The Islamist mess in Damascus

(Guest post by Aron Lund)

In the last post, Noah Bonsey had some very interesting remarks about the Syria Liberation Front (jabhat tahrir souriya), which is not just a very large alliance, but also pretty much the new mainstream face of the insurgency. It’s certainly more important than any of the rival leaderships of the Free Syrian Army (Riad el-Asaad, Mustafa el-Sheikh, Qasem Saadeddine, etc), although given the media focus, one could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. The problem is that while the FSA factions have leaders but no fighters, the Syria Liberation Front has a lot of fighters but no real leadership. It seems to be more of a political platform than an actual alliance, and the member factions go about their business much as they did before joining it. Of course, that could change with time.

As far as I can tell, however, it’s not true that the large Damascus insurgent alliance Tajammou Ansar al-Islam fi Qalb al-Sham (“The Gathering of Islam’s Supporters in the Heart of al-Sham”) is a member faction in the Syria Liberation Front. The Tajammou was originally formed by seven Damascus factions in August 2012: Liwa el-Islam, Kataeb el-Sahaba, Liwa el-Furqan, Liwa Ahfad el-Rasoul, Kataeb Der’ el-Sham, Liwa el-Habib Mustafa, and Katibat Hamza bin Abdelmuttalib.

I also thought that the Tajammou had joined the Syrian Liberation Front. What appears to have happened is that Zahran Alloush, the self-styled salafi sheikh who leads Liwa al-Islam, signed up for Syria Liberation Front membership on behalf of the Tajammou, only to find that this was opposed by other members. As far as I can tell, only Liwa al-Islam actually went into the Syria Liberation Front. The others remained separate from it.

Liwa al-Islam is one of the best known factions in Damascus, and appears to be quite large and active. It’s the group that took credit for the July 2012 bombing that killed Assef Shawkat, Daoud Rajha and the other regime leaders. It’s ideologically salafi, or at least likes to present itself that way, and has its strongest base in Douma in north-east Damascus, although there are affiliate factions elsewhere in the capital, and scattered through some other Syrian governorates. (It may have been quite badly mauled in the recent Douma fighting.)

About two months ago, the Tajammou seemed to split. Liwa al-Islam and Alloush were kicked out by the new Tajammou supremo, Abu Moadh al-Agha, and there were some exchanges of angry statements.

Another charter member, Katibat Hamza bin Abdelmuttaleb, which was based in Zabadani, close to the Lebanese border, was also edged out by Agha, and left the Tajammou. It instead joined the more hardline salafi Syrian Islamic Front (el-jabha el-islamiya el-souriya), which was formed in December by the Ahrar al-Sham network and its allies. It then absorbed a couple of other Damascus salafi factions and restyled itself Kataeb Hamza bin Abdelmuttaleb, and now claims to be active far beyond Zabadani.

So, unless something just happened to reverse these developments — which is possible, but in that case I’ve missed it — the current situation is that you have no strong Islamist alliance in the Damascus region, but several small ones, scattered all over the city map:

  • The Syria Liberation Front, which in Damascus consists of Liwa el-Islam and its allies.
  • The Syrian Islamic Front, which is Kataeb Hamza and its allies, most notably the Damascus-region affiliates of Ahrar al-Sham.
  • Tajammou Ansar al-Islam, which is Kataeb el-Sahaba, Liwa el-Furqan, Liwa Ahfad el-Rasoul, and some others.
  • Jabhat el-Nosra.
  • Jabhat el-Asala wal-Tanmiya (“The Authenticity & Growth Front”), which is a smaller pseudo-salafi alliance.
  • Groups loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood.
  • Plus a whole bunch of smaller, indepdendent Islamist factions.

And then of course, there are lots of non-Islamist groups, which don’t appear to be much better organzied.

In other words: the Damascus insurgency is growing and will eventually overpower the prevailing order, but organizationally, it’s a total mess. These movements all seem to be cooperating pretty well on the ground – rebel infighting is surprisingly rare in Syria so far, which I think is one of few encouraging signs. But they are likely to become more competitive as time passes, resources become scarce, and the power vacuum grows. In Aleppo it’s already turning into a battle for the spoils, and when the local regime forces are forced out entirely, we’re likely to see some serious turf wars.

Of the Syrian Islamist alliances in general, I think the recently created Syrian Islamic Front is the thing currently most worth watching. Unlike the Liberation Front, they’ve managed to agree on a clearly defined ideology, and some member factions are already merging their forces and leaderships, as opposed to merely conducting joint operations.

On the other hand, the Liberation Front factions may win out because of superior backing, if they receive Western and Gulf aid in a way that the Islamic Front doesn’t. The Brotherhood is also aligned with the Gulf- and Western-backed Antalya military command, like the Liberation Front. Its a disciplined group, and much more pragmatic and sophisticated than any of the salafi formations, but they still suffer from a pretty thin presence on the ground.

I’m just finishing a long report on militant salafism in Syria and the Syrian Islamic Front, for the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, as a follow-up to my August 2012 report on Syria’s Islamist and jihadi factions. It should be out in a week or two – I will post a link here then.

Aron Lund

Comments (381)


 

zoo said:

How it really started in Deraa: out of teenage boredom…

A Faceless Teenage Refugee Who Helped Ignite Syria’s War

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/09/world/middleeast/a-faceless-teenage-refugee-who-helped-ignite-syrias-war.html

But this young man carries a burden — maybe an honor, too — that almost no one else shares.

He knows that he and his friends helped start it all. They ignited an uprising.

It began simply enough, inspired not so much by political activism as by teenage rebellion against authority, and boredom. He watched his cousin spray-paint the wall of a school in the city of Dara’a with a short, impish challenge to President Bashar al-Assad, a trained ophthalmologist, about the spreading national revolts.

February 9th, 2013, 7:18 am

 

StigP in Sweden said:

Aron Lund,
I live in Sweden. I am just reading your book The Dream of Damascus. How do I do to follow you on Facebook, blog or anything else. I don’t use or have Twitter.
I have followed the Libyan conflict since day 1, and I have also followed Syrian conflict from day 1.

Regards from
Stig-Åke Persson
Halland
Sweden

February 9th, 2013, 7:38 am

 

Hanzala said:

What is Salafism? How do you know who is Salafist and who is not? Did someone ask them? What do Salafists do differently than “normal” Muslims? Do Salafist militias only accept Salafists into their ranks? What makes Salafists different than a Muslim who is not a Salafist? If both of them are fighting for religion there is no difference, sometimes I think these writers don’t even know what Salafist means. It’s nonsense.

The only difference is that “Salafis” prefer not to adhere to one school of thought (Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafii and Maliki) they rather use rulings from all schools of thought.

Believe me there is absolutely no way you can tell a “Salafi” fighter from a Muslim fighter, they are the exact same thing. The differences are negligible.

——————————————————————

Fighting has reached Abassid Square area of Damascus city, with some of the fighting spilling into the city itself.

February 9th, 2013, 7:40 am

 

Tara said:

Most major US foreign policy and security agencies want to help arming the rebells.  Obama blocked it.  What a disappointment Obama is! Obama is making a great mistake. Humanistically and politically. By blocking arming the rebel, the 60,000 death and growing should burden his conscience, and politically, he is setting the stage up to the radicalization of Syria and to sustaining the notion that the US cares only about its interest. He is missing the chance to extend an arm of help to a butchered nation and to turn it America-friendly. He did not realize that sooner or later people triumph against their dictator and that injustice and oppression will eventually lose. He then would have lost too.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2013/feb/08/tunisia-turmoil-funeral-general-strike-live#block-5114be7a95cb1cdb50b9e975

Pentagon leaders have said they supported a recommendation from the US state department and CIA to arm Syrian rebels, which Barack Obama ultimately decided against, Reuters reports. The defence chiefs’ testimony suggested White House opposition alone may have been enough to override the position of most major US foreign policy and security agencies.

February 9th, 2013, 7:41 am

 

Observer said:

Tastes and colors are not for discussion. You like this he/she likes that is a matter of personal taste. Who cares about the origin of this or that singer.

I would argue for my personal taste that the portrait painter of the Athad family should be replaced for example, but that is my personal taste in how they are portrayed. They always look ridiculous in their portraits and this is my taste in the matter. I think the boy prethident is particularly ridiculous trying to look stern and especially in his ridiculous uniform of Marshal. But this is my taste in the matter.

Jurgen’s response I thought was on the mark, critiquing support of the regime rather than the origin or the affiliation of the supporter.

Can someone (since Dr. Landis does not seem to know) tell us about the factions within the regime and whether they have any internal dissent or different views and who among them is in prison or in house arrest?

Who is in the inner circle? Maher Rami the Uncle, and who else?

I would still say talk to the information minister and to the VP and see if the regime agrees to and according to the fact that the state of emergency is now suspended to
1. Bring the army under civilian rule
2. Separate the post of President from that of Supreme court leader and from the primary legislator
3. Move the budget to the parliament
4. Remove the troops and allow the police back
5. Declare a ceasefire in all of the confrontation clashes
6. Allow the formation of joint rebel and police forces to patrol
7. Allow free press to enter
8. Allow humanitarian aid to come in
9 Allow the ICRC and Doctors without Borders to enter and establish camps inside Syria
10. Allow the ICRC and HRW to enter the detention centers as well as the UN human rights commission to investigate abuses by both sides.
11. New constitutional commission
12. Free elections in 6 months

Now to a little curiosity questions

Are we obsessing about the opposition because it is so much more interesting and diverse in comparison to the stale regime propaganda and structure

Or is it because they are winning daily

I would like to ask those experts on this blog to find out how would could the opposition claim the seat of Syria at the UN. Does it need a security council resolution or a general assembly decision?

Churkin wants to talk to the opposition in New York but he warns them against a “unilateral” move.

Looking at the Palestinians getting their status upgraded at the UN it is clear that the general assembly is the main venue but I am not sure about the “replacing” of the Syria mission with that of the opposition.

I will try to research the issue if I can this WE.

The nytimes article on the boy that started the revolt in Deraa is worth reading about the experience in the detention center and the beating he received. I wonder whether the poster reads the article and realizes that it is a damning report of the regime.

February 9th, 2013, 8:14 am

 

Aron Lund said:

@3 — Hej Stig! Kul att höra att du läser boken, hoppas du gillar den. Tänkte försöka avsluta en ny nästa månad. Jag bloggar inte någon annanstans än på Syria Comment, men har artiklar och krönikor i Eskilstuna-Kuriren, Upsala Nya Tidning m.fl. tidningar rätt regelbundet. Det kommer en grej om Syrien i nästa nummer av Axess, den kan du ju kolla in.

vänligen, Aron L

February 9th, 2013, 8:16 am

 

Tara said:

Ali al Deek appeals to the uneducated unrefined section of Syria. Let them.

February 9th, 2013, 8:36 am

 

zoo said:

Tensions in the street opposition of ‘liberated’ areas.

Anti-regime demonstration in Saraqeb , Idlib, turns sour as groups with different views of Syria goals confront each others.
New Kafranbel posters ridicule Moaz Al Khatib ( let Juergen or Silentio find them)

February 9th, 2013, 8:38 am

 

Visitor said:

An epic battle took pace the last few days in the city of Safira south-east of Aleppo. The battle was led by the Nusra Front which contributed over hundred martyrs to the revolution while over 30 thugs of the criminal regime were demolished and sent to the bottomless pit, in addition to destroying a huge convoy sent from 7Hama (3000 thugs with 30 tanks and other vehicles),

The video clearly shows the fighters are Syrian in accent and in appearance. It further shows, that Lund, who knows zilch about who’s who among the militias, and who was proven fake, uninformed and driven by specific agenda in his previous post by Landis, and who further proves in this so-called report of his that he is even more ignorant by not recognizing, while procrastinating in Syria, that in fact Ahrar al-Cham and the other Damascus battalions are part of Nusra which was formed in 7homs last year, is also ignorant that Nusra is in fact part of the FSA and a leading component for that matter.

The thugs convoy committed a massacre on its way to Safira. It later was ambushed by several brigades in the village of oum Amouda on the way. Several battalions took part in the ambush including Ahrar al-Cham, Al-Fajr, Nusra and several others

February 9th, 2013, 8:47 am

 

StigP in Sweden said:

Aron,
en mycket bra bok du skrivit. Problemet med mig och min läsning är att jag måste (av någon anledning) kolla upp namn, ord eller platser du skriver om. Så det blir väldigt mycket runt omkring läsande. Men det är intressant då man lär sig mer om saker och ting om Syria bl.a.
Något som kostade mig mycket tid var all läsning jag hittade om Palmyra massakern 1980. Eftersom jag är född 1953 borde jag kommit ihåg det, men tyvärr inte.
Ang Axess, är det TV-kanalen du menar?

Stig-Åke Persson
Halland
Sverige

February 9th, 2013, 8:52 am

 

Observer said:

Here is the charter of the UN regarding membership.

Article 3

The original Members of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco, or having previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, sign the present Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110.

Article 4

Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Article 5

A Member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.

Article 6

A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Article 3

The original Members of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco, or having previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, sign the present Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110.

Article 4

Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Article 5

A Member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.

Article 6

A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

I am not sure whether replacement J’amuse Jaffaari with an opposition representative can be done without a UNSC recommendation.

Can one the permanent members veto such a “recommendation” or not.

I vote to form a government in exile with representatives in the areas outside of regime control and then to proceed to ask for representation in various capitals and at the UN and if Russia and China are to grace us with another veto so be it.

Does anyone really pay any attention to the thumbs up and down garbage?

Who cares really? Or is it a sign of Athad Adoring Network fans living in rapture of the boy Prethident?

Grow up please.

February 9th, 2013, 8:57 am

 

mjabali said:

Visitor the thumbs up clow..

It is obvious from your video that you lied a lot in your post. The video show about 15 guys ambushing a miles long convoy and only ONE truck carrying a tank got hit. It also show that your guys ran away. It also show some of them can not even use the gun he has on him.

February 9th, 2013, 9:31 am

 

mjabali said:

Jeurgen from the previous thread:

Dude it is not about musical taste here. It is about heritage.

Again you miss: al-Assad and his henchmen do not bring Ali al-Deek to sing for them in their parties. They bring some fancy pop star, or some Western DJ or band, even though Ali al-Deek sang a song for al-Assad.

If Ali al-Deek, and performers like him, sang a praise to al-Assad it is because it is a culture of kissing ass to the ruler.

Many of those who sang and praised al-Assad did so for personal reasons more than for the love of al-Assad.

Yes: you mocked people like ali al-Deek over and over, not for his praise of Bashar al-Assad but because he is an Alawi. Your disdain to Shia is well documented, from your calls to kick them out of Sitti Zeinab to calling their music bus driver music. Really dude: be honest.

February 9th, 2013, 9:41 am

 

zoo said:

#8 Tara

You really really disappoint me…

February 9th, 2013, 9:52 am

 

Tara said:

Zoo,

Me?

What did I do?

All this because I said Eve was created from Adam. That doesn’t make them unequal you know. It just creates مودّة ورحمة between them.

February 9th, 2013, 10:05 am

 

revenire said:

There is something obscene about a German deciding what Syrians should, and should not, like in art. I’d say it is Nazi-like but that is too easy of an insult.

February 9th, 2013, 10:07 am

 

Juergen said:

Mjabali

If you call Ali al Deek music an national heritage of the Alawites or the Shia (I wonder what some Bahrainis would say about that), so be it, I would never use the word heritage when it comes to his music. As Tara puts it, its kind of like the followers of G.Wassouf, he appeals to the ” uneducated unrefined section of Syria.”

Anyhow, thats how you feel about thank you for sharing that.
If you are sensitive about my remarks, let me tell you, If I mock of someone who happens to be am Alawi, then be it, I will mock about an person not about his culture or his religion.

Let me tell you, quite to the contrary, I appreciate the Shia very much,especially when it comes to the quality of their imams and ulema. I remember well enough an lecture I heard while I visited the Islamic Center in Hamburg (Chatami was imam there in the 80s) in which the ulema talked so openly about sex matters, that I was really stunned that such an religious person had the guts to do so. Compared to salafi youtubesheihks who spread like mushrooms, the shia emphasise much more on the quality of what is being taught.

February 9th, 2013, 10:09 am

 

revenire said:

“It began with the graffiti.”

It also began with armed gunmen shooting both demonstrators and policemen and soldiers from the Day One.

I don’t believe the story the New York Times tells.

February 9th, 2013, 10:11 am

 

zoo said:

Is the OIC endorsing Al Khatib initiative?

Al Khatib: Syria’s new kingpin

Although not a polished performer in the political arena, he has managed to install himself in a pivotal role at the centre of the Syrian crisis

By Abdel Bari Atwan, Special to Gulf News
Published: 00:00 February 10, 2013

I have been told by well-placed sources, that US support for any new regime in Damascus will be contingent upon it making two major commitments: First, to enter a peace treaty with Israel and second, to combat Al Nusra and other jihadist elements in the country with an Iraq-style “Awakening” campaign, pitting indigenous groups and security services against their erstwhile comrades-in-arms.

Hence, Washington’s mounting reservations about arming the rebels, the sudden interest in a political settlement and a level of cooperation with Iran and Russia on this issue.

Last Thursday, however, the OIC had entirely changed its tune with all its 56 members agreeing to a new resolution, urging dialogue between representatives of the Al Assad regime “committed to political transformation” and the opposition.

The caveat that the regime’s officials should be “not directly involved in oppression” is woolly, but may intimate a leading role for Al Sha’ra as well as a slight concession from Iran. In effect, the OIC was endorsing Al Khatib’s initiative.

February 9th, 2013, 10:12 am

 

revenire said:

LOL @ your “epic battle” Visitor. Those pigs were hit by a MIG 10 seconds after the filming stopped.

February 9th, 2013, 10:16 am

 

zoo said:

#17 Revenire

I totally agree with you.

The worst obscenity for me is the arrogant categorization of the Syrians in ‘educated and refined’ who love Madonna and the ‘uneducated and unrefined’ who like Ali al Deek.

This is really despicable but again I am not surprised coming from specimens of the ‘superior’ race.

February 9th, 2013, 10:18 am

 

revenire said:

“Fighting has reached Abassid Square area of Damascus city, with some of the fighting spilling into the city itself.”

LOL

Ziad doesn’t have to make up “pretend” victories.

DAMASCUS: BUT NOW FRIENDS, YOU AIN’T HEARD NOTHIN’ YET UNTIL YOU SEE THE STATISTICS FROM ZAMALKA, DOUMA FARMS, HUJJEIRA, HAJAR AL-ASWAD, AND ZABADANI!!

Zamalka: An operation described by Monzer as “uniquely Damascene” (دمشقية فريدة من نوعها) saw militia cooperating completely with the SAA by occupying positions designed to prevent the rodents from escaping into surrounding suburbs. In this battle which started yesterday, SAA used light artillery to force the feral rodents to recoil only to be fired upon by militia occupying elevated floors in buildings. The number killed was over 70 according to Monzer. Here are the available names – keeping in mind half of the killed were foreigners with no papers:

Jamal Adib Marzouq
Mahmoud Sa’id Daher
Atef Abdul-Karim Haddad
Qassem Abu-Al-Maas
Adib Hamdi Marhoun
Tareq Ali Mleiji
As’ad Ahmad Al-As’ad
Muhammad Ali Zakhour
Muhammad Hussein ‘Ulbaji
Sadeq Mahmoud Al-Rifi
Abdul-Majid Bardaweel
Ali Ja’afar Ahmad
Afif Walid Abu-Mer’i
Qaddoura Mahmoud Ba’albaki
Abdul-Ilaah Mandoh
Hamed Azzawi
Udayy Al-Khatib
Hussein Ali Al-Husaami
Walid Abdel-Khaleq Taymour
Abdul-Mu’in Suwaydan
Mahmoud Al-Jarafi
Tal’at Ali Makhmalji
Muhammad Rafiq Al-Ramlawi
Daher Ibrahim
Hassan Mahmoud Khalaf
I’jaaz Rami Al-Kuwaidri

34 carcasses have been found with no papers and are presumed to be those of foreign rats.

At Yabroud, the area is becoming increasingly rat-free thanks to operations like this which scored a few stinking vermin:

Muhammad Idris Burjaawi
Saati’ Ahmadi
Ali Khalil Abdel-Razzaq

At Irbeen, a total of 12 rats were killed. Here are the ones available:

Samir Al-Saww
Abdallah Al-Qaadhi
Iyad Awaata
Abdul-Aziz Al-Mulla
Fares Qataayif

At Al-Hujjeira and Hajar Al-Aswad, Monzer confirms 6 rodents killed.

Hamza Yunis
Rida Arida
Muhammad Al-Sufaani

At Zabadani, SAA and militia opened fire on remnant vermin and killed the following:

Abdul-Jalil Funeid
Saber Mahmoud Halawanji
Mudar Sadeq Salman
Muhammad Ali Al-Ribaati
Aoun Ahmad Kheireddine
Jaber Mahdi Al-Tutunn

At Darayya, after catching a bunch of rats trying to pass by checkpoints dressed as women, these meek little rodents got themselves killed:

Ahmad Abdul-Qader
Muhammad Khaito
Umar Jukhudar
Khaled Al-Shalabi
Muhammad Karbouj

At Douma Farms, we can confirm the following dead apes:

Ali Musulmani
Amer Khaled
Yasser Urabi
Ahmad Al-Sheikh Ahmad
Munzir Khalil
Ziad Al-Buwaidani
Ahmad Turab
(These bozos belonged to the “Liwaa Al-Tawheed”)

February 9th, 2013, 10:23 am

 

zoo said:

#19 Revenire

It was not just the graffiti… It was a small but sufficient terrorist act:

“Recounting those days, the teenager said he passed a sleepless night after his cousin’s acts of defiance.

It was not just the graffiti: the cousin had set fire to a new police kiosk the same day in another act of lashing out.”

February 9th, 2013, 10:24 am

 

zoo said:

#16 Tara

I don’t care about these useless debate of who comes first, the egg or the hen.
Read my post #22, it reflects my angry disappointment.

February 9th, 2013, 10:27 am

 

Tara said:

Zoo,

Ok. Come on now. مابيهون عليّ زعلك. Pick something else to get you disappointed with me. Not this.

أحمد عدوية also appeals to the uneducated unrefined section on Egypt. There is nothing wrong With this characterization.

And I do not like Madonna. I like Um Kalthum. Lilet Hobb makes me cry.

February 9th, 2013, 10:29 am

 

revenire said:

Thank you but this didn’t start because of a few teenage pranks and that is the headline of the NYT isn’t it? The conspiracy to destroy Syria has been planned for years as former NYT writer Seymour Hersh has documented.

“Fighting has reached Abassid Square area of Damascus city, with some of the fighting spilling into the city itself.”

Ziad doesn’t have to make up “pretend” victories.

DAMASCUS: BUT NOW FRIENDS, YOU AIN’T HEARD NOTHIN’ YET UNTIL YOU SEE THE STATISTICS FROM ZAMALKA, DOUMA FARMS, HUJJEIRA, HAJAR AL-ASWAD, AND ZABADANI!!

Zamalka: An operation described by Monzer as “uniquely Damascene” (دمشقية فريدة من نوعها) saw militia cooperating completely with the SAA by occupying positions designed to prevent the rodents from escaping into surrounding suburbs. In this battle which started yesterday, SAA used light artillery to force the feral rodents to recoil only to be fired upon by militia occupying elevated floors in buildings. The number killed was over 70 according to Monzer. Here are the available names – keeping in mind half of the killed were foreigners with no papers:

Jamal Adib Marzouq
Mahmoud Sa’id Daher
Atef Abdul-Karim Haddad
Qassem Abu-Al-Maas
Adib Hamdi Marhoun
Tareq Ali Mleiji
As’ad Ahmad Al-As’ad
Muhammad Ali Zakhour
Muhammad Hussein ‘Ulbaji
Sadeq Mahmoud Al-Rifi
Abdul-Majid Bardaweel
Ali Ja’afar Ahmad
Afif Walid Abu-Mer’i
Qaddoura Mahmoud Ba’albaki
Abdul-Ilaah Mandoh
Hamed Azzawi
Udayy Al-Khatib
Hussein Ali Al-Husaami
Walid Abdel-Khaleq Taymour
Abdul-Mu’in Suwaydan
Mahmoud Al-Jarafi
Tal’at Ali Makhmalji
Muhammad Rafiq Al-Ramlawi
Daher Ibrahim
Hassan Mahmoud Khalaf
I’jaaz Rami Al-Kuwaidri

34 carcasses have been found with no papers and are presumed to be those of foreign rats.

At Yabroud, the area is becoming increasingly rat-free thanks to operations like this which scored a few stinking vermin:

Muhammad Idris Burjaawi
Saati’ Ahmadi
Ali Khalil Abdel-Razzaq

At Irbeen, a total of 12 rats were killed. Here are the ones available:

Samir Al-Saww
Abdallah Al-Qaadhi
Iyad Awaata
Abdul-Aziz Al-Mulla
Fares Qataayif

At Al-Hujjeira and Hajar Al-Aswad, Monzer confirms 6 rodents killed.

Hamza Yunis
Rida Arida
Muhammad Al-Sufaani

At Zabadani, SAA and militia opened fire on remnant vermin and killed the following:

Abdul-Jalil Funeid
Saber Mahmoud Halawanji
Mudar Sadeq Salman
Muhammad Ali Al-Ribaati
Aoun Ahmad Kheireddine
Jaber Mahdi Al-Tutunn

At Darayya, after catching a bunch of rats trying to pass by checkpoints dressed as women, these meek little rodents got themselves killed:

Ahmad Abdul-Qader
Muhammad Khaito
Umar Jukhudar
Khaled Al-Shalabi
Muhammad Karbouj

At Douma Farms, we can confirm the following dead apes:

Ali Musulmani
Amer Khaled
Yasser Urabi
Ahmad Al-Sheikh Ahmad
Munzir Khalil
Ziad Al-Buwaidani
Ahmad Turab
(These bozos belonged to the “Liwaa Al-Tawheed”)

February 9th, 2013, 10:32 am

 

revenire said:

Tara’s musical taste is easy to peg: anyone who is for Assad she is against. Simple. She’s a snob who believes she is part of an elite anti-Assad group and those who support Assad are animals and killer to her (as she has said dozens of times).

February 9th, 2013, 10:35 am

 

revenire said:

Tara should Mohamed Rafeh have been murdered because he was a Syrian artist for Assad? Was he not an artist? Not Syrian?

He stayed in Syria. He didn’t run to the East Coast to spread hatred of Syrians as you do. He stayed in his country.

We know about the Facebook page “The Black List of Syrian Artists” and how it targets Syrian artists for murder.

The only thing terrorists understand is being destroyed. To talk to them about art is pointless. The only art they enjoy is that of Syrian blood being spilled on their gruesome canvas of death.

February 9th, 2013, 10:39 am

 

revenire said:

Juergen why don’t you tell me what is so remarkable about Kafranbel? It’s a small town of maybe 10-12,000 people that is promoted by people like you but what makes it so special compared to the hundreds of other Syrian towns? Do you believe the air force targeted the town because of drawings or because it is a rat nest? I say it is the latter. Your “newspaper” with 250 circulation is made there. I will bet my liver the boys who make that paper carry guns and murder soldiers.

The air force should give the residents 24 hours and then level the place. The ones who escape can make posters about it.

February 9th, 2013, 10:55 am

 

apple_mini said:

I wonder after this ongoing fighting in Damascus peters out, will rampant kidnapping in Damascus lessen? I was hoping the regime can do more by organizing communities to have some kind of neighborhood watch and self-defense as I understand the regime’s hands got really tightened up.

Nowadays, those kidnappers started targeting even those small shop owners. That constant fear is taking huge toll on residents.

BTW, I heard many militants in Damascus are Hamas fighters. Probably not a good PR for Hamas.

February 9th, 2013, 11:14 am

 

revenire said:

The true face of the “revolution” and its supporters here.

*GRAPHIC*

February 9th, 2013, 11:28 am

 

mjabali said:

Tara:

In Syria we say:

شو فهم الدبب بأكل الكبب

أو

شو فهم …. بشرب العصير

The music of Ali al-Deek opened the door for many people of the same style. Many educated and non educated like this style. To say the uneducated listen to him and Ahmad Adawiyah is a simple take on music. Simple taste leads to simple judgments.
يقولون بالعربية: التعميم دلالة الجهل، ومن جهل شيئاً عاداه

One stark example of the popularity of Ali al-Deek style of music is Omar Sulayman, a Syrian Kurdish singer, whose sales in Europe and America shows an acceptance and liking to this type of beat.

Ali al-Deek burst into the scene not because he is an Alawi, but because he is good and the style he represented has an audience from almost all of Syria.

The Alawi, Druze, Christians, Sunnis, and Kurds of the Syrian countryside share this marvelous style of music.

But as I said: شو فهم….بشرب العصير

February 9th, 2013, 11:37 am

 

Ghufran said:

البطريرك الراعي يصل إلى سوريا ويترأس قداسا بعد قليل في دمشق ويشارك غدا بتنصيب اليازجي
– 09/02/2013 – 17:12:15
The event broadcasted by most Lebanese tv stations serves as a reminder of why Syria is different and why it needs to stay different. Those of you who want Syria to become an extension of the GCC معز العرب will face stiff resistance from most Syrians including many Sunnis who may hate the regime, as most Syrians do, but they are not ready to deliver Syria to the likes of HBJ and سلطان erdo.

February 9th, 2013, 11:38 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

The video clearly shows the fighters are Syrian in accent and in appearance.
__________________________________________________________________

NOT….LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSERS just like Landis and his buddies.

February 9th, 2013, 11:45 am

 

mjabali said:

Jeurgen:

Again, sorry to say, but you really have not that much info about Alawi heritage, or Syrian music and who likes what.

Yes songs of Ali al-Deek has Alawi folk tales and traditional takes on matters.

The way Alawi Ataba singers, like Ali al-Deek, play on the multi levels of meaning of words is a concept we see only with Shia and Alawis. Many of them transfer attitudes the young Alawis would never hear about. Many ideas were transferred through time by songs and poems. Remember the persecution the Alawis were subjected to when advertising for their creed.

Again, contrary to your claims, many educated people listen to this music.

As about George Wassuf, sorry to say but you have no clue.

One thing to destroy your claim that George Wassuf is listened to by the uneducated, is the fact thathe started his career in the fancy clubs of Beirut as a teenager singing brilliant Umm Kalthum covers. He made one great Umm Kalthum cover after the other. His fans were from all over.

Here is one of many:

February 9th, 2013, 11:57 am

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

whatever glorified cover names used, the terrorists are still rat-brained dogs.

“we(great majority of palestinians) stand by the syrian army and the people of syria” – leila khaled, 29 jan 2013

February 9th, 2013, 12:50 pm

 

revenire said:

Funny how “Syrians” like Tara hate everything about Syria. They hate its people, its culture, everything. They hate Syria’s artists so much they make Facebook pages threatening them and then murder them.

February 9th, 2013, 1:09 pm

 

AIG said:

Poetic “justice” if Hamas is now fighting Assad. What an idiot Assad was in supporting Islamists. Oh wait, he was a foreign policy “genius”. I may start supporting Hamas 🙂

Assad cannot bring “law and order” to Damascus, the regime supporters are just delusional ranters. They are 1/10 dead men walking that can only look forward to a slow death in a sanctioned hell hole surrounded by jihadists and rebels.

February 9th, 2013, 1:09 pm

 

Visitor said:

Indeed, when we listen to a mediocre Wassouf trying to rise to the level of a giant, we have no choice but to use one of Jabali’s diatribes,

شو فهم الدبب بأكل الكبب

February 9th, 2013, 1:11 pm

 

AIG said:

The regime holds tens of thousands of Syrians prisoners and has murdered tens of thousands. The regime supporters really “love” other Syrians so much that they recommend carpet bombing Syrian cities. Assad so “loved” Syrians that he did not allow them freedom of speech nor allow them to vote. Now he and his supporters will pay the price.

February 9th, 2013, 1:13 pm

 

AIG said:

The Assad supporters think that all the evidence of their brutality that is well documented will magically go away. It will not. It will stay forever and will haunt them for the entirety of their short life. There is no hope for Syria under Assad. Only a slow death under sanctions without the ability to rebuild and while being isolated from the West.

February 9th, 2013, 1:18 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG again – my plan is to give civilians not involved in supporting terrorism 24 hours to leave their towns and villages and then start the bombing. Let them go to Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq for the remainder of the war. After 2-3 weeks of continuous carpet bombing the rats will be all dead and the ones that run away dressed as women our boys will catch.

If anyone supports terror they are an enemy combatant and legitimate target for our MIGs.

February 9th, 2013, 1:18 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG suggest you board a plane, train or other means of transport to meet your destiny in Syria. Why wait? The war won’t be settled here at SC. Those who want to fight the SAA have ample opportunity. I know you’re a coward sitting at your computer shaking your fist. Go fight. Make a YouTube video. Form a “battalion” of 10 men and show us how it is done.

February 9th, 2013, 1:22 pm

 

Visitor said:

Another major victory for the FSA led by Nusra Front is on the horizon. Menegh airbase is ripe for liberation with breakthroughs happening around the clock. This will be a watershed event similar to Taftanaz leaving all of the north liberated from the filth of the murderous thugs.

I sincerely hope the FSA will then move to the coast and cleanse it from its filth as well.

February 9th, 2013, 1:22 pm

 

AIG said:

What a coward, fight house to house like your idiot Assad demanded in Gaza. As usual, you are just a coward and an hypocrite willing to burn your own cities.

I have a better plan. Nato and Israel should tell the people in Damascus to leave and allow Nato and Israel to bomb the Assad supporters and the regime to small pieces. How do you like this plan? If you liked yours, you must admit that mine has a great appeal also. In any case, do not complain if Israel uses your plan against Hezbollah or Hamas.

What you are proposing is heinous. You are a demented idiot advocating mass murder and destruction and the sooner you are dead the better.

February 9th, 2013, 1:25 pm

 
 

revenire said:

AIG we know you want NATO and Israel to do the job your rats are incapable of. Too bad it won’t ever happen and the SAA will never be beaten.

If the SAA wanted to they could level every city in Syria. You think any strategic assets have been used? You crying FSA rats moaned about a few Scuds (which I say never happened and was an attempt to have Israel save your sorry adventure).

Any areas the al-Nusra Front hides in should be leveled. I don’t care about the damage. Iran, Russia and China will help rebuild Syria. Level the entire country. The rats are a CANCER and you either eliminate CANCER or it eliminates you.

Give the order President Assad. Your army wants to be unleashed.

February 9th, 2013, 1:31 pm

 

AIG said:

I am an Israeli, we can beat the SAA in 3 days. You are a delusional idiot. The SAA is only good at killing civilians. Syria will never be rebuilt under Assad.

February 9th, 2013, 1:35 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Druzes beginning to turn sides against Assad Rule:

http://www.youkal.net/2012-12-02-14-05-23/24-26/6831-2013-02-09-01-32-18

February 9th, 2013, 1:37 pm

 

revenire said:

Israeli? Figures. A great supporter of Al-Qaeda in Syria. Wonderful. I am glad you revealed yourself.

You could not even beat Hamas. Who are you kidding? You murder Palestinian women and children every day.

Gaza beat you. Hezbollbah beat you. Both are armed by Syria.

I know many Israelis who left Israel because of their policies. They would not serve in the IDF. They spoke of how the Sephardi are treated like dogs.

Israel is a terrorist state.

February 9th, 2013, 1:38 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

MJABALI

Your messages about alawis, George Wassouf and company are pathethic. Franly sad impressions.

February 9th, 2013, 1:39 pm

 

revenire said:

It is beyond absurd to suggest Druze don’t support the Syrian government. Is this comic book day on SC?

Syria: The Druze Are Not Joining The Opposition
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/02/the-druze-are-not-joining-the-opposition.html

February 9th, 2013, 1:41 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

New York Times Misinformation on Syria (lying by nyt nothing new)

by Stephen Lendman

Managed news misinformation reflects official Times policy. It’s standard practice. It’s longstanding.

Truth is verboten. It’s systematically avoided. Readers are betrayed. They’re lied to daily.

On January 31, the Gloria Center Global Research in International Affairs asked if Times editors published “obviously faked photos.” PJ Media’s Middle East editor Barry Rubin’s report was featured.

Suspect photos should have raised red flags. They should have been rejected. Times editors gave them front page coverage. Others were featured in a gallery online.

The front page caption read:

“Top, two insurgents in Damascus took positions before being hit by army snipers; the fighter on the right died soon after being dragged from the line of fire.”

“On the political front, Syria’s top opposition leader expressed a willingness for the first time to talk with the government.”

Somehow a photographer “managed to be in position to capture two men supposedly in peril.”

One was shot and killed. The photographer “just happened to have the presence of mind – and luck – to set up a second camera.”

Did he happen to be in the right place at the right time capturing events accurately? What he shot doesn’t square with what happened?

“No smoking gun,” said Rubin, “but I believe there is enough accumulated evidence present to be objectively suspicious.”

Reuters Goran Tomasevic was the alleged photographer. Checking with the new agency for verification and learning why “the key photo” is “missing from the gallery” was omitted from Times coverage.

“I believe the photos were falsified,” said Rubin. It wouldn’t be the first time fake images were used. It’s common scoundrel media practice. Western media, Al Jazeera, and other unreliable sources prioritize it. Willful deception is policy.

Rubin added:

“I am not an expert on photography, but I believe these are false (photos), indeed ridiculously so.”

“I believe an intelligent editor should have had serious questions about this, especially after there has been so much controversy about falsified photos.”

Featuring them is official scoundrel media policy. Lies substitute for truth.

On January 20, a Times editorial headlined “The Syrian Refugee Crisis.” Opening comments distorted truth enough to make a sailor blush, saying:

“More than 60,000 innocent civilians have been slaughtered in President Bashar al-Assad’s desperate bid to retain power in Syria.”

“In the two-year reign of terror, he has also forced staggering numbers of Syrians to relocate within the country or flee across the border, creating a disaster that is threatening to destabilize the region.”

“The international community has an obligation to do more to ease the suffering.”

Fact check

Syria is Washington’s war. It was planned years ago. America wants Assad ousted. It pro-Western puppet leadership replacing him.

There’s nothing civil about Syria’s war. Western-recruited death squads invaded. They’re Washington proxies. They’re heavily armed, funded, and directed.

Current US proxy wars use earlier tactics. Syria’s been ruthlessly ravaged. An entire population is terrorized. A sovereign nation is being destroyed.

Terrorists commit targeted assassinations and atrocities. They continue daily. Assad is wrongly blamed for death squad crimes. Media scoundrels turn truth on its head. They regurgitate official lies.

No one knows how many died. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says 60,000. She provides no proof. She’s a reliable imperial tool. Her mandate is distorting and suppressing truth.

In mid-January, she addressed a closed Security Council session. She urged Member States to act. She claims 60,000 is “a conservative figure.”

Numbers “speak for themselves,” she added. She stopped short of pointing fingers the right way.

She blames Assad for “massive scale” killing. In early January, she urged Western intervention.

“Where is the international community,” she asked? “Why aren’t (world leaders) acting to stop this slaughter?” She blames Assad for Obama administration crimes. Doing so turns truth on its head.

The Times repeated her lies. Washington bears full responsibility for Syria’s crisis conditions. Assad defends Syrians responsibly.

It’s his job. He’s obligated to protect his people. Failure would be grossly irresponsible. Times editors didn’t say. They point fingers the wrong way. They blame victims for imperial crimes. It’s longstanding Times policy.

Its editors claim “(m)any Syrians have fled because of bombings by army troops, still others because of sexual violence.”

Implied is that government forces bear full responsibility. They’re protectors and defenders. They’re not aggressors or rapists.

Syrians welcome them when they arrive for good reason. Without them, things would be far worse.

“Russia and China….enabled Mr. Assad in his brutal war, but (did) little to help his victims.”

Both countries drew red lines. They’re united against NATO intervention. They’re committed against full-scale intervention.

They prioritize resolving Syria’s conflict diplomatically. They want Syrians alone to decide who’ll govern them.

According to international law, there’s no other way. No nation may interfere in the internal affairs of others. None may attack accept in self-defense. They may do so until the Security Council acts. It has final say. Times editors didn’t explain.

Washington, Israel, key NATO partners, and regional allies want Syria ravaged and destroyed. They want it balkanized and controlled. They want Iran isolated.

They want all independent governments replaced by subservient pro-Western ones. They want regional countries colonized, exploited and controlled.

They spurn democracy and self-determination. They deplore liberating freedoms. They’re contemptuous of human rights. They want unchallenged dominance.

Times editors support them. They’re dismissive of Syrian suffering. They’re reliable imperial allies. They support wealth, power, and privilege. Popular interests don’t matter. Nor does truth and full disclosure.

On February 4, Times contributor Roger Cohen disgraced himself. It wasn’t the first time. He gets feature op-ed space. He takes full advantage. He headlined “Intervene in Syria.”

Forget about right or wrong. Ignore rule of law principles. Disregard truth and full disclosure. Toe the imperial line. Time editors pay him to lie.

He’s beholden to power politics. He’s a pro-Israeli ideologue. His columns show where he stands. They’re one-sided. They wreak with deception. They support what they should condemn.

“The ousting of its despotic ruler, Bashar al-Assad, would remove Iran’s sole Arab ally and cut the Iranian conduit to its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah. That is in Israel’s strategic interest,” he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak urges “Assad’s departure. (He) hope(s) to see it happen ‘imminently.’ ”

“But the worst course is the one President Obama and Western leaders have fallen into: Feeble paralysis most foul.”

Cohen favors “bolstering the armed capacity of the Syrian opposition, leveling the military playing field, and hastening the departure of Assad essential for the birth of a new Syria.”

In other words, ignore rule of law principles. Support wrong over right. Syrian interests don’t count. Imperial priorities alone matter.

Cohen quoted John McCain saying “(w)e should be ashamed of our collective failure to come to the aid of the Syrian people.”

America spurns them entirely. It deplores their interests. It wants them exploited, not aided. It wants unchallenged control. Cohen didn’t explain.

Washington’s been arming, funding and directing proxy death squads since conflict first erupted. Cohen claims an opportunity to weaken Iran is being “squander(ed).”

It’s “time to alter the Syrian balance of power enough,” he says. “Assad (has) no option but departure. That means” aggressively increasing US aid.

It also means “us(ing) US cruise missiles to destroy Assad’s aircraft….”

He barely stopped short of urging full-scale intervention. Maybe a follow-up column plans to.

Whenever America wages direct or proxy wars, media scoundrels march in lockstep. They shill for power and privilege.

February 9th, 2013, 1:41 pm

 

ann said:

49. AIG said:

“”” I am an Israeli, we can beat the SAA in 3 days. “””

Yeeaaah! 😀 😀 😀

The year was: 2006. The place: South Lebanon. Duration: 34 days. Amunition used: Phosphorus (chemical) and cluster bombs. The egg was on `israel’s face 😉

It took your beloved `israel a whole day to invade and bomb a couple of trucks north of Damascus. A whole day! a documented fact 😉

February 9th, 2013, 1:47 pm

 

revenire said:

Israeli AIG – Hezbollah maimed you in 2006 and if you dare to attack them again all your cities will burn. They have over 70,000 rockets now, thanks to Assad and Syria. All of your reports on the war admitted defeat.

You’re not fighting boys with slingshots tossing rocks at you any longer Hasbara rat.

February 9th, 2013, 1:51 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Sandro
Druze will be a strong rebel helpers,they are patriotic Syrian,with them joining the revolution is great news,and a big loss to the regime.

Visitor
A major Assad military base will fall to the rebels soon,this spring we will witness accelerating defeat of Assad thugs.

Syrialover
Nouri Maliki is scared of the syrian revolution,he knows it will spread to Iraq,and will oust him.

February 9th, 2013, 2:03 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo,

“Iran has a strong international presence due to the perpetuation by the Islamic government of the international structures established by the Shah as well as the rich iranians ‘emigres’, attached to their culture.”

Can you tell me what that means? Please elaborate.

February 9th, 2013, 2:07 pm

 

ann said:

49. AIG said:

“”” I am an Israeli, we can beat the SAA in 3 days. “””

The only thing your brave apartheid military is capable of is beating poor little Palestinian children 😉

February 9th, 2013, 2:08 pm

 

ann said:

The EU is too busy waging a proxy war on Syria on behalf of their beloved `israel while their citizens are eating horse meat!

😀

February 9th, 2013, 2:23 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

if the brits can hold out, lots of rat meat will soon be available.

the syrian army will flush the rats out of syria.

February 9th, 2013, 2:32 pm

 

revenire said:

Ha ha. I guess the plus side of that is they’re not serving them human meat – yet!

The EU is really a broken down junk heap. The BRICs countries will overtake the West soon enough.

February 9th, 2013, 2:32 pm

 

annie said:

http://youtu.be/NYz7EXyrPdU

This will have the regime stooges salivate at the accomplishments of their masters

February 9th, 2013, 2:43 pm

 

Tara said:

5 Dancing Shlomos,

Your name freaks me out. It is scary. Can you change it to Ballerina?

February 9th, 2013, 2:44 pm

 
 

zoo said:

Tara

I wonder how many of the armed rebels that you warmly support and for whom you are ready to sell your shoes collection to buy them more weapons, are ‘refined and educated’?
From their faces, their shouting, their songs and their primitive cruelty, I have some doubts they fit any of these qualifiers.

Yet, if they win, you ought to invite them in your family villa.
I am sure you will find lots in common with them, after you’d wear your hijab.

February 9th, 2013, 2:47 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

tara,

your beliefs and thinking should freak you out.

February 9th, 2013, 2:49 pm

 

Visitor said:

Does PressTV ring a bell here on SC?

Well, it is out of commission in all of North America as of lately,

http://www.aljazeera.net/news/pages/c515684a-cfba-47ee-9c45-bc533dbdc9e2?GoogleStatID=9

Mullah-stanis are really really upset because they say the measures contravene the basic principles of free speech!!

February 9th, 2013, 2:55 pm

 

zoo said:

“No one should be mistaken about our patience, tolerance and friendliness.

February 9th, 2013, 3:06 pm

 

zoo said:

After shamelessly meddling in Syria, Erdogan gives a lesson the the USA ambassador
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com

“No one should be mistaken about our patience, tolerance and friendliness. Turkey is not a country with which to meddle in its internal issues or its executive, legislative and judiciary systems. And certainly not a country whose foreign policy guidelines can be dictated [by others],” Erdogan said.
..

February 9th, 2013, 3:08 pm

 

Dolly Buster said:

62. revenire said:

The EU is really a broken down junk heap. The BRICs countries will overtake the West soon enough.

 
In what indicator exactly? GDP is higher in EU than in Brics.

South Africa has aids, Russians have tuberculosis.

Look at the photo I took in Paris France: http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5130/smsmsk2.jpg

February 9th, 2013, 3:12 pm

 

zoo said:

Obama gives greenlight to kill his ‘own people’ if they are “potential terrorists”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/assange-urges-leak-of-us-drone-rules-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40780&NewsCatID=358

NBC News published an unclassified document by the Justice Department this week indicating that senior Al-Qaeda operators may be lawfully killed, even if they are US citizens and are not shown to be actively plotting an attack

February 9th, 2013, 3:18 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo,

I only want freedom, dignity, and equal rights for all. I am a Muslim by heart and am raising my little Yara as a Muslim but I want religion to be left at home. I support this revolution because 40 years of oppression, corruption and stagnation is enough. I do not like people based on their religion or ethnicity. I do not listen to Ali Deek because his music does not do anything to me and I doubt it talks to your brain either.. Deep down, you know this is why Syrians have revolted but you just do not want to admit it.

February 9th, 2013, 3:24 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara is a US dreamer full of fantasies who would be arrested for treason upon stepping into Syria.

ALERT! WE HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT INDICATING A GREAT SYRIAN ARMY VICTORY AT AL-SUFAYRA NORTH OF ALEPPO. WAEL DOCUMENTS THE DEATHS OF OVER 180 TERRORIST RODENTS. I WILL HAVE DETAILS TOMORROW MORNING. I will also have details about the detention of Lt. Muhammad Talas in Lebanon. More news too about Qutaina, Damascus where Special Forces unearthed a warehouse full of weapons and drugs. It’s coming to an end soon. ZAF

February 9th, 2013, 3:48 pm

 

zoo said:

Tara

Like all the Arabs in the region, the Syrians have revolted because of economical inequality, because the rich in these countries ( like in most countries) are greedy and selfish and in Syria and other arab countries they have far too strong influence and connections in the government. They hamper any attempt to create a fair tax system as it may take money from their pocket. They want to continue exploiting the poor and benefiting from their high level connections. That’s how corruption blooms. It is not the poor who are corrupted, it is the rich.

The Syrian government because of its socialist ideology has tried to provide a safety net for the poor, despite the pressures and influence of the greedy business class. Some in the government thought that opening up the market will create a healthy dynamic. In the last 5 years, it actually benefited more the rich and the well connected and the economical gap with the poor became wider.
As the poor have no way to express their anger, they jumped on the Arab spring wagon and started an uprising that was immediately hijacked by groups with totally different agendas.

Egypt and Tunisia got the ‘freedom of expression’, they voted but they have not won their dignity. This is why the revolution is not over there.
Dignity comes when you have a job, when you can support your family, not only when you can vote, or shout in the street and insult the leaders!

That’s what I am convinced of and for the future of Syria frankly I prefer Syria under an experienced government that has remorse than an amateur government that makes promises.

February 9th, 2013, 3:49 pm

 

William Scott Scherk said:

The mysterious ZOO aka IRRITATED resumes the regular programming, imputing to TARA qualities he imagines. With an adjective, a sneer and a misrepresentation, we could see Tara as some elitist Damascene expat who “warmly supports armed rebels” and who “I totally agree REVINIRE” should be arrested on arrival in Syria and clapped into detention.

Yes, the Irritated also known as entity says “I totally agree, Revinire” and gets all snuggly with the mysterious Assadist jumper.

Troubled American teens ANN and Revenire push the ‘carpet bomb’ button on their keyboards. Target — a town full of rats. Run rats run, while Ann and Revenire push the buttons.

— it is good to see MJABALI speaking out daily, challenging too-easy classifications, and standing up for the clear-eyed Alawite perspective (one that fully understands the oppression of BaathAssadism). It is less good to see Zoorootated and RevvedonDeath push the Nazi Jeurgen ‘master racer’ button, but they do not get out much. This volunteer sniping and sneering and sweet Assad snuggling takes a lot of time.

Meanwhile, detainees languish in prison. Their crimes? no one knows but RevvedonBombs. They are rats, rodents, expendable, not human, worthy of torture and humiliation — if not death.

Death calls do come easily from the anonymous Western-resident crazy persons in bed with the Baath. The NATO-sheltered RevvedonHate and the NATO-sheltered Zoorritated cheer at imaginary victories, great ‘humiliations,’ and death of rodents and insects, and “I agree totally” backslap and snuggle manfully under cover.

Who the hell is REVENIRE to issue death and prison sentences on Syrians at home and abroad? What in hell gives Zoorritated the tools of a judge: all-seeing, all-knowing, all-unforgiving, all loathing and contempt?

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-09/205690-female-detainees-languish-in-syrian-prisons.ashx#axzz2KNuhUfOj

February 9th, 2013, 3:53 pm

 

ann said:

Fighters abandoning sinking “FSA” ship 🙂

Arabs join Kurdish militia in Aleppo

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=27b_1360412921

“They say I am a traitor because I joined the Kurds; they say that I’ve forgotten my origins, and who I am”, complains Mohammed, an Arab fighter who defected the Free Syrian Army (FSA) to join the Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG). “The FSA has forgotten its core mission, fighting the regime. Now some members are looting and threatening civilians”, explains this 22 years old from Aleppo.

The Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) were set up last July, when the Kurdistan West Democratic Movement (TEV-DEM) –the umbrella body of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the main party among the Syrian Kurds, and other organizations close to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)–, took control of some areas of northern Syria as well as Aleppo´s predominantly Kurdish districts of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh.

Although most of the Kurdish militia is made up women and men of Kurdish origin, it´s not infrequent to find fighters of different ethnicities and religions among their ranks. In Qamishlo –680 kilometres northeast of Damascus– there is a significant number of Christian combatants within the YPG and the enlistment of young Arabs men in Aleppo has increased in recent weeks. Several Arab militiamen living in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieyh told Al Jazeera that they had joined the YPG because it is the only armed group in the district and, therefore, “the only way to defend their homes and businesses”.

However, there are also cases of young Arabs from other parts of the city that have decided to join the Kurdish militia because they are disappointed with FSA´s attitude. This is the case of Ahmed, a 20 years old man from Salahaddin neighbourhood –southwest Aleppo- Just a few days ago he was fighting Bashar al-Assad regime from rebel ranks. “When the revolt reached the doors of my house in July, I decided to join the Free Syrian Army. To get the best positions in the frontline, the FSA drove out many families of their homes and several people were killed. It was so hard, many of them were my neighbours since I was a child”, explains this militiaman with his face hidden under a keffiyeh- a local strap.

“A month ago I decided to leave the FSA and hid in Ashrafiyeh. After meeting some YPG members I decided to integrate into their units. I feel welcome because the YPG doesn´t make distinctions among different ethnic groups, we all get the same treatment”, says the fighter.

“What they called the “Free Army”, is actually not a free army. They raped our women and killed our children instead of protecting us. We came here and found that the people here are better and consider us part of them. There’s no difference between them and any other citizen from Syria”, claims this new YPG militiaman.
Recently, the British The Guardian has detailed how looting and divided loyalties threaten to destroy the unity of FSA. The arrival of the winter and the lack of captured ammunition from the Syrian Army posed a new challenge for the rebel fighters. Looting and black market have turned into an important way of financing for certain rebel brigades. Furthermore, in a video released by The New York Times shows how civilians in an Aleppo’s bakery shout against the FSA, accusing them of stealing while supporting the establishment of an Islamic army.

Tension between YPG and rebel groups
These are the first documented cases of Free Syrian Army defectors that have joined Kurdish militia. Since now, those who have left FSA had been mainly motivated by religious convictions and had been integrated into Islamists militias like Al-Nusra Front or Ghuraba al-Sham. Allegedly linked with Al Qaida, these two groups are fighting against YPG in the northern city of Ras al-Ayn, just on the Turkish border.

“Recently some groups have been coming from elsewhere, from outside the border, boasting a political agenda that is different from ours. Those groups that are coming from outside are religious, Salafist, Jihadists… They are trying to stir tensions among the Syrians especially between the Kurds and the Arabs”, explains Hassan, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) main political leader in Aleppo. “These groups have a Turkish agenda. Ankara is backing them in order to quell Kurdish struggle in Syria and Western Kurdistan”, he adds.
The prospect of Kurdish autonomy, as enjoyed in Iraq, raises alarm bells for Turkey, one of the key state backers of the rebels trying to overthrow Assad and a country where Kurdish rebels have been fighting a violent struggle for self-rule for the last 28 years.
Turkey is increasingly worried that the chaos in Syria will open up a new base for Kurdish rebels to press their struggle for self-rule. The PKK has been fighting for the rights of the Kurds for more than thirty years.
“I support the YPG because their priority is to defend civilian people and for this reason I will be with them until the war is over”, says Ali, a young Arab fighter from Sukkari neighbourhood, in southern Aleppo. Many like him have decided to switch sides, something which often leads to breaking family ties and friendship in a “non-return” way. Most of the anti-regime fighters claim the YPG is fighting alongside Assad’s forces, therefore, enlisting in the Kurdish armed militia is interpreted as an act of high treason.

“For newcomers it‘s easy to feel integrated because commanders tried to give communications and all the instructions in Arabic to avoid misunderstandings”, recalls Faiq, a fighter manning a checkpoint in Aleppo´s Ashrafiye district.

[…]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=27b_1360412921

February 9th, 2013, 3:53 pm

 

zoo said:

Tara

Contrary to you, I enjoy folk music and I enjoy Ali Al Deek and other Syrian popular singers.
By the way wasn’t Bob Dylan a folk singer? What about US country music, is it for the ‘unrefined and uneducated’ Americans?

I do not accept that people are categorized the way you do it as it sounds like you perceive yourself as superior.
I am sorry to tell you but, in my eyes, you are not superior to the humble peasant in his little house with his 6 kids in Syria’s mountain who enjoys Ali Al Deek and judges nobody, quite the contrary.
A good and simple heart is worth dozens of years of education and refinements.

February 9th, 2013, 4:09 pm

 

ann said:

AAAH! The board’s common thief rears his head again!

Quick! Hide your children and your IP addresses!

February 9th, 2013, 4:11 pm

 

zoo said:

The “mysterious” WSS is back on SC with his psychotic analysis of the relations between SC commenters, his personal attacks and his pedantic lecturing.
I can’t be irritated anymore, I am immune.

February 9th, 2013, 4:17 pm

 

revenire said:

Scherk during your time here as a moderator you handed out private IP addresses of those you disagreed with. Don’t bother denying it.

I am not sure who would hire such a person at a job but let’s find out okay?

February 9th, 2013, 4:22 pm

 

zoo said:

Any ex-moderators who abused the privilege given to them by J.L under an agreement to have access to confidential information about the bloggers should be exposed and banned indefinitely from this blog.

February 9th, 2013, 4:42 pm

 

zoo said:

Maronite patriarch on key visit urges Syria reform

DAMASCUS – Agence France-Presse

Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai arrived in Syria on Saturday from neighbouring Lebanon on a key visit and said the embattled country must make reforms but that these should not be imposed from outside.

His visit — the first by a Maronite patriarch since Syrian and Lebanese independence in 1943 — comes as the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime nears the two-year mark.

The patriarch’s trip is officially to attend the enthronement on Sunday of Greek Orthodox leader Yuhanna X Yazigi at the Church of the Holy Cross in Qassaa, a central neighbourhood of the conflict-ridden Syrian capital.

As violence raged on Saturday, including warplane raids targeting rebel positions in and around the capital itself, Patriarch Rai entered the Maronite cathedral in Damascus’s Old City to warm applause, state television showed.

“We are here in solidarity with all the people who are suffering in Syria,” Rai told AFP at Saint Anthony’s Cathedral in the Christian district of Bab Tuma.

“We pray each day for the end of war and violence and that a unanimous peace may be achieved through cooperation.” In a sermon, the patriarch said: “Reforms are necessary, but should not be imposed from the outside. They must come from within through dialogue and agreement.” Assad was represented at Saturday’s service by a Christian minister of state, Joseph Suweid.

February 9th, 2013, 4:46 pm

 

revenire said:

I’ve emailed someone who is in a position to know about Scherk and have been told Scherk has had no access to SC for a year?!?!

Tara is involved in this “panty” raid.

February 9th, 2013, 4:58 pm

 

AIG said:

As the noose tightens around their necks the regime clowns become more desperate. It is amusing to see. If they represent discourse under Assad, it explains why Syria is such a failure. Everything they wrote is archived. When Assad falls, they will of course change their names and continue writing nonsense.

Zoo, aka Irritated, wrote for years how Assad is stable and the people of Syria love him and that they will never rebel against him. Both the clowns wrote how the rebellion will never come to Aleppo or Damascus. Wrong as usual.

February 9th, 2013, 5:07 pm

 

revenire said:

Hasbara rat when is Assad falling? You Israeli baby killers said he would collapse in two weeks. That was about two years ago.

It sounds more like a fantasy you have than a reality.

Let me know if things change. We’re ordering a pizza in honor of Bill Scherk and Tara’s great panty raid.

February 9th, 2013, 5:29 pm

 

AIG said:

There is no fighting in Aleppo and Damascus. The Syrian economy is not disappearing. There are not many Syrian cities in ruins. 60,000 Syrians have not died. Assad did not torture children. Assad is doing great. Assad did not say one month before they did that Syrians will not rebel. Assad bombed Israel after Israel bombed Syria.

You are hopeless delusional idiots and 1/10 dead men walking. And the brave rebels know this and will grind you to dust.

February 9th, 2013, 5:37 pm

 

AIG said:

Oh, and please shoot ONE rocket at Israel. Just ONE, what are you waiting for 1/10 man? The longer it takes to get rid of Assad and his vermin, the weaker Syria will be. Some people in Israel just laugh at how stupid Assad supporters are with their motto: “Assad or we burn Syria”. They say, let Assad the idiot burn Syria, we will just watch and laugh. I say, no. The Syrian people deserve better.

February 9th, 2013, 5:42 pm

 
 

ann said:

88. AIG said:

“”” we will just watch and laugh “””

Go ahead laugh, but remember “He who laughs last, laughs best” 😉

February 9th, 2013, 5:51 pm

 

AIG said:

Ann,

Really, what an idiotic thing to say. The people in Israel who are laughing (not me) are having the last laugh because Assad is determined to burn Syria. If he cared even a little for Syria, he would have left by now and improved the chances for a negotiated solution.

February 9th, 2013, 5:56 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

The real dilemma facing Israeli officials, Yadlin said, is not whether to attack, but whether inaction would confront Israel later with a greater threat. “The correct comparison is the risk of escalation now and the risk of having a much more formidable enemy and many casualties in future hostilities,” he said.

Analysts in Lebanon also predicted more Israeli strikes if advanced weapons transfers were attempted.

Clearly Israel prefers Assad to stay

Aig
Ann never laughed, and will never laugh in the future, alway frown, always grumby.

February 9th, 2013, 5:58 pm

 

revenire said:

Israel’s leaders said Assad would be gone two years ago now. Hasn’t happened. Israel grows more and more frustrated and tried to lure Assad into attacking her. Didn’t happen.

February 9th, 2013, 6:00 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG who are you asking to shoot a rocket at Israel? Me? Is Assad a member of SC?

February 9th, 2013, 6:04 pm

 

revenire said:

Israeli strategy is to overthrow Assad. Short of that they want to draw this out as long as possible to weaken Syria.

February 9th, 2013, 6:07 pm

 

Visitor said:

Our good Lybian brothers have applied the measures to exterminate mullah vermins trying to enter Lybia,

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/09/265332.html

When will GCC and Egypt follow suite?

February 9th, 2013, 6:07 pm

 

revenire said:

Israeli strategy is to overthrow Assad. Short of that they want to draw this out as long as possible to weaken Syria.

February 9th, 2013, 6:08 pm

 

ann said:

91. AIG said:

“”” The people in Israel who are laughing (not me) are having the last laugh “””

Are we supposed to be shocked at their apartheid attitudes 😀

February 9th, 2013, 6:09 pm

 

AIG said:

Israel’s leaders are playing real politic. Most of them want the war to continue as much as possible, so by saying that it is about to end, it dissuades others from helping the rebels. The more time the war goes on, the longer time Assad has to burn Syria, the weaker Syria will be at the end of it. The more the war continues, the more Iran and Hezbollah have to invest attention, money and people to it. Frustrated? Not at all. Just amazed at how stupid Assad is and how he is playing into their hands.

In my view this is too cynical and despite the Syrians being our enemy, we should help bring the slaughter to an end as soon as possible.

February 9th, 2013, 6:09 pm

 

revenire said:

Don’t think Israel has much choice. If they attack they risk war.

February 9th, 2013, 6:13 pm

 

AIG said:

“Are we supposed to be shocked at their apartheid attitudes”

What are you talking about? What we should be shocked about is your stupidity in wanting to burn Syria to the ground. If you dislike Israel so much, why do you support burning Syria to the ground? With idiots like you, it is no wonder Syria is in the state it is. Hopefully the rebels will win soon and sane people will lead the Syrian people.

February 9th, 2013, 6:13 pm

 

Tara said:

AIG,

Are you a lawyer? May I ask?

February 9th, 2013, 6:13 pm

 

zoo said:

The Israelis on this blog have not ceased to make fun of the Arabs, boost their zionists ideals and persistently try to further divide the bloggers.

I don’t even bother reacting to their constant provocation. That’s what they want us to do. They cajole one blogger against the other and they write provocative statements to get some kind of reaction and if you happen to react, they just won’t stop harrassing you.

My advice, resist the temptation and just ignore them. Don’t even bother to thumbs them up or down. Pure boycott. Let them monologue.

That’s the best thing you can inflict on them as they have no way you to force you in conversing with them.

February 9th, 2013, 6:15 pm

 

AIG said:

Tara,

No I am not.

I have been commenting here for many years and the nonsense that the regime idiots have been spouting has not improved one bit.

Allow me to say this to you, you are still letting yourself be manipulated by their nonsense. Assad was in power 11 years before the mess started. He had more than enough time to reform Syria. He did not. He bears 90% of the responsibility for what is happening in Syria. No BS from the regime idiots can mask that. Any person that wants such a failed leader to stay is insane.

February 9th, 2013, 6:18 pm

 

revenire said:

Does that apply to Netanyahu? Or the leadership of the IDF?

February 9th, 2013, 6:20 pm

 

zoo said:

#100 Revenire

.. and they’ll be annihilated. They know it. that’s why they are terrified by the prospect of Iran going nuclear. They play the machos by attacking already wounded Syria and boast about it. They are just a bunch of coward hyenas.

February 9th, 2013, 6:22 pm

 

Syrian said:

The heroes of Diar Alzore finally caught the #1 Shabeeh in thier area,
He was responsible for about 15 massacres and untold numbers of civilians.

http://youtu.be/R2LiyHItjQY

February 9th, 2013, 6:22 pm

 

AIG said:

The Israelis on this blog (me), are only making fund of idiots who support the Assad regime, not Arabs. The Israelis on this board have also been pointing out how your manipulative, self serving and dishonest discourse has attempted to show that Assad somehow represents Arabs when he has killed and displaced more Arabs than Israel ever did. And while Israel did this to its enemies, Assad does to his own people while saying he “loves” them. You are just a murderous hypocrite and propagandist.

February 9th, 2013, 6:22 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG haven’t the jihadis said their next target would be Israel? Yes they have. They’ve said exactly that. Are they lying? Your “brave rebels” are not lying are they?

February 9th, 2013, 6:25 pm

 

ann said:

99. AIG said:

“”” In my view this is too cynical and despite the Syrians being our enemy, we should help bring the slaughter to an end as soon as possible. “””

OH MY! `israeli LOVE! 😀 😀 😀

How about you vacate occupied Syrian Golan for starter

Pronto!

February 9th, 2013, 6:27 pm

 

AIG said:

So now Zoo claims that Iran wants a nuclear weapon to annihilate Israel. Proof again that you are a genocidal maniac and potential mass murderer. Hopefully you will be killed soon so that Syria can be a normal country, not a country of murderous cowards. And of course you are a complete idiot also, because Syria did not shoot ONE bullet at Israel in the Golan during all the Rabbit’s reign in power. It seems you admit that Syria under Assad was always weak.

February 9th, 2013, 6:27 pm

 

AIG said:

So now Zoo claims that Iran wants a nuclear weapon to annihilate Israel. Proof again that you are a genocidal maniac and potential mass murderer. Hopefully you will be killed soon so that Syria can be a normal country, not a country of murderous cowards. And of course you are a complete idiot also, because Syria did not shoot ONE bullet at Israel in the Golan during all the Rabbit’s reign in power. It seems you admit that Syria under Assad was always weak.

February 9th, 2013, 6:27 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG who are the Israelis on this forum?

You speak for yourself not Israel.

The Israeli government said Assad would fall almost two years ago. It frustrates them to see him remain. They know where the weapons Nasrallah beat Israel with came from.

My wish is for Iran and Hezbollah to get a nuclear weapons. Then we will see how many of Gaza’s women and children you murder.

February 9th, 2013, 6:29 pm

 

AIG said:

So now Zoo claims that Iran wants a nuclear weapon to annihilate Israel. Proof again that you are a genocidal maniac and potential mass murderer. Hopefully you will be killed soon so that Syria can be a normal country, not a country of murderous cowards. And of course you are a complete idiot also, because Syria did not shoot ONE bullet at Israel in the Golan during all the Rabbit’s reign in power. It seems you admit that Syria under Assad was always weak.

And good reason to get rid of Assad and his supporters that want to get rid of Israel.

February 9th, 2013, 6:29 pm

 

zoo said:

Special message from the Israelis:
Arabs should take Israel as a model. We are the best! Look at our economy, our freedom of expression, our security, our joy of living, the way we treat minorities, our beautiful land we bought from the Arabs and made it a paradise, etc…
And the whole world loves us.. well, almost..

February 9th, 2013, 6:32 pm

 

AIG said:

Syria tried to get nuclear weapons and Israel bombed the reactor and as usual the Syrian cowards did nothing. Absolutely nothing. What was their excuse then?

Of course Syria and Iran want nuclear weapons and that is why some in Israel are happy Assad is such an idiot and will burn Syria. They are happy that this stupid war could go on for years at the end of which Syria will be dust. Good job at achieving your goals, fool. And thanks for being honest about wanting to get nuclear weapons. All the more reason to sanction you and weaken you. You are really not helping your position, are you?

I hope the rebels win soon and get the insane idiots that are wrecking Syria out of there. And I hope the West helps the rebels to win so that Assad does not get his chance to burn Syria to the ground.

February 9th, 2013, 6:35 pm

 

AIG said:

Zoo,

The numbers do not lie. You just ignore them:
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_#!ctype=l&strail=false&bcs=d&nselm=h&met_y=ny_gdp_pcap_kd&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:ISR:SYR&ifdim=country&hl=en_US&dl=en_US&ind=false

And it is not because Israelis are better than Syrians. It is because the Assads are horrible leaders, full stop. They have wrecked Syria. By the time Assad is gone, Syria could be the worst place in the world if it takes long to remove him.

February 9th, 2013, 6:40 pm

 

Syrian said:

Iran will never attack Israel,Iran decided to go into the nuclear program in full force only after Sunni Pakistan successful nuclear program, Iran only using the Palestinian cause to hide their true intention, It is a known fact that Iran bought weapons from Israel to fight Iraq in the eighties. When khomine their biggest leader was alive ,it all known in the Iran-contra affair.

February 9th, 2013, 6:41 pm

 

zoo said:

The Israelis are so paranoiac that it’s been three years they keep repeating that Iran will have a nuclear bomb within a few months and they claim it will threaten the whole world.
Nothing seems to calm their hysteria on Iran. During the whole 2012, they announced that they were going to attack Iran, and instead they attacked in 2013 a small unprotected research building in Syria.

Netanyhanu and Barack are clowns and their president is senile.
Their PMs are all ending in jail for corruption or rape charges, if they don’t fall into a coma.
A real circus of a country!

February 9th, 2013, 6:41 pm

 

ann said:

114. AIG said:

“”” Syria tried to get nuclear weapons and Israel bombed the reactor “””

blah blah blah blah …

Same old worn out and tired `israeli propaganda!!!

No heart feelings, but we’re not buying any of it 😀

February 9th, 2013, 6:44 pm

 

AIG said:

Of course you are not buying anything that is close to reality. That is why you are so weak and destructive. Idiots tend to cause harm to their surroundings.

Yes, Netanyahu has lead Israel to an economic boom and into being one of the world technology leaders while Assad is bombing his own cities, killing his own people and grinding the Syrian economy to dust. But to idiot Assad supporters, Assad is better. What can one do when faced with such idiots??? You really think that situation in Syria is better than in Israel? You really need to be killed quickly and let some sane people rule Syria.

February 9th, 2013, 6:50 pm

 

Tara said:

AIG

What made you think I am manipulated by them? I am not.

February 9th, 2013, 6:50 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Freaking nuts. An Israeli wishing well for Syria and Syrians while three pieces of sh…y marionettes play armchair mass murderers wanting to burn it for the sake of a sh…tier character.

February 9th, 2013, 6:51 pm

 

revenire said:

The idea of an Israeli showing concern for Syrians after the way the Israelis treat Palestinians is sickening to me.

February 9th, 2013, 6:55 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

AIG,

Let’s not forget, Professor Josh (the owner) and his sidekick Alex were well-known Assad supporters for years. Now we are witnessing the “cover-up”; making pretend they never liked 40 years of Baathist rule. They should be ashamed. None of them were forced to support the Assad regime, like Syrian citizens were.

February 9th, 2013, 6:56 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

AIG
You underestimate TARA. I’v seen her making knots of marionettes’s wires and throwing off the dummies and their puppeteer into a state of dumbfounded confusion.

February 9th, 2013, 6:56 pm

 

OFF THE WALL said:

The idea of 1/10 of a man athad fools defending Palestinians disgust me and many many Palestinians along with me.

February 9th, 2013, 6:58 pm

 

ann said:

116. AIG said:

“”” I hope the rebels win soon “””
“”” I hope the West helps the rebels to win “””

AHA! you’re finally showing us your true colors 😉

SHOCKING! TRULY SHOCKING! 😀 😀 😀

February 9th, 2013, 6:58 pm

 

revenire said:

“Syria did not shoot ONE bullet at Israel”

She shot 1000s of missiles at her during the 2006 war with Hezbollah and the 2012 war with Gaza.

Israel lost both wars.

February 9th, 2013, 6:59 pm

 

AIG said:

Tara,

You told me you think Zoo is decent. That is proof you are manipulated. It is clear that he is a manipulative, self serving and dishonest asshole with a marginally retarded IQ.

February 9th, 2013, 6:59 pm

 

AIG said:

“Israel lost both wars.”

Well then, why are you and Hezbollah not afraid to shoot more rockets at Israel? Why has the Israeli border with Lebanon over the last 6 years never been more quiet?

People who win wars are not so scared to respond when they are bombed. But Assad did nothing twice. And thanks for admitting Syria was behind these wars. Because Assad kept lying and saying he wasn’t. Just more reason to sanction you. You have a knack of making your position worse all the time. Keep going.

February 9th, 2013, 7:04 pm

 

ann said:

129. AIG said:

“”” asshole with a marginally retarded IQ. “””

NOW, NOW! You need to control your “Tourettes Syndrome” my boy 😉

You can always switch to another one of your silly IDs and give this one a rest 😀

February 9th, 2013, 7:08 pm

 

ann said:

comment 131 is in moderation!!!!

February 9th, 2013, 7:09 pm

 

ann said:

can you please release comment 131. thank you

Stop this censorship!

February 9th, 2013, 7:10 pm

 

Visitor said:

“It is clear that he is a manipulative, self serving and dishonest asshole with a marginally retarded IQ.”

I marginally concur. But I would have fully concurred if AIG didn’t use ‘marginally’ in his description. I think the IQ of the subject under discussion is fully retarded.

February 9th, 2013, 7:15 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

What would you call a puppeteer who hasn’t pulled back the marionette that keeps pooping from its mouth. As Dumb as his dummies.

February 9th, 2013, 7:16 pm

 

zoo said:

In Tunisia, either the Moslem Brotherhood and other Islamists loose the government ministries or the country slides in chaos.
That would be the first Moslem Brotherhood kicked out of power in the Arab countries. I hope it will soon emulated in Egypt and in Libya

Islamists in key ministries must quit Tunisia govt: PM

AFP , Saturday 9 Feb 2013
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/64400/World/Region/Islamists-in-key-ministries-must-quit-Tunisia-govt.aspx

Tunisia’s prime minister said Saturday that key ministries held by fellow Islamists would be re-assigned to independents in a new government of non-partisan technocrats, otherwise the country would “slide into chaos.”

“All the ministries will be independent, including the interior, justice and foreign affairs ministries,” Hamadi Jebali told France 24, when asked by the satellite news channel about the plan which his Ennahda party opposes.

February 9th, 2013, 7:18 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG my delusional Hasbara I have no rockets.

The reports on the 2006 war from various Israeli think tanks and commissions are available to read. I urge you to read them.

The Winograd Commission blamed your government for its defeat. Remember?

The Jerusalem Post said that “if you fail to win, you lose” and that as “Hezbollah survived, it won the war.”

Moshe Arens called it “the defeat of Israel” if memory serves.

I can go on.

Israel was humiliated by Hezbollah. This was in 2006 and Hezbollah’s capabilities have only increased since then.

February 9th, 2013, 7:18 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

One thing is for sure, if the Israelis didn’t occupy Palestine, there would peace in the Middle East. 😉

February 9th, 2013, 7:19 pm

 

ann said:

We need to put a stop to this censorship.

Release my comment number 131!

February 9th, 2013, 7:25 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

retards have no idea that wars have limited, clear, and close ended objectives.

Did athad winning in 2006 stop Israeli attacks on Syria since 2006?

But Somehow, athad and nuss-lira winning stopped hizbullah attack on Israel. Way to go winners.

Keep winning. I would like to see athad wins exactly the same way against the revolution, which seems to be happening.

And by the way,

is حافر up from the dead yet?
Have you prayed to kim-jong-un today?
Have you paid your respect to Ceausescu’s grave today?

February 9th, 2013, 7:29 pm

 

AIG said:

As usual, some delusional Arabs mistake internal Israeli criticism for a “win”. Of course Israel could have done better 2006. That is why Olmert lost the elections. But with the perspective of time, it is clear Israel won since the Lebanese border has never been more quiet. Your analysis shows how intellectually dishonest you are. Because if the Israeli press or the government critics would have said Israel had won, you would call it lies. So you believe just what you want, not the facts and that is why you are idiots and in such dire straits. And if Hezbollah is so strong, why haven’t they attacked Israel even ONCE? They even stopped talking about the Sheba Farms. Please, attack Israel, let’s see what happens coward.

And of course, Olmert did not live up to expectations and was democratically replaced. While Assad is burning Syria to the ground after having 11 years of time to reform and you idiots cheer him on. How stupid could you be???

February 9th, 2013, 7:31 pm

 

revenire said:

For now it is enough to have won in 2006. It is a matter of time and all Israelis know that. You can’t keep people locked up in a giant concentration camp for much longer. You can’t keep up illegal occupations of land forever.

Israel is a cancer.

February 9th, 2013, 7:35 pm

 

AIG said:

So now you are babbling nonsense and making excuses a person in kindergarten would not make. Very soon you will say it is great there is civil war in Syria because in that way the army gets a lot of practice. Burn Syria to the ground genius, that is a great way to get the Golan back. You and Assad are such foreign policy geniuses.

February 9th, 2013, 7:43 pm

 

revenire said:

This is your Israel: Eli Abarbanel, a senior state prosecutor and Beitar fan, said on Israel Radio on Friday that the soccer struggle reflected ‘a broad phenomenon of racism in all of Israeli society,’ citing expressions of “joy” on social media after a recent bus accident that killed 20 Palestinian children.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/09/world/middleeast/arson-destroys-office-of-israel-soccer-team-that-recruited-muslims.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=1&

February 9th, 2013, 8:00 pm

 

Tara said:

AIG,

I believe your sentiment towards the Syrian people and I thank you for it.

February 9th, 2013, 8:01 pm

 

AIG said:

Is that the best you can do, highlight how Israel is fighting racism while Syrians are killing each other in cold blood? Yes, there is racism in Israel and we need to fight it. But it is discussed openly in the media and people are fighting it, not ignoring it. Exactly what you expect to happen in countries that want to improve. This explains why Israel is doing so much better than its Arab neighbors.

Contrast that with Syria where Assad does not allow free press and is now killing his own people. Not only is there racism in Syria, there is also bloodshed and talk of extermination (by you for example). You are so stupid you do not understand how a normal country works and the irony is that as a proud racist yourself you criticize Israel for racism! What a prize idiot.

February 9th, 2013, 8:13 pm

 

AIG said:

Tara,

No need to thank me. Thank me after I convince my government to pressure the US to send weapons to the rebels. I am totally convinced that the insane regime supporters are really willing to burn Syria and this has to be stopped.

February 9th, 2013, 8:16 pm

 

Visitor said:

The GCC’s may have few differences over the criminal regime of Syria, but they are one voice when it comes to Mullah-stan,

http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2013/02/10/265377.html

Mulaah-stan is a pariah entity in our region. And a pariah in the world as well.

February 9th, 2013, 8:48 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Roses are Red.
Violets are Blue.
Revenire is a Retard.
And a Loser too.

The war continues.

Israel can bomb Assad with impunity. Assad didn’t respond to the last bombing attack. And he won’t be able to respond to the next one either.

In other words, the regime is weak.

February 9th, 2013, 9:42 pm

 

Syrian said:

Batta trying to act as if he is leading in normal times
“Cabinet Shift Within Syria Seems Aimed at Economy”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/world/middleeast/cabinet-shift-within-syria-seems-aimed-at-economy.html

February 9th, 2013, 9:50 pm

 

revenire said:

AIG you’re going to first convince Israel and then she will pressure the American government to arm the terrorists? All by yourself? On a message forum?

Ha ha.

Please pour me some of what you’re drinking Hasbara.

February 9th, 2013, 9:51 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Yup. Revenire’s r-ing it up again.

February 9th, 2013, 9:54 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

I’ve heard that fighting has spread to Minnegh Airport.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Revenire is a retard? And that he spends 12-16 hours posting continuously on the comments section of a blog?

February 9th, 2013, 9:56 pm

 

Dolly Buster said:

Maybe Revenire is bored because he lives in Syria, so he celebrates Electricity by hopping onto Joshua Landis.

February 9th, 2013, 10:00 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Akpar Palace and Aig
Without Israel we the Arab would never put up with brutal sectarian dictators who lied to us and told us through out all these years that they are resistants, we spent billions on war and resistance,where we could have spent them on improving our conditions,I once said Israel is the cause of most of our misery.

February 9th, 2013, 10:04 pm

 

revenire said:

It is Israel that murders Palestinians. It is Israel that holds Jerusalem.

February 9th, 2013, 10:06 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Without Israel we the Arab would never put up with brutal sectarian dictators who lied to us and told us through out all these years that they are resistants, we spent billions on war and resistance,where we could have spent them on improving our conditions,I once said Israel is the cause of most of our misery.

Majedkhaldoun,

I hope (and I think) the arab world learned that this “resistance” BS was just a way for the despots to stay in power. The king wears no clothes.

February 9th, 2013, 10:28 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

تمت اليوم عملية نوعية في مدينة القلمون التابعة لريف دمشق .. و أسفرت عن قتل ما يقارب 80 شبيح و عنصر من عناصر عصابات الأسد المجرمة .. و تم بحمد الله و توفيقه .. تدمير 7 عربات تحمل دوشكا ..
و 6 سيارات زيل .. و 5 باصات .. في رتل على طريق دمشق حمص .. كما تم بفضل الله قصف مركز الأغرار و الكتيبة التابعة له و الكازية العسكرية على الطريق الدولي ..
Akpar Palace, I hope we learned a lesson

February 9th, 2013, 10:42 pm

 

revenire said:

Despots need no help to stay in power. The Resistance is real. Just ask Israelis how they felt when thousands of Resistance rockets hit them in 2006 and 2012. Ask the Palestinians if it is all “BS” and let us know what they say.

The only effective resistance to Israel has been Syria-Hezbollah-Iran and the Palestinian resistance fighters. The only time Israel was defeated was in 2006 by the Resistance – armed by Syrian and Iran.

February 9th, 2013, 10:42 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Ask the Palestinians if it is all “BS” and let us know what they say.

Reverse,

I asked the Palestinians per your request, and they wanted me to thank you for all the hard work you are doing on their behalf. They also were very thankful for the sacrifices of the Syrian people at this difficult time. They were also wondering if you could contrbute funds for salaries and work programs.

February 9th, 2013, 10:56 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

It is Israel that murders Palestinians.

Reverse,

Who murders Syrians? Or maybe dead Syrians are not as important as dead Palestinians.

February 9th, 2013, 11:20 pm

 

Ghufran said:

كشف هشام مروة، عضو اللجنة القانونية للائتلاف الوطني السوري المعارض، أن الائتلاف سيطرح “مبادرة جديدة لحل الأزمة السورية” في اجتماع الهيئة المقرر يوم 20 شباط الجاري، مشيرا إلى أن الاجتماع لم يتحدد مكان انعقاده لكنه سيكون بالقاهرة أو إسطنبول.
وفي تصريحات خاصة لوكالة الأناضول للأنباء، أوضح “مروة” أن المبادرة ستقوم على “تشكيل حكومة موقتة من المعارضة وشخصيات من النظام وذلك من دون الدخول في مفاوضات مع النظام”.
وأشار إلى أن مهمة الحكومة المقترحة “ستكون التمهيد لعقد مؤتمر وطني عام، يصدر عنه إعلانا دستوريا، يستفتى عليه الشعب، ويتم تأسيس مؤسسات الدولة التشريعة والتنفيذية بناء على هذا الإعلان”.
ورفض “مروة” الربط بين المبادرة الجديدة ومبادرة رئيس الائتلاف معاذ الخطيب، والتي أعلن فيها استعداده للتفاوض مع النظام، معتبرا أنّ “مبادرة رئيس الائتلاف ستلغي خلال ساعات بعدما لم يبد النظام حسن النوايا بالإفراج عن المعتقلات”.
Another initiative, another deadline

February 10th, 2013, 12:00 am

 

Syrialover said:

JUERGEN (response to item in previous thread)

I want to respond to your comment on internal Syrian writers and artists.

I agree with your point about the regime’s domination of Syrian popular culture and censorship and restrictions on artists, writers and film makers.

But you have been a bit unfair in dismissing those who spent their lives in Syria, suggesting any one who is any good has left Syria.

Not true. I see that some excellent writers from inside Syria, Nihad Sirees, Khaled Khalifa and Yassin al-haj Saleh, for example – who are all courageous critics of the regime – are now suddenly starting to get international recognition. Do an online search and you’ll see.

It’s true that to earn a living or get exposure many creative and talented Syrians compromised or accepted work from the authorities. The government for decades has been the biggest customer, patron and decider in Syrian public culture.

It’s also true that a lot of mediocre material and 4th-rate artists and their work got promoted.

But Syria has still produced first-rate writers, artists, performers and makers of TV dramas and films. And a number owe the development and showcasing of their talent to the government’s support of the TV drama industry.

Other barriers to wider fame include language (translations of Arab literature or subtitles on TV dramas are scarce), the small size of the commercial and culturally-aware market for art and literature in the Middle East, and the restricted travel, income opportunities and outlets available to most Syrian creative artists.

I think the world will learn a lot more about Syria’s best artists and writers as the barriers come down.

Another fact of life is that most performing artists long for an audience, it’s what drives the blood through their veins. And if they have to choose between starving in obscurity or performing for a paying audience of bastards and thugs, most will choose the second option.

And here’s another thing which ironically has parallels with the Syrian scene. In America, a lot of brilliant TV dramas started coming from the HBO (Home Box Office) channel. These delighted and excited audiences who’d only been served the garbage churned out by the big TV networks and Hollywood obsessed with chasing low-taste mass audiences.

So where had all these brilliant American screenwriters, actors, directors etc been hiding all these years? They had actually been out there earning a living doing the horrible trash on mainstream commercial TV and Hollywood – the only work on offer. Then suddenly, HBO took a risk, decided to lift the quality and offered those people the chance to show what they were actually capable of. The result has been amazing.

February 10th, 2013, 12:06 am

 

Ghufran said:

Expect more ” political initiatives” if the rebels fail to advance around Damascus and expect more cockiness from the regime if the army continues to make progress. Both parties are using the blood of Syrians to win the “right ” to dominate Syria.
The army is far from being defeated, indeed, it is still fighting in areas like Rastan and Wadi Daif while rebels are fighting each other in khan Assabeel in Idleb and failing to capture any Syrian city..
What I would like to see is a cessation of violence,a transitional government, then elections. Those of you who think one side can paint all of Syria with his color are idiots, others who fear that stopping now will give Assad another 13 years in office are wrong, the man has no political future but he will not resign just because HBJ and erdo want him to, Syrians must unseat him not foreigners, using violence proved to be counterproductive and very destructive, this regime lost the confidence of most people who are more fearful of the alternative than accepting of regime thieves. There is no alternative to a non violent syrian process that removes assad, otherwise Syria will establish a tradition where powerful foreign governments can decide who should occupy Almuhajireen palace by using violence or other means.
Assad can help Syria get out of this mess by resigning after accepting a successor who will represent his regime in future negotiations, i do not think he is visionary and brave enough to make that move, then it is up to an independent court to handle issues like war crimes and smuggled money that was earned illegally, there has to be a measure of justice if we want future generations to have a chance of living together again.

February 10th, 2013, 12:46 am

 
 

Syrian said:

The facts in Damascus are
After 84 days of none stop attack,Batta’s militia can’t go into Daryya.
The FSA took over a major security post at Harmala point and were able to close the southern road that connect Damascus to the north of the country.
A new front in Jober that is only a mile from the important Abassin square
A new clashes in al Qadem were the rail train hop is located
The compete take over of the town of Addra in suburb.
All those are new gains for the FSA in the last week.
All the Batta militia did was fire missiles at those locations.

February 10th, 2013, 1:21 am

 

Syrian said:

جراحنا تحصد الجوائز العالمية !!

هذه الصورة التي التقطها الصحافي الاسباني مانو برابو (Manu Brabo) أمام مشفى الشفاء في حلب ,, تحصل على جائزة :
Pictures of the Year International
https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/16519_429002550513999_130670525_n.jpg?dl=1

February 10th, 2013, 1:34 am

 

apple_mini said:

The rebels simply do not have strength or means to set foot in Damascus. This ongoing attack is suicidal. I actually admire their bravery. But I do believe it is doomed to be a failure. Several hundred men with light weapons won’t even put a dent on Damascus.

In the last several days, the rebels have already lost over hundred of men. What point were they trying to make? People in Damascus do not really take this fresh assault seriously. That is why people still go to work as usual. They do complain heavier and louder bombardment.

My guess the whole thing was a panic move due to the regime’s onslaught of the so-called crescent towns around Damascus. The rebels had to make a preemptive move. Unfortunately, even that plan was informed to the regime and they had reinforcement for preparation.

It will take the regime maybe another week to calm down the area. The regime will lose some men and machines. But it gives them advantage to isolate suburban towns and put them under tighter siege.

I am no military expert. But I really think Damascus is too much of a fortress for the rebels to tackle at least for now. The regime is taking out those Sunni towns one at a time with brutal force.

Last November, it was somehow quite different situation. The rebels had been consolidating their bases and they actually formed quite formidable force ready to combat the regime. The loss of Daraya put an end to it. Again, who has more firepower and better planning wins.

The rebels were fully aware of the strength of the regime in Damascus. But they overestimated themselves. And they could not resist the temptation for the ultimate reward.

The nature of the rebel force as many different independent brigades with different ideologies actually helps the regime to remain strong. The regime adapted their strategy to contract their force and hence preserve it. It has been working. The regime’s best army is in Damascus and it is very difficult for them to deploy their best away from Damascus.

Imagine if the rebels had had united commanding and planning then concentrated their force to fight for Homs or Hama, they might have achieved something there instead of against the best equipped body of the regime force in the south.

February 10th, 2013, 2:51 am

 

annie said:

166.SYRIAN

How sad ! We all weep with him.

February 10th, 2013, 2:53 am

 

annie said:

“155. revenire said:

It is Israel that murders Palestinians. It is Israel that holds Jerusalem.”

For once, Israel is not the only villain in the region and God knows that Assad-Timur has out-Heroded Herod

February 10th, 2013, 2:59 am

 

Jadi said:

Syrians are you for real? You all forgot about the Israeli occupation to Palestine and suddenly turned to sympathizer with the enemy!!!

February 10th, 2013, 3:30 am

 

Juergen said:

Syrialover

You are right, I was unfair.

There is no black and white world, and people who suggest so are manipulating or are driven by their emotions. A lot of grey exist, thats for sure.I believe not everyone can be a hero, it would be an dull world to live in. I also think that a lot of people never get their chance to be a hero, or their story is heard. Those artists who have been driven out of their country surely have to pay a higher price in their exile than those who find some kind of arrangement. You not only loose your country and culture you will most likely will have extreme difficulties to work in the same light as before. Some artists in the GDR have said later that once the regime was gone they fell in an deep hole, they had to realize that the regime has helped them to have an reason to work. It is an odd thing to know that many have found themselves in the same state of mind as the regime loyalists already were. Noone likes to hear that they have lived an wrong life, that they had their bets on the wrong horse, and some might argue that they had no choices. Surely as a German i would point out that we had many writers and painters inside Hitler Germany, and some of them might had an audience back then, but honestly many of them are forgotten, because their role if they sought for an arrangement was clear to the people.
Hitler himself saw himself as an artist, many painters and sculpturers who were praised by him had for 12 years at least an exciting lifestyle, and many surely sought to please the taste of the Nazis.
For sure did he and his kind dictate in the country what is good and what was seen as perveted art. Those authors, painters and musicians who fall into the second category were persecuted and many have left the country.

Of course the arts are always an victim of dictators worldwide. Why has Assad build the National library? Why has he build an opera house? My answer,because the merit of doing so covers up many things which are not presentable to the world. Is it an critique of the regime that Macbeth is perfomed in the Dar Assad opera house? I think that some in the ministry of culture may not have foreseen the actuality of this play performed last spring, but hey, in an country where all texts and playbooks have to pass the censureship of an minister of cultural affairs, one could only hope he got the job as many others have gotten theirs, trough wasta.

One could always say, I just did my job, someone had to entertain the people or at least give them hope. Someone suggested that Syrians have an tendancy to asskiss the ruler, all may have some truth in it, but history will be decided by those who will write the history books of the future, not by those who are part of this time.

Everyone in such an regime will come sooner or later to an point where one can not be out of the ring, where you have to answer for yourself what is my role in this, what if I dont do what is expected? See such dictatorships work not because everyone is so convinced and can hardly walk because the love for the supreme leader weights so much. Such regimes work because they produce fear and make people smaller than they actually are. We have seen that all what happend in Syria was started by some teenagers in an neglected corner of the country, writing slogans on a schoolwall, what an amazing example that someone, can make a difference, against all odds.

I hope your vision becomes true, that an new generation of Syrians conquer the consciense of an worldwide audience, and I am sure many tragedies which are happening have to be told.

February 10th, 2013, 4:34 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

The symbolism is inescapable. athad the fool fan club in Australia, even though dwindling to a gang of ignoramus insist on their tasteless, stupid, moronic, and morally corrupt sophistry of their master.

The women in this photo (their millions demonstration in Sydney earlier today) explain the retard marionette dummies we see on SC. Proudly holding military boot over their heads to show the type of citizens athad hyena packs accept in the athadian farm. Mere thoughtless animals, who would hang on to their own shackles thinking that such is an honorable distinction of nationalism. How vulgar, tasteless, and stupid. Pretty much like all what the shabee7a on this site consider as being the height of artistic accomplishments.

I say now, there is no license for dehumanizing art and sophistry, for such is not art since the only statement such vulgar stupidity can make is a statement of glorification of slavery that worships the fool by the fools and retards.

Syrians are better than that, far more honorable than these retards try to show the world. Syria deserves better than that. And those retards will sink into oblivion, but after being paraded like the slaves they desire to be in front of the world, as the last remnants of the age of athad despotism and barbarity.

February 10th, 2013, 6:45 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

The hero, the man, the incredible

What a clownish posture… ROFL, worthy of the clown who thinks himself a real human being, worst, he believes that he is smart.

February 10th, 2013, 7:05 am

 

zoo said:

Will Syria Become An Islamist State?
February 10, 2013 7:00 AM

The author, a Syrian citizen living in Damascus, is not being identified by NPR for security reasons. Many Syrians interviewed for this piece asked that their full names not be used, for their safety.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/02/10/171479658/will-syria-become-an-islamist-state

February 10th, 2013, 7:18 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

while NPR may be partially excused for their ignorance, a true syrian would have laughed at the question of whether Syria would become and Islamic State.

Under the athads, syria was an islamic state in issues that matter the most. Athads the corrupt, maintained a civil status law that is far worst than many other “hard core islamic countries”. Religious schools, led and managed by ignorant imams proliferated every city and town, and cults such as qubaysyyat was encouraged, for as long as the “islamic” state was subservient to the retard in Damascus and before him to the grand-bully حافر. Athad the fool few years back put a committee composed of the most backward of his “mashayekh” to write a new civil status law and the results was disgusting and abhorring.

A retard is always a retard. Reading the title and thinking that it can fool us.

the athads and their mafia gangs did not fail in modernizing Syria and in bringing enlightenment, the could not and in fact they sabotaged the efforts of others. jailing and torturing, murdering exiling every free thinker. It was and is their sectarian outlook that has now backfired badly in their face, and their attempts to co-opt religion to their advantage is the boomerang we now see. The fools here continue to think of these thugs and retards as manifestation of secularism. How dumb, and how reflective of the narrow sectarian outlook of the loyalists, including those “sleeper cells” who pretend that they dislike the regime, but show more dislike to Syria and Syrians.

February 10th, 2013, 7:30 am

 

zoo said:

Are Syrians refugees building permanent “Yarmouks” in Jordan’s desert where “real estate is booming”?

Syrian exodus spurs building boom in refugee camp
Sapa-dpa | 10 February, 2013 14:32

http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/2013/02/10/syrian-exodus-spurs-building-boom-in-refugee-camp

….
Al-Haj is one of hundreds of Syrians taking up hammers, saws and shovels in the Zaatari refugee camp, rapidly transforming the desert unit into a makeshift metropolis.

Syrians are driving the camp construction, erecting hundreds of makeshift aluminum-and-wood cafes, vegetable stands and shelters. They are often outpacing the bulldozers and lines of canvas tents being laid out daily by United Nations and Jordanian officials.

Abu Mohammed al-Darawi is one of hundreds taking part in the construction drive, which he says has been a “welcome distraction” from a life in exile.

“Many of us have not worked in more than a year, others have sat in tents for months,” the former carpenter from Daraa – the cradle of the Syrian uprising – said, as he laid a wooden foundation beam for his cousin’s planned vegetable stand on the western edge of the camp.

“Now we are learning what it is like to feel tired at the end of the day again.”

The building boom is fuelled by a combination of economics and necessity, the refugees say.

For as little as 12 dollars, residents can purchase bundles of wooden planks and aluminum sheeting harvested from the dozens of humanitarian aid and residential trailer crates that are trucked into the camp each day.

With the growing number of goods being smuggled into the camp, entrepreneurial residents say their businesses generate an average profit margin of 50 dollars.

Faced with the prospect of generating income and creating additional shelter for the steady trickle of relatives joining them, few are willing to miss out on the current “real estate boom.”

“The first question people ask you when you arrive to Zaatari is not, ‘Where are you from?’ or ‘When do you plan to go back?'” said Zuhair Abu Ahmed as he lit a gas burner in his coffee stand at the centre of the camp.

“It is: What do you plan to open?”

The daily influx of some 1,000 refugees has sparked fierce competition for prime real estate in the camp, with residents resorting to reserving plots of land with stones, disassembled tents and even relatives.

“We may be building coffee stands and shelters today,” said al-Haj, the Homs resident, as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

“But God willing we will be building a new Syria tomorrow.”

February 10th, 2013, 7:53 am

 

zoo said:

Obama applauds Turkey and predicts that “ultimately the regime in Syrian will come to an end” because of ‘growing defections’ and ‘loss of territory’.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/obama-applauds-turkeys-effort-to-find-peaceful-solution-to-kurdish-problem.aspx?pageID=238&nid=40808&NewsCatID=338

On the Syrian crisis, Obama said President Bahsar al-Assad’s regime will ultimately come to an end as it is weakening day by day. “We are very mindful that the days ahead will continue to be extremely difficult, for the Syrian people and the region. But we also know that the [al-]Assad regime continues to weaken and lose territory. The regime continues to suffer defections, while the opposition grows stronger. And make no mistake – the [al-]Assad regime will ultimately come to an end and the Syrian people will have the opportunity to decide their own destiny. That’s the future that we will continue to work toward, in partnership with Turkey and the international community,” the president said.

The U.S. president also praised Turkey’s role in solving the crisis and dealing with the massive influx of Syrian refugees. “We’ve taken all these steps in close coordination with the Turkish government, and I want to commend Prime Minister Erdoğan and the Turkish government for playing a leadership role in trying to [bring an] end to the violence and begin a political transition in Syria. I especially want to applaud the people of Turkey, who have shown incredible generosity in hosting more than 170,000 Syrians who escaped the violence and found refuge in camps in Turkey.”

February 10th, 2013, 8:03 am

 

Dolly Buster said:

174. SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

and before him to the grand-bully حافر

 
I thought Hafiz was spelled with a Dhal.

You are spelling it with an R, which is weird.

February 10th, 2013, 8:13 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

It is my way of paying respect to the sublime prethidenthy of he athads.

حافر : hoof

February 10th, 2013, 8:40 am

 

apple_mini said:

Looks like Obama preempted and ambushed Erdogan politically by applauding his government playing a leadership role in trying to [bring an] end to the violence and begin a political transition in Syria.

February 10th, 2013, 8:48 am

 

revenire said:

“179. APPLE_MINI said:
Looks like Obama preempted and ambushed Erdogan politically by applauding his government playing a leadership role in trying to [bring an] end to the violence and begin a political transition in Syria.”

Given Obama and Erdogan are both responsible (Obama above Erdogan) for the death in Syria this makes no sense.

February 10th, 2013, 9:50 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Obama is not truthful,he is forbiding Erdogan from interfering, arming the rebels in the north,has no damaging effect to the interest of USA,it can be done in steps,small amount at a time.Assad the great shabbih, must lose more planes

February 10th, 2013, 10:14 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Typical woman from Damascus, some here on SC call her salafist.

February 10th, 2013, 10:35 am

 

revenire said:

Your rats would make that woman cover her hair and face, as they’ve done in certain areas. Female uni students in Aleppo have been forced to cover their hair by your rats. Don’t deny it.

US policy toward Syria hurts both the US and Israel. You might not be able to see that but history plays out over decades not the small two-year “regime change” the US salivates over.

The US backs dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and Israel – the real terrorist states.

US and Israeli positions have been weakened over the last two decades.

February 10th, 2013, 10:59 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

Some retard, who thought that he/she is a good writer kept obsessing about Arour’s meet grinder. Well, it turn out that the loyalist retard was right about the grinder, but wrong about the asshole holding it.

يونس اليوسف …. المصور في قناة الدنيا ..

الفرم في معمل السكر!!

جاءنا خبر ان معمل السكر في جسر الشغور، هو مركز اعتقال وتعذيب للمواطنين، كما ورد في محطتي ((الجزيرة)) و((العربية))، ولأن مهمتنا كانت تكذيب كل ما يصدر عن سوريا من هاتين المحطتين، فقد توجهنا في قناة ))الدنيا)) التي يملكها محمد حمشو احد شركاء ماهر الاسد الى المعمل، فوجدنا ان هناك عشرات النساء يجلسن على الارض وبعضهن يبكين ومنهن من يدعين الى الله، ويدعين ضد بشار في صحته وابنائه.. وبعضهن تحمل اولاداً رضعاً.. والمعتقلات هن اما أم لناشط او شقيقة له او..

على الجانب الآخر كان عشرات الرجال والشباب في اوضاع مأسوية، وجوه دامية، اجساد تنزف، واشكال غير عادية حتى ليبدو بعضهم مشدوهاً والبعض يحاول اخفاء جروح رأسه ووجهه.. وحاول طبيب سحب المياه من أرجل البعض لكثرة الضرب.

خرجت من المعمل بعد ان صورت الفراغ لأظهر للناس والمشاهدين ألا صحة لما رأيت.. صورت الفراغ ليبدو المعمل هادئاً ولنفي اخبار ((العربية)) ))والجزيرة((.

خرجت من المعمل لأقف على الباب قليلاً لأتنفس الهواء بعد ان كدت اختنق من الكذب والرياء والصمت على ما يجري بل وتزوير الحقائق.

التقيت عند الباب بحارس المعمل او احد حراسه فنظر إلـيّ شزراً وقال لي غاضباً بصوت يحمل التحدي: ألا تخشى الله، أليس لك عرض أم او أخت او زوج تخشى عليهن، ألم تر الفضائح التي فعلها هؤلاء المجرمون.. خاف الله خاف الله.. لماذا لم تأت بالأمس والشبيحة والجنود يغتصبون النساء ويلزموهن ان يبقين عاريات.


صدمني وهو يقول: لماذا لم تأت بالامس لتصوير الامن وهو يرمي الرجال في الفـرّامة التي تحيل اجسادهم الى قطع صغيرة كما قطع السكر.. وتذهب كلها الى المعاصر لتذوب فيها؟ انها فـرّامة الشمندر السكري حـوّلها رجال الاسد الى فرامة لتقطيع اجساد الرجال والشباب المتظاهرين!

لم اجرؤ على الرد، حملت حقيبتي وذهبت الى منزلي، في اليوم التالي عدت الى المعمل وسألت عن الحارس نفسه فقيل لي انه هرب.

صدمني وهو يقول: لماذا لم تأت بالامس لتصوير الامن وهو يرمي الرجال في الفـرّامة التي تحيل اجسادهم الى قطع صغيرة كما قطع السكر.. وتذهب كلها الى المعاصر لتذوب فيها؟ انها فـرّامة الشمندر السكري حـوّلها رجال الاسد الى فرامة لتقطيع اجساد الرجال والشباب المتظاهرين!

The event described below happened to the cameraman who used to work for Makhlouf’s TV channel (Aldunya). The man describes an interaction with a guard of the sugar factory in Jisr Alshughour after he was asked to go their and show that the factory was not being used as a liquidation center by regime thugs. The article describes the fact that he saw what confirmed the accusation, but taped empty
space instead. He concludes by a dialogue between him and the civilian employee factory guard:

Translation of the bold-paragraph


Why didn’t you come yesterday to tape the security people throwing the men in the grinder that turned their bodies into small pieces like sugar cubes and it all went to the squeeers to melt in it? it is the sugar beat grinder, which was converted by the asad men into a grinder to chop the bodies of demonstrating men and young men.

The guard escaped and defected om the next day. Mr. Youssef, the cameraman defected later and he is now publishing some of the horrors he was asked to hide and lie about on his facebook account.

February 10th, 2013, 11:34 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

Reverse’s “Lessons in Government 101”

The US backs dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and Israel – the real terrorist states.

Reverse,

Please tell the forum how you define a:

1.) “Dictatorship”

2.) “Terrorist State”

February 10th, 2013, 11:57 am

 

Badr said:

“How vulgar, tasteless, and stupid. Pretty much like all what the shabee7a on this site consider as being the height of artistic accomplishments.”

Syrian Hamster,

Does this include the recent discussion of that famous singer, you know who?

February 10th, 2013, 12:15 pm

 

Tara said:

Syrian Hamster,

I was also told by an eye witness that the regime has resorted to annhilate Hamwis in 1982 this way by cutting them into prices and grinding them in factories.

February 10th, 2013, 12:24 pm

 

revenire said:

Yes Tara, they make sausages out of them. Of course they do. Bashar and Asam eat them for snacks.

An eyewitness told me. One of Asma’s cousins.

February 10th, 2013, 12:43 pm

 

Visitor said:

MajedK,

This one is also for you. Notice that it confirms the previous study,

http://www.aljazeera.net/news/pages/b5fa60c0-3f80-4598-bc6e-22720164aec6?GoogleStatID=9

In the meantime holy warriors from Nusra, Ahrar, batallion of اويس القرني and others took over the artillery Company in the city of Tabaqa, and are now in the process of overtaking the airforce intelligence in the city. The fighters captured huge amounts of weapons and ammunition in the process. These are the same fighters who took over the dam which is referred to by the misnomer of baath about a week ago.

February 10th, 2013, 12:48 pm

 

revenire said:

Rats how did your attempt at Al-Sufeira work out for you? We understand drones spotted your nests and our boys opened up with artillery.

Perhaps the Hasbara AIG can convince Obama to send flowers for the graves.

February 10th, 2013, 12:49 pm

 

Observer said:

This is for thoughtful people on this blog.

I know some will respond by attacking the author or this or that.

It would be nice to have Ehsani Majbali Tara Syrian Hamster Majed and Mari tell us what they think as well as JL’s thoughts.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/02/syria-is-not-iraq/272815/

February 10th, 2013, 2:05 pm

 

revenire said:

Where are they now?
GREAT post by Ziad (please go to his blog for the pictures – they are worth it)
http://syrianperspective.blogspot.com/2013/02/second-post-february-10-2013-where-are.html

BURHAN GHALIOUN.

Boy, when this guy and some other Syrian exile-felons formed the Syrian National Council, the U.S., Britain, France and all the other NATO riff-raff rushed down the aisles to polish his shoes, brush his coat and clip his nose hairs. “We recognize the Syrian National Council as a legitimate representative of the aspirations of the Syrian people”, or so bloviated former American Secretary of State and SyrPer’s Imelda Marcos Award winner for 2012, Hillary Clinton. Yawn.

It didn’t take long for this mayfly to disappear after members of his SNC read the charter of the organization and learned that he could not hold on to the position of “Fearless Leader” for more than 2 terms. He was dumped for some Kurdish professor whose name escapes us at the moment. The new King-of-Kings is commie stalwart and Syria’s own Captain Kangaroo, George Sabra.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO…..

MANAF TLAS?

Major General Manaf Tlas had some real Syrian military bona fides: son of Syria’s longest-serving Defense Minister, Lt. Gen. Mustafa Tlas, he acquitted himself in true Mr. Bean fashion when he managed to completely give away an entire Syrian mountain resort to the Fake Syrian Army. Oh, he didn’t have time for warfare, what with smoking cigars, drinking fine cognacs and posing for fashion magazines. No. He made a deal with the terrorists which essentially gave them control of the mountain town of Zabadani as long as they promised not to “parade around” with their military hardware or poke fun at him.

When Maj. General Hafez Makhlouf found out about this “deal”, he went ballistic, taking the matter straight to the president who had the “Little General” put under house arrest lest he compromise the Tlas name and the Syrian people. He is believed to be somewhere in Arabia with his brother, Firas, a gazillionaire who made it rich providing the Qataris with male Bulgarian orphans.

Anybody remember the BBC touting him, in strident Cantabrigian notes, as “…the most senior member of the Assad regime who defected to the rebel side…….”? What the BBC didn’t tell anybody was that the great general was so close to President Assad that he had to ask the guards around his house to let him walk his pet Saluki dog around the block. He has been asked to play the role of “Miles Gloriosus” at an American high school in pedophile-filled Doha.

AND WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…….

RIAD AL-AS’AD?

Just making fun of him is not enough. Heir to the great Col. Hussein Harmoush, self-declared rebel leader, Commander of the Faithful, World-Swallowing Conqueror, Caliph of Krakatoa, Blithering Idiot, Al-As’ad made his bones staying out of Turkey’s many mental institutions. For a very short time, he was the world’s face of the Fake Syrian Army – often basking in the glow of NATO approbation, surrounded by comely female journalists who declared him “leader of the revolution”, “satrap of clap traps”, and the like.

Today, it is reported he is clinically depressed due to his unceremonious discharge from the rank of “Generalissimo”. He has been rejected for landed immigrant status in Canada. Even the Australians won’t talk to him. He is Colonel Nobody.

AND WHAT IN THE HECK EVER HAPPENED TO…..

RIAD FARID HIJAB?

According to unconfirmed reports, the former Prime Minister of Syria is waiting tables in Naples, Italy, at a bistro called “Luigi’s” just a wind-draft down from the putrid sulfuric lava pools of Mt. Vesuvius. Declared by the BBC, again (yawn), as “the highest ranking member of the Syrian government to defect….a certain blow to the legitimacy of President Assad…” (yawn), the BBC, anxious to collect as much venom as possible to please its Qatari child-molesting patrons, even suggested that his “reputation for honesty” was respected by the opposition and that he was a shoe-in for high status with the new (and dreamt-about) government which would lead Syria after Dr. Assad’s downfall. Forgetting that the office of Prime Minister in Syria only guarantees a good table at “Ali Baba’s” restaurant in Damascus, the BBC went on slathering even more stupidity on this wretched little clam of a man. Where is he? He is nowhere.

AND FOR PETE’S SAKE, WHAT HAPPENED TO……..

ABDO HUSAMEDDINE?

Oh boy! When the BBC got a hold of this, it started to compete with the New York Times over who could make this sow’s ear into a silk purse. To this day, despite the hoopla, most Syrians don’t know who he is.
In fact, one Syrian restaurant owner I spoke to a few days ago sheepishly suggested he was Latakia’s championship boxing manager. No! He is Abdo Husameddine.

Also, tarted up in the outer garments of integrity and “honesty” by a BBC rivened with a newly-discovered legacy of child molestation, he graced television screens for about 4 hours after which he sank like a bag of marbles in my aunt’s rear cesspool in Beirut. Today, he carefully skulks around the streets of Apaydin fearing the vengeance of the Syrian security services – the same agencies who have to be reminded of who Abdo Husameddine really was.

February 10th, 2013, 3:28 pm

 

Syrian said:

The FSA has started producing a 60 KM missiles.
Of course it is accuracy will be as good as the Scuds that Batta had thrown on Aleppo and Dara’a
Qurdaha get ready for the pay back, as MRG would say what goes around comes around!
http://youtu.be/zvA2SRVzn0w

February 10th, 2013, 4:49 pm

 

Tara said:

Syrian,

One of Batta’s hidden places is in Yaafour. How about warning residents to evacuate then hit Yaafour. After all it is mostly inhabited now by the rich and famous who have several houses somewhere else.

February 10th, 2013, 4:57 pm

 

Syrian said:

Batta’s tank firing inside Damascus, then running away after being hit by an RPG
http://youtu.be/DprvFcX0oXc

February 10th, 2013, 5:16 pm

 

revenire said:

Is that missile a toy? Ha ha what the hell? Looks fake to me. If those sad looking apes ever had missiles they’d blow their own heads off before hitting any military targets.

February 10th, 2013, 5:29 pm

 

Syrian said:

Tara
That is a great idea, though anyone living next to Batta’s house should have his emergency bags ready at all times .

February 10th, 2013, 5:37 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

The war continues and the regime continues to lose ground.

The assault on Jobar shows the FSA is starting to get serious about taking Damascus. The problem with ALL cities is that cities need to import their food and supplies from elsewhere. Which means that if the FSA can cut off the roads connecting to the cities….

The FSA doesn’t need to take Damascus. Their objective should be to attack the roads connecting Damascus to Lattakia.

February 10th, 2013, 5:41 pm

 

Syrian said:

Rev.
These missiles real job is install fear and make them lose sleep the same way Batta is doing.
What goes around comes around

February 10th, 2013, 5:43 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Ha ha. Yup.

By the way, before I forget, here’s the obligatory:

Revenire is a retard and a loser. As usual.

February 10th, 2013, 5:45 pm

 

revenire said:

No the real job is a YouTube video for a rat audience. Those “missiles” aren’t real and you know it.

February 10th, 2013, 5:47 pm

 

Tara said:

Also, missiles to Damascus International airport so the weapon loaded planes from Iran have no where to land.

February 10th, 2013, 5:53 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

What we do know, Revenire, is that you are a loser and a retard.

You post continuously for 12-16 hours a day, and pretty much no one except the ones who want to troll you respond to you because of how retarded you are.

You’re stupid, Revenire. And a loser too.

February 10th, 2013, 5:58 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara those are toys. Ask your rat friends. They will tell you.

Here is what the SAA hammers the vermin with:

February 10th, 2013, 5:59 pm

 

mjabali said:

Observer:

Military intervention is taking place in Syria, but more Military intervention is what the article should have been speaking about.

There are two sides and each one has allies aiding them militarily. This is no secret. Turkey, Qatar, Saudia Arabia, Russia and Iran are involved. Also you have the hundreds of the multi nationals getting into the fight.

The military solution could lead to an end of the crisis, but also it could get larger and reach other countries around.

Political solutions are the answer. Moaz’ al-Khatib’s initiative was the best thing happened in a long time, in my opinion. If it died or not, it showed some hope to end this violence and get the people out of prison.

February 10th, 2013, 6:02 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

See? Point proven. No one loves you, Revenire. In fact, no one even LIKES you.

February 10th, 2013, 6:02 pm

 

OFF THE WALL said:

Dear Observer
My Comment on your post about Syria is Not Iraq article.

Thank you for posting the article.

February 10th, 2013, 6:02 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara those toys don’t scare our boys. When we see them we laugh.
THIS is fear.

February 10th, 2013, 6:08 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

* Chirp Chirp Chirp * The sound of crickets chirping.

Note how almost everyone ignores you and anything you post EXCEPT for the people who actively want to troll you.

It’s like you’re not even there. I’ve done my job.

February 10th, 2013, 6:09 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:


رفيق الحلو

سيادة البطريرك الراعي، لو نطق المسيح بلسانك لأظنه كان سيقول: كل عروش الأرض لا تساوي عندي قطرة دم واحدة لطفل بريء. و لقال أيضا لا حرب عبثية أكثر من حرب طاغية على شعب أراد الحرية.. ولصاح يسوع : كفى.. كفى لإحراق الجوامع و قصف الكنائس.

لكن من نطق فيك اليوم والبارحة ليس المسيح بل أسوء سلاسة رجال دين عرفتها المسيحية. أولئك الذين حرقوا العلماء و كتبهم و استعبدوا الفلاح و خيضت باسمهم حروبا دمرت أوروبا ثم برروا جرائم النازية وتعلموا أن يشرعوا العبودية في كل العصور، هؤلاء هم من أنت وريثهم.

تقول سيادتك : يقولون ..من أجل الإصلاحات؟ لا يجب أن نسأل ما هو هذا الذي من أجل الإصلاحات، هو كل ما تفضلك به في الجملة التي سبقتها : العنف و التدمير و ازكاء الحرب وارتكاب المأسي.. وهكذا يكون كل ذلك من عمل طالبي الإصلاحات! هل هناك حيادا أكثر من ذلك ؟ هل هناك عدم تدخل أكثر من ذلك ؟ و طبعا هي من محض الصدفة أن يزور للمرة الأولى بطريرك ماروني سورية في وقت قاطعت نظامه ثلاث أربع دول العالم و ادانته كل المنظمات الإنسانية !

لا يطلب القاتل أكثر من مساواته بالضحية و هو ما قدمتموه له اليوم يا حضرات البطاركة، فمرحى لكم .. أما أنت يا سيادة البطريرك يازجي (بطريركي) فهنيئا لك مرتين ، لقد تعثرت قبل أن تبدء بالمشي فصفقت للرئيس القائد و هو يدك المدن فوق رؤوس الأبرياء.

سعادة و غبطة البطريرك الراعي ألم يكن دم المسيح الذي سال عزيزا ؟ ألم يكن المسيح بريئا؟ فكيف قدم دمه من أجل سعادة البشر؟ الم يكن المسيحيون الأوائل الذين أكلت لحمهم الأسود ابرياء؟ الشهادة كانت في ديننا منذ البدء و هذا الشعب لا يفعل سوى المضي على خطوات المسيح في بحثه عن السعادة ، ليس له فهو أصابه من الحزن ما لا يكفيه عمرا واحدا للخروج منه ، بل هو يفدي و يخلص الاجيال التي لم تولد بعد..اليست هذه هي المسيحية؟.. يبدو أن الأشياء تغيرت، فهنيئا لنا بالمسيحية الجديدة، مسيحية البطريرك الراعي.

سيدي البطريرك ، نحن لا نبحث عن الدم ولا الموت و لكنه فرض علينا، و العنف لسنا من ابتكره بل عمره ٥٠ عاما ، مارسته السلطات بحق المواطن على مسامعكم و مسامع غيركم من رجال الدين .. و في الوقت الذي كان رجال الكنيسة يهللون للطاغية، كان أروع شباب هذا الوطن يزج بهم في السجون و ترتكب بحقهم الفظاعات.. لا يمكن لكم أن تجهلوا أن هذا النظام لم يكن شرعيا في يوم من الأيام، إلا اذا كنتم تسمون شرعية اقتلاع الأظافر شرعية و ارهاب الناس في لقمة عيشهم شرعية و أساليب المافيا شرعية.. .هذا الثورة كانت ستنفجر لا محالة إن لم يكن من سنتين لانفجرت اليوم أو بعد سنتين، هذا هو منطق العصر.. وهذه الثورة لم تأت من الخارج بل أتت من ٥٠ عام من الذل الذي تأتون اليوم لتدافعوا عنه بحديثكم عن قطرة الدم البريئة.. هذه الثورة حتمية و بطش النظام حتمي لأنه يعرف أن أي انفراج سياسي يعني زواله و لهذا تراجع عن وعوده و أغلق المنتديات في بداية عهده ونكل بالمطالبين بالديموقراطية السلميين, و عند اندلاع الثورة الحالية سقط الشهداء بالرصاص الحي قبل أن ترفع أي راية تطالب برحيل النظام. الثورة كانت حتمية و بطش النظام كان حتميا.. لكن ما ساعده على تدمير البلد هو حياد البعض و سكوت البعض و تبرير البعض باسم الأقليات المضطهدة ، و للأسف أنتم لستم بعيدين عن كل ذلك .. أما عن دور الخارج فهو يتلخص في دعم ايران و روسيا والعراق و حزب الله الغير محدود للنظام .أما حجم الدعم الخارجي للثورة فهو متواضع جدا و لا يرقى إلى ما يفترض القيام به لمساعدة شعب يباد..

أود أن أنهي بالقول ، يا سيدي البطريرك، أنا كمسيحي في سورية، لا يهمني كثيرا من اضطهد من في الماضي و لا أخاف مما قد يحدث اليوم في العراق أو ما حدث الأمس في لبنان ، فإخوتي المسلمين الذين عشت معهم لا علاقة لهم بذلك.. في الماضي غالبا كان الظالم نفسه يجور على المسلمين و المسيحيين، كما أن المسيحيين، أو من تحرك باسمهم لم يكونوا دائما من الحمائم. و للأسف هنا و هناك يرتكب رجال الدين ما تدفع الرعية ثمنه من أعمال انتقام سافرة. حين تستنجد بهم الشعوب لا يتحركون بحجة عدم التدخل في السياسة، ثم يهرعون فجأة للدفاع عن طاغية مثل مبارك أو صدام بالأمس و بشار الأسد اليوم…

لا أعرف ما حصة المسؤولية للكنيسة المارونية في الحرب “العبثية” اللبنانية، والأمر لا يهمني كثيرا.. لكن لا أريد لكم أن يكون لكم حصة في الحرب في سورية و أنتم اليوم لا تطفئون النار بل تشعلوها. فالقاتل لا يطلب أكثر من مساواته بالضحية و لكن أنتم اليوم تقدمون له أكثر من ذلك وتشجعوه.

اذا كنتم من محبي الكلام عن الاضطهاد في الماضي ، فلقد وقفتم و قداسة البابا في سبتمبر الماضي تحتفلون بزيارته للبنان ، احتفالا صادف ذكرى مجزرة العصر الحديث صبرا وشاتيلا، الم يكن من الأجدر بكم الاشارة ولو بكلمة لهذه المجزرة التي ارتكبها من هم من أبناء جلدتم ، الم تكن تلك فرصة رائعة لممارسة التسامح و عدم الانغلاق في الطائفة وكل تلك الدروس التي تتحفونا بها كل مرة ؟ أم أن دم الطفل الفلسطيني الأعزل لم يكن بريئا؟

نعم يا سيدي أنا في سورية لا يؤرقني ما يؤرقك . أنا لم أسمع في حياتي مسلما واحدا يحملني مسؤولية ما فعله الصليبيون في بلادنا و لا ما فعله مسيحيون اخرون في صبرا وشاتيلا و غيرها.. نحن يا سيدي لا نحتاج لدروس في التسامح و حب الوطن و سنعرف كيف نفصل الدين عما يقترف باسم الدين. أما التطرف فهو نتاج القمع و سينتهي مع زواله أو بعده بوقت.
جملة واحدة اتفق معك فيها يا سيادة البطريرك: لا أحد أدرى بشؤون البيت مثل أهله..

و أنت تطآ قدمك هذه البيت للمرة الأولى……
1

February 10th, 2013, 6:50 pm

 

Dolly Buster said:

Israel may have failed to meet war objectives in 2006, but we can’t really say they lost. Why? Because the bulk of deaths is on the Lebanese/Palestinian side.

In Gaza the kill ratio was 10:1.

So this isn’t going anywhere, the fighting should stop and a Diplomatic Solution should be enacted. Which is: Israel should be repealed, but the yids are allowed to continue their daily life.

February 10th, 2013, 6:57 pm

 

Visitor said:

SH @210,

This is another voice speaking like yours,

قال المعارض السوري البارز ميشال كيلو، في إطلالة له على ” بي.بي.سي” البريطانية: كفاكم خداعاً للناس بإسم الخوف من المتشددين . أنا دخلت سوريا وقابلت أعضاء جبهة النصرة ولواء أحرار سوريا وكل من تسمونهم أصوليين . أنا المسيحي قاموا بمعانقتي وتقبيلي والأحتفال بي .. سوريا لاتتجه للأصوليه إنها حاله وقتيه بسبب تاثير المعتقد بقتال النظام . سوريا طوال عمرها معتدلة وأما من يريد الدفاع عن النظام كالاب الراعي بحجة حماية الأقليات، فلا أقليات في سوريا يخشى عليها.

وقال: كنت أتمنى من البطريرك بشارة الراعي أن يكون له موقف يناصر الحرية.

May be someone can find a link o the BBC interview.

February 10th, 2013, 7:01 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

211. DOLLY BUSTER

“Israel may have failed to meet war objectives in 2006, but we can’t really say they lost. Why? Because the bulk of deaths is on the Lebanese/Palestinian side.”

Arabs always say they win if the other side doesn’t kill them. In the real world, it’s called fucked-up logic >>> http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2009/01/palestinians-have-to-be-dumbest.html

A New Bashar Cartoon:

http://grafikdesign.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/imagesizer.jpg?w=1000&h=

February 10th, 2013, 7:19 pm

 

Jadi said:

Alwais, Druz, Christians, Palestinians and all decent Sunnis are in one pac to defend Syria from those who brought destruction, blood and death to our beloved country.

February 10th, 2013, 7:37 pm

 

Visitor said:

Shadi Hamid, while correctly arguing that Syria is not Iraq, yet he is arguing in a wilderness. While Mr. Obama, is by no means another Wilson, yet he is leading the US into the same isolationist environment that Wilson led America into after WWI, and the American public is applauding.

That’s why Syrians should not waste their efforts debating chicken versus eggs arguments. Syrians must support the FSA in all its formations with men, money, weapons and in the media. Only a true strong natioal army like the FSA could resolve the Syrian problem and allow Syrians to live in dignity.

The evil regime must be defeated militarily in the field. That is a precondition to become free and with dignity.

February 10th, 2013, 7:51 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

قال المعارض السوري البارز ميشال كيلو، في إطلالة له على ” بي.بي.سي” البريطانية: كفاكم خداعاً للناس بإسم الخوف من المتشددين . أنا دخلت سوريا وقابلت أعضاء جبهة النصرة ولواء أحرار سوريا وكل من تسمونهم أصوليين . أنا المسيحي قاموا بمعانقتي وتقبيلي والأحتفال بي .. سوريا لاتتجه للأصوليه إنها حاله وقتيه بسبب تاثير المعتقد بقتال النظام . سوريا طوال عمرها معتدلة وأما من يريد الدفاع عن النظام كالاب الراعي بحجة حماية الأقليات، فلا أقليات في سوريا يخشى عليها.

وقال: كنت أتمنى من البطريرك بشارة الراعي أن يكون له موقف يناصر الحرية.

__________________________________________________________________

ذعبرجية نصابين حقيرين عملآ العدو اليهودي الصهيوني والبدو عبادين القمر شو مفكر كل الشعب السوري حمير تافهين متالكم بينسو الي الجرآم العمالتوها اذا سمعو الحكي من الأذاعة البريطانية .

February 10th, 2013, 7:58 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

WWWOW, terrifying, oooh ya dude, impressive video shown above. I am sure Islamcomment.com editor Dr. Landis is flabbergasted now, 9 Israeli paid Libyan Moslem terrorists with a single painted pipe, that is scary, watch Landis next blog post title “Damascus is falling, Damascus will fall tonight, Allah Wakbar”. What happened to the 75,000 men and billion Dollars in aid? It all got stolen huuuh. That is all you got to show us now!!!

February 10th, 2013, 8:16 pm

 

Syrian said:

الك عين ترجع بعد ما طلع كل حكيك على ١٢-١٢ ٢٠١٢ علاك مصدي

February 10th, 2013, 8:32 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

لكن حدي بضيّع حكي مانو مصدي على متلك هون , شو بتفهم غير عبادة اعور الدجال انتى روح طوبز آخر مرّة قبل مالأسد يبعتلك خاذوق مامدهون متال هدو الحيوانت الوحشية اخدتها

http://www.syriatruth.org/الأخبار/أخباروتقاريرأخرى/tabid/94/Article/9122/24-15.aspx

February 10th, 2013, 8:48 pm

 

revenire said:

I’d be embarrassed to post a video of a toy rocket. It is like a little kid’s toy.

February 10th, 2013, 8:51 pm

 

Ghufran said:

موسكو ـ ا ف ب: قال وزير الخارجية الروسي سيرغي لافروف امس الاحد ان عددا من المتمردين الذين تقاتلهم فرنسا في شمالي مالي هم من المقاتلين الذين ساعدت باريس على تسليحهم في ليبيا.
وقال لافروف في مقابلة تلفزيونية نشرت وكالات الانباء الروسية مقتطفات منها ‘في مالي، تقاتل فرنسا ضد من سلحتهم في ليبيا ضد نظام معمر القذافي منتهكة الحظر الذي فرضه مجلس الامن على الاسلحة’.
وكان لافروف انتقد في السابق توفير فرنسا الاسلحة للمعارضين لنظام القذافي ودان تفسير فرنسا لقرار مجلس الامن الذي يسمح باستخدام القوة لحماية المدنيين.
وقال كذلك ان عددا من المسلحين الليبيين الذين قاتلوا نظام القذافي يقاتلون الان في سورية ضد نظام الرئيس بشار الاسد.
واضاف ‘انا مندهش من (عدم قدرة) شركائنا على رؤية الصورة الاكبر’.
The US did the same thing in Afghanistan, they armed almujahideen because they were fighting the Russians ,but as soon as the Russians left, those mujahideen found another enemy and started attacking US and other western targets.
Some people do not learn from history, a solution is coming to Syria in 2013 after the country got to the point where it is a disaster zone.
كلكم بتحبوا سوريا و من الحب ما قتل
طز بالنظام و الثوره
أتنين اجحش من بعضن

February 10th, 2013, 8:54 pm

 

Syrian said:

218
هههههههه
I kinda missed you,

February 10th, 2013, 9:02 pm

 

Syrian said:

“Fighter jets that pounded the suburbs for months have begun to strike Jobar, an outlying neighborhood of Damascus proper, creating the disturbing spectacle of a government’s bombing its own capital.”
“But travels along the city’s battlefronts in recent days made clear that new lines, psychological as much as geographical, had been crossed.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/11/world/middleeast/syrian-war-closes-in-on-the-heart-of-damascus.html?_r=0

February 10th, 2013, 9:05 pm

 

Syrian said:

غفران
ما شاء الله، ويخزي العين عليك شو فهمان انت!!

February 10th, 2013, 9:13 pm

 

mjabali said:

Visitor:

This video is for you, in which a child sings al-Nusra song in Bansh, in Syria.

In this song the kid sings about slaughtering Alawis and Shia, plus salutes al-Nusra figures, and Bin Laden of course…he also brags about destroying the World Trade center in NYC…

How do you want the Americans to help people like your group al-Nusra?

February 10th, 2013, 9:24 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara likes that kid because the kid would kill Batta. She would not want to live next to a killer like that but from the East Coast it looks great.

This is what Obama and Israel gave to Syria.

February 10th, 2013, 9:43 pm

 

zoo said:

“The US backs dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and Israel – the real terrorist states. ”

…And the USA backed and helped Iran Shah, Mobarak, Qaddafi, Sadddam Hossein before he invades Kuwait etc…

USA: Support for Latin American dictators

http://wais.stanford.edu/USA/us_supportforladictators8303.html

February 10th, 2013, 10:00 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Syria is not Iraq
1-Syria does not have oil.The oil in Syria is small in quantity,We all know the mediterranean Sea has large potential for gas and Oil investments,it has not been invested yet, US wants Israel to get it, weaker Syria is benificial to Israel.
2-Syria importance is in its strategic location, Iraq is not.
3-Russia considers Syria a Russian satelite,Russia abandoned Iraq
4-Iran supported the American invasion of Iraq,while Iran is against Syrian invasion, Iran became stronger by American invasion of Iraq and Afganistan, USA served Iran,helped Iran to get rid of two enemies,Iran did not have to lose a penny or sacrifice one soldier.
5-American economy was much stronger at the end of Clinton Era,it is very weak now,to the luck of Assad.

6-Syrians do not want American troops and subsequent colonialism,We don’t want to go back to the time of colonialism, we just want weapons,to neutralize Assad airforce.

Off the Wall
we never want american troops, we never felt the west has good morality,we have not forgotten the crusade wars,we never felt that the road for freedom is easy,it is very bloody indeed,the results of victory in Syria against Assad is not going to be good to the USA,or Russia,Syrian revolution is going to be the most important things in the 21st century, and will shape the ME.for hundred year.

February 10th, 2013, 10:04 pm

 

zoo said:

Syria oppn laments Assad refusal to talk

11 Feb 2013,
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1735868/Syria-oppn-laments-Assad-refusal-to-talk

Syria’s opposition chief has lamented the refusal by the Damascus regime to hold talks to end the conflict in the country.

Syria’s opposition leader says the Damascus regime has given “a very negative” message to the world by failing to welcome his offer for peace talks to end the nearly two-year conflict.
….
On Friday, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said the government is prepared to have a dialogue with its political opponents but without “preconditions”.

“The door is open, the negotiating table is there, welcome to any Syrian who wants to have dialogue with us. We are serious about the question of dialogue,” Zohbi said on state television.

“When you speak of dialogue, it means dialogue without conditions, which excludes no one. But if someone comes to me and says ‘I want to talk about this issue or I’ll kill you’, that’s not a dialogue,” he said, adding: “There must be no preconditions.”

February 10th, 2013, 10:09 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Syrian
Ghufran always talks nonsense, his opnion is worthless,most of what he says are fabrications,and attack on the revolution, we never trusted him and he knows that,send him few Tozz,that is how he feels important.

February 10th, 2013, 10:27 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

The war is spreading deeper into Damascus.

The regime simply doesn’t have enough loyal troops to hold onto much. Defections continue.

As long as the war continues, the regime will lose. And the war continues.

February 10th, 2013, 10:28 pm

 

Visitor said:

MajedK @227,

Right on!

Part of the struggle of this revolution is to educate the presumed supporters of the revolution about the fallacy of looking towards America and the west in general for help. Only Syrians and their brothers can make a difference and ensure the success of the revolution.

Syrians looking for dignity and freedom: support the FSA with money, men and with all means under your disposal. Only an authentic national army like the FSA can protect your dignity and freedom. The evil regime must be defeated militarily.

February 10th, 2013, 10:32 pm

 

omen said:

so many refugees have fled syria already. if alawites are so afraid for their lives, why don’t they flee the country as well? would they not be welcomed in lebanon, turkey and iraq?

while i consider this excuse a pretext but even when taken at face value, it is not fair that the west denies the opposition full support out of fear of what might happen to minorities. (if the west truely harbored concern for human rights, it would not have allowed 60k+ to be slaughtered already.)

whether by force or by emotional blackmail, it is not right that syria is continued to be made to suffer because the minority continues to holds the majority hostage.

February 10th, 2013, 10:42 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

http://www.aawsat.com//details.asp?section=4&article=716781&issueno=12494
I will not reveal secrets,but Assad is going to be killed
Omen
They should go back to Taloqan.

February 10th, 2013, 10:47 pm

 

Ghufram said:

قال “تيار بناء الدولة السورية” المعارض, الاحد, إننا “لا نثق بما تدعيه السلطة من نية في إنهاء الأزمة بطريقة سياسية سلمية لأنها لم تقدّم في هذا الصدد غير الكلام، من دون أي فعل يدفعنا للوثوق بصدق ما تدعيه، وقبولنا بما تعرضه”، معتبرا أن الحوار سيكون “تدعيما لاستبداديتها وتكريسا لقمعها”.
وتابع التيار، في بيان نشره على صفحته في موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”، “من هنا نعتبر أن بناء هذا الثقة يقوم بداية على إطلاق سراح المعتقلين، والتوقف نهائيا عن اعتقال الناشطين السياسيين والحقوقيين السلميين، واستنادا إلى هذا نعتبر أن السلطة بدأت تعي أحد جذور الأزمة، وأنها ستسير باتجاه إنهائها”.

February 10th, 2013, 11:05 pm

 

William Scott Scherk said:

I had invited The Consortium and his snugglebunny RevvedonDeath
to invite Aussie Assidist chum Susan Dirgham to read and comment on the rotating population of up to a hundred women subject to arbitrary detention, humiliation, threats, rape and other Baathifabulous treatment of suspected dissent. No such luck here on SYRIA Comment, not from the riled up phalangists, no comment on Syrian detention of women.

Zoolicious Irritated was irritable again, though, and cursed me the imaginary WSS as foul and psychotic. The munchkin sidekick chattered on in simpleton terms to himself and Marigoldran, and so no comment At All from the Assad phalanx, not so far, not on the delicate situation for such as Khetam Benyan.

Benyan wrote an open letter this week of her prayers for women with whom she had shared her cell.

“Twenty-two days have passed since my release from detention, and I feel so hysterical, questions never stop in my mind, memories of the people I met in prison never leave me. Everyone is telling me you will forget and you will adapt, but no, I shall never forget what I saw inside those horrible prisons of the regime,” she wrote.

“I shall never forget Umm Tayim, 25, who was called for the captain’s office at midnight to return in total shock after being brutally raped twice. I shall never ever forget the tears on her face, nor her calling on Allah to help her.

“I shall never forget Muna al-Wadi’s face when they told her she is going to be executed tomorrow at 10 o’clock.

“I shall never forget the voice of Ala’a Kayyal, the 20-year-old girl, when she asked me to check her back after coming from a torture session.

“I shall never ever forget the shivering nor the trembling of Elham when she had an epileptic seizure, and the guards mocking her and accusing her of performing a role.

“They are alive but in fact they are not. Please help them, free them.”

Benyan told The Daily Star that the experience had hardened her resolve against the Syrian government.

“I will see these women again. I cherish them. Since being released I have felt more determined, stronger,” she said.

“I knew they were bad. Now I know just how bad they are.”

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Feb-09/205690-female-detainees-languish-in-syrian-prisons.ashx#ixzz2KXl0FUZx

— in other surveillance news, I will be meeting in the summer with the Former Moderators Club. Possibly in Montreal. There will be feasts and televaledictions from JL perhaps. We four will take up the issue of Banning Forever of Moderators who were Dirty Spies, never to speak their piece again in these hallowed halls.

Just like at the Palace.

Somehow the Zooliciously irritated mystery man churns out the spin. As a volunteer online hound and sniper, the rules are rough and evolving. When it pays to bang one off at Tara, proud Tara, on her Damascene veranda, inviting him in for a profound cup of coffee and chat, well, how about one to her heart. Yeah.

Or the munchkin’s idea, to seize her at the airport and truck to to the field of rats or dungeon or bomb target or what have you.

I am again appreciative for Mjabali sticking in with a steely clarity and open dialogue with erstwhile opponents, and especially for the syrious voices from 7ee6an world, of Off the Wall, and the sublime poet of injustice, HAMSTER.

For a taste of thoughtful commentary, from the heart, honest and informed, see the Walls piece here. Once these men enjoined their pain and observations here, but gave way to the implacable Otherism practiced by, you guess it, our mystery Assadspinner guests.

The munchkin and his prolificly snide Irritablacious minder can dredge up some old bone to pick, and the masked nitwit ANN will add her chunder of hate and gore and racism to the mix.

The other observation, which should be modified is his observation that Assad is a rational decision makers with incredibly high tolerance for brutality. The author ascribes the gradual increase in violence to Assad’s rational behavior as he kept testing the red-lines and finding that non really existed. This is only partially true. But it does not make Assad a rational decision maker. The rational decision (morality does not get in the picture here) would have made him maximize his benefit, which would have happened had the he embarked on real reform and not chosen the suicidal security option. As for the gradual increase in violence, it is really strange that an article analytically sound as this one neglected to recognize that the Assad his henchmen are not the only actors on the scene in the sense that FSA has made it very hard for him, if not impossible, to commit massacres at the scale of Hama (in short period of time) and that the increased level of violence is proportional to the weakness of the regime in key points. Of course, that may disappoint to some of the repulsive voices I have been reading on SC, but it should not have escaped the writer, nonetheless.

That said, what remain is a real challenge for the US and other democratic countries in the world. It is the moral challenge posed by their role in encouraging democratic values, but failing to act when the values they encourage are threatened by murderous thugs like Assad and his henchmen. I am afraid this moral dilemma may end up being resolved with a couple of candle-light vigils attended by celebrities, a few mea-culpa (we should have intervened) rehash of Rwanda interviews on Operah’s Third Chapter years hence. This is from the national psych point of view. But from the point of view of people living under dictatorships, Obama’s reluctance may have just made a few thuggish dictators very happy, and prolonged the life of the club of thugs, including the Iranian regime. Seeing what happened to Syria and Syrians at the hand of the Assad criminal gang, and the world’s tolerance of Assad’s crimes, Iranians
will be far more reluctant now to resume their green uprising, which is probably the worst blow-back to Obama’s inaction.

And one for the trivia fans: http://i.imm.io/VPQM.png

February 10th, 2013, 11:15 pm

 

Syrian said:

MK@229
Syrian Hamster said it best, Guffran is confused,I actually feel his agony before he say the word Tozz, I bit my tong many times before I finally throw it back at him, I think he has been in the opposition all his life,because nothing is good enough for him, For his generation to be in the opposition you had to be either an MB or a communist, we can see he hate the Islamists with a passion, so he is either an ex commie or at best a Nassirte.
so in his hate toward Islamists he is willing to give the regime a pass most of the time out of his unfounded fear that the Islamists will hold on to power when they get the chance, what is he not noticing is that the Ba’athies/ minorities regime are the ones who are holding on to power and not letting go any price.

February 10th, 2013, 11:15 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

حماة الديار عليكم سلام ….عرين العروبة عليكم حرم بلا بلا بلا ….فمن الوليد ومن الرشيد فلم لا نسود ولم لا نشيد

When we Syrians are going to dump this garbage and replace it with something Syrian. There is nothing in Syria’s national anthem that elate Syria or Syrians, not a word, how do you expect the various sects to stand in honor for a flag, a country name and a national anthem that none can associate with in any way, say few Munafekeen Arab Nationalists.

عرين العروبة = Why not Syria, what those did to Syria and Syrians.

فمن الوليد ومن الرشيد = How about some Syrian hero, we don’t have any.

You see, just removing article 8 from the constitution does not cut it. We need profound change in the Character of the Nation and Laws, Constitution, Policies. After all what the “Arab” did to Syrians, how they worked hand in hand with Jews to dismantle every little workshop in Syria and ship it to Turkey, after all what transpired in 2 years, we need a profound change, one that focus the country on us Syrians, on our nation, our land, our hero’s. Not only we need to remove Al Walid and Al Rashid from Syrian anthem, but we need to pack the graves and send them south. Reclaim the area to Syrian heritage, light up an eternal flame in a Syrian Mausoleum for Elagabalus. We need to give the Christian community of Syria the Omayyad Mosque back with an apology, return it to become A Church as it used to be before the Moslem hordes invaded our proud nation as they did now.

Can anyone name a couple of Syria heroes to replace those 2 Arab Moslems, can anyone compose lyrics for new Syrian National anthem based on this tune please, with different instrumentation befitting an anthem:

February 10th, 2013, 11:23 pm

 

Ghufran said:

دمشق..
اتهم منذر خدام رئيس المكتب الإعلامي في هيئة التنسيق الوطني لقوى التغيير الديمقراطي المعارضة في سورية الدوحة بمعارضة الحل السياسي للأزمة في سورية، ودعم الحل العسكري الذي يؤدي إلى تدمير البلاد.
وقال خدام، في حوار نشره موقع الهيئة على شبكة الانترنت إن “قطر وغيرها للأسف لا تريد الحل السياسي في سورية وهي تعلم أن الحل العسكري لن يفضي سوى إلى تدمير سورية ولذلك فهي تدعمه”.
وأوضح خدام أن قطر عملت على “إفشال” أي “مبادرة سياسية سواء من جامعة الدول العربية أو من الأمم المتحدة”، مشيرا إلى أن علاقات الدوحة “متوترة مع أكثر من دولة بسبب مواقفها من الأزمة السورية ومنها مصر والعراق وحتى السعودية”.
وأكد المعارض السوري أن “المخرج الوحيد الممكن (للأزمة السورية) في المدى المنظور هو المخرج السياسي”، مشيرا إلى أن “هذا يتطلب بالتأكيد مفاوضات مع السلطة على ترتيبات معينة للمرحلة الانتقالية لكن السلطة غير جادة في ذلك كما أن المعارضة تتوجس من الجلوس مع ممثلين عن السلطة بدون وضوح للهدف”.
Do not psy any attention to idiots who have been predicting a swift victory by either side for 18 months, this war is now much bigger than domestic players, the waiting is on how the pie will be divided , those poor Syrians who died may never see their day of justice, they died in a war over power and money, most of them had very little of that before the war and will have even less after the war is over.

February 10th, 2013, 11:29 pm

 

revenire said:

Omen I find your logic flawed and odd. You’re argument is the majority needs help to suppress the minority?

What you Americans fail to realize is the war has never been a Sunni vs everyone else war. You repeat it like parrots.

February 10th, 2013, 11:40 pm

 

Observer said:

Thanks to Majbali and Off the Wall for their comments.

I would say that the US cannot leave a void in the inherently unstable Middle East and not suffer some consequence for it.

I am not sure whether the US is now more isolationist or not or that it has the aversion to “you break it you own it” syndrome.

The US has learned like others that it is easy to swallow this or that country but that it is impossible to digest.

I would say the late Athad was able to swallow and partially digest Lebanon but never really completely and suffered a humiliating defeat in 2005.

I would say it is impossible to be a super power and yet let regional powers fill the void of which none is capable of replacing the super power not even as Majbali pointed out in combination. For even the combination of Russia and Iran is not able to fill the void. Of for that matter KSA and Qatar and Turkey.

I also think that the clear Shia bias that was manifest in Iraq and Bahrain and Syria by the Iranian and HA group has backfired and you have now a Sunni backlash. This backlash is much more dangerous than the Shia awakening for several reasons

1. The Shia leaders are rational and neither messianic nor suicidal whereas the lack of effective Sunni leadership has allowed for fringe groups and the ideology of martyrdom in combination with a complex of victimhood to take over

2. The disparate groups are impossible to organize and control; having had more than 60 years of utter stupid muftis at the beck and call of dictators they have now resorted to charismatic leaders that can throw this or that interpretation backed by a few verses and a few old interpretations to have their own little Baath emirates.
These groups have sprung up also because of the failure of the education system that has left young disillusioned generation highly subject to this propaganda; from the cult of Kubasyat to that of this or that Sheikh or what have you.

3. There is no ability to stop an ideology that is bent on martyrdom with bombs and drones and alliance with dictatorships for these very dictatorships and these campaigns are the recruiting grounds of millions of disaffected youth. I am not sure what the method is; but as Alistair Crooke wrote a long time ago; we have to sit and talk to these people and explain to them that we have red lines and we will not cross their red lines if they do not infringe on our red lines like freedom of expression even if it offends.

4. The US may not have wanted a complete regime change and the people in Syria having seen what happened in Iraq and before that in Lebanon were more than willing to let the boy prethident stay provided genuine reforms were real and lasting. He would have been re elected more than once if he as I argued before did a Juan Carlos of Spain reform. Alas he reverted to his family’s mafia upbringing and to this day cannot fathom not owning the country and enslaving the people. It is no different than the Czar mentality of having serfs or to the southern plantation owners or the white apartheid regime or to the Zionist exclusive ideology of the chosen people.

5. The regime having regionalized the conflict and embroiled others in it, has also effectively lost control of the initiative and of the events on the ground. By delegating your decision to the support that you are getting you actually cut yourself from the opposition and therefore you have little ability to affect the ground operation unless you have massive power; something that demographics has not allowed to happen. Also by resorting to the security solution you also effectively exclude from your ranks any potential dissenters and therefore possible defectors and rely on a small minority of troops that cannot fight all the fires all the time.

6. Lavrov has indicated that Russia will never allow another Afghanistan; meaning that they will not physically intervene in Syria. It is a message to the US and to the regime that there is a limit to the political hemorrhage that the Kremlin is suffering. The fact that Lavrov is insisting that Russia did not lose the Arab world pointing to contracts with Iraq and possible Libya is actually a rear guard action to prepare the internal public and the Arab world for an “after the regime falls” reconciliation. It is already looking beyond Syria’s demise as an ally; for even if vestiges of the regime stay; it is a huge burden on Russia to do business with ruins.

7. Alkhatib initiative have shown the world the limits of the so called political solution as the regime did not really respond with any real response. Declaration by Mikdad in China and by Zogbi the Damascus Bob and not by any high ranking inner circle figure is indicative of the regime’s insistence on burning the country.

8. I believe that the regime is now bent on destroying as much of the country as possible to actually exact revenge after its demise and the retrenchment of the minority in enclaves here and there. Some have argued that Iran and Israel may benefit from a divided Syria, whereby Iran has its toe hold near Lebanon and Israel has eliminated on the short term at least a potential foe.

9. The US will be forced to lead whether from upfront or from behind is not the important point. The important point is how much delegation and autonomy it will allow Turkey Qatar and KSA and even Russia to play upfront. It gave Russia its chance and Russia came up empty. So now someone has to step up. Kerry seems to have secured Obama’s acceptance on this point as the ” all options are on the table” is back in parlance.

Thank you all for your help in bringing back SC to a nice forum for meaningful discussion.

For those that I failed to mention I am sorry no one really is excluded of course all are welcome and with any type of comments.

Each is free to respond some will more welcome than others I am sure.

Cheers

February 10th, 2013, 11:47 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

There is no such thing as Syria anymore. Nor are there any such thing as a “Syrian”.

All of these nouns are expressions of the past and have no meaning anymore.

The war continues.

EDIT: Revenire the loser lives in his mother’s basement, posting on the comments section of a blog 12-16 hours a day. He also lives in America and cannot speak a sentence of Arabic.

February 10th, 2013, 11:50 pm

 

Visitor said:

Al-Khatib continues to make blunders proving without any doubt that he is unfit for the role.

February 10th, 2013, 11:58 pm

 

Visitor said:

Air force intelligence in Tabaqa city is now taken over by Nusra Front. Huge amount of weapons are captured that will serve the revolution in other upcoming battles.

February 11th, 2013, 12:22 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

The war continues.
_________________________________________________________________
I am 2 feet and 2 hands up for that, until the last Moslem Terrorist is burried in the sand. Even if not one structure standing in the country, even more EXPORT IT BASHAR……

تحيا سورية

February 11th, 2013, 12:31 am

 

revenire said:

Was the Nusra story on some Saudi site? Aljazeera? “Activists”? LOL

February 11th, 2013, 12:35 am

 
 

revenire said:

I am also for no negotiations. Every rat must be killed. Send them all to Hell.

Give the order Dr. Assad. Unleash the heavy weapons. Enough playing around. Bomb them until nothing is left. If rats hide in towns flatten those towns. Give them no place to hide.

The war continues.

February 11th, 2013, 12:38 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

OOOOOOOOOOOOPS, it is Sunday, did the greasssseey oilman preacher extend his deadline, or he is now ready to use the mighty force at his disposal. He will find it hard to convince the brotherhood to withdraw fund from Swiss and American banks to give him bit more than painted pipes for missiles. They already bought half of Vermont and the formula for the Revlon 501 blond for the wives.

February 11th, 2013, 12:41 am

 

revenire said:

LOL I am still laughing at that FSA missile. That looked like one of those cardboard boxes I used to give my kids to play with and they’d pretend to make it into a submarine. Remember?

Good new rats: all your passports were renewed today by Dr. Assad. He wants you all to come to Damascus to liberate it. He is sending a plane to pick you all up. Form a line. He will stamp your passports personally.

February 11th, 2013, 12:50 am

 

Ghufran said:

Jonathan Steele-The Guardian:
A year after this city captured the world’s attention as the victim of the worst shelling that Syria’s civil war had yet seen, Homs has become a – relatively – safe haven. Hundreds of families who fled to other Syrian cities in fear last February have loaded their belongings and returned. Civilians from Aleppo and Deir el-Zour – where fighting is still intense – are moving to Homs because they have heard it is more livable.
“It’s the only case I know of in Syria where people are returning after a long period of displacement. Homs may be quieter than Damascus”, Khaled Erksoussi, the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent’s emergency response team told me in the capital before I set off on the 100-mile drive north. He was right. The boom of heavy shelling, promptly followed by the screeching of birds in panic, repeatedly fills the Damascene sky. It was in full and murderous throat again when I returned. Yet for 24 hours in Homs I heard only a few explosions, apparently directed towards targets beyond the ring road. In the city centre the street markets are thronged with shoppers. Groups of students wander in and out of the university, or stand around chatting. Checkpoints at several cross-roads create minor traffic jams but the soldiers seem relaxed and perfunctory as they check ID cards and car-boots, no doubt happy to be assigned to minor tasks rather than be sent to risky, remote areas. Homs even boasts a number of armed women in uniform who have volunteered for a newly created home guard.

February 11th, 2013, 1:05 am

 

Syrian said:

Huge amounts of weapons and ammunitions have been recovered by the FSA from the Batta’s militia
http://youtu.be/o-APvfiZ8Ok

February 11th, 2013, 1:15 am

 

revenire said:

Ha ha “Syrian” sure they have, sure they have.

February 11th, 2013, 1:25 am

 

Ghufran said:

قال شاهدان لفرانس برس ان مقاتلين من الجبهة تدخلوا مطلع الاسبوع في اشكال بين سكان بلدة القاح، وابعدوا شخصا تلفظ بعبارات مسيئة للدين بعد حادث سير، قبل ان يحاولوا نقله الى دارة عزة ليمثل امام “محكمة اسلامية”.
لكن شقيقه، وهو مسؤول محلي نافذ، استقدم عشرات المسلحين لاطلاق سراح اخيه، بينما استقدم مقاتلو النصرة تعزيزات من مقرهم في اطمة.
وحاول المقاتلون نقل الرجل مستخدمين سيارتين، لكن المسلحين اطلقوا النار على العجلات، بحسب الشاهدين اللذين قالا ان السكان قبضوا على احد قادة المجموعة.
واطلق اهالي القاح بعد يومين سراح القيادي في الجبهة بعدما حلقوا لحيته الطويلة، وذلك نتيجة عملية تفاوض اطلق بموجبها عدد من السكان المحتجزين لدى النصرة.
واحتفل السكان بهذه العملية باطلاق النار الكثيف في الهواء.
وكانت تظاهرة معارضة للنظام اقيمت الجمعة في مدينة سراقب، شهدت تدافعا بين ناشطين معارضين وعناصر من الجبهة رعوا شعارات متعارضة طالب بعضها بدولة “مدنية”، بينما هتف آخرون لصالح دولة “اسلامية”، بحسب شريط فيديو على الانترنت.
وفي حادث اخر حاول شيخ اردني ينتمي الى النصرة، التحدث في احد مساجد اطمة خلال صلاة الجمعة، لكن احد وجهاء البلدة منعه من ذلك، بحسب السكان. واندلعت مشادات بين السكان ومقاتلي الجبهة المسلحين.
وقبل يومين من الحادث المذكور، وقع خلاف مشابه مع شيخ كويتي حاول اخذ مكان امام بلدة الدنا في المسجد.
ويقول احد وجهاء اطمة ان “كل يوم يشهد حوادث مماثلة مع هؤلاء الاشخاص الذين يريدون ان يفرضوا علينا اسلوبهم. لقد بدأوا يسببون لنا المشاكل”.
Moderate elements have been sidelined by both the regime and the opposition, that is common when the voice of guns is louder than the voice of politics, moderation is now equal to treason.

February 11th, 2013, 1:25 am

 

omen said:

forgot to thank juergen whose posting prompted my comment.

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=17633&cp=all#comment-348330

February 11th, 2013, 1:30 am

 

apple_mini said:

Those Islamic fanatic started using body strapped explosive to attack civilians. It is a clear sign of desperation but it is very deadly.

The question is whether they are Syrian. Most likely they are members of Al Qaeda but intelligence needs to find it out to analyze the evolving mentality of Syrian Islamist.

I somehow, still have faith that Syrians are a little different from Yemeni and Iraqi.

February 11th, 2013, 1:50 am

 

omen said:

250. Ghufran said: Jonathan Steele-The Guardian:
A year after this city captured the world’s attention as the victim of the worst shelling that Syria’s civil war had yet seen, Homs has become a – relatively – safe haven. Hundreds of families who fled to other Syrian cities in fear last February have loaded their belongings and returned. Civilians from Aleppo and Deir el-Zour – where fighting is still intense – are moving to Homs because they have heard it is more livable.

is this the onion? the regime has reduced the city to rubble, but, hey, there are people still left alive there?

cnn announced that syrian army suffered heavy casualties in homs.

p.s. yay, bill is back.

February 11th, 2013, 1:56 am

 

omen said:

Moderate elements have been sidelined by both the regime and the opposition, that is common when the voice of guns is louder than the voice of politics, moderation is now equal to treason.

i think the regime has a longer history of more brutally sidelining the opposition.

while i don’t agree with everything that nir rosen says, he said something recently that struck me. he said “there is no such thing as a peaceful revolution.” i don’t know what you are expecting, ghufran.

February 11th, 2013, 2:06 am

 

annie said:

http://youtu.be/xFLz2PQfpCo
Syrie – Le complot, la révolution, et les minorités

February 11th, 2013, 4:29 am

 
 

Sami said:

Safa tissue factory, Tarabishi Printing Factory, and a Chocolate factory have been targeted by regime missiles. All three have burned down.

What is really sad about this is the loss of work for the thousands of employees employed by these factories, where will they turn to to feed their families?

Ya khasara…

February 11th, 2013, 5:57 am

 

Hanzala said:

Assad worshipers pagan idol burned down in Syria

February 11th, 2013, 6:24 am

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Mr. Khatib initiative has failed,because the regime is intransigent,and because Mr. Khatib did not co-ordinated his initiative with the FSA, and did not consulted with the SNC.
Any political solution has to be an extension of military progress and events,the political dialogue is another face of the military dialogue,and during wars ,no one listen to the people who speak out of good heart,there is too much blood,and destruction,and refugees.it is fight to the end, it is fight between one side that represent 80%,and another side that represent less than 10 %.
Mr. Khatib should talk out of power not magnanimity, political solution must be preceded by readiness so as to instill severe fear in your enemy, the enemy must be intimidated first.
FSA is slowly but surely heading for victory,no regime can fight its people and win,Assad bombed Syrians by tanks artillaries,jets and rockets,Assad regime has lost the respect of its people,and the respect of the world,it has no future.The Alawis community, those who supported Assad and fought with him, they agreed to die,all of them,they were stupid in supporting a brutal criminal Assad,,,,they will die.

February 11th, 2013, 7:25 am

 

zoo said:

Remembering the opposition failed promises

Opposition to set up inside Syria ‘in days’
October 10, 2012 02:03 PM
Agence France Presse

ATME, Syria: Syria’s main exiled opposition coalition the Syrian National Council will in a “matter of days” set up in a rebel-controlled area inside the country, a top member of the group said on Wednesday.

“Very soon, we will install ourselves in Syria, deep in Syrian territory. It’s a matter of days,” Jamal al-Ward, a SNC official in charge of relations with the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), told AFP.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2012/Oct-10/190864-opposition-to-set-up-inside-syria-in-days.ashx#ixzz2KauBVecS
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

February 11th, 2013, 7:49 am

 

zoo said:

Remembering the opposition failed promises: The transitional government?

17 Jul 2011
Syrian opposition leaders vote to form transitional government

Syrian opposition leaders have taken the first step to forming a transitional government in the hope of securing formal Western backing against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8643625/Syrian-opposition-leaders-vote-to-form-transitional-government.html

February 11th, 2013, 7:53 am

 

zoo said:

Al-Khatib in Cairo: That was the “Last chance for Assad”

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/132144–syrian-national-coalition-president-al-khatibs-offer-for-negotiations-with-syrian-regime

11 February 2013 14:39 (Last updated 11 February 2013 14:48)

“I warn the Assad regime that they will not have a second opportunity,” Syrian National Coalition President al-Khatib said.

The President of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces, Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib on Monday met with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil al-Araby in Cairo.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with al-Araby, al-Khatib said that he wanted to warn the Assad regime that they would not have a second opportunity.
Al-Khatib recently proposed the Assad regime to hold talks with the Syrian opposition.
“We extended a hand to the Assad administration to ease the pain of the Syrian people and not because we are weak. I warn the Assad regime that they would not have a second opportunity. A similar initiative would not take place again,” al-Khatib underlined.

February 11th, 2013, 8:03 am

 

zoo said:

Military ‘successes’ may get some anti-regime excited and give the impression that the regime is weakening. Yet the fact that these “successes’ are attributed to Al Nusra and other Islamists groups is not a good news for the coalition.
These Islamists groups despise the coalition and have their own agendas. In addition they are luring the FSA soldiers to join their ranks with fresh weapons, good money, good organization and a “noble” cause to fight for, Islam.

Al Khatib and his group are in a state of panic. They know they will become irrelevant if they do not take back the lead of the situation from the military. As Al Nusra “successes’ are continuing and the coalition has no leverage on any of these groups who hate then, they have no choice that to find a deal with the regime.
They know that if they don’t and the regime collapses militarily, the country will become a failed state with multiple militias fighting each others and they will be discarded.
.
Time is running out for the Al Khatib’s group. It seems that their best ally against extremists is now the Syrian regime.

More ‘last chances ‘offers by Al Khatib are expected.

Alkhatib Renews Call for Talks with Assad Regime

11/02/2013 London, Asharq Al-Awsat—
Despite resistance from within his own group, Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib again renewed his call for talks with the Assad regime.

Alkhatib said on Sunday that he was willing to hold talks with President Bashar al-Assad’s representatives in rebel-held areas of northern Syria to try to end a conflict that has killed about 60,000 people.

The aim of the talks would be to find a way for Assad to leave power with the “minimum of bloodshed and destruction”, Alkhatib said in a statement published on his Facebook page.

February 11th, 2013, 9:33 am

 

Tara said:

Syria crisis: Rebels ‘take control of key dam’
1 hour ago

Syrian rebels are reported to have seized control of the country’s largest hydro-electric dam, in what would be a strategic loss to the government.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21409661

Rebels launched an offensive in Aleppo in July, but since then the city has been divided between fighters and government forces, with neither side apparently able to push the other out.

“The rebels took control of the dam, which is still in operation. They are guarding both entrances but have forbidden the fighters from staying inside for fear the regime will bomb it,” SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news agency.

The SOHR said Islamist fighters also took over three districts in the neighbouring town of Tabqa, where employees of the dam and their families live.

February 11th, 2013, 9:50 am

 

zoo said:

Syrian car bombs kills four Turks (after passing a Syrian border under the control of the rebels)

http://www.france24.com/en/20130211-several-killed-car-explosion-bomb-turkey-syria-border

Several killed after car explosion at Syria-Turkey border
At least seven people were killed and dozens of others wounded on Monday after a car exploded at the Turkey-Syria border, a Turkish government official said.

The mayor of Reyhanli told CNN Turk that four of those killed were Turkish and that the car which exploded had Syrian licence plates. Witnesses said they saw it drive up to the border post shortly before the explosion.

February 11th, 2013, 10:19 am

 

zoo said:

Even Al Azhar are snubbing the Moslem Brotherhood

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130211/new-top-muslim-cleric-elected-egypt

“One candidate has been nominated, Dr Shawqi Abdel Karim,” said Al-Azhar spokesman Mohammed Gemea, after Abdel Karim beat a Muslim Brotherhood member to win the most ballots in a vote by a senior council of Al-Azhar clerics.

The position has in the past been traditionally filled by top scholars from Al-Azhar — the most prestigious Sunni institution — who were generally staunch backers of whoever ruled the country.
….
Abdel Karim, a professor of Islamic jurisprudence, is not known to hold any political affiliations.

Egyptian press had reported that the Brotherhood’s Abdel Rahman al-Bar had been among the possible nominees, but he did not make it onto a shortlist of three clerics.

The runner-up, Attiya al-Sayyid Fayad, had written commentaries for the Brotherhood’s website and was reported to have been a member of the Islamist group on whose ticket Morsi won the presidential election in June.

February 11th, 2013, 10:32 am

 

zoo said:

Assad says Syria will not submit to ‘plots’

DAMASCUS/BEIRUT – Agence France-Presse

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday stressed that his regime, battered by nearly two years of revolt, will not submit to pressure or “plots” against it, reported state news agency SANA. “Syria will remain the beating heart of the Arab world and will not give up its principles despite the intensifying pressure and diversifying plots not only targeting Syria, but all Arabs,” Assad said at a meeting with a Jordanian delegation in Damascus

February 11th, 2013, 10:41 am

 

revenire said:

The apes took the dam back in 2012 too. LOL

By ANNE BARNARD
Published: November 26, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/world/middleeast/rebels-claim-they-seized-air-bases-and-a-dam-in-syria.html?_r=0

BEIRUT, Lebanon — At a hydroelectric dam on the Euphrates River on Monday, Syrian rebels relaxed in the operations room, checking a computer screen, sipping tea and projecting confidence after driving off government forces and seizing crates of rocket-propelled grenades. All of this was proudly recorded and quickly uploaded for the world to see.

February 11th, 2013, 10:42 am

 

revenire said:

Tara does this mean the animals will start bathing now that they “control” this dam? The smell when our boys clean up the bodies is overwhelming. It would help end the war sooner if they start bathing. Maybe Moaz could add this to the list with the passports and 160,000 prisoners.

Just kidding Tara. We all know that there aren’t 160,000 political prisoners in Syria. 🙂

February 11th, 2013, 10:45 am

 

revenire said:

LOL this SAME story was trotted out in NOVEMBER 2012 and it was called “strategic” then by the apes. SO FUNNY! Tara, like a parrot, repeats the SAME EXACT WORDS as used in NOVEMBER as do the press whores.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2012/11/26/syria-aleppo-looting-dam/1727715/

“The capture of a hydroelectric dam in northern Syria en route to Aleppo would be a strategic gain, if true.

“The dam, en route to Aleppo, would be a strategic gain
The Free Syrian Army has taken control of the courts and prisons in Aleppo

“ALEPPO, Syria — The capture of a hydroelectric dam in northern Syria on Monday is the latest attempt by government opponents to cut off the military’s supply lines around Aleppo and drive them out, say Syrian anti-government activists.

“The Free Syrian Army (FSA) said its fighters overran the defenses of President Bashar Assad after several days of skirmishes to capture the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad group based in England.

“The dam is on a route that connects to Aleppo, a major city fought over for months by anti-Assad rebels and Assad loyalists.

“‘This is a major blow to the regime,’ said observatory spokesman Abdul-Rahman, describing the dam as a ‘strategic location.'”

February 11th, 2013, 10:47 am

 

revenire said:

“Baghdad Bob” Abdul-Rahman over at the one-man Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is given to wild statements based on drugged-up activists. The BBC reports these as news. I am laughing my head off they just repeated the same story as in November.

Tara any more gems for me to pick apart? I am eager for you.

February 11th, 2013, 10:51 am

 

revenire said:

Apes wanted to blow Syrians up but ended up blowing themselves and a lot of innocent Turks up. Good one terrorists. Erdogan’s genius on display.

El kaide-Özgür Suriye Ordusu bombası Türkiyeden Suriyeye dogru giderken bir Türk Gümrük kapısında patladı.Birçok Türk vatandaşı öldü.Erdohanı destekleyenler şimdi memnundur.

February 11th, 2013, 10:55 am

 

Tara said:

“The dam was protected by an artillery battery and many intelligence units. The rebels moved on them in a lightning offensive yesterday, overrunning their positions and capturing scores of personnel,” said Abu Ziad Teif, an opposition activist in contact with rebels in the area.

February 11th, 2013, 10:55 am

 

apple_mini said:

Let’s see how the car bombing plays out on Turkish political stage in the coming days.

Imagine Turkey got drawn closer to messy Syrian business with more ”shocking” attacks, they might have to re-evaluate their whole policy.

If weapons would not get crossed the Turkey-Syria border, intensity of fighting would diminish. And maybe a genuine peace talk can start.

February 11th, 2013, 11:06 am

 

Visitor said:

Weapons deliveries from the GCC (iuncluding KSA, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait) will witness a huge qualitative and quantitative jump in the next few weeks. There will be no distinction between battalions fighting on the ground, and some of the weapons will find their way to Nusra, Ahrar, and other groups, since these groups proved to be most efficient, disciplined and organized, despite US objections. Egypt and Lybia will also provide logistics, weapons and training.

The GCC informed the US that its policy in Syria is a scandalous failure, and that they have to look after their own interests in such light. This is due to the revealed reports, by washington Post, of Mullah-stan attempting to establish militias in Syria to protect the criminal regime.

The coming spring will witness an escalation in warfare that will lead to storming so-called government buldings in Damascus by Nusra and other groups, including many of Bashar’s residences. The spring will also witness storming of strategic locations on the coast to prevent retreat of thugs to the mountain hideouts.

The FSA, led by Nusra Front, will establish an NFZ in the north all the way to the coast and down to the borders. Any criminal aircraft that will dare to fly will be shot down and turned to dust.

Bashar: your days are numbered.

February 11th, 2013, 11:10 am

 

Erin said:

I am still waiting for the last days of Assad in Syria, I remember many telling us that: Mr. O, miss Peggy, and doufus Biden.
did I miss something?
it seems that Mr. O administration say something and does something else.
Now John Kerry can tell us again that Assad is a good reformer and the USA should have an open dialogue with him, exactly like what Biden said recently about Iran.

February 11th, 2013, 11:10 am

 

Ghufran said:

عمان- القدس العربي: أبلغ أحد القادة الشباب في تنظيم النصرة الجهادي القدس العربي بأن العديدين من أعضاء التنظيم الذي يقاتل في سوريا قتل مؤخرا برصاصات في الرأس من الخلف أثناء معارك ميدانية قتالية.
وقال عضو النصرة الذي طلب من (القدس العربي) عدم نشر إسمه أن سبعة من أعضاء تنظيم النصرة سقطوا في منطقة سهل حوران في الجانب السوري مؤخرا برصاصات مباشرة يرجح أنها من قناص ولكن من الخلف مشيرا لإن النار أطلقت عن بعد على (الشهداء) السبعة وأصيبوا إصابات مباشرة في رؤوسهم أدت لمقتلهم.
واعتبر الجهادي الأردني الذي أصيب برصاصة في بطنه وعاد إلى الأردن وتحدثت معه (القدس العربي) بأن هذه الرصاصات مجهولة وليست منطلقة من الجيش النظامي لبشار الأسد مؤكدا تواصل الخلافات الميدانية بين أعضاء في تنظيم النصرة وأعضاء في الجيش السوري الحر.
The news about the ” fall” of Alfurat dam in the hands of rebels, whether true or not, does not change anything in terms of when and how the regime will fall, if any, the regime gave up on the east and most of the north for lack of men and significance to regime’s survival, let us hope that the rebels and their backers treat Syrians under their control well, those people had enough.
Skip the garbage posted by the belly dancer and his drummers

February 11th, 2013, 11:18 am

 

revenire said:

Visitor the United States arms the terrorists via their proxies in the Gulf. That is how it works. That is how it has always worked. The United States wants to be able to say “we’re not arming them” while arming them via Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya, Turkey, etc. You’re confused and off the mark, as usual.

Your war dreams are boyish fantasies. Your rats are dead men walking. Every single one of them will be destroyed by the army.

February 11th, 2013, 11:18 am

 

mjabali said:

Revenire:

This special video is for you:

February 11th, 2013, 11:22 am

 

revenire said:

Ha ha that’s the one they captured the dam the already captured in 2012 with.

February 11th, 2013, 11:27 am

 

Aldendeshe said:

Syria will remain the beating heart of the Arab world
______________________________________________________________________

Did you mean to say Bashar “will remain the bleeding heart of the Arab World”

That is pretty failed heart would not you say, I mean take a look at where your family lives now, Dubai will more likely be the beating heart of the Arab World man.

I am sorry, it is a self made fairytale like that the Jews composed of David Kingdom, there is no such Arab World, there is an Islamic world made up of proud nations and one sinking to African Somalia level that is bragging about being the beating heart of it all. Why not work at strengthening your Nationals and Nationalist country first then try like city state Qatar is doing to claim your post that your Baathist Megalomania failed to accomplish after having 50 years in power peddling this fairytale.

February 11th, 2013, 11:33 am

 

zoo said:

Al Khatib under pressure from UN and AL to keep trying to bring the Syrian government to the dialog table. Another clearer offer from Al Khatib on the way ?

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/world/41288-fierce-fighting-again-erupts-in-syria-50-dead

UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met Syrian opposition leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib Sunday in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Sunday and urged him to keep seeking dialogue with the Damascus government, the UN said.

Brahimi repeated his backing for Khatib’s push for talks and “encouraged the Coalition to continue in this direction,” said a UN statement.

Riad Seif, vice president of the National Coalition, was also present at the meeting.

February 11th, 2013, 11:43 am

 

revenire said:

288. ALDENDESHE come back sober.

February 11th, 2013, 11:57 am

 

zoo said:

“The GCC informed the US that its policy in Syria is a scandalous failure”

Oh yes? and the USA will soil their pant and change immediately their strategy to please their billions $ of military equipment buyer…

February 11th, 2013, 11:58 am

 

revenire said:

Every single bullet used to murder Syrians can be laid at the foot of Obama the drone king. He gave the green light to his proxies to send weapons to murder Syrians.

February 11th, 2013, 12:05 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

REVENIRE,

People like you defending the slaughter of people fighting an iron dictatorship should be sent to trial and condembed to death penalty. This is what I think about people like you. And history will judge you like it did with the animal Gadafi, Saddam, Mubarak, etc.

February 11th, 2013, 12:06 pm

 

zoo said:

Follow-on to #289
Al Khatib makes a totally absurd new offer that is certain to be flatly ignored.
Is he out of new ideas to come up with such a silly one?

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0211/Syrian-opposition-leader-extends-talks-offer-to-Assad-regime

Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib said yesterday he was willing to hold talks with President Bashar al-Assad’s representatives in rebel-held areas of northern Syria to try to end a conflict that has killed about 60,000 people.
…..
The Muslim Brotherhood, which controls a large bloc within the Islamist-dominated coalition, is against the initiative.

But the Brotherhood, the only organized political force in the opposition, is unlikely to challenge Alkhatib’s authority directly, with his initiative gaining popularity in Syria, the sources said.

February 11th, 2013, 12:08 pm

 

Tara said:

Reve,

That was another dam not the Euphrates dam. I say they cut electricity on Aleppo and liberate it in its entirety. They can take advantage of the electrical shut down and destroy Aleppo airport so no Iranian or Russian plane lands there

February 11th, 2013, 12:09 pm

 

annie said:

Totally agree with Sandra when she says
” 293. SANDRO LOEWE said:

REVENIRE,

People like you defending the slaughter of people fighting an iron dictatorship should be sent to trial and condembed to death penalty. This is what I think about people like you. And history will judge you like it did with the animal Gadafi, Saddam, Mubarak, etc.”

February 11th, 2013, 12:12 pm

 

zoo said:

The Dam claimed ‘capture’ by the Islamists fighters is largely symbolic.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/syria-rebels-seize-dam-blast-turkish-border-151730588.html

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other opposition activists said Islamist fighters seized army positions on Sunday around the Taqba dam, near the town of Thawra, some 150 km (90 miles) southeast of Aleppo. It was unclear how far the electricity plant was still operating.

Rami Abdulrahman of the Observatory called it one of Assad’s biggest setbacks. However, the dam’s generating capacity has long fallen short of early hopes and, with power already scarce in Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, it was unclear whether the change of control at Taqba would have a major technical impact.

February 11th, 2013, 12:34 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara sure it is another dam. Sure honey. I believe you – someone who can’t analyze the simplest story and is panting for Batta 24/7 for over a year.

The dam provides power and water for women, children, sick people in hospitals, etc. You want your rats to cut power to Aleppo? Wouldn’t women, children, the sick and elderly die? I know you’re consumed by hatred of Syrians. You can’t ever go back and want the entire nation destroyed. I find your rants amusing.

What happened last time they “took” this dam is they took some photos and left. It is nothing but propaganda. It is meaningless. Posting this vapid nonsense shows how desperate you’ve all become.

February 11th, 2013, 12:46 pm

 

zoo said:

A video showing the generators with a voice-over is the “convincing proof” that invisible rebels undoubtfully control the dam.
سيطرة مقاتلو الكتائب على سد الفرات

February 11th, 2013, 12:46 pm

 

jna said:

The Syrian government is ready to send a minister abroad for talks with Moaz al-Khatib, leader of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, who recently threw rebel politics into turmoil by coming out in favour of dialogue with the regime.

“I am willing to meet Mr Khatib in any foreign city where I can go in order to discuss preparations for a national dialogue”, Ali Haidar, the minister for national reconciliation, told the Guardian. His remarks were the most positive response the Syrian government has yet given to the opposition leader’s surprise change of line.

Exiles and their affiliated armed groups have long said they would never talk to the regime unless Assad first left office. Their leader’s switch has been severely criticised by some of his colleagues because the coalition’s charter states it will not talk to the regime except about its departure.

In explaining the purpose of the national dialogue, Haidar raised the prospect of a genuine contest for a multi-party parliament and for the presidency when Bashar al-Assad’s mandate runs out next year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/11/syrian-minister-meet-opposition-leader?CMP=twt_gu

February 11th, 2013, 12:48 pm

 

Tara said:

What happen?

Batta is scared now and want to dialogue?

Afraid of a sad fate in the sewer system, like his predecessors?

February 11th, 2013, 12:55 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara please calm down. You’re coming unglued in front of us. The stress is killing you.

“Batta is scared now and want to dialogue? Afraid of a sad fate in the sewer system, like his predecessors?”

Broken English from a broken woman.

The only ones in sewers are your rats (and we have photos).

Your rat army has failed and is getting mowed down by our MIGs right now. They scurry into hiding spots and dress like women to evade capture (we have photos of that too).

February 11th, 2013, 1:06 pm

 

Visitor said:

The Bab al-Hawa bombing was planned by the terrorist so-called mukhabarat of the criminal thugs of Bashar who will soon be history, and was carried out by his terrorist henchmen of the PKK terrorists.

Erdogan will soon exterminate this terrorism from the border, and will make Bashar drink from the same cup of poison as his master Khomeini (Allah yghame’3lo bijhanem ‘sawda).

February 11th, 2013, 1:23 pm

 

Dolly Buster said:

285. revenire said:

the United States arms the terrorists via their proxies in the Gulf. That is how it works.

 
Why not just say that the Gulf is arming them.

The U.S. could have: 1) Attacked Syria and wiped the floor with the government. 2) Directly sent extremely heavy weapons to FSA.

They’ve done none of that, so it’s worth noting the difference
between: a) Real Intervention, and b) handing a walkie-talkie under the table.

Why has Obama been reluctant to support the Syrian opposition? Because he is a leftie who believes the U.S. should cut down its influence in the world.

Since the evil Russians are arming the Ba’ath, it’s only fair that the Syrian people get an RPG or two.
It would be an unfair fight if I have to defend my apartment building from a Mig using my bare hands only.

February 11th, 2013, 1:29 pm

 

revenire said:

Visitor didn’t your rats say they controlled the entire border and all the border crossings? You told me this yourself dozens of times. This is one of the free areas of Syria you said.

LOL what happened?

February 11th, 2013, 1:33 pm

 

revenire said:

The US could not have attacked Syria and wiped the floor with her. That’s nonsense. They would have liked to do so but Syria is too strong.

Obama has been arming the rats via his proxies, same as Reagan did in Nicaragua in the 1980s.

Only fools believe otherwise.

I don’t care about your apartment Dolly. The air force kills rats. The air force does not bomb apartments. If you’re a terrorist hiding in an apartment the air force will find you and bomb you. You have no right to anything, not even a grave.

February 11th, 2013, 1:37 pm

 

Observer said:

I quote:”Al Khatib and his group are in a state of panic. They know they will become irrelevant if they do not take back the lead of the situation from the military. As Al Nusra “successes’ are continuing and the coalition has no leverage on any of these groups who hate then, they have no choice that to find a deal with the regime.
They know that if they don’t and the regime collapses militarily, the country will become a failed state with multiple militias fighting each others and they will be discarded.”

1. It is clearly the thinking of someone who thinks that holding on to power is the ultimate goal.
2. Since when did the outside opposition have any say as to what is happening on the ground.
3. The abdication of the policy on Syria by the US administration to Qatar has allowed.
4. Those with an ideology are more able to organize regardless of their ideology. The Baath ideology attracted a lot of Arab Nationalist Militants in the beginning and they were more organized than the disparate other groups except for the communists. The MB was poorly organized at that time and remains so to some extent. But all are better than just local militias springing up for this or that section of town.
5. Why should they panic? What if they do get sidelined? they can remain where they are sipping coffee and drinking tea in various cafes around the world.
6. The regime is according to the logic” the only force capable of holding against the Nusra”. Says who? they are only capable of Grohzni style mass destruction. Exactly what suits Nusra street fighters. Create more rubble for them to fight in.

Now on a different note; some pro regime had posted that the rebels who took the Euphrates Dam should wash as they smell so bad.

Here is today’s article from the NYT about the situation in Damascus and the description of the regime troops: I urge you to read the section on drunken officers and shabby dirty soldiers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/11/world/middleeast/syrian-war-closes-in-on-the-heart-of-damascus.html?ref=world&_r=0

Cheers.

February 11th, 2013, 1:46 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Assad is losing control of the country. Assad will finally be killed by his own men or will get killed like a rat, like Gadafi.

Klm after klm the land of Syria is going out of control. One by one the rats of the mafia regime are getting killed or travelling outside the country.

HA, Israel, Iran and Russia are getting nervious. There is nothing they can do against the brave syrian people determination to exterminate the cause of the syrian disaster.

When the syrian revolution ends the Assad mafia history books will recognize the syrian revolution as one of the most heroic popular collective fights in World History.

February 11th, 2013, 1:57 pm

 

Visitor said:

“The Dam claimed ‘capture’ by the Islamists fighters is largely symbolic.

And so was the fall of Taftanaz according to the ‘genius’ minister of terrorism, Freij!!

I wonder if these criminals have anything worth losing!!

February 11th, 2013, 1:57 pm

 

zoo said:

The dam capture is another “success” of the terrorist Al Nusra.
The Islamist terrorists in North of Mali were dislodged by the french army, who will dislodge Al Nusra from North of Syria?
Will North of Syria secede to become the Islamic Caliphate of Idlib or a mini-Somalia?

http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/syrian-rebels-capture-largest-dam-1.1468274#.URlA2qzi95Y

“The rebel assault on the dam was led by al-Qaida-linked militant group Jabhat al-Nusra, which has been fighting alongside the rebels trying to oust Assad. Al-Nusra Front is considered the most effective fighting force on the anti-regime side. “

February 11th, 2013, 2:12 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

To followers of the Assad State of Fear:

We should study what you call terrorists. But how would you call the fuxxx officials of Assad regime who dedicated their whole lifes to torture syrian civilians, many for political crimes, many other innocents brought by mistake or by preemptive mode?

Do you know the ways used by Assad fuxxxing personel to torture til death? If you know it look to yourself and ask yourself if you would like your mother or your sister or even your sons to be inside any of the 200 syrian torture centers even for one hour…

Try to look inside of you if there is still something of humanity inside…

February 11th, 2013, 2:15 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

To all Assad´s State of Fear supporters:

We should study what you call terrorists. But how would you call the fuxxx officials of Assad regime who dedicated their whole lifes to torture syrian civilians, many for political crimes, many other innocents brought by mistake or by preemptive mode?

Do you know the ways used by Assad fuxxxing personel to torture til death? If you know it look to yourself and ask yourself if you would like your mother or your sister or even your sons to be inside any of the 200 syrian torture centers even for one hour…

Try to look inside of you if there is still something of humanity inside…

February 11th, 2013, 2:17 pm

 

revenire said:

“But how would you call the fuxxx officials of Assad regime who dedicated their whole lifes to torture syrian civilians, many for political crimes, many other innocents brought by mistake or by preemptive mode?”

I’d call them HEROES.

February 11th, 2013, 2:18 pm

 

omen said:

304. dolly, please, obama is no leftie. look at his approval of the drone policy. he justifies killing americans absent a trial or warrant or any proof of justification. assassination of americans is not only antithetical of everything leftists stand for, it’s unconstitutional and unamerican. (which monied interest is responsible for pushing to establish our drone practice as policy?)

what the administration is doing by inaction on syria is appeasing the iranians. obama inc. wants more than anything iranian agreement to halting the development of nukes. after that, agreement to allow the west access to caspian sea oil.

look at china’s veto and how syria caters to china. anytime china is involved in the middleeast, it’s too secure oil for the country. with so many american companies now invested in china, the u.s. also acts to secure oil for china.

February 11th, 2013, 2:18 pm

 

zoo said:

#307 Observer

I really appreciate your quoting me in full. I guess I am hitting the rights spots.
Sorry not to reciprocate, none of your replies is worth it.

Al Khatib and his court continuing their tour from hotel to hotel “sipping tea and coffee” is probably the only image I’d like to retain.

February 11th, 2013, 2:20 pm

 

Tara said:

Anything the rebels do would be classified as symbolic by those who worship Batta even when his house is taken over, It will remain symbolic. You simply can not change cult members.

February 11th, 2013, 2:26 pm

 

revenire said:

Ha ha more desperation from the rats.

Druzes in Syria
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
“Syria’s 700,000 Druze, followers of an offshoot of Shiite Islam, are increasingly leaning toward the rebels.” There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Syrian Druzes are moving away from the regime. In fact, the March 14 of Lebanon and Syria are so desperate for signs of a shift in the mood of Syrian Druzes that they made a hug fuss about the defection of one sole Druzes soldier.

February 11th, 2013, 2:27 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

“The Dam claimed ‘capture’ by the Islamists fighters is largely symbolic”

Sure and the death of Bashar is symbolic, I love the symbolics

February 11th, 2013, 2:32 pm

 

Visitor said:

Another great victory today to the holy warriors of the FSA.

FSA storms the headquarters of terrorism in 3Adra and captures so-called republican guards cowering inside the building like scared terrorist rats.

February 11th, 2013, 2:32 pm

 

zoo said:

Arming terrorists to help achieving a political goal sooner or later will backfire.

http://rt.com/news/france-mali-gao-insurgency-883/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday that France was reaping in Mali what it had sown in Libya by arming rebels who fought against Muammar Gaddafi.

“France is fighting against those in Mali whom it had once armed in Libya against Gaddafi in violation of the embargo ordered by the UN Security Council,” Lavrov told the Sunday Night with Solovyov program.

He went on to comment on France’s ground successes, whilst underlining the challenge the country faces from such insurgents.

“France is marching across Mali with relative ease, virtually in a parade manner, occupying positions abandoned by the terrorists. It will soon liberate the whole of the state. The question is: Where are these guys no one had been able to subdue? They may turn out to be fine in the neighboring countries, where expeditionary decisions will have to be made,” he said.

February 11th, 2013, 2:35 pm

 

revenire said:

The thugs of Al Qaeda beheaded the statue of the great poet and philosopher Abou Alaa Alma’ari accusing him of atheism!

This National Treasure lived and died in Syria more than a 1000 years ago…

Terrorism is killing my present and my history, but never my FUTURE!

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/11219_370166913090319_586292316_n.jpg

Can’t believe these pigs behead a statue and call Ma`arri an infidel. This is rat freedom. Poets are seen as the enemy.

http://www.facebook.com/Occupy.syr

February 11th, 2013, 2:35 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

Must read this article right away,it will be removed any minute:

TITLE: I Was a Paid Internet Shill: How Shadowy Groups Manipulate Internet Opinion and Debate

http://consciouslifenews.com/paid-internet-shill-shadowy-groups-manipulate-internet-opinion-debate/1147073/

It is a big industry now headed by Americans and Israeli HASBARA.

February 11th, 2013, 2:38 pm

 

omen said:

the druze are sheltering the opposition and anybody else displaced by the regime. action speaks louder than words.

February 11th, 2013, 2:39 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Speaking of actions, Taqaba is captured by the rebels. In other words, Raqqa province is increasingly under the control of the rebels.

And the regime still has not retaliated for the Israeli strike.

February 11th, 2013, 2:44 pm

 

zoo said:

On 18 February, the EU will discuss lifting or renewing the arms embargo on Syria.
One argument some are considering is that lifting the embargo will allow to better arm the weak FSA soldiers so they could get rid of ….al Nusra and all the Islamist militias.
This may also enhance the credibility of the Syrian coalition heavily criticized by the FSA for not succeeding in arming them better.

February 11th, 2013, 2:45 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Oh yes, speaking of which, the rebels continue to fight in Damascus. In fact, I would say the rebels have been making gains, albeit slowly.

What was this I heard a few weeks ago about the regime flushing the rebels out of Damascus? It appears that hasn’t happened yet.

Furthermore, Taftanaz has fallen. That’s old news. But last I checked on this blog, certain people were predicting it wouldn’t fall.

Finally, what is this about the FSA collapsing? Or the regime doing a counter-offensive? I also heard from one particular retard that the rebels “don’t control any towns, hardy har har”.

I don’t know. It appears their predictions have not been particularly on the mark now, have they?

February 11th, 2013, 2:51 pm

 

zoo said:

“Hit and run” are no game changing. They are just as ‘symbolic’ as the name the rebels gave to this third ‘decisive’ attack on Damascus.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-building-militias-to-take-control-of-syria-if-and-when-assad-regime-falls-8490788.html

The “Battle of Armageddon”, as the rebels call it, saw the key eastern Damascus district of Jobar pounded by airstrikes again today after opposition fighters seized a base from pro-government forces.

But while the offensive has brought violence a step closer to the centre of the city, analysts say that the push so far has not been “game changing” as rebels are struggling to hold on to their gains.

“Their modus operandi is to hit and run and they are still a guerrilla force,” said Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese general and professor at the American University of Beirut. “When they are well organised, have unity of command and are taking places and holding them, then it will be game changing.”

February 11th, 2013, 2:55 pm

 

MarigoldRan said:

Correct!

But their hit-and-run tactics have been marvelously effective at slowly nibbling away at regime authority and control. As I’ve said, the progress is slow.

Last time I checked, the rebels remain entrenched in Damascus and its surrounding suburbs. They’re held back by lack of weapons, but if the regime is having this much trouble with rebels without much weaponry, imagine how much worse it would be for the regime when the rebels eventually do get better and more weapons.

The rebels have many more motivated fighting men than the regime. Simply put, most of the SAA conscripts don’t want to fight anymore.

February 11th, 2013, 2:59 pm

 

zoo said:

Four fights already between al Nusra and the FSA near Turkish border. Will it spread?

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/explosion-at-turkish-syrian-border-gate-kills-13.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40874&NewsCatID=341

Just before the explosion, Agence France-Presse reported that tensions rose between Syrian rebels and the fighters of the jihadist Al-Nusra Front.

In a rebel rear base at Atme in northern Syria, a close border town of Reyhanlı, where the explosion took place, at least four fights have broken out in recent weeks between jihadists and mainstream rebels, witnesses and residents told AFP

February 11th, 2013, 3:01 pm

 

revenire said:

The strategy to divide the rats so they kill each other is working well. Moaz is working for Assad now.

February 11th, 2013, 3:17 pm

 

zoo said:

Grand mufti of Egypt elected by a vote for the first time.
Youssef El-Qaradawi came from Qatar to head the election authority.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/1/64544/Egypt/Egypts-new-Grand-Mufti-chosen.aspx

Three finalists were chosen on Monday in a closed session held by senior members of the Al-Azhar Senior Scholars Authority. There was then a vote by members of the authority.

The authority was headed by Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, in addition to Gomaa and Qatar-based Islamic scholar

February 11th, 2013, 3:18 pm

 

Tara said:

I like al Qardawi. I watched few Q@A programs for him. I find him to be moderate

February 11th, 2013, 3:24 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

#78

dylan was/is a plagiarist.

einstein too was a thief of other’s ideas.

not surprising. what do they have in common?

February 11th, 2013, 3:27 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Someone from Idleb region has just called me from Turkey. He repeats the same history that all syrians I know repeat:

1) Assad planes and tanks are destroying all villages and towns in Syria.

2) Almost all FSA and other factions fighters are syrians from villages and towns attacked.

3) 3/4 of Aleppo are under FSA control

4) Victory is near and there is not a turning back or a negotiation possible. Determination to fight and destroy the Assad regime is total.

February 11th, 2013, 3:29 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

french complaining about too many rats running to their country.

unlike the brits, the ultra refined frenchies wont eat rat meat, especially the 2-legged, dumb-ass rat.

rats, rats, rats. who opened that sewer?

February 11th, 2013, 3:30 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

I find too many rats in this SC forum….

A final sollution would be interesting to eliminate so many rats…

February 11th, 2013, 3:33 pm

 

revenire said:

You have to wonder if the vermin control even one town in Syria why do they all run and hide in Turkey? LOL

I love all the rebel victory stories. We laugh and laugh at them as our MIGs bomb them all to Hell.

Keep it coming rats!

The war continues.

LOL

February 11th, 2013, 3:36 pm

 

5 dancing shlomos said:

#334

you know no non-rat syrians.

the turkey that called you was from a farm in north carolina.

its head, like its cousin erdogan’s head, will soon drop.

February 11th, 2013, 3:39 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

REVENIRE,

You are an intoxicating agent trying to make noise in this SC forum. But you are a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooser.

Go back to your corrupt dady and get some more money for your daily needs.

February 11th, 2013, 3:39 pm

 

Baran said:

Any more stories about the demented Anisa? Is she behaving?

February 11th, 2013, 3:45 pm

 

Aldendeshe said:

I am so happy to hear that SANDRO, the faster that moment come the better. The real civil war will then start, and all those fighters will liquidate each other trying to divide the household pots, pans and refrigerators loots. Syria will be flattened and then will take over a country having all its idiots dead and the landscape just right for Urban Planner to show their artistic mastery. You think this will happen in my life time Sandro? Should I start inviting California Builders to submit plans and bids, or is too early yet?

We must act fast before Hariri moves in and take over the Christian sector of old Homs to start a new Solidaire in there you know, after all, he spent a fortune on that Homs scheme already. The Qatari fatso takes the west side of the city and Hariri (purse handler) the east side. You did not think for real these guys care about the Moslem Brothehood, did ya? Don’t worry, they will finish them all dam Islamists off when the job is done.

February 11th, 2013, 3:47 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

5 Dancing homos

I am trying to share Syria information with syrian people in the SC Forum but I find a lot of noise made by foreign ¨intervention¨, from israelis originals fron North Carolina to syrian expats who have never been in Syria. It is very sad to see how people who has nothing to be with Syria are the blinder and more agressive and ingorant in this forum like you and similar homo sapiens likes.

Believe, after having phone conversation with people who is living the tragedy daily under the bombs, I come and read your words and I see nothing else that stupid words.

February 11th, 2013, 3:49 pm

 

revenire said:

Sandro Loewe your friend is having a hard time because he’s a terrorist. What did you expect?

No one is forcing you to read 5 DANCING SHLOMOS are they?

And what is with the hate speech toward gays? Didn’t you know that thief and former SC moderator Bill Scherk is gay?

Can you please apologize to Bill and stop the hate?

Tara do you approve of the word “homo”? Is this your new Syrian man? Or Tara am I right – again – in calling them a rat cancer that needs to be eradicated like a disease?

Give us the order Dr. Assad. Unleash the Orkin Man.

February 11th, 2013, 3:54 pm

 

revenire said:

الأسد .. و عباءة العروبة

February 11th, 2013, 4:00 pm

 

Tara said:

Reve,

You are trash and should be banned.

February 11th, 2013, 4:00 pm

 
 

5 dancing shlomos said:

#342

so full of sh-t like the recently departed cackling witch.

February 11th, 2013, 4:03 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara no soup for you today!

February 11th, 2013, 4:05 pm

 

zoo said:

Will Erdogan retaliates after the killing of three Turks who had crossed the Syrian rebels controlled border of Bab-Al-Hawa?
Can the Patriots help?

February 11th, 2013, 4:08 pm

 

Johannes de Silentio said:

349. ZOO

“Will Erdogan retaliate after the killing of three Turks who crossed the Syrian rebel-controlled border of Bab-Al-Hawa?”

Besides you, paki-boy, does anyone care?

February 11th, 2013, 4:11 pm

 

revenire said:

Erdogan is a barking dog that will do nothing. He did nothing when Israel attacked his Gaza Flotilla.

Johannes my dear friend it isn’t nice to call people “paki-boy” etc. Correct yourself or I shall be forced to make a formal complaint to Tara and she might ban you, like she is banned from Syria.

Seriously friends I ask why is there so much hatred and racism on this board from terrorist supporters? Should minorities in Syria feel comforted? Tara said Alawites should be massacred, people post beheadings, gays are slurred and now there is something wrong with Pakistan?

February 11th, 2013, 4:15 pm

 

Syrialover said:

SANDRO LOEWE #334

The same story I am hearing from inside. Thanks for stating it.

February 11th, 2013, 4:25 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

Galloway pressed on his apparent equating of Mali & Syria situations. BBC.

February 11th, 2013, 4:42 pm

 

revenire said:

Tara this is what you support. You belong in a cage with these animals. Your kind will NEVER win in Syria.

edward dark ‏@edwardedark
eyewitness: rebels storm building taking civilians hostage & putting kids on balconies as human shields. Aleppo #Syria https://www.facebook.com/shahed.alep/posts/476123195786028

يا جماعة يا ناس أنا شفت بعيني الرهائن ببناية بمساكن السبيل وحاطين ولاد على الشبابيك دروع بشرية مشان الجيش النظامي ما يتقدم للمساكن داخل المبنى 10 نساء و 12 طفل تحت سن 14 سنة
و من بيناتون احمد عفش قائد كتيبة لواء احرار سوريا !!!! هو يلي اسرون وبحب أوجه رسالة إلى عبد القادر صالح وعبد العزيز سلامة ( القائد المفدى ) وجماعة لواء التوحيد والمجلس العسكري وعبد الجبار عكيدي .. إذا بدكم تتمرجلو وتشتغلو صح شوفو وضع أحمد عفش وجماعتو ماتعملوا معون تحالفات من تحت الطاولة وقدام العالم تعملو حالكم أنكم عم تحاسبو الحرامية أحمد عفش ولواء أحرار سوريا وصمة عار على الثورة
أدمن إذا مابدك تنشر لاتنشر والسلام عليكم
==============================
يرجى النشر كي يصل الخبر إلى من يهمه الأمر
14

February 11th, 2013, 4:47 pm

 

Syrialover said:

SAMI # 264

Assad regime destroying factories and jobs = deliberate annihilation of the economy.

Proof that Assad has no interest in preserving Syria beyond what’s needed to keep the regime and its cronies in delusionary comfort.

How could anyone claim that regime is competent and entitled to control a country!!!

February 11th, 2013, 4:50 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

Assad must be up there amongst the top pound-for-pound tyrants of the last century. Perhaps only Hitler ahead of him (one estimate 155 pounds).

February 11th, 2013, 4:51 pm

 

Syrialover said:

Reminder alert!

Links posted by “ANN” (Assadist news network) and REVENIRE should be regarded with extreme caution.

Avoid risk – don’t click on them.

February 11th, 2013, 4:55 pm

 

Syrialover said:

UZAIR8 #356

No, no. Forget comparisons with Hitler.

Assad is unique in history for burning down the country he is supposed to be “ruling”.

There is no precedent in the world for the alleged “leader” of a sovereign state randomly bombing its citizens in bread queues, petrol stations, universities and hospitals.

Or committing “urbicide”, using state resources to destroy tens of thousands of homes, over 2,000 schools and other basic infrastructure, beautiful world-famous heritage buildings, mosques etc

Bashar Assad has created a whole new category of evil and stupidity.

February 11th, 2013, 5:08 pm

 

Visitor said:

George Galloway is a moron.

February 11th, 2013, 5:13 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

Symbolic victories?

More symbolic victories please.

February 11th, 2013, 5:27 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

#358 SyriaLover

Yes, you might have a point.
Also Hitler was democratically elected.

February 11th, 2013, 5:28 pm

 

revenire said:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9vMCSh6BMQ

I bet you rats hate him telling the truth like this. Notice the rat slinking out in shame.

February 11th, 2013, 5:34 pm

 

Uzair8 said:

The SC regimist tactic of denial, prevarication and even procastrination has been for sometime, annoying, frustrating and frankly boring.

Should people continue to give it attention? It only encourages and invites more of the same.

February 11th, 2013, 5:36 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

The Irony of thieve’s Honor
The assad lover who manufactured his oversize ugly, low class, tasteless statue in Raqqa filled the statue with dirty papers and plastic garbage bags. This is the cause of excessive amount of black smoke shown in post 265 by Hanzala

As Yassin Al-Haj Saleh wrote earlier
The heart of the dictator turned out to be a garbage bag..

February 11th, 2013, 5:47 pm

 

revenire said:

Zaid Benjamin ‏@zaidbenjamin
#BREAKING: SNC delegation was slated to pass through #turkey – #Syria border crossing that was hit with explosion Monday – SNC Statement

That would be great if they were bombed at the border crossing al-Nusra “liberated” months ago. I am praying for it.

February 11th, 2013, 6:02 pm

 

Tara said:

I really really do not like it when one allows himself to worship someone else. Meaningful pride is what attracts me to people. It is very contemptuous and degrading. What a waste of manhood!

http://m.guardiannews.com/world/video/2013/feb/11/scuffle-lebanese-al-manar-video

February 11th, 2013, 6:21 pm

 

Visitor said:

Another victory and another triumph for holy warriors.

A terrorist rodent (Sa’id Zarifeh) bites the dust into darkest lowest jahannam at the hands of our valiant holy warriors of the victorious FSA.

The chief-rodent-terrorist (so-called commander) in other circumnstances) of the terrorist organization of republican-terrorists (so-called guards in other circumstances) is demolished while cowering down like a coward rodent mouse in Barzeh.

الجيش الحر يقتل قائد اركان الفرقة الرابعة سعيد ظريفة في برزة بريف دمشق

February 11th, 2013, 6:21 pm

 

Tara said:

# killing the commander of the 4th brigade:

Another symbolic victory of the rebels.

February 11th, 2013, 6:25 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

I told you, the symbolism is inescapable.

February 11th, 2013, 6:31 pm

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

As this rat said before, the symbolism is inescapable .

February 11th, 2013, 6:32 pm

 

revenire said:

You know what I like Tara? Dead rats.

February 11th, 2013, 6:35 pm

 

zoo said:

Pressure on Obama from neo-cons suddenly worried
about ‘moral urgency’

The price of forsaking Syria.
President Obama’s inaction is shameful

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, February 11, 2013, 8:00 PM
By Richard Cohen

His foreign policy has similarly lacked any sense of moral urgency. As a result, the situation in Syria has worsened. It is now becoming a regional catastrophe that will soon enough pull in the United States anyway. Obama purportedly feared making the war worse. By inaction, he has.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/price-forsaking-syria-article-1.1260916#ixzz2Ke3JIkac

February 11th, 2013, 8:45 pm

 

Visitor said:

The Druze of Suweida and adjoining region have proven to be patriotic Syrians and are loyal to the great revolution of the Syrian people,

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/ar/nowspecialar/مشايخ-دروز-يفتون-سرا-بعدم-الإنضمام-لميليشيات-النظام-السوري

The Druze of Syria will, therefore, have a major role to play in the new Syria.

February 11th, 2013, 9:02 pm

 

zoo said:

Is Turkey short-sighted and cynical foreign policy with its neighbors finally backfiring?

News Analysis: Blast at Turkish-Syrian border unveils dangers of violence spillover

2013-02-12
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-02/12/c_124342712.htm

ANKARA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) — Monday’s car blast at the Turkish- Syrian border gate has raised fears that the violence from Syria’s 22-month conflict may be spilling over to the Turkish side.

Initial reports indicated that the car was exploded in a no man ‘s land close to the Turkish border gate of Cilvegozu. The blast killed at least 13 people and injured 28 others. At least three of the killed were Turkish nationals, according reports from the area.

There are different speculations on who was behind the attack or what was the motivation, as the authorities are scrambling to investigate circumstances of the incident. But it is almost agreed in Turkey that the instability in the neighboring state has become more and more dangerous for Turkey.

According to one interpretation, the car bomb was in fact a warning to the Turkish government for its support to the opposition against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

February 11th, 2013, 9:31 pm

 

Tara said:

If this is true, then Iranians in Syria should be considered by the FSA to be enemy combatants and treated as such.  

http://m.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/iran-hezbollah-build-militia-networks-in-syria-in-event-that-assad-falls-officials-say/2013/02/10/257a41c8-720a-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_story.html

Iran and Hezbollah build militia networks in Syria in event that Assad falls, officials say

Iran and Hezbollah, its Lebanese proxy, are building a network of militias inside Syria to preserve and protect their interests in the event that President Bashar al-
Assad’s government falls or is forced to retreat from Damascus, according to U.S. and Middle Eastern officials.

The militias are fighting alongside Syrian government forces to keep Assad in power. But officials think Iran’s long-term goal is to have reliable operatives in Syria in case the country fractures into ethnic and sectarian enclaves.

A senior Obama administration official cited Iranian claims that Tehran was backing as many as 50,000 militiamen in Syria. “It’s a big operation,” the official said. “The immediate intention seems to be to support the Syrian regime. But it’s important for Iran to have a force in Syria that is reliable and can be counted on.”

February 11th, 2013, 9:42 pm

 

zoo said:

After leaning for a moment toward the the opposition…
Sweida Syria’s Druze Grapple With Jabhat al-Nusra

(دروز جبل العرب في سورية وإشكالية «جبهة النصرة» و«الكتائب الإسلامية»
سالم الدمشقي *

http://alhayat.com/Details/480638

February 11th, 2013, 9:42 pm

 

zoo said:

#374 Tara

This is just more headache and pressures on Al Khatib to quickly find new ways to get the regime to accept the dialog before Al Nusra controls the country. If this ever happens, Iran and Hezbollah will probably intervene to protect the minorities.

Time is ticking for Al Khatib and the coalition.

February 11th, 2013, 9:49 pm

 

zoo said:

As the “Friends of Syria” club went bankrupt, the expat opposition is planning another “productive” conference to “unite” in Cairo.

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nownews/syrian_opposition_plans_cairo_meeting

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Syrian opposition members residing abroad are planning to hold a meeting in Cairo later in the month to organize and unite efforts against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The meeting aims to gather representatives of the Syrian youth protesting, traditional opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as exiled anti-regime activists, the daily added.

According to the Wall Street Journal, meeting have been held in recent weeks across Europe, but participants have failed to agree on a united strategy.

“The Cairo conference, which still requires Egyptian authorities’ approval, would be the first large-scale gathering of Syria’s opposition in an Arab capital in more than a decade,” the newspaper quoted an activist as saying.

February 11th, 2013, 9:58 pm

 

revenire said:

Syria: The Druze Are Not Joining The Opposition
(courtesy of b at http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/02/the-druze-are-not-joining-the-opposition.html)

A just published Washington Post piece claims: Syria’s Druze minority is shifting its support to the opposition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrias-druze-minority-is-shifting-its-support-to-the-opposition/2013/02/07/9e3f52c6-6d5d-11e2-ada0-5ca5fa7ebe79_story.html

Its evidence for the alleged shift is … solely from the insurgency side:

“Members of Syria’s Druze community, a small but significant religious minority, are joining the opposition in bigger numbers, ramping up pressure on the beleaguered government of President Bashar al-Assad, according to opposition activists and rebel military commanders.”

There is no evidence in the whole piece of a shift in the Druze community but those not-verifiable self-serving insurgency claims. A real highlight is this paragraph:

“Yet there is now even a Druze-dominated unit of rebel fighters, the Bani Maarouf battalion, operating in the Damascus suburbs, including Jaramana, which was formed in late December.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwO_xpb6RsY

That link goes to video that shows a group of 30 men proclaiming to be some new unit. Why is the reporter calling this a “battalion”. Thirty men are a small platoon. There are three or four platoons to a company and four or five companies make up a battalion. That is the about the same in every army of this world. Why is a Washington Post reporter writing about a “battalion” when that “battalion” doesn’t even have 5% of the nominal size of a real on? And how does he know that these are indeed Druze?

There are thousands of such videos of such groups, often multiple ones of the ever same folks and their sole purpose is exaggerate the size of the insurgency. They are sheer propaganda. The one the WaPo reporter chose is especially ridiculous. Take a look at this gun that one of the guys holds.

http://www.moonofalabama.org/images3/druzegun-s.jpg

Those “Druze” must have v_e_r_y long arms if they can fire weapons with such shoulder stocks.

Thet WaPo piece’s claim of Druze joining those insurgents is just as much propaganda as the one that claimed the Druze are joining the opposition in March 2012 and the one that claimed so in July 2012 and the one that claimed so a month ago.
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=45452
http://news.yahoo.com/golan-druse-start-turn-against-syrias-assad-064500165.html
http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/druze-syria-462188

All of these piece are based on insurgency sources and all of them are false. The Druze know very well that they, as a religious minority, would be in much more trouble should the insurgency win then they have ever been and ever will be under Bashar al-Assad.

Indeed instead of more people joining the opposition we see the opposition falling apart. Not only the exile opposition which never manages to unite, but also on the ground. This video shows a brawl between Free Syrian Army and Jabhat al-Nusra protesters in Idleb with the Nusra supporters tearing up FSA flags.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/08/syrian-opposition-rows-talks-assad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_1xdQX33pM

As their situation on the ground worsens we are likely to see more such fights, even deadly ones, between those various opposition groups.

February 11th, 2013, 10:00 pm

 

Tara said:

Ah… Love it about the Druze’s heart being with the revolution. I always liked them and always thought their women and men are among the best looking people is Syria and Lebanon.

February 11th, 2013, 10:13 pm

 

apple_mini said:

Over 60000 people have been killed in this ongoing war and everyday many more are dying.

Yet, some people here made superficial, insensitive and absurd comment about a minority in Syria are good looking and we are happy to have you all to be on our side…

I think Asma’s beauty and fame really have made some opposition supporters feeling very insecure, upset and jealous.

February 11th, 2013, 11:33 pm

 

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