Tabsir

‘The Blood’ and ‘The Bang-Bang’: A Freelancer in Syria

‘The Blood’ and ‘The Bang-Bang’: A Freelancer in Syria

FRANCESCA BORRI, TABSIR: The demands of the editors are depressingly obvious and there is little interest in explaining context.

 Mich Cafe

Zeinab and Iyad: Love Across the Syrian Divide

Zeinab and Iyad: Love Across the Syrian Divide

MICH CAFE: They met, fell in love and got married. A simple story but not so simple when you’re on two sides of a sectarian divide in the midst of a civil war

 Juan Cole

2012: Top 10 Developments in the Middle East

2012: Top 10 Developments in the Middle East

JUAN COLE: It’s been another extraordinary year across the Middle East. Here is my take on the most significant changes this year

 James M. Dorsey

Syrian Football Victory ‘a Unifier’? Afraid Not

Syrian Football Victory ‘a Unifier’? Afraid Not

JAMES M. DORSEY: This weekend’s Syrian victory over Iraq in a soccer match is being seized by the regime as ‘a great national achievement’.

 Mich Cafe

Rape: The Culture of Impunity That Exists in Syria

Rape: The Culture of Impunity That Exists in Syria

MICH CAFE: The catalogue of brutal rapes and sexual assaults of women, men and children grows by the day. A new documentary makes grim viewing

 Mich Cafe

Dead Tweets: Citizen Journalists Pay the Price

Dead Tweets: Citizen Journalists Pay the Price

MICH CAFE: With traditional media officially locked out of Syria since the start of the revolution there in March 2011, citizen journalism has taken over the mantle, at a great cost.

 Francis Matthew

Another Way Needed for Syria: Annan Plan DOA

Another Way Needed for Syria: Annan Plan DOA

FRANCIS MATTHEW: If the opposition wants to win over the army or security forces, it must distinguish between supporters of Al Assad’s regime, and Alawites in general.

 Juan Cole

Arab Spring Update: Significant Developments

Arab Spring Update: Significant Developments

JUAN COLE: Not that you’d know from watching American TV news but there have been important developments in the Arab world recently

 Syria News Wire

365 Days That Changed Syria Forever

365 Days That Changed Syria Forever

SYRIA NEWS WIRE: It began with a small demonstration by young people in Deraa. The flames have spread and now engulf the nation.

 M.-Lynx-Qualey

“Your Guns,Tanks and Missiles Are Killing My People”

“Your Guns,Tanks and Missiles Are Killing My People”

M. LYNX-QUALEY: An impassioned open letter from one of Syria’s leading authors calls on Russia, China and Iran to stop supporting ‘genocide’.

 Syria News Wire

Assad, the Arab League and More Death in Syria

Assad, the Arab League and More Death in Syria

SYRIA NEWS WIRE: The Arab League mission is close to collapse;physically attacked on the streets, verbally attacked by Assad. And the killing continues.

 Ramzy Baroud

Controlling Syria’s Future: In Whose Hands?

Controlling Syria’s Future: In Whose Hands?

RAMZY BAROUD: The lines are thus drawn, between US-led Western camp and Russia and its own camp, which vehemently rejects a repeat of a Libyan scenario.

 James M. Dorsey

Syrian Regime Looks to Soccer for Support

Syrian Regime Looks to Soccer for Support

JAMES M. DORSEY: ‘Bread and circuses’ are what the Roman emperors offered the people. ‘Bullets and soccer’ are what the Syrian regime appear to be offering today.

 Mondoweiss

Why Did Steve Jobs Reject His Arab Father?

Why Did Steve Jobs Reject His Arab Father?

PHILIP WEISS, MONDOWEISS: One of the striking revelations in the newly published biography of Steve Jobs is that he actually met his father briefly but had no further contact with him. Why?

 Steve Royston

Saudi Arabia: A Glimpse Through the Myths

Saudi Arabia: A Glimpse Through the Myths

STEVE ROYSTON: Received wisdom portrays a backward, oppressive society, dominated by religious extremists and a monarchy whose main mission is self-preservation.

 Juan Cole

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

Steve Jobs and Barack Obama: Sons of Muslims, Distinctly American

JUAN COLE: Both the U.S President and arguably America’s most creative entrepreneur provide proof of the value of multiculturalism.

 Syria News Wire

Sectarianism: The ‘Elephant in the Room’ in Syria

Sectarianism: The ‘Elephant in the Room’ in Syria

NEWS FROM SYRIA: There have been a series of assassinations in Syria over the past week which have borne comparison with the sectarian vendettas that still beset neighbouring Iraq.

 Syria News Wire

People Strike Back: Syrian Activists Take Up Arms

People Strike Back: Syrian Activists Take Up Arms

NEWS FROM SYRIA: Syrian forces are facing armed resistance for the first time. Will this provide the government with an opportunity to ‘divide and conquer’?

 Khaled Akbik

Syria: Fear Versus Hope on a Knife Edge

Syria: Fear Versus Hope on a Knife Edge

KHALED AKBIK: The notion that stability and security only comes if oppression is practiced is a notion I deeply disagree with.

 Mishaal Al Gergawi

Syria’s Fork of a Future, Where it Could Take Us

Syria’s Fork of a Future, Where it Could Take Us

MISHAAL AL GERGAWI: Should a new Syrian government have a more hedged policy towards Iran, Turkey, GCC, US and Europe, Iran would be dealt a blow.