Link Salad, the Damascene Edition
Some of what I've been reading
— The Dictator’s Team - Steve Fainaru, ESPN the Magazine, May 11, 2017
“Syria's presence on the World Cup scene has created a moral conflict not only for FIFA but also for players and fans. Hundreds of Syrian players have fled to neighboring countries and Europe. They include players who, like Firas al-Khatib, have refused to represent the regime. One, defender Firas al-Ali, made a dramatic predawn escape from the national team during training camp and fled the country, shortly after learning that his 13-year-old cousin had been killed in a government attack.”
— Syria, After the Fall of Assad, Reawakens From Its Half-Century Nightmare - Janine di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, May 22, 2025
“In late winter, with snow still on the mountains, I crossed the border from Lebanon into Syria. The cheerful man at passport control smiled and said, “You have not been in Damascus since 2012. I understand why.” This was code, meaning that my name was on a list. He verified what I already knew: Had I crossed this same border in earlier days, I would have been imprisoned, or worse. Later, I asked the Alawite driver accompanying me—a man who had worked for the regime by listening in on people’s telephone calls—if he could find out which branch of the secret service had wanted me. “Better not to know,” he said.”
Current reading: Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller - Ron Chernow
Currently listening: Ace Trumpets - Clipse