Syria should be re-structured as a federal or confederal state… Pie in the Sky. Arab societies, one and all feudal aristocrat/peasant\serfs societies. The government as well as a major opposition group stated their refusal of a federalist system which they saw as a first step to the breakup of Syria….How does the establishment of a Republic of autonomous States qualify as a first step to the breakup of Syria? Answer: Establishment of strong autonomous States like Texas and Oklahoma in the US, which validates the economic autonomy of each State to bureaucratically regulate its own trade and commerce, the opposite of a Strong Man dictatorship.

Writings of Murray Bookchin…”Communalism: The Democratic Dimension of Anarchism” (1992): Bookchin introduces his concept of communalism, which seeks to combine elements of Marxism, syndicalism, and anarchism. The impact of this book, it caught fire with, according to Wikipedia, the New Left, the anti-nuclear movement, the anti-globalization movement, and more recently, the democratic confederalism of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

He advocated for decentralized, community-based governance structures as opposed to centralized, hierarchical systems. This idea questioned the legitimacy and effectiveness of existing political and economic institutions. But in the face of long established Arab feudalism his opinion limited to the educated elite totally divorced from the Common-Man. Murray Bookchin’s advocacy for decentralized, community-based direct democracy governance indeed questions existing political and economic structures embraced by Arab societies throughout history. As such under prevailing conditions his ideas merely pie in the sky, exceptionally difficult to implement his theories among standard Arab societies with long-established traditions and power dictatorships.

Bookchin compares to an unarmed prophet, difficult to chew a delicious steak if you have no teeth. Rojava, also known as the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), is a de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria. It was established during the Syrian civil war and is primarily governed by Kurdish forces, along with other ethnic groups such as Arabs, Assyrians, and Turkmen.

Inspired by Murray Bookchin’s ideas, Rojava practices a form of direct democracy and communalism, emphasizing local governance and community participation. The region has made significant strides in promoting gender equality, with women playing a crucial role in governance and military forces. A radical idea in traditional Muslim, koran based societies.

Rojava has faced numerous challenges, including military conflicts with Turkish-backed forces and the ongoing threat of ISIS. Despite these obstacles, the region has managed to establish a relatively stable and democratic system, providing essential services and promoting social justice.

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