I don’t follow Al-Jazeera and I am not familiar with Perry’s reporting but this report strikes me as very personal, not the kind of objective journalism one would expect. It would fit on a blog but not in a major satellite channel watched by millions. Is he trying to imitate Fisk? But then Fisk writes for the independent…

I prefer this kind of reporting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/world/middleeast/26syria.html?hp

And this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/middleeast/25assad.html?hp

My heart goes out to Syrians at home and abroad. I wonder what an acculturated Canadian who is still very much attached to Syria might feel. I try to understand the attachment and emotions of an acculturated Australian of which at least a few in these comments. I try to imagine the feelings and events that sent these folks to their new countries, why in fact they and their families could not or would not make their lives in Syria. I try to imagine what a Lebanese with many family ties to Syria feels. I try to comprehend the kinds of fears and hopes are in the minds of Syrians who have been in prison on political crimes, or who are targets of security crackdowns of the past, or the present. I try to imagine a single ‘thug’ who has taken up arms. I try to imagine what is in the mind of a Syrian army trooper called up to do whatever it is they are being ordered to do in the siege of Deraa.

I can’t do it. I can’t put all the pieces together. The cries of hurt and guilt and rage at needless death come from so many heart places. There is a man who cannot tell us his name here, who lives in Australia and may never have put a foot on the ground of Syria. He cries out against traitors and infiltrators and various destructive mobs and valourizes to the heavens a man and a family that have ruled Syria since 1969. I do not understand how an Australian can judge from afar in such harsh invective, to speak of enemies and arms and death as the Australian democracy ticks over like a clock.

From such peaceful precincts are death words rained down upon The Enemy.

What a heartbreak it must be to denote a fellow countryman or woman as enemy, to contemplate and celebrate a brutal war of arms to subdue and destroy the enemy.

What chance does Syria have to mend itself after the present convulsions, if talk turns to red rage and retribution?

Is this the Syrian spirit? Are the battle lines drawn, with the Pure on one side with the tanks and the might of a state — against a foul eruption of evil?

It is very sobering to read the emotionalist language and demonizing rhetoric from the side that supports the state. What profit accrues to anyone where contempt, exclusion, war metaphors and the wishing of death become the coin of discussion?

Where is the shared humanity that makes me proud of my people?

Shame on the President who kills his people mercilessly! Hama II will not be allowed!

May Hama 2 be glorious. May The radical Muslim Brotherhood be obliterated.

Dr. Landis, the Syrian army is composed mostly of Sunni recruits. If the soldiers receive orders to shoot at civilians in the streets, they will turn around and shoot their Alawi commanders instead. This is intense absurdity. Every Syrian knows that these allegations are brazen lies. They are directed to the Western world for political reasons. I was watching CNN a few minutes ago. They had a pro-Hariri Lebanese who works at al-Arabiyya TV (Saudi owned) to comment on the events in Syria! It was a real farce.

The soldiers have orders to shoot only at those who shoot at them. The Syrian TV reported causalities within the army today. Peaceful protesters would not shoot at army troops who entered their city at 04:00 AM.

Hmm, take a look at the latest comment I received on Youtube from these Islamic ‘Peaceful protesters.’ His message was on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYOI7dFoBbo&lc=MEv8w_IxbXnFmXnQJ3YUtGtL_-s56XDYhetPMFsS-r8&feature=inbox

*

@IslamicMotive

I am not Shia, you extremist terrorist, but thanks for proving my point 😉
SyriaAlmighty 1 second ago

*

KAFIR SHIA?
IslamicMotive 7 minutes ago

+ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13188920 (American Green Light)

+ http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/04/25/2021s633914.htm (Arabic Green Light)

+ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8P4UevRJhE
http://sana.sy/ara/2/2011/04/25/343140.htm
(Motive and excuse)
———————————————————
= ??????? ????????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ????????? ????????? ???????? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ????

Sophia,

Please, what objectivity !

The whole situation of the senseless killings is the subjectivity of this brutal regime. What more do they want.

William Scott, you brought tears to my eyes, 40 years of lies and brutality did not turn Syrians into hateful machines. Our humanity will prevail. With bare chests the youth are facing the criminals. We wanted to believe, that he is different from his father, we were deceived for 11 years, wishful thinking. I turned many to believe that he is a reformer and will lead the country out of the dark days that we’ve witnessed…Mafias, blood money, mass murder…execution..exiles…massacre.

No one will rob our humanity…

Hama II
How long can we wait, how many people should die, what are the world is waiting for,he and maher,like there father murderous on the loose,they are crazy,all syrian must rise to get rid of them

Heroes and Cowards

Over the last few weeks I have called myself a coward in comparison to the heroes in the streets all over Syria. However, today it hit me that I am nothing in comparison to the real cowards. The cowards of the Syrian regime who are afraid to look the people in the eyes and answer their demands. The cowards of the Syrian security forces and now the army who are willing to shoot at unarmed Syrian civilians while bunkering down when Israel flies over our skies and bombs our land. And finally the educated cowards living in western democracies and enjoying everything they have to offer while cheering the massacres done in their name.

I also appreciate William Scott’s comment – he has put into words some of the things that I as a non-Middle-Eastern, US citizen am thinking & feeling as I follow these events. I started reading Dr. Landis’ blog and everyone’s comments back in February or March while preparing for a trip to Syria as a tourist. I was going to go on April 1 for 2 weeks. I canceled that trip, but am still engaged in what’s going on there.

Again I would say that the regime is cornered. Damn if you do and damn if you don’t. If this is Shock and Awe to scare the rest of the people then the only way to have it register in the minds of the people is to actually show what is happening or at least let all in Syria know what is happening. Otherwise, it is not going to be effective. If it is pure repression with the pretext of crushing MB then it may have one of two outcomes either a reprieve until the situation explodes again or an explosion right now with a spiraling down more violence.
If the reforms are to be implemented fully and the demands of the poeple addressed as the President implied in his speeches and declarations then there is no escape from a final re writing of the constitution. Once this is done it is only a matter of time before the ballot box will determine the outcome. If the electoral process and the reforms are rigged we are back to square one and the regime does not have the means to address the legitimate demands against corruption and graft without losening its grip on the fiefdom. If the process is fair and open then the next elections will show that the Baath party has lost its credibility and that the majority of the people want a fundamental change in the regime.
Repression will not work, there are 70% of 23 million under the age of 35 and all wishing for a better and decent life without the imposition of the mafia style of the regime.
The questions that I have for Dr. Landis and the more thoughtful commentators on this blog are;
1. Is Basha in charge or is he being completely bypassed.
2. Can he continue to maintain the “modern” dynamic and open face of Syria with his education and his wife at his side as being a man of the world or will he go as another Ghadafi in a suit.
3. Can the regime survive the waves of sanctions and paria state that it will be in in the next few years as its important allies abandon it mainly Qatar and Iraq
4. Inexorably the weight of Egypt as it returns to the Arab fold and leads the revolution in the region will manifest itself ever more strongly will thisinfluence the Syrian regime, can Turkey be seen again as siding with the mafia and risk losing credibility in its regional instability
5. Can the allies Iran and HA maintain a credible steadfast front if they are seen as allies of a brutal mafia
6. How much economic liberalization and investment is going to be needed to get the country out of its death spiral after these events. Already billions have left the country and there is no end in sight.

They should take the warnings very seriously.
Today they have the tanks and the upper hand.
Tomorrow their sons and daughters will be slaughtered in the streets, and they will become dispossessed refugees.
Stop and think before committing crimes.

(And plz spare me the “look who’s talking”.. this is SC not IC.. ty).
.

News – In Brief Overseas
Call for Assad to be tried
26 April 2011
The Age
AGEE
First
6
English
© 2011 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. http://www.theage.com.au

SYRIA

DUBAI. An influential body of international judges and lawyers has called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to be indicted by the International Criminal Court for the deaths of 120 anti-government protesters at the weekend.

“Those ordering and carrying out these attacks, including those firing live rounds into crowds, must be held criminally accountable,” the International Committee of Jurists said.

As many as 300 people have been detained in widespread sweeps over the past three days, according to Mahmoud Merhi, who heads the Arab Organisation for Human Rights. Many of the arrested were taken from their homes at night, according to Haitham al-Maleh, a member of the Syrian Human Rights Committee, who said “hundreds” were arrested.

Sophia the Sophist – Perry writes in a great tradition of war reporting. it’s supposed to be emotional. he saw people being murdered. if it were not emotional it would be a distortion.

I am sure the Syrian security has been working day and night to discover the network. The opposition has been cheering “w want freedom, no negotiations, we want Assad to leave”. If you recall President Assad the father back in the late 70s, early 80s, he left the opposition to grow, get angry, reach their peak, and….and eventually he came down hardy on them, crushed them, and threw them away. The same scenario again in 2011.

Syria is mentioned briefly in the US nightly news (seconds). I do not see any western involvement rather a hidden support to end this quickly. The opposition are nothing in number or leadership to face the strong Syrian army…..The army is trying to restore order and peace that the thugs took away from the people.

We will make your Fridays hell. There is not sympathy or empathy with corrupt, radical people anymore. I do not feel sympathy for the US taking the lives of radical Islamist in Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc, neither do I feel any sympathy for the Syrian army to take the lives of people in my own country. I appreciate Dr. Landis putting the picture of their leader with his awful beard which reminds me of awful people radical terrorists that we see in the international news and in Guantanamo Bay prison. To the hell you and and your revolution. You will be chased and killed soon. Your revolution is to the garbage waste

Lona elShibel resigned today from Aljazeera. She is talking about the fabrications and made up stories about Syria .. But I guess it doesn’t matter to those who only want to believe that the demonstrations are peaceful and the ‘regime’ is brutal and stupid

To all free people in the world
The Syrian army is fighting Ben-Laden partners……
Syria is the first line in fighting terrorism ……
The effects of the Syrian army job will bring the peace and safety for all the world even for the people of the States and Europe….
The Syrian army is protecting all Syrian from the radical Islamic terrorists….
To all free people in the world
The Syrian army is protecting not only Syria…..but all the world from the radical Islamic terrorists

About the great allies of the Western Democratic Countries Proudly Selling Weapons All Over The World, it might be useful to remember that most suicide bombers in Iraq are Saudis
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2007/08/08/18791/studies-suicide-bombers-in-iraq.html

And to give a glimpse into Fisk’s very shy comments on what has been going on (but the guy has decided not to use the internet, so he kind of missed most of the Arab revolutions lately) he did point at the dark corners, but some days ago and briefly
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-the-arab-awakening-began-not-in-tunisia-this-year-but-in-lebanon-in-2005-2268002.html

REAL SYRIAN
Oh man, at the end I got someone who shares my ideas

Death to Radical Islam

No mess with Syrian Army.
Many people who were feeling sympathy wit the thugs are now cheering Assad in many cities in Syria. What a cheap.

This challenge will give birth again to THE LION OF ARABIA. President Assad will be the most powerful leader in the middle east. We love you, we are all behind you……The opposition on the run now. Will see who will help them. Hariri and Khadam will sit on the 7’azoooq at the end. Bunch of kids on the internet trying to bring down the strongest regime in the Arab world. Funny Movie

Moe

Oh how some love to fabricate stories, she resigned on MAY 25 2010 …. over DRESS CODE!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://bit.ly/aixRQK

The stupidity of Syrian media is beyond limit!.

Fadi,

Although I have every doubt about this “revolution”, and am inclined to believe the official story much more than the “opposition” one, I’d advise against any euphoric feelings out of this whole mess.

The events have made Syria weaker, even if that weakness is temporary, and we still don’t know if it’s over.

Where is the Outrage, the UN, Ban Ki-Moon, Goldstone, Erdogan, and the Arab League?

If it were Israel, the UN would be working overtime.

Another witness said people were using mosque loudspeakers in Daraa to summon doctors to help the wounded as busloads of security forces and troops conducted house-to-house searches, causing panic in the streets.

The sweep into Daraa, a city of about 300,000 people, sought to hit the opposition movement at one of its pillars.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/at-least-39-said-killed-and-dozens-wounded-by-syria-troops-in-daraa-1.358037

Syria could soon become a member of the UN Human rights council:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-harris/code-red-syria-could-soon_b_852976.html

The bottom line is, the people of Derra are either with the MB or with the majority of Syrians. The fact that no fled the city, in the last 3 weeks means they are staying to fight. They must have been delusional to think that the inevitable was NOT going to happen. They made their own beds!!!! Hopefully this rebellion can be crushed fast, so the true hard working and full of pride can go back to work, and try to salvage the upcoming tourist season. Its a shame, because there probably wont be any Saudi tourist that have the real cake to spend! P.S. To all the cowards that live outside of Syria, that fomented this rebellion………. TAH YA SOURIA!!!!!!!

It’s shocking to see how many of the regime’s agents are posting on this blog. Some calling for Hama II? Seriously? You support the massacre of your own people?

Others are continually spreading disinformation thinking that the Syrian people are a dumb, gullible lot.

It is now abundantly clear that Assad as President of Syria is no longer a tolerable state of affairs. Inwould have accepted the status quo had he admitted the legitimate demands and grievances of the people at the opportune time – when he first addressed the nation. Instead, he made it clear that we were his pheasants, the country was his farm, and we were forever indentured to serve him as our master. His further insincere actions, lifting the emergency law yet continuing the bloodshed and other extrajudicial actions shows us there is now no hope that we will achieve a free and prosperous Syria. Our country is greater than any one being. This is senseless bloodshed that does not serve the interests of our country – it only serves the select few in power who seek to save their own skin. This is not the way to do it.

I wish for a smooth transition of power to a representative form of government in Syria, inshallah.

Although you have already crossed the red line, I call on you, Mr. Bashar al-Assad, to announce that you will be stepping down as president, and to implement all other reforms required to establish free elections by year end.

Just returned from a visit to Syria. I really got tired off emailing people explaining to them what I saw and learned from speaking to people of different religious backgrounds on the ground in Syria (sorry to have to resort to this kind of labeling), but in short, reality on the ground is nothing like what we read on the media. It really isn’t.

I was one of the most excited for reform and for a democratic movement in Syria.. but I will tell you right now that this whole thing is one big fart. There is no democratic movement in Syria at the moment. Perhaps there was at some point. Perhaps some still mean good. However, the dominant movement is that of an armed uprising. This uprising appears to be Islamic. End of story. People please wake up and DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ ON THE MEDIA

I really really can’t believe that I, a Syrian who was blessed to be given the chance to be educated in a Western country and to travel around and experience different culture, would come at the end of the day to the sad conclusion that all I have been reading on so-called respected news journals is just a load of reductionist bullcrap… But it is.. this is the reality. I spoke to people in Syria.. different kinds.. different backgrounds.. stories matched.. obviously with minor details. Those minor details don’t change the fact that there are people who are messing around in Syria using violence, targeting specific sects, army and security personnel, and trying to create a Sunni uprising.

If you don’t believe me, grow some balls and travel to Syria now. It’s safe. You will speak to people. People in Syria are opening up now. They got nothing to talk about but the events. Everybody is talking openly and clearly. You will hear some differences but none of them will match to the load of bullsh*t you read online or see on Aljazeera et al.

Ya jam3a sectarianism is cooking on a slow fire. Please if you are unwilling or unable to go to Syria to discover the truth, then please do REFRAIN from fueling matters and providing your uninformed ill-informed and biased opinion that might further sway public opinion. Just consider the slight possibility that you might be wrong, and how serious might this have on the future of the country and its people.

hala walla.

Will you let Israel make this lame excuse?

They made their own beds!!!!

Sam,

What “beds” did they make? Are you saying they deserve to be shot because they went outside and demonstrated?

All I see in many of these videos are large groups of people walking through the streets shouting.

Hell, in France they burn hundreds of cars and smash windows and they still don’t get shot indiscriminately by the government.

I have been following Syria Comment for years, and I must say I am surprised and disappointed by the shallow coverage and analysis of the recent events in this blog.

I was hoping that Dr. Landis will provide an objective academic analysis of the events at this turning point in Syrian history. Instead, I see recycled peripheral stories, full with pro-Assad comments, many of them emphasized in the story itself.

Dr. Landis, I hope you can catch up with the events. I am pretty sure you are busy with other duties but this is the time when people really need to know more about Syria.

Thanks for publishing my comment
(I hid my real name as I am afraid of Assad supporters roaming around this blog)

http://www.aksalser.net/ar-sy/News/13/3467.aspx

???? ” ???? ??? ” ?? ????? ????????? ??? ?? ????????? ??????? ????????? ?? ???? “??????? ” ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? .

????? ????????? ” ???? ????? ” ?? ????? ????? ??????? ??? 3 / 8 / 2002 ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? .

Although her resignation was late. i am sure she felt that the thugs are to be defeated. She also felt that Assad will come out of this. Anyway would love to listen to what she would say about Aljazeera. Aljazeera credibility is gone to my waste Garbage as well.

AVERROES

Dear it will, and must be over. These are simply bunch of kids playing o the net. This was a media war. The actual facts on the ground say something and the biased media say something else. I am not euphoric rather happy to see the end of this opposition. I agree with you, they will use all they have before they are gone. We may loose many of our soldiers but the end is coming for them. It appears to me that the army is serious and their Fridays will be ours, now on. It appears to me that the language they understand is FORCE. The army is delivering that. In regard to the west; they will condemn; that is what they can do. This will give us precious time.

Fadi and Moe

It might be of interest for you to know that She (Luna Al Shibel) resigned on May 25 2010 over dress code !!!!

Actually now that I think of it, it’s definitely of no interest to you, you’re only interested in spreading lies and promoting regime propaganda …

There are no winners in Syria any more, Only losers with different degrees,

NK

I have followed this post closely. However, I feel so relaxed today that the army will crush you guys. I have been worried why the army is not moving and why its not decisive yet. Well guess what, Early morning the army is storming Deraa, Doma, Jeblaa and the holes of your thugs. Lots of weapons being confiscated. Lots of people being arrested. The network is as clear as Crystal to the Syrian Security. You guys are loosing ground. I will leave you defending your opposition here in this forum. For us we have nothing to say here and will leave the say to our Army who will crush you, and let you run to your holes, they they will chase you and pick you up. You guys are done and for that I will go away to my life that you took from us and will leave you wrestling with our Army and ish you the best luck. This Friday and every Friday will be a celebration for us

FADI

looks like her resignation was too early

Predictable; The opposition calls for sanctions at the UN and the criminal court for Bashar al Assad.
What’s next? What sanctions? No fly zone?

It’s about time the army played hardball with those fanatics. There was no other way to end this foreign fed insurgency because they were not even interested in any reforms; they just wanted blood and the complete destruction of the country in order to serve their Saudi masters. Those thugs used every trick in the book to manipulate the masses into coming out in support of their dirty agenda, but they failed miserably. When the masses did come out, they came out in support of the President. It’s amazing how quickly Aljazeera and Alarabia forgot that amazing show of support for Bashar couple of weeks ago, while rushing to maximize coverage of the smallest gathering of any anti government protesters. They also completely neglected to point out the fact that the two largest cities in the country Damascus (not its suburbs) and Aleppo never showed any interest in this phony “revolution”. Syria’s silent majority would love another chance to come out again and confirm their support for the President, but considering how fragile the situation is, it may not be wise at this time. I’m sure when the dust settles; Syria’s majority will come out in full force, again, in support of the President. In the mean time, let Aljazeera and Arabia have their fun quoting suspicious organizations and unreliable “witnesses” in fabricating emotionally charged stories about Sunni army officers refusing to shoot, children being killed, and other heartbreaking stories. Their masks are now lifted and their credibility is forever tarnished.

WD

Well Ghassan Bin Jeddo didn’t make any statements, actually he refused to comment on the subject, and all this fuss is from “reliable sources”, once he personally makes a statement let me know 🙂

There are different security forces, Military,Political ,baath gangs,and more, they all dressed in civilian,they can not recognise each other, they shot each other, and that is why some security people died.

Those supporting the regime, they are happy today,they have been pushing for massacre like this for a while, we do not know how many people died today,news media said 25, I think it is way over this number,it seems that those supporters are happy that people died.

The one who laughs last, laughs more
This violence is not over yet ,once we hear how many people died,we will hear from UN,we will hear from the west, people will quiet for a while to think about what they can do,they know what to do, but the current intellectual leaders of this time crisis,will have to change their mind.
This is a murderous regime ,murderous followers,they will not last,they are exposed,they resort to deceit,fabrication and media war,they have zero credibility.

Akhbar….they didnt mass weapons cashes, and werent plotting the over throw of the Frecnh govt, for an islamic one. As for the make their beds, they did. They asked for concessions, and got them. There are way too many conspiracy theories of what has happend in the last three weeks. No one knows NADA!!!! Let’s say for arguments sake that there is a MB plot, that is 100% accurate info, does the regime have a right to respond? Their are always going to be victims in any conflict, i truly feel bad for the innocents that just want the status quo, and not apart of the protesters, BUT, no matter how many condemnations come down on the regime,

Akhbar….they didnt mass weapons cashes, and werent plotting the over throw of the Frecnh govt, for an islamic one. As for the make their beds, they did. They asked for concessions, and got them. There are way too many conspiracy theories of what has happend in the last three weeks. No one knows NADA!!!! Let’s say for arguments sake that there is a MB plot, that is 100% accurate info, does the regime have a right to respond? Their are always going to be victims in any conflict, i truly feel bad for the innocents that just want the status quo, and not apart of the protesters, BUT, no matter how many condemnations come down on the regime, the players in the region dont want the fall of the regime, including the U.S. Do you think that Obama would sit by if the militias in Idaho and Montana want to over throw our govt, and actually had the firepower to do it? Hell no, as liberal as he is, he wouldnt let it happen. Just like Clinton did with waco and ruby ridge. Was that not a massacre? No matter what happens Akhbar you are anti regime and anti syrian. If your Syrian, your a self syrian hater. The truth will come out, that in fact, it was MB. And just a reminder, it was or is still an off shoot of alqaeda, the fact that Ayman Z was once a member, is good enough for me……

MAJEDKHALDOON

Your whole comment is laughable

“we do not know how many people died today,news media said 25, I think it is way over this number,it seems that those supporters are happy that people died”: We are happy to the criminals and thugs who died.

“once we hear how many people died,we will hear from UN, we will hear from the west, people will quiet for a while to think about what they can do”: Yo are loosing your ground sir. You want the UN to help you. lol. Sure why not. Welcome, we really love to welcome them.

“the current intellectual leaders of this time crisis,will have to change their mind. This is a murderous regime ,murderous followers,they will not last,they are exposed,they resort to deceit,fabricat, etc…..” Again you are losing your ground. I feel sorry for you as it hurts me to see you burn in your hate to this regime and followers. No negotiation with thugs. Its over, its over.

I cant’ wait to see the supporters of president Assad get into the streets.

NZ
Tunisia, (SANA) Al-Jazeera Journalist Ghassan Ben Jeddo on Monday said that the reason for his resignation from al-Jazeera TV is the way the channel is dealing with the events in the Middle East.

Majdelkhaldoon

“There are different security forces, Military,Political ,baath gangs,and more, they all dressed in civilian,they can not recognise each other, they shot each other, and that is why some security people died.”

Another version:

There are different peaceful demonstrators, civilians with kids, human right activist, militants, armed criminals, Moslem brotherhood, they are dressed differently and can recognize each other, this is why some of civilians innocents died.

So many hypocrisies are being exposed across the Middle East. These are really exciting times, of great entertainment.

For example, what is the logic here? In time when Syria is crashing the Syrian MB with great ferocity, Syria is hosting the Palestinian MB, Hamas, in Dimashk. If it’s bad for one Arab, how can it be good for a fellow Arab?

Is it because of the Resistance to Israel? But the Syrian MB would have been much better resisting Israel. Much better than this lazy regime, which gave Israel precious 38 years of peace and quiet in the Golan. I’m sure that the Syrian MB would be more resistful to Israel than this lame regime. No ?

Others will argue that it is because Hamas was democratically elected, and that the choice of the Palestinians should be respected. Then why not give the Syrians the same valuable choice. May be the Syrians will choose to have the MB in power? Why grant this privilege to the Palestinians, deny it from the Syrians?

So what is the logic in supporting arming and financing the Palestinian MB, while crashing the Syrian MB ?
.

NK, Qatar, Obama and Al Jazeera: the role of money in democracy

“Pretty influential guy,” Obama said of Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, noting that he basically owns the Al Jazeera television network. “He is a big booster, big promoter of democracy all throughout the Middle East. Reform, reform, reform — you’re seeing it on Al Jazeera.”

But Obama: “Now, he himself is not reforming significantly. There’s no big move towards democracy in Qatar. But you know part of the reason is that the per capita income of Qatar is $145,000 a year. That will dampen a lot of conflict.”

Having banished the press pool from a q-and-a session with the donors, Obama did not realize he was still speaking on an open mike . Mark Knoller of CBS News recorded his comments….

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/04/obama-no-big-move-toward-democracy-in-qatar/1

US treads warily in Syria, considers sanctions

MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Matthew Lee, Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Despite a ruthless crackdown on pro-reform demonstrators, there is no international appetite for a warlike approach to Syria — a crucial Mideast playmaker with ties to Iran and a say in any eventual Arab peace with Israel.

In contrast with the quick international decision to launch an air campaign in nearby Libya, the United States is responding cautiously to mounting civilian deaths in Syria, preparing steps such as slapping new travel limits and financial penalties on Syrian leaders.

As violence escalated anew on Monday, the White House stepped up its condemnation of President Bashar Assad’s regime, but stopped well short of demanding the ouster of a leader some U.S. Democrats had considered a potential reformer and peace broker.

U.S. officials said Washington has begun drawing up targeted sanctions against Assad, his family and inner circle to boost pressure on them to halt the repression. Meanwhile, the U.S. also was conferring with European countries and with the United Nations about options for Syria, where more than 350 people have been killed in weeks of protests and government attempts to quell them….. more

CBC News Network has blocked me from their Facebook page for posting the real news about Syria. What a pathetic news network.

As an Israeli Jew I am happy today.

Finally a civil war is truly starting in Syria.
This is just a small part of a greater trend in the middle east, that is the big Shiite-Sunni war.
It encompasses the Iranian-Saudi struggle, the Hezbollah-March-14 feud, the Iraqi civil war, the Bahrain unrest, and now the Alawite-Sunni war in Syria.

The Alawites know very well that the Sunnies will slaughter them all if they lose. Knowing that, they will never capitulate.
The Sunnies have finally realized there is no reason they should be trampled by a small minority they consider inferior infidels. They know the world is watching, emboldened by Egypt and Tunisia they will keep struggling.
Once Sunni foot-soldiers are ordered to shoot their brethren, they’ll shoot their commanders instead. All hell will break loose.

This is excellent news for Israel. The Arabs will fight among themselves for the foreseeable future. This will greatly weaken Arab states, divert attention from Israel and the Palestinians, and show the entire world how inherently barbaric all Arabs are.

In the words of the Late Menachem Begin at the start of the Iran-Iraq war:

“I wish good luck to both sides”

US thinking of imposing sanctions, slapping new travel limits, and financial penalties on Syrian leader. LOL. thats all. I thought that Syria already under sanctions. Well it is more than the opposition deserves.

UN will meet………….They have been meeting for ever when it comes to Syria. Nothing new.

Arab league will meet to discuss Syria: Well this one might be scary….ooooooooooo………this is your best shot opposers. ?????? ?????? ?? ?????

Opposition, whats next?How do you feel about the Worlds response? You should start condemning the world yourself for not giving you hand. Oh I love the opposition silence, great feeling

“If he had lifted the emergency law at the start of the uprising in March, instead of waiting until hundreds of protesters had been killed, it might all have ended there, Mr. Landis said. ”

Do you really believe that, Josh? Wouldn’t have been a sign of weakness that would have accelerated the demand for a regime change which was the opposition real goal?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/middleeast/25assad.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&src=un&feedurl=http://json8.nytimes.com/pages/world/middleeast/index.jsonp

A Lesson on Democracy

Akhbar….they didnt mass weapons cashes, and werent plotting the over throw of the Frecnh govt, for an islamic one.

Sam,

What weapons caches? When we see the demonstrations, all we see are flags, posters, and banners. Why can’t foreign reporters come in to see these weapons caches or show armed demonstrators? Why isn’t the Assad regime allowing us to see this for ourselves? Where are you getting your information?

They asked for concessions, and got them.

What concessions? No ability to demonstrate or voice grievances? It is unlawful to demand the end of the government? I tell my co-workers everyday we have to get rid of Obama. So what? This is illegal in Syria? This is “making your bed”?

Gee, I wish you were as nice to Benjamin Netanyahu as your are to your Presidents-for-Life.

There are way too many conspiracy theories of what has happend in the last three weeks. No one knows NADA!!!!

You seem to know enough to forgive the army for shooting demonstrators in the street who are doing nothing except shouting.

Let’s say for arguments sake that there is a MB plot, that is 100% accurate info, does the regime have a right to respond?

I don’t get it. Syria is “in bed” (why does everything boil down to beds?) with all the Islamists in the world, and suddenly the Syrian regime is afraid of the MB? What is the MB doing? Is the MB in Egypt asking for Egypt to be dismantled?

I don’t think the muslim brotherhood is such a criminal organization; they just identify with their religion. I think of the MB and the Christian Right here in the US.

… BUT, no matter how many condemnations come down on the regime, the players in the region dont want the fall of the regime, including the U.S.

Who gives a shiite what the US thinks? If most people don’t want the fall of the regime, call for a fair vote. Whats the problem? The pro-regime people claim Assad is popular, yet they’re against a free election. That smells of BS.

Do you think that Obama would sit by if the militias in Idaho and Montana want to over throw our govt, and actually had the firepower to do it?

Half the of US wants to overthrow the government. We have that opportunity every 4 years! The US prosecutes organizations by RULE OF LAW if they are caught planning terrorist attacks. These instances of crime must be adjudicated in a court of law.

What we are witnessing in Syria occurred in the US around 1968. Most were due to the racial tensions and MLK’s assassination. Really, I do not see these Syrian demonstrators breaking into stores or beating up people like many did in these riots. But firing indiscrimanently into crowds falls on the government. This is purely murder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Washington,_D.C._riots

Hell no, as liberal as he is, he wouldnt let it happen.

Apparently, you don’t know US History. The “liberals” made it their business to SUPPORT these riots.

Just like Clinton did with waco and ruby ridge.

Waco and Ruby Ridge were organizations who violated NUMEROUS laws. This doesn’t compare to unarmed people demonstrating in the streets.

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

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

Was that not a massacre? No matter what happens Akhbar you are anti regime and anti syrian.

I don’t believe people asking for basic human rights as being anti-Syrian. I believe the leaders of Syria are anti-Syrian and anti-democratic.

If your Syrian, your a self syrian hater.

I don’t hate Syria. I don’t “hate” any country. I wish basic human rights for all people, including Israelis, Palestinians and Syrians.

The truth will come out, that in fact, it was MB. And just a reminder, it was or is still an off shoot of alqaeda, the fact that Ayman Z was once a member, is good enough for me……

Why the focus on the Muslim Brotherhood? Does the MB have a charter, like Hamas, which seeks to destroy the Syrian nation?

????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????

Josh,
The crass comments of some of the regime supporters are outrageous and amount to incitement to violence. Such uncivil comments have no place on SC.

Funny how much they sound like rabid American neocons; they see Bin Laden everywhere they turn.

#48
I’m very interested in the comment threads on this site. This is much more information than I can get from the media, but I think it’s unfair if commentors such as yourself use Arabic-sounding pseudonyms, when your remarks present you as a Jewish American or a Pajamas-Media type.

It’s confusing enough to track who is whom. Can’t you call yourself ‘Jack from Washington’ or something…?

I don’t mean to snub your remarks, but it’s not cool to ‘ambush’ comments by actual Syrians with local information.

#12 Dear Observer, for me, the wholehearted questions that you raised about Bashar’s responsibilities and potential ability to reform, have become irrelevant.

The only relevant question about Jr.’s future is this:

Would Bashar, his clan , his regime members, and suppotrters, including those on this blog have right to due process in civil courts of justice, after the Syrian people take charge of their free country?

The answer is yes!

i agree with abu kareem (comment 50). the propaganda of fadi and others amounts to hate speech and incitement to murder. at a time when people are being killed in syria, i think it behooves SC to remove these comments.

[Names edited out because to avoid insult j.l.] and all the other hate-loving individuals on this blog,

Your hatred shouldn’t be dignified with any comment. However, I felt compelled to tell you this: the day of reckoning of your (Arnab fi Golan & Assad fi Horan) regime is coming very soon. How do I know this? It is the natural end to all dictatorial regimes. That what happened to Stalin, Saddam, Mubarak, Bin Ali. The same end will be faced by the little Assad, Qadafi, and Saleh, etc.

@ Connie

Welcome aboard Connie. It’s always nice when someone new jkoins this thread. Otherwise is that same guys constantly making the same critique

@ Almighy Syria

Boy you sure come across as an angry socipath. What do you have with always wanting to kill members of the Muslim Brotherhood? Haven’t you ever heard of “Live and let live” ?

And before you go and lable me an uneducated Islamic fascist peasant terrorist, you should know that I am Christian. I am also multi-degreed and have no peasantry in my ancestry. And yes, I am willing to let the Brotherhood co-exist in greater Syria society. Why not? After all isn’t this one of the things that makes the West so beautiful? You know, like respecting everyones space and beleives. The things that has made the middle east so ugly especially for us Christians is that this adage of tolerance has not been practiced enough.

Why do I suddenly have to wait for my message to be moderated before I post again? This is lunacy.

#2 Dear William Scott Sherk, thank you for sharing your heartfelt sentiments on the plight of the Syrian people.

I am a Syrian Canadian. My family and I have been privileged and proud to be part of the Canadian nation. We wish our loved ones and all Syrian people a System that respects the human rights that we enjoy and cherish as Canadians.

Those on this blog who advocate mass slaughter,
wish for success of the regime’s crackdown,
dwell on stereotyping the rising people,
and belittle or ignore the pain of their fellow human beings;
Come also with other national names like Souri (for Syrian) and other, silky feminine ones ….

Souri, Canadian, Australian or acronyms thereof are in all probability pseudonyms of Mukabarat agents (security apparatus). Their writings speak clearly and loudly for their state of mind and their way of life.

Those who indeed live in the countries they claim, are mostly security officers in Syrian consulates.

Those who blog from within Syria, are security officers blogging from the same building, where fellow Syrians are being tortured in its basement prison cells.

No more fig leafs, no more masks. It’s blatant and glaringly clear for all to see, the true nature of this regime and the people behind it. Inhuman mass murders and butchers the lot of them. No matter how hard they try to use propaganda, misinformation and soul-less mukhabart to spread panic, sectarianism and cover-ups, the truth will always come out. and there you have it, massacres awaited the brave Syrians who awoke from a 40 year slumber to demand their dignity and freedom back.

I warned the opposition time and time again not to overreach but to be smart and use their first impact to push president Assad to reform as they can be the convincing factor that president Assad needed to move with speedy reform and free election, But, no they had to be greedy, they moved to calling for the fall of the regime and the demise of the Baath party, I warned them that after what happened in Iraq to the army and Baath party , there is no chance that the Baath party of Syria and the army will let that happen , so with the rejection of the opposition to any compromise and cooperation with the president they left him no choice but to use force as the army would have pushed aside the president and used force, The opposition lack of grace has a lot to do with using force and they are ultimately responsible for the blood shed that did not have to be if they declared victory and took credit for the reform that the president wants.
I still see a chance to end well if they, the opposition, move to show that they are Syrians and they want the best for Syria and accept the reform that the president wants and offer help and call for calm and working together,
The question is will they do that, I doubt it they committed to out side powers.

REVLON=REVOLUTION=SYRIAN REVOLUTION

Your comment @#52

From day one you have been posting fake videos, and you knew they were fake.
For the 40 days that you have been counting you have preached nothing but hate and sectarian venom.
You have instigated a bloody revolution that have caused hundreds of lives so far, while you are sitting as the coward you are in the safety of your exile.
You have been the beneficiary of millions of Euros and Dollars, and some of it from Syria’s sworn enemies.
You have asked the brave Syrian youth to go out to protest and offer themselves as canon fodder, while you would not dare go back to Syria and risk your life for the revolution you have been agitating and fueling on line.
You have the audacity to think you can subject a whole group of people to justice because they support the President you hate?
What justice is this you hypocrite, coward?
You live in a glass house but yet you are so arrogant that you dare throw stones at anyone that disagrees with you.

Islamists are moving in Algeria, reminding us of a terrifying recent history lesson.
NPR reporting:
25 April 2011

Islamist radicals killed more than a dozen Algerian soldiers last week in a rare flare-up of violence between Muslim extremists and the Algerian state.

During the 1990s the government fought a brutal civil war against an Islamist insurgency that it eventually won. But at an enormous cost: the death of some 200,000 civilians……

…The civil war began after an era of unprecedented openness in the late 1980s. Personal freedoms blossomed and dozens of new political parties were created. But when Islamist parties appeared ready to sweep to victory in the early 90s, the government canceled legislative elections.

The Islamists fought back, initially targeted the army and police — but then they began attacking civilians; artists, teachers, judges and journalists were slain. State security forces, trying to root out the insurgency, often killed indiscriminately. By the end of the 1990s, an estimated 200,000 Algerians had died.

…..”People want to live peacefully and normally now,” she says. “And we want to become more prosperous, too. I think once we’ve done that, we’ll think more about democracy.”

Abbess and other Algerians say they want change to come, but they want to take their time and make sure it comes peacefully.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135376589/algerias-black-decade-still-weighs-heavily?ft=1&f=2&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NprProgramsATC+%28NPR+Programs%3A+All+Things+Considered%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Abu Karim,

“Rabid American Neocons” not only “see Bin Laden everywhere they turn”, but they also see violent Arab despotism like what we are witnessing today in Libya and Syria.

It’s hard to ignore now, and it was hard to ignore after 9-11.

?????? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????????, ???? ???? ????? ?????!!!! ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ?? ????! ?? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ???????? !!!

Why isnt anyone posting the videos of the murdered syrian army solders? where is the other side of the story? http://www.youtube.com/user/ARABDZ#p/u/39/CSMfnE8LVjc

why hasnt anyone posted or joshua landis posted the article or videos which show islamic extremists calling for “jihad” in homs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KFI-u3Tqxc

why hasnt joshua landis mentioned or shown the video of the islamic extremists who slaughtered the innocent syrian on video and posted it on youtube. these extremists resided in banias, which is demanding freedom. is this their type of freedom?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjaBC1KbCto&feature=player_embedded

What has happened to the truth? The truth is that a group of internet geeks and so called “activists” and ghost ëyewitnesses, are stiring secterian strife in a secular syria. And Joshua landis is riding the bandwagon along with the majority of the western and gulf owned media empires. What happend to your credibility Joshua Landis? Their is always two sides to every story. And you seem to be mostly giving the attention to the other side, rather to than the actual reality on the ground in syria. The reality is that the majority of syrians prefer security and stability over democracy. I am a sunni muslim residing in Homs. Those gangs that have roamed the streets of homs are well known in the area. They come from bab omr and Khaldie, which are known for crimes and thugs.

Sky News just broadcast a news story on the protests in syria. They put up a video of an actual protest in support of Bashar al Assad with supported holding his pictures in the protests. They claim it was an anti assad protest. Reuters posted an article about protestss in the Jableh district in Latakia. They continue to write that Jableh is majority alawite. Thats another false fact. The majority of Jableh is conservative muslim. Al jazeera interviewed a doctor in Jableh complaining about the heavy handed tactics of the regime. The real doctor rang up Al jazeera and told them that someone else was using his name to claim it was him. Al jazeera later apoligised.

Wake up to yourselves. The reality is that the muslim extremists in Syria are trying to revolt against the government. And that wont last. Once the army steps in it will be GAME OVER. The americans and europeans tried numerous times to damage The syrian governments image and it failed, for example the Iraq invasion;Harriri assasination; sanctions; lebanese civil war.

“If he had lifted the emergency law at the start of the uprising in March, instead of waiting until hundreds of protesters had been killed, it might all have ended there, Mr. Landis said. ”

This is absolute nonsense. If Assad had done that, he would have fallen by now. The lifting of emergency law was not directed to the demonstrators, it was directed to the outside world and to those Syrians who were not demonstrating. The lifting of emergency law encouraged the demonstrators to escalate their uprising. This comment shows that Mr. Landis has absolutely no clue about what is happening in Syria.

Powered by

SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close

Syria: The key piece in a regional Rubik’s cube
(CNN) — Henry Kissinger once said: “The Arabs can’t make war without Egypt; and they can’t make peace without Syria.” It was a back-handed tribute to Syria’s consistently hard line against Israel and its critical geographical position in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls “a rough neighborhood.”

A generation later, Kissinger’s words hold true — but in a suddenly different context. What happens in Syria sends waves, not ripples, far beyond its borders. And what Syria lacks in population and economic clout it more than makes up for as a regional crossroads — bordering Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey.

Instability in Syria, its descent into civil war or the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad would all provide opportunities for the regime’s adversaries — but also great risks.

The United States would welcome the prospect of the Syrian-Iranian alliance being broken, and with it their joint sponsorship of the Lebanese Shiite militia, Hezbollah. There might be the chance of movement toward peace with Israel (though surely not in the chaotic short term).

But there would also be the risk of communal violence in Syria quickly spreading to Lebanon, which has similar sectarian fault-lines, the possibility of a resurgent Islamist tendency and the export of instability to Iraq and even Turkey.

Over the decades former President Hafez al-Assad and now his son Bashar have burnished their credentials with the Arab “street” by sponsoring hard-line opponents of Israel and resisting a peace treaty (unlike Egypt and Jordan.) In part, it has been a device to bolster the regime’s legitimacy.

In a country where Sunni Muslims make up the majority, the regime is dominated by the Alawite minority, which make up about 12% of the population.

Cafferty: Obama’s foreign policy headed for disaster?

“You have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people,” the younger al-Assad told the Wall Street Journal in January. “When there is divergence between your policy and the people’s beliefs and interests, (it) creates disturbance,” he said.

Those comments may sound ironic today, but for decades the policy has made Syria the flag-bearer for “pan-Arab” confrontation with Israel.

So it is that Syria has been a sanctuary for the leadership of the Palestinian group Hamas, which runs Gaza and is branded by the United States as a terrorist organization. Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, lives in Damascus.

Letters to the president: When is war the answer?

And the Syrian alliance with Iran has changed the balance of power in the Middle East. Last year in Tehran, Bashar al-Assad called the bond “unbreakable.” Between them, the two governments have equipped and funded Hezbollah. And not only has Hezbollah become a major player in Lebanon’s politics; it has tens of thousands of rockets and missiles pointing in Israel’s direction from southern Lebanon, according to U.S. diplomats.

Syria has also been a conduit for Tehran to exercise broader influence in the region, much to the chagrin of conservative Sunni-dominated regimes in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In one U.S. diplomatic cable from 2009 obtained by WikiLeaks, the then-intelligence chief in Egypt, Omar Suleiman, claimed that his agency had begun “recruiting agents in Syria and Iran” in retaliation for their alleged use of Hezbollah cells in Egypt. A few months later, then-President Hosni Mubarak told U.S. Gen. David Petraeus that Syria had sabotaged a deal that would have led to the release by Hamas of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Under al-Assad the younger, Syria has continued to play a crucial role pulling political strings in its smaller neighbor Lebanon, It no longer has troops there; they were withdrawn in 2005 amid huge street protests that followed the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

But earlier this year, Damascus maneuvered to topple Hariri’s son Saad as prime minister by persuading one of its old enemies, Druze politician Walid Jumblatt, to abandon the government. That left Hezbollah as the kingmaker in protracted negotiations to form a new government, while the Sunni community felt frozen out. The tenacity of the Syrian regime should not be underestimated.

Syria is also influential in Iraq. U.S. officials long accused the Syrian authorities of allowing the porous border with Iraq to be used by insurgents to reach Iraq, an accusation Damascus vehemently denied.

For a while, the Iraqi government also suspected that Syria was behind terrorist attacks. A U.S. diplomatic cable from 2009 quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as telling the U.S. ambassador that both Iran and Syria were providing weapons to insurgents in Iraq. At one point, the two countries recalled their envoys in a spat about alleged Syrian support for sabotage in the region.

Given this litany of alleged “meddling,” some analysts (and a few local rivals) believe that ousting al-Assad would help rid the region of many of its ills. But what might follow instability in Syria or the downfall of al-Assad?

Syria is more a geographic confection than a natural state. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of the First World War, the rump Syria was created — a mixed bag of religions, sects and tribes.

The delicate sectarian balance between the majority Sunnis and the minority but very powerful Alawites means that any implosion of the state could be quickly followed by Iraqi-style warfare.

Syria also has sizeable Kurdish, Christian and Druze minorities, all of which have their own grievances and anxieties. Some analysts believe it is the fear of anarchy that has so far restrained many people in Damascus and Syria’s second city, Aleppo, from joining the protests — their anxiety being “Apres Assad, la deluge.”

There is also the fear — especially among Syrian Christians — of Islamist groups taking advantage of the situation. Hafez al-Assad had a simple answer to a previous uprising (in Hama in 1982) by the Muslim Brotherhood: repression on a scale that would bear comparison with Saddam Hussein. An estimated 20,000 people may have been killed in that uprising, according to human rights groups. The current government has alleged that “Salafists” are behind protests in some Syrian cities — and some Syrians who support the regime point out that many of the protests have been in “conservative” areas.

A statement from the coalition of 14 local committees claimed Friday the government was deliberately stoking such fears. “This government is based on lies … They are gambling with our national unity by playing sectarian, ethnic and religious divisions against each other.” But few would dispute such divisions exist.

Any “deluge” would not be confined to Syria. Similar fault-lines run through Lebanon. Were a Sunni-dominated government to take power in Damascus, the Sunnis of Lebanon might feel emboldened to challenge the fragile status quo there. There are already signs they believe Hezbollah is suddenly and unexpectedly weaker.

Sensing revenge, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri recently challenged Hezbollah’s right to be an armed “state within a state” undermining Lebanon’s sovereignty. The Syrians are already nervous that some parties in Lebanon may stir the pot next door. In ominous tones, Syria’s ambassador in Beirut, Ali Abdel Karim Ali, warned that “If any harm comes to Syria, then Lebanon will be harmed.”

There are also great stakes here for Turkey. A vocal Kurdish community in Syria might not be welcome across the border, where Turkey has long had its own issues with Kurdish rights. Turkey has encouraged Bashar al-Assad to embrace reform in order to stabilize the situation. It has no desire to see a Levantine Yugoslavia on its southern border.

“Turkey is potentially one of the most significant foreign factors to influence Syria, either playing a role in helping save the regime from its own excesses, or helping save the Syrian people from their predicament,” writes Rime Allaf of the think tank Chatham House in London, which focuses on international affairs. Either way, Turkey’s regional influence — already growing thanks to its economic strength — would be further burnished.

To Patrick Seale, author of a biography of Hafez al-Assad and perhaps pre-eminent among experts on Syria, the stakes are enormous. “If the regime fails to tame this domestic unrest,” he wrote in Foreign Policy, “Syria’s external influence will inevitably be enfeebled. … As the crisis deepens, Syria’s allies tremble. Meanwhile, its enemies rejoice.”

It’s not clear that Iran is yet trembling, although U.S. officials say it is offering Damascus advice on how to stifle the protests. But Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi believes Tehran is not immune from its ally’s woes.

“The democratization of one country will impact that of another country. Syria, the only ally of Iran and puppet of Iran, is a dictatorship where power is inherited,” she said last week. “If Syria becomes democratic, it will be as if the arms of Iran are cut off. Naturally that will help the democratic movement of Iran.”

But even its enemies are apprehensive about what might follow. Israel would of course welcome problems for Hamas and Hezbollah. But the Assads have at least guaranteed a stable border (despite saber-rattling rhetoric). They are “the devil you know.” The prospect of Islamists gaining greater influence in Syria, or a sectarian meltdown, are not better alternatives, says Israeli officials.

Libya civilians take pounding in Misrata

The dilemma for the regime itself is that any further concessions — certainly any that would allow effective opposition parties and freedom of association — could be akin to signing its own death warrant. Stifled by 40 years of the Assad dynasty, the protesters have given voice to widespread frustration over corruption, the pervasive power of the mukhabarat (security forces) and economic hardship worsened by mismanagement and drought.

Some commentators also ask whether such concessions would be tolerated by regime insiders, the security chiefs and “state entrepreneurs” who have done well through endemic corruption. Robert Kaplan, author of the book “Eastward to Tartary,” says al-Assad doesn’t have much room for maneuver. “To a much greater degree than his father, the son is trapped within a web of interest groups that include a corrupt business establishment and military and intelligence leaders averse to reform,” he wrote in Foreign Policy.

For now, al-Assad appears ready to take a much harsher approach to try to stamp out the protests. The promise of reform, most recently uttered in his Wall Street Journal interview, has been at best put on hold. The idea of a Damascus Spring — the modernization and liberalization of Syria — is in cold storage.

Syria launches new crackdown as U.S. threatens sanctions

For the United States, the rapidly unfolding events on the streets of Syria pose a dilemma. Harsher measures against the regime, including sanctions and more active support for the opposition, might help topple al-Assad. But equally they might drive him more firmly into the Iranian embrace.

Patrick Seale concludes: “The United States would be wise to spend a little less time thinking about Libya and a little more time thinking about a state that truly has implications on U.S. national interests.” If things go south in Syria, he says, “the entire region could be consumed in an orgy of violence.”

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/25/syria.role/index.html?hpt=T2

SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close

Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

© 2008 Cable News Network

@ 30 & 21

Thanks for correcting my info about Lona’s resignation. I was posting from my mobile which makes it difficult to cross check info.

Here is her interview with Donia which is interesting from Aljazeera insider.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eJIzTlKFKhQ

Bin Jido resigned as per Assafir though.

Will you have the decency to admit that Jazeera (and others) fabricated videos and is intentionaly misleading their viewers?

Moe

The comments on here calling for the slaughter of protesters is sickening. 3yb 3laykum ya shabaab, anjad.

Do the cowardly regime supporters really want us to believe they are worried about radical Islam when Syria supports Hezbollah and Hamas and its closest ally is Iran? Why are you complaining about radical Islam if you have been supporting it for decades?

Do the cowardly regime supporters in exile want us to to believe that it is not perfectly fine to help the Syrian revolution from afar when they have been calling for war to free the Golan from their comfy seats in the West? Yes Norman, I am referring to you.

Do the cowardly regime supporters want us to believe that it is the fault of the peaceful protesters if they are shot? Again Norman, I am referring to you.

It has taken time, but the ugly nature of the regime supporters has finally come to light. Now they are calling for another Hama these cowards.

Bashar had 11 years to reform and convince the Syrian people of his sincerity. He kept failing and you kept providing him with excuses. Your credibility is zero.

ABOUT Luna Shebl, Al Jazeera, and the MB

Some commentators highlighted the fact that Ms Shebl left Al Jazeera in 2010 and that her departure does not coincide with the controversial coverage of the Syrian uprising but no one mentioned the fact that the two events are linked. Ms Shebl left Al Jazeera after the channel wanted to enforce a more conservative look on its female anchors. Al Jazeera’s biased take on events in the Arab world which was becoming more friendly to conservative Islam thus started well before the Syrian uprising and it shows in its coverage of Syria which has been overtly biased.

I am also surprised that western news outlets who didn’t stop evaluating and overestimating the Muslim brotherhood threat during the Egyptian uprising, when it figured in nearly every article, do not even mention the brotherhood threat in Syria where anything alluding at it even in the comment section is seen as politically incorrect and insensitive to the protesters.

There is no truth and there are no moral standards in all these inconsistencies.

Moe

Thanks for the link, I watched until she said the Bayda video was fabricated, I’m not sure how it can be fabricated when there’s a video shot moving from the entrance of the village all the way to the same exact point where the bayda video was shot, and there’s another video where the guy who was stepped at and kicked in the head was shown after they released him holding his Syrian ID and standing in the same exact spot. This channel is only interested in lies and deception, they accuse Al Jazeera of not verifying the videos and the stories when they know the Syrian regime didn’t allow any journalists to report on the events, and to this very day they still deny journalists from getting visas. Don’t they have cameras and reporters ? why aren’t they in Daraa reporting on the events right now ? What this channel is doing is a disgrace to journalism.

You say Al Jazeera fabricated videos. please link one of these videos that turned out being not true. {???? ??????? ????????????? ???? ???????? ??????????}.

She also talked about the conspiracy Al Jazeera played/playing in toppling regimes hostile to Israel/U.S, starting with Tunisia, Egypt. WOW man, the U.S wanted to topple Ben Ali/Mubarak ?!!!! damn.

Syrian Lioness

One more thing, they accused Al Jazeera of not allowing other opinions on their screen, disconnecting callers and whatnot, I can link right now the hundreds of interviews with hardcore regime supporters that Al Jazeera aired, I can also link many videos where “opposition figures” got disconnected like Haitham Al Maleh the other day who disconnected at least 3 times during the 30 minutes report. They even allowed people who went on air and cursed the channel and said despicable things, that not only hurts Bashars image but that of the Syrians as a whole, so please give me a break!.

The regime keeps talking about opposition figures and how it’s important to calm things down and how it’s better for those figures to engage in a dialogue with the government, shouldn’t the government release them from jail first ? some 200-300 Syrians disappeared since Friday, some where taken from their homes, others where picked up while walking in the streets, I thought emergency status was over !!!!.

P.S Check SALAH ADDIN’s comment above to see how Al Jazeera doesn’t allow people to express their opinions freely.

Why do the Syrian supporters of the revolution listen to or argue with SOPHIA, who is a Lebanese supporter of Aoun and MOE who is a Hezbullah supporter?

And To QUNFUZ,
What makes you think that Landis does not tacitly agree with these outrageous comments?

Asked if Assad would be able to defeat the current challenge to his regime, Hanna said, “For Assad, it’s a battle for survival. It’s a zero sum game. But you cannot predict what is going to happen in the future. The environment in Syria is highly complicated.”

Seemingly emboldened by the violent crackdowns, the protesters, who began the pro-democracy movement with calls for modest reforms, are now increasingly and publicly demanding Assad’s downfall.

Hanna said that unlike the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt that have led to the overthrow of the two countries’ presidents and where the army in both countries took a neutral stance, “the Syrian Army is backing the Assad regime as was manifested Monday with the Syrian Army push into Daraa.”

He said so far the Americans do not seem to be in favor of a regime change in Syria. “They have prodded Assad to carry out political reforms. Assad needs to make more concessions to appease the opposition,” Hanna said. “It’s a tug-of war between Assad and the opposition which may drag on for months. The opposition will continue to seek more concessions until they reach the negotiation table.”

Atrissi, the expert on Iran and Middle East affairs, said the U.S. has not so far sent any signal supporting a regime change in Syria.

“It might be betting on a change in the Syrian regime’s policy,” he said, adding, “So far, Assad’s position is acceptable and under control amid concern about the future.”

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/Apr/26/Lebanon-will-feel-ripples-if-Syrian-unrest-worsens.ashx#ixzz1KbRWP97b
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

I have to agree with Ehsani on that Dr. Landis has struck the right chord or at least he has tried to. I am basing my arguments on the fact that many on both sides accuse him of bias.

Now, as for the suggestion to remove the offensive calls for slaughter by regime agents, I beg to differ on that. These comments are historical evidences of the regimes sick mentality, they will help academics and laymen. Who knows, they may be admissible in court even in their anonymous form to demonstrate a pattern of premeditation.

??? ??????? ??????

I would also like to point that it is not necessary that all of these voices are paid agents of the security agencies. Some of my friends heard similar sentiments from Well-off Syrians around the US. especially those who tend to get very special treatment when they visit home. The most worrisome have been cases when the utterer was a Doctor, and I am not talking about people posting, but about people in social gatherings. Sorry NK, people like that exist in our midst.

Then may be you, OTW and Qunfuz, should listen to what Dr. Landis had to say on CBS tonight and find out where the balance is.

Norman
I have a feeling that soon after the Egyptian elections, Syria’s influence in the region will be reduced big time independent of who comes to power in Egypt secular or MB allies. I wold like to hear Qunfuz’s thinking on that having been recently to Egypt.

Even now, I think that the prime minister of Egypt will have hard time visiting Syria or accepting high level Syrian delegation with any fanfare. The Egyptian street is very angry, and now it has a voice. some, and they are not the salafis, are equating Syria’s brutality with Israel’s brutality in Gaza, and this is a very worrisome sign for the regime. It is losing the support of the Arab street, who is now more tuned to civil rights and human rights than ever, and is much less tolerant of abusive regimes. The laughable performance of Syrian media, now equated with Qaddafi’s, is adding insults to injuries and further exposing the ethical and moral bankruptcy of a regime who stands naked of all pretenses.

Dear Aqoul
I will try my best. I am very open minded and I like to think I can call the duck a duck. Please bear in mind that Dr. Landis is an Academic, and his Analysis may not please either side. If I get a chance to see the interview, I will consider it as objectively as I can, which is not much of a guarantee, for my objectivity is now suspect. To me, it is not who is right and who is wrong, but what is right and what is wrong.

Everybody is forgetting that the Baath party is a very ideological party and all his members are very idealistic. The Baath ideology like any other socialist/nationalist movement of its time, refuses to recognize any form of individualism in society, so the individuals are seen as a whole and their actions should always take into consideration the greater good of the society i.e the Baath party and its ultimate goal. So how can anyone expect a party that refuses to recognize individuals, much less recognize rights of these individuals. Any concessions of that nature would directly conflict with the party ideology. And i understand that most people would find that ridiculous and would argue that no one is following that ideology nowadays, but if you have a discussion with any officials, you would come to the conclusion that they take Baath ideology very seriously.

So with that in mind, you can rule out any drastic reform measures that would eventually undermine the grip, the party has on the country. And we can also rule out any schism within the party since most of their actual members are fed this ideology since their born and are staunch supporters of the current system, and these people find corruption, nepotism, and sectarian unbalance withing the party high ranks mere irritations that are washed away when they’re put into perspective(the higher cause); So both leadership and members will find no problem in resorting to violence to crush any threat to “the greater cause”.

This leaves the door open for one more option and that is western military intervention. Unfortunately, none of the people in the opposition, who are crying for western attention and demanding more action from the US, are able to realize that any news of military intervention in Syria, be it UN or NATO will be welcomed in Damascus as good news cause it will certainly give an excuse for Iranian interference and the mobilization of Hezbollah in Lebanon against intruding armies and the conflict will most likely spill outside of Syria into Lebanon and Israel, exporting Syria’s problems outside of the country.

I can’t imagine an option that would give the Syrian opposition what they’re asking for, so all these men dying, all these kids orphaned, all these women widowed are doing it for NOTHING. It’s a waste of lives and efforts.

Bottom line, our region is doomed, islamists are on the rise and this revolution is a clear indication, that now, they’re powerfull enough to stand up and face the aged and dying leftist/nationalist movement or whats left of it. They’re not powerfull enough to win, but they will be soon. This is what we get for letting a bunch of regressive leaders hijack the leftist movements in the arab world and implement their distorted visions of socialism. The US also played a big role in undermining the arab left and emboldening the islamists reputation within poor and uneducated masses i.e “conservative areas”

Note: The people running the Syrian revolution facebook page also don’t appreciate the value of an individual. Asking people to sacrifice THEIR lives for what YOU(you and them) believe in, while you sit in your house in Sweden is an obscene act. Same goes for As’ad Abu Khalil who calls for anarchy in the Arab world from his home in California.

Pew Global Attitude Project. http://pewglobal.org/2011/04/25/egyptians-embrace-revolt-leaders-religious-parties-and-military-as-well/4/

54% of Egyptians prefer democracy over stability (32%).
17% think the MB should lead the next government.
Support for MB unexpectedly lower among the poor.
.

quanfuz- #53

I take it that you a not happy with the propaganda that is coming out of the regime supporters, but you are fine with the amount of hateful propaganda from the anti regime people here?

I will give you an insight into the workings of the mb which anti regime supporters are fine with. There were 3 martyrs slaughtered 2 days ago in Damascus by the anti regime monsters. They were purchasing wholesale fruit, (their vehicle had Tartous number plates) they were mutilated, and their bodies sprayed with bullets. One had a tattoo that said Ya Ali, which was the largest piece of flesh that was mutilated. After they finished with their evil mutilation, they then cut off their genitals and stuffed it into their mouths.
How do you think their parents feel?

One other martyrs’ murder and mutilation was caught on camera, because the evil rebels behind his murder had their faces exposed, they turned up at the funeral- (in hiding of course) and went on a shooting rampage. Many were injured, one who was critically injured was a 9 year old boy that ended up with an array of bullets lodged into his brain.

The Syrian army have orders to shoot if they are shot at. The Syrian people are requesting from the government that the army intervene and end the nightmare conspiracy against their country.

It has been proven that these conspirators are paying money to people in return for their uprisings against the government, also enticing them to destroy government infrastructure and shoot at people in order to cause further chaos make it look like the officers are the ones shooting. There is proof of the outside entities conspiring against the Syrian government and supplying the ‘revolutionists’ with millions of dollars over the past years,not to mention weaponry.

There is also evidence that the so called ‘peaceful protests’ are being paid 1,500 Syrian pounds daily for their uprisings, which includes fake videos, fake blood with blood capsules for their mouths to add to the drama. They obviously don’t have very good acting abilities as most of their lies, including gunshots without a gunshot hole in their clothing, are clearly visible.

They are also buying thousands of Syrian pounds worth of bread in order to leave residents without their daily supply of bread. Why do you think they are also targeting fruiterers? They are also posing as Amn and telling residents not to open up businesses in order to quell income. They also pose as police officers to make it out like they are searching cars for terrorists in order to capture and murder residents.

So please save me your garbage about the pro regime propaganda, because if you look at the whole picture, you will see the lies and propaganda by the mb, Syrian revolution and their co conspirators.

The evil that is the Muslim brotherhood can only be likened to the evil that is Satan.

“…Egyptians appear prepared to overturn the three-decade-old peace agreement that has been a cornerstone of the country’s relationship with Israel. By a margin of 54% to 36%, Egyptians say their country should annul the treaty with Israel”. http://pewglobal.org/2011/04/25/egyptians-embrace-revolt-leaders-religious-parties-and-military-as-well/5/

This is why not to make peace with dictators.. in case you asked.
.

A report on Democracy now about the situation in Syria

http://bit.ly/gA1Prf

I have been reading this blog and comments for years now and I rarely comments myself for the fact that I just want to keep in touch with what happening in the old country and to spare everyone my personal opinion unless I had a question or a useful link, I noticed a lot of new names recently that seems to support the gov and noticed that they are advocating horrible things to happen to the other side, i am neither pro or against but I wish that people with hidden motives are banned from this forum.

Isn’t it ironic that the Islamist and Zionist commenters are accusing the Christian, Allawi, and nonreligious commenters of being blood-thirsty?

The world has become insane.

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/10836

http://www.elnashra.com/articles-1-27244.html

i’m addressing to Mr. Joshwa and i would hope to have a reply on my email if possible:

dear sir:
let’s talk about acceptable facts:
is it possible that syrian troops have orders to shoot randomly as stated above, or not allowing ambulances car from reaching vistoms?

let’s have it in diferent way:
this eyewitness, how he managed him self to see, listen, voice record and video-tape without beeing seen?
anf how this eyewitness managed to hear the captains speak together ????
and overall call where there is no connections??????

something else:
how the military officers in Dara are reporting to LA Times ??????
and these avtivists, where are they?? is DARAA??? i don’t think so, in Damascus??? maybe, outborder??? most likely, how they receive their info???? by telephone?? not possible, phisically on site??? also not possible, creating and developing stories??? most likely.
i’m not attacking them, i’m only looking in rational way of thinking.

i beleive their is lot an lot of exaggerating or false information that is spreeding here and there secially from the media channels like Jazeera or Arabiya or BCC or……… ext…

the fact that i’m with or against the regime or what it happening rhere is not important, what i care about is the truth which i believe all what has been reported is far away from.
it is clearly that their is prepared agenda ment to distroy Syria on both level the governoment and the public.

God help Syria to pass over

Amir (77)
Why don’t you ask the Iraqis if they prefer democracy on stability?
We haven’t yet seen a big election in the new Egypt. What matters is: will there be again full buses of women brought by some village leader with a clear voting instruction?
Plus, the Egyptian MB are known to be divided into many trends, which is a good sign of political awareness and vitality. They differ I believe in many things from the Turkish MB. As for the Syrian MB, I suspect it is a little more chaotic and tend simply toward dijhadism.

Mohamed Kanj – the reason no-one takes any notice of your videos is that they prove nothing. All we see are dead people and some broken woodwork. There is no EVIDENCE here of ANYTHING. Saying something and demonstrating something to be true are two very different things.

Revlon,

With your comments in #52, I think Montagnard’s answer hit the nail right on the head. Would you flip the coin and ask if the anti regime exiles, including the ones on this blog inciting these violent uprisings, murders and downright evil mutilation should be subject to the civil court of justice after the Syrian revolution you are constantly endorsing fail in their attempt at destabalising Syria?

As for your comments in #55, You have discussed previously how you think the Syrian government supporters on this blog must be mukhabarat. I told then that you couldnt be more wrong, and, I will tell you again that you definately are not a profiler and your powers of perception are severly off. Just because people are able to see through the smoke screen you are trying so hard to put up, it doesnt mean anything other than they can see the truth clearly with the conspiracy, fake videos, smear campaign and the evil eluding from this revolution, the muslim brotherhood and their group co conspirators.

@ NK

There is a media war going on and with all the incompetency of Syrian official media and infancy of the private media (dunia) they are doing a good job against the might of Jazeera and others so if they are not competing with skills and resources then they are competing
with the facts (to me)

There are many links out there with eye witnesses giving lame testimonies that even a 7 year old can’t buy and false location/date/time info that was proven wrong as well as others that were correct but I’m not saying that everything jazeera is broadcasting is wrong but enough to discredit them at least to me.

Moe (from mobile device)

HAZ –

in response to your ambiguous mumble reply to my comment. If you had any common sense and watched the video, you would understand what my arguement was about. You are obviously misguided and living in a fantasy. Watch the video and give me a proper response. The videos i posted previously, show members of the protestors in banias savagely knifing to death an innocent man, whilst carrying weapons. The second video shows martys from the syrian army who were murdered by member of these so called democracy advocates in syria. The Syrian Brigader general and his 2 sons who were vicously murdered, members of the revolution in homs. Did u happen to watch the videos from the facebook administrator of “Syrian Revolution” ? Watch them with your eyes wide open and when you are not high on the drugs you are on. Have a look at the photos this muslim extremist has taken with members of the muslim brotherhood. Watch the islamic preacher videos he posts on his facebook wall. Watch and listen to the anti christian, anti non sunni rheotric he blabbers on about. If you really support the democracy movement in syria, come and travel to syria and get off your computers and join the protests.

M Kanj – your second video is some soap opera taken from syrian tv. i didnt watch it all, because i think their silly propaganda is in poor taste while syrian heroes and heroines are being murdered. what i did see was a man saying someone called for jihad from the mosque. so? there is a repulsive strain of anti-sunni prejudice in may of the commentors here. it is normal, call it a part of sunni culture, to call for jihad when you are under fire. they do it in palestine too (fatah supporters and communists as well as hamas). Jihad means struggle against the murderous oppressor, it doesn’t mean that the people calling jihad want to be ruled by islamists, salafists, or that they want to kill alawis.

I have been very sensitive to genuine fears of sectarianism. however, those alawis and christians and memebers of the comfortable upper classes who are so unprincipled as to STILL support these traitorous gangsters, after all they’ve proved to us of their true nature, are now expoiting some very unpleasant, very orientalist, very arrogant and ignorant prejudices about Sunnis.

I now assume that Joshua Landis shares these prejudices. http://www.rimeallaf.com/mosaics/index.php?entry=entry050920-005923 This article has been brought to my attention, in which Rime Allaf takes Joshua on for encouraging the US to back Syrian regime repression of “the Sunni majority.” This is quite shocking, and puts SC and its pro-regime editors in an entirely new light for me.

I note that SC administrators usually remove hate speech, but not the thoroughly murderous hate speech coming from regime supporters today. Meanwhile, the death toll rises in Syria, the mass arrests continue. Strength to those brave enough to struggle.

Article 8 of the constitution will be abolished next week with the crack down, will see what the real intention of the opposition, equal rights or only rights.

Sectarianist comments are now rampant on the internet. Here is an example from a Wahhabi news website:

????? ?????? ?????? (?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????????) ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ???? ???????? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ????????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? 40 ??? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????????? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ????

The sectarian rift is wide now, but the positive point is that the radical Islamists now have a better understanding of their real size in Syria. I hope that I will not hear again a radical Islamist calming that they represent 85% of the Syrian population.

http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/1325/a-damascene-diary

great writing (or, for those who think an anti-terrorist operation is ongoing in Daraa, bloodthirsty salafi propaganda) from Samar Yazbeck.

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
???? || ??????? : ????? : ??????? ????? : ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ? ???????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ?????

about an hour ago

Another comment that is typical nowadays:

???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????

The Syrian TV is broadcasting interesting interviews with policemen who were attacked by the peaceful demonstrators. I was not reporting these things before because I assumed people were watching, but it looks like the world has no clue about what is happening.

???? (??????) – ???? ???????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ???????? ????????? ???????.
???? ???? ???????? ????????? ????? ??? “???? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ????????? ???????? ????????? ?? ???? ??????? ???????.”

????? “??? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ?????????

?????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????
?????? ??????? .. ??? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? … ????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?????? 5000 ???? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ????

????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?…???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ????

??????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?????

?? ?? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? 500 ??????? ???

??????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ????? 5 ????? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ????? 500 ??? ???? ????? ?????? ???????

??? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????

????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????
????? ??? ???????
???? ???????
???? ???????
???? ???????
???? ???????
…???? ???????
???? ???????
???? ??????
???? ??? ????? ????? ?????? 16 ???
???? ??? ?????
??????? ??? ????? ?????
??????? ????? ?????
??? ?????? ?????
??????? ???? ????
???? ?????
??? ??????? ???? ???
??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????
???? ???
???? ??????
???? ??? ?????? 62 ???
???? ??? ??????
???? ???? ????
???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ????
???? ???? ?? ????? ??????
???? ?? ????? ????
???? ?? ????? ??????
???? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ??????
31 minutes ago

Qunfuz found a new Oppressor NewZ

I agree with Qunfuz on this:

This is quite shocking, and puts SC and its pro-regime editors in an entirely new light for me.

I note that SC administrators usually remove hate speech, but not the thoroughly murderous hate speech coming from regime supporters today. Meanwhile, the death toll rises in Syria, the mass arrests continue. Strength to those brave enough to struggle.

I disagree with his definition:

Jihad means struggle against the murderous oppressor…

In Qunfuz’s lexicon, the sole “oppressor” was the Zionist Entity (even though his Hamas heroes, who he allows to fight any way they see fit, object to making peace in their Charter).

Suddenly, and with great surprise, Qunfuz found an Arab “oppressor”. Will wonders never cease? I guess I’ll have to run a search to see if Qunfuz ever found Saddam Hussein to be an “oppressor”…

The Syrian Revolution 2011 ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????
?????? ??????? … ??????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????????
???? ????? ?????
??????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????????
http://www.youtube.com
???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ?? ???????? ???? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? “????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????…..
about an hour ago

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
????? ????????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??????:
1 ??????? ????? ??????
2-??????? ???? ??????
3-???? ??????
4-???? ?????
…5- ???? ????????
6- ???? ??????
7-???? ???? ??????
8- ???? ?????
9-???? ?????
10-?????? ?????
11-???? ????
12- ???? ??????? ????
?????? ??? ????????? ????????? ? ?? ?????? ?????See More
10 hours ago

AP – of course I make a mistake by talking to you. For the record, I have written consistently against Saddam Hussein, the House of Saud, the Mubarak regime, Qaddafi, the Jordanian royals, and Wahhabis. And, of course, against the apartheid Zionist state in occupied Palestine.

#71 Aqoul,

I don’t know how you reached this conclusion about my political affiliation, but let’s say if I were a supporter of Saad Hariri, would you discuss my comments and talk to me?

Your comment about me derives form an attitude of exclusion. And because, with its assumption that I am a Lebanese christian, it figures alongside another negative comment on a Hezbollah supporter, I assume that you are sunni. I, never in my comments on this blog, resorted to personal attacks or remarks about persons. We are here to discuss ideas.

AP – of course I make a mistake by talking to you. For the record, I have written consistently against Saddam Hussein, the House of Saud, the Mubarak regime, Qaddafi, the Jordanian royals, and Wahhabis. And, of course, against the apartheid Zionist state in occupied Palestine.

Qunfuz,

I stand corrected. And thanks for the reply.

Apparently, some of the Zionists here and myself agree with you on many points, including the criticisms you have of many of these Arab despots. You are absolutely right to call them out. What Bashar Assad is doing to his country is reprehensible.

However, in your defence of Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, you seem to have difficulty criticizing any state or organization that demonizes the State of Israel.

The violence and spread of terrorism by the above actors is no less important than that caused by the other Arab despots.

To make a long story short, over the past several decades, the Arab-Israeli conflict has narrowed considerably. You should be supporting a negotiated settlement instead of continued violence and “jihad”.

Here are two articles I found at the two blogs under your name. As expected, “Zionist” this and that are dotted all over the blog. I really think it is time to change your thinking Qunfuz. Really.

http://qunfuz.blogspot.com/2007/02/in-defence-of-iran.html

The key conflict in the area is between the ruling class, which is both a money class and a client to imperialism, and the ordinary, impoverished people, who now have more information about the links between their rulers and Zionist and imperialist forces.

[there are NO “links between Assad/ruler and Israel/”Zionist”]

http://qunfuz.com/

1. Obama Should Shut Up

Obama’s claim that the Syrian regime is receiving Iranian assistance to repress protests is a statement which could inflame sectarian hatred inside Syria, as Obama’s Zionist advisors know very well.

The Syrian governemnt has invited a UN mission to Syria to evaluate the real situation independently. Human right commission is ‘impatient’ to see what is going on.

Le Monde 26 april
L’ONU réfléchit à une offre syrienne proposant l’envoi d’une mission
Le haut-commissariat de l’ONU aux droits de l’homme a indiqué avoir reçu une invitation des autorités syriennes proposant l’envoi d’une mission dans leur pays.
Le porte-parole de Navi Pillay, haut-commissaire aux droits de l’homme, a toutefois précisé que rien n’était encore décidé, l’offre syrienne ayant été formulée jeudi dernier, à la veille de manifestations réprimées dans le sang et lors desquelles au moins 82 personnes ont été tuées.

“Nous sommes impatients de pouvoir visiter et d’évaluer de façon indépendante la situation sur le terrain”, a-t-il déclaré.

Martyr Bassam Abdulmajeed Abu Saleemeh had minor injuries upon admission to Hospital on Friday, April 24th.
His body was delivered earlier today, and claimed to had died of bleeding.
A gaping wound appears on his back, surrounded by a rectangular bluish marking.
The reporter implies that he was executed after goinf to the hospital.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYF1d8nKz1g&feature=player_embedded

Al Fati7a upon Bassam’s soul,
May God bless his family with solace and empower them with patience.

#102

Great idea. They should also invite some organizations to carry out opinion polls and see what the people think of the insurgents and the foreign media.

???? .. ??????? ????? ??????
26/04/2011 ???? ??? ?????

http://www.alghad.com/index.php/afkar_wamawaqef/article/25370.html

??? : ???? : ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ???????? ????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? …

Back from school demonstration Chanting:
School of Freedom; We have become your applicants, Open your door for us!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz0KcAj6dEw&feature=player_embedded

Attall, Damascus
Today, April 26th

The Double Standard: A Simple Case in Point

Following the flotilla issue, Erdogan reponded:

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s speech upon his return to Turkey from meeting President Obama was greeted in some quarters with relief. “At least he didn’t declare war,” said one headline. Understandably, the confrontation between Israeli commandos and the Mavi Marmara has consumed the media here. And though it seemed, at first, that the national mood was one of shock followed by outrage, already numerous gently demurring voices have begun to break the surface. The prime minister’s speeches showed no such restraint: “Even bullies, pirates and criminals have a code of honor,” he said, “but for those who have none, it would be a compliment to call them such names.”
Condemning Israel for harming innocents, Erdogan added, “Even in a war, you don’t attack women, children and religious personnel,” (without, of course, elaborating on what to do if the latter happen to be combatants, as they often are in Islamist circles). The prime minister has traveled the country in a kind of victory tour inciting massed crowds to chant anti-Israeli slogans, repeatedly citing “Thou Shalt Not Kill” as being explicitly a commandment from the Torah and therefore all the greater a sin when committed by Israel. Some 22 national leaders are currently in Istanbul for a conference of Eurasian nations; Erdogan is publicly flogging the issue there, too.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/10/turkey-tayyip-erdogan-israel-flotilla-opinions-columnists-melik-kaylan.html

After over 400 deaths by the Syrian regime:

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Assad and urged him to show “restraint.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110426/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_syria

To all who still in doubt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAVWIcOkpXA

??? ?? ??????
???? ????? ???? ???

American Media & AlJazeera & AlArabiya & BBC & EuroNews & France 24 are all lying to you, people!

“Your comment about me derives form an attitude of exclusion. And because, with its assumption that I am a Lebanese christian, it figures alongside another negative comment on a Hezbollah supporter, I assume that you are sunni”

SOPHIA,

The above shows exactly how you think, just like all the bigoted secatrians who appeared on this site all of a sudden.

I reached that conclusion about you when you qouted and promoted several ridiculuous articles and not because you’re Christian Lebanese. One of them was May Akl’s article which has been ripped apart by more than one analyst as a complete piece of nonsense. I went to your page and explored its content and the type of material you promote. And voila, here’s how I made my conclusion about you not just because you’re obviously sectarian and think only by the bigotted sectarian prism.

So, I suggest to you to quit promoting your hatred and bigottry and adding fuel to the fire at your neighbor’s house which eventually may just burn your own ‘house’.

Same advise to MOE.

#115 Aqoul,

Contrary to you, I have never promoted hate on this blog. But it seems that you do not tolerate views which are different from yours and which are advanced in a rational and factual way.

#118

The truth does not matter. This is a political game. I can’t imagine that the US and its allies would let Syria get out of this crisis safely. The choice is clear: either Syria abandons Iran (and thus abandons the Golan) or there are going to be sanctions. American sanctions won’t matter much, but European sanctions would hurt the economy badly.

In whatever scenario, the radical Islamists will pay the price. If I were Assad, I would put all those radical Islamists on boats and send them to Europe. Let the Europeans take them if they like them so much. Also if the economy deteriorates, Assad will have no choice but to open the Golan front for resistance.

The problem is that we don’t know how far the Americans will go in their game. Assad will need to use force for weeks if he is to quell the insurgency. Will the Americans let him do that? The possibility of Syria disintegrating is very high. Many Alawis have already left their homes in the inner regions to the Alawi Mountain. Also Christians are fleeing from unsafe areas to safer areas. There are Christians who have left to Lebanon already. Druze have escaped Hawran. The sectarian borders are already drawn. If the Americans pressure Assad too much and he feels that he is fighting a losing war against the Islamists, he will flee to the coastal region and entrench himself there with his clan. This is what the Islamists want, and it is not unlikely. This attack against Syria is unprecedented in its ferocity. The chances that Syria won’t survive are higher than the chances it will survive.

The Saudis will create a Wahhabi state in Deraa and Damascus to help them against Iran and Hizbullah. The Saudis will convince the Wahhabi state to recognize Israel and two independent states for the Alawis and Druze. Aleppo may become an independent state or may even fall in the hands of Turkey.

To all of you,

Are there any demonstrations in Syria today.

Norman
Didn’t read about any demonstrations in the news.
Any opposition commenter can give us a picture of Homs and Banyas situation on the ground?

W D ,
They asked Antra ibn Shaddad about how he wins against his enemies, he said , i chose the weaker one between them and hit him the hardest i can, that will instill fear in their heart , so they surrender,

The Syrian army is using the same rule.

It’s no hidden secret that Jazeera network fabricates,instigates and promote violence. Washington hit Aljazeera’s offices in Baghdad and in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Then Washington said the attacks had been accidental and had not targeted the network. It’s up to you to believe if it’s accidental or not; but the subject was brushed under the carpet by the US and Nato. However, when Mubarak’s regime (mind you I’m not defending Mubarak for those who jump to conclusion and make the majority of commentators on this site pro-regime simply because they don’t share their point of view. How can you cry for democracy if you don’t respect others’ opinions?)targeted Jazeera offices in Cairo CNN zoomed in on the subject as it’s the most important in the world and forgetting the massacres in Ivory coast. Accept it or deny it the media plays a major role in influencing or brainwashing certain category of people and it helps immensely in the success of an uprising. Al Jazeera claims to have 40 million subscribers, the solution is to unsubscribe to these networks proclaiming to report accurate news in order to lower their viewers rating.

Just a note for those who keep asking readers to discredit certain comments or opinions.

How about you let the reader decides for him/herself instead of imposing on readers what to take into consideration or what to discard. Most readers on this blog have a high level of education and they can think for themselves.
Why are you dictating on readers what to read when you, yourself, wanting to get rid of a so called ”dictator”. If you cannot take the heat by you accepting democracy and freedom of speech then get out of the kitchen and let readers or viewers of certain videos judge for themselves.

If Syrians going to get rid of one regime to impose another what a wasted gallons of blood. Look at Iran, they removed the Shah of course thanks to the CIA who did they get? Needless to elaborate…

As far as I know, a formula for transferring from dictatorship to true democracy has yet to be introduced. If there’s anything close to it in our region, it is Turkey. But even there, Ataturk was a dictator who used brute force to remove what he viewed as opposition.

Not that anyone’s contemplating Israeli-Arab relations at the moment, but to the few who do, let us not forget that all Arab partners Israel has ever had have been dictators. And all Israeli PMs supported relations with them, without exception. What is happening in Egypt does not necessarily indicate war will replace non-peace, but even if it does, 30 years of non-war was still worth it for Israel. We cannot choose our partners, just as they do not choose us.

May God help Syria and all its citizens find the way to make the transformation as bloodless as possible. No people on earth deserve to die when fighting for their freedom.

to HAPPY JEW #47

you are happy TODAY but your hapiness won’t last i tell you and you should for your own self and sake , a philosopher said and i’ll quote him in french :

LE DESERT CROIT MALHEUR A QUI PROTEGE LE DESERT

I am usually just a reader and don’t comment…but I have found it compelling now after reading such propaganda! Taking a step back and looking at the events I do not understand how people can stand against those asking for freedom. My friends freedom does not equal civil war! Freedom does not equal sectarian strife. Sunnis, Christians, Alawites have lived together in Syria for decades now. It is obvious from these message boards that the Syrian people do not want instability and civil war…well if most of the people don’t want this then why would democracy bring this on? After all, doesn’t democracy bring what the people’s will is?

The other issue is foreign intervention. Some have argued that the Assad regime is singled out because of its resistance towards Israel and its close alliance with Iran. What has the Assad resistance brought the Syrian people other than losing the Golan? If the majority of the people want to support Iran and Hizbollah…why would democracy bring an end to this??

Please stop accepting the lies and brainwashing machine of the government. We must support those giving their lives for a better Syria!

[…] u kunt lezen over protestacties tegen de plaatselijke dictator en met eigen ogen zien of lezen hoe de geheime politie schiet op ongewapende burgers, maar u kunt ook gewoon naar mooie muziek luisteren. Dit is een doorn het oog […]