Almost a parody of intellectual fashion-conscious high leftism.
[AA agrees: Outrage of the week: absurd levels in defending the Asad dictatorship; and the author responds]
Ibrahim al-Amin
The Syrian leadership has been coordinating closely with the Russian leadership on such matters. According to informed sources, Moscow may even have intervened to block the execution of some military orders after they were issued. But this was in the context of its efforts to strengthen its diplomatic hand. Russia is not expected to stand in the way of the Syrian authorities as they embark on actions that could be of different order to what we have seen so far.AA May 12th
I received a detailed report from a Syrian with contact inside the regime. It has been confirmed to me that the Russian government (through its intelligence service) is running the show. Qadri Jamil is playing an increasingly important role (the Russians want him as prime minister). I am told that Bashshar's orders are no more followed or implemented: that, yes, the regime is still resilient and that there are no defections to speak of despite generous offers of Saudi and Qatari cash but that there is intense in-fighting within the regime. I know of one assassination by regime mukhbarat agents against a Syrian who had too much information about the contacts of Hafidh Makhluf. It is, in short, a mess and the poor Syrian people are caught between vicious warriors, local, regional, and international.Bassam Haddad: For Syria, what is "Left"
The Independent
Exclusive: Arab states arm rebels as UN talks of Syrian civil war
Saudi Arabia and Qatar 'supplying weapons' to anti-Assad forces, while fears mount for civilians.
