Syria Media Roundup (June 20)

[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

Bahraini Salafists in Spotlight Hussain Marhoon says the spotless image of the Bahraini Salafist movement is transformed by some members’ decision to go fight in Syria.

Syria, Saudi, Hezbollah and Cairo, the Politics of Sectarianism Reza Pankhurst was disappointed by the most recent Cairo conference, where many preached a sectarian discourse that reduces the possibility of having a united opposition. 

The Wannabe Regarding this Cairo conference that took a sectarian turn, Mahmoud Salem writes: “one of the few remaining benefits of living in Egypt these days is the ridiculous amount of entertainment that our Islamist rulers provide.” 

The Adventures of a Libyan Weapons Dealer in Syria Another story emerging from Libya, shedding light on the transnational arms smuggling networks

Analyst: Al Quaeda Affiliate Now Best Equipped of the Group

Obama Owes Syrians and Americans a Vision of Syria’s Future Joshua Landis says there are three main choices possible for a resolution of the conflict.

Rouhani, Iran Key to Political Solution in Syria Kayhan Barzegar argues that “by minimizing Iran’s role in the Syrian developments and calling Iran part of the crisis in the country, the US marginalized the moderate voices inside Iran that sought meaningful changes and reform by the Assad regime.”

How Many Chechens Are Fighting in Syria? A detailed account on the five categories of Chechens fighting in Syria.

'Don't Try to Convince Yourself That You're in Control' Joshua Keating speaks with Milton Bearden, who opposes arming rebels drawing form his experience arming rebels in Afghanistan.

Zaatari’s Wasted Youth Mike Niconchuck meets with demoralised youth in this Jordanian refugee camp.

Syria Crisis: UN Launches Largest Ever Aid Appeal and asks for $5bn for humanitarian aid to Syria.

Qusair’s Wounded Convalescence in the Lebanese Bekaa Usama al-Qadiri reports from a West Bekaa hospital.

Qatar Red Crescent Funds Syrian Rebel Arms Radwan Mortada provides one insight into the transnational networks of arms reaching Syria.

“La Conference de Geneve est D’abord une Menace Pour les Interets du Peuple Revolutionnaire” Syria Freedom Forever interviews Joseph Daher, who opposes the Geneva conference, which he suggests threatens the Syrian revolution’s interests.

Syrian Narratives

Who Will Control the Syrian Rebels’ Guns Rania Abouzeid suggests it is difficult to give weapons to the “moderates” in Syria because the fragmented opposition is competing for arms through various conflicting means.

Against the Partition of SyriaAndrea Glioti says “instead of serving as a reconciliation plan, such a division would only serve foreign interests and deepen sectarian tensions.”

We’re not Sectarian, The Other Sect is Sectarian Patrick Galey raises his concern about the controversial Al Jazeera Arabic poll asking its audience which sect they thought was responsible for stirring sectarianism in Syria.

Rami Khouri on Hezbollah’s Next Move in Syria Rami Khouri predicts that, following the Qusayr offensive, Hezbollah is trying to assess the impacts this battle has had on its supporters.

Freedom Fighters? Cannibals? The Truth About Syria’s Rebels Around Lund provides a useful list and description of the most powerful fighting factions in Syria.

A Compromise in Syria: The Regime’s View Qifa Nabki speaks to people with close contacts in the Syrian government.

Why The Current Syria Policy Doesn’t Make Sense Shadi Hamid’s article opposing anti-interventionists caused a social media stir this week.

On Sectarianism and Utopias Darth Nader argues that “the utopia where sect does not exist, or is no longer an issue, will not come about through utopian means.”

Syria’s ‘Agro-City Regions’: A Method for Framing Analysis of the Syrian Civil War Nicholas Heras says that “utilizing the conceptual framework of agro-city regions allows for a more thorough analysis of Syria's conflict in the context of the country's most prevalent system of social and socio-economic organization.” 

Inside Syria

The Price of Loyalty in Syria Robert Worth meets many Damascenes who tell him stories of betrayals and broken friendships caused by the war.

Inside Syria’s Gulag Edward Dark recounts his experience in an Aleppo prison.

Qusair: The Syrian City That Died Lyse Doucet returns to Qusayr for the second time after the city was taken back by the regime forces.

The Conversation: My Harrowing Escape From Qusayr Part 1 Rifaie Tammas recounts the last hours before the Syrian regime took control of the city.

The Conversation: In Homs, an Unusual Population Census SA writes : “those carrying out the census were from the military and in uniform, not civilians. And whenever they completed a street, some of the young men were arrested the next day.”

Scavenging the Damascus Thieves Market Omar al-Sheikh on the expansion of a produce market full of stolen and second-hand goods, an economy that the Syrian regime can no longer closely monitor.

The Speech of Mr Mazen Darwish From Prison On the Occasion of Winning Bruno Kreisky Award for Services to Human Rights

What Motivates Syria’s Foreign Jihadis? A Channel 4 report

Syria War Widens Sunni-Shia Schism as Foreign Jihadis Join Fight for Shrines Martin Chulov and Mona Mahmood on how an Iraqi went to Syria to protect a holy shrine, but ended up having to fight for the Syrian regime.

Exclusive: I Saw Nasrallah in Qusair Ali Hashem contends he saw him after the Syrian regime took over the city.

Should I stay or should I go? Hobson's choice for Iraqi refugees in SyriaRita from Syria explains the dilemma facing Iraqi refugees who are left to stay in Syria because they are equally at risk of Sectarian violence at home.

Aleppo Evil on the public health nightmare created by the war in Syria.

DIY Weapons in Syria A pertinent update from Brown Moses 

Arts and Social Media

Network Coverage: A Short Film about having no network coverage in Syria, and other problematic aspects of living in a state of war.

Network Coverage Part 2

Non Violence Map in Syrian Uprising The Syrian Non Violence Movement made this nice data visualization project.

Policy and Reports

The Data Miners: Syria Needs Analysis Project (SNAP) A team is collecting information from various sources to provide a better picture of developments in Syria.

Syria Needs Analysis SNAP’s main project.

Arabic 

سوريا تدخل الزمن الليبي!
Michel Kilo views that Syria has "entered the Libyan phase" while stating that since the beginning of the Syrian revolution and contrary to the events in Libya, international intervention has worked in the favor of the regime rather than the opposition. 

قبل "القصير"، لا بعدها 
Asad Abu Khalil on the rise of sectarian rhetoric of regional actors such as Saudi Arabia against Hezbollah especially after the latest events in al-Qusayr. 

مصالح مصر الوطنية و مصالح "الإخوان" الفئوية
Mostafa al-Labbad on the recent statements made by Egypt's Morsi about Syria and the interests of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in their stance in the struggle.  

 هل صحيح أن الأسد يريد دولة علوية؟
Joseph Abdallah also writes about the rise in sectarianism after the fall of al-Qusayr while using the sectarian writings of a Saudi columnist for ar-Riyadh newspaper as example.  

تسليح المعارضة.. إنها الحرب!
Abdel Bari Atwan on the recent statements made by the U.S administration to arm the "moderate" opposition in Syria.

سوريا و حرائق الجوار
Mohammad Sayed Rasas on the multiple cards that worked in the advantage of Syria over the years, keeping it strong in the face of multiple "fires" that struck neighboring countries. Today's events in Syria, however, have spilled over and cause much damage to many of its neighboring countries.

الصراع الأمني في سوريا و عليها
Mohammad Dibo uses the example of the Cedar Revolution to highlight the discrepancy between national demands of the Syrian uprising and international interests, especially those represented by the West and Russia. 

ضرورات الائتلاف السوري!
Fayez Sarrah criticizes the Syrian National Coalition and highlights the need for its reform.

 تقاسيم سورية من ساحة تقسيم
Salam Abboud reflects on the events in Syria and Turkey.