Lessons from Syria

For a long time, I have been writing that the Syria we had known is gone. As things develop on the ground, we are discussing signs of deterioration, and consequently, the lessons that this deterioration offers our region. That is what matters.
These lessons must be retained if we are to see a better Syria- a Syria of citizenship and stability. There are many lessons, and it would be foolish not to overlook them. The first of these lessons in our region is when something goes it does not come back; Somalia provides a prime example, and there are many others.
The lessons of decline have taught us that whoever falls in our region- whether due to chaos, mistakes, or a group of dreamers- is succeeded by even greater extremism. There are also many examples of this: Iran, Iraq, Libya...
We have been receiving these lessons since what was falsely called the Arab Spring broke out. The only real revolution was the Syrian revolution. Everyone knows that Egypt is not Tunisia, Libya, or Yemen; each country has a different context, fabric, and risks.
Egypt, for example, stands out because of its strong, effective military established, which saved the polity. Thus, all Egyptians turned to it as the savior when the Muslim Brotherhood hijacked the state and attempted to entrench its president through changes to the constitution.
That did not happen in Libya or Yemen, but we did see something similar in Tunisia. However, it will not happen in Syria now. Syria is not Iraq, which had its army disbanded after the American invasion. Rather, Syria and its regime are in precipitous decline as a result of armed conflict.
I say "armed" not because it was a coup; it is the result of years of armed conflict. Since 2011, the regime has relied on external forces to confront demands sparked by the boys who wrote "Your time is coming, Doctor" on the wall. These issues could have been easily resolved, but the regime was haughty and obstinate.
The regime's crack emerged because of its disregard for the nation and its citizens, and its destructive role in the region. I cannot think of any regime that had committed all these mistakes and been granted as many opportunities as the Assad regime, but that is a story for another time.
The most important lesson we can draw from the decline of our region is that the future is not necessarily better. The path to reform and reconstruction is long, and few sincere friends are found on this path, if any, as in the world of politics everyone seeks their own interests.
Iran has lost its historical project, and its militias have lost their supply lines. Israel cannot be trusted in the region at this moment. Then there are the Russians and their interests in the Mediterranean, and beyond.
Thus, the real asset of the Syrians now is the Syrians themselves. They have no state institutions. Their only institution is the minds of educated and cultured Syrian citizens aspiring for a state for all, a state that has a place for everyone and embraces minorities and others.
This state that every sensible person seeks, everyone who wants stability and believes in citizenship- not a state of ideology but a state of development and technology. With it, the Syrian people will find themselves in a better position than ever before, a space that connects the Gulf, the Levant, Türkiye, and Europe.
They will find real partners in the Gulf states uncontestedly led by Saudi Arabia, economically, socially, and culturally. Accordingly, the most important lesson of decline is to now safeguard Syria’s most crucial institution, which is the mind.