Over the past 25 days or so, many people in the Arab world have had their attention distracted from the details of the Syrian revolution, instead being preoccupied with the eight day war in Gaza and the coup perpetuated by the Egyptian president. However despite this, the Syrian revolution is well and is on the right path, which will end soon with the ouster of the tyrant of Damascus.

The Syrian revolution is well for a number of reasons, most importantly because the Syrians have confirmed that the resistance is not just a lie propagated by the al-Assad regime, but also by Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. The eight day war in Gaza demonstrated that Hamas only cares about clinging to power, as today it wants to implement the principle of “peace for governance”, rather than “peace for land”. The only thing that Khalid Mishal is concerned about is being an alternative to Mahmoud Abbas, and this is something that is apparent in Mishal’s own statements. This is made even clearer in Mahmoud al-Zahar’s recent statement in which he said that if Abbas were to visit Gaza he would be arrested! This reveals the extent of the conflict within Hamas itself, but that is another story, however this also serves as a reminder to all those who are not interested in the facts. The Syrian revolution is well because the Syrians have confirmed that Hamas and Hezbollah – regardless of what they themselves say – are allies of Iran, which is supporting Bashar al-Assad with arms and funds to kill them on a daily basis, particularly as the Syrian death toll has reached 40,000.

The Syrian revolution is well because al-Assad has not been able to exploit this period during which the media and the entire world – including much of the Arab world – has been preoccupied with the eight day war in Gaza or the Egyptian coup. Rather, the Syrian rebels have continued to advance towards Damascus, whilst al-Assad is more trapped than ever before. As for Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, they have been unable to change the equation on the ground. In fact, the Syrians, with all their strength and blood, have been able to fight and advance, day after day, to besiege the tyrant’s palace. Now we see sites, critical for al-Assad regime’s forces, falling one after another into the hands of the rebels, whilst they are also achieving political successes day after day, with the Arab world and Europe. As for the symbols of the al-Assad regime – from Farouk al-Sharaa to Walid Muallem to Bouthaina Shaaban – they have all been struck dumb and are clearly confused.

The Syrian revolution is well because it is attaining its objectives and has exposed all the cards in our region, turning the magic back on the magicians. It exposed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Tunisia, and revealed the consequences of exclusion in Iraq. For his part, Iraq’s Nouri al-Maliki also tried to exploit the Arab preoccupation with Gaza and Egypt to crack down on the Kurds. It has become clear to the Syrians that there is no room for exclusion or the predominance of any one section of society or party, whether we are talking about the Muslim Brotherhood, the military or a faction attributed to this side or that. Therefore the Syrians will either topple al-Assad and join the Arab troublemakers and latecomers, or they can begin where the others in Arab Spring states have left off, and those in Iraq prior to that. The ball is in the court of the Syrian revolutionary forces, and they have no excuse, for they cannot claim to lack experience or advice, for everybody around them in the Arab world is telling them to be better and consider others, particularly as the game is now being played openly. The constitution must come first, not exclusion. This is why the Syrian revolution is well, and all that we are waiting for now is the toppling of the tyrant Bashar al-Assad, and this is now closer than ever before.