A debate with Jonathan Spyer

Will the regime of Bashar Assad succeed to stay in power with brute force against the escalating uprisings that occured since March 2011? What are the chances of the Syrian opposition, and who are they? What role does the Syrian regime play in the region, and which consequences would its downfall or persistence have for the Iranian dominated “resistance bloc” with Hamas and Hezbollah? And which strategies can the West pursue in order to support a democratic development in Syria and the region as well as security for Israel? With Jonathan Spyer, we will have an excellent and internationally renowned expert answering these and other current questions.

Before Mr. Spyer's  presentation, Jonathan Weckerle (Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin) will give a critical overview of the German-Syrian relations, from the refugee deportation agreement and the delivery of surveillance technology to the visits of high ranking German government officials to Syria until immediately before the outbreak of the current crisis.

Moderator: Jonathan Weckerle, board member of the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin (MFFB).

Dr. Jonathan Spyer , born in London, lives in Jerusalem and works as Senior Research Fellow at the Global Research in International Affairs Center (ww.gloria-center.org). He writes about Mideast topics for among others the Guardian, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post, he appeared on BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN and many other media. His book “The Transforming Fire” (2010) covers the rise of Islamism and has been called one of the best and most important books about the Middle East. (www.jonathanspyer.com)

Ort: Robert-Koch-Saal, Dorotheenstr. 96, 10117 Berlin

Registration: info@mideastfreedomforum.org

Costs: 3,- €

Organization: Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin e. V.