Heinrich Von Arabian

When the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London stated in 2013 that the Syrian army’s strength had been severely compromised and had fallen to about half its original size, the institute may have simply applied an incorrect scale. Perhaps the strength of the Syrian army is not measured in its numbers but rather in the amount of household appliances a soldier can carry.

The garbage crisis in the context of which Beirut was haunted by bad smell in the past year, is still awaiting a satisfying solution. For the time being, it is not that hot and there is an enjoyable change of air in Beirut, so it is not that obvious.

Many a time, they will reminisce about a pre-revolutionary Syria, albeit a romanticised version, from which they – due to a lack of knowledge, ignorance or quite consciously – omit that the country already was a rogue state at that time, characterised by arbitrary arrests, torture, oppression and discrimination.

Not as visible as two weeks ago but still there: the garbage crisis. Some garbage has been removed, but what to do in the long run seems still a mystery.

In his short film “Street Music” the Syrian director Orwa al-Meqdad reflects on the antagonism between music as a weapon and music as a means of comfort – a contradictory perspective that mirrors the every so often “schizophrenic” daily life Syrians are subjected to in exile.

“Cast your vote for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes that you think are the most influential people in the world”, TIME Magazine urges readers of its online edition. Amongst the 153 nominees: Bashar al-Assad.