On Olives and Sake

I am not writing. I am less than inspired, and less than content. But it was difficult for me to cross off the nausea this time. You learn to turn your eyes, arm yourself with that tiny bit of hope and that growing sense of detachment, and cross off the “little things.” But little things have greater meanings.

من المقرر أن يقوم مجلس الوزراء بإحالة مشروع قانون بدل الخدمة العسكرية للجامعيين داخل سورية إلى مجلس الشعب خلال وقت قصير.

وتشير المعلومات أن مشروع القانون اقترح عدة أشكال لدفع البدل استناداً إلى العمر أي حسب عدد سنوات الدراسة والتحصيل العالي إن وجد..وستكون قيمة البدل المقترحة 300- 400- 500 ألف حسب الفئة.

The government is proposing a monetary fee for those who want to avoid spending 18 months in Military Service. The proposed fee is allegedly between USD 6000-10000.

Let’s start with the obvious question to all my Syrian readers. How many fresh university graduates who have an extra USD 6000-10000 lying around, do you know? This, in a country where an engineer’s starting salary is well under USD 150. Is it plausible to ask, then, for whom exactly is this new legislation?

There are very few people who disagree about the disastrous state of our armed forces in general, let alone the absurdity and cynicism in our National Military Service program. A program that does little more than wipe off 18 months of your youth. My best friend’s brother graduated with excellence as a civil engineer, and he was shipped to the army soon after. For the next two years, the only stories we heard were of him and his friends being abused/abusing fresh recruits. It might be funny to hear the story of him ordering his infantry to search the yard, for two hours under the scorching sun, for 2 male and female ants. But, is it really?

What explanation do you have for such an outrageous legislation? The poorest people of this country are expected to send their sons to serve this army, which supposedly defends our nation, while the well-off can just buy it off? What logic, what disgustingly blatant and abhorrent discrimination is this? For anyone who still has doubts as to whom this “reform” movement benefits, that’s your answer. A spit in the face of all of them who serve, is what this is.

They used to be able to bribe someone (ironically, for almost exactly the same amount), and the government just goes and legalize it. Only in Syria, you fight corruption by systematically legalizing and sponsoring it.

And it’s not like we have no option. We do, many of them; reform it and make it mandatory (for everyone), cancel this charade, or find other ways where these qualified people can better serve this country.

It’s not rocket science. Community service programs as a replacement for military service are applied, with utmost success, in many countries around the world. We’re not asking them to split the atom.

Yes, we all enjoy a free public school system, free health care (say, what you want about the deteriorating quality, it’s free), and we have to give back. Nobody argues with that. Let us help this hapless place.

I happen to be an only child (and thus, relieved from military service), but if I was asked to spend 2 years after graduation doing volunteer community service in areas I am qualified in, I’d gladly oblige. But, this?

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

Bob Dylan – Masters of War