This afternoon I’m leaving for Syria. I’m part of a delegation of (non-governmental) US citizens– most of whom are considerably closer to the “Establishment” here than I am– whose goal is to explore with Syrian counterparts and colleagues the possibilities for improving the US-Syrian relationship.
After eight years in which Dick Cheney and Elliott Abrams systematically blocked any attempt to do this, I hope the time is right for some real change.
It won’t be easy. The extremist pro-Israeli lobbying groups in this country still have considerable, continuing clout in Congress (as was demonstrated by this past week’s “Swift-boating” of any attempts at balanced congressional resolutions on Gaza, which was orchestrated completely by AIPAC.) Regarding Syria, back in 2003 the US congress passed into law the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act (SALSRA) which sought to place considerable additional sanctions and restrictions on Syria– additional to those that already stemmed from Syria’s longstanding identification by the State Department as a State Supporter of Terrorism.
The US has not had an ambassador in Syria since 2006. There are huge numbers of issues that need to be untangled…
I’m not sure our little group can untangle them all. But I hope we can do something to improve and expand bilateral ties at all levels.
Dick Cheney and the people whom he had carefully placed throughout the Bush administration argued that Syria is both a state supporter of terrorism and a highly dictatorial state… and because of that it should not be “rewarded” in any way by being engaged with in the conduct of normal diplomacy, or even treated as a normal member of the “family of nations”. Instead, it should be ostracized, excluded, and punished until such a time as either President Bashar al-Asad raised a white flag of complete surrender to US power, or he was overthrown.
Even when Israeli PM Olmert opened up his indirect final-peace negotiating channel with Asad through Turkey 18 months ago, Cheney and his supporters tried to dissuade him from doing that!
I find it highly ironic, regarding the whole “democratization” business the Bushites were– oh-so-briefly– enamored of in the Middle East, that actually the government of Syria reflects the will of the Syrian people in matters of national policy to a considerably greater degree than the governments of Egypt or Jordan, both of which are staunchly and generously supported by Washington. (Actually, that’s a big part of why their citizens don’t like those two governments. That, and the extremely repressive practices of their US-funded “security” services.)
Right now, getting a decent working relationship with Syria’s government and people is more important for the true interests of the US citizenry than ever before. Syria is a key actor in all the problem/crisis areas of the region. The relationships it has with all parties in Palestine and all parties in Iraq are a considerable resource for peacemakers.
Of course, in the negotiations for a speedy and robust ceasefire for Gaza, Syria is one of the key actors.
I probably shan’t be blogging here much for the next week. But who knows? Who knows what fascinating experiences I might have in Syria?
18 thoughts on “Going to Syria”
Comments are closed.
Helena
Do have a look at the area around the East Gate (Bab Sharqui).
It has been cleaned up very nicely.
And do see if you can find out if the smoking ban extends to shisha. Damascus without shisha would be no fun at all.
Was it cleaned up within the last year, Frank?
They could never ban shisha! There would be a massive revolt!
I plan to be there in April if all goes as planned, though I think I will spend more time in Halab this trip and less in Damascus. Also need to stop by Amman for a few days to visit with family, especially some recently arrived from Iraq – I am told they looked like the living dead when they arrived in Amman but are now getting back to normal.
Yes it was done last Summer at the same time as the new sewers were installed in the old city. There are a couple of pictures on my facebook site.
They sandblasted the buildings and it was starting to look quite promising.
The restoration of Halab proceeds apace and there is a talk on the restoration at Royal Geographical Society in London in February.
How come we never run into each other of we haunt the same cities?
They were digging up the old city like mad when I was there last year – made negotiating one’s way around the place quite interesting! I am thinking about renting a room in the old city this time around, although I would very much miss the familiarity of the area I stayed in last year, and my friends would be hurt that I don’t stay with them.
I love Halab. Don’t care much at all for the coastal cities – found them ugly – but maybe that isn’t fair because I didn’t spend much time in them – only went down to visit and for food while staying up in the mountains above Jebla.
Well, who knows? Maybe we DID run into each other, but just didn’t know it! Although I really saw very few westerners there. Now that I think about it I saw more westerners in the suq in Halab than anywhere else – it was swarming with tour groups from Europe. I almost dropped dead when I saw some of the posted prices! 800 lira for those thin silk scarves that I ended up paying 150 for. I stayed in the old city, walked through the suq multiple times a day, and hung out quite a bit in a shop run by some rather quirky, fun people. Also met some interesting people in that shop, including a fellow from Cote d’ivoire who has worked in Halab for six years, and a British Airways pilot who hangs out there whenever he is in town.
Wish I could just go there and stay as long as I like.
…getting a decent working relationship with Syria’s government and people is more important for the true interests of the US citizenry than ever before…
And you’re actually trying to do something about it. Thank you. Juan Cole may not enjoy your RSS feed but now I do.
And you’re actually trying to do something about it. Thank you.
That’s our Helena.
And I’ll echo your “thank you.”
Don
where have you been hiding?
Welcome back.
Frank,
Thanks.
On my last response to you (I’m not blaming you!) I dumped half a cup of tea onto my laptop keyboard. I turned it over and emptied it, posted the comment, and then refrained from using it until I got back home. It works!!
Everyone,
Apparently Helena will be out of the loop this week. If you want anything covered please tell me below and I’ll take a stab at it.
Frank,
Thanks.
After I typed my last response to you (I’m not blaming you!!) I spilled half a cup of tea onto my keyboard. I dumped it out, turned a hair dryer on it, posted the comment and then refrained from using it until I got home safe & sound from “dangerous” Mexico. It now works!! (It was Thomas Lipton’s.)
Everyone,
Apparently Helena will be out of the loop this week. If you’s like anything covered please tell me below and I’ll take a stab at it.
Helen,
I am very glad you are doing this. I’ve hectored Tom Allen about his vote on SALSRA, and now I’ve Chellie Pingree to nag (Chellie voted “Yea” on last week’s Gaza resolution).
If my technical group selects Syria for its meeting (Arabic Script in DNS names, an ICANN and IETF thing) I may also be in Damascus for a week in March, to meet with Arabic and Farsi computer scientists.
Write lots!
EBW
Helena,
Please share with all Syrian citizens whom you meet that not all Americans support the Zionist lobbyists in our country who want to wage war against Palestinians and Lebanese and Syrians and Iranians, and all others in the Muslim world who refuse to accept Israel’s maximum demands.
Interesting news in the Mass Media this morning, stating that even Bush and Cheney had reached the point last year of opposing Israeli plans to send its US-manufactured fighter jets into Iraqi airspace on the way to bomb Iran. The sooner Israel’s appetite for aggression is reduced, the better off everyone will be in the Middle East.
This is the American voting majority’s wish with the new Obama administration.
Fi amanillah, enjoy your journey, and return safely.
Thank you for bringing up Jordan and Egypt as counterexamples to the Bush admin’s constant claims of its devotion to democracy… and as proof of why such blind adherence is so destructively shortsighted. President Bush could easily have worked with nondemocratic regimes like Jordan to improve the lives of their citizens, but instead, he focused on creating unstable democracies (proto-theocracies?) around them (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine), which caused the more liberal autocrats to circle the wagons and step up suppression.
Democracy may be slightly more prevalent in the post-Bush middle east, but it seems that liberty is on the run.
Thank you for bringing up Jordan and Egypt as counterexamples to the Bush admin’s constant claims of its devotion to democracy… and as proof of why such blind adherence is so destructively shortsighted. President Bush could easily have worked with nondemocratic regimes like Jordan to improve the lives of their citizens, but instead, he focused on creating unstable democracies (proto-theocracies?) around them (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine), which caused the more liberal autocrats to circle the wagons and step up suppression.
Democracy may be slightly more prevalent in the post-Bush middle east, but it seems that liberty is on the run.
Don
The killer factor is whether you had sugar in the tea.
It gets into crevices and you get keys sticking.
Then you have to bite the bullet and get the keyboard replaced.
I am glad it isn’t just me it happens to.
“Please share with all Syrian citizens whom you meet that not all Americans support the Zionist lobbyists in our country who want to wage war against Palestinians and Lebanese and Syrians and Iranians, and all others in the Muslim world who refuse to accept Israel’s maximum demands.”
They know. Last year I was there for a month, and I talked to all kinds of people from different parts of society – lots of taxi drivers, shop keepers, people on the street, in buses, on trains – and they understand the difference between the government and the people. They were all baffled, though, by the reelection of Bush. They generally think American people are good, decent people, and are completely flummoxed that such good, decent people could elect Bush a second time after seeing what he was.
I spilled a glass of wine on a keyboard once, rendering it permanently drunk – seriously, that is how it behaved. Had to replace it. Fortunately, it was not a laptop keyboard, so not such a big deal.
Iran Supports Hamas, but Hamas is no Iranian ‘Puppet’
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=22599&prog=zgp&proj=zme
Helena,
From my heart and may most Arab/Muslims will say thanks for you and your group with this brave and great step toward new approach in ME. Keep in mine the read to long lasting relations between US and ME start with one step so you need to continue and more groups engaged in real and honest dialogues and should those members of group have honest souls in believe that ME peace should be build on all respects and dignity for Arab for their nationalisms hoping the members of the group without biased agendas for Israel.
Finally thanks and wish you and your group all success in your great mission.