Are you guys serious?
We still do not know if alawis are Muslims?
Why should we care?
Other nations are exploring space while we are busy exploring better ways to keep Arabs and Muslims in their dark hole of division and confusion..

True,

Talking about Iran and Turkey, I want to vote for a new democratically elected president who maintains a strong alliance with Iran, and at the same time good relationship with Turkey.  I think continuing a strong relationship with Iran is crucial for Syria to maintain its role as a master power broker in the area.  I do not want to see a weak new government that gets financial aids from KSA and finally becomes a puppet.  The Sunni-Shiaa “war” that KSA trying to enforce on the Arab world does not impress me at all.  My brain is not wired to perceive Shiaa as.بعبع.  I think the so called “Sunni-Shias war championed by KSA is only aimed to weaken us, and the new democracy in Syria should not fall for it.  

I was bored to death until I read your post,Tara
Thanks for keeping me alive,that was good,very good indeed..

Abughassan,

Thank you.

I am getting bored too.

Aboud,

On the last post, you complain that I copied only one part of the National article that was pro-regime. You are right to complain. I am sorry for that. I never read the article, but copied the quote and link from the comment section that someone posted.

This is the problem with trying to do a “News Round up” every day. It takes too much time and I cut corners. As with the National Article, I should have read on.

On the previous post, I had copied the entire WSJ article because it is subscription only and I know most readers cannot get access to it.

I don’t try to avoid anti-regime news stories. In fact I always quote the WINEP articles, Elliott Abrams, etc.

I am sorry I missed the anti-regime quotes. The majority of stories I quote are anti-regime.

Joshua
Aboud was cought by mokabarat while he was trying to charge his I phone in خالديه in Homs .he will be abscent for a while.thanks for all his reports he has been sending from Homs .

Can someone tell me, I as a Syrian Sunni, what makes me a Muslim? Can someone give me any scientific evidence proving what my mother taught me? I thought that I am Sunni because the last power house that controlled my neighborhood was the Ottomans. The Ottomans converted from Shiism, after emigrating from central Asia to the land of Anatolia, for political reason to confront their cousins the Persians. The Ottomans claimed to be Sunnis and defenders of Sunnis when they first confiscated Aleppo.
Did we forget that Wahhabis were never considered Muslims by Sunnis? We Sunnis fought great wars against them, commanded by the great Sunni Albanian of Egypt Mohammad Ali, and we won until the Wahhabis finally hooked up with the British during the last century. Did the Wahhabis considered any other Sunni sects Muslims. El Medina was famous for being a Sunni Maleki sect city. When the Wahhabis colonized that city they forced everyone to convert or die.
Indeed there is a herd mentality controlled by the Super Powers of the world. What a joke.

Good one SNK 🙂

“produced by Maher Arar”
Media production must be very profitable for many Syrians these days, Ma Sha2 Allah shou sha6reen!?

Hehehe, sorry to disappoint you No Klue. Your shabiha scum are so retarded they have never managed to catch anyone I know to be wanted.

Internet is out except for 3G. We still haven’t been refunded for last month. I guess junior needs the money LOL!

Ya bashar esma3 wa shoof
3am ensibak 3al makshof

Hehehe (edited for insult)

Jad, I love disappointing Baathist scum 🙂 why hadn’t besho recalled (edited for accusation) like the rest of the sycophants? Loooool!

Ya maher ya hayawan
Het Eklabak bil golan

(edited for insult). Har har 🙂

“Can someone tell me, I as a Syrian Sunni, what makes me a Muslim?”
If you are a sunni as you claim and don’t know what makes you Muslim, then you’re in big trouble. Go back to school. They’ll try to help you.

Thank you professor Landis, it does get time consuming to go through all the comments in a day.

Your readers can always be relied on to work with their usual diligence in linking articles. Quality may vary though 🙂

So, the minister of interior is in Homs to supervise the shabiha’s inept efforts. Those incompetents need someone (edited for bad language)

Abu Ghassan,

Do you think you’ll live to see a secular democratic Syria, as you are advocating, if the majority of Sunni Syrians care to consider whether Alawites are Muslims or not?

Tara @ 122 (previous blog)

That is fine! You want me to answer first so you can tilt your response accordingly.
I will try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge, and if it sounds rosy to you, remember that this is the way I see it, and that my perspective of Sham does not include Barzeh, Qaboun, Rukn Eddin. I seldom go there and not sure about conditions. I m a guy and MNA is not my name. I moved back with family to Damascus about 18 months ago after having lived in the US for 25 years, of which 17 were in NYC. Relatively speaking and in comparison with Mar, Apr and May, the city has been doing much better and the tension has loosen up a bit and it is almost back to normal. The streets are crowded, cafes and restaurants are almost full, and many people are making their way back to pick nick on the Hwy to the airport and Qasyoun. Many others have made their way back to Mora in Bludan and Al-Janeh in Sydnaya on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Damascus International fair just ended and according to SANA, more than 600000 people visited. I went there once and there were lots of people. There are no cars from the Gulf or Jordan roaming the streets of Damascus, but one can always find many Lebanese cars. Many airlines have scaled down their schedule into Damascus to coop with the decreased demands, but in order to compensate; Syrianair has scaled up its schedule to many destinations, especially those in the Gulf. Many Syrian Ex-pats from the Gulf are making it to Damascus, but very few from Europe or the US. Surprisingly, many businesses are doing well even in comparison with pre-Mar period. But this is, of course, not the rule. Many other businesses are greatly suffering as a result of the situation and have resorted to implementing part time (half attendance or schedule) to manage expenses. Corruption, in a sense, is better managed, and this is not due to any government concrete steps to fight it, but b/c your average citizens are more willing to fight it. I know for a fact that the traffic police are suffering now days. Many of my friends have made their way to Latakia to spend few days there before Ramadan starts and they tell me that Le Meridian, Rotana and the Blue beach (shate2 al-azra2) are almost full. Beside the price of Sugar, most food prices have either been stable or went down a little. No shortage of bread, gas or diesel in Damascus. The exchange rate has stabilized at around 51 SYP for $1. Except for Fridays when you find security check points at the outskirts of the city, no noticeable security presence in the streets at all. Although, some of my friends tell me that all the street vendors and the garbage collectors are security agents, but have no way to verify it. After almost 5 months of very sad events, I find Syrians living in Syria to be much less polarized than Syrians living abroad. Of course, you have your 100% supporters and 100% anti, and there is nothing anyone can do to change their views. But you also find many people in the middle or what we call here (the silent majority) who are refusing to believe either side solely and are willing to be pragmatic and practical in finding a solution to this crisis. Lack of confidence in both the government and the opposition is great among this section of people and they emphasize that no one in the opposition has yet to deliver any strategy or vision of the future, and instead the opposition only offers a criticism of the regime that any 2 year old in Syria knows by heart. Simply put, they see no good alternative in the current opposition and as a result many are ok with the limitation of the reform that the government will achieve in the near future, but they emphasize that there is no going back to where we were.
My position is as follows:
– Vital need for major and deep reforms with stability. The major challenge is to set free from the security grip on the society. Once this is achieved, all the other details such as the multi-party system and the abolition of article 8, free press etc.. will automatically fall into place
– If one believes that there is a conspiracy in Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq etc.. Why not in Syria. Even in Egypt and Tunisia, is anyone willing to believe that external powers are not trying to skew the outcomes of the revolutions there to fit their interests? I truly believe, however, that this discussion is not relevant and we should spend no time discussing it. The important thing is to take care of our citizens and country and protect it from any threat. WE SHOULD GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER.
– No split in the army, very limited number of defectors.
– Most demonstrators are peaceful, but there is a 3rd element that is armed and trying to ride the wave and is responsible for some civilian and most security and army fatalities.
– No confidence in any media outlet including Al-Dunia, Syrian TV, Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabia etc… I just can’t convince myself that outlets owned by 7amsho, the Syrian government, Hamad of Qatar, a Saudi prince etc… are fair and balanced.
– No doubt that the security is responsible for lots of fatalities that took place, but I don’t believe that they are killing indiscriminately, otherwise, the number of fatalities would be much much higher. And this should not be understood as a compliment, but rather a criticism of how they operate.
– No going back to pre Mar 15 and no overthrow of the regime as most people understand it. The nature of the regime and the society’s understanding of the term, overthrow, make a civil war, foreign intervention and a complete disintegration of the state a sure thing.
Hope I answered your questions.

Interesting insights on Jr’s attitude and his final high school exam from a classmate.
رفيقك بالصف صار رئيس الجمهورية *
http://the-syrian.com/archives/19777
فلأكن صريحاً. ما كان أحداً منا يتوقع ان يرسب بشار الأسد مهما بلغ جهله او ساءت إجاباته في الإمتحان. بغض النظر عن الـ٣٠ علامة الاضافية التي يأخذها منتسبي دورة المظليين و الـ٣٠ علامة
أخرى التي تعطى للبعثيين ، كنا جميعاً نتوقع ان يتم تزوير النتائج ليينجح بشار نجاحاً باهراً في امتحاناته. و لكن ما أدهشني هو الأسلوب الذي اتبعوه في الغش. و هذا الأسلوب يظهر كيف احترف هذا النظام الكذب على جميع المستويات و حتى على نفسه.
كان بشار يأخذ ورقة الإمتحان و يكتب اسمه و رقمه و يطوي زاوية الصفحة و يبدأ بالإجابة على الأسئلة مثله مثل جميع الطلاب الآخرين. قبل انتهاء مدة الامتحان بعشر او ١٥ دقيقة يقوم ويسلم ورقة الإجابة بعد ان يصمغ الزاوية الي كتب اسمه بها للمراقب الذي يضع الورقة في الظرف ثم يغادر الغرفة. كل شيء طبيعي حتى الآن. لكن بعد دقيقتين او ثلاثة بعد مغادرته غرفة الإمتحان يذهب المراقب للخلف و يغض النظر بينما يدخل عنصر مخابرات و بيده ورقة إجابة جاهزة بديلة فيضعها بالظرف و يأخذ الورقة التي سلمها بشار!
تمثيلية محبوكة. لاشك انهم ارادوا الغش بدون اثارة الكثير من البلبلة. فلا داعي للضغط على الاساتذة او مديرية الامتحانات و تهريب الاسئلة (و اذا كان الطالب حمار حتى تهريب الاسئلة لايفيد) و لاداعي للركض وراء اوراق الامتحانات بعد اغلاق الظروف و توزيعها على المصححين في ارجاء الدولة و لاداعي لعمل شوشرة بتغيير العلامات بعد فتح الظروف و تسجيل العلامات. ما فعلوه هو انه عندما تم توزيع الاسئلة على الطلاب بشكل رسمي واحد من جماعتهم يجلس في غرفة مجاورة ليكتب ورقة اجابة نموذجية لتسلَّم بعد خروج نابغة الزمان من قاعة الإمتحان بدل صفحته.
ما كنت دائماً ارغب معرفته هو: هل كان بشار يعلم بأن اجوبته لم يكن لها اي علاقة بالعلامات التي حصل عليها؟ هل كان حافظ الأسد الذي اشتهر عنه بصرامته حتى مع اولاده يعلم بذلك؟ أنا متأكد تماماً انهم في قريرتهم كانوا يعلمون ان هناك “مساعدة” من نوع ما. لكن هل كانا مشاركين مخططين في هذه المسرحية ام مجرد متعاونين؟
لقد أصبح بشار رئيساً لسوريا الآن. و عندما يخرج الى الشعب ليلقي كلمة كتبتها بثينة شعبان او احد المنافقين المتخصصين حوله فيرى الناس يهللون و يصفقون له، هل يصدق الكذبة التي يعيش فيها؟ هل فعلاً بشار يعتقد ان هناك “التحام بين الشعب و القيادة” في سوريا؟ هل هو فعلاً يؤمن بحكاية المؤامرة التي يجترها في كل مجلس و خطاب؟
هل كان يعرف من يكتب له اجوبة امتحانات البكالوريا يومها؟ و من سيكتب له الأجوبة اليوم؟ شيء واحد مؤكد: مصيره اليوم لن يكون باهراً مثل نتائج البكالوريا من ٣٠ سنة.

من مدونة أياد نحاس على الفيسبوك *

MNA

You said “you want me to answer first so you can tilt your response accordingly”

What made you say that? Why would I need or care to “tilt” my answer based on yours?

I think you are influenced by the way of life most damascenes I know have lived for 40 years. Double face that is. Anti- regime in their heart and soul, yet either silent majority due to fear or worse, active accomplice due to personal interests and greed.

Dear Joshua,

In your interview you mentioned Europe’s 17 and 18th centuries :
http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/lecture6c.html

If Syria had to choose between a true secular leader for Syria , it would trust the actual President far more than the Muslim Brothers leaders !!

Sectarian ( religious ) article ,questions and answers on this blog are only aimed to inflame the ground situation in Syria.

The new party law in Syria could be simply summarized :
Every party is allowed except the Muslim Brothers (and Al Qaeda).

The difference between a King ( Queen ) and a president is that one is elected.

The problem in Syria is MB and not the actual government.

@14 MNA
i strongly agree with you description of Damascus, but there ARE shortages of petroleum and ESPECIALLY DIESEL. i dont like the fact that quoted sana (600,000) participated in the convention. sana always has a tendency to inflate numbers that will reflect nicely on the regime.

Joshua,

Thank you for the explanation about your last post. I really thought you lost it there.

The post was ridiculously one sided and really hurts the reputation of the blog.

Syria Comment’s Conspiracy Central

Mr. President said:

Indeed there is a herd mentality controlled by the Super Powers of the world.

Mr. President,

Most of the world is free. Were you forced to make your post on this website? Did someone tell you what to say?

Tell us how the “Super Powers of the world” are controlling what the news reporters of SANA are reading.

If anything is “controlled”, it is the news coming out of Syria by the Syrian Baathist government.

I advise Syrians living in Syria or having information from Syrian reliable sources :

Do not answer questions of “Intelligence” people and
Do not give away sensitive information allowing them to redirect their attacks on the Syrian people.

Hysterian,

You forgot what is most important:

“Do not say anything negative about our President-for-Life”

We wouldn’t want our brothers to face any bodily injury or jeopardize their employment.

Ads Push For Middle Ground Amid Syrian Conflict
by Deborah Amos

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/19/138512390/ads-push-for-a-middle-ground-amid-syrian-conflict

The uprising in Syria is often described in terms of black or white — you either support the country’s leader or you are a revolutionary.

But many residents of Damascus describe themselves as gray people, neither black nor white, and they’re struggling to find a voice.

In the clutter of the modern city, one new advertising campaign stands out: the image of a great big raised hand. The billboards are along the highways, and around downtown markets and neighborhoods. The campaign is not selling a product, but an idea. “I’m for Syria,” is the bold copy that underlines the hand.

“We’re trying to defuse the anger/fear cycle here; trying to campaign and raise awareness about the middle ground,” says Ammar Alani, who helped launch the campaign to support the middle ground with a group of friends — media professionals who usually create ads for breakfast cereal and home mortgages.

Alarmed by the polarization in the country, they paid for the billboards and donated their talents.

“The whole cost of the campaign was $4,000 that we split among us,” says Rami Omran, who contributed the artwork.

“We [had] already been doing this for 10 years for other people,” Alani adds. “The only difference now [is] the customer, if you like, is society; the brand is … Syria and it needs promoting.”

What they are promoting is a peaceful, democratic way out, they say. After 19 weeks, Syria is at a dangerous impasse. Protesters call for the downfall of the regime, but the opposition has offered no plan for what comes next.

Fears Of A Crash
……..

The ads

This ad offers some of the public responses to the initial “I am with Syria” campaign.

At the top, the ad says, “The goal of the initiative is to raise awareness and to accept different opinions.” The campaign encouraged public interaction and criticism.

The red image illustrated with blood says in Arabic: “Arrests or bullets: I do not believe it.” Another, in blue, says: “I am with the law, but where is it?” The text illustrated with camouflage reads: “My way is your way, but there’s a tank in the way.” The orange image with a group of hands says: “I am those millions: thugs, thieves, lackeys — call me whatever you want.”

“We thank all the brave Syrians who broke the silence and expressed their views,” the ad reads at the bottom.

Iran draws the line with Turkey on Syria
By Kaveh L Afrasiabi
“Iran had to choose between Turkey and Syria, it would choose Syria”
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MG26Ak01.html

In a sign of growing Iranian misgiving about Turkey’s role in Middle Eastern affairs, Tehran has decided to throw its weight behind the embattled Syrian regime, even if that translates into a setback in relations between Tehran and Ankara.

Iran’s move is bound to represent a new thorn in ties, with multiple potential side-effects, since it comes at a delicate time when Turkey is pressuring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government to adopt meaningful reforms and to give legitimacy to the Syrian opposition, which has repeatedly held meetings in Turkey.

Over the weekend, Tehran hosted Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Alaw for the signing of a major trilateral Iran-Iraq-Syria gas deal worth billions of dollars, while showering the Assad regime with unconditional praise as the “vanguard of resistance” that was subjected to psychological warfare and Western-Zionist conspiracy.

Articulating Iran’s steadfast support for its key Arab ally, Iranian first Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi used his meeting with Alaw to expel the slightest doubt about Iran’s stance on Syria, by stating that “Iran and Syria are two inseparable countries and allies, and Iran will stand by its friend and Muslim [neighboring] country, Syria, under all circumstances”.

In sharp contrast to Turkey’s support for the Syrian opposition, Rahimi dismissed the current unrest in Syria as “guided by arrogant powers and the meddling of enemies”.

Behind Iran’s new Syria move is a calculated gamble that contrary to some Western perceptions, the Assad regime is not completely isolated and still enjoys a considerable mass following. This is reflected in huge pro-government rallies consistently ignored by the Western media, and that with sufficient internal and regional support, Damascus could survive and ride out the current storm.
Assad has been unable to crush the uprising despite a crackdown against ant-government protests in which activists say more than 1,600 people have been killed since mid-March.

A clue to the “new Iranian thinking” on the crisis in Syria and its regional implications emerged in a recent issue of Sobhe Sadegh, the weekly publication of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), written by Reza Garmabehry, that in unmistakable language warned that if Iran had to choose between Turkey and Syria, it would choose Syria. Titled “Iran’s serious position vis-a-vis the events in Syria”, the article implicitly criticized Turkey for serving Western and Zionist interests by siding with the opposition and thus weakening the regime in Syria.

Simultaneously, the IRGC has demonstrated Iran’s hard power by conducting a successful counter-insurgency military campaign resulting in its incursion inside Iraqi territory in hot pursuit of a Kurdish armed group known as PJAK (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan). This is a fresh reminder to Turkey of Iran’s stability role with respect to the Kurdish problem besetting Ankara, in light of Iran’s considerable clout in Iraq.

This coincides with a new Iranian naval strategy that focuses on “out of area” missions for the navy in “open waters” and with access to foreign ports such as in Syria (see Iran on new voyage of discovery Asia Times Online, February 24, 2011).

According to some Tehran analysts, Iran hopes that Turkey will adjust its Syria policy and rethink its stinging criticisms of the Assad regime.

If this does not happen and the policy contrasts between Iran and Turkey over Syria grow sharper, then we may witness a cooling period between Tehran and Ankara. Turkey is seeking a leading role in the deadlocked Middle East peace process, in light of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s planned visit of besieged Gaza, Ankara’s hosting a Palestinian summit and reports of Turkey’s intention to play a leading role in the upcoming United Nations debates on Palestinian statehood in September.

Much as Iran and Turkey may cooperate at the UN level on the Palestinian issue, given that Turkey-Israel strategic relations have remained essentially untouched by various negative developments, such as the murder of nine Turkish citizens on a Gaza-bound ship by Israeli commandos, Tehran continues to view with suspicion some of Turkey’s regional moves that may come at Iran’s expense.

Erdogan’s three conditions for normalizing relations with Israel – an apology, compensation to the victims and the lifting of the Gaza siege – are considered rather lenient by Tehran, which would like to see the conditions widened to encompass the return of Arab lands, including the Golan Heights.

Assuming the Syria crisis lingers – which would mean more Syrian refugees in Turkey – the pressure on Ankara will likely increase and thus force Ankara to look to Iran for influencing Damascus. After all, contagion from Syria, as compared to Iran’s distance from Syria, represents a minus for Turkey at the moment that adds to its vulnerability.

Playing hardball with Ankara, Tehran’s new determination to stand behind Damascus no matter what in effect confronts Ankara with tough choices: ie, either continue with the current position tilted in favor of the Syrian opposition, and thus earn a substantial setback in relations with Iran, or emulate Iran and refrain from the hard push for reform inside Syria, and thus avoid a broadening of the arc of crisis engulfing Turkey’s regional context.

According to Bahram Amirahmadian, a Tehran analyst who says Ankara has been exploiting “weak Iranian diplomacy”, a more robust Iranian diplomacy is called for to avoid lagging behind Turkey in Middle East affairs. Apparently, the above-mentioned IRGC initiative is intended to address this issue, through a combination of soft and hard power that includes the carrot of economic (energy) incentives in league with Baghdad.

Thus, it is not simply Iran but rather the triumvirate of Iran-Iraq-Syria that Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, has to reckon with.

Another Muslim Sunni “scholar” preaching today the Decrees of the WAR CRIMINAL Ibn Taymiyah that promise the Alawis, among others, genocide.

HE wants to take Syria back to the days of Ibn Taymiyah. NO SIR THANKS.

He is saying that the people in Syria opposing al-Assad are doing this to go back into the Muslim Umma/Nation, after years of living under the infidel al-Assad and his Baath party. al-Arifi of course is faking history.

AS far as I know al-Assads, father and son fought progressive ideas and let mosques multiply all over Syria. al-Assads, father and son, probably built more mosques in one city alone than all of the princes of Kuwait combined, who spend their money on …. (you fill the bank)

There was no political life and the only thing that was permitted was building mosques and letting religious ideas grow without competition, or join al-Baath and hope to need that to find work. This is the truth. al-Baath was a cartoon with brainwashed members mostly in for the benefits more than the ideology. Real parties should be given a chance to live. Syria has many non-religious ideas that need to grow and be helped.

al-Arifi is speaking from Kuwait a country far away from justice and needs human rights laws ASAP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emnXBRF3CMk

AS usual he is Munafeq/منافق/hypocrite because he is inciting the Syrians to go up against al-Assad and his infidel party al-Baath, while he is speaking from Kuwait a country created out of nowhere that has one of the worst current crimes against human rights ever called the Withouts Problem (al-Bidun).

al-Bidun (English translation is Withouts; means people without citizenship papers in Kuwait) These people have no country although they are from that part of the world and not from the moon. They are probably around a million people ethnically original to the area that are deprived from all of the right to be a Kuwaiti citizen. Why didn’t al-Arifi speak about that and about the rule of the family that has been ruling Kuwait from its inception plundering a massive wealth.

Doesn’t al-Arifi see the ills of the society of Kuwait to go and meddle in the chaos in Syria and incite Syrians against each other along sectarian and religious lines?

Does he know that Syria is a multi-cultural, multi-religious and a multi-ethnic place?

Guys like him want to hijack what legit among the claims of the people who are getting on the streets in Syria and causing this whole change.

al-Arifi is not the only non-Syrian Muslim Sunni “scholar” that threatens the Alawis with Ibn Taymiyah’s Decree/Fatwa that calls for their blood and consider them infidels. There is the Egyptian al-Zughbi who is also considered a “scholar” too.

But when you examine the works of the “scholar” al-Zughbi, one find nothing but threats to others and lunacy like his nonsense about if one can eat the meat of a ghost/Jinni or not.
Remember this is a man who calls for the extermination of the Alawis, now is discussing if one can eat the meat of a ghost and saying it it ok after he claims that animals came out of devils. This is the type of people wanting to revive the Ibn Taymiyah’s look and decrees of hate and plan for the future of Syria.

Here is a link to this “scholar” saying that it Halal/Kosher/OK to eat the meat of the ghosts/al-Jinn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVZ-nBvqJto

ps: I chose to use the word “scholar” instead of “scientist” which is the literal translation of the word عالم’Alem, which is used to describe the clergy in Islam. The translation of the word ‘Alem as Scientist is not applicable because as we see from al-Zughbi’s example has no rational value because these religious figures has no relation whatsoever to SCIENCE. They hate science and fight it.

Tara @ 14

I asked you a question in the previous post and you answered me back by asking me many questions before you can answer me. Why is that?

And Still you did not answer my question. Are you going to answer it or not?

“I think you are influenced by the way of life most damascenes I know have lived for 40 years. Double face that is.”

So the majority of millions of damascenes are double faced. Wow. Very profound indeed, but yet very judgmental!! Another ready to use label you are slapping on millions of people.
If you lived it for 40 years it does not mean that everyone else did. I know that for the past 25 years I lived in the US. Please spare me your analysis of who I m and stop slapping your ready to use labels on everyone that presents something that is different than what you want to hear.

And just out of curiosity, would you please give me one example that hinted at the double faced life that I m living?

MNA

I am going to answer. I promise. I am at work now and very involved.. My previous comment was just a quick comment while driving. I will talk to you later.

France to sack its ambassador in Syria according to al-akhbar

الخارجية الفرنسية تستعد لتنحية شوفالييه!

من الاحتجاجات التي نظمها مؤيدو النظام احتجاجاً على زيارة السفيرين الأميركي والفرنسي إلى حماه (مظفر سلمان – أ ب)

يبدو أن زيارة السفير الفرنسي، إيريك شوفالييه، إلى مدينة حماه ستؤدي إلى إطاحته من منصبه، بعدما أسهمت خطوته غير المتفق عليها مع وزارة الخارجية، إلى جانب التحفظات عليه من جانب كادر الـ «كي دورسيه»، في فقدان الثقة به

باريس ــ عثمان تزغارت
كشف مصدر دبلوماسي فرنسي لـ «الأخبار» أن وزير الخارجية ألان جوبيه يستعد لتنحية السفير الفرنسي في دمشق، إيريك شوفالييه. وأوضح المصدر، المطلع على نحو وثيق على التجاذبات التي تدور منذ أسابيع في كواليس الدبلوماسية الفرنسية، أن القطرة التي أفاضت الكأس في «قضية شوفالييه»، كانت مبادرته بزيارة حماه، أسوةً بما فعله السفير الأميركي، روبرت فورد، من دون إبلاغ الخارجية الفرنسية مسبقاً بهذه الخطوة.
وقد أثارت هذه المبادرة، وما تبعها من تجمعات وهجمات على مقر السفارة الفرنسية في دمشق، حفيظة جوبيه، الذي أكّد لمقربيه أن قراره بتنحية شوفالييه قد اتُّخذ ولا رجعة عنه. وأضاف المصدر الفرنسي إن «واقعة حماه» مثّلت فصلاً جديداً في مسلسل طويل من العلاقات المتوترة بين السفير شوفالييه والـ «كي دورسيه»، التي تعود إلى فترة تولي برنار كوشنير الوزارة، وخصوصاً عندما أغدق عليه هذا الأخير في أيار 2009، ترقية إدارية غير اعتيادية تمهيداً لتعيينه سفيراً، ليصبح «وزيراً متعدد الصلاحيات»، وهي الرتبة الإدارية الأرقى في السلّم الدبلوماسي الفرنسي، ما أثار استهجان الإستبلشمنت الدبلوماسي، الذي احتج على «الطابع غير النظامي» للترقية.
وترجمت التجاذبات القوية في كواليس وزارة الخارجية، في ترشيح شوفالييه لمناصب في سفارات ذات أهمية ثانوية، مثل هايتي والأردن، لكنه رفض ذلك، وأصرّ على أن يجري تعيينه في سفارة ذات أهمية استراتيجية تليق بمقامه ورتبته الجديدة. ومع إدراكه أن نجم ولي نعمته، كوشنير، كان قد بدأ آنذاك في الأفول، لجأ شوفالييه إلى الأمين العام لقصر الرئاسية، آنذاك، وزير الداخلية الحالي كلود غيّون. وذكّر «حافظ أسرار ساركوزي» بأنه كان مهندس «دبلوماسية الصدمة»، التي جرى التخطيط لها في ديوان الوزير كوشنير، وأدّت إلى «سياسة اليد الممدودة» تجاه سوريا.
اقتنع كلود غيون بمرافعة شوفالييه، ونجح في إقناع ساركوزي بتعيينه سفيراً في دمشق، بوصفه الشخص الأمثل لمواصلة وتكريس سياسة التقارب مع دمشق.
وفي شباط الماضي، مع تولي آلان جوبيه منصب وزارة الخارجية، شنت السّرايا الدبلوماسية حرباً بلا هوادة ضد بقايا رموز العهد الكوشنيري، وفي مقدمتهم السفير إيريك شوفالييه. وبلغت تلك الحملة أوجها في نيسان الماضي، على أثر برقية دبلوماسية حرّرها الأخير، في بداية الحركات الاحتجاجية في سوريا أوصى من خلالها بـ «منح فسحة من الوقت للرئيس السوري بشار الأسد لمعالجة الأمور»، مبرّراً ذلك بقوله إن «الرئيس السوري يريد الإصلاح (…) ولا يجوز الاستبعاد بأن تكون هناك أطراف خارجية تعمل، بالفعل، على تغذية الاحتجاجات والتظاهرات…»
عثر خصوم شوفالييه على الفرصة التي كانوا يتحيّنونها للإجهاز عليه. ولم تلبث أصداء حملتهم ضدّه أن وصلت إلى قصر «الإليزيه»، لتفجر إحدى «نوبات الغضب المدوية» التي يشتهر بها الرئيس ساركوزي، بعدما بدأت تتسرّب إلى الصحف الفرنسية معلومات تصف السفير شوفالييه بأنه أصبح «بشّارياً» حتى النخاع، وأنه لا يزال مستمراً، حتى بعد اندلاع التظاهرات، في دعوة رجل الأعمال المقرب من الرئيس السوري، رامي مخلوف، على الغداء في مقر إقامته الرسمية.
كادت «الغضبة الرئاسية» تعصف بالسفير شوفالييه، لكن ولي نعمته الجديد، كلود غيون، شفع له مجدداً لدى الإليزيه، شارحاً للرئيس ساكوزي بأنه لا ضير في أن يستقبل سفير فرنسي مختلف الشخصيات العامة، بمن فيها الأكثر إثارة للجدل، لسماع مختلف وجهات النظر، وتكوين رؤية شاملة للأوضاع، فذلك من أبجديات العمل الدبلوماسي.
ساد الاعتقاد، لبعض الوقت، بأن الغضبة الساركوزية ضد إيريك شوفالييه مرت بسلام، لكن اسمه سرعان ما برز مجدداً في ملف آخر. فبعد الفضيحة الجنسية التي أودت بالمرشح الرئاسي دومينيك شتروس ـــــ كان، تركزت سهام الفريق الرئاسي على المرشحة الاشتراكية البديلة الأبرز مارتين أوبري. وكُلّفت مديرية الأمن الداخلي بإعداد تقرير شامل عن كل الشخصيات المقربة من أوبري في الجهاز الإداري الفرنسي، ليتبين أن شوفالييه متزوج إحدى مستشارات أوبري في المكتب السياسي للحزب الاشتراكي، ما عصف بآخر ما بقي له من رصيد الثقة لدى الرئيس ساركوزي، فأصبح يطالب آلان جوبيه برأس شوفالييه في الحال.
ويرجح المصدر الدبلوماسي بأن شوفالييه أدرك أن أي وساطة لن تشفع له هذه المرة. لذا أقدم على مبادرته المثيرة للجدل بزيارة حماه، دون أي اتفاق مسبق مع وزارة الخارجية الفرنسية، مراهناً بأن الانتقادات الرسمية السورية التي ستثيرها ـــــ لا محالة ـــــ خطوة كهذه، من شأنها أن تضع الحكومة الفرنسية في حرج، بحيث لا يمكن أن تُقدم على عزل سفير يتعرض لـ «حملة شرسة بسبب تعاطفه مع ربيع الثورات العربية».
لكن العارفين بفكر ومنهج وزير الخارجية آلان جوبيه يجزمون بأن مثل هذه الاعتبارات لن تدفعه إلى التراجع عن قراره بعزل إيريك شوفالييه. وذلك ليس فقط بسبب الضغوط الساركوزية التي تطالب برأسه، بل لأن جوبيه ـــــ الديغولي يستهجن بشدة، كما يقول المقربون منه، أن يجري التلاعب بصدقية وهيبة الدبلوماسية الفرنسية من أجل اعتبارات شخصية بمثل هذه «الوضاعة
».
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/17465

About a link based on statistics, number of dead by, gender, age, date, family, city,,,,

http://www.syrianshuhada.com/default.asp?a=st

I must admire the time spent by an anonymous activist on statistical analysis of flawed biased data.

The total number of dead protesters is 2114 , far more than the wildest dream claim of the e-opposition.

To verify the identity of the alleged dead people , you cannot rely on the age unknown information in 1772 cases.

However , I found interesting the last name breakout :
A lot of Hariri , Zoubi !!

SOME GUY FROM DAMASCUS @ 18

I only used SANA b/c there is no other independant source reporting on that. But as I said before, there were lots of people when I went there.

I was unaware of any diesel problem in Damascus. I know other cities had a shortage.

It is a historical fact (whether we like it or not) that both Sunnis and Shia scholars did recongnize Alawis/Nusairis as Muslims until the mid 70s when Kiftaro and Musa Sadr came.

double faced damascus:
When operation cast lead was crushing the Palestinians, the Syrian authorities allowed a 2 minutes silence across syria in respect to the dead.
the regime claims that fellow syrians( citizens and armed forces) have fell victim to terrorist forces. but instead of issuing a 2 minute silence similar to the one issued in 2008, the authorities were quick to “allow”( plan) a massive festival consisting of 10+ artists. songs were sung, slogans were chanted but not a second was given for those that died defending us( or so, the government claims).
if the regime really wants us to believe that terrorists are killing innocent civilians and soldiers, then it should at least act like it lost something dear to them and not celebrate. how would the people of Norway react if their government announced a major festival tomorrow?

U.S. softens its criticism of Syria
By Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times

July 20, 2011

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-us-syria-20110720,0,5436104.story

Since Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s sharp words last week, the Obama administration has stopped short of calling for President Bashar Assad to resign and has toned down its rhetoric.

….But Clinton backed off on Saturday, saying the administration still hopes that Assad’s regime will stop the violence and work with protesters to carry out political reforms. On Monday, European Union ministers also called on Assad to implement reforms and made it clear they still hoped he would do so.

The change in tone reflects the continuing debate over whether Syria’s ruler is likely to survive the current turmoil, and how best to use the limited diplomatic tools available to pressure him.

….. (continue)

Obama administration eases up on Syria again

http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2011/07/obama-administration-eases-up-on-syria.html

Some Guy in Damascus

I so much agree with your last post.

The regime should fire the chief strategist handling the revolution. He must be underpaid. He has done them a disservice all the way through. Starting with ill- advising Bashar to giggle and laugh during the first “un”historic speech instead of pretending sorrow, and then advising festive celebrations on the street of Damascus while people are dying. He is not just disgruntled but also has a poor taste.

Official from a trusted source :
http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/07/26/360557.htm

Less than 779 deaths during the first 6 months of 2011. !!!!

Many thanks to the protests every Friday in Syrian towns and barricades on Syrian roads ???

A friend of mine took his family up to the Rotana hotel in Latakia a few weeks ago. They had cut rates to a tenth of what they were before, and even then the place was only half full.

We are hearing rumors of a military operation aimed at the villages around Hama. Apparently the regime wants to try to choke off the number of protestors going to the city. Not once did even they claim that rural Hama was filled with armed gangs,so this operation’s only purpose can be a suppression of the civilian population

Badr asked me a good question and he deserves an honest answer,some may get offended but that is not my intention here.
I do not know if Syria will ever be a secular democracy but I know that we all should fight for it even if we do not get everything we want. By surrendering to sectarian and oppressive elements on both sides we are simply giving up,and Syrians have a number of negative trends but giving up is not one of them.
Democracy can only work with responsibility and civility. How can you expect poor and illiterate people from the slums to practice and protect democracy? can smugglers be trusted to vote ? should people who vote along sectarian lines be the keepers of a new free society?
If you think that those questions are aimed at a particular area or group you are wrong,and if you think I believe Syrians do not deserve democracy and freedom you are wrong too,however,I can not ignore the fact that we have a lot of work to do in Syria to make this promising new political system work,and this is why I have high hopes but not high expectations..

AbuGhassaan @ 37

I second that AbuGhassan

All,

In regard to Tara@3

It seems to me that most readers are “silent majority”. I got 13 “likes” and 12 dislikes. Cool!!! Really.

Express your opinion. Do not just mentally approve or disapprove . Make it interesting. Do you want us to continue to have good relation with Iran and why? If not, why not? Jad, you should weight in.

@ Tara 39
Tara just because the people who disagree with you outnumber you doesnt mean what you have stated is wrong. there was a time when everyone thought the world was flat and 1 sailor thought it wasn’t , guess what the majority thought about him? dont expect syria comment to be a survey of real life syrians.
on another note: (from bashar asad’s page on facebook)
مهرجان قسم الوفاء للوطن وسيد الوطن يتضمن حفل فني ساهر بالهواء الطلق بحضور– أيمن زبيب – علي الديك – و مجموعة من نجوم الساحل السوري .. بلإضافة للألعاب النارية والعديد من المفاجآت الأخرى …الدعوه عامه لجميع السورين الشرفاء… يوم الأربعاء- 27/7/2011 – الساعة السادسة مساء في اللاذقية -ساحة الأزهري
were still going to festivals….and homs still bleeds regardless of whos commiting the atrocities

Tara @ 2

Absolutely agree!!
For the foreseen future, our region will have 3 major players; Turkey, Iran and Israel. By Syria continuing to strengthen its alliance with Iran and damage control and then strengthen its relations with Turkey, it will ensure that it is a regional player rather than a regional object.
Its alliance with Iran accomplishes, among others, the following:
– Play a counter balance to Israeli regional interest and plans
– Play a counter balance to Othman Turkey ambitions in the region
– Prevent Iraq from falling further in the US sphere of influence
– Presents the region as a diverse one rather than a sunni vs Shia region
Its strong relations/ alliance with Turkey would achieve, among others, the following:
– Play as a counter balance to Iranian interests and ambitions in the region
– Break the perceived shia crescent
– Neutralize turkey’s alliance with Israel and NATO.

Tara,

Syria should have good relation with all other countries as long as they respect us do not interfere in our internal affairs and do not try to enslave us .

When operation cast lead was crushing the Palestinians, the Syrian authorities allowed a 2 minutes silence across syria in respect to the dead…but instead of issuing a 2 minute silence similar to the one issued in 2008, the authorities were quick to “allow”( plan) a massive festival…

Some Guy in Damascus,

Exactly. The Palestinians and other “resistance fighters” are simply used by the Syrian regime to fight their battles. The Syrian regime has always fueled the worst jihadists, terrorists, and thugs. They are Syria’s “low cost” army, pawns and police.

And if the “resistance fighters” are Syria’s pawns, the Syrian people are just property (at best). “Baggage” may be a better term. Now, all of a sudden, the government is afraid of what they supported, funded and fed all these glorious years.

Yes, the difference between being free and being someone’s property is that an elected govenrment answers to the people. The government is the people’s property. They can trade it in if it doesn’t work.

Tara,

Let’s take a vote here on SC. Who supports Junior (Aboud’s term), and who doesn’t?

The true test of a successful diplomacy is to have good bilateral relations with every country ( including all its neighbours ) which really deserves it.

Having an exclusive or preferential alliance with only one country tends to limit the internal choices to a common societal model which may not fully suitable for your country.

Unfortunately , you only find your true friends when you need them.

Is my language diplomatic enough ?

Jr. Reforms:

http://www.ali-ferzat.com/ar/comic/key_word/%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B1%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85/704.html

http://www.ali-ferzat.com/ar/comic/key_word/%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B1%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85/705.html

The typical Baathist Obstructionism can be best illustrated by the new Political Parties Law draft they (Baathist who illegally ceased power in Syria and committed heinous crimes against the country and people) just circulated. Here it goes… anyone joining new party that is not licensed is committing a crime. In order to APPLY for new party license you will need a minimum of 2000 verifiable members. And the list of absurdities expands from here to the last section of the draft. No one is allowed to engage in political campaign or party propaganda of any kind unless they have obtained a Party license first.

Ok, one can deal with many other absurd requirements, not all of them, just to avoid the coming Civil War, but how one can navigate this very first obstacle?

MNA,
In your response to Tara you said that you did not think that the killing is done indiscriminately, how do you explain the number of dead children,83 ,the youngest being an infant.

AbuGhassan, you truly believe what you just stated in your last comment? Do you consider Bashar literate and civil?
Democracy can only work with responsibility and civility. How can you expect poor and illiterate people from the slums to practice and protect democracy? can smugglers be trusted to vote ? should people who vote along sectarian lines be the keepers of a new free society?
In order to justify a tyrant, you take liberty in accusing a nation ? Leadership is what we lack.

If it was not for 40 years of mafia corruption, these people might have had the same privilege that our children are enjoying, they will have contributed to Syria, in the same manner that our children are contributing in the West. Yet,given the poor conditions that the majority of those you are accusing of undeserving of a better future, under different
leadership, they will lift us all.

Zealots are in every part of the world, religiosity appearance in the Arab world is not more than the US. Illiteracy is on the rise, in our part of the world. Bou Azeizi in Tunisia could not find a job, he set himself alight. Thousands amongst thousands graduates in Syria cannot find jobs either.

These Arab countries have the potential of being leaders in every imaginable field. Those installed dictators serve their masters, not their people. The amount of capital spend on arms is astronomical, yet, not one meter is liberated, the opposite more land is lost and more divisions.

We have all the ingredients of being a promising nation. Unity, like the one you’ve been calling the commentators on this blog to, not to respond to outsiders, is what we need in our homeland.

This regime can only succeed with the invention of more excuses, less unity.

It hurts me every time I see a Syrian downgrading his own, on the expense of an unworthy regime, unworthy family. There only achievement was a successful dictatorship, while destroying the country. They will not destroy us for much longer.

A good seed with the right conditions will flourish. Damascus is such, a city that will reclaim its glorious days. I have high hopes and high expectations. There is no way we wil go back to before March 15, the true agents of change are not on this blog, they are on the streets with their bare chests, they deserve all our support and recognition.

خالد وليد السطام

2011-07-24 15:04:51

ها هو عطاء جديد من عطاءات قيادتنا الحكيمة بقيادة الفريق الركن بشار حفظ الأسد مع قناعتي التامة بأنه لايوجد حزب بعد حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي العظيم عاش القائد و عاش حزبنا العظيم صانع العجائب و البطولات

Khalid must be talking about handing the Golan to Israel and Iskenderun to Turkey, not responding to Israel attack on Deir Al Zour milk carton production facility. Yes that was a heroic Baathist deed that will hold them up on. So as impoverishment of the nation and denying the rights of people for nearly 50 years.

I thank Dr. Landis for his input that gives more credibility to the interview
@ 5:25: the host says: “Baʿth ʿAlawites”, as if all Baʿthists are ʿAlawites, or vice versa. People forget that Ṣaddàm Ḥusain & Michael ʿAflaq were Baʿthists, with whole nations behind them in ʿIràq and the Levant.
@ 8:10: Fred Reed says that before the European mandate, there was no such ethno-national identity called “Syria”! Wow! That is quite interesting! The name is so ancient that goes back to the Assyrians, who lived in Assyria, and thier language called Syriac. They’ve been known by all ancient nations as Syrians or Athurans. For God sake, how there was no such identity called Syria before the mandate era ?
ʿAlawites, Drūze, and Ismāʿīlis ARE Muslims, whether the Sunnis like it or not. What type of discussion is that? First, they are humans, then the ones who born in Syria are Syrians, and third they are Muslims. I don’t care how the 1st member of their groups was, or if they worship God or goats, this is a subject that God had to deal with them in the hereafter. It’s no one’s business to come today and think that he had to “purify” the country from these unique minorities. I won’t mind to see a Christian president to Syria one day, why not? The president should do his/her job and protect the country; his loyalty should be for his country not for his religion or sect. Those who are provoking these sectarian & ethno divisions, granting some groups with green lights and others with red ones, are the real ones to be blamed and judged.

About a link based on statistics, number of dead by, gender, age, date, family, city,,,, reported by another commentator .

http://www.syrianshuhada.com/default.asp?a=st

The total number of dead protesters is 2114 , far more than the wildest dream claim of the e-opposition.

To verify the identity of the alleged dead people , you cannot rely on the age , unknown information in 1772 cases out of 2114.

However , I found interesting the last name breakout :
A lot of Hariri , Zoubi , etc !!

Therefore , it is not honestly possible to use any number from this study including the number of children ( the 83 previously stated )

Also , a man old Sheikh ( age : 110 one hundred ten ) is reported ” died of horror ” in Homs !!!

As each deadly case has been subjected to forensics by the judiciary , we can expect a very interesting final report ,
which will be released after all this turmoil finally will stop.

Akbar palace,

The readers and bloggers of SC do not reflect in my opinion the actual ratio in Syria. And some of them are really blind supporters. Their mind is enslaved by the “love” of Bashar, I say the sky is blue and I get 24 dislikes…. I think I should ask bashar what sky color he prefers..

“My dear Syrian brothers and sisters, you are on your own. You’re reclaiming Syria as your country – not Assad’s family ranch! – with amazing courage and determination. You’re reclaiming your dignity and freedom without any assistance from anybody, without so much as an explicit statement supporting your main demand: regime change!

You’re on your own and the triumph of your people’s will is going to be your own achievement. After the regime’s fall, no outside power will get to dictate their conditions/preferences to you and no foreign country will carry favors with you because they have done naught for you in your hour of need. You will owe nothing to nobody! Nothing, nada, zilch, zero, diddly-squat! YOUR struggle, YOUR revolution, YOUR victory, YOUR freedom, YOUR terms!

الله ينصركم. و يلعن روحك يا حافظ

(Translation: May God grant you victory. And [may He] curse your soul, oh Hafez!)”

http://english.the-syrian.com/2011/07/23/good-luck-syrians-youre-on-your-own/

Tara,

As long as you stand up for basic human rights, whether it is for Palestinians, Syrians, Arabs, or Israelis, I will click the green button under your post. That goes for anyone else. q:o)

NZ, you read too much into my post. I am also tired of repeating my opinion on Bashar.
My point was that we can not get to a wonderful system of democracy and freedom without tackling the social ills I mentioned. That does not mean we have to accept albaath domination and BASHAR rule. Please go back to my previous posts if you have time.
Salaam to all. I am working like a dog til Saturday ..enjoy my absence..