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The Syrian impact

THE triumph of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led resistance in Syria has further disturbed the geopolitical equilibrium in the Middle East and beyond. For Pakistan, this development should mean not only modifications…

Syria on my mind

IN the mid-2000s, my sister was living in Damascus and I planned a visit to her and then a trip to Lebanon, together. But I could not secure a visa…

Straws in the Syrian whirlwind

THE pendulum of zealotry almost always ushers in intellectual subterfuge in its wake. The lightning, if not spontaneous, takeover of Damascus by mediaeval militias is being predictably applauded by Western journalists as…

Who won, who lost in Syria?

Who cares about learning a lesson when a really big prize is in sight? So, from the point of view of the US whose dollars, arms and intel no doubt…

Slicing Syria

AS I write this, Syrian rebels are in control of half of the ancient and strategically vital city of Aleppo. In a rapid three-day advance that saw government forces melt…

Syria in the Arab League

“We will not walk away to leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran. … The United States is not going anywhere,” bragged US President Joe Biden…