Syria Media Roundup (June 21)

[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

Russia, China mull Syria…and Saudi Arabia  Peter Lee says the international stalemate will only prolong Syrians’ suffering.

A Lincoln Brigade for Syria Doug Bandow mocks American foreign policy making history repeat itself.

Has the UN observer mission failed in Syria? Al Jazeera’s program after the UN observer mission suspended its activities.

US Implementing Afghanistan, Kosovo models for Syria Rick Rozoff on the US and the Gulf monarchies’ joint strategy to change the regime in Syria.

Russians See Syria Deadlock Persisting Nicolas Nassif provides the Russian perspective to the latest developments of the UN observer mission in Syria.

Imperialism and the Left

Outrage of the week: absurd levels in defending the Asad dictatorship  As’ad AbuKhalil responds to Amal Saad-Ghorayeb who said “the real litmus of Arab intellectuals ‘and activists ‘commitment to the Palestinian cause is their support for the Assad leadership’s struggle against the imperialist-Zionist-Arab moderate axis.”

Syria, the left and a revolution divided John Rees argues “The battle for the soul of the Arab revolutions has been transformed by imperial intervention, nowhere more so than in Syria”

Resistance Belongs to People not Regimes Antoun Issa says removing “Assad’s regime, is the resistance's natural course.”

Inside Syria

Life in Homs A day in the life of someone living in Homs.

Syria Alternatives (II): No Homegrown Solutions Radwan Mortada on the major armed opposition groups in Syria, their cause and location.

Syria narratives

Towards a New Arab Cultural Revolution Alastair Crooke says “Many Syrians see the struggle now not so much as one of reform, but as a more primordial, elemental fight to preserve the notion of Syria itself”.

The right to resist is universal: A farewell to Al Akhbar and Assad’s apologists Max Blumenthal resigns from his job at Al Akhbar, disappointed with their Syria coverage

Where is the truth in the battle for Syria’s narrative? Sakhr Al Makhadhi on the propaganda war in the Syria media coverage

In Syria’s Sectarian Battle, Who Are The Alawites? Joshua Landis draws a portrait of the Alawites on NPR

'One, one, one, the Syrian people are one' Mohja Kahf says there are four Alawite clans who dissociated themselves from the regime, complicating the notion of a sectarian uprising.

Did Four Alawi Clans Dissociate themselves from the Assads, as the Opposition Claims? Not likely. Joshua Landis’ reponds to Mohja Kahf saying he has yet to find evidence of such dissociation from some Alawite “tribes.”

After 30 Years in Syria, Outspoken Priest is Expelled

Syria's Islamist Movement and the 2011-12 Uprising  Fred H. Lawson writes about the history of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, which he believes will play an important role in Syria’s future.

Syria is no Longer in Syrian Hands Nicolas Nassif argues “things could go far further even than they did in Lebanon during its civil war years.”

Art and Social Media

Syrian Dabke Goes Global, Again Leah Caldwell writes about Dabke’s Western crossover.

Syria’s History and Heritage: Forgotten Relics Joanne Bajjaly writes about Syria’s patrimonial heritage caught in the crossfire.

Arabic :

الفيديرالية ليست خيار أكراد سورية

Farouq Jehi Moustafa writes on Al-Hayat about the Kurdish population in Syria and its rejection of federalization as a solution to their problem in the region.

 

النظام السوري حين لا يتحمّل جلسة عشاء في «الكبابجي

Syrian Actor Jamal Suleiman writes on Al-Hayat about the situation in Syria and the rhetoric of treachery that the Shabiha use to describe people who are siding with the demands of the Syrian uprisings.

 

يرفضون دفن مبادرة أنان

Hussein Al-Awdat writes on Al-Bayan about the possible solutions that some members of the international community will present in order to relieve the current Syrian impasse after the failure of the Annan initiative.

 

الأزمة السورية تثير صداماً بين الملك السعودي ورجال الدين

Hayfa Zeitar write on Assafir about the negative effect that the Syrian struggle had on the relationship between the Saudi king and Muslim clergymen.

 

عن السلْميّة والعَسْكرةِ في الثورة السورية
Mohammad Hayan Assamman discusses the peaceful beginning of the Syrian uprisings and the implication of their increasing militarization on the Syrian revolution.

سورية.. اخطر من حرب اهلية!
Abd Al-Bari Atwan views the current situation in Syria as much more dangerous than a civil war; it is an American-Russian proxy war.

الأزمة السورية: التوازن الناعم بوجه واشنطن
Hussam Matar writes on Al-Akhbar about the implication of the Syrian struggle on the existing global balance of power.

سوريا والمعركة الأخيرة
Salama Kayla writes on Al-Akhbar for the first time after being detained by the Syrian regime in April about the approaching end of Assad’s regime in Syria.  

هل نحن أمام إيديولوجية الـحرب الأهلية؟
Mohamad Dibo, on Al-Akhbar, questions whether Syria is facing the ideology of civil war.

نشطاء يقللون من أهمية الخلافات بين فصائل المعارضة
The Damascus Bureau on the disagreements between Syrian activists and opposition members.