Syria Media Roundup (May 24)

[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

The demarcation of the course of the cold war in the region and around the world Wassim Raad on old enemies’ negotiations about Syria

About Last Night Maya Mikdashi rejects the sectarian rhetoric used by the media to explain the fighting that broke out around the Beirut Arab University this week.

Clouds of Syria’s War Hangs Over Lebanese Clerics’Death Robert Fisk uses such rhetoric and argues that Syria dominates Lebanon like at the time of its occupation.

US not thinking Syriously Tony Badran writes that the US` relying on Moscow to give up on Assad shows a failure to understand the complex power structure in Damascus.

Luftallah II: Smugglers of the Mediterranean Nasser Charara untangles the actors involved in the Luftallah incident.

US no Longer Sees Assad’s Days as Numbered Nicolas Nassif analyses the US’s assessment of the regional attitudes toward Syria.

Syria and Lebanon Stare Into the Abyss Victor Kotsev on the fates of Syria and Lebanon.

Is Syria Going Straight to Hell Peter Lee argues that “the future of Syria—at least how its political process and insurrection play out over the next few months—is in the hands of President Obama.”

Turkey Accuses Syria of Harboring Kurdish Rebels Syria allegedly allows PKK to establish bases in its territory.

Rich and poor in Tripoli: an unsustainable social schizophrenia Nazih Sanjakdar argues that beyond the sectarian divisions over the fate of Syria, Tripoli suffers a major socio-economic polarity.

Imperialism and the Left

The Most Unpopular Arab Uprising As’ad AbuKhalil argues that the Syrian case is different from the Tunisian and Egyptian ones. 

Syria’s War Enters Third Gear Michael Young on the U.S.`s role at coordinating the entry of weapons into Syria.

Is It Time for Kofi Annan to Give up in Syria Richard Gowan kindly offers options to improve Annan’s “failing” plan

The Syrian Crisis Turns Uglier Patrick Seale argues for the demilitarization of the conflict and the genuine support of the Annan plan.

The New “R2P” “Responsibility to Pretext”: Human Rights, Democratic Reforms, al-Qaeda and now WMD Finian Cunningham explains why R2P in Syria takes the meaning of “responsibility to pretext.”

Activists Worry that Sanctions May Undermine Chances for Future Democracy Joshua Landis on the two major problems with sanctions targeting the Syrian regime.

On Syrian narratives

Al-Jazeera's (R)Evolution? Vivian Salama argues that Al-Jazeera is at a crossroads and that the network must decide whether viewers or politics are more important.

Sons of Idlib/Sons of Idlib Part II Michael Weiss meets with men from a Turkish refugee camp who say they need guns and a buffer zone.

Syrian Rebels Say Turkey is Training and Arming Them Michael Weiss receives a completely different account a week later.

Syria: An Opposition Divided Al-Jazeera program addressing the legitimacy of the Syrian National Council

Syria’s New Jihadis Aaron Zelin cites group Jabhat al-Nusrah as an example of jihadist group operating in Syria.

Inside Syria:

The View from Damascus As’ad AbuKhalil publishes a letter from a dissident Damascene disillusioned with both the pro and anti-Assad sides.

Syria, Losing its Youth Young Syrians talk about the challenges they face since the uprising.

The Syrian Local Newspapers Creating a Voice for the Revolution Writers in Zabadani publish a weekly edition of a revolutionary newspaper.

The Syrian Paradox Adam Davidson on Syria’s economy and business class.

Sanctions Against Syria Take Heavy Toll on Energy Sector

Deported Palestinian Speaks Out About Torture in Custody Intellectual and dissident Salameh Kaileh talks about his arrest and confinement in a Syrian jail.

Art and social media

Hussein Idilbi: Tireless Passion for Theater Al-Akhbar’s portrait of this Syrian actor and theater director

Prelude to an Uprising: Syrian Fictional Television and Socio-Political Critique Christa Salamandra argues that Syrian drama creators “equipped anti-regime activists with a visual language of critique.”

Arabic:

سلامة كيلة.. قصص من داخل سوريا
Al-Jazeera interviews Palestinian-Syrian writer and thinker Salama Kayla.

 

الإسلام السياسي والثورة في سورية

Abed Al-Rahman Al-Haj on political Islam in Syria before and after the revolution

 

واشنطن لم تعد ترى أيام الأسد معدودة

Nicola Nasif writes that Washington no longer foresees that Al-Assad’s days are numbered. 

 

حول وحدة المعارضة السورية 

Haytham Mannaa identifies what he views as the obstacles that are preventing the unity of the Syrian opposition and argues that there are lessons to be learned from the history of the French Revolution.

 

عن ترحيل سلامة كيلة وقصة الممانعة السورية 
Mohamad Dibo on the Asad regime’s deportation of the Palestinian-Syrian thinker and activist Salama Kayla and the truth it reveals about the Syrian story of resistance. 

الزراعة في ظل الثورة
The Damascus Bureau on the fate of agriculture in the midst of the Syrian revolution. 

ضياع البوصلة أم غيابها في المعارضة السورية؟

Baraa Mousa recounts the history the Syrian opposition and presents its implications on its current political dynamics in the country.

 

المشهد السوري والحل السياسي التفاوضي
Talal Al-Mayhani argues for the need for a political solution during the current Syrian impasse. 

بين المعارضة والمسؤولية
Salam Al-Kawakbi argues for the need to bridge the gap between the demands of the protesters and the opposition leaders in Syria.

الانتفاضات العربيّة وفلسطين في المخيالين اللبنانيّ والسوريّ
Samah Idriss’s piece on the Arab uprisings and Palestine in the Lebanese and Syrian contexts, presented at a conference on Palestine and the Arab Uprisings in London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.