- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
The Syrian Pawn on the Middle Eastern Chessboard
Why the Syrian crisis will continue
The Syrian crisis is entering its fifth year, at a time when many western countries are reconsidering and revaluating their military, security and political policies towards the Middle East following the assassination of journalists at Charlie Hebdoin Paris.
The gravity of the incident confirmed to the world’s policy makers that the policy of anticipation that aims to turn Syria into a holocaust for all terrorists only transformed the Syrian crisis from a regional crisis to a global issue that is extending to the usually safe European countries.
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
Civil Society Organisations and Pathways of Change in the Arab World
Role in Change Process in Arab Spring States
In his memoirs, former US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, says that he jokingly asked Chinese President Mao Tse-Tung to soften the atmosphere during their first meeting, ‘do you know when the French Revolution ended?’ Mao Tse-Tung cleverly answered ‘has the French Revolution really ended?’ It is rare to find disagreement among historians about the starting points for revolutions and major event that took place in recent centuries, and it is also rare to find consensus between historians about when revolutions ended and the assessment of their effects and achieved goals.
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
Conflict of Narratives in The Syrian Situation
Scholars of social organisation explain the emergence of different communities within societies through the multiplicity of narratives social actors hold.
Effective narrative is capable of transforming a group of humans into an organised social group capable of making an impact, through providing a common understanding for the aims and functions, and mobilising through crystallising the “us”.
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
Is Fragmentation a Possible Scenario for Syria?
Four years ago, it did not occur to the most pessimistic observers of the Syrian issue that a fragmentation of Syria to small states and kingdoms based on sectarian and ethnic lines would become one of the scenarios in question, when talking about the future of the country. However, the political difficulties, in light of the current lack of a decisive military solution, pushed Syria towards de facto partition, with areas being under the control of different competing parties. Would the current facts on the ground escalate until Syria becomes fragmented into several states, similar to the Iraqi Kurdistan model? Or maybe similar to the Somalien case?
This article seeks to analytically answer the question by exploring the establishment of the Syrian state in the twentieth century, and the possibility of the fragmentation scenario in reality starting with the structural foundations of the Syrian state.
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
The Islamic Brigades;
Between Moderation and Accusations of Extremism
On September 27th, 2013, the organization Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (a.k.a ISIS) stormed and desecrated the Church of the Lady of Annunciation and the Armenian Catholic Church of Martyrs in Alraqqah. This action -which was denounced by many inside and outside Syria- was preceded by fierce clashes between the aforementioned group and the rebel Northern Storm Brigade (which is labeled as secular).
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
An Administrative and Critical View of the Syrian Revolution's Entities and Organizations
Statistics in the Republic of Federal Germany indicate that the number of people involved in political parties is almost two millions; this means the percentage of those interested in politics does not exceed (3%) three percent of the German people; however, only one forth of this percentage participate in meetings and party activities on regular basis, and only few have direct influence on the decision making.
- Details
- Written by: Ghiath Bilal
Reasons Behind the Failure of Work Groups
in the Syrian Opposition
This article is an attempt to social analysis of the multiplication of revolutionary, military and political entities that appeared during the Syrian revolution, their subsequent premature breaking up before fulfilling the goals they were created for. Moreover, this study also suggests solutions to remedy the weaknesses identified.
Read more: Reasons behind the Failure of Work Groups in the...