Betting on Bashar’s Expire Date; Russia Prevaricates; National Coalition Struggles

The Russians of said that the rebels may win, but that does not signify that they will roll over on Bashar. Moscow remains unwilling to recognize the new National Coalition, which would allow the US to take it to the Security Council of the UN for international recognition to replace Assad’s government. Such recognition would give the National Coalition much greater leverage over militias, because any loans, new passports, visas, etc. would all have to go through the new government. But that still seems far off.

Predictions of the Assad regime’s demise still seem iffy. The rebels have made great advances but they are far from taking Damascus. Assad is showing growing signs of desperation, but he faces a very fragmented rebel front.

NATO chief says regime in Syria is ‘approaching collapse,’ fall now ‘just a matter of time’.

King Abdullah of Jordan said that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad “can hold for two years at the military level, but not more than four months at the economic level.”

The king said that “Jordan was severely damaged as a result of frequent interruptions of Egyptian natural gas, which cost the state treasury about 5 billion Jordanian dinars [$7.04 billion],” stressing that the interruption of gas ”is the real reason behind the economic crisis plaguing the country.”

Syria’s Agony: The Photographs That Moved Them Most
Monday, December 10, 2012 | By TIME Photo Department |

Russia admits Assad may be ousted by Syrian opposition – Guardian
13 Dec 2012

Russia has acknowledged for the first time that the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is losing control of the country. “One must look the facts in the face: the tendency is that the regime and government of Syria is losing more and more control and more and more territory,” Mikhail Bogdanov, […]

Foreign Policy

Russia denied reports insisting its stance on Syria has not shifted and the foreign ministry reported Friday that Boganov had “issued no statements and given no special interviews in recent days.” Russia has maintained there must be a political solution to the conflict and have criticized the international recognition of the opposition coalition under Mouaz al-Khatib saying it is undermining diplomacy. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta approved sending two batteries of Patriot missiles and 400 military personnel to Turkey to protect its border with Syria. The U.S. batteries will add to four from Germany and the Netherlands in a NATO effort and are set to be operational by the end of January.

CNN’s Arwa Damon has a Syrian mother (whose father was the former Syrian prime minister Muhsin al-Barazi) – Vogue Mag

115 countries & 9 intl orgs (incl UNHCR & UNOCHA) attended today’s Friends mtg. $143m was pledged to #SOC to use as humanitarian aid.

Syria Deeply

Exclusive with US Ambassador Robert Ford on the decision to name Jabhat al Nusra a terror group, a look at What’s Next After Marrakesh with opposition architect Yaser Tabbara, and our first cross-post with the Council on Foreign Relations, an expert roundup asking What Should US Policy Be in Syria?

We also had a long talk with Joshua Landis on Assad, Alewites, and the future of Syria. 

Syrian People Not Swayed by New Coalition – al-Monitor

It is as though the Syrian public is fated to suffer from the weakness and fragmentation of an opposition that seeks to replace the regime, which has the most to gain from a transboundary division of the opposition. This comes at a time when optimism — which prevailed among the opposition masses after the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was created — has seemingly gone with the wind….

Wolfgang Danspeckgruber and Archbishop Mar Gregorios
Outline Strategy for Ending War in Syria in a Financial Times Editorial

A new Financial Times editorial by LISD Director, Wolfgang Danspeckgruber co-authored by Archbishop Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, the Syrian Orthodox Metropolit of Aleppo, on “Syria’s Agony Can End After All Parties Talk,” (FT.com registration required) discusses the role of the US, Russia, Iran, and China, as well as regional powers, in ending the war in Syria. The editorial outlines three critical steps necessary for ending the war. The three steps call for 1) an immediate ceasefire, 2) the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all Syrians, and 3) the beginnings of negotiations among domestic and international parties involved. Danspeckgruber and Mar Gregorios write, “The only effective way forward is an immediate, concerted, and unified international strategy that engages those whose interests have prolonged the battle thus far.”

As part of the international strategy, the authors also argue for the creation of a “Syria Contact Group” in a step similar to the Dayton Process and efforts to resolve the Yugoslav crisis in the 1990s. While urging concerted effort among global powers to facilitate a ceasefire in Syria and to mitigate regional spill-over of the conflict, Danspeckgruber and Mar Gregorios also note that any solution to the current crisis must be undertaken in cooperation with Syrians with an eye toward domestic political realities. “[S]teps by the international community should occur in tandem with an internal political process that is not only inclusive of all Syrians, but also led by Syrians,” they argue. “This includes religious leaders of all faiths, as these faith leaders ensure the continuation of a functioning societal fabric in Syria and help soften any radical rhetoric that may hold the political process hostage.”…..

Don’t Blame Obama for Syria
What’s happening in Syria is a tragedy. But John Hannah needs to recognize that the civil war was never ours to win or lose.
BY AARON DAVID MILLER | DECEMBER 14, 2012

Syria is a tragedy. Too much blood has flowed to imagine a negotiated transition and apparently not enough to warrant an effective intervention by a divided, cautious, and self-interested international community. And it may well be that the real struggle for Syria — the one that determines its future character — has yet to begin.

But to lay this bloody mess at President Barack Obama’s doorstep, as John Hannah (a guy I respect and admire) does in his recent post for FP, is both wrong and unfair.

I write this not so much in defense of Obama’s policies as in recognition of the cruel reality and terrible choices the United States has faced with regards to the Syrian uprising and civil war.

During this entire two-year debate on what Obama should or shouldn’t have done on Syria, I have yet to hear a single military strategy that the administration could have adopted that would have been feasible, effective, and consequential in altering the bloody arc of this crisis for the better….

Members of Assad’s Sect Blamed in Syria Killings
By LIAM STACK and HANIA MOURTADA
Published: December 12, 2012

Scores of Syrian civilians belonging to President Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect were killed Tuesday in the first known Alawite massacre since the Syrian conflict began. But the killings, in the village of Aqrab, happened under circumstances that remain unclear.

Rights organizations researching the massacre said Wednesday that members of the shabiha, a pro-government Alawite militia, were the killers. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad group based in Britain with a network of contacts inside Syria, said 125 to 150 civilians died.

The accusation, if confirmed, would be a shocking episode of Alawite-on-Alawite violence in a conflict punctuated by violence between sects.

Fred Hof

The United States’ former point person on Syria admits that there is practically no chance diplomacy will ever remove Bashar al-Assad.

Former Ambassador Frederic Hof told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday, “My sense is that this will be ultimately decided through force of arms on the ground” – despite the Obama administration’s reluctance to give heavy weapons to rebels.

Syria’s Local Leadership
DECEMBER 13, 2012 Hassan Hassan
Carnegie Foundation, Thursday, December 13, 2012

After the anti-regime uprising began in Syria almost two years ago, the role of community leaders inside the country is still largely unappreciated. Currently, the opposition’s political leaders include mostly either Syrians living abroad or people who claim to represent their communities. Efforts to form truly representative opposition bodies have so far focused on whether all religious, political and social groups are represented. But a more prudent approach would be to reach out to local leaders to help maintain law and order after the regime falls. Local figures that have influence over communities—whether tribal, ethnic, religious, or business—are already playing an increasingly important role in organizing and mobilizing their communities for a post-uprising Syria. This is already the case in the province of Deir Ezzor, a predominately tribal area in the eastern part of the country…..

The Syrian conflict: a war photographer’s story
Associated Press photographer Narciso Contreras describes the harrowing situation on the ground in Aleppo and tells the story behind some of his powerful images

A Syrian civilian falls down on the street after being shot in his stomac

A Syrian civilian falls down on the street after being shot by a Syrian army sniper

I have been covering the situation in Aleppo since August. When I first arrived here, I was taken to the Hullok and Hananu districts – areas that were subject to heavy bombing. Since then, I have known what to expect. It scared me.

My time is spent photographing the situation faced by civilians in Aleppo, how they cope with hardly anything and how they deal with their tragedy. There is no electricity, no petrol, there is a lack of bread. It is also now winter and the city is freezing.

The people here are divided over the war: some support the insurgency, some don’t. A large number of the population are desperate, they want this war to end; at least in the area controlled by the rebel fighters, which is constantly under heavy shelling and suffers from a lack of supplies. Most of the areas controlled by the rebels are working-class neighbourhoods. There is no place for them to go. They continue with their daily lives as far as they can, leaving everything in the hands of Allah. They call themselves martyrs and are open to sacrifice themselves.

The most brutal situation that I have witnessed has been the shelling of civilian neighbourhoods. It has been indiscriminate. The bombs and mortar artillery can land anywhere at any moment. It is too dangerous to dare to stand on the street for any length of time.

I once went to the hospital to photograph victims of the shelling. There was not enough space, so all the wounded and lifeless bodies were just lying on the floor. I felt dizzy when I saw one child lying on the floor, weeping, bleeding from his foot while holding a coin in his hand. He was injured while queuing for bread and a mortar hit the bakery. He was terrified. When his mother came to find him he opened his hand, giving back the coin and said, “Please mum, don’t send me out for bread again, I don’t want to go and buy bread any more.”

Vijay Prashad

My three part essay is now complete.
Part 1 is on Refugees:
Part 2 is on Neighbors:
Part 3 is on Western Plans:

Comments (231)


Ghufran said:

There is a problem when a sleuth of posts and threads are based on something that may have not happened ( ie a lie). Russian foreign ministry denied that the statement by Bogdanov ever took place. However, only an idiot would put all of his eggs in Assad’s basket, the argument today is not about Assad as much as how to include ” clean” regime elements and ” acceptable” alawites in the upcoming new political structure, it is fairly possible that Russia is now willing to put Assad’s future status on the table which will almost certainly exclude him from running again and may mean that he will not finish his current term. The attempts by extreme opposition members to have it all will only worsen the situation in Syria and kill any prospect of a peaceful end to this nightmare.
Rebels advances are real but the fire power of their opponents is real too, it is better for Syia that both parties swallow their pride and talk peace,I am not holding my breath waiting for this to happen.

December 14th, 2012, 10:30 am

 

Citizen said:

Not more than rubbish,soot !

December 14th, 2012, 10:41 am

 

Visitor said:

“However, only an idiot would put all of his eggs in Assad’s basket”

I didn’t know you are into chicken farming business!!

By the time you make up your mind to choose another basket, you may have no eggs left. So why don’t you just keep your remaining eggs in the same basket they have been all along?

December 14th, 2012, 11:03 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

Well I told you guys that Russians would stay bastards to the end.

December 14th, 2012, 11:23 am

 

SYR.EXPAT said:

Someone who should know better blurts this out:

“How ironic. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Moaz’s father, Sheikh Mohammed Abu al-Faraj al-Khatib, use to praise Hafez in his Eid sermons at the Omeyyades mosque?”

He conveniently omits the fact that praising the mass murderer Hafiz was obligatory. People had no choice. Merchants were forced to hang at least one photo of Dear Leader in their shops and students were forced to praise the pres.

I once met an man who used to be the imam of a small masjid in Syria. He told me that one time, he forgot to refer to the president in his Friday sermon. I don’t recall whether this was during the last years of Hafiz or the early years of Bashar. After the sermon, he was summoned to some security branch in that small town and, if I recall correctly, was slapped on the face and given a warning for not mentioning the president.

Additionally, many scholars used to pray for the president to be guided to the truth because if Allah guides him, everyone benefits. The free and dignified people of Syria did not hate Hafiz and Bashar because of who they are, but because of their actions.

December 14th, 2012, 12:51 pm

 

ghufran said:

there is no doubt that the regime humiliated syrians and increased poverty,among other things, and nobody can deny the fact that Syrians were sick and tired of those security thugs who counted the breaths of every Syrian and had little regard for human lives, the argument from day one was how to make Syria a better place by installing an elected accountable government, that goal in my judgement is not attainable under current circumstances, Syria is likely to undergo a prolong and bloody transformation process,which has started already, with an uncertain outcome, I happen to be one of those Syrians who think that the price tag is too high and that Syria will not be better off after all that destruction and loss of lives, people who warned against this uprising resorting to violence and terrorism to match the brutality and criminality of the regime were right, it does matter who has the higher moral ground, that holy ground does not exist any more.

December 14th, 2012, 1:19 pm

 

Altair said:

“The Israelis are nervous about the end of Assad. They liked their ambivalent dictator – he allowed them to brag about being “the only democracy in the Middle East” and he defended their border since 1973.” –Vijay Prishad

What Prishad says in his essay is very interesting, and I’m wondering what his source of information is in that regard.

So despite years of talking about confronting Israel, all the Asads really did was to protect it, since 1973. It is the ultimate irony, and the source of much confusion as to what is really happening in the Middle East. Nothing is what it seems, or is it?

So the fall of the Asads may actually put Syria back into a true resistance posture. Yet, they supported Hizbullah, which has been the most effective resistance to Israel. (By the way, I don’t really see why the fall of the regime should be a loss to Hizbullah: a more determined resistance force could emerge and logically a more determined force should seek Hizbullah’s cooperation, not needlessly creating another enemy).

We can only rely on facts, as faras we can know them. The truth is, the Syrian army under the Asads, since 1975 has been primarily used against its own people, or related people like the Palestinians or Lebanese or even Iraqis in 1991, while ensuring that their border with the occupied Jolan was probably the quietest in the region. Why?

There are maybe 500,000 Jolanis who still live in refugee camps like the Palestinians do. Does anyone remember hearing about them in the last decades?

It must give the Zionist leadership in Tel Aviv at least a bit of worry that all this conflict may result in a true popular Syrian army that will really confront them and their unending humiliations of their neighbors. These Syrians will be hardened by their experiences of the past 2 years.

And therein lies the silver lining.

December 14th, 2012, 1:21 pm

 

Brad said:

The NYT article “Members of Assad’s Sect Blamed in Syria Killings” is a bit of crude propaganda that should not receive further circulation.

Common-sensically this supposed “Alawite on Alawite” massacre doesn’t add up. The story is framed entirely from the perspective of FSA sources and FSA conducted interviews.

Does the following not appear as absurd propaganda?:

“Throughout the videos, members of the Free Syrian Army professed a commitment to religious pluralism and said the survivors of Aqrab were under their protection. “

December 14th, 2012, 1:36 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

Propaganda War on Syria Rages, 12/13/12, by Stephen Lendman
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/

Propaganda wars precede hot ones. Conflicts and other forms of violence are glorified in the name of peace. Doublespeak duplicity claim it. Wars are waged to prevent it.

Ongoing ones assure more ahead. Unconscionable death counts rise. America, Israel, key NATO partners, and regional allies bear full responsibility. Humanity hangs in the balance.

Humanitarian intervention and responsibility to protect (R2P) mask ravaging one country after another. Slaughter and mass destruction are called liberating struggles.

Plunder is for economic development. Exploitation and dominance are called democracy building. Media scoundrels invert truth for public support.

When America goes to war or plans them, they march obediently in lockstep. Administration, congressional and Pentagon propaganda get reported as news and information.

Big Lies make headlines. They’re repeated ad nauseam. Media scoundrels are so addicted to lying, perhaps their employment contracts mandate misinformation, deceit and distortion while avoiding truth at all cost.

What better way to explain scoundrel journalism. Fundamental good reporting principles are spurned. Ethical standards are ignored.

The history of sensationalism, yellow journalism, and lying about what matters most in America is long and sordid. It dates back centuries. Accurate reporting is most important when lives, human welfare, and perhaps humanity are on the line.

Television is worst of all. In a June 1950 commencement address, Boston University President Daniel Marsh said, “If the (television) craze continues….we are destined to have a nation of morons.”

Famed comedian Ernie Kovacs (1919 – 1962) once called it a medium because it’s neither rare or well done.

He’d be horrified by what goes on now. It fails on all counts. So do scoundrel print media. They give news, information, and opinion reporting bad names.

Long before television arrived, journalist Walter Lippmann called the public “the bewildered herd.” In policy matters, they’re considered “spectators,” not “participants.”

“The common interests elude public opinion entirely,” he said. That’s how it should be, he added.

America’s privileged class alone should manage policy. Only they need proper education and training. Treat others like mushrooms – well-watered and in the dark. Distract them with bread and circuses. Misinform them with managed and junk food news.

Media scoundrels betray the reading and viewing public. They’re best served by walking away, tuning out, and choosing credible sources for what they most need to know. Greater numbers now do it. One day perhaps everyone will.

Scoundrel media wars rage against Syria. People are being systematically lied to and manipulated to accept more war. Western-recruited proxies wage it no-holds barred. They specialize in gruesome atrocities. Managed news reports suppress them.

Full-scale intervention looms. It could happen anytime. Early next year looks most likely.

Global Research associate Julie Levesque highlights ” ‘chemical propaganda’ and fabricated evidence.” When threats don’t exist, they’re invented.

When headlined enough most people believe them. War followed hyping nonexistent Iraq WMDs for months. False claims precede all wars. They’re based on lies and deception. It happens every time.

No matter how often people are fooled, they’re easy to deceive again. They’re being prepared for full-scale war on Syria. It’s deja vu all over again.

Michel Chossudovsky highlighted the “Syria Chemical Weapons Saga.” Perhaps another “US-NATO Humanitarian Disaster” awaits. It’s likely given how often the same scenario played out earlier.

After detailed planning and implementation, it’s hard imagining Washington now going soft. Don’t expect it. It won’t happen. Before Syrian ravaging ends, it may exceed the worst of charnel house Libya.

With about four times the population, imagine the possible death, injury, and mass destruction toll. Imagine potential cutthroat killer Islamofascist rule replacing Assad governance most Syrians support.

Libya 2.0 on a much uglier scale looks possible. Chemical propaganda and other misreporting precede what looks likely.

Chossudovsky says people are being manipulated to believe “that a ‘frustrated’ and ‘desperate’ (Assad) is planning to use deadly chemical weapons against his own people.”

Doing so would be like putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. The possibility of using them internally is nil except perhaps against NATO foreign invaders. Even then it’s unlikely unless Western WMDs are used on Syrians.

Managed news reports invent the worst about Assad. Chossudovsky quoted NBC News claiming “Syria’s military has loaded nerve-gas chemicals into bombs and are awaiting final orders from al-Assad.”

Media hype rages “full gear.” “Fake reports” make headline news. We’ve heard it all before many times. It’s repeated because it works. Only the war theaters, heads of state, and fakery vary.

Otherwise it’s an old script rerun. Propaganda films follow at times. History is re-invented. Facts are turned on their head. Bad guys are them, not us. The worst of all possible worlds is called the best.

An ending too gruesome to imagine perhaps looms. Humanity may not survive. America’s imperium matters most. Those in charge go for broke, and let the devil take the hindmost.

That’s how imperial rogues think. Media scoundrels share responsibility. Thoughts of blood on their hands never enter their minds. Only wealth, power, privilege, dominance, and winner take all matter.

Body counts are a small price to pay. It’s hard imagining how these people were raised. Perhaps they forgot moral lessons taught. Maybe they remember but don’t care. It shows in what they support and tolerate.

Wednesday reports hyped Abbas firing scud missiles inside Syria. Western headlines feature it. Unnamed US officials are sources. Ones preferring anonymity lack credibility. So do journalists using them.

At issue isn’t whether scuds, other missiles or rockets are used. It’s implying use of or plans to use chemical weapons.

Reports follow scurrilous ones about Assad loading sarin nerve agents or other deadly chemicals in bombs. They also suggest intensified Assad belligerence. Implied is that more civilians in his line of fire are dying.

At her daily press briefing, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said:

“As the regime becomes more and more desperate, we see it resorting to increased lethality and more vicious weapons moving forward, and we have in recent days seen missiles deployed.”

She added that Washington is concerned about a weapon called a “barrel (incendiary) bomb.” She said it contains inflammable materials. Human Rights Watch claimed he used them. More on that below.

“It’s sort of a napalm-like thing and is completely indiscriminate in terms of civilians, so very, very concerning and indicative of the regime’s desperation and the regime’s brutality,” said Nuland.

What’s most “indicative” is ignoring America’s longstanding use of napalm, agent orange in Southeast Asia, biological and chemical poisons, depleted and enriched uranium weapons, as well as other illegal toxins. It’s official US policy in all wars Washington wages.

Large areas of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Vietnam and elsewhere America attacked aren’t safe to live it. Toxicity levels are too high. Uranium contamination is permanent.

No evidence whatever shows Assad uses chemical or other toxins. Suggesting he does or may hypes fear ahead of likely full-scale intervention.

On December 13, his Foreign and Expatriates Ministry “denied as untrue rumors about the Syrian Arab Army using Scud Missiles to confront the armed terrorist groups.”

It responded to falsely circulating claims. It named Turkey and partnered countries conspiring against Syria.

On December 12, Human Rights Watch (HRW) was back to its old tricks. It shills for US direct and proxy wars as well as others planned. It features anti-Assad propaganda. It headlined “Syria: Incendiary Weapons Used in Populated Areas.”

It claimed Assad used them “in at least four locations….since mid-November.” Anti-Assad witnesses said so. Unverified video footage was shown. It’s been fake before. It’s simple to do.

HRW admitted it’s “investigating unconfirmed reports of the use of incendiary weapons in (various) parts of Syria.” Proper analysis demands doing so first, finding clear evidence if it exists, then reporting the findings.

HRW so far has nothing more than dubious video evidence and suspect witnesses. They’re not named or identified. Numerous earlier reports were falsified.

No verifiable evidence suggests this one is legitimate. HRW’s last comment said “Syria is not known to be a producer or exporter of incendiary weapons.” It claims a stockpile of Soviet origin remains.

If any were obtained that long ago, their usefulness may have expired. Chemical and biological weapons lose potency over time. Their shelf life is limited. Perhaps it’s true also for incendiaries.

The New York Times was most responsible for misreporting on non-existent Iraq chemical weapons. Judith Miller’s rewritten daily front page Pentagon handouts proved effective propaganda.

Her writing became a weapon of mass destruction. She featured an entire Noah’s Ark of scam artists hyping fake threats. War followed. The “cradle of civilization” was destroyed.

Iraq is permanently occupied. Libya followed. Afghanistan boils. Syria looms. The Times plays the lead propaganda role. Miller is gone, but other disreputable writers replaced her. No shortage exists in Times Square or foreign venues.

On December 12, Michael Gordon and Eric Schmitt headlined “Syria Uses Scud Missiles in New Effort to Push Back Rebels.”

Both writers called a Western-generated foreign invasion a “civil war.” Nothing “civil” characterizes what’s going on. Neither one explained.

At least six “Soviet-designed” scuds were fired. They’re “not known for their precision.” Obama’s red line stresses using chemical weapons internally.

Assad may have calculated he “can resort to such lethal weapons without the fear of international intervention….”

Former Army intelligence officer Joseph Holliday was quoted saying he “views every weapon short of chemicals as fair game.”

He “escalated its use of force whenever the rebels’ strength has presented a significant challenge to the regime.”

The detailed article omitted heavy weapons supplied foreign fighters. It ignored their atrocities. They’re committed regularly. Pro-Assad loyalists are targeted. Civilian neighborhoods are raided. Slaughter follows. Neither writer explained.

Death squads are considered liberators. They’re not “rebels.” They’re foreign mercenary killers. They’re paid or otherwise enlisted to murder and destroy.

Their ranks are infested with Islamofascists. Syrians deplore what they represent. They have no say in what Washington plans. Nor do civilians in other US targeted countries.

Rogue states demand unchallenged dominance. Popular sentiment isn’t tolerated. Imperial wars rage. The entire region and beyond is threatened.

December 14th, 2012, 1:37 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

Russia Denies Bogdanov Made any Statement on Syria

More disinformation nonsense coming out of Israel?

http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=77036&cid=22&fromval=1&frid=22&seccatid=45&s1=1
Russia denied on Friday its top diplomat Mikhail Bogdanov made any statement on Syria, stressing its stance concerning the ongoing crisis in the Middle Eastern country.
“We would like to remark that he (Bogdanov) has made no statements or special interviews with journalists in the last days,” ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.
Media reported earlier on Thursday that the Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov told a meeting of the Public Chamber official oversight body that President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was losing more and more control of Syria.
Lukashevich confirmed that the hearing with the Social Chamber had taken place but said Bogdanov had “once again confirmed the principled Russian position about the lack of alternative to a political solution in Syria.”

December 14th, 2012, 1:41 pm

 

ghufran said:

A human disaster in Dayr Azzour:
قالت منظمة “أطباء بلا حدود”إن “القتال تسبب في محاصرة عشرات الالاف من السوريين في مدينة دير الزور، وان هناك حاجة عاجلة لفرق طبية يسمح لها بإجلاء الجرحى”
وقالت المنظمة إن “الحكومة السورية لم تسمح حتى الآن بنشر وكالات مساعدات دولية رغم الازمة الإنسانية المتنامية في سوريا لكنها ستواصل محاولة زيادة وجودها في البلاد لمساعدة الجرحى”.
وناشدت المنظمة، في بيان لها “الحكومة السماح بمساعدة طبية دولية محايدة وان تحترم كافة أطراف الصراع مثل هذه المساعدة”.
وقال منسق منظمة “أطباء بلا حدود” باتريك ويلاند ان “هناك نقصا في الامدادات الطبية وان فريقا صغيرا فقط من المسعفين السوريين تركوا داخل المدينة المحاصرة في شرق البلاد وان ستة اشهر من الصراع في دير الزور جعلت الاطباء منهكين”.
وقال ويلاند، الذي زار المنطقة، انه “يوجد الان مستشفى مؤقت واحد به أربعة أطباء بالمدينة التي تقع بالقرب من الحدود العراقية وكان يبلغ عدد سكانها في وقت من الاوقات نحو 600 ألف نسمة”.
وقام فريق من اطباء بلا حدود بزيارة غير رسمية لمناطق في دير الزور لكنه قال ان الاوضاع بالغة الخطورة بالنسبة لهم لكي يدخلوا المدينة الرئيسية، وزار الفريق مستشفيات عامة وخاصة وقال ان المباني تعج بالجرحى وبعضها به مئات المرضى.
وجاء في تقرير منظمة اطباء بلا حدود انه “رغم الدعم من منظمة الاطباء السوريين فان الامدادات الطبية يستحيل الحصول عليها وان القصف الجوي ونيران القناصة يجعل اجلاء مرضى على محفات مسألة بالغة الصعوبة.”
واضاف التقرير ان “النظام الصحي مستهدف والامدادات الطبية بما فيها أدوية التخدير ومشتقات الدم تنفد بينما عدد الجرحى مستمر في الارتفاع
وقال المنسق ان “مرضى وجرحى آخرين ارسلوا في رحلة تمتد 400 كيلومتر الى تركيا رغم ان دير الزور قريبة للغاية من الحدود العراقية لان تركيا فتحت نظام الرعاية الصحية بها للجرحى السوريين”.
ودعت المنظمة “الى اجلاء الجرحى والمرضى من مدينة دير الزور الى مواقع أكثر أمانا بموجب القانون الانساني”.
As for Aqrab massacre, the details that leaked from survivors and were posted by locals clearly show that the bloodbath in Aqrab was the work of rebels inspired by a local sheikh who warned the Jnaidyyas (a family of 300) after alfajr prayer that their day has come, that massacre left regime media speechless because it clearly shows:
1. the regime could not protect minorities in areas with a sunni majority
2. the claim that there is no civil war in Syria is a lie
To most, Aqrab massacre is a final reminder that rebels with guns can not and should not be trusted.

December 14th, 2012, 1:51 pm

 

revenire said:

The recent Russian brouhaha was quite amusing. Not placing a premium on truth the Western press certainly became agitated didn’t they? Today they are forced to recant and reframe their hysteria. We all had a good laugh about it. Anyone who thinks Russia will abandon Syria should seek mental help. The US and the West knew all along that Russia would not abandon Syria and made their press statements in an attempt to demoralize and confuse. It is a psyop game. Russia is quite aware of Western plans and operations.

On another note, it is quite funny to watch Obama and Israel supporting Moaz al-Khatib who called “Jews ‘gold worshippers’ and ‘the enemies of god,’ whilst himself praising Saddam Hussein for ‘terrifying the Jews.’ Khatib has also referred to Shia Muslims as ‘rejectionists’ and stated that they ‘establish lies and follow them.'” on his website (per Wikipeidia). Is this the “moderate” voice for the new democratic Syria? A man who supports Jabhat al-Nusra (same people who murdered American soldiers in Iraq)? Well done Obama. Al-Khatib represents no one.

It is easy to see that the West and Obama has been the biggest supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood dictatorships imposed by it’s “Arab Spring” game. Obviously the West has cast their lot with the Muslim Brotherhood against Syria-Iran-Hezbollah-Russia-China. My sources tell me this plan has failed to achieve its goals. The FSA could never beat the SAA without NATO intervention and the price for such an attack is higher than the West is willing to pay at this point.

December 14th, 2012, 2:07 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

I once met an man who used to be the imam of a small masjid in Syria. He told me that one time, he forgot to refer to the president in his Friday sermon. I don’t recall whether this was during the last years of Hafiz or the early years of Bashar. After the sermon, he was summoned to some security branch in that small town and, if I recall correctly, was slapped on the face and given a warning for not mentioning the president.

_________________________________________________________________

You see I really don’t have any sympathy to the crappy stories because I know Sunnis better. They are cheap whores MURTAZAKA, they will sing praise to anyone that will give them money or position. Missing on this bog here is the word “SUNNI ABUSE”. It is always about Hafez and his son, never about what the SUNNI precursor to Assad and what they did. Always excuses like, he has no choice, he was forced to be Prime Minister, He was threatened to run for Majlis Al Shaab, he was tortured by Hafez Mukhabrat to pay PAYOLA for that export license or shady government contract. Sunni always under Assad’s were forced to do all of it, they never chose willfully to do it or take it. No one of these Sunni Munafekeen have an answer to the fact that the Assad/s would not have been able to rule were not for the millions of Sunnis that helped them rule. To say that all by Alwaites or Minority abuses is a big dishonest and distorted lies. The Alwites represented small faction of the ruling Baath Party, the majority were SUNNI assholes mother*****rs. Not only that internal Sunni helped them, but all Sunni’s worldwide were big helpers.

Did you ever wonder why majority of Sunni today don’t see a problem with Assad Alawites rule, that is because they were horrified from 7 years rule by Sunni Muslim dictatorship before, it was a relief to have them jailed for life by Hafez, god bless his soul for that deed. I remember the huge outcome by Sunnis in Damascus at one theater where a Sunni Merchant purchased Hafez pistol for a million Lira donations, just to get on stage to shake Hafez Hand and thank him for getting rid of the bastards Sunnis that rained terror on citizens of all kind in Syria for Seven years.

Everyone have story to tell, they always re-tell it like urban legend, the same story repeated to different people in different city. I am not saying there are no abuse by the Assad’s, like extracting huge sum of money from my relative because his maid reported to mukhabrat that he left Hafez picture in the basement not hung in living room. But even at Syria’s consulate in Newport Beach, Shahabi never ever hung Bashar picture, for 5 years it was left over the old unused copy machine. But how do you like a military van park at your door and couple Mukhabrat drops in and take your mother to interrogation over a phrase heard on telephone spying, during cooking chat, about the “pot burned” when mother was talking to the wife of Hussaini High ranking Arkan military officer in Homs, The SHARMOOT ATASSI HAKIR (SUNNI BASTARD) sends in the mukhabrat in the middle of the night thinking “POT BURNED” has to do with his regime failing. That was my mother, and my father was dragged to mukhbrat dozens of time by the Sharmoot Sunni Atassi. Why abuse by SUNNI’s are never discuses here, why terror under Abdul Hamid Sarraj Mukhabrat never discussed, why terror under Jundi Secret Service is not an issue. It was so bad that Hafez shot him personally the rumor run.

And what we have today, all these bastards’ children, calling themselves “ opposition” and not only their subhuman evil Sunni father curses his soul destroyed Syria back then, the children are now completing the job.

If Assad puts the money SNP needs into our Russian bank accounts and reach a deal with SNP either to go for broke in all Syria, or setting up a new Republic (favorite) you f****rs are history. The black history of Syria.

December 14th, 2012, 2:37 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

13. ALDENDESHENSTEIN

“I know Sunnis better. They are cheap whores”

How cheap? Cheaper than a jewgirl who’s filed for bankrupcy? Cheaper than a filapina girl in a sailor dive? Cheaper than one of your sisters after Friday prayers?

December 14th, 2012, 10:46 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

It is hard for people without military experience to understand why Bashar Assad will never lose Damascus, unless he chose to take the new Republic on the coast option, leave it with his army and government and a whole bunch of people, which is my favorite option. His militay can hold on for years, protecting Damascus and relocation route to Homs and the coast, the new affluent Republic of Syria.

Why, because Syria will never be fixed, billions is not enough to fix it, needs hundreds of it, and none will be coming anytime this decade. He or others will have to rule over a place, when this end in 18 month or so, that is worse than what Somalia looks. No one vested a penny into that country yet and they will not in Syria.

By setting up on the coast a modern, Civil and Democratic Syrian Republic, non-Arab, non-sectarian, non Baathists, Syria will be salvaged in big way, far more than keeping it under Baathism, even if this foreign attack did not occur, Syria has degenerated into helpless state having bare existence with a bleak future, even before enemies attacked it.

New, smaller Syria with 4-5 million population of educated, artistic, wealthy, savvy businessmen and women, socially open, with huge potential for capital influx and repatriation, is far more viable state than one that comprises 30 millions of uneducated, untalented, unskilled, religious, backward, conservative, economically poor populations, with limited, even nonexistent resources and little if any capital influx, all living in a State that drought could not even feed its people bread.

Go for secular, democratic Smaller Syria on the Syrian Sea coast, keep the filth to rot in the desert. It will be no longer Syria’s problem, it is for the Arabs and Moslems to fix. They broke it, they fix it.

December 14th, 2012, 11:30 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Zoo said
Religious clerics and militaries should be banned from politics.
Point.

Does this apply to Iran too?

December 14th, 2012, 11:33 pm

 

Warren said:

Syrian Army May Have Set
Damascus Trap for Rebels

Ever since the beginning of the second round of “Operation Invasion of Damascus,” field information has been conflicting. At times, the news says that armed rebels have seized key positions in the Syrian capital, and at others, reports say that the Syrian army has set an ambush for the rebels, inflicting heavy damages within the ranks of the opposition.

More than two weeks into the clashes in the Rif Dimashq governorate, the fog began to lift on the facts behind the rebel “invasion.”

Apparently, the armed opposition — Jabhat al-Nusra in particular — suffered serious casualties.

According to information obtained by As-Safir from well-informed sources, the Syrian regime has known for weeks about the rebels’ plan to storm the capital, involving thousands of fighters of all nationalities. The plan was designed to take control of the towns of Harasta and Duma, which would serve as launching pad to attack Damascus.

The rebels sought to seize control of the town Jaramana after a series of bombings targeted its neighborhoods and surroundings as a way to displace residents.

Nevertheless, on the advice of an intelligence service — an ally of the Syrian regime — and in coordination with the Syrian army, a proactive plan was set to counter the attack that was supposed to take place on the morning of the first Saturday of December.

The key point of the plan was to lure militants into an early battle, dispersing their ranks and then striking them a fatal blow.

The weekly Russian Argumenti Nedeli newspaper recently revealed that “the Syrian army managed to launch the first attack on insurgents, dispersing their ranks with the help of Russian intelligence, which provided the regime with some advice on how to deal a proactive strike.”

A few days earlier, the Syrian regime carried out a tactical maneuver on the advice of the allied intelligence service, according to the following scenario: Strategic weapons were removed from their caches, giving a false impression that they were being transported to a safer place.

Meanwhile, foreign satellites, the United States’ in particular, recorded the Syrian army’s activities. This has sparked fears among the international community that Syrian forces are to use a special type of arms, while media leaks suggested the possible use of chemical weapons.

Enemies of the Syrian regime contributed to the promotion of this scenario, thinking that this would lead to a foreign intervention or pressure on the regime to settle for minimal political gains.

However, the chemical-weapons propaganda did not play out to the advantage of the militants; rather, it negatively affected their combat performance.

Other sources also indicated that the plan was designed to spread misleading information about widespread defections in the ranks of the Syrian regime’s forces protecting Damascus. Moreover, Syrian troops have been reported to be completely broken. Because of this, news spread about the downfall of key centers and bases in the capital and major desertions in the ranks of the army.

All this prompted militants to mobilize on the outskirts of the capital and launch an early attack. The rumors spread by the Syrian regime itself gave insurgents an incentive to attack Damascus immediately. What promoted the theory of the collapse of the Syrian army in the capital was the swift progress by rebels within a few days without having met any significant resistance, as the Syrian army had vacated a number of its military positions.

The maneuver was designed to cause a rift between militant groups and their supply lines.

According to the British The Independent newspaper, “The Syrian government has adopted a new strategy in recent weeks whereby it withdraws its troops from bases that are indefensible in order to concentrate them in Damascus and other cities it views as strategically crucial. This pull-back enabled the army to launch a successful counter offensive in the past week, relieving the military pressure on the capital and improving its negotiating position.

The newspaper also quoted a source in Damascus as saying that “The government says it made a strategic choice not to defend smaller outposts.”

Furthermore, sources indicated that the insurgents and their supporters were under the impression that the downfall of the regime was in sight. Thus, they launched their attack two days before schedule, on Thursday, Nov. 29, as the regime had planned for.

At the beginning of the attack, communications of all kinds broke down in the country, which was the first shock for the armed groups, who were unable to update each other on the progress of battles.

Sources described the assault on Damascus as the largest and most severe since the beginning of the Syrian crisis. Armed groups fell into the trap set by the Syrian troops, who have been receiving extensive training in Russia and Iran on how to launch counter offensives on armed gangs.

It must be noted that Russia and Iran have agreements with the Syrian region on strategic cooperation and exchange of technical and security expertise.

The battle included heavy shelling on rebel locations, dispersing their ranks over several areas. Syrian troops launched counterattacks from the east and the west at the same time, after luring rebels toward areas located at more than 40 km from the capital and 20 km from the their supply lines. This forced rebel groups to head to towns of Harasta and Duma, right under the regime’s fire, which was what the regime had planned.

Clashes were also raging along the front of Ghouta, in the eastern part of Damascus. The rebels’ force was depleted before they made it to the outskirts of the airport, especially in the towns of Haran al-Awamid, al-Delba, Sakka, Deir al-Asafir, al-Maliha, Babila, Damir, al-Hujaira and Khan el-Sheik.

Battles ended in the town of Daraya, where hundreds of militants were killed, some of whom were non-Syrians. According to sources, the death toll in the ranks of the armed groups is much higher than what has been reported in the media.

As for the days ahead, sources said the US has granted opposition rebels a period of one month to launch a third round of attacks on Damascus, in an attempt to make serious gains on the battlefield, which would contribute to boosting the conditions of the Russian-US settlement.

The settlement is set to come into force by the end of January, based on the agreement reached in Geneva.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/01/12/syrian-army-changes-its-military.html#ixzz2F5wxDG6c

__________________________________________________________________

Another win for the Syrian Army against the wretched sooonite rodents!

December 15th, 2012, 12:21 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

Religious clerics and militaries should be banned from politics.Does this apply to Iran too?
_________________________________________________________________

Yes Shia clerics and military should be removed from state affair in Iran. Jews, and Zionist clerics, as well as military industrial complex and corporatism should be removed from state affairs of the United States. Kings in Arabia and oil interests should be removed from running a state.

December 15th, 2012, 12:44 am

 

Warren said:

Gay-friendly ‘mosque’ opens in Paris

A prayer room described as Europe’s first gay-friendly mosque is opening on the outskirts of Paris.

The new centre is run by Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, a gay Islamic scholar, married to a gay man, and the founder of Homosexual Muslims of France.

Mr Zahed regularly attends the Grand Mosque in Paris, but says he wants to create a more “inclusive” place for gay, lesbian and transgender Muslims.

He says many of them felt uncomfortable praying in established mosques.

“Many gay men don’t go to the mosque because they don’t want to be recognised,” says Mr Zahed.

“They don’t want to be ostracised because they wear earrings or because they’re effeminate or they’re transgender, something that’s pretty obviously rejected in many mosques in France,” he says.

Mr Zahed’s South African gay husband has encountered similar problems. “The first time he came to the mosque he was wearing earrings. After the prayers somebody came up to him and tried to take them off and told him, ‘This isn’t right, you shouldn’t do that here’. It was a kind of soft but very obvious aggression,” says Mr Zahed.

He cites another recent case of what he describes as discrimination. “A transgender from a Muslim background died last summer. It was hard to find an imam to pray for her. Nobody wanted to. In the end, we had to do it. We had to pray for her,” says Mr Zahed.

Buddhist space

For the moment the place of worship is a room in a Buddhist prayer hall. The room holds more than 20 people and is decorated with calligraphy in Chinese characters.

London Imam Ajmal Masroor says that Mr Zahed’s meeting room does not constitute a mosque as it does not fully adhere to Islamic preaching and practice.

Mr Zahed says his “mosque” is not trying to be specifically gay-friendly, but “inclusive”. He is also trying to integrate the sexes in Islam. He wants men and women to be able to pray together, not just “gay and straight”.

Men and women pray together in Mecca, he says, so why can’t they in ordinary mosques?

So far the reaction from the rest of the Muslim community in France has been mixed. France has the largest Muslim community in Europe outside Russia.

The Paris Grand Mosque has issued an unequivocal statement. “The fact that he’s opening a mosque or a prayer room is something that’s outside the Islamic community. The Koran condemns homosexuality. It is banned,” said a Grand Mosque spokesman.

Other Muslims have been intrigued enough to ask Mr Zahed how he justifies his stance. “People are trying to understand who we are, where we come from, what our interpretation of this or that verse of the Koran is, and that’s diversity and dialogue and I’m happy with it,” says Mr Zahed.

He also says he has received messages of support from ordinary Muslims in France.

Safety concern

He is, however, concerned enough about the safety of his new congregation to be reticent about revealing exactly where it will be meeting.

At the moment Mr Zahed is not getting any special protection from the French police and the French authorities have told him they are not aware of any specific threats from within the Muslim community.

But he is still concerned about violence “or a simple demonstration”. Not least because if there are “demonstrations [outside] or threats when you are trying to get in, it’s not going to be a peaceful context to be connected to each other and to pray”.

Traditionally, Muslim religious authorities have opposed gay sex. They argue that the Koranic authority for this is the story of God’s destruction of the city of Sodom because of its citizens’ sins.

“Homosexuality is a choice, it’s a desire, it’s not something that you are born with,” says the London imam Ajmal Masroor. Homosexuality is not acceptable for either Sunni or Shia Muslims, he says, because God intends for sex to occur between men and women only, within marriage, and “any sexual relationship outside marriage is a sin”.

However, that does not mean that Muslims should discriminate against homosexuals, says Mr Masroor. Mosques are open to everyone.

Rather than trying to separate themselves homosexuals should be attending mosque like other Muslims, argues Mr Masroor. But they should not be trying to change the religion. “If you join Islam, you must conform to Islamic teachings.”

Mr Zahed says that “Islam has nothing to do with homosexuality”.

“Islam is not a totalitarian fascist identity. You should not use Islam to justify your prejudices and try to control the sexuality and gender of individuals,” he says.

Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed spoke to Newshour on the BBC World Service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20547335

December 15th, 2012, 12:50 am

 

Syrialover said:

SNP/ALDENDESHE #13

So that’s today’s dose of confused rants and insults against Syrians and Sunnnis in general, is it?

Feel better?

December 15th, 2012, 1:10 am

 

Syrialover said:

Sad idiot of the month:

5 DANCING SHLOMOS #9

A cut-paste dump of FIFTY-FIVE PARAGRAPHS of empty blog ramblings by some elderly conspiracy theorist.

Desperate to distract eh, Mr Shlomos?

Trying to impress the same paymaster as the “ANN” team?

Or maybe hoping to attract a sponsor beforee the Assad slush funds are fully drained.

December 15th, 2012, 1:13 am

 

Juergen said:

Kafranbel

Assad! You will neither resign nor will you be banned. You face an Syrian court whose paragraphs are provided from the Syrian people.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=533936566635496&set=a.201716413190848.57037.201686009860555&type=1&theater

December 15th, 2012, 2:12 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

Ok, I been working on the new Syrian Republic map, there will be some ethnic cleansing, we need a bunch of Sunni’s in Homs removed by force, the same way they did to the Christians. Yes, Homs is included in the new Syria but not Hama, Aleppo is not. Basically, will relocate the crème de la crème of Syria to the New State and then will start help the Sunnis hard core fighters to set up and emirate and aid them to go on to liberate Jerusalem, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Libya and all of Arabia. Will deal with Turkey ourselves to get the holly land, Iskandarun. About 64 new Islamic, Armenian, and other brigades including a bunch of Marxist ones will be doing the fighting in the holyland. Of coure, cleansing Turkmen by throat cutting is the best start up, we learned a lot from Alciada/Mossad Islamic fronts on sectarian cleansing and will put it to use. But old Syria will be Obama worry, we are going for a big beach party baby.

December 15th, 2012, 2:36 am

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

December 15th, 2012, 2:59 am

 

MarigoldRan said:

The war continues.

It looks like the FSA will have to continue to beat sense and humility into the regime and its idiotic, deluded supporters.

The regime has been surprisingly silent about Arqaba, a village close to Houla. What comes around, goes around.

December 15th, 2012, 3:54 am

 

MarigoldRan said:

It is unlikely the FSA can take Damascus in the next six months.

However, it it also unlikely the regime can hold Damascus for the next five years.

The regime is slowly losing. Time is on the rebels’ side. Why negotiate? The country is already destroyed. May as well finish the regime once and for all and punish those responsible for it.

If the regime is not finished this generation, the next generation will have to fight again. Best to do the job now, painful though it may be.

December 15th, 2012, 4:02 am

 

SyrianPatriot said:

Do change your mind about politics, I would like to share a poster by the Syrian designer Pia Korani:
http://on.fb.me/TjYYe9

December 15th, 2012, 6:51 am

 

Observer said:

Ghufran writes above that the Aqrab massacre was carried out by rebels and here I quote him “that massacre left regime media speechless because it clearly shows:”

Have you no shame? Have you lost any decency?

Why would the regime be speechless? Why (if we believe that the regime is using only 10% of its force ) would the regime refuse to send an additional division to investigate and protect? Why would he not send special forces and drop them by air if need be?
Why would it not go on its multiple channels and announce the massacre and why would Mayadeen and Manar remain silent?

This is the most convoluted argument that disingenuous Ghufran can come up with. The reality is that the regime is diabolical, blinded by a hatred of which we have had a real glimpse with the posting of our friends from the Alawi sect on how they feel about Sunnis and about the unjust treatment they have suffered for decades. The regime is so hateful that it will massacre those that refuse to hate in a similar manner.

Today the FSA has taken over the Infantry school with all of its equipment and the airports in the north will fall one after the other. As more bases fall and heavy equipment becomes available the ability to actually defend an enclave becomes impossible. Hence we have now a real danger of chemicals being used for deterrence.

As for the other news we have the Russians saying that he is running out of money and we have a meeting of ambassadors meeting in Beirut between Syria and Iran and China and Russia and hence meeting have become less high ranking and with less opposition figure heads and we hear that Haytham Mana’a was expelled from the opposition group he belongs to.

In the US a gunman kills 20 children but remember that this revolution started out with Syrian children writing on the walls and they were deliberately taken into custody and tortured to death and their parents beaten and humiliated and this by none other than the first cousin of the mafia boss. The same mafia boss that the e mail leaks have shown that he runs the country with his family like a pure mafia.

Shame on those that continue to try to justify the actions of this regime.

December 15th, 2012, 8:41 am

 

Juergen said:

How much i miss to hear the real Dimaschq slang these days.

December 15th, 2012, 9:52 am

 

Ghufran said:

Dear Observer,
Your comment is not a response to a post I wrote , it is more of a speech on issues we indeed agree on, for the most part, the difference is that you seem to think that the rebels are a bunch of angels who can not do wrong , we all know that is not true. By keeping rebels accountable and exposing their sins we are helping Syria not the regime, those rebels and their backers want to be in charge of our daily life,the least we can do is criticize them when that criticism is due:
لا خير فيكم ان لم تقولوها و لا خير فينا ان لم نسمعها

December 15th, 2012, 9:54 am

 

zoo said:

After Al Khatib, is “peace loving” Ryad al Seif burning himself by these naive declarations on Al Nusra

“It must not be forgotten that the repression has killed more than 50,000 people and that massacres were committed. Despite all these atrocities, there is no evidence that al-Jabhat Nosra is a terrorist movement. The majority of its components comply with the orders given to them. They do not hurt anyone. Generally, the Syrian Islamists are known for their moderation”

http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2012/12/14/01003-20121214ARTFIG00579-les-islamistes-syriens-sont-connus-pour-leur-moderation.php

Fred Hof says the exact contrary

Former US Official Urges
Military Intervention in Syria

Hof, at the Atlantic Council, said however that Jabhat al-Nusra “terrifies” many Syrians and that “it was important for them to hear the US take an unambiguous view about the unadvisability of this organization playing a role in Syria” after Assad goes. Hof called the Nusra Front “al-Qaeda in Iraq” in a Syrian guise.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2012/al-monitor/former-official-urges-us-militar.html#ixzz2F8I96fSk

December 15th, 2012, 9:58 am

 

zoo said:

16. majedkhaldoun

“Religious clerics and militaries should be banned from politics.”

YES, it applies to Iran too….

December 15th, 2012, 10:03 am

 

Tara said:

Zoo, 

If you wonder why I am willing to live under Islamists if this was the only way to get rid of Bashar, then read this:

Regime target bakeries on purpose to starve civilians…. For any one who doubt why Syrians pledge support to anyone who oppose the regime including al Nusra.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/13/syria-refugees-starvation-humanitarian-disaster

• The shortage of bread, which is pushing the country into “medieval hunger”, is being exploited by the government, writes Luke Harding in Azaz.

There is overwhelming evidence that the military forces of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad have deliberately targeted bakeries, in what appears to be official policy to starve rebel areas into submission. (It has also hit field hospitals, schools and civilian areas.) The al-Bab factory has been targeted three times; the last time a rocket injured six bakery workers.

December 15th, 2012, 10:12 am

 

Ghufran said:

http://www.shihannews.net/article.aspx?articleno=30455
Watch the rebels in action burning a Shia mosque in Jisr Al-shughour

December 15th, 2012, 10:16 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

I support attacks on Shi’ism.
Scholars like Yasser al-Habib should be clearer about which side they take in the war. He appeared on Fadak TV to whine about threats made against Shia churches in Syria. Is that supposed to be an implicit endorsement of the regime?

December 15th, 2012, 10:55 am

 

zoo said:

#33 Tara

I suggest you take your next vacation, not in Cannes, but in Jeddah, where you can appreciate fancy indian and breath the fresh air of women-only beaches.

December 15th, 2012, 11:09 am

 
 

zoo said:

Tara
Al Nusra’s blind car bombs trigger the Syrian army blind bombings.

Are you surprised? That’s the way “liberation” wars go, isn’t ?
Action-reaction in a vicious circle that I reject and you encourage in the name of ‘freedom and dignity’ while half a millions Syrians lost both.

“There is overwhelming evidence that the military forces of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad have deliberately targeted bakeries”,

December 15th, 2012, 11:17 am

 

zoo said:

Blacklisting terrorists in Syria pretext for US intervention: Opposition

Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:24AM GMT

“The question is, why did they (the Americans) put Al-Nusra Front on their list of terror organizations.”

Qadri Jamil of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation

The leader of a Syrian opposition group, which is recognized by Damascus, says the blacklisting of an armed terrorist group by Washington is justification for foreign intervention.

“The question is, why did they (the Americans) put Al-Nusra Front on their list of terror organizations,” Qadri Jamil of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation said in a press conference in Moscow on Friday.

“I am afraid it is to justify interference in Syrian affairs,” said Jamil.

He also said that he feared Washington would launch “air strikes on Syrian soil.”

“I’m very skeptical because I do not trust the US position,” said Jamil, adding that “the armed factions in Syria receive their orders and support from the West itself.”

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/15/278130/us-justifying-intervention-in-syria/

December 15th, 2012, 11:22 am

 

zoo said:

Ambassadors of Iran, Syria, Russia and China together to support Assad

http://static.olj.me/images/news/medium/792382_72481658363.jpg

Orient-le jour ( translated)

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Iranian embassy, a quadripartite meeting brought together within the walls of the Chancery in Fayadiyeh around Ambassador Ghadanfar Rokon Abadi, the Syrian, Russian and Chinese counterparts.

“The bloody fighting in Syria, supported by some foreign countries and aimed directly at the regime, have only led so far to more deaths and destruction. These battles must stop immediately, “wrote the statement of the Iranian embassy. Participants at the meeting also focused on “the failure of armed terrorist organizations, which could not succeed in achieving the goals they have set over for the last two years.” They paid tribute to “the strength of the army, the government and the Syrian people against the terrorist acts carried out by these organizations, most of which come from abroad.”

The text published yesterday also mentions the “unanimity” of four ambassadors about “the need to reach a political solution to the Syrian conflict – the only possible choice out of the crisis – and put an end to the sending weapons and money to terrorist groups. “For them, a cease-fire is essential, as well as the start of a dialogue and the preparation of legislative “honest and free, followed by a presidential election to be held as scheduled.”
Finally, the four diplomats said that “the media’s responsibility is to relay good information from Syria.”

December 15th, 2012, 11:30 am

 

Majedkhaldoun said:

Zoo said
“Religious clerics and militaries should be banned from politics
YES, it applies to Iran too….”

So you condemn the Iranian regime where Mulla control the politics,this is an EVIL Regime
And you condemn Hasan Nasrallah Another Evil ,they both support an Evil Assad.

The problem with Assad Thugs that they lie,Fabricate, Delude,Arrogant and stupid.

December 15th, 2012, 11:31 am

 

zoo said:

The US-Russia-UN political peaceful transition plan is progressing..

UN contingency plan to deploy up to 10,000 peacekeepers in Syria – reports

Published: 15 December, 2012, 16:23
http://rt.com/news/un-send-peacekeepers-syria-102/

The UN is considering the deployment of 4,000 to 10,000 peacekeepers in Syria as an emergency measure, reports Russian press, citing UN sources. This comes as the US along with over 100 countries voice support for the nascent Syrian Coalition.

The UN is putting together a contingency plan should the Security Council give the go-ahead for involvement in the embattled nation, reported Russian news agency Ria Novosti, citing sources in the UN.

“The problem is that the UN does not have any resources to spare at the moment. We would have to relocate some of the 115,000 peacekeepers currently deployed in different countries and send them to Syria,” an anonymous source told Ria Novosti.

The source went on to say that the team of peacemakers would be made up of observers and civilian units as well as troops. The civilian mission would ensure that basic human rights are being observed in Syria.

UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has signaled the need for a peacekeeper mission to the embattled nation to push for a ceasefire between opposition groups and government forces.

“A truce will not hold unless there are observers there to ensure it. I think that it requires the deployment of a peacekeeping mission,” said Brahimi at the end of November.

December 15th, 2012, 12:14 pm

 

zoo said:

41. Majedkhaldoun

Hassan Nasrallah is not a president, deputee or a minister to my knowledge… He has no official position in the Lebanese governement.
I enjoyed the uppercase used only on the first letter of the insults.. I am glad to see a progress in civility.

December 15th, 2012, 12:22 pm

 

Hopeful said:

To hear someone say these words, coming out of an intense battle that lasted a few days, you cannot help but believe that Syria will be alright

http://youtu.be/0h0iEZYtHuU

Apparently this FSA leader was killed shortly after.

December 15th, 2012, 12:34 pm

 

zoo said:

I think Egyptians should vote for a Sharia-based Constitution.

It is an experience they have to go through to find out what they really want as a society.
After the corruption of Sadat and Mobarak’s capitalism and the failure of Nassers’s socialism, the poor and needy Egyptians who make the majority of the population, think they saw a a light at the end of the tunnel with a government announcing to be based on Islam: Promises of social justice, equality, economical progress…
Who knows? Maybe they are right and all their predecessors were wrong. Maybe it is a new era of prosperity for Egypt.
Only time will tell and that time maybe be very very long…

December 15th, 2012, 12:37 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Muaz Khateib is not president either,so your argument is void,Hasan is Amin Aam Hizb HA,this is political position, are you reneging on your statement? or you don’t know what you are talking about?

December 15th, 2012, 12:51 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo

I can’t agree more with your last post. It is an evolution process. Let them try it out and see for themselves and then denounce it or do it again. The problem becomes what happens to those who want to enjoy personal freedom and do not want to be subjugated to someone else ‘ interpretation of sharia,

December 15th, 2012, 12:53 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

40. ZOO

“Finally, the four diplomats said the media’s responsibility is to relay good information from Syria.”

They’re talking about you, Ann. You too, Shlomo and Aldendeshe…

December 15th, 2012, 1:24 pm

 

Hanzala said:

#44

الله يرحمه

————————-

Iran warns against Patriot deployment on Syria frontier

“Each one of these Patriots is a black mark on the world map, and is meant to cause a world war,” Firouzabadi said, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency. “They are making plans for a world war and this is very dangerous for the future of humanity and for the future of Europe itself.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/15/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE8AJ1FK20121215

December 15th, 2012, 2:30 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

So quite in Syria… is that the uite before the storm, or a sigh of desperation.

December 15th, 2012, 2:36 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

“Finally, the four diplomats said the media’s responsibility is to relay good information from Syria.”
They’re talking about you, Ann. You too, Shlomo and Aldendeshe…

_________________________________________________________________

My retirement check will not be cut by Assad or his Baathist regime, not by anyone else other than SNP financial portfolio managers, so I do what is best for SNP and Syria, un corruptible, you can’t buy and sell SNP and direct it to promote this lie or that deception’s nor cover up.

Let’s have a TOPLESS MEDFEST beach party man (Bashar). I will bring the women to Syria,I will call my buddies at Mossad with a big list of countries they smuggle them from. Be a president of a real country that everyone looks at with envy. Leave hunger, poverty, filth, stupidity, Islamist mentals, destruction, disfuctioal state to Abdul Barak Hussein Obama, he is Moslem, he know how to deal with them and his stooges in the Middle East will have to deal with all that coming their way soon.

Bashar, could you please cancel that stupid law about immigrant taxation, I know you did, but it is not retroactive to March 8 1963, you need to eliminate it, stopped, period. It is enough insult and injury to Syrians having to carry filth in their pocket, ARAB is smack o the front page. But, if you planning the Republic of Syria in the next 6 months then I’d rather wait, will even pay $3000 passport fee instead of the $120 you getting now. There are 65,000,000 Americans ready to take it too and will pay as much as $15,000 for it, if you will just take the AHAB ARAB JARAB off the front cover.

December 15th, 2012, 2:37 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

firouzabadi,

please, get a grip.

the jew’s amurderka brings health and wealth and freedoms and hamburgers and films by way of bombs, missiles and starvation and rat-brained fighting stooges.

life will glow – radioactively – for all fortunate enough to live in these yarmaluki times.

December 15th, 2012, 2:37 pm

 

Syrialover said:

A voice high on fantasy (and possibly something else) who has seized a quick and dirty opportunity to make himself “important” in the chaos and violence.

A Jabhat Al Nusra commander, an escapee from the real world, shares his plans for Syria.

EXCERPT:

Abu Ahmed described a new Syria, where alcohol and tobacco would be banned.

“These rules will be introduced gradually. We will advise people at first,” he said when this journalist pointed out that enforcing such a law would be difficult in a country where smoking is so widespread.

Cinema and “immoral” TV shows would also be banned. “They corrupt the morals, especially of young people. Just look at the West,” he said, adding that he had recently read in a magazine that in Germany, only 10 per cent of women were virgins by the time they got married.

Wouldn’t the young be angry at such measures? “Perhaps they will be. But they will get used to it eventually,” Abu Ahmed said.

Abu Ahmed’s mild, friendly manner and relaxed delivery contrasted sharply with the dourness of his vision. He seemed to enjoy the discussion and being challenged. When asked if his ultra-conservative vision would not cause Syria to fall behind in a world dominated by scientific rationalism and liberal capitalism, he smiled and said: “If so, then that is fine. You can have this world and we will have the next.”

But he didn’t think this was a danger. “We don’t want to leave modernity behind. We will not get out of our cars and ride donkeys from now on. We simply want our judges to apply Sharia [law] and not the civil code,” he said. He also argued that in earlier eras Islam achieved great technological progress. “We are underdeveloped now because we left the path of Allah. Perhaps this is why this war is so cruel: as a punishment for our sins.”

http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/jabhat-al-nusras-new-syria#full

COMMENT: Punchline is where this clown says childishly: “We don’t want to leave modernity behind. We will not get out of our cars and ride donkeys”.

Sure, and keep the water and electricity and fuel supplies flowing, rebuild all the infrastructure, establish systems to provide food, goods and services, health and education, attract investment and trade – and oh yes, provide jobs, especially for all those young people who will “get used to” his illiterate and escapist visions of the world, where he gets to play God with a gun.

December 15th, 2012, 2:54 pm

 

Badr said:

ref. SYR.EXPAT (on Dec. 14th @ 12:51 pm),

There has never been any doubt in my mind as to the mandatory nature of commendations for the dictator, but I still see an irony here: the praise, however contrived it may be, of the ex-imam for the ex-president, compared with the all-out antagonism of their respective sons.

December 15th, 2012, 2:54 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

Mutaz got it right in what he said, not just the passport value, by dropping the four letters off the country name you will raise real estate value by 3000 fold. By getting rid of all the liabilities, including useless eaters and consumers, Wahabi drugged mental Syrians, those born with head covers and circumcised for men on men pleasure, city slums, obsolete educational, judicial and social system, arid lands, Socialism, Baathism, Arabism, Syria will be a must own luxury Real Estate, a tax heaven and a venture capital pinnacle.

December 15th, 2012, 3:00 pm

 
 

Observer said:

Ghufran the massacre was carried out by pro regime Shabiha and the regime carried out many massacres and many atrocities and has lost all legitimacy and all pretense of providing anything remotely human. The regime is hateful corrupt and corrupting and is an abomination on the face of the earth. The people have revolted against the regime and there may be a Robespierre or a Khalkhali after the regime falls and there may be revenge killings and ethnic cleansing.
The regime has chosen deliberately to use force to demonize the people to make it a sectarian conflict and has declared that it will destroy the country if it loses power.

The rebels have no choice but to use arms and to use violence. And your trying to equate the regime with the rebels is despicable and unfair at its most basic level.

This kind of thinking reflects a view of the role of the government as belonging to a certain sect or ruler and that might makes right as well.

I do not know what will become of Syria and I do not know whether the revolution will impose this or that system and I do not know whether the rule of the majority will turn out to be denial of the rights of minorities but all I know is that this abomination on the face of the earth has to disappear and in this I join Khomeini in stating that this abomination like the abomination of the occupation of the Palestine should disappear from the face of the earth.

December 15th, 2012, 3:13 pm

 

Jasmine said:

SL@ 53
Abu Ahmed of jabhat-al nusrah like modern cars and hate donkeys!
Not another donkey hater!!
Where is Darryl when you need him?

Hitchens knows better:

December 15th, 2012, 5:04 pm

 

Syrialover said:

JASMINE #58

Abu Ahmed of jabhat-al nusrah knows that donkeys are more useful, rational and respected than he can ever be. With a far more intelligent grasp of the world.

He sees a rival.

December 15th, 2012, 6:07 pm

 

Syrialover said:

Syria, being run Bashar Assad’s way:

A three year old child taking care of 2 days old baby while hiding in the basement from the shelling in Qabun.

http://twitter.com/emmasuleiman/status/280042692422012928/photo/1

December 15th, 2012, 6:17 pm

 

Jasmine said:

SL@ 59
Well said 🙂

December 15th, 2012, 6:19 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ALDENDESHE/SNP you are very frank in the way your writing reveals yourself to us.

Reading your posts brings the image of an elderly, dishevelled, unshaven man, wearing nothing but dirty underwear and oversized slippers.

Sitting in a basement in a deep litter of cigarette butts, empty beer and whiskey bottles and porn magazines.

Eyes wild, muttering, and barking obscene phrases about Muslims and Syrians as he pounds the keyboard with one fist, the other clutching a glass.

Have I missed any important details?

December 15th, 2012, 6:42 pm

 

Tara said:

Asma is indeed pregnant. All the killings had no impact on Batta and Asma’s romance.

December 15th, 2012, 6:57 pm

 

William Scott Scherk said:

Nutterzone Award Finalists:

“I support attacks on Shi’ism.”

“I know Sunnis better. They are cheap whores”

“Another win for the Syrian Army against the wretched sooonite rodents!”

“Ok, I been working on the new Syrian Republic map, there will be some ethnic cleansing”

“Cleansing Turkmen by throat cutting is the best start up”

“Al Nusra’s blind car bombs trigger the Syrian army blind bombings.”

“The armed factions in Syria receive their orders and support from the West itself.”

“We don’t want to leave modernity behind. We will not get out of our cars and ride donkeys”

December 15th, 2012, 7:21 pm

 

Syrialover said:

TARA #63

This was a typical reaction to the news of Asma’s condition:

http://twitter.com/france7776/status/271568085494939648

She obviously feels like a highly protected species. She and her family smug and safe, aloof from any troubles.

December 15th, 2012, 7:33 pm

 

Ghufran said:

People respond to stress in times of crisis in a manner that may not necessarily reflect their intellectual abilities and their true character, this site is now full of angry posts and hateful comments. Poor judgement is evident in many of the posts I read, there is no way out without a cessation of violence, thinking that rebels can subjugate millions of Syrians by force, many are well armed, is insane, the regime failed to stop the uprising by force, there is little chance that force will serve the rebels now even if the regime loses Damascus, which is a big if as far as we can see.

December 15th, 2012, 7:40 pm

 

Tara said:

Dear SL,

Yuck!

The mental image of ..is repulsive..

December 15th, 2012, 7:51 pm

 

Tara said:

And Bushra got engaged to an Emarati who works on state security…

December 15th, 2012, 8:40 pm

 

Hamoudeh al-Halabi said:

William, you used to be a moderator right? I don’t think the first 5 comments you collected are of the same kind as the latter 3. The first 5 are disgusting and possibly illegal in many countries, and those are just the most recent ones. Ever since moderating was halted, some people have been behaving without any sense of morality whatsoever. No respectable online forum would tolerate that and if it would happen in real life fights would break out. I don’t believe this is how Prof. Landis interprets the freedom of speech, the experiment clearly failed and I don’t understand why no action has been taken yet.

December 15th, 2012, 9:09 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

I like freedom of speech. It exposes people for what they are. The comments of the regime supporters show to us all the vileness of the regime.

@Ghurfan

Do you want another civil war to happen again 30 years in the future? No? Then I advise that you throw in your support for the FSA. The regime must be properly punished for its actions, or else its supporters will try it again in the future.

The regime got away with Hamas 30 years ago. This is the reason why it is behaving so brutally today. It’s time to teach these thugs that if they want war, they will get war.

December 15th, 2012, 9:21 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Look, if your country is collapsing around you, and it’s ALL YOUR FAULT, you may as well get it on with your wife. Evil though he may be, Assad is human.

Perhaps.

December 15th, 2012, 9:28 pm

 

Tara said:

The Assads at war: shopping, killing, and making babies.

A good title for a movie..

December 15th, 2012, 9:41 pm

 

revenire said:

Congratulations to the Assads! Syria is blessed.

December 15th, 2012, 10:32 pm

 

Observer said:

TARA there is no proof he is the father is there?

He spends so much time on his iPad that I have my doubts don’t you agree?

December 15th, 2012, 10:36 pm

 

zoo said:

The comments about a to born innocent baby has reached a level of hatred and stupidity I never thought would be expressed by people calling themselves civilized and educated.
I am going from disappointment to disgust about the educated Syrians ‘expats’. It’s really a race on its own.
They seem to be filled with such a self-righteousness and arrogance that I hope they stay forever expats.

December 15th, 2012, 11:13 pm

 

zoo said:

Another war after the present war… and more to come until the lucky survivors get ‘freedom and dignity’

Syria’s Kurds face uncertain future if Assad falls

The regime’s exit from Kurdish areas has sparked mistrust between the rebels and Syria’s second biggest ethnic group

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/14/syria-kurds-if-assad-falls

Kurds and Arabs have lived side by side for centuries, together with Armenians, Turkmens, Circassians and other ethnic groups. Optimists hope they can patch up their differences and agree a post-Assad political solution. But pessimists predict that once once Assad is gone, the rival forces inside Syria will embark on a new war – with Arabs, nationalists, jihadists, loyalists and Kurds all scrapping with each other.

Back in the coffee shop, Khalil shrugged. “We will have a new conflict, and then we will see who emerges as champion,” he predicted.

December 15th, 2012, 11:23 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

@William Scott Scherk said:
_________________________________________________________________

Hey Bill, I hope your suffering and agony are real, I pray that they be permanent and that billions of humans feel the same way as you do. 40 nations participated in murdering 2 million Iraqis, Japan included, we broke Dom when Fukushima blew up, one nation after another is going to pay for that evil deed. In 5 years Japanese kids will looks just like the 300,000 Iraqi children deformed from DU.

You S.O.B. never ever mentioned a word when the Alciada/Mossad Islamists druggy did all that, said by me, to Syrians in Homs and elsewhere in Syria for real, then rushed here to brag about it, show us the real gruesome videos for us to enjoy, and neither the United Nations lifted a finger. Two millions Syrians are now ethnically cleansed, and you S.O.B. think like every mother f****g idiot, that you are going to get away with it, dream on dum**b sh*i*t,. Curse you, I prey evil will strike you and planet earth. You are son of Darkness, chil of inequity.

Nothing short of the four horsemen of Revelation will suffice now.

December 15th, 2012, 11:34 pm

 

zoo said:

For the ones who praise the ‘success’ of the USA ‘justice’ system and set it as an example to follow:

UNICEF: US Among Highest Child Poverty Rates in Developed Countries

https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/05/30-6

A new report released this week by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals alarming child poverty rates within affluent, or ‘developed’, nations. The US ranks second highest among all measured countries, with 23.1 per cent of children living in poverty, just under Romania’s 25.6 per cent.

The report Report Card 10 shows roughly 13 million children in the European Union (plus Norway and Iceland) lack basic items necessary for their development. 30 million children – across 35 countries with developed economies – live in poverty.

December 15th, 2012, 11:42 pm

 

zoo said:

Some indicator measuring a country’s social justice:

% of the population living below national poverty line

USA : 15.1% in 2012
Egypt 22% in 2005
Turkey 18.9 % in 2010
Lebanon 28% in 1999

Syria 11.9 % in 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_percentage_of_population_living_in_poverty

December 15th, 2012, 11:52 pm

 

zoo said:

Syria’s Unified Armed Opposition: Internal Divisions, External Ties

By: Nasser Charara
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrias-unified-armed-opposition-internal-divisions-external-ties

Published Friday, December 14, 2012

In an effort to sideline jihadi Islamists, the US wants to centralize the armed opposition in Syria under a single military command. Will the armed opposition’s internal divisions and foreign backers permit such an endeavor?
..
Washington maintained that the jihadis – which it estimated to constitute a third of the armed groups – would be kept out, while the other two-thirds would be integrated under a central military command that is accountable to the NC.

A number of Western and Arab countries have gained political influence in various parts of Syria through financially and militarily supporting the armed groups that operate in each area.

Germany, for example, has sway in the Kurdish areas in the northeast of the country, while the Deir Ezzor governorate, parts of Latakia, and the west of Qamishli and al-Hasaka are controlled by Salafi groups backed by Turkey, Libya, and some of the Gulf countries.

The coming days will reveal if these countries will encourage reluctant local commanders, many of whom have been left out of the new leadership, to throw their weight behind the National Coalition’s military command.

December 15th, 2012, 11:58 pm

 

Tara said:

Observer,

“TARA there is no proof he is the father is there?”

I won’t go that far but I think letting herself getting pregnant during these circumstances is as callous as her complete indifference to headless little girls from Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 12:22 am

 

Ghufran said:

أعلن المجلس الثوري العسكري في الغوطة الشرقية بقيادة النقيب عبد الناصر شمير عدم اعترافه بما يسمى قيادة الاركان العامة وما صدر عنها من تشكيل القيادة العليا المشتركة، وعدم الاعتراف كذلك بقيادة مجلس دمشق وريفها الذي تم تعيينه وفرضه من الخارج بحسب ما ذكر البيان.
هذا ويأتي هذا البيان بعد ايام فقط من تشكيل مجلس القيادة العسكرية المشتركة العليا لميليشيا الجيش الحر، وانتخاب هيئة الأركان العامة للقوى العسكرية والثورية.
وقد اتهم البيان من سماهم بالمتسلقين بأنهم قد استغلوا الجهود المبذولة من قبل المجلس العسكري الثوري للغوطة الشرقية بهدف تشكيل مجلس موحد، وقال أنهم قاموا ببيع الثورة سعياً منهم وراء المناصب.
This is just a sample of more confusion and internal conflict to come, there is no way to fix this mess now, Syria will be ruled by thugs and war lords and its future central government will be weak and submissive, and if rebels manage to finish their holy mission of destroying whatever is left of the Syrian state, as bad as it was, then we may indeed end up with a number of dysfunctional entities that does not take orders from Damascus. Turkey is poised to win big from this situation, thugs who attacked Aleppo dismantled whole factories and sold thm to Turkish bloody merchants for pennies on the dollar while people in Aleppo were struggling to find bread, many of you have celebrated the sanctions regardless of how that will affect poor Syrians, that was a sickening display of a self-hating mentality which infected a lot of Syrians who do not mind killing the patient to save the operation.
طز فيكن و بهالثوره تبعكن

December 16th, 2012, 12:59 am

 

Ghufran said:

أكد وزير الخارجية الإيراني علي أكبر صالحي، اليوم السبت، بأن إيران والصين وروسيا لن تسمح مطلقاً بتدخّل غربي في سورية للإطاحة بالرئيس السوري، بشار الأسد بالقوة.
My second and last Tozz of the day goes to mr Salihi.
(The last time a Syrian threw a Tozz at Bashar he lost his throat)
النظام علم الناس فنون العنف و صار السوريين بفضله مجموعه من القتله و المارقين

December 16th, 2012, 1:14 am

 

Syrian said:

قاشوش قال أيضاً
“وطز بيلي بحييك”
He sent you one from his grave

December 16th, 2012, 2:25 am

 

Visitor said:

Hamoudeh@ 69

WSS is fake. His only purpose every time he shows is to remind us about the need for moderation hoping Joshua will ask him to moderate. But he’ll be as bad as Avignon no moderation.

——————

To Ali the Qurdahan,

Did it rain last night in Qurdaha? That was no rain for sure, I am telling you. Iissas me and a bunch of Syrians who bribed the plane captain to make a detour and fly over Qurdaha before landing. We used GPS to locate Qurdaha and and made sophisticated calculations to time when to do our respects to حافظ الجحش from the air by going to the toilets all at once. As I promised, I am coming to Syria in 15 days and here I am. I just thought it s best to do preliminary respects before the line up gets too long and also to get the first honors. The first batch of meat grinders has just been delivered.

December 16th, 2012, 2:29 am

 

SYR.EXPAT said:

54. Badr said:

ref. SYR.EXPAT (on Dec. 14th @ 12:51 pm),

There has never been any doubt in my mind as to the mandatory nature of commendations for the dictator, but I still see an irony here: the praise, however contrived it may be, of the ex-imam for the ex-president, compared with the all-out antagonism of their respective sons.

————————————————————

With all due respect, I don’t see any irony. As I had mentioned, the praise was not coming from the heart. It was forced on people. However, even then, many of the imams did sincerely pray for the guidance of the president because if Allah guides him, then the affair of the country will be rectified. It was never personal. They didn’t despise the president because who he is, but because of his actions.

Also, imams used to give credit where credit is due even if they thought that the actions of the president were not sincere. They also did their best to give the president and his henchmen sincere advise, but unfortunately, the advice fell on deaf ears.

Had Bashar had an atom of intelligence, he would have turned himself into a hero of the people and secured many more years in power. Instead, he turned himself into a mass murderer and a pariah.

Had he been sincere in introducing “real” reforms, most of the imams would have stood by him, even if they didn’t like him. The traditional sunni position is not to go against the ruler unless in extreme situations. This is what happened here.

So no irony from my perspective.

December 16th, 2012, 3:02 am

 

Syrialover said:

#79. ZOO

We’re too busy to playfight you on this again, but the FACT, discussed in detail over the years on SyriaComment,is that economic statistics on Syria are notoriously unreliable or non-existent.

The Assad regime didn’t concern itself with data and analysis and planning in relation to poor people. (You are obviously trying to be funny talking about “social justice”).

What mattered was “developing” the country so that Bashar’s cousin Rami Makhlouf and his associates came to control 62% of the economy.

December 16th, 2012, 3:15 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

79. zoo said:

measuring a country’s social justice:

% of the population living below national poverty line

USA : 15.1% in 2012
Egypt 22% in 2005
Turkey 18.9 % in 2010
Lebanon 28% in 1999

Syria 11.9 % in 2006

 
That is a crap indicator, because Poverty Line differs by country.
In USA, a person with a $1000 monthly income is considered poor. But in poor countries → a person with a $1000 monthly income would be upper middle class !

So this is completely unfair, you have to use the same number in hard currency.

 
I really hate leftist freaks who use bogus “social justice” arguments to justify atrocities.
Even if we accepted the Laughable claim that people have more money in Homs than in San Diego — that still doesn’t excuse the Shiite animals burying people alive.

December 16th, 2012, 3:29 am

 

Visitor said:

I have no clue how this auto-correct in iPad does its corrections. It seems it uses a Chinese dictionary. Today I had enough with it and had to find out how to disable it and rely on my own dictionary from now on.

December 16th, 2012, 3:47 am

 

Citizen said:

77. ALDENDESHE
Is not this obsessed that wrote about him in the newspapers for violating for young children?

December 16th, 2012, 4:17 am

 

Citizen said:

British state terrorism from Northern Ireland to Syria
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2012/12/15/219574-british-state-terrorism-from-northern-ireland-to-syria/
This story connects far-flung places. Kenya, Malaya, Northern Ireland and now Syria. The one over-arching theme is British counter-insurgency strategy, or more plainly, the use of state terrorism by British forces to achieve political objectives.
by Finian Cunningham

December 16th, 2012, 7:02 am

 

Visitor said:

Bashar is preparing for his last journey to the sewer, according to Russian sources,

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/12/16/255408.html

December 16th, 2012, 7:27 am

 

Citizen said:

Watch the magician as he waves one hand at the audience while the big trick is in his other hand.
If you work and attack the Syrians directly you may lose a lot of your people,not to mention a lot of hardware you paid dearly for.
http://youtu.be/95LhiaDB3mk?t=3m21s
Kh-35E, Kh-31A, Kh-59MK, 3M-24E, 3M-80E, Shkval-E, APR-3E, R-27EP1, RVV-AE, R-73E, R-33E, Kh-31P, Kh-58E, Kh-59ME, Kh-29TE, KAB-500KR, KAB-1500KR,
http://youtu.be/qHd6n-Z3Fxk?t=1m45s

December 16th, 2012, 7:27 am

 

Observer said:

ZOO the comments are not about the baby they are about the callous indifferent attitude of Madame de Pompadour and Louis the 14th and the ” let them eat cake” attitude of this mafia of yours.

Where is your outrage at the death by torture that Hamza received and when his town’s elders went to get their children released none other than your idol’s cousin told them: forget about your children and if you want children send us your women we will make sure they have children.

Please stop grabbing at straws and posting stupid posts about your so called army’s success and your stupid mafia supporters Putin and Khamenei

Wake up and smell the roses.

Justice for Hamza

December 16th, 2012, 7:50 am

 

Citizen said:

Human rights. A look into the world. Syria (04/12/2012)

December 16th, 2012, 8:27 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

2. 5 dancing shlomos said:

the jew’s amurderka brings health and wealth and freedoms and hamburgers and films by way of bombs, missiles and starvation and rat-brained fighting stooges.

 
In every instance of American intervention, there was a problematic government in that country (Saddam, etc).
Why not simply get rid of those people in power, so that intervention is avoided altogether?

If every country becomes democratic, then wars will end. Because democracies don’t fight.

It’s only because morons insist on keeping: Castro, Chavez, Assad in power, that international wars still happen !!

 
The obvious solution is to voluntarily remove every government in the world that goes against the taste of Washington D.C.

You will be surprised that the result of such a takeover will not be: “imperialist enslavement of the globe,”
but instead: “blossoming of freedom and global wealth.”

December 16th, 2012, 8:48 am

 

Citizen said:

96. DOLLY BUSTER
Dream on! the same type of world conflict with the laws of nature! our world is multitonous ! the will of God created our world is a diverse multi, not monotonous as the ill mentally of your adminstration wants!

December 16th, 2012, 9:02 am

 

Juergen said:

النظام يسقط حين يفقد القدرة على تسويق أكاذيبه

A regime will fall when it looses its ability to sell their lies.

-Hamed Abdel Samad-

writer

December 16th, 2012, 9:26 am

 

revenire said:

“The Islamic Republic of Iran won’t allow Western plans and scenarios aimed at overthrowing the Syrian government to succeed.” – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi

Given the above, plus full Russian and Chinese support, I fail to see how a ragtag collection of Al-Qaeda terrorists can ever beat Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 9:51 am

 

Ghufran said:

خراي عليك و على المعلم تبعك، ما أجحش منك غيره ، هيك قله عن لساني. الولد بيبقى ولد لو عمّر بلد. أبوه عمل مية مصيبة بالبلد، لكن كلها بكفة وتوريث ابنه بكفة لحالها. قله لها الجحش يضب شنتياته حقيبته ويحل عن طيزنا ، هدول  الشباب يلي عم بيموتوا مو مرابعين  أجراء ورثهم عن يلي خلفه منشان يموتهم . قله كمان لها الكر ما ضل عنا محلات نقبر فيها حدا. المقابر كلها  تعبّت امتلأت. بس إذا قرر يفطس  مندبرله شي جورة نرميه فيها!!) “.
I apologize for the language in the paragraph above, I do not know for sure if ret Gen. Ali Haidar said that, this was circulated on the net, the location was Bait Yashout at a funeral for an officer from Special Forces ( founded by Haidar), if mr Ali said what he reportedly said he spoke on behalf on hundred of thousands of Alawites.
I doubt that Bashar will receive a hospitable crowd if he chooses,or forced to, move to the coastal area, a lot of people think he is the worst thing that happens to alawites since the Ottomans.
(mr Syrian,stay in your Jr club,you are not good enough for a serious conversation)

December 16th, 2012, 10:46 am

 

zoo said:

To all( including Dolly) who believe that any statistics saying that the USA is very very far from being paradise, are ‘crap’. What about this? As I got no reaction, I am reposting it.
The hypocritical propaganda that US “democracy” serves social justice can’t hide these facts ( not widely reported in NYT or The Washingon post).

UNICEF: US Among Highest Child Poverty Rates in Developed Countries

https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/05/30-6

A new report released this week by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals alarming child poverty rates within affluent, or ‘developed’, nations. The US ranks second highest among all measured countries, with 23.1 per cent of children living in poverty, just under Romania’s 25.6 per cent.

The report Report Card 10 shows roughly 13 million children in the European Union (plus Norway and Iceland) lack basic items necessary for their development. 30 million children – across 35 countries with developed economies – live in poverty.

December 16th, 2012, 11:01 am

 

zoo said:

Observer

Your eagerness to see Syria divided into weak pieces and your hypocritical compassion for Hamza don’t match.

Get yourself a printed telephone book and …

December 16th, 2012, 11:06 am

 

zoo said:

Will Al Tawheed get the same fate of Al Nusra?

Syrian Islamist rebels take Aleppo infantry base
By BARBARA SURK | Associated Press – 56 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-islamist-rebels-aleppo-infantry-110628514.html

BEIRUT (AP) — An Islamist faction of Syrian rebels captured an infantry base in the northern city of Aleppo, its fighters said Sunday, as forces fighting to topple President Bashar Assad advanced on the country’s largest city.

A statement by the al-Tawheed Brigade said the rebels “fully liberated” the military facility in Aleppo on Saturday. It was posted on al-Tawheed’s official website on Sunday and said the Islamist rebel brigade’s commander was killed in the battle.

The complex, known as Hanano Barracks, includes an army base, a recruiting center and a military school.

The Al-Tawheed Brigade is one of the largest rebel groups operating in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, which has been a major front in the civil war since July.

December 16th, 2012, 11:10 am

 

zoo said:

Hezbollah says rebels will not win in Syria

BEIRUT | Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:44am EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/16/us-syria-crisis-hezbollah-idUSBRE8BF09H20121216

(Reuters) – Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday the rebels in Syria cannot emerge victorious from the 21-month-long conflict.

Nasrallah, a staunch ally of President Bashar al-Assad, said: “The situation in Syria is getting more complicated (but) anyone who thinks the armed opposition can settle the situation on the ground is very very very mistaken.”

Syrian rebels accuse the Shi’ite group of sending fighters to Syria to help Assad, who is trying to crush a revolt against his rule. The group denies these accusations.

December 16th, 2012, 11:13 am

 

Ghufran said:

قال الجنرال السوري : شو يا شباب هربتوا أموالكم برا وأولادكن برا البلد.. شو قاعدين عم تساووا هون .. وأنت يا أبو (…) ما كان أحسن بدل ما تهرب الخمسة مليون لدولار لبرات البلد إنك تشتري فيها خبز للهناس الجوعانين بالبلد ولا الوحدة الوطنية والاشتراكية تبعكن كانت كلها شفط بشفط\”.
ويبدو- بحسب الرواية المتداولة- أن الصمت والدهشة كانتا الأبرز على وجوه الحاضرين، حتى أن عميدا متقاعدا من قرية بين جبلة وبانياس فقد صبره وقال \” يا أبو (..) شكلك تقلت عرق\”. 
فكان رد الجنرال على الشكل التالي \”يلي تقّل عرق هو النظام تبعكن يلي أنا ما حطيتها واطية إلو من زمان .. يلي تقل عرق هو يلي هلكنا كل يوم بالارهاب وسيرة الارهاب طيب إذا كان عم يقاتل الارهابيين ليش حاطط الشيوعي ابن بيت الخيّر (قصده عبدالعزيز الخير) والمسيحي معتوق ( قصده المحامي خليل معتوق) بالسجن، شو كمان المسيحيين والشيوعيين إرهابيين.. ما ترك حدا علماني إلا ودكوا بالسجن
Again,whether this rant took place or not,it speaks on behalf of thousands of alawites who are paying for the sins of this regime and others.

December 16th, 2012, 11:17 am

 

zoo said:

First the Kurds, now the Palestinians are turning against the rebels and are calling for the Syrian air force for help.

The armed rebels whose Islamists terrorists fighters are “gaining” lands in the North, are gradually loosing the heart and minds of more and more Syrians, opposed to violence.

Palestinian refugee camp in Syria hit by fighting
By Joe Sterling and Amir Ahmed, CNN
updated 10:52 AM EST, Sun December 16, 2012

((CNN) — Syrian warplanes bombarded a densely populated Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus on Sunday amid clashes there, opposition activists said.

The air assault comes with fighting over the last 48 hours between rebels and a pro-government Palestinian militia, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
..
Formed in 1957, the urban enclave is the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, with more than 148,500 registered refugees, the United Nations said.

Refugees in Yarmouk appear to have been well-integrated into Syrian society, working as doctors, engineers, civil servants, laborers and street vendors.
The United Nations said living conditions in Yarmouk “are far better” than they are in other refugee camps in Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 11:22 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Criminal Assad bombing Yarmouk palestinian mosques. Great Assad Great, fight those terrorists sionists….

Assad and Nasrallah will get killed and go to Hell.

Where are JAD and all those supporters of the Great Criminal Assad The Last of Syria?

December 16th, 2012, 11:23 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Zoo take your pills, not willing to see reality is a psichiatric ill.

December 16th, 2012, 11:24 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

101. zoo said:

The hypocritical propaganda that US “democracy” serves social justice can’t hide these facts ( not widely reported in NYT or The Washingon post).

UNICEF: US Among Highest Child Poverty Rates in Developed Countries

 

Again, it’s because the poverty Threshold is set by each country, at different levels.

If you say: “Anyone who doesn’t have $1,000,000 is poor,” then U.S. poverty rate will soar towards 98%.

If on the other hand Venezuela sets poverty threshold at $1, then their poverty will be only 11%.

But, you can’t make such unfair comparisons with sliding values.
There should be only ONE criterion for all countries. Then you would see that the average salary in socialist paradises like Cuba is $10, while in America it’s $2500. That is the real picture. Two hundred fifty times better standard of living.

 
It’s very easy to find imperfections in USA, but try comparing them to other countries. For example: if Americans kill civilians, let’s look at whether Russia has killed civilians in Afghanistan or Chechnya.
Then you would see that all other countries are many times worse !!

 
I’m not in favor of Social Justice, that sounds like a euphemism for taking my money and giving it to another person.

December 16th, 2012, 11:31 am

 

Ghufran said:

The Palestinians in Syria are not supportive of the regime but they fear that this war will end any hope for a decent settlement with Israel after Syria becomes a fractured and devastated country, they are right on the money. Bombing alyarmouk camp is an ominous sign , it shows that this war keeps expanding beyond the traditional regime-rebels battle field , from what I was told by relatives,it was the rebels who ignited alyarmouk from day one, the regime did not want another front to worry about, you guys are repeating what alarabiya and aljazeera say as confused parrots.

December 16th, 2012, 11:39 am

 

Syrialover said:

In the struggle to understand massacres in Syria and get the picture of what happened on the ground, here are two excellent articles worth reading. Both are by Syrian journalist Hassan Hassan:

Story of a massacre tells of the Alawites caught in the middle

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/story-of-a-massacre-tells-of-the-alawites-caught-in-the-middle#ixzz2FEZXwn3n

Anatomy of a massacre that bodes ill for Syria’s future

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/anatomy-of-a-massacre-that-bodes-ill-for-syrias-future#ixzz2FEaq8Bux

December 16th, 2012, 11:52 am

 

zoo said:

109. Dolly Buster

Ok, you know better that UNICEF… Maybe you should write to them to tell them that you can correct their misleading statistics.

December 16th, 2012, 11:56 am

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO,

Enough playfighting and shallow distraction tactics. Allow us to get back to what’s happening in Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 11:59 am

 

Uzair8 said:

T_Aldiery
#pt: #Assad regime distinguishes its soldiers by having its Alawite soldiers wear a white ribbon on their vests. Very interesting, but why?

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/t-aldiery-pt-assad-regime-distinguishes-its-soldiers/

___________________________

T_Aldiery
#FSA in the besieged #DeirEzzor military airport explain the sectarian nature of the #Syrian regime to its soldiers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TJ7jgMbHKXY

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/t-aldiery-fsa-in-the-besieged-deirezzor-military/

December 16th, 2012, 12:04 pm

 

zoo said:

110. Ghufran

When the Palestinians in Syria compare themselves with the Palestinians in Lebanon, in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, they are forever grateful to the Assad regime who gave them a Syrian passport, allows them study, work, participate in the society and live exactly like any Syrian with full freedom of movement.
In Lebanon they live in miserable camps, are not allowed to work, can’t travel easily and are generally ostracized. In GCC, the Palestinians who are born there get a temporary residence that can be revoked anytime.
After the war in Kuwait, many Palestinians were kicked out because they supported Saddam Hussein and had to return to the West Bank or Gaza and live under the Israeli oppression.

If the rebels win they will kick out all the palestinians who supported the regime..
In both cases the Palestinians are losers as they will never find the same style of life nowhere else in the Arab world.
It’s not generous Qatar who will offer them shelter and a Qatari citizenship…

They are now one more group victim of that failed ‘revolution’ attempt.

December 16th, 2012, 12:09 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

I like the name of the website mentioned in the video below: http://www.anti-shabiha.com
__________________

#Syria A university shabbih in Aleppo has been caught

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdzZgEl1MCQ&feature=player_embedded

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/syria-a-university-shabbih-in-aleppo-has-been/

December 16th, 2012, 12:12 pm

 

zoo said:

113. Syrialover

You and your kind claim to know better than me of what is happening, why do you bother ask me?

December 16th, 2012, 12:15 pm

 

zoo said:

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari: We will meet the Syrian opposition from Syria… Maybe next spring will see some change within the international community.

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32189

Concerning the situation in Syria, the Iraqi Foreign Minister described it as “painful” and is getting worse. On whether a peaceful solution is on the horizon, Zebari told Asharq Al-Awsat, “After the bloodshed, the political solution is in need of a miracle because the relationship between the people and the regime has been destroyed, and the clock cannot be turned back and no regime can stay with its people in such a case.”

Zebari revealed that Baghdad will soon receive a group from the Syrian opposition, which is not part of the Syrian National Coalition, pointing out that Iraq is talking with all sides because it is the country that is most harmed by the Syrian crisis. He described the situation in Syria as complicated, stressing that “the military settlement between the regime and the opposition is not easy and will take time.” He also said: “We had an experience with the Baath Party and it took a time that lasted for years, and whatever support the opposition gets, it will not be similar to what the regime is having.” He described the current situation as “a war of attrition between the two sides and an exhaustion of regional forces that work in proxy in Syria.”

Regarding [UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar] Brahimi’s choice to return to Geneva in support of a transitional government and a peaceful transition of authority, the Iraqi Foreign Minister said that “the mechanisms of this solution are not available because what Brahimi needs in terms of sending peace-keeping forces requires the approval of the Security Council, and the international forces are currently not prepared for such a solution”.

“The stands may change in the next spring if the bombardment with aircraft and launchers of the Syrian people continues, and some international parties may help through an international humanitarian intervention but not similar to what happened in Iraq and Libya.” Zebari added.

December 16th, 2012, 12:20 pm

 

jna said:

“a basically false and propagandistic account of events in Syria has been created by a foreign media credulous in using pro-opposition sources as if they were objective reporting.”

http://networkedblogs.com/G1YMC

December 16th, 2012, 12:20 pm

 

zoo said:

From the mouthpiece of KSA: The threat of the Moslem Brotherhood caliphate in the region.

The region caught between two guides: The guides of Qom and the guide of Al Azhar

16/12/2012

By Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat,
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=32191

Our region has passed through the phase of the Shiite crescent, and likewise the Muslim Brotherhood crescent, and now we have entered the phase of the “guides”. Those who understand this best in our region now are the civil forces of both Egypt and Tunisia, through their respective experiences there, and thus we see their strong opposition to anyone seeking to hijack the path of both countries.

I listened recently to an important, informed source explaining that the danger of this new phase would become a reality if the Brotherhood’s constitution is ratified Egypt. This would mean that the Brotherhood would have successfully kidnapped the Egyptian state and its institutions, in a move that would have a huge impact on the Egyptians, the region, and the expected course of both. The Brotherhood would then seek not only to strengthen their position in Egypt and monopolize power for the next three decades, but would also seek to impose their control over the entire region through universalizing their project. The Brotherhood’s stated project talks about an Islamic caliphate, along the lines of what the Khomeinists in Iran did and are still trying to do, in terms of exporting the revolution there. Therefore the whole region would soon be orientated between a guide in Cairo and a guide in Qom, i.e. one for the Sunnis and one for the Shiites.

Yes the West, and specifically Europe, was shocked by what the Brotherhood did in Egypt, and the biggest shock of all was the sight of Sheikh al-Qaradawi preaching in al-Azhar. Now the West understands that the Brotherhood wants to control al-Azhar, thus reducing any chances for moderation in the foreseeable future whether in Egypt or the region as a whole.

December 16th, 2012, 12:33 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO #117

I wasn’t asking you anything except to stop clogging this forum with nonesense about what a nightmare life in America is compared with the paradise created by the Assads. Here, maybe this will distract YOU:

Syrian sports heroes killed by Assad regime:

http://arabsaga.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/syrian-sports-heroes-killed-by-assads.html

December 16th, 2012, 12:34 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

121. SYRIALOVER

“what a nightmare life in America is”

Zoo can’t help it. He was toilet-trained too early…

December 16th, 2012, 12:52 pm

 

Majed97 said:

I wonder if JL will post an objective article like this on this blog…

Syria: The descent into Holy War

Patrick Cockburn
Sunday 16 December 2012

World View: The world decided to back the rebels last week, but this is no fight between goodies and baddies

“Syria today resembles Iraq nine years ago in another disturbing respect. I have now been in Damascus for 10 days, and every day I am struck by the fact that the situation in areas of Syria I have visited is wholly different from the picture given to the world both by foreign leaders and by the foreign media. The last time I felt like this was in Baghdad in late 2003, when every Iraqi knew the US-led occupation was proving a disaster just as George W Bush, Tony Blair and much of the foreign media were painting a picture of progress towards stability and democracy under the wise tutelage of Washington and its carefully chosen Iraqi acolytes.”

“This misperception of the reality on the ground in Syria is fuelled in part by propaganda, but more especially by inaccurate and misleading reporting by the media where bias towards the rebels and against the government is unsurpassed since the height of the Cold War. Exaggerated notions are given of rebel strength and popularity. The Syrian government is partially responsible for this. By excluding all but a few foreign journalists, the regime has created a vacuum of information that is naturally filled by its enemies. In the event, a basically false and propagandistic account of events in Syria has been created by a foreign media credulous in using pro-opposition sources as if they were objective reporting.”

December 16th, 2012, 1:17 pm

 

Syrian said:

100. GHUFRAN said
(mr Syrian,stay in your Jr club,you are not good enough for a serious conversation)
OK grandpa
Though I’m waiting for your answer to one of your “serious conversation”level buddies.
ZOO’s directed a statement at you, I guess because your half Palastainin that
“they are (the Palestinian)forever grateful to the Assad regime who gave them a Syrian passport, allows them study, work, participate in the society and live exactly like any Syrian with full freedom of movement”
I’ m all eyes and ears waiting for your serious answer to this outlandish claim

December 16th, 2012, 1:22 pm

 

zoo said:

121. Syrialover

I am free to write what I want and when I want. You don’t own this blog nor have the monopoly of thoughts.
If you don’t like it, you and the vulgar Silentio weirdoz, do like Observer is doing, get a printed phone book and …
And then stop paternalizing people…

December 16th, 2012, 2:51 pm

 

zoo said:

Are we going to see drones in the sky of Edlib and the military bases “liberated” by Al Qaeda?

Sayyed Nasrallah: Some Islamic and Western governments have set a trap for al-Qaeda in Syria [Sayyed Nasrallah: :16 December 2012 – 18:29 –

http://www.islamicinvitationturkey.com/2012/12/16/sayyed-nasrallah-some-islamic-and-western-governments-have-set-a-trap-for-al-qaeda-in-syria/
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Nasrallah said some Islamic and Western governments have set a trap for al-Qaeda in Syria and they were fallen in this trap.

December 16th, 2012, 2:58 pm

 

Citizen said:

Drink the sea / roof the sky / butted the mountains / This world will walk independently from you!

December 16th, 2012, 3:04 pm

 

Tara said:

Selective humanity is painful to watch.

December 16th, 2012, 3:04 pm

 

zoo said:

Does Erdogan think he is the Father of immature Turks. Just imagine Obama or Hollande giving such advices.

Turkish PM advises young people to get married

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-advises-young-people-to-get-married-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=36961&NewsCatID=338

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on young people to get married while highlighting his wishes for couples to have at least three children during a speech today in the Central Anatolian province Konya, daily Hürriyet has reported.

December 16th, 2012, 3:05 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

The foreign media is more credible than the regime’s media. Any criticism that applies to the foreign media can also be applied to the regime’s media/Russia’s media/Iran’s media.

The difference between CNN and Regime TV is that CNN tries to get at the truth (but may get it wrong) whereas Regime TV doesn’t even bother with the truth (they outright lie).

You can say what you want about foreign media, but YOUR crap-tastic media sources aren’t any better.

December 16th, 2012, 3:10 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Look, Zoo, you can make Ghurfan’s argument that both sides are in the wrong. Or you can make Ali’s argument that the regime protects minorities like him. Both are reasonable positions, though I don’t agree with them.

But your un-flinching support of the regime flies against the facts. The regime is evil and illegitimate to the majority of the population, Zoo. It bombs bakeries, destroys cities, and arrests and tortures indiscriminately. The FSA may have bad elements, but the regime is rotten to its core.

December 16th, 2012, 3:14 pm

 

Citizen said:

US backed “Free Syrian Army” has “Crossed the Line”: Threatens to Kill Russians and Ukrainians in Syria
If not, you are looking, potentially, at the start of World War III, and it will be coming at you faster than the speed of light…
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-backed-free-syrian-army-has-crossed-the-line-threatens-to-kill-russians-and-ukrainians-in-syria/5315812

December 16th, 2012, 3:20 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Of course the rebels ignited Yarmouk. They’re rebels. This is what they’re supposed to do.

The rebel strategy has been to infiltrate cities and towns with popular support in hopes of drawing a vicious regime response. After the regime responds with brutal, indiscriminate force, the towns-and-city people will turn against the regime, and many of its sons will join the growing rebellion. This is CLASSIC guerilla strategy.

The regime, being both evil and idiotic, HAS PLAYED STRAIGHT INTO THEIR ENEMIES’ HANDS. By indiscriminate bombing and shelling, the regime has given the rebels a tremendous amount of international and domestic sympathy and support, which the rebels use to gain more recruits and weapons. Indiscriminate bombing and shelling is probably the WORST response you can have against a motivated guerilla insurgency because for every rebel that you kill, you make five more.

The regime’s strategy for dealing with this crisis has been a complete and utter disaster.

December 16th, 2012, 3:20 pm

 

zoo said:

Is Deir Ezzor ‘liberated? the question is from who?

أهالي دير الزور يكذبون قنوات الفتنة

December 16th, 2012, 3:30 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

You know, Zoo, your media sources are not particularly credible either.

The idiots who shout about the lack of credibility of mainstream media tend to use alternative NON-CREDIBLE SOURCES to back up their claims.

I’ve always found that rather amusing.

December 16th, 2012, 3:32 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

The rebel strategy has been to infiltrate cities and towns with popular support in hopes of drawing a vicious regime response. After the regime responds with brutal, indiscriminate force, the towns-and-city people will turn against the regime, and many of its sons will join the growing rebellion. This is CLASSIC guerilla strategy.

__________________________________________________________________

That is an obsolete 1932-1948 strategy. No city in Syria rebelled against the regime. In fact, they are begging the Syrian Army to come in and are very upset that the Syrian Army is not showing up fast enough. The foreign plotters knew that it is ineffective. They just want the Syrian army to come in and destroy cities. They are going to end up owning this, they will have to send in their kids to fight Islamists soon, the map should be ready this week, but will insist that Bashar leaves Damascus in rubbles so 23 millions Sunni Syrians will be staffing the Jihadist movement brigades. We are stocking up on Champaign now. Did the Jewish usurpers of power in Arabia and Palestine thought they will rule with such diabolic evil forever. Sorry, real Islamic Emirs coming to rule from Damascus to Muscat from Manila to London. With all that gold the queen was inspecting in the basement, it is a well worthy Islamic liberation, Emirs going to tile their mansions with gold tiles.

December 16th, 2012, 3:40 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Doesn’t seem all that obsolete to me. By all appearances, the rebels’ strategy seems to be working.

Last time I checked, the rebels were winning. Their numbers are growing, whereas the regime’s soldiers are defecting. The more the regime bombs, the more it loses. Do you deny this?

By the way, the Afghans and the Vietnamese used the same strategy to win their wars against super-powers. Both of these wars happened after 1948.

In the future, please try to corroborate your statements with facts on the ground. It would make your argument stronger.

December 16th, 2012, 3:44 pm

 

zoo said:

Marigoldran

‘The FSA may have bad elements, but the regime is rotten to its core.’

The FSA started well but it allowed itself to get polluted by islamist extremists that perpetrated more than 600 terrorists attacks (in the word of the USA). As the FSA is still defending these terrorists, without which it is militarily worthless, it is now irremediably doomed and about to collapse as it is is loosing its credibility and legitimacy inside and outside Syria.

The regime brutal abuses at the start of the uprising, now pale with the armed rebels brutality, cruelty, summary execution and cowardly killing of civilians using car bombs and human shields and using devilish Al Qaeeda foreign fighters

Time, not the media will tell on which side the Syrians are shifting after 18 months of senseless and pointless violence.

December 16th, 2012, 3:47 pm

 

zoo said:

135. MarigoldRan

You criticize my sources. They are varied, many of them are from Turkish, Gulf and Saudi Arabia media.

What are your sources, you never mention them. Maybe Al Jazeera and Al Arabya?

“Last time I checked, the rebels were winning. Their numbers are growing, whereas the regime’s soldiers are defecting. ”

Sources please?

December 16th, 2012, 3:51 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Um, no. The FSA’s brutality is limited, and caused by a few bad apples. The regime’s brutality has consistently been part of their central strategy of fighting the war.

The regime has massacred, killed, and bombed 10x or even 100x more than whatever the FSA has done. The STRATEGY of the regime can be summarized as “if violence is not enough, use more violence.” The regime has CONSISTENTLY escalated over the last two years from snipers, to artillery, to jet bombers, to Scuds, and perhaps even to chemical weapons.

It is an evil regime, Zoo. It has been brutal from the beginning and it is brutal today. The only reason the regime cannot inflict the damage it once did is because of its weakening military situation. It wishes it can kill all of its enemies. Thankfully it can no longer do so. The regime is like a mad, rabid dog that needs to be shot down before it does any more harm.

December 16th, 2012, 3:52 pm

 

zoo said:

#128 Tara

I fully agree…

December 16th, 2012, 3:55 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

I don’t trust any one source. I simply pay attention to WHERE the fighting is taking place. I don’t even bother reading the battle reports because I know they’re all lies, from both sides.

If the fighting spreads to “formerly safe regime-controlled areas” that means the regime is losing. Since the fighting has spread to Aleppo and Damascus, and since previously secure army bases and hydroelectric dams are falling to the rebels, I believe the rebels are winning.

Regime media can put out whatever hypothesis it wants. But the fact that the fighting has spread to Damascus is VERY BAD NEWS for the regime. Time is with the rebels, not the regime. Just follow the military and political trend over the last two years and it’s obvious which side is winning.

December 16th, 2012, 3:56 pm

 

zoo said:

Marigoldran

“Few bad apples”: more then 600 terrorists attacks, one third of the armed rebels…

You are totally off track using obsolete cliches of ‘evil’ vs ‘good’.
I suggest you read more ‘sources’ before dumping on us your predictions based on your “sixth sense”

December 16th, 2012, 4:00 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

I’m not sure if the FSA is “good,” but I am completely confident that the regime is “evil.” If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the FSA, as would most people today.

Evil and good are not obsolete words. Any government that bombs its citizens, and tortures and terrorizes them is evil. Do you deny this?

How else can you describe the regime’s behavior other than “evil?” Once again, what defense can you put up for the regime’s actions? For all your talk about the FSA, I’ve heard very little from you in defense of this regime.

December 16th, 2012, 4:04 pm

 

Citizen said:

Russia’s Air Defense Systems in Syria

In response to the US-allied missile deployment, Russia delivered advanced Iskander missiles to Syria, which are now fully operational, not to mention the ground to air Russian defense system Pechora 2M.

The Iskander is described as a surface-to-surface missile system “that no missile defense system can trace or destroy”:

The superior Iskander can travel at hypersonic speed of over 1.3 miles per second (Mach 6-7) and has a range of over 280 miles with pinpoint accuracy of destroying targets with its 1,500-pound warhead, a nightmare for any missile defense system.

Moreover, Syria is equipped with the modern Pechora-2M air defense system, which US military sources admit would constitute “a threat”, namely an obstacle, in the case “a no fly zone” were implemented in relation to Syria.

The Pechora-2M is a sophisticated multiple target system which can also be used against cruise missiles.

December 16th, 2012, 4:11 pm

 

zoo said:

The unprotected and crumbling ‘liberated areas’ are a time bomb for the rebels.
Where is Turkey and Qatar’s promised no-fly zone and humanitarian aid before they collapse?

No water, power, cash: Syria rebels run broke town
By KARIN LAUB | Associated Press – 2 hrs 49 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/no-water-power-cash-syria-rebels-run-broke-182136240.html

In this Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, photo:, Syrians wait outside a bakery shop to buy bread in Maaret Misreen, near Idlib, Syria. The town is broke, relying on a slowing trickle of local donations. The rebels, a motley crew of laborers, mechanics and shopowners, have little experience in government. President Bashar Assad’s troops still control the city of Idlib a few miles away, making area roads unsafe and keeping Maaret Misreen cut off from most of Syria.
In this Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, …

MAARET MISREEN, Syria (AP) — The anti-regime locals who have thrown together a ramshackle administration to run this northern Syrian town have one main struggle: Finding money to keep their community alive. Like other nearby rebel-held towns, Maaret Misreen is broke.

Many of the town’s 45,000 residents are out of work. There’s no cash to keep water or electricity running, so they come on only sporadically. Prices have skyrocketed. Long lines form at the only working bakery for miles around, creating vulnerable potential targets for airstrikes.

This week, the town’s main mosque preacher, Abdel Rahim Attoun — who now doubles as the town judge — appealed to worshippers to chip in to buy fuel for communal water pumps. He asked each family to donate 200 Syrian pounds, a little under $3, the cost of a large bunch of bananas.

The situation is repeated across the swath of rebel-controlled territory in northwestern Syria, said Zafer Amoura, a lawyer who represents Maaret Misreen in an emerging provincial council. Communities are now cut off from the national government that helped keep them running, and locals forming impromptu administrations try to meet the needs of daily life amid the civil war.

At the same time, the rebels in charge of Maaret Misreen are preoccupied with the 21-month-old battle against Syrian President Bashar Assad. Some of Assad’s troops are positioned just a few miles away, in the provincial capital of Idlib, while regime warplanes and combat helicopters continue to strike Maaret Misreen and its surroundings.

December 16th, 2012, 4:19 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Of course, Zoo, what do you expect? The regime has bombed and shelled the water plants, the bakeries, and the granaries of these areas. Everyone there knows they’re struggling. But they’re also fully aware of WHO is responsible for all this misery and destruction.

Once again, I don’t understand the regime’s strategy. The more it bombs, the more it turns the population against it. Why is the regime using Russia’s Afghanistan strategy when that strategy lost the war for the Russians? I mean, if they’re going to copy a strategy, shouldn’t they copy a strategy that WORKS?

The people may not like the FSA, but they hate the regime infinitely times more. The more the regime bombs, the more suicide bombers it creates. Violence begets violence. Does this stupid regime wish to drown in an orgy of violence and death?

December 16th, 2012, 4:21 pm

 

zoo said:

Iranian FM says West will not topple Assad

http://www.payvand.com/news/12/dec/1136.html

The Iranian Foreign Minister says Iran will not allow the West to topple the Beshar Assad regime.
Iranian state media report that Ali Akbar Salehi said in an interview: “The action of Western countries and a number of countries in the region against Syria is nothing but the blatant violation of agreements as well as divine and earthly values; they are hostile and one-sided actions against the government and people of Syria.”

Salehi condemned any form of military intervention or arming of the opposition forces of Syria and called for an immediate end to the massacre of the Syrian people by “terrorist groups.”

Iran, a close ally of the Beshar Assad regime, claims terrorist groups are responsible for the violence in Syria. Syrian opposition groups claim, however, that Syrian people are being killed by state forces.

Salehi condemned all international agreements against the Syrian regime, stressing that they are “against Syrian independence.” Salehi went on to add that such agreements are aimed at “increasing pressure” on Syria in order to “force a change in that country’s stance against Zionist occupiers and world arrogance.”

Salehi appears to be referring to the international support extended to a Syrian opposition coalition and the announcement by a number of countries that they recognize only this coalition as the legitimate representative of the people of Syria.

Salehi said: “The people of Syria have the right to choose their president and their system through elections, and no foreign country has the right to take this away from them.”

He called for inclusive dialogue between all the various forces in Syrian without any foreign intervention and he stressed that Iran supports dialogue between the Syrian regime and all national forces in Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 4:26 pm

 

zoo said:

Marigoldran

“The people may not like the FSA, but they hate the regime infinitely times more”

Sources?
By the way SC is dwelled by well to do expats, some of them have not been in Syria for decades. Their opinion does not represent the Syrian people, even if they claim it does..

December 16th, 2012, 4:27 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

If you meet a rabid dog in the street, do you try to reason with it? Or do you take a gun and shoot it?

**************************************************

Go to a refugee camp and talk to the survivors. Ask them if they hate the regime or the FSA more.

There is a lot of anger and hatred in Syria in the present time against the regime. How are you missing this? Are the stories of the refugees and of thousands of videos not enough for you?

December 16th, 2012, 4:29 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

They managed to hold on some northern areas, but they have no support among the people on the ground. The reason they managed to hold on some northern areas, is because the Assad regime relied on hardcore Ala*wite only units to fight, they are very few in numbers, so the battle is pretty much a draw. Neither the Islamist fighters gained support among the masses, nor the regime made any serious reforms that can draw from the majority Sunni’s to feel the need to fight for a worthy cause. Should Assad done that, Islamist will not hold one square meter of Syria now.

December 16th, 2012, 4:34 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

The conflict will and can remains a draw for a very long time, people eventually will get fed up with Islamist rebels, momentum will shift on Assad side. That is bad for Syria too, because in the end, Assad would have won, and Syria left in ruin. He will not make a single act of reform then. That is a worst case outcome scenario for Syria. Syrians will live in horrible rule and conditions for decades.

December 16th, 2012, 4:35 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

Turning the table on the e*v^il ones, giving the Islamists a State in Syria to call Caliph^ate, arm them infiltrate them thru various brigades, and sending them south on a noble mission to free Arabia, North Africa and Asia from despot rules like Su^ltan of B^ru$n*ei is an excellent outcome. One that can get Islamic C*alip*hate established and renew Syria into a modern wealthy and sophisticate, non Arab State by setting up new Syria on the coast, with Emessa as its capital

IT IS A WIN WIN OUTCOME FOR SYRIANS.

December 16th, 2012, 4:37 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

No, SNP, I don’t think so. This war will not end in a draw if it continues the way it has. The rebels have made tremendous military progress in 1 year of fighting. Imagine what they can do in another year with more captured weapons and more soldiers. The civilians may grumble, but they will not turn on the FSA because they know the regime is the greater evil.

All trends point against the regime. The regime is incapable of turning it around. In most of the country, Assad’s rule is already completely finished. He is, at this point, little more than “the warlord of Damascus.”

December 16th, 2012, 4:40 pm

 

zoo said:

Having applying overwhelming sanctions that brought no result, having theatrically ‘recognize’ the opposition without better results, the Western countries are running out of options to achieve a non-military regime change.

They are left with “threatening” to lift the embargos on weapons to rebels when everybody knows that their hands are tied by the USA’s recent labeling of a large part of the armed rebels as “al Qaeda terrorists”.
As the humanitarian situation in the ‘liberated areas’ is a time bomb and may explode to their face, they are scrambling to find a ‘speedy’ political solution, while insisting on their own conditions that are inacceptable to the block Russia-China-Iran.

http://rt.com/news/eu-rebels-syria-humanitarian-131/

EU leaders have called on their foreign ministers to consider all options to support the Syrian opposition and put pressure on the Syrian leadership. It comes as the Syrian FM blames sanctions for the country’s humanitarian crisis, asking for UN aid.

“Nothing is off the table,” British PM David Cameron warned during the recent EU summit, sending a message to President Assad and urging for an early review and possible lifting of arms embargo’s against Syria.

Britain demands “the speediest possible” political transition in Syria and is ready to work with the opposition to achieve that, Cameron said.

December 16th, 2012, 4:48 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

@ Regime Supporters

If a bandit hides in your house, and the police burns down your house to catch the bandit, do you blame the bandit or the police more for the fire?

Also, since you have no house now, doesn’t this make you more likely to turn to banditry to survive?

December 16th, 2012, 4:48 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

You logic is twisted man, of course will blame the bandit and join the police to get him, but that is only if one have assurance of police well intention to help me out in the end. Otherwise, will just leave the scene, and that is what is happening now.

December 16th, 2012, 5:18 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO said,

“You don’t own this blog”

We know, ZOO. YOU own it. By sheer number of posts and measurement of space occupied.

The aim of your game seems to be deflecting, disrupting, denying and distracting from open and authentic discussion about what’s happening in Syria.

December 16th, 2012, 5:33 pm

 

Observer said:

ZOO you are totally illogical. It is precisely because the regime has failed at its most basic function of providing anything to the people that not only it tortured to death the children of Dera’a but even the one redeeming feature of some sense of security that was somewhat prevalent during the reign of he father has gone away completely under the reign of the son.

The phone book is a thorn in your side because under the pretense of bringing the internet and dish TV it claims modernity when you and I know that 99% of the people do not have internet and even if there is an internet the state institutions have not provided any important function on their websites. Go to SANA and you will find the speeches of the Prethident but you will not find anything of meaning to the life of the people.

Who cares what the level of poverty of the children in the US is? We are talking about the mafia rule of the clans of Assad Makhlouf Shalish and their cronies. At least in the US you can discuss these issues but of course in Syria it is taboo.

Break up the stupid unlivable place you call Somaria Alathad that your ilk are defending without shame.

December 16th, 2012, 6:11 pm

 

revenire said:

The fall of Assad, and thus Syria, has been forecast thousands of times over the last four-five years. This didn’t start with peaceful demonstrations in Darra – armed terrorists were present.

No revolution could be inspired by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, US, UK, or the Muslim Brotherhood. Foreign money and foreign arms feed the cancer – take that away and the disease will be eradicated in short order.

December 16th, 2012, 6:23 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo @141

“#128 Tara

I fully agree…”
——
Dear Zoo,

You think you do…but every thing you say indicates otherwise.

You took offense with us discussing a ” yet to be born baby” and it pains me to say that you did not take offense with a headless little girl. Can you deny it?

And for the record we were discussing the mother not the fetus.

And with that being said, I review my posts several time before addressing you.

December 16th, 2012, 6:29 pm

 

Syrialover said:

Iran prepares 6-point plan to solve Syrian crisis

http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1767928.

COMMENT: Read it for a laugh. The mind-blowing absurdity, insolence and dishonesty of Bashar’s chief controllers and sponsors.

It’s got everything! It’s got the UN, dialogue & reconciliation, allowing aid groups in, release of people detained for their political beliefs, ending of disinformation, and a committee to fix all the damage that will “receive and channel all foreign helps”.

It reads like over the top satire.

Maybe Syria’s getting too expensive with Iran’s sanction-induced problems back home.

December 16th, 2012, 7:23 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Iran is seriously planing to send up to 70,000 soldier to help the criminal Assad,to fight Syrians, if they do it will be Shiite against Sunni,and this means other Moslem countries will send troops, like Egypt and Turkey,

December 16th, 2012, 8:09 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Farouk Al-Sharaa interview with al-akhbar:
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/173812

December 16th, 2012, 8:29 pm

 

zoo said:

SL

I am glad you recognize that my controversial contribution is making that blog a more interesting debate than your constant whining, complaints, insults and paternalistic advices to the contributors.

Your interventions using critics and insults addressed to the person rather than to the subject simply just show your inability to build any valid counter argument and to come up with interesting ideas or analysis.
Either you repeat indefinitely the same cliches or you attack personally the writer. In both cases, it is dull and boring.

Sorry I can’t help you on that..

December 16th, 2012, 10:43 pm

 

Syrialover said:

MAJEDKHALDOUN #163

So how would Iran’s plan to send 70,000 holy warriors to Syria square with their six-point peace initiative? (#162)

Maybe the mullahs posture will be that they “tried” to find a non-military solution.

Or perhaps are they having a tantrum about American troops being sent to the Turkish border to man the Patriot missiles –
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-troops-will-man-patriot-batteries-along-turkeys-border-with-syria/2012/12/14/c53483e2-45d0-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_story.html

December 16th, 2012, 10:49 pm

 

zoo said:

163. majedkhaldoun said:

“Iran is seriously planing to send up to 70,000 soldier ”

Syria has an signed defense agreement with Syria to be applied when Syria is threatened by foreign forces.
It’s all natural they’ll intervene as the country is been attacked by Al Qaeeda, as confirmed by the USA.

December 16th, 2012, 10:50 pm

 

zoo said:

#161 Tara

This ‘revolution’ has unleashed an incontrollable violence and cruelty on both sides.
I keep saying that this must stop without any conditions, and people on this blog keep rejoicing and encouraging the armed rebels to reject any negotiations if the condition they set are not met.

I still wait to hear the opposition say something else than “we want weapons” and “we don’t want to negotiate with people with blood on their hands” when their own hands are increasingly full of blood too.

In war, people end up by putting their ego aside and think about the people and accept negotiations if it will save one life.

Now if you believe in martyrdom for the ’cause’ then you should not cry, but be proud. I don’t and I cry for all syrians on both sides, they are all victims of human cruelty and manipulation.

December 16th, 2012, 11:03 pm

 
 

majedkhaldoun said:

Syrialover
Through Iraq.However there is a limit to what they can do.

Farooq Shar3 suggestions are not posssible,or very vague. He clearly criticizing Assad use of force,calling for severe limitations of his authorities,and allowing for regional,and foreign intervention politically.
When he said Syria should come first before individual or regime interest,he put himself at risk.

December 16th, 2012, 11:13 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Iran would be an idiot to send non-covert combat troops into Syria. They can’t possibly be this stupid. It would be the equivalent of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and we all know how that turned out for the Soviets.

And yes, there has been many predictions of Assad’s fall. And right now, giving how the war is going, I think in the end they’ll be the ones in the right.

Personally, if someone burned down my place, I would blame the person who burned down my place. I think most people would think that way too.

December 16th, 2012, 11:23 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

@Zoo

Negotiation with this regime is pointless. It is evil, it is brutal, it lies, and it never keeps promises.

Furthermore, if the regime is not finished this time, there will be another civil war 30 years from now, against Assad’s children, possibly. That is unacceptable. The regime only understands violence, so violence it will be.

When are you regime supporters going to realize that no one’s going to negotiate with you? The point of the war now is not to save Syria. It’s already too late for that. The point of the war now is to punish the regime and its supporters, to make sure they can never do this again in the future.

December 16th, 2012, 11:36 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

@Zoo

If you honestly cry for Syrians, then you would be against the regime. Otherwise, you’re nothing more than two-faced regime stooge, pretending to care about Syria, but in reality caring only for the regime.

I’m not sure about the FSA, but I do know the regime is evil and must be finished once and for all.

The West’s policy is simple: Once a government has committed this many atrocities, and behaved this brutally, NO ONE will talk with it anymore. This behavior of the regime’s is unacceptable. You can cry all you want, but negotiations are over.

December 16th, 2012, 11:42 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO #165.

There are real people with real thoughts and an emotional connection to what is happening in Syria posting on this forum.

And then there are players/apparatchiks.

It is not a matter of “taking sides”

ALI and MJABALI, for example, are controversial, but they express individual, human views and authentic perspectives.

Your postings, in contrast, come across as if following a formula and playing an online game. Especially when you go off topic and try to distract from discussions of Syrian issues.

You don’t disguise your indifference and disconnect from what is actually happening to the people of Syria.

It’s hard to see that you personally believe or care or worry about what is happening to Syria. It’s all point, score, tick, click, meter on, meter off.

December 17th, 2012, 12:22 am

 

revenire said:

Iran should send 70,000 soldiers to balance what the West has sent. We look forward to our Iranian brothers joining the war.

December 17th, 2012, 12:27 am

 

Syrialover said:

REVINIRE,

You must be giggling and having so much fun here you’ve probably wet your pants.

It’s such a big laugh and a game making silly comments on the situation in Syria, isn’t it.

Get a life.

You’re lucky you can – millions in Syria can’t.

December 17th, 2012, 12:36 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

175. revenire said:

Iran should send 70,000 soldiers to balance what the West has sent.

 
The West has sent Nothing.

Every now and then, they contemplate sending a walkie-talkie, and other non-lethal aid. Such statements enrage me, because people are dying by the minute.

Meanwhile: the disgusting pigs on the Russia-Shiite axis have been pouring in resources for the Evil side.

December 17th, 2012, 1:12 am

 

Juergen said:

See what happend when the Assad soccerteam played against the jordanian soccer team

December 17th, 2012, 1:19 am

 

revenire said:

Please, let’s calm down. Syria is already free. I support Syria, Iran and Hezbollah and don’t hide it. I consider Assad to be a folk hero for resisting the West for so long and consider him the protector of Syria and all Syrians.

Others can have whatever opinion they like.

December 17th, 2012, 2:04 am

 

Syria no Kandahar said:

Juergen
See the none-Aarorist Actual Syrians during that game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2lP7arNhnc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That is Syria’s team played and won…it is not Assad’s team…enough stupidity .

December 17th, 2012, 2:15 am

 

Syria no Kandahar said:

This is about an hour but worth watching …see how this is an international jihadist Taliban movement not more…the west is sending all the
Germs to Syria to clean the earth from the jihad
And terrorism cancer…

December 17th, 2012, 2:24 am

 

Juergen said:

SNK

Well 130 countries no longer see Assad Syria to represent Syria. Face that for a moment.

December 17th, 2012, 2:45 am

 

MarigoldRan said:

This will be a long, bitter, and cruel war. To take Damascus, the rebels will need to hit from both the north and the south and only AFTER an extensive period of cutting off its supplies. Against 50000 Alawite troops with heavy weapons, who will NOT defect, that’s the only way to do it given the rebels’ military capabilities.

Still, Sharaa is wrong. It can be done.

The fighting in the south is keeping Assad’s force contained. The real fighting will begin along the supply highway between Damascus and Lattakia in the north. Damascus’s weakness is its supply route to Lattakia. Already the city is having trouble getting bread. That is the key.

December 17th, 2012, 3:11 am

 

Juergen said:

Wasnt Ghadaffi ready to negotiate right before he fled? I wonder which pipe is reserved for Al Wahash.

December 17th, 2012, 3:11 am

 

Visitor said:

Assad can survive few weeks at the most on his own, from well informed sources. MK’s comment about 70000 shia thugs coming from Iran is relevant based on this information. Most likely they will be headed towards the coast. Nevertheless, it will the annihilation of mullah-stan(s) throughout the area. The empty posturing of the idiots SNK, Revenire(a.k.a Ali) and the usually moronic Zoo, is nothing but that, void and empty posturing. Your hour, you thugs, has come and you will wish to give your life away for every word written or spoken in support of بشار ابن حافظ الجحش

December 17th, 2012, 4:22 am

 

SyrianPatriot said:

الله محيي أصلكم يا أبناء سوريا… كلمة لسمير العيطة: http://on.fb.me/Wh7wXZ

We need more people like Samir Al-Aita. Patriotic speech for Syria’s Turkmen

December 17th, 2012, 4:35 am

 

SyrianPatriot said:

المعارضة التركمانية السورية تعقد مؤتمرا في اسطنبول بحضور شخصيات تركية بارزة

http://bit.ly/V2HEwy

December 17th, 2012, 4:51 am

 
 

Syrialover said:

HAMOUDEH AL-HALABI,

What you put online is always superb.

I’m forever grateful for its clarity, detail and frontline immediacy.

Your last two posts give us the value and purpose of the revolution full force:

– Shaykh Mahmoud al-Dalati has Joined the Battle #169

– Martyred Col. Abu Furat, the Son of Syria #188

Reading about those two men tells us powerfully and beautifully what this is all about. What really MATTERS.

The courage, sanity, intelligence, decency and strength – the core of the REAL Syria.

Thank you. It’s the antidote we need to all the Al Nusrah and other transient mess out there.

December 17th, 2012, 6:04 am

 

Syrialover said:

The loss and waste of Colonel Abu Furat alone is enough to make me want the squalid, cowardly regime and its enablers punished in hell forever.

December 17th, 2012, 6:23 am

 

Citizen said:

President Barack Obama is depicted as a reluctant wartime president by the state-run media, but his no-holds-barred approach to arming the Jihadist terrorists inside Syria against the Assad regime raises questions about his reserved image and his real intentions towards Syria.

Italian geographer Manlio Dinucci sheds light on Obama’s enthusiastic support for secret wars in his article, “Obama prefers to keep it hidden,”writing:

President Obama does not like war. Not because he is a Nobel Peace prize-winner, but because open aggressive action would reveal US strategy and the interests upon which it is based. So he has launched a grand plan which, as the Washinton Post notes, “reflects the Obama administration’s affinity for espionage and covert action over conventional force.”
http://poorrichards-blog.blogspot.com/2012/12/obamas-sneaky-war-on-syria-puts-him-in.html

December 17th, 2012, 6:42 am

 

Citizen said:

http://youtu.be/GKzdVCYXx-Y?t=1m52s
Young Israelis Fight for Social Justice

December 17th, 2012, 6:58 am

 

Syria no Kandahar said:

Juergen
What does a sport team(90% Sunni ,I your sectarian way of thinking ) has to do
With politics?
Visitor
You really will win the title of (The Toilet of SC) without much competition.you are
Stupid,idiot,Moran and deserve to be put on محاكمه شرعيه by your idiot fucking jihadists friends…you are like a rabid dog who constantly barks without any intimidation on this blog….I neve give you a bone and you keep barking…I try
To avoid you because I feel your beard smells but you take pride in insulting others…this is a sample for what you can get mr Takfiris ,children head cutters
Supporters…Go to hell you,Your god Alaaroor ,your Amir ابي جلبيب,Alnusra
Terrorists …..

December 17th, 2012, 8:00 am

 

zoo said:

When his predictions fails, we get the usual insulting name calls from the enraged Islamist illuminated expat.
Then he comes with new predictions….

December 17th, 2012, 8:17 am

 

zoo said:

#177 Dolly

“Every now and then, they contemplate sending a walkie-talkie”

You forget the important cameras the West has generously sent to the allahuakbarites so they can make Youtube videos as they cut the head of heretics and young army soldiers or blow up a ‘helicopter’

Of course this comes with video editing programs to add sounds and smoke… Thank you Hollande, Cameron and Erdogan. These gifts will make that revolution succeed for sure.

December 17th, 2012, 8:24 am

 

zoo said:

#174 SL

I am not surprised that you attempt to make a psychological portrait of me. That confirms again your usual way of responding to the logical analysis of the changing situations that I attempt to do.
Like many on this blog you prefer to attack and demean the carrier rather that find solid counter arguments to the message.

You may continue your way of attacking and whining, I prefer to concentrate on promoting how to save Syria with compromises rather than to promote a winner and a loser in a disastrous and sickening war of attrition where the only losers are the Syrians.

December 17th, 2012, 8:44 am

 

zoo said:

The Syrian government is calling for negotiations and a peaceful settlement.
Any creative response from the opposition other than the senseless “The regime is loosing, we want weapons and Bashar must go” ?

Syrian VP calls for ‘historic settlement,’ national unity government
By Joe Sterling and Amir Ahmed, CNN
updated 7:39 AM EST, Mon December 17, 2012

(CNN) — Syria’s vice president is calling for a “historic settlement” of the country’s civil war and the creation of a national unity government, according to an interview with a Lebanese newspaper to be published Monday.

“The solution has to be Syrian, but through a historic settlement, which would include the main regional countries, and the members of the U.N. Security Council,” newspaper al-Akhbar quoted Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa as saying in excerpts released Sunday.

Al-Sharaa, who also once acted as Syria’s foreign minister, noted that neither the rebels nor government has the military ability to reach what he called “a conclusive end.”

“This settlement must include stopping all shapes of violence, and the creation of a national unity government with wide powers,” he said.
Al-Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a government dominated by the country’s Alawite minority, was rumored to have defected to Jordan in August, but he later resurfaced in Damascus.

Davutoglu told Turkish media then that al-Sharaa is not to blame for the mass bloodshed in the country.

December 17th, 2012, 8:52 am

 

zoo said:

The UN-Russia-USA plan is moving ahead…

Turkey proposes to Russia new Syria plan: report

ANKARA – Agence France-Press 17dec 2012
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-proposes-to-russia-new-syria-plan-report-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=37011&NewsCatID=359

Turkey has made a new proposal to Russia for an orderly peaceful transition in war-ravaged Syria in the post-regime era, a Turkish newspaper reported on Monday.

The proposal calls for President Bashar al-Assad to step down in the first three months of 2013 and for the transition process to be undertaken by the opposition National Coalition, which was recognised as the sole representative of Syrians by Arab and Western states last week, the Radikal newspaper reported.

The plan was discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on December 3 and Putin reportedly considered it a “creative formula,” according to Radikal.

December 17th, 2012, 9:01 am

 

Tara said:

Ahmad Jibril should pay a hefty price soon for promoting the killing of his own people.  Where are you Abu Ammar? 

Syrian jet fires rocket at Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus
Thousands flee and dozens feared dead after attack on Yarmouk camp as Palestinians in Syria are caught up in civil war

The Guardian, Sunday 16 December 2012 13.35 EST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/16/syrian-rocket-palestinian-refugee-camp

December 17th, 2012, 10:11 am

 

Citizen said:

198. ZOO
Q: How many Syrians will accept the “Turkish (Davutoglu) Plan”?

Turkey’s new Syria plan was hailed by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, a staunch backer of the Syrian regime, as a “creative proposal.” The plan, which envisages a Syria-led political solution to the crisis, was already discussed with Russia, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the US and UN Syria envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The Radikal report said it was impossible to gain further details about the plan from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

أعوذ بالله من الشياطين

December 17th, 2012, 10:18 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Now, after 2 years of massive killings and city bombings, and after 40.000 dead at least, Farouk Al Sharr-a realizes he need a national reconicliation.

Shame on you Sharaa and Assad and all of you, crazy syrian regime supporters.

December 17th, 2012, 10:30 am

 

Tara said:

“Al-Sharaa, who also once acted as Syria’s foreign minister, noted that neither the rebels nor government has the military ability to reach what he called “a conclusive end.”

What an admittance of humiliating defeat!! What happened to khalset? What happened to Souria bi khair? 40,000 killed and 2 millions internally displace and they think there is still a room for the current regime in ruling Syria?

In my opinion, Sharaa should redo the interview… The only acceptable solution is to declare the resignation and self- exile of Batta et al and then a political transition so the state does not collapse and the Alawis are not slaughtered in revenge.

December 17th, 2012, 10:53 am

 

zoo said:

An auto-criticism and cool-headed analysis of the situation from a Sunni “regime” man. Interesting to read it all.

Exclusive Interview: Syrian VP Farouk Al-Sharaa Proposes Alternative to War

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/exclusive-interview-syrian-vp-farouk-al-sharaa-proposes-alternative-war

“The problem gets bigger and deeper when some start thinking that victory and defeat are possible. The opposition forces combined cannot decide the battle of overthrowing the regime militarily, unless they aim to pull the country into chaos and an unending circle of violence. Meanwhile, I do not see that what the security forces and the army units are doing will not reach a conclusive end, especially since we understand, without any illusions, the threat of the current campaign to destroy Syria, its history, civilization, and people.

December 17th, 2012, 11:31 am

 

Tara said:

Zoo,

Please ..like being a Sunni while serving the regime gives him more credential. How is he different than the so called “handsome” boy of The Tlasses.

In my view, he becomes more of a culprit. I would definitely favor an Alawi that is anti regime to propse a solution.

December 17th, 2012, 11:39 am

 

Uzair8 said:

Great Expectations.

So what are we expecting for 2013? I don’t know. I know who is possibly expecting.

We know the Duchess of Cambridge is. There is talk of Asma Assad. They are now seemingly joined by the North Korean ‘First Lady’:

[Sky News]

North Korea: Leader Expecting A Little ‘Un?

The wife of Kim Jong-un has sparked speculation of a heir after being pictured looking heavily pregnant.

Monday 17 December 2012

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

North Korea could be about to make a second propaganda-boosting announcement in as many weeks following TV footage which suggests that the country’s First Lady might be pregnant.

Read more:

http://news.sky.com/story/1026497/north-korea-leader-expecting-a-little-un

December 17th, 2012, 11:44 am

 

zoo said:

It is so interesting that the opposition supporters and the AL (under Qatar’s control) were begging Al Sharaa to take over the ‘transitional’ government a year ago, and now that he calls for reconciliation, they reject him.

I guess Al Khatib will meet the same fate should he call for a similar path to a peaceful solution.

After reading that interview, I think that Al Khatib and Al Sharaa could be good partners in a dialog in the future of Syria, if the pro-chaos microcephales will not get rid of them.

December 17th, 2012, 11:44 am

 

Syria no Kandahar said:

الشام ارض الخلافة -٢
So all this is about istablishing Islamic state….all
The talk about freedom and democracy was a crap.This is Syria the way the SC visitor toilet
Want:

December 17th, 2012, 12:06 pm

 

Citizen said:

Democracy seekers !
http://youtu.be/sA9-E6MpcAc?t=1m59s
America has a great history of causing problems worldwide throughout its inception. By crating false attacks, spreading propaganda and using 3rd party mercenaries they overthrow leaders and governments that don’t have their best interests. Today US are the Israeli attack dog. Why? because the Federal reserve and world banks are run by Zionists, not jews, Zionists. Zionists are the real anti-semites of this world and need to be exposed and run out of power.

December 17th, 2012, 12:27 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Citizen,

Thanks for the heads-up regarding all the banks “run by Zionists”. Why do you think this is important information on this website? Does Bashar Assad need a loan?

December 17th, 2012, 12:51 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

208. CITIZEN

“Zionists are the real anti-semites of this world and need to be exposed and run out of power”

Good to know, Citizen Boy. We weren’t aware of the extent of their influence. Thanks for hitting the ground running with this vital information. Now how about naming some names. I’m sure if you have all this data on them, you must know who they are.

Personally, I think Shlomo is one of them. Shlomo’s a Jewish name, yes? And what about Akbario Palazzio? He has that lean and hungry look about him.

Names, Citizen. Give us names!

December 17th, 2012, 1:16 pm

 

Citizen said:

For God’s sake! Please sort out your affairs there in America! When you have a good affairs , all the world will be very happy!

December 17th, 2012, 1:20 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33286.htm

Road Map Drawn Up by Syrian Traitors to Serve Imperialists, Gulf Monarchies

By Noureddine Merdaci

The following is a translation of an article originally published in The Sham Times.

December 11, 2012 “Information Clearing House” – It will perhaps take months, if not years, before we will be able to reconstruct the process by which Syria found itself trapped in this civil war. Obviously, Damascus had not measured the danger, not only for the regime in power, but even for Syria itself, now in danger of disappearing as a nation-state. However, the veil begins to lift on the circumstances of the “conclave” held in Doha in early November, which saw a heterogeneous “opposition” – divided, without a program and without perspective – provide itself with a leader, Moez Ahmed al-Khatib, and a “coalition.”

But to achieve this, according to sources familiar with the matter, the Syrian “opponents” were ordered by Qatar to “find” an agreement, sine qua non, before leaving the room they were provided. This means that the “Syrian opposition” had a gun to its head, forcing it to reach this minimum agreement. Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, took a personal interest in the proceedings. In reality, the “revolt” in Syria, totally managed by foreign countries and their intelligence services, was a proxy war against the Syrian national state, a war which needed “Syrians at their service” only to serve as “local color.”

In Syria, it is fighters coming from many Arab countries, elements of al-Qaeda, jihadists from Afghanistan, Somalia and Pakistan – well-armed – who kill Syrian civilians and fight against the Syrian army alongside a handful of deserters. So, in Doha, it was necessary to “unify” the opposition, whose credibility was placed in question, even by one of its main sponsors, the United States, which has applied its full weight to restore a semblance of consistency and visibility to an opposition created completely by France, Qatar, and the United States in particular, and supported by Turkey, which “persuaded” NATO to install “Patriot” missiles on its territory – more precisely on the borders with Syria. Doha has been a refocusing of a rebellion that had not been able to achieve the goals ordered by its sponsors.

In fact, we can better understand the situation when we know the terms of the “Doha Protocol,” a document we have been able to consult, which contains the following 13 points:

1. Syria should reduce the number of soldiers of the Syrian army to 50,000;

2. Syria will assert its right to sovereignty over the Golan only by political means. Both parties will sign peace agreements under the auspices of the United States and Qatar;

3. Syria must get rid of, under the supervision of the United States, all its chemical and biological weapons and all of its missiles. This operation must be carried out on the land of Jordan;

4. To cancel any claim of sovereignty over Liwa Iskenderun (Alexandretta) and to withdraw in favor of Turkey from some border villages inhabited by Turkmens in “muhafazahs” in Aleppo and Idlib;

5. To expel all members of the Workers Party of Kurdistan, and to hand over those wanted by Turkey. This party should be added to the list of terrorist organizations;

6. To cancel all agreements and contracts signed with Russia and China in the fields of subsurface drilling and armaments;

7. To allow Qatari gas pipeline passage through the Syrian territory toward Turkey and then on to Europe;

8. To allow water pipes to pass through the Syrian territory from the Atatürk Dam to Israel;

9. Qatar and United Arab Emirates pledge to rebuild what has been destroyed by the war in Syria on the condition that their companies have the exclusive access to contracts for reconstruction and for exploitation of Syrian oil and gas;

10.To terminate relations with Iran, Russia and China;

11.To break off relations with Hezbollah and with Palestinian resistance movements;

12. The Syrian regime should be Islamic and not Salafi;

13. This agreement will come into effect as soon as power is taken ((Algerian) Editor’s note: by the “Opposition”).

This is the price of foreign pressures and of resignation and treachery on the part of Arab states. A high price, an exorbitant price for Syria that persons calling themselves “Syrian” have endorsed. Indeed, this agreement, or rather “Protocol,” is thus the price that the Syrian opposition will have to pay once installed in power in Damascus, as stated in Article 13 of the “Doha Agreement.”

In this way, each of the sponsors of the “revolt of the Syrian people” has helped himself according to his own interests and appetite. The United States, by disarming Syria and distancing the nation from its friends; Turkey, by retrieving Syrian villages and modifying the common borders according to its interests; Qatar, by being granted contracts for the “reconstruction” of the country; and Saudi Arabia, by the establishment of an Islamic regime of its devotion.

This is a virtual castration of Syria, to be stripped of its sovereignty just as Egypt was by the Camp David Agreements in 1979. Actually, it is as if the “opposition” – supported at arm’s length by Qatar – were to demand the immediate recognition of Israel, with, however, as in Article 2 of the Doha protocol, a negotiated settlement.

This is a sharing of Syrian hoard! Nowhere is there any question of democracy, freedom, human rights, building a new Syria in which the Syrians, whatever their ethnicity, religion and belief, enjoy the same rights. Instead, each of the “sponsors” served himself first, taking whatever he wanted.

For those who know the turbulent history of the Ottoman Middle East, everything is explained, and Doha was the point of no return for a Syrian opposition that no longer had a voice. It was only to justify the “syrianity” of the events. This was clearly seen in Cairo when the new “boss” of the “coalition,” Moez Ahmed al-Khatib, arrived in the baggage of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani for the Arab League meeting that took place in the mid-November.

In Syria, the scenario acted out for Libya is surpassed, and there is now danger of a general destabilization of the world, even that fragmentation for which American civilian “experts” and military have been working without interruption. We should consider this situation seriously!

December 17th, 2012, 1:30 pm

 

revenire said:

Of course America is run by an oligarchy. Obama has no business lecturing Assad. It is funny to watch. Obama has murdered far more people with drone attacks and NATO intervention in Libya than Assad ever dreamt of.

December 17th, 2012, 1:30 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

in case it was missed,

“traitors serving”

December 17th, 2012, 1:31 pm

 

Majed97 said:

مهمة الإبراهيمي تنتظر الأسد والوضع العسكري.. وحكومة انتقالية تسمّيها دمشـق والمعارضة

http://www.kassioun.org/index.php?mode=article&id=22251

الأخضر الإبراهيمي في باريس بانتظار ضوء أخضر من دمشق لاستقباله. المبعوث الأممي العربي لا يريد أن يكرّر تجربة الانتظار الماضية في العاصمة السورية، عندما أمضى فيها أربعة أيام قبل أن يستقبله الرئيس بشار الأسد. وبخلاف المهمات السابقة، يذهب الإبراهيمي إلى دمشق حاملا عرضا سياسيا يستند إلى تقارب أميركي ـ روسي في اجتماعات عقدت في جنيف الأسبوع الماضي، حضرها نائب وزير الخارجية الروسي ميخائيل بوغدانوف ومساعد الخارجية الأميركية وليام بيرنز، والسفير الأميركي في دمشق روبرت فورد.
وبحسب مصدر ديبلوماسي أوروبي، سينقل الإبراهيمي، وفق هذا التقارب الروسي ـ الأميركي، طلبا إلى الأسد بتسمية وزراء يمثلون النظام في الحكومة الانتقالية التي تفترض مشاركة المعارضة فيها، وذلك استنادا إلى اتفاق جنيف، الذي أيدته الحكومة السورية فور الإعلان عنه.
ويعد تحديد موعد للإبراهيمي في دمشق، مؤشرا مبدئيا على موافقتها على البحث في تطبيق الاتفاق للمرة الأولى منذ الإعلان عنه في 30 حزيران الماضي، كما يعد مؤشرا على محاولة إحداث اختراق سياسي في جدار الأزمة. وقال المصدر الديبلوماسي إن أحدا من الروس أو الأميركيين لم يطرح اسم نائب الرئيس السوري فاروق الشرع كحامل لصلاحيات الرئيس، وأن البحث جار في تسمية رئيس حكومة انتقالية من معارضة الداخل.
ويقول معارض سوري بارز إنه يقترن تعيين الأسماء المرشحة بالتطورات الجارية على الأرض، عسكريا وسياسيا، فإذا استمر النظام قويا، فمن المحتمل أن تعلو أسماء كهيثم مناع أو حسن عبد العظيم، وإذا ما استنزف النظام فتعلو أسماء كرياض حجاب أو رياض سيف.
ورغم الحرب النفسية والإعلامية التي تشن ضده، فهو لا يزال متحصنا في ريف دمشق ودمشق وجزء واسع من المنطقة الوسطى والجنوب، ويمنع هيمنة المعارضة على الشمال بطيرانه، ويتمسك بمراكز المدن الرئيسة.
ويستعد الجيش السوري في الأيام المقبلة لتنفيذ عملية إعادة انتشار، والانسحاب من الأرياف لتقليل الخسائر والتمركز حول المدن والمحاور الإستراتيجية وعقد المواصلات.
ويعتبر المعارض السوري أن احتمال نشوء أكثر من حكومة أمر وارد، وقد تتشكل، إذا ما سادت الفوضى، حكومة سلفية، وثانية لـ«الائتلاف الوطني لقوى الثورة والمعارضة السورية» و«المجلس الوطني» وثالثة للنظام. وقال إن خيارا ثالثا يظل محتملا، وهو اختيار شخصيات محايدة، تزخر بها سوريا، كحل وسط.
ومن المفترض أن يلتقي الإبراهيمي بعد الأسد، بمسؤولي «الائتلاف»، و«المجلس الوطني السوري»، و«هيئة التنسيق الوطني»، و«المنبر الديموقراطي»، و«تيار بناء الدولة»، وهو ما بدأ به في باريس في الأيام الماضية. وسيطلب من المعارضة تسمية ممثليها المحتملين في الحكومة الانتقالية، إذا ما استطاع انتزاع موافقتها على ذلك. والأرجح أن يواجه الإبراهيمي صعوبات أخرى لإقناع «الائتلاف» و«المجلس الوطني» بتسمية مرشحين لحكومة انتقالية، ليس بسبب رفض المعارضة المشاركة فيها ما دام الأسد في الحكم فحسب، ولو من دون صلاحيات. إذ تعتقد أوساط المعارضة، لاسيما «الائتلاف» و«المجلس الوطني»، أن الزمن السياسي قد استنفد، وأن ذراعها المقاتل قد حقق انتصارات كبيرة وسيطر على مناطق واسعة، لاسيما في الشمال، وأن الحسم العسكري أصبح ممكنا، بعد تدفق التسليح القطري والسعودي لفتح معركة ثالثة في دمشق، ولا حاجة لإعطاء الأسد، تنازلات وفرصة ليعمّر في النظام.
ويبدو دفاع بعض المعارضة عن السلفيين الجهاديين و«القاعدة» في صفوف الثورة السورية، رغم إدانة الحليف الأميركي له، طلاقا مع الخيار السياسي برمته، وهو عنصر يعد بنصر عسكري قريب يغني عن جنيف وغيرها، خصوصا أن «جبهة النصرة» وأجنحة إسلامية أخرى، لا تملك تصورا لمآل الأزمة سوى إسقاط النظام بالقوة، وإحالة سوريا إلى مشروع إسلامي. ويقدم مقرّبون من الإبراهيمي تقديرات تشير إلى وجود e آلاف مقاتل في «جبهة النصرة» يؤدون دورا أساسيا في العمليات القتالية يفوق دور مجموعات «الجيش الحر» في بعض الجبهات، خصوصا في حلب وادلب.
ومن المتوقع أن يعود الإبراهيمي إلى جنيف، لجولة تقييم كاملة مع شركائه الأميركيين والروس، بعيدا عن الأوروبيين الذين جرى استبعادهم عن المفاوضات حول سوريا، بمجرد ابتداء التقارب الروسي ـ الأميركي، ومحاولة إحداث اختراق سياسي.
وفي الانتظار، لا يبدو الإبراهيمي كثير التفاؤل بالقدرة على ضخ جرعة سياسية في المذبحة السورية المفتوحة. ورغم تمسكه بالمحاولة، إلا انه لا يمنح نفسه، والحل السياسي، فرصة نجاح تزيد عن العشرة في المئة.
وبالتزامن مع الإعداد لوضع خطة جنيف والإبراهيمي على طاولة المعارضة والنظام، استأنفت دائرة قوات حفظ السلام في الأمم المتحدة مشاورات بدأتها في تشرين الأول الماضي، للبحث في تشكيل قوات فصل دولية ترسل إلى سوريا في حال التوصل إلى وقف إطلاق للنار والعمل على مراقبته.
والتقى المسؤول عن عمليات حفظ السلام في المنظمة الدولية هيرفيه لادسو، يوم الجمعة الماضي في نيويورك، ممثلي 20 دولة، تشارك في جبهات مختلفة لقوات حفظ السلام الدولية، وتقوم عادة بتزويد الدائرة بما تحتاجه من جنود.
وقال مصدر ديبلوماسي إن الدول العربية لم تشارك في الاجتماع، وأن الأمم المتحدة تبحث مع الدول المشاركة في تشكيل قوة يتراوح قوامها بين d إلى a` آلاف جندي تنقل إلى سوريا، لكن ليس قبل أن تحقق مهمة الإبراهيمي خطوتها الأولى نحو الحل في سوريا.
إلى ذلك، دخل الطيران الحربي على خط المعركة التي كانت تدور وقائعها في اليومين الماضيين بين مقاتلي عدة فصائل فلسطينية والمسلحين، في مخيم اليرموك للاجئين الفلسطينيين في دمشق. (تفاصيل صفحة 14)
وقال وزير الخارجية الفرنسي لوران فابيوس، في برنامج تلفزيوني «دوليات آر اف آي – تي في 5/لوموند»، «اعتقد أن النهاية تقترب بالنسبة لبشار الأسد، لقد رأيتم أن الروس أيضا يتوقعون ذلك، ولو أن الأمر كان مثار جدل». ووصف الغارة الجوية لمخيم اليرموك بأنها «مشينة».

السفير

December 17th, 2012, 1:39 pm

 

Citizen said:

210 – Personally, I think Shlomo is one of them. Shlomo’s a Jewish name
dissentious strange child :
can you read below ?
ܫܠܡܐ ܘܚܘܒܐ
if you cant go to Syria and learn more !!!

December 17th, 2012, 1:42 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

213. REVINIRE

“Obama has murdered far more people than Assad ever dreamed of”

You’re an ignorant little man, Revvie, hiding behind a fake name. Bashar has killed far more and you know it. A few months ago, one of your ignorant, fake-name colleagues here on SC (I think it was Zoo) put forth the proposition that George W. Bush had killed more people than Saddam Hussein. Poor Zoo was booed off the Blog by the rest of us (who know better than to believe that crap).

But you’re half right. It’s more than Assad ever dreamed of. Because men like Bashar don’t dream. They can’t. Because if they did, the ghosts of the thousands they killed would haunt them.

Now Revvie, go back in your silly little hole and play with yourself…

December 17th, 2012, 1:49 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO #196,

That wasn’t a psychological portrait of you, it was picture of you professionally.* And you reinforced it by now addng things about the “Syrian people” and the “disastrous and sickening war”

ZOO wrote:”I prefer to concentrate on promoting how to save Syria with compromises”

Translation: “Promoting how to save ASSAD in his current role with (cough, splutter) dialogue and an election”

*Footnote: I wouldn’t even pretend to understand the psyche of someone who can sit here coolly for month after month, push, push pushing away with many posts daily, beating a steady drum trying different angles to deflect and distract from criticism of the regime.

December 17th, 2012, 1:53 pm

 

Dolly Buster said:

213. revenire said:

Of course America is run by an oligarchy. Obama has no business lecturing Assad.

 
What oligarchy?
Does Obama bomb his own cities with airforce?

You weirdos need to give up these Conspiracy Theories. Real people are dying while you are watching Alex Jones and UFO documentaries.

December 17th, 2012, 1:53 pm

 
 

Syrialover said:

#213. REVENIRE says to himself:

“I’m so naughty, giggle giggle. That should stir them.”

December 17th, 2012, 2:00 pm

 

zoo said:

Revenire

“Does Obama bomb his own cities with airforce?”

For the US, killing masses of non-US citizens and destroying non-US cities is not a crime, it is a show of its power.
Its 20th history is full of it.

December 17th, 2012, 2:02 pm

 

Citizen said:

Syria. The war on terrorist international.
http://anna-news.info/node/9258

December 17th, 2012, 2:03 pm

 

zoo said:

SL

“I wouldn’t even pretend to understand”

I know, it is beyond you, so maybe you should concentrate on trying to understand yourself first.

December 17th, 2012, 2:07 pm

 

Syrialover said:

ZOO #224

Oh, my feelings and attitude about what’s happening in Syria are crystal clear, and dare I say it, normal.

No fooling around with smoke and mirrors and “tactics” like you.

Good example: the jokester REVENIRE handed you a play ball and you eagerly grabbed it and ran, ran ran with it (#222) .

December 17th, 2012, 2:17 pm

 

revenire said:

At this point Obama has not started bombing US cities except with budget cuts.

US elections are a fraud and the money of Wall St. runs them. Candidates are puppets of finance. It has been this way for a long time in the States.

It is really funny to see people complaining about Assad when Obama has murdered far more innocent people in Libya alone.

December 17th, 2012, 2:21 pm

 

zoo said:

Finally the West is spelling out their worst fear if the rebels start to “win”. The question is : Will Good rebels fight Evil rebels to prevent them from taking hold of the chemical weapons and threatened Good Israel?

U.S. plans for possibility that Assad could lose control of chemical arms cache

By Craig Whitlock and Carol Morello, Published: December 16
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-plans-for-possibility-that-assad-could-lose-control-of-chemical-arms-cache/2012/12/16/f4912be2-4628-11e2-a685-c1fad0d6cd1f_story.html

As Bashar al-Assad’s hold on power steadily weakens, U.S. officials are increasingly worried that Syria’s weapons of mass destruction could fall into the hands of Islamist extremists, rogue generals or other uncontrollable factions.

Last week, fighters from a group that the Obama administration has branded a terrorist organization were among rebels who seized the Sheik Suleiman military base near Aleppo, where research on chemical weapons had been conducted. Rebels are also closing in on another base near Aleppo, known as Safirah, which has served as a major production center for such munitions, according to U.S. officials and analysts.

The opposition Free Syrian Army said it did not find any chemical weapons at the first installation. But the developments have fanned fears that even if Assad does not attack his own people with chemical weapons, he is on the verge of losing control of his formidable arsenal.
….
Meanwhile, the U.S. government and some European allies have hired private contractors to train Syrian rebels how to monitor and secure chemical weapons sites should Assad abandon or lose control of any of his stocks, according to CNN. A State Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

December 17th, 2012, 2:22 pm

 

zoo said:

SL

Yes, as “normal” as the FSA your friends fighting along Islamist extremists and foreign criminals for “dignity and freedom of expression” in Syria

December 17th, 2012, 2:29 pm

 

Syrialover said:

New thread started.

ZOO #228- now you are being lazy and slapdash. You should read my many posts on the Islamists. and my concern that they should not benefit from the revolution and sacrifice of others.

December 17th, 2012, 2:32 pm

 

zoo said:

Another “victory” for the rebels: Creating more refugees…
Palestinians flood into Lebanon after Damascus fighting

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/17/syria-crisis-camp-idUSL5E8NH9OI20121217

December 17th, 2012, 2:36 pm

 

zoo said:

229. Syrialover

Then you agree with me that the FSA, intimately associated with the islamist extremists, must be neutralized before it is too late.

December 17th, 2012, 2:39 pm

 

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