I liked the article and what the author had to say about Bashar’s choices. And he has many.

“Shock in Syria: the Messy and Unlikely Alternatives for Bashar
by David W. Lesch”

David Lesch, seems to be someone who truly liked Bashar, as the majority of Syrian did. He painted him in a picture that is how, we, majority of Syrians viewed him before March 30th speech.

Listening to Joshua’s interview and contrasting it with what David had to say is like day and night.

Joshua, seems to have one scenario that he keeps bringing up, civil war, minorities…..Christians, Alawites, Druze, this scenario is what this junta wants us to believe, either us or a civil war, either Baath with Bashar at its helm, or chaos and civil strife.

If this autocratic president really like his country and as David points out there is a way out, “establish a new precedent in the Arab world as well as a positive legacy for himself by announcing real political reform, including new party and election laws, the elimination of article 8 of the Syrian constitution that secures the rule of the Baath party, and, most importantly perhaps, setting presidential terms limits.”

This will save the country and the people of Syria, a planned or unplanned civil war. It is a win win solution. The Assads’ will enter history as “The Syrian Reformers of Syria”. The Alawites legacy will be second to the Umayyads.

If they really care about minorities, this is the only solution, but the unfolding events, till this day, proof that they only care for the Assads, Makhloofs and a new addition the Akhrass.

is the retired diplomat Syrian or foreigner?

one more comment:
If the security forces are shooting on people then the security apparatus is committing a crime and should me dismantled.

If a gang is causing this havoc in Syria despite 1,000,000 security personnel, then the security apparatus has failed to protect Syrians, and should be dismantled.

In all cases, Syrians do not deserve and do not need this 16+ branches security apparatus.

This argument does not take into account the horrors and injustice committed by the security apparatus over the last decade.

WE DO NOT WANT ASSAD’S SECURITY APPARATUS

Western countries are not interested by accuracy and truth about what is going on in Syria. They never were anyway in recent history, otherwise we would not see the lies and the gap between assessments on the ground and foreign policy as shown by Wikileaks.

In the middle east uprisings which caught western powers by surprise, they are only interested in opportunities and in what might these opportunities bring for their influence in the region.

This is a short term view. As for the long term, it will be up to the people of Syria, and eventually Lebanon and Iraq and Jordan and Palestine, to live with the long term consequences of a very disorganized revolution that is either monitored by the Muslim brotherhood or will be anyway up for grab by these racists fanatics.

Thanks for the ambassador analysis, I wish more people can think like him.

Unless Syria is willing to establish a completely secular constitution to be vigorously protected by a completely secular military, any talks of democracy and freedom are just short term slogans to allow a different group to gain and monopolize power. Turkey’s democratic model has been fairly successful, and could be used as a guideline for Syria.

I think in the long run Syrians will adopt progress and abandon those who refuse to step into the real world, namely the MB. I also think Bashar will win Syria’s first free presidential election. At least, He’s got my vote…

مندوب روسيا في مجلس الامن:
“العنف ليس من طرف واحد هناك ضحايا من الجيش والامن”

مندوب الصين في مجلس الامن :
“الحكومة السورية تقوم باصلاحات وهي تجري تحقيق في الاحداث الاخيرة”

أوردت صحيفة الأخبار اللبنانية اليوم (الأربعاء 27/4/2011) أن المواقف الدولية طغت أمس على الأحداث في الأراضي السورية، التي انخفضت وتيرة الأنباء الخاصة بها. وقالت الصحيفة إن الحدث الأبرز أمس على مستوى الحراك الدولي في هذا الشأن، هو إحباط محاولة لنقل ملف سورية إلى مجلس الأمن الدولي.

ولكنّ أهم ما أوردته الأخبار، هو الحديث عن معلومات تحدثت عن ضغوط عربية لتدويل الأحداث في سورية عبر جعلها بنداً أساسياً على جدول أعمال هذا مجلس الأمن. وقالت إنه “كان يُفترض أن تبدأ هذه المسيرة ببيان رئاسي يدين العنف الذي تمارسه السلطات السورية بحق المتظاهرين، على أن تليه سلسلة من الخطوات على رأسها استصدار قرار دولي”. وكان الموقف الروسي أمس حاسماً لجهة منع صدور البيان الرئاسي.

أما مَن هي الأطراف العربية، وما غاياتها، فيكشف داود رمال في صحيفة السفير اليوم ونقلا عن مصادر دبلوماسية عربية «ان دولة قطر رصدت موازنة ضخمة لإسقاط النظام السوري ووزعت جزءا من هذا المبلغ على وسائل إعلامية عربية ولبنانية، إضافة الى احتضان المعارضة السورية، وخاصة «الأخوان المسلمين» بالتنسيق مع الأتراك، وتزويدها بكل ما تحتاجه من دعم مالي وإعلامي وسياسي».

مصدر رسمي : الحكومة الاردنية اصدرت تعليمات صارمة لشركات الاتصالات العاملة على أراضيها بالحجب الكلي لتغطية شبكاتهم في درعا و المناطق المحيطة.

I agree with the third option but I think it has to be done in a position of force, otherwise it could be interpreted as a concession and may trigger more violence from opposition hardliners.

He must forcefully remove all the weapons hidden in the caches in Deraa and other places and disloge armed criminals.
He should authorize peaceful demonstrations only in specific places protected by police forces to prevent any introduction of weapons (that was done in tahreer square). This will allow the syrians who were afraid to demonstrate to show their demands clearly.
After that he make start a dialog to announce progessive major changes to the system.

Aljadid TV, U-Turn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuKBC6Wxaqw&feature=player_embedded

بالامكانِ تسميتُها تغييراً في الرأي ..إنقلاباً أو بالمصطلحِ اللبنانيّ تكويعة، لكنَّ دماءَ سوريا أغلى من أيِّ إصلاحات .
عندما يسقُطُ الجنودُ قتلى، وعندما يجري تبادلُ إطلاقِ النار فهذا يَعني أنَّ الجهاتِ التي تتربّصُ بإسقاطِ نظامِ الممانعة ليست محليةً وحسب، وإنما لها امداداتٌ خارجية وَجدت أن في الفلتانِ فرصةً للضربِ بيدٍ مِن فتنة ، ولعزلِ سوريا بقيادتِها هذه المرةَ وتركِها ساحةً للعِبِ بيدِ الأصوليةِ السلَفية وباقي الخدّامِ الطامحينَ للعودةِ الى دمشق من بابِ قصرِها.
ما تُثبِتهُ الايام وصورُ المعارك أنَّ هناكَ فئاتٍ مسلحةً ومنظمة تضرِبُ وتشكو الظلمَ ،تتحدّثُ عن مئةِ قتيل ولا تشيعُ منهم إلا القليل، تُصوّبُ السلاحَ باتجاهِ الجنودِ وتدَّعِي التظاهراتِ السلمية ، تسمعُ وتتلمَّسُ طلائعَ الاصلاحاتِ فتضرِبُها بالنار، وهناك تَسقطُ أيُّ مطالبةٍ بالإصلاحِ أمامَ أولويةِ امنِ الناس ودِفءِ قُراهم والحِفاظِ على استقرارٍ نَعِموا بظله أربعةَ عقود.
لم يُعطَ الرئيسُ الفُرصةَ لتطبيقِ ما وعدَ به وأُطلقت النيرانُ على قراراتِه ما حتّمَ فرضيةَ التدخّلِ العسكريِّ الذي بدأَ مِن دَرعا ويتّجهُ نحوَ بانياس بإعادةِ السيطرةِ على قرىً يَعتقد النظامُ أنها ملجأٌ للمسلحين العابثين بالامن. في المقابل أعدّتِ الدولُ الغربيةُ مشروعاً لادانةِ سوريا في مجلسِ الأمنِ الذي يَنعقدُ اليوم وسْطَ تعليماتٍ زُودَ بها المندوبُ اللبنانيُّ بعدمِ الموافقةِ على القرار.
موقفُ لبنانَ أطلقه الرئيسُ نبيه بري من الاونسكو عندما رأى أنَّ على جميع اللبنانين ان يكونوا أكثرَ حِرصاً على أمنِ سوريا واستقرارِها من السوريين أنفسِهم لأنَّ النظامَ في سوريا يشكلُ ضرورةً شرقْ أوسطية، وأنَّ محاولةَ ضخِ الفوضى والفتنةِ إلى دمشق أو أي خطأٍ عابرٍ لحدود الامن القومي السوري هو لعِبٌ بالنار.
بري أيّد تحركاً قانونياً لا سياسياً في إمكانِ التورّطِ اللبنانيّ في أحداث سوريا وقال إنَّ تأخيرَ التأليف وإن لم يكن مقصوداً فهو يشكّلُ جُزءاً من المؤامرةِ على سوريا .
وقياساً على تقويمِ الأستاذ فإنَّ المؤامرة مستمرة، والبلادَ لا تزال في حال الشللِ والتنازلَ أصبح مطلوباً من كلِّ القيادات المقرّرةِ والفاعلةِ على خطِ التأليف، ومِن غيرِ المنطقيّ أن يعلّقَ مصيرُ الحكومةِ بوزارةٍ سيادية، وبصراعِ الجنرالين واستعمالِ الدستور للاحتماء وراءَه.

Jad
The Safir article

While we have seen clearly with Al Jazeera that Qatar is promoting a change of regime in Syria at all costs, do yo think that Turkey is playing a double game, with the MB and Bashar Al Assad?

It is funny that the Lebanese-Wahhabi site “Now Lebanon” (also known as “Miaw Hariri”) is cited as a credible source on what’s going on in Syria!
The truth of what’s happening in Syria lies between the two pictures drawn by the retired diplomat in Damascus. The Syrian people want to change things in the country but not at any cost. The Assad regime has decided to take the gloves off while Saudi-Wahhabi funded gangs are active in the Deraa area.
The problem from the beginning is that Syria and its allies did not capitalize on the gains made in the last few years in the face of the US-Zionist onslaught. They were more reactive than active in the face of the US-led Wahhabi-Zionist coalition. Instead of giving a more profound push to the relation that was under constraction with Iran and Turkey, photo ops were preferred.
I still do believe that Syria gave Turkey more than it got back. The drought that has ravaged the agricultural sector in Syria and pushed people to the big cities is not only due the lack of sustained rainfall. It is caused in a big way by the dams that Trukey built and continues to build on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers that also impact Iraq in a very negative way.Such behaviour might lead in the near future to more instability if not to wars.
Too much precious time was wasted while the creator of the Wahhabi terrorists, Bandar Bin Sultan was preparing his triumphant return to Riyad.
May God protect Syria and its people.

The 15-nation UN Security Council failed on Wednesday to agree on a statement to condemn the killing of Syrian protesters, diplomats said.

After talks ended in deadlock, western nations called for an immediate open meeting of the Security Council so that international anger over the crackdown by the Syrian government could be highlighted.

Russia and China blocked a statement proposed by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal that would have condemned the violence, which has led to hundreds of dead, and backed calls for an independent investigation.

“It quickly became clear that there would be no consensus on a statement,” a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the talks.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Russia on Wednesday warned western powers on the UN Security Council against “outside interference” in Syria’s strife saying it could spark civil war in the key Middle East Nation.

The Syrian government’s crackdown on opposition demonstrators “does not represent a threat to international peace and security,” Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Alexander Pankin told the 15-nation council.

“A real threat to regional security could come from outside interference,” Pankin added. “Such approaches lead to a never ending circle of violence” and could spark civil war.

The Security Council held a special meeting on Syria after failing to agree a joint statement condemning the violence in which hundreds have died.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon

The anonymous retiree in Damascus says “Syrian State TV has run detailed footage of the funerals of security force personnel for around 3 weeks. 25 were buried yesterday (26 April), names read, families interviewed, and another 21 today. They were apparently killed in Deraa.” The English-language version of the Syrian government’s news website has similar material and today’s report begins: “Six members of the military and security forces on Wednesday were laid to rest escorted in a solemn procession from Tishreen Military Hospital after they were targeted on Tuesday by extremist terrorist groups.” To fully appreciate that those deaths are for real, you have to read the full report, which is at http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/04/27/343402.htm.

The anonymous retiree in Damascus says he really does not know who is killing Syrian security personnel. But he agrees most security deaths occured in Deraa. We know the killers were intermixed with the Deraa protesters, and we know no foreigners were captured (and no Kurdish, if they’re not foreign). Therefore the culprits can only be sunni Muslim radicals native to southern Syria, including natives to Deraa, as I see it.

Today at the official news website of the government of Egypt (http://english.ahram.org.eg) there’s a story dated 27 April headlined: “Who is killing Syrians?” Their answer to the question consists solely in repeating one of the most scurrilous, delusionary allegations I’ve heard yet about anything in my whole life: “It is noteworthy that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has announced several times the killing of officers and soldiers during the uprising, accusing what he called “armed gangs” for these deaths. In contrast to Al-Assad’s allegations, Syrian activist and dissident Maan Hasbani says that “most of those were killed by the regime due to their refusal to fire on protesters.”” The fact that this Egyptian news agency could report such a ghoulish dream as an actual possibility goes to show that the Assad regime has got major public relations problems and it shows that the regime’s attempt to suppress independent journalism is counterproductive for all concerned.

Dear WD,
Turkey’s best interest is with stable Syria, I think Turkey will do all it could to keep things stable in Syria even if the regime fall. I also believe that Turkey is more than willing to invade Syria if things went really ugly.

We can see the result in Aleppo. I think that Aleppo and all its conservative suburbs stability during all this period come from the Turkish financial and religious influence in the city and has nothing to do with how people see or think of the regime.

I’m also convinced that what’s happening in Syria has nothing to do with Freedom, Equality or Democracy, the issue is way bigger than that.

#8 JAD,
Thanks for the Aljadid TV video. A very eloquent piece. Expresses exactly what I think and feel.

Jad

Turkey is close to the MB and the MB visited Turkey during the uprisings leading many syrians to think that Turkey was supporting the uprising as mentionned in the Safir.
It is very possible that seeing the failure of the protesters to bring more people at demonstrations, Turkey realized that a replacement of Bashar by a sunni lead governemnt was premature. Then they changed their tune and invited a moderate Opposition to Istambul that seems to be ready to give Bashar another chance.
In addition the failure of the UNSC to condemn Syria is making many to switch their tune and talk about Bashar leading democratic reforms
I guess the wind is turning …

[…] Shock in Syria: the messy and unlikely alternatives for Bashar […]

‘More than 230 ruling Baath members resign in Syria’

if Syria get back on its feet soon ,and it will . those people will be regreting big time ,reason is they are gambling that the Baath party is finishing soon however its not .

this kind of people who resign and acuse the government of all the killing where more that 60 police officers and military men died whilst this ‘peaceful ‘demonstrators are demonstrating .wouldn’t you ask your self how all those people dyed ?who shoot at them if its only a peaceful demonstrations?

i am a member of the Baath Party and as many others i have joined the party to get some privilege (was too young that time and i thought every one is in the party whilst they are 18 any way) but the party has nothing to do with all what is happening ,its the state fighting against terrorism so if they want to take action against the state let them abandon their citizenship and make us all happy without them

“But there is only one thing which gathers people into seditious commotion, and that is oppression.” — so said the philosopher John Locke in his “Letter Concerning Toleration” first published in year 1689.

One thing I never forget about the Syrian government is that it bans conservative Islamic theology books. That is, it bans Salafi | Wahabi theology books, which goes beyond banning anti-regime political books, and does deny freedom of religion to conservative Muslims. I remembered that when reading the above quote. The conservative Muslims are the generators of the commotion in Syria. They are very much in the minority in Syria, however. Therefore, the commotion will be staunched. It is only a question of how quickly that will happen, as I see it. Professor Josh entertains a possibility of an interminable, or indefinitely long, low-grade violent commotion that wrecks the economy over time. For that to be a realistic scenario the conservative Muslims would need to be more numerous among Syrian Muslims than they actually are, I say. But the regime must remove the oppressions currently imposed on conservative Muslims — they’re entitled to more respect and more freedom, and they know it. The desire in some quarters (example SOURI on this board) to keep on oppressing them is the wrong attitude in this day and age.

MAWAL95

If conservative moslems in Syria are aiming at creating a country ruled by Sharia law like Saudi Arabia and intolerant to other religions, I say no way! No way!

If they accept to denounce at the highest level that and accept that all religions have the right to exist and practice and that the law of the country is not the Sharia, then it is allright.
We have yet to hear then denouncing that…

President Assad needs to lead the protesters as i said many times and lead the reform, doing that will save Syria and his presidency, If the opposition do not jump at the opportunity of new party law, cancelling article 8 and free supervised election, which i believe will get the support of all nations especially Turkey that will push the opposition to accept< if they do not play with plan then everybody will know that they do not have good intentions, let us hope that they want equal right not the only right, It is inportant to have a clear secular constitution that protect personal liberty and minority rights,

Day 45: Scenarios for the next phase of the Syrian revolution.

Thank you Mr. David W. Lesch for sharing your views and analysis on the Syrian crisis. I find it as close to touching realities on the ground as one can ” virtually” get.

I would like to share with you my own take, on the probable case scenarios, for the next phase of the Syrian crisis.

Judging by Jr’s self-image as the beloved leader, and by his paranoid assessment of the crisis, it would seem very unlikely that he would volunteer any meaningful concessions.
Any further concessions could only result from extreme pressure on him and the system.
This will be the result of the following complex set of , daily fluctuating, and steadily and exponentially mounting forces of pressure:

First: weakening of the system by defections, as a result of the system’s moral bankruptcy. It has already started and accelerating amongst Baath party, government, and military personnel. Given time, these factors would guarantee the self-undoing of the System .

Second the revolution is growing in strength and maturity.
Even without a visible leadership, it has shown a high level of intellectual as well as behavioral peaceful discipline that matched organized protests in free countries.
Ground and virtual networks are growing in scope and strength.
The birth of visible circles of Syrian revolution’s leadership is around the corner.
The rise of such leadership will enable the revolution to draw the road map to freedom.

Third, the revolution is winning the hearts and minds of the international and regional communities. Such will serve to both, bolster their resolve, and deprive the system of their only left legitimacy; their international recognition.

Fourth:
The X factor may precipitate a quick-end-scenario to the crisis, and collapse of the system by implosion.

Here is a clip from Syria local TV. They are showing what they claim to be an intercepted drug haul. The packets of pills have al-Jazeera logos on them. The idea being that al-Jazeera is importing the drugs to distribute in Syria.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdClSLh8irM&feature=player_embedded

It is this kind of insult to the intelligence of Syrians that those in power continue to deliver with a straight face. You Syrians living outside Syria, remember – this is the kind of information your friends and family are being fed. The stories about salfi/MB attacks on the armed forces have the same level of credibility.

I think WHY-DISCUSS has the attitude that conservative Islamists are not entitled to respect and toleration unless they’d be willing in turn to tolerate liberals living their lives in the liberal way. That’s an attitude I disagree with. Everybody is the captain of their own soul (or at least ought to be). Every soul adopts values and beliefs with all good intentions, which they sincerely believe to be all for the best, both for them and for their society as a whole. The Islamists are entitled to be respected on that basis. If you can’t extend good decent respect, you should at least be able to extend toleration.

Granted, it would be a catastrophe for the more progressive Syrians if the upholders of conservative Islamic values were to take the reins of power of the State. But that does not justify oppressing them. Especially since they don’t have a realistic chance of taking power. When you oppress them they’ll give you back sedition. When you genuinely respect them and treat them fairly they’ll quieten down. You have to rule with fairness or you will have commotion.

Dear Mr. Lesch, thank you for alluding to grief, that Jr is in all probability experiencing. Your asessment resonates with my earlier one, that I posted on this blog.

It is difficult to say whether Jr is still in the bargaining stage, or is already in the depression / withdrawal stage,

The absence of released rumours of further reforms, and the violent events of Black Friday would argue, as you did, for a state of withdrawal and depression.

These are relevent, adjusted excerpts from wikipedia rearding the stages of grief (DABDA).
“The harder a person fights the inevitable, the more likely they will be to stay in the denial stage. If this is the case, it is possible that such person will have more difficulty accepting, in a dignified way”
Those who experience problems working through the stages should consider professional grief counseling or support groups”

Hypothetically, and at the risk of sounding sarcastic, a group support therapy for the gone-by Mubarak and Bin3ali and the on-the-way-out Sale7 and Jr would be ideal.

I have intentionally left out Qiddafi; He is a hopless case of end-stage mania.

Who is this retired Diplomat? My guess is that he is either Russian or Chinese. He is so concerned about the claimed death of the tens of security personnels but not really much about the hundreds of civilians killed by the the security forces. The Syrian TV didn’t show any meaningful report on the demonstrations but routinely aired the funerals of the security personnels, why? nothing aired about the Syrians tanks attacking Daraa? No independent committee or media outlet is allowed to practice freely in Syria to give the real pictue, why? if there is nothing to hide from the gvmnt side then why don’t they allow them to get it?
I don’t know why the percentage of demonstrators to the general population did not impress the Diplomat; that proved to me that he doesn’t know Syria well enough although he claimed he is a Diplomat there. Ten Syrians to go on a demonstration is big number for people who know Syria. Syria, North Korea and Cuba are in a class of their own.
The majority of Syrians are silent b/c they have been in a state of fear for about 50 years. I don’t expect them to change overnight.
The big two cities which has more the half the population of Syria can’t do much b/c the gvmnt deployed more than half of the security/army personnels there.

It’s a disappointing analysis from a “Diplomat”

Mawal95,
Everybody should believe in what they want and what they believe in is between God and themselves, but nobody has the right to impose what they believe in on others no matter how much they think it the right way, so the bottom line is that if the conservative reach power they should not impose their belief on others, so the constitution should be secular and resemble the American constitution and the bill of rights and not easy to change.

Yasersham

You hit the jackpot! the name of the diplomat is Hu Hang Chai, he was cultural attache at the Chinese embassy.

From Damascus:
Great reporting. Please keep it coming. This is the real picture and it is painted beautifully by you.

OTW:
As usual, beautiful.

W-D:
You sound more and more like Benjamin Netanyahu. You place all these conditions on these poor souls so you can allow them to breath. We need to let them be themselves and respect their believes. I do not agree with their mind set and thinking but I will not pass a judgement on them or anyone else. God does.

Norman:
I am still waiting for an answer.

Mawal95:
100% right. These people who think they are above others are the problem in our socity.

Hamster:
Where are you? Miss your writings.

Norman
Thanks for rescuing me…

Ziadkhoury

Which conditions? That they will not impose the Sharia law to Syria? Hellow… are you reading what I write? You prefer a drawing?

Ziadsouri,

What is the question.?

WD, You are welcome. protect my back and protect yours,

I wonder if Syria can have two different laws one( Sharia law )) for the Sunni Muslims and one for everybody else,

One of the most important laws that Syria should have is the right to change religion and that the religion that you are born into is not imposed on you, I wonder how far a law like that will go,

Apparently, the opportunists Baathists are jumping ship thinking that the ship is sinking, Good ridden, It is time to know who are the real Baathists that stand for secular Syria and who are the profiteers that joined the Baath party for monetary and political gains,

Norman

The Baathists leaving the party in protest to what the security forces are doing are the opportunists !!! that’s a good one.

You’re wondering if Syria can have Sharia law for Sunnis and another law for everyone else. That’s an odd question coming from you, isn’t that what Syria has right now ? doesn’t every sect has its own courts and own set of rules ?. You know someone reading your comments and WD’s will think the current Syrian constitution is secular to begin with, is it ?

Norman,

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=9383&cp=2#comment-248119

Nk,
If they were true to the Baath party they would have stood their ground and fought for changing what is going on not run a way and deny the party,

Sharia law is applied to everybody in inheritance, Isn’t it.?

Women do not have the same say in courts.

I have not read the Syrian constitution but an American one would be OK with me, It seems to be compatible with diversity that the US has and could be good for Syria.

Ziadsouri,

I hate to say that, But what kind of stupid question is that , do you really think that i care what the political or the religous association of my patients, Shame on you to even think that, I am very disappointed,

A few comments:

” Their biggest demonstration appears to have been in Homs at 20,000. So how many have protested in the country? I estimate 400,000 max. That is less than 2% of Syria’s 22 million. 98% of the population have stayed home and while yearning for more freedoms”

Irrelative of the figures mentioned above but I believe that Syrians can take down the ” regime ” or Bashar if they want to. This probably was the golden the opportunity to achieve it but they decided not to take him down and give him a chance. Call it popularity or fear of the alternative but they gave him a chance.

Syria must reconsider the open door policy with all the neighboring countries. As commenter (3) mentioned the security failed miserably in prevention. We are not qualified to have an open door policy

Opposition groups including MB should wake up and start developing national programs and solutions to the economical, social, and security challenges. Clearly people don’t care for “ Bashar is a dictator” and want to see real solutions. They should talk about all issues in detail for example they should challenge raising the fuel price if they think it’s wrong and provide alternative solutions etc. They should address the concerns of all Syrians and not only their core base.

BR,
Moe

Norman,

I was not expecting any other answer than the one you provided. I am very sure you would even go out of your way to make sure everyone is taken care of.

Now, how do you feel about the way the regime and its agents are behaving? Arresting doctors for treating the injured (even if they are from the Mundaseen).
Can you join me in condeming the behaviour by the security forces?
How could they touch doctors doing their ethical duties?

Norman

“Sharia law is applied to everybody in inheritance, Isn’t it.?”

Absolutely not, it only applies to Muslims, as I said Syria has different courts for different sect, they were established for this reason (inheritance) among others (marriage, divorce, …)

and here’s article 3 from the current Syrian constitution
المادة الثالثة
1- دين رئيس الجمهورية الإسلام.
2- الفقه الإسلامي مصدر رئيسي للتشريع

I agree the U.S constitution will be very good for Syria, but how do you expect this regime to adopt such a constitution ? you’re basically hoping the regime will bring itself down, that doesn’t make any sense. Unless you mean adopting it but keep the security forces above the law, in that case it really doesn’t matter what the constitution says, does it ?

Take a look at the Syrian constitution, it’s not a bad one by any means, it protects the rights of minorities and all religions, our main problem is that security forces are above the law.
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/ar/law.php

Does this sound familiar?

David W. Lesch’s “Shock in Syria” is one of the best analyses I have read so far. It really highlights the human side of Bashar; a good person who is perhaps making the wrong decisions at the wrong time. He is probably in desperate need for good advice at a time like this. I really hope that he will make the right decisions and will always be remembered in history as the reformer that he really is.

Mawal95
These books are everywhere for free on the internet. No wonder why this uprising was made by people who know a good deal about “social network websites” and I-Phones.
About Turkey I have heard from people there who claimed to be Sufis that Syria was far too secular (!) and that the interference of the security in the mosques and religious gatherings was unacceptable. Probably the result of the same brainwashing that we find in the Gulf and Yemen against anything close to “socialism”, plus a way to criticize indirectly their own government. Maybe Bashar could start to put posters of Ataturk everywhere and that should do the trick?

The EU is considering sanctions on Syria. What is the purpose of these sanctions? European sanctions would destroy the Syrian economy and make the people miserable. What does the EU exactly want? Do they want to turn us into another Somalia?

The response to any EU sanction must be setting up an extensive network to smuggle Syrian emigrants to the EU.

Someone is thinking right in Syria:

التحضير لوفود شعبية لزيارة درعا ودوما وغيرها من المناطق التي شهدت سقوط شهداء
أخبار حلب
شارك

تعتزم شخصيات وطنية وعشائرية في محافظة حلب تنظيم زيارات إلى درعا وحمص ودوما وغيرها من المناطق التي شهدت سقوط شهداء وذلك بهدف لم الشمل وتعزيز الوحدة الوطنية ومواساة ذوي الشهداء .

وقال الحاج عمر عاشور وهو من وجهاء قبيلة البكارة ومنظم الزيارات لسيريانيوز ” لقد استقبلنا السيد الرئيس بشار الأسد يوم الاثنين لسماع مطالب أهالي حلب وعرضنا عليه فكرة قيام وجهاء وفعاليات من مختلف أنحاء سورية تذهب إلى درعا ودوما وحمص وغيرها لكي تلتقي بالأهالي وتسعى للمصالحة ، الأمر الذي شجع عليه سيادة الرئيس بما يحفظ وحدتنا الوطنية ويفشل المخططات المعادية لشعبنا “.

و أضاف عاشور ” أصدرنا بياناً ضمناه أرقام هاتف وفاكس وبريد إلكتروني من أجل تنظيم الزيارات التي نريد القيام بها بأسرع وقت لأن هذا واجب وطني، فما يمر به وطننا الحبيب سورية يستدعي جهود المصلحين لرأب الصدع ووقف نزيف الدماء و إعادة اللحمة إلى أبناء وطننا الذي يتعرض لخطر الفتنة ويتربص به الأعداء”.

وتنتشر قبيلة البكارة في معظم المحافظات السورية وبالأخص في دير الزور وحلب وتوجد عشيرة منها في جاسم التابعة لمحافظة درعا.

وكان وفد من عشائر حلب التقى الرئيس الأسد يوم الاثنين حيث عرض مطالب أهالي المحافظة .
http://syria-news.com/pic/syria/aleppo/oumar_ashoour1.jpg

http://syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=131907

Their FB site
http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%A3%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7/205889356109080

It’s scary to think for a second, that bin ladens plans for a caliphate from spain to indonesia can happen! Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Afghansitan…..he is almost halfway there!!!

This whole “only 2% of the population” argument is ridiculous. That’s actually a HUGE percentage of the population. What percentage of the population went out into the streets in France in 1789? in Russia in 1917? Even in a modern revolution like Iran’s, maybe 10% actually were in the streets. Let’s take Egypt – 80 million people, and at most 8 million were in the streets (that’s being generous and adding the people taking part in neighborhood watches and other non-marching activities). You have to consider that a large percentage of any population is elderly, infirm, very young, rural, works hand-to-mouth for hourly or daily wages, etc. and that these people will not be marching in urban protests. Then you have family members, primarily women, who stay at home to watch kids and the neighborhood while dad and the older brothers go out. So 2% of the population ain’t all that small in the grand context of revolutionary histories.

Since state TV is a joke and the regime won’t allow foreign media into the crisis zones, we only have political and human rights activists, who have contact within Daraa, Homs, and Banias, to rely on for info.

Guys, let’s stop with the ‘armed gangs’ BS, what’s happening in Daraa is a form of collective punishment and intimidation for the people who protested. Otherwise why put the city under siege and cut off water and electricity and shoot at domestic water tanks? why prevent medial supplies and baby milk from reaching those who need them? as a Palestinian living in Gaza said today: “the situation in Daraa reminds me of the bleakest days of the siege imposed by Israel on Gaza.”

لبنان وروسيا والصين تحبط بيان مجلس الأمن … ودمشق تتعهّد بإصلاحات إضافية خلال أيام
سوريا تحارب على جبهتين: الاضطراب الداخلي … والتدخل الغربي

واجهت سوريا امس تحديا مزدوجا بين متابعة مساعيها لاحتواء أسوأ أزمة سياسية وأمنية تتعرض لها منذ عقود، وبين مكافحة جهود أميركية وأوروبية غربية مريبة للتدخل في شؤونها الداخلية، سواء في مجلس الأمن الدولي الذي عقد جلسة علنية انتهت نتيجة موقف لبنان وروسيا والصين، إلى فشل في إصدار بيان رئاسي يدين قمع المحتجين، او في عدد من العواصم الاوروبية التي اتخذت مواقف استعراضية باستدعاء السفراء السوريين لديها، في الوقت الذي ترددت أنباء عن ان دمشق تتجه الى اصدار حزمة جديدة من الاصلاحات السياسية في الايام القليلة المقبلة، متحدية المجموعات المتطرفة التي تعمل على إشعال الفتنة في اكثر من منطقة سورية.
وقال دبلوماسيون في الامم المتحدة ان الدول الـ15 في مجلس الامن لم تتوصل الى توافق بشأن اصدار بيان مشترك «يدين القمع الدامي» في سوريا. وأضافوا ان روسيا والصين ولبنان رفضوا مشروع بيان تقدمت به بريطانيا وفرنسا وألمانيا والبرتغال «يدين تدخل الجيش وإطلاق الرصاص الحي على المتظاهرين في سوريا». ومعلوم أنه يجب الحصول على موافقة جميع الدول الأعضاء في مجلس الامن من أجل إصدار بيان رئاسي.
وقال المندوب السوري لدى الأمم المتحدة بشار الجعفري، في جلسة علنية للمجلس، إنّ «الاحتجاجات في سوريا ترافقت مع تحريض إعلامي إقليمي، وفتاوى دينية من خارج الحدود تدعو إلى ضرب الدولة»، مشيرا إلى أن بلاده «اتخذت إجراءات إصلاحية عديدة، كما ستتخذ إجراءات حكومية أخرى في الأيام المقبلة».
وأعلن الجعفري أن «الجمارك السورية ضبطت الكثير من الأسلحة المهرّبة إلى داخل البلاد من مجموعات دينية متطرفة في الخارج». وشدد على أنّ «التظاهرات التي جرت في سوريا لم تكن سلمية وإلاّ لما سقط كلّ هذا العدد من المواطنين السوريين العسكريين والمدنيين»، موضحا أن «المجموعات المتطرفة استهدفت قوى الأمن والجيش»، عارضا لجدول يضمّ 51 اسما لعسكريين قتلوا في الاحتجاجات.

وقال نائب المندوب الروسي لدى الأمم المتحدة الكسندر بانكين إن ما يجري في سوريا «لا يشكل تهديدا للأمن والسلام الدوليين». وأضاف ان «التهديد الفعلي للأمن الاقليمي قد ينبع من التدخل الخارجي»، معتبرا ان «نهجا كهذا يؤدي الى دورة عنف لا تنتهي» وقد يفضي الى حرب أهلية، فيما أكد مندوب الهند أن «لكلّ دولة من الدول أن تقرر بنفسها طريقة حفظ النظام على أراضيها».

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1833&articleId=3041&ChannelId=43125

وفد خبراء تركي يصل إلى سورية اليوم في إطار عملية الإصلاح…الجيش: نبأ الانشقاق عار عن الصحة ويعبر عن الإفلاس

وفي موازاة الجهود الأمنية لاستعادة الاستقرار في البلاد، تتواصل جهود الحكومة السورية لتعميق العملية الإصلاحية في البلاد واستقصاء أفضل وأسرع الآليات لتنفيذ حزمة التشريعات التي وضعتها القيادة السورية لتحقيق الإصلاحات عبر الاستفادة من خبرات الدول التي لها باع في هذا المجال.
وفي السياق ذاته، يصل إلى سورية اليوم وفد من الخبراء الأتراك لتقديم المساعدة للحكومة السورية في وضع الآليات الأفضل لتطبيق الإصلاحات السياسية والاقتصادية في البلاد.
ويأتي وصول الوفد التركي بعد أيام فقط من استقبال رئيس الوزراء عادل سفر للسفير التركي في دمشق عمر أونهون حيث أكد سفر على أهمية الاستفادة من الخبرات التركية في مجال الإصلاحات، مرحباً بالخبرة التركية في مجال تعزيز عملية الإصلاح الاقتصادي والسياسي والتطوير الإداري، لافتاً إلى أهمية الاستفادة من التجربة التركية في وضع آلية ملائمة لترجمة عملية الإصلاح على أرض الواقع بالسرعة الممكنة.
يأتي ذلك في حين شهدت دمشق يوماً هادئاً، وكذلك بقية المدن السورية ماعدا درعا ودوما اللتين تشهدان إجراءات أمنية مشددة بعد استغاثات من الأهالي للقيادة السورية للتدخل وضبط الأمن بعد ما شهدته هذه المناطق من عمليات لجماعات إرهابية مسلحة وصلت حد القتل والتمثيل بالجثث، في حين استعادت مدينة المعضمية هدوءها وتم رفع الحواجز الأمنية بعد استتباب الأمن في البلدة.
http://alwatan.sy/dindex.php?idn=100311

From someone I trust:

The security and costumes personnel at airports and border crossings are inspecting all mobile phones and laptops of Syrian expatriates. In case of laptops, they’re forcing people to log in with their screen names and passwords to facebook, and then they’re registering all the info they could about the political leanings and choice of wall postings of the person and his friends. Probably even judging by their profile pictures where their political loyalties lay…etc…

Lifting emergency law my a**….

#48,

If such inspections are acutally being conducted, I dont see why not. It should be expected in a time of crisis. It was trust and a lack of inspections that laptops, mobile phones and weapons were smuggled in by the ‘revolutionists’.

Inspections need to be conducted in order for security services to confirm that no further insurgents or ringleaders arrive into the country undetected. The situation needs to be brought under control and peace and stability gained and maintained. If an excessive amount of inspections is a way to do it, then so be it.

The note of searching computers is taken from the revolution FB site.

Confiscation of laptops (including the search and theft from expat appartments) was conducted in the last days of the Egyptian uprising.
I wonder when the UN is going to call for an enquiry in the abuses on civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine?
It’s wonderful all these people supporting on Twitter and Facebook another Western war in Syria: i am sure next time they’ll join protests against the Israeli occupation.

Bashar’s symphony

ألم تتوقعوا خروج روسيا و الصين على الخط ! هل هو غباء سياسي الى حد تظن فيه أوروبا أن العالم يتكون فقط من جزءه الغربى !! ها ها ها ! ازا ما تمادى أي طرف خارجي فستعمل روسيا على بتر أصابعه !!! و قد شاهدتم سلوكها عندما لعبتم معها في جيورجيا ! ورطتم حليفتكم جيورجيا ! هده مقدمة فقط ! و في أمكنة أخرى ستقلب الطاولة في وجهكم ! عاشت سورية برئاسة السيد الدكتور بشار الأسد !

Shami,

What are they doing in the video? It looks to me they’re firing in the air. What for?

Mina said:

I wonder when the UN is going to call for an enquiry in the abuses on civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine?

In the cases of Afghanistan and Iraq, the UN actually permitted foreign interference in these countries due to the violent regimes of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, respectively. With regard to Palestine, the UN has been overly active. Remember the Goldstone Report? There have been many.

It’s wonderful all these people supporting on Twitter and Facebook another Western war in Syria: i am sure next time they’ll join protests against the Israeli occupation.

The UN deals with the Israeli occupation every year, and frankly, spends way too much of their time with it. One day, the Palestinians will sit with the Israelis and figure out a solution.

There is no “western war in Syria”. No Zionist, American, or any other foreign organization has killed the nearly 500 Syrian protestors. Most of these deaths were perpetrated by Syrian police/army.

Jad (comment #50):

Re: the laptops inspection: Not really taken from anywhere. It was relayed to me by someone who’d been through Damascus airport recently. Anyway, feel free to heed the warning or not. I’m not mentioning it to tarnish the regime, but rather for people to be aware of what’s going on and avoid getting in trouble if they can. I don’t wish anybody harm, pro-regime or otherwise. Snooping into people’s computers without a court order is an infringement of human liberties in civilized countries. As things stand at the moment, the security personnel are not taking any prisoners and many innocent people could get hurt.

Syau (comment #49):

In a different circumstances I’d have enjoyed an Orwellian exchange with you. But not now….

…spare me.

AP,in order to scare the latakkians,a kind of warning.

Democracy now,

If it is in actual fact true that there are laptop inspections, it would be in order to preseve the safety of the Syrian people. Measures need to be taken in order to achieve this.

Save your Orwellian exchange for the US government and the measures they have taken at their airports. If anything was to challenge George Orwell’s idea of personal freedom it would be that invasion of privacy.

In a situation where laptops were smuggled in for the sole reason of fabrication and destabalisation of a country, then I think that would warrant at least laptop inspections, and furthermore, If there is nothing to hide, then nobody should be worried about bearing the contents of their hardware to the customs officers.

[…] from: Syria Comment » Archives » Advice For UN from a Retired Diplomat … This entry was posted in Techies and tagged entertainment, hot news. Bookmark the permalink. […]

Laptop check or body X-ray or fingerprints?
How can they know if they have a facebook id???? They can always deny hey have one!
It may be to prevent bringing in subsersive videos or documents.
I guess the X-Ray boxes in US airports and the body searching is far more humiliating. Infrigement on what?
Entering the US now can be a very humiliating experience, fingerprinting, lots of questions, luggage checked, abrupt attitude. And the US is NOT under violent unrests.. Imagine if they were. Patriot act and company and the US has the technology, Syria doesn’t

why-discuss

“Entering the US now can be a very humiliating experience, fingerprinting, lots of questions, luggage checked, abrupt attitude. And the US is NOT under violent unrests.. Imagine if they were.”

Let’s not confuse what NON US CITIZENS go through while entering the U.S with what U.S citizens go through.

SYAU

دستور الجمهورية العربية السورية و تعديلاته

الفصل الرابع: الحريات والحقوق والواجبات العامة

المادة الخامسة والعشرون

1- الحرية حق مقدس وتكفل الدولة للمواطنين حريتهم الشخصية وتحافظ على كرامتهم وأمنهم.
2- سيادة القانون مبدأ أساسي في المجتمع والدولة.
3- المواطنون متساوون أمام القانون في الحقوق والواجبات .
4- تكفل الدولة مبدأ تكافؤ الفرص بين المواطنين.

المادة الثامنة والعشرون

1- كل متهم بريء حتى يدان بحكم قضائي مبرم.
2- لا يجوز تحري أحد أو توقيفه إلا وفقاً للقانون.
3- لا يجوز تعذيب أحد جسدياً أو معنوياً أو معاملته معاملة مهينة ويحدد القانون عقاب من يفعل ذلك.
4- حق التقاضي وسلوك سبل الطعن والدفاع أمام القضاء مصون بالقانون.

المادة الحادية والثلاثون

المساكن مصونة لا يجوز دخولها أو تفتيشها إلا في الأحوال المبينة في القانون.

المادة الثانية والثلاثون

سرية المراسلات البريدية والاتصالات السلكية مكفولة وفق الأحكام المبينة في القانون.

المادة الثامنة والثلاثون

لكل مواطن الحق في أن يعرب عن رأيه بحرية وعلنية بالقول والكتابة وكافة وسائل التعبير الأخرى وأن يسهم في الرقابة والنقد البناء بما يضمن سلامة البناء الوطني والقومي ويدعم النظام الاشتراكي وتكفل الدولة حرية الصحافة والطباعة والنشر وفقاً للقانون.

I’ll leave it to you to count how many constitutional violations the regime/security forces committed so far, but you probably think the government have the right to ignore the constitution whenever it feels like it!.

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ابن عضو مجلس شعب يبكي على الهواء عأهله بدرعا

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

Anyone willing to defend this one?

ZIADSOURY,

Yes a Zionist will identify with this. You know why. Because there lies are exposed, and they will call it self defence.

The similarities between the two “ist” Baathist=Zionist is shocking.

The siege on Gaza and the siege on Deraa.

Is their any humanity left.

The retired diplomat living in Syria seems very naive to me (with all due respects). He is accusing christian phalangists from Lebanon for the shooting of the syrian troops?? The christian phalangist have no more milicia and do not have the power to execute such a military venture in Syria….
How about that those syrian troops are just simply sunni and druze who refused to shoot on syrian people and got killed by their allawi officers for the mutinery??? that is the most probable explanation for all those soldiers killed…….
i am relieved that this diplomat is currently retired since he has no clue how the Assad regime has been functioning for the last 40 years

[…] Syria Comment blog ran analysis by an anonymous poster, identified only as a retired diplomat, who placed the number of protesters at a maximum of 400,000. This diplomat essentially argued that the vast majority of the Syrian population was unwilling to […]

[…] Jordan, Palestine and Syria and Syria still exercises a great deal of influence in this region (http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/04/07/the_arab_awakening_and_syrian_exceptionalism), particularly after Egypt abdicating its leadership post Camp David agreement with Israel. Syria […]