الصالة غير مناسبة ! لتكن صالة مؤتمرات مجهزة بمايكريفونات و تقنيات مناسبة !

RE: “…it unacceptable that our constitution has a sectarian clause and claims that the religion of the state is Islam…”

Good luck trying to implement that one….

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/04/arab-news-fox-news-style.html

Mahmoud,
The fact that this conference happened inside Syria is a big deal regardless of all the unfair attacks toward it.
It’s the first time Syrian oppositions speaks out that freely and that should be encouraged and supported by all of Syrians, a dialogue is the solution and this is the beginning of it, this is a huge success to the local Syrian opposition, they prove that they are powerful without the needs for all the money the outside oppositions are getting and I believe that those Syrians in the conference are going to be the core of a better united and stronger Syria of tomorrow.
I believe in them.
I’m waiting for the official statement of the conference.

Thank you God. Thank you thank you thank you 🙂

“Comical Sally Returns to Defend Syria”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8599606/Comical-Sally-returns-to-defend-Syria.html

With spokes-persons like this on the regime’s side, the opposition can just sit back and let the world laugh the regime out.

Oh hardy har har, Mr. “Fat tony” Aboud. Very topical and constructive. Some corrupt media person thinks they’re more credible than a ditzy brunette. Fact: they’re even less credible.

#3

I think they’re doing a decent enough job, but they have to listen to the voice of the street: we don’t want these moukharabeen anymore. We don’t want our economy destroyed by the enemies of all Syrians. Enough is enough.

An excellent post from the HP. This was written by a Syrian who says that all you can hope for from the Bashar Mafia is a good show…

…as a Damascene myself, I lived that age through the tales and reminisces of the elders in my family. I wish I could share your enthusiasm or hope for the introducti­on of the new political party law, but I can’t. A year ago I could, but not after I saw what the Assad regime is capable of: tens of thousands have been killed, tortured, imprisoned­, or driven to take refuge in neighborin­g countries. This is a regime run by the most efficient and least scrupulous murderers and liars. No one in his/her right mind would entrust the reform process to such people. They simply have no genuine belief in democracy because they really didn’t have to go through all of this carnage to realize democracy. The Assad regime at its heart is a minority rule that mistrusts and fears the majority of Syrians. I am a secularist who hates to think along these lines, but the Assads have created a sectarian and ethnic reality that cannot be ignored. The regime will do everything to produce a good show, but will also do all it can to sabotage the process so as not to relinquish power…

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/stuck-in-damascus-with-memphis-blues.html

Dale “Syrian zoologist” Anderson has to sift the darkest most obscure corners of the internet to find something to fuel his negative feelings towards my people.

It’s sickening.

People should not underestimate the sheer MAGNITUDE of importance this conference holds for Syria. Many issues are raised, hopefully people will begin to talk about the “arab” in “Syrian arab republic” and why it needs to go.

3. JAD
I believe in this practice too !
The first step from 100 miles, culture to listen and speak in detail under a native of land dome !

Dale Christian Andersen

Wash yourself…. It smells.

The Tweets from the conference are quite reasonable and sane. I agree with Tribal Jad about the significance of (first time) opposition open meeting in the capital. I prefer those opposition figures, over the ones we saw in Antalya. Best of luck, and lets see how’s the regime going to respond to this.
.

The sad thing about Dale (it should be a non-topic, but…) is that the reason why people like him in the US jump on anything close to the “Syria story” is that they have been taught since childhood that it is a bad evil socialist red country and that these are the real ennemies of religion and of US liberalism (and free potatoes).

The point is, Dale, Europe is far more communist that you could even see in your worst nightmare. In Europe people get money when they are unemployed, and this money is taken from the heavy taxes of working people. You can go for free to the hospital in some places. You can send your children to school for free also. As a matter of fact, this is not available in Soviet Russia, Soviet Syria or Soviet China. (Although I would need some confirmation here.)

I watched the video with a lot of emotion for these courageous guys who have spent for some of them years in prison. I feel some hope for my friends in Syria. I hope the culture of dialogue will grow and open new horizons to all who care for this country and some neighboring countries who have lived through too many wars.

I understand that it is important to separate the conference of the independents from the conference of the parties. It is a start and it is better to start with something organized when you want to lead the whole society to an understanding of everyone’s self-interest and not only the blind following of the interest of the tribe or of the religious leaders. An indenpendent is different from a guy in a party. Parties relations are different from vocal activists abroad etc. A good start and all the best wishes for more to come.

For those here who still believe in Mickey Mouse and in the Free Press and Free Internet, Google admits it withdraws links and pass information on users.

http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2011/06/27/google-revele-la-liste-des-pays-lui-demandant-de-supprimer-des-liens_1541742_651865.html

an interesting article by M Ali Atassi, son of president Nurel deen Atassi

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/opinion/27Atassi.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

This conference only speak for those who attended it, it is not a preDialogue meeting,,there is no plan for the future,it was attended by proregime people,and some who are considered an opposition,.
Dialogue is a solution only if the regime stop the oppression measures,arresting,killing ,torturing ,intimidating people.
If the regime do not do that,then this meeting is a big failure,if the regime respond positively to the people demand then this meeting is the begining.
The past behaviour of this regime strongly indicate they are not for reform,
We will see in the next few days, if political prisoners(All) are released,
We will see in the next few days,if security brutal measures will stop.
We will see if an opposition newpaper is allowed.
We will see if peaceful demonstrations will be allowed.

“…Police arrest prominent Kiryat Arba rabbi for incitement, allegedly legitimizing killing of non-Jews”.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4087844,00.html

I would put this bloody rabbi in a cell with Mr. Arour, so they can rip each other apart to the benefit of humanity.
.

ABOALI,

That was hard to read, too many old memories. Of course it is one sided and doesn’t mention the terrorism and foreign conspiracy.

Also, he pretends like Atassi is some kind of freedom lover. The son of a bitch… well, I’ll tell you stories when all of this crisis is over. Even if the war starts.

Anyway, I found a client for you:

#15

He was arrested because he was embarrassing, not because the majority in Israel disagree with him (they don’t, see Israelis on twitter regarding flotilla — in fact, they’re willing to kill OTHER israelis over it).

One claims that
“it is unacceptable that our [Syrian] constitution has a sectarian clause and claims that the religion of the state is Islam…”

The only clause which refers as Islam is :
Article 3 [Islam]
(1) The religion of the President of the Republic has to be Islam.
(2) Islamic jurisprudence is a main source of legislation.

Note : “a main” not “the main”

Furthermore
Article 35 [Religion]
(1) The freedom of faith is guaranteed. The state respects all religions.
(2) The state guarantees the freedom to hold any religious rites, provided they do not disturb the public order.

http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sy00000_.html

By the way :
Israel has NO written constitution in one single document.

#17

For them to have a constitution, they would need to define their borders…

Dear Nour,
I agree with you but at the same time I understand why the statement wont be as perfect as everybody’s want it to be, however, we need to be realistic in our expectations, this is the first ever open oppositions’ meeting in Damascus in 30-40 years, that is SOMETHING, and for the first ever political statement to be perfect is unrealistic, let people try and make mistake they will learn after couple times of how things work.
My only take is that this conference should’ve been a bit longer at least couple days until they can for a better statement that reflect most of the opposition’s ideas.
It’s a good step toward starting a political conversation instead of letting it behind doors and in the street without any rules.

Via Google Translate!

The final statement of the first consultative meeting in Asameerames البيان الختامي للقاء التشاوري الأوّل في السميراميس
Held in Damascus on 27 – 6-2011 consultative meeting first, the presence of cultural figures and social represents the spectrum of the Syrian society, has been the opening of the meeting with the national anthem of the Syrian Arab, and then stop the participants a minute of silence to mourn the lives of the martyrs of freedom of civilian and military, and the presence of a media-intensive, read the opening speech, then the conference discussed three working papers on the current situation of civil and democratic state, and the role of intellectuals and activists in the current stage. انعقد في دمشق بتاريخ 27- 6-2011 اللقاء التشاوري الأوّل, بحضور شخصيات ثقافية واجتماعية تمثّل طيفاً من المجتمع السوري, وقد تمّ افتتاح اللقاء بالنشيد الوطني العربي السوري, ثمّ وقف المشاركون دقيقة صمتٍ حداداً على أرواح شهداء الحريّة من المدنيين والعسكريين, وبحضورٍ إعلاميٍ كثيف ,تليت كلمة الافتتاح, ثمّ ناقش المؤتمر ثلاث أوراق عمل حول الواقع الراهن والدولة الديمقراطية المدنيّة, ودور المثقفين والناشطين في المرحلة الراهنة. And participants issued (for the era of our country that we love). و أصدر المجتمعون (عهد من أجل بلادنا التي نحب ) .
The conference also discussed issues raised by participants related to the deep crisis that prevailed in our country today, and ended to the adoption of the following: وناقش المؤتمر أيضاً موضوعات طرحها المشاركون تتصّل بالأزمة العميقة التي تعيشها بلادنا اليوم, وانتهى إلى إقرار ما يلي:
1.Support the peaceful popular uprising to achieve their goals in the transition to a pluralist democratic civil state, guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of all Syrian citizens, political, cultural and social development. دعم الانتفاضة الشعبية السلمية من أجل تحقيق أهدافها في الانتقال إلى دولة ديمقراطية مدنيّة تعدديّة, تضمن حقوق وحريات جميع المواطنين السوريين السياسية والثقافية والاجتماعية. Also ensure justice and equality among all citizens regardless of race, religion and sex. كما تضمن العدالة والمساواة بين جميع المواطنين والمواطنات بغض النظر عن العرق والدين والجنس.
1.End security option, and the withdrawal of security forces from the cities, towns and villages. إنهاء الخيار الأمني, وسحب القوى الأمنيّة من المدن والبلدات والقرى. And the formation of an independent commission to investigate the credibility of the crimes of murder suffered by the demonstrators and the elements of the Syrian army. و تشكيل لجنة تحقيق مستقلة ذات مصداقية للتحقيق في جرائم القتل التي تعرّض لها المتظاهرون وعناصر الجيش السوري.
1.Guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly without prior authorization, and ensure the safety of the demonstrators. ضمان حريّة التظاهر السلمي بدون أذن مُسبق, وضمان سلامة المتظاهرين.
1.The release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, detainees, against the backdrop of recent events, without exception. إطلاق سراح المعتقلين السياسيين, ومعتقلي الرأي, والمعتقلين على خلفيّة الأحداث الأخيرة دون استثناء.
1.Mobilization of the media refused to anyone, call the local media as the official and semi-formal non-discrimination between citizens and open to the loyalists and the opposition to express their views and their positions freely. رفض التجييش الإعلامي من أيّ جهة, كما نطالب الإعلام المحلي الرسمي وشبه الرسمي بعدم التميّز بين المواطنين وفتحه أمام الموالين والمعارضين للتعبير عن آراءهم ومواقفهم بحريّة.
1.Condemn all forms of incitement to sectarian and regional emphasis on the unity of the Syrian people. إدانة جميع أنواع التحريض الطائفي والجهوي والتأكيد على وحدة الشعب السوري.
1.Return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes, keeping their security, dignity and rights, and compensation for them. إعادة اللاجئين والمهجرين إلى منازلهم, وحفظ أمنهم, وكرامتهم وحقوقهم, والتعويض عليهم.
1.Conviction of any policies or practices or from any calls made ​​to encourage foreign intervention or atheist or require any form and believe that the security operation is under way to do that require these interventions. إدانة أي سياسات أو ممارسات أو دعوات من أية جهة صدرت تشجع على التدخل الأجنبي أو تمهد له أو تطالب به بأي شكل من الأشكال ونرى أن العملية الأمنية الجارية هي التي تستدعي فعل هذه التدخلات.
1.Call to allow the Arab and international media to cover what is happening in Syria freely ندعو إلى السماح للإعلام العربي و الدولي لتغطية ما يجري في سورية بكل حرية
1.Held similar meetings in the various governorates of Syria is organized and promoted by a permanent coordinating body emerge from this meeting. عقد لقاءات مماثلة في مختلف محافظات سورية تنظمها و تدعو إليها هيئة تنسيق دائمة تنبثق عن هذا اللقاء.
Finally, emphasize that the participants in this meeting of the independent and opposition non-partisan is not a substitute for any spectrum or any organization of exhibitions and he does not put himself in the face of the forces of the democratic opposition and calls the meeting to coordinate opposition with the popular movement in the streets to change the peaceful and democratic in Syria. في الختام نؤكد على أن المشاركين في هذا اللقاء من المستقلين و المعارضين غير الحزبيين ليس بديلا لأي طيف أو أي تنظيم معارض و هو لا يضع نفسه في مواجهة قوى المعارضة الديمقراطية و يدعو اللقاء إلى أن تنسق المعارضة مع الحراك الشعبي في الشارع للتغيير الوطني الديمقراطي السلمي في سورية.

It is curious how some activists are rewriting history to suit their personal goals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heads_of_state_of_Syria

Who was the last democratically elected president before the Baath military coup ?

The apes that pass for ambassadors in the Baathist diplomatic corp;

“Washington Should Expel Imad Mustapha”

http://hussainabdulhussain.blogspot.com/2011/06/washington-should-expel-imad-mustafa.html

Disgraceful, and utterly reprehensible. But then what do we expect from a regime which has Comical Sally as their spokeswoman.

Imad Mustapha is actually an exceptional diplomat, irrespective of what we think of the regime. As for that blog piece, it belongs in the trash. No one is undergoing surveillance or monitoring by the embassy. What a bunch of nonsense. There are many Syrians here who oppose the regime and many who support it. I’ve never heard of a single case from anyone that they were in any way bothered or harassed by the embassy.

Jad,

Don’t get me wrong, I think it was great that the opposition was able to meet publicly for the first time in Damascus. It was also great to see that they can conduct a press conference afterward with the presence of local and foreign media. This is definitely a step forward and a hopeful sign that things will get better in the future. However, I was suggesting that to gain and maintain credibility, this “opposition” needs to clearly take a stand against the use of violence and stop pretending that it doesn’t exist, because they will only shoot themselves in the foot. Louai Hussein, in his press conference following their conference at Samiramis basically plead ignorance to the presence of armed elements, when it has become clear to all now that they do exist. Instead of condemning them, he gave them cover by pretending that they don’t exist, and this, aside from it being a foolish statement, is a dangerous position to take.

Jad thank you for your comments #3 and #19. I am awed by the courage of those who attended that conference. They know they are dealing with the devil, but are willing to take the risk to make some initial marks on the ground inside Syria. Any armchair smartasses dissing their effort deserves a taste of the prison and torture some of them have experienced.

Dale Anderson #6 rightly reminds us of what those guys are dealing with.

Syrian Commando #7 should be posting as “Syrian commanded” because of his bizarre, irrational sniping against Dale Anderson (commanded by voices from outer space).

Memo to MINA:

RE: The sad thing about Dale

You’re an ignorant woman, Mina. Americans, since childhood. have been taught NOTHING about Syria. Most of us don’t even know it exists.

That’s why I keep telling you you’re on your own on this. No one outside of the Middle East cares about Syria. And now, that it’s suddenly all over the news, what Americans do learn is that it’s full of nasty, angry, loud, violent people gearing up to kill each other.

Who wants to get involved in that train wreck? Pass.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dale_Andersen/damascus-revolutionaries-_b_884674_94463104.html

This Hussain Abdul-Hussain the Washington Bureau Chief of the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai asking that
“Washington Should Expel Imad Mustapha”

Is he not from the same country who has presented once to the entire world a fake girl with a fraudulent report of the murder of Kuwaiti babies by Iraqi soldiers ?

On October 10, 1990, the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a hearing on the subject of Iraqi human rights violations. The centerpiece of the event was the emotional testimony of a 15-year-old Kuwaiti girl, known only by her first name, Nayirah. Her full name was supposedly being kept secret to protect her from Iraqi reprisals. The girl relayed a shocking story while sobbing.

The massacre never occurred. She was the daughter of Saud bin Nasir Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayirah_%28testimony%29

Please choose your “trusted” sources more carefully !!

#24

You westerners like to mock but you don’t like to listen.

That’s why you’re going bankrupt. 🙂

#25

>And now, that it’s suddenly all over the news, what Americans do learn is that it’s full of nasty, angry, loud, violent people gearing up to kill each other.

Sounds like a good description for your people, not mine.

#26

Let the dogs bark, let the United snakes boot Imad out. It won’t change anything, let them hit their head on the wall until it bleeds.

Mina,

Average American knew nothing about Syria before this mess. Believe me.

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134318
لقاء المعارضين بدمشق يصدر بيانا يدعم “الانتفاضة السلمية” ويدعو “لإنهاء الحل الأمني” ويرفض “التدخل الخارجي”

The opposition meeting in Damascus, according to the aforementioned article, support the [ongoing] peaceful intifadah, reject the security crackdown [Mikdad claims there is no such thing], and reject foreign intervention.

Not bad at all.

@23

“I’ve never heard of a single case from anyone that they were in any way bothered or harassed by the embassy. ”

*sigh* See, didn’t I say Baathists only read from the top half of a page, and never finish reading all the way down. This is from Landis’ previous post;

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/middleeast/article3068657.ece

It is behind The Times paywall (£1 for a day’s access), but here are the first three paragraphs as a teaser:

Members of the Syrian community in Britain say that they are being threatened and bullied by the Assad regime because of their role in anti-government protests.

Breaking their silence to speak to The Times, four Syrians living in London told of phone calls, visits to their homes and threats to their families in Syria by agents from the country’s notorious secret police.

Wasim, a construction worker, said that members of the intelligence service had visited his parents in the Syrian town of Deraa, where the uprising began three months ago. “They said to my parents: ‘Tell your dogs in London to behave. Don’t let them provoke us any more.’ My parents were very scared.”….

Utterly disgraceful. I have a relative studying in the former USSR, and Syrian students there routinely hold demonstrations infront of the Syrian consulate. The idiotic officials inside the embassy make a great show of going out and videoing the protesting students…WHO ARE GONNA POST THE DEMONSTRATION ON YOUTUBE ANYWAY YOU JACKASS! AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Baathist intelligence for you.

#29

And they don’t reject the terrorism and head cuttings. By ignoring the terrorists, salafists and what not, they stand above all the martyrs and try to use them to further their own goals… as well as encouraging the terrorists to resume their activities.

Sounds pretty bad to me, there’s no way I’m placing my trust in any of them except for the few that spoke out. Why didn’t they let Saeede Barghouti in?

But yeah, regardless, it’s a step in the right direction. I don’t like what they are saying but I’m glad no one is preventing them from saying it.

#30

Hearsay. Of course you’d expect the anti-Syrian protestors to say that.

Your comments are basically a huge pile of vomit, contribute nothing to the discussion and just stir everybody up. You’re not even Syrian, just admit it and leave.

@25 Well, if you don’t want to get involved, what are you doing here on this website day in and day out? Do you think anyone will miss you, if instead you spent your time watching the Kardashian sisters on TV? Do you suppose we will lose out on your insightful observations *cough cough redneck*?

#32

Surprised at this comment. I thought you two had a lot in common…

The people who met in Damascus were the first step.
I wish them the best since they are home grown, some spent their lives in prison for their thinking. I wish them the best.

They should tackle the issue of Islam heads on to equal all Syrians. They should deal with religion and state and separate them to ensure public safety and equality and modernity. Without this we are taking Syria back and not into modern times.

They should include women among them. Women issues are super important.

They should come up with what to protect the minorities.

They could do this with the help of the world body and through the transformation of the security systems into one powerful entity, with the help and supervision of the UN, securing the rights of individuals, sects and groups. The Army is there to watch this.

Syria has to be secular or civil war is on the way sooner or later.

Also, they should all call for halting of all sorts of violence and public disobedience before the whole country slips into chaos where there is no return but more violence and civil war.

Another fake video showing the “reforms” the security forces have in store for the Syrian people.
http://www.watan.com/viewvideo/1737/24-6.html

Just imagine how things would have looked like if instead of the vicious beatings, the protesters received a firm, but humane treatment. No beatings and no insults. Maybe some words of reproach.

The conference how presented in the local media, again, it’s step one toward a better future and it will be like that for a while before politics and politicians get mature:

Addounia TV: don’t get too offended from the way the report goes, just wait until the end of the report to see that even when they are unhappy with the conference they admit its importance, the importance of ‘talking’ since some here have allergy to the word ‘Dialogue’

دمشق: لقاء شخصيات معارضة ومستقلة لبحث الأزمة بسورية
http://youtu.be/t5O2zE7gecE

Syrian TV:
شخصيات سورية معارضة ومستقلة تبحث الوضع الراهن
http://youtu.be/T8tpIkEc3zo

Mjabali,
Step by step, let all of us, Syrians, from all sides to first organize our acts, ideas, visions and wills to get out of this mess we are all in together, then we can discuss all issues with clear heads also together.

@33 “I thought you two had a lot in common…”

>_<

I'd rather be told I had more in common with an orangutan.

I apologize for repeating similar news about this conference but I feel that I’m witnessing historical milestone of a new Syria:

لقاء المعارضين بدمشق يصدر بيانا يدعم “الانتفاضة السلمية” ويدعو “لإنهاء الحل الأمني” ويرفض “التدخل الخارجي”

أصدر اللقاء التشاوري، الذي عقد في سميراميس بدمشق، اليوم الاثنين، تحت عنوان “سورية للجميع في ظل دولة ديمقراطية مدنية”، لـ “مناقشة آلية الانتقال إلى الدولة المدنية”، بمشاركة نحو 200 شخصية، دون وجود أي شخصية من السلطة، في ختام أعماله، بيانا دعم فيه الانتفاضة الشعبية السلمية وضرورة إنهاء الحل الأمني ورفض التدخل الخارجي..

ودعا البيان إلى “دعم الانتفاضة الشعبية السلمية من أجل تحقيق أهدافها بالانتقال إلى دولة ديمقراطية مدنية تعددية تضمن حقوق وحريات جميع المواطنين السوريين الثقافية والاجتماعية والسياسية وتضمن العدالة بين جميع المواطنين والمواطنات بغض النظر عن العرق والدين والجنس”.

كما لفت البيان إلى ضرورة “إنهاء الخيار الأمني وسحب القوى الأمنية من المدن والبلدات والقرى، وتشكيل لجنة تحقيق مستقلة ذات مصداقية بالتحقيق في جرائم القتل التي تعرض لها المتظاهرون وعناصر الجيش السوري”.

وشدد على “ضمان حرية التظاهر السلمي دون إذن مسبق وضمان سلامة المتظاهرين، ودعوا إلى إطلاق سراح المعتقلين السياسيين ومعتقلي الرأي والمعتقلين على خلفية الأحداث الأخيرة دون استثناء”، كما دعا إلى “إعادة اللاجئين والمهجرين إلى منازلهم وحفظ أمنهم وكرامتهم وحقوقهم والتعويض عليهم”.

ورفض البيان “التجييش الإعلامي من أي جهة”، وطالبوا الإعلام المحلي الرسمي وشبه الرسمي بـ “عدم التمييز بين المواطنين وفتحه أمام الموالين والمعارضين للتعبير عن آرائهم بحرية”، كما أدانوا “جميع أشكال أنواع التحريض الطائفي وأكدوا على وحدة الشعب السوري”.

وأدان “أي سياسات أو ممارسات أو دعوات من أي جهة صدرت تشجع على التدخل الأجنبي أو تمهد له أو تطالب به بأي شكل من الأشكال”، معتبرا أن “العملية الأمنية الجارية هي التي تستدعي مثل هذه التدخلات”، ودعا “إلى السماح للإعلام العربي والدولي بتغطية ما يجري في سورية بكل حرية، وعقد لقاءات مماثلة في مختلف المحافظات السورية تنظمها وتدعو إليها هيئة تنسيق دائمة تنبثق عن هذا اللقاء”.

ولفت البيان إلى أن المشاركين، في هذا اللقاء، مستقلون ومعارضون غير حزبيين وليسوا بديلا لأي طيف أو أي تنظيم معارض لا يضع نفسه في مواجهة قوى المعارضة الديمقراطية داعين إلى تنسيق المعارضة مع الحراك الشعبي في الشارع للتغيير الديمقراطي السلمي في سورية.

وشمل المؤتمر مناقشة ثلاث أوراق عمل حول الواقع الراهن، والدولة الديمقراطية المدنيّة، ودور المثقفين والناشطين في المرحلة الراهنة.

وكان المشاركون أصدروا في وقت سابق وثيقة سموها ” عهد من أجل بلادنا التي نحب” تعهدوا فيها بـ “البقاء جزءا من انتفاضة الشعب السوري السلمية في سبيل الحرية والديمقراطية والتعددية، بما يؤسس لدولة ديمقراطية مدنية بصورة سلمية وآمنة”، معلنين “رفضهم اللجوء إلى الخيار الأمني لحل الأزمة السياسية البنيوية العميقة التي تعاني منها سورية”.

كما أدانوا في “عهدهم” أي “خطاب وسلوك يفرق بين السوريين على أساس طائفي أو مذهبي أو عرقي وعدم الانجرار مع أي جهة تحاول إثارة هذه النعرات، وأن نواجهها بثقافة التسامح والعدالة بأسلوب حضاري وسلمي”، ورفضوا أيضاً أي “دعوة للتدويل أو التدخل الخارجي في شؤون سورية، وأن نغلب مصلحة الوطن وحرية المواطن على كل مصلحة أخرى كي نتركه لنا وللأجيال القادمة وطناً حراً وديمقراطياً وآمناً وموحداً شعباً وأرضا”.

سيريانيوز

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134318

Truely a historic day for modern Syria!

تم الأمر واخترقنا حاجز السرية.

by Louay Hussein on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 1:33am
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لقاء لمعارضين في وسط العاصمة دمشق، إعلام كثيف يغطي اللقاء، إعلام مستفز ومناكد من المؤسسات الرسمية وغير الرسمية السورية، صحافيون سوريون رائعون يعملون في هذه المؤسسات يتوقون ليتصالحوا مع مواطنيهم (أعتذر منكم جميعا وأتضامن معكم فردا فردا، وسأبقى أناضل معكم لتكونوا صحفيين أحرار)، مظاهرة موالية تجتمع بتهذيب أمام باب الفندق تعترض على اجتماعنا، رجال أمن وشرطة على قدر من المسؤولية أحاطوا المظاهرة المؤيدة، اقتحام صحفيين موالين لمؤتمرنا الصحفي يشتموننا ويتهموننا بالخيانة وغير ذلك، معارضون لا يدون عليهم، فتاة شبيحة تجرص المكان مدعية أنني ضربتها وتجمع حولها إعلاميين وحملة صور الرئيس السوري، عناصر مخابرات يحيطون بهم ويستغلون لحظة هدوء ليهربونا خلسة خارج الفندق، مؤتمر صحفي لمعارضين كهول وشباب (والغلبة للشباب)، تقارير مشوهة عن المؤتمر في التلفزيون الرسمي، ابتسامة ساخرة لمذيع الأخبار على مشهد للمناضل فايز سارة وهو يمنع الصحفيين من دخول القاعة قبل جهوزيتها، ابتسامة أعد صاحبها أنها لن تتكرر على شاشتنا الوطنية أكثر من بضعة أسابيع، معراضون سوريون من عدد من القوميات والأديان والطوائف والمذاهب والأطياف والأعمار ومن الجنسين يقفون دقيقة صمت على أرواح شهداء الحرية من المدنيين والعسكريين، إرادة حرة سادت آراء ومواقف المشاركين، تكاليف القاعة يتشارك بدفعها المشاركون، يخرج المشاركون ولا يعتقل أي منهم، وسائل الإعلام تهتم بهذا الحدث.

إن ذلك لجديد في حياتنا العامة، إنه فتح جديد للحياة العامة والحياة السياسية المغلقة والمدمرة من عقود

I’m not sure if it was SC, SK or Vlad who mentioned that the Americans are facing more financial crises ahead when debating with Ehsani, whoever wrote that might be right after all:

Debt crisis worsens as deadline looms

The US is only getting closer to the August 2 deadline when the budget is believed to become maxed out. Today President Obama is scheduled to meet with top Senate leaders to discuss the debt, but will anything change this late in the game?
“I think that this is all show,” says Mani Capital President Raj Doshi. He recalls House Speaker John Bohener speaking out against an increase in the debt ceiling, only to urge a cut with President Obama weeks later. Rather than attempting to accomplish anything, Doshi says this is just the latest act in a showing of political theatre.
Despite the White House’s warning that we could default for the first time in United States history, Doshi says spending cuts don’t look promising. When asked if they could come from the Department of Defense, Doshi says, “Absolutely not,” adding that Obama’s continual bypassing of Congress and manipulation of NATO is keeping America in five incredibly costly wars.
Doshi doubts Americans are in favor of this “reckless spending,” as he puts it, but emphasizes that even if leaders vow to cut spending down the road — like new presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann makes claims to — US citizens should be weary.
“Our leaders might talk about spending cuts in the future, but that doesn’t really mean anything,” says Doshi. “You can only make cuts to the current year’s budget. Saying that they will cut spending over five, ten, 15 years in the future doesn’t really mean anything,” he adds.
What will happen as America continues to get closer to that August 2 deadline then? Lawmakers will continue to eat ice cream in air-conditioned rooms as the economy collapsing quicker and quicker, says Doshi.

أكد مثقفون معارضون ومستقلون بعد لقاء تشاوري علني عقدوه أمس بدمشق على أنهم مع التحول السلمي إلى دولة ديمقراطية مدنية

مشددين على معارضتهم للحل الأمني لمعالجة الأزمة.
اللقاء الأول من نوعه في سورية منذ عقود، عقد أمس في فندق «سميراميس» بدمشق تحت عنوان «سورية للجميع في ظل دولة ديمقراطية مدنية» وبمشاركة نحو 200 شخصية غص بهم الطابق الثاني من الفندق إلى جانب عدد مماثل من مندوبي وسائل الإعلام المحلية والأجنبية.
(التفاصيل ص 3)
وبدأ اللقاء بالنشيد الوطني السوري والوقوف دقيقة صمت على «أرواح الشهداء من المدنيين والعسكريين» الذين سقطوا منذ بداية حركة الاحتجاج، وذلك بعدما تخللت الساعة التي سبقت انطلاق فعالياته فوضى نتيجة ضيق المكان وسوء التنظيم وتدافع الصحفيون والمصورون بمن فيهم مندوبو وسائل الإعلام الرسمية والمحلية الخاصة لأخذ الصور والتصريحات من المشاركين القادمين إلى قاعةاللقاء، وصلت لدرجة حدوث المشادات الكلامية.
وفي بداية اللقاء شدد الكاتب المعارض لؤي حسين، صاحب فكرة اللقاء، على أنه «لابد من إقامة نظام ديمقراطي مدني على أساس المواطنة وحقوق الإنسان ليحقق العدالة والمساواة لجميع السوريين دون تمييز بينهم على أساس العرق أو الدين أو الجنس أو اللون أو أي أساس آخر»، موضحاً «إننا نجتمع لمحاولة معرفة أسباب إعاقة انتقالنا إلى دولة ديمقراطية ولوضع تصور عن كيفية الانتقال السلمي والآمن للدولة المنشودة، دولة الحرية والعدالة والمساواة».
بعد ذلك أعلن الكاتب المعارض الذي ترأس اللقاء منذر خدام افتتاح أعمال الجلسة الأولى، معتبراً أن «سورية تتغير، وبدأ يرتسم فيها طريقان الأول: مسار واضح نحو تحول سلمي كامل نحو نظام سياسي ديمقراطي وفي ذلك إنقاذ لبلدنا وشعبنا، والثاني: مسار نحو المجهول وفيه خراب ودمار للجميع، ونحن كجزء من هذا الشعب حسمنا خيارنا بأن نسير مع شعبنا في الطريق الأول».
وفي ورقة تحت عنوان «توصيف الوضع» اعتبر المفكر والكاتب السياسي المعارض ميشيل كيلو أن طريقة السلطة في معالجة الأزمة «من خلال نتائجها لم تفض إلا لأزمات جديدة»، مشدداً على «إيقاف الحل الأمني لأنه يعبر عن عقلية ستأخذ البلد إلى كارثة لن يخرج منها».
وقدم كيلو ما اسماه اقتراحات عملية لإخراج البلاد من الورطة التي تجد نفسها فيها، هي عبارة عن «إجراءات لبناء الثقة بين السلطة والمعارضة ويمكن تطبيقها اليوم ولا تحتاج إلى إجراءات ولا حوارات ولا مؤتمرات وطنية ولا شهور طويلة»، من بينها «الاعتراف بأحزاب التجمع الوطني الديمقراطي المعارضة التي لا تقوم على أساس ديني وإثني بأنها أحزاب شرعية، وإصدار قرار يقول إن الدستور المنشود لسورية سيكون دستوراً لنظام تعددي تمثيلي انتخابي وليس لنظام اشتراكي ما يعني تجميداً مؤقت للمادة الثامنة في الدستور الحالي أو إلغاءها».
كما تحدث عن إجراءات أخرى مطلوبة قبل البدء بالحوار الوطني داعياً إلى «الاقلاع عن فكرة إنتاج المجتمع من السلطة والبدء بإنتاج السلطة من المجتمع»، ووقف العمل بالحل الأمني، مشدداً أن هذه الاقتراحات «ليست شروطاً فإن كان هناك تفاوض فيجب خلق بيئة تنجحه حتى نخرج من الوضع الحالي».
وقبيل بدء اللقاء خرج شخص قال إن اسمه سعيد البرغوتي غاضبا من القاعة قائلاً «طردوني لعدم وجود اسمي في قائمة المدعوين»، لكنه قال رداً على سؤال لـ«الوطن» عن جنسيته إنه «عربي».
ولم يشارك في اللقاء أي شخصية معارضة من الخارج «لعدم تأمين ضمانات السلامة للراغبين منهم في المشاركة في اللقاء»، بحسب ما قال المعارض مازن درويش.
وشوهد في قاعة اللقاء الباحث الإسلامي جودت سعيد واضعاً على صدره ورقة كتبت عليها عبارة: «يوجد حل عربي عربي لا يخسّر أحداً ويربح الجميع والمثال أوروبا»، في إشارة منه إلى الديمقراطية الغربية التي تتجه للتوحد في إطار الاتحاد الأوروبي.
وأفرد التلفزيون السوري الرسمي حيزاً واسعاً من نشرة أخباره الرئيسية لتغطية الخبر.

http://www.alwatan.sy/dindex.php?idn=103942

Naji,
Thank you for bringing this comment on here, I agree with you and Mr. Sara, this is “Truely a historic day for modern Syria!” and any Syrian should be proud of this it’s the victory of words over guns.
I know that this conference wont get much attention beyond today in the media local and international but it’s the first seed in organizing oppositions into something more helpful for Syria.

Thank you Jad, I agree with you.

همسات لمعارضي المعارضين.

by Ramia Saidawi on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 1:11am
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عن البيان الختامي لاجتماع “سميراميس

لأصدقائي معارضي المعارضين ولن أقول مؤيدي النظام لأنهم قد يكونو معارضين له أيضا….ولكن بصمت

1-البيان رفض رفض قاطع أي تدخل خارجي بأي طريقة عسكري أو سياسي متل عقوبات وحصار وغيره

2- البيان ندد بالطائفية وكل اللي عم يدعو إلها من شيوخ أو محطات مسيسة يعني قالوله للعرعور سكوت

3- البيان حدد الدولة مدنية لا دينية يعني بح إخوان وحلم الإمارات الإسلامية خلي بمنامهن

4-البيان ندد بالتجيشش الإعلامي من جميع المحطات يعني مو بس تبع الدولة كمان الجزيرة وأخواتها

5-البيان قال انتقال سلمي للسلطة مو فوضى يعني تفاوض مع النظام للوصول إلى سوريا الجديدة بأمان

6-البيان طلب خطوات محددة من النظام كبوادر ثقة ممكن بعدها بداية الحوار معه

7-البيان حدد أنه سيعمل اجتماعات مشابهة بكل أنحاء القطر السوري يعني إطلاق حوار شعب -شعب

8-تنوع توجهات الحضور يؤكد على أنهم لا يريدون إقصاء أي جهة أو توجه-يعني كان في ناس موالية وكان في ناس ضد التظاهر وأخذو رأي الكل

9-البيان خرج ضمن تصويت الأكثرية وهاد أول تطبيق عملي للديمقراطية ولازم يتوسع مع الوقت ليحس المواطن باللي اتغير عن جد بالبلد

10-البيان صار بعلم السلطة مو بتنظيمها أو إشرافها واللي اجتمعو دفعو الأجرة للمكان من جيبتهن 500 ليرة عل ماشي يعني مافي حدا عم يمول لا من برا ولا من جوا,إلا إذا انت حابب تتبرع للإجتماع الجاية

11-وأخر شي بحب ذكرك إنو الدولة مامانعت من هاد الحوار وماخونت منهم حدا فياريت ماتكون ملكي أكتر من الملك وتقبل الرأي الأخر دون تخوين أو إقصاء

يعني منختلف أومنتفق طول مو تحت سقف الوطن فنحنا ماشيين صحوالمطلوب من كل سوري يعرف إنو سوريا تتسع للجمبع

وبانتظار المزيد من حوار الشعب – شعب لأنو اتفاق الشعب هو اللي بيهزم المؤامرات الداخلية والخارجية على حد سواء

http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=today\27qpt999.htm&arc=data\201166-27\27qpt999.htm

امتحان صعب للمعارضة السورية
رأي القدس

لا نستغرب حدوث بعض التباين في وجهات النظر بين المعارضة السورية في الداخل ونظيرتها في الخارج، على ارضية الاجتماع الذي شاركت فيه بعض الشخصيات السورية المستقلة المعروفة بمواقفها المعارضة للنظام الديكتاتوري الحاكم، فما يحدث في سورية حالياً من انتفاضة شعبية وصدامات دموية ادت لوقوع اكثر من الف شهيد حتى الآن، امر غير مسبوق، واضخم مما توقعه الكثيرون سواء داخل النظام او خارجه.
من الطبيعي ان يكون سقف الحريات لاجتماع المعارضة في دمشق اقل من سقف المعارضة الخارجية الموجودة في الغرب على وجه الخصوص، فهؤلاء يعرضون حياتهم واسرهم للخطر بالاقدام على هذه الخطوة التي تشكل تحدياً لنظام لا يتسامح مع معارضيه مطلقاً، وتكفي الاشارة الى ان بعض الرموز المشاركة في هذا الاجتماع مثل السادة ميشيل كيلو واكرم البني ولؤي حسين وفايز سارة قد امضوا سنوات طويلة خلف القضبان، وتعرضوا للتعذيب بسبب مطالباتهم بالتغيير الديمقراطي واطلاق الحريات والتعددية السياسية وانهاء هيمنة الحزب الواحد.
مثل هذا الاجتماع غير مسبوق، كما ان مطالبه هذه كانت كفيلة بان يقضي اصحابها ما تبقى من حياتهم في اقبية التعذيب في ظروف اعتقال غير انسانية، وقد لا يخرجون من هذه الاقبية الا الى المقابر، مثلما حدث للكثيرين من امثالهم الذين طالبوا بما هو اقل من مطالبهم هذه، بل ان بعضهم اعتقل وعذب بسبب تقرير مزور، او وشاية كيدية، او لان احد افراد اسرته ينتمي الى حزب سياسي محظور.
ما نريد التأكيد عليه ان سورية بحاجة الى جميع ابنائها، وان المعارضة الخارجية تكمل المعارضة الداخلية، بل هي امتداد شرعي لها، ولا بد من العمل من اجل الاصلاح عبر جميع القنوات المتاحة، ومن خلال روح تسامحية تؤجل الخلافات في وجهات النظر وتركز كل الجهود نحو الهدف الاهم وهو التغيير. فمن غير المنطقي مطالبة النظام بالتعددية السياسية، ثم عدم التصرف على اساسها، واقصاء الآخر لان اجتهاداته مختلفة.
كان لافتا ان وثيقة العهد، او البيان الختامي الذي صدر في اعقاب الاجتماع اكد على دعم الانتفاضة الشعبية السلمية، وانهاء كل انواع اللجوء للحلول الامنية، وسحب قوى الامن والجيش من القرى والمدن، وتشكيل لجنة تحقيق في قمع المظاهرات المناهضة للنظام، وشدد على الانتقال الى دولة ديمقراطية تعددية، والافراج عن جميع المعتقلين، وادان التحريض الطائفي واي ممارسات تشجع على التدخل الاجنبي، معتبرا ان الحلول الامنية المتبعة هي التي تشجع هذا التدخل.
ولعل النقطة الابرز في البيان تأكيد المشاركين على انهم ليسوا بديلا لاي تنظيم معارض في اشارة الى المعارضة الخارجية، وهذا رد ضمني على اتهام بعض المعارضين في الخارج للمجتمعين بانهم مسيرون من النظام.
ان اكبر ضربة يمكن ان توجه لهذا الحراك الديمقراطي السوري هي احداث ‘فتنة’ بين المعارضة لتشتيت صفوفها وتقسيمها الى معارضة داخلية واخرى خارجية، وهناك قوى عديدة داخل النظام السوري تريد احداث هذا الشرخ.
لا بد من اعتراف الجميع من جماعات المعارضة، داخلية كانت ام خارجية، انه لولا الانتفاضة الشعبية العارمة، ومئات الشهداء الذين سقطوا خلال الاشهر الاربعة الاخيرة منذ انطلاقتها، لما استطاعوا ان يجتمعوا علانية ويطالبوا بالتغيير الديمقراطي، وانهاء وجود النظام بصورته الديكتاتورية الحالية، واستبداله بنظام تعددي يحترم كرامة الانسان السوري، ويعترف بكل حقوقه في حكم نفسه واختيار قيادته عبر صناديق الاقتراع.
فبفعل هذه الانتفاضة الشعبية المباركة وشهدائها بات من المؤكد ان الاوضاع في سورية لا يمكن ان تعود الى سابق عهدها، وان النظام لا يمكن ان يستمر من خلال اساليب القمع والترهيب واعتقال الآلاف من المعارضين وتعذيبهم واذلالهم مثلما كان عليه الحال في الماضي.
اجتماع دمشق يكمل اجتماعات بروكسل وانطاليا، وهو مجرد خطوة، او بداية، في طريق التغيير الذي نأمل ان لا يكون طويلا، فأمن سورية واستقرارها ووحدتها الترابية والوطنية يجب ان تكون هدف الجميع حكومة ومعارضة، لان الانظمة تذهب وتبقى سورية دائما.

This conference is a very very good start, but while this democracy debate is going on, why don’t the opposition call for a temporary halt of all kinds of protests. This would save us the chaos happening in the street and draw more attention to their peaceful demands…

واشنطن تبدي اهتمامها بالحدث وتؤكّد تواصلها مع المعارضين السوريين
معارضة الداخل تتعهّد دعم الانتفاضة السـلمية مواقف متباينة من محاورة السلطة ومقاطعتها

زياد حيدر
خاضت شخصيات معارضة، أمس، امتحانها الأول في استعراض فكري لما يقارب 200 شخصية مستقلة سياسيا للبحث عن سبل الوصول إلى سوريا «دولة مدنية ديموقراطية»، فتوالى حضور المشاركين الواحد تلو الآخر إلى فندق «سميراميس» وسط دمشق، ليجدوا أن في انتظارهم جيشا من الإعلاميين، بينهم حضور كبير لممثلي الإعلام الرسمي، الذين أرادوا بدورهم خوض التجربة الإعلامية الأولى لمشهد اجتماع رموز المعارضة وسط العاصمة لا خارج البلاد، وذلك بتـواجد لقوى الشـرطة المدنية التي انتظرت عند إحدى زوايا الشارع المؤدي إلى الفندق واحتمت من شمس حزيران بفيء جسر فيكتوريا.
وفي القاعة التي كلف حجزها ما يزيد على ألف دولار بقليل، أخذ البعض مكانه فيما أخذ البعض الآخر وقته في السلام وتجاذب الحديث مع من كان رفيقا في السجن ربما، أو وجها جديدا على المشهد الذي يشكل «ولادة جديدة» لمشهد سبق وتكرر في العام 2002 وسمي «ربيع دمشق»، لكنه يوصف الآن بانه «تاريخي». وأعلن المشاركون في بيانهم الختامي «دعم الانتفاضة الشعبية السلمية التي تريد الانتقال إلى الديموقراطية»، وطلبوا «إنهاء الخيار الأمني». وأدان البيان «التحريض الطائفي وأي ممارسات تشجع على التدخل الأجنبي».
وفي ما يزيد على 50 مداخلة ألقيت، لم يشكك أحد في أن هذا اللقاء جاء نتيجة ضغط الشارع، وأنه وإن كان تنازلا من الدولة فهو تنازل ناتج عن الاحتجاجات، وهي احتجاجات قال كثر انهم لا يؤثرون مباشرة فيها، بل تساءلوا كيف السبيل للتواصل مع الشارع، وكيف يمكن تجنب تخييب أمل من فيه؟ ودعا البعض في هذا السياق إلى المشاركة في الحراك الميداني، فيما دعا آخرون إلى إيجاد طريقة لـ«حماية المتظاهرين»، بينما أبدى البعض الآخر قلقه من عدم تجانس الشارع في احتجاجه واختلاف سقوفه السياسية والاجتماعية عن سقوف المعارضة.
أيضا أكثر المداخلون من إعلان «رفض الحوار» مع السلطة. وإن كان بعضهم يذهب إلى حد رفض الحوار بالمطلق، فإن أكثرهم خبرة يميل إلى الاعتراف بأن الحوار مع الدولة يكون عبر تلبية شروط عدة، أبرزها إعلان إنهاء الحل الأمني والسماح بممارسة العمل السياسي والإعلامي من دون معوقات كما السماح بالتظاهر. ويتفق الجميع تقريبا على رفض التدخل الخارجي بأي صيغة كانت، في موقف يختلف اختلافا تاما مع معارضة الخارج التي تبني على هذا الخيار.
وفيما كان يعلو صوت المعارضين في قاعة الفندق، ذكرت وكالة الأنباء السورية (سانا) أن هيئة الإشراف على الحوار حددت 10 تموز المقبل موعدا للقاء التشاوري، الذي يعد للمؤتمر الوطني للحوار، مشيرة في صدر خبرها إلى أن ذلك يأتي استنادا إلى الاقتناع بأنه «لا بديل عن المعالجة السياسية للأزمة في سوريا».

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1882&articleId=3362&ChannelId=44350&Author=%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%20%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%B1

دمشق تعلن «لقاء تشاورياً» تمهيداً للحوار ووثيقة للمعارضة ترفض الحل الأمني والتدويل

وجه معارضون سوريون نداء بالتحرك العاجل لـ «مسار واضح غير قابل للتفاوض نحو تحول سلمي آمن لنظامنا السياسي» وذلك في اجتماع لهم في دمشق هو الاول من نوعه منذ بدء الاحتجاجات، وهو الاجتماع الذي وصفته واشنطن بانه «حدث مهم». فيما اعلنت «هيئة الحوار الوطني» بعد اجتماعها امس برئاسة نائب الرئيس فاروق الشرع انه «لا بديل من المعالجة السياسية بابعادها المختلفة»، وحددت 10 الشهر المقبل موعدا للقاء التشاوري الممهد لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني.

http://international.daralhayat.com/internationalarticle/282591

Funny comment on FB

انا رأي الي بقول ما في مسلحين يجيبوه بالللليل عباب السباع ويقفلوا عليه” الباب”

كلمتي الافتتاحية في اللقاء التشاوري.

by Louay Hussein on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 2:28am
.

أيتها السوريات أيها السوريون المجتمعون اليوم هنا لأول مرة علناً منذ عقود أمام شعبكم اسمحوا لي أن أعرف بكم

هو العظيم الذي ينظر إليكم الآن منتظراً ومتعشماً بكم أن تحملوا مسؤولياتكم التي انبريتم لها بكل جرأة وشجاعة ومخاطرة .

الحضور ليسوا مسلحين أو إرهابيين ولا مخربين أو لديهم أي أجندة مرسومة مسبقاً سوى ما قالوه دوماً، إن النظام الاستبدادي الذي يحكم البلاد لابد له من الزوال وإقامة نظام ديمقراطي مدني على أسس المواطنة وحقوق الإنسان ليحقق العدالة والمساواة لجميع السوريين دون تمييز بينهم على أساس العرق أو الدين أو الجنس أو اللون أو أي أساس آخر.

إننا نجتمع هنا اليوم في محاولة لتحديد أسباب إعاقة انتقالنا إلى دولة ديمقراطية مدنية ولنحاول استناداً لقراءة واقعنا الراهن وما ينذرنا به من مخاطر مدمرة أن نضع تصور عن كيفية إنهاء حالة الاستبداد والانتقال السلمي والآمن إلى الدولة المنشودة , دولة الحرية والعدالة والمساواة.

أيتها السوريات أيها السوريون, نحن نجتمع هنا ليس لندافع عن أنفسنا أمام سلطات تتهمنا بأبشع التهم, وليس لندافع عن أنفسنا أمام من يتهمنا بطيش أو لا مسؤولية بأننا نخون مطامح شعبنا أو نساوم على دماء شهداء الحرية, وليس لنقدم صك براءة أو شفاعة لأي شكاك لا يعرف أن قسماً كبيراً ممن يجتمع هنا في هذه القاعة هو من الذين أسسوا لمقولات النضال التي ترتفع اليوم على لسان آلاف المناضلين ينشدونها عالياً في سماء بلادنا,

لا نجتمع لكل ذلك،

بل لنقول قولاً حراً, لا سقف له ولا حدود له سوى ما يمليه علينا ضميرنا من مسؤولية تجاه شعبنا, الذي ينتظر منا أن نساهم في تبديد هواجسه من قادم أيامه, الذي يبدو له مجهولاً بكل ما يحمل المجهول من مخاوف. وذلك في أن نقرأ اللحظة الراهنة بوضوح: فإن كان راهننا مشوش الصورة فإن غدنا الذي لا نعرف ملامحه, والذي قد تكون إحدى احتمالاته انهيار النظام السياسي, فإن علينا أن نعمل منذ الآن لما بعد غدنا كي نحول دون انهيار الدولة و انفراط المجتمع.

من الخطأ التاريخي اختزال الحراك التظاهري والاحتجاجي الذي انطلق في سوريا منذ حوالي الثلاثة أشهر والنصف إلى مجرد صراع على بالسلطة، وبالتالي فإن ما قامت به السلطات السورية في التعامل مع هذا الحراك ليس أكثر من فعل يعاكس مسار التطور واتجاه التاريخ

اسمحوا لي بإسم أرواحكم الحرة أن أعلن افتتاح هذا اللقاء متمنياً على الدكتور منذر خدام أن يتفضل ويرأس الجلسة متمنيا له التوفيق في مهمته الشاقة.

دمتم ودام الوطن

(أعتذر عن بعض الركاكة فقد كتبتها في القاعة وتحت الضغط)

did some one share this videos in here before?

two videos emerged from Banias the first shows armed gangs fully equipped and the other show the military being attacked in the second one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptkazur3rbw

JAD @ 47

excuse me i am from Bab elsbaa 🙂 we dont eat people there (some of us do kill others lately but we like to think they are outsiders)

you can still chose باب عمرو for the Jock ! still funny jock 😀

Memo to: DAMASGUY

RE: “…why don’t the opposition call for a temporary halt of all kinds of protests…”

Very naive. Very bad idea. Remember, the Assad mafia has the big guns and the secret police and all the top jobs. The only way they’re going to give up anything is if the opposition keeps the screws on. Keep protesting, keep shooting cops, keep applying the pressure. Remember, Bashar Assad would eat his own children before he would surrender even one iota of power. He only respects force.

Talks are fine, but keep a loaded gun near at hand, the loaded gun in this case being the marching opposition demonstrators in a hundred Syrian cities and towns…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dale_Andersen?action=comments

@45 “but while this democracy debate is going on, why don’t the opposition call for a temporary halt of all kinds of protests.”

For the same reason that Syria never agreed to Israel’s demands that Syria disown Hizbollah, Iran and Hamas before even starting peace negotiations. It was a highly unrealistic precondition, designed to torpedo any chance of talks.

I see no reason why demonstrations should not take place if they are done in a peaceful atmosphere. Hama in particular has seen massive demonstrations, and no deaths over the past two weeks. One cannot ask someone whose brothers and relatives are in jail to stay at home.

Dear prof Landis
Read Daleanderson statement above:keep shooting cops.Do you allow statements encouraging killing at your site.
Daleterrorist:if you did get raised well at home,it is too late to do that.

Mina,

Whatever you want to say about Europe is fine with me, but you can’t say European countries are NOT democratic and NOT free.

BTW, as far as I’m concerned, Aboud and Daleandersen are spot on (except for the “shooting cops” comment, which seems to be the opposite of what is usually happening; and BTW, there have been many posters here advocating the killing of hundreds of protesters).

Ok, putting aside unconstructive petty squabbles, snide pot shot, accusations, name calling and general nastiness, is there actually a consensus we all (the pro and anti regime) can agree on? is there common ground between us? Do we all want the same thing in the end, for Syria to emerge a better place after all this, but we just differ on the who and how, or are we actually fundamentally different?

Sure it’s easy to demonize the other side, and accuse them of being evil minions of Satan (Hariri, Bandar, Israel,3ar3or, Assad, Makhlouf, Iran etc …) but it’s just too simplistic, and things are never that clear cut in life or politics, both sides do have valid points, and no one has a monopoly on the truth.

Having said that, from my corner as an avid pro-democracy and anti-regime activist, I would like to ask the other side some questions, in all sincerity of course, in the hopes of reaching some consensus and finding common ground from which to build on:

1- Is your support and passion for Bashar himself, or the whole regime? is it a complete package, or can it be split up? Can we get rid of some key elements of this regime(including members of the Assads like Maher and the inner circle), and keep Bashar? or is that out of the question for you?

2- Would you accept that Bashar stands down and hands power if he were defeated in elections, or is your mantra that he must continue to rule Syria as a defacto constitutional monarch?

3- Do you accept that the protests and protesters were a catalyst in the current drive for reforms, national dialog and the awakening of Syrians from all ends of the spectrum, and that this regime left to it’s own devices would not have undertaken them on it’s own, were it not for the pressure they exerted?

4- Do you accept that the unaccountability, lawlessness and abuse of the Mukhabarat and the Baath were instrumental in the destruction of the Syrian state and it’s institutions, the prevalence of corruption in official circles, and the stifling of free speech and political activity which were all the precipitating factors leading to the eruption of the protests? And if so, do you think they are vital to the cohesion of Syria as a country, or should they be transformed in such away that they are no longer able to abuse their power? How would you go about ensuring their accountability in future?

Thank you, and God bless Syria and all Syrians.

@51

“keep shooting cops”

No. Go away. Seriously. This is not South Central LA. This is Khaldia and Bab Esba3 and Baba Amr and Bayada and Al-Hadara. If someone came to take my brothers away, he’d have to do so over my dead body. But I do not go out and look to “shoot cops”.

“Remember, Bashar Assad would eat his own children before he would surrender even one iota of power”

For the sake of Syria’s future, it is everyone’s fondest hope that no one could possibly be as power hungry as you describe. The opposition figures who met yesterday are taking the chance that you are wrong. Maybe they are naive, but better to be called naive, than to let slip what may be the only chance left to avoid a tragic future.

Aboali
Check your temp ,you must have a fever, this is the first positive post you have ever had.

Too early to tell if this is window dressing or what. The leopard does not change its spots easily. Time will tell.

I like the enthusiasm shown for this very baby step; but what amazes me is that this should be the norm in a modern society. This is once again a demonstration of the degree of repression and complete lack of freedom that preceded the March 15th date of the Syrian revolution. For people to meet to discuss the future of the country is not only the right thing to do, it is the very normal healthy thing to do. Making it look like a major concession and a degree of flexibility does not restore the legitimacy of this very illegitimate regime.

This does not give Junior any new legitimacy and does not make him a nice modern leader with a glamorous wife that hides behind it a very different reality. The ball remains in the court of the regime to demonstrate that it has committed to real and lasting reform. Those reforms spell the end of this regime as we know it.

Rats and Germs of the World Unite.

Daleandersen

“Bashar would eat..”
No chances anyone eats you: Who wants to catch E.coli?

You seem to use very often the verb ‘eat’, what would Freud say about that?

Observer,

It does, though, give some legitimacy and restores some self-respect and self-confidence to the Syrian people who have been so complacent and asleep for half a century! Nobody in Syria is really too concerned at the moment about the legetimacy or lack thereof of Bashar or anobody else, and not too preoccupied with assigning blame for now -everybody knows who’s responsible. They are conerned and excited and anxcious about the future and can use every help from distinguished thinkers such as yourself in visualizing and acualizing this future! They do not want those who died so far to have died in vain, and neither should you or anyone!

Observer

“The ball remains in the court of the regime to demonstrate that it has committed to real and lasting reform”

I thought you repeated relentlessly that the game was over a long time ago.

I am detecting a note of measured optimism after your consistent and lengthy predictions of doom.

#21 HS,

How are they rewriting history? it was Nazim al-Qudsi, that’s true.

#57 Well, how about you be positive too and try to answer some of the questions I posed.

Peaceful demonstration must continue!

The regime is getting smarter. It is no longer retarded. It is giving the world a plausible story to believe: Syria is making a progress. Some Headlines news hailing the meeting as the first opposition meeting to be ever held in Syria over the last 40 years and I personally remain a bit suspicious.

Allowing the so called “Syrian opposition Conference” to go on while pretending otherwise and staging a psuedo anti opposition demonstration outside to convince us of its authenticity is questionable.

Three rissues concerning me:

Although the meeting was attended by authentic respected anti regime figures, it was also attended by Pro regime. Abbas Al Nouri is now “the opposition”? Give me a break! I thought he once called the demonstrators a trash (الحثالة ) . Did he have change in heart? How is it all of the sudden, he became an “intellectual” of the “opposition”

Second, the lack of attendance by other very important traditional anti regime figures is worrisome and is a statement on its own.

Third and most important concern is that the brutality is still going on. Is the thirst for blood not satisfied yet? Can these security thugs be given a summer vacation for a week or two?

Nevertheless, I am not rushing to judge. The impact needs to be seen.

Tara,
Abbas al-Nouri did not “attend”, he went there and created a media blitz, but since he wasn’t invited, he wasn’t allowed in. (اتقلع يعني).

I’m not sure why Aref Dalila pulled out at the last second, it would be interesting to know.

Syrian dissidents show unity at rare conference
By Lina Sinjab BBC News, Damascus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13935870

The slogan of today’s opposition conference was: “Syria for all: Towards a democratic and civil country”.

Yazan,

Thanks for the clarification. Why did he show up to start with?

Majedalkhaldoon

The government cannot afford not to respond to the requests of this genuine opposition, it would be pure suicide.
This meeting was the first one, I hope it will be followed by more before the 10 july meeting with the government to setup an implementation plan( actions and timeline) of the points they have requested.
I expect lots of international media negativity and violent provocation on the ground initiatd by the excluded Antalya opposition group and hardliners. A very dangerous time.

It looks clear to me that the opposition inside Syria want the same thing that the opposition outside Syria want and that is the chance for the Baath party to lose power and control and go into the opposition, The only difference i see is that the opposition inside Syria want that without the destruction and the mayhem for Syria while the opposition outside Syria do not care about that and believe that the end justifies the mean, what i wonder is weather it is justified to go the violence way if you can get the same goal the peaceful way, I don’t think so, then that is me!.

Tara,

Because he’s an attention whore. I presume.

Yazan
Ask Mr. Dalila and let us know.

Yazan

If the other opposition participant did not insist on Arel Dalila’s participation, it is very possible they did not think he was indispensable.
The ones who came are the ones who took this unique opportunity to save Syria from chaos.
I also believe the negative influence of the discarded Antalya group and the hardliner Syrian expats will remain active for a long time.

Jad,

Have we met on some other blog?

I will.

Why,

Thanks for answering the question…to Yazan.

Davutoglu in Syria soon

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=fm-to-embark-on-mideast-tour-2011-06-27

“The Syria visit is expected to open the way for repairing the relations that were strained recently over the developments…”

I expect he will meet with the opposition to encourage them to dialog. That has been Turkey’s strategy from the beginning of the events

What the president and the Syrian government should do now is to do what the US did in Iraq, It moved on multiparty system and elections, and as in Iraq the rejectionists will refuse to participate but that did not decrease the legitimacy of the democratic process in Iraq and will not in Syria, they will figure out that to affect the direction of the country, they have to participate and that will come sooner or later.

Jad,
Isn’t Dalila Alawi, he might be trying to look more hardliner than the external opposition, so he is not counted as a traitor to the cause, his credentials are in doubt because of his religion.

Norman,

OH PLEASE!

Are you kidding me?. Please stop. Please. Can’t you just get it inside that we do not stratify people based on their sect.

Yazan,
Yes and no 🙂
I used to visit your blog and I left couple comments under a different name years ago.

Norman,
I don’t think his backgrounds has anything to do with his decision, Dr. Dalila has his own way of thinking, he sounds a bit moody, and I’m sure that he has his own reasons and we all should respect that.
I personally think that he and others will attend the second round if and when it will happen (Inshallah)

Tara,
Every pro-stability site on FB is against the opposition conference which should give you a hint that this conference deserve more credit than your ‘suspicious’ note, it’s ‘Historical’.

Tara,

Can you please take your head out of the mountain of sands that you are under and wake up to the reality of Syria and the Mideast, everything is sectarian obvious or not

Tara

I am replying to Yazan because he mentioned Aref Dalila, and I had pointed out earlier that he withdrew at the last minute.

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=10461&cp=all#comment-258481

I think the opposition are being very brave and reasonable and deserve credit. The Jewish/American propaganda machine has been running at maximum capacity; the opposition could have been forgiven for thinking this was a set-up.

The good-faith shown by the opposition, the good character of the president and the trust and support of the Syrian people all bode well for the future of Syria.

Norman

Is there anything in the world that could convince you otherwise? Really?

Is it just hopeless?

Do you think I am afraid to say it? I am faceless with a fake name and an IP address that you can never have an access too. What is stopping me from saying the truth? Fear? my perceived image? What? Just tell me what?

Tara,

Interesting. I know some people who enjoy a little fun with anonymity. (That’s in no way to endorse Norman’s views, I personally think you’re very “genuine” for a faceless IP. But just a thought).

On another note, this is an interesting post that I was asked to publish at my blog by a dear friend in Damascus. He brings up some interesting points with regards to the social aspect of the demonstrations.

http://yazanbadran.com/blog/2011/06/guest-post-a-journey-in-the-pro-assads-mentality/

Tara, since you asked for new names for both sides I came up with a name that is somehow positive for both:
Pro-Stability = Syrians who want democracy without taking any risks of destroying the country in the process
Pro-Change = Syrians who want democracy faster but taking a higher risk of destroying the country in the process.

See both are ‘Pro’ something ‘good’ and both want the best for Syria but both choose different routes.

#55

1- Is your support and passion for Bashar himself, or the whole regime? is it a complete package, or can it be split up? Can we get rid of some key elements of this regime(including members of the Assads like Maher and the inner circle), and keep Bashar? or is that out of the question for you?

The regime sucks. But consider what it was 10 years ago. When Hafez didn’t allow cell phones of the internet. If someone could present someone that actually understood all aspects of domestic and foreign problems that Syria faces, and was honest about them, then he might have a chance over Bashar. I’ll talk more later.

2- Would you accept that Bashar stands down and hands power if he were defeated in elections, or is your mantra that he must continue to rule Syria as a defacto constitutional monarch?

If someone had a clue and wasn’t basing his rule on either outside influence of naive statements of ‘freedom’. A ‘freedom’ lover would get eaten alive in the Middle East (like they would in South America in the ’80s).

3- Do you accept that the protests and protesters were a catalyst in the current drive for reforms, national dialog and the awakening of Syrians from all ends of the spectrum, and that this regime left to it’s own devices would not have undertaken them on it’s own, were it not for the pressure they exerted?

Yes. And Bashar feels the same way. He tried to let the protesters go and withdrew the asshole security elements, but a small element of armed people took advantage and started killing people. This just gave fuel to the hardliners.

4- Do you accept that the unaccountability, lawlessness and abuse of the Mukhabarat and the Baath were instrumental in the destruction of the Syrian state and it’s institutions, the prevalence of corruption in official circles, and the stifling of free speech and political activity which were all the precipitating factors leading to the eruption of the protests? And if so, do you think they are vital to the cohesion of Syria as a country, or should they be transformed in such away that they are no longer able to abuse their power? How would you go about ensuring their accountability in future?

That is but part. You fail to mention the millions spent by the U.S. on regime change. Not because of ‘freedom’, but because Bush and Cheney (not exactly humanists) wanted to change the political structure. I don’t know about you, but me as an American would be quite upset of a guy was paid by a foreign government for the sole reason of destroying the government. I’m sure that if Venezuela paid me to demonstrate and blow up police stations, I’d probably not be held in high regard by either the government or my fellow citizens. Yet oddly some here think that that Qatar propaganda, British and French attacks, and neocon calls for oil boycotts are fine. Yet they don’t have a clue what direction the government will take. If the army is weakened, and the security forces are gone, who will counter the Islamists? The opposition pretends they don’t exists.

So back to Bashar. In the states, we have Senators that stay in power for decades. They bring power to those states that a new Senator wouldn’t bring. Bashar, whether you like it or not, speaks for Syria. He wants to advance it, he understands the very conservative aspects of the nation. He knows foreign investment is needed, but it must me controlled so some asshole like the Al Thani in Qatar can’t wake up one day and decide to dick with Syria.

You want Syria to be like Niger or Chad? France seems to do a great job of sucking the resources out of a country while really screwing the people over. (not unlike any of the other members of the so-called ‘Security Council’).

We in the U.S. have Haiti. First France demanded the country pay for freeing the slaves. Since then, we have been screwing that country over.

The question is not whether Bashar is great, but what can be expected. If you want him to turn Syria into a Islamic nation, you will hate him. If you want him to turn Syria into a modern Western nation, you will hate him. If you want him to turn Syria into slave market for Western exploitation, you will hate him.

He doesn’t have an easy country to lead. And what his dad left him was crap. But I haven’t seen anybody that understands the region, the nation, and all the problems, and be able to keep his nation together. Instead, I get a bunch of crap like the latest Op-ed in the NYT. No substance. Fancy words.

BP still controls England. Banks and the War Machine still control the U.S. President. Nobody is even talking about it, much less working at changing it. The EU is starting to destroy its social security, and there is a full front attack on social security in the U.S., which was weak to begin with, is underway.

My Uncle is losing his house he because he dared have a heart attack. Wonderful ‘freedom’.

So, who is your guy to lead Syria? And Why?

Tara,

No you are not afraid, YOU ARE JUST IGNORANT and apparently did not lean anything about the fear that the minorities , Christians and Alawat have from the violence overthrow of the Syrian government , actually the Alawat are more afraid than the Christians , The Christians might think that the US or France will save them, The Alawat have only their own to save themselves from the racist Islamist that you seem to support and their violent overthrow of the Syrian government and president.

I would not spend a second knowing who you are, or where you are, i just have more important things to do.

We in Turkey and the Middle East have replaced humiliation with dignity

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/15/middle-east-dignity-common-destiny

Davutoglu’s speech before the events in Syria: A new vision of our region.

How would the regime respond?
400 students in Aleppo were arrested

Jad,

I like that. But “destroy” is not a “neutral” word, it implies certain nuances. I, personally, in my deepest of convictions think that the whole country, its politics/culture/society needs a serious violent shock, a tsunami of sorts. It needs to be melted and reshaped again, be it a revolution, a war or a Tohoku-style earthquake. It’s very categorical, and the risks are great that we may end up with something even worse, but I’m willing to take the risk of something great as well. At the same time, I realize that not many people (even those who are pro-Change, they want to preserve some things) might share that radical vision, and while I can share it when I speak for myself, I can’t present it as a realistic option.

Tara,
Yes, indeed. How ignorant of you Tara not to realize that Sunnis, you included (regardless of your proclaimed liberal views, you must be a black-clad woman, with a moustache, no less), are a bunch of racist Salafists. And how ignorant of you to try to tell those minorities that are scared shitless, even though they have all the big guns, that they really don’t have anything to fear in a new Syria. That, you want to live with them, in a country where everybody’s equal. Ignorant, indeed. Go back to your cooking, woman, people have better things to do than listen to your ignorant words of equality, or freedom.

Norman,

Ok.

I get it.

I would never again try to convince you.

It is what it is. I rest my case.

Jad, # 85

I like that. Smart comment.

Equality , Yes, superiority , Never,

And people who do not understand the fabric of Syria are ignorant,whether they wear niqab or not. most sectarians do not look religous,

People who are out side Syria do not have the right to seek violence in Syria to justify their needs.

Yazan

“… I, personally, in my deepest of convictions think that the whole country, its politics/culture/society needs a serious violent shock, a tsunami of sorts. It needs to be melted and reshaped again..”

WOW!!! Great minds…

Yazan

Was your fiend intending to make a humoristic caricature on how common people pro-Assad are dealing with the confusion of the media and their interpretation of the situation?
The irony is that his anti-Assad biased views are so obvious in his writing that his observations seem to caricature him more than the people he is describing.

Here you go an updated version more positive and less violence:

Pro-Stability = Syrians who want democracy without taking any risks of disturbing the country’s balanced social fabric in the process

Pro-Change = Syrians who want democracy faster but taking a higher risk of disturbing the country’s balanced social fabric in the process

Yazan,
I think Japan has a spell on people who live there, its wabisabi concept mixed with the Japanese peaceful culture make them forget the real world sometimes.
looking at tsunami from above is different from being in the house when it hits, I’m not taking that risk, I’m with the gradual change, I want to enjoy it with my family not alone with their pictures hanged on the wall.

I read your friend’s story; No offence but is your friend a fan of
روايات عبير؟ or fan of the fantasy writing style of ‘Gay Girl in Damascus’?
He sounds like her, ‘whispering’ with every women he or his friends meet, a bit fictional.

Jad,

The Tsunami that Yazan noted is a symbolic one.

I do not think living in Japan has anything to do with what Yazan expresses. It is his culture…

Yazan said
Yes, indeed. How ignorant of you Tara not to realize that Sunnis, you included , are a bunch of racist Salafists.
So Sunnis are racist salafist
This is the defintion of Alawi,one who hate Sunnis
It is not a surprise ,since Alawis are converts from Assassins.
Yazen said
Go back to your cooking, woman
this proves that Yazen is anti women.

Why,

I thought I was getting a cold shoulder.

Yazan, enjoy:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213189842058701&set=a.212772715433747.61689.212766068767745&type=1&theater

Majedkhaldoon # 98,

You made a mistake. He is not. Read his comment again.

Jad,
Indeed Japan takes a toll on anyone who lives here. It’s a country that has re-invented itself so many times, that it became a culture. “Mono no aware”, is one of those feelings that could never be translated, to enjoy the passing of things, with a pinch of melancholy. I am not looking at a Tsunami from above, I am in the middle of one. The past 4 months in Japan, have meant for me, more than my whole past 5 years here. To be in the middle of one of these monumental changes in Syria, would be a dream of mine, whether I live to see the other end or not. I’ve seen the spirits of those around me resurrect, I’ve seen them aspire, and I’ve seen a country that was destined to doom, stand up and look straight into the distance. If Syria was a samurai, she would’ve committed seppuku a long time ago, and returned as a greater one.

#100
アッバース.アッヌリさん 🙂

Majedkhaldoun,
Sarcasm, my friend. If god was an artist, sarcasm would’ve been his preferred form of art. And you, Majedkhaldoun, are a great material for sarcasm, but it’s just too easy with you.

Tara,
Great minds, indeed.

Brilliant Syrian production as always:

http://www.bostah.com/camera/viewvideo/543/%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B1/%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B1-_-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A9

Yazan,
Seppuku is good for the Japanese Samurai, Syria is the land of the Phoenix, while the Samurai kill himself and leave the Phoenix never dies, she burn into flames to come back from the ashes after three days a new and better version that is Syria, it doesn’t need to commit suicide to come back better, it renew itself eternally.

Jad,

Addendum: But indeed they do have a lot to learn about the rest of the world. Presumably they could start by not publishing op-eds without investigating who the writer is. 😉
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20110306a1.html

LOLOLOLOL
Good one 🙂

#55

It’s early but let me give this a try:

>Having said that, from my corner as an avid pro-democracy and anti-regime activist

I’m not pro-democracy, having seen that “democracy” really ends up as a plutocracy/oligarchy, but since that’s what Syria ALREADY has, democracy can’t really hurt. It helps that we Syrians are super-smart and have a infallible resistance spirit.

1- No passion what so ever. I like his personality but we need a strong, focused, honest leader. I don’t care who it is.

2- If he loses an election I don’t see how he could continue in power. He wouldn’t, he’s already stated it would be distasteful.

>3- Do you accept that the protests and protesters were a catalyst in the current drive for reforms, national dialog and the awakening of Syrians from all ends of the spectrum, and that this regime left to it’s own devices would not have undertaken them on it’s own, were it not for the pressure they exerted?

Yes of course, without pressure nothing would have changed, Bashaar would not have been allowed to do what he’s doing now. Can you image? There would be a coup the next day. Also, I supported the protests from the very beginning. I said “this isn’t the right time, but at least they are peaceful”. The protests actually began in January if you’re paying attention … then the arms started getting smuggled in from Iraq. The lies began … the alkhanzeera liars started brainwashing people.

>4- Do you accept that the unaccountability, lawlessness and abuse of the Mukhabarat and the Baath were instrumental in the destruction of the Syrian state and it’s institutions,

I’ve already said both institutions must be dismantled. We need an intelligence organisation, it would be insane not to have one. That said, we can’t have a organisation which is used as a paramilitary force to harass dissidents. Syria is greater than that.

>the prevalence of corruption in official circles, and the stifling of free speech and political activity which were all the precipitating factors leading to the eruption of the protests?

I think the kettle was always boiling but no body wanted to say anything.

——-

Now, all that said, do you acknowledge that there is a conspiracy? It should be obvious to everyone. Our enemies don’t want us to have real democracy, they want to bring us to our knees.

Yazan

Japan is known to adhere to the world view of “The Nobility of Failure”. When Samurais commit harakiri because of their failure they are glorified by their self sacrifice. In a way their WW2 kamikaze ressemble the Al Qaeda terrorists. It is a deeply traumatized country (They lost the war, they had Hiroshima, numerous earthquakes, tsunamis..) with a culture of death and self-sacrifice under the appearance of excessive civility.
I guess that living there must reflect on you.

>Syria is the land of the Phoenix, while the Samurai kill himself and leave the Phoenix never dies, she burn into flames to come back from the ashes after three days a new and better version that is Syria, it doesn’t need to commit suicide to come back better, it renew itself eternally.

Well said brother. You understand Syria well.

the regime,and probably most syrians,prefer to deal with people like Kilo, Bunni,Mannaa, Dalila,and similar opposition figures than islamists and expats who are supported by the west and may be Turkey too. MBs and similar groups were not invited to the meeting for a reason,and non islamist expats were left out for another reason. the chances that the opposition split are not just chances,it is the reality,however, there is nothing wrong in having a spectrum of political opposition,after all,that is what most syrians want. If the MBs are as popular as they say,they must show that in ballet boxes in fair and free elections, however,it is very unlikely that they will be allowed to run as MBs party,I said before that there are conservative muslims in syria everywhere and they are free to influence the political process by joining other parties or run as independents if they choose to. nobody can discount any group of syrians who want freedom using a civil and non violent means,but giving the MB and any other religious or ethnic party a grren light to engage in the political process is not good for Syria and its future. None of the 250 attendees of the conference,to the dismay of some inside and outside Syria,was willing to change their position on the necessity of a secular political system,that was a good start. what it needed now is real steps by the regime starting with the release of ALL political prisoners and declaring article-8 dead.

Luay Hussein is a real bully and hits women:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0RXlIF3P8k

Same guy thinks there’s no terrorists on the street. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s involved somehow. Barghouti was right…

Norman
US and France don’t care about christians.all events in recent history points to that.in Iraq Christians ,Assyrians,Aramaics,koldanians and Armenians suffered more than any body else as result of Iraq war .without Syria taking them and protecting them they would all have been genocided by wahabi sunni.
In Palestine there was huge Christian population,the west did nothing to protect them,and isreal did it’s best to terminate them because of there stand with there national palestinian cause.
In Turkey where the first genocide in the last century was done by the Turks against 1.5 Armenians and Assyrians,the west in general don’t have the manners and the ethics of even admitting it.they put the dollar ahead of morals.
In Lebanon France claims to be the mother of Christians there,but they hav not done any practical thing to save any Lebanese christian.The historical mistake of Maronite has been fighting Syria.without syria the Palestine resistance and Arafat would have made them a history.
Politics it is about national interests it is never about morals,ethics,democracy,religion or freedom.

#111

Quite often in the west, it is also about _international_ interests…

Narrow Nationalistic pride aside, is there really a difference, other than superficial, between the Samurai and the Phoenix. I think not. The two mythologize similar deeper multifaceted meanings, which include as one facet, the demise of the old as a son-qua-non for true and clean renewal, and as another facet, the nobility of assuming the collective burden through self sacrifice. Baal, Osiris, and Christ are other varieties. The agents of demise, serving as local pictorial backgrounds, are irrelevant to the deeper meanings.

For Syrian Commando to describe others as terrorist is the highest form of cynical hypocrisy. I am really surprized that you have been tolerated on Syria Comment for this long, and more surprised and saddened that some well mannered expats, even engage someone like you in dialog.

Last Sunday, the following exchange took place. Please pay special attention to the last phrases in #133 (I will inform SES) and #138 (..He’s finished), Because one must question if there is a relationship between the conversation below and the death threat received by the subject of the conversation, Mayor Mohammad Taher Khairullah, of Prospect Park borough NJ on his own facehook fan page within less than 24 hours from the conversation.

http://twitpic.com/5hi75j

After the attempted assassination of a congresswoman from Tucson, Arizona, law enforcement authorities in the US take death threats to elected officials very seriously and treat such as terrorism. If it is proven that one instigated any type of threat, or collaborated with those who did, one could be liable.

Now here is the conversation, everyone has the right to form their own opinion.

——————————-

120. MINA SAID:
Usama
It is not a twitter stream. It is much worse than that.
It is a Googledoc document available to anyone to download and use with a spamming programme called clickatweet. And these are ready tweets sent and re-sent by the so-called activists. They are all written by the same person, who sends them the roadmap everyday. Then no matter if you are Kuwaiti, Saudi, American, Canadian, Australian. Just retweet and learn to say Heil Master…

———————————————————-

124. USAMA SAID:
Mina,
Thank you for the information. Nice catch. Do you have a link for this googledoc?
June 25th, 2011, 2:56 pm

———————————————————-

131. MINA SAID:
Just check the hashtag #Sy11
Their “team” is proudly using it so it’s easy to find all the names. Not many Syrians obviously (no Arabic). I guess the googledoc will be removed quickly now that it’s here
tinyurl.com/6ykx4bn
The first revolution using a spamming machine. Indeed, Syria is the first everywhere…
June 25th, 2011, 3:10 pm

———————————————————-

133. SYRIAN COMMANDO said:

#131

Excellent find. It’s being coordinated by this guy: mtaher@prodigy.net

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KELKdbP0rtuESNdq6R5a8jH-MoJe7KnjlWMV9O2CsdM/edit?hl=en_GB&authkey=CLLii7gH

I copied it so they won’t be able to delete it don’t worry. But we need to find the pattern and who is coordinating this.

All in English as well. These criminals have to be hunted down online. I’ll inform the SES.

June 25th, 2011, 3:26 pm

———————————————————-

136. MINA SAID:
SC: [although I still don’t agree with most of what you write… what was it? you’re going to ‘dominate the earth’… to do what exactly?]
Funny, the guy is a mayor in New Jersey. So to start with he probably has his picture everywhere in his office (just as he has his picture everywhere on the different Google results). Not a good start!
(just google the name and the email’s host)
June 25th, 2011, 3:37 pm

———————————————————-
138. SYRIAN COMMANDO SAID:
>u’re going to ‘dominate the earth’… to do what exactly?
Just a figure of speech, I meant the alliance will be very powerful. As much as Russia/China/Europe.
#136
Yeah, I saw it. I’m gathering everything I can about him. He’s finished.
June 25th, 2011, 3:39 pm

———————————————————-

Dearest OTW
Accusing others of something this serious was never your thing, and I hope it won’t be.
I’m not sure how active you are on FB but Kheirallah name was allover the FaceBook pages and Twitter couple days ago as a radical figure and one of the most active persons of the uprising so someone must said something to him and I doubt that Syria Comment has anything to do with that.

>death threat received by the subject of the conversation, Mayor Mohammad Taher Khairullah, of Prospect Park borough NJ on his own facehook fan page within less than 24 hours from the conversation

You can’t target me for the actions of others. People get angry at him and fling off empty words.

You’re extremely pathetic, there are terrorists on the streets of Syria and you consider death threats on Failbook a act of terror, even though I had nothing to do with it?

Stay on the wall and leave the adult in discussion. My comments on SES’s website are visible to all, under “Syrian Fighter” (commando is taken >_<). You will find no hint of "death threat", just information.

His name made rounds on twitter, he's totally exposed. The fact that he is so hated is his fault not mine.

Grow up.

——

(UPDATE: I read the screen shot. One girl leaves him a message “we will kill you so soon”, clearly broken English so she’s not in the US. And he constitutes this as a credible threat! I’ve received AWFULLY specific death threats on facebook from the “peaceful protestors” and I didn’t even complain. You are as vile as the rest of the OTW, what a scumbag!)

Sorry I don’t buy the “threats” story. This is just TOO convenient for him to be innocented. Instead of searching since when he has been sending the lists of ready-tweets to some lobbyists, people will write in their newspapers that “the guy has received death threats”. This is just too easy.
Same with Wissam Tarif who has erased all his tweets (but fortunately they are easy to find through Google): the tone was SO close from these lists that either all activists use the same phrases either the tweets are written by the same person.
The fact they were on the Google sheet under the email of Mayor Khairullah does not mean that he writes them, but he can have used his position thinking he would not be blamed because seen as a person with a top job.
The fact is: when are the journalists going to verify the REALITY of these tweets (they share the same keywords “mass grave”, “risk of disease spreadind” in Tarif’s words about Daraa 2 months ago and now about the refugess camps in the list of tweets… etc.
This is about playing with the sensitivity of the US audience (mostly on Twitter compared to any other country) and is called mass manipulation.

This is a great demonstration of the tin foil hat anti-Syrian “opposition”.

Thank you for showing the rest of the commentators your true face, OTW. Tell us about the other theories have you have brewing, we need some comedy in these hard times.

#117

It’s quite funny how instead of hating him for being a propoganda spammer and violating twitter’s terms of service, the people who reveal and broadcast the truth are hated.

This is the logic that drives the insanity behind the pleb OTW and other anti-Syrian zionist commentators.

You’re quite right about how they use these little westernisms “oh my gosh I’m being death threatened”/”oh the daraa peasants are starving (in the breadbasket of syria)”/”DO SOMETHING OBAMA” to further their agenda. Goebbels would be proud of these pseudo-Nazis.

Dearest Jad
You are right, it isn’t. And that is why I am not accusing. You may call it coincidence, and it may, for all I know, be so. But to play 007 on Syria Comment, and to issue such threats of finishing someone is both bombastic and stupid.

I am moderately active on facebook, and the mayor has never shown in my own circles because I do not believe in facebook conspiracies and do not have the time for trivial pursuits. Part of my daily routine has been a frequent glancing of tweets during coffee breaks for news from all sides with a single tag #SYRIA, and I was shocked to see the tweet from CNN break, and other high profile news networks about a Syrian-American mayor receiving death threats shortly after someone proclaimed him finished in front of my own eyes.

My decision to post the above was not taken lightly and it was tormenting for more than a day. But in the end, even if there is no relationship between the death threat and the above conversation, an explicit threat was issued in the conversation itself.

If the good step taken yesterday is to materialize in anything, this mukhabarat, thuggish mentality and attitude can no longer be tolerated from either side. Our role as expats is to confront this mentality of intimidation and threats, otherwise we will be far behind and lagging to our folks back home, whose bravery during the mostly peaceful protests despite of the crimes against humanity committed against them is the only reason those who met yesterday were able to do so for the first time, and for correction not in 40 years, but in nearly 50 years. Engaging people who bombastically call for murder is wrong and it is tantamount to condoning their calls, for which I have nothing but a well deserved contempt.

By the time I finished my response to you Dear Jad, I had my expectation realized. Blaming the victim and further expansion of conspiracy theory. Pretty much the same arguments of right wing fanatics like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hanity, and O’Rielly. Seems like we have our own reactionaries.

Syrian Commando said: “Yeah, I saw it. I’m gathering everything I can about him. He’s finished.”

“The fact that he is so hated” and received death threats may very well be your fault Commando. You should be careful making comments like those above. He is a sitting mayor of NJ, and did not support violence. Instead of being defensive in your previous post, you should offer him support in light of the threats he has received. Anything else is irresponsible.

If your intentions are for Syria to move past this difficult phase, rethink your posts and actions on this forum.

Dear Joshua, thank you for drawing the attention to this
” Watch minute 6:00: the opposition is as bad as the regime it seems!”

This demonstrates that many of the so called “Independent Opposition” were either security officers or tamed opposition that were given strict orders to monitor and control the procedings.
The government wanted to make sure that the red-lines, agreed upon apriori, would not be crossed.

Cheers!

He’s actually NOT the sitting mayor as we had all assumed.

When I said “he’s finished”, I meant two things:

1. His propoganda campaign is finished because its now exposed.
2. His reputation is finished, because he is implicated in illegal spamming of twitter personally, as I was under the assumption that he was still a sitting mayor and such a scandal is enough to ruin his political career.

I see OTW is backtracking but its too late. He’s accused me of somehow activating people, where as I simply left THREE comments on the SES website, all of which were largely ignored. I helped spread the word on twitter but I wasn’t alone and I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPOSE THIS SELF-RIGHTEOUS BASTARD.

>did not support violence.

OH PAW-LEEEEASE. By lying continuously, he is ENABLING the violence, just as peaceful protests have enabled violent terrorists to infiltrate into the crowd and shoot at both policemen and REAL peaceful protestors. So don’t say he didn’t support violence. He did, for his own agenda. No doubt this fat man in his 30s thinks he will have some kind of future role in Syria after he thought NATO would go in and bomb us for him.

>you should offer him support in light of the threats he has received.

Oh cry me a f**king river. I repeat: I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPOSE THIS SELF-RIGHTEOUS BASTARD. His actions have killed people, I have no sympathy what people do with their own hands to him. I do NOT in any way support vigilantism, that would be inconsistent with my other stances. THAT SAID, I will not hold back just because some people (a single girl, as shown, lol) care to throw empty threats at people more than 8000km away.

You will not silence my voice with your reprehensible allegations and alusions to some kind of illegal activity. If you persist, I will be forced to call my lawyer and begin litigation against your libelous statements, you cannot hide behind your anonymity.

Also note, taking statements I’ve written and using them out of context to further your point will not protect you from libel charges, depending on your jurisdiction. You want to make this serious, you better play by the law.

SC’s comments above are naive, hateful, and dangerous. Enough said about it.

AMNESIA,

I can summarise your position with the following sentence:

“You rights end where my feelings begin”.

There is nothing naive about my statements. OTW is making EXTREMELY serious allegations, linking my online identity to some CNN broadcasts. Maybe one day you’ll regain your memory and your cognitive critical thinking function will recover as well.

I did not write the spam, I did not arrange for a propoganda campaign against an entire country, I did not make allegations that some commentators are moukhabarat. These are all your actions and you have to recognise the DANGEROUS, NAIVE and HATEFUL nature of your self-righteous gang of liars.

—
Anyway, CNN is hilarious. You should all note that it is not his “fan page”, the liar is simply not big enough to have such a page. He maintains his facebook page, like the loser that he is.

I just remembered something.

Remember that “peaceful opposition” website listing off the names of people who didn’t support their terrorism-NATO interventionist movement? Does anyone have the link to this Vigilante-promoting website/list?

I’d love to see what the above two posters had to say about this EXTREMELY dangerous action, especially in Syria where there are real terrorists roaming the streets rather than teenage girls sending big men in their 30s a death threat across 8000km on the internet.

Damasguy #45
This is an interesting question because it asks who speaks with a voice of authority. I think even if the Semiramis people called for a halt in demos, the poorer segments of the society will continue to follow blindly the calls on Safa TV, Wesal TV, and al Jazeera.

About the US economy, even the University of Texas does not believe in the dollar anymore and has changed 5 percent of its portfolio into gold.
http://www.businessinsider.com/university-of-texas-gold-kyle-bass-2011-4
http://blogs.forbes.com/robertlenzner/2011/04/17/university-of-texas-endowment-holds-1-billion-gold-5-of-its-portfolio/

Strikes are now very high in the UK and Greece, but maybe without these “wars intermede” we would already have Italy, Portugal, France, all in the streets for the summer. It didn’t happen. People were asked to think that “it could be them” the guys who were dying on TV.

SC
I remember I have posted the link you mention, some days ago. Don’t ask me where! But you can search!

I didn’t say that you wrote the threats on Facebook, but you almost celebrated them above.

Also, you don’t know me. What you just said about me is nonsense.

Amnesia
Agree

The Final Declaration of the Antalya Opposition Conference differs from the first consultative meeting at Asameerames in Damascus in the following two clauses:

1- Participants are committed to the demands of the Syrian people in calling on the Syrian president to step down, in demanding the toppling of the regime, and in supporting the great, peaceful revolution of the Syrian people towards freedom and dignity.

2-Participants call on president Bashar al-Assad to resign immediately from all of his duties and positions and to hand over authority to his vice-president in accordance with constitutional procedures until the election of a transitional council which will draft and implement a new Syrian constitution that shall call for free and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections within a period not to exceed one year from the resignation of president Bashar al-Assad.

Antalya group statement is in sync with the declaration of the ground revolution that was announced on Friday of the fall of the legitimacy.

Assameeramees group statement is too little too late; which prooves it is the regime’s.

You’re the only two agreeing with each other.

>I didn’t say that you wrote the threats on Facebook, but you almost celebrated them above.

You’re still making spurious allegations. “almost” celebrated? What are you a mind reader?

MINA,

I’ll try and find it. I think it was “revolution intellegence” or something similar.

#130

Wow, “if you’re not with us you’re against us”. So much for democracy, you cavemen are a joke!

It’s sad to see that experienced and honorable figures felt in the trap of the regime ,didnt they see that the conference was infiltrated by regime mukhabarat and hypocrite actors.
asad-makhlouf ,shabiha and their baath have no place in syria’s future,this is for sure.

Off the Wall
For the sake of clarity, why didn’t you repost my post where I copy pasted the “ready-tweets” from the Google document (which was public, I am no hacker, sorry)

So called activists are very orgnized. Even what they say is ready to use (remember the tone of W. Tarif’s tweets?):

Syria Trend Message 6/25/2011

To use Clicktotwet service, make sure you are logged on to twitter through your browser. Copy the link below the tweet you want to send. Paste it in the URL box and hit enter.
Please share the DM for Syria trend publically on your timeline several times a day.
Please make a quick phone call to the White House once a day http://freesyriacommentline.blogspot.com/
You can make adjustments to the tweet prior to sending it.
If you have any suggestion of tweets you want us to promote, please DM them to me. All tweets must have a target twitter handle.
When you do your own personal tweet, please try to include #SY11 This is our team’s hash tag. When you see it please RT it.

@adctweets #ineedtostop hoping ur civil rights conscience will compel u 2 say #AssadMustGo What a disappointment 2 our community via @RafifJ
@BarackObama The change in #Syria is irreversible. Be on the right side of the history #SY11

@UN The change in #Syria is irreversible. Be on the right side of the history #SY11 @Number10gov The change in #Syria is irreversible. Be on the right side of the history #SY11

@ENERGY #US oil companies should not be doing business with the brutal Syrian regime #Syria #SY11 @JTskynews Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11

@CNN Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11
@SkyNewsBreak Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11

@arwaCNN Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11
@HalaGorani Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11

@JomanaCNN Thank you for going into #Syria Please speak to anti regime protestors to expose #AssadCrimes #SY11 @BarakObama 3 Million protesters in #Syria on 6-24 If people know they wont B shot, this number would’ve been 20Million #SY11 via @Hawanyaty

@USEmbassySyria Did you guys find out about #AssadCrimes or R U still honeymooning? U must say #AssadMustGo #Syria #SY11 @adctweets: how r those civil rights workin’ for ya? Silence equals acceptance shame on u 4 accepting genocide in #Syria. Speak up v @RafifJ

@latimes @nprnews #syrianrefugees on the borders need @UN attention & help 2 stop killing so they go back home youtu.be/Wd21-HJ9Dqg #SY11
@AC360 Whats happening in #Syria isnt “political dispute” Its mass murder being carried out by anti-democratic despot. #SY11 via @Nora0315

@Kenroth Children R being killed. Tell Bashar to leave. 10000+ refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, & Jordan RT #assadcrimes RT #sy11 via @hawanyaty
@barackobama Genocide is not “Civil war”. Its genocide… #Syria #SY11 #Assadcrimes via @SyrTimes

@BarackObama 2 children killed by the Syrian reformer http://youtu.be/tsQulHaB_yY & http://youtu.be/8tRUkN-NpYw #AssadMustGo #Syria #SY11
@Number10Gov 2 children killed by the Syrian reformer http://youtu.be/tsQulHaB_yY & http://youtu.be/8tRUkN-NpYw #AssadMustGo #Syria #SY11

@MSF_USA Syrian butcher should be stripped of his medical degree and certifications. #Syria #SY11
@Neilcbc Thank you for article about #Syria http://t.co/lwDSNRn #SY11

@BarackObama Sanctions agnst Saddam didnt protect Iraqis Do u think doing the same will prevent Assad from killing his people? #Syria #SY11 @Number1oGov As long as #syria ‘n FM decided to deny the existence of Europe, why don’t you kick Syrian ambassadors out of Europe? #SY11

@EU_Commission As long as #syria ‘n FM decided to deny the existence of Europe, why don’t you kick Syrian ambassadors out of Europe? #SY11 @StateDept Sanctions against Saddam didnt protect Iraqis Do u think doing the same will prevent Assad from killing his people? #Syria #sy11

@GlobalFundWomen Protect women in #Syria from being raped and children from being killed. Speak about #AssadCrimes #SY11
@MSF_USA diseases are spreading amongst the Syrian refugee camps. They need urgent help. #Syria #SY11

Now the link of Mannoush where he/she was re-tweeting this list has disappeared (this was the link I gave after Usama asked for it). But it is easy by browsing the internet to find other such links to the “Syria trend messages”. Such as this one:
http://twitter.com/#!/MayorKhairullah/status/80132827491991552
(please make a screen copy, it will certainly be erased soon)
http://twitter.com/#!/KetyDC/status/83126013483171840

An archive here
http://topsy.com/twitter/mayorkhairullah
where “syria trend list” available for May 5th exist (or existed, since it shows up on the google result page)

Here is the Google doc for June 10th, about Jisr al Shughur
Short and improved #Syria trend message Please help spreading out the message. Send RT to your friends.
Short and improved #Syria trend message http://t.co/ECDuUar Please help spreading out the message. Send RT to your friends.
10.06.2011, 09:48 · docs.google.com
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y914qm607Hd8NEZHVqC9xJNdYgsabcfeBmrbmwU4yJQ/edit?authkey=CJnS__AE&hl=en_US&pli=1

And this one for June 4th
http://tinyurl.com/3cx83c8

There is nothing private or secret here. It is available to anyone, but is indeed a “spam campaign” because you don’t have to give your identity or to be Syrian to participate, you see what I mean?

“Death threat” is another big word that these guys are specialized in using. This is all about lobbying. It is a job for professionals obviously. Now the person on FB who stupidly made such death threat will certainly visit the visit of the police soon. Aboali and Vlad will have to be mild in the coming days because you never know, for their own safety maybe they will be prosecuted for cursing each other in Aleppo slang!
To accuse SC of threats because he said “the guy is finished” show a very little understanding of English, no?

Democrats sweep election in Prospect Park

People generally will object to abuse, torture, and killing of others. People like peace, and understand that we must protect each other to protect ourselves. Most times when these small and large abuses occur, people justify them by labeling the victims with inappropriate names.

“Cavemen” are to be feared as uncivil. It’s not our priority to protect them.

“Snakes” are dangerous. Let’s kill them.

“Bastards” either did something wrong, or should have never been born. People won’t cry when something bad happens to them.

“Rats” and “germs” are to be eradicated. We’d be stupid to care about protecting them.

Let’s all be civil in our discussions.

My longer comment is awaiting moderation, but just to say, nothing “secret” here. Just that journalists don’t do their job anymore:
http://twitter.com/#!/MayorKhairullah/status/80132827491991552

What is the difference between spam campaign and lobbying at this stage? I would really like to know.

As a Syrian who participated in the demonstrations against the regime in Damascus suburbs,i have two conflicting takes on this conference on one hand i am afraid that this dialogue will lead to long boring Lebanese opposition style tit for tat declarations,splits,,etc and the revolution might lose it’s momentum ,
On the other hand i am truly happy that the populous focus shifted from the idiot, reactionary and racist 3a3our ,to a more systematic intelligent people like Sara and kilo,who have bullet points formatted solutions.

As Mark Twain is supposed to have said – ‘History never repeats itself, but it rhymes’.

“Earlier, in the summer and autumn of 1979, as the Muslim Brethren’s defiance of the regime produced an atmosphere of defiance and emboldened the secular opposition to rear its head, Asad, deeming it advisable to feel out the country’s bent of mind, met with workers, merchants, peasants, teachers, and the literary figures and encouraged them to vent their views freely. Some, wearing their hearts upon their sleeves, obliged him.”

“In the view of his opponents, Asad, by allowing various elements to let off steam in this manner, not only sought to feel the pulse of the people but was also playing for time and trying to draw at least some of his clandestine enemies into the open.”(Batatu 1999: 271)

If this conference is just a cynical ruse from the Asad family play book, the Syrian government’s next moves will be as follows:

1.A cabinet reshuffle, the new government tasked with ‘cracking down’ on corruption, and the most blatant acts of bastardry.

2. Some cosmetic ‘reforms’ that do not actually threaten Asad power, and probably bring some more big Damascene families into the government.

3. An amping up of the current message that the unrest is Islamic terrorists, directed by the CIA and Zionists, from centers just over the border.

4. Once the ‘reforms’ have been made, opposition identities will be re-imprisoned, and there will be a super violent crackdown to show the people once and for all who is in charge.

Will it be as successful this time?

Dr. Aref Dalila is being interviewed live on BBC Arabic right now. He said he supports the conference, but did not attened because it was “by invitation only” and not an open conference. A “philosophical” disagreement, that’s all!

Elias Khoury…

مثلث الحرية

الياس خوري
تخيلوا معي مثلثا للحرية في العالم العربي يضم تونس ومصر وسورية، وتخيلوا الأثر الذي سيتركه هذا المثلث على مجمل الوضع العربي. يبدو هذا المثلث اليوم افتراضيا. تونس ومصر في مخاض ديموقراطي صعب وطويل، وسورية لا تزال تبحث عن وسيلة تزيح فيها عنها كابوس الاستبداد.
وحين نقول مثلثا فاننا في الحقيقة نتحدث عن العالم العربي بمشرقه ومغربه. اكثر من ذلك فنحن نتحدث عن المركز الذي يحيط بالمشكلة العربية الكبرى، اي مشكلة فلسطين. وعندما تنضم سورية الى هذا المثلث فسيأتي معها لبنان وفلسطين، اي تكون قضية الحرية قد تشكلت في العصب العربي الحي.
حتى الآن تبدو الأمور ملتبسة، والتباسها ناجم عن شعور الممالك العربية، وخصوصا في الجزيرة العربية بالراحة النسبية بعد عملية البحرين، التي قادت الى قمع احتمالات الحرية في منطقة الخليج. لكن هذا الشعور بالراحة او الأمان هو مجرد وهم مؤقت. ففي اللحظة التي سيتبلور فيها مشروع الحرية وتتشكل ملامحه، فان كل الخريطة العربية ستنقلب رأسا على عقب. وهذا يفسر الموقفين الاسرائيلي والامريكي من الثورات العربية. الاسرائيليون كانوا وسيبقون ضدها، والامريكيون يلهثون خلفها في محاولة لاحتوائها.
يستطيع هذا المثلث احداث انقلاب جذري في الصورة التي هيمنت على العالم العربي ابتداء من الهزيمة الحزيرانية المشؤومة، حيث تشكلت الحقبة السعودية وتحولت مملكة النفط والعتمة الى قائدة العالم العربي نحو الانحطاط.
الصورة سوف تنقلب على مستويات ثلاثة:
المستوى الأول هو المستوى الثقافي. ثقافة النفط التي اجتاحت بلاد العرب كي تقدم بديلا مُهجّنا عن ثقافة النهضة والحداثة التي تأسست في المركزين المصري واللبناني- السوري، سوف تفقد قدرتها على التأثير. ففي زمن الانحطاط الساداتي – المباركي انهار الانتاج السينمائي المصري، وماتت الصحافة المصرية، ولولا بعض دور النشر المستقلة، ونتاجات مجموعة من المثقفين الديموقراطيين، لأمكن القول ان صناعة الكتاب المصرية تلاشت. كما ان نكبة بيروت بالاحتلال الاسرائيلي، ثم مع الهيمنة المديدة للنظام الأمني السوري على لبنان، حطمت الدور الثقافي لبيروت وهشمته.
حين نتحدث عن الثقافة فنحن نتحدث ايضاً عن مجموعة من القيم التي انهارت في المراكز لتحل في مكانها قيم منغلقة آتية مع سيل المهاجرين العرب العائدين من مدن الملح، التي قدمت لهم فرص النجاة من الأزمة الاقتصادية الخانقة التي صنعتها المافيات العائلية التي هيمنت على مصر وبلاد الشام.
عودة الروح من خلال مثلث الحرية المفترض، سوف يعلن ولادة جديدة للثقافة، واستئنافاً للنهضة، وغلبة النموذج المديني، ما يعني ان اربعة عقود من هيمنة ثقافة النفط وقيمها على الاعلام والنشر والانتاج الفني سوف تنتهي لمصلحة ثقافة اخرى رأينا بعض ملامحها الجديدة في ميدان التحرير.
المستوى الثاني هو المستوى السياسي، فتستعيد السياسة معناها النبيل في وصفها خدمة عامة، وتكليفا من المواطنين.
في الدولتين الانقلابية والريعية تلعب الدولة دور المحسن الى رعاياها. مبدأ الحق استبدل بما يمكن مقارنته بالعطايا. الدولة تعطي لأنها لا تملك الوطن فقط بل تملك رعاياه. هذه الزبائنية المطلقة حطمت معنى العلاقة بين السلطة والشعب، واعطت السيادة المطلقة للسلطة. كما ان مبدأ العطايا تحوّل الى واقع في العلاقات ما بين الدول العربية نفسها، فصار الارتهان للنفط سواء أكان سعودياً ام عراقياً في مرحلة سابقة، ام ايرانياً احد ثوابت السياسة العربية في زمن الهزيمة.
المستوى الثالث هو المستوى الاستراتيجي، حيث ستجد دول مثلث الحرية نفسها مضطرة الى بلورة رؤية استراتيجية جديدة لمعنى الأمن القومي العربي في مستوياته المختلفة. كما ستعيد مسألة تحرير الأراضي المحتلة الى الخريطة السياسية في وصفها اولوية مطلقة.
فكرة مثلث الحرية لن تتحول الى حقيقة الا اذا استطاعت انتفاضة الشعب السوري ان تنتصر على الاستبداد. المصير العربي بأسره معلّق على قدرة السوريات والسوريين على اعلان انتصار الشجاعة على القمع. من دون سورية لا امكانية لاحداث هذا التحول الجذري في المشهد العربي، الذي يعلن نهاية مرحلة الاستبداد والذل والافقار، التي افقدت العالم العربي موقعه على الخريطة.
لا امكانية لبناء استراتيجية عربية جديدة تنهي زمن الهيمنة النفطية ومرحلة الاستسلام السلبي الجامد امام الغطرسة الصهيونية الا عبر تشكل مثلث الحرية الذي تعلنه الثورات العربية.
من ناحية اخرى، يجب ان نعي ونحن نحلم او نتخيل احتمالات ولادة مثلث الحرية ثلاث حقائق:
الحقيقة الأولى هي ان الثورة مسار تغييري وليست انقلابا عسكرياً. اي ان آفاق الثورة تتبلور من خلال الصراع وبناء التوازنات الاجتماعية التي تعكس موازين القوى بين الفئات والطبقات الاجتماعية وتعمل على تغييرها. نحن امام مسار طويل ومعقد، ونتائجه مرهونة بقدرة القوى الديموقراطية على التأثير فيه. وهذه القدرة هي محصلة للنضال في ساحات الثورة نفسها. لذا لم يعد مسموحا للنخب المعارضة ان تتصرف في وصفها الوجه الآخر للنظام، ففاعليتها نابعة من قدرتها على المشاركة في الثورة نفسها، لأن العملية الثورية تؤسس لشرعية جديدة.
الحقيقة الثانية هي اننا لم نعد ولا نريد ان نكون في المرحلة القومية التي سادت اربعة عقود. لذا فنحن لا نتحدث عن ثورة عربية بل عن ثورات عربية. اي نولي تفاصيل بناء الدولة الوطنية الديموقراطية الأولوية. لكننا نعي من جهة ثانية ان هناك مصالح عربية مشتركة، وفي مقدمتها مسألة اعادة بناء الأمن القومي في العالم العربي. قضية الاحتلال الاسرائيلي، وحجم الخطر الأمني الذي تشكله اسرائيل هما اولوية يجب عدم التغاضي عنها، والا فان مصير التجربة الديموقراطية معرض للخطر.
الحقيقة الثالثة هي ضرورة بناء افق ثقافي عربي جديد، يعيد الاعتبار للعمل الفكري الحر والمبدع. لأن احدى اكبر علامات انحطاط دولة الاستبداد تجلت في القمع الذي دكّ بالمثقفين في السجون واستباح دمهم. ان الثقافة العربية هي الافق الذي يسمح بتفاعل التجارب الوطنية المختلفة، ويبني اساس الانتقال بالعالم العربي الى زمن الحرية.
ان مهمة بناء مثلث الحرية هي مهمة جميع العرب، وبهذا المعنى تحتل الثورة السورية موقعها المركزي، ويكون مصير افق الحرية معلقا على انتصارها.

http://www.alquds.co.uk/scripts/print.asp?fname=data%5C2011%5C06%5C06-27%5C27qpt998.htm

OFF THE WALL said:
“After the attempted assassination of a congresswoman from Tucson, Arizona, law enforcement authorities in the US take death threats to elected officials very seriously and treat such as terrorism. If it is proven that one instigated any type of threat, or collaborated with those who did, one could be liable. ”

Nonsense. The shooting was taken seriously because the Congressman was a JEW. The other victims of the shooting (one of whom was a very prominent Catholic federal judge, not to mention a young child) were barely noted by the media. It was all about ‘jew suffering’ which is the suffering that really counts as we know, little about the others who DIED. The media and ADL immediately jumped all over story as a way to exploit the antisemitic persecution possibilities to gain advantage. When it was found that the SHOOTER WAS ALSO JEWISH and a member of the Congressman’s own small Tuscon synagogue (Congresswoman had recently mysteriously subscribed to the shooter’s youtube channel), suddenly A## Foxman slid out of sight, cameras disappeared and the incident was backpage news. Of course rather than be labeled a domestic terrorist like anyone else would have been, the jewish shooter had his religious affiliation covered up and was given sympathy for being ‘disturbed’!? If he’d have been Muslim? OMG!
Or Xtian, he’d be in the slammer accused of being a militia member. (which they tried until his web postings revealed him to be a jewish anarchist) Then poof! Story gone… Give us a break.

873
Have a break

NAJI
Thanks for posting Elias Khoury’s article. I have my own view of yesterday’s conference, which is a mix of reservations and support, but there is a very important side effect of the conference. Your vocal presence here and Jad’s upbeat attitude, are but reflection of that positive side effect.

#140 OTW,
Where’s the like button on this blog! ; )

JAD,

That was me discussing US default w/ Ehsani (he pooh-poohed the idea as conspiracy theory or something). Yesterday Soros announced that the US would likely default and the Fed said they’d buy a few billion more treasuries (because no one else would).

We are in deep, deep trouble here. Nuke ICBM silos and plutonium pools are flooding underwater and leaching serious rads onto the best cropland in the world for tens of thousands of sq miles. Interesting that a few hundred thousand ‘underwater body bags’ were ordered by the govt back in OCT 2010 already, and now the govt who created this mess is offering to buy the flooded land from farmers for almost nothing. HAARP is a prime suspect. The New Atlantis was scheduled for implosion once its role in bringing in the NWO was over, so US seems scheduled for liquefaction.

Have been wondering for a couple months now about HAARP being used against Turkey. The numbers have been NONSTOP. Is that how they got Turkey to consent for NATO bases to be used for possible Syria attack and for all Erdogan’s sudden compliance? Erdogan’s policy turn around in recent weeks has been quite baffling, but if he is up against thatthreat? Well it makes more sense.
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/index.php?view=2
Its been like this for weeks and weeks- and worse. Recall Jerusalem Post said back in Jan “a huge quake could hit Israel area this year”.

Sample verdicts on Sameeramis meeting

DAMASCUS, last night
Ir7al Ir7al Ya Bashar

مظاهرات مسائية حاشدة في حي برزة تندد بمؤتمر الحوار وتطالب بإسقاط النظام
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqyLJjTkjEU&feature=player_embedded#at=16

7AMA , last night
Ya Bashar Manak Minna
Khod Maher Wir7al 3anna
Hai Shar3eeetak Sa2tet 3anna
Yallah Ir7al Ya Bashar

حماة الاعتصام المسائي الحاشد في ساحة العاصي ردا على مؤتمر الحوار
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6wwsbNxVBw&feature=player_embedded

HOMS, AlWa2r, Last night
Jarthoomeh ….

حمص مظاهرة مسائية في حي الوعر ردا على مؤتمر الحوار وتطالب بإسقاط النظام

A light break
B Asad Speach IV!

Report: Turkey tells West it might launch offensive against Syria
Todays Zaman Jun 27, 2011

Are they insane??? (comes from al Seyassah but why would ZAMAN give it credence by reprinting it?)

Of interest:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JG25Ak03.html

Turkey lira suffering like the SP? What about the booming economy of Turkey?

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkish-currency-takes-a-hit-from-investor-caution-2011-06-27

“Europe’s troubled single currency has gained more than 12 percent against the lira since the start of the year, while the dollar’s gain against the Turkish currency in the same period has been 5.6 percent. Since June 9, the U.S. dollar has appreciated 4.5 percent against the lira.”

#134

It is you and you ilk who is not civil in your discourse.

Naive – Don’t pay attention to him, he’s not as sharp as me.
Hateful – He just hates without reason, you have to stop him from becoming dangerous.
Dangerous – Must be dealt with immediately, kill him now to stop this danger.
Terrorist – TAKE THIS MAN AWAY AND EXECUTE HIM (note: I have called armed people shooting army and civilians terrorists, not people here, who are terror-enablers, not terrorists)

You came SO CLOSE to issuing a death threat to me, Amnesia. This is the extent of your flawed logic and you will not get by me with it at all. No one is going to feel sorry for the propagandist bastard. I am SICK to death of your smarmy tone and 24/7 lies. People have every right to be angry about bastard snakes like Tom MacMaster.

OTW has leveled such a heavy accusation against me and you stand by idly calling me naive. Just listen to his smarmy comment:

“For Syrian Commando to describe others as terrorist is the highest form of cynical hypocrisy.”

Translation: SC is a terrorist.

Wow, I can have him in court within a month over this accusation! So, what do you have to say Amensia? Who is the naive one?

#145

I’ve warned people for quite a while on this one. Turkey knows now that if it attacks, it will have Iran on its ass, but it will go through with it anyway because they have their orders. Zio-Erdogan will carry them out. It has nothing to do with “HAARP” or other conspiracy theories. The floods in the US is due to the heavy snowfall because of the settling ice age (you read that right, we’re heading towards a solar minimum).

#146

Also like I said, Turkey is not really a booming economy but booming inflation. The prices of basic necessities in Istanbul are an absolute JOKE!

Revlon# 144

Really funny.

لا رءاسة بعد الموت

Syria Allows Opposition to Meet in Damascus
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/world/middleeast/28syria.html?_r=1&hpw

Some diplomats have looked to Monday’s meeting as offering at least the potential for a more unified opposition that could deal with the government.

“Every step that helps bring together an opposition is a positive step,” said Burhan Ghalioun, a Syrian scholar and director of the Center for Contemporary Oriental Studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. “We need a unified opposition that can be engaged in a political battle with the regime to force it to transfer the country into a democratic civil state.

Aboali @55

It’s a wonderful time , I never thought we will see this day where opposition figures gather publicly without being arrested , we know also they have the bless of the government I think yes it’s a historic day
A good spirit was already born yesterday I see people more hopeful for a better future of Syria

Back to your questions Aboali

‘1- Is your support and passion for Bashar himself, or the whole regime? is it a complete package, or can it be split up? Can we get rid of some key elements of this regime(including members of the Assads like Maher and the inner circle), and keep Bashar? or is that out of the question for you?’

I support Bashar and the package can be split

‘2- Would you accept that Bashar stands down and hands power if he were defeated in elections, or is your mantra that he must continue to rule Syria as a defacto constitutional monarch?’

I will vote for him but if he looses off course I would accept unless the winner is an Islamis fundamentalists then I will emigrate permanently with all my family from Syria

‘3- Do you accept that the protests and protesters were a catalyst in the current drive for reforms, national dialog and the awakening of Syrians from all ends of the spectrum, and that this regime left to it’s own devices would not have undertaken them on it’s own, were it not for the pressure they exerted?’

yes I accept ,no regime oe government or company or employee will ever reform without a pressure but not pressure under the gun ,if Bashar didn’t want to reform you would have seen another qazafi

‘4- Do you accept that the unaccountability, lawlessness and abuse of the Mukhabarat and the Baath were instrumental in the destruction of the Syrian state and it’s institutions, the prevalence of corruption in official circles, and the stifling of free speech and political activity which were all the precipitating factors leading to the eruption of the protests? And if so, do you think they are vital to the cohesion of Syria as a country, or should they be transformed in such away that they are no longer able to abuse their power? How would you go about ensuring their accountability in future?’

my answer , yes I agree with you , they should be given a Choice to either join the police force after proper intensive and high quality training or just go on redundancy

I also agree that the danger of the internal and external enemies justified in many cases the oppression, so its important as the president said to immune our selves against the conspiracies (germs) Mukhabarat is very important but if it takes its normal role of protecting the national security

Thank you, and God bless Syria and all Syrians.

>Mukhabarat is very important but if it takes its normal role of protecting the national security

It’s important … but look how much it failed.

Look how many terrorist cells formed in Syria the last 5 years.

Look how easily they got arms beyond the border.

The moukhabarat failed us in an epic fashion and has to be dismantled and rebuilt — as an intelligence agency, not a paramilitary force of thugs.

Another reason why NWO needs the Color Revolutions in the ME. “Bad Bad Bashar” takes the heat off how outrageously the international banksters have swindled the people in the western ‘democracies’. 20 billion USD spent last year on air conditioning alone for the troops in Iraq…

Trillions down the toilet just to kill people. Incredible.

Well, looks like Greece is goin’ down and hanging its banksters from lamp posts! Funny, NOT ONE CLIP on the MSM whore media about THAT revolution. Guess its not kosher enough. LOLOL

http://www.usdebtclock.org/world-debt-clock.html

Tara,

لا “رئاسة” مو “رءاسة”.
Sorry, I had to. ; )

Didn’t you hear 873? It’s the Arab spring, not the Icelandic/Greek/Spanish/Portuguese spring.

Because the western world is perfect and infallible, lol.

#86 Mick and #106 Commando. Thank you for answering. Mick I’m a little confused, are you an American-Syrian, or just an American? Have you lived in Syria previously?
I must say I was pleasantly surprised that I have very similar views to Commando, even though we think we stand on opposite sides of the divide, and the animosity is quite palpable. This gives me great hope though, perhaps if all Syrians stopped their shouting matches and name calling and sat down for some calm balanced dialogue, we’d discover that we don’t actually disagree on anything very major at all.

As for your question about conspiracies, I think conspiracy is too harsh a word to use. There is certainly factors of national interest for world powers at play yes. No body honestly believes that the west suddenly had a change of heart and started giving a damn about Arab people’s democracy and human rights. They’re just riding the wave looking for a slice of the pie after the dust settles in the region. Having said that, the opposition is being pragmatic, going along with the old saying that my “enemy’s enemy is my fried” but we’ll see how long that lasts.

By the way, Mayor Khairullah is the grandson of a very loved and respected cleric in Aleppo. Most people I’ve spoken to about him(the cleric) had only praise for the guy. I gathered he wasn’t an extremist or a sectarian either, but definitely an anti-regime figure. As far as I know, his grandson tries to live up to his name, he is a politician so he has been leading campaigns against the regime on Twitter. I’m well aware of those, and some of the people helping him are Armenian or Christian, for example @SyrianArmenian, so his message isn’t sectarian at all.
And no, death threats are not the civilized way to express your opinions, no matter how much you disagree with or hate your protagonist.

Nice video Revlon 🙂

“We can forget Africa, but we can’t forget Europe.”

“If we forget Europe, Messi will end up homeless. Where is he supposed to play, in American clubs? He only plays for European clubs”

“Our economy is good, but it’s on the verge of collapse”

“I promise every refugee that comes back an honorable funeral, and that we won’t bury them in mass graves.”

“We are going to form a committee to figure out just how many committees we have.
Pure gold 🙂

USD 1.0 = SYP 214.0: calculated based on published foreign reserves of Central Bank of Syria of USD 5.0 Billion, instead of the 18.0 Billion figure claimed by the government.

Current exchange is reported to be USD 1.0 = SYP 64.0

The Syrian Revolution 2011 الثورة السورية ضد بشار الاسد
هـام — بالوثائق؛ اليوم، كل (1) دولار أمريكي يعادل 214 ليرة سورية
======================================

إن قيام الثورة السورية أدى لانعدام الاستقرار السياسي والاقتصادي في سوريا وما قام به النظام من مواجهة المتظاهرين بالقوة والأمن والشبيحة أضعف مكانته الدولية والعالمية بشكل كبير ومما فاقم الأزمة بشكل أكبر هو توريط الجيش في قمع الاحتجاج…ات، ثم آلاف اللاجئين والنازحين الهاربين لتركيا ولبنان كل هذه العوامل أدت لسحب سيطرة الدولة وقوتها على العملة السورية أما بالنسبة لما يحوي البنك المركزي السوري من احتياطي عملات أجنبية فالمعلومات متضاربة، فكما يظهر على موقع مصرف سوريا المركزي على الانترنت يوجد حوالي 5 مليارات دولار فقط من القطع الأجنبي كاحتياطي أجنبي (الصفحة رقم 11 من التقرير الذي يغطي حتى شهر شباط عام 2011)، بينما يؤكد وزير المالية الجديد على أن الاحتياطيات من القطع الأجنبي تبلغ 18 مليار دولار، وهذا الكلام الإعلاني الدعائي لا يقنع أحداً ويتناقض مع ما ينشره المصرف المركزي، وأخيراً لو أخذنا العوامل الأخرى مثل قوى العرض والطلب على الليرة السورية فأنها ضعيفة (إيران حاولت المساعدة بأن تقوم ببيع نفطها بالليرة السورية) كما أن الميزان التجاري السوري يعاني من العجز وأحدث إحصائية لدينا هي ما تحدث عنه المكتب المركزي للإحصاء عن أن العجز في ميزان سوريا التجاري عام 2009 يزيد عن 225 مليار ليرة سورية بينما لا يوجد إحصاءات رسمية عن العجز في أعوام 2010 و 2011
وهكذا فلو أردنا اليوم تحديد قيمة الليرة السورية فلن نجد أمامنا سوى احتياطيات البنك المركزي من العملات الأجنبية، وللوصول لرقم يمثل قيمة الليرة السورية فإننا نجد أن الكتلة النقدية في سوريا تبلغ 1071.4 مليار ليرة سورية (حسب تقرير البنك المركزي لشهر شباط 2011) وبالتالي لو أردنا أن نكون متفائلين جداً ونضحك على أنفسنا واعتمدنا على كلام السيد الوزير بأن الاحتياطي الأجنبي الموجود في سوريا هو 18 مليار دولار فينتج لدينا أن كل دولار يعادل 60 ليرة سورية، ولكن كلام الوزير حول احتياطي النقد الأجنبي في سوريا غير صحيح فهو يحاول فقط تهدئة الناس وإظهار الاقتصاد السوري بأنه قوي وأن العملة السورية قوية بما فيه الكفاية، وبالتالي بالعودة للمنطق ولمنشورات مصرف سوريا المركزي والتي تقول بأن الاحتياطي الأجنبي هو 5 مليارات دولار لشهر شباط 2011

——————————————————————
– فإننا نجد أن القيمة الحقيقية لكل دولار أمريكي يعادل 214 ليرة سورية
——————————————————————

المصيبة في سوريا اليوم أن الدولار الأمريكي يعادل 47.5 ليرة سورية حسب آخر نشرة سعر صرف للبنك المركزي، ولكن هذا السعر نظري فقط ولا يتم التبادل عليه فلو أردت شراء دولار من أي بنك أو شركة صرافة لوجدت أن عملية شراء الدولار ممنوعة بشكل فعلي وذلك نظراً للقوانين التي تم إصدارها مؤخراً والتي منعت بيع الدولار بينما يباع عن طريق السوق السوداء بسعر لا يقل عن 64 ليرة سورية.

إن الحكومة السورية راهنت في حل مشكلتها مع الثورة السورية على مبدأ القوة وهي تعتقد حتى اللحظة أن استخدام القوة والعنف والقتل والاعتقال سيكون الرادع للشباب لمنعهم من الخروج في المظاهرات وبالتالي تهدئة الأوضاع حتى أننا نرى أن خطاب الرئيس الثالث قد خلا من أي مؤشرات تدل على فهم أو تهدئة للشباب الثائر بل كرر نفس النغمة أن هناك مؤامرة ومسلحين وما إلى ذلك فالنظام يرفض الاعتراف بوجود مشكلة، وكذلك الأمر بالنسبة لليرة السورية فإن النظام يرفض الاعتراف بوجود مشكلة فلو أن الحكومة لم تمنع بيع الدولار لكانت اليوم الدولار يباع بين 60 و 65 ليرة سورية، ولكن الحكومة مصرة على العمل بمبدأ القوة والمنع في شراء الدولار وتحويل الليرة إلى عملات أخرى.

إن ما يقوم به النظام السوري اليوم ليس إلا لعبة قذرة الهدف منها إثقال كاهل الشعب بخسائر العملة السورية ولازال حتى اللحظة يرفض الاعتراف بهبوطها وذلك لعدة أسباب منها أن هبوط الليرة السورية يكشف ضعف الاقتصاد السوري وبالتالي ضعف الحكومة السورية وأيضاً حتى يتسنى لأزلام النظام بيع أملاكهم وتحويل ممتلكاتهم للخارج بالأسعار الرائجة بدلاً من أن يخسروا في عمليات البيع والتحويل، والمشكلة الأكبر أن أبواق السلطة تسارع في الحديث عن قوة الاقتصاد وضرورة دعم العملة السورية وقاموا بطرح مبادرات للإيداع في البنوك والامتناع عن تبديل الليرة، والمشكلة أن الكثير من الشباب حتى المتظاهرين منهم قد استجابوا لهذه الدعوة ومازالوا متمسكين بمقولة أن الليرة السورية هي رمز للوطن وحمايتها واجب وطني، وهنا أسأل هؤلاء أليس الرئيس أيضاً رمز للوطن فلماذا تثورون على رئيسكم بينما تصرون على الحفاظ على الليرة، وهنا أحب أن أؤكد بأن سقوط الليرة السورية هو موضوع وقت ليس إلا… وبغض النظر أن قام هؤلاء المخدوعين بدعم الليرة السورية أو لا فإن السقوط والهبوط قائم خاصة مع تزايد وتيرة الاحتجاجات وقلة موارد النظام، وبالتالي سيكون هؤلاء الناس الواهمين هم الخاسر الوحيد بعملية السقوط التي ستصيب الليرة السورية عاجلاً أم آجلاً، بينما التجار والأغنياء وأزلام النظام قد استبدلوا ليراتهم بعملات أخرى وحولوها خارج سوريا

Yazan,

Thx. I did not have a patience to find the appropriate letter on the keyboard. Was rushing.

>sat down for some calm balanced dialogue, we’d discover that we don’t actually disagree on anything very major at all.

Amongst genuine Syrians, there’s only disagreement about the means not the ends*. We all want the best for Syria, I’m just very cautious and aware of western plots in the past. I know exactly how they work and the bloody trail they leave where ever their hand moves.

>And no, death threats are not the civilized way to express your opinions, no matter how much you disagree with or hate your protagonist.

I agree, but wouldn’t you say he’s being a drama queen by posting complains to Anderson Cooper/NBC over a “death threat” by a woman called “Jewel Farah” on FB. Come on. I’ve received 10 death just last week for my FB activity from the “opposition” and they managed to get FB to “temporarily deactivate” my account asking me for identification. Like hell I’m giving them any!

* Barring Whabbists and other fundamentalist idiots who have no future in Syria.

What could be a useful and efficient opposition in Syria now ?

1) The opposition must make a clear assessment of the actual situation :
Unrest : from demonstration by peaceful local protesters to insurrection by foreign armed
Economy : the tourist industry is in complete disarray due to the unrest
Unemployment : the birthrate is to high , the mentality is backward

2) The opposition must make constructive , precise demands which are achievable in a short time :

Accept the new legislation on the political party and media
Don’t call to carry on with unlicensed protests
Don’t call for the state security forces to leave the towns and let them open to the armed gangs
Don’t call to dismantle the Baath party , the army or any institution , to topple the president , for foreign intervention
Constitute ONE new party under the new rules or take over ONE party already authorized under the NPR
Open new journal under the supervision of the new party

Don’t provoke !!!
Be responsible
PS) On this blog , please let us concentrate on Syria only , forget a ambiguous word in one comment and try to bridge the differences.

Revlococcos
When your boys in the street say:يابشار مانك منا is that because he is not blessed to be blessed to be Sunni,and he was unfortunate to be infidel Alawi.
And when you attack his wife in your stupid speech is that what your دينك الاسلامي الحنيف teaches you التهكم علا أعراض الناس.or may be you are upset because she is not dressed in a black carbage bag uniform like your wife.

It looks clear to me that the opposition inside Syria want the same thing that the opposition outside Syria want and that is the chance for the Baath party to lose power and control and go into the opposition, The only difference i see is that the opposition inside Syria want that without the destruction and the mayhem for Syria while the opposition outside Syria do not care about that and believe that the end justifies the mean, what i wonder is weather it is justified to go the violence way if you can get the same goal the peaceful way, I don’t think so, then that is me!.

What the president and the Syrian government should do now is to do what the US did in Iraq, It moved on multiparty system and elections, and as in Iraq the rejectionists will refuse to participate but that did not decrease the legitimacy of the democratic process in Iraq and will not in Syria, they will figure out that to affect the direction of the country, they have to participate and that will come sooner or later.

Most government employees have not received their salaries; those who did received SYP500-650 less this months. When asked, they were told the subtracted amount was a “voluntary donation” to prop up the SYP!

The Syrian Revolution 2011 الثورة السورية ضد بشار الاسد
تنويه : وصلنا من عشرات الأشخاص و من أغلب المحافظات أنه يتم خصم مبلغ 500
إلى 650 ليرة من رواتب أغلب الموظفين الحكوميين الذين استلموا رواتبهم مع العلم أنه
لا زال الغالبية لم يستلموا الرواتب حتى الآن و من دون ابداء الأسباب … و قام أحد الأشخاص بالاستفسار من مديره فقال له هذه تبرعات ” عفوية ” لدعم الليرة !!!!!!
حرامية علناً … هاي هي الإصلاحات … ما بيكفيك المليارات اللي سرقتها يا بشار كمان
عم تلاحق الناس عراتبها اللي يالله يمشي العوائل لنص الشهر … لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله .
17 minutes ago

#162

I think as a trust building measure, the “Syrian revolution 2011” should stop lying. It is already discredited. Just report on real, verifiable news. No need to make shit up.

NORMAN,

I beg to differ. The US sElection in Iraq has no legitimacy whatsoever. Also, no patriotic Syrian will accept a party based on religion or sect.

#158 I agree about the drama queen thing, but then again that’s political campaigning American style. They tend to over focus on minutiae and stir up a controversy about very trivial things. I find American politics very nauseating myself due to those things.

SC,

The process should move forward, They just should not wait for approval from the opposition as i do not think that it is coming , I agree on no religious or ethnic parties .

ABOALI

لك انت هلك خبطة و لذقة صرت اجابي ؟ شو عبتشرب توت شامي ؟ بلا سوالاتك “الايجابية” : قلي بس لسا عبتهبر ضولاراة للبنان ؟

د. شعبان : سورية مستعدة للتحول باتجاه الديمقراطية

دمشق ..
أكدت د. بثينة شعبان المستشارة الاعلامية والسياسية للرئيس بشار الأسد إن الحكومة السورية مستعدة لقبول الاصلاحات والتحول باتجاه الديمقراطية.
وقالت د. شعبان في تصريح لشبكة سكاي نيوز اليوم الثلاثاء أنها “تريد التغيير” لأن البلد خلاف ذلك سيكون في خطر، والجميع الآن في المعارضة أو الحكومة، يدرك ذلك وحقيقة أنه ليس هناك من طريق آخر سوى الذهاب إلى الأمام”.
وشددت د. شعبان على ان “المسيرة نحو الديمقراطية أمراً جيداً للغاية بالنسبة لبلدنا وشعبنا، حيث ستتنافس الأحزاب السياسية والرجال والشباب والنساء على المشاركة في الحياة السياسية، ونحن نتطلع إلى حقبة مختلفة جداً من التاريخ السوري”.
وحول سقوط شهداء في صفوف المدنيين أكدت د. شعبان “ان هذا الامر يشكل مصدر قلق كبيراً بالنسبة لنا، ونحن ندين العنف ولكن يجب عليهم (المعارضة) أن يدينوا أيضاً قتل عناصر من قواتنا المسلحة والشرطة، والذين سقط منهم أكثر من 500 على يد المجموعات المسلحة”.
وقالت المستشارة الاعلامية والسياسية للرئيس “شخصياً”، اشعر أن هناك مجموعة منظمة هي على الأغلب من المتطرفين الدينيين الذين ينفذون عمليات الاغتيال والقتل، وعندما يكون لديك مناخ من العنف تقع اضرار جانبية، ولكننا نأمل أن نكون قادرين على عزل أي جماعة مسلحة أو عنيفة من خلال الاسراع في اجراء الحوار الوطني، والعمل سوياً مع المجتمع الدولي للتغلب على هذه المشكلة الكبيرة”.
واضافت د. شعبان “ليس لدينا أي مشكلة على الاطلاق مع المظاهرات السلمية”.

( شام برس – يو بي أي )

#163, You said:
“I think as a trust building measure, the “Syrian revolution 2011″ should stop lying.”

I say:
Can you build trust with a liar?
The revolution can not!

You said:
“

Dear OTW,
To keep the positive upbeat of yesterday conference which unfortunately didn’t get 1/100 attention of the world media, but regardless, here is another small small steps forward:

كشفت مديرية إدارة الكوارث والطوارئ التابعة لرئاسة الحكومة التركية أن عدد اللاجئين السوريين في المخيمات التركية يواصل انخفاضه, حيث بلغ 10757 شخصاً،وذلك اثر عودة أكثر من 400 إلى ديارهم.

واضافت المديرية, في بيان لها, نقلته وكالة انباء الاناضول التركية, إن “عدد اللاجئين تراجع من 11122 شخصاً يوم الاثنين إلى 10757 شخصاً”, مشيرا إلى أن “441 سورياً قدموا إلى تركيا في 27 و28 حزيران عادوا إلى بلادهم فيما وصل 76 آخرين إلى تركيا”.

ويأتي ذلك بعد أسبوع من خطاب ألقاه الرئيس بشار الأسد, دعا فيه المواطنين السوريين الذين لجأوا إلى تركيا للعودة إلى ديارهم.

ووصل أعداد العائدين من اللاجئين السوريين في تركيا في اليومين الماضيين إلى نحو 1500 شخص، بحسب إحصائيات اللجان الشعبية المتواجدة هناك.

ونزح في الأسابيع الأخيرة أكثر من 12 آلف مواطن سوري من جسر الشغور وقراها إلى تركيا، هربا من حوادث إطلاق نار وتواجد مجموعات من المسلحين، ليقوم الجيش بالتدخل، بناء على “استغاثة الأهالي”، لوضع حد للجماعات المسلحة.

وكانت المجموعات المسلحة في منطقة جسر الشغور قامت بالاعتداء على عناصر قوى الأمن والجيش ومثلت بجثثهم, كما قامت بترويع السكان وحرق الممتلكات العامة والخاصة, ماحدا بعدد كبير من المواطنين إلى النزوح إلى قرى الجالودية والملند ودركوش باتجاه مدينة حارم، إضافة لنزوح عدد من الأهالي إلى تركيا عبر قرية أورم الجوز.

وشهدت منطقة جسر الشغور مؤخرا أحداثا أمنية راح ضحيتها بحسب التقارير الرسمية 120 عنصر امن، أكثر من 80 شخص سقطوا في هجوم على مفرزة للأمن العسكري، الأمر الذي حدا بتوجه قطعات عسكرية إلى المنطقة لوضع حدا للتنظيمات المسلحة، وذلك” بناء على استغاثة الأهالي”، والتي تمكنت من احتواء الوضع هناك، بحسب التقارير.

Expect many statements of “disappointments” and accusations from Islamists at those who dared to meet in Damascus and ask for a secular peaceful change.intellectuals all across the Arab world will be used or have been used by political Islamists to help topple Arab regimes or isolate those regimes but as soon as there is a regime change the tone suddenly changes and the Islamists become less tolerant and insist that it is either their way or the highway. Events in Egypt are unfolding in front of our eyes and they must serve as an ominous warning to all anti regime seculars who had fantasies about reconciling their progressive vision with a stony exclusive philosophy that is Islamic on paper and “Talibanic” in reality.The tragedy in Syria and much of the Arab World is that citizens are being asked to choose between the regimes thugs or the Islamist thugs. Failing to support a third option will turn the Arab Spring into a long dry summer with no end insight.

لا حبيبي، شربت كازوزة حمرة ستيم ام الخمسة وبالكيس كمان!

الفكرة انو السب والشتم والتخوين والعياط والعنظزة ما بيجيب نتيجة،صعي يمكن تنفس شوي عن الغضب بس لمامابتكون عم تساهم بالحل معناتو انت جزء من المشكلة

بعدين الضولارات صارت عمتروح علخليج هلئ يا حبيبي!

شارك في حملة دعم الليـــرة السورية
http://youtu.be/w64GwPQqOUc

@166 Syrian Commando, you need to learn some patience. If the report on civil servants not getting their full salaries are not true, then that will become evident in the next few days. Such things can be easily proven or disproved. All I have to say on the issue right now is….thank God I work for myself 🙂

(and no I’m not a lady of the night before anyone asks)

ABOALI

“انو السب والشتم والتخوين والعياط والعنظز ”

مين بلش يا اخو شرموطة ؟

ولله بيعجبوني هل اكابر الحلبية

SC,

The Arab Springs are kosher and serve the Rothschild bankster cartel, but the Greeks are fighting to throw the Kosher Nostra out.
Best of luck. As for the AIPAC-American cartel: It is Israeli companies that are in charge of safety & security in many US nuke plants (like at Fukushima during their crises) and now we have major wildfire hitting Las Alamos nuke labs where they have ‘secured’ up to 30,000 55 gallon drums of spent plutonium ABOVE GROUND covered by
tents only! Between that and the stuxnet virus they have unleashed worldwide- not just in Japan- we’re truly toast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13941146

CNN report of the aftermath of Jr’s speach: Shabbee7a rampaged through the Dorms of the University of Damascus

#176

اكيد ما راح ارد عليك بالمثل لانو ما راح انزل لمستواك. وفر طاقتك ماراح تحسن تستفزني، وبالاخير كل واحد بيعمل باصلو

Some believe we should ban party if it has a religious name or ethninic name, this does not make sense,the people will continue to exist,may be under different name, like justice party,you would not be able to exclude those people, by banning name, it is like banning marihuana,or liquor,in USA ,it continues to exist, people continue to smoke Marihuana, but secretly, and continue to drink alcohol ,even that is banned,I believe it should be legal to have any party by any name,we will know those people, and really know how much they represent as far as percentage of the people.
can some one explain to me the reason and the logic,why islamic or christian party or Kurdish party,should be banned?

ABOALI

? ما راح انزل لمستواك

حبيبي شو بعرفك انت علا مستواكاتي ؟

ABOALI

يا عيني هل اكابر !!!

179. Revlon,

Where are the classrooms and dorms? The towns listed on the video itself say Homs, Kisweh, Jableh, Mayadeen etc not once does it say Damascus. What is the date of this tape? Is it even of Syria? C’mon now.

Off course the anti will howl

خالد العبود يعقب على اجتماع المعارضة بدمشق

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrOQoEQXb04&feature=related

actually the regime is helping the oppostion to build itself
another syrian paradox !

#176

I just think it’s counter-productive to take away money by force then call it “voluntary”, especially to civil servants, who are keeping the country together through this crisis. The last thing you want is to take away their money.

Also, I would expect to hear this from friends who are civil servants, not the Swedish Revolution for Syria 2011 first, who has cried wolf wayyyy too many times for me to take them seriously. I’m not saying I know for sure that it’s false, I just will wait until a more reputable source verifies or denies the claim before I even discuss it.

Really though, can we all finally just try and move forward? Can we drop the cynicism, the snide remarks? The weekly empty slogans and titles for protests? Can we acknowledge that there are terrorists on the street as well as thugs employed by the government to beat dissidents?

We don’t have to be unified in opinion, that’s fascist, but there’s basic facts that we can’t ignore or none of us will move forward and the whole country will burn down to the ground.

I’m feeling positive, even though I disagree with the politicking the internal opposition is doing by ignore the violent terrorist on the streets, I think there’s … a HUGE change in atmosphere. Syria is beginning to feel like Lebanon and I don’t mean that in a bad way. That said, if we don’t identify those who are out for chaos/destruction (most of them aren’t even Syrian! Look at tom macmaster and I identified several bangledishi salafists posing as Syrians on some forums), we will get mixed up in it all, and *GOD FORBID* we will end up like Lebanon — in every sense.

Majed
I agree with your analysis comparing religious parties to alcohol and marijuana.you seem to agree with Marx :الدين أفيون الشعوب

I wonder if the Greek revolution 2011 has started today .

ABOALI said, “This gives me great hope though, perhaps if all Syrians stopped their shouting matches and name calling and sat down for some calm balanced dialogue, we’d discover that we don’t actually disagree on anything very major at all.”

SC, you only quoted the second half, agreed with it, and persisted with name-calling. Did you wish to ignore the first half of the statement? Leave names out of your posts (all name-calling), and it’d be a pleasure to discuss issues with you.

My ilk? I don’t post here 24/7 as you stated, and I’ll say it again: You don’t know me. You don’t know who I am, and you don’t know my opinions. I have been very patient with you in this, our first exchange. At least you finally admitted that death threats are wrong.

How can you be so sure that it was a girl? Do you not know about these types of threats?

Libel? Please. What a waste of a first discussion between us.

“Calm, balanced dialogue”

You sometimes say good things SC. Let’s get back to it, in a civil manner of course.

ABOALI, thank you for the thoughtful comments.

Amnesia

To majedkhaldoun
After 3 months of fake and barbaric demonstrations by your terrorist partners I advice you to reduce your tune and to devote your efforts in managing your life………..It will be better for the readers of this blog

SC said, “We don’t have to be unified in opinion, that’s fascist, but there’s basic facts that we can’t ignore or none of us will move forward and the whole country will burn down to the ground.”

There are two things to be said about your last comments:

1) There are many unknowns because of how hard it is to get quality information from inside Syria at this time.

2) Different Syrians will decide on different priorities.

We all know that there are major problems. There is evidence of both weapons and vigilantes in Syria and evidence of government abuses and shootings. It’s not clear besides the Shabiha who the thugs are outside the government, and some in the opposition view the government as the bigger problem to tackle.

Regardless of this, we can still move forward and discuss courses of action. I am well aware of the dangers in Syria that you speak of.

Real Syrian ,majed is one of those who previously supported bashar and nasrollah ,are those who made the culture ,gastronomy ,architecture of aleppo,damascus ,hama and homs barbarians ? who is your idol not maher asad ?so for you and maher ,those who protest are barbarians and thus you believe that you,shaleesh,asad,makhlouf… represent civilization.So it’s all relative according your eyes ,the anti menhebak are barbarians and that shabiha culture is sophisticated.
syria is for its people ,and you would agree with me that this people will finish to destroy the statues of asad and ends one party system as you know the fate of this regime is tied to the existence of statues and one party system.

@186 “and *GOD FORBID* we will end up like Lebanon”

I think everyone here can agree that we don’t want to end up like Lebanon *shudder*

Some private sector employees get their salaries at around this time, but the civil servants get it on the first of the month. We’ll only know for sure then. I hope the report turns out to be inaccurate, the civil service should not be made to pay the price for these events. Instead, the government should PRINT WAY MORE MONEY!!!!! (kidding)

@190 And where exactly do you go and pray Friday prayers? The demonstrations are very real, just take a stroll out in the streets in any city on a Friday.

Real Syrian ,

Majid has the right to say what he wants,

Majid,

The problem is not religious people , the problem is that when a party has religious flavor then the platform of that party is the religion itself ,

religious parties are usually exclusive to their religion ,

to Shami
I do not like to go deep in discussion with radicals because it is useless to do…..But what do you name the destruction of public and private properties and killing of innocent people and policemen?????
What do you name the calling of outsiders to invade Syria?????
and the voices to destroy the Syrian currency?????
Anyway I feel that you(the radical Muslims in Syria) have lost a great opportunity to share in building the real reforms there…..
Your (revolution) has failed….May be in the next revolution after 100 years -if we are still alive- we can say Good Luck.

http://www.ali-ferzat.com/ar/comic/id/666.html

Syrian Commando

‘The moukhabarat failed us in an epic fashion and has to be dismantled and rebuilt — as an intelligence agency, not a paramilitary force of thugs.’

agree 100%

141. 873

good post.

believe the columbine,colorado murders were similar. 2 jewish youths murdered others. they would ask some of their victims, “if they believed in Jesus”. a “yes” answer would get one a bullet.

this was discussed in the local area but was removed from the national discussion.

no mention that they were jews. or their hatreds.

mainly black trench coats, gothic influences, and their “mental anguish” from jock teasings.

they would have been heroes and defenders against terrorism if they had been in the israeli terrorist force.

Norman
Thanks
I think everyone realizes that in Mosques,the Imam may speak politics,and in churches,the priest may speak politics,the people who attend the religious centers will learn and acquire passion to their religion,Mosques for example they teach salfi Islam while party will have tolerance for other religions,religion is main part of our life,as it is in the republican party in US,
it is a loosing battle banning party,and the churches and Mosques teach strong adherence to religion.
Banning MB in Syria since 1982,did not stop people to come out today and shout Allahu Akbar.

‘actually the regime is helping the opposition to build itself
another syrian paradox !’

No its not, the fact is ‘the regime’ wants an exit and dialogue , this call for some one to do dialogue with , the president is genuinely introducing reform and the opposition meeting is one solid proof, without a national rational opposition the country has only one option ,destruction

SC

I’ll start taking the regime’s statements/story seriously (there’s terrorists among the protesters), when they admit they’re beating/arresting and killing protesters. Check the latest from aunt Sha’ban

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134351

شعبان: لا وجود لعمليات قمع للمحتجين المطالبين بالتغيير.. والأمن يتصدى للجماعات المسلحة

جددت المستشارة السياسية والإعلامية في رئاسة الجمهورية بثينة شعبان نفي الحكومة السورية وجود عمليات قمع للمحتجين المطالبين بالتغيير السياسي، مبينة أن قوات الأمن السوري تصدت للجماعات المسلحة وليس المتظاهرين.

وقالت شعبان, في مقابلة خاصة مع شبكة الـ(سي إن إن) الإخبارية الأميركية, إنه “لا توجد عمليات قمع للمحتجين المطالبين بالتغيير السياسي في البلاد”، مضيفة “نحن لا نستهدف المتظاهرين، أعتقد أنهم يعبرون عن وجهة نظرهم، وليس لدينا مشكلة مع ذلك.”

وشددت شعبان على أن “العمليات الأمنية استهدفت، الجماعات المسلحة، وليس المتظاهرين السلميين”.

ويأتي تصريح شعبان، بعد يومين من تصريح نائب وزير الخارجية فيصل المقداد لشبكة “سي إن إن” الأميركية، بأن الأحداث التي تشهدها سورية سببها “مجموعات دينية متشددة ممولة” من الخارج، مضيفا أنه ليست هناك حملة من السلطة ضد المواطنين، بل هناك حملة من هذه المجموعات العسكرية ضد الحكومة والمدنيين.

وكان الرئيس بشار الأسد قال في خطاب، الأسبوع الماضي، إن ما يحصل في الشارع له 3 مكونات الأول صاحب حاجة أو مطلب يريده من الدولة، والثاني يمثله عدد من الخارجين عن القانون والمطلوبين للعدالة، والثالث فهو الأكثر خطورة وهم أصحاب الفكر المتطرف والتكفيري، الذي اختبرناه منذ عقود، عندما حاول التسلل إلى سورية.

وحول تصريح وزير الخارجية الفرنسي، آلان جوبيه، التي قال فيها إن الرئيس الأسد بلغ نقطة اللاعودة، أوضحت شبعان أنه “ليس لأي وزير خارجية حق منح الشرعية لرئيس دولة أخرى”، مشيرة إلى أن “الأزمة في بلادنا وليست قضية أي دولة أخرى.”

وكان مصدر مسؤول في وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين قال مؤخرا إن سورية تدين بشدة تصريح وزير الخارجية الفرنسي آلان جوبيه، الذي ادعى لنفسه الحق في توزيع شرعية قيادات الدول أو سحبها، مبينا أن سورية المصممة على مواصلة مهام الإصلاح بقيادة الرئيس بشار الأسد تؤكد على عدم سماحها لأي تدخل خارجي.

وفيما يخص، إمكانية تطور الأحداث على نحو مغاير حال تعامل السلطات مع أحداث درعا بشكل مختلف، قالت المستشارة شعبان إن “هناك افتراءات على قوات الأمن السورية”، مشيرة إلى أن “البعض منهم صدرت لهم أوامر بعدم حمل السلاح، فانتهى الأمر بهم إلى القتل”.

وشددت شعبان على أن “القضية الأساسية هي أن مستقبل البلاد على المحك.”

وكانت شعبان، قالت الشهر الماضي، إن المرحلة الأخطر في حياة سورية قد مرّت، مشيرةً إلى أن ماحدث في سورية مؤخراً يعتبر فرصة يجب انتهازها للتقدم في عدة مجالات.

وتشهد سورية حركة احتجاجات منذ منتصف آذار الماضي، تطورت في عدة مدن سورية إلى أعمال عنف واعتداءات من قبل “عناصر مسلحة” راح ضحيتها مئات الشهداء، ما استدعى تدخل الجيش في أكثر من منطقة للتصدي لـ “مجموعات إرهابية” تتهمها السلطات بأنها كانت وراء الأحداث.

I guess people are getting beaten, injured, arrested and sometimes killed on their own.

Shaaban has not matured politically despite all what happened. How about acknowledging mistakes? Some mistakes?

Is this a Syrian characteristic?

Dear ABOALI,

I congratulate you on adopting a very positive tone and abstaining from responding to insults from people who don’t know better.

If the opposition is to prevail, it must claim the higher moral ground.

NK
People like you,Shami,Revlon don’t know how to clean ther hearts and start new page,they will not stop until they achieve the ultimate MB goal:Islamitization of Syria .Over and over again you show your ugly face and your bad breath ,will see Thursday if Aleppo will تبعص you or not.

Also check this out

سيادة الرئيس …لماذا…

http://www.the-syrian.com/archives/13293

.لماذا تم حجب موقع المندسه في سورية

هل القائمين على الموقع جهات خارجيه أو عملاء لجهات خارجيه ؟؟… من خلال اختراق ازلامك للموقع الشهر الماضي أعتقد أنكم تعرفون من وراء هذا الموقع..و بالتالي الاجابه عن السؤال أعلاه لن تكون مستعصيه

هل ينتمي الموقع أو القائمين عليه إلى التيارات التكفييريه التي حذرت منها في خطابك الأخير و هل يرفع راية الاسلام السياسي التي تحاول حكومتك ربط الأحداث بها

هل يمول الموقع من جهات نفطيه أو أجنبيه أو حتى محليه ذات أجندة معينه ؟؟ نعترف لك بأنك استطعت من خلال المرتزقه و قطاع الطرق الالكترونيين الخارجين ( الحقيقين ) عن كل قانون أن تكلف بعض القائمين على الموقع بمبالغ كبيره إذا ما قيست بطبيعة إدارة الموقع لحماية الموقع من عهر مرتزقتك الخارجين عن القانون بتشجيع رسمي منك شخصيا …لكن الموقع يسير بدفع كتابه و بعض من رأى أن بضعة دولارات شهريا ليست أغلى من قطرة دم يمكن أن نجنب اراقتها …و لن تكون سببا في اسكاتنا و لن تجعلنا نؤجر أقلامنا و نرهن أحلامنا لك أو لغيرك

هل تم حجب الموقع لاحتضانه مواهب سوريه لم نكن لنعرف عنها أو نسمع بها لولا فسحة من الحريه بسيطه وفرها الموقع للشاب السوري الواعي الذي يأبى أن يرد عبارات الولاء و الانحناء لنرجسييتك المزروعه مؤخرا في رأسك….

لم تكن هذا الذي هو أنت الآن يا سيادة الرئيس…أنت من تغير و ليس نحن…رفعنا رؤوسنا بك أمام العالم قبل سنوات و الآن و بسبب الخراب في مهد الحضارة ندفن رؤسنا خجلا …

هل تم حجب الموقع لأن بعض الموضوعات تخطى خطوط جعلتموها حمراء ..امتزج فيها الشخص بالوطن و أسم الشخص بإسم الوطن؟؟ أنت شخص …أنت رئيس الوطن ( قد نختلف أو نتفق على الشرعيه التي أتت بك لتحكم الوطن ولكن بالمحصله أنت الآن رئيس الوطن ) لكنك لست الوطن…أختلف معك …أهاجمك…أنتقدك …كل هذا لا يعني أن أصبح عدوا للوطن

هل حجب الموقع لأن البعض أستعمل هامش الحريه ليستخدم كلمات مسيئه لشخصك أو عبارات مبتثله بحقك ؟؟ (دع اتفاقنا أو اختلافنا على استخدام كلام غير لائق بحق شخص كائنا من كان ناهيك عن أن يكون في مقام رئاسة الجمهورية …) لكن… ألم يصفك أحد اللبنانيين بكلام أقسى و أكثر سوقية من أي كلام وجه لك هنا…من على منابر الفضائيات و في مهرجانات جماهيريه ؟؟؟ لن أسألك أين كانت كرامتنا عندما استقبلته في شامنا بعذ كل هذا السباب…بل حتى أني أعتبر هذا للتصرف قمه في المسئوليه و التعالي عن الصغائر …و لكن أسأل…إذا استعملت الحلم أو كما نقول بالعاميه كبرت عقلك مع الغريب لما كان ذلك في مصلحة الوطن…أليس من الأولى تكبير عقلك و التسامح عندما يكون الأمر مع أبناء الوطن؟؟ اللهم إلى إذا اعتبرت أبناء الوطن عبيدا في مزرعة و ليسو مواطنين أحرار لهم كرامه و شأن …

إذا أسألك يا سيادة الرئيس …يا من يريد قيادة سفينة الاصلاحات …هل تبدأ الاصلاحات من حجب موقع انترنت ؟؟

و بما إني بعرف إنك بتحب تنهي الكلام بجمل عاميه تصير شعارات…فرح أنهي كلامي و قلك …كبر عقلك يا زلمه

RaymondO

—

3 months into these events and after oh so many promises of reforms, websites are still getting blocked, Syrian websites nonetheless!!!. For me, this pretty much sums up the seriousness of reforms this rotten regime is promising us.

Oh and by the way, contrary to what is being said about the opposition meeting being a clear indication of the regime’s seriousness in implementing reforms, I find it very important to remind everyone of something called (Damascus Spring) and what happened once Bashar secured his position.

Majedalkhaldoon

“can some one explain to me the reason and the logic,why islamic or christian party or Kurdish party,should be banned”

To have a healthy and democratic competition between parties, It is very dangerous to have parties based on a religion or ethnicity. The reason is simple: people should choose the party they want to belong to or elect not because its religion or ethnicity but exclusively on its political/social program and its achievements.
Religious party, if they are allowed, will exclude citizens from other religion to join, so they won’t give citizen a freedom of choice.
In a multi-ethnic countries, people should be lead to join other citizens of other ethnical/religious group to incite them to understand and respect each other and work together exclusively for the progress of the nation. It does not mean that people should not be religious, but this aspect of their life should remain private.

Habbib,

Tara is a little bit less angry. Are you?

why-discuss 204
but would banning religious parties prevent sectarian parties?
For example the MB can dissolve the movement and start new party ,they can call it the union party or whatever , is there a way to stop people from the same sect (specially the hardliners ) to join and form parties based on religion (unofficially) I mean look to Lebanon , most parties claim to be non sectarian parties but its obvious they are !

xxxx

SYR EXPAT

“the higher moral ground” ?

so sabotaging the country’s economy bu exchanging significant amount of liras for dollars and smuggling these dollars to Lebanon or sending them to saudi banks is “highly moral” ?

if people like ABOALI should fear and quiver tell me وين الغلط ؟

ABOALI BASTERMA BOY

Abou Jack told me that the tax collector is after you habibi 🙂

Majedkhaldoon

There is a major difference between Islam and christianity.
While the Holy Koran and the Torah (for jews) give strict codes of conduct on a day to day to its followers and provide a vision of a society ruled by religion, Christianity has no such ambition. The Holy Evangiles gives absolutely nothing to follow on the daily basis, the only teaching is humility, tolerance and love for each other, that’s all.
Unfortunately religions have always been used by political and religious leaders to augment their power and manipulate people with the idea of hell and heaven.
This is why the “christianity” institutionalised by Emperor Constantine of Rome became a tool of imperialism and oppressions.
In modern times, christianity has withdrawn from the public life and is returning to its original tenets: Humility and love for each other.
As for Islam in the hands of some ‘intouchable’ religious leaders, it is still been used to manipulate people and oppress them in the name of religion.
Because of this possible danger and the difficulty to avoid their misuse, religions should remain in the background and never allowed to take a proeminent political role.

Why

Can’t agree more. Religious and/ or ethnic parties should be banned. It is a dangerous business. It may start with a benevolent cause but it will sure deteriorate into ” not that benevolent” after a while. And I also like “this does not mean people should not be religious… Well said.

LOUAI

The whole political system of Lebanon is officially based on sects and religions ( the president must be maronite, the prime minister sunni etc..) Many Lebanese want to change that as it is not healthy in the 21th century. Many people objects that Hezbollah is closed to Sunnis and christian and they are right.
I just hope that Syria will not start a democratic system with such an error that is bound to create problems sooner or later.
Parties can be created under whatever name, but they must obliged to have a certain percentage of their members of different sects and religion within the parties.

Dear Syria no Kandahar,for your knowledge ,the percentage of veiled women is higher in Syria today than in Pakistan.
In the Aleppo that you seem to like so much ,i’m not exagerating if i say that 90% of women are veiled ,even in many districts that happened to be inhabited by christians some years ago(old and modern quarters)
Syria has seen an imposing islamic revival during the last decades (asad years),i dont think that Aleppo is an exception.
As for Aleppo ,dont worry they will destroy the hideous statue in masharqa,if not tommorow after tommorow.
Islamization of Syria is the last of our concern,it’s already a muslim country.
In fact my first concern is the dangerous decrease of the percentage of christians in Syria.
When i walk in judayde ,midan,hamidiyeh,sabeel,i feel sad to witness this cultural bleeding.
Also for your knowledge ,since the 17th century ,Aleppo had the best christian schools in the middle east that produced great muslim and christian minds ,until the baath years…..

Syrian Commando,

Keep them coming, buddy!! I agree to everything you’ve written that I’ve read here. I like your style, and I agree with your analysis.

Way to go, bro!!

I Agree WD , well said,

Tara , you see we agree, it is not hopeless.

Many here seem to believe bashar scare scenario ,that you are surrounded by muslim monsters that are waiting to eat you alive and without salt.That’s why they feel good when non menhebak are massacred.
Our foots in bashar’s dirty face.

Syria no kandahar

I’m a pro gay rights, pro women’s rights, pro secularism, MB Salafist, you got me!. And Unlike you, I know my community well to realize “Islamization” of Syria is practically impossible.

Shami
For reasons I don’t know Aleppo is 99% against this.I know for sure.

الانخراط باللعبة الديمقراطيةممارسة صحية لدى قوى المعارضة لدى دول الادعاء الديمقراطي! الزمن عامل متحرك ياسادة!

Memo to: SYRIAN COMMANDO

RE: “…The moukhabarat failed us in an epic fashion and has to be dismantled and rebuilt — as an intelligence agency…”

The al-Mukhabarat as an intelligence agency. Talk about oxymorons!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dale_Andersen/damascus-revolutionaries-_b_884674_94463104.html

Have you noticed that there is resemblance between those who are apologetic towards the brutality of the regime against ordinary citizens who are demanding for freedom and the Zionist policies towards the Palestinians ?

They both label those who oppose them as terrorists or infiltrators, jihadists….and more.
The similarities between the Syrian regime and the Zionist one is stark. After the siege on their respective subjects, they kill, torture and maim. They humiliate the young and old, men and women, and leave behind them destruction all in the name of terrorism.

Both Syrians and Palestinians are demanding an end of oppression and social justice. They deserve it. No matter the amount of deterrence these two brutal regimes inflict on civilians they will not succeed, for the mere fact, they are illegitimate entities.

Why-Discuss

Thanks for reply, yes i agree about the percentage role to have multi ethnic and religious members, the main goal should be a secular government.

SHAMI,

its not fear of Muslims, not at all, we lived with Muslims for thousands of years we didn’t wait for Albaath to protect us, the fear is from radical and political Islam.
As Why-Discuss just said Christianity is mainly about love but when governments where appointed by the Pops and kings where presenting gods on earth Europe was in the dark ages and destroyed what ever the Greek the Roman and other civilizations have build , we don’t live in a time that the marriage between religion and politics would work ,simple

Muslim Brotherhood gang started the bombs against innocent people in Syria……The history is repeating itself again
عند الحادية عشر تماماً سمع صوت انفجار قوي في منطقة الأوقاف في مدينة اللاذقية و سبب الانفجار ديناميت موضوعة داخل حاوية قمامة أمام مركز سيريتل في مشروع الأوقاف .
مباشرة حضرت الأجهزة الأمنية والسكان و الاسعاف … و نحمد الله أنه رغم أن الشارع كان مزدحماً لم يكن هناك أي اصابات ..و ننوه الى وجود كاميرا التلفزيون و هي تصور مباشرة الآن………
http://www.facebook.com/lattakia.news.network

The preliminary draft of the bill for a new political parties law was posted on al-Tasharukia website
Everybody can comment each article on line

http://www.youropinion.gov.sy/Tasharukia/projectdetail.asp?law_id=47

My translation of interesting parts of some articles

Article (5)
For the establishment of any party that is based on the objectives, the following principles:
…..
D – no religious no tribal basis no regional , class, professional lines , no discrimination based on race, sex or color.
…..
F – not involving the party to establish any military or semi-military public or confidential formations , or the use of all forms of violence or threats or incitement to it.
G – the party should not be a branch or subsidiary of a party or political organization not Syrian.

Article (9)
The request for the establishment of the party to the Committee must be signed by 50 of its founding members who meet the following conditions:
A – To be a Syria citizen since at least ten years.
B – must be over 25 years of age.
C – a resident of the Syrian Arab Republic.
D – enjoy his civil and political, not convicted of a felony or offense.
E – is not a member of another party … .

Article 11

…
B – when submitting the application, the party must have a minimum number of 2000 members from at least half (7) of the ( 14 ) governorates of the Syrian Arab Republic , …
…..
and reflect the national fabric of the Syrian society.

Why Discuss
would you be happy if MB call themselves party of Rafah,or party of Justice?
we had MB party and it had 16 % of the people, .
we have now Baath Arabic Party,it is ethnic party,
I believe we should not deceive ourselves.

Majeldalkaldoon

The MB can call themselves what they want as long they accept women and christians, ismaeliens, druzes, kurds, armenians, shias, alawites etc.. and atheists in a certain percentage. It is up to them to convince others about their good intentions.

Baath an ethnical party? It was created by a christian and is secular.. no religion involved.

How can deceive myself as we are talking about a multi-party system in the future not yet here.?

RE: THE NEW POLITICAL PARTY LAW

“…According to the new law, a “Party Affairs Committee” will be established and chaired by the Minister of Interior. Its members will include a judge from the Court of Cassation, and three independents appointed by the President of the Republic. Any person wanting to establish a political party will have to apply for a license along with 50 founding members “over the age of 25.” They have to be residents of Syria representing no less than 50% of Syrian governorates. Additionally, party founders need to have a clean legal record and cannot be members of any other political party simultaneously. Any party needs to have secured 2,000 members at the time of applying, along with premises for its headquarters…”

This is total unmitigated bullshit. The government should have NO SAY in the formation of political parties. If some people want to start a party, they should be allowed to go ahead and do it, no application, no license, no approval by the (gulp!) Minister of the Interior. The way this piece of crap is being drafted is, if you want to form a party, you have to beg Bashar Assad for permission and that is BULLSHIT….

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dale_Andersen/bashar-assad-speech-syria_n_880207_93398788.html

H.S

thank you

Artcle 4

لتحقيق برامج محددة ومعلنة

i didn’t see any program yet

maybe the regime should also give them money in USD ? 🙂

majedkhaldoon

As I remember from school
According to al baath party ,the definition of an Arab : ‘considered an Arab he who believes in the Arab nation goals’ so for Al Baath Arab is not an ethnic or race .

MAJDELKHALDOOM

“we have now Baath Arabic Party,it is ethnic party”

what pitiful nonsense

NZ #219

you say “i know my community well to realize “Islamization” of Syria is practically impossible”

but your friends ALSARSOUR , ELQARADAWI etc… and the saudi wahabis who actuallly are your friends and supporters, unfortunately don’t think so.

On CNN today,

The ‘oracle’ Fouad Ajami in an interview today on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and Hala Gorani (now in Damascus), talking about the Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich visiting Syria on a fact finding mission, who spent 3 hours with Bashar al Assad and met opposition members, said he is a “minor congressman”, and that the US should not allow an “amateur” congressman to make these type of visits.

‌thank you HS for the link of The preliminary draft of the bill for a new political parties

ب- عند تقديم الطلب يجب أن يكون الحد الأدنى لعدد الأعضاء في الحزب عند التأسيس لا يقل عن (2000) عضو شريطة أن يكونوا من المسجلين في سجلات الأحول المدنية لنصف محافظات الجمهورية العربية السورية على الأقل، على أن لا تقل نسبة الأعضاء عند التأسيس في كل محافظة عن 5% من مجموع الأعضاء، وعلى أن تعكس في بنيتها النسيج الوطني للمجتمع السوري

(وعلى أن تعكس في بنيتها النسيج الوطني للمجتمع السوري)

Very vague, isn’t it? it should be more specific I think .

Why-Discuss,

Ofcourse Baath is an ethnic party, and I doubt he would be compatible with the new party law, if it was to pass.

This is from the Baath’s constitution:
المادة (3) :- حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي قومي يؤمن بأن القومية حقيقة حية خالدة، وبأن الشعور القومي الواعي الذي يربط الفرد بأمته ربطا” وثيقا” هو شعور مقدس، حافل بالقوى الخالقة، حافز على التضحية، باعث على الشعور بالمسؤولية عامل على توجيه انسانية الفرد توجيهاً عملياً مجدياً.

Not to mention that it is a party that advocates seizing power by means of violence:
المادة (6) :- حزب (البعث العربي الاشتراكي) انقلابي يؤمن بأن اهدافه الرئيسية في بعث القومية العربية وبناء الاشتراكية لا يمكن ان تتم الا عن طريق الانقلاب والنضال، وان الاعتماد على التطور البطيء والاكتفاء بالاصلاح الجزئي السطحي يهددان هذه الاهداف بالفشل والضياع

On another note, can you spot the irony between that paragraph and today? 😉

Akh, this brings back terrible memories from 10th grade when we had to memorize the whole constitution. Nightmare.

The Facebook ‘revolution’ is enraged over the Syrian opposition taking the matter in their hand and ignoring them.
I worry about the dirty tricks they are preparing.

http://www.iloubnan.info/en/actualite/id/63672

H.S

article 35

تُسوي الأحزاب القائمة أوضاعها وفقاً لأحكام هذا القانون خلال مهلة ستة أشهر تبدأ من تاريخ نفاذه

only 6 months for the Baath to comply with the new law ?

Yazan

I don’t follow you. I don’t see any ethnicity mentioned in the text you referred to. Please clarify which is the ethnical origin you are referring to. Maybe the word “Arab” because it excludes Kurds, Turkmenes, Georgians,Armenians and others?

Baath party is Ethnic arabic party, it excludes Kurd,and Turkuman
Why Discuss
The pecentage you mentioned does not exist in the new law,it has to apply to all parties,no exclusion.

Yes ofcourse. It is a part that advocates an Arab nationalism that is based on ethnicity (قومية عربية). It excludes everybody else.

Turkey outscores China as to the number of imprisoned journalists
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=arrested-journalists-to-publish-newspaper-2011-06-28

YAZAN #232

so if the word “arabic” could be dropped from the Baath constitution the Baath stops from being the Baath ? and the whole constitution is to be thrown out ?

what non sense !

MINA

yet the RSF guys don’t bother to paint graffitis on the Turkish Embassy walls in Paris

Daleandersen says:

“This is total unmitigated bullshit. The government should have NO SAY in the formation of political parties. If some people want to start a party, they should be allowed to go ahead and do it, no application, no license, no approval by the (gulp!) Minister of the Interior.”

Anything else you would like to order with that? Maybe a coke and fries?

YAZAN

قومية عربية

this is only an acknowledgement of the reality. It doesn’t mean that the Baath is promoting arabism on an ethnic ground.

Yazan, Majedalkhadoon

I am not sure it was based on ethnicity , it was more in line with the Arab nationalism philosophy as a unifiying factor at the time of the creation of that party.
It is a good time to rejuvenate it so it becomes less ambiguous and more inclusive.

YAZAN

and what if the word “islam” is dropped from the MB constitution ?
same result ?

the “arab” notion is non-essensical for the Baath program.

Vlad,
A party’s constitution is a party’s identity. It is not about one word. Take a look at the Baath party constitution, and then tell me what you think of it. The whole constitution needs to be re-hauled.

And, yes, if the MBs change their constitution and goals, into ones that do not contradict with the fundamental principles of a secular democracy. Then why not? they could be a right-wing party, comparable to the conservative party in the US.

Why-Discuss,
150 شخصا متجمعون الآن أمام منزل الدكتور منذر خدام في حي الزراعة في اللاذقية، يتناولونه بشتائم مقذعة، ويهددون ويتوعدون. قبل قليل كان وقع انفجار في حاوية زبالة، تسبب بتكسر زجاج محلات قريبة، وإثره تشكل الحشد الذي يهاجم منزل الدكتور خدام. خدام كان مقررا لاجتماع سميراميس البارحة.

Louai ,we should take into account the recent past in our history may be you ignore that the ikhwan had members in the parliement and even ministers before haath coup ,when a christian reached the highest authority of the country in that time the syrian christians were a lot more influent,better educated and more integrated than the scared paranoid menhebak community of today.
It’s clear that most of attacks against the MB here is an indirect way to attack conservative muslims …the truth is that the MBs are very educated people,we find among them many moderate people ,they dominated most academic and professional unions in Syria ,it took a decade for hafez to suppress what remained of the civil society,he began with the communists and finished with the ikhwan,socialists and liberals.

We should accept that after decades of destructive behavior, there are syrians who refused to become corruptible,corrupt or menhebak self humiliated.

There is something that bil soul bil blood menhebak people dont understand it’s karama .

Sadly enough I spoke twice on this forum about a different wave of violence coming to Syria if the armed rebels fail to topple the regime and I was hoping to be wrong on that prediction and I am still hopeful that anti regime forces do not punish the public for not rising against the regime. A friend just told me that the explosion in Latakia which was minor,thanks god,was aimed at terrorizing people due to its location, abusy street only few hundred yards away from a security compound and the timing,11 pm. The criminals are sending a message that the next explosion might be stronger and at a time when a lot of people could get hurt. They picked a trash dump next to syriatel, a symbol of makhlouf, in an effort to confuse some citizens. The button line is:
This is a sign of frustration and an evidence of losing support among syrians who are more likely to rally behind their government if they see that the armed opposition does not care about their lives. Expect some people to blame the regime for future random acts of violence,but most people will not believe them now as they did not believe them in the 1980s. As for those who compare albaath to the MB ,I say Syria does not need neither. Attacking Munzer khaddam’s house is not acceptable and trying to eliminate this last line of defense against an Islamist Talibanic revolt is really dumb,we should not have to choose between the regime and Islamist thugs.

Yazan

I worry very much about what the frustrated x-opposition will do to prevent the dialog…They may resort to terrorism acts like this one.

SHAMI

As for Christians being ‘the scared paranoid menhebak community of today.’ I prefer not to discuss that again as I think I did explain myself to you many times so far .
I agree with you about the Ikhwan’s history, I know they had seats in the parliament and many of them are highly educated they even had a football team (shabab Khaled I think) transferred to AL Karam now as I hear (I support Al Karama by the way).
BUT there is another face, it looks pretty much like Al 3ar3oor! he is a living example from the past, after taking arms against the government and assassinate people based on sects or their support to the government their image become so ugly and no one can trust them, I am sure you agree with me on this one , they ask Rif’at to admit the killing of Ikhwan on the past to forgive him but they don’t ask them selves to admit any thing
I agree with YAZAN here,’ if the MBs change their constitution and goals, into ones that do not contradict with the fundamental principles of a secular democracy. Then why not? ‘ I need to add that they need to change the name as well ( they offered to do so to start talks with the government before march)
As for conservative Muslims i have no problem with them unless if they are in power, you see that is the importance of secularism ,you believe in what ever you want and I do the same who cars ! I don’t think secularism in Syria now is implemented in a healthy way I believe after this crises is over and all parties agree on a road map then we will see even better secularism, the important thing is to gather our efforts to achieve that not to FIGHT each other and achieve only destruction, what do you think?

WD,
I share your worries, the radicals ‘trio’ organizing this uprising are criminals, they wont stop at anything just to be in power, they prove that they don’t have neither the deep intellect nor the ethics of a decent political leaders, they are nothing but a criminal gang leaders and they don’t give a damn about Syria and the safety of Syrians or their future, calling them traitors is ‘too little too late’ for them.

About Alikhwan; they keep proving over and over, time after time, that they are thugs, they should never ever let be close to have any political party in Syria, as long as they keep their criminal mentality alive, they must denounce all aggression and accept all Syrians as equal before they let in the Syrian political sphere:
من جرب المجرب كان عقله مخرب

232. YAZAN said:

“Not to mention that it is a party that advocates seizing power by means of violence:
المادة (6) :- حزب (البعث العربي الاشتراكي) انقلابي يؤمن بأن اهدافه الرئيسية في بعث القومية العربية وبناء الاشتراكية لا يمكن ان تتم الا عن طريق الانقلاب والنضال، وان الاعتماد على التطور البطيء والاكتفاء بالاصلاح الجزئي السطحي يهددان هذه الاهداف بالفشل والضياع
”
Good point. It’s okay for the Baath party to use violence (nidal) to shove socialism and Arabic nationalism down our throats, but not okay for the opposition to use peaceful means to unseat the Baath party.

YAZAN

you misinderstood my example

if we drop the word “arabic” from the Baath chart or constitution, the Baath programm is still and wholly original. If we drop the word “islam” from the MB chart or constitution, there would be no more MB party.

i venture some “opposition” thoughts for the post-Bashar era 🙂

افتكاراة معارضة لبعد بشار و لنظام الحالي :

– الوثنية دين الدولة
– الصلة للنسوان فقط (السوريات طبعن)
– منع المعارضات الشامية
– منع اكل البز فشّوارع
– منع الءارجيلة خارج من البيوت
– منع نهاي لشراب التوت , افيون الشعب
– منع الصجك الءارمني فلفنضقاة و محلّات الءاكل

246. SHAMI

“Back then” there were no tens of well funded (thanks to oil money) satellite channels and sheikhs broadcasting rubbish and extremism. Back then, Christians in Egypt and Iraq lived in harmony with Muslims. Christians in Syria have seen what happened in Egypt and now in Iraq and also in Palestine. They are very concerned if not alarmed.

Only if this oil money used to broadcast this stuff can be directed to build schools, hospitals and other infrastructure in the Islamic world.

Nour, WD,
Troubles not only in Lattakia, Homs sounds bad too, lots of fire exchange between the army and the usual gangs in the usual areas.

This is article 5 para d of the draft Party Law, which is linked to by HS #222 above:
عدم قيام الحزب على أساس ديني أو قبلي أو مناطقي أو فئوي أو مهني، أو على أساس التمييز بسبب العرق أو الجنس أو اللون.

I’m trying to understand whether that sentence bans Kurdish parties or not. I feel it’s ambiguous. Any comment?

Vlad the Syrian,

The Baath party added the Arabic socialist and became the Arabic socialist Baath party after it merged with the Socialist Arabic party of Akram AL Horani, they did that because The Baath party was the party of the intellectuals and did not have street clout so the Socialist Arabic party brought in the teachers and the workers and they became together the Socialist Arabic Baath party.

الشرعيّة الأخلاقيّة والنضاليّة للمعارضة السوريّة
ابراهيم الأمين
الحدث الاستثنائي الذي شهدته سوريا بانعقاد لقاء لشخصيات معارضة، كانت تلتقي إما سراً أو في السجن، ستكون له آثاره المباشرة على كل حركة المعارضة السورية في الداخل. الشباب المتحمسون في الشارع يكررون تجارب رفاقهم من الذين خرجوا إلى الشوارع في مصر وتونس واليمن، حيث يتحفظ هؤلاء على كل مبادرة سياسية إما رفضاً للقائمين بها لكونهم لا يمثلون الشارع بحقّ، أو خشية منهم أن تضيع قضيتهم ومطالبهم في دهاليز اللعبة السياسية. وهذا أمر مفهوم. بل ربما من حق الشباب السوريين المنخرطين في الاحتجاجات القائمة منذ 3 أشهر أن يأخذوا مسافة، وأن يتفرغوا لما يعتقدون أنه الفعل الحقيقي في الشارع. وهم هنا، يجيدون التقدير أن كل ما يمكن وصفه بالإنجاز لناحية علانية نشاط المعارضة أو فاعليتها إنما يعود إلى التضحيات التي بذلوها في الشارع. وهو أمر يقرّ به المعارضون أيضاً، ولو أن تقديراتهم للأمور تأخذ بعداً مختلفاً.
لكن العنصر الآخر الذي أطل برأسه أمس، هو تعليقات صدرت على لسان معارضين للنظام السوري ممن يعيشون في الخارج، ولا سيما في أوروبا والولايات المتحدة. بعضهم رأى أن من شارك في لقاء دمشق قبل يومين لا يمثل المعارضة، وبالتالي لا يمكن الركون إلى ما يصدر عنه. وبعضهم الآخر رأى أنه ما كان للسلطات السورية أن تسمح بانعقاد اللقاء لولا أن تفاهماً ما حصل بينها وبين الشخصيات المشاركة في اللقاء أو المنظمة له. وهذا التشكيك ـــــ ولا اسم ثانياً له ـــــ إنما يعبر عن رغبة من هم في الخارج في أن تترك لهم قيادة أي مفاوضات سياسية ستحصل مع النظام، أو أنهم لا يريدون أي نوع من الحوار؛ لأنهم يعتقدون أن الأفضل هو السير نحو معركة إسقاط الرئيس بشار الأسد على طريقة ما حصل في مصر وتونس. وقسم لا بأس به من معارضي الخارج، وخصوصاً الذين يعيشون هناك منذ عقدين على الأقل، لم يعودوا يهتمون بأن يبرروا حتى اللجوء إلى قوة خارجية بغية تحقيق مطالبهم، تماماً كما هي حال قسم كبير من معارضي النظام الليبي الذين شجعوا على دخول الغرب في معركة عسكرية لا تؤدي حتى الآن إلا إلى قتل المزيد من أبناء هذا البلد.
وإذا كان صعباً على أحد اتخاذ قرار، باعتبار أن معارضي دمشق هم الذين يمثلون المعارضة، وأن من هم في الخارج ليسوا سوى أدوات بيد المشروع الغربي، إلا أن أهمية من اجتمع في أحد فنادق سوريا أمس، تعود إلى أن المشاركين يحظون بشرعية أخلاقية لا يتمتع بها كثيرون من الذين يدعون اليوم إلى تغيير الحكم في سوريا. فهم أولاً من المواطنين الذين لم يغادروا البلاد عندما صحّ لهم مثل آخرين من رفاقهم السفر والحصول على لجوء سياسي. وهم لم يعمدوا إلى الصمت، بل قالوا ما قالوه ودفعوا الثمن سنوات طويلة من عمرهم في السجون. وهم تحمّلوا نفياً داخل البلاد حينما واجهوا صعوبات في العمل وفي التحرك وفي بناء أعمال، ولو صغيرة. وهم ألزموا عائلاتهم بدفع الأثمان على شكل قهر تعرّضوا له في المدرسة والعمل وفي عدم الحصول على فرص متكافئة مع بقية المواطنين. وهم فوق كل ذلك، من الذين يقفون خلف مراكمات النقد الذي له دوره المركزي في بناء ثقافة المعارضة. ثم إنهم الآن لا يزالون داخل البلاد، ويعرفون عن قرب حقيقة ما يجري، ولا يحتاجون إلى فضائيات ولا إلى شهود عيان ولا إلى أشرطة فيديو ولا إلى نشطاء أو مسؤولين في لجان لا يعرف أصلها من فصلها. هم يعيشون داخل المدن والأحياء ويعرفون حقيقة ما يحصل كل يوم. وهم يلتقون بأبناء وطنهم من الذين يحملون رأياً مختلفاً، ويصادفون رجال الأمن والجيش والموظفين، ويعرفون تفاصيل النقاش الدائر في أروقة السلطة. وهم يلتقون بصورة أو بأخرى مع قادة من الحكم ويناقشون معهم سبل تجاوز سوريا لهذه الأزمة. وهم أيضاً لم ينقطعوا عن التواصل مع سفارات وبعثات أجنبية وناقشوا الوضع وعرضوا ما يعتقدون أنه المناسب لتجاوز الأزمة. وهم شاركوا في تظاهرات، وفي تلقّي ضربات هراوات رجال الأمن، أو ربما بعض الرصاص، وهم عانوا مثل الآخرين من أشياء كثيرة.
كل ذلك، يعطي هؤلاء شرعية وأفضلية على الآخرين، من المعارضين الذين يعيشون في الخارج، والذين رتبوا أمورهم خلال العقود الثلاثة الماضية بما وفر لهم تحصيل شروط أفضل للحياة لهم ولأفراد عائلاتهم. وهم لا يملكون مصالح شخصية أو جنسيات أخرى، أو حسابات بنكيّة أو أبناء لا يريدون العودة إلى الوطن، وبالتالي، ليس لديهم الحسابات التي تتجاوز تفاصيل الحدث السوري، ولا الترف الذي يلجأ إليه بعض المعارضين في الخارج ممّن يدعون إلى تحركات لا يشاركون هم في صياغة حتى شعاراتها، ولا في تحديد خط سيرها، ولا في تلقي الضربات والرصاص، لكنهم يخرجون آخر كل نهار جمعة على الشاشات والفضائيات يتلون صلاة الشكر لمن أتاح لهم الخروج إلى الأضواء، ثم يطلقون العنان لمخيّلتهم في عرض لائحة مطالب مختلفة الشكل والمضمون.
وحدهم الشباب الذين يخوضون العمل اليومي في الشارع من يحق له مساجلة من اجتمعوا في أول لقاء معارض في دمشق، ووحدها عائلاتهم والأبناء والأهل والأصدقاء الذين يعيشون معهم، من يحق له سؤالهم عما فعلوا وإلى أين يذهبون. وربما كانت هذه مقدمة التشكل الأفضل لقوة معارضة تقود حواراً أو معركة مع النظام، لا فرق!

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/15681

Bashar Assad said on 20 June 2011: “We cannot do something crucial and carry out a full reform process after fifty years of a certain political structure, and move forward by leaping into the unknown. We need to know where we are going and what to expect.”

Two or three months ago, I thought that if a system of multiple rival political parties was created in Syria, it would be a “leap into the unknown”, which might pan out quasi-sectarian or otherwise dysfunctional. On the basis of the last three months of experience that we’ve all seen, I think everybody on this board has to agree that in a multi-party election contest (where religious and tribal parties are banned), the regime’s party is highly likely to be the winner by a wide margin. As I see it now, there’s an establishment in Syria with a broad base and very little internal acrimony.

# 55 asks: “From my corner as an avid pro-democracy and anti-regime activist, I would like to ask the other side…. Do you accept that the protests and protesters were a catalyst in the current drive for reforms… and that this regime left to its own devices would not have undertaken them on its own, were it not for the pressure they exerted?”

Yes. But the broad and deep support the regime received in the face of the protests is an equally important catalyst in the drive for democratic elections because it has told us “where were are going and what to expect”: the regime’s party can win the elections bigly. I wouldn’t be surprised if elections in Syria settle down to a situation similar to what’s in Russia, Singapore, and various other countries, where there is one Establishment party, the ruling party, which wins every election by a wide margin, plus fringe parties that can only play the role of occasional critics.

# 258,

That was interesting, the most important change in Syria that it has to be a peaceful one,

I have a question to all who know, Is the Baath party open to the Kurds, Armenians Turk man or only limited to people consider themselves Arabs, and if that is the case then it is not ethnic, No?.

لقاء المعارضين في دمشق ومشروع الإصلاح السياسي

طلال سلمان
نجحت قوى معارضة وطنية وديموقراطية في سوريا في امتحان الجدارة، وقدّمت عبر مؤتمرها الطارئ، يوم أمس الأول، الاثنين، نموذجاً راقياً لحركة الاعتراض على سلوك النظام بدافع الحرص على الوطن ودولته وحقوق الإنسان فيه وعنوانها الحرية.
تخفّف ذلك النفر من المثقفين وأهل الرأي من مرارات التجارب الشخصية مع الأجهزة الأمنية، وفيهم الكثير ممّن اعتُقلوا لغير ما سبب، وفيهم مَن سجنوا شهوراً وأحياناً سنوات لغير ذنب ارتكبوه غير التمسك بحقهم في أن يقولوا رأيهم، ودائماً بدافع الحرص على كرامة وطنهم وحقوق مواطنيه، وبالتالي كرامة دولتهم، ولو رأى بعض أهل النظام في الإصلاح خطراً داهماً لا بد من مواجهته بالقوة المطلقة.
تخفّفوا من ذلك كله، وجلسوا في قاعة مزدحم داخلها بالمهتمين، ومزدحم خارجها برجال الأمن والمواطنين المتلهفين إلى ما يطمئنهم إلى يومهم وغدهم، وانطلقوا يطرحون أوجاع وطنهم ويناقشون السبل والوسائل الكفيلة بتوفير مخرج صحي من الأزمة الدموية التي تفاقمت بحيث تجاوز خطرها النظام إلى الدولة وأهل الحكم إلى الوطن.
كانوا يعرفون أن «الأمن» في كل مكان، وإن فاجأهم اهتمام الإعلام الرسمي وازدحام الكاميرات تتخاطف صورهم، والصحافيون يطلبون نسخاً من كلماتهم… ففي البلاد التي تعيش أوضاعاً طبيعية يعتبر مثل ذلك اللقاء خبراً عادياً، بالكاد يحظى بمساحة للنشر في الصحف أو نشرات الأخبار المحلية.. أما وسوريا تعيش حالة اضطراب دموي يتهددها في ما يتجاوز استقرارها إلى ثوابتها الوطنية المؤكدة وحدة مجتمعها ودولتها، فإن مثل هذا اللقاء يكتسب قيمة إضافية لأنه يعكس تحوّلاً مهماً ومزدوجاً: في مفهوم النظام لحق المعارضة في رفع صوتها بالاعتراض على الخطأ الذي تفاقم فأنذر بتهديد سلامة الوطن، وفي تأكيد المعارضة على حقها البديهي في طلب الإصلاح واستعجال خطوات التنفيذ.
كانت التطورات المتلاحقة التي صبغت وجه سوريا بالدمّ قد أسقطت المفهوم البوليسي الذي يعتمد قاعدة مفادها أن المعارضة خيانة، أو هي دعوة إلى الفتنة أو ـ بالحد الأدنى ـ خروج على النظام يستوجب التأديب.
وجاء هذا التلاقي الذي اتخذ شكل المؤتمر ليؤكد ما ليس بحاجة إلى توكيد من أن المعارضة ـ فضلاً عن أنها حق ديموقراطي بديهي ـ هي في صميم العمل الوطني، وهي تعزز الوحدة الوطنية ولا تهدّدها، وتفضح دعاة الفتنة والانفصاليين والطوائفيين والعنصريين وتكشفهم وتسفّه منطقهم التحريضي المعادي للديموقراطية وكرامة الوطن وسلامة دولته.
كذلك تأكد المؤكّد من أن التسليم بوطنية المعارضة التي عنوانها المطالبة بإصلاح جدي وشامل يبدأ من تحرير الدولة والمجتمع من «الحزب القائد» يوفر للنظام فرصة التخلص من أثقال تخوّفه من الإقدام على الإصلاح الذي بات شرط حياة له.
تلك مرحلة مضت وانقضت، وقد كلفت البلاد وشعبها الكثير الكثير، وآن أن تُعاد صياغة الدولة بمؤسساتها، وأن يُتاح للمجتمع أن يعبّر عن ذاته وأن يسعى لتحقيق مطامحه بغير قيود تُفرض عليه وكأنه قاصر بحاجة إلى وصاية دائمة وإلى ترشيد على مدار الساعة.
لقد أكد السياق الدموي للأحداث التي هزت سوريا وضربت استقرارها وأساءت إلى صورتها التي كانت تقدمها كقلعة وطيدة الأركان ثابتة على مواقفها في موقعها المميّز، أن النظام قد شاخ وأن أجهزته قد أصابها التكلّس وأن الصمت المفروض قد باعد بين الشعب وبين القيادة… وأن كثيراً من القوى التي لا تريد الخير لسوريا، دولة وشعباً، قد نفذت من تلك الثغرة فقلبت الاعتراض إلى تمرّد، وقلبت طلب الإصلاح إلى مواجهة عبثية بالسلاح ذهب ضحيتها مئات الضحايا الأبرياء وكبّدت البلاد خسائر فادحة يصعب تعويضها إلا بمزيد من التعب والعرق والصبر على الشح في الرزق في ظل انطفاء أسطورة الاستثمار الخيري.
هي خطوة أولى على طريق طويلة جداً وحافلة بالصعاب والمطبات، خصوصاً مع استمرار الاضطراب في أحوال الأمن، وتواصل تظاهرات الاحتجاج.
لكن هذه الخطوة يمكن أن ترشد اللقاء التشاوري المكلف بالإعداد لمؤتمر الحوار الوطني المقرر عقده في العاشر من تموز المقبل.
لقد وضع لقاء السميراميس الإطار العريض للمطالب وحدد العناوين الثابتة للإصلاح، ورسم إلى حد ما الطريق إلى تنفيذها.
والمهم تسريع الخطوات التنفيذية وصولاً إلى ما طرحه الرئيس بشار الأسد في خطابه الأخير حول الدستور الجديد والانتخابات والقوانين الجديدة المتصلة بإنشاء الأحزاب وبالإعلام ومكافحة الفساد.
هي خطوة أولى..
لكن أهميتها أنها تؤسس لمرحلة جديدة في الحياة السياسية لسوريا، لا سيما أنها من خارج «المؤسسة الرسمية»، ولم تصدر بقرار، ولم يتم إقرار بنودها بالتزكية مرفقة بالتصفيق الحاد والهتافات التي تضيّع أساس الموضوع.
فلنأمل أن تتوالى الخطوات على طريق إعادة البناء المنشودة.

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1883&ChannelId=44375&ArticleId=3506&Author=%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84%20%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86

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No wonder all this attack against the meeting in Damascus yesterday it took away the ‘spot’ from Dr. Boring and his friends meeting in Russia:

موسكو استقبلت معارضين ودعتهم إلى المشاركة بالحوار الوطني
واشنطن وباريس ترحبان باجتماع المعارضة السـورية: خطوة من النظام في الاتجاه الصحيح … والمطلوب أكثر

وفي موسكو، طلب معارضون سوريون من روسيا الضغط على دمشق لوقف أعمال القمع. وقال مؤسس مركز دمشق لدراسات حقوق الإنسان والمقيم في واشنطن المعارض رياض زيادة، خلال مؤتمر صحافي في موسكو، إن «روسيا يمكنها اللجوء إلى سبل ضغط على النظام السوري كي توصل إليه الرسالة بوضوح بان هذا النوع من السلوك (القمع) غير مقبول».
ويرأس زيادة وفدا من المعارضين السوريين عقدوا لقاء مع ميخائيل مارغيلوف موفد الكرملين إلى أفريقيا وكذلك رئيس لجنة الشؤون الخارجية في مجلس الاتحاد.
وقال مارغيلوف ان «الأهم بالنسبة لروسيا هو المحافظة على علاقات وطيدة مع الشعب السوري الصديق، والأنظمة تأتي وتذهب لكن الشعوب تبقى». وشدد على أهمية المحافظة على العلاقات مع الشعب السوري في المستقبل. ومع دعوته إلى انضمام «كل قوى ومكونات الشعب السوري إلى الحوار الوطني»، أشار إلى أن «روسيا أصبحت أكثر قدرة على فهم ما يجري في سوريا وسوف نقيّم الموقف ونتخذ الخطوات اللازمة لاحقا».
(«السفير»، سانا،
http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1883&articleId=3509&ChannelId=44375

Syrian Opposition Delegation visits Moscow

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=88368

Is it so they don’t feel too marginalized after the Damascus meeting of the ‘other’ opposition ? Note that they did not meet the foreign minister but a member of the parlement

Mikhail Margelov, who is also a senior member of the upper house of the Russian parliament, met with the delegation in Moscow Tuesday.

The Syrian team is led by Radwan Ziadeh, a prominent Syrian exile and a visiting scholar at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University, seemed satisfied with the Margelov meeting.

“This is exactly what we are looking to hear from the Russian officials,” Ziadeh said. “We call upon Russia to use its leverage on the Syrian regime to stop the killings done by the Syrian security apparatus.”

Russia must send “a clear message that this is not acceptable,” he said.

Jadeed Hasreeeya: “Syria has not fallen apart along sectarian lines.”

Let’s ask, what lines are the Sunni masses thinking along, which have prevented Syria from falling apart along sectarian lines?

Syrians are nationalistic. You can find that out by surfing Arabic pop music TV at Youtube (which I’ve done extensively because I like some of the music). Any political challenger to the Assad regime has got to be nationalistic. However, no challenger can outdo the regime in the nationalism department. The regime has got a bone-crunchingly strong grip over how the nation and nationalism is defined. The definition of the nation that the Syrians are nationalistic about is the one created and nurtured by the regime, and it has no challenger. The Sunnis subscribe to the regime’s definition of the nation, which isn’t very easy to separate from all aspects of the regime itself, and hence they perceive the regime as a Syrian regime, a national regime, and not a minority regime. The challenge to the regime played out over the past few months has given us more evidence that the regime is in no way considered a minority regime by ordinary Syrians. (Putting the public’s perceptions aside, I also assert that in reality the personnel in the upper layers of the regime are predominantly Sunni, but the only way to prove that to a doubter is with quantitative data, and the data doesn’t exist.)

To repeat from an earlier post, (a) most of the Sunnis of the poorly educated classes are non-political or follow the political leadership of the better educated Sunnis (and the better educated more generally), and (b) most of the Sunnis of the better educated classes have essentially the same political values as the non-Sunnis — e.g. most upper-middle-class Sunnis positively support today’s government. The fact is, Alawites and most Sunnis do not have any conflict of interest with regard to social or economic policies. They do not have an important disagreement on any one important political question at all today. Joshua Landis used to be forecasting that the important political question that would terribly divide them was going to be the question of whether this government should be let evolve or should be overthrown. But in recent weeks we’ve seen not only that the government is pretty popular with the people, we’ve seen that its popularity is no fluke: (a) the government is actually in touch with the pulse of Syrian sentiment, and makes it its business to be so; (b) it is non-doctrinaire, and responsive and realistic in policymaking; (c) it has been able to use its control over Syrian mass media, especially TV news, to strong effect — the State-controlled TV news puts out good quality products for the most part, which enjoy good credibility with the Syrian public, and have good market penetration — with the result that all that other stuff you saw in the foreign media was rendered null and void; and (d) the government’s core agenda, modernization, is supported by almost all. These things enable the government to keep its support and stay one step ahead of any future competitor that might show up. It has no respectable competitor today. A future respectable competitor is likely to get trounced.

تقرير مراقبة لمؤتمر المثقفين السورين المستقلين
وُجهت إلى المركز السوري للدراسات والأبحاث القانونية دعوة للحضور كمراقب لمؤتمر المثقفين السوريين غير الحزبيين المنعقد في دمشق بتاريخ 27/ 6/ 2011 في فندق السميراميس , وقد أوفد المركز مديره التنفيذي المحامي الأستاذ خليل معتوق كممثل للمركز , وقد سجل الملاحظات التالية :
في جو كان يسوده الحماس والتوتر والترقب شارك أكثر من مائتين من المثقفين من الكتاب والفنانين والمحامين وغيرهم من الشخصيات المهتمة بالشأن العام ولها إسهامها بذلك , وقد حدث قليل من الفوضى في البداية بسبب أن هذا المؤتمر هو الأول وعدم وجود خبرة تنظيمية وضيق المدخل ومحاولة البعض من غير المدعوين فرض أنفسهم على المؤتمر.
وقد لوحظ وجود بعض المشاركين من الشخصيات الحزبية ( أقل من عشرة ) رغم أنه قد أعلن أن المؤتمر هو لشخصيات غير حزبية ونوُه لذلك بالدعوة , وكان المشاركون من مختلف أطياف المجتمع السوري جغرافيا وأثنيا ودينيا وسياسيا.
حددت مدة المداخلة بثلاث دقائق , وقد تكلم جميع من طلب الحديث ، ومعظم الذين تكلموا التزم بالمدة المحددة ,
لم يتم مقاطعة أي متكلم مهما كان سقف كلمته عاليا , وقد تم التصويت على البيان الختامي بكل بنوده بندا بندا حتى أنه في بعض الأحيان تم التصويت على الكلمات .
حدث بعض التوتر في المؤتمر الصحفي الذي عقد بعد انتهاء أعمال المؤتمر بسبب بعض صحفيي الإعلام الرسمي ومرافقيهم واتهامهم للمشاركين بالخيانة وطرح أسئلة استفزازية وخارج نطاق أعمال المؤتمر .
تم حشد عدد من الأشخاص أمام الفندق عند بداية أعمال المؤتمر وعاد الحشد مجددا قبيل انتهاء أعماله أطلقوا شعارات تخوينية بحق المشاركين والمعارضة مما أدى إلى توتر لدى المؤتمرين من موقف السلطات من المؤتمر وردة الفعل بعده .
لوحظ عدم وجود شخصيات أمنية في قاعة المؤتمر أو صالة الانتظار واقتصر وجودهم خارج الفندق .
لوحظ عدم السماح لوفد من السفارات الأجنبية بالحضور كمراقبين للمؤتمر وتم الاعتذار منهم حتى عن الوجود في صالة الانتظار .
تم استيفاء مبلغ 500 ل.س من كل مشارك والبعض ساهم بمبلغ أكبر لتغطية كلفة حجز القاعة للمؤتمر والوجبة الخفيفة التي وزعت والتي بلغت كلفتها الإجمالية أكثر من ستين ألف ليرة سورية .
المحامي خليل معتوق
المدير التنفيذي للمركز السوري للدراسات والأبحاث القانونية

I spoke about the possibility of seeing attacks like the one in Latakia few weeks ago, and so did some of you. We may even see assassinations that some syrians will blame on the regime,however ,random acts of violence will actually weaken the islamists who may now target secular figures whether pro or anti regime. The Talibianization of Syria is a dream that should
never come true.

I will know that Syria is safe when I see more alawis pushing for reform and democracy and more Sunnis rejecting the islamists. This is simplistic,indeed,but it will show that syrians are one and they all want peace,dignity and freedom.
Talibans and their likes are worse than batthists and we must insist on the valid third choice :
Secular democracy. No more excuses.

Albaath has many ethnic groups in it,that is a fact,however I still think it does not have a future in its current form.Many prefer it over the MB but I believe the time has come to say goodbye to both. It is up to syrians back home,not bloggers,to shape political life in Syria,not to discount the valuable insight I see on this forum.

Norman,

Ba`th is open to all. Most of my family’s Kurdish friends in `Afrin, near Aleppo, are hardcore Ba`thists, and have been since the 70’s. A cool thing about the Ba`th is that it’s open to non-Syrians. There is a parent “qiada qawmiyya” that welcomes all Arab citizens and a local “qiada qutriyya” in each Arab country where the Ba`th exists. It was designed for a united Arab homeland. If only the Iraq movement had turned out better….

I hope that, as part of the reforms process, the Ba`th party can shed some of the old artifacts and adopt younger blood to add new energy that is more suitable for the current times. And no, I’m not a Ba`thist nor are my parents.

After taking a break off to study for my exams, i have come to realise something very important. Shami, thanks to you, and Bashar al Assad’s speech, i can now see this importance.

Shami, I hope this explains it all.

http://youtu.be/6mWX2wBfwIM

SHAMI,

I forgot to mention, you say that the majority of the MB are educated? What did they study? How to kill, mutilate and disembody innocent people? Or to preach to the world that Muslim Extremism is the only religion? As far as i know, that is no education. Or it is the education of the devil.

probably,next week the STL will issue indictment,this is going to be very important,add to the already inflamed situation
Internal demonstrations
collapsing economy.
Stl indictment

A question for our financial expert Mr Ehsani: is devaluing the Syrian Pound in the current situation bad or good for the economy as a whole, I think I remember reading long time a go that you like seeing the pound devalued to encourage exports, and what is the safe range for the economy to stay healthy

the so-called STL will probably target Hizbullah. Iran is and has been the target for many years,Syria is not likely to be the focus but the STL may include items that give people like Hariri soemthing to chew on. I do not see how the STL can change the rules of this campaign in a substantial manner,however, I can not hide my astonishment,or disgust,at what some Syrians say or hope to see just because they oppose the regime. tramsforming Syria into a disaster zone will actually strengthen the regime,and history is the judge. You can oppose the regime and foreign intervention at the same time,failing to do so is a sign of moral defeat.

USAMA said: “I hope that, as part of the reforms process, the Ba`th party can shed some of the old artifacts and adopt younger blood to add new energy that is more suitable for the current times.”

I predict Bashar and Syrian Establishment will create a brand new party for the elections. I predict this because I think it would would sell better on the elections campaigns. If you dump the Baath name and the formal Baath party organization, you get to dump the negatives that are attached to the Baath image from some of its old practices. Every voter will know the new party is essentially the same people as the old party. The same wine in the same bottle, with a new label on the bottle. The new label will add new energy that is more suitable for the current times. Nobody will shed a tear at the demise of the old name

RE: History

“…History occasionally peeked in on Syrian life. But the regime buried its head in the sand, living the delusion that it could keep history out — if only it abused its people enough…”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/opinion/27Atassi.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&pagewanted=all

Mawal,

In my opinion, Ba`th is much more than a name for a political party. It has become an ultra-nationalist ideology, to me at least. Corruption and stale leadership have been its biggest downfalls. I believe that, despite its shortcomings, its popularity is still significant because it has kept Syria the only Arab country to be consistently, through talk and actions, anti-hegemony and completely independent in its decision-making. Things like Mu`allem saying “we will ignore Europe exists on the map” (not a direct quote) reaffirms my pride of being Syrian, while noticeably, it draws criticism and ridicule from the reactionary “opposition” like our friend Aboud for reasons I cannot understand.

Quite simply, Ba`th turned Syria from a ball into a player, as president Bashar al-Asad put it in his most-recent speech. I would hate to see Syria turn back into a ball to be kicked around at will.

In addition to the above, president Bashar al-Asad is still young and responsive, and has proven very capable in handling regional developments in the last 11 years and keeping Syria safe in the process. He is proactive, not reactive.

Renaming, or rebranding an organisation, is a Western marketing gimmick, like Blackwater to Xe Services. Although I cannot completely dismiss your statement, I strongly believe it is highly unlikely. If they do it, I think it will hurt them. They definitely need internal reform though to conform to the new party law (if for nothing else). That will be the most difficult challenge within the 6 months that the new party law will allow for transformation.

RE: A really cool Jew/CIA/al-Qaeda plot

“…The rise to power of a ‘democratic’ Muslim Brotherhood with the mediatized and psychological support of the West would mean that Syria will no longer belong to the Shiite bloc. Losing an ally like Syria would force Iran to lose a highly important geopolitical space and also instigate serious psychological trauma. Under such circumstances, Turkey will most likely leave aside the politics of balancing and begin to embrace its role as a new member of the Sunni bloc. It would be no surprise at all if Turkey-Iran relations acquired a new shape in the near future…” Hürriyet Daily News, 22 June 2011

“if we drop the word “arabic” from the Baath chart or constitution, the Baath programm is still and wholly original.”

Good idea. Why don’t you let us know what the national and regional command of al-Baath party think of dropping the empty slogans:
أمة عربية واحدة، ذات رسالة خالدة
أهدافنا: وحدة، حرية، اشتراكية
that we were forced to repeat ad nauseam in school.

I apologise if the following have already been pointed out by others (I have not gone through all of the comments yet).

From the previous blog posting by Dr. Landis:

1) Ignoring all of the other outrageous claims made by Usama Monajed in his latest piece (http://wapo.st/iU9gZM), I found it interesting that now he says Asad can “no longer rely on the Sunni majority” although he, and his other Western-funded friends, claimed Asad was relying on the Alawite minority this whole time.

It is also interesting to note that our friend Aboud thought Monajed’s piece was excellent, lol. It’s a good way to look into the minds of such people to see how they think.

2) From The Telegraph article (http://tgr.ph/ldHZHA)
“A senior Turkish official said on Sunday that Mr Assad had less than a week to start implementing long-promised political reforms before foreign intervention began, without elaborating.”
Not sure what political reform this “official” would be expecting within a week. Either way, toz! (excuse the language)

BADR 281

i disregard the first motto as of no importance and retain the second

أهدافنا: وحدة، حرية، اشتراكية

our goals : unity, freedom, socialism

froma a left point of view , what’s wrong ?

Dear Louai
You said: “As for conservative Muslims i have no problem with them unless if they are in power”

So you do not want conservative muslims in power!

Hummm Let’s see

The majority of Syrians are Muslems
The majority of them are conservative, ie observe Islamic duties.

For such people, to be able to have a position in power, they need to satisfy Louai’s condition:
They should stop being conservative Muslims.

As a minority member, Would you please care to provide us, with criteria of the liberal Muslem that would be agreeable to you in order for a member of the majority of Syrians to fill a position of power?

276. abughassan said:
“the so-called STL will probably target Hizbullah.”

This may be why Nasrallah came out with the “CIA infiltration of Hezbollah” revelations. If HB is named in STL, the CIA HB spies could be the same CIA infiltrators of HB who killed Hariri for the CIA to use as a weapon to overthrow Syria? Syria, who most would immediately blame for the crime?
An isolated, rogue gang acting on their own without official HB sanction or knowledge. LOLOL

What a perfect way to throw this fraudulent crap right back onto CIA’s lap! With full out confessions. Lets have the CIA Names, contacts, handlers, details, everything. Brilliant! LOLOL !

I love it when Baathists like Usama keep being obsessed with me. Heck, I don’t have to post anything for a day and I still torment their thoughts 🙂

Are you sulking because I liked Revlon’s hilarious “Bashar’s Fourth Speech”? Awweeeee, you poor baby. Don’t worry, it’s called satire, it never killed anyone, and you’re gonna have to get used to seeing alot more of it. LOL!

“http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/28/at-town-syrians-fled-government-gives-its-side-of-story/?hpt=hp_t2”

“The kids said they returned to Jisr al-Shougour around a week ago.

“Why did you leave?”

There was initial silence. Then one piped up with “armed gangs” before the group dissolved into giggles.”

Syria ambassador in London summoned to Foreign Office;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13950948

An excellent report by Anderson Cooper

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/06/27/ac.kth.syria.video.crackdown.cnn

CNN Report: Who are these extremist groups?
Baathist deputy FM: They are extremist groubs [groups], financed from outside Syria.

Anderson Cooper: Unnamed groups, no evidence, unnamed extremists, financed by unnamed outsiders.

Aboud,

1) No torment.
2) Not Ba3thi.
3) You referred to a report by Anderson Cooper as “excellent.” Need I say more?

You worship western press and advocate foreign intervention. Ba3th is your anti-christ and “Syrian” is your antonym. I feel zero respect towards people like you. I’ll just ignore all your comments like I do the comments of “israelis” on this blog. Just like them, your true goals are obvious and there is no use even trying to take you seriously.

@287

“I’ll just ignore all your comments like I do the comments of “israelis” on this blog”

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard a Baathist on this website say that to me, I could buy out Rami Makhlouf. But you can’t blame the Baathists, they are just following the example of their inept Foreign Minister, who instead of engaging in a dialogue with Europe, sulks in a corner and “ignores them”

The regime can’t even have a dialogue with Europe, how can they be expected to do so with the opposition.

Regarding the Damascus meeting, I haven’t found anything in the final statement to object to. It was good that they didn’t state one of their aims being the removal of junior. That will come naturally as a consequence of a free society and elections.

It’s just like the trap the Palestinians have set the Israelis with the right of return. It’s an inalienable right, but Israel is toast if even half the Palestinian refugees come back to pre-48 lines.

Turkish pressure has started to bear fruits. Opposition members have been allowed to meet and set a common set of goals. Some foreign media has been allowed into the country on a limited basis, and have confirmed for themselves what the opposition Youtube videos have been saying all along.

And some 700 refugees have left the camps in Turkey and returned to Syria. Where they actually returned to is unclear, but the 4th Division remains in Jisr Al Shughour. Quite puzzling for an army to do if indeed the regime had routed “armed extremists”, but quite understandable when one understands that the Fourth Division’s role is not to fight wars, but is the regime’s equivalent of riot police.

The regime’s worst nightmare is a repeat of the mass demonstrations that occurred in the town on a weekly basis, before the invasion.

Norman #260

as it is said in french “vous abondez dans mon sens” : arabism is non-essensical to the Baath.

By capturing arabism, being the dominant party, the Baath ensured its control on pan-arabist ideology so that this ideology remain confined within appropriate limits.

I read once that Zaki Al Arzouzi wrote his speeches in french and his friends had to translate them into arabic. Is this true ?

Quite revealing how no media gives the actual nationality of this guy when mentioning him
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/islamic-movement-leader-in-israel-arrested-in-london-1.370246

Revlon comment # 284

Conservative ideas are foreign to Syria. Conservative Sunni Islam is also an outsider to Syria, came with the likes of Ibn Taymiyah and his masters the seljuk/turks/mongol, who of course were not interested in a liberal and open society.

Syria is known to have many religions and sects and a conservative Muslim is no good for obvious reasons. It stagnates life and prevents progress as time had told us. Look what conservative Sunni Islam has done to Syria?

If you want to be conservative, you could do that at home and not in a public space you share with others.

Conservative Islam means you think you are special and the rest are something LESS.

Conservative Sunni Muslim still think they could bring us back to some time period in the past. Most of them has any idea or historical real knowledge about what really happened, except from the superficial and shallow knowledge of “Muslim History” narrated to them by the conservative rulers who ruled Syria from the days of Ibn Taymiyah till the 20th C.

Conservative Sunni Islam is the Islam of Ibn Taymiyah (its spiritual and official ideologue), Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (The ultra conservative and hardliner), Ibn Qiyam al-Jawziyah and later on by Wahabis and their modern students like al-Zarqawi, Bin Ladin, 3ar3ur…etc

It is an unfair ideology. Of course violence is one of its byproducts. History tells us what Conservative Sunnis has thought of the others and how their relationship was governed by “us” and “them.” This does not work in a pluralistic society like Syria.

Besides, if freedom of speech and new parties emerged the Islamic Sunni movement in Syria will lose many of its followers to the other parties.

It is obvious also that the spread of conservative Sunni Islam was due to the lack of the other parties. The dictators of the Middle East killed all other alternatives but the mosque, where they bragged about building more mosques. WE are paying now the price of this naive thinking.

Petrodollars financed this type of thinking also and anyone could see where did this evil come from????

The money of the rich Sunnis is spent to spread the conservative Sunni brand and time is telling that this is such a backward movement not suitable for current modern life.

Syria is going to be poorer especially with this demographic explosion (among Sunnis mostly), chaos, and decreasing resources. If you spend money to teach people real science instead of making them more religious you will be planning for the future of Syria and the area also.

If liberal ideas are allowed in Syria, you and your conservative brand will be defeated ASAP mr. Revlon…

NYT reporter on Gaza…

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4088354,00.html

Reminds me of the Warsaw ghetto, when the Nazis rationed food and good supply. You should be proud AP of the the victimizer of today.

Syrians today are saying NO DIALOGUE with this corrupt murderous regime
The regime will go.More of the silent majority will soon join the opposition.
Idleb will soon be opposition country

The consummate AIPAC-American spewing filth. She is the monster that said “we think the price is worth it” when asked about the death of half a million Iraqi children killed due to sanctions under her regime. She’s calling for Assad to be prosecuted! This Sayan betrayer should be tried not only for treason, but for war crimes against humanity.

Assad deserves a swift trip to The Hague
By Madeleine Albright and Marwan Muasher June 28, 2011 ft.com

It is time for the international community to take a stand against Syria’s use of violence against its citizens. On Monday the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Muammer Gaddafi and two of his closest lieutenants for alleged crimes against humanity. The United Nations Security Council should now direct the ICC to investigate whether Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is guilty of crimes against humanity. The charge: using lethal violence to repress peaceful demonstrations in support of democratic rule. The Arab League should also assume the same principled position on Syria that it took on Libya.

Earlier this month, we were among 19 former foreign ministers meeting in The Hague to discuss the turbulence in the Arab world, and especially the situation in Syria. We were concerned by the intensifying level of violence in that country, by the likelihood of escalation, and by the fact that the flow of refugees into Turkey has transformed a national political crisis into an international humanitarian one.

Dear MJABALI, You said:

“The dictators of the Middle East killed all other alternatives but the mosque, where they bragged about building more mosques. WE are paying now the price of this naive thinking.”

Do you consider H Asad and Jr to be dictators?

Angry Arab on Buthaina Sha’ban

http://angryarab.net/2011/06/29/to-buthayna-shaban-on-the-collateral-damage/

“I am still pissed at the interview with Skynews that was conducted with Buthayna Sha`ban. I posted it yesterday. She referred to the innocent civilians killed by regime soldiers as “collateral damage”, very much the way the US dismisses the scores of civilians who are killed by its bombs and rockets in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen and many other places.

Here is an intellectual recruited by the Asad regime and is standing by it in those times. But when she lends propaganda help to the regime in its killing of its citizens she becomes part of the killing apparatus of the regime. This is another low of the Asad regime and its lousy propaganda.

“Collateral damage” was invented to dismiss and justify the murder of brown people by the White Man. Now we see it used to dismiss the killing of civilians by the Syrian regime. Sha`ban achieved a record of baseness of the Syrian regime, and when the regime falls she will be made to account for this terrorist language. ”

Well put. Nice to see him get angry about something substantial for a change.

N.Z.’s experience in “the Warsaw Ghetto” NewZ

293. N.Z. said:

Reminds me of the Warsaw ghetto…

N.Z.,

I didn’t know you were in the Warsaw ghetto. You must be up there in age.

… when the Nazis rationed food and good supply. You should be proud AP of the the victimizer of today.

I also didn’t know Jews in the Warsaw ghetto were firing thousands of missiles into Polish population centers.

I also didn’t know Gazans are limited to an average of 186 calories a days cosidering the billions of dollars and tonnes of food and supplies they receive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7806209/Dispatch-Just-how-hungry-is-Gaza.html

Actually, life in Syria may be closer to how life was in the Warsaw ghetto.

Conservative Moslem Ladies in 7oms yesterday

Hey w yallah,
Ma mnirka3 illa la Allah

La7iwar Ma3 bashar

Ma Min7abbak ma Min7ibbak,
Ir7al 3anna inta w 7izbak

حمص مسيرة نسائية في شارع الدبلان , مقطع طويل http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOjSbX3A0DQ&feature=player_embedded#at=156

Mawal95, Usama

The Baath party in Syria has solidified a nationalism and a cohesion you don’t find in any other country. It has unfortunately been abused and fell into the trap of a single party excesses.
I believe that if it competes with other parties, it has a lot of chance to survive and evolve, because it is has a comprehensive, inclusive and visionary ideology, it just need to modernize to the 21th century.

873

Hezbollah CIA agents and the TSL

I also thought that it was no coincidence that Nasrallah revealed the presence of CIA agents within its ranks just as the TSL indictment was going to be released. If any of these ‘spies’ are in the list of the TSL ( note that Nasrallah has not revealed the names) then ironically a CIA agent will be indicted! With this new information, I wonder if, under USA pressure worried about this eventuality, the TSL will not postpone again the indictment.
A very smart timing from Nasrallah as he probably knew about these agents some time ago.

Regime’s army ramsacked and looted houses in mar3yan, Idleb governorate.
They also arrested a number of civilians.
Four martyrs has been tallied so far!

Al Fati7a upon their souls,
May God bless their families with solace and empower them with patience!

Sameeramis meeting signatories must be proud of their declaration
Le them soak it and drink it! (Bil3arabi l msharma7)

أوغاريت || جبل الزاوية إدلب :: قام الجيش بمداهمة البيوت في قرية مرعيان وقد قاموا بتخريب و نهب بعض المنازل , كما أنهم الأن يقومون بعمليات مداهمة لبيوت في قرية المغارة ,

كما قامو باعتقالات وقد عرف لدينا اثنان من المعتقلين من قرية مرعيان ; جمال عبد الباقي و عبد الرحمن صطوف ,

كم سقط شهيد في قرية سرجة بيد أحد القناصة وجثته ملقاه بالطريق ولا يستطيع الاهالي سحب الجثة من القناصين .
42 minutes ago •

بعض أسماء الذين سقطوا التي وردتنا

الشهيد عادل هاشم حصرم 42 عاماً
الشهيد هاشم يحيى الاسعد 46 عاماً
الشهيد طه عبد القادر الأصفر
…الشهيد محمد أحمد الحلاج
الشهيد ماجد جابر من قرية سرجة

Jad
I worry about increased provocation by the protesters and blind violence this friday. If demonstrations go peacefully, it is a big victory for the local opposition, but I doubt the x-opposition will allow this to happen.
Even if the security forces are not present, the x-opposition will claim that ‘government thugs’ are shooting at people, while these will be their own ‘thugs’.
A very dangerous situation friday…

Statement by Revolution Activist Ms Suhair Atassi
– On Samiramees meeting
– Wednesday of burning utilities bills
– Thursday of Aleppine’s Volcano

تصريح للناشطة سهير الأتاسي بخصوص المؤتمر 28-6

More symbols of tyranny are tarnished.
AlBaath school is spray-changed to Al7urrya school
AlBukamal, yesterday

The chants are turning more bitter and specifically target the top
3arada shamiyyeh/demonstration in Qaboon, Damascus, last night

Erdogan please illo
Sah3bak Ma bi7ibbak killo

Huweh khalasoo mayyato
Sar lazem nra7illo

Revloladen
1-تاري حمص معبايه خراير ومكنا عارفين
2-سهير الأتاسي في قاموس الاخوانجيه سافره كافره وعاهره
3-لماذا لم يجعلو اسم المدرسه مدرسة الاخوان او مدرسة العرعور
كس اخت الحريه اللي بتطلع من طيز الاخوان متل الخريه اللي بمصر هلا

“Actually, life in Syria may be closer to how life was in the Warsaw ghetto.”

I wouldn’t know, unlike some I don’t claim to remember anything first hand from WW2

If any ordinary Syrian has decided to arm themselves, it is from the same spirit of resistance and self preservation exhibited by the Polish Jews. They do not go out looking for a confrontation with the Syrian army, but neither will they leave themselves open to shabiha thugs invading their neighborhood to beat up and torture their brothers and neighbors.

@303 “Even if the security forces are not present, the x-opposition will claim that ‘government thugs’ are shooting at people”

Three weeks ago, Hama turned out for a 50,000 strong demonstration. The 3asi Square was overflowing with demonstrators. The regime reacted in the predictable way they do, and butchered 68 people that day.

The next day, over a hundred thousand people came out for the funerals, and ever since, the security forces have evacuated Hama completely. Every night, Hama has hosted the biggest demonstrations of the revolution. And guess what? Not one person has been killed there since the security forces left the city.

@307 El Homasni naykeen ekhtak inta wal shabiha ya manyak. I love the video that was posted two weeks ago, of three shabiha scum caught in Khaldia and whose faces were full of bruises.

The bright side of sanctions

Iranian car lines keep rolling despite sanctions

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/iranian-car-lines-keep-rolling-despite-sanctions-132850767.html

“…Unusually for the Middle East, Iran has developed its domestic car industry for five decades and produced 1.6 million vehicles last year, about half of them made by Iran Khodro which aims to export around 10 percent of its production this year.

Even with sanctions, which have scared off some suppliers from exporting to Iran, and a limp economy, Iran Khodro says sales rose 18 percent in 2010 and plans a 13 percent output increase this year to 860,000 vehicles…”

Carrying a Klashinkov in Syria is more dangerous than carrying a camera!!!
As their Palestinian brethren,no amount of brutality will deter the brave Syrians to continue on their journey to freedom. Reflect as you read.

By Nazir al-Abdo

June 29, 2011
My older brother, Bashir, 26, is one of the thousands of people who have been detained by Bashar Assad’s regime in recent weeks.

At first, we didn’t know what had happened to him. He and two friends had been missing since they went to the northern city of Jisr Al Shoughur on June 10 to secretly film the protests and the army crackdown there. Then, last week, I was watching Syrian state television when my brother suddenly came on the screen. A caption underneath his image said he had confessed to subversive activities.

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Bashir, an economics student at the University of Latakiya, is neither very religious nor very liberal in his views. Like most people in Syria, my brother and I often talked about politics between ourselves, but we were careful to stay away from political activity. The secret police watch everyone, and they can twist the most mundane statements and actions into evidence of subversive activity. Even growing a short beard might prompt the secret police to make a report: “His beard is now one centimeter long.” This would then be presented as evidence of Islamist extremism.

When the protests began, Bashir decided to start filming the ones in our area and posting the footage on YouTube and other channels so people outside the country would know what was happening. Our parents were very opposed, saying we should just be patient and that, in time, the regime would change. They warned Bashir that he could be imprisoned.

But Bashir defied them. To him, the protests presented our best chance for ending government corruption and repression. He saw the possibility of living a free life, without the constant fear of arrest or worse.

He tried to explain that to my parents. “Now is the time for change,” he said. “I don’t want my children one day to still be living under this regime.”

He had watched what happened in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and he felt that this was the moment for Syria too.

It took a lot of courage to do what Bashir did, as there are informants everywhere in our country. Taking out his cellphone and filming in public made it almost certain that observers would inform on him. I admired that courage but didn’t dare to do the same.

Then, about a month ago, I was writing my university exams when I received a call from Bashir. I said I couldn’t talk as I was in an exam, but he interrupted me: “Leave right away. They have found out my name, and they will come for you as well.”

I got up and left, and since then I have lived on the run. I also have joined the struggle for Syria’s freedom.

Earlier this month, we finally saw each other in a camp on the Syrian-Turkish border. We talked deep into the night about our work, about our hopes that the protests would succeed and how terrified we were. Very early the next morning, on Friday, June 10, he got up and left to do more filming with his friends.

When he disappeared, I assumed he was in hiding, as it is often difficult for young men to move around with all the checkpoints. But as the days went on, even as I told my parents not to be alarmed, I became increasingly worried that he had been arrested.

When he appeared on Syrian state television, I grew dizzy. We were in a room full of activists, and I broke down in tears. Everyone knows that when people appear on state television in Syria to make “confessions,” they have been brutally tortured and forced to lie. Only God knows how they forced him to tell those dirty lies.

One of the friends he disappeared with was also on the television “confessing,” but there is still no word on the fate and whereabouts of the other man who was with them when they disappeared.

Bashir and his friend looked drugged and tired. They named many of the other activists, and as I looked around the room I could see faces cloud over with worry, for themselves and their families. Syria’s security services regularly detain family members to pressure activists to turn themselves in. It is terrible to know that we are putting our families at risk.

In their confessions, my brother and his friend claimed that they had videotaped the crimes of “armed gangs” and small protests of just a dozen people, but that the other activists had doctored the footage to make the protests look larger and to make it appear as if the security services and the army were responsible for killing citizens. I couldn’t bear to watch and ran out of the room.

I dreaded calling my parents to tell them about Bashir’s arrest. Finally, my dad called me. I had been afraid that my parents would beg me to stop my activities and return home, so I jumped in and explained to my father how we had to continue our struggle, how this was the moment for creating a new Syria.

He listened and finally gave his permission, saying, “Go, my brave son. You are now truly a man.” I could hear my mother crying.

All we want is our freedom. We know the cost, but we are ready to pay the price. With 1,300 dead already, we cannot give up now, because their deaths would have been in vain.

In the room with me watching my brother confess to crimes he didn’t commit were two fellow activists whose brothers have already been killed, shot dead while protesting. They are carrying on the struggle their brothers started.

I will do the same, continuing Bashir’s peaceful struggle with the courage he taught me.

Popular Rallies and Tents to supporting Reform

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=88459

….A Homeland Tent was held in Hasaka province, in northeastern Syria, with the participation of various popular and social figures to stress national unity and support to comprehensive reform.

“The Tent meeting is a unique national case that highlights the people’s awareness of the big conspiracy hatched against them,” said Mohammad al-Brak al-Mahshoush, a senior sheikh of al-Jabbour tribe.

A similar tent was organized in Buraq village in Daraa province at which sheikhs and members of senior clans in the area said expressed readiness to do all their best to preserve the unity and solidity of the Syrian national fabric against all foreign conspiracies aimed at destabilizing Syria and interfering in its internal affairs.

“This tent reflects full support to the reform program,” said Father Joseph Badawi, Priest of al-Masmieh village congregation for the Roman Catholic Church.

“The unity characterizing the Syrian people will foil all the plots planned against Syria,” said Khalid al-Hussein al-Hilal, senior figure of al-Buraq village.

Aleppo countryside also witnessed marches of thousands in Efrin area who stressed commitment to standing side by side in the face of the conspiracies and misleading media campaigns targeting Syria.

I agree with Syria Commando when he says that 99 % of genuine syrians are profreedom and welfare, and of course pro regime change. When you say genuine you mean syrians living abroad like you?

“Resistance”: The other Story

If any ordinary Syrian has decided to arm themselves, it is from the same spirit of resistance and self preservation exhibited by the Polish Jews.

Aboud,

I am not comfortable throwing out holocaust comparisons on a Syrian website. Arabs have their own stuff to deal with.

I thought the Gaza report showed a bit of optimism for a people living under difficult circumstances.

On the flip side, “resistance” is a relative term. On this website, it can mean continued war with Israel or it can mean demonstrating for freedom in a totalitarian state.

From the information I’ve seen, the majority of those killed in Syria were unarmed. Then there is the issue of the “right to bear arms”, and the right to a speedy trial and/or a legal representation. I do not know what the laws are in Syria, but I’m sure they are tailored to keep the Syrian people weak and passive.

As we all know, speaking out against the government is a possible death sentence and allows the government to do whatever the hell they please. Living under a system where there is basically no legal rights is worse than scary. I don’t know how Syrians live like this.

Regime abducted oppositors have seen fulfilled any of their demands before accept to assist to Semiramis Hotel? Only one, not being shot dead and got killed at the door by snipers on Victoria Bridge.

A glimpse of hope appears as national dialogue hailed in Syria

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2011-06/29/c_13957270.htm

…In another indication, the U.S. is still giving a room for diplomatic solution in Syria, a U.S. congressman stated Tuesday that President Assad is serious about making changes in his country.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, told reporters following a meeting with al-Assad that he had found a “strong desire to make a substantial change… People want President Assad to carry out reforms.”

He called for the cancellation of recent EU sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime that include assets freeze and travel ban.

Thank you N.Z, that was very moving. Such amazing bravery in the face of so much suppression. Syrians like Bashir have proven themselves braver than so many other countries who buckled down at the first excuse. Allah yehmehon.

If Assad remains in power after this Freddy Kruger show longing for 3 months syrian people can lose almost all of the little dignity it kept. Last years syrians used to live in the illusion that they were improving and being more respected by its own dictatorship. Now all of a suden they have come again to reality. Bloody reality. Iran and corrupt managers fighting against its own people, terrorists, almost all arab nations, democracy, colonialism, etc.

Even if Assad reigns again, this corrupt system and its main actors will not let democracy advance.

David Kucinich in Damascus, well put by Angry Arab

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/06/dennis-kucinich-in-damascus.html

“I wrote about this in Arabic on Facebook and I need to write about it in English. The propaganda of the Syrian regime and the propaganda of its allies on Lebanon can’t be more wrong about the significance of the visit by Kucinich to Damascus and his meeting with Bashshar.

Kucinich is a dissident leftist in the House of Representatives and does not speak for the administration and his trip in no way reflect a shift in the attitude of the regime–unlike the silly interpretations peddled by supporters of the Syrian regime.

Kucinich is a staunch advocate of the Palestinians and follows Lebanese politics closely (I reported when he called me two years ago to discuss Lebanon and to tell me about his meeting with Fu’ad Sanyurah). But Bashshar is always eager to win favor with the US: if I send a student to Damascus, I bet Bashshar would find three hours of time to discuss anything with him/her.”

@313 I agree with everything you said. Thank you for saying it.

Dear Revlon
your question \’As a minority member, Would you please care to provide us, with criteria of the liberal Muslim that would be agreeable to you in order for a member of the majority of Syrians to fill a position of power?\’

i most say again , i have no problem what so ever with conservative Muslims , i lived most my life in Homs with conservative Muslims ,my teachers were conservative Muslims my Doctors were conservative Muslims my next door neighbors are conservative Muslims and some of my friends are !

what i have problem with is conservative Islam to be in power not conservative Muslims, a political system based on conservative Islam, i said in my comment the reason for that , i am against to mix between religion and politics ,i am not an ethicist but I prefer a democratic secular system because History proved it’s the best way to govern . i don’t think conservative Muslims are Ikhwan or salafi I know the deference .

people must be allowed to demonstrate as long as they do not carry arms,destroy properties or use violence. Syrians,especially the youth, discover that they actually may be able to affect their government decisions and have a voice. make no mistake about it,if it was not for the pressure the regime received from the people,we would have waited another 11 years to hear about article-8 and elections,so,in a sense the pressure on the regime should continue,however,I have two problems with this uprising:
the use of violence in certain places including attacks on the army,and the sectarian tone in some demonstrations. I do not consider people who attack the army or destroy properties “freedom fighters”,they are thugs,and I certainly oppose any policy or idea that can divide Syrians.Albaath slogans today mean very little to most: Arab unity is a myth,freedom is incompatible with family rule,dictatorship and the concept of “the ruling party”,and socialism is a failed economic theory and a vehicle for corruption and regression,this is why I think albaath has to change or go to the museum.

تعليق حول البيان الختامي لاجتماع سميراميس
الكاتب بسام القاضي
28/ 06/ 2011
شكل البيان الختامي الذي صدر عن المؤتمر الذي عقد في دمشق، فندق سميراميس، 27/6/2011، تأكيدا جديدا على حقائق انفصال النخب المثقفة السورية عن الواقع، وانسياقها العاطفي خلف حركة الاحتجاجات إلى حد رفضها الاعتراف بالعنف الإجرامي الذي مارسته عصابات مسلحة أصولية وغيرها، ضد أجهزة النظام والمدنيين، وأكد مدى الحاجة الماسة إلى الانتهاء من كل الاجراءات التي تسمح لممثلي الشارع الحقيقي، معارضة وموالاة، لتمسك زمام الحوار الوطني بأيديها. فهي صاحبة المصلحة الأساسية في هذا الحوار كونها تعيش الواقع الحقيقي.

1- يبدو أن النزعة الأدبية العاطفية لم تفارق هذا الاجتماع، فتجلت في “عهد من أجل بلادنا التي نحب”!

2- خلا البيان كليا من أية إدانة للعصابات المسلحة والمجرمة التي قتل الجيش والشرطة والأمن والمدنيين، في تأكيد على الانحياز الأعمى الذي مارسته هذه الشخصيات منذ اليوم الأول لتكشف العصابات المسلحة في سورية. فهي رفضت دائما الاعتراف بهذه العصابات الإجرامية، دينية وغير دينية. وفي المرات القليلة التي اعترفت بوجودها بررت لها أفعالها الاجرامية بكلمات مثل “رد على عنف النظام”، أو “مجرد أخطاء فردية”! مما يعكس فعلا أن المؤتمر لم يكن للتداول بالشأن السوري، ولم يكن لإيجاد حل للأزمة، بل فقط للضغط على النظام السوري.

3- طالب بسحب القوى الأمنية من المدن والبلدات والقرى، وتهرب كليا من الإشارة إلى الجيش. وبينما أشار إلى إنهاء الخيار الأمني، لم يشر إلى طريقة المعالجة المقترحة للعصابات المسلحة.

4- طالب بحرية التظاهر السلمي “بدون إذن مسبق”، وهو الأمر الذي لا يتوفر في أي دولة في العالم!

5- رفض التمييز بين المعتقلين من المتظاهرين السلميين، والمعتقلين الذين استخدموا السلاح، في قوله “إطلاق سراح.. والمعتقلين على خلفية الأحداث الأخيرة دون استثناء”، انسجاما مع رفضه الاعتراف بالعصابات المجرمة والمسلحة التي ركبت حركة الاحتجاجات في سورية.

6- رفض الاعتراف أن الإعلام السوري المكتوب والمسموع قد فتح الباب لشخصيات المعارضة أن تدلي بدلوها عبره، لكن هذه الشخصيات هي من رفضت ذلك قبل أن “تنجز الثورة”! وأن إذاعات الاف ام تحديدا فتحت الهواء كاملا أمام كل ما يريدون قوله، لكنهم رفضوا ذلك أيضا. وعادوا إلى اسطوانة أن الإعلام هو من يغلق الباب أمامهم، في تضليل مستمر لحقيقة أنهم يرفضون مواجهة رأي قسم كبير من الشارع السوري سواء عبر المذيع/ة أو عبر الاتصالات المباشرة.

7- طالب بإعادة اللاجئين والمهجرين إلى منازلهم، مشيرا (بحق) إلى ضرورة حفظ أمنهم وكرامتهم وحقوقهم، ولكنه تجاهل حقيقة أن هؤلاء اللاجئين يتعرضون لحملة تشويه واسعة النطاق وكثيفة تهدف إلى إجبارهم على عدم العودة (الإشاعات بقتل كل من يعود) لإبقائهم ورقة بيد تجار الدم خارج سورية، سورييين وحكومات أجنبية.

8- أصر البيان على ربط التدخلات الخارجية بالعملية الأمنية، في تحميل مسؤولية كامل للنظام. فيما من المؤكد والموثق أن الدعوات إلى التدخل بدأت منذ الأسبوع الأول من الأزمة. وبالتالي فشل البيان في الاعتراف أن التدخل الخارجي ليس فقط مرتبطا بالعملية الأمنية، إنما أيضا بجهد الكثير من تجار الدم خارج سورية الذين لا يتوقفون عن التحريض عبر أروقة الكونغرس والدوائر الأوروبية. كما يتضمن هذا رفضا للاعتراف أن العصابات الإجرامية المسلحة، أصولية وغيرها، تتحمل أيضا جزءا من هذه المسؤولية.

9- أكد البيان من جديد، بشكل غير مباشر، حقيقة أن شخصيات المعارضة لا ترى سوى حركة الاحتجاجات المعارضة للنظام السوري، وما زالت تتجاهل كليا جزءا مهما من الشارع السوري هو الموالي كليا للنظام، وتتجاهل القسم الأكبر من الشعب السوري الذي يريد سورية حرة وديمقراطية وآمنة ومستقرة، ويعارض العنف والإجرام والطائفية من النظام والشارع.

10- فيما أشار البيان إلى أن الشخصيات المشاركة، والاجتماع نفسه، “ليس بديلا عن أي طيف من أطياف المعارضة”، لم يشر إطلاقا إلى حقيقة أنه لا يمثل إلى الشخصيات التي عقدته. فأي منها لم يخول بأي طريقة التحدث باسم أية فئة أو مجموعة من الناس! ورغم تأكيد بعض الشخصيات عبر الإعلام ذلك، إلا أن البيان خلا (!) من تثبيت هذه الحقيقة.

أما بخصوص “عهد من أجل بلادنا التي نحب”، فهو يؤكد بوضوح أن ما قلناه أعلاه من رفض هذه الشخصيات لحقيقة الإجرام المسلح المضاد للدولة والمدنيين في الشارع، فقد اكتفى برفض الخيار الأمني دون أن يشير وإن بكلمة واحدة لرفض أي شكل من العنف في الشارع ضد النظام أو أجهزته أو المدنيين. وهو ما يعكس الفشل السياسي والمدني الذي ميز هذه النخب منذ عقد من الزمن، وتجلى عاريا خلال هذه الأزمة.

The concerted campaign against the Assad regime stems from very obvious reality. It is simply a direct consequence, a sequel of the Iraq war that installed pro Iran shiite regime in Baghdad and caused the flight into Syria of millions of Sunni Iraqi refugees.

The Iraq war has put the perceived Iranian threat at the door step of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan and the west bank. Only regime change in Syria, replacing Assad with a Sunni, US friendly dictator (claiming democracy as a cover) would make all the Sunni and jewish neighbours of Syria happy.

In addition we must not forget the powerful hands of Sunni billionaire Saad Hariri who is funding from Paris a massive campaign to undermine the Assad regime. There is no doubt in my mind that a great number of the websites, bloggers and cyber activists are Harriri acolytes who if anything are enemies of democracy as they could not swallow their recent election defeat. Many more millions of Harriri largesse is being spread on European politicians, from the obvious such as Jacques Chirac living in a Harriri Parisian apartment for years now to many other less subtle bribes to help him take revenge on teh Assad regime.

Bashar Assad has been a very consistent and honest pro reform president. Farnkly Syrians are lucky to have such a young open minded president dedicated to reform. The task is not easy and dismissing foreign conspiracies is either stupid or malicious (from people who are part of it).

Aboud

#318 Kucinich in Damascus

Thanks for pointing to us that ridiculous comment.

What is “a dissident leftist in the US house “? We need more like him.
What is wrong is being a “staunch advocate of Palestinians” and following Lebanese politics? We need more like him.

That commenter “Assad abu Khalil’ should continue posting these comments, it just how stupid angry people can become.

I do not doubt that Syria is a target,it has been for thousands of years,and the ascension of Iran actually gave the regime’s enemies more incentives to attack Syria,however,the regime has been a nagging problem in Syria since the 1960s. Syrians have no choice but to reform their government and defend their country at the same time.
Baathists and violent Islamists are not equipped or willing to do the job,and their support among Syrians is questionable at best.
Syria gained independence in 1946 but it is lagging economically and it has regressed politically,and that is a tragedy.People are going to jump at this post reminding me of the benefits syrians received from albaath rule and the support we have for our foreign policy,and I am not going to deny the positives and declare albaath rule a total failure because it it was not,I just believe we can,and must,do better.

WD,
I agree with your assessment, this Friday will be very bloody and violence since the opposition meeting was a success in its message as a contrast of the street violence we are seeing for more than three months, and I think that the x-oppositions answer will be in the streets to take the credibility from Monday’s conference.
Just check Revlon posts today, he is a messenger of the x-opposition.
Suhair Atassi is a tool for the ‘swede bro’ and his ‘trio’ gang, she is used when needed to make the situation escalate, (just check her moves at every milestone to this uprising) she did the same role many times before and she is doing it again, nothing new.
Her statement that the opposition meeting was to split the mighty ‘united’ opposition is a reflection of how narrow minded she is, how are those people be called leaders when they are so destructive and how can any rational person can trust them.
The idea of ‘burning’ the bills is as stupid as the ones who came with it (not Suhair), do those guys know any thing else but burning..they are fire worshipers.

Usama,
I mention mounajed’s stand in that article and I point out my take on him: a traitor.

Louai,
Thank you for putting Bassam’s article on here, he is the most rational person I know, if you care of logic follow Bassam.

enjoy

http://bit.ly/lFThEy

As for Bassam Kadi, I’ve been reading his articles for awhile and I’m yet to see him write one positive article, from what I see he’s someone who criticize just for the sake of criticizing.

Jad,

you guys are mixing up the external opposition and the Syrian street ( the demonstrators) and make it sound like it is one entity. Do you really think Antalya crowd represent or effect the street?

Abughassan:

I agree with you, although I tend to be even more critical of the Baath. While declaring anyone a “total failure” is quite extreme (even the repressive communist countries were not total failures) the Baath party and this regime failed on many levels. Much of the national energy of Syria was completely wasted. The economy was paralyzed as a result of outdated and totally flawed socialist policies that led to vicious corruption and the impoverishment of a large percentage of Syrians. The education system was a complete mess, the medical and healthcare systems were utter disasters, and even agricultural production was dealt a serious blow by their disastrous “agricultural reforms.” This is not to mention the inadequate preparation and equipment of Syria’s armed forces. There are certain things that we can give this regime credit for, but all in all Syria has regressed during its rule. Of course I am not dismissing the role of foreign pressure and sanctions which stood as a price Syria has to pay for its staunch national policies, but there was simply no excuse for the corruption, brutal repression, and disastrous economic condition of the country.

The reason for our opposition to a complete collapse of the regime today is not because we support the regime, but rather due to the exorbitant price we will be forced to pay as a consequence of such a collapse. I am a strong believer that President Bashar al Assad is very serious about reforms, not simply due to a gut feeling but rather due to verifiable information I have been receiving from people close to the developments on the ground. The fact of the matter is that the reforms that are going to be led by President al Assad are going to effectively topple this regime but through a deliberate, stable process rather than a chaotic destruction of the state.

@323 You mean until this moment you’ve never heard of Dennis Kucinich?

*facepalm*

And you obviously did not understand a word of Asad Abu Khalil’s post. There is absolutely nothing with being an advocate of the Palestinian people’s plight. In fact, it is a principled stand in a sea of sycophants eager to earn Netanhayu’s blessings. A stand which, unfortunately, means he has no influence in the American body politics. None of his very commendable bills, initiatives or impeachment proceedings against George Bush ever saw the light of day.

This is Kucinich’s first meeting with Bashar, and in a month’s time he will learn that so many others before him have; that Bashar talks the talk, but can’t walk the walk.

In the not too distant future, we will be hearing a press release from his office where he “regrets” that “President Assad’s words were not backed up by actions.” The Syrian people already know what Bashar’s promises of reforms are worth.

Mr Kucinich is a principled man, but the families of the 10,000 Syrians missing and in Bashar’s jail don’t have the patience the Congressman from Ohio seems to be willing to spend on Bashar.

Personally, I have a great deal of respect for Mr Kucinich, so much so that I haven’t called Bashar “junior” in this post. But I will be writing to the Congressman’s office, for what it’s worth.

NK,
What you don’t like in Bassam’s writing is that he is showing you the things you don’t want to admit (the existence of armed parties attacking the police) so the peaceful protesters image you have don’t get tainted, your point has nothing to do with what he writes.
Talking of positivity, I guess you have plenty of it in your comment right?
If you follow Bassam’s writings you wouldn’t write your comment since in many articles of his he give solutions, he even introduce an excellent law for protest and demonstration, he gave a specific steps and ideas of how to go out of this mess, you, and I, didn’t even try, we are the negative and passive figures not him.

Why,

” modern Christianity is turning into it’s original tenet, love and humility”.

Yeah. Right. Does Born Again Evangelical Christian rings any bell?

Evangelical Christians consider it their biblical duty to support Israel. In their view Palestine belongs only to the chosen people and the irony is they do not really inherently care about the Jews. All what they are looking for is an Armageddon to precipitate the second coming of the Christ then all other to die or convert.

All religions can be misused. No exception.

Revlokawi(Alzarkawa)
As far as those demonstrators in alkaboon shouting for Erdogan,do they know that on third of turkish parliman bycouted his ceremony.it seems that erdogan is there god.they have to replace Hafez statues with Erdo ones.you and Erdogan worshippers will go to hill with your Erdo god.Syria will stay free of MB devils like you.

Jad,

The trend has actually been a reduction in violence and I expect this trend to continue. I agree that the traitors abroad would love and adore seeing more blood spilled as that would help their nefarious agenda, but their problem is that much of their ammunition has been taken away from them, and they actually do not have the influence and control on the Syrian street that they would like to think they have.

Tara

‘All religions can be misused. No exception.’

you cant be more right , WD is speaking about Christianity in general, i do speak with the born again people in here and they make me smile because ,i call them the christian Brothers , CB 😉

for them no one is a ‘true’ Christian till he/she was ‘born again’

‘All religions can be misused. No exception.’ that’s why secularism is a need not a luxury

Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s statement on his visit:

http://dailycaller.com/2011/06/28/report-says-kucinich-praised-syrian-dictator-congressman-says-statement-mischaracterized/2/

“Today, the Syrian Arab News Agency published an article that contained a number of mistranslations and mischaracterized statements that I made during a news conference in Damascus.

While on fact-finding mission in Syria, I was asked to share my initial reactions with some journalists, which I did. During my remarks I stressed the importance of the government paying attention to the democratic aspirations of the people of Syria. It is up to the people of Syria to decide the future of their government. There is a process of national dialogue beginning and this process is important. It is important that the Assad government listen carefully to the just demands and act positively to fulfill the democratic aspirations of the people of Syria. The process of national dialogue which has now begun is a step in the direction of identifying necessary reforms.

I did not come to Syria with my mind made up. After discussions with people at many different levels of society, I am convinced of the need for honesty, fairness and dialogue.

A story written about my remarks by the Syrian Arab News Agency unfortunately mistranslated several of my statements and did not reflect my direct quotes. Arab-speaking friends accompanying me have explained that the problem may have come from a mistranslation as well as the degree of appreciation and affection their state-sponsored media has for President Assad.

It is unfortunate that translation errors can create such problems. Given the stakes for Syria and the region, I will consider the article only an error, not a willful intent to mischaracterize my statements or my efforts in the region.

I intend to continue my efforts to determine as best I can exactly what is happening in Syria, ever more mindful of the maxim, “lost in translation.” ”

@333 “The trend has actually been a reduction in violence and I expect this trend to continue.”

20 people were killed last week on Friday and in funerals for the dead afterwords, including two teenagers. I’m so glad that you can brush off their deaths so lightly. Progress in Baathists terms, when 20 people are killed instead of 25.

“I agree that the traitors abroad ” said the Baathist who lives abroad. How ironic that not one Baathist on this forum even lives in Syria.

Jad

Bassam should have been there , i dont know why he wasn’t, he would add alot with his rational vision to the problem and the solution

Majed, NK, and others

What is the use of having a reformed MB or even conservative Muslims political party? Like what would it’s agenda or program be?

Tara

Even the Damascus crowd don’t represent the street, no one elected them to do so, they were not leaders of the demonstrations, in fact non of them participated in any of the demonstrations at all, add to that the fact that they were “invited” to attend rather than having a meeting open to all (those were the words of Dalila, who did not attend because he was not invited!). So can anyone please enlighten me to who exactly wrote those invitations and came up with this list of attendees ?.

I’m not attacking those who attended, not at all, I’m just saying they simply represent themselves and nothing more. This rather pathetic attempt by the regime to contain the street and appoint “regime-approved” leaders to this uprising will not get us anywhere.

I actually have met Dennis Kucinich personally and have had lengthy discussions with him. He definitely does not represent the Administration’s position and is quite independent in his principled stances, although I have pushed him on some of the analysis he’s made regarding the Palestine question. Having said that, I can also assuredly say that Congressman Kucinich is very cautious and does not embark on an activity unless he is confident that it will not harm him. He stays in contact with the state department and asks for their advice and input. For example, he was scheduled to visit Gaza after the murderous campaign of the cancerous entity there in early 2009, but backed away at the end when he felt it was too risky. Therefore, if he had received any indication that Bashar was in imminent danger of falling he would not have made the trip.

As for As’ad Abu Khalil, I have said before and will repeat that he is an irresponsible, negative person that has no new ideas and no solutions to anything, satisfying himself with simply complaining and attacking everyone. I believe he has good intentions, but as the saying goes “the road to hell is built with good intentions.” He fails to see that President Bashar al Assad always gives time to anyone wanting to speak with him, and has actually taken a liking to Dennis Kucinich over the years, whom he has met on several occasions. President al Assad does not give time to Congressman Kucinich simply because he is American, but rather because he feels that he is open-minded and ready to listen. He refuses to speak with other Americans if he feels they are simply there to make demands. But As’ad is too much out of the loop to understand any of this and thinks complaints and destructive criticisms are the way to go.

Observing the terrorist’s latest movements and the signals Turkey is sending, they still intend to attack, they are just holding things back due to Syria’s smart actions in Jisr al-Shaghour. I suspect there is going to be a major terrorist event either tomorrow or Friday. They will try to derail any momentum we have in carrying out real reform, instead replacing it with chaos. From that chaos, they hope to create a fake casus belli for “foreign intervention”.

They’ve given up on destroying Syria economically (takes too long, EU/US is collapsing as we speak, Greece is on fire, etc.) so their final option is “foreign intervention”, i.e. war. Iran has already told Turkey that it will bomb targets inside Turkey if it enters into a conflict with Syria, as it sees Syria’s existence underpinned to its own.

#322

Very good post. What you mentioned is the reason behind much of my behaviour and a lot of my counter-attacks which aim to be a counter-balance to their malevolent intent.

#323

I used to think angry arab was a serious website/journal but every passing day proves it’s the “comedy section” of politics. Nothing Syria does can be right, because, simply put, angry arab is anti-Syrian. He claims to speak for the Syrian people when all he stands for is neo-Liberialism disguised as “anarchy”.

I feel sorry for him and wish he’d be turn into “calm arab”. After all, it is only when you’re angry and hate your enemy that he has won.

#339

I couldn’t have said it better myself!!!

#325

It is sad, but he (Mounajed) is indeed a traitor. I didn’t think this many would exist, but every country has them and we must be ever vigilant about their influence.

#328

>The fact of the matter is that the reforms that are going to be led by President al Assad are going to effectively topple this regime but through a deliberate, stable process rather than a chaotic destruction of the state.

Exactly, it has to be a controlled demolition otherwise we lose control of Syria to the zionists/international bankers who will destroy any semblance of what we would have once been. It is not an option. The majority of those calling for terrorists/”freedom fighters”, war and so on, are not even Syrian but fake Syrians. The minority of them like Mounajed and one of my cousins who is unfortunately a traitor (Turkey lover) are the people who are truly creating the troubles on the street.

The keep complaining that the reforms aren’t happening (they are, as we speak from what I see/change in atmosphere), yet they’re calling for people to go out and create violent chaos.

Bourkan Halab
Idleb showdown

What do you think these names mean?

The propagandists here who wish to speak for the so called “silent majority” (the most fascist construct I’ve ever witnessed) actually know that they are testing the patience of ordinary people. Those who have not yet spoken up are likely indifferent to what’s going on or too busy to deal with it. If you start getting in their way with your terror bombings (like in Lattakia) they’re going to turn on you.

Actually, the only thing holding the people back from confronting your terrorists directly is the government. The government wants to prevent any civil war from happening, i.e. a conflict between civilians.

Louai,

I like the name. I watched a summer camp for born again youth on TV. It was something like an intense ” brainwashing” and sound pretty scary.

Agree secularism is a necessity not a a luxury but like to say like others that people should be free to be as religious as they feel like privately.

Abboud,

I understand your desperate thirst for more Syrian blood in order to advance your agenda, but last Friday a total of 9 people were killed which included security and police officers. I did not say no one was killed, I said there has been a reduction in violence compared to previous weeks and that is a fact. I definitely do not take lightly the loss of ANY Syrian life, unlike the supporters of this so-called “revolution” who couldn’t’t care less about the fallen soldiers and police officers. Moreover, it is these sick “revolutionists” who have time and again called for more blood which they believe is a necessary element in their violent uprising.

Louai
Would Tara be able to recruit 19 hijackers from any other religion:Christians,jews,hindos,buhdist…and put them in planes and fly them to kill people?what is she going to promise them?70 nuns,kosher food,rivers of yogurt,rivers of spaghetti…
Tara has MB brain.

Nk,

I agree very much. Invitation by whom? Why wasn’t it an open meeting?

Aref Dalila lack of presence was a statement on it’s own.

Abbas,

In comment 275, you asked whether I think the SYP should be devalued to help exports.

The strength and stability of the SYP has long been considered a barometer of economic stability. The Central Bank has made this the focal point of its record. It is therefore highly unlikely to let the SYP devalue now given the attempts to discredit the regime and its economic management.

Syria does not have much to export. Devaluation now will cause the prices of imported goods and raw materials to rise even further. This is not politically smart in this environment. The real cost of keeping the SYP at these levels is the high level of interest rates that were required to entice depositors to keep their funds in SYP and in the banking system. This will hurt borrowers and investments.

ABBOUD @ 329
Hats off. Well said. Mr. Kucinich’s office will also get a letter from me as well.

As for # 335, Dennis is being too diplomatic. Yet as diplomacy language goes, it was brilliant in this paragraph

“Given the stakes for Syria and the region, I will consider the article only an error, not a willful intent to mischaracterize my statements or my efforts in the region.”.

What a slap, it did not take too long for the congressman to get a taste of reforms and integrity Bashar Al-Asad style. you think it will be reported by e7em ….“The World” ?…

Amir,

Would like to hear your opinion about the Born Again.

Dear Kandahar,

I call for secularism as a necessity and you say “Tara has MB brain”

Does this phenomena has a name?

@342 “I understand your desperate thirst for more Syrian blood”

And yet it was the Baathist scum on this forum who cheered long and loud when the 4th Division were sent in to occupy Dar’a. We heard statements like “I hope they pull those mundasen from their bathrooms by their beards.” How did that work out for you? Not very well after all.

“but last Friday a total of 9 people were killed which included security and police officers. ”

It’s nice to know you get your news from SANA, they have such an excellent record of reporting events. Like the whole Al-Baida is actually Iraq fiasco, or when they said the demonstrations were actually people going out to pray for rain. Or the latest mis-characterization of Dennis Kucinich’s statements.

Oh look what I just got in my email, the latest updates to the U.S. Department of the Treasury Syria Sanctions;

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20110629.aspx

Tsk tsk…..

Tara
Nothing wrong with having MB brain.
MB lately has been calling for secularism,they are doing it in Egypt,they are giving them the poison of political Islam mixed with secularism honey.

I see that oppositors need blood to keep momentum while assadists and conservative who do not want a 180 degree revolution prefer to keep blood inside prisons and terror inside brains. Rich and powerful people, specially those who got richness by illegal means, will always find a reason to create fear for change. Me or chaos…

Saying that revolution needs blood is not a mistake. If the regime did not kill protesters then the change would be done peacefully but since they kill protesters, it is obvious that as long as there are protests will be blood. And as long as there is blood it means there is protesters and repression.

Yes Aboud, anyone who doesn’t agree with you is a “Baathist scum.” That is the level of your thinking and speech. I suppose I should instead rely on the reporting of the “revolutionists” and “eyewitnesses” who have proven to be completely honest and credible. As for the 4th Division, it’s amazing how it can be in all parts of Syria at the same time. People who supported the entrance of the Army did so in order to put a stop to the armed terrorists, which now just about everyone, except for the completely delusional or those supporting the terrorists, admit that they do exist. I suppose the army should have just stood aside and allowed the terrorists to roam freely, set up checkpoints without any harassment, and allowed to kill and maim police officers and soldiers unabated. What a joke.

Memo to WHY-DISCUSS

RE: “Smart timing from Nasrallah”

Maybe they’re really CIA spies. Maybe not.

More likely Nasrallah is paranoid and cleaning house. Anyone who spends as much time hiding as he does has to have a streak of paranoia as wide as Hamra Street.

The most likely scenario is, Hizbollah is doing a purge. Saddam used to do this to keep his people off balance. You take two guys you don’t like who hold middle-level positions, accuse them of working for the CIA/the Jews/the Saudis/al-Qaeda/whatever, force them to confess. It puts everyone else on notice. Stalin was a master at this.

The TSL thing must be driving the poor little fuck crazy. If I had a choice between being Nasrallah’s butler or his pig, I’d choose pig to be more likely to stay alive…

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/05/hitler-and-arabs-nazis-in-middle-east.html

Listen to this crap, they are asking for guns now, but NO it’s PEACEFUL and doesn’t want the DESTRUCTION of Syria, it’s all LIES!!!!, be ready for the bloodiest Friday to come:

حسن شندي ـ مسؤول تنسيقي للضباط الأحرار في سوريا
http://youtu.be/nBH0qB6gfrI?t=1m38s
————————————–

Is this the work of Syrian Commando too?
أديب ميالة حاكم مصرف سوريا المركزي :بعد التحقيقات و التحري تم اغلاق حوالي 30 مركز صرافة خاص كانو يقومون بعملية تلاعب بالعملة

Tara
I am libertarian
I support the right of everyone to be free,I support the jews in Syria to form their own party,and I support the kurd to form their own party.
I condemned the MB and SSNP and Baath because they have blood on their hands,I am against dictatorship,
I support Ron Paul,in USA,
I came from a family who are Baath,communist ,but when I came to this USA I became libertarian.
I know nothing about the possible agenda of MB

Kandahar,

So you said Tara has MB brain because you see genuine elements of MB thinking in my posts or because I have an opposing views?

Jad,

I would caution against falling victim to the ongoing psychological warfare, which is a huge part of the war on Syria. I’m still hopeful that all this talk is going to prove to be nothing but hot air.

Memo to ABUGHASSAN

re: “…people must be allowed to demonstrate as long as they do not carry arms,destroy properties or use violence…”

You mean, as long as they are polite and play nice? Oh please! And what about the other guys? You think Bashar’s thugs will play by your rules?

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/stuck-in-damascus-with-memphis-blues.html

Majed,

I hear you.

Does any one know their program when they were a party.

Check out the title and check out the content:
The title is saying that the security is armed and confronting the people in Khaldiye Homs and the video clearly showing the people throwing stones and cursing the security while the security is not even getting closer tot them or attacking them:

مواجهة أهل الخالديّة في حمص للأمن المسلّح
http://youtu.be/AjqKDW8kSY8

Dear Nour,
“I’m still hopeful that all this talk is going to prove to be nothing but hot air.”
I hope that too.

Check out this interview regarding the visit of Dr’ Boring to Russia, he is saying that the Syrian opposition is a provocative one when it’s calling for the fall of the regime it doesn’t have any alternative or solution.

http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/561185

And the media lies continue:
التضليل الاعلامي
http://youtu.be/bqRDkWPNNtk

During the past few months the educated Sunnis, just like the non-Sunnis, had one and only one vision about what the alternative to the regime would be, if the regime were overthrown, and that was a big black hole.

Assuming now that there’s soon soon going to be a civilized transition to a democratic election (religious and tribal parties banned), I ask myself, what vision do the educated Syrians have today as to what the alternative to the regime would be in the upcoming election contest. In my own personal subjective vision I can only see another black hole of nothingness; I can’t see an attractive alternative to voting for continuity of the regime. Do educated Syrians see something that I don’t see? No they don’t: if they were seeing something, I’d have heard them chattering about it, whereas today they’ve got practically nothing to say as to why you shouldn’t vote for the regime in the election. In the upcoming months there will be efforts by new-born political parties to create a competing vision. From the landscape of today, however, you have to think the regime’s party will be very strongly advantaged going into the contest.

With regard to the uneducated classes, the past few months have proved that most of them won’t join a Know-Nothing Party with no leadership from the better educated classes. Hence to understand the upcoming evolution of the political landscape, you can focus on what the better educated are thinking.

ABOALI,

For the nasty exchanges we had together, I apologise. You must understand, I have spoken to many people who turned out to be fake Syrians and my frustration has grown steadily throughout that time. Also, what I said to you pales in comparison to the shouting matches me and my own father have had in relation to the ongoing events in our country.

I can tell from what you write that you are a real Syrian, though we disagree on the facts, we seem to have the same intentions. I don’t want Syria to be destroyed, but I don’t want it to remain stagnant either. I’m a hyper-patriotic Syrian, not to simply a cult of personality, an organisation or a government, but to the land and the people.

I’ve seen the west destroy so many nations and I refuse to allow them to destroy the last bastion of genuine resistance (unlike Iran, whose actions in Iraq show that it is simply another nation-state who only serves its own interests) and high culture. I am not religious at all, but I observe that the west is decadent society in decline, dragging all those around it to the abyss. Everything they touch turns into khara. I don’t want them to lay a single finger on my beloved Syria. All they have are lies, even their currency is based on lies and blackmail. They are the most insidious force on the Earth and must be fought to the end, lest the entire world collapse into a dark age.

We Syrians, unfortunately, must carry the entire world on our backs. I have full confidence we will prevail — we need only exist long enough for the bastards to decay away, an ongoing process that has reached the terminal phase.

AMENSIA,

>SC, you only quoted the second half, agreed with it, and persisted with name-calling. Did you wish to ignore the first half of the statement? Leave names out of your posts (all name-calling), and it’d be a pleasure to discuss issues with you.

I read it, I understand he knows that family well, I have heard of them, but I must say it says very little about the character of that Mayor. My own family is well respected in Halab and Damascus as well as Istanbul/Antioch, yet my little cousin has it in his head that it would be a GOOD THING if Turkey comes and invades us. The apple might not fall far from the tree, but sometimes it falls directly into a pile of sh*t!

I find the Mayor’s action turning twitter — which is meant facilitate a grassroots news feed — into a anti-Syrian spam machine disgraceful. This is why I will continue to point out his actions. As far as I can tell he is persisting. Even if he is writing the truth (which is certainly isn’t), I find spamming abhorrent. I never repeat myself unless I need to add additional information. I wish others would respect the medium as well. He wants “democracy” yet his actions make a mockery of it, which is very appropriate given he represents the American government now.

>My ilk? I don’t post here 24/7 as you stated, and I’ll say it again: You don’t know me. You don’t know who I am, and you don’t know my opinions.

We got off to a bad start. You entered a conflict between me and OTW and I attributed all his opinions as well as those of the people aligned to him to you. I apologise for that, but time is short and everyone must make certain assumptions before entering a discussion, though I admit mine were too far reaching.

>I have been very patient with you in this, our first exchange. At least you finally admitted that death threats are wrong.

I never said they were right, I just said I have no sympathy for him. His actions, unlike the empty threat he has received, are meant to drum up support for a “foreign intervention”, which will destroy an entire nation. To me this makes him a murderer and there’s no way I can feel sympathy for that kind of person.

>How can you be so sure that it was a girl? Do you not know about these types of threats?

The photo is that of a girl … you know most Syrians don’t do the whole “pretend you’re a girl online” thing so prevalent in the west. It’s very likely it’s a girl who doesn’t know any better. He’s making a mountain of a mole hill and notice how the media just calls him an activist instead of accurately calling him a spammer and a lobbyist with a conflict of interest. He should represents his constituent on matters than concern them, not drag his barbaric nation into a conflict through lies.

WHY-DISCUSS #300

well said and i agree with you

Tara,

Why me? Why me commenting on the “New Born” issue? 🙂

Any way, I’m a devoted Spinozist. Just like Spinoza, I recognize the power of religion on people. And like him, I regard (any monotheistic) religion as a mean to control (if not to manipulate) the (mostly ignorant) masses. There’s no such thing as religion (Judaism Christianity Islam) of peace.

Syrian Commando #362,

I liked and appreciated your address to AboAli (one of the most gentle and kind commentators on SC). And yes, you both want the best for Syria.
.

AKIR IN TEL AVIV

monotheistic ? aha !

this was your instrument of terror for long centuries and you borrowed this ideology from the Assyrians who were the first monotheists. Besides i remind you that your God is a JEALOUS God and so therefore is your nation.

The monotheistic mistake has maybe been useful for humanity for some time. Now it isnt’t anymore. Shall we cling to this mistake for your only sake and benefit ?

I say down with monotheism … et tant pis pour les juifs ! 🙂

Amir,

“why me?”

Interesting that you asked. The honest and the simplest answer is that I like your opinions. The ones I’ve read so far at least.

Additionally, I just find the “New Born” views to be astonishing in regard to supporting Israel not really for the good of the Jews but rather in preparation for the eventual second coming that after wich there will be no Jews or others at all for that matter.

There is another question I have for you but I am hesitant to ask…

TARA #366

your mystical nonsense and ravings prove perfectly that i’m right (comment #365)

Vlad,

I would leave others to judge if you are right or wrong otherwise you would be characterized as self-righteous. Don’t you think?

Tara

It doesn’t really matter if the MB reformed, or if they don’t, the fact is the MB and their followers are part of the Syrian society whether we like it or not, they have as much right to have a say in Syrian political life as anyone else. Protecting minorities is not the responsibility of any single party or party law, that’s why there’s a constitution, a bill of rights, and a supreme court.

This is not really about the MB though, the loyalists have been throwing accusations left and right (MB, Salafist, Wahhabi, CIA, MacMaster, Harriri, Erdogan, Clinton, and the list goes on and on), they just want to sell the “outside cospiracy” at any cost, just look at SNK’s comment above, now 911 is an MB plot, EL OH EL.

======

IN OTHER NEWS

http://www.zaman-alwsl.net/readNews.php?id=20175

بعد حجب “وطن” تهديد “شبيحي” لرئيس تحريرها بقطع رأسه

حجبت مؤسسة الاتصالات السورية موقع جريدة ” وطن ” في خطوة همس لنا مندس انها استكمال لمسيرة الاصلاح وإحترام حرية النشر والتعبير وتقبل وجهة النظر المخالفة .

موقع ” وطن ” وخلال الاشهر الاخيرة تعرض لعمليات قرصنة واختراق وتهديد ممن وصفهم ” بشبيحة النظام ” و ” شبيحة الورق ” البعض اعتبر وطن وبعض المواقع التي تصنف انها ضد النظام السوري اصبحت ” ملطشة ” شبكة الانترنت , فالمؤيد للنظام يدعوا ويساهم في تخريبها وحجبها وفي الناحية الاخرى يقوم من يدعون انهم ضد النظام بتخريب نفس الموقع ان حاول نشر مادة لاتتفق مع وجهة نظره .

تجربة زمان الوصل مريرة مع الحجب – سنفصلها لاحقا – من قبل السلطة والقرصنة من قبل اشخاص حتى اننا وثقنا اختراقا للموقع من قبل مجهولين لنشرنا خبر مباراة رياضية ؟! .

فإن فازت مصر على الجزائر او سوريا على الجزائر او نشرنا مقال رأي لايعبر الا عن وجهة نظر صاحبة او خبرا حاولنا من خلاله ان نكون موضوعيين اخترقنا وعبث بقاعدة بياناتنا من قبل الطرفين ؟

آخر تهديدات ” وطن ” قوبلت بمادة ساخرة من محرر الموقع ننشر نصها :

الشبيحة وصلوا إلى لوس أنجلوس وتهديدات بقطع رأس المحرر.. بمئة دولار

أكثر من رسالة تركها أحد الشبيحة في منطقة لوس أنجلوس على هاتف وطن يهدد ويتوعد ويشتم ويتحدى بأن نرد على مكالمته التي لا يحلو له أن يجريها إلا بعد منتصف الليل.
وأمام هذا التهديد الخطير تداعت اسرة تحرير وطن إلى اجتماع أمني عاجل للبحث في أمر التهديد.. واجمع العاملون بأنه لا بد من ابلاغ السلطات الأمنية. فالرجل يشرح سيناريو جريمته قبل أن يرتكبها.

اذ قال انه سيوظف مجرما مخضرما بمئة دولار ولن يكتفي برصاصة بل بقطع الرأس.. ولم يهدد بقطع الاعضاء التناسلية كما فعلوا مع الطفل حمزة الخطيب. وربما لهذا السبب رأى رئيس التحرير ان التهديد ليس له جدوى.
ومارس ديكتاتوريته المعتادة ومنع التبليغ عن التهديد رغم ان الجميع خالفه الرأي، وقام بالاتصال هاتفيا بالرقم الذي ظهر على الجهاز، وكانت المفاجأة ان رد الشبيح نفسه الذي وصفه رئيس التحرير بالشجاع.!
سأله عن مصدر ازعاجه.. قال لماذا تتهجمون على بلدي؟ رد: نحن لا نتهجم على أي بلد. رد: انكم تتهجمون على الرئيس بشار. قال: بشار ليس البلد. ولم يزد بكلمة واحدة اذ لم يسمح له الشبيح ولم يتوقف عن ترديد الشتائم والتهديدات حتى اغلق الهاتف.
يا سيادة يا قراء – لا تصدقوا ان رئيس تحرير هذه الصحيفة له علاقة بالديمقراطية واحترام الرأي الآخر.. انه ديكتاتوري بامتياز.. وان قطع رأسه لن نفعل شيئا سوى تقبل التعازي ونعيه بموضوع رئيسي يليق به… وبديكتاتوريته.

Also

http://bit.ly/jHPKTB

المذيعة في قناة الجزيرة رولا إبراهيم: عائلتي تبرأت مني بعد تهديد “الشبيحة”

وصفت المذيعة السورية رولا إبراهيم، البيان الذي تبرأت فيه عائلتها منها، بأنه جاء نتيجة ضغوط شديدة مورست على عائلتها من قِبَل من يوصفون بـ”الشبيحة”، مضيفةً في الوقت نفسه أنْ لا معلومات مؤكدة لديها حول التقارير التي تحدثت عن إحراق “شبيحة” منزلها في مدينة “طرطوس” السورية.
وقالت رولا التي تعمل في قناة الجزيرة الفضائية، لـmbc.net، إنها قرأت هذه التقارير عن تبرؤ عائلتها منها عبر الإعلام وصفحات “فيس بوك”.
ولفتت إلى أن صفحات “فيس بوك” الموجهة ضدها، ذكرت أنه لم يُحرق منزلها، لكنها لم يتأكد لها الأمر، بسبب انقطاع اتصالاتها بأسرتها تبعًا للوضع القائم في سوريا حاليًّا، وخصوصًا بعد بيان التبرؤ.
وأوضحت أن بعض “الشبيحة”، حسب وصفها، هددوا عائلتها بحرق المنزل ومقاطعتهم اقتصاديًّا، إذا لم يتبرؤوا منها، وذلك قبل نحو أسبوع، ثم عادوا في اليوم التالي لتنفيذ تهديدهم؛ الأمر الذي دفع العائلة، تحت الضغط والتهديد، إلى التبرؤ منها في بيان.
“الضغوط ستخفت”
وأكدت رولا تمسكها بالعمل في “الجزيرة” رغم الضغوط الشديدة ورسائل التهديد التي تلقتها عبر “فيس بوك”، معتبرةً أن القناة لم تصنع الأحداث في بلادها، ولم تختلق الصور ولا “الفيديوهات” التي بثتها.
وأضافت المذيعة السورية: “هذه الصور حينما رأيتها لأول مرة عرفت أنها تحدث في بلادي؛ فأنا أعرف أغلب مدن سوريا؛ لأنني عشت فيها زمنًا ليس قصيرًا، وأعرف جيدًا شوارعها”.
وتوقعت رولا أن الضغوط عليها ستبدأ في الخفوت، مستعبدةً أن يستهدف “الشبيحة” حياتها بشكل مباشر.
كانت تقارير صحفية ذكرت أن عددًا من “الشبيحة” أحرقوا بيت رولا إبراهيم بعد أن رفضت الاستقالة من “الجزيرة”، زاعمة أن عملية الحرق تمت بعد محاصرة بيت العائلة والضغط عليهم للتبرؤ من ابنتهم.
يُذكر أن مسيرة رولا الإعلامية انطلقت من إذاعة دمشق والتلفزيون السوري، ثم انتقلت إلى قناة “روسيا اليوم” لمدة قصيرة، ثم التحقت بقناة “الرأي” الكويتية، لتستقر أخيرًا في “الجزيرة” القطرية.
وتنتشر صفحات مؤيدة لرولا إبراهيم على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك” تعلن تأييدها ومحبتها الإعلامية السورية، وتطالب بمساندتها؛ منها صفحة حملت عنوان “رولا إبراهيم: صوت يرفض الصمت”، يقابلها صفحات تناهضها وتطالبها بالاستقالة من قناة “الجزيرة”، فيما وصل البعض إلى حد إنشاء صفحة تطالب بسحب الجنسية السورية منها.

MAWAL #361

“my own personal subjective vision”

you haven’t to be subjective. Try objectivity and assume that the syrians (educated or non-educated as well) are reasonable and own common sense.

Tara
Putting Syria and MB together is like putting a beautiful teenager girl in a room with a rapist sexual offender in the same room and asking him to be careful.

Nk,

Thanks for your response and Majed too.

I am scared of the MB but I acknowledge and agree to the libertarian view that you and Majed expressed. I agree that everyone should have equal political rights. I just can not mentally reconcile the two.

TARA

“after wich there will be no Jews ”

interesting ! instructive ! promising ! delightful !

well I keep the jews and decline your “second coming”

do you get it now ?

it is too funny how the sick and insane congratulate each others

Vlad,

No Vlad, I did not get it. Sorry. I need further clarification.

TARA

no i cannot i have a loud outburst of laughing right now

Tara,

I’m not an expert about the different currents of Christianity, but could it be that you confuse the Evangelicals with the New-Born’s??
I believe that most Israeli Likudniks understand what you mean about the Zionist Christians, regarding Israel and the fate of the Jews, but are preferring to turn a blind eye.

Please don’t be hesitant, and feel free to ask me whatever you want.
.

COMMANDO

ah yes ABOALI ? the smart اكابر business man from Aleppo with high morality who has been boasting here of smuggling dollars to Saudi via Lebanon and supporting the brave peaceful protesters from Homs that you and i like very much ?

هو مو غيرو ؟

Perhaps he left Aleppo by now. I’m thinking wether i should apologize too. In english or in arabic ? This is really a “cas de conscience” .

SNK #371

no doubt you are a poet !

Amir,

Yes I meant the Christian Zionist.

I am vacationing in Spain and need to leave in few minutes to watch a Flamenco dance so I will postpone the question for now to be continued later.

SNK

it is a paradox that the thinkers and writers, mainly christians by the way, to whom the Nahda (the renaissance) is commonly attributed were decadent. Take Khalil Gebran for instance. The Prophet ? weak tasteless lyrism, shallowness and plagiarism.

Vlad,

#365: “…you borrowed this ideology (monotheism) from the Assyrians who were the first monotheists”.

I’m quite sure you didn’t read Friedrich Delitzsch’s – ‘Babel and Bible’. I read it translated to Hebrew. This is a propaganda book, intendant on hurting the Jews, by claiming we are plagiarists. His propaganda was refuted by many scholars.
The Assyrians are a distant history, while the Jews are alive and kicking asses. That is my answer to Delitzsch and his ilk.
.

exquisite TARA

now the Flamenco dance and after the “second coming” the ashes of the jews. Delightful for the likudniks !

AKIR IN TEL AVIV #382

no i didnt read this book and i dont know this man. I know the history and some jewish books.

By the way, your modern israeli folk music is stolen mainly from the contemporary assyrian singers nd composers. I say STOLEN not borrowed 🙂

the word “plagiarism”

a funny coincidence between comments 381 and 382.

Vlad-the-Syrian thinks that to understand Syria I should first “assume that the syrians (educated or non-educated as well) are reasonable and own common sense.”

That’s a potentially bad and dangerous way to approach things. If I study the facts and reach a conclusion that the Syrians are reasonable, that’s good. Doing it the other way around means beginning with my own preconceived notion of reasonableness, and presuming the Syrians act according to it, and then interpreting the facts under the light of that presumption. As one analogy of how that approach can lead me dangerously astray, take a look at all the stuff in the Western press about Syria which is being produced and consumed by people who — presumably — “are reasonable and own common sense”.

By the way, here’s an example of “common sense” for you Vlad, since you quoted in an earlier thread from “Amnesty International”. For others who may not know, Amnesty International is a UK-based international human-rights promotion organization, which was once awarded a Nobel Peace Prize (year 1977).

On June 25th, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty met with Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League [until 1 July 2011, btw]. Mr. Shetty’s main goal was to call for a tougher stance against Syria in the face of the ongoing crisis. Mr. Shetty said: “In Syria the situation is going from bad to worse…. The people of Syria are suffering and they are not seeing the same support that the people of Libya got and that is causing a lot of harm and a lot of unnecessary deaths.” [Source: Al-Arabiya News]

Tara, Amir,

I think most people (on this website as well as in the Israeli and American-Jewish community) have a lot to learn about Christian-Zionists.

My best friend (and his twin brother) came from a Messianic-Jewish family. That is, the whole family was devotely Christian, however, both parents (Holocaust survivors) were born Jewish.

The myth that these Christians are pro-Israel so they can bring on the “rapture” and see every non-believer die in Hell is plain defamation. Without Christian-Zionists, it is my belief Israel would have fallen a long time ago.

Read their own words if you have the time. It is more than interesting:

http://www.lightbeaconministries.com/index.html

http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/

Abboud

“And you obviously did not understand a word of Asad Abu Khalil’s post.

Of course I didn’t see the subtle nuances you are trying to add to the comment after you realized how disparaging they were to Kucinich.
Asad Abu Khalil (and you) seems to agree with Fouad Ajami who said Kucinich is an amateur and a minor congresssman
I guess you are an admirer of Fouad Ajami too. Good for you.

MAWAL

“since you quoted in an earlier thread from “Amnesty International””

this is untrue, you’re probably mistaken me for someone else

“Vlad-the-Syrian thinks that to understand Syria I should first “assume that the syrians (educated or non-educated as well) are reasonable and own common sense.””

I don’t think anything about what you should do in order to understand Syria. I only suggested you to try objectivity.

Given your harsh tone, I dont feel i should apologize for your misunderstanding. 🙂

ASGHAR PALACE

“Without Christian-Zionists, it is my belief Israel would have fallen a long time ago”

what a rare confession you’re delivering here ! The most reactionary and dumb OBSCURANTISM backing Israel. I guess that many jews would feel honored !

Wallah this deserves a standing ovation 🙂