Syria: From Revolution From Below to Holy War (Jihad) 2011-2018

The aim of this book is to provide missing details of the Syrian revolution in 2011, and to clear up the prevailing misconception about the war in Syria. I offer in this book a different approach to observing the Syrian revolution by dividing it into phases, and using more precise terms. Thus I have divided the Syrian revolution into three phases:1) Revolution from below, where popular and peaceful uprising was the mainstream character of the Syrian revolution; 2) Internal war, where mutual violence was spread formally and nationally after the formation of the Free Syrian Army (FSA); 3) Holy war (Jihad), where most revolutionaries have turned into national Jihadists accompanied with the arrival of global Jihadists to Syria to fight the Assad regime, and to establish the Islamic State (Caliphate). Furthermore, the rising and elapse of ISIS is investigated comprehensively in this book. I use the term internal war rather than civil war in order to be more specific in analyzing the war in Syria. Also, the international relations of the Syrian revolution occupies considerable part of this book. The behavior of states and sub-state actors regionally and internationally, and the stance of the international organizations towards the Syrian revolution are critically examined. In addition, the massacres and war crimes which have been committed by Bashar Assad, Iran, and their militias against the people in Syria are well documented in this book.