Ammar
@theactualammar.bsky.social
Syrian-American pro-democracy activist. Parliamentarian at World Liberty Congress. Commissioner on Middle Eastern American Affairs (Maryland). Views are my own. Reposts & Likes ≠ Endorsement.
My latest
"The debate over the liberal world order has become a clash of moral absolutes—one that obscures the messy, contested history that produced the norms we now defend."
The Shifting Global Order and its Implications for the Middle East www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-shifti...
"The debate over the liberal world order has become a clash of moral absolutes—one that obscures the messy, contested history that produced the norms we now defend."
The Shifting Global Order and its Implications for the Middle East www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-shifti...
The Shifting Global Order and its Implications for the Middle East
The debate over the liberal world order has become a clash of moral absolutes—one that obscures the messy, contested history that produced the norms we now defend.
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
My latest
"The debate over the liberal world order has become a clash of moral absolutes—one that obscures the messy, contested history that produced the norms we now defend."
The Shifting Global Order and its Implications for the Middle East www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-shifti...
"The debate over the liberal world order has become a clash of moral absolutes—one that obscures the messy, contested history that produced the norms we now defend."
The Shifting Global Order and its Implications for the Middle East www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-shifti...
My take on the Syrian elections:
"The new People’s Assembly is not a revolution’s reward, but its redesign, and a window into al-Sharaa’s vision for a conservative, market-driven Syria."
A Parliament by Design, Not by Vote
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/a-parliame...
"The new People’s Assembly is not a revolution’s reward, but its redesign, and a window into al-Sharaa’s vision for a conservative, market-driven Syria."
A Parliament by Design, Not by Vote
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/a-parliame...
A Parliament by Design, Not by Vote
The new People’s Assembly is not a revolution’s reward, but its redesign, and a window into al-Sharaa’s vision for a conservative, market-driven Syria.
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:31 PM
My take on the Syrian elections:
"The new People’s Assembly is not a revolution’s reward, but its redesign, and a window into al-Sharaa’s vision for a conservative, market-driven Syria."
A Parliament by Design, Not by Vote
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/a-parliame...
"The new People’s Assembly is not a revolution’s reward, but its redesign, and a window into al-Sharaa’s vision for a conservative, market-driven Syria."
A Parliament by Design, Not by Vote
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/a-parliame...
My latest contribution to The Middle East Uncovered Substack focuses on the role of the three warlords currently ruling Syria: Mazloum Abdi, Hikmat Al-Hijri and Ahmad Al-Sharaa. Can the U.S. bring them together to agree on a power-sharing arrangement?
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-trio-v...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-trio-v...
The Trio Vying to Rule a Broken Syria
Syria’s future lies in the hands of three warlords: an ideologue, a patriarch, and a chameleon
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
July 31, 2025 at 4:20 PM
My latest contribution to The Middle East Uncovered Substack focuses on the role of the three warlords currently ruling Syria: Mazloum Abdi, Hikmat Al-Hijri and Ahmad Al-Sharaa. Can the U.S. bring them together to agree on a power-sharing arrangement?
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-trio-v...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/the-trio-v...
Playing the Tribal Card
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/playing-th...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/playing-th...
Playing the Tribal Card
Long dismissed as relics, Syria’s tribes are now shaping the country’s postwar order.
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
July 24, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Playing the Tribal Card
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/playing-th...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/playing-th...
Sectarianism Is Eating Syria’s Transition Alive
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/sectariani...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/sectariani...
Sectarianism Is Eating Syria’s Transition Alive
If Syria’s leaders can't learn from the past, they will doom the future they claim to be building
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
July 16, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Sectarianism Is Eating Syria’s Transition Alive
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/sectariani...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/sectariani...
Should the U.S. Ban the Muslim Brotherhood? My friend and colleague @faisalalmutar and I examine the serious implications of such a step, and we recommend against it for a number of philosophical and practical reasons.
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/should-the...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/should-the...
Should the U.S. Ban the Muslim Brotherhood?
The push to ban the Muslim Brotherhood exposes the tension between national security and constitutional freedoms
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com
June 11, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Should the U.S. Ban the Muslim Brotherhood? My friend and colleague @faisalalmutar and I examine the serious implications of such a step, and we recommend against it for a number of philosophical and practical reasons.
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/should-the...
www.themiddleeastuncovered.com/p/should-the...
This was a goode event. The situation in Syria remains n flux, but there are reasons to be optimistic for the first time in decades.
youtu.be/0W2RWfzp4Lk?...
youtu.be/0W2RWfzp4Lk?...
"Syria: What Happens Next?" – Moderated by Jonathan Spyer | Statecraft Reimagined 2025
YouTube video by Middle East Forum
youtu.be
June 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This was a goode event. The situation in Syria remains n flux, but there are reasons to be optimistic for the first time in decades.
youtu.be/0W2RWfzp4Lk?...
youtu.be/0W2RWfzp4Lk?...
سوريا الجديدة تحتاج إلى تفكير جديد: في مقالي لـ "المجلة،" أطرح ضرورة فتح حوار مباشر بين السوريين والإسرائيليين — حوار صريح، استراتيجي، ومنطلق من مصلحة الطرفين. لن يكون الحوار سهلاً، لكن القبول بالوضع الحالي أصعب.
الحوار السوري – الإسرائيلي... ضرورة اللحظة وبناء الثقة www.majalla.com/node/325825
الحوار السوري – الإسرائيلي... ضرورة اللحظة وبناء الثقة www.majalla.com/node/325825
الحوار السوري – الإسرائيلي... ضرورة اللحظة وبناء الثقة
ينبغي أن يبدأ هذا التفاوض بأهداف محدودة وملموسة في الوقت نفسه لا تشمل أي منها التطبيع، أو الانضمام إلى "اتفاقات أبراهام"
www.majalla.com
June 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
سوريا الجديدة تحتاج إلى تفكير جديد: في مقالي لـ "المجلة،" أطرح ضرورة فتح حوار مباشر بين السوريين والإسرائيليين — حوار صريح، استراتيجي، ومنطلق من مصلحة الطرفين. لن يكون الحوار سهلاً، لكن القبول بالوضع الحالي أصعب.
الحوار السوري – الإسرائيلي... ضرورة اللحظة وبناء الثقة www.majalla.com/node/325825
الحوار السوري – الإسرائيلي... ضرورة اللحظة وبناء الثقة www.majalla.com/node/325825
A new Syria demands new thinking: In my latest for Al-Majalla, I argue that the time has come for a direct Syrian-Israeli dialogue—honest, strategic, and rooted in mutual interest. It won’t be easy, but neither is the status quo.
Read the full piece: en.majalla.com/node/325820/...
Read the full piece: en.majalla.com/node/325820/...
It’s time for Syrian-Israeli dialogue
Syria's future will be forged through difficult decisions. And right now, what's best is to talk with Israel.
en.majalla.com
June 1, 2025 at 3:37 PM
A new Syria demands new thinking: In my latest for Al-Majalla, I argue that the time has come for a direct Syrian-Israeli dialogue—honest, strategic, and rooted in mutual interest. It won’t be easy, but neither is the status quo.
Read the full piece: en.majalla.com/node/325820/...
Read the full piece: en.majalla.com/node/325820/...
Syria post Assad: What Next? – SPME - spme.org/activities/s...
Syria post Assad: What Next?
Ammar Abdulhamid is a Syrian-American author and pro-democracy activist. Exiled from Syria in 2005 for his criticism of the Assad regime, Ammar has since become a prominent voice for democratic reform...
spme.org
January 31, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Syria post Assad: What Next? – SPME - spme.org/activities/s...
For my latest take on Syria's transition, you can listen in on this podcast with my dear friend Dr. Paul Williams founder of the Public Law and Policy Group.
youtu.be/z00jPr7E4yg?...
youtu.be/z00jPr7E4yg?...
Ammar Abdulhamid on Syria’s Transition: Democracy, Civil Society, and International Engagement
YouTube video by PILPG
youtu.be
January 28, 2025 at 6:21 PM
For my latest take on Syria's transition, you can listen in on this podcast with my dear friend Dr. Paul Williams founder of the Public Law and Policy Group.
youtu.be/z00jPr7E4yg?...
youtu.be/z00jPr7E4yg?...
The European Union’s decision to suspend sanctions on Syria for one year is a significant step toward potential permanent relief, promising positive impacts on Syrians’ daily lives and sustainable development. 1/2
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
EU is about to suspend sanctions on Syria. How many are in place?
Under Assad, Syria became one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world. After Assad, the EU wants to inject fresh dynamism. #EuropeNews
www.euronews.com
January 27, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The European Union’s decision to suspend sanctions on Syria for one year is a significant step toward potential permanent relief, promising positive impacts on Syrians’ daily lives and sustainable development. 1/2
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
This marks a historic milestone: for the first time, Syria has a presence at the World Economic Forum, represented by the caretaker Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani. 1/
www.youtube.com/live/Pnwd91t...
A Conversation with Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria
YouTube video by World Economic Forum
www.youtube.com
January 22, 2025 at 5:25 PM
This marks a historic milestone: for the first time, Syria has a presence at the World Economic Forum, represented by the caretaker Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani. 1/
www.youtube.com/live/Pnwd91t...
لقائي مع ماهر غبرة في بودكاست "بالعربي" يتناول قضية رفع العقوبات على سوريا، ومعالم المرحلة الانتقالية فيها، علاوة على أوجه التشابه ما بين الحركة التصحيحية في 1973 والحركة التحريرية اليوم.
youtu.be/WpfikbFczfA?...
youtu.be/WpfikbFczfA?...
الإدارة الانتقالية في سوريا وإشكالية رفع العقوبات.. مع الناشط والمحلل السوري عمار عبد الحميد
YouTube video by بيت الحكمة 2.0
youtu.be
January 20, 2025 at 3:00 PM
لقائي مع ماهر غبرة في بودكاست "بالعربي" يتناول قضية رفع العقوبات على سوريا، ومعالم المرحلة الانتقالية فيها، علاوة على أوجه التشابه ما بين الحركة التصحيحية في 1973 والحركة التحريرية اليوم.
youtu.be/WpfikbFczfA?...
youtu.be/WpfikbFczfA?...
My latest article in The Hill explores parallels between developments during Hafiz Al-Assad's Corrective Movement and Syria's current transitional phase. 1/2
Lessons from Syria’s volatile past for its uncertain future - thehill.com/opinion/inte...
Lessons from Syria’s volatile past for its uncertain future - thehill.com/opinion/inte...
Lessons from Syria’s volatile past for its uncertain future
Syria has faced such transitions before. Unless secular, pro-democracy advocates learn from the past, we risk falling into the same traps.
thehill.com
January 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
My latest article in The Hill explores parallels between developments during Hafiz Al-Assad's Corrective Movement and Syria's current transitional phase. 1/2
Lessons from Syria’s volatile past for its uncertain future - thehill.com/opinion/inte...
Lessons from Syria’s volatile past for its uncertain future - thehill.com/opinion/inte...
Below is my article published earlier today by the Lawfare Institute. It deals with Syria’s Islamists, secularists and evolving communal dynamics in the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime.
go.shr.lc/4h7ynjr
go.shr.lc/4h7ynjr
Syria’s Communal Diversity and the Challenges of Transition
As HTS leads efforts to rebuild Syria, it must contend with sectarian tensions, uncertain governance, and the need for inclusive peace.
go.shr.lc
January 8, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Below is my article published earlier today by the Lawfare Institute. It deals with Syria’s Islamists, secularists and evolving communal dynamics in the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime.
go.shr.lc/4h7ynjr
go.shr.lc/4h7ynjr
I believe a four-year wait before holding elections is not unreasonable, as long as the transitional government is sufficiently diverse and the interim governance structure remains responsive to criticism while respecting basic human rights. 1/
In his first comments on a possible timeline for key phases of the country’s political transition, Ahmed al-Sharaa said 'any valid elections will require a comprehensive population census' www.ft.com/content/bf11...
December 29, 2024 at 3:40 PM
I believe a four-year wait before holding elections is not unreasonable, as long as the transitional government is sufficiently diverse and the interim governance structure remains responsive to criticism while respecting basic human rights. 1/
Since the liberation, the prices of basic goods in Damascus have dropped by as much as 50%, due to the removal of the exorbitant taxes previously imposed by the regime. This immediate improvement in living conditions serves as a stark indicator of just how corrupt the defunct system was. #Syria
December 27, 2024 at 4:41 PM
Since the liberation, the prices of basic goods in Damascus have dropped by as much as 50%, due to the removal of the exorbitant taxes previously imposed by the regime. This immediate improvement in living conditions serves as a stark indicator of just how corrupt the defunct system was. #Syria
I was sipping my cardamom tea while writing this article for @newlinesmag.bsky.social, exploring the subtle—and not so subtle—implications of the ongoing debate about the future of alcohol consumption in Syria. Spoiler alert: it's about far more than just a drink.
newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...
The Not-So-Frivolous Debate About Alcohol in Syria
It is neither premature nor petty to raise the question of drink, which strikes at the core of discussions about the nature of the new Syrian state
newlinesmag.com
December 27, 2024 at 4:07 PM
I was sipping my cardamom tea while writing this article for @newlinesmag.bsky.social, exploring the subtle—and not so subtle—implications of the ongoing debate about the future of alcohol consumption in Syria. Spoiler alert: it's about far more than just a drink.
newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...
Reposted by Ammar
The alcohol question is not a frivolous one - it strikes at the core of the debate about the nature of Syria's new state, argues @theactualammar.bsky.social in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...
newlinesmag.com
December 27, 2024 at 1:33 PM
The alcohol question is not a frivolous one - it strikes at the core of the debate about the nature of Syria's new state, argues @theactualammar.bsky.social in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...
Public protests and demonstrations are not the only avenue for expressing grievances. Perhaps it's time to repurpose the cultural centers originally established under Assad's Baath Party into public forums where citizens can gather to discuss current developments and future course of the country 1/2
December 25, 2024 at 7:13 PM
Public protests and demonstrations are not the only avenue for expressing grievances. Perhaps it's time to repurpose the cultural centers originally established under Assad's Baath Party into public forums where citizens can gather to discuss current developments and future course of the country 1/2
الاحتجاجات والمظاهرات العامة ليست الوسيلة الوحيدة للتعبير عن المظالم. ربما حان الوقت لإعادة تخصيص المراكز الثقافية التي أنشأها حزب البعث في عهد الأسد - والتي كانت تُستخدم لنشر أيديولوجيته السامة - إلى منتديات عامة يمكن أن يجتمع فيها المواطنون لمناقشة التطورات الحالية ومسار البلاد المستقبلي. 1/2
December 25, 2024 at 7:12 PM
الاحتجاجات والمظاهرات العامة ليست الوسيلة الوحيدة للتعبير عن المظالم. ربما حان الوقت لإعادة تخصيص المراكز الثقافية التي أنشأها حزب البعث في عهد الأسد - والتي كانت تُستخدم لنشر أيديولوجيته السامة - إلى منتديات عامة يمكن أن يجتمع فيها المواطنون لمناقشة التطورات الحالية ومسار البلاد المستقبلي. 1/2
At this critical juncture, forming an inter-communal, inter-regional council of elders could be a transformative step. Such a council could travel across the country, engaging with local communities, addressing their concerns, and relaying those concerns to the authorities. 1/2
December 25, 2024 at 5:41 PM
At this critical juncture, forming an inter-communal, inter-regional council of elders could be a transformative step. Such a council could travel across the country, engaging with local communities, addressing their concerns, and relaying those concerns to the authorities. 1/2
Another pivotal moment is unfolding before our eyes. While its pace might seem slow compared to the rapid developments in Syria, this is, in reality, a fast-moving situation. The military junta that has ruled Myanmar since 1962 appears to be on its last legs. 1/2
December 23, 2024 at 6:13 PM
Another pivotal moment is unfolding before our eyes. While its pace might seem slow compared to the rapid developments in Syria, this is, in reality, a fast-moving situation. The military junta that has ruled Myanmar since 1962 appears to be on its last legs. 1/2