For decades, any Syrian daring to broach political topics got used to speaking in hushed tones and with a watchful eye trained for a listener among the crowd."There were spies everywhere," Mohannad al-Katee said in Al-Rawda cafe in Damascus, adding almost in disbelief: "It's the first time that I sit in a cafe and I can talk about politics."It was a dream for Syrians," said Katee, 42, a researcher in political and social history.Until now, he like thousands of others had grown accustomed to watching for the proverbial flies on the walls of Damascus's renowned cafes.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: For the first time, Syrians 'not afraid' to talk politics
