Why Assad is still there

Diana Darke on three accounts of Syria’s anguish

The World Today
3 minute READ

The Story of Syria
Ghayth Armanazi, Gilgamesh Publishing, £14.95

Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria
Nikolaos van Dam, IB Tauris, £8.99

We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled: Voices from Syria
Wendy Pearlman, Custom House, £18.99

Complexity reigns in Syria, with numerous players engaged on the world’s most chaotic battlefield. But three books, despite their very different approaches, share a simple refrain – the ruling Assad regime sees no need to discuss a political solution. Thanks to the consistent military backing of its powerful allies, Russia, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah, it is increasingly getting its own way.

Subscribe to read all issues

Articles from the current issue are free to read by all, the archive is exclusive to magazine subscribers and our members. Subscribe or become a member to view articles from the archive.