Middle East Policy

In an unprecedented development, the French judiciary has issued an international arrest warrants for the chemical weapons attacks performed by the Syrian government (regime) against civilians during the Syria war. The warrants target three top Syrian officials including the Syrian president.  Here is all you need to know about the first international (non-ICC) arrest warrant of a sitting head of another state for a grave crime against humanity and/or war crime by the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) .  This international precedent is stating that no sovereign impunity for grave crimes against humanity, as clearly indicated by the issuing judiciary, prompts two questions. First, would it be a followed precedent marking a change in the int practice? And the second question, how the following practice will define the initiating grave crimes?  One explanatory enquiry should follow here is about whether the western powers that practically ignored and neg

Netherlands' torture and other ill-treatment case against Syria at the International Court of Justice opens a new chapter in the international order and practice. Although our previous experience with the international order and the international institutions, especially in the Syrian crisis, lets almost no room for any expectations for this case to end torture in Syria or to achieve any difference in the course of action of the Syrian regime, it definitely can lay the foundation for this end by the international documentation, indictment and recognition of these domestic crimes.   In general, this unprecedented ICJ case has a particular international importance as It has a real chance to prompt a beginning of some international system development in terms of the international responsibility and role concerning ill-governance, which is generally fenced by the norm of sovereignty, especially in terms of systematic practice of torture and other kindes of ill-treatment by

It seems that the Israeli governmental establishment applies the 'ostrich' perspective as regards the Israeli Syria policy and the Iranian entrenchment in post-war Syria, which is reluctant to see or recognize. They are still insisting that they managed to defeat the Iranian 'project' (by their own definition of this project) in Syria and hold an assessment which concluds that post-war Syria is not a geopolitical field of the Iranian influence. This conclusion is definitely not shared by the vast majority of the Syrian scholars and activists, who have a quite different assessment of the Iranian power and influence in their country Syria.  These substantially different assessments and conclusions prompt a necessary enquiries to discern this persistent Israeli pretence: - What is the Israeli governmental understanding of the outstanding comprehensive Iranian power and influence in Syria in the military, governmental, economic and social fields? - Does Iran ha

The 'internationalism' keeps being demonstrated as an empirical fact in the international field where the Westphalian 'border' of sovereignty of nation-state is actually porous to international inputs and even determinant kind of international 'interference'. In fact, the international input including all kinds of practices and policies is of vital importance and impact in shaping the outcome of domestic-deemed issues regardless of their international ramifications and dimensions. The sovereignty is not a barrier between the domestic and international realms in reality. 'interference' is a term made to maintain the interests of the most powerful actors, and is actually a natural kind of interaction when it is not protected by adequate power. This is actually a reality rather than a theory or ideology. The ideology is what I invented and became a Keen proponent of it that is 'Neo-Internationalism' where the international natural input

Seven months ago, I wrote about the failure of the Israeli policy in Syria, which poses Israel as a main regional loser in the aftermath of the war in Syria. This article has been followed by other articles describing the following changing balance in the Middle East between Israel and Iran to the benefit of Iran and the role of Israeli policies and its traditional strategy and means toward its regional strategic loss. Meanwhile, the Israeli government and intelligence establishment were in quite different place claiming even achievements in Syria as regards Iran's entrenchment there. The academia and research institutions were in-between. Recently, it came to my attention this article by Ehud Yaari, which is the ever best Israeli analysis I have read in months. Finally, there is some scholar in Israel has the realistic and true assessment of the situation in Syria and the Israeli policy there along with the strategic conclusion. This is definitely a useful work, as th

The new Syrian political/civil platform called Madaniya is a further and even advanced misstep to be added to the continuous series of mistakes by the Syrian opposition, so-called Syrian opposition or agent Syrian opposition. Apart from the entire absence of transparency and democratic mechanisms in governance, which usually leads to corruption and mercenariness, that characterize the vast majority of the Syrian opposition's institutions and entities, Madaniya is making a fatal precedent.  Madaniya is a political entity or an entity with political goals, as stated in its official documents, with a structure and shape of an umbrella for pre-set Syrian civil society organizations. Even though its official literature and rhetoric is causing a lot of confusion about the type and job of this ambiguous institution, the unfortunate and deliberate mix between the civil and political domains can only achieve one end that is to vandalize the both of them, especially the civil do

With the comeback of the Syrian regime to the Arab Autocratic/Authoritarian League, the system of this regional institution has been restored to the normal operation condition. This is per se constitutes an achievement for the Arab mutual cooperation and for this institution, which has not any democratic member among 22 member states of the Arab League. This significant long-awaited breakthrough achievement finally restores the status of the Arab system to 'business as usual'. For the whining activists about tremendous atrocities, destruction and humanitarian catastrophe in Syria, they should answer a very simple question. Why around a million killed Syrians and more than 10 millions of Syrian displaced and refugees and undefined number of disappeared, tortured and raped Syrians besides a continued humanitarian disaster should affect the Arab regimes' 'business as usual' and the Arab League's normal condition? What is the relation or the connection

A meme putting the Iranian president in the seat of Syria at the Arab League.  One hard thing for political analysts and researchers when they find difficulty in understanding or analyzing some political development or course of action. A lot of ink has been spilled lately by political analysts and commentators trying to explain the unexpected and inexplicable decision of the Arab League to re-admit the Syrian regime after 12 years of suspension because of the atrocities committed by this regime against the Syrian people among other causes according to the suspension decision along with a started Arab normalization course with the Syrian regime. I am trying to explain this decision by spelling major reasonable causes and eventually derive the strategic significance of this political development.  - First thing to do here is to ask about what has changed in the context of the Syrian crisis and the suspension decision. The answer is nothing except for the military victory of

Once again, my empirical realistic perspective proves its competency and applicability. At the significance level, nothing exceptional can be inferred from the Iranian president's visit to Damascus should we apply conventional political analysis methodology. But this will not be the case if we put this visit in the context and perspective set by my latest related articles posted in the latest weeks. Starting from Iran's rising power in Syria and going through my conclusion about Iran's intention and plans to achieve a geopolitical change and advance its interests reaching to the realities of the changing Middle East accompanied by Iran's 'changer' role , we can transparently find out the significance and importance of this visit and its outcomes. - In general, through the lifespan of the Syrian war, there were no breakthroughs or considerable accomplishments at the level of state-to-state relations between Iran and Syria. Many agreements had been

Only a few days after I inferred Iran's intentions to achieve a change and advanced interests at the regional and international levels derived from its acquired strong regional standing and cards, and a few weeks after writing on Iran's rising power in Syria following the failure of the US and Israeli policies there, a practical proof arose by the latest rocket salvo on Israel . Iran clearly wants new regional rules and position and consequent regional and international recognition of its power and interests. In my opinion, the ultimate prize in this regard that Iran is seeking is to protect its nuclear program and facilities in the pursuit of attaining the implicit regional and explicit international recognition of the reality of the nuclear Iran.  Iran's new endeavor has been made possible only with its entrenchment in Syria , so the rockets from Syria were the concluding line of the Iranian message of the multi-front rocket salvo. The weakening Russian rol

Iran made a significant statement about its presence in Syria that has been almost overlooked by the media and analysts. Its significance wasn't highlighted despite it can be considered as a key development in this regard.   In general, we got used to the Iranian threatening rhetoric of retaliation after been hit by usually Israeli and occasionally US air strikes, but this is the first time Iran acknowledges its military 'bases' and their existence in Syria. The Iranian security spokesman was clear in using the term 'bases' in his threatening statement. This is an Iranian precedent to my knowledge. Iran usually talks about its advisors in Syria who assist the Syrian 'legitimate government' in its 'war against terrorism' and never indicated its possession of military bases or 'Iranian-linked' military bases throughout the entire duration of the war in Syria.   In my opinion, this is definitely not a statement to neglect or miss. Iran is delib

  Comparing aid offered by Deirezzor tribes and UN after Syria earthquake, calling on the UN to elect his grandfather instead of Mr. Guterres. A very informative material about the failure and impunity of the UN in the aftermath of the Syria earthquake, which led me to a substantial question about the dire negligence of the essential human rights by the UN vis-a-vis politically-biased norms and rules. This is a major blow to the rights-based approach of human rights achieved after long struggle.  https://syriaaccountability.org/too-little-too-late-for-northwest-syria-lethal-un-negligence-and-the-imperative-of-an-accountability-process/

  I can understand this position by Amb. Ford supporting US withdrawal from Syria as an outcry after years of disappointment with US Syria policy, which I share with him.  Can the US no-policy serve as a policy? NO, it is counterproductive and will eventually backfire on US interests and Syria's situation--many scholars and I have been crying out.  

 In solidarity and companionship with our sisters and brothers who have been let and abandoned under rubble in northen and north western Syria, and to remind the heinous world we are living in that we, the Syrians, who have been abandoned under rubble for about a 12 years, are not dead yet and still have voices to scream and claim, I am launching an initiative calling on my fellow Syrians to sign all their letters and statements with the phrase "Syria, Under Rubble" before their names. In this initiative, we are seeking neither acknowledgment nor assistance, but rather we are condemning the world powers' policies, and standing up for our dignity and freedom as have previously done and will always do.  Syria, Under Rubble,  Nassim Yaziji 

  As the dust clears from the scene of not just the one month earthquake, but most importantly of our 12-year persistent earthquake in Syria, the political earthquake should start soon by the always-abandoned Syrian people.  Our desolation should serve as the seismic power for our prospective earthquake, which should shake the heinous world we are living in to attain our salvation. Our sisters and brothers who have been let under rubble for 5 days in Idlib and the countryside of Aleppo in the aftermath of February 6 earthquake while the world is watching the #White_Helmets digging the rubble almost with their bare hands to save a life, has opened the great wound of being, as a Syrian people, under rubble for about a 12 years.  What happened in these 5 days only proves and affirms what happened and found out through that 12 years that we are a people with no friends including Turkey and its mercenaries in the illegitimate political and executive institutions and the so-called "nati

  Israel army chief has made a statement about his country's achievements in preventing "Hizbollah 2" project in Syria. Apart from the motives behind this misleading or self-deluded statement, there are key facts should be stated and clarified concerning Iran, Israel and Syria's war and crisis.  - Iran is the most powerful actor in the regime-held part of Syria in terms of military and economic resources and associated parties. Territories deemed vital for Iran in there are under direct and explicit control of Iran, especially the region that extends from Qalamoon to Deir ezzor.   - Iran invested in a complex infrastructure in Syria consisting of military forces, paramilitary militias, economic networks, military and security personnel, and religious and social institutions. - Iran is working to strengthen its on-ground presence in SDF-held region and even in factions and Turkish-controlled areas. - Iran has a real presence and influence in the southern Syria neighbo

Change and Democracy in the Middle East: Middle Eastern Researcher Defends the New Middle East Aleppo ― March 25, 2009 ― In one basic center of the old Middle East, Nassim Yaziji the Syrian researcher specialized in international relations and the Middle East defends and advocates, through a new book, the new Middle East with an empirical, realistic and modern perspective, originated in and from the Middle East itself. His research on the Middle East and international Middle East policies has contributed to producing a significant and unique book. Mr. Yaziji's second book " In Defense of the New Middle East: A Neo-Internationalist Perspective " has been published, advocating the new Middle East as a domestic and international necessity through the due change and democracy, and explaining this change through the Middle East's key realities and political developments the book analyzes. This 264-page book includes more than 100 articles classified into several themes

Seemingly, Baath regime starts to take advantage of the new phase with the new elected democratic president in the United States. As expected by everybody knows the last Baath located in Syria, its security apparatus was a very bad director to a fiasco play or drama. Baath security geniuses claimed that they discovered the network responsible for the latest explosion in Damascus. Recently, the Baath TV broadcasted their confessions after a long and wide publicity and advertisement of these confessions. As exactly expected, they indirectly accused Lebanon after a previous and very early political statement claiming north Lebanon a terror base threatening Syria. But the funniest thing about the extremely bad and funny direction of this drama was choosing Fatah-al Islam as responsible for Damascus attack while the entire world and every concerned intelligence department in the world clearly knows who invented and supported this group and for what reason. Apart from this futile and worthle

Every governing system in any country is attached to a state of politics. The politics here is an entire system-like state with integrated parts and components. The entire state of politics affects the governing system and gets affected by it. Then, there is a dialectical relation between them in addition to an essential integration. In any given country, there should be a state of politics as there is a governing system whatever is it. This is also true with non-democratic governing systems, which produce a shape of politics compatible with it with special specifications and narrowed scope and structure in comparison with the wide and vigor politics in the democratic governing systems. Then, every governing system has its associated shape of politics whatever this system is. There is a really unique case concerning Syria that is no politics there! There is a governing system imitated from the Soviet school run by a persistent Baathist regime inherited from more than 40 years ago. Neve

The U.S. strike in Syria was really surprising and came in timing difficult to understand or analyze. So, 'why now,' is an open question waiting for more information and some further leaks from U.S. officials. The questions is why the U.S. waited for more than five years to make this movement, although it had some detailed information about activities orchestrating violence in Iraq out of Syria. Many relevant details were provided to Syrian regime by the U.S. in this regard. For now, I will focus on the significance of this strike, which is clear and has many ramifications and aspects. First of all, this U.S. action is directed at humiliating Syrian Baath regime. This approach was adopted by the American administration since the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, which intended to by as humiliating as possible to the Baath regime, and so it was. Moreover, this action constitutes a clear message to the French administration, which unilaterally violated the western isolation of the