Journalists unfamiliar with the area used to undermine the possibility of improving Syrian - NATO relations. But nowadays most U.S. and global news channels are presenting a balanced perspective that’s optimistic for Syria’s future with all other countries. This writer believes peace and love are the courageous right decisions for all nations. Europe would particularly benefit from peace, love and long overdue generosity towards Syria. The Syrian people have contributed more to other countries than they have received for too many years. The Syrian people are tremendously capable. Syria is a loyal alliance for Russia but has maintained perfect peace with NATO, as is obvious from the government’s exemplary relations with bordering NATO-member Turkey.

President Bashar al-Assad initially modeled Syria after European countries, such as with voting and a western economic system. And he made the country very successful. However, Syrians were forced by their subsequent exclusion from NATO's banking system into helping each other any way that they can. The country developed an internal economic system that can be used similarly to NATO’s external one. But the mindset within the country became very different as a result of their temporary lack of a transactional system. The population became successful giving generously to one another. They are generous, without expecting anything immediately in return, for selfless reasons (because it’s the right thing to do), and because each individual desires inclusion within the best groups of people around. The best groups behave very generously within and between their populations. People create the most safety and pleasure for each other because they realize that they enhance their own enjoyment and success this way. Syrians strive to be around great people who are thoughtful and helpful in return. (People living in kibbutzim in Israel behave very similarly.)

This may sound inefficient to western "laissez faire" economists who can't imagine people compassionately helping one another without currency exchanging hands. But Syrians do just that, and advance far more quickly than populations do in western countries as a result. The Syrian economy is more successful for the people there than most external ones. Syrians don't go without basic necessities while people in other countries sometimes do. They lift each other up the moment that’s necessary. Syrians also teach one another anything and almost everything (within the limits of reason and safety) generously in a free and open exchange of ideas. Syrians therefore develop intellectually much faster than people elsewhere because they're continuously thinking about things together, and sharing excellent ideas and perspectives among themselves. Syrians aren't viewed as intellectuals by people in "competing" nations but are far more sophisticated than is understood. This will provide a tremendous opportunity for other "competing" populations that eventually integrate with Syrians. Syrians can't resist helping each other, and may feel the same way towards everyone.

Syrians are free. The population can say anything to one another as long as each individual doesn't impose unnecessarily upon another person in the area, when the possibility of exclusion from a great and generous group seems so unimaginable that communication usually improves precipitously. Respect for women’s, religious and minority rights works the same way. People in all minority groups receive the same respect as people in majority ones. People of all faiths pray openly and safely because everyone cares deeply about how others feel towards them. People are very sensitive there to give the same form of behavior that each wishes to receive.

The Foreign Minister of Syria Bassam Sabbahg seeks peace for Israel and Lebanon so that Syrian borders will be respected. And he hopes diplomacy will return the Golan Heights to Syria. He patterned peace at the United Nations in September 2023 (see video below). Then he went on to quote the U.N. charter in his September 2024 presentation there, saying he believes in, “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations."

All of the Islamic countries in the Middle East consider themselves Suni and Shia, meaning they are all peaceful Islamic countries. The words "salam" and "Islam" literally mean "peace" and "submissiveness." (Linguistics are equivalently peaceful and submissive in Israel because the words are used there with similar frequency.) Islamic people rarely challenge one another. The most common greeting in most Islamic countries is “as-salamu alaykum," which means, “I feel peaceful towards you.”  (These words are spoken in Arabic perhaps because Jesus - an important Muslim prophet - spoke them to his apostles in the Christian Bible.) So people throughout the region pattern peace to one another all of the time.

Syria usually aligns most closely with Shia countries but is at peace with the Suni ones in the region as well. This didn't used to be true. But the Syrian government recently recognized the legitimacy of the Saudi Arabian government. There are consequently now optimistic diplomatic relations for Syria with all Islamic countries in the region.

The only government Syria doesn't currently recognize is the Jewish one in Israel. This is because Syria is sympathetic to Palestinians. Syria insists Palestine and Israel reach a peace accord before Syria opens up peaceful optimistic diplomacy with Israel. The Syrian government also owns the Golan Heights, an area presently occupied by Israel militarily, which can become fertile farmland for either country eventually. As a practical matter, Muslims can already settle in the Golan Heights as easily as Jews, because there are no restrictions on developing Muslim housing areas in Israel. But Syria has requested that the region be returned to Syrian Muslims.

It's possible improving Syrian-Israeli relations may occur gradually. But it’s also possible that phenomenal relations could develop quickly, because the Palestinian and Israeli governments have already declared that they are at peace with each other, and are now simply working out the details. The United States is encouraging this progress through generosity to both the Palestinian and Syrian governments. Both are benefitting from U.S. outreach. So both the Syrian and Israeli governments might cease deterring each other at any time, and choose reassurance, peace and generosity towards one another instead. The populations are clearly hoping for this result. It wouldn't take much progress for there to only be "joy, love, peace and generosity" in relations between all countries and populations (forever).