[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

Hamas and Syria  As’ad AbuKhalil says “Hamas’s position vis-à-vis the Syrian crises reeks of political opportunism.”

Syria’s Kurds – the screw in the regime’s coffin?  Magdalena Kirchner on the Syrian Kurds’ divisiveness over the Syrian uprising.

Syria and Turkey’s Phantom War Pepe Escobar asks if Turkey is trying to” wag the NATO dog into a war.”

Scott Horton Interviews Pepe Escobar and asks him to discuss the motives behind Turkey’s decision to fly a plane into Syrian waters.

What the Jet Crisis with Syria Give Rise to Thought Oytun Orhan’s thorough analysis of the possible objectives and consequences  of the downing of a Turkish jet by Syria.      

The “Friends of Syria” divvy up Syrian economy before conquest   A Syria “working group” comprised of Germany and the UAE met in Abu Dhabi to discuss short and long term economic plans for a post-Assad Syria.

Can foreign powers determine Syria`s future?  Al Jazeera on the foreign ministers’ meeting in Geneva that aimed at  discussing Annan’s proposal for a transitional government.

What Came Out Of UN Conference On Syria?  Joshua Landis says the US is gaining precious time to allow the opposition to coalesce.

Witholding Favours: EU Tries to Change Iraq’s Mind on Syria Haider Najm on European ministers’ visit to Maliki.

A Region Transformed  Simon Assaf sees the social changes (urbanization and education) of the past decades in the Arab world as one cause for people’s increasing demands toward their government

The Search for Plan B Interview with Haytham Manna’, Joshua Landis, Walid Fares, Olve Solvang and Paul Vallet 

Syrian Narratives

Must we admit to a civil war in Syria? Michael Young attempts to define the term but concludes that a “definition should not hold us up.”

How the Corporate Media is Snookering You on Syria Russ Baker analyses an article published on the Times, arguing that media “leaks” can be useful for framing a conflict to an audience.

Syrie, Possible Succes des Rebelles Thomas Pierret argues that, logistically, the Syrian regime is weakened by its military and the ‘rebel’ population movement. 

Your Syria is my Bahrain Mark N. Katz criticizes “Washington`s and Moscow`s short-sightedness and their lack of desire to push for a peaceful transition to majority rule.”

Disorganized like a Fox Elizabeth O’Bagy optimistically argues it is a great thing the opposition is fragmented because it makes it harder for Washington to hijack the Syrian revolution.

Dangerous Contradictions in Syria George Joffe and Alia Brahimi outline some of the incongruities of the Syrian regime, the opposition and the international community.

Syria: War from the Inside out Tarak Barkawi on war’s nihilism, one word that might summarize the reason for contradictions that actors display with regard to Syria.

Imperialism and the Left

Rumsfeld’s Papers: The Perennial Anti-Syrian  Sabah Ayoub presents Rumsfeld’s plan as outlined in his meeting with Israeli prime minister and defense minister in 1983. 

Western Agreement ‘Could Leave Syria in Assad’s Hands for Two More Years   Robert Fisk’s contacts in Damascus say there are negotiations in place between the Syrian government and the international community to keep Bashar in power as a means to secure foreign states’ interests in the region.

Mounting Pressure on the Syrian Army  Jeffrey White’s policy paper on the opposition’s military in which he concludes “improving the FSA`s planning, intelligence, combat, and command-and-control capabilities would presumably speed this process [overthrow of the regime] even further.”

Syria: No to Intervention, No to Illusions  Phyllis Bennis writes that only with the end of violence and diplomacy will the genuine opposition in Syria be able to mobilize public support and bring social change.  

The Evils of Humanitarian Wars  Jonathan Cook likens the US’s political script to a Hollywood cowboy movie, and deplores the Left’s inability to equal Washington’s sophistication in their creativity.

Hands off Syria! Judy Bello provides a useful bulleted list of facts about reporting on Syria, the opposition, the Syrian government and the international participation in the Syrian uprising.

Syria Through the Looking Glass Ron Jacobs uses the prism of history to argue that the West is more interested in stifling democracy than guaranteeing it.

Inside Syria

The Current Impasse in Syria: Interview with Haytham Manna` [Now with full English transcript + all videos] The leading founder of the National Coordinating Body for Democratic Change discusses the Syrian uprising and its transformation,  questions of international intervention and his relationship with the opposition.

One Year of Hope Amal Hanano, at a “front row seat at the stage of revolution,” provides a unique narrative of the uprising and the ways in which it changed the lives of people around her.

Homs: Making Sense of the Tragedy Muhammad Saleh and Layla Awwad on peoples’ daily lives in Homs.

Interview with Fawaz Tello, Syrian Political Opponent and ex Member of the Syrian National Council           

Duraid Lahham: No Politics, But...  Al Akhbar’s interview with a Syrian comic known to be a government sympathizer.

Shabiha Militia Member Tells it Like it is Annasophie Flamand and Hugues McLeaod in an interview with a man who believes he is in a “win or die” situation.

Aleppo in the Syrian Uprising Harouk Ekmanian writes that “the days of passive citizenship in Syria have come to an end, even for minorities.”

In a Syrian souk, support for the regime falters Deborah Amos meets Syrians in Damascus’ old city and notes a sectarian undertone in people’s conversation about the uprising.

Policy and Reports

Torture Archipelago Human Rights Watch’s latest report on the lives of detainees in Syria prisons                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Arabic

مدينة الورد والحرية تدشن حراكها الجديد: تجمع حرائر داريا: لهذه الأسباب نحن هنا…

Razan Zaytouna writes about the activism that the men and women of the Syrian city of Darayya have embarked on.

رابطة الصحفيين السوريين: ولادة من رحم الثورة
Mohi Addin Eisso writes about the establishment of the Syrian Journalists Association.

لوحة عائلية ناقصة: فرح دون فرح
Hanadi Zahlout writes about Syrian prisons, security branches, and the struggle of the families of prisoners.

الربيع السوريّ: خطاب الجنس وألاعيبه
A Syrian writer and thinker writes on the National Coordination Committee for the Forces of Democratic Change in Syria’s website about the sexist discourse that is inevitably used at the time of armed conflict.

الخروج من «المجلس الوطني» إلى المعارضة!
Michel Kilo writes about the phase that the Syrian National Council has embarked on and its acceptance of the reality of its inability of representing the Syrian opposition as a whole.

عن «الجيش السوري الحر» وحالات الخطف في سورية
Abd-Allah Amin Al-Hallaq provides his criticism of the Free Syrian Army and the kidnapping cases that are being conducted under its name.

النظام السوري بعد اتفاق جنيف: مَن يُمسك بالأرض؟
Nicola Nasif writes about the outcome of the Geneve conference and its implications on the Asad regime.

سوريا تعيد روسيا إلى الساحة الدولية
Adel Khalifa writes about Russia’s return as a strong decisive political power in international politics.

خطايا إمبرياليّة
Khaled Saghieh critiques the positions of some on the political left in reference to the Syrian uprising.