Intra-Alawite fighting in Qardaha not Confirmed; Turkey Denies Syria Captured Pilots Alive; `Ar`our Returns to Syria

Posted by Joshua on Monday, October 1st, 2012

Minister Calls on People to Raise Backyard Chickens as Subsistence Economy Takes Hold in Growing Parts of the Country – Syria Report

The Minister of Agriculture has called on Syrian citizens to raise chickens as formal economic patterns are gradually disappearing in growing parts of the country.

Jihad Yazigi has an excellent report on the Syrian economy given in London by the London School of Economics, “Inside Syria: 18 Months On,”

….Let’s run the figures in terms of numbers where we are today. Syria’s gross domestic product probably contracted last year anywhere between 12 and 15 percent and this year it will contract anywhere between 20, 25, 30, 35 percent and we don’t really know. We have absolutely no idea what’s going on in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir ez-Zor, but a very significant contraction. Unemployment is very high. In large parts of the country anyway unemployment is not an issue really because people are just fleeing violence. Foreign exchange reserves like I told you are down. The currency has lost 50 percent of its value in the last 18 months. It was traded at 47 SYP a dollar in March 2011. It is now at 70 SYP. It was at 70 SYP on Friday and 72 SYP on Monday and today at 74 SYP if I understand. Inflation is officially, in June, at 36 percent before the price was at 4 percent so it’s also a significant increase. Government expenses have been – I mean government has larger divested from the economy in terms of investment expenditures. It’s really paying only salaries.

Now, I’m giving you all this data and all these figures, but you have to realise that, in practice, you can’t really talk anymore about the formal economy. For instance, I’m taking about the inflation rate. Officially, that’s one of the very few indicators that are published officially publicly. It is at 36 percent, but you have to look at, first of all, these figures and then very different situations across the country. For instance, before coming to London, I met someone who has just comeback from a village near the city of Raqqah in the north east. So I was asking him about the economic and social condition there. It’s a village near Raqqah. He was telling me there is no gasoline whatsoever. Telephone is cut off, both the landline network and the mobile phone networks are cut off, no connections. A kilogram of tomatoes which was sold at 25 SYP a few weeks earlier is now sold at 125 SYP and the cooking gas cylinder is sold at a $100. It was very interesting because, for the first time, someone prices anything in dollars. In Syria, you price everything in pounds and, of course, it reminds you a bit of Lebanon where the currency devalued so quickly that people were obliged to fix the price in dollar. But still $100, that’s 10 times its price in Damascus. A cooking gas cylinder in Damascus is sold at 700 SYP in the market at $10…. Read it all

Adnan Ar’our, the controversial sheikh, has returned to Syria. `Ar`ur who became a hero to many in the revolution for cursing Alawites and regime supporters on Saudi TV, has returned to Syria. In this video he is a keynote speaker at a joint leadership meeting of the revolutionary military councils. al-jazeerah video

Fadi Salem on the fighting in Aleppo

Samar Yazbek writes, “shabbiha of Assad’s family, killed 5 of my family from the Othman Family in AL Qurdaha.”

Tweets – Claim fighting within Assad Clan in Qardaha, their mountain town

Brian Whitaker ‏@Brian_Whit – Syria — tweets say fighting has broken out among Alawite families in Qardaha, Assad’s home town. Can’t confirm at present
Mohja Kahf ‏@ProfKahf – Second source-Latakia ground activist-reporting that head honcho of shabiha Mohamad asaad dead of wounds from Qardaha gunfight #Syria

The news about Assad clan fighting cannot be confirmed and originates from All4Syria, Ayman Abdulnour’s site. Although an excellent site, it is sometimes quick to copy reports and must sometimes retract what turns out to be rumor.

مقتل محمد الأسد زعيم الشبيحة ومظاهرات تهتف بسقوط الأسد في مسقط رأسه القرداحة

– 2012/09/30نشر فى: أخبار محليةدمشق – كلنا شركاقالت مصارد متابعة لما يجري في القرداحة لـ (كلنا شركاء) أن مظاهرات تعم الآن هناك رغم انها مسقط رأس الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد وعائلته والقلعة الحصينة لمؤيديه ، وأفادت المصادر أن المدعو محمد الأسد (شيخ الجبل) قد لقي مصرعه على يد أحد أفراد عائلة الخيّر ، إثر اعتقال الدكتور عبد العزيز الخير على يدي رجال الأمن منذ أيام
يذكر أن آل الخير يشكلون عائلة معروفة تاريخيا ولها مكانتها التاريخية والدينية والثقافية عند أبناء الطائفة العلوية ويعتبرون جزاء هاما من مجتمع القرداحة قبل أن يجهز نظام الأسد الأب على العائلة ويدفعها نحو الصفوف الخلفية .
أما محمد الأسد فيعتبر المؤسس الرئيس لما يسمى بمنظمة الشبيحة والمتبرع الرئيس مع رامي مخلوف ومحمد حمشو وآخرين في تقديم الدعم والتمويل المادي والمعنوي لهذه المنظمة .
وقد طوقت الاجهزة الامنية جميع الطرق المؤدية الى القرداحة بعد نشوب قتال بين عائلات ال الخير وال عثمان والعبود وبين اقرباء بشار الاسد .

Business Insider: Iran Reported To Have Given Syrian Regime Up To $10 Billion
2012-10-01

Today, Iran’s currency plummeted to an all-time low: 32,500 rial to the dollar. The hyperinflation is thought to be the result of oil sanctions that could lose the resource-rich nation $50 billion in revenue this year. Yet reports coming out today say they also are giving billions to the Assad regime in Syria to help fund the civil war — up to $10 billion according to the Times of London.

Turkey Denies Al Arabiya Report That Syrians Captured Its Pilots
2012-09-30 By Selcan Hacaoglu

Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) — Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin denies a report by Al Arabiya that the two pilots of a Turkish fighter jet, shot down by Syria, were captured and killed by Syrian forces.

• Ergin says the television report is “baseless”

• Ergin insists the bodies of the pilots were found in the wreckage of the plane deep in the Mediterranean

مقتل محمد الأسد زعيم الشبيحة ومظاهرات تهتف بسقوط الأسد في مسقط رأسه القرداحة

MEMRI: Pro- And Anti-Assad Camps Share Concerns Over Syria’s Possible Disintegration Into Separate Sectarian, Ethnic Entities,” By: N. MozesColumnists, Syrian Oppositionists: Assad Will Establish An Alawite Mini-State In The Coastal Region

In contrast to the situation in the Kurdish region, where an independent, or at least autonomous, Kurdish entity indeed seems to be emerging, the situation in the ‘Alawite region is less clear, and reports regarding the emergence of an independent ‘Alawite state are of uncertain reliability.

Since the start of the uprising, the main elements of the Syrian opposition, chiefly the SNC, have denied claims that the protests have a distinct sectarian or ethnic nature, and have described these claims as propaganda meant to harm the legitimacy of the uprising. They have avoided collectively accusing certain sects of collaborating with the regime, and have characterized the uprising as a popular one encompassing all sectors of Syrian society. However, others in the opposition claimed that, if pressed, Assad would not hesitate to divide Syria in order to ensure his survival, and would establish an Alawite mini-country in the Syrian coastal region, which has a large Alawite population. One of the first to mention this possibility was ‘Abd Al-Halim Khaddam, former Syrian vice president and one of the heads of the Syrian opposition abroad. In January 2012, Khaddam claimed that Assad was arming and fortifying the ‘Alawite region: “Bashar and his clan have distributed rifles and machine guns in ‘Alawite towns and villages, and last month began transferring heavy weapons by land to the coastal region, in order to hide them in the hills and mountains… All the missiles and strategic weapons were also transferred there, as well as some tanks and artillery, because the regime needs them to suppress protestors in the cities. Bashar also planned to send fighter planes to the airfield in Al-Latakia… and is implementing a plan meant to spark a sectarian war… One month ago, Assad told one of his allies in Lebanon of his intention to establish an ‘Alawite state, from which he could launch a sectarian civil war.”[37] However, Khaddam recently questioned the possibility of establishing an Alawite enclave, “since no [Syrian] citizen would agree to the rending of the national fabric.”[38] Similar statements were made by a senior source in the FSA to the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: “The regime’s strategy is based on uncompromising combat in Damascus and Aleppo, and if it cannot control them, it will establish a separatist [‘Alawite] state on the Syrian coast…” He added that the opposition would relentlessly fight this state.[40]

Khairallah Khairallah, a Lebanese columnist for Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, claimed that the regime was fighting the opposition in Homs due to the city’s location and its status as the main obstacle to establishing a sustainable ‘Alawite state.[41] The Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai recently reported that the Syrian regime had transferred chemical weapons from a storage facility to Tartus, and estimated that this was done as part of the establishment of an ‘Alawite enclave on the Syrian coast.[42]

Various columnists explained that both Assad’s allies and his opponents, in the region and internationally, have an interest in Syria being divided. Saleh Al-Qalab, a former Jordanian information minister, said that Russia and Iran have a vested interest in defending an Alawite state if one is established, since it will enable them to maintain their influence in the region.[43] Columnist Mu’ataz Al-Murad wrote that the superpowers have a vested interest in dividing Syrian society, since it will lead to minorities asking for their guardianship, thus granting them a foothold in the country.[44]

Columnists: Small Chance For Establishment Of Sectarian States

On the other hand, there are some who dismiss the possibility that viable sectarian and ethnic states will be established, due to the objections among the minorities themselves and for demographic reasons.

‘Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed, director of Al-Arabiya TV and former editor of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, spoke of the difficulties that Assad would face if he established an Alawite state: the rebels would pursue him wherever he went, and the Alawites would not agree to defend him and establish a state in a hostile environment and under continuing threats. According to Al-Rashed: “Even if there are internal forces who want to dismantle Syria into mini-states, the region will not tolerate this scenario and countries like Turkey and Iraq will not stand idly by…”[45] George Soulage, a columnist for the Lebanese daily Al-Jumhouriyya and a former advisor to Lebanese defense minister Elias Al-Murr, mentioned several strategic factors that prevent the establishment of a stable Alawite state, such as the lack of infrastructure and defense capabilities. According to Soulage, such a state would not receive international or Arab recognition, and would thus remain isolated. He added that Alawites are no longer the majority even in the coastal region.[46]

Suleiman Taqi Al-Din, a columnist for the Lebanese daily Al-Safir claimed that, even though there is a Kurdish area that is independently administrated, a northern Sunni area that includes provinces outside the control of the regime, and a coastal area with a nearly independent Alawite majority, “this is not a sure path to a division that would cause total separation from the mother country, or to the formulation of plans to establish sectarian mini-states…” He added that, though sects in various countries can cause anarchy and strife, it is only superpowers that can create states in conflicted regions.”[47]

* N. Mozes is a research fellow at MEMRI.

Syrian-American Doctors Head To The Battle Zone by Deborah Amos – NPR

Syrians Trade Blame for Fire
By SAM DAGHER, WSJ

Associated PressThe Bab Qensrien neighborhood in Aleppo’s historic old city burned Sunday after a battle set off the fire.

BEIRUT—Syria’s regime and rebels traded blame for a massive fire that continued Sunday to devour parts of Aleppo’s vast ancient market—a treasured commercial, historical and cultural hub—as angry residents tried to assess the damage.

The fire’s origin was unclear, but coming days after rebels announced a fresh offensive to try to break the more than two-month stalemate in the battle for the strategic northern city, it is bound to further polarize Syria’s conflict-weary population.

Meanwhile, some members of Syria’s opposition began questioning the motives and tactics of the Aleppo insurgents who are ostensibly their allies. Some openly accused them of committing war atrocities and taking cover in congested residential neighborhoods and the old city—a Unesco World Heritage site—and using these areas to launch attacks on regime forces.

“People are worn out,” said an Aleppo native and senior member of the Syrian General Revolutionary Commission, a main opposition umbrella group. “It is the same back and forth, the government makes gains and the rebels reclaim a neighborhood; one side calls it cleansing and the other side calls it liberating and the people are paying for it.”

Pro-regime Syrian media didn’t mention the fire in their reports, only referring to continuing operations against “mercenary terrorists” in Aleppo.

The Aleppo native said members of the Tawhid Brigade, the main rebel group now fighting in Aleppo, have become rogue “armed gangs” that are only nominally associated with the Free Syrian Army. That army is itself a loosely linked grouping of local militias and defected military officers fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime across the country.

This summer, rebels launched a campaign to bring their fight into the heart of the capital, Damascus, and the country’s most populous city, Aleppo, for the first time.

Control over Aleppo is essential for any plan to create a haven for the opposition in the north, where rebels control much of the countryside.

Most Tawhid fighters came to Aleppo in July from rural predominantly Sunni Arab areas outside the city and harbor animosity toward an ethnically and religiously diverse urban population that has for the most part remained neutral in the conflict or supportive of Mr. Assad and his Shiite-linked leadership.

One of Tawhid’s leaders, defected army colonel Abdel-Jabbar al-Ughaidy, rejected the Aleppo native’s assessment during a telephone interview, blaming regime forces for instigating the attack in Aleppo’s old city.

Video footage posted by Syrian activists on YouTube Sunday—showing huge flames consuming thick wooden doors in the market, a warren of vaulted stone passageways—appeared to offer a more nuanced narrative.

A man, who identifies himself as a Free Syrian Army fighter, can be heard on the video saying that regime forces fired mortar and artillery shells at rebels amassed in the ancient market, causing the conflagration.

“They are shooting at us with snipers so that we do not extinguish the fire, these are people’s shops, their livelihood,” shouts the man as gunfire pops could be heard in the background.

Hassan Sheit, who owns an antique store in the market, said regime forces cordoned off the old city Sunday, keeping shopkeepers out as firetrucks and ambulances rushed in. He said both rebels and regime forces blamed each other for the fire, while some Aleppo residents were describing it as a “revenge attack” by rebels to punish merchants who have not supported them.Mr. Sheit, a Sunni Muslim, said he didn’t know his shop’s fate but that he spent most of the day comforting his Armenian-Christian neighbor whose jewelry store was lost in the fire. “He was sobbing like a child,” he said.

“Nobody is telling the truth,” said Mr. Sheit in a telephone interview. “The old city is the pulse of Aleppo, its heart.”

Residents fear that some of the almost 240 classified monuments in the old city might have been damaged by the fire, including its 13th century Antioch gate and the sprawling Ottoman-era Khan al-Jumruk, which once housed the trade missions and consulates of the British, Dutch and French imperial powers.

Aleppo is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and was a key stop on the so-called Silk Road. Its walled old city, which incorporates the ancient souks, mosques, schools and the remains of cathedrals, is both a commercial hub and a tourist draw. It has undergone renovations in recent years funded by the German Organization for Technical Cooperation and the Aga Khan Foundation, among others.

—Rima Abushakra in Beirut contributed to this article.

Write to Sam Dagher at sam.dagher@wsj.com

A Well To-Do Syrian Sunni Friend in Aleppo writes:

For a Better Understanding of Aleppo

Over the past few decades, Aleppo’s city center has changed significantly due to a large influx of rural mirgrants. This is no different than other major cities in Syria, but in Aleppo’s case, the countryside is particularly poor and culturally challenged. The city’s diverse resources, cultural sophistication, and business-oriented mentalities characterized its people with generosity and high bigotry-tolerance threshold. Thus, they did not stand in the way of the migrants setling in sectarian neighborhoods, as long as the city made money selling them those houses (or in occasions for humanitarian reasons as with Armenian refugees). And of-course, accompanied with intentional city planning negligence, for over 30 years now, sinking the city in property conflicts. In the 1980s, the regime also laid siege to random communities to punish the city for its sympathy with the Muslim Brotherhood….

The current city neighborhoods are denominated to specific minorities by one or more of the following criteria: religion, sect, clan, region, or tribe.

Thus, Christians, Mardini, Kurds, Armenian, Syriac, shia, Jews (until recently) had their own quarters in the Muslim canvas covering the city, while condensations of regional, clan, and tribal neighborhoods emerged all over the city like Anadani, Izazi, Babi, Deiri (Deir Al Zor), Heib clan, Bar’ri clan, Naim tribe, Battoush tribe, Jeiss tribe, Sukhni tribe… all have their own alleys and districts within the city.

Worth mentioning that, in the business environment, no such divisions exist in the city, and no one is sanctioned according to any criterion. No one is denied entry to the markets……

Assad’s a Jew, claims Egypt TV guest

Dictator’s family descends from Iranian Jewish origin, so-called expert asserts, in interview on station that also first broadcast Arabic-dubbed clip of anti-Islam film

Syria Rebels Practice Patience in the Fight for Damascus Los Angeles Times

The Battle for Aleppo By Jonathan Spyer | The Weekly Standard

….Neither commander professed loyalty to the notional overall leadership of the FSA, at the time still based in Turkey. “I’m a field commander,” Saumar said, “and I’m part of the Aleppo military council. But I’m not part of any external group, and I don’t see them as authoritative.”

Both men stressed an underlying unity among rebel units deriving from the simple goal of defeating and destroying the Assad regime. In Aleppo, I found no reason to doubt this claim, but it raised as many questions as it answered. The FSA is almost exclusively Sunni Arab. But it is not, as one Assad propaganda campaign with some success in Western capitals has it, motivated solely or mainly by Islamist ardor, either of the Muslim Brotherhood or the Salafist variety. But if the FSA’s only basis for unity is military-tactical, what does this mean for the future political direction of Syria, in the event of the regime’s defeat?

My attempts to bring up the subject of the Syrian National Council or any of the other supposed umbrella groupings of the opposition were immediately dismissed.

The two most noticeable rebel units in Aleppo, and the only two who appear to transcend the general arrangement of local FSA-affiliated battalions, are the Tawhid Brigade and the Ahrar al-Sham group, both of which are tied to the Islamist current. Checkpoints affiliated with these groups have been established at the most prominent entrance points to the city, testifying to a sort of hierarchy of units, in which these feature close to the top.

Ahrar al-Sham fighters, in their mode of dress and their slogans, clearly identify themselves as Salafist Islamists. Their checkpoints and positions fly white, black, and green flags with slogans from the Koran written on them. They are rumored to be supported by Saudi Arabia and to be affiliated with al Qaeda. My own contacts did not extend to this organization.

Tawhid fighters, by contrast, do not markedly differ in their appearance from the FSA groupings. But the brigade, doubtless the largest single rebel group operating in the Aleppo area, maintains a separate leadership structure from the Aleppo military council and the FSA. I met with one of Tawhid’s leaders, in the Saif al-Dawli section of the city. The man, middle-aged, ginger-bearded, from the Al-Bab area northeast of Aleppo, described himself as one of the five commanders of the brigade. He was frank regarding Tawhid’s differences with the FSA and the Aleppo Military Council. “At the moment the Military Council has cut support from us. But we believe it will be restored in the near future.”

What was the reason for the cut in support, I asked. “Fear,” he said. “Fear of the Islamic states.” (Tawhid is rumored to be a major beneficiary of aid from Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood.) And was this fear justified? Was Tawhid receiving aid from Islamic countries and movements? I didn’t expect a straight answer and was not disappointed. “Relief materials only,” he replied.

In contrast to the FSA fighters and field commanders that I met, the Tawhid commander had no hesitation in describing his political ambitions for Syria. “All the forces want one thing, one thought—an Islamic state, but with protection for minority rights.”

He was predictably dismissive of the Syrian National Council, describing it as a “spokesman” for the Syrian people, rather than a political authority. “The real leadership is inside Syria, in the field—not in Turkey.”….

Permalink | Print | 146 comments
Categories: Aleppo, Syria Revolution 2011

Comments (146)

Uzair8 said:

Syrian industrialists threaten to declare bankruptcy unless gov’t intervenes

2012-10-01

DAMASCUS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) — The worsening situation in Syria has prompted industrialists nationwide to launch distress calls on the government to positively intervene to offer facilities and protect their establishment, or they would go broke.

The spiraling violence in the northern province of Aleppo and the attacks and counter-attacks between government forces and rebels to control the provincial capital, deemed to be Syria’s second largest city and its economic capital, have further blocked economic activities in the city, forcing many industrialists to shut down their businesses or flee the country.

Those who stayed behind, have appealed on the government to work for protecting their establishments from rampant looting and ransacking in the province.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-10/01/c_131883333.htm

October 1st, 2012, 5:12 pm

SANDRO LOEWE said:

DENDESHE

As far as I know all syrians I talk to who are in FSA controlled areas explain to me that rebel soldiers are completely syrians in these areas (from Daraa to Zabadani and from Yabroud to Idleb). Probably there are some jihadists or salafists in independent cellules but nothing similar to your AlQaeda Propaganda. I am sorry to dismantle your paranoic conspiracy idea. I talk about real facts explained by real syrians on the ground.

October 1st, 2012, 5:36 pm

Visitor said:

Dr. Landis said,

“Intra-Alawite fighting in Qardaha not Confirmed”

Confirmed or not confirmed is not the issue. We know for sure that evil eventually consumes itself.

But honesly, confirmed or not confirmed, behind smoke there is usually fire. In this case it would be the fire that consumes the evil.

Universal rules are universal because they always rule the outcome.

October 1st, 2012, 5:40 pm

Uzair8 said:

I posted the video of an attack on a convoy a short time earlier.

Here is the same video with some written commentary and observations.

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/the-fsa-attack-regime-forces-destroying-a-tank/

October 1st, 2012, 5:42 pm

Uzair8 said:

Raise backyard chickens?

They’ll need to import some to start of with.
Maybe Iran will supply a quantity.

Oh wait…

October 1st, 2012, 5:46 pm

jna said:

YouTube video shows U.S. reporter Austin Tice alive after capture by rebels.

October 1st, 2012, 5:58 pm

Aldendeshe said:

DENDESHE
As far as I know all syrians I talk to who are in FSA controlled areas explain to me that rebel soldiers are completely syrians in these areas (from Daraa to Zabadani and from Yabroud to Idleb). Probably there are some jihadists or salafists in independent cellules but nothing similar to your AlQaeda Propaganda. I am sorry to dismantle your paranoic conspiracy idea. I talk about real facts explained by real syrians on the ground.
__________________________________________________________________

I don’t believe you. You are liar. Syrians will never attack the status of Yossef Al-Azmeh, will never rob Syrian museums and artifacts, will never kill Christians and expel them from home and will never fight out of mosques knowing they will be attacked back and destroyed, they will never hide in ancient souq deliberately to destroy it, burn it up. They will never hide in homes and expel even its Sunni owners. If these are Syrians, do you think we need them to be victor, what evil will they do to the people when they have the rain in the streets, if now doing all that? This is acts of terrorism can be done only by Zionists, Jews and Wahabi Zionists devil worshippers and ALCIADA trained thugs. These all did the same in Iraq.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSER, BIG F***kng LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSER. Genocidal murderers beyond an thing crazy ALCIADA can produce of demon hybrids out of Dulce.

Wait till Assad give me and SNP what we need. Assad must never ever go unless his military removes him and install SNP leadership to rule along under military dictatorship from the people for the people of Syria. The Syrian Army must be upgraded and move the conflict outside its borders. This dimwitted Assad is in fact a threat not only to the Syrian Nation but to all Alawites and the armed forces. He is in power not out of distrust for the opposition, Syrians knows that they are mercenaries destroying their country in exchange for millions of grafted cash. He is popular because Syrians feel the worst after he leave. The army must appoint a Nationalist leadership that can muster the strength of the majority and put on the streets the right men and weapon that can put stop to all this killing, destruction and mayhem for step one, starts sending the Mujahedeen to all those enemy states and bankrupt the world economically and financially. Get them to pay up for damages of their God Amen evil deeds or have the Annunaki level this planet on top of their heads, go hide in the dugout they spent a generation and trillions digging up and tunneling, we know where the in and out of these rat holes at.

October 1st, 2012, 6:43 pm

SANDRO LOEWE said:

DENDESHE

You are derailing, delirating, living out of this era. Your fascists Baath and SNP brought the total chaos and disorder to Syria.

After all, democracy, with all its failures, is the more stable way to deal with people. When dictatorship pretends to be the best way, it lasts 20, 30 or even 40 years, but at the end everything explodes and everything is covered under the excrements generated by these state corrupt ill-minded patriot savers.

October 1st, 2012, 7:21 pm

Observer said:

Coincidence of the editorial today from Atwan; and how his description of the situation in Syria is similar to that of Afghanistan when the Soviets invaded. The point is that my previous post of a theoretical cynical neo con use of the Syrian conflict to bloody Iran and spite Russia is very similar to what Atwan is saying.

I do not agree with him and I do not think that the scenario that I posted is also realistic for several reasons
1. The opposition is fragmented but this is not a reason not to intervene for as a matter of fact one can use small doses of weapons supply to keep the fire going.
2. The regime support has a limit, if for example Iran has given 10 billion to prop up the regime then this is a beginning of the hemorrhaging of Iran. It has a limit and it may opt to have just a say with the Alawites alone.
3. The collapse of the economy may be much faster as we read in today’s post
4. Internal fissures are coming to the fore.

Again, the scenario is tempting but I believe that the slow pace of weapon supply is only due to the local politics in both Syria and Turkey. Not Syria.

October 1st, 2012, 7:29 pm

Observer said:

Here is the editorial
http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today1z999.htm&arc=data\2012\10\10-011z999.htm

October 1st, 2012, 7:30 pm

Halabi said:

Bashar is personally directing the fight in Aleppo. This is according to garbage news that menhebaks and sectarian opponents of the revolution build their opinions on. Also, the areas that aren’t controlled by the regime, 25% of Aleppo, will be destroyed because they are Muslim Brotherhood neighborhoods, according to the report.

http://www.mjhar.com/ar-sy/NewsView/2212/48423.aspx

October 1st, 2012, 8:11 pm

Visitor said:

The head of organizational operation in Syria of the heretic hizbillat of heretic mullah Iran has been eliminated by the FSA while killing Syrians in the Qasir region. He is Muhammad Hussein Hajj Nasif (Shamas) and was burried in his town today. He was killed with another hizbillati heretic while two others were injured.

It should be noted that the border area of Qasir has been handed over to hizbillat by the criminal regime in order to fight the FSA and kill Syrians. Qasir borders the region of 3Irsal in Lebanon which has provided essential logistical and supply lines for our valiant heroes of the FSA. It has come under frequent shelling by the criminal thugs of the bands of the terrorist army of the criminal regime. The people of this region are known since French colonial times to be some of the most capable fighters assisted by the rough terrain of their territory.

October 1st, 2012, 8:35 pm

Johannes de Silentio said:

Printed above:

“The Syrian Dictator’s family descends from Iranian Jewish origin, so-called expert asserts, in interview on station that also first broadcast Arabic-dubbed clip of anti-Islam film”

LOL! This is priceless. I recall when a rumor was making the rounds that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s family was Jewish.

Hey! Let’s start a rumor that Zoo and Visitor (VAT) are Jews

October 1st, 2012, 8:42 pm

Tara said:

What is the purpose?

Officials: Top Egyptian security delegation travels to Syria in rare trip
By Associated Press, Published: MONDAY, OCTOBER 01, 7:20 PM ET

CAIRO — A high level Egyptian security delegation left for Syria on Monday in a rare visit, Cairo airport officials said. The delegation’s mission was not immediately clear.

Yasser Ali, who is spokesman for President Mohammed Morsi, denied the report. A senior security official said he had no knowledge about the delegation, but stopped short of an outright denial of the report.
(…)
http://m.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/officials-top-egyptian-security-delegation-travels-to-syria-in-rare-trip/2012/10/01/884d8e9e-0c12-11e2-97a7-45c05ef136b2_story.html

October 1st, 2012, 9:29 pm

Ghufran said:

The list of thieves is too long to be published and is not limited to the usual suspects :
كتبت المعارضة السورية، وعضو المجلس الوطني السوري مرح البقاعي التي تتخذ من الولايات المتحدة الأميركية مقرا لإقامتها على صفحتها على موقع التواصل الإجتماعي “فايسبوك” أنه” وأثناء حضوري مجلس العزاء في نيو جرسي اليوم٠٠تدخل سيدة وتتوجه نحوي مشيرة باصبعها الي وتقول باللهجة العامية: انتو السراقين” بالمجلس, وين ال ٥٤ مليون دولار يلي نهبتوها علي حساب الدم السوري ؟ نحنا ما بشرفنا وجود حدا من المجلس بينا”. الا ن وقد حوسبت امام العشرات عن ذنب لم ارتكبه اصبح حسابي العلني للمجلس حقا شخصيا لي وعاما للشعب السوري في وقت واحد. اساب في الدوحة, والله ولي المتقين, صدق الله العظيم”.
Jordan in particulalar is running a beggary business drawing millions of dollars on behalf of Syrian refugees while hosting most of them in the desert with no running water. History will remember the Syrian regime of being the main culprit in humiliating Syrians and transforming a proud nation into a collection of hungry, wounded and broken communities.

October 1st, 2012, 9:40 pm

Ghufran said:

Whoever fooled alarabiya into accepting those forged documents did not care about alarabiya, he probably got paid handsomely and is now enjoying the wreckage.

October 1st, 2012, 9:56 pm

zoo said:

Tara

Strange that Morsi publicly qualify Syria’s government as criminal and discreetly send a security delegation to discuss some secret issues with that same government.
We probably have to get used to the double face culture of the Moslem Brotherhood acquired after years of being underground.
What they say publicly is not what they do.
The question is how long Morsi would be able to play this game before being caught.

Top Egypt security delegation heads to Syria
http://news.yahoo.com/top-egypt-security-delegation-heads-syria-215339697.html

October 1st, 2012, 10:01 pm

ann said:

President Obama – Why is the US supporting Al Qaeda in Syria?

Good news report from Fox19 channel about Syria and American support for the Jihadists in Syria.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=86a_1348427615

Hot debate. What do you think?

October 1st, 2012, 10:06 pm

zoo said:

#16 Ghufran

Did Al Arabya presented their excuses to Turkey as their article implied that Turkey military intelligence was stupid?

October 1st, 2012, 10:06 pm

ann said:

Russia: ‘Our role in downing Turkish jet in Syria – fantasy and nonsense’ – 01 October, 2012

http://rt.com/news/al-arabia-turkish-jet-russia-437/

Moscow has denied claims concerning its “guidance” in downing a Turkish jet in Syria and “eliminating” two pilots after the crash this July. The assertion of Russian involvement was made on an Al Arabiya program based on “highly-classified docs.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the information presented by the Saudi-owned news channel on Saturday is “utter nonsense.”

“It is ridiculous even to comment on this nonsense, but, unfortunately, we have to,” reads the Monday statement. “These far-from-harmless fantasies are based on ‘intelligence databases,’ obtained by Al Arabiya from open sources, including the official website of the RIA Novosti news agency.” It continued, “The authors of this forgery did not even bother to remove the respective logo from the allegedly ‘secret document.’”

The response from the Russian Foreign Ministry follows an Al Arabyia claim of evidence showing that Russia was involved in downing a Turkish fighter jet in Syria in July, as well as the subsequent capture of two pilots. The allegations came out on a program aired on Saturday as part of a larger, special news magazine purportedly based on newly-leaked Syrian intelligence.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich accused some Arab media of “unscrupulous and outright lies” concerning the situation in Syria, allowing, though, that the world has gotten used to it.

“Of course, not claiming influence on the editorial policy of these media, we would like to advise the authors of such anti-Russian fantasies … to think more not only about moral principles, but also about their professional viability,” the statement read.

Al Arabiya insists that the “highly-classified Syrian security documents” were obtained with the assistance of members of the Syria opposition.

“Two Turkish pilots were captured by the Syrian Air Force Intelligence after their jet was shot down in coordination with the Russian naval base in Tartus,” the channel quoted one of the documents as saying, referring to the Syrian city that has given the Russian Navy Mediterranean access since the late Soviet days.

Al Arabiya also stated that the two Turkish pilots had initially survived the crash.

“Based on information and guidance from the Russian leadership comes a need to eliminate the two Turkish pilots detained by the Special Operations Unit in a natural way, and their bodies need to be returned to the crash site in international waters,” the document, allegedly “sent directly from the presidential office of President Assad to brigadier Hassan Abdel Rahman,” said.

[…]

http://rt.com/news/al-arabia-turkish-jet-russia-437/

October 1st, 2012, 10:08 pm

zoo said:

#15 Gufran

Slight correction:

History will remember the “Syrian rebels who promised to restore dignity to the Syrians” of being the main culprit in humiliating Syrians and transforming a proud nation into a collection of hungry, wounded and broken communities.

October 1st, 2012, 10:10 pm

Aldendeshe said:

@GHUFRAN

This is the 3rd time I am correcting you this week. It is not fair to blame the regime only. Islamists, the Shia had just as much, if not much more, culpricity for this refugee deed and all horrors for the past 19 month.

October 1st, 2012, 10:12 pm

ann said:

Syria FM: Some UN Council members supporting terrorism – 01 October, 2012

http://rt.com/news/syria-foreign-minister-unga-440/

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem slammed some UN Security Council members during his speech at the General Assembly Monday, accusing them of supporting “terrorism” in his country.

In his initial comments, he said that “some well-known countries” are pursuing “new colonial policies” in Syria under the guise of humanitarian efforts.

Al-Moallem went on to add that peace requires action not only by Syria but by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya and others to stop arming and financing the opposition.

The Syrian Foreign Minister slammed calls for President Bashar al-Assad to step down, calling them “blatant interference” in the country’s domestic affairs.

“We heard calls from this podium, and on other platforms, some calls from those who are ignorant of the facts or maybe ignoring them, or also from those who are shareholders in exacerbating them, that invites the President of the Syrian Arab Republic to step down,” he said. “This is a blatant interference in the domestic affairs of Syria, and the unity of its people and its sovereignty.”

He also called for the opposition to put down its arms and settle the more-than-a-year long conflict through dialogue with the government, “in order to stop spilling Syrian blood.”

[…]

http://rt.com/news/syria-foreign-minister-unga-440/

October 1st, 2012, 10:14 pm

zoo said:

Emergency Law back in Libya

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/libyan-government-preparing-show-its-strength

For 42-years under Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans, like their Arab neighbors, suffered from being subject to emergency laws, which reduced the role of the country’s legislative and executive authorities and placed citizens at the mercy of draconian martial law regulations whose abuses spared no-one.
…
Now, with an elected entity assuming power for the first time in 58 years, Libya’s new political chiefs have set about drafting a full-fledged State of Emergency law.

October 1st, 2012, 10:15 pm

Tara said:

Found this on the link provided by Halabi.

Yeah..Right!….I don’t think so… That is my first reaction.
On a second thought, may be I am wrong. Now what do I know? May be that explains it all. I mean there must be a reason for the infatuation with everything Persian, of course other than the unshaved beard, the rope, and the head piece. It must be the Persian beauty..

http://www.mjhar.com/ar-sy/NewsView/9252/48416.aspx

أميركي يقول فتيات إيران من أهم فتيات العالم
الصفحة الرئيسية // الأقسام الأخبارية // منوعات الاثنين 01/10/2012

قال وفد أميركي زار طهران أنه لاحظ أن أنظف الطرق في عواصم العالم هي في طهران وقال رأينا شباناً وشابات ولكن الشابات بثياب دينية كانوا يتكلمون مع بعضهم كأنهم في نيويورك وقال عضو في الوفد إن أجمل وأهم فتيات العالم هي في إيران وأضاف الحكومة أعطت فتيات إيران حرية للتحرك حتى ليلاً وقال إن هناك حفلات راقصة تحصل في جبال طهران أثناء الليل لا تقوم قوى الأمن بقمعها ، قال عضو الوفد سأعمل على جمع أوباما وأحمدي نجاد ولكن مسؤول آخر في الوفد الأميركي قال إن أوباما سيسقط في الإنتخابات الرئاسية إذا إجتمع بأحمدي نجاد قبل الإنتخابات.

October 1st, 2012, 10:16 pm

Tara said:

Ann

Sorry but when is your sleeping time?

October 1st, 2012, 10:19 pm

ann said:

Syrian army kills 60 armed insurgents in battered Aleppo: report – 2012-10-02

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-10/02/c_131884590.htm

DAMASCUS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) — As many as 60 armed insurgents were killed Monday by government troops in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, an inflamed battleground in the country’s 18- month-old crisis, pro-government radio Sham FM said.

The insurgents, including a Saudi national named Saudi al- Harithi, who headed the group, were killed in an operation of Syrian troops in al-Sukkari area of Aleppo, said the report.

[…]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-10/02/c_131884590.htm

October 1st, 2012, 10:21 pm

Visitor said:

I think the American who went to Tehran was watching this video,

October 1st, 2012, 10:48 pm

Ghufran said:

I disagree with the idea that the rebels are as guilty as the regime in the mess we have today in Syria, the regime had the resources and the responsibility to protect citizens and treat them in a humane fashion, the tragedy is that the regime failed in its most basic function and the rebels are making things worse by attacking cities and hiding in populated areas and committing atrocities. Every time any person tries to speak the truth he is accused of being an agent of one party or the other, we are in this quagmire today because we allowed thugs to be in the driver’s seat,we hated the old thugs and now we are asked to get behind the new thugs, even our doctors are now split, according to exmembers of SAMS, NPR is about to receive a load of angry letters from docs who were forced in a way or the other to leave the organization they created after SAMS became a collection of politicians with MD degrees, this organization is now almost exclusively run and owned by people from one sect with one political philosophy.

October 1st, 2012, 10:54 pm

Tara said:

SOD

Dr. Zaher Sahlol is a family friend. Khawla, a Syrian-American pharmacist was my elementary school friend. They are both in the front line. And many many more that I personally knew..

And where Am I?..

October 1st, 2012, 10:55 pm

Son of Damascus said:

A good read by Ammar Abd Al-Hamid

Rebels With a Cause, But Not Much Consensus
Syrian opposition fighters are committed to Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, but disagree on just about everything else.

As President Bashar al-Assad’s forces disintegrate, the Syrian civil war is devolving into a battle between Sunni rebel groups and Alawite-dominated militias fighting in support of the old regime. This may increase the rebels’ chances of victory, but it also means that the work to rebuild Syria after Assad falls will be even more challenging.

Although most discussions of Syria’s armed revolt center on the Free Syrian Army (FSA), this body was, from the outset, never anything more than a franchise of loosely knit armed groups. FSA commanders captured headlines in late September when they announced they would move their command headquarters from the Turkish town of Antakya back into Syria. This move, however, is unlikely to have much of an impact: The high-ranking Syrian defectors who fled to Turkey have been unable to create an effective command structure and have too little credibility with the rank and file of the rebel movement, which is still mainly composed of civilians, to influence the revolt one way or another.

I spent most of August traveling around Turkey with my wife, pro-democracy activist Khawla Yusuf, to try to understand the dynamics that drive these rebel groups. We moved between the cities of Istanbul, Antakya, and Ankara to meet with activists and important rebel leaders who operate inside Syria. We had been in touch with most of these figures for months prior to the trip, and my wife had previously undertaken a number of trips to Turkey to meet them. Since the beginning of the revolution in March 2011, I have also tracked the conflict through the Syrian Revolution Digest, a daily blog detailing emerging trends in the country.

What we learned confirmed our view that the FSA and its Antakya-based officers have long found themselves playing c as new realities unfold on the ground. The rebel movement’s real leaders are ordinary men from mostly rural backgrounds — all Sunni Arabs, often poorly educated, but extremely dedicated to the cause. Most had previously been known and respected in their local areas as successful traders, farmers, or, on occasion, preachers. But their own personal piety notwithstanding, few are actually committed Islamists.

One of the main rebel leaders at this stage is Jamal Maarouf, more commonly known as Abu Khalid, the founder of Syria’s Martyrs Brigades, a rebel group that now fields around 45,000 fighters. Abu Khalid’s troops in his home base of Jabal al-Zawiya, a mountainous area in the northern province of Idlib, are likely around 10,000 to 12,000 men — the rest of his fighting force agreed to join his ranks after developing a certain rapport with him over the past few months. A pious man and husband to three women — polygamy is pretty common in rural areas throughout Syria — Abu Khalid stands for traditional values, a mixture of Islam and rural mores, rather than political ideology. He does not advocate the establishment of an Islamic state, is wary of Salafi groups, and hates the Muslim Brotherhood. In operational matters, however, he cooperates with them all. It’s this pragmatic streak that distinguishes most rebel leaders.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Abu Khalid’s chief rival in Jabal al-Zawiya is Ahmad Abu Issa, founder of the Suqur al-Sham (“The Falcons of Syria”) Brigades, a hard-core Islamist group. A Salafi preacher, Abu Issa calls openly for the establishment of an Islamic state. He recently co-founded the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Syria, an umbrella organization joining many Salafi rebel groups in the country.

[…]

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/10/01/rebels_with_a_cause_but_not_much_consensus?page=full

October 2nd, 2012, 8:44 am

Son of Damascus said:

Tara,

Everyday that passes and I am away from home is becoming that much more unbearable.

جنة جنة جنة جنة يا وطنّـــا
يا وطن يا حبيّب يابو تراب الطيب
حتى نارك جنة

October 2nd, 2012, 8:49 am

zoo said:

No surprise here. The Palestinians hosted for decades in Lebanon turned against Lebanese authorities during the civil war and ranged on the side of Saddam Hussein during the invasion of Kuwait.
They are not welcomed in Kuwait anymore.
They won’t be either in Syria if they stab the government who hosted them in the back.
Maybe Qatar who badly need a growth of its Moslem Sunni population should take over the burden of these understandably restless refugees. That could stimulate Qatar to solve the Palestinian problem instead of creating another refugees problem by arming rebels who force Syrians to flee.

Syrian media lash out at Palestinian Hamas group

By BASSEM MROUE | Associated Press –
http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-media-lash-palestinian-hamas-group-091829336.html

October 2nd, 2012, 8:56 am

Son of Damascus said:

Resistance? What resistance are you talking about? Hamas and Khaled Meshaal are “ungrateful and traitorous” for not supporting Batta in resisting the Syrian peoples will and demand.

SYRIAN MEDIA LASH OUT AT PALESTINIAN HAMAS GROUP

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s state-run media unleashed a scathing attack on the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, accusing him of turning his back on President Bashar Assad and describing him as ungrateful and traitorous.

In an editorial aired late Monday, Syrian TV said Khaled Mashaal, who pulled Hamas’ headquarters out of Damascus early this year, had abandoned the resistance movement against Israel and the United States. The comments show just how deeply ties between Hamas and the Syrian regime — once staunch allies — have frayed since the anti-Assad uprising erupted 18 months ago.

The regime’s verbal attack appeared to be prompted by Mashaal’s decision to take part in a major conference Sunday of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party. Erdogan has been one of Assad’s sharpest critics.

Less than two years ago, Syria, Iran, Hamas and Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group were part of what they called an “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States. With Hamas’ departure, they lost a major Palestinian faction that rules the Gaza Strip.

Relations between Assad’s regime and Hamas have been disintegrating ever since the Syrian revolt erupted in March 2011 with protests demanding reforms. It has since devolved into a brutal civil war, and activists say more than 30,000 people have been killed so far.

Hamas initially staked out a neutral position toward the uprising, but as the estimated 500,000 Palestinians living in Syria became increasingly outraged over the regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters, Hamas came under pressure for its cozy ties with the government, prompting the group in February to shift its stance and praise Syrians for “moving toward democracy and reform.”

[…]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/syrian-media-lash-out-palestinian-hamas-group#overlay-context=article/sign-times-baseball-autographs-go-hi-tech

October 2nd, 2012, 8:59 am

irritated said:

Miss Piggy tries to seduce bearded Kermit

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Everyone%20Else/images-14/mohammed-morsi-hillary-clinton.jpg

http://catchyfentoozler.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/kermit-beardfinal.jpg?w=500

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/muppets-kermit-miss-piggy_l.jpg

October 2nd, 2012, 9:03 am

Tara said:

Zoo

May be because the Palestinians having been exposed to Israeli atrocities are extra-sympathetic with the Syrian people being subjected to unimaginable crimes by their own “government”? Or may be because they were never sold on Batta’s “resistance”?

October 2nd, 2012, 9:05 am

Son of Damascus said:

Zoo,

“arming rebels who force Syrians to flee.”

Bull Sh*t.

Yeah because tank shells, barrel bombs, and airstrikes have nothing to do with Syrians fleeing…

Yesterday the fat bastard Moooooo-allem said that neighbouring countries “were inflating the refugee” crises just to make Syria look bad. Maybe he should’ve consulted with you at how to spin it your way at least you admit there is a refugee crises…

Go ask the majority of those refugees who made them flee, I can guarantee you you wont like their answer.

October 2nd, 2012, 9:08 am

zoo said:

Tara

I think the Palestinians are very frustrated at the Arabs who despite multiple promises, have not been able to give them back their countries. Deep inside, the Palestinians are angry and resentful to all the Arab countries and even toward the ones who hosted them. This is quite understandable. No one can blame them.

Gratefulness is not something they can never feel as long as they are ‘refugees’.
Therefore, they are unpredictable in moments of crisis and often get back their frustration at the same governments that hosted them.
We have seen that in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and now to a lesser degree in Syria, maybe because Syria, contrary to the other Arab countries, has tried to integrate them rather they tolerate them.

In my view, their change of position has little to do with empathy with the ‘oppressed’, it is rather their deep nature, resulting of decades of the humiliation of being just ‘guests’.
Hamas does appear ungrateful but yet it does not give a damn about Syria anymore. Syria is weak and useless now. They also are distancing themselves from Iran who has supported the economy of Gaza for years.
They follow the most powerful and convenient ally of the moment, now the Moslem Brotherhood alliance in Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. Can we blame them? they have their goal to pursue. When would they change again? Who knows?

October 2nd, 2012, 9:20 am

Uzair8 said:

Anyone on SC happen to be related to the Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zou‘bi ?

Or related to Assad adviser Buthaina Shaaban?

October 2nd, 2012, 9:44 am

zoo said:

#39 Uzair8

Ask Al Arabya or Al Jazeera’s agent on this Blog, he is very knowledgeable and reliable

October 2nd, 2012, 9:49 am

zoo said:

Syrian jobless youth get a Qatar-paid job with the FSA as the forecast of ‘massive’ defections has not materialized.

FSA openly recruiting fighters in Regime-controlled areas

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=31279
01/10/2012

Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat – The Free Syrian Army [FSA], has stopped relying on dissident soldiers to increase its numbers and has begun openly recruiting fighters in Syrian cities and villages under the regime’s control, Asharq Al-Awsat can reveal.

October 2nd, 2012, 9:54 am

zoo said:

Being Christian in Aleppo assaulted by rebels.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/world/middleeast/fighting-spreads-through-aleppo-as-services-vanish.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
…
One man patrolling his largely Christian neighborhood with a Kalashnikov rifle said the government was arming Armenian Christians in what he called an attempt to draw them into the conflict.

“Today it is clear for us that the Muslims from the countryside want to destroy our city,” he said. “They have nothing to lose.”

He identified himself as Gano, an Armenian member of what he called a popular committee recently organized to defend the neighborhood, Aziziyah, which was sheltering refugees from other Christian neighborhoods where fighting had broken out.

But he said he mistrusted the government, which he said was trying to revive an armed Armenian group it had once supported against Turkey.

“No way, because we will be a legitimate target for the Muslim rebels,” he said. “The regime wants to use us. We want to live in peace or leave. We are a minority in this country and cannot face the Muslim majority.”

October 2nd, 2012, 10:00 am

Tara said:

Irritated,

Do you want people to talk to you or not? What is this non-committal attitude on your part? Are you depressed? And why is it this Miss Piggy seducing Kermit? Isn’t usually the other way around in real life? Anyway, I liked the pink dress. They look an awesome couple but she is taller than him.

October 2nd, 2012, 10:24 am

Sheila said:

There no difference between the oppressed Alawites, Sunnis, Christians, Kurds …. You get the picture. Syria needs a complete overhaul of its government, educational system, judicial institution, military and the list goes on, but most importantly Syrians need to do some soul searching to attempt to regain their destroyed moral compass.

October 2nd, 2012, 10:28 am

Mina said:

Please contact Guinness World Records Book ASAP

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/interior-ministry-90000-escaped-convicts-arrested-august
(90,000 convicts arrested in just 2 months, and nobody actually saw the police being more active than the normal low-profile activity they have kept since the ousting of Mubarak. As it was Ramadan from 20 July to 20 August, no one expected them to be functioning anyway.)

With the MBs in Egypt, reading governmental announcements is just as reliable as watching the news of Gulf TV networks.

October 2nd, 2012, 10:29 am

Chris said:

Surprisingly sloppy reporting from the usually excellent MEMRI. Not only do they reprint that God-awful ‘Balkanization of Syria’ map, which is completely arbitrary in its line drawing and bears little resemblance to Syria’s actually community break down, but they mistakenly label a demonstration in Tartus as ‘Lattakia’. I suspect the author has never been to either…

October 2nd, 2012, 10:33 am

Dawoud said:

When-not if-al-Assad’s dictatorship falls two places will resemble Tora Bora (where al-Qaida terrorists fled to after 9/11):

1) Qardaha, where Hafez body should be lifted up and thrown in the sea not far from Bin Laden’s body is! Actually, Hafez and his son killed more innocents Bin Laden
2) al-Dhahiya al-Janoubia, where Hasan Nasrillat (and the brain-washed American) socialize

Both places must be invaded by the free Syrians in order to arrest those whose hands are stained with Syrian blood!

Free Syria, Free Palestine! Bahrain is Arab forever!

October 2nd, 2012, 10:34 am

Dawoud said:

To the commentator whose SC name is identical to the place where non-human creatures are displayed for public visitors’ tours: Who is really the spammer? 🙂 🙂 🙂

Free Palestine & Syria!

October 2nd, 2012, 10:39 am

Visitor said:

Will Azebijan be the spring to destroy Iran’s WMD’s production facilities?

http://aljazeera.net/news/pages/8802b65c-efc9-4f0b-8c53-958ba0957a2d?GoogleStatID=21

The Israelis would prefer a more robust approach than a simple spring board from a nearby Azerbija, something like a direct US involvement. But some Israelis will consider the option in the absence of such US involvement.

However, an Israeli newspaper is now reporting that the Iranian economy is on the verge of collapse as the US dollar traded this morning for about 40000 mullah riyal for one dollar practically eliminating the middle class from the country and segregating the society into the ordinary have nots and the mullah haves. This is causing a split in the mullah leadership as the Khamenei is getting sick and tired of Suleimani who promised more than he can deliver. Khamenei finds himself now in severe belt tightening mode as the result of excessive financial demands by his agent criminal alawite regime occupying Damascus to achieve his desperate goal of extinguishing the great Revolution of the Syrian people.

http://aljazeera.net/news/pages/d4bfbe08-5a12-45eb-a69e-d7d6a4c7ede0?GoogleStatID=9

October 2nd, 2012, 10:50 am

Aldendeshe said:

@GUHFRAN
No one arguing that this regime is not one of the most incompetent regimes ever, and we all know what they did in Hama and the abuse, theft and coward rule. It is a Baathist and sectarian one, what do you expect. To start, I tried for months to connect and deliver messages to help them reform before the Sh**t hit the fan to no avail. Next, turned to the Iranian Shia out of desperation, and they proven to be just a Zionist helper, I always known that, but was desperate, lack of horses they stretched saddle on dogs in Alaska.

When the demonstrations started we got the dumbest moves and speeches ever and no sign of serious reforms. To this day, the regime has no intention whatsoever to make the needed change, just going back to the old Hafez Syria is all what is being planned. The diabolic plotters knew Assad regime response to the uprising and planed it exactly in a way that will trigger this kind of protracted conflict and relied on this assumption to carry on the war on Syria. They knew its outcome and have steered it secretly with Assad not knowing he was being set up, to achieve this exact outcome. They spend months training for this war; you have no idea of the resources invested into this. But the goal were never to bring freedom and democracy to Syria, it has always been to bring another Bedouin-Israel controlled rule, that will forfeit the Golan and become a vessel for Bedouin devil worshippers, just as Egypt now became.

October 2nd, 2012, 11:04 am

Uzair8 said:

Yalla Souriya updates from a few minutes ago regarding the Assad heartland infighting.

4.11pm

Ugariti_Homsi
Aljazeera confirms the news about the clashes b/w Assad’s family and another family in Alqirdaha town (Assad’s hometown). #Syria

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/ugariti-homsi-aljazeera-confirms-the-news-about-the/

4:18 pm

Activists to AJA; armed clashes between clans close to the regime in #Qardaha and #Lattakia, during which Bashar’s cousin was killed,
abed_10_essa
“@AJALive: ناشطون: اشتباكات مسلحة بين عائلات قريبة من النظام السوري في قرداحة باللاذقية قتل فيها ابن عم بشّار الأسد. #الجزيرة #سوريا

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/activists-to-aja-armed-clashes-between-clans-close/

October 2nd, 2012, 11:22 am

Syrian Natonalist Party said:

I disagree with the idea that the rebels are as guilty as the regime in the mess we have today in Syria,
_________________________________________________________________

Look at what the mercenaries did for the past 19 months, anything they did to attract Syrians to join the revolution; their deeds speak volumes about their intentions, the total destruction of Syria. Let’s examine the so called revolutionaries (mercenaries) action, is it to bring freedom and democracy, or is it to bring about the division of the country. It is this conclusion that one draw in the end which exposes the whole action as deceptive and mercenary, colonial in nature, covered up in disguise as freedom and democracy campaign.

You should not hold the government at this time accountable and must hold the mercenary rebels fully responsible for the crimes committed. The murderous criminals that are paid and trained by foreign seditious enemies of our Nation must be brought into the Haig along with all their sponsors. Here is a list of war crimes, and crimes against national Syria committed by the mercenaries hiding as Syrian revolutionaries, which of these acts can be considered acts that will further the freedom of Syrians. Which of these terrorist acts will bring the Assad regime on its knees? Which of these will cause collapse of the ruling government, the answer is clear, none of them, it is a purely terrorist campaign no more. And even if regime failed, did these terrorists presented one iota of program or agenda to the Syrians, did they see ked the approval of Syrians for the programs, do they have legitimacy, any reform program that is acceptable to the majority. Can they stand for general vote and election, any referendum? And after seeing what these criminals did to Syria and Syrians, do you want them to rule you as another form of an Islamic Dictatorship? Are these the rulers you want to replace Assad with them demons from Najd?

The rebels responsible for the atrocity and destruction committed. How many video they bragged about on the internet, how many mutilated body videos they paraded for all to see. How many cities they caused its destruction by hiding among civilians, how many mosque and churches they burned, torched and looted. Did they bother to burn the synagogue of Satan, the old Jewish synagogue of Damascus and Aleppo? Why not? Why not torch these too. Is it too holy for them to touch? They burned museums, they stole artifacts, they burned historic monuments and defaced them, they burned Moslem and Christian historic places, no distinction made between them. They burned schools, libraries, they attacked and destroyed science centers, universities, dorms, and they attacked strategic missiles and defense establishment. The bastards killed Syrian scientists and even advanced students who excelled, they burned shops, they displaced entire Christian communities from their ancestral homes and neighborhoods, burned holy icons and bibles, they raped girls and killed pregnant women, and they looted entire Souqs in all cities of Syria. They attacked and burned hospitals, they burned fields and attacked wheat storage silos, they destroyed agriculture crops and electric power stations, they attacked pharmacies, they killed, beheaded and hanged doctors, nurses, surgeon and pharmacists, used over-crowded part of civilian living quarters to launch attacks, placing an entire neighborhoods and its populace in grave and fatal danger. The foreign rebels caused over 50,000 to be incarcerated and most likely severely tortured or even added to the dead and missing count of tens of thousands, they sent over 200,000 to live in tents and became refugees, they preyed on the poor and destitute population and used them for indignity and sex, they stole entire jeweler markets in every city they attacked, they possessed others property and homes after expelling innocent peaceful owners from it at gun point, even if they were Sunni Muslims and have nothing to do with the government. They destroyed industrial factories, they burned commercial facilities, they specifically targeted Syrian historic and ancient sites and property, by specific order and on behest enemy nation and on a specific list of targets, they kidnapped people of any and all affiliation and age for money ransoms. They defiled Moslem sites, which no true Moslem will bring this kind of desecration to a Mosque, a Koran or an Islamic place.

Which true Syrian will commit such internationally recognized crimes against humanity against even the most of innocent Syrians who have nothing to do with the government of Assad. In fact, many of the leaders of his mercenaries rackets themselves were part of this Baathist criminal rackets and have made millions from it. They stepped in as peasants from villages and left as multi millionaires living in Paris, now they want to a revolution of this kind to complete the looting of the nation, do you really believe these thugs that Landis promotes here on this blog for one moment, one instance.

And yet this was the short list of crimes committed. Yet add all the forgeries and audio-video fabrications and false media and distortion, and what is worse, they bragged about it and tauted us with it not only on this blog, but made sure the whole world seen their braves crimes against humanity, a deliberate and willful remediated crimes, carefully pre meditated and assembled the media for us. What is upsetting the most, is that yellow colored house of Satan wit the star of David on it, still standing intact in Aleppo, unharmed, protected not out of piety of these treasonous murderers and criminals but on order of whose leading them in fact.

After all that above, have they presented to you or anyone else, their programs to win the heart and mind o Syrians? Have they shown you the agenda, or just sold you the ignorant promise of delusional, genocidal Bedouins and Jews to bring about the Islamic dictatorial rule in Syria. If they did all that and much worse before they even reached the ruling chair, what kind of rule of law do you expect from them, what evil will they do to us Syrians then, it is unimaginable, unconceivable, how would Syrians let these demonic monsters reach the top and what kind of life will Syrians live under their oppressive rule. Even Baathism, seems to all Syrians as heaven compare to the Zionists led and driven Moslem mercenaries.

October 2nd, 2012, 11:27 am

Uzair8 said:

AJE BLOG:

Syria about an hour ago
A Lebanese security official has said that a commander and several fighters from Hezbollah have been killed in Syria, reports the Associated Press news agency.

The body of Ali Hussein Nassif, a commander within the group, was brought to Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing.

[…]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/topic/syria/hezbollah-deaths-reported-syria

October 2nd, 2012, 11:27 am

Tara said:

The Mullahs are driving their people to poverty while pumping money into Syria to kill Syrians

Iran’s currency hits all-time low as western sanctions take their toll

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/01/iran-currency-rial-all-time-low
The Guardian, Monday 1 October 2012 18.24 BST

Iranians are suffering their worst financial crisis since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, with the national currency hitting an all-time low and the prices of staple goods soaring.

With the Iranian economy crumbling under escalating western sanctions, the rial was sent into a tailspin on Monday, dropping by more than 15% to its lowest-ever level against the dollar. At midday, 34,500 rials bought $1 on the open market, compared to 29,600 rials on Sunday’s close, according to Iranian currency-monitoring websites.

Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had previously rejected predictions that the rial would drop as low as 30,000 rials against the dollar, saying that such suggestions amounted to little more than “psychological war”. The latest news will come as a further blow to a president already widely seen as a lame duck. Ahmadinejad will stand down in June 2013, and cannot run for a third term under Iranian law.

“What an embarrassment for Ahmadinejad,” said Farshad, a student at Tehran University. “The economy is in crisis and he is either blind to it or simply doesn’t want to see it.”

The rial has lost 57% of its value in the past three months and 75% in comparison to the end of last year. The dollar is now three times stronger than early last

The government has repeatedly attempted to bring the currency under control with no success. Last week it launched an exchange centre aimed at stabilising the rates, but the rial’s fall has since increased.

Iran’s economic weaknesses – perpetually high unemployment and government mismanagement – have been masked in recent years by the high price of oil but its very dependency on oil means the embargo has had a significant impact.

Despite the recent rial crisis, Hakimian believes the Iranian economy is still not on the brink of collapse.

“Talk of collapse as the Israeli minister of finance has recently mentioned is inaccurate and emotive. The enormous difficulties experienced could in the worst-case scenario result in a freefall for the currency (like in Zimbabwe) and result in hyperinflation (again as in Zimbabwe). Even unpopular governments in such harsh situations survive.”

He added: “These are harsh times for the ordinary Iranians and there is no doubt that since the end of war with Iraq in the late 1980s, they have not experienced such hardship and uncertainty. Unfortunately, there is a serious risk – looking at Iran from the outside – that the US and EU will take this as prima facie evidence that sanctions are ‘working’: the logic being that ‘if it is hurting, it is working’.”

More…

October 2nd, 2012, 11:48 am

Mina said:

The so-called “rebels” are now punishing Syriac orthodox Christians in Aleppo and Qamishli. After attacking for months the Rum orthodox in Homs and at first in Aleppo, they are turning to two communities who first came to Aleppo and Qamishli after the two waves of massacre committed on them by the Turks (1896 and 1917). Are they supposed to side with Turkey? Or with KSA which does not allow churches on its territory? I am sure Jürgen can explain this logic to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacres_of_Diyarbakir_%281895%29
http://www.christiansofiraq.com/deathmarch1.html

October 2nd, 2012, 12:04 pm

Antoine said:

Aldendeshe, eat gob and go to hell.

October 2nd, 2012, 12:19 pm

Antoine said:

Hezbollah commander’s death in Syria confirmed

A Lebanese security official has confirmed that a Hezbollah commander and several other fighters were killed in Homs, AP reports (see earlier).

The security official said Tuesday that Hezbollah commander Ali Hussein Nassif’s body was brought to Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing.

It was not clear whether he had been fighting alongside the Syrian army.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV showed the funerals of at least two Hezbollah members it said were killed while performing their “jihadi duty”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/oct/02/syria-crisis-us-doubts-austin-tice-video-live

______________________________________________________________

October 2nd, 2012, 12:26 pm

zoo said:

Jordan changing course as refugees riot? Will Turkey follow?

Jordan charges 4 with trying to enter Syria
By JAMAL HALABY | Associated Press – 3 hrs ago

http://news.yahoo.com/jordan-charges-4-trying-enter-syria-125711121.html

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan on Tuesday charged four men with illegally trying to cross into Syria after an exchange of gunfire with Jordanian border guards last week, a military prosecutor said.
…
At the time of the border incident, the leader of Jordan’s militant Salafis announced that four fighters had arrived in the Syrian border town of Daraa to fight against Assad. It was not immediately clear if the arrested men were linked to that group.

The Salafi leader, Mohammad al-Chalabi, told The Associated Press that he had no immediate information if any group members were arrested.

Al-Chalabi’s ultraorthodox Sunni Muslim group accuses Assad, who is a member of Syria’s ruling Alawite minority, of intentionally killing Syrians from the rival Sunni Muslim sect at the behest of Shiite powerhouse Iran.
…
Western and Jordanian intelligence officials estimate that up to 60 members of al-Chalabi’s banned Salafi Jihadi group, which even considers non-militant Sunni Muslims as infidels, are fighting in Syria.

In other developments, about 50 Syrian refugees in Jordan rioted in their desert border camp of Zaatari after a dust storm late Monday that destroyed 100 tents, leaving scores of refugee families out in the night cold.

A Jordanian police official said the refugees torched a private car that belonged to an aid worker and a trailer used to store medical supplies to the 32,000 residents of Zaatari camp. A Syrian refugee said police fired tear gas, causing panic among the refugee families, many of whom already had breathing problems because of the dust storm.

October 2nd, 2012, 12:28 pm

zoo said:

After more than 10 years of fights and thousands of dead, US withdraws from Afghanistan to let Afghans ‘work out a deal among themselves’…
A good example to follow in Syria.

U.S. Abandoning Hopes for Taliban Peace Deal

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/world/asia/us-scales-back-plans-for-afghan-peace.html?hp

By MATTHEW ROSENBERG and ROD NORDLAND
Published: October 1, 2012 219

KABUL, Afghanistan — With the surge of American troops over and the Taliban still a potent threat, American generals and civilian officials acknowledge that they have all but written off what was once one of the cornerstones of their strategy to end the war here: battering the Taliban into a peace deal.
The once ambitious American plans for ending the war are now being replaced by the far more modest goal of setting the stage for the Afghans to work out a deal among themselves in the years after most Western forces depart, and to ensure Pakistan is on board with any eventual settlement.

October 2nd, 2012, 12:34 pm

zoo said:

Salafism and Arab Democratization
By Kamran Bokhari

http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2012/10/02/salafism_and_arab_democratization_100258-2.html

….
Salafists are a minority among the global Muslim population and even among Islamists. Unlike members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists do not belong to a singular organization. Instead, the movement comprises a diffuse agglomeration of neighborhood preachers, societal groups and — only very recently — political parties, none of which are necessarily united in ideology.

In many ways, Salafism can be seen as a rejection of the political ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood
…
Salafists — whether they operate through legal means or through raw street power — can be expected to create problems for Egypt’s new government led by President Mohammed Morsi, especially when it comes to foreign policy matters.
…
Egypt’s difficulties are particularly pronounced given the country’s status as the leader of the Arab world, but Salafists of various stripes are slowly emerging as political stakeholders across the region, especially in Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
..
The major challenge to stability in the Arab world thus lies only partially in the transition to democracy from autocracy. Greater than that is the challenge mainstream Islamists face from a complex and divided Salafist movement.

October 2nd, 2012, 12:39 pm

zoo said:

Afghanistan’s fiasco. No wonder Obama is cautious about another adventure in the region.

Our Afghanistan Policy Ends in Failure

By Jack Kelly – October 2, 2012
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/10/02/defeat_in_afghanistan_115627.html

The war in Afghanistan effectively ended last week. We lost.

The last of the surge troops President Barack Obama sent there were quietly withdrawn. They did not leave in triumph:

• Taliban guerrillas dressed in U.S. Army uniforms attacked Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan on Sept. 14, destroying eight Marine Harrier jump jets. It was our greatest loss of aircraft since the Vietnam war. For VMA-211, it was the greatest loss since the siege of Wake Island in World War II. The Harrier has been out of production for a decade, so the losses can’t be replaced.
….
As of Monday, 1,493 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan, 70 percent of them since Barack Obama became president. About 15 percent of NATO troops killed this year have been killed by our purported Afghan allies. “Green on blue” attacks were virtually unheard of four years ago.
…

October 2nd, 2012, 12:47 pm

Jasmine said:

Turkish Airlines are offering the Takfiris one way ticket from Pakistan to the Syrian borders.
http://criticalppp.com/archives/228226

October 2nd, 2012, 12:56 pm

Observer said:

So we hear of Freddo visiting Aleppo from Addiyar. Great news indeed but puzzling how the official news agency and the pro regime outlets such as Manar are not reporting anything yet.

Orders for 30 000 troops to move Norh, but wait I thought that the commander in Aleppo was predicting an end to the campaign in 10 days some time ago.

By the way, the US will not come to Syria, rest assured and I am now convinced that a prolonged conflict to bloody Iran and draw it into a disaster is in the offing.

It is of course a lot cheaper and a lot more effective method of regime change than any attack on Iran which would rally the population around the regime and lead to major disruption of the oil flow.

Great news today, indeed.

Somaria Althad forever.

Cheers

October 2nd, 2012, 1:02 pm

Johannes de Silentio said:

49. Aldendeshe

“the Iranian Shia proven to be a Zionist helper”

We’re talking about the same Iranians who keep saying the holocaust never happened and that the Zionist state (Israel) should be destroyed, yes? Are you nuts, Alde? Iran a Zionist helper? Are you demented? Did your mother drop you on your head when you were a wee one?

October 2nd, 2012, 1:37 pm

Citizen said:

95% of ‘Syrian rebels’ not Syrians – report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbmczLdvZVY
The Syrian crisis is a result of a coherent collective effort by a gang of foreign states – that’s the message Syria’s foreign minister laid out for the UN General Assembly.

International law professor Daoud Khairallah says that Syrians would never inflict such vicious destruction on their homeland and the fact that foreign fighters are involved in the war runs against the UN charter.

October 2nd, 2012, 1:46 pm

Citizen said:

Syria at the UN: Speaking to deaf Western ears?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l97uIdoTcW8
Peace in Syria depends upon a coordinated effort not just from Damascus, but also from neighbouring states. So says the country’s Foreign Minister, who’s addressed the UN General Assembly as fierce fighting plagues his homeland. RT’s Marina Portnaya reports from New York.

October 2nd, 2012, 1:52 pm

Citizen said:

‘UK trains & arms future enemies, repeats errors of past’

October 2nd, 2012, 2:01 pm

Visitor said:

Nejjad admits economic meltdown in his mullah ruled Iranistan. The decline of the mullah riyal is progressing on an hourly basis. Today it traded at one point at 38000 riyal for one US dollar. Nejjad blames meltdown on outside so-called imperialist/Zionist designs denying any responsibility fot the downturn or the effect of bailout of the criminal nazi-like criminal thugs occupying Damascus.

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/10/02/241439.html

Further currency declines are expected as trading opens again tomorrow.

October 2nd, 2012, 2:05 pm

ghufran said:

شيع آلاف البحرينيين الشاب “محمد مشيمع” الذي قتل جراء التعذيب الذي مارسته ضده قوات النظام في السجن واثر منعه من تلقي العلاج اللازم.
وردد المشيعون شعارت غاضبة تطالب باسقاط النظام ومحاكمة ملك البحرين لقتله المواطنين لانهم يتظاهرون سلميا للتعبير عن الرأي.
والشاب “مشيمع” البالغ ثلاثة وعشرين عاما معتقل منذ اكثر من عام بسبب مشاركته في الاحتجاجات السلمية التي تشهدها البلاد منذ اكثر من سنة، وكانت المحكمة العسكرية حكمت الشاب بسبع سنوات ابان قانون الطوارئ بالرغم من وجود إثباتات ومستندات رسمية قدمها محاموه تثبت أنه كان يرقد بالمستشفى يوم تظاهرات المرفأ المالي المتهم بالمشاركة فيها .
وقد رفضت المحكمة أكثر من سبع طلبات للافراج عنه رغم المستندات والتقارير الطبيبة عن خطورة وضعه الصحي، وكان اخر اتصال معه قبل خمسة أيام حيث شكا من وضعه السيء وعدم تلقيه العلاج اللازم والمناسب ، وقال انه سوف يرسل تقريرا عن وضعه الصحي، لكنه توفي قبل ذلك.
it is a matter of time before things heat up in the gulf especially Bahrain and KSA. democracy and freedom lovers will have to start talking about the sheikh kingdoms records of human rights and women rights even if that angers big daddy. I understand it when criticism of arab governments come from democratic countries in the west but not from middle centuries-type rulers in the gulf.

October 2nd, 2012, 2:08 pm

ghufran said:

قامت السلطات السورية صباح الثلاثاء باعتقال الحقوقي البارز خليل معتوق اثناء توجهه الى عمله في العاصمة السورية، حسب ما افاد المركز السوري للدراسات والأبحاث القانونية في بيان تلقت فرانس برس نسخة منه.
وذكر البيان ان “عناصر من الأمن قامت صباح اليوم (الثلاثاء) باعتقال المحامي الزميل خليل معتوق المدير التنفيذي للمركز أثناء انتقاله من منزله بصحنايا (ريف دمشق) إلى مكتبه بوسط مدينة دمشق”.
Mr Ma’touq is not in good health.
waiting on this regime to reform itself is like waiting on a dog’s tail to straighten out.

October 2nd, 2012, 2:13 pm

ghufran said:

an update from Al-Qirdaha:

Qardaha – President Assad’s home town – is sealed off for the second day running, according to a resident of Latakia, 20km away. In a conversation via Skype, Awla Sulaiman told our colleague Mona Mahmood that the government had sent 30 tanks to Qardaha and planes were flying over the area.
The town is home to several prominent and wealthy Alawite families but it seems that conflict broke out among them at the weekend. There are several differing accounts of what happened (see earlier post). This is Awla Sulaiman’s version and, as with the others, the Guardian is unable to confirm it:
The Assad, Shalish and Othman families were spending time together on Saturday night in Qardaha. The wife of Rami Makhlouf, [President] Assad’s cousin, is from the Othman family. It is a huge and well known family in Qardaha.
According to some people who live in Qardaha, one of the men of the Othman family was asking Muhammad al-Assad: “When will Bashar leave? Are you waiting for the FSA to get to Qardaha?”
Muhammad al-Assad is one of the main supporters of shabiha [regime thugs] in Syria, with Rami Makhlouf. He provides the shabiha with lots of money.
Muhammed got very upset at the question. Not long after, Muhammad al-Assad and the Shalish family targeted the house of Rami Makhlouf’s father-in-law from Othman’s family with a hand grenade. Five members of the family were killed, but Muhammed al-Assad himself was shot and heavy clashes broke out between the two sides.
Some accounts say that Muhammad al-Assad later died of his wounds.
Yesterday, veteran Syria-watcher Joshua Landis posted a note on his blog saying:
The news about Assad clan fighting cannot be confirmed and originates from All4Syria, Ayman Abdulnour’s site. Although an excellent site, it is sometimes quick to copy reports and must sometimes retract what turns out to be rumour.
In an email to the Guardian today, Landis told us he is keeping an open mind about the repo

October 2nd, 2012, 2:23 pm

Aldendeshe said:

@GUHFRAN

You must get your idea about Syrian Security forces from Jews, who always belittle their enemy (humanity, even USA) they said Syria does not have resources in Arabia to blow up the Saudi Intel HQ, so Iran must have did it. Do you have any idea how many assets were watching every breath this guy taken in Paris? All treasonous acts against Syria must be punished. Dealing with the enemy is reason to dangle. Assad needs to be removed by the Syrian Armed Forces. A military rule must be installed to bring law an order to the country. Baathists need eternal banishment. Declare State of War and rule by Military Tribunals only until the nation is safe and secure from Islamic Terrorists.

The opposition does not have legal status as representative of the people, they have no mandate, they don’t even have support on ground whatsoever. They have received funding from enemy states and have committed heinous terrorist’s acts against Syrians and all over Syria. All Syrians, much more than the majority, considers them foreign paid Islamic Terrorists , no one think they are liberators and no one gave them that mandate legally, therefore anyone talking or dealing with them is legally an Unlawful Enemy Combatant, A treasonous person and a terrorists paid by enemy states.

If the security forces took this measure against him and others recently came back from China, there must be a reason.

October 2nd, 2012, 2:33 pm

Citizen said:

كيف سيُقسم غاز البحر المتوسط؟

October 2nd, 2012, 2:38 pm

Citizen said:

ما هو الهدف من شيطنة روسيا؟

October 2nd, 2012, 2:42 pm

Syrialover said:

Dear CITIZEN,

Everyone knows the “foreign fighters” who wouldn’t hesitate to fire the mortars and artillery shells into the Aleppo souk that set it alight would be the Iranian and Russian military personnel now involved in planning and directing Assad’s attacks.

Assad has asked them to do whatever it takes to keep him in power.
And “cleansing” a few opposition fighters in a fire is quicker and cheaper than surrounding and protecting the area.

Plus destroying the culture of a Sunni majority place would earn those Iranian helpers of Assad bonuses from their bosses back home.

Interesting to see the report: “Pro-regime Syrian media didn’t mention the fire in their reports, only referring to continuing operations against “mercenary terrorists” in Aleppo.”

October 2nd, 2012, 2:50 pm

Ziad said:

سورية الفاشية الدينية، المنحطة إنسانيا وأخلاقيا، عبدة المشروع الأمريكي-الاوروبي، خادمة الوهابية والعثمانية الجديدة، أي سورية التي تريدها تلك المسوخ الإرهابية،
هي ليست سوريتي، وليست بلدي، وليست وطني.

Bassam AlKadi
http://www.facebook.com/alkadi.bassam/posts/534996973184260

October 2nd, 2012, 2:53 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO,

Stop telling us how little you know about the internal Afghanistan situation.

Instead, better stick to information and analysis based on your apparent inside knowledge of what’s going on in Syria.

I repeat my sincere request: please share with us what you know from your inside sources about the Iranian and Russian contribution to Assad’s survival and tactics.

For example, some details on how he’s using the mullahs’ $10 billion fighting fund, and the role of those Russian and Iranian “advisers” in the ruthless burning of Syria.

Come on, don’t be selective and selfish with your special knowledge.

October 2nd, 2012, 3:17 pm

Syrialover said:

JOSHUA,

Thank you for posting that excellent background information on Aleppo from your friend in your main post above.

It’s exactly right, and will be very useful for analysts and commentators who don’t know the city.

October 2nd, 2012, 3:44 pm

ann said:

60. Jasmine said:

Turkish Airlines are offering the Takfiris one way ticket from Pakistan to the Syrian borders.
http://criticalppp.com/archives/228226

One way ticket to PARADISE 😉

October 2nd, 2012, 3:52 pm

Mina said:

And ‘Ar’ur at the FSA meeting in Rif Idlib as posted above by Josh, it was the suprise bonus in the last Million$ package?

October 2nd, 2012, 3:54 pm

Syrialover said:

Jihad Yazigi’s report on the current and future economic realities should be required reading for anyone commenting on Syria.

Joshua Landis has posted excerpts and linked it above, but I recommend the full article:

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mec/2012/09/27/the-state-of-the-economy-how-long-can-syria-survive-from-the-syria-conference/

October 2nd, 2012, 3:55 pm

Warren said:

Sunni Extremists Attack Coptics in the Sinai

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u6-DsbB2oE&feature=g-all-u

Sunni Extremists Attack Christians in Baghdad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuwR33-sUYo&feature=related

Christians in Syria live in fear

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

I’m sick and tired of Sunni extremists killing and destroying everyone who disagrees or is different from them!

October 2nd, 2012, 3:56 pm

Visitor said:

I watched Nic Rebortson interviewing the three Syrian women. It is shocking the state of denial these women are living in. They truly think they’re better off with Bashar the criminal. Worse is the mother superior who looks at the criminal exactly like the menhebeks. What planet does she live on?

Well, it has been almost two years. Choices have been made. These women and others like them had enough time to make up their minds. Some who share their faith have seen the light and will ensure a good future with the Revolution. These and others like them have no one to blame except themselves. Live by the dictator’s ‘love’ at your own discretion.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:10 pm

Warren said:

Christians held hostage in Syria

In addition to the 150 civilians who were detained earlier, another 130 Christians have been kidnapped in the village of Rableh, in western Syria on the border with Lebanon, by armed gangs in the area, creating a group of 280 hostages.

Local sources of Agenzia Fides, the information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, report the hostages were crammed into a school in the village of Gousseh, while the kidnappers released the women that had been stopped previously. The armed kidnappers announced that they intend to wait for their head and then discuss any possible ransom.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.held.hostage.in.syria/30737.htm

October 2nd, 2012, 4:21 pm

Warren said:

Syrian Christians ‘targeted’ by rebels

The Christian community is one of the oldest in Syria but increasingly one that feels threatened.

Thousands are said to have left Homs after the rebels took over.

Speaking to Today’s reporter Zubeida Malik, Reverend Nadim Nassar, a Syrian anglican priest, says he is worried “the influence from outside Syria” will affect the good relationship between Christians and Muslims.

Georgette, a Syrian Christian in Damscus, said her cousin’s home was broken into in Homs and she and her husband were threatened and asked to leave within 24 hours, or risk being killed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9749000/9749608.stm

October 2nd, 2012, 4:24 pm

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

So sad.
.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:24 pm

Jasmine said:

Ann @ 77
I prefer this one

October 2nd, 2012, 4:24 pm

Tara said:

Zoo

“their deep nature, resulting of decades of the humiliation..”.

“Deep nature” and “visceral love or visceral hate”… Very expressive..I like the phrases.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:27 pm

Syrialover said:

OBSERVER,

I always appreciate your comments. But I can’t agree with your scenario that the west is sitting back hoping and waiting for Iran to exhaust its resources on Syria.

The mullah regime can be likened to a rabid dog, running around spreading fleas and disease and inflicting nasty bites, and cutting its food supplies won’t slow it down.

Besides, they have an Assad-like approach to the country they are “leading”. The domestic economy has never been something they care about (and have proved incapable of running).

They prefer to feed their citizens distractionist stuff on Israel than struggle with the too-hard job of developing Iran to its proper economic and social potential.

The $10 billion Syrian adventure is just one more instance of the mullahs squandering the rich natural resources and human talent Iran has, without the consent of its citizens.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:27 pm

Visitor said:

TV of the criminal regime is in state of delusional denial about Morsi and Meshaal because of participating in the AKP meeting,

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/10/02/241499.html

All these years of hosting Meshaal in 5 star accommodations came to this.

يا ضيعان الخبز والملح

But honestly, why should anyone be surprised?

I personally do not care about Meshaal. Particularly because he broke the solemn oath he made in Mecca the very next day he went back to Damascus. The result was the destruction of Gazza and the killing of over 2000 Palestinians in 2009.

———————–

I noticed someone linking Bassam Al-Qadi.

Who still reads this idiot?

October 2nd, 2012, 4:28 pm

Citizen said:

Moscow warns NATO on itchy trigger finger in Syria
The Foreign Ministry has called on NATO and Middle East countries not to devise pretexts for military intervention in Syria.
Russia has expressed concern that some provocation could occur at the Turkish-Syrian border that may give NATO the green light to intervene in Syria.
“In our contacts with our partners both in NATO and in the region, including on international forums, we have called on them not to look for pretexts in order to carry out a [military] operation,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told reporters on Tuesday in Moscow.
In such a scenario, NATO would be obliged to intervene in the conflict to defend Turkey, a NATO member.
Gatilov said Russia is equally wary of establishing any sort of “humanitarian corridors or buffer zones,” which may be used to draw NATO and other regional powers into the conflict.
The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been struggling to maintain its grip on power amid a militant challenge by the political opposition. While many Western countries have disavowed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and taken sides with the rebels, Moscow is calling for both sides of the conflict to accept the Kofi Annan Plan, recognize a ceasefire and enter into peace talks.
This is not the first time Moscow has warned its NATO partners against interfering militarily in the affairs of sovereign states.
Last year, Russia, which was among five countries that abstained from a UN Security Council vote for the enforcement of a no-fly zone in Libya.
Moscow said such action would lead to large-scale military involvement in the country.
These concerns were eventually validated when it became obvious that NATO was targeting forces loyal to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was murdered at the hands of a mob immediately after being found.
Last month, the violence returned full circle to Libya when the US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens was killed following a wave of anti-American protests triggered by the release of an anti-Islam film.
Russia is concerned that by interfering in the affairs of foreign states, NATO is forced to build alliances with motley groups whose affiliation is largely unknown.
In Syria, there is evidence that Al-Qaeda has hijacked the opposition movement, and this is a scenario that could lead to disastrous consequences in the event of a NATO military operation.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:32 pm

Syrialover said:

Another atrocity inflicted on Syrians: having that pathetic blob Walid Moallam slobbering lies on the world stage as a “representative” of their country.

How embarrassing. Put him next to pinheaded Assad and you have a really bizarre freak show.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:38 pm

Citizen said:

‘Syrian rebels have fight with Jews ahead of them’ VIDEO
http://rt.com/news/syrian-rebels-fight-jews-529/

October 2nd, 2012, 4:38 pm

Warren said:

Sunnis helping Sunnis

Palestinians in Kuwait 1991

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLFhRd9kbVg

Syrians in Jordan

October 2nd, 2012, 4:40 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO, zoo, we’re waiting for you.

Forget wasting space on Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan and all that stuff. Please just give us your special insider story on SYRIA.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:44 pm

Warren said:

Palestinian-Jordanians clamor for justice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttB4qOMQjPg

Pallies are also hated in Jordan too, the native East Bank beduoins have had enough of the them and their queen Rania.

US embassy cables: Anti-Palestinian chants mar Jordanian soccer match

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/218464

October 2nd, 2012, 4:49 pm

Syrialover said:

WARREN #80 said:

“I’m sick and tired of Sunni extremists killing and destroying everyone who disagrees or is different from them!”.

Oh dear, it’s exhausting isn’t it. Not like your nice mates in the Shia and Alawi regimes.

What’s happening to all minorities in Syria ia a shocking nightmare. But I know too many educated and well-off Christians from the Middle East who from day one have been fierce in their parrotting of Bashar Assad’s propaganda against those opposing him.

October 2nd, 2012, 4:59 pm

ghufran said:

anti violence secular Syrians who want freedom and prosperity for their fellow citizens in Syria are in a very uncomfortable position.
Syria is now ruled by thugs,the regime thugs and the opposition thugs,criticizing regime violence makes you a wahhabi terrorist while criticizing rebels violence qualifies you as a regime agent or a shabeeh,decent people who want a peaceful transition have little influence over events but they still risk getting arrested and tortured by regime thugs,it takes courage to take a stand in Syria today for or against the regime but it takes more than just courage to denounce violence and random killings, you know that the country is starting to heal when the anti violence movement finally takes over, I hope to see this in my life time.

October 2nd, 2012, 5:08 pm

Uzair8 said:

Just read this french article on the alleged infighting in Qardaha. Copied and pasted it in pieces to ‘Google translate’.

Chronic disintegration. 2 / Gunfight at Qardaha, lair of the Al Assad

01 octobre 2012

http://syrie.blog.lemonde.fr/2012/10/01/chroniques-du-delitement-2-reglement-de-comptes-a-qardaha-antre-de-la-famille-al-assad/

October 2nd, 2012, 5:29 pm

zoo said:

Women to loose a lot in the new Egyptian Constitution concocted by the Moslem brotherhood and their allies the Salafists. Who will defend their rights? Hillary?

http://news.yahoo.com/islamist-secular-struggle-over-egypt-constitution-201316415.html

Magda Adly, one rights activist at the gathering, warned of “a constitution that only sees women as tasked to make babies,” saying the Islamists’ provisions would open the door to dramatically lowering the marriage age for women and ending restrictions on female genital mutilation.
…
But with liberal, leftist and secular movements weakened and with little pressure from the public, the Islamists appear confident they can get much of what they seek in a final draft and win approval in a referendum.

“There is a strong sentiment in the street for implementing Shariah,” said Sheik Khaled al-Azhari, a Salafi who sits in the assembly. “Add to that, there is a big difference between talking to people from an air-conditioned office like liberals and between living their lives and knowing their pains.”
..
Al-Azhari, who is also a TV star on a religious channel, said Islamists had one main rule guiding their hand in the constitution: “You can’t criminalize what is permitted by Shariah law.”

October 2nd, 2012, 6:49 pm

Uzair8 said:

AJA reporter :: #Syria|Qardaha :: According to Activists 14 persons were killed in Assad clan #Qardaha so far and 7 from Al Kheir Family, 4 from the Shalees Clan and 5 from Othman Clan. These clans are tearing down the Assad’s pictures in their areas.

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/aja-reporter-syriaqardaha-according-to-activists-14-persons/

October 2nd, 2012, 6:53 pm

zoo said:

Uzair8

Did Queen Rania visited the refuges camps in Jordan in a solidarity gesture?

October 2nd, 2012, 6:55 pm

Uzair8 said:

With the reports about ongoings in Qardaha it sounds like all hell is breaking loose in regime heartlands.

Just a hint of caution. Yalla Souriya takes it’s own credibility seriously:

‘All these news about Qardaha and Lattakia events need to be taken with utmost cautious as we do not have direct prove. Until then, I do not tell what to believe.’

http://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/all-these-news-about-qardaha-and-lattakia-events/

October 2nd, 2012, 6:57 pm

Syrialover said:

No ZOO, forget Egypt.

We only want to hear your special inside information on the operations of the Assad regime.

Posting stuff from other places might distract people here from what Assad’s doing in Syria.

Uh oh. You wouldn’t want THAT, would you?

October 2nd, 2012, 6:58 pm

Uzair8 said:

98. Zoo

It was just a suggestion.

I guess it’s unsafe as Assad shelling has a tendency to go over the border. Also there could be regime infitrators amongst the refugees.

Btw I was only joking in an earlier post. Just trying to be humorous and clever. Nothing personal. I regretted it a few minutes later but it was too late to delete.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:04 pm

zoo said:

Maliki’s polite reply to Erdogan’s invitation to visit: Get the hell out of Iraq

Iraq wants no Turkish presence

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iraq-wants-no-turkish-presence.aspx?pageID=238&nID=31551&NewsCatID=352

Iraq’s Cabinet has recommended Parliament abrogate treaties permitting foreign forces in the country as the Turkish government submitted a motion to extend cross-border operations against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“The cabinet decided to reject the presence of any foreign bases or forces on Iraqi land and to reject the entry of any foreign military forces into Iraqi land,” government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:07 pm

Syrialover said:

How inconvenient. What a nuisance for those who pretend and lie that Syrian-hater Bashar Assad is not being propped up by foreign fighters.

Financial Times, October 2, 2012

Hizbollah death fuels Syria rumours

Rumours that the Lebanese organisation Hizbollah is sending its members across the border to help the regime of Bashar al-Assad were fuelled by reports on Tuesday that one of its militants who was killed performing his “jihadi duties” had died in Syria.

Al Intiqad, a website affiliated to the militant group, reported the death of Ali Hussein Nassif without specifying where or how he was killed but news agencies cited local sources às saying he had been killed in Syria, where predominantly Sunni Muslim rebels are fighting the forces of the minority Alawite government.

A coalition of Hizbollah’s political opponents in Lebanon said on their website that Nassif and other fighters from the group died on Sunday in the rebel town of Qusair in Syria. Al Manar, Hizbollah’s television channel, showed the funeral of at least one other man said to have been killed while performing “jihadi duty” on Tuesday.

Opponents of Mr Assad have maintained for some time that Hizbollah has been sending fighters to Syria to assist him, but the group has denied the claims.

Hilal Khashan, a political-science professor at the American University of Beirut, said the Syrian government had become more in need of its allies’ forces as the 18-month-old uprising has worn on.

“Assad cannot rely on Sunnis – Sunnis have defected or are locked in their military barracks and the Alawites represent only 10 per cent of the population,” said Mr Khashan. “So when you have a burgeoning uprising you need fighters.”

Last month, the head of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran, which is also closely linked to both Hizbollah and Damascus, said it had “advisers” in Syria.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aef2acd8-0cc0-11e2-a73c-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz28BZlRDJG

October 2nd, 2012, 7:12 pm

zoo said:

#102 Uzair8

It came up when some silly commenter was asking why Asma Al Assad was not visiting the refugees camps. No wonder no one wants to visit the dreadful and humiliating Jordanian camps as there are regular riots from frustrated Syrians.
It’s time their villages are cleaned up from their ‘protectors’ so then can go back

October 2nd, 2012, 7:12 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO, now Iraq and Turkey huh?

But I guess you are revealing and promoting Iranian directives to Bagdhad (#102).

Does than mean you’re edging closer to telling us about Iran’s directives to Damascus?

Come on, be fair and remember to share.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:17 pm

Uzair8 said:

While reading of these unconfirmed reports from Qardaha, I couldn’t help recall a quote from John Follain’s book, The Last Godfathers, a true account of the rise of the powerful Corleonese mafia family in Sicily.

I can’t remember the exact quote but I remember an elderly man, who I think just lost a son to the mafia, was stood on a balcony watching some threatening mafioso passing below as a warning. The elder man advised his son by his side not to be provoked and predicted his mafia enemies, like dogs, would soon tear each other apart. That is exactly what happened.

I may have got some details wrong. I’ll pop into the library tomorrow and get the quote.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:18 pm

Tara said:

Two more Hezbollah funerals
The Lebanese Daily Star is now reporting on the death of Ali Hussein Nassif, the Hezbollah commander who was killed “while performing his jihadi duties” – presumably in Syria.

It says his funeral, near Baalbek in the eastern Bekaa valley, was attended by top Hezbollah officials including the head of the group’s judicial council, Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek, and the head of the political bureau, Sheikh Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed.

But Nassif was not the only one …

On Tuesday, Hezbollah’s al-Manar television showed the funerals of at least two other Hezbollah members it said were killed while performing their “jihadi duty”.

It said one of the group’s members, Zein al-Abideen Mustafa, was buried in his hometown of Baalbek, while another Hezbollah member, Hussein Mohammad Hussein Diab, was buried in his hometown of Ghassaniyeh in southern Lebanon. Both funerals were attended by Hezbollah officials and commanders.

The coffins of the dead were draped with Hezbollah’s yellow flags and carried by militants in black uniforms and red berets. Hundreds of people marched in the funeral.

Hezbollah has so far declined to give any explanation on the circumstances of their deaths.

The Guardian

October 2nd, 2012, 7:19 pm

zoo said:

The Lebanese government officially called the Syrian army during Lebanon civil war to separate the warring factions.
As the Syrian armed rebels are helped and fed by foreigners plotting against Syria and fueling the civil war, it’s the Syrian government right and duty to call for help from any friend its chooses.

If it decides to allow Egypt, Iran or any country to send military support, it is its prerogative as it is still the only united authority in Syria.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:22 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO, that’s a low blow, suggesting everyone should hold their nose and stay away from the desperate camps of Syrians in Jordan (#104).

Thank God the rest of the world does not think like that.

But WAIT, maybe you are giving us coded insider information on Asma Assad’s attitude to those dirty pesky Syrians.

If so, thanks for sharing.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:22 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO said:

“it’s the Syrian government right and duty to call for help from any friend its chooses” (#108)

Feeding us more on regime insider thinking ? Thanks. Keep it coming.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:26 pm

Tara said:

If al Moualem gain 5 more Ibs, where would it go? Supporters should consider sending him a weight watcher gift card for Christmas

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9579888/Syria-accuses-UN-Security-Council-of-supporting-terrorism.html

October 2nd, 2012, 7:35 pm

zoo said:

“Devout Islam cannot be pluralistic.”

BURAK BEKDİL
burak.bekdil@hurriyet.com.tr

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/the-mother-of-all-evil-i.aspx?pageID=449&nID=31008&NewsCatID=398
….
The article quoted influential Islamic intellectual Hayrettin Karaman as saying that: “Those who don’t believe in Islam can freely live according to their beliefs. [Thank you, Mr Karaman, for your generosity!] But if this kind of living negatively affects the life, morality, religiousness and education of new Muslim generations, measures need to be taken to create ‘special zones’ for their improper actions.”

Mr. Karaman continues: “Now we live with many people side by side … from gays to drunks to unmarried couples … A Muslim won’t like these actions, they hate them and if there is an opportunity he keeps the intention to correct and prevent these actions.”

Perfect. “Whereabouts do you live in Turkey?” “I live in the infidel quarter. And you?” “I live in Muslim Turkey.”

And that “intention to correct and prevent these actions” is at the heart of my perpetual pessimism as to why devout Islam cannot be pluralistic.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:39 pm

Tara said:

Zoo @108

You have always looked down at the Libyan and the Syrian rebels because they asked for the NATO help. Now you are finding moral justification for the Assad phalanges to get foreign help. Do you realize that this is called double standards?

October 2nd, 2012, 7:42 pm

Halabi said:

Why would a government that has hundreds of thousands of soldiers who are supposedly trained to take on elite fighters from Israel and imperialist powers, a government that is united and has suffered only a handful of defections, find it necessary to rely on a non-state actor to restore security in Assad’s Syria?

There are a number of answers. Assad’s army is depleted and bogged down on multiple fronts so it needs help. Perhaps some of the dirty work (slitting the throats of Sunni children) isn’t suitable for some of the sectarian units so the secular regime needs religious fanatics from the party of god to execute the plan. This dynamic also forms a sectarian blood lust that many Hezbollah murderers can’t resist – how often do you get the chance to kill dozens of women and children with no consequence.

Whatever the reasons are, no one can deny that the government controlling parts of Syria today has resorted to direct foreign intervention in the country. So when people say they are against foreign intervention as a principle, that means Iran, Qatar, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda should be rejected. When one side calls for Nato and the other calls for Iran and Hezbollah, it’s clear who has the sectarian agenda.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:42 pm

Son of Damascus said:

So it is silly to wonder why the wife of the president of the Republic does not go and see under what conditions those “over inflated number of refugees” are doing, since you know they are visiting their family across the border…. Pathetic.

The only silly one around here is the one pretending that they care about Syria only in the same exact post to call for further bloodshed by “cleaning up” the villages.

In case you need a reminder what the “cleaning up” a village really translates to:

Taftanaz, Idlib:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chroniclesyrianuprising/sets/72157631671076754/

Dael, Deraa:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chroniclesyrianuprising/sets/72157631663850634/

Qastoun, Hama:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chroniclesyrianuprising/sets/72157631654951006/

I can add more Zoo, I know you get you socks knocked off by watching our county flattened by your president…

October 2nd, 2012, 7:47 pm

Syrian said:

Ann
70s music!,so you are in late 40s early 50s , what happens to the wisdom that comes with age?

October 2nd, 2012, 7:48 pm

Ghufran said:

Michele Kilo in Arabic Le Monde:
http://www.mondiploar.com/article4093.html?PHPSESSID=3ccc46cb1ff36b024978d4ece6bddf89

October 2nd, 2012, 7:56 pm

Syrialover said:

TARA #111. You are too kind. Moallam is such a degenerate mess of blubber, at his age and that shape he would already be needing major medical assistance to keep going. I hope the world doesn’t think other Syrians look like that or like his pinheaded boss Bashar.

It would be weird to see mountainous Moallam standing beside Asma Assad who appears to be anorexic she’s become so scrawny now. Two faces of the Syrian regime. Anyone physically normal in that circle? Even Maher is now missing a leg.

ZOO, let’s forget the shallow reflections on Islam and Turkey and get back to Syria. Your coded messages were getting interesting.

October 2nd, 2012, 7:56 pm

zoo said:

Turkey moves to host Youtube site so as to shield Turks from provocative videos. Facebook is next?

YouTube opens new site in Turkey, giving government more control

http://rt.com/news/line/2012-10-02/#id38334

Turkey announced Tuesday that it has persuaded the video sharing site YouTube to operate under a Turkish web domain, which will give Ankara tighter control over the site’s content and require it to pay Turkish taxes. Turkey banned the site for more than two years in 2008 and has come under international criticism for its restrictive internet laws and its record on freedom of expression

October 2nd, 2012, 7:58 pm

Ghufran said:

Here is an interesting fact about Iran:
تحتل إيران المراكز الأول فى جراحات التجميل سواء تجميل الوجه أو الأنف من ناحية الكم والكيف على مستوى العالم، وفقا لتقرير وكالة إيسنا الطلابية.
وقال على رضا مصباحى أشهر الجراحين الإيرانيين فى مجال التجميل إن وجود المتخصصين والأطباء الإيرانيين فى هذا المجال والأدوات الطبية المتقدمة وطرق جراحات التجميل المختلفة بجانب رغبة الكثيرين من الجنسين فى إجرائها، أدى إلى ارتفاع إحصاءات إجراء عمليات التجميل فى إيران مقارنة بباقى الدول.
وأضاف أن تعداد إجراء عمليات تجميل الأنف أصبح متزايد لدى الذكور فى إيران، لكن للأسف أغلبهم يرغب فى إمتلاك أنف تشبه أنف الأنثى، فى حين أن أنف الرجل يجب أن تكون متناسبة مع شكله كرجل.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:03 pm

Syrialover said:

SON OF DAMASCUS #115

What a devastating illustration of the vicious, hate-filled pointless burning of Syria by Assad.

But you’ve captured Zoo’s act in one hit! (And he’s gobbling on so much about Turkey he’s becoming a feathered turkey scratching in the dirt).

October 2nd, 2012, 8:04 pm

Tara said:

Syria Berates Hamas Chief, an Old Ally, on State TV
Published: October 2, 2012

BEIRUT, Lebanon — State television in Syria issued a withering attack late Monday on a longtime ally, the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Khaled Meshal, addressing him as if he were an ungrateful child, saying he was having a “romantic emotional crisis” over the Syrian uprising and accusing him of selling out “resistance for power.”
Enlarge This Image

The extraordinary reproof, a departure from the blander tone of most Syrian official statements, was the government’s first broadside against Hamas since the organization distanced itself from the embattled President Bashar al-Assad this year, when most Hamas leaders left their refuge in Damascus and shuttered their office there.

The attack was a television editorial delivered by a newscaster in alternately stern and mocking tones, who reminded Mr. Meshal that he was “orphaned” by Arab countries who would not take him in when he fled Jordan in 1999. She implied that he must have sold out to Israel, saying that was the only explanation for the willingness of Qatar, his new host, to accept him.

Damascus seemed to be striking back after Mr. Meshal appeared at a congress of the party of Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and after Mr. Erdogan and Egypt’s president, Mohamed Morsi, pointedly declared their shared priorities of opposing Mr. Assad and supporting the Palestinians — a blow to Mr. Assad’s longstanding and domestically compelling persona as the champion of Palestinian resistance against Israel.

Hamas did not immediately respond to the attack on Mr. Meshal, who recently announced plans to step down from the group’s helm…

Damascus is most likely particularly furious that Mr. Meshal has taken up residence in Qatar, one of the countries, along with Saudi Arabia and the United States, that it accuses of bankrolling the insurgency.
…
At certain points her tone became snide: “Meshal, since you are having a romantic emotional crisis over what you call the suffering of the Syrian people,” the newscaster said, “why didn’t the Palestinian people elicit the same emotional reaction?”

She recalled how Syria defied other powers to grant him refuge in 1999. “The plane that was carrying him was sent back from the skies of airports as if he was the plague,” she intoned. “Doha and Ankara and Amman and Cairo all evaded him that day because Israel had vetoed his reception, and no one dared to defy this veto except Damascus.”

Addressing him directly, she continued, “The only possible interpretation for their sudden welcoming attitude today is that you are no longer wanted by the occupation” — referring to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories — “and no longer a threat to their safety.”

She offered a barely veiled “good riddance.”

“Syria is not regretful because it didn’t do what it did expecting loyalty or thanks,” she said, adding, “Syria is happy that the person who sold resistance for power is leaving it now.”

The editorial also took shots at Turkey’s bid to become a regional leader and champion of the Palestinian cause.

For the Turks — who have been major allies of the Syrian insurgency, providing a haven for its fighters — that role is “too big” for them to handle, the newscaster warned. “The Turkishization of the resistance is read in the Arabic language as your complete abandonment of it.”

“Meshal, remember that fire needs authentic oil or the smoke will blind eyes. And the authentic oil for the fire of resistance is distinctly Syrian, Palestinian, Arab.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/world/middleeast/syrian-state-tv-lashes-out-at-hamas-leader-khaled-meshal.html?_r=0

October 2nd, 2012, 8:16 pm

Ghufran said:

Drones will start operating in Libya soon.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:18 pm

zoo said:

Tara

The single authority of a country, as recognized by the UN, has the right to call from help from any country it wants when it sees that its sovereignty and the integrity of the land is threatened by foreign elements feeding local rebels and fueling a civil war.
This is why there are treaties of mutual defense between countries. That’s what Lebanon did by calling the Syrian army to separate the warring factions funded by foreign countries, including Israel.

In Syria, until now, the Syrian government is the sole UN recognized authority. So it has that legal right.

While Libyans had the TNC, a partly recognized and united authority in the opposition, contrary to Tunisia, the Libyans were unable to ‘win’ their revolution. Therefore with the help of Qatar and France, they manipulated the UNSC resolution voted to ‘protect’ the civilians into using the NATO power to their service of destroying the regime and killing Qaddafi.
If Qaddafi had countries allies ready to defend his regime, he would have had the right to call them and NATO would have never dared attack him. But there was nobody.
The Libyans did not win their revolution it was won for them by the West and by the Qaddafi’s stupidity in not forging solid alliances with military strong countries.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:28 pm

Tara said:

Ghufran@120

Ah… In general Cosmetic surgery can’t make ugly people beautiful, advanced or not. The only attractive actor I’ve seen in the Persian movies I watched was an Arab, and my heart melted for him..

Arabs are much more attractive. I just have not yet seen see neither the fake nor the authentic Persian beauty. Sorry Irritated.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:28 pm

Aldendeshe said:

Shia serving the zionist agenda الشيعة خدم الصهاينة

October 2nd, 2012, 8:29 pm

Aldendeshe said:

Why did the SHIA team up with the ZIONIST crusaders to fight Salahudeen Alayubi ?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091107135354AAUMd1T

October 2nd, 2012, 8:33 pm

Ghufran said:

قال المرزوقي أن صعود الأحزاب الإسلامية في “بلدان الربيع العربي” للسلطة “هدية مسمومة”، مشيرا إلى أن الشعوب العربية كان لهم طموحات كبيرة تتجاوز الواقع الحالي.
وأكد أن “الثورة المضادة أصبحت شرا يتهدد الثورة بمصر وتونس”.
وتوقع أن تسحب الديمقراطية في الانتخابات المقبلة الحكم من الإسلاميين في الدول التي عرفت ما يعرف بـ”الربيع العربي”٬ معبرا عن تخوفه من أن “توصل الديمقراطية الثورة المضادة إلى
مصر و تونس
I always supported Islamist rights to run for elections, I am just against violence.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:35 pm

zoo said:

Tara

I totally agree with the State TV address to Meshaal even though Meshaal’s move was expected a long time ago for the obvious reasons I had explained earlier.

The Palestinians are exchanging Syria, a long loyal Arab ally and supporter, for Turkey and Qatar, countries that never fought Israel or lost soldiers on the front and whose main ideology are Islam, money and business.
It’s a risky move and I think it may weaken the Palestinians even more than they have ever been.
Good luck to Turkey, now they have the Kurdish and the Palestinians problems to solve.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:44 pm

Syrialover said:

ZOO,

You seem to be oblivious to the fact that the UN has decreed that the Syrian regime is now outside the international definition and moral codes of sovereignity and is no longer seen as legitimate.

The UN has stopped seeing anything “legal” or associated with “having the right” about what Basar Asssad is doing.

But thanks for opening more windows for us into the bizarre delusionary thinking and justifications the Assad regime is feeding itself.

And I see you are telling us that Bashar Assad IS relying on Iran and Russia to help him carry out his filthy work.

Keep it coming.

October 2nd, 2012, 8:47 pm

Aldendeshe said:

Shi’as and the Dajjal? Will they follow a False Mahdi? Yes.

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?218449-Will-the-shias-follow-the-dajjal-as-their-mehdi

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?257130-Shi-as-and-the-Dajjal-Will-they-follow-a-False-Mahdi

October 2nd, 2012, 9:44 pm

Aldendeshe said:

Why did Shia help the crusaders, try assassinating Salahudin and help the mongols?

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100422170121AAjGhdP

October 2nd, 2012, 9:55 pm

Aldendeshe said:

Shi’ite see that Jews are better than Muslims:

http://www.islamicweb.com/beliefs/cults/shia_answering.htm

October 2nd, 2012, 9:59 pm

Halabi said:

Hezbollah isn’t the army of a state. There’s nothing legal about a militia sending fighters to murderer civilians in another country, even if the despot in said country invited them. But there is no use discussing laws, morals or any human norms.

قرداحة حنا معاك للموت

October 2nd, 2012, 10:30 pm

zoo said:

“UN has decreed that the Syrian regime is now outside the international definition and moral codes of sovereignity and is no longer seen as legitimate.”

Really? The Syria government was invited at the latest UN assembly in NY last week, as usual. Strange, no?
It is only in your wildest dream that you heard that the UN has officially decreed the Syrian government as illegitimate.
The illegitimate entities are the SNC and the FSA that just a couple of countries have privately recognized as representing an opposition group. For the rest of the world, they have no official existence.

October 2nd, 2012, 11:06 pm

zoo said:

The rebels announced ‘decisive’ battle of Aleppo seems to turn into a ‘decisive’ defeat for them, normally followed by the usual tactical withdrawal. Will there be any this time?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/middle-east/7762156/Assad-orders-30-000-troops-to-Aleppo

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is visiting the city of Aleppo to take a first-hand look at the fighting between government forces and rebels and has ordered 30,000 more troops into the battle, a Lebanese paper said on Tuesday.

October 2nd, 2012, 11:24 pm

zoo said:

Turkish troops fire across Syria border, kill (anti-Bashar) Kurds: NGO

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iKxnodFAJ1tOLa6CkcK52soa7eZg?docId=CNG.8b2b456bdc514b0dd075381637648f70.2e1

BEIRUT — Turkish troops fired across the Syrian border on Tuesday, killing a member of a Kurdish militia and wounding two others in the first such fatal shooting at the Turkish frontier, a watchdog reported.

“The three Kurds, members of a Kurdish militia hostile to the Damascus regime but also wary of the rebellion, were patrolling the border in (Syria’s) Hasaka province when they were hit by Turkish army fire from the other side,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

“This was the first fatal shooting at the Turkish border,” he added.

The incident occurred in in the Derbassiyeh region of the northwest province of Hasaka, according to the Britain-based Observatory.

October 2nd, 2012, 11:27 pm

Halabi said:

Hassan Hassan in the National

“Anatomy of a massacre that bodes ill for Syria’s future

Al Fan Ashamali is a small Syrian village in Hama’s northern countryside. Like many Sunni villages in the provinces of Hama, Homs and Tartous, the hamlet adjoins Alawite villages. It also links the Alawite-majority city of Surwan with the Ismaili-majority Salamiyah city.

Exactly a month ago, the village was shelled overnight by the Assad regime’s army. The next morning, armed Alawite men from the nearby villages of Telaisiya, Zughbah and Al Fan Al Qibli stormed the village. Armed with knives and light weapons, the militias reportedly slaughtered at least 30 people, including women and children.

Many have suggested these massacres are an attempt by the regime to cleanse areas for a future Alawite state. That does not appear accurate, however: too many Alawites in these villages fled and have since relocated. Many Alawites in Sunni villages also left their villages to avoid the clashes.

More likely is that teams – possibly including Iranian and Hizbollah elements – are deliberately encouraging such massacres to prepare the groundwork for future sectarian militias, through so-called popular committees.

Either way, the future of these once mixed areas is bleak. I asked Mr Abu Obaida’s son what happens to the Alawites in these villages when the conflict is eventually over. He said those who were not involved in the conflict will continue to live with Sunnis, side by side. “Before we left, our Alawite neighbour was still living there and we did not have any problems with him or his family”.

And, he added, those who were involved in pro-regime militias will have to die. But too many Alawites have joined the militias.”

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/anatomy-of-a-massacre-that-bodes-ill-for-syrias-future#full

October 2nd, 2012, 11:39 pm

zoo said:

Qatar’s Plan B for Syria: a wise choice?

Michael Stephens , 1 October 2012
http://www.opendemocracy.net/michael-stephens/qatar%E2%80%99s-plan-b-for-syria-wise-choice

In a televised interview with CNN the Prime Minister announced that there was a Plan B for Syria stating ”You need to make safe haven areas… That would require a no-fly zone.” Less than 24 hours later his Emir stood in front of the UN General Assembly to announce that ”It is better for Arab countries themselves to intervene out of their humanitarian, political and military duties and do what is necessary to stop the bloodshed.”
…
Qatar although extraordinarily rich is not a great military power and cannot deliver the punch to back up its words: it must rely on others to deliver that blow instead.
…..
The real question is not about Qatar however, but Saudi Arabia. Should Riyadh feel sufficiently bold (which would be very out of character) to mobilise and follow Qatar’s call for action, then a real substantive shift might take place. Indeed Saudi’s vastly superior technological capabilities could end the conflict quickly should it wish to mobilise its more capable units. Although Saudi forces are largely untested in war it is doubtful Assad’s forces could withstand a full scale Saudi offensive launched from Jordan.
…
This may well be the key to understanding what Qatar is doing. The Qataris are trying to drag Riyadh into a more assertive posture that produces a genuine sense of threat among Syrian decision makers. Backed by Jordan and possibly the UAE this would create a coalition that could force Assad into submission. The conflict is military at the end of the day, and it cannot presently be solved by political means. The Qataris understand this, and so does everybody else.

October 3rd, 2012, 12:00 am

zoo said:

Qatar and Turkey to rebels: Unite or die

Syrian rebels’ backers block arms cache until bickering factions unite

By Kim Sengupta
Monday, 1 October 2012

Stockpiles of arms, including anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, are being held in Turkey for use by rebels in Syria’s civil war, but their distribution is being held up because of disunity and feuding between the different groups of fighters.

In high-level discussions, Qatari and Turkish suppliers told opposition representatives that heavy weapons would not be made available until the various factions agreed to form a coherent command structure

October 3rd, 2012, 12:06 am

annie said:

124. ZOO In Syria, until now, the Syrian government is the sole UN recognized authority. So it has that legal right.

Time for the UN to boot that Syria out.
I do not have Tara’s health and can’t continue to read Zoo’s delusions
Skipping him and, in any case Ann

October 3rd, 2012, 3:07 am

ann said:

October 5th, 2012, 12:30 pm

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