[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
Turkey Miscalculates Syria Semih Idiz says "had [Turkey] positioned itself better with a deeper understanding of the region, instead of operating on the basis of subjective assumptions, it could have left some useful channels of communication open with the Assad regime."
The Modern King in the Arab SpringYet another uncritical piece romanticizing King Abdullah of Jordan, in which he awkwardly distances himself from Bashar Al Assad.
Laughing With Syrian Refugees Psychiatrist James Gordon visits Zaatri camp and writes about the mental health crisis experienced by many of the refugees.
Lebanon Pays a Price for Syrian Economic Collapse Elie Hajj says Lebanon can hardly send its goods to Jordan, Iraq and the Gulf states through Syria
Syrian Narratives
From 2005 to 2013: The Syrian Opposition's Many Faces Mohammed Sayyid Rasas tracks the history of the opposition and its various splinters since the Damascus Declaration.
Armer la Revolution en Syrie: Vous Avez une Meilleure Solution Ignace Leverrier says arming the rebels is not a good option, but the least worst at the moment.
A History of Syria With Dan Snow A problematic film reducing the Syrian uprising to a historical, sectarian struggle.
Well-Informed Misreading: A History of Syria With Dan Snow Karl Sharro’s critique of the documentary
Calling a Civil War a "Civil War"Looking back to the past two years, Ibrahim al-Amin says “writing about Syria today, and trying to think about it using the usual criteria for gauging right from wrong, seems like an exercise in futility.”
About Ghassan Hitto appointment as PM for opposition interim government A quick take by Hassan Hassan via Facebook Notes: “every time a political entity is formed and then fails, Syria lapses one level deeper into the abyss.”
On the Syrian Interim Government Maysaloon says “Hitto will also have to work extra hard to prove that he is not just a Muslim Brotherhood candidate, as some people are already claiming him to be”
The Free Syrian Army Does Exist by Koert Debeuf and Response By Aron Lund An interesting debate featured on Joshua Landis' blog.
Three Essential Components for a Syrian Solution Amer al-Sabayleh says “there are three indispensable parties to any solution: the military, the traditional bourgeoisie, and the scattered political parties on the left.”
Where is the Syria Conflict Headed Al Jazeera’s Inside Syria program with guests Danny Makki, Yaser Tabbara and Joshua Landis
A quick take from Rashid Khalidi on the devastating impacts of the Syrian civil war (starts at 55 secs).
Assad's Army Gets Cut in Half David Kenner on the difficulty of assessing the strength of Syria’s military capacity.
Remembering Two Years of Revolution
The Syrian Uprising Two Years On Jadaliyya’s bouquet of pieces marking the revolution’s second year, including pieces from Bassam Haddad, Ella Wind, Line Zouhour, Samer Abboud, Dima Wannous, Hassan Abbas, Mohammed al-Attar and Usama Said.
Perpetual Recalculation: Getting Syria Wrong Two Years On Bassam Haddad argues that “we are getting Syria wrong more often than not, and that is a direct consequence of pegging our interpretation on events as opposed to legacies, history, and a dynamic conception of the strategic playing field.
Whither the Peaceful Movement in Syria? Line Zouhour provides an overview of peaceful resistance throughout the uprising, reiterating that such initiatives still exist two years on.
The Lens of a Youth Photography Collective: Documenting Life and War in Syria Ella Wind on the “Lens of a Youth,” a network of photography collectives, covering nearly all the different cities and towns in Syria.
Capital Flight and the Consequences of the War Economy Samer Abboud reflects on “how businesspeople cope with the conflict, how the coping differs across business groups, and, in turn, what impact does this have both on the trajectory of the conflict and on Syria’s future reconstruction and development”
Second Anniversary of the Syrian Uprising Rita from Syria says “We are witnessing 'the un-mixing of populations' as a direct consequence of the conflict.”
Two Years Later: What the Syrian War Looks Like Rania Abouzeid creates powerful images of “what Syria looks like,” addressing throughout her text various aspects of the uprising, such as the indiscriminate violence, radicalization, despair and hope.
Syria: Two Years and Counting Nassif Hitti outlines new realities of the conflict, by deconstructing myths, emphasizing military developments, and highlighting mixed messages created by the selective arming of the rebels.
Two Years After: Syria of the Permanent StruggleSyria Freedom Forever reiterates its position: “the Syrian people in struggle continue their permanent resistance for a radical change, and refuse all foreign interventions that want to impose solutions that would maintain the structure of the regime”
Syria Conflict: From Peaceful Protest to Civil War Lina Sinjab says “with the country now in the grip of death and destruction, everyone is above all fearful and tired.”
Inside Syria
Ibrahim's War An ABC movie on an Aleppine family’s new realities and anxieties
The Conversation: Forgotten and Under Siege in Damascus' Yarmouk Refugee Camp
Journalist Takes a Road From Damascus After Five Years The National journalist Phil Sands, who remained inside Syria during the uprising, paints a grim portrait of the situation on his way out.
Aleppo Activist Edward Dark: 'People Here Don't Like the Regime, but They Hate the Rebels Even More' A Q&A by Stephen Starr
Deir Ezzor: The Syrian Conflict's Forgotten City Hannah Lucinda Smith on the health and environmental impacts of the war “happening away from the television cameras”.
Arts and Social Media
A Preview of Olly Lambert’s “Syria Behind the Lines” scheduled to air on PBS on April 9.
Scenes From Syria, Illustrated by George Butler, dispatched to Syria for a second time to draw poignant images from stories collected in the field.
Under the Rubble Kayani Web TV follows a man trying to find his brother after his house collapsed following a regime strike.
The Destruction of a Nation: Syria's War Revealed in Satellite Imagery Images that provide an aerial overview of the destruction in Syria
The Interview: Malek Jandali Patrick Hilsman’s brief Q&A the Syrian composer and pianist, about his art and activism.
Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front A detailed report prepared by Aron Lund for the Swedish Institute of International Affairs
Jordan: Border Exodus A video published by UNHCR
Arabic
دمارمستتروأملمشروط
عن"جبهةالنصرة" وإنسانيتهاوانضباطها
١٩٦٣- ٢٠١١: بين"ثورة" وثورة
بعدعامين… هلفيسورياثورة؟
الحيادالنفسيفسبناءالخبرالصحافي: تفجيردمشقنموذجاً
تركياتواجهأزمتهاالكردية: حلمؤقتأمفدراليةمؤجلة
الثورةالسوريةبالذكرىالثانية: الشعبهمالغالبون
Beirut's Walls blog provides pictures of graffiti on the walls of Beirut showing support and solidarity with the Syrian people.
انعاشالحلالسياسي: الدكتورهيثممناع
تسجيلتعريفي"غسانهيتورئيسأولحكومةفيسورياالثورة"
سوريابعدسنتين: طاولةمستديرة