tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post4541784789717352912..comments2023-10-01T14:37:09.159+01:00Comments on Maysaloon - ميسلون: Syria: Can it be a city for all?Maysaloonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-71774712462922977282012-01-26T22:19:14.130+00:002012-01-26T22:19:14.130+00:00Great, thoughtful introduction to the hardest issu...Great, thoughtful introduction to the hardest issues, Maysaloon. I do believe that the common things are the only things that will help Syria in the coming years. All the positive myths that are held in common, all the basics of the various plans. All the presumed virtues of an ancient, tolerant, cosmopolitan polity, of kindness and mutual co-existence. Thus, one would expect an overwhelming number of Syrians to sign on to ringing declarations of political freedom and freedom to worship, for a state that protects minorities in the name of the Syrian family ...<br /><br />I will look for evidence that wherever one is positioned on the spectrum of opinion (from crazed and paranoid regimist trumpets to demented sectarian death calls) most are ultimately seeking a similar end state, a Syria of freedom protected by a strong and just state.<br /><br />Meaning, can there be any Syrians that do not want political prisoners released, and a reformation of the Syrian justice system? The laws that condemned Manneh as well as Maleh (not to mention the long list of other worthies from Kilo to Tayara) are still on the books! I believe that a vast majority of Syrians want an end to the actions of an ill-defined, semi-official armed militia (the Shabeeha)...<br /><br />These are the common elements and there are several others that approach the same level of support, I think we will find. <br /><br />Should the press be allowed to do its job (not only internation 'agitation channels' but the poor suppressed Syrian journalists themselves)? With a few sundry objectors, the answer should be strongly positive, I think. I think this could almost be assumed.<br /><br />Similarly, I do not think any sizable number of Syrians would object to a ceasefire, followed by removal of heavily armed troops from urban areas. I see a strong majority for a lessening of tension supervised by monitors (even the SARG agrees) of some kind. I see strong majority support for All-Parties discussion (perhaps as per the Russian plan) that brings the whole messy tablette of opinion under one conference agenda.<br /><br />What Syrian would object to a 'local deal' such as in Zabadani, a possible model for a local stand-down (what occurs to me is why a regimist does not note that there are no more daily killings from Zabadani now 'security' has removed its heavy weapons and armed personnel from the area)?<br /><br />I could ramble on forever. I will send you an email instead; I think your post is a pioneering effort that really corrals the hard questions -- at least for me. <br /><br />Thanks!William Scott Scherkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13481476585908252323noreply@blogger.com