December 2012

... and why it should elicit a positive response
Wilhelm Langthaler
The interview released by Syrian vice-president Faruq al-Sharaa is a strong signal from the regime’s side that they are eventually interested to commence a political process. In his statement, Sharaa not only insisted on a political solution (this is not new, there are many such statements from the regime), but also specified that no side can win militarily, and thus both sides will have to cede positions. That means that there is a readiness for concessions which until now could not be detected (this is indeed the new element in the situation).
Interview with Orwa Haj Yousef, spokesman of the Syrian “Unity Brigades” and the “Current for National Unity”, its political wing
Interview conducted by Wilhelm Langthaler
This movement is mainly composed of civil political activists of the democratic movement who, according to their self-understanding, were forced to take up arms for self-defence. They continue to defend the primacy of politics over military affairs, the people over the armed groups. They fight against sectarianism and advocate a political solution. Their appearance is an indicator of the political differentiation within the Syrian opposition.
Reciprocating Mursi’s error or using it to push ahead democratization
by Wilhelm Langthaler
Mursi might have thought that he could ride the wave of his diplomatic success over Gaza to score some points at home: Moving against the abhorred judges of Mubarak, he seemed to be sure of the overwhelming popular support to unilaterally finalize the constitutional process blocked by the old regime.
for a political solution of the Syrian conflict
Delegation: Campell (...), Gabriel, Pissias, Reymann, Vera (...), Bendana, Fanon
This initiative consists in calling for a delegation of high-ranking personalities with international public lives to go to Syria in order to discuss the current situation with the main political actors and to pave the way for a negotiated political solution of the armed conflict in Syria which seriously threatens world peace and the existence of Syria as an independent and sovereign nation.
Contribution on the relation between revolutionary vanguard and the deep people
by Wilhelm Langthaler
For the vanguard Mursi is a counter-revolutionary driving the country back to a Mubarak-type dictatorship under Islamic guise. Conversely for important sections of the broad and often passive masses he is the guarantor of the revolution. The protests against Mursi’s authoritarian degrees tend to escalate into a struggle for toppling the president altogether. Set in this way the revolutionaries will hardly be able to win such a confrontation.