Syria 2011-2013: Revolution and Tyranny Before the Mayhem

Abstract

Cover -- Halftitle page -- Title page -- Copyright page -- CONTENTS -- Illustrations -- Abbreviations -- List of Fridays -- Preface -- Recollections: An introduction to the English edition -- Introduction -- 1 The bitter harvest: The first ten years of Bashar al-Assad -- I. Wasted opportunities -- II. The Damascus Declaration -- III. Rebranding the regime and the consolidation of power -- IV. Precursors of protest -- V. Protest in the run-up to the revolution -- VI. Solidarity with the Libyan people as a political message -- 2 From spark to fire -- I. The Daraa uprising -- II. A peaceful popular revolution -- III. The Homs Clocktower Square sit-in -- IV. The end of the Clocktower Square sit-in -- V. Good Friday: The uprising of the cities of the Damascus countryside -- 3 Protests in the main squares -- I. Hama, memories revisited -- II. Deir ez-Zor: The effectiveness of youth groups -- III. Idleb -- 4 Masses in the cities: The revolutionary movement in Damascus and Aleppo -- Damascus -- Aleppo: Hesitation and apprehension -- 5 An armed revolution -- Prelude to armament -- Militarization begins -- Jisr ash-Shughur: A turning point -- Poor coordination, poor organization -- The Battle for Aleppo: A city in revolt or the attack of the countryside? -- The Battle for the Damascus periphery -- Ar-Raqqa Blitzkrieg -- 6 The regime's strategy -- The official discourse -- The media strategy -- Diagnosis and strategy -- The shabbiha -- 7 Ruralization of the party and sectarianization of the army: The origins of sectarian discourse and violence -- I. The roots of the sectarianization of the army and the militarization of sectarianism -- II. The social base of the Bathist regime and the process of ruralization -- III. The nature of the regime and the rise of the 'young wolves -- 8 Sectarian violence unleashed.