[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Perspectives
Sheikh Assir Declares Arrival of his Mujahideen in Syria Amal Khalil says the sheikh is openly encouraging his followers to “fill out applications for jihad.”
Syrian Refugees Flee to Relative Safety of Gaza In the past two years, around 500 Syrians sought refuge in Gaza
The Kurds of Syria and the Opposition Coalition: Put the Cart Before the Horses? Jehad Saleh says that Kurds will need a genuine recognition of the opposition to commit to the revolution, “this plan would include the constitutional recognition of nationalism in Syria and a resolution of the Kurdish issue according to international norms and regulations.”
Syria, Chemical Weapons and the Intervention Question An interview with Joshua Landis and Shadi Hamid
Geneva Document Key To End Syria Stalemate Geoffrey Aronson on the document that recommends forming a new government that would include members of the current regime.
Moral Choice Leads to Political Solution in Syria Tulin Daloglu reiterates his position that Turkey must help finding a political settlement on Syria.
Hezbollah Base Questions Support for Assad An anonymous author reports that Hezbollah’s support base may be eroding as a result of its involvement in Syria.
Oil Wars- Nusra’s Expanding Reach – Syrian Taliban Matthew Barber uses the newly created Syria Video Blog to look at how oil developments in Syria have created major disagreements within the armed opposition.
Unshakable Allies, Focused on Ending the Syrian Crisis Abdullah bin Zayed and William Hague co-write a piece to reiterate their commitment to end the Syrian crisis.
Syria Narratives
Syrian Revolutionaries Owe Nobody an Apology Mohammed Attar interviews Fawwaz Traboulsi, who discusses the trajectory and challenges the Left faces with Syria.
Angry Arab Interviews Thomas Pierret on Syria who answers questions about developments in Syria and the Western academic discourse surrounding them.
Sectarianism and the Assad Regime in Syria Syria Freedom Forever says “the use of sectarianism as a weapon was developed through following ways and in conjunction with the repression on opposition popular secular and civil organization and political parties, while promoting sectarian and primary identities, such as tribal links, among Syrians.”
Paolo Dall’Oglio: “Les Syriens Ont Besoin de Nous” The Italian priest reiterates his support of the revolution.
Syria is on Fire, but the West Has No Plans for the Flames Faisal al Yafai argues that “for leaders in the US and UK, there is hardly any doubt about what action they would take to topple Bashar Al Assad: they would either implement a no-fly zone (as in Libya) or provide a sharp increase in sophisticated weaponry to the rebels.”
Hawking Something Micah Zenko argues that the “red line” conversation is moot, as the US cannot intervene in Syria, “not with the level of commitment and risk that policymakers are willing to accept. “
Thick Red Line Jeffrew Lewis, a self-proclaimed “reluctant interventionist” explains the use of the expression and why intervention in Syria is not yet the solution.
Erase the Red Line John Mueller questions the idea that chemical weapons become the parameters for assessing the gravity of a conflict.
Why is There a ‘Red Line’ on Chemical Weapons but Not on 70 000 Deaths? Shadi Hamid concurs, and criticizes the “an outdated (and morally problematic) calculus for action.”
How to Be a Good Neocon When it Comes to Syria David Corn outlines the different positions that the neocons took this week following the “red line” debate.
Smell of Clementines Maysaloon reminisces about his house in Damascus.
Syria: The Life Cycle of War Shelley Deane argues that “ a comprehensive understanding of how, why and when opposition groups in civil war engage in civilian governance must have important policy implications for outsiders engaging with Syria.”
Revolt In Syria: Eye-Witness to the Uprising A review of Stephen Starr’s book, which he wrote upon living five years in Syria.
How Countries Are Keeping Their Citizens From Fighting in Syria Marya Hannun on the legal means some countries have taken to discourage their citizens to fight in Syria.
Chemical Weapons Charade in Syria Sharmine Narwani says “at this point, almost everything being discussed in relation to chemical weapons inside Syria is conjecture – and to be honest – highly suspect.”
Does the Muslim Brotherhood Dominate the Opposition? Kinda Kanbar says “ the Islamists now face a countrywide backlash that could force them to curb their ambitions.”
Inside Syria
Syrians Deserting the FSA: Faust Wants His Soul Back Another poignant and grim outlook by Rita from Syria, who notes how the war fundamentally transformed people who now have to “choose between either their personal interest and life or the country`s freedom.”
Good Life Goes On as Syrian Elite Sit Out War A reporter claims that some in Damascus’ Malki “still enjoy shopping for imported French cheeses, gourmet hand-made chocolates and iPad minis in the well-stocked, recently built Grand Mall and in nearby boutiques.”
Alep, de Guerre Lasse, Recit d’Une Visite en Syrie Ammar Abd Rabbo on his experience going back into Syria and noting the devastation of Aleppo.
Art and Social Media
New Global Campaign of Solidarity With the Syrian Revolution Launched From UK
Arts+ Culture: Lessons From the Minaret Amal Hanano recalls the importance of the Aleppo minaret, which was destroyed last week.
Jon Stewart on Syria’s Chemical Weapons A clip mocking the administration’s use of the word “red-line” ambiguously throughout the week.
Social Media Buzz: Mourning Assad’s Foreign Fighters Mohammed Sergie’s weekly social media update
Policy and Report
Aid Inside Syria: Too Little, but Not Too Late A report by Refugees International, asking donors and aid agencies “to think far more creatively about how to secure access to displaced populations and ensure impartial service provision.”
The Decision to Leave Syria Reem Alsalem on people’s difficult choice to leave.
Arabic
Abdel Bari Atwan predicts that the West`s rhetoric of the use of weapons of mass destruction, or chemical weapons, in Syria could mean the beginning of a planned regional, or maybe world war.
عيون و آذان (الكيماوي في سورية)
Jihad Al-Khazen has a different take on the issue of chemical weapons by problematizing the reliance of the media on the topic and questioning its truth.
عبد العزيز الخير.. اعتقال يشوبه الموت
Taleb Ibrahim presents a report on the detention of the prominent opposition member Abdel Aziz Al-Khayyer who has been in prison for about 8 months.
Munther Khaddam on the message that Nelson Mandela sent to the "Arab revolutionaries".
Malek Al-Hafeth provides a detailed report on the situation in Tal Al-Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.
Fayez Sarrah on poverty in Syria.
البقاع: يوميات الجوع و المهانة
Saada Alwah provides a report on the situation of Syrian refugees in Al-Beqaa in Lebanon.
ما هذا البالون المنفوخ الذي اسمه دولة قطر؟
Mohammad Sayyed Rasas on Qatar and its role in Arab relations and politics.
عن كنانس سري كانيه و موزاييكها
Sherzad Adel Al-Yazidi on the situation in Serêkanî or Ra`as Al-Ayn.
في نقد لبنان الرسمي أمام أزمة سوريا
Kamal Dib and Faisal Atturk critically assess the Lebanese official stance towards the struggle in Syria.
Ghassan Eid on how the future historical narrative will construct the current Syrian struggle.
"النصرة" و "النظامي": آلتين متناقضتان
Samir Al-Hassan on Annusra and the regime`s fighting tactics.
صادق جلال العظم يحسم أمره و ينتقل إلى التنظير العلني للسنة و لفكر "الإسلام السياسي البزنسي"
Youssef Hijazi criticizes Sadeq Jalal Al-Adem and his stance on political Islam, which he presented during a recent lecture he gave in Berlin.
Fawwaz Traboulsi on the lack of political accountability against the past regimes that have been overthrown in different Arab countries during the uprisings of 2011.
قراءة في الحراك السياسي فس الجولان المحتل
Munir Fakhereldin on the political movements and activism in the occupied Golan Heights.