EA Audio: James Miller on Opposition Leadership & Failure of Ceasefires

On Monday, EA's James Miller spoke with Monocle 24 about the breakdown of the Eid ceasefire. The conclusion - ceasefires will not work, and the violence inside Syria's capital is becoming asymetric and increasingly dangerous as a result of air raids, battles, and car bombs. This is a direct link to the audio, which starts after the 1 hour 10 minute mark.

This morning, James spoke to Monocle 24 about Hillary Clinton's attempts to create a new transitional Syrian opposition leadership. We discuss Clinton's strong language, her disappointment at the direction of the Syrian National Council (SNC), and the possible direction of both the Syrian opposition leadership and the US involvement in the conflict. The conversation starts at the 6 minute mark.

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Syria Snap Analysis: Lessons from the Resignation of the Syrian National Council's Burhan Ghalioun

See also Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Assad Says, "No Chaos, Please"

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The crisis marches on, regardless of how well, or poorly, things go in the expatriate community. Politically, the status quo is unlikely to change in the near-future. Do the Syrians, or the international actors, really want to latch their entire plan to end the crisis on a strong, officially-recognised leadership? If so, how will that plan adapt if the Syrian crisis deepens, or even closes in on a conclusion, before the legitimacy of that leadership is established inside the country?

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