Rami is disliked by most syrians and now he is both disliked and unable to shut up.How can we expect reform if the regime does not start with this fellow? the way this guy is handled will be a thermometer used by people to measure the temperature of the promised reform.

Rami Makhloof speak for the goverment more,and much more than Imad Mustapha,He is Bashar cousin and very close friend,to Bashar.Imad Mustapha was promoted to his job because he is relative to official,he has no qualification in his background, his personality stink,he has never contacted us ,we live in USA,he has not perform his job as he should.very incompetant,useless.

Now they are playing the double game again. Mr. Makhlouf is threatening Middle East stability but since he is no official responsible there is no official validity to this message. But the message has already been sent. No one will rest if the regime in Syria in attacked, Il Padrino has already given his word.

I didn’t think for a second that he was speaking on behalf of the government. It was obvious that he was too scared and confused for no reason. He was feeling bad because of the European sanctions and he did not know what he was saying.

Is he for real? Another sign of a breaking system. The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing and vice versa.
It reminds me when we were promised by the mouth piece of the regime of “major pending reforms”. It turns out to be just a wet dream.
The fracture is real. The dynasty will not last for long.
By the way, it looks like the Arab Spring did scare some big fish from the inner circle. The STL claims they have now an insider from the Hariri assassination. I predict by year end Syria will look much different.

Makhlouf is anything but a “private citizen.” He is very much entrenched in the regime, and uses it as a cover to do dirty business, and control the large sections of the Syrian economy. I believe Moustapha is trying to distance the regime from Makhlouf because he sounded like a stark raving idiot in the NYT interview. His stupidity in that interview was unparalled, and I am shocked that anyone so stupid could have amassed such a fortune. He is corrupt, and a symbol of all that is wrong on an economic and social level with Assad’s regime.

Majed

I hope you noticed that Imad did not speak for the past two months and that he never wrote to attack any powerful figure in Syria in the past.

There is no doubt that what the Ambassador wrote to the NYT comes from Damascus. It is the first time the Syrian government officially, and clearly distanced itself from Mr. Makhlouf.

I also hope Anthony did not bias the presentation of the content of his interview in the way that it appeared. This often happens when you speak to a journalist for an hour and eventually 5 sentences make it to the news story.

I don’t think Mr. Makhlouf is experienced or skilled in speaking to the media.

Some selections:

Excellent piece in Arabic about what is happening in Syria today:
(Freesoldier)

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/11979

More proof of media distortion:

http://sydwalker.info/blog/2011/05/12/abc-using-bogus-video-to-attack-image-of-syrian-government/

What pleasure will stolen money gives you, if you live in fear ? He is a disgrace, RM in Damascus is synonymous w/harami

Billions of dollars, easy come…easy go

I pity them, it is a life style that they bestowed on themselves and their family. Let alone their biggest robbery, 40 years of stalemate for this nation.

Alex,

The only way to fight any “media distortion” is to allow the media in. Let them see and report on their own instead of having to rely on video clips or pictures from cell phones posted on twitter or YouTube.
The regime playing smart, had invited the UN to come and see. Yet when they came, the regime refuse to give them permission to see.
Actions are louder than words. Their action shows they fear the truth. But the truth will always prevail even if justice is not done.
Good Luck.

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Syrian repression works for now but unrest will return
Thursday, May 12 2011
© Oxford Analytica 2011

Syrian forces shelled residential areas in two cities yesterday and dispersed a protest of about 2,000 students at an Aleppo university campus — the first sign of unrest in the country’s second city. Over 800 people have been killed and several thousand arrested since protests broke out. Outside Damascus and Aleppo the regime has hit protesters hard and quickly; in the two big cities it has mostly pre-empted problems through a heavy security presence, and quickly dispersed any small manifestations of unrest. The regime accuses protesters of being Islamic extremists or agents of foreign-based conspirators, citing the death of over 80 security personnel as evidence. Repression has ‘worked’ — so far.
Impact
• Events in Syria will have a major impact on its neighbours — Israeli, Lebanon and Iraq.
• Iran needs Syria as a conduit to its support for Hizbollah, and may be offering support and advice.
• Syria’s risks international isolation if it does not end the repression soon.
• If the ‘Arab Spring’ fails in Syria it may encourage other regimes to use repression, not concession.
What next
The repression is designed to save the regime and give it time to address the causes of discontent. It is likely to be successful on the first count, but vague promises of a national dialogue once the unrest ceases will not translate into significant political reform; the regime will face more serious unrest in future.
Analysis
President Bashar al-Assad portrays himself as a modern politician whose reforming instincts have been curbed by the need to confront Israel in the region and preserve social and sectarian stability at home. Under his leadership, the core of the regime has narrowed to a few clans from the Alawi minority, many from his family:
• His brother Maher heads the Republican Guard.
• His brother-in-law Assef Shawkat is deputy chief of staff.
• Others command key security and military units.
Assad makes the final decisions but his relatives clearly have a major influence. He cannot sack them and they cannot replace him.
Many among the elites agree that a weakening of the regime will encourage sectarian conflict, but believe that reform is needed
Outside of the core there are the Sunni and Alawi political and business elites in the main cities and in the Ba’ath Party who have vested interests in the status quo. However, many of them are privately critical of Assad’s toleration of the corruption and abuse of privilege by Bashar’s relatives. They are uneasy about the regime’s brutality, but the only resignations from the Ba’ath Party have been in Dera’a, where the protests have been most persistent. Many still agree that any weakening of central control will encourage sectarian conflict, but believe that political and economic reform is needed to broaden popular support for the regime.
Battle for the middle classes
The regime has been shaken by the persistence and geographical spread of protest. Many of the protesters have come from the educated middle classes, including some from the most privileged, as well as Alawi clans marginalised by Assad’s clique. They have been united in demands for reform and not divided on sectarian lines, despite some resurgence of Salafism.
Significant elements in the middle classes may be having second thoughts about supporting the regime. The key battle between regime and protestors will be for the hearts and minds of these groups. Assad will have to develop reform programmes that re-bind these elements to the regime, using the proposed national dialogue to identify what is needed and win broad support for implementation.
Satisfying demands will be difficult
The regime will be unable to meet the peoples’ aspirations for a better life
Yet the regime will find it hard to satisfy the popular desire for higher living standards. People will face some years of austerity before there are tangible improvements. Life for ordinary Syrians is grim, despite a temporary fillip from wage and subsidy increases. The economy will contract in 2011 by 3%. Tourists will not return quickly, and investors, mostly from the Gulf and the Syrian diaspora, are already putting their money elsewhere.
Assad has held out the promise of greater freedom for the media, improved justice and allowing the formation of new political parties. These measures, if implemented, would be seen as small steps in the right direction by the middle classes but will not be enough to satisfy the demonstrators. Assad’s personal stock has fallen and he can no longer distant himself from the actions of the security forces .
Neighbours remain cautious
Syria may have lost some ground in the region but other Arab governments have no appetite for putting pressure on Syria:
• Egypt is preoccupied by its internal issues, as is Saudi Arabia, which worries about Syria’s close relations with Iran, but faces other challenges from Bahrain and Yemen, and its own succession issues.
• Lebanon will be deeply affected by events in Syria. If Bashar is overthrown Hizbollah would be weakened — which may explain reports that Saad al-Hariri, the leader of the anti-Hizbollah camp, may be secretly helping Syrian protesters.
• Syria will worry about some strong criticism from Turkey but hopes that Ankara will drop this once the phase of repression ends.
International action will be limited
Washington and the EU already have limited sanctions in place and are threatening more but have so far avoided targeting the president, in the hope — which seems misconceived — that he might live up to the image he seeks to portray and curb his brutal relatives. He is on probation, but it is difficult to see what else the international community can do that does not punish all Syrians, including protesters. Assad knows this, and knows also that there will be little regional support for more damaging measures.
Regime strong enough to survive but not reform
The regime will be able to hang on as long as the core remains united and retains its grip on the armed and security forces
The regime will be able to hang on as long as the core remains united and retains its grip on the armed and security forces, which are dominated by people who have too much to lose if the regime falls:
• There are undoubtedly some nationalist-minded officers similar to those that turned against the Egyptian regime. However, the key units are commanded by allies of Bashar and they will prevent the army moving against the president.
• The Ba’ath Party is a creature of the regime, which might argue for change but will do what its leaders tell it.
Syria will remain a security state . The external opposition led by an emboldened Muslim Brotherhood lacks an organisation in Syria that could topple the regime and is seen by many non-Sunni Muslims as a threat. The former Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam is too old and too tainted by past associations with the president and his father to have much credibility.
Unrest will return
The protesters of 2011 have shown much courage but they have not yet found the mass support, organisation or unity to topple this regime. It will get through the current crisis. However, given reluctance to enact meaningful political reform and difficulties in bringing real economic improvements, it will not do enough to prevent new and greater protest over the next two years.

It is very interesting to read Imad Moustafa comment.
Imad Mustafa thinks that Makhlouf does not present the Gov.
He is just a hard working businessman made him self from scratch.
Makhlouf is just a citizen who wants to help Syria and kill everyone who is asking for change.

The Syrian Ambassadors declarstion is laughable.

The truth is that Rami Makhlouf is arguably the 2nd most pwerful person in the country. To argue that he is just an ordinary citizen is a blant lie. No wonder the regime has no credibility.

so what ?

give us some examples of statemen not linked with wealthy business men

Obama ? Sarkozy ? Poutine ? Il cavaliere ? Netanyahou ? why should Syria be the exception ? this is a kind of racism !

this man is telling the truth in his own way. He is not arrogant he may be obscene yet,but i dont think he is scared.

as for Atassi whom i suspect not to be a genuine syrian like the raving wahhabi ZOMBIE and many others , i ask you do you have the slightest BURHAN ? (globally speaking) . No you have nothing. And you have too much shit in the head to be concerned about the people needs. On what behalf you are speaking ?

Syrian patriots will crush this zombie uprising. This is not a revolution. Assad is the one acting the real revolution with the people and you know that. You are not the revolution. That is a lie. You are the reactionary , you are the counter-revolution. And you think you are clever …

vlad-the-syrian

Because Syrian deserve better!!!!!!

Spare us your philosophical blahblah official Syrian BURHAN. Accusations, dirty language, and spilling blood is all you know.

Licking the shoes of RM and his likes will neither make you rich nor credible…

The above video is from a demonstration in Homs on 22 April 2011. To judge from the video, the security forces opened fire on generally unarmed demonstrators and shot at least one person. The video is 11 minutes long but of all the interesting scenes are between time 5:00 and 7:00.

http://postimage.org/image/eqxta25g
The above is a still image from the video taken at time 6:04. It looks to me that the protester at lower right is carrying a deadly weapon draped in a black scarve. If anybody wants to second-guess me on that, please go ahead.

(By the way the video was posted at Youtube two weeks ago at a lower resolution at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBkDKpe0Xk).

According to most of the syrians in Syria the whole problem is gettng over. So tomorrow friday there will be no demonstrations at all. And if there is any it will be a spontaneous pro-regime rally. Since all criminals are imprisoned by now, tomorrow syrian people will enjoy the glooming future of the reformist regime. Justice and order will prevail and all corrupts for crimes under 1.000 sp will be sentenced to prison. Muslim and christian divine
authorities will congratulate the President for his fight for morality, law and order. Even RM will be jailed tomorrow morning in Adra Prison. Syria will be an uncorrupt system under the Assads for the followiong 40 years or so.

Alex,

During the second intifada, you turned on your TV, and you got the impression that Israel is on fire. That the streets of Israel are littered with wreckage of exploded buses, and that there’s a suicide bomber in every street corner and alley.

During all this time, I’m living in Tel Aviv, and I see nothing when I open the window of my apartment. I see ordinary people do what ordinary people around the world are doing. Then I switch the TV on, and I see Israel, burning.

What I’m trying to say is that, you don’t have to see it in your own eyes, and hear it with your own ears. During the 2nd intifada, there was no doubt, there’s a war going on. I didn’t have to see it from my window to know it’s there.

I’m sure all Syrians are well aware of what’s going on, even though they don’t see a demonstration from their private window.
.

The latest joke brought to you by regime mouthpieces and apologists: Rami Makhlouf, as a Syrian citizen, has the right to freedom of expression! he can say whatever the hell he wants!

Monumentally hypocritical when they, the mouthpieces and apologists, do not extend the same right to other Syrian citizens.

The official statement of the regime, which was put through Imad Mustafa, is more of a joke. As one observer commented: The Syrian people, whom Rami Makhloud had been robbing for years, were more worthy of this statement years ago.

Yet the Syrian regime never felt it should distance itself from Rami Makhlouf before the Syrian people. The Syrian people do not matter as far as the regime is concerned. They’re fleas. Just now that Rami Makhloud has become a liability before international media, they’re maneuvering to do some damage control. Don’t fool yourself thinking this will translate to anything in reality. Makhlouf is family and will remain so.

MAWAL95:

The still picture is misleading I think. If you look at the video in real time the object merely looks like an article of clothing. But the still picture at that moment makes it appear like a solid object resembling a weapon. I don’t think it’s a weapon though.

But having said that, many of these videos are confusing and unclear. We see people running and supposed shots being fired from somewhere, yet in other videos people are gathered and protesting without any problems. So what is it about these particular situations that result in shots fired? In any case, there is a general consensus in Syria that there are indeed armed groups shooting at the army, even if there is disagreement about the size and impact of such groups.

The massacre of Marqab, Baniyas, where defenseless women were gunned down when they protested the arrests of their children:

(Graphic)

http://youtu.be/JJGjVkUPptM
http://youtu.be/lbu7duIX6SE

If Rami says “We are fighting” or Bashar says ” We are reforming”, the result is the same: The regime is killing innocent people. That is criminal.
bashar cannot even distance rami from the regime. now you want to distance the regime from rami!!!

Photos: the destruction in Daraa following army and security forces ‘deployment’:

http://t.co/OJzsgHy

Syria is a great country. event a billionaire who has $12Billion and is more powerful than his cousin president is considered an ordinary citizen

MAWAL95

I looked at the first video, but for me the assertions are not obvious at all. We see people walking around, some in bicycle, some on foot. Then we see as something is going on the top right. Then we hear sounds of guns and the camera gets lost, we don’t know why. Then it returns to see the people running away. During the panic, 2 persons fall but one stands up and ran away. Then after a short moment, when the shooting stops, the whole crowd runs back, as if they knew the shooting was ended, to carry the person who fell, we have no idea if he was wounded or not. Then the crowd returns like if nothing happened, curious approaching to see what is happening, indifferent to the sound of guns.
One guy fell but we don’t even know if he was shot or just pushed by the crowd running away. There was another one who fell and then we see him standing and running away. The only hint is the guy who says “they shot him”. I really didn’t see the security forces shooting at the crowd, and if they did, there would have been more than one shot and the crowd would not have come back so quickly in the street. My hunch is that someone was shooting in the air and the crowd knew who it was, they knew it was temporary and harmless since they came back on the street without any fear afterward.

Another protest at the dorms of Aleppo University! this one took place last night. At this rate the Syrian army is going to have to deploy there soon.

http://youtu.be/F4SqpCd4QSU

Crime Wave in Egypt Has People Afraid, Even the Police

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/world/middleeast/13egypt.html

Are we going to see the egyptian army and police involved in a ‘brutal and ferocious’ crackdown on ‘armed criminals’ AFTER the Egyptian peaceful revolution happened in order to stop the growing wave of crimes?

When in Syria the police and army are accused of brutality, read what we hear in Egypt:
““Things are actually going from bad to worse,” said Mohamed ElBaradei, the former international atomic energy official who is now a presidential candidate. “Where have the police and military gone?” ”

Bahrain: why no sanctions?

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/2011512111835943173.html
“An Al Jazeera investigation has found evidence that Bahrain’s security forces are torturing medical workers to force criminal confessions.”

Mawal97, Nour,

Isn’t it interesting that all these graphic pictures are posted on SC today suddenly appeared on ‘THURSDAY’? For me it’s a media preparation for using people’s emotion to go out tomorrow angry of what they saw today, showing all these videos earlier this week wouldn’t help.

Regarding the first video you linked Mawal, isn’t it strange that the person who died is the one in the MIDDLE of the group and not the ones in the front row? check time 5:30-5:40 to see for yourself which guy get killed, rationally speaking it seems that this guy was shot either from the side/above not from the front where the army are shown and with all the fire we heard in the video no other front line protesters were shot as if the army where shooting in the skies not directly at people.

You are also debating about guns existing in the hands of few protesters, here you go an older clip showing a riffle in the hands of a protester while his friends are dragging someone with blood covering his face I guess from beating somewhere.
http://youtu.be/LnKUgUsHiUQ

I think the Ambassador has written the most reasonable and logical answer. The ambassador speaks on behalf of the Syrian government while Mr.Makhloof represents only himself.
I respect the ambassador and I think he was the first Syrian ambassador ever who opened bridges with the Syrian opposition here in the US.

to angry #15

“Spare us your philosophical blahblah official Syrian BURHAN”

i wasnt speaking about the official one, you know that and your anger shows that you understood me well

give the so-called revolution BURHAN NOW , give the BURHAN that it is the revolution.

you dont have it. So shut up. This is not revolution. This is the REACTION and the rectionary regressive posture.

Who are you to stand against the syrian people ? and to tell us that we deserve better, shoukd our country be wrecked and destroyed ? Do you think that we are dumbs and asses ?

So keep your good intentions for yourself and spare us your patronage

Jad

I think the shots were in the air or within the crowd. The guy who fell may have been pushed during the panic. Another one next to him who was also on the ground, rolled and left the street. In anycase, less than 10 seconds later the whole crowd moves back to the street as if they understood that the shots were harmless and they were not afraid to go out again. They carried the guy away, but we have no idea if he is wounded, dead, or knocked off.
In any case if the security forces did shoot at the crowd, they would have killed or wounded much more and no one would have returned to the street so quickly.

I agree the video is “strange” and “confusing and unclear”. After watching it once again, I sincerely suspect the apparent shooting of protestors is a fake publicity stunt orchestrated by some of the protestors, which involved firing off their own guns. I can’t say for sure. You can see a young man in a dark jacket and white undershirt who rolls along the surface of the road out of fear of gettng shot, then he walks back across the road fully erect, then stands fully erect with his back to the army as more shots go off. He looks like a stuntman.

Nour says the object in the still image is an article of clothing, not a weapon. I’ve watched the video frame by frame. You can see the same man at time 5:56 and 5:57 where he is clearly holding a black scarf above his head. That’s the article of clothing. Now at time 6:04 he’s got more than a black scarf in his hand.

Incidentally to watch any Youtube video one frame at a time, first, download the video from Youtube to your local machine, then watch the video with any of the free video players that have the frame-by-frame feature (VLC Media Player is one).

#25 Jad,

Did you notice that The Guardian has a new ‘correspondent’ with a new pseudonym reporting from Damascus since it became public that Dorothy Parvaz is in Iran? The new pseudo is Nidaa Hassan. He must be an eyewitness, at least not a journalist in my opinion.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/12/syria-unrest-eu-sanctions
Why a pseudonym? This is provocation and defiance from The Guardian Syria editors in response to being unable to cover the events from Syria. I suspect B. Whitaker to be behind this strategy. I also suspect that he has something personal against Assad, I don’t know what. He is usually more nuanced but he seems to be enraged when it comes to Assad.
Could it be because of this?
http://www.al-bab.com/blog/blog1006b.htm
But then when it comes to this matter Syria is no different from other countries in the ME.

to the appointed contributor AMIR IN TEL AVIV #18

“I’m sure all Syrians are well aware of what’s going on, even though they don’t see a demonstration from their private window”

sure they are all aware that a bunch of criminals backed by the MB KSA QATAR USA ISRAEL etc. are wrecking the country

shure they are all aware that this is an abject conspiracy whose goal is to destroy and split Syria

what are you asking for now ? peace ? it’s too late

so keep lying to yourself and to your people with my best whishes

??????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????
?????? – 12 ???? – 2011

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? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? 51 ??? ??? ??????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ?????? ????.

? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????.

???? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ??????.

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???? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??????? ? ?? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ???????? ???? .
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Jad , Sophia

I guess all the analysts and journalists keep repeating the same mantra: The “inevitable” collapse of the economy after the crackdown. They hope that the sanctions will cripple the economy and the regime will fall by itself.

I am not sure this wish will become real. There are many possible investors that should be taken into consideration.
Saudi Arabia
I have the feeling that Saudi Arabia is grateful to Syria not to have criticized the intervention of the Saudi army in Bahrain, contrary to Iraq. They are very resentful to the US who did not save Mobarak and they worry that if Bashar goes, they’ll be next. In addition without Bashar, they have no buffer with Iran and Iraq.
The Syrian made sure they only blamed the Salafist, never the Wahhabis.

The Emirates and Kuwait
They have the same problem with Iraq and Iran and Bashar has been is a good buffer. Their criticisms and the Arab Ligue’s have been very mild.

Russia
Russia & China may use this golden opportunity to increase their presence in the Meditteranean sea and also to sell more weapons and increase its business.

Iran
If Bashar agrees, Iran will also start to have a permanent presence in the Mediterranean sea, to the displease of the US and Israel. With the warming of Egypt-Iran relationship and the active role Egypt is having in favor of the palestinians, we may see a new axis emerging; Egypt-Syria-Iran
Just read that:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/20115118480905374.html

Overall, while Mobarak and Kaddafi having been obedient to the US and EU for a long time, had no more political leverage. Bashar has much more tricks in his pocket to counter the pressures the EU and US will try to overthrow him.

For Imad Moustapha to state Rami Makhlouf is not a spokesmen for Syria is a disingenuous act.
Everyone that knows Syria knows the influence he has with Assad.
It is comments like these that simply show the Syrian government is not sincere about finding their way out of their current crisis.

How anyone can honestly, say, “That Rami Makhlouf does not represent the Syrian Government”? The Syrian Government and its representatives are still in the denial stage of this crisis. Unfortunately, this means it is going to be some time before we see a solution to the Syrian problem.
Facts: Rami Makhlouf represent close to 60% of the Syrian Economy. There are Syrian trade documents (similar to protocol) requires big business to enter Syria only with a cut, or a relationship with the Makhlouf companies are a partner of benefactor of the deal. The Makhlouf connection to the Syrian Government is the same connection of the US government has with the US Treasury Department. I cannot see how we can separate the two? The corrupt system is crumbling. It cannot sustain itself, regardless. “Chickens are Coming Home to Roost”.

I am at loss of the words. I could not add anything the people have said. it can be summarized as the regime and very one connected to it have no credibility whatsoever.