[This is a collection of news updates on Syria compiled from multiple sources by the editors.]
Developments
AIPAC Goes All-Out on Syria Manu Raju says “the powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC is planning to launch a major lobbying campaign to push wayward lawmakers to back the resolution authorizing U.S. strikes against Syria, sources said Thursday.”
Hezbollah, Iran and Syria Prepare for Counterattack in Syria, suggests Mirella Hodeib.
Putin Pleased With Lack of Concensus on Syria at G20 Fyodor Lukyanov says
“with regard to the debate over Syria, the G20 ended just as expected— with nothing.”
Russia Suspends S-300 Missile Deliveries reports AFP.
Syrian Forces Battle Over Christian Village
What to Expect in Washington Next Week Susannah George offers a “preview of what’s likely to unfold.”
Opinions
Radio Interview of Yasser Munif: Inside the Syrian Revolution and What the Left Must Do The full transcript of Yasser Munif’s radio interview
Shell Shocked and Rouged: Syria is Not a Disposable Bride Talal Alyan says “the sudden rush to become active in the discourse about Syria has revealed ugly elements of the anti-interventionist movement; it has once again proven their tendency to dictate to peoples from other countries what is in their best interests as though Syrians are not familiar with geopolitical choreography or lack the intellect to grasp it.”
Syria War News: How to Write for or Against U.S. Intervention Josh Shahryar and John Horne write: “If you're anti-intervention, your headline should include the words "Iraq", "Imperialism", "Drones", "Islamophobia" and "Palestine". If you're pro-intervention, use the words, "Israel", "Iran", "Heinous" and "Not Iraq". “War”, "Humanity" and "Children" can be used by both sides”
Chemical Weapons, A Diplomatic Way Out? Brian Whitaker explains how, according to him, “delaying military action on Syria brings new opportunities.”
Memo About Syria: Jihadis Are People Too Joas Wagemakers explains the different variables that are involved in jihadis’ decision to be involved in the war.
Opposing Intervention
Calling Off America’s Bombs Jeffrey D. Sach says “the US should stop using countries like Syria as proxies against Iran. Withdrawal of US financial and logistical support for the rebellion, and calling on others to do the same, would not address Syria’s authoritarianism or resolve America’s issues with Iran, but it would stop or greatly reduce the large-scale killing and destruction in Syria itself.”
A Rebuttal to Obama’s War on Syria: A Point by Point Refutation Dr. Omid Safi outlines seven major points.
What I Saw Today at the “Hands Off Syria” Rally An interesting post about the different groups that attended an anti-intervention protest in Geneva, including the pro-Assad Syrians, Turks, PKK activists, Swiss nationalists, communists, Russia LGBT activists.
Western Activists Volunteer to Become ‘Human Shields’“The 'International Human Shields' movement, started by a group of activists in Britain and the US, plans to bring to Syria civilians from countries around the globe, who will try to deter US strikes on the country by staking out potential military targets.”
To Wyoming, From Syria, With No Love
Pro-Intervention
In Syria, The Punishment Must Fit the Crime Ammar Abdulhammid says the Syria intervention “should not only focus on punishing Assad for using chemical weapons, but should seek to bring him to justice and stand trial for his crimes. It's about time his impunity was punished, and this tragicomedy of errors and mayhem brought to an end.”
The Hangout: : Landis on Alawites, U.S. Strike, and Making Syria Whole Again Joshua Landis’ advice to Obama is that “you can weigh in on the chemical weapons. He can make a difference. He can punish Assad for that, but if he is to destroy the regime and weigh in on the civil war, which is what so many people want, there would be chaos in Syria.”
Inside Syria
American Threats Widen Fault Lines Among Syria’s Rebels Martin Chulov, reporting from Aleppo, claims that “while Syria's mainstream rebels are enthusiastically welcoming talk of an American attack as a chance to break the stalemate, the jihadist groups among them see things through a very different prism, in which my enemy's enemy is not necessarily my friend.”
Analysis
Motives Behind the Strikes: The Theory of a Rebel Advance“The main source to support this claim appears to be an August 9 piece by Elizabeth O’Bagy titled “The opposition advances in Damascus,” published on the website of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW.)”
Shady PR Operatives, Pro-Israel Ties, Anti-Castro Money: Inside the Syrian Opposition’s DC Spin Machine Max Blumenthal’s in-depth piece on the case of Elizabeth O’Bagy and her ties to the Syrian Emergency Task Force.
Policy, Reports, Statements
Law Professors' Letter Opposing Military Intervention in Syria A letter addressed to Barack OBama, Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Samantha Powers
Syria’s Military Opposition: Effective, United or Extremist?Jeffrey White, Andrew J. Tabler and Aron Y. Zelin from the Washington Institute say : “given the regime’s near-certain culpability for the August 21 CW attack, the United States should strike it, and strike it hard. This does not entail regime removal or a massive operation to “fix” Syria; allied action can be limited in scale. But it should still be strong, with telling effects.”
Videos Show Glimpse Into Evidence of Syria Intervention“These are some of the hard-to-stomach images that the Obama administration has shown a select group of senators in closed-door briefings to make the case that a limited military attack on Syria is justified.”
Other/Resources
A Syria Reading List Marc Lynch prepares this brief but useful list of books to read on Syria.
Arabic
!!قبيل الضربة العسكرية لسورية: عبدالله نسور يقدم للجنرالات الاميركان نصائحة الاستراتيجية
Khalil al-Khouri on the stance of Jordan about the possible U.S military strike on Syria.
فذلكات وتسويغ التدخّل الغربي في سوريا
As’ad Abukhalil on the discourse of Western intervention.
Mostapha Zein compares the analysis of two Western female writers, one British and the other American about the “death of empires”.
ضرب سوريا ينعش الاقتصاد الأميركي
Lamia Radi on the effect of the “strike on Syria” on the American economy.
سلامة كيلة: الضربة الأميركية قد تؤدي إلى نتائج عكسية
Writer Salama Kayla speaks to Rozana Radio about the American strike on Syria and its possible counterproductive repercussions.
(ميشيل كيلو ورسالة إلى الرئيس بوتين (يتنحى الاسد وبالمقابل نوقف الضربة الاميركية المحتملة
Michel Kilo writes proposes a “compromise” to President Putin: If Russia gets Bashar and Co. out of Syria, the “opposition” will ask the U.S not to conduct its strike on Syria.