Delusions, reality, and moving forward

Syria is on the right track, but needs to digest certain realities in order to achieve more reforms.

Seriously, I cannot but admire the various articles in FW over the past eight months, written with so much enthusiasm, positivism, and dosages of «real-ism» for what needs to be done to move forward in rebuilding Syria. Being a Syrian Arab expatriate - born in the US and having lived only a few years of my life within the confines of Syria’s borders, the rest between the US itself, Lebanon and the GCC – might account (actually it does) for such cynicism and for espousing radical and grandiose solutions as opposed to the circumspect reforms being propagated by all.

I have been, and still am, among those enthusiastic and deluded expatriates who want to humbly transfer whatever experience and set of competencies gained, to their country. Unlike them, however, I work for that transfer, not only for the betterment of Syria (don’t be surprised) but for the Arab nation as a whole. What a delusion! After all, I was bred with Arab Nationalism so the idea of Syrianism, like Lebanese-ism or Gulism or Maghrebeism, or Egyptianism or Kuwaitism, with the exception of Palestiniasm and Iraqism, does not shake my very core. I have seen what other nations have started with, (especially those with meager resources) and where they are now. I have witnessed how internally so many Syrians (willingly or inadvertently), destroy their own country by verbal and physical behavior. I have seen those who genuinely love its earthiness, and genuinely, although delusionally, believe in the manner in which its future is being built.

I am not that eager to share their enthusiasm.

I cannot partake of such modernization hype, notwithstanding 6% and 7% annual growth. Such numbers are like the symbols of modernity we daily adorn ourselves with. This, however, amounts to superficial gloss over the rot on the inside that festers to no end; bandages— reforms—that temporarily assuage what is beyond healing. Don’t misinterpret what I am writing here. I am not opting for acquiescence. Quite the contrary, I am very much an optimist to the point where I find that the delusions we hide behind will eventually lead us to greater delusions. That reaches the point where collective hysteria will ignite us to have the guts to move forward (both collectively and individually) at a pace that’s much faster than what’s being espoused in the pages of FW.

The primary delusion is that we are undergoing momentous change that will carry us forward to increasing levels of progress. This is reinforced by the summary of the IMF report on Syrian economy, published in an earlier issue of FW. God help us from this source of certification of «good economic behavior.» The IMF has been notorious for forcing, or at the very least influencing, countries to pursue its recommendations resulting in economic and financial chaos. The cases in Argentina, Mexico, Indonesia are testimony. Such a high score for Syria, even without the IMF breathing down its neck, means that we could very well wind up like these countries. This would especially be true if Syria does actually replace its previous fundamental goal of self-reliance (at the expense of economic growth and development) with direct foreign investments (at the future cost of diminishing self-reliance).

The delusion that Syria is undertaking significant reforms that will sidestep the massive dislocations that occurred in Russian and Hungary. Ours is a social market reform implying that the primary goal is improvement of welfare. What a delusion! Prices are going up exponentially, especially for rent, foodstuffs, clothes and other basic necessities as a result of this «social-economic liberalization.» The very people the reformers want to protect are the very ones who are being worst hit.

The IMF, while stating that statistics are sorely inadequate in Syria, readily accepts official statistics that unemployment is below 10%. Meaning, we are like Western Europe as far as unemployment is concerned; hence nothing really to worry about. What a delusion! Talk to the marginalized—the majority of Syrians—who were categorized by the director Nabil al-Maleh (in another previous issue of FW), and experience their anger, frustrations and cynicism. Witness how they behave, despite being a beautiful people. Look at how they drive, connive, and curse.

The delusion that Syria will once again realize its previous grandeur. When was the last time? During the 70-years of the Umayyad Empire, the 15 years under Saladin, or under Queen Zenobia ? Syria, or Greater Syria, was occupied by one group or another, especially in the past 500 + years by Ottomans, French, and Israelis. With all due respect to Sami’s editorial on freedom and liberalism, our very genes have been fused with enslavement so that, with the exception of independence and post independence period, Syrians have only bowed their heads, and recently, if not to outsiders, to every-one around them within our geographical borders. We do, however, project to the outside that we are free in choosing our fate (best seen in Syria’s regional and foreign policies). Individually, we are more soaring in our freedoms than eagles—sorry, falcons. What a delusion! Such «free spirit» has been crushed—or escaped. Nabil, where are you? God help the few leaders/presidents who have tried to uplift the ordinary Syrian and those few who genuinely seek fundamental change for the benefit of the majority. No need to name these heroes, but let’s face it, what about the 17+ million non-heroes?

The delusion of our beautiful cities. There is genuine love for the land and the country, but somehow that gets mixed up with declarations of architectural and topographical beauty! For the love of God, is there anything uglier than the urban skyline as one approaches Damascus on the highway from Jordan? How can kilometers of cement blocks in Midan and even the «high rises» of Mezzeh, with laundry dangling from their balconies, be considered beautiful? Look at the drab-ness of architecture, not only in Midan and Rukn al Din, but Abu Rummaneh and Malki as well. The Old City? Yes, beautiful churches, old homes with a kaleidoscope of multi confessional Syrians intermingling with tourists, but smell the air from diesel pewing out from endless streams of cars that should not be there in the first place. Look at the grey homes and the blackness of fumes plastered on their walls, coming from our cars, taxis, buses and industries. When was the last decade in which they were sandblasted or white-washed? What city on earth has such static noise emanating from horns of cars that are driven by so-called ‘drivers?’

One more delusion, which we’ve been hammered with in this magazine, in the media and by officialdom – we want to stop the brain drain and want the skills of our loving expats to return home and contribute to building a new Syrian society. While the government has been trying hard to really get expats to visit their own homeland and make it easier with reforms of the mandatory military service, visas, schools etc, it is a far cry from wanting them to really return to Syria. How many Syrian expat experts have come and given time and sweat to one project or another without any pay with the usual mantra that we are a poor country and our laws do not allow us to pay consulting fees? Can you go, they ask us, to the UNDP and apply for financial support? How many in the ICT field, water irrigation and energy experts have come and gone back embittered? After all, we are not blond with blue eyes, so of what real value are we? Give us what-ever knowledge and skills you have but we don’t want to go any further, unless it is for free, except of course if its coming from a blond blue eyed expert!!