The Import Suspension Decision Was Indeed “Temporary” – (By Ehsani)

The decision to suspend imports for goods that have over 5% custom duties was supposed to be “temporary” when it was announced on September 22. The temporary nature of the decision was evident this morning when the decision was cancelled merely 12 days after it was adopted. SANA made the news official after the weekly Tuesday ministerial meeting which produced the announcement that the Syrian government abrogated the import suspension.

It was only few days ago that the Governor of the Central Bank said that the decision to suspend imports would “enable Syria to save six billion U.S. dollars annually to face the sanctions imposed by both the EU and the United States”.

The initial import ban announcement was met with shock and disbelief by the country’s business community. An atmosphere of fear, panic, anger and confusion was the way many described the mood in the country. Syria was already reeling from the seven-month crisis and the sanctions imp0sed on it by the EU and the US. The import ban was the final blow that crippled the economy and almost brought it to a standstill.

No government decides to suspend imports hastily. It is clear that government officials reacted in a panic-like atmosphere when the announcement was first made 12 days ago. The official reason at the time was to “save foreign exchange reserves”. Presumably, the need to do so has not changed since then.

The new plan now is for the Central Bank to stop financing “a large part” of the imports of the private sector. Food and medical items may be excluded.  As for everything else, importers need to rely on their savings of foreign currencies outside Syria or by going to the black market. Mr. Shaar (Minister of economy and trade) announced that this solution was adopted on the suggestion of the business community which had been using this financing mechanism anyway since the ban was announced. The public sector will still be able to rely on the Central Bank for financing their needs of foreign exchange. The private sector, on the other hand, will incur a nearly 10% disadvantage as today’s black market rate for SYP is 51.5 rather than the official rate of 47.

Mr. Shaar urged the business community to lower the prices of their products as they can no longer use the execuse of the import ban. During a press conference early this morning, he demanded that he did not want to hear  that someone imported his products last week and hence the need still exists for higer prices and if such a case does exist, “it is life which involves profiting and losing”.  He later warned that there is no longer an “economic or humane  logic behind high prices from now on”.

It is fair to say that this policy reversal was a major embarrassment to this government. The damage to the reputation of the economic team will take time to reverse.

Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the Arab world:

Staying on economics, the Arab spring has sparked a sharp fall in foreign direct investment. Egypt, for example, is expected to experience a drop from $6.4 billion last year to a mere $500 million in 2011, a 92% slide, according to a report from the Kuwait-based Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corp. Foreign direct inflow into Syria are forecast to fall by 62% from $1.4 billion in 2010 to around $500 million this year. Remember that the initial goals of the Syrian government under Mr. Dardari were based on attracting close to $10 billion a year. Interestingly, investments are pouring into Iraq. The country expects FDI to more than double to $3.5 billion this year.

 

Erdogan and Russia

In a news conference in South Africa, the Turkish Prime Minister was quoted saying that the United Nations can’t “remain indifferent” to violence in Syria and must act to resolve the situation.

Russia, on the other hand, continues to reject the latest wording out of the UN Security Council when it comes to Syria. The final text is expected to be announced later today. Russia is expected to veto the text as it stands now.

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atassi said:

Syrian rebel commander takes refuge in Turkey
4 October 2011
Reuters News
ISTANBUL, Oct 4 (Reuters) – ANKARA, Oct 4 (Reuters) – The highest-ranking officer to defect from Syria’s armed forces said on Tuesday he had taken refuge in Turkey, denying claims that he had been arrested when Syrian troops overran a rebel stronghold, state-run Anatolian news agency said.

“We live in a safe place in Turkey, I am grateful to the government and people of Turkey. Turkish officials cared about us,” Colonel Riad al-Asaad said in an interview datelined Hatay in southern Turkey.

Armed resistance to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule has emerged in recent weeks, six months into a pro-democracy uprising that government forces have tried to crush with violent tactics.

“All of my needs are being met by Turkish officials,” said Asaad, who has emerged as commander of the rebel Syrian Free Army. “The opposition forces in Syria must unite and strengthen their stand until the regime is demolished.”

The rebel colonel’s presence in Hatay, now home to several thousand Syrian refugees, will add to tensions between Ankara and Damascus.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit Hatay soon and is expected to announce sanctions against Syria after having failed to convince his former friend President Assad to halt attacks on civilians and make urgent political reforms.

Speaking to Reuters from the Syrian-Turkish border on Friday, Colonel Asaad said more than 10,000 soldiers had deserted the Syrian army and were attacking security forces.

The 50-year-old Air Force officer, who comes from Idlib, a northwest Syrian province bordering Turkey, said Syrian state media were issuing false reports to undermine morale.

“The Syrian regime conducted a brutal operation in Rastan region near Homs city in order to find and arrest me. They claimed that they arrested me at the end of the operation,” Asaad said. “Such stories aim to demoralize the Syrian people.”

Last week, government troops and security personnel, backed by helicopters and tanks, attacked Rastan, where hundreds of insurgents had taken refuge.

Activists in the Rastan area said rebel operations in the area were being led by the Free Officers Movement, which allied with the Syrian Free Army late last month.

Command of Syria’s mostly Sunni military is in the hands of officers from President Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam that also dominates the security apparatus and the ruling elite in the majority

October 4th, 2011, 9:35 am

 

atassi said:

Syria warned not to attack opponents abroad
Catherine Rama
4 October 2011
Agence France Presse

France and Sweden on Tuesday warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime against attacking or intimidating Syrian opposition in exile, amid reports of assaults and threats in European capitals.

Global rights watchdog Amnesty International said Syrian pro-democracy activists had been harrassed in eight countries, as France confirmed it had launched an investigation after thugs attacked a protest in Paris.

A foreign ministry spokesman said arrests had been made and extra police protection assigned to Syrian opposition protests after the August 26 attack.

“We would not tolerate a foreign state organising acts of violence or intimidation on our territory, and we have made this known in the clearest possible terms to Syria’s ambassador in Paris,” Bernard Valero said.

“The right to protest freely and peacefully in safety is fully guaranteed by the French constitution, and it is also obvious that France supports the Syrian people’s hopes for freedom,” he said.

“An inquiry is under way, and we hope that it will come quickly to an conclusion,” he added.

According to the French daily Le Monde, a small group of Syrian protesters that gathers regularly in a square in central Paris has been insulted, filmed and on at least one occasion violently attacked by thugs.

Valero confirmed that there had been arrests after one such incident on August 26, but denied a report in the Le Monde that suggested that two of the suspects were carrying Syrian diplomatic papers.

In Sweden, meanwhile, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt warned that: “If there are diplomats who engage in activities in this country that are not compatible with their diplomatic status they are not welcome in Sweden.”

Earlier, Amnesty International said it had documented cases of attacks and intimidation against 30 activists in eight countries: Britain, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the United States.

It urged countries hosting Syrians, like France and Sweden which have become hubs of opposition activity, to “take stronger action against Syrian embassies accused of orchestrating this kind of harassment and intimidation.”

Amnesty’s Syria researcher Neil Sammonds said Syrians living abroad are becoming increasingly vocal in their support of the growing protest movement back home that has been demanding Assad step down.

“In response the regime appears to have waged a systematic — sometimes violent — campaign to intimidate Syrians overseas into silence,” he said.

Amnesty said protesters outside Syrian embassies are initially filmed or photographed by officials then subjected to harassment, including phone calls, emails and Facebook messages warning them to stop.

Some activists say they were directly threatened by embassy officials.

Naima Darwish, who set up a Facebook page to call for protests outside the Syrian embassy in Santiago, Chile, told the rights group she was contacted directly by a senior official who asked to meet her in person.

“He told me that I should not to do such things,” she told Amnesty. “He said I would lose the right to return to Syria if I continued.”

A number of Syrians said their families back home were targeted by security forces, apparently to deter them from their activities overseas.

After Malek Jandali, a 38-year-old pianist, performed at a demonstration in front of the White House in July, his mother and father, aged 66 and 73, were attacked in their home in the central city of Homs and have since fled Syria.

“We look to host governments to act on credible allegations of abuses,” said Sammonds, adding many dissidents were often “too scared of what could happen to them to make formal complaints with the police

October 4th, 2011, 9:42 am

 

atassi said:

Russia says will not back UN resolution on Syria

4 October 2011

Reuters News

English
(c) 2011 Reuters Limited

* Security Council to vote Tuesday afternoon

* Remains unclear whether Russia will veto resolution

(Adds details, Erdogan)

MOSCOW, Oct 4 (Reuters) – Russia will not support a European-drafted U.N. resolution on Syria, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, calling the draft “unacceptable” but not saying whether Moscow would veto it.

Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told Interfax news agency that Russia refused to back the text because it opened the door for punitive sanctions against Syria.

“We cannot support such a text,” Gatilov was quoted as saying. “It is unacceptable because it includes the possibility of imposing sanctions against Syria.”

The 15-nation U.N. Security Council is due to vote on Tuesday at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on the resolution condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s six-month-old crackdown on protesters demanding an end to his 11-year rule.

The United Nations says at least 2,700 civilians have been killed in the unrest, which Syria blames on foreign-backed armed gangs who it says have killed 700 security forces personnel.

Gatilov said Moscow also opposes the draft resolution because it fails to include a clause calling on powers not to become involved in internal Syrian affairs and calling for a dialogue between Assad and demonstrators.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, whose country has already imposed an arms embargo on Syria, said on Tuesday he would set out Ankara’s plans for further sanctions after he visits a Syrian refugee camp inside Turkey in the coming days.

October 4th, 2011, 9:55 am

 

Observer said:

I still maintain that the regime has not made a single correct move in more than 7 months.
An example is this you tube video of an interview with a woman psychologist at the Syrian TV station in front of Omayyad circle in Damascus. If you watch the background in the windown you will see the buses of the “shabiha thugs going by” and people continue to say there is nothing going on in Damascus. Even the TV crew could not do a proper interview without having background images embarrassing the regime. Here is the link

October 4th, 2011, 10:06 am

 

Revlon said:

FSA operations against the savage regime forces are spreading and becomming a daily feature.
Several took place in Deir Azzor today.

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
???? ????? #syria •? ????? ??? ????? ??????? >> ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ????? 24 ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? 4-10-2011
2 hours ago

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
???? ????? #syria •? ???? ??? ????? :???? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???????????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?????
8 hours ago

???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? Youth Syria For Freedom
???? ????? #syria •? ??????? ???????? : ????? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? : ???? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? … ???? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? …
12 hours ago

October 4th, 2011, 10:13 am

 

Revlon said:

3. atassi:
Russia says will not back UN resolution on Syria
Remains unclear whether Russia will veto resolution

“We cannot support such a text,” Gatilov was quoted as saying. “It is unacceptable because it includes the possibility of imposing sanctions against Syria.”
________________________________________________________________

My own reading; the Russians have no problem with the wording itself, if only a fraction of their interests in Syria could be salvaged or swapped with another of proportional strategic import.

The Russians would abstain if they get US/Turkish/SNC pledge of later related support!

October 4th, 2011, 10:31 am

 

jad said:

“??? // ????? :::
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‘???? ????? ??? H.N.N
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???? ?? ??? ?? ??’

October 4th, 2011, 10:44 am

 

jad said:

Threatening Mr. Bassam Alkadi that ‘his turn is coming’

“???? ??????
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?? ??? ????????: 0957483443
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http://www.facebook.com/adurva/posts/222053977853846

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October 4th, 2011, 10:55 am

 

jad said:

????? ?? ?????? ???????? ????? ??????? “??????”
by Sana Jabbour

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?????: ?? “??????” ??? “???????”!
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/mar/31/usa.rwanda
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http://open.salon.com/blog/stuartbramhall/2011/04/13/the_ford_foundation_and_the_cia
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October 4th, 2011, 10:58 am

 

zoo said:

Atassi #1

Ryad al Assad’s presence in Syria was supposed to encourage more defections and protect the peaceful demonstrations.

His escape to Turkey makes one wonder what he could do from there. What does he mean by “All of my needs are being met by Turkish officials”?
Surprisingly he does not call on more soldiers to defect, he only asks the “opposition to unite”. Is he been silenced by the ‘turkish officials”? Is he still a active military or has become just one more refugee in Hatay camps.
After Harnmoush , it it another failed rebellion, or just a calculated regrouping?

October 4th, 2011, 11:12 am

 

Haytham Khoury said:

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???? ???????

GMT 7:10:00 2011 ???????? 4 ??????
6

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?? ????????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????????. ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??? 1999 ?????? ??? ??? ????????? ??????????? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ?????????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????????? ????????? ?? ????????? ?????????.. ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????? ????????? ???????? ?????? ???????. ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ?????.

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

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

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

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

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

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

????? ???? ???? ?? 3200 ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ???????.
?????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????. ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??????. ??? ?? ??????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ????. ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????.

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

October 4th, 2011, 11:21 am

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

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

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

October 4th, 2011, 11:31 am

 

Tara said:

There are two choices facing army defectors. Either to stay in Syria, taking the very high chance of getting captured or killed in the process of defending the people or to take a refuge in Turkey. Whatever the choice is, continuous defection is sure to eventually destabilize the Syrian army that is used to protect the regime.

The refuge of great number of the army rank and file may eventually encourage Turkey to establish a buffer zone near the border, Benghazi style.

Assad should realize he is fighting a lost battle. He should appoint a council of few people and resign. This council should negotiate with the recently formed SNC and come up with a plan for peaceful transition to democracy before it is too late.

October 4th, 2011, 11:36 am

 

norman said:

Most Arab writers in London are sold and paid for by the Gulf states especially KSA,

Libya with 4 million people lost more than 50,000 dead Syria is 20 million,

are we ready especially the opposition for Syria to lose 250,000 people to change from one dictatorship to another.

October 4th, 2011, 11:37 am

 

Shabbi7 said:

Ehsani,

FYI, the official rate is 49.91, not 47.69 any more. Also, the policy reversal is not an “embarrassment”. What is wrong with reversing a decision that proved to be ineffective? Maybe you, living in the US, prefer a system where politicians f*** something up and then stick to it to preserve their “reputation”, but seeing quick responses in Syria to daily economic situations is a good sign in my book.

October 4th, 2011, 11:38 am

 

zoo said:

Revlon #6

The two UN resolutions show clearly two opposed visions:

The Western hawks, full of their success in Iraq and Libya, want a total destruction of Syria’s institutions and a rebuilding from scratch of a ‘western-made’ democracy that would side with them in their foreign policy in the Middle East.

Russia wants to avoid the destruction of Syria’s institutions and encourage a gradual building through dialogs of an Syrian-made democracy that would remain independant in its foreign policy.

Let me phrase them differently:

In the first one, the Western countries say to the Syrians : You are incapable of dialoguing among yourself, so we know what is best for you.

In the second Russia says : You are capable of dialoguing if you are given a secure and adequat environment, so we want to give that to you so you can find what is best for you through dialog.

October 4th, 2011, 11:41 am

 

Haytham Khoury said:

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

http://www.sooryoon.net/?p=34565

October 4th, 2011, 11:53 am

 

Revlon said:

The Shami brothers, who are devout Shabbeha, have emerged as strong suspects in the murder of the Mufti’s son.

This account published by Shabbeha website, Syrianews on 7 September provides a highly probable circustantial evidence and a motive for the assasination of Mufti’s son!

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

???? ???? – ????????? – ???

2011-09-07
??????? ???????
http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=137014

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

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

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

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

? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? “??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??????????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ? ??? ??? ???? ???????
________________________________________________________________
??? ????? ?????? ? ??? ????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ( ??? ???????? ) ??? ???? ???? “.
________________________________________________________________
? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????? “??? ??? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????????? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ????? “.

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

???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ????? 1980 ? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???.

October 4th, 2011, 11:55 am

 

zoo said:

Tara #13

Sorry, you can put it the other way around. The opposition in Syria have probably realized that after 6 months, they have failed to change the main parameters of the equation. They have only succeeded in crippling the economy, antagonizing friendly countries, provocating violent excesses on both sides, making all Syrians worried and gradually poorer and opening the country to external interventions.
Maybe you consider that a success, I don’t.

In my view, it is time both the opposition in Syria and the government swallow their pride for the sake of the country, appoint local committees and sit on the dialog table as it is recommended by the Russians UN draft resolution.

If this Russia resolution passes, the Syria government will be obliged to make this happen as they may loose Russia’s support if they don’t.

October 4th, 2011, 11:56 am

 

Shabbi7 said:

Sheikh Shami is “devour shabbeha” now? What a joke. ru7 balle6 al-ba7r

October 4th, 2011, 11:57 am

 

Husam said:

Re: official rate, does anyone know approximately the past weeks street (black market) rate for the Euro?

October 4th, 2011, 12:07 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Who is more Destructive NewZ

The Western hawks, full of their success in Iraq and Libya, want a total destruction of Syria’s institutions and a rebuilding from scratch of a ‘western-made’ democracy that would side with them in their foreign policy in the Middle East.

Zoo,

Why do you say the West are “hawks”? All the West wants is a democratic Syria where Syrians are free to elect their leaders and organize various parties. “Destruction” (of their own citizenry) is only something the Assad, Gad-fly, and Hussein government was perfecting. That is why Syrians are demonstrating, getting killed and why the UN has been getting involved.

October 4th, 2011, 12:12 pm

 

Revlon said:

Breaking news on Addunia TV:
2 persons were killed by throwing stones at them in 4 cities by armed gangs!

???? ????? – Omawi Live
???? ????? #syria •? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?????: ???? ????? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ?????. ????? ????? ??? ?????!!!! ?????? ????? ??????!!!!

20 minutes ago

October 4th, 2011, 12:14 pm

 

Some guy no longer in damascus said:

Zoo,
With no offense intended, I think your view of Russia’s policy on Syria is naïve. Every foreign power has some interest in Syria, and to make Russia look so innocent of these selfish interests is really blind. No, I don’t prefer the west’s way, but how can you have dialogue with a “president” that protects his cousinS from the multiple crimes they have committed. Till this very day, atef najib roams syria’s streets, despite widespread acknowledgment that he tortured those poor children.
The Russians aren’t angels…Ask the Georgians.

October 4th, 2011, 12:17 pm

 

sheila said:

Dear #18. Revlon,
You said: “This account published by Shabbeha website, Syria news “. I would like to point out that the owner of Syria News is on the run because he was harassed by the Syrian Regime. He is vehemently against the regime.

October 4th, 2011, 12:27 pm

 

ann said:

At UN, Syria Vote Slated for Tuesday, China Dubious of Sanctions, Palestine on Friday, Sudan

http://www.innercitypress.com/unsc1syrpal100311.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 3 — Proponents of sanctions on Syria have scheduled a vote on their draft resolution for October 4 at 5 pm, Inner City Press has learned.

In front of the Security Council throughout Monday, Ambassadors passed to meet with this month’s Nigerian president, Joy Ogwu. Inner City Press asked them about Syria, on which French Ambassador Gerard Araud said the draft sanctions resolution would be put to a vote on September 30 – false – or Monday.

Monday morning, German Ambassador Peter Wittig told Inner City Press “there are more consultations” but to expect a vote “sooner rather than later.”

Monday afternoon, UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told Inner City Press that “consultations continue,” while graciously answering a question about the October 6 Council session on Sudan.

Moments later, Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong was more candid, telling Inner City Press that a vote on Syria has been called for 5 pm on Tuesday. He said that for China, any inclusion of a reference to sanctions in 15 or 30 days is very difficult.

October 4th, 2011, 12:34 pm

 

sheila said:

To all,
This is from the ast thread. It is an important observation:

117. Silent Bob said:
Syrian government abolishes the widely criticized import-control law
Alternative?
???? ????????: ???? ?????? ??????..?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?????
http://www.aliqtisadi.com/index.php?mode=article&id=15156
This means that now, everyone will go the ‘illegal’ black market, and the true price of the USD against SYP will be finally revealed. I bet it will be much more than 1:50…
This also means that if you’re importing in Syria, you’re pretty much always breaking the law trying to get foreign currency.
What implications do you guys think this will have on the Syrian economy?

October 4th, 2011, 12:35 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Firstly, the new established Syrian council has to determine what it wants: Sanctions? No Fly Zone? Buffer zone along the Turkish border? Military intervention? … Then, the council should turn to the UN, and present their requests to the international community. At the same time, the new council should issue a statement or a warning, or even an ultimatum to those who are helping the junta (Russia Iran China). Stop supporting them or else…
.

October 4th, 2011, 12:41 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

“…………even an ultimatum to those who are helping the junta (Russia Iran China). Stop supporting them or else……”

Not even the United States and NATO issues Ultimatum to Russia. Not that they are polite and diplomatic, but rather they know Russians well, me too, I am married to one. You do not give ultimatums or belittle them in any way, unless you really want to pull your hair out of the stubbornness you will get back in return. Russians needs to be treated as super power. They are rather a kind but fearless brown bear in fact. You will get more love, cooperation and attention if you respected him, his wishes, pet him and not threaten him in any way.

October 4th, 2011, 1:02 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

SNP #29,

That was a great bed time lullaby story about Russian bears. The Russians still remember how Abd’el Nasser threw them under the bus.
.

October 4th, 2011, 1:37 pm

 

norman said:

Amir,

it was Sadat not Nasser

October 4th, 2011, 1:47 pm

 

zoo said:

#24 Some Guy

I never said that the Russian have no interests, the same way I have not said what are the interests of some Western countries.
Both have interests in the region but their way to maintain and promote their interests differ greatly.
The western want to impose by force by dictating under threat their views to an independent country, while Russia prefer to let the country manage its internal problems by creating the proper environment to achieve that without destroying the country and oppressing the people by sanctions. Diplomacy over Sanctions.
Government in Middle eastern countries have show they don’t respond to sanctions. It seems that US and the EU show that they are impotent in diplomatic interventions, so they prefer to resort to war or sanctions, both detrimental to the people they are supposed to ‘liberate’.
Millions of dead in Iraq, many thousands in Libya, many thousands children dead because of sanctions, millions of refugees and yet they sing the same song: SANCTIONS, WAR, SANCTIONS, WAR!
They have forgotten that there is something called diplomacy: Stick and carrots. They only believe in sticks!

October 4th, 2011, 1:51 pm

 

jad said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

?????? ???? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??? 25 ???? ??? 3 ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????.

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

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

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

????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? 14 ???? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ???????.

???? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????????? ???????? ???????? ?? ?????? , ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? .

???? ??? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? , ??? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ????? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ” ???? ?????? ” ? ” ???? ????? ?????? ? ??? ?????? ” ????? ???? ??????? ??????? .

October 4th, 2011, 1:53 pm

 

zoo said:

28. Amir in Tel Aviv

Amir, the Syrian National Council is in its infancy, it is more like a new born monster baby, with many heads and many tails.
No one knows if it will turn out to be a Prince,a Dragon or just a bubble.

October 4th, 2011, 1:56 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Norman,

Nasser began the separation possess, Sa’adat ended it. Check in history books.

ZOO,

I agree with you. No one can tell the future. My guess, the council will soon be embraced by the US Europe and the UN. Same as it happened in Libya.
.

October 4th, 2011, 1:57 pm

 

ann said:

At UN Before Syria Vote, IBSA Vote Doesn’t Count,

Unacceptable Means VETO?

http://www.innercitypress.com/unsc2syrbah100411.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 4 — Seven hours before the Syria resolution vote is scheduled in the UN Security Council, one of the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Ambassadors walked into the Council. Inner City Press asked about the upcoming vote, and the reply was “My vote doesn’t matter… if you’re getting a veto.”

Are we getting a veto? A nod, yes.

Minutes later, China’s Permanent Representative Li Baodong told Inner City Press, “the European members are consulting again to decide if they want to hold the vote tonight at five.” To many, this implies that the veto threat is solidly on the table.

Inner City Press asked Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja’afari if there’d be a vote at 5 pm. “Don’t expect anything,” he said.

That’s the buzz, “from the wires” out of Moscow: that the current draft “is unacceptable.” But does that mean a veto or abstention? There was bluster about “red lines.”

Other wondered why there was never such or any focus in the Security Council on crackdowns in Bahrain, whose reforms, praised by the US and Ban Ki-moon, are not qualitatively different from Syria’s announcements. But that’s another question. Watch this site.

October 4th, 2011, 2:00 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo # 19

In my view, it is not a matter of pride any more.  It has even morphed from a revolution for pride and dignity to become a personal one.  After witnessing the brutality Bashar sanctioned against his own people, it probably became a personal vendetta in the mind of lots of Syrians to topple him.  The aim now is to remove him no matter what the price is.  Bashar ought to understand it if he wants to avoid a sad fate for himself, his family, as well as for Syria.  History has had no mercy towards leaders who made mistakes.  

Just to remind you, It did not start like that.  He could’ve been hailed as a national hero had he been decisive at the beginning in punishing  Atef Najib and in proceeding with real reforms.  Unfortunately, he was intellectually and personally not up to the task.  He chose a path in dealing with it similar to  the late Hafiz dealing with Hama, not understanding that 2011 is very very different from 1982.  He made a fatal mistake.  Opposition will not dialogue as long as he remains a president.  It is very obvious.  Read the SNC’s statement.  “Their first commitment is to topple the regime”.  The regime ain’t going to be toppled peacefully.  SNC is now rejecting foreign intervention but slowly and surely it will come up with something such as a buffer zone , etc where the low level civil war we are witnessing now becomes full-blown.

The SNC is going to gain wide support if not legitimization from most influential counties in the world.  China and Russia are Still supporting Basahar but their support will shift once their “interest” is met somewhere  Remember, “nations have no permanent friends or allies, they have permanent interests”.   

Bashar is really fighting an already lost battle.  It is only a matter of time.  The only way I see out is for him to resign, take refuge in Iran or Turkey, appoint a small council of  3 or 4 composed of Sunni, Alawi and Christian and direct them to negotiate with the SNC to transition power peacefully and democratically.  This would avert Syria an impending wide scale civil war, and would save him and his closed family members.
    

October 4th, 2011, 2:03 pm

 

agatha said:

some links for those interested what europeen medias say about Syria:

Back to School in Syria
http://www.n-joy.de/news_wissen/syrienblog117.html

Aider, écouter, conforter l’opposition syrienne
http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2011/10/03/aider-ecouter-conforter-l-opposition-syrienne_1581409_3232.html#ens_id=1481132

Nombreuses manifestations de soutien au Conseil national syrien
http://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2011/10/03/les-freres-musulmans-pronent-l-instauration-d-un-etat-democratique-en-syrie_1581270_3218.html#ens_id=1481132

Ein syrischer Oppositioneller im Gespräch
Ghayath Naisse ist Mitgründer des Komitees für die Verteidigung demokratischer Freiheiten und Menschenrechte in Syrien
http://www.faz.net/aktuell/ein-syrischer-oppositioneller-im-gespraech-wir-sind-gegen-eine-militaerintervention-11481761.html

Die syrische Regierung war gezwungen, das Importverbot für ausländische Produkte wieder aufzuheben
http://www.zenithonline.de/deutsch/wirtschaft//artikel/gescheiterter-akt-der-verzweiflung-002248/

The Middle Powers Amid the Arab Revolts
http://www.merip.org/mero/mero092911

October 4th, 2011, 2:05 pm

 

Shabbi7 said:

Zionist in Yaffa

Your history books are filled with lies to make your state look legitimate, so I wouldn’t depend on them. Nasser cracked down on communists to keep Egypt from becoming a client state for the soviets, but he did not begin a process of separating from them. Why would he separate from his only providers of weapons and air defenses? Sadat began the process and Mubarak ended it. Period.

October 4th, 2011, 2:05 pm

 

Shabbi7 said:

ZOO, comment 19

You have a very good point, but I would like to remind you that the Syrian government is offering that right now. Russia’s resolution would solidify the Syrian government’s proposals and would only put pressure on the opposition who are being encouraged by the west not to enter any form of dialogue.

October 4th, 2011, 2:10 pm

 

atassi said:

Senate unanimously approves Ford as U.S. ambassador to Syria

4 October 2011

CNN Wire
CNNWR
English
Copyright 2011 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Overcoming initial opposition to his appointment, Robert Ford has won unanimous confirmation by the Senate as U.S. ambassador to Syria.

President Barack Obama named Ford to the post at the end of last year as an interim appointment over Republican protest. Some Republicans argued that sending an ambassador back to Syria after a five-year absence would send the message that the United States was conferring legitimacy on the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

At his post in Syria, however, Ford has been an active supporter of the Syrian opposition and a vocal critic of the regime’s brutal crackdown on protests. He has traveled to cities in Syria where the opposition has been under attack. He himself has been pelted with tomatoes and followed by pro-government supporters.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry Tuesday applauded Ford’s confirmation, which came Monday night, saying, “Robert Ford’s presence in Damascus applies far more pressure than his symbolic withdrawal would have because Robert embodies American solidarity with the Syrian people.”

“With international media banned from entering Syria, Robert has shed important light on the brutality and helped us better understand the emerging opposition,” Kerry said. “His July visit to Hama, when he was greeted with a street celebration, temporarily averted a military assault. Last month, he took great risk attending the funeral of a murdered activist just an hour before it was attacked.”

The United Nations’ Security Council currently is working on a modified draft of a resolution on Syria. It stops short of imposing economic sanctions, however, due to opposition from Russia and China.

Tuesday, a Western diplomat, speaking on background because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue, said there is “no prospect” of a Security Council sanctions authorization because of Russian and Chinese opposition. There also is no discussion of any military action by the international community in Syria, the diplomat said.

Russia and China are “historically averse” to military intervention, the diplomat added. Russia has had a long-standing strategic relationship with Syria and “important national interests (of both countries) would be affected if Assad fell,” the diplomat said, adding, “They think they are better off with the devil they know.”

Cable News Network LP.

October 4th, 2011, 2:20 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

@AMIR

Yep, that was my ??????????? way of talking to the lil kids that wants to give ultimatum to the Russians. But again, that was not the Syrian revolutionaries/mercenaries idea; it came from the Israeli mentality, treating the world the way they deal with Gaza Palestinians and Americans. Creative’s solutions huuuh. When it comes to politics, Diplomacy, interstate and regional relations, anyone of those is obviously a challenging task to Israelis. But you get a plus for the Sabra Hummus.

October 4th, 2011, 2:24 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

If Bashar wants dialogue he must accept negotiations with the Syrian National council to have a transitional goverment,and he needs to announce that,before things get more complicated for him.

October 4th, 2011, 2:28 pm

 

Haytham Khoury said:

Dear Majedkhaldoon:

The Syrian opposition proposed to Bashar to give up the power peacefully on April 29, but Bashar chose the road to perdition. I summarized that in the following articles.

http://haytham-khoury3.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post.html
http://haytham-khoury2.blogspot.com/2011/07/response-to-national-initiative-for.html

October 4th, 2011, 2:39 pm

 

norman said:

Amir,

you are wrong , read here,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt%E2%80%93Russia_relations

((In the 1950s, Gamal Abdel Nasser independent and anti-imperialist policy earned him enthusiastic support from the Communist government of the USSR. The degree of the Soviet approval of the Egyptian leader’s policies culminated, rather controversially, in the award of the highest Soviet decoration, the star of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin to Nasser during Nikita Khrushchev’s visit to the African country in 1964.

During the Nasser years, many young Egyptians studied in Soviet universities and military schools. Among them was the future president, Hosni Mubarak, who went for training in a military pilot school in Kyrgyztan.[2]

The relationship went sour within years after the death of Nasser, when the new president Anwar Sadat started re-orienting the country toward the West.

October 4th, 2011, 2:43 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

“……….If Bashar wants dialogue he must accept negotiations with the Syrian National council to have a transitional goverment….”

We did not appoint them to represent us! We don’t even know who they are!!. Who do they represent? How inclusive this Council is, can we see some CV’s and read some background of members. What are they negotiating for? Who voted them into the council, or did the council just voted itself into virtual power. If they received American or any other foreign backing they will not represent the people of Syria, they represent those foreign economic and strategic interests that are backing them. What kind of a foreign policy will they have? Are they going to give Idlib to Turkey, are they going to get the Golan and Iskenderun back to Syria, are they going to strengthen Syrian relation with Islamic Republic of Iran, specially the military one, how are they planning on handling all these issues. What is the bottom line agenda and goal of this Council? Unless all that is clarified, they are just a “shell game” no different than the shell companies we run all over the offshore world.

October 4th, 2011, 2:46 pm

 

jad said:

Ms. Zainab Housni that was declaired dead under torture to get her brother is actually a life, which is a great news, however, who was that body used by media and human rights watch for? How is that going to help when politicians and unproffesional media keep lying to keep things bloody.

????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?…???? ??????? …???? ???????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? …
???? ???? ????? ??? ???????? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? 93 ?? ??? ?????? ???? ..???? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ? 5 ???? ??? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???????
???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??????…

???? ?? ???? ??? ??????  ??? ????????? ?????? 4 10 2011

October 4th, 2011, 2:49 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

SNP
You are not the opposition, your God is Bashar,we are the opposition and we chose This Council, and all the demonstrations that erupted every where support the Council

You ask about their AGENDA, in summary,they want democratically elected representative in a FREE election,and different president,we do not believe in your God Bashar, he is Bashar AlKazzab.

October 4th, 2011, 3:00 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

We did not appoint them to represent us!

SNP,

Who appointed Assad? All of a sudden you have so many questions about the SNC. Did you post the same questions when Assad came to power?

– We don’t even know who they are!!

– Who do they represent?

– How inclusive this Council is, can we see some CV’s and read some background of members.

– What are they negotiating for? Who voted them into the council, or did them just voted itself in power.

– What kind of a foreign policy will they have?

– Are they going to give Idlib to Turkey, are they going to get the Golan and Iskenderun back to Syria, are they going to strengthen Syrian relation with Islamic Republic of Iran, specially the military one, how are they planning on handling all these issues.

– What is the bottom line agenda and goal of this Council?

October 4th, 2011, 3:02 pm

 

Some guy no longer in damascus said:

Shabee7, zoo
Assuming the SNC does negotiate with the government. One of their main demands will be a strict curbing of assad’s family’s corruption and some compensation for all those directly affected. I bet they will also demand a limit on the presidential terms. That’s if assad’s family escapes prosecution( atef, rami) . A lot of the reforms will be enforced slowly because those that were in power will have to reroute their funding and survival to maintain their lifestyle. To the masses that were demonstrating, slow reforms will out rage them. There must be a sense of justice which won’t come since the regime will try to evade accountability.
I would like to take your attention to the dramatic way the demonstrations are going:
It started with Allah, sooriya ,7urriye w bas ( a modest demand That couldve been headed by besho)
It evolved to al sha3b yureed Isqat al nizam ( besho could have handed power peacefully and insured a decent future, maybe even a a great living some where In exile like Madrid where he can watch blood being spilt in the corrida !)
and finally you have al sha3b yureed i3dam al ra2ees ( this by far is the most extreme demand for obvious reasons: 2700+ people dead, dwindling international relations, an evaporating support base because of attacks like the one in the rifa3i mosque, the regular deaths of peaceful protestors like Amer bizazeh and khaled fakhani in midan, and the recent economic mass confusion)…..whoa I’m sure if he knew things would head this way he would have accepted the der3awi demands in a heart beat. Sadly he is an incompetent leader that inherited his post instead of achieving it. Tara is so right, he could have been hailed as a the reformer president.

October 4th, 2011, 3:04 pm

 

jna said:

Good News. Thanks JAD. An English account.

Syria TV turns Media`s Report about Syria Uprising Up-side Down
(Dp-news)

DAMASCUS- Syria state-run TV, the Syrian TV, aired at its main news on Tuesday reportage and footage of the alleged “Syrian Female Martyr Zainab Alhusni”.

Zainab refuted on air all total news regarding her death and other bad and offensive details regarding her death story. She was speaking at Syrian TV and holding her Syrian ID at footage that turns all footages and video reports, which have been broadcasting at social media networks regarding her death, up-side down and refuted all reports about being kidnapped, raped, and killed and tear into pieces by Syrian officials along with their “Shabeiha” according to activists alleged reports.

She said she fled her parents home to avoid being tortured by her bad-manners brothers and she went all this period to her relatives in Homs, before she discovered the alleged story at media regarding her death. Then she went to police and told them the full story.

Many pan-Arab media agencies and TVs have broadcasted her alleged funeral and showed the footage regarding her biased and faked story.

Zainab Alhusni was only 18 when she stepped away from her Homs residence last month to buy groceries. Her family never again saw her alive. She was whisked away by Syrian security forces to coax the surrender of her activist brother, and ended up beheaded and dismembered, a neighbor, activists and human rights groups say, according to reports abroad on September.

Her family never saw her again until security forces returned her mutilated corpse, two opposition activist groups operating inside Syria and Amnesty International told CNN.

In turn and last month too, Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based pressure group, called on the United Nations to investigate the role played by the Syrian regime in the decapitation of a woman in Homs.

“Syrian security agents loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been accused of beheading and mutilating 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni while she was in police custody.

The family found her corpse when they visited Homs Military Hospital to take the body of her brother Muhammad.” HRW said.

“The killing and mutilation of al-Hosni by unknown persons highlights the urgent need for the UN Security Council to demand access to Syria for an international investigation into rampant killings and torture in Syria,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

Human Rights groups and activists urged that Al-Hosni is believed to be the first woman to have died in Syrian police custody since the uprising began in mid-March. According to Amnesty International, she had been detained by security agents to pressure her activist brother to turn him in.

According to HRW, the Syrian authorities forced the mother of al-Hosni to sign a paper indicating that ‘armed gangs’ had killed her daughter when they handed over the dead on September 17.

“Syrian security forces either killed and mutilated Zainab al-Hosni or are turning a blind eye to gangs committing gruesome murders against anti-government activists and their families,’ said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW.

AMENSTY also published a statement regarding her alleged death, in addition to many activities and protests along with candle vigils which were organized here and there to honor her memory. Syrian protesters have also named a day of protests and demonstration to honor her too.

You may listen to her telling her full missing story along the last two months at the following video..

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=98772

October 4th, 2011, 3:15 pm

 

ann said:

14 hurt in rioting in Saudi Shiite-majority village: SPA

1 hr 50 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/14-hurt-during-riots-saudi-village-161218242.html;_ylt=An2sMCqtM9pGURT3pHJm23kLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTQ4OTRsMDlwBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBXb3JsZFNGIE1pZGRsZUVhc3RTU0YEcGtnA2E3MDBkODg2LWU3ZTQtMzlhOS1iODAxLWIyMmU3Y2Q0ZGZkZgRwb3MDMwRzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgMwM2FmYmM4MC1lZWE4LTExZTAtYWZkZi1jOGQ1NGY0NmIzMjA-;_ylg=X3oDMTF2Y3Y5NDF0BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxtaWRkbGUgZWFzdARwdANzZWN0aW9ucw–;_ylv=3

Fourteen people, including 11 policemen, were hurt when riots erupted in a Shiite-majority village in eastern Saudi Arabia, state news agency SPA said Tuesday, blaming the unrest on a “foreign country.”

“A group of outlaws and rioters on motorbikes gathered” at a roundabout in the village of Al-Awamia in Al-Qatif province on Monday “carrying petrol bombs,” SPA said, citing the Sunni-ruled kingdom’s interior ministry.

The group carried out acts causing “insecurity with incitement from a foreign country that aims to undermine the nation’s security and stability,” SPA quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.

“Security forces managed to deal with those traitors at the spot and after they were dispersed, machinegun fire erupted from a nearby neighbourhood.”

It said nine policemen were wounded in the gunfire and two hurt by petrol bombs.

Three civilians were also wounded, it said.

Saudi Arabia described the unrest as a “blatant interference in its sovereignty.”

“Those must clearly state whether their loyalty is to God then to their country, or to this country and its (religious) authority,” it added, apparently referring to Shiite-ruled Iran.

A Shiite Saudi activist contacted by AFP said that tension grew in the village on Monday after police arrested two men, both in their 70s, in a bid to force their wanted sons, accused of taking part in Shiite-led protests, to surrender.

The health of one of the two men, Hassan al-Zayed, deteriorated in detention and they were later freed, said the activist, who requested anonymity.

A rights activist and writer, Hassan al-Manasef, who went to the police station to inquire about the two men was himself arrested, he added.

A fourth man, Hussein Hathiya, was also arrested when he came to inquire about Manasef, said the same activist.

Saudi police arrested between 20 and 30 Shiites, including two bloggers, for allegedly taking part in protests in oil-rich Eastern Province, activists and an internet websites said in April.

The arrests were made in Al-Qatif and nearby areas which witnessed demonstrations urging the release of prisoners and voicing solidarity with Bahraini Shiites.

The overwhelming majority of the estimated two million Saudi Shiites live in Eastern Province, which neighbours Bahrain where authorities, supported by Saudi-led Gulf troops, earlier this year crushed a Shiite-led protest.

The crackdown on Bahrain’s Shiites, who make up most of the tiny kingdom’s population, soured relations between the Gulf states and Iran.

Last month, the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council accused Iran of issuing provocative statements about its members.

But the country rejected its neighbours’ accusations, saying it always refrained from interfering in other countries’ affairs.

October 4th, 2011, 3:17 pm

 

tarek said:

44. Haytham Khoury said:

Dear Majedkhaldoon:

The Syrian opposition proposed to Bashar to give up the power peacefully on April 29, but Bashar chose the road to perdition. I summarized that in the following articles.

http://haytham-khoury3.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post.html
http://haytham-khoury2.blogspot.com/2011/07/response-to-national-initiative-for.html

And president Assad proposed to the opposition to stop this mayhem and he will let them live, otherwise they will be tried for treason soon and get their punishment.

October 4th, 2011, 3:38 pm

 

Shabbi7 said:

JAD

The first word that came to mind was “khazou2” to all the lying media. Maybe I’m watching too much Khirbeh 🙂 I’m glad she’s alive. We all know what was described of her supposed corpse had the signature of the dabbi7a all over it, so I’m glad this was one case that did not actually happen.

Some Guy Who Was Never In Damascus

If the government ever agrees to dialogue with the 5-star-hotel-residing SNC, then I will become fully opposed to our current government. There is no point in dialogue with people outside the country who represent no one, call for international “protection”, and refuse to come inside Syria. They’re probably scared of the tomatoes and rotten eggs of mass destruction that would be awaiting them.

October 4th, 2011, 3:39 pm

 

Shabbi7 said:

I just wanted to say before I left that yesterday I was watching 7assoun’s speech with a group of over 20 Syrians. For those ~25 minutes, we were all A7mad Badr ed-Din 7assoun. That is something that no one in the farce called “Syrian opposition” will ever be able to achieve, and that is why they have failed in their attempts to topple our government. I have already spoken on here about the history of the 7assouns in Aleppo, and all of you who try to portray him as a regime goon have exposed your bigotry even more.

October 4th, 2011, 3:45 pm

 

Some guy no longer in damascus said:

Although zainab is very much alive, I don’t believe a single word of that interview. Mabrook regime supporters.
Regime 2-5747965796 opposition.
For the record, the timing was perfect…a few hours before the Security council meeting.
The credibility of the foreign news agencies will be tested tonight, will they report zainabs real status?

October 4th, 2011, 3:46 pm

 

some guy no longer in damascus said:

shabee7, i was in damascus, and if i purchased bananas from damascus and had them with me right now, they would still be edible.
heres proof i was in damascus

this is how bbc reported zainabs death. perfect quoting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15039783

October 4th, 2011, 3:51 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

48. MAJEDKHALDOUNSAID:
“………….SNP
You are not the opposition, your God is Bashar,we are the opposition and we chose This Council, and all the demonstrations that erupted every where support the Council
You ask about their AGENDA, in summary,they want democratically elected representative in a FREE election,and different president,we do not believe in your God Bashar, he is Bashar AlKazzab…….”

@MAJDKHALDOON,

You had to mention GOD in this; you should know better and stay away from this topic when talking to me.

My god is the Universal Creator/ Mind, who is, unlike the Reptilians who convinced you and humans that they are gods, my god is omnipotent and omnipresent thru consciousness and mind, a pure ethereal electromagnetic energy, has no name, he is “EL” “ILAH”, he is not a stone status selected from an array of 360 stone god idols housed in the Kabba by the Ahl Kuraish and chosen by a Bedouin outcast that cannot write his own name to be his only one god, because it is his father stone idol. Remember Mohammad father name is ABD ALLAH, Slave of Allah, so MO did not get “Wahi” from heaven but from his family patron god at the Kabba. Mo tossed 359 gods status out of the Kabba Heathen/ Pagan shrine, broke them all and kept his father’s idol status as the only one to be worshipped.

All the demonstrators for the Council don’t account for 200,000 there still 30+ millions in and out of Syria that could have voting rights. You aint got chance in hell getting more than one or two representatives in free election. Assad was brought to power by Sunni Moslems and was helped for decades by Sunni’s that included Shahabi, Khaddama and Tlass, even during the Hama massacre. Don’t forget that the Assads also received billions from Sunni Bedouins in Arabia and were supported by them politically for decades, while SNP members and families were languishing in exiles after their wealth was stolen from them in Syria by SUNNI MOSLEMS, NOT ALAWITES.

You have zero chance in being able to elect or even influence election for President in Syria. You live in a daydream land. SNP uses facts and figures, real scientific analysis to make decision; you are making emotional one, and crazy ones in my opinion. There could be as much as 15 million eligible voters in free Syrian election, and that number could climb higher if voting age reduced to that of Iran’s (15 yrs) and allowed for immigrants to cast vote. Are you telling me that even in the smallest number (15 million) your Council is going to have the ability to gain 7.6 million votes for your favorite President of choice?

If you can get 1 million out that will be your lucky day, but, you do not know Syrians. You will be surprised then, we are estimating that none, I repeat NONE of those in the so called opposition out of the country will ever get anything more than 100 votes or less unless foreign Intelligence Agencies comes up with hundreds of millions in cash so that half the currency bill stay with them until the voters is verified to have voted for the Intel agency candidates, then the other half is released for that impoverished voter. That is what Sanctions is all about, reducing the moral integrity and increasing desperation in average voter to the point he will sell his vote and accept half the bill right away without question.

Who is your advisor, who is advising all these oppositions, fire them all; they are deceiving, using, hijacking and derailing the Syrian Spring. Trust me on that. We all share the vision of a Baathist free Syrian Republic; we disagree on how this vision will come to fruition. You demean SNP ways and we abhor the way your people taking the wrong way. We are confident that in the end, when you sober from all the cash and free media, all dressed up and no place to go, you will come to appreciate all that is said here.

MajdKhaldoon, thank you for giving me the opportunity to say all that stated above. If you were not on this platform, we would have to create a virtual Majd that talk and say the same thing you do, just to post this kind of reply to it. Appreciate your help.

October 4th, 2011, 4:04 pm

 

some guy no longer in damascus said:

it really is a sad day when people jump up and down over who got killed ,despite the fact a corpse has been mutilated.
wow you proved it wasnt zainab. YOU DID NOT PROVE SOME CORPSE HAS NOT BEEN MUTILATED
its like a murderer reveling in the court because the prosecutor got the name of the victim wrong.
ps: al jazeera reported zainabs real status.

October 4th, 2011, 4:10 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

SHABBI7,

Re “Zionist in Yaffa”

Could you tell me, what is the meaning of the word Yaffa in Arabic? Let me make it easy for you. It has no meaning. That’s because it’s a word in Hebrew.

2 Chronicles c2 v15 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt25b02.htm

Yaffa was named Yaffa long before the Arab occupation of the HolyLand and the Levant. Now Yaffa is with it’s lawful owners. The Jewish nation.
.

October 4th, 2011, 4:17 pm

 

NEW REGIME NEW HOPE said:

203 days into the uprising.

The regime must be getting tired and stretched. And the opposition hasn’t even decided to take up arms yet.

Regime official claimed they have only used 10% of the military. Yes probably the percentage of the military whose loyalty the regime trusts.

One Shaykh described the Arab Spring protestors as having ‘swarmed out of their homes, like angry wasps.’ They will sting again and again.

October 4th, 2011, 4:29 pm

 

some guy no longer in damascus said:

“. Now Yaffa is with it’s lawful owners. The Jewish nation.”
so were the Palestinians illegally occupying Yafa for thousands of years?
i have a friend called abu omar, his mother is a first generation Palestinian refugee, she still remembers the days she ate oranges in yafa. you puzzle me, you advocate secularism yet you enforce your beliefs on millions of Palestinians.
as for calling places by their names, why dont we bring the city of acre up?
you guys call it ashkelon and we call it 3askalan, the scriptures clearly point to a more guttural sound
for more refrence read basem ra’ad’s hidden histories
http://logosjournal.com/2011/summer_davidson/

October 4th, 2011, 4:31 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

Nir Rosen says:

“On March 25, after the Friday prayers, demonstrators emerged from the Rifai mosque [in Damascus]. The following week it was surrounded by security forces and people inside were too scared to leave. Sheikh al-Rifai negotiated with security, who promised to let people go home safely if they refrained from demonstrating outside the mosque. But security betrayed the promise, beating people and arresting them.”

Nir Rosen wasn’t there in March or April. I flatly don’t believe that story he retells, because I can see no motive for betraying the promise. Everybody knows that when you treat Arabs with unfairness, you make enemies for yourself, and it can only cause you more trouble later. What’s far more likely there is that the ill-educated, ill-disciplined, silly young dissidents emerged from the mosque and some of them attacked the security force. The security force has got the organization and discipline to make a promise and keep it. Not so the dissidents.

Nir Rosen says:

“Jamal Fatwa had been in his 20s. He and a friend, Khaled Mrad, were both arrested on August 5 after they were stopped and security forces found a microphone used for protests in their car. Five days later, Khaled was returned, dead, to his family. Ten days later, Jamal’s family was told to pick up his corpse. The bones in his chest were crushed. Both youths had been held by State Security.”

(1) In Syria it is not illegal to possess a microphone used for protests. Protests and protest megaphones and microphones are legal. (2) If the bones in Jamal’s chest were truly crushed (which is a big “if”), I cannot accept the insinuation that the crushing was done by State Security. If Jamal was illegally abused or murdered by State Security, his family should take the case to the court of law. Unless they do that and until a court finds the State Security guilty, I must interpret the above paragraph by Nir Rosen as false and scurrilous slander against State Security, which Nir Rosen is propagating from flaky dissidents who’ve been trying to attack the regime’s legitmacy.

The following is a great example of what I’m talking about, in today’s news Tuesday 4 Oct 2011, which was already been linked to by JNA above but I think it’s delectable enough to deserve a repost:

Zainab Alhusni was only 18 when she stepped away from her Homs residence last month to buy groceries. Her family never again saw her alive. She was whisked away by Syrian security forces to coax the surrender of her activist brother, and ended up beheaded and dismembered, a neighbor, activists and human rights groups said. Her family never saw her again until security forces returned her mutilated corpse. This was reported in September by CNN, who cited Amnesty International and two opposition activist groups operating inside Syria. According to Amnesty International, she had been detained by security agents to pressure her activist brother to turn him in. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based pressure group, said in a statement last month: “Syrian security agents loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been accused of beheading and mutilating 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni while she was in police custody. The family found her corpse when they visited Homs Military Hospital to take the body of her brother Muhammad. The killing and mutilation of [Zainab] al-Hosni by unknown persons highlights the urgent need for the UN Security Council to demand access to Syria for an international investigation into rampant killings and torture in Syria.” Human Rights Watch also said that the Syrian authorities forced the mother of al-Hosni to sign a paper indicating that “armed gangs” had killed her daughter, when they handed over the dead body on September 17. Many pan-Arab media agencies and TVs have broadcasted her alleged funeral.

But today 4 Oct 2011, Syria State TV aired Zainab Al-Husni alive and well. She said she fled her parents home to avoid being tortured by her bad-mannered brothers, and she went and stayed all this period with her relatives in Homs. When she discovered the alleged story in the media regarding her death, she went to police and told them the full story.

Video of Zainab Al-Husni on National TV: http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?articleid=98769
English Text: http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=98772

Nir Rosen does himself and the truth a disservice when he repeats a story about crushed chest bones that he cannot verify, and doesn’t make it very clear that he couldn’t verify it.

October 4th, 2011, 4:45 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

Nir Rosen talking about Damascus during the time after sundown this past Ramadan: “Some neighbourhoods were frightening ghost towns, while the ones right next door were bustling.” — ref. Bustling with commercial activity in a nice pro-Establishment atmosphere. Meanwhile the anti-Establishment protesters caused desolation, anxiety, bleakness, destruction, incivility, and breakdown in the few neighborhoods where they got ensconced.

Nir Rosen in Damascus during Ramadan: “On Friday, we drove to the poorer districts on the edges of Damascus, looking for trouble…. It was often difficult to locate any protests.” — ref. Syrian Foreign Minister Wallid al-Muallem in an interview during Ramadan in late August 2011: “Damascus and Aleppo are calm.” — ref.

Nir Rosen in Damascus during Ramadan: “The main street in Zamalka neighbourhood seemed normal. People were out shopping. At 10pm that night, we drove through crowded Arbeen neighbourhood. Its main market street was overflowing with shoppers, especially women and children, forcing us to drive slowly. As we waited for the crowds to part, I noticed how conservative the area was. All the women wore the hijab. Most only revealed their eyes. Others wore a burqa, concealing their faces entirely.” — ref. Except for smallish events, there has been a lack of anti-Establishment rallies in this “crowded”, “conservative” neighbourhood. I can take this as good evidence that most religious conservatives have decided to not support the dissidents. And I cannot imagine anything happening now that could change their minds at this late stage.

October 4th, 2011, 4:48 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

Ehsani says: “The new plan now is for the Central Bank to stop financing “a large part” of the imports of the private sector.”

Can somebody explain that to me, or link me to a place that explains it, becuase I don’t understand it.

In an interview with the Syrian TV about the termination of the ban on imports, Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar said that his ministry is “constantly evaluating issues and exchanging opinions with citizens and officials to produce resolutions that benefit citizens.” — ref. That’s not true with regard to the very abrupt original decision to suspend the imports 11 or 12 days ago. That was a decision made by a few people at the top of the government without properly evaluating it and without exchanging opinions with the good people on the ground who are doing the real work in the economy. Minister Al-Shaar also said in the same TV interview “the current state of foreign currency reserves is good”. I belive he’s correct about that, and thus his decision of 11 days ago was not just foolish: it was inexplicably foolish.

October 4th, 2011, 5:00 pm

 

Dale Andersen said:

Memo To: Amir in JewBoyLand (Don’t be offended. I’m trying to sound like an Arab here…personally I like Jews…they’re plucky, combative, stiff-necked and they always read the fine print)

Re: “…the meaning of Yaffa in Arabic…”

Yaffa results from an obscure reference in T. S. Eliot’s poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Evidently, a young Jordanian lad named Farook attending the University of Wisconsin in 1967 was taking a course there entitled “The Hero in Modern Literature” and became enchanted by the poem’s theme for all the wrong reasons (a typical Arab reaction to anything strange and exotic)

Anyway, this Farook went about the campus there uttering “Yaffa” whenever he was confronted with anything he did not understand (which was practically everything). The students and faculty there became so irritated with Farook that they erected a small statue in the Quad of a man with a comically confused visage. It is entitled simply, “The Yaffa” and students go there to ritually cleanse themselves of confusion, disorder and discomposure.

As for the term, yaffa, it refers to a cynical, hypersensitive, wasted man, incapable of achieving any meaningful relationships and turning finally to a universe beyond religion.

A person displaying such tendencies is said to be in a state of yaffiness.

Hope this helps….

October 4th, 2011, 5:00 pm

 

Ghufran said:

???? ???? ??????? ?????
??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??????
???? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? ? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ? ??? ???? ?????
??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3WhfsHtH1s
???????? ???? ??????

October 4th, 2011, 5:00 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

The Language of an Assad Supporter: “coulda, woulda, shoulda”

You have zero chance…

There could be as much as 15 million eligible voters…

… and that number could climb higher…

But they’ll NEVER advocate free elections…

October 4th, 2011, 5:04 pm

 

Mango said:

?????? ????? ???? ???? ??????? “????” ?? “????” ??? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????. ?????? ?????? “????” ????? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? “????” ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????. ????? ?????? ????????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? “??????”. ??? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ??? “????”? ??? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ???????. ??? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ????????????? ?? ??? “????? ??????” ??? ??? ????? “????” ?? “???” ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ?????? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???????????? ???????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? “??????? ?????”? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???????.
?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? “???????” ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? 701 ??? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? : “?? – ?? – ??” ???? ????? ?? ??? (??????????) ???? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? : “????”? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? “????” ?????? “???” ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ???????. ??? ?? ????? ?????????? ??? ??? ????? “????”? ????? ??? ???????? ????????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? “????” ????? ?? “????” ??? ??? ????? ??? ???????. ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? “?????”? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? (259-258 ?.?) ????? ??? ??????? ??????. ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ??? “????”.
?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ?????????? ????? ????? ??? “????”? ???? ????? ??? “?????-?????” ??? ?????. ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?????????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????????? ??? ??? “????” ?? “????” ?? ????? ??????.????? ??????? ??????? ???? “????” ????? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? “?????? ???????” ?? “??????”.????? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? 1948 ?? ????? ?????? ???????? “???? ???? ?????? ???????” ??? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??? ????? ???????? “????????” ?”???????” ?? ?????? ????????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?? ????.

October 4th, 2011, 5:10 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

SGID,

“…Palestinians illegally occupying Yafa for thousands of years?”

It wasn’t the Palestinians, but the Arabs, the Mongols, the Mamlooks, the Ottomans, and probably few more. And the answer is Yes. It’s a Jewish property, illegally occupied by all those.

About Acre and Ashkelon.
Acre (it’s Acco in Hebrew ???, and in Arabic, Akka. Again, no meaning in Arabic) Judges c1 v31 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0701.htm

And Ashkelon ?????? Judges c1 v18 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0701.htm (Read the whole verse. It will spare you a question about Gaza … or 3aza, in Hebrew).
.

October 4th, 2011, 5:11 pm

 

Mango said:

????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ! ?? !

October 4th, 2011, 5:17 pm

 

Areal said:

FICTION

New evidence of Syria brutality emerges as woman’s mutilated body is found

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/new-evidence-syria-brutality-emerges-womans-mutilated-body-found-2011-09-23

23 September 2011

The mutilated body of 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni of Homs, the first woman known to have died in custody during Syria’s recent unrest, was discovered by her family in horrific circumstances on 13 September.

Zainab had been decapitated, her arms cut off, and skin removed.

….

Zainab al-Hosni was abducted by plain-clothes individuals believed to be members of the security forces on 27 July, apparently to pressure her activist brother Mohammad Deeb al-Hosni to turn himself in.

By chance, their mother discovered Zainab’s mutilated body at the same military hospital. However, the family were not permitted to take Zainab’s body home until 17 September.

Their mother was said to have been made to sign a document saying that Zainab and Mohammad had been kidnapped and killed by an armed gang.

“There are no signs of torture and murder abating in Syria,” said Philip Luther.

REALITY

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=98772
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3WhfsHtH1s&feature=youtube_gdata_player
04/10/2011
DAMASCUS- Syria state-run TV, the Syrian TV, aired at its main news on Tuesday [04/10/2011] reportage and footage of the alleged “Syrian Female Martyr Zainab Alhusni”.

Zainab refuted on air all total news regarding her death and other bad and offensive details regarding her death story. She was speaking at Syrian TV and holding her Syrian ID at footage that turns all footages and video reports, which have been broadcasting at social media networks regarding her death, up-side down and refuted all reports about being kidnapped, raped, and killed and tear into pieces by Syrian officials along with their “Shabeiha” according to activists alleged reports.

She said she fled her parents home to avoid being tortured by her bad-manners brothers and she went all this period to her relatives in Homs, before she discovered the alleged story at media regarding her death. Then she went to police and told them the full story.

CONCLUSION
Waiting for Amnesty International update
Waiting for Al Jazeera new story.
Waiting for BBC reports on the new development by BBC’s Lyse Doucet in Damascus .

October 4th, 2011, 5:35 pm

 

Khalid Tlass said:

Amir, arrogant Zionist sh*t, do you remeber Sabra and Shatila ? Wrere those Palestinians encroaching on Phoenician Marounis property ( Bachir Gemayel) ??

I think we should need more Omar ibn al Khattab, Khalid ibn al Walids and Saad ibn Abi Waqqas to end the debate with Zionists, Phoenicians/Maarounis, Shi’ites, Alawiyeh, Melkites, etc.

And Amir, your property is in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia or Poland.

Khaybar Khaybar ya yahud, Jaysh Arabi sayaud !!

October 4th, 2011, 5:42 pm

 

some guy no longer in damascus said:

areal,
al jazeera reported that zeynab is alive.
we got bbc and amnesty left.

October 4th, 2011, 5:43 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

@ #72 AREAL: I’m loving this Zainab al-Hosni story. SANA is reporting a slightly different version of it (compared to the version at dp-news.com):

Zainab refused to give any details about what happened to her and made her leave home, but asked for her mother’s forgiveness.

Youssef al-Hasni, Zainab’s brother, claimed in a video recording broadcast by a number of tendentious channels that his 18 year old sister was kidnapped from the street on July 7th by the security members, alleging that the security forces had called his family and asked them to turn him in in exchange for the dead body of his sister Zainab.

Zainab said: “I came today to the Police department to tell the truth and belie the news about my death…I am perfectly alive and I opted to tell the truth because I am planning to get married in the future and have kids whom I want to be registered.” http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/04/373552.htm

Maybe she eloped, and that’s how come she disappeared.

October 4th, 2011, 5:46 pm

 

Areal said:

65. Ya Mara Ghalba said:

Ehsani says: “The new plan now is for the Central Bank to stop financing “a large part” of the imports of the private sector.”

Can somebody explain that to me, or link me to a place that explains it, becuase I don’t understand it.

In an interview with the Syrian TV about the termination of the ban on imports, Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar said that his ministry is “constantly evaluating issues and exchanging opinions with citizens and officials to produce resolutions that benefit citizens.” – ref. That’s not true with regard to the very abrupt original decision to suspend the imports 11 or 12 days ago. That was a decision made by a few people at the top of the government without properly evaluating it and without exchanging opinions with the good people on the ground who are doing the real work in the economy. Minister Al-Shaar also said in the same TV interview “the current state of foreign currency reserves is good”. I belive he’s correct about that, and thus his decision of 11 days ago was not just foolish: it was inexplicably foolish.

SIMPLE REALITY when you read SANA
http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/10/04/373356.htm
Cabinet Cancels Decision on Suspending Importation of Goods Whose Customs Duties Exceed 5 %
Al-Shaar said that the private sector is self-funding and that traders and industrialists often suggested funding imports via their savings and their foreign currency accounts abroad.

MY NOTE

It is not unusual for a government to take conservative measures without a large consultation to preserve the “surprise” effect and avoid a panic buying spree :
by example , the currency devaluation in by European governments before the Euro creation.

October 4th, 2011, 5:47 pm

 

Mango said:

http://www.dni.ru/polit/2011/10/4/219916.html
Syria will launch war for six hours
The president of Syria Bashar Asad has declared that all middle East will appear on fire within six hours if to territory of his country will fall though one rocket. At a meeting with head Ahmed Davutoglu the Syrian leader has promised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey in case of aggression display to strike blow to Israel.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey has arrived on a visit to Damascus on Tuesday. Members of delegation have been dumbfounded by that have heard from Bashara Asada. “As soon as on territory of Syria the first foreign rocket will get, within three hours the rocket hailstones will fall upon Israel”, – the business newspaper “Sight” gives of a word of Asada. Later six hours, according to the Syrian president, in the conflict all middle Eastern region will be involved.

Ahmed Davutoglu delivered American-Saudi-Turkish agreements in which it is said that against Syria can to Damascus the same measures, as against Libya are applied. It will occur in case the present situation at which in the state peace demonstrations choke will remain.
Let’s notice that now Turkey is going to begin military doctrines on border Syria. Maneuvers will pass in a province of Hatai from October, 5 till October, 13th. Prime minister Redzhep Tajip Erdogan is going to visit this area during doctrines and to declare introduction of additional sanctions against Syria where destruction of peace citizens, as he said, proceeds.
Relations between Ankara and Damascus were replaced with good-neighborhood and partner on hostile, military cooperation has some time ago stopped. It is supposed that new sanctions will concern economic sphere. It will be rather painful for economy of Syria as Turkey is its main trading partner.

October 4th, 2011, 5:48 pm

 

Zainab said:

O Zainab!
Shame on you!
You are alive!
What an awful spectacle!
Yesterday, you were celebrated as a martyr!
And the revolutionaries danced in the streets and sang your name and vowed
Sweet revenge by killing scientists, teachers, students and trash collectors and everyone
from the other neighborhood.

Amnesty International of Incubators documented your case and the HRW spilled
Rivers of tears for your body and the AJazeera-Alarabiah mourned you second by second.
Even Faisal Al-qasem and his Tunisian Guest shed their tears over your turture:
Haza AlAmn Al Souri, Alshabiha. Only poor Taleb Ibrahim did not believe that he even challenged them
And he dared to challenge their god for a proof.
Zainab! Look what you did, even God is ashamed because Taleb Ibrahim was right.
Zainab,
Please go die for the sake of the revolution, you are better dead for them than alive!
Mabrouk Ya Khewanah!

October 4th, 2011, 5:53 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

@ AREAL: No, I still don’t understand it. Ehsani said: “The new plan now is for the Central Bank to stop financing “a large part” of the imports of the private sector.” This sounds to me like currency exchange rate devaluation.

Under the situation we’ve had for the past year, the Central Bank has been buying SYP and selling a bit of its foreign currency holdings to maintain a steady exchange rate for of the SYP. The new plan is that the Central Bank quits using its foreign currency to buy SYP, which is to say the exchange rate of the SYP goes down.

But I haven’t had anybody explain the “new plan” to me beyond that solitary sentence from Ehsani.

October 4th, 2011, 6:00 pm

 

Haytham Khoury said:

Canada targets Syria oil with new sanctions
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
OTTAWA — Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Syria targeting its oil exports and investments in its oil fields, upping the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
“We are toughening and expanding our sanctions against Syria,” said Baird, decrying the regime’s crackdown on a pro-democracy protest movement that has so far left 2,700 people dead, according to UN estimates.
“The measures that we’re announcing today will support international efforts to exert concentrated efforts on the Assad regime,” he said.
Baird said the sanctions were “one way that we can show, on the day the United Nations is debating this, that Canada is prepared to do our part and stand up against the really repressive actions of the Assad regime in Syria.”
The sanctions prohibit the purchase of oil or petroleum products from Syria or investing in Syria’s oil industry.
Canada also added 27 people said to be close to Assad and 12 entities linked to his regime to a list of people or companies facing sanctions, bringing the total of those entities targeted to 77.
Those measures include a travel ban and assets freeze.
Baird’s announcement comes as the United Nations Security Council was debating a resolution that would target Assad’s regim

October 4th, 2011, 6:00 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Khalid Tlass,

The Jewish tribe of 7aibar was a peaceful and prosperous Jewish community, until the Jaysh of Muhammad arrived and brutalized them. (stole the land and the palm trees, stole the Jewish wealth, killed the men raped the women and took them to be slaves). The Jews did nothing to provoke this butchery. This is a very good example of an Arab occupation, that professionalized over the years. Try to do this one more time, and we’ll chop your hands and feet you s*n of sha*m*ta.
.

October 4th, 2011, 6:03 pm

 

Areal said:

74. some guy no longer in damascus said:

areal,
al jazeera reported that zeynab is alive.
we got bbc and amnesty left.

REALITY

Where is the [YOUR] link from Al Jazeera ?
I looked for it
http://english.aljazeera.net/

here : http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria : nothing
here : http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east : nothing
here : http://blogs.aljazeera.net/search/node/zainab : nothing
Syria – Sep 23, 2011 – 06:10

… International. The mutilated body of 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni of Homs, the first woman known to have died in custody during … The family was visiting a morgue to identify the body of Zainab’s activist brother Mohammad, who was also arrested and apparently …

Flow – Basma.Alatassi – 09/23/2011 – 06:27 – 0 comments – 0 attachments
Syria – Sep 28, 2011 – 11:58

… recent decapitation of an 18-year-old Syrian woman. Zainab al-Hosni from the central city of Homs was beheaded and mutilated and … (human rights watch, Syria, Zainab al Hosni) …

Flow – Jesse Strauss – 09/28/2011 – 12:50 – 0 comments – 0 attachments
Syria – Sep 27, 2011 – 21:15

… besieged and cut off from the outside world. Abou Zainab, an Avaaz citizen journalist, reported tank shelling and gunfire … unable to be treated. Avaaz Citizen Journalist Abou Zainab reports that the city is suffering from an acute lack of tetanus shots, antibiotics, analgesics, as well as blood bags. Abou Zainab said that the shortage has also spread to food supplies and a severe …

Flow – Nadeem Muaddi – 09/27/2011 – 19:26 – 0 comments – 0 attachments
Syria – Sep 21, 2011 – 00:15

… staged on Monday. The demonstrations were dedicated to Zainab Homsi, whose mutilated body was handed to her family by the authorities, …

CONCLUSION
Usually the ” free press” journalists from Al Jazeera are more reactive on their website .

October 4th, 2011, 6:09 pm

 

Areal said:

78. Ya Mara Ghalba said:

@ AREAL: No, I still don’t understand it. Ehsani said: “The new plan now is for the Central Bank to stop financing “a large part” of the imports of the private sector.” This sounds to me like currency exchange rate devaluation.

Under the situation we’ve had for the past year, the Central Bank has been buying SYP and selling a bit of its foreign currency holdings to maintain a steady exchange rate for of the SYP. The new plan is that the Central Bank quits using its foreign currency to buy SYP, which is to say the exchange rate of the SYP goes down.

But I haven’t had anybody explain the “new plan” to me beyond that solitary sentence from Ehsani.

REALITY

It is absolutely not currency exchange rate devaluation.

The Central Bank will not exchange SP with foreign currency for the importer to buy goods from merchants outside Syria.

If the importers want to import goods into Syria , they have to use the currencies that they are holding in their foreign bank accounts outside Syria.

October 4th, 2011, 6:19 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Both Russia and China vetoed a resolution about Syria at the UNSC

October 4th, 2011, 6:42 pm

 

some guy no longer in damascus said:

areal,
it was on al jazeera’s hourly broadcast. i saw it on tv, not on a website. so sorry no link exists so far

October 4th, 2011, 6:48 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

In 2005 the currency exchange rate of the SYP versus the US$ was 53:1; it was 52:1 in 2006; banquecentrale.gov.sy. In 2011 it’s been around 47:1. If the Central Bank devalued the SYP back to 53:1, it would help Syria’s import/export balance of payments situation. To devalue it beyond 54:1 would be I believe undesirable and uncalled for. If I were with the Central Bank, and I was thinking about doing this, I’d talk publicly about it before doing it, and I’d listen carefully to what lots other pro-Establishment Syrians have to say about it. The mere talk of a devaluation would put downward pressure on the currency. But that’s okay. It is better to talk and get feedback and don’t act rashly and don’t act alone (as the folks who made the decision of 12 days ago have learned, I hope). The Bank has the power to enforce the decision that’s eventually made.

@ AREAL: Can you give me a link to a government source about what the “new plan” is.

October 4th, 2011, 6:51 pm

 

Dale Andersen said:

Memo To: KHALID TLASS (is that really your name? Odd name…)

RE: “…Amir, arrogant Zionist sh*t, do you remember Sabra and Shatila…”

Sabra and Shatila never happened. They are made-up fantasies, invented by anti-Zionist propagandists. They are as fake as the Besho Regime YouTube postings.

For that matter, everything is fake. The 2,700 so-called dead protestors are fake, nothing more than internet constructs of the fake Syrian opposition.

Asma is fake, a magazine creation by the editors of Vogue.

Besho is fake. Hefez al-Assad never had a second son. Everyone knows he was a homosexual and needed a stand-in to service Anisa.

Doubt everything. Disbelieve everything. Nothing is real…

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

October 4th, 2011, 6:53 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

“……..Both Russia and China vetoed a resolution about Syria at the UNSC……”

If true, they just postponed Armageddon, humanity is indebted to them for this, but unfortunately, eventually, sometime by 2012 they will act alone and so enjoy normalcy for little more.

October 4th, 2011, 6:53 pm

 

ann said:

Saudi police clash with protesters in Shiite east – 2 hrs 9 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-police-clash-protesters-shiite-east-203740280.html;_ylt=AmXfSGFUZHCH1YUL7lxFNqcLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTQ4OG02YzlxBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBXb3JsZFNGIE1pZGRsZUVhc3RTU0YEcGtnAzI1MjcyMDljLWIwMDktMzgzMC1hY2Y5LWQ5MWY2MzJkN2JkMARwb3MDNQRzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgNlNmY5NDJjMC1lZWM4LTExZTAtYjNlZi1hM2Y0N2VkNWM1Nzg-;_ylg=X3oDMTF2Y3Y5NDF0BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxtaWRkbGUgZWFzdARwdANzZWN0aW9ucw–;_ylv=3

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi police clashed with protesters in the country’s Shiite-dominated eastern region in a new ripple of unrest in the oil-rich kingdom, residents and security officials said Tuesday.

Police moved in on Monday to break up a second day of small protests against the arrests of the fathers of two fugitive dissidents, firing in the air and beating marchers with clubs, residents said.

The Interior Ministry blamed what it described as “seditious” residents, saying they attacked security forces with guns and firebombs and had the backing of a foreign enemy — an apparent reference to rival power Iran.

There is a long history of discord between the kingdom’s Sunni rulers and the Shiite minority concentrated in the east, Saudi Arabia’s key oil-producing region. Shiites make up 10 percent of the kingdom’s 23 million citizens and complain of discrimination, saying they are barred from key positions in the military and government and are not given an equal share of the country’s wealth.

As uprisings against autocratic rulers began to sweep the Arab world, small protests were held in eastern Saudi Arabia during the first three months of the year but were largely quelled.

Ultraconservative Saudi Arabia is deeply wary of the wave of Arab Spring uprisings, particularly in nearby Bahrain, where a Shiite majority is demanding greater rights from its Sunni rulers. Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia led a Gulf military force that intervened in Bahrain to help the ruling family quell the revolt.

At home, the Saudi government announced an unprecedented economic package worth an estimated $36 billion to give Saudis interest-free home loans, unemployment assistance and debt forgiveness.

In the new unrest, the Interior Ministry said its forces came under attack on Monday from activists armed with guns and firebombs. Some of the attackers rode in on motorcycles, it said. The clash in the town of al-Awamiya wounded 11 security officers and three civilians, said a ministry statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Forces dispersed the crowd but were then fired on from a nearby building. A firebomb was also lobbed at them, the statement said.

A security official speaking to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press said an unspecified number of demonstrators had been arrested and were under interrogation to determine from where they got their weapons.

“They carried out acts against the law following instructions from a foreign country that aims to harm the country’s stability and security,” the statement said. It didn’t name the country, but the kingdom is concerned about the expanding influence from Shiite power Iran.

“They must decide clearly if their loyalty lies with God and their country or if it is with that country and its religious authorities,” the strongly worded statement said.

The ministry said it would “strike with an iron fist” anyone who “infringed on the country’s sovereignty.”

Al-Awamiya residents speaking to AP on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal said protests started on Sunday after authorities detained the fathers of two activists wanted for their part in earlier unrest.

Neighbors came out onto the streets carrying posters of Iran’s late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Lebanon’s Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, they said.

In Monday’s confrontations, protesters threw stones and damaged vehicles in response to the police crackdown, residents said. They made no mention of weapons carried by the crowd of about 50 protesters.

Responding to the unrest spreading from North Africa to the Arabian side of the Gulf, Saudi Arabia warned earlier this year that demonstrations were forbidden in the kingdom, arguing that they contradict Islamic laws and society’s values. It also said security forces were authorized to act against anyone violating the protest ban.

Nonetheless, besides the Shiite protests, the Arab uprisings have inspired a group of Saudi women to protest the ban on female drivers in the kingdom. Scores of women have gotten behind the wheel this summer in a few Saudi cities.

October 4th, 2011, 6:53 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

It was a brilliant statement by the UK ambassador to the UNSC. Hope that you didn’t miss it.
.

October 4th, 2011, 6:59 pm

 

Tara said:

Bronco

Sorry to disappoint you. It looks like he was confirmed unanimously.

October 4th, 2011, 7:05 pm

 

ann said:

*** HAPPY YOM KIPPUR ***

Russia, China veto UN resolution condemning Syria
By REUTERS
10/05/2011 01:11

“This is not a matter of working, it is a political choice,” French UN ambassador says; Russia says it worried resolution could have opened door to Libya-style military intervention.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=240552

UNITED NATIONS – Russia and China joined forces on Tuesday to veto a European-drafted UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria and hinting that it could face sanctions if it continues its crackdown on protesters.

The resolution received nine votes in favor and four abstentions from Brazil, India, Lebanon and South Africa. Russia and China cast the only votes against the resolution, which was drafted by France with the cooperation of Britain, Germany and Portugal.

“We cannot today doubt the meaning of this veto of this text,” French UN Ambassador Gerard Araud told the 15-nation council. “This is not a matter of wording. It is a political choice. It is a refusal of all resolutions of the council against Syria.”

“This veto will not stop us,” he added. “No veto can give carte blanche to the Syrian authorities.”

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council that Moscow’s veto reflected “a conflict of political approaches” between Russia and the European council members.

Churkin said that Moscow was firmly opposed to the threat of sanctions against Damascus, adding that what he described as the confrontational approach of the European delegations was “against the peaceful settlement of the crisis.”

He reiterated his concerns that passing the European resolution on Syria could have opened the door to a Libya-style military intervention in the Syrian authorities’ six-month crackdown on anti-government demonstrations there.

Churkin added, however, that Moscow would prefer it if Syria was “quicker with implementing the promised changes.” He was referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s promised democratic reforms.

Chinese Ambassador Li Baodong said that Beijing opposed the idea of “interference in [Syria’s] internal affairs.”

The decision by Russia and China to use their veto power indicates that the Security Council might be stuck in a longer-term deadlock on issues related to the Middle East and the Arab Spring pro-democracy movements in the region, Western diplomats told Reuters.

For months, Russia, China, Brazil, India and South Africa — the “BRICS” countries — have criticized the United States and European council members for allegedly allowing NATO to overstep its Security Council mandate to protect civilians in Libya.

No BRICS country supported the Syria resolution.

The failed resolution, which was drawn up by France in cooperation with Britain, Germany and Portugal, was a watered-down version of previous drafts that had threatened Syria with sanctions if it ignored international demands that it halt its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Later drafts removed the word sanctions, though this was not enough to satisfy Russia and China.

October 4th, 2011, 7:24 pm

 

ann said:

Tread Carefully in Syria: Part II

Posted on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

http://blogs.cfr.org/husain/2011/10/04/tread-carefully-in-syria-part-ii/

The first rule for those observing political developments in the modern Middle East is that nothing is as it seems at first sight. Political calculations that make sense in Washington, DC, London, or Paris do not always translate so well on the ground. From the Balfour Declaration of 1917 to the Suez crisis of 1956 to the Hamas victory in 2006 in Gaza, Westerners often fail to grasp the complicated, counterintuitive reality of life in the Arab world.

And so it is today with predictions that the fall of Assad in Damascus would weaken Iran—after all, Iran is a Shia country and Syria’s ruling elite come from the Shia Alawite sect. A Sunni-led government in Damascus, goes the argument, would not be amenable to ongoing friendship with Iran.

This argument, partly responsible for driving current U.S. policy towards Syria, is flawed for the following reasons:

First, most Shia Muslims, including all Iranian clerics, consider the Syrian Alawite sect to be heretical for the latter’s beliefs in reincarnation, the divinity of Ali (the Prophet Mohamed’s son-in-law), and Alawite rejection of Muslim rituals. As such, it is factually incorrect to argue that Iranian and Syrian political leaders are bonded by a common religious faith—they are not.

Second, a future Sunni government in Damascus can also continue to maintain positive ties with Iran. Their perceived common enemy in the existence of the state of Israel overrides any Sunni-Shia religious disagreements. Evidence of this political calculation is the fact that Shia Iran provides financial and other support for Sunni Hamas.

Third, the United States sacrificed vast amounts of blood and treasure to liberate Iraq from Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial grip, only to be leaving Iraq with a government that is politically, economically, and socially closer to Tehran than Saddam had ever been. Therefore, American support for Syrian opposition today will not necessarily result in distance from Iran tomorrow. The Iraq experience tells us otherwise.

Fourth, Sunni Egypt and Sunni Turkey are also on cordial terms with Iran. In the case of Egypt, post-revolutionary public sentiment views Iran as a regional power and potential trading partner, not an enemy in any way. This, despite alleged Iranian spies causing national controversy in the immediate aftermath of the recent Egyptian revolution.

I could go on, but the point is that many looking at the Middle East from the outside will be mistaken to assume that the Sunni-Shia divide helps predict future political balances. It does sometimes—say, in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988—but not always.

Therefore, the assumption that a Syrian regime without Assad and the Alawites at the helm would mean an isolated Iran is wishful thinking at best, and uncertain at worse. Amid such unpredictability, how wise is it to unleash civil war between Alawites, Druze, Catholics, Shia, Orthodox Christian, varied Sunnis, Kurds, and others in Syria?

October 4th, 2011, 8:12 pm

 

Tara said:

Amir

Yaffa lawful’s owners are the Palestinian.

October 4th, 2011, 8:13 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

As pointed out by #15 Shabbi7, the official exchange rate on 4 Oct 2011 is US$1.00 = SYP 49.91 and €1.00 = 65.95. http://www.banquecentrale.gov.sy/main-eg.htm

I won’t be surprised if the exchange rate soon is let slip a bit more. Just a bit, though. A major devaluation of the exchange rate would be counterproductive, I say.

October 4th, 2011, 8:18 pm

 

majedkhaldoun said:

Ghufran
What a weak person,you don’t realize what you are saying,you don’t make any sense, do you deny that the regime sent a body of a woman ,dead and cut to pieces? what difference if its name is Zainab Hosni or some other name ? does this make the regime innocent because the body that they killed and cut,its name is Zainab or some other name? .
Such a weak person, such a very weak argument, where did you learn how to discuss things,go ,you and SNP worship your God Bashar,what would you do when we will step on Bashar with our feet,you will cry when Bashar will stand behind bars facing trials for many many crimes he committed.
SNP, obviously you do not worship God, because you never miss a chance to defend your God Bashar,who will go to the trash bin of history.

October 4th, 2011, 8:24 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Drum Roll Please…

Tara,

What towns and cities are Israeli?.

October 4th, 2011, 8:26 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Lying has become a sport in Syria today. People on both sides see the conflict as a war and they justify spreading misinformation as part of this war
?? ????? ?? ????? ????
?????? ?? ??? ????????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ????????? ? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ????
???????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ???

October 4th, 2011, 8:27 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

Nir Rosen quotes the Grand Mufti, Ahmad Hassoun, saying the religious composition of the Syrian Baath Party “is 80 or 90 percent Sunni” – ref. Can anyone affirm or infirm that?

I’ll bet auld Joshua Landis couldn’t affirm or infirm it, despite his interest in Syrian sectarianism.

October 4th, 2011, 8:28 pm

 

Tara said:

Mina

You asked me once which movie I liked the best. It was “The Willow Tree” that I liked the most. Did you watch it?

October 4th, 2011, 8:41 pm

 

Ghufran said:

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

October 4th, 2011, 8:42 pm

 

ann said:

Assad: Syria will shower Tel Aviv with rockets if attacked by foreign powers – 18:07 04.10.11

Iranian news agency quotes remarks made by Syrian president during August meeting with Turkish FM; Assad: It will take Damascus 6 hours to mobilize against Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/assad-syria-will-shower-tel-aviv-with-rockets-if-attacked-by-foreign-powers-1.388135

Syria will strike Israel and “set fire” to the Middle East if foreign forces choose to launch a military strike on the protest-ridden country, the Iranian news agency Fars quoted Syrian President Bashar Assad as saying on Tuesday, referring to remarks made by the Syrian leader during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu last August.

During a meeting with the Turkish FM, the Fars report claimed, Assad indicated that Syria would not hesitate to strike major Israeli cities if it was attacked.

“If a crazy measure is taken against Damascus, I will need not more than 6 hours to transfer hundreds of rockets and missiles to the Golan Heights to fire them at Tel Aviv,” Assad said.

In addition, Fars reported that the Syrian president told the Turkish FM that he would also call on Hezbollah in Lebanon to launch a rocket attack on Israel, adding: “All these events will happen in three hours, but in the second three hours, Iran will attack the U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf and the U.S. and European interests will be targeted simultaneously.”

Assad’s comments to the Turkish FM came after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier Tuesday he would set out his country’s plans for sanctions against Syria after he visits a Syrian refugee camp near the border in the coming days.

The move heralds a further deterioration in previously friendly relations between Ankara and Damascus since the start of Assad’s crackdown on protesters.

“Regarding sanctions, we will make an assessment and announce our road map after the visit to Hatay in southern Turkey, setting out the steps,” Erdogan told reporters, adding he expected to visit the region at the weekend or the start of next week.

Some 7,000 Syrians have taken refuge in camps established in Hatay, in flight from President Assad’s security forces.

October 4th, 2011, 8:44 pm

 

Tara said:

Akbar

Can we postpone Arab-Israeli conflict discussion until after the crisis in Syria ends?

October 4th, 2011, 8:45 pm

 

ann said:

China calls for restraint in Syria, non-interference in its internal affairs

2011-10-05 08:37:30

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-10/05/c_131174901.htm

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) — China on Tuesday called for restraint in Syria and urged the international community to comply with the UN Charter and not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Middle East country.

Li Baodong, Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, made the call after China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution condemning the Syrian authorities. The draft resolution, presented by France, Germany, Portugal and Britain, was killed because China and Russia, the two permanent members of the 15- nation Security Council, have the veto power.

“China is highly concerned with the development of the situation in Syria,” Li said. “We call upon all parties concerned in Syria to exercise restraint to avoid all forms of violence and more bloody conflicts,” Li said.

“Whether the Security Council will take further action on the question of Syria should depend on whether it facilitates the easing of tension in Syria, whether it helps the defusing of differences through political dialogue, whether it contributes to maintaining peace and security in the Middle East,” he added.

“Most importantly, it should depend on the compliance with the UN Charter and the principle of non-interference,” Li noted.

October 4th, 2011, 8:55 pm

 

ann said:

US walks out after Syria charges genocide – updated 39 minutes ago

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44779361/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

UNITED NATIONS — U.S. diplomats walked out of the U.N. Security Council after Syria’s ambassador accused the United States of being a party to “genocide” by protecting Israel and using its veto to deny the Palestinians their rights.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice led the walkout Tuesday while Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari was speaking. That happened after Russia and China vetoed a resolution threatening sanctions against President Bashar Assad’s regime if it didn’t immediately halt violence against civilians.

Ja’afari said without naming the U.S. that it used its Security Council veto 50 times since 1945 to protect Israel and therefore could be considered a party to “genocide, as this language is tantamount to turning a blind eye and supporting the Israeli massacres in occupied Arab lands.”

October 4th, 2011, 9:01 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Tara,

OK.

Anyway, I was going to chime in about all the “Assad has to step down now or else” comments coming from the US Administration.

Running these words through my political-ese translation app, I got the following:

“Assad can do what he wants, because none of us really care”

Hope this doesn’t disappoint anyone. We may have to wait for a republican and another 17 UNSC resolution to get Besho to back down.

October 4th, 2011, 9:02 pm

 

ann said:

Zainab Alhusni appears at Syria TV & turns Media Up-side Down

04/10/2011

http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=98772

VIDEO: http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?articleid=98769

DAMASCUS- Syria state-run TV, the Syrian TV, aired at its main news on Tuesday reportage and footage of the alleged “Syrian Female Martyr Zainab Alhusni”.

Zainab refuted on air all total news regarding her death and other bad and offensive details regarding her death story. She was speaking at Syrian TV and holding her Syrian ID at footage that turns all footages and video reports, which have been broadcasting at social media networks regarding her death, up-side down and refuted all reports about being kidnapped, raped, and killed and tear into pieces by Syrian officials along with their “Shabeiha” according to activists alleged reports.

DAMASCUS- Syria state-run TV, the Syrian TV, aired at its main news on Tuesday reportage and footage of the alleged “Syrian Female Martyr Zainab Alhusni”.

Zainab refuted on air all total news regarding her death and other bad and offensive details regarding her death story. She was speaking at Syrian TV and holding her Syrian ID at footage that turns all footages and video reports, which have been broadcasting at social media networks regarding her death, up-side down and refuted all reports about being kidnapped, raped, and killed and tear into pieces by Syrian officials along with their “Shabeiha” according to activists alleged reports.

October 4th, 2011, 9:12 pm

 

Amir in Tel Aviv said:

Tara,

I’m not surprised to hear it from someone who traveled to Beirut to admire Nasrallah.
.

October 4th, 2011, 9:25 pm

 

jad said:

ANN,
You are right, it’s Yom Kippur 1973 again, 2 vetos by Russia and China. They knew that the plan is more than one ‘innocent’ resolution and that the West will start the bombing as soon as the resolution will pass.

Enjoy!
???? ???? ????? ????????
http://youtu.be/OIQnXOGlsk0

So Dr. Haytham, how is your and Dr. boring ZiBALEH (Ziadeh) criminal plan for the no fly zone and bombing and killing all Syrians going?
Not a very good day for it, I bet!

God willing that Syria and Syrians will never have to go through the bloody criminal ideas of yours, promoting violence is evil.

October 4th, 2011, 9:35 pm

 

ann said:

Zainab al-Hosni, the “Flower of Syria,” Alive and on TV:

Will Corporate Media and Human Rights Organizations Issue Corrections?

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/furuhashi041011.html

Zainab al-Hosni dubbed the “Flower of Syria,” who the Syrian opposition claimed was tortured and murdered, burned and decapitated, by the Syrian government, has just appeared on Syrian TV, very much alive. Here is the video of the TV interview with Zainab, who says she fled from her family home because her brothers were beating her:

The case of opposition propaganda about Zainab al-Hosni is particularly noteworthy because this is one that Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the most influential human rights organizations, both eagerly seized upon, seeking to turn its sensationalist character into a spur to prod the UN Security Council to act against Syria.

Will AI and HRW, and corporate media such as CNN, France24, and the Associated Press, which followed the human rights organizations and also uncritically promulgated the Syrian opposition claim, issue corrections? Or will they continue chasing after a new Syrian opposition remake of Kuwait’s “incubator babies” story or the Libyan rebels’ “African mercenaries” story?

October 4th, 2011, 9:37 pm

 

zoo said:

Ann

The story of Zeinab al Husny is the Halloween gory version of the Gay Girl in Damascus: Pure lies and manipulation.

On the US walk out at UN, hat off for Bashar Al Jaafari for reminding the UN of the endless list of vetoes the US had made to protect the criminal actions of Israel.

October 4th, 2011, 9:39 pm

 

bronco said:

Tara

You won! Heckle will croak again to your delight and my teeth grinding…

October 4th, 2011, 9:41 pm

 

Ya Mara Ghalba said:

While I’m waiting for one of you experts to affirm or infirm the claim that the Syrian Baath Party is 80% to 90% Sunni, here’s a recyle of something I said back in July.

Syria’s Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa (who is a longtime member of the Baath Party) said in July that Syria is “immune to sectarianism”. That’s an overstatement, as LOUAI from Homs convincingly told us the other day. But it’s mostly and essentially true. The key reason it’s true is that most Syrian Sunnis do not support sectarian politics. The Sunnis have a strong numerical majority in Syria (pick your percentage, I hear about 74%). They ultimately control the country thereby. Nothing important can happen and be sustained in Syria if Sunnis object to it. The Syrian Establishment is predominantly Sunni. The Syrian Establishment happily encompasses all religions (and all parts of the country) and a necessary condition for that reality is that the Sunni majority wants it to be that way — to their great credit. The non-Sunni minorities as such have no political power, except when they take sides in a dispute among the Sunnis in which the Sunnis are about evenly divided. Whether the non-Sunnis have got more sectarian mindsets than the Sunnis, or would be capable of destroying the country like they destroyed Lebanon and Iraq if they had more numbers, is a moot question because all matters related to sectarianism in Syria are decided by the Sunnis.

October 4th, 2011, 9:44 pm

 

ann said:

JAD, I was only sarcastically delivering the good news to our resident `neocon village idiots

October 4th, 2011, 9:47 pm

 

Tara said:

There was a female body found in a military hospital, beheaded, tortured, burned, and mutilated by Bashar al Assad thugs. Who care what the name is! This was a horrendous crime even if the girl’s name was not Zainab.

October 4th, 2011, 9:48 pm

 

Ales said:

Another spin on “Syrian Female Martyr” story, this time about Syria starting regional war:
1: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-258900-report-assad-told-davutoglu-syria-would-set-fire-on-israel-if-nato-attacks.html

2:http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/assad-syria-will-shower-tel-aviv-with-rockets-if-attacked-by-foreign-powers-1.388135

3: http://en.trend.az/regions/met/turkey/1940478.html

Rather funny how Turkey news are reporting false information about their own country, without checking facts. Just another example how easy it is to be deceived these times. Media is routinely presenting unproven news.

There’s a media war going on, don’t trust anyone. Funny thought, it’s probably safer to believe SANA than Western media news about events in Syria at this point. Why, because any news by SANA is critically observed/commented by all Western/Arab media. Errors are found out and pointed at. SANA can’t really afford to publish huge/deliberate errors. On other side, Western media produces many more articles. Some are good, but many of them are 3rd or 4th hand originating from government or Syria opposition, both with their own agenda (which is not truth, it’s more support for political goals). No one is really checking these news critically, because it’s hard, it’s against already established line and not really interesting to average western reader.

October 4th, 2011, 9:53 pm

 

zoo said:

A very long but insightful, very well documented and elegiac article on Syria in peace and turmoil by Theo Padmos a writer who lived there.
Note that the title does not really reflects the content.

The Cult: The Twisted, Terrifying Last Days of Assad’s Syria

http://www.tnr.com/article/world/95722/syria-damascus-bashar-basil-al-assad-sunni-alawi

October 4th, 2011, 9:57 pm

 

Tara said:

Amir

I would be very surprised if you were surprised. Palestine is part of our psych as Arab. There is no single Arab who do not believe that the current state of Israel in it’s entirety is occupied land. Israel was established in 1948. The land before then was inhabited and owned by the palestinians, some of them were jews. There was no Israel before that except in 2000 BC. Above is the summary of the most deepest conviction of any Arab. It is even stronger than any religious conviction in some. The only thing I prayed for giving birth to each of my children at the exact moment of their birth, each one of them was the end of the suffering of the Palestinian people. Our conviction of the Palestinian cause as Arab is as strong as the conviction of Jews that Israel is their promised lands. So we are indeed two people with equivalent deeply rooted conviction that the land is theirs.

October 4th, 2011, 10:02 pm

 

zoo said:

#113
Tara

On what basis are you making such accusation? Aren’t you looking for a an easy scapegoat for all crimes happening in the area?

In my opinion, it could very well be a “honor” killings common in the middle east and that often use beating and beheading of the poor victim.

Read this , there are many cases like this one.

“Women Are Being Beheaded for Taking Their Veil Off”: Honor Killings On Rise in Iraq
In Basra alone, police acknowledge that 15 women a month are murdered for breaching Islamic dress codes. Others say the number is higher.

http://www.alternet.org/world/83710/

October 4th, 2011, 10:11 pm

 
 

syau said:

Tara,

Contrary to your ridiculous claims, murders and mutilations, decapitations and so forth have not been committed by anyone affiliated with the government. The horrific crimes we have witnessed and heard of are attributed to the ‘peaceful’ terrorists of this revolution, the same ones you seem to be supporting.

From the murders and mutilations of civilians, security and army personnel, to the assassinations of Syrian intellectuals and the recent murder of the son ofSyria’s Grand Mufti, all at the hands of the terrorists affiliated with the Syrian revolution of terror.

Stop spreading your vicious propaganda nonsense. This revolution of terror is not the Cinderella narrative you attempt to portray.

October 4th, 2011, 10:17 pm

 

Tara said:

To all regime supporters

Do not be over-thrilled today with what happened in the UNSC when Russia and China vetoed the resolution against Bashar al Assad. Remember, nations have no permanent friends or allies, they have permanent interests. It will take a twist or two for things to change and Russia and China find their interest somewhere else. The Syrian people after shattering their wall of fear are well fit for that marathon. The development of almost united opposition is a turning point and will eventually change the equation drastically. The revolution has already demonstrated amazing resilience and perseverance and it will eventually prevail.

October 4th, 2011, 10:19 pm

 

zoo said:

Turkey starts military drill at Syrian border
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
ANKARA/PRETORIA
The Turkish military stages an exercise near the Syrian border as Prime Minister Erdo?an signals sanctions are on the way against Syria.
….
Military exercises on Syrian border

Turkey’s military exercises are likely to coincide with Erdo?an planned visit to Hatay. The military said in a statement on its website Tuesday that the maneuvers would take place in the southern province between Oct. 5 and 13. Turkey has earlier said it had stopped two ships carrying arms to Syria.

The aim of the exercises is to test “the mobilization and the communication between the ministries, public institutions and Turkish army in case of a war,” said the military.
{…}
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey-starts-military-drill-at-syrian-border-2011-10-04

October 4th, 2011, 10:19 pm

 

jad said:

Dear Ghufran,
I liked this article and I think that you may like it too

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

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

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http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=465&EditionId=1969&ChannelId=46525

October 4th, 2011, 10:21 pm

 

zoo said:

Russia and China veto UN resolution on Syria

Published: 5 October, 2011, 02:47

Members of the UN Security Council have voted on a draft resolution on Syria on Tuesday. The resolution was not passed with nine votes in favor, two against, and four abstentions, with Russia and China voting against the proposed resolution.

Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said that Russia did not support the resolution because it was based on a totally different philosophy, “a philosophy of confrontation,” and contained “an ultimatum of sanctions.”

China’s ambassador, Li Bandong, said his country had opposed the resolution because “sanctions, or threat of sanctions, do not help the situation in Syria but rather complicate the situation.”

The US ambassador, Susan Rice, expressed “outrage” at the UN Security Council’s failure to pass a resolution on Syria, saying that the “council has utterly failed to address an urgent moral challenge and a growing threat to regional peace and security.”

“Today, two members have vetoed a vastly watered-down text that doesn’t even mention sanctions,” she added. “Those who oppose this resolution and give cover to a brutal regime will have to answer to the Syrian people – and indeed to people across the region.”

In order for the resolution to be adopted, nine of the 15 Security Council members had to support it, with none of the veto-wielding members voting against.

The vote followed weeks of debate over whether to impose sanctions against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Many countries had been working on finding a text that could result in a compromise among the 15 Security Council members.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Gennady Gatilov, said that the current resolution was “unacceptable” as it envisaged sanctions and did not call on Assad’s government to start talks with the opposition, Interfax news agency reported.

Many Security Council members do not want Syria to turn into another Libya. Russia and China cast a veto on resolution, as its text left the door open for further sanctions.

Russia repeatedly said that it would not support any text in a resolution that would leave the door open for sanctions, so Britain, France, Germany and Portugal dropped the word ‘sanctions’ from their draft resolution.

The US, Turkey, and other countries had independently imposed sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. But all this time Russia was spearheading more negotiations, and rejected resolution drafts put forward by other UN members.

Protests in Syria erupted in March and during the government’s harsh response more than 2700 people have since died, according to the UN’s own figures.
http://rt.com/news/russia-resolution-syria-members-081/print/

October 4th, 2011, 10:28 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

New Android App, Free Download

On the US walk out at UN, hat off for Bashar Al Jaafari for reminding the UN of the endless list of vetoes the US had made to protect the criminal actions of Israel.

Zoo,

The phrase “criminal actions of Israel” was fed into my new translation app, and it spit out “Israel’s self-defense”, which was easily recognized as the culprit for this little misunderstanding. Thank G-d I got this app, it really saves a lot of time and energy. No need to buy Rosetta Stone, etc.

If you want, I can run some Syrian phrases like “armed terrorist groups” to see exactly who the Syrian government is really talking about.

Anyway, here’s what happens when 1 Zionist country is represented in the UN along with 22 arab countries and an equal number of muslim countries, most of which, turn a blind eye to the terrorists they support in order to black-mail everyone else.

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

Next President??

http://www.hermancain.com/the-issues

October 4th, 2011, 10:28 pm

 

Tara said:

Bronco @ 111

I started to like you. Please don’t grind your teeth too long, you may end up with TMJ. What is our next bet?

October 4th, 2011, 10:29 pm

 

HANS said:

I looked at the total number of the people who voted here and it is 111 which means there is only 111 individuals who are reading or participating in this blog as active people( I am aware that there are people who may not have voted) but those are not probably as active as the one who voted.
The reason I am bringing this issue here is that the one who voted are probably the ones who keep posting all the time and I see people who post more than once a day and some who don’t have anything to do ( have no life) but post here. It is irritating to see the same person posting many times a day and most of the time it is either repeat of lies, propaganda or BS from the the media, I am not going to say it is not their right to say/do what ever s/he wants to do but it makes the person less credible. I am sorry to say this is not the Syrian Facebook if you want to chat and gossip and have good time, you can do that on FB. Let’s keep this blog just for credible, respectful, democratic conversation.

October 4th, 2011, 10:33 pm

 

jad said:

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

???? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? 13 ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????.
???? ?????? ?????? – ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ???? «???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????» ???? ??????????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? «?????? ??? ????????».
?? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??? ?????. ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????????? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ????? «?? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ???»? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??????. ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ????????? ????????? – ????????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??? ????????? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ????. ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ????????? ????? ?????: ???????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ?????? (?????? ? 2).

??? ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ????????? ??? ?????????? ?????????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? 5 ?? ?????? ???? ??? 10 ???? ?????? ??? ????? (?????? ? 14).
????? ???????? ?? ????????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? «?????» ?? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????. ???? «?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ???????»? ????? «???? ????? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ????????? ?????? ???????».
????? ??????? «?? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????. ???? ?????? ?????? ?????. ?? ?????? ?? ????: ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????». ????? «????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???????»? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????. ????? «??? ?? ????? ??? ????????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????».
?????? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????. ?????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ????????? «?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?2011? ??? ?? ????????? ??????? ????? 2011? ????? ?? ????????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? 5 ?13 ????? ?????».
?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???. ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ????????? ?730 ?? ???? ???????? ???????? ?? ?????????.
????? ????????? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ???????.
????? ????? «????????» ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? «?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????». ???? «??? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??????». ????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ???????? «?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?????».
???? ?????
???? ?????? ?????? ? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ???? «???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????» ???? ??????????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? «?????? ??? ????????».
???? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? «?????»? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ????????? ??????. ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? «?????».
???? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ??????? ????? ??? «??? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????» ??? ????? ??????. ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ???? «?????? ???????? ???????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ?????».
???? ?????? ?????? ? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? 2008.
???? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? «????? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ????????». ????? «???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????».
????? ??????? «????? ?? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ??????? ?????????». ???? «?? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ??????». ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ???????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????.
??? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????. ????? «???? ??? (?????) ??? 14 ????? ?? ??? 15. ?????? ????? ?? ?????. ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? (??????) ???? ??????».
????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?? ????? ??? ??????. ???? «???? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ????????? ??? ??????? ????».
????
???? ???? ?????? ???????? ????? ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?????. ???? ????? ?? ?????? ?? «?? ?? ??»? ??? ?? «????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ?????». ???? «???????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????? ???????».
??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? 24 ?25 ?????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? «?????» ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????????? ?? ????? 2007 .
????????
???? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???????.
???? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ????? «??? ???? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??????????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??????». ????? «??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ????».
???? ??????? ???? ????? ???????? ???????? ????? ?????? «?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ???????? ?? ?????». ????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? «????? ????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? (????? ????) ???? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ????????».
????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???????? ?? ????? «???? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ??????? ? ???? ? ???? ?? ??? ??????? (?? ????) ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ?????. ??? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ???????» ?? ????. ????? ?????? ??? «???? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ??????».
???? ?????? «????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ????? 52 ???? ????? ??????? ?? ?? ?? ???????» ?? ???. ????? «????» ?? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? «?????? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????».
(«??????»? ????? ? ? ?? ? ?? ??????)

http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=1969&ChannelId=46525&ArticleId=515&Author=

October 4th, 2011, 10:33 pm

 

MicK said:

#113 Tara

Where were you in 2007 during the duscussion of honor killings????? Where women were treated as nothing but material and the grand mufti stood up for them?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/magazine/23wwln-syria-t.html?pagewanted=all

The Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr Eddin Hassoun, Syria’s highest-ranking Islamic teacher, has condemned honor killing and Article 548 in unequivocal terms. Earlier this year, when we met for a rare interview in his spacious office on the 10th floor of Syria’s ministry of religious endowments, he told me, “It happens sometimes that a misogynistic religious scholar will argue that women are the source of all kinds of evil.” In fact, he said, the Koran does not differentiate between women and men in its moral laws, requiring sexual chastity of both, for example. The commonly held view that Article 548 is derived from Islamic law, he said, is false.

With his tightly wound white turban and giant pearl ring, the grand mufti is one of Syria’s most recognizable public figures. He is a charismatic and generally popular sheik, but because he is appointed by the state, many Syrians believe that his views reflect those of the ruling party, and they may find his teachings suspect as a result. In downtown Damascus, one man I interviewed on the street declared that the grand mufti was not a “real Muslim” if he believed in canceling Article 548. “It’s an Islamic law to kill your relative if she errs,” said the man, who gave his name as Ahmed and said that he learned of Zahra’s story on Syrian television. “If the sheik tries to fight this, the people will rise up and slit his throat.”

Which side do you sit on? The throat slitting side?

October 4th, 2011, 10:35 pm

 

Pirouz said:

Impressive show of support by Russia and China towards Syria, in preventing another NATO war in MENA. Likewise, BRIC wasn’t having it.

It’s interesting that the Western directed military excess exerted upon Libya is quite probably what is saving Syria from a NATO military campaign, as well as UN sanctions intended to bring about regime change.

We often read in the Western MSM that Iran is Syria’s only ally. Obviously this is not true, and obviously Iran could never hope to provide this level of political support in the UN.

October 4th, 2011, 10:39 pm

 

Tara said:

Zoo @ 117

Pattern recognition is my answer. Syria is not Iraq and the people in Syria are very much different than the people in Iraq. Syrians are milder and more cosmopolitan to be subtle. The beheading, torture, and mutilation is not “made in Syria” industry and is not the pattern of honor crime. Moreover, if it was an honor crime, the body would have been buried somewhere right away by the family not found in the morgue of a military hospital. The Muslim’s tradition as I am sure you are aware is to burry the body right away.

The regime over the last 6 month has restored to torture and mutilation of the detainees then to return the bodies to the family to terrorize them even more in order to silence them forever. This work can’t be the work of “armed gangs” either. Why would the armed gangs kill the girl and then happily deliver her body to the military hospital?

October 4th, 2011, 10:44 pm

 

Tara said:

Sayu @119

Are you trying to silence me?

I post what I want when I want.

Above statements are Profound. Right? I like them too. ( but for some reason they sound very mild coming from tara)

See my above answer to Zoo

October 4th, 2011, 10:50 pm

 

Darryl said:

Hey Akbar Palace:

Mate, most of your posts are rants of shedding crocodile tears for the Syrians. Mean while, there is a whole lot of people under your comrades occupation in Palestine who can really really use a bit of Sympathy that is endlessly overflowing from your heart and I am sure they would love to hear a word of support from you.

How about if you try to make some of us feel a little less bad about the state of Syrian politics and perhaps just provide a bit of support to the Palestinians. Given this is the internet and we all hide behind a keyboard, you may not even have to mean it all. But it may help some one feel better in Occupied Palestine.

October 4th, 2011, 10:56 pm

 

jad said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???????? ??????? ?????? “????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?????????? ??????? ????????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ????? 11 ????? (??????) 2001 ” ?????? ?? “??????? ???? ????? “?????” ??????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ???? (??????) ” ?? ???????? ????????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ????”.

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

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

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

???? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ?”????? ??? ???? ?????”. ???? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? (?????) ??????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ??????? ????????? ?11 ???? ?????.

October 4th, 2011, 11:00 pm

 

Syrian Nationalist Party said:

@Majdkhaldoon the reptilian god worshiper said:

“…….SNP, obviously you do not worship God, because you never miss a chance to defend your God Bashar…”

Leave god out of this, you do not know god, you worship SIN the Reptilian Alien Moon God (ALLAH):

http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/islam.htm
http://www.alphanewsdaily.com/Islam's%20Allah-TheMoonGod.html
http://sakina.wikidot.com/arabian-deities
http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-photos-moon-worship-archealolgy.htm
http://www.doomsdayguide.org/UFO/ufo_and_jinn.htm
http://amirfatir.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/et.htm
http://surrenderingislam.com/
http://surrenderingislam.com/surrendering-islam/muslim-brotherhood
http://surrenderingislam.com/surrendering-islam/saudis

“…,who will go to the trash bin of history……..”

Unfortunately from what I know, go hide in the cellar when that starts. Planet earth is going down the trash as well; I trust the bible and it say this:

Zechariah 13:8 :
In the whole land,” declares the LORD, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.

Revelation 8:7
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Revelation 8:10
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

Ezekiel 5:12
A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword.

And here is your GOD:

Isaiah 14:12
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Ann Barnhardt:
The head of Barnhardt Capital Management, Inc.: “It’s over. There is no coming back from this. The only thing that can happen is a total and complete collapse of EVERYTHING we now know, and humanity starts from scratch. And if you think that this collapse is going to play out without one hell of a big hot war, you are sadly, sadly mistaken.”

October 4th, 2011, 11:09 pm

 

Ghufran said:

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

October 4th, 2011, 11:13 pm

 

Haytham Khoury said:

Burhan Ghalioun Group

October 4th, 2011, 11:16 pm

 

ann said:

A word from your peaceful and friendly Opposition National Council:

October 4th, 2011, 11:24 pm

 

Haytham Khoury said:

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

October 4th, 2011, 11:29 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Darryl’s Quest to bring Joy to Palestine

Mate, most of your posts are rants of shedding crocodile tears for the Syrians.

Darryl,

I am not shedding crocodile tears for the Syrians. I am sure most of them are moderate individuals who only want freedom from a regime that treats them like khara. One thing is for sure – they’re brave.

FYI, we Jews know what it is like when the world turns its face on a forgotten people. So a few hundred UNGA resolutions doesn’t faze us. Go figure.

The Syrians are really in the same boat. The Iraqis understand it too. The difference is, the Syrians are too proud to plead for help, especially from Jews, Israel and perhaps the US. Jews didn’t have that luxury, there was NO ONE waiting to be asked for assistance.

So my motives are peace with the Syrian people, not some tin-pan despot like Saddam Hussein or the Sunglass Warrior from Libya.

Mean while, there is a whole lot of people under your comrades occupation in Palestine who can really really use a bit of Sympathy that is endlessly overflowing from your heart and I am sure they would love to hear a word of support from you.

Those living “under my comrades occupation” are about 4% of those living in the West Bank and 0% of those living in Gaza. My heart would respond positively once they decide they are interested in living at peace with her Jewish State neighbor and stop firing steel model rockets. A tough choice admittedly. Over half the participants here would begin to vomit if something like that ever happened.

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

How about if you try to make some of us feel a little less bad about the state of Syrian politics and perhaps just provide a bit of support to the Palestinians.

My support would become apparent when Abbas returns to the negotiating table.

Given this is the internet and we all hide behind a keyboard, you may not even have to mean it all. But it may help some one feel better in Occupied Palestine.

I’ll try to think of something. Bomb a skyscraper?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,34187,00.html

October 4th, 2011, 11:30 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Thanks jad
??? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ? ????? ? ?????? ??????
??? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????????
???? ?????? ???? ???
???? ???????? ????? ? ????? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? ? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?? ???????? ? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ?????????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ? ??????
??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ???????????

October 4th, 2011, 11:32 pm

 

jad said:

Haytham,
-Your friend Ghalyoun need to educate his team about Syria:
In Syria, ethnic and religious minorities do not make 40% of the population and the Kurds don’t make 20% and they are NOT secular as she claimed.

-from the images and the interviews with the Alawites in Homs the situation sounds and looks catastrophic.

-I hope that Amnesty report to the BBC is not as accurate as their documented Zainab Housni report.

October 4th, 2011, 11:46 pm

 

abbas said:

The private sector will not suffer a 10% loss, they will pass it along to the consumers and prices will not go down now that the ban was lifted, everything that goes up must come down is true for everything except prices

October 4th, 2011, 11:46 pm

 

Dale Andersen said:

Memo To: AKBARIO PALAZZO

RE: “…the Syrians are too proud to plead for help…”

Correction. Replace “proud” with “dumb” as in dumb-as-dirt.

We’re referring here to a race of people whose chief exports are Arab soap operas. For the past thousand years or so, their principal activity has been feuding amongst themselves to the vast amusement of their neighbors.

Syrians are proud the way Austrians are proud. You go to Austria today and you see a small, not-very-imposing country. When you read the history, you learn that many, many years ago, Austria was a great power. No one can tell you quite when or to what degree but there was a time in the misty past when it was so. The same is true of Syria. Except that Syria’s days of power and pride and prominence were in the days before the prophet when the Seleucid and Byzantine monarchs reigned supreme. Most Syrians know very little about them. The Muslim clerics discourage studying the history of humanity before Islam was invented.

Sadly enough, since the Arab invasions, foreign invaders have ruled Syria: Arabs, Turks, Crusaders, Mongols, Kurds (Saladin was a Kurd), French, the Assads. I predict the next foreign ruler to be Iran.

So hang onto your pride, Syrians. It won’t buy you anything. It won’t put food on your table. But it might help get you through a long Persian night…

October 5th, 2011, 12:10 am

 

Sunny said:

This article “The Cult: The Twisted, Terrifying Last Days of Assad’s Syria” came from untrustworthy source!

October 5th, 2011, 12:15 am

 

jad said:

Ghufran,
Election without having a democratic and healthy political environment wont solve anything, it’ll be meaningless and a big lie where the same regime will easily win (by manipulation and intimidation) over the powerless opposition.
Democracy doesn’t flourish overnight, it doesn’t flourish under a dictatorship, it doesn’t flourish under radicals and above all it doesn’t flourish during funerals.

October 5th, 2011, 12:20 am

 

Darryl said:

144. DALE ANDERSEN said:

Dale Anderson, I would like to thank you (I mean it). Your posts always have something in them that make me laugh. Sometimes I even laugh when I recall them outside the office, keep it up. I much prefer them to reading AKBARIO PALAZZO crocodile tear comments.

October 5th, 2011, 12:29 am

 

syau said:

Ann,

That sums up the Opposition National Council perfectly.

Tara,

Silence you? I’m merely pointing out the propaganda nonsense you are trying to spread. Advising you to stop spreading such rubbish is for the simple reason that while you attack other people’s comments and call them idiotic, you make some ridiculously idiotic claims yourself.

By the way, you’re talking about yourself in the third person again, a little strange don’t you think?

October 5th, 2011, 12:54 am

 

Hans said:

Zenab Alhusni told everyone she run away because her brothers beat her up! they are very conservative family she prays everyday! uneducated young lady, I am surprise her family has not sold her to a male yet. She is 18 and that means she is too old not be be sold for marriage in a family like this, I am very happy that she is well and alive and all the lies about her are exposed. it is clear how much in this blog there are lies and people spreading hate and propaganda.

That’s the democracy the radicals want to have in Syria. Women are beating by their brothers! not educated, sold like goods, and their throats slained for crimes never committed by these innocent girls. It is the way in Afganistan, or Saudi Arabia. That’s why many of the Syrians are against the opposition and rather have secular and progressing country instead of backward people ruling Syria and reigning the next dictator of Syria who is going to be a radical by his soul and mind.

The Syrians are not ready for western style democracy, unless it is going to have a radical democracy which has no democracy in it, based on the Sharia Law which belongs to the stone age and the clerics belongs to psychiatric hospitals rather then ruling a country like Syria. There are people on this blog who won’t admit to this concept but it is clear to many others that’s what is heading toward Syria if the opposition takes power.

October 5th, 2011, 1:03 am

 

MNA said:

Tara @ 122

“To all regime supporters

Do not be over-thrilled today with what happened in the UNSC when Russia and China vetoed the resolution against Bashar al Assad. Remember, nations have no permanent friends or allies, they have permanent interests. It will take a twist or two for things to change and Russia and China find their interest somewhere else. The Syrian people after shattering their wall of fear are well fit for that marathon.”

I 100% agree with your above statement, but does this apply to the US and your for ever hero Amb Ford?

October 5th, 2011, 5:14 am

 

ann said:

Saudi Arabia Vows ‘Iron Fist’ After Attack in Oil Province

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/10/04/bloomberg_articlesLSKWKU6JTSEB.DTL

Oct. 5 (Bloomberg) — Saudi Arabia vowed to use “an iron fist” after 11 members of the security forces were injured by attackers during unrest in a Shiite Muslim town in the east, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

The government accused an unidentified “foreign country” of seeking to undermine the stability of the kingdom as a result of the violence in Awwamiya, in which the assailants, some on motorcycles, used machine guns and Molotov cocktails, the Riyadh-based news service reported late yesterday. A man and two women were also injured, it said.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil supplier, escaped the mass protests that toppled the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia this year and spread to Saudi neighbors Yemen and Bahrain. There were rallies earlier in the year in mostly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia, including Awwamiya and al-Qatif village.

Predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia has accused Shiite-led Iran of interfering in the affairs of Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, home to three-fifths of the world’s oil reserves. Iran denies the charge and accuses Sunni rulers in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia of discriminating against Shiites. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries sent troops to Bahrain in March to quell the mainly Shiite unrest.

‘Greater Trouble Ahead’

“Given that this happened in the predominantly Shiite area of Saudi Arabia, in its east, this could be a sign of greater trouble ahead,” Paul Sullivan, a political scientist specializing in Middle East security at Georgetown University in Washington, said yesterday in response to e-mailed questions. “It could easily ratchet up Saudi-Iran tensions.”

King Abdullah announced $130 billion in spending in February and March in response to the spread of unrest in the Middle East. The kingdom’s senior religious scholars responded by issuing a statement calling protests un-Islamic, ahead of a so-called Day of Rage planned for March 11 in Saudi Arabia. Protesters stayed off the streets amid a high security presence.

“Using motorcycles is a new tactic in Saudi Arabia,” said Theodore Karasik, director of research at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. “It is a new way to get around security forces. Oil prices will likely rise because of the nature of the attack and if the violence continues.”

Oil gained for the first day in four in New York after a surprise drop in U.S. crude stockpiles led investors to reduce bets that prices will decline. Crude for November delivery rose 2.8 percent to $77.75 a barrel at 6:45 a.m. in London.

‘Discrimination Condoned’

Saudi Arabia produced 9.8 million barrels of oil a day in September, while Iran pumped 3.6 million barrels a day, according to Bloomberg data.

Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority is concentrated in its eastern oil-producing hub. The U.S. State Department said in a human-rights report on Saudi Arabia published in 2009 that Shiites face “significant political, economic, legal, social and religious discrimination condoned by the government.”

The rioters must decide whether “their loyalty is with their homeland or to that state and its authorities,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The attack took place at 9 p.m. local time on Oct. 3, the news service said.

The government called on “rational members of their families, those of whose loyalties we have no doubts, to bear their responsibilities towards their sons,” the interior ministry said. “Otherwise, all will bear the consequences of their actions.”

Saudi-Iran Tension

Bahrain’s Saudi-backed rulers detained hundreds of people, most of them sharing Iran’s Shiite faith, following a crackdown on protesters who held rallies in February and March to demand a more representative government. At least 35 people were killed during the clashes. Shiites represent about 70 percent of Bahrain’s population, according to the U.S. State Department, while its hereditary rulers are Sunni.

“What we may be beginning to see is the response to the crackdown in Bahrain,” Karasik said in a phone interview. “There may be more radical, new groups, who are attacking Saudi security forces in terms of the Sunni-Shiite divide.”

Saudi Arabia, which holds 20 percent of the world’s oil reserves, enforces restrictions interpreted from the Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam. In addition to the restrictions on women, the government limits the practices of other branches of Islam.

October 5th, 2011, 6:25 am

 

Tara said:

MNA @ 151

Good comeback!

Of course it applies to all nations including the US. I hope it does not apply to people. Therefore if the US suddenly changed course and start hailing Bashar as an eternal leader, I expect Amb Ford to resign, otherwise I will be ready to recall my flowers and all my previous statements in his regard.

October 5th, 2011, 7:12 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

We’re referring here to a race of people whose chief exports are Arab soap operas. For the past thousand years or so, their principal activity has been feuding amongst themselves to the vast amusement of their neighbors.

Dale Andersen,

I agree, it would be great if the Syrian opposition would clearly ask for help, and work with Israel in some fashion, but if they did this, they would lose credibility with their own people. Right now they’re between a rock and a hard place. I’ll leave it to the Syrians here to agree or disagree with me. My experience here on SC has told me that siding with Israel is still a taboo subject.

Syrians are proud the way Austrians are proud.

I don’t know. I tend to believe that people have the same aspirations as everyone else. Sure they’re are cultural differences, but the bottom line is that everyone wants to be treated with respect. Bashing Israel has become so ingrained into the Arab psyche, that working together on a political level is probably out of the question.

October 5th, 2011, 7:16 am

 

SYRIAN HAMSTER said:

LAW OF THE VILLAGE

ANN @ 114
Every village has but a single idiot, and no one would dare to challenge you.

Ignorance is a bliss, when it doesn’t kill others

October 5th, 2011, 9:07 pm

 

Hiba said:

Alex,

The report of Ghadi Francis clearly states the destiny of the smuggled weapons. The arms dealer says;

..”You call it smuggling.. I don’t call it that.. Others would call it JIHAD!!.. It’s a JIHADI act, because this is a dangerous job that aims to support the “Syrian Revolution”.. Smugglers may lose their lives over it.”

This is another report in the Daily Star back in May;

…”Motives for Syrians to purchase weapons appear to be driven by anger at the bloody crackdown by Syrian security forces and by a need for self-protection should the country descend into sectarian violence in the weeks and months ahead.”

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/May-09/Black-market-arms-sales-up-on-Syria-demand.ashx#axzz1Lqkw1XGI

Of course, it’s up to the opposition to carry on with their denial, but most of us, Syrians, do KNOW what they say is far from the truth, and their credibility record has long been damaged..

Thank you

October 15th, 2011, 9:08 am

 

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