So, do you think that the Arab League will readmit Syria? And should it? And what should the EU and US do? As ever, I’ll look forward to your thoughts and comments below
It's long been time to accept the reality that Assad has brutalised his way into winning the war and staying in power. No country ever had the political will to actually stop him. However it will be impossible to bring many of the rebels to peace as there is no doubt Assads regime will enact reprisal killings.
@@veronicaa7748 please clarify. i thought this video was a strong pro-Western dominance propaganda message. i appreciate Dr Kerlindsay inviting discussion.
He's evil at the start of the revolution his men kidnap loads of young men and killed them so they wouldn't fight I saw the photos of warehouses of dead body he's not a muslim don't be fooled
Very interesting video, as always. I think that Syria's suspension will eventually be lifted, with Saudi Arabia particularly pushing for it. For the next week I would be really interested in seeing a video about the recent developments in Sudan. Thank you Professor
Thanks, Marco. I’ve wanted to look at Sudan for a while. But I’ve found that when I do videos on topics that are getting a lot of international attention they do really badly. They sink below BBC, CNN, DW, Aljazeera, etc. A lot of work goes into them. It is sometimes better to hold off a little while. Also, it is a little unclear what exactly is happening on the ground. It would be highly speculative.
@@JamesKerLindsay while I'm also one of those people interested in hearing from you about Sudan, I agree that it's difficult to comment on a developing situation like that and I'm glad you're holding off in light of the lack of information! I prefer to get updates about the situation from the news, longer analysis videos can wait since the situation is so fresh and there's currently so much noise (and analysis will benefit from more info being available). I also consume a fair bit of true crime content and prefer to steer away from channels that get overly speculative and try to report on developing cases - it's ultimately a matter of being responsible when doing commentary
@@JamesKerLindsay you could have just said you are not informed on the topic rather that misinform by saying its not clear what is happening on the ground. What is happening on the ground in Sudan is clear to everyone who has researched it, again just say you don’t know, as opposed to claiming everyone else doesn’t too just to save face..
As an Arab living amongst the borders of Syria. All I hope for is for Syria to return to what it was before. However I don’t think the regime has a point of return to the international community. Hopefully the future will become more peaceful, than what the surroundings are brewing for.
Peace will come, it will be a long and difficult road but it will come. Syria sadly became a playing field for great power proxy wars. World balances are shifting and the great powers (who are like the eye in Lord of the Rings) will put their gaze elsewhere. Once that happens the Syrians will have to figure out their next steps.
"international community" is just a name created by the US that pretends to sound like a global unit, but it's just countries that are under US doctrine and occupation.
Long life my prisedent Assad ❤️🇸🇾 Imagine more than 12 years and several countries in the world tried to fall Assad by doing everything, supporting and sending terrorist groups to syria.
I was really hoping professor Ker-lindsay would make a video about the recent restoration of diplomatic Ties in the middle east. As always professor Ker-lindsay didn't disappoint.
Hi Alina, thank you so much for the very kind comment. I am delighted that they have been so helpful. And please do offer my sincerest thanks and best regards to your professor. :-)
I'm one of the few Americans who hasn't only visited Syria but also did some filming there I appreciate this video. Yes Bashar Al Assad is a dictator but he's by far the better option than the opposition which mostly composed of extremists including ISIS. Western media totally demonized the Assad regime, I welcome the diplomatic outreach of the Syrian government.
Thanks. That must have been fascinating. The important point is to recognise that Assad's regime is terrible. Notwithstanding the comments accusing me of Western propaganda, the reality is that few Arab states like Syria. (Seemingly, some appear to think that it is misunderstood or maligned.) It has been a problem for decades. But I think there is an important debate about whether it is better to engage with it or not. I am actually (and perhaps surprisingly) rather agnostic on the issue. I can see both sides of the argument. But, if pushed, I would argue that we should see more concrete steps from Damascus first.
@@toby9999 that's how Assad intended people to see the conflict. He released islamists from jail just so he could claim all opposition was ISIS. Never mind the fact he used chemical weapons before ISIS even former in Syria
@@JamesKerLindsay I think we need to start with the USA removing itself from its occupation of Northern Syria which I am surprised you did not mention as it is clearly illegal under international law, a topic where you have expertise. Indeed, the US is depriving the Syrian people of their oil and wheat, which is essential for the reconstruction of their country. I suspect that that qualifies as a crime against humanity. One should also note the malign role of the US in backing ISIS/Al Quaeda in seeking to topple the Assad government in the first place - again such an intervention in the internal affairs of a country cannot be justified in international law. Who deserves to be treated as a pariah here one might ask?
Assad is actually secular and Christians in Syria felt safe and supported him. Meanwhile, the European and American media and governments support radical Islamists like Al Qaida in Syria by calling them as “moderates” to get the public support. Mind you this is not the first time that American and European governments did this as they supported overthrowing the secular government of Iran to create the theocracy and it seems they are now trying to do the same thing to Bangladesh.
Given many Arab states growing ties with Israel, and their rapprochement with Syria, what I'm curious about is if that will have any sway on Israeli-Syrian relations.
Whatever happens between Syria and Israel, it will have to involve resolving the issue around the Golan Heights. I wonder if Syria would be willing to normalize ties so long as Israel still controls the Golan
Sorry but to pro Israel and evil USA this video is for me😢 I’m Bulgarian that supports Bashar Al Assad(I call him the father of the Syrians case he reminds me of Our Father Tzar Boris 3. There is something about Assad his connection with his ppl that that is similar to Boris love for Bulgarians that made us loyal to him❤. I hope Assad lives to see old age and keeps protecting his ppl from the military industrial complex and the Northern Atlantic terrorist organisation (Aka NATO) we Bulgarians lost our Father to soon 😢🇧🇬 but I hope Syrians are blessed by there god Allah and my god to protect there father ho in turn protects his ppl and don’t lose him like Libya🇱🇾 lost there Father Gaddafi to the war criminals of the so called civilised west.
@@boomgoesdynamite4177 Not sure what some Bulgarians did decades upon decades ago before this guy was born has anything to do with his view on what is happening in Syria.
@@williamdavis9562 oh i see. He's virtue signaling based on revisionist history. NATO are terrorist? Bulgaria is in NATO. US services Bulgaria's defenses 🤡.
Thanks. Yes. There are some signs of detente there too. But I wanted to focus on the Arab relationship at this stage. (Also, if I started mentioning Turkey I’d gets lots of people telling me it isn’t Arab! 🙂) I’ll come back to the Turkey-Syria issue at another time.
@@JamesKerLindsay :) Fair enough. Turkish policy toward Syria is aleays an intrigue one. I am sure you will take an objective picture, free from useless and null biases.
there is a lot that hasn't been mentioned. There is many developments, but the fact that syria and yemen have both resisted the world and continued to remain the same
Great video professor. Just one thing that I don't think you fully explored. What is the current relationship between the Assad regime and the Kurdish forces in the North East like? Have there been any significant talks between both sides to find a proper resolution to the conflict (like Kurds properly establishing their own autonomous region with a high degree of autonomy)? Also, how do you view Turkey's long-term goals in the areas in Syria that it currently controls and how will the Assad government react to any further intrusive actions on the part of Turkey?
What would happen with Kurdish autonomy? What rights would the Assyrians have? Their villages and farms would be occupied by Kurds. Kurds are valued Syrians citizens. Their respect for religious freedom (outside Turkey) and their noble fight to protect Syria’s people and archaeological heritage against ISIS is a contribution that no patriotic Syrian should ever forget. But at the end of the day, they are Syrians. Should every ethnic group in every country create and autonomous state? Should blacks get autonomous territories in the US? Syrians still need a strong central state, albeit one that respects the rights of and enshrines a place for the rich history of the Kurds (going all the way back to the Gutian Empire). We cannot have a fragmented or weakened Syria, nor can we neglect the rights of Arabs and Christians who live in Kurdish controlled/majority regions.
If Russia hadn’t invaded the Ukraine they could have taken out every Ottoman terrorist soldier trying to conquer Syria. President Putin needs to make peace with Ukraine and go after Erdogan instead. But they will be awfully difficult to dislodge with an Iranian economic recession and a decimated Russian and Syrian military and economy. Though with a rapproachment between Erdogan and Assad, I think the AKP may wait longer before taking more territory. Most Turks see the PYD as enemies, Al Nusra as beloved puppets who no longer have a chance of conquering all of Syria, and Assad as a sort of neutral lesser of two evils they no longer want to remove from the border region if it risks bringing the Turkish army into direct conflict with well armed Kurdish militias.
@@kingjayapala I'd imagine a strong central state in Syria would probably bring more stability to everyone there when compared to the alternatives. Although I'm not sure what you mean when you say "their religious freedoms are respected (outside Turkey) Turkey has repressed Kurds for a long time but I don't ever recall one instance where their religion was restricted or infringed upon. Considering most of them have the same religion as the rest of the nation. It's an ethnic issue not a religious one. But again I do agree that a strong singular state in Syria is probably best for everyone.
I’m saying that Kurds generally respect religious freedom in Syria and Iraq but not in Turkey. In Turkey, the Kurds were heavily involved in the Armenian genocide and I’ve personally seen towns like Dargecit that once had Christian majorities now dominated by Kurds who blast allah hu akbar over thousand year old churches that never had a mosque near them. I’ve met Christian girls in Turkey who have been tricked into converting by HUDA PAR Kurdish Islamists but then forbidden from leaving or getting a divorce once they regret the marriage. Many Kurds in Turkey are Erdogan loving Islamists. It’s Turkey’s Islamist Kurds who don’t respect religious freedom of non-Muslims, not the Turkish government who infringes on the religious rights of conservative Sunni Kurds. Of course it’s a different story for Christian and Alevi Kurds. Their religious freedoms are not respected by the Diyanet.
As Syria reapproaches Turkey (a NATO memeber), kurds will slowly need to negotiate with the syrian government, the only missing part would be the US. Assad will have to wait for the american political climate to change, or offer the Us something they want.
Yea, yes. And a Russia. And China. As I said in another comment, there’s actually an interesting debate about whether they all can be pariah or rogue states. As they make the international system, can they sit outside it?
@@JamesKerLindsay USA only works with the sphere of international system whenever its suits them. For example, they enforce ICC arrest warrants despite not being a signatory of the ICC. They also threaten the same ICC judges and call it a kangaroo court when US war crime charges are imposed on them. Such behaviour shows USA working outside the international laws many times.
Haha! Thank you so much! 😀 Yes, I do my best. I think it’s important. And I do actually enjoy the discussion. Obviously, I don’t like mindlessly abusive comments. But if they are made relatively politely then I will try to reply. But, yes, each week brings a new set of angry comments! 🙂
@@neilnelson7603 Not only killing kurds, but also invading and occupying syrian territory to effect demographic change and extract syria's natural resources. Why do you think I defend türkiye's outrages?
I'm a displaced Syrian citizen who pray daily for this NOT to happen, the amount of atrocities that we encountered is unparalleled in the 21st century. Assad's regime is only compared to the Nazi regime, people seem to forget the Cesar photos so easily. Assad is being rebranded with zero consideration for our pains and its all happening for political gains in the region. This breaks my heart beyond imagination...
I get where you are coming from but what is the alternative? Allow the country to descend into chaos with even more people dying and never ending instability? Yes we get it, Assad isn't the best of guys. But what is the alternative for Syria right now? ISIS? The bands of terrorists sent into Syria by America, Turkey and Saudi Arabia? Is it good for Syria that Russia and Iran essentially own the country because they're the only ones holding it together? I'd honestly love to hear your opinion on what the alternative to Assad is? I'd imagine wanting him out is a lot easier for someone who is no longer there. What about people who are still there? Any consideration for them and their future?
Maybe. But also Russia and China. As I noted in another comment, there’s actually a very interesting debate as to whether world powers can be pariah states. If you are an essential part of the system - indeed, make the system - can you be outside it?
@@felipe-vibor that is a foolish view. The entire world system was created and is sustained by the USA. If you dislike American power it is likely you have no comprehension of the alternative or you are a fanatic.
@@thomassenbart USA destabilized many countries for power. Libya was such a lavish country until USA got involved. If Gaddafi was alive us dollar and euro would have been crushed long ago and u would be seeing Europeans going to Africa the same way u see Africans going to Europe
As someone that works in Syria in the tourism sector, I believe this is a good thing. Saudi reproachment has led to direct flights and easier visa issuance starting soon. It's also become (slightly) easier to visit Egypt for Syrians, who up until recently had to pay about 1000 USD to get entry permission (no exaggeration). These factors are important for Syrians that have family in these countries and those that want to emigrate (many!). Hopefully some investment projects will come soon as well. Syria's international isolation has only made the suffering of the Syrian people worse, and I can tell you that most Syrian people living in gov-controlled parts of Syria are happy to hear such news. Of course things won't return to normal overnight but at least there will be a slight easing of the lives of many.
When it became absolutely clear that reconstructing a functional nation in Afghanistan was going to be exceedingly difficult, if not totally impossible, and that the invasion of Iraq was a complete disaster, the lesson should have been learnt that overthrowing governments in the name of regime change and some delusional concept of universal human rights was an incredibly stupid idea. In addition, it could been seen that when authoritarian control was removed in Muslim countries, the groups that benefitted most from that removal were radical Islamist ones that believed in Jihad and had no respect for Western-style human rights whatsoever. Tragically for the nations and peoples involved, that reality was completely ignored when the West overthrew Qaddafi in Libya and attempted to overthrow Assad in Syria. The result in both cases has been bloodshed and violence that has helped destabilize the surrounding regions.
@@williamthebonquerer9181 Syria's death toll was as a result of more than 2 war fronts. The Assad-rebel conflict, Assad-Islamic state conflict and Kurds-Islamic state conflict.
Jeffersonian Republican democracy would never have happened with Assad stepping down. Tyranny would have replaced him far worse than he would or could have done!!!
It is important that Arab States (as well as Iran-a Muslim country) unite against the powerful US and its western vassal hegemony. There is no fundamental reason that Muslim countries can not and should get along with each other politically and economically to present a united bloc against the West. The main reason for dissent among them is rooted in Washington's basic and highly effective strategy to divide in order to conquer, largely acting through its "non-governmental" orgamizations (NGOs) such as the NED by means of organized and well funded color revolutions and coups. This is the most important and fundamental US hegemonic weapon it uses to destroy any and all opposition to its quest for world domination and exploitation
Thank you very much professor. I am currently studying international and European law and would love to mix in to my studies aspects of international relations. Would you perhaps recommend literature of any sort which would enable me to teach myself on that topic?
In my experience, bias is often where you want to find it. I’m certainly not uncritical of Israel. But I’m not going to ignore the efforts by many states to destroy it. And Syria has consistently been at the forefront of those attempts.
@@JamesKerLindsay Israel has done nothing to endear itself to Syria. Zero. It literally occupies the Golan Heights, in contempt of international law. Israel has an illicit and ill-gotten nuclear arsenal with which it holds the world ransom according to its Samson Plan. Israel's foreign policy is a de facto existential threat against West Asian states and has been enacting a methodical ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. All this is made into a footnote because Israel willingly serves as the 51st American state to keep the Suez Canal under surveillance.
Thanks. Indeed. The Armenians are a small but influential group. There was no underlying intent by not mentioning them. I’ve just found that when I make these videos it can sometimes come across as a bit of a listing exercise. Syria is a very diverse country. I just wanted to get across that point, but ficus on the key minority for the purpose of this video, the Alawites.
Indeed! 😳 But it’s interesting that he always looks slightly awkward. Even after almost a quarter century in power, he looks as though he doesn’t feel that comfortable in the role. In these videos, it looks as those he’s genuinely grateful that these states are engaging again. It’s a really interesting situation. What sort if person is he? Is he someone who is genuinely sadistic, like Saddam Hussein was. Or is he someone who is really more moderate at heart but believes that the survival of the regime means having to clamp down on opposition? (And is surrounded by people who are brutal.)
@@JamesKerLindsay bashar is a mere figure head, it is known that his small circle of generals and oligarchs are who truly control the country, after all syria is a hereditary dictatorship, the crown of the presidency was passed to him by his father thus he is the legitimate heir to an illegitimate government
Why didn't you talk about the US and its allies' support for terrorist groups in syria that lead to a civil war? Also there has been multiple reports that the gas attacks were done by terrorists not the syrian government.
Speaking of the "rules based order" isn't the US occupying a big chunk of Syria and what rule allows this? I suspect the US is so interested in Syria because Russia has one of the few serious Naval ports there. Wouldnt it serve US interests if it could replace the govt in Syria, and somehow deprive RU of that port and influence?
@@jonseilim4321 the us is there because your friend bashar butchered 500 thousand Syrians, there is no push from the us to annex the Syrian land nor to force the English language as an official language of the land.
I am aware that a few months ago you did a couple of updates on Moldova... However, I'm wondering if you'd explore the protests in Moldova and Georgia and how the government and the protests stand on the EU/Russia axis.
Thank you for that analysis, Professor. Do you detect a recent trend in the middle-east which may suggest there are underlying efforts to unify the Arab nations as an anti-western block? It seems likely to me that behind-the-scene diplomatic efforts of the Russian and Chinese regimes are underway to forge new alliances and pacify internal conflicts to create a newfound stability in support of new ideals for world order. Regardless the circumstances, pacification in these regions is doubtlessly good news, assuming it is sustainable and not in the interest of greater conflict on the horizon.
Thanks. Great question. It’s really interesting you ask this. I started to wonder about this too as I was making it. We know Saudi-US relations aren’t great at the moment. And this move on Syria would certainly be a further step towards strengthening ties between Riyadh and Tehran. But it raises some important questions in a wider pan-Arab Unity context. It’s interesting that there are some firm hold outs against engagement. Let’s see what happens over the next month and whether we see Assad at the next Arab League summit.
Amazing video, James! I’m already working after my graduation and now it’s already Eid here so I have some time! :’) I think one major factor that is playing a role for Syria’s current situation here is what I perceive as the US’s decline. There are already open reports about de-dollarisation and 19 countries wanting to enter BRICS. The most significant of all is China’s recent move as mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran. I think with the US’s recent decline (I wouldn’t say downfall), it could be possible that Syria will gain some extra confidence to present itself back into the international community. And I think there is a possibility that the international community, especially in the Middle East, would be ready to engage with Syria again. Not because of full acceptance but rather to address more pressing issues such as the narco crisis you mentioned in your video. Amazing video as always, James! Hope I can do my Masters next year.
Hi Arief, great to hear from you! I hope all is well at your end. I think you are absolutely right. I also think a lot of this is due to declining US power. That said, I’m not ready to write it off yet. I was more certain after the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan. But Ukraine has changed a lot. As for the BRICS, I tension highly sceptical - for many reasons. I really should do sone thing on this.
@@JamesKerLindsay Many thanks for your reply! Lovely always to interact with you. I am also sceptical with claims that BRICS can go far. I still have a hunch that it might not last for long. It could be like another CONEFO in the past but of course anything can happen. But with the US’s current decline, especially in Asia as I can feel it today, it will trigger more changes as we can see with Syria. Keep on producing, James!
What can you say of Libya and how that country went from one of the most fair, rich and affluent countries in the world to a veritable basket case after Western intervention. Gutted of many of its great national projects.
Libya and Iraq is far safer and wealthier than Syria is funnily enough. You lot have been using this talking point for a decade now and haven't noticed that Iraq and Libyas wars long ended and Syria is still at war.
@@ClydeShadow6 Tell me how did Western intervention made Libya the best country in the world? This is the problem of listening too much western propaganda. You think beyond your nose 👃 😂😂😂
Thanks. Yes, a few have pointed it out. It was a silly mistake. I’ve said his name numerous times in other videos! Sorry. These things sometimes happen. :-)
@@JamesKerLindsay its okay i just loved the video so much that i thought i’d just point it out as a reminder to you. The video was great. Thank you for your work
Oops watched this video on Sunday but realized I forgot to leave a comment. Thanks for taking a look at this topic professor! From my lay man’s perspective, it seems theoretically possible, but I have to believe a necessary precursor would be a final peace deal regarding Syria. Obviously these would be extremely tough negotiations between many interested parties, made even more complicated by the presence of the final Islamist strongholds remaining in Idlib (under Tahrir al-Sham’s so-called Syrian Salvation Government). For now the country is basically partitioned, with defacto states controlling around a third of Syria’s pre-war territory. Although one of these, namely the Kurdish entity in North & East Syria, has essentially committed to reintegration into Syria with autonomy, there continue to be major barriers to reintegrating areas under control of the other factions: • the aforementioned Islamist regime in Idlib • the Turkish puppet state in the north • the American-garrisoned al-Tanf Deconfliction Area in the southeast And that’s not to mention other issues of sovereignty to be addressed, such as cross-border movement by militias such as Hezbollah and others. So if the prerequisite is indeed a peace deal, it seems one might not be so quick in coming. Of course the human story here buried beneath all the geopolitical power games are the hundreds of thousands of lives uprooted. Thanks for taking a look at this professor, will be interesting to see how, and when, this seemingly frozen conflict is formally resolved.
For many decades in the late 1900's Syria was one of the more respected countries by Arab states, in terms of productivity, real estate investment and tourism friendliness. It was not a 'destabilizing' state to the middle east any more than Israel, and certainly not a 'dictatorship' any more than Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
I’m pretty sure that Syria’s supposition will be lifted eventually since Saudi Arabia along with UAE and Egypt which are the strongest and most influential countries in the Arab world have been pushing for it
Egypt has very little influence in relation to the other nations you just mentioned. Egypt is essentially a vassal state to the highest bidder. One week America owns Egypt, the next week the UAE so on and so forth. Essentially the highest bidder is ever changing.
What about the gas pipeline that was supposed to go from the gulf (Qatar) to Europe in order to make it independent from cheap Russian gas, also what about the discoveries of a lot of gas along the shores of the eastern Mediterranean as the 2 most important causes of the war in Syria... I would be interested in the professor reply & comments and why omit those 2 items in the presentation?
Greetings, dear Professor! Respectfully, min 4:27 , the former Egyptian president's name is Jamal Abdu-Nasser, AKA Nasser. Yeah, Basel Al-Assad died in a very suspicious "car accident". Basel was widely known to be more moderate and the closest to the Sunnis (in faith) in his family. Basel was loved by the majority in his country, even in Lebanon (which was under Syrian control at that time). Thank you for this informative video 😊
Thanks very much. (And point taken. I switched the names around by mistake, for some reason!?) That is an interesting point about Basil Assad. How things could have been very different. Then again, once in power, he may have seen a logic to taking a hard line against dissent. But it's always interesting to consider these counterfactuals.
Who decided Syria is a pariah? And who decided it’s not a pariah anymore? It seems to me it’s the same actors which begs the questions, are those people “the international community” believable? It seems that they make a country a pariah or a saint when it’s convenient for them with disregard to justice and the truth. As Charles de Gaulle said, governments don’t have friends, they have interests.
You do realise it was suspended by the ARAB LEAGUE!? More to the point, often these countries are condemned by the UN Security Council, which means Russia snd China as well. And the idea that preventing human rights abuses is a Western ideal is extremely troubling, don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because a country is opposed by the West, it must be good or misunderstood. There are sone countries that most of the world accepts are highly problematic. Again, in this case, the Aran states aren’t welcoming it back because they like it. They are doing so because they feel it is more problematic to keep it isolated. So, really, let’s be a little bit more mature about hue we debate international relations and not fall into this silly West vs rest dichotomy.
@@JamesKerLindsay do you think a possible regional alliance between Iran and Saudi is coming with the way things are going? Them putting their hands together could push pakistan and turkey to fall in line (if erdogan wins the election)
No. Syria’s status as a pariah state isn’t in question. The debate I was raising is how best to address its behaviour. Keep it on the margins or engage with it. If you think that it is an unfairly treated and misunderstood state, the you really haven’t taken a moment to look at Syria over the past half century. There’s a reason why the Arab states suspended it in the first place. Seriously, don’t make this about my background. I’ve made plenty of videos criticising Western actions. But perhaps you should also consider your own biases. (Especially is you think criticising Assad is Anglo neo-imperialism!)
Syria was never a pariah state, if you compare Syria to Turkey, Syria is angelic. The difference is Turkey is in NATO and Syria is supported By Russia and Iran. How many Christians in Syria before this all started and how many today?
Extremely biased against Syria. A very disappointing arrogant attitude and tone which is typical of the British & western imperialists. Lots many points from us here.
The reality is that the Assad regime is a brutal dictatorship. You can pass that off as Western propaganda if you like, but there’s a good reason why it was suspended by the Arab League. My question on this video is whether the pragmatism they are showing now is a good or bad thing. I tried to present both sides of the argument for engagement. But if you think balance in this case means pretending that Assad isn’t as bad as suggested, then I’m not going to take that position. He is. This is a country that has been brutally repressive for decades. My question is how we deal with these types of regimes, not whether they are really that bad.
@@JamesKerLindsay He is right,you forget to mention the fundamental fact that the western system of capitalism and "democracy" doesnt work for all countries,Syria never had it and it has a short existence,for some countries like Afganistan and Syria a authoritarian goverment is important for the stability of the country,he is not brutal,he fought a civil war,you cant do that in white gloves.
@mojewjewjew4420 You're actually insulting the Syrian people. You're basically telling us that Syrians deserve to live under tyranny. Too many people bashing the west. Funny thing is, that's where people want to live. Not too many going in the other direction.
Thanks to your efforts, but still, this is another rephrasing of western media headlines written over the past 10 years. You can call Assad a brutal dictator, while the level of "secularism" and "freedom of faith" in Syria is much higher than other Arab countries.
Thanks. But this is an odd argument. It is indeed secular. And religious minorities go enjoy greater freedom. But that doesn’t mean that it somehow isn’t a brutal dictatorship. Western societies are very secular and have extremely high levels of religious diversity. Does that negate all your complaints about them? I think we can and should accept that Syria under the Assads has been highly repressive. The debate is what do about it now that the regime has survived the civil war?
@@JamesKerLindsay When it comes to existential and internal security, every country is repressive. What would happen if the UK and Germany transferred weapons and mercenaries to France to deal with Macron? Would he surrender? or he would try to eradicate the issues by force. I've seen some videos of both Qatari and Kuwaiti ex-officials claiming some countries (the US, the UK, France, KSA, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, and Isreal) had two shared bases in both Turkey and Jordan years before the first incident happened in Syria. Simply put, they tried to gan*g-b*ang the system (sorry for my language) and label it as an Arab Spring Movement! Ironically, the made-up prescription to conquer Syria is "hardline Islamist," while in Iran they tried to promote something more "liberal" and anti-Islamist.
@@JamesKerLindsay Agreed. the Chinese Communist party is also "secular" in the dictionary definition of the word and yet they are still fanatic in that secularism by promoting atheism at all levels of government and their society Destroying churches, destroying mosques, rewriting the Quran, destroying Buddhist temples, outlawing Buddhist reincarnation unless given state approval, kidnapping the successor of the current Dalai lama, and replacing him with their own state approved successor Just because a state is "secular" doesn't mean it can't be a dictatorship
Not sure how many times I have to say this to the knee-jerk ‘West is evil brigade’: Syria was suspended by the *ARAB LEAGUE*. Its neighbours and other Arab states isolated it. And they aren’t discussing taking it back because they think it has reformed. They’re doing it because they are pragmatic enough to know he isn’t going anywhere and he is causing a lot of problems for them. It really is childish to assume a worldview that casts anything disliked by the West as misunderstood or self-evidently good. Syria was an awful regime. It had brutalised its citizens and those in neighbouring countries for decades and sponsored terrorist groups. I’m all for sensible debate about world affairs and can accept that the West often does wrong. (I’ve made many videos criticising Western policies.) But whitewashing regimes like Syria just shows complete naivety. Let’s try to have a more sophisticated debate. The point of this video was to discuss the merits and drawbacks of engaging with troublesome states. I deliberately chose this example precisely because it wasn’t the West having this debate. It is the Arab world.
You missed a few points in the Syrian history. For example, Syria was the center of the Omyyad caliphate. Syria resored part of Al Golan heights in 1973 after initiating an attack on the zionist apartheid state.
Perhaps you can discuss this with the, sadly far too many, comments on the video that suggest them at Assad is the victim of sone sort of Western plot to undermine his reputation. It is shocking how many people seem to think that because someone is in the US and EU bad books, they just really be some sort of saint. It’s one of the most depressing things about making these videos.
AS SOON AS you said that there were calls for Syria to be let back into the Arab league, I got a notification from deutsche welle saying they had been let back in.
Thats a stupid take on it,the problem wasnt Assad,it was that unrest for many reasons like economics,ethnic,religious and ideological exploded,if Bashar stepped down it would have been worst because a tyrannical goverment would take power or Syria would be taken over by isis,stop looking this through western centric lenses,God bless Bashar.
@@niweshlekhak9646 if Assad stepped down from power in 2011-2012 there would be no power vacuum. Assad created the conditions required for a power vacuum. The war was entirely his fault, you mention Lebanon but seemingly are unaware that since 2006 multiple governments have steeped down from power to prevent a civil war. You haven't said anything new just the lazy and observably false view that the Arab world needs despots, if that was the case Syria wouldn't have more per capita deaths than Iraq or Libya
I wouldnt exactly hold up post-2012 Egypt as a shining example of stability or successful change. And a key difference between Syria and Egypt/Tunisia that you arent accounting for is the history of sectarian resentment and friction that had been boiling for years in Syria that neither Egypt nor Tunisia had. Syria is a lot more comparable to Iraq than Egypt or Tunisia. Egypt and Tunisia are more or less monolithically Arab Sunni states (there's the shrinking Coptic minority in Egypt, but the aftermath of Arab Spring has been a complete nightmare for them). Syria is Sunni-majority, but has been under the rule of the Alawite minority (whose regime has also tended to favor other Shia muslims and Arab Christians over Sunnis) for decades, and resentment of Sunnis towards other religious groups has been quite high in much of Syria for a long time as a result. It's a comparable situation to Iraq, which is Shia-majority, but was under minority Sunni rule (with a regime that blatantly favored their sect) for decades, and most of the sectarian violence was a result of tension that came from that. Sure, the tension exists in large part (though not entirely--some existed before) because of the Assad/Ba'athist regime, but Assad leaving the picture wouldnt make that pent-up sectarian tension go away any more than removing Saddam made it disappear in Iraq. Making some reforms and concessions was what Assad should have done when the protests happened, but stepping down would have still led to an ugly civil war.
Every descriptor of a pariah state he gave describes the US, Erdoganist Turkey, Israel, and China. But none of it describes President Assad’s Syria, a paragon of religious tolerance that clocked 7% annual GDP growth in 2010 at the height of the global recession. So why was Syria a pariah state? Because of the golden rule. Those who have the gold make the rules and decide how, when, and upon who they are enforced. The US maintains a massive stockpile of WMDs and supported Pol Pot against the Vietnamese and Osama Bin Laden against the Soviets. But why isn’t the US a state sponsor of terror? Because the US State Department determines who is labeled a state sponsor of terror.
And Russia and China too. But there’s actually an interesting discussion about whether major world powers can in fact be rogue states. The danger is that their bad behaviour alters the entire international system and makes it more dangerous. I’d agree with that.
When you cover the Sudan conflict please don't forget to check on the role of Chad ,Chad often gets overlooked yet it is always interfering in CAR and Sudan...fueling conflicts in both this country
as a german, the Main target country of Migration, i highly welcome a re-regognition of Assad as a reality that is at the moment and for long term without alternative. Asylum seekers who claim they fled of War, unsecurity or difficult conditions should be sent back. Still now, EVERY Syrian entering Germany gets a protection, no matter what the Person is telling, just because he/or she is Syrian. And the kurds in the northeast, Rojava, should be regognized as a state Faktor, too, so people can be sended back. A step that Getmany doens't do of course, because of the NATO-,"Partner" Turkey
I believe I commented in your voting question that "It s only a question of who rushes to find a seat at the table before the proverbial ship sails with Syria and Assad back into the Arab league which may even happen before the Turkish elections, and not a question of if they should start re-engaging" . Indeed so it has, in the nick of time bang on before the Turkish election results came through.😅 Syria's next day needed to be hammered out fast just in case Erdogan was no longer in power today...
@@JamesKerLindsay Worrying for sure. Yes Erdogan is staying, he already has majority in the parliament so it's a done deal, the presidency is the cherry and he's getting that as well, the loose votes are all ideologically inclined towards him and he only needs .5%. It's more likely that the alliance against him will disintegrate, everyone planning for the next day under Erdogan. But you never know, the lira is in free fall it can all turn into chaos very quickly.
Why havent you talked at all about why there is a stalemate? Or what the relationship is between the goverment and the kurds? And if there has been any dialogue between Syria and Turkey to return the occupied territories? And you are very quick to critisize the Syrian legitimate goverment without describing the crimes of the rebels and bandits,the involvement of Turkey that invaded and supported maybe even before the war the syrian insurgents and attacked and massacred the kurds in Syria,American involvement should also be under close scrutiny as they supported the rebels and conducted many operations that saw syrian civilians killed and infrastructure demolished,all while supporting the war crimes of Turkey. I hate the western-centric view of yours and by extension of the channel because it boils down to "west does crimes,nothing to see or very good,non-westerners do them its calls for sactions and invasion" The truth is that the west hated the Assad led goverment of Syria not for its crimes but for standing up to the west and israel and tried to topple the goverment and not subtly either but it seems the west is immune to doing war crimes not unlike in Iraq,Afganistan,Vietnam,Libya,etc. If you were half as neutral as you claim you'd praise the effort of Russia to keep the legitimate goverment in power in face of invasion and protect regional stability because a rebel or isis victory would have been worst.
@@toby9999 There is no anti west bias,its the truth,If it doesnt make sense to you its your problem not mine,maybe if you cast off the indoctrination you might understand,until then westerners go home.
Some valid points. But understand that the Professor is not examining the history of the Syrian conflict which would take hours. He is merely examining the recent detente between Syria and its Arab neighnours.
@K Th Thanks. This is a usual problem. Some viewers want me to present the last word on an issue in 15 minutes. But you are absolutely right. This video was meant to be about the debates amongst Arab states about whether to engage with Syria - a country that few have any great liking for!
@@JamesKerLindsay that is the pronlem with geopolitics based content. Parties to the conflict will always find even the most detached commentary to be unjust. I admire your dedication towards community engagement though.
There is no proof that it was him who gased people. Its known that EU was inflicting "colour revolutions" in Middle East to destabilize the region. What it did to Lybia is disgusting. It's actually western practice to gas its own people. Remember Germany!
Yeah it's really sad that he gets to use weapons of mass destruction which is what chemical weapons are according to the Geneva convention and somehow stays in power Geopolitics be like that sometimes
@@rejvaik00 Un confirmed thal all chemicals weapons were removed from Syria. what was used was supplied by Europe against the legimat Syrian government.
Syria, in particular Assad's, return does not need the West's acceptance. It just need Arab League, BRICS, and SOC's acceptance. The West's diplomatic and commercial roles in the Middle East is increasingly marginal. If the West cannot cancel Russia, it certainly cannot cancel Syria.
@@williamthebonquerer9181 1. The formation of a BRICS Bank 2. The issuance of a commodity backed currency decided and in the works together with the system for secured massaging and clearing, designation of clearing banks around the world ... and there are many more. Bonquer, stop bonquing and start looking.
Professor Ker-Lindsay. It would be nice to not hear you conflate what the US and western Europe desires with the "International Community". There is nothing that international in this aggregate.
@@JamesKerLindsay The problem with your analysis professor is you use words that are straight from the USA or Anglo-Saxon media playbook. You want to be impartial but your words suggest you rely too much on western sources to justify your points.
That definition of pariah state excludes one important feature. They are not powerful enough to defy that definition. Powerful Western states have been guilty of most of the crimes listed.
@@williamthebonquerer9181 Japan and South Korea are both reversing sanctions and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE are in the process of realignment towards Russia. Only 30% of countries ever sanctioned Russia, most of the world continued normal relations with Russia throughout the invasion. It's really just the west vs Russia and the majority of the world doesn't care.
I guess you're a Professor in Espousing and Broadcasting Propaganda of the States of the USA and Israel, right? But seriously, are you a professor of history, and if so, shouldn't you be impartial and factual? Why are you blurting out all this propaganda? Do you say this stuff to your students, and if so, how do you keep your job? Or are you a professor in something totally different. II must say, I haven't finished listening, but I couldn't continue without commenting
Don’t be an apologist for this regime. The brutality of Assad is not seriously in question. Don’t make the mistake of believing that because the West dislikes a leader he must be OK. Assad isn’t. He really isn’t. That’s why I deliberately focused on the Arab states. They too dislike his regime.
You just seem to buy all the propaganda talking points with no nuance. That's why I was questioning your credentials. I'd say Assad is average for leaders in general on the brutality scale. See eg Aaron Maté regarding Douma and all the lies we're fed. Also you never seem to mention the brutality of Israel. Now *there's* a brutal regime if I've ever seen one (unless you happen to belong to the right religion)
@@JamesKerLindsay If Assad is that bad, why isn't the ICC issued a warrant of Arrest for Assad? I mean, the ICC issued a warrant of arrest for Putin within few months within Ukraine war. Answer this question and i will guarantee you why people are claiming you're bias.
