Friendship After War and Revolution
In this PBS NewsHour essay, Elliot Ackerman reflects on the Syrian civil war, the collapse of the Arab Spring, and the unexpected friendship he formed with a Syrian activist named Abed.
Shared Disillusionment
After completing his final deployment to Afghanistan, Ackerman returned to the Middle East as a journalist. He initially expected his background as a Marine to create distance between him and former Syrian revolutionaries. Instead, he discovered a shared struggle to reconcile the ideals that drew them into conflict with the destruction that followed.
Building a New Life
Ackerman recounts serving as the sole witness from the groom’s side at Abed’s wedding in Switzerland. The moment becomes a symbol of two men rebuilding their lives after war and revolution altered the worlds they once knew.
Watch the PBS NewsHour Essay
Originally aired on PBS NewsHour, the essay examines war, friendship, political violence, displacement, and the difficult work of beginning again.