Opposition Parties Fight in Cairo; Feltman Claims Sanctions Effective and Assad's Days Numbered, Eyes on Turkey

Opposition Parties Fight in Cairo; Feltman Claims Sanctions Effective and Assad’s Days Numbered, Eyes on Turkey

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser has been travelling to Russia, Lebanon and Jordan. Lebanese banks are being asked not to open any accounts in Lebanon to any Syrian even in euro…without Lebanese residency. Syrian troops have been withdrawing from Homs after a bloody confrontation with protesters there who have been demanding regime change and freedom. Over 100 people have been killed in Homs over the last week.

Associate Press November 9, 2011

The National Coordinating Body for Democratic Change (sometimes called the National Coordinating Committee) and other individuals had planned to meet today with the Arab League in Cairo about how to take the process forward for regime change in Syria, but they were prevented by other oppositionists who used violence to stop the meeting taking place. Haytham Manna is the co-ordinator for the executive committee of the National Coordinating Body in Exile, and he was injured during the scuffle that took place. The NCB representatives were also pelted with eggs.

It is of great concern that violence would be used by one opposition group against another. It is widely expected that the violence came from supporters of the Syrian National Council, who have been encouraged by the assertive and sometimes aggressive behaviour of their leadership to see the SNC as being the only viable opposition, and their numerous requests to Governments that the SNC be officially recognised as the official transitional council, however their assertion that they have the overwhelming support of the Syrian people is ill-founded, as the National Coordinating Body attracts broad support from a diverse range of political groups and individuals inside Syria….

Burhan Ghalioun had decried the attack on Haytham Manna and Michel Kilo by members of the Syrian National Council in Cairo. He writes that a “Council that doesn’t respect the freedom of opinion and rights of others does not represent us [Syrians].”

US Officials Say Sanctions Against Syria Effective, 2011-11-09 , By DONNA CASSATA

Washington (AP) — Obama administration officials say Syrian President Bashar Assad’s days are numbered as economic sanctions and Arab League opposition have undermined the regime.

Jeffrey Feltman, an assistant secretary of state, and Luke Bronin, an official with the Treasury Department, told a Senate panel on Wednesday that sanctions by the United States and European Union have squeezed an already troubled Syrian economy. Separately, an increasing number of Arabs want Assad to go because he is destroying Syria….

U.S. Trying to Form Regional ‘Contact Group’ on Syria, November 09, 2011
By David Lerman

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. is working to form a regional “contact group” to help resolve the crisis in Syria, a top State Department official told Congress today.

“We’re running with this idea,” said Jeffrey Feltman, assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian affairs.

Democratic Senator Robert Casey of Pennsylvania, the subcommittee chairman, proposed creating a “Friends of the Syrian People” contact group last month. He said today the group would serve “as a main point of international engagement for the democratic opposition and the Syrian people.”

Feltman said the State Department supports the idea. “We’re talking to others about it,” he said. “We’d like to try to get the Arabs themselves to play a leadership role in this.”

He said the issue may be raised at a meeting of the Arab League on Nov. 12. “Now is the time for the Arab League to really take some action,” he said.

Casey said his panel was exploring whether U.S. sanctions against Syria might be expanded to increase pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to step aside.

Luke Bronin, deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes at the Treasury Department, said the impact of international sanctions against Syria have been “profound,” mostly because of European sanctions against the Syrian oil industry.

Aussama Mounajed on The World – NPR – Syrian Opposition Urges International Protection

Analysis: Syrian attack on rebel city mocks Arab peace plan
Alistair Lyon, LONDON | Tue Nov 8, 2011

(Reuters) – Syria’s assault on the recalcitrant city of Homs has shredded an Arab peace plan and exposed the failure of world outrage to force President Bashar al-Assad to halt a violent crackdown on an eight-month popular uprising.

Tanks and snipers have battled to cow protesters and hunt army defectors in Homs, killing more than 100, activists say, since the Arab League said on November 2 that Damascus had accepted a plan to pull the army out of cities and talk to its foes.

“The Arab peace plan died on arrival,” said Murhaf Jouejati, a Syrian-born scholar in Washington. “There has been no let-up in the violence. The Assad regime is in complete defiance mode.”

Arab foreign ministers will review the plan on Saturday, but Syrian opponents of Assad show no surprise at its fate.

“I don’t think anyone in his right mind was expecting Assad to pull his troops out of the streets and allow peaceful protests,” Walid al-Bunni, a lawyer and often-jailed dissident who left Syria for Paris two weeks ago, told Reuters….

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Syria’s behavior after the Arab peace plan was “absolutely unacceptable” and that it “could no longer be trusted.

But, like his British counterpart William Hague who deplored Syria’s policy, he offered no blueprint for action.

The West has urged Assad’s foes to form a united, coherent front, but Chatham House’s Shehadi said this was absurd, given the diversity of opinion lurking beneath years of repression.

“This is not really an opposition, this is the whole of Syrian society,” he said.

Without decisive outside moves or the growth of a more powerful insurgency at home, Assad could survive for years, said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma

“Today, the opposition remains weak and the Syrian military has the upper hand. That could change if the opposition begins to construct a real insurgency, if Turkey goes to war against Syria by supporting some sort of insurgency, or if a foreign intervention is launched, such as happened in Libya,” he said.

“None of these possibilities is on the horizon,” Landis added, arguing that small guerrilla groups might begin to proliferate and harass the Syrian military and state.

“If they gain traction, foreign funding and arms, they could transform into a real insurgency over time.”

Ankara weighs options in Syria stalemate
06 November 2011, Sunday / NOAH BLASER , ?STANBUL – Zaman

In the wake of last week’s failed bid by the Arab League to halt violence in Syria, Turkey now more than ever may be pressured into creating a humanitarian “buffer zone” in Syria, a form of intervention which regional experts say carries unknown consequences. “Some form of intervention in Syria will be considered seriously if events worsen and international action is absent.” Middle East expert Oytun Orhan told Sunday’s Zaman on Friday…..

According to Syria expert Landis, however, such potential escalations are exactly why Ankara must review intervention in Syria against the possibility of further engagement. “Once you go down that road, you’re going to war against Syria, and you’ve got to be prepared to finish the job,” he told Today’s Zaman in an interview on Thursday.

Talk of intervention also raises the question of how long Turkey might be willing to sustain a humanitarian intervention in Syria, and Landis believes that any mission would be up against a regime well prepared for extended conflict. “It is becoming increasingly clear to the West that Assad remains strong on the ground, his military has remained faithful, and he retains an important degree of support from a not inconsiderable segment of the Syrian people,” Landis told Sunday’s Zaman…..

US-Turkish Security Cooperation Deepens – Jamestown Org.

Turkey-US security cooperation has remarkably increased recently. The most visible indication for this policy shift came with Ankara’s decision to host the NATO early warning radars on its soil (EDM, September 20). Later, the United States committed to Turkey’s fight against the PKK, by agreeing to the basing of US unmanned Predator drones at Incirlik base to supply Turkey with actionable intelligence. Moreover, an interagency delegation led by US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Alexander Vershbow, to discuss how to improve the joint struggle against the PKK was another major development (Anadolu Ajansi, October 28).

Furthermore, Washington finally decided to sell three Super Cobra helicopters to Turkey, which Turkey had requested for some time in order to use against the PKK (www.ntvmsnbc.com, October 30). The fact that the sale is unlikely to encounter opposition from the Senate, despite many lawmakers’ discomfort with Turkey’s harsh policy on Israel, has underscored how largely the administration’s views on Turkey is shared in the US policy community.

It was against this background that Turkey’s Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz, while attending the American-Turkish Council’s annual conference in Washington, argued that Turkey and the US are rediscovering each other and are going through a unique period (Anadolu Ajansi, November 2).

Hivos – The Syrian Uprising and the Power of Stories – Newsletter Civil Society in West Asia-Issue 4

A Friend Writes:

Homs has seen killing based on ID cards and sect as has been reported. What makes homs different than lattakia and other places where sunnis and alawis live together is that in homs the sunni population is totally in unison. There are no income differences. The poor and wealthy sunnis of homs are all united.

Another responds:

I think it is more related to the profit and loss calculations …. in Lattakia the Sunnis are half … in Homs they are 80%, so they feel more powerful in Homs.

A Sunni Homsi friend replied:
Not true. Many in Homs don’t want to unite on rising against the regime. They don’t like the regime, true, but they don’t like the resistance either. The Sunni are now more afraid from the religious thugs than the regime. A person in Homs today is afraid to say no to the thugs roaming the streets.

In Lattakia they are surrounded with HEAVILY armed Alawite populations… You need to be totally delusional if you wanted to overpower the Alawites in Latakia.

Top Syria sheikh says al-Assad wants to go back to being a doctor, Nov 8, 2011,

Berlin – Syria’s top Sunni Muslim cleric has told a German magazine that the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, dreams of implementing reforms, stepping down and going back to being an eye doctor.

‘I am convinced that he will introduce reforms gradually and permit fair and free elections with independent parties,’ Sheikh Ahmed Badereddine Hassoun, the grand mufti and most senior Sunni Islam figure in Syria, told Der Spiegel.

‘Then, after a peaceful transition, he may be ready to hang up his hat. He is not president for life,’ he added. ‘The former eye doctor Bashar al-Assad wants to return to his old profession. I could well imagine this. He has several times told me of his dream to be in charge of an eye clinic’.

The magazine said its reporter interviewed the cleric in Arabic last week at his home in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The interview appeared in German in the print version of the magazine which went on sale Monday.

Letter from Europe: NATO’s Noble Words Go for Naught

A friend writes: “got a call from pro guy who is so upset with what Hassoun said. He is fuming over how Hassoun can say Bashar will leave and become eye doctor? who will fight for him if he is going to quit down the line.”

Another friend writes:

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I BOTHERED TO READ THIS SANA ARTICLE. PERHAPS ITS MY INTEREST IN REAL ESTATE AND TANZEEM. THIS SIMPLE EXAMPLE SHOWS HOW TOTALLY BROKEN THE SYSTEM IS. HOW DO YOU FIX AND REFORM INCOMPTENCE AND FAILURE LIKE THIS? THINK OF HOW MANY YOUNG PEOLPLE HAVE GOTTEN ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED. THIS STORY OF 42,000 IS JUST IN THE LATTAKIA DISTRICT. JUST THINK OF ALEPPO, DAMSCUS, HOMS. THE FAILURE OF THIS SYSTEM IS MONUMENTAL. I SEE ZERO CHANCE OF ANY PROGRESS. BIG FAT ZERO. I have talked about the lack of tanzeem for a long time. It has caused real estate prices to stay very high and has made it very hard for new housing units to be supplied. Even a government agency entrusted with supplying youth housing is stuck and cannot do a thing. Cna you imagine the provate sector then? In lattakia, 8000 people signed up . So far only 327 were delivered. 600 are “to be delivered”. The whole task is to house 42,000 people. Back in 2002, 3220 people signed up and were supposed to take delivery in 10 years (next year). in 2004, 2716 more signed up and were also promised delivery by 2014. What is the problem? The government agency “almouassa al aama lil iskan” that is in charge is yet to secure the land for the project. Their first step was to do “istimlak” in 2007. Four years later, everything is frozen. Not only this but the promised prices for those who signed are now higher. Why? Because the “istimlak” that they did in lattakia turned out to cost more than they thought and they therefore had to compensate their original owners by more than thought. given the rising costs, the “mouassase” opted to borrow from the government general budget without interest so that they can open roads, bring electricity and sewer system to the project. Why the delay was the question asked to the project manager? He explained how they took orders before securing the land. When some land was secured through istimlak, they were not able to pay the original owners or find them alternative housing. Will they be able to compensate for all the delays and all the other mistakes? The Answer is that a committee was formed (what else?) to “study” how much each should be paid. http://www.sana.sy/ara/348/2011/11/08/380458.htm

The Financial Times

Money has been streaming out of Syria as fears for the unstable economy lead Syrians to seek a safer place for their assets, according to members of the country’s business community.

Cash is being smuggled over the border to Lebanon “every day, every hour,” said one Syrian businessman, while another claimed Syrian money is being stashed in the grey economy that has long existed between the two countries.

In what many see as an example of the cross-border transfer, Syrian state news reported last month that officials had intercepted over $100,000 worth of Syrian pounds being smuggled across the Lebanese border under the seat of a car.

Samir Seifan, a Dubai-based Syrian economist, estimated Syria’s middle and upper classes had moved between three and five billion dollars out of the country since unrest broke out in March, alarmed by pressures on the currency and the dearth of investment opportunities.

“The easiest way to smuggle money out of Syria is into Lebanon,” said Mr Seifan. “There are established channels.”

Reports of the cash exodus highlight the growing financial pressure on President Bashar al-Assad’s Damascus regime, after nearly eight months of bloody confrontations between anti-government protesters and the regime’s brutal security forces.

The loss of foreign currency earnings from the decimation of the tourism industry and an EU embargo on Syrian oil exports have put pressure on the Syrian pound, which has lost 10 per cent of its value against the dollar on the black market since the start of the unrest.

Capital controls introduced by Damascus in August prevent people from buying more than $2,000 a year in Syria without justification. Though locals say dollars can still be bought, with increasing difficulty and risk on the black market, many people are said to be seeking ways around restrictions on transferring money out of the country.

According to one of the Syrian businessman interviewed by the Financial Times, some people exchange Syrian money brought into Lebanon ‘under the table’. “We’re not Europe,” he said wryly.

As quantities appear to be either small or bypassing formal channels, the money does not show up in financial institutions in Lebanon, Syria’s neighbour, which is a crucial link to the wider world. The banking sector, under the watchful eye of the US Treasury, which this year placed sanctions on a Lebanese bank it alleged was laundering drugs money, has increased its customer accountability requirements, and overall deposits of local currency and dollars have gone up by less than they did over the same time period last year.

Lebanon’s usually freewheeling money changers are reluctant to talk about Syrian money, although the owner of one exchange bureau in Beirut said he was currently processing 400-500,000 Syrian pounds a day (roughly $8-10,000), compared with 100-200,000 ($2-4,000) a week before the crisis.

Another man in the bureau warned: “Its more dangerous to talk about this than politics,” an oblique reference to the Syrian security services’ tentacular reach into Lebanon.

Jihad Yazigi, an economic analyst and editor of the newsletter ‘The Syria Report’, said Syrians had “got used to finding ways to get money out of the country,” after years of tough restrictions on capital movement before limited economic reforms began in 2005. He said one trick was to pay someone inside Syria in Syrian pounds, in exchange for a return payment in a foreign currency in a bank overseas.

Observers of the capital flight say it is a steady flow rather than a panicked rush that could bring the Assad regime down in the short term. The Syrian Central Bank governor recently claimed Damascus had $18bn worth of foreign reserves – about 30 per cent of GDP – to keep the pound stable.

But analysts say the real amount of resources with which Mr Assad’s government has to defend the pound – and keep itself alive economically – is unknown because of a lack of transparent accounting. “The truth is that probably no one knows – not even the regime,” said one diplomat in Damascus. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011.

US to Work With Arab Spring’s Islamist Parties
2011-11-08 By BRADLEY KLAPPER, Published November 07, 2011

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton declared Monday that the Obama administration would work with ascendant Islamist parties of the Muslim world, answering one of the central U.S. policy questions resulting from the Arab Spring.

Delivering an address at the National Democratic Institute, Clinton offered a forthright embrace of the democratic changes enveloping North Africa and the Middle East at a time when the euphoria of the successful revolutions from Egypt to Libya is giving way to the hard and unprecedented work of creating stable democracies.

After decades of partnering dictators throughout the region, her message was that the U.S. would approach the new political landscape with an open mind and the understanding that long-term support for democracy trumps any short-term advantages through alliances with authoritarian regimes.

While she reached out to the religious-rooted parties expected to gain power in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere, she said nothing about changing U.S. policies toward Hezbollah and Hamas, which have performed well in Lebanese and Palestinian elections but are considered foreign terrorist organizations by the United States.

“For years, dictators told their people they had to accept the autocrats they knew to avoid the extremists they feared,” Clinton told an audience that included former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. “Too often, we accepted that narrative ourselves.”

After almost a year of protests and crackdowns, armed rebellion and civil war, the Arab world’s upheaval has left a jumbled mosaic of liberals and Islamists, military rulers and loose coalitions of reformers. No country appears unalterably on a path toward democratic governance, and for the people of the region and the United States the stakes of long-term instability are high.

U.S. interests, including the security of oil supplies, military relations and Israel’s defense, have forced the Obama administration to engage in flexible diplomacy, with different messages for different countries.

The one-size-does-not-fit-all approach has meant U.S. support for an imperfect military stewardship over Egypt ahead of elections for a new parliament and president, and largely overlooking ally Bahrain’s rough response to protests earlier this year. Washington helped a military effort that ultimately deposed Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. It also demanded that leaders in Syria and Yemen leave power, without any real means to make them do so.

“There will be times when not all of our interests align,” Clinton said. “That is just reality.”

Still, she moved to counter an increasingly common criticism from Republicans, including among presidential hopefuls, that the Obama administration’s boisterous support for the Arab Spring has foolishly opened the door to Islamist takeovers of once secular governments. Clinton took a hardline, deriding the suggestion that faithful Muslims cannot thrive in a democracy as “insulting, dangerous and wrong.” She said the United States would work with any individuals and parties willing to uphold fundamental values.

Religious and secular parties alike “must reject violence. They must abide by the rule of law and respect the freedoms of speech, religion, association and assembly. They must respect the rights of women and minorities,” Clinton said. “They must let go of power if defeated at the polls.”

“In other words,” Clinton added, “what parties call themselves is less important to us than what they actually do.”

To underline her point, she welcomed the Islamist party Ennahda’s strong showing in “an open, competitive election” in Tunisia last month, and said America will work with the party’s leaders as they join secular groups in writing a new constitution and governing.

Tunisia, however, holds little strategic value for the U.S. The story is different with Egypt, a bulwark of American influence in the Middle East under Hosni Mubarak’s three-decade rule.

U.S. officials have watched warily in recent months amid souring Egyptian-Israeli relations, violence against minority Copts and renewed popular frustration with a military leadership determined to maintain its grip on the future of the country, if not its governance. Since Mubarak’s February ouster, Clinton has gone out of her way to describe Egypt’s ruling military council as “an institution of stability and continuity,” even as the U.S. has been frustrated by the council’s slow pace of democratic reforms and continuation of the emergency laws that were a mainstay of abuse during the Mubarak era.

She took a tougher approach Monday, saying real power needed to be transferred in Egypt. “If, over time, the most powerful political force in Egypt remains a roomful of unelected officials, they will have planted the seeds for future unrest,” Clinton said. “Egyptians will have missed a historic opportunity.”

By JUDY DEMPSEY
(International Herald Tribune) — BERLIN

People in the region have been encouraged by NATO’s involvement in Libya. Sections of the Syrian opposition have called for some kind of international intervention to stop the killing of protesters by President Bashar al-Assad’s security forces, which continues despite mediation efforts by the Arab League.

Mr. Assad has warned against any intervention. “Syria is the hub now in this region. It is the fault line, and if you play with the ground, you will cause an earthquake that would burn the whole region,” he told The Sunday Telegraph, a British newspaper. Colonel Qaddafi had made similar declarations about any outside intervention. That did not stop the United Nations from giving the green light for the NATO mission.Yet Mr. Rasmussen’s noble words about principles and power are unlikely to be translated into NATO action in Syria or, for that matter, taking on other new missions in the near future.

“The main reason is the profound change taking place in the United States with regard to defense spending and foreign policy priorities,” said Nora Bensahel, deputy director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, a research group in Washington. The U.S. defense budget will be reduced by more than $450 billion over the next 10 years, amounting to nearly 10 percent of current expenditure, according to the Pentagon. If deeper cuts were made, Dr. Bensahel said, they “could undermine the ability of the U.S. to protect its vital interests worldwide, engage key allies and modernize after a decade of grueling ground wars.” Last year’s defense budget amounted to $553 billion, according to the Pentagon. The United States’ foreign policy shift from Europe to Asia also means that if and when NATO next chooses to intervene on Mr.Rasmussen’s terms, there is no guarantee that Washington will be enthusiastic to play a leading part. The Libyan campaign was the first test of how far the United
States could depend on its European allies to lead a mission.

Summing up the experience, Mr. Rasmussen said the Europeans lacked reconnaissance, intelligence and heavy airlift equipment. The United States filled those gaps. But analysts warn that the United States will not be willing to do so indefinitely, given its financial straits.

Damascus’s upper class clings to its privileged illusions
Jasmine Roman, Nov 7, 2011

As one example, poor people have started to feel the scarcity of heating diesel; they have to register their names at the general distribution company, known as SADCOP, which cannot meet requirements. Yet wealthy people can always pay double the price and a bribe to get their diesel. High fuel prices were one of the core demands that had been submitted to President Bashar Al Assad at the very beginning of the unrest.

“The government is punishing its people and trying to tell them that you either support us entirely or you’ll be smashed and die of hunger,” a government engineer said recently.

It is a complex scene and growing more so. Sanctions will unquestionably damage the economy. But it is the businessman and prominent figures in the regime who are best insulated against the short term, and it will be mainstream low-income Syrians who will be affected first…. poor people have started to feel the scarcity of heating diesel; they have to register their names at the general distribution company, known as SADCOP, which cannot meet requirements. Yet wealthy people can always pay double the price and a bribe to get their diesel. High fuel prices were one of the core demands that had been submitted to President Bashar Al Assad at the very beginning of the unrest…

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Comments (228)

mjabali said:

The US policy in the Middle East is lost as ever, lacks long term vision, and has an element of hypocrisy.

Sometimes I love to believe that there are some branches in the US government planning and conspiring, to be shocked again to see them fumble the ball time after time proving that most of their policies are reactions to events they did NOT see coming (Libya for example,) or alliances they can not protect and keep (like the Shah of Iran), and supporting the wrong guys (Saudi authoritarian/Wahabi rule for example).

One of the historical US blunders happened when they let Iran slip into religious conservatism in 1979. That was a huge mistake. The one that followed was even bigger, when the US helped foster the religious movements in the Sunni Muslim World in the 1980’s. Who was planning then?

Instead of establishing a peaceful democratic transfer of powers, fostering Secular parties, force policies to protect minorities, and to combat conservative religious parties: The “smart” people in the Obama Administration are trying to show they are COOL with those the STREET had brought without seeing what the future is about to bring (look at Tunisia, Libya and Egypt).

For this occasion I would love to share this article from al-Arabiyah today which tells of how one Islamic party of those the US want to engage is putting the picture of the husband of their political candidate for an office instead of the woman running for office herself not even mentioning the woman’s name: SO if Hillary Clinton wants to meet with representatives from this party they would not talk to her and would only speak to her Husband. ????

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/11/10/176317.html

November 10th, 2011, 1:20 am

Also from al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper today the front page/main article on how the Salafis in Egypt are becoming stronger and what is their agenda for women and Copts (Nothing to give them of course)

http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today9z500.htm&arc=data20111111-099z500.htm

November 10th, 2011, 1:35 am

jad said:

To whom posted this news round:
(Seriously, put the name of the person who publish any post on SC)

Correction regarding this:
“Top Syria sheikh says al-Assad wants to go back to being a doctor”

Dr. Hassoun publicly explain his views and accuse the magazine of changing his words:

http://www.drhassoun.com/news.aspx?id=557

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November 10th, 2011, 2:00 am

Lately I’m convinced that people on FB are much better news reporter than all the biased media in the world.
This is the reality of what happened today in Barzeh step by step written by a true witness:

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????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ???????….????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? , ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????

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November 10th, 2011, 2:09 am

Uzair8 said:

A user comment from AJE Live Syria blog:

“…I’m getting my head around what is going on in Syria I can see the stress points appearing.
Assad is a dictator who has maintained his position by favouring a small but powerful elite political party kept in power by military and secret police. Like the old Soviet model.

If the country grinds to a halt because it becomes a financial cripple Assad will no longer be able to function. Perhaps that’s a way to stop him.

The people have spoken loud and clear they want him gone. The continued actions of civil disobedience by the population will wear him down.

With the world community adding pressure in whatever way possible, sanctions and freezing assets, the combined effect may bring him down.”

November 10th, 2011, 2:59 am

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

In his post above, dated today 10 Nov 2011, Joshua Landis makes an assertion about Syria that I can agree with. He quotes himself in Reuters: “The opposition remains weak…. That could change if… or if… or if…. None of these possibilities is on the horizon.” The opposition is going to stay weak. He also asserts that in terms of political support from the people of Syria, “Assad remains strong on the ground.” With which I fully agree.

In the previous thread I said that much of Joshua’s perspective on Syria is “nutty”. #326 MINA in the previous thread said “I don’t share your harsh judgement on Josh.” Let me try to change your mind, MINA.

The most essential nuttiness in Joshua is that he asserts what he says without supporting it with evidence. That’s a constant feature of what I’ve seen in Joshua’s output this year. No matter whether he makes a bad assertion or a good one, he merely asserts it. We’re all prone to making errors in some of our assessments and beliefs and that’s why it’s nutty to not demand evidence from ourselves and from others. Here’s an instance from Joshua I’ve kept from five months ago. This is dated shortly before Bashar’s 20 Jun 2011 announcement of the intention to revise the Constitution and carry through with legislative reforms. Joshua proclaimed and prognosticated:

“There is not going to be any package of reforms that is going to save this regime…. The Alawite rule of Syria is going to collapse…. A big section of the Syrian people do not believe any of these reforms can happen internally and the only solution is to declare war on the government…. I do not believe the opposition can overthrow the regime through [armed] force or through [peaceful street protest] numbers. The economy, however, is the real Achilles heel of Syria…. Once the government becomes unable to pay salaries then loyalties will quickly crumble. Then people will begin to realise that the State does not have the solution to Syrian’s future…. Syria is a poor country and there is no business being done today. Nobody is paying their bills. Lots of small businesses are on the verge of going bankrupt…. The government is haemorrhaging money and there is no way of bringing it back in because business has come to a standstill.” Source: NearEastQuarterly.com, 2011/6/15.

The International Monetary Fund’s projection published on 26 Oct 2011 is that Syria’s economy will contract by 2% in year 2011 — IMF.org. That’s due entirely to the collapse of the foreign tourist sector. The rest of the economy is humming along as usual. Logically, economic activity couldn’t be slowed in a major way unless and until the anti-regime agitators got their numbers up on the streets and throughout the society in a major and prolonged way. There was no practical danger of such a thing happening when Joshua said the above in early June. Syria’s “hour of danger” passed on 29 Apr 2011, which was the Friday that growth stopped in Friday demonstration turnout numbers. By a few Fridays later it was clear to all on the pro-regime side that there was nothing in the situation that could get the turnout numbers to grow again: By that point the demonstrations had been happening for a couple of months with very high news profile and the people who hadn’t joined them were not receiving a fresh reason to change their minds about it.

The demonstrations were very largely confined to Fridays, which are not business days, so where did Joshua get the nutty idea that “business has come to a standstill”?

In his post above dated today 10 Nov 2011, Joshua links to the Boston Globe newspaper for the following statement: “Jeffrey Feltman, an assistant secretary of state, and Luke Bronin, an official with the Treasury Department, told a Senate panel on Wednesday that sanctions by the United States and European Union have squeezed an already troubled Syrian economy.” However, I visited that Boston Globe article and it nowhere says that Syria’s economy was already troubled. That bit was written by Joshua.

November 10th, 2011, 7:11 am

Areal said:

3. jad said:

FURTHER
165. jad said:

“????? ???? ????????? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ????????? ????? ??? ? ??????? ? ??? ??????? ??????????? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ????????? ? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????”

https://joshualandis.com/blog/?p=11827&cp=all#comment-282004

November 8th, 2011, 12:26 am

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BY THE AUTHOR OF THE NEWS ROUND UP

Do you read the comments on your blog in Syrian Arabic?

Are you only quoting comments from American website on the German Der Spiegel article ?

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1673849.php/Top-Syria-sheikh-says-al-Assad-wants-to-go-back-to-being-a-doctor
Monsters and Critics (M&C) is a web-only entertainment/celebrity news !!!!!

REALITY of western press:

I think Dr Hassoun should implement the way used by the Vatican in handling journalist request for interview with the Pope:

Ask the journalists to send their question by fax and then wait for an answer.

November 10th, 2011, 7:32 am

Mina said:

Mara
I am not convinced. Neither will I come to his rescue because it may very well hinder his career. At least, let’s not start focusing on the very person who lets this forum open. Although it is sadly not used so much by European journalists, I am pretty sure that the English-speaking ones are reading it and therefore it is a convenient place to gather information and as you do, explain how most of the videos are fabricated. For me we were already where we are today in April and it was very clear from Anthony Shadid quoting Wissam Tarif plus the very well organized people on Twitter and FB sending a daily list of what mottos should be used on Twitter and FB that there was never any will of dialogue and will never be since the strings where pulled somewhere else. I have explained it repeatedly in all my comments here since march-april. Fisk’s consciousness has started to hitch and he made a u-turn last week but since then nothing. Of course, what could he say. The Sunni Homsis, provincials if there ever was, want the MB to rule the whole Middle East and have been ready to sacrify and see the Messiah forever. No one can help them. At the same time many have been criticizing the role of the mukhabaraat in making reforms impossible in the recent years, and when he says the regime cannot survive, that is, in this shape, with these mukhabaraat networks, mafias interests (Sunni or else), it cannot survive. But still I do hope the baath will evolve into something new and “sustainable”, just like the old “communists” evolved into pale self-claimed socialists in 1989 and started to do business with all (see: Central Asia and the US).

November 10th, 2011, 9:03 am

Halabi said:

Hassoun never gets tired of twisting and re-twisting his own words. In this video, he clearly states that Assad’s Syria will activate suicide bombers in the U.S. and Europe if Syria or Lebanon are attacked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjatqLTN7wA

He said these terrorists aren’t necessarily Muslims or Arabs. I wonder how many minhebaks on SC are in these sleeper cells.

You have to love the “secular” state that promotes clerics whose ideas are identical to the worst of the extremist Islamists. Only in Assad’s secular Syria are those who ask for freedom and equality religious extremists, while others who boast about their network of terrorists considered progressive and moderate leaders.

I really do hope that Betho decides to take up ophthalmology – it would be fun to watch all his minhebak patients gush about how he’s the best doctor ever while they stumble out of the office, blinded by his treatment.

November 10th, 2011, 9:12 am

Syria no kandahar said:

Afghan&Turks in Homs
Homs is the new Fulluja,get your self some virgins:

?????? ??????? ???? ?? tayyar.org: ?? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???????? ????????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???????
??? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????. ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????.

November 10th, 2011, 9:28 am

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

FOREIGN
Oh dear, hope they didn’t find the ones I smuggled from Venus last week.

TAYYAR?

November 10th, 2011, 9:54 am

ann said:

No mercy for mercenaries. They deserve summary execution and their bodies donated to science.

November 10th, 2011, 10:37 am

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Damascus today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK9vdxdr9A4&feature=player_embedded
Isn’t this looking like a civil war?
.

November 10th, 2011, 10:42 am

Science @ 12

ALL Meet Dr. ANN Mengele

November 10th, 2011, 10:53 am

newfolder said:

video detailing the massacre at Barzeh Damascus yesterday and the execution of a protester

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lLBLIZDIIE

November 10th, 2011, 10:57 am

what’s happening in Syria is that a security force and army mainly made up of Alawis is massacring a protest movement mainly Sunni, due to the makeup of the said forces by the late Hafez(may shit be on his grave).

If none of you think this is going to result in a sectarian war and a possible genocide against the Alawais, then you’re being overly optimistic, perhaps even delusional. What started as a popular movement for basic civil rights, is slowly morphing into an armed guerrilla insurrection due to the violence and killing and refusal for any meaningful reform process by the regime.

You only have yourselves to blame of you keep supporting this regime, vengeance will probably be the order of things in the future, and mass killing of Alawis.

November 10th, 2011, 11:08 am

I would donate ANN’s body to the nearest sewage swamp or garbage dump.
.

November 10th, 2011, 11:09 am

14. SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

All meet the defender of cold blooded mercenary killers!

November 10th, 2011, 11:13 am

17. Amir from apartheid Tel Aviv

Don’t you have a Palestinian child to kill today?

November 10th, 2011, 11:15 am

SpaANN,

Your mnheback Syrian junta killed more Syrians, than Israel killed Palestinians and Lebanese, combined.
.

November 10th, 2011, 11:19 am

20. Amir from apartheid Tel Aviv

Thank you for admitting israel cold blooded killing of Palestinan and Lebanese babies.

Mercenary killing civilians in Syria is not the same as Syrians killing Syrians.

November 10th, 2011, 11:28 am

#19 not even Israel bombed mosques and destroyed minarets, or wrote there is no God but Bashar inside people’s homes. But Assad has. Assad is worse than the worst Zionist could ever be.

Doesn’t it make you feel ashamed that in the Golan they can protest freely and have more rights than Syrians inside Syria??? Tfoo 3aleky wa 3ala Assad al kalb which made Syria like this.

November 10th, 2011, 11:29 am

22. newfolder

Don’t you get tired of promoting and defending israeli propaganda on this blog?

November 10th, 2011, 11:34 am

#23 don’t you get tired of promoting a genocidal mass murderer? How do sleep at night, how do you live with yourself? Have you seen the faces of the mothers who lost their kids to his killing machine?

You will never know unless you meet the same fate, and it will be soon if Assad has his way with Syria. He would rather burn Syria and see it consumed in the flames of a sectarian war than give up power. All dictators are the same, and all the people who support them are the same. Wretched scum of the earth, and cursed by generations to come.

Also, all the minhibakji idiots never mention the Syrian prisoner freed in the latest exchange We’am Amasha, who was welcomed home in the Golan with cheers against the regime. Why does your idiotic media never mention this guy??? So much for your momana3a, til7aso tezze.

here’s his home-coming video, in your face minhibakji scum, his shoe is worth all of you and your lisping idiot president.

November 10th, 2011, 11:42 am

Observer said:

Can anyone explain to me the reason(s) why there are fewer commentators on this blog than before? I do not read Aboud or Ehsani or OTW anymore. There is no hidden agenda in my questions. Are they banned? If not would they please offer an explanation. I have posted less than before because I work for a living and I got tired of sterile inconsequential posts thar regurgitate this or that point of view of the situaiton in Syria.
Hamster I tried to comment on the web site you invited me to but cannot see my comments. Any explanation.

November 10th, 2011, 11:46 am

Majed97 said:

Post # 16 is a classic example of the type of democracy being advocated by this so called “revolution”. It is loaded with threats and intimidations for those who do not agree with his cause, whatever it is… “You only have yourselves to blame of you keep supporting this regime, vengeance will probably be the order of things in the future, and mass killing of Alawis.”

I sense lots of frustration and anger in these words, perhaps out of disappointment in the failure of this movement to generate support from the masses. I’m not sure how Syria will be five years from now, I just hope it will still be there, because voices like that expose the true agenda of this “revolution”. Be afraid, be very afraid of THIS alternative…

November 10th, 2011, 11:47 am

24. newfolder

You, your credibility and your israeli agenda have been outed on this blog.

November 10th, 2011, 11:48 am

#27, no yours has. Watch this and weep:

home-coming video of We’am Amasha, in your face minhibakji scum, his shoe is worth all of you and your lisping idiot president.

November 10th, 2011, 11:51 am

this is what Assad’s Alawi army does best, firing at people’s homes and filming themselves laughing while doing it. I swear to God, we will come into your villages and do this to you, it will be payback time, you will lose your children as we’ve lost ours, just you wait. Very soon.

November 10th, 2011, 11:57 am

28. newfolder

Switching to filth is not going to help you improve your bankrupt israeli propaganda agenda.

youtube is a playground for teenagers

Your credibility is as high as that of kalid tlass

You’ve been outed

November 10th, 2011, 11:59 am

Ghufran said:

Spelling mistakes should be avoided in the title section,it gives the wrong impression,sanctions can be effective not affective.
Thanks

France 24 airs a report about the attempted assassination of an activist in Bab Sbaa Homs, the incident is caught on 2 cctv cameras, he is interviewed and talks us through the events as they unfold.

Watch as Assad’s filthy shabiha do their master’s dirty work:

November 10th, 2011, 12:07 pm

irritated said:

#15 Newfolder

We’ve seen version 1 already. Is this version 2?
Same problem: There is a jump from the guy talking to the soldiers and the guy ‘dead’, please find that missing pieces and repost.
We don’t know who shot the guy, and as the cameraman is just on the side of the soldiers, if he did not prevent the alleged shooting, he is an accomplice
Waiting for version 3.

November 10th, 2011, 12:14 pm

32. newfolder

France 24 is a mouth piece of israeli propaganda when it comes to reporting on Syria. They lost their credibility when they fabricated the defection of the Syrian ambassador to France.

They only air fabricated news about Syria.

youtube and facebook are the playground of teenagers

you’ve been outed

November 10th, 2011, 12:18 pm

#33 look. I know you’re living in denial, you don’t want to believe that these monsters are capable of killing people in cold blood. But we’ve seen them. We’ve seen them executing people in the streets ever since this uprising began. there are hundreds of videos showing security firing into crowds of protesters. The proportion caught on video is less than 1% of what’s happening on the ground, think what else goes on unrecorded.

Why don’t you put one and one together? there’s a protest, there are armed security forces who are shooting. Several people end up dead. gee, I wonder who did it? could a meteor have fallen from space and shot those people in the head????

here’s another clear video of security forces shooting protesters in Idleb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVbKwT7iKT4

Btw you can find several dozen of these videos, showing clearly security shooting at crowds. Go to youtube, and search.

November 10th, 2011, 12:33 pm

A Bunch of riffraffs, also known as the Syrian army. Some wear uniforms, some a strange mixture of jeans and uniforms or uniforms and sneakers. How pathetic they look. It looks like a Somali militia, rather than regular army.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBHH1FOetyo
.

November 10th, 2011, 12:37 pm

#34 sure jadebeh. Frace 24, and CNN and AlJazeera and ALArabiya and BBC and Reuters and AFP and AP and VOA and CBC and ABC and CBS Huffington Post, New York Times, Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, le Monde, Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and every other reputable media station on God’s earth is involved in covering up and lying about Syria because they’re so jealous of Assad’s benevolent rule and how he made Syria into a paradise which is the envy of Switzerland and Djibouti and a lesson in democracy and human rights for all mankind.

Tayeb don’t you feel just plain dumb believing that? Oh yeah forgot, you have to be a class A idiot to support Bashar in the first place.

November 10th, 2011, 12:39 pm

I thought this piece of news on Shukumako Syrian news site about taking the domestic opposition members to Qatar is nothing but the usual propaganda until I read this note from Bahia Mardini on her FB.

“Bahia Mardini:
News of a possible “reconciliation” meeting in Doha, between the members of the Syrian National Council and the National Coordination Committee, where they will discuss the Arab League’s initiative”

“Bahia Mardini
????? ?? ???? “??????” ???? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???????? ???????.”

It seems that the whole beating and eggs’ throwing charred was nothing but a planned theatrical act for the specific reason of buying the domestic opposition by Qatar so they can unite with the SNC before the meeting on Saturday:

«???????? ???????» ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ??????:
— — — — — — — —
??? ???? “????????” ?? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? – ??? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? – ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ???? “?????? ??????” ???? ?????? ????? ?????.

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

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

November 10th, 2011, 1:23 pm

OFF THE WALL said:

Dear Observer
Your comments are on now. Please see explanation on the site.

November 10th, 2011, 2:03 pm

ghufran said:

do you think poor syrian women will be better than their Iraqi sisters if a civil war or a foreign invasion erupts?
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/09/world/meast/iraq-freedom-project/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

November 10th, 2011, 2:04 pm

welcome to Iraq
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/09/world/meast/iraq-freedom-project/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

November 10th, 2011, 2:05 pm

Newfolder (old envelope)
I had the same discussion with my ex-boyfriend a few months ago. So what? It’s the middle east. In Yemen, in Iraq, in Bahrein, in Iraq, people are being slaughtered. On a daily basis in Africa numbers of victims can be hundred time more and no western eye will blink.
So let’s say, your friends who are protesting are about 50 percent and they want the regime to fall. Let’s say they may even be 51 or 52 percent, but let’s not forget that they may as well be 49 or 46 percent.
What do you think the other side will do? I mean, the soldiers, the mukhabaraat, the conservative elites, etc. ? They will go home and shudder with fear?
A revolution needs a minimum of organisation and of agreement on a common platform. The Twitter/FB youth in Egypt and Tunis have been dupped in thinking that the 5 percent of altermondialist leftist they were would simply have to smile to the MB and say flower power to do the trick. But thing don’t work that way. Same goes with the rich kids who organized the first FB mini protest, where less than 50 people turned up in Damascus last spring.

November 10th, 2011, 2:18 pm

Ghufran

That’s quite opportunist a report, to say the least. A lot of what the article says is available in the Wikileaks published at the end of August and which no main newspapers bothered to publish apparently.
http://wikileaks.org/origin/145_0.html

The author lies when he says that there is no cooperation from Jordan and Syrian authorities, as is clear from the cables. Which does not mean they have any power on it (it is often involving inner family circles, according to the cables), but the same abuses are true about all the South Asian maids in the Gulf and nearly everywhere in the Middle East.

November 10th, 2011, 2:26 pm

#37 newfolder

ALL of these repeated at nausea that Iraq had nuclear weapons. They all lied. It caused the death of hundred thousands and a human disaster in Iraq. They were all copying articles of the New York times written by a zionist journalist.
Did they ever apologize? Did they pay any indemnity to the people they harmed and still harming by their desinformation: Zilch!

The Youtube videos are a joke: 90% are fabricated and this is on what these media rely to prepare their catchy headlines.

There has been cruelty, stupidity and death on both sides of the conflicts, no doubts. Now, that the time has come to stop, we see the SNC and their LCC cronies calling for more violence…
No mercy for people who refuse the ceasefire and the dialog, they are the criminals.

November 10th, 2011, 2:33 pm

jna said:

Syria Undercover: Live chat

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/11/09/syria_undercover_live_chat

1:27 Ramita Navai:
I did not see a single armed protester. From the testimonies I heard, and the video footage that was shown to me, the violent response – especially at the start of the uprising – was completely unprovoked. However, the situation is changing. Activists are starting to arm themselves – this is something that they have told me. Some activists are also working alongside armed deserters, and I have been told there are firefights between armed groups and security forces. But it’s important to state again – I did not see one armed protester among the thousands that I saw.

1:55 Ramita Navai:
We did not see any shooting – we would have mentioned it in our film if we had – however, we heard shooting, but of course as we did not see it, we could not verify what it was. We were lucky there was no shooting at the protests we attended – I was sent video footage of a protest in one of the same neighborhoods we had visited and, in that instance, they were not so fortunate.

November 10th, 2011, 2:40 pm

zoo said:

Merry Christmas, Mr Obanyahu

Report: U.K. government expects Israel to attack Iran within 2 months

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-u-k-government-expects-israel-to-attack-iran-within-2-months-1.394760

A senior source in the British Foreign Office divulges that working assumption is that in order to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability, Israel may attack ‘as early as Christmas.’

{…}

November 10th, 2011, 2:41 pm

Syrians in Homs told SANA “Life is Normal”
( DP-News )

HOMS- Homs, the most Syrian city that was affected by the actions of extremist armed groups in the past weeks, has returned to normal, locals stated in the national media.

In statements released by SANA and local press agencies, families and public workers deny having shortage of products and basic needs, as some foreign media affirm.

“Families and the State’s employees in Homs underlined that life is normal in Homs, and there is no shortage in the goods and basic needs of people in contrary to what some provocative channels broadcast.” SANA reported on Thursday.
Director of Homs bakeries Khaled Jomaa noted that flour and bread are being distributed in all suburbs as usual; underlining that private and public bakery shops continue working during these days of celebration of the Eid al-Adha, according to SANA report.

In turn, Amer Turkmani, in charge of the urban aqueduct, assured SANA that all districts are being supplied with drinking water and his office has not received any complaints about the lack of water.
Director of Homs Communications Kanaan Joudeh underlined that the phone network is working well in most of Homs surroundings, adding that the maintenance workshops are mending the defects resulted by acts of sabotage at the hands of terrorist groups.

Wa’el Obeid, Head of the Cleanness Department in Homs referred to intensified operations to clean the city’s neighborhoods and remove the debris and roadblocks set up by the armed groups in some streets.

SANA quoted Syrian citizens of Baba Amro, Bab al-Sibaa and al-Naziheen suburbs in Homs who stressed that life is normal, shops are open, all basic needs are available and the children are enjoying their Eid holiday.

Reports indicated that “These statements contrast with reports released by Qatar´s Al-Jazeera and the Saudi Al-Arabia news channels, which paint a very bleak picture of the situation in Homs.”
Even though Homs and its neighboring towns are the most harmed by terrorist armed groups supplied from abroad, the situation is not as catastrophic as the world believes it is, stated on Wednesday the Governor of the province, Ghassan Abdelaal.

November 10th, 2011, 2:45 pm

After three failed attempts, any success this time?
Syrian Opposition Calls for General Strike

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Syrian-Opposition-Calls-for-General-Strike–133598173.html

The opposition Syrian National Council is calling for a general strike on Thursday to protest what it says is a brutal government crackdown in the central Homs region.

November 10th, 2011, 2:49 pm

Libyan cleric announces new party on lines of ‘moderate’ Islamic democracy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8879955/Libyan-cleric-announces-new-party-on-lines-of-moderate-Islamic-democracy.html
….
Until the revolution Dr Sallabi had been living in exile in Qatar. He is closely associated with the controversial Doha-based cleric, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, regarded as the spiritual leader of the worldwide Muslim Brotherhood movement.

He is a close ally of Abdulhakim Belhaj, the leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group who was once extradited to Libya with MI6 support and who is now head of the Tripoli Military Council.

“In general towards the West there is now a good feeling rather than a bad feeling.”

Critics allege that “moderate” Islamist forces still leave no room for genuine secular beliefs such as equality of the sexes and homosexual rights and are a bridgehead for more radical politics later on.

Qatar’s influence has come under bitter attack from secular leaders like Ali Tarhouni, the de facto deputy prime minister who was previously a US-based academic.

Last week, Libya’s ambassador to the United Nations, Abdelrahman Shalgam, launched a vituperative assault in a television interview. “Qatar might have delusions of leading the region. I absolutely do not accept their presence,” he said.

“We don’t consider them neutral in Libya. They are backing certain people, we know their names.” Dr Sallabi accused Mr Tarhouni and Mr Shalgam of “false criticisms”.

November 10th, 2011, 2:58 pm

JNA
There is plenty of videos of armed protesters on Youtube from March April. But this “undercover reporter” does not speak Arabic and cannot use Youtube?

November 10th, 2011, 3:09 pm

bronco said:

Jad

It seems that the NCC is close to joining the SNC as their requests have become apparently identical: observers to protect the civilians and toppling the Syrian regime.
Yet it is not clear if they have the same meaning for ‘toppling’: Will they ask Bashar to step down before the dialog starts or when it is concluded?

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=102730

After meeting with Arabi, Hassan Abdul-Azim, the general coordinator for the National Coordination Association of the National Democratic Change Movements, said the association that works inside Syrian government rejects foreign interference and supports toppling Syrian regime.

Abdul-Azim asked the pan-Arab organization to send Arab and international observers to protect young protestors from oppression.
Abdul-Azim is the only person from the Syrian delegation that was able to avoid protestors and meet Arabi.
Regarding the delegation’s stand toward freezing Syrian membership, Abdul-Azim said, “before the decision of freezing, we asked the AL to play its part.”
He said that as “a national opposition”, they want to form a government which includes “all classes”, adding that “we reject foreign interference.”

November 10th, 2011, 3:16 pm

Bronco,
It seems that they were bought by Qatar, how disappointing, and the incident in Cairo was planned in advance.

Here is what Building the Syrian State party (Louay Hussein) is asking for from the AL it seems that his position is closer to the Russians:
????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????
http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/571348/

????????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ???????
by ???? ???? ?????? ??????? Building The Syrian State on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 8:47am

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

????? ?? ???????
????? ???? ???????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????.
??????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????. ????? ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ?? ????????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???????.
????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ??????? ????? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ?????? ????????? ???????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????????? ??? ???? ??????????? ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????.
????? ????? ?? ???:
– ??? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ????????? ??.

– ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ???????.

– ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???????. ???? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ???????? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ???????.

– ????? ??????? 55 ???? ???? ????? ????????? ?????? ????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ??????.

– ????? ?????? 69 ?? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ?????????.

– ????? ???? ????????? ??? ????? ??????????. (?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ????????? ??????????)

– ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ??????? ????????? ??????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????.

– ??? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??????. ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????. ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???????.

– ???? ?? ???????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ???????? ???? ???????. ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ????? ??????? ?????? .

– ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ???????.
?? ??????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???.

November 10th, 2011, 3:24 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/571365/

November 10th, 2011, 3:25 pm

What a headache: the Syrian opposition refuse to discuss with the government because it is too secular while the NGOs in Egypt refuse to discuss anymore with the military who are currently in charge of the state because it is too close from the MB.
Read it here, where you can also find a link to an article published in the London Review of Books about Lybia, from bad to worse.
http://www.arabist.net/

Ghalioun days at the SNC are numbered after he is becoming increasingly isolated.
?? ?? ?????? ? ???????
The SNC wil become an arm for the MB and maintain a hawkish and rigid political position that can only reduce the support it will receive from syrians and foreign governments except Turkey and the US.

November 10th, 2011, 4:02 pm

Ghalioun will probably quit the SNC

November 10th, 2011, 4:04 pm

Son of Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLnHzLNuT-M&feature=player_embedded#!
.

November 10th, 2011, 4:05 pm

My posts are being directed for moderation.
I was talking about Ghalioun becoming isolated inside the SNC and that he may have to leave soon.
The opposition will never unite under one umbrella,it is time that groups with a unified vision form individual parties
That get registered and compete for seats in any new and clean elections,assuming that the regime can be forced to
Accept that foreign concepts.

November 10th, 2011, 4:08 pm

37. newfolder said:

Frace 24, and CNN and AlJazeera and ALArabiya and BBC and Reuters and AFP and AP and VOA and CBC and ABC and CBS Huffington Post, New York Times, Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, le Monde, Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and every other reputable media station

REALITY

During the last G20 summit in Cannes , two presidents have a very frank “hot mic” conversation about a well known prime minister they have to deal with every day.

Journalists attending the press conference heard the undiplomatic remarks.

None of them reported the comments in the “reputable” media ,
until an alternative media broke the silence

http://www.arretsurimages.net/contenu.php?id=4449

November 10th, 2011, 4:12 pm

The key difference between the NCC and the SNC is whether the dialog will happen under the government of Bashar al Assad or if Bashar needs to step down before the dialog starts.

Until now the NCC position was that the dialog could start with the Bashar government and at its conclusion, there would be an agreement of the passage of authority.
The SNC revised position in their last meeting in Turkey was clear.They will NOT have any dialog with Bashar al Assad governement.

This is probably the issue that has been discussed with the AL.

In my opinion, it is impossible that the AL makes an agreement with the same government they are asking to step down. It would be a null agreement. The moment that the AL made the agreement they are recognizing implicitly that it is that same governemnt that will implement it.
Qatar after having been criticized by Libya for their blatant interference are maybe trying to mend their reputation as islamic war mongers.
It is possible that on Saturday, the AL will invite officially the opposition to the dialog maybe under Farouk Sharaa leadership but still within Bashar’s government. The SNC and NCC will have to give an official acceptance within a certain time.
They will ask the Syrian government to commit to a date for total withdrawal of army units if this not already don. They will invite arab and specific foreign countries to send observers and international journalists will be allowed in the country imbeded with the observers.
Let’s see…

November 10th, 2011, 4:22 pm

Jad,the pressure on the regime must continue but not through armed resistance and violence.sending observers is an idea I support.
The way decent people like Manna’ and others were treated by those idiots in Cairo was a wake up call to anybody who thought that a dog’s curvy tail can straighten up with time.
Moderate educated syrians must take the lead in the political struggle against the regime while watching the hawkish islamists form their own party and compete in elections like everybody else,they will win seats but will never be able to form a government without the help of NATO.

November 10th, 2011, 4:23 pm

Friend in America said:

Mjaboli at #1:
A couple of comments for your consideration:
• The world is very dynamic – therefore everyone’s foreign policies are unstable and often lag events on the ground. That’s my observation.
•In the last 50 years everybody experienced loss of foreign policy objectives in the Middle East, including America’s foreign policy in Iran. Other countries include Soviet Union, U.K., France, Egypt, Iraq and others. This instability varies from country to country and from time to time, so some policies stay fixed for years but not always, not everywhere.
• Several foreign policy desks in Washington did forecast the liklihood Syria would experience an Arab Spring and worked very intensely on that question. However, the higher ups were unable to formulate a clear policy proposal for the President and as a result the U.S. policy became “ad hoc.” That has happend a number of times during the present administration.
• Your 4th paragraph cites the failure of the U.S. to effect a peaceful transfer of power to a democratic regime in Libya. You are not alone in that observation. My question is how would you suggest America could effect such a transfer without being accused of “heavy handed” interference or keeping such a new regime safe from accusations of being a stooge of the west?

November 10th, 2011, 4:25 pm

Observer,

There is one reason why this SC is shrinking of it’s commentators.
The reason has a name: Camille – also known as Alex.

That is why all the eloquent and reasoned people migrated elsewhere, and now we’re infested with acute mnhebaks. Now Alex is doing same mistake, and he continues to ban and threaten others with banning. I hope someone wakeup soon before this SC goes hasta la vista.
.

November 10th, 2011, 4:26 pm

50. bronco said:

Abdul-Azim is the only person from the Syrian delegation that was able to avoid protestors and meet Arabi.

The terrorists of the SNC managed to frighten and bypass Haytham Manna and Michel Kilo so that Abdul-Azim had a “private” meeting with Arabi.

Then the democratic Ghalioun offers his excuses.

Welcome to Free Syria .

November 10th, 2011, 4:34 pm

SC is alive and well,we support Alex in banning people with a filthy mouth.
Israelis and pro Israel dudes here can post like all of us and play by the rules or emigrate to israelcomment.

November 10th, 2011, 4:36 pm

Violence in Turkey against civilians calling for the resignation of the governor of Van after a new earthquake
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=protesters-clash-with-security-forces-in-quake-zone-2011-11-10

Note: The video is extremely tense and violent, even an old woman is bullied…Syrian videos look pale in comparison.

Protesters clash with security forces in quake zone

A violent clash occurred today between protesters and police forces in Van at the scene of the collapsed Bayram Hotel.

A group of protesters gathered around the collapsed Bayram Hotel to protest Deputy Prime Minister Be?ir Atalay and Münir Karalo?lu, the governor of Van province in eastern Turkey, as they were preparing to depart the scene following their visit
The group began throwing stones at the police forces, while shouting chants and calling for the governor to resign. Police forces responded with tear gas, turning the protest into a confrontation.

DHA reported that the clashes were still continuing.
{…}

November 10th, 2011, 4:40 pm

Amir

“the eloquent and reasoned people migrated elsewhere”

Are you eloquent and reasoned ?

November 10th, 2011, 4:43 pm

?????
???? ? ? ? ? ? ???? ‘????? ??????’: ?????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ??????.
??? ???? ?????? ?????? ????????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ????????. ????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????. ??????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ??????. ?????? ????? ‘??? ????? ??????’ ??? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ??? 42 ???. ????? ????? ?????? ???????? ???????.
????? ?? ???? ????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ????????. ????? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? -????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????- ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ???????.
?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?????.
?????? ????? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ?????.

November 10th, 2011, 4:46 pm

If the Kurdish Syrians get an “autonomous” region like Iraq’s Kurdistan, then Turkish Kurds will ask for the same.

Assad to play ‘Kurdish card against Turkey, report says
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=assad-to-play-8216kurdish-card-against-turkey-report-says-2011-11-09

Syria is looking to destabilize Turkey by providing greater autonomy to the Arab republic’s Kurdish population in the wake of Ankara’s demands that Damascus heed the demands of the country’s opposition, French daily Le Figaro has reported.

The Bashar al-Assad government has begun to support the Kurdish people living in Syria’s north, which is reportedly home to 1.9 million Kurds, in an attempt to pose a threat to Turkey in its fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), daily Hürriyet quoted the daily as saying yesterday.

Assad has taken advantage of the current crisis in the country to establish a “Kurdish autonomous region” in Syria in the event that he falls from power in a similar fashion to Col. Moammar Gadhafi in Libya.

The president has been preparing the ground for a Kurdish autonomous regional administration by opening Kurdish schools in the country’s north, reported Le Figaro, adding that the language of instruction was Kurdish and that the Kurdish anthem was sung every day.

November 10th, 2011, 4:51 pm

64. irritated said:

Very well said irritated. Thank you.

November 10th, 2011, 5:29 pm

Tara said:

39 civilians murdered by the Syrian regime today including 6 children.

November 10th, 2011, 6:08 pm

Defiance of city seen as key to Syria’s fate

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e6b7be9e-0ae4-11e1-b62f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1dLgKegk

By Abigail Fielding-Smith in Beirut

In eight months of mounting violence in Syria, the city of Homs stands apart for the grim determination of Bashar al-Assad’s regime to stamp out resistance and the growing role of the armed opposition that is fighting back.
With independent media largely banned from Syria, the reports filtering out through residents’ testimony and grainy Youtube videos paint a picture of life in Syria’s third largest city as confusing as it is disturbing. Parts of Homs appear to have been shelled by Syrian tanks in the last ten days as the regime battles with armed opponents.

Meanwhile, in a worrying echo of events in neighbouring Iraq, dozens of bodies killed in mysterious circumstances are reported to have turned up around the city and its environs.
Mohammad Diab, a writer from Homs now in neighbouring Lebanon said of his hometown: “Its chaos in Homs, there is no safe place. Anyone could kill anyone.”
The only thing that is clear is that the dynamics playing out in the city will have a profound impact on the future of Syria.
“If the Syrian regime can control Homs, they can control Syria for the next six months,” says Rami Abdulrahman from the ndon-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory.
Since April Homs has seen some of the largest protests against the Assad regime, and been dubbed “the capital of the revolution”. The response of the regime has been fierce. But in spite of the large military presence now there, defiance remains. According to an activist who left the city a few days ago, residents in one besieged district refused bread handed out by the military. Other activists say there are still daily demonstrations, albeit brief ones.
But increasingly, Homs is becoming known for its armed response to a crackdown which has claimed more than 3,500 lives across Syria. Weapons are said to be relatively easy to come by via the nearby Lebanese border, and it is estimated that there are now hundreds of armed fighters, including defected soldiers, battling the regime there.
Although the fighters are reported to have been largely routed from their base in the Baba Amr neighbourhood, which Syrian state news reported had been “besieged” by “armed terrorist groups”, the regime is not yet in full control of the city.
“Homs is a successful model of pushing back against the security services. And that’s what the regime is trying to challenge,” says Peter Harling of the International Crisis Group.
There are also alarming reports of intercommunal violence in the city. Homs, like Syria itself, has a majority Sunni population, but unlike in some other protest strongholds, such as Hama and Deraa, there is also a substantial minority of Christians and Alawites, followers of the offshoot of Shia Islam to which most of the regime belongs.
While villages surrounding the city tend to be divided along sectarian lines, different faiths coexisted comfortably in the urban centre before the outbreak of unrest in March. As the violence has increased, however, it has put a strain on community relations. Opponents of the regime are said to be targeting not only the army but also those they say are assisting it, blurring the battle lines between residents and regime forces.
“The Sunnis say ‘we’re not killing them because they’re Alawites, it’s because they’re shabbiha (a pro-regime militia)’,” said Mohammad Diab, “but I think its too hard to know now who is who.”
In the last few weeks, a cycle of tit-for-tat killings has been reported, in which more than 100 people are believed to have died. Some Alawites and Sunnis living in neighbourhoods in which they are a minority are said to have moved out.
According to Peter Harling, while individual incidents are hard to corroborate, the overall pattern is clear. “We’re slowly moving towards civil war,” he says.

November 10th, 2011, 6:18 pm

21 killed across Syria, activists say (Read the new disclaimer added at the end of the article)

APBy ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY – Associated Press |
http://news.yahoo.com/21-killed-across-syria-activists-154535733.html

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian security forces raided homes and clashes erupted between soldiers and army defectors Thursday, killing at least 21 people across the country, including an 8-year-old girl and six soldiers, activists said.

….

“Key sources of information are amateur videos posted online and details gathered by witnesses and activist groups who then contact the media, often at great personal risk.”

November 10th, 2011, 6:21 pm

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Hear-Syrians-suffering-France-urges-20111110

Hear Syrians’ suffering, France urges
2011-11-10 22:46

Johannesburg – French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe on Thursday urged South Africa to hear Syrians’ suffering, after the nation refused to support a UN resolution condemning a deadly crackdown on protests.

On the first day of Juppe’s visit to South Africa, he urged the nation not to remain “deaf to the distress of Syria and remain passive in front of crimes against humanity committed in Syria”.

“The South African people represent the legacy of the ANC,” he said in a speech at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Last month South Africa abstained from a vote at the UN Security Council for a resolution backed by Western powers to condemn the violence, claiming a “hidden agenda” to bring down President Bashar Assad’s government.

November 10th, 2011, 6:22 pm

SANDRO LOEWE said:

My congratulations to all supporters of the syrian eternal regime. Today you scored 39 ¨terrorists¨. Is this what we were grown up and educated for? Is this our eternal Panarabism? Is this the only way we know to show the world how much ¨shatir¨ syrian civilization is? Are we proud of our highly develop skills for dialogue and democratics?

I am just waiting the opportunity to travel to Homs and Hama to meet my friends there to spit at their face and call them ¨terrorists¨, anti arabs, sionists and bad syrians.

It does not matter if they are bedouins or rural people who has nothing to do with foreign powers or even islamism. They just deserve death for unveiling the real nature of the sucking syrian regime.

November 10th, 2011, 6:33 pm

Pro-Israeli Lobby Group Made BBC, Sky News ‘Change Narrative’ On Stories

“The wording in all these examples clearly suggests that the likes of Sky News, the BBC and the FInancial Times are subordinate to BICOM and freely dispense with any balanced objectivity to prostitute themselves as mouthpieces for this lobbying firm.”

http://www.prisonplanet.com/pro-israeli-lobby-group-made-bbc-sky-news-change-narrative-on-stories.html
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Monday, November 7, 2011

Ahead of a widely-expected Israeli-led attack on Iran, Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre, an elitist pro-Israeli lobbying firm, has been caught “briefing” the British mainstream media on how to present news items relating to Israel, bragging in a leaked email of how BBC and Sky News editors “changed their narrative” on stories after meeting with BICOM representatives.

The revelations came to light as a result of the fallout from the Liam Fox scandal. British Defence Secretary Fox was forced to resign last month after details emerged of Fox’s relationship with Adam Werritty, a front man for the now defunct Atlantic Bridge Research and Education Scheme, a lobbying group that posed as a charitable “think tank” which was designed to promote neo-conservative thinking amongst foreign policy hawks in the US and UK.

Werritty attended numerous defence meetings with Fox despite the fact that he was not employed in any official capacity by the British government. It later emerged that Werritty had plotted with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad to carry out regime change in Iran and had traveled to Iran to meet with various Iranian opposition groups.

Werritty’s Atlantic Bridge group received funding from BICOM via the patronage of Michael Lewis. “Bicom has been linked to Werritty, and paid for the 33-year-old’s flight and hotel bills when he attended a conference in Israel in 2009 to speak about Iran,” reported the London Guardian.

BICOM is bankrolled by billionaire Chaim “Poju” Zabludowicz (pictured above), ranked 18th on a list of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom. The organization has financially contributed to all three main political parties in the UK.

The current CEO of the group is former Labour Member of Parliament Lorna Fitzsimons, who revealed her contempt for the democratic process when she told a conference last year, “Public opinion does not influence foreign policy in Britain. Foreign policy is an elite issue.” Fitzsimons took over from previous BICOM chief Danny Scheck, a former high-level Israeli foreign minister.

Fitzsimons unwittingly spilled the beans on the astounding influence wielded by BICOM when she mistakenly sent an internal email to members of the press that was subsequently leaked on the Internet.

However, the shocking contents of that email have barely even been mentioned by any mainstream media source since its release. This is an eye-opening illustration of how the establishment media is fed talking points and controlled not by objective integrity, but by well-financed and agenda-driven lobby groups.

In the email, Fitzsimons reveals how BICOM officials regularly meet with editors and journalists from the BBC, Sky News and the Financial Times to ‘brief’ them on how to frame issues relating to Israel in order to ensure that, “the most objectively favourable line was taken.”

“Throughout the weekend, BICOM staff were in contact with a whole host of BBC and SKY news desks and journalists, ensuring that the most objectively favourable line was taken, and offering talking heads, relevant to the stories unfolding,” wrote Fitzsimons. “BICOM’s Senior Analyst Dr. Noam Leshem, briefed the BBC World News Editorial Board on Saturday afternoon regarding the fall-out from the Israel Egyptian Embassy siege. After contact with the BICOM Media Team, SKY News changed their narrative in explaining the prior events in the region which lead up to this weekend.” (emphasis mine)

Later in the email, Fitzsimons reveals how BICOM “had regular contact with the Editor at Large of Prospect Magazine, David Goodhart, helping to inform him about the forthcoming UN vote on Palestinian statehood.” She also notes how BICOM was able to get its talking points out via an article she wrote for the Huffington Post.

Fitzsimons then boasts about how a BBC reporter was chaperoned by BICOM during a visit to Israel.

“BICOM has one of BBC News’ key anchors on a bespoke delegation. When planning her very first trip to the region, Sophie Long got in touch with BICOM to see if we could help her out with meeting in the region. Sophie is now spending three days of her trip with BICOM Israel, taking a tour around the Old City, meeting Mark Regev and Dr. Alex Yacobsen, as well as visiting Ramallah and Sderot.”

Do you think it’s likely that Long’s impartiality regarding Israel was affected by the fact that she enjoyed three days of hospitality on behalf of a vehemently pro-Israeli lobby group? Does this correlate with the BBC’s taxpayer-funded mandate to provide unbiased news coverage?

Fitzsimons also reveals how she personally, “briefed Jonathan Ford, the Financial Times leader writer for his upcoming leading article in tomorrow’s paper.”

Note the term that Fitzsimons uses to describe her meeting with Ford. She didn’t provide him with an ‘interview,’ nor did she give him a ‘quote’ – she “briefed” him on what to write. The wording in all these examples clearly suggests that the likes of Sky News, the BBC and the FInancial Times are subordinate to BICOM and freely dispense with any balanced objectivity to prostitute themselves as mouthpieces for this lobbying firm.

This is an outrageous admission of how powerful lobby groups, and we’d be naive to think there aren’t an army of them doing the same thing as BICOM in different fields of influence, are insidiously controlling the media agenda in the United Kingdom – particularly as it relates to Israel and Iran.

This takes on an even more ominous tone given the fact that the press is gearing up to spin this week’s IAEA report as a justifiable pretext for a planned military assault on the Persian nation.

Read the BICOM leaked email in full below.

November 10th, 2011, 6:43 pm

AS Observer noted in 25 we have fewer reasoned assesssments of the current conditions and more postings asserting the shortcomings of those they dislike, but never acknowledging their own.
For myself I made a deliberate decision to post fewer posts during these dangerous times because this is Syria’s struggle. I am just an observer.
But I have always enjoyed Observer’s comments.

Questions for Ann, Majed97 and other defenders of the regime:
• Do you agree with the statement that Bashar and his inner circle would chose to let Syria burn in a civil war than give up power?
• If you agree, at what point would you say it is time for Bashar to leave for the sake of peace?
• We have seen 3 responses to this question so far this year: Gadaffi said let Libya burn; Mubharek said he won’t leave, then was persuaded by international interests, the King of Tunesia said I won’t let my people shoot each other because of me. What will Bashar’s final response be?

November 10th, 2011, 6:46 pm

“39 civilians murdered by the Syrian regime today including 6 children.”

Are those CIVILIANS included in the following crimes done by the terrorists today or just the regime did the killing of all of them including the children, the soldiers and the kidnapped ones!

??????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????..????? 3 ?? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?? ????

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-??? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ( ??? ?????? ????? ) ????????? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? , ? ?? ?? ????? ???? ???? ( ???? ?????? ?????? ) .
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* ???? ????- ??? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? 2????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ????? ???????? 263000 ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ????????? ?? ,,,

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????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ?????????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?? ???????? (?????? ????????)?????? ??? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????
? ??????? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ???

????????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ? ??????? ?????? ?????? ????? RPG

November 10th, 2011, 6:47 pm

IRRITATED

Very interesting your intelligent and accurate observation about sources of information.

According to YOUR sources (one of which may be of course your high level of intelligence) there is a studio in Hollywood or Qatar where fake videos are being footed. Journalist around 200 countries in the world are sending faked news because there is a global agreement aiming Syria, that of course is the center of the world. The richest country in the world aimed by every single power. Journalist around 200 countries in the globe have no other worry in their lives than cheking faked news on a daily basis and editing faked videos.

I think one of the problems of syrian urban citizens is the paranoia of feeling moukhabaraat are always tracking them. This may explain why they have developed this paranoia of persecution in the global scene too.

Hey guy, open your mind to the world, talk with people, read newspapers, see reality, get out of your mental prison. And do not IRRITATE, relax…

November 10th, 2011, 6:53 pm

JAD

They are dead people anyway. Be soldiers, children or your terrorists, they are above all syrians who have been caught in the middle of a fight between a people based movement and a decaying corrupted regime who tries to remain in power. Soldiers who die in Homs have no choice but to execute orders from their corrupt managment. Right that they have the choice to defect but we cannot ask defection while they are in risk of being executed by shabbiha. So, at the end those soldiers are martyrs of this revolution too.

The problem is that the real criminals are not in the army but in political and security apparatus charges, and will use their soldiers´ lifes to keep their power as long as they can.

After 7 months of watching this barbaric show I wonder what happen in the minds of those who still remain assadists.

November 10th, 2011, 7:02 pm

Do not you wish that any country other than Turkey can talk about human rights and tolerance?
FYI ,there is less than 100,000 Christians in Turkey,less than 0.1% of population.
Turkey’s large Alevi and Kurdish population are largely sidelined or unable to express their cultural and religious rights. Any look at Turkey’s history in the last 500 years gives scholars a clear vision of how forgiving and tolerant ottomans and their faithful sons were.

November 10th, 2011, 7:08 pm

Sandro #76
Sarcastic compliments are always welcome.

“According to YOUR sources”

MY sources are the same as YOURS that you recommend to “open our mind”. The difference is that I am critical of all sources because I think they are all biased.

Between naivety and paranoia there is middle ground. That’s what I am attempting to find.

November 10th, 2011, 7:12 pm

What can we expect from an Arab League which is the union of arab dictators with 2 or 3 exceptions? What legitimacy they have to try to mediate between a dictatorship like them and the people demands? We have to hear at them because they are arabs? I think it would be better to declare Syria a non-arab country, to create a name for the genetical mixture the syrian people really is. And to pray to be expelled from the Arab League. I am sure we could learn much more from islamic non-arab countries like Turkey and Indonesia. Once panarabism was a dream, then it was a wishfull thinking, today it represents a disgrace for freedom of the arabs.

Sandro #80

Double standard

The Libyan ‘success’ is credited to “an Arab League which is the union of arab dictators with 2 or 3 exceptions” .
It gave the greenlight to NATO to ‘protect’ the civilians.

I am sure the Libyan are grateful to and praise the Arab League for their decision.

November 10th, 2011, 7:21 pm

“SC is alive and well,we support Alex in banning people with a filthy mouth.
Israelis and pro Israel dudes here can post like all of us and play by the rules or emigrate to israelcomment.”

I totally agree, who doesn’t want to comment it’s his own problem, if you want your criminal buddies and those sectarian views that reflect your sick mind there are plenty of sites that you can go to, people who were banned from SC they actually deserve it, they were calling for rape, killing and sectarianism, this not a personal blog for anybody, and if you can’t write within the rules go somewhere else, albab befawet jama, and if your friend was banned and you are so sad for loosing his/her filthy and hate comments so much you can easily befriend with them on FB or by email, we don’t have to read there filth to make you happy.

Alex, as always, he is still doing a great job. He is one of the main reasons many of the people on here write, he helped this forum for long time longer than any of the fluffy whiners.
When many of you Syrians were afraid to speak out your mind and be vocal about the Syrian politics Alex was supporting us, he helped us to speak out and to criticize and to talk about any subject we wanted without any limit, but the moment he showed a slightly different approach than your destructive crazy opinions you start attacking him forgetting everything he did.
I don’t blame you, I blame your short memory and your misunderstanding of the freedom you are calling for, what is freedom without being able to speak out my mind without the fear of your knives and threats.
If this basic element that I can be different in my view that anybody else made you all so violent and start your personal attack and threats of killing how are you going to build a ‘democratic’ ‘healthy’ society?
It actually shows that the ‘dictatorship’ we all are claiming to fight does exist inside each one of us and until the moment we all realize this reality we are going to live in the ‘Dictatorship’ state until we finish each other.
Stop the disgusting personal low attacks against Alex and look in the mirror and fix yourselves.

Dear Alex, I thank you for everything you do/did/doing for all of us.

November 10th, 2011, 7:34 pm

IRRITATED #81 Said:

¨I am sure the Libyan are grateful to and praise the Arab League for their decision.¨

Yes I am sure too that the syrian would be grateful to and praise the AL if it dared to ask the end of Assad mafia.

If they cannot deal with people demands the Arab League should disappear or simply have no political role since they are mostly dictatorships and corrupts. Tunis, Egypt, Lybia and Turkey should create a new international group for the good of arab future and islamic democratization.

November 10th, 2011, 7:40 pm

This is from Marwa al Ghsmian, one of the first female activist in Damascus arrested and tortured by the regime, expressing an opinion in Hassan Abdul Azim. Thanks to True from the Wall for providing this link.

http://all4syria.info/web/archives/35867

??? ??????? ????????? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? 11/10/2011
????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????…? ?????? ? ????? ??????? ? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ? ? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? 30/9/ 2011 ???? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????? ? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ? ??? ??? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? 8/10/2011 ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ????? ??? ? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ????????? ?????? ????? ??????? ( ?????? ????? ) ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??????? .
??? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???????? ???????
?????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???????
???? ??????? – ??? ???

November 10th, 2011, 7:46 pm

Tara #84

Please share with us more bio-information about this lady. Who is she? When was she arrested and tortured, for what reason? Thanks

November 10th, 2011, 8:00 pm

????? ????????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ????????? ?? ??????
????? ?????????: ????? ?????? ??????.. ?? ?????? ???????? ???????

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?? ??? ???? ????? ????? ???????? ????????? ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?????????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ???????? ? ????????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ???????.
?? ??? ??????? ???? ???????? ???? ?? ????? «?? ???? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ????????? ???????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??????».
????? «???? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ??? ??? ?????? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ?? ??? ??? ???????? ???????????? ????????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??????????? ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?? ???????? ??????? ?????????? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????????? ????? ????? ??????? ??????».
???? ?????? ?????????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? (????? ?) ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? (????? ?) ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? «?? ????? ???????? ?? ??????? ????? ???????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ????? (?) ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ????? (?)? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?????».
????? ?????? «?? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?????: ?????? ?????? ?????».
??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? «?? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??? ????????? ??? ???? «???? ??????» ?? ??????????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????».
????? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? «?? ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? (??????) ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???????? (??? ?????? ???????) ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ???????».
????? ?????? «???? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????».
?????? ?????? «?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?????????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ????????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ???????? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ????????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ????????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ??? «??? ????»? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ???».
????? ?????? ??? ????? «?? ??????? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ????????? ??? ????? ??????????? ???????? ??? ?? ?????????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ???? ????????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ?????».

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=2000&ChannelId=47353&ArticleId=1047&Author=%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%AF%20%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84

November 10th, 2011, 8:01 pm

Hezbollah, Iran Could Abandon Assad in Syria
Bashar al Assad’s previous supporters may be hedging their bets against his demise
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/11/09/hezbollah-iran-could-abandon-assad-in-syria

By JESSICA RETTIG
November 9, 2011
Amid aggressive international sanctions and strengthening opposition within his own borders, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has so far maintained a tight grasp on power in his country. But, according to regional experts, the end of his rule has become increasingly imminent, and even worse for him, his regional partners, like Hezbollah and Iran, are starting to take note.

In a recent interview, Assad threatened a regional “earthquake” if foreign powers intervened in Syria, causing worry in the region that a desperate Assad could lash out with, for example, an attack on Israel. However, if he does decide to regionalize the conflict, his best means of doing so—through proxies like Hezbollah—may not be an option.

“His ability to impact the region has definitely diminished,” says Randa Slim, a Middle East scholar at the New America Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. “Because of this realization that the Assad regime is not going to be here to stay, players in the region including Hezbollah, Hamas, and PKK, have to start hedging their bets and reconsidering their interests.”

Despite a recent agreement with the Arab League to end violence, Assad’s regime has reportedly continued its repression of Syrian protesters, bringing the total number of state-sponsored deaths to more than 3,500 this year, according to a report released by the United Nations this week. But even with the recent acts of violence, it seems unlikely that foreign powers, and especially those facing domestic tensions in the West, would intervene against him militarily.

However, even without the international threat, it’s possible that he will still want to broaden Syria’s internal tensions across the region to deflect his own problems. According to Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a national security research organization, it’s likely that if his power begins to unravel, Assad may try to pull Israel into a conflict in order to get support from Syrians and other Arab nations.

“If he’s really in the death throes, there’s obviously some advantage to regionalize the conflict,” Dubowitz says. “That means doing something provocative where he would hope for some Israeli response to rally Syrians around the flag, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran itself, and certainly rally support in the Arab world.”

Ordinarily, and even just a few months ago, Slim argues, the easiest way for Assad to instigate such a conflict would be through Hezbollah in Lebanon or Iran itself. Hezbollah, and its close ally Iran, have been supportive of Assad, but Slim says both are reaching a point where they would no longer take significant risks for Assad’s sake. Instead, she says, there are already signs that they’re looking beyond Assad to maintain influence in the geographically vital nation.

Dubowitz agrees, saying that if he’s pushed into a corner domestically, Assad will most likely ask Hezbollah, or other groups, like Hamas in Gaza, or the PKK in Turkey, to act out in the region. The question is whether they’ll do so. “I think he’ll try. I’m just skeptical he’ll be successful,” he says. “At that point, the calculation will be, from both Hezbollah and Iran, that Assad is gone, now they need to figure out a way of expanding their influence in a new Syria, opposed to Assad’s Syria. They’re already working on that.”

Since Assad will hang on to his power for as long as possible, Slim says, the situation within Syria will likely only grow bloodier and more violent as time passes. “The regime is weakened but remains resilient. The main pillars of this regime remain in support of this regime. We haven’t seen profound cracks in that level of support,” she says, noting that the country’s business elite and the military still haven’t left his side.

Nevertheless, she says that there’s been anecdotal evidence that Assad’s opposition is gathering weapons and that the now peaceful protesters may become more aggressive. If and when it reaches that point, his support domestically and from previous regional partners won’t last long.

“They’re going to be looking for their long-term interests,” she says of Assad’s allies. “And they have to calculate against the benefits of supporting what everybody now seems to understand to be a dying regime, or a regime in its last throes.”

November 10th, 2011, 8:03 pm

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???? ?????? ????? ??? «???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????????» ?? ????? ????????? ???? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ??????.

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????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? 20 ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??«???? ???????» ??? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ????? «???? ???????» ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ????????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ?? «???? ?????????» ????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? «???? ???? ?????? ???????» ??? ???? ????????? ?? ??? «???? ???????»? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?? «??????» ???? ????? ???? ??? ????????? ??????? ??«???? ???????»? ?? ???? «????». ?????????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ????????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???????? ???? ?????. ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? «?????? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????»? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ???????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ??? ?? ????. ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ????????? ???????? ?????? «???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ????????? (??? ????? ???? 2008) ??? ?????? ????????? ???????». ??? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??????? ???? ?????????? ?? ??????? ???????? ????? ?????: «????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? (???????)? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ????? ????????». ???? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ?? «???? ???????» ???? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? «????? ?? ????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???????? ??? ?????»? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???????? «???? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????»? ???????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? «??? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ???????». ??? ??????? ???? ?? ??????? ????????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? «?????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???????? ????????». ????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????????? ??? ??? «???? ???????» ???? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? «????? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ?????????? ?? ??? ????». ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? «????? ??????» ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??? «?????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????????? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ????? (zone tampon)». ??? ??? ??? «???? ???????» ??? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?? ??? «????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??????? (?????? ????? ???????) ?? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ???????»? ??? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? «????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????». ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??«????????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ????????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ?????»? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???????. ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? «????? ????? ???? ????????» ?? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????? ????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? «???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??????».
?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ????????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? «???? ???????»? ???? ??????? ??? ??«???????» ?? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ????? ???????. ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??? «??? ????? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???????? ???». ??? ??????? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? «?? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????»? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???????? ???? «?????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????». ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ??? «???? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ???????». ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? «??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ?????»? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ????? ?????. ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ???? ???? ??? ??? «?????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????».
??? ??????? ???? «???????» ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ??????. ????? ????? ????????? ????? ??? «??? ??????? ??? ????????? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ???????». ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? «????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ???». ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ????? «????? ?????? ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ????????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ??????». ?? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? «??? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ?????». ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? «??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????»? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????????? ??? ????? «????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? ?????????? ??? ??????»? ??? ?? ???????? «??? ???? ?????» ????? ????? ?? ???????.

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/25487

*** European economies are unraveling from over leveraging and
*** recession while their governments are focused on punishing
*** Syria

Roubini: Italy Is Doomed And Will Exit EMU

http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2011/11/10/roubini-italian-debt-restructuring-and-eu-exit-coming-unless-ecb-qes/?partner=yahootix

Bond Vigilantes May Target France As Italy Approaches Point Of No Return

http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2011/11/09/bond-vigilantes-to-target-france-as-italy-is-past-point-of-no-return/

Greek Euro Exit: 60% Currency Devaluation, Default, Banking Sector Collapse

http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2011/11/03/greek-euro-exit-60-currency-devaluation-default-banking-sector-collapse-2/

November 10th, 2011, 8:04 pm

Sandro #83

“If…they should…..”… they should…

Do you think they’ll read and follow your decided advices, or you are just venting your own frustration ?

November 10th, 2011, 8:06 pm

Bronco said:

Ann #89

Syria’s troubles and Iran’s IAEA report are offering a exciting diversion for the citizens of the economically troubled Europe.

After Papandreou and Berlusconi, who is next?

November 10th, 2011, 8:10 pm

Tara,

Thanks for your links. Interesting confirmation from Marwa. Other sources confirm the same facts. Assad is trying to play Machavelli, by playing the king and the opposition at the same time. Hafez was a good pupil of The Prince but I am afraid Junior is not.

How Assad words implosioned inside his own regime:

http://altoraifi.wordpress.com/tag/machiavelli/

November 10th, 2011, 8:13 pm

MBC TV is an entertainment channel based in Dubai and owned by the company that owns Al-Arabiya TV. A Lebanese Christian was the host of a game show on MBC TV. His first name George (my only basis for saying he’s Christian) and I forget his last name. Early last summer in an interview on Addounia TV, he spoke in support of the Assad government. Shortly afterwards, in response to his words on Addounia TV, MBC TV dismissed him, and cancelled his game show, “out of respect for the Syrian people”. Out of nutty credulity for Al-Arabiya’s unverified reports that the regime was brutalizing the Syrian people. I’m still holding a grudge about that. But I see today that the stellar Najwa Karam, another Lebanese Christian who’s hard-core pro-regime, is right now appearing in advertising commercials for an upcoming entertainment show on MBC TV.

And I’ve come across at least two senior spokespersons of the regime saying “we want to be friends with the Saudis and we are going to be friends with them as soon as the smoke and fog surrounding Syria’s political situation clears up better.” Pro-regime Syria is not going to be holding grudges against anybody for their nuttiness this year. Which is the best policy.

November 10th, 2011, 8:16 pm

Bronco,

I googled her and found the following

http://alsakher.com/vb2/showthread.php?p=1719016

?? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???????? 15/3/2011 ?? ??? ????????
????? ? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ???????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ??? ??????
????? – ????? – ?????? ?????? ??????? ????? ” ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? 2011 ” ??? ???????? ???????? ?? ” ?????? ???????? ” ???? ??? ?? ????? ” alsham spring ” ???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?????? . ???? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?????
???? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ???????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ??????? . ??? ?????? 20/3/2011 ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ??? ????? ????????? ??? ?????? ??????
?????? ????? . ????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ??? .
??? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? 25/3 ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ???????? ????? : ???? ????? ??????? ????

http://www.levantnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=77:civil-society-human-rights&layout=blog&Itemid=78

???? ??????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????: “????? ?????? ???????” ??? ??????
???????. ?? – ?????? 02 ?????1/?????? 2011 04:54 ?????? ????
????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ???????? ????????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ??????.
“????? ?????? ???????”? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? (26 ????) ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ????/???? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ????????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?????.
??? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ???????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????????? ???? ???? 12 ?????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ??????? ????????? (??????) ???? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????.
?????? ??????
????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ????????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???????.
????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?????????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ???????.
????? ????? ???? – ?? ???? ??????? ??- ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ??????????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????.
????? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ??????/????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ??????.
??? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????.
????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ????????? ????????? ????? ??? ????????? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ????????.
???? ??????
??? ??????? ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ?????? – ?? ???? ??????? ??- ??? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?? “???????? ???????” ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ????????.
??? ????? ??????? ??? ??????? ?? – ?????? ??? ??? ????- ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???????.
????? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????? ????????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????.
???? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????.
???? ?????

November 10th, 2011, 8:30 pm

Associated Press 27 Aug 2011 (late summer):

The Dubai-based MBC Group said it has decided to cancel a show hosted by George Qordahi that was to start airing next week “out of respect for the feelings of the Syrian people.” Qordahi had publicly declared that the government’s reform plan was the only means to build a future in Syria. Qordahi under public pressure later retracted his comments, saying that he was concerned that change in Syria take place without chaos.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/13741-mbc-cancels-george-qordahi-show-over-his-pro-assad-views

Wimp.

November 10th, 2011, 8:43 pm

Thanks for the link. Her arrest is nebulous as she does not want to to talk about it. She was not tortured.
She is certainly a determined militant but her opinion about Hassan Abdel Azim and the NCC is totally subjective as it based on circumstancial evidences that lead her to make her own conclusions.
You can believe her allegations that the whole NCC is an extension of the Mokhabarat if you want, I don’t find it credible.

Remember that your dear Heckle Ford received the eggs and tomatoes when he visited Hassan Abdel Azim. I know Heckle is dumb, but not that dumb to visit an agent of the Mokhabarat disguised as an opposition leader.

November 10th, 2011, 8:50 pm

Norman said:

If Iran is attacked will Syria gain or lose,

November 10th, 2011, 8:55 pm

Bronco

How is her opinion based on circumstantial evidence when she was asked by the Mukhabarat to coordinate with the NCC?

? ? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? 30/9/ 2011 ???? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????? ? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ? ??? ??? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? 8/10/2011 ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ????? ???

There is a chance that she is lying and the NCC is rather genuine but if so, what is her motive for discrediting a genuine opposition faction?

November 10th, 2011, 9:05 pm

Also, isn’t strange that Hassan Abdul Azim was visited by “Heckle” Ford yet the Syrian regime never declared Hassan Abdul Azim a traitor or a foreign agent? Isn’t that very atypical behavior of the regime specifically and us ( the Arab) in general who rush into Takhween anyone who has an opposing opinion. Don’t you think?

November 10th, 2011, 9:12 pm

Norman #97

Syria will gain as the attack will send a shockwave in the Gulf countries. They will be terrified by the possible Iranian reprisals in the Gulf on all the US bases that they host. They could be caught in the middle of a devastating war. Syria will bet left alone to deal with its internal problems.

Yet, I think there will be no attack:

The Israeli threat is a smart trap for Obama: If he refuses to support the attack on Iran , he’ll probably loose the presidency. That’s is what Israel is hoping will happen. They will get rid of Obama and a republican president will not pressure Israel anymore.

99. Tarasaid:

0 0

That indicate to me that the Syrian government wants reform without foreign interference and violence, Don’t you think? wouldn’t they have attacked him for meeting Ford.

November 10th, 2011, 9:19 pm

Tara #99

You have a point. I don’t know what was the logic in the mind of the regime. It is very possible that Heckle had met also Kilo and Delila and others in the opposition and this was tolerated by the regime as it was a local and ‘controlable’ opposition. Maybe the only reason we heard about the visit to Abdel Azim was the pelting… Who knows?

‘Sarkozi’s head to roll next – probably’

http://rt.com/news/sarkozi-head-roll-mcrae-005/
Though France currently boasts an AAA rating and has its debts under reasonable control, domestic issues could knock it off its perch sooner rather than later, argues Hamish McRae, chief economic correspondent of The Independent newspaper.

The expert commentator told RT that a French economic collapse could mean that the next head to roll after Silvio Berlusconi’s might well be that of Nicholas Sarkozy.

November 10th, 2011, 9:29 pm

Revlon said:

???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? (???? ?????)
????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???? ??????

November 10th, 2011, 9:41 pm

it is sad but sometime i wish it will blow up in the Gulf so these cowards can taste what they put Iraq and now Syria through.

November 10th, 2011, 9:48 pm

I also wonder how they would feel if that was happening in their countries Norman

November 10th, 2011, 9:53 pm

*** Speaking of the devil
*** He claims to be on the same page with Assad

Reform only way to avoid revolts: PM – Thursday, 10 November, 2011

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/172190-reform-only-way-to-avoid-revolts-pm.html

DOHA: The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani has said that the GCC states were not immune to popular revolts but the relationship between the people and the rulers in these countries was stronger compared to other other countries in the region.

In an interview with Egyptian daily Akhbar-el-Yom, the Prime Minister said that the mass revolts in several Arab countries should be dealt with quick and serious reforms by their governments.

Asked if the GCC states were immune to the Arab revolutions, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said, “My testimony would not be complete because I am part of the system in the Gulf countries. But I can’t say that GCC countries are hundred per cent immune, The truth is that the GCC has always been flexibe. The relationships between the ruler and the citiznes in the region is different from other countries. There is keenness to preserve the traditions and customs and more communication and understanding between the top and the bottom,” he added.

He attributed the Arab revolutions to the spread of new ideas in the Arab world that refuse to accept poltical repression.

It is possible to deal with these revolts if the Arab rulers started to implement the reforms in their countries quickly and seriously.

“In my opinion there is a need to hand over the flag to the young generation but regrettably this culture is lacking in the Arab countries. I cannot help condemning any ruler who kills his people in order to stick in power,” said the Prime Minister.

Asked about the situation in Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Jabor said, “We don’t have any political prisoners in our country and the human rights organisations are visiting our jails. There is great progress in education and health sectors and our interest is to develop our society.”

He added that the recent hike in the salaries of Qatari government employees was to ensure a better distribution of the country’s revenue among the citizens. This decision was not taken to ease any social or political pressure on the government.

Asked about the criticism that Qatar had been using Al Jazeera as a foreign policy tool, the Prime Minister said, “This is not true. Media freedom is part of the Emir’s vision for the future road map for Qatar.”

Regarding the situation in Syria, the Prime Minister said, “We dont have personal disagreement with the Syrian leadership. We demand the reforms demanded by the Syrian people.”

He said Qatar was committed to fulfill its promised financial support to Egypt in the form of investments to the tune of $10bn but was not interested to interfere in the internal affairs of that country.

He denied allegations that Qatar was supporting some civil society groups and individuals in Egypt to influence the political future of that country.

There is no preferred candidate for Qatar to the Egyptian presidency. “We don’t have any links with any of the candidates. This matter is left to the Egyptian public and we will not interfere,” said the Prime Minister.

He said the Libyan crisis embodied the first positive co-operation between the West and the Arab countries.

The Arab states sought foreign intervention to impose a no-fly zone on Libya to prevent a total destruction of Benghazi and mass killing of Libyans as threatened by Saiful Islam Gaddafi.
The Prime Minister said Qatar was keen to continue its good relations with Iran.
“Iran is our immediate neighbour and it is a big country. We don’t agree with all their policies and they don’t agree will all our policies but we have agreed to have good relations.”
“We are keen to maintain stability because any tension in the region will affect us directly,” he added.
Asked if there was any plan for Qatar to host the political bureau of Hamas, the Prime Minister said Qatar had not yet discussed this matter.

November 10th, 2011, 10:09 pm

Marwa is wrong. When Hasan abdulazeem and abdulazeez alkhayer were political prisoners she was still in diapers,The idea from the beginning was to create a unified opposition body that does what is told by Turkey and the US. Nobody outside syria wants a strong government that says no to the big brother who may want a new regime in Syria but wants a puppet government even more.Syria’s interest is not served well by this regime but we should insist on an independent home-grown opposition,expats with beards and foreign bank accounts are not more qualified than poorer secular syrians who suffered from the regime and have a genuine interest in regime change.Prove me wrong in the next few weeks,but everything I see points to a plan to strip the SNC from its moderate and secular members and to label internal opposition as agents of the regime if they refuse to go along with the military solution for this crisis.

November 10th, 2011, 10:10 pm

Obama Wants World War III – November 10, 2011

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/98254.html

Israel is getting ready to attack Iran. One word from Obama can stop Israel from attacking Iran. Is he saying “No”? I don’t hear it. He evidently wants a wider war. Iran is a rather large country that borders on Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, and Turkey; plus the Persian Gulf, and plus being near Saudi Arabia and Syria. All sorts of unknown consequences, short and long term, can occur when Israel attacks Iran. It seems to me that Obama is courting World War III.

What concessions have the U.S. ever offered to Iran to have them stop their nuclear developments? And even if it had, why should the Iranians have listened? After all, Gadaffi stopped his program, such as it was, and look what happened to Libya and him. Why should Israel have nuclear weapons and Iran not? It’s obvious that the U.S. is following the domino road map laid out under Bush of knocking over one nation after another. Iran knows this. Why should the Iranians not rationally hasten and augment their military programs even more in view of the U.S. and Israeli threats and known strategies? Nations on its borders have already been attacked. A fine mess that U.S. leadership has produced since the Soviet Union fell! It could have led the world to nuclear disarmament and peace. Instead it’s created more and more totally useless and destructive warfare. Can anyone see a difference between Obama and Bush? I can’t.

November 10th, 2011, 10:22 pm

South Africa rejects Turkey’s proposal for a free trade agreement

Government says an agreement of such a nature would encourage “destructive competition that will undermine our industrial and employment objectives”

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=158403

November 10th, 2011, 10:38 pm

Dale Andersen said:

Memo To: Norman the Hormone

RE: “…sometime i wish it will blow up in the Gulf so these cowards can taste what they put Iraq and now Syria through…

The only cowards I see are in the Assad Mafia…

November 10th, 2011, 11:12 pm

#109 Ann

These were the traps that Israel and the neo-con republicans have put him through:

– If he accepts the Palestinian request in the UN, he looses the presidency. He made his choice and said NO. Palestine is less important for him that leading the USA for 4 more years

Now comes the second trap

– If he refuses that Israel gets US help in attacking Iran, he may loose the presidency especially that the Americans are already shocked by the alleged assassination attempts by the iranians on their soil. They need to be pumped up more by the media that will describe Iran as a threat to the US. The Americans are naive enough to believe that. They believed so much garbage lately.

My opinion is that he will say NO and fight back.

November 10th, 2011, 11:26 pm

majedkhaldoun said:

Ann said
I also wonder how they would feel if that was happening in their countries
Their turn is coming.

Norman asked if Iran was attacked would Syria lose or win,Bronco believes Syria would win,he explained it it would draw attention away from Syria . what do you think Norman?

Tara
I do not think Hasan AbduAzeem position is clear yet, I have heared him demanding halt to all military actions before dialogue.

November 10th, 2011, 11:30 pm

November 10th, 2011, 11:33 pm

????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???????
??????? ? ‘????? ??????’???? ???? ??????? ?????? (??????????? ????????)? ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ????????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ????? ????????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????. ?? ??????? ??? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ????? ????? ‘??????’ ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ????????? ?????????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ???????. ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ????????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? ????.

November 10th, 2011, 11:44 pm

Ghufran said
Marwa is wrong. When Hasan abdulazeem and abdulazeez alkhayer were political prisoners she was still in diapers.
Ghufran I do not see the rational,you are saying ,because she was very young,Marwa is wrong,logically these two things are unrelated.

November 10th, 2011, 11:46 pm

Protesters: Veteran shoots self at Vermont Occupy Wall Street camp

November 10, 2011 — BURLINGTON, Vermont (AP) — Police say preliminary investigations show a 35-year-old military veteran fatally shot himself in the head at an Occupy Wall Street encampment in Vermont’s largest city.

Burlington police say the name of the man is being withheld because his family has not been fully notified. The man shot himself inside a tent in City Hall Park on Thursday afternoon and died in the evening at a hospital in Burlington.

November 10th, 2011, 11:51 pm

Majed,
The figures Marwa accuses of being agents for the regime have a long history of fighting the regime and most have personally paid a heavy price for their positions.
???? ????
??? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ??????????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ??? «??? ??? ???? ????»? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ?????? «?? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?????».
?????? ???? «??? ???? ???? ????????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????????»? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? «???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???????».

November 10th, 2011, 11:58 pm

#113 majedkhaldoun

You are right, I think I read somewhere that Hassan Abdel Azim and his group said they are ready to dialog while the military operations are going on.

I have advocated that in April. Stopping the violence now that there are armed gangs and defectors is an impossible task to achieve for the Syrian Government alone nor any transitory government. It needs the cooperation of the opposition to regulate the street and the demonstrations, calm the spirits and stops the criminals.
This is why I agree with Hassan Abdel Azim that the dialog should cover cooperative actions and campaign to obtain the return to calm as well as the elaboration and implementation of the political reformers.

The SNC asking the Syrian government to stop the violence is absurd as the violence is now on both sides and out of control. They know it is impossible even if they take over the country now, but their reluctance to work with the government for the sake of the Syrian people is condemnable as it perpetuates the cycle of violence.

November 10th, 2011, 11:59 pm

Fate of ‘flower of Syria’ offers cautionary tale – November 10, 2011

Relatives are convinced they buried Zaynab Hosni — who has become a rallying symbol for the Syrian opposition — in September. But she turned up last month on Syrian TV, sparking conspiracy theories.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-syria-zaynab-20111111,0,5839713.story

Reporting from Beirut—
Fatat Malouk said she has no doubt: The burned, mutilated and seemingly unrecognizable body parts that she viewed in a Syrian military hospital in September were the remains of her child — the victim, she said, of government thugs who snatched the teenager off the street.

“My heart tells me this was my daughter,” Malouk said.

Her daughter, Zaynab Hosni, 18, was posthumously immortalized as “the flower of Syria,” and her gruesome fate, captured on amateur video, became a graphic rallying cry for the Syrian opposition.

So it came as a shock when a seemingly healthy Zaynab turned up last month on Syrian television.

“I am alive,” declared the veiled young woman, speaking in a monotone and flashing her plastic identity card for the camera.

She hadn’t been abducted, she said, but ran away to escape abuse from her brothers. She was living with relatives in Syria and planning to get married and have children.

It was an extraordinary propaganda coup for the Syrian government, which daily lashes out at sundry media “fabrications” designed to foment sedition amid a bloody crackdown on unrest that has left an estimated 3,500 civilians dead.

The episode was a cautionary tale for journalists, human rights investigators and others who largely have been barred from entering Syria. Instead of their own observation, they must rely heavily on amateur videos, Skype conversations, Facebook postings and other bits of often secondhand information to piece together what is happening in an uprising with competing narratives.

But the story of Zaynab Hosni, from the central city of Homs, a focal point and sectarian fault line of the Syrian uprising, also illustrates the paranoia and suspicion nurtured in more than four decades of autocratic rule.

Conspiracy theories about Zaynab’s fate abound, many centering on the cunning of Syrian intelligence, skilled practitioners of intrigue and obfuscation.

Her older brother Yousef, speaking from a safe house outside the Lebanese capital, said, “There is a level of lies here that no one can imagine.”

more …

November 11th, 2011, 12:12 am

November 11th, 2011, 12:18 am

Tara #98

“There is a chance that she is lying and the NCC is rather genuine but if so, what is her motive for discrediting a genuine opposition faction? ”

I don’t know, personal vendetta? An ego issue? becoming famous? who knows dark side of human nature??

November 11th, 2011, 12:24 am

Bronco, read my comment again,I said Hasan AbdulAzeem said NO,NO,NO dialogue with the regime till the military and security crackdown has stopped, he will not have dialogue till Bashar stop the killing and arresting people, and release all,all,all political prisoners.

November 11th, 2011, 12:41 am

Afram said:

The Arab muslims are not happy!
——————————-

They’re not happy in Gaza.

They’re not happy in Egypt.

They’re not happy in Libya.

They’re not happy in Morocco.

They’re not happy in Iran.

They’re not happy in Iraq.

They’re not happy in Yemen.

They’re not happy in Afghanistan.

They’re not happy in Pakistan.

They’re not happy in Syria.

They’re not happy in Lebanon.

So, where are they happy?
——————————–

They’re happy in England.

They’re happy in France.

They’re happy in Italy.

They’re happy in Germany.

They’re happy in Sweden.

They’re happy in the USA.

They’re happy in Norway.

They’re happy in every country that is not Muslim.

And who do they blame?

Not Islam.

Not their leadership.

Not themselves.

THEY BLAME THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE HAPPY IN!

ARABS:

Everyone seems to be wondering why Muslim terrorists are so quick to commit suicide. Let’s have a look at the evidence: No Christmas. No television. No nude women. No football. No pork chops. No hotdogs. No burgers. No beer. No bacon. Rags for clothes. Towels for hats. Constant wailing from some idiot in a tower. More than one wife. More than one mother-in-law. You can’t shave. Your wife can’t shave. You can’t wash off the smell of donkey. You wipe your ass with your hand. You cook over burning camel shit. Your wife is picked by someone else. Your wife smells worse than your donkey. Then they tell you that “when you die, it all gets better”. No shit Sherlock! It’s not like it could get much worse.
———————————-
salafists in seculars out

November 11th, 2011, 12:45 am

Nationalists my tail

Gotta love it. The hyper-nationalist Syrio-nazis on this site are happy that their buffoon of pencil-neck president is setting up the northeastern part of the country to break up from the motherland (or is it fatherland for the Syrio-Nazis) simply to reach back at Turkey from behind his grave in case he met his maker the way uncle daffy did recently.

Was the cowardly assassination of Temmo, which some of you, who sadly think that they are eloquent, went into mental hoops defying the imagination of the best acrobat, part of this “setting up” operation?

And yet, you object, as cowardly as you are with the impotent rage dislike toy, to someone like observer who argues, on human and civil right basis, for the rights of Kurds and others not to be unmolested. You are not strange at all, you are simply teenagers, love-struck by pencil-neck, seeing genius where foolishness is, laughing to silly jokes from your idol and his sycophants, and way way detached from reality.

Please keep living in your REALITY . It is safer for everyone. Keep doing so until the house of cards crumbles around you. Don’t worry there are still plenty of stupid people for you to love after pencil-neck leaves, and plenty of derangement around for you to pick up a new love.

On our side, some of us still want to give him safe haven, so you can continue to idolize him and salivate at his foolishness in exile, may be you would like to check your eyes at the miracle maker doctor to be, may be you should from now prepare to become to new royalist party of Syria, advocating the return of the Assad-Makhlouf-Shalish dynasty and the return of the throne of bone you they so dearly hold.

November 11th, 2011, 1:09 am

TYPO
In case you read before pushing the impotent rage toy, the words should be

for the rights of Kurds and others not to be un molested

November 11th, 2011, 1:14 am

George Krikorian said:

I would love to get an assessment from Joshua about the veteran journalist Hassanein Heykal’s views on the Arab Spring. Heykal does not believe in the uprisings and defines it as a kind of new “Sykes-Picot” forcefully imposed on the Arabs. Hope Landis can elaborate here …

November 11th, 2011, 2:12 am

Khalid Tlass said:

I’m glad those 4 clowns in Cairo got what they deserved, they should have had their suits torn to shreds and come begging for forgiveness to Homs.

Alex why did you parents name you with a French name ( Camille), you are French not Syrian, your place is in France, if you want to be Syrian you should have an Arab name CAMILLE is a goddamn FRENCH name.

November 11th, 2011, 2:28 am

George,
Even the “Arabist” website, specialized on Egypt sort of, refused to publish it and did not discuss it. There was no English or French translation in the English and French editions of al Ahram either, although it was an interview in al Ahram Arabic. Finally, the interview on al Jazeera where he also made some allusions to the role of Qatar has disappeared and I can’t find a link for it. If you find any trace of these, please share them here.

November 11th, 2011, 3:33 am

No of Iraqis killed by allies :over one million
No of Iraqi refugees due to occupation:3 millions
No of Libyans killed by NATO :60000
No of palestinians killed by Israelis since 2000:7000
No of libaness killed by isreal:20000
No of Algerians killed by Algerians extremists:200000
No of Syrians killed by ongoing civil war :3500
What is your conclusion?

November 11th, 2011, 4:39 am

108. Dear Ghufran,

“Marwa is wrong. When Hasan abdulazeem and abdulazeez alkhayer were political prisoners she was still in diapers.
The idea from the beginning was to create a unified opposition body that does what is told by Turkey and the US”

We were all once in diapers, you know!
Marwa and Mr H.A. share more than you think.
Both stood up for freedom in their youth.
Both once criticized their elders for being complacent with unfair conditions.
He was right then; ikewise, Marwa is right now!

The opposition need not, and must not be paranoid about engaging in dialogue with other human beings, represented by their democratically elected governments.
People in Syria share their global mates around the world the aspiration to uphold and respect the basic human rights and look forward to establish mutually beneficial relationships.

Asad state’s inner strength have been derived from holding its populace at gun point.
Asad state’s external strength has been based on blackmail and threats to destabilise neighbours, coupled with accepting subjugation to Turkey, to whom Iskandaron was obligely gifted”, to israel for failing to whom they failed to react by other than empty threats to repeated violations of Syria’s sovereignty, and to the US with whom they collaborated to spy on, and torture their own citizens on their behalf.

” Nobody outside syria wants a strong government that says no to the big brother who may want a new regime in Syria but wants a puppet government even more”

It is up to Syrian people themselves to build a strong government.
Tapping on common interests with neighbours and global powers offers a better mean for strength and stability.

“Syria’s interest is not served well by this regime but we should insist on an independent home-grown opposition, expats with beards and foreign bank accounts are not more qualified than poorer secular syrians who suffered from the regime and have a genuine interest in regime change”

It is naiive to expect the internal opposition in Syria to be able to freely speak their mind.
Those who have done so have either been killed or still in Jail.
The remaining ones have learned their lessons from earlier sejourns in Asad dungeon’s and continue to be reminded with the Asad’s red-lines by home visits of Thug One’s mobsters.

External opposition with “Beards and foreign bank accounts” are no less qualified than the less affluent and shaven seculars on the inside. Every one has distinct abilities and skills. Engaging all would guarantee equal opportunity and would be condusive a stronger and more inclusive solution to the crisis.
I wish you health and long life to see your grandchildren grow to become independent thinking adults. Even if some of them may even choose to grow beards and prosper enough to send you monthly checks form their hefty, foreign bank accounts!

“Prove me wrong in the next few weeks, but everything I see points to a plan to strip the SNC from its moderate and secular members and to label internal opposition as agents of the regime if they refuse to go along with the military solution for this crisis”

No one can be removed from the SNC without their will.
Diversity and polarization of opinion is both natural and healthy.
Those who do decide to leave the SNC would be doing themselves and the SNC a good service.
They would prove it to themselves and the others that they were not after holding official positions.
They could also use the gained free time to foster inner peace and self discipline to become more comfortable at teamwork.

I would regard all non-violent claims leveled by various opposition figures against each other to be a lawful and welcome freedom of expression.
I myself regard the positions of the inner opposition to represent the common ground that they have been able to achieve with the regime, rather than what they aspire to.
What irks the opposition in exile, and the ground revolution forces is not their justifiable position, but their assumed pretence of their independence.

November 11th, 2011, 4:43 am

From the Angry Arab today:

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/152982/cornered_in_free_libya:_black_refugees_say_%22we_are_being_treated_like_dogs%22
“”We’ve walked all the way here to tell everybody that we are being treated like dogs,” said 23-year old Hamuda Bubakar, among a couple of hundred black refugees protesting at Martyrs Square in Tripoli. “I’d rather be killed here. I wouldn’t be the first, or the last.””

http://international.daralhayat.com/ksaarticle/324325
Reform that Obama and Hillary can be proud of
“Atgaa, 10, and her sister Reemya, 8, are about to be married to men in their 60s. Atgaa will be her husband’s fourth wife. Their wedding celebrations are scheduled for this week and will take place in the town of Fayaadah Abban in Qasim, Saudi Arabia. The girls are getting married because their financially struggling father needs the money that their dowries will provide: young girls of this age can fetch as much as $40,000 each. Many readers might be shocked at this news. How can it be legal? The answer is that Saudi Arabia has no minimum age for marriage, and it is perfectly legal to marry even an hour-old child.” As for as the US is concerned, they can marry at age 3 as long as the House of Saud continues to serve US and Israel.

Then when you read this, what can you expect:
Emir of Qatar will teach Tunisians about democracy
So the Emir of Qatar will attend the first meeting of the constituent assembly of Tunisia.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/11/emir-of-qatar-will-teach-tunisians.html

He will teach them how to have a “white (aka “Arab”) only” emirate? Treat the foreigners as Roma did with its slaves?
Have a “zero-problem” solution by letting men express all their frustration by having unlimited power on their wife (-ves) and children?

November 11th, 2011, 4:44 am

Qandahar, 129

My conclusion is: let the Arabs (alternatly: Muslims) kill the Arabs (same), they do it well.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2099195,00.html

November 11th, 2011, 4:46 am

Qatar and the GCC (see above), Turkey, giving lessons to the world. “I kid you not”.

http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2011/11/11/la-democratie-turque-en-danger-par-ali-bayramoglu_1602314_3232.html

November 11th, 2011, 5:00 am

alex said:

Khaled

Is ???? (the way I was named in Syria) Arabic enough for you?

???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ????? ????? ???? (?) ? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ??? (?). ? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? .

????? ???? ?? ????? ? ??? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ??? (?) ?? ??????.

??? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ? ????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? 82 ?????? (699-701 ???????) ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ? ???? ?? ??? ??????. ? ?? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??????. ???? ??? ??????? ??? ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ????????.
??? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ? ??? ? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? (?) ? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??????. ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????.

??? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? (?). ????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??? (?).

November 11th, 2011, 5:44 am

Alaa el-Aswany: “The Mubarak regime is still in full control of the country and the military are doing their best to preserve this state of things by making concessions to the MB, under the pressure of the Gulf states who do not want a Nasser experience repeated”
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/monde/proche-orient/alaa-el-aswany-le-regime-de-moubarak-est-encore-au-pouvoir_1049452.html#xtor=AL-447

November 11th, 2011, 5:52 am

DISHONEST REPORTING
#131 Is one of the most dishonest reporting I have read in a while. Yest there is a report about the marriages of the the two child-girls. But what MINA decided not to report was that there are human right and children rights organizations that are fighting this in KSA and they are even going through the most backward religious authority in the state (Ministry of Justice). I am no fan of KSA, but to ignore the work and attempt at progress by even a small minority determined to protect children from this barbaric practice demeans your point and show it for what it is pure hateful propaganda hiding under civility.

?????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????????. ???? ????? ???????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ??«??????»: «??????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ??????? ????????? «?????»? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ???????».

NO SHAME

November 11th, 2011, 5:59 am

No need to answer you Hamster, why did I provide the link to the Hayat article if I wanted to cover that, which indeed mentions that some impotent NGO are making some agitation for the press to have something to write and to justify the big salary they get at the end of the month (you may know that these people need a really good network and “high-level protections” to do these jobs in this country). By the way, Hayat is 100 percent Saudi owned, so what do you expect from them?

What’s up, it’s friday and you don’t have anything to say? Get yourself a plane ticket and start visit the Arab world, you’ll learn a lot and may become a real activist when you grow up.

November 11th, 2011, 6:20 am

annie said:

A beautiful Syrian woman :

http://youtu.be/Yis2GKNNGYc

Enjoy and be inspired

LINKS
Link no link none sense. You are writing to influence English Language readers. Omitting that the issue of under-age marriages has been causing major controversy within Saudi society and presenting it as it it is the norm is dishonest at best.

Even when caught red handed peddling hate and misunderstanding through misrepresentation, it is not your fault after all, it is these dirty highly paid NGOs, How pathetic. Typical Assadist behavior, very typical.

November 11th, 2011, 6:34 am

Just love how everyone men7ebbakji keeps telling me to grow up. You airheads really believe you are talking to a real little hamster. I bet you even conjure up an image of your mighty selves squashing a tiny hamster with your mighty foot.

Keep daydreaming, it suites me well.

November 11th, 2011, 6:47 am

And No need to answer me, and yet …. you did what?

November 11th, 2011, 6:49 am

Mr. Friend In America:

You have good points, but, still your logic can not explain and justify the CONSTANT failures of the American policy in the Middle East.

There is no doubt that the American policy in the Middle East experience successes and gains here and there, but, in the grand scheme of things it failed for many reasons.

The failures were/are HUGE, and the successes were/are really minor at best.

AS for the reasons why, there are many and of course, and these reasons are complex and need long hours to pin point. But, again, in the end result, we see the Middle East today worst that it was 100 years ago, or 50 years ago, and all of this happened with the US heavily involved in the area, so, do you we have a break in this policy and failure or what? Should the US use “heavy handed” policies: why not to promote the right things while keeping American interests first?

The US have a long history now in the Middle East, and is going to be like this for a while at least. Here, the US strategic demands and needs should be planned and every president should follow what is good for America in the long run. There should be grand rules. What happened to those?

The American policies in the Middle East failed because it did not take the advice of the smart men and women from the think tanks and branches of the government and who know how to read events and followed in most cases the whims and needs of the president at the time. No doubt you can say that so and so predicted this and that, so what? It did not show that these predictions were either taken into considerations, or affected any policy.

Another important reason that the US had failed in the Middle East: the policy makers always bet on the wrong guys (bad guys of course in almost every time and were hypocrites in most instances also.

Hypocrisy here is when you are friends with an authoritarian family for 70 or so years that espouses a conservative, non-democratic in the open and was and is an obstacle for the liberation of the people.

Yes, history is in motion, but the US policy is on stand still when it comes to befriending dictators and kings looters of the wealth and killers of democracy and dissent.

AS for the “heavy handed,” approach: I say, WHY NOT? If you have American interests in the region, why not spread for real the American values in the area like democracy, the rule of the law, women’s rights, and human rights and help the area once for all?

Why did the various US administrations NEVER realized that the people in the Middle East would be American LOVERS and best customers for products and ideas if the Americans had introduced DEMOCRACY and human rights to them from day ONE? Why it took you so long to figure this out? This alone shows that the US did not figure things out in the Middle East. Not helping democracy in the Middle East is a HUGE mistake. The world in the Middle East did not change in this regard for a long time. History had stopped there.

PS: my name is not MJaboli, it is MJabali

November 11th, 2011, 7:02 am

AT LAST
At last, a thoughtful comment @ 142. A couple of examples would really help. But a good calm comment nonetheless.

Only one minor issue:

The sad thing MJabali, is that they are already some of the best customers for products. No motivation for the US to change tactics.

November 11th, 2011, 7:10 am

Syrian National Council ?????? ?????? ??????
http://www.facebook.com/TheSyrianNationalCouncil

Press release: SNC met with Commanders from the Free Syrian Army yesterday.
FSA commanders expressed their support for SNC and its policies.
SNC expressed interest in forging a mechanism for political coordination and the seeking of support and protection for defecting soldiers and their families.

See TranslationTranslation by Bing
????? ????
??? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? “????? ?????? ?????”

????? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? (10/11) ??????? ?? “????? ?????? ????” ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????? ????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????????.

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

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

7 hours ago

November 11th, 2011, 8:58 am

Majed

“I do not think Hasan AbduAzeem position is clear yet, I have heared him demanding halt to all military actions before dialogue.”

You said Abdul Azim’s position is NOT clear.
I read that he say he would not mind starting the dialog when there are still military operations. You heard the other way around. So we’ll have to wait that he clarifies his position.

November 11th, 2011, 9:01 am

Mina

“Atgaa, 10, and her sister Reemya, 8, are about to be married to men in their 60s. Atgaa will be her husband’s fourth wife.

This is NOT part of HUMAN rights, it is part of OIL rights.

November 11th, 2011, 9:05 am

#147 Revlon

The FSA is looking for legitimacy for their attacks on the Syrian Army and they want the SNC to give it to them.

Don’t you think the SNC may be burning their wings but getting too close to the FSA, as the FSA’s aim is clearly not defensive but offensive?

November 11th, 2011, 9:10 am

Revlon
Your comment in #130 is a very good response to Ghufran
I appreciate your comments always,you are very intelligent man.

Today we will see if AL is going to show that it is reasonable or not,its decision is the most important one in regard to Syria,if AL fails to satisfy the people AL must cease to exist, their decisions in the past has been disappointing,any further delay would be considered a major mistake.

I am not convinced that the internal CC are puppet of the regime,but no dialogue with the regime will be accepted as long as the regime continue to use the security solution, it is going to backfire on them, The accusation that SNC is serving the US interest is wrong too,the division between ICC and SNC will serve the evil regime,they should meet and both should understand that both are patriotic people.

Alex
You are arabic and your name is arabic, you have wrong ideas because of different reasons but I respect you,I wish you respond to who said that Syrian are not syrian and Arab are not syrian.today his comment is good,but I can not forget such terrible idea he is claiming.

November 11th, 2011, 9:17 am

#131 Khalid Tlass

The Arab ‘Fuhrer’ declaration:

1 ) In order to ensure the ‘purity’ of the Arab race,
All Arabs who bear a ‘french’ name should be expelled to France.
All Arabs who bear a ‘italian ‘ name should be expelled to Italy
etc…

2 ) The non-arab name bearers will be transfered to dispatching Camps where a committee of ‘pure’ Arabs, headed by Khaled Tlass will decide which names belong to which country so the expulsion could be done in a orderly manner.

November 11th, 2011, 9:26 am

Syria no kadahar said:

Killvon then Fatihavon
???? ???? ???????

Turkey deputy: weapons being smuggled to Syria
Thomas Seibert Nov 11, 2011
http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/turkey-deputy-weapons-being-smuggled-to-syria

ISTANBUL // Many firearms from Turkey have entered Syria, and the Turkish government has stopped alleged arms-smuggling activities at a border post between the two countries, a Turkish opposition deputy said yesterday.

“You see many Turkish-made firearms in Syria,” Mehmet Ali Ediboglu, a deputy from the province of Hatay, which borders Syria, said in a telephone interview. “I don’t know how they got into the country.”

Mr Ediboglu, a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s main opposition group, visited Syria in September with a delegation of his party. He said Syrian officials presented what they said was evidence of arms smuggling at the Cilvegozu border gate in Hatay. Trucks full of weapons had allegedly been unloaded in the no-man’s-land between the Turkish and the Syria control points, he said.

“The Syrians said the arms ended up with the Muslim Brotherhood,” an Islamic group opposing the regime of Bashar Al Assad, the Syrian president, Mr Ediboglu said.

The Syrian government has accused the US of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkey has condemned the Syrian regime’s use of force against a seven-month-old uprising and has given political support to the Syrian opposition.

Mr Ediboglu said that the CHP informed Ankara about the Syrian accusations and that he went to the Cilvegozu border gate to check. “Some people there used the no-man’s-land to get cheap petrol from sellers in Syria, and they said they saw trucks unloading some containers.”

He said the Turkish government later ended the practice by enforcing a no-stop rule for vehicles in the no-man’s-land.

There was no comment by the government in response to Mr Ediboglu’s statements, which came as a Syrian military deserter said Turkey should step up its support for opposition forces Damascus.

Col Riyad Al Asaad, a military officer who fled to Turkey this year, told the Milliyet daily that opposition forces known as the “Free Syrian Army” had 15,000 men that operated inside Syria in 22 different units.

November 11th, 2011, 9:31 am

???? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????
Frantic Jr is distancing himself from some of his die hard friends.

????? ???? ???? ????????
Iyad Ghazal, previous Homs mayor, has been accused on Mukhabarat-linked, Syria steps website of treason in connection with the alleged recent discovery of a tunnel in Baba Amr housing missiles for use to attack nearby refinery!!!
http://www.syrrevnews.com/archives/16415
11/11/2011

?? ????? :

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

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

????? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ( ???? ????????? ??????? ) ??????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? , ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ????????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ????????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?.??? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ?????????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ??? …..????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ?????????? ??? ???????? ????????? ??? ???? ?? ???? .

?????? : ???? ?????

November 11th, 2011, 9:37 am

No international traders want to sell oil to Greece anymore.
Greece is now relying on Iran’s oil, is this a chance for Syria’s oil?

Exclusive: Greece turns to Iranian oil as default fears deter
http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-greece-turns-iranian-oil-default-fears-deter-135453741.html
LONDON (Reuters) – Greece is relying on Iran for most of its oil as traders pull the plug on supplies and banks refuse to provide financing for fear that Athens will default on its debt.

Traders said Greece has turned to Iran as the supplier of last resort despite rising pressure from Washington and Brussels to stifle trade as part of a campaign against Tehran’s nuclear program.

The near paralysis of oil dealings with Greece, which has four refineries, shows how trade in Europe could stall due to a breakdown in trust caused by the euro zone debt crisis, which is threatening to spread to further countries.

“Companies like us cannot deal with them. There is too much risk. Maybe independent traders are more geared up for that,” said a trader with a major international oil company.

“Our finance department just refuses to deal with them. Not that they didn’t pay. It is just a precaution,” said a trader with a major trading house.
{…}

November 11th, 2011, 9:43 am

Dear SNK
“Killvon then Fatihavon”

Your 2 neurons are shorting again!

” ???? ???? ???????”

Don’t be hard on yourself!

November 11th, 2011, 9:45 am

152. Thank you majedkhaldoun.
I appreciate your complement!

November 11th, 2011, 9:47 am

Survivors of Van earthquake beaten by police: Turkey human rights?

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=fear-fury-after-new-quake-2011-11-10

… Meanwhile, quake survivors gathered yesterday outside the ruins of the city’s famous Bayram Hotel, where Deputy Prime Minister Be?ir Atalay and Van Gov. Münir Karao?lu, who were in the region to visit victims of previous quake, came to view the aftermath of the new quake.

As the survivors started to shout for the governor to resign, police responded with tear gas and batons.

November 11th, 2011, 9:52 am

Libya former PM says Qatar seeking too big a role
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=27279
11/11/2011

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Libya’s former Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril accused Qatar of trying to play too big a role in his country’s affairs and supporting unnamed factions, in remarks broadcast on Thursday.

The Gulf Arab state of Qatar, the world’s top exporter of liquefied gas exporter and home to the influential Al Jazeera satellite channel, played a key role in an international alliance that helped bring down Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi in October after more than 40 years in power.

“Qatar has given a lot to the Libyan revolution at the beginning, and has truly played a role that cannot be forgotten,” Jibril, who resigned in October after Gaddafi’s capture and killing, said in an interview broadcast by the Dubai-based Al Arabiya television.

“But now I think that Qatar is trying to play a role that is bigger than its true potential,” he added, without elaborating.

A close U.S. ally, Qatar has tried to play a prominent role in regional conflicts, often mediating to resolve conflicts, including in Yemen and Sudan.

Earlier this year, Qatar played a main role in securing an Arab League decision that paved the way for a U.N. Security Council resolution to protect civilians in Libya after an uprising broke out there in March. Qatar planes and troops also took part in a NATO-led mission in Libya.

Libyan officials and Western diplomats have said they believe Qatar, one of the smallest countries in the Arab world, has been channelling funds and technical assistance to Islamist military commanders in Libya.

There was no immediate comment from Qatar on Jibril’s remarks, but the Gulf Arab state denies interference in other state’s affairs, saying it uses its resources and influence for the benefit of all Arabs.

Jibril accused Qatar of siding with factions he did not name in the conflict in Libya.

“The truth is that Qatar has what could be called the soft tools of money and the media. But whether it is Qatar or any other country, all states when they reach the state of what political scientists call expansion beyond the capabilities, this leads to breaking at the middle.”

He said that Qatar had always tried to play a role in conflicts around the region, including in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region and in the Palestinian issue.

“The Qatari role in Libya, if it was a role that meets the interests of the Libyan people, then it is welcome. But when Qatar sides with a faction or with a group against the rest of the Libyan people, then this may not be in favor of the Libyan people…,” Jibril said.

“Libya will not be affiliated to one or another country, be it Qatar or … the United States or France or Britain. We thank all those allies for their support for the Libyan people, but I do not think that the Libyans could accept external intervention or that any infringement on their sovereignty.”

November 11th, 2011, 10:00 am

Did you notice the latest trend?
Mass Debka dancing during demonstrations! I like it!

BTW what is the theme of today’s Friday?
.

November 11th, 2011, 10:14 am

Dear bronco,
Thank you for challenging me with this good question.
“#147 Revlon, The FSA is looking for legitimacy for their attacks on the Syrian Army and they want the SNC to give it to them”

Legitimacy was bestowed upon both the SNC and the FSA on Fridays of “The SNC Represent Me and The Free Syrian Army Represent us respectively.
As you see.
Neither need the recognition of the other.
SNC can provide political support for the FSA’s cause.
The FSA can help shoulder their mutual responsibility in protecting civilians.

“Don’t you think the SNC may be burning their wings but getting too close to the FSA, as the FSA’s aim is clearly not defensive but offensive?”

The SNC is not a political party that is bound by its own agenda.
Instead, it is a political assembly that was built around one goal; protecting the revolution and it’s agenda.
Therefore, appropriateness of any SNC’s move and efforts can only be measured by how close they are to their founding goal.

The FSA is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with on the ground and is gaining the respect and admiration of the civil ground revolution forces.
Opening channels of communication with the FSA would enable the SNC to gain some control on their ground decisions; on the other hand FSA would benefit from SNC’s lobbying on their behalf for regional and international political cover.

The current FSA’s aim has been amply communicated by their commander in Chief Colonel AlAsaad; defending civilians.
Their announced operations have all been against Shabbeeha and security forces engaging in or on their way to crackdown on demonstrators or firing back at Asad armoured units that are attacking civilian neighbourhoods.

November 11th, 2011, 10:25 am

Camille is a very beautiful name and I am glad it is Arabic. If I to have one more child, I’ll name him or her Camille. Is there a Camille girl?

November 11th, 2011, 10:38 am

FSA are angels,we should all support them.

November 11th, 2011, 10:39 am

norman said:

162. Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Amir,

Don’t you that is strange if people are worry about the army shooting at them .

November 11th, 2011, 10:45 am

Bronco,
FSA are the terrorists that will lead Syria to a civil war, occupation and more violence, half of them are not even soldiers, they are nothing but paid killers today 42 bodies where found in Homs, they are the work of those criminals:

??? : ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ???????

——-
???? / ??? ? ???????( ???): ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ???????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ????????? ? ??? ???? ????? ” ?? ?? ??” ? ??? ??????? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ” ???? ????”. ????? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ” ?????? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????” ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ???????. ????? ????” ?????? ?????” ????????? ??????? ? ???? ????? ?? ????????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ? ??? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?????????? ???? ?? “????? ??????” ??? “?????? ?????? ??????” ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??”????? ??????” ????? ??? ???? ???????! ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ?????????? ????? ??? ??????? ?????????!

?????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ?? ” ????????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ???????” ????? ???????? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ????!?

?????? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ? ?????? ?? ????? ” ????? ??” ? ?? ? ??? ??? ????? ? ?? ???????? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ? ?????? ?? ???????? ? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??????!?

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

http://www.syriatruth.org/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%80%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A9/tabid/93/Article/5844/Default.aspx
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/jaza081111.html

November 11th, 2011, 10:54 am

louai said:

‘FSA are angels,we should all support them.’

Death Angels ,
Free to kill Syrians Any time

call them angels call them soldiers , you cant change the Truth , they are armed terrorist gangs and you are supporting them .

November 11th, 2011, 10:56 am

Zeinab’s mother is convinced from the shape of the legs of the mutilated body that it was Zeinab’s
The family are convinced that the soundtrack of the video that was aired on Syrian TV might was dubbed on an earlier video, for the voice and accent were not Zeinab’s.
The following are excerpts from LAT
_______________________________________________________________
Fate of ‘flower of Syria’ offers cautionary tale
Relatives are convinced they buried Zaynab Hosni — who has become a rallying symbol for the Syrian opposition — in September. But she turned up last month on Syrian TV, sparking conspiracy theories.
By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times

November 10, 2011, 7:17 p.m.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-syria-zaynab-20111111,0,5839713.story?page=1&utm_medium=feed&track=rss&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld%20%28L.A.%20Times%20-%20World%20News%29&utm_source=feedburner
…………………………………
On Sept. 17, the family says, it returned to the makeshift morgue, where the dismembered remains were laid out on a table, roughly in the correct anatomical position. The head and the arms were badly burned. Nonetheless, Malouk said she recognized her daughter, as did an aunt.

“I could tell by her shape, the form of her legs,” Malouk recounted. “I know my daughter
………………………
Then Zaynab appeared on Syrian television.

In the 2 1/2 -minute interview, she seemed calm and measured, almost emotionless. Her eyes seemed fixed off camera, where she was possibly being coached. She sat in a nondescript office,

Yes, the family said, the woman appeared to be Zaynab. But her mother and others said something was off: her voice.

“It is not the voice of my daughter,” said Malouk, as others in the family home nodded in agreement. “That is not the way we speak.”

Relatives said they discerned a subtle inflection associated with Hom’s Alawites. The voice track was often out of sync with the lips.
…………………………………
With so many doubts, the family developed its own theory: Zaynab was arrested and interrogated, her questioning videotaped, as is sometimes done with “terrorist” suspects. She was later killed, her body defiled for unknown reasons. Then, when her case became potent opposition propaganda, Syrian authorities reworked the video, dubbing a new voice track.

“I buried my daughter with my own hands,” her mother said. “I know she is dead.”

No expert has validated the family’s theory.
……………………………………………….

In the meantime, family members say, no one from the government has contacted them about exhuming the corpse and doing a DNA test.

So the question remains: If it’s not Zaynab, who is the young woman whose dismembered remains were buried in Homs?

November 11th, 2011, 11:01 am

The Thugs of the Syrian National Council: Opposing them is as important as opposing the Asad regime

The democratic credentials of the lousy Syrian National Council was in full display in Cairo yesterday when goons of the Syrian National Council beat up members of the Syrian opposition who were in Cairo to meet with the lousy Secretary-general of the Arab League. I watched various videos of the event, and I was particularly incensed that they were chanting at every member of the Syrian opposition delegation the word “shabbihah” (goons which is used in Syria to refer to the armed goons of the Syrian mukhabarat). That was quite disgusting. This word has become at the mouths of the goons of the Syrian National Council what the word “counter-revolutionary” was in Stalinist Russia or what the word “communist” was in McCarthyite era in the USA, or what the word “enemy of the revolution” was in Khuayni’s Iran, etc.

I have warned about the Ikhwan-controlled (and US/Saudi Arabia/Qatar-sponsored) Syrian National Council before. They have quickly discredit itself before it reached power–very much like the NATO transitional council in Libya. They basically don’t tolerate any criticisms: I have received complaints from many Syrians who oppose the regime about the intolerant tactics of this bunch even on the internet. Anybody who criticizes them or who voices disagreements with them is automatically labeled “shabbihah” or agent of Bashshar.

Such intimidating tactics should be rejected and should be used to call for the dissolution of this most lousy opposition group which is destined to replicate Ba`thist repression if it gets to power.

What really really upset me was to watch those goons of Syrian National Council attack one of the most brave dissident in the Arab world, the brave Haytham Al-Manna`. This is one of the most famous crusader for human rights in the Arab world, and his brother was killed by security forces in Syria during this uprising. Those goons of the Syrian National Council are in no position to hector or lecture or intimidate someone like Al-Manna`.

One of the people attacked was Hasan `Abdul-`Adhim who recently met with the US ambassador. That should have spared him from attacks because the Ikhwan are mere tool of US/Israel/Saudi Arabia/Qatar. But he was attacked. And how come the US did not utter a word when those goons attacked the Syrian dissident were attacked with rocks, tomatoes, and eggs when those same attacks by supporters of the regime in Damascus against the US ambassador were considered a terrorist attack??

We should oppose the Syrian National Council every day, before meals and after, in the same breadth of our opposition to the lousy Syrian regime. Syrian people deserve much better: much better than the goons of the regime or the goons of the Syrian National Council. One is induced to vomit when one hears representatives of the Syrian National Council speak about democracy or secularism. Spare me. Go fly a kite in Qatar.

PS Ghalyun spoke against the thuggery of the goons of the Syrian National Council in Cairo. But poor Ghalyun: he runs the Council as much as I run the US government.
Posted by As’ad AbuKhali http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/11/thugs-of-syrian-national-council.html

???? ????? ??? H.N.N
????? ??? ??? ???? :
-??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ????
-??? ?? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????? ? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?????….??? ????? ???????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??????????? ?????
-?? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ?????
-???? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???

-??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ????????
?????? ???? ????? ??????: ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???
-?? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ????????? ????? ?????? ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ?? ????? ??????
-??????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ????????
– ?? ??? ??? 15 ?? 2006 ???? ????? ???????? ?? ???
-?????????? ??? ????? 2006 ????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ??????????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ???????
?????? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?????????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????
???? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ?????.
-?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ????? 1982 ???? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ?????
– ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ????? ???????? ???? ??? ?????? ????????? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??????
????? ???????: ?? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ???????

November 11th, 2011, 11:04 am

Tara #164

Is there a Camille girl?

Yes, it is a name used for man and woman.
Famous bearer:
– Camille Claudel, a famous woman sculptor who was Rodin’s lover.
– In the famous opera La Traviata, the heroine’s name is Camille
and others…

In the Arab countries, Camille for girls is often transformed into Camelia, like the daughter of Asmahan.

November 11th, 2011, 11:06 am

If you forgot to make a wish at 11-11-11 at 11:11:11, you still have a chance at 11 PM. I was told that wishes made then will come true.

November 11th, 2011, 11:17 am

Hey Tara, I was thinking ,

If you wish for the regime to go and Bronco wishes for the regime to stay,

Who’s wish will be answered ?

Surprise, surprise, <<<<< IT IS MY WISH , as tie breaker .LOL

November 11th, 2011, 11:24 am

A video of besieged Asad Armed unit taking cover behind their destroyed tank.

More mistakes by Jr armed froces caught on video:
A body of what appears to be a women’s is on the ground, face down.

The unit leader pleads to his commander to ask the attackers to stop the shooting so they can evacuate the “Ladies”

It is difficult to know what happenned to those bodies; It is probable that they were detained and used as human shields!

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

November 11th, 2011, 11:26 am

Majedalkhaldoon #165

“The FSA are angels…”

The propaganda video of the FSA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0h1hmxKwNE

The “angels” are “protecting” the citizens by blowing up civilian cars?

November 11th, 2011, 11:31 am

REvlon

“It is difficult to know what happenned to those bodies; It is probable that they were detained and used as human shields!”

Excellent suggestion…

November 11th, 2011, 11:33 am

This is the fate of the cowards who attack civilians.
These are the elite of the Asad armed forces.
They have gotten more than their match; The courageous and stealth FSA soldiers.

??????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ????
?????? ???? ?????? , ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?????

The opposition’s new Syria, supporting Israel’s nuking Iran:

TRUE | November 10, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Aboud, still I find it hard to cheer for Israeli killers and occupiers for that matter, it’s just me not being judgemental or pointing finger to anyone here, at the end of the day you do what feels right and that’s the essence of freedom. However, (there’s a big BUT here) I’m all to see Iran and Qum (where Betho would spend his life) in specific getting wiped off the map (Walid al-Mulaim©) http://7ee6an.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/war-drums-are-beating-from-ankara-to-damascus-by-true/comment-page-2/#comments

Ghat Al Bird said:

@162.

This is the real theme of this Friday.

http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/islamic-solidarity-the-bomb-israel-fears-more-than-anything-else/#more-31488

November 11th, 2011, 11:34 am

176. Dear irritated,

“The propaganda video of the FSA:

The “angels” are “protecting” the citizens by blowing up civilian cars?”

That was the commander of chief of the Syrian army, Thug One himself driving the car!!
Not civilian car eh!

November 11th, 2011, 11:39 am

Norman #174

My only wish for 2012 is that Syrians put aside their differences, renounce to the cycle of revenge and participate actively in transforming that obsolete and failing regime into a multiparty democratic system, so peace and harmony among the communities return.

November 11th, 2011, 11:41 am

Dear Bronco,

That is my wish also, so it might come true .

November 11th, 2011, 11:45 am

Syrian “Opposition Council” Meets with Extremist Racist Terrorist

Posted by Ryan Mauro Bio ? on Nov 11th, 2011

The Obama Administration is keen on letting allies (or in this case, so-called “allies”) take the lead in handling such problems. However, if Turkey and Qatar spearhead an effort to support the Syrian opposition, then the Islamists will be given an upper hand over the secularists and the future of the country will belong to the Muslim Brotherhood.

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/11/11/syrian-opposition-council-means-with-extremist-cleric/

The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood is acting on its stated “desire to coordinate the position of the opposition.” A delegation from the Syrian National Council, an umbrella of opposition forces, recently met with the radical Muslim Brotherhood cleric, Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, in Qatar. The leaders of the Free Syria Army live in Turkey. Meanwhile, the secularists fighting for a democratic Syria are left wondering if the Brotherhood, Qatar and Turkey will decide the fate of their country.

The Syrian National Council, an umbrella of anti-Assad activists and groups, is often referred to as the political body of the Syrian opposition. The fact that a delegation from the SNC met with Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi is of great concern. He is the most powerful cleric in the Muslim Brotherhood and is known for his vocal support of Sharia-based governance, suicide bombings, terrorist groups and genocide. He openly says he wishes to die as a “martyr” fighting the Israelis and he is virulently anti-American.

Ammar Abdulhamid, a U.S.-based Syrian secular opposition activist, says that the purpose of Qaradawi’s meeting with the SNC was to give it legitimacy amongst Islamists even though it has secular leaders.

“Qaradawi was settling a dispute on whether Islamists should, once again, accept being led by a secularist figure, even if he is only a figurehead,” Abdulhamid told FrontPage.

The SNC is also bidding for Qatari support. The U.S. may even welcome Qatari backing of the opposition as it did in Libya. However, Qatar favored the Islamist elements in the Libyan opposition, including Al-Qaeda-tied militias. There is no reason to believe Qatar wouldn’t promote its Islamist allies in the Syrian opposition as well. In addition, the SNC is based in Turkey, led by the Islamist government of Prime Minister Erdogan.

There were concerns about the overrepresentation of the Islamists in the body right from the beginning. When the council was formally announced in Turkey, one of the figures handling the press conference was Dr. Louay Safi, who has a long history of affiliations with the U.S.-based Muslim Brotherhood.

According to the Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report, Safi was in contact with Muslim Brotherhood operative Sami al-Arian who was convicted as the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the U.S. Safi was the Research Director at the International Institute of Islamic Thought, a Brotherhood front, when it financed Sami al-Arian’s think-tank. Safi was listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the case against al-Arian. He was suspended as a lecturer for the military in February 2010 because of a criminal investigation.

Safi was a member of the advisory council for the United Association for Studies and Research’s journal, a group which court documents identify as being part of the secret “Palestine Committee” set up by the Brotherhood to support Hamas. Since January 2004, he has been a top official with the Islamic Society of North America, another Brotherhood front that was listed by the government as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the trial of the Holy Land Foundation for financing Hamas. He’s currently the chairman of the Syrian-American Congress, which presumably led to his position in the Syrian National Council.

It is unclear who makes up the leadership of the SNC, as many officials have chosen to remain anonymous. We do know the names of 19 of the General Secretariat members, four of which belong to the Muslim Brotherhood and six are independent Islamists. That means the Islamists have a slight majority in a council that supposedly represents a country where Islamists are probably not the majority. The number is even higher if some of the anonymous members are Islamists.

Abdulhamid told FrontPage that there is little transparency in the body. “There is no official announcement regarding names, structures or vision,” he said. Negotiations about the exact form of the leadership are ongoing and kept very private.

On September 24, the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations helped put together an event featuring an SNC representative. CAIR is another Brotherhood front tied to Hamas. Shockingly, Frederic C. Hof from the State Department’s Office of the Special Envoy for the Middle East participated.

The most popular opposition group in Syria, by far, is the Free Syria Army. It consists of defectors from the Syrian military who are carrying out attacks to defend the people. On the plus side, it is staying away from endorsing any opposition political body, including the SNC. Its members are mostly secular who are Muslim but do not characterize their fight as a jihad. However, it is based in Turkey and out of necessity, is beholden to the Erdogan government.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry required the New York Times to go to it first for media access to the group. The interview took place in a government office in the presence of Turkish soldiers. The Turkish government even bought the suit for the leader of the Free Syria Army to wear. Like Qatar, Turkey is in a position to strengthen the hand of its ideological allies within the Syrian opposition. The leader of a Kurdish party says, “Turkey supports the Islamists in Syria and puts them out front.”

The growth of Islamist power within the Syrian opposition is particularly disappointing because the country is much less suited for an Islamist takeover than Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. The demographics of the country are not as favorable to the Islamists and there are strong secular trends.

Farid Ghadry of the Reform Party of Syria told FrontPage that Syrian secularists are frustrated with the perception in the West that it must choose between the Assad regime and the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Millions of Syrians don’t understand why the West believes their country has to be ruled by a secular terrorist or an Islamist extremist,” Ghadry said in an interview with FrontPage.

November 11th, 2011, 11:49 am

PKK and Asad Thugs join forces to quel demonstrations in Aleppo country side

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
http://www.facebook.com/Youth.Syria.Freedom
11/11/2011

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

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

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

November 11th, 2011, 11:50 am

Are those burned women killed by the FSA in the sick clip we are forced to watch also the ‘commander of chief of the Syrian army’ and not civilians.
Now we see the ‘courageous’ work of the FSA ‘angles’, ‘burning’ women, what a ‘noble’ work.

‘PKK and Asad Thugs join forces to quel demonstrations in Aleppo country side’
LOLOL…what happened to Hizbualla thugs? on vacation?

#181

Eh! Do you mean they are protecting the civilian demonstrators by blowing the private cars of the army officers?

Maybe they should add some kind of title otherwise it looks like a plain terrorist act like in Iraq or Afghanistan.

November 11th, 2011, 11:51 am

Armed terrorist gang.
Shabbi7at al Assad riffraffs with batons. Unshaved Vigilantes with cheap sneakers.

Norman,
Would you allow those shabbi7a riffraffs to disturb your North American comfort?
.

November 11th, 2011, 11:56 am

#185. Revlon

When Turkey encourages and provides weapons and logistics to a group like the FSA to threaten Syria, they should not be surprised that the PKK in Syria would threaten Turkey. They called for it.

November 11th, 2011, 11:57 am

????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??????.. ?????????????
by ????: ????? ?????

?????? ????????? ????????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????.. ??????? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ??.. ???? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????????? ????????? ????? ?????? ..????? ?? ???? ??? ????.. ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??????.. ?????
?? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ????????? ????????? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??????????:
?? ???? ????????????
?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???????
?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????????
?? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ???????
??? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ..???.. ????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ????????????..
??????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ????? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ???????? ??????? ??????..??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????

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

…………………..

”
???????? ?????? ?????????? ??????.. ????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??????????? ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ????????? ????????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ???????? ..??????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ..????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??? ???? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ..?? ?????? ..??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ..?????? ??? ???? ?? ????..

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

???? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?????? .. ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ..????? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ?? “???????????” ??? ???????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????????? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?????????? .. ??? ??? ????? ?????? .. ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ..??? ???? ????? ?????? .. ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ????????? ..??? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ?????????? ??? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? .. ??? “????” ????????? ???????? (???????? ??? ??????? ???????) ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ????????? ..??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? .. ????? ????? ???? ?????? ????????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ????.. ??????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ..??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ????????? .. ????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?????? !! ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ..

???? ??? ?? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?????? .. ?????????? ?????????? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? .. ?????????? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????????? ????????? .. ?????? ??????? ?? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ???????? .. ??????? ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ..?????????? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ..?????? ??? ?????? ..??????? ??? ?????? .. ??????? ??? ?????? .. ??? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ???????? .. ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???? (???? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ????????) ..?????? ??? ..?????? ?? ?????????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ?????? ??????? .. ??? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ..?????? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://serjoonn.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post_11.html

November 11th, 2011, 12:03 pm

“cheap sneakers.”
At least poor Syrians buy those ‘cheap sneakers’ from their own money not from the American/European tax payers like you cheap racist beggars.

November 11th, 2011, 12:07 pm

AJ said:

@Amir

Don’t you realize that both pro and anti regime Syrians have one thing in common and that’s their hatred for the Zionist entity? Why are you here? You’re just making the antis look bad.

November 11th, 2011, 12:16 pm

@ 188.

IDF gassing kids……REPORTED BY MONDOWEISS.COM

Israeli settlers gas a 10-year-old boy, and stop olive harvest
by SEHAM on NOVEMBER 11, 2011

Settlers Spray 10-year-old with Gas
Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians from the town of Qabatya, south of Jenin, on Wednesday morning, while Israeli settlers in the southern West Bank sprayed a family of Palestinians, including a 10-year-old boy, with gas.

In Jenin refugee camp, local sources reporting to Palestinian government news wire Wafa said that “a huge number” of forces accompanied by a low-flying helicopter conducted a four hour raid in which troops searched all the neighborhoods in the camp.

By dawn soldiers had arrested Anas Atta Kamil, 27, Ahmed Hisham Kamil, 26—a student in the American University in Jenin and released prisoner—and 24-year-old Yazan Ateb Obaideh.

IDF kills Israeli, wounds two others in accidental West Bank shooting
IDF forces, who believed the incident to be a terrorist attack, opened fire on the vehicle, killing a 60-year-old man, and wounding two other passengers.

November 11th, 2011, 12:35 pm

Syria: Crimes Against Humanity in Homs
Arab League Should Suspend Syria
November 11, 2011
Link to the press release:
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/11/syria-crimes-against-humanity-homs
Link to the full report: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/syria1111webwcover.pdf
(New York) – The systematic nature of abuses against civilians in Homs by Syrian government forces, including torture and unlawful killings, indicate that crimes against humanity have been committed, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.
Human Rights Watch urged the Arab League, meeting in Cairo on November 12, 2011, to suspend Syria’s membership in the League and to ask the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo and sanctions against individuals responsible for the violations, and refer Syria to the International Criminal Court.

The 63-page report, “‘We Live as in War’: Crackdown on Protesters in the Governorate of Homs,” is based on more than 110 interviews with victims and witnesses from Homs, both the city and the surrounding governorate of the same name. The area has emerged as a center of opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The report focuses on violations by Syrian security forces from mid-April to the end of August, during which time security forces killed at least 587 civilians, the highest number of casualties for any single governorate.

Security forces have killed at least another 104 people in Homs since November 2, when the Syrian government agreed to the Arab League initiative for a political solution. Arab foreign ministers will meet in an emergency session on November 12 to discuss Syria’s failure to comply with the Arab League initiative.

“Homs is a microcosm of the Syrian government’s brutality,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “The Arab League needs to tell President Assad that violating their agreement has consequences, and that it now supports Security Council action to end the carnage.”

Homs has emerged as the most restive governorate in Syria since anti-government protests erupted in mid-March. Human Rights Watch documented dozens of incidents in which security forces and government-supported militias violently attacked and dispersed overwhelmingly peaceful protests. A woman who participated with her 3-year-old son in a protest in the Homs neighborhood of Bab Dreib on August 15 described how they came under attack:
……. More

November 11th, 2011, 12:47 pm

The UN Renews Demand that Israel Rescind Its Decision to Annex Occupied Golan, Comply with UNSC Resolution 497

Nov 11, 2011

http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2011/11/11/380985.htm

NEW YORK, (SANA)- The United Nations renewed its demand that Israel comply with the international legitimacy resolutions, particularly the Security Council Resolution 497 which provided that “the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect”.

The UN’s renewed demand came on Thursday during the adopting of a draft resolution entitled ‘the Occupied Syrian Golan’ by the UN General Assembly’s ‘Fourth Committee’, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee.

159 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while only Israel voted against it and the US, Canada and 9 other countries abstained.

The resolution demanded that Israel immediately rescind its decision to annex the Golan Heights, considering all the legislative and administrative measures and procedures which Israel took and will take to change the character of the occupied Golan as null and void and a flagrant violation of the international law and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War without any legal effect.

Israel is also demanded to stop imposing the Israeli nationality and the Israeli ID cards on the Syrian citizens in the occupied Golan and halt its suppressive measures taken against the Golan’s inhabitants.

The resolution denounced the Israeli violations of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, renewing call upon the UN member states not to recognize any of the measures and procedures inconsistent with the international law Israel has taken in the occupied Golan.

Following the passing of the resolution, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar al-Jafari offered in a statement thanks to the delegations which voted in favor of the resolution, calling on the countries which abstained from voting to reconsider their stance before the resolution is to be adopted by the UN General Assembly.

“Syria has repeatedly expressed its commitment to just and comprehensive peace. It has launched with the Arab countries the Arab Peace Initiative and extended its hand to resuming the peace talks. However, Israel has responded with evasiveness and disregard and continued its occupational practices in the occupied Arab territories,” said al-Jafari.

He referred to the Israeli occupation authorities’ continued detention of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and collective blockade on Gaza, highlighting the continued Israeli settlement activities in the Arab occupied territories particularly in East Jerusalem and the Golan despite the collective international condemnation of Israel’s practices.

“The peace process can’t be accomplished when there is only one side seeking peace and backed by the entire international community, while the other Israeli side is doing its best to undermine this peace,” said al-Jafari, stressing that what the peace process lacks is an Israeli partner that is willing to actually carry out this process according to the recognized principles well known by the Israelis, on top being the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories to the line of June 4, 1967.

The number of the adopters of ‘The Occupied Syrian Golan’ Resolution has steadily increased up to 38 countries, which confirms the big international support to the issue of Syria’s full restoration of the Golan to the June 4, 1967 line.

We are going to heaven, martyrs in the millions,The terrorists crowd singing

These sunni muslim terrorists have such a blatant disrespect for authority that they’ll kill 26 soldiers in cold blood and sing about it, and then they give the reason for their protests as a lack of jobs?

What kind of an idiot would hire a kid who kills men in uniform and then sings glory praises to Heaven about it? Could it be that these ultraviolent murderous maniacs are so violent that they can’t hold jobs at all?

I’m thinking if you have a job resume’ and you put down your favorite pasttime as chanting “martyrs in the millions” that it’s going to be a “don’t call us, we’ll call you” response

November 11th, 2011, 12:50 pm

187. Dear irritated,
The man driving that car was Bashar AlAsad himself!

November 11th, 2011, 12:53 pm

Menhebaks are now using FrontPage Magazine, the rabidly anti-Arab and anti-Islamic rag run by David Horowitz, to find any argument to support besho, even if their hypocrisy gets even more exposed.

Some supporters of Assad on SC genuinely call for reforms, but usually cite Assad’s opposition to Israeli and U.S. designs, as well as his fake secularism as reasons for him to say. (His top cleric Hassoun said he has suicide bombers ready to go in Europe and the U.S.).

In the FrontPage article, which is a decent read, the author has concerns that the SNC met with Yousef al-Qaradawi, a man “openly says he wishes to die as a “martyr” fighting the Israelis and he is virulently anti-American.” The magazine also takes down SNC member Louay Safi because he supports Palestinians, and was even associated with funding Hamas.

These men seem to be very pro-Palestine. Shouldn’t Assad and menhebaks cheer them on?

Of course not, they only say they want to fight Israel, unlike the Assad regime, which is really just one more 5-year Baath party plan from getting the Golan back. They just have to kill 20,000 more Syrians to make sure our “immunity” is up to the task.

November 11th, 2011, 12:59 pm

FRONT MAGAZINE
HALABI @197
Waite until they strat hobnobbing with Geert_Wilders, Hollands star hate monger.

Also Who late the snake @195 out, it is not even spring. Snakes should be Hibernating now.

And for those dreaming about transforming this hyena pack into a multiparty system, it is. Just go to any trendy restaurant in Damascus and all you hear is

Shalish, Party of 8
Assad, Party of 25
Makhlouf, Party of 17
Muallem, Party of one (that big table next to the restrooms)

Enjoy your bloody pencil-neck party.

November 11th, 2011, 1:10 pm

Reply to Mjabali @ 146.
I am in agreement with almost everything and I thank you for your reply. Just a one observation,
For the past 50 years or more the US foreign policy, as in most other countries, has been a mixture of pragmatism and principle. The weakness of a pragmatic foreign policy is that it creates inconsistencies (often called hypocrisy in the blogs); principled policy overlooks the reality of the day and lacks flexibility. I regard the conduct of the Assad regime as radical Machiavellian pragmatism which all over the world violates one’s sense of the good. Ultimately the Assad regime will fall for this reason. President Obama’s speech in Cairo in 2009 described a principled US policy for the ME, but he has been hesitant to follow through, as you have stated so very well. Obama said a number of times ‘let the people solve their political problem for themselves.’ Thus he is reluctant to act. There have been times in the past 2 years when I wish he had been more assertive (but not militarily). President Bush would have been very active in creating democratic societies; President Oboma says it is up to the citizens of each country. Neither approach escapes criticism.

The foregoing reasoning has other limitations. For example, currently 22 severely wounded Libyians freedom fighters and witnesses started treatment this week at at a leading rehabilitation hospital in the US with the expense entirely paid for by the U.S. government. Does that reflect a principled foreign policy or a pragmatic policy? It doesn’t matter which; it is a fine act of humanitarianism. I have no doubt the same offer will be made to severely wounded young Syrians once that offer can be accepted.
Thank you so much for your reply. I apologize for the typo of your name.

November 11th, 2011, 1:14 pm

ND THEN COMES
@199
The equally, if not more, thoughtful response. Rare moment in this den. Thanks FRIEND IN AMERICA.

Again, one minor issue
But the Syrian regime is not pragmatic, it thinks it is smart. It only survived till now with brute force. And even that is failing now.

November 11th, 2011, 1:37 pm

Snakes go into Hibernation after they eat and digest the final sunni muslim terrorista SYRIAN HAMSTER …please spray some air freshner this bedouin hamster stinks

November 11th, 2011, 1:41 pm

#22:
Thanks for your comments, SH. Machiavelli thought he was advising his Pince how to be smart.

November 11th, 2011, 1:47 pm

20:06 , 11.11.11

Nasrallah warns of regional war if Iran, Syria attacked

In first response to IAEA report on Iran nuclear program, Hezbollah chief says Tehran will ‘retaliate harshly’ to any strike’
Roee Nahmias

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Friday warned Israel and the US that a war against Iran and Syria would lead to an all-out regional conflict.

“They should understand that a war on Iran and Syria will not remain in Iran and Syrian territory, but it will engulf the whole region and there is no escaping this reality,” Nasrallah said during a televised speech honoring “Martyrs’ Day.”

‘30,000 suicide bombers to infiltrate Israel’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens US
Iran warns Israeli strike will meet ‘harsh punishment’

In his first response to the growing calls for a military strike on Iran following the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) report on the country’s nuclear program, the Hezbollah chief said the Islamic Republic would respond harshly to any strike in its territory. “Iran is strong, united and has a one-of-a-kind leader and it will retaliate harshly,” he said in his speech, which was delivered in Beirut’s southern neighborhood of Dahia.

The IAEA report said Iran appeared to have worked on designing an atom bomb.

Iran and Syria have been supplying Hezbollah with military equipment – including thousands of rockets and other weapons – for years. Israel estimates that a strike on Iran would prompt an attack by Hezbollah from Lebanon, as well as an attack by Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. Hamas is also backed by Iran.

“Over the past few days we have witnessed an escalation in threats, and suddenly there is talk that the Israeli enemy may attack the Iranian nuclear facilities…The Iranian leadership responded firmly and decisively,” Nasrallah added.

Iran’s Ahmadinejad (L) with Nasrallah (Archive photo: AFP)

The Hezbollah leader said the recent warning by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to which any military action against Iran’s nuclear sites would be met with “iron fists,” best expressed “the reality, which is that Iran is strong and has an army, a nation and unity, and should not fear the fear campaign, the ships and the American armed forces who have already conquered the entire region around Iran.

“The US wants to defeat Iran and drag it to direct negotiations – which Iran rejects,” he said.

Nasrallah further warned of foreign military intervention in Syria, where President Bashar Assad continues to butcher his opposers. “The US is looking to subjugate Syria so that it will accept the conditions it has objected to in the past. Despite all the threats in the region…the state of the axis of resistance is better than ever,” Nasrallah said, adding “those who are gambling on the collapse of (Assad’s) regime (should) stop wasting their time.”

More than 3,500 people have been killed in Syria’s crackdown on protesters, the United Nations said this week, as the military pressed its campaign to put down resistance in the city of Homs against Assad’s rule.

“The brutal government crackdown on dissent in Syria has so far claimed the lives of more than 3,500 Syrians,” UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“Since Syria signed the peace plan sponsored by the League of Arab States last week, more than 60 people are reported to have been killed by military and security forces, including at least 19 on the Sunday that marked Eid al-Adha (the main Muslim feast).”

Syria agreed to the Arab League plan on November 2, pledging to pull its military from restive cities, set political prisoners free and start talks with the opposition, which wants to remove Assad and introduce more democratic freedoms.

Syrians have recently called for NATO’s intervention, but Assad has warned that any military intervention in his country’s affairs would cause an “earthquake” that would “burn the whole region”.

Reuters contributed to the report

November 11th, 2011, 2:12 pm

“Amir in Tel Aviv” at #188 links to a worthwhile video taken in Aleppo today of police and citizens dispersing an anti-regime demonstration. I’ve seen videos like one this from Aleppo this past summer. One of the reasons why anti-regime demonstrations in Aleppo are so few, so small, and so brief, is that a larger number of citizens in Aleppo are not only vehemently opposed to them but are willing to go out and break them up. That does not mean that people with anti-regime political opinion are unable to exercise their lawful right to publicly demonstrate in Aleppo. What it means is that unlicensed demonstrations are not tolerated by the general community. The forces of law and order will protect the anti-regime demonstrations, not break them up, when they are licensed. The video Amir linked to is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlHuG2Giuc8

Some more videos from Aleppo today by the same cameraman are at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/streikerbin

November 11th, 2011, 2:22 pm

Failed bid at the security council, now it will probably go to the general assembly.
http://israelpalestine.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/11/11/echec-au-conseil-de-securite-pour-les-palestiniens/

November 11th, 2011, 2:29 pm

former camera man at pro-regime Addounia TV exposes their lies and fabrications

November 11th, 2011, 2:42 pm

#196 Revlon

You mean they want to assassinate the President of the Republic?
This is how they want to protect the peaceful demonstrations?

Sorry dear, this is nothing but an act of terrorism and these people deserve to be hunted down one by one by all means possible, arrested and judged.

If this is what the FSA is all about, good luck to their allies in the opposition!

November 11th, 2011, 2:47 pm

CITIZENS my tail gain @ 204
Delusional YMG is at it again. Well read this and enjoy the description of the true reason for Aleppo’s silence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

?????? ????????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ?? 3 ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ????????? ???? ?? ?? ????.

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

?????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ?”????” ???? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? “?? ????”.
?????? ???? ????? (????? ??????) ????? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? “?????”..!!
?? ????? ??? ?? ??? (????????) ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??????? ???? “?????” ???????.. ???? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???????.

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

???????.. ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ?????????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ????????? ??? ????????… ??? ?? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????????? ?????? ??? ??????.

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

Yours is not even a narrative

November 11th, 2011, 2:50 pm

LITERAL
Hatemonger AFRAM Still takes the HAMSTER name literally.

And by the way, smarty, SNAKES sleep and not hibernate after eating a hamsters. They HIBERNATE IN COLD WEATHER

Seems that life science is not a strong trait of Hate mongers, well life itself is not their strong trait. They are simply an aberration.

November 11th, 2011, 2:58 pm

HRW = human rights watch = PRO israel organization

nuff said

November 11th, 2011, 3:02 pm

The syrian hamster SALAFI singing christmas song:INFIDELS

http://youtu.be/tk7IN3RNwko

November 11th, 2011, 3:05 pm

Arab League roadmap: Dead or doing fine?

Published: 11 November, 2011, 22:35
http://rt.com/news/arab-league-roadmap-syria-125/
As the Arab League is preparing for an emergency meeting to discuss the violent riots in Syria, the debate unfolds over whether the roadmap to peace brokered by the organization is viable.

Some countries, who are criticizing the regime of Bashar Assad for the seven month-long crackdown on the opposition, say the plan is effectively finished, because the Syrian government does not honor it.

“I am sure that the current initiative of the Arab League is dead,” French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Tuesday in an interview with the Asharq Alawsat newspaper. He added this does not mean that the Arab organization’s mediation in the conflict should be discarded.

Damascus sees the situation differently. The Syrian ambassador to Russia, Riyad Mohammad Haddad said Friday his government did most of the things the roadmap required it to.

“We complied with 75 or 80 percent of the demands,” he said.

The ambassador said that Damascus is replacing army troops with police all over the country with the exception of the city of Homs. It allowed journalists into the cities, which had been previously off-limits to the media.

The government has also announced a general amnesty for protestors, as the roadmap said they should, the diplomat said. He added Damascus was very surprised to hear statements of the US State Department calling on the protestors not to use the opportunity offered by the amnesty.

The call was last re-iterated by Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner on Thursday. Syria says it’s the latest evidence of America’s tampering with Syrian internal affairs. The US has been continuously stating that Assad has lost legitimacy and must step down.

UN estimates that the violent riots in Syria have claimed more than 3.500 lives since they started in mid-March. The Syrian government says many of the victims were soldiers and policemen killed in the line of duty by extremist gangs sponsored with money and smuggled weapons from abroad. Critics of the regime say it is responsible for the majority of violence in the country.

On Friday, Amnesty International said Assad’s government is guilty of crimes against humanity. It called the Arab League to expel Syria from its ranks. It also called on the UN Security Council to put an arms embargo on the country.

The Arab League’s ministerial meeting on Saturday is to review the developments in the country. Media reported that the organization may issue tough sanctions against Syria over the non-compliance with the roadmap, but no official confirmation was voiced.

Professor of International Relations, Mark Almond has told RT that in his view the big problem now is that not only Syria itself but even the neighboring countries have been drawn into this cycle of violence.

“I think it is naïve to hear sometimes in the West when we think that a dictator and regime like Assad’s has now support and at the same time – that opposition must inherently always be composed only of good, well-intentioned people. There are actually a variety of groups that do not like Assad’s regime, and some of them are rather militantly committed to replacing the secular regime with a Sunni-Fundamentalists regime.”

Middle East expert Dr. Hisham Ghassib argues that events in Libya and Syria cannot be called revolutions.

“What we are witnessing is a conflict, and we have to understand the nature of this conflict. [We have seen] a genuine revolution in Tunisia, in Egypt and to a certain extent in Yemen and, perhaps, in Bahrain – but not in Libya and Syria.”

He concedes that it may have started as an internal conflict within Syria, but it then turned into a geopolitical one.

“That is ‘an unholy alliance’ between certain Western powers on the one hand, certain Gulf States and Fundamentalist groups attacking the Syrian regime – not for democratic purposes, but for geopolitical ones,” Dr. Ghassib said.

He also added that the situation in today’s Syria resembles that in another country in the past.

“What is happening in Syria reminds me of what happened in Nicaragua twenty years ago, when the Contras were organized by the Americans in order to attack the Nicaraguan regime.”

November 11th, 2011, 3:13 pm

As long as the AL and Human Rights organization do not recognize the death in the Syrian military and security services and call it as it is a violent uprising, they have no legitimacy in my book, and are considered bias, can not be relied on to solve the problem in Syria,

November 11th, 2011, 3:20 pm

REAL CRIMINALS

SANDRO @ 80

Sandro, and some of real criminals are right here on this site, cheering the regime and sullying the reputation of the Syrian peoples. They are the hate mongers, the scared cowards, the corrupt beneficiaries, and the plain old lunatics.

You should check this a lot of the sane people ho fought to maintain their humanity gather over there. I am sure they’d love seeing you around.

November 11th, 2011, 3:28 pm

SANDRO
The link was butched, mostly due to my error. Here is the site

http://7ee6an.wordpress.com

SALAM

November 11th, 2011, 3:30 pm

New Voices Denounce Foreign Interference in Syria – Nov 11, 2011

Damascus, Nov 11, Foreign interference in Syria is an irrefutable fact, said Patriarch Gregory III Laham of Antioch, one of the leaders of the Orthodox Church in this country, agreeing in this regard with other prominent figures.

Cham Press news agency quoted Gregory III Laham as saying that what we see every day shows the truth about President Bashar al-Assad’s warnings about foreign interference.

He said that current developments in Syria prove the involvement of the United States and other countries in Europe, and stressed that the countryâ?Ös and President Bashar al-Assadâ?Ös success in confronting those challenges also means success for the Arab and Muslim world.

Syrian press highlighted on Friday the remarks made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who warned of any foreign interference in the internal affairs of this country.

Bogdanov said that in his recent meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Wendy Sherman, on Wednesday, he noted the need to spare no effort to solve the situation in Syria through peaceful political means, without foreign interference.

He reaffirmed Moscowâ?Ös stance that the international community must help Damascus to hold national dialogue as proposed by the government and accepted by most of the people.

On Thursday, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexander Lukashevich, said that his country considers the Arab initiative as constructive and valid, and rejected remarks by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, who said that the initiative was dead. Lukashevich publicly rejected France’s view and said it is difficult to find the most suitable way to establish dialogue in Syria and solve the problem.

He also expressed Moscowâ?Ös hope that the meeting of the Arab League on Saturday, Nov. 12, to discuss the Syrian issue will be positive and constructive.

Members of internal opposition in Syria on a visit to Cairo expressed support for the Syrian governmentâ?Ös call to a national civilized dialogue, repudiated foreign interference and reaffirmed their backing of the Arab agreement, according to press reports in Damascus.

Those people belonging to two opposition groups in Syria were attacked outside the AL headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday by a group that identified themselves as opponents living abroad, but who want foreign intervention in their country.

The visitors were scheduled to meet with AL Secretary General Nabil Elaraby.

November 11th, 2011, 3:41 pm

Syrian mines along Lebanese border injure two – November 11, 2011

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=331159

A Lebanese man had a leg blown off Friday after stepping on a mine planted hours earlier by Syrian troops along Lebanon’s northern border, local and hospital officials said.

“Imad Khaled Oweyshi was crossing the border from Syria back into Lebanon when he stepped on the mine,” a local official who requested anonymity told AFP.

He said another man accompanying Oweyshi was also lightly wounded by shrapnel from the mine.

It was unclear what the two men were doing in the area, which is widely used by smugglers and where the border is not clearly delineated.

Earlier Friday the official said that soldiers were seen planting mines on the Syrian side of the border village of Wadi Wawiyat, where the mine went off.

The village, which straddles the border, is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) West of another region were Syrian troops planted mines last month.

Lebanon’s eastern border with Syria has also been mined to prevent weapons smuggling and dissidents from fleeing a fierce crackdown by the regime in Damascus against an eight-month revolt.

November 11th, 2011, 4:04 pm

Akbar Palace said:

Ann’s “One Standard for Israel, another for the Arabs” NewZ

Ann,

HRW has criticized the GOI NUMEROUS times, and while that was occurring, no Arab I know was complaining.

Just so you know, I find it really nauseating when Arabs cry foul when the murderous thugs they support commit crimes exceeding those of Israel. Saddam Hussein, Gad-fly, Assad, every year it’s a different “personality”.

HRW is totally familiar with the lack of BASIC human rights throughout the ME, including Syria. Maybe after a half-century, Arabs will be able to speak freely.

http://www.hrw.org/

November 11th, 2011, 4:06 pm

Syria Welcomes Arab League Mission – November 11, 2011

Damascus, Syria announced on Friday through its ambassador to Egypt, Yousef Ahmad, that it would welcome an Arab League (AL) mission to observe the countryâ?Ös reality.

Local media highlighted today the memorandum given by Ahmad to the AL Council, expressing Damascusâ?Ö willingness to cooperate with such delegation, which is supposed to submit a report on the result of its inspection to the Arab Ministerial Committee led by Qatar.

“The visit will contribute to showing the reality of Syriaâ?Ös commitment to the action plan approved by the AL Council to reveal the motives and agendas of some parties in the country and abroad, which are trying to thwart the Arab agreement,” said the diplomat.

Damascus announcement of the will to cooperate comes a day before an AL meeting to discuss the Syrian issue.

Ahmad reaffirmed the governmentâ?Ös seriousness in complying with the agreed work plan, some articles of which it has been implementing.

Syriaâ?Ös readiness to open doors to an AL observer mission and its reiterated commitment to comply with the Arab agreement contrasts with stepped-up foreign hostility and interference aimed at thwarting any Arab effort leading to a solution to the crisis in this country.

The New York-based U.S. Human Rights Watch now joined this hostility, accusing Syria of committing crimes against humanity. It informed of alleged dozens of deaths and demanded Syriaâ?Ös expulsion from the Arab League and bringing this country to the International Court of Justice.

HRW also urged the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo and additional sanctions against Syria.

In remarks to SANA news agency, Ahmad recalled that a month ago, the Syrian government invited the AL to see the reality in the country, ignoring political instigation and media falseness against Syria.

He explained that all this instigation and falseness are aimed at generating turmoil in the country and inciting some opposition sectors abroad and armed terrorist groups to refrain from responding to the government’s peace efforts and reject the national dialogue proposed by President Bashar al-Assad.

“It is a clearly coordinated operation to trigger foreign interference in Syrian internal affairs,” said the diplomat.

In this regard, he referred to the call made by the U.S. State Department to armed groups to fail to accept the amnesty declared by the government and to fail to surrender their weapons, and to the remarks made by the French foreign minister that the Arab agreement was dead.

This shows clearly the intervention of those governments in the efforts to alter the life inside Syria and their rejection of positive efforts by the Arab community to ease tension and create a safe, peaceful atmosphere for national dialogue supported by the majority of the Syrian people, he concluded.

November 11th, 2011, 4:14 pm

Russian Diplomats and Analysts Reject Foreign Interference in Syria’s Internal Affairs

http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2011/11/11/381036.htm

MOSCOW, (SANA) – A number of Russian diplomats and analysts voiced rejection of foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs and the western countries’ exploitation of the UN to turn the Security Council to a tool for war and aggression.

Former ambassador and Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats Pavel Akopov said that Russia took the Libyans experience into consideration and adopted a correct principle by preventing foreign military intervention in Syria.

During a press conference held on Friday in Moscow, Akopov denounced the NATO aggression on Libya and the western countries’ exploitation of the UN with the aim of transforming the Security Council from a tool for peace to a tool for war and aggression.

In turn, former ambassador and Director of the Oriental Studies Department at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Peressypkin said that Syria is facing false accusations through a media misdirection campaign carried out by Arab and western mass media.

Peressypkin pointed out that there are two opposition factions in Syria: one within Syria which supports dialogue and seeks concurrence, and another abroad with its representatives living in western countries and are affiliated with foreign agendas.

He also affirmed that the Syrian leadership began making radical reforms that fulfils the interests of the majority of the Syrian people.

For his part, former ambassador and Head of the International Affairs Department of the Federation Council of Russia Andrei Baklanov pointed out that he was a part of the Federation Council delegation which visited Syria and witnessed the vandalism committed by armed terrorist groups, noting that external factors are exerting negative influence on the events in Syria, contrary to the Russian stance which sympathizes with the Syrian people.

In turn, Syria’s Ambassador in Russia Riad Haddad reviewed the latest developments in Syria, underlining the Syrian leadership’s approval of the Arab work plan, pointing out to the ongoing media instigation and smuggling of weapons into Syria.

November 11th, 2011, 4:27 pm

Jad, thank you so much, I just read your earlier comment.

Amir in Tel Aviv … There is a poll on the upper left side of the blog. Since you are experienced with democracy, you surely know that you get one vote only. After 400 readers voted, you have 82% in favor of Balanced-to-Strong moderation.

We are going with the balanced option… first a warning, then banning for one week only, then permanent banning.

Currently the only person being banned, for one week, is SNP (Generally anti revolution). Another person received a warning and he will be banned next if he writes again threatening readers of SC that they will be next after the revolution wins and punishes the regime’s leaders.

If some of your favorite commentators are not here anymore it is because they can’t live with the preferences of the great majority of readers of SC, not because of Alex than bans for one week one person per month out of 3000 readers.

Tara

If you live in the US or if you ever decide to live in the US one day, you don’t want to name your son Camille. In the United States Camille is used exclusively as a female name. You should see the reaction I get each time I introduce myself to an American!

November 11th, 2011, 4:37 pm

Alex,

The person makes the name, and you make Camille a good name for a man .

November 11th, 2011, 4:53 pm

Alex said:

Thanks Dr. Norman!

November 11th, 2011, 5:19 pm

Salah al-Din is a neighborhood in Aleppo that has been having small anti-regime gatherings on Fridays for the past month (and earlier). I looked at videos of them by searching for ??? ???? ????? at youtube.

In the following one dated today, starting at time 0:22 two members of the security forces are leading away a protester. The protester is not resisting his arrest. But pro-regime local citizens come up from behind and beat the protester on the neck and shoulders. What I was glad to see here is that both of the security men, and one of them with visible sincere anger, made the citizens back off. You can see the same professional working to protect the protester at time 0:07. The unfortunate protester got bloodied on the back of his neck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhsVOBq8MzU

In the following video dated today, a very sizeable crowd of both young and old men of the neighborhood of Salah al-Din has come out onto the streets to be of assistance to the police. From time 1:16 to 1:24 at the bottom right of the image, four or five elderly and grey-haired men (or at least grey-bearded) are to be observed, with a couple of them dressed in banker’s suits — not what they call “shabeeha”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8dYdXyC-qE

In the following a pro-regime citizen in a banker’s suit is helping the police clear the protesters off the street in Salah al-Din, dated today. He has taken off the belt off his trousers to use as a tool or weapon for this purpose. But he’s unsatisfied with it. He notices piece of junk furniture, a desk, on the street. He urgently and expertly extracts one of the legs of it for use as a cudgel. I got a laugh out it. I assume it’s uncontrived. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75AMTCZgE3o

The following depicts the entirety of the anti-regime protesters in Salah al-Din today, as far as I can see footage of them at youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR9KEN0WKv4

November 11th, 2011, 7:00 pm

#215 SYRIA HAMSTER

Many thanks for the link for WALLS site http://7ee6an.wordpress.com

I will check it from time to time when I need Oxygen for my brain.

But my duty is keeping on fighting the Contra propagande of what you call ¨hate mongers, the scared cowards, the corrupt beneficiaries, and the plain old lunatics¨. Brilliant description, yes sir.

November 11th, 2011, 7:33 pm

Revlon,
The SNC is becoming less tolerant of dissent among its ranks and the evidence is everywhere,this is why I said what I said. Seculars are increasingly isolated in a council that is focused on foreign military intervention and a council that is dominated by Islamists.
The only hope for the CC and the SNC to join forces is if the regime escalates its violent crackdown on the opposition and refuses Russia’s and AL’s mediation. I looked at the composition and latest statements by the SNC and I am increasingly convinced that it will lose more seculars and win more islamists.
The chances of Syrian opposition forming a council similar to the Libyan NTC are slim to none.

November 11th, 2011, 8:16 pm

Increasing trouble for Turkey with the PKK on the sea

Suspected Kurd militants hijack ferry in Turkey
http://news.yahoo.com/passenger-ferry-hijacked-northwest-turkey-172950202.html
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Up to five suspected Kurdish militants claiming to be carrying a bomb hijacked a passenger ferry carrying 24 people in northwestern Turkey on Friday, the transport minister said.
….
Security forces were prepared for the possibility that the hijackers may want to take the vessel to Imrali island in the Sea of Marmara, where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan has been jailed since 1999, CNN Turk reported.

“Don’t intervene. I have a bomb. I will detonate it,” CNN Turk reported a hijacker as telling security forces by phone.

Yildirim said the ferry had zig-zagged its way across the Marmara Sea. Three coastguards and a helicopter were following the 400-passenger capacity ferry.

Kurdish, leftist and Islamic militants are all active in Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the PKK insurgency since the group took up arms against the state in 1984.

PKK guerrillas have staged a series of attacks on Turkish armed forces this year and killed 24 soldiers in an attack in Hakkari, bordering Iraq, last month.

That attack triggered cross-border operations by the Turkish military against the militants. Several thousand PKK fighters are based in the mountains of northern Iraq, from where they launch attacks on security forces in southeast Turkey.
{…}

November 11th, 2011, 9:09 pm