Kassioun Editorial 1286: What Comes After the Bombings and the Fuel Crisis?

Reading these crises within their proper and broader context—and treating them with the utmost seriousness as indicators of what may lie ahead in the coming days—is a matter of the highest national importance. Politics, above all, is the science of anticipating the future. Given the circumstances the country is experiencing, we are in urgent need of politics as a science, and of a level of understanding capable of matching the gravity of the moment through appropriate measures and policies implemented with the required speed.

Among the most important elements of the broader context surrounding the bombings and the gasoline crisis are the following:

First: Trump’s statements a few days ago, in which he reiterated his positions—contrary to all international laws and hostile to Syrian sovereignty—regarding the occupied Syrian Golan, are part of a sustained campaign of pressure on Syria and Syrian society. These pressures are likely to intensify because the concession being demanded is that Syria move toward political suicide, whether through Lebanon or by any other route. This once again confirms the saying that “provoking colonialism is always less costly than appeasing it”.

Second: “Israel” continues its direct attacks and is gradually escalating them. The same applies to indirect attacks carried out through various methods, among which the involvement of “ISIS” cannot be ruled out.

Third: It has become well known that contemporary hybrid warfare, in addition to exploiting sectarian and ethnic divisions, primarily targets energy supplies and exchange rates. The recent gasoline crisis, as well as the bombings, should be understood within this broader framework, even if a direct connection has not yet become apparent.

Fourth: Domestic policies play a fundamental role in either exacerbating crises or mitigating them and preventing them from developing into major upheavals. In Syria’s current situation, the policies pursued so far have actively contributed to worsening the problem, particularly on the economic front. This has occurred through following the recommendations of the IMF and the World Bank, which have undermined what remains of the state’s social role, including the gradual lifting of subsidies. At the same time, the government continues to pursue foreign investments that are unlikely to materialize and an economic model centered on tourism that places industry and agriculture—and support for both—at the bottom of its priorities.

Within this context, and in addition to the highly tense and dangerous regional situation, it is not difficult to predict that circumstances will deteriorate rapidly unless serious emergency measures are taken without delay. Chief among these are the following:

First: Mitigating internal vulnerabilities by genuinely unifying the Syrian people in both word and deed, enabling them to make their own decisions and determine their own future. This should begin with the formation of a fully empowered national unity government, followed by a general national conference that includes all political and social currents in the country, where all outstanding issues are placed on the table and consensus is reached on ways to resolve them.

Second: Addressing internal socioeconomic vulnerabilities through a fundamental transformation of economic policy toward a new economic model in which agriculture, industry, and reliance on domestic resources serve as the primary compass, while working to redistribute wealth in favor of those who produce it.

Third: Actively seeking an appropriate balance in Syria’s foreign relations in light of the new international and regional balance of power, in a manner that secures the greatest possible degree of independence from external influence and allows Syria to align itself with the course of history and its emerging forces.

There is still a window of opportunity to avoid sliding into major upheavals, but that window is narrowing with each passing day. As Syrians, regardless of our positions, we must demonstrate sufficient national and political courage to seize this opportunity and guide the country safely to shore.

(النسخة العربية)