Sharif Nashashibi is a London-based journalist, analyst on Arab affairs, and cofounder and chairman of Arab Media Watch. https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/contributor/sharif-nashashibi/rss en Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Government & Pro-Government Forces Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:31:01 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/10/20/pause-in-aleppo-is-not-humanitarian-but-a-means-of-military-escalation https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/10/20/pause-in-aleppo-is-not-humanitarian-but-a-means-of-military-escalation Russia’s 11-hour ‘humanitarian pause’ to facilitate evacuations from eastern Aleppo will not allow for much-needed aid, but rather, is part of an overall strategy for a military solution to the conflict, says Middle East analyst Sharif Nashashibi. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs War Economy Tue, 19 Jul 2016 12:47:14 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/07/19/economics-trump-politics-in-syrias-proxy-war https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/07/19/economics-trump-politics-in-syrias-proxy-war Instead of driving a wedge between regional players, the Syrian conflict’s duration and intractability has forced proxy powers to prioritize cooperation over rivalry for their wider interests, according to Middle East analyst Sharif Nashashibi. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Government & Pro-Government Forces Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/03/17/russias-withdrawal-is-message-to-syrian-regime https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/03/17/russias-withdrawal-is-message-to-syrian-regime In a surprise move on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Kremlin would withdraw the majority of its forces based in Syria. But rather than a sign of mission accomplished, Russia’s departure may be a warning to an “over-confident regime” that Moscow’s support is not unconditional. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Fri, 29 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/01/29/geneva-and-the-growing-irrelevance-of-syrians https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2016/01/29/geneva-and-the-growing-irrelevance-of-syrians The peace talks between the Assad government and representatives of the Syrian opposition are to begin today, but Syrians have little faith in any positive outcome, because non-Syrians are dictating the parameters of the discussion, writes Middle East analyst Sharif Nashashibi. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Government & Pro-Government Forces Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Mon, 21 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/12/21/self-delusion-at-the-u-n-over-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/12/21/self-delusion-at-the-u-n-over-syria With no mention of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, the “milestone” resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council on Friday is the latest example of a peace process that is entirely missing the point, writes political analyst Sharif Nashashibi. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Fri, 04 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/12/04/syria-airstrikes-doubling-down-on-flawed-strategy https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/12/04/syria-airstrikes-doubling-down-on-flawed-strategy British lawmakers chose to support ineffective military action in Syria on Wednesday, without tackling the ideology behind ISIS and the legitimate grievances it manipulates for recruitment purposes, writes Sharif Nashashibi. “The logic seems to be: if dropping bombs has not worked, drop more”. Government & Pro-Government Forces ISIS Thu, 19 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/11/19/paris-terror-attacks-have-benefited-assad https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/11/19/paris-terror-attacks-have-benefited-assad Bashar al-Assad can now sit more comfortably as the world focuses on the evils of the self-proclaimed Islamic State while overlooking the fact that Syrian government forces are responsible for the vast majority of death and violence in Syria since the crisis began in 2011, says Sharif Nashashibi. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Mon, 02 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/11/02/global-powers-talk-syria-in-vienna-a-case-of-deja-vu https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/11/02/global-powers-talk-syria-in-vienna-a-case-of-deja-vu Global powers are discussing a political solution to the conflict in Syria without inviting Syrians to the table. As we circle back around on the endless merry-go-round of detached talks, argues the author, we shouldn’t be surprised by the lack of any effective change on the ground. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Government & Pro-Government Forces ISIS Mon, 19 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/10/19/russias-air-campaign-benefits-isis https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/10/19/russias-air-campaign-benefits-isis That ISIS benefits from Russia’s military involvement is no surprise, and is not even a coincidence or unfortunate by-product, argues the writer. The stronger ISIS gets, the more people will buy into the flawed notion that Assad is an indispensable partner in the group’s defeat. Assad hence becomes part of the solution to the Syrian conflict rather than part of the problem, or in fact the cause. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Mon, 05 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Sharif Nashashibi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/10/05/russia-is-intensifying-the-syria-conflict https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2015/10/05/russia-is-intensifying-the-syria-conflict It’s hard to fathom, writes political analyst Sharif Nashashibi, but the situation in Syria is about to get a lot worse.