Syrian opposition picks new leader amid heightened violence

The main opposition group, the Syrian National Council (SNC), has picked a new leader as the Free Syrian Army increases offensive measures. The SNC, which was criticized for its many internal divisions and lack of unified vision for ending the Syrian conflict, appointed Abdelbaset Sieda, believed to be independent, as the council’s new head. Sieda, a Kurdish professor of Arabic and philosophy, said he intends to expand the base of the SNC "so it will take on its roles as an umbrella under which all the opposition will seek shade." Sieda called for regime officials to defect, spurring the mass defection of a unit north of Homs, to which the Syrian military responded with air strikes. Meanwhile, clashes have intensified in the Syrian capital of Damascus, where Free Syrian Army fighters have been escalating attacks near security installations. Syrian government forces raided rebel strongholds in Damascus, and continued shelling of Homs, Hama, Daraa, and Rastan. Clashes in Heffe on the western coast entered their 6th day, killing an estimated 100 people. Government troop casualties are estimated to be at their highest level since the uprising began over 15 months ago.

Headlines  

• Libya’s national assembly elections, set to be the first multi-party elections in 60 years, have been postponed to July 7 due to logistical challenges.
• Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will not ratify a petition calling for a no-confidence vote which aimed to unseat the leader in a sectarian power struggle. 
• IAEA nuclear talks with Iran broke down over inspections, reducing optimism for international negotiations planned for June 18 and 19 in Moscow.
• Immigration police arrested dozens of African migrants in raids in Eilat and central Israel a week after legislation passed in the Knesset allowing for the deportation of South Sudanese refugees.

Arguments & Analysis 

‘Libya’s best hope for unity is democratic elections‘ (Abdel Bari Atwan, The Guardian)

"Elections to a new, 200-member parliament have [likely] been postponed but remain imminent, and this is the brightest prospect for Libya’s future. The new legislative body will replace the NTC, appoint a government and write the constitution. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the ballot box, with 80% of those eligible to vote having registered to do so. Libya has all the raw materials for a thriving and prosperous country – vast oil wealth and a small population. If the elections produce a credible government representing all Libya’s people, the militias might voluntarily combine to form a national army and ensure nationwide security. Anything remains possible in the new Libya, so long as its leaders do not follow in the footsteps of the erstwhile "Friends of Libya" and abandon themselves to self-interest."

‘What to Do about Syria?’ (John R. Bolton, The National Review)

"Finally, in Syria itself, we should do now what we could have begun to do ten years ago (and what the Obama White House at least says it is doing now): find Syrian rebel leaders who are truly secular and who oppose radical Islam; who will disavow al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups; and who will reject Russian and Iranian hegemony over their country. We will need some reason to believe that this opposition can prevail against not only the Assad regime but also the terrorists and fanatics who also oppose Assad. This must be not a faith-based judgment but a clear-eyed assessment of reality. Such is the kind of opposition that, assuming it exists, we should support, aiming for regime change in Damascus when – and only when – it becomes feasible on our terms. On this matter, too, we should tell our European allies that we want their support for something other than semiotic diplomacy."

‘Egyptians Making History‘ (Elijah Zarwan, The Cairo Review of Global Affairs)

"On Thursday, Egyptian politicians did something astonishing: they reached an agreement. A military ultimatum-agree within 48 hours on a formula for choosing the 100 people who will write the country’s next constitution, or expect a fresh constitutional declaration, the contents of which you may dislike-ended a long impasse. But the outcome sadly reinforces the narrative that only the military can press self-serving civilian politicians to fulfill their duties to the nation. More importantly, the "thirteenth-hour" agreement (the politicians actually missed the deadline) nonetheless throws Egypt’s already contorted transition deeper into confusion and uncertainty."

–By Jennifer Parker and Mary Casey