Good Syria discussion. The anti-Assad forces seem to dominate the Syria discussions in the U.S. Critics of the jihadists are labeled “Assadists”. A similar Orwellian control of the discourse has taken place over Ukraine. Are these two examples the fruits of new propaganda techniques using social media? Several years ago Julian Assange wrote an article about the use of internet platforms such as Google to manipulate politics.

I would have been curious to hear Prashad’s thoughts about the role of Syria’s million plus Iraqi refugees in the rebellion. I think an early sign of a problem with this rebellion was their refusal to negotiate.