The loss of Mennegh airport is important as it opens the way to conquer Nubl and Zahraa, Afrin will fall rather easily after that.
More important is the attack on rural Latakia, this will prevent the formation of Alawi state.
The fall of Mennegh has a secret,it should qualify for being in a movie
How could the rebels take towns in rural Latakia so easy?The terrain is one reason,lack of SAA in that area,still there are many questions.

My friends tell me there will be more FSA success in the near future

The attack on the Alawi villages in North Lattakia is unique so far within the Syrian conflict.

The fall of Mengh airport is nothing but symbolic for both parties.

The war now is at a stage where one party wins here while the other tries to win somewhere else. So no one should get false hopes that one party is going to tip events to its side. It is faraway from that.

The uniqueness of the attack on the Alawi villages comes from the fact that one person is putting his name to be associated with this attack: Mustafa al-Sabagh. The attack is carried on by mostly foreign fighters and some Syrians gathered by Mustapha al-Sabagh.

Some name surfaced like the Kuwaiti Shafi al-‘Ajami, who it is said that he is behind funding, arming and coordinating this attack.

Majedkhaldoun:

Contrary to your ideas: The Alawi State is going to become a reality because of these idiotic attacks.

“am i missing something?”

Yes, Anne. The Mustaqbal-advisors you’ve been listening to have been lying to you all along.

By the way, some sources, including Reuters, wrongly claim Sheikh Muwaffaq al-Ghazal has been captured by rebels. That is untrue, it is Badr al-Ghazal.

If the outcome of 50 years of “Unity, Freedom and Socialism” of the Baath Party, 40 years of criminal police state and repression for the sake of anti-zionaism, and 10 years with this retarded zoombie is the creation of an Alawi State, Assads and The Baath will pass to history books as the hugest joke in history.

Assad monumental statues and pictures will be kept in special museums dedicated to black history of the destruction of Syria.

Ah war. It seems the old Russian way of attrition has been used well at the air base. They have lost it but seemed to escape mostly. How many died in the attack? How many died in all the attacks on that base?

The attempt by the Qatari’s and the Saudis, with the active backing of the west, to push over Assad under the banner of the Arab Spring is not going well. The amount of death and suffering is very large and we can lay that at the feet of those most involved in that attempt. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, France, Gt Britain, and the USA. Thanks for taking a fairly tolerant Syria and turning it into a hellhole of fanatics. Well done assholes.

I know some bussinessmen who beneffited a lot from this regime. They were partners with Makhlouf, Shawqat and others and now they are enjoying they fortunes in US, Dubai and France. This is how it works.

It is not north against south.
It is not sunna against chia.
It is just powerful rich regime suckers against poor masses.

This is why revolutions tend to happen in extremely unfair societies. Properties tend to be redistributed and social tensions eased.

6. PenGun

Do not miss the question. Syria was tolerant… are you talking about the same Syria where demonstrators got bulleted thousands of times, then detained, tortured and raped. Very tolerant and smart indeed.

6. PenGun

Before being tolerant with religions you need to be tolerant with people, with human beings that compose the society and the fxxxxing Assad was not tolerant at all in this regard. So religion tolerance was imposed by law and was just a mascarade to hide lack of freedoms and most elemental political rights. So it all was an unsustainable lie.

7. SANDRO LOEWE

Hogwash. There are rich and poor people on both sides.

The opposition side is controlled by the rich even more than the regime. Be they foreign powers or regime-defectors who left with their money, like the Tlass family.

انا شامية للعضم وبحب كل سوريا و يا ريت تضلها شئفة وحدة
بس الصراحة انو بحياتي ما رحت و لا فكرت انو روح على كتير من مناطق و مدن سورية لانو بحسون مو سوريين ومو متلنا

انا و عيلتي ابعد شي وصلنا لكسب و صلنفة من جهة الساحل و بحياتو ما خطر ببالنا انو نروح على الشرق لك حتى درعا ما شفناها الا لانو على طريق الاردن. هلأ كل الناس خير و بركة بس الصراحة احنا مو متلون و هني مو زينا و الباب يلي بيجيك منو الريح سدو و استريح اصلا كنا نسميهم الشوايا لما نشوفن بالشام.

انا رأيي خلينا نقسم سوريا و بس يلي متلنا تعو لعنا و بعدين بعد كم سنة بس ترجع الحياة و الامان و طلعات السيران منعمل عليهم حرب و منرجعهم لسوريا بعد ما يكونو اقتلو بعضون

269. Akbar Palace said:

Are Zionists ever honest?

Akbar calling you a hooknouse would be racist. Saying that “are Zionist ever honest” is a question and at the worst can be seen as an ironic opinion or criticism.

You called Iranians towel heads. That is racist even with the extremely mild/low standards you Jews have adopted as anti-semitic attacks. Kantor Center at Tel Aviv university has a database of anti-semitism. The keyword Finland for example produces 113 hits. By the way most of those 113 records have nothing to do with Jews, Israel or anti-semitism. They are about the legal troubles of the populist party members here have had with hate speech against Muslims.

One of the records in that Kantor center’s database is, when some body called a Finnish Jewish MP with the name “jutku”, which is a rather mild Finnish nickname for Jews. What is a bit disturbing is, that this name calling was categorized in the Israeli university level database as violent incidents and as harassment. One recorded other violent incident was when somebody had peed on the fence of the Jewish community center. Terrible violence against Jews isn’t it? Well watch the YouTube videos when thousand of Jewish youth scream on Jerusalem day death to Arabs waving flags in their religious drunken rage.

With the moral rules of Tel Aviv University your towel head comment should be categorized as at least as harassment if not as hate speech. Well we all know that you Jews are above all moral and rules demanded from us not-chosen. Your new Chief Rabbi is allowed in public to use the word kushim (nigger in Hebrew). The great David Lau said he was only joking when criticized for using racist slur, a stand up comedian as Israel’s Chief Rabbi – hilarious. Well one can’t demand higher moral quality from the peasants than their spiritual leaders have.

I don’t understand why Josh Landis, or his erstwhile helper Matt Barber, allows Muslims to be called “towel heads” by Zionists on this forum.

In a way I am glad you used the term Akbar Palace. Now everyone can see how racist Zionists really are.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, adopted on November 10, 1975 by a vote of 72 to 35 (with 32 abstentions), “determine[d] that Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination”. The resolution was revoked in 1991 with UN General Assembly Resolution 46/86.

It looks to me that the regime and the jihadis have together managed to crush a genuine freedom revolution and turn it into a civil war, which we are only seeing the beginning of. It could be years before we see the end of this. In a country with a population of 20 millions, the 5% with the most destructive, violent and intolerant ideologies, on both sides, still equal to one million – a huge number of people. I am mostly puzzled by the cheerleading on this board for this 5%, on both sides.

Who is Ahmad Toumeh now?
وفي تطور متصل أعلن عضو في الائتلاف أن حكومة سورية في المنفى ستتشكل قبل نهاية الشهر الجاري، وسيترأسها المعارض أحمد طعمة باعتباره الاسم الذي يحظى بالإجماع حتى الآن.

وأوضح عضو الائتلاف -الذي رفض الكشف عن اسمه- في تصريح لوكالة الأنباء الألمانية أن “هشام مروة -نائب رئيس اللجنة القانونية في الائتلاف- أعلن اسم طعمة في اجتماعات الهيئة السياسية أمس الاثنين وكان هناك شبه إجماع عليه، وبقي التصويت في الهيئة العامة التي ستعقد اجتماعها في العشرين من أغسطس/آب الجاري في تركيا”.

وقال العضو إن هناك إجماعا عربيا وغربيا وأميركيا على ضرورة تشكيل حكومة مصغرة مرحليا قبل الذهاب إلى مؤتمر جنيف2، الخاص بإيجاد حل للأزمة السورية، لاكتساب مزيد من المصداقية أمام المحافل الدولية.

وأضاف المسؤول أن الائتلاف لديه خطة واضحة لتشكيل نواة جيش وطني قوامه بين سبعة آلاف وعشرة آلاف جندي في الفترة الأولى، وإنشاء جهاز شرطة وتثبيت المجالس المحلية، وإنشاء جهاز رقابة مالية يتمتع بالشفافية، بالإضافة إلى إنجاز مسؤوليات الإغاثة والتعليم والصحة والمشاريع التنموية، والشروع في وضع أسس لمصالحة وطنية وإعادة السلم الأهلي.

من جانبه، قال المعارض أحمد طعمة تعليقا على ترشيحه “بالنسبة لي إذا حصل الأمر، فهذه مسؤولية وطنية تشرفني وأرجو أن أكون عند حسن ظن الشعب السوري وكافة الأطراف لخدمة سوريا والسوريين في إطار توافقي من أجل مستقبل شعبنا وبلادنا والتخلص من نظام الاستبداد الذي يدمر البلاد ويقتل الشعب”.

http://www.aljazeera.net/news/pages/70b7d226-8390-4e37-81d7-2b156b97ff89

اميرة انت تريدين المجيء مع اهلك الى امريكا
Ameera you are shamieh,but seem to be prejudiced

Mjabali
Aren’t you surprised the rebels took few towns with ease?

I like Abu Al Fatouh. He should be the new Egyptian president.

An article on Egypt. I’ll link to the forum thread I read it on as the poster highlighted a particular paragraph (in bold in the link) and as I want to avoid posting too long a section from the piece.

************

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Defending Islamic Renaissance Project In All Its Manifestations In The Middle East

Dr. Daud Abdullah
Tuesday, 06 August 2013 15:01

To many observers, the crisis in Egypt today bears a striking resemblance to that of 1954. The main actors are the same, as are the issues.

Back then, there was also a vicious political struggle between a coup leader, Major-General Muhammad Naguib, and his comrade in the Revolution Command Council (RCC), Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser. The rift came to a head on 25 February 1954 with an announcement from the RCC that Naguib had resigned. That brought tens of thousands on to the streets of Cairo, the likes of which the city had never seen. Just as it is today, the people’s demand was for the unconditional return of the president and parliamentary rule.

Once the floodgates of protest were opened they were almost impossible to close. Not even the reinstatement of Naguib and his personal appeal from the balcony of Abdin Palace was enough to persuade the angry protesters to return to their homes. In the end, it took an appeal by a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Abdul Qadir Audah, to get them to clear the streets. His apparent power and popularity unnerved the coup leadership and that cost him his life; he was executed soon thereafter. The late Farid Abdul Khaliq, who lived through those tumultuous days, wrote that even as he walked to the gallows Audah never believed that he would actually be killed.

Today, no-one seems able or willing to bring an end to the protest and sit-ins that have spread like wildfire across Egypt since the military coup of 3 July.

[…]

http://www.yanabi.com/index.php?/topic/429086-egypt%e2%80%99s-muslim-brotherhood-defending-islamic-renaissance-project-in-all-its-manifestations-in-the-middle-east

Posted on Yalla Souriya over an hour ago:

@Charles_Lister

ATGM impact on theatres in Deraa, Aleppo, S. Idlib, RIf Dimashq, and Hama have shifted some long-held dynamics lately. Latakia the same.

Military relies heavily on tank-led artillery defence. Neutralising tanks leaves less impactful systems, more vulnerable to ground forces.

…so far, majority of ATGMs deployed in northern Syria have been seized systems: primarily Konkurs, some Kornets.

[ATGM = Anti-Tank Guided Missile]

اي نعم بدي اطلع على امريكا يا ريت حدا منكم يساعدني و يبعتلي دعوة

و على علمك اخي ماجد امريكا عم تعطي لجوء للسوريين؟

بعد ان جدح من درعا الشرر وبحرستا مهدينا لم يظهر
فربما سيجدوه في حلب
شبت النار بحلب واحنا سوينا العجب
وفجر مهدينا اقترب

http://youtu.be/_vY5rZqwP0E

#14 Hopeful

The “genuine” revolution lead by weak, greedy and stupid leaders could have never succeeded. It only succeeded in destroying the country and allowing the Islamists hordes of criminals invited to help to ‘liberate’ it to take over and impose their ideology to parts of the country. A great ‘genuine’ revolution victory, indeed.

Once more, zouzou tries to look educatated. The results is blather such as the following:

The “genuine” revolution lead by weak, greedy and stupid leaders could have never succeeded. It only succeeded in destroying the country and allowing the Islamists hordes of criminals invited to help to ‘liberate’ it to take over and impose their ideology to parts of the country. A great ‘genuine’ revolution victory, indeed.

Ignoring the modous operandie of “assad or we burn the country” and the calls for carpet bombing issued by its hoards of nus-lira, aunites, and other d-p sniffers, zouzou insists on falsifying realities, in hope that it believes itself. It seems to make d-p sniffers and lickers sleep better if they deny the responsibility of the abominable d-p athad for the destruction of Syria.

Someone recently wrote on face book, the Assads’ reign is what happens when losers attempt to write history. The more one looks at this simple phrase, the more it seems to summarize the clan, its followers and its entire history leading to the crimes against humanity and destruction of Syria through their spite, hate, and abject failure to join the human race.

CIA: more Libyan secrets coming out

The CIA was transferring surface-to-air missiles from Libya to the rebels in Syria through Turkey when the deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi took place, a CNN report has revealed.

As part of the investigation into the death of US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans last September, the CNN reported on Thursday that up to 35 CIA spies were working in an annex near the US consulate on a project to supply missiles from Libyan armories to Syrian rebels. According to one source, at least seven others wounded, some seriously. It is unknown how many of them were CIA.

CNN said the CIA is involved in what one source calls an unprecedented attempt to keep the spy agency’s Benghazi secrets from ever leaking out, subjecting its agents to frequent polygraph examinations.

The circumstances of the attack are being probed as some Congressional leaders pressed for a wide-ranging investigation suspecting that the government has withheld details of its activities in Benghazi.

Congressman Frank Wolf in Langley, Virginia, said.

“I think it is a form of a cover-up, and I think it’s an attempt to push it under the rug, and I think the American people are feeling the same way.”

“We should have the people who were on the scene come in, testify under oath, do it publicly, and lay it out. And there really isn’t any national security issue involved with regards to that.”

http://voiceofrussia.com/2013_08_06/CIA-more-Libyan-secrets-coming-out-0345/

Jonathan Alpeyrie recalls horrors of being abducted by peaceful and loving Islamist in Syria (video)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23591196

Syrian opposition group in collapse

IT LOOKS as if the Syrian opposition, the group we recognized as the legitimate government of that devastated country, is collapsing.

We jumped in too fast. We proposed sending arms, pouring more weapons into a country where 100,000 have died in the past two years. Thank goodness we haven’t stirred that pot. Both sides have committed atrocities. We have as much chance of identifying the good guys in Syria as monkeys have of typing Shakespeare.

http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/419366/Syrian-oppositon-group-in-collapse

Laugh at the head of the sectarian shabihs army in Aleppo general Khdoor 2months ago promising to raise the flag of Hussein on Ming airport
http://youtu.be/0fjV6Et83yk

Rebels fight in Syrian coast to cover losses in central region

The rebels recent battles in the Syrian coast, particularly against villages of Alawite minorities, are deemed by experts as an attempt to cover their abject failure in the central region and to stir up an outright sectarian strife in the war-ravaged country.

Speaking of military gains in some captured towns, military expert Turki Hasan told Xinhua that rebels are trying to achieve some sort of balance with the government troops that have made huge progress in central and southern region.

In a related development, around six radical factions reportedly attacked the countryside of Latakia, killing about 21 Syrian officers and 136 civilians, including women and children, according to unconfirmed media reports.

To retrieve the rebel-captured towns in Latakia, the Syrian army has reportedly unleashed a counter-attack, managing to regain two villages on Tuesday.

Radical Sunni defeat

However, the rebels’ attack was seen by experts as an ” adventure” that would end with defeat because of the rugged landscape of the villages and the social nature of their people, who despise radical groups in that spot of Syria.

Latakia countryside is mountainous and thus naturally protected; also the rebels could never succeed to stay there because the people reject them, Munther Khaddam, a political expert and member of the Damascus-based National Coordination Body, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

The rebels are largely Sunni fighters who belong to the al- Qaida-linked Nusra Front, Khaddam said while expecting that the Syrian army would soon retake the snatched areas.

He further cited some conflicting reports that have emerged from the rebel-occupied villages, which say the Western-backed militants have taken innocent villagers as human shield against government’s possible bombardment.

“The rebels attacked a number of villages along with army posts and the battles are still ongoing,” he said, adding that “there are women and children being killed and villages being destroyed.”

http://www.nzweek.com/world/rebels-fight-in-syrian-coast-to-cover-losses-in-central-region-66020/

DONANN is ashamed to state that the original source of the brilliant “analysisitic” it posted in 29 is non other than Xinhua, a news agency well known for being neutral, or was that neutered?

I repeat, This is your brain on dog-poop athad sniffing

This must go in the book on the dangers of excessive d-p athad sniffing

من شبكة شام الاخبارية :

علي غضبان:
عاجل للنشر و التوزيع فوراً:
أعلن الدكتور المهندس المظلي جعفر الحيدري عن اكتشاف طريقة خطيرة استخدمت لتهريب الأسلحة و متفجرات السيفور إلى سوريا خلال السنوات الخمسة الماضية و ذلك عن طريق غرس المواد في أسماك خاصة بها تجويف يتسع لحوالي ال 200 غ و إطلاقها في نهر الفرات و من ثم يقوم الصيادين العراعير في الطرف السوري بصيدها و الاستفادة منها,

Translation

From Cham News Network- (a loyalist key source of information)

Ali-Ghadban

Urgent and for immediate release and distribution:

Commando-engineer Jaffar Haydari, Ph.D. just announced the discovery of a new dangerous method that was used to smuggle weapons and C4 explosives into Syria during the past five years. This is through implanting the explosive inside “special” fish, which has a cavity large enough for nearly 200 grams, and then releasing the fishes in the Euphrates, whereby the fishermen and Araeer (followers of Arour) on the Syrian side then catch the fishes and use the explosives.

No wonder it is called slipper army with such brilliant Commando Engineer and Ph.D. Definitely, this is your brain on decades of dog-poop sniffing.

Majedkhaldoun:

There was a defection of a large proportion amongst a unit of Special Forces reserves. They even took two tanks with them.

The ease is because they attacked civilian targets that are barely protected. Also, they have been preparing for this move for a long time. The question is what is going to happen in the next few days especially with all of these videos started coming out.

Also, some of these villages are really small.

The attacking force is big and well armed. al=Assad had been blazing the whole area ever since the attack. His forces plus the hundreds of the militia went to the fight. They started taking the villages back.

The questions is what happened to the local non combatant population, so far the stories and gossip is not depicting a good story.

17. majedkhaldoun

If they can’t hold it, it is useless.

It was probably just a suicide mission to get some headlines, and take the heat off Homs.

#23 Zoo

The genuine revolution had no leaders. It did not need one. The regime killed or exiled all its would-be emerging leaders, shrewdly and brutally I may add. People like Ghaith Mattar and Ibrahim Kashoush.

But as Syriam Hamster wrote in #24, you and others try to rewrite history to help you sleep better at night. All the same, Syria is destroyed and the civil war will continue for years, thanks mostly to a brutal corrupt regime, but also to an environment of religious intolerance, decades-old vengeance, and the indifference of the global community.

The regime burned the revolution, the jihadis poured gas on it, and the world failed to save it.

Send your goodbyes to Ramadan
http://youtu.be/yLewp3B092g
May we have peace in Syria next Ramadan

AMEERA

Are you a bedouin from Damascus outskirsts? Or are you from Damascus city center?

Sandro,

I am sure that if you ever visit Syria again, you will decide to stay in a “regime-held” area, in case the partition you dream of ever happens.

I cannot imagine at all you or Ford giving a press tour of a “rebel-zone” with Coran loud in every cafeteria and faced-veiled women everywhere (if they are ever allowed to go out anymore).

Now that the Pandora box is open (one should call it stage 2), you can expect a real copy of the Europeans wars of religions, a few centuries long. This until a real enlightened opposition will emerge and say “religion and politics don’t mix”.

Family business
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/78502/World/Region/Saudi-king-again-replaces-deputy-defence-minister.aspx

Hopeful

“The regime killed or exiled all its would-be emerging leaders, shrewdly and brutally I may add. People like Ghaith Mattar and Ibrahim Kashoush.”

That’s an absurd and naive statement. Khomeinei was exiled and was able to draw the Iranians to topple the Shah with the support of the people.

Just admit that Ghaliun, Khatib, Idriss etc.. were just weak puppets and that there has been not a single figure for Syrians who were hesitant to trust and follow. Exiled opposition had become more corrupted than the regime, just another form of corruption.
In the absence of any meaningful alternative, the only “leader” that emerged was “extreme Sunni Islam” and we now see the terrible consequences.
It is so funny that the Syrian government is to blame for the stupidity, the greed and the corruption of the exiled opposition.
Just admit the opposition was no match to the solid Syrian government, neither politically, nor ideologically and that they should have approached Syria’s allies ( Russia, China and Iran) to find a compromise instead of begging for advices and weapons from traditional Syria enemies ( USA, EU, Qatar and KSA).
Unforgivable stupidity that Syrians are paying with their blood while these ‘leaderless’ leaders are terrified to move to the ‘liberated area’ and prefer to make noisy promises from 5 star hotels in Turkey.
They only deserve my full despise for having abused the Syrians in making them believe that their blood will bring ‘freedom and dignity’, when it only brought them misery, destruction and humiliation.

The fall of Bashar Al Aasad governement presents the No. 2 highest security threat for the USA. Will the West that has been wanting that fall for several years will now prevent it?

National Security Brief: The CIA’s No. 2 Says Syria Is The Top U.S. Security Threat

By Ben Armbruster on August 7, 2013 at 9:04 am
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/08/07/2425661/national-security-brief-the-cias-no-2-says-syria-is-the-top-us-security-threat/

The Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency has said that the combination of civil war in Syria and the possibility that al Qaeda extremists could obtain dangerous weapons in the event of Bashar al-Assad’s fall represents the greatest security threat for the United States.

Michael Morell, CIA’s outgoing second in command, told the Wall Street Journal that the situation in Syria probably the most important issue in the world today because of where it is currently heading,” with a potential collapse of the Assad’s government:

Hopeful I sleep just fine at night.

40. zoo

Even Assad supporters admit the fact that US is supporting Assad remaining in power for the good of Israel stability. US will support Assad even if the final outcome be the destruction of entire cities, massacres of 500.000 people, use of chemical weapons and 3 or 4 million refugees.

42. SANDRO LOEWE

Pfff, the US/Israel wants all sides to fight forever, it directly supports the FSA, but is afraid of Nusra. No support given to the regime. Please keep your lame fantasies to yourself.

Sandro

“US will support Assad even if the final outcome be the destruction of entire cities,”

Tell this to naive Idriss and the ridiculous opposition coalition. They have not understood that and are still betting on USA’s help instead of opening up to the real friends of Syria, Russia and Iran that could save the country from total destruction

12. SimoHurtta said:

Akbar calling you a hooknouse would be racist. Saying that “are Zionist ever honest” is a question and at the worst can be seen as an ironic opinion or criticism. You called Iranians towel heads. Well we all know that you Jews are above all moral and rules demanded from us not-chosen.

13. revenire said:

In a way I am glad you used the term Akbar Palace. Now everyone can see how racist Zionists really are.

Sim, Reverse,

Joshua Landis and his “helper”, Matthew Barber, probably allows Muslims to be called “towel heads” for the same reason he lets you say “Are Zionists ever honest?”. I find it interesting that you 2 cry-babies are complaining about racism, as you are both one of the most anti-semitic posters on this forum. Go figure.

FYI, I never called all Iranians or all Muslims “towel heads”. If I did, than I am deeply sorry and I apologize.

For the other posters on this forum, I would like to clarify my use of the term “towel head”, and I promise not to use it in the future. My use of the word “towel head” was meant for those arm-chair, terror-supporting theocrats in Iran and Lebanon who support despots like Bashar Assad, and do not believe in personal freedom and basic human rights.

This is all I meant. I am a bit emotional about this issue like many here, because I think it is important that people have the right to choose their government and live in freedom, just like they do in Finland and California.

I think many of the participants here know that I am not anti-muslim, and that I judge people by what they say and their actions. I think the arab and muslim world has a LOT of problems, and I don’t think anyone here would dispute that. I am for SOLVING problems, and not making them worse.

I support the Syrian opposition, basic human rights and freedom for all people everywhere, especially in the MIddle East.

Sim,

I’ve told you this a million times, and you obviously can’t wrap your mind around it. Jews don’t believe they are better than anyone else. The term “chosen” just means we Jews believe G-d “chose” us to live by the Torah. Judaism doesn’t require YOU or anyone else live by the Torah to be righteous. Noah did not live by the Torah, yet he was considered righteous. But if you continue to feel alienated in some way, I can’t help you.

Reverse,

What I say, reflects on me, not on how “ZIonists really are”. The GOI have accepted thousands of black Jews and they continue to take them into our “Apartheid State”, and even though it is difficult to absorb them, they are doing a fairly good job.

http://www.theworld.org/2013/03/ethiopian-crowned-miss-israel/

http://www.theworld.org/2013/03/ethiopian-crowned-miss-israel/

http://www.memri.org/media-archives-antisemitism-holocaust-denial.html

34. Hopeful

Perfect description of facts. Thanks.

In a state of panic, Saudi Arabia shows that the only power it has is bribing. Is 15 billions dollars sufficient price to pay Russia to dump Bashar al Assad

Saudi offers Russia incentives in return of ditching Assad regime – report
by Reuters

Amman/Doha: Saudi Arabia has offered Russia economic incentives including a major arms deal and a pledge not to challenge Russian gas sales if Moscow scales back support for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, Middle East sources and Western diplomats said on Wednesday.

The proposed deal between two of the leading power brokers in Syria’s devastating civil war was set out by Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week, they said.

Russia has supported Assad with arms and diplomatic cover throughout the war and any change in Moscow’s stance would remove a major obstacle to action on Syria by the United Nations Security Council.

Syrian opposition sources close to Saudi Arabia said Prince Bandar offered to buy up to $15 billion of Russian weapons as well as ensuring that Gulf gas would not threaten Russia’s position as a main gas supplier to Europe.

In return, Saudi Arabia wanted Moscow to ease its strong support of Assad and agree not to block any future Security Council Resolution on Syria, they said.

Will Jarba, president of the moribund SNC drink the bitter poison and go to Geneva without any pre-conditions?

US proposes Syria peace talks at UN in September, says sources

http://www.aawsat.net/2013/08/article55312798

Lakhdar Brahimi is thought to have urged international sides to pressure SNC leader to show more “flexibility.”
…
So far, the Syrian opposition, represented by the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), has not set up a delegation for the conference, as it currently refuses to negotiate with the Syrian government.

The United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is reportedly “pessimistic” about the prospects of the conference being held next month.

For Brahimi, the hard-line position of the SNC head Ahmed Jarba and the encouragement he receives from some of the influential Gulf States have impeded the realization of the conference.

Brahimi is thought to have called on several international actors to pressure Jarba to show more “flexibility” over the conference, particularly after the rebels on the ground have recently achieved a number of successes in the north, east and south of Syria.

Rebel attempts to turn the tide of battle in Syria decisively in the their favor have turned on new supplies of arms, as well as attempts to improve coordination between fractious rebel militias.

However, many Western capitals have begun to complain that many of the plans and proposals they have put forward to assist and train Syrian rebels have not been “responded to as expected” by the Syrian opposition.

In one case, a course intended to train around 40 rebel fighters was attended by only two opposition fighters, prompting its cancellation, Asharq Al-Awsat has learnt.

Akbar Palace asking if all Zionists are liars isn’t racist. It is asking a question based upon decades of Zionist lying, murder and rape of the Palestinian people. I didn’t use any anti-Semitic terms. I never have.

45. AKBAR PALACE said:
“FYI, I never called all Iranians or all Muslims ‘towel heads’. If I did, than I am deeply sorry and I apologize.”

“For the other posters on this forum, I would like to clarify my use of the term ‘towel head’, and I promise not to use it in the future. My use of the word ‘towel head’ was meant for those arm-chair, terror-supporting theocrats in Iran and Lebanon who support despots like Bashar Assad, and do not believe in personal freedom and basic human rights.”

Akbar Palace here is where you called Iranians “towel heads” ( link to #66 in the thread https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/problems-for-syrians-in-egypt/?cp=all#comments). Aside from the obvious racism in your post, you are wrong about Iran. Iran hasn’t started a war with Israel, or its neighbors. If you can point one out for us I will gladly apologize. I find your “towel head” comment deeply offensive to all Muslims.

66. AKBAR PALACE said:
“Hopeful,

“You know what, I get it. It didn’t work out so well for the Palestinians. Let THEM and the Israelis work it out together before the muqawamistas kill another 100000.

“Just tired of the Iranian towel-heads instigating more war. You’d think they’ve had enough. And if Israel is a muslim “wound”, what the hell are the hundreds of thousands of dead across the ME from Algeria to Iraq? A scratch? Vote the towel-head warmongers out of office once you guys get your freedom. I’ll be the first to celebrate.

“I’m hopeful.”

Akbar Palace if I am not mistaken one of the chief rabbis recently used the N word to describe blacks.

I am well aware of Zionist racism. I had Israeli roommates during my college days and they were Sephardi Jews and discriminated against. I suppose you would not understand this because you are an American not an Israeli.

Reverse,

I won’t enable you to turn SC into a bash “Zionism” (aka Jewish State) website. Keep trying?

Many on this website want to focus on Syria and the horrible situation there. If you want to talk about Israel or Zionism or Joos, feel free to email me.

And I can certainly understand why you and the other Assad brown-nosers tend to avoid talking about Syria and the empty d-p president who ruined his own country or, at the very least, failed to protect it. Israel is paradise compared to Syria for anyone: black, arab, white, purple or polka dot.

Welcome to the “Apartheid State”:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/knicks-star-stoudemire-seeking-israeli-citizenship/

The golden palm of hypocrisy

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/77204/Egypt/Politics-/UN-says-Egypt-crackdown-closes–percent-of-Gaza-tu.aspx

Prejudice what prejudice asked Willis? Those with not selective memory remember the below….

There is a huge gap between us (Jews) and our enemies not just in ability but in morality, culture, sanctity of life, and conscience. They are our neighbors here, but it seems as if at a distance of a few hundred meters away, there are people who do not belong to our continent, to our world, but actually belong to a different galaxy.” Israeli president Moshe Katsav. The Jerusalem Post, May 10, 2001

“The Palestinians are like crocodiles, the more you give them meat, they want more”…. Ehud Barak, Prime Minister of Israel at the time – August 28, 2000. Reported in the Jerusalem Post August 30, 2000

” [The Palestinians are] beasts walking on two legs.” Menahim Begin, speech to the Knesset, quoted in Amnon Kapeliouk, “Begin and the Beasts”. New Statesman, 25 June 1982.

“The Palestinians” would be crushed like grasshoppers … heads smashed against the boulders and walls.” ” Isreali Prime Minister (at the time) in a speech to Jewish settlers New York Times April 1, 1988

“When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle.” Raphael Eitan, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, New York Times, 14 April 1983.

The opposition is still using its ugly and bloody faked revolution to polish their lost. I think it is getting really old.

Besides, what is the use of that? It is those Islamists are actively fighting on battlefield and launching terrorist attacks against civilians.

Will the opposition selectively claim some victory and deny all the atrocities?

Please stop those schizophrenia hypocrisy and hallucination.

Here we have the evidence of how depraved the regime is that goes with the slogan

Assad or we burn al Balad

http://www.skynewsarabia.com/web/article/378050/صور-أقمار-صناعية-تظهر-حلب-بلا-معالم

Now with the conflict contained within Syria, do not think that there will not be similar happenings in the rest of the country.

Break it up. No use.

Posted on Yalla Souriya about an hour ago:

Al Arabiya English ‏@AlArabiya_Eng 6m

#BreakingNews – Activists: #FSA downs Iranian cargo plane at #Damascus International Airport. #Syria

Akbar Palace I don’t need to do a thing – Zionism does a fine job bashing itself.

The Zionists are attacking Syria and part of this war.

Is there a Middle East war that the bloodthirsty Zionists are not part of?

SANDRO LOEWE

الله لا يجبرك على هالخبرية شو شايفني بنت الشوحة و الشرشوحة انت اشكالك النور و البدو يا نوري

شامية من كفرسوسة من اللوان

Here we have the evidence of how depraved the regime is that goes with the slogan “Assad or we burn al Balad”

Observer,

Which “bloodthirsty zionist” said that? It doesn’t sound like hebrew to me.

http://www.google.com/search?q=syria+destruction&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=88MCUsjiLfPl4APJu4GYCw&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=360&bih=567&sei=BsUCUsGoHdGu4AP5zYCwDA

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Expect a lot of back and forth attacks and counter attacks until this war dies down and Syria gets divided in a way or the other. The biggest losers of this war, like in any war, are poor Syrians who died for nothing, people who tell you otherwise are lying to you, of those who are still alive, the ones who will need a lot of help for the next 10-15 years at least are the refugees and those who are or will be under nusra rule, ironically poor sunni population in Syria are victims of both the regime and Nusra. My main concern is the children who have not attended school in more than 2 years and the women who lost their husbands or are sitting ducks for predators and middle ages Taliban animals who have little respect for girls and women. Do not kid yourself, Syrians under nusra rule will live in a Syrian version of Afghanistan, for that I consider any Syrian, including few on this blog, who celebrates wins by nusra to be a terrorist sympathizer and an evil soul who is worse than those who are defending the crimes committed by the regime, without a regime or a government that respects women rights, Syria will never stand up again.
As for the attack on Latakia, I can tell there is a lot of anger against those who seemed to have allowed this to happen mostly though incompetence, the best units are in Damascus area and around Homs, I do not have enough info to comment on the subject of defection there, I doubt that was a major factor in what happened. Do not expect this situation in Latakia to last, rebels have already lost 3 villages and are likely to go back where they came from within days, rebels leaders are focusing on the north and east , the coast is used to agitate and aggravate, that does not mean Latakia is immune from attacks, but it means that rebels have no chance to dominate the province.

EID SAEED

Syrian Troops Attack Rebels, Killing Scores Of Obamas Death Squads

BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Syrian Army attacked a large group of insurgents near the capital, Damascus, on Wednesday, killing more than 60, according to monitors and state media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict from Britain through a network of contacts in Syria, said that 62 rebels had been killed and that 8 more were missing.

Opposition fighters said that the attack took place between the Adra industrial area on the northeastern fringe of Damascus and surrounding rural areas, and that only three insurgents survived.

Mohammed Saeed, an activist based near Damascus, told The Associated Press that 65 rebels were walking along what they thought was a secure, hidden road.

“The regime forces riddled them with heavy machine-gun fire,” Mr. Saeed said, speaking via Skype, The A.P. reported. “It seems that the regime discovered the secret road that the rebels were using.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/world/middleeast/syria.html?_r=0

More details

After the ambush of rebels near Damascus, state-run Al-Ikhbariya television showed a Tunisian passport picked at scene from the body of a bearded man who was born in 1978. It also showed Islamic headbands and American made automatic rifles that were apparently carried by the rebels.

Mohammed Saeed, an activist who is based near Damascus, told the Associated Press says that 65 rebels were on their way from the eastern suburbs of the capital to the nearby area of Qalamoun when all but three were killed. A local activist added that the rebels were walking the 19-mile route because it is dangerous to drive in the area as it is watched by regime forces. “The regime forces riddled them with heavy machine gun fire,” he said. “It seems that the regime discovered the secret road that the rebels were using.”

Where’s Juergen? Hope he’s ok and gets back to posting again.

#39 Zoo

Yes the opposition was no match for the Syrian regime in terms of brutality and ideology. The regime found its match in Jabhit Alnusrah. That was my point all along. Add these two together and you get the 5% of the population, the 1M people who will drag the country into the civil war for years to come.

The analogy to the Iranian revolution is appropriate. The only difference is that the Shah decided, at a crucial moment, to spare his country the total destruction of a civil war. He may have done it because of patriotism, or because he did not trust the loyalty of his military. In any case, his decision to leave instead of order a total crackdown, spared many Iranian lives. The sad outcome however for the Iranians was that the Islamists stole the revolution and established a theocratic regime, the very one that the Syrian regime is now in bed with in return for protection and financial help.

Zoo, no matter how often you and the regime’s defenders repeat your claims of a global conspiracy and outside opposition corrupt figures, the vast majority of Syrians, Arabs, and the world will always believe in the actual truth: a genuine grass-roots popular freedom revolution that was caused by decades of corruption, social injustice, and sectarian favoritism, and was inspired by the Arab spring. This Syrian regime will never be able to rule Syria again, and it does not seem to have any strategy of how to get out of this crisis. The result is going to be total destruction and chaos.

A barbaric Persian cargo plane was downed, it flew over Iraq from Persia

Ghufran said
rebels have already lost 3 villages and are likely to go back where they came from within days
As usual garbage and fabrications

#63 Hopeful

The Shah, Mobarak and Ben Ali had very little support within the country just as the revolution started. The army that represents the grassroot of any population moved on the side of the opposition or remained neutral.
In Syria, the army and a large part of the population have remained loyal to the government. That’s a very significant factor that annoys most defenders of the opposition as it is unique in all the arab springs uprising.

What you say about preventing blood shed is right but in Syria, it was the other way around. When the opposition realized they were no match to the army and to the pro-government population, they should have stopped to avoid more civilians death, just like the Iranian green revolution did, waiting for a better opportunity for another revolution

Instead the desperate opposition called for help from Syria enemies ( USA, EU, KSA, Qatar), from Islamists worldwide, from criminals and the death toll grew bigger and bigger.
From their 5 stars hotels, they showed a total indifference to the Syrians dying on both sides. All they cared for was their egos and they greed.

Bashar al Assad did not win because he was the strongest or the smartest, he won because the opposition, just like the Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt, abused the Syrians by unfulfilled promises and betrayed the ideals of the Arab spring by going against the people and forcing them into an Islamist system the majority of Syrians, like the Egyptians, reject.

The chances of a major change in the Syrian government is close to null. Nobody trust the opposition anymore. They have no structure, no leader, no program. Even as a political party they will get very few votes. The present government and all the institutions have shown an amazing resilience, and after 3 years of hell, the army is still strong, cohesive and loyal. What could break them now?

It seems to me that Bashar al Assad will be in charge of Syria in 2014 and if he decides to present himself for the next election for the next 5 years.
Expats and the opposition ‘leaders’ will return to their country of exile, this time for a long long time.

Of course, you could keep glorifying the ‘revolution’ and dream of a savior ‘leader’ who will emerge.
I don’t see any at the horizon.

Overwhelmed by refugees, Turkey wants the UNSC to force the Syrians to stay in their country as Turkey is becoming a victim to its own ‘generosity’.
Putin tells Erdogan: Forget it

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/putin-to-keep-syria-line-despite-turkish-pm-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nid=52184&NewsCatID=359
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan initiated a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 5, asking for support from the permanent member of the UN Security Council for taking measures which would prevent victimized Syrians from leaving their country. Yet, Putin was clear and sharp when he said that Moscow had no intention of changing its current policy regarding Syria.

There’s little that can be done to stop Syria’s civil war

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/There-s-little-that-can-be-done-to-stop-Syria-s-civil-war/-/1840392/1940716/-/xn4v2m/-/index.html
…
The US and the European Union, having sanctioned in principle the supply of arms to the rebels, are not implementing their decision, fearful that the arms would end up mainly in the possession of the Islamist jihadists who have the upper hand among the fighters. The rebel offensive becomes weaker by the day.

“The history of civil wars,” continues Luttwak, “suggests that more often peace arrives when there is a clear cut victory by one side. If no party is threatened by defeat and loss what incentive do they have to negotiate a lasting settlement?”

In the Libyan civil war Gaddafi was toppled quite quickly. He didn’t have a military sophisticated enough to take on the British, French and Qatari warplanes. It was a short war with one clear victor. Doubtless, this is the kind of war Luttwak would like to see more often.
….
In Syria one can only wish that the initial non-violent protests against the government had not been taken over by those who believed in violence. Then the Syrian government instead of fighting back might have considered serious reform- if the outside world had also piled on the pressure too. The press and outside governments tended to ignore the non-violent protesters- but that would have been the time to extend the hand of support and media coverage. That was Luttwak’s second point and the one we should focus on when future conflicts are in the making.
For the present, however, there is little we can now do to stop Syria’s civil war. Leave bad enough alone.

طاق طاق طاقية
مافي عيد و عيدية
بدي احمل روسية
والعن ابو الحرية

Bashar al Assad is the strongest leader in Syria. Nothing can stop him.

With 1200 militias making the opposition, Obama and Erdogan still talk about an ‘unified’ opposition. What happened to Idriss, is he about to resign or having a nervous breakdown? Will Jarba announce the ‘transitional governement’ as promises after the Eid?

Obama, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan discuss unrest in Egypt, Syria
By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, August 7, 9:09 PM

…The two leaders on Wednesday discussed foreign extremists fighting in Syria and the need for the opposition fighting President Bashar Assad (bah-SHAR’ AH’-sahd) to be unified and inclusive.

صور دبح العلويين في ضيع الساحل

مجاهد الفرج السعودي ابو رجل وحدة نازل شخت فيون على السكين

https://twitter.com/najm_alden_azad/media/grid

ومو بس هيك كمان نازلين نيك و نكاح بنساء العلويات لانون قال كافرات، واغتصابهن حلال بس لازم “استبراء أرحامهن” يعني يتأكدو انو مو حوامل

طيب بيصير هيك يا جماعة يعني خلص متل الشبيحة و اوسخ

تارا انت شو رأيك؟

Audit of Syria refugees finds organized crime and child soldiers

Many Syrians who have escaped their country are now desperate to escape from U.N.-run refugee camps, where women are not safe and teenage boys are recruited as soldiers to fight in the conflict, according to an internal U.N. report.

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR is trying to cope with a massive humanitarian crisis, as 1.9 million Syrians have sought refuge abroad, mainly in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.

The report, an self-evaluation of UNHCR’s work in Syria entitled “From slow boil to breaking point”, admits the United Nations could have done much better and “a far more substantial and coherent strategy is needed”.

Organized crime networks are operating in the biggest refugee camp, Za’atari in Jordan, which is home to 130,000, it said. The camp is “lawless is many ways”, with resources that are “constantly stolen or vandalized”.

Preparations for a new camp needed to learn the lessons from Za’atari, including to “ensure the safety of women and girls”.

Refugees can live outside the camp if they are “sponsored” by a Jordanian citizen, but many refugees are paying up to $500 to middlemen to get out, the report said.

In the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Domiz camp is critically overcrowded and living standards are “unacceptable” in many parts of the camp.

“There is currently no agreed strategy in place to deal with the existing refugee population in Northern Iraq or any future influxes into the territory,” the report said, adding that UNHCR and NGOs held “directly opposing views” about work to help refugees living outside the camps.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/05/us-syria-crisis-refugees-idUSBRE9740V120130805

Eid Mubarak to all faithful Muslims. May God accept your fast and grant you a blessed Eid. Long live Palestine, free, Arab, dignified…

George Galloway

Nasser on the Brotherhood

This undated video clip, with subtitles, appears at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX4RK8bj2W0.

The brief remarks are punctuated with laughter and applause from the hall—an indication of the cultural shift that has taken place since that time.

Nasser: In 1953, we really wanted to cooper- ate with the Muslim Brotherhood, if they were willing to be reasonable, so I met with the head of the Brotherhood. He ate with me and made his requests. The first thing he asked was to make wearing the hijab mandatory in Egypt, and that every woman walking in the street wear a tarha [scarf]. [laughter] Every woman walking!

Male voice from the hall: Let him wear it! [laughter, applause]

Nasser: And I told him that if I made such a law, they would say that we had returned to the days of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah [996-1021], who forbade people to walk during the day and only allowed walking at night.

My opinion is that everyone in their own house decides the rules. He replied, “No, as the leader, you are responsible.”

I told him, “Sir, you have a daughter in the School of Medicine, and she does not wear the tarha. Why didn’t you make her wear the tarha? If you are unable to make one girl—who is your daughter—wear the tarha, how do you want me to put the tarha on 10 million women, by myself?

العلويين في منون كتير عيون خضر و زرق بيقولو انو السبب الكتيبة الالمانية يلي نزلت بالساحل السوري و الاحتلال الفرنساوي كمان

بس هلأ بعد نشر الحرية في ضيعون رح يصيرو سود متل جرادين دول الخليج وليبا و الباكستانيين

الله يحرقكم يا عباد الفرج

Shocking and Horrific Footage: Zionist Crimes Against Jewish People

Zionist Israeli thugs are beating up and using tasers on members of the Orthodox Neturei Karta.

Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews protesting the desecration of graves by a highway construction project near Haifa were attacked and brutally beaten by private security guards hired by the Ministry of Transportation.

The group, known for being outspokenly critical of the State of Israel and its very existence were peacefully demonstrating at the time. This attack follows a long history of violence against the Orthodox Jewish community.

Consistent with fundamental Jewish beliefs, some of these protesters often take part in demonstrations, side by side with Palestinians, against the State of Israel and its inhuman policies toward the Palestinian people.” The apparent strategy of using organized violence through private security personnel against these peaceful protesters is only one of many tactics used by the State of Israel to intimidate and discourage further protests. The police were nowhere to be found at the time or even hours after the melee. Several Rabbis and children were attacked with electric stun gun devices and knives, requiring some to be hospitalized.

Among the injured were Rabbi Leibl Deutsch and Rabbi Yisroel Rothchild, both of Jerusalem who were stabbed in the lower back and leg respectively. The Jewish cemetery at the heart of the incident dates back to the Second Temple era, over 2000 years ago.Some of the caves that comprise the cemetery have been destroyed as a result of the ongoing highway work and there are heightened fears of further desecration as the highway project continues unabated.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/shocking-and-horrific-footage-zionist-crimes-against-jewish-people/5345090

Ameera
لغتك ليست شامية الشامية لا تنبذ بكلمات نابيه البنت الشاميه لها اخلاق كريمه

The harm that this improvised, mismanaged and aborted revolution has inflicted to the social fabric of Syria is irreparable. Hatred, resentments, desire of revenge now inhabit the heart of the Syrians who were known to be peaceful and tolerant people

Syria’s war in miniature: meeting the Christians driven out of Qusayr

Events in one Syrian town cast light on the nation’s strife
Paul Wood 10 August 2013

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8990271/syrias-war-in-miniature-meeting-the-christians-driven-out-of-qusayr/

Terrorists are now shelling any residential area they can reach in Damascus and using car bombs in other areas they could not occupy , I saw the pictures of 3 children and 2 young women who were killed in Jirmanah and found a list of victims of terrorist attack on reef Latakia:
معلومات تفصيلية عن شهداء قرى انباتة – الحمبوشية – بلوطة – برمسة – أبو_مكة دون وجود معلومات عن شهداء قرى أوبين – استربة – بارودا
* عدد الشهداء الكلي في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 72 شهيد
* الشهداء من الأطفال في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 25 طفل
* الشهداء من الذكور في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 29 شهيد
* الشهداء من الإناث في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 18 شهيدة
معلومات تفصيلية لمخطوفي قرى انباتة – الحمبوشية – بلوطة – برمسة – أبو_مكة دون وجود معلومات عن مخطوفي قرى أوبين – استربة – بارودا
* عدد المخطوفين الكلي في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 32 مخطوف
* عدد المخطوفين من الأطفال في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 11 طفل
* عدد المخطوفين من الذكور في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 8 مخطوفين
* عدد المخطوفين من الإناث في خمسة من القرى الثمانية التي تعرضت لهجوم جبهة النصرة والميليشيات منذ فجر الأحد الماضي 13 مخطوفة
Salma, the main area for terrorists in reef Latakia is now surrounded, I hope the people in Latakia takes measures to protect their villages and not wait on the government to do the job, terrorists are waging a war using turkmans and foreign jihadists , it is just fair for citizens to do whatever it takes to clean the area from armed foreigners and give Syrian rebels a chance to leave and go back to their towns and families, the spoken goal of this uprising was freedom, that can not be achieved if nusra terrorists are given the keys to Syrian cities, the FSA is now irrelevant, do not believe the lies on sites like Askalsair , alarabiya and aljazeera when they say the FSA did this or did that, 90% of armed rebels who are attacking airports and military installations are nusra terrorists and affiliated Islamist thugs brigades, the claim of a secular or non Takfiri rebel force does not exist any more except in small pockets that are too marginal to affect the outcome of this war.

موقع عكس السير الإخباري Aksalser news
7 minutes ago ·
لواء تحرير الشام يعلن استهداف موكب رئيس النظام السوري بشار الاسد بقذائف الهاون أمام فندق الميريديان
An attack on Batta’s motorcade while he is going for Eid prayers
The Syrian TV is about an hour late of the regular Eid prayer so far.

مساكن الحرس الجمهوري
2 hours ago ·
مراسل مساكن الحرس الجمهوري في دمشق :

عــاجــل || سقوط قذيفة ثانية في منطقة المالكي بتمام 05:14 صباح اليوم دون معرفة ‫#‏الأضرار‬ .

SYRIAN
d-p athad media cesspool is not late for prayer, the earth’s rotation is wrong today. Read d-p sniffers’ comment, covert and overt, and you’ll find that.

Syrian TV shows President Bashar al-Assad praying at Damascus mosque following reports of attack on his motorcade.

SYRIAN HAMSTER
That lucky S**,hopefully his luck will run out soon.

As usual, GHUFRAN to the rescue. Does that say anything?

#Zoo

You maybe surprised, but I agree with you. At least, with most of what you said.

However, what you said does not invalidate my point. Like the green revolution in Iran, the Syrian revolution was a genuine grass-roots revolution that rose out of frustration in a corrupt, unjust and sectarian system. The regime decided, from day one, to use brutal force to crush it, perhaps taking a lesson from the Iranian, but it blew up in its face.

If one decides to shoot at a time bomb instead of working patiently and slowly to deactivate it, one should not be surprised if the bomb blows up in one’s face. This regime mismanaged the crisis from day one and bears the responsibility.

Many opposition figures did indeed make several mistakes, but they are not the revolution. The regime on the other hand is the government and cannot escape the responsibility of its actions.

The regime on the other hand is the government and cannot escape the responsibility of its actions.

Hopeful,

Or, you can do what a lot of arabs and muslims do, and blame it on the usual suspects.

BTW, if and when Bashar Assad meets his fate, who would become the next, unelected Baathist prethident?

Hopeful

I can return the sentence: Instead od accepting that it could not match the power of the government and enroll the majority of the urban Syrians because either they were unconvinced or apathetic, the opposition decided to resort to armed resistance and it blew out to their face.
Ultimately the rural Sunni Syrians, the ‘grassroot’, who hoped for social justice were manipulated by the expats opposition to topple a regime regarded as hostile to the West and as a result they have been reduced to beggars.
They are the real losers and their future looks bleaker than what they lived before their uprising. They were the victims of the government’s injustice, now they are the victims of the opposition’s failure.
You attribute the responsibility of the disaster to the government, I attribute it to the opposition because it was the one who started it and because of its deep division and tragic decisions, was not able to carry it through, thus creating a worst situation that would take years to mend.

does assad have a double? the one who appeared at daraa didn’t look like him. every other middle eastern dictator has a double except him?

Who is fooled by Nusra’s desperate last fits?

They’re losing everywhere, so they’re using their last energy for surprise attacks that may give them a moral boost and headlines in the short run, but will be completely useless in the long run. They’re wasting their men and equipment, and al this will lead to is reprisal against ordinary Sunnis in Lattakia.

Is the honeymoon between Turkish soap operas and Arab audience about to end because of Turkey’s persistent interference in Arab countries national affairs?

Egyptian artists sound the call to boycott Turkish soaps

A number of Egyptian artists and filmmakers have initiated a boycott of Turkish soap operas to protest “the position of the Turkish government towards the [Egypt’s] 30 June Revolution,” reported english.ahram.org.

4. habib said: “am i missing something?”

Yes, Anne. The Mustaqbal-advisors you’ve been listening to have been lying to you all along.

what is mustaqbal?

this is turning into my pet peeve:

2. Mjabali said: The attack is carried on by mostly foreign fighters and some Syrians gathered by Mustapha al-Sabagh.

re latakia offensive:

from the daily star

“It is not sectarian, but when you see what they [Assad’s militia’s] are doing to people, arresting them and killing them, bombing them in their houses, that’s what prompted the attack,” said Ammar Hasan, an activist with the Latakia News Network, via telephone from Latakia.

“The Alawites are now feeling the pain that we felt when they bombed our areas,” he said, adding that some 300 of the 1,500 to 2,000 fighters were from “Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.”

all foreign fighters?

Video of rebels liberating the Nusayri village of Isterbeh in Lattakia. Again all fighters appear to be Syrian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd7uByjUtCQ#at=274

“what is mustaqbal?”

The Hariri-run Future Movement in Lebanon, which advises all Western journalists based in Beirut.

89. OMEN said:

“does assad have a double? the one who appeared at daraa didn’t look like him. every other middle eastern dictator has a double except him?”

You believe every Twitter rumor posted. I am surprised you don’t come here to tell us Elvis is alive.

How is the FSA Air Force doing Capt. Omen? LOL

actually, no i don’t. i’ve gotten into scuffles because i’ve challenged rumors.

this one is my own observation. nobody else’s suggestion. i would have given attribution.

Here we go. Blazing truth dodged by the “distraction faction” and other Assadists here who rant and rave about the interference of the evil west in Syrian affairs:

Article: The hostility between Iranians and Arabs betrays history

Excerpt:

Behind every conflict raging in the Arab world appears to be the hand of Iran. In Lebanon, the Iranians are supporting Hizbollah as a state-within-a-state. In Yemen, the Iranians provided assistance to the Houthi rebellion in the north. In the two worst conflicts in the Arab world – in Iraq and Syria – Iran is a pivotal player. The raging sectarian battles that have engulfed Iraq were sparked by the US invasion – but the fuel has come in large part from Iran.

In Syria, Iran’s involvement is essential to the Assad regime’s ability to survive and continue slaughtering its people. If one views the Arab world today, the most persistent meddler is not America or the West, but Iran.

[New Iranian leader]Mr Rouhani has been making conciliatory noises towards the US. But he would do well to realise that he needs to build bridges in his own backyard first.

Iran’s future stability and prosperity are not dependent merely on rapprochement with the Americans – they are dependent on repairing relations with the Arabs.
http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/hostility-between-iranians-and-arabs-betrays-history#ixzz2bNMutBue

“The US state department has lost the right to speak in moral terms.”

http://www.zcommunications.org/syria-what-is-to-be-done-by-david-mcreynolds

The US had a civil war which, considering how small our population was, took a terrible toll. More Americans lost their lives in our civil war than were lost in the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War all put together!!!
…
For Americans to raise the question of chemical war is in poor taste, since we were teachers in this area, not only with tear gas, but with the enriched uranium littering the battle fields of Iraq, and the terrible toll agent orange took of the Vietnamese (and of Americans serving in that war).

It is in particularly poor taste for the Americans to raise this, given the “covert” role we played in helping Saddam use poison gas against the Kurds and the Iranians.

And speaking of Saddam, and bloodshed, and the need to intervene for “humanitarian reasons” in Syria, I do not remember one word from the White House during the terrible war Iraq launched against Iran and which took the lives of a half million young men on each side over the course of that war. On the contrary, the US was delighted to see Iran under military attack.

As a pacifist I would not fight in this or any war – some would say a cheap way out.
…
Let me close by noting of the voices in the State Department for some form of humanitarian “aid” that they represent an armed and oppressive state which invaded Iraq without reason, has laid waste to Afghanistan and has given Israel unconditional support. They have lost the right to speak in moral terms. Silence would become them very well. Or, at the least, serious work with Russia for an international conference to bring the warring parties to the table.

# 76. ZIAD

Once again, we see your amazing capacity to be selectively shocked.

Your “Zionist crimes against Jewish people” are mild Mickey Mouse playfights next to the unprecedented vicious violence and war crimes against ordinary Syrians by the Assad regime.

And it looks particularly out of place pushing this story ahead of Syrian issues on SyriaComment.

Though in #72 ZIAD helpfully highlighted the failed-state misery and degradation CREATED for refugee Syrians by the Assad regime.

UN agencies are now begging for help for 8 million Syrians in severe desperate circumstances.

That’s over ONE THIRD of the of the Syrian population.

Still a way to go to eliminate the 80% of the Syrian population regarded as an irrelevant nuisance by the Assad regime.

Zionist crimes are NOT out of place here. The Zionists have attacked Syria many times during this war and this is SYRIA COMMENT.

Omen the “story” of Assad’s motorcade being attacked is being ridiculed by pro-opposition journalists. I have no doubt you believe it to be true because you believe all of this “revolution” nonsense but I am pretty sure the only revolution you’ve been to is one on Venice Beach for legalizing dope.

Taking Responsibility NewZ

Your “Zionist crimes against Jewish people” are mild Mickey Mouse playfights…

Syrialover,

Yes, well, when you support one of the most violent, repressive, and despotic regimes on Earth, I guess there is not much you can do except point your fingers at someone else.

At least this is what 5 year olds do.

Reverse,

Good Morning! We appreciate your efforts to detail “Zionist Crimes”. Obviously, a better understanding of Zionist Crimes should help Assad and the Syrian people. Right now, they need all the help they can get (sigh).

Targeting Bashar proved to be correct,inspite of lies by Omran Zo3by,Jarba on the other hand prayed in Deraa.

zaid benjamin posted a series of photos.

Adi al-Otabi, from Saudi, previously fought in Afghanistan & is believed of being behind killing Alwaits in Lattakia:

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365304280720232448

these are the rest. warning graphic:

Pictures of Alawite villagers & soldiers killed by Adil al-Otabi during latest clashes in Lattakia:

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365305126631653378

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365305916867878913

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365306011533324288

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365306301116456961

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365306364756639744

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365306567228272640

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365304994796277760

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/365306680537395204

alex says shabiha are killed on the spot spot.
so maybe they had it coming.
i have qualms about the last two.
may they rest in peace.

Omen #69

It’s unlikely. You’d be hard pressed to find a double for Dr Bashar.

Probably one of the few people on this planet you could say that about.

AJE blog highlights a piece by The Economist on Syrian businesses moving to Jordan.

About 15 hrs ago.

With spirit like this…I can’t envisage any let up in the People’s Struggle.

AJE blog about 42 minutes ago. Ahmed al-Jarba addressed worshippers after Eid prayer in Deraa City:

[…]

Jarba said the Syrian people will remain “resilient” against President Bashar al-Assad, against whom an uprising erupted in March 2011.

[…]

Going by the recent flurry of rebel successes it seems the regime and Hezbo have their very own ‘Vietnam’ on their hands.

I bet Hezbo now regrets getting involved. Too late. It’s stuck now unless it decides on a very unlikely humiliating withdrawal.

Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating today. We in the UK, apart from those who follow Saudi, are celebrating Eid on Friday.

An Eid message from Shaykh Yaqoubi. Posted 4 hours ago:

عيد مبارك
الشيخ محمد أبو الهدى اليعقوبي

بمناسبة انقضاء شهر رمضان وحلول عيد الفطر ، نتوجه إلى جميع الأحبة والأقرباء والأصحاب والقراء وإلطلبة والإخوة والأخوات ، وإلى جميع المسلمين بأصدق التهاني والتبريكات بحلول هذا العيد شاكرين المولى عز وجل على فضله أن أعاننا على صيام رمضان وقيامه، متوسلين إليه بأفضل خلقه سيدنا محمد عليه الصلاة والسلام أن يعيد هذا العيد علينا وعليكم وعلى أهل الشام والمسلمين وقد انجلى الكرب وزالت الغمة وجاء النصر وحل الفرج واجتمع الشمل وتحققت الآمال. وما ذلك على الله بعزيز.
{ولا تهنوا ولا تحزنوا وأنتم الأعلون إن كنتم مؤمنين . إن يمسسكم قرح فقد مس القوم قرح مثله وتلك الأيام نداولها بين الناس وليلعلم الله الذين آمنوا ويتخذ منكم شهداء والله لا يجب الظالمين}.
تقبل الله طاعتكم ، وجبر كسركم ، وأصلح أحوالكم ، وكل عام وأنتم بخير

uzair8 said
humiliating withdrawal. fot HA
No they committed suicide, they are mercenaries,and just like Shabbiha,there will be no mercy.we will follow them to southern Lebanon, and to the whole world

Yawn.

From AJE blog about an hour ago:

Al Jazeera spoke to Joseph Kechechian, an analyst and senior writer at Gulf News, about the recent alleged attack on Bashar Al-Assad.

He says that if the incident is true it shows that the rebels fighters will not give up.

[Video]

Posted on Yalla Souriya about half an hour ago:

#Syria #Damascus #Assad –
‏
@RamiAlLolah

A convoy is hit that does not mean #Assad was inside! In normal days 2-4 fake convoys roam #Damascus before go to same place no one knows it

From the article “Zoo” previously linked to:

“No military aid to the rebels. A curse on all who send in weapons, whether Russia, Iran, or Hezbollah or, as some seem to forget, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States . . .”

@RamiAlLolah is the guy who a week ago said that the US, and a combination of other states, would attack Syria to destroy all chemical weapons withing 7-10 days. @RamiAlLolah said it was a done deal, a sure thing.

In other words, @RamiAlLolah is full it.

that “islamists killed 450 kurds” story?

turns out the regime killed them.

https://twitter.com/SyriaTweets1/status/365478471096467459

Sigh! Those opposition mouthpieces not only are hypocritical and willfully blind, but also IQ challenged.

If the regime had killed 450 Kurds, why are those Kurds fighters ferociously fighting against those Islamists instead of against SAA?

Either those Kurds are out of mind or the opposition need to improve their collective IQ. Of course we know the answer.

Mood in Lattakia during Eid is a little subdued compared to last year due to the recent terrorist attacks on those rural villages. People are filled with sadness and sympathy towards those victims. They are also full of anger towards those sectarian Islamists.

From the very beginning, the sectarian element in this “revolution” has been running high and deep. No matter how the opposition and its mouthpiece MSM have been trying to deny or hide it. Everyone knows it well.

People in Lattakia still laugh out loud an Youtube flick about a five year old boy from Idlib dancing and shouting “we are coming to slaughter you, Alawites” while a bunch of bearded men around him smiling.

All the stinking garbage lies, propaganda and denial can’t beat scientific evidence.

Here’s new shocking satellite proof of the devastation of Aleppo by “a campaign of indiscriminate air bombardment by government forces”.

The ongoing aerial attacks have now resulted in displacement of half the city’s population.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/aleppo-satellite-images-show-devastation-mass-displacement-one-year-2013-08-07

Hey, Apple_Mini, come on – tell us about how Aleppo will all be fixed and the people healed when a couple of luxury shops open again.

Just like that bizarre delusionery observation you made here about how the re-opening of a luxury shop in Damascus and the enthusiastic response of the local elite was proof that things were recovering.

I guess Assad’s war against the people of Syria panics his supporters into trance-like denial and hallucinations.

The Apple_Minis can only fight off reality for so long. Their “protector” Assad has burned them along with the rest of the country.

Here’s new shocking satellite proof of the devastation of Aleppo by “a campaign of indiscriminate air bombardment by government forces”.

Syrialover,

I think our resident Assad spokes-hamour would feel better if you blamed someone else, say, like the “bloodthirsty zionists”?

Apr 2011: More than 70 protesters killed as security forces fire on crowds in Deraa and Damascus in one single day.

Dec 2011: Activists say more than 100 army defectors killed over two days in Idlib province

May 2012: Some 108 killed in Houla, near Homs – UN later blames Syrian troops and militia

Aug 2012: Witnesses and activists say at least 300 killed as government forces storm Darayya, a Damascus suburb

Jan 2013: At least 100 people killed and burned in their homes in Haswiya, near Homs.

May 2013: At least 150 people killed, between them entire families, in ethnic cleanesening in Al Bayda village in the hands of Assad criminal alawite milicias and drug addicts.

Aleppo was fine and Aleppens were busy shopping at malls until the rebels decided to invade and wreck the city and her population. Even those rebels admitted majority of Aleppens hate them there.

Blaming the regime for the destruction of Aleppo is like developed countries blaming underdeveloped countries for contributing too much CO2 gas.

So more elite and middle class people and their economic activities in Damascus bother those opposition very much. Simply because it shows growing confidence of people under government held urban areas. We hope the trickle-down economy will be working.

The opposition is useless and hopeless. Those foreign Jihadists and Islamists only speak one language: violence. That already seals their fates.

As for the opposition, until their failure on every fronts burden them so badly that they can only crawl on the ground, then they probably can evolve to something useful. Another scenario is that they become a completely exiled organization breast-fed by those known hosting governments.

Using the word opposition to describe those people is misleading already. No genuine opposition would help destroying the country, let along they invite hostile countries to provide military supports and even constantly asking for direct military intervention. Meanwhile, pampering extremists around the world to wreck havoc to the country.

If the “opposition” really want to convince us that they have control over those Islamic militants, they better make us believe that fleas on jackals’ back can truly control those jackals.

APPLE MINI

I feel sorrow when I read your comments. You really do not have any idea what Syria was about and how syrians were living. You think that what rich people of Aleppo and Damascus did was what syrians did. You are out of reality, out of time.

Real syrians are now figting, in prisons or in exile but believe me 95 % of them or more did not have the “luck” to go shopping at your malls when they borrow.

Syria was a near-paradise before the war started.

Obviously Putin does not beliive Saudi’s regime will last very long after the USA disengages from the regio
Moscow rejects Riyadh offer to abandon Assad
August 09, 2013
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/95de5b1f-584b-431c-acd8-02fc941ab87b.aspx

BEIRUT: Moscow has rejected a Saudi proposal to abandon Syria’s president in return for a huge arms deal and a pledge to boost Russian influence in the Arab world, diplomats said.

On July 31, President Vladimir Putin, a strong backer of Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad, met Saudi Arabia’s influential intelligence chief Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, after which both Moscow and Riyadh kept a lid on the substance of the talks.

“Every two years, Bandar Bin Sultan meets his Russian counterparts, but this time, he wanted to meet the head of state,” said a European diplomat who shuttles between Beirut and Damascus. “During the meeting at the Kremlin, the Saudi official explained to his interlocutor that Riyadh is ready to help Moscow play a bigger role in the Middle East at a time when the United States is disengaging from the region,” the diplomat added.

Bandar proposed that Saudi Arabia buy $15 billion (11 billion euros) of weapons from Russia and invest “considerably in the country,” the source said.

The Saudi prince also reassured Putin that “whatever regime comes after” Assad, it will be “completely” in the Saudis’ hands and will not sign any agreement allowing any Gulf country to transport its gas across Syria to Europe and compete with Russian gas exports, the diplomat said.

An Arab diplomat with contacts in Moscow said: “President Putin listened politely to his interlocutor and let him know that his country would not change its strategy.”

Has any video emerged proving that this visit actually took place or it is just a moral booster propaganda?

Jarba marks Eid in Daraa

BEIRUT: Syrian opposition chief Ahmad Jarba visited Daraa in the south of the strife-torn country near the Jordan border on Thursday to mark the Muslim Eid Al Fitr feast, a Syrian National Coalition (SNC) source said.

“Jarba took part in Eid Al Fitr prayers in the countryside of Daraa, and made a tour in the company of Colonel Ahmad Fahd Al Nehme, who heads Daraa’s (rebel) military council,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

Mc Cain and the US ambassador blunders in Egypt: Bye Bye “hayzaboon” Ann Patterson. Ford has no chance to be accepted as ambassador in Egypt, he is hated in the whole Arab world

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/08/08/obama-mccain-and-graham-make-huge-mistake-in-egypt/

But by blundering this way, Obama, McCain and Graham are joining the departing U.S. ambassador in Cairo, Anne Patterson—widely mocked (with gross inaccuracy) as a hayzaboon, or old crone, for reportedly hectoring Egyptians not to rise up against the elected government (which had turned itself into an Islamist dictatorship)—on a list of new Ugly Americans. She unfortunately gave this advice shortly before the largest demonstrations ever seen in human memory were directed against her suspected client, Morsi. (Reflecting heightened paranoia, her possible successor, Ambassador Robert Ford—who had previously served in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq and Syria—is under considerable Twitter fire in Egypt, bizarrely accused of having caused the strife that has recently plagued those countries.)

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/08/08/obama-mccain-and-graham-make-huge-mistake-in-egypt/#ixzz2bPvZVGhr

“The massacres against the Alawaits in the Latakia’s mountains ”
http://youtu.be/CghhgiKMQD4

APPLE_MINI #124

Your narrative is desperate nonsense.

For example:

“No genuine opposition would help destroying the country, let along they invite hostile countries to provide military supports and even constantly asking for direct military intervention”

Which is precisely what ASSAD has done.

And the Assad regime has had closer and longer-term contact and cooperation with Islamic militants than the grassroots Syrian opposition. There is strong evidence his agents are still involved with them and manipulating things, according to defectors, local witnesses and international intelligence sources.

Who on earth do you think is reading your shallow, confused and factually incorrect “insights and wisdom” into what happened in Syria?

You keep showing how little you have accepted and comprehended the reality.

You act like you have been too busy hanging out in luxury shops (as opposed to bread queues bombed by Assad’s forces) and reading SANA (instead of the wide range of material and sources posted here on SyriaComment).

It’s over, its over, it’s over. Assad has burned the country.

And you act like your brain has been burned with it.

Actually APPLE_MINI

I think the Assad-engineered disaster in Syria has sent you mad.

I am keeping this feverish rave from you (# 124) to offer for the post-Assad school text books:

“Blaming the regime for the destruction of Aleppo is like developed countries blaming underdeveloped countries for contributing too much CO2 gas.

“So more elite and middle class people and their economic activities in Damascus bother those opposition very much. Simply because it shows growing confidence of people under government held urban areas. We hope the trickle-down economy will be working.”

We’ll put it next to the current facts below to show what Assad’s cronies were saying at the time. People will look back and won’t believe people like you were still going.

ONE THIRD of the giant city of Aleppo destroyed by regime air strikes (see satellite photos).

EIGHT MILLION Syrians out of a population of 22 million now forced by the regime’s actions into destitution and dependence on international charity to survive (see UN statements).

‘Syria was a near-paradise before the war started.’

That would explain posting from outside paradise. The abstinence is admirable. Denying oneself the joys of paradise is the ultimate sacrifice.

ههههههههههههههههههههههههههههههههههههه

“If the regime had killed 450 Kurds, why are those Kurds fighters ferociously fighting against those Islamists instead of against SAA?”

Shhh no one disturb Apple-Mini from his shopping spree and definitely don’t show him this video of YPG forces in Tanks they captured from fleeing Assadist:

photo: regime media reveling in their victory:

Above: regime media say regime forces killed many “terrorists” in Zafaranah village, Homs. Under: the “terrorists”:

https://twitter.com/samersniper/status/365606184763412480

Hamster and other ” sophisticated” posters:
Assassination of state leaders or even war lords ,whether you like them or not , at a time when a country like syria is going through a bitter war ( that is becoming sectarian) will only increase blood shed and lead to an escalation of cleansing and revenge killings, this is exactly what nusra tried to do in Latakia and failed despite slaughtering women and children for no reason other than being alawites. I did not live in Latakia but i know the people and the area well enough to say this:
people in the coast from all sects lived together for centuries , they do not want their cities destroyed and give their necks to nusra terrorists , they want their girls and women to have the freedom of going to school, wear a hijab or not and not be treated like عوره, many people in Syria, especially the coast, never liked the Assads and their regime but they believe that the war being launched by the rebels is destroying Syria and is used to establish a taliban- type Islamist state dominated by turkey and GCC, this is already shaping up in the north and the east and people of the coast will not allow that to happen in their areas. what is funny, or not so funny, is that some of you support the terrorism and the crimes committed by nusra but will not live or allow their families to live under nusra rule, some of you may have paid money to fund the war but will not send their kids to fight or die in this ” holy” war, those who support nusra and live in the west are a disgrace and a liability to Syria and their host country.
In summary, this rebellion , and the regime’s response, have totally killed any chance to create a pleural democratic system for the foreseeable future, the best reasonable people can hope for is that the army wins over foreign jihadists and that moderate Syrians from all sides will agree to alienate Islamist terrorists and their supporters and come up with a more inclusive government until Syria is ready to stand up again, this may take years.
Nusra committed horrific crimes against civilians in reef Latakia while some of you are still asking why alawites are not supporting rebels and are afraid of being slaughtered in the name of satisfying Allah سبحانه عما يصفون, however, I assure you that this barbaric attack on peaceful and poor villages has strengthened people’s resolve and will backfire at takfiris and their supporters. As we speak, one more village, Blatah, was retaken by army, and two senior terrorist chiefs were sent to meet ibn taymia in ” heaven”, whoever ordered this attack stabbed the anti assad opposition in the back and increased support for the regime, people now realize that the pink promises of freedom and democracy can not be delivered by animals who killed women and children to please God.
This is Ghufran to the rescue , that says a lot about the nusra camp, does not it ?

so i took a wrong turn & ended up on an old thread. there, at the bottom of the page, one of our posters candidly admitted to having been held at the palestine branch in damascus.

blew my mind. i never considered before people here might have experienced actually being tortured.

you loyalists remember that next time when unleashing your rhetorical swords. consider for a minute what the person you’re debating might have gone through.

how many assadi here have ever been uncomfortable in their privileged lives? nevermind having been tortured. maybe you’d be singing a different tune now if you had been.

Ghufran,

As bad as Nusra and their likes are (and they are really bad) the regime is much more worse.

The regime and its various tentacles are a greater threat to Syria than anything else in its entire history including ancient Syria.

The massacres in Latakia are despicable, and the fact that most of the killing was lead by a foreigner for the mere fact of killing Alawites is reprehensible to say the least. People like him need to be expunged from Syria and sent back to their own land where they should commit their own un-holy war there, but to use those monsters as a means to keep this regime alive is to spit in the grave of every innocent Syrian that has died as a direct result of this regimes actions.

You cannot reform something that is rotten to its very core, not only do the innocent dead deserve better but so does Syria’s future.

It is clear Ghufran wants Assad not to go or die.
It is clear that Ghufran call to protect Alawis but dont care about the numerous massacres against Sunni, isn’t it true that Sunnis and Alawis are Syrians and both should be treated equal, why to condemn the fight in reef Latakia, but never condemned the massacres against Sunnis

US is finding out now about what we said long time ago, Syria is very important strategically, and controling Syria means control the middle East, and the war in Syria means it will spread to neibouring countries, and not ending Assad rule soon will invite radicals in, and all that is a major threat to US security.

It is clear that Obama reluctance to get rid of Assad sooner will cost US much more.

It is clear that Assad Army being Alawi army,helps to prolong Assad rule but it is clear the people will not rest till Assad is gone, people who support Assad and against this revolution are deceiving themselves, We Will Win, WWW

Who those guys are trying to fool?
This is like :
الصلعا بتشوف حالها بشعر بنت أختها
” يهنئ الائتلاف الوطني السوري أبناء سورية الصامدة بالنصر الذي تحقق اليوم بفضل الله ثم بجهود أبطال الجيش السوري الحر وسواعدهم، والمتمثل بتحرير مطار منغ العسكري بشكل كامل”

LaRouche: Israeli Moves in Syria Threaten World War

Aug. 6—Lyndon LaRouche warned on Aug. 3 that ongoing Israeli actions, including the July 5 Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombing of a depot near Latakia, Syria which held Russian-made anti-ship cruise missiles, could trigger a wider war, drawing the United States into thermonuclear conflict with Russia.

LaRouche charged that Israel’s behavior is “criminally insane,” adding that the financial and economic breakdown crisis in Europe and the United States has reached an advanced stage, such that any day, there could be a triggering event that leads to global conflict. He cited the period between now and the end of September as the final phase of an economic cycle, in which the prospects of a systemic crash are greatly increased, moving to the end of the fiscal year. He warned that this fact exacerbates the grave danger of an eruption of conflict. One cannot rule out the outbreak of some kind of general war between now and November, he concluded.

Israeli Detonator?

The Netanyahu government in Israel is apoplectic because war-avoidance elements within the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community leaked the fact of the July 5 IAF bombings to the U.S. media. It was the first and only disclosure of the latest in a series of Israeli bombing raids against targets in Syria. The fact that Russian arms are being targeted by the Israelis has profound strategic implications, and Israel had intended to keep the attacks secret.

But on July 31, Michael Gordon posted a story in the New York Times under the headline “Some Syria Missiles Eluded Israeli Strike, Officials Say.” Gordon report on the July 5 IAF bombing raid said that U.S. intelligence community sources believe that the raid failed to destroy all of the Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles in storage. He added that “further Israeli strikes are likely.”

The Gordon article was followed Aug. 2 by a story in the Jerusalem Post, accusing Pentagon and U.S. intelligence circles who “do not have Israeli interests at heart” of leaking the story of the IAF strikes to damage Israel. The author of the Jerusalem Post piece, Yaacov Lappin, accused “elements in the U.S. intelligence community, not in the Obama Administration,” of being behind the damaging leaks. Prof. Efraim Inbar, of the Sadat-Begin Center, charged that the U.S. leaking of the secret Israeli raids was intended to embarrass Israel, and could lead to retaliation by the Assad government.

The Gordon exposé in the Times comes in advance of a trip to Israel by Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced for mid-August. According to one senior Pentagon source, Dempsey’s message to the Israelis will be blunt: Any Israeli action against Syria or Iran is a potential trigger for general war, and must be understood as such by the top leadership of the Israeli Defense Forces. Dempsey will demand that the IDF take no unilateral actions that could be the trigger for a broader war, dragging the United States in.

The Strategic Context

LaRouche emphasized that the madmen in London and Washington are out to start a thermonuclear confrontation, targeting Russia and China, unless they are stopped. The intelligence leaks and the insane Israeli behavior must be seen in this overall context.

Taking the point in Washington for military escalation has been Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has specialized recently in vitriolic attacks on General Dempsey, for his unwillingness to launch war against Syria. Showing what LaRouche called a “certain degree of instability,” McCain took to the floor of the Senate on Aug. 1, to attempt to refute Dempsey’s July 19 letter on the dangers involved in the U.S. commiting an “act of war” against Syria. McCain’s so-called authority for the detailed script of his rant came from the neo-con Institute for the Study of War, a group run by the same crew that brought us the “cakewalk” in Iraq!

McCain was given his comeuppance, when he was forced to withdraw his hold against Dempsey’s confirmation for a second term as JCS chairman. However, the Senator continues to beat the war drums, and to serve as one of President Obama’s close political allies in the Senate. In addition to hosting McCain frequently at the White House, to discuss matters ranging from budget-cutting to foreign policy, Obama chose this warmonger, who openly pushes for a military alliance with the al-Qaeda jihadists in Syria (as he did in Libya), as his personal envoy to Egypt, allegedly to seek a deal to protect the ousted Muslim Brotherhood.

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2013/08/08/larouche-israeli-moves-in-syria-threaten

CIA Gun-running, Qatar-Libya-Syria

Although Saudi Arabia have recently been kindly given “the Syrian card” by the United States – with Prince Bandar once again becoming “Prince of the Jihad”; it has become common knowledge that since the onset of the Syrian crisis, it was Qatar at the forefront of supplying arms and funds to both the political and militant elements of the so-called “opposition”. This has undoubtedly included tacit support of the dominant radical elements among the plethora of brigades on the ground in Syria; with Jabhat al Nusra being the most obvious beneficiary of Qatari largesse. Earlier this year it was reported that the CIA had been in direct “consultation” with the Qatari Monarchys’ network of arms smugglers – run primarily from the Emir’s palace in Doha. Accordingly, it seems certain that both the CIA and Qatari intelligence were involved in an operation to ship arms stockpiles from “rebels” in Libya; to the “rebels” in Syria: both varieties of which are inextricably linked to Al Qaeda affiliates and radical Salafi-Jihadi militants.

The current Libyan authorities have made little effort to disassociate themselves from reports of large-scale arms shipments bound for Syria, leaving from the port of Benghazi. As stated in a UN Security Council report; the sheer size, monetary and logistical requirement to organise such delivery would almost certainly require at least some local government knowledge and assistance, one Libyan congress-member has openly admitted as such. Moreover, in a Telegraph report from November 2011, it is noted that the post-Gaddafi Libyan military commander Abdel Hakim Belhadj – widely regarded as the former leader of Al Qaeda affiliate: the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and a lead figure in the militant uprising against Gaddafi – visited members of the Syrian opposition “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) in Turkey to discuss sending “money and weapons”, and also discussed “Libyan fighters to train troops”.

In a Fox News report from December 2012 an “International Cargo-Shipper” candidly revealed that arms shipments from Libya to Syria commenced “almost immediately after the fall of Muammar Qaddafi” (Oct 2011) and had continued on a weekly basis from multiple ports including Misrata and Benghazi. Some of the “sources” shipments were reported to be in excess of 600 tons. The report goes on to quote anonymous “sources” on the ground in Benghazi as alleging that: “Weapons and fighters were absolutely going to Syria, and the U.S. absolutely knew all about it

Elements of the Libyan “military” leadership undoubtedly have strong links to former Al Qaeda affiliates, and were brought to power via Qatari largesse and special forces, CIA coordination, and a NATO airforce. Considering this, it is not hard to imagine the same actors would be willing to at least “turn a blind eye” to what has become an overt and unabated Libyan arms-smuggling route into Syria, as is once again demonstrated in this June 18th 2013 report from Reuters, titled: “The adventures of a Libyan weapons dealer in Syria:

Abdul Basit Haroun (former comander of “February 17th brigade”) says he is behind some of the biggest shipments of weapons from Libya to Syria, which he delivers on chartered flights to neighboring countries and then smuggles over the border…. A Reuters reporter was taken to an undisclosed location in Benghazi to see a container of weapons being prepared for delivery to Syria. It was stacked with boxes of ammunition, rocket launchers and various types of light and medium weapons.

READ MORE HERE

http://www.globalresearch.ca/cia-gun-running-qatar-libya-syria/5345464

The simplistic mainstream narrative and timeline of the conflict in Syria merely erupting from the suppression of peaceful protesters, and in turn spiraling into full-blown civil-war, is again brought into doubt

The Libyan weapons route to Syria has quite possibly been ongoing since Qatari (and Western) special forces and their Libyan Al Qaeda affiliated proxies took a hold of Benghazi. In turn the shipments to Syria have gradually increased as Gaddafi’s stockpiles became available and the lawless possibilities inside Libya expanded. These developments could also explain fighters of Libyan origin representing a large percentage of foreign fighters within the oppositions ranks; with a recent study finding Libyan fighters making up over twenty percent of foreign fatalities. If Qatar were indeed coordinating arms shipments from Libya to Syria during the early stages of the Syrian crisis in 2011, and the CIA have also been “consulting” the Qatari shipments and their follow-on transit points through Turkey; then the simplistic mainstream narrative and timeline of the conflict in Syria merely erupting from the suppression of peaceful protesters, and in turn spiraling into full-blown civil-war, is again brought into doubt.

I realize now that the problem of Syria was that 5 % of the population could not see and perceive in any way the poverty and needs of 95 % of the population. And it is still so. Many believe Syria was a paradise before the revolution started. Yes, it was normal that a fxxxxing beduin or a despicable peasent lived for 1 USD a day, the status of Syria was just calculated in Damascus and Aleppo becuase the rest of Syria was not Syria, only a pleace to keep sheep and throw nuclear garbage.

Sure, it was a paradise and that is why millions of people jumped to the streets no demostrate for more DIGNITY, FREEDOM and JUSTICE risking their lifes and in many cases getting killed like rats of the paradise.

On post #138 by Sami,

“The regime and its various tentacles are a greater threat to Syria than anything else in its entire history including ancient Syria.

The massacres in Latakia are despicable, and the fact that most of the killing was lead by a foreigner for the mere fact of killing Alawites is reprehensible to say the least. People like him need to be expunged from Syria and sent back to their own land where they should commit their own un-holy war there, but to use those monsters as a means to keep this regime alive is to spit in the grave of every innocent Syrian that has died as a direct result of this regimes actions.”

Is the poster contradicting him or herself? If the regime were that bad, why in Lattakia, Homs, Tartous, Damascus and other government held areas, people seem to be happy to live there?

Those sensational accusations seem hilarious. “The greatest threat ever in history”, do you really know Syrian history and have evidence to back it up or just want to be a drama queen?

Even most of us only have limited knowledge of what the history is like in the last 100 years. We do not see any barbarian acts worse than those Islamists who have been supported by the opposition including posters here. In old days, massacre were conducted by axes and swords, compared to automatic weapons people might have better survival chance.

By making veiled and elusive condemnation on those Islamists and giving a slap on the wrist, yet heavily relying on them to make any military gains against SAA, the hypocrisy and malice from the opposition are indisputable.

uzair: your question answered:

…

146. apple, you know rebels killed shabiha, a bunch of murderous thugs. bending over backwards trying to paint this as sectarian by labeling them alawite, in attempt to exploit their minority status as a shield, does not absolve regime killers of their crimes.

148. OMEN

Right 100 %. We are facing the dictatorial police state regime of thugs and criminals. If most of them in the actual stage are alawites they will know why but we do not care a shxxxt about their religion. If those criminals believe Assad is a prophet or a god we do not care. Our main aim is defeating the criminal mafia, be christian member, sunni member, chia member or devil believers.

“Aslan” all those defending a criminal mafia have no values and no religion, so we do not care what the call themselves.

Thanks for “freedom and democracy”…

As Foreign Fighters Flood Syria, Fears of a New Extremist Haven

BEIRUT, Lebanon — As foreign fighters pour into Syria at an increasing clip, extremist groups are carving out pockets of territory that are becoming havens for Islamist militants, posing what United States and Western intelligence officials say may be developing into one of the biggest terrorist threats in the world today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/world/middleeast/as-foreign-fighters-flood-syria-fears-of-a-new-extremist-haven.html?_r=0

APPLE_MINI #145 you get better and better. Keep the bizarre denials and rants coming. Real collectors items here.

A_M: “why in Lattakia, Homs, Tartous, Damascus and other government held areas, people seem to be happy to live there?”

Speaking for those I know, they are just happy just to LIVE day by day. They live on edge, knowing things could change any hour, trapped inside the worsening nightmare Assad has plunged the country into and knowing the regime can’t offer security or solutions.

A_M: “We do not see any barbarian acts worse than those Islamists who have been supported by the opposition including posters here”

Oh, I don’t know. The Hama massacre 1982 surely must be a contender. And the current regime’s random aerial bombing of urban areas, killing countless thousands and damaging one third of Syria’s housing stock isn’t a bad effort.

Plus don’t forget to spread the credit, the Islamist extremists in Syria are a by-product of the Assad regime’s manipulations and mistakes.

A_M:”[the Opposition] making condemnation of those Islamists and giving a slap on the wrist, yet heavily relying on them to make any military gains against SAA”

Well at least the opposition is giving the Islamists a slap on the wrist while relying on them, the Assad regime gives foreign Iranian militia and Hezbollah a slobbering kiss on the hand while relying on them to stave off defeat.

SL,

Why do you think there are still supporters of Assad after all he has done to ruin his country?

Here’s the bitter reality now being played out: Syria under the Assad regime was never a legitimate and viable sovereign state.

It was hijacked and “owned” by a dictatorship, not by the Syrian people. It “belonged to” a regime that was quick to mortgage Syria’s fate to Iran and Russia in order to personally survive.

This lack of a legitimate sovereign Syrian state is why Saudi Arabia now goes to Putin to offer bribes for Russia to stop supporting Assad. (See link below).

The fate of Syrians and their country comes down to haggling by non-democratic outsiders about support for the Assad dictatorship.

Where are the Syrian people in this? Where is the Syrian State?

Answer: Nowhere, all that was trashed and made irrelevant the day Hafez Assad seized power.

(See “Saudi offers deal to Russia to scale back Assad support”: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/07/us-syria-crisis-saudi-russia-idUSBRE9760OQ20130807)

AKBAR PALACE #152,

I have often pointed out that regime supporters usually have something invested in the Assad regime – status, personal security, financial advantage, privilege, whatever.

Something to lose. Something gained at the expense of others, and which they fear would be hard to sustain or replicate outside the current system.

And they are not all bad and useless people, though many are. Some are just people trapped by fate and their own shortcomings into having that dependence.

But those who fail all tests and carry a nasty stench are the Assad supporters who choose to live comfortably abroad, living in security, peace and freedom, enjoying opportunities and options that the masses trapped inside Syria can only dream about.

“Nasty Stench” NewZ

Something to lose.

What percentage of the Syrian population had “something to lose”? Syria is what, 20 million people?

Business people working with the government, government workers, those getting a “reasonable” paycheck, military personnel, university employees…?

Did/does the Syrian government had/have to keep tabs on so many individuals and determine their “worth” to the regime. What a waste of energy.

But those who fail all tests and carry a nasty stench are the Assad supporters who choose to live comfortably abroad, living in security, peace and freedom, enjoying opportunities and options that the masses trapped inside Syria can only dream about.

Yes, isn’t that always the case? One such poster stated, “Syria was a ‘near-paradise’ before the war started.”. With a per capita GDP of $5000/year. That doesn’t seem like “paradise”. It seems like destitution.

Freedom and dignity? Thank you opposition, well done!

Syria could be home to new al-Qaida affiliate

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/08/09/Syria-could-be-home-to-new-al-Qaida-affiliate/UPI-32351376052570/#ixzz2bTgU9MOm

DAMASCUS, Syria, Aug. 9 (UPI) — A new affiliate of al-Qaida could emerge as foreign fighters flock to Syria to support militants, who are coming to dominate the opposition, officials said.

Jihadist groups in Syria now include more than 6,000 foreigners, who are streaming into the country at a greater rate than they did in Iraq at the height of insurgency coalition troops, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Many of the militants have joined the Nusra Front, an extremist group that is part of the opposition.

Others are joining an even more extreme group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, comprised of fighters from Chechnya, Pakistan, Egypt and the West. The umbrella group also includes al-Qaida in Iraq members, the Times said.

Juan Zarate, a former senior counterterrorism official in the George W. Bush administration, said a new affiliate of al-Qaida could be forming from those groups.

He said Syria is in the center of what he describes as an arc of instability stretching from Iran through North Africa.

“In that zone, you may have the regeneration and resurrection of a new brand of al-Qaida,” Zarate said.

Hardly a Massacre,

“Is the poster contradicting him or herself? If the regime were that bad, why in Lattakia, Homs, Tartous, Damascus and other government held areas, people seem to be happy to live there?”

According to whom exactly? You Mr. Hardly a Massacre? Sorry your “observations” are tainted with your adoration for the murder of Syrians done by the Assadists militia. It was you that said you could not sleep without the sound of the Assadists shelling the suburbs in Damascus, because the sound brought you comfort….

Also if Damascus, Homs and Latakia is sooo happy to live under the rule of the Assadists why did their people rise and protest against them only for the regime and its various tentacle mow them down? Oh right those don’t count….

“Those sensational accusations seem hilarious. “The greatest threat ever in history”, do you really know Syrian history and have evidence to back it up or just want to be a drama queen?”

Banyas, Bayda, Houla, Darayya, Qubair, Jisr Al-Shgour, Tremseh. Only sectarian fools wearing the biggest set of blinders can deny these, oh right I forget I am talking to Mr. “Hardly a Massacre”….

“We do not see any barbarian acts worse than those Islamists who have been supported by the opposition including posters here. In old days, massacre were conducted by axes and swords, compared to automatic weapons people might have better survival chance”

So all the victims of Assads barbarianism should be thankful that he used barrel bombs, SCUDs, Shells, ASM, and bullets instead of swords? What a callous and pathetic excuse for the murder of Syrians!

“By making veiled and elusive condemnation on those Islamists and giving a slap on the wrist, yet heavily relying on them to make any military gains against SAA, the hypocrisy and malice from the opposition are indisputable.”

First my condemnation was not elusive and veiled, it was direct and pointed at those guilty of those crimes.

Second I DO NOT SUPPORT ANY MILITARY ACTION, I have been and will continue to be part of the camp that believes in the importance of non-violence movement that needs to be supported to counter the threat of Islamist because the non-violence movement is what is going to counter them and not your Assadists Militia that breed them and released them from its dungeons.

Now run along and go shopping while most of Damascus suffers…

Saudi money is pouring to rescue the collapsing FSA

Syrian Opposition Starts Convening ‘National Army’

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=152717

The Syrian opposition is about to start the formation of a national army that will accept volunteers, said opposition leader Ahmad Jarba Friday.

“The National Coalition together with the commandment of the Free Syrian Army is developing a strategy for the formaiton of a national army,” said the chair of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

Jarba explained that volunteers are expected to come from the southern and northern parts of the country.

He added that opposition forces hope that the move will contribute to overcoming operational problems that the rebels are currently facing.

According to Jarba, the estimated initial size of the projected national opposition army will be about 6,000 men.

Now that the SNC is building a “National Army’ to try to replace the heavily polluted FSA, any news on the Jarba’s promises “transitional government”?

Given what takes place in Israel as reported below is that what a democray is all about?

http://12160.info/forum/topics/israel-admits-forcing-birth-control-shots-on-ethiopian-women

Turkey must now return all the kidnapped Shiites hostages as well as the two Christians bishops its close allies are holding

Gunmen Kidnap 2 Turkish Airlines Pilots in Beirut
Published: August 9, 2013

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/10/world/middleeast/gunmen-kidnap-2-turkish-airlines-pilots-in-beirut.html?_r=0
…
Analysts here noted, however, that Turkey was a close ally of antigovernment Sunni Muslim insurgents in Syria who have been holding several Lebanese Shiites hostage. It was not immediately clear whether the kidnapping was part of an effort to secure the release of the Lebanese hostages.
..

The current Israeli government is suicidal. In any new war expect a minimum of 2000 rockets per day to hit every inch of the Zionist Entity.

Alawites villages attacked by Sunni Islamists affiliated to the FSA. As Sunnis flee Aleppo to safety, Latakia’s Sunni residents are now reported to outnumber Alawites

http://www.aawsat.net/2013/08/article55312997

Large numbers of Syrian Alawites have fled their villages along the Syrian coast after opposition forces seized 11 villages and kidnapped a prominent Alawite cleric on Monday.

According to eyewitness accounts, several Alawite families are fleeing their villages to Latakia on a daily basis, where they are being sheltered in public schools, raising fears of sectarian violence among Alawite Latakians, particularly as reports indicate that most of the rebel fighters belong to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

A video posted on YouTube shows several Alawite families fleeing their villages for safety. According to activists, the pro-Assad National Defense Forces as well as members of Popular Committees militias deployed in the villages dropped their arms as Islamist fighters approached.

Fear and anxiety surfaced among the residents of Latakia, who vary between Alawites, Sunnis as well as a Christian minority, following a period of relative calm since the Syrian crisis escalated more than two years ago.

Sources from the city informed Asharq Al-Awsat: “A group of Shabeeha militants headed a few days ago to one of the mosques in the Sunni-dominated district of Al-Sulaiba threatening worshippers at Tarawih prayer that they would be murdered unless Sheikh Ghazal returns to his family.”

The city of Latakia is viewed as Assad’s stronghold given its strategic location along the Syrian coast, as well as its population, which includes a large proportion of pro-Assad Alawites. Nevertheless, due to the increasing number of Syrians fleeing the embattled city of Aleppo as well as Homs, Latakia’s Sunni residents are now reported to outnumber Alawites.

Although Syrian opposition sources had denied any human rights violations have been committed against civilians, pro-Assad websites have released a list of more than 100 Alawite civilians, including children and women, who have allegedly been kidnapped by forces affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, a member of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Michel Kilo, said: “The battle in the villages of Latakia should be directed against the regime not the Alawites,” adding, “Alawites are not responsible for the regime’s atrocities and violent behavior.”

Kilo urged the FSA battalions to hold to their “noble convictions and values and refrain from hatred and vengeance.”

Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt, it’s also a SC thing NewZ

The current Israeli government is suicidal.

Reverse,

Who do you think is MORE suicidal, Netanyahu or Assad? q:o)

It is a huge suicide bombing that has allowed Al Nusra and other terrorists to finally occupy al Menegh airport. Pro-rebels should rejoice: The north of Syria is becoming home to Chechens, Al Qaeda and other useful allies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt4ScAOo5BU&feature=player_embedded

http://hurryupharry.org/2013/08/09/syrias-hellish-choice/

Netanyahu.

Israeli policy is predicated on endless wars with her neighbors and the rape of their lands.

Assad isn’t suicidal at all. He is under attack by the Zionists.

Mars Attacks

He is under attack by the Zionists.

Reverse,

Well, the Syrian opposition and the jihadists (that Assad couldn’t prevent from entering his country) may disagree with you.

I didn’t realize so many Zionists were versed in the Koran.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22798391

You’re a lost cause my friend. Tell your sephardi friends that you need help.

http://www.google.com/search?q=al+Nusra+pics&rlz=1R2WQIB_enUS512&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=AQIFUv_iMOW4yAGG2ICIAQ&ved=0CCoQsAQ&biw=1259&bih=784

“Kurds are actively supporting the Syrian authorities”

Syrian authorities took control of conflict – analyst

http://news.am/eng/news/166221.html

YEREVAN. – The Syrian opposition finally split into two branches: so-called “Free Syrian Army” on the one hand and Islamists on the other, expert said.

Expert on oriental studies Suren Manukyan said the Syrian authorities have recently taken control of conflict settlement.

“At the moment the Syrian authorities are dictating where the next battle will be. The alignment of external forces in favor of the current government of Syria has changed dramatically,” he said during the Friday press conference.

Manukyan noted that Kurdish factor is playing an important role in the conflict.

“The Kurds remained neutral until recently. They have an important place in the life of Syria, although the Kurdish territories, in fact, are autonomous,” he stated, noting that the Kurds are now actively supporting the Syrian authorities.

In Egypt, for the first time, demonstrations are now starting at mosques. They are a reminder of similar demonstrations in Syria that turned violent. Where is Egypt going?

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/78657/Egypt/Politics-/ProMorsi-forces-take-to-streets-in-Eid-of-Victory-.aspx

In the greater Cairo area, the demonstrations were set to kick off from Nour El-Mohamadeya Mosque in Matareya; Al-Aziz Bellah Mosque in Zaitoun; Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque in Masr Al-Qadeema; the Nour Mosque in Abbasiya; the Fath Mosque in Ramses; the Assad Ibn El-Fourat Mosque in Dokki; Mostafa Mahmoud Mosque in Mohandiseen (all in Cairo); the Istikama Mosque in Giza and El-Hasry Mosque in 6 of October.

Very sad to see the breakdown of the Syrian mosaic culture following Syrians across the globe; yet, another great accomplishmnet of the “revolution”…

“At a time when Syria is torn apart by a conflict that has divided its population along sectarian lines, Syrians in the United States have also been waging a battle along imaginary frontlines that criss-cross the everyday institutions that once brought them together. Although the war rages thousands of kilometers away and such violence here is unthinkable, Syrian Americans have still mobilized to fight a mirroring conflict that consumes personal and professional life.”

“That polarization does not surprise University of Oklahoma professor and Syria expert Joshua Landis, who says it merely reflects the sectarian divide in Syria. The Syrian civil war is widely read as a conflict between the majority Sunni Muslim community and a patchwork of religious minorities – among them Alawite Muslims, Christians and Druze Muslims. “Sectarian identity is a large part of Syrians, and it gets imported to America,” he said. “Anti-Assad is just a code word for Sunni, for people who don’t like to speak about it.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/09/syria-america-diaspora-new-york

Turkey is funneling anti-tanks guided missiles weapons into Syria

Syrian insurgent ATGM trends point to rival external backers
Jeremy Binnie, London – IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly
08 August 2013
http://www.janes.com/article/25780/syrian-insurgent-atgm-trends-point-to-rival-external-backers
Key Points

Different types of anti-tank guided missiles are being supplied to rival insurgent alliances in Syria
The weapons are probably being provided by foreign states using supply lines that run across the Turkish-Syrian border

A survey of internet videos showing Syrian insurgents with anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) suggests that rival rebel coalitions are being supplied by different external backers.

Insurgents used guided missiles only sporadically until late May, when a notable increase in the number of ATGM videos suggested certain groups were receiving consignments from foreign supporters. IHS Jane’s has analysed more than 60 ATGM videos posted on the internet since then.

[…] cede Aleppo to the opposition without directly compromising his tactical position along the western canton of Syria. (Al-Qusayr and Homs, in contrast, were and are, respectively, daggers against the throat […]

This pathetic assumption that Islamists are more dangerous than the roving hyenas that have dragged Syria into teatering at the edge of the abyss is a complete fallacy intertwined with a simplistic and backwards narrative that paints the horrors experienced by Syrians as nothing but a Zionist conspiracy.

It is not the revolution or the Zionists that forced Assad and his henchmen into killing, raping, pillaging, and burning the country. It is not the threat of Islamists that allowed a bunch of thugs in uniforms to turn the army that was created to protect Syrians into a killing machine out to destroy the essense of the meaning to be Syrian.

And FYI Mr. Hardly a Massacre I am a “him” and not a her, I don’t hide my identity and have mentioned my full name several times in this blog. If you need my jadeh number from Salhiyeh to add my name to your pathetic list be sure to ask, I am sure your pals at the Jawiyeh will be disappointed they did not get me te last time I was in Damascus….

Sami have you ever considered anger management therapy? You sound like you’re pretty wound up.

The army is going to cleanse the nation of the jihadis the Zionists sent. Syria will be fine. Relax.

Muqawamistas always love to talk about the future NewZ

Reverse,

The army is also cleansing the nation of Syrians, but best not to get into any great detail…

ZOO, thanks for highlighting the proposed Saudi rescue mission for the FSA (#158).

It fits my point in #153 – that Assad-run Syria is not a legitimate sovereign entity.

If Syria had been a sovereign state owned by the Syrian people with a legitimate government, it would not have been so swiftly fractured and become such easy prey for Iran, Russia, the Saudis, ISIS and all the other opportunistic players.

Its “ownership” by the Assads, who without consultation with the Syrian people handed the country to Iran, exposed Syria’s vulnerability and availability to other claimants.

If Iran can have Syria handed to it on a plate, why can’t their rivals the Saudis reach out and try to grab the plate?

KSA is even prepared to offer an alternative dish to Russia, the other country, that found the weak Assad regime selling the country cheaply.

And why not the Saudis instead of Iran and Russia? They don’t have domestic economic problems like Iran, they have a religious alliance with the majority of Syrians, they are known to invest in countries (unlike Iran and Russia), and they get along with the west and the Arab world.

They also want to see the Islamic extremists kicked out which would allow Syrians to play more of a role in the country’s fate (as opposed to Iran’s strategy of bringing in Shia militia to sort things out).

Much, much better “owners” of Syria than Iran.

151. Majed97 said: Thanks for “freedom and democracy”…
As Foreign Fighters Flood Syria, Fears of a New Extremist Haven

how many times has corporate media labeled assad & the regime “extremist”?

i can’t remember one time.

Shiaa Islamist terrorism is on the rise.  From Qusayr massacre to now internationals kidnapping.    Arab countries should follow on the EU path declaring HA a terrorist organization.

The men were snatched from a bus which was carrying several other crew members and passengers between a hotel and the airport terminal.

A group called Zuwwar al-Imam Rida has said it seized the men, saying they would be freed in exchange for nine Lebanese hostages in Syria.

Turkey has advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave if possible.
….
Zuwwar al-Imam Rida said the kidnapping was in retaliation for the seizure of nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims in Syria in May 2012.
Daniel Sheiab, the brother of one of the pilgrims, told the BBC Arabic service that the hostages’ relatives were not responsible for the kidnapping, but said the families “welcome the kidnapping of the two Turks as pressure which could push forward the case”.

The Turkish foreign ministry issued a statement on Friday urging its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Lebanon. It advised those already there to leave or to take measures to ensure their personal safety.
….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23629301

Anne Barnard of the NYTimes:

Also, has there been any real evidence that Hezbollah or any non-Syrian Shi`a are fighting alongside the Syrian Army outside of Qusayr, Sayda Zaynab and Nubul and Zahraa? Opposition people are claiming that Hezbollah is fighting on all fronts. When Hezbollah was really involved and sending troops we were seeing the funerals of the fighters being sent back, that stopped after Qusayr.

it’s already been noted the regime is not sending back bodies of hezbollah fighters in order to preserve morale and to prevent losing support from shia in lebanon where families are already upset at the number of men already killed.

queer how this columnist is looking to poke holes in opposition’s credibility. has she ever been this forensic with the regime? or does she take assad at face value. somebody check to see if ms. barnard has been registering likes on bashar’s instagram.

amazing how much corporate media (especially broadcast news) is providing cover for regime.

one article i came across described the regime burning women & children alive. yet next line quoted david cameron worried about extremists in the opposition. a lot this is worry about hypothetical scenarios that haven’t even happened yet. what’s more extreme than regime burning women & children?

this level of selective blindness from establishment figures is surreal.

i’m saying this as someone who followed media treatment of bush. i came in already cynical but even this level of appeasement has me gobsmacked.

To avoid “institutional collapse” it sounds obvious that Bashar al Assad and the key figures of the government and the army will have to remain in power. Any other suggestion?

US and Russia to push for Syria peace talks.
Secretary of State John Kerry and counterpart Sergei Lavrov say new Geneva peace conference crucial to resolving war.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/08/201389201115870448.html

Kerry: “Both of us and our countries agree that to avoid institutional collapse and descent into chaos, the ultimate answer is a negotiated political solution,” he said, in reference to Syria.

175. Syrialover

Saudi Arabia is a country in decomposition. The leaders live in a permanent fear or been toppled or being taken over by Turkey as a Sunni regional power or militarily by Shia Iran.
They have an useless army and they rely totally on the USA for their protection.

Rich Wahhabi Saudis are financing Al Qaeda terrorists through ‘charities’ all over the region. It is a schizophrenic country, non-democratic, anti-women and militarily weak. Their only power is money and for the Moslems the aura of being the craddle of Islam.

They are not able to solve any political issue, they are advised by the USA and have shown total incompetence in solving Arab problems.
Look at Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen to realize the chaos that they will bring to Syria for years to come.

I much rather have Bashar al Assad keep Syria proud and independent as it was before the ‘revolution’ then the expats opposition making Syria a puppet of Saudi Arabia and the USA.

Doesn’t sound like everybody agrees that the regime should stay in power? Here is an example of the desperate and childish Saudi Arabia diplomacy

“Moscow believes that the integrity of Assad’s regime is still the greatest guarantor against such chaos.”
…
Dempsey wrote. “Should the regime’s institutions collapse in the absence of a viable opposition, we could inadvertently empower extremists or unleash the very chemical weapons we seek to control.”

The Failed Saudi-Russian Talks: Desperate Diplomacy as Syria Implodes
…
But the idea that Russia could be turned from supporting Assad in exchange for a couple of arms deals and gas distribution guarantees is laughable. “This is not a situation in which the Saudis can simply buy their way,” says Yezid Sayigh, a Syria scholar and senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center based in Beirut. The Russians aren’t supporting Syria simply to maintain a market for their prolific arms industry, nor do they fear Gulf competition in Europe. Russia’s biggest fear, not unlike that of the U.S., is of the Syrian state falling and leaving a dangerous vacuum in its wake. And Moscow believes that the integrity of Assad’s regime is still the greatest guarantor against such chaos.

Read more: http://world.time.com/2013/08/09/the-failed-saudi-russian-talks-desperate-diplomacy-as-syria-implodes/#ixzz2bVz06gUX

146. apple “hardly a massacre” mini said: Those sensational accusations seem hilarious. “The greatest threat ever in history”, do you really know Syrian history and have evidence to back it up or just want to be a drama queen?

take a gander at this thug:

Mihraç Ural aka Ali Kayyali threaten to take back Alawaites villages liberated by FSA in Latakia, Syria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6w1R74oMZo

turns out this foreign fighter merc-for-hire assadi was responsible for banias massacre.

Ural, who is fighting at the side of the regime forces in Syria, now commands a unit, the Syrian Resistance, allegedly composed of 2000 militias. He is held responsible for the Banias massacre which left at least 62 people dead, including 14 children, in the Ras al-Nabeh neighborhood in Banias of Syria.

apple, does this qualify as a massacre? or do you only count dead shia?

why doesn’t anne barnard profile this figure? why isn’t david cameron worried about this extremist?

Unfortunately the Al Nusra and other Islamists will not go back home as Selim Idriss was pretending. They are here to stay and could be kicked out only by force. Whose force?

http://vvanwilgenburg.blogspot.ca/2013/08/statement-from-damascus-revolutionary.html

Statement from the Damascus revolutionary coordination about what is happening in Qamishli and Sery Kany (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad
We, the Damascus revolutionary coordination, condemn the actions of some battalions and of the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) against our people the Kurds and demand the transfer of their battle to and against the Syrian regime in Damascus and in the besieged cities. These groups should leave the areas with a Kurdish presence being attacked under Islamic slogans and the execution of suicide operations that serve agendas of countries that do not want Syria’s stability, the Kurds are an ancient people and they were among the first participants in the revolution
….

What is the latest fashion trend at Zara? Any update from Apple?

I have become to like boot cut Jeans more than very tight Jeans. I think they look good with high heels. What do you think Ameera?

I fully support invading the Syrian coast and the Alawi mountain by the rebels

Majed,

I do too.

Majedkhaldoun and Tara the invaders of Syria:

Both of you guys are doctors and support the barbaric attack on the Alawite civilians on the Coast.

Both of you support the taking of Alawite women as Sabaya, or holy Muslim war loot.

The bad news for you guys is that the Alawites are winning and most likely many poor Sunnis are going to suffer because of this STUPID CRIMINAL move.

The list is available of every Alawite woman and child being kidnapped or taken as a LOOT, according to Muslim habits and rules.

Few more stupid moves like this and there will be no Sunnis on the coast.

I laugh at your planning.

Both of you should stick to medicine and never stick your vindictive noses into the Syrian affair.

PS: Remember what I said to both of you: many poor Sunnis are going to suffer because of this stupid move.

خليفة في قفص بين وصيف وبغا …. يقول ما قالا له كما تقول الببغا

Majed and Tara:

Unlike you guys: I care about Syrians who are not from my sect.

I speak with the Sunni friends of mine whom I grew up in Lattakia with, and we all agree that sparing Lattakia and the coast from this violence is a good plan.

Both of you, live in America, want revenge and to disturb the little peace there is. Remember is what happened in Homs ? If that happened in Lattakia, many Sunnis gonna leave the coast forever. This is the nature of war. This mean the Alawite State is more possible, which makes me think if you guys know what is good for your fellow Sunnis?

Are you still for attacking Alawite civilians and “invading or conquering the coast” to use the terms of Majedkhaldoun.

The Attack on the coast had been planned a while back. The main people behind it are coming into light:

The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria through their Asala wa al-Tanmiyah fighting branch had participated. Mustafa al-Sabagh collected few guys and armed them. The Kuwaiti Shafi al-Ajami and many foreign Jihadis are of course in the mix.

From the tweets of Shafi al-Ajami we know that they discussed the issue of the women and children they are going to encounter when they are going attack at dawn.

From the tweets of a one legged professional Saudi Jihadi we get pictures of civilians being decapitated, some in their own homes.

This is what Tara and Majedkhaldoun are standing for.

“The list is available of every Alawite woman and child being kidnapped or taken as a LOOT, according to Muslim habits and rules.”

Where are these lists and pictures or videos?
How come SANA did not say one word about it?

the one with the real habits of beastly nature is your side with tons of videos and pictures of countless massacres that your side called hardly a massacre

Hypocrites !

Majed and Tara:

Here is a tweet by Dr. Shafi al-Ajami from Kuwait speaking about the Coast battle:

لقد تم الاتفاق على قتل أبناء تلك القرى وسبي نسائهم وفقا لأحكام الجهاد وسبي الكافرات مع الالتزام بعدم مجامعتهن إلا بعد استبراء ارحامهن…

I would love to hear what you guys have to say about this….

Mjabali
You said
Both of you support the taking of Alawite women as Sabaya, or holy Muslim war loot.

No that is not true, I and I assume Tara too, against that, what we want is to keep Syria united, we support the right of peaceful Alawis to live among us as fellow Syrian, I think you want seperate state for alawis, We want Syria united
It is clear that you talk about revenge, that we are against, you talk about division of Syria we are for united Syria.you talk about anger we talk about coexistance and quiet reasonable thinking, you talk about hostile Alawi entity, we talk about preventing that
Mjabali: it is time for Alawis to join this revolution ,revolution that call for freedom and democracy,revolution that respect all sects, as equal,narrow thinking is wrong, open your heart and remove the cover from your eyes so you can see better ,you will find that many Alawis are against Assad, we are brothers not enemy

Maybe now the beasts that are doing massacres all overs Syria will go back to defend thier homes.

So Called Syrian:

If you look for them you can find them. There are videos on you tube showing you this. People got killed in their own homes.

Search and you will find it. Look for some Jihadi tweets like your man Najm al-Din Azad and tell me what you see. Do you see those Alawite civilians decapitated or not?

Denying what happened is not going to make this go away.

I know you approve of this attack on the Alawite civilians.

PS: my side is on the side the wants peace. My side believes in peaceful solution. Your side on the other hand attacks civilians.

My side wants real democracy: Your side wants Sharia and no real democracy.

My side cares about every Syrian: Your side cares only those from your sect.

Majedkhaldoun:

Alawites wants democracy too. They have been in the “revolution” from day one: the Sunnis did not want them. The excluded them from day one.

There are many Alawites who are anti Assad. The Sunnis never were able to recognize them and bring them to achieve a good transition for Syria to be democratic.

The Alawite do not want to live with the Sunnis as long as the Sunnis carry those hostile beliefs about the Alawites.

It is a very simple issue.

I am Syrian today and tomorrow and till the day I die. I am a realist too, unlike most of the Syrians, and if I speak about the Alawite State and the possibility of its emergence: This does not mean I am for it.

I see that with the current rate of violence sectarian migrations are happening and the Alawite state may become a reality.

What is wrong of calculating like that?

If you really like the coast to stay within Syria believe me wish for no violence there.

The foreigners that are killing and kidnapping the Alawites on the coast are not there to keep Syria together. Remember this fact.

If you love Syria wish for a peaceful solution and not that based on blood.

LOL you can not even show one video.?
You called all Muslims looters and kidnappers,
then you are talking about sides?
All lyou have is a statement form a Kawiti guy that no one has heard of. threatening Sunnis with ethnic cleansing from their homes in the coast, then talking about your side talking about democracy?
What have you been drinking all night?

Without a cease-fire most people are likely to seek refuge in the illusion that invading and killing others, innocent or not, is a justifiable and noble action, however the same people who talk tough are the ones who are the least to sanctify or ask a family member to sanctify, the hypocrisy of some rich Syrians who live in the west , some are Assad supporters, is sickening, educated and wealthy Syrians should do one thing today: help the poor, and have one agenda: stop the war. Those who do not are not worthy of your time or mine.

are u hearing news bashar cousin killed? maybe it’s rumor. not confirmed yet.

Here Majabli.You are just paranoid.
This is from the republican guard page

أخيراً: كثيرة هي المعلومات والأرقام التي تنتشر في الصفحات الوطنية عن عدد الشهداء والمخطوفين في ريف الساحل، والمصدر ليس جهات رسمية، بل على العكس فإن المصدر هو تنسيقيات الفورة، وغايتها إشعال الفتنة الطائفية في صفوف الشعب، فحذار حذار من تناقل أي خبر أو معلومة لم يتم التأكد منها بعد
ولنحافظ على بلدنا كما أوصانا السيد الرئيس في كلمته الرمضانية الأخيرة عندما قال: “لا أحد قادر على إنهاء هذه الأزمة إلا أبناء هذا الوطن بأنفسهم” فنحن أبناء سورية بشار حافظ الأسد وسنحافظ عليها إلى آخر رمق
فإما الشهادة كقدر.. أو النصر كهدف حتمي وغاية عظمى
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=232900173523799&id=150349801778837&__user=100003131418721

So Called Syrian:

بالسوري منقول لايصدق ال…. حتى يرا:

here we go Syrian:

pictures for you dated augest 4th and 5th…

https://twitter.com/najm_alden_azad

This is the twitter account of a Saudi Militant fighting and tweeting everything he is encountering in North of Lattakia. Some of the tweets are of the Alawis civilians who were killed, some in their own homes as obvious from the pictures.

مجزرة جديدة لقوات الأسد في مصيف سلمى باللاذقية دبي – قناة العربية So who is committing violence?

@Ameera #11

يا عيب الشوم على هالحكي, بعرف ناس كتير من كفر سوسه وبعمري ما سمعت حدا بيحكي عالشاميين انو غير وأحسن من باقي المناطق

@Revenire #127

Syria was never a paradise, you are not Syrian nor do you know what it is like to live inside a police state and be watching over your shoulder every living moment fearing for your life and your family. You never lived in Syria where the Makhloufs and Tlases and Khaddams enriched themselves and their cronies while millions struggled for a loaf of bread. The regime controlled every aspect of citizens’ lives and anyone who didn’t tow the company’s line was crushed. It was paradise for those who benefited from the regime, which brings me to my next comment…

@Akbar #153 and SL #155

“Why do you think there are still supporters of Assad after all he has done to ruin his country?”

Syrialover’s explanation is partially true but those regime beneficiaries represent maybe 20-30% of those who still support the regime. There are many poor Syrians who have been completely marginalized and yet they continue to support Assad. I would say the majority of people support Assad because they’re more fearful of the alternative, the Islamists and their Shariah law! There are also many Syrians who are very nationalistic in nature, they can care less about Assad and his Baath party but they love Syria and they support the Army, and by extension, this regime, because they deeply believe the national identity of Syria is under attack by outsiders. Most city folks have no clue what life and the struggle in the rest of the country is like, they fear the “peasants” are coming for them when the regime falls. A lot of those who live in the major cities, even though the majority are sunnis, want security and protection for their properties, they think only the regime (the Army) can protect them and keep law and order.

Akbar, nice story about treatment of a Syrian girl in Israeli hospital

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/for-wounded-syrian-girl-treatment-in-israel-means-quality-care-but-risks-at-home/2013/08/09/124e407c-010c-11e3-8294-0ee5075b840d_story.html

@Majed and Tara #187/#188

Attacking villages is a huge mistake, there’s a lot of discontent among Alawites at Bashar and this regime, there are many elders who have sent strong signals to Damascus to figure a way out. Assad’s response has always been, I’m your protector and if I don’t carry on, the terrorists are coming to kill you. These acts, especially that they’ve been carried out by ISIS and mostly foreign jihadists prove his point and convince those doubters that their lives and livelihoods will be gone if the regime falls. The jihadists ISIS are doing this on purpose, they want a sectarian war in the entire region. It doesn’t help the revolution one bit, the head of the snake is in Damascus, not in some remote village in the mountains.

I’ve said it before, this war has no end in sight, there will not be any winners and the only losers are Syria and Syrians. The Algerian civil war dragged on for 10 years or more. There’s hatred and a sense of revenge that will take decades to remove from people’s hearts and minds. Somehow neither side cares, most people seem to understand this fact now, people hate both sides equally.

So called Syrian:

Here is a dead ambulance driver…from your attack this week

killing this unarmed man was not a war crime right?

خليفة في قفص بين وصيف وبغا …. يقول ما قالا له كما تقول الببغا
Invasion and coexistence in the same sentence?
Democracy while supporting Nusra?
If that was not enough to make you dizzy wait until you read daily press releases from FSA about victories in battles they only saw on YouTube .
This is like a corrupt government officer who attributes his wealth to his salary.
Certain facts stand out after the attack on unarmed villagers in reef Latakia:
1. The regime left those villages with inadequate protection, their eyes were and still are on Damascus and Homs .
2. People in Latakia are angry at both the regime and the rebels but are not scared.
3. Sunni community leaders in Latakia are very concerned that what Nusra does in reef Latakia may encourage thugs loyal to the regime to invite sectarian violence, that has not happened yet.
4. The attacks have clearly elevated sectarian tensions in the region and all over Syria, which only makes it harder to end this war and will only serve supporters of violence.

So Mjabali’d proof that he cares about all Syrian is his unraveling of emotional response in regard to bringing the battle to the Alawi’s heartland. I just do not see how that proves his caring about everyone except his sect. nevertheless, I think Mjabali’d reaction is understandable. ..

It is a no brainer for any organized warring party to bring the war to the enemy’s territories. That is called “the balance of terror”. The coast battle if anything signals the unification and organization of all the rag tag “1200” fighting revolution militia.

Peace is not going to happen by negotiating and demanding Batta to step down. Peace is going to have to be imposed by achieving a “balance of terror” than all can sit and talk with civility.

Rose,

Bringing the battle to the coast does not mean massacring civilians . I am against war crime wherever it is committed, whether in the Sunni heartland or the Alawi’s.

You fight your enemy in his territory not in yours. Unfortunately there is no clean wars. Atrocities and crimes do happen as byproducts. Yet, the coast battle remains the most logic thing to do from military standpoint. Assad must protect his strategic depth and therefore most pull part of his killing machine from reef Dimashq and other besieged areas to the Alawi mountains so shabeehas and the criminal soldiers of his can protect their families and that will weaken his grip. It is absolutely the right step to do.

Tara,

Who’s the “enemy” here? Poor villagers in the mountains do not represent a threat to the revolution! You think a Shabiha fighting in Damascus or Homs is gonna drop everything and head to his village to fight? You do realize there are entire Army divisions that have been completely idle and on the sideline up to now, right? These are suicide attacks by the ISIS, they will be surrounded and killed, they don’t know the terrain and they will not be able to hold on to any territory. What the attacks serve is to reinforce the fears that the regime has been feeding the minorities in the coastal region about their fate if it would fall. This will invite further massacres of sunni villages and it’s already happening. You don’t weaken the regime one bit by taking the fight to “their backyard”. You invite more revenge killing and ethnic cleansing. You’re absolutely wrong and my points will be proven in the next weeks and months, you’ll see. BTW, there’s a lot of division in the Alwaite community and a big percentage is fed up with Assad and his family. Instead of taking advantage of these divisions, you send foreign mercenaries to attack these irrelevant villages. Not only that, you have them post videos calling on the slaughter of every alwaite and raping of their women, etc. What do you think the response is going to be now?

Jabali
خرى يلي يطمرك
If a picture from one deranged none Syrian man make you so outraged,
What about the hundreds of thousands of pictures and videos that was caused by your side?
The other pictures made you sleep well at night?
Beast

Those villages were attacked not because of the civlins in them, but because the regime used them as a miltiry posts,full of tanks that were shelling anything that moved in the Sunni towns for the last 2 years.
Stop the sudden crocodile tears over the civilians.

Engineering Potential Disaster in Syria

The old saying goes be careful what you wish for. You may get more than you bargained for. Washington’s wars often don’t turn out as planned.

US-sponsored death squads infest the region. They commit mass murder and destruction.

Official silence followed Al Nusra militants massacring 450 Kurdish civilians. Media scoundrels reported nothing. Mostly women and children were slaughtered. Assad’s often blamed terrorist crimes.

Syria’s infested with extremist fighters. They’ve come from dozens of countries. They want Islamofachist rule. They want it in all or part of the Syria.

According to Executive Intelligence Review’s Lawrence Freeman:

Al Qaeda’s “virtually in control of (Libya), and we’ve created a monster that is out of control except if you recognize that that’s the intention.”

Syria’s “a continuation of the Libyan operation. (If) regime change policy” continues, “more death and destruction and possibly war with Russia” will follow.

“(W)e could see massive chaos throughout the entire Middle East and Persian Gulf region and most dangerously a direct military conflict with Russia.”

Sovereign Libya doesn’t exist. Militias run things. It’s “the closest thing (to) a country run by Al Qaeda.”

On August 7, Reuters headlined “Exclusive: Saudi offers Russia deal to scale back Assad support – sources.”

An unnamed Arab diplomat said “President Putin listened politely to his interlocutor and let him know that his country would not change its strategy.”

In response, Bandar said “the only option left in Syria was military and that they should forget about Geneva because the opposition would not attend.”

Russia supports Syrian sovereignty. An unnamed Western diplomat said he’s unlikely “to trade Moscow’s recent high profile” for an arms deal. He won’t abandon Syria for blood money.

An unnamed Syrian official said:

“As was the case before with Qatar and Lavrov (in talks), Saudi Arabia thinks that politics is a simple matter of buying people or countries.”

“It doesn’t understand that Russia is a major power and that this is not how it draws up policy.”

“Syria and Russia have had close ties for over half a century in all fields and it’s not Saudi rials that will change this fact.”

Military expert Alexander Goltz called Putin agreeing Bandar’s deal “extremely improbable.”

“Support for Assad is a matter of principle for Vladimir Putin. Even the bait of $15 billion” won’t change things.

Security expert Andrei Soldatov said “(t)his disinformation is aimed more at destabilizing Assad and his entourage.”

His “position is growing stronger and stronger, and the Kremlin knows this. Turning against (him) in this situation would be very stupid.”

“And don’t forget that in general the Saudis take years to keep their promises.” They’re known for not doing so. They’re despots. They’re ruthless. They can’t be trusted. They’re duplicitous.

They’re close to Washington. They’re funding and arming extremist anti-Assad elements. Putin’s no fool. He won’t tolerate turning Syria into post-Gaddafi Libya 2.0.

He wants Syria freed from Western-backed death squads. So does the overwhelming majority of Syrians.

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2013/08/10/engineering-potential-disaster-in-syria

It is already happening, the mafia regime is starting to pull troops from other areas to defend his support base
بعد اقتراب مقاتلي المعارضة من القرداحة .. انسحاب أكبر ” تجمع ” لقوات النظام في ريف إدلب و توجهه للمشاركة في ” معركة الساحل ”

http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_news&id=00bb74bfbebb293ebe630a2339fdb039&ar=934104376

Ottoman cry baby Erdogan, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are calling for a NATO no fly zone over Lebanon

Gunmen abduct 2 Turkish Airlines crew in Lebanon

Gunmen ambushed a van today carrying a Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital, kidnapping a pilot and a co-pilot in an attack that appeared linked to the ongoing civil war in neighboring Syria.

Six gunmen stopped the vehicle on an old airport road in Beirut, abducting the two Turkish nationals and letting the rest of the crew go, officials said.

Lebanon’s state news agency said a group called the Zuwaar al-Imam Rida claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The group, which was previously unknown, said in a statement carried by the National News Agency that the pilots “will only be released when the Lebanese hostages in Syria return.”

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/gunmen-abduct-2-turkish-airlines-crew-in-lebanon-113080900919_1.html

Ottoman Erdogan the coward cut and run policy

Turkey advises citizens to leave Lebanon

Turkish citizens urged to avoid travel to Lebanon and those already in the country advised to leave if they can.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/20138104546773661.html

*Your comment is awaiting moderation.*

More cut and run policy from our brave wonder boy

Turkey to withdraw from UNIFIL contingent

BEIRUT, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed Friday that Turkey has requested to withdraw its contingent from the peacekeeping force after two Turkish pilots were abducted in Beirut.

Turkish Pilots Murat Akpinar and Murat Agca were kidnapped early on Friday on their way from Beirut’s international airport to a hotel in the Lebanese capital, a security source told Xinhua.

UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said the force was informed by Ankara of its decision to “withdraw its contingent from the peacekeeping forces operating in South Lebanon, effective the first week of September 2013.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-08/10/c_132618117.htm

210. DAMSCUSROSE said: These are suicide attacks by the ISIS, they will be surrounded and killed, they don’t know the terrain and they will not be able to hold on to any territory.

normally, i’d defer to your expertise but there are native latakia rebels fighting in this offensive.

btw, did you see khaldoun disagree with your estimate for alawite population? he thinks it’s less than 7.3%.

CIA Moves to Kill Real Benghazi Story: al-Qaeda in Syria Arms Shipment Gone Bad

The CIA is attempting to control the Benghazi story by forcing agency employees to sign nondisclosure agreements. The five employees, Fox News reported on Friday, had already signed similar agreements prior to the attack on the embassy building in Benghazi, Libya, last September. The attack killed four Americans, including ambassador Christopher Stevens.

In addition to nondisclosures, CIA employees were subjected to polygraph examinations on a monthly basis.

On Thursday, CNN’s Jake Tapper reported that the network “uncovered exclusive new information about what is allegedly happening at the CIA,” including word that “dozens of people working for the CIA were on the ground that night, and that the agency is going to great lengths to make sure whatever it was doing, remains a secret.”

The CIA is doing all it can to make sure the truth never comes to light. CNN characterizes the effort as unprecedented.

GOP members of Congress are attempting to steer attention away from the CIA and its real mission in Libya prior to the deadly attack. On Wednesday, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said incoming FBI director James Comey has 30 days to brief Congress on its investigation. “One of the pertinent questions today is why we have not captured or killed the terrorist who committed these attacks?” Chaffetz said during a news conference. “News out today that CNN was able to go in and talk to one of the suspected terrorists, how come the military hasn’t been able to get after them and capture or kill the people? How come the FBI isn’t doing this and yet CNN is?”

The man in question, Ahmed Abu Khattala, is a Libyan described by officials as the Benghazi leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated militia group Ansar al-Sharia. It was learned after the attack that the February 17th Martyrs Brigade was paid by the State Department to protect the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi. The group had “clear al-Qaida sympathies, and had prominently displayed the al-Qaida flag on a Facebook page for months before the deadly attack,” Max Rosenthal reported for Newsmax in May.

As to be expected, the establishment media has not reported the truth about what happened in Benghazi and why the CIA is scrambling to deep six the story.

tara, i read a piece analyzing the prisoner dilemma experiment. author was challenging perceptions born out of it. (of course i lost it when i tried to find it again.)

in it she described how frightened prisoners would stand with their abusive guard when placed in a situation to take sides despite their mistreatment

what is that syndrome called?

thanks, don.

That syndrome is called Israeli propaganda by those who celebrate the killing of Syrian Christians on SC

220. omen said: .. what is that syndrome called?

شو هال التخطيط يالي بيدخل المخطط بخانة الياك و بيخليه بدون استراتيجية خروج ؟
“Assad’s position is growing stronger and stronger, and the Kremlin knows this.
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2013/08/09/225905-moscow-rejects-saudi-offer-to-drop-assad-for-arms-deal/

220. oops make that the milgram experiment.

The White House and Congress are also very well aware of that Alan

223. Alan said: .. “Assad’s position is growing stronger and stronger, and the Kremlin knows this.

yoohoo

210. DAMSCUSROSE

opening another front is saving homs. as other people earlier argued.

Assad’s 76th Armored Brigade has now deployed towards Latakia from Homs. This brigade committed numerous atrocities near Idlib in 2012.

NATO Death Squads Impose Embargo, Starvation in Aleppo

http://syriareport.net/fsa-imposes-embargo-aleppo-on-its-knees/

Christian Girl Repeatedly Raped by NATO Death Squads

http://syriareport.net/christian-girl-repeatedly-raped-by-syria-militants/

Little baby Girl Mary Kidnapped by NATO’s Death Squads is Saved by SAA in Latakia Syria (video)

Last week a group of foreign mercenary terrorists, mostly Saudis and Libyans, raided three villages in Latakia, killing over 100 villagers and taking hostages. They were repulsed by the SAA and some of the hostages liberated.

NATO Death Squads propagandists called the failed murderous raids “THE FRONT TO LIBERATE THE COAST”.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=256_1376116735

The counter offensive against Islamists terrorists and theirs FSA allies in Latakia

Assad sends air force to prevent rebel advances in home province

http://in.news.yahoo.com/assad-sends-air-force-prevent-rebel-advances-home-101640664.html

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Warplanes bombed a village in Syria’s north overnight in an apparent effort by President Bashar al-Assad to prevent rebels fighting him from advancing on communities in the stronghold region of his Alawite sect.
….
Salma is a Sunni village in the Jabal Akrad mountain range which overlooks the Mediterranean. Rebel forces comprised of mainly Islamist brigades, including two al Qaeda-linked groups and based in Salma, have killed hundreds in offensives this month and have seized several Alawite settlements.

Activists admits the massacre of 60 civilians, mostly women and children in the Alawites villages attacked by the Islamist terrorists and their FSA allies. The pathetic SNC had announced earlier that civilians will be unharmed…

…
But earlier this week rebels including foreign fighters swept through a string of villages, sending civilians fleeing their homes. At least 60 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed in the rebel offensive, activists said. They say another 400 civilians, mostly Alawites, are missing and are presumed to be in rebel custody in the area.
The activists spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals

Don

Just wondering how humiliating it feel to be banned under Ann and returning under Don?

A little? Or completely numb?

As long as you obey the rules and do nor relish death, I think will allow it.

The war has reached to a level that soon we have to see what those moderate Sunni need do their share of sacrifice for the country.

Let’s face it SAA cannot take back the whole country if only Alawites are fighting those Islamists.

The regime can consolidate the region depicted in Joshua Landis’ analysis.

Giving up the north including Aleppo will be very hard for people who are still living in government held areas. The strategic advantage is that it is like pouring blood in shark infested water and lots of them will finish off each other.

For those Syrians who want to live under the rule by Islamists from Chechen, Pakistan, Sudan and Saudi, they know where to move to including the 5 years old boy from Idlib and his brethren and uncles.

Moderate Sunni should no longer just enjoy the security the regime is providing while not making sacrifice. It is unfair and unsustainable.

The rebels are worse than Taliban in their heyday. By their nature, it is better to let themselves consume cannibalism instead of trying to eliminating them altogether which could be too costy. It is the situation when you are facing a pack of hungry hyenas, the best way to deal with them is just letting them tear each apart and later you try to slaughter those who are still alive.

It will be very tricky and dangerous politically. But after those terrorist attack on those poor Alawite villages, the political motivation is there.

Syria has been torn apart, but we need to try preserve the core when there is still time.

So called Syrian:

When you see a non Syrian roaming the Syrian countryside killing Syrians and tweeting about it with pride how do that makes you feel?

When you see all of those non Syrians gloating about slaughtering Alawites and coming from all parts of the world to do this: how does that makes you feel?

When you see a Kuwaitis, Saudis, Yemenis, Chechens, Morroccans, Libyans…etc in the Lattakia countryside: of course this makes you happy…

You still call yourself Syrian….what a joke…

Yesterday on AJE blog, and repeated today on SC, I read how the US and Russia agreed on avoiding ‘institutional collapse’. Sounded like there was an air of urgency and desperation.

Why is Russia so worried and entertaining this idea of ‘instutional collapse’ as regimists keep reassuring us Assad is winning and his regime/institutions are stronger than ever?

Apple Mini #233

Let’s face it SAA cannot take back the whole country if only Alawites are fighting those Islamists.

[…]

Moderate Sunni should no longer just enjoy the security the regime is providing while not making sacrifice. It is unfair and unsustainable.

Regimists keep telling us the majority in the regime, in the army and amongst supporters are Sunnis?

You’re telling us only Alawites are doing the fighting?

Rev, do us a favour please and kindly clear up this confusion.
Thanks.

Tara:

So you care about Syria and still do not see any harm with all of these lunatic international loser Jihadis roaming Syria spreading death and destruction.

Wake up. I have no idea how you are going to save Syria with planning like yours. You make no sense when you say that you are there trying to save Syria and at the same time stand for attacking civilian targets: to “equal the terror.”

Enough with this revenge. It is an endless cycle.

These Alawite villages, and many others, had been attacked by Sunnis for hundreds of years. Why there are Turkmen and Kurds in the Alawite areas? Have you ever thought of this? Or you, as a Sunni always thought you can kick the Alawite from their land and get someone else like what the Sunnis been doing for a hundreds of years.

Sunnis made sure to have Fatwas for every generation to remind them of the right to “slaughter” Alawis. Do you want me to list them for you one by one from the days of Ibn Taymiyah till now?

Every generation had Fatwas about how it is permissible to attack and slaughter the Alawites. There are Fatwas from the 18th C even regulating how to but and sell the Alawis? How are you going to build a country with Sunnis believing like this. Do you want the books that are being published in Damascus in 2013 to remind the Sunnis of all of this?

Revenge is not going to do anything positive. If you, and your like, reached to the many Alawis against al-Assad instead of spreading your hate, we could have reached a safe place by now.

Now you are supporting the foreigners killing Syrians: this will lead to more war and not to anything else.

Support real understanding and peace.

A couple of updates on Yalla Souriya:

Posted about 2 hrs ago:

Not a spy ‏@finriswolf 2h

Assad’s 76th Armored Brigade has now deployed towards Latakia from Homs. This brigade committed numerous atrocities near Idlib in 2012

Assad’s 76th Armored Brigade is made up of the most loyal troops from the 1st Division. They call themselves the “Death Brigade”

The Latakia mountains are not good tank terrain at all so the 76th must be deploying based on it’s loyalty to Assad

They are actually showing up on the other side. Near Jis al-Shugour on the Idlib – Latakia highway.

************

Posted about 2 hrs ago:

@markito0171

Rebels besiege brigade55 in #Adra [Video]

[…]

[Adra is the area where it was recently reported that 62 rebels had been killed in a regime ambush – interesting then that we have these videos claiming to be of rebels besieging a military base in the area]

Liwa al-Islam T-72 shells Assad forces’ positions. (there was a recent video of a Liwa al-Islam parade of several T-72 tanks, BMPs and other armoured vehicles)

[Videos]

Uzair:

Since you are a tweeter watchdog: how come the tweets of Shafi al-Ajami missed you?

Wondering what you think about the discussion going on between Jihadis about the Vaginas of the Alawites women they looted and when a Mujahid can rape that women or claim her to be one of his property according to Islam and Sunnah. Would you please ask this question to your man al-Ya’qubi?

Same question goes for Tara also:

The text of the tweet is this:

لقد تم الاتفاق على قتل ابناء تلك القرى وسبي نسائهم تبعا لأحكام الجهاد وسبي الكافرات مع الالتزام بعدم مجامعتهن الا بعد استبراء ارحامهن

PS: I am not joking.

Well here we go

We have “a realist” that sees this conflict as leading to the emergence of Alawistan.

Very well and good, if it makes them happy and secure and free from the oppression of the majority Sunnis. The reality of the realist however is that the majority Sunnis have been subjected for forty years to the most barbaric regime on earth. But the realist will always remind us of the hundreds of years of oppression and ethnic mixing by the oppressive Ottomans/Sunnis of the minorities. The realist is also reminded that the same discourse was used in the 11th century by the Crusades to protect the relic of the late Jesus. Again in the 19th century by the new emerging superpowers as they created “protectorates” for their “sects” with the Czar protecting the Orthodox and France protecting the Maronites. This reality flies in the face of the Arab identity of the illustrious Baath party.

I thought the regime in Syria is Arab with Arab nationalism and the resistance to occupation and division being its raison d’etre. I thought we were Arab first and Syrian second. If we are a regime of Arab resistance, we are there for the Arabs of Lebanon and Palestine and Jordan and Iraq and Egypt. Likewise, we have Arabs that are flocking to Syria to fight for this resistance movement. But oops reality pocks its head, these fighters are really religiously organized and motivated Velayet Fagih soldiers from HA and IRGC doing the fighting. Therefore the counter reality of Arab Sunni and non Arab Sunni fighters flocking into the country is now bringing crocodile tears. All of sudden, we find objections to this flocking, when we did not hear any objection to Lebanese from Hermel and Baalbeck flocking with orders from their Murshid.

The retard iPad playing garbage dump stooge leader wanted to revive the narrative of religiously motivated rebellion for he lacked imagination, lacked realism, lacked deep analysis, lacked perspective on the events of 2011 and forgot that forty years of corruption and mismanagement and desertification and graft and a police state of barbaric proportions in the midst of a population explosion makes for a powder keg. So now the reality is that he does not have troops to keep the dump together, and the reality Mr. realist is that the war crimes lamentations that are laced with crocodile tears are too little too late. This is another realist reality.

The revolution has taken a life of its own, the dithering by everybody, the playing games by everybody, the shenanigans of Russia and its misplaced Putin’s ego, the withdrawal of the US from the region, the discovery of huge oil and gas in North America, the presence of gas off Cyprus, all of this has made this region and Syria of no strategic importance and play pen for egomaniac regimes and its supporters.

Very well and good, that the realist is now awakening to democracy and human rights and just as the Sunnis have acquiesced especially for forty years to be accomplices of the regime on the premise of we work with you provided you give us enough scraps to live nicely, now we have the sect that is realizing that acquiescence to the regime atrocities for advancement in a sectarian security state has come to an end for both.

These democracy loving villagers of Latakia are clamoring for the army to protect them now. But his slipper army can only bomb from afar. When it comes to real fighting it does so from behind bunkers and with heavy weapons from afar. But when it comes to fighting face to face and man to man as happened in the villages of Latakia and Khan it just melts away.

I hope the entire region breaks apart. It was put together especially to keep it unstable. Don’t you understand this basic Sykes Picot fact?

This instability will breed hate and contempt of the other for generations. We are in for at least the 30 year war.

Long live Alawistan. Get them to be free and out of our hair and towns and villages.

i saw an activist repeat this so i’m going with her judgement.

Latakia‬, 10-08-2013: FSA forces have killed two senior regime figures, one of them a cousin of Bashar Assad, in fighting in Latakia.

The two were named as Iyad Makhlouf, a senior General Security Directorate officer and maternal cousin of Assad, and Ramzy Adnan Aslan, a high-level regime shabiha (pro-regime paramilitary).
We cordially wish them Bon Voyage to Hell.

From: Union of Syrian Christians and Muslims Against Bashar Assad.

234. mjabali said:

So called Syrian:

When you see a non Syrian roaming the Syrian countryside killing Syrians and tweeting about it with pride how do that makes you feel?

When you see all of those non Syrians gloating about slaughtering Alawites and coming from all parts of the world to do this: how does that makes you feel?

because you take pride that fellow syrians are being slaughtered by homegrown shabiha?

you posture in your chauvinism yet fail to object to foreign fighters like hizbullah & mercs coming in to kill from iraq & iran.

for a hypocrite, you sure are holier than thou.

234. mjabali: When you see all of those non Syrians gloating about slaughtering Alawites and coming from all parts of the world to do this: how does that makes you feel?

how does that make you feel? how does that make you feel??

how dare you accuse the opposition of being callous. it isn’t they who have been in denial. it’s loyalists who spent the last two years turning their heads away from seeing this:

https://twitter.com/tintin1957/status/366174955009880065

MJabali
We all are Syrians, Assad thugs soldiers and Shabbiha from your sect has been bombarding Homs and Reef Damascus and Halab, I never read comments from you condemning those crimes, but when it come to Alawi mountain you complain bitterly, this is called double standard, there is no difference between the mountain and Khaldieh or Baba Amr,

Rose
You talk about an entire army division sit Idle,nonsense,Assad is using his entire force otherwise he would not call for help from HA and IRGC and Iraqi Militia
You talk that the rebels don’t know the terrain, nonsenseit does not take long to watch the next three Km every one or two weeks.
You say
You don’t weaken the regime one bit by taking the fight to “their backyard”. nonsense you are absolutely wrong.
You said
“You invite more revenge killing and ethnic cleansing”. So the regime has been innocent,has not committed any crime, are you blind to what the regime has done in the last 2 1/2 years?
Didn’t the regime invaded Heffeh?committed massacres,destroyed Baba Amr and Khaldieh,and other many crimes all over Syria?

Rose read your comment again and you will find out how silly most of the statements are.
You are supposed to be reasonable not like Ghufran, honest not like him,fair not like him,truthfuf not like him the king of fabrications and garbage

225. DON said:
The White House and Congress ….

The Syrian affairs mentioned is not the prerogative of Congress and the White House!They must get the American affairs out from the mud!

I appreciate comments on my latest post. But seriously, the opposition and its mouthpieces do not need to reply.

Any moderate Sunni in the opposition is a joke. No offense, what the rebels consisting of with rampant and maximum level of extremism has completely turned this conflict into a war against terrorism/Islamism.

Any opposition who still call themselves a moderate is trying to re-define the meaning of Moderate.

Any foreign posters who are advocating violence in Syria is a nuisance at the very least. Of course their existence here is welcomed by the opposition. But the rest just brush them off like mosquitoes.

Those Zionist posters are professional and they are on assignment. If Israel is in conflict one day, Syrian government will do the same: to hire some pros to stoke the fire.

There is one difference Majed. The rodents won’t be getting a foothold in the mountains. They can swoop in and rape and murder helpless and unarmed women and children but they won’t be staying very long.

238. Mjabali

I rely on others to do the interpreting, confirming and investigating and then I share. I only check a limited (a few sources). Arabic isn’t my language and I haven’t the time to confirm or verify things myself.

Those extremists only represent themselves and as far as I know they could easily be regime plants in Kuwait (or elsewhere) making claims to undermine and tarnish the revolution or rebel operations.

This shows you how difficult it can be.

I hadn’t come across Shafi al-Ajami before you mentioned the name. It’s a good thing you’re here to bring your claims to our attention and hopefully capable revolutionaries can look into it.

I’m no friend of the extremists however I tend not to comment on them in case there may be some anti Assad people on here who may be inclined that way (at least one user who is no longer present here). I’m here for the oppressed and as Sh. Yaqoubi said we avoided religion as a basis for backing the revolution, although we could have done so, as it could produce fanaticism.

If anything is confirmed I’d be the first to condemn any crime. Earlier there was a spanish civil war feeling about the foreign element. Now the agendas seem to have appeared which I’m not hapy about. Actually angry.

Once again I wait for the revolution to take the lead and make the decisions that may have to be made (eg distancing from the extremists and/or giving them ultimatums) and I’ll follow. They’ll know best the right time to do so. I believe it was already happening if you remember an interview with Sh. Yaqoubi from a few months ago.

For now (or until now) many on here have held their tongue as us anti Assad folk on here are in it together and wanted to avoid falling out or infighting whilst busy dealing with the massive challenge of the regime. This is not about religion v secularism, moderate sunnism (or sufism) v salafism ect. It’s about confronting oppression and the revolution consists of people from all kinds of backgrounds. We’re all in it together.

Hopefully everyone can get back on track and return to the original aims, goals and values of the revolution.

Majed !
Do you rejoice in what is going on against the Kurds?

The confrontation between the opposition groups in Syria is becoming more violent: it is reported that the Syrian militants associated with “Al-Qaeda”, killed the commander of the Free Syrian Army. Fighting for control of several areas occur between the rebels of different groups more often. Radical militants seeking to establish an Islamic state in Syria. Part of their plan is to capture the Syrian Kurds, located in the north-east of the country.

July 19 militants planted a bomb in the building of the local Kurdish school. They also raided civilians and kidnapped some of them. The next day, in a number of houses of various Kurdish settlements bombings. One village was completely destroyed. It was also kidnapped about 500 people.

Neither the government of Syria or the Syrian opposition did not confirm the fact of the massacre, but witnesses tell of brutal attacks by Islamists in the Kurdish village.

“They came to the village and began to blame the locals in disbelief. They opened fire on residents. People ran into the streets: men, women, and children. They fired on everyone who met him on the way. Grabbed by many young people have to cut their knives. We told them that we are also Muslims, but they said that they will continue to kill us
The Kurds claim that the attack Islamists associated with “Al-Qaeda”. One of these groups – the “Front of Al-Nusra”, whose members intend to establish in northern Syria, an Islamic state.

3200 foreign fighters dead in Syria even according to pro-FSA SOHR,based in Syria – Real number likely far higher!

After Hezbollah, now the Iraqi kurds may join in to fight the Islamists and their FSA puppets

Kurdistan president threatens Syria intervention

© AFP
Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani reacted Saturday to the deadly clashes between Kurdish militia and al Qaeda linked fighters in Syria by threatening to intervene.

The president of Iraqi Kurdistan has threatened to intervene in neighboring Syria to defend the large Kurdish population living there from al-Qaida-linked fighters.

The statement Saturday from Massoud Barzani follows weeks of clashes in predominantly Kurdish parts of northeastern Syria near the Iraqi border between Kurdish militias and Islamic extremist rebel factions.

The ‘good’ rebels are set to combat the ‘bad’ rebels ready under a Saudi revamped SNC-FSA command.
Once they’ll get rid of Al Nusra and send all the jihadists home, they will get US weapons to topple Bashar al Assad.

After the fiasco of the Qatar initiative of promoting the Moslem Brotherhood, we now have a new brilliant Saudi initiative of promoting an oaxymoron, a ‘moderate’ Wahhabism.

Syria: SNC set to combat “warlords”

http://www.aawsat.net/2013/08/article55313154
The 6,000-strong opposition army is to be under the FSA’s command.

Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—On Friday, the head of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) Ahmed Jarba revealed plans to form a “national army” consisting of 6,000 opposition fighters to fight what he described as “warlords” taking part in Syria’s over two-year-old civil war.

At an event held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Jarba stated that the SNC, in cooperation with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), is working towards “forming a national army to get rid of warlords and solve many problems.”

The Gulf-backed head of the SNC revealed that the new army will call for volunteers from the north and south of Syria.

In a statement, Jarba announced the next few weeks “will witness a genuine military development on the ground,” adding, “There is a real intention to change the rules of the game in a practical, genuine and realistic way.”

According to a senior FSA source who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, the FSA command, in coordination with the SNC, has taken steps to “organize and discipline the battalions on the ground in order to form as a basis for a reliable army in post-Assad Syria.”

Apple mini
Did you noticed that the mosquitoes that you mentioned like to sworm on the apple full of worms

Revenir is back to call the rebels rodent, I guess he is ratvenir

@Majed #244

“You talk about an entire army division sit Idle,nonsense,Assad is using his entire force otherwise he would not call for help from HA and IRGC and Iraqi Militia”

The following is not an opinion, it’s based on information from insiders. There are few divisions that haven’t seen any fighting at all, they haven’t left their barracks and this is intentional, a decision made by هيئة الاركان and not by Assad for obvious reasons. Most of the fighting is carried out by several “loyal” brigades and the roaming militias/merc force that get called to go from one place to another. HA fought mostly in Qusair and some in Homs because of their guerrilla tactics. They have advisors from IRGC but none are involved in actual fighting. Iraqi militia is mostly at Seida Zeinab. Elements of the above are called upon for “special” missions and join the roaming militias at times if they need certain expertise. BTW, there’s no single war room or control center and Bashar is not the (only) one calling all the shots.

“You talk that the rebels don’t know the terrain, nonsense it does not take long to watch the next three Km every one or two weeks.”

Majed, it’s the same reason the regime is struggling to control Daraya, Jobar, east Ghouta, and parts of Homs/Aleppo. Locals know the ins and outs, the back roads, the people, who to trust, where to hide, etc. I still stand by my statement that it is a suicide mission and few of the 1000-1500 fighters who entered the mountains will leave alive.

“You say
You don’t weaken the regime one bit by taking the fight to “their backyard”. nonsense you are absolutely wrong.”

You tell me I’m wrong without backing your statement? Tell me how this adventure weakens the regime? They’ll just reposition some assets, surround the rebels, and then send their death squads. The coast should be the last place to be attacked, after Homs and Damascus fall, not now. This strengthen Assad’s position in his community, remember, not all Alawites are supporters of Assad and his family.

“You said
“You invite more revenge killing and ethnic cleansing”. So the regime has been innocent,has not committed any crime, are you blind to what the regime has done in the last 2 1/2 years?
Didn’t the regime invaded Heffeh?committed massacres,destroyed Baba Amr and Khaldieh,and other many crimes all over Syria?”

Of course not, I don’t post often but I never supported this criminal regime. My point is that this adventure into the mountains will invite more Haffeh and Banias type of massacres and really serves the regime agenda. The regime has been trying to convince all minorities and the moderate Sunnis that they’re the only protectors of their safety and livelihoods against the foreign Jihadis who want to kill them and rape their women. Sometimes I wonder if these Jihadists are colluding with the regime or following their script?

“Rose read your comment again and you will find out how silly most of the statements are.
You are supposed to be reasonable not like Ghufran, honest not like him,fair not like him,truthfuf not like him the king of fabrications and garbage”

I re-read my comments and stand by them, I had several responses, one to Ameera, one to Revenire, and the last to Tara/SL. It seems you only took issue with my comment to Tara/SL “I support the attack on the villages”. Lastly, I don’t understand what Ghufran has to do with me???

الأكراد في سورية يتعرضون لهجوم شرس من قبل “جبهة النصرة” و”دولة العراق والشام الإسلامية”، وإن الكتائب الجهادية المنضوية تحت لواء القاعدة تقوم بعمليات تطهير عرقي حيال المدنيين الأكراد. إن بعض قوى المعارضة السورية تقف مكتوفة الأيدي حيال ما يجري في الشمال، حتى أن البعض يقدم غطاءً سياسيا لعمليات القتل.

Damascusrose Syria was an absolute paradise before the war compared to now – your dramatic flourishes notwithstanding. People were not watching over their shoulders every living moment fearing for the lives of themselves and their families.

Within certain boundaries, this forum allows each to give their opinion. You’ve given yours. I’ve given mine.

Thanks.

Al-Nusra militants kill top Free Syrian Army commander

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/08/09/317938/alnusra-militants-kill-fsa-commander/

Members of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front have killed a commander of the so-called Free Syrian Army, as rivalries grow among the militant groups fighting against the Syrian government.

This one is really nice. I think the “FSA” likes murdering women and children better than fighting SAA soldiers. 🙂

FSA under heavy SAA fire
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b6e_1375986122

Rose
How could the regime defend Alawis mountain without pulling troops from different places, where he is already weak there?the regime has to pull 15000 soldier so he can take back the area taken by the rebels,and you dont think 15000 soldier will weaken him somewhere else?
15000 because the rebels are 4-5 thousands and militarily it is known fact that to attack you need three time the other side, the terrain is mountainous.perfect for guerilla war, Assad has to burn the entire area, destroy mountains of Olive trees,eggplants squash tomatoes and wheat crops, many hiding places,the rebels can hide there for long time , plenty of water and food.
Reenforcements to the rebels are already flocking there,they already digging trenches and tunnels
I know the area well enough to make an opinion, I lived there the entire summer in 1965,and I visited there many times

Mjabali,

I am not in support of attacking villagers. I am in support of bringing the war to the coast for the reason I explained. And for the same reason, I am in favor of bringing it to the heart of Damascus, the Umayad capital and the sunni heartland. The war needs to be where the regime and its thugs are. Damascus must be liberated too.

This has nothing to do with Ibn Taymieh and his fatwa. This is a plain and simple rule of war. The best way of defense is offense. Batta is not going to give up the chair. His thugs will continue to kill in his name. His Alawi sect will continue yo provide his killing machine for real or perceived fears. The war will continue until a balance of power is achieved. War needs to be brought to the regime to weaken its grip and to lessen the suffering. Bringing the war to the coast will force the dude to free some of his thugs to protect the coast. These thugs will probably come from Aleppo and Idlib. That would consolidate the north under the rebels and would make it cometary regime- free. Then another battle should be opened in the heart of Damascus. Whoever controls Damascus will win the war.

Sorry Mjabali, I most definitely regret the loss if lives of innocent villagers whether they are white, blue, or yellow. The act of rogue elements within the opposition is condemnable but will not change things. This war is forced on the Syrian people. We did not choose it. We just wanted our children from Deraa be released from Atef’s torture camp.

This is not about religion to the vast majority of Syrians and to me. This is about emancipation, freedom, and dignity.

The neo colonialist elite cabal have no shame. All they care about is pillaging the world for their malicious, sadistic gain.
Like the Serbs before , Syria’s minorities are the West’s new victims!

Russia and Syria: Caucasus Jihadists, CIA, MI6 and the duplicity of NATO Turkey
http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/08/10/russia-and-syria-caucasus-jihadists-cia-mi6-and-the-duplicity-of-nato-turkey/
The conflict in Syria continues to cause mayhem because of outside meddling which continues to support terrorism and sectarianism. It is ridiculous that the term “rebels” is still being used because untold numbers of international jihadists, mercenaries and covert operatives are in Syria. Indeed, several leading terrorist groups in Syria are led by international jihadists and clearly the Caucasus terrorist network and many others are thriving. After all, NATO Turkey appears to have open borders whereby not only international jihadists, mercenaries and covert operatives have an open border; but all the above can also obtain major military arms and logistics courtesy of a NATO member……

Dear Mjabali, and other Alawi brothers,
Please do not group all Sunnis under one banner. Not all Sunnis are alike. Some of us are Sunnis by birth, but chose to live secularly in peaceful coexistence with all 26 Syrian sect/ethnic/religious groups. Others are moderate Sunnis who only adhere to the spiritual part of the religion, not the political one. Others have abandoned religion altogether and wish to be identify only as Syrian humanists/atheists and seek to build bridges among their fellow Syrians of all persuasions based on tolerance and mutual respect. And finally, there is that other type, which I like to call the neo-Sunnis, who are full of hate and prejudice not only against you, but more so against other Sunnis like me who they classify as apostates. In their medieval eyes, we are all “kouffars” and worthy of slaughter.

In summary and going forward, please be more specific when referencing or addressing those neo-Sunnis who are actively cheering for the destruction of the country we all love. Thanks.

Revenir

I can’t wait to hear about for the fights between the SNC newly born “National army” made of well paid “volunteers from the north and the south” against the hordes of Al Nusra, the Chechens, the jihadists and their FSA puppets.

It would be interesting to watch Sunnis paid by the Wahhabi government of Saudi Arabia fighting against other Sunnis hyper-Wahhabi paid by Saudi Arabia’s rich citizens.
Would it be like a Saudi civil war by proxy?
Both will be getting heavy weapons, I guess they may end up by exterminating each others.
Watch for panicky Saudi Arabia move to the UNSC when they will see they are loosing the “National army” to Al Qaeda…

Ok. Remember not long ago I shared an article from the Institute For The Study Of War (ISW) which wasn’t good reading for regimists?

Here’s another one I just came across on Yalla Souriya . I’m gonna read the rest later but will share on SC:

Karybdis ‏@Karybdamoid 2h
Required reading from the ISW on the Damascus front http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/opposition-advances-damascus…

*********

The Opposition Advances in Damascus
Aug 9, 2013 – Elizabeth O’Bagy

Despite significant gains in Homs province, Syrian government forces are struggling against opposition forces on other fronts. In Damascus, opposition forces have mounted a major offensive, entering many government-held areas and gaining new ground. Although the government has gone on the counter-offensive, opposition forces have been able to maintain their advance and prevented government forces from storming a number of critical areas in the city. These gains reveal the extent to which the opposition is able to adapt to changes in the operating environment, and prove that the Syrian government lacks the capacity to conclusively defeat the insurgency despite increased assistance from external allies.

[…]

Soon, Syria is becoming a failed state..   For Batta’s eyes only.

Syria’s war economy
Bullets and bank accounts

Unemployment has balooned to 60% and government coffers are empty; oil production is down to 20,000 barrels per day, from 380,000. Oil sanctions and sabotage have cost the government at least $13 billion by its own reckoning. Farming, trade and manufacturing are running at less than a third of pre-war levels. The Syrian pound has tumbled from 47 to the dollar when fighting broke out to around 250 today. In Beirut UN experts reckon that 19% of Syrians now live below the poverty line, compared with less than 1% before the war.

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21583290-regime-fighting-financial-battle-bullets-and-bank-accounts

#264 Uzair8

The link doesn’t work due to the fullstops following the link.

Here is the correct link to the ISW article:

http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/opposition-advances-damascus

From Nizar Nayouf, the regime supporter’s favorite opssition news source

Nizar Nayouf
منذ 59 دقائق
عجزوا عن توثيق مجازر ريف اللاذقية، فبدأوا يسرقون صورا من بلدان أخرى !

مرة أخرى يثبت شبيحة السلطة وعبيد بشار الأسد أنهم الوجه الآخر لمعارضيهم الذين يبزونهم تزويرا.

بعد أن أمرهم سيدهم بالتكتم على مجازر ريف اللاذقية، وفشلوا في توثيقها، بدأوا يسرقون صورا لجرائم وقعت في بلدان أخرى منذ سنوات، ويدعون أنها لمجازر اللاذقية!

منذ ستة أيام، رغم عدتهم وعديدهم وشبيحتهم وميليشياتهم المنتشرة في المنطقة( للتشبيح والسرقة تحت راية هلال الأسد)، عجزوا عن توفير صورة واحدة للمجازر إلا ما نبهناهم إليه من صفحة الإرهابي السعودي عادل العتيبي.

وبسبب عجزهم، كما المصاب بالعنة ويلجأ إلى “نكاح الاستبضاع”، قاموا بتوزيع صورة لطفل مقتول في بلد آخر قبل أربع سنوات بطريقة وحشية، وهي واحدة من مجموعة صور للجريمة( متلاعب في بعضها أصلا)، نشرت في العام 2009، وادعوا أنها من الجرائم الوهابية في ريف اللاذقية!
هذه هي الصورة التي يجري توزيعها من قبل الشبيحة. وهذا هو الرابط الذي سرقت منه :
http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/f1…cs-added-30627/

Users on SC have talked about how the rebel push on Latakia is forcing Assad to divert resources from Homs and elsewhere. Basically it shows a lack of resources.

From the ISW article the following excerpt further reinforces this point.

The scale and duration of fighting in these neighborhoods {Jobar, Qaboun, and Barzeh} point to the limited capacity of the government, security forces especially as it has had to divert reinforcements to Homs province.

This gives the impression the regime is being dragged from pillar to post. It’s focus on Homs has left it exposed in Latakia and Damascus (not to mention other regions such as Aleppo) which the rebels have subsequently exploited.

Dare I say (predict) the regime is stretched and is in big trouble. No better time for rebels to open as many new fronts as possible and overload the regime war machine.

Rose

” The regime has been trying to convince all minorities and the moderate Sunnis that they’re the only protectors of their safety and livelihoods against the foreign Jihadis who want to kill them and rape their women”

Who cares about “wining” pro regime minorities any more?  29 month of ongoing relentless slaughter of the Syrian people, and 1/3 of the population internally or externally displaced, do you really think that anything the revolution do or don’t would make a difference?  It is stupidity in action to expect to win minorities.  It is not an achievable goal.  You can’t win the privileged, the powerful and the victorious.  You will only force them to be “winned”. 

Damascus Rose

You mentioned the regime still has as of yet unused resources (military units in barracks) it can resort to.

As others have suggested their reliability/loyalty to Assad isn’t a given which is exactly why they have been confined to the barracks. Probably seen more of a threat to the regime than anything else.

Anyway the ISW article touches on this issue in a paragraph part of which I will quote. Please read the rest of it too:

As the opposition advances into new districts in the capital, tension among government forces have begun to surface. In some cases, government troops have been deterred by the more abhorrent behavior of pro-regime militia forces in the area. Reports by activists in Damascus say that government troops have sometimes been forced to prevent massacres from taking place by the hands of Iraqi and Lebanese Shia militia groups – begging the question of how long the regime can retain command and control as it increasingly relies on irregular forces.

Just finished reading the ISW article.

Just one thing for me to say:

“Well done Agent Ramadan, Mission accomplished”

The wild wolves have started to turn against each other.
Many confused pro-rebels, still dreaming of the unity of the armed militants and terrorists against Bashar al Assad will accuse him of manipulating Al Nusra to his advantage. I don’t think he did, but he did then it shows that he is really a superior military chief.

Nusra rebels execute FSA commander
August 11, 2013

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/7c936635-a0bf-48eb-b6b7-7d484c2f9278.aspx

DAMASCUS: Al Qaeda linked Al Nusra Front’s militants killed a commander of Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Syria as fighting rages between opposition groups.

It is the second time in less than a month that Al Qaeda-linked militants has killed a FSA commander.

In July, militants killed a top FSA commander in Latakia.

Kamal Hamami, known by his nom de guerre Abu Bassel Al Ladkani, was meeting members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the port city of Latakia when they killed him, Qassem Saadeddine, a FSA spokesman said.

“The Islamic State phoned me saying that they killed Abu Bassel and that they will kill all of the Supreme Military Council,” Saadeddine said from Syria.

“He met them to discuss battle plans,” Saadeddine added.

He was one of the top 30 figures in the FSA’s Supreme Military Command.

The FSA has been trying to build a network of logistics and reinforce its presence across Syria as the US administration pledged to send weapons to the group after it concluded that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons against rebel fighters.

US congressional committees are holding up the plan because of fears that such deliveries will not be decisive and the arms might end up in the hands of Islamist militants, security sources have said.

While FSA units sometimes fight alongside militant groups such as the Islamist State, rivalries have increased and Al Qaeda-linked groups have been blamed for several assassinations of commanders of moderate rebel units.

The revolution promised Freedom and Dignity.
After 3 years, millions of Syrians are trapped and abused in foreign refugees camps and the rest are beggars.
A big applause to the opposition who improvised that pathetic revolution with the encouragement of foreign countries.

I’m really happy to see this sort of thing happening all over Syria:

“Jenan Moussa ‏@jenanmoussa 6h
Hate of Jihadists towards moderate rebel leader Jarba is so intense. They write ‘We want head of Jarba before head of Bashar.’ See next RT->”

بو أُسامة المُوحِدّ” ‏@ab_osama1 9 Aug
نريد رأس ” الجربا” قبل رأس “بشار” .
#الشام #انقلاب_الجربا”

The opposition is loosing the media war: No journalist dares to enter the ‘liberated’ areas infested by criminal gangs who practice kidnapping as a source of revenue

Violence is one thing, but what causes real terror is the threat of kidnapping
Patrick Cockburn
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/violence-is-one-thing-but-what-causes-real-terror-is-the-threat-of-kidnapping-8755853.html

….
The criminalisation of the opposition in Syria is following the same pattern as in Chechnya after 1999 and in Iraq after 2003. In all three cases, heroic militiamen who may have begun as defenders of their community became indistinguishable from bandits. Their former supporters came to feel that, as cruel and violent as the authorities might be, the alternative was even worse.
….
Even rebel strongholds are no longer safe for visting foreign journalists. Two weeks ago, a Polish journalist called Marcin Suder was kidnapped from an opposition media centre by a gang of gunmen in the rebel-held town of Saraqeb in the north-western Idlib province. An opposition militant who tried to stop the kidnappers was beaten to the ground with rifle butts.

The Syrian opposition is discrediting itself in the same way as insurgents in Chechnya and Iraq. Kidnappings and the inability to provide even basic security alienate people at home and abroad. The methods of a police state begin to appear acceptable if they mean that your children can go to school in safety.

The only thing the opposition has accomplished in three years is murdering 100,000 Syrians.

#275 Revenire

It sounds like the love affair between the FSA and Al Nusra is turning into a violent divorce.
Selim Idriss must be in a state of shock, as he kept repeating to the media that the Islamist terrorists were not significant and that they will go back home after the fall of Bashar Al Assad. Amateurism, naivety and stupidity have been the trademark of the opposition.

Maybe they’ll murder Idriss next…

#279 REvenire

I am waiting for the promised ‘transitional’ government that Jarba promised to elect after the Eid and move to the ‘liberated areas’ that are now controlled by Al Nusra and Cie.
I wish them luck unless they are after noble martyrdom.

The name is Don not Ann.

Unlike you, I don’t support Israel and repeat Israeli propaganda on SC. Am I coming across to you? Do you understand me? Do I need to repeat myself?

232. Tara said: DON

Ann

Just one more time.

illusion,the regime protecting minorities
the whole minorities are 25% of the population
The minorities were well protected when the majority were in control, that is why the minorities got to the power,
Fear is the strongest weapon the regime had, propaganda of fear,this has been shattered.
Some minorities support the majority,Some christians 50% of Druze Some Alawite,even Kurds are not supportive of Assad
If Assad run for election today it will be fake election,he will win 99% of the vote, in fair election he will get 15%

As for Kurds will get help from Mas3ood Barzani, US ,Turkey will not allow that

You know Zoo you’re right, a lot of these “revolution generation” clowns said the Nusra/Al-Qaeda types were not there in any numbers didn’t they? Now they’re killing each other.

Don a lot of these fake “Syrians” actually cheer whenever Israel bombs Syria. It is almost an orgasmic squeal from certain ones.

Such is life.

LOL yeah the promised move to the liberated territories… we’ve been hearing that for two years now? I am wondering where Hitto slunk off to?

While the regime supports are day dreaming about the day the new national army and the jehadist groups start killing each others, the jehadist and Assad’s militias are killing each others in the coastal area, hopefuly by the time the new army is ready, both will have finished each others or weak enough to take them on,I’m not here wishing the jehadist any ills but the after life is what they are after anyway, I only wish they take as many as they can from the Assad’s militias with them which will make the new army job a lot easier.

Help wanted
Apple mini/ ” hardly a massacre” is looking for ” moderates Sunnis” to go do the fighting for the minorities rule.
Opposition moderates need not apply.

Majed

“As for Kurds will get help from Mas3ood Barzani, US ,Turkey will not allow that”

I doubt Barzani or any one pays any attention to Erdoga. He is on the way to the garage in 2014. Turkey need Barzani more than Barzani needs Turkey.
If more Syrian Kurds are killed by the FSA and their bad friends, expect a violent reaction from the peshmergas…
I doubt anyone will rescue the Kurds except other Kurds.

The US offers $ 10 millions for the head of Abu Bakr Al Baghadadi presently sheltered in Raqqah(?).

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1799064/Iraq-attackers-

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, however, went further on Saturday, reiterating the $US10 million ($A11.04 million) award offered for Iraq’s purported al-Qaeda leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is believed to be sheltering in Syria.

“He has taken personal credit for a series of terrorist attacks in Iraq since 2011, and most recently claimed credit for the operations against the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, the suicide bombing assault on the Ministry of Justice, among other attacks against Iraqi security forces and Iraqi citizens,” Psaki said.

“The United States has offered a $US10 million reward for information that helps authorities kill or capture Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This reward is second only to information leading to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the chief of al-Qaeda’s network,” she added.

Yeah Majed,Turkey needs the land locked Barazzni with Malki’s army on his border waiting more than Barazzni needs Turkey,
What are you thinking?

The US must stop Saudi Arabia’s desperate and dangerous policies in the Middle East

Has the US decided that the leadership of the Arab world goes to Saudi Arabia?
Zayd Alisa 9 August 2013

http://www.opendemocracy.net/zayd-alisa/has-us-decided-that-leadership-of-arab-world-goes-to-saudi-arabia

Qatar’s new Emir swiftly congratulated the interim Egyptian president, Adly Mansour, who was appointed by the Egyptian army. This was in stark contrast to the fatwa issued on July 6, 2013 by Al Qaradawi, openly calling on the Egyptian people to defy the army and maintain support for Morsi.
…
It is imperative for the US, if it genuinely strives to halt the menacingly fast-spreading avalanche of extremist Wahhabi Salafi ideology and to avoid an all-out confrontation with an increasingly radicalised Muslim world – to forestall Saudi Arabia’s relentless export of its hard-line Salafi Wahhabi ideology and extremist jihadist fighters, by putting immense pressure on the Saudis to push them to expand the protection for oil deal into protection for oil, concrete political reform and some kind of deal on democratic change.

Golani vs. Baghdadi: Al-Qaeda’s Internal War in Syria

Tensions between al-Qaeda’s two branches fighting in Syria – Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Nusra Front – are reaching a breaking point, despite efforts to resolve the dispute from the organization’s international leadership.

Despite their best attempts to keep the ongoing dispute between ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his Nusra counterpart, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, contained at the leadership level, al-Qaeda’s internal war in Syria is increasingly becoming public.

The disagreement between the two leaders first emerged when Baghdadi declared the formation of a single organization under his leadership that would cover both Iraq and Syria.

Nusra’s Golani, who was initially sent to Syria by the ISIS after the outbreak of the uprising, refused on technical grounds, saying that Baghdadi had not consulted al-Qaeda’s leadership before taking such a step, which he described as poorly timed and unsound.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/golani-vs-baghdadi-al-qaeda%E2%80%99s-internal-war-syria

I have been reading your analysis on Syria for the past two yrs on&off. My conclusion is that you really should invest in analyzing something else. Assad is winning and Revolution inc is falling apart.