Arabs remain a test mouse
No struggle in Syria for sake of freedom or democracy
“HOW can the American strike on Syria be explained in the shadow of the horrific premises that preceded this event and the great expectations that were based on that decision,?” columnist, professor at Kuwait University’s Political Science Department and former MP Dr Hassan Jowhar mused for Al-Jarida daily.
“We may have addressed aspects of the scenario that were more likely to be a very limited strike, which was weaker than the bombardment of the Syrian AlShuairat Military Airport almost a year ago.
“But it is needless to say, that the two strikes reflect the nature of the existing international order and the era of the balance of power between the United States and the Russian Federation.
“Of course, the psychological, informational and even political aspects were far greater than the launching of missiles on targets that did not exceed three locations in Damascus and Homs to such an extent that the US President Donald Trump was ridiculed unlike ever before given the former US presidents during the post-Cold War era.
“In this connection, we cite some of the comments that surfaced for the missile strike. One said, the ‘camel went into labor, but gave birth to a mouse’, another said, ‘He (Trump) was brought down from the top of a tree like a baby with Russian assistance’.
“It was also said that ‘the institutions of the deep state and the military experience of the (US) Defense Department contained him (Trump) and prevented him from committing a catastrophic stupidity’.
“In contrast, the Russian President Vladimir Putin was not far from political cynicism. In the end, Washington did not care about its threats and Russian forces did not fire any shots at the source of the attack, as Russian military and political officials had promised.
“Some of Syria’s recent military strikes resembled a mere play won by each party and got what it wants. America adhered to its decision to bomb Syrian positions that he had assured for local public opinion in Western countries that accusing the Syrian army using chemical weapons was correct.
“Not just that, this commitment had proved that Washington still remains the first force in the world to do what it wants, whether you like it or not.
“The Russians, on the other hand, have succeeded in being a deterrent force that does not allow America to move freely on the international stage. They have imposed on President Trump unimpeded restrictions that he will not be allowed to commit violations. Similarly, the Russians broke the logic that Trump and his abilities are unpredictable.
“Apart from the above, the strike succeeded in marketing the incredibility related to the existence of chemical weapons allegations and this was evident because the strike preceded by an investigation by the United Nations international inspection team and the bombing of chemical warehouses was supposed to blow up toxic substances in Syrian airspace and kill thousands of people, but nothing like that happened.
“Speaking of prior coordination between France and Britain with the United States did not in turn exceed the message that the Western world has restored its cohesion under the American leadership in the face of the new Russia although its participation was symbolic as no French missiles hit the targets in Syria, and the British missiles failed to hit any clear sites.
“But the important aspect in this connection was to inform the Russian side of the military operation before it occurred via France, despite the denial of Washington, which strengthens the chapters of this play.
“This is the nature of the international system and its complexities and strategic calculations, where muscle flexing is a fact but military might is inherent in the global system and that is another thing.
“Thus, what happened in Syria remains attempts to probe the strengths and the weaknesses between the East and the West, but in all cases, we (the Arabs) remain a test mouse amid this global conflict as we have
Jowhar
been over the past decades.”
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“In the late 1950s or early 1960s we were in Zabadani, Syria, in the home of the late Abdul Aziz Al-Muzaini,” columnist Abdullatif Al-Duaij wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
“However, while we were sitting there, the Alwaiat which means the housemaid for the people of Damascus just as we have ‘Indian’ or ‘Filipina’ came crying bitterly, weeping openly in front of everyone because someone had insulted her and because she was not in a position to take any action against this injustice.
“For their part, the people around simply said or may be reacted ‘go to police station’, but the answer of this woman is still ringing in my ears until now a word the meaning of which I had not understood due to a fact I was just a little human being, and had no information about the dialect of the people there, but later on I understood what she meant was the police will not accept any complaint from us.
“However, now or in reality when the power was in the hands of two Alawite officers namely Salah Jedid and Hafez Al-Assad (Salah Jedid was the former Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army and after became the Deputy Secretary-General of the ruling Al-Baath Party where he was known as the strongest man in Syria from 1963 to 1970 before being toppled by his colleague and the then minister of defense and the commander of the Syrian Air Force Hafez Al-Assad), the word in question became clear where the housemaid belong to the Alawite sect and such the police station used not to entertain the compliant from an Alawite against Sunni who had attacked her.
“Given the above, the Alawite sect was suffering from persecution during that time at the hands of the Sunnis and this meant that the Alwai (male) or the Alwait (female) should accept the injustice or the persecution and coexist. This was the case prior to the Alawites came to power.
“In this connection, we say that the Alawites had exploited the ladder of Al-Baath party to reach power and as such they used the partisan nationalistic power as a veil for their sectarian rule since the mid-1970s and to some extent until now. “I don’t think that the Alawites transformed the Sunnis into servants, but I am positive that they brought to an end the torment and the persecution that constituted a source of pain for them. I am positive also that, they either intentionally or unintentionally transformed this against the Sunni sect.
“In other words, there is no struggle in Syria for the sake of freedom or democracy as many people claim. However, if such a struggle still exists in some way or other, then we suggest the Alawite regime shall remain nearest to such type of struggle more than the backward Wahhabis and the Salafist followers.
“In this connection, we elucidate that following the so-called ‘Arab Spring’, the Syrian regime started renewing itself towards the civility more than sectarianism or at least it was looking like this.
“But the sectarian and backward groups in the region insisted to prevent the Syrians from marching towards civility and progress and we saw the formation of a backward coalition with the despot and the great powers toying with the security and the safety of the Syrians — Syrians of all of sects.
“What currently takes place in Syria is a pure sectarian fight which continues to follow the same pattern. Hence any military intervention from any party means joining this notorious fight which is a gross aggression on humanity, peace and security of Syria.”
“The government represented by the ministries and public authorities hardly stays a day without talking about e-government and its transactions or employees dealing with customers, Zayed Al-Zaid wrote for AlNahar daily.
“Some authorities have held big conferences, workshops and specific seminars in the country to explain the phases of transfer to e-government but it became clear that the system has been unsuccessful in reality.
“Most government authorities today depend on paper transactions in their daily activities, especially in the domestic sector, prompting observers to approach the authority with piles of paper documents”.
— Compiled by Zaki Taleb