Anything that comes out the security council can not be trusted,after they left the Golan occupied for 40 years,

I have a question for the author and Joshua,

Do you think that the fear of the Christians in Syria especially that most of them are Orthodox, is affecting the position of Russia and to a lesser extend the West, as we know, before Russia became communist it was the protector of Christian orthodoxy in the Mideast and Egypt, and it is to the point that there is no chance for supporting the opposition of a violent overthrow of the Syrian government, President Assad and the Baath party.

Norman, there is some truth to what you suggested, but it is not the major factor influencing Russian policy on Syria

Russia’s Patriarch is visiting Syria soon according to this piece of news I read on FB today:

يارة البطريرك الروسي إلى سورية ثم لبنان في الساعات المقبلة .. ماذا تحمل ؟

لم تكن زيارة بطريرك الكنيسة الروسية إلى سورية و لبنان مقررة سابقا، وحسب معلومات توفرت فإن الزيارة تقررت منذ أسبوع و حدد جدول نشاطاتها ليل الخميس .
وهي تشمل زيارة للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد و لمفتي الجمهورية السورية الشيخ احمد حسون ، و تشمل قداسا صباح الأحد إضافة إلى استقبال شعبي للبطريرك الروسي .
وإذا كان المعاون البطريركي الأرثوذكسي المطران لوقا الخوري يختصر أبعاد الزيارة بكلمتين : دعم وتضامن.
الا ان مصادر مطلعة قالت إنها تأكيد على التزام الكنيسة الروسية ( مرجع الكنائس الارثوذكسية) دعم سورية والوقوف إلى جانب دمشق في ظل الضغط الدولي الذي تتعرض إليه ، فيكمل هذا الموقف الروحي الموقف السياسي الروسي بان لا رضوخ للأميركيين و الاوروبيين فيما خص سورية.
تضيف المصادر أن التواصل قائم بشكل يومي تقريبا بين البطريرك اغناطيوس الرابع هزيم والبطريرك الروسي منذ بدء الأزمة في سوريا.
وتقول المصادر نفسها أن الزيارة ترسيخ للعلاقة بين البلدين و رسالة للعالم ستعبر عنها
زيارة البطريرك الروسي الذي سيواكب زيارته إعلام عالمي.

Syria, and especially the Syrian sea ports, is Russia’s last bastion in the ME. If Syria falls under the west’s hegemony, Russia is completely out of the region. That is why Russia is going to support this criminal Assadist junta to the very end. Don’t count on the UNSC. The best it can give you is a moral support. Any thing beyond moral will be blocked by a Russian veto.
.

Religion has nothing to do at all with the position Russia put itself in support of this regime, it is the competition between Russia and USA ,who has areas of control.Russia has been building a base in Tartous.Russia has close relationship with Syria for long time.
AL may freeze Syria membership in AL,they did that to Lybia,more important is to kick out all syrian ambassadors from many countries,stop all trade and other financial relations.stop all travels to Syria.block syrian Media. The Syrian oil refinery must stop functioning, the generator of electricity must stop working, phone boxes, There is one in every street, they need to stop working.then you will see people on the street demonstrating in Damascus and Aleppo.

Long but worth reading:

American Options in Syria
Policy Innovation Memorandum No. 9
Author:
Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations Press
Release Date: October 2011
http://www.cfr.org/syria/american-options-syria/p26226

أليوت إبرامز: خطة الولايات المتحدة لإشعال سوريا
November 11th 2011 | كتبها admin

تقديم وترجمة: د. إبراهيم علوش

نقدم فيما يلي مشروع إسقاط النظام السوري وإشعال فتيل الدمار الداخلي في سوريا كما قدمه أليوت إبرامز في “مجلس العلاقات الخارجية”، أحد أهم مراكز الأبحاث الأمريكية المختصة بصنع السياسة الخارجية والمعروف بميوله الصهيونية والذي يصدر كل شهرين مجلة “الفورن أفيرز” Foreign Affairs المعروفة.

وأليوت إبرامز ليس فقط أحد أهم الباحثين المختصين بشؤون “الشرق الأوسط” في ذلك المركز، بل يعتبر أحد أبرز رموز المحافظين الجدد، وهو يهودي، وأحد أبرز أعمدة اللوبي الصهيوني في الإدارة الأمريكية. وهو ليس مجرد باحث أو كاتب صحفي يعبر عن رأيه، بل سبق أن تسلم عدة مناصب رسمية رفيعة أسهم من خلالها بصنع السياسات الخارجية الأمريكية، وهو يتمتع بعلاقات متينة مع اللوبي الصهيوني وصناع القرار الخارجي الأمريكي حتى الآن، ويرشح أن يعود إذا عاد الجمهوريون للحكم في الولايات المتحدة عام 2012، وهو يمثل في جميع الأحوال وجهة نظر اللوبي الصهيوني إزاء الإستراتيجية الأمريكية الواجب إتباعها إزاء سوريا، وبالتالي فإن مشروعه أدناه لا بد أن يشكل أحد مدخلات السياسة الأمريكية إزاء سوريا في الأشهر القادمة.

وقد تسلم أليوت إبرامز ملف “الشرق الأدنى وشمال أفريقيا” في مجلس الأمن القومي الأمريكي بين نهاية عام 2002 وبداية عام 2005، حيث أشرف من خلال ذلك الموقع على ما يسمى “عملية السلام” و”المفاوضات الفلسطينية-الإسرائيلية”، واشتهر أبان ذلك بصهيونيته المتطرفة. وانتقل بعدها فوراً ليصبح نائب مستشار مجلس الأمن القومي الأمريكي لإستراتيجية الديموقراطية العالمية، أي لإثارة “الثورات” الديموقراطية، خلال فترة بوش الابن الثانية، حتى تسلم أوباما للسلطة رسمياً. وقد أدار عدة مناصب تتعلق بالديموقراطية وحقوق الإنسان والمنظمات الدولية وأمريكا اللاتينية قبلها خلال فترة الثمانينات في ظل الرئيس الأمريكي الأسبق رونالد ريغان. وفي بداية فترة حكم بوش الابن اتهم إبرامز رسميا بتدبير الانقلاب على تشافيز في فنزويلا عام 2002، ونشرت وزارة الخارجية الأمريكية تحقيقاً رسمياً بالأمر برأته فيه طبعاً من التهمة الموجهة إليه. وكانت قد وجهت له قبلها اتهامات رسمية تتعلق بفضيحة إيران-كونترا في الثمانينات، وحكم عليه بغرامة 50 دولاراً كاملة عداً ونقداً ومئة ساعة خدمة مجتمع، حتى عفا عنه الرئيس بوش الأب عام 1992.

مشروع إسقاط النظام السوري:

أهم ما في مشروع إبرامز أدناه لإسقاط النظام السوري هو أنه يكشف أننا لسنا إزاء ثورة شعبية ولا من يحزنون، بل إزاء مشروع أمريكي-صهيوني سافر لإسقاط القيادة السورية بسبب دعمها للمقاومات العربية، كما يقول هو في نهاية مشروعه، لا نحن. ويأخذ ذلك المشروع شكل مؤامرة واضحة المعالم لكل من يقرأ السطور أدناه، فالحديث عن “مؤامرة ضد سوريا”، بالشكل العام المجرد، يجد تعبيراته الحسية الملموسة في اقتراحات إليوت إبرامز العسكرية والسياسية والاقتصادية المباشرة بصدد سوريا.

ونلاحظ بالتحديد أن إليوت إبرامز يبني كل نظرته للمجتمع السوري من الزاوية الطائفية السنية-العلوية، وهو يستخدم خطاب طائفي فج في مهاجمته للقيادة السورية نرفض مساجلته من حيث المبدأ. والمظاهرات المليونية التي خرجت مع الإصلاح والحوار وضد التدخل الخارجي في سوريا لم تخرج من بين صفوف العلويين فحسب، ولا المواطنون السنة أقل حرصاً على سيادة سوريا واستقلالها وعلى حمايتها من شر الفتنة من غيرهم، فهذه كلها أكاذيب وفتنة، ونرفض مبدأ التفريق بين سني وعلوي أصلاً، والمواطنون السوريون أخوة وشركاء في حرصهم على وطنهم وبلادهم، يشاركهم في ذلك كل المواطنين العرب، لكن إستراتيجية إسقاط القيادة السورية التي يقترحها إبرامز تقوم على إثارة ذلك التناقض المفتعل واستثماره وتصعيده للحد الأقصى، مع السعي لدفع “المجلس الوطني السوري” ليظهر وكأنه يسمو فوق النقمة الطائفية، ونؤكد على تعبير “ليظهر” الذي يستخدمه إبرامز تكراراً، من خلال موافقة “المجلس الوطني السوري” على “حماية دولية للأقليات في سوريا” مثلاً.! وتكسب الولايات المتحدة بهذا على الجهتين، جهة إسقاط النظام وجهة تقديم السياسة الأمريكية كحامي للأقليات، في نفس الوقت الذي تقدم فيه نفسها كمدافع عن حق الطائفة السنية بتسلم الحكم، لتعيد بلاد الشام إلى عصر الوصاية والامتيازات الأجنبية، وهو مشروع يستند على تعزيز الدور التركي في سوريا وفي إسقاط الحكم، كما يقول إبرامز نفسه.

وفي خضم مثل ذلك الخطاب الطائفي البغيض، لا يألو إبرامز جهداً في استخدام لغة دبلوماسية لتهديد الأقليات بالذبح والسحل إذا لم تقف مع مشروع إسقاط النظام، ويعدها بالحماية الدولية إذا وقفت مع ذلك المشروع. وهذا الخطاب، فضلاً عن كونه بلطجة أمريكية، فإنه يستهدف لا مفهوم السيادة السورية فحسب، بل مفهوم المواطنة نفسه، على غرار المشروع الصهيوني في كل الإقليم، فهو يعني إعادة إنتاج سيناريو العراق في سوريا، مع انقلاب الأدوار المسرحية حسب الحاجة: زعم الدفاع عن الشيعة في العراق في وجه صدام، وزعم الدفاع عن السنة في سوريا في وجه الأسد.

ولا يتظاهر إبرامز أبداً بأن ما يجري في سوريا هو حراك سلمي، بل يبدأ فوراً بالحديث عن المعارك المسلحة بين “النظام العلوي” والتمرد المسلح المستند إلى “أغلبية سكانية سنية” حسب زعمه، بالتحديد، يتحدث إليوت إبرامز عن إسقاط النظام السوري عبر: 1) عزل النظام عن قواعده في الجيش والشعب، 2) تفجير حرب أهلية داخلية تتم تغذيتها عبر أطراف ودول ثالثة، بدون التدخل المباشر للولايات المتحدة، وصولاً لمناطق الحظر الجوي والملاجئ الآمنة، و3) وعبر تشديد العقوبات الاقتصادية من خلال تركيا والاتحاد الأوروبي .

وكل هذا بتنا نرى آثاره في سوريا على الأرض اليوم. وهكذا يبدو واضحاً طبيعة المشروع “الديموقراطي” الذي تدعو له الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في سوريا.

نقطة أخيرة، قد لا تكون هناك حاجة للتذكير بها لولا حالة التفكيك التي بتنا نعيشها، ولولا النفس الطائفي المقيت في ورقة إبرامز أدناه. نحن قوميون عرب نؤمن أن العرب كلهم مواطنون متساوون بالحقوق والواجبات، ونرى أن الهجمة اليوم تنصب على إزالة آثار المشروع القومي العربي بكل فروعه وتجلياته، وبأن الخارجين عن العروبة هم المتعاونون مع الناتو وأعوانه بغض النظر عن طائفتهم. ونرى أن ما يراد لسوريا هو حرب أهلية لا تبقي ولا تذر، وأن العاصم من ذلك الشؤم الكالح هو التمسك بمفهوم المواطنة السورية والحس القومي فوق أي اعتبارات طائفية أو عرقية. ونرى أن نافثي الشر ودعاة الفتنة ليسوا من العروبة أو الإسلام في شيء، وأنهم ليسوا أصحاب مشروع ديموقراطي بأي شكل، بل أصحاب مشروع دمار وعودة للاستعمار. سوريا قوية، وليست لقمة سائغة، ولا هي دولة تنقصها المياه أو الأراضي الزراعية أو الصناعات أو تشكو من ضيق المساحة، وجيشها وشعبها وقواها الأمنية ليست بلا أنياب فتاكة، ولسوريا رصيد كبير في الشارع العربي مهما حاولت “الجزيرة” و”العربية” والفضائيات الصفراء أن تحجمه، وقد بدأت تعود في الوطن العربيٌ كثير من الشخصيات والقوى إلى رشدها بعد انكشاف حقيقة مشروع “الإصلاح” الأمريكي، وحقيقة تورط التحالف الإخواني-الليبرالي فيه، وإليكم أدناه عينة واضحة منه لأولي الألباب.

خيارات أمريكية في سوريا

مذكرة إبداع السياسات رقم 9

المؤلف: أليوت إبرامز

الناشر: دار مجلس العلاقات الخارجية

تشرين أول 2011

الرابط:

http://www.cfr.org/syria/american-options-syria/p26226

يتصاعد مستوى العنف في سوريا شهراً بعد شهر. وقد قتل نظام بشار الأسد اقل بقليل من ثلاثة آلاف مواطن حتى الآن، ومع تزايد حالات الارتداد من الجيش، يبدو أن السكان قد بدأوا يقاومون. إن حرباً أهلية شاملة، فيما يقاتل نظام الأقلية العلوية دفاعاً عن حياته ضد تمرد مسلح من قوات تستند إلى أغلبية السكان السنية، تبدو بتزايد أمراً أكثر قابلية للتصديق.

إن أهداف سياسة الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية يجب أن تكون إنهاء العنف، إسقاط نظام الأسد، ووضع الأسس لنظام ديموقراطي مستقل، مع حماية الأقليات العلوية والكردية والمسيحية، وهو ما سيكون صعب المنال. فقد تخلت إدارة أوباما عن هدف إصلاح النظام، وعن وجه حق: فليس هنالك أساس في سلوك نظام الأسد لإحياء الأمل بأنه يمكن أن يقود انتقالاً إلى الديموقراطية. وعوضاً عن ذلك، فإن الهدف الأمريكي والأوروبي والتركي بات نهاية حكم عائلة الأسد. لكن كيف يمكن لصناع السياسة الأمريكيين أن يحققوا ذلك الهدف بأقصر مدة ممكنة وأقل قدر إضافي من العنف؟

والجواب هو إستراتيجية تهدف في آنٍ لإضعاف قواعد دعم النظام ولتشجيع المعارضة على أن تظهر أنها تسعى لسوريا ديموقراطية غير طائفية.

عزل عائلة الأسد

يستند دعم النظام على الجماعة العلوية، قوات الأمن التي يقودها علويون، وعلى جماعة رجال الأعمال (السنة والعلويين). إن 74% من السكان السوريين مسلمون سنة، بينما نظام الأسد علوي – والطائفة العلوية فرعٌ من الإسلام الشيعي غالباً ما تعتبر مارقة من قبل السنة المتعصبين. والعلويون يشكلون فقط من 10 إلى 15 بالمئة من السوريين. لكن الفرق الأفضل تسليحاً وتدريباً في الجيش السوري علوية.

لذلك فإن الهدف الأول للولايات المتحدة يجب أن يكون عزل عائلة الأسد وأقرب مقربيها عن بقية الجماعة العلوية التي لم تستفد إلا قليلاً جداً من الثروات التي وزعها الأسد لأقرب الداعمين. ومع أن كل العلويين يخشون الثأر ضد كل جماعتهم إذا سقط الأسد، فإن بينهم تراوحاً في درجات الولاء لعائلة الأسد. لذا يجب أن تستمر الولايات المتحدة بالضغط على المجموعات العديدة التي تعارض النظام الآن لكي تقدم واجهة متحدة، وقد شرعت المعارضة بتحقيق ذلك، مشكلةً “مجلس وطني سوري” من 140 عضواً في بداية شهر تشرين الأول 2011. وعلى ذلك المجلس أن يوضح للملأ نوع سوريا التي يتمنى بناءها، من خلال التأكيد تكراراً على التزامه بالتعامل المتساوي مع كل السوريين بدون اعتبار للطائفة أو المعتقد الديني، ومن خلال إدراج علويين وغير سنة بشكل بارز في صفوفه. وعلى المجلس أن يرفع صوته عالياً وبشكل انفعالي في إدانته لأي عنف ضد المواطنين العلويين والجماعات العلوية، وهو الأمر الذي يرجح أن يزداد إذا تصاعدت المعارك المسلحة بين النظام والمعارضة. يجب أن يتعهد المجلس بحماية كل الأقليات في سوريا ما بعد الأسد – من العلويين إلى الأكراد إلى الجماعات المسيحية المتوترة بشدة.. يجب أن يوافق المجلس الآن على دور دولي في تأمين تلك الضمانات والحماية للأقليات. وكلما كانت تلك التعهدات أكثر تفصيلاً، وكلما نالت المزيد من الدعاية والدعم الدولي، كلما كانت أكثر إقناعاً داخل سوريا.

أما بالنسبة للقوات العسكرية والشرطة، فإن المسؤولين الغربيين والأتراك يجب أن يضغطوا على الجنرالات العلويين في الجيش السوري لفرز أنفسهم عن النظام. ويجب أن يحاجوا بأن أولئك الجنرالات يمكن أن ينقذوا مستقبل جماعتهم ما بعد الأسد، ومستقبلهم الشخصي، برفضهم الآن أن يقتلوا مواطنيهم. العسكرية الأمريكية ليست لها روابط مع أولئك الرجال، لكن يمكن الافتراض أن الأتراك والأردنيين، وربما الفرنسيين، لديهم قنوات لنقل مثل تلك الرسائل. “لماذا تضحون بأنفسكم من أجل مافيا الأسد التي انتهى أمرها على أية حال؟” هي الرسالة التي يجب التأكيد عليها، إضافة إلى رسالة: “كن من الناجين من الخطر”. هنا يمكن أن تساعد بيانات من “المجلس الوطني السوري”. فالمجلس يجب أن يوضح بأنه لن تكون هناك حملات تطهير بالجملة للضباط العلويين، ولكن سيكون هناك قصاص في سوريا وعبر المحكمة الجنائية الدولية للضباط المتورطين بقتل المتظاهرين السلميين.

قلب المجتمع التجاري

الخطوة الثانية يجب أن تكون قلب مجتمع رجال الأعمال ضد النظام. وحتى الآن، لا تزال قيادة رجال الأعمال، من سنيين ومسيحيين وعلويين، على الحياد. وعلى الولايات المتحدة وشركائها أن يقودوا رجال الأعمال السوريين للنظر لعائلة الأسد كدين لا يمكن سداده سيجلب استمراره في السلطة مزيداً من الألم الاقتصادي الذي ما برحت تعانيه سوريا. فحتى الآن هذا العام انخفض كلٌ من الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر والسياحة لأكثر من النصف، والصادرات انخفضت بمقدار الثلثين. وإذا بقيت عائلة الأسد في الحكم، يجب أن يفهم رجال الأعمال، فإن الأمر سيصبح أسوأ فقط. أما الولايات المتحدة فقد مارست الحظر بالنسبة لسوريا حتى لم يعد لديها ما تفعله في هذا المجال. فلا يوجد بينها وبين سوريا أي تجارة أو استثمار تقريباً. الأمر الحاسم هو أن يقطع الاتحاد الأوروبي الاقتصاد السوري، وهو ما بدأ يحدث فعلاً. فأوروبا تشتري عادة 95 بالمئة من صادرات سوريا النفطية، مزودةً النظام بذلك بحوالي ثلث عائداته من العملة الصعبة، ولكن الاتحاد الأوروبي بادر لحظر الواردات النفطية السورية وأي استثمارات جديدة في قطاع النفط السوري. وكلما تحرك الاتحاد الأوروبي بشكل أقرب وأسرع نحو حظر كامل على التجارة مع سوريا، كلما كان ذلك أفضل، لأن الإشعار بحد ذاته والضرر الفعلي للنخب الاقتصادية السورية سيكون أعظم.

وهذه ستكون حرباً اقتصادية ضد النظام، وكلما اشترك فيها عددٌ أكبر من الحلفاء، كلما كانت أكثر فعالية. وقد أعلنت تركيا أنها ستفرض عقوباتها الخاصة، وإذا كانت تلك العقوبات ثقيلة بما فيه الكفاية، فإن الآثار السياسية والنفسية والاقتصادية ستكون معتبرة. من الواضح إذن أن الولايات المتحدة والاتحاد الأوروبي يجب أن يضغطا على الأتراك للمباشرة بعقوبات بعيدة المدى لا عقوبات رمزية فحسب. ويجب أن يضغطا على منتجي النفط الخليجيين لوقف أي استثمار إضافي في سوريا. وكلما كانت عقوبات الولايات المتحدة المالية أوسع مدى، كلما قويت ذريعة دول الخليج لجعل مصارفها تتجنب دمشق.

التعامل مع العنف

ستحتاج الولايات المتحدة لتبني سياسات للتقدم إلى الأمام حول ثلاث قضايا أكثر صعوبة. الأولى هي كيفية معالجة الموقف إذا بدأ صراع عسكري جدي على شكل حرب أهلية. وتتراوح التقديرات حول عدد الجنود الذين انشقوا من الجيش السوري وحول ما إذا كانت لديهم قدرة واقعية للالتحام مع القوات النظامية. الولايات المتحدة يجب أن تشجع الانشقاقات لكنها لا يجب أن تشجع العنف بأي شكل. لكن إذا بزغت إلى حيز الوجود معارضة مسلحة وقاتلت النظام، فإن الولايات المتحدة لن ترغب بأن ترى مثل تلك المعارضة وقد سحقت. على هذا، فإن الولايات المتحدة يجب أن لا تثني حكومات أخرى عن تقديم الدعم للمتمردين إذا رغبت تلك الحكومات بذلك. ولا يجب أن تحاول منع مجموعات أخرى – مثلاً، القبائل السنية التي تعيش على طرفي مناطق الحدود السورية-العراقية – من مساعدة أخوة لهم داخل سوريا. أما إذا تفاقمت تدفقات اللاجئين والعنف بشدة، فإن الولايات المتحدة ستحتاج لمناقشة فرض مناطق حظر طيران أو ملاجئ آمنة على طول حدود سوريا، مع جيران سوريا وحلفائها في الناتو.

مستقبل الأسد

المسألة الثانية هي مستقبل عائلة الأسد نفسها. يتوجب الافتراض أن الأسد سوف يقاتل حتى النهاية. فلو استنتج عند نقطة ما أن استمراره بالحكم لا يمكن الدفاع عنه أو على الأقل موضع شك كبير، فقد يسعى لإيجاد ملجأ آمن لعائلته. وقد يكون ذلك صعباً نظراً لوجود محكمة الجنايات الدولية، لكنه أمرٌ يستحق المتابعة. فإذا عرضت دولة ما على الأسد ملجأً آمناً، يجب أن لا تحاول الولايات المتحدة الوقوف في الطريق، لا بل يجب أن تشجع الأسد على قبول مثل ذلك العرض. وقد أظهرت حالات كثيرة أخرى بأن العدالة قد تتأخر كثيراً أو لا يتم الوصول أبداً. لكن الشعب السوري بإمكانه أن يتقدم نحو أهدافه الخاصة، بالرغم من ذلك، في الوقت الحالي.

المسالة الثالثة هي ما إذا كان يتوجب على الولايات المتحدة وحلفائها أن تسعى أو توافق على نظام علوي بدون بشار الأسد على رأسه. إن انقلاباً من داخل القصر يمكن أن يقدم للولايات المتحدة مثل ذلك البديل للوضع الراهن، لكن ذلك لا يجب أن يكون هدفاً أمريكياً. فلقد خسر نظام الأسد موافقة المحكومين، ومن الصعوبة بمكان أن يرى المرء كيف يمكن لنظام علوي بديل أن يستعيدها. فسوف يكون مثل ذلك النظام بقيادة عدد أكبر من اللازم من المسؤولين المتورطين في انتهاكات النظام القديم، وسيبقى بالتعريف أقلية تحكم بلداً أغلبيته من السنة. وبما أن مثل ذلك النظام لا يستطيع أن يكسب انتخابات حرة، فإنه سوف يحكم بالقوة، خاصة فيما الجمهور السني يصخب مطالباً بالمزيد من الحقوق وبات متورطاً في القتال من أجلها. وهو ما سيعني اضطراباً وفوضى مستمرين في سوريا. إن نظام علوي بديل يزيل عشيرة الأسد من السلطة ويكون بوضوح خطوة انتقالية نحو الديموقراطية يمكن أن يكون نافعاً في إنهاء العنف وفتح طريق إلى الأمام، ولكن فقط إذا كان محدوداً في الزمن والطموحات. المسؤولون عنه يجب أن يظهروا حسن نواياهم، وجدولهم الزمني القصير، للجمهور وللتحالف الدولي الذي يعاقب سوريا وينتقدها اليوم، لكن ذلك لن يكون مستحيلاً. فإنهاء العنف الحكومي، وجداول زمنية لانتخابات، وإدراج قيادات المعارضة في الحكومة المؤقتة يمكن كله أن يظهر نوايا إيجابية.

مكسب أمريكي

إن إنهاء نظام الأسد سيكون مكسباً كبيراً للولايات المتحدة. فذلك النظام ديكتاتورية دموية تحتضن حماس والمجموعات الفلسطينية الإرهابية الأخرى، وهو حليف إيران العربي الوحيد، والطريق الذي تتبعه إيران لتسليح حزب الله، وهو خطر دائم على سيادة لبنان وسلامه الداخلي. وهو، فضلاً عن ذلك، متورط في مقتل العديد من الجنود الأمريكيين وجرح عدد أكبر بكثير بفضل بذله أقصى جهده لمساعدة الجهاديين الساعين لمقاتلة الأمريكيين في العراق. وفيما يقاتل ذلك النظام شعبه ويتعلق بالسلطة، فإن العقوبات الفعالة والدبلوماسية النشطة يمكن أن تساعد على تقصير أمد حياته وعلى وضع الأساسات لجهد مصمم على بناء دولة ديموقراطية مكانه.

http://freearabvoice.org/?p=1501

Majed,

you are advocating anarchy, Is that what you want for the Syrian people to suffer more, I do not think that is you.

One persons’ “anarchy” is another’s Civil Disobedience….

How Turkey’s Syria policy evolved
Friday, November 11, 2011
İlhan Tanır

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=how-turkey8217s-syria-policy-evolved-2011-11-11

Jeffrey Feltman, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, during his testimony on Syria at the U.S. Senate this week, summarized Turkey’s contribution to the events in Syria in three points: Sheltering refugees, opening up a space for Syrian oppositions to organize and imposing arms embargo on the Syrian regime. Luke Bronin, deputy assistant secretary at Department of Treasury, at the same panel, stated, ”it is hard to overstate Turkey’s break with Syria.” Both officials compared Ankara’s close relations with Damascus only a year ago with today and appeared as if they were explaining a miracle taking place and they are certainly not alone.

One senior official from Ankara this week gave detailed account about how Turkey’s Syrian policy evolved over the summer. According to this official, “pursuing realist policy to protect our economic interests in Syria was one of the options. But we quickly brushed aside this option as we thought such policy only give more room to Assad to increase his pressure, possibly kill or torture many more people. In such a turn of events, we might have ended up facing with 300 to 500 thousand people in our borders as refugees.”

Following Davutoglu’s visit to Damascus in August, Ankara realized Assad has no intention to reform and it began its tough stance against him by blending moral concerns with realism while dealing with the situation next door.

According to this top official, Ankara came to a conclusion that as democracy is spreading around its neighborhood, Turkey only benefits from it. Countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia are testament to this reality when we look at the great relations Turkey is having with these countries when compared with the past. “Just like domino theory” said the official, following a chuckle, “we see democracy as an unstoppable force of history and we arrived at its doorstep.”

Ankara also doesn’t understand why some people in the West were so taken aback by strong Islamist showings as alternative governments going forward. The dictators in those countries didn’t really allow liberal or other parties to flourish. It was only Islamists who were able to stay organized because they were able to gather five times a day

Ankara thinks its past relations with dictators now changed because people in these countries demand their freedom, protest for their rights. This erodes these regimes legitimacy greatly. Ankara wants to actively support human rights causes but at the same time maximize its economic interests. And it constantly seeks ways to meet with these two objectives at an optimal point.

The reason for Ankara to hold back on the economic sanctions currently is because there are just too many unknowns in the Syrian equation. The U.N. Security Council has not moved since the last attempt for sanctions on Assad was derailed by Russia and China. Arab League will go to another emergency meeting Nov. 12 and things there appear uncertain at best. The Syrian opposition very much fragmented. The U.S. is also not making a lot of effort. “Turkey simply can’t gamble in this environment,” the official concluded.

Currently, Ankara is taking its time and waiting for international community to come forward before it takes further steps.

Feltman said when we look at how far we came in recent weeks with regard to Syria, “I can basically say Assad is finished.” Feltman, for the first time, publicly mentioned there is the idea floating around of organizing an international contact group for Syria, one similarly and successfully done in the Libya case.

Turkey must lead such international gatherings to accelerate the transition in Syria. All indications show we are getting closer by day to that point and this time Turkey cannot excuse itself from leading.

Norman
I am advocating more pressure on the regime.

Majed

pressure to what? to resign and have Ghalioun and the cockroach Radwan Ziadeh in charge of the army and the country, you must be joking!

Turkey`s fiasco in protecting the survivors from the effects of the second earthquake in Van shows that under the headlines of an apparently successful economy and pompous declarations of being “a model for Arabs”, Turkey has still a corrupt and incompetent system that ignores the value of people’s lives.

Blame game flares up over Van quake fiasco
Friday, November 11, 2011
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=blame-game-flares-up-over-van-quake-fiasco-2011-11-11
VAN. With no one to claim responsibility for structural assessment reports, even PM Erdoğan takes a turn pointing fingers as the blame game heats up

The main opposition party put the blame on the government’s shoulders. Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy chairman Akif Hamzaçebi questioned how the government would explain the deaths after the government had reassured the public that the necessary precautions had been taken.

During a press conference on Nov. 11, Hamzaçebi accused the government of “committing murder.” The government gave the impression that everything in Van was OK following the first earthquake, but the second earthquake proved that the necessary precautions had not been taken by officials, Hamzaçebi said.

“A building that was damaged in the first earthquake collapsed in the second 5.6-magnitude earthquake killing people. The government is responsible for this,” Hamzaçebi said.

3. Amir in Tel Avivsaid:

Syria, and especially the Syrian sea ports, is Russia’s last bastion in the ME. ……

Good point.

Zenobia,

Destroying public property is not civil disobedience, I am right?

Majed,
Pressure yes but no violence, it is scaring the people, That is what preventing the people of Damascus and Aleppo and the other cities from joining in fear from anarchy, which will make it difficult for everybody to make a living ,

Bronco

Thank you for your answer.  Adding “ia”to  a name takes away from it.  Reem is a nicer name than Reema and Camille is a nicer name than Camilia…in my opinion.    

I found a great link discussing Camille Claudel and Rodin relation.  I liked the description of Camille’s raw emotions.

http://www.kellscreations.com/blog/2008/05/31/camille-claudel-and-august-rodin—a-symbiotic-love-affair-gone-wrong/

Memo To: IRRITATED

RE: “…pressure to what? to resign and have Ghalioun and the cockroach Radwan Ziadeh in charge of the army and the country, you must be joking!…”

One person’s cockroach is another person’s leader. I know some people who refer to your God Bashar as a cockroach.

Memo To: BRONCO BILLY COOLING HIS HEELS IN BASHAR’S BUNKHOUSE

RE: “…Turkey has still a corrupt and incompetent system…”

Nobody’s perfect, Dude. Not even your god Bashar…

How could stop phones and gasoline and electricity how could these stop people from making a living?

دمشق تجدّد استعدادها لاستقبال اللجنة وتنفيذ البنود
الأزمة السورية المحكومة بقيود أمـام الـوزراء العـرب اليـوم

بدا أمس أن المبادرة التي طرحتها جامعة الدول العربية في طريقها إلى تحقيق اختراق يمهّد لتسوية من شأنها أن تخرج سوريا من عنق الزجاجة، إذ استبقت دمشق اجتماع مجلس وزراء الخارجية العرب اليوم في القاهرة، الذي سبقه اجتماع للجنة المتابعة العربية، برزت فيه مشاركة لافتة لوزير الخارجية السعودي الأمير سعود الفيصل – بالرغم من أن الرياض ليست عضواً في اللجنة – بتقديم مذكرة أبدت فيها الترحيب بزيارة بعثة من الجامعة إلى سوريا، والاستعداد التام للتعاون معها، في وقت بدا أن لا خيار أمام المعارضة السورية سوى القبول بتلك المبادرة، في ظل تعثر الخيارات الأخرى أمامها، وفي ظل نصائح مصرية وأميركية وبريطانية بالتمسك حالياً بالمبادرة العربية، على قاعدة أن السيناريو الليبي لن يتكرر في سوريا.
وأعلن مندوب سوريا لدى الجامعة العربية يوسف احمد أنه «تقدم صباح اليوم (أمس) بمذكرة رسمية إلى الأمانة العامة للجامعة تتضمن ترحيب سوريا وتعاونها التام مع زيارة بعثة من جامعة الدول العربية إلى سوريا».
وكانت اللجنة العربية المعنية بالأوضاع في سوريا قد قررت تشكيل بعثة من جامعة الدول العربية وإرسالها إلى سوريا للاطلاع على حقيقة الأوضاع هناك وتقديم تقرير بهذا الشأن إلى اللجنة العربية.
وأكد أحمد أن «سوريا ملتزمة بخطة العمل العربية التي أقرها
مجلس الجامعة بتاريخ 2 تشرين الثاني، وهي جادة في تنفيذ بنود الخطة، وقد قامت فعلا بتنفيذ معظمها»، معتبرا أن «زيارة بعثة جامعة الدول العربية إلى سوريا ستسهم في الوقوف على حقيقة التزام سوريا بالخطة، وفي الكشف عن دوافع وأجندات بعض الأطراف الداخلية والخارجية التي تسعى إلى إفشال خطة العمل العربية».
وقال احمد لوكالة الأنباء السورية (سانا) إن «سوريا كانت قد دعت جامعة الدول العربية منذ قرابة الشهر للتواجد على الأرض والاطلاع على حقيقة الأوضاع بعيداً عن عمليات التحريض السياسي والتزوير الإعلامي التي ما زال العديد من الجهات الخارجية يمارسها ضد سوريا، وذلك بهدف تأجيج الأوضاع داخلها وتحريض بعض جهات المعارضة في الخارج والمجموعات الإرهابية المسلحة في الداخل على عدم التجاوب مع جهود ومبادرات التهدئة وعلى رفض الحوار الوطني، وذلك في عملية تنسيق واضحة مع تلك الجهات الخارجية لاستدعاء خيار التدخل التخريبي السافر لبعض القوى الدولية في الشأن السوري الداخلي».
وأشار إلى أن «دعوة المتحدث باسم الخارجية الأميركية المسلحين في سوريا إلى عدم تسليم أسلحتهم، ووصفْ وزير الخارجية الفرنسي (ألان جوبيه) خطة العمل العربية بالميتة، يشكلان دليلاً قاطعاً على تورط هذه الأطراف في تأجيج الأوضاع داخل سوريا، وعلى رفضها لأي دور عربي إيجابي يسعى إلى تهدئة الأوضاع فيها، وإلى خلق مناخ سلمي آمن على الأرض تمهيداً لإجراء حوار وطني تطالب به الأغلبية العظمى من الشعب السوري».
اللجنة العربية
وكانت اللجنة العربية الوزارية المعنية بالأزمة السورية عقدت، أمس، اجتماعاً في فندق «فور سيزنز» في القاهرة برئاسة رئيس الحكومة القطرية وزير الخارجية الشيخ حمد بن جاسم آل ثاني ومشاركة الأمين العام للجامعة العربية نبيل العربي لبحث مستجدات الأوضاع على الساحة السورية، حيث ستناقش اللجنة تقريراً تفصيلياً في هذا الاطار لعرضه على اجتماع مجلس الجامعة الاستثنائي المقرر انعقاده على المستوى الوزاري اليوم.
وشارك في الاجتماع وزراء خارجية الدول الأعضاء في اللجنة، وهي مصر والسودان والجزائر وسلطنة عمان. وذكرت وكالة أنباء الشرق الأوسط أن وزير الخارجية السعودي الأمير سعود الفيصل شارك في الاجتماع، بالرغم من أن بلاده ليست عضواً في اللجنة، إلا أن «قرار تأسيس اللجنة يسمح لأي دولة بالانضمام إليها».
وأشارت الوكالة إلى أن العربي سيقدم إلى اللجنة تقريراً حول مطالب المعارضة السورية ونتائج الاتصالات مع الحكومة السورية وتقييم للالتزام ببنود المبادرة العربية والعقبات التي تحول دون تنفيذها. ومن المقرر أن ترفع اللجنة تقريرها إلى الاجتماع الوزاري العربي اليوم.
المعارضة السورية
وكان العربي التقى وفداً يمثل «الهيئة العامة للثورة السورية» برئاسة خليل الحاج صالح، الذي قال إن «الوفد تقدم بمذكرة للجامعة العربية تشرح الأوضاع في سوريا، وتوضح أن النظام السوري استغل تعقيدات الأوضاع العربية والإقليمية والدولية وماطل في الاستجابة للمطالب المشروعة للشعب السوري، وفرّغ كل ما طرح عليه من مبادرات سياسية من مضامينها الفعلية الملموسة».
وأضاف «طالبت المذكرة الوزراء العرب الاستجابة بسرعة لمطالب الشعب السوري، التي تتمثل في ما يرفعه المتظاهرون في لافتاتهم ونداءاتهم اليومية، خاصة تجميد عضوية النظام السوري في الجامعة العربية وكافة منظماتها وطرد سفرائه من العواصم العربية، والاعتراف بالمجلس الوطني ممثلاً شرعياً ووحيداً للشعب السوري».
واستقبل العربي أيضاً وفداً يمثل «المجلس الوطني» برئاسة عضو المكتب التنفيذي للمجلس بسمة القضماني. وقال مصدر مسؤول شارك في الاجتماع إن «الوفد طلب من الأمين العام تعليق عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية باعتبار ذلك أحد مطالب الثوار السوريين».
ويبدو أن الحراك الجاري حالياً في القاهرة، قد جعل المعارضة السورية أسيرة مبادرة الجامعة العربية. ففي ظل حرمان الفيتو الروسي لها من احتمال أي تدخل دولي عبر مجلس الأمن، تتمسك المعارضة على اختلاف توجهاتها من مستقلين أو مجلس وطني أو هيئة تنسيق أو تيار بناء الدولة، بالمبادرة العربية، ولكن ممثليها، الذين التقوا العربي، أمس، اختلفوا حول جرعة التدويل المطلوبة التي طالب بها المجلس الوطني، وأحياناً على مبدأ التدويل نفسه، الذي تحفظت عليه هيئة التنسيق، وإشراك الأمم المتحدة في رعاية حوار فرضي مع النظام السوري ـ يضع القضية السورية رهينة صفقات إقليمية في العراق وإيران ولبنان.
ويتفق جميع المعارضين في لقاءات القاهرة على طلب حماية المبادرة، وعلى حماية المخرج الوحيد المتوفر لفتح أفق سياسي، برغم «تأخر» النظام بتنفيذ تعهداته للجامعة العربية بشأنها.
وتدليلاً على تمسكها بالمبادرة, قال مصدر سوري معارض إن المعارضة عملت على منح الأمين العام للجامعة العربية مفاتيح لإنقاذ المبادرة. وطالبت أطراف المعارضة السورية الأمين العام للجامعة العربية بالتفكير في تطبيق ولو جزئي، وحيث تسمح الأوضاع بذلك، لبنود المبادرة، لا سيما انسحاب وحدات من الجيش السوري تدريجاً إلى ثكناتها وحيث يمكن تنفيذ انسحابات لا تهدد الأمن، كما يقول النظام.
وقالت مصادر في المعارضة السورية، شاركت في اجتماعات القاهرة، لـ«السفير» إن العربي رفض نعي المبادرة العربية وإعلان فشلها. ووصفت الغاية من اللقاء مع قادة المعارضة بأنها استطلاع مواقفها وخياراتها ليعدّ العربي إثره تقريراً باقتراحات عملية لتطوير المبادرة العربية ووضع آليات لتنفيذها.
وذهبت بعض أطراف المعارضة إلى طلب مشاركة عربية ابعد في تنظيم الحوار السوري، إلى حد اقتراح توحيد أطرافها في بوتقة واحدة، أو تشكيل لجنة حكماء من بين شخصياتها، تضع تصوراً لسوريا المستقبل.
وبحسب المصدر السوري، فقد نصح العربي، بعض من التقاهم من المعارضة السورية بعدم تأييد أي اقتراح بعقد قمة عربية طارئة لمناقشة القضية السورية «لأن الأوضاع ليست في مصلحتكم عربياً». وعكس أحد المعارضين شعوراً بأن الجامعة العربية تلعب في الوقت الدولي الضائع بسبب خلو الساحة السورية لها، إذ يمنع الروس أي طرف دولي من ولوجها.
وفي هذا السياق، نصح دبلوماسيون أميركيون وبريطانيون ومصريون، المعارضين السوريين الذين التقوهم في القاهرة بالتمسك حالياً بالمبادرة العربية. وقال معارض سوري لـ«السفير» إن الدبلوماسيين كرروا لهم «إن سوريا ليست ليبيا وإن السيناريو الليبي لن يتكرر في سوريا».
في هذا الوقت، قال نائب وزير الخارجية الروسي ميخائيل بوغدانوف لموقع «ناو ليبانون» إن «وفداً من المجلس الوطني برئاسة برهان غليون سيزور موسكو خلال ساعات، بناء على دعوة رسمية وجهتها القيادة الروسية الى المجلس لإجراء مباحثات مع المسؤولين الروس حول سبل حل الأزمة الداخلية في سوريا».
وشدد بوغدانوف «على كون موسكو لا تزال تعول على نجاح مبادرة جامعة الدول العربية، وهي لم تسلم بانتهاء مفاعيل هذه المبادرة»، مؤكداً «استعداد موسكو للمساعدة في تطبيق الحل العربي، وانفتاحها في هذا السبيل على كافة الاطراف السورية المعنية، على مستوى النظام والمعارضة على حد سواء».
وفي موسكو أعلن المتحدث باسم الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية ايغور ياكيمتشوك ان بطريرك روسيا كيريلوس سيزور سوريا ولبنان من 12 إلى 15 الحالي في «مهمة سلام». وأضاف «سيدعو بالتأكيد الى الحوار بين كل شرائح المجتمع في سوريا حتى يعود الاستقرار الى البلاد». وأشار الى أن البطريرك «سيلتقي «الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد ورئيس الوزراء عادل سفر».
إلى ذلك، قال عبد العزيز الخير، عضو «هيئة التنسيق الوطنية» بعد لقائه وزير الدولة للشؤون الخارجية القطري خالد العطية الموجود في القاهرة للمشاركة في اجتماع اللجنة الوزارية، إن وفد هيئة التنسيق شدد على ضرورة «ألا تسمح قطر بتسرب الملف السوري من يد الجامعة العربية إلى أية جهة كانت»، محذراً من أن هذا الأمر سيؤدي لـ«مخاطر» من بينها «تهديد الوحدة الوطنية السورية وتهديد وجود الكيان السوري»، كما تعريض سوريا «لأطماع خارجية لا تخدم بأي شكل مصالح الشعب السوري»، وذلك في إشارة إلى مطالبات بعض الجهات بأن يتولى مجلس الأمن هذا الملف.
وقال الخير، لـ«السفير»، إن الوفد الذي التقى الوزير القطري عرض رؤية الهيئة للحل، والمتمثلة بالتمسك بالمبادرة العربية وضرورة قيام الجامعة بإيجاد الآليات التنفيذية لهذه المبادرة بشكل يسمح برصد ما يجري حقيقة على الأرض السورية. وشدد الوفد على رفض التدخل الأجنبي العسكري بشكل قاطع، مكرراً ضرورة «الا تفلت الجامعة العربية الملف السوري من بين يديها». وأوضح أن وفد الهيئة توجه إلى الدوحة تلبية لدعوة من الديوان الأميري القطري لمقابلة ولي العهد الشيخ تميم بن حمد بن آل خليفة والتي ستجري في وقت لاحق هذا الأسبوع.
ميدانيات
ميدانياً، أعلن «المرصد السوري لحقوق الانسان»، في بيان، «مقتل 14 شخصاً برصاص قوات الامن في جمعة تجميد عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية»، موضحاً ان «القتلى سقطوا في عدد من احياء حمص وإدلب ودرعا». ونقلت وكالة «اسوشييتد برس» عن نشطاء إشارتهم إلى «مقتل 16 شخصا»، فيما تحدثت «لجان التنسيق المحلية» عن مقتل 33 شخصاً.
وذكر المرصد «شهدت العاصمة السورية تظاهرة رفع المشاركون فيها لافتات تندد بمواقف هيئة التنسيق الوطنية التي تمثل معارضين من الداخل التي تشدد على رفضها لأي تدخل خارجي في سوريا، حسب ما ورد في شريط فيديو نشر على موقع يوتيوب. وتدخلت قوات الامن لتفريق متظاهرين خرجوا في العديد من احياء حمص ودير الزور وإدلب ودرعا وحماه والقامشلي وريف دمشق».
واتهمت منظمة «هيومن رايتس ووتش» النظام السوري بارتكاب «جرائم ضد الانسانية». ودعت المنظمة، ومقرها نيويورك، الجامعة العربية الى «تجميد عضوية سوريا، والى مطالبة الامم المتحدة بفرض حظر على الاسلحة وكذلك عقوبات على اعضاء في النظام وإحالة سوريا الى المحكمة الجنائية الدولية».
وذكرت «سانا» ان «ثلاثة مواطنين واثنين من عناصر حفظ النظام استشهدوا وأصيب عنصران آخران واثنان من المواطنين في اعتداءات نفذتها مجموعات إرهابية مسلحة في محافظتي حماه وحمص». وقال مصدر مطلع في محافظة حمص إن «الجهات المختصة اشتبكت مع مجموعة إرهابية وقتلت 5 من أفرادها واعتقلت عدداً آخر منهم».
وقال مصدر مسؤول في دير الزور «فككت وحدة الهندسة عبوة معدة للتفجير عن بعد وضعتها المجموعات المسلحة داخل كيس نايلون وربطتها على ساق شجرة في حديقة المشتل. كما فككت الجهات المختصة عبوتين في حرستا بريف دمشق وعبوة على بعد مئة متر من الجامع العمري في درعا، وعبوة في حي التعاونية في حماه، في حين انفجرت ثلاث عبوات في نفس المحافظة، اثنتان منها في موقع دوار البحرة على طريق حلب والثالثة في حي الحاضر من دون وقوع إصابات».
ونفى قائد شرطة محافظة اللاذقية العميد جمال بيطار ما ذكرته قناة «الجزيرة» حول إطلاق نار على المواطنين في مدينة جبلة، مؤكداً أن الخبر عار عن الصحة.
(«السفير»، سانا، ا ف ب، ا ب، رويترز، ا ش ا)

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=2001&ChannelId=47378&ArticleId=1178&Author=

Tara #14

Agree on your view on the ending “a”. Camille Claudel was a very tormented personality. I don’t know much about Camilla Al Atrash.

أوليات سياسية.. ودروب الحرية

ميشيل كيلو
من الظواهر التي تستحق الاهتمام عزوف الشباب المنخرطين في الربيع العربي عن السياسة كمعرفة وفن. ربما لم يتـح لهم وقـت كـاف لتعلمها، قبل قيامهم بالثورة، التي لا شك في أنها باغتتـهم كما باغتــتنا جمـيعا، حين انطلقت من تونس الخـضراء بعد حـادثة وقع ملايين الحـوادث المشابهـة لها، أو التـي تفوقها شنـاعة وفـظاعة، دون أن تـؤدي إلى انتفاضة شعبية عارمة كالتي أطاحت بواحد من أفظع نظم الاستبداد في فترة قصيرة لا تتعدى 23 يوما، أعقبتها ثورة مصرية عاصفة دمرت حكم حسني مبارك القوي في مصر خلال سبعة عشر يوما، ما وضع شباب العرب في قلب الحدث السياسي وجعلهم صانعيه بامتياز، في كل مكان من بلاد العرب .
ولأن خوف المواطن العربي من السياسة كان سمة العصر العربي بين عام الهزيمة في سنة 1967 وبين تمرد الشباب عام 2010، ولأن المعارضة كانت غائبة عن هؤلاء، ليس فقط لأنها ضمت أعدادا قليلة تكونت غالـبا من الشيوخ وكبار السن، بل كذلك لأنها افتقرت إلى اللغة الضـرورية لمخـاطبتهم والتفاعل معهم، بينما اختلفت أهدافها عن أهدافهم ولم تثر أساليبها اهتمامهم، فإن الأجيال الجديدة واجهت أحكاما قاسية جعلتها مرة غائبة عن الوعي السياسي العام، ومرة مولــودا أنجبه الاستـبداد كي يتكفل باستمراره دون أن تواجهه أية تحديات جدية. وزاد من قسوة هذه الأحكام المسبقة أن الأجيال الشابة بدت وكأنها انصرفت إلى المعلوماتية وعالمها الافتراضي وهجرت الواقع وهمومه، فهي ليست فقط غير سياسية أو قابلة للتسييس، وإنما يرجح أن تبقى كذلك إلى أمد لا يعلم غير الله متى ينتهي.
فاجأ الشباب نفسه كما فاجأ الجميع: موالاة ومعارضة، فتحدت ثورته ليس فقط صفحة الأمر القائم، بل كذلك نمطا من النظر والعمل السياسي آل إلى عكس ما كان يعد بتحقيقه، وبدت كأنها بداية مختلفة تتخطى أية بداية سابقة عرفها العرب أو قاموا بها، رغم أن الثوار لم يعلنوا برنامجا أو يتقدموا بخطط، وإنما سارعوا إلى إلقاء أنفسهم في بحر الثورة، حيث يسبحون منذ أشهر بمهارة لم يكن احد يعتقد أنهم يمتلكون شيئا منها. والآن، هل يمكن القول إن هناك فجوة بين نشاط الشباب العملي، المتسم بقدر كبير من المهارة، وبين رؤيتهم السياسية لهذا النشاط، التي تظهر عديدا من الثغرات والنواقص؟
أين تكمن المشكلة هنا؟ أعتقد أنها تكمن في مسألتين مهمتين هما:
1- ليست السياسة غير جملة التوسطات التي توصل إلى هدف ينشده السياسي. لا تصل السياسة إلى أهدافها دون توسطات، فالهدف ليس السياسة بل هو مآلها وغايتـها، ومن يســاوي بينه وبين الســياسة لا يعرف شيئا عنها، أو يمارس سياسة وهمية وبلا واقع، أيديولوجية أو مذهبية الطابع،ويقتصر عملها على تـقديس هدفها وفـصله عن الممارسة، مع أن السياسة هي فن تغيير الواقع بطرق نظرية وعملية تحقق رؤية تتضمن مجموعة أهداف ومصالح تتبـناها حركة اجتـماعية أو تعــبير منظم عنها. بكلام آخر، لا يتوقف تحقيق الهدف على تحويله إلى شعـار يومي، بل على النجاح في حل المشكلات التي سيمر فيها وهو يجتاز المراحل المتتابعة والمتنوعة، الضرورية لبلوغه، ويتوقف بلوغه كهدف على النـجاح في كل واحدة منها، فإن لم يتم تجـاوزها بنجاح استـحال بلـوغ هدفه. يعني هذا أن الهدف لا يتحقق دفعة واحدة وإنما يقع تحقيقه على مراحل، بحيث يقربنا النجاح في كل مرحلة منه، بما أنه يحـققه على صـعيد مرحلة تبدو جزئية وانتقالية، لكنها تشكل حلقة رئيسة في الطريق إلى الهدف، خلال الفترة الزمنية التي يبرز الهدف فيها على هذا الصعيد الجزئي بما هو حلقة يتوقف مجمل النشاط السياسي من أوله غلى آخره على النجاح فيها.
لنفترض الآن أن عمالا يريدون القـيام بإضـراب من أجل رفـع أجورهم، فإن هدفهم هذا لن يتحقق دون المرور بمراحل يتوقف بلوغ الهـدف عليها، منها مثلا تضامنهم، وتصميمهم على مواصلة الإضراب إلى أن تقـبل مطالبهم، واتفاقهم على ما يريدونه من زيادة في الأجور، واختيار قادة يحسنون التفاوض ويعرفون أوضاع الطـرف الذي يفـاوضونه بدقة، وامتـلاك معـلومات دقيـقة حول وضع الأجور والأسعـار تمكـنهم مـن مقارعة خصم مدجج بالأرقام والخبرات… الخ، فإن اخفق العمال في أية حلقة من هذه الحلقات، أخفقوا في بلوغ هدفـهم، وتبـين لهم أن نجـاحهم كان يتطلب وجود هدف قابل للتحقيق، يتوقف بلوغه على نجاحهم في مراحله الجزئية المتتابعة والمختلفة. هذه المراحل هي التي يسمونها توسطات يتوقف على النجاح في كل واحدة منها تحقيق الهدف في نهاية الأمر.
بهذا المعنى، السياسة هي معرفة وممارسة التوسطات التي تقود إلى الهدف والجمع بينهما في وحدة وثيقة الأواصر، تضمن تجاوز كل واحدة منها بنجاح، لأن في ذلك تحقيق الهدف على صعيدها الجزئي، وضمان تحقيقه الناجز كحلقة أخيرة عليا تؤول إليها. بتطبيق هذه الرؤية على الحالة السورية الراهنة، نجد أن الشباب يعرفون هدفهم، لكنهم يفتقرون إلى رؤية دقيقة للتوسطات التي توصل إليه، بل إن بعضهم يؤمن بأنه لا وجود لتوسطات كهذه، وأن تكرار المطالبة بالهدف بعد خفضه إلى شعار تكتيكي، آني ومباشر، يكفي لتحقيقه، وهذا في رأيي درب فشل وليس طريق نجاح.
هل يجب على المعارضة السورية المنظمة، الحزبية والسياسية، تركيز دورها على التوسطات وطرق إنجاحها؟ أعتقد أن هذه كانت وتبقى وظيفتها الرئيسة، إن هي اتفقت على الهدف، فإن لم تتفق، قدمت رؤى متباينة لتوسطات متباينة وزادت من بلبلة الشباب، وأسهمت من حيث لا تريد في فشل مسعاهم.
2- في النظم الحرة والديموقراطية تعمل قوى السياسة بالمختلف والمتميز والخاص. أما في النظم المركزية والاستبدادية فإن العمل بالاختلاف والخاص وحده يعني إثارة خلافات تضعف الصديق وتقدم فرصا مجانية للمستبد تمكنه من تحويل الاختلاف إلى تناقض. في ظل الاستبداد، لا ينجح العمل السياسي إذا لم يتم انطلاقا من المشترك والجامع، ولم تنجح أطرافه في إقصاء خلافاتها عن المجال المشترك، وفي النظر إليها باعتبارها ثانوية الأهمية بالمقارنة مع ما هو جامع ومتوافق عليه. هنا، لا مفر من اعتبار التوافق حاضنة أي عمل عام، ما دام الاستبداد يعامل الجميع بالطريقة عينها: الإقصاء والاستبعاد والملاحقة والقتل السياسي والجسدي. وهنا، الجميع تحت الغربال، فليس لهم مهما اختلفت نظراتهم، غير هدف رئيس هو بلوغ الحرية. بما أن موازين القوى لا تتيح لأية قوة مهما كان وضعها أو تنظيمها نفض نير الاستبداد عن كاهلها، فإن اتحاد القوى وتوافقـها هو سبيلها الوحيد إلى الحرية. والعمل بالمشتركات يعني الانفتاح على الآخر والمختلف، ما دام شريكا في الهدف والطريق، ويعني قبول الاختلاف معه، ما دام منضويا في هذا الإطار، أي تنويعا يمكن أن يثري النظرة العامة، الجامـعة، فلـيس من المعقول أو المقبول أو المفيد في وضع كهذا تكفير الآخر والمختـلف أو إدانته أو تخوينه، ومن الضروري التمسـك بالتوافـق معه وبالمشـترك الجـامع الذي يشدنا إليه، وإلا نجح الاستبداد في بعثرة الجميع وتدميرهم، وانقلبت أولوية خصومه من العمل ضده إلى العمل ضد بعضها البعض، وضاع كل شيء.
المشكلة أن شبابا كثيرين لا يعون هذا، ويرون الثـورة بالأعـين القديمة، التي ربطتها بحزب أو تيار أو منظور محدد، صار بمرور الزمن كل من ليس فيه من «الثورة المضادة «، وبالتالي خائنا للشـعب، مع ما يسـتدعيه ذلك من معارك كلامية ومهاترات ضارة. يرفع الشباب شعـار إسـقاط النظام، فإن قال لهم أحد إن الشعار بحد ذاته لا يسقط النظام، وإنه لم يـوجد على مر التاريخ شعارات، مهما كانت تعبوية وإجـرائية، أسقـطت بمفردها النظم، وإن موازين القوى هي التي تفـعل ذلك، لذلك يجـب أن يسـهم الشعار في إقامتها، لأن النجاح يرتبط بتحقيقها ويتخطى أي شعار أو هدف، فلا بد، إذاً، من إبقاء جميع الأوراق التي قد تسهم في بنائها قيد الاستخدام، وخاصة منها ورقة الحراك السياسي، مهما بدت فرصه محدودة في لحظة معينة.
عندما تقع ثورة، تكون مهمة السياسة تسهيل انتصارها وتجنيبها الأخطاء وتوفير التضحيات غير الضرورية عليها. يحدث ذلك بفضل التشخيص الصائب للمراحل التي ستمر فيها وإيجاد حلول صحيحة لها، يقربها النجاح في كل واحدة منها من الهدف النهائي، الذي هو إسقاط النظام، ويقرب ساعة انتصارها بتمكينها من تغطية جميع جوانب العملية الثورية والحفاظ على زمام المبادرة فيها ومنع الخصم من استخدامها لصالحه، كائنا ما كانت طبيعة هذه الجوانب: سياسية أم اجتماعية أم إجرائية وتقنية. في الثورة ينتصر دوما من لديه قدرة أكبر على إدارة شؤونه بنجاح، وينتصر من يستخدم جميع دروب ومسارات العمل السياسي بانتظام وفاعلية، وينتصر من يعرف مراحله وجزئياته ويعالجها بنجاح، ويفشل من يعجز عن السيطرة على الفعل الثوري باعتباره فعلا متشعبا ومتنوعا ومليئا بالاحتمالات، التي كثيرا ما تكون مفاجئة.
هذه أساسيات أولية في أي عمل سياسي، من شأن تجاهلها أو الجهل بأهميتها جعل تكلفته مرتفعة إلى درجة قد تفضي إلى انهياره وتوقفه، أو إلى خروجه عن مساره الصحيح وذهابه إلى الفشل، مهما كانت نوايا القائمين به صادقة ومخلصة. لا مكان للجهل في ثورة تريد أن تنجح، ولا محل للانفعالات، فالثورة عمل عقلي منظم، متتابع ومتراتب، يشحنه الشعب المؤمن بضرورته بقدراته الروحية والمادية غير المحدودة، التي تكفل انتصاره، وإلا كانت فوضى و« طوشة عرب» مصيرها الفشل المحتم، مهما كانت أهدافها عادلة.
http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=2001&ChannelId=47391&ArticleId=1060&Author=%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D9%84%20%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%88

Parts of Syria’s Homs turn normal, others seem lifeless

2011-11-12

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/12/c_122269179.htm

HOMS, Syria, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — As sporadic gunfire could still be heard in Syria’s unrest-strewn city of Homs, many in the restive areas opted to remain at home. Yet in some neighborhoods, people braved the spotty gunshots for entertainment in an unusually balmy fall Friday afternoon.

In such neighborhoods as Fakhoura and Bab Tadmur which have witnessed intense violence recently, shop windows were seen smashed into pieces, while several civilian as well as police vehicles were destroyed and roads ravaged.

These neighborhoods have been the focal points of anti- governmental protests in the past weeks, and in some cases, hubs of armed resistance against the government forces.

But in other areas such as Muhajireen, Hamidiah, Zahra and Arman, life seems to have already returned to its normal pace. People were strolling around casually, smoking Shisha in street cafes, while some in a park in the Muhajireen neighborhood were enjoying the warm afternoon with a picnic atmosphere despite the crackles of distant gunfire as the backdrop.

“By God’s will, all people will be alright and our nation as well,” an old lady from Muhajireen, who goes by the honorific name of Um Muhammad, told Xinhua.

Her optimism was shared by Ahmad Kaser Ali from the Arman neighborhood. According to Ali, “the armed groups have ravaged our beautiful country … but thanks God, the situation is now better than before.”

In Arman, it is notable that there were now no army presence except for some law-enforcement vehicles and some checkpoints set up in some hotspots alleys.

However, a Xinhua cameraman said he still saw the existence of snipers near a rubble-strewn street during a tour to the Fakhoura neighborhood. And journalists were advised not to enter areas such Bab Amro and Bayada as the situation there was still considered unsafe.

Homs, Syria’s third largest city and home to about 800,000 people, has drawn worldwide attention due to the horrific reports emerging from the city over the past months. In a report released on Friday, Human Rights Watch said that security forces have killed at least 587 civilians in Homs from mid-April to the end of August.

But the Syrian government denies such claims, accusing the ” armed groups” of being behind the violence in Homs and other cities.

In the meantime, the opposition council has called on the Arab League, which is set to meet in an emergency session on Saturday to discuss Syrian crisis, to suspend Syria’s membership and back sanctions against those responsible for rights abuses.

According to activists, Homs is deemed as the center of the Syrian unrest as protests are being staged there on a daily basis and its resilient residents showing unrelenting determination to stick to their demands that have amounted to toppling the current administration.

Protests there have even turned violent and claimed the lives of a number of civilians and security agents and policemen in a revenge-related killings.

Syria’s state-run news agency said on Friday that clashes between government forces and armed groups had left five gunmen and two law-enforcement officials dead in the Bayada neighborhood in Homs.

Meanwhile, the pan-Arab al-Jazeera television said 21 people were killed across Syria on Friday during new waves of anti- government protests. It said 12 of them were killed in Homs alone.

But al-Jazeera’s toll could not be independently verified as it is based on tallies by witnesses and broad-based activists who oppose President Assad.

Syria has overtly charged that some countries are behind the unrest in the country and even fund what it called armed terrorist groups it blames for killing hundreds of policemen and military personnel across the country.

«الجامعة» تستبعد تصعيداً ضد سوريا… ودمشق ترحّب بالبعثة العربيّة
«المبادرة في بدايتها وبديلها التدخُّل الخارجي»

بات من شبه المحسوم أنّ اجتماع مجلس الجامعة العربية على مستوى وزراء الخارجية اليوم بشأن سوريا، لن يكون عاصفاً، ولن يشهد خطوات تصعيدية ضد دمشق، التي رحّبت ببعثة عربية ترصد الأوضاع ميدانياً، مع تسجيل حصيلة قتلى جديدة في جمعة «تعليق العضوية»
يدخل وزراء الخارجية العرب اجتماعهم الاستثنائي المخصص للأزمة السورية في القاهرة، اليوم، في ظل أجواء إعطاء فرصة جديدة للمبادرة العربية، التي اتفقوا عليها مع دمشق في الثاني من الشهر الجاري، مع استبعاد اتخاذهم أيّ خطوات تصعيدية ضد النظام. أجواء أشاعتها أوساط الجامعة العربية قبل وبعد الاجتماع التشاوري للجنة المكلفة الاتصال بالسلطات السورية مساء أمس. «مرونة» عربية سبقتها «إيجابية» سورية أعرب عنها المندوب السوري الدائم إلى الجامعة، يوسف الأحمد، الذي أبلغ الجامعة رسمياً، ترحيب بلاده بزيارة بعثة المؤسسة العربية للاطلاع على الأوضاع الميدانية في سوريا، وذلك بالتزامن مع يوم دامٍ جديد، أراد منظمو التظاهرات أن يكون شعاره «جمعة تعليق العضوية» السورية في الجامعة العربية، وتفاوتت حصيلة قتلاه بين 30 قتيلاً مدنياً، و26 جندياً سورياً، بحسب مصادر وكالة «رويترز»، و21 مدنياً وفق «المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان»، في مقابل 10 قتلى سقطوا «برصاص العصابات المسلحة» على حد تعبير مصادر رسمية سورية.
واستبقت دمشق القرار العربي المحتمَل صدوره عن الاجتماع الاستثنائي لمجلس وزراء الخارجية العرب في القاهرة، اليوم، الذي قد يقضي بإرسال بعثة مراقبين فوراً لفرض تطبيق المبادرة العربية، بالترحيب، والإعراب عن الاستعداد للتعاون الكامل مع هذه البعثة، مع استمرار تنافُس روايتي السلطة ومعارضيها بشأن هوية القاتل والمقتول. ورحّبت سوريا، ممثلةً بالسفير الأحمد، بزيارة بعثة من جامعة الدول العربية دمشق، وأعلنت استعدادها للتعاون التام معها، مجددةً التزامها بخطة العمل العربية لحل الأزمة في البلاد، وذلك بـ «مذكرة رسمية» وجهها الأحمد إلى الأمانة العامة للجامعة. ونقلت وكالة «سانا» عن الأحمد تأكيده أن بلاده «ملتزمة بخطة العمل العربية التي أقرها مجلس الجامعة، وهي جادة في تنفيذ بنودها، ونفذت فعلاً معظمها»، مشيراً إلى أن «زيارة بعثة الجامعة إلى سوريا ستسهم في الوقوف على حقيقة التزام سوريا بالخطة، وفي الكشف عن دوافع وأجندات بعض الأطراف الداخلية والخارجية، التي تسعى الى إفشال خطة العمل العربية».
على أثر ذلك، صدر استبعاد صريح من الجامعة العربية للّجوء إلى خيارات عقابية بحق سوريا، كتجميد عضويتها في الجامعة، التي واصل أمينها العام نبيل العربي استقبال ممثلين للمعارضة السورية. وقال نائب الأمين العام للجامعة، أحمد بن حلي، إنّ خيار تجميد عضوية سوريا كما يطالب به «المجلس الوطني السوري» أمر مستبعَد، مشيراً إلى أن الجامعة ترى أن المبادرة العربية لحل الأزمة السورية «لا تزال في بدايتها». وحذر بن حلّي، في مقابلة مع قناة «الجزيرة»، من أنّ «إغلاق الأبواب في وجه تلك المبادرة سواء من خلال تجميد عضوية سوريا، أو من خلال إغلاق الأبواب في وجه أطراف سورية معينة، سيعني فتح أبواب أخرى، ومن ضمنها التدخل الخارجي». وتابع أن «المبادرة لا تزال قائمة، لكنها تتطلب حزماً ومثابرة وجداً والتزاماً أميناً من السلطة، ومن بعض الأطراف الأخرى التي ترفع السقف، وتتعامل مع الوضع دون أن تكون لها رؤية سياسية».
وقد بحث وزراء خارجية الدول العربية الأعضاء في اللجنة المكلفة الاتصال بدمشق، برئاسة رئيس وزراء قطر، حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني، في أحد فنادق القاهرة مساء أمس، مستجدات الساحة السورية. وكشف مصدر دبلوماسي عربي لوكالة «يونايتد برس» أن الاجتماع ناقش تقريراً أعده العربي يتضمَّن نتائج الاتصالات التي أجراها على نحو عام، مع الحكومة السورية ومختلف أطياف المعارضة خلال الأيام الماضية. وأضاف المصدر إنه جرى خلال الاجتماع «تقويم مدى التزام الأطراف المعنية بالأزمة السورية ببنود المبادرة العربية الخاصة، وسُبل تذليل المعوقات التي تحول دون تنفيذها»، على أن ترفع اللجنة الوزارية العربية تقريرها النهائي إلى الاجتماع الطارئ لوزراء الخارجية اليوم، كما نقلت مصادر أخرى أنّ «تدويل أزمة سوريا عبر نقلها إلى مجلس الأمن خيار محكوم عليه بالفشل، لأن روسيا والصين تهددان باستخدام الفيتو، وتصرّان على ضرورة حشد الدعم للمبادرة». وتابعت أنّ فرض منطقة حظر جوي على سوريا أمر «لا يحظى في الأساس بأي موافقة عربية، لاقتناع العرب بضرورة عدم تطبيق النموذج الليبي في سوريا، واعتقادهم بأن تدمير سوريا الدولة يعني تعريض الأمن القومي العربي للخطر، لأنه سيفتح الساحة السورية لقوى إقليمية عديدة تتربص بالمنطقة ومستقبلها»، إضافة إلى «مخاوف العرب الجدية» من أن تشهد سوريا وجيرانها صراعاً طائفياً إذا ما سقط النظام.
وكان الوجه الأبرز في «المجلس الوطني السوري» برهان غليون، قد استبق إشارات التهدئة هذه بين دمشق والجامعة العربية، بالإصرار من روما، على مطالبة جامعة الدول العربية بأن «تجمد عضوية نظام قاتل لشعبه»، وعلى «سحب السفراء العرب من سوريا». وعشية اجتماع وزراء الخارجية العرب، اتهمت منظمة «هيومن رايتس ووتش» السلطات السورية بارتكاب «جرائم ضد الإنسانية»، وانضمّت إلى الداعين إلى «تجميد عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية»، كما حثّت المنظمة الجامعة والأمم المتحدة على فرض حظر على الأسلحة، وعقوبات على أعضاء في النظام، وعلى إحالة سوريا على المحكمة الجنائية الدولية.
ميدانياً، اختلفت أرقام الضحايا كالعادة بين مصادر المعارضة والفضائيات العربية من جهة، ومصادر النظام وتلك المقربة منه من جهة ثانية، ففيما أعلن «المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان» أن 21 شخصاً سقطوا أمس في عدد من أحياء حمص، وفي إدلب ودرعا، كشف مصدر سوريّ رسمي أن 2 من قوات حفظ النظام و5 من المسلّحين و3 مدنيين قُتلوا «على أيدي المسلحين» في أنحاء البلاد، بينما نقلت «رويترز» عن «ناشطين» تأكيدهم أن 30 مدنياً قُتلوا على أيدي قوات الأمن، في مقابل 26 جندياً.
(الأخبار، أ ف ب، أ ب، رويترز، يو بي آي)

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/25522

It doesn’t look like we should expect much from the AL. Syrians are on their own….and the blood spill is going to continue.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15703311
11 November 2011 

Tough dilemma for Arab League over Syria
By Jon Leyne
BBC News, Cairo

The headquarters of the Arab League is just a few hundred metres from Tahrir Square, in the centre of Cairo.

The effects of the demonstrations there, that unseated President Mubarak earlier this year, are still reverberating round the organisation’s headquarters.

For many years the Arab League was mocked, as the epitome of all that was wrong in the old Arab world.

It was seen as a body given to making grand statements, which only thinly veiled its powerlessness and its deep divisions.

But earlier this year, the surprise decision of the league to endorse a no-fly zone over Libya dramatically changed that assessment.

The move was crucial in building up pressure for a UN resolution, which in turn led to the Nato military intervention in Libya.

Huge divisions
Nervous of their restive populations, Arab governments had made a collective decision that, for once, changed history.

Now they face an even more tougher dilemma over the situation in Syria.

It took months of violence inside Syria, before the Arab League spoke out. Since then, the organisation has been increasingly outspoken.

Just under two weeks ago it negotiated a peace plan with Syria, which, if implemented, would have made a huge difference to the situation there.

Syria pledged to end violence against protesters, pull back its tanks, release political prisoners, and move quickly to open a political dialogue with the opposition.

Despite Syria agreeing to the peace plan, protesters continue to be killed.
But while Syria claims to be putting the plan into action, there’s little obvious sign of it on the ground.

So the Arab League once again faces the danger of being written off as irrelevant and powerless.

Once again there are huge divisions, between those Arab governments who represent the old order, and the countries which may now be moving to democracy.

But even the most conservative governments have realised that the situation in Syria has become dangerous to their own survival.

The dilemma for the members of the Arab League is how to wield their limited power.

Many Syrian opposition supporters want it to expel Syria.

It would be a bitter blow to a country proud of its support for pan-Arabism, and it could increase pressure for tough UN action, though no-one is expecting a Libyan-style military intervention.

But the move would also mark the end of the Arab League’s role in the crisis. Once Syria was out of the League, that would be it.

So it seems that for the moment, the members of the League are reluctant to go that far.

Suspicious as they are of Syria’s intentions, they are still working with its government, and with opposition groups, to try to encourage political dialogue.

No-one in the League has any illusions about the chances of success, and the suspension of Syria from membership may eventually become inevitable.

But it is clear that the Arab countries that make up the League want to exhaust every option before they take that radical step.

From the EU/Saudi/Salafist/JewJew/al-Qaeda Press:

Syria: 250 killed in 11 Days.

Nice job, Besho. Kill one more for Asma and the kids!

Anderson Cooper on 360 CNN, interviewed a Syrian activist who wanted and insisted his name to be broadcasted and displayed on the TV screen….
He spoke good enough if not excellent English…
if you watch the clip at some part of the clip you think the soldiers are the Israelis soldiers not Syrian ones the way they are dressed, it doesn’t appear the normal uniform of the Syrian army or police; “at the clip where the soldiers are pulling a child on the ground” then the Video switch to Syrian police looking at the camera… so they are not shooting but looking the camera smiling, so if the opposition is the one who are filming the video then the police won’t be smiling at the camera and if it is the pro regime taping then why the CNN broadcasting it!!!
Is it just my observation or I have a point there?
Another observation the activist referring to people in Syria suffering as being ” there” not “here” which make me think the activist lives outside Syria, therefore, video is a fabricated one if my points are accurate…. who doesn’t know that CNN is equal to Aljazeera of the ME.

an excellent video about the role of women in the Syrian revolution

An opposition site accuses Marwa of being an agent for the regime
http://the-syrian.com/archives/52496

I just do not know how long it is going to take the opposition to understand that half the loaf is better than no loaf, and i do not know how long it is going to take the government to understand that moving full speed ahead on reform and election with time table is what we need,

The question is how many people have to die before both of them recognize that they need to work for the Syrian people and save them.

Ghalioun will pay a political price for this candid interview
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%BA%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B1&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assafir.com%2FArticle.aspx%3FEditionID%3D2000%26ChannelID%3D47357%26ArticleID%3D1021&ei=W9e9TvGPDsmjtgfskpnkBg&usg=AFQjCNHbyYoke2PQgiVfyLREltT50c-9_g

Norman said
half the loaf is better than no loaf
Norman is removing half the tumor is better than removing all the tumor?or better than not removing the tumor?

Ghufran
The story about Zainab is not finished yet,Zainab has not returned to her mother yet.read AlQuds you will see more to come.

Why Is the Obama Adminstration Arming an Islamist-Led Turkey?

http://blogs.cbn.com/stakelbeckonterror/archive/2011/11/11/why-is-the-obama-adminstration-arming-an-islamist-led-turkey.aspx

Note to America, Europe and Israel: Turkey is gone and it isn’t coming back. That is, so long as it is led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist AKP Party.

Although Israeli officials speak publicly about preserving Israel’s relationship with Turkey, they know in their guts that things are beyond salvageable, thanks to Erdogan and Co.’s relentless campaign of anti-Israel demagoguery and aggression. European powers, too, must realize this instinctively as they watch their erstwhile NATO ally cozy up to Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In fact, respected Middle East analyst Daniel Pipes now believes that a rapidly radicalizing Turkey is the greatest threat, along with a the prospect of a nuclear Iran, to Middle East stability.

The Obama administration, however, seems to consider Erdogan’s Turkey a model of moderation. Administration officials have gone out of their way to praise Erdogan. And in a particularly infuriating spectacle, Obama greeted his favorite Islamist with a big hug at the G-20 meetings in Cannes last week, in full view of other world leaders (not to mention Israeli officials in Jerusalem)

This was a natural progression (regression?), I suppose, from Obama’s now-infamous bow to the King of Saudi Arabia in 2009.

In fact, Obama reportedly talks to Erdogan more than he does any other world leader, with the exception of Britain’s David Cameron. Now comes the bitter fruit of the Obama/Erdogan bro-mance, as detailed by AEI’s Michael Rubin, writing in Commentary:

Turkey’s behavior has been atrocious in recent years. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) has presided over a regime which, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Survey, is now the world’s most anti-American. Statistics released by Turkey’s Justice Ministry to Turkey’s own parliament show that, under AKP tutelage, the murder rate of women in Turkey hasincreased 1,400 percent.

Erdoğan has placed more than five dozen journalists in prison; many have never had the opportunity to defend themselves in court. Turkey now ranks alongside Russia among the worst offenders of press freedom in the industrialized world. Namik Tan, the Turkish ambassador in Washington, has marred his tenure by facilitating the threatening of critics of Erdoğan in the United States. In recent months, Turkish ministers have even threatened Israel and Cyprus with military force.

So what does President Obama propose to do? Send Super Cobra helicopters and perhaps even armed Predators to Turkey to fight Kurdish insurgents. Granted, Turkey has been fighting a Kurdish insurgency for almost 30 years, and the United States already provides real time intelligence to support Turkish forces.

In the past, the Pentagon has declined to send Super Cobra helicopters and additional Predators to Turkey because they were needed in Afghanistan. Defense officials have not explained to Congress why the Super Cobras and Predators are no longer needed to support our troops who are putting their lives on the line to secure Afghanistan and, with it, American national interests.

Read it all. While you’re at it, click here to watch what another notorious Turkish Islamist is up to on American soil.

The Gülen Movement: A New Islamic World Order? – June 04, 2011

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/May/The-Gulen-Movement-The-New-Islamic-World-Order/

Gülen a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a modern day Ayatollah Khomeini. CBN News recently took a closer look at the the life of the reclusive imam who directs a global Islamic movement from the Pennsylvania mountains.

Newspaper: Israel’s spy drone crashes in Turkey – 11 November 2011

Israel’s drone ‘Heron’ crashed in the Mediterranean Sea area near the Karatas district in the Adana city, Turkey, the Sabah newspaper reported.

According to reports, local fishermen revealed the crashed drone and then it was sent to Ankara to the appropriate authorities for a specific analysis.

District Governor Mustafa Kilic refused to comment on this fact, saying that he lacks clear information about it.

Memo to: NORMAN

RE: “…I just do not know how long it is going to take the opposition to understand that half the loaf is better than no loaf…”

Half a loaf doesn’t work. It’s been tried in Zimbabwe. The problem is, people like Besho will NEVER share. You could pass a thousand laws about sharing power and it wouldn’t matter. Pigs always remain pigs.

If you want reform, you have to kill Besho or exile him.

Our paper tiger begging for foreign aid – Friday, November 11, 2011

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey–appeals-for-foreign-aid-2011-11-11

Turkey has renewed its appeal for foreign aid following the minor earthquake that killed at least 22 people in Van days after the southeastern city was hit by a quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, the Anatolia news agency reported Friday.

The toppling of nearly two dozen buildings in Van as a result of the 5.6-magnitude quake increased fear among locals that their houses could also be toppled, which kept them outside in harsh winter conditions. With growing demand for shelter from the government, the Foreign Ministry decided to renew its appeal for more tents and houses from countries that wish to help.

Turkey’s appeal was made upon the instruction of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to the countries that expressed their intention to assist Turkey.

Turkey’s appeal also reached Israel, which sent prefabricated houses to Turkey right after the first earthquake. Israel will likely send the second round of its assistance by sea, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Turkey had refused foreign assistance in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 23 earthquake but later announced its willingness to accept aid. Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç explained the reason for refusing foreign assistance was that Turkey could handle the results of the earthquake and did not want to create chaos in the earthquake zone.

Syria sends 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Turkey’s quake-hit Van
04 November 2011, Friday / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-261870–syria-sends-40-tons-of-humanitarian-aid-to-turkeys-quake-hit-van.html

Syria has sent 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Turkey’s Van province, which was struck by a powerful earthquake on Oct. 23, despite worsening relations between the two countries due to Turkey’s opposition to an ongoing government crackdown in the neighboring country.

The Anatolia news agency reported on Friday, quoting Syria’s state-run news agency SANA, that the Syrian minister responsible for the Syrian Red Crescent Society, Joseph Sweid, said a plane loaded with 40 tons of humanitarian aid was sent to Van on the orders of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The quake in Van left more than 600 people dead and in excess of 4,000 injured. The quake victims are still staying in tents and mobile homes set up in the province.

The aid that was delivered to Turkey in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent Society reportedly includes 500 tents. Chairman of the Syrian Red Crescent Society Abdul Rahman Attar also said the materials dispatched are just initial aid and intended to show solidarity with the quake victims.

Turkey, once a close ally of the Syrian president, has gradually toughened its criticism of the Syrian regime for its brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests. Last month Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed Assad, suggesting that Syria would be the next country on the Arab Spring list and that Assad would eventually be ousted by his own people.

Iraq pullout blinds U.S. intel operations – Nov. 9, 2011

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/11/09/Iraq-pullout-blinds-US-intel-operations/UPI-90721320860479/?spt=hs&or=tn

BAGHDAD, Nov. 9 (UPI) — The U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq is cutting off vital intelligence bases and listening posts that have played a key role in clandestine operations that have scored major successes in the global counter-terrorism campaign.

The Central Intelligence Agency, which until recently operated outside the military establishment, is expected to stay on in various guises within the 17,000 U.S. personnel who will remain under State Department jurisdiction.

The CIA has become increasingly militarized since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and most of its establishment — including a heavily enlarged paramilitary division — is engaged in the counter-terrorism battle to one degree or another.

And with Gen. David Petraeus, the former military commander in Iraq and Afghanistan who wrote the army’s counter-insurgency manual, now the director of the CIA, the agency can be expected to maintain some covert operations.

Even so, the loss of clandestine facilities means “there will be a considerable lapse in and degradation of the U.S. intelligence-gathering and situational awareness capabilities in Iraq,” observed U.S.-based global intelligence consultancy Stratfor.

One of the major drawbacks to the military withdrawal is that Iraq’s intelligence and security services, heavily infiltrated by Shiite groups with strong links to Iran, are not likely to be capable of waging an effective and non-sectarian counter-terrorism campaign.

U.S. military intelligence and Special Forces ran operations against Iran and its proxies in Iraq, and even into Syria, Iraq’s northern neighbor and Tehran’s key ally, intelligence sources say.

With tension escalating between the Islamic Republic and the United States, not to mention Israel, the closures could impede such operations.

Iran’s influence in Iraq is expected to swell as U.S. power departs, compounding the loss of these intelligence bases around the country.

Iran has an extensive and deeply entrenched clandestine network across the entire Gulf region, and with the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq the way will be more open to expand that network across Iraq, into Syria and Lebanon, right up to Israel’s doorstep.

Without the intelligence bases in Iraq, American efforts to prevent Iran filling the power vacuum in Iraq will be seriously weakened.

“The problem is Iran’s military power in Iraq is primarily covert and unconventional, including both proxies and militias composed of Iraqis and clandestine operatives that can effectively move into and around Iraq with considerable freedom,” Stratfor noted.

One possibility to limit the damage is building a wider counter-terrorism apparatus in Turkey, Iraq’s northern neighbor, a growing power in the region and a longtime NATO ally.

But that could come with a hefty political price tag.

Turkey has been pressing U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration since June to provide it with MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor separatist rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK, it is fighting in southern Anatolia and their havens in Iraq’s Kurdish enclave.

Turkey’s need for UAVs has heightened amid reports Heron surveillance craft acquired from Israel before the two allies broke up in 2010 are currently undergoing maintenance in Israel.

To counter this, the Americans plan to redeploy some Predators, which they used as missile-armed killer-hunters in Iraq, to the big U.S. air base at Incirlik in southern Turkey for anti-PKK operations.

The Turks have been heavily dependent on U.S. intelligence on PKK movements.

But using U.S. drones based in Turkey could drag the Americans into yet another seemingly intractable Middle Eastern conflict just as they’re extricating themselves from a disastrous nine-year occupation in Iraq.

Classified diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal Turkey has persistently pressed Washington to step up its involvement against the PKK before the U.S. pullout wraps up Dec. 31.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sept. 24 the Americans have agreed “in principle” to station the Predators in Turkey as the 27-year-old war against the PKK escalates.

There have been some strains between Washington and Ankara in recent years, but several weeks ago the Turks agreed to station U.S. advanced radar units in their country to monitor ballistic missile launches in Iran.

U.S. cooperation with Erdogan on intelligence and security issues was given impetus after the joint Turkish-U.S. Kurdistan intelligence center in Erbil, capital of the semiautonomous Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, closed in October.

Soon after, PKK guerrillas mounted near-simultaneous attacks on eight military targets in southeastern Turkey, killing 26 Turkish soldiers Oct. 19.

Yes,majed,zainab story is not finished yet,it is possible that she was used to discredit the opposition,but the truth is that there are so much misinformation and a great deal of lying from all sides in Syria.I can not wait for this nightmare to end.

30. majedkhaldounsaid:

Norman said
half the loaf is better than no loaf
Norman is removing half the tumor is better than removing all the tumor?or better than not removing the tumor?

Majed,

As you well know that when a patient has Glioblastoma( Brain Cancer ) for the non doctors here, the Neurosurgeon does not remove all the tumor, but does remove as much as he can without killing the patient by removing normal Brain, sometime he might even do surgery at all if the surgery can cause the death of the patient, what the opposition is doing in Syria is killing the patient for the sake of removing all the cancer, can you see the similarity here, i think everybody should think about that , Syria is dieing for trying to be idealistic with the results.

De bulking here is the standard as it is in Syria then radiation and chemotherapy afterward.

We also do that for Ovarian cancer also then do chemotherapy .

So Majed, go to the golden rule of medicine,

(( First do no harm))

——————————————————————————–

شهادتان متضاربتان عن حقيقة ما يجري في سوريا

صلاح أحمد GMT 17:00:00 2011 الجمعة 11 نوفمبر

للجيش حضور قوي في معظم كبريات المدن السورية

يصعب على العالم الخارجي أن يلم بتفاصيل ما يدور في المدن السورية التي تشهد انتفاضاتها ضد النظام، بسبب منع الصحافيين الأجانب من دخول البلاد. ولهذا يحتار المرء أمام ما يقوله المعارضون من انقضاض شرس على مظاهراتهم السلمية وأحيائهم، وما تقوله الحكومة من اسغلال «إرهابيين» للوضع.

——————————————————————————–

تبعا لجماعات المعارضة السورية يوم الخميس فقد قتلت قوات الأمن 30 شخصاً على الأقل، منهم 15 في حمص وضواحيها. وجاء هذا الاتهام متباينا مع البيانات الحكومية التي قالت إن الحياة اليومية في هذه المنطقة تحديدا عادية وإن الأطفال يستمتعون مع أهاليهم ببقية عطلة عيد الأضحى.

ووفقا لصحيفة «لوس أنجليس تايمز» فقد صارت هذه التقارير المتضاربة جزءا من القلاقل التي تدخل شهرها الثامن الآن وبدون نهاية حاسمة تلوح في الأفق. وبالنسبة للعالم الخارجي فمن الصعب التعرف على حقيقة ما يدور لأن الحكومة تمنع الصحافيين والعديد غيرهم من دخول البلاد.

الأمم المتحدة نفسها تلقي باللائمة على نظام الرئيس بشار الأسد في ما تسميه تعامله مع جموع المتظاهرين بشكل «وحشي» راح ضحيته نحو 3 آلاف و500 قتيل منذ بد الانتفاضة في مارس / آاذر الماضي. ومصداقا لهذا يقول نشطاء المعارضة إن قوات الأمن تطلق النار بدون تمييز على المدنيين. ومن جهتها تتهم الحكومة من تسمّيهم «إرهابيين» بقتل أكثر من ألف من عناصر الأمن.

وقد كان بين القتلى يوم الخميس رضيع في حمص توفي متأثرا بنزيف حاد في القولون. وتبعا للجان تنسيق المعارضة فقد لقي هذا الطفل حتفه بسبب رفض قوات الأمن تسليم عبوات الدم للمستشفى الذي نقل اليه. وقال ناطقون باسم المتظاهرين إن خمسة أشخاص آخرين قتلوا في حماة وتسعة في محافظة ادلب.

وفي هذه الأخيرة قالت وكالة السورية إن عدد القتلى أكبر كثيرا من هذا وألقت باللائمة على من تسميهم «إرهابيين». وقالت إن شقيقين، أحدهما في الثامنة والآخر في العاشرة من العمر، قتلا في قرية المعلقة، منطقة ادلب، في انفجار بمنزل مهجور خبأ فيه اولئك الإرهابيون قنابلهم. ونقلت عن قريب للطفلين القتيلين اسمه محمد علوان قوله: «حتى الأطفال الأبرياء لا يسلمون من جرائم الإرهابيين الشنعاء».

ووفقا لجماعات المعارضة فقد ضربت قوات الأمن حصارا على معاقلهم في حمص خلال الأيام العشرة الأخيرة وقتلت العشرات وقطعت الخدمات الأساسية عن المنطقة. ولهذا فقد أعلنت هذه الجماعات حمص «منطقة كارثة إنسانية» وطلبت العون الدولي لإغاثتها.

لكن وكالة الأنباء الرسمية قالت يوم الخميس إنها حاورت مدراء المخابز والمياه والنظافة في المنطقة وسألتهم عن سير الأحوال فيها. فكانت ردودهم جميعا أن كل شيء على ما يرام، «على عكس ما تروّجه أجهزة إعلامية ذات غرض» كما قالت الوكالة. ولكن، تبعا للوكالة نفسها، فالثابت هو أن حمص «بحاجة الى كثير من العمل لإصلاح التخريب والأعطاب في شبكة المواصلات والطرق، بسبب أنشطة الإرهابيين».

وتقول قوى المعارضة إن أحياء بأكملها في حمص – مثل باب عمرو وباب السباع – عانت من ويلات الحصار والقصف العنيف من جانب القوات الحكومية. لكن الوكالة ترد على هذا بالقول إن المواطنين الذين تحدث اليهم مراسلونها في هذين الحيين ينقلون صورة مغايرة ويقولون إن المتاجر والمطاعم مفتوحة كالعادة والحياة اليومية تسير بدن ما يعكّر صفوها.

http://www.elaph.com/Web/news/2011/11/695178.html

إغلاق النافذة

I have been reading other sites on Syria and some of the people who comment here and on other sites as well, describing people here with much insults, uncivilized language and in a slang language white trash quality…
it is same language they use here. it is unfortunate that educated people never achieve civility or democracy, you can educate a person but you can’t change the “Anima” it is not learned in school but but acquired through continuous struggle with self.
It is the problem of the some of the opposition they want their own opinion to rule ( that’s why attacked each other in Cairo) and heck with the rest which make them no different then the current regime, and if you don’t agree with their opinion or their way of living then you are outlawed and should not exist or should not be around at least.

It is amazing that this complex psychological futile fight is still exist in the 21st century, many people in the world accept the others existence, but not the Muslims.

Democracy is when you are willing to defend other right to speech in spite of not agreeing with your opinion, unless it turns into destruction which I agree with Norman that the opposition is killing Syria to achieve their way of living and have their way of life is the rule for others.

Being a doctor or anything else doesn’t make person civilized, in fact many of the radicalized closed minded people are educated… that applies to many of the Doctors, professors,engineers, Muslim brotherhood in the west. If education doesn’t trigger questioning life and religion then it is a lost opportunity, wisdom is never accepting the conventional thing.
You may think that being educated make them open minded to other ways of life, people would like to live.
Either they run away by taking their family back to the backward countries they came from, or they try to destroy and attack the new country to moved to. Muslims are the only religion couldn’t adopt to the new life in the west, in opposite to other religions like Indians, Chinese etc…
I think the west is allowing the Radical to take over the ME, so the population will reject them after they have a taste of them, but the west is naive in this theory because the common people in the ME believe naively in the destiny and “god will” in anything they are given and never challenge the status quo based on religion only that is the status of Hamas in the Gaza strip people are dying meanwhile the leaders are pocking the foreign aid they receive.

Making sense of Syria
by Helena Cobban

“The alternatives to finding a negotiated outcome to the Syrian conflict are now all far, far worse…. As I’ve been saying like a broken record for six months now, in Syria both the regime and the opposition are resilient and won’t be defeated easily. Trying to find a negotiated and democratic way out of this impasse still seems like the best– indeed, the only– way forward. And this negotiation should only be over the form of governance inside Syria– that is, a negotiation for how a transition to democracy will be implemented– and not a negotiation over outcomes, i.e., that “Asad must go”, or whatever. It must be a negotiation that keeps a place at the table for the representatives of all significant forces in society on the basis of preserving the patriotic unity of the country and its people that they all so desperately need, despite– or rather, precisely because of– the depth of the wounds and resentments they bear from the recent and the more distant past. And they need it, too, because of the continuing state of war with Israel and the presence of very threatening Israeli forces looming on Jebel al-Shaikh right over the approaches to Damascus.”

“Look, you think it was easy for South Africans to overcome their resentments in 1992-94 and sit down at the table together? But who among the democrats of western countries is not glad today that they did so? Almost nobody. So why should we not support a negotiated transition to democracy in the case of Syria, also? (The Crisis Group report was quite right, by the way, to point out that Washington’s repeated calls for regime change in Syria have been extremely unhelpful…)”

Read it all…
http://justworldnews.org/archives/004233.html

The comments at the end are very interesting also.

Another story of regime fabrication has been exposed by Revolution activists.
Photos of rockets, claimed to have been found in FSA hideouts were actually copied and pasted from Hizballah and Palestenian websites.

The following link is to a video of a demonstration comparing the aired Photos with originals from the alluded to websites.

Regime’s media and suppoters word is as good as Thug One’s; a pathological lie!

كشف حقيقة الصواريخ التي اكتشفت في بابا عمرو وكيف فبركت

Uploaded by tudmer on Nov 9, 2011
هذه بعض المواقع اللبنانية والفلسطينية التي تمت سرقة الصور م

Announcement by a group of defectors,
Jabal AlZawiyeh, Idlib
Friday of Freezing of Regime membership in AL.
10/11/2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikMEDJ8yTi4&feature=player_embedded

I, Policeman Mohammad AlKhidr hereby announce the formation of the unit of Martyr Sleiman Ibrahim.
We are joining AlHarmoush Phalange in their defence of civilians
Long live proud Syria.

Revlon
اصبحنا واصبح الكذب
طلعلنا بشي كم انشقاق بالله

28. NORMAN
“I just do not know how long it is going to take the opposition to understand that half the loaf is better than no loaf, and i do not know how long it is going to take the government to understand that moving full speed ahead on reform and election with time table is what we need,”

What half loaf are you talking about? You must be out of your mind. The only thing the Assad regime offered were lies and massacres.

Those protesting in Syria want liberty from this barbaric regime and they are willing to pay the price. The reason why you’re in this country is because someone once said “Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!” Maybe you should go back home and offer your great advice to the Assad mafia. I am sure they’ll be all ears.

Just a thought while Revlon is coming up with more lies:
If the next president is Alawi,he will be hated by Sunnis
If he is Sunni,he will be hated by Alawis
If he is Kurd ,he will be hated by Arabs
If he is Durzi,he will be hated by Sunnis
If he is Christian ,he will be hated by All

Conclusion:SYRIA WILL BE DEVIDED

Guess what? It’s not only the Syrian mukhabaraat who are famously low-tech. In the US too some high-level top-brass don’t know how to use Google.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MK11Ak02.html
‘Soviet nuclear scientist’ a rough diamond
By Gareth Porter

WASHINGTON – The report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published by a Washington think-tank on Tuesday repeated the sensational claim previously reported by news media all over the world that a former Soviet nuclear weapons scientist had helped Iran construct a detonation system that could be used for a nuclear weapon.

But it turns out that the foreign expert, who is not named in the IAEA report but was identified in news reports as Vyacheslav Danilenko, is not a nuclear weapons scientist but one of the top specialists in the world in the production of nanodiamonds by explosives.

In fact, Danilenko, a Ukrainian, has worked solely on nanodiamonds from the beginning of his research career and is

considered one of the pioneers in the development of nanodiamond technology, as published scientific papers confirm.

It now appears that the IAEA and David Albright, the director of the International Institute for Science and Security in Washington, who was the source of the news reports about Danilenko, never bothered to check the accuracy of the original claim by an unnamed “Member State” on which the IAEA based its assertion about his nuclear weapons background.

Albright gave a “private briefing” for “intelligence professionals” last week, in which he named Danilenko as the foreign expert who had been contracted by Iran’s Physics Research Center in the mid-1990s and identified him as a “former Soviet nuclear scientist”, according to a story by Joby Warrick of the Washington Post on November 5.

The Danilenko story then went worldwide.

The IAEA report says the agency has “strong indications” that Iran’s development of a “high explosions initiation system”, which it has described as an “implosion system” for a nuclear weapon, was “assisted by the work of a foreign expert who was not only knowledgeable on these technologies, but who, a Member State has informed the Agency, worked for much of his career in the nuclear weapons program of the country of his origin.”

The report offers no other evidence of Danilenko’s involvement in the development of an initiation system.

The member state obviously learned that Danilenko had worked during the Soviet period at the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics in Snezhinsk, Russia, which was well known for its work on development of nuclear warheads and simply assumed that he had been involved in that work.

However, further research would have revealed that Danilenko worked from the beginning of his career in a part of the Institute that specialized in the synthesis of diamonds. Danilenko wrote in an account of the early work in the field published in 2006 that he was among the scientists in the “gas dynamics group” at the Institute who were “the first to start studies on diamond synthesis in 1960”.

Danilenko’s recollections of the early period of his career are in a chapter of the book, Ultrananocrystalline Diamond: Synthesis, Properties and Applications edited by Olga A Shenderova and Dieter M Gruen, published in 2006.

Another chapter in the book covering the history of Russian patents related to nanodiamonds documents the fact that Danilenko’s center at the Institute developed key processes as early as 1963-1966 that were later used at major “detonation nanodiamond” production centers.

Danilenko left the Institute in 1989 and joined the Institute of Materials Science Problems in Ukraine, according to the authors of that chapter.

Danilenko’s major accomplishment, according to the authors, has been the development of a large-scale technology for producing ultradispersed diamonds, a particular application of nanodiamonds. The technology, which was later implemented by the ALIT company in Zhitomir, Ukraine, is based on an explosion chamber 100 square meters in volume, which Danilenko designed.

Beginning in 1993, Danilenko was a principal in a company called Nanogroup which was established initially in Ukraine but is now based in Prague. The company’s website boasts that it has “the strongest team of scientists” which had been involved in the “introduction of nanodiamonds in 1960 and the first commercial applications of nanodiamonds in 2000”.

The declared aim of the company is to supply worldwide demand for nanodiamonds.

Iran has an aggressive program to develop its nanotechnology sector, and it includes as one major focus nanodiamonds, as blogger Moon of Alabama has pointed out. That blog was the first source to call attention to Danilenko’s nanodiamond background.

Danilenko clearly explained that the purpose of his work in Iran was to help the development of a nanodiamond industry in the country.

The report states that the “foreign expert” was in Iran from 1996 to about 2002, “ostensibly to assist in the development of a facility and techniques for making ultra dispersed diamonds (UDDs) or nanodiamonds”. That wording suggests that nanodiamonds were merely a cover for his real purpose in Iran.

The report says the expert “also lectured on explosive physics and its applications”, without providing any further detail about what applications were involved.

The fact that the IAEA and Albright were made aware of Danilenko’s nanodiamond work in Iran before embracing the “former Soviet nuclear weapons specialist” story makes their failure to make any independent inquiry into his background even more revealing.

The tale of a Russian nuclear weapons scientist helping construct an “implosion system” for a nuclear weapon is the most recent iteration of a theme that the IAEA introduced in its May 2008 report, which mentioned a five-page document describing experimentation with a “complex multipoint initiation system to detonate a substantial amount of high explosives in hemispherical geometry” and to monitor the detonation.

Iran acknowledged using “exploding bridge wire” detonators such as those mentioned in that document for conventional military and civilian applications. But it denounced the document, along with the others in the “alleged studies” collection purporting to be from an Iranian nuclear weapons research program, as fakes.

Careful examination of the “alleged studies” documents has revealed inconsistencies and other anomalies that give evidence of fraud. But the IAEA, the United States and its allies in the IAEA continue to treat the documents as though there were no question about their authenticity.

The unnamed member state that informed the agency about Danilenko’s alleged experience as a Soviet nuclear weapons scientist is almost certainly Israel, which has been the source of virtually all the purported intelligence on Iranian work on nuclear weapons over the past decade.

Israel has made no secret of its determination to influence world opinion on the Iranian nuclear program by disseminating information to governments and news media, including purported Iran government documents. Israeli Foreign Ministry and intelligence officials told journalists Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins about the special unit of Mossad dedicated to that task at the very time the fraudulent documents were being produced.

In an interview in September 2008, Albright said Olli Heinonen, then deputy director for safeguards at the IAEA, had told him that a document from a member state had convinced him that the “alleged studies” documents were genuine. Albright said the state was “probably Israel”.

The Jerusalem Post’s Yaakov Katz reported on Wednesday that Israeli intelligence agencies had “provided critical information used in the report”, the purpose of which was to “push through a new regime of sanctions against Tehran”.

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in US national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

Norman
Debulking does not save life, it may prolong life.the end is death.

AL may suspend Syria membership in AL

Freezing Syria memebership is very serious matter,it will mean closing all relations with Syria by several members of AL, relations that include political,trade and financial relations, Syria is increasingly isolating itself,by lying,and continue the brutal crackdown,Bashar does not learn from Gaddafi mistakes,he is far from reality now.
Freezing will increase internationalization of the crisis,increase a lot the possibikity of regional military intereference, regional means forces in the region,this includes unfortunately American forces in Iraq,possibly, look for Turkish action.

Rummors about security services´and political high ranks families leaving through Aleppo Airport in large amounts.

Sandro
Mamlook Family left to Russia,I know of some came to USA with million dollar.
Where would Asma go to?

The Arab League plan was a ruse. Among its articles, it called for the withdrawal of all forces, negotiations, presence of Arab representatives and world media. Wonderful!? Who could object expect “evil incarnate?”

While the government forces withdraw no counter requirement like ending marches and issuing harrowing videos were required of the rebels. It has been a central tenet in this rebellion to seek out confrontation so as to garner international support. The withdrawal of government forces without a counter halt to acts of face-offs by the dissidents would incite more violence. Sectarian killings like that of an attack upon a bus of Alawites would escalate. In addition, it would underwrite the rebels efforts to disrupt the economic and social fields to bring about the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. For all the reporting on the turmoil, who and how many Syrians line up for or against (or just waiting to see who wins) Assad remains uncertain. Even if the rebels represent 25% of the population, it is not a majority and they cannot claim to speak for the country.

How can one object to talks? If any real hope lies with maintaining a united political entity–Syria–and avoiding ethnic and sectarian bloodshed, then discussions hold the best chance. Bashar al-Assad certainly would represent his government. Who is going to represent the opposition? Crucial problems of who the opposition are and what they represent makes such communications almost impossible. If the dissidents represent the will of the people (which has not been demonstrated), who is the spokesperson? What is poorly understood in the US is that the opponents of forty years of Assads rule are composed of wide variety of groups–religious, regional, tribal, ethnic, and certainly foreign. The plethora of groups purporting to represent the opposition lie in Istanbul, Paris, Damascus, etc. Names of coordinators, writers, politicians, etc. whirl by with no one able to lay claim to speak for these elements. Often, one person contradicts another as to their right to speak for Assad’s opponents. Worse, these groups do not advocate a coherent political-economic-social manifesto as a counterbalance to the present system. Bashar has no viable leader to negotiate with to reach any accommodation other then signing a death sentence for himself, family, and supporters.

The presence of Arab representatives is a farce. Individuals from former Iraq? A clear picture of national disintegration. Libya? The carnage has not stopped. Egypt? Syria already has its military in charge. Bahrain? Saudi Arabia? Yemen? I thought the idea was promoting Democracy. Syria has angered its “brotherly neighbors” in the past and now in the present. When Hafez rescued the Maronites from Sunni-Lebanese leftist-Palestinians in 1976, it was criticized. When Syria backed Iran in its war with Iraq, diplomatic isolation, economic hardship and material aid to the regime’s opponents occurred. Presently, the US sponsored war fever against Iran has Syria a target for destruction as our Arab minions line up against Damascus.

As for the allowing the press in, eight months of one sided news reporting is certainly not reassuring that it would change or improve. Major news sources such as CNN, BBC, AFP, AP, Reuters, and Al Jazeera have long made their choice of which side they were on. The litany of false and/or exaggerated stories speaks for itself. Iranians are taking part in suppressing the rebels. Hezbollah has sent its forces to assist Assad. Distressing videos of confrontation that originate outside the country. The young lesbian Syrian being oppressed (clever American male). The tortured and beheaded teenage girl. The use of unverified claims of torture in hospitals as well as grabbing babies from incubators (remember Kuwait 1990?). Given the nature of position of the governments that these news outlets represent, why would Bashar al-Assad believe that they could ever possibly broadcast differently?

The push to remove one more obstacle (however minor) to insuring a US dominated Middle East will not end with the removal of Bashar al-Assad. The Arabs have proven themselves to be easily divided and controlled. Augustus Caesar would be proud.

Sandro, Majed
So with such good news, why calling for more bloodshed and weapons to fill up the country?

I would think London is still a good hideout for all exdictators. There they could have a family reunion with their counterparts of Rifaat. I think Tehran would be the last option for them, also Saudi Arabia, one must be quite desperate to seek asylum there.

Wasting more time is wasting more lives!

Reinoud Leenders’ view of “Let’s call the Syrian regime’s bluff and bring the Arab League initiative to the UN Security Council” seems to resonate with Ghalioun’s in his interview with Assafir, a couple of days ago”; Both are naive at best, and complacent with the ongoing plight of Syrian civilians at worst.

Jr’s bluff has been called several times since the beginning of the Syrian revolution.
Every time he was caught, he or his benefactors claimed that the cards were bad and asked for a new round of cards!

The first one was when he said he wanted a few weeks to introduce the reforms.
Hundreds of Syrians, including women and children paid the price with their lives “Calling Jr’s 1st bluff”

That was followed by several, successive, non-stop calls for grace periods to allow for the following initiatives to succeed: National dialogue, Turkish plan, Russians and Chinese mediation, Arab League first and second attempts, and now the genius plan of AL cum UN plan!
Hundreds more of civilians, including women and children have paid their life as a result of the regime’s intransigence and the preoccupation of the regional and international community with the fidelity of the political card game; The priority of protecting civilians and saving lives became neglected.

Here is my argument for the futility of the suggestion of an AL/UN plan.

FIRST
The AL plan ceiling is the regimes’; Reforms under the auspices of Asad.
The ceiling was guaranteed by the veto of Algeria and Sudan and the ambivalence of several other members. This ceiling is a no starter for either the revolution or for their representative, the SNC.

SECOND
The AL initiative is an agreement in principles. It is as vague as the infamous Oslo agreement (OA) between the PLO and Israel was. More than 20 years later, people are still unsure whether OA is alive, in ICU, or dead.
What is certain however is that thousands of Palestinians have died since, without realising their hopes from the agreement.

Questions to ponder:
Is the AL borne yet?
Is it in the ICU?
Is it dead?

Taking the plan to the UN would provide Jr two additional resolute supporters; China and Russia.
Their veto shall guarantee the same ceiling for any reform process.
Russia and China’s terms and conditions on the process of implementation and monitoring would by necessity favour their interests, through promoting the regime’s!

More questions to ponder:
Will the AL/UN plan be borne?
How many times and for how long each time is it going to the ICU?
Is it going to die? And when?

Personally! I do not give a damn!

The UN need to learn their lessons from the AL agreement, draw their own conclusions and refocus their efforts and diplomacy on extending their power of protection to the Syrian public, vested in their Charter of human rights and related agreements.

In the meanwhile, The SNC need to seek support for empowering the FSA and the implementation of other ground measures that could stop the regime’s killing machine.

More bad news for the regime and good news for Aleppine revolutionists.

13 cadets of Aleppo’s Police Academy have defected and joined the Free Syrian Army.

Friday of Freezing of Regime membership in AL
إنشقاق جماعي لطلاب مدرسة الشرطة في حلب 11-11-2011

فيلسوف سورية انقلب على النظام وتحدث إلى الوطن من حمص المنكوبة
Homs Philosopher breaks with the regime.

د. طيب تيزيني لبشار الأسد: تنحّ.. وليرحل نظامك «الفاسد»
Homs Philosopher, Attayyeb Tizini to Asad: Step aside, and let your rotten regime go away.
2011/11/10

07:36 م
Hasan Abdallah
http://alwatan.kuwait.tt/ArticleDetails.aspx?Id=150534

كتب حسن عبدالله ووكالات:
في مفاجأة ربما تأخرت كثيرا.. انتقل فيلسوف سورية د.طيب تيزيني من مربع المطالبين بالحوار مع النظام في سورية الى المطالبة بتنحي الرئيس بشار الاسد وتفكيك دولته الامنية.. والدعوة الى انتخابات رئاسية وبرلمانية نزيهة «للمحافظة على سورية من التفكيك».

وفي تصريحات خاصة لـ«الوطن» عبر الهاتف من حمص المنكوبة قال د.طيب تيزيني انه لم يعد امام النظام في سورية الا ان يرحل ويترك الفرصة لغيره من دعاة الاصلاح كي ينقذوا ما يمكن انقاذه حتى لا تنهار سورية وتضيع في حالة من التدخلات الاجنبية او التفكيك.

واضاف د.طيب تيزيني الذي اختارته المانيا ضمن اهم مائة فيلسوف في القرن العشرين انه شارك في منتديات الحوار السابقة وطرح اطروحات اصلاحية ثم فوجئ بهجوم شديد عليه من الاوساط السياسية الحاكمة «مما يشير الى ان النظام السوري لم يعد يريد الاصلاح ولا هو قادر عليه وانه قد استنفد كل الفرص المتاحة له».

واكد د.طيب تيزيني في حوار خاص مع «الوطن» تنشره كاملا قريبا انه لا يمكن الحديث عن مفاوضات او حوار مع النظام في ظل القصف بالدبابات والصواريخ والمدافع، وانسداد الطريق امام الاصلاح «من خلال هؤلاء الذين امتلكوا كل شيء وافسدوا كل شيء».

واشار الى ان السوريين فقدوا الثقة في إيران وحزب الله اللذين يقتلان السوريين في الشوارع جنباً الى جنب مع النظام، منوهاً بأن حسن نصرالله وخامنئي يكيلان بمكيالين «ففي رأيهم ان ما يحدث في مصر ثورة من أجل الحرية أما ما يدور في سورية فهو مؤامرة غربية صهيونية.. وهذا أساء كثيراً الى الشعب السوري وشكك في مصداقيتهما».

وفيما يتعلق بحمص التي يسكنها قال د. طيب تيزيني ان حمص التي تمثل «خزاناً» استراتيجياً لإنتاج الثقافة السياسية والوطنية تتعرض لقصف مروع، وانه شاهد بعينيه اقاربه ومعارفه تقصف بيوتهم ويُقتلون ويُعذبون ويُعتقلون.

…… More

Defected Regime TV Camera man to Al Arabia:
– Purported, casual interviews with civilians in the streets are forced upon them, and their statements are dictated by regime security.
– All purportedly confiscated arms and munitions are the security forces’. They do the lay out for their display.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnDltKtr76E&feature=player_embedded
مصور قناة الدنيا اليوسف يكشف ألاعيب وكذب القناة 11\11\2011

Looking at Fadwa Sulyman’s picture wearing the traditional Arab headdress overwhelms me with a great sense of pride and humility.  Proud of being a Syrian and humble in front of the inner beauty and strength of these great women of the Syrian revolution.

This headdress looks way more worthy than any Louboutin shoes Asma can wear.    

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/11/syria-actress-fadwa-sulaym-protest-hunger-strike.html

REPORTING FROM BEIRUT — Criticizing President Bashar Assad and denouncing the government are risky moves in Syria. Artists are not immune. Some who dared to speak out  have reportedly been targeted.

An amateur Syrian poet in the troubled city of Hama, Ibrahim Qashoush, penned anti-regime lyrics that became popular among protesters, who chanted one of his compositions: “Come on, Bashar, time to leave.”

In July, opposition activists say, his body was found, his throat slit, in a river in his hometown. The widely reported account of his death could not be independently confirmed.

In August, masked gunmen in the Syrian capital, Damascus, reportedly attacked renowned cartoonist Ali Farzat after the appearance of a series of his caricatures mocking Assad. The assailants broke his hand and left him bleeding on a road in the capital, according to published accounts.

Such reports, however, have not deterred Fadwa Sulayman, a Syrian actress who has taken a very public stance against the regime and become a heroine in opposition circles. Assad supporters are said to be furious.

She has emerged as a rebellious woman championing  a movement mostly featuring men. Earlier this week, Sulayman appeared alongside protesters in the besieged city of Homs during a live interview with Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab television news channel.

She denounced what she called government efforts to sow sectarian hatred. The regime says Sunni Muslim extremists are behind the violence. Protesters blame security service thugs.

“Regardless of how the regime plays the [sectarian] card … we are proving this is not true,” she told Al Jazeera. “The awareness of the Syrian street and the Syrian person is much deeper.” As the interview continued, the host reminded Sulayman that she was live on air.

“Are you not afraid for your life?” the interviewer asked.

“There is no one who does not fear for their life,” Sulayman said. “But we reached a stage, a moment you cannot fear for your life, when everybody’s life is in danger.… Any human watching what we are seeing in the country cannot remain silent.”

The following day, Al Jazeera broadcast video purportedly showing Sulayman, wearing a traditional Arab headdress, mounting a makeshift podium during a Homs protest, raising her arm in the air defiantly and leading anti-sectarian chants. “One! One!” she shouts into the microphone, as the crowd replies: “The Syrian people are one! One! One!”

Sulayman’s stance is also noteworthy because she is said to be a member of the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Assad is the most prominent member of the sect, which plays a central role in the Syrian security services. The protest movement is rooted in Syria’s majority Sunni community.

Another video, shown below, has surfaced in which Sulayman apparently announces that she is going on a hunger strike until the siege on Homs is lifted.

“I declare that I will continue to participate in the protests and keep the hunger strike … to break the siege on the besieged areas of Homs, and to prove to all our partners in the homeland the lies of this government,” Sulayman declares in the clip.

Arab League suspends Syria and calls for sanctions
Agence France-Presse
Nov 12, 2011
http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/arab-league-suspends-syria-and-calls-for-sanctions
CAIRO // Arab foreign ministers were deeply divided on suspending Syria’s Arab League membership in an emergency meeting today amid mounting pressure for a firm stance towards Damascus after a week of deadly violence in Homs.

The ministers, gathered in the Arab League’s Cairo headquarters, called a recess early into the meeting to allow a narrowed ministerial committee to work out a final position, a source who was inside the meeting said.

He said there was a strong push by some states to suspend Syria, while others wanted to give President Bashar al-Assad’s regime more time.

Khaled al-Habbas, an assistant to Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi, told reporters before the meeting that the situation in Syria was “complex” and “Arab countries are trying to find a solution that reconciles different viewpoints.”

Assad’s regime agreed on November 2 to an Arab roadmap which called for the release of detainees, the withdrawal of the army from urban areas and free movement for observers and the media, as well as negotiations with the opposition.

Yusef Ahmed, Syria’s Arab League representative, told the ministers that Damascus was committed to implementing the agreement and had withdrawn heavy weapons from the streets of violence-hit cities, the source said.

But human rights groups say all the evidence is that the regime has actually intensified its crackdown on dissent, especially in Homs, killing at least 125 people in the flashpoint central city since signing onto the League’s deal.

“Homs is a microcosm of the Syrian government’s brutality,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, which accused the regime of crimes against humanity based on its systematic abuses against civilians.

“The Arab League needs to tell President Assad that violating their agreement has consequences, and that it now supports Security Council action to end the carnage,” she said.
{..}

Officials who served Syrian leader’s father urging the son to negotiate
Phil Sands
Nov 12, 2011
http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/officials-who-served-syrian-leaders-father-urging-the-son-to-negotiate?pageCount=0

DAMASCUS// The Arab League is set to convene in an emergency session in Cairo today to discuss Syria, as international pressure grows on President Bashar Al Assad to find a political solution to an eight-month anti-regime uprising that has left more than 3,500 people dead.

The meeting takes place against a background of growing impatience and frustration not only from other Arab capitals and protesters in Syria but from another more surprising source: former Syrian officials who served under the late president, Hafez Al Assad, Bashar’s father.

A group of former high-ranking Baath party members and regime officials, led by Mohammad Suleman, a long serving minister under Hafez Al Assad, has proposed that the Syrian leader hold talks with anti-regime activists as part of a wider plan to transition to democracy. That is also part of the peace plan Mr Al Assad agreed with the Arab League this month.

Meanwhile, Syrian security forces fired on anti-government protests yesterday and conducted sweeping raids during violence that killed at least 13 people, activists said. Mass protests after Friday prayers, followed by crackdowns by security forces, have become a weekly cycle throughout the uprising. But in recent weeks, the violence has spiked dramatically amid increasing signs that some protesters are taking up arms to protect themselves.

To date, there have been no direct political talks between the authorities and those calling for their overthrow. A regime-sponsored “comprehensive national dialogue” has not included opposition political figures or representatives of the protest movement.

During two separate meetings, the first a one-on-one talk with Mr Al Assad on September 20 lasting more than an hour, Mr Suleman said he had outlined a detailed plan that would quickly result in power sharing and a coalition government involving members of the opposition, including protesters.

“The plan was comprehensive. It would result in the creation of a modern, civil, democratic state, with rule of law, an elected president with a limit on how many terms they can hold office, and a division of power between the judiciary, the executive and parliament,” he said last month.

Four days after that initial meeting, Mr Suleman and a delegation of 31 other members of the National Democratic Initiative (NDI), the group of former ministers and Baathist officials he heads, made a more detailed three-and-a-half-hour presentation to Mr Al Assad at his behest.

Mr Suleman said the Syrian president had asked detailed questions of all of the NDI members and his reaction to their proposal had been “positive”. It also calls for an end to heavy security measures against peaceful protests, for thousands of political prisoners to be freed and for security officers and opposition militants to be held accountable for any killings they have carried out.

“Calling a national congress with the opposition, sitting down for talks with them will cut the way for foreign military intervention in Syria which is something we all want to avoid,” Mr Suleman said. “And by clearly marking out a road map to achieving a civil democratic state and circulation of power, we can get out of this crisis.”

He warned that delaying sweeping reforms would only deepen the problems Syria faces.

“There are peaceful protesters but we must now admit there is an armed element to the uprising,” Mr Suleman said. “We must also realise that the longer political reforms are delayed, the bigger the armed uprising will become because it has a pretext.”

The Arab League made a broadly similar proposal, which was accepted by Syria on November 2. It called for a withdrawal of military forces from residential neighbourhoods, freedom for political prisoners and for talks between the regime and the opposition in Cairo under Arab League mediation.

That plan has been thrown into disarray, however, with continued deadly operations by Syrian security forces and little sign that either side is prepared to sit down and talk.

During preliminary talks at the Arab League talks yesterday, Syria’s ambassador to the organisation insisted that Damascus was not only committed to the plan but had “already put most” of its articles into effect. He proposed an Arab League delegation visit Syria to see for itself. Protesters and human rights activists insist those promises are hollow, citing the deaths in Homs yesterday. Two members of the security services were also killed in the city, state-run media said. It made no mention of any civilian casualties, except for two deaths in Idleb province it blamed on a “terrorist group” .
….
Speaking of the officials who worked with Hafez Al Assad, an analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “These are people Mr Al Assad can trust, people who do not have an agenda against him so it is important for him to be hearing this from them.”

Mr Suleman’s proposal is certain to be hamstrung by the same apparently intractable problems that have blocked any solutions to the crisis.

Opposition groups have said all political prisoners must be freed, peaceful protests allowed and army units returned to their bases as a minimum precondition for talks. Many protesters have gone further, calling for Mr Assad’s overthrow and execution.

Syrian officials, who insist they are fighting a foreign-backed Islamic insurgency, say that cannot happen and that security operations will continue in tandem with incremental political reforms. They have not proposed Mr Al Assad face an open election for the presidency.

Part of the NDI proposal includes a maximum of two terms of office for any future president, with each term strictly limited in duration. Mr Al Assad is in his second seven-year term as president but under the existing constitution there is no requirement for him to stand down or face a competitive election when that period expires. His father ruled the country for three decades until his death in 2000.

The NDI plan would leave the path open for Mr Al Assad to run for a third term because it would be his first under the new democratic legal code.

“Assad and his supporters are still confident that he has the support of the majority in Syria so for that reason they might be prepared to have an election,” said one adviser to the NDI group, on condition of anonymity.

The NDI also believes that, with the majority of Syrians not openly supporting street protests and the momentum of demonstrations curtailed, opposition groups would agree to contest a presidential election, if real reforms had been enacted and guarantees could be given about its integrity.

With neither side able to comprehensively defeat their opponents, the only alternatives to a rapid transition to democracy under Mr Al Assad’s stewardship are the “nightmare” scenarios of civil war or foreign military intervention, Mr Suleman warned.

Would the regime learn……NO
It is a big slap in the face of Syrian regime and its supporters.Assad thought he can continue to lie,continue to take time,the regime days are very few,

Immediately upon annoncing the AL resolution, Syrian regime security and Shabbeeha went on a rampage of random shooting in civilian neighbourhoods in Homs city.
24 minutes ago

The Syrian Revolution 2011 الثورة السورية ضد بشار الاسد
حمص : عند صدور القرار قام الأمن و الشبيحة بإطلاق النار بشــكل هستيري
على أحياء الخالدية و البياضة و التجول بســيارات و إطلاق النار على أي شي
يتحرك الله اكبر عليكم سننتصر رغم عنكم لأن الله معنا .. النصر قادم بعون الله__________________________________________________________________
السبت 16/12/1432 هـ – الموافق 12/11/2011 م (آخر تحديث) الساعة 14:33 (مكة المكرمة)، 11:33 (غرينتش)

مقاطعة وعقوبات عربية ضد سوريا
AL impose sanctions on Syrian regime
11/11/2011
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8E4EB1DB-89D7-4F4A-A70B-3CC2A3CBBD1C.htm?GoogleStatID=9

أفاد مراسل الجزيرة نت في القاهرة أن الجامعة العربية قررت تعليق مشاركة وفود سوريا باجتماعاتها حتى قيامها بالتنفيذ الكامل لتعهداتها وتوفير الحماية للمدنيين السوريين.

كما أكد رئيس الوزراء القطري الشيخ حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني رئيس وفد اللجنة المعنية بالملف السوري، أن الجامعة ستفرض عقوبات سياسية واقتصادية على سوريا وتدعو لسحب السفراء العرب من دمشق.

كما دعت الجامعة الجيش السوري لعدم الاستجابة لأوامر النظام بقتل المدنيين، فيما تحدثت مصادر أخرى عن توجه لتعليق العضوية السورية بالجامعة.

وكان وزراء الخارجية العرب قد عقدوا اجتماعا طائا لمناقشة الملف السوري في ضوء عدم تجاوب النظام السوري مع المبادرة تالعربية رغم موافقته على بنودها.

وتطالب المعارضة السورية ممثلة في المجلس الوطني بتجميد عضوية نظام الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد في الجامعة العربية, وقد كرر وفد من المجلس هذا الطلب في اجتماعه بأمين عام الجامعة العربية نبيل العربي قبيل الاجتماع الطارئ.

قرار وتحفظات
وقال مراسل الجزيرة إن دولا عربية منها الجزائر واليمن ولبنان تبدي تحفظا على قرار التعليق الذي يتعين في كل الأحوال أن يُتخذ بالإجماع. وترى هذه الدول –وفقا للمراسل- أن اتخاذ قرار من هذا القبيل يعني غلق الباب أمام حل عربي للأزمة في سوريا المستمرة منذ منتصف مارس/آذار الماضي.

لكنه أشار إلى أن أغلبية الدول الأعضاء في الجامعة العربية ترى أن تعليق عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية هو الرد الأمثل على رفض دمشق التجاوب مع المبادرة العربية التي تنص على وقف استهداف المدنيين, وسحب القوات والآليات العسكرية من المدن, والإفراج عن المعتقلين خلال الاحتجاجات التي تعدت حصيلتها 3500 قتيل حسب الأمم المتحدة, وأربعة آلاف وفقا للناشطين السوريين

Russian media:

http://rt.com/news/arab-league-suspends-syria-179/print/
The Arab League has voted to suspend Syria from all meetings until Damascus ends its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.

Eighteen countries supported the move, while Lebanon, Yemen and Syria voted against it and Iraq abstained. The suspension will come into effect on November 16, unless it ends bloodshed, according to Qatari FM.

On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Arab League headquarters in Cairo to demand that it freeze Syrian membership of the League in order to defend civilians in the country.

The Syrian opposition has been calling for the League to take action against the Assad regime for some time. The move deals a powerful symbolic blow to a nation that prides itself on being a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.

It is interesting to see the syrian delegate to AL Yousef Al Ahmad how mad he was and listen to him shouting ,angrily and saying bad words exactly similar to what his supporters say here on SC,Alex you need to ban Yousef Al Ahmad.

Majedalkhaldoon

This slap may have exactly the opposite effect.

We have to admit that no external force can “protect” the demonstrators on short notice, therefore since the regime is already condemned for ‘crime against humanity”, and is submitted to crippling sanctions, it has nothing to loose anymore, so it will proceed as it chooses. It has the upper hand, while the opposition (the SNC) has nothing to propose than more demonstrations, calls for Bashar to step down and threats of international sanctions.
The SNC has been invited in Russia who is trying to convince them to accept the dialog. They are the ones who must make concessions to accept to start the dialog. If they continues on this line, the situation can drag for months and the only losers will be the syrian people.

The AL is trapped because either they reach a peaceful solution by forcing the opposition to agree to the dialog with Bashar’s governemnt and to renounce asking for his stepping down or they decide reluctantly to ask the UN security council to take over the issue, which I doubt. Despite the freezing ‘in 4 days’ of Syria, there has been a clear statement by the AL that it is an ‘arab’ initiative and it so not “dead” as France has declared it.

If and when the UNSC meets and agrees (provided China and Russia don’t put a veto again) weeks and weeks can pass and on the ground the situation will become more violent on both sides.

In my view, the freezing is just a symbolic move to appease the international community until the foreign-lead opposition makes necessary concessions to agree on the dialog and the military situation on the ground becomes clearer.

Is there a difference between suspending Syria’s participation in the meetings of the Arab league and suspending the membership of Syria in the Arab league, I am just asking.

“For 50 years, America dealt with two kinds of Arab leaders: the adversarials (Syria, Libya and Iraq) and the acquiescents (Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan and a few key Persian Gulf states). ”

Arab Spring, American winter
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-miller-arabs-america-20111113,0,7814930.story
By Aaron David Miller November 13, 2011

All Gaul was divided into three parts, Julius Caesar wrote in his “De Bello Gallico.” For America, the Arab world had been divided into two: adversarial and acquiescent Arab authoritarians.

Until now.

The last eight months have witnessed profound changes. The willing and unwilling Arab autocrats have gone or are going the way of the dodo.

What remains — Arab states without strong and authoritative leaders and caught up in lengthy, messy transitions, monarchies trying to co-opt and preempt transformational change (Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Jordan); and nonstate actors still at war with themselves (Hezbollah and the Palestinians) — guarantees a turbulent and complex environment for the United States. Few offer a hook on which to hang a set of American policies now broadly unpopular throughout the region.

The long arc of the Arab Spring may yet bring more transparency, accountability, gender equality and, yes, even some semblance of real democracy. But the short term all but guarantees a much less hospitable and forbidding place for America, whose credibility has shrunk.

For 50 years, America dealt with two kinds of Arab leaders: the adversarials (Syria, Libya and Iraq) and the acquiescents (Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan and a few key Persian Gulf states). At times, each of the adversarials also played the role of partners for brief periods: Iraq against Iran; Syria on the peace process; Libya on giving up WMD in exchange for an end to its pariah status. But leopards really do not change their spots. The violent ends of Saddam Hussein, Moammar Kadafi and perhaps at some point even the younger Bashar Assad make the case.

For the most part, these Arab authoritarians guaranteed a relatively stable and predictable region in which U.S. interests thrived: successful containment of the former Soviet Union, access to oil at fair prices, security for Israel, close relations with the acquiescents and even progress on Arab-Israeli peacemaking. This left America with a role it understood and could play rather well.

It wasn’t pretty, of course. There was that pesky Arab-Israeli conflict that drove a handful of wars, oil shocks, an Iranian revolution and Islamic extremism, and a few self-inflicted disasters such as Operation Iraqi Freedom. But by and large, the U.S. got by, its prestige high with acquiescent autocrats and low with their publics.

And why not? America had cut the devil’s bargain: In exchange for giving the friendly autocrats a pass on governance and human rights (and at times reaching out to the adversarials), it was able to enlist their cooperation on a range of issues. But Washington may now find itself in the strange position of getting neither democracy nor stability. America’s stock is lower than it’s ever been, its partners are gone, along with the familiar bad guys, and it’s not at all clear who or what will take the place of those partners. We confront not just an Arab Spring but an array of uncertainties complex enough to run many years to come.

Tunisia, where it all began, appropriately offers the best chance for a working democracy, in part because it’s small and largely irrelevant. In Egypt and Libya, where hopes have been high, you have to wonder. The former is less free, prosperous and secure than it was under Hosni Mubarak and is likely heading for a future like Turkey — but two decades ago. Libya, a country the size of Alaska with only 6 million people and a lot of oil money, should do well. But it isn’t Western Europe. Rival militias, Islamist radicals, outside meddling and just the lack of traditions and experience in self-governance guarantee that Libya will be a long slog.

Elsewhere, matters look a lot worse. In Syria, nobody has a clue: The scenarios run from more of the same to civil war to an Alawite coup against the Assads — even the possibility (now don’t shoot me) of some kind of external military intervention should the bloodletting rise exponentially. We can be pretty confident that whatever transpires, it will be long, complex and bloody. Yemen, which most people (including myself) don’t really understand, is equally opaque. But dollars to doughnuts that won’t be a polity of which Thomas Jefferson would have been proud.

Strange as it seems, the monarchies may well have the best shot at avoiding these kind of painful transitions. Where in varying degrees money, legitimacy from Islam and some enlightened leadership combine (Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, Oman), reckonings have been averted. For how long is unclear. At some point, if they’re not smart on reform — and even if they are — the bell may toll for the kings too.

I know that people say, be patient, the arc of the Arab Spring is long and potentially a happy one. And for the Arabs, that may well be true. They are seizing control of their destiny and they will be allowed — as they should be, finally — to make their own beds.

But for America, it may not be such a happy experience. Our policies, opposed from one end of this region to the other, are unlikely to change. Our capacity to succeed at war and peacemaking — the real measure of respect and admiration (Libya notwithstanding ) — has diminished along with our street cred. We can’t solve the Palestinian issue, can’t stop Iran from getting the bomb, can’t find a way to achieve victories in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are still caught up in the devil’s bargain with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

We resemble more a modern-day Gulliver tied up by tiny tribes and by our own illusions than a smart, tough and fair superpower.

If we could disengage and spend more time and resources on our own broken house, we should; but alas, we can’t. And therein lies the conundrum for

Bronco
You said it will take months, we will see, I doubt it very much.
You said SNC has to give concession,,No and there will not be dialogue,forget about dialogue.
You said the regime will resort to more brutality, yes but everything has a price.

#66 Norman

It is confusing. If it is a suspension of membership, it means that Syria has nothing to do anymore with the Arab League and that the AL initiative requiring Syria’s active participation is dead.

Breaking news coming on twitter gives confusing pictures:

“Arab League excludes Syrian delegations from its ac
activities until peace plan is implemented – al-Jazeera via Reuters”

lArabiya_Eng
#BreakingNews: Egypt opposes suspension of Syria’s membership in the Arab League: Egyptian sources

Just a reminder about the AL

The full list of members is as follows: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros — an island nation near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean — Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Through institutions such as the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League’s Council of Arab Economic Unity, the Arab League facilitates economic, cultural, scientific and social programs designed to promote the interests of the Arab world. But on contentious political issues, their cooperation has been more strained.

Dear Regime Supporters:

It is time for you to change mind, before its it is too late. It is not good for your health to be called losers.

We will forgive you for all the insults that you insulted the revolution with.

Suddenly in the last two days the opposition don’t claim any more they are peaceful any more, they post video showing their gangs in action and they were very proud of it

i see a big correlation between this and today’s news , its obvious now KSA and Qatar trying to lead the Arab world to support an assault on us ,the opposition proved ones and for all that they are bunch of traitors and power obsessed monsters
Arab world without Syria is but a dumb joke and Syria without Arabs is better off , the opposition did not find enough support inside Syria so they turned to the outside world ,you cannot go further than the truth the people do not want your bloody revolution .

@47

Once a sectarian always a sectarian.

قرارات وزراء الخارجية العرب .. قمة العهر السياسي.
لم يكن من الصعب على محلل مبتديء أن يتوقع ما سينتهي إليه اجتماع وزراء الخارجية العرب الذي انتهى قبل قليل في القاهرة.. وبخاصة بعد (الأمر) الذي أصدره مساعد وزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية جيفري فيلتمان وفيه أن واشنطن تتوقع من الجامعة العربية اتخاذ تدابير واضحة للتعبير عن إدانتها للنظام السوري .
الإدانة إذا مسبقة ومفروغ منها، ولم تكن المبادرة العربية ولا اللجنة الوزارية الع…ربية، ولا الاجتماعات، إلى بعض الديكورات السخيفة. بل إن الغريب هو أن الأمور كانت تتجه صوب تشكيل لجنة تقصي حقائق، لكن يبدو أن الدول العربية أحبططت لأن سوريا وافقت عليها قبل أن تطرح .. بل لاحظوا أن الجامعة العربية لم تلتزم حتى بالمهلة الزمنية التي وضعتها.
وزراء الخارجية العرب لم يأخذوا بعين الاعتبار حتى رأي المعارضة الداخلية، ولم يعطوها إلا كميات البيض والطماطم التي ضربوا بها.. الوزراء اعتمدوا فقط وجهات نظر عملاء فرنسا وأمريكا وإسرائيل، وتركيا، واعتمدت طلباتهم، فاعتبرت (استنادا إلى تقارير صحافية تصدرها وسيلة إعلامية مملوكةة لنظام رئيس دورة الجامعة)، وقرر الوزراء أن سوريا لم تلتزم بالتنفيذ الكامل والفوري للمبادرة العربية، وبناء عليه تقرر
ــ تعليق مشاركة سورية في اجتماعات مجلس الجامعة العربية وجميع المنظمات التابعة لها.
ــ دعوة الدول العربية الى سحب سفرائها من سورية، معلنة فرض عقوبات اقتصادية على سورية.
ــ مطالبة الجيش السوري الى عدم التورط في عمليات القتل.
ــ دعوة أطياف المعارضة السورية الى اجتماع،
ــ وفي حال عدم توقف أعمال العنف والقتل سيقوم الأمين العام للجامعة العربية بالإتصال بالمنظمات الدولية المعنية لوضع تصوّر لوقف نزف الدم.
الأسئلة التي يجب أن تطرح تعليقا على هذه القرارات هي:
ــ إذا كانت الجامعة ستنحاز بهذا السفور فقط للمعارضة الخارجية، فلماذا كانت المبادرة، ولماذا كان الوفد الوزاري؟
ــ طالما أن وزراء الخارجية قرروا أن تكون مرجعيتهم إعلامية فقط، فكيف يقبلون أن تكون هذه المرجعية مملوكة لنظام رئاسة الدورة (الجزيرة القطرية)؟
ــ كيف يتم القفز على ميثاق الجامعة العربية الذي يذكر بوضوح أن تعليق عضوية أي دولة لا يجب أن يتخذ قراره إلا بالاجماع وفي اجتماع قمة؟
ــ كيف تسمح الجامعة العربية لنفسها بمخاطبة احد الجيوش العربية، وفي هذا مخالفة واضحة وصريحة لميثاق الجامعة؟
والأهم من هذا كله:
ــ هل نفهم من ذلك أن نظام البحرين لا ينام قلقا على أمن وسلامة الشعب السوري؟
ــ هل نفهم من ذلك أن أنظمة الحكم القطري والسعودي والكويتي والاماراتي والعماني والمغربي والاردني، موريتانيا، وجزر القمر، والصومال، ونظام محمود عباس ، بالفعل أنظمة تؤمن بالحرية والديمقراطية؟
ــ هل يمكن للنظام الليبي الجديد أن يخالف أوامر سادته في الناتو؟
ــ هل وزير الخارجية المصري، يتمنى لسوريا مثلا: ما حققته حكومة أحمد نظيف للمصريين؟
إن القرارات التي أتخذت اليوم تؤكد أن وزراء الخارجية العرب، أو بالأحرى الدول العربية في معظمها تصر على معاقبة سوريا نزولا عند رغبة الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل، وأن هذه الدول تشد بقراراتها على أيادي الجماعات الإرهابية المسلحة، وتوعز لها بالاستمرار والتوسع، وتشديد عملياتها.
وهذه القرارات من شأنها أن تصيب الغالبية العظمى من الشعب السوري بالإحباط، علما بأن المنشود من هذا الاحباط عربيا، هو دفع قطاعات كبيرة من الشعب السوري إلى محاولة فرض إرادته بالقوة، أي بالنزول إلى الشارع ما يعني التشجيع على الصراع الأهلي أو الحرب الأهلية.
وغني عن البيان أن هذه القرارات ستوضع أمام مجلس الأمن لاحراج روسيا والصين، وخارج مجموعة الفيتو، احراج الهند وجنوب أفريقيا، واندونيسيا وماليزيا، ودول أمريكا اللاتينية.
لكن هذا ليس أخر الكلام .. فبالتأكيد ستكون لسوريا كلمة، وأغلب الظن انها ستكون مدوية.

الأعلامي عمرو شريف

Syrians now have to pay the price for a brutal and stubborn regime and an incompetent and corrupt AL. Bashar and his immediate circle of hawks may be willing to push the country to the edge thinking that regional and international powers will not push Syria off the cliff,he is wrong,the US decided to weaken Iran and pave the way for a military action through its proxy,Israel,and Syria to them is the logical first target.
I do not know what Syrians are waiting for,it is clear that a leadership change is needed and we want that leadership to be chosen by Syrians,not NATO and the goat princes.
A transitional government that is inclusive and headed by a civilian accepted by the army is the only bloodless exit because the alternative is a long and bloody civil war which seems to be an acceptable solution to many expats and some militants in Syria.
The regime is still counting on Lebanon and Iraq but these two countries are not enough to save the regime.

I’m against any military intervention. This criminal junta will eventually fall under it’s own weight.

But assessing the options for an international intervention, Russia’s veto power will, somehow, have to be bypassed. Maybe in a form of an Ad-hoc cooperation between the AL and NATO. Just as it worked in Libya, but with out going through the UNSC.

Again, I’m against this, but I’m sure that there are planners who sit right now and are looking for a legal solution to an armed intervention.
.

Bronco,

I thought that the AL chapter says that to suspend a state membership, you have to have a full agreement except the state involved,

Do you think that Syria now will move to reinstate martial law and militery courts and curfew.

Norman
The syrian delegate is no longer to attend AL meetings, it means it lost its legitimacy, this is a step means that the AL will recognize SNC and ICC as the representatve of syria,Syria is an Arabic country and future goverment will automatically will come back .to suspend membership requires all members approval.

Norman read Zoo comment, the former Baath party members are calling to quickly perform reform and election,and stand for the will of the people,open election,that should be free.

Louai
you call oppositions are traitors,this is an opinion of a frustrated defeated party.throw accusations,out of touch, angry person who does not realize what he says.

Things will take quick course from now on, what happened today should be expected.I am waiting for neighbouring country statements.

Apparently, the suspension should be effective only in four days, if ever.
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/513989

Who is next ? KSA ?

Majedalkhaldoon

“You said the regime will resort to more brutality”

Did I say that?
Thanks for distorting again what I write… It seems to be a habit with you.

president Assad and the Baath party are the only legitimacy in Syria , how do you know that the army taking over will not be used as a coupe and not legitimate until the SNC take over which is the goal. the goal is and was never democratic reform, the goal is a coup .

Majed #7

The next delegate of Syria to the AL will be Radwan Ziadeh
I can’t wait, Hurray!

Dear Haytham Khouri
‘Dear Regime Supporters:
It is time for you to change mind, before its it is too late.’

We will forgive you for all the insults that you insulted the revolution with.

its time for you to wake up , you have no support in the ground the simple Syrian man in the street dose not buy your promised McDonald democracy ,you showed your real intention from the very beginning and everyone knows what kind of monsters you are ,that’s why you don’t have enough supporters to fill al abasyeen square? And don’t tell me its the oppression of the regime preventing the people,mubarak killed 300 people I’m 8 days and he is a history now ,you killed 1100 but you killed 110 Syrian soldiers in 8 moths using olive branches and white flags ,its true that
ازا الشعب يوما اراد الحياة فلا بد ان يستجيب القدر
and this is why your cloned revolution is not getting us any where
by doing the killing and blame it on the regime you transferred the majority passive opposition to a hard core supporters ,the sample man in the street knows the difference between the state and the regime ,no one will let you destroy the state in order to get your canned leaders to power

‘It is not good for your health to be called losers.’ isn’t it better than being called a traitor?

‘We will forgive you for all the insults that you insulted the revolution with.’

we will never forgive you for all the lives you took so far and all the destruction you are causing .

wake up !! Syria will always BE.

Breaking News: Al Assad to get political asylum in Israel

Al Assad Clan has been offered political asylum in Israel. A new sionist settlement will be built in the Golan Heights to alocate the notorious family and its private milicias. The 4th Division will be in charge of protecting Golan Heights in the event of any syrian attack. According to sources the plan comes after secret negotiations that began 44 years ago when the leader of Assad family rented Golan Heigts to the jewish state for an unknown amount of money.

The US is leaving Iraq but keeping thousands of troops and all of its army bases in the Gulf,and supplying the gulf countries with weapons paid for by these countries but can only be used by the US and will only be used against Iran,and possibly Iraq.
The AL is practically being replaced by the GCC and anything that comes out of the AL will reflect the will of the GCC and the US. Israel is no longer the enemy,it is Iran.

Dear All:

I wrote this yesterday

هكذا ماتت المبادرة العربية، فماذا بعد؟
http://haytham-khoury3.blogspot.com/

I got the answer today.

Is anyone surprised that Bashar isn’t able to game the Arab League of kings of dictators? People will look back at the Assad dynasty centuries from now as a sort of parable:

A father schemes his way into power, vanquishes his foes and expands his realm into a neighboring state, and then passes the presidency to his son, who is forced out of Lebanon and is ultimately defeated by a populist movement that grew tired of the family’s corruption and brutality.

Bashar will go down in history as the son who wasn’t able to keep his father’s throne. Behind the stupid giggle, I know that he thinks about this legacy, but unfortunately he can’t do anything to change it. He might be able to live a life of luxury for decades in exile, but he will always know that history will view him as an inept leader who used violence to perpetuate an unjust regime.

Or he could actually win, and Syria will become more like North Korea, just like Hafez wanted. Then he can have his own history books that everyone has to memorize and we will all worship the Assads as gods. Sounds like a minhebak paradise.

Ghufran
I think it would make sense to let the AL explode. It is worth nothing anyway, and with only the GCC (including now Morocco and Jordan) at the next crisis in Gaza or elsewhere, people will see the real face of the GCC. Who needs the AL?

Norman

“Do you think that Syria now will move to reinstate martial law and militery courts and curfew.”

As it is a stalemate, one scenario plausible is that there will be take over of the country by the army as it is in Egypt. Bashar will step aside (not step down) and will release temporary his authority to the army until all the reforms are announced and implemented.
It’ll be like a soft coup. That should satisfy the international community and the US who has asked Bashar to ‘step aside’.

The SNC objection to deal with Bashar’s government will be satisfied as the dialog, if ever agreed will be done with army.

Under the army’s control, curfews and military courts will be reinstated just like Egypt.

@71

“its obvious now KSA and Qatar trying to lead the Arab world to support an assault on us”

Yes, to get rid of YOU, the criminal, murderous, thieving gang that has been robbing, killing, and raping with immunity for decades. Finally their conscience could no longer permit them to go along with the bloody show of the Assadist mafia and their associates.

As I write this Mousa Ibrahim has morphed into a fat white-haired old man frothing at the mouth in the Syrian Mafia’s embassy in Cairo.

MAJEDKHALDOUN
‘Louai
you call oppositions are traitors,this is an opinion of a frustrated defeated party.throw accusations,out of touch, angry person who does not realize what he says.’

so let us know as relaxed victorious party, what would you call a group of people killing soldiers and civilians kidnapping citizens and calling NTO to bomb their country? ah sorry you just called them Angels yesterday … who is out of touch then?

you are right I am angry , I am angry of considering myself am Arab all this time , what a shame , but more angry that you claim to be a Syrian , I hope you are not .

أنزل سحّابك للأرض و لا تخجل
دولٌ خلعت,
مارست العهر المكشوف بعورات ستّ نجوم
((مظفر النوّاب))

Bashar remained up intil now detached from reality. This is a true mental illness. I wish and pray that the decision of the AL today to expel Syria serves as a rality check and a wake up call.

It is way too sad that the regime supporters are allowing one man or one family to destroy a country. Intelligent people are those who can read the present and predict the future. The Syrian people are resolute in their quest for toppling Assad. They are non-stoppable. Intensifying brutality is not going to break the revolution back. Syrians are fearful no more. Bashar will go down no doubt about it. It is the regime supporters who are going to decide at what cost! I am sorry that you guys can not see this. It really is very very clear. The more this goes on, the more hatred and desire for revenge are going to set in and with full scale civil war we will all lose the Syria that we have known before. Group mentality will justify the unjustifiable. Watch the recent slaughtering True on the Wall warned every one not to watch and determine if this is the price the regime supporters want to pay to try to save Bashar. The irony is that Bashar’s fate has been sealed. It is the future of Syria that is now left to be drawn.

What is in the background is the US election and the withdrawal of Iraq.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/middle_east/mk10ak04.html

They don’t want to look like they have lost the whole Middle East except for the elderlies and their slaves in the Gulf.

@90

We would rather be human first and support people seeking freedom and dignity than “true” Arabs or Syrians who serve and defend the gangesters, killers and rapists.

Bronco
You said: the regime” it has nothing to loose anymore, so it will proceed as it chooses. It has the upper hand,” ,
What does the regime is doing ,brutal crackdown.this is what they chose.
You have a habit of denying what you said earlier.

Bronco said:
“that there will be take over of the country by the army as it is in Egypt. Bashar will step aside (not step down) and will release temporary his authority to the army until all the reforms are announced and implemented.”
This is deceiving and maneuvering.will be exposed soon.real reform is accepted, fake reform will not be accepted.
I doubt the army can stage a fake coup.

Tara #91

“The irony is that Bashar’s fate has been sealed. It is the future of Syria that is now left to be drawn.”

The irony is that the key issue has never been about when Bashar would go, but it has been what comes after.

And how do you see it? Who takes over? When? How?

كتب بسام القاضي في صفحته على الفايس بوك

إلى الغليون وشركائه في الخارج والداخل، وأسياده في كل مكان، ضمنا الحكومات التي صوتت لطرد سورية من جامعة الدول العربية:
بما أنكم قد مضيتم في خطتكم لتدمير سورية واحتلالها، باسم الحرية والديمقراطية وحماية المدنيين..
وبما أنكم هربتم السلاح ودعمتم القتلة وروجتم لهم طمعا في كرسي وفتات سلطة..
ولكل الأسباب الأخرى التي سبق أن برهنتم من خلالها على خيانتكم، أقول:
أنتم مجرمون خونة بكل معنى الكلمة،
وقتلكم اليوم هو عمل وطني يستحق كل إشادة وتقدير، وهو وسيلة هامة للمضي نحو السلمية والمدنية لأنكم أرباب قتل وإجرام وجلب احتلال وتدمير.. بعد أن انتهى زمن النفاق بالسلمية الذي استخدمتموه لتغطية مخططاتكم المجرمة.

وبناء عليه، فإن كل من يشيد بقرار جامعة عبيد الناتو وشركائها هو عدو قذر يلوث صفحتي هنا وفي كل مكان يتواجد فيه.. فلينقلع إلى وكره الخاص، لأنه عدو حقيقي.. حقيقي..

AL suspend Syrian regime mebership
الجامعة العربية علقت عضوية سوريا
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fhHId2IbtE&feature=player_embedded

Qatari PM and Al Secretary Press conference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fhHId2IbtE&feature=player_embedded
11/11/2011

Bronco

One of the solution would be for Bashar to appoint a figure from the regime who does not have blood on his hands and who is acceptable to the opposition to have a dialogue under the supervision of the AL in regard to peaceful transition of power and to immediately step down and exile himself with his immediate family somewhere.

Syria: AL decision is Illegal and Violates AL’s Convention and Internal Charter
(Dp-news – Sana)
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=102886
CAIRO- Syria’s Permanent Representative at the Arab League, Ambassador Yousef Ahmad, said that the decision to suspend Syria’s membership is illegal and violates the Arab League’s charter and internal regulations.

He said that this decision is a eulogy for Arab common action and a blatant announcement that its administration is subordinate to US-western agendas.

Earlier on Saturday, the Arab League Council on Ministerial Level suspended the participation of Syria’s delegation in its meetings.

Earlier, Ambassador Ahmad affirmed Syria’s commitment to implementing all the articles of the Arab work plan on the situation in it, noting that Syria made strides in doing so despite armed groups’ attempts to foil the plan since it was announced.

During the extraordinary meeting on the level of foreign ministers held on Saturday at the Arab League headquarters to discuss developments in Syria, Ambassador Ahmad stressed that armed groups, the opposition abroad and all the various forces that seek to escalate the situation in Syria in terms of politics and media are obligated to discard and surrender weapons, cease all acts of violence, comply with the Arab plan, accept national dialogue, and put an end to instigator and negative stances and statements.

Ahmad said that hostile atmospheres, blatant political instigation and media attacks are still taking place with the aim of escalating the situation inside Syria and urge opposition abroad and armed groups in Syria to not cooperate with calming efforts and foil any positive Arab role.

He reviewed the various steps taken by the Syrian government in terms of the Arab work plan, which includes withdrawal of army units from cities and urban areas and replacing them with law-enforcement personnel, noting that despite that, the remnants of the armed terrorist groups continue to use heavy weaponry still being smuggled from neighboring countries to murder and terrorize people in cities and their outskirts.

Ahmad also denied the allegations of some Arab and international mass media which claimed that the Syrian army used military machinery and heavy weapons inside Syrian cities, adding that the Syrian government released 553 detainees involved in recent events with more detainees to be released gradually quite soon, in addition to granting amnesty to those who surrender their weapons as long as they haven’t committed murder.

He pointed out to the dangerous development in the US stance regarding the crisis in Syria, with the US Department of State Spokesperson announcing that her country advises gunmen to not surrender their weapons, which shows the degree of the US blatant interference in Syria’s internal affair and its clear instigation of violence and murder, adding that this stance also constitutes an official US acknowledgement of the existence of active gunmen in Syria which contradicts previous US statements and allegations which said that what is happening in Syria is merely “peaceful protests and demonstrations.”

Ahmad went on to note that Syria invited Arab and foreign mass media to visit Syria and witness the reality of the situation, and that Syria continues to provide information and reports on terrorist acts to the Ministerial Committee and the Arab League General secretariat.

“On 2/11/2011, the night of the Arab League Council’s decision was issued, the bodies of 68 citizens murdered by the gunfire of these armed terrorist groups were found… their bodies were mutilated in horrible ways that shame all of humanity… we will show the Arab League delegation the photos and documents related to these crimes as soon as they reach Syria,” he said.

Ahmad affirmed that the Syrian government will provide all the necessary facilitations and guarantees to the Arab League delegation which will visit Syria soon, giving them full freedom of movement and guaranteeing their security, voicing Syria’s confidence that the presence of the delegation and the professional and credible fulfillment of its duties will play a vital role in ensuring the success of the Arab work plan.

He also underlined some of Syria’s official remarks and demands regarding the Arab work plans and the elements to ensure its success, stressing the necessity of shedding light on the attempts of external forces and some members of the Syrian opposition to undermine the plan and show the Arab League as a being helpless to play an active positive role in the Syrian crisis in order to summon foreign interference, regardless of its form or the price it will entail.

Ahmad noted that the US blatant instigation and calls for gunmen to not surrender their weapons is linked to another US stance which calls on Arab countries to join the political and economic boycott in Syria, which also matches the stance of the French Foreign Minister who described the Arab work plan as being dead. He affirmed that these stances show that these despotic forces aren’t comfortable with the Arab role and shocked by Syria’s response to the Arab initiative.

He said that these negative and serious stances required an official statement from the Arab League or the Arab committee that rejects calls for using weapons and violence and Syria and affirming the continuation of the Arab work plan, inviting all sides within Syria and abroad to play a responsible and constructive role and reject violence. Ahmad called on the Arab Ministerial Committee and the Arab League Council to issue a clear statement in this regard.

He also expressed Syria’s surprise over the statements made by the Arab League Secretary General in which he said that Syria isn’t committed to the Arab initiative, ignoring in his statement the grave instigator statements of the US and France and the stances of the Istanbul council who rejected the Arab work plan and dialogue.

Ahmad pointed out that after approving the Arab work plan, many Syrian national opposition figures within Syria and abroad became subjects to a campaign of intimidation and coercion to make them reject dialogue with the authorities and join the Istanbul council which seeks to summon foreign interference regardless of its price.

He went on to affirm that media instigation against Syria doubled in a rabid and unprecedented rate since the Arab League Council’s decision, manifesting in the way reports are being formed and the broadcast of images, the fabrication of news and focusing on the one side which rejects the plan and dialogue, all which aims at promoting the continuation of violence and creating instability to foil the Arab plan and encourage some opposition figures abroad to adhere to their negative stances, all which would lead to preventing any peaceful solution and opening the door to foreign interference with all its disastrous consequences on the region’s security and stability.

Ahmad said that Syria believes that the Arab Ministerial Committee’s role and the Arab work plan’s articles include basic responsibilities entailing that Arab countries must reign in the unprofessional practices of some Arab mass media which seek to escalate the situation in Syria under the pretext of independence of opinion and funding.

“We don’t ask for silencing an opinion or the other opinion… we demand exercising the optimum amount of responsibility, professionalism and neutrality and dealing with the events taking place in Syria,” he said, stressing that those who ignore the reality of the negative political and media interference and instigation are attempting to blot out the son with their fingers.

Ahmad said that the Arab Ministerial Committee should play an active and serious role and that it must have a real, organized presence in Syria along with the Arab delegation, calling on the Arab League Council to make clear stances by rejecting the statements of some countries and foreign forces who seek to continue bloodshed and violence in Syria heedless of the interests and aspirations of the Syrians and the serious repercussions of their reckless policies.

Louai
The regime through its criminality, is to blame for outside forces to interfere,the demonstrators are peaceful and powerless, the regime is killing by all its military security and shabbiha power,the only one thing is reasonable is to call for outside power to help.

The rule of nature is no matter how powerful you are, there is always someone more powerful than you.

Revlon
الجامعة العربية علقت عضوية سوريا
No it was not the membership that was suspended, it was the participation that was suspended, it means the regime is no longer represent the syrian people and lost its legitimacy and no longer will be allowed to get back.
The pro regime are deceiving and lying when they say the membership is susended,they soon will realize they are wrong.Syria as a country and people are still members of the AL but the regime ,the assadist are no longer admitted.

Can the Arab League now suspend Lebanon and Yemen please? And Iraq given a final warning?

@95

Oh, so now it isn’t about Bashar and his mafia and the other parasites that have been sucking the blood of the Syrian nation, is it? It is who comes after, eh? Heard of something called democracy, elections, and transparent referendums? You don’t think Syria has enough honest, educated patriots who can run the country? Nooo, it must be only god’s very own son, BASHAR and his sycophants who can do the job, the rest are just inferior rubbish, fit only to be slaves to serve the great leader.　　

Ｌｏｎｇ　ｌｉｖｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｌｅａｄｅｒ！
Bashar-sama, Banzai, Banzai, Banzai

I agree that a new order is being forced on the region and the goal is to contain Iran and its allies and impose friendly regimes across the region headed by the GCC.
Qatar Emir was clear since 2003 that he wants the region to follow his country’s model which requires an alliance with the US and casual but friendly relations with regional powers including Iran. He and others see Iran as a bigger threat than Israel because Iran has the potential to dominate and the ability to destabilize the Gulf.Israel is seen as a powerful but small country that has no chance of threatening the gulf emirates. The biggest victim here is the Palestinians who will be forced to accept a mediocre state that has no sovereignty and little chance to be independent.Jordan will be offered the chance to keep its royal family but will be asked to absorb its palesinian population and reduce the need for the refugees return to their homeland. Lebanon will also pay a price,its Shia and Christian sects will have to allow the Harirites to rule in return of new order that will also require the absorption of 600,000 pals in the Lebanese society.
The desired outcome is a region ruled by regimes dominated by the GCC and the US,by default,and a contained Iran. Syria is just one piece of the puzzle. The problem is that the GCC itself is neither free nor democratic,and that Syria and Lebanon are not similar to the GCC countries and still have considerable ethnic and religious diversity which will make it very difficult for these countries to follow the GCC model especially that their biggest asset is man power not oil.will Syrians manage to transform their country without becoming an extension of the GCC? My own prediction is that they can,and they should.

Tara #98

I agree with the concept, but I doubt Bashar will step down. The large part of the population who support him will feel let down and react. The door to civil war will be wide open.
I believe that if the army takes over part of the leadership and Bashar steps ‘aside’ that may be more acceptable because his presence has become a thorn in the side of the opposition, even though I think his stepping aside will change nothing of the reality of the government as Bashar is only the visible tip of the iceberg. Yet, it will give the hardline protesters the impression they won, maybe enough to calm them and allow the opposition to sit around a dialog table.

100 Majedkhaldoon;

“the only one thing is reasonable is to call for outside power to help”

Sure, if I am one of the handful people in the opposition I would want a solution and a win situation. I would be calling for international force. This is easy said than done and the internation community knows that very well. The international community wanted an intervention in Syria for years. Russia and China will not let Syria go. Sayed Nasrallah in his speech clearly stated that any attack on Syria or Iran will have a very bad consequences and the war will be moved to Israel let us say it out and frankly. If Israel is ready to pay the price for the islamic move in Syria then yes the international community will conduct a strike, if Israel feels that the price is too heavy, no one will throw a stone on Syria. Power speaks and Assad the father was aware of this fact and for that he was building a stong ties in the region and this is paying off. Qadafi took off his clothes, Mubarak was a slave, etc….Syria is different and the regime proved again that it has a solid base and both internal and regional power. I assure you that no war will take place.

تصريح صحفي من المجلس الوطني السوري حول قرارات جامعة الدول العربي
SNC Press release on Today’s AL resolution that suspended The regimes’s membership.
The SNC:
WELCOMED the AL resolution,
THANKED the supporting Governments, The Qatari PM, and the Saudi prince, and
EXPRESSED readiness to engage in negotiations that would lead to a Regime-free, transitional government and the the stepping down of Asad.

12/11/2011
http://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Revolution

تعليقاً على القرارات التي أصدرها المجلس الوزاري العربي اليوم السبت (12/11) بشأن رفض النظام السوري لمبادرة الجامعة العربية، صرح مصدر مسؤول في المجلس الوطني السوري بما يلي:
يؤكد المجلس الوطني السوري ترحيبه بالقرارات التي أصدرها المجلس الوزاري العربي، ويعتبر أنها خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح، وتمثل إدانة واضحة للنظام السوري الذي أمعن في عمليات القتل والتدمير، وتأكيداً على حيوية الدور العربي في نصرة الشعب السوري.

إن ما تحقق حتى الآن ناتج طبيعي لنضالات شعبنا في وجه النظام الدموي، والشعب السوري هو صاحب الفضل في ذلك، وتضحياته كانت الدافع القوي في تغيير الموقف العربي والدولي لصالح الثورة السورية.

إن المجلس الوطني، إذ يوجه التحية والشكر إلى كافة الدول العربية التي أكدت وقوفها إلى جانب شعبنا، وإلى اللجنة الوزارية برئاسة الشيخ حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني رئيس الوزراء ووزير خارجية قطر ويعبر عن تقديره لمشاركة المملكة العربية السعودية برئاسة سمو الأمير سعود الفيصل، فإنه يؤكد أن القرارات التي اتخذتها الجامعة يجب أن تأخذ طريقها إلى التنفيذ الفوري لمنع النظام من استغلالها في قتل مزيد من المدنيين والمتظاهرين.

ويهمّ المجلس الوطني أن يؤكد جاهزيته للتفاوض حول الفترة الانتقالية ضمن نطاق الجامعة، بما يضمن تنحي بشار الأسد وانتقال السلطة إلى حكومة ديمقراطية تعبر عن الشعب السوري ولا تضم أياً من مكونات النظام ممن تلوثت أيديهم بالدماء.

كما يمدّ المجلس الوطني يده إلى أيّ قوى سياسية وشخصيات وطنية لم تحسم موقفها بعد، لتوحيد الموقف ورصّ الصف الوطني لمواجهة استحقاقات المرحلة، والعمل معاً من أجل إحداث التغيير الديمقراطي المنشود.

See Translation
about an hour ago

Majed

“the only one thing is reasonable is to call for outside power to help.

Syrians begging for help from outside like the coward Libyans?
Where is your pride?
People martyr for a revolution, not sell themselves to foreign country to get help.

Bronco said
And how do you see it? Who takes over? When? How?

Wait and see what the opposition will say in three days.they seems they are getting closer to a unified decision,listen to Haytham Manna3 today and what he said on Aljazeera.

Irritated
When the regime is killing me, and I have to choose between death and pride, you know what I will choose and what you will choose.

majed

“it means the regime is no longer represent the syrian people and lost its legitimacy and no longer will be allowed to get back.

If what you say is true then the Syrian government is no more bound to the AL initiative and thus the initiative is dead. So why did the Qatari minister repeated that the initiative is alive, despite what France and other country said and the AL wants to pursue it and they are sending a delegation to Syria?

Or do you think that the Al initiative will be declared dead in 4 days?

There is a bit of contradiction here, don’t you think?

There are people,who still think that the regime has popular support, if it is true the regime should go for immidiate free election. the fact that they are under illusion and they are afraid to know the truth.

يا اخونا ياغفران

@105

“The biggest victim here is the Palestinians who will be forced to accept a mediocre state that has no sovereignty and little chance to be independent.”

My goodness! You actually believe that a Syria under the heel of the Assadist mafiosi and associates is going to give the Palestinians a better chance of getting a proper sovereign state?! You will not find anyone more supportive of the Palestinian cause than yours truly, but hey, let’s be honest here, Israel and America will NEVER, EVER allow that state you’re speaking of to ever exist.

Have you ever looked in detail at the economy of the Palestinian territories? I don’t care what sort of political independence the Palestinians win, they will be FOREVER under the stranglehold of Israel. So to hold the Syrian People’s freedom and dignity hostage to such wishful thinking is…unfair, to put it mildly.

So, now we have to believe that due to these sionist terrorists and thugs in Homs the Illuminated President of Syria has not been able to make amendments and reforms. Eleven years lost for nothing from his election. Seven months lost for nothing since the wake of the revolution. He was trying to implement reforms in the best way but he never found the suitable way or time to do it. What a fraud. Pfuah!!!

Bronco

Nothing will satisfy the Syrians who are anti-regime short of Bashar stepping down! I most definitely do not see any dialogue happening without that. It has really become up close and personal. Bronco, one needs to be realistic here. Take me for example. I lived a privileged life in Syria with many family members either part of or married into the regime including prior heads of intelligence etc . I do not have any family member who was hurt by the regime and I have said this before, yet I personally would not support a dialogue before Bashar steps down. If that what I feel, what do you think Syrians inside Syria feel? Parents no longer asking their kids not to demonstrate. Syrians can not just forget the killing and torture. They are all traumatized. They hold him accountable for all the killings whether he ordered it or not. If he steps down, he saves us civil war and/or foreign intervention both will destroy the Syria we both love.

هاربة من حمص إلى عمان إلى الإسكندرية ..تروي “مأساة” نجاتها
Egyptian lady tells horrors of her escape with her two kids from Syria to Amman.
By Otaf AlRowdan
عمان نت – عطاف الروضان
10 / 11 / 2011

http://ar.ammannet.net/?p=132677&ref=nf

ليست صدفة سارة أن تتعطل السيارة التي تقلك منتصف الليل على طريق صحراوي وأنت هارب أصلا من جحيم ملاحقة أمنية، لكنها بالتأكيد كانت صدفة الخلاص بالنسبة لأم آدم، وهي سيدة مصرية الجنسية والمتزوجة من مواطن سوري، إذ استطاعت أخيرا العبور برفقة طفليها بعد معاناة كبيرة للأراضي الأردنية.

فبعد عدة كليومترات من نقطة حدود جابر على الحدود الأردنية السورية في محافظة المفرق تفاجأت أم آدم ومن يرافقها بتعطل سيارة السفريات التي استقلوها من دمشق على الطريق الدولي “عمان-دمشق” بعد منتصف الليل بقليل على مدخل إحدى البلدات على جانب الطريق.

بعد قراراها مغادرة سوريا على عجل بعد ما تيقن لها خطورة البقاء هناك، كان تعطل السيارة بداية الخلاص لأم آدم من رحلة عذاب عاشتها مع طفليها لعدة أيام، كما تقول” فقد لجأ السائق إلى أحد أهالي بلدة ثغرة الجب الواقعة على الطريق الدولي، وطلب منه إذا كان بالإمكان توصيل ركاب السيارة إلى عمان فهو سيعود إلى دمشق.

لم يتأخر أحمد البدارين بالاستجابة وأوصلها مع الركاب الآخرين إلى عمان، وبعد أن تفرق الركاب كل بوجهته، لاحظ أن أم آدم واقفة بلا حراك ممسكة بارتباك وقلق بيد أطفالها، فعرف أنها لا تعرف أحدا في العاصمة ولاتملك أي مال، فعرض عليها أن يعيدها معه لتقضي ليلتها لدى سيدة مصرية مقيمة في بلدة ثغرة الجب.

تروي الثلاثينية أم آدم قصة هروبها المريرة من الأراضي السورية بدءا من مدينة حمص التي وصفتها بـ”المنكوبة” وتقول” خرجنا من حمص على عجل خوفا مما قد نتعرض له بعد دخول الجيش إليها، لم نكن وحدنا فعشرات العائلات نزحت هاربة بعد أن تناهي لمسامعهم نية السلطات السورية باقتحام المدينة ”.

تقول أم آدم: “أرسل لنا زوجي خبرا عبر وسيط وبشكل سري بأن اخرجو فورا من حمص فالجيش يتحرك لمحاصرتها، وعرفنا بأنه يجب علينا بالفعل الخروج حالا دون أن نحمل شيئا، سوى بعض الأطعمة الخفيفة للأطفال، ولم يحدد زوجي لأي منا أي اتجاه يسلك فهو نفسه لا يعلم كما قيل لنا، فتوجهت أنا وطفلي مع عدد من الأشخاص إلى دمشق ”

واختارت أم آدم أن تعود إلى مصر عبر الأردن، فليس هناك خيار آخر متاح كما تقول، فالأوضاع في سوريا تزداد اشتعالا وخاصة في مدينة حمص التي كانت تقيم فيها و طفليها “فتاة في السادسة، وولد في الثامنة”، مع عائلة زوجها الذي لم تره منذ اشتعال الأحداث في سوريا آذار الماضي.

تشرح أم آدم تفاصيل رحلتها المؤلمة ”قطعنا أنا وأطفالي الطريق إلى دمشق مع عشرات الأشخاص مشيا على الأقدام لمدة ثلاثة أيام مرعبة عبر الأحراش والبساتين بعيدا عن الشارع العام خوفا من الاعتقال أو القتل وكانت تصلنا من بعيد أصوات رصاص وانفجارات وآليات الجيش الثقيلة.. إنها حرب حقيقة ”

وتتابع أم آدم”وصلنا إلى دمشق وتفرق كل منا باتجاه، قصدت الجامع الأموي بحثا عن مأوى مؤقت وطعام لأطفالي، لكنني لم أوفق بأي منهما فمجرد أن حل الظلام طالب القائمون على المسجد هناك الزوار بمغادرة المسجد، فلم أجد أمامي خيارا إلا استكمال رحلة هروبي التي أشد ما آلمني خلالها ما تعرض له أطفالي من رعب وخوف ومعاناة”.

“كانت لحظات الاستجواب والتحقيق من الجانب السوري على الحدود الأردنية السورية هي الأقسى التي تعرضت لها أم آدم وتحديدا عن سبب مغادرتها لسوريا الآن، ولكن بالنهاية أنقذتها العناية الآلهية ”كما تقول لتعبر هي وطفليها بالنهاية إلى “طريق الخلاص”.

تقول أم آدم ”كم قطعت هذا الطريق الدولي أثناء سفري من وإلى مصر خلال سنوات زواجي العشر، لكنني لم أتصور أن يكون القاطنون في إحدى البلدات على جانبيه منقذين لي في أحلك لحظات حياتي سوادا، ووسط الهروب من قمع وتنكيل السلطات السورية ضد الثائرين والمطالبين بالحرية هناك” وتؤكد ”كل شيئ مباح ومستباح ”.

ينقل أفراد العائلة الذين استقبلوا أم آدم واستضافوها في منزلهم حالتها لدى وصولها” كان منظرها وأطفالها يدمي القلب، كأنها خرجت للتو من كهف، فلم يأكلو طعاما منذ أيام، “فقد دفعهم الجوع إلى تناول الحشائش وألأعشاب”، ويتملكهم الرعب لدى أي حركة أو رؤية شخص غريب”.

تؤكد أم آدم ”لقد أزالت إقامتي في هذه البلدة الأردنية لمدة أسبوع عن كاهلي التفكير بكل الأحداث المؤلمة التي واجهتها مع طفلي وعشرات الأبرياء أثناء هروبنا من الأحداث في سوريا، فلا يمكن لأي فضائية أو وسيلة إعلام أن تصف بشكل حقيقي حجم المعاناة والرعب هناك خاصة على الأطفال”.

أم آدم وصلت بالفعل إلى مدينة الإسكندرية بعد مساعدة الأهالي المعنوية والمادية، ولكن السؤال يظل حول مصير طفليها، فبعد ثلاثة أشهر سيكون من الضروري أن يغادروا مصر لعدم وجود إقامة..فجنسيتهما سورية، فالظلم مستمر سواء على من بقوا في الداخل أو على من استاطعوا الهروب والنجاة بحياتهم، على حد وصفها.

Majedalkhaldoon

“When the regime is killing me, and I have to choose between death and pride, you know what I will choose and what you will choose.’

A real convinced revolutionary dies proudly as a martyr.

Did you hear proud Bahrainis calling for external help as they are being crushed by an external army? Did you hear Yemenis calling for external help? Did you hear Egyptians or Tunisians calling for external help?

Iran, Russia, Cuba and others did not ask for ‘help’ when they made their revolution. Thousands died but they build a country proud of its victory not like Libya’s NATO victory.

Muslims angry over New York police surveillance program find law may not be on their side

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/muslims-angry-over-new-york-police-surveillance-program-find-law-may-not-be-on-their-side/2011/11/08/gIQAQrHxyM_story.html

NEW YORK — Even before it showed up in a secret police report, everybody in Bay Ridge knew that Mousa Ahmad’s café was being watched.

Strangers loitered across the street from the café in this Brooklyn neighborhood. Quiet men would hang around for hours, listening to other customers. Once police raided the barber shop next door, searched through the shampoos and left. Customers started staying away for fear of ending up on a blacklist, and eventually Ahmad had to close the place.

But when asked if he would consider legal action against the police, Ahmad just shrugs.

“The police do what they want,” he said, standing in front of the empty storefront where his café used to be. “If I went to court to sue, what do you think would happen? Things would just get worse.”

It’s a common sentiment among those who are considering their legal options in the wake of an Associated Press investigation into a massive New York Police Department surveillance program targeting Muslims. Many of the targets feel they have little recourse — and because privacy laws have weakened dramatically since 9/11, they may be right, legal experts say.

“It’s really not clear that people can do anything if they’ve been subjected to unlawful surveillance anymore,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

The AP investigation revealed that the NYPD built databases of everyday life in Muslim neighborhoods, cataloguing where people bought their groceries, ate dinner and prayed. Plainclothes officers known as “rakers” were dispatched into ethnic communities, where they eavesdropped on conversations and wrote daily reports on what they heard, often without any allegation of criminal wrongdoing.

The NYPD did not respond to repeated requests for an interview, but it has insisted that it respects the rights of people it watches. Commissioner Ray Kelly says each request for surveillance is thoroughly examined by the department’s lawyers.

“The value we place on privacy rights and other constitutional protections is part of what motivates the work of counterterrorism,” Kelly told a city council committee. “It would be counterproductive in the extreme if we violated those freedoms in the course of our work to defend New York.”

But critics of the surveillance say the NYPD is taking advantage of a general weakening of state and federal restraints, many of them forged during the 1960s and following the Watergate scandal:

—The USA PATRIOT Act, passed after the 9/11 attacks, reduced legal limits on wiretaps imposed by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The same law also amended the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 to allow banks to release records to intelligence agencies investigating terrorism.

—A 2007 law changed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, originally a reaction to former President Richard Nixon’s spying on political groups, to allow wiretaps of international phone calls.

—In 2002 the Supreme Court decision ruled that students cannot sue universities under the 1974 Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act. That could make it harder for Muslim student groups to seek redress over infiltration by NYPD undercover officers.

Clinton said, USA want QUICK answer from Iran,this imply an action that is very imminent.

The suspension is only “to AL ministerial meetings”
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/26381/World/Region/Main-points-of-Arab-League-decision-on-Syria-.aspx
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/26362/World/Region/BREAKING-Arab-League-temporarily-suspends-Syrias-p.aspx

today there was a huge explosion in a military base in Iran.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/26348/World/Region/UPDATED-Blast-in-military-barracks-west-of-Tehran-.aspx

Hans Blix warns: to let Israel attack Iran would be the best way to “ensure” Iran will seek the bomb.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/26367/World/Region/Israeli-strike-would-ensure-Iran-seeks-bomb,-warns.aspx

I suspect Fisk is in Homs and we’ll soon get news from on the ground, unless he decides again to auto-censure.

Iran has already answered and said there is no proofs whatsoever, but the US need something to keep people busy instead of watching the economic downfall and withdraw all their savings and policies.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MK11Ak02.html
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MK11Ak01.html
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/iran-rejects-iaea-findings-on-its-nuclear-activities-as-lousy-intelligence-work-1.395087
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/230076?CMP=twt_gu
(on Iran’s answers)

And by the way,
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkey-fm-we-oppose-any-military-strike-on-iran-1.395174

Tara

“If that what I feel, what do you think Syrians inside Syria feel? ”

That’s the key point: you are outside, you are not affected by the sanctions and the threats of a civil war so you can refuse the dialog as long as Bashar did not step down without any direct impact on you daily life.

When you are inside, you would make a compromise even with the devil to avoid being caught in a civil war and the terrible long term consequences it may have on the country and its citizens.

When the 15 years old civil war in Lebanon ended, difficult compromises were made with criminals like Geagea and Joumblatt for the sake of stopping the bloodshed and the further destruction of the country. While these men are still around in the political life of Lebanon, the country is in peace.

Compromises may save lives, while obstination destroys them.
The Syrian government has shown its readiness to rescind article 8, multiparty law has been announced, the constitution is being revised, the AL will supervise the dialog, what compromises did the opposition offer to do? They refused the dialog, they only want personal revenge, not the sake of the country.
Without renouncing to revenge and accepting compromises, the people living in Syria will continue to suffer.

101. Dear majedkhaldoun,
“Revlon: الجامعة العربية علقت عضوية سوريا
No it was not the membership that was suspended, it was the participation that was suspended”

Thank you for the feedback.
I watched both the reciting of the resolution as well as the following press conference of Qatari PM and AL secretary.

In the first, Qatari PM read: suspension of participation of Syrian delegation in all AL meetings (27 seconds)

In the press conference, and in an answer to related question, Mr N AlArabi provided the title of the resolution in Arabic: Suspension of membership(6.58 minute).

I found it confusing!

However, It appears to me that the AL secretary provided the technical title of the procedure, which is suspension of membership, while Qatari PM read what it entailed; the suspension of …..

I agree with you Syria as a member state was not expelled from the AL.

Cheers.

Memo To: IRRITATED

RE: “…Syrians begging for help from outside like the coward Libyans?…”

Sure! Why not? You know the revolutionary principle: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

And they weren’t cowards. They killed what’s-his-name…er…Qaddafi. Let’s see if you can kill your what’s-his-name…

Ghufran,
I agree with your view.
I think that the war is coming sooner or later, there is nothing left for diplomacy and Turkey will get involved as soon as Wednesday when the next AL meeting will give the green light for the west to take over and start the military actions against Syria.
It was clear from the beginning that the goal wasn’t really about freedom or democracy it was about getting rid of Syria to get to Iran.
What’s unclear is the regime reaction; is it going to come up with a strategic moves as Bronco wrote, or is it going to intensify the military action on ground, or is it going to use it’s regional cards including ignite Bahrain situation or is it willing to let the civil war go without any interference, or take more dangerous approach and poke Israel somehow or just simply surrender and spare Syria all the destruction?
The next step by the regime will determine the outcome; I’m sceptical about the future of Syria though.
“My own prediction is that they can, and they should.”
Unfortunately I think that the people can’t do much against this attack, Damascus is the last place in the middle east to be conquered by the bedouins, as they say who rules Damascus rules the middle east and that is the goal.

Revlon

Reported by Mina

“BREAKING: Arab League temporarily suspends Syria’s participation in ministerial meetings
Syria’s membership in the Arab League is not frozen but its participation in ministerial meetings is suspended pending an end to violence against demonstrators ”

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/26362/World/Region/BREAKING-Arab-League-temporarily-suspends-Syrias-p.aspx

From the EU/JewJew/CIA/al Qaeda/Salafist/Saudi Press:

“…an explosion today at a base for Iran’s elite Republican Guard killed at least 27 soldiers and shook buildings west of Tehran, according to authorities, who downplayed any hint of international sabotage aimed at Iran’s nuclear program…”

Massive explosion near Teheran? If you think it was an accident, you are in total denial. Strap yourselves in, boys and girls. It has started…

الكردستاني :امتناع زيباري عن التصويت لصالح قرار تعليق عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية لايمثل موقفنا
Coalition of Kudestan in Iraqi Government: Zibari’s abstention does not represent the coalition’s position. We support changing the oppressive regime in Syria.

12/11/2011 18:43
من: وسام الجاف،تح:سلام بغدادي
http://www.aknews.com/ar/aknews/4/272059/

بغداد12تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر(آكانيوز)- اعلن التحالف الكردستاني ،السبت، ان موقف وزيره في الحكومة العراقية هوشيار زيباري تجاه قرار تعليق عضوية سوريا في الجامعة العربية لا يمثل موقفنا في الحكومة العراقية بل يمثل موقف العراق الدبلوماسي، مؤكدا ان موقف التحالف الكردستاني يؤيد تغيير النظام السوري الدكتاتوري القمعي على ،حد وصفه.

وقال المتحدث باسم التحالف الكردستاني النائب مؤيد طيب لوكالة كردستان للأنباء(اكانيوز) ان” موقف وزير الخارجية هوشيار زيباري في جلسة الجامعة العربية بشان قرار تعليق عضوية سوريا يمثل موقف العراق الرسمي الدبلوماسي لكنه لا يمثل موقف التحالف الكردستاني في الحكومة العراقية “.

واوضح الطيب ان “موقف التحالف الكردستاني هو تأييد مطالب الشعب السوري بتغيير نظام الاسد الدكتاتوري القمعي “.

وقد تولى هوشيار زيباري منصب وزير الخارجية لدورة ثانية في الحكومة العراقية الحالية بعد ان تم ترشيحه من قبل التحالف الكردستاني ضمن حصته من الوزارات الحكومية.

واضاف ان ” التحالف الكردستاني يؤيد موقف الشعب السوري من اجل التحرر من الدكتاتورية واقامة نظام ديمقراطي “.

ولفت طيب الى ان “التحالف الكردستاني لن يقف موقفا مخيبا لكرد سوريا ” مشددا على ان ” موقف الكردستاني سيبقى مع حقوق المواطنين الكرد في سوريا وبقية اطياف الشعب السوري في اسقاط النظام السوري القمعي الذي يقوده الاسد “.

وقرر وزراء الخارجية العرب،في وقت سابق من اليوم،السبت،تعليق عضوية سوريا بمجلس جامعة الدول العربية إلى حين قيامها بالتنفيذ الكامل لتعهداتها التي وافقت عليها بموجب خطة العمل العربية لحل الازمة السورية التي اعتمدها المجلس في اجتماعه غير العادي يوم 2 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبرالجاري.

لكن القرار اتخذ بموافقة 18 دولة ،فيما شهد التصويت عليه اعتراض لبنان واليمن، وامتناع العراق.

111 by MajedKhaldoon “There are people,who still think that the regime has popular support, if it is true the regime should go for immidiate free election. the fact that they are under illusion and they are afraid to know the truth”

The word “SHOULD GO” needs to be modified. After all the internal and extrenal pressure the regime has to face the last 8 months and after all the toll death which topped 3500 on both sides, I do not think the regime is following the (SHOULD GO) phrase anymore. I think presendent Assad the father is still ruling Syria from his grave. He was one of the smartest politicians the Arab region ever had. The regime is surviving the current pressure as a result of Assad father vision. I would advice you to focus the conversation on how to unit the fragmented opposition. For God sakes they are throwing eggs on each other.

I find Iraq abstinence from voting as opposed to decline the suspension at the AL to be very telling about Iran’s future position towards Bashar. Simply put it, when Bashar falls, Iran is not going to back him up! Iran is not going to engage in a regional war for Bashar’s blue eyes.

Syria is going the civil war path and the result is going to be a divided Syria and Lebanon on religious lines, probably, I do not know if president Assad will declare martial law and call for full mobilization and high alert,

We still should recognize that the army and Baath party are still together,

I wonder if what we see is the revenge for all the poems that we heard in Syria and Iraq about backward of the gulf region.

This step by AL, will be followed by another suspenstion by the Islamic union which Syria is part of, this may not be as important,but UN will consider such decision.
More isolation

The ties between Iran, Syria, HA, and now Iraq under Almalki regime are very hard for some Arabs to understand. I do not blame some Arabs who have learned only see the Saudi, Turkish, and Qatar style of relations. Qatar stabbed Syria in the back, the same with Turkey. Those people appraising these countries are not to blame if they state that Iran will care less about Syria. Sayed Nasrallah speech yesterday came to offend these claims and put the lines under the words. Iran, Syria are in the same boat, either they go all or they stay. Remember HA never said a word in the past and remained quite but yesterday they delivered just to remind people who are doubtful; not to be becaue the relations are healthy and alive.

I went to the kinds of news sources Spammie Annie gets her news from (you know, sensationalist, questionable, barely literate) and here’s what I got on the Teheran explosion thing:

“…the Mujahedin-e-Khalq or MEK in Washington, citing reliable sources inside Iran, said the explosion hit the Modarres Garrison of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps west of Tehran. MEK spokesman Alireza Jafarzadeh said the garrison belongs to the IGRC’s missile unit and the blasts “resulted from the explosion of IRGC missiles…”

So it was maybe a Mujahedin-e-Khalq attack. This is cool shit!

HA and Hassan Nasrallah made themselves irrelevant in the Arab discourse. They lost their Arab base. They turned themselves into a mere militant faction in Lebanon and that is that….Iran is not going to bleed it’s wealth or manpower for a ..dictator.

I must admit that I have never ever imagined I would feel this way about HA. Tis is a lost love, yet well deserved to be lost….

Bronco

I trust prince Hamad. I think he is a good man. I think he is an Arab patriot. May be because I know as a fact that he and his siblings and cousins were indoctrinated into the Arab nationalism by Syrian Baathists ( Baathist Syrian teachers during their childhood). I bet he regards Arab nationalism the same way you ,Norman, and Tara view it.

Looks like the israel lobby and their islamist terrorist errand boys are overjoyed today!

The AL was, is, and will always be irrelevant. The whole world knows who controls the gulf countries; and the fact that those countries are in process of imposing their will on the region through their GCC alliance means the U.S. and its allies will soon have full control of the world oil supply and secure the most strategic region in the world. Do you really think Russia and China will sit this one out?? Syria is the last front for this war; it will not go down easily, not without a bloody fight. The Syrian regime has been working hard for 40 years building its defenses (politically and militarily) in preparation for such confrontation. It is naive to think the regime will surrender its valuable assets that easily and allow Syria to be broken apart without a big fight. Unfortunately, if dialogue is not agreed on, I don’t see how a prolonged civil war will be avoided.

By the way, those who believe, naively, this unrest is all about Bashar, they are fooling themselves. The jackpot is much bigger than him; it’s all about the Iran/Iraq/ Syria/ Lebanon potential alliance. The west has worked very hard for decades keeping the Middle East divided in small and powerless pieces. For the first time since the demise of the Islamic Empire, the Middle East has a legitimate chance to develop a credible and independent regional powerful alliance capable of commanding respect and protecting the region’s interest, which represents a nightmare for the U.S. and its allies.

Tara,
Please watch BBC Arabic, they are talking about Qatar rule in the Mideast,

By the way, did any Arab or foreign leader call for the opposition to join the government in talks and did they call for the opposition to hold fire , It looks like they are only blaming the government .

The regime was wrong from the beginning by engaging with beduin Al,Syria should withdraw from Al ASAP.Arabs are not worth it,20000 Syrians killed in 1973 war with Israel ,were killed again today by Hamad beduin council.what is Syria benefit from AL?nothing.As a general principle Qatar and Hamad and Qaradawi are directly responsible for thousands of deaths in Syria. This knife directly stabbed into syria’s back by عربان should by the last time,next knife will be in the heart.Monsters Jumping happily her for today’s Arab’s stabbing should remember how many times isreal was condemned in the united nations,and that the US used Veto 50 times to protect isreal.This movement by AL could actually be good for Syria in general,it will make people more aware of their enemies,it will also stop تمسيح الجوخ and remove the masks.Beduin now removed their gloves and have their swords out,Syria’s neck is needed…Sadly some traitors like Revlon and Majedoglu and Tara are singing as they help to hold the neck straight .

RE: the explosion at the IRGC munitions depot. This isn’t the first time this has happened in Iran. In the past, this kind of accident has even afflicted US and NATO sites. Was it sabotage? None of us can say with any degree of certainty.

Regarding an externally applied war against Syria, I think the chances of such are low at this point. Russia and China will not subscribe to such at the UNSC.

Regarding talk of a civil war, I’ve yet to see a “defector formation” larger than platoon strength. The same observation applies to “armed groups”. When we see multiple formations of company size or larger among the armed opposition forces — with vehicles — then we can entertain the notion of a civil war.

*** SO WHAT? ***

League initiative for Syria will not fly – October 25, 2011

There is no common ground to build on between the opposition and government or between both sides and the Arab bloc

Sami Moubayed

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/league-initiative-for-syria-will-not-fly-1.917919

Although their country is a founding member of the Arab League, Syrians of all colours, both the opposition and regime, were never too fond of the Cairo-based organisation. The Syrian regime understands its symbolic value of adhering to League resolutions, but realises that the League has failed, almost at every single occasion of its 67-year history, at preventing “undesirable events” from happening in the Arab World. The most recent failures, Syrian officials say, are the 2003 war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon and the 2011 Nato war on Libya.

Now the League is positioning itself as a credible mediator in the Syria crisis, offering to bring the government and the exiled Syrian National Council for talks at the League’s headquarters in Cairo. That needs to be done within a 15-day grace period, whereas violence needs to stop on the Syrian streets and so do operations of the Syrian Army in different Syrian cities. To date, Syria’s strong ally, Russia, has extended support to the League Initiative.

The street is furious with the 15-day grace period, staging demonstrations last Friday against the League timeframe, claiming that it paves the way for more bloodshed in Syria. The opposition also claims that the League is biased towards Syrian officialdom, and does not want more regimes to fall in the Arab world. For its part, the Syrian government has said that it will accept the League initiative, “with conditions.” Condition I would be for dialogue to take place in Damascus rather than Cairo. Condition II is for talks to take place with the Syrian opposition at large, and not the National Council, which was created in Istanbul last month and which includes the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. As far as the regime is concerned, the Council “does not represent the Syrian street.” Condition III is that operations of the Syrian Army are “not up for negotiations” within the League framework.

Progress in doubt

Another sticking point is that Qatar currently heads the League and is due to supervise the upcoming League ministerial committee that is due to arrive in Damascus on Wednesday. The delegation will include the League Secretary General Nabeel Al Arabi and the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Oman and Sudan. The Syrian government is saying that Qatar is no longer impartial and has taken sides with the opposition against the Syrian regime. Syrian officialdom is furious, to say the least, with Al Jazeera’s coverage of events in Syria. Then last Wednesday, Qatar announced that it was willing to step down from the League’s ministerial committee, if that made life easier for the Syrians. Because of these two developments, Syria will welcome the League committee this week, but it is highly doubtful if any progress will be made, for the following reasons:

1. The League lacks enforcement measures to pressure Syria, if negotiations reach a bottleneck. The only measure it can take is freezing Syria’s membership in the League, which although symbolic, would not really damage or even hurt the Syrians. Egypt had its membership frozen for an entire decade, right after Camp David, but it eventually turned a new page with the League by the 1990s. Syria can do the same, if need be, although Syrian authorities are certain Arab countries would vote against suspending Syria’s membership, such as Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and Algeria.

2. The Syrian government is not willing to sit and talk with the National Council, and the Council has said that it will only sit down with regime officials to negotiate exodus of the Syrian regime. Both parties refuse to budge and the League is completely incapable of changing their views.

3. Syria is saying that dialogue in Damascus will take place with “the national opposition” that refused foreign intervention in the Syrian crisis. They point to figures like ex-economy professor Aref Dalilah, former Baathist Hussain Al Odat, and exiled human rights activist Haitham Manaa, who recently shocked the Council by siding with the regime against it, saying that its members are creations of the US, Turkey, and France. Manaa, who remains persona non grata in Damascus, remains one of the most balanced and respected opposition figures in the diaspora. Back in 2003, he visited Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government, hailed as an iconic figure for saying that there will be no Ahmad Chalabis in Syria willing to topple the regime through the assistance of US tanks.

Now he is positioning himself as a moderate yet again, although he was among the loudest of voices in the opposition back in March, when disturbances started in his native Daraa. The Council, which is already being courted by world capitals and Arab ones like Libya, has said that it refuses any dialogue with anybody but the Council itself. Al Odat, who is spokesman of the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change, welcomed the League initiative as it stands.

Precisely because of the points mentioned above, it is doubtful that the League initiative will fly. Neither side takes the League very seriously, and today, eight months into the crisis, Syria feels it is “back in control” whereas the foreign-based opposition is certain that the regime “is about to fall, any minute now.” There simply is no common ground to build upon between the Council and government on one front, and between both sides and the League, on the other.

Majed97 ,

I do not know if you know the reason to establish the GCC, i am old enough to remember that it was started as a response to the unity attempt between Syria and Iraq during Ahmad Hasan AL Baker, it came to stop that union and soon after it was started Saddam Hussein took power and finished that union,

So what you say started in the seventies to stop Arab nationalism and pan Arab State as advocated by the Baath party in Syria and Iraq.

Bronco

“When you are inside, you would make a compromise even with the devil to avoid being caught in a civil war and the terrible long term consequences it may have on the country and its citizens.”

No Bronco. That is you perception of what Syrians syria want. The fact of the matter is “al shaab yoreed isqat alnizam”, ” the people want the execution of the president”, “no dialogue”, and “SNC represents us” and” NCC does not represent us” is what the Syrian street has been calling for, for the last 8 months. Did you forget all these slogans?

Memo To: PIROUZ

RE: “…I’ve yet to see a “defector formation” larger than platoon strength…”

Fidel Castro’s revolution started out with a group of less than platoon strength. All the FSA needs to do is survive and carry out military operations against Regime forces. As the body bags get more numerous, more and more soldiers in Besho’s army will come to the conclusion that the Assad Mafia is not worth dying for…

Let’s pray these guys won’t win any seats in the coming elections:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/26379/Egypt/Politics-/AlJamaa-AlIslamiya-demands-female-talk-show-host-c.aspx

Apparently the AL will be responsible for the destruction of another Arab State, they are setting in motion the justifications that the West need for the attack.

السبت 16 ذو الحجة 1432هـ – 12 نوفمبر 2011م

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بريطانيا: القرار يكشف عن مدى إحباط العرب من نظام الأسد
ترحيب أوروبي وأمريكي كبير بقرار الجامعة العربية تعليق عضوية سوريا
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سوريون يحرقون صوراً لبشار الأسد أمام مقر الجامعة العربية

دبي – العربية.نت

أكّد “الاتحاد الأوروبي” دعمه التام لقرار “جامعة الدول العربية” تعليق عضويّة سوريا إلى أن يلتزم الرئيس بشار الأسد بتنفيذ خطة العمل التي عرضتها عليه الجامعة لوقف العنف ضد المحتجين، وفق ما صرّح مايكل مان المتحدث باسم وزيرة خارجية الاتحاد الأوروبي كاثرين آشتون. مان، وفي تصريح لوكالة “فرانس برس”، قال: “إننا نحيي عرض الجامعة العربية وقف أعمال العنف وإجراء الإصلاحات التي يطالب بها الشعب السوري منذ أشهر”. وأشاد وزير الخارجية البريطانية ويليام هيغ السبت بـ”حزم” الجامعة العربية، وقال في بيان إن قرار تعليق عضوية سوريا “إلى أن يوقف النظام السوري قمع المدنيين ويحترم تعهداته، يظهر الإحباط الذي يشعر به أعضاء الجامعة العربية حيال تعنت الرئيس الاسد”. وأضاف: “في الوقت الذي يحتدم فيه العنف في شوارع سوريا فإننا نشاطرهم هذا الإحباط مع باقي أعضاء المجتمع الدولي”، وأكد أن لندن “تدعم جهود الجامعة العربية من أجل وقف المجازر ضد الشعب السوري”، مشدداً على أن هذا “العنف المستمر يجب أن يتوقف”. من جانبه، حيّا الرئيس الأمريكي الجامعة العربية لقرارها تعليق عضوية سوريا، وقال في بيان أصدره البيت الأبيض “أحيي القرارات المهمة التي اتخذتها الجامعة العربية اليوم، ومن بينها تعليق عضوية سوريا”، في المنظمة بعد “إخفاق النظام السوري الفاضح في الالتزام بتعهداته”، بوقف قمع تظاهرات المعارضة وانتهاكات حقوق الإنسان، مشيراً إلى وصول الأزمة إلى “مرحلة مهمة تكشف العزلة الدبلوماسية المتصاعدة” لنظام بشار الأسد. وصدر بيان عن المجلس الوطني السوري المعارض وجه فيه “التحية والشكر إلى كافة الدول العربية التي أكدت وقوفها إلى جانب شعبنا، وإلى اللجنة الوزارية برئاسة الشيخ حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني رئيس الوزراء في قطر، ويعبر عن تقديره لمشاركة المملكة العربية السعودية برئاسة الأمير سعود الفيصل”. وشدد المجلس على أن “القرارات التي اتخذتها الجامعة يجب أن تأخذ طريقها إلى التنفيذ الفوري لمنع النظام من استغلالها في قتل مزيد من المدنيين والمتظاهرين”. وقرر وزراء الخارجية العرب السبت تعليق عضوية الحكومة السورية في الجامعة العربية، ودعوا إلى سحب السفراء العرب من دمشق، كما اعترفوا ضمناً بالمعارضة السورية ودعوها إلى اجتماع في مقر الجامعة لبحث “المرحلة الانتقالية المقبلة”. وحسب الأمم المتحدة أوقعت عمليات قمع حركة الاحتجاج في سوريا أكثر من 3500 قتيل منذ منتصف مارس/آذار الماضي.

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جميع الحقوق محفوظة لقناة العربية © 2010

SS,

“…The ties between Iran, Syria, HA, and now Iraq under Almalki regime are very hard for some Arabs to understand”.

You still live in the authoritarian Baathist dimension. No one asked the Syrian people about, what relations they want to have with Iran, HA and their ilk.

Also, you say HA. You don’t say ‘Lebanon’. Wont it be more accurate to say “The ties between Iran, the Syrian Alawi community, etc” ?

Sorry for the sectarian language. You started.
.

Part 1 of Yousef al Ahmed’s word at the press conference after the AL meeting.

Norman
It is also bluff from the AL; in a way it is giving time to the regime while the (manufactured) ‘opinion’ can be happy with “the bad is punished” for another few days.

But the tsar Putin does not seem to have changed his mind, and this AL meeting comes also in competition with the meeting scheduled in Moscow, no?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/putin-attacks-britain-and-us-for-violating-libya-resolution-6261163.html

This may be another part: (Yousef al Ahmed) #148

If this news is true then the transition to the military rule started tonight, it may be followed by imposing emergency law and curfew and changing all high positions from civilian to military:
عاجل ومهم:
……..
اقالة الأمين القطري المساعد لحزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي محمد سعيد بخيتان
وتنصيب وزير الدفاع السابق حسن تركماني

بيان صادر عن حركة سوريا الوطن حول قرار الجامعة العربية
12 / 11 / 2011

بيان صادر عن حركة سوريا الوطن حول قرار الجامعة العربية

حركة سوريا الوطن تعتبر الجامعة العربية – التي لم تلتزم بأي من بنود مبادرتها- قد خرجت عن ميثاقها ونظامها الداخلي, في تعليق عضوية سوريا. إن تحريض الجيش السوري على التمرد, والقرار بعقوبات سياسية واقتصادية تستهدف الشعب السوري هو تنفيذ حرفي لما قررته حكومتي الولايات المتحدة الأميركية وفرنسا, مما يفقد الجامعة العربية ومؤسساتها كل صفات الشرعية ويؤكد تبعيتها, ويجعل منها معبراً للتدخلات الخارجية. وفي مواجهة هذا التدخل السافر الذي لا يستند الى أي أساس قانوني, أو شرعي, أو أخلاقي أو انساني, فإن حركة سوريا الوطن تدعو إلى خلق جبهة وطنية سورية لمواجهة أي اعتداء على السيادة الوطنية, أو على وحدة الشعب, أو استهداف مقدراته ومؤسساته, وفي مقدمتها مؤسسة الجيش السوري.

وباعتبار أن هذا التحرك هو خطوة أولى لاحتلال وضرب سوريا فإن الحركة تؤكد أن أي دعم لهذه الخطوة يشكل فعلاً عدائياً لسوريا أرضاً وشعباً , تدعو حركة سوريا الوطن الشباب السوري بكافة أطيافه وتوجهاته إلى التعقّل وتحمل مسؤولياته الوطنية ورفض القرارات التي من شأنها تدمير الوطن.

حركة سوريا الوطن

http://www.souria-alwatan.org/?p=226

This Time We Mean It: The Arab League Gets Tough on Syria
By RANIA ABOUZEID / BEIRUT Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2099360,00.html 

Syria appears to have lost its political cover from the Arab world. Damascus, the self-declared beating heart of pan-Arab nationalism, was suspended from the 22-member Arab League on Saturday. It was an unusually bold move by a body not known for achieving consensus or results, especially on the divisive issue of Syria’s handling of its ferocious eight-month-old crackdown on pro-democracy supporters.

In a stronger than expected move, 19 states approved the suspension, which will take effect on Nov. 16, when the League will meet again in Morocco to discuss Syria’s compliance (or lack of) on its latest demands. Iraq abstained, a move some observers interpreted as a measure of Iran’s influence over Baghdad. Iran remains Syria’s staunchest ally in the region, but Saturday’s vote clearly shows that both Tehran and Damascus have become pariahs in their neighborhood. Yemen, battling its own pro-democracy movement, objected to the suspension, as did Syria’s smaller, weaker neighbor Lebanon, which shook off Damascus’ 29-year occupation back in 2005, but now appears to be firmly back in Syria’s grip.
(See pictures of Syria’s ongoing bloody protests.)

The League also decided to impose political and economic sanctions against Damascus, and urged its member states to withdraw their ambassadors from the Syrian capital in protest. “Syria is a dear country for all of us and it pains us to make this decision,” Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani told a news conference at the League headquarters in Cairo. “We hope there will be a brave move from Syria to stop the violence and begin a real dialogue toward real reform.”

With its surprising decisiveness, the league managed to repair a measure of its credibility, badly damaged after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had made a mockery out of a supposed agreement with the League announced just 10 days ago. Under the terms of that deal, Assad was supposed to withdraw his security forces from Syria’s besieged cities, stop violence, free all political detainees, hold a national dialogue with the Syrian opposition within two weeks, and to allow media, the Arab League and international monitors access to the closed country. He didn’t do any of that. Instead, more than 100 people were killed in the tormented central city of Homs alone since the “deal” was announced on Nov. 2, according to a Human Rights Watch report issued this week. HRW has accused the Syrian regime of committing crimes against humanity in Homs. Syria will be excluded from the pan-Arab body until it implements the terms of this earlier agreement.

“We were criticized for taking a long time but this was out of our concern for Syria,” Qatari Foreign Minister Thani said of the perceived foot-dragging on censuring Syria. “We needed to have a majority to approve those decisions.” The concern, of course, is that instability in Syria, particularly of a sectarian nature, could surge across its borders and ignite similar sectarian conflict in the patchwork societies of Iraq and Lebanon as well as foment trouble in Jordan and Israel, perhaps through Syria’s militant allies, the Lebanese group Hizballah and the Palestinian Hamas organization.
(See TIME’s complete coverage of the Syrian uprising.)
Still, despite these fears, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Araby suggested that the body had run out of patience with Assad. “The Arab League started asking Syria four months ago to stop this killing, but without a response,” he said, later adding that “Assad can stop the killing in four days, we’ve been asking him to do so for four months.”

Predictably, Syria’s representative to the Arab League, Youssef al-Ahmad, slammed the body’s “illegal” decision, describing it as a violation of its charter and an indication that it served a Western and U.S agenda, the state-run Syrian news agency reported. In an undiplomatic moment, he also allegedly called Araby and Thani “pigs and traitors,” according to Arabic satellite channels.

Name-calling and finger pointing aside, the question is what happens next? The Qatari foreign minister urged Syria’s fragmented opposition to meet in Cairo over the next three days “to discuss how they can have one opinion.” The Syrian National Council (SNC) was recently formed as an umbrella organization, but it has been marred by infighting and breakaways. Although the SNC has yet to be recognized by most states (apart from Libya’s new leaders), the Arab League went further than it has gone before in anointing the Syrian opposition council as the legitimate representatives of the opposition.

“This is if everything goes okay,” Thani added. “If the killing stops. But if the killing doesn’t stop, we have to come back and see where we are going.” That may include seeking assistance from the United Nations to help rein in Assad, a move that could echo international military action against Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gadhafi. But once again, the League shied away from the specifics, although Thani stressed that arming the Syrian opposition was not on the table — for now. “Nobody in the League is talking about arming [the opposition], or creating a no-fly zone. Not one member mentioned these. The mechanisms will be considered on the 16th.” Will the international community — specifically Russia and China, which have prevented a U.N resolution against Syria — now take cues from the Arab League and move more firmly against Assad? That remains to be seen. But one thing is definitely clear: the Arab deadlines are becoming shorter. Syria’s Baathist regime — which has been in power for five decades — now has four days to act.

Makari: Lebanon’s position on Syria ‘reveals’ cabinet appointed by Syria
November 12, 2011
http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=331554     
   
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari on Saturday slammed the Lebanese position opposing the Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria and said that Lebanon’s stance “revealed the truth that the [Lebanese cabinet] was appointed by the Syrian regime.”

The cabinet’s position is a “flagrant bias” toward the Syrian regime and contradicts the cabinet’s statement that it wants to distance Lebanon from Syrian events, he said in a statement.

“The Lebanese official position [on Syria] is an obstruction of the Syrian people’s will and a violation of Arab consensus.”

Makari also said that it is “more honorable” for Prime Minister Najib Mikati to step down and “distance himself from more shameful and embarrassing situations.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Arab League suspended Syria until President Bashar al-Assad implements an Arab deal to end violence against protesters and called for sanctions and transition talks with the opposition. 

Lebanon, Syria and Yemen objected while Iraq abstained from voting.

-NOW Lebanon

Fisk is in Beirut:
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/syria-nov-12-2011-1734
“violence from the protesters”
“impotent AL”

back on earth, uh?

It is all in the hands of Putin, he knows very well what the radical Islam means! he felt their pain when they attacked him in the core if Russia few years ago.
he knows that USA is playing a dirty game with Syria and he has no love for Obama, he is going to make sure that UNSC never approve a military action against
Russia may look bad but that’s not a problem because many of the world knows that the USA is a dirty country all what it cares about is the Zionist interest and its own interest regardless of human being rights and all other public consumption empty words.
it is well know that in GSC countries pedophilia is wide spread do you think the human rights watch every done anything about it.
we all hear about the abuse of foreigners in those countries, men and women, have we ever seen anything done about it!!!
the people who are asking for international intervention in Syria are the one who should try the abuse of GSC first, it is the time coming when all radicals ruling the ME, I doubt if these countries would be different than Gaza strip living in poverty each family has a dozen or more of malnourished kids and all when they learn is the Quraan in school.
the west pays money for oil to the GSC but they know how to take the money back, all the GSC are in debts including KSA, there are poor Saudis who live below the standard of living of an american dog, how can that be when the oil at its highest prices for decades.
The best time of Syria has came and gone, during the last ten years where people were happy making lots of money.
Syria is going to be destroyed and put back for hundreds of years with the help of the radical traitors who are hungry for a stupid theology belongs to the stone age.
I read the retards here who advocate the military intervention and I wish them all to be inside Syria when that happen
I thought being a martyiers is a great thing, don’t you get 72 virgin and rivers of wine!!!! btw I thought alcohol is forbidden in Islam why is it allowed up in heaven….
I guess god either made mistake in that Ayaah or maybe it is a fake one or god was drunk at the time of Ayaah given out.
I hope people have some intelligence to understand that Islam is full of non sense like any other religion and accept that religion is not the only way to live life but using wisdom, intellectual and respect of human mankind is the way of the 21st century not teaching belongs to the stone age of human mankind.

Mina boycotts Aljazeera on ” when needed” basis. She does when she doesn’t like what being said and provides link from the same Aljazeera when it helps her agenda. I call that not being genuine. I am so unimpressed with in-genuine people.

Tara
You buy brands, I look for people. If you see what I wrote earlier, I was surprised the last two articles of Fisk in The Independent (his newspapers) were not about Syria, while he had written one week ago about the ongoing civil war and the fact some of the 3500 deads are from the military (but you prefer to believe they have been killed by bad-regime-guys).
So when I saw a link about him talking about the AL decision, I checked it of course. Fisk has his ups and downs but he knows conflicts and the Middle East far better than, let’s say, Tara, Hamster, or Revlon…

it is Ungenuine. 🙂

The Arab league supported the syrian troops to go into Lebanon,Syria then,hailed that.
The Arab League supported the US troops to invade Iraq, Syria under Hafez Assad joined in.
Now AL action to protect syrian lives and avoid further spilling of syrian blood,is opposed by Syria.

On Arabiya Sharif Shahadeh yelled and shouted,at Bassam J3ara and told him you are thief son of thief,I think he has picture of Bashar infront of him.

Then Mina next time please don’t tell us you boycott Aljazeera, just tell us you boycott what does not fit your views or agenda on Aljazeera.

I do believe what people say until they unintentionally make a mistake and reveal they were not saying the truth. Then I don’t believe anything else they say. And BTW, just in case you don’t know, there is no relationship whatsoever between not buying brands and being intellectually honest.

133. Dale Andersensaid:

here’s what I got on the Teheran explosion thing: ….. So it was maybe a Mujahedin-e-Khalq attack. This is cool shit!

Yes, cool shit like when al-qaeda blew up part of the Pentagon ten years ago.

Thanks Hans. It did not sound right.. Please feel free to correct me when indicated.

Tara, I am sorry but I feel like answering a robot, because you sound not genuine at all. Really, you did not understand my lousy English, and that the “brand” here is al jazeera? Could you also consider that to boycott al Jazeera Arabic, which I was watching before they launched their psyop campaign last winter, should not necessarily include al Jazeera English, since the first one is more important? That indeed, to boycott means “not to lose time with” but that it does not mean I should ignore real news? And you really have nothing to say on the respective expertise of Tara and Fisk when coming to the Middle East?

For Hans: al Jazeera is launchig a satellite channel in the Balkans. I bet Putin will not appreciate. Nor should the EU, unless they continue to follow Sarkozy-Carlyle-Cameron.

MABROUK SYRIA !!!!1

TARA and others,

One important thing that will come out of this is that Assad will be embarassed to pedal his Pan-Arabism and Arab Nationalism anymore, since 19 Arab countries gave him a slap on the face. For long this regme was able to establish support among Sunnis, especially rural Sunnis in places like Raqqah, Deirezzor, Tadmur, Hasakeh and other such desert bedouin places, on the basis of Arab nationalism. Also, many Syrian Army recruits come from these places and from Arab bdeuin background. Now with Assad openly showing his contemp for A.L and getting totally isolated in the Arab world and increasingly dependant on Iran and Russia, many Sunni Arab Nationalists in the Army who are still supporting him will get totally disillusioned and start to defect.

What do you think of this Dr. Norman ?

This is the prove Mr. Assad thinks it is too late for any reform and he will not do it. In his own words on 2nd february 2.011:

In an extremely defiant interview that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave to the Wall Street Journal (31st January 2011), al-Assad spoke frankly about a series of demonstrations and protests taking place in a number of Arab countries, saying: “If you didn’t see the need for reform before what happened in Egypt and Tunisia, it is too late to do any reform.”

Tara #143

What percentage of the Syrians were demonstrating and/or using these slogans: 2%, 5%?
That’s is not “the Syrians”, that is a tiny noisy minority.

Not a single arab country (except Libya) has recognized the SNC, as none is sure that the SNC really represents the Syrians. All this is fuzzy and therefore jumping to conclusions without serious evaluation is irresponsible.

The only way to know is either a referendum or election. All the estimations based on Youtube and the expats talking to eyewitnesses is totally unreliable.

#153 Tara

“This Time We Mean It: The Arab League Gets Tough on Syria”

If, in the next 2 days, the AL does show it is fulfilling its part of the deal:
a) Get a formal agreement from the opposition that they will come to the dialog table
b) Stop the media reporting unverifiable infornation
c) Advise the US to stop their incitation to violence
d) Condemn the armed rebellion

The whole AL initiative would then look more like a trap than a help.
Then Syria had rather call the deal off and withdraw unilaterally from the AL.

Qatar and KSA, both open US allies, are dominating the AL, while the usually strong partner, Egypt is entangled in a post-revolution mess, and the other Arab countries have all internal problems.
It is becoming clearer that the AL is manipulated by the GCC to force Bashar Al Assad to step down.
They have an agenda close to the US agenda. They want to weaken Iran and lead the Arab world, while we all know that all non-gcc Arabs secretly despise the ‘khalijis’.

With brothers like that who needs enemies

#167 BRONCO

Are you asking a referendum or an election? So you are an anti-Assad. He knows better than you and me what the people of Syria needs.

It is too late to try to use arguments like referendums when no single free election has taken place in Syria for decades under Assad tirany.

Regarding the percentage of syrians actively opposing the regime just notice that 800.000 egyptians who represent 1 % of the population did the job by themselves. Nothing else to be said.

Just relax and be realistic.

The minute the AL and the barbaric USA and its puppets announce the military action against Syria, the ME will go on fire, the Russians are there to tell the regime where are the American ships and Americans can’t use the air power without the ships, unless it is done from Turkey, Iraq or Israel and in any one these situation the world will know that Syria is being attacked by criminals. Syrians are going to react in a storm and the popularity of Bashar is going to soar remember there is no true love for the USA between the Syrians.
I wonder what is the best reaction Bashar can do! launch missiles against Israel or against the USA ships in the sea.
or send some of our brave Kamikaze pilots against these ship to give the Cowards Arabs a lesson in Martyrdom.
it is a shame that Syria not only has to deal with own issues but we have to deal with traitors, cowards, bunch of Arabs who are worth nothing but being dragged behind a pick up truck, i never wanted to live or work in the GSC, I could make four times more in money then what i make which is a lot, but I refused to serve pigs.
I live and work with dignity.

#170

Sorry, just a question, What beneffit could Assad get from bombing US ships or launching an attack on Israel? War or better an all out war is just won by one side. If he launches one single missile outside syrian borders NATO will enter war. Do you think he can destroy Nato machinery? So, you think he will suicide and will cause the massive destruction of Damascus?

Sandro #169

In Egypt, the demonstrations were in the capital not only in villages and towns. In Egypt the army was neutral. In Egypt they did not need to call for intervention of neigboring and foreign countries.There was never a fear of civil war as most Egyptians were against Mobarak

Anyway Egypt situation is far from being solved as the country is still under the army authoritarian regime and this is probably what will happen to Syria sooner than later.

Did you notice that the AL statement addressed the army directly, over the head of, and by ignoring the Syrian leadership?
“We ask the Arab Syrian Army to not be involved in the violent actions and killing of civilians,” Sheikh Hamad said, quoting from an Arab League statement.

Did you notice that Nasrullah, in his speech yesterday, sounded even more pro-junta than in his earlier speeches?

What is the point in which you say with certainty, that there’s a civil war going on?
.

Did you notice that the deadlines that the Syrian junta is faced with, become shorter?

First, it was 2 weeks: Turkey gave Assad 2 weeks, about 2 months ago. The AL gave Assad 2 weeks to redraw the army, then again 2 more weeks.

Now it’s 3 days.
“Sixth: Call on all sides of the opposition to meet in the League’s headquarters within three days”.
.

Bronco, yes the egyptian army was a major factor in getting rid of Mubarak, why don’t you wait and see what the syrian army might do,I don’t think that the army is 100% loyal to Assad,just wait,just wait.
The AL addressed the army,this tells me something.

Al-Jazeera slammed for biased coverage
Sat Nov 12, 2011
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/209731.html
Scores of Jordanian activists have rallied in front of the local offices of the Doha-based Al-Jazeera and Riyadh-based Al-Arabiya news channels in Jordan, slamming their sympathetic coverage of Syria’s opposition.

The rally on Saturday led to minor clashes between staff members of the two channels and the protesters, DPA reported.

Protesters said the employees of the two news outlets were “Zionists and agents” who sought to help implement an “America agenda.”

The rally was organized by the Jordanian Popular Committee for Supporting Syria, which consists of several hundred Jordanian trade unionists, academics as well as politicians.

Meanwhile, activists in Qatar had earlier also accused Al-Jazeera of serving Israeli interests in the region.

They posted photos showing the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and his prime minister shaking hands with Israeli officials, activists also criticized the government for its close ties with Tel Aviv.

It is widely believed that the Emir of Qatar has direct influence on the nature of programs broadcast by Al-Jazeera, which has repeatedly been accused of an uneven coverage of the events of the “Arab Spring.”

Al-Jazeera is accused of blowing the opposition movement in Syria out of proportion while turning a blind eye to the Bahraini government’s violent crackdown on peaceful anti-government protesters.

A number of well-known journalists, including Ghassan Ben Jeddo, have resigned from the TV in the past months over the channel’s coverage of Middle East events.

معارضون وسياسيون: قرارات الجامعة إعلان حرب على سورية

انتقد عدد من السياسيين والمعارضين السوريين اليوم قرار الجامعة العربية بتعليق مشاركة وفد سورية فى اجتماعات مجلس الجامعة واعتبروه بداية للتدويل واعلان حرب على سورية.

وقال رئيس الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي في سورية على حيدر ليونايتد برس انترناشيونال ان قرارات الجامعة اليوم هي بمثابة إعلان حرب على سورية وهى خطوة اولى نحو اخذ سورية الى مجلس الامن عبر الجامعة العربية.

وأضاف ان هذا القرار اليوم هو انقلاب على اجواء التفاهم التي سادت أمس وتمثلت بترحيب سورية بوفود ومراقبين من الجامعة العربية وقال: لقد شهد اليوم انقلابا لعبت قطر والسعودية دورا بارزا فيه.

بدوره قال رئيس تيار بناء الدولة السورية لؤي حسين ان قرارات الجامعة بمجملها تأخذ الوضع السورى الى التدويل وتريد أن تزيح الملف السورى عن كاهلها وإن الجامعة تقاعست عن دورها الفعال واكتفت بإصدار البيانات.

وأضاف حسين أن دعوة المعارضة إلى عقد اجتماع خلال ثلاثة أيام غير ممكن نظرا لاحتلاف وجهات النظر بين تلك القوى ما يشير إلى أن الجامعة سوف تكتفي بعقد اجتماع مع المجلس الوطنى السوري

Bronco 167

People who went out and demonstrate are not your average gals or guys. They are heroes. I looked up the percentage of heroes in general population and I found a study showing 1 in 5. Assuming an average family in Syria consists of 5 people, quick mental math tells you that the percentage of the demonstrators (even after using your percentage) reflects the majority of Syrian population. Of course this is all semantic and only free election or referendum is what actually determine the opinion of majority Syrians, something that Bashar is fighting tooth and nail not to have.

I can not help expressing my curious amusement at khaled’s sudden improvement in his English and the relative moderation in his posts. Please give my best regards to whoever took over khaled’s name and helped us read his posts.
The army may have to take over and give Bashar a break from politics,this can provide a face-saving exit but there are serious doubts whether the ruling family will consider it and whether this will be enough to stop the attack on the regime because the target is still Iran and the attackers need assurances that old Pro-Iran Syria will be replaced by a new pro west Syria. Frankly-speaking,I only care about the welfare of my fellow Syrians and I could not care less about other details. Arabs will always be Arabs
يا أمة ضحكت من جهلها الامم

Memo To: HANS IN HIS PANTS

RE: “…the world will know that Syria is being attacked…”

The world doesn’t care about Syria. Syria is on her own on this. But the neat thing is, the rest of the world gets to watch while Syria implodes.

The lesson is this, Hans. Syria, for the past forty years has had a foreign policy which projected hostility to almost all outside entities. It would be okay, I guess, if it were just hostility toward Israel. But it was hostility toward almost everyone. But that’s what you get when you let a mafia run the show.

So don’t be surprised when the rest of the world just stands back and watches. But that’s what you get when no one likes you.

Dear Hans:

There will not be a military action. The regime is already suffocated economically it has no money to pay the money due to Shell and Total.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/118eec00-0bb7-11e1-9310-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1dXGijjUC

By more economical sanctions the regime will fall within weeks

Dear Bronco:

All what happened was a trap for an elusive regime. This is the only way to catch the criminal regime.

بيان حول قرار جامعة الدول العربية بتاريخ 12\11\2011
تحية سورية،

بعد متابعة ما جاء في قرار جامعة الدول العربية ليس خافيا أن هذا القرار يزج سوريا في خطر شديد ولعلمنا بمدى امتداد هذا الخطر ليتجاوز تهديد سيادة الشعب السوري على أرضه وابتزاز القرار السوري الوطني حول مجريات الأزمة السورية ووضع الوطن في دوامة التدخل الخارجي فنحن الموقعين ادناه نعلن ما يلي:

1-نرفض القرار الصادر عن جامعة الدول العربية بتاريخ 12\11\2011
2-التضامن مع كل القوى السورية الوطنية داخل وخارج سوريا للوقوف بوجه كل من يحاول مد يده لتطال امننا وحريتنا.
3-رفض التدخل الخارجي الأجنبي والعربي بكافة اشكاله فيما لا يخدم مصلحة سوريا.
4-القرار السوري المستقل يأتي من داخل الأراضي السورية وحل الأزمة السورية ينبع من قلب العاصمة السورية دمشق.
5-نبذ كل اشكال العنف والسلاح ودعم كل أنواع الحراك الشعبي السلمي الواعي الذي يضمن مناعة ومقاومة الجسد السوري

لمن يرغب بالتوقيع وضع اسمه الكامل باللغة العربية حصرا تحت هذا البيان
https://www.facebook.com/notes/george-zeitoun/%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-12112011/290911677606667

او ارسال بريد الكتروني يحمل رسالة باسمك الكامل باللغة العربية حصرا على
George.zetoun@gmail.com

او مراسلة منسقّ البيان جورج زيتون على الفيسبوك مباشرة على الحساب برسالة تحمل اسمك الكامل باللغة العربية حصرا
https://www.facebook.com/george.zetoun

هذا البيان شامل لكل سوري من يشعر انه يمثله من داخل او خارج سوريا

الموقعين أدناه:
التجمع الوطني السوري الحر
التيار الثالث من أجل سورية
حركة سوريا الوطن

Just wants to state that nowlebanon.com is the worst news portal in Lebanon.

Ghufran

Khaled is probably not as sectarian as he sounded to be and probably did not mean what he said. At least, I hope so. He is angry and hurt and that is why he said what he said.

Khaled

I hope what you said is true and the “Bedouin” officer see the light and refuse to obey orders to kill civillians.

What is the point in which you say with certainty, that there’s a civil war going on?

When bombs start falling over your heads in your beloved tel aviv

179. Ghufran said:

I can not help expressing my curious amusement at khaled’s sudden improvement in his English and the relative moderation in his posts. Please give my best regards to whoever took over khaled’s name and helped us read his posts.

It’s ABOUD

#175 Majedlalkaldoon

I much prefer the anonymous Syrian army to the pumped egos of the SNC puppets, that’s for sure.

Haytham Khoury

Traps when uncovered could backfire on the ones who put them.

Economic sanctions will hurt the Syrians in the opposition too. Hotels, offices closing and continuous demonstrations do not bring food on the table. The protesters need to eat too.

Khalid,

After what happened to the Baath party and the army of Iraq, i do not see but a solid Syrian Baath and army that will stick together and fight till the end, The people who think that president Assad will be set aside are dreaming , I think, he is the face of the Baath party and army, not their leader, we all remember how he changes his mind , that is because he is the first among equals of the ruling Baath party not his head .

By the way, Does Syria have Missiles that can reach Qatar.?

I hope it does.and have it ready.

Bronco @ 168

Yes it is probably a trap.  And yes, the AL outsmarted Mr. Assad.  Bashar is plain stupid.  He knew he could not have possibly abided  by the terms of the initiative yet agreed to it thinking he could buy time to subdue Homs and the revolution.  He could not read into what was happening around him.  He thought he can subdue the revolution.  He was wrong.  He thought that the AL is going to give him more time.  He was wrong.  He thought he could fool everyone else with announcement of cosmetic reforms, he was wrong.  He chose the security option at the beginning.  He was wrong.  History can not tolerate too many mistakes.

It would have perhaps been better for him to refuse the AL initiative, insist on his conspiracy theory of armed gangs that need to be neutralized, and refuse any interference in Syria sovereignty.  That may have bought him some more time.  However, what ever path he could have chosen after 3500 death would have eventually lead to the same end.    

إستنفار عسكري تركي انتظاراً لقرار بإقامة منطقة حظر برّي
اسعد بشارة – “الجمهورية”

تبدو الحدود التركيّة السوريّة وكأنّها تنتظر تحرّكاً ما بانتظار القرار الذي سيصدر اليوم عن جامعة الدول العربية، بعد فشل المبادرة العربية.
هذا التحرّك لم يعد مرتبطا فقط بالاستنفار الذي ينفّذه الجيش التركي قرب الحدود، والذي تحدثت أوساط دبلوماسية عن انّه بات كبيراً الى درجة تعبئة فرق مقاتلة كاملة، بما يدلّ على انّ هذا الاستنفار غير مرتبط حصراً بمكافحة حزب العمّال الكردستاني الذي يتحرّك انطلاقاً من شمال العراق، بل بالاستعداد لتنفيذ منطقة حظر برّي تريد تركيا البدء بتنفيذها بعد صدور موقف عربيّ يكون تمهيدا لقرار يصدر عن مجلس الأمن الدولي يقضي بحماية المدنيّين.
وتكشف الاوساط الدبلوماسيّة في هذا الإطار أنّ المعلومات الواردة من تركيا تتحدّث عن أنّ أكثر من نصف عديد الجيش ينتشر قرب الحدود لتنفيذ مهمّتين، الأولى منع حزب العمّال الكردستاني من القيام باستهداف المراكز العسكرية التركيّة، والثانية إقامة منطقة الحظر البرّي، وتتحدّث الاوساط عن سيناريوهين لتنفيذ المهمّة الثانية:
الاوّل وهو المرجّح، يقتصر على الدخول في الأراضي السوريّة لمسافة لا تبعد عن مدينة حلب، وهو ما يعني عمليّا إقامة منطقة حظر برّي لمسافة لن تتعدّى المئة كلم، ممّا سيؤدّي الى خلق مساحة آمنة ستساعد على المزيد من انشقاق عناصر ووحدات من الجيش واللجوء الى هذه المنطقة وترتيب استعدادات لحماية المدنيّين بما يشبه السيناريو الليبي. وتتوقّع الأوساط أن تسرّع هذه المنطقة في حال تمّت حمايتها من الانشقاقات، وأن تؤدّي الى حماية المنشقّين، بحيث يستطيعون تشكيل قيادة يمكن ان تعمل بطريقة آمنة نسبيّا، كما يمكن ان يلجأ اليها المجلس الوطني السوري الذي سيتمكّن من ادارة المعركة السياسية من الاراضي السوريّة، وهو ما سيعطيه قوّة دفع شبيهة بالتي كان يمتلكها المجلس الوطني الليبي الذي بقي صامدا في بنغازي حتى سقوط النظام الليبي.
أمّا السيناريو الثاني، وهو إلى الآن مستبعد، كما تقول الأوساط، ويتحدّث عن إمكان توسيع المنطقة الآمنة الى حدود مدينة حمص، بحيث يستطيع حماية المدينة، وإنقاذ آلاف الجنود المنشقّين الذين يقاتلون فيها، والذين تمكّنوا إلى الآن من ان يمنعوا قوّات النظام من إحكام السيطرة عليها. وتشير الأوساط الدبلوماسية الى انّ النظام عندما قرّر الدخول الى حمص كان يعرف انّه سيواجه معركة طاحنة مع هؤلاء الجنود لكنّه خشي إن لم يفعل أن تصبح المدينة الثائرة بنغازي سوريا، وهو دخل الى المدينة في توقيت أحرج فيه حلفاءه على المستوى الدولي، أي روسيا والصين، ووضع نفسه في مواجهة الجامعة العربية.
في الايّام التي ستلي ما سيصدر عن جامعة الدول العربية بخصوص نزع عضويّة النظام السوري، سوف تنشأ ديناميّة دوليّة غير مسبوقة لتكثيف الضغوط على روسيا والصين في مجلس الأمن بهدف إصدار قرار يحمي المدنيّين في سوريا، وفي الانتظار، تقول الأوساط الدبلوماسية، إنّ الموقف التركي بات جاهزاً لتنفيذ مترتّبات هذا القرار الدوليّ، وتصف الأوساط الأجواء التي تحكم العلاقة بين القيادة التركيّة والنظام السوري بأنّها تقترب من الانفجار، خصوصاً بعدما تناهى لهذه القيادة انّ النظام السوري يتبنّى علَناً المسؤوليّة عن تحريك حزب العمّال الكردستاني داخل الأراضي التركية، وقد أدّى ذلك الى قطع آخر الخيوط المتبقّية في هذه العلاقة، وإلى المزيد من التصلّب في الموقف التركي الذي بات مستعدّا لتحمّل جزء كبير من أعباء أيّة عمليّة تهدف الى فرض منطقة حماية برّية تكون بمثابة نقطة انطلاق للثورة السوريّة، وذلك تجاوزا للتهديدات الإيرانية بفتح مواجهة مباشرة مع تركيا، في حال قامت بهذه الخطوة. عِلما أنّ تركيا والكثير من اللاعبين في المنطقة لم يأخذوا على محمل الجدّ التهديدات التي صدرت عن القيادة السوريّة بتحريك فالق الزلازل إذا ما حصل التدخّل بهدف حماية الشعب السوري.

Democracy in Syria
I just heard a representative of the Syrian National Council on AlJazeera Arabic: he thanked Qatar and Saudi Arabia “and the other Gulf countries”. I kid you not. How I worry for the Syrian people: from the lousy Ba`th to the lousy tools of GCC. And some out there expect me to support either the regime or the Syrian National Council?? You must be kidding me.
Posted by As’ad AbuKhalil

“Arab spring”
We really have to abandon this typically Western-imposed title of “Arab spring”. Somebody in some office in Washington, DC came up with this name thinking it was cute and original. It came out of a mentality that expected the Arab uprisings to be a flowery hippie affairs guided by ideas of Gene Sharp. Blood is flowing in the streets of Syria and Yemen among other places. This is no spring, damn it.
Posted by As’ad AbuKhalil

Memo To: NORMAN

RE: “…President Assad is the face of the Baath party…”

Pencilneck is the face? God help us!

I’m surprised and puzzled by today’s Arab League decision.

Qatari foreign minister Al-Thani said today:

“The Arab League respected the opinions of the Syrian government and the opposition. The way out of this is by dialogue between both sides. The Syrians have to decide for themselves. We are trying to prepare the climate where they can talk together seriously and quickly to reach a solution for the dilemma in Syria. We wish there will be an agreement between the opposition and the government of Syria…. If no agreement is reachable between the regime and the opposition then we have to come back to the Arab League as foreign ministers to decide our next step.” Al-Thani said that the AL had asked all opposition groups of Syria to have a meeting within three days at the AL headquarters in order to reach a consensus. “We hope that the Syrian government is going to take measures, abide by the Arab initiative, stop bloodshed in the country, set free prisoners and detainees, and try to exercise reforms on solid grounds in a quick pace,” Al-Thani said. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/12/c_131243205.htm

Constructive dialog with most of the opposition elements is not feasible because their core objective is to overthrow the regime without having to compete against the regime in elections. They know democracy is of no use to them unless the regime were to be overthrown because they know the regime would trouce them all bigly in elections.

This action by the Arab League exacerbates instability in Syria without a good ulterior purpose.

Syria’s Ambassador to the Arab League, Yousef Ahmad, said about today’s decision by 18 sovereign Arab countries: “it’s obvious that they’re following the US agenda and carrying out ordered issued by the US and Europe.”
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/11/12/381118.htm That ambassador should be fired. It was his job to prevent what happened today, and what he says in that quote tells me that he wasn’t listening to what people were thinking and saying at the meeting. However, I don’t know myself what thinking they were following. I am having cognitive dissonance.

It is interesting how for months , the opposition kept denying the presence of armed groups that are attacking the army and the civilians all the time claiming that the army is killing his own members who are refusing to shoot at ( Peaceful ) demonstrators, when that became a laughing matter, they came out with the FSA that is fighting back and defending the people, It is all along gangs that are trained and armed by the Saudi and Qataris who are trying to break the association between Syria and Iran and the support that Syria and Iran have toward the Palestinians , the goal is for a massive sell out of Palestine,

Now the Jordanians are with president Assad and Syria,

It looks that there are still real Arabs,

http://www.alquds.co.uk

موالون للأسد في عمان يحاولون إقتحام مكاتب قناتي الجزيرة والعربية

عمان- (يو بي اي): حاول العشرات من مؤيدي الرئيس السوري بشار الاسد السبت اقتحام مكاتب قناة الجزيرة والعربية الفضائيتين خلال إعتصام نفذوه أمام مكاتبهما في مبنى واحد بمنطقة جبل عمان بالعاصمة الأردنية احتجاجا على تغطيتهما للاحداث في سورية منذ منتصف اذار/ مارس الماضي.
ووقعت ملاسنات حادة بين عدد من المعتصمين والعاملين في مكتب قناة الجزيرة اثر محاولة المعتصمين الدخول إلى مكاتب القناة الا أن الموظفين منعوهم من ذلك ووصفوهم بـ”الشبيحة”.

وقام المعتصمون برشق المبنى بالحجارة ورددوا هتافات ضد القناتين، طالت الهتافات امير دولة قطر حمد بن خليفة ال ثاني.

ومنعت قوات الامن التي احاطت بالمبنى المعتصمين من الدخول الى المبنى.

واتهم المعتصمون القناتين ب” العمالة والخداع وتزييف الحقائق من اجل تنفيذ أجندة أميركية إسرائيلية لتفتيت المنطقة عبر البوابة السورية دون نقل صورة ما يجري حقيقة هنالك والتغاضي عن الجرائم التي ترتكبها الجماعات المسلحة بحق الجيش والامن”.

ورفع المشاركون في الإعتصام لافتات تدعو لمقاطعة القناتين.

وكان مالك البناية التي تقع بها المكاتب منع المعتصمين من الدخول للمبنى بإعتبار انه ملكه الخاص وطلب منهم أن يلتقوا بالمسؤولين عن مكاتب القناتين خارج المبنى.

ويخضع مكتب قناة الجزيرة منذ بداية العام الحالي لحماية أمنية بعد تهديدات تلقاها العاملون فيه مع انطلاق الحراك الشعبي المطالب بتحقيق إصلاحات سياسية في الأردن.

ودعا لتنفيذ الاعتصام “اللجنة الشعبية الأردنية لمساندة سوريا ضد المؤامرة” تحت عنوان “لا لتزيف الوعي العربي”.

واعلنت اللجنة التي تاسست في تموز/ يوليو الماضي عن دعمها المطلق للرئيس السوري بشار الاسد وتضم في عضويتها شخصيات حزبية ونقابية ذات توجهات بعثية وقومية .

ويذكر أن السلطات السورية وجهت اتهامات عدة للقنوات الفضائية وخاصة قناة الجزيرة بنشر الأكاذيب والتضليل والتحريض في تغطيتها الإخبارية للأحداث في سورية مستخدمة روايات مشوهة للأحداث والمظاهرات التي اندلعت في المدن السورية.
t1

This isn’t about Palestinians, Norman. It’s not even about Iran. It’s simply people who are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

As the pictures on the wall of Besho get bigger and bigger, his relevance to the people becomes less and less…

واشنطن تعلن الفصل الأخير من مخطط الحرب بلسان الجامعة العربية/ من قلم باسل محمد يونس
by Bassel Mohammad Younes

في خطوة لم تفاجأني على الصعيد الشخصي، أعلنت الجامعة العربية بعد اجتماع وزراء خارجيتها تعليق مشاركة سوريا في اجتماعات مجلسها ومجالس جميع المنظمات التابعة لها ، أي تعليق العضوية. وعزت الجامعة السبب إلى ” عدم التزام سوريا بالتنفيذ الكامل والفوري للمبادرة العربية”. المبادرة العربية التي كانت قد توجهت، فقط، باتجاه السلطات السورية دون، أن تقوم، بأي خطوة باتجاه الجماعات المسلحة “المدعومة اقليمياً و دولياً” لثنيها عن ارهابها، أو على الأقل أن توعز الى أجهزة إعلامها للتخفيف من وتيرة التحريض، أو بالحد الأدنى الوقوف على الحياد في رصد الموقف، علما أن العديد من المجازر ارتكبت بحق القوى النظامية وبعض الشرائح الإجتماعية التي تكفرها الجماعات السلفية المسلحة… الأمر طبيعي كون من أعد المبادرة كان يريد من دمشق أن ترفضها كي ينتقل الى المرحلة اللاحقة أي : الاعتراف بالمجلس الاخواني الناتوي و من بعدها التدويل، من أجل الالتفاف على عقبة الفيتو الروسي و الصيني في مجلس الأمن، قبول دمشق بالمبادرة أجل الخطوة ليس الا. الاعلان بمثابة الفصل الأخير من الحرب الغير معلنة على سوريا… الاعلان هو الخرتوشة الأخيرة بعد فشل الرهان على تطورات دراماتيكية لم تتحقق: من إسقاط النظام بسرعة كما حصل في تونس ومصر، الى استحالة تبني قرار في مجلس الأمن، الى الفشل في خلق البؤر البنغازية الى الحصار الاقتصادي… ألخ و لم يكن الا إيذاناً بالمرحلة النهائية التي لا بد منها قبل أن تباشر و اشنطن و اتباعها، الاعتراف بما يسمى المجلس الوطني كممثل و حيد للشعب السوري “و لو بالصرماية”. مراحل الحرب على سوريا، تمثلت فيها كل الخطوات الشيطانية السابقة، في طريقة تحاكي النموذج الليبي و ان كانت بأسلوب مختلف… المبادرة العربية أتت حينها بطلب اميركي وضغط فرنسي لقطع الطريق على مبادرة روسية ـ ايرانية كانت ناشطة لإطلاق مؤتمر وطني للمصالحة السورية. الأمين العام نبيل العربي كان قد كلف المكتب القانوني في الأمانة العامة بإعداد دراسة قانونية عن شروط تعليق و فصل أي دولة عضو. وقد أكدت الدراسة أن ذلك غير ممكن إلا على مستوى مؤتمر القمة وبإجماع الدول الأعضاء قاطبة باستثناء الدولة المعنية. وعندها عمد الأمين العام للجامعة إلى إخفاء الدراسة ، غير أن السفير السوري تمكن من الحصول عليها وأطلع عليها الصحفيين خلال مؤتمر صحفي عقده بعد صدور القرار. الغياب التركي عن معالجة الازمة السورية ليس بلا دلالة، ويطرح أكثر من تساؤل… الأجندة التركية، هي أجندة واشنطن التي تريد المعارضة” الاخوانية الناتوية لتسلم السلطة و ما تركيا الا رأس الحربة للمشروع الأميريكي بخصوص سوريا. الابتعاد التركي عن الحل العربي في سوريا، يحمل مضامين كثيرة. ولا بد اولاً من قراءة موقف أنقرة في ظل سلسلة خطوات اتخذتها الحكومة التركية، من استضافة المعارضة المسلحة السورية التي تشن عمليات داخل الاراضي السورية استناداً الى صحيفة “النيويورك تايمز”، الى رعاية ما يسمى “المجلس الوطني السوري” مباشرة. صمت ايردوغان، في خصوص الازمة السورية، ترافق مع دخول الجامعة العربية في المسعى الخلبي للحل و طرح المبادرة ؟ الموضوع مجرد تبادل للادوار… والا ماذا يوحي التنسيق القائم والعالي المستوى بين أنقرة و قطر”التي تترأس المبادرة العربية” مع واشنطن ؟ لماذا تصمت تركيا و من ثم تستفيق فجأه؟ لماذا عودة الكلام عن استعداد تركيا وقدرتها على إقامة منطقة عازلة على طول حدودها إذا توفر الغطاء الدولي والعربي لهذه الخطوة؟ أنقرة تعلم مسبقاً و قبل طرح المبادرة بشكل رسمي بأن نهايتها الفشل وانقرة تريد التدخل لكن بغطاء عربي و تحت عنوان انساني و هذا ما وفره اعلان الجامعة. من الواضح ان القرار كان قد أعد مسبقاً على مستوى إقليمي ودولي كجزء من الخطة التي وضعتها واشنطن و اتباعها، بالاتفاق مع ما يسمى “المجلس الوطني السوري” الذي طبخ في دوائر المخابرات الأميركية، غير أنه وضع في الدرج مؤقتا عندما فاجأتهم وأربكتهم دمشق بالموافقة على المبادرة العربية… وقد عمدت واشنطن إلى إخراج هذا الإجراء من الدرج والعمل به فورا لأنه المعبر الذي لا بد منه لتدويل الملف السوري على الطريقة الليبية. الأمر سوف يأخذ مسار التصعيد من الداخل عبر جملة إجراءات من قبيل: *تكثيف عمليات القتل على الهوية وإثارة أكبر قدر مكن من الفوضى و الخراب، تكثيف عملية تهريب السلاح والمسلحين السلميين إلى الداخل السوري عبر مثلث “تركيا لبنان الأردن”. *التركيز و تضخيم قدرات ما يسمى ” الجيش السوري الحر” علماً أنه جيش خلبي، يضم مئات من المرتزقة و الارهابيين التكفيريين على شاكلة فتح الاسلام، تم صناعته ليتبنى العمليات المسلحة ضمن البؤر الداخلية و العمليات المسلحة التي تدار من الخارج… مقر الجيش في تركيا و يترأسه المنشق رياض الأسعد ونشاطه تحت إشراف وزارة الخارجية التركية لا يمكن ان نضعه في اطار المصادفة. *العمل على توحيد المعارضه أي “هيئة التنسيق الوطني” و ” المجلس الوطني الغليوني “، رغم التشبيح الذي حصل من الطرف الثاني ضد الأول في موقعة مصر. و اعطاء هذا المجلس الشرعية اللازمة من أجل طلب التدخل الدولي كونه وفق هذا التصور الناتوي يعتبر الممثل الوحيد للشعب السوري. و سوف يصنع من أجل هذا الهدف. أي في النهاية كل هذه المسرحية أو التمثيلية، من أجل خلق بديل للوسائل السابقة التي لم تفلح في تكرار سيناريو مصر أو تونس…

أخصائي في القانون الجزائي الدولي الإنساني العام
باريس

What AL did today is that they kicked the syrian delegation out, practically saying no dialogue, with the syrian regime, how would anyone blame the SNC to refuse dialogue?

Why would Syria needs Iran for? it would be better if Syria has good relation with Turkey and KSA than Iran,the only possible reason that Syria want to have good alliance with Iran is to help HA, syrian policy is a continuation of Hafez Assad policy,there is no adjustments to the new enviromentin, in diplomacy alliance may and should change.

Dear Bronco:

The regime has trapped a lot of people in the past. The regime prosecuted a lot of people in the past on false charges, just to mention few Michel Kilo, Loui Hussein, Aref Dalilla, Riad Seif, Anwar al-Buni, Fiaa Hourani and Riad al-Turk.

The charges that the AL holding against the regime are not false.

Crowds attack diplomatic missions in Syria: residents
Reuters
6:44 p.m. EST, November 12, 2011

http://www.dailypress.com/news/national/sns-rt-us-syria-missions-attackstre7ab0yz-20111112,0,1887862.story

AMMAN (Reuters) – Crowds armed with sticks and knives attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy in Damascus and French and Turkish consulates in the city of Latakia on Saturday after the Arab League suspended Syria, residents said.

They said hundreds of men shouting slogans in support of President Bashar al-Assad beat a guard and broke into the Saudi embassy in Abu Rummaneh, three blocks away from Assad’s offices in one of the most heavily policed areas of the capital.

“We sacrifice our blood and our soul for you, Bashar,” the crowd shouted, according to neighbourhood residents.

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The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a group of demonstrators “gathered outside the embassy, threw stones at it, then stormed the building.”

The statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said Syrian security forces “did not take measures to stop them ransacking the embassy,” adding that the demonstrators stayed inside for a while before they were ordered out by Syrian security.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns this incident and holds Syrian authorities responsible for the security and protection of Saudi interests and citizens in Syria.”

Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador from Damascus in August, when King Abdullah demanded an end to the crackdown.

Similar attacks took place in Latakia, 330 kms (210 miles)north of Damascus on the Mediterranean coast, where French and Turkish consulates were the targets of angry crowds, residents said.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said France had only an honorary consulate in Latakia and he was unaware of it having been attacked. He quoted the French ambassador to Syria as saying late on Saturday that he was unaware of any attacks on French diplomatic or other interests in Syria.

The attacks took place hours after the Arab League suspended Syria for failing to carry out a promise to halt its armed crackdown on eight-month-old pro-democracy demonstrations and open a dialogue with its opponents.

A senior diplomat in Damascus confirmed the attacks. “They did a fair bit of damage to the Saudi embassy. We do not have the full picture from Latakia, but the attacks there appear to have been really bad,” the diplomat said.

A crowd held a pro-Assad demonstration in front of the Qatari embassy in Damascus earlier in the day. Qatar is the current head of the Arab League.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom; Editing by Tim Pearce)

#189 Tara

No one should call victory yet..

You know very well that Bashar Al Assad has no other choice than to accept the deal as China and Russia were after him to accept.

It is early to say if the deal is a trap for Bashar. This first step of the temporary exclusion of Syria from ministerial meetings could be just a show off to calm the angry international community that complained that nothing was done. It got praises from the USA, and the EU and the SNC.

Yet, we will only know if it is a trap in 3 days when the AL will meet with the opposition to discuss ‘the transition’ and invite them officially to the dialog.
This is where we will see if the trap was not in fact intended to also corner the Opposition. As the Opposition brings in their demands and conditions, the AL will have to decide on the “steps to the transition”.
If the AL’s conclusion is to request Bashar to step down, the Syrian government may consider the deal broken as this condition was not included in the requirements on the Syrian government.
In addition I believe AL does not have the authority to ask a president of a member country to resign and if it has, it must be an unanimous decision and we know it won’t be. In this case, should the escalation reaches the UNSC, China and Russia will stand on Syria’s side.

If the AL fails to get an agreement with the Opposition then the deal is dead and Syria is no more bound to respect it as the other party is not. Here again Syria will get the support of China and Russia who will note the refusal of the opposition to dialog.

If the AL succeeds in getting the Opposition to accept the dialog while Bashar is still in power, then the Syrian government will be cornered to implement all the points agreed upon.

I guess the AL is looking for a success , not a failure. They have trapped themselves too.

Until we get there and analyze what will happen, there is plenty of time.

hahaha

so who’s laughing now minhibakji scum?

this is the beginning of the end of your evil murderous regime, we will have fun dismantling it …… and hanging Bashar and his cronies too ..stay tuned for more ….

Is Turkey warning against military attack on Iran a price for Iran keeping quiet about Syria?  

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=245320

Turkish FM warns against military attack on Iran
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND REUTERS 
11/12/2011 17:22 

bronco,

you are making a lot of sense, i hope that you are right.

Alex and Josh!
I was hopping we have a new posting by now in regards to the today event!
I know it is a tedious work but you both are up to the responsibility
thanks both.

Bronco @202

Agree too early to claim victory, yet I think it is probably one step towards victory. Remember that the sanctions applied by the Arab countries will help closing up on the regime even further. I don’t know the impact of these superimposed sanctions on the longevity of the regime., I hope they are going to be significant. Agree that the next 3 days are very important in how the struggle is being shaped.

Ann
FYI
Khalid says on other Syria Sites that he is not Aboud and he laughs there at people here who think that he is Aboud!

I don’t believe it until I have a proof, same spelling, grammar mistakes and Very low class ( White trash if you will) language used by both it makes it difficult to believe they are two individuals.

If this is the quality of people who are congratulating to rule the new Syria, god help the civilization.
But at any rate they could be two but they think alike.

I know that there are lots of doctors here but as I said in the past, many of them don’t have the privilege to see me or any of my family, good doctors is not about reading and knowing books, but it is about civility which I don’t see it in many of them who write here, I guess genes are what matter not where someone lives, eats, practices.

What all the fuss about the AL’s most anticipated move? Is there anyone who did not know it is a useless organization? AL was unable to deal correctly with any issue concerning its body since its inception. Today was no exception.

The SNC missed a golden opportunity to gain a little legitimacy and to sell its vision of future Syria to the remaining 98% of Syrian who never heard of SNC except from the Media. Bourhan Ghalioun televised speech was a failed bid to connect with Syrians instead he should have agreed unconditionally to dialogue to save Syria and its people from destruction and death. Today, calling on Syrian people who have nothing in common with him to escalate tension is an attempt to push the country faster into a full scale civil war.

Dialogue. Dialogue. Dialogue is still the only way to move forward. The window is closing fast and I am not sure if Syria can be saved at this point. Sadly, too many regional and international powers influence events in Syria.

Here is the future ruler of the Arab spring

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=255971564450040&set=a.202494713131059.44408.142952112418653&type=1&theater

Memo To: HANS

RE: “…white trash…”

Who’s to say you’re not white trash?

There is nothing int he Al rules that prevent them from requesting that Bashar needs to leave,AL policy is similar to united nation policy.
They kicked bashr delegate out,there is no way they will ask the SNC or NCC to engage in dialogue.
keep on dreaming, it is time for action against Bashar.

@ 210
” white trash”
it seems it means lots to you.
woot woot.

Hans, they shared with ABOUD their e-mails, giving him the capability to post whenever he wants. Making it impossible to prevent him from posting.

FSA statement on AlMsaifra military operation
– Asad forces fired at unarmed demonstrators killing two, and seriously wounding several others.
– In response, Phalanges of Freedom Martyrs and Martyr Ahmad AlKhalf confronted Asad security and Shabbeha forces killing 15 and seriously wounding many more.

Friday of Freezing Membership.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n1W1R_cMHw&feature=player_embedded
أوغاريت كتيبة شهداء الحرية تتبنى عملية المسيفرة 11 11 2011

Syria is called from now and on :
The Syrian Republic.
no need for the “Arabic”, until the Arabs become humans then they can join Syria.

The Constitution of Syria, which was ratified in 1973, contains thirteen instances of the phrase “Arab nation”. The phrase refers to all of the Arabic-speaking jurisdictions on the planet. The Constitution states among other things:

The Syrian Arab region is a part of the Arab homeland. The people in the Syrian Arab region are a part of the Arab nation. They work and struggle to achieve the Arab nation’s comprehensive unity.

The comprehensive Arab revolution is an existing and continuing necessity to achieve the Arab nation’s aspirations for unity, freedom, and socialism. The revolution in the Syrian Arab region is part of the comprehensive Arab revolution.

http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sy00000_.html

I sincerely hope the committee currently rewriting the Syrian Constitution will delete the “Arab nation” stuff as unrealistic, outdated, and undesirable. Syria shouldn’t burden itself with “struggles” and “aspirations” for a “comprehensive unity” with the Khaleejis. The Khaleejis are a foreign people. Syria can be friends with them but it’s bonkers to aspire to be married to them.

بيان بخصوص قرار الجامعة العربية المتعلق بمتابعة تطورات الأوضاع في سوريا الصادر بتاريخ 12-11-2011
by تيار بناء الدولة السورية Building The Syrian State

دمشق 13-11-2011

“لم يكن قرار المجلس الوزاري العربي مستبعداً أو بعيداً عن التوقعات بعد أن أظهرت السلطات السورية، كما كان متوقعا منها، تعنتاً واضحاً بعدم تنفيذ الاتفاق بينها وبين اللجنة الوزارية العربية. ومع ذلك فعلى السلطة ألا تعتبر نفسها الآن في حل من هذه الالتزامات بحجة أنها أملاءات خارجية، فهي مطلب وطني سوري أجمعت عليه جميع الأطراف بما في ذلك الموالية منها. بل يتوجب عليها منذ هذه اللحظة أن تقوم بإجراءات جدية باتجاه إيقاف القمع الدامي، وإطلاق سراح جميع المعتقلين على خلفية الاحتجاجات، والقبول بالإجراءات التي من شأنها حماية المدنيين بإدخال مراقبين دوليين، والسماح لجميع وسائل الإعلام بالدخول لتغطية جميع مناطق الاحتجاج.

لكن في المقابل لم تقم الجامعة العربية بالعمل بشكل جدي لإنجاح مبادرتها، التي قبلت بها السلطة، من خلال طرح آليات لتنفيذها كالتنسيق مع عدد من المؤسسات الإعلامية والمنظمات الحقوقية العربية لدخول سوريا، حيث اكتفت بإصدار البيانات التحذيرية للسلطات السورية. كما أنها تأخرت في عقد اجتماعها الوزاري (الطارئ) فكان قرارها اليوم بمثابة إعلان مسبق عن فشل المبادرة، الأمر الذي قد يؤدي الى الدفع باتجاه تدويل الأزمة السورية.

وكنا قد طلبنا من الجامعة خلال الأيام السابقة عبر بياناتنا ورسائل وجهناها إلى الأمين العام ورئيس اللجنة الوزارية نطلب فيها زيادة الضغط على السلطة السورية عبر إرسال لجان حقوقية عربية ومؤسسات إعلامية. كما أبدينا استعدادنا التعاون خاصة من ناحية مساعدة هذه اللجان في التحرك داخل البلاد. وقد أكدنا على كل هذا في لقاء وفدنا مع الامين العام لجامعة الدول العربية يوم الخميس الماضي.

أما فيما يتعلق بقرار الجامعة دعوة المعارضة السورية إلى اجتماع في مبنى الجامعة خلال ثلاثة أيام، والاتفاق فيما بينها على المرحلة الانتقالية، فإننا نؤكد على الاقتراح الذي قدمناه إلى الأمين العام في الاجتماع السابق الذكر بضرورة عقد اجتماع لجميع أطياف المعارضة على الأرض السورية برعاية جامعة الدول العربية، لأن الصراع السياسي في البلاد لا يقتصر على قوى المعارضة المعروفة بل هناك العديد من الحركات السياسية والناشطين غير المؤطرين ضمن التنظيمات التي تواصلت معها الجامعة، والتي سنحت لها الظروف بالذهاب إلى القاهرة والاجتماع بالأمانة العامة، الأمر غير المتيسر للجميع. ومن هنا فإننا نخشى أن يذهب الموضوع باتجاه اعتراف رسمي بأي طرف من المعارضة، أو بمجملها، كممثل شرعي ووحيد للشعب السوري، إذ لا يمكن اختصار الشعب السوري بكيان سياسي واحد بما في ذلك السلطة. فضلا عن أنه غير مجد. بل على العكس من ذلك سيتسبب في المساهمة بانقسام المجتمع السوري، خاصة وأن البلاد بدأت تدخل في بداية دوامة حرب أهلية.

وإذ نشكر الجامعة أنها اخذت بتقاريرنا التي أكدنا فيها عدم تنفيذ السلطة السورية لبنود الاتفاق، وأخذت ببعض اقتراحاتنا، خاصة من ناحية دعوة المنظمات الحقوقية لدخول البلاد، إلا أن ذلك جاء متأخراً جداً، ولا نعتقد أنه سيكون مجدياً على الصعيد العملي. فالانتظار إلى ما قبل أربعة أيام لانتهاء مهلة المبادرة حتى تصدر مثل هذه القرارات يعني، كما يعرف الجميع، أنه من شبه المستحيل تحقيقها.

ومع ذلك فقد أرسلنا اليوم إلى الأمين العام لجامعة الدول العربية رسالة تتضمن رؤيتنا للمرحلة الانتقالية. كما أننا نحضّر لعقد مؤتمر داخل البلاد ليشارك فيه عدد من القوى السياسية وعدد من الناشطين السياسيين (بالتنسيق مع الناشطين والقوى في الخارج) ليتوافقوا على خريطة الطريق للمرحلة الانتقالية، يوجهونها إلى الرأي العام السوري الذي يتجاهله الجميع.

وفي المجمل نخشى من أن الصورة السياسية الأخيرة تظهر وكأننا ذاهبون سريعاً إلى مسار التدويل، مما يتطلب من السلطة الإسراع بتنفيذ التزاماتها تجاه المبادرة العربية التي رحبنا بها سابقا كمدخل للدخول الى المرحلة الانتقالية لبناء الدولة الديمقراطية.”

http://binaa-syria.com/B/ar/content/press15

Bronco

You always admired the Syrian regime because it championed the Arab causes, from supporting the resistance to opening its borders to Arab refugee, etc. I did too.. in the past.

Doesn’t it sound strange to you how almost every regime supporter on SC (eccept Norman) wants to distance him/herself from the Arab nationalism. I take that as a mere reflection of what the Syrian regime is really about: an Arab- cause pseudo champion to give itself the legitimacy that it lacks as well as the alliance it needs to sustain power. A regime with supporters like the people on SC can never be genuine about Arab nationalism.

#204 Norman

I also think that Qatar wants the ‘moderate’ MB back in the future government of Syria. This is also a demand from Turkey.

The street demonstrations are organized by local committee mostly linked to the Moslem brotherhood. It is not a coincidence that each call for a general strike fails lamentably while demonstrations coming out of mosque and during funerals get a response.

In order to stop them, the order must come exclusively from MB members of the SNC, from KSA or from Qatar. The NCC having no MB members among them have no power to stop the demonstrations.
This is the strength to the SNC, this is why they won’t budge.

Therefore whatever the Syrian government will attempt to do to discourage the demonstrations, the street demonstrations and confrontations will not stop until any of the MB, Qatar or Saudi Arabia will tell them to.

What price will Saudi Arabia and Qatar will ask Syria to exercise their influence on the street?

I think they want Bashar al Assad to accept the MB in the future government of Syria that he has excluded in the new party law.

There is probably an arm twisting going on in the background before the AL meets the Opposition in 3 days.

If Bashar accepts that, Qatar will give the orders to the committees to stop calling for Bashar’s head and stop the demonstrations. The SNC will then accept to enter in dialog.

In 3 days we’ll know.

Here is one of the internal movements which can represent the Syrians, not associated or financed by KSA, Qatar and doesn’t belong to the Zionist lobby or the USA devil circuit

http://www.souria-alwatan.org/?page_id=2

#202 Newfolder

So let’s assume the regime is indeed as you describe it, and I’m not going to discuss this affirmation right now. How would you call what you’re advocating for? Your behaviour and thoughts don’t differ in any way from the regime’s murderous ones. You want to put an end to this regime by replacing in with a similarly terrific one. How is this going to be worse? In the actual case, no matter how tyrannic and monstrous the regime is, it cannot “manipulate” a portion of the population that is not a minority. The regime itself is issued from a ethnic minority, and having a larger portion of the population exerting the same behaviour would be disastrous for the minorities. No matter what degree of tyranny would the actual regime maintain, it will never be as disastrous as having a larger ethnic group holding the same behaviour. What people need to remember is that democracy isn’t obtained as a result of a democratic regime. It’s the total opposite. So before even calling for a change in the political situation in order to reach democracy, try to arrange what is most crucial to a democracy, the people that constitutes it.

However, if we look throughout history, the way emancipation had taken place to lead us to democracy isn’t as spontaneous as one might think. In Europe, or in France most specifically, the french revolution was pumped with the Lumiere’s reflections (an intellectual french movement at the last moment of the monarchy that ultimately lead to the revolution). These as still taken as reference as of today and are taught in philosophical classes in France. So the “cover” of that french revolution at the time was really attractive, and looked so favourable, and it is… but today. The current state France is in, the state of democracy it is in, wasn’t gained miraculously and directly after the revolution. Instead, this was ultimately one of the most terrific and darkest moment of the history of France, this lead to worst direct consequences than the pre-revolution state, words can’t not describe the monstrosity that had taken place. The population simply couldn’t have undergone this transition directly. Isn’t it reminiscent of something?

A saying from the famous french philosoph Hegel in french would say: “Mais ce qu’enseigne l’experience et l’histoire, c’est que les peuples et les gouvernements n’ont jamais rien appris de l’histoire, et n’ont jamais agi suivant des maximes qu’on aurait pu en tirer”.
Or: What history and experience teaches us, is that populations and governments never learned anything from history, and never reacted following maxims that could have been deducted.
If we make the analogy to Syria, basically, democracy is a state we want to reach, and the cover of the revolution seems really favourable and attractive. But that’s not what’s going to happen most certainly, and it would get worse. Will it tend to democracy afterwards, like in the case of France? Absolutely. But in the meantime, there are those terrific consequences that might happen.
However, the status quo is even less favourable, and the situation in Syria cannot remain as such forever.
Is it that hard to learn for once something from history and to evolve in the manner we react in? If revolution isn’t the right way, does it mean there is no other way we could do it? Obviously not, everyone knows it and some were advocating for discussions. Again, now this doesn’t fulfill the expectation of many, and it has shown to be not effective at all either.

So, do we give up and lean towards the only other way we have experienced?
No, and no. I didn’t suggest and I’m not going to suggest in that post any other mean. One of the distinctive feature of human, is it capacity to innovate. Let’s try to do it for once and find an undefined path we would built to reach our goal in the best way possible, and not the easiest.

Tara #218

I disagree. Only a country that believes in Arab nationalism would accept without conditions more than one million refugees from Iraq and hundred of thousands from Lebanon and provide them services and support. I can’t say the same about Saudi Arabia who closed their border to the Iraqi refugees.
Syria has also given a home to Palestinians refugees and facilities that they were not obliged to give.
It is the only Arab country that does not require a visa from Arabs to get in.
You may have heavy reservations about the Baath party, but you cant accuse it of being pseudo-arab-nationalist.

Here are the MB bosses…. it is a history buried in cowardness, traitors.
it is why many innocent Syrians paid the ultimate price in life for these pigs to live and destroy Syria.

http://ahlalbeit12.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post_1346.html

Qatar is violating the charter by suspending Syria.

The Arab League charter
http://www.mideastweb.org/arableague.htm

Article 18.

If one of the member States intends to withdraw from the League, the Council shall be informed of its intention one year before the withdrawal takes effect

The Council of the League may consider any State that is not fulfilling the obligations resulting from this Pact as excluded from the League, by a decision taken by a unanimous vote of all the States except the State referred to.

Memo To: HANS IN YOUR PANTS

RE: “…pigs to live…”

It takes one to know one.

I know lots of Syrians who call Besho a pig and a coward, rutting in the mud as he does, protected by his Shabeeha thugs. So you say the Muslim Brotherhood are cowards and pigs? They would disagree and they would point to Hama and ask you, Hans, who was the coward in Hama? Who was the pig in Hama?

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/stuck-in-damascus-with-memphis-blues.html

To all,
I just wanted to drop in and point out to you that there is a revolution going on in Syria, just in case you have not notice. There are people dying everyday; some are called citizens, some are called soldiers and some are called Shabiha, they just all happen to be Syrian. Our beloved regime seems to be incapable of controlling the situation, regardless of who or what caused it. So, it is high time for this regime to go. If you are afraid of chaos, we already are in complete and utter chaos, if you are afraid of sectarian violence, we already are experiencing sectarian violence and if you are afraid of the collapse of the Syrian economy, it is already in the gutter. Now you have to choose between continuing with the incapable or trying some other trick. (Hint: your choice will have high correlation with your IQ level).

Well put, Sheila.

Besho has already failed. No amount of rhetoric can save him. His government is a no-hoper and needs to go!

#202 Newfolder

So let’s assume the regime is indeed as you describe it, and I’m not going to discuss this affirmation right now. How would you call what you’re advocating for? Your behaviour and thoughts don’t differ in any way from the regime’s murderous ones. You want to put an end to this regime by replacing in with a similarly terrific one. How is this going to be worse? In the actual case, no matter how tyrannic and monstrous the regime is, it cannot “manipulate” a portion of the population that is not a minority. The regime itself is issued from a ethnic minority, and having a larger portion of the population exerting the same behaviour would be disastrous for the minorities. No matter what degree of tyranny would the actual regime maintain, it will never be as disastrous as having a larger ethnic group holding the same behaviour. What people need to remember is that democracy isn’t obtained as a result of a democratic regime. It’s the total opposite. So before even calling for a change in the political situation in order to reach democracy, try to arrange what is most crucial to a democracy, the people that constitutes it.

However, if we look throughout history, the way emancipation had taken place to lead us to democracy isn’t as spontaneous as one might think. In Europe, or in France most specifically, the french revolution was pumped with the Lumiere’s reflections (an intellectual french movement at the last moment of the monarchy that ultimately lead to the revolution). These as still taken as reference as of today and are taught in philosophical classes in France. So the “cover” of that french revolution at the time was really attractive, and looked so favourable, and it is… but today. The current state France is in, the state of democracy it is in, wasn’t gained miraculously and directly after the revolution. Instead, this was ultimately one of the most terrific and darkest moment of the history of France, this lead to worst direct consequences than the pre-revolution state, words can’t not describe the monstrosity that had taken place. The population simply couldn’t have undergone this transition directly. Isn’t it reminiscent of something?

A saying from the famous french philosoph Hegel in french would say: “Mais ce qu’enseigne l’experience et l’histoire, c’est que les peuples et les gouvernements n’ont jamais rien appris de l’histoire, et n’ont jamais agi suivant des maximes qu’on aurait pu en tirer”.
Or: What history and experience teaches us, is that populations and governments never learned anything from history, and never reacted following maxims that could have been deducted.
If we make the analogy to Syria, basically, democracy is a state we want to reach, and the cover of the revolution seems really favourable and attractive. But that’s not what’s going to happen most certainly, and it would get worse. Will it tend to democracy afterwards, like in the case of France? Absolutely. But in the meantime, there are those terrific consequences that might happen.
However, the status quo is even less favourable, and the situation in Syria cannot remain as such forever.
Is it that hard to learn for once something for history and to evolve in the manner we react in? If revolution isn’t the right way, does it mean, there is no other way? Obviously not, everyone knows it and some were advocating for discussions. Again, now this doesn’t fulfill the expectation of many, and it has shown to be not effective at all either.

So, do we give up and lean towards the only other way we have experienced?
No, and no. I didn’t suggest and I’m not going to suggest in that post any other mean. One of the distinctive feature of human, is it capacity to innovate. Let’s try to do it for once and find an undefined path we would built to reach our goal in the best way possible, and not the easiest.

Can anyone confirm this PressTV report?

Syrian protesters storm the Saudi embassy

Syrian protesters have stormed the Saudi and Qatari embassies in Damascus to voice their outrage at an Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria’s membership in the Pan-Arab body.

The incident occurred late on Saturday when thousands of people poured into the streets of Damascus to stage protest rallies in front of the Qatari, Saudi, Turkish and US embassies.

Demonstrations were also held in Syria’s major cities of Aleppo, Raqqa, Lattakia, Tartous, Hasaka and Sweida.

In Damascus, some protesters broke into the Saudi embassy while some accessed the rooftop of the Qatari embassy building and raised the Syrian national flag.

Others pelted the Qatari facility with tomatoes and eggs to protest against Doha for heading the Arab League emergency session, where the suspension was announced earlier in the day.

Chanting slogans in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the protesters then gathered in front of the Turkish and US embassies, condemning the Arab bloc for acting out a plot they said had been hatched by the United States.

A similar protest was held against the Saudi-based Al-Arabiya and the Doha-based Al-Jazeera news channels in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

The angry protesters tried to break into the buildings of news channels, which they blamed for following a US and Israeli agenda against Syria.

على ذمة الغارديان : هكذا تم التخطيط لاسقاط بشار الاسد
November 12 2011 10:00

يقول رجل الاستخبارات البريطاني سابقاً مؤسس ومدير “منتدى الصراعات” اليستر كروك في تعليق نشرته صحيفة “ذي غارديان” البريطانية اليوم السبت تحت عنوان “اللعبة السورية الكبرى” ان “المؤامرة للتخلص من الاسد” تنطوي على مجازفات مماثلة للمجازفات المتصلة بأفغانستان في ثمانينات القرن الماضي وان “من حسن الحظ انها تفشل”. وهنا نص تعليقه:”في صيف هذا العام قال مسؤول سعودي رفيع المستوى لرئيس موظفي ديك تشيني نائب الرئيس الاميركي السابق جون حنا ان الملك يعتقد بان تغيير نظام الحكم سيكون مفيداً جداً للمصالح السعودية: الملك يعلم انه عدا عن انهيار الجمهورية الاسلامية نفسها، لا شيء سيضعف ايران اكثر من فقدان سوريا

هذه هي “اللعبة الكبرى” اليوم- فقدان سوريا. وهي تلعب على النحو التالي: شكل على عجل مجلساً انتقالياً كممثل وحيد للشعب السوري، بغض النظر عما اذا كانت له اي ارجل حقيقية داخل سوريا، ثم ادخل متمردين مسلحين من الدول المجاورة، وافرض عقوبات تؤذي الطبقات الوسطى، وشن حملةً اعلامية للتقليل من شأن اي جهود اصلاح سورية، وحاول ان تحرض على انقسامات ضمن الجيش والنخبة، وسيسقط الرئيس الاسد في نهاية الامر – كما يصر البادئون باللعبة

قد ينظر الاوروبيون والاميركيون وبعض دول الخليج الى “اللعبة” السورية على اساس انها التالية منطقياً للعبة الليبية التي يفترض انها ناجحة في توجيه اليقظة العربية نحو نسق ثقافي غربي. غير ان سوريا اكثر قيمة من الناحية الاستراتيجية في الميزان السياسي الاقليمي، وايران تعلم ذلك. وقالت ايران انها سترد على اي تدخل خارجي في سوريا

ولم تعد المسألة “لعبة”، كما يشهد العدد الكبير من القتلى بايدي الجانبين. وتتعارض العناصر الراديكالية المسلحة التي يجري استخدامها في سوريا كقوات لاطاحة الاسد مع امكانية بروز اي نتيجة ضمن المثال الغربي. ومن الممكن ان تكون لهذه المجموعات اجندة دموية وغير ديموقراطية خاصة بها. وقد حذرت انا من هذا الخطر في ثمانينات القرن الماضي: لقد كان لبعض المجاهدين جذور حقيقية في المجتمع، لكن اخرين ظهروا كخطر شديد. ونصحني سياسي اميركي طيب بان لا اقلق: هؤلاء الناس “يركلون السوفييت على قفاهم”. وقد اخترنا ان ننظر في الاتجاه الاخر لأن ركل السوفييت كان مناسبا جداً لحاجات الولايات المتحدة. واليوم تنظر اوروبا في الاتجاه الاخر رافضةً النظر في من هم في الحقيقة المتمردون ذوي الخبرة القتالية في سوريا، وذلك لان فقدان الاسد ومواجهة ايران يشكلان لعبة جديدة

غير ان التخطيط الافتراضي لم يتحول الى اجراء متماسك الا هذا العام، مع الاطاحة بحكم الرئيس المصري السابق حسني مبارك. اذ بدت اسرائيل فجأة مهزوزة، وصار لسوريا ضعيفة تعمها اضطرابات جاذبية قوية. وعلى خط مواز، برزت قطر في الخط الامامي. وحسب ما جاء في بعض التقارير المحلية في قطر فان الدكتور عزمي بشارة وهو قومي عربي استقال من عضوية البرلمان الاسرائيلي ولجأ بمحض اختياره الى الدوحة، متورط في مشروع لا تقوم “الجزيرة” فيه بمجرد نشر انباء الثورة، بل في عرض احداثها في المنطقة – او على الاقل فان هذا هو الاعتقاد الذي ساد في الدوحة عشية الانتفاضة في كل من تونس ومصر. ومع ذلك فان قطر لم تكن تحاول مجرد تحويل قضية المعاناة الانسانية الى تدخل دولي، وانما القيام ايضا – مثلما حدث في ليبيا – بدور رئيس مباشر كراع عملاني للمعارضة

وكانت المراحل اللاحقة تقضي باستدراج الرئيس الفرنسي ساركوزي وضمه الى الفريق، بالنظر الى انه كان المروج الاول لنموذج المجلس الانتقالي في بنغازي الذين احال حلف الـ”ناتو” الى وسيلة لتغيير النظام. وسار باراك اوباما على الدرب ذاته بالمساعدة في اقناع رئيس الوزراء التركي رجب طيب اردوغان، الذي يشعر بالانزعاج من الاسد، ليقوم بدور المجلس الانتقالي على حدود سوريا، واضفاء الشرعية من جانبه على “المقاومة”. وهذان العنصران الاخيران كلاهما ليسا خلوا من تحديات من اجهزتهما الامنية الخاصة، التي تنتابها بالشكوك تجاه فاعلية نموذج المجلس الانتقالي، وتعارض التدخل العسكري

بل ان بندر نفسه ليس في منجى من التحديات، اذ ليس لديه غطاء سياسي من الملك، كما ان اخرين في العائلة يلعبون اوراقاً اسلامية لاغراض مختلفة. فايران والعراق والجزائر، واحيانا مصر، تتعاون لاحباط المناورات الخليجية ضد سوريا في الجامعة العربية. ونموذج المجلس الانتقالي الذي كشف في ليبيا ضعف ترجيح كفة مجرد فصيل واحد باعتباره الحكومة المنتظرة، يبدو معطوبا بشكل اوضح بالنسبة الى سوريا. فمجلس المعارضة في سوريا الذي تشكل بدعم من تركيا وفرنسا وقطر يبدو عاجزا مكشوفاً بسبب حقيقة ان هياكل الامن السورية ظلت متماسكة كالصخر تقريبا طوال سبعة شهور، وبدت الانشقاقات محدوة النطاق والاثر، وظلت قاعدة الدعم الشعبي للاسد راسخة. وليس هناك ما يمكن ان يغير من هذه المعادلة الا التدخل الخارجي، الا ان قيام المعارضة بالدعوة له يعتبر انتحارا سياسيا، والمعارضة تدرك ذلك

وقد طالبت المعارضة الداخلية التي تلتقي في اسطنبول ببيان يرفض التدخل الخارجي والعمل العسكري، الا انه اعلن عن قيام المجلس الوطني السوري حتى قبل ان تتوصل المحادثات بين فئات المعارضة الى اتفاق- وكان ذلك بسبب استعجال الاطراف الخارجية.وتواصل المعارضة الخارجية المراوغة بشأن موقفها من التدخل الخارجي، ولها في ذلك سبب معقول: فالمعارضة الداخلية ترفضه. وهذا الامر يمثل القصور في النموذج- ذلك ان الغالبية في سوريا تعارض بقوة حصول تدخل خارجي، خشيةً من اندلاع صراع مدني. وبناء عليه فان السوريين يواجهون فترة طويلة من التمرد الخارجي، والحصار والانهاك الدولي. وستكون الدماء الثمن الذي يدفعه الطرفان

واعرب حنا عن اعتقاده ان الخطر الحقيقي يكمن في احتمال قيام السعوديين “مرة اخرى باشعال شبكة الجهاديين السنة وتوجيهها في الاتجاه العام نحو ايران الشيعية”، الامر الذي يضع سوريا في الخط الاول. والواقع ان هذا بالضبط هو ما دامت المسرحية تروق لمواطني الدول الغربية.وكان موقع “فورين افيرز” (الشؤون الخارجية) الاميركي قد ذكر الشهر الماضي ان السعودية وحلفاءها الخليجيين يحمسون السلفيين المتطرفين، ليس لاضعاف ايران فحسب، وانما لما يعتبرونه ضرورياً للبقاء، لتعطيل وانهاك النهضات التي تهدد انظمة الملكية المطلقة. وهذا هو ما يحدث في سوريا وليبيا ومصر ولبنان واليمن والعراق

وقد ينظر الى هذا التوجه الاسلامي المحافظ والحرفي بصورة عامة على انه غير سياسي وغير مرن، غير ان التاريخ لا يوحي بذلك. واذا انت قلت للجماهير دائماً ان بامكانها ان تكون صانعة الملوك والقيت امامها باكوام من الاموال، فلا يستبدن بك العجب اذا تحولوا – مرة اخرى – الى شيء سياسي جداً. وقد يستغرق الامر بضعة اشهر، الا ان ثمار هذه المحاولة الجديدة لاستخدام قوات راديكالية لتحقيق اغراض غربية يمكن ان تسفر عن عكس المراد منها. وكان مايكل شوير، رئيس وحدة بن لادن في وكالة الاستخبارات المركزية الاميركية السابق، قد حذر اخيرا من ان الرد الذي صاغته هيلاري كلينتون تجاه اليقظة العربية بزرع نماذج غربية، بالقوة عند الضرورة، في الفراغ الذي خلفته الانظمة المنهارة، سينظر اليه على انه “حرب ثقافية ضد الاسلام”، وسيحصد بذور دورة اخرى من التطرف

ومن المفارقات المحزنة التقليل من اهمية السنة المعتدلين، الذين يجدون انفسهم الان محصورين بين النظر اليهم على انهم عملاء غربيون، والموقع الصعب للسلفيين الذين ينتظرون الفرصة للحلول محلهم وتفكيك البلاد. انه عالم غريب حقا: فاوروبا والولايات المتحدة تعتقدان ان لا مانع من “استخدام” هؤلاء الاسلامييين (بمن فيهم “القاعدة”) على وجه التحديد وان كانوا لا يؤمنون بشكل قاطع في الاسلوب الغربي للديمقراطية حتى يمكن تحقيق ذلك. وبناء على ذلك، لم لا نغض الطرف ونجني فوائد استمتاع الشعب بركل بالاسد

http://www.arabtimes.com/portal/news_display.cfm?Action=&Preview=No&nid=9790

Tara,

I agree with Bronco of# 221, We still believe in Arab unity and nation, it is unfortunate but many of us are sad and angry on how other Arabs could stab Syria in the back, after all what Syria did for the Arabs, Iraqis, Palestinians and Lebanese,

Hans,

You are wrong about the doctors here and you have no right to generalize, your experience with some should not be generalized,so please CUT IT OUT. Or we are going to complain to the chief Doctor, president Assad.

@ Norman,
don’t feel targeted, I never said ALL… obviously you are excluded, I am referencing to the Doctors who can be characterized as being the Dr. Zawahiri of the SC.

Shiela,

The regime is not going anywhere, the only chance for Syria and especialy for the opposition to win anything for the people is for the opposition to reach an agreement with the government on the mechanism of free election so the Syrian people and the Syrian people only will chose their represanitives , this take over that the opposition is trying to do will only replace a dictatership with another.

My post is showing, why?

From the pro-regime blog http://www.facebook.com/SyrianTruthEnglish?sk=wall

Rallies for tomorrow, Sunday November 13:

Damascus – Saba Bahrat

Aleppo – Saadallah Jabri Square

Lattakia – al-Muhafatha Square

Homs – Ra’es Square

Hama – Asy Square

Tartous – near Corniche area

Swedia – Sultan Basha al-Atrash Square

Idleb – Ibrahim Hineno Sqaure

Qamishli – Ra’es Square

Hasaka – Ra’es Square

Abu Kamal – Rawda Square

Jableh – Amara Square

Raqqa – Ra’es Square

Deir Ezzour – Saba Bahrat

Daraa – Ra’es Square

Enjoy a lovely patriotic filled day tomorrow. We’ll provide videos and photos on here as soon as the rallies proceed

This is part of the REAL Syrian Revolution of 2011.

I do not think elections were on the mind of people like Hamad Bin Jasem and the goats princes. What the AL did was shooting its own initiative down and paving the way for international intervention and more sanctions. The focus is on toppling the regime not creating a democratic system. SNC exec member Ahmad Ramadan was publicly criticized on Aljazeera by Egypt’s previous rep at the AL for lack of political vision before he was interrupted by the host.
تغيير النظام ضروري و لكن نريد ان نعرف كيف و نريد منكم ان تقولوا لنا ماذا ستفعلون بالجيش و الأمن و الأقليات و غير ذلك من الامور الضروريه لنجاح اي نظام جديد في سوريا لذلك طالب الكثيرون بوساطة الوسطاء و بالحوار و لو كان في جزر القمر
There is hope that a coup from within may reverse course in Syia but most people do not think that is going to happen and very few are willing to count on that possibility and are fearful that a civil war and a foreign invasion of some sort are more likely now.
I have not met any Syrian who was against regime change but the devil is in the details and what the AL did was throwing Syria to the devil.

Syria’s Christians back Assad, fear unknown future – 2011-11-12

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/12/c_131243107.htm

DAMASCUS, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — Syria’s Christians, accounting for 10 percent of the country’s Sunni-dominated population, showed unwavering support to embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after roughly eight months of political crisis.

Observers said that the Christians’ support for Assad was due to fear that a regime change could deprive them of the veneer of protection Assad has long ensured for them.

Such fears haven’t however resonated among other minorities in Syria that have shown incongruous stands towards the uprising in Syria.

Kurds, for instance, have at the beginning demonstrated against Assad demanding improvement of their living conditions as most of them are living in impoverished areas in northern Syria.

However, even after being granted by Assad the Syrian nationality which topped their demands, some of them are still taking part in the anti-regime protests in northern Syria. The stands of other minorities are still ambiguous.

Christians in Syria, unlike the Kurds, are quite well off and some even hold senior positions in the government. This might be one of the causes that have raised their concern over a possible regime change and the following financial losses.

It’s common in Syria to see a mosque adjacent to a church not only in Christian neighborhoods but in every part of the country. Syria boasts itself of the coexistence among different sects, mainly Muslims and Christians.

Damascus still contains a considerable proportion of Christians, with churches all over the city but particularly in the district of Bab Touma. Masses are held every Sunday and civil servants are given Sunday mornings off to allow them to attend churches, even though Sunday is a working day in Syria.

Yet, the idea that Muslim extremists might assume power in the country distresses Christians enormously despite repeated assurances made by some Syrian opposition parties.

Ali Sadr Al-Din Al-Bayanouni, former general supervisor of the banned Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, said during a recent interview broadcasted by al-Arabyia TV channel that should Muslims assume power in the country, they would adopt the principle of citizenship regardless of the concept of sects and religious beliefs.

The Brookings Doha Center hosted last month a policy discussion with al-Bayanouni, who charged that the Syrian regime had for five decades presented itself as the protector of minorities. In reality, he said, the regime encouraged sectarian divisions.

Bayanouni said, national unity should remain the focus of the demonstration, stressing that the project of the Syrian opposition is based on shared demands: ending the oppression of the old regime and building a modern, civil state that believes in partnership and using elections as the means of decision-making.

“We believe that the current situation is better than a mere promise,” Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for Greek Orthodox Ignatius IV Hazim told Xinhua in an interview in response to al- Bayanouni’s remarks.

He said the current events in Syria haven’t at all influenced the Syrian Christians, stressing that Christians in Syria have always been in a good situation.

Christians prefer Assad’s rule to an “unknown future,” he said.

“We believe that President Assad will fulfill his promises and he is the best man to achieve the reforms,” he added.

He rejected the idea about a possible infighting between Muslims and Christians, saying all Syrians are hopeful to live peacefully regardless of their religious doctrines.

Samia Hadad, a Christian woman, said “I don’t believe in Bayanouni’s remarks as this is no more than propaganda to gain power.”

Antoine Karam, a merchant in the old city of Damascus, said “I staunchly back President Assad because he is a respected, educated and open-minded man… under the Assad government there has been tolerance towards religious minorities, an issue that is not guaranteed by any other would-be president.”

A peace plan initiated by the Arab League two weeks ago aiming to find a solution to end the crisis seems to be stillborn amid mounting accusations by opposition figures that the regime doesn’t honor its promises and is still harshly cracking down on protesters.

The Syrian government denied such accusations and said it had showed commitment to the peace plan by granting amnesty to hundreds of Syrians arrested during the unrest in the country, pledging to withdraw its military vehicles from violence-hit areas in central Syria, as well as approving to hold dialogue with opposition figures under supervision of Arab and international observers.

The Arab League would convene an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday to weigh the possibility of undertaking stiffer measures against the Syrian regime given its alleged breach of the plan.

AL chief Nabil al-Arabi said that the AL plan is, till now, workable and Syria’s Christians and Muslims are waiting to see the outcome.

Ghufran, who lives in USA, says at #233: “I have not met any Syrian who was against regime change.” Based on that comment Ghufran can’t have met any Syrians for the last forty years. Here, Ghufran, let me introduce you to some Syrians who were and are against regime change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4nJUAMTjQ

‘Shame on you’ Syria tells Sudan – November 12, 2011

http://www.sudantribune.com/Shame-on-you-Syria-tells-Sudan,40708

The Syrian ambassador to the Arab League Yussef al-Ahmad on Saturday lashed out at the Sudanese government for approving a resolution suspending his country’s membership in the Pan-Arab body.

The surprise decision taken by Arab foreign ministers in Cairo also called for imposing economic and political sanctions on Syria and urged member states to withdraw their ambassadors in Damascus.

Today’s move was in response to what was described as Syria’s failure to implement the Arab plan to end months of brutal crackdown on protestors who are demanding political reform and more recently the departure of president Bashar al-Assad.

More than 3,500 people have been killed so far in the Syrian crackdown, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR).

All Arab countries voted in favor of today’s decision with Lebanon and Yemen against. Iraq on the other hand abstained from voting.

Sudan not only supported today’s resolution but convinced Mauritania and Somalia to back it, according to diplomats who spoke to Reuters.

Up until recently officials in Khartoum including president Omer Hassan al-Bashir have voiced staunch support to the Syrian regime describing the ongoing events as an international conspiracy.

“Syria is exposed to a foreign conspiracy because of its firm position on Arab issues and any weakening of Syria is a free service to enemies of the Arab nation” Bashir was quoted as saying last month after meeting with Syrian deputy foreign minister Faisal al-Mikdad in Khartoum.

But Sudan’s change of heart today irked the Syrian ambassador in Cairo who represented his country in the Arab league meeting.

“Syria for example during the Sudan [Darfur] crisis was more Sudanese than Sudan. President Bashar al-Assad in Doha [March 2009 Arab League] summit when he made his remarks all people that day said that he went so far in defending Sudan even more than the Sudanese president,” al-Ahmad said.

“Me myself in the Arab League council was more Sudanese than Sudan’s ambassador and this was the analogy used by the Sudanese and not me,” he added.

Syria strongly backed Sudanese leader when an arrest warrant was issued for him in March 2009 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes he allegedly masterminded in Darfur.

The Syrian top diplomat Walid al-Muallem has reportedly chided ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in late 2008 in New York when he was addressing Arab foreign ministers in New York to explain his case against Bashir.

“When you talk about President Bashir should speak politely, and deal with his titles with the required respect,” al-Muallem was quoted as saying at the time.

The Syrian ambassador in Cairo expressed his disappointment with what he suggested was betrayal on the part of Sudan.

“So how did Sudan act with us today? Total silence. Why? Of course they have their reasons but I don’t want to justify these excuses,” he said.

“You all remember that the president of Sudan was wanted [by the ICC] but when Sudan was partitioned do you hear now about any specific requests? That’s it. The required task was dividing Sudan,” al-Ahmad added.

Arab newspapers had published that Syrian ambassador in the closed session today admonished Sudan’s foreign minister Ali Karti for his country’s stance.

“This is shame on Sudan and the Arab League,” Yussef al-Ahmad said according to teh London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

“All the Arab countries stood against you so why are you picking on us?” was Karti’s response.

A political analyst who spoke to Sudan Tribune from Khartoum said that Qatar, which took the lead on Syrian issue, has likely influenced today’s vote by the Sudanese government.

In October hundreds of Sudanese Islamists and others staged a demonstration decrying the Syrian government.

It was the first protest against the Syrian government in Sudan, which has good ties with Damascus and Assad’s main ally, Iran.

“Oh Bashar, oh you coward, the Muslims are right here,” the protesters chanted after leaving Khartoum’s Grande Mosque following Friday prayers. “No to the Alawites, and no to Iran, the army of Mohammad is right here.”

If the opposition from the beginning of the revolution were inclusive of all the Syrians based on the national unity of all sects including the some of the Alawite who were not part of the regime or even some of them who were jailed by the regime… we would not have been in this shoes now. unfortunately, they followed the foreign powers who brought them up and gave them the orders.
it is a problem for the opposition even after the fall of the regime if it ever happens but with bloody years to come. it may take more than just the Nato bombing Syria and killing lots more then what have died so far. it is going to be a difficult task for the opposition to win the trust of all sects of the Syrians people which is not going to be a easy task and has no interest from the out side powers that it happens, it much more important for the outsiders that Syrians fight each others, than building a democratic country which means the destruction or of Syria for many years. Although the foreign media always try to present the supporters of the regime as thugs and shabiha not one can deny that there is still a large majority of support on the ground for the regime, in part because people in the last ten years felt, more happy, rich, freedom they never had or experienced in the last 50 years of life in Syria. it includes lots of Sunni, who has no interest in KSA style regime or foreign intervention destabilizing the country into bloody endless civil war and possibility of dividing Syria into pieces to serve only Israel.

Syrian Christian archbishop backs Assad – newspaper – Nov 11, 2011

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE7AA1YR20111111

VIENNA (Reuters) – A senior cleric from Syria’s Christian minority said “everyone loves” President Bashar al-Assad and that he was still the best man to enact reforms, despite his military crackdown on pro-democracy unrest.

Yohana Ibrahim, the Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, told the Austrian newspaper Die Presse that most Christians supported both Assad and demands for democracy, but that killings by Assad supporters and opponents had to end.

“If he is willing to lead these (democratic) reforms, then he is the best man for this because he has the experience and has led the country for more than 10 years,” Ibrahim was quoted as saying in an interview published on Friday.

“He is the president, everyone loves him. Not just Christians, the Muslims too. But that is not enough. We need good leadership for the future. Assad is one of the right people to attain the changes that are needed.”

Ibrahim acknowledged, however, that others — including opposition figures — could also govern the country.

“Yes. Why not? Syria is open,” he said in the interview that was conducted during a trip to Vienna.

Syria’s minority Christians have watched protests sweeping their country since March with trepidation, fearing their religious freedom could be threatened if Assad’s autocratic, but secular rule is overthrown.

Sunni Muslims form a majority in Syria, but under four decades of rule by Assad and his father, who belong to the minority Alawite sect, varied religious groups have enjoyed the right to practice their faith.

For many Syrian Christians, the flight of the co-religionists from sectarian conflict in neighbouring Iraq and attacks on Christians in Egypt highlight the dangers they fear they could face if Assad succumbs to the wave of popular uprisings in the Arab world that broke out early this year.

Crowds attack diplomatic missions in Syria – 11-13-2011

Enraged by Arab League decision to suspend Syria, Pro-Assad protesters storm Saudi Arabia embassy in Damascus, French and Turkish missions in Latakia

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4147316,00.html

http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/13062011/3558495/2_+wa.jpg

http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/13062011/3558490/1_wh.jpg

Crowds armed with sticks and knives attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy in Damascus and French and Turkish consulates in the city of Latakia on Saturday after the Arab League suspended Syria, residents said.

They said hundreds of men shouting slogans in support of President Bashar Assad beat a guard and broke into the Saudi embassy in Abu Rummaneh, three blocks away from Assad’s offices in one of the most heavily policed areas of the capital.

“We sacrifice our blood and our soul for you, Bashar,” the crowd shouted, according to neighborhood residents.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a group of demonstrators “gathered outside the embassy, threw stones at it, then stormed the building”.

The statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said Syrian security forces “did not take measures to stop them ransacking the embassy”, adding that the demonstrators stayed inside for a while before they were ordered out by Syrian security.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns this incident and holds Syrian authorities responsible for the security and protection of Saudi interests and citizens in Syria”.

Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador from Damascus in August, when King Abdullah demanded an end to the crackdown.

Similar attacks took place in Latakia, 330 kms (210 miles) north of Damascus on the Mediterranean coast, where French and Turkish consulates were the targets of angry crowds, residents said.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said France had only an honorary consulate in Latakia and he was unaware of it having been attacked. He quoted the French ambassador to Syria as saying late on Saturday that he was unaware of any attacks on French diplomatic or other interests in Syria.

The attacks took place hours after the Arab League suspended Syria for failing to carry out a promise to halt its armed crackdown on eight-month-old pro-democracy demonstrations and open a dialogue with its opponents.

A senior diplomat in Damascus confirmed the attacks. “They did a fair bit of damage to the Saudi embassy. We do not have the full picture from Latakia, but the attacks there appear to have been really bad,” the diplomat said.

A crowd held a pro-Assad demonstration in front of the Qatari embassy in Damascus earlier in the day. Qatar is the current head of the Arab League.

Raising the Issue of Iran to Cover Up the Issue of Syria –

Raghida Dergham

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raghida-dergham/raising-the-issue-of-iran_b_1088509.html

The next few days will be difficult for the governments of Iran and Syria, which are responding to international criticism by handing out accusations of treason, interference and conspiracy. They will be difficult because “hiding behind one’s finger” has become an obvious gambit, and also because the time to be held to account is now imminent, and because Russia and its ilk in the alliance of “defiance” at the Security Council have not been able to protect the regimes in Tehran and Damascus from the consequences of stubbornly behaving with arrogance. But Iran and Syria are not alone in facing difficult days ahead. Their companion in arrogance, conceit and deception with regard to international and humanitarian laws and customs, i.e. Israel, is with them. For one thing, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel is tightening the noose around its own neck in the process of hanging the Palestinians. French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s comments to US President Barack Obama – which he was not supposed to say publicly – were, at the end of the day, sincere, when Sarkozy described Netanyahu as a “liar”. The fact of the matter is that most politicians, journalists and experts on the Middle East repeatedly describe Netanyahu as “a professional and pathological liar”. This time, the lies might not be restricted to promises about the peace process with the Palestinians, but could encompass what Netanyahu has in mind regarding Iran and Syria as well. There is a great deal of suspicion over this issue – and this would not be for the first time. The Israeli Prime Minister’s past record in supporting that the Syrian regime should be kept in place, and opposition to pressures on it, are well known, especially by the US Administration. It has been said that Israel changed its opinion in opposition to regime-change in Syria over the past few weeks, yet there are indications that this is being reconsidered, among them Netanyahu’s efforts to force a the subject to be changed and turn international focus away from Syria, and towards Iran. These are favors Netanyahu is providing to both Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in the form of threats and suggestions that an Israeli military operation is being prepared to put a stop to Iran’s nuclear programs. Such “favors” benefit Netanyahu himself because they could implicate the US Administration in confrontations and excursions in the Arab region, something that would be of service to Netanyahu within the Palestinian-Israeli context and would keep pressures away from him. They are shared favors for Assad, Ahmadinejad and Netanyahu, their main feature being to divert attention in order to buy time; as well as a service for the trio’s intersected interests.

Any Israeli military attack against Iran would serve first and foremost to gather Arab and Muslim popular sympathy to the benefit of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is true because first, Israel is a nuclear state that challenges international laws and customs; second, because such emotions categorically reject Israel’s claim that a nuclear Iran would pose a threat to its existence; and third, because Israel does not have the legal authority to take the matter of a nuclear Iran into its own hands, with complete disregard for the Security Council, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the world’s major powers. Furthermore, the timing of such threats and hints at an Israeli military operation against the Iranian nuclear reactor nearly represents a gift to Iran’s primary ally in the Arab region – i.e. Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria. If such an Israeli attack were to take place at this delicate stage for Syria, the regime would exploit this “gift” to its benefit at the expense of the opposition, and would seize the opportunity to crush the opposition on account of the transformation in the regional balance of power, especially at the popular and emotional levels.

The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the greatest fear of which is for Iran to obtain military nuclear capabilities, will see its strategy suffer a major setback, if Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Ehud Barak were to order a military strike against Iran. For inasmuch as some of those countries wish to sever “the snake’s head” in Tehran, so as for the two allies – Iran and Syria – to put an end to their dangerous axis, it is their view that the worst favor Israel can do them is that of taking military action against Iran. Such action is of great service to the rulers of Iran and Syria, not to those of the GCC. Netanyahu may be practicing the skill that he is addicted to, in a shrewd policy aimed at driving the major powers with permanent seats at the Security Council to stop delaying and being lenient with Iran, as it moves forward to obtain nuclear weapons. If his goal is to contribute to awakening Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States and informing them that their inaction is unacceptable and that they must take measures, then fair enough. But what some of those countries, and especially the United States, fear, is for Netanyahu’s decision to be aimed at dragging Washington into military action against Iran, or at least on leaving the impression that Washington has approved Israeli military action. In both cases, there would be a high price to pay for Washington.

Perhaps Netanyahu does not intend to take military action at present, but instead to put the option forward in such a way as to embarrass Barack Obama and unleash an electoral backlash against him, showing him as weak and hesitant in the face of a nuclear threat such as this. There is no love lost between the two men. The Israeli Prime Minister does not want the US President to win a second term that would make him more determined in dealing with Israel, whether at the level of illegal settlement-building or with regard to Netanyahu’s typical insincere two-state solution promises. The Obama Administration has given the Netanyahu government everything it wanted, yet in spite of this it is being blackmailed by the Israeli right and by the one-upmanship of the Republicans. As such, Barack Obama has been forced to progressively backtrack on the promises he had made at the beginning of his term with regard to the two-state solution, and has so far failed to stop illegal settlement-building. In fact, he has even been forced to use the veto power at the Security Council against the draft resolution on the settlements. This is while bearing in mind that American policy has for many years been based on opposing settlement-building.

Furthermore, regarding the membership of Palestine at the United Nations, the Obama Administration enlisted all its efforts to influence Security Council member-states in order to deprive the resolution on full membership of the nine votes it requires, so as not to be forced to make use of veto powers again, and so as to nip the Palestinian bid in the bud. In spite of all this, Netanyahu and his team dislike the administration. His priority is for Barack Obama not to remain in the White House, so as for him not to have the boldness to do in his second term what he was not bold enough to do in his first, for electoral or other reasons.

It would be better for Palestinian diplomacy to head to the General Assembly to secure a resolution in clear and plain language, one that would gather the greatest extent of support for it obtaining the status of a non-member “observer” state at the United Nations. Such a classification would not negate the status of “state” obtained by Palestine at the UNESCO. Indeed, one of the most important reasons for ensuring the status of a “state” is the subsequent ability to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to challenge Israel’s violations, such as the settlement policy, legally. Thus, the General Assembly recognizing Palestine as an “observer state” would take away from the hands of the UN’s Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and its head, Under-Secretary-General Patricia O’Brien, any pretext for rejecting the application of Palestine the “state” to join the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court. It has been mentioned that O’Brien would find loopholes in a Palestinian application based solely on the UNESCO resolution, on the basis that it is one of many UN organizations. Legally, the flaws are in O’Brien’s own loopholes. Nevertheless, it would be politically more intelligent for Palestinian policy to obtain a clear mandate from the General Assembly.

This is no time to allow any party to exploit the Palestinian issue for any other considerations. It is true that the duplicity of the Obama Administration is as clear as its failure to fulfill its promises regarding the establishment of the state of Palestine, as well as regarding the Middle East peace process. Yet it is also true that the tension in the relationship between Iran and Syria on one hand, and the international community on the other, must not be allowed to make use of Palestine to fuel emotions to the benefit of Tehran-Damascus. The responsibility of the Palestinian leadership lies in preserving Palestinian interests first. And such interests now require lucidity, pragmatism and moving one step at a time towards achieving its goals, not towards failure and detonating the situation at the expense of Palestine.

The priority now should go to what is happening on the Syrian scene, where over 3500 people have been killed, and where the Arab League’s initiative is collapsing to the tune of continued oppression and killing at the hands of Syrian authorities. It is clear that Western states at the Security Council will not make a move until the Arab League does, a move that is expected to happen tomorrow, Saturday, during the meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo. It is also clear that Russia and its ilk in the defiance camp may seek to complicate the Syrian issue by forcibly linking it to the Iranian issue.

It is the duty of the Arabs not to fall into the trap of confusion or forceful complication, whether it comes from Israel, Russia, the United States or Europe, when those who have been killed are in the end, Arabs. The responsibility of the Arabs requires clarity of vision and of deeds, whether regarding Syria or regarding Netanyahu’s intentions towards Iran or Palestine, especially as the next few days will be difficult, and as the time of “hiding behind one’s finger” has passed for everyone.

UNESCO: Israel Cartoon Showing Pilots Bombing Agency Endangers Lives

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/unesco-israel-cartoon_n_1087838.html

JERUSALEM — UNESCO has reprimanded Israel over a newspaper cartoon showing the Israeli prime minister telling pilots to bomb the U. N. agency’s office after bombing Iran, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The U.N.’s Paris-based cultural arm called in Israel’s ambassador, Nimrod Barkan, on Wednesday and handed him a protest note saying the cartoon “endangers the lives of unarmed diplomats,” according to the Israeli spokesman, Yigal Palmor.

The note came from the organization’s director-general, Irina Bokova, he said. Officials at UNESCO in Paris were not immediately available for comment Friday.

The cartoon was published last week in the liberal daily Haaretz, known for its criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government.

It depicts Netanyahu and his defense minister briefing pilots before a hypothetical attack on Iran, telling them to target UNESCO’s office in the West Bank on their way back.

The cartoon was a jab at Netanyahu’s policies and his displeasure over the U.N. culture agency’s recent recognition of the Palestinians as a member state. The recognition led U.S., Canada and Israel to cut off funding to the agency.

The reprimand reflects an apparent misunderstanding of the cartoon – which was aimed at Netanyahu, not at UNESCO.

Palmor said the Israeli ambassador responded by telling UNESCO his country has a free press.

“We’ve heard of Islamists raging against supposedly disrespectful cartoons, but U.N. officials going down the same road – that’s a whole new ballgame,” Palmor said.

On Thursday, UNESCO said it would not undertake new projects this year as it decides how to respond to the funding cutoffs following the move to recognize the Palestinians last month.

The U.S. typically provides one-fifth of the agency’s annual budget – some $80 million, three-quarters of which has not yet been handed over and which will now remain unpaid.

UNESCO protects heritage sites and works to improve literacy, access to schooling for girls and cultural understanding.

Kurdish Leader: We Oppose Foreign Intervention in Syria – 13/11/2011

http://www.rudaw.net/english/news/syria/4142.html

Will the Syrian uprising ignite the Kurdish powder keg? Syria has a sizeable Kurdish population, marginalized by successive military regimes that have ruled Syria for decades.

It is surprising to see that, while the rest of Syria is torn by violence, the Kurdish populated provinces remain quiet.

“It’s a tactical choice,” say politicians from the Syrian Democratic Union Party, a Kurdish opposition party.

“There is a de facto truce between the Kurds and the government. The security forces are overstretched over Syria’s Arab provinces to face demonstrators, and cannot afford the opening of a second front in Syrian Kurdistan. On our side, we need the army to stay away. Our party is busy establishing organizations, committees, able to take over from the Baath administration the moment the regime collapses.” said one PYD leader.

To enforce this truce, their cells in Afrin and Kobane stopped some Kurdish activists from organizing demonstrations. They claim that all their efforts are about maintaining calm to avoid a bloodbath.

Syrian Kurdish leaders have advised the Kurdish youth to remain peaceful. They argue that an open confrontation with the regime would be disastrous.

“Our people would become military target, not only for the army but also for some militias made of Arab settlers present in our provinces,” said Muslim. “The demonstrations would turn into an ethnic conflict that the government would use to its own advantage.”

Syrian Kurdish leaders are skeptical about the Syrian opposition that met several times since the unrest started in Syria in March. The Kurds say the Arab parties do not recognize the rights of the Kurdish population of Syria.

“Amongst the Arab opposition, some groups do not accept us Kurds as equal citizens. They want to keep Syria an Arab homeland, where minorities are kept in a state of submission,” said Muslim. “We need to build our strength to be able to deal with them on an equal basis at the fall of the regime.”

Turkey’s Islamic government, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been a major supporter of the Syrian opposition. Some observers believe that Turkey does not want the Kurds of Syria to have any role in the future of that country.

Some observers believe that Turkey was unsettled when tens of thousands of Kurds poured onto the streets of the Kurdish city of Qamishli following the assassination of Mishaal Tamo, the leader of the Kurdish Future Movement by unknown gunmen last month.

Some of Syria’s Kurdish parties have links with Turkey’s nemesis—Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has been engaged in a bloody war against the Turkish state for the past three decades. In the meantime there are many Syrian Kurds in the ranks of the PKK.

But Zuhat Kobani, a leader of the PYD that has close links with the PKK said, “It is not in our agenda, and it would be very difficult from a practical point of view. We do not avoid a confrontation with the Syrian army only to get one with the Turks.”

Meanwhile, the Syrian Kurdish opposition is skeptical of Turkey’s intimate involvement with the Syrian Arab opposition.

A high-ranking PYD leader said, “We want change. But it must come from the Syrians, and be for the Syrians.

It must not come from any external power willing to make Syria a satellite state. The PYD so opposes any foreign intervention in Syria.”

‘Gaddafi couldn’t kill more people than NATO did’ – Syrian deputy FM

13 November, 2011

http://rt.com/news/syria-religious-extremists-finance-007/print/

Even if Gaddafi had lived for another 100 years, he could not have killed even a fraction of the number obliterated by NATO during its intervention in Libya, claims Syria’s deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal al-Mikdad, in an exclusive interview with RT.

­The top Syrian diplomat recalled that NATO’s aggression against Libya was carried out under the guise of restoring human rights and protecting civilians.
­‘They send money to kill Syrians’

Syria’s deputy FM has demanded that the countries financially and militarily supporting armed religious extremists on his country’s soil assume responsibility for financing terrorism.

Faisal al-Mikdad acknowledges that terrorist groups within Syria are being financed in an unofficial way by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan, and he has appealed to the people of these countries not to support such activities.

“Our appeal to our brothers and sisters in all those countries is not to allow that, because under the UN this is called ‘financing of terrorism’. They send money to kill Syrians. And I believe this should be stopped,” explains al-Mikdad.
­Soldiers’ deaths disregarded

­The senior diplomat’s comments come as the UN human rights chief warned that Syria is very close to a Libya-style situation, where an uprising against a long-standing leader morphed into a civil war.

Syrian human rights organizations and the UN say that 3,500 people have died in the anti-government protests since their start eight months ago.

However, Syria’s deputy FM Faisal al-Mikdad has cast doubt on the wisdom of the West’s approach to the crisis in his country.

“The credibility of some international non-governmental organizations has been lost because they do not take into consideration what is really happening [in Syria]. Not one of these organizations has mentioned that Syria has lost more than 1,150 martyrs from the army and security forces,” the deputy FM says.
­Extremists shoot civilians to keep show on road

­He confirms that many civilians have been assassinated in the unrest, but “people have to ask the questions, who killed them and why were they killed?”

Faisal al-Mikdad says that criminals detained by police confessed to shooting at peaceful demonstrators and killing them, “to keep the pace of demonstrations going on.”

The deputy FM denies that Syria is in a state of civil war but stresses that those provoking the unrest aim to push the country into civil conflict. Syrian society is very complex, and as Faisal al-Mikdad put it, “we have something from everything.”

Syria historically has three monotheistic religions, with lots of denominations in each one of them. Those well-organized and equipped foreign religious extremists who instigate violence need the people of Syria to fight each other, admits Faisal al-Mikdad.

The Deputy FM stresses that billions of dollars and tens of thousands of small arms have been smuggled into Syria from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and other neighboring countries to encourage people to incite disturbances in the country.

Faisal al-Mikdad assures that among the armed protestors there are no civilians fighting for a better life but only radical Islamists, and that the peaceful opposition has been officially recognized by the Syrian government and its views taken into account in order to work together to build a new Syria.
­‘We did not expect such violence’

­The deputy Syrian FM recognizes that mistakes have been made and time lost in reforming the political landscape within the country.

“These are realities, we have to accept them,” Faisal al-Mikdad says. “What we did not expect was that things would develop in such a violent way that contradicts the spirit of the Syrian people,” he confesses, stressing that social media has not been banned in the country despite the apparently negative role it played in the unrest.

Faisal al-Mikdad insists that all talk of a conflict of the ruling Alawite minority and the Sunni majority is misleading and aimed at disintegration of the country, as every Syrian citizen, despite his religion or nationality, has the right to occupy any official position.

“In Syria we have a political system that defends the sovereignty of the country,” he says.

“In Syria we are under such an attack because we say no to the policies of the US in the region, supporting the subjugation of the region to their interests and serving the major interests of Israel,” proclaims the Syrian deputy FM.

He believes that NATO has not intervened in Syria because the whole region opposes it, after seeing Gaddafi’s Libya bombed out.

The majority of the UN Security Council is against aggression in Syria, with Russia and China even using their veto right to block a Western resolution designed to slap tougher sanctions on Damascus.

“If they [the West] manipulate the situation in the Middle East – they will do it everywhere in the world.”

Cain: Obama ‘on the wrong side’ of Arab Spring – 2011-11-13

http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1757472

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain says President Barack Obama has been on the wrong side of nearly every situation in the Arab world and the United States has mishandled the uprisings in the region.

Other Republicans, too, were tough on Obama’s handing of Libya, Egypt and Yemen during Saturday night’s debate on foreign policy. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the United States wrongly dumped overnight an ally in Syria, while Mitt Romney says it is time for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad to end.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas says it would be wrong for the United States to take active stands in the region. He says it’s up to each country to determine its future.

Arab League suspends Syria; imposes sanctions – 13.11.11

Syria’s representative at the Arab League said the decision was ‘not worth the ink it was written with.’

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/arab-league-suspends-syria-imposes-sanctions-1.395212

On Saturday, the Arab League suspended Syria and called on its army to stop killing civilians in a surprise move that turned up the heat on President Bashar Assad.

At a meeting in Cairo, the League said it will impose economic and political sanctions on Syria’s government and has appealed to member states to withdraw their ambassadors. It will also call a meeting of Syrian opposition parties.

“We were criticized for taking a long time but this was out of our concern for Syria,” Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani told reporters at the League’s headquarters in Cairo. “We needed to have a majority to approve those decisions.”

Syria’s representative at the Arab League said the decision was “not worth the ink it was written with.”

U.S. President Barack Obama praised the League’s decision. and France said it was time for international bodies to take more action.

“After the Assad regime flagrantly failed to keep its commitments, the Arab League has demonstrated leadership in its effort to end the crisis and hold the Syrian government accountable,” Obama said in a statement. “These significant steps expose the increasing diplomatic isolation of a regime that has systematically violated human rights and repressed peaceful protests.”

Syria’s suspension is seen as an invitation for Western states and the United Nations Security Council to step up efforts to intervene and stop the violence, despite Russia and China’s objection to imposing sanctions on Syria.

After the Arab League reached a cease fire agreement between the Syrian regime and the opposition, the League’s unequivocal statement now makes it clear there are no chances of reaching an agreement between Bashar Assad’s opponents and his supporters.

Fifteen Syrians were killed in various shooting incidents on Saturday, most of them in an attack by deserters from the Syrian army on a bus filled with officers in the northwest of the country.

On Friday, 23 people were killed in Syria, most of them during demonstrations in Homs, which has been under prolonged military attack at the hands of Assad’s supporters.

Saudi Arabia and a number of Gulf states like Qatar, Oman and Bahrain are apparently behind the League’s move.

These states see the fighting in Syria as part of a covert war with Iran over the Middle East’s future.

“We are calling all Syrian opposition parties to a meeting at the Arab League headquarters to agree a unified vision for the transitional period,” said Hamad, who is also Qatar’s foreign minister.

“This gives a lot of strength to the position of the Syrian National Council. This is now an Arab position,” said Basma Qadmani, a member of the executive committee of the Syrian National Council, the most prominent opposition group.

“This step introduces a possibility of foreign intervention and opens the door for engaging the international community in the case,” said Nabil Abdel Fattah, a political analyst at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo.

Hamad raised the possibility that the Arab League may ask the United Nations to help protect Syrians.

“If the violence and killing doesn’t stop, the secretary general will call on international organizations dealing with human rights, including the United Nations,” he said.

Seems like someone’s Hajj prayer was accepted.

Who changed the hearts of the members of the supposedly useless AL?

The regime’s sins have come back to haunt it. It is drowning and suffocating in the evil of its own hands. Horrific unspeakable evil.

God forgive us and protect us.

246. UZAIR8

Nice post UZAIR8. Keep them coming.

It seems that the terrorists running the Syrian regime have miscalculated big time. Let’s see what the next few days bring. One thing for sure, many people in Syria have a good reason to be happy, at least for a few days. The pressure is mounting and news is coming out that high ranking officers are sending their families abroad. Would like to hear confirmation. Also, it seems that more people will be encouraged to defect and join the Free Syrian Army. And to make things worse, one of the Syrian government’s media thugs makes a most blasphemous utterance on Manar TV, a so-called Islamic channel. Let’s see how Hassan Nasr Allah is going to react.

Final call to the supporters of this terrorist regime: the ship is sinking. Jump ship before it’s too late and make sure you prepare your mea culpa. You’ll need it to board the new ship.

Cracks are widening in Asad forces.
A recent development is the defection of units commanded by corporals, instead of just officers.

Officer Mohammad ALNa3san of the Military college announces defection and joining of the FSA, along with 10 seargents and soldiers.
2001 12 11
انشقاق جماعي لملازم ومساعد أول ورقباء ومجندين

Corporal Ahmad Alyousef of the artillery College announces defection and joining the FSA, along with 9 seargents and soldiers.
Jabal AlZawiyeh, Idleb
12/11/2011
ادلب جبل الزاوية انشقاق جماعي قولوا بسم الله الله أكبر
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=VBSe-QlXPj8

A unit of 10 soldiers and officers defect from Asad army and and form the Phalange of Abi AlFidaa to be part of the FSA.
(11.12.2011) Hama | Defection of a group of soldiers – Free Syria
http://www.facebook.com/Syria.Revolution.Intelligence

in respond to the AL prostitution Alepo and Damascuse went to the streets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RmWVaVPbJks#!

Lattakia – Massive gathering to protest the Arab league decision

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7BWXSPRaxrQ

Tartus

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=247371671984850&set=a.247370188651665.71557.163129913742360&type=1&theater

Homs

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=228840507182489&set=a.144269402306267.31482.144220648977809&type=1&theater

the terrorists open fire on the president supporters in Homs

عــــــاجل : حمص العدية : ارهابيين يطلقون النار على مسيرات اهلنا في حمص ويسقطون عدد من الشهداء والجرحى ….من بينهم أطفال ونساء !
مسيراتنا قتلتهم ….والمسيرة في حمص في طريقها لتكون ثورة عارمة بحمص للقضاء على الارهابيين القتلة المجرمين
اللهم أرحم شهداء سوريا من مدنيين وعسكريين …اللهم عليك بهم فهم لا يعجزونك

the entire world trying to hide the truth but it dose not matter the Syrians including the opposition know exactly what is the truth and that what it matters

Egypt rejects any interference in Syrian affairs (why not abstaining during the vote, then?) :
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/514190

Air force intelligence colonel Muhammad Hassan Kairout announces his defection – Free Syria
Uploaded by SyrianDaysOfRage on Nov 12, 2011

I, Muhammad Hassan Kairout, colonel indefence forces and of the Shiaa community hereby announce my defection from Asad Army due to the following:
– their crackdown and the use of all sorts of arms against unarmed civilian demostrators.
– their devious efforts to incite sectarian violence.
– giving me the assignment of assassinating several activists
– their preying on the need of the unemployed and poor youth to recruit them to quell demonstrations in return for instant payments.
– I urge the Shiaa and Alawi communities to sober up; The regime is bent on inciting seeds of sectarian conflict.
– In urge Bashar to learn the lessons of Giddafi and his son’s fate. He who does not learn from other’s mistakes shall duely learn from his own.

Damascus 7 lakes square today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zsm-myI69OY#!

protesting against the AL action

توجه عربي تركي لمنطقة عازلة للجيش السوري الحر، وانشقاقات في الرستن ودرعا، والهيئة العامة للثورة تحضر لعصيان مدني شامل، والأمم المتحدة مستعدة لتوفير الحماية الدولية للمدنيين
Arab governments ponder a Turkish no-fly-zone,
Defections in Dar3a and Rastan,
General Commission of the revolution is working on promoting a country wide disobediance,
UN ready to shoulder the responsibility of protecting civilians.
2011/11/13

سوريون نت ووكالات الأنباء:
http://www.sooryoon.net/?p=37937

أكدت مصادر سورية معارضة عدة أن اجتماع وزراء خارجية الدول العربية يوم السادس عشر من الشهر الجاري في الرباط بحضور وزير خارجية تركيا يتجه إلى فرض منطقة عازلة بعمق خمسة كيلومترات كما طرحتها تركيا، لكن المعارضة السورية تطالب أن تكون بعمق ٣٠ كم، ويتوقع أن يستخدمها الجيش السوري الحر من أجل إطلاق عملياته ضد النظام السوري وكذلك سيستخدمها المجلس الوطني السوري، وترافق ذلك مع ترحيب الهيئة العامة للثورة السورية بقرار الجامعة العربية وتحضيرها كما ذكر بيانها لعصيان مدني شامل من أجل إسقاط النظام السوري، ودعت الهيئة الجيش السوري والصامتين إزاء الثورة للانضمام إليها للتخلص من النظام وأعلن منذ بزوغ فجر هذا اليوم حدث إنشقاق عدد من العساكر عند الحاجز الجنوبي وقاموا بتبادل إطلاق النار مع عصابات المجرم بشار النذل وعلى أثر ذلك تم اقتحام قوات كبيرة من الأمن والشبيحة بلدة خربة غزالة وسط إطلاق نار كثيف ( حيث تم رصد أكثر من 40 حافلة وسيارة برفقة الجرافات لإزالة الحواجز الحجرية على مداخل البلدة التي وضعها الأهالي لتنفيذ العصيان المدني ، وفي الرستن وقع انشقاق ادى الى انفجارضخم هز المدينة إلى جانب جامع المحمود ببناء الميتم الاسلامي المحتل من قبل الأمن وتلاه اطلاق نار هائل ضمن المبنى.وقد انضمت الامم المتحدة وبريطانيا الى سلسلة المؤيدين لقرار الجامعة العربية بتعليق عضوية سوريا فيها والذي قال بعض الزعماء الغربيين انه يجب ان يدفع الى
القيام بعمل دولي اكثر صرامة ضد الرئيس بشار الاسد
ومضى الاسد قدما في حملة على المحتجين على حكمه رغم خطة سلام للجامعة العربية تم التوسط بشأنها في الثاني من نوفمبر تشرين الثاني وتقول الامم المتحدة ان اكثر من 3500 شخص قتلوا خلال سبعة اشهر من العنف
ووصف بان جي مون الامين العام للامم المتحدة قرار الجامعة امس السبت بانه//قوي وشجاع//

وذكر بيان للامم المتحدة //انه يرحب باعتزام الجامعة توفير حماية للمدنيين ويبدى استعداده لتوفير الدعم المتصل عند طلب ذلك//
وقالت الجامعة العربية انها ستفرض عقوبات اقتصادية وسياسية على دمشق ودعت الدول الاعضاء الى سحب سفرائها بالاضافة الى دعوة لعقد اجتماع للمعارضة السورية

وصرح متحدث باسم رئيس الوزراء البريطاني ديفيد كاميرون بان//هذا يبعث برسالة واضحة الى الرئيس الاسد ونظامه اللذين يواصلان رفض السماح بتحول سياسي في سوريا كما انهما مسؤولان عن تصعيد في العنف والقمع
//مازلنا واضحين على الرئيس الاسد ان يتنحى ولابد من حدوث تحول سياسي الان//

Tara said #218

“…You always admired the Syrian regime because it championed the Arab causes, from supporting the resistance to opening its borders to Arab refugee, etc. I did too.. in the past”.

What is the “Arab causes”? does such a thing really exist?

So far, the “Arab causes” is being used as a tool to oppress some, and to gain power by deception:

HA is using the “Arab causes” (muqawama against Israel) to keep it’s arms and maintain it’s state within a state.

Sudan is using the “Arab causes” to commit genocide in Darfour and in the south.

Syria is using the “Arab causes” to preserve and promote it’s criminal junta.

And so on.
====

The “Arab causes” was never a tool used to improve the lives of commoner Arabs. Was it?
.

Media war for the Western dummies (continued):

In today’s twelve o’clock journal, French public radio “France Culture” mentions the dispute over US Deparment call to the Syrians “not to surrender to the authorities” last week, instead of “not to bring their weapons”…

In UAE’s The National, a picture where the banned has (in Arabic) the date 26th August, is given as from last Friday (“In this citizen journalism image provided by Shaam New Network…Edlib province, on Friday” just bring the cursor on the picture to see this title.

So in the UAE too they don’t speak Arabic anymore?
http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/some-fear-war-foreign-intervention-in-syria

Two other articles today in The National:
http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/arab-league-suspends-syria-and-threatens-sanctions
http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/aleppo-merchants-abandon-a-regime-that-fails-on-stability

What do they try to prove with this mnhebak demonstration in 7 seas square?
That the regime has a power base? We know that they have a power base.

A power base, based on fear: Christian, Alawi and other minorities fear of change.
State employees, fear their jobs.
Military personnel, fear their positions and retirement pensions.
Other beneficiaries, who fear their benefits.

This is a criminal power base, which is fear driven, and who tries to impose and dictate the terms.
.

So on one side, the Syrian police and army should stop beating protesters, but on the other side, they should have protected the emptied Qatar, Saudi and French embassies and consulates?

Remember the Danish cartoons? Even then the police did not even know how to stop the violent protesters.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4681294.stm

Still, that this violence is exacerbated by the Syrian failed “political” system makes no doubt, so why not publishing whatever they have on the “friendly” governements, including the pictures of the 40 bodies found mutilated in Homs last week which Ahmad Yousef alluded to in his press conference? At least this is the way Western governments fight each other, they leak something here and there.

They are all betting against time unfortunately. It is bluff for everybody: the US, the EU, who are bankrupt and whose opinions will never accept again that they go to war simply because they are paid for it by Kuwait, KSA, or this time Qatar; but also Israel, who needs Iran to shoot first, and then of course, the Syrian governement, squized between Israel and Iran.

#255 Amir in Tel Aviv

The Arab causes? Did you ever hear about a cancer called Israel?

“This is a criminal power base” The Israeli is a viral and racist power base.

Vice president Biden is going to Iraq to lure them away from Syria and to break relation between Syria and Iraq,
Does anybody have any doubt on what the goal here, It is the destruction of Syria.

Ann,

Sudan is under the US influence , She is protecting AL Bashir,

So Sudan will do what the US want and the US wants a new regime in Syria ,

#225 Sheila

“Hint: your choice will have high correlation with your IQ level).”‘

With this hint, you really show what is your own IQ level.

Irritated #259,

This is exactly my point. There’s no “Arab cause”. There’s the “Israeli cause”.
The Arabs always defined themselves through and by Israel.

Or more accurately: Arab despots and beneficiaries always propagated the idea, that Israel is the cause of all of the misery in Arabia (aka the “Arab cause”). They did it (and still do) in order to preserve their benefits.
.

Syria Arab League suspension unacceptable: Iraq
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=27306

BAGHDAD, (AFP) — Iraq on Sunday slammed the Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria as unacceptable while also calling on Damascus to open dialogue with the opposition.

“Suspending Syria’s membership in the Arab League came in an unacceptable way,” Iraq government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Iraqiya television.

Iraq was the only country to abstain from the Saturday vote to suspend Syria’s membership in the Arab League over its crackdown on dissent which has left more than 3,500 people dead, according to UN figures.

Eighteen countries voted in favour of Syria’s suspension from the pan-Arab body while Yemen, Lebanon and Syria voted against the decision.

“This decision was not taken against other countries that have bigger crisis than the Syrian crisis,” said Dabbagh.

Libya is the only other country that has been suspended from the regional bloc since a wave of pro-reform protests swept across the Arab world this year.

“The stability and security of Syria is important to Iraq, and the Iraqi government has called its Syrian counterpart to dialogue with the opposition, and to carry out the requested reforms.

“We want complete freedom for (Syrians), but not in this forced way that moves the Syrian issue … to internationalisation,” he said. “This issue is very dangerous.”

260 Norman
I read in some links posted here about a week ago that Sudan has sent troops to Lybia under the command of Qatar just a few months ago.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8611199/Sudanese-army-seizes-southern-Libyan-town.html

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/279049/sudanese-libya-john-rosenthal

Mina,

Money corrupts and there is a lot of money in the Gulf states, and the poor Arab states are for sale with their corrupt leaders.

So the people with money and their protectorate the US are leading the destruction of Syria ,

in days like these i long for president Hafiz Assad to show them what they deserve.

Hassan Abdel Azim: “As to the accusation against the United States, it is out of place and there is no evidence of it.”

“( we ask for the) presence of civilian observers from the AL, United Nations, and Arab and regional human rights organizations to confirm the peacefulness of the revolution and the non-existence of armed gangs.”

A talk with Syrian Oppositionist Hassan Abdel Azim
12/11/2011 By Sawsan Abu-Husain
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=27293

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Hassan Abdel Azim, general coordinator of the National and Democratic Forces Committee for Change in Syria, was able to meet with Arab League [AL] Secretary General Nabil el-Araby and avoided by pure chance the protesters’ attack on the Syrian opposition delegation outside the AL premises.

In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdel Azim stressed that the Committee rejects the suspension of Syria’s AL membership and the imposition of a no fly zone because these tools would be seen as the main route to foreign intervention and hence the destruction of Syria like it happened in Libya, adding “we believe that the people and not the deposed regime will pay the price for the destruction.”

Following is the text of the interview:

[Asharq Al-Awsat] In your opinion, is the Arab initiative capable of resolving the Syrian crisis?

[Abdel Azim] We are wagering on the steadfastness of the Syrian people’s uprising which enters its ninth month maintaining its peacefulness despite the regime’s talk about taking up arms. This is not true. We also believe that internal steadfastness constitutes a principal factor for avoiding being dragged into taking up arms, violence, and doctrinal and sectarian conflicts. The Arab role that was embodied in the Arab initiative is what we want, that is, the withdrawal of all weapons from Syrian cities and village, allowing peaceful demonstrations, the release of detainees, and the opening of doors for Arab, regional, and international observers to confirm there is no armed opposition as the regime is claiming. We are at the same time watching the extent of the response to the Arab papers and statements issued by the Arab foreign ministers and therefore the right environment for the political process under the AL’s supervision and the action mechanisms such as the presence of civilian observers from the AL, United Nations, and Arab and regional human rights organizations to confirm the peacefulness of the revolution and the non-existence of armed gangs.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] The AL is saying that all the options are on the table. Why are you rejecting the membership suspension and imposition of a no fly zone?

[Abdel Azim] Because this means foreign intervention which we believe it is like the internal tyranny. We are committed to the Arab solution.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What if the Arab solution fails?

[Abdel Azim] We have the steadfastness of the uprising and the Arab and international pressures as well as action to dismantle the regime by the peaceful revolution.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Some believe the Arab initiative has failed and that the Arab solution means more martyrs and wounded.

[Abdel Azim] The Arab initiative has a chance and needs action mechanisms to pressure the regime, expose the facts on the ground, release the detainees, allow peaceful demonstration, and provide solutions aimed at protecting the civilians.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is the uprising inside the country capable of bringing down the regime?

[Abdel Azim] Certainly, and we have an example in the peaceful Yemeni revolution that has entered its 10th month without the people using weapons, though weapons in Yemen are available in all houses and streets.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What happened to you outside the AL premises and the demonstrators’ refusal to talk about the revolution in the dialogue with the AL?

[Abdel Azim] The National Coordination Committee delegation had asked to meet the AL secretary general who agreed. But when we arrived at the AL premises, we were surprised by the gathering of Syrian youths carrying clubs and cameras who prevented us from entering. We went to the second door and they moved and attacked us. But I was able to enter the AL premises and meet the secretary general because the youths did not know me. The delegation remained clashing with them until I came out.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What did you propose to the AL secretary general?

[Abdel Azim] I presented our vision for resolving the crisis and the need to adhere to the Arab solution. I demanded protection for the Syrian people through international observers and the opening of mechanisms for the media.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Did the Committee meet officials from Al-Assad’s regime to receive instructions as the demonstrators had accused you in front of the AL premises?

[Abdel Azim] We in the National Coordination Committee represent 15 parties and have an honourable history of struggle. We represent parties and national figures and have been struggling against tyranny inside and against corruption since the mid-1960’s to this day. At the same time, we reject foreign intervention which threatens the Syrian state and national unity but back the provision of all kinds of protection.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What are you demanding from the Arab foreign ministers at their meeting?

[Abdel Azim] We demand from them to continue to work with us. We must benefit from the revolutionary state through which the region is passing before we move to internationalization. The AL too is in a revolutionary state that is better than the past. We repeat for the umpteenth time we want the Arab solution and allowing the Syrian people to express freely. They are capable of bringing down the regime.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is it better to freeze Syria’s membership as the Syrian people are demanding?

[Abdel Azim] We are committed to an essential role for the AL to pressure the regime and force it to implement the Arab initiative. The AL can declare what it wants when the regime refuses. We trust its role.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What are you expecting and what is your assessment of the situations in Syria?

[Abdel Azim] We will triumph thanks to the uprising of the Syrian people and the Arab role supporting us. We will reach the comprehensive change and not reform and patching up the present regime. We will not accept any partial reforms but want comprehensive change and a democratic national system through elections that meets the Syrian people’s demands and leads to the regime’s departure. We are neither exclusionists nor totalitarians but want a democratic experience where everyone rules. We have parties whose hands are not covered in blood and corruption. We are hoping to have a pluralistic, parliamentary, and democratic state and a new system that satisfies all the aspirations of the Syrian people who are the architect and source of all authorities. [Asharq Al-Awsat] How do you see the Syrian regime’s accusations that the United States is involved in Syria’s events?

[Abdel Azim] The Syrian regime will not last under the internal, Arab, and regional pressure through Turkey and other countries. Even the corrupt’s allies in Russia, China, South Africa, and Brazil are demanding from Al-Assad to comply. As to the accusation against the United States, it is out of place and there is no evidence of it.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] Will the Syrian people remain in the street for a long time? When will they get their rights?

[Abdel Azim] It is not going to be much longer and the change in Syria is coming. It can be said that we are getting close to ending the tyranny and bringing down the regime.

#262 Amir In Tel Aviv

You’re are right. Let Israel move back the millions of Palestinians they have kicked out from their homes like dogs and who are living in Arab countries in desperate conditions and who are resorting to violence to get back their stolen land, then there will no major Arab cause anymore…

Media manipulation for dummies (continued)

The article posted by ZOO just above, very subtle specimen:

the date, before yesterday’s vote, but some people will read it as from after the vote, thinking it shows how the opposition is mild and ready for concessions and opposes the suspension from the AL (actually, it is possible that the reason the opposition was not allowed to see al Arabi – as if they could not meet somewhere else and later – is precisely because the opposition was too mild);

the sentence “avoided by pure chance the protesters’ attack on the Syrian opposition delegation outside the AL premises.” in the introduction, which makes the reader believe that it is the usual crowd of pro-Syrian governement which has attacked the opposition delegation.

Turkey evacuates embassy officials’ families in Damascus following attack
Sunday, November 13, 2011 ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey-says-crowds-attack-its-syrian-embassy-2011-11-13

Syrians protest outside the Qatari Embassy in Damascus on November 12, 2011, hours after a statement, read by Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani, said the Arab League had decided “to suspend Syrian delegations’ activities in Arab League meetings” and to implement “economic and political sanctions” against Damascus. AFP Photo
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Turkey has decided to evacuate the families of the embassy oficials in Damascus while the ambassodar is set to remain in the city, CNN Turk channel reported.

A crowd of around a thousand attacked the Turkish embassy in Damascus on Saturday evening, throwing stones and bottles before Syrian police intervened to break up the protest, Turkey’s state-run Anatolian news agency said on Sunday.

Attacks were also staged against Turkey’s consulate in Aleppo and its honorary consulate in Latakia, the agency reported Turkish embassy officials in Damascus as saying.

The attacks took place hours after the Arab League suspended Syria for failing to carry out a promise to halt its armed crackdown on eight-month-old pro-democracy demonstrations and open a dialogue with its opponents.

On Saturday evening, residents in Syria said crowds armed with sticks and knives attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy in Damascus and the French and Turkish consulates in Latakia after the Arab League suspended Syria.

They said hundreds of men shouting slogans in support of President Bashar al-Assad beat a guard and broke into the Saudi embassy in Abu Rummaneh, three blocks away from Assad’s offices in one of the most heavily policed areas of the capital.

Outside the Turkish embassy, protesters chanted anti-Turkey slogans, tried to climb the walls and force the gates open. Syrian police intervened using teargas to break up the protest as the demonstrators threw stones and bottles, Anatolian said.

After cultivating ties with Assad and Syria for several years, Turkey has this year robustly condemned the repression of peaceful protests, fearing Syrian violence could spill over the border if it develops a stronger ethnic or sectarian dimension.

Syrian opposition figures have met in Istanbul to forge a united front, the Syrian National Council. Turkey has also given sanctuary to Syrian military officers who have defected.

In Aleppo, demonstrators entered the consulate garden and tried to lower the Turkish flag but were prevented from doing so by consulate officials.

A group of some 5,000 gathered outside the Turkish honorary consulate in Latakia, 330 km (210 miles) north of Damascus on the Mediterranean coast, and broke windows. The officials said a Turkish flag was burned at this protest, Anatolian said.

No officials at the Turkish diplomatic missions were injured in the protests, it added.

Dear Norman ,you keep repeating that we are in danger to see Syria divided in mini sectarian states,who are those minorities who want such thing?
You and your dying God can not be right ,a nusayristan for example will not exist for the all obvious facts that you can not ignore ,an attempt in this direction would end in a massive suicide for those who called for such a state.
Also , the statues of hafez are an insult to your dignity ,for this reason our people are going to topple all of them ,even inside qurdaha,syrian history in the end is independant of the wishes of the Makhlouf,Asad,Shaleesh…
Alex ,are you still in love with imad mustafa ?
What will be your stance after assad-makhlouf regime end ?

Millions of Syrians nationwide rally against the Arab League
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/13/c_131244294.htm

DAMASCUS, Nov.13 (Xinhua) — Millions of Syrians on Sunday thronged main squares and streets in various Syrian cities to lend support to their embattled President Bashar al-Assad and to express discontent with the Arab League (AL) decision to suspend Syria’s membership.

In the capital of Damascus, hundreds of thousands flocked the Saba Bahrat Square, either came on foot or using public transport such as by bus. It looks as if the whole city was out on the streets on Sunday.

Some people waved Syrian flags along with Assad’s posters and shouted slogans such as “God, Syria and Bashar only,” while others carried banners, some of which read “down with the Hebrew League,” referring to the AL, accusing it of acting out a Western and Israeli conspiracy against Syria.

The nationwide raucous rallies came a day after the AL decided to suspend the activities of Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body.
…
The international community along with some opposition activists welcomed the resolution. United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon on Saturday voiced support to the resolution, urging Damascus to heed the AL call to “stop violence” and “implement the work plan fully and speedily.”

U.S. President Barack Obama praised the League’s move, and France said it was time for international bodies to take more action against Syrian government.

An hour after the League’s decision, angry rallies swept across Syria to express resentment with the AL stance.

The rowdy crowds pelted the Qatari embassy in Damascus with eggs and tomatoes and shouted obscenities at Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani, who headed the AL emergency session on Saturday.

Protestors reportedly stormed the Saudi embassy, which is located near the Qatari one, to bring down the Saudi flag.

Meanwhile, Syria’s official media blasted the AL decision and confirmed that the country is still capable of encountering the challenges and even of emerging stronger.

The Arab decision was also slammed by some opposition figures inside Syria, such as Mohammad Habash, a parliamentarian who heads the Third Way movement that gathers around 40 politicians and intellectuals. Habash said in a statement that the AL has ” deviated from its charter and internal system” by suspending Syria ‘s membership.

Syrian Ambassador to the AL Yusuf Ahmad said on Saturday that the AL’s latest decision came in contravention to the AL principles, accusing the AL of acting out a foreign agenda by applying such decision.

The Syrian opposition abroad has recently called on the AL to suspend Syria’s membership and to back sanctions against those responsible for human rights abuses in the country.

Zoo

The attacks on Arab and foreign embassies reflect a great sense of defeat, humiliation, and incivility by the regime. Don’t you think?

#270 Shami

“Who are those minorities who want such thing?” ( divide Syria)

The pygmies

Tara #272

Maybe more of a justified outrage at Qatar to have pressured the AL members to blatantly violate the Arab League charter.

The protesters have not attacked other Arab embassies

“The time to seriously think through the military option in Syria is now.”

What a Syrian Civil War Means for the U.S.
Bilal Y. Saab November 9, 2011
http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/what-syrian-civil-war-means-the-us-6138

According to the United Nations, the death toll in Syria has exceeded three thousand people, roughly one-third of which the Syrian government claims are its own security forces.

If you take that number in isolation, it already has tripled the one thousand deaths per year that is used by most academic scholars as an indicator of civil war. And we still have five months to go before we reach the one-year mark.

So is it time for us to view and treat the domestic unrest in Syria as a civil war?
{…}

Syria calls for emergency Arab summit to handle the Syrian crisis
2011-11-13 20:44:59
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/13/c_131244340.htm

DAMASCUS, Nov.13 (Xinhua) — An official source has called for convening an emergency Arab summit to handle the Syrian crisis and review its “negative repercussions on the Arab situation.”

In a statement carried by Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the source said Syria is welcoming a visit by the Arab ministerial committee to Syria before Nov 16.

It said Syria, which has approved an Arab plan on Nov 12, “is still regarding this plan as a suitable framework to handle the Syrian crisis away from any foreign intervention,” despite the fact that this plan lacks the practical mechanisms agreed upon between Syrian government and the Arab committee to implement it.

The source said “due to the repercussions of the Syrian crisis that might affect the national security and inflict gross damage with the common Arab action, the Syrian leadership is calling for an emergency Arab summit.”

It added that Syria is welcoming a visit by the Arab committee to be accompanied by what it considers suitable of civil and military experts from the committee’s member countries, along with Arab journalists to directly get familiar with what is happening on the ground and supervise the implementation of the Arab plan.

They attacked Turkey and KSA ones. No?

Diplomatic missions should be protected nevertheless. Government can sever diplomatic relationships if they want yet they still need to protect embassies and their staff. This is a universal understanding that should be respected.

AlArabiya said a high ranking syrian official has called for Arab summit to discuss syrian crisis.Is it possible? and where would they hold it?can Bashar leave Damascus?

The meeting in Morroco in Rabat,will include Turkish FM,this will follow AL meeting with SNC and NCC in preparation to recognise them as the legitimate representative of Syria.

The demonstrations in Sabe3 bahrat followed the security forces confiscated I D Cards from people using minibuses and told them they will get it after going there.

وزير خارجية مصر

أكد وزير الخارجية المصري محمد كامل عمرو رفض مصر التام لأي تدخل أجنبي في الشأن السوري تحت أي مسمى من المسميات، مشددا على أن وحدة سورية تمثل أولوية مطلقة يجب الحفاظ عليها في كافة الظروف.

ونقلت وكالة الأنباء الألمانية (د ب أ) عن وزير الخارجية المصري قوله أن “موقف مصر من الأزمة السورية كان ولازال يستند إلى المطالبة بوقف كافة مظاهر العنف وتوفير الحماية للمدنيين والخروج من الأزمة عبر الحوار بين كافة الأطراف”، مؤكدا أن “هذه هي ذاتها عناصر المبادرة العربية التي قبلتها الحكومة السورية”.

ودعا وزير الخارجية المصري “السوريين إلى التجاوب مع المساعي العربية وتنفيذ عناصر المبادرة بما يؤدى إلى وقف تعليق عضوية سورية في الجامعة العربية”.

Among the Arab countries who voters to suspend Syria from the Arab League: Palestine

Palestinians should not live in a country that does not belong to the Arab League. Some richer Arab country should welcome all the Palestinians that have been benefiting from the generosity of Syria for decades. Expelled from the Arab League and under economical sanctions, Syria cannot afford to keep them.

Where is Qatar Airways?

#278 Majedalkhaldoon

“and where would they hold it?can Bashar leave Damascus?”

In a Arab country freed from the hyenas: Iraq

Colonel in Republican Guard, Ghassan Hlaihel defected from Asad army and joined the FSA.
13/11/2011
حركة سوريا شباب من أجل الحرية Youth Syria For Freedom
http://www.facebook.com/Youth.Syria.Freedom
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
بيان صادر عن الجيش السوري الحر
إنشقاق المقدم الركن ((غسان حليحل )) من مرتبات الحرس الجمهوري وإنضمامه للجيش السوري الحر بقيادة العقيد رياض الأسعد
وعاشت سورية حرة أبية
35 minutes ago

I have to admit that my circle of relatives and friends will never pass the litmus test of the pro regime crowd,in that sense I am not neutral,but I still see that Syria’s main problem is the Assad family and the regime as a whole. As for Arabs,I quit on them a long time ago and I was always suspicious of Turkey and Iran and never trusted NATO.
As you can see I may not pass any loyalty test because I care about one thing:
The average Syrian.I want to be able to visit Syria and call relatives without asking ten questions about how they manage their finance and whether they are safe or not.
Syria will always be the center of conspiracies and power struggle,it is a special country with a lot of potential and a lot if challenges. It may be politically naive to say this but we all can get out of this if we love Syria more than the regime,our sheikhs and our own urge to get even.

#277 Tara

Don’t you think the Charter of the Arab League and a country sovereignty should be respected too?
Turkey threatening to eat up a piece of Syria to store weapons to be used against a sovereign country is in line with international laws?

Why anyone would respect other international laws if these are violated under the eyes of the UN?

Algeria not to withdraw ambassador from Syria: FM – 2011-11-13

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=30312

ALGIERS, Nov.13 (Xinhua) — Algeria will not recall its ambassador to Syria, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said Sunday.

“The ambassador of Algeria to Syria and the Syrian ambassador to Algeria are still welcome and will continue working fraternally and as positively as possible,” Medelci said at a joint press conference held in Algiers with his Egyptian counterpart Mohammed Kamel Amr.

“There’s no question for Algeria to implement the Arab League decision (related to the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors in Syria), which permit each country to take its own decision supremely,” Local APS news agency quoted Medelci as saying.

Algeria has already made its decision, as it will not recall its ambassador to Damascus, Medelci added.

“On the contrary, more than ever before, the time being requires to reinforce relations with the Syrian government to put into effect concretely the peace plan which we adopted on Nov. 2 in the Arab League,” the foreign minister stressed.

The Arab League (AL) on Saturday decided to suspend the activities of Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body.

The suspension will take effect on Wednesday, Nov. 16, Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani said in an official statement released after an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, where the AL headquarters is.

Meanwhile, the AL statement called for its members to withdraw their ambassadors in Syria and urged sanctions on Damascus until a peace plan it brokered is implemented.

#280

hahahahah, did you see that? nizam el momana3a, the champion of Arab rights wants to kick the Palestinians out of Syria because their leaders didn’t support Bisho and his killing machine …

hahahah, OMG can’t get more comical than these minhibakji idiots. Hey I have an idea, why don’t you change your cliche from Arab Nationalism to Slavic nationalism? And side with the Russian issues as they seem the only ones prepared to put up with your homicidal regime.

As expected, Turkey starting the ‘humanitarian’ work:

-أوغلو يعلن عن عقد اجتماع مع المعارضة السورية اليوم
أفادت تقارير صحفية عن أن وزيرلا الخارجية التركي أحمد داود أوغلو أعلن عن اجتماع مع المعارضة السورية اليوم.

-أفادت قناة “العربية” عن أن تركيا دعت المجموعة الدولية لوقف نزيف الدم في سوريا.

منطقة عازلة على الحدود التركية-السورية وخلاف بين الأتراك والمعارضة على عمقها
أكد رئيس المنظمة الوطنية لحقوق الإنسان عمار القربي عزم وزراء الخارجية العرب على عقد اجتماع يحضُره وزير الخارجية التركي أحمد داود أوغلو في العاصمة المغربية الرباط خلال أسبوع.
وأوضح القربي أن الاجتماع سيبحث في إقامة منطقة عازلة آمنة على الحدود التركية السورية، مضيفا أن الاتراك يريدونها بعمق خمسة كيومترات، فيما تقترح المعارضة السورية أن تكون بعمق ثلاثين كيلومترا.
واضاف القربي في حديث لقناة “العربية” من اسطنبول انه “يتحدث عن اقامة 3 مناطق عازلة: واحدة على الحدود التركية واخرى على الحدود العراقية واخرى على الحدود الجنوبية مع الاردن بحيث تكون ملاذا امنا للاجئين السوريين”.
http://www.aldiyaronline.com/index.php/aldiyar-topic-article/184/10875

Irritated and other friends,
I never liked the policy of allowing Arabs to get into Syria without a visa,and I realized since 1974 or before that pan Arabism is an empty slogan. Egyptian friends share the same sentiment about Palestinians in Egypt,but as the son of a Palestinian mother who was more syrian than many syrians,I assure you that many Palestinians in syria are as angry as you about Abbas vote,he is part of the corrupt leaderships that plague the Arab world.
Syria’s generous positions regarding Arab refugees never paid off.
الأحمق يعرف بثلاث خصال
الغضب من غير شيء و العطية في غير موضعها و ان لا يعرف صديقه من عدوه
(I hope I did not make anybody angry)

Newfolder #286

That vote and threats of Arab sanctions on an Arab country has killed Arab nationalism with all its consequences.

Bear them with a laugh!

Staged, pro-Asad demonstration in Deir Azzor suddenly turned anti-Asad, prepitating frenzied random shooting by puzzled, onlooking Asad militia!
13/11/2011
حركة سوريا شباب من أجل الحرية Youth Syria For Freedom
http://www.facebook.com/Youth.Syria.Freedom
الله اكبر

مقلب رائع خلال المسيرة الاجبارية المؤيدة لبشار الاسد اليوم في دير الزور

حيث انقلبت المسيرة الى مظاهرة ضد النظام وبمظاهرات كبيرة هتفت باسقاط النظام

والشبيحة والامن جن جنونهم ويطلقون النار بجنون
See Translation
4 hours ago ·

باريس تخطّط لاستفزاز “حزب الله”
جوني منيّر – الديار
انتقلت الازمة السورية الى مرحلة جديدة شديدة الخطورة، وذلك مع اعلان جامعة الدول العربية عن سلة من العقوبات السياسية والاقتصادية.
والواضح منذ بداية التحرك العربي، انه وجد ليشكل مرحلة عبور الى مجلس الامن، وعلى اساس ان ترفض سوريا المبادرة العربية، والهدف انتزاع الغطاء العربي قبل الوصول الى نيويورك حيث تنتظر مجلس الامن معركة ديبلوماسية قوية مع كل من روسيا والصين.
والواضح ايضا ان العواصم الغربية قد رسمت خارطة طريقها سلفا لناحية العقوبات القوية التي تنوي فرضها على سوريا بعدما ثبتت استحالة اسقاط النظام من الداخل. ولذلك زاراكثر من مسؤول اميركي لبنان حيث ركزوا على نقطتين اساسيتين: مصرف لبنان وقيادة الجيش، او بمعنى اوضح عدم السماح للاقتصاد السوري بالتنفس، خلال الرئة اللبنانية، وارغام الجيش اللبناني على احتضان المنشقين السوريين وتأمين حرية حركتهم.
وبذلك يكون الجميع قد اتخذوا وضعية الهجوم، فيما تجري تهيئة الساحة اللبنانية لاحتضان جانب من الازمة، من خلال دفعها دفعاً للدخول في ازمات متفجرة.
ففي الشمال، لا يمكن ابدا ايجاد تفسير لاحتضان اللاجئين السوريين الا من خلال ايجاد بقعة امنية تؤدي الى تشجيع عمليات الفرار لا سيما على مستوى الجيش، وبالتالي انشاء مخيمات عسكرية في مرحلة لاحقة تشكل منطلقا لعمليات في الداخل السوري، على ان تكون هذه المخيمات نقاط التقاء بين المنشقين السوريين ومختلف التنظيمات الاسلامية التي تتطلب المعركة مشاركتها.
وفي هذا الاطار مثلا، يمكن تفسير عمليات «تهريب» الاسلاميين على دفعات من سجن رومية منذ بضعة اشهر. يومها تؤكد التقارير الامنية والتحقيقات التي اجريت بان ما حكي عن عمليات فرار انما كان في الحقيقة تسهيل هروب لهذه العناصر المتطرفة والخطيرة التي تنتمي الى فتح الاسلام وان هذا التهريب حصل بتشجيع من مسؤولين كبار، ونزولا عند تمنيات ديبلوماسيين غربيين.
يومها همس البعض في الكواليس ان هؤلاء المسجونين هم خبراء في القتال والعمليات الامنية وان امامهم مهمات امنية اساسية تنتظرهم في سوريا.
طبعاً فان بعض من شاركوا في زيادة الدعم بالامس الى وادي خالد، انما ذهبوا بخلفية سياسية ضيقة، وهي خلفية ساذجة لقاء ما هو المطلوب فعليا من انشاء هذه المخيمات.
اضافة الى ذلك، لا بد من طرح سؤال على الشخصيات المسيحية التي شاركت في هذا اللقاء، لماذا لم يجر التعامل بسلوك مماثل مع المسيحيين الذين هُجروا من العراق والذين ما يزالون مشردين في الازقة حيث لا يجدون لا مأوى ولا عملاً؟ الا يعتبر وضعهم انسانياً؟ ام ان الحقيقة تفرض القول بان في وادي خالد استثمارا سياسيا تريده العواصم الغربية فيما مسيحيو العراق هم ضحايا المشروع الغربي في المنطقة.
ولكن النقطة الاهم تبقى في لفت نظر هؤلاء، الى ان انشاء مخيم في عكار، سيضاعف من مشكلة اللاجئين على الاراضي اللبنانية حيث ان هاجس توطين الفلسطينيين ما يزال يهدد المستقبل، وان عرب وادي خالد جرى تجنيسهم مؤخرا في المرسوم الشهير الذي ضرب بالتوازن الطائفي الداخلي الى الابد.
فالتاريخ الحديث يؤكد ان ما من مخيم للاجئين جرت اقامته، ثم تمكن احد من ازالته.
اولم تبدأ القصة مع الفلسطينيين بالطريقة نفسها، ومع بعض الوجوه المشاركة اليوم؟
اولا يخشى مسيحيو 14 آذار ان تبقى هذه المخيمات الى الابد، تماما كما حصل مع الفلسطينيين وغيرهم من جنسيات عربية اخرى؟ اوليس ذلك هو احد دروس التاريخ الحديث؟
في المقابل تعمل الديبلوماسية الغربية على تشجيع هذه الخطوات، لأنها تصبّ في اطار مصالحها، ضمن صراعها مع سوريا وايران، لكن هذا الاطار لا يفضي بالتأكيد الى ضمان أمن ومستقبل المجموعات والشعوب في المنطقة، ولا سيما في لبنان.
وبدا أن الأوساط الديبلوماسية الغربية تشجع باتجاه فتح الأبواب امام المواجهات مع سوريا، وأمام احراج حزب الله في الداخل اللبناني لالهائه عن مساعدة النظام في سوريا.
وتشير المعلومات الى أن السياسة الغربية تقوم على استفزاز حزب الله لجرّه الى مواجهة جانبية، تماماً كما يحصل في موضوع المحكمة الدولية، لكن الأخطر ما يحصل في جنوب لبنان، حيث تتحدث التقارير الأمنية عن استفزازات تقوم بها القوات الفرنسية العاملة في جنوب لبنان في اطار قوات الطوارئ الدولية. فسُجّل خروج لدوريات فرنسية عن الاطار القانوني المتفق عليه في مسار دورياتها التي تتغلغل في زواريب سكنية ليست ضمن المهام الميدانية المنوطة بها. وقد تكررت هذه «الأخطاء» سبع مرات خلال الأسابيع الماضية، رغم معرفة القيادة الفرنسية ان هذا الامر يؤدي الى صدام مع الأهالي وهو ما حاصل اكثر من مرة خلال العام المنصرم.
وهو ما يدفع الى الاستنتاج ان الفرنسيين يسعون الى استفزاز حزب الله لجرّه الى مواجهة في هذا التوقيت بالذات.
وكل ذلك يطرح علامة استهفام حول الدور المرسوم للساحة اللبنانية مع دخول الأزمة السورية في مرحلة جديدة، واستطراداً، وهو السؤال الأهم: ما هو المطلوب أمنياً من هذه الساحة؟ وهل أن الاستقرار الأمني الداخلي اصبح في خطر؟

Ghufran #288

I haven’t heard the voices of the Palestinians in Syria.
If they remain silent, it means they are accomplice to that stabbing in the back of a country that has been more generous to them than any Arab country.
At least the Iraqis had the decency to abstained.
I am sure that after that event, many Syrians are going to look suspiciously at the Palestinians living in Syria.

Ungratefulness and treason are unforgivable.

I LOVE THE ARAB SPRING !
.

لم يكن يوسف أحمد مخطئاً عندما قال أن نبيل العربي لا هو نبيل ولا هو عربي:

العربي : الجامعة العربية بصدد اعداد آلية لتوفير حماية للشعب السوري

طرابلس – ا ف ب : اعلن الامين العام للجامعة العربية نبيل العربي خلال زيارة الى طرابلس الاحد ان الجامعة “بصدد اعداد الية لتوفير حماية للشعب السوري”. واضاف خلال مؤتمر صحافي مشترك مع رئيس المجلس الوطني الانتقالي الليبي مصطفى عبد الجليل “المطلوب الان من الجامعة العربية هو توفير الية لحماية المدنيين” بدون اعطاء المزيد من التوضيحات. وتابع العربي ان “الجامعة العربية قامت بدور كبير جدا في ليبيا ودخلت مرحلة جديدة عندما اتخذت قرارها بطلب التدخل من مجلس الامن لحماية المدنيين”. وحول الاسباب التي دفعت بالجامعة الى الذهاب لمجلس الامن اوضح العربي ان “الجامعة العربية ليس لها الامكانيات للتدخل لحماية المدنيين واذن من الطبيعي ان تتوجه الى الامم المتحدة المنظمة الوحيدة في العالم القادرة على التدخل”. وكانت الجامعة العربية طلبت في 12 مارس من مجلس الامن الدولي حماية المدنيين في ليبيا. وبعد خمسة ايام على هذا الطلب تبنى مجلس الامن قرارا فرض فيه منطقة حظر جوي واجاز استخدام القوة لحماية المدنيين ما اتاح بعد 48 ساعة من ذلك التاريخ، حصول التدخل العسكري الدولي الذي تولى حلف شمال الاطلسي قيادته في نهاية مارس.

Ghufran said
but as the son of a Palestinian mother who was more syrian than many syrians,
الأحمق يعرف بثلاث خصال
الغضب من غير شيء و العطية في غير موضعها و ان لا يعرف صديقه من عدوه
I would add, those whose statement does not make any sense.

السعوديه ترحب بكم
الرياض- (ا ف ب): صدر صك شرعي عن القضاء السعودي يقضي بجلد فتاة عشر جلدات بسبب قيادتها لسيارة في جدة الصيف الماضي، وذلك بالرغم من قرار اصدره العاهل السعودي الملك عبدالله بن عبدالعزيز بالغاء الحكم الصادر بحقها بحسبما افادت الفتاة الأحد.
وقالت شيماء جستنية لوكالة فرانس برس إن “الصك الشرعي الذي صدر فيه حكم بعشر جلدات بسبب مخالفتي لولي الامر حيث استند القاضي لبيان وزارة الداخلية القاضي بمنع قيادة المرأة للسيارة”.

واشارت إلى انها حصلت على نسخة من الصك الشرعي.

293. racist amir from apartheid tel aviv said:
I LOVE THE ARAB SPRING !

A love shared by al qaeda islamist terrorist errand boys

#287 Jad

If a single centimeter of Syria is invaded by Turkey, the fight back will be ferocious and I expect the syrian Kurds to participate in fighting the Turkish invaders.
No Syrian should allow Turkey to put its foot in Syria under any pretext.

#289

Toz feek wa fel Arab nationalism. for 40 years you robbed us and stripped us of our dignity in the name of Arab nationalism. Well guess what, it’s payback time now. So you can go shove your empty slogans up your ass while we take our country back from your homicidal Assad family.

#292 you mean those Palestinians whom the regime sent to be slaughtered at the Golan border? or their family members shot in the refugee camps for protesting against this?

Majed,
I am sorry you had difficulty reading my post. I hope this is an isolated problem.

Turkish FM to meet Syrian opposition in Ankara – 2011-11-14

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=30316

ANKARA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will meet members of the Syrian opposition in the Turkish capital of Ankara Sunday evening, one day after the attacks on Turkish diplomatic missions in Syria, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

“We call on the Syrian government to immediately identify those who are responsible for the attacks and initiate legal proceedings. Turkey expects assurances from the Syrian government to increase security measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. Turkey is determined to monitor developments on this issue and it is ready to take any measure it sees necessary,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Turkish foreign ministry summoned the Syrian charge d’ affaires in Ankara earlier Sunday, it said, adding: “These points were conveyed strongly and a diplomatic note was handed over.”

The foreign ministry also advised Turkish citizens to avoid travelling to Syria, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported on its website.

The move came one day after hundreds of Syrian pro-government demonstrators attacked the Turkish embassy and consulates in Syria.

Hundreds of Syrian government supporters attacked the Turkish embassy in Damascus Saturday evening after the Arab League (AL) voted to suspend Syria’s participation in its meetings and impose sanctions against the Syrian government for its alleged crackdown on protesters, Turkish semi-official news agency Anatolia reported.

The Turkish consulates in the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Latakia were also attacked Saturday. No diplomatic staff were hurt in the attacks, according to the report.

In a separate statement on Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey had welcomed the AL’s decision to suspend Syria’s activities in the organization and impose sanctions on it.

Officer Fayez AlAbdallah of the FSA to demonstrators in AlHuleh:
– The tyrant’s days are numbered.
– We are all Syrians, we ought to stand with, respect, and help each other, whether Alawis, Druz, or Sunnis.
– Carrying arms by civilians or demonstrators is not acceptable

AlHuleh, Homs Governorate.

كلمة الملازم اول فايز العبد الله قائد سرية علي بن ابي طالب 11 11 2011

Newfolder #299

Violent and dirty swearing suits you well and it helps.

223. bronco said:

Qatar is violating the charter by suspending Syria.

The Arab League charter

Article 18.

The Council of the League may consider any State that is not fulfilling the obligations resulting from this Pact as excluded from the League, by a decision taken by a unanimous vote of all the States except the State referred to.

REALITY
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,LAS,,,3ae6b3ab18,0.html
CHARTER OF THE ARAB LEAGUE

Syria is not excluded from the Arab League,
Syria can no longer participate to the current meeting of the Council of the Arab League.

ANN’s ation

297. ANN Mentally Dumped:

A love shared by al qaeda islamist terrorist errand boys

What a limitation of imagination that defy’s the imagination of limitation

#301 Ann

A better suggestion would be to move the Turkish Embassy in Damascus to Edleb ready to settle in the buffer zone in preparation for the Benghazification of Edleb.

The surviving young man shows the damage to his residence inflicted by shelling and ramsacking of Thug One forces
AlBayadah neighbourhood, Homs Governorate
12/11/2011

حمص البياضة دمار للمنازل وظهور البطل الساروت12_11.mp4

PALESTINE STATE

CHARTER OF THE ARAB LEAGUE

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,LAS,,,3ae6b3ab18,0.html

ANNEX ON PALESTINE

Therefore, the States signatory to the Pact of the Arab League consider that in view of Palestine’s special circumstances, the Council of the League should designate an Arab delegate from Palestine to participate in its work until this country enjoys actual independence.

CONCLUSION

Palestine is a FULL member of UNESCO.

Palestine is still not a FULL member of the Arab League.

#305 Hamster

“What a limitation of imagination that defy’s the imagination of limitation ”

Who’s talking! Bold is beautiful!

10 Martyrs fell victims to Asad forces today in Hama city and country side.

AlFatiha upon their souls,
May God bless their families with solace and empower them with patience.
http://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Revolution
13/12/2011

The Syrian Revolution 2011 الثورة السورية ضد بشار الاسد
أسماء شهداء حماة اليوم 13/11/2011:
1- الشهيد محمود سلوم الخضر
2- الشهيد مجد عزكور
3- الشهيد محمد خليف
4- الشهيد محمد خضر حمزه
5- الشهيد حمزة خالد خطاب
6- الشهيد حسن باشور
7- شهيد من عائلة الحجازي
8- شهيد من عائلة الحنبظلي
• بالإضافة الى شهيدين سقطوا برصاص عصابات الأسد في ريف حماة:
9- الشهيد وليد الأحمد / حماة – بلدة خنزير
10- الشهيد عدنان علوان الفرج / حماة – كفرزيتا / متأثرا بجراحه من اصابة سابقة
3 hours ago

#308 Areal

“Palestine is still not a FULL member of the Arab League.”

So why was it allowed to vote? Another violation of the Charter?

ALL medias and the AL declaration reported : Syria membership suspended, membership frozen, excluded from the AL etc.. Even the Syrian envoy pointed to the violation.
The ambiguity was never clarified by the AL, why?

Bronco

The regime lost its legitimacy when Bashar started killing his own people. When you lose legitimacy, you lose sovereignty. You can’t claim sovereignty when your own people are pleading for international protection against their own government. You just can’t have your cake and eat it too.

I view the attack on embassies as yet another stupidity sanctioned by the regime. Bashar is going to make toppling him a personal vendetta not just to the Syrian people but also to the regional players.

Dear Bronco,
I agree, if Turkey invaded the Northern border it means a full scale war and I’m guessing that the regime will have no choice but to unleash its full power. Allah Yester!

On another issue; I came to a conclusion that the Syrians are so ‘loving’ people; they are seeing each others split between being ‘Menhebak’ to Basahr under Baath, or ‘Menhebak’ to Ghalyoun under the ‘SNC’, and the war ‘lovers’ crowds are ‘Menhebak’ to Al As’aad under ‘FSA’…isn’t that a real Black Comedy, the whole society is somehow ‘menhebkjiye’, and all of them want to kill for ‘LOVE’

A sample of the staged pro-Asad demonstrations in Hama:
Students of schools and university, private shop owners, as well as employees of public sector were routed to march so they can be videoed as pro-Asad marches.
The result: most turned anti-Asad and received the attention of the savage Shabbeeha.

The Syrian Revolution 2011 الثورة السورية ضد بشار الاسد

الهيئة العامة للثورة السورية | مدينة حماة المحتلة | أحداث اليوم الدامي | 13/11/2011:

• الملخص •
حاولت عصابات الاسد منذ الصباح الباكر إجبار الطلاب والموظفين على الخروج في مسيرات مؤيدة للأسد وكذلك أصحاب المحلات التجارية، لكنهم رفضوا وخرجوا في مظاهرات مناهضة، وتعرضوا لقمع وحشي نتيجة رفضهم، وسقط على أثر ذلك أكثر من 8 شهداء وعشرات الجرحى.

• التفاصيل •

• قام أزلام النظام بتوجيه جميع رؤساء الدوائر الحكومية ومدراء المدارس والمعاهد والكليات لإجبار الطلاب والموظفين على النزول الى ساحة العاصي المحتلة لحشد مسيرة اجبارية مؤيدة لزعيم العصابة بشار الأسد. حيث تم إخراج الطلاب من مدارسهم والموظفين من دوائرهم وتوجيههم إلى منطقة ساحة العاصي، لكنهم قاموا بالهتاف ضد الرئيس ومناصرة الثورة، مما حوّل المدينة الى مظاهرات معارضة في معظم المناطق، وقامت عصابات الأسد بالتعرض للمتظاهرين بالرصاص الحي للحيلولة دون الوصول إلى ساحة العاصي، بعد ان انقلبت الهتافات ضد النظام، وسقط على إثر ذلك 8 شهداء على الأقل وعشرات الجرحى، واستُخدمت أيضاً القنابل الصوتية لا رهاب المتظاهرين.

• على اثر هذه الحملة الوحشية اغلقت جميع المحال ابوابها ودخلت المدينة في اضراب كامل اليوم حدادا على ارواح الشهداء واحتجاجاً على الاحداث الدموية ونصرة لإخوتهم الجرحى.

• قصة احد الطلاب الشهداء:
في المدرسة الصناعية تم تجميع الطلاب أمام باب المدرسة و أمروهم عناصر عصابات الأسد بالخروج بمظاهرة تأييد فقام الشاب محمود السلوم بالرفض و أخذ يكبر و يهتف بسقوط المجرم فقامت عصابات الاسد بضربه فتحولت على اثر ذلك إلى مظاهرة حاشدة فقامت قوات الامن بإطلاق النار و قتل الطالب البطل محمود السلوم.

• في كلية الطب البيطري المتواجدة في شارع العلمين هاجمت عصابات الامن الطلاب بعد ان قاموا بقلب المسيرة المؤيدة إلى مظاهرة معارضة وتمت محاصرتهم في الكلية واطلاق الرصاص الحي على المبنى والغازات المسيلة للدموع.

• في مدرسة زياد المصري بحي جنوب الملعب وبعد توجيه الطلاب للخروج الى ساحة العاصي لتأييد زعيم العصابة انقلب الهتاف الى مظاهرة معارضة فقامت عصابات الأسد بالاعتداء على الطلاب بوحشية سقط على اثرها العديد من الجرحى منهم الشاب محمد كرومة الذي اضطر الاطباء الى بتر قدمه في المشفى جراء الاصابة.

• في أسواق الخضار (الحاضر الكبير و شارع 15 اذار) حيث تشهد تجمعات للمواطنين في ساعات مبكرة منذ الصباح، حاولت عصابات الاسد إجبار المواطنين على الخروج في المسيرة المؤيدة، فرفضوا ذلك، مما أدّى إلى اعتداء عصابات الاسد عليهم بوحشيه.

See Translation
3 hours ago ·

#312 Tara

I thought we agreed that there is no proof that the majority of the “Syrian people” are considering the regime as ‘illegitimate.’ So why do you keep using ‘the syrian people’ for a group of unverified number that is much probably much less than 50%?

Revlon #314

If ALL the pro-Assad demonstrations are “staged”, what about the anti-Assad demonstrations happening only on fridays and after prayers in mosques and funerals, you mean they are not “staged” ?

Note that repeated calls for general strikes against the regime can’t easily be staged and therefore they all failed miserably.

IRRITABLE @ 311

Bold is beautiful!
Answers:
1. Depends on the style and type of font.

2. And yes, it is bold to tell pencil-neck to buzz off and take his mafia with him, and it is beautiful.

3. As for Bald is beautiful, it is the eye of the beholder.

Bonus: Irritability inhibits appreciation of beauty

The other side of the story in Hama, pro-stability wanted to have a demonstration against the Al, the pro-change didn’t like that so some of their terrorists start bombing and attacking people in the demonstration, which forced the security to act and protect people.
How come AlHawla demonstration with a defected guy as claimed and many people was let go and was so cheerful without one gun shot from the security? Because it was peaceful, so when it’s peaceful nobody get hurt.

شـبـكـة أخـبـار حـمـاه | H.N.N
مسيرة حماة || الأحد 13-11-2011 || تنديداً بقرار الجامعة العربية ||

لم يعجب عراعير حماه ومجرميها أن يروا الرأي الآخر
لم يعجبهم أن نقول كلمتنا في شوارع بلدنا وأن نكون ضد احتلال بلادنا
لم يعجبهم أن نزود عن حدود أرضنا ونقف في وجه جرذان الناتو وجرذان قطر

فقاموا بتفجير القنابل واطلاق النار على المسيرات حتى يمنعوها من الوصول إلى ساحة العاصي
ورغم ذلك قد وصل بعض الشبان والنساء من الفدائيين إلى ساحة العاصي
وبدأت هتافاتهم تعلو وتعلو وتعلو فوق أصوات الرصاص وفوق أصوات التفجيرات

لم يعجبهم أن يروا فدائيين في سبيل الوطن , فقاموا بتفجير قنبلة في ساحة العاصي تبعد عن الفدائيين ما يقارب ال25 متراً .. ومع ذلك استمر الشبان بالهتاف أكثر وأكثر
وزاد إصرارهم على أن يسمعوا صوتهم للعالم أجمع أنهم موجودون

اعذروا قلتنا في العدد .. فذلك بسبب خوف الباقين من الرصاص والتفجيرات وليس بسبب خيانتنا لوطننا !!!

نحن لسنا خونة .. لكن لسنا جميعاً مثل هؤلاء الفدائيين
أكثر من 20 تفجير في الطرقات المؤدية إلى ساحة العاصي
عمليات إطلاق نار عشوائي على المشاركين في المسيرة مما اضطرهم للتراجع والانسحاب خوفاً من إجرامهم

قاموا صباحاً بتفجير عبوة ناسفة قرب مدرسة أطفال في حي “جنوب الملعب” أثناء ذهاب الطلاب إلى مدارسهم , مما أدى إلى استشهاد طفلين من الطلاب وإصابة إمرأة.

أخافوا الأهالي وقتلوا النساء والأطفال أهذه هي الحرية التي تريدوننا أن نعيش بها؟؟
كلا وألف كلا .. لا نريد حريتكم فردوها إلى أسيادكم
فنحن لن نعيش إلا بحرية سوريا .. حرية نظامنا .. وقانوننا
نحن أحرار في بلدنا ولسنا عبيد مثلكم لأموال ملوك النفط
ولسنا عبيدأ مثلكم للفكر الجاهل المتخلف
نحن نعبد الله ونعرف حدود الله ولا يوجد دين سماوي في التاريخ كان يحرض على قتل المسلمين فكل المسلم على المسلم حرام

نحن لسنا خونة لكن لن ننكر أن إجرامهم اليوم اضطرنا للتراجع
ولكن .. لن نتراجع أبداً إذا رأينا دبابات غريبة تجتاح بلادنا .. بل سنأكلكم ونأكلها بأسناننا
بل إننا سنفجر أنفسنا بكم وبها فداءً لترابها
فمن يدخل تحت النار والتفجيرات ليقول كلمة واحدة :
( تسقط جامعة الدول العربية )
فذاك هو الشخص الفدائي .. وستعرفون ماذا يعني فدائي ..
فنحن فدائيو سوريا .. ونحن فدائيو الأسد

في النهاية لا يمكن إلا أن أقول :
إني أحيي وأرفع القبعة لكل الشبان الذين كانوا فدائيين بكل معنى الكلمة ونزلوا إلى ساحة العاصي رغم التفجير والرصاص
نحن شعب نعيش أحراراً أو نموت في سبيل ذلك
https://www.facebook.com/Hama.News.Network.HNN

Similar story repeated in Homs, terrorist attacks:

خاص شبكة أخبار حمص الأولى
http://www.facebook.com/HNN.SYRIA

حمص 13-11-2011

…………….

“عندما تم الاعلان عن مسيرات الغضب على قرارات الجامعة العبرية
ووقفنا وقفة واحدة ضدها العهر المتدوال على طاولتها ضد وطننا

أعددنا العدة و وجهزنا أنفسنا للخروج استنكاراً
على هذا العهر الذي لا يطاق
والساكت عن الحق شيطان أخرس
لأنو القضية أصبحت قضية : أكون أو لا أكون

خرجنا يوم امس لنرد على اتفاق الكلاب بمسيرات عفوية انتشرت في كل من :

حي الزهراء – الأرمن – المهاجرين – العباسية –
السبيل – عكرمة – النزهة – وادي الدهب وغيرها من المناطق الأخرى

– وفي الليل بدأ جبناء الارهاب باطلاق الرصاص على هذه الأحياء
ظناً منهم أنهم سيرهبونا بذلك
وظناً منهم أننا سنخاف وهم حتى يجهلون أننا أبناء الإيمان
وأننا أبناء قضية … القضية التي لا تموت وهي الوطن

حتى أنهم قاموا باطلاق قذائف آر بي جي
أغلبها انفجر في الهواء … وأشدها كانت القذيفة التي انفجرت بالقرب من شارع العشاق
بعد منتصف الليل والتي جاءت من منطقة حي الخضر

ورغم ذلك بدأ الزحف السوري الحمصي باتجاه دوار السيد الرئيس حافظ الأسد
لتنتفض الحناجر ولتحلق الأرواح نصرة لسورية ولايقاف مهزلة العربان
وأنصارهم في الداخل

الأمر الذي جعل غربان حمص باطلاق الرصاص على المسيرة المؤيدة
والتي كانت تقدر في بدايتها نحو 20 ألف سوري شريف

– كما قامت المجموعات الإرهابية باطلاق الرصاص وقذائف الآر بي جي
نحو جامعة البعث حيث أصابت إحدى القذائف المدرج الأول لكلية الهندسة المدنية والذي يقع على يسار باب الكلية الرئيسي مخلفاً أضرار مادية فقط

وعند قيام الأمن في الجامعة باخلاء الجامعة من اجل حماية الطلاب
قاموا بداية باخلاء الكليات المعرضة للخطر طالبين من الطلاب التوجه
إلى كلية الهندسة المعمارية حتى يتم تأمين الطريق إلى خارج الجامعة
وأثناء تحرك الطلاب تحت الرصاص العشوائي الذي انهال عليهم كالمطر
أصيبت طالبة كانت تتجه من معهد اللغات القريب من كلية الآداب
إلى كلية الهندسة المعمارية … حيث أصابتها في قدمها
( نتمى للطالبة الشفاء العاجل ) ـ

وأثناء تجمع الآلاف بالقرب من دوار السيد الرئيس
قام الارهابيون باطلاق الرصاص من حي الخضر ومن مناطق متاخمة
باتجاه تجمع الناس والذي كان بينهم طلاب مدارس والكثير من الأطفال
الأمر الذي دفع رجال الأمن من الطلب من الناس بالعودة باتجاه دوار النزهة
الأمر الذي أدى إلى انفضاض المسيرة حفاظأ على أرواح المواطنين الشرفاء
وعلى الرغم من أن الكثيرين بقوا رغم الرصاص العشوائي
الذي كان يصل من مناطق بعيدة نسبياً

– في حين شهدت منطقة الزهراء خروج لمسيرات مؤيدة
تندد بقرارات جامعة العهر العبرية
وأثناء ذلك وصلت إلى المشفى الأهلي أربع جثث منكل بها وهي تعود إلى :

تميم حديد وابنه سليمان حديد
وسلطان الهدبة أحد أقرباء عضو مجلس الشعب فراس الهدبة
والجثمان الرابع يعود لمواطن من بيت دادا
الامر الذي أثار غضب الشارع على هذه الأعمال الاجرامية المتطرفة

– في حين وصل إلى المشفى الوطني بحمص منذ الصباح 30 جثة مجهولة

كما تعرض باص مبيت تابع للدرسات المائية إلى كمين مسلح أسفر عنه
استشهاد عشرة موظفين وحسب المعلومات التي لدينا أنه من بن الشهداء نساء
بالإضافة إلى إصابة آخرين

– كما تم اليوم الساعة الثانية والنصف ظهراً
تشييع الشهيد فيصل أسو وهو من أهالي حي السبيل
تم اطلاق الرصاص عليه يوم أمس أثناء تواجده في سوق الحشيش بحمص
والشهيد يعمل سائق تكسي أجرة

– وتعرض أحد المواطنين لإصابة في الخاصرة
بعد أن حاول مجموعة من المسلحين ايقافه وهو يقود سيارته
من نوع كيا ريو بالقرب من دوار الفاخورة ولكن استطاع الهرب منهم
والتوجه مباشرة إلى العيادات الشاملة لاسعاف نفسه

– و استشهد اليوم الشاب حسين سلامة
وهو من قرية بادو وتقع شرقي حمص
والشهيد من طلاب جامعة البعث
فبعد أن شارك في مسيرة الغضب التي خرجنا
فيها لاستنكار القرار العرب-صهيوني ضد وطننا سورية
بالقرب من تمثال السيد الرئيس
وأثناء عودته هو وأصدقاءه إلى منزل استأجره في حي الأرمن
بسيارة خاصة قامت مجموعة مسلحة باعتراضهم عند جامع عمر بن عبد العزيز
بالقرب من مغسل اليمامة واطلاق الرصاص العشوائي عليهم
الأمر الذي أدى إلى استشهاده من جراء رصاصة أصابة رقبته
في حين أصيب أصدقائه الأربعة

الرحمة على روح الشهيد البطل
وتمنياتنا بالشفاء العاجل للمصابين الأبطال”

……………..

تقبلوا مروري
مدير شبكة أخبار حمص الأولى

خاص شبكة أخبار حمص الأولى
http://www.facebook.com/HNN.SYRIA

Wasn’t there a scheduled meeting of the opposition in Moscow? Does the AL move cancel it?

Bronco

Absence of evidence is simply not evidence of absence. No?

The burden of proof in this case lies on the regime. If Bashar is so certain that Syrians love him, he should call for immediate free referendum under international monitor and we can all find out. Wouldn’t that restore his legitimacy?

BTW, Your analysis last evening was intelligent. I am glad you don’t work for Bashar.

Zoo, I am sorry. I inadvertently omitted your name from a previous post I wrote in response to your answer.

Reading this and watching the police hitting the unarmed Occupy Wall St protesters in many US cities (Democratic and humanitarian disasters) … the question is … how would have the police acted if these protesters were armed? These protesters can just go Walmart and obtain guns….no need for smugglers!

FULL or HALF Membership

Amazing, I just love the way things get omitted conveniently:

* اتخذ مجلس الجامعة بتاريخ 9/9/1976 القرار رقم 3462 الآتى نصه والذى يقضى بقبول فلسطين، تمثلها منظمة التحريرالفلسطينية عضوا كامل العضوية بجامعة الدول العربية.

” يقرر المجلس الموافقة على توصية لجنة الشؤون السياسية الآتية : ”

نظرت لجنة الشؤون السياسية في مذكرة وزارة خارجية جمهورية مصر العربية بشأن قبول فلسطين، تمثلها منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية عضو كامل العضوية بالجامعة , وأحاطت علماً بما تضمنته مذكرة منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية فى الموضوع , ولما كان ميثاق الجامعة قد نص على شرعية استقلال فلسطين، وعلى اشتراكها في أعمال مجلس الجامعة ، ولما كانت قرارات مؤتمرات القمة العربية منذ مؤتمر الإسكندرية عام 1964، ثم مؤتمر الجزائر عام 1973، ومؤتمر الرباط عام 1974، قد أكدت أن منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية هى الممثل الشرعى الوحيد للشعب الفلسطينى , ولما كان العمل في الجامعة قد جرى منذ عام 1964 على مشاركة فلسطين ممثلة بمنظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، فى جميع أعمال الجامعة بمجالسها ولجانها ومنظماتها ومؤسساتها المختلفة فإن اللجنة توصى بقبول فلسطين، تمثلها منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، عضوا كامل العضوية بجامعة الدول العربية “.

So after selling and buying the Palestinian cause for 40 years, the assadists and assadistas now want to sell the Palestinians’ dream as well.

There is a glitch, and it is related to the charter, but smarties like you should find it not invent one. Didn’t the talking point from the propaganda outfit and the Syrian electronic army tell you what the problem is,…..?

I have been telling you, your REALITY is a fraud.

Ershad Hermozlo,said on AlArabiya,he was asked about buffer zone:
Turkey is ready,but needs cover from AL
I think most observers should anticipate such thing,here on SC some are threatening that one sentimeter of Syria if invaded by Turkey Syria will unleash full military power, Bombastic statement, Turkish army is much stronger than syrian army, when Israel desroyed places in Syria Assad responded we will respond in the appropriate time, after three years and nothing happened,while I do not wish Turkey fight with Syria, I doubt Syria is capable of fighting back.
Buffer zone in the north west of Syria means Aleppo will be involved,Tired and weakened army ,army has many who are willing to defect,very difficult economic conditions, poor leadership in the army,I mean not smart generals, all indicates Syria will not last a week.

The recent storming of embassies is a good indication of what would happen if a foreign military intervention were to be directed against Syria. We might expect the mass majority of Syrian people inside the country to behave the way the Iranian people did in 1980 when Iran was invaded: rallying behind the regime and nation.

AL must quickly form a committee that goes to Syria and verify things on ground

Armed rebels begin to defend neighborhoods, says Homs activist November 12, 2011 01:26 AM By Lauren Williams

The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Earlier in the Syrian uprising, Homs resident Wassim believed in a peaceful revolution. Not any longer.

Wassim is among thousands of “active” Homs residents who are taking part in protests and are increasingly supportive of what he terms “armed resistance” to the Syrian security forces and army offensive against the city.

Wassim believes his own shift in thinking is similar to most others in the city, who, fed up and desperate, now say taking up arms is their only option.

Over an informal conversation, Wassim – who asked that his surname not be used – detailed how the defensive strategies were working in the city, where resistance was centralized, and described a usual day in the besieged city.

“Life starts as normal at about 8 or 9 a.m. If we haven’t heard gunshots, then we go about our needs, grocery shopping, getting food, carrying on with life. Until about 3 p.m.,” he said.

“Between those hours – 9 and 3 – there is still a risk they will start to shoot, but you have to go on living.”

“There are checkpoints everywhere at the entrances to the neighborhoods, the ends of the streets.”

“So, life in some way does go on between those hours, but it has happened that I was just buying a bag at the market at around 1 p.m. and then we heard shooting nearby. We don’t feel afraid anymore. Everyone just made their way home as best they could.”

Wassim said there doesn’t appear to be any strategy behind the shootings.

“The shooting is unpredictable,” he said, explaining that security forces don’t appear to just target houses they believe contain rebels or dissidents.

“We just believe they are trying to scare us to death.”

“We can’t be sure why or when they will start to shoot. It might just be at a building, a residential building for some time. But it makes people afraid to go outside.”

“Somehow, life goes on sort of normally, until about 3:30 p.m., after that you will not see another human being on the street.”

And, after 5 p.m., he said “it is starting to get dark and that’s when the only people that come out are the protesters.”

Now, because they have killed so many people in Homs, he said there are very few left who don’t know someone who has been killed.

The Syrian government claims it is fighting armed gangs that are terrorizing neighborhoods in Homs and elsewhere. Wassim described his version of who the armed gangs are.

“We recognized the need for self defense,” he said.

“They are not afraid anymore; they are just so angry now. So they did what they needed.” “So they started to organize themselves. If someone had a gun he would bring it to that neighborhood to defend it.”

Describing the strategy, Wassim said the tactic mainly used is to target one of the security checkpoints.

“We decide on one checkpoint – it might be because that checkpoint has been firing a lot on people.”

From there, he said the armed groups position themselves at the end of the streets to fire on them at a medium distance.

“Mostly they are using hunting rifles,” he said, making it clear he had never taken part in an assault himself.

Asked what the response to a stage attack against the security forces had been, he said it is predictable.

“Once you attack a checkpoint and kill some of the soldiers, they come back harder and will for sure start shooting like crazy, in a madness way to pay back.”

“But we do it because it has become now the only way to fight back and claim our cities.”

“People are not afraid of more deaths now, of getting shot.”

Despite the higher casualty rates such tactics might result in, Wassim said he believed the majority of residents across Homs support armed defense.

“We believe they are going to kill people anyway, so we don’t care, we prefer to fight.”

“It makes you feel like at least you are … defending your people.”

“I used to believe that we could do this peacefully, now I don’t. And I think there are a lot of people like me. Mostly they support the attacks. They see it as defense.”

Asked whether the armed groups were defectors, or organized into any hierarchy, Wassim was vague.

“They are starting to,” he said.

“They are starting to organize themselves in some areas.”

With talk circulating about a Free Syrian Army at work, Wassim said some defectors would, after turning from the army, run to safe houses in the area.

Mostly, he said, they are low ranking officers who were now, in some places, applying their military training.

But he said they are not an army, or organized militia.

“Not yet.”

Asked who is organizing and giving orders, he would not say.

At this point, Wassim started to cry.

“For you outside, you want to know how it is organized, and how it is working. What is going to happen next.”

“For me, I have just seen so much, so much death after eight months. Personally, psychologically, it is too much.”

“In theory, like others, I believe in a peaceful revolution. But when you are there you know that is just impossible. It is instinct to defend your home, your family.”

“We know that by turning to arms we are doing exactly what they wanted us to do, that we are playing in to their hands.”

“But we have to defend ourselves.”

He said for the most part, residents of Homs want support.

“Politically, yes.”

And militarily?

“Yes, in the form of foreign support from the other Arab countries, mostly.”

And what about from other groups, who may supply arms?

“We just need support.”

Wassim said there had been more arms coming in recently and that more were needed for the resistance around the neighborhoods.

“We feel like orphans in Homs. No one is helping us and we are occupied.”

What about in the other cities – do Homs residents feel like they are suffering more?

“Yes. We feel that we are the ones carrying the revolution in Homs all on our own.”

“We understand that there are other cities where it is impossible, where they are also taking part in the revolution,” he said.

“But for me, if I meet someone and they tell me they are from Aleppo, I feel so angry, like I want to reach out and attack him, for doing nothing while so many people die.”

And the other cities, like Hama?

“If there was just one other city doing like we are in Homs, then the regime would be over in days.”

Wassim has now fled Syria. With most independent media now banned from Syria, his claims could not be independently verified.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on November 12, 2011, on page 8.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Nov-12/153836-armed-rebels-begin-to-defend-neighborhoods-says-homs-activist.ashx#axzz1dbtIjpsK

Syrian troops crush opposition in key Homs neighborhood
By Liz Sly, Published: November 7

BEIRUT — Syrian troops on Monday routed government opponents in a neighborhood of Homs that had emerged in recent weeks as a center of armed resistance to the regime led by President Bashar al-Assad, dealing what appeared to be a serious setback to the protest movement and to an Arab League peace initiative designed to end the violence.

Homs residents and human rights groups said security forces stormed the Bab al-Amr neighborhood in the small hours of the morning, concluding a six-day assault in which dozens were killed and scores injured, many of them in tank bombardments.

Defected soldiers who had been defending the protest hot spot either fled to the surrounding countryside or were captured or killed, said residents and activists. Syrian troops combed through the neighborhood Monday detaining all the young men they encountered, and government supporters staged a noisy demonstration through the deserted streets.

The assault came as Assad’s government braced for the potential fallout from its failure to abide by the terms of an Arab League-sponsored peace initiative agreed to last Wednesday. Under the deal, Syria was to withdraw troops from cities, allow peaceful protests and release detainees.

Instead, the army launched an offensive in Homs, surrounding Bab al-Amr on the eve of the league’s announcement of the deal in Cairo and bombarding it with tank fire.

The offensive was accompanied by a surge in retaliatory sectarian killings in which hospital workers and human rights groups have said at least 70 people died, illustrating the potential for this religiously mixed city in the heart of Syria to serve as a crucible for a civil war many have feared since the uprising erupted in March.

For three days last week, members of the Sunni majority and the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, targeted one another in sectarian killings.

Those attacks appear to have abated in the past few days, but the military’s offensive has not. On Monday evening, several activists said a fresh government force of about 5,000 was seen assembling at the southern approaches of the city, apparently in preparation for an assault on other neighborhoods.

The Local Coordination Committee, which monitors and supports protests, said at least 40 civilians had been killed in the Homs offensive since the league peace plan was announced. Rami Abdelrahman of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll could be higher because many injured civilians were unable to reach hospitals.

Abdelrahman said that at least 30 defected soldiers died in a final pitched battle to defend the neighborhood Sunday, before the survivors fled. A medical worker at one of the city’s hospitals saw tanks firing at each other, suggesting some of the defected soldiers had access to significant firepower.

Medical teams that ventured into streets on the outskirts of the neighborhood Monday found the bodies of seven civilians who apparently had been injured in the bombardments but were unable to reach hospitals, said the medical worker, who was reached via Skype and spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety.

Opposition groups said the assault demonstrated that the Syrian government was not serious about the peace deal, and they again appealed to the international community to provide protection for civilians.

The Syrian National Council, the umbrella organization formed last month in Istanbul to represent the opposition, said that Homs should be declared a “disaster” zone and that the international community should act to provide medical relief and monitors.

Arab leaders have effectively declared the initiative dead, and Qatar has summoned an emergency meeting of the league to address next steps against Syria.

But the emergency meeting won’t take place until Saturday, and Syrian activists accused Arab leaders of slowing their response to give the government time to crush the revolt in this last major opposition stronghold. The Syrian Revolution General Commission, which represents several protest groups inside Syria, urged the league to meet sooner and “not to give the regime another opportunity to bombard, strike and burn.”

Homs has emerged in recent months as the epicenter of the nearly eight-month-old revolt, replacing the city of Hama after protests there that drew hundreds of thousands of people to a central square were crushed in August.

The sprawling, working-class Bab al-Amr neighborhood on the southeastern edge of the city, where dozens — and, some say, hundreds of defected soldiers — had gathered to defend protesters and keep government forces out, had become the focus of the opposition movement in the city.

The crushing of yet another protest hot spot suggests the government’s strategy of relying on overwhelming force to quell the uprising is working, at least for now. The uprising has emerged as the most serious challenge to four decades of Assad family rule.

But human rights activists pointed to the persistence of protests in other parts of the country that apparently had been crushed, including the southern town of Daraa and Hama, where demonstrations have been staged in recent days.

“It’s bad news in the short term but not in the long term,” Abdelrahman said. “The Syrian regime can win a battle, but we are sacrificing our blood and we will win the war.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syria-troops-crush-opposition-in-key-homs-neighborhood/2011/11/07/gIQAmDONwM_story.html

Fawaz Gerges was on the BBC talking about Syria a couple of hours ago. I caught the end of it. I haven’t seen a proper interview with him on Syria for a while now. Keep an eye out for it when the video (accessible to outside UK) becomes available.

Rif’at al Assad to Bashar: Return Syria to the Syrians. Step down.

I have no link, but saw it on TV channel 10.
.

Amir,
Rifaat is wanted to be put on trial as much than Bashar.

Pirouz ,you must be very emotional person ,rational persons are not deluded by the images that come from countries under totalitarian dictatures.
You will see the guenine character of Syria in post-assad Syria and i’m sure that you guess it.
Of course your theocratic propaganda regime is going to suffer from the downfall of the assads and makhloufs…

Dear Shami,

You’re right of course. Rif’at was the executioner in his brother’s service. He is as equally criminal. But his statement suggests that there are cracks within the Alawi elite.
.

Amir

The love between Hafiz & sons and Rifaat was lost long time ago. It was Bushra al Assad who convinced her father not to throw his brother in jail and rather to exile him to Spain. Rifaat statement does not mean anything. He is much more thuggish than Bashar.

Shami,Tara, Bronco,

We said the same thing about Israel, you might be too young to remember, but the Arabs thought that they can spit and drown the Jews, and that Israel can not survive between all these Arabs, look where we are now, Israel is the most advanced in the Mideast and we are fighting each other.

So be aware, that the minorities of the Mideast will seek their own states if they feel threatened and so far i do not see anything that can comfort them from what is going on in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya,

Tara, Bronco,

I believe that Bronco is right, the president has at least more than 50% of the people, otherwise how do you explain that the opposition is not calling for free election but asking for the execution of the president and the demise of the regime and the Baath party.

if they have enough support then they will call for free and fair election, That is not the case which makes things clear to me.

To the people who want Syria to denounce the Arab nation have to understand that Syria is the heart of the Arab nation in spite of the Arab rulers and will always be,

And that is my take JAD .

Uzair8

Have you paid a visit to Walls ? I am sure you would like it and they would like you. One address : http://7ee6an.wordpress.com/

Syria does not need to be the heart of a so-called Arab nation of traitors. What is in common in the history of the South Sudanese, the Algerians, and the Kuwaitis? Nothing except Islam. So let religion to the corrupt religious scholars, and get back to your roots. Yes, Syrians are Arabs, but many of them are Armenians, Rums, Turks, Kurds, and have no claim for an identity that would get them closer to the Gulf people (South-Arabian and India-related, through history) or the Moroccans! Even in the ancient history of the Arabs there was always Adnan and Qahtan, and they really have nothing in common.

Annie #336

Annie thanks.

Im already on there.

CSI HAMA

Mr Assad “We wont get fooled again”.

I wouldn’t want a Nato or UN military intervention. It should be a joint Arab-Turkish action.

Operation “PROTECT CIVILIANS.”

Norman

The people are certain that no free election can take place while Bashar is in power. It did not happen in 40 years and it will just not miraculously happen. Bashar talked about reforms but did nothing! In the interim, he is accountable for the death and torture because it happened under his watch. People can’t simply trust a serial killer, a rapist, or child molester. Same logic is applied here. Trust is acquired feeling and when it is lost, it is lost and that is that. People want to topple the regime because they don’t trust it and that is enough reason.

Btw, I have no issues with the principals of Baath party. I always thought that the Baath principles in theory are good and noble. I however would never agree that it should be the single leader of the state and the society. The problem is, it has proven itself to be obsolete and not doable. I am still taken back though by the fact that Arab nationalism is not as prevalent among Syrians as much as I thought it would be.

I am not clear to the recent request by a high-ranking Syrian official for an Arab summit. Was their any reply from the AL? Can Syria request an Arab summit after its suspension?

Tara
All Arab leaders will not attend,it is a desperate attempt by the regime to buy time.

Dear TARA
The suspension is not activated until after review of a report on the 16th of November. Legally the Syrian government is entitled to ask for a summit as well as for a fact finding mission. The issue is whether the AL council believes that this is genuine or not. But given the gravity of the situation, at least a fact finding team should be convened promptly and get to Syria no later than Tuesday morning. A summit is a long shot, as the regime’s propaganda has declared the death of Arabism and of the Arab nation (speaking of exceptionalism).

The Syrian regime as it orchestrated the “spontaneous” outbursts has shot itself in the foot. The mission may even have reasons to fear for its own safety.

Some ‘stan’ boys&gails&inbetween, why don’t you mind your own ‘Stan’ problems and leave the Syrians to decide what’s in their country’s best interest instead of giving us your ‘Stani’ operation ideas, we all know how good your ‘tribalstan’ is.
I fed up with all those non-Syrians telling us what to do, mind your own tribal, occupied and ‘the no-government left over European country ‘Stan’s’ you coming from, will call you when we need your worthless opinions.

If bloodshed in Syria continues at the same rate, Turkey involvement would be inevitable and Bashar has only himself to blame.  At that time, Bashar should expect that he will only have part of the 4th brigade to defend him.  Turkey will not be viewed by majority Syrians as a foreign invader.  It will be viewed as people’s protector. 

Did Iraqi Shiite opposed The American invasion to topple Saddam?

It is my hope that Syrians will do it all alone but if it to happen, it is Bashar fault.   

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/turkey-evacuates-non-essential-staff-syria-132422234.html;_ylt=A2KJh8b_A8BOpG8AzgnqV8d_;_ylu=X3oDMTNxdDYwYXFyBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBXb3JsZFNGBHBrZwM0OGQ4YjI2OS1hZmVjLTM2MTctODc0Ni1hNDFjM2VjZjkzZjYEcG9zAzQEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDNmE1M

Turkey calls for united response to stop Syria bloodshed
By Safak Timur | AFP News – 3 hours ago

Turkey on Sunday called on the international community for a united response to stop the bloodshed in Syria and summoned the Syrian envoy to condemn attacks on its diplomatic missions by pro-regime protesters.
“The attitude of the Syrian government … demonstrates the need for the international community to respond with a united voice to the serious developments in Syria,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.
Turkey summoned the Syrian charge d’affaires, the country’s envoy to Ankara, and submitted a diplomatic note, as it condemned the attacks on its diplomatic mission.
“Turkey strongly condemns… the loathsome attacks on its embassy in Damascus, consulate in Aleppo and honorary consulate in Latakia,” the foreign ministry said.
On Saturday night, thousands of protesters carrying knives and batons attacked Turkey’s diplomatic missions, furious over Ankara’s support for an Arab League decision to suspend Syria, state-run news agency Anatolia reported.
In Aleppo, protesters managed to break into the consulate building, Anatolia said, while in Damascus they pelted the embassy building with stones, plastic bottles and tear gas shellings, which the police used to disperse the crowd.
No one was injured in the attacks, however Turkey decided to evacuate the families of diplomats and non-essential personnel from Syria.
A Turkish Airlines plane brought a group of 60 people to Ankara, Anatolia said. Ambassador Omer Onhon and diplomatic staff will stay on in Syria, the ministry said.
Arab League foreign ministers earlier Saturday voted to suspend Syria over its failure to comply with an agreement to end the crackdown on a nationwide protest movement calling for President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation.
Turkey on Sunday hailed the decision saying it was “on time and of common sense”, highlighting the “seriousness” of the situation in Syria.
Syria’s failure to fulfil its commitments to the Arab League is a “disappointment” for Turkey, the statement said.
“The Syrian government should read the message of the Arab League right and stop the violence against its own people,” it added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is to meet representatives of the Syrian opposition movement in Ankara at 1800 GMT Sunday, his ministry said.
“The Arab League took the right step … with this decision, we support it,” Davutoglu said Saturday during a visit to Serbia, media reports said.
Davutoglu said he would meet with the foreign ministers of Arab countries in Morocco on Wednesday during a Turkish-Arab Forum and would discuss Syria further, media reports added.
Ankara, once a close ally to Assad, has expressed frustration for his failure to listen to the people, whose almost daily pro-democracy rallies have been met with violent repression, at a cost of 3,500 lives, mostly civilians.
Turkey shares a long border with Syria of more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) in its south, and some 7,500 Syrians have fled to Turkey where they live in border camps in Hatay province.

Majed & OTW

Thanks for your answers. I too do not expect that an Arab summit will take place. It is becoming more and more personal to other Arab leaders. Thanks to Besho’s vision.

28 civillians killed in Syria today, mostly in Hama.

There was supposed to be an AL fact-finding mission and journalists on the ground already 10 days ago when Syria complied with the exit plan, so why haven’t we heard of them in 10 days?

Ghalyoun’s council agenda plain and clear, admitting they decided to fail the AL initiative because they were not consulted:
http://blog.lefigaro.fr/malbrunot/2011/11/syrie-ghalioun-demande-que-le.html

It’s full of contradictions, I would say.

I do hope the FSA behaves a bit and slows down the aggression in these 3-4 days, otherwise it will have an adverse effect if there is indeed an AL fact-finding mission or summit.

And any fact-finding mission must include 1 rep. from GCC (Qatar/Kuwait), 2 from Levant ( Jordan and Lebanon), 2 from North Africa ( Libya and Algeria) and 1 from sub-Saharan Africa. ( Mauritana/Sudan).

Khaled

If you believe that FSA’s objective is rather aggression not in degense of the unaemed civilians against Assad’s army atrocities then you should change your position and start supporting the regime. I am offended by your statement.

The only sectarian place is here in SC not in Syria. The regime has a wide base support from and all sectors. The opinion of some people here represents the Muslim brotherhood agenda. Some names here are available 24/7; that means they are either agents who get paid for their job or losers in life who has nothing to do. Millions of Syrians went to streets today to declare their support against the conspiracy of the AL. This is never new for the regime who had survived countless political pressure in the past. What distinguish Syria from Lybia, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi is that Syria never surrendered to the west. There is not going to be a role for Muslim brotherhood in Syria. There is no government in the west that is going to pay the bill to bring some radicals to rule Syria; and yes Sunnis do not want them either.

تغيير النظام وسيله لبناء حياة افضل للسوريين و لكنه لا يعفي المعارضه من واجب رسم خارطة طريق للمرحله القادمه و هذا الامر يستحق المعالجه الان و ليس غداً لان الشعارات ليست خطة عمل و البيانات الصحفيه لن تكفي
لا مفر من الحوار بين اطياف المعارضه و بين المعارضه و عناصر معتدله من الجيش و الأمن و الحكومه
شعار لا للتفاوض مع بشار و زعماء القمع مفهوم و لكن لا يمكن حل الجيش او جهاز الأمن بالكامل و انتظار معجزه سماويه تمنع اعمال التخريب و الانتقام
الغموض هو سيد الموقف فيما يخص برنامج المعارضه فيما يخص المرحله الانتقاليه و هذا الغموض قضيه في غاية الخطوره و تهدد البلد و ارواح الناس

Mina,

the relation between the people of Syria and the people of Morocco is stronger that the one between the people of Vermont and the people of Tennessee, or the people of Oregon and the people of Arkansas, They are still part of the American nation, Black , White, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Mexican, Irish, and Cuban and orientals, The US is more diverse than the Arab Nation and if it can be done in the US , it can be done in the Arab Nation,
By the way, in the Arab Nation, the leaders do not represent the people , we saw that with their support for Syria when Syria was the leader to push the US out of Iraq.so the people what makes the Arab nation not the traitors called leaders,

I went one day to the Moroccan section of Disney world and met some college age Moroccan girls, their favorite poet was Nizar Qabbani, that is why it is one Arab nation.

Tara, Said,:
Btw, I have no issues with the principals of Baath party. I always thought that the Baath principles in theory are good and noble. I however would never agree that it should be the single leader of the state and the society. The problem is, it has proven itself to be obsolete and not doable. I am still taken back though by the fact that Arab nationalism is not as prevalent among Syrians as much as I thought it would be.

I am glad that you are on the right track, I do not think that the single party system is good for any country, I did not think that during the last crises in 1979 and 1980 , the single party system is the worst thing that happened to the Baath party and to any party as that will attract opportunists and makes it difficult to fight corruption when the legal system is used to prosecute criminals.

As much as I would like to believe that the conflict does not have a sectarian flavor,facts on the ground speak against this rosy assessment. The more blood is shed,the more sectarian this crisis will become. The speed at which the AL took their decision to suspend Syria’s participation in its meeting,as early as November 16th,clearly indicates that the mood is set for more escalation. Without a roadmap that has the support of all parties in the opposition and the army,nothing but a civil war can be expected. I am still waiting for a sane person to tell me how they are going to handle 1.5 million armed men,most of whom are still loyal to the regime. The only answer I got was the FSA and NATO.

Tara,
Did you really believe that those anti regime armed men are only shooting when they are shot at?
Most of what I have seen was ambushes and random firing on any target that is associated with the army and security forces in addition to attacks on civilian vehicles coming from or going to alawi towns. Alawi gangs are not innocent either and the regime is a big part of this mess and that is why this conflict is already militarized despite the demos that take place in certain areas.
Without a real political compromise we will see a long and a bloody conflict. Turkey can weaken the regime but Turkish troops will not attack Syrian targets,at least for now.
As for the AL,they will provide lip service to the opposition as long as they get paid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dBdP63SItY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Staged…..

306. bronco said:

#301 Ann

A better suggestion would be to move the Turkish Embassy in Damascus to Edleb ready to settle in the buffer zone in preparation for the Benghazification of Edleb.

turkey’s dream is annexing your beautiful city ALEPPO, and the islamist terrorist muslim brothers already signed it away as a gift to turkey.

Free for all.

Tens Of Thousands criticize suspension of Syria – 2011-11-14

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=487383&type=

TENS of thousands of Syrian government supporters poured into the streets yesterday to protest against an Arab League vote to suspend the country’s membership, as Turkey sent planes to evacuate diplomatic staff and their families after a night of attacks on embassies.

The Syrian government called for an urgent Arab summit to discuss the deepening crisis and invited Arab League officials to visit before its membership suspension was to take effect on Wednesday.

The government said the officials could bring any civilian or military observers they deem appropriate to oversee implementation of an Arab League plan for ending the violence.

The United Nations estimates government forces have killed more than 3,500 people since mid-March. The violence continued yesterday, with activists reporting at least 11 people killed by security forces in several parts of the country.

Yesterday’s protests in support of the government drew large numbers in the capital, Damascus, and other cities. “You Arab leaders are the tails of Obama,” read one banner held by protesters accusing the Arab League of bowing to US pressure.

Thousands of people carried Syrian flags and posters of President Bashar Assad in Damascus. Similar demonstrations were held in Aleppo, Latakia, Tartous and Hasakeh.

The Syrian leader claims extremists pushing a foreign agenda to destabilize Syria are behind the country’s unrest. Yesterday’s demonstrators accused Arab countries of being complicit in this conspiracy.

The government called the Arab League decision “illegal,” claiming it was intended to set the stage for foreign military intervention such as that in Libya.

The pro-government protests came after a night of assaults by demonstrators on the diplomatic offices of countries critical of the Syrian government, including break-ins at the Saudi and Qatari embassies and attacks at Turkish diplomatic posts.

Syrian security forces confronted Saturday night’s protesters at embassies with batons and teargas but were unable to stop a group from breaking into the Qatari embassy and replacing the Qatari flag with a Syrian flag.

Others entered Saudi Arabia’s embassy compound, broke windows and ransacked some areas. Saudi Arabia condemned the attack and said Syrian authorities are responsible for protecting its interests.

Protesters also tried to break into the Turkish Embassy in Damascus on Saturday and into the country’s consulates in Aleppo and Latakia. Turkey is not a member of the Arab League but has welcomed the league’s decision.

Denying that the regime still has support inside Syria may sooth the sour feelings of many but it does not bring us any closer to a solution. Those regime supporters who are not clearly indicated in killing civilians must be included in any future political dialogue and so does the army. Those people are Syrian too and not every regime supporter is a criminal that must be jailed or excluded from talks about a regime change.

LOL LOL LOL ppl still think I’m ABOUD.

And btw ABOUD really hates me nowadays, just go to 7ee6an and check it out yoursleves, he has even called for me to be banned.

TARA, did you know I am banned on 7ee6an till November 26 ? .

NORMAN, since you’re the few authentic baathists around here,

Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and his Baath part in his War against IRAN ?

Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and Iraqi Baath Party policy of arming the PLO in Lebanon between 1975 and 1982 ?

Did you or did you not support IRAQ under al Baath cutting off all diplomatic relations with SYRIA in 1980 ?

Also, since you claim to be a Baathist, how do you explain your support for IRAN when a Iraqi Baath Party official statement from 1980 declares IRAN the eternal enemy, as bad as ISRAEL.

Pls explain, Norman.

NORMAN, since you’re the few authentic Baathists around here,

Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and his Baath part in his War against IRAN ?

Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and Iraqi Baath Party policy of arming the PLO in Lebanon between 1975 and 1982 ?

Did you or did you not support IRAQ under al Baath cutting off all diplomatic relations with SYRIA in 1980 ?

Also, since you claim to be a Baathist, how do you explain your support and love for IRAN when a Iraqi Baath Party official statement from 1980 declares IRAN the eternal enemy, as bad as ISRAEL.

Saddam Hussein, Batalul Arab declared that Allah shouldn’t have created 2 races, one was the Jews , the other the Majoos ( PERSIANS).

Yet how do you explain the Syrian regime that you love being Iran’s closest friend ?

Also, you cannot claim that Saddam Hussein was not authentic Baathist, since MICHEL AFLAQ, the founder of Baathism, preferred Saddam over Hafez.

Pls explain, Norman….

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/by-suspending-syria-arab-league-finally-breaks-from-its-past/2011/11/13/gIQAjxudIN_blog.html
Posted at 03:24 PM ET, 11/13/2011

By suspending Syria, Arab League finally breaks from its past

By David Ignatius

ABU DHABI — There’s a weird poetic justice to the Arab League’s decision to suspend the membership of Syria, a country that worked hard for so many years to make the Arab League a house of lies and a dictators’ protection society.

     Modern Syria has been a champion of the sloganeering “Arabism” at which the Arab League was so adept. This was the Arabism that backed the military dictatorships that bludgeoned unwieldy nations into place and denounced Israel’s failure to resolve the Palestinian issue, even as the Arab League states themselves gave miserable, second-class status to the Palestinian refugees who lived within their borders.

    It’s not that the Israeli policies were justified, but that the Arab League members were hypocrites.

     The Assad regime in Syria has lived by this code of Arab nationalism — or, at least, by the cover that it provided for maintaining power by a corrupt and feeble Baath Party. An air force general named Hafez al-Assad had gained power in a coup in 1970 brandishing his Arab credentials; they helped shield the fact that he, like many military officers, was from the Alawite minority that was strong in the military and disliked by the Sunni majority.

     President Hafez Assad marched his troops into Lebanon in 1976 to defuse the Lebanese Civil War, in what was called the “Arab Deterrent Force” and sanctioned by the Arab League. It’s useful, in understanding the minority politics of the region, to remember that the practical effect of this Syrian intervention was to rescue the Maronite Christians, who were fighting the Palestinians and an alliance of Sunni Muslims and Druze.

     Once the Syrians arrived in Lebanon, they stayed to feast on its spoils — until they were driven out by popular demand after the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, a crime for which the Syrians were initially blamed but that a U.N. investigator now says was the work of Hezbollah. Looking back, you can argue that the “March 14 movement” that expelled the Syrians six years ago was the start of what we now call the Arab Spring.

     How ironic that the Syrians, who for decades refused to demarcate their border with Lebanon (arguing that it was really part of “Greater Syria”) are now mining that same border. To quote the un-Arab but still apposite Sir Walter Scott, “What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

     Bashar al-Assad has never been as adept at operating in the Arab League’s hall of mirrors as was his father. Perhaps he lacks the talent for giving the big, empty speeches that were a specialty of such gatherings. He has also proved to be a man who starts things he can’t finish — reform of the Baath Party, constitutional change — which is a mistake his father never would have committed. Hafez was secretly admired by former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, and even by the Israelis — because if he made a promise, he kept it.

     Bashar has been the opposite. He promised reform to an Arab League mediation committee that was dispatched last month — in what could have been a lifeline for his regime. But despite the pledges (similar to the ones he has been making since February) his troops kept on killing Syrian protesters—showing either that Bashar was lying or that he can’t control the army. Not good for Bashar either way.

     Over the weekend, the Arab League suspended the Syrian regime’s membership and called for meetings with the Syrian opposition to plan “a unified view of the coming transition.” True to form, the Syrian president responded by calling for an emergency meeting of the Arab League — and suggested, bizarrely, that the effort was all part of a foreign plot to invade Syria.

     It was a classic Arab League move: Hide from your people and blame your troubles on sinister outside forces allied with the West.

     But this chapter of Arab history seems mercifully to be passing — with even the Arab League becoming a force that takes action to protect oppressed Arab citizens and restrain autocratic rulers. This is a snapshot of what’s changing in the Middle East, and why it’s worth celebrating. 

Ghufran
in 355 you mentioned 1.5 million armed men, can you tell me what do you mean by 1.5 million armed men

Khalid Tlass 363;

It has beena while since I made a comment on what you say. If you look at the big picture; Syria is a victim of a big war between Slafi and Majoos (as you call them). The salafi wants to break down the regime who has strong ties with what you call ALMAJOOS. This is it, and Qatar along with Saudi will do everything to bring the regime down, it has nothing to do with Syrian people. The MBs on the other hand, sharing the same genetic material as Salafis are the agents for this evilish agenda. Thankfully the majority of Syrian people realized this early on. The Majoos influence is inevitable, it started from the big mistake of Bush the son who brought down Sadam Hussien regime. If you want to blame someone then go and blame him. His father was able to capture Saddam but let him go because he knew that he created a stability against Majoos. Iraq refused to vote with teh current AL deal. Did you ask yourself why???.

Khalid,

363. Khalid Tlasssaid:

(( NORMAN, since you’re the few authentic Baathists around here,))

I never joined the Baath party i always liked the Baath party principles, but felt the the single party system that Syria has opened the Baath party to opportunists that do not deserve to be in the Baath party and i did not want to be associated with them,

((Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and his Baath part in his War against IRAN ?))

I did not, i felt that after years of Iran being pro Israel and anti Arab and Palestinians, after the revolution Iran became pro Arabs , i felt that Saddam Hussein was doing the dirty work of the Gulf states that were afraid of extending the revolution to their states and Saddam fell for it, ( Stupid)cost Iraq money and lives for the sake of the coward gulf states,

He started that war and as we can not stand by the aggressor in Palestine we can not support one in Iraq/Iran conflict.

((Did you or did you not support Saddam Hussein and Iraqi Baath Party policy of arming the PLO in Lebanon between 1975 and 1982 ?))

I support the Palestinian cause, I did not support what the PLO did in Lebanon which was to take over Lebanon, they lost my support when they did that, and Syria’s too,Saddam was not helping the Palestinians he was trying to cause trouble to Syria and Lebanon,

((Did you or did you not support IRAQ under al Baath cutting off all diplomatic relations with SYRIA in 1980 ?))

That was a response to Syria standing by the right of Iran to defend itself,

((Also, since you claim to be a Baathist, how do you explain your support and love for IRAN when a Iraqi Baath Party official statement from 1980 declares IRAN the eternal enemy, as bad as ISRAEL.))

I like the Baath party principles , i do not agree with what the members do, the Baath party members in Iraq were mislead by the Saudi, Kuwaiti and the US who wanted an Iranian/Arab conflict to keep both parties weak , i still remember from the Eighties when American officials were asked about which party the US want to win , the answer was always neither.

((Saddam Hussein, Batalul Arab declared that Allah shouldn’t have created 2 races, one was the Jews , the other the Majoos ( PERSIANS).))

And I am glad that he was executed, for one thing that he was ignorant, The Jews are Semitics like the Arabs,

Iraq, the Mideast and the Baath party would have been much better off if Saddam Hussein was a still born,

((Yet how do you explain the Syrian regime that you love being Iran’s closest friend ?))

Syria has one issue in foreign policy, It is the Golan and the Palestinian rights, Syria is a friend to any country that support Syria in her goals, The US , KSA, even Israel , Iran has supported Syria more than any other Arab country.

((Also, you cannot claim that Saddam Hussein was not authentic Baathist, since MICHEL AFLAQ, the founder of Baathism, preferred Saddam over Hafez.))

After the birth of the Baath party , the deeds of it’s members are their own, i do not know the policies of Michael Aflaq or Salah AL Din AL Bitar, to decide if i agree with them or not but Aflaq, even if started the Baath party he does not own it, The Arab people do, i do not agree with Aflaq, he was wrong and the history of Saddam proved it, and the members of the Baath party are responsible for their deeds as are Christians, Muslims Jews and Hindu .

((Pls explain, Norman….))

I hope i did,

One last word, The Baath party principles is what i like i do not like many of the deeds that the members did, and should be held accountable for.and i do not think that the Baath party has to have set aside and qoutas to stay in power, the Baath party can win elections fairly, with the understanding that they will lose the next election but if democracy is real, the Syrian people are going to find out that the Baath party is better than the rest.

NORMAN

Revlon #249

Please update us on the the tallied number of soldiers defected: 15,000? 40,000?
We haven’t heard anymore of Riad Al Assad. Are the turks still preventing the media to visit him and his troops in Turkey?
Any new phone interview?

Interesting video. Joshua in it.
The Regime – PBS – Syria Undercover

Israel acts to cut back ‘meddling’ funding – 2011-11-14

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=487384&type=World

SENIOR Israeli Cabinet ministers took a significant step yesterday toward curbing foreign funding for political not-for-profit organizations, a measure that opponents see as trying to muzzle dovish groups critical of the government.

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill that would limit donations by foreign governments or international bodies such as the United Nations or European Union to 20,000 shekels (US$5,200) annually. The bill requires a parliamentary vote.

The funding comes from countries considered friendly to Israel, not enemy nations, and goes to groups such as Peace Now. But critics of the funding see it as meddling in Israel’s internal affairs.

Lawmaker Danny Danon said: “Cutting off the funding of the organizations is a first step in removing the marginal affliction of the extreme left wing from Israeli society.”

The largest organization affected, the New Israel Fund, said it will continue to battle the legislation as it makes its way through parliament. The fund raises money for peace causes.

The group said: “If this legislation passes, Israel will become the only Western democracy to outlaw outside funding for organizations it designates as ‘political.’ We call on all Israelis and lovers of Israel worldwide to reject this latest assault on the values and freedoms maintained by every real democracy.”

Israeli media reported that the EU has been pressing Israel to scrap the new law.

The bill was drafted after Israel-based groups funded by foreign sources gave critical testimony about Israeli military conduct during the 2009 war in the Gaza Strip to a UN-appointed commission.

Norman
Please explain why does Syria need Iran?

great news from Homs, a Christian demonstration coming out from the Ghassaniya church against the regime and calling for national unity.

Video here:

This must have the regime pissing it’s pants more than the Alawi actress Fadwa Sulieman leading protests in Homs!

also, the idiotic fiasco that is Addounia T.V, for the first time in 40 years on Syrian T.V appears wearing a headscarf!!!!! lol, now the regime is trying to appease the salafis or the MB or what? lol

link here:

http://www.facebook.com/homs.syr/posts/218336431570247

Lebanese president warns against isolating Syria – 2011-11-14

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=30338

BEIRUT, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Lebanese President Michel Sleiman warned Sunday that isolating Syria could lead to foreign intervention in the country and urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to implement an Arab League initiative to end political crisis.

“Isolation carries dangers and it is possible it could lead to foreign intervention, but in return, the Syrian government should implement all reforms,” Sleiman told reporters in the northern coastal city of Tripoli.

“In terms of isolating Syria, Lebanon is against it because the people [are the] ones who pay [the price] and [isolation] impedes dialogue,” Sleiman added.

The Arab League decided Saturday to suspend Syria’s activities at the pan-Arab organization. The suspension, which will take effect on Nov. 16, was approved by 18 member states. Syria, Lebanon and Yemen voted against the motion while Iraq abstained.

The Arab League said the suspension would remain in force until Damascus abided in full with the initiative it signed up on Nov. 2.

#339 Uzair

“I wouldn’t want a Nato or UN military intervention. It should be a joint Arab-Turkish action.

Operation “PROTECT CIVILIANS.”
”

Poor imagination:

Operation “HAJJI BABA SHIELD”

Another video

A bit of bad news in SANA’s estimates of turnout at rallies today (note: in general this year SANA has overestimated crowd sizes at pro-regime rallies):

More than a million and a half citizens in Aleppo and its countryside flocked to Saadallah al-Jaberi Square to express their condemnation of the Arab League decision.
More than half a million of the citizens in Tartous gathered at the Marine Corniche to express condemnation of the Arab League decision.
In Raqqa tens of thousands of the Syrian citizens gathered at the President Square to express rejection and denunciation of the Arab League’s unjust decision against Syria.
Thousands of Syrian citizens in Hama and its Countryside flocked to al-Assi Square in Hama denouncing the decision against Syria.
http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/11/13/381227.htm
http://www.youtube.com/user/alikhbariasyria

Nobody on the pro-regime side can be happy about that relative turnout at Hama. SANA also says that “in Homs huge masses flocked to the President Roundabout”. Video footage from overhead of that rally in Homs today is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4bBXJYrphM and I wouldn’t call it “huge masses”. But despite that, I don’t see anyone with a sound basis for forecasting that anti-regime candidates can win a substantial share of the city council seats in Homs and Hama. The Local Council Elections take place nationwide in Syria on 12 Dec 2011.

MajelAKhaldoon

To temper you high expectations:

“Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said on Sunday that League officials would meet representatives of Syrian opposition groups on Tuesday, but added that it was too soon for the Cairo-based body to consider recognizing the Syrian opposition as the country’s legitimate authority.

Answering a question at a news conference in the Libyan capital Tripoli, Elaraby said: “Recognition of them as a government? Maybe it is a bit premature to discuss that.”

It was not clear how the 22-member Arab League would react to Syria’s request for an emergency Arab summit.”

http://news.yahoo.com/syria-calls-arab-league-meet-avert-suspension-151134269.html

Algeria’s Foreign Minister, Mourad Medelci, said in a press conference today 13 Nov 2011: “More than ever before, the time requires reinforcing relations with the Syrian government to put into effect the Arab League’s work plan.”

He was speaking about Algeria’s intention to keep an ambassador in Damascus. But it begs the question why did Algeria vote to suspend Syria from the Arab League’s meetings?

Davutoğlu met with the Syrian National Council (SNC) late Sunday.

Any Turkileaks?

Forget the AL conspirators and just keep your eyes on Moscow and Beijing. They hold all the cards when it comes to Syria’s fate internationally. The AL has no collective vote at the UN, so their calls for UN interference (if they do) is like having Spanish speaking Latin American countries calling for action on Cuba, or Venezuela. What vested interest does the AL have in Syria exactly? This organization has always been a symbolic entity with no muscles, or coherent agenda.

Before the AL confirms Syria’s membership suspension on Wednesday, Syria should preemptively break away with the AL and declare itself a Syrian Republic. Most Syrians have little to no respect for the AL, specifically the gulf countries. Arabism was never a good fit for Syria anyway; it was more of a burden than anything else.

Russia to honor Syria arms contracts – MOSCOW, November 13, 2011

http://en.ria.ru/world/20111113/168663837.html

Russia will honor all arms contacts with Syria despite continuing violence against anti-government protesters in the country, a senior military official said on Sunday.

“Since there are no restrictions on the supply of arms to Syria, Russia will fulfill its obligations under the contracts signed with this country,” Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, told reporters in Dubai.

Dzirkaln said Moscow saw “dialogue between the government and opposition as the only solution to the current crisis” and called on Damascus to end its crackdown on protesters.

Rights groups more than 3,500 people have been killed since protests against President Bashar al-Assad began in March.

On Saturday, the Arab League voted to suspend Syria from its meetings and impose sanctions. The Damascus government condemned the decision, saying it was made under the orders of the United States and violated the regional body’s charter. Bashar supporters held mass rallies in Damascus and other cities on Saturday to protest against the suspension.

Speaking in Dubai, Dzirkaln also warned against a “repetition of the Libyan scenario” in the country.

He said Russia was keen to resume arms sales to Libya.

“Russia is interested in continuing mutually beneficial cooperation with the new Libyan government, both on the already-signed contracts and prospective deals,” he said.

In September, Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) chair Mustafa Abdul Jalil said his country would not buy Russian arms. Observers said the decision came as little surprise because of Moscow’s links with the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and its slowness to recognize the rebel leadership as the legitimate government.

Dzirkaln also said Russia hoped to continue arms sales to Yemen when violence there ended.

Majed97
Should Syria change its name from Syrian Arabic republic to Syrian persian republic?

The Sin of Omission

سورية باب الشمس | المعارض السوري بسام القاضي عبر صفحته الخاصة ::

إلى ا…لغليون وشركائه في الخارج والداخل، وأسياده في كل مكان، ضمنا
الحكومات التي صوتت لطرد سورية من جامعة الدول العربية:
بما أنكم قد مضيتم في خطتكم لتدمير سورية واحتلالها، باسم الحرية والديمقراطية وحماية المدنيين..وبما أنكم هربتم السلاح ودعمتم القتلة وروجتم لهم طمعا في كرسي وفتات سلطة..ولكل الأسباب الأخرى التي سبق أن برهنتم من خلالها على خيانتكم، أقول:

أنتم مجرمون خونة بكل معنى الكلمة،وقتلكم اليوم هو عمل وطني يستحق كل إشادة وتقدير،

وهو وسيلة هامة للمضي نحو السلمية والمدنية لأنكم أرباب قتل وإجرام وجلب احتلال وتدمير.. بعد أن انتهى زمن النفاق بالسلمية الذي استخدمتموه لتغطية مخططاتكم المجرمة ..وبناء عليه، فإن كل من يشيد بقرار جامعة عبيد الناتو وشركائها هو عدو قذر يلوث صفحتي هنا وفي كل مكان يتواجد فيه.. فلينقلع إلى وكره الخاص، لأنه عدو حقيقي.. حقيقي

What is the matter?. Mr. Alkadi fans are too embarrassed to share his Fatwa with us today. I condemned Aroor long time ago, so did most of the opposition people, I am waiting for the enlightened peace advocating fans of Mr. Alkadi to condemn Shaikh Bassam Alkadi and his fatwa. I am going to my imaginary rat hole, you simply get in the gutter of Mr. Bassam Alqadi and his new found status as a pathetic Syrio-nazi servant of his master Betho.

Enjoy your Fatwaji

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8887454/Syrias-isolation-grows-as-neighbours-react-with-fury-to-embassy-attacks.html

Syria’s isolation grows as neighbours react with fury to embassy attacks

By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent
13 Nov 2011
 ….
Worse was to come afterwards when officials said the League was seeking to unify the Syrian opposition into a coherent force similar to Libya’s opposition National Transitional Council, which was eventually recognised as the sole legitimate government.
In another echo of the stance which led to it arguing for the UN’s no-fly zone in north Africa, the League’s secretary general, Nabil al-Arabi, yesterday used a visit to the Libyan capital Tripoli to say it was “studying mechanisms it could implement to protect civilians in Syria”.
“There is nothing wrong with going to the UN Security Council,” he added, ominously.

Russia and China both vetoed United Nations sanctions last month, but Amr al-Azm, a Syrian-American academic prominent in the opposition movement said it would be different if the resolution were not sponsored directly by the United States or European countries.
“It’s much harder for the Russians to say no when it’s the Arab League pushing it,” he said.
Western countries have ruled out military action over Syria, particularly since in the early days of the uprising opposition activists themselves called for them not to intervene. But as the uprising increasingly takes on the appearance of a civil war, with armed defectors attacking Syrian forces, and the Libyan war finishing in a clear victory for the rebels, more activists are talking of the possibility of international intervention.

A statement by Turkey, which has already allowed an armed opposition group to base itself in the country, showed a hardening of its attitude.
“The attitude of the Syrian government demonstrates the need for the international community to respond with a united voice to the serious developments in Syria,” it said.
….

Majed,
The number,1.5 million,is an estimate on the conservative side of army,security and militia forces largely believed to be loyal to the regime. This force was not built over a year or two,it has been slowly building up since the early 1960s. We can argue about the number or the degree of loyalty all day long,but no solution will see the light without addressing that crowd.I was told by a couple of people who claimed to know more than me about the subject that even Ghalioun realizes that he eventually has to initiate a dialogue with those people,look at what happened in Iraq when an idiot,Paul Bremer,sent 300,000 soldiers,mostly Sunni, home with their weapons.the problem with pro regime armed people is not just their loyalty to Bashar,which may not be unbreakable,but it is also their loyalty to their villages,families and sects and their fear that a regime change will take them back to the stone age. To my knowledge,nothing was done to address this explosive issue.
Remember that Tunisia,Libya and Egypt did not have this problem.

Syria can mobilize a total of 2,500,000 combatants

Hamster,
Alqadi is wrong here,however ,inviting NATO in to destroy Syria is unpatriotic,but I support outside observers and mediation because I clearly do not trust the regime.
Majed ,
Iran and turkey are Muslim countries but anybody who gives Syria to them or any foreign power is asking for the end of Syria’s independence.
I am not a member of the SSNP but I understand their suspicion about Arab countries other than Lebanon and Palestine .

Jordan advised to play it carefully as powers seek more sanctions on Damascus

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

http://www.jordantimes.com/index.php?news=43253

AMMAN –– As economic sanctions against the Syrian regime are set to be broadened, experts stressed that Jordan has to carefully weigh its interests before joining the drive.

With the US and the European Union (EU) still working to put more pressure on Syria to end the violent crackdown on demonstrators through expanding sanctions, the Arab League on Saturday suspended Damascus and said it would impose economic and political sanctions against the Syrian government but did not disclose details or the mechanism of implementation.

On Sunday, US Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser arrived in Amman to brief officials on the US and EU sanctions against Bashar Assad’s regime and discuss possible attempts by the Syrian government to evade the sanctions through the Jordanian banking sector, a US embassy statement said.

The statement, which was e-mailed to The Jordan Times, said Glaser was scheduled to meet with banking sector executives “to underscore the importance of Jordan’s continued efforts to maintain a transparent, sound and well regulated financial sector”.

Commenting on Glaser’s visit and on the way the local banking sector would respond to the sanctions, Marwan Awad, chairman of the Association of Banks in Jordan (ABJ), told The Jordan Times over the phone that banks in the Kingdom implement all regulations issued by the Central Bank of Jordan, adding that the central bank is committed to implementing decisions taken by the United Nations rather than individual countries.

ABJ Director General Adli Kandah said Glaser had not met with representatives of local banks by yesterday afternoon.

Economist Jawad Anani indicated that Jordan will find itself with no choice but to implement the sanctions against Syria because the Arab League decisions early this week included economic and political sanctions that are mandatory to member states, including Jordan, which voted for suspending Damascus’ membership in the group.

Internationally, he explained that the US is pushing hard for imposing sanctions against Assad’s regime.

Implementing the sanctions against the northern neighbour will cause large losses to the Kingdom in terms of trade, transport and investments, elaborated Anani, who has served as Royal Court chief and held several ministerial posts, pointing out other interrelated issues between Jordan and Syria such as security and water.

“All these issues will have great costs involved and it is important for Jordan to carefully calculate these costs and their repercussions in the long run,” he emphasised.

What makes Jordan’s stance more complicated, according to Anani, is that the sanctions against Damascus are supported by Gulf countries.

Political and economic analyst Zayyan Zawaneh said although Jordan is only obliged to implement international organisations’ decisions, the US has the power to put pressure on Jordan and other countries to implement the penalties even if the sanctions were not issued by the UN.

The Kingdom has always enjoyed strong relations and strategic interests with Syria as a country, not the regime, he said, noting that decision makers should be careful when responding to the desires of the US and the EU.

“Although Jordan is a small player in the issue of sanctions against Syria endorsed by major powers, it can resist for too long,” Zawaneh, a former adviser at the International Monetary Fund, remarked, adding the country has to study thoroughly its security, political and economic interests with Syria.

Pointing to the Kingdom’s stance towards the crisis in Syria by providing advice to the regime, the analyst expected that Jordan would not be among the first to implement sanctions against its strategic neighbour, whether the penalties are issued by countries or international organisations.

If Jordan is pressured to implement the sanctions, officials should work hard to defend the country’s long-term strategic interests with Syria through drafting a plan for long-term compensations, he said.

“As any sanctions will hurt Jordan’s strategic interests, officials should not accept compensations for a limited number of years in return of damages to our national economy that may last for tens of years,” Zawaneh stressed, warning against repeating the scenario of 2003, when the US invaded Iraq, noting that the compensations Jordan received in terms of US aid cannot be compared to the pre-war era, when Iraq used to supply Jordan with all its needs of oil as a grant in part and at preferential prices for the rest of the imported quantities.

Would the Arab League exclude Syria from the AL ministerial meetings on 16 November?

I think it all depends on the outcome of the meeting on Tuesday 15 november of the AL with the opposition where they would ask them to agree on the dialog with Bashar al Assad government, despite their previous refusal.
Davutoglyu met the SNC Sunday 13 November probably to press them to accept the Arab League deal that the SNC have previously rejected.

If the AL failed to obtain that agreement, on Wednesday 16, it will be difficult to justify the expulsion of Syria of the Arab league since the other party of the deal has defaulted.
The Al will therefore ask for more time to negotiate with the SNC, therefore the expulsion of Syria vote will be postponed. Russia and China will stand by Syria

If, with a very big luck, the AL succeeds in convincing the SNC to the conditions of the dialog and its collaboration, then it is possible that the AL will proceed in suspending Syria from the AL ministerial meetings but keep its membership until it is able to honour its part of the agreement.
The dialog will start in parallel with the Syrian government- AL-SNC joint actions to bring security back to Syrian cities.

Ghufran said 1,500,000
Ann said 2,500,000
Common . would someone else say 3,500,000

#382 MajedalKaldoon

Should Syria change its name from Syrian Arabic republic to Syrian persian republic?

It’s certainly better that The Syrian Province of the Turkish Republic.

oooops, forgot something

أنتم مجرمون خونة بكل معنى الكلمة،وقتلكم اليوم هو عمل وطني يستحق كل إشادة وتقدير،

B. Alkadi, Fatwa against B. Ghalyoun and his colleagues.

I forgot. Mr. Alkadi (AKA Alqadi) was introduced here as a MODERATE opposition voice. Was it the same time he advocated Surgical Strikes against the not so moderate opposition voice (i.e., those who dare to demonstrate against the regime). Some of us knew he is heading this way, the sewer of fascism.

Again, Enjoy your Fatwaji

#390 majedkhaldoun

I’d said 15,000 just like the FSA, why lying?

خيار سوريا و فقوس البحرين

D.N.N شبكة دمشق الاخبارية
الجامعة العربية: رفضت جامعة الدول العربية إستلام رسالة المعارضة البحرينية في الخارج تطالب فيها بارسال لجنة لتقصي الحقائق في البحرين
See Translation
Majed,
What number can make you feel better?
Does it make a difference if the number was 1,2 or 3 million?
I hope you got the point.

While my vote goes for the Syrian Republic, I’m not sure how he Syrian Persian Republic can be worse than the Syrian Arab Republic?

Bronco

” Davutoglyu met the SNC Sunday 13 November probably to press them to accept the Arab League deal that the SNC have previously rejected.”

I am surprised that despite all the aggressive statements we heard from the Turks in regard to the Syrian regime since the AL decision to suspend Syria, you still can’t see that Bashar is not viewed positively by the Turks. Turkey is not pressing the SNC into dialogue. To the contrary, it is planning the toppling of Bashar with the SNC.

Bashar did not see the AL suspension coming. He was in denial. Do not make the same mistake.

هل سيتهم هيثم مناع بالعماله للنظام؟
I hope he brings a helmet to that meeting to protect him from eggs and tomatoes or at least a frying pan to make shazz mazz.
أكد رئيس “هيئة التنسيق الوطنية لقوى التغيير الديموقراطي في المهجر” المعارض السوري هيثم مناع أن اجتماع المعارضة الذي دعته اليه الجامعة العربية سيعقد غداً الثلاثاء . وقال مناع في تصريحات لـ صحيفة الحياة على هامش زيارته الدوحة على رأس وفد يضم المعارضين السوريين عبد العزيز الخير وحسن عبد العظيم وصالح مسلم ومنذر حلوم وحازم نهار إن المجلس الوطني السوري و “هيئة التنسيق” ومستقلين سيشاركون في مؤتمر المعارضة الذي سيناقش “هيكلاً مشتركاً” و “سيمثل الصوت السوري في المرحلة المقبلة”، لافتاً الى أن “المجلس الوطني” لم يحصل على الاعتراف إلا من ليبيا “التي اتصلت للاعتذار” لـ “هيئة التنسيق” التي تعمل في الداخل، غير انه قال إن وفد الهيئة إلى اجتماع القاهرة سيكون قوياً ويضم أهم الكوادر. ومن المعروف ان هناك اختلافات بين قوى المعارضة السورية في الداخل والخارج حول مسألة تمثيل الشعب السوري.
ورأى مناع ان الاعتراف بالمعارضة يتطلب ايجاد “هيكل مشترك بأفق سياسية واضحة”. وشدد على أن تتم الدعوة الى مؤتمر المعارضة “في شكل ديموقراطي ومتكافئ لكل المكونات”.
وعن الخلاف بين “المجلس الوطني” الذي تشكل في اسطنبول و “هيئة التنسيق” التي تعمل في الداخل، قال “إن طريقة تكوين المجلس لم تكن ديموقراطية وشُكل لاعتبارات شخصية وإقليمية ودولية أكثر من اعتبارات ديموقراطية تعبر عن الخريطة السورية، كما يجب تحديد برنامجنا بوضوح ولا نتكلم فقط عن اسقاط النظام، نريد تحديد شكل الدولة وطبيعتها، ونحن أيضاً ضد التدخل الخارجي، وهناك جزء غير قليل داخل المجلس الوطني يعتبره السبيل للخلاص من النظام”.

فلسطين او ما بقي منها
عزام الاحمد لـ’القدس العربي’: السلطة تنهار واللجنة الرباعية اصبحت اسما بلا مضمون والمشكلة هي الولايات المتحدة
وليد عوض:
2011-11-13

رام الله ـ ‘القدس العربي’ اكد عزام الاحمد احد المقربين جدا من الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس الاحد لـ’القدس العربي’ بأن السلطة الفلسطينية تنهار، مشددا على انه لا يوجد اي قرار بحل السلطة بل هي ‘تنهار’ نتيجة فشل عملية السلام واستمرار الاحتلال للضفة الغربية واحتجاز الاموال الفلسطينية.
واشار الاحمد الى ان الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس سبق وحذر الادارة الامريكية والمجتمع الدولي من استحالة ان يبقى الوضع الفلسطيني الحالي على ما هو عليه.
واضاف الاحمد قائلا لـ’القدس العربي’ ‘سبق واعلن الاخ ابومازن وسبق وان ابلغ الرئيس الامريكي واطراف اللجنة الرباعية وكل المجتمع الدولي بأنه لا يمكن ان يبقى الوضع الفلسطيني كما هو الآن’، مشيرا الى ان السلطة الفلسطينية الحالية هي ‘سلطة وهمية غير موجودة بشكل فعلي الا بجانب محدد وفق ما تريد اسرائيل’، مضيفا ‘اذا كانت اسرائيل هي التي تتحكم في مصير السلطة فلتذهب هذه السلطة الى الجحيم’.

*** REMEMBER WHEN? ***

Zionists Chair Syrian Opposition Meeting in France – July 9TH, 2011

http://hamsayeh.net/society/921-zionists-chair-syrian-opposition-meeting-in-france-.html

Key Zionist philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy; former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and major advocate of the war against Iraq Bernard Kouchner; member of the youth movement in the Israeli right wing Likud party Frederick Ansel; and former Knesset member and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s advisor Alex Goldfarb who was not questioned by anyone for claiming to be a Syrian opposition member and spokesman of “Democratic change in Syria” assembly; were basic participants in the Syrian opposition conference in Saint-Germain in France.

This “Zionist” atmosphere did not bother the attendees, which Muslim brotherhood representative in Paris, Moulhem Droubi, was among. One young Syrian girl “Souraya” interposed saying: “In this hall there is not one Syrian. In this hall, I only see Zionists.” However, she was immediately interrupted and dragged out by the French security under the eyes of the police.

According to the Lebanese daily As-Safir reporter in France Mohammad Ballout, Frederick Ansel responded to the young girl saying: “Unfortunately, some Arabs still regard Zionism as an insult, although it is a source of pride and honor.”

The Syrian opposition conference on Monday included speeches that called for toppling down the regime, and attacked Iran and Hezbollah, while completely ignoring occupied Palestine and the occupied Golan Heights.

Some speakers condemned “Iran and Hezbollah’s interference in Syria.”

However, representative of the so called “Salvation Front” headed by former Syrian vice-president Abdul Halim Khaddam, Ashraf Al-Moqdad called for “urgent assistance of Western countries,” and defended the participation of racist Zionist figures saying: “We are ready to meet with anyone in order to stop the bloodshed in Syria. The Syrian regime had conducted negotiations with Israel directly and indirectly. Then why can’t we meet with French officials who want to help the Syrian people? “

For his part, Zionist Journalist Bernard Henri-Levy called in a statement the Security Council to refer the Syrian regime to the international tribunal. While Bernard Kouchner went further by saying that the international community should intervene militarily in Syria.

“We went to Libya, and we feel great injustice for leaving the Syrians alone,” he said, calling on “Arab spring” countries to end diplomatic relations with Syria.

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime as well as opposition activists protested outside the conference location, against opposition parts that do not hesitate to cooperate with Israel to fulfill an apparently international agenda.

Division about Syria reaches Jordan
http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today%5C13z499.htm&arc=data%5C2011%5C11%5C11-13%5C13z499.htm
عبد الباري عطوان
الادارة الامريكية تعلمت كثيراً من درسي افغانستان والعراق، وأبرز دروسها المستخلصة ان تترك العرب يحاربون العرب، والمسلمين يحاربون المسلمين، وان يقتصر دورها والدول الغربية الاخرى على الدعم من الخلف او من السماء. وجرى تطبيق هذه الخلاصة بنجاح كبير في ليبيا.
‘ ‘ ‘
سورية ليست ليبيا، وما ينطبق على الثانية قد لا ينطبق على الأولى، فالنظام السوري مازال يتمتع ببعض الدعم والمساندة داخلياً، حيث قطاع من الشعب يسانده لاسباب طائفية، او اقتصادية، وخارجياً من قبل ايران وحزب الله، وبعد ذلك الصين وروسيا. ولعل اهم دروس ليبيا بالنسبة الى النظام السوري، هو ادراكه، اي النظام، ان التدخل العسكري لو بدأ ضده لن ينتهي الا بسقوطه وربما كل رموزه، الأمر الذي قد يدفعه للقتال حتى الموت.
نحن امام حرب اقليمية هي الأشرس من نوعها، قد تغير خريطة المنطقة الديموغرافية قبل السياسية، والهدفان الرئيسيان من هذه الحرب تغيير نظامين هما اللذان بقيا في منظومة ما يسمى الممانعة، او ‘الشرق الاوسط القديم’ اي سورية وايران. والسؤال هو أين ستكون الضربة الاولى، فهل ستوجه الى ايران ام الى سورية، ام الى الاثنتين في آن واحد، اي تهاجم اسرائيل ايران، وتهاجم تركيا عضو حلف الناتو سورية بدعم عربي؟
من السابق لأوانه الاجابة على اي من هذه الاسئلة، ولكن الشخص الوحيد الذي يمكن ان يوقف هذه الحرب، او الشق السوري منها، هو الرئيس بشار الاسد، اذا ما اتخذ قراراً شجاعاً، واقدم على تطبيق الخطة العربية بحذافيرها، وتجرع كأس السم الذي تجرعه السيد الامام الخميني رحمه الله، عندما وافق مكرها على وقف الحرب مع العراق وانقذ بلاده، وجعلها هذا القرار قوة اقليمية عظمى بعد ذلك.

Patriotism

GHUFRAN
Alqadi is wrong everywhere. He is a fascist and his language is just that of fascism.

No one wants intervention, but neither you or me have the right to tell someone whose child was murdered by regime thugs and asking to be protected from the Assad Mafia hyenas that she is not patriotic because she does not want the hyenas to kill her second and only left son. Every time one of the people on this site equivocate, and talk about patriotism, they are aiding and abetting the criminal who is ordering the murders, while sitting and mentally dumping series of none-sense about a nation they know nothing of. The nation is its people, and protecting them is the patriotic duty of their army. Alas, it is their army and those paid by their tax money and money stolen from them who are killing them. So spare me please the theoretical definition of patriotism. The country is ruled by traitors, who are defended on this site by cynics, at best.

A Nation is its people

Israel refuses to alert US over Iran attack
Adrian Blomfield, Jerusalem
http://www.smh.com.au/world/israel-refuses-to-alert-us-over-iran-attack-20111113-1ndq4.html

ISRAEL has refused to reassure President Barack Obama that it would warn him of a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, raising fears that it may be planning an attack as early as the next northern summer.

The US leader was rebuffed when he demanded private guarantees that a strike would not go ahead without White House notification, suggesting that Israel no longer plans to ”seek Washington’s permission”, sources said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/israel-refuses-to-alert-us-over-iran-attack-20111113-1ndq4.html#ixzz1ddV2MM9E

Tara #396

“Turkey is not pressing the SNC into dialogue. To the contrary, it is planning the toppling of Bashar with the SNC.”

I should have mentioned that Turkey has repeatedly said that it supports fully the Arab League initiative (that includes the dialog with the Syria government that the SNC has rejected).
I guess Turkey for commercial reasons would prefer to be on good terms with the Arab League than please the SNC that could eventually become a headache to Turkey.

Hamster,
Iraq is a living example of the virtue of military intervention.
Far more Iraqis were,and still are,killed by foreign invasion and civil war than by Saddam.
There is nothing wrong in trying to change the regime without the friendly fire of NATO.
I see no hope for this regime to survive because of what it did to Syria,but NATO is not the answer.

Ya Zoo
the only ones who seek Washington permission are the trashy Arabs and the SNC!
Israel runs Obama therefore not need for him to know.
although I don’t understand how can the Israelis plane can make it to Iran without the USA central commands not noticing, it is all empty words for public consumption for stupid Arabs to waste time on it.

Syrian Hamster #401
Excellent comment

فلاديميير بوتين
شن رئيس الوزراء الروسي فلاديمير بوتين هجوما ضد التدخل الغربي في ليبيا، واصفا تحرك بريطانيا وفرنسا والولايات المتحدة ضد القذافي بالفضيحة الكاملة والإهانة للمجتمع الدولي.وقال، إنهم باتخاذهم جانب أحد الأطراف المتصارعة فقد ارتكبوا انتهاكا كبيرا لقرار الأمم المتحدة، وأوضحت صحيفة الإندبندنت البريطانية الت نقلت تصريح بوتين  أن تعليقات الاخير  جاءت ردا على سؤال حول سورية خلال مأدبة عشاء مع أعضاء مجموعة فالداي للمتخصصين الدوليين الروس.وحذر بوتين من أن أي إجراء ضد سورية من شأنه أن يتسبب في دمار على غرار ذلك الذي لحق بليبيا، مشيرا إلى أنه سيكون غير مقبول، وأكد أنه سيكون الرئيس الذي يقاتل ضد مثل هذا القرار.

Ghufran #404

By changing the constitution and having a multiparty law and other reforms, the ‘regime’ will cease to exist in the form it is now. It may still keep many of the positive aspects of the institutions while eliminating others. There is no question about it.
I just hope it is given the time to metamorphose itself into a full fledge democracy with new faces and new leadership and save the country from the chaotic future the divided and confused opposition would bring it to.

Egypt
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/13/egypt-protesters-clashes-security-forces

Bronco

“I think it all depends on the outcome of the meeting on Tuesday 15 november of the AL with the opposition where they would ask them to agree on the dialog with Bashar al Assad government, despite their previous refusal.”

Moreover, I don’t think that the meeting on Tuesday between the AL and the opposition is meant to ask them to agree to dialogue with Bashar government despite their previous refusal, but rather to discuss mechanisms for transition.  I think the AL would never bring up dialogue again until Bashar unilaterally pulls all armed forces and completely stops the killings for at least a week or two, a condition everyone knows Bashar is incapable of doing.

It is a matter of time until you believe that I have the sixth sense.   

The regime is extremely nervous worried,confused,he realized that military confrontation is imminent,in his mind the fate of Gaddafi,he is begging for a summit,but who will go, none except the lebanese president,he does not realize that he lost his friends, bashar blood sugar must be way high,in the past I said Bashar is extremely slow,he proved it lately,bashar is like someone who missed the court,it closed, he stands outside shouting and yelling he says he wants to go inside,it is too late, the judgement was issued, what you can do is to run away,and hide, to save your life and your family, but agian he is going to be too late.

Hans #408

After the US clearly opposed the attacks on Iran and the strong sanctions that Israel has been pushing for, this is probably a threat to Obama.
The message is intended to humiliate Obama as part of a campaign to prevent him from being re-relected.
In the absence of any credible candidate, Obama has high chances to be reelected which is a nightmare for Israel. They’ll do anything to prevent that, even a small attack on an Iranian target, just to flex their muscles. With a ‘liar’ like Netanyahu anything is possible

#414 Majedalkhaldoon

What suspenseful cinema scenes, and you are describing them with such inspired talent!

Bronco,

i think that Tara is right, the opposition do not want equal access, they and their supporters in the AL want the overthrow of the government of president Assad , so all these talks are just to show that they are trying but the goal is the same, an attack on Syria, Syria should be ready for a rapid change, we should remember that the decision on Libya came suddenly after there was a feeling that nothing will happen and that Qaddafi will be able crush the rebellion.

Dark days are comming to Syria,

What made many of us less sympathetic to the idea of foreign intervention is our personal experiences not just personal convictions. I happen to know a number of Iraqis who disagree on many things but agree that Iraq was better off being left to handle its own problems than allow others to bomb their country to get a regime change.
If you are still unconvinced go and ask any Iraqi refugee in Syria.
The lesson from Iraq is clear and screaming at us,and Syrians are fully able to change their government without the help of the Ottomans,the GCC and their western friends.

Tara #413

In 4 days, we will now if you have James Van Praag’s talent or you surestimate yourself.

To Irritating,
I do not know if you can get any more pathetic than this. Now that you can not find anyone else to play macho on, you are showing your muscles against the Palestinians? What do you want from them? You are the type of person who does good expecting a payoff. I do not know what religion you are, but this does not work in any religion. And if you do not believe in religion, this is called indecency. I hope that when Syrians opened their country to the Palestinians it was not to hold them hostages and expect them not to have an opinion of their own ever again.
No one is looking suspiciously on the Palestinians living in Syria except sick people like you.

#202 Newfolder
“this is the beginning of the end of your evil murderous regime, we will have fun dismantling it …… and hanging Bashar and his cronies too ..stay tuned for more ….”

So let’s assume the regime is indeed as you describe it, and I’m not going to discuss this affirmation right now. How would you call what you’re advocating for? Your behaviour and thoughts don’t differ in any way from the regime’s murderous ones. You want to put an end to this regime by replacing in with a similarly terrific one. How is this going to be worse? In the actual case, no matter how tyrannic and monstrous the regime is, it cannot “manipulate” a portion of the population that is not a minority. The regime itself is issued from a ethnic minority, and having a larger portion of the population exerting the same behaviour would be disastrous for the minorities. No matter what degree of tyranny would the actual regime maintain, it will never be as disastrous as having a larger ethnic group holding the same behaviour. What people need to remember is that democracy isn’t obtained as a result of a democratic regime. It’s the total opposite. So before even calling for a change in the political situation in order to reach democracy, try to arrange what is most crucial to a democracy, the people that constitutes it.

However, if we look throughout history, the way emancipation had taken place to lead us to democracy isn’t as spontaneous as one might think. In Europe, or in France most specifically, the french revolution was pumped with the Lumiere’s reflections (an intellectual french movement at the last moment of the monarchy that ultimately lead to the revolution). These as still taken as reference as of today and are taught in philosophical classes in France. So the “cover” of that french revolution at the time was really attractive, and looked so favourable, and it is… but today. The current state France is in, the state of democracy it is in, wasn’t gained miraculously and directly after the revolution. Instead, this was ultimately one of the most terrific and darkest moment of the history of France, this lead to worst direct consequences than the pre-revolution state, words can’t not describe the monstrosity that had taken place. The population simply couldn’t have undergone this transition directly. Isn’t it reminiscent of something?

A saying from the famous french philosoph Hegel in french would say: “Mais ce qu’enseigne l’experience et l’histoire, c’est que les peuples et les gouvernements n’ont jamais rien appris de l’histoire, et n’ont jamais agi suivant des maximes qu’on aurait pu en tirer”.

Or: What history and experience teaches us, is that populations and governments never learned anything from history, and never reacted following maxims that could have been deducted.
If we make the analogy to Syria, basically, democracy is a state we want to reach, and the cover of the revolution seems really favourable and attractive. But that’s not what’s going to happen most certainly, and it would get worse. Will it tend to democracy afterwards, like in the case of France? Absolutely. But in the meantime, there are those terrific consequences that might happen.
However, the status quo is even less favourable, and the situation in Syria cannot remain as such forever.
Is it that hard to learn for once something from history and to evolve in the manner we react in? If revolution isn’t the right way, does it mean, there is no other way? Obviously not, everyone knows it and some were advocating for discussions. Again, now this doesn’t fulfill the expectation of many, and it has shown to be not effective at all either.

So, do we give up and lean towards the only other way we have experienced?
No, and no. I didn’t suggest and I’m not going to suggest in that post any other mean. One of the distinctive feature of human, is it capacity to innovate. Let’s try to do it for once and find an undefined path we would built to reach our goal in the best way possible, and not the easiest.

Zoo,

Israel does not have to tell the US because it is not Israel that will attack Iran,Israel can not sustain the attack that is needed to destroy the Iranian nuclear project, and if Israel attacks, Iran can easily retaliate against it and cause significant damage while if the US attacks Iran it can sustain a bombing campaign that can lasts months, Iran can not retaliate against the American land but might retaliate against the basses in the gulf and cause significant damage in these states, all for the better as these states will need western help that they will pay for to rebuild,

Bronco

I can always say ” there is a margin of error to any prediction”.

Don’t get mad and don’t tell me about creepy people who connect with a medium. I get scared. You know I am joking… I don’t have the sixth sense. The difference between you and me is that we are painfully similar.

Norman $417

Are Russia and China going to be fooled by the AL setting up a trap to Syria and disregarding the key point they have repeatedly asked: The dialog ?

Do you think Russia, China, Iran will let a civil war explode in Syria?

I still hope you and Tara are wrong as that would be a catastrophy whose importance cannot be imagined.
The anger of the pro-regime would be devastating, we have seen only a small sample on the embassies. Heavy weapons will be used.
The country will fall into a full scale civil war that the AL will have to stop by calling again for foreign intervention.

السوريون يتحدثون عن اوراق قوة كثيرة. الإجراءات الامنية تكاد تستكمل. حمص نجت بأقل خسائر ممكنة ويصار حاليا الى انهاء الوجود المسلح فيها. اللهجة الايرانية ولهجة السيد حسن نصر الله (اللتان ربما سرّعتا القرار العربي) يلقيان صدى ايجابيا كبيرا في دمشق. مسؤول سوري رفيع يقول: «سنبقي على الهدوء ولكننا سنرسل قريبا اشارات جدية على قوة سوريا وتماسكها عسكريا وسياسيا». الروس لا يزالون الى جانب الرئيس الاسد. التظاهرات المليونية التي عمت مناطق سوريا امس اريد لها ان تكون رسالة واضحة على التعاطف الشعبي مع الرئيس ورفض التدخل الخارجي. ثمة خيوط ربطت مع بعض المعارضة.
كلها اوراق مهمة، ولكن الحركة العربية والاعلامية والدولية تبقى كبيرة الاثر، وتسعى قطر حاليا ومعها دول عربية وغربية الى توحيد المعارضة كمقدمة للاعتراف بها واعتبار الأسد فاقداً للشرعية.
يقول البعض ان الازمة السورية مرشحة للتعقيد وليس للانتهاء، فثمة سنة كاملة قبل الانتخابات الاميركية ستكون مليئة بالمفاجآت، خصوصا ان قرب انتهاء الانسحاب الاميركي من العراق يفترض زيادة هائلة بالضغوط على ايران وسوريا و«حزب الله».
ولعل قطر ومعها بعض الدول العربية نجحت حتى الآن في رفع الغطاء العربي عن سوريا

سامي كليب

Sheila

“I do not know if you can get any more pathetic than this”

Yes I can, especially when I read your allusions and suspicions about my religion that tells me more about you than all the pretentious nonsense you write.

Tara #423

I share your disclaimer. I too, have moments of doubts. I want Syria to be peaceful and proud, not agitated and humiliated as it could well become with the Turks and the foreigners messing it up .

Bronco

Had you added “free”, you would have made me cry.

Today many innocent Syrians killed in Syria, their only fault that they are expressing their opinions in support of the regime even if some think that they are on the wrong side of history there is no justification of killing Syrians people. Given that the revolution is being hijacked by killers and foreign entities, therefore the terrorists on the ground have the right to shoot at them!
This is the reality of the Arabs democracy is it is one way street, no respect of other opinion or acts.
The terrorists are fighting the regime by killing the innocent Syrians, which make them no different than he regime.
News reports that many of these terrorists are not even Syrians but mercenary soldiers some are Sudanese or other African national being paid by the KSA,USA, to kill the Syrians.
It is clear that the SNC is proud of their act on the street. It is very clear to everyone out there that the Syrian army was never firing at innocent people who didn’t carry weapons, the manipulation was well explained to the Russian and Chinese earlier.
Terrorists already killed more than 1500 Syrians or more.
The bloody hands of the MB all over these acts but the traitors of SNC and other who sold their souls to the devils are proud of it.
I hear people saying that regime is killing kids!!!
don’t put your kids in a dangerous situation and they won’t be killed.
but as we know in the teaching of Islam kids are not counted given that god gives them out and takes them away whenever he will, Therefore, if they are killed they are martyrs…. and what the heck when you have a dozen or more of them who cares if few die the machine is still spitting them out or will get a second or a fourth one.
I think people can’t have their cake and eat it at the same time.
Either you risk your kids in a dangerous condition and shut up or keep them in the house and don’t bring them out where you know there is risk of them being killed.

To the Islamic revolutionists in the middle east , I think you do not know more than killing and hate. Minorities should find a deal to unify against your brutal way of life………

http://www.alraimedia.com/Article.aspx?id=309411&date=14112011
ستشارو النائب اللبناني طرحوا الأمر خصوصاً على اليهود من أنصار الدولة
العبرية

عون يسوّق لتجمّع «أقلّوي» يشمل اليهود

ارسال | حفظ | طباعة | تصغير الخط | الخط الرئيسي | تكبير الخط

| واشنطن – من حسين عبد الحسين |

«اليهود، والدروز، والمسيحيون، والعلويون، والشيعة، والكرد». هذه مكونات تحالف شرق اوسطي يسوقه مستشارو النائب اللبناني ميشال عون، من المقيمين في واشنطن وزوارها، لدى اصدقائهم من مؤيدي دولة اسرائيل من يهود واميركيين، الذين صاروا يؤمنون بصحة هذا القول. اما الاعداء، فيتراوحون بين «المتطرفين السنة الارهابيين، والسلفيين عموما، والقاعدة، وحماس، والسنة في سورية ولبنان، و(رئيس الوزراء اللبناني السابق سعد) الحريري».
مناصرو اسرائيل يشككون اليوم، كما منذ العام 2005 وابان اندلاع الثورة السورية في مارس، بجدوى سقوط النظام السوري، ويحذرون من مغبة وقوع ترسانته الصاروخية في ايد «غير امينة» قد تؤذي اسرائيل. وكما يعبر الاسرائيليون عن خوفهم من انهيار نظام الرئيس السوري بشار الاسد، كذلك يبدي بعض المسيحيين في سورية ولبنان المخاوف نفسها.
الخوف اذاً، يجمع مستشاري عون في واشنطن ومناصري اسرائيل. هذه الصداقة تمتد الى اكثر من عقد، وهي عاشت عهدها الذهبي في سبتمبر 2003، عندما زار عون العاصمة الاميركية وادلى امام الكونغرس بشهادة أيد فيها «قانون سيادة لبنان ومحاسبة سورية». هذه الصداقة العونية الاسرائيلية ما زالت مستمرة حتى اليوم، رغم دخول عون في تحالف مع « حزب الله » اللبناني ودمشق.
ونظرية مصالح الاقليات ليست مستجدة في منطقة الشرق الاوسط، فالانتداب الفرنسي قسم لبنان وسورية الى دويلات، واحدة للمسيحيين في لبنان، وواحدة للعلويين في شمال سورية، وللدروز في جنوبها، فضلا عن الدولة اليهودية برعاية انكليزية في فلسطين.
وينقل بعض الاميركيين ممن شاركوا أخيرا في لقاء مع سياسي اسرائيلي كبير قوله ان عددا لا بأس به من الضباط العلويين في سورية كانوا يعتقدون بضرورة عقد تحالف في المنطقة يجمعهم مع يهود اسرائيل ومسيحيي لبنان في السبعينات والثمانينات، وان «تل ابيب على اتصال حاليا ببعض هؤلاء الضباط السوريين لتأكيد استمرار ثبات الوضع في سورية».
ويقدم هؤلاء الاميركيين ملاحظة مفادها ان «اسرائيل وحزب الله يتفقان على بعض السياسات في المنطقة، منها ضرورة بقاء نظام الاسد».
ويقول الاميركيون، نقلا عن المسؤول الاسرائيلي، ان بلاده «ما زالت متأرجحة في موقفها من تحالفات المنطقة منذ اغتيال (رئيس حكومة لبنان السابق رفيق) الحريري» في فبراير 2005، والتي اعادت رسم التحالفات في لبنان وسورية، «فيما اسرائيل مازالت مترددة في اختيار اي من المعسكرين يخدم مصالحها اكثر». ويضيف المسؤول: «لم ينقطع الاتصال مع السوريين في ذروة حربنا الثانية مع لبنان (يوليو 2006)، وحتى في الحرب في غزة (ديسمبر 2008)، وان كان هذا الاتصال غالبا غير مباشر وعبر اصدقاء مشتركين».
ويقول اميركي ممن حضروا الاجتماعات مع الاسرائيليين: «تفضل اسرائيل التحالفات المعتدلة في الخطاب السياسي»، مضيفا «لكنها تدرك ان التحالفات المعتدلة في سورية ولبنان والعراق ومصر لا انياب لها، وتاليا هي ترى ان في مصلحتها بقاء الانظمة والمجموعات التي تعاديها علنا، ولكنها تهادنها على ارض الواقع».
وكان مسؤولون اسرائيليون ويهود اميركيون كرروا علنا مخاوفهم من نجاح الثورة المصرية في الاطاحة بالرئيس حسني مبارك ونظامه، ومن ان يؤدي غيابه الى وصول اسلاميين متطرفين الى السلطة يهددون اتفاقية السلام وامن الحدود بين البلدين.
يضيف الاميركي: «جبهة اسرائيل الشمالية مع سورية هادئة منذ 37 عاما، ومع لبنان يسود الهدوء منذ خمسة اعوام ولا مصلحة لاسرائيل في اي تغيير يطرأ على ميزان القوى من شأنه ان يعكر صفو هذا الهدوء». ويقول: «العدو المنضبط خير من الصديق الضعيف، هكذا يفكر الاسرائيليون عندما يختارون مواقفهم من اضطرابات المنطقة». ويتابع: «حتى ايران قالت إن اسرائيل واميركا ستزولان فقط ان انهار نظام الاسد، وهذا ما يعني ان العكس هو الصحيح، اي انه كلما استمر نظام الاسد في الحكم في سورية، لا اخطار على اسرائيل او الولايات المتحدة».
هذا المشهد السياسي المتداخل والمعقد لصورة التحالفات في منطقة الشرق الاوسط، والتي يصبح فيها الاعداء اصدقاء مثل اسرائيل و«حزب الله»، يصعب فهمه من صانعي السياسة الخارجية الاميركية، ومعظمهم من البيروقرطيين والاداريين من غير الملمين تماما في شؤون المنطقة. وهذا التعقيد، مع البساطة الاميركية في التعاطي معه وانشغال ابرز عقول واشنطن في شؤون دولية اخرى وداخلية اكثر الحاحا، دفع ادارة الرئيس باراك اوباما الى «تلزيم» سياستها تجاه المنطقة الى من تعتبرهم حلفاءها، تتصدرهم اسرائيل وتركيا.
ففي الموضوع الفلسطيني تفويض اميركي كامل لاسرائيل لادارة الموضوع، بما فيه رسم موقف واشنطن في المؤسسات الدولية كالامم المتحدة، وفي الموضوع السوري، تفويض لتركيا وبعض الدول الاخرى التي «تقول اكثر مما تفعل»، وفق المسؤول الاميركي.

Tara,

You can not be proud if you are not free, so cry.!!

Norman

So you agree that we were never proud? I hope you do. If so, we have come a long way and I will then cry.

“If Syria explodes, this entire region may explode.”
Isolated Damascus….
YUSUF KANLI
http://www.smh.com.au/world/israel-refuses-to-alert-us-over-iran-attack-20111113-1ndq4.html

Very much like the “Libya episode” of the “Arab Spring,” the Arab League, frustrated with its pertinent calls for moderation, a halt to use of state’s armed forces on masses demanding “democratic reforms” that would bring landmark individual and social democratic rights to the Arab streets, ruled to excommunicate the Basher al-Assad regime of Syria.
….
Yet, no one should think for one moment that Syria might be another Libya. Unlike Libya where former dictator Gadhafi had eliminated all potential “enemies” and left the country with no proper armed forces, Syria has first of all a very-well established state tradition. It has been one of the most consolidated police states of the world, has an extraordinary web of intelligence services and it has remarkable armed forces. A peaceful transition is not possible at all in Syria. As it appears, the country is heading to a bitter civil war, which might not be in the interest of the regional or global game setters, particularly of Turkey.
…..
If Syria explodes, this entire region may explode. If those who make plans with the assumption that Assad will be another Gadhafi and Syria another Libya don’t wake up from such utopias, I am afraid soon we will all start talking about an even graver situation.
Sunday, November 13, 2011

Syrian Politicians and Oppositions comment at AL Decisions
(Dp-news – Sana)
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=103018
DAMASCUS- In a statement to the United Press International, some of Syrian politicians and opposition figures criticized the Arab League decision on suspending Syria’s membership in the League.

They considered it as a start to internationalize the crisis and a declaration of war on Syria.

Head of “Building the Syrian State” Party Louai Hussein said that the AL decisions aim at internationalizing the situation in Syria, proving that it failed to perform its role and confined itself to issuing decisions.

Hussein added that inviting the Syrian opposition to hold a meeting during three days is impossible because of the different views among these sides which means that the AL intends to hold a meeting with the Syrian National Council only.
For his part, Leader of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) Dr. Ali Hayder considered the AL decisions as a declaration of war on Syria and first step towards taking it to the UN Security Council through the Arab League.

He added that the decision is a turnabout on the understanding atmospheres which prevailed earlier after Syria’s welcome of the visit of delegations and observers of the AL, accusing Qatar and Saudi Arabia of playing a key role in that.

Bronco,

I think that the civil war is underway and the AL will use that to call for a foreign intervention, will Russia and China alloy that, we have remember that the attack on Iraq was not sanctioned by the UN security council.So that is desirable but not needed.

Fiery Chavez slams West over Syria – November 14 2011

http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/fiery-chavez-slams-west-over-syria-1.1177226?showComments=true

Caracas – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez lashed out at Washington and its European allies on Sunday over the Syrian crisis, insisting they were preparing the groundwork to topple President Bashar al-Assad just like they worked to “assassinate” Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The firebrand leftist leader of one of the world’s top oil producers has been criticising Western intervention in the Middle East at least since 2000, when he showed support for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on a visit to Baghdad.

“The United States and its European allies are intensifying their offensive against Syria, infiltrating terrorists to generate violence, bloodshed and death, just like they did in Libya at the beginning of this year,” Chavez told supporters at a rally in downtown Caracas.

“They managed with bombs not only to topple the Libyan government but to destroy that country and assassinate Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.. and now they are taking aim at Syria,” said Chavez.

The bald Venezuelan leader, 57, who spoke for about an hour at his first open-air public rally since he had surgery in June to remove a malignant tumour, also decried the Arab League’s decision “against the government of Syria”.

On Saturday the Arab League announced Syria’s imminent suspension, drawing international praise but sparking mob attacks on foreign embassies in Damascus.

Chavez had earlier referred to Assad and the late Libyan leader as “brothers”.

Since March Assad’s regime has been trying to suppress a popular revolt, in which more than 3 500 people have been killed, according to UN figures.

In October, the foreign ministers of Venezuela and Cuba led a delegation of leftist Latin American countries to Syria to meet with Assad in a show of support.

After several rounds of chemotherapy, mostly in Cuba, Chavez claimed last month that he was cancer-free. – AFP

Tara,

We were proud of some things and not proud of others, having one party system with all the corruption that comes with it is not something to be proud of but supporting Arab and Palestinian rights are.

The following is what the regime thinks. Some people on this board argue that what the regime thinks is erroneous. But they can’t argue that this is not what the regime thinks.

23 Aug 2011: President al-Assad said “The Syrian people have always come out of crises stronger… and it is natural that this crisis as any other crisis will give them more strength.” http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/08/23/pr-365292.htm

13 Sep 2011: Syria’s Ambassador to the Arab League, Youssef Ahmad, said that Syria will come out of the current crisis stronger. http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/09/14/369266.htm

14 Sep 2011: Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Fayssal Mikdad, said “Syria will overcome the crisis stronger.” http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/09/15/369378.htm

25 Sep 2011: Syria’s Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem, said that Syria will come out of the crisis stronger. http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/09/25/371360.htm

24 Oct 2011: Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army, General Fahd Jassem al-Freij, said Syria will emerge from this year’s crisis stronger. He stressed the Syrian people’s standing by their armed forces in confronting the armed terrorist groups. http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/24/377161.htm

23 Oct 2011: Syria’s Interior Minister, Mohammad al-Shaar, said Syria will emerge from the crisis much stronger, thanks to the Syrian people, their commitment to national unity and their support for the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad. http://sana.sy/eng/21/2011/10/21/376943.htm, http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2011/10/21/376868.htm

8 Nov 2011: Syria’s Interior Minister, Mohammad al-Shaar, briefed police officers on the events taking place in Syria, affirming that Syria will go through with the reform program and restore security and stability, emerging from the crisis stronger than ever thanks to the awareness of the Syrian people and their rallying around President Bashar al-Assad. http://sana.sy/eng/21/2011/11/08/380558.htm

ضابط مرافق للأسعد يكشف لـ”الحقيقة”عن لقاءات بين
رئيسه و ممثلي”المجلس الوطني” وضباط أميركيين

الضابط يؤكد أن “المجلس الوطني” وجه “الجيش الحر” بجمع المعلومات المتعلقة بالمواقع الاستراتيجية واستهداف بعضها المدني والعسكري

استانبول ، الحقيقة ( خاص من نادرة مطر + مكتب التحرير): أكدت مصادر متطابقة ، سورية معارضة وتركية ، حصول عدد من اللقاءات في الآونة الأخيرة بين العقيد السوري المنشق رياض الأسعد قائد ما يسمى ” الجيش السوري الحر” و ممثلين عن “المجلس الوطني السوري” الذي أنشأته وترعاه الحكومة التركية وحلفاؤها الغربيون. وبحسب ضابط برتبة نقيب مرافق للعقيد الأسعد تحدث إلى “الحقيقة” في استانبول ، بشرط عدم الإشارة لاسمه لأسباب أمنية ، فإن اللقاءات بين العقيد الأسعد وممثلين عن”المجلس الوطني” عقدت خلال الشهر الماضي وهذا الشهر ، وشملت الدكتور برهان غليون والمراقب العام لجماعة الأخوان المسلمين ونائبه فاروق طيفور، المقيمين في إستانبول منذ عدة أشهر. وأكد الضابط أن عددا من هذه اللقاءات “جرى بمعرفة مسؤولين في الخارجية التركية وفي جهاز المخابرات العامة وليس المخابرات العسكرية ، الذين حضر بعضهم عددا من هذه اللقاءات”. وكشف الضابط أن العقيد الأسعد التقى نائب” ملحق العمليات والملحق الجوي ” في الملحقية العسكرية الأميركية في تركيا ، الكولونيل رالف هانسن Ralph Hansen ، بحضور الملحق العسكري الكولونيل دين كاتسيانيز Dean Katsiyiannis ، بينما “رفض كبير ملحقية الدفاع في السفارة ، الميجر جنرال ستانلي كلارك ، وهو أعلى سلطة عسكرية أميركية في أنقرا ، لقاء الأسعد رغم المحاولات المتكررة التي بذلها هذا الأخير على هذا الصعيد”!؟ وقال الضابط إن أحد اللقاءات كان بين الأسعد و ملحق البحرية في السفارة الأميركية ، العقيد بيتر كاتالانو Peter Catalano، الذي طلب منه” إمكانية جمع معلومات عن أماكن نصب بطاريات صواريخ ياخونت (المضادة للسفن البحرية) التي حصلت عليها سوريا من روسيا مؤخرا ، ومعلومات عن قاعدة مينة البيضا البحرية شمال اللاذقية ومستودعات القوى البحرية في التلال الواقعة إلى الشرق من مدينة طرطوس السورية”!؟

وبخصوص لقاءات العقيد الأسعد مع أعضاء “المجلس الوطني” ، أكد الضابط أكد أن اللقاءات تناولت ثلاث نقاط أساسية :

أولا ـ بحث إمكانية انضمام الأسعد إلى “المكتب التنفيذي للمجلس الوطني” بصفة “رئيس المكتب العسكري”. إلا أن غليون وبعض أعضاء “المكتب التنفيذي” من مجموعته عارضوا هذه الفكرة ، معتبرين أن الأمر ” ليس مناسبا على الأقل في الوقت الراهن ، لأنه سيظهرنا أمام الشارع السوري كما لو أننا نتبنى خيارا عسكريا فيما نحن نتحدث عن ثورة سلمية. وهذا يمكن أن يكون في مرحلة لاحقة بعد أن ينال المجلس اعترافا من الجهات الدولية المعنية وتتخذ تدابير عسكرية ضد النظام السوري” . وبحسب الضابط ، فإن غليون “طرح خيارا ثالثا يقوم على استكمال البنى التحتية والتنظيمية للجيش السوري الحر داخل الأراضي السورية وعلى الأراضي التركية ، وفتح باب التطوع للمدنيين وتدريبهم ، بحيث يكون جاهزا للعمل تحت راية المجلس عندما تقرر الأمم المتحدة فرض حظر جوي و / أو تدخل عسكري في سوريا”. إلا أن عددا من أعضاء المجلس ، وبشكل خاص الأخوان المسلمين وليبراليين آخرين ممن يسمون “مجموعة واشنطن في المجلس” ، والكلام لم يزل للضابط ، اتخذوا قرارا بالتعاون مع “الجيش الحر” وإن بشكل غير رسمي ، بما في ذلك تقديم المساعدات المالية واللوجستية له عبر القناة القطرية . ويقول الضابط بهذا الخصوص” إن الأخوان المسلمين رتبوا لهذا الغرض ثلاث زيارات للعقيد الأسعد إلى كل من قطر والسعودية والأردن ، وسيقوم بها خلال هذا الشهر”.

ثانيا ـ إعداد “بنك معلومات” عن بعض الأهداف الاستراتيجية المدنية والعسكرية التي يمكن أن يستهدفها أي تدخل عسكري دولي في مرحلة لاحقة ، بما في ذلك أكبر عدد ممكن من أسماء الضباط العاملين فيها ، وبشكل خاص القواعد الجوية والدفاع الجوي ، وعقد الاتصالات التابعة لإدارة الحرب الإلكترونية في الجيش السوري ، ومنصات صواريخ أرض ـ أرض في المنطقة الشمالية ، ومصانع مؤسسة معامل الدفاع في حماة وحلب ، ومراكز البحوث العلمية التابعة لوزارة الدفاع في دمشق وريف حماة وحلب ، ومستودعات وخزانات الوقود في المحافظات السورية ، و مخازن ” هيئة الإمداد والتموين” في الجيش السوري.

ثالثا ـ العمل على نسف وتدمير عدد من الأهداف المشار إليها خلال المرحلة القادمة ، وبشكل خاص مستودعات وبرادات” هيئة الأمداد والتموين” و مستودعات الوقود ، لاسيما الديزل ( المازوت) ، بالنظر لأن الدبابات والمدرعات تعتمد على هذا الوقود ، فضلا عن أن استهدافها سيزيد من أزمة وقود الديزل خلال فصل الشتاء ، ويعمل على تأجيج غضب الشارع السوري ضد السلطات السورية. كما أن استهداف مستودعات ” هيئة الإمداد والتموين” وبراداتها من شأنه أن يسبب أزمة في إمداد العسكريين المنتشرين في المحافظات بالمواد الغذائية الضرورية ، وهو ما من شأنه زيادة الاحتقان في صفوفهم ودفعهم إلى التمرد.

على صعيد متصل ، أكد المصور الصحفي الخاص بالصحفية البريطانية “جين كوربين” ، التي سبق لها أن التقت رياض الأسعد في أيلول / سبتمبر الماضي في سياق إعدادها فيلما وثائقيا عن الانتفاضة السورية ، أن كوربين وفريقها الصحفي التقوا الأسعد شمال الأردن ، لكنه رفض تحديد المكان بدقة. وقال المصور في اتصال مع”الحقيقة” من لندن إنها ” التقت الأسعد في شقة تابعة لضابط في المخابرات الأردنية شمال الأردن ، وإن اللقاء جرى بتنسيق مسبق مع قيادي في جماعة الأخوان المسلمين السورية بلندن ، ومع السلطات الأردنية”. وقال المصور” بحسب ما فهمنا من العقيد الأسعد ، فإنه دخل محافظة درعا ( جنوب سوريا) مرة واحدة على الأقل ، وأشرف على نصب العديد من الكمائن هناك للجيش السوري بمساعدة السكان المحليين”!

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(*) ـ ملاحظة من هيئة التحرير : تمكن ” هاكر” بلجيكي من الدخول إلى الكومبيوتر الشخصي للعقيد رياض الأسعد والحصول على مجموعة قيمة من المعلومات والصور التي التقطها بنفسه أو كلف آخرين بالحصول عليها من سوريا ، وهي تتعلق بمنشآت عسكرية مختلفة . وقد حصلت ” الحقيقة” على هذه المعلومات والصور ، وستقوم بنشرها فور التأكد من دقتها وأماكنها وما تمثله ، بالنظر لأنها لم تعد “سرا عسكريا” بعد أن قام الأسعد بنقلها لجهات تركية والملحقية العسكرية الأميركية في أنقرا ، وفق ما أكده الضابط المرافق له.

http://www.syriatruth.org/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%80%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9/tabid/93/Article/5878/Default.aspx

ضابط مرافق للأسعد يكشف لـ”الحقيقة”عن لقاءات بين
رئيسه و ممثلي”المجلس الوطني” وضباط أميركيين

الضابط يؤكد أن “المجلس الوطني” وجه “الجيش الحر” بجمع المعلومات المتعلقة بالمواقع الاستراتيجية واستهداف بعضها المدني والعسكري

استانبول ، الحقيقة ( خاص من نادرة مطر + مكتب التحرير): أكدت مصادر متطابقة ، سورية معارضة وتركية ، حصول عدد من اللقاءات في الآونة الأخيرة بين العقيد السوري المنشق رياض الأسعد قائد ما يسمى ” الجيش السوري الحر” و ممثلين عن “المجلس الوطني السوري” الذي أنشأته وترعاه الحكومة التركية وحلفاؤها الغربيون. وبحسب ضابط برتبة نقيب مرافق للعقيد الأسعد تحدث إلى “الحقيقة” في استانبول ، بشرط عدم الإشارة لاسمه لأسباب أمنية ، فإن اللقاءات بين العقيد الأسعد وممثلين عن”المجلس الوطني” عقدت خلال الشهر الماضي وهذا الشهر ، وشملت الدكتور برهان غليون والمراقب العام لجماعة الأخوان المسلمين ونائبه فاروق طيفور، المقيمين في إستانبول منذ عدة أشهر. وأكد الضابط أن عددا من هذه اللقاءات “جرى بمعرفة مسؤولين في الخارجية التركية وفي جهاز المخابرات العامة وليس المخابرات العسكرية ، الذين حضر بعضهم عددا من هذه اللقاءات”. وكشف الضابط أن العقيد الأسعد التقى نائب” ملحق العمليات والملحق الجوي ” في الملحقية العسكرية الأميركية في تركيا ، الكولونيل رالف هانسن Ralph Hansen ، بحضور الملحق العسكري الكولونيل دين كاتسيانيز Dean Katsiyiannis ، بينما “رفض كبير ملحقية الدفاع في السفارة ، الميجر جنرال ستانلي كلارك ، وهو أعلى سلطة عسكرية أميركية في أنقرا ، لقاء الأسعد رغم المحاولات المتكررة التي بذلها هذا الأخير على هذا الصعيد”!؟ وقال الضابط إن أحد اللقاءات كان بين الأسعد و ملحق البحرية في السفارة الأميركية ، العقيد بيتر كاتالانو Peter Catalano، الذي طلب منه” إمكانية جمع معلومات عن أماكن نصب بطاريات صواريخ ياخونت (المضادة للسفن البحرية) التي حصلت عليها سوريا من روسيا مؤخرا ، ومعلومات عن قاعدة مينة البيضا البحرية شمال اللاذقية ومستودعات القوى البحرية في التلال الواقعة إلى الشرق من مدينة طرطوس السورية”!؟

وبخصوص لقاءات العقيد الأسعد مع أعضاء “المجلس الوطني” ، أكد الضابط أكد أن اللقاءات تناولت ثلاث نقاط أساسية :

أولا ـ بحث إمكانية انضمام الأسعد إلى “المكتب التنفيذي للمجلس الوطني” بصفة “رئيس المكتب العسكري”. إلا أن غليون وبعض أعضاء “المكتب التنفيذي” من مجموعته عارضوا هذه الفكرة ، معتبرين أن الأمر ” ليس مناسبا على الأقل في الوقت الراهن ، لأنه سيظهرنا أمام الشارع السوري كما لو أننا نتبنى خيارا عسكريا فيما نحن نتحدث عن ثورة سلمية. وهذا يمكن أن يكون في مرحلة لاحقة بعد أن ينال المجلس اعترافا من الجهات الدولية المعنية وتتخذ تدابير عسكرية ضد النظام السوري” . وبحسب الضابط ، فإن غليون “طرح خيارا ثالثا يقوم على استكمال البنى التحتية والتنظيمية للجيش السوري الحر داخل الأراضي السورية وعلى الأراضي التركية ، وفتح باب التطوع للمدنيين وتدريبهم ، بحيث يكون جاهزا للعمل تحت راية المجلس عندما تقرر الأمم المتحدة فرض حظر جوي و / أو تدخل عسكري في سوريا”. إلا أن عددا من أعضاء المجلس ، وبشكل خاص الأخوان المسلمين وليبراليين آخرين ممن يسمون “مجموعة واشنطن في المجلس” ، والكلام لم يزل للضابط ، اتخذوا قرارا بالتعاون مع “الجيش الحر” وإن بشكل غير رسمي ، بما في ذلك تقديم المساعدات المالية واللوجستية له عبر القناة القطرية . ويقول الضابط بهذا الخصوص” إن الأخوان المسلمين رتبوا لهذا الغرض ثلاث زيارات للعقيد الأسعد إلى كل من قطر والسعودية والأردن ، وسيقوم بها خلال هذا الشهر”.

ثانيا ـ إعداد “بنك معلومات” عن بعض الأهداف الاستراتيجية المدنية والعسكرية التي يمكن أن يستهدفها أي تدخل عسكري دولي في مرحلة لاحقة ، بما في ذلك أكبر عدد ممكن من أسماء الضباط العاملين فيها ، وبشكل خاص القواعد الجوية والدفاع الجوي ، وعقد الاتصالات التابعة لإدارة الحرب الإلكترونية في الجيش السوري ، ومنصات صواريخ أرض ـ أرض في المنطقة الشمالية ، ومصانع مؤسسة معامل الدفاع في حماة وحلب ، ومراكز البحوث العلمية التابعة لوزارة الدفاع في دمشق وريف حماة وحلب ، ومستودعات وخزانات الوقود في المحافظات السورية ، و مخازن ” هيئة الإمداد والتموين” في الجيش السوري.

ثالثا ـ العمل على نسف وتدمير عدد من الأهداف المشار إليها خلال المرحلة القادمة ، وبشكل خاص مستودعات وبرادات” هيئة الأمداد والتموين” و مستودعات الوقود ، لاسيما الديزل ( المازوت) ، بالنظر لأن الدبابات والمدرعات تعتمد على هذا الوقود ، فضلا عن أن استهدافها سيزيد من أزمة وقود الديزل خلال فصل الشتاء ، ويعمل على تأجيج غضب الشارع السوري ضد السلطات السورية. كما أن استهداف مستودعات ” هيئة الإمداد والتموين” وبراداتها من شأنه أن يسبب أزمة في إمداد العسكريين المنتشرين في المحافظات بالمواد الغذائية الضرورية ، وهو ما من شأنه زيادة الاحتقان في صفوفهم ودفعهم إلى التمرد.

على صعيد متصل ، أكد المصور الصحفي الخاص بالصحفية البريطانية “جين كوربين” ، التي سبق لها أن التقت رياض الأسعد في أيلول / سبتمبر الماضي في سياق إعدادها فيلما وثائقيا عن الانتفاضة السورية ، أن كوربين وفريقها الصحفي التقوا الأسعد شمال الأردن ، لكنه رفض تحديد المكان بدقة. وقال المصور في اتصال مع”الحقيقة” من لندن إنها ” التقت الأسعد في شقة تابعة لضابط في المخابرات الأردنية شمال الأردن ، وإن اللقاء جرى بتنسيق مسبق مع قيادي في جماعة الأخوان المسلمين السورية بلندن ، ومع السلطات الأردنية”. وقال المصور” بحسب ما فهمنا من العقيد الأسعد ، فإنه دخل محافظة درعا ( جنوب سوريا) مرة واحدة على الأقل ، وأشرف على نصب العديد من الكمائن هناك للجيش السوري بمساعدة السكان المحليين”!

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(*) ـ ملاحظة من هيئة التحرير : تمكن ” هاكر” بلجيكي من الدخول إلى الكومبيوتر الشخصي للعقيد رياض الأسعد والحصول على مجموعة قيمة من المعلومات والصور التي التقطها بنفسه أو كلف آخرين بالحصول عليها من سوريا ، وهي تتعلق بمنشآت عسكرية مختلفة . وقد حصلت ” الحقيقة” على هذه المعلومات والصور ، وستقوم بنشرها فور التأكد من دقتها وأماكنها وما تمثله ، بالنظر لأنها لم تعد “سرا عسكريا” بعد أن قام الأسعد بنقلها لجهات تركية والملحقية العسكرية الأميركية في أنقرا ، وفق ما أكده الضابط المرافق له.

http://www.syriatruth.org/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%80%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9/tabid/93/Article/5878/Default.aspx

منقول
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عاجل / روسيا تبلغ الجامعة العربية برفضها لتدويل الملف السوري وبأنها ستستخدم الفيتو في حال قامت الجامعة برفعه لمجلس الأمن
وصرح وزير الخارجية الروسي: موقفنا من الأحداث في سورية موقف مبدأي لا يحتمل التأويل أو التغيير, أمن دمشق هو جزء من أمن موسكو, وأي قرار خارج مجلس الأمن الدولي وخارج عن الشرعية الدولية, ويخرق الفيتو الروسي سيكون قرار كارثياً بكل ما تعني الكلمة من معنى, روسيا اليوم ليست روسيا البارحة

363. Dear Ghufran, you said: “ Denying that the regime still has support inside Syria may sooth the sour feelings of many but it does not bring us any closer to a solution. Those regime supporters who are not clearly indicated in killing civilians must be included in any future political dialogue and so does the army. Those people are Syrian too and not every regime supporter is a criminal that must be jailed or excluded from talks about a regime change”

Supporters of the regime, irrespective of religion/ideology or ethnicity share various degrees of responsibility for ongoing crimes against civilians.

Those found to be suspected to have had physically participated in ordering, organizing, facilitating, and executing crimes against civilians, and their properties shall have a fair chance to defend themselves before independent, and internationally observed civil court of justice. If indicted they shall never be qualified to hold a public post or be employed in public sector.

Those found to have had freely and publically morally supported the regime while being aware of their ongoing crimes against civilians shall be liable for acting as accomplices to such crimes.
The argument is that it would be logical and probable to assume that their support may have been misconstrued by the regime as an approval and legitimizing of their crackdown, resulting in prolonging civilians plight and causing more and potentially avoidable loss of lives.
Such supporters would have to clear their record in civil courts of justice before becoming eligible to hold any public position.
If indicted, they shall never be qualified to hold a public post or be employed in public sector.

Regime campers who present credible reasons for acquiescing to the regime, such as for fear for their lives or living, yet did not proactively support them, shall have no problem carrying on with their lives as before.

341. NORMAN said:

“Shami,Tara, Bronco,

We said the same thing about Israel, you might be too young to remember, but the Arabs thought that they can spit and drown the Jews, and that Israel can not survive between all these Arabs, look where we are now, Israel is the most advanced in the Mideast and we are fighting each other.”

Dear Norman, the Arabs have more important things to do like, well we need to settle on what is the proper length of the beard to get to heaven. The Salafi and Saudi Sheikhs say a man’s beard should be as long as possible like caliph Omar’s (your hero).

The Shia Sheikhs on the other hand, say it should not be longer than what you can grab with your hand. There are millions of Arab men who are at risk if the issue is not settled. This is especially important as we still do not know what pleases Allah so that the one sect in 73 gets in. So who cares about semiconductors, microelectronics, Gene therapy, IT etc etc.

See Tara, you asked why the Shias have smallish beards some weeks ago and now you know the answer. I do all this research and provide information for you and you still accuse me of being Islamophobe.

الاشتباك القطري السوري يشرِّع التدخل الدولي
الأسد للشيخ حمد: «هل جئت بإملاءات أميركية؟

سامي كليب
يروي دبلوماسي عربي في القاهرة أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد اتهم رئيس وزراء قطر الشيخ حمد بن جبر آل ثاني بأنه ينفذ «إملاءات أميركية»، وقال له «أنا أحمي شعبي بالجيش أما أنت فتحميه بالقواعد الأميركية الموجودة على أرضكم»، مضيفاً «لو أنكم جئتم الى دمشق كوفد لجامعة الدول العربية فأهلاً بكم، أما إذا كنتم موفدين من قبل الاميركيين فمن الأفضل ألا نناقش شيئاً».
جرى ذلك في خلال استقبال الاسد لوفد الجامعة العربية في 26 تشرين الاول الماضي، فتشنجت الأجواء قليلا، وردّ المسؤول القطري قائلا «لو كنت أميركياً فسوف ألتزم الصمت» فرد الأسد قائلاً «أنت قطري ولكنك تنفذ إملاءات اميركية»، وبالفعل التزم الشيخ حمد الصمت ثم راحت الأجواء تترطب شيئاً فشيئاً وانتهى اللقاء بخطة عربية لإنهاء الأزمة السورية.
كانت دمشق تشعر منذ البداية بأن في التحرك العربي دوراً قطرياً «مشبوهاً»، وفق تعبير مسؤول سوري، وسعت للالتفاف عليه من خلال القبول بالمبادرة العربية، رغم أن بعض بنودها كانت تعتبر «خرقاً للسيادة السورية». ولوحظ انه بعد الرفض العلني الذي عبر عنه سفير سوريا في القاهرة يوسف احمد لتلك المبادرة في حينه، عادت دمشق تفتح أبوابها للجنة، لا بل وتقبل بأن يكون الشيخ حمد هو رئيس الوفد الزائر.
وقد «جاهد» وزير الخارجية السوري وليد المعلم في خلال استقبال الأسد للوفد العربي لتعديل بعض بنود المبادرة العربية، ذلك ان المسؤول القطري كان يوحي لمضيفيه بأنه لا يقبل أي تعديل على بنود سحب الجيش تماماً، كما لم يقبل أي استخدام لعبارة «ارهاب»، وكاد ألا يقبل ان يصار الى تسمية المسلحين في الشوارع.
ويروي الدبلوماسي العربي في القاهرة، ان اللقاء الاول بين وفد الجامعة العربية والأسد تخللته بعض اللقطات المضحكة، ومنها مثلا حين أخرج نائب الأمين العام للجامعة احمد بن حلي مبادرة الجامعة وراح يقرأها على مسمع الحاضرين، فصرخ به الشيخ حمد قائلاً «ليست هذه هي المبادرة التي نريدها وإنما الثانية»، وراح بن حلي يبحث في جيوبه عن النص الثاني ولم يجده، فضحك الأسد وضيوفه.
تعددت آنذاك نصوص المبادرة، واستقر الرأي على تلك التي دعت الى سحب «المسلحين» من الشوارع، بمعنى ان العرب اعترفوا بوجود مسلحين غير الجيش الرسمي. وجرى اتفاق ضمني على ان تكون جلسة الحوار الأولى بين وفد السلطة والمعارضة في قاعات الجامعة العربية بالقاهرة.
يقول السوريون إنهم شعروا بـ«أن فخاً كان ينصب»، ولكن العلاقة القوية مع موسكو فرضت قبولا بشروط عربية لم تكن دمشق لترتضيها في ظروف أخرى. كان لا بد للقيادة السورية من بعث رسالة واضحة لموسكو مفادها ان هذه القيادة منفتحة على الحوار وعلى كل المبادرات العربية، فهذا وحده كفيل بتقوية دعائم الموقف الروسي في مجلس الأمن بغية الوقوف في وجه المساعي الاميركية والفرنسية والأوروبية لاتخاذ مواقف صارمة او لتشريع التدخل الدولي.
كان بند «سحب المسلحين» هو الأكثر خطورة على القيادة السورية، فكيف لها ان تسحب الجيش من مناطق باتت مسرحاً لحرب أهلية على غرار حمص. قال الشيخ حمد «لا بد من سحب الجيش ووقف قتل المتظاهرين»، رد الأسد عليه بالقول «إن الجيش لا يقتل المتظاهرين وإنما يلاحق الإرهابيين والمسلحين، ولو كان لديك حل لهؤلاء تفضل وقدمه لنا».
يقول السوريون إنهم شعروا منذ ذاك اللقاء بأن قطر تستكمل هجومها على سوريا، الذي كانت بدأته عبر قناة «الجزيرة» وعبر التحرك حيال المعارضة والإخوان المسلمين وبالتعاون مع عواصم قرار غربية. وأن ذلك كان واضحاً في لقاء اللجنة العربية مع الأسد، فالضغط القطري على الوزير السوداني مثلا دفع بهذا الأخير الى حد القول في حضور الأسد: «إن التفاوض مع الغرب هو الطريق الأسلم للخروج من ازماتنا»، فقال احد اعضاء الوفد السوري «إن التفاوض أدى الى اقتطاع جنوب السودان ورفع الأعلام الإسرائيلية فيه».
ويروي الدبلوماسي العربي في القاهرة ان دمشق شعرت ايضاً بأن الامين العام للجامعة العربية بات خاضعاً للضغط القطري، فحين تحدث مثلا نبيل العربي امام الأسد عن «وقف العنف من قبل كل الاطراف»، نظر اليه الشيخ حمد بشيء من التنبيه والتحذير فكاد يتراجع، وحينها تدخل وليد المعلم ليقول له «ولو! اهكذا تتراجع بسرعة»، فما كان من العربي إلا أن عاد وأكد على موقفه.
وفي خلال الأيام العشرة التي تلت الاعلان عن المبادرة العربية، بعث وليد المعلم برسائل كثيرة الى الجامعة العربية يبلغها فيها بما تم تنفيذه من بنود المبادرة، فقد تم سحب الجيش من كثير من المناطق، واستبدل برجال شرطة وأمن داخلي، وتم قبول مجيء صحافيين عرب وأجانب، وأطلق سراح دفعة اولى من المعتقلين، وتم الإعلان عن العفو عمن يسلم سلاحه شرط ألا تكون يداه ملطخة بالدماء.
اعتقدت القيادة السورية ان ذلك سيسمح بتبريد الأجواء ولكنها بقيت حذرة جداً من التحرك القطري. كانت بعض اطراف المعارضة وخصوصاً في هيئة التنسيق تتقبل الاشارات، وترسل ببعض الإيحاءات الإيجابية لجهة استئناف الحوار او الشروع بحوار عميق، وتردد كلام عن تبادل عروض بشأن المستقبل السياسي ومستقبل المشاركة في السلطة.
تم إرسال مضمون كل ذلك الى موسكو، وتبين ان الادارة الروسية حرصت على تشجيع المبادرة العربية وقالت كلاماً إيجابياً بشأن التجاوب السوري، وتردد ان موسكو بعثت برسالة الى الجامعة العربية تنصح فيها بالتروي وبعدم اتخاذ مواقف متشنجة حيال القيادة السورية، ونصحت كذلك بتشجيع الرئيس بشار الأسد على المضي قدماً في قبول المبادرة والانفتاح على الإصلاح.