Syria is actively positioning itself as a critical regional transit hub, capitalizing on global shifts—such as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—by reopening major infrastructure corridors. Key evidence includes the resumption of Iraqi oil flow through Syria and renewed investment from Gulf states and Turkey into projects like the Hejaz Railway and pipelines. While this influx of capital promises to drive reconstruction, the process is fraught with risk: intense competition among regional powers could destabilize the country's fragile recovery. Furthermore, persistent geopolitical friction, particularly from Israel, threatens to undermine Syria’s emergence as a reliable trade gateway, potentially leading to renewed conflict.
“The Strategy of Terrorism”
English Summary
The article argues that terrorism is fundamentally a strategy of weakness whose success hinges entirely on the opponent’s response, rather than its own capability. Its ultimate weakness is that it cannot force an outcome; therefore, its fate rests solely with those targeted. To defeat terrorism, states must resist responding in the manner desired by the perpetrators, even when faced with escalating threats or demands for capitulation. Policy efforts should prioritize maintaining resolve and upholding civil liberties, as yielding to pressure or compromising laws only fuels the cycle of violence.
中文摘要
本文論述恐怖主義本質上是一種弱點的策略，其成功與否完全取決於對方的回應，而非自身的實力。其根本之虛弱在於無法強迫任何結果；因此，其命運僅由目標國家決定。要擊敗恐怖主義，各國必須抵抗按照煽動者期望的方式作出反應，即使面對日益升級的威脅或投降的要求。政策努力應著重於維持堅定決心和捍衛公民自由權利，因為屈服於壓力或妥協法律只會助長暴力循環。
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