Towards Breaking the Inertia of Waiting

Our country is passing through one of its most dangerous stages today; not only due to the scale of destruction that has afflicted the infrastructure and the social fabric, but because of the state of “political paralysis” and “deadly waiting” that has cast a shadow over most democratic and radical political and social forces. The current scene suggests that most are standing by, waiting for a miracle, an international resolution, or an initiative from an authority that, throughout its history, has mastered nothing but the language of bullets and detention centers. We in “The Front Line,” from our position of total bias toward the interests of the toiling masses, believe that this silence and paralysis are nothing but a gradual surrender to the maps of “power-sharing” (Muhaṣaṣa) being drawn over the remains of our homeland by intervening imperialist powers and their proxies.

Why Have We Reached This Paralysis?

The state of anticipation paralyzing relative political and social movement today is not a coincidence; it is the product of a combination of structural and repressive factors. The machinery of tyranny, supported by multiple occupations, has worked to turn Syria into a political “scorched earth” and, to some extent, has caused the disintegration and decay of the social fabric. The sidelining of genuine revolutionary parties and organizations over the past years was not merely a result of the war, but a strategic goal for the regime and all counter-revolutionary forces alike.

Added to this is the “compounded oppression” experienced by the Syrian individual: oppression resulting from the bloody defeat of the popular revolution and international conspiracy, and daily livelihood oppression that turns securing a loaf of bread into a battle that consumes all energy, alongside a social fragmentation that worsens every day. This systematic exhaustion has led to a decline in the capacity for collective thought and action regarding political and social solutions, pushing broad sectors toward individualism or migration.

We cannot overlook the sinister role played by the “NGO-ization” (NGOization) mentality. These organizations, with their conditioned funding, have succeeded in absorbing active young cadres and transforming the struggle from a transformative act resisting the catastrophe—aiming to shift the balance of power in favor of the people—into technical “projects” and workshops isolated from social reality and the needs of the masses. They deluded people into thinking they were fighting for their interests, while in reality, they were contributing to the domestication of political consciousness and linking it to the agendas of donors whose vision for Syria does not exceed “conflict management” rather than resolution, seeking to control active Syrian parties.

The Illusion of Betting on the Regime or External Intervention

The real tragedy lies in the fact that a wide spectrum of political and social gatherings outside the regime still mortgage their movement, awaiting an initiative from the regime to call upon them. What illusion makes us wait for a regime that built its legitimacy on corpses and violence to open a door for genuine national dialogue? The authority in Damascus, with its structural incapacity, its class and ideological composition, and its complete dependence on foreign powers, has proven it is neither capable nor willing to engage in any political transition that touches the core of its class and security control.

As for international and regional powers, they are neither “fickle” nor neutral mediators; they are partners in the crime. The goal of external interventions (Russian, Iranian, Turkish, American, and Israeli) is to maintain the “status quo” as it is, ensuring they carve out the greatest amount of interest and influence. They are waiting for the right moment to divide what remains of our country and our people’s sovereignty, while Syrian blood and suffering remain merely bargaining chips on their tables.

The Roadmap: From Consultation and Coordination to the Constituent Assembly

In the Revolutionary Left Party, we believe that despite the dire circumstances, there are democratic and leftist forces, figures, and political/social gatherings capable of carrying a real rescue project. This starts by working to form a “Broad Democratic Front,” organically linked with regions that are, to varying degrees, outside the regime’s control—such as the Autonomous Administration, Suwayda, and the Coast. This front would impose itself as a difficult factor in the equation and work to wrest the right to self-determination through organized popular and political pressure, leading to the establishment of a “Constituent Assembly.” Its task would be to draft a democratic constitution that expresses the spirit, aspirations, and interests of the Syrian people in building a decentralized democratic republic, and to pave the way for a sovereign national dialogue conference that does not submit to foreign dictates.

However, so that these visions do not remain trapped in offices, we must break the wall of inertia. We address an explicit and direct call to all democratic and leftist forces and the parties mentioned above: If the path toward a founding meeting for the Front seems long, let us start immediately with the first step. We call for holding preliminary consultative meetings; encounters that do not necessarily aim for an immediate alliance, but rather to break the deadlock, exchange visions, coordinate field and demand-based positions, and create a solid nucleus that stands against attempts to liquidate the Syrian cause. Taking the initiative today is a revolutionary act par excellence; sitting and waiting for “international conditions to ripen” is political suicide and a betrayal of our people’s sacrifices.

No Substitute for Organization

History is not made by those who wait, but by those who dare to take the initiative in the darkest of times. The oppression we live through must be transformed into fuel for organization, and the destruction of our structures must be compensated for by building independent popular, labor, and political organizations.

“The Front Line” is not just a newspaper; it is a cry in the face of stagnation. We urge all comrades, patriots, democrats, and leftists to realize that the key to the solution is not in Washington, Moscow, Tehran, Ankara, or Tel Aviv, but in our ability to unite our ranks in a broad popular political and social democratic front that fights the battle for national, political, and social liberation side by side.

Let us break the shackles of waiting… Let us take the initiative now… Victory to the toiling masses, and glory to the martyrs of freedom.

Revolutionary Left Party in Syria
January 2026