Syria 2013 / Spain 1938

Two years into the Syrian civil war, one development seems to be taking place as the conflict goes on, which bears some comparison with what happened in the Spanish Civil War . In particular, we're looking at how the two sides tend to become ever more polarised, as a direct consequence of the increasing level of violence, with its dynamics of aggression and retribution.

The Spanish Civil War began as a reaction of a combination of forces (traditional conservatives and fascist-inspired elements, mainly) against the policies pursued by a left-wing government. As the war progressed, Anarchist communes sprung all over the Republic, and the Communist Party ended up taking over  the war effort. In the rebels' side, one of the generals leading the rebellion began to accumulate so much power that the process, with the personality cult that ensued, ended up alienating other more moderate elements in his camp (e.g., the supporters of a more or less constitutional monarchy).

In the Syrian conflict we at first welcomed an Arab Spring style rising, which two years later has seen yihadists and terrorists operating with the rebels, and yet more terrorists (most notably Iran-backed Hizbollah) joining forces with the regime. The Syrian situation is also similar to the Spanish in that in both cases one of the sides is so atomised as to seriously compromise its success. In 1937-1938 the republican camp in Spain saw bitter struggle between Anarchists and Communists, as well as between Moscow-led Stalinists against Trotskyites, not to mention the alienation of many supporters of democratic forms of government. Conversely, in Syria it is the rebels' side the one experiencing a paralyzing fragmentation along tribal, religious and ideological lines. I can easily imagine that many Syrian citizens, appalled at the bloodshed that has been unleashed, are now missing the peaceful days of the Assads' clan dictatorship. And who can blame them?