[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
Brahimi Takes the Pulse of Damascus and Moscow Mohammed Ballout on the stagnant diplomacy on Syria.
The Kurds Seize Their Chance Patrick Seale summarizes developments in the Kurdish region of northern Syria.
Middle East: Don’t Rely on the Past to Predict Its Future Peter Beaumont writes: “if there is one overarching lesson of the Arab Spring it is that we should be attentive to the present and its challenges, not chained to notions of the past or bound by ideas of a future we cannot know.”
The Syrian Crisis and the Unraveling of the Arab Levant Amer Mohsen fantasizes about pan-Arab nationalism saying “a merger between Iraq and Syria is the only way for the two countries to overcome their deep crises”
Is a Diplomatic Truce in Sight for Syria Al Jazeera’s Inside Syria program with guests Dr. Yazan Abdallah, Dimitri Babich and Radwan Ziadeh
Syrian Narratives
Q&A With Michel Kilo: Some Hope for a Solution
Supporting Non Violence in Syria Stephen Zunes argues that nonviolent struggle remains the form of resistance that the regime fears the most and it can succeed “if the resistance uses effective strategies and tactics.”
There is No ‘Noble War’ that Will Justify This Bloodshed argues Charles Glass.
A Political Solution is Better than Hell Abu Kareem says “it is precisely because the rebels have the upper hand militarily that the opposition should opt for a political solution.”
Growing Up Baath: The Art of the Bribe Mohammed Aly Sergie remembers how he bribed his way into middle school “to reflect on rampant corruption and economic inequality, the cumulative effects of decades of mismanagement and the absence of a state that is respected and respectful”
Failure of Economic Reform in Syria Lamia Assi provides ten major points that explain the failure of Syria’s transition to a market economy.
Taking Syria Back from the Extremists The author says many armed groups choose to join Jabhat al Nusra as a strategy to obtain better funding for their operations and the US needs to help the local civilian councils to avoid this dangerous tendency.
Syria’s Chaos Isn’t America’s or Obama’s Fault Aaron David Miller says the idea that “the United States could significantly shape the outcome there, is typical of the arrogant paternalism and flawed analysis that have gotten this country into heaps of trouble in the Middle East over the years.”
Bloggingheads’ Interview with Joshua Landis on developments in Syria
Inside Syria
Cats, Guns and Spoils of War in Rural Idlib Mohammed Sergie gets a glimpse in the life of a former student of marketing at a Damascus university, a life that now consists in “travel, battles and Internet videos.”
In Syria, What’s Left Behind In Aleppo, Rania Abouzeid enters a little girl’s bedroom that has been transformed into a sniper’s nest.
Syrian Rebels Sidetracked by Scramble for Spoils of War Ghaith Abdul Ahad on how a military commander from the armed opposition was killed because of a fight for his loot.
‘The People of Aleppo Needed Someone to Drag Them Into the Revolution’ Ghaith Abdul Ahad’s second part on looting by the armed opposition in Aleppo.
Internal Syrian Refugees Dream of an End to Syrian Impasse Marah Mashi writes that “many are now attempting to throw out the “foreigners” from the neighborhood out of a fear that further infiltrations will weaken security and change demographics.”
All Armies: The Syrian Regime, The FSA and Islamists- Are Thieves After Jabhat al Nusra fired bullets in the air and tried to arrest an activist for chanting that slogan, Rita from Syria says “it has become evident that the armed conflict in no shape or form is directed towards the interests of the Syrian people.”
Art and Social Media
Un An de Conflict Syrien en Dessins“A Year of Conflict in Drawings” presents some of the most memorable drawings made by the people of Kafranbel.
The Constitution of Kafranbel Activists, along with community elders have started a “local constitution project” to establish rules in a city that appears to be living outside of the regime’s control.
Four Poems Some of Syrian poet Jolan Haji's poems translated into English.
Inside the Syrian Uprising in Aleppo-in Pictures by Ghaith Abdul Ahad
How to Defend Bashar Assad in 10 Easy StepsA satirical note by Borzou Daragahi
Syria Deeply and the Ongoing Unbundling of the News
Blogging From Northern Syria A group of anonymous bloggers in Northern Syria started a platform to share their thoughts and feelings while they are in the region.
Policy and Reports
60, 000 Killed in Syrian War, Says UN
United Nations Periodic Update on Syria
Arabic
حزب العمل الشيوعي… السر في الاستهداف والمشروع الوطني الديمقراطي
Majed Hebbo writes about the Assad regime's repression of the Communist Labor Party and the targeting of its members.
السعودية وفضائيات الفتن الطائفية
Abdel Bari Atwan writes about sectarian content on Saudi channels and their affect on the country in particular and the region as a whole.
عامان على الأزمة السورية: لا شيء جديداً في ساحة المعركة
Ziad Haidar writes about the polarization of the Syrian population two years into the struggle that has struck the country.
Michel Kilo analyzes the mentality of Al-Assad and tries to explain the regime's choices of action.
Fayez Sarrah writes about Palestinians in the midst of the Syrian struggle.
Thaer Dib writes about Syrian's experience with a "security" dictatorship such as that of Al-Assad.
المسيحيون العرب..كل "ربيع" وأنتم بخير
Areeb Arrentawi writes about Christians in the context of the uprisings that have spread across the Arab world for the past two years.
قصّة إعلان الجهاد في الحراك السوري
Naser Sharara writes about jihad and salafists in the current armed struggle in Syria.
الفلسطينيون يدفعون ثمن صراعات الآخرين.... مجدداً
Tarek Aziza writes about Palestinian in the struggle in Syria.
الإبراهيمي ومفاتيح أبواب "الجحيم" السوري
George Samaan writes about the international influence in the Syrian case and the path to finding an international solution for the struggle.
YouTube interview with Syrian poet Yasser Khanjar who was detained and released by the regime.
جمعيات تحاول تخفيف معاناة اللاجئين في الأردن
Rafat Al-Ghanem writes about NGOs and other organizations that are trying to alleviate the situation for Syrian refugees in Jordan.