The New Salafism in Syria – The Syrian Observer

Acknowledging the wounds inflicted by the Assad era should have led to the recognition that Syria’s tyrannical past must not dictate its future possibilities, Hossam Abu Hamed argues in Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
One of the enduring shortcomings of the Syrian revolution is that, after decades of tyranny and the regime’s monopolization of public life, Syrians never forged a shared political narrative for their future. While they united in calls for freedom and dignity, these remained abstract ideals without a coherent political program—though they swiftly agreed on one tangible goal: the overthrow of the Assad regime. The absence of a unifying narrative may have contributed, among other factors, to the revolution’s failure to achieve its ultimate aims.