Assad is Gone

A new world is born in the Middle East.

I’ve spent the morning watching the joy on Syrians’ faces, the returning refugees, the toppled statues, the freed prisoners. I’m relishing the thought of what must be going through the minds of Putin, Khamenei, and all their Tankie friends.

I wanted to remind subscribers that Middle East 201 is meeting today at 4:30 pm Paris time to discuss these events. Given their historic significance, I imagine many of you might like to join the discussion, but perhaps you’re unsure whether you’ve done enough of the reading. Don’t worry: You’re all invited, and if you just want to listen, that’s fine. Priority in the discussion goes to the regular students, but you’re very welcome to join, ask questions, and—if you like—answer them. The link is below.

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The Syrian opposition announced Sunday the fall of President Bashar al-Assad after their forces entered the capital Damascus, ending the more than 50-year rule of the Assad family in Syria.