bashar Assad’s moment of truth is now

Special to The Daily Star

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1636 calling on the Syrian authorities to cooperate more fully with the UN probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Although the final version of the resolution failed to include sanctions, the possibility of “further action” and of sanctions being imposed against particular individuals in the regime was left open. Continue reading “Bashar Assad’s moment of truth is now” →

Of Baath and Djinn: A Syrian fairytale with a potentially unhappy ending

There is a story in the Qur’an about King Solomon, well, a story about his death. He is said to have died while standing on a hill leaning on his wooden staff. Watching from afar, the Jinn continued to do his bidding thinking that he was still alive. The Jinn only knew that Solomon was dead when earthworms ate through his staff and his body collapsed. Continue reading “Of Baath and Djinn: A Syrian fairytale with a potentially unhappy ending” →

Of Mehlis & Cialis!

Another nail has been hammered into the Syrian regime’s coffin. But, and while the regime seems poised to receive more doses of the Mehlis treatment, the opposition appears more desperately in need of a Cialis treatment if it is to rise up to the challenges ahead.

Unfortunately for the Syrian people, neither they nor their leaders are truly virile where it counts. Still, they both have plenty of fodder to spare for the looming battle of the impotents. Continue reading “Of Mehlis & Cialis!” →

SYRIAN PRESIDENT FACES INTERNATIONAL AND INTERNAL PRESSURE

A mention in News Hour Online:

“Bashar [Assad] is being asked to get rid of the old guard and create a new government,” Ammar Abdulhamid, a Syrian activist and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said at a press briefing. “This is what is expected of him. It’s the only way he can cooperate with the [Mehlis] investigation.”