Clerics in Egypt Call for Global Jihad Against Regime’s Shiite Allies, Egypt Cuts Syria Ties

Clerics in Egypt Call for Global Jihad Against Regime’s Shiite Allies

Matthew Barberby Matthew Barber

The last post contained a question from a reader wondering why Egypt has been largely off-the-radar as an important regional presence in the Syrian conflict. With interesting timing, the last few days may have inaugurated the beginning of a change to Egypt’s lack of involvement, a development coinciding with the U.S.’s own policy changes.

A few days ago, I received an email from a friend following the activities of religious clerics in the Middle East. In it, he said:

…today there was a big Islamic conference in Cairo for top Muslim scholars (TV figures) organized by the Muslim Brotherhood and attended by Qaradawi and other famous sheikhs such as al-‘Uraifi. They issued a statement calling on the Muslim world for jihad against Iran and Hezbollah. Furthermore, one of them [Dr. Safwat Hijazai, an Egyptian] called for forming military brigades under the banner of the World Union of Muslim Scholars, the League of Sunni scholars, etc. This means taking the conflict to the Muslim World and encouraging thousands to volunteer. … al-Qaradawi himself talked about Shiites being infidels and spoke of them cursing the companions of the Prophet. Another call later on was made to ban them from the hajj. This is wrong and will have serious consequences on relations between Sunnis and Shiites in the future.

Though the statement issued at the conference doesn’t explicitly call for jihad targeting Iran, it does make plain that the call to jihad is to counter Iran’s influence and actions; Iran is therefore openly depicted as the enemy that has made this jihad necessary. The second item in the statement says the following:

اعتبار ما يجري في أرض الشام من عدوان سافر من النظام الإيراني و حزب الله و حلفائـهم الطائفيين حربـــــاً معلنـــــــــةً على الإســلام و المسلميـن عامـــــــــــــة

“The blatant aggression occurring in the land of Sham should be considered a declared war of the Iranian regime, Hezbollah, and their sectarian allies against Islam and Muslims generally.”

Though the injustices experienced by Syrians were the ostensible motivation for this conference and the call for jihad that it produced, the fact that it represents a line-up of influential Sunni clerics and the Muslim Brotherhood arrayed opposite several exclusively Shiite enemies is a very dangerous development. We have watched the sectarian character of the Syrian Uprising awaken the dormant tensions that underlie never-quite-solved disputes—divergent visions for the state that afflict the entire Levant and Iraq. Now, Egypt seems to be moving into position in its relationship with a regional conflict towards which most nations in the Middle East are oriented by sectarian affiliation.

To issue a call for such a jihad in the current volatile context, framing the three major “Shi’a” entities as the collective enemy, particularly without any nuance to affirm the humanity of Shiite people in distinction from their governments or non-state political actors, is highly irresponsible, especially after the terrible rise of targeted sectarian killings we’ve observed inside Syria. Despite a reference to the Iranian “regime,” the entire affair will serve only to whip up animosity toward Shiites generally.

Another feature of this rhetoric that will incite further division is the referring to Iran and Hezbollah’s involvement as a “war against Islam and Muslims.” Without any political context for the interests of these communities, the labeling of their objectives as a “war against Islam and Muslims” has the effect of asserting that they are not Muslims.

The indications of Egypt’s “movement into position” extend beyond the condemnation vocalized by angry clerics; in the same week that this conference took place, an Egyptian official expressed approval for Egyptians wishing to travel to Syria for jihad.

At the state level, the developments described above have occurred alongside an official decision to end all diplomatic ties with Syria, and the closure of the Syrian embassy in Cairo, a move that will increase the difficulties faced by the Syrian refugee population that has taken refuge in Egypt, who the Syrian opposition will be unable to assist in any meaningful capacity regarding travel documents and passports, marriage certificates, etc.

All of these changes (as well as the U.S. shift in policy) seem to follow the expansion of Hezbollah’s role on the ground. Iran has reportedly said that it will be sending 4,000 troops to assist the Syrian regime. If the sending of troops does take place, Iran will appear to have taken the lead in conducting the most literal form of “intervention.” But in contrast to such official state-level action, the states hoping to counter Iran’s growing role in the conflict appear to accept the use of an undefined and disorganized jihad that will see many young, unaccountable men going to their deaths, as was the case with the mujahideen in the Iraq war.

Though any serious (and strategically feasible) endeavor to resolve the Syria crisis and end the bloodshed would be laudable, the U.S. should carefully think through its decision to take sides in a greater sectarian conflict.

 

Egyptian official says citizens free to join fight in SyriaThis article originally appeared on Ahram but seems to have been taken down. Several other sites have re-posted it.

A senior official in Egypt’s presidential office said that Egyptians are free to fight in the conflict in Syria, and will not be prosecuted on their return to Egypt.

In a response to an Associated Press question Thursday about the government’s stance on citizens going to fight alongside Syrian rebels, Khaled El-Qazzaz said that “the right of travel or freedom of travel is open for all Egyptians.”

He said that after the 2011 uprising, the government no longer punishes Egyptians for what they do in other countries.

El-Qazzaz, a foreign affairs adviser to Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, said the presidency does not consider Egyptian nationals in Syria to be a threat to Egypt’s security.

His comments come just days after influential Egyptian cleric Yusuf El-Qaradawi urged Sunni Muslims everywhere to join the fight against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who is a member of the Alawite branch of Islam.

On Saturday Morsi will attend a conference on Syria in the International Conference Centre in Cairo’s Nasr City, the Muslim Brotherhood announced on Wednesday.

The conference is part of a Syria solidarity week organised by the Muslim Brotherhood and will include other influential figures such as El-Qaradawi and Saudi sheikh Mohamed Al-Arifi. The conference is scheduled to start on Thursday 13 June.

Egypt Brotherhood backs Syria jihad, denounces Shi’ites – Reuters

Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood blamed Shi’ites for creating religious strife throughout Islam’s history, as the movement joined a call by Sunni clerics for jihad against the Syrian government and its Shi’ite allies.

In a striking display of the religious enmity sweeping the region since Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah committed its forces behind Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Brotherhood spokesman in Cairo told Reuters on Friday: “Throughout history, Sunnis have never been involved in starting a sectarian war.”

Until recently, Egypt’s new Islamist president, the Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi, was promoting rapprochement with Iran, the bastion of Shi’ite political power and in February he hosted the first visit by an Iranian president in over 30 years.

But spokesman Ahmed Aref said Hezbollah had launched a new “sectarian war” last month by joining Tehran’s other key ally Assad in a fight that pits mainly Sunni rebels against a Syrian elite drawn from Assad’s Alawite minority, a Shi’ite offshoot.

For that reason, Aref said, the Brotherhood, which emerged from oppression after the fall of military rule two years ago to run by far the most populous Arab state, had joined a call made on Thursday by leading Sunni clerics for holy war in Syria.

That statement, made at a Cairo conference of more than 70 religious organizations from across the Arab world, urged “jihad with mind, money, weapons – all forms of jihad”, but stopped short of repeating an explicit call by high-profile Brotherhood-linked preacher Youssef al-Qaradawi for fighters to go to Syria.

Asked whether the Brotherhood would urge Egyptians to travel to the war, Aref said it was still considering its position and would coordinate with the other groups at the conference.

Mursi would address the assembly on Saturday, he added, saying that speech may clarify the Egyptian position: “Up to now there’s merely been talk,” he said.

“We need to coordinate well in terms of logistics.”

An aide to Mursi said on Thursday that Egypt disapproved of external intervention in Syria, notably that by Hezbollah. It was not sending fighters but, he said, the government could not stop Egyptians from travelling and would not penalize any who went to Syria, where he said many were engaged in relief work.

SAUDI CLERIC

Also on Friday, a leading Sunni cleric from Saudi Arabia, Mohammed al-Afifi, preached at an ancient Cairo mosque, calling for jihad in Syria “in every way possible”. Some worshippers waved Syrian rebel flags and dozens of men gathered outside afterward to chant their support for bringing down Assad.

Saudi Arabia, where the monarchy espouses the strict Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam, is locked in a regional rivalry with Iran and has been arming the Syrian rebels while Egypt’s leaders, who rose to power in the same wave of Arab Spring protests that began the Syrian civil war, have held back from such engagement.

The 7th century rift between Sunni and Shi’ite Islam has fuelled violence across the Middle East in recent decades, including the sectarian bloodletting unleashed in Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion and the Lebanese civil war of 1975 to 1990.

Egypt Cuts Ties With Syria: Mohamed Morsi Orders Closing Of Damascus Embassy In Cairo, Urges Hezbollah To Stay Out – HP

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi said he had cut all diplomatic ties with Damascus on Saturday and called for a no-fly zone over Syria, pitching the most populous Arab state firmly against President Bashar al-Assad.

Addressing a rally called by Sunni Muslim clerics in Cairo, the Sunni Islamist head of state said: “We decided today to entirely break off relations with Syria and with the current Syrian regime.”

He also warned Assad’s allies in the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite militia Hezbollah to pull back from fighting in Syria.

“We stand against Hezbollah in its aggression against the Syrian people,” Mursi said. “Hezbollah must leave Syria – these are serious words. There is no space or place for Hezbollah in Syria.”

Mursi, who faces growing discontent at home over the economy and over fears that he will pursue an Islamist social agenda, said he was organising an urgent summit of Arab and other Islamic states to discuss the situation in Syria, where the United States has in recent days decided to take steps to arm the rebels.

Mursi, who spoke at a packed 20,000-capacity stadium and waved Syrian and Egyptian flags after his entrance, also urged world powers not to hesitate to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria. The crowd of his supporters chanted: “From the free revolutionaries of Egypt: We will stamp on you, Bashar!”

… Egypt’s U.S.-funded and -trained army is among the most powerful in the Middle East and effectively ran the country before the Arab Spring revolution of 2011 led to elections that saw Mursi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, take power a year ago.

There has been no suggestion, however, that Egyptian forces should get involved in the fighting in Syria.

Mursi said Syria was the target of “a campaign of extermination and planned ethnic cleansing fed by regional and international states”, partly in reference to Iran, though he did not name the Shi’ite Islamic Republic.

Mursi said: “The Egyptian people supports the struggle of the Syrian people, materially and morally, and Egypt, its nation, leadership … and army, will not abandon the Syrian people until it achieves its rights and dignity.”

The Brotherhood has joined calls this week from Sunni Muslim religious organisations for a jihad against Assad and his Shi’ite allies. Egypt has not taken an active role in arming the Syrian rebels, but an aide to Mursi said this week that Cairo would not stand in the way of Egyptians who wanted to fight in Syria.

BBC Video: Egypt to cut off diplomatic relations with Syria

Iran will send 4,000 troops to aid Bashar al-Assad’s forces in Syria – Independent

Washington’s decision to arm Syria’s Sunni Muslim rebels has plunged America into the great Sunni-Shia conflict of the Islamic Middle East, entering a struggle that now dwarfs the Arab revolutions which overthrew dictatorships across the region.

For the first time, all of America’s ‘friends’ in the region are Sunni Muslims and all of its enemies are Shiites. Breaking all President Barack Obama’s rules of disengagement, the US is now fully engaged on the side of armed groups which include the most extreme Sunni Islamist movements in the Middle East.

The Independent on Sunday has learned that a military decision has been taken in Iran – even before last week’s presidential election – to send a first contingent of 4,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards to Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad’s forces against the largely Sunni rebellion that has cost almost 100,000 lives in just over two years.  Iran is now fully committed to preserving Assad’s regime, according to pro-Iranian sources which have been deeply involved in the Islamic Republic’s security, even to the extent of proposing to open up a new ‘Syrian’ front on the Golan Heights against Israel.

In years to come, historians will ask how America – after its defeat in Iraq and its humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan scheduled for  2014 – could have so blithely aligned itself with one side in a titanic Islamic struggle stretching back to the seventh century death of the Prophet Mohamed.

… From now on, therefore, every suicide bombing in Damascus – every war crime committed by the rebels – will be regarded in the region as Washington’s responsibility. The very Sunni-Wahabi Islamists who killed thousands of Americans on 11th September, 2011 – who are America’s greatest enemies as well as Russia’s – are going to be proxy allies of the Obama administration. This terrible irony can only be exacerbated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s adament refusal to tolerate any form of Sunni extremism.  His experience in Chechenya, his anti-Muslim rhetoric – he has made obscene remarks about Muslim extremists in a press conference in Russian – and his belief that Russia’s old ally in Syria is facing the same threat as Moscow fought in Chechenya, plays a far greater part in his policy towards Bashar al-Assad than the continued existence of Russia’s naval port at the Syrian Mediterranean city of Tartous.

For the Russians, of course, the ‘Middle East’ is not in the ‘east’ at all, but to the south of Moscow;  and statistics are all-important. The Chechen capital of Grozny is scarcely 500 miles from the Syrian frontier.  Fifteen per cent of Russians are Muslim.  Six of the Soviet Union’s communist republics had a Muslim majority, 90 per cent of whom were Sunni.  And Sunnis around the world make up perhaps 85 per cent of all Muslims.  For a Russia intent on repositioning itself across a land mass that includes most of the former Soviet Union, Sunni Islamists of the kind now fighting the Assad regime are its principal antagonists.

Hassan RouhaniAfter the election of Hassan Rouhani, the Egyptian Islamists are not the only ones unhappy with Iran: BBC – Iran election: Israel issues warning after Rouhani win

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that international pressure on Iran must not be loosened in the wake of the election of reformist-backed Hassan Rouhani as president.

Mr Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear programme must be stopped “by any means” and there should be no “wishful thinking” about Mr Rouhani’s victory.

The cleric won just over 50% of the vote in Friday’s election. He said his election was a “victory of moderation over extremism”.

Putin’s message

One of Mr Rouhani’s main election pledges was to try to ease international sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme, and he has also promised greater engagement with Western powers.

But Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday: “The international community should not fall into wishful thinking and be tempted to ease pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear programme.”

He added: “Iran will be judged on its actions. If it insists on continuing to develop its nuclear programme the answer needs to be clear – stopping its nuclear programme by any means.” …

Is Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood backing a jihad in Syria? – CSM – Dan Murphy

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Calls For Jihad In Syria – AP

Egypt’s Morsi turns to Syria and soccer to polish his tarnished image – James Dorsey

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his flailing Muslim Brotherhood have turned to foreign policy and soccer to improve their battered image in advance of a planned mass anti-government protest at the end of this month and mounting calls for his resignation.

In a bid to distract attention from his domestic woes, curry favor with the United States and Gulf countries and restore Egypt to a leadership position in the Middle East and North Africa, Mr. Morsi chose a Cairo stadium to announce to his rallied supporters that he was cutting diplomatic ties with the regime of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The president’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood at the same time said it would field candidates for the board elections of storied Cairo soccer club Al Zamalek SC and other major football teams. The move is an effort to gain control of clubs in a soccer-crazy country whose huge fan base played a key political role in and since the toppling of Hosni Mubarak two years ago.

The fans, one of the largest civic groups in Egypt, are likely to participate in a mass opposition Tamarod (Rebel) march on the presidential palace scheduled for June 30, the first anniversary of Mr. Morsi’s inauguration as Egypt’s first freely-elected post-revolt leader, to demand his resignation and early elections. Egyptian media report that a petition calling for Mr. Morsi’s resignation has so far attracted 15 million signatures, two million more than the 13 million votes the president garnered a year ago. A significant number of militant soccer fans are believed to be among the signatories.

Criticism of Mr. Morsi has mounted in the past year as a result of his failure to halt Egypt’s stark economic decline, his haughty leadership style that many believe harks back to Mr. Mubarak’s authoritarianism and his perceived efforts to Islamize Egyptian society.

Militant, highly politicized, well-organized and street battle-hardened soccer fans have in the last year played a key role in protests against Mr. Morsi. The conviction to death of soccer fans and perceived leniency towards security personnel in a trial earlier this year against those responsible for the death last year of 74 fans in Port Said in a politically loaded brawl sparked a popular uprising in Suez Canal cities and violent protests in Cairo.

Prominent Egyptian artists, writers, actors, filmmakers and intellectuals camped out in front of the culture ministry in Cairo to demand the resignation of Minister Alaa Abdel-Aziz because of his alleged efforts to force the arts to conform to Islamic conservatism called last week on the militant soccer fans to protect them against attacks by supporters of Mr. Morsi.

The Brotherhood’s intention to increase its influence in soccer clubs, many of which are financially troubled as the result of long suspensions sparked by Egypt’s political turmoil since 2011, is the movement’s latest effort to come to grips with the country’s most popular pastime. Brotherhood officials initially toyed with the creation of their own soccer clubs but then opted for a promise to clean the sport of corruption, including the replacement of Mubarak-era officials.

Islamists hardly endeared themselves to soccer fans by recently suggesting that their rivalries were a Zionist plot to destabilize Egypt. Al Hafiz TV, a Salafi television station critical of Morsi that promotes a return to the 7th century lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad and his immediate successors made the insinuation by airing a video portraying an alleged ultra-Orthodox Jew as advocating the instigation of strife between various groups in Egypt, including soccer fans.

 

Opinion on Intervention and U.S. Plans

 

Syria no-fly zone stirs debate – AP

The Obama administration, trying to avoid getting drawn deeper into Syria’s civil war, has pointed to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 as a symbol of what can go wrong when America’s military wades into Middle East conflicts.

But experts say the White House is looking at the wrong Iraq war, especially as the U.S. reluctantly considers a no-fly zone over Syria to stop President Bashar Assad from continuing to use his air power to crush rebel forces or kill civilians.

A no-fly zone is a territory over which warring aircraft are not allowed to fly. The U.S. and international allies have enforced them in several military conflicts over the past two decades.

When he took office in 2009, President Barack Obama promised to end the U.S. war in Iraq as an example of refocusing on issues that had direct impact on Americans. By the time the U.S military withdrew from Iraq in 2011, almost 4,500 American soldiers and more than 100,000 Iraqis had died. The war toppled Saddam Hussein but sparked widespread sectarian fighting and tensions that still simmer.

But when considering a no-fly zone, experts point to 1992, a year after the Gulf War. That’s when the U.S. imposed a weakly-enforced no-fly zone over southern Iraq and could not prevent Saddam, a Sunni Muslim, from persecuting and killing hundreds of thousands of Shiites whom he viewed as a political threat.

That failure is now being used as a case in point of why the U.S. should or shouldn’t police the Syrian sky to prevent Assad from accelerating a two-year death toll that last week reached 93,000.

The White House is undecided on imposing a no-fly zone over Syria, as some have demanded. Egypt’s president, Mohammed Morsi, on Saturday called for a U.N. endorsed no-fly zone.

Obama Acts on Syria—Is It Too Late? – New Yorker

Timing is everything: the White House’s announcement, on Thursday afternoon, that America’s intelligence agencies had concluded that Bashar al-Assad’s regime was deploying chemical weapons came just as the dictator appeared to be turning back the rebels in Syria’s terrible civil war. We can assume that President Barack Obama would only make such an pronouncement if he intended to act on it—to take decisive action to help the rebels, either with weapons shipments or airstrikes. Senator John McCain, one of the few elected officials to publicly push Obama to do more in Syria, told reporters on Thursday that the White House had informed him that it would begin to arm the rebels.

Ben Rhodes, a deputy national-security advisor, said that the White House had “high confidence” in the finding that chemical weapons like sarin gas had been used, and that Assad—and not the rebels—had used them. The White House conclusion dovetailed with those of other governments, including France, and non-governmental organizations, such as the Syrian Support Group. It also mirrored what a Syrian eyewitness to an apparent chemical attack told me when I interviewed him for a piece in The New Yorker.

In some respects, the caution exhibited by the White House until now is understandable, given the calamitous errors made with bad intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in the runup to the Iraq war. But Obama’s wariness with respect to chemical weapons has been symptomatic of a broader reluctance to intervene in Syria. In its statement, the White House said that between a hundred and a hundred and fifty people had been killed in chemical attacks. For months, the Assad regime has been killing that many people every day. Since the Syrians first bravely rose up against Assad in early 2011, President Obama has mostly stood by, committing to little more than “non-lethal” aid to the rebels. From the start, President Obama has looked at Syria and seen something not unlike Iraq—a place that the United States could get into easily enough, but from which it would have a far harder time getting out. These fears have only grown as the most radical Islamist elements of the Syrian resistance, like the Al Nusra Front—an offshoot of Al Qaeda in Iraq—have gained ground and power. But as the months passed, and the Assad regime stepped up its murderous assaults, the President’s caution came to look more like moral indifference.

Now that the moment for American action has come, it is very late in the day. The war in Syria is not just a humanitarian catastrophe—the U.N. said on Thursday that the death toll had reached ninety-three thousand. Worse, the Assad regime appears, after months of stalemate, to have gained the upper hand. This is almost certainly due to a large-scale intervention by Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group, which has sent as many as two thousand fighters into Syria to save Assad. Hezbollah fighters were decisive in the pro-Assad force’s recent recapture of the city of Qusayr, which, in turn, is central to Hezbollah’s existence. Qusayr sits on the main road leading into Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, Hezbollah’s stronghold, and serves as the main conduit for Iranian arms and missiles that have made Hezbollah the formidable armed group that it is. Hezbollah’s intervention has been accompanied by a massive, ceaseless airlift from the Iranian government, which regards Assad as its closest friend in the Arab world. …

Bad Idea, Mr. President  – NYT Sunday Review – Ramzy Mardini

ACCORDING to Bill Clinton, Barack Obama risks looking like a “fool” if he decides not to intervene militarily in Syria’s continuing civil war. Likening the situation to his decision to intervene in Kosovo in 1999, Mr. Clinton said Tuesday that if he hadn’t used force to stop Serbia’s campaign of ethnic cleansing, critics might have said: “You could have stopped this by dropping a few bombs. Why didn’t you do it?” Mr. Clinton believes that Mr. Obama could end up looking like a “total wuss” if he doesn’t intervene. And it seems he’s going act.

The recent recapture of the strategic town of Qusair by forces loyal to the government of Bashar al-Assad and the White House’s public acknowledgment that chemical weapons have been employed by the Syrian regime — thereby crossing a “red line” — persuaded Mr. Obama to adopt the doctrine of intervention and provide arms to the rebels. He shouldn’t have.

Lacking a grand strategy, Mr. Obama has become a victim of rhetorical entrapment over the course of the Arab Spring — from calling on foreign leaders to leave (with no plan to forcibly remove them) to publicly drawing red lines on the use of chemical weapons, and then being obliged to fulfill the threat.

… Not since the 2003 invasion of Iraq has American foreign policy experienced a strategic void so pervasive.

The responsible role of a lone superpower is not to pick sides in a civil war; it’s to help enable conflict resolution while maintaining a policy of neutrality. Instead, the United States came down on one side of a regional sectarian conflict, inadvertently fomenting Sunni hubris and Shiite fear — the same effects (but in reverse) caused by America’s involvement in the Iraq war.

Unlike in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, the revolution in Syria involves upending a sectarian political order, and therefore it disrupts the fragile sectarian balance within the region. Absent “boots on the ground,” supplying rebels with arms or establishing a no-fly zone are half-measures that are unlikely to advance an endgame that serves American interests or alters Mr. Assad’s calculus to step aside — all the while, intensifying the lethality of the conflict without contributing toward a decisive end.

More important, by arming the rebels, Mr. Obama is not only placing the United States in an open proxy war with Russia and Iran, but also raising the stakes and consequently jeopardizing broader and more valuable American interests.

Here’s a map of the 23 places the U.S. will bomb if there’s a Syria no-fly zone – FP

Miscellaneous

 

Exclusive: I Saw Nasrallah in Qusair – al-Monitor – Ali Hashem

Just days after the fall of Qusair in southwest Syria, the city started receiving visitors. Some were returning residents looking for what was left of their homes and properties, while others were only passersby who wanted to see what had happened to the city. There was a third category: Probably Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah fits in.

It was my last day in Qusair, and the security measures taken there weren’t as restrictive as in the previous days. When I asked, the only answer I received was that every day there are new orders. “Probably the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will pay a visit to the city, a visit similar to the one he paid to Baba Amr in Homs after the regime took control of it,” a colleague of mine suggested but never confirmed. Later, a Syrian officer told us that a high-profile Syrian official (not Assad) will arrive soon in Qusair.

After I had been a couple of hours in the city, no one had arrived. I decided to move around the city to look for returning residents for a possible interview or package. In the center of the city, I stood in the middle of the main road as a huge, black four-wheel-drive came my way.

I stared at the man sitting beside the driver: The face was familiar, but something was missing. It was clear I was face to face with Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, without a turban, wearing a military uniform. He smiled and nodded to me, and while I was still in shock, the car was out of sight. There was no convoy, only one car, but as I said before, there were security measures taken in the city and around.

It took me some time to confirm that whom I saw was Nasrallah. When I returned to Beirut, I started my investigations to confirm it and I did.

While investigating, I came across another piece of information: that this visit wasn’t the first for Nasrallah to Qusair during this very crisis. “Sayyed Nasrallah went to Qusair a day before the start of the battle: He met the commanders, visited some injured fighters and gave a speech,” a source close to Hezbollah told me, “He spoke for around half an hour with his main commanders exchanging ideas on the battle and the expectations and how many days it’ll take them to finish it.”

Syria’s ‘Agro-City Regions’: A Method for Framing Analysis of the Syrian Civil War – Nick Heras

In the whirl and the rush of the fast-moving, bloody, and geo-politically significant events ongoing throughout Syria, it is easy to forget that certain classics of Syria studies can help us understand events in the country through culturally relevant socio-political and socio-economic perspectives. One such work is Michael Van Dusen’s 1972 analysis entitled “Political Integration and Regionalism in Syria,” which was published in the Spring edition of the Middle East Journal and excerpts of which can be accessed in Nikolaos Van Dam’s excellent book The Struggle for Power in Syria: Politics and Society Under Asad and the Ba’ath Party. Van Dusen’s essay remains one of the most important studies of how Syrian society is organized around its “agro-city regions,” where rural hinterlands and large agricultural market towns are linked via trade and social connections to a major urban hub. Syria’s agro-city regions, as Van Dusen conceived them, are:  Damascus; Aleppo; Homs; Hama; Lattakia; Tartus; Dera’a; al-Qunaytra; Suweida; Deir ez Zor.

The pattern of conflict in the Syrian civil war is strongly influenced by the agro-city regional organization of the country. …

Syria and Egypt Can’t Be Fixed – AT

… It was obvious to anyone who troubled to examine the data that Egypt could not maintain a bottomless pit in its balance of payments, created by a 50% dependency on imported food, not to mention an energy bill fed by subsidies that consumed a quarter of the national budget. It was obvious to Israeli analysts that the Syrian regime’s belated attempt to modernize its agricultural sector would create a crisis as hundreds of thousands of displaced farmers gathered in slums on the outskirts of its cities. These facts were in evidence early in 2011 when Hosni Mubarak fell and the Syrian rebellion broke out. Paul Rivlin of Israel’s Moshe Dayan Center published a devastating profile of Syria’s economic failure in April 2011. …

Comments (186)


Citizen said:

‘Don’t arm maniacs’: London’s mayor opposes weapon support for Syrian rebels
http://rt.com/news/mayor-london-arm-syrian-maniacs-793/

June 17th, 2013, 11:15 am

 
 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Don’t arm maniacs’

Absolutely correct… Russia should heed the call and stop arming athad and its gangs.

Further to athad’s wonderful economic performance and to its allies highly successful attempts to shore up the economy that was robbed dry by its family over 43 years now, many people of Syria now consider Tomato a precious metal.

حلب الآن – Aleppo Now‎
من مشاركاتكم

اﻟﺪوﻻر ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌر200 ل.س اﻟﺪﻫﺐ ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌﺮ 8000 ل.س
: ﻓﻲ اﻧﺘﻈﺎر أﺳﻌﺎر اﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﺜﻤﻴﻨﺔ اﻟﺒﻨﺪورة – اﻟﺨﻴﺎر – اﻟﺒﺼﻞ – اﻟﺒﻄﺎﻃﺎ
واﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﻨﺎدرة ؛
….. ﻛﺮز – ﺑﻄﻴﺦ – ﻣﻮز –

أبو فهد

June 17th, 2013, 11:23 am

 

zoo said:

Who is Ben Rhodes?
Posted by Daniel McAdams on June 17, 2013 09:22 AM

“In Washington, though, being catastrophically wrong on Libya eminently qualifies Ben Rhodes to take the lead on US Syria policy.”

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/139836.html

Everyone is wondering (at least I am) who is Ben Rhodes, a 30-something who ascended from literally nowhere to be what seems a main driving force behind Obama’s foreign policy. He is credited with convincing the president to embrace the Arab Spring, convincing the president to bomb Libya, and, now, convincing the president to start yet another war, this time against Syria.

Who is he? How did a 24-year old aspiring fiction-writer in 2002 suddenly become one of the drafters of not only the 9/11 Commission report but also the Iraq Study Group Report? Then move on to Obama’s presidential campaign as a speechwriter and then to Deputy National Security Advisor, from which he announced the beginning of a US war on Syria while the president met with supporters in the East Room of the White House?
Those familiar with Washington know that such miraculous ascents rarely happen on their own and are equally rarely the result of pure, raw talent.

June 17th, 2013, 11:53 am

 

zoo said:

UK providing weapons seem to be disappearing from Cameron’s ‘options on the table’. France has become mute on the subject. Germany says no.
The USA is now the only Western country risking to send weapons to divided armed rebels. Go Yankee go!

Putin, Cameron hopeful on peace talks
2013-06-16 22:26
http://www.news24.com/World/News/Putin-Cameron-hopeful-on-peace-talks-20130616

London – The leaders of Britain and Russia said on Sunday they’re hopeful that Syria’s warring factions can hammer out their differences at upcoming peace talks tentatively planned for next month in Geneva.

Julian Lewis, from Cameron’s Conservative Party, said earlier on Sunday that sending weapons to the rebels would be “suicidal”.

“In the past we have gone to war because we feared that weapons of mass destruction might fall into the hands of al-Qaeda, and it would be absolutely crazy to assist al-Qaeda to get their hands on the very sorts of weapons we must keep away from them at all costs,” he told BBC radio.

June 17th, 2013, 12:01 pm

 

zoo said:

Iran’s Rowhani warns against foreign Syria intervention
The Syrian crisis must be resolved by the people of Syria, Iran’s new president says

AFP , Monday 17 Jun 2013
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/74257/World/Region/Irans-Rowhani-warns-against-foreign-Syria-interven.aspx

Hassan Rowhani Monday warned against foreign intervention in Syria, insisting that the strife-torn country’s crisis should be resolved by its own people, in his first press conference since being elected Iran’s new president.

“The Syrian crisis must be resolved by the people of Syria. We are against terrorism, civil war, and foreign intervention. Hopefully, with the help of all countries of the region and the world, peace and calm will return to Syria,” the cleric said.

“The Syrian crisis must be resolved by a vote by Syrians. We are concerned by the civil war and foreign interference. The government (of President Bashar al-Assad) must be respected by other countries until the next (2014 presidential) elections and then it is up to the people to decide.”

June 17th, 2013, 12:06 pm

 

zoo said:

Tara

I left on my own will. The incomprehensible babbling was too much. I never thought I would find it again on SC, this time with a supposedly educated adult.

June 17th, 2013, 12:31 pm

 

Citizen said:

قبل الديمقراطية( 2010 ):
القطاع الزراعي- مفتاح الاقتصاد السوري ويسهم بأكثر من ثلث الناتج الوطني الإجمالي ويوفر فرص عمل لما يزيد على 28 بالمئة من القوى العاملة في سورية ونظراً لوجود مساحات واسعة قابلة للزراعة ازدهرت الصناعات الغذائية بصورة متسارعة وأصبحت سورية من أهم منتجي ومصدري المنتجات الغذائية في المنطقة.
أن متوسط إنتاج سورية من الفواكه بلغ خلال 2010 : 108ر2 مليون طن ومن الخضار 646ر3 ملايين طن ومن الشوكولا والبسكويت 37 ألف طن علما أن انتاج سورية من الزيتون وصل خلال العام 2009 إلى 120 ألف طن صدر منه 17 ألف طن.
هذا التميز أهل الصناعات الغذائية السورية للوصول إلى مستويات عالمية حيث اصبحت سورية الدولة الثالثة في تصدير القمح وإنتاج الزيتون والرابعة بإنتاج الفستق الحلبي والخامسة بإنتاج حليب الأغنام والحادية عشرة بإنتاج وتصدير لحوم الأغنام والخامسة عشرة بإنتاج الخضروات والعشرين بإنتاج الحمضيات.
حيث صدرت سورية كميات كبيرة من الغذائيات إلى 106 دول في مختلف أنحاء العالم منها دول الخليج العربي وأوروبا وأمريكا واسترالياوأن المتوسط السنوي لتصدير الفواكه بلغ 510 آلاف طن فيما بلغ المتوسط السنوي لتصدير الألبان والأجبان والسمون 61 ألف طن والمتوسط السنوي للفواكه 352 ألف طن والخضار 070ر1 مليون طن والبهارات 184 ألف طن والشكولا والبسكويت 33 ألف طن.

أثناء ممارسة الديمقراطية (2013) :
اﻟﺪوﻻر ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌر200 ل.س اﻟﺪﻫﺐ ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌﺮ 8000 ل.س
: ﻓﻲ اﻧﺘﻈﺎر أﺳﻌﺎر اﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﺜﻤﻴﻨﺔ اﻟﺒﻨﺪورة – اﻟﺨﻴﺎر – اﻟﺒﺼﻞ اﻟﺒﻄﺎﻃﺎ
واﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﻨﺎدرة ؛ ﻛﺮز – ﺑﻄﻴﺦ – ﻣﻮز –

لنرى بعد أن تتحقق الديمقراطية (!!؟؟)!
(((الواقع البيئي الراهن في العراق
لا نبالغ إذا قلنا بأن الواقع البيئي الراهن واقعاً مزرياً ومأساوياً، هو إمتداد لماض كارثي، وحاضر بائس.البيئة العراقية ملوثة بكافة الملوثات البيئية الخطيرة. في أواخر اَيار/ مايو 2005،حذر خبير دولي من المخاطر والآثار الجانبية التي تركتها الاسلحة الكيماوية، مثل اليورانيوم المنضب، والمواد المشعة، على الصحة العامة في العراق.وقال روبرت بسيت – مدير برنامج البيئة التابع للامم المتحدة في العراق، في مؤتمر صحافي عقده في عمان، إن هذا التلوث شكل تحديات بيئية كبيرة في العراق،وأصبح يشكل مصدرا للقلق في جنوب العراق على وجه الخصوص، مشيرا الى ان القوات البريطانية افرغت 1.9مليون طن من المواد المشعة في هذه المنطقة[ ].
ولم يبالغ الخبير الدولي المذكور إطلاقاً، فمن يزور بغداد، والمدن العراقية الأخرى، يصطدم بظواهر تزايد معالم التلوث فيها بدرجات كبيرة، وبمختلف الملوثات البيئية الخطيرة.فأطلال ركام الحرب في كل مكان.وينتشر في أرجاء العراق التلوث الإشعاعي الناجم عن ذخائر اليورانيوم المشعة،التي إستخدمتها القوات الأمريكية والبريطانية في حربي عامي 1991 و 2003 ضد العراق..لن نخوض في تفاصيل كثيرة- وقد نشرنا عشرات الدراسات والتقارير العلمية حول الموضوع وتداعياته..يكفي أن نشير هنا الى أن العديد من العلماء الأجانب، ومنهم الكندي هاري شارما، والبريطاني كريس باسبي، وعلماء يعملون مع منظمة “غرين بيس”، زاروا العراق، وقاسوا بأنفسهم، وبأجهزتهم الخاصة، مستويات الإشعاع في العراق.وقام المركز الطبي لأبحاث اليورانيوم UMRC ( مركز دولي مستقل) بإجراء دراسة ميدانية إشعاعية علمية واسعة، في كافة مدن وسط وجنوب العراق، من بغداد وضواحيها الى أبي الخصيب، وأثبتت إنتشار التلوث الإشعاعي في كل مكان،في التربة والهواء والماء، وفي أجسام المواطنين الملامسين، وفي جثث القتلى، وفي الأنقاض، وبنسب تجاوزت الحد المسموح به بأكثر من30 ألف مرة في العديد من المناطق العراقية[ ].
واكد مصدر في وزارة البيئة، مطلع عام 2004، بانه تم اكتشاف مواقع ملوثة جديدة اضافة الى المواقع السابقة، والمواقع هي: خان ضاري، والصويرة، والمشراق، والقادسية، وعويريج، وأن قسم السيطرة على الملوثات الكيميائية التابع لدائرة التخطيط في وزارة البيئة قام بالتشخيص الاولي لكل موقع، ووجد ان موقع خان ضاري ملوث بالرصاص، وموقع الصويرة ملوث بالزئبق، وموقع المشراق ملوث بمادة الكبريت، اما موقع القادسية فوجد فيه نسبة كبيرة من الكروم والسيانيد، وموقع عويريج ملوث بالعناصر الثقيلة، ومركبات الفينول المتعدد الكلور، واليورانيوم المنضب. واضاف المصدر بانه تم عرض هذه المواقع الملوثة على منظمة الامم المتحدة للبيئة UNEP لغرض معالجتها وازالة التلوث منها مستقبلا ،وتأخذ وزارة البيئة على عاتقها تنظيف بقية المواقع الملوثة[ ].
وأعلنت وزارة البيـــــئة بدء عمليات المسح المـــــيداني للمواقع التي يشتبه بتـــــلوثــــها بالإشعاع النووي، وتـــــزيد عن 317 موقعاً، أثبتت الفحوص الأولية لنمــــاذج التــــــــربة والمياه فيها تلوثها بالإشعاع. وأكدت ان المواقع الشديدة التلوث، وهي 5، مسؤول عنها برنامج الأمم المتحدة للبيئة لمعالجتها.وقالت المهندسة بشرى احمد، مديرة مركز الوقاية من الإشعاع التابع لوزارة البيئة: ان المسح البيئي الإشعاعي الذي بدأه مركزها، العام الجاري، شمل تحديث الخريطة البـــــــيئية الإشعاعية في العراق، ومراقبة المنافذ الحـــــدودية، ووضع المحددات البيـــــئية، وتقويم مواقع التلوث في عـــــموم العراق وقياس نسبة غاز الرادون في بغداد، وعدد من المـــــحافظات وتحديد حجم التلوث بالــــيورانيوم المنضب فيها، ومدى تأثيرها على سكان المناطق المجاورة للمواقع الملوثة، وتعزيز المختبرات والأجهزة اللازمة للفحص، ورفع الوعي بماهية الإشعاع ومخاطره، وسبل الوقاية منه لدى المواطن. وأضافت ان كل الفحوصات التي أجرتها الوزارة، فضلاً عن دراسات وبحوث وزارة الصحة والزراعة، أثبتت ان المسبب الأول للتلوث في العراق هو اليورانيوم المنضب، وعمليات السلب التي طاولت هيئة الطاقة النووية في التويثة إبان الحرب الأخيرة».وطالبت وزارة البيئة الامم المتحدة بالتدخل لمعالجة ظاهرة التلوث الاشعاعي ودعم الجهود الرامية إلى تجنيب الناس كارثة التعرض للاشعاعات[ ].
وفي بحث لوزارة العلوم والتكنلوجيا العراقية حول اليوارنيوم المنضب، قدمه الاستاذ الدكتور إسماعيل شبر واخرون،أكد ان كميات ما استخدم في العراق من ذخيرة اليورانيوم المنضب يزيد عما استخدم في كافة انحاء العالم، و سيترتب على ذلك نتائج كارثية بالمنظورين القريب والمستقبلي)))

June 17th, 2013, 12:31 pm

 

Citizen said:

قبل الديمقراطية (2010):
القطاع الزراعي- مفتاح الاقتصاد السوري ويسهم بأكثر من ثلث الناتج الوطني الإجمالي ويوفر فرص عمل لما يزيد على 28 بالمئة من القوى العاملة في سورية ونظراً لوجود مساحات واسعة قابلة للزراعة ازدهرت الصناعات الغذائية بصورة متسارعة وأصبحت سورية من أهم منتجي ومصدري المنتجات الغذائية في المنطقة.
أن متوسط إنتاج سورية من الفواكه بلغ خلال 2010 : 108ر2 مليون طن ومن الخضار 646ر3 ملايين طن ومن الشوكولا والبسكويت 37 ألف طن علما أن انتاج سورية من الزيتون وصل خلال العام 2009 إلى 120 ألف طن صدر منه 17 ألف طن.
هذا التميز أهل الصناعات الغذائية السورية للوصول إلى مستويات عالمية حيث اصبحت سورية الدولة الثالثة في تصدير القمح وإنتاج الزيتون والرابعة بإنتاج الفستق الحلبي والخامسة بإنتاج حليب الأغنام والحادية عشرة بإنتاج وتصدير لحوم الأغنام والخامسة عشرة بإنتاج الخضروات والعشرين بإنتاج الحمضيات.
حيث صدرت سورية كميات كبيرة من الغذائيات إلى 106 دول في مختلف أنحاء العالم منها دول الخليج العربي وأوروبا وأمريكا واسترالياوأن المتوسط السنوي لتصدير الفواكه بلغ 510 آلاف طن فيما بلغ المتوسط السنوي لتصدير الألبان والأجبان والسمون 61 ألف طن والمتوسط السنوي للفواكه 352 ألف طن والخضار 070ر1 مليون طن والبهارات 184 ألف طن والشكولا والبسكويت 33 ألف طن.

أثناء ممارسة الديمقراطية (2013) :
اﻟﺪوﻻر ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌر200 ل.س اﻟﺪﻫﺐ ﻳﺴﺠﻞ ﺳﻌﺮ 8000 ل.س
: ﻓﻲ اﻧﺘﻈﺎر أﺳﻌﺎر اﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﺜﻤﻴﻨﺔ اﻟﺒﻨﺪورة – اﻟﺨﻴﺎر – اﻟﺒﺼﻞ اﻟﺒﻄﺎﻃﺎ
واﻟﻤﻌﺎدن اﻟﻨﺎدرة ؛ ﻛﺮز – ﺑﻄﻴﺦ – ﻣﻮز –

لنرى بعد أن تتحقق الديمقراطية (!!؟؟)!

(((الواقع البيئي الراهن في العراق
لا نبالغ إذا قلنا بأن الواقع البيئي الراهن واقعاً مزرياً ومأساوياً، هو إمتداد لماض كارثي، وحاضر بائس.البيئة العراقية ملوثة بكافة الملوثات البيئية الخطيرة. في أواخر اَيار/ مايو 2005،حذر خبير دولي من المخاطر والآثار الجانبية التي تركتها الاسلحة الكيماوية، مثل اليورانيوم المنضب، والمواد المشعة، على الصحة العامة في العراق.وقال روبرت بسيت – مدير برنامج البيئة التابع للامم المتحدة في العراق، في مؤتمر صحافي عقده في عمان، إن هذا التلوث شكل تحديات بيئية كبيرة في العراق،وأصبح يشكل مصدرا للقلق في جنوب العراق على وجه الخصوص، مشيرا الى ان القوات البريطانية افرغت 1.9مليون طن من المواد المشعة في هذه المنطقة[ ].
ولم يبالغ الخبير الدولي المذكور إطلاقاً، فمن يزور بغداد، والمدن العراقية الأخرى، يصطدم بظواهر تزايد معالم التلوث فيها بدرجات كبيرة، وبمختلف الملوثات البيئية الخطيرة.فأطلال ركام الحرب في كل مكان.وينتشر في أرجاء العراق التلوث الإشعاعي الناجم عن ذخائر اليورانيوم المشعة،التي إستخدمتها القوات الأمريكية والبريطانية في حربي عامي 1991 و 2003 ضد العراق..لن نخوض في تفاصيل كثيرة- وقد نشرنا عشرات الدراسات والتقارير العلمية حول الموضوع وتداعياته..يكفي أن نشير هنا الى أن العديد من العلماء الأجانب، ومنهم الكندي هاري شارما، والبريطاني كريس باسبي، وعلماء يعملون مع منظمة “غرين بيس”، زاروا العراق، وقاسوا بأنفسهم، وبأجهزتهم الخاصة، مستويات الإشعاع في العراق.وقام المركز الطبي لأبحاث اليورانيوم UMRC ( مركز دولي مستقل) بإجراء دراسة ميدانية إشعاعية علمية واسعة، في كافة مدن وسط وجنوب العراق، من بغداد وضواحيها الى أبي الخصيب، وأثبتت إنتشار التلوث الإشعاعي في كل مكان،في التربة والهواء والماء، وفي أجسام المواطنين الملامسين، وفي جثث القتلى، وفي الأنقاض، وبنسب تجاوزت الحد المسموح به بأكثر من30 ألف مرة في العديد من المناطق العراقية[ ].
واكد مصدر في وزارة البيئة، مطلع عام 2004، بانه تم اكتشاف مواقع ملوثة جديدة اضافة الى المواقع السابقة، والمواقع هي: خان ضاري، والصويرة، والمشراق، والقادسية، وعويريج، وأن قسم السيطرة على الملوثات الكيميائية التابع لدائرة التخطيط في وزارة البيئة قام بالتشخيص الاولي لكل موقع، ووجد ان موقع خان ضاري ملوث بالرصاص، وموقع الصويرة ملوث بالزئبق، وموقع المشراق ملوث بمادة الكبريت، اما موقع القادسية فوجد فيه نسبة كبيرة من الكروم والسيانيد، وموقع عويريج ملوث بالعناصر الثقيلة، ومركبات الفينول المتعدد الكلور، واليورانيوم المنضب. واضاف المصدر بانه تم عرض هذه المواقع الملوثة على منظمة الامم المتحدة للبيئة UNEP لغرض معالجتها وازالة التلوث منها مستقبلا ،وتأخذ وزارة البيئة على عاتقها تنظيف بقية المواقع الملوثة[ ].
وأعلنت وزارة البيـــــئة بدء عمليات المسح المـــــيداني للمواقع التي يشتبه بتـــــلوثــــها بالإشعاع النووي، وتـــــزيد عن 317 موقعاً، أثبتت الفحوص الأولية لنمــــاذج التــــــــربة والمياه فيها تلوثها بالإشعاع. وأكدت ان المواقع الشديدة التلوث، وهي 5، مسؤول عنها برنامج الأمم المتحدة للبيئة لمعالجتها.وقالت المهندسة بشرى احمد، مديرة مركز الوقاية من الإشعاع التابع لوزارة البيئة: ان المسح البيئي الإشعاعي الذي بدأه مركزها، العام الجاري، شمل تحديث الخريطة البـــــــيئية الإشعاعية في العراق، ومراقبة المنافذ الحـــــدودية، ووضع المحددات البيـــــئية، وتقويم مواقع التلوث في عـــــموم العراق وقياس نسبة غاز الرادون في بغداد، وعدد من المـــــحافظات وتحديد حجم التلوث بالــــيورانيوم المنضب فيها، ومدى تأثيرها على سكان المناطق المجاورة للمواقع الملوثة، وتعزيز المختبرات والأجهزة اللازمة للفحص، ورفع الوعي بماهية الإشعاع ومخاطره، وسبل الوقاية منه لدى المواطن. وأضافت ان كل الفحوصات التي أجرتها الوزارة، فضلاً عن دراسات وبحوث وزارة الصحة والزراعة، أثبتت ان المسبب الأول للتلوث في العراق هو اليورانيوم المنضب، وعمليات السلب التي طاولت هيئة الطاقة النووية في التويثة إبان الحرب الأخيرة».وطالبت وزارة البيئة الامم المتحدة بالتدخل لمعالجة ظاهرة التلوث الاشعاعي ودعم الجهود الرامية إلى تجنيب الناس كارثة التعرض للاشعاعات[ ].
وفي بحث لوزارة العلوم والتكنلوجيا العراقية حول اليوارنيوم المنضب، قدمه الاستاذ الدكتور إسماعيل شبر واخرون،أكد ان كميات ما استخدم في العراق من ذخيرة اليورانيوم المنضب يزيد عما استخدم في كافة انحاء العالم، و سيترتب على ذلك نتائج كارثية بالمنظورين القريب والمستقبلي)))

June 17th, 2013, 12:35 pm

 

zoo said:

After lashing at Bashar al Assad for not respecting democracy, now hysterical Erdogan is giving a lecture to Europe

EU has no respect for democracy, says Turkish PM Erdoğan

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-has-no-respect-for-democracy-says-turkish-pm-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48981&NewsCatID=338

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continued his strong-worded criticisms against the European Union yesterday over its support to the Gezi Park demonstrators and accused Brussels of being undemocratic in a reaction against the European Parliament’s recent critical resolution against his government.

“Do you have the right to take such a decision [on Turkey]? You will stay silent about what’s happening in France, in England and elsewhere in Europe and you will dare to take a decision on our security forces who are exercising their duty of law enforcement against those demonstrators. You are anti-democratic,” Erdoğan said at a meeting in Ankara on Monday.

“You [EU] do not respect democracy. Your definition of freedom is different. You support those who attack the freedom of others,” Erdoğan said.

June 17th, 2013, 12:37 pm

 

zoo said:

Why the Current Syria Policy Doesn’t Make Sense
Obama’s move to arm the rebels is angering both sides of the intervention debate.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/why-the-current-syria-policy-doesnt-make-sense/276922/
…..
The fact that nearly everyone seems to agree on the ineffectiveness of such a course — including even Obama himself — suggests the president did this because he needed to “do something.” It was, after all, getting embarrassing, with open mockery of Obama’s fecklessness, in general, and a rather squiggly “red line” that insisted on shifting in odd directions, in particular.

But that Obama has done something he clearly didn’t want to do for precisely the wrong reasons does not inspire confidence. Rarely has a major policy change been announced so circumspectly with so little conviction.

June 17th, 2013, 12:41 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Dear Matthew
It seems that Obama doctrine as I mentioned before
Wait till it is too late, then it becomes unmanageable.

As for Shiaa, we true Moslems say who ever say La Ilaha Illa Allah Mohammad Rasul Allah is Moslem,
This was a mistake since it is misunderstood, Allahu Akbar is important too,,Unity of Musslems is very important,Now some Shiaa are good people , it is HA who joined Assad to kill Syrian that is bad,,but Persia support to Assad is Support for murderous dictator,which is not Islamic, and that support is merely to usurp the middle East and impose persian hegemony, it has nothing to do with Islam, Shiaa are enemy of Alawis ,who consider Ali God not wali,

The Ulamaa meeting in Cairo,as you said came in response to HA involvement ,it is sectarian decision by HA, the Sunni action was a response , but it is persia and HA to blame,they started the sectarian sedition,

Preventing Shiaa from going to Haj is wrong, I doubt it will be implemented

June 17th, 2013, 12:44 pm

 

zoo said:

Are Saudi Arabia weapons ending up with Al Nusra?
Analyst: Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria now best-equipped of the group

By Barbara Starr
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/17/analyst-al-qaeda-affiliate-in-syria-now-best-equipped-of-the-group/

Al Qaeda’s affiliate inside Syria is now the best-equipped arm of the terror group in existence today, according to informal assessments by U.S. and Middle East intelligence agencies, a private sector analyst directly familiar with the information told CNN.

Concern about the Syrian al Qaeda-affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the al-Nusra Front, is at an all-time high, according to the analyst, with as many as 10,000 fighters and supporters inside Syria. The United States has designated al-Nusra Front as a terrorist group with links to al Qaeda in Iraq.

That assessment is shared by some Middle Eastern intelligence agencies that have long believed the United States is underestimating the Sunni-backed al Qaeda movement in the country, according to a Middle East source. It is also believed that Iran is running training camps inside Syria for Hezbollah and that other Iranian militia fighters are coming into the country to fight for the regime.
….
With the growing strength and support for al-Nusra, U.S. concerns are growing about its influence to further destabilize Syria and potentially pose a greater regional threat, administration officials have told CNN.

“They are making desperate attempts to get chemical weapons,” the analyst told CNN, noting that in the past few weeks, security services in Iraq and Turkey arrested operatives who were “trying to get their hands on sarin.”

A senior U.S. intelligence official told CNN recently that gathering intelligence on Syria, including its potential future use of chemical weapons, is now one of the top priorities of the U.S. intelligence community.

June 17th, 2013, 12:45 pm

 

Ziad said:

طيّب.. ماذا عن «الجهاد» في فلسطين ؟

«فجأة» اكتشفت تيارات الاسلام السياسي، ان ما يجري في ارض الشام هي حرب معلنة على «الاسلام والمسلمين عامة»!!.. لكنهم هؤلاء تحديدا الذين التقوا تحت راية السلفيين ممثلين بـ»المجلس التنسيقي الاسلامي العام» ولكم ان تتخيلوا كيف تُخْتَرع هذه الأسماء ويجري تضخيمها والنفخ فيها على نحو يصبح العضو فيها قادرا على اصدار فتاوى القتل والتكفير والجهاد محتكراً الاسلام والحقيقة ومهدرا دم كل من يعارضه الرأي بعد ان يكون قد اتهمه بالإلحاد والعمالة والافتراء على الدين الذي هو وحده «وصي عليه».

نقول: هؤلاء تحديدا هم الذين صمتوا ستة عقود على احتلال فلسطين وتشريد شعبها وهم في معظمهم صناعة الانظمة وأجهزتها وهم اصحاب الخطاب الذي يجتزئ النص القرآني ليشكل مظلة لانظمة الفساد والإفساد والطغيان «.. وأولي الأمر منكم» والمنابر والمنصات والحناجر جاهزة ومعروفة وموصوفة.

ما يجري في بلاد الشام (فقط منذ عامين ونيف) هو حرب مُعلنة على الاسلام والمسلمين والذين يشنونها ليسوا اليهود ولا النصارى، بل هم كفرة حتى لو شهدوا الشهادتين وحجّوا بيت الله وأتوا الزكاة وصاموا رمضان وحرصوا على اداء الصلاة بما هي عماد الدين، بل هم اشد كفرا من الذين قال المولى عز وجل «لن ترضى عنك اليهود» اما تهويد القدس وإعلانها عاصمة أبدية لاسرائيل ورفع نجمة داود على المسجد الأقصى والحفريات التي لا تتوقف تحت المسجد الأقصى الذي تكفي هزة أرضية بدرجة نصف من واحد صحيح من مقياس ريختر لتقويضه، ناهيك عن العبث بمقبرة مأمن الله واقامة كنيس يهودي ومرآب للسيارات وتدنيس ما تبقى من قبور لأولياء صالحين وصحابة فاتحين، فهذا كله لا يستدعي اعلان الجهاد او حتى الادانة في البيان «العرمرم» الذي صدر عن «العلماء» في القاهرة حيث يحكم الاخوان المسلمون ويتحكمون، والذي تفوح منه رائحة التحريض والشحن الطائفي والمذهبي والمراد به ايقاع الفتنة بين المسلمين وتحويل انظارهم عن مشروع «التمكين» الذي وافقت عليه واشنطن لمنح جماعات الاخوان المسلمين «فرصة» الحكم وايهام الشعوب العربية ان ليس امامها سوى نبذ الارهاب والتخلي عن الاسلام الفاشي (هل تذكرون كلمات جورج بوش الابن؟) واعتماد الاعتدال والتصالح مع اسرائيل والطمس على أي خطاب عروبي وحدوي نهضوي، يعيد للشعوب العربية حريتها ويطيح انظمة الفساد والافساد وترك من عاثوا بالارض فساداً ونهبوا الثروات الوطنية وارتهنوا سيادتها، يتعفنون في السجون ويتكللون بالعار..

هل قلنا التصالح مع اسرائيل؟

http://www.alrai.com/article/591132.html

June 17th, 2013, 12:50 pm

 
 

Tara said:

I do believe that despite the military victories of the Jihadists, they hurt the Syrian revolution tremendously. On one hand, without them Assad may have abolished the revolution. On the other hand, their stupid declarations and their at times barbaric behavior hurt us and played very well in the hand of the regime and its propagandists.

Monday 17 June 2013 05.37 EDT
http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/jun/17/arms-syrian-rebels-william-hague

Arms for Syrian rebels won’t fall into extremist hands, says William Hague

Hague argued that a military victory for either side would mean the collapse of the Syrian state.

He said it was possible to distinguish between the moderate and extreme elements of the opposition. “There certainly are extremists. The complexity of this situation is there’s more than two sides and there is an opposition. I’ve had many meetings with opposition leaders who are not that type of opposition leader, who are sincere – in my view and the view of John Kerry and many other western foreign ministers – about their commitment to a future democracy in Syria, to dealing with the stockpiles of chemical weapons, to making sure that minorities are properly represented and not persecuted in Syria.

“Their commitment to that is sincere so we shouldn’t fall into the trap of thinking everybody on every side is an extremist. There are a lot of good Syrians, I can assure you.”

Cameron has also refused to give ground despite the swelling opposition on his own backbenches.

He said: “I am as worried as anybody else about elements of the Syrian opposition who are extremists, who support terrorism, who are a great danger to our world. The question is what do we do about that. My argument is that we shouldn’t accept that the only alternative to Assad is terrorism and violence; we should be on the side of Syrians who want a democratic and peaceful future for their country and one without the man who is currently using chemical weapons against them.

June 17th, 2013, 12:54 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo@ 7

Funny.

June 17th, 2013, 1:01 pm

 

Observer said:

Well well the news are great

The inner sanctum of Mezzeh was bombed yesterday

The 8th of March building was hit with a missile

The battle around Qusayr continues

The ruskies will not permit a no fly zone

Four Shia men are killed in Baalbeck

Iran is sending 4000 troops and the new Iranian marionette says he is against intervention.

I wonder what will Vlad will do
Stare down

Send warships

Send troops

Send missiles

Send money

Send Vodka

Print more Syrian pounds

Open new bank accounts

The end of Sykes Picot

Long live Kurdistan

We will not intervene

Regional powers will fight it out

Athad threatens Europe: wonder how he will retaliate: at the rigth time and the right place; by shifting money from Vienna to Moscow

By shoe shopping in St Petersburg

By funding insurgency as in Iraq

Hehehehe

I love it, as I read panic in the air.

But oh wait Erdogan is going into exile, Morsi is trimming his beard, Vlad is inventing a new Judo move, and the new Iranian marionnette has a new white turban and all of this indicates the complete disarray of the Syrian opposition.

Great news indeed

Cheers

June 17th, 2013, 1:07 pm

 

Hopeful said:

# 16 Tara

I could not agree more. Syria needs to be free of both the dictator and his thugs, and the religious extremists and their ideology.

It is fruitless to talk about who is worst: Assad or the Jihadists. Syria’s survival and future existence depend on getting rid of both.

As I said many times before on this forum, the regime supporters will find many people among the opposition who deplore the acts of the jihadists and are willing to work with other Syrians, of all stripes, to get rid of them. What I fail to find, on this forum, are the regime supporters who deplore tha acts of the mukhabarat and the ruling Syrian mafia and are willing to help other Syrians rid Syria of them. Ghufran is an exception if one assumes that he started as a supporter, but I do not know if he did.

June 17th, 2013, 1:08 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Syrian Hamster, Thank you for your good comment,
Syrian Lira has dropped too much in the last week,50% in one week, due to threat of US involvement, and due to the fact that its value was artificially high, Lira is expected to keep on falling, God knows , may be soon it will reach 300,the result is certain that the common person in Syria will suffer, as Ehsani said the salary of average employee has dropped to 70 Dollar a month, if it get to 300 it will be 40 dollar a month, people food will soon be only bread

June 17th, 2013, 1:10 pm

 

don said:

The U.S. now finds itself sharing a goal with the Sunni extremist groups allied with al-Qaeda that are seeking to replace Assad’s secular regime with Islamic rule, said one of the officials. While the Islamists’ vision of a post-Assad Syria is clear, Obama’s isn’t, this official said.

No Planning
Both officials said the Obama administration has done virtually no planning for a postwar Syria, much as President George W. Bush’s administration had no road map for Iraq after the U.S. invasion other than a dead-on-arrival plan to put Iraqi exile Ahmed Chalabi in power.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-14/assad-prepares-offensive-as-obama-promises-rebels-arms.html

June 17th, 2013, 1:25 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Only imbeciles think that any one would joking when talking about tomato as precious metal. And only imbeciles heartless racists would object to the cries of pain from Syrian middle class, thin as it was, now seeing its life savings evaporate, along with its dead children, either by the carpet bombing requested by regime propagandists on this blog or the need to buy bread. And of course, it is all the “ulema’s” fault, not the fault of the thieves and murderers of the 21st century and their cohorts on this blog and elsewhere.

So much for the economic miracle of the foolish d-p athad and its hyena pack of cousins, relatives, and supporters.

June 17th, 2013, 1:35 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

As for the NFZ, ,it has been applied in Iraq and Libya, if it is to be applied in Syria, it has to be limited to small area, just in Deraa province, up to Sanamein,,40 Km from Damascus, it is necessary in the south to reduce the burden on Jordan, that is certain to mean Jordan will declare Assad as enemy.
Egyptian clerics has the power to cause a million egyptian to go to Syria , to fight Assad, I was told they have to wait till july because of internal egyptian problems, Saudi,jordanian and egyptian forces may cross from the south, the aim is Damascus,and to defeat HA

June 17th, 2013, 1:43 pm

 

revenire said:

A million Egyptians? LOL wow.

Brother isn’t alcohol haram?

June 17th, 2013, 1:52 pm

 

zoo said:

Anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles boost Syrian rebels

Reuters
Jun 18, 2013

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/anti-aircraft-and-anti-tank-missiles-boost-syrian-rebels#ixzz2WVE4q2Bh
Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook

The missiles were obtained from suppliers in France and Belgium, and France had paid to ship them to the region, the source said.

Opposition sources in Aleppo said Saudi Arabia had also supplied the rebels with at least 50 Russian-made Konkurs anti-tank missiles in the past few days. The weapons had reached rebels fighting a government column at the town of Maaret Al Arteek north of Aleppo, scene of major fighting in recent days.

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/anti-aircraft-and-anti-tank-missiles-boost-syrian-rebels#ixzz2WVDwydM6
Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook

June 17th, 2013, 3:17 pm

 

zoo said:

When has Saudi Arabia ever rushed weapons to Palestinians and Lebanese to defend themselves against Israel?
What a hypocritical and infantile country! They are much less than half men…

I hope the HA and the SAA will be able to take hold of them and use them in the war against Israel

June 17th, 2013, 3:23 pm

 

zoo said:

Reve

Maybe Majed is right. Morsi have been wanting to get rid of all these Egyptian Salafist who are giving him trouble.
What better opportunity does he have to see them either die or settle in Al Raqqah….

June 17th, 2013, 3:28 pm

 

Sami said:

“I hope the HA and the SAA will be able to take hold of them and use them in the war against Israel”

Yes because Aleppo and Qusair are in Israel…

By the way what is your cutoff age of children being considered as “spies” that deserve to be raped and tortured?

June 17th, 2013, 3:30 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Zoo,Revenir
During the Egyptian revolution Tahrir square attracted more than a million, and Egypt is 75 million people 1 % is not impossible to recruit.
BTW Zoo, You better behave or you could appologize again

June 17th, 2013, 3:32 pm

 

zoo said:

…. Yawn…

June 17th, 2013, 3:34 pm

 

zoo said:

#30 Majed

I am sure Morsy is preparing the Egypt Air flights to send all the Salafists to Syria…

June 17th, 2013, 3:38 pm

 

don said:

Tell that to the Mursi islamist regime and the Saudi islamist regime Sami
28. Sami said:
Yes because Aleppo and Qusair are in Israel…

June 17th, 2013, 3:42 pm

 

zoo said:

Sami

Not all spies are treated like in Guantanamo or Abu Graib..

June 17th, 2013, 3:42 pm

 

zoo said:

I fully concur with this article. It says it all

Syria: If People Don’t Do Their Own Damn Revolution, It Won’t Work

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/17039-syria-if-people-dont-do-their-own-damn-revolution-it-wont-work

When revolutions don’t start from the bottom-up, they’re doomed to fail.

If the people of a nation in turmoil aren’t sufficiently motivated and capable of pulling off their very own revolution without the help of outside forces, then after the so-called revolution is over, the people will not be able to govern themselves, and the situation will be far worse than before.

But, outside nations shouldn’t intervene in revolutions or civil wars because, if popular opinion is strong enough that the dictator, king, or government needs to go, then not only will the people rise up and throw that dictator out of power, but people within the dictator’s own government will turn against him as well.

Look at the fall of the Shah in Iran.

The people of Iran were fed up with the Shah’s policies of privatizing the nation’s oil revenue for the benefit of American companies and his own family, his disregard for Islamic tradition, his failed domestic policies that ignored the poor, and his perceived extravagance and elitism.
….
The bottom-line is that revolutions and civil wars only come about in one of two ways. Either they start organically, from the inside-out/bottom-up, where people are deeply invested and where change is long-lasting, or they start from the outside-in/top-down, require endless amounts of investments from outside forces, and take generations to achieve positive changes, if any.

Which is why it’s very, very dangerous to get involved in Syria.

If Syria had the infrastructure in place to successfully support a revolution, and if its people were deeply invested and ready for a revolution, than there wouldn’t be any need for the United States or other Western nations to get involved in the first place.

June 17th, 2013, 3:50 pm

 

Ilya said:

Morsi 1st president to declare war in a football stadium’: Egypt’s revolutionary sheikh
President Mohamed Morsi’s recent decision to sever diplomatic ties with the Syrian government is merely an effort to bolster the popularity of the Muslim Brotherhood group from which he hails, Imam Mazhar Shahin, Egypt’s so-called revolutionary preacher, has asserted.

“For the first time, war has been declared from a football stadium,” Shahin said sarcastically in an interview on Sunday with the private Sada Al-Balad television channel.

On Saturday night, before 15,000 supporters at Cairo’s indoor stadium, Morsi announced the closure of the Syrian embassy in Cairo and the recall of Egypt’s diplomatic mission from Damascus, declaring that the time to talk to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was “over.”

Morsi also accused Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah, which is currently fighting alongside Syrian government troops in the ongoing conflict, of committing “crimes” against the Syrian people.

While the president said both the Egyptian people and armed forces supported the foreign-backed armed insurgency against Al-Assad, Morsi stopped short of making any commitment to arm the insurgents.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/74242/Egypt/Politics-/Morsi-st-president-to-declare-war-in-a-football-st.aspx

June 17th, 2013, 3:53 pm

 

Mjabali said:

So the Egyptian clerics and government can not face real problems in life so they would send their men to die in Syria and call to form a Sunni army: great idea for the 7th century for sure but not for this time.

The Shia clerics are going to do the same : the result the middle east is going through another violent cycle again.

Religion is bad for the middle east. This is a scientific certainty .

June 17th, 2013, 3:54 pm

 

Sami said:

Don Ann Di Assado,

Why is it Egypt and Saudi that are bombing Syria into oblivion, or is it your filthy master named Asshat that doing his best with “Assad or we burn the country”.

Welcome back btw, hopefully you won’t get banned this time around.

June 17th, 2013, 3:55 pm

 

apple_mini said:

Egypt is sliding deeper into trouble. A failing and dying economy and yet its government chose even more radical Islamic ideology. Disaster is written all over on that transformation. How harmful to other nations? We shall wait and see. Israel better gets itself ready for a change thanks to Obama and his juvenile understanding of ME and Islam.

June 17th, 2013, 4:04 pm

 

Sami said:

“Not all spies are treated like in Guantanamo or Abu Graib..”

Why did they rape and torture children there as well?

It is rather disgusting and vile if you ask me, there is absolutely no excuse for raping and torturing a child, even if they stand accused of being “spies”…

June 17th, 2013, 4:16 pm

 

Ilya said:

Head to Head – Is the US a force for good in the world?

June 17th, 2013, 4:40 pm

 

Juergen said:

Assad gave an other of his exclusive interviews, this time with the prestigious “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. The interviewer Rainer Hermann was the one who blamed the opposition forces for committing the massacre in Houla.

Google Translate:

“Europe will pay the price for delivery of arms”

How big are the units of Hezbollah in Syria?

“There are no associations. There are individual fighters along the border, about where the terrorists were to be found at Quseir. They have supported the Syrian army in the purges along the Lebanese border.”

http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faz.net%2Faktuell%2Fpolitik%2Fausland%2Fnaher-osten%2Fsyriens-machthaber-assad-im-f-a-z-gespraech-europa-wird-den-preis-fuer-waffenlieferungen-zahlen-12224899.html

June 17th, 2013, 5:28 pm

 

Tara said:

Now that light and heavy weapons have arrived to Syria or are in transit, the best option for the regime is to denounce violence, get rid of Batta and beg for forgiveness and reconciliation. Once an overwhelming victory occurs, no one can guarantee “hardly a massacre” of Batta’s hard core shabeehas across their spectrum. iis now time to jump ships

June 17th, 2013, 5:29 pm

 

revenire said:

Army Kills Notorious Al-Qaeda Ringleader in Northern Syria

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army killed a notorious al-Qaeda terrorist ringleader and tens of his men in Northern Syria on Monday.

The army today killed Ahmad al-Jarrad who was the al-Qaeda ringleader in al-Reqqa. The Syrian army also killed 36 of al-Jarrad’s companions in Reqqa city today.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9203183834

June 17th, 2013, 5:47 pm

 

revenire said:

Tare I will notify the army commanders you said now is the time to surrender, defect or run.

June 17th, 2013, 5:49 pm

 

Juergen said:

Kurt Pelda the swiss freelance journalist has been back from an other Syria trip. He has made this report for the German Tv:

http://www.ardmediathek.de/das-erste/weltspiegel?documentId=15208288

In it he described how the Syrian army is preparing the grounds for an attack on rebel held Aleppo territories. “operation north storm”.
I chatted the other day with him and asked him how many percentage of the FSA consists of foreign fighters, he answered:” To what I have seen in my last 6 trips, I would guess not more than 5 % are foreigners. I personally may have seen not more than 200 foreign jihadists.”

June 17th, 2013, 5:52 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

The collapse of Lira will be the talk of every one in the next few weeks, it will mean that poverty in Syria will spread and will turn everyone against Bashar,even his Shabbiha, it is going on in such short time it will cause panic, the revolution always erupt because of the poor not rich, turning Syria to more poor means stronger revolution.
drop in lira value means inflation of necessary items such as food

June 17th, 2013, 6:03 pm

 

revenire said:

Brother another forecast of the future. Bravo! I am keeping them all in a scrapbook.

June 17th, 2013, 6:08 pm

 

Citizen said:

40-
Russia Does Have the Military Strength to Deter War in Syria and Iran Standing Against Banker’s Agenda
The Russians know slavery all to well. They know puppet leaders like the back of their hand. Putin stands for Russia’s long term stability of his people in a peaceful society. He is his own man and makes no bones about it. He has no choice but to stand with Iran and Syria because if Russia allows the west to over run these sovereign countries. Than in the future, NATO forces will be miles outside of Moscow.
http://www.thelonestarwatchdog.com/russia-does-have-the-military-strength-to-deter-war-in-syria-and-iran-standing-against-the-bankers-agenda.html

June 17th, 2013, 6:09 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Guergen,
If my memory serves me right, it seems that athad is calling nus-lira a liar, or the other way around… LOL, another possibility would be that d-p athad is trying its sophistry and failing, yet again, in composing a comprehensible phrase.

What a buffoon, a real embarrassment, even to its evil parents.

June 17th, 2013, 6:13 pm

 

Ilya said:

Juergen
One article i saw number 95% foreigners fighters,another says 5%,there was one said it was 70%,other said 30%,who should we believe?
probably in middle 50%,how would Swiss reporter can determine who is foreigner there who is not,believe jihadi word.. haha you are so silly
lira going down in Value btw is not such bad thing ,Japanese Yen was always around 100 to 1 USD did not hurt economy 1 bit..

June 17th, 2013, 6:22 pm

 

revenire said:

Juergen would like us to believe it is 1-2 guys who lost their way to a baseball game and ended up in Syria.

June 17th, 2013, 6:33 pm

 

Ziad said:

Awkward silence

Putin, Obama disagree over Syria at tense G8 summit meeting

https://twitter.com/ReutersWorld/status/346738655546716160/photo/1

June 17th, 2013, 6:47 pm

 

Ziad said:

President Bashar Al-Assad: Fighting Terrorism in Syria. Rebuilding in the Wake of the Crisis.

Interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

http://www.globalresearch.ca/president-bashar-al-assad-fighting-terrorism-in-syria-rebuilding-in-the-wake-of-the-crisis-interview-with-the-frankfurter-allgemeine-zeitung/5339481

June 17th, 2013, 6:53 pm

 

Tara said:

Not only Putin is ugly but also has no sense of humor.

“We compared notes on President Putin’s expertise in judo and my declining skills in basketball,” Obama said. “We both agreed that as we get older, it takes more time to recover.”

Putin replied coldly: “The president wants to relax with his statement of age.”

June 17th, 2013, 7:16 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara I bet in a cage match Putin would wipe the floor with Obama – who seems sickly and weak. He looks as if he has lost 10-20 pounds. Is he ill?

June 17th, 2013, 7:26 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

The hatred and opposition to Assad (local & global) is inexplicable. It must be a conspiracy.

Right?

June 17th, 2013, 7:46 pm

 

zoo said:

Syria: Cameron wilts in the face of Putin’s withering glare.

By Les Blough, Editor. Axis of Logic
Axis of Logic
Monday, Jun 17, 2013

http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_65733.shtml

For 2 years we have watched Washington, London and Paris dragging out their bloody attempt to overthrow the Assad government via terrorist proxies. For two years Russian President Vladamir Putin has stated clearly that he would not allow them to succeed while arming the Assad government with the latest technology for military defense.

Last week Barack Obama claimed that his “red line” had been crossed when he received evidence that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons. He lied about the evidence just as Washington lied about WMD as a pretext to invade Iraq in 2003 but even if the evidence were real, it would pale in the face of the nearly 100,000 people who have been killed as a direct result of the west’s invasion via proxy terrorists. No, it wasn’t evidence of chemical weapons that crossed Obama’s “red line;” rather, it was the Assad government’s defeat of the foreign terrorists at al-Qusayr two weeks earlier.

With that decisive victory and the Syrian military adjusting their sights on the vermin in Aleppo, a chorus of war-mongers in the US, France and England began to desperately call for a no-fly-zone and direct military intervention. If they expected President Vladamir Putin to wilt like a flower under their din and roar, he surely disappointed them with his words to David Cameron and the British press before the GA Summit yesterday.

So for now, it appears that the bellicose British don’t have the belly to cross Vladamir Putin’s “red line” to join the US and NATO at the behest of Israel to carry on with an invasion of Syria like they did in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.
It will be interesting to see how the British, French and US regimes respond in practice to Syria’s ongoing military victories coupled with Russian defiance. Axis of Logic has been reporting for nearly two years on the US and European war against the Syrian people and their legitimate government led by Bashar al-Assad. We’ve never lost sight of two determinants of the outcome of this assault against their sovereignty and independence: (1) The superior strength, skill and commitment of the Assad government and military and (2) the courage and resolve of Russian President Vladamir Putin and the Russian people who support him.

June 17th, 2013, 7:47 pm

 

zoo said:

#39 Sami

“Why did they rape and torture children there as well?”

Are you referring to the children recruited by the rebels as soldiers?
The UN has officially put the rebels in “UN list of shame” because they recruit children-soldiers to spy, put bombs and kill Syrian army soldiers.

The fate of these children is the responsibility of the rebels who are ruthlessly exposing them to dangers that they cowardly want to avoid as adults

Tell them to stop that cruel and shameful exploitation of children.

June 17th, 2013, 7:59 pm

 

Mjabali said:

So we are waiting for the new cycle of violence . Why don’t they meet and solve it for the sake of Syria and the poor Syrians whose livelihood is going to be gone with the winds of hatred ?

June 17th, 2013, 8:04 pm

 

revenire said:

Majority of Americans opposed to arming Syrian rebels

The majority of US citizens are opposed to providing arms and military supplies to Syrian opposition forces, according to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center. Of those Americans polled, 70 per cent said they are not in favor of “sending arms to anti-government groups in Syria,” an increase from 65 per cent in December and 63 per cent opposed in March 2012. The number of those who favor providing military support dropped to 20 per cent in the most recent poll, down from 29 per cent in March of last year. About two-thirds of Americans, 68 per cent, said the US military is already spread too thin in other conflicts. These results come just days after the Obama administration said the US would increase aid to the rebels after claims of evidence that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons, crossing a so-called ‘red line’ imposed by American officials.

June 17th, 2013, 8:07 pm

 

Ziad said:

“السنة لهم اميركا والشيعة لهم روسيا والملحدون ما لهم غير الله”

زياد رحباني

June 17th, 2013, 8:14 pm

 

revenire said:

The support and love to Assad (local & global) is inexplicable. It must be a conspiracy.

Right?

June 17th, 2013, 8:18 pm

 

Tara said:

Reve,

There is no comparison between Obama and Putin in term of physical attractiveness. They are not in the same league. It is like comparing Batta to Mr. R,

June 17th, 2013, 8:20 pm

 

Ilya said:

Tara
You are so right!!!for once i can agree with you.
Putin so much more handsome than Obama its not even close,also in much better physical shape, Obama looks so distress wondering what is bothering him now?
Vivat Putin Vivat! 🙂

June 17th, 2013, 8:30 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara come on. Obama attractive? Sure if you’ve been locked in a Syrian prison for the last 20 years maybe. Have you? Is that the source of your hate?

Ha ha.

June 17th, 2013, 8:42 pm

 

zoo said:

I expect more whining and begging from Selim Idriss whose high expectations of Western weapons are falling apart.

After relentless promises, the UK and France are back tracking on weapons delivery. NATO has excluded the NFZ, the USA is dumping Idriss’ wishlist in the dustbin and offering wishy-washy ‘military’ support and a vague list of light arms.

The only hope is Saudi Arabia. Yet it is not very clear to whom they are sending anti-aircrafts and anti-tanks weapons as it is well known that Saudi ‘charities’ have been already financing and arming the Al Nusra terrorists and may well channel to them more heavy weapons as part of the Saudi ‘package’. The Syrian intelligence are probably working on ways to pit the FSA against Al Nusra and watch their mutual destruction.

I guess that as the new weapons are in high demands for both of the ‘allies’, it is a very possible that they’ll fight for them. That would be Saudi gift to the Syrian government.

June 17th, 2013, 9:03 pm

 

revenire said:

After meeting Putin Obama told Idris he is being given 10,000 water balloons.

Good luck.

June 17th, 2013, 9:20 pm

 

Tara said:

Ilya,

Sorry, he does not live up to my taste.

June 17th, 2013, 9:35 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Rouhani:
طهران ـ وكالات: تمسك الرئيس الايراني المنتخب حسن روحاني الاثنين بموقف النظام الاسلامي في الملف النووي رافضا اي وقف لتخصيب اليورانيوم، لكنه وعد بمزيد من ‘الشفافية’ حول انشطته.
وفيما يتصل بالحرب في سورية، كرر روحاني موقف بلاده رافضا التدخل الاجنبي في هذا البلد، ومعتبرا ان على نظام بشار الاسد ان يبقى حتى الانتخابات الرئاسية المقبلة عام 2014.
كذلك وضع شروطا للحوار مع واشنطن، العدو التاريخي للجمهورية الاسلامية، داعيا الى اجرائه ‘ضمن المساواة والاحترام المتبادل’ مع الاقرار بـ’الحقوق النووية’ لايران.
وأكد أن حكومته ستعمل على السيطرة على الوضع الاقتصادي المتدهور، مشدداً على أن ‘الاقتصاد والمعيشة يشكلان الأولوية للحكومة المقبلة. وسنقوم بالتركيز على الاستقرار الاقتصادي وتفعيل الطاقات الموجودة، واحتواء السيولة لإرساء الهدوء في القطاع الاقتصادي’.
وكان روحاني، رجل الدين المعتدل الذي يدعمه الاصلاحيون، يتحدث في اول مؤتمر صحافي يعقده منذ انتخابه الجمعة بعد ثمانية اعوام من حكم المحافظين في ظل محمود احمدي نجاد.
واعلن الرئيس الايراني المنتخب حسن روحاني الاثنين ان حكومته ستطور علاقاتها مع السعودية والتي تدهورت في السنوات الماضية بسبب النزاع في سورية وحركة الاحتجاج في البحرين.

June 17th, 2013, 10:37 pm

 

revenire said:

Russia will not let Syria down. Putin is a master at world politics. We salute you Russia.

“I believe one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of the public gaze and cameras,” Putin said, a reference to video posted online that appeared to show a rebel fighter cutting open the body of a loyalist soldier. “Are these the people you want to support?”

http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-presidents-obama-putin-g8-syria-20130617,0,2718890.story

June 17th, 2013, 10:54 pm

 

zoo said:

Both the USA and the UK are facing strong opposition from their people on arming the rebels.
I doubt Selim Idris with his ‘mild manner’ and constant whining and bad mood is charismatic enough to change the British and Americans perception that the opposition is a disaster.

He will have to rely on Saudi Arabia ‘generosity’ and France limited financing. We have admired the ‘successes’ of Saudi Arabia diplomacy in Yemen and Bahrein as well as France success in Libya and Mali.
Qatar is neutralized by the succession, the Saudi king is dying… Time and fate seem the work against the opposition.
2014 is nearing…

June 17th, 2013, 11:40 pm

 

revenire said:

The late Sheik al-Bouti Praises Syrian Army as Almost at the Same Level as Prophet’s Companions

In this Youtube video, first published on Dec 28, 2012, the late Sheikh Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti says that members of the Syrian Army are doing their best in protecting Syria and that they should be almost considered at the same level as that of the Prophet’s companions as their sacrifices are for all Syrians, while most sit and watch their heroic acts.

RIP….

June 17th, 2013, 11:57 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

انتقلت إلى رحمته تعالى
ليرة بنت سورية زوجة المرحوم الحاج فرنك عن عمر يناهز 225
أولاد الفقيدة : قرش وربع ونص
أعمام الفقيدة : خمسة و عشرة وخمساوعشرين ليرة
أخوال الفقيدة : مية وخمسمية وألف ليرة
تقبل التعازي في البنك المركزي وبنك سورية والمهجر…

خلال اجتماع حول واقع سعر صرف الليرة .. الحلقي: إيران ستمول كل المستوردات السورية

June 18th, 2013, 12:05 am

 

Juergen said:

Reve

I quoted a journalist who was in Syria for the last 2 years quite frequently and I asked him for his personal view how many foreign fighters has he seen and to what percentage does he think they add up within the FSA. But surely you have been more often in Syria, you have more insights from your muhabarat guys right?

June 18th, 2013, 12:14 am

 

Sami said:

“Are you referring to the children recruited by the rebels as soldiers?”

No and just like the other day I find this utterly reprehensible, however what is more disgusting is your sickly and criminal position that children should be raped and tortured because they are spies as you mentioned the other day.

The fact you can excuse the rape and torture of children and cheerlead the criminals that perpetrate these acts against children is shameful and criminal in any Western nation.

Seek help, you are deranged if that is indeed your position. Being intrenched in your camp should not blind you from the criminality that is committed by your side.

Then again you are the one who celebrated the cleanup and disinfection of Darayya, it really is not that big of a leap celebrating the massacre of civilians to cheerleading the rape and torture of children…

June 18th, 2013, 12:19 am

 

ghufran said:

US to give an additional $ 300 million to help Syrians affected by the war:
أعلن الرئيس الأمريكي باراك أوباما اليوم الاثنين خلال اجتماع مجموعة الثمانية عن تقديم بلاده 300 مليون دولار أمريكي كمساعدات إنسانية للسوريين، ما يرفع المساعدات الأمريكية إلى 815 مليون دولار، وذلك خلال بيانٍ أصدره البيت الأبيض، كما عبر البيان عن تقدير الولايات المتحدة لجهود الدول التي تستضيف اللاجئين السوريين.

June 18th, 2013, 12:29 am

 

Sami said:

حلم الوحوش القوية

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U_UddTdJpM

A lot of Syrian children are suffering, Lina Al-Abed captures just a tiny glimpse into the horrors that these children have endured.

A friend of mine who is a dentist started an initiative to provide dental chairs to refugee camps with dentists volunteering their time to help with dental work for children. He told me the children are so distraught that they grind their teeth in their sleep from the anxiety and fear they have suppressed.

June 18th, 2013, 12:41 am

 
 

don said:

Sami Ann Gentle Flower,
Why are your Mursi and Saudi islamist regimes declaring jihad on Syria instead of Israel?! Is it because of your filthy masters named Jabhat Alnusra and their bosses in Israel doing their best to destroy and turn Syria back to the middle ages?
37. Sami Response

June 18th, 2013, 1:30 am

 

Juergen said:

Noam Chomsky Interview: Sykes-Picot Is Failing

“First of all, Israel was not opposed to Assad. He has been more or less the kind of dictator they wanted. He has done the kind of things they wanted. The US has no opposition to Assad. He was cooperating on intelligence and they did not like everything, but he was pretty satisfactory.

In fact, if Israel and the US really did want to undermine the Assad regime and to support the rebels, they have very straightforward ways to do it without arms. Israel could considerably mobilize forces in the Golan Heights. If they mobilize forces in the north, the Syrians are compelled to respond by mobilizing forces. But they do not do it, which can only mean they do not want the regime to fall.”

http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/16132

June 18th, 2013, 1:40 am

 

SYR.EXPAT said:

59. MJABALI said: “So we are waiting for the new cycle of violence . Why don’t they meet and solve it for the sake of Syria and the poor Syrians whose livelihood is going to be gone with the winds of hatred ?”

How about you use your contacts to get the government to take the first step. Here’s what they can do to get the ball rolling:

– Release all political prisoners
– Release all prisoners accused of participating in demonstrations
– Any other prisoners who cannot be released should be named and given access to legal counsel.
– Stop the practice of torture and provide mechanisms for ensuring that all prisoners are treated humanely.
– Stop launching Skud missiles into cities.
– Stop the scorched-earth policy.

If they can’t do the above, then these is no point of meeting.

June 18th, 2013, 1:46 am

 

SYR.EXPAT said:

Correction:
“If they can’t do the above, then these is no point of meeting.”
To
If they can’t do the above, then there is no point in meeting.

June 18th, 2013, 2:07 am

 

apple_mini said:

Syria pound took a nose dive yesterday and we have SC members here cheering this as another “defeat” against the regime.

Several months ago, an UK reporter was stunned when a shop owner in Damascus shouted at him and asked him to leave the country. The man angrily told the reporter that is was the west who impose sanctions and caused the suffering and hardship of ordinary Syrians. The reporter was stunned because Syria had been well-known for her warm hospitality.

Apparently, so many Syrians are unaware of the persons and organization behind the western sanction. It was those “freedom-loving” Syrian expats who pushed hard for the sanction. And their argument was the more the Syrians suffer, the better chance for them to come out to support their revolution and against the regime.

How many Syrians suffer from the sanction? Almost everyone who has no income, low income or fixed income. Also include those hard working business people.

Last week, a boy on Damascus street was trying to sell me a rose. I did not buy it then I saw his legs after he turned around leaving. He was the first badly malnourished child I saw in real life.

This is another crime committed by the opposition against all Syrians. Their brutality is masked behind a veil called noble motives like democracy and human rights.

June 18th, 2013, 2:36 am

 

Tara said:

The solution is for Alawi community to denounce violence, ask Assad to leave, apologize for their crimes, plea for forgiveness and reconciliation and we will sit down and have a transitional government that represents all.

June 18th, 2013, 6:41 am

 

Tara said:

Would the end of the day bring us a G7 statement

However, Putin has insisted that Assad is the legitimate leader of the Syrian regime, although he is likely to find himself isolated in that view at the G8. Some diplomatic sources were suggesting the seven other members of the G8 – including Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Canada – would put out their own communiqué if the Russian leader refused to acknowledge that Assad had to abandon his leadership. The future of Assad was the single biggest stumbling block to an agreement at the initial Geneva peace conference held last year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/17/g8-summit-syria-peace-talks

June 18th, 2013, 7:08 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Who benefits from the decline of Syrian Currency?

Salaries are paid in Syria Lira

Iran pumps US dollars into the coffers of the regime to allow it to sustain its hyena packs, and to continue pretending that it is running a state by paying salaries (selectively), in Syrian Lira, but without inflation adjustment, or even if with adjustment reaching 100% pay increase, the value difference resulting from the decline in the value of one 7afer (500 lira) from 10 US Dollars to 2.3 US Dollars is staggering and highly profitable for the regime.

So what would have cost a billion to support six months ago, would now cost 330 Millions.

Furthermore, it would now cost rami-theresa makhlouf many less US dollars, to support the gangs of thugs and the hoard of paid fascist committees.

Follow the money, you will find out who is responsible for the hunger of the poor, including those in the hyena hoards who are lower on the pecking order.

Don’t believe me, ask Professor Aref Dalila.

It would be logical then to think that hardly-a-massacre indignation is fake and it hides a big smile of satisfaction.

June 18th, 2013, 7:12 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

Obama is interviewed on Charlie Rose. He discusses the situation in Syria at 3:25 minutes into the discussion…

http://www.charlierose.com

You’re welcome…

June 18th, 2013, 7:32 am

 

Mjabali said:

Syria ex pat:

The other day they killed a Shia sheikh in Hatla; the news we hear is that your friends at al Nusra took the women as Sabaya; according to al Quran ; the question here cam you talk to your friends there to release these women: supposedly they are the descendants of the Prophet Momammad . Can you check with al Yaqubi to see if he cares about the wellbeing of his cousins ?

As for any meeting to solve the Syrian problem : I have no friends to call or talk to : no one listens to a logical person like me.

By the way insulting me is not going to take you anywhere .

June 18th, 2013, 7:48 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

G 8 has failed,G7 may issue statement, this means Geneva 2 will fail, and there is no point to convene.
FSA is our only hope, HA can not fight more than few months, and it will suffer huge casualties.
Arab Army is needed to fight Assad,from Jordan,Egypt and tens of thousands of volunteers,it is a war,destructive one.

MJabali
If Assad agrees to stop violence, then we can sit togather to talk peace, but Assad will never stop violence

June 18th, 2013, 8:02 am

 

Mjabali said:

Tara:

I Relayed your latest threat to the Alawis and they said that your wishes are their commands : no problem for you . Today they are going to do everything you said .

ماهذه اللغه ياحجه

June 18th, 2013, 8:03 am

 

Mjabali said:

Majedkhaldoun

Violence can stop if all parties sit on a table . The reality on the ground dictates this.

Blaming is no good at this stage . Let them all be smart and put the lives of Syrians first .

June 18th, 2013, 8:08 am

 

revenire said:

Majed there are not as many Hezbollah fighters in Syria as you have been brainwashed into believing. The terrorists are fighting the Syrian Arab Army – the majority Sunni Syrian Arab Army.

The idea there are large numbers of Hezbollah fighters is a Western creation.

June 18th, 2013, 8:53 am

 

revenire said:

“86. SYRIAN HAMSTER said:
Iran pumps US dollars into the coffers of the regime to allow it to sustain its hyena packs.”

Odd that calling Syrian soldiers “hyenas” is fine but calling cannibals and beheaders “rats” isn’t.

June 18th, 2013, 8:58 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Revenir
As usual what you say is the opposit of the truth, we can not have discussion when you deny truth, and what you are doing is what we say 3am tzet wa telhosh

June 18th, 2013, 9:02 am

 

revenire said:

“74. JUERGEN said:
Reve
I quoted a journalist who was in Syria for the last 2 years quite frequently and I asked him for his personal view how many foreign fighters has he seen and to what percentage does he think they add up within the FSA. But surely you have been more often in Syria, you have more insights from your muhabarat guys right?”

Juergen you quoted a “journalist” who is anti-Syria. That’s number one.

Let us ask how he was able to canvas ALL Syria and determine this. One man? Can he detect accents from Tunisia? Libya? Saudi Arabia? Etc?

Again, you want EVERYONE to believe there are .00000001% foreign fighters. That is your goal in making a post asserting that (backed by the press as if they haven’t lied the entire time).

Sorry Juergen in any honest debate you would lose.

The true percentage is unknown but to suggest it is 5% is ridiculous.

If you have some facts I will be happy to look at them but you’ve proven yourself a propagandist uninterested in facts. You are highly biased against Syria – from Germany.

As far as the press goes I am certain you can find German press reports of a much higher percentage than 5%. You don’t post those do you? Why not? Because you want everyone to believe the fiction that this is a homegrown “revolution” when it isn’t.

Next.

June 18th, 2013, 9:06 am

 

revenire said:

Majed each day you speak as if God has whispered in your ear. You make wild proclamations of the outcome of a war. Is this because you feel inadequate in other areas of your life?

Brother the government will remain until 2014 elections. Then the Syrian people will speak.

I highly doubt very many will vote for the cannibals, beheaders, rapists and thieves that make up the so-called opposition.

My prediction is Assad will win well over 70% of the vote.

June 18th, 2013, 9:10 am

 

Tara said:

Mjabali,

The Alawis( not all, the overwhelming majority of them that supports the regime) need a slap on their face to wake them up to return to their senses. What are they waiting for to wake up? Is it worth one man to sacrifice their kids for his toe? Isn’t time for them to realize that minorities can not enslave and oppress majority for ever. Can’t they read history? Can’t they understand natural evolution?

And why do you not like the language? What is wrong for apologizing for the crimes committed in their name? What is wrong with asking for forgiveness and reconciliation? Arrogance? Superior inferiority?

Last but not least, Dear Mjabali, being a Hajja is in my future plan, however you are using it to imply disrespect. Do not bother to address me in the future if you are going to use disrespectful terms. I won’t respond.

June 18th, 2013, 9:14 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

Reverse Psychology

Reverse scolds Majedkhaldoun against his “wild proclamations”:

Majed each day you speak as if God has whispered in your ear. You make wild proclamations of the outcome of a war.

Then Reverse offers HIS OWN “wild proclamations”:

…the government will remain until 2014 elections.

My prediction is Assad will win well over 70% of the vote.

Reverse,

Now that Assad has “won”, why doesn’t he hold multiparty elections now? Or will Assad assume the role the Iranian “Supreme Leader” or the Hezbollah Grand Poobah and hand pick those “appropriate” to run for election?

June 18th, 2013, 9:17 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Revenir
3am tzet wa telhosh

June 18th, 2013, 9:18 am

 

revenire said:

Putin forced a defeat on the West at the G8. There will be no mention of Assad having to step down before negotiations.

I imagine Obama and Cameron are furious.

Putin is perhaps the smartest world leader today. He is head and shoulders above.

June 18th, 2013, 9:28 am

 

Sami said:

Ann,

“Is it because of your filthy masters named Jabhat Alnusra and their bosses in Israel doing their best to destroy and turn Syria back to the middle ages?”

I do not support JA, I despise them as much as I despise the filth you support.

June 18th, 2013, 9:29 am

 

revenire said:

“The Alawis( not all, the overwhelming majority of them that supports the regime) need a slap on their face to wake them up to return to their senses.”

You mean the massacre in Hatla wasn’t enough to wake them up?

And who says the majority Sunni don’t back Assad? NATO said 70% of all Syrians back Assad.

Tara you don’t back Assad but you don’t live in Syria therefore can’t be deemed “Syrian” in the same way as someone there – someone Sunni – who supports the president.

Why do people like you, Brother Majed, Hamster, Observer and a few others make these sweeping proclamations about the future?

June 18th, 2013, 9:35 am

 

don said:

Israel’s president Peres joins the Mursi, Erdogan and Saudi regimes in supporting US plans to arm Syria rebels to destroy Syria and kill more Syrians; confident Peres rejects fears rebel weapons could be turned on Israel.
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Peres-throws-his-weight-behind-US-plan-to-arm-Syria-rebels-316898

June 18th, 2013, 9:35 am

 

revenire said:

Sami maybe you can tell us who you do support? The term “FSA” is a sort of umbrella for all the terrorist gangs murdering Syrians. Idris is on film supporting Nusra – Google it.

Who do you back? What opposition? What men?

June 18th, 2013, 9:39 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Way to go @93,
It is noteworthy that regime propagandist gave athad army the title of hyena packs because such a link of soldiers to hyena packs appears no where in my comment #86.

Clearly, these d-p athad fanatics have no clue that armies are not private militia and that they could be considered as part of the pretense to a state. The …. didn’t even want to hint at the army it gets teary about a benefit of doubt. Incredible how revealing is fake indignation! really incredible.

Advise the fanatic to watch for itself from its friends, who my now bite it.

June 18th, 2013, 9:42 am

 

revenire said:

Charlie Rose is nothing but an apologist for the American oligarchy. He fawned over Obama. No hard questions. Obama might as well been interviewed by his wife or one of his children.

The Syrian press is a lot freer than the American one.

June 18th, 2013, 9:42 am

 
 

Observer said:

I agree with Mjabali. Let us sit and talk and talk on how to dismantle the regime brick by brick without destroying the institutions.

In the meantime, Chomsky has plagiarised me by saying that Sykes Picot is failing. It is dead and buried and the crumbling of these states and borders is quickening at a great pace.

20 or 30 or 50 year war now; that is the question.

There is no foreign currency or gold to prop the Lira it will go to 10000 to the dollar.

Remember Lebanon from 3 to the dollar to 1500 to the dollar and that was after the Gulf people pumped money into the country

June 18th, 2013, 10:01 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

The Syrian press is a lot freer than the American one.

And the moderator expects us to treat such foolish utterance with the same deference an argument, even a flawed one, deserves!

June 18th, 2013, 10:24 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Sooner or later Assad will be forced to negotiate, and he has to stop the violence first.
Assad army NOW is mostly Alawi,Shia, christian Druze, Sunni are less than 30%,and they are not trusted by Assad, and trying or waiting for a chance to defect.

Lira is worthless,just like Assad regime, 10,000 lira is no more than 50 dollar,this is not enough for a month, this will make Syrian more poor, poor will revolt.

Yesterday 50 Assad shabbiha were killed,so it is not only rebels are dying,HA soldiers and Shabbiha are killed,HA will run out of soldiers in few months,HA has no exit strategy,

June 18th, 2013, 10:32 am

 

Ziad said:

Convention of Wahhabi Clerics Makes Jihad in Syria a Duty & Ends Up in Door-to-Door Shia-Hunting

A recent convention in Egypt that was attended by many Wahhabi clerics from around the world made it a “legal duty”, from a Wahhabi (Salafi) standpoint, for all followers of their intolerant and bigoted faith to kill infidels, especially Shiites and Alawites in Syria. Recent atrocities where entire families were slaughtered due to their sectarian affiliation have become common practice for Wahhabis, who refer to themselves as Sunnis, while most moderate Sunnis dissociate themselves from them. The world’s oldest and most prestigious Islamic school, al-Azhar, has called these calls for Jihad in Syria as completely unlawful.

In this video, a footage from Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria shows how a group of Wahhabi rebels influenced by the sectarian preaching of these Wahhabi clerics are going door-to-door searching for Shiite (Shia) families to kill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E7KYAFwEek&feature=youtu.be

June 18th, 2013, 10:45 am

 

revenire said:

Brother Majed Assad has offered to negotiate. He just won’t be negotiating he government’s capitulation.

Hezbollah will run out of soldiers in a few months? It is a little early for cocktails brother.

June 18th, 2013, 10:50 am

 

revenire said:

Hamster the American press lied about Iraqi WMD and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were murdered because of it.

Syrian media, like SANA, doesn’t tell lies like that.

Is that too difficult for you to understand much less admit?

What I said it correct. The US media is totally controlled and owned by corporations beholden to Wall St. For example Dow Jones owns the Wall St. Journal.

Years later the media prostitutes of the West admit they lied about Iraqi WMD but blame someone else. They are making the same mistake about Syrian WMD i.e. chemical weapons.

What is so hard to understand?

The Americans spy on their own people and blame “terrorism” but the real terrorists are the Americans who send drones to murder Muslims and the their proxies in Syria – the Nusra cannibals.

This isn’t a difficult concept.

June 18th, 2013, 10:54 am

 

Ziad said:

US Inflames Sectarian Tensions to Escalate War in Syria

The rapid move towards a full-scale war in Syria is shattering the pretenses that the war is a humanitarian exercise to install a democratic government. Instead, Washington is moving to stoke up a sectarian civil war throughout the Middle East.

It aims to rally right-wing Sunni Islamist regimes throughout the region for a war aimed firstly at the Alawite-led Syrian regime, but aimed ultimately at the destruction of all of Assad’s allies in the region—including the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and the Shiite regime in Iran.

The US-backed Islamist regime in Egypt announced that it would break off all diplomatic relations with Syria on Saturday. Addressing a “Support for Syria” meeting called by Sunni Islamist clerics in Cairo, Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi also stated that he would back a no-fly zone against Syria. Denouncing Hezbollah, he said Egypt would “materially and morally” support the Syrian opposition, adding that “the Egyptian nation, its leadership and its army will not abandon the Syrian people until it achieves its rights and dignity.”

http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-inflames-sectarian-tensions-to-escalate-war-in-syria/5339446

June 18th, 2013, 10:55 am

 

Ziad said:

House passes bill making it U.S. policy to help Israel ‘remove threats’

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a defense authorization bill that would make it U.S. policy to take “all necessary steps” to ensure Israel is able to “remove existential threats,” among them nuclear facilities in Iran.

“It is the policy of the United States to take all necessary steps to ensure that Israel possesses and maintains an independent capability to remove existential threats to its security and defend its vital national interests,” said the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act passed Friday.

The amendment, initiated by Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) and first reported by Americans for Peace Now weekly legislative roundup, would require the president to report every 90 days on how the policy is being implemented.

That report would identify “all aerial refueling platforms, bunker-buster munitions, and other capabilities and maintenance by Israel of a robust independent capability to remove existential security threats, including nuclear and ballistic missile facilities in Iran, and defend its vital national interests.”

http://www.jta.org/2013/06/14/news-opinion/politics/house-passes-bill-making-policy-to-help-israel-remove-threats

June 18th, 2013, 11:00 am

 

Ziad said:

Saudi Arabia, France sending Syria rebels anti-aircraft guns: source

Saudi Arabia, with some French funds, began supplying anti-aircraft missiles to Syrian rebels “on a small scale” about two months ago, a Gulf source familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The shoulder-fired weapons were obtained mostly from suppliers in France and Belgium, the source told Reuters. France had paid for the transport of the weapons to the region.

The supplies were going to General Salim Idriss, leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), who was still the kingdom’s main “point man” in the opposition, the source said.

Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Idriss urged Western allies to supply anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles and to create a no-fly zone, saying if properly armed he could defeat the Syrian army within six months.

The Gulf source said without elaborating that Saudi Arabia had begun taking a more active role in the Syrian conflict

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/saudi-arabia-france-sending-syria-rebels-anti-aircraft-guns-source

June 18th, 2013, 11:04 am

 

Ziad said:

Obama’s approaching humiliation over Syria

Putin said at Enniskillen today that Russia “will not allow” no-fly zones in Syria. that’s a real red line folks.

Humiliation over Syria will be one more phase in BHO’s progress toward irrelevance.

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2013/06/httpwwwusatodaycomstorynewsworld20130617obama-northern-ireland-peace-will-be-tested2430073.html

June 18th, 2013, 11:11 am

 

Ziad said:

Israeli Massacres of Recent History

Israel systematically drives the Palestinians into “Armed Struggle” by massacring, detaining and torturing them, as well as occupying, destroying and confiscating their Homes and Lands. Thus making them Homeless and calling them “Refugees” in their Own Land and outside their Own Land.

The Occupation of other People’s Land leads in no doubt to Armed Resistance.

http://12160.info/profiles/blogs/israeli-massacres-of-recent-history

June 18th, 2013, 11:19 am

 

Ziad said:

The lies about Syria that Obama and Cameron tell on the road to catastrophic regional war

What Obama has done will only fan the flames of a proxy war in Syria that may yet end up turning what is already a terrible tragedy into a catastrophic regional war.

http://www.stopwar.org.uk/index.php/syria/2547-lies-obama-and-cameron-tell-about-syria-on-the-road-to-catastrophic-regional-war

June 18th, 2013, 11:21 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

the American press lied about Iraqi WMD and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were murdered because of it

Reverse,

The American press didn’t “lie”. They had the same information the US, the West, Syria and the UNSC had when they voted unanimously for UNSC 1441.

The US conducting regime change wasn’t only due to perceived violations of WMD; it was only the legal pretext. Syria could follpw a similar fate. Mon Dieu, if 150 people in Syria are dead because of WMD, what about the other 93,000 (John McCain’s line)?

Regime change in Iraq was due to the mass graves, Scuds (Israel and Saudi Arabia), gassing, destruction and wars that Iraq conducted over 2 decades in power. Saddam and the insurgency were responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths in Iraq than coalition forces. And frankly, the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government dropped the ball when it came time to defending their country. Now, the usual suspect is victorious: Iran.

Syria, due to the stellar leadership of d-p, is now in the same category of failed states.

BTW –

Here’s some info on your “free press” from a defector …

http://honestreporting.com/assads-propaganda-machine-takes-a-big-hit/

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/syrian-radio-and-tv-host-ola-abbas-defects-to-join-rebellion-a-851387.html

June 18th, 2013, 11:26 am

 

zoo said:

The media has been hammering that in G8 meeting, Obama was ‘expected’ to convince Russia to pressure Bashar al Assad to resign and to stop sending weapons to the SAA.

Well it seems quite the opposite happened. Finally after the carrot of the weapons promises, the stick will be used to force the opposition to go to the conference head down as Bashar AL Assad stays on and no outcome is to be declared in advance about the composition of the transitional government

G8 leaders agree deal on Syria

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/latest/g8-leaders-agree-deal-on-syria-1-5199454

Leaders of the world’s most powerful nations appeared to have papered over their differences on Syria to agree a joint position after fraught talks at the G8 summit.

It is set to fall short of calling for the removal of Bashar Assad because of Russian objections.

There had been suggestions that the other seven G8 countries could go ahead with a statement with or without Russian agreement.

But Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that a joint deal had been agreed.

He signalled that it would not specify that Assad should step down from power and that no outcome should be declared in advance for how any transitional government wold be made up.

June 18th, 2013, 11:31 am

 

zoo said:

#113 Reve

Hamsters are known to have unicellular brains. Don’t waste your time.

June 18th, 2013, 11:38 am

 

omen said:

this reminded me of mjabali:

Protest against Sharia Committee in Saraqeb, Idlib :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8edfgXT61A&feature=youtu.be

via

June 18th, 2013, 11:39 am

 

revenire said:

The American press lied their heads off about Iraqi WMD. It was exposed elsewhere at the time that the US-fed Iraqi WMD stories were lies. The US press has no plausible excuse for their lies. It was brainwashing pure and simple (like today with Syria). They have a lot of blood on their hands.

The US press is perhaps the worst in the world. I have to laugh at those who criticize the Syrian media.

People like Anderson Cooper and Richard Engel know they are lying about Syria. They are accomplices in genocide against Syria.

June 18th, 2013, 11:40 am

 

revenire said:

Not all G8 members agree Assad used chemical weapons, we don’t feel isolated – Putin

There is no proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the G8 summit. Some of the G8 countries share this view, he added.

“We do not have any facts of the use of such weapons by the Syrian government. I assure you, that by no means all the G8 members believe that they were used,” Putin said.

The Russian President stressed he “never felt isolated” at the summit despite the difference in views, and said the G8 leaders have been seeking a common solution to the Syrian conflict.

Supplying arms to the rebels based on unconfirmed reports that chemical weapons were used by the Assad government would further destabilize Syria, Putin warned.

Putin urged Western nations not to be hasty in arming the Syrian opposition, saying that such weapons could fall into the wrong hands, or be uncontrollable: “I call on all our partners to think twice before making such steps. It is a very dangerous stuff.”

June 18th, 2013, 11:47 am

 

omen said:

arming the rebels is dangerous to russia’s gas & oil profits.

June 18th, 2013, 11:50 am

 

zoo said:

A great victory for “loner” Russia.
Putin has convinced the G8 to stop the fallacy of “removing” Bashar al Assad and to stop fueling the civil war by arming extremists and terrorists.

G8 leaders agree on 7-point plan on Syria as summit wraps
Final session of G8 set to begin shortly as leaders search for consensus on Syrian conflict

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/06/18/g8-harper-cameron-putin-obama.html

1 Increase commitment to humanitarian aid.
2 “Maximize the diplomatic pressure” to bring all sides to the table as soon as possible.
3 Back a “transitional governing body” for Syria.
4 “Learn the lessons of Iraq” and maintain Syria’s public institutions.
5 Work together to “rid Syria of terrorists and extremists” — a new committment by the G8, Cameron said.
6 Condemn the use of chemical weapons “by anyone” in Syria, also new Cameron said.
7 Support a new non-sectarian government in Syria.

June 18th, 2013, 11:52 am

 

revenire said:

The Syrian dead? Blame the USA – they’re the ones sending weapons to cannibals.

Putin’s ‘Assad Foes are Cannibals’ Claim Overshadows G8 Talks
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/479439/20130617/vladimir-putin-bashir-al-assad-syria-david.htm

On Sunday Putin slammed the summit and all ‘enemies’ of the Assad’s regime for being cannibals, during a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

“I think you will not deny that one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines, in front of the public and cameras,” Putin said.

June 18th, 2013, 12:04 pm

 

omen said:

4: “Learn the lessons of Iraq” and maintain Syria’s public institutions.

such as this:

Regime continuity. G8: [Syrian] military and security services “must be preserved and restored” in a future set-up.

who in their right minds wants syria to retain the regime’s torturers & death squads?

・ the u.s. removing the the sunni baath party in iraq benefited iran.

・ the u.s. insisting parts the old regime to remain in syria will benefit iran.

this is what i mean by the strange pattern of u.s. continually acting to cede to iranian influence in the region.

why does the u.s. keep empowering iran?

June 18th, 2013, 12:04 pm

 

zoo said:

Huge disappointed in the media that repeats it at nausea and try to put all the blame on Russia:

“There will be no more calls for Bashar al Assad to step down now or in the future.”

It is now clear for the G8. Has the opposition finally got the message? If they want the West to help them out of their mess, they will have to swallow their pride and obey.
If they don’t, they may still get military support from their Salafists, Moslem Brotherhood and others donors but they will get no more political from their western ‘allies’.
Tough choice they’ll have to make.
After this shocking announcement I expect the “National” coalition to collapse soon…

June 18th, 2013, 12:05 pm

 

revenire said:

Cannibal lecture
Putin warns PM: Do not arm flesh-eating Syria rebels

VLADIMIR Putin last night warned Britain that it will be backing CANNIBALS if David Cameron decides to arm Syrian rebels.

The furious Russian president gave a humiliating dressing-down to the PM following talks in No10.

Mr Putin rejected calls for him to stop providing arms to the
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad — insisting Russia was not “breaching any rules” by doing so.

He pointed to online footage showing a rebel fighter biting into the HEART of a soldier loyal to Assad.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4971669/Putin-Syria-cannibals-warning.html#ixzz2WaIgWSJV

June 18th, 2013, 12:06 pm

 

revenire said:

Putin has humiliated and shamed the weak Western leaders. Obama looked like he was going to throw up after Putin dressed him down.

Assad is flush with victories. Putin must be very pleased.

I hope Obama doesn’t take his defeat our on the American people by cutting more social programs.

Obama is a bit “schizo” in that he wants to take guns away from Americans but give them to cannibals.

June 18th, 2013, 12:10 pm

 

zoo said:

Funny.. Desperately trying to find anything that may appear as a victory from the G7 over Russia, the media claims something that has always been agreed by Russia as part of the original Geneva accord…

Putin Agrees to Sign Call for Syrian ‘Transitional Government’

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-18/putin-agrees-to-sign-call-for-syrian-transitional-government-.html
By Robert Hutton, Rebecca Christie & Ilya Arkhipov

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to sign a statement at the Group of Eight summit calling for establishment of a “transitional government” in Syria as quickly as possible, putting more pressure on his ally, President Bashar al-Assad.

June 18th, 2013, 12:15 pm

 

revenire said:

“It seems as though France and Britain have not forgotten their colonial history and persist in attempting to manipulate the region albeit through proxies. Indeed, Britain and France can direct Saudi Arabia and Qatar on what they should do, but we must also not forget that the policies and economies of France and Britain are also dependent on petrodollars. What happened in Syria was an opportunity for all these countries to get rid of Syria — this insubordinate state, and replace the president with a ‘yes man.’ This will never happen neither now nor in the future.” – President Assad to Frankfurter Allgemine Zeitung

June 18th, 2013, 12:19 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

SANAtizing the NewZ

Well, if you believe the American press (AP), you’ll notice that the “NSA director says plot against Wall Street foiled”:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government’s sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange, in a forceful defense of spy operations that was echoed by the leaders of the House Intelligence Committee.

http://news.yahoo.com/nsa-director-says-plot-against-wall-street-foiled-152228178.html

Reverse,

How’s the Syrian stock market doing now that Syria won the war?

If you live in the US, I bet your 401k plan is doing pretty well, despite the fact we have a dummy leading the country. The DOW is up +107 point today, and near an all-time high…

Obama in full retreat mode…

http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-ready-talk-peace-says-senior-afghan-official-142519174.html

June 18th, 2013, 12:26 pm

 

zoo said:

#129 Omen

The USA is certainly more suspicious of Sunnis than it is of Shias.

The last time Shias have harmed US is almost 30 years ago. Since then, they have restricted their fights to Israel.

As for Sunnis, until very recently Sunnis are responsible for terrorist attacks that killed US soldiers and citizens in the USA, Libya and Afghanistan.

In addition the USA can never forget that all 9/11 terrorists, Iraqi fighters and Afghanistan Talibans as well as Al Qaeda chiefs responsible of so many US citizens are 100% Sunnis.

The Sunnis have a lot of PR to do to restore trust. Unfortunately they are doing little about it and the perception is getting worse.

June 18th, 2013, 12:31 pm

 

apple_mini said:

Wow, I cannot believe I am saying this. This is the first time I watched Glenn Beck’s “sermon”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqJfFrkzf8I

But the truth is there is something about Glenn Beck that I have overlooked: When he uses his common senses and rationale, he becomes convincing finally.

In the video, he was not attacking the Democrats or Obama. He was pleading. He crossed the partisan line and he was deeply concerned. Not as a provocateur but as a human being.

The reality is that Abu Sakkar would have been labeled as a moderate fighter under the banner of FSA.

June 18th, 2013, 12:33 pm

 

omen said:

zoo, shia, shmia, you’re ok with keeping torturers and death squads?!

June 18th, 2013, 12:46 pm

 

omen said:

Not all G8 members agree Assad used chemical weapons, we don’t feel isolated – Putin

There is no proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the G8 summit. Some of the G8 countries share this view, he added.

“We do not have any facts of the use of such weapons by the Syrian government. I assure you, that by no means all the G8 members believe that they were used,” Putin said.

so, russia will agree to the un going into syria to investigate first hand if chemical weapons were used?

no, i didn’t think so.

June 18th, 2013, 12:49 pm

 

don said:

Obama is negotiating his surrender terms with the Talibans hehehehehe
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/06/2013618144619186585.html?utm_content=automate&utm_campaign=Trial6&utm_source=NewSocialFlow&utm_term=plustweets&utm_medium=MasterAccount

Not to be outdone, Cameron wants to negotiate his surrender terms also hahahahahaha
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/17658336/cameron-says-u-s-is-right-to-talk-to-taliban/

What a bunch of weakling cowards hehehehe

June 18th, 2013, 12:51 pm

 
 

zoo said:

Syrian Rebels Behead Christian, Feed Him to Dogs

by Bryan Preston
June 18, 2013 – 9:40 am
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/06/18/syrian-rebels-behead-christian-feed-him-to-dogs/

So this was done by the people our illustrious President Barack H. Obama wants to send arms to.

Syrian rebels beheaded a Christian man and fed his body to dogs, according to a nun who says the West is ignoring atrocities committed by Islamic extremists.

The nun said taxi driver Andrei Arbashe, 38, was kidnapped after his brother was heard complaining that fighters against the ruling regime behaved like bandits.

She said his headless corpse was found by the side of the road, surrounded by hungry dogs. He had recently married and was soon to be a father.

Sister Agnes-Mariam de la Croix said: ‘His only crime was his brother criticised the rebels, accused them of acting like bandits, which is what they are.’

There have been a growing number of accounts of atrocities carried out by rogue elements of the Syrian Free Army, which opposes dictator Bashar al-Assad and is recognised by Britain and the West as the legitimate leadership.

“Rogue elements”? I’d say that they’re proving to be who they’ve always been.

Do you want to know just how far off Obama’s policies are from where we were just a few years ago?

June 18th, 2013, 12:56 pm

 

revenire said:

What’s wrong with anyone supporting these terrorists? Assad is an angel compared to any of these people.

June 18th, 2013, 12:59 pm

 

Mjabali said:

Tara:

I told the Alawis that you gonna slap them and everything you said . They are going to do anything you want. And they wish you the safest return from you Hajj.

June 18th, 2013, 1:00 pm

 

Tara said:

More of the same.

The G8 communique accomplished nothing. What a stupid bunch of people. Mutual consent what? The Syrian people wants Assad toppled and Assad wants to stay. How is mutual consent is going to be achieved?

The war continues. .. Provide the rebels with weapons a f they will finish the job.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22957614

The seven-point document says that any future transitional government should be “formed by mutual consent”.

It stresses that the leaders are united in wanting a negotiated and peaceful end to the conflict that will produce a government “under a top leadership that inspires public confidence.”

However, both Russia and the West could interpret such phrasing as their diplomatic success at the summit, correspondents say.

June 18th, 2013, 1:00 pm

 

zoo said:

#138 Omen

Strange question…

June 18th, 2013, 1:00 pm

 

revenire said:

Of course Obama will send people forward saying his domestic spying program saved lives. That is what Hitler would do.

The US is far less free than Syria.

June 18th, 2013, 1:02 pm

 

zoo said:

Tara

Of course you would dismiss the G8 meeting outcome. It contradicts totally your desires
No one can claim anymore that Bashar al Assad should go, that’s the U-turn you dreaded.
The opposition is cornered, the weapons will come in drops.
I expect expression of outrage from Idriss, Sabra and .. Hitto

Yes, this meeting is not much the same, it is a turning point and we’ll soon see its consequences.
There will be more car bombs in Damascus as desperate signs of protests while the ex-coalition in worse disarray from the G8 ‘betrayal’ will probably collapse

June 18th, 2013, 1:09 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Reverse Psychology, Part Thalaatha

That is what Hitler would do.

Reverse,

Check your history. Hitler did not allow opposing policitcal parties involved in government decision-making.

Sort of like your d-p friend, Bathar Athad.

http://intelligence.house.gov/

(“th”s work well)

June 18th, 2013, 1:11 pm

 

zoo said:

HA, HA, HA, who’s talking?
Saudi monarch warns against foreign interference in regional crises
Saudi King warns that “adventures being committed by some countries” leading to “more tension and instability.”

Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, warned against “adventures being committed by some countries, [and] interference in the internal affairs of others,” stressing that this only leads to “more tension and instability” in the region.

June 18th, 2013, 1:13 pm

 
 

zoo said:

Cameron hails G8 meeting a success on multiple fronts

http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/18/cameron-hails-g8-meeting-a-success-on-multiple-fronts/

“Advice” from the G8 to Syrian loyalists: Don’t support Bashar al Assad in the next election!

“While the declaration contains no call for Bashar al-Assad to step down, it did contain an overt appeal to his loyalists to think of their country’s interests first before continuing to support him.”

June 18th, 2013, 1:19 pm

 

revenire said:

Obama, Cameron and Hollande forced to eat crow.

How does it taste?

June 18th, 2013, 1:21 pm

 

revenire said:

Putin has the weak Western leaders dancing like marionettes:

“Charles Shoebridge ‏@ShoebridgeC 34m
G8 agrees #Syria army to remain, #alNusra expelled. Which are actually war aims of Assad, not rebels US UK support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22957614

June 18th, 2013, 1:27 pm

 

Citizen said:

This is how the friendship between Russia and Syria! This example teaches on how to be a relationship between the allies! Glory for Russian-Syrian friendship forever!

June 18th, 2013, 1:29 pm

 

revenire said:

Putin knows judo.

Russia’s Putin torpedoes G8 efforts to push out Assad
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/18/us-g-idUSBRE95F0JK20130618

(Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin derailed Western efforts to remove Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad from power at the G8 summit on Tuesday and, hours after meeting U.S. President Barack Obama, said the Kremlin might sell more arms to Syria.

In a final communique after two days of intense talks, global leaders called for peace talks to be held as soon as possible to resolve the Syrian civil war. But it did not even mention Assad’s name.

Putin, seemingly isolated at the summit, had clashed with other leaders continuously over Syria and resisted attempts to get him to agree to anything that would imply Assad should step down.

Speaking at the end of the summit held in a secluded golf resort in Northern Ireland, Putin struck a defiant tone. He told the West that sending weapons to rebels could backfire one day while he defended his own military contacts with the Syrian government.

“There are different types of supplies. We supply weapons based on legal contracts to a legal government…And if we sign these contracts (in the future), we will supply (more arms).”

June 18th, 2013, 1:31 pm

 
 

Tara said:

Zoo,

Regimist celebration of the G8 summit is the stupidest thing I read for a while! No one including you and me expected the Putin will change his mind and call for Batta to step down! What are you celebrating exactly? That Putin was not pressured. It would be shocking if he was. There is no difference between before and after G8 except that G8 summit was preceded by Obama committing to arm the rebels.

Find something else to celebrate over..

June 18th, 2013, 1:53 pm

 

revenire said:

We’re celebrating the death of the fake revolution. Putin drove another nail in its coffin. Is that okay?

June 18th, 2013, 1:58 pm

 

revenire said:

We’re celebrating the HUMILIATION of the backers of the fake revolution. Putin gave it to them. Cameron looked like he was going to faint when Putin started talking about cannibals.

June 18th, 2013, 2:00 pm

 

revenire said:

We’re celebrating Putin telling the West he will send Syria MORE weapons.

That is exactly what was said and it is all over the media too.

The West backed down.

June 18th, 2013, 2:02 pm

 

revenire said:

“We are supplying arms under legal contracts to the legitimate government. It is the government of the President Assad. And if we are going to make such contracts, then we will deliver.” – President Putin

The LEGITIMATE government. Say it with me.

June 18th, 2013, 2:04 pm

 

Tara said:

Reve,

Ho ahead, Celebrate and knock yourself out.

Nothing new. Supporters have also celebrated any time Batta performed a physiological function as an achievement. It is a pattern and we got used to it. The bottom line is that Syrians want the execution of the president and now they will receive weapons to achieve their goal. They will sit and negotiate when Batta leaves but as long as he is in office, the war continues.

June 18th, 2013, 2:18 pm

 

revenire said:

Ha ha ha.

June 18th, 2013, 2:37 pm

 

omen said:

is morsi playing a double game? he’s been much too buddy/buddy with russia & iran to suddenly turn over a new leaf. morsi isn’t an idiot. i can’t believe he didn’t know this would be the consequence:

When Help Isn’t Help At All
17Jun13

LOUD & PROUD

President Mohammad Morsi declared, dramatically in a Cairo stadium full of supporters his intention to cut all ties with the Syrian regime and in a bold and surprising move completely shut the Syrian Embassy in Cairo and recalled Egypt’s mission to Damascus.

While the crowd cheered enthusiastically, chanting in solidarity with the Syrian revolution, the Syrian community in Egypt collectively cringed.

For the nearly 350,000 Syrians who have fled to Egypt escaping violence and war back home they have struggled to regain some semblance of a normal life. To date around 70,000 Syrians have registered with UNHCR as refugees, roughly 20% of the total community. The vast majority of Syrians in Egypt still require citizen services in order to maintain their day-to-day life, meaning dealing with their Embassy for routine paperwork.

Almost every aspect of life, from claiming births abroad to certifying deaths, requires administrative interaction through the Syrian Embassy. In a phone call to the Syrian embassy, an Egyptian switchboard operator seemingly himself still reeling from the news says sorrowfully that no new requests for citizen services will be received and all pending work is being returned to individuals by the end of this week.

June 18th, 2013, 2:38 pm

 

Sam said:

I woulda gave anything to been a fly on the wall, during private talks with g8 leaders, and President Putin!!! I’m sure whatever he said, was probably equivalent to getting beat with a sock filled with quarters!!!! It’s a shame he has to do that, because if the ignorant other 7 leaders, wants to commit immoral aggression against the Syrian people!!

June 18th, 2013, 2:38 pm

 

zoo said:

Another Breakthrough

France’s Hollande open to Iranian presence at Syria talks
Reuters – 1 hour 24 minutes ago

ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday opened the door to Iran attending a Syria peace conference, but reiterated that there was no future for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Global leaders called for the so-called Geneva 2 talks to be held as soon as possible to end the Syrian civil war but they avoided mentioning the fate of Assad in a final G8 summit communique in Northern Ireland.

June 18th, 2013, 2:44 pm

 
 

zoo said:

#165 Omen

Morsy is in a state of panic. Saudi Arabia is not helping Egypt financially because they hate the Moslem Brotherhood.
Qatar has its own internal regime change, it is openly detested by Egyptians and much less inclined to rescue Morsy.
By making stupid statements about Jihad and Syria, he naively thinks he can win KSA’s favors again.
The Egyptian economy is falling and on 30th of June, the opposition are planning huge protest to ask for his resignation.
He is acting just like someone drowning…

June 18th, 2013, 2:51 pm

 

Ilya said:

Iran qualified for the World cup 2014 woohoo 🙂

June 18th, 2013, 2:57 pm

 

omen said:

what happened to the search feature? we used to be able to search the comment section.

moderator, can we please have it back?

June 18th, 2013, 2:58 pm

 

zoo said:

#158 Tara

I understand your furor, but all this was bound to happen.

It is sad it took 90,000 lives for the opposition to realize they were not united, not popular and not credible enough to succeed in making a ‘regime change’ without having to call vicious foreigners for help. That fatal move has destroyed them and the country.
It is time they stop plotting with foreigners and care about Syria instead of their egos.

June 18th, 2013, 2:59 pm

 

revenire said:

This is a new day for all.

The West’s entire project has been changed by Assad – Nasrallah – Khameini – and Putin.

With the democratic election in Iran the evil plans to bomb Iran have been defeated. What a victory for the world! Iran will be able to develop nuclear power.

American power is on the wane and they’ve turned to backing cannibal terrorists to try to stay on top a few moment’s longer. I am shocked how immoral the West is to back have backed cannibals.

June 18th, 2013, 3:07 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Whether he admitted or not,Putin was alone, and won nothing, Obama failed also to get concession,Geneva 2 is a remote possibilty now.
However Obama said there will not be NFZ, any weapons that the west may give the rebels will be small in number.
Putin told Obama that Assad is better for Israel

June 18th, 2013, 3:17 pm

 

omen said:

akbar palace, people are saying the g8 condemned al qaeda yet failed to mention hezbollah. what do you make of that?

yet another sign of the u.s. appeasing iran!

June 18th, 2013, 3:19 pm

 

omen said:

167. zoo said: Global leaders called for the so-called Geneva 2 talks to be held as soon as possible to end the Syrian civil war but they avoided mentioning the fate of Assad in a final G8 summit communique in Northern Ireland.

but kofi annan (or was it brahimi?) argued the wording in geneva 1 necessitated bashar stepping aside.

June 18th, 2013, 3:26 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Putin told Obama that Assad is better for Israel

Putin can kiss my tukhis!

Omen,

I read a couple of websites and I did not see anything in the “joint statement” that condemned speicific terrorist organizations like al-queda and hizboolah. If I’m wrong, please post a link. It was all hot-air to make you and I feel like our leaders and our adversary (singular, aka Russia) are going to do something good.

Sure.

But Reverse and d-p won the War, so I imagine things will be improving soon, or very soon, maybe even tomorrow…

June 18th, 2013, 3:36 pm

 

revenire said:

New terrorist atrocities committed by Obama’s “freedom fighters”

Alaa Ebrahim shared a video.
this shocking video needs more verification.
Islamic militants slaughter a man&2women in Hayan town #Aleppo countryside for blasphemy
كتائب البعث
جرائم يندى لها الجبين :

حيان في ريف حلب (جهاديون) يقومون بذبح شاب ورمي إمرأتين بالرصاص بتهمهم المزعومة كالعادة شبيح , كفر , زندقة
فأي دستور الهي يتقبل ماتقترفه ايدي هذه العصابات والميليشيات

القسم الإعلامي لكتائب البعث

sohayb

https://www.facebook.com/alaa.ebrahim.sy/posts/651475758215723

June 18th, 2013, 3:37 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

113. Yawn…

June 18th, 2013, 3:39 pm

 

revenire said:

Iran has rejected media claims on the Islamic Republic’s intentions to send 4,000 troops to help the Syrian army in its fight against western-backed terrorists.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Araqchi told a news conference on Tuesday that the Syrian government and army do not need outsiders’ help and they can fight the insurgency on their own.

“We categorically deny this information,” Araqchi said, adding Tehran has never and would never send its troops to Damascus.
Syria’s government forces have all the necessary means to fight against terrorists acting in Syria, and Iran has no need to provide military aid to Syrian authorities, he said.

Iran has repeatedly rejected foreign interferences, especially in military aspects, in Syria crisis, insisting that the problem should be settled by a consensus between the Syrian people and government.
– See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1485757#sthash.9gghZS8X.dpuf

June 18th, 2013, 3:45 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Revenir
All your informations are wrong,and so your comments are worthless and total nonsense
The airport in Damascus is full of HA,Iraqi and persian soldiers

Your credibilty will get better if you tell the truth, something you always avoid

June 18th, 2013, 4:00 pm

 

revenire said:

Brother calm your nerves – I know it is a rough day for you.

June 18th, 2013, 4:09 pm

 

KJH said:

Literally read these posts everyday and I think its safe to say we would all like to return to stability and SOCIAL freedoms that we had in Syria. I was born and raised in Syria for half my life and now live in the USA but used to return every summer. This is not possible anymore thanks to all the extremists that have ruined our beautiful country. All these other Arab countries will soon have their day as they continue to meddle and destabilize the region just for their own benefit. Just a question to the REAL SYRIANS on this forum and I don’t mean the ones that have only visited once or twice in their life. Would you rather live in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or even Egypt and enjoy their form of government and “freedom” ? I don’t think you would, women were free to walk to the streets until 2am if they pleased and they wouldn’t be bothered. Now were seeing executions for blasphemy? Are you kidding me? I wont say I love Assad because it’s true his family has raped the country economically but what powerful American/European families haven’t done the same? Also, enough about these peaceful demonstrations that brought out “hundreds of thousands” ok hundreds of thousands is fine but the population of Syria is 23 million! Just because 15%(Think Occupy Wall Street) of the population wanted “reforms” doesn’t mean the millions of others now have to live under a Saudi-Qatar-US puppet Islamic government. Oh and “rebels” are “terrorists”, If I went around any other nation blowing sh!t up and shooting at government employees I’d be taken down in a second. No one here mentions how “rebels” take control of areas, they aren’t “liberating” them they’re robbing and killing them you fools! Not one Syrian I know would openly let rebels take control of their neighborhood! C’mon now use your heads people!

June 18th, 2013, 5:00 pm

 

DAMASCUSROSE said:

KJH,

You have a romantic view of Syria. Half a life in the USA would do that to you – make you forget the ills and decay that the Assads have created for 40 years. You must have forgotten about government corruption, being bossed around by mukhabart and thugs, you must have forgotten that you can’t speak your mind or say anything against our dear leader. You must have forgotten about the millions of Syrians that were left to collect table scraps as the regime and their supporters stole the resources of the country blind. You probably didn’t know anyone who left to rot in the hundreds of prisons and mukhabarat dungeons for things you take for granted in the USA.

None of the other Arabic countries are any better but that doesn’t mean Syrians don’t deserve a better life, freedom, living with dignity, and opportunity. Bashar had a chance to reverse what his dad did, to deliver some improvements, he failed miserably and then he turned his guns on his own countrymen. Don’t you think we can do better if we’re given the chance to determine our own destiny? The alternative doesn’t have to necessarily be Islamic fundamentalists and the likes, we’ll have growing pains, but we’ll kick them out eventually and return to our roots of tolerance and acceptance. We need a better chance, we deserve it.

June 19th, 2013, 12:09 am

 

revenire said:

You know Damascus Rose, in all honesty, it is you who sounds as if she has a romantic view of Syria.

Your version of events is a fantasy.

You will be very disappointed.

June 19th, 2013, 12:17 am

 

Clerics in Egypt Call for Global Jihad Against ... said:

[…] Egypt Clerics Call for Global Jihad Against Regime's Shiite Allies, Egypt Cuts Syria Ties, Hassan Rouhani elected in Iran  […]

June 19th, 2013, 9:38 am

 

Post a comment


Neoprofit AI