Articles

Thanks to the work of Gustave Le Bon, it is possible to understand that the prevalence of extremism, chaos, criminal incidents, regressive reactions and infighting do not necessarily mean the end of the Syrian revolution. Revolutions themselves are violent occurrences and their benefits only become apparent at a later stage when minds, not hearts are in action. Looking at the Syrian diaspora, the intellectuals who joined the revolution and the patriotic officers who quit the Assad regime, it is apparent that we are still at the beginning stage of a long and protracted process.

From a distance, the Atma camp looks like a giant patchwork quilt: tiny blue and white squares blanketing the rippling hills and mottled fields that define much of Idlib. It is only when you get closer that you realise the squares are, in fact, pitiful plastic tents, home to tens of thousands of internally displaced Syrians caught up in a war that has been dragging on for more than a decade. Closer still, and the...

Watching the horrors unfold in Ukraine, which are currently being replayed every day on our TV screens, I was struck by the similarities with Syria. At the heart of both conflicts lies Vladimir Putin, a man rightly seen to be a criminal war by the international community. Russia's decisive intervention in 2015 to prop up the failed dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad is being repaid by the Syrian President, who is sending mercenaries to help his stalled Russian ally in Ukraine

Syrian refugees in Europe – speaking as one of them - are experiencing mixed feelings these days. Europe, for Syrians, is a land of peace that has sheltered them from the ravages of war in their own country. It is a land of economic bliss and stability, where everyone is protected under the umbrella of the welfare state. Europe is also a place of security and order, where everything operates according to the rule of law. It is the place from which hopes arise for the trial of Bashar al-Assad and the leaders of his regime, spurred by the success of tribunals already established in more than one European country to prosecute those responsible for committing war crimes in Syria.

It is conventional wisdom that humankind has reached a common consensus on the need to agree upon certain fundamental laws of governance since the dawn of the concept of society. As people evolved from basic social groupings into politically varied and complex societies, it was very clear that more sophisticated forms of law were needed to keep up with these societal developments.

The war in Syria has been a disaster for everyone, particularly for the people of Syria, but also for some of the countries that have interfered militarily, like Turkey. The disaster extends to all fronts: humanitarian, social, economic, military and political. Over half a million Syrians have been killed, and more than half of the Syrians have become refugees. Much of the country has been destroyed, and the economy has been ruined to such an extent, that the standard of living of most Syrians in the country is now below the poverty line. Inflation and rising prices have made things worse, and imposed sanctions have led to even more suffering among the people. They are hardly effective against the regime’s elite.

A few days ago, while observing the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, I suddenly realized Syrians are veterans, in many ways. Coming from the Latin vetus (old), the term “veteran” broadly describes someone who has done something for so long that they become particularly old/experienced and, therefore...

It is important to understand that salvation can be only achieved at the hands of the Syrian people themselves

A few years ago, I was given exclusive access to interview a British citizen who had travelled to Syria in 2013 to fight against Bashar Al Assad’s murderous regime. Sufean Mostafa Kamal, who I met inside a high security detention centre just outside the Turkish city of Izmir, told me he had responded to cries for assistance from opposition groups inside Syria – the same groups that countries including the US and UK were supporting and arming. At the time, thousands of foreign fighters interpreted this support as an ...