Dear Jad:

Thank you for asking.

We formed with Michel Kilo, Hazem Nahar, Fayrz Sarah and Michel Aita the Syrian Democratic Platform.

Our effort is to save the country from the cycle of violence.

Also, we are trying to get the opposition united around a reasonable vision.

Two things caught my attention in the above collection of articles:

First, Ammar Abdulhameed being called a “leading voice for the opposition”

Second,the story of Syria selling gold

I am sorry to say that neither claims have much credibility.
Mr Abdulhameed is now irrelevant, not leading

SCB lost less than 13% of its reserve and no gold has been sold, yet.

Having said that, Abdulhameed has the right to speak, I am not sure who is listening though, and as for the gold story,that was a 14 K trap and the net is full of them, no disrespect intended.

LOL >>> Didn’t Clinton stand behind her husband while he was going into his mid life crises?! From cheating to mastering babies killing in Iraq and other countries around the world!! Didn’t Laura Bush stand behind her husband while he was drunk, and finishing what president Clinton started in Iraq?! When Syrian women protested in 1939 against the Ottoman, these women could not even vote in their countries, maybe they were second class citizens!! First Lady Asma Alassad’s reason to stand behind her husband shows integrity. Her husband is protecting his country and people from the US and EU hegemony and destruction, as the world has been watching Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Sudan …etc.

On the other hand, daaaaaaaaaaa selling gold is one of the daily economic activity around the world! At least Syria has the gold to sell at high price during financial hardship, and does not have to borrow from the World Bank or China to survive!! Or print without having gold as Dr. Ron Paul confronted the US financial experts!?

Respect to Dr.Haytham Khoury, the interview is very interesting and promising
(we share the same last name 🙂 )

“…….(For more on Ammar Abdulhamid: he is a liberal Syrian pro-democracy activist whose anti-regime activities led to his exile in September 2005. He currently lives in the United States. He is the founder of the Tharwa …….”

I would have some respect to this fella if he admitted to being an X Baathist from hardcore Baathist family for almost a generation that benefited a lot from Baathist media and given so many privileged and undeserving opportunities that non-Baathist will never dream off in Syria, including housings and others. These X Baathists will have no chance in new free Syria, all the talk about helping local revolutionaries is B.S., no one will take him for grain of salt when they find out his background.

OK Haytham K, go tie in with Haitham Manna group and will give you backup support to counter SNC weight. But you will have to tolerate our verbals against comis, if you can manage that. All we need is a lot of cash. If we can not get it from the Emir or GCC, will get it when gold hit $2000 and oil hit $250. We have no control over gold prices, Goldman Sks have that, but for sure have control over oil prices.

Interesting video to show what discourse we have these days.

Mjabali

What do you expect from those sectarian filth? When the
Egyptian alqaeda terrorists are the ones supporting the mighty uprising we can imagine the result and when the ‘mothership’ of terrorism and terrorists is ksa we expect nothing but evil to come out of it, now they want to turn Syria into another Kosovo by sending weapons and terrorists with the help of the Americans, no wonder why the Iranians keep calling the US the ‘devil’:

السعودية الطاعنة نفطاً وخوفاً وتسليحاً:
فلتكن سوريا «كوسوفو» عربية

نصري الصايغ

السعودية داعية حرب. متى كان لها ذلك؟ شبق مثير لغريزة الاتهام: لماذا هذا الاستنفار اليومي لتسليح المعارضة السورية؟ ماذا تريد المملكة الطاعنة في العمر، من خوض معركة بكل ما أوتيت من نفط ومال وكراهية؟

يندر من يعترف بدور ديموقراطي للسعودية. كُتّاب أعمدة الصحف يكذبون ان ادعوا عكس ذلك. قوَّالو الحرية في فضائيات الاشتباك والتحريض، يكذبون أكثر… ليس في تاريخ المملكة حرية أو أي نوع من الحريات، حتى البدائية أو النباتية منها، وليس في سلوكها المتواتر من جد إلى ابناء فأحفاد، بعدد الآلاف، ما يشي بأن في المملكة شعباً… هذه مملكة «القبض» على السلطة والمال والناس والأنفاس، بحراسة مشدّدة من «كلاب حراسة»، يتم استئجارهم بأسعار فلكية، مع عدتهم وأجهزتهم وعاداتهم، من دول تفاخر بأنها مصنع الحروب والغزوات و«ماك دونالد» و«ماك دوغلاس» معاً.

ومع ذلك فالسعودية الخائفة على العرش، خوفاً هستيرياً مستداما، تتورط في حرب ضد سوريا، بحجة رخيصة، الدفاع عن الثورة، وتأييداً للديموقراطية، ووقف آلة القتل، الذي تبرّع به النظام السوري، ليظهر على حقيقته الاستبدادية.
ماذا تريد المملكة؟ ما عنوان حربها على سوريا؟
{…}
هذا الكلام بحاجة إلى ثبت مرجعي، إلى براهين توثق ما جاء أعلاه، استناداً إلى مواقع ومعارك ومليارات.
المملكة الطاعنة، دولة عسكرية أو دولة متعسكرة. تنفق على السلاح ما لا تنفقه دول في حلف «الناتو». فقد ارتقت بسرعة مذهلة إلى المرتبة العاشرة في منتصف التسعينيات، من حيث الانفاق العسكري، بعدما كانت في المرتبة الثالثة والثلاثين في الثمانينيات، أما بعد انهيار المصارف وأزمة الاقتصادات العالمية، فقد ارتقت لتصبح من الدول الأولى في الانفاق العسكري والأمني. ومخطئ من يظن ان السلاح كله للتكديس ولدعم شركات صناعة الحروب، فإن الانفاق المرتفع في السعودية ولعدد من دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي (المسالم طبعاً) يتجاوز التسلح في المستويات المحلية، لتمويل النشاطات العسكرية والأمنية على المستوى الاقليمي العام وعلى مستوى بؤر التوتر الدولية، التي لا تجرؤ دول الغرب على تمويلها أو الخوض فيها.

مموّل الحروب محارب أيضاً. وتثبت العقود الأخيرة، منذ حرب اليمن مع الجمهورية اليمنية المدعومة من جمال عبد الناصر، التي أخرجتها ثورة السلال من عصور الظلمات إلى العصر الحديث، ان السعودية، كانت تخوض حرب استنزاف، بكل ما أوتيت من مال وقوة وسلاح ونفوذ على المستوى الدولي. بالطبع، كانت تدافع عن نظام متخلف يشبهها أو تشبهه، سيّان.

موّلت «الكونترا» الرجعية في أميركا اللاتينية، موّلت الحركات الاسلامية في أفغانستان، إبان الجهاد الأفغاني ضد «الملحدين الشيوعيين»، فيما هي حرب أميركية ضد التدخل السوفياتي في بلد استنزف العالم في حروبه التي لم تتوقف. موّلت «الطالبان»، وبعض المنظمات التي تحولت إلى «القاعدة» التي ارتكبت مجزرة 11 أيلول.

إضافة إلى نفقات الأمن الداخلي ونفقات التسلح، أنفقت دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي الست (ومن بينها السعودية) «نحو 80 مليار دولار كمدفوعات نقدية وعينية، ثمن دعمها المباشر وغير المباشر لبغداد خلال الحرب العراقية ـ الايرانية التي دامت ثمانية أعوام».
{…}
لماذا اندفعت السعودية «بتهور» لتسليح المعارضة السورية، وتحديداً قوى المعارضة المتعسكرة، وهي تدرك، وفق خبراتها العسكرية والأمنية ومساعداتها اللوجستية، ان موازين القوى، غير قادرة على وضع الخاتمة السعيدة أو التعيسة لهذه المعارك الدامية.
المملكة الطاعنة في الحروب إذاً، لم تخرج عن نهجها الايماني بقدرة السلاح على تنفيذ السياسات الخاصة بالسعودية، والسياسات الداعمة لأصدقائها. غير انها هذه المرة، تجرأت فوق عادتها… لعل ذلك يعود إلى خوفها المتزايد. إذاً، هي تحارب من أجل السعودية، وليس من أجل أي دولة أو معارضة.

انها خائفة من «الربيع العربي». هذا كابوس لكل سلطة استبدادية. وخوفها مبرر وتشعر به ويملي عليها سياسات متناقضة. انها خائفة من ربيع تونس، وقد أوت عندها الطاغية زين العابدين. وخائفة من ربيع مصر، وقد عملت المستحيل لإنقاذ حسني مبارك، وحاولت شراء انقاذه وبراءته وفشلت، وخائفة من «الاخوان» في مصر وتونس وقطر، لأن «الاخوان» ليست مشروعاً راغباً في ان تكون تحت عباءة عرش او سلطة. «الاخوان» مشروع سلطة كاملة، او مشاركة بسلطة من موقع القوة. السعودية ليست في وارد مشاركة «الاخوان» عندها، او حتى «الوهابية». للحركات الاسلامية لدى السعودية وظيفة إلى جانب السلطة وليس في السلطة. العرش ملك آل سعود. وليس ملك آل «وهاب» أو آل «اخوان»… والمملكة خائفة من امتداد «الربيع العربي» إلى تخومها. ولما بلغ الحراك العربي البحرين، تبرعت السعودية «بدرع

الجزيرة»، لتئد الحركة الاصلاحية، الراغبة في تحديث العرش البحريني، وجعله ديموقراطيا بنسبة شعبية… السعودية لا تسمح بذلك. لأن العدوى تنتقل بسرعة، والحالة السعودية المهترئة، تشكل قطب جذب للحراك من بوابة المنطقة الشرقية المؤهلة، بسبب حرمانها، ومن قلب السعودية الوهابي، حيث تحرك جيل من الشباب السني المطعم بليبرالية بالتقسيط.

والسعودية خائفة من جهة الجنوب كذلك. الحوثيون قاتلوها وغزوها. ولهؤلاء هوية دينية تلتقي في أحد اجتهاداتها، بالشيعة الايرانية. هذا الالتباس تفسره السعودية ضدها. ولا تطمئن إلى نفوذ إيراني في داخلها وعلى تخومها المتماسة بها ومعها.. والسعودية خائفة من انحراف النظام العراقي بقيادة المالكي، إلى جانب إيران وسوريا، بسبب تشيعه.

هذه الحلقات ليست متناثرة. انها تشكل جبهة ممانعة ناجحة تمتد من بلاد فارس إلى بلاد ما بين النهرين إلى بلاد الشام إلى تخوم ما بين البحر والنهر (فلسطين) مروراً بلبنان. هذه السلسلة الاستراتيجية المتنامية والمقاتلة للنفوذ الخارجي وللاحتلال الاسرائيلي، نقطة ضعفها راهنا، هي سوريا. إذاً، فلتكن المعركة فيها وعليها. فيها، عبر دعم المعارضة المسلحة، وعليها عبر جعل المعارضة الخارجية، أو «المجلس الوطني» خندقا تنتظم فيه القوى الاقليمية والدولية والمحلية، الراغبة في تغيير المسار السوري، اكثر من رغبتها في إسقاط النظام. معركة السعودية في سوريا، لإصابة إيران وتحرير لبنان «من حزب الله»، وتقطيع الأذرع الإيرانية في الخليج.
{…}
علام تراهن السعودية بعد كل معاركها الفاشلة؟ وأي معركة عسكرية تريد من المعارضة ان تخوضها؟ مصادر مقربة جداً من مواقع خليجية تتخوف من تهور السعودية، لأن اندفاعتها إذا فشلت، قد تفقد الخليج استقراره الذي نعم به طوال عقود. مايكل نايتس المتخصص في الشؤون الأمنية العسكرية للعراق وإيران والدول الخليجية، يحذر من انخراط دول الخليج في العمل السري (العسكري) ضد سوريا، «لأن الصراع العراقي سيتداخل مع السوري في ظل وجود متمردين في البلدين اللذين يديرهما نظامان حليفان لإيران». ويحذر «واشنطن كذلك من انها إذا رغبت في دعم التدخل، فهي ستواجه مشكلة ردع دول الخليج عن تقديم المساعدة العسكرية للمعارضة السورية، وإذا أعطيت دول الخليج الضوء الأخضر للتحرك العسكري، فعلى هذه الدول ان تقدم ضمانات عالية للدول الغربية التي يهمها بالدرجة الأولى استقرار الدول الخليجية على المدى البعيد»
{…}

It could be the Makhloof’s or Assad personal gold holdings that is being offered for fire sale. It could be Tlass stash being physically liquidated and value laundered out to Europe, he is known to have this and even drink from solid gold cups. Who knows, all of Syria’s public revenue is siphoned by these criminals thieves. Could be Asma and brothers wants to buy off Louboutin China factory with all its shackled slave labors and communist bosses.

Prof Landis was on BBC Radio 5 last night:

Listen from a little after 3:17:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01g61x1

GHUFRAN,

Do you agree with Abdulhamid’s views on SNC ?

I know you hate SNC.

That said, I think Abdulhamid wants to be a Ahmed Chalabi-in-the-making, its obvious he’s a neocon.

MAWAL 95,

The explanation you gave for he lack of pro-regime rallies in the towns mentioned was unsatisfactory. If people are supportive of the regime, usually they would tend to show it, mainly in the form of rallies and demontsrations, no matter whether its a small village of 5000 or a provincial capital.

THe fact that no pro-regime rallies were held in Salamiyah, Kafr Buhum, and Mhrdaeh in Hama ; and al-Qaryatayn in Homs, is very damaging, given the fact that all these towns are majority Christian. So I will assume that most Syrian Christians are not pro-regime (not necessarily pro-opposition either).

Was there any pro-regime rally held in al-Boukamal in Deirezzor ?

from the previous post

The Time 100 list has also Sh. Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani. They have a subcategory ROGUES, and the text about him might not have been aprooved by his US PR company:

Then there is Syrian President Bashar Assad. When he came to power in 2000, he seemed to be that mythical creature: a reformist autocrat. But the Arab Spring inspired many of his people to protest — and Assad, 46, responded by cracking down. He played on the fears of the ruling Alawite minority, businessmen and Syrian Christians to persuade them to stand by his secular ideology against the mainly Sunni Muslim uprising. As his father Hafez slaughtered thousands to preserve the regime in the 1980s, Bashar intends to prove he is the player in Syria to be placated — if only because he can kill most efficiently.
Chua-Eoan is TIME\’s news director

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2112121_2112117,00.html

nice example how syrian state tv is buying opinions…

The Arbeen shooting on the crowd is very different in Ban Ki Moon’s account from what we read in mainstream media:

On Wednesday, he said, the advance team visited Jobar, Zamalka and Arbeen in suburban Damascus and reported the presence of military at checkpoints and around some public squares and buildings in all three locations. In Arbeen, he said, one armored personnel carrier was hidden, covered by a plastic sheet.

“The situation in Arbeen became tense when a crowd that was part of an opposition demonstration forced United Nations vehicles to a checkpoint,” Ban said. “Subsequently, the crowd was dispersed by firing projectiles. Those responsible for the firing could not be ascertained by the United Nations military observers.”

The secretary-general said no injuries were observed by the advance team but one UN vehicle “was damaged slightly during the incident.”

Ban said the team’s initial request to visit Homs – the city at the center of the 13-month conflict – “was not granted, with officials claiming security concerns.”
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/un-chief-syria-situation-grave-but-progress-possible-1.425234

And as for the non-refugees in non-Turkish hatay, it is “no comment”
Syria, Turkey and the camp cover-up
By Erin Banco and Sophia Jones

It’s like a well-choreographed play that Turkish officials have spent countless hours rehearsing. First, they helped form “committees” inside every camp to speak on behalf of the refugees. Now, they carefully scrub down the facilities only before admitting visitors, deny access to most media outlets, and even handpick refugees to speak with the press and outside organizations.

The story they’ve crafted is a simple narrative of suffering Syrian refugees, fleeing the bloody crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad, finding relief, commendable conditions and the chance for a new life. The trouble is, the situation often isn’t that clear-cut. The government of Turkey is “hiding something”, according to a prominent Turkish human-rights lawyer – a sentiment shared by many Syrian refugees inside the camps.

While reporting from refugee camps on the Turkish-Syrian border, we spoke to several people who said that they were encountering

“absolutely no problems”. Many other refugees, however, describe a vastly different reality – inadequate tents, unsanitary bathrooms, lack of food, preferential treatment of soldiers, and unnecessary detention practices.

It is common, though, for refugees to be paid off by the Turkish government to refrain from denouncing its wrongdoings, according to several witnesses in the camps. The Turkish government is also denying most of those in the camps legal status as refugees, allying itself with Islamist factions and marginalizing liberal elements, locking away “problematic” Syrians in off-the-books prison facilities,and obstructing media access, while local religious and political enmities are interfering with the humanitarian response.

All of these underreported issues have conspired to place already vulnerable people in an increasingly untenable situation.

Orwa, whose last name is withheld for his personal safety, is a Syrian refugee in the Yayladagi refugee camp in southeastern Hatay province, the site of United Nations envoy Kofi Annan’s most recent visit to Turkey. It was widely reported that Annan visited the camp, but according to Orwa and other Syrians residing there, he did not actually walk through and talk to refugees.
(…)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ND20Ak02.html

I wonder how many countries have these kinds of special amendments “Turkey ratified the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees with a provision that allows them the option only to apply refugee status only to people who have fled Europe. Turkey claims it has no international obligation under the Geneva Convention to provide refugee status to Syrians, and therefore, has no obligation to grant them permanent residency in Turkey, only in another country. ”

How is that possible? No Chechens? no Africans? no Afghans?
On what ground?

Joshua posts “UN monitors flee Syrian protest after gunfire”

Again baseless propaganda from an AP “reporter” in Beirut who watched a youtube video and talked to some “activist” on Skype.

The Xinhua reporter is in Damascus on the ground and talked to the head of the UN monitors: Head of UN observers denies coming under fire in Damascus’ suburb

Prof Landis, if you continue to build you opinion on such bad reporting you will likely err pretty big in your estimates.

Mr. B

When I clicked your name, I was directed to the moonofalabama blog. Are you the owner of that blog? If so I am curious to know why you write here. To get some more audience? Not enough people reading that site. All of us like to be heard, don’t we? I browsed that site once and found it skewed and utterly biased. May be that is why it is more productive to write here….just saying.

In any case, your argument above in #18 is baseless. You ignored the inherent bias of the Xinhua which taints its writing whether on of off location… Try again.

Bashar al Assad made it to the 100 most influential list because he is holding a whole country hostage where he behaves like God, deciding when to end Syrians’ lives. Had the fate of Syrians not been at stake, western powers could’ve forcefully removed him in split second. This has not happened yet in fear of more casualties to occur. This is where his influence comes from. The ability and willingness to slaughter in masses indiscriminately while giggling retardingly. Just like a horror movie….He can play God for now but for how long? Human Gods like Gaddafi end up miserablyand so he will.

Bronco

You want me moderated?

There is no insult when asking someone if he/she owns a blog.

I give you a full permission to address me as YOU. After all our opinions are biased by the “ME” in us. We are discussing a fate of a nation not a scientific article about (say) prostate enlargement.

Also, of you want to comment on a post I linked, please address it to me rather than to another commenter. It would appear then that you forgot my name again hencd decided to address it to someone else. That bothered me. I told you to write my name somewhere or .. would you like me to change it to something you would always remember? May be Batta?

#3 Ghufran

The anti-peace plan campaign is going full speed using more indirect and under the belt means to derail it. Rumors and media distortion and manipulation are flowing.

– The pathetic “Stepford wives” video
– The alleged ‘panic’ gold selling
– The appearance of a promising Shalabi-like leader of the opposition now that Ghaliun is on the way to the garage.
– From the grave ‘election voices begging’ calls for Sarkozy that Homs is Benghazi and France will save it.
– Desperate and distorted reports about the observers doing their job. It is obvious that the EOS want them out as soon a possible before they start to pin down the armed opposition for not adhering to the plan as it happened with the AL observers.

Next episodes include more imaginative ways to send ‘strong messages’ to Bashar al Assad and ‘weak messages’ to the opposition.
Great tabloid stuff.

UN observer talks to an FSA soldier

[ Updated, with questions. How can we know this is true: 90% of Sunnis are thinking: Alawis are infidel / 90% of lay Sunnis think now (…)? ]

If one analysis this crisis from an Alawis prospective it seems very evident a day by day that Alawis will separate and form their own country. What are their options?
In this survival war :
1-continue the current status (not practical)

2-share power with opposition Sunnis where ther Sunnis will have most of it (not durable because they will be cleansed as events show)

3-Win the current crisis and return to March 14th 2011 (impossible)

4-Federal union between Syrian provinces (Kurdish, Sunni, Durzi and Alawi).
Possible but MB and Islamists will not accept as they look at this as a Jihad.

5-Separate and form new nation (similar to south Sudan ) .

It looks that a day by day option 5 is the only exit for Alawis and minorities in Syria. Arabism, Syrianism, nationalism all ended up being just a plastic flowers which died with this crisis flames. Many strong powers will strongly support such a nation (except Turkey)…

At the end of the day let us be realistic and talk and think the way 90% of Sunnis are thinking: Alawis are infidel, not Moslems, Iran puppies ,Majous, Koffar, Traitors, Killers, Evils….not a single damn good thing about them!

That is how 90% of lay Sunnis think now thanks to Alsafa, Alwissal, Alarabia
And Aljazira….if that is the case then Divorce is the only exit…Right?

Tara

“I give you a full permission to address me as ___”

I need the permission from the moderator as that pronoun does not come out naturally anymore after the scolding I got.

I don’t think “Batta” suits ___ as Battas are plump and I doubt ___ are.

I hesitate between Joan of Arc and Barbarella.

* ____ know how to fill the blanks

Despite the rhetoric and outcries, Annan peace plan is going forward

Syria signs protocol for UN observer mission
AFP – 43 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/syria-signs-protocol-un-observer-mission-115056361.html
Syria on Thursday signed a preliminary accord outlining a protocol for a UN mission to monitor a fragile week-old ceasefire in the strife-torn country, the two sides announced.

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad signed the deal with a member of a UN advance team, the ministry said in a statement.

“This agreement comes within the framework of Syrian efforts aimed at making the Annan plan succeed and to facilitate the UN observer mission while respecting Syria’s sovereignty,” the statement said.

A spokesman for UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who drafted the six-point ceasefire accord, confirmed in Geneva that an agreement had been concluded between the two parties.

“This agreement outlines the functions of the observers as they fulfil their mandate in Syria and the tasks and responsibilities of the Syrian government in this regard,” Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement.

“An effective observer team on the ground is vital if the lives of ordinary Syrian families are to slowly return to normal.”

He added that discussions were under way with members of the Syrian opposition to ensure they also comply with the ceasefire.

“The hard part lies ahead, a truly Syrian-led and -owned political dialogue to address the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the Syrian people,” Fawzi said.
(…)

If it’s not in your newspaper, then change it

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/panetta-apologizes-new-us-military-photo-scandal
“US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta apologized Wednesday for gruesome, newly revealed photographs that show American soldiers posing with the bloodied remains of dead insurgents in Afghanistan. He said war can lead young troops to “foolish decisions” and expressed concern the photos could incite fresh violence against Americans.

The White House called the two-year-old photos “reprehensible,” joining Panetta and other top military officials in expressing regret for the latest in a string of embarrassing missteps by the US military in a war that’s built on earning the trust and confidence of ordinary Afghans. In recent months, American troops have been caught up in controversies over burning Muslim holy books, urinating on Afghan corpses, an alleged massacre of 17 Afghan villagers and other misdeeds.”

Tara,

You attack b for quoting the Chinese press agency, but in comment #16, I posted it from Haaretz, quoting Ban Ki Moon own words.

Bullying is not commenting.

France is sneakily trying to push for arming the observers so Syria becomes under UN control

“France believes an effective force of international observers for Syria would need 300 to 400 observers equipped with “some robust munitions” to help end months of bloodshed in the country.

President Bashar Assad’s regime says it will accept no more than 250, while the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon have asked for 300 observers to be sent in.”

http://news.yahoo.com/france-favors-more-un-monitors-syria-114414986.html

Is it hug or strangulation?
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/industrial-deal-focus-israeli-talks-cairo-amman

Bonjour Monsieur mjabali:

Why the Arab Spring Will Descend Into an Islamic Ice Age.

mjabali:start stockpiling on heavy winter clothing.

The West should be prepared–metaphorically speaking–to start stockpiling on heavy winter clothing. An Islamic ice age is about to descend upon us. Be prepared.

The much vaunted and praised “Arab Spring,” which took the world by surprise in December 2010, is slowly but surely turning into an Arab winter, which will inexorably become an Arab Islamic Ice Age in the near future. Already, the icicles of pan-Islamism are beginning to form throughout the Maghreb (North Africa), and the West best come to terms with the reality that the mantra of “free and fair elections” does not translate into Arabic as Western-style democracy.

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/46013

Terrorism continues, attacking army vehicle and a TAXI, so they can use the innocent killed civilians for the propaganda
‘Shoot the TAXI cab’
عملية نوعية تستهدف المدنيين بجبل الزاوية

This is just disgusting, they arrest peaceful activists but they release thugs and drug dealers:

أفادت وكالة أنباء، يوم الأربعاء، أنه “تم إحالة يارا شماس ابنة الحقوقي المحامي ميشال شماس إلى القضاء العسكري في حمص”.
وقالت وكالة الصحافة الفرنسية (أ ف ب) إن “المحامي ميشال شماس (21 عاما) أوضح أنه تمت إحالة ابنته التي اعتقلت في السابع من آذار إلى القضاء العسكري في مدينة حمص، من دون أن يتمكن من معرفة التهم المنسوبة إليها”، بحسب الوكالة.

وقال شماس، بحسب الوكالة، “قررت النيابة العامة العسكرية ترحيل ابنتي الى النيابة العسكرية في حمص في إجراء مخالف لروح القانون”، مبينا أنه لم يتمكن “من الاطلاع على ملف قضيتها لمعرفة التهم المنسوبة إليها”.

Good morning Mr. Afram:

The long years of dictatorship plus the petro dollars transformed the area into this Ice Age that we started seeing its start.

The powerful western countries in their duel with the left did not understand the power and danger of the religious monster they were rearing. Now, it is too late I think and the blanket of conservatism is spreading and if you couple this with any economic collapse war is in the future. Political Islam does not have any economical solutions, or demographic planning, or ecological, or irrigation…etc. They promise you paradise and that is it.

I am lucky to live in the West where there is freedom and people can say what they feel.

Quiet regime change in Mali, or is Sarkozy selling to the US the last “confettis de l’empire”?
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2012/04/19/crise-au-mali-plus-de-268-000-refugies-et-deplaces-depuis-mi-janvier_1687388_3212.html

The putsh was led by an officer who has been completely trained in the US http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadou_Haya_Sanogo “Il reçoit une formation militaire approfondie aux Etats-Unis entre 2004 et 2010, tout d’abord dans une base de l’Armée de l’air à Lackland au Texas, puis une formation d’officier du renseignement à Fort-Wachica en Arizona, enfin d’août 2010 à décembre 2010 dans le prestigieux cours de formation des officiers d’infanterie de l’Armée de terre à Fort Benning en Géorgie.” (The English version of the article has less details).

And now, the government is led by an ex-NASA scientist.
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2012/04/19/un-cerveau-de-la-nasa-a-la-tete-du-gouvernement-malien_1687514_3212.html
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2012/04/19/crise-au-mali-plus-de-268-000-refugies-et-deplaces-depuis-mi-janvier_1687388_3212.html

Ivory Coast, Mali, Syria, or is Sarkozy doing his best to be voted out by his traditional Gaullist supports? After having said “mission accomplished”? Time will tell…

TEST

B,

“Prof Landis, if you continue to build you opinion on such bad reporting you will likely err pretty big in your estimates.”

Coming from someone from Moon of Alabama who tried to argue the that the artillery pictures provided by the US State Dept. were “fake” and inconclusive.

As if somehow the buildings in Baba Amr and other parts of Homs mysteriously developed a way to explode as if they were targeted by ROCKETS, ARTILLERY, and MORTAR fire for months.

“Again baseless propaganda from an AP “reporter””

So to prove that the Associated Press is baseless you quote Xinhua, as if Chinese State Media is known for their fair and balanced approach. Whats next you will quote SANA ?

Will she listen ?

UN ambassadors’ wives produce video urging Asma al Assad to stop violence in Syria
This is the site of the petition :http://www.change.org/petitions/asma-al-assad-call-for-peace-in-syria#

Mr. Syria no Kandahar:

The Alawis are Syrians and they feel Syrian. To keep this feeling with a population that most of which consider the Alawis infidels is not going to happen. The South Sudan case is similar.

Syrian Sunnis are exhibiting that they are part of a thing other than Syria. The violence that is taking place is making this rift larger. Islam for most of the Sunnis comes first and then Syria. It is showing day after day. The relation between the anti Assad and the other Arabic/Sunni countries is notable. You can not mask this.

Other Arabs feel they are the same as the Syrian Sunnis and those Arabs consider Alawis as a sort of an animalistic cult.

But, what would you do in face of the mass conviction that you are an infidel and satanic and the sort?

The Alawis should think with the other minorities in Syria. There is no one speaking for the minorities in this chaos.

salam

In contrast to Joshua Landis’ comments above which seem to render invisible the UN ceasefire plan.

US Syria policy a tacit nod to Assad’s firm grip

BRUSSELS (AP) — Despite oft-repeated U.S. demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step aside, the Obama administration’s policy now reflects a consensus that Assad has a firm hold on power and that nothing short of an outside military strike will dislodge him quickly.

With rebel forces poorly armed and disorganized, efforts to pay them by Arab Gulf states failing, and sectarian divisions looming in Syria, the U.S. and its allies seem prepared to leave Assad where he is. Even if he could be ousted, the near future in Syria could involve civil war among ethnic groups now under Assad’s boot, or a slow and bloody war with rebels or proxy fighters armed from the outside.

The U.S. has edged toward supplying the rebels with communications gear and other nonlethal aid but has ruled out either a military assault or a supply of heavy weaponry for rebel forces. (…)
http://news.yahoo.com/us-syria-policy-tacit-nod-assads-firm-grip-062614065.html

@SNP

‘Send Baathists to eternal hell and damnation and Alawites to Iran or Iraq.’

alawites are indigenous to latakia and tartus areas (coastal regions) so they aren’t going anywhere (in contrast to christians who always emigrate and are dispersed).

also, iran and iraq wont accept them because they view alawites as ghulat and therefore kaffir (like sunnis). they work with them politically but dont recognize them theologically as ‘shia muslims’ (btw all those fatwas of yesteryears were window-dressng and cosmetic)

i’m afraid that SNK is right, the most likely stable solution is that they get their own independent state.

‘As to HezboAli, the same deal, pack up the military Shia and send them to Qom. ‘

again, the hezbollah party and militia is made up of indigenous shia lebanese arabs and are as much arab as maronite/sunni lebanese, otherwise the sunnis will have to be shipped to their masters turkey and maronites will have to be shipped to their protectors the west

‘Baathists and Alawites sent 15 million Syrians to live in foreign land’

syrians began immigrating long before the baathists or alawites came to power (as far back as 8th century BC in india), and the majority of them are christians (who left for economic reasons and werent chased out by alawites or baathists). so your claim is false and invalid

mjabali

‘The Alawis are Syrians and they feel Syrian.’

except for the few alawite elites in damascus (like bashar), that is a bunch of BS! everyone knows that syria was forced into union with the help of french (in cooperation with the larger sunni states of aleppo and damascus). they disregarded the opinons and aspirations of the other religious and ethnic groups – like the kurds and alawites (only lebanon was taken into account because it was mostly christian at the time). because of this the alawis later took power in syria because they realized that syria wasnt going to get better with them out of power

unlike countries that existed for centuries with natural borders (like egypt), the country came into existence as a result of the sykes-picot agreement (agreement on a map drawn out by the europeans). in reality syria is a conglomerate of different nationalities

@Tara @19

@Son of Damascus @39

Yes, Moonofalabama.org is my blog. No, I have no need for more visitors to that blog. It has run for years with decent constant number of regular readers and commentators and I see no reason to change that.

Xinhua interviewed and quoted the boss of the UN monitors who said they were not shot at and didn’t flee. How could quoting an official be biased?

The AP reporter writes himself that all he did is watch a youtube video and a skype call with some “activist” to “report”. Ban Ki-moon said what the guy “reported” is wrong.

So where is the bias then? In this case it is obviously with the AP.

And no I have absolutely no problem to call out Xinhua for wrong reporting if its does such.

—

Those satellite pictures the State Department showed of “artillery deployed” did indeed not show any “deployed” artillery but only artillery in obvious military training areas.

That is what I proved in my post about those pictures, nothing else. If you have a problem with that please show where I erred.

Nowhere have I denied that the Syrian army has deployed artillery (mostly mortars). I have only stated that the pictures by the State Department did not show what the State Department said they were showing.

I do not see why there is a problem with that. I would also call out the Syrian government if I catch it with an obvious lie. So far I haven’t caught them.

In the last topic Haytham Khoury wrote a comment, https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=14373#comment-307324 , with a link to “Syrian activists to rebels: Give us our revolution back”.
In case readers here did not actually read the article I’d like to post this short exerpt:

““Mr. Annan’s plan is our main hope at this point and we are trying to have everybody abide by it,” says Haytham Khoury, a member of the Syrian Democratic Platform, attending Cairo’s conference. “We are contacting other opposition groups, trying to give hope to the people through media” to convey that “this is a very good step toward saving lives and regaining a completely peaceful revolution.””

Haytham, can you describe how the meeting in Cairo went?

The Syrian National Party, I am sure, is not aware of the filth this man is posting on Syria Comment.

Any members of the Syrian National Party here?

Syria Comment has an obligation to make sure what is written under the banner of a big party really represent this party.

B,

So the people running away are running from fire crackers?
or are they all paid by the Zionist/Salafi/Nato propagandist to run?

As for your “proof” that the Syrian Army was in “training” with those pictures, care to tell us what caused ALL the destruction in Homs, was that just building spontaneously combusted, and that Marie Colven and Remi Ochlik never died from being targeted by ARTILLERY?

How about the use of the Tulip shells by the Syrian Army against civilian locations, was that a “training” program as well?

“I would also call out the Syrian government if I catch it with an obvious lie. So far I haven’t caught them.”

Its been over a year and YOU STILL have not caught the Syrian government in a lie, I see now why Sharmine uses you as a “source”. A case of the blind leading the blind, and she wonders why none credible enough publishes her editorializing (that she claims to be “reporting”). Must be a conspiracy eh, nothing to do with the fact her stories are full holes and shaky “evidence” at best.

Admir:

You have a good point and I agree that Syria is a number of nationalities put together by Europeans. But, don’t you see that some of these groups are more committed to the idea of Syria? Don’t you see that the Alawis are for the Republic of Syria more than they are for their own state? What the realities on the ground are going to bring is something else.

Egypt and Syria went through similar histories and if you gave Egypt “natural” borders, don’t you think that Syria has the same? Or is Syria just an illusion created by the…?

B,

Welcome to SC, I appreciate your blog and I visit it often, keep the good work and thank you for your effort to show reality and expose the propaganda.

You will have some of the commentators here that they don’t like for their ‘own’ ‘reality’ to be questioned or exposed, it’s all a one side struggle while ‘fsa’ are innocent of any wrong doing, they are ‘angels’, they use nothing but ‘olive’ branches in retaliation.

Why Homs is destroyed? Well we can watch many youtube where the ‘angels’ were hitting residential buildings with explosives and RPG and where they were using schools and residential apartment to attack the army from and where they burn houses to take pictures of, so it’s not only the Syrian Army who did the damage it’s also the terrorist fighters….and they accuse you of being ‘biased’ for quoting the UN observers themselves…typical.

Here is the latest ‘achievement’ of the ‘angels’ killing 01 civilians in their ‘holy’ mission of killing 2 Syrian soldiers trying to protect Syria from them.

عملية استهداف حاجز للجيش الباسل تسفر عن قتل مدنيين
http://youtu.be/lZ4tOtXM7VM

“يقولون انها عملية نوعية فجروا بها حاجز للجيش على طريق مكتظ بالمسافرين والشاحنات

انظروا وشاهدو العملية ومن هم المتاذون من هذا التفجير لتشاهدوا كفرهم وكذبهم وعهرهم وبالمقابل مازال البعض من اغبياء الثقافة والفهم يصر على اتهام النظام باي تفجير او تفخيخ يحدث في سوريا

ايها الغبي مارايك ؟؟ شاهد اذا كنت تملك ضمريا اخلاقيا وفي حال لم تمت فيك ذرة النخوة والرجولة والوعي …هل تقبل بهذا؟؟ .. هذه هي ا لحرية والحياة الجميلة التي تردها انت وفصيلتك ؟؟ “

Dear Mjbali

I totally agree with every word you said. I am just being realistic and pessimistic. This crisis practically have divided Syria across many lines, Sunni/Allawi being the most dangerous one. Syria at this moment is a body with no soul, a soul with no hope, a hope with no life and a life with no spirit.

No sheep in the history of humanity had so many butchers like Syria since this crisis started.

Syria’s butchers are all crying as they cutting her body closing their eyes blaming it all on the regime. Syria’s butchers are all high quality educated ones promising complete democracy once they cut up her body.

Alawis and most Syrians are good people, very educated and very smart. Unfortunately the Bandar Plan is a compete success and the wahabi poison Has been successfully injected in many Syrian’s blood.

Who wants to live in syria any more? One more year of this wahabi democracy mania and Somalia will be better than Syria. Why are wahabi commenters here not going to support their cause in the wahabi Syria in the make?

I think minorities in Syria should strategically think of separation instead of dreaming of someone to save them from the wahabi dinasaur which has his mouth wide open to eat and burn every one and every thing.

Yeah Jad RPG’s and IED’s destroyed Homs, the tanks/mortars/artillery had NOTHING to do with it…

All those videos we saw of artillery and rockets raining down on Baba Amr for a month were filled with humanitarian aid from the Syrian Army, not explosives…

May I ask why does the Syrian Army get a carte blanche for the murder of innocent Syrians? Why don’t you hold them to them same level of scrutiny as the FSA that you keep labelling them as terrorists?

Son of Damascus

I guess that you are simply charged without even reading what I wrote, for that, I’m not interested.

Here is what I wrote:

“so it’s not only the Syrian Army who did the damage it’s also the terrorist fighters”

I would like to see the American Army/Police reaction if someone attack a police station or a clinic in any American city, I guess we all know what came after 9/11, but for Syria to defend its sovereignty against terrorists is ‘forbidden’!

Here are some samples of the ‘angels’ attacking a ‘clinic’
حمص 2012/1/30 باب الدريب هجوم على حاجز المستوصف
http://youtu.be/TuQZxLlbH1I
http://youtu.be/qAr7BwcM4DM

And here is the attack in Alhamidyeh
مسرب فضح الهجوم الارهابي على حي الحميدية بحمص
http://youtu.be/lKrfQ9L8NWw

Qatari Prime Minister said on 17 apr 2012 that his country would help armed groups fighting against the Syrian government if the current diplomatic efforts fail. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/236916.html . That is, he’s saying his country still hasn’t started to do so as of yet. I believe him.

The US minister for foreign affairs said on 18 Apr 2012: “We will continue to do everything we can to assist the opposition to be perceived as — and in reality become — the alternative voice for the Syrian people’s future.” With those words Clinton appears to be saying that on her information and belief about what’s on the ground in Syria, the foreign-supported opposition is neither perceived as nor has become in reality the alternative voice for the Syrian people’s future. I agree with her on that point if that’s what she’s saying (and if it’s not what she’s saying then I don’t agree with her). http://www.presstv.ir/detail/236935.html

As linked to at #92 ZOO yesterday 18 Apr 2012, Al-Akhbar has a report entitled “All quiet on the Damascus front”. I’d like to reiterate some nuggets in it:

“The Damascus streets are no more or less busy than in recent years, and there is little evidence of heightened security measures…. Although electricity generators have appeared in front of some buildings, electricity supply from the public grid is steadily improving. In some districts the electricity is cut off for as little as an hour per day…. The city’s trees, walls and pylons have been taken over by banners promoting candidates for forthcoming elections to the People’s Assembly. But most of them are devoid of politics, other than the appearance of the term “reform” in some of the slogans…. A host of Sunni clerics, including Sufis and adherents of the four schools of Sunni thought, who fear a Wahhabi religious takeover, are rallying around the President. President Assad said at a private gathering some weeks ago that it was the Sunnis who had safeguarded Syria. Such a remark sounds uncharacteristic of the Syrian leadership, but sources close to it affirm that this is what Assad believes.” http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/all-quiet-damascus-front

Mjabali

well, if we are going to talk about history…

we should remember that egypt rarely had any longterm political instablilty during its past century, with the exception of a few major events (i.e. free officers coup, 1919 revolution, 2011 revolution/transition).

syria on the other hand, was unstable ever since it was made independent (with coups and counter coups etc.), it was only until the dictator hafez al-assad cemented his power and prevented any power struggle (by jailing/exiling and making deals with his rivals), as well as dominating the important positions with his family and coreligionists – that syria became relatively stable. the fact that the country was relatively stable under the boot of the dictator assads (much like saddam in iraq) makes me skeptical of the opposition, and i dont buy their claim ‘all groups muslims and christians lived in peace and equality before assad’

‘But, don’t you see that some of these groups are more committed to the idea of Syria?’

tell that to the kurds

‘if you gave Egypt “natural” borders, don’t you think that Syria has the same? Or is Syria just an illusion created by the…?’

syria’s current borders (which were drawn up by europeans) are not the same as its natural borders should be. for starters, in a syria with natural borders – turkey wouldn’t have alexandretta (what they call ‘hatay’) and israel wouldn’t have golan (what is considered part of syria’s quneitra governorate) – both of those would be part of syria. also there wouldn’t be a jordan or palestine/israel or lebanon – all of that would’ve been part of syria (btw they were also created with the help of europeans). finally, the eartern regions of syria (deir-ezzor, raqqah, parts of homs) would have been parts of iraq (based on the reality that tribal connections extend across borders in that region), and hasaka region would have been part of kurdistan (because they share the same ethnicity and culture that otherwise would have been supressed in syria).

Jad,

I stand corrected regarding what you said about Homs to B. Nevertheless B was arguing that artillery was NEVER used, we both know that is an absolute farce to say the least.

Regarding 3arbeen I would like to quote Ban Ki Moon regarding what happened in 3arbeen yesterday (with a source much more credible than Chinese State News):

“The situation in Arbeen became tense when a crowd that was part of an opposition demonstration forced United Nations vehicles to a checkpoint.”

“Subsequently, the crowd was dispersed by firing projectiles. Those responsible for the firing could not be ascertained by the United Nations military observers.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17771249

So according to him there was gun fire, but according to B and yourself that never happened. So I ask what were the people in 3arbeen running from when the Shabeeha opened fire? Was that only fire crackers being shot at them? Why did the Shabeeha feel compelled to open fire on the UN observers and the protesters (there was absolutely no evidence of armed men in the group of protesters in the three videos being circulated)?

For the record the US Army never deployed artillery and fired indiscriminately at US civilians after what happened in 9/11. There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the level of barbarity displayed by the Syrian Army

DIE ZEIT has their reporters in Syria, today an excellent article was published, so far only in the written paper, as soon as this article is out in the net, I will post it. I think is one of the best i have read in a long time.

Here is an other article, but by a different author of this magazine.

“There are never large groups, such as a celebration of Independence Day on 17 April before the central bank. At most a few dozen protesters come to such parades. Therefore, according to their performances are hysterical. “I love him. I adore him. Without it, Syria is lost, a body without a head,” said Kamal Abbas, a 23-year government employee. His sweaty T-shirt shows through Assad’s portrait with sunglasses and uniforms. Others wear jackets that look like freshly starched summer uniforms “. Assad Arabia Che Guevara,” reads one on her back.”

http://translate.google.at/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zeit.de%2Fpolitik%2Fausland%2F2012-04%2Fsyrien-damaskus-reportage

Mjabali (continued)

normally alawites wouldn’t have been for their own state, because they see syria as secular and in which they would be treated equally with sunni arabs. when the french colonized syria most alawis were in favour of an autonomous (even independent) state because they suffered centuries of opression under sunni rule (worse than christians and jews were their status), and syria at the time was not really equal for all. many alawi leaders pleaded to the french for an independent state for fear they will be repressed and marginalized (one of the way to escape this was to join the french-led army and military).
many alawis still want to be part of syria (especially those living inland in damascus and aleppo and homs, whether pro-assad or not). but that belief of being part of syria is based on their view that either assad and the regime will win (pro-assad) or that the opposition is secular, pluralistic, and nationalist (pro-revolution) – both of which are far from guaranteed.

The opposition previously has avoided (or ignored mentioning) armed component of the revolution and opted for portests only, they have since changed course to arming the revolution based on the ‘realities on the ground’, they justify the arming in order to ‘defend’ protestors (despite being on the offence in attacking government military/security/police forces/vehicles). The opposition previously were against foreign military intervention and supported the ‘terroritorial integrity’ of syria. they have since changed course and called for a ‘no-fly zone’ and it is expected that they will ask for boots on the ground, also they have sacrificed territorial integrity by asking for safe/buffer zones (i.e. asking neighbouring turkey to invade) – the opposition claims that their change in opinion is based on the ‘realities on the ground’

the current trend has been that the conflict has been going more religious (religious themes on facebook, ikhwan controlling SNC, salafists influencing FSA and other armed gangs/terrorists, mosques and islamic centres worldwide becoming centres of donation for opposition, al-qaeda joining revolt, protestors urging jihad etc.). it is expected that there will be some sectarian conflict and even sectarian/civil war after the regime goes. if the current trend continues and the alawis fear they will be opressed or massacred, then they could change their stance and call for an independent alawi state on the coast based on the ‘realities on the ground’.

@SNP

‘They were brought up to Syria from Iraq and Iran for a specific malignant reason by specific plotting power and for intended purposes that are known to SNP.’

where is your proof of this (from reliable sources)? or are you just pulling these stories out of your ass?

‘They are not natives to Latakia, that is yet another fabricated fairytale, like many similar ones around.’

the only fairytale ive heard is the one coming from you claiming that they were from iran and iraq. conversely, there are evidences and hints suggesting that many sunni arabs in syria (and former ottoman empire) are of turkish origins and were later arabized.

‘Why in Lebanon should a similar Militant Shia group who publicly pledges an allegiance to foreign Shia power should have own military and be a state within a state.’

i dont know…maybe because militant sunni groups in syria and lebanon publicly pledge allegiance and support from a foreign sunni power? not to mention that they breifly had their own organized groups and a state within a state (baba amr, nahr-al-bared)

Dear Son of Damascus

How is it even possible that many of Homs buildings were destroyed if there was no battle between two sides?

Logically thinking the artillery happened from the Syrian Army in respond to the continuous explosives attacks and mortars targeting them and other areas of the city by the armed militias.

I didn’t write that the fire in Arbeen never happened, I wrote that I believe the UN Observer account more than Pokemon since they were in the middle of it, besides, B’s link is clearly saying that the UN Observers “denies coming under fire in Damascus’ suburb” which is also true, in the exact meaning of the news that the UN observer weren’t targeted.

Besides, did you know that 2 out of the 8 injured in Arbeen are actually Army and Security men and if the fire was aim to kill as all the propaganda media are trying to say, how come no fatal injuries happened there with such close range?

If I want to guess, I think the Syrian security team of the UN felt threatened with the crowds being around them or someone shot at them (possible) and they start shooting in the air to disperse the crowds and not directly at them.

For the record,
The Americans already destroyed two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, killed hundreds of thousands of people, millions of refugees, and an endless civil wars with terrorism allover the world and alqaeda getting stronger, they did all that just in respond to 9/11.

I agree they were very extremely kind.

@48 Son of Damascus

“As for your “proof” that the Syrian Army was in “training” with those pictures, care to tell us what caused ALL the destruction in Homs, was that just building spontaneously combusted, and that Marie Colven and Remi Ochlik never died from being targeted by ARTILLERY?”

I never denied that mortars were deployed by the Syrian army against the fighters in Baba Amr. I only proved that the State Department pictures of “deployed artillery”, published several days or weeks before Baba Amr, did not show what the State Department said.

What is your problem with that?

I have no good idea how Colven and Ochlik died – theories abound. But artillery, especially mortars, are not pin point weapons. To assume they were specifically targeted is therefore from a military/technical standpoint simply nonsense.

@60 @Son of Damascus

You write “So according to him there was gun fire, but according to B and yourself that never happened. So I ask what were the people in 3arbeen running from when the Shabeeha opened fire? ”

I never said that firing didn’t happen. I simply quoted news accounts.

As you quoted the UN it says “Those responsible for the firing could not be ascertained by the United Nations military observers”

You attribute that firing to the “Shabeeha” which then must mean that you have more information on this that than the UN has. The UN doesn’t know who fired. You assert you know. How? And why don’t you tell the UN what you “know”?

And now let’s ask the question that must always be asked “Qui bono?” Who would benefit from firing at a crowd just visited by the UN monitors? The Syrian government which wants to develop good standing with those monitors or the insurgent who want that UN mission to fail and the U.S. to wage war against Syria?

The answer to me is obvious.

I have no idea of your ability to seriously answer that question.

Son of Damascus, My cousin’s apartment in Homs was gone. The “angels” damaged the entire building using explosive (firsthand information). The family had to relocate to a different region. Furthermore, many people in Homs were threatened and asked forcefully to leave their homes. If they refused, the “angels” started to shoot and destroy water reservoirs/tanks on top of their buildings. Soon they will leave if they haven’t done so already.

SNK is right, segregation/ human migration is already started and minorities were caught between a rock and a hard place. They should think of their survival and the hell with everyone/everything else. The big question is: would the regional and the international players allow them to do so? I doubt it? Very depressing!

“…….if the current trend continues and the alawis fear they will be opressed or massacred, then they could change their stance and call for an independent alawi state on the coast based on the ‘realities on the ground’….”

Will wage war on any Alawi State seperated from Syria proper and task the Mujahedeen with a quota from every Moslem country, nation and tribes to fight them. Will hold Iran and HezboAli responsible unless they too send men to join the Mujahedeen quota.

According to my calculations, Anan plan chance of success is only 2.843 %

Admir, you say
“there are evidences and hints suggesting that many sunni arabs in syria (and former ottoman empire) are of turkish origins and were later arabized.”

Sounds to me like the old ‘no Palestinians in Palestine’ tune… old story. What are your evidence and hints?

The Arab tribes were all Shia? But the Umayyad were Arabs and abhored by the Shia. What about the different Kurdish dynasties? You place them where in your DNA research?

very disappointed with SNK call for Alawi state, it’s like either we rule or we leave, what do you think the response will be from the 10 million Suunni in Damascus and Alepo

Mjabali,

I don’t believe that Syria is an illusion and/or a patchwork created by Sykes Picot. With Palestine, it has been a very rich region, disputed for this reason by all the neighbouring empires for literally thousands of years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coele-Syria

The patchwork of minorities is just the remaining traces of this very long history and the commercial road it has always been, connecting the Silk road to the sea, among other roads.

B,

“I never said that firing didn’t happen. I quote news accounts.”

No you just linked a communist State media that is well known and documented to suppress freedom of speech and journalism as proof:

“Xinhua interviewed and quoted the boss of the UN monitors who said they were not shot at and didn’t flee.”

How did I assert that the shooting was the Shabeeha well how about we reexamine what Ban Ki Moon actually said:

“The situation in Arbeen became tense when a crowd that was part of an opposition demonstration forced United Nations vehicles to a checkpoint.”

So when they approached A CHECK POINT the firing started, and as we SAW in the videos the protesters were RUNNING from the CHECKPOINT where the gunfire came from. It does not take the UN for me to ascertain who was responsible for the shooting, when the evidence is right there…

“I never denied that mortars were deployed by the Syrian army against the fighters in Babr Amer”

No you are denying the use of artillery, which is an absolute farce. You are denying and enabling killers to further target civilians indiscriminately with artillery fire, some of which is the largest of its kind (Tulip Shells).

By the way Mr. Expert the neighbourhood is called Baba Amr not Babr Amer…

“And now let’s ask the question that must always be asked “Qui bono?” Who would benefit from firing at a crowed just visited by the UN monitors? The Srian government which wants to develop good standing with those monitors or the insurgent who want that UN mission to fail and the U.S. to wage war against Syria?”

Umm are we talking about the same government that sent shabeeha to target the US ambassador to Syria? Or the same government seen filmed by the BBC attacking the AL observers vehicle? Or the same government that has systematically targeted civilians for the sake of their murderous thug of a leader? The same government that has killed numerous journalists? Or how about the government that tortured to death an innocent 13 year old and then decided to cut of his genitals and shoot him for good measure?

Before you doubt my abilities to answer any of your questions perhaps you should go and look up where my country is on a map, or actually learn about what the hell is going on there before you comment, because obviously you know jack about Syria.

“….very disappointed with SNK call for Alawi state, it’s like either we rule or we leave,,,”

This is more accurate what they are saying:

“…very disappointed with SNK call for Alawi state, it’s like either we alone dictate, embezzle, corrupt, enslave or we leave and take all of Syria’s wealth with us…”

We are surrounded by dreamers, in Israel, in Syria, in Turkey, in Iran and in Lebanon.

SF94123,

Please provide me with one link where I said or denied anything that has been documented against the crimes committed by the FSA.

Actually if you CHECK you would see that I ABHOR such things, and that I am NOT a supporter of an armed struggle for the freedom of my country.

And for the record the Assadi Army has done 100 folds more damage to Homs than the FSA is even capable of, so if you have indignation towards the FSA I suggest you reserve plenty for the Assadi Army as well.

The behavior of so called : Syrian ”refugees” in Jordan

[…]
عجزت المستشفيات الأردنية الحكومية والخاصة عن إستيعاب آلاف من جرذان الناتو الذين يأتون الى الأردن مع أسرهم بحجة العلاج وبعد أن تراكمت ديون لسفارة أبو طربوش أحمر على المستشفيات الخاصة بلغت 80 مليون دينار تم تسديد 20 مليون منها فقط حتى أن القطاع الصحي الخاص في الأردن على وشك الإفلاس, وبعد أن تم طرد المئات من أولئك الجرذان من غرف فندقية وشقق إستأجروها ولم يدفعوا إيجارها لأن الأردن أصبح ساقية مفتوحة لكل من هب ودب وبعد أن أصبح وجود ألآف من أولئك الجرذان في المدن الأردنية وخصوصا العاصمة عمان يشكل قلقا أمنيا للحكومة الأردنية التي إستدعت فرق خاصة لمكافحة القوارض والحشرات الضالة بعد أن أصبحوا يقلقون راحة المواطنين الأردنيين ويطلقون النار على بعضهم من مسدسات وطعن بعضهم بسكاكين ويسرقون السيارات ويفتعلون حوادث شغب بعد أن عجزت سفارة أبو طربوش أحمر عن تسديد إلتزاماتها تجاههم بل ويتظاهرون مطالبين بإسقاط النظام الأردني.

[…]
Peaceful protestors are spreading to Jordan too

المظاهرة كانت سلمية حيث تم طعن عدد من رجال الأمن بأغصان الزيتون التي كانت يحملها أولئك السلفيون الجهاديون وذالك لأن رجال الأمن حاولوا منعهم من القيام بمهمتهم المقدسة بتحرير الأردن شبرا شبرا ودار دار وزنقة زنقة. أترك إسم هذا المنافق الدجال الذي كان يحمل سيفا ويلقى خطبة من ميكروفون لذكاء القراء وإعتبروها مسابقة ولكن بدون جائزة. المعركة هي في فلسطين والجهاد هو في فلسطين وليس في الشيشان والبوسنة وأفغانستان والعراق وسوريا وكوريا موريا. تحيا فلسطين والموت للقتلة المتأسلمين.

http://www.arabtimes.com/portal/article_display.cfm?ArticleID=26792

#64 Jad

“If I want to guess, I think the Syrian security team of the UN felt threatened with the crowds being around them or someone shot at them (possible) and they start shooting in the air to disperse the crowds and not directly at them.”

I fully agree with that version. Remember that the Syrian forces are responsible, at the UN request, for the security of the observers. They act like bodyguards and would not hesitate to hit at anyone who could present threat to the observers.
It is highly probable that some armed opposition hardliner want to target and kill one or more observers as this would derail the whole mission.

The Syrian security forces are on their teeth so this does not happen and the observers should be grateful to them.

Remember the french journalist Gilles Jacquier. He was killed by opposition fire, but the responsibility fell on the Syrian security because they did not protect him. I guess Syria does not want such scenario to repeat with the observers.

revolutionary film in style of the syrian soap operas

Nicely done Son of Damascus. I don’t think there is any way to reason with Assad supporters who can’t even admit that the regime lies. It’s one thing to back Bashar due to fear of civil war or democracy, but to actually believe the universal conspiracy is a different level of delusion.

Cui bono… I don’t know. Assad’s cronies have long argued that armed gangs only shoot at anti-regime protests and avoid men7ebak parades because the terrorists want to blame the government for the violence.

Dear Jad,

“How is it even possible that many of Homs buildings were destroyed if there was no battle between two sides.”

Because as Paul Conroy has attest to numerous times that the regime systematically swept entire areas for 12 HOURS non stop but for a mere break at 1 in the afternoon for their lunch. The fact a man that was in Srebrenica said he counted more shells landing on Baba Amr in an hour than his entire time there.

“B’s link is clearly saying that the UN Observers “denies coming under fire in Damascus’ suburb” which is also true, in the exact meaning of the news that the UN observer weren’t targeted.”

As I said to B, according to a much more credible source than chinese state media ,the BBC said other wise.

As for your guesses, the video available does not in any way prove any of your points but rather what the activists on the ground had to say.

What the American did and continue to do in Afghanistan and Iraq is absolutely not justifiable, if any country had to pay the price that those two countries paid we both know it is KSA and not Afghanistan or Iraq (Neither of which were a real threat to US interests or were directly involved in planning and executing 9/11, unlike members of Al Saud clan…), I fully agree with the sentiments that these types of actions go against the very fabric of what the US constitution is based on.

A good book on the subject (which I’m pretty sure you would have read it already just in case) Plan of Attack By Bob Woodward

However they did not systematically target their OWN citizens and encircle US cities while they continuously bombarded them with artillery, mortars, tanks shells, and rockets. Big difference between what the US Army did and continues to do, and what the Assadi Army is doing.

#40. annie said:

“Will she listen ?”

Who would listen to the corny cinematic debut of the housewives of two western diplomats on Youtube?

Check this other new corny revolutionary melodrama that Juergen has posted #77.

68. abbas said:
According to my calculations, Anan plan chance of success is only 2.843 %
=================
Then,would you take boutros boutros-ghali?

http://youtu.be/uRTAUVqcYBY

House GOP challenges Pentagon on war powers for Syria – 04/19/12 8)

http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/222571-house-gop-hammers-pentagon-on-war-powers-for-syria-

House Republicans demanded assurances from the White House and the Pentagon on Thursday that they will not be left out of the loop should the United States decide to take action in Syria.

House Republicans demanded assurances from the White House and the Pentagon on Thursday that they will not be left out of the loop should the U.S. decide to take action in Syria.

GOP members on the House Armed Services Committee tried to paint Pentagon officials into a corner on whether or not the White House would require congressional authority for military action.

“We have not exercised our constitutional responsibilities” to weigh in on matters of war, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) chided Defense Secretary Leon Panetta during Thursday’s committee hearing on the escalating conflict in Syria.

Panetta told members his department would fully abide by the statutes under the War Powers Act “as long as I am secretary [of Defense].”

The act specifically requires the White House to notify Congress anytime the United States seeks to take military action in a foreign country.

However, President Obama did not seek legislators’ approval when he ordered U.S. warships to the coast of Libya last March to support the NATO-led mission to oust former Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

At the time, the White House claimed the U.S. role in Operation Unified Protector was so limited, congressional authority was not required.

But Jones told Panetta Thursday that decision “was really . . . kind of a snub to Congress,” adding that he was “very concerned” the same would happen in Syria.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) jumped on that point, grilling the DoD chief on what exactly would be required for the U.S. to take action against the Assad regime.

[…]

As I said to B, according to a much more credible source than chinese state media ,the BBC said other wise.
——–
I don’t mean to jump over the conversation; but it’s a common belief that the BBC is a credible source of information. Every information needs to be verified in multiple sources, there is no such thing anymore reliable source. For instance, the BBC announced the collapse of tower 7 (third building to collapse during 9/11) at 11 am. However, physically the building came down 5 pm. I’m not sure how credible is that?? Unless BBC hires psychics to report news.

Consider Kuwait. That country was a creation by the British for the British’s own purposes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kuwait AND http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Ottoman_Convention_of_1913 ). Nevertheless today Kuwaiti political society exhibits a strong sense of national unity, and the great bulk of the indigenous Kuwaiti individuals have a strong sense of Kuwaiti patriotism and Kuwaiti identity. I’ve seen that firsthand myself in videos over the years from the annual Hala Febrayer Music Festival in Kuwait (which is pretty much my only firsthand contact with Kuwait). The fact that their country was formed as a happenstance of British scheming, with no concern for the locals, about a hundred years ago, is now ancient history, and it might as well have happened a thousand years ago. Similarly Moroccans are very patriotic about their Morocco. Arabs in each and every Arab nation are nationalistic and patriotic about their nation. You can see that on Arabic TV every day of the week, including on the pan-Arab shows such as the Hala Febrayer festival. The popular Arab mind is nationalistic. The popular Syrian mind is too. The Syrians have a deeply shared sense of Syrian nationhood. The Assad government sits in the driver’s seat of that patriotic engine, and the rebellious and boycotting dissidents are hugely disadvantaged by it politically.

انقلب السحر على الساحر … القاعدة تساوم الرياض

رفضت المملكة العربية السعودية الدخول في مفاوضات أو مساومات مع تنظيم القاعدة للإفراج عن دبلوماسي سعودي خطف في اليمن الشهر الماضي وتعهدت ببذل قصارى جهدها للإفراج عنه.وقال متحدث سعودي الثلاثاء إن متشددا يشتبه في أنه من تنظيم القاعدة أعلن مسؤوليته عن خطف عبد الله الخالدي نائب القنصل السعودي باليمن وطالب بالإفراج عن متشددين محبوسين في السجون السعودية

وهدد في مكالمة للسفارة السعودية في صنعاء بقتل الدبلوماسي ما لم تنفذ المطالب.وقال الامير خالد بن سعود مساعد وزير الخارجية “المملكة لا يمكنها أن تدخل في مفاوضات أو أي مساومات مع تنظيم القاعدة لجهة الخاطفة”.وأضاف “نحن نعمل وسنعمل بكل ما أوتينا من قوة… للوصول إلى إطلاق سراحه”.ولم يتسن على الفور الاتصال بمسؤولين في وزارة الخارجية السعودية للتعقيب
[…]
http://www.arabtimes.com/portal/news_display.cfm?Action=&Preview=No&nid=11033

Equus,

Here are a some more credible sources from around the world, that quote Ban Ki Moon with the same quote.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3331205.ece
http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/04/19/ban_ki_moon_calls_for_an_expanded_un_mission_for_syria
http://www.cbc.ca/m/rich/news/story/2012/04/19/syria-un-ban-ki-moon-observers.html

Are they all lying or did the Chinese State Media (which is known to make up news) misquote the UN?

Syrian official brushes off warning – April 19, 2012

http://espn.go.com/olympics/story/_/id/7832864/syrian-olympic-official-mowaffak-joumaa-brushes-british-warning

DAMASCUS, Syria — The head of Syria’s Olympic committee brushed off a warning from Britain that he could be banned from attending the London Games, saying Thursday that he would be “honored” to be blacklisted for his ties to Syria’s president.

Syria’s Olympic head, Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa, is not on the list and said Thursday that he plans to attend the Games from July 27 to Aug. 12 unless he is notified of an official ban.

“I will be there and I will represent Syria,” Joumaa told The Associated Press.

“Once I am blacklisted, it would be an honor for me to be one of the citizens who were banned from entering Britain because of their country’s dignity and freedom,” he added.

[…]

“There is a tyranny of entire masses, which is most violent and offensive.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Joint Chiefs’ leader: US will not send troops to Syria – 40 minutes ago 8)

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/19/11288720-joint-chiefs-leader-us-will-not-send-troops-to-syria?lite

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the United States will not send troops to Syria or act unilaterally there. Gen. Martin Dempsey’s statement came only 24 hours after NATO Secretary-General Anders-Fogh Rasmussen said the organization has no intention of intervening in Syria.

During a House Armed Services hearing, Dempsey was asked whether the United States could send troops to Syria for a possible peacekeeping mission.

“At this point in time, congressman, a decision is that we will not have any boots on the ground and that that we will not act unilaterally in that part of the world,” Dempsey said.

He added that one day Syria could be a stabilizing force in that region, but that is more than a decade away.

“Long term this will become a stabilizing influence,” Dempsey said, adding, “but I think getting from here to there is going to be a wild ride.”

“I think we’re in for 10 or 15 years of instability in a region that has already been characterized by instability.”

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta echoed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the State Department’s recent warnings that military intervention could ultimately bring more civilians deaths.

“We must also be mindful, as Secretary Clinton has noted, of the possibility that outside military intervention will make a volatile situation even worse and place even more innocent civilians at risk”

[…]

US Syria policy a tacit nod to Assad’s firm grip
By ANNE GEARAN | Associated Press – 7 hrs ago
http://news.yahoo.com/us-syria-policy-tacit-nod-assads-firm-grip-062614065.html

BRUSSELS (AP) — Despite oft-repeated U.S. demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step aside, the Obama administration’s policy now reflects a consensus that Assad has a firm hold on power and that nothing short of an outside military strike will dislodge him quickly.

With rebel forces poorly armed and disorganized, efforts to pay them by Arab Gulf states failing, and sectarian divisions looming in Syria, the U.S. and its allies seem prepared to leave Assad where he is. Even if he could be ousted, the near future in Syria could involve civil war among ethnic groups now under Assad’s boot, or a slow and bloody war with rebels or proxy fighters armed from the outside.

The U.S. has edged toward supplying the rebels with communications gear and other nonlethal aid but has ruled out either a military assault or a supply of heavy weaponry for rebel forces.

“We are at a crucial turning point,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday.

Either a United Nations-brokered cease-fire takes hold “or we see Assad squandering his last chance before additional measures have to be considered,” Clinton said.

But even as she implies tougher international intervention, Clinton is not expected to announce a shift in the U.S. stance during a diplomatic huddle on Syria in Paris on Thursday.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said late Wednesday he still believes there could be progress in Syria and recommended the Security Council increase the number of observers to 300.
…
The United States backs the cease-fire between Assad’s forces and rebels, but the deal also inherently acknowledges that Assad controls the armed forces and holds the power to suspend attacks on civilians and rebels.
…
Syrian opposition members and international officials say no money has been sent yet, in part because the Arab governments stepped into a logistical thicket when they began trying to figure out how to route the money to the right people.
..
European countries are unlikely to get militarily involved without the United States, and Turkey has backed off from talk of creating buffer zones along the Syrian border. Any foreign military action could provoke anger from Russia and China, and open hostility from Iran, whose personnel have actively supported Assad’s government.
(…)

Syrian uprising takes toll on scientific community – 19 April 2012

Already tiny science budget cut in favor of military spending.

http://www.nature.com/news/syrian-uprising-takes-toll-on-scientific-community-1.10489

The civil unrest that erupted in Syria in March last year has left the country’s scientific community in turmoil, researchers say.

Heavy cuts have been made to research budgets, and work at the majority of Syria’s universities and research centres has ground to a halt.

Syria has four large universities with a strong science and technology focus. Three of these institutions — Al-Baath, Aleppo and Damascus — also have science or technology institutes attached. The most comprehensive science base in the country is at the University of Aleppo, where 65 per cent of the institution’s faculties and 70 per cent of its attached institutes have a science focus.

Mahmoud Haj Hamad, an inspector in the Ministry of Defense, has told SciDev.Net that many researchers are leaving Syria.

In a statement to SciDev.Net, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), which is based in Aleppo, said: “the current situation in Syria has not affected the progress of ICARDA’s global research program” but noted that “some of our work in certain parts of Syria has had to be reorganised”.

[…]

This is what the ‘peaceful’ crowds of Yabroud did to civilians who refused to go with them in the streets, yet people are still hallucinating about ‘oh peaceful’ Peaceful my foot!
Warning this is NOT a BBC so it must be fake.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.396349380385127.90419.279535285399871&type=3
هذا ماحصل البارحة في يبرود | خرجت مظاهرة في يوم الاربعاء 18\4\2012 صباحاً في مدينة يبرود في ريف دمشق لايزيد عدد المتظاهرين عن 100 متظاهر , ولكن ماحدث هوو كالتالي : فقد استوحش وخرجت الهمجية من عقولهم المريضة واصبحوا مجموعة همج وحيوانات تفترس كل مايقترب منها … فقد قاموا باختطاف عدد من المواطنين من بيوتهم لأنهم لم ينصاعوا لأوامرهم ولم يريدوا تخريب بلدهم فقامو ” الهمج ” بتكبيل ايديهم ووضعوا اكياس على وجوههم وانهالوا بالضرب عليهم وسط المظاهرة وكانوا يرددون هتافاتهم المريضة كقطعان الابقار المريضة بجنون البقر

Well you assume that I have no means to understand that, well underestimation is a good starting point.

WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception

Shock and Awe, your enemy won’t have time to grasp their breaths, so does your citizens, keep moving them from a conflict to another and they will keep supporting you. The Shock and Awe doesn’t only apply on your enemies as you see, it applies on your people, your allies, foes, and no thanks to the mainstream media propaganda which keeps you on your feet awaiting to hear achievements and victories without questioning the credibility or source of information you are fed 24/7 non-stop.
{…}
Now back to our story, when the Shock and Awe fails and the conflict takes more time, people will start thinking, they’re not supposed to, but what to do, it’s a human nature, and you have to deal with it, in this case the only solution lies with Mainstream Media, you control it, or those who control it are your allies, ask them to intensify their propaganda, each news bulletin should have at least a line or two in its headlines about your cause, analysts should be available to discuss your point of view, you can accept some criticism but make sure those criticizing you don’t have the last words, bring someone to ridicule their replies and carry on, reports should be available, and if you don’t have news: create some for God sake.. Your plans will fail if the public starts asking questions.

With the introduction of social media and then citizen journalists who needs to verify credibility, so many blogs I personally wrote about the use of these tools to carry out the media campaign to justify the cause of demonizing your enemy then justifying their killings. The audience when they keep flipping from one news outlet to another to find the same news of such: “dictator killing own people’ and ‘public uprisings brutally oppressed by tyrants’ they’ll have no other choice but to buy such stuff, nobody would care to search for the other side of the story, so many sides your friends in mainstream media are providing, and if you don’t believe it there’re plenty of Youtube videos to prove it, and it just happens that all these videos (over 64,000 in the case of Syria) are so much filling the pattern: shaky videos from mobile phones, breathless citizens running across the streets, so much blood everywhere, sounds of explosions, and if that’s not available make it!
{…}
And here is where the Shock and Awe failed. The prolonged conflict in Syria gave time to many to revise and compare news aired on mainstream media with the actual ones, and the same Al Jazeera in coordination with its sister channel Al Arabiya exposed themselves when they were given information that the Zero hour in Syria is imminent and simultaneously both channels started broadcasting on an early Friday news of tens of thousands of anti-Assad protesters fill two mains squares in Damascus city, the Abbasid and Ommayad squares, thinking by this they’re giving the signal to NATO stooges to flood these two squares and at the same time to push those curious to go there to see for themselves then there will be ready planted ‘activists’ who will be filming any crowd, airing the same via satellite connections on those two pathetic channels who in turn will magnify the picture same like what they did with the initial Tahrir square
{…}
The Weapons of Mass Deception have much more damaging effects than those of Mass Destruction, they destroy the brain in addition to animalizing the human or in better words: producing the Sheeple audience.

http://arabisouri.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/wmd-weapons-of-mass-deception/

Well, go ahead, prove me wrong and translate what the soldiers are saying word by word, because I personally didn’t capture most of what they say and I’m the Syrian one, besides, where is the ‘celebration’? I don’t see them dancing or singing, unless shouting for Bashar is a ‘celebration’

You did it before and you are doing it again, claiming that you understand everything, yet it’s obvious that you don’t, very typical!

النشرة: التفاهم بين المراقبين الدوليين وسوريا يسمح لهم بحرية الحركة

حصلت مراسلة “النشرة” في الولايات المتحدة عدلى مسعود (ADLA MASSOUD) على التفاهم الأولي الذي تم توقيعه اليوم بين لجنة المراقبة الدولية في سوريا والسلطات السورية وجاء فيه:

1- مجلس الامن في قرار 2042 تاريخ 14 نيسان 2012 يؤكد مجدداً التزامه بسيادة واستقلال ووحدة سوريا والتزامه بمبادىء الشرعة.

2- هذا التفاهم الاولي يهدف الى توفير اساس لبروتوكول يحكم الفريق المتقدم وعند انتشاره، آلية مراقبة الامم المتحدة، بحيث يراقب ويدعم وقف العنف المسلح في جميع أشكاله ومن قبل جميع الاطراف وتطبيق خطة الست نقاط للموفد الخاص (ملحق بقرار مجلس الامن 2042 تاريخ 14 نيسان 2012). هذا التفاهم يحدد الخيارات، المسؤوليات والاليات المطلوبة للفريق المتقدم والانتشار الفعلي للآلية مراقبة الامم المتحدة، عند الحصول على التفويض من قبل مجلس الامن في الامم المتحدة.

3- هذا التفاهم يخضع لايمن قرارت مجلس الامن ذات صلة و دون المساس بنموذج SOMA وبلاتفاق الذي سيبرم مع الحكومة بشأن وضع UNSM في أراضي الجمهورية العربية السورية. من المفهوم أن ريثما يتم إبرام الاتفاق يطبق نموذج SOMA.

أ‌- الافتراضات الاساسية

4- مرتكزاً على خطة الست نقاط للموفد الخاص وعلى تبادل الرسائل فيما بين الموفد الخاص والسلطات السورية ، من المفترض أن:

5- منذ 10 نيسان طبقت الحكومة السورية :

أ‌- وقف تحرك الوحدات العسكرية باتجاه مراكز السكان.

ب‌- نهاية استعمال الاسلحة الثقيلة في المراكز الاهلة بالسكان

ت‌- بدأ انسحاب التجمعات العسكرية من وحول المراكز الاهلة بالسكان.

ب‌- مهام ومسؤوليات الاطراف

ب1- مهام ومسؤوليت الحكومة السورية

6 – ابتداءاً من 12 نيسان 2012

أ‌) وقف جميع اشكال العنف العسكري
ب‌) اتمام انسحاب جميع التجمعات العسكرية للجيش السوري وسحب اسلحتهم الثقيلة من داخل وحول المراكز السكنية واعادتهم الى ثكناتهم او مواقع انتشارهم المؤقت.

ت‌) مسؤوليات اخرى ناتجة عن خطة الست نقاط في سياق التفويض.

ث‌) أي مهام / نشاطات يوافق عليها قائد المراقبين العسكريين مع الافرقاء.

7 – تؤمن الحكومة السورية التالي:

[ … ]

“The US Looks for a More Muscular Response to Syria”

What are the chance of U.S going to war with?

At the pump I pay 4.55 a gallon..Americans are fuming mad by the day,folks.
ghost of another American war,null&void.

United States Presidential Election will be held on November 2012.
then presidential inauguration in January 2013.
then midterm election for control of congress will be up for grabs..does Amreeka has political time to flex Mussels on syria?

>Remember Russia is the world’s second-largest oil exporter,behind Saudi Arabia.

With 81 per cent of Russia’s oil exports currently sold to Europe,old sick Europe,don,t mess with syria,beware of the bear.

dismemberment of America’s middle class is caused by foolish wars.

gas goes up…dollar will belly down south.

I think will be the financial equivalent of a nuclear first strike.
Yankees to syrians,solve your own proBlema-S’il vous plait

98. AFRAM

It is a part of a landscape only a part? not traditional wars go at full speed against Syria and can be developed for revenge for Syria!

84. MAWAL 95 said :

“Nevertheless today Kuwaiti political society exhibits a strong sense of national unity, and the great bulk of the indigenous Kuwaiti individuals have a strong sense of Kuwaiti patriotism and Kuwaiti identity”

Yes, former Wilayat of al-Basrah.

Wondering about the 3% of the barrel of zift*?

المعادلات الخوارزمية للعدد “ثلاثة” من لوغاريتمات حمد بن خليفة
by بقلم: نارام سرجون

أتمنى شيئا واحدا هذه الأيام .. ولاأدري ان كانت الأقدار ستحقق لي أمنيتي .. وأمنيتي لاأبيعها ببئر نفط من آبار (أبو متعب) ولاأبدل بها حقل غاز من حقول حمد .. ولو أعطاني أردوغان نصف استانبول مقابل أمنيتي لما قبلت ..بل انني لن أرضى مقابلها بقطعة أرض على القمر بمساحة جزيرة قطر .. وبالطبع لاتتوقعوا مني أن أقبل بالتخلي عن أمنيتي اذا اعتقدتم أنني أميل مثل القرضاوي ويسيل لعابي اذا ما أعطيتموني بسمة قضماني جارية ومعها موزة وكل ماملكت الأيمان من فرح أتاسي ومرح أتاسي الى الغلام سعد الحريري .. وأمنيتي هي أن أعرف لماذا اختار أمير قطر حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني في مؤتمر صحفي نسبة “ثلاثة” بالمئة معلقا على توقعاته بنجاح مهمة كوفي عنان في سورية .. فقد قال الأمير العربي البدين ان نسبة نجاح المهمة لاتتجاوز 3% …
{…}

ماهو سر العدد 3 الذي ابتدعه الخوارزمي القطري؟؟

بعض الظرفاء تسلوا كثيرا وقالوا ان السبب هو أن الأمير يردد مافي لاوعيه فهو يفكر دوما في وجباته اليومية الثلاث ..وربما لأنه يعرف أن الشيطان هو دائما “الثالث” عندما يجتمع الأمير مع شخص ثان مثل القرضاوي أو عزمي بشارة .. والبعض رأى أن السبب ربما كان تيمنا برواية الفرسان الثلاثة والتي يطمح الأمير أن يكون واحدا منهم وصديق دارتانيان ..الشيفالييه حمد … وربما تأثر الأمير بنبوءة قديمة بدأت تنهض في ذاكرته بأن اسم عائلة حمد هي “آل ثاني” التي تخاف من آل “ثالث” ..القادمين..لامحالة …

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=345908135456933

MAWAL 95,

The explanation you gave for he lack of pro-regime rallies in the towns mentioned was unsatisfactory. If people are supportive of the regime, usually they would tend to show it, mainly in the form of rallies and demontsrations, no matter whether its a small village of 5000 or a provincial capital.

THe fact that no pro-regime rallies were held in Salamiyah, Kafr Buhum, and Mhrdaeh in Hama ; and al-Qaryatayn in Homs, is very damaging, given the fact that all these towns are majority Christian. So I will assume that most Syrian Christians are not pro-regime (not necessarily pro-opposition either).

Can you show me one video of pro-regime rally in Bloudan town of Rif Dimashq ? This town is also majority Christian.

#102 Antoine

Rallies and demonstrations are out of fashion. 13 Months of calling for NATO, Turkey, FSA, UN, cursing or supporting the regime have had no results.

The only people who would go to a demonstration now are either paid or bored at home or still living in an illusion.

The game is no more in the streets, it is in the political arena and it is time the street crowds start to realize it.

63. ADMIR said :

“Why in Lebanon should a similar Militant Shia group who publicly pledges an allegiance to foreign Shia power should have own military and be a state within a state.’

i dont know…maybe because militant sunni groups in syria and lebanon publicly pledge allegiance and support from a foreign sunni power? not to mention that they breifly had their own organized groups and a state within a state (baba amr, nahr-al-bared)”

Why, why , why….why….Mr. Admir, you tell me why the Shia regime of Iraq thought it okay to hang the former Sunni President of Iraq on Eid al-Adha day for Sunnis ?

Bronco

If the demonstrations die out, then Assad wins and Syria becomes indeed his farm and all of us his slaves. The demonstrations gave to go on till we Chieve regime change. Otherwise, All the blood spilled would have been waisted in vain.

103. BRONCO said:

#102 Antoine

“Rallies and demonstrations are out of fashion. 13 Months of calling for NATO, Turkey, FSA, UN, cursing or supporting the regime have had no results.
The only people who would go to a demonstration now are either paid or bored at home or still living in an illusion.
The game is no more in the streets, it is in the political arena and it is time the street crowds start to realize it”

Ah, that is why you people will never win. Rallies and demos proclaim which point of view has more supporters on the ground. I can name you 1500 cities, towns and villages in Syria and challenge the regime to hold pro-regime demosntrations there, failing which it is natural logic that the regime does not have significant support on the ground except in the coastal mountains.

Btw stop peddling that lie that Damascus and Aleppo account for 10 million people, since 7 million of those live in the Reef and suburbs, all of which are famous/notorious for being opposition strongholds, whether in the matter of protests or FSA presence.

I have heard that between 1963 and 1970 lot of land reform was carried out by the regime in Hama Governorate, many poor peasants were benefitted. Well, where are those peasants and their descendants now ? Why haven’t we seen a single pro-regime rally anywhere in Reef Hama ?

Why doesn;t Bashar go and visit some of the peasnat villages in Reef Hama, I named them for you, Kubaybat, Uqayribat, Reef Salamiyah, al-Saan, Eltamneh, Shaziar, Sahel el Ghab etc.

On the other hand there are scores of anti-regime rallies in these areas.

105. TARA said:

“Bronco

If the demonstrations die out, then Assad wins and Syria becomes indeed his farm and all of us his slaves. The demonstrations gave to go on till we Chieve regime change. Otherwise, All the blood spilled would have been waisted in vain.”

Luckily, the people have realized that long ago. They live as long as coming out to protest.

Yet Another Mini-Tet in Afghanistan: Karzai Has Good Reason to Suspect the US of Wanting to Dump Him

The US seeks to continue the Afghan war into a “perpetual state of low intensity guerilla conflict”, preventing the country to rebuild its infrastructure, says a prominent political analyst.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called for an investigation into what is described as the biggest coordinated Taliban attacks this year.

Karzai says intelligence failures on the part of US-led forces allowed the militants to sneak into the most secure neighborhoods. The weekend assault in the capital Kabul and elsewhere left over 50 people–including four civilians and 11 Afghan soldiers –dead.

Washington has dismissed Karzai’s claim, saying the attacks were likely carried out by the Pakistan-based Haqqani network. This comes weeks ahead of the NATO summit in Chicago, where Karzai is expected to ink a strategic pact with the US.

Meanwhile, the US is reportedly gearing up for a major offensive in the war-torn nation. Reports say the US-led spring offensive will be in the regions that control the main access routes into Kabul.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Webster Griffin Tarpley […]

@Mina

‘Sounds to me like the old ‘no Palestinians in Palestine’ tune… old story. What are your evidence and hints?’

Mina, palestine is a region and palestinians refer to a nationality not an ethnic group – the people living in palestine are arabs but the region they same from is palestine – thus you can call them palestinians (per nationality) just like you can call an arab living in syria ‘syrian’ since syrian is not an ethnicity.

those who claimed that there were no palestinians would have to admit that there is no palestine – a ridiculous claim.

the evidence and hints are the facts that many of the turks settled in syria since the times of the seljuk turks (starting with the zenghid dynasty) up until the end of ottoman rule in syria. much like the pieds noir (french descendants living in algeria), the turkish settlers living in then french syria had to leave for mainland turkey.

a large proportion of those turks who remained (and there were many who did), assimilated into arab culture and life and intermarried with arabs thereby mixing arab blood with turkish blood. across the border in iraq the best evidence given is the city of tel-afar, a city that claims of turkish descent yet the inhabitants speak arabic and practice the mesopotamian arab culture.

‘The Arab tribes were all Shia? But the Umayyad were Arabs and abhored by the Shia. What about the different Kurdish dynasties? You place them were in your DNA research?’

straw-man argument, i didn’t claim that the arab tribes were shia (although large number of tribes in the mesopotamian and gulf regions were). what i said was that ‘many’ (not all) sunni arabs ‘in syria’ (not all arabs).

yes there was also intermarriage between kurds and arabs and some kurds were even forced to hide their language, culture and identity because of the baathist regime (both in iraq and syria)

Dear JNA:

Thank you for asking.

The meeting in Cairo went very well. We discussed everything, including sectarianism, FSA (origin, structure, how to deal with this phenomenon), military intervention (pros and cons), the opposition and Kurdish problem. The SDP will form a committee that will discuss with the other opposition groups to formulate a common vision for the opposition.

Please find below the link for the final declaration of the conference

http://haytham-khoury3.blogspot.ca/2012/04/blog-post.html

http://www.arabi-press.com/?page=article&id=32436
دلالات القرار 2042 .. ومأزق المعتدين على سوريا ؟
امين حطيط – البناء

منذ اللحظة الاولى التي اعتممد فيها انان مبعوثاً دوليا الى سوريا كان مؤكد ان العدوان الغربي – الاعرابي على سوريا فشل في تحقيق اهدافه ، فجاء تعيين انان لالتقاط الانفاس و منع تفاقم الخسائر في ما يؤمن حفظ ماء الوجه او على الاقل هدنة تمكن الخاسرين من المراجعة
(..)

Top story on Al Arabiya English website at the moment:

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

Assad’s ‘Crisis Cell’: leaked documents expose attempts to contain Syrian unrest

Thursday, 19 April 2012

Highly classified documents from a covert Syrian government unit have exposed attempts by the regime to contain the unrest sweeping the country since March 2011, leaked reports obtained by Al Arabiya reveal this week.

One month into the anti-government protests across Syria, a “Crisis Cell,” was formed by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to monitor events and decide to tackle the unrest with military-led solutions.

The cell included top intelligence, government and security force figures who documented events across Syria, gathering information which would reach the president directly on a daily basis.

But one member of the cell was not part of any official Syrian party. In fact, he was a political science graduate who has admitted to “knowing the right people” in getting the position that he did.

Read more:

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/19/208771.html

‘Why, why , why….why….Mr. Admir, you tell me why the Shia regime of Iraq thought it okay to hang the former Sunni President of Iraq on Eid al-Adha day for Sunnis ?’

i didn’t ‘thought it okay’ to hang the former Sunni President of Iraq on Eid al-Adha day for Sunnis. those who conducted the trial were flawed and only charged him with the 1982 killings of 100+ shiites in dujail (an insignificant event compared to the near massacre of the entire kurdish city of halabjah).

if you look at the video of the execution of saddam you will hear the killers proclaim ‘long live…’ and mention a religious figure who was killed under saddam’s regime (baqir al sadr, sadiq al sadr, etc.), indicating that they killed saddam for revenge and not justice – and that they were shia islamists.

that and the bombing of samarra shrine by sunni islamists were the key events that led to the civil war in iraq pitting shiites against sunnis – driving away almost 2 million sunnis out of iraq and increasing percentage of shiites in iraq by around 70%.

Mr. Admir, in a previous comment some time back, you angrily rejected the notion that al-Anbar is majority Sunni. Can you back this up with facts ?

I hope you know that recently the Diyala Governorate Council has voted for autonomy ?

ADMIR,

Which areas do you think the majority of Turkmen settled down in Syria ?

Also, do you think there are obvious anthropological and physical differences between Syrians of the 4 geographic regions ? ( Coastal mountains, Orontes Valley, Houran, and al-Jazira / al-Badia)

‘Will wage war on any Alawi State seperated from Syria proper and task the Mujahedeen with a quota from every Moslem country, nation and tribes to fight them. Will hold Iran and HezboAli responsible unless they too send men to join the Mujahedeen quota.’

that is like asking the mujahideen to free nagorno-karabakh from armenians and back to the hands of muslim azerbaijan (which they did), but when the mujahideen realized that it was for nationalistic reasons they abandoned the fight.
similarily if you tell mujahideen to ‘liberate’ alawite region back into the hands of the sunni muslim syrian, they aren’t going to fight because it will be for nationalistic reasons – they will only fight if you tell them that you are conquering that region for islamic caliphate and not syria (something that will cause intervention by countries like the west or russia)

btw you dont even know if russia will support it or not (since they have their interests there in the tartus port), also including the fact that if the regime or alawites retreat there, they might bring all their heavy weapons there with them.

and how will mujahideen fight the coastal state without world support through arms and money? the libyan rebels only won because of no-fly zone and some weapons (and that took them 6 months), in contrast it could take at least a year for the mujahideen (excluding intervention by west or russia and equal weapons on both sides).

Dear Zoo

Did you read the article entitled “why Turks do not smile”. The article sounds plausible and applicable to the ME in general. What is your take in regard to that article? Do you agree with it? It is becoming one of my goals to make you smile…Is there a hope?

Also can you please save some links till after 8 pm EST. You have been slacking off lately during the evening hours when I have time to read. It seems to me that I am the only one “at work” then and kt becomes boring. You have to maintain your status being the first of the class all the time. I wouldn’t accept any less.

Antoin @105

Live to demonstrate! I thank God for that.

From the documentary video in the article in #111. 15 min 55 sec:

“No decision would be made without the knowledge of the Republican Palace and the {Crisis} cell’s leadership. By Republican Place I mean not only Bashar al-Assad, but a plethora of figures that make up the regime such as Maher al-Assad and Anisi Makhlouf and the Religious Council.”

What is the ‘Religious Council’?

@Aldendeshe

nice comment there, who told you baathism started in moscow?

@Khalid Tlass

I apologize if i mispoke or misinformed, al-anbar is definitely majority sunni (though not exclusively sunni), maybe i was claiming that in a certain context.

however the recent declaration for autonomy of diyala is being spearheaded by sunni arabs. the province is mixed with a slight shiite majority. after the declaration there were almost spontaneous protests against it in diyala, just like there were in salah ad-din (another mixed province but with sunni majority)

Live to kill
اغتيال العميد وليد جوني

@Khalid Tlass

‘Which areas do you think the majority of Turkmen settled down in Syria ?’

near aleppo and near the turkish region (idlib, hama) – some were in quneitra but after israel took over they were dispersed elsewhere.

‘Also, do you think there are obvious anthropological and physical differences between Syrians of the 4 geographic regions ? ( Coastal mountains, Orontes Valley, Houran, and al-Jazira / al-Badia)’

well i’m not an expert on syria but from what i studied the people on the coastal regions are more caucasian than than the rest of syria (which is why syrians elsewhere refer to the coastal people as ‘al-amaan’ i.e. german). the arabs in jazira and badia resemble the arabs across the border in al-anbar, iraq; whereas the the arabs in southern syria resemble the arabs across the border in jordan – i dont know what the arabs in the orontes valley look like.

Skepticism overshadows Syria’s gold reserves – 2012-04-20

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/20/c_131538987.htm

Governor of the Central Bank of Syria Adib Mayalah denied as ” baseless” some foreign media reports that the Central Bank of Syria plans to put for sale some of the gold reserves, saying such news aim to “discredit the Syrian economy and stir up public opinion.”

In a recent statement to private al-Watan newspaper, He stressed that the bank has abundance of hard currency, and there is no need to sell gold reserves.

President of the Goldsmith Association George Sargi also dismissed the report as “nonsense,” adding that the central bank has large quantities of gold that were confiscated over the past years.
[…]

Moderator

In response to your question about my statement regarding :90% of Sunnis thinks that Alawis are infidel. I might be off a bit, but the reality is really painful. When I lived in Syria we could care less about who the neighbor is. In one building in Aleppo you could find a Christian, a Sunni, an Alawi, an Armenian and a Kurd.

This war on Syria was started by Alkaradawi declaring the president that he is a hostage of his clan, and by Alaaroor declaring that النصيريون اشد كفرا من النصارا

KSA and Qatar directly sponser and almost employs these guys. The game is successful and Alfitna is going on. Did watch Alsaroot singing بدنا نبيد العلويه

Did you see demonstrators singing العلويه بالتابوت والمسيحيه عابيروت ? Do you think that 90%is off? I hope so. I might be off up or down that is the question.

I would like to come out of retirement from SC perhaps just for this post just because I could not believe that the “Prom couple” Bronco and Tara are at each other’s throat.

Firstly Bronco, it is obvious that you have never seen a naked duck as they are actually not plumb as you describe them. This off course is due to the fact that the all Wise, all knowing and best of all deceivers Allah has given ducks the ability to run, swim and fly; and they cannot do that very efficiently and expend lots of energy, hence they do not build meat to become “plump”.

Perhaps the image you have of a duck is through seeing looney tune cartoons, although Daffy Duck was always portrayed to be muscular looking character. If I were you Bronco, I would bestow on Tara a description of a Swan as they are quite elegant in their natural habitat; that is on water.

Tara has been calling President B. Assad a Butta (Duck) perhaps that has been an inadvertent compliment given that he has been able to run, swim and fly away from all the danger that the west, GCC and the revolutionaries have thrown at him.

I will close my post by offering you a recipe for char-grilled duck thighs. Marinate the duck thighs (skin on) with hot chilli sauce (a specialty in Syrian and Lebanon), garlic, ginger and rosemary over night. Char grill to perfection and enjoy with a chilled bottle of fruity Chardonnay.

Some amount of Aspirin can be added to the marinate to make the meat a bit more tender (Aspirin being an acid) and it will also help the digestion process as the person’s blood will be slightly thinned to cope with the rich and elegant fat in the duck and lastly, to help if you get a hangover from drinking too much Chardonnay. Enjoy!

Jalal Chahda, a Lebanese anchor on Aljazeera, just ‘resigned’, another hack, this time both, his twitter and FB site:

Jalal Chahda
about an hour ago
أعلن استقالتي من قناة الجزيرة , لأنها لم تعد قناة الرأي والراي الآخر
https://www.facebook.com/JalalChahda.Official

Jalal Chahda
‏ @jalal_chahda
أعلن استقالتي من قناة الجزيرة , لأنها لم تعد قناة الرأي والراي الآخر
https://twitter.com/#!/jalal_chahda/status/193112809154945024

103. Tara said:

Bronco

If the demonstrations die out, then Assad wins and Syria becomes indeed his farm and all of us his slaves. The demonstrations gave to go on till we Chieve regime change. Otherwise, All the blood spilled would have been waisted in vain.

=================

Hi Tara, Bronco.

Syria needs peace process, like of Northern Ireland to stop the madness.

The population of Syria is 74% Sunni, 12% Alawi, 10% Christian, 3% Druze, Kurds 9% + Turkmens and Circassians.

Establish Syrian council of Elders to negotiate for national parliamentary political system.

Create proportional quotas for all,its more effective at weakening the regime than reform.

A coalition government:

Say there are 100 seats, 15 for MB, 15 for women, the rest get divided between:

Sunni secularists, Alawis, Christians, Druze, Kurds, Turkmens, Circassians.

right a constitution /in which several political parties cooperate.

Appoint figurehead president.

Election time/bring in the Carter Center for election observation & monitoring, they good at leading the fight against corruption.

Then duplicate/The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Offer the abused Syrians compensation

“Karzai says intelligence failures on the part of US-led forces allowed the militants to sneak into the most secure neighborhoods.”

So by the logic of several folks here, the attack must have been an inside job, since it happened in “secure neighborhoods”. Am I right?

“Did you see demonstrators singing العلويه بالتابوت والمسيحيه عابيروت?”

For more than a year the pro-Assad side has been claiming that this is the main chant of the revolution. But as with 90% of their claims, this simply isn’t true.

As long as we are discussing percentages, what portion of Alawites believe deep down that every Sunni has been waiting for decades for the chance to kill the men and enslave the women, thereby justifying extreme violence against Sunnis?

Please, no need to answer. These types of arguments make things worse. Only one side today has called for equal rights for all citizens – the regime enshrined a racist constitution and all its slogans are based on one man/family: Assad’s Syria, Assad or we torch the country, no God but Bashar, etc.

Although pro-Assad thugs sometimes say واحد واحد واحد, we all know that the slogan was first used by the revolution. I think it will continue to be a dominant theme to keep Syria together. There is hatred that must be overcome by all sides to save Syria, especially the one with the tanks and bombs who are destroying lives and property.

Juergen from East Germany,

Since you are fluent in Arabic and in the Syrian dialect, could you please translate word by word of what they are saying.

#19 Tara

“Are YOU the owner of that blog?”

Watch the moderator…

[Write the moderator if Team B have problems they cannot solve amongst themselves. Otherwise, Tara and Irritated, Jad and Bronco, Son of Damascus, you are all on mutual self-moderation, free to slag each other, reason with each other, attack, make up.

Effectively, the moderator is on strike as far as your mutual squabbles are concerned. If you Syrians cannot freely solve civility and respect issues and conduct a dialogue, no one can coerce you to do so, nor to make peace. Nobody can make Syrians treat other Syrians with with the attitudes times demand. No one outside the circle of trust can compel. If they cannot treat for peace and civility, so be it.

In case of emergency, contact Joshua, Alex, me or someone you trust with the keys to intervene.

SCModeration@mail.com]

‘واحد واحد واحد’ of the Pro-Asad thugs is not as good as ‘واحد واحد واحد’ from Pro-3ar3our ‘Angels’…not even comparable…and they should never ever be permitted to use it…shame on them!

Monsieur 3ar3our speaking to his 3ar3eer:
الشيخ العرعور يتوعد النصيرية باعلان الجهاد
http://youtu.be/FLy0OnThDR0

All you hear and read from this Alawi-Baathi dictatorial regime and supporters is weird and retarded stuff that you can not make any sense off. Mockery, sarcasm, racism, Arrour, Qatar, Islamist, mundasseen, Israel, you name it, they throw it at you incoherently with obnoxiously rude loudness, leaving you shaking your head in disgust at the amateurish propaganda.

When this regime and those paid to defend it are going to respond to the specific grievances mentioned over and over against this evil Baathist – Alawite monopoly rule. I don’t have time to give you the long, long list of the grievances, someone else maybe can, but hardly any human on earth that don’t know what this regime is about and the evil they are doing to own people and own country.

Posting articles about UN. this and that, U.S. giving the nod, Turkey chikining out, who cares about all those, your problem is with the Syrian people who wants you out and tried and convicted. You can have Ali (Amen) and his mighty-mouse Shia army on your side, you will be defeated. There is no going back on this don’t you see that, you are not going to tire this power or this group, the end is you will tire yourselves and be weakened with your backers to the back wall.

I look at videos of Iran revolution and watch it with glee, not at the victory Iranian celebrating and stamping Iran Noble Shah pictures (what a great man he was), burning his effigies in the streets, no, I glee over it, knowing that these videos could be one day the Iranian people rising up, toppling the deceiving, corrupt mullahs, the munafekeen out of power with the same vengeance. Just as I watch my favorite videos of Russian toppling the commies out of power.

The day is coming, the videos are not going to be pretty for the Alawites and Baathists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzHX7VE5sSQ

http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today%5C19qpt999.htm&arc=data%5C2012%5C04%5C04-19%5C19qpt999.htm

Syria’s neighbors must remember that a war will not be limited to Syria and the outcome of such a war is uncertain, the only certain result of such an evil development is utter destruction and the end of the Levant as an inhabitable place for decent people who want to live and let live. I refuse to believe in this ungodly prophecy.

Affram

I would support your proposal wholeheartedly.

What do you want to do with those who have blood on their hands?

Updated

مداخلة الدكتور هيثم مناع في مؤتمر هيئة التنسيق الوطنية في باريس 14 ابريل
الدكتور هيثم مناع

[ + Published on Apr 19, 2012 by Mannahaytham

+

From Dr. Haytham Manna’s Youtube page.]

128. JAD

What is this Psycho saying?

Thanks

Darryl

Nice to see you around. Stop being silly and come out of your retirement. 2wks ago, I was at a function and suggested Australian Shiraz. People spent few minutes talking about “Tara’s sophisticated taste. Was pretty good.

You missed a great shoes topic, Loubotin for all..men and women alike, children too.

SC MOD, I appreciate what you are doing here. But not the extremes. The regime is an Alwite-sectarian one. There is no reason why this fact can not be stated on SC. Even CNN and NYT, LAT state the term as so. What are trying to do by sensoring this fact? We are fed up and don’t like or care about this minority any more in Syria.

Ann

What do you think a ‘psycho’ will say?

Nothing of importance, the usual rhetoric sectarian issues that will lead to more killing and will never help solve any of the slogans the Syrians revolt against.

What is disturbing the most is to know that this ‘psycho’ has lots of supporters who actually listen to his brainless ‘orders’.

I knew that, sooner or later, the SC Moderator would give up on this band of idiots. I’m glad it was sooner…

I just worry about pro-Assad thugs (a term I hate to use but we-love-you is banned) losing their purity when adopting 3ar3our chants. Saying “I want to annihilate the followers of Mohammad” as this sniper does is much better. http://youtu.be/loUIglMuszo

Joining the multi-faith terrorist sleeper cells in Europe and the U.S. that Hassoun spoke of is much better than chanting for unity…

I think there is a darker reason why the Syrian military and we-love-you crowd uses the term 3ar3our and 3ara3eer when describing the opposition, even if they are Christians, non-believers or have never heard of this fringe televangelist. It’s because it rhymes with cockroach in Arabic, an insect that should be exterminated. It’s the same term used to inspire the killers in Rwanda.

For supporters of a government that releases Al Qaeda terrorists while arresting women who call for the end of violence, subliminal promotion of genocide is just part of a good days work.

Are pro-regime going to express admiration towards Hillary now?

Is Bashar al-Assad a war criminal? US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won’t say so.

CNN..posted a portion of Clinton’s interview yesterday with Wolf Blitzer in which he asks her if Assad is a war criminal.

“I’m not going to get into the labeling, Wolf,” Clinton said. “We really don’t want to be labeling what we see which are clearly disproportionate use of force, human rights abuses, absolutely merciless shelling with heavy weaponry into unarmed civilian areas, even shelling across borders now in Turkey and Lebanon.”
(…)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/19/syria-crisis-bahrain-unrest-live#block-49

Good one, comparing an anonymous guy who may or may not be a true soldier to an ‘uprising’ ‘Figure’, freedom ‘Lover’ and beloved ‘Leader’ like 3ar3our is so convincing.

Let’s forget 3ar3our, how about Zou3bi, Ma2moun Al7omsi, or even Sarout to name few ‘leaders’ rhetoric and sectarian message of hate..what about the emails of Ghalyoun on Alakhbar where they used sectarian messages? How about the MBs ‘leaders’ or or or….aren’t all these people the political ‘leaders’ of the hijacked uprising..

On the other hand, not one of the Syrian official used any ‘sectarian’ word against any element of the Syrian society, not even once….yet, they are the ‘thugs’.

I like it when the same people who keep calling anybody who disagree with them as ‘menhebak’ or ‘thug’ get offended by calling them ‘3ara3eer’ and start crying ‘Rawanda’….I guess the anti-everything crowds are so sensitive when the are talked back to…
Regardless of whatever they write or preach or scream, the slogan ‘واحد واحد واحد’ is for every Syrian to use, Syria is for all and not to you or them, fhamowa ba2a!

US military has contingency for civilian safe havens if Syria violence escalates

Pentagon remains reluctant to intervene in Syria, but defence secretary tells Congress all military options are under review

Thursday 19 April 2012 13.37 EDT

Protesters surround a United Nations observer vehicle on the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday. Photograph: Shaam News Network/AFP/Getty Images

US defence secretary Leon Panetta disclosed Thursday the Pentagon has plans in place for establishing humanitarian corridors in Syria, an idea publicly aired by French president Nicholas Sarkozy earlier in the day in Paris.

Panetta, giving evidence to the House armed services committee, said the plan for humanitarian corridors was under review in the Pentagon along with other military options for intervention aimed at helping the Syrian opposition and toppling Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The Pentagon remains reluctant to intervene militarily in Syria, saying that the conditions that existed for action in Libya do not yet apply in the country.

Panetta, citing the divided nature of opposition groups inside Syria, said: “Outside military intervention could make a volatile situation worse”.

But Panetta, giving evidence alongside the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Martin Dempsey, said that all military options are under review in the Pentagon, ready to be implemented if Barack Obama gives the order.
(..)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/19/us-military-plan-syria-escalates?newsfeed=true

No need to worry because comparing an anonymous guy who may or may not be a true soldier to an ‘uprising’ ‘Figure’, freedom ‘Lover’ and beloved ‘Leader’ like 3ar3our is so convincing.

Let’s forget 3ar3our, how about Zou3bi, Ma2moun Al7omsi, or even Sarout to name few ‘leaders’ who spread rhetoric and sectarian message of hate..

what about the emails of Ghalyoun on Alakhbar where they used sectarian messages?

How about the MBs ‘leaders’ or or or….aren’t all these people the political ‘leaders’ of the hijacked uprising?

On the other hand, not one of the Syrian official used any ‘sectarian’ word against any element of the Syrian society, not even once….yet, they are the ‘th ugs’ and the freedom leaders are the ‘angels’ sure!!

I like it when the same people who keep calling anybody who disagree with them as ‘men hebak’ or ‘thug’ get offended by calling them ‘3ara3eer’ and start crying ‘Rawanda’….I guess the anti-everything crowds are so sensitive when they are talked back at…

Regardless of whatever they write or preach or scream, the slogan ‘واحد واحد واحد’ is for every Syrian to use, Syria is for all and not to you or them, fhamowa ba2a, no Syrian is leaving the homeland, and nobody will force any Syrian to leave, if any side doesn’t like it tough luck…they will learn!

132. Tara said:
Affram
I would support your proposal wholeheartedly.

What do you want to do with those who have blood on their hands?
=================
Truth and reconciliation commission is a court-like justice body.
would be tasked to fix all wrongdoings.

I guess I hit a nerve. We-love-you is a terms that pro-Assad supporters use themselves and are proud of. On the other hand, 3ara3eer is mostly used by soldiers who graffiti the walls of villages they plunder all over Syria, or when they are spitting and abusing dead Syrians. (I will spare everyone the videos this time).

Halabi,

Is it not sad how some people to this day think that Syria is Assad, as if our country was founded by the clan of Wahesh.

Most of the direct decedents of the founding members of our country are living in exile from the Mardams, Kouatlys, Azms, Khanis and Dawalibi, while the family that has raped, maimed and destroyed Syria continue to sit on their illegitimate throne.

Souria Al Assad ili kheirbet beitna, ma7aloun yefhamou ino Souria Hurra ou malla la beit Assad. Tuz be beit el Assad ou kil el bi7yeehun

Bahrain and Saudi protests, especially in Bahrain, are poised to become more violent, efforts to shield these two countries from the wave of popular uprising are likely to fail, the regimes in the GCC will use the usual fig leaf of “foreign conspiracy” and may seek US help. If Bashar emerges as a victor from this crisis he will make sure that he returns the favor to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, toppling the syrian regime is now more important to KSA and Qatar than reforming their own governments.

If Syria gets out of this mess with a reasonable political formula that includes most parties, the whole region will follow and a new chapter in the middle east modern history will be written that can for the first time includes foreign words such as freedom and democracy, this is a challenge for all and not just the regime, it is a race between warmongers and advocates of peaceful change.
I agree with SOD, the term “Syria Al-Assad” is an insult to a country that invented the first alphabet.

Afram,

I think you have a solid plan, however a major concern for me would be the sect allocation based system. If we look at Lebanon that has proved to be a disaster and people end up voting based on sect rather than politics, also as is the case in Lebanon the percentage of sects might be one thing today, and a whole other thing a decade down the road.

What I think would be a better solution is perhaps assigning certain cabinet positions to sects, positions that are usually assigned by the President and are not voted upon by the public. This might help ensure minority concerns are met, and that if a party such as the MB is the party chosen by the peoples vote they would still need to have members of the minorities in their cabinet to form a government.

Muhammad Habash may be ready to change camps:
http://www.shamlife.com/?page=show_det&select_page=9&id=22250

[ Updated from spam. Disgusting goat-human/3arouri countries.]

Russian democracy – the absolute best case scenario for Assad’s Syria. Sure it’s better than Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and other disgusting goat-human/3arouri countries (curiously the repressive Islamic theocracy of Iran is never lumped in that list), but it falls short of what Syrians are actually demanding: freedom and democracy that civilized people enjoy in the West, where most men7ebaks who post here live.

Having Vowed Reform, Kremlin Said to Dilute It – WSJ

“Some of Medvedev’s promised moves to open up the political system that opponents say have since been weakened:

– Political party registration. New rules will let dozens of parties form. But parties won’t be allowed to form blocs that could boost electoral chances.

– Governor elections. Kremlin to reinstate voting, but retains influence in screening which candidates can run.

– Public television. Russia says it will launch a public TV network. But Kremlin is to appoint its top official.”

http://on.wsj.com/JGicmO

Here’s a BBC report from Taftanaz, a village that has been under siege for months and posed no real threat to the regime but was nevertheless brutally crushed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17779186

تفتناز يا نور العين

The revolution has connected the pro-democracy side to almost every town and village in the country, forging a new Syrian identity based on common sacrifice and aspirations, a more powerful bond than those based on the worship of a family or sect. This shared identity is perhaps the most important result of the revolution and will form the basis of a democratic and united Syria in the future, after Assad flees into a luxurious exile while his supporters pay the price for his crimes.

In the crowded market of press releases and speeches,the only one who is making sense is Lavrov:
http://www.shamlife.com/?page=show_det&select_page=9&id=22301

The west future is bright for hosting all kind of 3ra3eer!

@148. Son of Damascus

constituencies elect their Representatives.

Then form a coalition government, syrians would have all the time national unity government, all-party coalitions, this will lead to no more national crisis..what the heck, create country wide inspector general’s office to to investigate fraudulent conduct by those in power.

أولويات ما بعد بقاء الأسد
ابراهيم الأمين
{…}
المعارضات السورية للنظام ليست في وضع يؤهلها لوضع برنامج عمل مشترك. القيادة السياسية والمالية والأمنية المتروكة لأطراف خارجية، تعكس الأزمة البنيوية التي لا فكاك للمعارضة منها إلا بموقف عملاني رافض للتعاون مع جهات عربية وغربية لا تريد سوريا قوية.
وإذا كانت الفترة الماضية قد شهدت الموجة الأعنف من الاعتراض، وما رافقها من حرب إقليمية ودولية لإطاحة الأسد، فإن فشلها في تحقيق النتيجة، دفعها إلى المربع الثاني، الذي يقوم على حرب استنزاف مفتوحة، وشاملة لكل أنواع الأسلحة. من الحصار الاقتصادي والمالي المفتوح، إلى إضعاف قدرات دولة مترهّلة أصلاً، وصولاً إلى دعم النشاط المسلح ضد الدولة ومؤسساتها العسكرية والأمنية والمدنية. وهي حرب تستند إلى تعبئة مذهبية وطائفية لا سابق لها، وستكون نتائجها بطيئة التراكم، لكنها نوعية النتائج، لناحية الفرز الأهلي الأكثر خطورة على تماسك أي مجتمع في العالم.
{…}

داعمو مشروع إطاحة الأسد، ينطلقون في مقاربتهم للأزمة السورية من مبدأ استحالة التعايش مع الحكم الموجود الآن في دمشق، وأنه غير قادر على تلبية موجبات تطوير سوريا وحفظ استقرارها وسلمها الأهلي ومصالحها القومية. يتصرف هؤلاء على أساس أنهم قوى عظمى، أو أنه بمقدورهم قلب الطاولة ساعة يشاؤون، أو أنهم يقدرون على مدّ المعارضة السورية ــــ على اختلاف أطيافها ــــ بما تحتاج إليه من أدوات في هذا الصراع. لكن هؤلاء ينسون أنهم خارج دائرة التأثير الفعلي، وأن الأدوار الوحيدة المتاحة لهم، هي أشبه بأدوار «الكومبارس» لا أكثر ولا أقل. وكل ما يقدرون عليه، مجرد إطلاق مواقف وبيانات ومقالات وخلافه من أدوات الحرب عبر شاشات البلازما… وإذا وجد هؤلاء أن أضعف الإيمان عندهم إعلان موقف من زاوية أخلاقية، فهم أحرار؛ لأنه ليس بمقدور أحد منعهم من هذا الحق، لكن قد يكون من الضروري لفت انتباه اللبنانيين إلى أن الحرية التي يتغنّون بها والتي تتيح لهم قول الكثير، لا معنى لها في غياب القدرة على تحويلها إلى قوة مساءلة أو محاسبة. وهذا هو مرض «الحرية في لبنان».
الواقعية السياسية تفترض التعامل مع المرحلة، الآن، على أساس تلبية متطلبات مرحلة «ما بعد بقاء الأسد»، لا مرحلة «ما بعد رحيل الأسد». وإذا كان هؤلاء يريدون لنا بعد سنوات أو عقود أن نقرّ لهم بأنهم توقعوا لنا، قبل أربعين سنة، رحيل الأسد، فلهم ذلك. لكن، ليتعاملوا مع عقولنا بشيء من الجدية، وليتوقفوا عن هذا السيل من المزاج السمج، وخصوصاً عندما يذهب الحديث بعيداً عن التغيير الديموقراطي الكبير الذي ينتظرنا. وهو حديث افتراضي، يشبه بيانات «الإخوان المسلمين» وتعهداتهم. هذا التنظيم الذي يسيطر مناصروه على المشهد الشعبي في غالبية الدول العربية اليوم، لكنه التيار الذي يمارس سلوكاً شبيهاً جداً بسلوك القوى الشيعية العراقية التي تمسك البلاد هناك منذ عقد إلى الآن، وكل همها الانتقام من سنوات الإقصاء التي عاشتها في السجون أو المنافي.
{…}
أما في بلاد الشام، فلم يظهر لنا منهم، حتى الآن، سوى العنف المكتوم الذي شاهدنا بعض فصوله الدموية في الأزمة السورية، بينما نشهد فصوله الكلامية المفتوحة في لبنان… وما بقي في العالم العربي، يمكن اختصاره لمن يرغب بتجربة هؤلاء على أنواعهم في العراق تحت الاحتلال وبعده، بينما تستقر الوهابية على «أم المعارك في دول الجزيرة العربية».
مبروك لثائري الطقس العربي بكل فصوله. هذا الحشد من الانتهازيين والقتلة وعملاء الاستعمار الذين ينتشرون في أروقة الحكم وعوالم المال والإعلام الآن.
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/62603

Althwora Altakfeereh
http://syria-politic.com/ar/Default.aspx?subject=575#.T5DYEIl5mc0

Washington’s options in Syria:

تردد وتساؤلات في واشنطن حول سوريا .. وبانيتا يرى وضعاً معقداً
جو معكرون

التساؤلات في الكونغرس أمس حول التعامل مع سوريا كانت أكثر من الأجوبة: هل المصلحة الأميركية في الاستقرار أم تغيير النظام؟ هل تسلح واشنطن المعارضة السورية أم تكتفي بالضغط على النظام حتى ينهار سياسيا؟ وزير الدفاع الأميركي ليون بانيتا قدم الصورة الأكثر وضوحا حول تفكير الإدارة الأميركية في الملف السوري.

وقال بانيتا، خلال جلسة استماع أمام لجنة القوات المسلحة في مجلس النواب، «بدلا من محاولة تلبية المطالب المشروعة لشعبه، تحول نظام (الرئيس السوري بشار) الأسد إلى العنف ضد شعبه. لقد كان العنف وحشيا ومدمرا. لقد وضع الشعب السوري في موقف يائس وصعب»، مؤكدا أن النظام «فقد شرعيته وانه ليس هناك حل فعال لهذه الأزمة من دون رحيل الأسد».

واعتبر أن «استعادة الهدوء في المدن والقرى في أنحاء سوريا ليس سوى اختبار واحد للأسد في الأيام المقبلة»، مشيرا إلى انه «من كل زاوية الوضع في سوريا شديد التعقيد». وأضاف «نعلم أيضا أن المشكلات المعقدة في سوريا لا يمكن معالجتها بإجراءات أحادية من قبل الولايات المتحدة أو أي بلد آخر».

وأكد بانيتا أن السياسة الأميركية تتمحور حول مواصلة الضغوط على النظام السوري لعزله و«تعزيز المعارضة السياسية غير المسلحة وتوحيدها في سوريا» وتوفير مساعدات إنسانية إلى الشعب السوري و«نحن نراجع ونخطط لمجموعة من الإجراءات قد تكون ضرورية لحماية الشعب السوري». وتابع «مقاربتنا انه يجب أن نبقي كل الخيارات على الطاولة مع إدراك حدود القوة العسكرية على أن نكون مستعدين لأي إجراء مطلوب». واعتبر ان سوريا ليست كما ليبيا حيث كان هناك إجماع دولي للتدخل ومعارضة ليبية أكثر تنظيماً ولديها سيطرة على الارض.

وقال بانيتا «السجل العام، وأكثر أهمية السجل الاستخباراتي الذي لدينا، أنه كان هناك دائما علاقة وثيقة بين سوريا وحزب الله، وانه كان لحزب الله دائما بعض مستوى من الحماية. حزب الله مجموعة إرهابية نشرت الإرهاب ليس فقط في المنطقة بل في أمكنة أخرى. وأي شيء لإضعاف مجموعة إرهابية هو في مصلحتنا». ورأى ان «المشكلة هنا ان الاسد يبدو انه لا يزال يحافظ على ولاء المؤسسة العسكرية حتى لو كان هناك انشقاقات بارزة». ورأى ان «أفضل سيناريو هو ان يلتزم النظام السوري بوقف إطلاق النار وبالإصلاحات في خطة المبعوث الدولي كوفي أنان بحيث يخرج الأسد من الصورة ويتم تشكيل حكومة جديدة وإجراء الانتخابات، والسيناريو الأسوأ هو قيام حرب أهلية في سوريا». وأضاف «حتى هذه المرحلة لن يكون لنا أي جندي على الارض ولن نتصرف أحاديا في هذا الجزء من العالم».
{…}
ويتحدث المصدر عن تساؤلات عميقة في البنتاغون اذا كان الهدف هو إسقاط النظام فالتدخل العسكري يتجاوز ذلك ويعني دورا أميركيا ما في مرحلة ما بعد سقوط النظام، وبالتالي هناك الكثير من عدم اليقين حول ما قد يجري بعد التدخل العسكري وليس فقط حول جدوى التدخل. وختم المصدر، في الكونغرس، قائلا «مثلما حصل في ليبيا، نجري مشاورات وفي النهاية تأتي الادارة وتقول لنا هذا ما سنفعله ونسير بالقرار». واذ كان يلمح الى ان الادارة ستتدخل في نهاية المطاف أكد المصدر مجددا «ما أعنيه أنه في هذه الحالات الكونغرس لا يخرج بأجوبة».

رئيس لجنة القوات المسلحة النائب الجمهوري هوارد مكون قال «هناك الكثير لا نعرفه عن المعارضة. لدى سوريا أيضا دفاعات جوية قوية تحد من خياراتنا العسكرية. لهذا انا لا أوصي بالتدخل العسكري الاميركي، لا سيما في ضوء وضع ميزانيتنا الخطير، إلا اذا كان التهديد للامن القومي واضحا وقائما».

أما النائب الديموقراطي ادام سميث فرأى ان «البيئة القتالية في ليبيا كانت بسيطة نسبيا لان معظم المعارك حصلت على طول بعض الطرقات. في سوريا القتال يحصل في بيئات حضرية والتي هي أكثر تعقيدا بكثير. في ليبيا تهديد الصواريخ المحمولة المضادة للطائرات كان سهلاً نسبياً لتجنبه، وتملك سوريا واحداً من أكثر أنظمة الدفاع الجوي كثافة. ليبيا تخلت عن برامج بناء أسلحة الدمار الشامل قبل 10 سنوات، فيما سوريا لديها أسلحة كيميائية وبيولوجية مخزنة في قواعد عسكرية في أنحاء البلاد. ليبيا مجتمع قبلي، فيما سوريا برميل بارود من المجموعات الاثنية والدينية تقيم على رقاب بعضها البعض تحت حكم عائلة الاسد».
{…}

Paris’s trimmed “Friends of Syria” Photo Op

Foreign Ministers Meet in Paris to Discuss Syria

Jessica Menton | Apr 19, 2012 4:44pm EDT |

http://tv.ibtimes.com/foreign-ministers-meet-in-paris-to-discuss-syria/5084.html

Afram,

“constituencies elect their Representatives.”

I totally agree, what I am saying is that cabinet positions (positions that are usually assigned, and not elected as in Defence Minister, Foreign Affaires, Minister of Interior…) those positions to be reserved to certain sects, while positions that need the vote of the general constituencies (like Majles El Shaab, President of the Republic) cannot be reserved based on sect, sex, or creed.

Personally I would like to avoid the whole sect based system all together, however realities on the ground dictates that we cannot overlook such things.

LOLOL 20 thumbs down in 30min on a forum where there are only 4 commentators, apparently al3ar3our is mad 🙂

Have the yoyos finally made up their mind?

Israeli defense minister: Assad ouster ‘positive’
Associated Press – 7 hrs ago
http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-defense-minister-assad-ouster-positive-201102166.html

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s defense minister says the Syrian president has lost his legitimacy, and his fall would be “very positive.”

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says the exit of Syrian President Bashar Assad would weaken Iranian influence in the region. He says anti-Israel Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Gaza would suffer if Assad is overthrown.

“The toppling of Assad will be … a major blow to Iran,” Barak told CNN. “It will be very positive event.”

Israel considers Iran its most serious threat. Iran and Syria are close allies.

Barak said Thursday the world is not doing enough to force Assad out.
(…)

Dear Jad,

“On the other hand, not one of the Syrian official used any ‘sectarian’ word against any element of the Syrian society, not even once….yet, they are the ‘thugs’.”

Actually the new sham of a constitution is sectarian because it does not allow a Christian to be president of the republic. A man like the good Dr. Khoury would not be allowed to run for President.

Also the name the Syrian Arab Republic is sectarian of itself, because it alienates the Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, and other diverse and proud sects in our country. They are as much Syrian as you and I are (I am assuming you are of Arab heritage, correct me if I am wrong).

“no Syrian is leaving the homeland, and nobody will force any Syrian to leave”

I totally agree with you when you say Syria is for all, however when you worry about what might happen after Bashar, you are missing what Bashar is doing. Over 100,000 of our own brothers and sisters have been displaced living like refugees in our neighbouring countries, the only people driving Syrians today en masse out of our country is the regime and their brutal and relentless methods.

Amen, Son of Damascus. It was never Assad’s Syria, we just had to live “as if” it were, as Lisa Wedeen explained in her excellent book [ + Ambiguities of Domination ] .

Most Syrians no longer accept this humiliation and have rejected the criminals in power. The country has changed dramatically and just can’t be governed through fear anymore. This is what the pro-Assad side doesn’t get and never will.

The families you mentioned have suffered an injustice and I hope they return and help rebuild the country. Those with the capital and knowledge must return in order to honor our brethren in Taftanaz, Jassem, Hilfaya and all the other towns and villages that have sacrificed so much for freedom.

Of course Assad could win. Then his supporters would be in eternal bliss, killing, detaining and exiling anyone who disagrees with them while chanting their sick pledge:

شبيحة للابد لاجل عيونك يا أسد

Jad,

Lol, you might have a shot at Majed’s unbelievable record when he got all those thumbs down.

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=14166&cp=all#comment-304027

Dear Son of Damascus,

Will remind you of that comment when things go south, don’t rush, I promise you that things are going from bad to worse, just wait and see how the fantasy Syria we are dreaming of will shatter infront of our eyes, ‘patience is a virtue’.

“A man like the good Dr. Khoury would not be allowed to run for President.” Thank God! (Sorry Haytham :))

“Syrian Arab Republic” You really think that I care much for the ‘Arabism’ fantasy? I don’t.

Let whoever wants to become a president win the election and I’m fine with him/her.

“the only people driving Syrians today en masse out of our country is the regime and their brutal and relentless methods.”

What about the ‘angels’ factor, aren’t they doing anything wrong, aren’t they using people’s houses to shoot and throwing people out of their houses?

In anyway, my message was clear enough, if anybody wants to distort it for political reason that is their choice but definitely not mine.

154. jad said:

أولويات ما بعد بقاء الأسد
ابراهيم الأمين
{…}
المعارضات السورية للنظام ليست في وضع يؤهلها لوضع برنامج عمل مشترك. القيادة السياسية والمالية والأمنية المتروكة لأطراف خارجية، تعكس الأزمة البنيوية التي لا فكاك للمعارضة منها إلا بموقف عملاني رافض للتعاون مع جهات عربية وغربية لا تريد سوريا قوية.
——————————————————————–

SNP can and will deliver a resolution to Syria without reliance on what you stated above. But first will explore the possibility, and give time allowance for a process, in the hope of reaching a wide ranging agreement with many concerned parties. Mainly to understand what are the various interests they have in a new Syria and they understand and feel secure about, what to expect is coming in a new Syria. This shall alleviate the need to use belligerence to implement various plans and policies and use the regions and international concerns as assets and partners rather than marked for conflict. But should these various interests persist in carrying out dead end solutions and or malignant plans in Syria. SNP will go it alone and deal with any of Syria’s adversaries alone as well.

LOLOL I wish I can beat that record high one day! 53!!! WOW

@158. Son of Damascus

100 seat parliament
MB 15 seats
Women 15..
sunni secularists 35 seats
Alawis 13
christians 6..
kurds 6..
druze 5..
turkmans+sharkas 5…
all approx figures
to win you need two thirds+1=67 seats
sunni secularist:35+Alawi 13+women15+kurds 6=69/government formed
politics is dealing and wheeling..in secular democracy no need to worry about abuse of power..coz The constructive vote of no confidence would ruin any prime minister political career>
don,t get me wrong,you and I are on the same page

SNP

How can you achieve such progress in a volatile and bloody war-zone conditions like in Syria today?

Any development of any kind, be it political, economical, social and environmental needs peace to start and stability to flourish, so any initiative regardless how ‘great’ or ‘promising’ it is, (Like Afram’s plan, ONLY 15 to women? Aren’t you generous my friend?) wont work until all conflict sides sit together on one table and talk, without that nothing will work, unless we want to destroy the country, the state and the society as the Americans and Europeans did to Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

Zoo,

The Yoyos already said that more than 8 times already…saying that for the 10th time won’t change a thing.

No one will sit with this sectarian regime. No fool will. They are out and done, the confrence was regarding various oppositions and regional, international countries. The dictator puppet and his regime finished, they can talk to the hand.

Halabi,

“Of course Assad could win.”

He won’t, past generations were willing to be subdued by fear, this generation has proven to be much more resilient, and will never bow down to this criminal regime.

A glimpse of our ugly future. It would be nice to have a government that would stop these crimes, but they are too busy making sure a few woman don’t hold a silent protest in the capital…

“Syrian Sunnis and Shiites caught up in kidnapping tit-for-tat

IDLIB, Syria — In a rickety office building once used by agricultural engineers in the village of Hazano, rebels with the Missiles of Justice militia waited to hear word of negotiations about a hostage swap that night.

Sitting at an old metal desk, a Sunni Muslim rebel named Mustafa manned a phone, waiting for new reports of kidnappings. He had started a list of missing Sunnis in a notebook, including a young man in a white Mazda and a pharmacist.

The list didn’t include the names of the Shiite Muslim hostages the rebels were holding in a building somewhere in the village.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-syria-sectarian-20120420,0,2054810,full.story

Dear Jad,

“I promise you that things are going from bad to worse, just wait and see how the fantasy Syria we are dreaming of will shatter infront of our eyes, ‘patience is a virtue’.”

I fully agree, and one of the main reasons that is happening is because of the looking the other way mentality which is enabling the regime and the fundamentalists to hijack our country.

The sooner this regime falls, the better chance we have at preserving whatever of the State there is left and rebuild upon that, help combat not only Assadism and its sick mentality but as well the bigot terrorist fundamentalist mentality a la 3ar3our.

Both of them are venomous poison that should have no place in our society or country, but blood letting won’t solve the problem (whether FSA or Assadi Army) our voice and courage to say NO MORE is the best anti venom we can use against such poison.

The only reason history repeats itself is because we did not pay attention the first time around, lets pay attention and not let history repeat itself.

““Syrian Arab Republic” You really think that I care much for the ‘Arabism’ fantasy? I don’t.”

I know you don’t, but I pointed it out because it is sectarian and is something the regime believes in. The only ism I care about is Syrianism.

This is smart and considered decision from the UN observer, I guess many will be mad at this news:

The UN observer won’t do any visit anywhere in Syria on Fridays:

فريق المراقبين الدوليين في سورية لن يخرج من مكتبه يوم الجمعة

قال رئيس فريق المراقبين في سورية العقيد المغربي أحمد حميش إن اعضاء فريقه ” لن يخرجوا في جولات يوم الجمعة ، كي لا يستغل وجود سياراتنا في تصعيد المواقف “.
{…}
http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_news&id=8762d5136531b623fa8708d4b77406cc&ar=41082367

Son of Damascus,

“I pointed it out because it is sectarian and is something the regime believes in.”
Apparently not only the regime even the oppositions believe in that too, and it was the main reason why the Kurds left snc.

“The only ism I care about is Syrianism.”
It’s the same ‘Ism’ I care about too, unfortunately it is the only ‘Ism’ the enemy of Syria are after.

Afram,

I know we are arguing semantics that I honestly wish would be the reality rather than this nightmare we are seeing.

I just believe that if you assign parliament into sect based percentages that would be a quick fix that in the long run hurt more than it helped. i.e. Lebanon

Personally I would prefer parliament to be based on just votes for political vision rather than religious or sect based vision. This is of course not to say that a religious or sect based group can’t run for parliament it just should not be pre defined. What if 5 years from know no one wanted to vote MB?

Sorry for this long quote from Anand Gopal who has just returned from Syria on Tuesday, where he interviewed survivors of last week’s bloody battle for the town of Taftanaz in northern Syria. Reports say government forces continue to attack rebel strongholds in Homs, in Hama, other cities, in violation of a U.N.-backed ceasefire that took effect last week.

On Wednesday, U.S. Foreign Secretary—U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at a meeting of NATO ministers in Brussels, saying the situation in Syria has become even more urgent after last week’s shelling of a refugee camp at the Turkish border. Clinton said additional measures would follow if President Bashar al-Assad does not stick to the ceasefire negotiated by ex-U.N Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: We are at a crucial turning point: either we succeed in pushing forward with Kofi Annan’s plan in accordance with the Security Council direction, with the help of monitors, steadily broadening and deepening a zone of non-conflict and peace, or we see Assad squandering his last chance before additional measures have to be considered. Now, we will continue to increase the pressure on Assad.

JUAN GONZALEZ: On Wednesday, Syrian security forces opened fire on anti-regime demonstrators surrounding the cars of a U.N. team in a suburb of Damascus. Hundreds of residents had mobbed the observers’ vehicles chanting against the government and in support of the Free Syrian Army insurgent group. The gunshots wounded at least eight demonstrators and prompted the panicked crowd to flee, according to activists and videos shot at the event. Earlier, representatives of the United Nations and the Syrian government moved toward reaching an agreement that would allow a full contingent of 250 observers to deploy in Syria to monitor a fragile ceasefire. Anand Gopal, talk about this and the latest developments in Syria.

ANAND GOPAL: Well, I was in Syria before the ceasefire and after. And initially, there was a decrease in violence. But what you saw after a few days is Assad’s regime firing at protesters, shelling neighborhoods, without provocation and indiscriminately, to the point where the ceasefire is almost meaningless now.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to play a clip for you. This is the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s recent comments on Syria. He appeared on Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, new program on RT called The World Tomorrow.

HASSAN NASRALLAH: [translated] From the beginning of the events in Syria, we’ve had constant contact with the Syrian leadership, and we’ve spoken as friends, giving each other advice about the importance of carrying out reforms. Right from the beginning, I personally found that President Assad was very willing to carry out radical and important reforms. And this used to reassure us regarding the positions that we took. At more than one occasion, publicly, I used to give speeches and say this, and say this exactly. And in my meetings with various Lebanese and Arab and other political leaders, I used to tell them the same thing, that I am confident that President Assad wants reform, and he will carry out reforms, realistic, genuine reforms. But the opposition has to agree to dialog.

I’ll say more than this. This is the first time I say this. We contacted even elements of the opposition to encourage them and to facilitate the process of dialog with the regime. But these parties rejected dialog. And right from the beginning, we’ve had a regime that is willing to undergo reforms and prepared for dialog. On the other side, you have an opposition which is not prepared for dialog, and it’s not prepared to accept any—the reforms. All it wants is to bring down the regime.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s Hassan Nasrallah on Julian Assange’s new program.

ANAND GOPAL: Yeah, that’s a—

AMY GOODMAN: Anand Gopal?

ANAND GOPAL: That’s a bit disingenuous. I mean, of course the opposition does not want to negotiate with the regime, just as the Egyptian people didn’t want to negotiate with Mubarak. What the people of Syria are faced with right now is slaughter, and there’s no chance for negotiation. I mean, it’s either being killed or somehow overthrowing the regime. And I went from village to village and town to town in northern Syria and saw this for myself, where towns were completely flattened and people were massacred in a number of places. The issue of negotiations is a nonstarter.

JUAN GONZALEZ: And you also interviewed some of the insurgents and the rebel army. Your sense of their cohesiveness and their ability to maintain that struggle against the government?

ANAND GOPAL: Well, on the ground, the revolutionaries have actually set up pretty robust alternative governments. I mean, they’ve overthrown Assad. They’ve set up these systems of participatory government councils, where people are elected and they have the right to instant recall. I mean, it’s really something that I’ve never seen. And I was in Egypt, I was in Libya. I’ve never anything like it. And even after the Syrian army offensive over the last three weeks, which went in and flattened a whole bunch of towns and villages, they’re still intact, and they’re still running the show in a lot of these towns.

AMY GOODMAN: Talk about how you got in, what you expected to see, and then what you saw.

ANAND GOPAL: Well, I had a lot of questions about the nature of the insurgency in Syria. And, you know, of course, the U.S. and the West are supporting, at least in word supporting, the insurgency. So I was coming at it with a very skeptical and critical mind. We went over the border, basically crawling under a barbed-wire fence and hiking over mountains for a long period. But when I got into Syria, what I found was completely different from what I expected, in that in every town and village, it was essentially the entire population was mobilized in support of the revolution. I mean, you had from little children to old people. Really, I’ve never seen anything like that before. And it showed to me the extent to which the revolution had a—has a mass, democratic popular base, and Assad doesn’t.

AMY GOODMAN: And the effect of Kofi Annan, the special envoy for the Arab League and the United Nations, what he had proposed?

ANAND GOPAL: Well, he had proposed a ceasefire, which, as we mentioned, has really not been in practice. I mean, the regime is shelling towns indiscriminately.

AMY GOODMAN: What do you think? What are people calling for right now in Syria?

ANAND GOPAL: Well, people are—people are beyond calling for the overthrow of the regime. I mean, they’re in a desperate situation, so of course they’re calling for any kind of assistance they can get. And I understand and empathize, to an extent, with that. But some of the things they’re calling for, such as arming the revolutionaries would—I think would only spur Iran and Russia to arm the government, and perhaps lead to a pretty bloody proxy war. And we’ve been down that road before in Central America and in South Asia, so I think we have to be really cautious about that.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, Anand Gopal, we want to thank you very much for being with us, journalist who covers Afghanistan, Egypt; writing a book, actually, about the Afghanistan war; has just returned from Syria after a week there.

source : http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/19/back_from_syria_journalist_anand_gopal

This is an example of the regime charging sectarian tensions in Homs. Buthaina Shaaban talked about sectarianism from the first days of the protests in Daraa, and Bashar mentioned fitna more than Syria in his first speech, mostly to avoid his lisp.

“Homs is Syria’s third largest city, and the country’s most religiously diverse. Intermarriage was common for all but the most conservative, and it was considered gauche to discuss sect. In the months leading up to the revolution, Ali and Mohammad, who were both engaged to be married, spoke endlessly about saving up enough money to have a joint wedding. “We dreamed that our children would play together, and that they too would be best friends,” says Ali.

But as pressure mounted against the regime, Assad resurrected old sectarian tensions in order to bolster support from the country’s religious minorities. “The regime was trying to create fear among the Alawites and the Christians,” says Ali. “He [Assad] said to us, if the Islamists take over, they will kick you out of Syria.” Many of Ali’s Alawite friends, who hold government jobs, were offered extracurricular stipends—as much as $500 a month— to fan those fears through a graffiti campaign. “The Christians to Beirut, the Alawites to the grave” was one of the more common ones. Another friend was told to shout sectarian slogans at anti-government rallies. Ali says he doesn’t blame his friends for participating in the propaganda campaign. “They are poor, and were terrified that they would loose their jobs if they didn’t do it.”

But what was once propagandistic myth making on the part of the regime now seems to be coming true. In May, the government started handing out weapons to Alawite citizens. Nominally it was for self-defense, but if folks wanted to take the law into their own hands, well, that wasn’t discouraged either. Ali, who never publicly discussed his change of heart, took his government-issued AK-47 and gas mask and gave them to Mohammad’s younger brother, who had just defected from the army in order to join the rebels.

The Free Syrian Army, as the defected soldiers call themselves, say that they only defend protesters, but enough videos of FSA attacks on government soldiers and armed Alawites has emerged to make it clear that the opposition can be equally brutal, if given the opportunity. One of Ali’s Alawite friends was caught by the FSA shouting sectarian slogans at an anti-government rally. He was beaten until he confessed that he had been sent by the regime. He was allowed to go free, but the damage was done.”

http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/03/01/eyewitness-from-homs-an-alawite-refugee-warns-of-sectarian-war-in-syria/#ixzz1sYtkZzc4

Greenwald: Assange show – Kremlin propaganda? Look who’s talking!

http://rt.com/news/assange-greenwald-show-kremlin-487/

Assange’s The World Tomorrow has created a storm in the media that has taken no time at all to accuse the Kremlin of pulling strings. But in their anti-propaganda crusade some media are blind to their own practices, notes journalist Glen Greenwald.

The founder of the WikiLeaks whistleblowing website had no illusions how his talk show would be perceived, especially with RT as the initial broadcaster. “A traitor” and “a Kremlin patsy” is what Julian Assange knew he would hear from his opponents.

This did not take too long to crystallize in a review by The New York Times’ Alessandra Stanley, who lashed out at Assange and his choice of broadcaster.

“The show is unlikely to win high ratings or change many minds, but it may serve Mr. Assange’s other agenda: damage control,” writes Stanley, adding that there was something almost “atavistic” about the outlet the whistleblower picked.

“Russia Today is an English-language news network created by the Russian leader Vladimir V. Putin in 2005 to promote the Kremlin line abroad… Basically, it’s an improbable platform for a man who poses as a radical left-wing whistleblower and free-speech frondeur battling the superpowers that be,” reads the NYT article.

[ … ]

Factbox: Main points of Syria-U.N. deal on monitors
Reuters – 1 hr 0 mins ago

(Reuters) – Syria and the United Nations signed a preliminary agreement this week governing the responsibilities of the Syrian government and armed opposition groups for keeping a ceasefire that U.N. monitors will oversee, after 13 months of bloodshed.
Here is a summary of the main points of the agreement:

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SYRIAN GOVERNMENT

– “Cease armed violence in all its forms; complete the pullback of all Syrian army military concentrations and their heavy weapons from inside and around population centers and return them to their barracks or their places of temporary deployment”; implement other elements of the agreement with international mediator Kofi Annan.

– Syrian government will ensure “maintenance of security and law and order through the use of its police and law enforcement agencies in a manner consistent with international humanitarian and human rights law.”

– It will also ensure the safety of all U.N. staff “without prejudice to the freedom of movement for all personnel”, and “full and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to all populations in need of assistance”.

– No agreement was reached on the U.N. use of planes or helicopters. This “may be discussed and agreed at a later date”.

– Syrian government will allow “unhindered access of U.N. personnel to any facility, location, individual or group considered of interest”.

– Syria’s armed forces may “continue to maintain the security of strategic assets and installations, eg ports, airports, highways, refineries etc”

RESPONSIBILITIES OF ARMED GROUPS

The following responsibilities are “to be confirmed by (Annan) with and in respect of the armed opposition groups and relevant elements”:

– “A complete halt to the fighting and a sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms.
– Freedom of movement for U.N. staff, no threat to their security, and full access for humanitarian personnel to all populations in need of assistance.

– Armed opposition groups must “cease all acts of aggression against Syrian army formations, bases, convoys and infrastructure … (and) against government agencies, buildings, infrastructure as well as private and public properties and not hinder the resumption of public services”.

– They must also “commit to stop all illegal activities according to Syrian law, including assassinations, kidnapping or vandalism; and to return all public and private property, stolen through violence, to their rightful owners”.

– They must “refrain from training, re-arming, regrouping or re-organizing military formations … cease public and private display of weapons … commit, in accordance with Syrian law, not to conduct or initiate activities such as establishing checkpoints, conducting patrols or policing activities (and) allow the safe return of all affected people to their places of residence”.

DEFINITIONS

– HEAVY WEAPONS: All weapons with a caliber above 14.5 millimeters, including artillery pieces, tanks, mortars, rocket propelled grenades, anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons systems. Armored personnel carriers are not considered heavy weapons if mounted weapons above 7.62 mm caliber are disabled.

– PULL BACK FROM POPULATION CENTRES: This means the movement of army concentrations to their barracks or temporary locations at least 2 to 3 km outside the perimeter of the population centers (cities, towns or villages). This does not apply to barracks which already exist within cities and towns.

http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-main-points-syria-u-n-deal-monitors-101123415.html

Unless Turkey moves to to the middle ground, it will miss its political role in the region

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-importance-for-the-middle-east-.aspx?pageID=449&nID=18845&NewsCatID=416

Looking at the general picture it is not hard to conclude that Turkey is being left out of important diplomatic and political processes underway in the Middle East. Many attribute this to the fact that Ankara has started taking sides in regional disputes, particularly along the Sunni – Shiite fault line.

This contrasts with the impartial position Turkey held a few years ago as far as regional disputes were concerned. That impartiality was also favored by the international community, given that it placed Ankara in a unique position to play an important role as a regional mediator.

Today there is little ground left for Turkey to be a major mediator in the disputes of the region, whether these concern the Arab – Israeli dispute, or disputes between Arabs. As can be seen from the Syrian case, Turkey is now a country that is simply trying to ward of the negative fallout to itself from regional disputes, and one that is seeking assistance from NATO and the UN for this.
…
But for Turkey to be able to enhance its capacity as a democratic role model for the region, it is clear that Ankara will have to move to the middle ground again in terms of regional disputes, and not be party to them, if it wants to have increased credibility.

#177 Annie

Interesting debate. Have you read somewhere else about these “robust alternative governments” in several ‘towns”. Which towns is he talking about? Is he talking about the LCCs?

“ANAND GOPAL: Well, on the ground, the revolutionaries have actually set up pretty robust alternative governments. I mean, they’ve overthrown Assad.
They’ve set up these systems of participatory government councils, where people are elected and they have the right to instant recall. I mean, it’s really something that I’ve never seen.”

Syria No Kandahar thanks for the link to the interview with the Salafi sheikh Duqmaq.

This man speaks frankly and my favorite sentence was when he said that the Alawis are more atheist that the secular ones.

Here is a translation for some of this man’s key ideas…

ظالما فحسب بل لأنه أيضا نظام علماني ملحد

Here Duqmaq is saying that al-Assad regime is “not only unjust but it is a secular atheist system.”

حرب ضروس بين الفرس والسنة على أرض الشام

Here Duqmaq said that what is going on is a “grueling war between the Persians and the Sunnis on the Sham land (Sham is a rubbery term to either denote to Damascus or a collection of States Syria, Lebanon…etc)

وأعلن دقماق تأييده فتوى ابن تيمية الشهيرة التي تكفّر العلويين، ووصفها بأنها “فتوى نفيسة والحاجة لهذه الفتوى في هذه الأيام لا يخفى، فالنظام السوري جمع الإلحاد إلى جانب الطائفية والظلم، وليس مشكلة النظام السوري مجرد كونه قائما على العلمانية، بل أضف إلى ذلك النصيرية التي هي اشد إلحادا من العلمانية

Here Duqmaq is praising the decree of Ibn Taymiyah that makes the Alawis infidels. He said that this decree is “very valuable and the need for this decree these days can not be hidden because the Assad regime added atheism to sectarianism and unjustness. The problem of the Syrian regime is not it is based on secularism, but add to that Nusairisim that is more atheist than secularism.

وصف دقماق تنظيم القاعدة بأنه “لم يعد تنظيماً هرمياً بمعنى رئيس ومرؤوس وما شابه، بل هو فكر عقائدي ومنهج عملي فكل من إقتنع بهذا الفكر أصبح قاعدة

In this paragraph Duqmaq describes al-Qaida Organaization that it “not anymore a pyramid structured organization in terms of a boss and those bossed and the like, but it is an ideological thinking and a practical path so whoever is convinced with this thinking became al-Qaida…

#180 Tara

As long as the opposition and the armed rebels do not accept officially and unconditionally this plan, violence will persist unabated. The Syrian government, that committed officially to the plan with the UN, can always say they are acting in self-defense.

This is why, despite the violence these days, the blame on the Syrian government is subdued while Annan is trying to get that hard to get commitment from the angry and disappointed opposition that consider the Plan as the consecration of its failure to topple the regime.

Bronco

Is that true? My understanding is that both the SNC and Colonel Ryad al Asaad officially accepted Annan’ plan. Not only them but also, the AL and Turkey both endorsed it.

Surprising Bazar!

China offered Syria of 100 billion dollars for Infrastructure! Russia offers membership in the Customs union! the friendly countries of Latin America offer possible supports! Gold is a basis of bases! what sense gold to change for toilet paper! it is possible to understand only that news about sale of gold enters into unsuccessful war of nerves! I can assure Americans that this toilet paper will be not necessary as world currency soon!!!

French anyone ?

“Les Assad n’ont absolument pas peur de l’indécence de leur accusation. C’est vraiment l’hôpital qui se moque de la charité! Ce clan qui a porté au pouvoir une partie des alaouites accuse les manifestants d’être sectaires…Pourtant, quoi de plus naturel que la majorité des manifestants soient sunnites, à l’image de la population syrienne? Au moins les manifestants sont plus représentatifs de la société que le clan qui les dirige. Le présent article n’entend pas revenir sur la prétention du régime de défendre les minorités. Cette posture n’a pas plus de valeur que celle de résistant à l’impérialisme américain et à la résistance israélienne (lien).”

http://syrianfacts.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/le-piege-de-la-lecture-confessionnelle-repression-et-cooptation-comme-clefs-de-comprehension-de-la-crise-syrienne/

#185 Tara

The opposition has not only refused the sign officially the Peace plan, but they are trying to disrupt it, thus justifying the retaliation from the Syrian army. They reluctantly made some vague and contradictory declarations of conditional acceptance so as not to appear singled out.

Syrian opposition trying to disrupt Annan’s peace plan
Apr 18, 2012 21:26 Moscow Time
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_04_18/72190177/

The Syrian opposition is attempting to disrupt Kofi Anna’s peace plan and trigger violence. Reportedly, militants of the Free Syrian Army are using refugee camps in Turkey to make preparations for launching attacks on checkpoints. The Foreign Ministers of Russia and Morocco, Sergei Lavrov and Saadeddin al-Othmani discussed the situation in Syria at their meeting.

The Russian Foreign Minister said there are some people who are interested in seeing Annan’s plan end in a fiasco. In this case, other options, especially force, can be used.

“I have personally seen how my colleagues were disappointed when they got to know that the Syrian government had agreed with the Annan plan. Lately, mass media, especially the Western European and the Turkish press have provided a growing amount of evidence that the armed opposition had tried to provoke and trigger violence so as to break the ceasefire and find a pretext to “bury” the Annan plan. We were told that the Turkish newspapers had evidence that the Free Syrian Army militants misuse the status of refugee camps in Turkey. They are training to carry out attacks on Syrian checkpoints. This proves what they want to achieve now that the ceasefire is in force,” Sergei Lavrov said.
(…)

Bronco

The armed terrorist group backed by the oppositions’ puppets and directed by US, France and Turkey are responsible for most of the violence happening from the last week.

They don’t want to accept Annan’s plan because it will show their real size.

Today, until now, the news is saying that 22 Syrian killed, 16 of them are from the army and security forces and 5 terrorists and 1 innocent who was killed by a bomb put by the terrorists.

Lavrov and his assistant blamed the opposition for escalating the violence, while the colonial powers are threatening with the military intervention and to invade Syria.

I would like to see some of the 3ra3eer serving their old European masters and who are obviously supporting terrorism and sectarianism practicing democracy under the NATO occupation of Syria, how proud are they going to be with their achievement?

Hi mjabali.
Duqmaq is representing the Anolog islamists thinkers/one way state of mind.always negative=loser

you and I plus the majority are Digital thinkers/processes two states:positive and non-positive.so we can methodologically differentiate good from evil=agreeable to reason

Some of the injured armed militia men in Turkey complaining that they are not getting the money they’ve been promised and not being treated in private hospitals:

معارضة مجلس اسطنبول ينامون على الريش ورجالهم يموتون

Bronco

You are quoting a Russian source. My understanding is that there was an official acceptance of cease fire by the FSA and the SNC noting that the regime will not not comply despite its rhetoric of accepting the plan.

And that is exactly what happened.

The regime continued with violence, business as usual. The international community has been indeed keeping a low profile in regard to this “pseudo ceasefire” because the other alternative is… an all out war? Human corridors and safe havens, which no one yet ready to commit just 8 days after the deadline of Annan’s plan. The regime is playing with fire however. This is its last chance of political maneuvering and it is taking a tremendous risk of a violent end once the international community is fed up with the status quo.

Good morning Afram

These type of people I would not call thinkers. Their line always fought against “Reason.” The word عقلانية is their enemy. Ibn Taymiyah was a reactionary and wanted to stop people from studying philosophy, math and art and so forth.

Ibn Taymiyah’s logic is against science. He was not for progress or plural societies for sure

Bahraini regime is facing a major challenge over Formula 1 event, the regime can not win this one even if the race goes on. For years, the only response the royal family gave to demands of political reform is more marginalization of their Shia citizens and more neutralization of non Bahraini citizens in at attempt to change the demographic composition of that tiny kingdom.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/19/bahrain-braces-f1-unrest

#192 Tara

Not a single media has reported that the opposition has officially and unconditionally accepted the Annan peace plan. There were all vague declarations with lots of ‘but’ while the Syrian government has signed and committed unconditionnally to the plan. Yet, unless the other party commits too, the plan will encounter many difficulties.

Just days after Annan’s plan started, this is the opposition counter-Annan six point plan:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/interactive/2012/04/11/syrian-opposition-six-point-plan/

“Ammar Abdulhamid, who fled Syria in 2005 and has since lived in the United States, told Fox News that members of the main opposition groups, representing all political and religious backgrounds, helped draw up the new six-point plan. He added that he hoped the plan would achieve the goal of stopping the Assad regime’s violence and bringing about the Syrian leader’s ouster.

The plan calls for arming local resistance forces, establishing a safe haven for civilians and providing international aerial support for resistance fighters. It also calls for stepped-up diplomatic pressure on the Assad regime and its supporters, with specific steps taken to encourage defections by top government officials. These steps would include offers of amnesties, with specific start and end dates.

Finally, the plan calls for identifying countries willing to provide future peacekeepers who could be instantly dispatched to liberated territories to ensure stabilization and support ongoing efforts by opposition groups in regard to transition planning.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/04/11/exclusive-syrian-opposition-group-says-annan-plan-doomed-offer-alternative/#ixzz1sayZtOcs

Why the West is Supporting an Anti-Western Solution in Syria

By Yossef Bodansky | Fri, 20 April 2012 12:21 |

http://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Middle-East/Intelligence-Report-Why-the-West-is-Supporting-an-Anti-Western-Solution-in-Syri.html

A Jihadist, Anti-Western Agenda is Being Forced on Syria

The international community has been blindly following a jihadist-driven agenda for Syria; a solution the majority of Syrians reject, but which Turkey and Qatar have been driving. It begs the question: why are analysts in Washington — or Paris or London — not digging more deeply into what is really happening, given that the solution they have endorsed is so profoundly anti-Western?
…
At the core is the confrontation between resurgent Sunni Arab Islam- ism and the region’s aspirant non- Arab Islamist hegemonic powers: Mahdivist Iran and neo-Ottoman Turkey.

The Fertile Crescent of Minorities — from east to west counter-clockwise: Ahwazi Arabs, Kurds, ‘Alawites, Druze, Maronites, Jews and Circassians — serves as the buffer, preventing a cataclysmic eruption.

Only a viable Fertile Crescent of Minorities — of which the ‘Alawites and Druze of Syria are presently the most beleaguered elements — can thus prevent the simmering Arab Middle East from conjoining with the Islamist ascent of Turkey and Iran and jointly creating an explosive critical mass.

Hence, the main challenge in resolving the Syria crisis is preventing the replacement of an ‘Alawite-Druze dominated Government by an Islamist- jihadist one. No less important is the imperative to restore and preserve a viable Syrian state via meaningful political reforms, as well as economic recovery and modernization of the entire region.

If a moderate, stable outcome was desired, then negotiations between the Syrian Liberation Army and the Assad Administration would need to be launched on the establishment of a nationalist government in Damascus, with emphasis on regionalization and diffusion of power which would ensure the rights of the Sunni Arab tribes, extended families and urban élite, as well as the nation’s minorities. The transformation of power through negotiations would ensure that all pertinent international agreements to which Syria was beholden would remain valid.

(..)

@193. mjabali Good morning

I meant Islamic thinkers according to Fiqh: فقه الاسلامي
agree with you that Ibn Rushd’s (Averroes )philosophy has been replaced with Ibn Taymiyah Fiqh, so sad.

mjabali/here is a sample from burhans E.lEAKS

طيفور يطالب غليون بإعفاء قضماني من مهمتها

بسمة قضماني، الناطقة باسم «المجلس الوطني السوري»، هي أكثر أعضاء المجلس إثارة للجدل، منذ أن ظهرت تسجيلات مقابلتها مع قناة تلفزيون فرنسية، إلى جانب إسرائيليين، وعبرت فيها عن رأيها بأن الدولة العبرية ضرورة في الشرق الأوسط. ويوم 26 شباط 2012، أرسل نائب رئيس المجلس، محمد فاروق طيفور (نائب المراقب العام للإخوان المسلمين في سوريا)، رسالة إلى برهان غليون يطلب منه فيها إعفاء قضماني من موقعها كناطقة باسم المجلس. وهذه الرسالة لم تأت بعد انتشار تسجيلات مقابلة قضماني والإسرائيليين، بل بعد إعلانها قبولها بمغادرة الرئيس السوري وعائلته سوريا، ولو من دون محاكمة.

وفي ما يأتي، نص الرسالة:

الدكتور برهان أرجو التكرم بإيقاف الدكتورة بسمة على أن تكون ناطقة باسم المجلس لكثير من الأخطاء المرتكبة في الفترة الأخيرة إضافة إلى الأشرطة التي انتشرت عن مواقفها من إسرائيل، وأن تتوقف عن التصريح المؤذي للمجلس.

شكراً لكم مع تحياتي.

محمد فاروق طيفور

Islamists hate women more than Israel

Basma qadamani Persona non grata
Tayfur, demanded from burhan to have her dismissed for being controversial member, his excuse is Basma featured with the French television channel, alongside Israelis!? ok, fire her, but Tayfur failed to say to burhan–replace Basma by another female!!

islamists figh is:

institutionalized discrimination against women.

Ignoring Annan Peace plan, rebels violence getting closer to Israel.

At least 18 Syrian troops killed in new attacks: media
AFP – 1 hr 15 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/least-18-syrian-troops-killed-attacks-media-145414445.html

A powerful blast killed 10 security force personnel in the southern Syrian region of Quneitra on Friday, state television reported, blaming the explosion on “terrorists.”

“An armed terrorist group detonated a 100-kilogramme (220-pound) bomb in Sahm al-Jolan in the region of Quneitra, killing 10 members of the security forces,” the channel said.

The state run SANA news agency said the bomb was detonated by remote control and targeted a bus transporting government troops.

Quneitra is near the demarcation line with Israel, in the disputed Golan Heights.

A similar bomb attack in the town of Karak, in southern Daraa province, killed five soldiers, SANA said, also blaming “armed terrorist groups.”

Three soldiers and three civilians were killed in separate incidents elsewhere, according to state media.
(..)

#197 Afram

One commenter wrote that Basma Qodmani is Ghaliun’s sister in law. That may explain why she is still at her post.

No Friday Patrols by U.N. Observers in Syria: a severe blow to the activists

By ROBERT MACKEY
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/no-friday-patrols-by-u-n-observers-in-syria/

The Moroccan colonel leading a small team of United Nations military observers in Syria dealt a severe blow to the hopes of opposition activists late Thursday when he announced that his monitors planned to avoid working on Fridays, the traditional day of mass protests in the country.

Despite the fact that the cease-fire agreement brokered by the United Nations commits Syria’s government to allowing peaceful protests, the colonel, Ahmed Himmiche, told reporters in Damascus: “We don’t want to be used as a tool for escalating the situation. So we will avoid going out on patrol on Fridays.”
(..)

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_04_20/72394084/

Blast kills 10 security forces in Syria: state TV

A powerful blast killed 10 security force personnel in the southern Syrian region of Quneitra on Friday, state television reported, blaming the explosion on “terrorists”.

“An armed terrorist group exploded a 100-kilogramme (220-pound) bomb in Sahm al-Jolan in the region of Quneitra, killing 10 members of the security forces,” the television said.

Today less than 3% (using Qatar barmeel alzift Khoarzmi number) were in the streets, >97% were in their homes afraid from the Shabiha.

Let us destroy Syria to keep the 3% demonstrating.

After Syria, Iran is expanding ist car industry in Iraq

Iranian carmaker Saipa to launch assembly line in Iraq
http://www.payvand.com/news/12/apr/1207.html

Iranian carmaker Saipa will establish a car assembly line in Iraq with the nominal capacity to roll out 40,000 cars per year.

After commissioning a production site in Syria, Saipa is now planning to launch an assembly line in Iraq, which has the capacity to boost output to 120,000 cars per year through increasing working shifts, Fars news agency reported.

Iranian car manufacturers produced over 1.498 million units of different kind in the first eleven months of the past calendar year, which ended on March 19, Mehr news agency reported.

Iran has developed its domestic car industry for five decades and produced 1.6 million vehicles last year, about half of them made by Iran Khodro, which aims to export around 10 percent of its production this year, Reuters reported.

Even with sanctions, which have scared off some suppliers from exporting to Iran, Iran Khodro says sales rose 18 percent in 2010 and plans a 13 percent output increase this year to 860,000 vehicles
(…)

#201 SNK

You are too generous. I would say less than 0.03%, it is another friday-fiasco for the SNC and the ones calling for ‘massive’ demonstrations.

They should try for the nth time a call for ‘massive strikes’

UN observers probably were given فول for breakfast by the Syrian Regime, that made them sleepy and decided not to watch Aaroorists jumping in their post spiritual ceremony. EU can’t ban فول from Syria, they are negotiating with Argentina to stop Syria from importing مته , they think that مته is calming down Syrians and making them less hostile which is against KSA wishes.

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

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”

Frederick Douglass

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

Pleath help Batta
You know you’re doomed when email scam artist catch up with your name and theft. Here is an email I recently received. I am sharing it so that those who “love” “popular batta” can now lend him a hand. I am waiting for similar emails from Athma (wife of soon to be deposed/hanged) dictator and from Hadeel/Luna/etc…. Batta fanclub, who will be portrayed as “not so secret lovers of deposed/hanged” former dictator.

From: President Bashar al-Assad
Date: April 13, 2012 7:10:00 AM PDT
Subject: Cabinet of the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad:
Reply-To:
Cabinet of the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad:

Hello,
I anticipate that you read this mail quickly and let me know your opinion on this classified information herein.

I would like you to assist me to move my resource to your country or any safe location.
This resource is my only security to help sustain my future amid the current crisis in my country and this is the main reason why I still hold onto the presidential seat.
This is my major reason of contacting you. It is very important that this resource is moved to a safer location for investment abroad.
I want you to assist me to invest the resource in your country.

Your immediate attention to this matter will be highly appreciated.Contact me immediately with my Email Address; (presidentbashar.al_assad@myself.com)

Thanks and God bless you.

Sincerely yours,
President Bashar al-Assad

Joshua Landis saw fit to link to a Reuters news report from mere anonymous sources that Syria was selling some of its gold holdings, but only selling the gold in tiny quantities. As linked to by #120 ANN, the Syrian Central Bank has issued a denial that it has sold any gold or intends to sell any. The president of Syria’s Goldsmiths’ Association, which works with the Central Bank in managing its gold holdings, also said it was a falsehood that the Syrian government was selling any of its gold. The Reuters report was a very shitty story because (1) it was false, (2) its information sources were unnamed, (3) the quantities of gold reportedly being sold were trivially small, (4) if Syria did decide to sell gold in exchange for foreign currency, bearing in mind the current price of gold is high by any reasonable reference point (US$1,653 per ounce), the decision to sell gold would be uninteresting with respect to the SYP and uninteresting respect to Syria.

Joshua Landis saw fit to link to a Reuters news report from mere anonymous sources that Syria was selling some of its gold holdings, but only selling the gold in tiny quantities. As linked to by #120 ANN, the Syrian Central Bank has issued a denial that it has sold any gold, and denies that it intends to sell any. The president of Syria’s Goldsmiths’ Association, which works with the Central Bank in managing its gold holdings, also said it was a falsehood that the Syrian government was selling any of its gold. The Reuters report was very rubbishy because (1) it was false, (2) its information sources were unnamed, (3) the quantities of gold reportedly being sold were trivially small, (4) if Syria did decide to sell gold in exchange for foreign currency, bearing in mind the current price of gold is high by any reasonable reference point (US$1,653 per ounce), the decision to sell gold would be uninteresting with respect to the SYP and uninteresting respect to Syria.

205. Uzair8 said:

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”

Frederick Douglass
===============
The limits of tyrants?

http://youtu.be/n4f89Jg-TnY

208 Afram

That’s an old video from 2007. What happened later to the ‘Red Mosque’….

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

I don’t see your point? Taleban school of thought (Deobandi) is a minority in Pakistan.

Galloway confronted over Assad comments

20 April 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17783704

209. Uzair8 said:
208 Afram
That’s an old video from 2007. What happened later to the ‘Red Mosque’….
I don’t see your point?
==================
where was osama bin laden living with multi-wives?
my point pakistan is not nice either!!!

Apr 3, 2012 – Pakistani Muslim Radicals Warn Christians Not To Celebrate Easter
http://www.persecution.org

Iraqi PM Maliki says Turkey is becoming ‘hostile state’

Friday, 20 April 2012

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Friday that Turkey is becoming a “hostile state” in the region, accusing its premier of interfering in internal Iraqi affairs and of sectarianism.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/20/209095.html

Is it true today’s (friday) protest slogan was ‘We want our Gold back’ referring to the gold and other valuables taken by Shabeeha and co. while looting businesses and homes in rebel areas during the uprising, and now suspected of being offered for sale in Dubai?

LOOK WHO’S TALKING…

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Friday that Turkey is becoming a “hostile state” in the region, accusing its premier of interfering in internal Iraqi affairs and of sectarianism”

Nuri al Maliki and sectarianism go better with each other than Besho and his lisp.

Antoine

Iraq Maliki is pethaps more sinister than Batta in my views. You would think that he should know and behave better after many years of the majority Iraqi Shiaa being crushed by a secular Saddam. Unfortunately, psychology tells us that abused individuals tend to abuse others when they have the chance. One would think the exact opposite. Sadly, it is not. It is very much counterintuitive. It seems to me that the abused should be emancipated but never allowed to come to power, otherwise they will inflict on other what have been inflicted on them. ME is full of psychological complexes. There is hardly any normal generation.

IRRITATED,

Today’s protests were the largest in months, I don’t know what you’re talking about, 3 % ? wishful thinking ?

These were the demonstrations today in al-Bab in Reef Halab. It has a population of about 50,000. Judging by the size of the protest, it is as large as any of the pro-regime rallies in Damacus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSdANcH_Ee4&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5leHzT1Gj0&feature=relmfu

This brave Syrian was killed by the people Irritated supports :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXsrJwS_7KA&feature=relmfu

Think about it, a rally in a town of 50,000 can get as large as a pro-regime rally in Damascus.

#210

To be fair George Galloway has distanced himself from the Assad regime although his overall view on the Syrian situation is influenced by his socialist, anti-war and anti-imperialist background.

In the video clip, from last nights BBC Question Time programme, the panelist is referring to comments by GG in the past in praise of Assad/Saddam.

I don’t think the following has been posted on SC previously:

George Galloway on Syria:

Published on 5 Apr 2012 by presstvlondon

TARA,

Do you think the Iraq scenario may be replayed in Syria when Batta falls ? Could be, if someone like Haytham Maleh took the reins. I wouldn;t be too displeased with that though, justice needs to be served.

Sorry, last post.

Previous comment wouldn’t allow me to edit even with several minutes left.

The video of George Galloway was in fact posted before on SC by Mawal, if I’m correct.

#216 Antoine

“These were the demonstrations today in al-Bab in Reef Halab”

It was a procession for a funeral and it looked peaceful with balck flag and Allah u Akbar.
50,000? I would say 5,000 maximum.
In the last video, how do you know who shot the guy?

Syria Fatigue

Syria is fading from world press

221. IRRITATED said:

“It was a procession for a funeral and it looked peaceful with balck flag and Allah u Akbar.
50,000? I would say 5,000 maximum”

Did you even read it properly ? I said the population of the town is close to 50,000 ; which means almost 10 % of the population was in the rally, now you have to consider that most of the participants were young adult males, they all have wives, children, old parents, sisters, that will add up to pretty much 80 % of the town being anti-regime.

The regime is clearly losing support, I challenged MAWAL 95 to show me pro-regime rally videos from 4 Christian majority towns – Kafr Buhum, Salamiyah in Hama , Qaryatayn in Homs ; and Bloudan in Rif Dimsashq, he failed to do so.

Antoine

I am for justice to be served. I don’t think it is in me to forgive and volunteer the blood of children, mothers, and the innocents. I was happy that Saddam faced his fate. I am however against collective punishment or punishment for moral support. I hope indiscriminate chaotic killing, Iraqi -style does not happen in Syria after regime change. Am I sure it won’t happen. I am not sure. Not after I saw what Shabeehas were capable of doing. People can easily become very very ugly. It will all depend on how the regime change is going to happen. The more violence inflicted on us, the more likely a violent outcome will ensue. This is in my view the historical error the regime supporters are committing. Assad is going to vanish eventually. By not helping with the process, they are accepting the risk of possible retaliation.

Russia submits UN draft resolution on monitoring mission in Syria

Russia submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council on Friday “stipulating the formation of a UN monitoring mission for the initial period of three months with 300 members,” Tass news agency reports, citing Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich. The draft further calls on the complete implementation of Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan, which aims to stop the violence in the country and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

[…]

http://rt.com/news/line/2012-04-20/#id29893

Looks like little Napoleon Sarkozy will be out of office before Assad 8)

Francois Hollande favors military action in Syria under UN mandate – 2012-04-21

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/21/c_131541393.htm

PARIS, April 20 (Xinhua) — French socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande Friday said he was favorable to France’s participation in demanding a military intervention in Syria under UN mandate.

“If it is done in the framework of the UN … we will participate in this intervention,” said the 57-year-old socialist candidate who is leading in polls for the upcoming presidential election on radio Europe1.

[…]

Just read a blog article on AJE. Probably nothing you weren’t aware of already.

Blush is off Syria’s ‘Rose of the Desert’
Thu, 2012-04-19

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/middle-east/2012/04/19/blush-syrias-rose-desert

Check out this comment by ‘Maweei’ from the comment section at the end of the article:

“from rose in the desert she will be a rose in a cell.Roses dont grow well with out sunlight.but you and your husband have taken the sun away from a lot of people.”

Haytham Manna talking about the enemies of Syria meeting and the call for intervention by the armed groups:
قناة فرنسا 24: الدكتور هيثم مناع
http://youtu.be/uRf-o-z1Bzw

About Annan plan:
قناة العالم: الدكتور هيثم مناع

Leon Panetta: US military planning for greater role in Syria conflict
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2012/0419/Leon-Panetta-US-military-planning-for-greater-role-in-Syria-conflict

Abo Hamza was sent to hell yesterday by the great Syrian Army,congratulation to all free syrians:

Asthma’s Humanitarian efforts for the Palestinians is commendable:

229. JAD said:

“5000? You are very generous, they are no more than a 1000 with Alqaeda flags leading them.”

I just said that it was a very large rally as far as the eye could see, and could stand up to any of the recent pro-regime rallies in Damascus.

I picked these 2 anti-regime rally videos for you JAD, I know you will enjoy, hehehe,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Pel8NFZ10&feature=relmfu

Qamishli 300000 people city…,200 to 300 demonstrators less than 1 per thousand …in 100
Years this will be up to 1%
Same part time paid dancers:

Turkey: The odd man in
By Peter Lee
http://atimes.com/atimes/China/ND21Ad02.html

How War Reporting in Syria Makes a Larger Conflict Inevitable
Posted By Russ Baker

We get major-media reports from Syria with increasing frequency. What’s wrong with these reports are that they are generally devoid of power analysis.

This recent New York Times article [2], for example, headlined “Neighbors Said to Be at Violent Odds in Syrian Crackdown,” is based almost solely on accounts of refugees interviewed in Lebanon. Here’s the lead paragraph:

Sunni Muslims who have fled Syria described a government crackdown that is more pervasive and more sectarian than previously understood, with civilians affiliated with President Bashar al-Assad’s minority religious sect shooting at their onetime neighbors as the military presses what many Sunnis see as a campaign to force them to flee their homes and villages in some sections of the country.

In other words, ethnic cleansing, perhaps a precursor to the kinds of large-scale horrors we saw in Rwanda and Yugoslavia. The inevitable conclusion is that any decent person would support international efforts to stop this. Based on past history, in Libya, in Iraq, and elsewhere, that would evolve quickly into military intervention. In fact, on Sunday, the pace quickened. In a meeting Sunday [3] in Istanbul, the US and allies began actively moving toward direct intervention. Arab nations agreed to pay $100 million to rebels and the Obama administration to send them communications equipment.

[ … ]

http://whowhatwhy.com/2012/04/02/how-war-reporting-in-syria-makes-a-larger-conflict-inevitable/

#244 Antoine

“The regime is clearly losing support,”

I think it is the other way around. Many protesters are changing sides after the mess of the FSA, the wild attacks on public properties and on the army, and the dead end the opposition brought the country to. No more dreaming of NATO, Turkey or Chapter 7 at the UNSC.

Of course in some village and towns the hardliners are still trying to motivate people but it is on a down slope as protesters realize that peaceful demonstrations don’t make headlines unless they are really huge like in Egypt and Bahrain these last days.

SNK,

Qamishly 150,000 not 300,000 ; and negative influence of PKK plus huge presence of Syrian Assadi Army because its border town.

the great thing is that the Assyrian Church of the East which has strong presence in Qamishly, openly supported the Syrian Uprisisng as early as 2011, plus Assyrian Democratic Organziation (ADO) fully behind Uprising.

Mas’oud Barzani should liberate Qamishly.

236. IRRITATED said:

“…..bla bla bla”

Prove your claims, show me any town or village where former anti-regime people will say live on camera that they are “changing sides” (lol). I have furnished visual evidence, so should you ( and not in Damascus, Aleppo,Sweida2 or the coastal area).

Btw what protests are you talking about in Egypt ? There isn’t a single headline of that in the Guardian or the Telegraph. Take an aspirin and stop hallucinating.

And about Bahrain, crowd of 50,000 dispersed by just 5 teargas shells, nuff said.

Chew on this “irritated” :

Kafranbel, Reef Idleb , a large village where hardliners are “still trying to motivate the people”.

Kafranbel never ceases to amaze me.

Ann

dont worry Xinhua and Press TV, RT, Al Dunya will keep you in work.

Ariha, Reef Idleb – another city where “hardliners are still trying to motivate the people”

Al Waaer, Homs City, near Baba Amro

Hardliners trying to motivate the people :

Lets see if you can count the numbers in this video, Mr. JAD.

I’m sure many people know this story – that back in early January, during the A.L. mission, one A.L. official – an Iraqi diplomat – was quoted as saying that Syrian sources have told him that Bashar al Assad and his mukhabarat have the names and addresses of 3,000 young men who are leading and organizing the protests around the country, and that it will take until the end of February for him to arrest them all, and that by the end of February, most of the anti-regime protests will have ended.

Well, February has ended and so has March, April has 9 more days to go, what about your predictions Mr. Diplomat ?

Kafrhabel
800 protester

Ari7a
300 protester

Waer
400 protester

Not exactly an award-winning colorful photography.    

http://lightbox.time.com/2012/04/12/victims-of-assad/#20

I wish I can get to the real base for why a very decent individual may browse these photos and feel general contempt to these people whereas, the same decent individual may browse some other pictures of women and children and feel exactly the opposite. I know exactly how some feel. I sense it between the lines. Is it the way they dressed or what they represent?

I heard the gov’t is infiltrating the opposition with bearded thugs set to portray them as terrorists…
they are really using every trick in the book

It is all the lost for them we are way past the point of no return. Morale in Damascus is very low with high unemployment & prices.

Who is Assad really ruling right now aside from his Shabiha and a bunch of paid off clowns?? You think the Christians are loyal to the regime ?? lol…

Ban is not impressed with the regime’s rhetoric of accepting Annan’s plan.  How long time has to pass with the status quo until it is officially declared a failure? 3 month?

http://www.smh.com.au/world/un-chief-attacks-syrian-failure-on-peace-20120420-1xcfm.html

BEIRUT: The United Nations Secretary-General has given a dark appraisal of the Syria conflict, accusing its government of failing to carry out nearly every aspect of the peace plan that took effect a week ago, obstructing work by an advance team of ceasefire monitors and doing nothing to alleviate an intensifying humanitarian crisis.

From the “weak” FOS dinner yesterday.

http://translations.state.gov/st/english/texttrans/2012/04/201204194281.html#axzz1sTZcmjGD

Paris, France

SECRETARY CLINTON:  Well, Alain, thank you for convening us and hosting us.  I think we are all here out of a sense of great frustration and outrage over what we see occurring in Syria.  We also are hopeful that, despite the evidence thus far, the mission of Kofi Annan can begin to take root, starting with monitors being sent, but remembering that it’s a six-point plan and that it’s not a menu of options. It has to be a complete acceptance by the Syrian government of all six points.

Let me just make a few comments.  First, we continue to support the monitoring mission, even though we are aware that the increased violence could jeopardize the deployment of the monitors and put their lives at risk.  So we’re in a dilemma.  We think it’s important to get independent sources of observation and reporting on the ground, but we do not want to create a situation where those who are sent in to do this mission themselves are subjected to violence.  So we need to continue to work and move toward a Security Council authorization so that we have the authority to proceed when the times are right.

Secondly, I think we have to do more to take tougher actions against the Assad regime.  We need to start moving very vigorously in the Security Council for a Chapter 7 sanctions resolution, including travel, financial sanctions, an arms embargo, and the pressure that that will give us on the regime to push for compliance with Kofi Annan’s six-point plan.

Now, I’m well aware that at this point such an effort is still likely to be vetoed, but we need to look for a way to keep pressing forward.  I met at length with Sergey Lavrov earlier today in Brussels.  He was, as usual, very intent upon laying responsibility on all sides, and in particular on the opposition, but he also has recognized that we are not in a static situation but a deteriorating one.

Next, we have to keep Assad off balance by leaving options on the table.  And Turkey already has discussed with NATO during our ministerial over the last two days the burden of Syrian refugees on Turkey, the outrageous shelling across the border from Syria into Turkey a week ago, and that Turkey is considering formally invoking Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which triggers consultations in NATO whenever the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the parties is threatened.

I also believe we have to increase our support for the opposition.  I can only speak for the United States.  I know that others are pursuing different types of support.  But we are expanding our communications, logistics, and other support for the Syrian opposition.  And in cooperation with Turkey, we are considering establishing an assistance hub that will try to co-locate Syrian activists and help them coordinate the collection and distribution of assistance to opposition groups inside Syria.  And we do have continuing dialogue among our high-level officials with the Syrian National Council.

Next, I want to thank you, Alain, and your team for hosting the Sanctions Working Group in Paris here two days ago.  About 50 countries attended.  They agreed to expand the coalition of countries imposing financial sanctions, expand the scope of the sanctions, and improve the effectiveness of the existing measures by reaching out to the private sector.  The next meeting will be co-chaired by the United States and hosted in Washington, likely in mid May.

We also need to strengthen our humanitarian assistance.  We’ve done more over the last month than we had before, but it is still not adequate.  And we have to stay in very close touch with Turkey and Jordan about their humanitarian needs because they’re bearing the burden of caring for the refugees, and the rest of us need to help them.  I think it’s also important to hear from both Turkey and Jordan about how they see the situation.  I was very pleased that Ahmet was able to brief the G-8 ministers at the meeting I hosted last week and then brief the NATO ministers at our dinner last night.

And finally, we are working to establish an accountability clearinghouse in order to keep track of all of the terrible stories of abuses and crimes against humanity that are coming out of Syria.  We think collecting that information can be a useful means of not only keeping track for future purposes but also sending a message to those in the regime and those in the military that they are being watched and a record is being kept.

So I think, Alain, this is a timely moment, because the Security Council is meeting as we speak.  And we should, I hope, come to some resolution about what further action we wish out of the Security Council, despite even the fact that the first time around it might not be successful.  But we should be, as we say, laying down markers about what is expected.

Today’s Friday protests were branded by the protesters جمعة سننتصر ويهزم الاسد . If you search for that Arabic text at Youtube, Youtube will give you a list of protest videos from around Syria today and you can observe turnout size. Here the list: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A9+%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%B1+%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%B2%D9%85+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AF&search_sort=video_date_uploaded&uni=3

Another way to see turnout size is to go to http://www.onsyria.com/?cat=39&parent=1&page=1 which in case you don’t know is an anti-regime site which compiles protest videos from around Syria and organizes them by Syrian province and by date.

There were no large crowds anywhere. In many locations, today’s turnout was a pale shadow, a huge decimation, of what it was last year.

In the video linked to by Antoine above, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5leHzT1Gj0 , the anti-regime demonstration in Al-Bab City in Aleppo province today was easily the largest demonstration in Al-Bab this past year. It is noteworthy that throughout year 2011 there were either no demonstrations on Fridays in Al-Bab City at all or else the turnout was truly miniscule, just a couple of dozen people showing up. It is to be noted as well that Al-Bab has so far not experienced any violence perpetrated by protesters (to my knowledge anyway). I have said on this board approximately a dozen times before that whenever a neighborhood has serious violence committed by protesters, it decimates subsequent turnout at anti-regime protests in that neighborhood. I suppose the same may eventually happen in Al-Bab because it has happened before in so many other localities.

Among the extreme examples of that phenomenon is Idlib City, which is the second-largest city in Idlib province. Last summer Idlib City had only small demonstrations. A number of other towns in Idlib province had larger turnout size than Idlib City last summer. But the turnout size grew in Idib City later in the year, and the protests were peaceful and civil, and by December Idlib City’s Friday demonstrations definitely had the biggest crowds in all of Syria. Bigger than anything in Homs, Hama, or outer Damascus. Then the protest movement in Idlib City was taken over by armed rebels. Now today, Friday, there was essentially no demonstration in Idlib City at all, judging from what I can see at Youtube this evening, and that’s been true for many many weeks now on Fridays in Idlib City.

The population of Al-Bab city in Aleppo province was 112,000 in year 2004 according to the government’s Central Bureau of Statistics at http://www.cbssyr.org/General%20census/census%202004/pop-man.pdf (and someone estimated a year 2010 city population of 145,000 according to http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-202&srt=pnan&col=adhoq&msz=1500&va=&pt=a ).

The population of Manbij city (مرآز منبج) in Aleppo province was 205,000 in year 2004 according to the above publication by the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics. The Friday protest today in Manbij today was attended by only about three dozen people and the majority of those people were younger than 18 years of age. For today’s protest in Manbij see http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A8%D8%AC&search_sort=video_date_uploaded&uni=3 . Last week’s protest in Manjib was of a similar tiny size: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE0gg6utjtM .

In light of (1) the tiny turnout in the demographically similar Manbij city (located about 40 kilometers from Al-Bab city) and (2) the smaller turnout in Al-Bab city up until now, I must suspect — and I can be wrong — that some of today’s protesters in Al-Bab city were brought in by bus from elsewhere. Here’s an illustration of bussing. The following video is from Manbij city on 12 Dec 2011. It is the largest anti-regime demonstration I’ve ever seen in Manbij. It is substantially bigger than anything in Manbij on a typical Friday, either before December or after. I think or suppose that the crowd on 23 Dec 2011 had been bused in, because of the buses I see in these two videos of their protest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEVaI3iZIEU , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlJmNJyg8rA

No way the populations of al-Bab and Manbij can be in 6 figures. No way. Check out Google Maps and see the satellite image of these towns, they are tiny. no way more than 50,000 can ever fit in these towns.

Btw what about the large turnout in Kafranbel, Ariha, Marrat Misreen, Marrat al Nauman, in Edleb ; and al-Waaer in Homs City ?

New definition of women’s right? 

Iranian Actress Breaks Taboos, Sparks Scandal By Posing Topless
By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL

http://www.payvand.com/news/12/jan/1203.html?utm_source=Payvand.com+List&utm_campaign=f99433dcf4-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

An Iranian actress living in Paris has been praised for her courage and criticized for her indecency after posing topless for a French magazine and posting the photo on her Facebook page. Golshifteh Farahani, who moved to France last year, says Iranian authorities have told her not to return home.

“I heard the gov’t is infiltrating the opposition with bearded thugs set to portray them as terrorists…”

No need, the armed opposition are filled with those and they pay them ‘salaries’ from ksa and qatar.
ويكيليكس: كلينتون تعترف بأن السعودية مصدر تمويل الارهاب بالعالم
http://arabi-press.com/?page=article&id=32825

They import those alqaeda Jihadists from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi, Libya and recently from Tunisia. Just today three Tunisians Alqaeda Jihadists were killed in Syria.

الله أكبر ، إستشهاد إخوة من تونس في بلاد الشام
الله اكبر الله اكبر
افاقت بن قردان على خبر استشهاد ثلاثة من خيرة شباب الجهة الذين باعوا انفسهم للجهاد في سبيل الله من اجل نصرة هذا الدين و هم:
بولبابة بوكلش
وليد هلال
محمد الجراي
التحقوا بركب المجاهدين في سوريا ملبين صرخات الثكالى و انين الايتام …فهنيئا يا بن قردان ففي كل الحروب كنت السباقة بالدفع بابنائك فستبقين شامخة باذن الله
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=328509473882501&set=a.311264412273674.71937.311261682273947&type=1
—————–

#254
Large turnout? Where?
Kafrhabel 800, Ari7a 300 and Waer 400.

Memo To: ANTOINE

RE: “…Besho and his lisp…”

Careful, dude. I hope you’re not calling our glorious President a faggot…

Antoine

30,0000 is with the suburbs.

No church or priest or bishop or dickon support Wahhabi movement. In qamishli demonstrations the same 3 Christians go and have Assyrian flag with them in front of the mosque ( I know them by name), all Assyrians in qamishli call them idiots, they are probably the only ones supporting this.

In addition to abdulahad stepho (SNC), their strategy is just in the 3% chance that this uprising will win we want part of the cake.

Afram

What do you expect from Taliban to promote? Liberty and Freedom?

Check out what the other guy is promoting in #219, yet, he is not even a Syrian and never been to Syria, I guess his hatred is eating him from the inside…

“I wouldn’t be too displeased with that though,”

Irritated

5000? You are very generous, they are no more than a 1000 with Alqaeda flags leading them.

JAD,

What connections do you and your family have with the regime ? What stakes do you have ?

I always maintained that the poster Ghufran is not completely balanced though many people think he is. His latest comments about Bahrain and Saudi reflects his wishful thinking syndorme.

To think Bashar is going to win and somehow the protestors in Bahrain, who till this day have failed to seriously even worry the regime and who get killed by teargas rather than shells, will topple the regime, is not only evidence of juvenile wishful thinking but betrays his real feelings : much more hostility to the GCC rather than the regime who brutalizes his own people.

The Arab Spring is about survival of the fittest – Libyans won, Egyptians lost, Yemenis lost, Syrians are still on, Bahrainis failed to even make a mark.

Of all the Arab spring countries, it is only in Syria that there are still failr large and numerous protest rallies coming out in all major cities, towns and villages, not only on Fridays but even on weekdays, and it is only in Syria where the revolt has spread to the greatest geographical extent.

In Bahrain and KSA, the protestors lack physical courage and tenacity, we have seen that, how easy it is too disperse them just with teargas and batons and birdshot, how easy it is for the regime to arrest them, brutalize them using the minimum of force, what can you say about people who die from teargas rather than bullets. The fact that even incompetent GCC has been able to crush them attests to how effective these protesters are. Sure there will be escalation in the coming days, but it will be very easy for the Government to crush them. Anybody who thinks Bahrain is going anywhere is thinking wishfully, sorry for being rude Ghufran , bursting your bubble , and revealing your true sympathies. You will probably be more happy at Bahrain regime toppling than with a change of regime in Syria.

According to the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics (CBSSYR.ORG), Maarat al-Neuman, مرآز معرة النعمان , had a population of 150,000 in year 2004. According to WORLD-GAZETTEER.COM it had a population of 84,000 in year 2010. According to CITYPOPULATION.DE it had a population of 58,000 in 2004. I must presume the CBSSYR figure is correct but it is probably using a wider definition of the city boundaries.

The following is a video of today’s anti-regime gathering in Maarat Al-Neuman. I say the crowd size is “not large” and I say it is “small”. Antoine #254 says it is “large”. If this crowdsize is what the anti-regimers consider large, then they are either badly in denial or they are badly without ambition in respect of crowdsize. Call it “large” or call it “small” you cannot down the regime with this kind of crowdsize in Idlib province: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgoV3MddbwU

The turnout in Kafranbel today was smaller than it has been in the past, both the now long-distant past and the more recent past. I did not bother to look at turnout in Ariha, Marrat Misreen, today. What happens in Idlib province is ultimately of no consequence, when it’s confined to Idlib.

Syria II

[+ Published on Apr 20, 2012 by Rys2sense

What really going in Syria and why.

A viewer [Itsinheredotorg] made the visuals to which I added some of my own maps. The audio is form my earlier video.]

How do you think the crises is going to end,

1} Divided Syria

2) The government wins by force and continue the same system

3) The government wins and impliment the reform it is talking
about.

4) The opposition wins and show maturity by not seeking revenge and allowing all to play politics

5) The opposition wins and seeks the ultimate revenge by implementing ethnic cleansing and pushing the Alawat out of the cities and directing them to the mountains.The Christians will be included in this one one way or another, they might be forced to leave the country as they can not protect themselves’

6) The opposition understands that they can not win and that nobody can be trusted to help and that everybody is useing them, so sit withe government to set the System that Syria needs to have a better Syria withe guarantee that president Assad will not run and will not accept the nomination of any party for the election of 2014,

I am looking forward to your crystal balls.

What fatigue?  Large demonstrations and nice songs!   Click on the Guardian blog and enjoy.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/20/syria-crisis-bahrain-unrest-live?newsfeed=true#block-22

1.49pm: Syria: Some of the largest demonstrations for weeks have taken place across Syria, according to video footage from activists.

This was the scene in the Damascus suburb or Douma.

Similar numbers appear to have taken to the streets of Aleppo, according to this clip.

Smaller, but still significant protests, were filmed in Kafranabel, in the north west, and Hama and Homs in the centre.
 

Russian Reversal: Flip on Syria before Syria flips on you

4/20/2012

[Selected quote]

While Moscow may believe that it is merely protecting its interests which are under siege, its strategy is also based on a bluff. It assumes that Assad, with its help, will survive and that the various external threats to intervene will never occur. But, what happens if its bluff is called? What will Russia do if the Turks create a large, “humanitarian buffer zone”, as they have threatened, or if some U.S.-European-NATO conglomerate generate no-fly zones, which would necessitate the destruction of those Russian-supplied anti-aircraft defenses, or if, through Arab funding and arming of the rebels, the Syrian army continues to suffer massive defections and slowly but surely runs out of money, arms, and the will to fight? Does Russia have a plan B? Would it, or could it, truly obstruct those moves? Moreover, even if Assad were to survive, it will take years before the capacity of the Syrian state and economy will return to pre-2011 levels, making it unlikely that it will be a useful Russian vassal.

Russia would have much to gain if it flipped on the Assad regime now………

Read more:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markadomanis/2012/04/20/russian-reversal-flip-on-syria-before-syria-flips-on-you/

Antoine,

I despise them as much as any other Syrian, but the other side is making me sick for all the immoral tricks and hate they are spewing in the society, I don’t trust them at all.

To be an anti government doesn’t give anybody the right to sacrifice the State and all the Syrians for chaos and to become partner with the Syrian people’s enemies the way we are seeing, or to keep calling for occupation and using the filthiest filth this world have to kill Syrians in the name of ‘terror’.

Almost 14 months since the uprising start and the opposition political ‘leaders’ didn’t come up with a single national and rational plan that is applicable, and that can bring Syrians around it.

They turned the Syria into hell, the poverty they forced over the average Syrian abou a7mad is pure evil, the sectarian strife they create in our societies is disgusting, the crimes committed under the name of the ‘rebels’ by terrorists are unimaginable and to make it worse the opposition radical ‘leaders’ defended them for no reason.

Those opposition leaders are the ugliest image of any ugly regime the Syrian can see, and the disaster is that they are keep going in the same exact wrong direction without even a try to fix or use logic to unit Syrians around the right cause, where is the slogan of ‘dignity’? nobody is saying it anymore, they replace it with meaningless shouting and cursing that will get them nowhere.

Why let criminals to hijack this movement? For what did all these Syrians die then? Definitely not for Nato occupation like ‘Iraq’ as you previously support and wanted to see.

You are not Syrian and you will never ever have the same feeling Syrians have toward their land, you will never understand the feeling when we see our National Flag or the National Anthem or the long and hardship times we went through for supporting every resistance movement in this filthy Arab world.

I will never ever sell my country for the unknown and I’ll never ever believe that colonial powers want the best for us, we already know that they hate our Independence and what they want is political revenge and to support our enemies, so any Syrian who puts his/her hands in the hands of our historical enemies and occupiers are traitors to all and every Syrian.

To hell with this hijacked revolution, it stinks with treason.

213. Afram said:

Yes Pakistan has many problems but it isn’t a tyranny. There is at least some hope in pakistan in Imran Khan at the next election.

People talk about how the interfering GCC nations aren’t exactly democratic. Put democracy to one side. Can we say these countries are cruel like the Assad regime? Gaddafi, Mubarak and Ben Ali were bad but even they weren’t as cruel as this regime. In terms of cruelty this regime is on another level.

What was the name of the syrian female activist who while under arrest was told by her captor that what was hapenning in Libya was nothing compared to what would happen to regime opponents in Syria?

Most muslims, as well as most people, have problems in their own countries and only take a serious or active interest in foreign situations when they reach a certain level. So yes, other countries are not perfect and have issues but that doesn’t mean non-Syrians cannot support the oppressed people of Syria.

Putin Pins Hope on Syria Cease-Fire to Combat U.S. Supremacy – April 20, 2012

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-20/putin-pins-hope-on-syria-cease-fire-to-combat-u-dot-s-dot-supremacy

Vladimir Putin is counting on a diplomatic victory in Syria to assert Russia’s influence in global foreign policy as he prepares to return to the Kremlin, analysts and former diplomats from Moscow to London said.

As the U.S. and Gulf states demand Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad step down, Putin has shielded a regime that is Russia’s biggest Middle East ally and buys 8 percent of the country’s arms exports. Russia accused the West and its allies of sabotaging a cease-fire brokered by Russia. Qatar and the U.S. have expressed skepticism about United Nations envoy Kofi Annan’s efforts to broker a peace agreement backed by Russia.

[…]

The Annan process.

Some benefits for the regime:

– Gives his troops a rest until the next military phase.

– Keeps his supporters, but particularly Silent bloc and fence sitters, on side. Shows them the regime is trying to resolve this and gives them further excuse to remain with the regime or at least silent.

Imagine this. Assad can say to the likes of Mufti Hassoun or Sheikh Buti that he is trying alternative approaches to solve the crisis, forcing them to reluctantly bite their tongues and hold back any complaints or disillusionment.

– It gives Assad legitimacy that the international community is engaging with the regime and not ignoring it.

– If the ceasefire holds into May then maybe the upcoming ‘elections’ may actually take place, with the regime claiming wider participation and ‘reform’ in action.

The following is an anti-regime protest video in the town of Kafr Nabl on 17 Apr 2012. In the crowd there is a big banner saying in English language: “UN! Take back your dumb Don Quixote’s: they are not better than the Arab League’s ones.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aYDkIfcFM6M#t=11s

Syria’s foreign minister Al-Moallem said a couple of days ago (quoted at SANA): “There is a lack of objective media coverage of the events [about Syria in the foreign media]. More than 70 international and Arab channels are distorting facts, and this biased media is part of the conspiracy against Syria.”

Now, the main reason why Syria and Russia, and other real friends of Syria, want a UN observer mission to be in Syria today, and why they wanted the Arab League’s observer mission last December, is that the Western and most Arab news media have failed to see and report the objective reality. There is such as thing as objective reality. The foreign media have spectacularly failed to deliver it.

The mission of the UN observers is to observe the reality, objectively. At least that’s the Syrian government’s idea of what their mission is. It’s no surprise that the protesters don’t welcome it. Western and most Arab media reports about Syria are built on a foundation of bigotry and prejudice that favours the protesters in the foreign mind and exacerbates the ill-informed and unjustified moral support the protesters receive from foreign sources.

#262 Tara

Sorry, there is nothing ‘massive’ about the reported demonstrations, despite the repeated call by the SNC.

I sincerely doubt that by next friday they’ll reach the magic number of a ‘million’. Davutoglu and others are wrong again when they predicted that when the observers will be present, a Tahrir square of ‘million’ protesters would happen in Syria.

It is obviously dwingling, fatigue, despair or coming to terms with the political reality.

265. Uzair8 said:
213. Afram said:

Yes Pakistan has many problems but it isn’t a tyranny. There is at least some hope in pakistan in Imran Khan at the next election.
=====================
hope in pakistan??!!!??
isn’t a tyranny!!!tyranny by the people of pakistan

Z-Man Sir Salman Rushdie on Islamist Imran Khan

http://youtu.be/1K1A0OXu5uw

#261 Norman

I opt for 6) but it will take time

Bronco,

I have heard this in commentary from the regime supporters every single Friday since the beginning of the revolution. I remember spending many many Thursday nights in my bed tossing and turning worried that no one demonstrates the following morning. My concern was always baseless yet the mnhebaks never failed to willfully underestimate the size and the impact wen when they were literally massive. Most of the activists are now jailed yet new generation is probably in the make. 57 were killed by Batta today. Would the blood of the 11,000 go in vain? May be…I am slowly losing my trust in divine justice. And if so, I will never see Syria again…

One more opposition frustration:
Bahrain Formula 1 and Egypt massive demonstrations against the army are stealing the headlines.

Homs opposition say they want the observers, while “one group of anti-Assad protesters in the city of Kafranbl say: “UN take back your dumb Don Quixotes, they are not better than the Arab League’s ones.”

Turkey: The odd man in – Apr 21, 2012

http://atimes.com/atimes/China/ND21Ad02.html

Erdogan abandoned his policy of engagement with Assad and joined the chorus calling for his ouster.

In Syria, however, no foreign intervention has materialized out of the expressions of Western and GCC outrage, Assad is still in Damascus, and Turkey, instead of basking in another deft “right side of history” Arab Spring maneuver, is now locked into an agenda of confrontation with a desperate and rather resourceful neighbor.

Turkey has not cut its losses by exploring rapprochement with the Syrian government; instead it has emerged as the patron of the feckless (the Syrian National Council – SNC), the reckless (Free Syria Army – FSA), and the opportunistic (Friends of Syria).

Erdogan seems to be intent upon digging a deeper hole for Turkey with his mouth, talking up the horrors of the Assad regime so that reconciliation will be politically impossible for him.

[…]

Col Pat Lang has a post on his blog Sic Semper Tyrannis entitled:
Assad’s options – it is short and worth reading and I’d be interested in the reaction of others on this site. Here’s the link:

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2012/04/assads-options.html

Col Pat Lang has a post on his blog Sic Semper Tyrannis entitled:
Assad’s options – it is short and worth reading and I’d be interested in the reaction of others on this site. Here’s the link:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2012/04/assads-options.html

Lang concludes:

… BHO came into office willing to see if Assad really wanted a deal. This was not to be. AIPAC’s “pound of flesh” in the formation of the “hope-change” administration included several representatives of the Zionist set to include Jeffrey Feltman (Asst SecState for NE), Dennis Ross, and various lesser lights. Not surprisingly, these people reported that Assad was “insincere.” Why Hillary Clinton did not see through this is a mystery to me. Then Bibi came to power. He and his neocon allies in Washington made it clear that they were not really interested in Syria or the Palestinians. They wanted the US to prroduce an Israeli friendly regime in Iraq. That failed but they also wanted Iran crippled so that Iran could not challenge Israeli hegemony in the ME. They are stil working on that.

Throughout the Bush ’43 era and into the BHO period the neocons pushed the idea that Westernised “liberals”: and ethno-religious minorities should be brought to power in the region believing that as minorities they were willing to make nice with Israel. An unendingsearch for “good” Islamists took place over the last five years. Discreet contacts were made to encourage them against the “old bulls” like Mubarak. The Arab spring was a direct product of this neocon and academic fathead meddling in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The Syrian Sunni Islamist revolt is a direct result of that effort. What you have in Syria is a civil war bewtwee the forces of semi-westernization on the government’s side and the forces of Sunni Islamism backed by Saudi Arabia on the other. In this struggle. the lefty media (and Fox) have never seen or heard Rebel BS that they did not really love.

What options does Assad have. 1- He can fight through to a total defeat of the rebels, 2- He can surrender to US demands for the end of his government. Arrest, trial and death will surely follow for him and his. 3- He can flee into exile where he can brood until brought back for trial and death.

Which course of action do you think he will choose?

#272 Tara

The opposition made a fatal mistake when they resorted to arms, despite every single Western countries (except Turkey, KSA and Qatar) warning them vehemently that they may loose the revolution if they do. They could have resisted and suffered more deaths but peacefully. Yet they chose to retaliate under the pretext of defending themselves. It went out of control with uncontrollable armed gangs, Al Qaeda, personal vendettas, arms smuggling, military confrontations where a lots of soldiers and civilians died or were displaced.

Turkey and the others made a huge underestimation on the resilience of the Syrian government and never imagined the extent of the support it got from big players like Russia and China. They and Qatar bear the greatest responsibility in the pitiful situation of the opposition now. They have not stopped encouraging the opposition by hosting the FSA, threatening Bashar al Assad of Qaddafi’s fate and assuring the opposition that they will help toppling him.

Then Turkey started to realize it was going totally wrong and that the end was not near. It was overwhelmed with refugees, yet it continued boosting the armed opposition by threatening of ‘humanitarian’ corridors. After the Annan’s peace plan was voted at the UNSC, Turkey is now simply dumping the opposition as it realized its own security is at stake.

It is very clear that Turkey is no friend to Syria, neither to the opposition nor to government. Their interest comes first.

The opposition is now in the cold, weaken and is receiving verbal support from the same ones who drove them to that situation .

Of course it is pathetic that these people were filled with hopes and now they see that they are about to loose and they are fearful for their future.

What the western countries predicted about the danger of armed rebellion has just happen.

I told you folks that i am very happy about one article “DIE ZEIT” has published yesterday. So far they have not published it online, sometimes they do it, sometimes not. To me this is an award winning article, i made an translation, and i hope not all of the award winning style is gone. Its a very long article, the name of the magazine says it all ” Die Zeit”- the time. You all will need some time to read it. I have posted it on my blogspot page, and the article will be on for an week from now. Anyone who wants an PDF of the article in german, please say so, i will distribute the pdf then to the moderator. The author is kept secret for the time being by the magazine for obvious reasons.

http://amana-tours.blogspot.de/

Irritated,

I guess you hit someone’s nerve, he is loosing his ‘coolness’ and you can tell when he starts laughing (lol) and giggling (heheh) for no reason 😉

#236

“I just said that it was a very large rally as far as the eye could see”

Man! you are short sighted, wear thicker glasses so you can see further….’hehehe’

BTW, Tell the terrorists to hide when the wet dream you wished for in #218 of Nato bombard Syria happen, pity that you wont be there to receive the first missile.

What’s going on, is 7ee6an closed or something that all the ‘defected’ ‘foreigners’ are writing on SC today, I hope not.

Bronco,  

Self defense is a human right.  I sincerely doubt the Batta can be ever toppled peacefully, not with his sectarian-based regime.  Please do not jump to a conclusion that the opposition is losing.  We are far from losing….  Our struggle  is against a regime that have demonstrates an unimaginable ruthlessness.  We knew from the get go it isn’t going to be a picnic but we all have come to a stage where we wholeheartedly believeالموت ولا المذلة   

Any how, I found this on Heetan quoted by OTW from Msysaloon blog.  I wish one of the most important people in my life reads it and seriously thinks about it.

On another note, somebody who should know better sarcastically asked me how I can change my politics from supporting the “resistance” to opposing it bitterly because of the Syrian revolution. I say that if the murder of over ten thousand people by a tin pot dictator is not enough to change your politics then I don’t know what will. What is truly astounding is that I ever thought that I had something in common with such people.

I say it now clearly, if your compass for what is right or wrong is some “cause” or ideology, then you are on the way to self-destruction. Dogma can never substitute for reason when it comes to morality.

—/
If you have Dubai satellite, please put it on right away.  Lots of good songs.   The Tunesian Bushnaq is on.  To die for…

Syrian Nationalist Party
Metaz K M Aldendeshe
Chief Strategist

Alawites, the (4) Nussairies tribes are “Mundasseen” into Syrian society. They were brought up to Syria from Iraq and Iran for a specific malignant reason by specific plotting power and for intended purposes that are known to SNP. The sect founder used fakery to win adherents and convince them of his message. Centuries ago, before Edison invention, he used battery operated small bulbs around his body to impress them of his holiness and his source of god-light to the gullible, backward and disfranchised tribes, he also claimed that he lived on the moon as many Alawites elder and sheikh proclaimed.

They are not natives to Latakia, that is yet another fabricated fairytale, like many similar ones around.

All that aside. They have made no positive contributions to Syria, they plundered the nation and brought it down to the lowest levels in every field. Syria is bone dry, culturally, economically, socially, spiritually, morally and in any other ranking category. They deprived Syrians of all human rights, monopolized the government, administration, trade, commerce, army, the economy, the schools, the right to anything and all state benefits. Used the entire nation as slaves to support their clans and rule, they embezzled all public funds and natural resources, the list of crimes are long, very long.. It is inhumane crime to hold the entire noble Syrian nation hostage in the hand of criminal regime sect that is ruled mostly by Alawites.

Why in Lebanon should a similar Militant Shia group who publicly pledges an allegiance to foreign Shia power should have own military and be a state within a state. Why Lebanese should tolerate this abuse to their noble Lebanese nation. Why Shia sects are holding so much contempt to the region people. We need solution, we need real international intervention, not more U.N. mockery. It is just the start… will continue..

During a vacation-meeting last week in Henderson, Nevada, I was asked how SNP can face up to Arabs after calling them all these names. I was so infuriated with this stupid question, the asker go it back from me and ruined his vacation.

I said, the question should be how these Sunni Arabs and Turkmen should face Syrians after having supported Alawites-Shia and Baathist rule over Syria’s Sunnis for more than 40 years. Sent billions to them to keep’em afloat. Arab Sunni contempt to Syrians is even more criminal than Shia contempt for Syria’s Sunni.

At least the Shia somehow with their demeaning character and religion, demented leaders taught them to hate Syria’s Sunni on account of Muwaiwa and Yazid’s Syrian army that “CLAIMS” no prove of that, responsibility to the slaughter of their MAHDI. But why Arab Sunni have this contempt to Syria’s Sunni? Why they have shown so much callous to their suffering and misery, what excuse they have?

I said the rule of engagement from now on with Arabs and Turkmen is this:

لاتعاتبنا علي حكيناه الواطي وما منعاتبك على اللي عملتوه الواطي

@SNK

What Baathists and Alawites did to Syria and Syrians is unforgivable. The list of heinous crimes is too many to innumerate here. It will take few generations and a lot of good will and remorse from both evils for 500+ years to trust again, if ever.

Send Baathists to eternal hell and damnation and Alawites to Iran or Iraq. They should bring back and keep what they stole in Syria so we don’t have to chase them for it. That is the best plan for Syria. As to HezboAli, the same deal, pack up the military Shia and send them to Qom.

Baathists and Alawites sent 15 million Syrians to live in foreign land, they were even extorted not only to pay exit tax, but even annual immigrant tax to the Alawites. Time is up, move on.

The decision is reached last week in a meeting in Henderson, Nevada, LEAVE or will level Syria on Baathist and Alawites heads and rebuild it without the filth.

Bronco,

I agree with you about (6) but i am not as optimistic, i think it is going to be war until the finish by either side,

SC MOD, Not impressed, but thanks for bringing in the quality posts to the front.

UN Security Council reaches preliminary deal on Syria observers

The UN Security Council has reached a tentative agreement on a resolution that would increase the number of UN ceasefire observers in Syria from 30 to 300, the Associated Press reports, citing France’s UN ambassador. Ambassador Gerard Araud said the text of a resolution negotiated over many hours on Friday would be sent to capitals overnight and the council would meet at 11am EDT on Saturday to vote.

[…]

http://rt.com/news/line/2012-04-21/#id29900

On Syria, Russia Resolution Rules, France Jives, US Spins, 300 to Go

By Matthew Russell Lee

UN System, April 20 — How far is Washington from New York, or noon from 5 pm? At the US State Department’s noon or 1 pm briefing, Inner City Press asked spokesperson Victoria Nuland about a Syria resolution introduced at the UN in New York:

Inner City Press: I’ve heard that Russia has actually now introduced a resolution for the 300 [observers], sort of jumped the gun or beaten you to it, and that France is saying it’s going to introduce one for 500. And I just wondered, can you confirm the Russian draft has been circulated? And between the two, which one would the U.S. prefer?

MS. NULAND: I understood from my colleagues in New York, at U.S. Mission to the United Nations, that they were all now working off a single draft, but I’m going to send you up to them for the work that’s ongoing up there.

[ … ]

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin explained to the press:

“This is a three month mandate and I think the process that already started. So the idea is that now the Secretariat and the mission and the Syrian government and the opposition must know that the SC will be authorizing the full-fledged mandate so we hope it’s going to send a strong and good political signal and we hope the people who have been courageous enough to go there with the advanced party will know that they are not in limbo. That they are more people will come and the Secretariat and the Security Council is taking this exercise very seriously… It’s going to be up to 300 unarmed military observers and an appropriate civilian element.”

[ … ]

“the Russian text was a good text. Our goal is limited, our goal is to send an observers mission to Syria, so in a sense the Russian text was a very good text, it was a very good basis, so the amendments that we have brought to the text are, in a sense, really, I think the text will have changed, but not dramatically because again it was a good basis and we want only to send 300 people there, so really… we have to take into account the danger for the observers, so that’s the reason why we are precizing [sic, probably from French, necessary] that the Secretary-General will have to assess the situation on the ground, you know, simply to say ‘well actually, I can send them’ or ‘Actually, I have to withdraw them’ or ‘Actually, I can send them only on some spots.'”

[…]

http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1nuland042012.html

Syria’s Draft Resolution – April 20, 2012

Page 1: http://www.innercitypress.com/syr1blue042112.jpg

Page 2: http://www.innercitypress.com/syr2blue042112.jpg

Page 3: http://www.innercitypress.com/syr3blue042112.jpg
.

#274 Tara

Your notion of “self defense” is over simplified. The Syrian government is claiming it is a acting in self defense to protect a large part of its population from the violence of the rebels. According to your definition, Israel is right to fight the Palestinians in self-defense to defend itself. The US was right to attack Iraq in self-defense. Israel is right to attack Iran in self defense etc…
Self-defense and humanitarian morals are now the new ways to justify aggression and violence when there is no real willingness for patience and diplomacy.

I am sorry, but morality has nothing to do with politics and diplomacy.

In one year, the opposition has shown it is as mean as the regime it wants to ‘change’ and much less united and in addition it will create chaos and irreversible divisions in the country.

Between two evils, it is time to choose the lesser and keep the country united.

I already rarely share your enthusiast for some commenters in this blog and I certainly never appreciated OTW writings nor the blog you recommend. Sorry for that.

Sorry for the lengthy #284, it was an error that I was not allowed to correct or delete. I have asked the moderator to delete it.

Davutoglu snubbed Juppe over the photo op of the mini FOS improvised meeting in Paris

FM nixes French plan on Syria election show

Serkan Demirtaş Serkan Demirtaş serkan.demirtas@tdn.com.tr
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/fm-nixes-french-plan-on-syria-election-show.aspx?pageID=238&nID=18944&NewsCatID=338

Turkish-French ties experienced a new round of friction April 19 after Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu refused to participate in a press conference with the foreign ministers of the Friends of the Syrian People group on the grounds that the event was a “pre-election show.”
..
According to Turkish officials, French President Nicholas Sarkozy wanted to use this meeting on Syria as an opportunity to show Paris’ influence under his rule on world politics by flaunting this before his rival, Socialist leader François Hollande. “They rushed to hold this meeting, and they were very disorganized,” an official said.
(..)

A very good and true article by Sharmine Narwani about the Western journalist unprofessional covering of the middle east and the importance of introducing accountability for what they write:

Western Journalist: Visa Denied
By Sharmine Narwani

Item number five on UN Envoy Kofi Annan’s 6-point plan for Syria is the following:

“(5) Ensure freedom of movement throughout the country for journalists and a non-discriminatory visa policy for them.”

At a delicate moment in the hard-fought Syrian conflict that could potentially destabilize the entire Middle East, the United Nations believes getting more journalists into Syria is one of the six most urgent actions to consider?

Why? Are foreign reporters trained in special “observer” skills – with unique truth-detecting abilities bubble-wrapped in bullet and mortar-proof goop? And what will they see that Syrians – who know Syria best – cannot observe for themselves?

What the UN is really demanding – let’s be honest here – is for the Syrian government to open up the country to “Western” journalists. Yet, in all the conflicts covered in recent years, I cannot recall one that has been more badly covered by the mainstream western media than this Syrian crisis.

Almost to a person, western journalists are blaming their substandard coverage on the fact that they have been denied entry into Syria. And also – to a person – they seem to think that the world needs them there to understand what is going on inside the country.

Paul Conroy, the Sunday Times freelance cameraman who was injured by an explosive in Homs in February, tells the BBC’s Hard Talk that Syrians need their events verified by people like himself and his now-deceased colleague, war correspondent Marie Colvin, in order to be believed:

“It is a sad state of affairs that it does need people to go in…and actually be Western and be official journalists to make it real in the public eye.”

Is that like a Western-journalist-verification-stamp of some sort? Does it come with a guarantee – for accuracy in reporting?

Because, right now, I honestly cannot think of a group of people less capable of verifying things in Syria than western journalists. And it is not because they aren’t physically there or can’t string together more than two words in Arabic. It is largely because they feast at the trough of their own governments’ narratives on All Things. Western journalists are heady with a sense of righteousness leached from the oxymoronic “western values” shoved down our collective throats. Those same western values that demand “accountability” and “transparency” from all nations – while offering cover for western governments to hack their way through Muslim and Arab bodies in endless “national security” wars.
{…}
The Syrian crisis is not about reforms any longer – it has become a geopolitical battle for influence in the Middle East, with NATO, the GCC and BRIC nations taking sides. Western media fails to address this larger picture, so glaringly obvious to people in the region. Instead it focuses almost entirely on the “David vs Goliath” or “good vs evil” themes that appeal to a broad audience of dumbed-down media consumers. These populations in turn become perception “leaders” when they back foreign military adventures in opinion polls broadcast back to us by – you guessed it – western media. And in that neat trick, your western government checks off a tick-box called “citizen approval.”
{…}
Toss those western journos out of Syria unless they can demonstrate independent, objective, responsible reporting of this conflict. False narratives are costing Arab and Muslim lives. And media “combatants” need not apply to practice their craft in this region any longer.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/sandbox/western-journalist-visa-denied

For those who doubt about what Ataturk represents for Turks

Was Atatürk not a dictator?
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/was-ataturk-not-a-dictator.aspx?pageID=449&nID=18926&NewsCatID=411

If you are concerned about media freedom in Turkey, you should not miss the latest case opened against Ahmet Altan, editor and columnist of the liberal daily Taraf: An Istanbul prosecutor recently accused Mr. Altan for “insulting Atatürk,” which is crime that is punishable by up to six years in prison. (Atatürk, for the record, is not just “the Father of all Turks” as his surname-by-law literally means, but also the “Supreme Leader,” the “Eternal Chief,” the “Prime Teacher,” the “Unmatched Hero” and the “Everlasting Sun” of the Turkish nation, as various official texts call him.) But how, exactly, did Mr. Altan “insult” Atatürk? Well, by simply stating in one of his columns that “Atatürk was a dictator.”
..
Sure he was. From 1925 to 1938, the golden era of Turkey’s single-party era, Atatürk had absolute and unchecked political power. He not only banned all opposition parties and figures, but also closed down all civil society institutions, from Sufi orders, to feminist clubs, to freemasons.

And had Atatürk not obtained power by force?

Sure he did. He never competed with his opponents in free and fair elections. He rather relied on arbitrary courts which executed an estimated 5,000 of his dissidents. One of his Atatürk’s prominent political rivals, Ali Şükrü Bey, a parliamentarian, was murdered by none other than one of Atatürk’s devotees. Meanwhile, Atatürk’s most notable political rival, war hero Kazım Karabekir, spent more than a decade under house arrest.
(…)

Diplomatic war in the UN between Syria and the khalijis

حرب «الشرعيّة الدولية» تستعر في نيويورك ضد ســـوريا

الكل نزع أقنعته في أروقة الأمم المتحدة وشمّر عن ساعديه. ليس هناك من فرق بين مندوبي الدول الكبرى وبين الدول العربية المتنازعة. لم يعد الوقت وقت مجاملات دبلوماسية، فعندما تدور المعارك الحربية تكون المواقف «إما معنا أو ضدنا»

نزار عبود
نيويورك | تستنفر رئيسة مجلس الأمن الدولي سوزان رايس حالما تشاهد السفير الروسي فيتالي تشوركين خارجاً من الجلسة تاركاً نائبه مكانه، بعدما كان المجلس قد استمع في جلسة مغلقة لتقرير الأمين العام بان كي مون عن نشر المراقبين في سوريا. تغادر الجلسة على عجل وتلحق به مدركة أنه يخاطب وسائل الإعلام حول الموضوع السوري. لا ينبغي أن تغيب طويلاً عن تلك الساحة الدعائية.

ما أن يفرغ «الثعلب القطبي» تشوركين من حديثه ويعود إلى مقعده في قاعة المجلس، حتى تكون هي على المنبر الإعلامي تختار من المراسلين من يساير خطها وتسهب في الإجابات. وهي التي عرف عنها طويلاً جفاؤها لوسائل الإعلام. تتخلى سريعاً عن صفتها كرئيسة مجلس الأمن الدولي لتتحدث بصفتها مندوبة الولايات المتحدة.

في الصف الثاني، تستمر المجموعة الخليجية العربية في مقاطعة البعثة السورية والعمل على استصدار بيانات وقرارات ضد إيران وسوريا مستفيدة من غياب المندوب السوري بشار الجعفري عن الاجتماعات. السعوديون، الذين ضايقهم الجعفري كثيراً، ولا سيما في الجمعية العامة وفي مؤتمره الصحافي بعدما مُنع من مخاطبة الجمعية علناً، يسعون مع القطريين بشتى الوسائل إلى نزع الشرعية الدولية عن الحكومة السورية ولو بالقطارة.

سعت السعودية عبر وفدها في نيويورك منذ التاسع من نيسان الجاري إلى جعل برهان غليون، رئيس «المجلس الوطني السوري» يحضر اجتماع مكتب حركة عدم الانحياز الوزاري الذي ينعقد الشهر المقبل في شرم الشيخ (7 و10 أيار المقبل) بحجة أنه قدم طلب الحضور.
{…}
وصعدت سوريا من هجومها الدبلوماسي المضاد رافعة سقف المواجهة إلى مقام «الآغا القطري»، حيث تولى الجعفري اتهام أمير قطر حمد بن جاسم آل خليفة شخصياً بالعمل على إفشال خطة كوفي أنان. وكتب الجعفري إلى كل من الأمين العام بان كي مون ورئيسة مجلس الأمن الدولي سوزان رايس رسالة يتهم فيها الأمير القطري بدعم الإرهاب، وجاء فيها، «إن أمير قطر أطلق حكمه المسبق على مهمة المراقبين الذين وصلت الدفعة الأولى منهم إلى سوريا قبل يوم من تصريحاته تلك في العاصمة الإيطالية روما، مضيفاً «إن فرص نجاح خطة السيد أنان لا تتعدى ثلاثة بالمئة» و«الشعب السوري لا يلزمه دعم بالسبل السلمية بل بالأسلحة».

واعتبر مندوب سوريا أن استمرار إطلاق مسؤولي قطر لتصريحات سلبية عن خطة المبعوث العربي والدولي، كوفي أنان، لم يؤثر عليها صدور قرار مجلس الأمن الدولي 2042، حيث استمر المسؤولون القطريون في إطلاق ما وصفها بأنها «تصريحات تخريبية وتشكيكية، سواء قبل صدور القرار، وآخرها خلال مشاركتهم (القطريين) في الاجتماع الذي عقد في اسطنبول، وبعد صدوره في نيويورك».
{…}
واستنكرت سوريا بشدة «سياسات قطر المتناقضة مع قرارات مجلس الأمن الدولي»، ودعت المجلس إلى الاضطلاع بدوره من أجل «وقف دعم الإرهاب من قبل القيادة القطرية والذي من شأنه تقويض مهمة أنان وقرار مجلس الأمن».
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/62669

291. JAD

مواجهة ضد العمل الروسي و الصيني على سورية ! أنا مطمئن ! سينجح العمل الروسي و الصيني ( الأممي ) رغم أنف برميل القطران

the comment is funny, the Duck father…

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3649404431690&set=a.1191561747159.29827.1171830975&type=1&theater

demonstrations inside Palmyra’s famous Baal temple

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3649426792249&set=a.1191561747159.29827.1171830975&type=1&theater

nice message

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3649447952778&set=a.1191561747159.29827.1171830975&type=1&theater

Is is a sign that the Peace plan may work?

Syrian activists: Homs calm as UN team visits

By BASSEM MROUE | Associated Press – 6 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-activists-homs-calm-un-team-visits-103108712.html
…
In contrast, much of Syria was quiet Saturday, activists said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Homs was peaceful for the first time in more than a week.

“Until now I have not received any report of violence, including the city of Homs that was witnessing daily shelling,” said Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory. “It is quiet until this moment, unlike the past day

UNSMIS is born…

http://news.yahoo.com/un-council-reaches-tentative-agreement-syria-001554104.html

The final draft would establish a United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria, to be known as UNSMIS, “comprising an initial deployment of up to 300 unarmed military observers as well as an appropriate civilian component” for an initial period of 90 days.
…
The compromise language in the final text says the expanded mission “shall be deployed expeditiously subject to assessment by the secretary-general of relevant developments on the ground, including the consolidation of the cessation of violence.”
…
The preliminary agreement between Syria and the United Nations on the deployment of U.N. observers says they will have freedom to go anywhere in the country by foot or by car, take pictures, and use technical equipment to monitor compliance with the cease-fire engineered by Annan.

The observers, who report to Annan daily, will have freedom to install temporary observation posts in cities and towns, to monitor military convoys approaching population centers, to investigate any potential violation, and to access detention centers and medical centers in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Syrian authorities, the agreement says.
…
The final text underlines “the need for the Syrian government and the United Nations to agree rapidly on appropriate air transportation assets for UNSMIS.”
…
Meanwhile, diplomats meeting Friday in Geneva to discuss the humanitarian situation agreed to a draft plan that budgets $180 million to provide food, medicine and other supplies to about 1 million people inside Syria. It comes on top of the aid that is delivered to refugees who have fled abroad.

John Ging, who heads the coordination and response division of the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the plan still needs Syria’s approval, particularly the question of how many aid workers will be allowed into the country.

الاستراتيجية الأمريكية تجاه إيران وسورية

Analysis: Assad foes doubt Syria truce but have few options

By Dominic Evans | Reuters – 18 hrs ago

http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-assad-foes-doubt-syria-truce-few-options-175942899.html

“It’s unfortunate that some countries have not fully supported the plan,” said one Western diplomat in the region. “If you say it’s got a 3 percent chance, it further decreases the likelihood of success.”
…
But, like other powers caught up in Syria’s crisis which also include neighboring Turkey, the Gulf states may fail to follow up their strong words with actions, leaving Annan’s ceasefire plan as the only viable option.

“Given the absolute lack of any stomach for U.S. intervention, Turkey’s unwillingness to intervene unless it is under U.S. and European leadership, and the clear signs of posturing from Saudi Arabia but lack of any real follow-up, I don’t see the strategic purpose of collapsing the Annan agreement,” said Shashank Joshi of the military think-tank RUSI.

From Syria’s perspective, Assad may also have a strong interest in ensuring the ceasefire stays in place.

An agreement reached between the United Nations and Syria this week makes specific demands on Syrian rebels as well as the government, effectively assigning joint responsibility for a cessation of the bloodshed.

That marks a diplomatic achievement for authorities in Damascus which have said since the outset of the uprising against Assad that they are battling foreign-backed militants.

[ … ]

لافروف:يجب توفير الدعم لبعثة المراقبين في سورية

دعت روسيا مجلس الامن الدولي الى الاسرا ع باصدار قرار آخر حول مهمة بعثة المراقبين الدوليين في سورية. وأعلن سيرغي لافروف وزير الخارجية الروسي في مؤتمر صحفي عقد بموسكو في 20 ابريل/نيسان في ختام اجتماع وزراء الخارجية والدفاع في روسيا وايطاليا ” يجب ان يلتف الجميع حول خطة عنان وحول قرار مجلس الأمن الدولي الذي وافق على هذه الخطة ، وعمل كل ما يمكن من أجل اصدار قرار آخر بشأن المصادقة على بعثة المراقبين الكاملة التشكيل في سورية . وأكد الوزير على ” ان موسكو تعتقد ان الضروري ممارسة الضغوط على جميع من يحمل السلاح في سورية”. واشار مجددا الى ” ان المسؤولية الرئيسية عن سلامة المواطنين وحفظ الأمن تقع على عاتق السلطات السورية”.
[ … ]

Amir

have you seen this video?

I just love it…

An israeli commercial from couple of years ago for an internet company. at the end it says : in real life its still not possible, but on the internet relationships like that are formed every day. enjoy.

#289 Jad

The presence of UN observers make the presence of journalists on the ground useless and possibly detrimental to the mission as they are all biased by the prejudice carried from their home country foreign policy or their own political convictions.

Instead of having the journalists looking for victims to interview and document the abuses, the UN should call the Syrian government to set up a non political Commission in agreement with the the Red Crescent and the UN where people would come and make their depositions and complaints so as to document the events that lead to the killing of the relatives and destruction of their properties.
Later, corrective actions could be taken like compensation or indictments if the case calls for it. It is necessary to build trust first so people are not afraid to report to this organization. It may be premature to imagine such commission but it is necessary that its foundation are built now under the UN supervision.

News reporting that call for tears and revenge are solving nothing and not helping the Syrians.

Students tear-gassed in clashes with police in Canada

In Canada, riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of students protesting outside a government building in central Montreal. At least two demonstrators and two officers were injured in the violence and seventeen people were arrested. Students are angry at a planned 75 percent rise in tuition fees. They’ve been demonstrating almost daily since declaring a boycott on classes over two months ago, with the government refusing to back down. Citizen journalist Bernard Desgagne says that the situation is getting more violent and that the police reaction towards protesters is too brutal.

The moderation on SC reaches new heights of absurdity. Now it becomes artistic. An artistic censorship. Syria Tishreen Comment with shiny logos of muzzling.
.

Syria stuck between rock & hard place?

[ + Published on Apr 21, 2012 by RussiaToday

More than a year of violence in Syria is said to have killed around ten thousand people, amid concern the country is on the brink of civil war. RT’s Oksana Boyko now reports from the city where the uprising began, to ask people whether it’s been worth it.]

Juergen,

I didn’t know the commercial you posted. Nice.
Here’s another commercial by YES, the TV satellite company. Iranians demand their leaders not to bomb Israel on Monday, because on Monday they watch the TV series “Danny Hollywood”…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2MyoR0-ivU
.

Amir,

thats hilarious, i wish such commercials would show some the absurdity of their actions…

289. Jad said: “A very good and true article by Sharmine Narwani about the Western journalist unprofessional covering of the middle east”

What is Sharmine Narwani, 13 years old or something?

Journalists should not be allowed into conflict areas, she is pompously declaring. Hilarious! Imagine the gaps in knowledge of world history if that was the case.

In particular, she insults the memory of Marie Colvin and Anthony Shadid, brilliant journalists who died in the process of bearing witness to what is happening in Syria. Over the years, both of them made a crucial contribution to the world’s understanding of what actually happened inside certain conflict zones.

And it’s an insult to Syrians to suggest that they should not have journalists allowed in to witness what is happening to them as has been the case in other places for centuries.

Sharmine Narwani, note the name, an armchair commentator throwing Syrians under the nearest bus so she can hiss irrationally about “western journalists” and western everything else.

Another switched-off hypocrite, living a comfortable, safe, privileged and free life in the west, but hurlng childish insults at the west while telling people trapped inside Syria what’s good for them.

Bronco

“I already rarely share your enthusiast for some commenters in this blog and I certainly never appreciated OTW writings nor the blog you recommend. Sorry for that.”

You didn’t like Why-Discuss?! How could you?

And I also do not share your enthusiasm for some commenters on this blog especially the girl ones. Sorry for that too.

Abdel Razak Tlass shows UN observers an badly hit national hospital in Homs.

the brutality and corruption of the Syrian regime is old news, very few will argue against a regime change and the people’s right to have a more free and democratic political system, however,many people ignore the eleohant in the room: Thuggery. Whether you like the regime or not,you have to be really worried about where the society is going when one of the safest countries in the world became, rather quickly, a hotbed for assassins, thieves, smugglers, kidnappers and common thugs.

The usual “Shabeeha” charges to explain every illegal and thuggish act in Syria may be comforting to some but it does not tell the truth: you can not expect a third world country with miilions of poor, uneducated and marginalized people to suddenly behave in a civilized manner in a crisis just because a regime change is on the table.

Thuggery is not an excuse to preserve the regime but it should put pressure on sane people to abandon violence and seek a political settlement before Syria becomes too broken to fix.

a 17 year old dude will rule Jordan if something happens to the half irish king of Jordan while travelling abroad:

http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=latest\data\2012-04-21-14-55-48.htm

I did not plan on commenting on issues like “who did what”, because I understand how violent and deceitful the regime and many of its adversaries are, but is it not the FSA that was bragging about “liberating” the same hospital Tlas is now crying over?

Nurses from that hospital were brutally killed and vidoes and pics declaring the victory of the FSA over a hospital filled the internet.

Take the shame factor away and you can do anything.

Randa Slim on Syria:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/20/opinion/slim-syria-uprisings/index.html?hpt=imi_t4

Randa argues in favor of strengthening local revolutionary councils, but those councils have so far failed to attract the same people who have resisted toppling the regime for fears of reprisals, islamist domination, chaos or a mix of the three.

From AJE Live Syria blog:

2 hours 14 min ago – Syria

Syrian activists said that columns of smoke rose from the Mezze military airport in Damascus after hearing a huge explosion in the area. The blast was followed by heavy gunfire inside the airport.

Activists reported that security forces closed Sumaria road near the airport and blocked access to and from the capital, as police vehicles were seen rushing towards the fighting.

Mezze military airport hosts air force and defence divisions and an intelligence brigade.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/syria-apr-21-2012-1734

UN System, April 21 — After Russia on circulated a draft resolution to deploy 300 military observers to Syria, and France then followed with its own draft speaking of human rights — which it opposes in the pending Western Sahara resolution — the US State Department told Inner City Press it believed there was only one draft.

And soon that became true: France dropped human rights, and the call for “independent” air asset the the threat of action under Article 41 of the UN Charter if the Assad government does not comply.

And so on Saturday morning, after the surreal read out of a statement on the coup d’etat in Guinea Bissau, the Security Council adopted the Russian introduced draft, now with further co-sponsors, by a vote of 15 – 0.

Russia’s Ambassador Vitaly Churkin spoke first after the vote, saying that the Libya model is a thing of the past. Indeed. France’s Gerard Araud spoke next, bloviating about things dropped from the resolution, such as the possibility of sanctions.

Ironically, the Guinea Bissau Presidential Statement explicitly mentioned the possibility of targeted sanctions. But it came out of the Syria resolution. And so it goes at the UN. Watch this site.
http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1hrus042112.html

309. ghufran said:

1-the brutality and corruption of the Syrian regime is old news.
2-however,many people ignore the eleohant in the room:
3-where the society is going when one of the safest countries in the world became,rather quickly, a hotbed for assassins.
==========================
great questions ghufran.
Elephant in the room:why the syrians steadfastly ignored the khalijee elephant in the room?we know he is a foe not a friend.

at this stage the syrians are the”ball”not the ballplayers.

NOW, the regime is playing ball with the khalijees, damn, he is good at it.

majority of syrians plus western Gullibility like UN wives are ignorant& ill-advised about the region historical ballgame.
its true all syrians want freedom and corruption free governing.

but the gulf ZIFT Sahara has something else on their mind, Damascus.

why Damascus? coz they lost Baghdad/its sunni-shia thing.

They lost Abbasid Caliphate capital Baghdad to Shia so they like to Reconquer Umayyad Caliphate capital Damascus from shia control!! This is the ball-game..not freedom

It doesn’t take a lot, really, to figure this out.
Poor Qatari-saudi train has been derailed by Assad Mechanics

Burhan & co.are just window-dressing!

It is almost the fiftiest time that al Jazeera reports explosions and defections in this Mezze military airport. How many stones remain?

#306 Tara

Sorry but I missed Why-discuss’s comments as I think he left before I discover this blog. I meant the others I don’t want to name that you keep praising.
Then don’t mix approval with enthusiasm.

314. Mina

Maybe there is infighting in the military/security/intelligence services at that location? It won’t help loyal Assad troops if they hear news of trouble back at base. A very dangerous scenario as the military bases and airports etc are vulnerable while troops are spread elsewhere across the country. Assad regime already has its hands full in this ‘hit-the-mole’ campaign without having to deal with trouble breaking out out at base. It doesn’t have enough loyal forces.

Bronco

I know that. I was just playing…

Why left long time before your arrival, specifically on July 21 last year. You’d love him…, I think. Ironically, he was a staunch regime supporter…

ملك الرمال – نجدت أنزور
http://youtu.be/ul64kQJ__l4

المركز السوري للتوثيق http://www.facebook.com/doc… | http://www.documents.sy | info@documents.sy | المركز السوري للتوثيق 2012
مقابلة مع المخرج السوري نجدت أنزور يتحدث فيها عن فيلمه الجديد ملك الرمال ويتطرق أنزور خلال المقايلة للعلاقات السوري السعودية حيث يؤكد أن الفيلم لا علاقة له بالوضع السيئ بين البلدين ويؤكد أنزور على أن موقفه ثابت وداعم مع الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد والحكومة السورية
In an Interview with Syrian director, Najdat Anzour, he talks about his new movie King of the sand. Anzour talks about Syrian-Saudi Arabia relations, where he confirms that the movie has no relation with the bad situation in both countries. Anzour confirms again that he is fixed in attitude and position, supporting the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian government as

Perhaps the UN Monitors can pop down to Mezze airport to see what’s happening there?

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/04/20/Syrian-civil-war-prospects-worry-Moscow/UPI-34611334940778/

Syrian civil war prospects worry Moscow

MOSCOW, April 20 (UPI) — The crisis in Syria is either headed toward political negotiation or toward full-blown civil war, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said there were serious questions about the sustainability of a Syrian peace plan. An April 12 cease-fire appeared to hold, though violence is reportedly escalating in the country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday there were “violations and provocations” to the cease-fire and warned the country was headed toward serious crisis if both sides refused to lay down their weapons.

“The issue in Syria now is the choice between a transition toward peaceful, nationwide talks or a descent into civil war,” the ministry said in a statement cited by Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, during a Friends of Syria meeting in Paris, accused the government in Damascus of trying to wipe the rebel city of Homs “off the map.”

Some governments accuse Damascus of war crimes in its assault on opposition groups inside the country. The Syrian government, however, maintains its fighting a rebellion.

“The shelling of Homs and other cities must end, immediately,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said in a statement. “The government must pull back its troops and heavy weapons from the population centers, immediately.”

[ … ]

Лавров, засунуть этот план Аннана в задницу.

Can someone please translate the article in the link below to or discuss its details here in English and or Russian. This article about the ongoing Alawites control and corruption in Syria, as we speak. This is from Communist Al-hakika website, it detail the ongoing trashing and bad faith Assad Baathist corrupt regime is implementing under the KofiAnnan U.N. plan. This is why what Ambassador Rice said of not renewing the deal in 90 days is not acceptable to Syrians, it should be 9 days only.

Here is the link to the Arabic article:

http://www.syriatruth.org/الأخبار/أخباروتقاريرأخرى/tabid/94/Article/7193/Default.aspx

Alan,

Sure they’ll soon help the Turks build a wall around Hatay… Birds of a feather flock together..

#309

Thuggery=the Assadist regime.

The videos of Assad’s soldiers insulting and taunting corpses just don’t stop. I think they are meant to send a message to the opposition of brutality they should expect even after they die, and the sectarian language is to lift the spirits of the we-love-you crowd.

Graphic images of business as usual for Assad’s soldiers.
http://youtu.be/XNkqgfO8Fd0

Will the Syrian military ever address this behavior and at least put on a show of accountability? How about a confession and apology on Syrian TV? Of course not. This is what Assad’s military is all about – regime supporters see these thugs as heroes and expect the opposition to accept their rule and label those who don’t as traitors or terrorists. The soldier did call one of the dead men a 3ar3our, which we all know is a sub-human species that must be annihilated…

317 Uzayr
I have stopped watching al Jazeera around June 2011 and by then they had already announced this infighting and defections half dozen of times. Since them I have read it here now and then. They sound like an old record. Maybe it’s because they need to feed their so called live blog with something in the absence of news?

Those are 5 of the ‘civilians’ killed in Syria, it turned out that they are 5 Tunisian alqaeda fighters and the ‘revos’ add them as civilians in the martyrs’ list….this is why the UN is not filtering the names anymore, they are only interested in the numbers…and they want us to believe their findings:

بالفيديو – مقتل 5 ارهابيين تونسيين على الاراضي السورية

http://youtu.be/zGu3dyfu0VY?t=2m9s

“مقتل 5 ارهابيين تونسيين ” مجاهدين ” على الاراضي السورية …. في ادلب … خبر سمعناه وتناقلته الكثير من الصفحات على الفيس بوك … ولكن اتينا لكم بالدليل المؤكد بالفيديو . وسؤالنا لأولئك الذين يشككون في تسلل عدد من المسلحين العرب والاحانب الى سوريا لتأزيم الوضع في سوريا … وقتل اخوانهم السوريين هل لديكم الشك ؟؟ … في عدم تسلل مليشات مسلحة عربية وغربية الىى سوريا ؟”

[ Published on Apr 21, 2012 by Syriantruthst2
Syrian Truth | Truth Syrian https://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Truth ]

325 MINA said:

“Maybe it’s because they need to feed their so called live blog with something in the absence of news?”

I don’t know. User’s on AJE blogs are accusing moderators of giving free reign to ‘spammers’ to disrupt comment on the blogs. Apparantly at least one leading pro-revolution blogger (probably the main blogger on Syria) has been banned and others seem to have left in protest.

Don’t know what is going on.

The Syrian electronic army (or similar) may think they are succeeding in disrupting comment on Syria but the users, and silent readers on AJE blogs and the rest of the world can see their behaviour and it will backfire.

UN Security Council votes to send 300 observers to Syria
http://rt.com/news/un-security-council-monitors-syria-635/

Tony Karon believes that political opposition is a bigger threat to the regime than armed rebels: http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/04/03/syria-as-his-adversaries-scramble-for-a-strategy-assad-sets-his-terms/
Thugs and armed rebels are a bigger threat to the society than to the regime. Their acts make is much harder to unite Syrians against the noble goal of a regime change.

Terrorists in Hama killed 5 members of the same family leaving three kids alone without any help.

مجزرة قام بها الإرهابيون بحق عائلة بحماة 19 4 2012

http://youtu.be/E4H1L_hXLik

Shhhh, keep quiet, this is Bahrain not Syria:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/apr/21/bahrain-protester-death-video

The Syrian soldier’s actions is bad and disrespectful and this kind of actions need to be rejected by the Syrian government and the Army publicly, and the Syrian soldiers need to be trained not to do such actions.

Saying all that, I still support the Syrian Army, and I believe that they are our brothers who are losing their lives for all of us.

I didn’t hear them saying anything obviously sectarian as claimed, can anybody point it out, probably I missed something.

Again, what the soldiers did is wrong and should be condemned and corrected by the Syrian Government and needs to stop.
———————————————————

Now, if I may, I have some points to raise about the clip in #325:

Why those men where killed and how?

Nobody knows for sure, but a quick check, we find that the ‘revos’ called them victims of the army shelling of the town of 3lma in Dar3a in Feb 25th, and also claim that the Syrian Army destroyed the houses over the heads of the people living inside:

شهيد راكان فؤاد الحريري

“تفاصيل: تم اقتحام القرية وقصف عدد من البيوت فوق ساكنيها”
http://www.csr-sy.com/index.php?l=2&sons=redirect&id=135&identity=18006

Reality check:

The footage in #325 shows something different, it shows that those three killed men are wearing military pants and apparently killed in the outskirt of the town not inside the town inside the houses the army destroyed over their heads, which means that they were probably fighting with the same Syrian army soldiers shown in the same clip, which explain the anger and disgust language the soldiers use, since if those armed men weren’t killed the soldiers will be in their places as dead corpses.

Another quick search of that incident gives another piece of information,

احداث قرية علما ليوم السبت 25-2-2012
تم اقتحام قرية علما من قبل الامن والشبيحه وقصف عدد من البيوت فوق ساكنيها فقامت كتيبة المهاجرين والانصار بالتصدي لهم واوقعت عدد من الشبيحة وبالمقابل كانت الاسلحه الثقيله هي التي تقاوم الجيش الحر وتقصف البيوت والاهالي حتى خرج بعض الاهالي الى الشارع خوفا من هدم البيوت عليهم و القرية تحت الحصار
13شهيد عرف في بلدة علما
https://www.facebook.com/SyrianRightsCommunity/posts/358899820798725

The link claims that Katibet AlMohajreen and Ansar did fight with the Syrian army and killed some of them but it doesn’t say if they had any casualties, however, a look at the victim list clearly say that only 2 out of the 13 victims are actually civilians who happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time while giving no information whatsoever about the other 11 killed men (not a single woman) which leaves us one option: the victims were actually killed in the fight with the Syrian army, OUTSIDE the town and NOT as a result of destroying houses as claimed.

Erdogan and Davutoglu will go in history of Turkey as the dummiest politicians in the history of the middle east (maybe as bad as Saddam). Regardless of how good or bad the Syrian government is, how can any reasonable politician puts Syria in acidic environment facilitating its integration into states (Kurdish, Alawi and Sunni)

When the same acid is going to dissolve turkey into the same components?!!

Re: Sharmine Narwani’s latest “article” Western Journalist: Visa Denied

In this article she concentrates on just one provision of the UN backed 6 point plan while conveniently fails to mention how the Syrian regime has NOT met any of the other points including the one she is arguing… I digress

“What the UN is really demanding – let’s be honest here – is for the Syrian government to open up the country to “Western” journalists.”

No, what the UN and the rest of the world is demanding is for the Syrian government to remove the cloak of darkness that keeps fuelling the fog of war, which only plays to their prerogative, for as long as free press is not allowed in and given unfettered access this brutal regime can “control” the news outcome, and keep saying everything is fabricated in Doha because these videos are shot by dissidents and therefore their account does not count. Remi Ochlik and Marie Colvin were killed for that very reason.

“And it is not because they aren’t physically there or can’t string together more than two words in Arabic.”

Last I checked she lives in comfortable London, and herself can barely string together a few words of Arabic. Is she talking about herself here?

“Western journalists are heady with a sense of righteousness leached from the oxymoronic “western values” shoved down our collective throats.”

Again rather odd coming from someone that is or at least calls herself a “journalist” and lives in the West… Or is London not a Western city to her?

“Which major western journalist risked career for truth on affairs related to the Middle East?”

There are some that risked their lives which is worth a lot more than their careers, and ultimately died trying to tell the truth. Or are the death of Anthony Shadid, Marie Colvin, Remi Ochlik don’t count, or how Arwa Damon, Paul Conroy, Mani and countless others risked their lives because this criminal regime would not allow it.
How about Nir Rosen a figure that is despised now by the opposition because he was willing to sell out for a scoop and access, does his work in Syria not count as well? I would like to see this so called “journalist” try to embed herself for one day in one of the hot spots around Syria and prove her “truths”.

“”No Syrian Visa” tries hard to distract from the reality that most western journalists never actually go out to the front lines of conflict when filing their stories. Increasingly, reporters are sent out in organized pools by host governments”

Those are called government minders, its why journalist risk their lives to be smuggled into Syria, something this pathetic excuse of a journalist has no clue what it means.

She wonders why nobody other than Akhbar publishes her crap, no Sharmine the Western Media does not want to publish your crap because of a conspiracy but because it is nothing more than crap.

From an Angry Arab correspondent on the ground:

“Developments in Syria

I asked a well-informed Syrian to update me on developments. Here is part of what he wrote to me (I am translating from Arabic):

“Situation in Syria needs a lot of talk…What is important is that life has stopped completely in more than half of the republic and death has visited everywhere. Political life is now completely in the hands of the Russians and the security situation has stagnated and it is pretty bad. Free Syrian Army is a collection of groups drawn from highway robbers, quarter thugs, and a cocktail of mercenaries. The dangerous elements in it are the fighters of Al-Qa`idah, who are well-armed and well-trained. Saudi Arabia has become a major player in the internal Syrian file and the real and public arm of Israel through arming and financing of groups by proxy, and through the control of mosques and some clerics. Army is losing terribly daily (despite its unity) due to lack of preparedness and long idleness. Defection are still small and individual in relation to what is being heard in the media. Syrian Security apparatus (Amn) is who has drenched the country in blood. There were many cases in hot cities and districts where people demanded the intervention of the army and the expulsion of Amn, but things happened in reverse [meaning, Army was expelled and Amn took over], so that developed toward rejection of Army and Amn alike. Overthrow of the regime is now an impossible operation in the foreseeable future, and the military defeat of the Arab right requires a political solution and compromises to cut off lines of military supply.”

[ http://angryarab.net/2012/04/21/developments-in-syria-2/ ]

If someone does not want to believe that the security apparatuses are not easily going to give up their privileges…

Any pro-cadaver/revolution interested in one week vacation in Edlib?free breakfast:

عثرت الجهات المختصة على بئر قديم بموقع الشيخ يوسف بالقرب من قرية أورم الجوز، وعثرت بداخله على 7 جثث متفسخة، وتم انتشال الجثث من داخله، وقد لوحظ على الجثث آثار التعفن والتآكل حتى أن العظام كانت ظاهرة.

وقد تم التعرف على 3 جثث من ضمن الـ7 المنتشلات، والجثتين الأولتين عائدتين للمواطنين المدنيين “رأفت أحمد زركة – يوسف محمد كردي”، وكلاهما من قرية الرامي بجبل الزاوية.

والجثة الثالثة عائدة للمساعد أول “محمد أبرص”، وكان الشهداء الثلاث قد اختطفوا منذ أسبوع تقريباً، وسلمت جثثهم لذويهم أصولاً، وبقيت الجثث الأربعة في برادات المستشفى الوطني في إدلب.

وبالعودة للسطو والقتل، سطت مجموعة إرهابية مسلحة على منزل معاون مدير منطقة معرة النعمان الكائن في الحي الشمالي.
وقامت مجموعة إرهابية أخرى باختطاف أحد عناصر الشرطة من داخل منزله الكائن في قرية تقانة التابعة للمعرة واقتادته إلى جهة مجهولة.

وعثر على جثة المواطن المدني عمران صالحة من أهالي معرة النعمان، ووجدت متفسخة ومرمية على جانب استراد حلب – دمشق في معرة النعمان.

ويشهد الاستراد الدولي في منطقة معرة النعمان انتشاراً كثيفاً للمسلحين والحواجز المتنقلة “الطيارة”، وتقوم هذه العناصر الإرهابية باختطاف المدنيين والعسكريين ورجال الشرطة العابرين على هذه الأستراد.

وأقدمت مجموعة مسلحة على اختطاف المساعد أول جمال عبد الخالق رئيس مخفر قرية راس الحصن الحدودية مع تركيا، وقامت باحتجازه لمدة 10 ساعات وضربه وتعذيبه ومن ثم أطلقت سراحه بشرط ألا يعود لعمله.

سرقت مجمعة أخرى كبلاً للهاتف بطول 1100 متر قيمته 500 ألف ليرة سورية، وذلك على طريق عز مارين – سلقين مزرعة بربورة.
كما اختطفت مجموعة مسلحة 3 عناصر شرطة ومساعد أول وسطت على بارودة روسية من قسم باب الهوى الحدودي واقتادت الشرطة إلى جهة مجهولة.

واختطف المقدم محمد اسماعيل رحمون على مفرق معر دبسة أثناء انتقاله من جرجناز إلى دير الزور.

[ … ]

http://www.shukumaku.com/PDA/Content.php?id=45404

SOD

She might be very well on the regime’s payroll.

Also, the Serjon guy or whatever his name is who writes in Arabic should be very careful in not getting sued in the new Syria for public defamation. It is one thing when a Tara says she likes or does not like Asma, Basma or Samar Yazbek on a blog but a whole another thing when a published “writer” use cheap vulgar language in defemation of “public” figures. All those so called writers will be held accountable in future Syria and better watch out.

Sorry moderator !

They Can’t Stop Building Walls

Israel’s Mental Illness
by FRANKLIN LAMB

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/04/20/israels-mental-illness/

It may be that researchers would want to examine as long ago as the period from the 3rd century BC until the beginning of the 17th century in order to find a regime so frenetically building walls and barriers in a hopeless quest to hold onto stolen lands as we in Lebanon may soon witness in the south of the country. It was back in 221 BC that in order to protect China from the land claims of the Xiongnu people from Mongolia, the Xiongnu tribe being China’s main enemy at that time who sought the return of lands they claimed the Chinese had stolen, that the emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of a wall to guard China’s territorial gains.

[ … ]

The UN observers in Homs city today met with Khalid Abu Salah. As evidence of that fact, here’s a photo taken today: http://twitter.com/#!/dylan_johnsons/status/193744985038917632/photo/1 . In case you don’t know the name Khalid Abu Salah, here’s a 30-second introduction to him that was recorded in Homs on 10 Apr 2012 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDzmp2ySpSU

The UN observers in Homs city today also met with Abdel Razaq Tlass. A video of that was posted above at #308 Juergen. As a supplement here’s a photo taken today of Rezaq Tlass with the UN observers at the Homs National Hospital: http://twitter.com/#!/dylan_johnsons/status/193752319417004032/photo/1

On 2 Apr 2012 the Homs National Hospital was attacked and destroyed by armed rebels. Commenter JAD posted some material about that on this board at the time. The attack was carried out by a rebel brigade called “Al-Farouq” brigade, the leader of which is Abdel Rezaq Tlass. Here’s footage of Rezzaq Tlass and the brigade attacking the Homs hospital on 2 April. Notice that at time 2:18 in the video recorded on 2 April, Rezaq Tlass is seen running with a deadly weapon at the exact same location where’s he’s seen walking today with the UN observers in the above photograph: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=bR8Qlr8ws4I#t=131s

In the following video we have Razzaq Tlass appearing on camera a day after the 2 Apr 2012 attack saying “Al-Farouq purified the National Hospital in Homs city”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLYQ85dOG1I . The truth, I say, is they destroyed the hospital in an act of pure sabotage.

We can say that the UN observers are getting to meet the rebels on the ground. I’ve no problem with that, and I expect the Syrian government has no problem with it either, since we all want the UN observers to be well informed.

However, from the point of view of law and order in Homs city I’m disturbed and distressed that a high-profile wanted criminal like Rezzaq Tlass had the freedom of manoeuver to meet the UN observers at the Homs hospital today. Similarly, from the point of view of law and order in Homs city it’s distressing to me that Rezaq Tlass was able to appear carrying a rifle at an anti-regime street rally in Homs on Friday 13 Apr 2012, as seen in the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC_ECPKrbmc

As quoted by #321 ALAN above, today a Russian foreign ministry statement said: “The issue in Syria now is the choice between a transition toward peaceful, nationwide talks or a descent into civil war.” I flatly disagree with that, because I know the rebels have no intention of turning to a civil political process. Rather, the issue in Syria now is whether the government in the upcoming weeks is going to allow what it allowed to happen in January. It appears to be already allowing it. I’m distressed about that.

It is necessary to hit the rebels with the iron fist of the Syrian army — it’s the only thing that can bring back law and order and civility.

Tara,

It is really pathetic that these so called “journalists” are nothing more than shill artists, resort to name calling and attacking people when someone challenges their shilled and callous narratives, as if their Anti Western rhetoric is enough cover for their BS narratives.

If you are on Twitter read the crap that she writes, attacking every journalist that risked their lives as hacks.

I would not be surprised if this stooge is paid by the regime, who else tries to argue that the death of 35 people is not a massacre.

So, why didn’t the terrorists in Homs kill the UN Observers ?

More to the point, why did the UN Observers trust their lives and safety with hardcore terrorist holdouts in Homs, why did they move about with hradcore FAS terrorists like Tlass ?

Antoine

Alfarook are worse than Almokabarat and Alshabiha:

Memo To: ALAN

RE: “…Sorry, moderator…”

You are forgiven, Alan. Now go and sin no more…

SNK,

You did not answer my previous question…..will Qamishli peole support Masoud Barzani over Assad ?

Also what language do they speak in Qamishli, Bahdini or Kurmanji ?

3 Tunisians killed in Syrian fighting – 2012-04-22

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/22/c_131542680.htm

TUNIS, April 21 (Xinhua) — Three Tunisian nationals were killed by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the local newspaper Attounissiya reported on Saturday.

The three young Tunisian nationals infiltrated into Syria with two others from Tunisia’s southern town of Ben Guerdane in March to join the Syrian opposition in its fight against the Syrian regime.

The families of the victims asked the country’s foreign affairs ministry to repatriate the bodies of their slain relatives, according to the report.

In February, five other Tunisians arrived in Syria through Turkey to join anti-government fighters. Four of the five men were reportedly arrested while the fifth managed to escape

[…]

Security Council changed prerogatives in Syrian crisis – Churkin to RT – 22 April, 2012

http://rt.com/news/churkin-un-resolution-syria-interview-652/

What was troublesome to me in the statement which was made by Ambassador Rice and by some colleagues from West-European countries, even though they supported this Russian draft and the adoption of this resolution, is that they missed an opportunity to send a signal to the opposition. They kept criticizing the government saying nothing about what they expect from the opposition, which is in fact outlined very clearly in the Security Council resolution which they themselves had just voted for.

And all those predictions of doom and gloom, and threats of various plans which are being hatched somewhere, those things are not productive. I think they are distracting from the implementation of the Kofi Annan plan and from the political effort of the Security Council. And they may give ground for some extremists to believe that their cause still has some prospect for taking over the political process which we are trying to see established in Syria.

So, you know, we are not naive. Even though the Security Council voted unanimously today, we know that some members of the Security Council, some important members of the international community, are still continuing to think in confrontational terms towards the Syrian government. Incidentally, one very important aspect of what happened today by the vote of the Security Council in favor of this resolution is that the Security Council has by and large re-established its prerogatives in the Syrian crisis as the international body which holds primary responsibility for matters of international peace and security.

So all those who talk and make statements and convene and gather and discuss various groups of “friends” – or not – of Syria, must also be respectful of Security Council resolutions and must contribute to its successful implementation.

RT:So you are saying that there is definitely a feeling that the “Friends of Syria” are undermining Russia’s efforts, indeed China’s efforts, and of course the Syrian regime?

VC: Well, they are not in line. Not in line with the resolution which was passed today by the Security Council and the resolution which was passed a week ago on deploying the advance group of monitors. And, you know, when they keep piling up sanctions against the Syrian government and say nothing about the need for the opposition to enter into dialogue with the Syrian government , of course it is not in line with the Security Council resolution which we adopted today and of course it is not a positive contribution to the support and the implementation of the Kofi Annan plan.

[…]

#340 Mawal95

I think it is necessary that the UN observers talk to the rebels, even the extreme ones who have blood on their hands. They are part of the problem and part of the solution.

If the observers want to build some trust and bring the rebels leaders to a political process, they would be foolish to exclude them now. In doing so they’ll appear to be on the side of the government and this is exactly what the foreign enemies of Syria are hoping it would happen so they can kick the UN observers out, under the pretext they are biased ( like they did with the AL observers). Then they can proceed with Plan “B”, the destructive plan of Syria to bring it to its knees in front of the USA-EU-Israel grand plan for the new middle east.

I think that the more the UN have access to the military ‘heroes’ of the rebels, the more chance they have to a fair evaluation of their state of mind and report it to Annan, so he can establish some kind of ‘stick and carrot’ strategy with give and take to bring the rebels in the next step, which is the dialog.

I imagine that similar contacts are being established with the FSA in Turkey to unify the rebels demands.

Until now, I think Annan with the help Russia and China has done a good job in calming down the antagonists.

While it is a long and difficult task, full of dangers, I think Syrians, on both side want a stop that, even if they have to make painful compromises.

I can’t read Sharmine’s articles, but sometimes I see her discussing Syria with a (pro-Hezbollah) friend on Facebook. Sharmine sees Al Qaeda, Israel, the U.S., the U.K., France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia as colluding to destroy Syria in order to “weaken Iran a teeny-weeny bit.”

When asked how these supposed enemies have come together, she said “pond scum gravitates to each other in murky water.” Deep analysis, please send this ‘lady’ a pulitzer.

For some people, denying millions of Syrians their basic rights is a small price to pay in order to reduce pressure on an oppressive theocracy or maintain support for an armed, sectarian ‘party’ in Lebanon. Whatever happens in Syria doesn’t matter anyways, which is why they accept the government narrative even though a rational person must reject Syrian media because it lies. (How many different confessions of the killing of Saria Hassoun can the we-love-you crowd accept?)

Others, who love their country and fellow citizens, care about human rights, dignity and freedom for all. The crimes happening in Syria, from all sides, must be investigated by real patriots, not Assad’s soldiers and security forces who spit on bodies and try to cover up abuses, like they did in Al Bayda.

Here is a report someone put together about the (Clock square) protest in Homs last year. http://youtu.be/Cv8WJa28K2U

No weapons, no sectarian chants, which was at the time when we-love-you crowds were all chanting يا بشار لا تهتم نحن رجالك نشرب دم

This revolution wasn’t good enough for Assad supporters back then, and it isn’t now. Peaceful protest was denied from day one and self-defense isn’t allowed either. The Syrian people should suffer, in silence, and wait for a regime that has hijacked the country for four decades to offer reforms. I wonder why Syrians from Daraa to Khirbet al-Jouz aren’t opting for that choice.

Why on tabletops?  

Syria Elite Dance to Dawn as Risk of Assad Overthrow Fades
Thursday, April 19, 2012

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/19/bloomberg_articlesM29Q9J0D9L3501-M2PYB.DTL&ao=all#ixzz1sWHP6Ur3

April 19 (Bloomberg) — Sometime after midnight on a recent Thursday in Damascus, restaurant manager Aziz Asfahani joined friends at the newly opened Bartini lounge bar, where Syria’s elite dine and dance till dawn on tabletops to the thump of patriotic songs.
(………….)

Halabi

“No weapons, no sectarian chants, which was at the time when we-love-you crowds were all chanting يا بشار لا تهتم نحن رجالك نشرب دم

This revolution wasn’t good enough for Assad supporters back then, and it isn’t now. Peaceful protest was denied from day one and self-defense isn’t allowed either. The Syrian people should suffer, in silence, …”

Exactly! The revolution wasn’t good then and isn’t good now. It will never be good no matter what shape or form it aquires as long as it asks for people to claim ownership of their own country..Assad or we will scorch the country.

“send her a Pulitzer”. I like that!

351. TARA

Tara,

I had decided to stop posting on this pro-dictator blog, whose editors (I don’t include Professor Landis) are pro-dictator and biased against Sunni Syrians, BEFORE reading your comments. It’s commentators like you, Tara, who motivate me to keep coming back!

My peace plan for Syria is for the Arab League (without the Sectarian Nuri al-Maliki’s attendance) to meet and agree to supply anti-tank/anti-MIG missiles in order to destroy’s Bashar’s T72/62 tanks and jets that are terrorizing civilians.

Free Syria, Free Palestine! Down with Bashar, Iran, Israel, and Hizballah!

This in my opinion the best piece I read in regard to the media handling Asma since the Vogue’s infamous article up until the “desparate housewives” petition.  Asma was not declared the “Rose of the Desert” back then because she is educated, beautiful, and chic Syrian women, rather because she was considered a “product” of the western culture.  The German and British housewives plea to Asma asking her to instill some sense in her dictator husband was nothing but a covert racism in my opinion.  Asma, to them, is a product of the western culture, albeit misguided, remains a hope for peace by virtue of her being “one of them”.  I, for one, despite my great appreciation of the western culture refuse this way of thinking.  It is covert racism and nothing but…    

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/20/asma-al-assad-syria-petitio

Asma al-Assad as a hope for peace because she wears Louis Vuitton? Pah

In addition to this laughable angle, the piece was packed with declarations of Asma’s “enigmatic” existence: she was, as the piece’s title proclaimed, a “rose in a desert”. The title implied more than simply a painful cliche. Roses are unable to grow in the desert for obvious botanical reasons that hopefully need no further explanation. Thus, Asma was not a “product” of the Muslim or Arab world. Heavens no. She was, with all her class, elegance, education and wardrobe successes, a product of the ever-constant “western culture”. She was, as both the title and feature announced, a sight of beauty in a barren, deadly land. She was not a rarity in the desert, but an edaphological miracle. Yeah. Gag.

….
The sad truth is that when Asma al-Assad is clad in Louboutins and Louis Vuitton, speaking flawless British-accented English, she is the slightly tan-skinned enigmatic persona of “western civilisation”. We applaud her. When she’s a propagandist for tyranny, however, she is simply “misguided” but remains a hope for peace. And we must guide her back to her proper senses.
(….)

I am in the process of sending an email to Professor Landis with my previous messages to make him see why his moderators and editors (who are undoubtedly pro-dictator and pro-Hizballah/Iran) are unfairly blocking my comments because I am both a SUNNI Syrian and anti-dictator!

Russia Draft to Deploy 300 to Syria Wins 15-0, France Dropped Human Rights

By Matthew Russell Lee

UN System, April 21 — After Russia on circulated a draft resolution to deploy 300 military observers to Syria, and France then followed with its own draft speaking of human rights — which it opposes in the pending Western Sahara resolution — the US State Department told Inner City Press it believed there was only one draft.

And soon that became true: France dropped human rights, and the call for “independent” air asset the the threat of action under Article 41 of the UN Charter if the Assad government does not comply.

And so on Saturday morning, after the surreal read out of a statement on the coup d’etat in Guinea Bissau, the Security Council adopted the Russian introduced draft, now with further co-sponsors, by a vote of 15 – 0.

Russia’s Ambassador Vitaly Churkin spoke first after the vote, saying that the Libya model is a thing of the past. Indeed. France’s Gerard Araud spoke next, bloviating about things dropped from the resolution, such as the possibility of sanctions.

Ironically, the Guinea Bissau Presidential Statement explicitly mentioned the possibility of targeted sanctions. But it came out of the Syria resolution.

[…]

http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1hrus042112.html

Thawra Zbaleh!

The mission just started and the terrorists armed gangs are shooting and hiding between the UN observers side

مسلحون في حمص يتخذون من المراقبين “دروعا بشرية”

Jad

الامم المتحدة محايده

I hope so

Islamic revolution in Syria
Our leader forever is our master Mohammad!
George Sabra and Abdulahad Stepho should join this:

When all Syrians are leaders there will be no voters.

No disrespect but how can a “plan” that includes supplying anti tank and anti aircraft be a peace plan? This is like killing poor people to end their misery and calling that “merciful “.

Almaliki is sectarian but he is not much worse than most GCC leaders, expecting the AL to promote freedom and democracy is not different from asking a prostitute to support an abstinence campaign.

Arab leaders, including Bashar,have a lot in common, however, the level of blood shed in Syria and the conflict with iran is what brought the Syrian regime to the front line. How do you think the Saudi regime will respond to a similar challenge to the royal family especially if people take arms?

Call things by their name instead of hiding behind the used -to -death Sunni and Shia cover, the disease is the same and the cure is the same. Violence is a disease and is never a cure.

Revolution of friends of Alaaroor, Alzoahri, HBJ, Sarkozi, Stepho and George Sabra:

Mohammad religion all glory
Jesus religion all dancing!!

دين محمد كلو عز
دين عيسا كلو هز

The crapiest (revolution )in history
We want to say it clearly,we don’t want to see Alawis
بدنا نحكي علمكشوف
علويه ما بدنا نشوف

From the Bloomberg article that Tara linked to in #350.

““They’re frightened that a victory for the opposition means a decade of instability” if rural-based anti-Assad forces lacking economic competence take power, said Joshua Landis, director of the Middle East Studies program at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, who once lived in Syria.

The commercial elite see the opposition as “a disorganized bunch of country bumpkins” who will take over and “stuff the ministries full of their friends,” Landis said.”

To rephrase, businessmen are worried that economically unsophisticated “country bumpkins” will pack the government with friends leading to a decade of instability if the revolution wins, so they decided to back a ruling family (of country bumpkins) who have presided over terrible governments and doled out jobs and agency contracts to cronies for four decades.

Some of the commercial elite Landis is thinking about owe their fortunes to something other than market forces, be it sweetheart deals, exclusive import licenses and plain theft of public money. They know that they can’t operate in a fair economy, and the most unsavory of the bunch who financed Shabiha will probably have to flee, and that’s why they are afraid. Because with or without Assad, Syria will have a lost decade.

Many businessmen I know, wealthy players from different backgrounds in Aleppo and Damascus, are worried about their prospects if Assad stays because this regime will lead to more sanctions and instability. They haven’t joined the revolution for a more basic fear: people who protest or speak their mind tend to get shot in Syria. They just have more to lose than the poor.

Also, there is no comparing the intellectual capacity of the revolution and the pro-Assad crowd. I have many friends who support the regime, but very few of them scored above 190 in the baccalaureate. Those that did tend to support the regime for sectarian reasons. Unless the revolution is literally hijacked by an invading Taliban army, the economy will be better managed in the future by the repressed talent that has always existed in Syria.

344. DALEANDERSEN SAID:
Memo To: ALAN
RE: “…Sorry, moderator…”
You are forgiven, Alan. Now go and sin no more…

you addressed with the indication of my name earlier. and now repeat it! I ask you not address to me! I hope for understanding.

DAWOUD

RE: “…moderators are undoubtedly pro-dictator and Iranian stooges…”

I’ve no doubt your email to Dr Landis will blow the doors off the SC terror campaign of censorship and fascist tyranny. Go get ’em, Dawoud! Hold nothing back…

Any comments about american freedum of informations ?

“Human Rights Has Become the New Face of Modern Imperialism”

04/01/2012

A human rights activist takes a swipe at the United States for its refusal to criticize human rights violations in its client states such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) said that the United States uses human rights issues as a pretext to attack independent states which refuse to listen to its dictates.

[ … ]

No freedom of speech in new Tunisia, the director of a TV channel which screened “Persepolis” last year is now on trial!

http://www.lemonde.fr/tunisie/article/2012/04/20/le-proces-persepolis-interroge-la-liberte-d-expression-en-tunisie_1688451_1466522.html

Tempering Iron Dome: US may spend $680 million on Israeli missile shield
http://rt.com/news/us-israel-military-aid-iron-dome-637/

Such comments can be undoubtedly immediately resolved! whether not so?
Options for U.S. Policy in Syria
http://www.brookings.edu/testimony/2012/0419_syria_wittes.aspx

People who are suffering of minority paranoia should be better outside Syria and the arab world.

This minority paranoid mindset has massacred more than 50 000 innocent syrian cilivians under false pretexts.

Shami, are you trying to say that “There is no such thing as a tolerance problem in the Middle East” ?

While in Bahrain… money is on parade! No comment!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17803310

“Bahrain ‘confident’ Grand Prix will not be disrupted” (Say it loud, some may believe you)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17796833

“Bahrain: Activist found dead ahead of Grand Prix” (Found dead… the police may conclude he died in an accident…)

Mina ,from the begining of Islam with the Umayyad empire and untill the take over by these dictatorial secular military dictatorships ,the islamic civilization has generally proved to be the most religiously tolerant place compared to what was known in other places in the world and in other civilziations ,more tolerant than post-renaissance Europe.

Mina ,the mass murderers that you are trying to defend day and night are the worse killers why are you going to the little Bahrain and forget the huge assadist massacres ?

Because you feel good when assad kills 50 000 syrians who do not share your views.Tolerance you said ? hypocrisy ?

Shami:

Before you call for religious cleansing and kicking people out Syria, would you care to discuss these points?

The legacy of the Ummayyads is foreign to Syria. The Ummayyads are invaders and nothing else to the Syrians. They treated Syria and Syrians like their own slaves and property.

The number of religious squabbles during the era of the Ummayyads is big. The Ummayyads established their rule over the Syrians with the sword, and Islam came with the sword too. There was no tolerance here, I am not fooled. There was never tolerance between the “majority” of “muslims” and the “muslims” from minority group. There was and is hatred and history of violence. Syria is a prime example.

What came after the Ummayyads till the 20th C. for Syria is nothing but foreign occupations and foreigners fighting on the land of Syria.

From the Ummayyads till today and tomorrow, the history of Muslims is immersed in violence and the word tolerance does not exist in their dictionary as facts speak.

The historical events say that there is always one group of “muslims” butchering another group of “muslims.”

Islam became a rubbery term with time. Every group claimed that they are the ones who hold the keys to paradise and the rest are infidels going to hell. Violence between “muslims” against each other is called for everyday. The internet can show you what is written everyday. None can hide this fact.

The majority of “muslims” are from a certain group, but, does this make them right and “true muslims” or more “muslim” than any other minority group?

What tolerance? The Umeyyads one that people remember during Ashura?

The Christians supported the Muslims at the beginning in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, because they had enough of Byzantine colonization, but you can’t really say that the Islamic empire was ever ‘tolerant’, or if it was it was just an accident, because if any ruler decided to apply fiqh and shari’a, bye bye tolerance. Having said that, of course the standards of the Middle Ages were not today’s, but I suspect that if “heretics” as the Zaydis have survived, it is mainly because the rule of the centralized empires and kingdoms never extended too far outside in the countryside and moutain regions.

But what imports more is to be intolerant towards other minorities and religions in the 21th century…

The kind of Islam that the Gulf rulers are showing as an example is to their religion what Nazism was to German culture.

Is it okay for you that Gulf citizens are too rich to assume their own municipal maintenance duties, including the police, for which they have to hire Syrians, Pakistanis, Yemenis, etc ?

You claim that the Asad father and son have killed 50,000 people. Could you come with some evidence?

Could you come with some evidence?

What is the number you agree with ?

Ok go back to you lament for Bahrain.

Mjabali, your approach is not different from that of the zionist, heteredox sects, christian and ideological islamophobs, whereas there is a solid consensus of renowned western scholars on Islam that agree with my statement.

Your views are theirs : (Bat Ye’or and co)

http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/pre-wwOne/Ye_Or.html

I challenged you to give me an exemple of comparable tolerance in other places in the world within the same historical eras.

Anybody who do not feel part of this civiliziation is the facto marginalized and this has nothing to do with tolerance, this is auto-marginalization, it’s your choice.

It’s normal that we are proud of our cultural heritage as muslims, regarding our wonderful civilizational achievements for centuries.

Mina:

Tolerance= kick you out of your historical land into the unknown instead of killing you…

Shami:

Cliche after cliche: please come up with something new.

“Islam” or the majority of “muslims” did not treat many “muslim” sects well at all. There was and is no tolerance from the majority of “mislims” to the minority sects. There is contempt and intolerance. So do you want me Mr. Shami to lie and shove the violence and intolerance exhibited by “muslims” throughout history under the rug?

Call me whatever you want anytime anywhere it won’t change the truth about the connection between intolerance and “muslims.”

Shami,

You are mentioning a new figure, 50,000, while we read in most reports some 9,000 including one third from the army, so I ask you, where do you get your figure from?

Could you apply your discourse to what is going on in Tunisia? A trial because of screening Oscar-selected Persepolis (sooooo blasphemous: attacking the veil and showing even a picture of God, in the shape of a bearded guy, as the young girl figures out).

How are the Muslims ever going to live normally with Christians who think normal to depict God and the prophets, and who may even bow and kiss icons? Either they go through a reform, and accept other people’s beliefs, either they will continue to be ostracized. Tolerant Islam has died with the Seljuqs, the Ghaznavids, the Ottomans, the Safavids, the Wahhabites, the Khomeinists.

People and believers are pawns in the hands of sick-minded people. Don’t ask why they don’t produce art anymore.

Mina:You claim that the Asad father and son have killed 50,000 people. Could you come with some evidence?

why did you erase the father’s death tool in your answer to your own question and btw ,the son is alive and still killing and has all your support.

The number of civilians killed by bashar is already over 10 000 plus thousands of missing people.

Bahrain you said, Mina?

Attacking Aleppo-Alrakka highway is a new milestone for the terrorists, what kind of ceasefire is this? Highways in the northeast have been safe so far, not any more.

The scorpions are all over now:

قالت وكالة الانباء الارسمية سانا إن ” مجموعة إرهابية مسلحة استهدفت بعبوة ناسفة حافلة على طريق الرقة-حلب تقل عددا من الضباط وصف الضباط من إحدى الوحدات العسكرية ما أدى إلى استشهاد أحد العناصر واصابة 42 آخرين من الضباط وصف الضباط”.

وذكر مصدر رسمي لمراسل سانا في حلب أن “الرقيب محمد عبد الحميد استشهد متأثرا بإصابته فيما أصيب 42 آخرون بجروح بينهم 13 برتبة ضابط والباقي من صف الضباط حالة ثلاثة منهم خطيرة”.

ولفت المصدر إلى أن وحدات الهندسة قدرت زنة العبوة بـ 50 كليو غراما مشيرا إلى تفكيك عبوتين ناسفتين زنة كل منهما50 كيلو غراما بالقرب من مكان استهداف الحافلة معدتين للتفجير عن بعد.

من جهة اخرى استهدف مسلحون بعبوة ناسفة اليوم قطارا محملاً بالقمح المستخدم لتصنيع مادة الخبز في المنطقة الواقعة بين محمبل وبشمارون بريف المحافظة ما أدى إلى إصابة طاقم القطار وأضرار مادية كبيرة.

[ … ]

http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_articles&id=5e0d62e40a3a4c024545b4c66bda8b5b&ar=706489147

Mina, as i said that most of renowned scholars of Islam (almost all of them non muslims, arab christians included) agree with my statement on Islam’s empires tolerance (the Ottomans included of course).

Why would you agree with the islamophobs amongst the zionist, christian, paranoid minority mindset, ideoligical anti-islam people and not with the renowned scholars of islam from the best universities in the world? (almost all of them non muslims but christians, jews, atheists, arab christians included)

Who is breaching the ceasefire?

As Syria cease-fire wavers, rebels head back to battle in battered sedan, pickups

A Western journalist who made a rare visit inside Syria confirmed a breach in the UN cease-fire yesterday, as rebels engaged a military convoy.

By David Enders, McClatchy Newspapers / April 19, 2012

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/0419/As-Syria-cease-fire-wavers-rebels-head-back-to-battle-in-battered-sedan-pickups

Rebels here fought the Syrian military yesterday in a breach of a United Nations-sponsored cease-fire that was rare primarily because it was witnessed by an independent journalist who had entered the country surreptitiously earlier this week.
Related stories

The fighting began in this city near the Lebanese border in the early afternoon after a group from the Free Syrian Army, the name claimed by most of the rebels who have taken up arms against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, attacked a military convoy near the city.

Fighters here had said earlier this week that they were respecting the cease-fire brokered by UN Syria envoy Kofi Annan at the behest of Riad al-Assad, a Syrian army colonel who defected and is now the nominal leader of the rebels in Turkey.

The fighting in Qusayr took place as a UN monitoring team visited Douma, a site of frequent clashes between the rebels and the military on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria’s capital.

In Hama, another site of frequent violence north of Homs, antigovernment activists reported two deaths yesterday and a number of demonstrations against the government. They also reported that the military was increasing the number of checkpoints between Hama and Idlib, a city in the country’s north that rebels had held until March and that’s part of the rebel supply line from Syria’s border with Turkey.
The Farouq Brigade

The fighters in Qusayr, most of whom belong to the Farouq Brigade, the Free Syrian Army’s largest group, accused the government of violating the terms of the cease-fire by increasing the number of troops in the area during the past week. They said that shelling, which has been heard and seen in nearby villages frequently since Sunday, was intended to protect the government forces as they set up checkpoints along main roads here in hopes of disrupting rebel movements.

As tanks began shelling Qusayr, rebels here grabbed their weapons and headed in the direction of the fighting. They were obviously mismatched, as they loaded nothing heavier than rocket-propelled grenades into a pair of pickups and a sedan whose windows had been shot out in a previous battle.

“We are still respecting the cease-fire,” said Mohammed Idris, a commander in the Farouq Brigade here. “What is going on now is defense.”
(..)

Mina just agree with this renowned scholar:

Shami can you tell us who did these:

9/11
Safar balak(1.5 Armenians and 250000 Assyrians killed)
Who killed and displaced hundred of thousands of Iraq Christians
Who kicked out,killed,robbed and tortured Alhamedia Christians in Homs.

These are just few…

If you really care about Islam you should be the first one to fight Wahabism which is infiltrating Syria rapidly and turn Many Syrian Moslems into Wahabis.

UN visit to Homs

Photo of Abderrazzak Mohammad Tlass, still alive and well, with UN observers.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/294974_397939233559475_279535285399871_1283190_1432499684_n.jpg

It is another Tlass, Abdel Aziz Tlass who was reported killed a few months ago.

http://www.syriatruth.org/news/tabid/93/Article/7084/Default.aspx

SNK,

The massacre of armenians of Anatolia happened in the last years of the empire ,when the political authority was taken by secular nationalist officers inspired by western nationalist ideologies(same kind of baath,ssnp…),btw they were helped by extremist armenian nationalists when they toppled the sultan.(tashnaq).

The False History of Muslim Intolerance

“destroy all the churches”

1-Sheik Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, declared that it is “necessary to destroy all the churches in arab muslim land.

2-Governor of Iraq al-Ḥajjāj bin yousef,murdered a million plus his jails were full with prisoners.

3-The Orthodox Church says that the al-Qaeda-linked Brigade Faruq is responsible for the “ongoing ethnic cleansing of Christians.” About 90% of Christians in Homs are believed to have been forced out by the Sunni Islamic militia, who are going door to door and forcing Christians to flee

http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=47091

muslims invaded India sub-continent at the orders of Al-Hajjaj bin Yousef, from year 700-1850,muslims killed 8 million indians plus burned down 6600 hundu temples:faithfreedom.org

The Arabian Peninsula:Omar bin alkhatab ethnically cleansed all the christians and jews,then omar was killed by a slave-abu loua’louah,I wonder why!?

muslims began to destroy the Sepulchre church where Jesus was buried..the pope called for a crusade

Omro bin al-as/ burned down Ancient Library of Alexandria,in Alexandria,Egypt on the orders of Omar bin alkhatab
Islam ruined civilazations.. never did build one..show me where?

Afram,the alexandria library had been already burned before Islam.

Your sources are of very low(and old) islamophobic level.
Your orhodox church source is a mukhabarati shoe.
If you can not live within your muslim environment ,and thus only wishing death and humiliation to the syrian muslims ,how shall we consider you?

Brilliant response from Shami woo..you are islamophobic level..that is all ..Afram turn into christianophobic..

So when you have nothing to say, just turn into the islamophobic song.

SNK,it’s obvious ,check your and his sources.

Shami,

I am Muslim, just like you, or precisely, UNLIKE you.

Mali, hostages, Niger, hostages, Nigeria, mass killings, Libya, tribal interfight, Iraq, sectarian interfight, Syria, sectarian tribal fight, Pakistan, sectarian killings… a reform is needed and it won’t come from those idiots on qanat al nas or wesal tv.

When are you going to understand that no matter how heretic your neighbour is, he is a Bani Adam just like you, and your human brother?

I would like to have another term to describe Islamophobes. Islamohate may be? The term Islamophobia appears to be an underestimation of the ugliness of those who hate. Phobia is a psychological disorder characterized by illogical fear. It does not indicate *hate*. People who hate are ugly and the term shoud point to their ugliness. I just like to call things by ots name. I like to *Oversimplify* things. Any suggestion?

Syria Truth cites the Institute for Study of War as confirming the death of Abdel Razzak Tlass. It also labels the study as a “field report.” Both claims are false.

The study mentions Abdel Razzak’s reported death with a footnote: “after days of unrelenting artillery barrages in Baba Amr, Syrian and Iranian state media reported Tlass’ death on February 9.”

Here’s the Press TV story. http://presstv.com/detail/225813.html

Shabiha media celebrated Tlass’s death at the time, called his group the “katakeet brigade” and mocked the “strategic withdrawal.”

This is but a small example of the lengths that the delusional pro-Assad side will go to alter history. Why not admit that the reporting of Tlass’s death and the destruction of his brigade was false? It’s tough to know what’s really happening in the fog of war…

But they can’t do it. Their power is based on feeding Syrians a constant stream of lies, and then killing those who refuse to believe them. And the truth has become clear for others. After months of the indiscriminate shelling of Homs, Assad’s soldiers were able to kill some journalists and hundred of innocent civilians, but couldn’t defeat the so-called armed terrorist groups they were after.

Tara,

Islamohaters is good but I prefer one of these:

Bigots, dogmatist, sectarian, hidebound, and prejudice.

386. Shami said:

SNK,it’s obvious ,check your and his sources.
==========================
Islamaphobia–is a manufactured crisis by muslims to crush dissent

my sources:in America pre-9/11,The number of Islamic places of worship in the United States:1,209 in 2000 then soared 74%!! the overall number of mosques quietly rose from 1,209 in 2000 to 2,106 in 2010.from 1,209 to 2,106 ,folks,is this Islamaphobia?KSA HAS ZERO CHURCHES???

No churches or synagogues have been destroyed in Saudi Arabia since it was established in 1932 —because none are allowed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-02-29/islamic-worship-growth-us/53298792/1

40 Pakistani Christians including men, women and children were arrested for holding prayers in a private home in Riyadh. Needless to say,their prayer-books were confiscated.

Moreover, in the 1990′s, Christian religious services in the American Embassy were terminated at the Saudi government’s request. And even websites devoted to other religions and to religious freedom and tolerance are blocked by the Saudi government.

Freedom House documented how the Saudi government is involved in propagating internationally a “religious ideology that explicitly promotes hate, intolerance, and other human rights violations, and in some cases violence, toward members of other religious groups, both Muslims and non-Muslims.”

In Indonesia, especially in the Moluccan islands, thousands of Christians were massacred and tens of thousands driven from their homes in the last decade alone by Islamist mobs.

In Egypt, Christians face persecution in the form of rapes, kidnappings and forced conversions as well as economic discrimination and restriction on their property and on what they can build.

However, radical Islamists adhere to medieval traditions and laws mandating the Jihad. According to the Dictionary of Islam: conquered by jihad, subjugated people are given three choices:

1) convert,
2) pay a head tax Jizya,or
3) die.

Thirteenth Century jurist Ibn Taymiya, often was quoted by Osama bin Laden, wrote that spoils of war “received the name of fay since Allah had taken them away from the infidels in order to restore them to the Muslims…. [The] infidels forfeit their persons and their belongings which they do not use in Allah’s service to the faithful believers who serve Allah and unto whom Allah restitutes what is theirs….”

This creed dictated that in conquered regions, ancient religious sites be confiscated and infidels banned from using them. Thus, the Dome of the Rock was constructed on the ruins of the Temple Mount in 691 AD., Al-Aqsa Mosque over the Basilica of St. Mary in 712, AD, and the Grand Mosque of Damascus, was built over the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in 715 AD.

In India, the Vikramasli temple was razed to the ground in the 13th Century, and its foundation- stones thrown into the Ganges. According to scholar K.S. Lal, thousands of Hindu temples were destroyed and their stones used to build mosques.

[ … ]

http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/persecution-by-islam/islam%e2%80%99s-religious-intolerance/

Halabi,

“After months of the indiscriminate shelling of Homs, Assad’s soldiers were able to kill some journalists and hundred of innocent civilians, but couldn’t defeat the so-called armed terrorist groups they were after.”

Regimists would have us believe that the FSA destroyed Homs and Syria. All the heavy weaponry that was and still being used by the Assadi Army are filled with fun balls, not deadly explosives.

For example the Homs hospital that some here are blaming the FSA for its destruction. Notice how all of them failed to mention that there was a snipers nest on the roof of the hospital, and that snipers nests are used to kill and not defend. Or the fact that Syrian State Hospitals have been turned into torture chambers by the Moukhabarat, and people have been killed by the security service at hospitals.

History to them is what the Assadi’s tell them it is, common sense be damned.

http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/399480.html

Russia plays key role in swinging events in Syria from confrontation to political result

UNITED NATIONS, April 22 (Itar-Tass) — Russia played “the decisive role in reversing the series of events in Syria from confrontation and violence to the political result.

This idea was expressed to reporters on Saturday by Russian chief delegate to the UN Vitaly Churkin after a meeting of the Security Council that unanimously adopted resolution 2043, based on the Russian draft; the resolution sets up a Mission on monitoring in Syria.

According to the Russian ambassador, Moscow “worked very assiduously so that the Security Council should take the correct road in a Syrian settlement”. “Nevertheless, we are not so na·ve to disregard the fact that there are influential forces which, apart from putting this strategy into doubt, want it to end in a flop,” Churkin said.

He had in mind statements by some countries made at the Security Council that “they have excellent plans concerning the situation in Syria”. In the ambassador’s opinion, all this is detrimental to the Kofi Annan’s plan and peaceful political evolution in Syria, will be pernicious for them and lead astray.

[ … ]

Ma fi shi, Bahrain-style

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/22/us-motor-racing-prix-atmosphere-idUSBRE83K0H720120422

This kind of reporting is why Bahrain is reluctant to allow foreign media in and why the Assad regime kills journalists. Both governments want to escape from truth and reality, but in all fairness the Bahrain monarchy has used a fraction of the violence unleashed in Syria.

Is it even possible that terrorists attack and destroy buildings in Home?
NO, they dont use by olive branches, they never ever destroy any building، school or hospital, they are incapable od doing nothing wrong.

الجيش الحر يقصف مدرسة محتلة من قبل الامن والشبيحة

كتيبة عبد الله ابن مسعود تصيب مبنى في داخله جنود من جيش نظام الاسد

عملية نوعية للجيش الحر اكتساح شعبة الحزب في حمص وقتل 60 شبيح وتحرير المعتقلين 26 2

Snipers? terrorists in Homs don’t do that at all not from civilian houses nor from the streets or roofs.
NO, they don’t even have snipers, it’s all lies:

أبو حمزه قناص حمص عزرائيل الخالديه

لمن يريد مشاهدة القناصات التابعة للجيش الارهابي الكر

Do they ever fabricate and circulate any clips of burning people?
NO, they never do that, it’s all the regime propaganda 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/homs.lccs/posts/380981841924951
Sunday at 16:53 ·

لجان التنسيق المحلية في سوريا – تنسيقية حمص

لاحظنا اليوم انتشار فيدو بأسم جنود الاسد يحرقون جثةناشط في حي بابا عمرو وعلى انه مسرب
بعد التدقيق والسؤال عن الفيدو وخاصة ناشطين حي بابا عمرو اكتشفنا ان الفيدو هوا مفبرك ومزور ومن انتاج النظام السوري وحرصاً على نقل الاخبار الواقعية وحفاظاً على المصداقية اللتي نمتلكها نقول ان الفيدو اللذي نشر مفبرك ومن صنع النظام السوري وهدفه

تاجييج الطائفية والاحتقان الطائفي لدى الشباب الثائر لمحاولة في لأفتعال حرب اهلي
وأيضاً لضرب مصداقية التنسيقيات والشباب الثائر في الداخل والخارج بحجة ان هذا الفيدو مفبرك
وهنا نأتي بالأيضاحات أن الفيدو مفبرك

1. في مدينة تلبيسة لا يوجد شيئ أسمه مجلس قيادة الثورة في تلبيسة

2 ثم عند حرق الشخص فإنه لا يتحرك مع أن قيوده غير محكمة – وحتى لو كانت محكمة فلايوجد ردة فعل قوية

3.نلاحظ ان هناك شيئ يضرب به وعند التدقيق في الفيدو نرى ان الصوت متأخر عن الصورة وحركة اليد وأيضاً لم تعرف الألة اللتي ضرب بها

لجان التنسيق المحلية في سورية تنسيقية حمص

391. Son of Damascus said:

For example the Homs hospital that some here are blaming the FSA for its destruction. Notice how all of them failed to mention that there was a snipers nest on the roof of the hospital, and that snipers nests are used to kill and not defend.

I’m afraid this makes no sense to me. Use of snipers is deployed defensively as well as offensively. For example see:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/71-1/711apxnf.htm#tasks

Another achievement in this wahabophilic Syrian nightmare killing of Dr Issa Mossa at Albaath university,Embryology attending .The only brains which will remain in Syria will be Alaaroor and Alarefi civilizationhaters brains.

‘but in all fairness the Bahrain monarchy has used a fraction of the violence unleashed in Syria.’

Let’s see their reaction when the truly peaceful Bahraini protesters become militarized and the revolution get hijacked by Alqaeda and when they start the killing mission of other Bahrainis and using mortars, RPG, putting bombs in their cities, bombing schools, hospitals, gas pipelines, trains, food trucks, roads, sectarian killing, getting weapons, getting money and support from every media and devil In the world with ‘Friends of Bahrain’ meetings.

Then will talk of ‘fairness’

Dawoud,

The SC moderator is not “pro-dictator and pro-Hizballah/Iran”. You’ll have to trust me on that. I’m against any moderation as you know. But this does not mean that it is OK to smear and tell lies about the person who is moderating here.
.

Dawoud

And he is truly pro-Syria. Trust me on this one.

The snipers at the hospital in Homs were defending scores of decomposing bodies in the morgue and temporary storage trailers outside the hospital from terrorists who wanted to give these dead people some dignity by placing them in the ground… Or maybe Assad’s soldiers were just holding on to these bodies until lord Bashar could drop by to raise the dead.

http://rt.com/news/bahrain-grand-prix-protests-674/

More clashes expected after Bahrain GP goes ahead

The Formula One Grand Prix took place in Bahrain Sunday, despite becoming a focal point for internal protests, and attracting international censure. A fresh outbreak of violence was reported in the immediate aftermath of the race.

[ … ]

Mina

You believe any media report and any YouTube link mentioning the dead in Bahrain, post revolution Tunisia and post revolution Libya but you refuse to believe the same media and the same YouTube links an regard to the Syrian regime’s crimes. Isn’t that dissociated belief system a prototype textbook example of hypocrisy? … I despise hypocrisy and fake indignation more than I despise *hate* itself.

Tyranny in any way, shape, or form is an evil, and all the excuses in the world for it are lame, and don’t make it any less malign.

JNA,

From the link you posted here are the defensive tasks of a sniper unit:

Cover obstacles, minefields, roadblocks, and demolition missions.

Perform counterreconnaissance tasks to kill enemy reconnaissance elements.

Engage enemy OPs, armored vehicle commanders (while they are exposed in their vehicles’ turrets), and ATGM teams.

Damage vehicle optics to degrade enemy movement capabilities.

Suppress enemy crew-served weapons.

Disrupt follow-on units with long-range small arms fires.

Where exactly does it say build a snipers nest atop a hospital for defensive measures?
Or the fact that the snipping of civilians and children is a valid defensive act?

The only reason to build a snipers nest atop a hospital is to kill, NOT SAVE anyone.

Furthermore again from the link you posted:

“Snipers should be tasked to support any unit that is defending a strongpoint. The characteristics of the sniper team enable it to perform independent harassment and observation tasks in support of the force in the strongpoint, either from within or outside of the strongpoint.”

So the hospital is a strongpoint for the Assadi Army, since when are hospitals ok to be a military strongpoint in which to wage war, is it not criminal to use such a place as a military strong point?

Security Council changed prerogatives in Syrian crisis – Churkin to RT
Published: 22 April, 2012, 00:07
http://rt.com/news/churkin-un-resolution-syria-interview-652/

The latest resolution on Syria, unanimously passed in the Security Council, may finally put things “on the right track” in the troubled country, Russia’s envoy to the UN exclusively told RT.

­RT:The Security Council has just agreed to boost the number of observers. Do you think this time around the mission will be a success?

Vitaly Churkin: We certainly hope so.
…
So, you know, we are not naive. Even though the Security Council voted unanimously today, we know that some members of the Security Council, some important members of the international community, are still continuing to think in confrontational terms towards the Syrian government. Incidentally, one very important aspect of what happened today by the vote of the Security Council in favor of this resolution is that the Security Council has by and large re-established its prerogatives in the Syrian crisis as the international body which holds primary responsibility for matters of international peace and security.

So all those who talk and make statements and convene and gather and discuss various groups of “friends” – or not – of Syria, must also be respectful of Security Council resolutions and must contribute to its successful implementation.
(…)

Dawoud !
You’ll have to trust him on that!

What is happening in Bahrain and Syria and the way people look at events from supporters and opponents indicate to me that the conspiracy against the Arab Nation by dividing it into Arab Sunni and Shia and even Muslim Sunni and Shia, what is sad is that the plan is getting the support from Arab and Muslim leaders, It is always easier to avoid being attacked by creating conflicts between the enemy,

Syria says it won’t go the Libya way – 22 April 2012

http://twocircles.net/2012apr22/syria_says_it_wont_go_libya_way.html

Damascus : Amid mounting international pressure, Syria Sunday asserted that it will not allow itself to be invaded like Libya and rubbished the opposition as a rag-tag collection of Al Qeada elements and rank criminals who are supported by the West in league with some powerful Arab nations.

“In 16 days, the political system collapsed in Tunisia. In 18 days, the system collapsed in Egypt. Libya took much longer to go, and that was because of foreign intervention,” Fayssal Mekdad, Syria’s vice minister of foreign affairs, told select journalists in the Syrian capital.

“We don’t want Syria to be invaded. We will find a peaceful solution to the situation,” Mekdad, also Syria’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, said amid opposition activists’ claims of government troops pounding a Damascus suburb, a charge denied by Syria.

Mekdad, a suave, seasoned diplomat known for bating for Syria in international fora, pointed out that foreign intervention has destroyed Libya, but asserted that “Syria will not go the Libya way.

He blamed the Western powers and their Arab allies like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey for funding and arming the opposition in Syria and underlined that they are under instructions to unleash chaos in the Middle East country.

The armed opposition, according to Mekdad, are characterized by divisions and are fragmentary that makes it difficult for the Syrian government to open dialogue with them. The opposition, said Mekdad, consists of some Al Qaeda elements that came from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood which are being funded by foreign powers.

“The Al Qaeda elements and the Muslim Brotherhood are in a minority. Most of the opposition consists of criminals, drug addicts, smugglers and former prisoners,” he said.

“Billions of dollars are being spent by Saudi Arabia and Qatar for funding armed opposition who are killing civilians and targeting Syrian police and armed forces,” he said.

Mekdad, however, drew a distinction between armed opposition and political opposition which will be participating in the May 7 parliamentary elections.

Underlining Syria’s commitment to the UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan, Mekdad blamed the opposition for not keeping part of its bargain by resorting to relentless violence.

He was speaking a day after the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution in New York Saturday, which seeks to expand the number of UN cease-fire observers in Syria from 30 to 300. The resolution also calls for an immediate end to the violence by both the government forces and opposition activists.

Why is Syria being targeted? Mekdad alleged that the West was targeting Syria, a multi-religious and multi-cultural country of 24 million people, because it’s the only part of the region that they have not succeeded in controlling.

“Syria is the last state in the region that supports the Arab cause. The moment Syria collapses, the Palestinian cause will be finished,” said Mekdad, while accusing Arab nations like Saudi Arabia and others for compromising the Palestinian cause.

He claimed that although the UN says 11,000 people have been killed since the Arab Spring-like protests began in Syria 13 months ago, the majority of casualties included Syrian security forces, police and civilians.

[…]

An example of the nobel snipers that some people here like to pretend are there for defence:

In the video (Hama) you can see the snipers gesturing to the people that they will see what will happen when the UN monitors leave. How very nobel of them!!

Son of Damascus

It’s known that government buildings have been the subject of attack by the opposition; killing security, burning, looting.

It’s known that the militarized opposition attacked the hospital and held it for a day or two before being routed.

SNC Correspondence with US Leaked by Lebanese Daily

For almost a week now, Lebanese al-Akhbar daily has been publishing a trove of emails claimed to be obtained from Pro-Assad cyber activists who have hacked into the email account of “Syrian National Council’s” president, “Burhan Ghalyoun”, in protest of what they described as the fabrication of emails meant to smear the reputation of the Syrian President “Bashar al-Assad” and Syria’s First Lady.

These leaked emails, which have not yet been denied or condemned by anyone of the so-called “SNC”, contain Ghalyoun’s letters of coordination with the Coordinator of the U.S Peace Envoy to the Middle East’s Office – “Fredric Hof”, Saudi Foreign Minister “Saud Al-Faisal”, as well as a reporter of Israeli Channel 10 which goes back to October of 2010.

[ … ]

Jna,

It is also well known that the government set up snipers atop the hospital that was killing children and civilians.

There is absolutely no excuse to setup a snipers nest atop a hospital that shoots at civilians, and denies them medical treatment where the injured are taken to make shift field hospitals instead of the proper hospitals.

If people are being denied entry and shot on sight if they approach the hospital, of what use is the hospital of then, other than to kill and maim?

#379 SHAMI

Unfortunatly Islam has many faces so people judge on the face they see most prominent. The most prominent now in news is the extremist and untolerant Islam.

The moderate Islam should have better PR’s to counter the bad images that the ‘other’ Islam is propagating through all the spectacular verbal sectarian attacks by clerics and the terrorists acts that are filling the news headlines.

While Israel is a terrorist country, most Jews are not, but their silence about the abuses of Israel is making them accomplice and they often are misjudged because of their laxism towards Israel’s abuses.

The same applies to the moderate Islam, it is much too silent and tolerant about the “islamists” destructive declarations and actions, so they end up by being blamed as well.

As long as the moderate Islam refrains from condemning openly and convincingly the ‘islamists’ terrorist actions and sectarian provocations, they’ll be perceived as accomplices and demonized.

It’s high time they speak out and denounce unanimously and unambiguously the moslems who are giving of Islam hysterical, cruel and primitive images.

Son of Damascus, the pro-Assad posters don’t expect you to read their links and analyze the material. A part of me cringes when their propaganda has been deflated because I imagine it’s very difficult for many of them to type a few coherent sentences, but then I remember what they are defending.

Anyways, hospitals have been used to torture protesters – the regime apologists know this to be true because Syria Truth said it is. They also know that the Wahhabi revolution hasn’t attacked churches and Christian villages all over the country, but they continue with tales that have long been debunked.

I believe it was Some Guy in Damascus who filmed the church that was allegedly strafed with machine gun fire last summer. That story came from one of Landis’s trusted sources in Damascus who hasn’t publicly reported anything new since then.

But there are other inept propagandists who still don’t think it’s time to quit.
مراسل الإخبارية في حلب: خلال تظاهرة في عندان يدخل المدعو صلاح نجم الدين الرج وسط التظاهرة ويطلق النار بالهواء ويصف المتظاهرين بالخونة الذين يقبضون المال من الخارج لقاء التظاهر

Translation: Syrian state media reported yesterday that a man named Salah Najm-aldin Al-Rij fired his gun in the air during a protest in Anadan, a few miles outside of Aleppo, and said the protesters are traitors who are receiving funds from abroad.

In other words, Syrian news inadvertently admits that a pro-Assad Shabiha thug violated the cease-fire. Of course no news if the man was arrested. غباؤكم ينصرنا

Bronco,

Its about your own perception of Islam, not what the moderate Muslims have to say.

In the United States, females that are victims of rape are not able to receive an abortion in many states because of Christian Zealots, also many homosexuals are denied their basic rights because of Christian Zealots. Not to mention that many young Americans grow up not being taught the Theory of Evolution because it so happens to contradict the Christian faith.

Do these backwards laws not only shame the American Constitution but is an absolute abomination of Jesus’s message of tolerance, and understanding, absolutely.

Are the actions of the Zealots an indication of the teachings of Christianity or are they more likely an indication of the backwards people that are using Christianity for their own agenda?

Hate is prevalent in all forms, moderates speak out in all faiths. Sadly and unfortunately the despicable actions of the few wholly overshadows what any moderate has to say, whether in religion politics or life.

Son of Damascus

First you argue that a sniper position on top of the Hospital would serve no defensive purpose, and I disputed that. Now you argue that:

1. the snipers were killing civilians and children.
2. the hospital denied treatment to the injured.
3. People were shot on sight if they approached the hospital.

If your latest 3 points are true then I would not dispute that these actions are very wrong. But I would like to see evidence before concluding your last 3 points are true. And I have a problem with taking opposition reports as evidence, a topic which has been much discussed here.

Jna,

Since the footage I would link comes from the opposition, you would have a problem with them because you would claim they are fake and untrustworthy since they came from dissidents. If I post the Channel 4 News report about the despicable and ugly reality that goes on in State hospitals you will claim zionist conspiracy.

For the record I have posted numerous videos showing snipers, and soldiers bragging about their sniped head shots, as did Halabi.

A snipers position atop a hospital is not a defensive task, but a countermeasure act. By doing so they automatically nullify any hospitality that the citizens would expect at a hospital. This was a civilian hospital not a military hospital there is NO EXCUSE to have a snipers nest atop of it!

Halabi,

To them Syrians can’t protest against Assad unless they are paid to, its incomprehensible to them that Syrians are fed up with Souria AlAssad.

To them freedom and dignity can be bought…

Tara:

Do you believe in freedom of speech?

I am asking you this because:

A: you claimed that you are from a family that “produces culture” as well as from the Sunni religious establishment.

B: You called to go after a journalist who is expressing his own take on things.

Bronco:

You are right, “moderate Islam” is disappearing and in its place we have the aggressive form that Wahhabism espouses.

The other is not tolerated in this prevalent form.

You are right about the role of the “moderate” Muslim clergy that should take the leading role to ease the tension we have today.

The literature of hate is going uncontested.

People forgot about religion in the advanced world today and together they became equal citizens in a state. Each worship in their own way. Too bad in Syria and the Middle East we do not have this feeling.

‘Peaceful’ and ‘Civilian’ terrorists killed while attacking other Syrians, I’m sure that they will become civilian ‘victims’ for some on here, as usual!

مقتل تسعة مسلحين خلال هجومهم على مواطنين مؤيدين بحلب

قال مصدر مطلع في حلب لعربي برس إن تسعة مسلحين من بلدة عندان قتلوا خلال هجوم نفذوه على منازل مواطنين مؤيدين للسلطات السورية في قرية بابيص المجاورة .

و أضاف المصدر أن سبعة آخرين أصيبوا قبل انسحاب عشرات المسلحين الذين فوجئوا باستبسال المواطنين في الدفاع عن بيوتهم

يشار إلى أن مسلحي بلدة عندان الذين تغلب عليهم الخلفية الوهابية والاخوانية أقدموا قبل أشهر على اغتيال اثنين من المؤيدين للسلطة السورية في قرية بابيص .
http://arabi-press.com/?page=article&id=32981

409. Son of Damascus said:

Bronco,
Its about your own perception of Islam, not what the moderate Muslims have to say.

In the United States, females that are victims of rape are not able to receive an abortion in many states because of Christian Zealots, also many homosexuals are denied their basic rights because of Christian Zealots. Not to mention that many young Americans grow up not being taught the Theory of Evolution because it so happens to contradict the Christian faith.
====================
1-America is a secular state.

2-abortion is legal in every state.

3-The American Gays have full civil Rights.

4-Afram is atheist humanist card-carrying I have full rights.

the American law above every one,you abuse it BAMMM you go to jail.

think of president NIXON

on the other hand muslims murders their girls & boys,in america,canada,london,paris…….. “Honor killing”

“Honor killing” under growing scrutiny in the U.S

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1095744648001/a-look-at-honor-killings-in-us/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57409395-504083/honor-killing-under-growing-scrutiny-in-the-u.s/

http://youtu.be/S5yHUfw89cc

Another US Honor Killing
http://exposethemedia.com/2011/05/22/another-us-honor-killing-muslim-womans-death-ruled-accident-slammed-head-on-coffee-table

“Honor killing” under growing scrutiny in the U.S

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1095744648001/a-look-at-honor-killings-in-us/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57409395-504083/honor-killing-under-growing-scrutiny-in-the-u.s/

http://youtu.be/S5yHUfw89cc
Another US Honor Killing?

http://exposethemedia.com/2011/05/22/another-us-honor-killing-muslim-womans-death-ruled-accident-slammed-head-on-coffee-table

Faysal Alkasim on Arab Islamophobes.

http://www.al-sharq.com/articles/more.php?id=288525

For better or worse, the Arab world is going to try political Islam and nobody knows what the outcome will be. Constraining extremists is the duty of both supporters and opponents of Islamic parties, but there needs to be agreement on what is extreme behavior. Demanding basic rights like freedom of speech and assembly is only considered extreme by those who define liberty as the privilege of worshiping the Assad family.

“the American law above every one,you abuse it BAMMM you go to jail.

think of president NIXON”

Nixon was pardoned, a controversial act by Ford, so he shouldn’t be used as an example of the universal application of the rule of law in the U.S. But that doesn’t matter to the pro-Assad crowd that belong to an alternate reality where no facts or history exists, just evil Islamic terrorists trying to bring down the greatest, most peaceful leader the world has ever known.

Little Napoleon is On His Way OUT! OUT! OUT!

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/France-s-Sarkozy-fights-to-keep-job/-/1637132/11470824/-/9q78hgz/-/

Don’t Let The Door Hit You in The Back You little Monster 😀

Looks Like israel, Saudi Arabia and GCC Put All Their Eggs in Sarkozy’s Basket!

[…]

Hollande, a center-left candidate, called for a European Central Bank rate cut in an interview Friday on French radio station Europe 1.

Asked if, as president, he would participate in a U.N.-led military intervention in Syria, Hollande said: “Yes, if it is at the request of the United Nations, we would participate in this intervention.”

[…]

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/France-s-Sarkozy-fights-to-keep-job/-/1637132/11470824/-/9q78hgz/-/

Syria will be Sarkozy’s downfall!
.

Son of Damascus

Hopefully this time around the opposition won’t demand that the observers leave as was the case with the AL observers. Under UN provisions there will soon be 300 observers plus many foreign press. Maybe we’ll start getting a more neutral picture of what is happening in Syria.

@424. Halabi said:

Nixon was pardoned, a controversial act by Ford, so he shouldn’t be used as an example of the universal application of the rule of law in the U.S. But that doesn’t matter to the pro-Assad crowd that belong to an alternate reality where no facts or history exists, just evil Islamic terrorists trying to bring down the greatest, most peaceful leader the world has ever known
===============
Nixon was forced out of office,pardoned yes,its a legal act in america,a controversial act..you bet ya,historians say the act saved america from a political civil war.

Assad is the product of arab islamic culture,all the people in arab land are in/on the same bloody culture boat/each one is a copy-carbon of the other…king & presidents R US

the islamists who murdered Qadaffi are not better either..GOOD LUCK for being ruled by MB,folks..hundreds of thousands of muslims will be standing infront of western christian embassies to escape the love of sharia law rule.why go west?saudi chopping off hands NO good???

Information minister says 75 media outlets granted entry visas to Syria – 2012-04-22

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/22/c_131543923.htm

DAMASCUS, April 22 (Xinhua) — Syrian information minister said Sunday that more than 75 media outlets have been given entry visas to Syria since March 25, according to official SANA news agency.

Adnan Mahmoud made the remarks during a meeting with an Indian delegation that more than 400 Arab and foreign media outlets had visited Syria since the outbreak of unrest in mid-March, 2011, while some 150 others would be invited soon to cover the forthcoming parliamentarian elections slated for May 7.

He stressed that Syria is committed to UN-Arab League joint special envoy Kofi Annan’s six point peace plan, noting that armed terrorist groups have stepped up their crimes and terrorist acts on a daily basis.

“Those groups are a tool of murder and sabotage that receive commands from foreign countries like Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Western countries and the United States,” he said, warning that those countries work feverishly to stymie Annan’s plan and to call in foreign intervention.

[…]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17808954
“Egyptian officials say they have scrapped an agreement to supply Israel with natural gas.

Israel received around 40% of its gas supplies from Egypt and uses it to generate electricity.

The announcement comes after the cross-border pipeline suffered numerous sabotage attacks which cut supplies.

The Israeli Finance Minister, Yuval Steinitz, said the move was of “great concern”, and overshadowed peace agreements between the countries.”

They can probably ask Qatar to supply them!

More details here
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/39931/Business/Economy/BREAKING-Egypt-unilaterally-cancels-gas-deal-with-.aspx

Gunmen blast cargo train in northern Syria – 2012-04-22

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/22/c_131543814.htm

DAMASCUS, April 22 (Xinhua) — Armed groups targeted a cargo train with explosives on Sunday at the outskirts of the northern Idlib province, causing big damages to the train and injuring the train’s six-member crew, state-run SANA news agency.

One of injured is in a grave condition, said SANA.

The train was targeted by a roadside bomb planted by ” terrorists,” which has damaged 75 meters of the railway and caused one carriage to overturn and another one was derailed, SANA quoted George Muqaebari, head of the General Institution for Railways, as saying.

Muqaebari said the losses are up to tens of millions of Syrian pounds, noting that the train was used to carry fuel to operate an energy station in the northern province of Aleppo.

He stressed that Syria’s losses in the sector of railways have been estimated at 1.7 billion Syrian pounds (27.8 million U.S. dollars) over the past 13 months.

[…]

Syrian officer killed in roadside blast in northern Syria – 2012-04-22

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/22/c_131543764.htm

DAMASCUS, April 22 (Xinhua) — An army officer was killed and 42 others were injured in a roadside bomb explosion that targeted a military bus Sunday in northern Syria, state-run SANA news agency.

An armed terrorist group targeted a bus carrying a number of army officers on the Raqqa-Aleppo highway in northern Syria, killing one of them and wounding 42 others, three of them in a critical condition.

“Terrorists” are committing more crimes against civilians and law-enforcement agents and smash public and private properties, said SANA, adding that two other explosive devices were dismantled on the spot.

[…]

Annan Says Weapons To Be Put Down by Gov’t, Opposition & “Others” – AQ?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 22 — Early Sunday morning Kofi Annan issued a statement in his own name that “I urge all forces whether governmental, opposition or others to put down their weapons and work with the United Nations monitors.”

One wondered, what forces with weapons are these “others,” neither governmental or opposition?

Inner City Press has asked Annan’s spokesman Ahmad Fawzi “what is meant by these ‘other’ forces that are different than the ‘opposition.’ Some could see it as a reference to Al Qaeda or other non-Syrian fighters. Is that what is meant?”

If that is the reference, it seems strange to also call on these “other” forces to “work with the UN monitors.” What would Al Qaeda say? “We want to work with the UN – please send us to UNAMA in Afghanistan”?

The work schedule of the monitors is also in question. On April 20 Inner City Press asked US State Department Spokeperson Victoria Nuland:

Inner City Press: The Moroccan colonel who’s leading the UN team there now has been quoted that he’s not going to take his team out on Fridays. He doesn’t want to be used politically. There’s a quote to that effect. And I’m just wondering, since it seems that one of the purposes of the observer mission is to allow people to protest, and that’s a big day they want to protest, what would the U.S. think of that?

MS. NULAND: Well, first of all, I haven’t seen the comments of the Moroccan lead. As I said, all of the modalities for these peacekeepers are being reviewed based on the experience of the initial group, and they have to be worked out through a new Security Council resolution, and obviously, we have to see how it goes on the ground.

Transcript here. More has been written since, about the Colonel’s comments. So Inner City Press has asked Fawzi:

“do you have a comment or gloss on the Moroccan colonel saying the observers would go out on Fridays, to not be used? On Friday I asked the US State Department, particularly in light of Friday being a/the big protest day, but they hadn’t yet seen the quote. Can you comment or explain the Colonel’s statement?”

[…]

http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1others042212.html

$415 SOD

Christianity has had its long period of painfully oppressing people, but now, none of its factions would resort to terrorism and except for very specific issues about catholic priests celibacy, women priests, abortion and gay rights, it is fairly quiet compared to the daily hysteria of some Moslem clerics that call for oppression of the infidels, the killings of heretics and for violent jihad.

That they exist is natural, there are black sheeps everywhere but what is shocking and unacceptable is that they are encouraged by some states who fund them, give then access to public TV programs and media and do not throw them in jail when they deserve to be. This is what is reflecting negatively on other moslems worldwide.

It seems that most Moslems shy off criticizing these extremists and they seem to remain fairly silent about the human rights abuses in Wahhabi ruled countries, as if they were betraying an “Omerta”.
I have yet to see moderate Moslems taking a firm position against the extremists and blasting them openly. Even Turkey’s government is mute when the need comes to criticize the abuses that are so obvious in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Moderate Moslems need a Moslem spring where they could liberate themselves and express without fear what they really want as a society and fight against the extremists to disallow them the opportunity to make the agenda for them.

So Afram, Nixon didn’t go to jail like you inferred in your post: “the American law above every one,you abuse it BAMMM you go to jail. think of president NIXON”

It’s customary in civilized society for people to apologize for mistakes – instead of doubling-down with manufactured fears of a “political civil war.”

I do like the pivot to attacking Islam and Arabs. Nice one…

Another revision of recent history: the opposition forced the Arab League observers to leave Syria. This is fiction.

The AL observers were probably recalled for political reasons, but that decision wasn’t in the hands of the opposition. The observers had legitimate security concerns, as outlined in the report that the pro-Assad crowd loves but probably hasn’t read.

The observers didn’t witness a single attack by the FSA on military or civilians, they just reported on the aftermath. The only time they saw violence is noted in the following section:

“In Latakia and Deir Al-Zor, the Mission faced difficulties from Government loyalists. In Latakia, thousands surrounded the Mission’s cars, chanting slogans in favour of the President and against the Mission. The situation became out of control and monitors were attacked. Two sustained light injuries and an armoured car was completely crushed.”

$433

“I urge all forces whether governmental, opposition or others to put down their weapons and work with the United Nations monitors.”

The “others” is the most challenging issues for Annan.
If his UN team , as we have seen, is trying to establish a communication with the FSA leaders, it is another story to have access to armed criminals, Al Qaeeda that have no defined leadership.

In my opinion, the FSA and the ‘official’ opposition will be soon pressed by Annan to clean up their ranks of criminals and even to fight against them to ensure the credibility of the opposition as a partner for a dialog.

The ‘official’ opposition is aware that if it fails to adhere to Annan’s plan and refuses to impose on its “circumstancial allies” the respect of the ceasefire, the Syrian army will feel justified in mounting ferocious attacks with thousands of casualties and the total destruction of the armed opposition as well as the armed gangs.

Therefore it is in the ‘opposition’ interest to eliminate the ‘independent’ armed gangs who are opposed to the peace plan.

This Annan’s declaration is the first clear ‘warning’ to the armed opposition. I think that more will come soon..

Afram,

1-American is a secular state:

I did not say it was not, what I said is that there are laws that are based wholly upon Judeo-Christian dogma, such us not teaching Theory of Evolution in schools.

(I will side step the fact that In God We Trust is imprinted on all US currency Bills)

2- Abortion is legal in every State:

That is not a fully correct statement: “Since the Supreme Court handed down its 1973 decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, states have constructed a lattice work of abortion law, codifying, regulating and limiting whether, when and under what circumstances a woman may obtain an abortion”

http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_OAL.pdf

While abortion is legal under federal laws, each state can and is regulating abortion. So much so that it is nearly impossible in some cases for even victims of rape to get an abortion, even for victims of rape in the military.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/30/military-abortion-rape-victims_n_1121640.html

For the record when the state regulates health care providers to deny abortions to individuals that CHOSE to get it, is in itself the State denying the individual.

3-The American Gays have full civil Rights.
Last I checked 39 states limit marriage to between men and women, and define it in special provisions to be limited between man and woman.

http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/human-services/same-sex-marriage-overview.aspx

I know how the judicial system works in the US, and also aware that if it was not for the judicial system in the US, African Americans would still be treated as second class citizens and we would not see a US president that is of African American descent serving in the White House.

Faisal Alqasem:

The participation of the general population was at the

French Revolution 1%
Russian Revolution 7%
Iranian Revolution 10%
Tunisian Revolution 15%
Egyptian Revolution, 18%
20% Syrian Revolution

The Syrian Revolution makes the greatest of all time. It is normal that only a portion of the people involved in a revolution. This small group was in the story is always the one that has brought about major changes and victories. This is an old law of nature.

نسبة المشاركين في الثورة الفرنسية 1% من الشعب

وفي الثورة البلشفية 7%
وفي الثورة الإيرانية 10%
وفي الثورة التونسية 15%
وفي الثورة المصرية 18%

( في حين وصلت في الثورة السورية إلى 20% ) مما يجعل الثورة السورية من أكبر الثورات في تاريخ البشرية من حيث نسبة المشاركة الشعبية.

من الطبيعي أن لا تشارك في الثورات إلا الأقلية .. فالقلة دائماً هي التي تملك القدرة على المغامرة واقتحام المخاطر ومواجهة الموت .. القلة دائماً هي التي تخوض الحروب والانقلابات والثورات .. القلة دائماً هي التي تصنع الانتصارات والتحولات الكبرى في تاريخ الشعوب .. أما عامة الناس فهي تلتحق بالمنتصر .. هذا قانون تاريخي وطبيعي

الدكتور فيصل القاسم

Any condemnation by the OIC?

Muslim mob burns Catholic church in Sudan capital

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/muslim-mob-burns-catholic-church-in-sudan-capital.aspx?pageID=238&nID=18989&NewsCatID=357

KHARTOUM, Sudan – The Associated Press
An Easter Sunday Service is held with very few attendees in a church in the capital Khartoum on April

A Muslim mob has set ablaze a Catholic church frequented by Southern Sudanese in the capital Khartoum, witnesses and media reports said on Sunday.
..
The mostly Christian and animist South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011, some six years after a peace deal ended more than two decades of war between the two sides. But tens of thousands of southerners remain in Sudan, a legacy of the civil war that drove hundreds of thousands of them to seek relative safety in the north of what was then a single Sudanese nation.
(..)

Bronco,

“none of its factions would resort to terrorism”

But they do as you expressed the exceptions, and were it not persecuted by the State (instead of enabled which is what the Assad regime is known to be guilty of) these bigots would be much more powerful and louder.

Also in one of the ugliest moments in the history of our earth the Catholic Church turned a blind eye to the slaughter of 11 million people in concentration camps, not to mention what the protestant churches were guilty off.

State sponsored terrorism is the worst of its kind, for it uses and abuses the ideals and faiths of people to manipulate it into destruction and hate.

I abhor ALL religious extremism, and I don’t need a reminder every day from Christians that what the Christian Right, or the IRA, or Skin Heads, or West Boro Baptist church or any extreme fringe group that uses the name of Jesus for hate. For I as a muslim who took the time to learn about Christianity discovered with my own eyes that Christianity does not call for hate and bigotry.

If I did not read about the Christian faith, and learn more about it most likely my perception of the teaching of Christ would be different, no?

The disappearence of moderate islam or i prefer the term peoples islam is evident and yet strange. You have what i call the cancer of Islam the wahabi/salafiya movement who happen to be less than a 1% of the total muslim population and yet their programm and their standings are far more spread than their quantity. If a journalist in the west looks for answers relating an story about islam he will find most likely the wahabi standpoint the most clear and most found statement. Its much easier to have one rigid answer than a shaky this depends on… answer. Thomas Bauer has written an nice book about the fact that modernity does not cheerish cultural ambiguity, and this is where the salafi movement is meeting with the modern western world, both dont like that there is more than one reality, more than one answer possible.

The other day i read that muslim man in general dont shake hands with women, and thats just one example how far salafi thoughts have entered even mainstream muslim thoughts. An other issue i was reading about is the different ways muslims throughout the world read the Quran, you can find the salafi point of view in almost all books about islam that there are only 7 traditions to read the Quran, even though many islamic scholars have come up with almost 50 ways of reading. What happen to the nice tradition to celebrate Maulid of Muhammed? I dont know of any mosque in Berlin which is celebrating that offically, not because people have forgotten the date, because of precautious reasons, the debates within the congregation would be better avoided. Mainstream islam should much more stress that the biggest biddah( new tradition, not known to the first islamic ummah) is represented by the Salafi movement themselves.

Der Spiegel published that in Rastan the regime has fooled the UN observres. The army had changed their uniform for the local police uniform.

http://translate.google.at/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Fpolitik%2Fausland%2F0%2C1518%2C829027%2C00.html

438. Juergen said:
Faisal Alqasem:

The participation of the general population was at the
French Revolution 1%

20% Syrian Revolution
The Syrian Revolution makes the greatest of all time
===================
really???!!!???

its Faisal opinion!!, rather than being a historical fact.

No comparison at all-zilch

if the french had Cable tv, Facebook, Cnn, aljazeera Zift, tweetzer, cars, planes and trains..do you think, maybe, just maybe french participation would/could go up & reach the stratosphere???

the french brought down their king plus the catholic church

No more in the west church an state politics.

Islam is state then religion, saudi has no Constitution, only chopping off hands islamic sharia law rule..steal a stick of gum, you lose a hand, drink a beer 80 lashes, love someone..they stone to death.

syria is no Kandahar or Qandahar

443. Juergen

“Der Spiegel published that in Rastan the regime has fooled the UN observres.”

Would be better phrased, “Der Spiegel published that, according to opposition accounts, in Rastan the regime has fooled the UN observres.”

Mjabali

There is a big difference between freedom of speech and defamation. Sometime in the past specifically around August 7th, a commenter who knows himself posted a link, a poem written in Arabic by a published “writer” who supports the regime.

The poem was a despicable sexual vulgarity accusing Samar Yazbek of a sexual relationship with Aroor, describing what she did to him, reflecting a porn fantasy of a deranged individual, the writer that is. This is not what I call freedom of speech and I am against it. A writer like that should be held accountable and punished.

It was then, when I decided not to carry a conversation with the commenters who chose to post that link. I tried to find the link but for some reason most posts from August 7th disappeared. So yes, calling Alawis heretics for instance is not a freedom of speech, and in the same token, desacring the image of prophet Muhammed is not freedom of speech… It is a “hate, not so much in disguise.

I received this joke from a pious Muslim friend in Syria that I think the Islamophobes here would enjoy.

شيخ جامع يكره المسيحيين وبكل صلاة جمعة يحكي عليهم.. في يوم أتخربطت صحته، وأهله رادو يجيبوا له دكتور.. بس كان الوقت متأخر وما كان غير الدكتور المسيحي براس شارعهم
فأنجبر أهله يجيبوا هذا المسيحي حتى يفحصه وبعد
ما فحصه قالو الدكتور
بسبب السكّر لازم يوم السبت والأحد ما تأكل سكريات
وبسبب الضغط لازم تترك الملح يوم الاثنين والثلاثاء
وبسبب الكولسترول يوم الأربعاء والخميس لا تأكل دهنيات
وحتى تحترم نفسك والناس تحترمك لا تأكل خرى يوم الجمعة

Mjabali,

By the way, in an earlier comment, you said that you are not aware of any Damascene who “produce” a cultural impact on the society for the last 100-200 years. Have you never heard of..say..Nizar Qabbani? Did you think he was Lebanese?

UN observers tour central Syria, establish liaison with all parties – 2012-04-23

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-04/23/c_123018709.htm

DAMASCUS, April 22 (Xinhua) –The spokesman of the advance team of UN observers said the group visited two central regions and established contacts with all parties there on Sunday.

Briefing reporters in the capital Damascus late Sunday, Neeraj Singh said the team visited Hama province and Rastan town near flashpoint Homs province.

The spokesman, who is an Indian national, refused to give further details on the observers’ activities because “the precise details are premature to talk about.”

Singh went on to say that the team is preparing for the arrival and deployment of more observers.

[…]

Killing in name of god:
http://www.syriatruth.org/مقالات/قضاياوآراء/tabid/97/Article/7192/Default.aspx

Batta’s lovers, enjoy!

http://on.fb.me/JhVdDs

احتل رسام الكاريكاتور السوري الشهير، علي فرزات، الدرجة العاشرة عالميا والأولى عربيا في لائحة أصدرتها مجلة “تايم” الأمريكية أمس الأربعاء بأهم 100 شخصية تأثيرا ونفوذا إيجابيا في العالم، فيما حل الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد في خانة “الأشرار” التي ضمت 4 شخصيات.

في اللائحة 5 عرب فقط، أولهم فرزات (الدرجة 10) والمصرية المعروفة بصاحبة قضية كشوف العذرية، سميرة إبراهيم (20) والسعودية الملحة على حق المرأة بقيادة السيارة في المملكة، منال الشريف (27) وزعيم حزب النهضة الإسلامي بتونس راشد الغنوشي (29)، كما ورئيس وزراء قطر ووزير خارجيتها، حمد بن جاسم آل ثاني، الذي احتل الدرجة 48 باللائحة.

ومن “الجيران” ضمت اللائحة مريم دوراني (26) وهي عضو المجلس الولائي الأفغاني التي تعالج مشاكل النساء تحت حكم طالبان من خلال برنامج إذاعي. كما والمخرج الإيراني الحائز على أوسكار عن فيلمه “انفصال” أصغر فرهيدي (34) إضافة لوزير خارجية تركيا أحمد داود أوغلو، الذي تقاسم الدرجة 39 مع مواطنه علي باباكان، نائب رئيس الوزراء. ثم المرشد الأعلى للجمهورية الاسلامية الإيرانية علي خامنئي (68) وفي الدرجة 81 حل بنيامين نتنياهو.

أما من وضعتهم “تايم” في خانة خاصة ضمن اللائحة وسمتهم “الأشرار” ويمكن مراجعة أسمائهم مع بقية المختارين في موقع المجلة على الإنترنت، فهم: الزعيم الكوري الشمالي كيم يونغ أون، وزعيم حركة طالبان الملا محمد عمر، وأمير مليشيا “حركة الشباب” الصومالية الشيخ مختار أبو الزبير، إضافة للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد.

Allahu Akbar,,Allahu Akbar..Bahrain is on fire

The great persian empire is expanding like a blowfish or may I say faster than Formula 1 Grand Prix car.

http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today\22z499.htm&arc=data\201244-22\22z499.htm

Syrian opposition undermined by splits and infighting, emails show – 23 Apr 2012

Syria’s main opposition group’s efforts to topple the regime are being frustrated by defections, split factions and deep ideological divisions, leaked emails from the leader of the Syrian National Council show.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9219643/Syrian-opposition-undermined-by-splits-and-infighting-emails-show.html

Messages published in the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper were purportedly lifted from SNC leader Burhan Ghalioun’s account by pro-regime hackers in retaliation for last month’s expose of President Bashar al Assad’s private correspondence.

They disclose how splits and factional infighting are undermining the Council’s capacity to combat the regime.

In one message dated Feb 26, Mohammed Farouk Tayfour, the leader of the influential Muslim Brotherhood bloc and deputy president of the SNC, wrote to Mr Ghalioun demanding that spokesman Bassma Kodmani be removed from her position after she expressed that Israel is a necessity in the Middle East, apparently appearing alongside Israelis in an interview with a French TV station.

“She should stop her statements that are harming the council,” he wrote.