U.S. now quietly seeking regime change in Syria
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 WT

WASHINGTON — After steadfastly defending his regime, the United States is seeking to build an alliance against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama was urging several U.S. allies in the region to undermine the Assad regime amid the revolt in Syria. They said Obama has sent messages to several of Syria’s neighbors, particularly Israel, Jordan and Turkey.

“The United States cannot be seen as being involved in regime change in Syria, but it is clear that Assad must go for the sake of regional stability,” an official said.

Officials said Obama has urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan to improve relations with Israel as part of a strategy against Assad. They said the president envisioned that Ankara and Jerusalem coordinate intelligence and military deployment to help prevent Assad from using his army against the opposition movement. So far, Damascus is said to have killed more than 1,300 Syrian civilians in nearly three months.

“Once Erdogan stopped his support for Assad, the president quickly changed as well, although he kept this private,” the official said.

In late June, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff approved a proposal to enhance military monitoring of Syria. Officials said the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet was stationed near the Syrian coast of the eastern Mediterranean to monitor Syrian military deployment as well as the presence of Iran and Hizbullah.

In June, Israel and Turkey conducted high-level talks meant to improve relations and cooperation. Officials said Erdogan agreed to an Israeli request to stop a Turkish-flagged flotilla from sailing to the Gaza Strip, under siege since the Hamas takeover in 2007.

with all my respect to Dr Landis, i know he didnt mean any harm by telling us any of your commenter’s religion after their names , but i dont see a point for it as a Syrian it offends me you if define me by my religion specially when the sectarian monster is trying to access Syria but maybe Dr Landis has a point that i just couldn’t see .

Memo to LOUAI

RE: “it offends me you if define me by my religion…”

Too bad, Dude. But the fact is, you can’t quit. Huge no-no to try and quit…

Remember what Khudr wrote in this blog just a few days ago:

“…there is no such thing as “non-practicing Alawi,” which is something many of us have struggled with. This is a problem in no way unique to Alawis. All the Arab/Islamic sects suffer from this shortcoming. To call yourself a “non-practicing Muslim” is to be laughed out of mosque. We do not have the luxury of being able to identify with our religion as a cultural identity, without being required to buy into the complete religious “package”…”

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/brubecks-take-five-pakistani-style.html

[…] 4.) Syrian Business Elite Defection? […]

Ignore the sick demented creature who keeps persisting in his useless retarded commentary (#3 Dale “zoologist” Anderson).

#2 Louai,

I made the point of this blog being a sectarian hate-breed ground a while ago and how specific information given here will be used against Syria in the future, but no one listened!

#1,

LOL, they’re shameless, the wikileaks documents show they were planning this episode from 6 years ago.

By the way, MajedKhaldoun is completely dishonest. “silent majority” is the most dishonest term, used by crooked politicians to justify their unpopular actions.

Fact is, usually, for every person that feels passionately about an issue, only 1 in 10 will hit the streets. So we see, since the fake “revolution” had about 150,000 thugs out on the street at its peak, that’s around 1.5 million supporters.

On the other hand the government was easily able to mobilise more than 9.365 million — and don’t give me the crap that they are paid off/forced. It’s easier to protest for the government than against it, that is clear, but the sheer number tells you that the majority is not “silent” at all: they’re against the conspiracy.

—
Paul,

>Any targeting of the Syrian economy will be considered by the business community to be an attack on them personally and on Syria. This will more likely stir an already high nationalistic sentiment in Syria today to new heights.

Not only by the business community, even the simple farmers understand the game. Nationalism in Syria is at ALL TIME HIGHS. I’ve NEVER seen it this good, I am so happy my fellow Syrians are standing shoulder to shoulder against the foreign plot to destroy our nation.

It’s one thing to call for change and reform, everyone wants this!
To call for death and starvation, you’ve made yourself enemy of all Syrians!!!

I CONDEMN any effort to hurt our economy, the persons even talking about how to do this must be documented as potential mass-murderers.

The more and more Obama sticks his fat nose into Syria’s business and problems, the more and more hatred boils inside me.

The reason Syria’s economy will fail-if it fails- is due to the American and other international interferance. The closing of assets, the inability for people to convert money- this is all in an attempt to attack the strength of the Syrian economy. If the elite do go against Bashar Al Assad because of the failure in the economy, then it shows their ungrateful and conniving personas. They should stand at Bashar’s side, showing their support for him amidst all that is happening. Because if it wasnt for Dr. Bashar Assad, the Syrian economy would have been an epic failure from the begining. Those elites would not even be elites. Bashar granted them economic freedom, to pursue their careers and jobs in order for them to get what they got. He built the Syrian economy. They should sitck together and show their disdain at international interferance and corruption. They should stand together and chant “Allah, Souria ou Bashar!”

Menhebak Bashar!! Walla menhebak!!

No, Syria’s Business Elite will not defect,Syrians are trader since antiquity and they will manage to find new paths and windows for their economical activities and most of them hates extremists and fanatics,they were travelling a lot for the last ten years and they have learned more how to diversify their resources, and if anything they will save Syria from these mentally retarded religious cults.

Syrian Commando,

Well said.

SAMARA,

Don’t worry, the majority of Syrian traders are patriotic to the very _core_. They would rather lose everything than see Syria harmed. I would provide specific information but… 😉

SIMON,

The religious death cults are going to start falling in decline as the US, Saudi powers waiver. All this talk about the Syrian economy “collapsing”, ignore that all of the west’s economy is ACTUALLY collapsing as we speak. Do they seriously think they will out-survive the oldest economy in the world? We are the very MASTERS of trade. We’ve survived more wars fought over our land than any other country in the world. Our economy is invincible and self-reliant. Even if they sanction us, we will practice Juche!

Louai, Syrian Commando,

I’ve received a couple of questions regarding opening up bank accounts in Syria. Would you know how those who are not Syrian citizens could do so?

#4 syrian commando
\”On the other hand the government was easily able to mobilise more than 9.365 million \”
9.365 million means 1.5 the population of lebanon, i heard this claim before and it states that ALLEPPO had 2.1 million demonstrators, but i find this hard to beleive since back in february when tahrir square was boiling ,egyptains could barely muster 2 million( and CAIRO is much larger than Allepo). i admit it was a masssive demonstration but a far call from the 9 million pro-regime love to exhibit. do you personally believe they were 9.365 million?
and according to your theory: the 1 in 10 thing , does that mean the regime has 93.65 million supproters?

Shami as usual did not answer the questions asked. He, instead, told us something important about the economy and the business elite, which is : a count of the veiled women of Alleppo. He puts them on %90. Of course he is stretching the truth.

Man you scared me. If there are that many veiled women in Alleppo, your economy will be centered around making more Burqas.

The Business elite will be those making Burqas, because I see no factories making steel or cars or software.

According to mr. shami’s logic, there will be no real economic plan and solutions for economical development because the Islamic Way advocated by Shami and co. is not interested with anything from this life. It is the reward in the life afterword. Thanks mr. shami for this great plan that has nothing to do with our real problems.

Shami,

Dont toot your own horn. Souria Allah 7amiyah. Your extremism will not take over Syria. But you did just prove how sectarian and discriminatory you are.

Oh, and menhebak ya Bashar.

Syria Comment’s “Elite”

Ford Prefect (From Sunni Elite Family, living in the US)

Sami Moubayed (Sunni from Elite Business family, Living in Damascus)

Professor Josh,

What, pray tell, constitutes the adjective “Elite”???

This sounds a little too “uppity” for my taste. Everyone here should have equal status.

Strange that anyone would imagine that Sunni tradesmen will turn against Bashar. Sunnis are generally businessmen ready for compromises contrary to Shias who have often be revolutionaries. If the economy collapses, where would they go? Lebanon that is saturated? Iraq where there is a Shia majority? Europe which is about to collapse? They’re used to pay almost no taxes in Syria, they’ll never adjust to any western countries. They are stuck in Syria and they will hold on their businesses and to the government, accepting a period of low revenues, waiting for things to recover.
Unemployment among young in 2010 in Spain was 40%, more than Egypt an Tunisia. It is much worse now. Most of the Western countries are living beyond their means and will suffer much more than Syria as most Syrians live frugally and did not fall into the trap of consumerism.
I think the desperate x-opposition will have to come up with something else to achieve their aim of ‘changing the regime’.

UN court indicts four Hezbollah members over Hariri car bomb

No word of Syrian involvement.. yet?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/30/lebanon-indicts-hezbollah-hariri-car-bomb

“….Within minutes of the meeting finishing, Lebanese media outlets named the men as Assad Sabra, Hassan Issa, Salim Ayachhe and Moustaf Badredine, all senior members of Hezbollah.”

WD,
So what is now do they have to surrender them or try them

T Desco it is your time .

Intellectuals: Political Parties Draft Law to Enhances Democracy in Syria
30/06/2011
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=88602

SYRIA- Intellectuals and union members across the Syrian cities stressed that the recently issued political parties draft law meets the citizens’ desire to establish parties that represent their political aspirations and enable them to contribute to building their homeland.
…On June, 21st, the Prime Ministry posted the political parties draft law on Tasharukia website (www.youropinion.gov.sy) in order for citizens to view it and provide their observations and suggestions to help enrich, develop and complete the final draft.

Most of Syrians agree that the draft law aims to enhance political situation, democracy, transparency, partnership and equality in order to reach required political reform and protect Syria away from religious or ethical references. ..

Revlo,Shami,Majid ,NZ. and all MB activist
Where is خميس بركان الغضب في حلب it looks like it is going to be خميس اكبر بعصه للإخوان في حلب .it is almost 4pm in Aleppo,can you please call somebody there just لتبييض الوج they could be in باب النيربor سيف الدوله give them some money or صندويشة فلافل or صحن فول or may be you can have some خراير wearing Shami’s bejah and shouting بدكن بشار لا ولاه i have one suggestion can you ask them بدكن أزواجكم I bet you they will say لا ولاه

Norman

“According to experts, Lebanon has 30 days to serve out the arrest warrants.

If the suspects are not arrested within that period, the STL will then make public the indictment and summon the suspects to appear before the court. ”

I don’t know what happens if they don’t appear in court, I guess they are probably not in Lebanon anymore. If they are in Iran, can the UN do much?

The ultra rich can hunker down and keep their wealth in local and foreign banks and in real estate and gold.
The small and medium business people who have taken loans, or have a business that requires daily activity to continue employing people and to continue to require consumption and/or exports are suffering terribly.

For example, Cham Hotel has let go of 130 employees recently. There were just 6 passengers on the plane that brought the CNN crew to Damascus. Many of my colleagues back home are having two and three day work week and many have let go of their employees.

Finally, I know of several professionals that are looking to leave the country not because of economic hardship at this stage but because for them the prospect of having the same thugs remain in power means the end of any attempt at reforms. The regime and the parasitic elite attached to it and I would put them at 250 000 not 1 million as Ehsani estimated do not want any reforms, they want to go back to status ante March 15th and then deal with the consequences as they deem fit.

Now why would Iraq give or sell oil to Syria? I am not sure of the reason, is it because there is decreased production? Strikes, sabotage, perhaps? Is it because it is cheaper to refine light oil and therefore help the economy this way? Is it because they need to supply Mazout at lower prices and keep subsiding it? Is it a rehearsal for a boycott of Syria or a land air and sea embargo? I do not know the reason time will tell. Perhaps it is a message to the West that the Alliance from Tehran to Nabatieh is alive and well. At this time I think that Turkey is taking a wait and see approach as Erdogan will be dealing with his new found majority and the opposition is jokeying to win bargaining positions with his new regime. This may very well be the best course as the situation in Syria is rotting from the inside on its own. I feel that the regime is just flailing at this time and there is an attempt to plug the breaches but it is too late.

I agree that the business elite is the regime and the regime is also the business elite, the question however is not whether this elite will abandon the regime but whether there will be internal fissures and the abandonment of the house of Assad and Makhlouf and others in this regard.

Professor Landis,

The answer to your question “Syria’s business elite – will it defect?” is no for the simple reason that the current regime and “elite” are from the same mold. One will not exist without the other and vice versa. Like Iran after the dismissal of the Shah’s government, the current elite will vacate Syria as the regime falls.
I know for a fact that the previous elite, that left Syria after the revolution and the Baath party took over, was in the process of getting back into Syria with the help of Asma Assad. All that has completely stopped as of 2 month ago and they are all reneging on all the commitment they made to her.

Observer

“I feel that the regime is just flailing at this time ”
Just a feeling or a conviction? You sound less assertive and more confused than a few posts ago.

Observer
In Egypt where MB and polical Islam hijacked the revolution,do you see any business coming back?
Every Copt I know is trying to get residency somewhere where there is not too much beards.I know some which will be paying half a million dollars for a green card to get red from Islamic democracy and salafi freedom.is that your plan for Syria ?

Observer,

Your dream of regime change may come sooner than you think. Israel just announced its intention to assassinate Bashar. “Marked for Death” as they say. (No comment from the UN or EU Human Rights on that violation of intl law) Shows you what the Arab Color Revs have been about all along- “whats good for the jews?”

Israelis will soon be buying up real estate, water rights and pipline routes like they have in Kirkuk, Mosul and alot of Baghdad. For pennies on the pound or the shekel. “Low hanging fruit” is what they call Syria.
Prepare for any extra govt funds to be spent on reparations when the Ba’ath is sued for the Holocaust. Ready for business?

There is no love loss between US and protege Maliki on the one hand and Asad on the other.

Why then should Maliki offer to supply Syria with oil at this time?

Here is my own humble reading of the event.

The move is neither the brainchild of Maliki nor of his philanthropy.

The decision was a result of a strong recommendation by the US government.
The aim is to shield the Syrian consumer from the consequences of the impending oil embargo by EU.

Such double measure shall deprive Jr of the petro-dollars needed to sustain his grip on power, while maintining the flow of affordable fuel for daily consumption of Syrian consumers.

Josh,

You need to define elite in the syrian context ( total net-worth, type of privileges), people are cracking jokes on your theories on sunni elite day and night.

Ehsani, got it right, high net worh individuals. Not the petty bourgeois Mubayyed has argued.

Anyways, there is no such thing as a sunni business elite families (clan). there are high net worth individuals.

Kandahar, Commando, WD, and other friends,

I typically don’t like to rub it in the noses of those on the other side, I am just so happy that my city (Aleppo) have given the likes of “Shame” another grand middle finger (بعصة مبشمة)

Ford Prefect,

(First of all, I’m sure that the “elite” designation was dubbed by Dr. Landis 🙂 just to answer Amir up there)

I agree with your diagnosis. I don’t think you necessarily endorse the setting you described (neither do I), but I believe it is an accurate depiction of reality on the ground. Well said, sir.

Molla Revlo
Instead of this dum petro-analysis can you give us analysis why Aleppo is snoring?

Any news for that Facebook announced “Aleppo Volcano” mass rally today in Aleppo?
Hundreds has become a ‘mass rally’?
If the x-opposition fighting back with their own ‘committee’?

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/syrias-aleppo-braces-anti-regime-protests-114542340.html

“Syria’s second city Aleppo braced for a mass rally on Thursday, after a call for anti-regime protesters to “light the spark of the revolution,” as pro-democracy dissidents joined ranks at home and abroad.

Protests have been largely muted in Aleppo but a Facebook group that has been a motor of the uprising urged Syrians to march on the country’s commercial beacon to demand the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad

….The opposition also turned up the heat on the embattled Syrian president, announcing the creation of a “national coordination committee” comprising exiled dissidents and opponents at home to push for democratic reforms.

“A national coordination committee has been formed, seeking national and democratic change in Syria,” rights lawyer Hassan Abdel Azim told AFP.

The committee “has drafted a political document that has been sent to political parties and (opposition) figures for discussion and approval,” he told AFP.

#24

>The decision was a result of a strong recommendation by the US government. The aim is to shield the Syrian consumer from the consequences of the impending oil embargo by EU.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You are totally delusional. You take the cake for king of delusions in this place. The USA does not give a sh*t about people in Syria. The actions of Iraq are a direct consequence to threat and control by Iran. If the oil doesn’t keep flowing, the oil ministry going to keep blowing up.

#23

They can try, but then we’ll turn Israel into the world’s largest open-air gas chamber.

#19

>This may very well be the best course as the situation in Syria is rotting from the inside on its own

I think, from this sentence, it’s quite apparent that your BRAIN is rotting from the inside on its own.

#17

The thugs tried to stir things up in Halab but the shabab on the outskirts beat the shit out of them and sent them packing.

#9

It’s not easy, they will usually require a Syrian passport and ID. It is easiest done if it is sent directly to the families of interest. If there’s non-Syrians wanting to contribute, I think it would be a good idea if someone opens a trust in Syria and everyone pools money into it, tallying it on the other side.

It’s great to see us all pulling together. The bastards have no idea how much we love our country and each other. They can break the love with their hate.

#26

I’m very proud that one side of my family has a heavy presence in Halab right now. 🙂 The facebook scum are such an eyesore and a motivator for eugenics.

Revlon

No videos of the Aleppo Volcano? It looks more like a wet firework.

Alex,

This is the right time for that Syrian charity website that you were working on , it will be great especially if it is tax deductible contributions .

SYAU

I know many foreigners, french and british and many arabs who have opened accounts in Syrian banks while in Syria last winter. They usually have an address in Syria but it is left at the discretion of the bank if they accept it or not.

Where is Shami?? Has he run out of lies and apparrently “accurate” guesses? Hmmm… I think the poor child has finally lost his mogo.

What Dr Landis did is not acceptable behavior, he selected a quote that was part of a discussion, it must be put into the context of this discussion that i had with the alikes of Syria no Kandahar,my idea is that ones of regime’s evil tactic is to scare some communities from their muslim environment ,thus,I’m criticizing those weak minds who swallowed the mukhabarati scare scenario.
I invited those to make an effort by understanding the reasons behind the increase of Islamic conservatism, that happened during asad regime years which corresponded with the decrease of the prestige and influence of the Christian community in Syria.
Mjabali,
Go check yourself the answers in academic papers and books(not in ekhwan books) ,your version i that of Qom.

Revlon

“Why then should Maliki offer to supply Syria with oil at this time?”

You seem to believe only videos. Two or more reasons:

– Syria has hosted millions of Iraqi refugees when the US and the EU did not move their finger and Iraq was in deep trouble. Time to show gratitude…
– Maliki is supported by Iran who happens to be an ally to Syria but without a common border.

Shami,

The rise in Muslim Extremism is not because of the Assad regime. Its because of the MB and their fellow preachers who preach that murdering an Alawi or a Shia will grant them heaven with open arms. They are the dillusional ones. Just like that so-called sheik who preached that all must convert to Sunni or their children will sufer, they are doing the same to their own kind. Making them practice extrimist religion by force. Dont pin the crap that you practice on the Assads. Pin it on those who preached it to you.

Goodnight.

By popular demand from pro-regime commentors; Aleppo demonstration!
Owing to internet control, it is too early to call it quit dudes!

30 6 Aleppo أوغاريت حلب مقطع طويل لمظاهرة المشارقة من تسجيل البث
المباشر في يوم بركان حلب

#37

Nice slide show. LOL.

Ford Prefect says: “The business elite is the regime. It is an elite 40 years in the making – a complex web military officers, business people, merchants, industrialists, landowners, and others cutting across all sectarian and geographical lines…. If you are not in the regime, you are not in the elite. The converse is also true.”

I agree. And where do “the business elite” come from? They come from the better educated classes in the broad sense. Tell me what are the various political positions among the better educated classes? Overwhelmingly, they have only one position, and it is the same one as the business elite. Ask yourself, have you seen any divisiveness among the educated classes today on the question of how the political system should change — not counting isolated individuals — I’m talking of evidence of political divisiveness and acrimony on a sociological scale across the educated classes. I can’t see any such evidence at all.

Joshua Landis asks: “Syria’s Business Elite – Will it Defect?” The better question is “Syria’s educated classes – Will they fissure?”

/* The following is recycled from an earlier post by me because it’s relevant to the above */

During the past few months the educated classes 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 going to be a civilized transition to a democratic election (religious and tribal parties banned), let’s ask, what vision do the educated Syrians have today as to what the alternative to voting for the regime would be in the upcoming election contest. In my own subjective vision I can only see another black hole of nothingness; I can’t see an alternative to voting for continuity of the regime. Now let’s ask: Do educated Syrians see something that I can’t see? No they can’t: if they were seeing something, I’d have heard them chattering about it, whereas they’ve got practically nothing to say as to why you shouldn’t vote for the regime in an 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 see the regime’s party as very strongly advantaged going into the contest.

With regard to the poorly educated 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.

Another rebuff to Jr sponsored, Sameeramis “Opposition”meeting;
Peaceful demonstrations in Aleppo are being dealt with by Shabbee7a beating and confiscation of cell phones.

Ugarit News | أوغاريت الإخبارية
أوغاريت || عن الثورة الحلبية :: مراسلنا في حلب :: اللأمن هجم علينا من عند أول نزلة الجامعة قنسمت المظاهرة لقسمين من فوق ومن تحت وسكروا بواب الجامعة كلون بعدين نحني نزلنا بالنزلة تقريبا قبل ايخرا أجوا الشبيحة ونزلو قتل بالشباب واعتقلو كتيير عالم
في واحد قدامي عند الساحة طالع موبايلو راسا اجا واحد ضربو واجو تنين أمن اعتقلو واخدلو الموبايل وبعدا بالأخير صارو الشبيحة يصيحوا بالروح بالدم لبشار
ياحرام في واحد فلاح بالغلابية مبين عليه كتيير فقير ومعتر كتير كتير هجمو عليه الشبيحة وصار ينزل من وجو دم .
Wall Photos
about an hour ago

Is is true that the internal opposition has joined the Antalya group, or is it a maneuver from the x-opposition to mislead?

Le Monde 30 june 2011

“A National Committe for democratic change representing the internal and external opposition has been created according to Hassan Abdel Azim”
The newspaper also claims
“that leftist party, communist party as well as 11 kurdish parties have joined. Opponents in Syria such as Michel Kilo, Haytham Al-Maleh or Fayez Sara as well as exiled such as Borghan Ghaliyoun ou Rami Abdel Rahman have joined this movement opposing the Damascus regime.”

http://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2011/06/30/des-chars-de-l-armee-syrienne-entrent-dans-la-province-d-idleb_1543144_3218.html

Revlon

A slide show of the Volcano? that’s all you can offer? Ah sorry, the cell phones were confiscated or out of battery. What? a new strategy? why didn’t they think about it before?

#41

Good, they’ll get even less votes now, lol.

#40

Oh that explains it! Your slide show protest was actually a volcano but those damn “shabee7a” confiscated your cell phones. Tell us another nekteh!

WD,
it is the other way, the external opposition is joining the internal one , No ?

That slide show is a test for the people of Aleppo,

(( who’s BUTT is that )) any guesses .

Shami: (Islamic Current)

The percentage of veiled women is higher in Syria today than in Pakistan.
Do you talking about your building on the right ?

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/36250961

Haji Revlo
اجلك وجك وج وافا
يحرق حريقك شو كزاب مزبوط
عا راسي حارتك حجي

A poetry break!
One of the best I have heard, dedicated to the Syrian Revolution

By Egyptian Poet: AbdulRa7man Yusof AlQaradhawi
الشاعر المصري عبد الرحمن يوسف القرضاوي وقصيدة الثورة السورية

Norman

I don’t think so. My impression is that the x-opposition is trying to pull the internal opposition within its net by a media gimmick to mislead the pubic opinion.
The Internal opposition has expressed several times its doubts about the agendas of the x-opposition. I want to see a statement where they confirm that they have joined in.
I just hope they haven’t. They’ll loose their credibility with the moderates in Syria.

Those who keep criticizing on the one hand and labelling on the other hand, everyone who do not use their apologetic language towards the regime, are hurting the same regime that they are trying to salvage.

Stating they want “change and reform” yet accusing the Syrian men and women, whom heroically are putting their lives and those of their loved ones at risk, as traitors/infiltrators is hypocritical unethical to say the least. These brave men and women are the true force behind any change.

Torture and killing of any being is unacceptable and wrong. Assad cancelled the emergency law replaced it by another and promised fair trial. What was put in place is mass torture.

What we need as Syrians, to say loudly and clearly, STOP TORTURING AND KILLING OUR FELLOW SYRIANS. Violence breeds violence. Let us keep a sense of perspective, how this unfolding saga started in Dera’a. Had this regime been in favour of reform, we will not have reached to this pivotal point.

Seems like the two sides had reached the point of no return. The regime is adamant of treating the situation like the father did, with any hint of opposition. On the other hand the protesters are saying our dignity can no longer be crushed, Syrians can no longer be humiliated by a bunch of nepotists.

It is never the elite that decide how a revolution will move forward, it is the oppressed who have no social justice and nothing to lose.

Forty years ago an infringed group, namely the Syrian Alawites, took power and the rest is history…..

The bottom line with or without change, we must stay united, and it is the right of people to demand change against those who are using brutal power against their own.

Any gap will entice the vultures to prey on us. United we will remain, if wisdom prevail.

ابوRevlo الليبي
بدنا نتفرج علا فلم حلب
بكفي مناظروقصايد
شي ضربونا وشي اخدو الموبايلات
رجعلنا حق البطاقات

#49

Stopped reading here:

>Stating they want “change and reform” yet accusing the Syrian men and women, whom heroically are putting their lives and those of their loved ones at risk, as traitors/infiltrators is hypocritical unethical to say the least.

There are DEFINITELY traitors. I don’t care if they put their lives on the line hanging a janitor or cutting the head off a living Syrian soldier, they are still traitors and they deserve to die. The terrorists must be liquidated.

You are a conspiracy denier.

Guys, here are two of N.Z.’s heroes:

http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/06/30/355599.htm

Oh my they put their lives on the line, they could have harmed themselves with the pistol they barely knew how to operate. The gallows await.

ورقة عمل سياسية طباعة البريد الإلكترونى
الشعبة السياسية في الشام
الخميس, 30 يونيو/حزيران 2011 12:56
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بدعوة من أبرز المفكرين والباحثين الوطنيين في مدينة حلب، التي نظمت ندوة حوارية بتاريخ27 حزيران 2011 تحت عنوان: “الوحدة الوطنية تحت علم الوطن”، قام الرفيق عصام عزوز، ناموس الشعبة السياسية في الشام بتقديم ورقة عمل تضمّنت مقدّمات رؤية الحزب للانتقال بواقع الحال السياسي في الشام إلى الدولة المدنية العصرية، والتداول السلمي للسطلة، ودعوة الحزب للمشاركة في الحوار الوطني الهادف مع القوى الوطنية كافة.
وفيما يلي نصّ ورقة العمل التي تقدّم بها الرفيق عصام عزوز بعنوان:

مقدّمات لابدّ من طرحها

لقد بات الشعب السوري بحاجة إلى التغيير الديمقراطي الوطني على قاعدة المواطنة الحقة ـ مواطنون أحرار في وطن حرّ ـ يؤسّس لحاضنة وطنية عبر تغيير شامل لشؤون حياة الشعب، تغيير ينهي النهج الحالي، ويعيد بناء ما دمّرته العقلية الإقصائية من ميزات الشخصية الوطنية السورية وفي كلّ مناحي حياة الشعب، والتي جاءت نتيجة لسيطرة واحتكار “الحزب الواحد والرأي الواحد”، وعقلية الوصاية على الدولة والمجتمع، واحتكار ما فيه وما عليه، واختصاره في ثقافة أحادية تسلّطية عطّلت، ومنذ عقود، مقوِّمات المقاومة والممانعة الحقيقية المعتمِدة على عوامل القوة الحقيقية، جيشًا ومقاومة شعبية ومجتمعًا حاضنًا، وتفشت مفاهيم من مثل: “دبّر راسك” التي أفقدت الشعب المناعة ضدّ كلّ ما يدمّر حياته، ثقافة إقصائية انتهازية أسست لتسلّط متسلقين، غيبت إمكانات وطاقات وقوى مجتمعية كان يمكن لها أن تساعد في إنهاض المجتمع وتساميه، وتجنِّب الشعب والسلطة والدولة مآزقَ وأزماتٍ لم تؤخّر تطوره فحسب، وإنما تركته أسير قوى الظلام والتجهيل والفردية الهدامة، وأوقعته في براثن الفساد والمفسدين، وأوصلته إلى حال أصبح الإصلاح فيه خطوة نحو التغيير الجذري الذي بات مطلبًا للجميع وشاملاً للجميع ومهمة إسعافية للجميع.
إذا كان الدستور أبو القوانين في الدولة، وهو كذلك، فإن مشاريع القوانين المطروحة على الرأي العام من قبل الحكومة الحالية، وخاصة قانونَيْ الأحزاب والانتخابات، تصبح موضع انتقاد كبير لطرحها، مستندة إلى الدستور المعمول به، وهو كمن يضع العربة قبل الحصان، مفترضة بهذه المشاريع أن الدستور دائم لا يُمَسّ وأنه، بالاستناد إليه، يمكن إصلاح الحياة السياسية التي يتأسس عليها كلّ إصلاح آخر.
لقد ولد المشروعين بفبركة لا توحي بأن شيئًا سوف يتغير على صعيد الاستئثار والاستبداد السياسي. فعلى سبيل المثال لا الحصر، في مشروع قانون الانتخاباتن حجم الدائرة الانتخابية التي لا يمكن تغطيتها إلا من قبل حزب حاكم يسخِّر كلّ دوائر الدولة وموظّفيها لحملته الانتخابية، وفي قانون الأحزاب وضعت كلّ الأحزاب تحت رحمة لجنة شؤون الأحزاب المشكّلة من رئيسها، وزير الداخلية وثلاثة يختارهم رئيس الجمهورية ونائب رئيس محكمة النقض. عمليًا لا يوجد سوى عضو واحد من سلك القضاء وهو غير حيادي أيضًا، كما ويستطيع رئيس اللجنة السيد الوزير وقف نشاط الحزب لمدة خمسة عشر يومًا ويحيل المسألة إلى المحكمة الإدارية التي عليها بتّ طلب الحلّ خلال 60 يومًا. وإذا ما علمنا أن القضاء غير مستقلّ عن الأحزاب يصبح القانون شكليًا، ولا يعتبر قانونًا لتطوير الحياة الحزبية بل التفاف على هذا المطلب الهام.
إنّ سوريا اليوم لا تحيا ولا تتقدّم وتزدهر، وهي التي اخترعت أول شراع وأول مجداف وأول محراث وأول أبجدية لا بل وأول الديمقراطيات في العالم كانت في مدن الساحل السوري…سوريا هذه التي أينما هطلت أمطار الغيوم كان الخراج يأتي إلى خزائنها.. سوريا هذه لن تعرّج إلى المستقبل إلا بدستور يرسم حياة شعبها التائق إلى التقدّم والتطوّر والتجديد، يؤكّد على أنه واحد وموحّد ومتساوٍ بالحقوق والواجبات، قضائيًا ودستوريًا، في دولة مدنية عصرية ديموقرطية، بدون أي تمييز سياسي أو ديني أو طائفي أو مذهبي، وإنتاج معادلة وطنية جديدة أساسها المواطنة ودولة القانون والمؤسسات من خلال نظام يجسّد مدنية الدولة ومؤسساتها، والرؤية الديمقراطية للمواطنة المنصوص عنها في كلّ العهود والمواثيق الوطنية والدولية، والتي ليس لها مساس بسيادة الوطن والأمّة؛ ويؤكّد على مبدأ التدول السلمي للسلطة بكل مفاصل الدولة ومؤسساتها، على قاعدة نبذ العنف وعدم اللجوء إليه وتجريم مرتكبيه، واعتماد الوسائل السلمية والديمقراطية عبر صناديق الاقتراع.
وهنا نؤكّد على قاعدة تاريخية وعلمية هامّة، وهي أن الشعب السوري، عبر التاريخ، هو مزيج متجانس من أقوام وإثنيات متعدّدة، تفاعلت فيما بينها وأنتجت شخصية اجتماعية واحدة، وأعطت الهوية الوطنية السورية للجميع، وارتبط مصيرها بالوطن السوري الواحد وقدرته على النمو والتطوّر الحضاري، المدني، في إطار دولة الحق والقانون، وعلى أرضية سوريا لكلّ السوريين بما يحقق وحدة المجتمع السوري بعيدًا عن التمييز أو الإقصاء على أساس العرق أو الدين أو الفكر أو الطائفة أو الجنس أو اللون… وبما يضمن مصلحة الأمّة والدفاع عن قضاياها.
ومن المهم تكريس القناعة بأن سورية مجتمعٌ وطنيّ تفاعلي حيّ مع محيطه القومي وأمّته، وتكريس ثقافة الممانعة والمقاومة لجميع المشاريع الهادفة إلى النيل من الوطن والأمّة، ورفض التدخّل الخارجي بكلّ أشكاله، وتعميم ثقافة الانفتاح والتسامح بين أبناء المجتمع السوري، كأساس لنشر مفاهيم الديمقراطية الوطنية، وقبول الاختلاف كممارسة لمفهوم المواطنة الذي يشكّل عصب الدولة المدنية، والذي يساوي بين الجميع في الحقوق والواجبات، ما يلغي إلغاءً تامًّا مفهوم “الأكثرية والأقلية” أيًّا كانت صفتها، دينية أم طائفية أم إثنية…
إننا نشدّد على الالتزام بالعمل على تحرير جميع الأراضي المحتلة والسليبة والمسلوخة من جسم الوطن، واعتماد كافة السبل الممكنة لتحقيق ذلك. وندعو لتنفيذ قرارات الشرعية الدولية التي تضمن الحقوق الوطنية السورية والقومية، ونرفض ما يفرض منها خدمة لأهداف أخرى.
وبناءًا على ما تقدَّم، نؤكّد على استعدادنا التام للمشاركة في الحوار الوطني الهادف مع كلّ الأحزاب والتيارات والتجمّعات والهيئات واللجان والقوى والشخصيات الوطنية دون إقصاء من أحدٍ لأحد، وصولاً إلى إطار وطني شامل يتّسع لكلّ ألوان الطيف السياسي والاجتماعي والثقافي في سورية.

ولتحيَ سوريا وطنًا وشعبًا.

في 27 حزيران 2011 ناموس الشعبة السياسية في الشام
الرفيق عصام عزوز

http://www.alqawmi.info/alpha/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1351%3A2011-06-30-11-01-21&catid=71%3A2009-01-28-22-44-56#.TgyU_Rw9dQh.facebook

“ومن المهم تكريس القناعة بأن سورية مجتمعٌ وطنيّ تفاعلي حيّ مع محيطه القومي وأمّته، وتكريس ثقافة الممانعة والمقاومة لجميع المشاريع الهادفة إلى النيل من الوطن والأمّة، ورفض التدخّل الخارجي بكلّ أشكاله، وتعميم ثقافة الانفتاح والتسامح بين أبناء المجتمع السوري، كأساس لنشر مفاهيم الديمقراطية الوطنية، وقبول الاختلاف كممارسة لمفهوم المواطنة الذي يشكّل عصب الدولة المدنية، والذي يساوي بين الجميع في الحقوق والواجبات، ما يلغي إلغاءً تامًّا مفهوم “الأكثرية والأقلية” أيًّا كانت صفتها، دينية أم طائفية أم إثنية…”

This is very important. Sorry sectarian hate-mongers, you’ve only driven us all closer together. Syria is 1 family.

Any more slide shows from Halab? There’s nothing funny on TV.

You would think that with a name like volcano the internet will be overflowing with … more slideshows.

SYAY @ 9

let me get back to you about this.

HNN شبكة أخبار حمص
دعم الليرة في العقاري وصل عتبة المليار
ومصرف التوفير يفتح إيداعات الدعم حتى ب /100/ليرة
30/06/2011
دمشق – سيرياستيبس :
كشفت مصادر المصرف العقاري أن إيداعات دعم الليرة السورية في المصرف وصلت عتبة المليار ليرة سورية و في مختلف فروع المصرف المنتشرة في كافة المحافظات السورية.
بنفس المستوى بدأ مصرف التوفير استقبال إيداعات المواطنين الموجهة إلى دعم الليرة السورية بدون شرط الحد الأدنى لقيمة المبلغ المودع و الذي قد يبدأ ب /100/ ليرة سورية ، لكن المصرف لن يعطي المودع دفتر توفير كما تجري العادة و سيكتفي بإشعار فتح حساب ليكون الوثيقة الوحيدة التي تخوّل صاحبها باسترداد المبلغ بموجبها و ستكون هذه الحسابات معفية من عمولة فتح الحساب، أما إذا تجاوز المبلغ المودع حد /5000/ ليرة سورية ممكن معاملته بشكل اعتيادي من حيث منحه دفتر توفير و احتساب فوائد و عمولات إذا رغب الزبون.

Hiya all,

I am sure that you have more important things to discuss right now than the Hariri case, but I’d like to point out that SyriaComment was the first to publish the name of Selim Ayyash.

Will the indictment be published? I am particularly interested in the motive, because I don’t see one, at least not one that would involve rationality.
Then again we have all witnessed a lot of irrationality lately…

Memo to T_DESCO

RE: The Hizbollah Indictment

You’re right. We have far more important issues to discuss here at Syria Comment. For example, we’re about to talk about Asma’s wardrobe for her next interview with Vogue magazine…

http://playwrighter.blogspot.com/2011/06/brubecks-take-five-pakistani-style.html

Let see:

1-Republican Guards and Hezballah men shooting at syrian protestors in Syria.

2-International Tribunal accusing Hezballah pro-iranians of selective killings of lebanese in Lebanon.

3-European and US including iranian personalities in their lists of embargo.

Something is wrong in Syria. Does Syria and syrians really need to rely on a non-arabic and anti-sunna, anti-christian, anti-bahai, anti-jewish regime to stand on its feet? A country which has no language, no ethicity and almost no religion in common. I guess it is worse that Saudi Arabia helping Lebanon. At least they have some things in common.

What is the reason the regime gives officially for justifying the support from Iran? Can someone tell me or give me a link? Thanks.

N.Z

“It is never the elite that decide how a revolution will move forward, it is the oppressed who have no social justice and nothing to lose. ”

Sorry to disappoint you, but history shows that the oppressed start a revolution with the help of some intellectuals but it is either the army or the ‘elite’ who ends it.
All who died have served the revolution that would not have started without them but they are unable to close it as they have no program. Because of that, unfortunately they will be pushed aside by organized group that may not represent the oppressed but political and economical powers.

#51

“It’s one thing to call for change and reform, everyone wants this!”

I will have preferred if you read the whole comment, I was actually responding to your comment. Anyway, when you state that everyone wants change and reform do you mean, wishful change and reform, or real change and reform. DO you, be honest to yourself if you chose to answer, did this regime had any desire for REAL reform? and what is the change and reform you are aspiring to?

I will really like to understand those, like yourself who are accusing everyone that disagree with how the regime is dealing with its people. But more importantly the demonization of the true agents of change, our brave men and women, young and old who are saying no more oppression and yes to social justice.

I am hoping that your language will be as descent as those you represent.

Alqaradawis poet posted by Revlon is insult to every free syrian ,it is specifically insulting to the Syria army.this monster which is probably a coz of the other Karadawi devil I qater is insulting every Syria soldier,he is stating that for 50years Syrian army has been protecting Israel ,he dos’t mention 10000soldiers died in October war,that is an Egyptian war,not mention 1982war in Lebanon …Extremist Islamic rats like Revlon get orgasm hearing somebody stabbing there country in the back,they don’t tell us any thing that we don’t know about them.the army is a red line,a maniac like Revlon poet,should either take the isreal flag from cairo’s sky above every egyptian’s soldier head,and then give his trash,or shut up.

Dale christian andersen

Or your next perfume to hide the smell?

About yesterday’s silent demonstration, an eye witness account!

http://www.the-syrian.com/archives/14258

عوجا…مع الأسف الشديد !!

أولاً، و قبل أن أبدأ بالكتابة، أود أن أقدم اعتذاري إلى اخوتي المندسين و المنحبكجية(على حد سواء) بسبب أسلوب كتابتي، و الذي سأعتمد به على اللغة العامية تارةً و الفصحة تارةً أخرى، و ذلك بحسب الحالة اللغوية و النفسية للجزء القصصي في مقالتي هذه، عند الحديث التلقائي عن الأحداث سأستخدم العامية طبعاً، و عند بداية الفزلكة و إلقاء المواعظ و العبر سأستخدم الفصحى… شاكراً تفهمكم

المهم و من دون طول سيرة، و متل ما كلنا منعرف، كان اليوم في وقفة حداد على أرواح شهدائنا الأبرار بحديقة الجلاء، و متل ما كمان منعرف كان في شروط متمثلة بعدم رفع أي علم أو شعار أو هتاف أو صورة لكائن من كان، فالوقفة متل مو شايفين حداد على أرواح الشهداء مين ما كانوا، مدنيين و أمن و جيش، كلون ماتوا بشكل أو بآخر، فداءً للوطن…

منجي للفصل المضحك، شلة شباب فايتين بالعجقة من دون لا شور و لا دستور، تعا حبيبنا عوين فايت ؟؟؟ قال والله عل مظاهرة..رد عليه مسؤول التنظيم بس هي مو مظاهرة أخو الشباب، هي وقفة صامتة على أرواح الشهداء…

و هون اختلطت الأمور شوي على أخو الشباب و الشباب الطيبة يللي معو..مو مظاهرة؟؟؟ و صامتة ؟؟؟ و الأهم ما فيها رفع شعارات ؟؟؟ شو هل مجانين هدول؟

لا لا عمي، ما بيمشي الحال بالمرة، بعد إذنك عطينا طريق بدنا نفوت و نهتف للقائد و الحزب و الجيش…
وهون برد عليه مسؤول التنظيم: يا أخي هون وقفة صامتة، بعد إذنك إذا حابب تفوت أهلا و سهلا بس بدون شعارات و بدون هتافات أو صور، إذا مو حابب تفوت فمع السلامة….

لا لهون بس…ما بدون يانا نفوت بصور القائد؟؟ لك شو هل حكي يا شباب….بااااااططططللللللللللللل…!!!!
سمعوني الصوت سمعوني الهمة….و يللا كلنا يا شباب… الله سورية بشار و بس … و غير تلاتة ما منختار الله سورية وبشار… و الله يحمي الجيش و الله يحمي الجيش…. و هيييييييييييييييي………

لك مو بس هيك، بدنا نفوت غصب عن يللي عجبو و ما عجبو..
وهو بلش مسلسل الكر و الفر، و الركض من هون لهنيكو من هنيك لهون، و قللي لقلك و قللك لتقلي، بين المنظمين و الشباب الطيبة، مع تكرار نفس العبارات ” يا شباب أهلا و سهلا بدون الهتاف و الصور، بس معهون منعتذر…”
و الشباب الطيبة طبعاً بيثبت صموده و ممانعته(متل النظام الحمد الله) و بقرر الاحتفاظ بحق الرد لوقت لاحق…

و خلال الصمت و الشموع و الاعلام السورية المرفرقة و أحلام المشاركين رايحة بالحرية و التطور و الديموقراطية، بطل من جديد أصوات من الشارع عم تنادي بنفس الأغاني الوطنية الجميلة ” ملايين ملايين السوريين…جينا نعاهد عبد الله…” و ” نحنا رجالك بشار هي كلمتنا منحكيها….” و غيرها من الأغاني الجميلة المفعمة بالحماسة و الحب و الجمال …

و بتكتمل فصول الإثارة مع الشباب بعد انتهاء الوقفة، و هون بيجي حق الرد(يا ريت الحكومة بتتعلم منون عل قليلة شوية رد)، و بتتجمع الشباب الطيبة, و كلنا سوا، و سمعوني الصوت….. و الله سورية بشار و بس …. و غير تلاتة ما منختار….و هي يللا…و أبو العرعور على أخت العرعور… و أبو أمريكا على أخت إيطاليا على ست فرنسا على عم بريطانيا…و ربي يسر…

لك مو بس هيك…بدكون وقفة حداد…ايه رح نخيلها حداد رسمي مو بس وقفة، و يللا يا شباب هجوووووووووووووم!!!
و لسوء الحظ وقع 4 شباب ضحية الهجوم المباشر للشباب الطيبة، و أكلوا يللي في نصيب، و صار يللي صار، و منشكر الأمن كتير على مشاركتو بالفرجة و عدم تدخلو مشان ما يزيد الطين بلة….

هاد ما حصل باختصار….بكل أسف و بكل حزن…و بكل سخرية…

نعود للفصحى(حان وقت الموعظة)…
تحت أي مسمى يمكن وصف ما حدث اليوم في حديقة الجلاء؟؟ و تحت أي مسمى يمكن أن نتحدث عن وقوف الشرطة تتفرج على الحادثة؟؟ و تحت أي مسمى يمكن وصف الذين لم يستوعبوا أو يفهموا معنى وقفة صامتة لأجل شهداء الوطن؟؟

لماذا وصلنا لمرحلة أصبحنا غير قادرين على التفكير بسورية بدون تشخيصها بشخص أو حزب أو منظمة ؟ لماذا الوطنية هي الهتاف اليومي و المتواصل للقائد المفدى، بدلاً من أن تكون العمل اليومي و المستمر لخير البلد؟؟

ما المشكلة إذا لم جرخت مظاهرة أو وقفة و لم تحمل أي شعار…فقط تحت شعار و سقف واحد هو سورية؟؟
المؤسف بالموضوع حقيقةً أن الوقفة لم تكن تحت أي شعار، لا ضد النظام و لا معه، لا مع الأمن و لا ضده، لا مع الثوار و لا ضدهم، بل لأجل سورية و شهداء سورية و كل من سقط لأجل كرامة و تقدم و تطور هذا الوطن نحو غد أفضل…

أنا لا أوجه حديثي فقط للمؤيدين(مع أنه مع المؤسف أغلب هذه التصرفات تبدر منهم)، بل لكل سوري يريد التظاهر، للثوار و المتظاهرين ضد النظام و مع النظام، سوريا أهم مني و منك و منهم و من الجميع، و التفكير بوضع مصلحة البلد ووضعها فوق كل مصلحة هو ما يجب أن نقوم به جميعاً…

التفكير بأن البلاد لا تشخص بإنسان أو جماعة، التفكير بأن العلم السوري هو أهم من أي شيء آخر، التفكير بأن كرامة المواطن السوري و حقه بالحياة الحرة الكريمة هو فوق كل اعتبار، التفكير بأن التخوين و السب و الشتم و القذف لن يؤتي بنتيجة و لن يجلب ثمار…بل سيزيد فقط من عمق الفجوة بين أهل بلد واحد، يسعى معظمهم( و ليس كلهم مع الأسف) نحو مستقبل أفضل و غد أفضل…

رحم الله شهداء سورية…و سامح الله كل من أخطأ بحقهم، سواء بقتلهم، أو بعدم احترام سبب موتهم…

——————-

ماريو رحال…. دمشق في 29/6/2011

Syria Permits Vigil For Slain Civilians, Soldiers
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137518432/syria-permits-vigil-for-slain-civilians-soldiers

June 30, 2011
“The Syrian government gave another political concession, even as security personel continued roundups in rebellious suburbs of the capital, Damascus. In the center of the city, a candlelight vigil, the first of its kind, had official permission.”

The invitation went out on Facebook. Official approval came after three rejections. There were rules: no politics, no slogans, no pictures — not even of the president. Two hours in a city park. Organizers were in charge of security, and they patted down everyone who entered.

This is a memorial for the dead, said Bishar Hamwey, one of the organizers. “We don’t take sides here from the army and from the civilians,” he said.

Syrian state television has covered the funerals of soldiers and police, but openly marking the death of those killed in protests is new, Hamwey said.

“It is new and we are welcoming this, and we hope it’s a beginning for a new era of civil-rights history in Syria,” he said.

The crowd was young and well-educated, the Facebook generation in person – college students, computer programmers and Web designers.

Majhool said:

“You need to define elite in the syrian context ( total net-worth, type of privileges)….Ehsani, got it right, high net worh individuals. Not the petty bourgeois Mubayyed has argued. Anyways, there is no such thing as a sunni business elite families (clan). there are high net worth individuals.”

I think Majhool makes a good point here, that is not to simplify the oft-discussed “business elite”. “High net worth individuals” are the elite, and they are supportive of stability, dictated by their own self-interests. They will not revolt, but they will find ways to move their money away from the Lira and into gold and other currencies. After all, they ultimately wish to preserve what they have. Business is business.

The elite families are comprised mostly of different individual shopowners. They are are not united at all, but they are capable of being rallied. Practical fears they have are of losing everything, as government thugs have many times stolen merchandise and taken over stores. This has happened 30 years ago, and it has happened this year. They are really being pushed into a corner now, with pressure from all sides. They don’t generally side with the regime except for fear of the alternative. What they do will depend on how events unfold.

The bottom line is everyone has their own interests at stake, and Syrian businessmen will make very individual decisions to protect those interests.

Is there a reason why the protesters in Aleppo were taking so many pictures of people’s behinds?

Why-discuss

Why not post the entire article, this part gives the illusion that the demo was held by regime supporters, when in fact it was not, and the pro-regime idiots where trying to get in and turn this into a pro government rally, they even attacked the crowd at the end and injured 4 guys according to people who attended and posted about the event on their facebook pages.

Revlon,

Duma women’s demonstration you linked earlier is quite disturbing and I strongly condemn it. The revolution did not start like this. I would not call that paticular demonstration peaceful. We should not let Wisal TV hijack it from us. We should not allow our blood to have been spilled in vain. I can imagine the level of rage these women feel but still this is not an excuse. I do not want to read anything into that clip except that unfortunately a lot of people can be easily misguided.

A demonstration like this is a betryal of this revolution and to all the martyrs fallen.

Please reply.

Let see:

1-Republican Guards and Hezballah men shooting at syrian protestors in Syria.

2-International Tribunal accusing Hezballah pro-iranians of selective killings of lebanese in Lebanon.

3-European and US including iranian personalities in their lists of embargo.

Something is wrong in Syria. Does Syria and syrians really need to rely on a non-arabic and anti-sunna, anti-christian, anti-bahai, anti-jewish regime to stand on its feet? A country which has no language, no ethicity and almost no religion in common. I guess it is worse than Saudi Arabia helping Lebanon. At least they have some things in common.

What is the reason the regime gives officially for justifying the support from Iran? Can someone tell me or give me a link? Thanks.

#70

You’re delusional and are hurting your own cause! Keep going! The more you spread hate about our own allies, the more obvious your plot against the resistance becomes!

#69

Tara, thank you for having the integrity of informing him about this fact.

>I do not want to read anything into that clip except that unfortunately a lot of people can be easily misguided.

Exactly, and misguided people are all chanting for the government to fall without actually offering an alternative (and no, the caveman council is not an alternative).

#61

>I will have preferred if you read the whole comment, I was actually responding to your comment.

I actually stopped because at that point the underlying assumptions were wrong.

>Anyway, when you state that everyone wants change and reform do you mean, wishful change and reform, or real change and reform.

OK I will rephrase: the majority of people, including Bashaar himself, want REAL change and reform.

>DO you, be honest to yourself if you chose to answer, did this regime had any desire for REAL reform? and what is the change and reform you are aspiring to?

I don’t think they did, there was a lot of pressure on Bashaar and his advisors to keep the status quo going. What do I mean by change and reform?

Well, I personally think democracy is a sham, but I have arrived at this conclusion through a decade of experience which most Syrians would not have. People just think democracy is some kind of cream you apply to a country to make it better.

But Syrians have a chance to change the country, not just in regards to democracy, but by removing the atmosphere of FEAR. Instead of the government ruling through Machiavellian means, it should be open to ideas from people who may not be completely on with the program. I don’t mean traitors like the majority of the devil brotherhood, I mean different economists, technologists, political scientists and so on.

The other thing is we really need to clean out our corrupt court system. From top to bottom there is on-going corruption, bribery and lack of rule of law. It is basically impossible to win a case against someone powerful enough because they will always find ways to drag the case on until you run out of money. Of course, this is the SAME THING in the west, but in Syria it’s pretty blatant.

>But more importantly the demonization of the true agents of change, our brave men and women, young and old who are saying no more oppression and yes to social justice.

Demonization? I commend the initial PEACEFUL demonstrators, we won’t be here if it weren’t for them. That said, the criminals who shot at people and took over the scene are currently ENABLED by the peaceful protests outside Hama.

So while they were heroes then, when they persist to protest for the “regime to fall”, when there is clearly dialog going on … they’re actually terror-enablers and nation-destroyers, i.e. traitors. I accept that it is important to continue to apply pressure or risk losing momentum, but instead of asking for the “regime to fall”, perhaps they should start actually chanting for what reforms they actually want.

Allahu Akbar: doesn’t say anything about reform
Sha3b bureed asqat al nizam: doesn’t say anything about what kind of government they want

The only chant I stood behind from the beginning was this one:

Ba3d al yom, mah fee khoof.

#66

As a member of what you might call the “elite”, I can tell you I’m in the process of repatriating a lot of my own external assets. If Syria falls, I fall with it.

There’s no point, if Syria falls, the planet is doomed.

#67

I guess the Allepo volcano is a code word for some kind of gay club…

Nk

Can this regime get any lower or any stupider?

Who are they fooling forcing family members to denounce a daughter or a father.

I guess the answer is NO.

Commando,

I am not scared of you anymore… That is not to say I agree with what you say. But I agree with some. The last 2 lines of 71 were good.

Sandro,

Was No. 1 confirmed? I mean in regard to HA?

I believe the first reader analysis was the correct one. Alawites were long resented and part of an “untouchable” caste before Hafez al Assad came to power. Once he got there, he brought his Alawite brethren into the upper echelon of society. He established a network, installing Alawites into top military posts, awarding Alawite businessmen with lucrative government contracts, etc. Minority groups, especially in countries where they are discriminated, tend to band together in solidarity against struggle. The Assad regime has established a system of patronage by elevating the minority Alawites in society. The business elite are infinitely loyal.

تحركات صغيرة استجابة لخميس “بركان حلب ” .. تلتها مسيرات مؤيدة بالمئات
http://syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134451

Here is a better look at Aleppo protest from above the waist, it was small with 20-30 young guys followed by bigger group of locals who apparently wanted to beat them.

حلب || مظاهرات باب النصر
http://youtu.be/dp_ibcsYdnY

Iran is the real target:

بريطانيا قلقة من صواريخ ايران : ايران اجرت تجارب على صواريخ قادرة على حمل رؤوس نووية

اكد وزير الخارجية البريطاني وليام هيغ، في كلمة حول السياسة الخارجية البريطانية في مجلس العموم اليوم في لندن، ان ايران “اجرت تجارب سرية على صواريخ “قادرة على حمل” رؤوس نووية منتهكة بذلك قرار الامم المتحدة 1929″.

واعتبر ان طهران “اعلنت عزمها على زيادة قدرتها على انتاج اليورانيوم المخصب ثلاث مرات. ومستويات التخصيب هذه اكبر بكثير من التخصيب الضروري لطاقة نووية سلمية”، مؤكدا ان بريطانيا “ستواصل زيادة الضغط على ايران لحملها على التفاوض على اتفاق يتعلق ببرنامجها النووي”.

وتأتي تصريحات هيغ غداة اطلاق ايران 14 صاروخا بالستيا قصيرا ومتوسط المدى، خلال مناورة “دفاعية” مخصصة لردع اسرائيل والولايات المتحدة من التعرض عسكريا للجمهورية الاسلامية.

وانتقدت الولايات المتحدة اطلاق هذه الصواريخ، لكنها لم توضح ما اذا كانت الاسلحة التي اختبرتها ايران قادرة على حمل رؤوس نووية، بحجة الحفاظ على الاسرار الاستخباراتية.

وتقلق البرامج الفضائية والصاروخية لايران البلدان الغربية التي كانت حتى الان تتخوف من ان تطور ايران سلاحا بالستيا يتيح لها اطلاق اسلحة نووية. وباتت ايران تختبر هذه القدرة، بحسب تأكيدات هيغ الاربعاء.

وقد استخدم الحلف الاطلسي هذا التهديد لتبرير مشروع الدرع المضادة للصواريخ في اوروبا.

T_DESCO @57
Do you really think that the existence or the lack of a rational motive is going to make any difference?
Were the motives as provided by the first Mihlis report and subsequent ones rational?
Weren’t four officers arrested and imprisoned for a period of four years on bogus evidence, bogus motives, bogus witnesses, a circus like proceedings as opposed to due process and a fair trial?
Is it not a fact that to this day General Sayyed and his lawyers have been denied access to his indictment file and therefore he’s been denied justice?
A rational motive would be an important factor when the evidence is circumstantial, as in the location of the cell phone of the accused at the time of the crime, only when the case is under the jurisdiction of a competent, fair and independent court.
The STL reeks of bias, manipulation, politics, prejudice, incompetence… basically it is a Kangaroo court for the purpose of achieving political gains.
The truth will not be revealed and justice will not be served.

These are new pictures of the president today in Damascus, he looks more relaxed than his last speech, lots of Syrians do genuinely like him, it’s not a propaganda

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.223496314348684.63457.199078700123779

STL delegation plans Syria visit to submit list of suspects: source

From Daily Star
I think this is a turning point,Bashar has to fight on several fronts.

#76 JAD,

I almost pissed my pants laughing! It happened exactly as I was told. I heard they got beaten up. They’re probably not even halabi lol.

#79

Mikati already told them they have to present their evidence. The whole thing is a sham, it’ll fall apart upon close inspection. Hezbollah hasn’t shown all of the information it has, just wait.

STL from day one was a political tribune put togetheer for the sole reason to pressure Syria, HA and Iran, it was never put to find any truth whatsoever.

ذكر تلفزيون المنار التابع لحزب الله إن توقيت قرار الاتهام الخاص بقضية اغتيال رفيق الحريري تبين أن دوافع صدوره مسيسة.

يأتي ذلك بعد تسلم المدعي العام التمييزي اللبناني مذكرات توقيف بحق أربعة لبنانيين متهمين في قضية الاغتيال.

وقال نجيب ميقاتي رئيس الحكومة اللبنانية بهذا الشأن انه “سنتعاطى بمسؤولية وواقعية مع هذا الحدث انطلاقا من أن القرارات الاتهامية أي كان مصدرها ليست أحكاما وأن الاتهامات تحتاج إلى أدلة دامغة لا يرقى إليها الشك وبأن كل متهم بريء حتى تثبت إدانته”.

هذا وحث الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة بان كي مون على ضرورة التعاون الدولي مع المحكمة الدولية الخاصة بلبنان.

من جهته دعا فرحان حق المتحدث باسم الأمم المتحدة الحكومة اللبنانية الجديدة إلى الوفاء بكافة التزامات لبنان الدولية والتعاون مع المحكمة.

المصدر: وكالات
————————-

Russia in the UN, no need to discuss Syria (f*** off Europe)

ممثل روسيا في الامم المتحدة : جدول أعمال مجلس الامن الدولي لا يتضمن مسألة سورية

أعاد ألكسندر بانكين النائب الاول لمندوب روسيا الدائم لدى هيئة الامم المتحدة الى اذهان ممثلي بعض الدول الغربية ان جدول أعمل مجلس الامن الدولي لا يتضمن مسألة سورية، اذ انها لا تشكل تهديدا على السلام والامن العالميين. أعلن ذلك بانكين في كلمة ألقاها يوم 30 يونيو/حزيران في اعقاب تمديد مجلس الامن لفترة بقاء قوات حفظ السلام للامم المتحدة لمدة 6 اشهر اخرى على خط الهدنة الفاصل في هضبة الجولان. وقد تم تشكيل هذه القوات في مايو/أيار عام 1974 بغية مراقبة وقف اطلاق النار على طول خط الهدنة بين سورية واسرائيل في مرتفعات الجولان.

وقال بانكين بصورة خاصة:” تدعم روسيا الدور الهام الذي تلعبه قوات الامم المتحدة في مراقبة الفصل بين الجانبين بمرتفعات الجولان المحتلة. كما انها ترى ان وجودها في منطقة الفصل ضروري، ما لم يتم تجاوز حدة التوتر نهائيا. وبحسب قوله فان روسيا بمبادرتها الى طرح مشروع القرار هذا حاولت الحفاظ على التجربة التي تفيد بان اعضاء المجلس يوافقون على رأي رئيسه بان الوضع يبقى متوترا في منطة الشرق الاوسط، ما لم يتم التوصل الى تسوية شاملة لكل جوانب قضية الشرق الاوسط.

و أعرب الدبلوماسي الروسي عن أسفه لعدم وجود الوفاق في المجلس هذه المرة، الامر الذي يثير الحيرة.

فيما مارس ممثلو كل من الولايات المتحدة وبريطانيا وفرنسا وألمانيا نقدا لاذعا ازاء الحكومة السورية، متهمين اياها بقمع المعارضة وعدم رغبتها في التعاون مع هيئة الامم المتحدة بغية تقديم المساعدة الانسانية للمدنيين. كما انهم اعلنوا مسؤولية دمشق عن تشجيع ما حدث في منطقة الفصل يومي 15 مايو/أيار الماضي و 5 يونيو/حزيران الجاري.

وأعاد الممثل الروسي في هذا السياق الى الاذهان ان القرار الذي بادرت روسيا الى اتخاذه يحمل طابعا تقنيا. ولا علاقة له بمستجدات الوضع السياسي سواء كان في سورية او اسرائيل.

——–
You want poetry! Here you go a meaningful poetry:

خيم أردوغان – الشاعر صفوح شغالة
http://youtu.be/vC-d-0GByGY

جسر الشغور: تواصل عودة الأهالي وجولة للهلال الأحمر
http://youtu.be/DRaR2mSKIpI

LOL Jad! That video with the terrorists being chased away by heroic government supporters is hilarious! Beat them all to a bloody pulp, I say!

Syrian Commando

For someone claiming to be pro-reform, one would wonder what kind of reforms you have in mind while cheering that fellow Syrian citizens are being beaten up!.

They’re not “fellows”, they are agitators. I’m laughing at them, not cheering it of course. I already warned the agitators that the people of Syria have had enough of them. The government will not be able to hold the crowds back for long.

It is you who cares not for Syria, else you will heed the majorities demand to end the chaos and take a more orderly approach to reform, i.e. specific demands. Calling for the downfall of the government, is not a specific demand, but a demand for the execution of the entire country on the behalf of zionist forces.

I must admit, I enjoyed it a little bit too much. I wonder if ABOALI was in the crowd… ;D

Syrian Commando

Again they’re your fellow citizens whether you like it or not, you have no right to call them agitators or strip them of the Syrian citizenship. If it was government supporters running away from thugs with sticks you (and others) would be posting it here saying look at those MB terrorists and their barbaric assault on peaceful crowds. Hypocrite much !!!

This is the kind of “dialogue” people can expect with this regime, I guess the opposition should prepare for their trip back into their dark cells should they object to the regime’s proposals (a.k.a national dialogue), of course when they do object they’ll seize to be opposition, they’ll just become agitators.

OK let me put it this way, because you’re not reading everything I’ve written.

Imagine you enter a Star Wars fan club with 3 friends and start chanting “George Lucas sucks” repeatedly. You know exactly what to expect, so someone watching it all unfold will be excused for laughing at your silliness.

Likewise, it is known that the people of Allepo don’t want anything to do with this fake revolution. So, forcibly entering the city and chanting nonsense to provoke the population … will naturally net you exactly what we have seen. That is the comedic value of it, much like watching someone falling off a skateboard while attempting a trick, everyone experiences a little bit of schadenfreude.

Let’s say there’s a place in Hama where it’s ill-advised to do the opposite, well, yeah I would laugh too … but with the MB in Hama, it won’t be funny for long! At least no one will die in this incident, in Hama, you can’t be sure.

Now if you excuse me, I will have to watch the video once more. Oh I will sleep easy tonight!

Syrian commando #71 said: “The only chant I stood behind from the beginning was this one: Ba3d al yom, mah fee khoof.”

That reminds me of this quote in the article “The Ghosts of Hama” which Joshua linked to the other day: “The violence between the regime and the Muslim Brotherhood in the early 1980s killed political life in Syria…. Opposition parties ceased their activity and the parties of the National Progressive Front fell silent under the rule of the security services…. The country disappeared into a long tunnel, from 1980 until the beginning of the 1990s.”

I’d say it killed Syrian political life well beyond the beginning of the 1990s. As late as Spring 2011 you’ve got someone like Syrian Commando still talking about “khoof”.

By the way Syrian Commando, as I’m sitting here at my computer I send you a round of applause for the comment you had earlier about “The Ghosts of Hama”.

SC, these depraved extremists probably don’t even know what Star Wars is because space exploration and light sabers are ‘haram’ in Islam. You may need to give them a more primitive analogy for their own sake. Luckily, I got one.

Let’s say you go to the toilet of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. now let us say you see some worshipers of a fucking wall from Israel go to Mecca, whereupon a Haj convention is taking place among the worshipers of a fucking rock. The wall worshipers say “Your rock sucks! Our wall is better!” You will know exactly what to expect, and it will involve swords.

#88

Hahahaha!!!!!!!! Right on comrade!

#87

>I’d say it killed Syrian political life well beyond the beginning of the 1990s. As late as Spring 2011 you’ve got someone like Syrian Commando still talking about “khoof”.

I agree, this is true and its actually precisely what our enemies hoped to achieve. This is the end result of terrorism. Look at the USA right now, for example…

Thanks for reading my comment on that orientalist bigot. The basic strategy of transliterating their hypocrisy into something the wide public can understand is the silver stake we have against the sectarian vampire they wish to unleash on us. I recommend everyone who cares about our country wield this weapon and share it with all other people who wish to fight west-induced sectarianism in their nation.

Remember, even Yugoslavia was brought down by them, this vampirical tactic destroys nations, murders millions. It must be fought with the greatest intensity. Fight it ruthlessly and show no mercy to the enemy, for he cares not for your life or your family’s.

Almighty and Commando

Insulting Muslims and Jews only helps to expose your racism and sectarianism, nothing more. As for reducing Syria a country of 23 millioins into a “Bashar Assad” fan club, well that’s just stupid at best, I’ll leave you smart boys to figure this one out on your own 🙂

You approve beating down others because “At least no one will die in this incident”, the 1500 dead civilians and their families disagree with this statement!.

As expected, NK, being not that smart, doesn’t understand that I did not intend to insult Jews.

Someone please explain it to him, very slowly, hopefully he will understand.

You may need to apply lithium. Perhaps if you imitate a3r3our’s voice, he’ll believe you!

I do wish that the name-calling, profanity, and other abuse would just stop from everyone. It doesn’t help Syria and Syrians.

Syrian Commando said:
“#66
As a member of what you might call the ‘elite’, I can tell you I’m in the process of repatriating a lot of my own external assets. If Syria falls, I fall with it.
There’s no point, if Syria falls, the planet is doomed.”

I would prefer personally to be more optimistic, or specifically more constructive, than believing that the planet will be doomed. I prefer to look forward, however hard that may be.

In regard to global finance and trade, a bit of realism is called for. Currencies are a game that each and every country plays with, and when instability comes fears of losing the game take hold among the elite. This happens automatically both globally and locally. I have not yet asked those in Syria, but I am pretty sure that gold is being bought up heavily as we speak. People will notice this.

I read on this blog that the elite are too tied in to the country to abandon it with their money, and that moving money outside of the country would have repercussions with the regime. Let’s be realistic though: with money, come connections. With connections in Syria, individuals can pretty much do what they want. If the lira falls SC, your money will not save it (as I’m sure you’re aware). Individuals will make their own personal decisions, based on how they think they can best preserve their own wealth. Although it can still go either way, the lira will be very difficult for the Central Bank to save.

The pro-regime psychopaths will wind up like you Commando(you must have been one of the Syrian soldiers who massacred Palestinians in Lebanon). In exile where your ilk belong.

إلى مزبلة التاريخ

Tara,

From my own direct sources YES I believe what I have been told. That republican guard or at last HA members where brought from Lebanon through Deir al Asshair and Zabadani and they were seen on roofs during protests by the same sources.

#92

I’m not doing it alone, it’s a coordinated effort to try and buffer the country, just in case. You underestimate how patriotic Syrians are, we’re not selfish like the zioWesternised citizens. When the zioWest made the UN remove us from Lebanon, all of the money in Lebanon returned to Syria.

Part of their plan is to get the capital to move against the state (in fact, if you read the Hariri-Bandar plan you’ll find a “surprising” correlation with the topics of discussion and the chronology presented).

All the hate comes out:

#93

>you must have been one of the Syrian soldiers who massacred Palestinians in Lebanon

Just what history of hate does this sick person have to even come up with this conjecture.

#95

Just admit it, you’re full of crap. Seriously, hezbollah in Syria? How did you know? Did they have a flag sticking out of their head? LOL.

This is embarrassing, just please, be quiet, you’ve discredited everything you’ve ever said.

Stop living in the past, both of you. Move on.

“Just what history of hate does this sick person have to even come up with this conjecture”

Hama, Tadmur, the dungeons of your regime

It is your beloved regime which massacred Palestinians in Lebanon and claims to give a damn about Palestinians. Why did your beloved Syrian regime colloborate with the Americans in Gulf War I? Why did Assad’s grandfather attack the Palestinians and praise the Zionists?

I’ll repeat it once more:

>Stop living in the past, both of you. Move on.

I can discuss the history and reasons behind the actions (except the last one, which is largely irrelevant I should say), but there’s no point, it has no bearing on the street of Syria.

Face it, grumpy old man, you’re irrelevant.

——

Hahahaha I wish they added the crowd chasing video at the end!

Abu Umar and Syrian Commando both care about the Palestinians, but have different views.

Abu Umar,

The Syrian regime does not care about the Palestinians. We know that. They selfishly care about themselves mostly, just as many other leaders and regime members do the world over. This is our reality.

Arab, Muslim, and other people in the Middle East and around the world on the other hand do care. What we must hopefully realize is that our countries must become stronger and more modern to have any hope of helping the Palestinians. By “modern”, I mean rich in human capital, educated and productive. Rich in knowledge and research. Not just rich, the best. If we cannot do that, we will not help the Palestinians, nor ourselves.

The Syrian regime has a history of stifling productivity.

Can this discussion be made productive? The tone needs to change. SC, please? Throw hate out the window. It helps no one here. No, it makes things worse. Pretty please?

Salaam

بركان حلب طلع فتيشه
بركان حلب طلع شمعه
بركان حلب ماخرج يقلي بيضتين
Some math:
Aleppo/Syria =
Aleppo Sunni /Syria Sunni=
Aleppo+Damascus/Syria=
Aleppo Sunni + Damascus Sunni/Syria Sunni =

If you do above math and add the result to All Syrian minorities you will know what the MAJORITY wants.

Sandro,

I guess i am going back to the taxi driver and ask him for a refund of my trip to Lebanon last year.

Syrian Commando #29, Why Discuss #32,

Thanks for the information. I’ll pass it on.

Yazan,

Remember the tsunami thing that we both liked to have? Acknowledging that it is not a practical option, what do you think would make a difference in the new and improved Syria and would replace that tsunami?
Would certain kind of education make a difference ie cultural sensitivities, genocide education, learning about historical massacre,comparative religion, Learning about each others?
I must admit I know nothing about different branches of Islam other than the mainstream Sunni which we learned in school. Should we have been taught about Alawites, shiaa, ismaeli, etc etc? What would radically change our society to a better one?

N.Z

#68

This is the full article. Obviously you did not read it and you felt compelled to add your own fantasies and the rumors you got from your facebook friends and eye witnesses..

June 30, 2011

The Syrian government gave another political concession, even as security personnel continued roundups in rebellious suburbs of the capital, Damascus. In the center of the city, a candlelight vigil, the first of its kind, had official permission.

Pro-government rallies take place daily, but this was a somber event, to honor Syrians who have died in four months of unrest — civilian and military. And members of this young crowd spoke their minds.

The invitation went out on Facebook. Official approval came after three rejections. There were rules: no politics, no slogans, no pictures — not even of the president. Two hours in a city park. Organizers were in charge of security, and they patted down everyone who entered.

This is a memorial for the dead, said Bishar Hamwey, one of the organizers. “We don’t take sides here from the army and from the civilians,” he said.

Syrian state television has covered the funerals of soldiers and police, but openly marking the death of those killed in protests is new, Hamwey said.

“It is new and we are welcoming this, and we hope it’s a beginning for a new era of civil-rights history in Syria,” he said.

The crowd was young and well-educated, the Facebook generation in person — college students, computer programmers and Web designers.

Nisreen and Asma, in their mid-20s, said they both studied IT. Giving only their first names, they said the killing must end — and the protests must go on “because the rights have not been met yet.”

In this public park, they said they had never taken part in any protests.

But in whispered conversation, others said they are on the streets every night — in midnight rallies to keep the pressure up. The cat-and-mouse game they play with security police played out at the vigil, too, with plainclothes security snapping pictures of anyone who talked to the media.

When a pro-government group marched to the edge of the park, carrying pictures of the president, Aktham al-Hassanieh, a vigil organizer, rushed down to stop them. But the police stepped in to head off a confrontation. Hassanieh said the police action surprised him — “kind of.”

For the second time in a week, the Syrian government surprised critics, approving meetings that would have been unthinkable a few months ago. Well-known dissidents were permitted to meet in a Damascus hotel Monday, and then came the silent vigil in a public park.

George al-Ain said he came here to honor the deaths that paid for the changes and “made Syrian people move to a new era.” He said he’s a Christian and that the notion that there are no Christians in the protest movement is false. “It’s so untrue, this thing,” he said.

The official narrative of the protest movement is that it represents a sectarian split — a mostly Sunni Muslim uprising against Syria’s minorities, Christians and Alawite Muslims. Much of the violence, government officials say, is due to clashes with armed gangs. But these young people have a different explanation for the deaths of more than 1,000 peaceful protesters, said 20-year-old Batuol Nayouf, a political science major.

“We both know who killed them, and we both know that they died for something,” Nayouf said. “Everything, you have to pay for it — you don’t get anything for free, especially in these countries.”

Government troops have pulled out of some provincial cities, but security personnel have tightened a grip on the capital as another Friday — a protest day — approaches.

Tara

It is sad and disappointing that you know so little about Islam. It means that you know about the other sects just by hearing rumors and listening to biased medias full of stereotypes. It’s time you open your mind.

In Damascus, another Friday approaches…

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

Why-discuss,

Agree it is ad and disappointing! I was educated in Syria and then the US. I know more about different branches of Christianity and even Judiasm than I know about different sects of Islam. Discussing judiasm or Christianity in the US was not a taboo. Discussing Alawism, Shiaa, and Ismaeli in Syria was a taboo. Why? I do not know. Could it be the fault of ” your beloved” regime? You answer that question . Whose mind should be opened? You tell me.

Tara

A Taboo subject is usually a motivating factor to learn more about it.
Well, it is still time to learn now before it becomes a taboo again under a less secular regime.

TARA @ 102
Rather than teach more religion in school, the emphasis should be on teaching the history of religions as part of the history of the ME, including the history of all the sects of all religions that were and are known and practiced in that part of the world.
As part of the required history subject of the high school curriculum, the material would be the same for all high school students, regardless of their individual religion.
Religion should be taught at home and places of worship such as mosques, churches, synagogues and temples, and religious schools.
The new or amended constitution should guaranty freedom of religion and the separation of religion and state.
Under the new or amended constitution the school can teach history of religion but can not be involved in the practice of religion (this would apply to public schools funded by the state only).

Why,

What is your secret? You are Bashari more than Bashar himself. Why on earth you are diminishing the whole country into one single non-divine man? God created Bashar then stopped? If you were an Alawite I would understand the fear factor and forgive you for it. Why is it either Bashar or complete chaos? Why do you have the most deepest conviction that it is either him or a less secular regime and no other alternative? Your past life? Your previous history? Your knowledge and education? What can you see that I can’t? And please don’t tell me that my hatred to Bashar makes you blind. I did not start with hating him 11 years ago. I only judged him after 11 years…

I am open to learn about Islam so feel free.

Tara is willing to blame chilli’s volcano on (the regime),when you compare the US and Syria,you are 100 miles from being reasonable.why not compare Syria with Saudi Arabia where they teach you that:Alawi,Shia,Obama,Sarkozi,The pope,BIBI……are all Infidel.

Tara,

If you are open to learn about Islam, take the initiative; go to a library and study. If I recall correctly, you said you have family members who are married to other sects, a suggestion would be you could ask them to enlighten you and refrain from asking people personal questions and making silly remarks like “What is your secret? You are Bashari more than Bashar himself”.

Syria no Kandahar,

I think you have a point there, Bashar must have done something to cause the volcano in Chilli to erupt, how else could it have happened?

106. TARA

I think you should stop blaming the regime for all the problems in Syria and start blaming some of it on the conservative movement in Syria. A regime cannot always do things against the hardliners in society.

I suggest you read about the head on collision that occurred between Husni AlZaim in 1949 when he wanted to introduce reforms in Syria that granted you alot of freedoms as a female.

Just to show them of what he thought of their views he granted them a meeting not in the presidential office but in a club in zabadani with alcohol and music to go with the lot.

Conservative or extreme Islam does not like to discuss anyone else except itself! because no one else should exist.

Kandahar,

Why don’t you argue the point and forget about KSA or the US. Isn’t it true that discussing different sect is a taboo in Syria? Where as a Syria Sunni could I have learned anything about Alawism or Shiaa for that matter? By going up to my Alawi friend or Alawi teacher and ask them? On face book? In coffee shops? Where?

Syau,

Yeah right. So the public library in Syria has a book about Alawism and Ismaeli? Are you kidding? Yes I have cousins married to Alawites but they are not comfortable discussing “the taboo”.

Beside that, you guys are deviating from the main question here which is not my own personal education so to speak, it is what make our society better in the new improved Syria so read the question again.

Montagnards, I agree with what you say about how religions should be taught in Secular Syria.

Tara

I am not Bashari , I am with Reason in the present circumstances.
Name me ONE alternative potential leader who can lead the urgently needed Syrian reforms and I may change my mind. If you can’t then you have to live with what you have(He is a smart, educated and balanced person), and make the best out of it and stop wishing and pestering.
As for Islam, internet can teach the basics of the sects as it can get very complicated. At least you would be able to differentiate a Zoroastrian from a Shia, or a Wahabbi or a Alawi and Alevis or Sufis etc…
If you think like me that history and religions have a strong influence on the psyches of people to the point that it is almost part of their DNA, then you’ll find useful to learn about the past of people in our area to illuminate their present and their future.

You will find that many sects maintain secrecy on their beliefs. Only selected members are initiated to the details of their religions as they are esoteric and not accessible to the majority. Therefore some will avoid discussing these issues because they just don’t know enough.

Why,

Back to the original question. I hope you admit that there is indeed intra sectarian tension in the Syrian society. Not a tension that would mount to a civil war in my opinion if the regime to collapse but nevertheless it does exist. Do you believe that the current way of teaching religion is responsible in part? Herding the Christian children out, teaching Qur’an, hadeeth and Sunna only is the way to go in the new and improved Syria? I would go with teaching the history of religions and comparative analysis rather than the technical issues and leave the rest at home.

Dear Darryl ,Husni Zaim was an extremist secular a fan of Ataturk ,but what do you think about Hashem Atassi ,Roshdi Kikhia,Maaruf Dawalibi ,Nazem Qudsi,Fares Khoury….didnt they promote a space of conviviality that made possible for both religious and secular people to give the best they have and to cooperate in and outside the parliement ?didnt we see for communists ,christians and muslims ,ikhwan included together in demonstrations ?didnt we see christian figures and ikhwan presenting themselves as canditates for election in the same list ?
didnt we see the leader of the historical figure of the ikhwan hand in hand with the patriarches ?
I have a question to all here ,was Syria prior to Baath better for christians and seculars than it’s now ?
It’s obvious for all ,that the reason of the islamic surge is the result of the anhilition of the mixed civil society inherited from the Syria of our grandparents.
This is not the fault of the ikhwan,the extensive islamization of Syria happened after their annhilation.
Extremism will always stay marginal in Syria ,be it of religious nature(jihadi Salafism) or political(SSNP-Stalinism-Baath)
who brought to Syria the culture of mass massacres,mukhabarati plots and sectarian selection ?

Tara,

Religious studies are rarely part of the curriculum in state run western schools, if at any time religion was mentioned, it would be in general and would not delve into every aspect or branch of various religions.

I very highly doubt pupils in western schools hold their governments accountable for the lack of in depth religious education. More important subjects would be math, English, science etc.

Sayu,

Amazing! Even when you agree with me, you don’t think you do. What is the name of this phenomena? I am not holding the regime responsible for lack of in depth religious education in schools. I am holding it responsible for having us not knowing each other. That is all.

And besides that, don’t call my comments silly. It hurts my feelings.

Syau,

Amazing! Even when you agree with me, you don’t think you do. What is the name of this phenomena? I am not holding the regime responsible for lack of in depth religious education in schools. I am holding it responsible for having us not knowing each other. That is all.

And besides that, don’t call my comments silly. It hurts my feelings.

Tara,

I didn’t agree with you, ‘us’ not knowing eachother, is not the fault of the government, it’s the fault of the individual. I didn’t learn about various religions in school, what I learned, was due to my own research.

As for the silly comment thing, if I was to say, Tara your ponytail is longer than ‘ponytail’s’ himself, or you are more Fida than Fida Alsayed himself, and ask you to ‘tell me your sectret’, wouldn’t you think that was silly?

Awweee!! Poor Tara! See SYAU, you hurt her feelings! LOL.

Tara, dont blame the regime for not “having us know each other”. Blame your parents, and the parents of those who say, “Alawis and Shia and all non Suni (extrimists) are dirt”. Blame them.

Allah yehmeek ya 3um Bashar. Allah yehmeek ya sayed Maher.

Bill Clinton today announced that he thinks it is too late for Bashar to reform but Clinton still wants Bashar to do it !!
time will tell if he was right or wrong.

117. SHAMI

Shami, I do not advocate extremes, my point was that there were many reforms that could have happened were stifled and derailed here and there due to other elements in society and it is a tired argument that is being used to blame the regime.

Secondly, while Al-Zaim was strong secular figure compared to the previous personalities you mentioned, they were afraid to deal with the issues, he took on such issues as granting women more rights and to some extent opened Syrian society. He did take on the religious extremist that al Attasi etc etc did not even wanted to deal with at a time when the MB and wahabism taking roots in the middle east.

Why,

I am sorry if I called you Bashari as I already knew your answer from previous conversations. I do not usually like to pass judgement on people like this and my motive was just to annoy you …( but you started it). I am still interested in knowing if you support teaching religion in Syria the way it is taught now or the way it is taught in the US.

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=134457

اعتصام ليلي أمام نقابة المحامين بحلب احتجاجاً على توقيف محاميين بعد تعرضهم للضرب

شهدت نقابة المحامين في حلب، مساء يوم الخميس، تجمع عدد من المحامين، “استنكاراً لتوقيف اثنين من زملائهم، بعد تعرضهم للضرب من قبل اللجان الشعبية”.

وروى، احد المحامين، الذي تعرض للضرب قائلاً “شهد جامع الصديق في منطقة الجميلية بحلب، محاولة تظاهر، انفضت بعد تدخل أشخاص ممن يسمون أنفسهم باللجان الشعبية، وبينما كنت اشتري الموالح من محل في شارع اسكندرون في المنطقة نفسها، رأيت شاباً يتعرض للضرب من قبل مجموعة من الأشخاص”.

وأضاف “حاولت التدخل للحيلولة دون أذيته، لاتفاجأ بضربة بعصا من خلفي، وفي غضون ثوان قليلة تجمع علي أكثر من 10 أشخاص من اللجان الشعبية وبدؤوا بضربي بالعصي والأكف، وباءت جميع محاولاتي لإقناعهم بكوني محاميا وتدخلي لإنقاذ الشاب، بالفشل، واستمروا في ضربي لحين أتت دورية من شرطة قسم الجميلية وخلصتني، أنا وزميل لي تعرفت عليه لاحقاً، تدخل من أجل إنقاذي، من أيديهم”.

وحسب رواية المحامي، فقد تم اقتيادهما لقسم شرطة الجميلية، لتسليمهم لاحقاً للأمن الجنائي بتهمة إثارة الشغب.

وشهد قسم شرطة الجميلية تجمع عشرات المحامين، الذين طالبوا بإطلاق سراح زميليهم على الفور.

وحسب أحد المحامين فإنه “بتدخل من نقيب المحامين، الذي حضر إلى قسم الشرطة، تم الإفراج عن المحاميين بعد مضي أكثر من ساعة على توقيفهما”.

وشهدت نقابة المحامين، بعد إطلاق سراح المحاميين، اعتصاماً أمام مقرها شارك فيه عدد كبير من المحامين، (قدره المشاركون بنحو 150 شخصاً)، حيث أعربوا عن “استيائهم من طريقة تعامل اللجان الشعبية مع المواطنين، وقيام الشرطة بتوقيف زميليهم، بعد تعرضهما للضرب المبرح”.

هذا ولم يتثنى لسيريانيوز تأكيد الرواية من مصدر رسمي.

يذكر أن ندوة القصر العدلي في حلب قد شهدت ظهر يوم الأربعاء تجمع مئات المحامين لإطلاق مواقف سياسية معارضة ومؤيدة، دون حدوث احتكاك يذكر بين الطرفين.

سيريانيوز-حلب

In short, people tried to start a protest in (Jamiliya) but government thugs started beating people up, a lawyer who was a bystander saw the thugs beating down one guy so he tried to stop the thugs and ended up being beaten himself, the police arrived later and arrested the lawyer (Of course, did you think they will arrest the thugs !), but he was released after an hour when the attorneys association chairman intervened to get him out of jail, now the lawyers are holding a sit-in to protest the way the Lijan-Sha’biya (regime thugs) are dealing with citizens.

In other news

from Jamiliya, Aleppo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6SgnYrnpa8&feature=player_embedded

from Masharqa, Aleppo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4P-WBPh4bk&feature=related

from Bab AL hadeed, Aleppo
http://www.onsyria.com/?clip=26483&cat=39&parent=1&page=1

I know they’re not big demonstrations, but hey baby steps 🙂

Tara
(( 109. Tara said:

Why,

What is your secret? You are Bashari more than Bashar himself. Why on earth you are diminishing the whole country into one single non-divine man? God created Bashar then stopped? If you were an Alawite I would understand the fear factor and forgive you for it. Why is it either Bashar or complete chaos? Why do you have the most deepest conviction that it is either him or a less secular regime and no other alternative? Your past life? Your previous history? Your knowledge and education? What can you see that I can’t? And please don’t tell me that my hatred to Bashar makes you blind. I did not start with hating him 11 years ago. I only judged him after 11 years…

I am open to learn about Islam so feel free ))

i think you said that you are Muslim Sunni, shouldn’t you be the one to teach us secular non believers,
By the way We like President Assad because some old folks like me remember how well behaved he and his sibling were when they were growing up in Damascus, there were no scandals,

About teaching religion at schools I still think it is a good idea to learn the basics of Christianity and Islam and Judaism as learning from school will save the Children from the religous people of all religions who think that their way is the only way, without learning Christianity at school i would have known anything, we grew up in an area that had no churches and only one mosque for all Muslims ,

by the way what does it matter what WD is look at the people for who they are and what they do , I am sure GOD is not stand at the door of heaven asking people about their religions, He will be asking people about what they did and how they helped others.

We happen not to be religous and i feel that my children in the US do not know Christianity, I try to teach them the basics, recently one of my Children told that he believed in KARMA which probably sums Christianity, (( YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE )).

Nk

They are calling Shabbiha now Lijan sha’biya? Funny.

I think I like the name Shabbiha more.

Norman,

Hi. Why is Sunna is the only religion taught in Syria to Muslims in school. Why did we not learn shiaa too. Why should we learn shiaa from media? Do we teach history of religion and general principal of all relevant sects/ religions in school and leave the technicality to be taught at home/ other places OR do we teach Sunna only? This was my question.

Memo to TARA:

RE: “I am holding [the Regime] responsible for having us not knowing each other.

You are right. Syrians should get to know each other. What the Regime should do is require EVERYONE to wear name tags once a week. How about on Friday? That’s when everyone seems to be out and about.

The name tag concept was featured in the Seinfeld episode where Elaine is dating Lloyd Braun:

Elaine: So you’re the political adviser to the Mayor, huh?

Lloyd: Yeah, yeah. The election’s coming right down to the wire.

Elaine: You know what I would do if I was running for mayor? One of my campaign themes would be that everybody should wear name tags all the time to make the city friendlier.

Lloyd: Name tags, hmm. Interesting concept.

Elaine: Everybody would know everybody. It would be like a small town.

Small town Syria. Picture that…

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

NK
So now you believe Syria news
Forget about Halab try your next volcano may be in Deralzor or Hama or may be found a volcano and jump in it.

Tara

I think the western society have distanced themselves from religions after observing the harm its abuse has done in the past. The trouble is that religions were also providing indirectly a moral basis of behavior as well as values such as respect for the elder, charity, compassion, tolerance.
This has all been removed and replaced by nothing, thus relying on the families to provide such teachings indirecly. Some parents continue sending their children to religious schools, but the majority don’t. Many children struggling with divorce, single parents are not provided with any basic moral teachings, except by the ones offered by modern media and school communities.
In the Middle east, the families are still united and perpetuate the traditions and moral values of family, influenced by the religion they belong to.
Therefore schools in the ME could be providing not a study of the various religions and sects but basic moral values: Respect for the elders, respect for the other religions, charity, equality and humility. This can be done by examples, games and formal teaching.
Families could send their children to optional classes of religions if they want their children to become more acquainted with their own religion but this does nor preclude the attendance to these ‘humanism’ classes.
That’s my pinch of salt.

When we asked growing up to the reason we were taught Christianity one way or another , Actually when we learned Christianity we were taught the difference between Orthodoxy, Catholicism and protestant but it was more of teaching what unite us not what divide us and I am sure that was the same thing in Islam,

I would rather not have religion at all at school if it is going to be very detailed, making it a goal instead of being a way to live better together.

The absurdity of the foreign press:

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/syria-forces-spread-border-area-19-killed-152912972.html

“The action by Syrian troops in the northwestern area of Jabal al-Zawiya appeared to be aimed at preventing residents from fleeing to Turkey, where more than 10,000 Syrians have already taken shelter in refugee camps, activists say. The refugees have been a source of deep embarrassment to Damascus, one of the most tightly controlled regimes in the Middle East.

“They fear there will be sympathy for the people who are fleeing, and they are frightened that this will cause international pressure to mount on the regime,” said Mustafa Osso, a prominent Syrian-based human rights activist.”

128. TARA said:

Norman,

Hi. Why is Sunna is the only religion taught in Syria to Muslims in school.

Tara, this might help.

http://nicholsoncartoons.com.au/osama-and-the-world-cup.html

#133 WD,

At this point, the western news is almost child-like in its retardedness.

#125 NK,

Baby steps? You’ve been hyping it all week and your “protestors” were dispersed by ultra-patriotic halabi. You can call other citizens “shabiha” when they disperse you, but then I’ll call your crowd of agitators: traitors. Respect the will of the people: Halab has spoken.

Is this confirmed from other sources than Future TV?

“The Special Tribunal for Lebanon has issued arrest warrants for Syrian nationals accused of being involved in the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, according to Future News television.

An STL allocation will reportedly head to Syria to inform the authorities there of the names of the accused Syrians, Future TV reported.”

Tara

Asma and Bashar in public with photos at

Biggest Syrian Flag
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=88678

They look quite relaxed.

Syrian Commando

Actually I never mentioned let alone hyped anything about Aleppo and the “volcano” in the past week, go ahead and prove me wrong, I dare you 🙂

And sorry, no you can’t compare the two of us, The people I called thugs did beat and injure others, they are criminals who belong in jail, again sorry they are not ultra patriotic, they are criminal thugs. The people you are calling agitators/traitors committed no crime, but I guess shouting and having an opinion different than yours is a big no no in your opinion.

The way I see it you have to choose between supporting violence and joining the human race, you can’t have it both ways. After all you hate the MB and other extremists because they “terrorize” others for being different, yet you fully support those thugs who are doing the same exact thing. How exactly are you different from the MB ? just something to think about …

Why Discuss,

The absurdity of the foreign press has been evident from day one of this revolution.

Apart from absurd, there is also plain stupid. I watched a report by Aljazeera where the reporter referred to Latakia being on the outskirts of Daara. The problem is a lack of investigative journalism and an increase of eyewitnesses and listening to the word on the street, that results in the utter nonsense we are subjected to.

A Milestone: Activists launch coalition for change in Syria

It ignores the x-opposition

http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/activists-launch-coalition-for-change-in-syria
Phil Sands
Jul 1, 2011
Leading Syrian dissidents, including Hussein al Oudat, left, Hasan Abdul Azeem, third from left, and Aref Dalila, far right, launch the National Coordination Committee in Damascus yesterday.

DAMASCUS // Leading dissidents and opposition political parties yesterday launched a coalition for democratic change in Syria, which they say will support a popular uprising and help unite activists trying to dismantle a “corrupt, tyrannical regime”.

The coalition, named the National Board of Co-ordination (NBC), issued a four-page blueprint detailing the steps it said must be taken to bring a peaceful close to an uprising that has lasted for more than three months, cost an estimated 1,400 civilian lives and threatens to plunge Syria into economic and social chaos.

Those measures include an immediate halt to a security crackdown on demonstrators, freedom for all political prisoners and credible investigations into allegations of severe abuse by security forces.

“Syrians’ messages have been clear against the violence of the authorities: the time of one ruling party and one ruling person has gone,” the NBC founding statement said.

It dismissed government claims to have begun a process of national dialogue and said NBC members would not take part in an officially sanctioned discussion, scheduled for July 10, unless real reforms were put into practice.

“The Syrian regime talks about dialogue only in the context of continuing under one dominant party and with a view to gain time, absorb popular anger, cover security solutions and fragment the people and national democratic opposition,” the statement said.

It also called for a new constitution that would eliminate Article 8, which makes the Baath party the only organisation allowed to rule. It also calls for a democratically elected parliament, an independent judiciary and respect for human rights.

The blueprint also stressed that the number of presidential terms must be limited, presidential powers curtailed and the security services “restructured and rehabilitated” and placed under parliamentary oversight.

Crucially, the NBC did not demand the resignation of the President Bashar Al Assad, who is serving a second seven-year term. It did imply he would have to stand down in 2014 when the next presidential referendum is due to take place.

While street demonstrators have increasingly been calling for Mr Al Assad’s overthrow, the Syrian president retains a strong base of support and commands a loyal military and security apparatus, making unseating him difficult.

The NBC proposed a truth-and-reconciliation mechanism for dealing with disputes against regime figures, based on “the principles of equity and tolerance, not revenge”.

Leading Syrian dissidents, including Aref Dalila, Fayez Sara, Michel Kilo, Hasan Abdul Azeem and Hussein Oudat, have signed up to the NBC. Syrian opposition parties, mainly socialists and 11 Kurdish groups, are also part of the initiative.

The NBC’s blueprint, designed to offer a coherent, step-by-step political programme transitioning to democracy, is being circulated to activists.

The organisers hope it will act as a basis for uniting protesters and attracting the support of Syria’s silent majority, which has thus far refrained from joining anti-government or pro-government demonstrations.

Yesterday’s meeting of NBC members in Damascus for the launch of their platform comes after a gathering of independent dissidents at a hotel in the city on Monday, the first opposition conference of its kind in decades.

By the way, the numbers I referenced in post #92 are wrong, I think comments pending approval were inserted inbetween. I was replying to Mawal95 and SK.

#142 NK

By calling it a volcano, you hyped it up. If you haven’t called it “Allepo Volcano” then I take it back!

>Ultra patriotic, those are criminal thugs

They’re vigilantes, not criminals.

>How exactly are you different from the MB ?

I’m popular, unlike the MB which almost everyone in Syria despises. If you support democracy, you won’t see the vigilantes as “criminals”.

If only the protestors seeked a license for their demonstration, they would have been guarded by the government, but as you said it was a “baby step”. The next step, as per the Hariri-Bandar plan, is for terrorists to enter the city and create problems. That’s why halabi took the law into their own hands and sent the idiots packing!

Amnesia,

I really want to discuss just how we’re going to reform our country, but the people who don’t want reform keep agitating the situation, not me. They’ve left no room for discussion: it’s either their Islamist state or nothing. This is their “democracy”.

#60, Why-Discuss,

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment, thanks. Let us hope that the new Syria will be a better one with equal opportunities for all, based on credentials.

I just read the article.

I’ll tell you, that I love my country as much as you do. I was a fan of Bashar, thinking he is different from other autocrats. I never called him a dictator, till I listened to his first speech. I was shocked with awe. Yet, I thought we have to give him the benefit of doubt. Now the moment he laid a siege on Dera’a, it is when I fully realized, they are no good dictators and bad one. They are dictators and they all act alike.

The outcome is predictable, long and bloody. We all wish for a miraculous transition, without blood and torture. We can only hope.

#144 WD,

It’s a shame they have not presented any solutions for the terrorism on the streets. I can’t take them seriously. Their ultimatum of “removing security forces” implies somehow that it is the security forces who are mainly causing the deaths not the foreign terrorists. They did not mention the army deaths, what we’re meant to believe the bullsh*t western storyline of daily defections? I’m sick of the lies!!! I can’t take this opposition seriously.

What a shame!

#146

If you actually spoke to a non-Islamist, you would see that the so-called “seige” on Dar3a was actually a rescue mission. There were terrorists pouring in with arms from Jordan as well as some terror cells I heard were breeding there for a long time. Dar3a was going to be the zioWest’s “benghazi” in Syria. When it failed, because the army was too strong and had the support of the people, they had to call upon Turkey’s help to create another flash point … which ultimately failed as well.

They were denied a “Benghazi”.

You could see from the massive demonstration of support in Dar3a that the people disagree with your sentiment! If you are being completely sincere, look at Bashaar’s actions from a different perspective and perhaps you won’t see him as a dictator anymore.

NZ.
Bashar’s reponse in Derra was not out of spite or autocratic insanity. It was a response to the people’s pleas that the Bashar and his soldiers stop the violence of the self-proffessed “peaceful protesters”. If Bashar and his soldiers did not take action, nothing good would have come.

You can ask for freedom and democracy, it is everyones right. But to do it peacfully is more effective. The expression for freedom and democracy is a right. But how do you, or anyone else know, that without Bashar al Assad, freedom and democracy will com? Because with the like of those who are reeking havok, you will see anything but freedom and democracy.

Bashar is going to be the leader of Syria for a long, long time. And the dogs are just gonna keep barking.

Why-discuss

Thanks for providing that link, that looks really promising and if they stay true to that blueprint they have my full support. I just hope the regime won’t throw all of them in jail for “conspiring against the state” like they did in 2001.

Samara

The long long time seems to be limited to 2014 according the new National Board of Co-ordination ( opposition figuers inside Syria ), a bit over 2 years. It’s hardly enough time to compose a couple more “Menhebak” songs!.

Syrian Commando

I’m not sure who is not seeing things for what they are, you or N.Z

You’re saying the army intervention in Daraa was a rescue mission, OK I’ll bite, why is the army still in the city ? why are there still tanks on the streets of Daraa, didn’t they catch all the terrorists ? is there a major war going on in Daraa to have a tank at every street corner ?

69. Dear Tara, thank you for reading my post and for your question.

You said:
” Duma women’s demonstration you linked earlier is quite disturbing and I strongly condemn it.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yhle6FCOXE&feature=player_embedded

I say: I took note of your position.

You said:
“I would not call that paticular demonstration peaceful. We should not let Wisal TV hijack it from us”

I say:
– The ladies demeanor and their chants were nothing but peaceful.
– Demonstrators carried dozens of banners.
– One girl carried a banner, with Wisal/Safa handwritten on it.
– I know almost nothing about those stations.
– All I know is that they promote a very conservative interpretation of Islam.
– That interpretation, like it or not, is embraced by a sizable, albeit proportionately a minority of Muslem Syrians.
– To deny them the right to read and follow the media that fit their beliefs, taste, and lifestyle is like denying you or other commentators on this blog the same right to read or follow the media of your or their preference.
– Neither their choice to demonstrate nor the choice of the TV staion to broadcast the video amount to hijacking anyone’s right demonstrate.
The revolution has as many voices and choices as there are demonstrators.
It has one spirit; freedom.

– Many “seculars” on this blog are much more narrow minded and far more intolerent to other people’s choices than their perceived “sectarian nemesis”.

They use vulgar, obscene and threatning language as a proof of their “nationalism and secularism”.

They use sectarian language to achieve their “secular” agenda.

I like to provide you with an excerpt from the first speech of their idol, Jr.
I found it very alarming, and more worthy of being broadcast on Wisal, or Safa than the video of Duma ladies.
Here it is:
وأضاف الرئيس الأسد.. وأد الفتنة واجب وطني وأخلاقي وشرعي وكل من يستطيع أن يسهم في وأدها ولا يفعل فهو جزء منها.. والفتنة أشد من القتل كما جاء في القرآن الكريم فكل من يتورط فيها عن قصد أو من غير قصد فهو يعمل على قتل وطنه وبالتالي لا مكان لمن يقف في الوسط.. فالقضية ليست الدولة بل الوطن..
http://www.sana.sy/ara/2/2011/04/01/pr-339278.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUkrS5d23JE

As you see, Jr. used part of a verse, from Quran to justify his means for achieving unity in “secular Syria”

The phrase he used “Fitnah is worse than killing” was cited in Quran, in Surat Al Baqra.
Here it is:
وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ ثَقِفۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَأَخۡرِجُوهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ أَخۡرَجُوكُمۡ‌ۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ‌ۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ عِندَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِيهِ‌ۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمۡ فَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (١٩١)

However, even then, his quotation was out of context. The latter was provided in the verse before, and here it is:
وَقَـٰتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ (١٩٠)

In a couple of posts earlier, I asked 11 pro-regime and one neutral whether they agreed with Jr.’s use of the quotation in substance, context, and principle.
The neutral and one Pro. who cared to answer said they did not care as long as it serves national unity.

I apologize for taking so long to reply.
I appreciate your frank views.

مخزن سعدنايل لـ«حزب التحرير»!

بعد إعلان الجيش اللبناني رسمياً عن مصادرة مخزن سلاح في أعالي بلدة سعدنايل وتوقيف اثنين للاشتباه في علاقتهما بالموضوع، أخرج هذا التطور الأمني ما سمي «الحراك السلمي لمناصرة الشعب السوري»، من كونه مجرد شعار إعلامي أو سياسي، بعدما تبين ان المخزن عائد لـ«حزب التحرير»، ويحوي مدفع هاون 60 ملم مع مئة قذيفة، رشاش متوسط من عيار 12,7 ملم مع ذخيرته، قواذف «أر بي جي» مع قذائف، أسلحة خفيفة وذخائر متعددة.
وأوضح المصدر أن «التحقيقات تركز على مصدر السلاح الغربي الذي تم ضبطه وكيفية وصوله إلى أيدي عناصر حزبية، وعلى معرفة ما إذا كانت هناك خلايا أخرى مسلحة، خصوصاً أن القوة المداهمة في سعدنايل تعرضت لرشق ناري من مكان مجهول في جرود البلدة، ورغم ذلك أكملت طريقها ونفذت المهمة وهذا يعني وجود مجموعات أخرى».
ولدى سؤال احد الخبراء العسكريين عن نوعية الأسلحة المصادرة اشار الى ان «هناك بعض أنواع الأسلحة غربية الصنع مثل الرشاش المتوسط 12,7 ملم الذي لا تملكه عادة الا الأجهزة الامنية الرسمية بموجب هبات او اتفاقات ثنائية، وبالتالي فإن وصول مثل هذا النوع من السلاح الى جهة حزبية يعني الكثير على صعيد متابعة القضية والتحقيقات بشأنها».
وأبدت أوساط أمنية «تخوفها من ان يكون هناك خلايا اخرى للحزب نفسه لديها كمية التسلح نفسها وربما أكثر مما يعرض سكان منطقة البقاع لمخاطر امنية، خصوصا اذا توافرت معلومات للقوى الامنية عن وجود مخازن أخرى مما سيضطر هذه القوى الأمنية للقيام بعمليات مداهمة». («السفير»)

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=72&EditionId=1884&ChannelId=44402

SYAU @9

i dont think i can add any thing more to SC and WD .

In respond to Calls from outside Syria to destroy the internal Syrian economy ,Syrians from around the world are supporting the Syrian pound; we will transfer money to our families in Syria or simply open new bank accounts in Syria between: 1/07/2011 – 07/07/2011

Please join us, Syria needs you .

: يوم الجمعة الموافق 1-7-2011 سوف نقف نحن السورين وقفة الوفاء للوطن لدعم اقتصادنا وليرتنا السورية من خلال قيامنا بتحويل المال الى سوريا بغية رفع القيمة لليرة السورية بعد انخفاض خفيف طرأ عليها
الفترة هي لمدة اسبوع سوف نقوم بتحويل جميعا في نفس الفترة لمدة اسبوع وسف نرفع الليرة السورية انشاء الله بجهود ابناء سوريا العظماء.

NK,

The time for Bashar to resign as being leader is innevitable. But it is not gonna be anytime soon.

Like i said, the dogs are gonna keep barking, while Bashar is still ruling for years to come.

You say a couple of menhebak songs? So far i have only downloaded 40 and there are more. And that is in the sapce of the past few months. There will be hundreds more in the next few years.

Mehebak. Menhebak. Menhebak Bashar. Wallah menhebak ya Assadna.

Can any of the contributors here recommendd a book or other study of the Syrian elite in English?

Thanks

Philip

can any of the contributors please recommend a book or other study of the Syrian elites in English?

Thanks
khananel

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