The Syrian army should be given the free hand to restore peace and security with any mean necessary, they should stop the wishy washy, move on reform and security at the same time. the people are tired of the chaos that is there.

Heroism blooms all over Syria. Now Zabadani. Respect !

State terrorism and anarchy.
FSA fighter shows marks of destruction inflicted upon a civilian residence by Assad, “heroic” army shelling!
17/01/2012
شبكة قامشلو : الزبداني حصري التجول برفقة الجيش الحر 17-1

Norman

I know you are here from the beginning of the uprising. Can you tell me what is wishy washy about the crackdown of the uprising by the Army and the shabiha ? Do you mean that 6000+ deaths are wishy washy casulties? Is Hama with a modest calculation of 20.000 deaths( others say 40.000) more approriate or less wishy washy for you?
How can you and others talk of reform and reconsiliation with this murderous regime resisting to make any compromise or show humanity to its own people.

But now you add yourself to the choir i see here in Berlin who say that Bashar is too nice and soft, he should let Maher do the job.

1. Dear norman:
((The Syrian army should be given the free hand to restore peace and security with any mean necessary, they should stop the wishy washy, move on reform and security at the same time. the people are tired of the chaos that is ther))

The regime have ideed mobilised, and fully used all of its loyal 3alawi units to quel or at least stop the spread of the revolution yet to no avail!

The only way they could make a difference is for you to get down on it, command their forces, and show your real brutal colours by out performing war criminals; the Assad brothers.

Every time the regime engaged less than 100% loyal units they ended up watching their forces disintigrate and vanish into their nemesis, the FSA!

The only weapon they have not used is their fixed wing bombers.
More than you, they dearly wish if they could use their bombers to wipe off all of civil existance in Syria barring Qirdaha and some regime supportive quarters in Homs, Damascus, and Aleppo.

The bad news is air bombing, even if it works which I do not believe it will, is their catch 21.

Air bombing shall make Russia’s stance in the UN tennuous and kicks off the cascade of measures for real international military intervention.

Unrest ups robberies in Syria – 2012-01-18

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2012-01/18/c_131367490.htm

DAMASCUS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Apart from the violent and even bloody events prevailing in some parts of the country, Syria is also plagued by a dramatic surge in robberies and burglaries targeting shops, houses and cars.

Residents in the suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus have been talking about looters roaming the streets sometimes with knives, sticks and other weapons. The thugs have exploited the chaos caused by months of protests to ransack shops, prompting shop owners to close early at night.

In the Damascus suburb of Harasta, the owner of a grocery store told Xinhua that “I am nowadays closing my shop at five o’clock owing to the rise in acts of looting shops in the street that I live by… The street is almost empty from people out of fear of looting and theft.”

Pharmacies, which usually remain open at night, are now closing early after repeated incidents of armed robbery.

Syria’s state-run newspapers and private news websites have reported several looting incidents across the country.

A pharmacist in the northern province of Aleppo was quoted by one of Syria’s official newspapers as saying that at least five pharmacies in the area were robbed in one month by masked men at night.

“Gangs usually pick the pharmacies whose windows do not overlook on the main streets,” said the pharmacist.

Due to the deteriorating security situation, some shop owners have installed surveillance cameras.

Power outages have also contributed in the increase of robberies.

“The government should at least lighten the streets at night to reduce robberies,” the owner of a clothes shop in Aleppo said.

Cases of carjacking have also increased in an unprecedented way. Residents at restive areas said looters smashed cars’ windshields in the early morning and stole their contents.

Taxi drivers are haunted by growing fears of being targeted by armed robbers.

“In the past, I didn’t mind to give a lift to passengers to anywhere they want in the country,” but this can not happen anymore “because I heard a lot of carjackings,” said Ali, a taxi driver.

Jewellers in downtown Damascus have almost emptied their windows as a precautionary measure. Some of them have gone further to entirely close their shops.

“I won’t open my shop till matters are settled down in the country,” said Johnny Bashour, who owns a gold shop in Damascus.

Street violence took a new form recently with marauding gangs sacking homes in a number of areas, including Damascus’ suburbs.

According to government reports, crimes in Damascus suburbs have increased by 400 percent since mid March.

Syrian pound has lost about 39 percent of its value against dollar since mid March, an economic expert told private al-Watan newspaper. With their own currency depreciating, Syrians have converted their savings into U.S. dollars or used the money to buy gold, which further raised the lust of thieves to rob houses.

“The government should tighten security measures and station more policemen in the country to prevent such acts,” said Laila Awad, a housewife.

The Syrian government has said that the turmoil in Syria is plotted by terrorists and foreign-backed armed gangs, and more than 2,000 army and security personnel have been killed during the 10-months-long unrest.

Here is a very smart Arab , I say LEADERSHIP, which Syria is missing and has been, so as Iran, run by half men with Made in UK stamped.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221741.html

Revlon your Syria is very tempting :loyal Alawi units! You and Alaaroor pigs will be building very secular nation.

Video showing announcement of the formation of new Battalion in the Governorate of Dar3a.

This video shows a unit with new uniforms and with rifles reflecting improvement in logistics of the FSA and loosening grip of the regime on their area.

المركز الإعلامي السوري تشكيل كتائب المعتز بالله في درعا القطاع الجنوب
غربي 17 1 2012

Russia opposes any foreign interventions in Syria – 2012-01-18

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/18/c_131367684.htm

MOSCOW, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Russia would not let the United Nations approve any foreign military intervention in Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

“We could hardly be able to prevent that if someone intends to use force by all means,” Lavrov said an annual press conference, adding that “but they will obtain no authorization from the UN Security Council.”

“We will not support any sanctions because the unilateral sanctions are imposed (against Syria) without any consultations with Russia and China. Now they want us to ‘bless’ the inexpedient decisions made without us,” Lavrov said.

“Everything must be decided in the UN Security Council,” he said.

Lavrov said the Libyan scenario cannot be extended to similar conflicts in other countries. Russia also protests against provoking humanitarian disaster in Syria as a means of coercing the government to use force.

“Everybody knows the arms have been brought to Syrian extremists who use the protest movement to seize power,” Lavrov said.

Many countries, including Russia and China, have called for dialogues between the relevant sides to resolve the Syrian issue.

China calls for cooperation with AL efforts in solving Syrian crisis – 2012-01-18

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-01/18/c_131367391.htm

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — China supports resolving the Syrian crisis within the framework of the Arab League (AL) and has called for relevant sides to fully coordinate with the AL, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin made the remark during a press briefing when asked to comment on the Syrian situation.

China supports the constructive efforts made by the AL in promoting a political approach to the Syrian issue and hopes the AL observer mission will continue to fulfill its duties in Syria, Liu said, adding that China hopes all relevant parties will join hands to create conditions for the settlement of the Syrian crisis.

Liu said safety conditions have improved in several major areas of Syria since the AL observer mission began to perform its duties, although violence in Syria has not been completely erased.

In response to a question regarding China’s thoughts on the prospect of the involvement of the UN Security Council, Liu said the council’s involvement will be conducive to easing the situation in Syria and will help to safeguard the peace and stability of the Middle East at large.

Regarding a new Russian draft resolution to the Syrian issue forwarded to the UN Security Council, Liu said China appreciates the constructive efforts made by Russia to solve the Syrian crisis and is willing to continue to participate in consultations based on the Russian draft.

Here is a nice loophole that holds the higher moral grounds. Rather than trying to send Arab troops directly to Syria, which will garner further support to Assad regime among Syrians and support his propaganda, it is more productive for the U.N. to pass resolution forcing Assad to make the political and economic reforms needed. The U.N. will proscribe those reforms that the regime must implement and set time limit on each step. Once a step or deadline is missed, the U.N. will have to mandate an all encompassing sanctions, including banning remittance from expats. Any State or non state actor violator of those sanctions can be targeted militarily by an Arab and or International coalition forces or faces equally harsh sanctions. The moral side is with the U.N. when its effort is reform centric rather than plain military and security one which appears to be a means for neo-colonialism and occupation.

I suspect the regime will try hard to cause tremendous damage to Zabadani, however we should not forget that Bashar has a house(it used to belong to his father) in Halayya just half kilometer east from the Zabadani square, there are many pictures and furniture of Assad there.
If Bashar troops are humiliated there,it will be a great defeat for Bashar,that mentioned, it is a defeat for HA,too this area has stores of weapons stacked there for HA, along with numerous tunnels between Syria and Lebanon,the regime will use planes to bombard the area, casualities could exceed 10,000 christian living in Bloudan has lived peacefully with Musslems, Bloudan is the residence of many officials, M.Nassif has a house just at the curve at the begining of Bloudan and so is Al Ahmar.Makhloof has a villa there,Khaddam had a large house close to Abu Zad,.
I never believed that Bashar will pull his troops out of Zabadani, The FSA can cause a tremendous damage to Assad troops, and I expect more defections, destroying Zabadani will extremely sadd3en the Elite in Damascus, they have a lot of houses there. there is no way the regime can take full control of Zabadani and Madhaya,and Bloudan it will be a long battle and costly one,it will anger the whole world since there will be a bad massacre.

I meant FSA can raid HA stores of weapons in Zabadani area,and arm themselves from it

They were emptied out long time ago, the flow is in reverse now, HA is sending munitions back.

new anthem new Syria!

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نائب منشق يتوقع سقوط النظام في دمشق خلال 3 شهور

عبدالاله مجيد GMT 9:00:00 2012 الأربعاء 18 يناير

في وقت اعتبر عضو مجلس الشعب السوري المنسق، عماد غليون، أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، سيسقط في غضون ثلاثة اشهر، بين استطلاع جديد للرأي ان نحو 55% من السوريين يؤيدون بقاء الأسد في السلطة ليس لشيء وانما بسبب خوفهم من المستقبل.

——————————————————————————–

توقع عضو مجلس الشعب السوري المنشق عماد غليون سقوط الرئيس بشار الأسد في غضون ثلاثة اشهر. وقال غليون الذي وصل إلى القاهرة يوم الأحد إن الوضع في مدينة حمص التي كان نائبها “أصعب مما يمكن أن يتصوره أحد”. ولكنه أضاف في حديث لصحيفة الديلي تلغراف أن الأزمة تدمر النظام من داخله.

وأكد غليون انه “من الناحية الاقتصادية لا يمكن للنظام أن يتحمل فترة أطول من شهرين وسياسيا لا يمكن أن يبقى أطول من شهرين. وتقديري أن النظام سينهار في غضون ثلاثة اشهر كحد أقصى”.

ويأتي حديث النائب غليون بعد أيام على توعد الأسد بالضرب بيد من حديد في التعامل مع خصومه الذين اتهمهم بالإرهاب.

ويعترف دبلوماسيون وحتى ناشطون معارضون بأن ميزان القوى في الداخل ما زال لصالح الأسد وان العسكريين الذين ينشقون وينتقلون إلى صفوف الجيش السوري الحر يشكلون نسبة ضئيلة من قوة النظام العسكرية.

ودعا الجيش السوري الحر يوم الاثنين إلى تدخل الأمم المتحدة بموجب الفصل السابع في ما يقول مراقبون انه دليل على قدراته المحدودة. ويجري الجيش السوري الحر الآن اتصالات منتظمة بالمجلس الوطني السوري لغرض التنسيق معه.

ولكن الواضح بالقدر نفسه أن قدرات النظام أيضا تتآكل ببطء. وتتبدى آثار الأزمة الاقتصادية بعد رحيل رؤوس الأموال بالاقتران مع العقوبات في انقطاع الكهرباء وارتفاع الأسعار.

في هذه الأثناء، تمكن المنتفضون في بعض المدن من السيطرة على مواقع والاحتفاظ بها طيلة أيام في مواجهة قصف الجيش وخاصة في حمص والزبداني التي تبعد عن دمشق نحو 30 كيلومترا.

كما تزداد عمليات المنتفضين جرأة في استهداف قوات النظام. ففي يوم الاثنين قُتل العميد محمد عبد الحميد العواد فيما قُتل ضابط وخمسة جنود في هجوم صاروخي استهدف حاجز تفتيش قرب دمشق، كما أفادت وكالة الأنباء السورية الرسمية “سانا”.

وقدمت روسيا التي رفضت كل إشكال التدخل في سوريا مشروع قرار في مجلس الأمن يدين أعمال العنف سواء كانت من جانب النظام أو المعارضة.

ويرى مراقبون أن الكثير يتوقف على ما ستقرره الجامعة العربية بعد الاستماع يوم السبت إلى تقرير بعثة المراقبين التي تنهي المرحلة الأولى من عملها هذا الأسبوع وما إذا كانت الجامعة العربية ستحيل الملف السوري إلى الأمم المتحدة أو تكتفي بتمديد مهمة المراقبين.

وكانت الدول الغربية أوضحت أنها حتى إذا تدخلت فهي لن تتخذ مثل هذه الخطوة إلا بدعم من الجامعة العربية والأمم المتحدة.

وكان ثمانية أشخاص قُتلوا يوم الثلاثاء في حمص التي استأنف النظام حملته ضدها في مؤشر إلى إصراره على الحل الأمني وفي الوقت نفسه استمرار المقاومة ضده.

وقال النائب المنشق عماد غليون في حديثه لصحيفة الديلي تلغراف أن الوضع في مدينة حمص أصعب مما يمكن أن يتصوره أي شخص. وأكد أن إطلاق النار مستمر ولا احد يستطيع حتى أن يغادر بيته لشراء احتياجاته واصفا الوضع بأنه “لا إنساني”.

وأوضح غليون انه قرر الانتقال إلى القاهرة لأنه لا يستطيع أن يمثل ناخبيه إلا من خارج سوريا. وقال “نحن لا نستطيع إن نعبر عن موقفنا في سوريا ولا نستطيع حتى أن نساعد المواطنين، وهذا هو دوري كما يُفترض كنائب في البرلمان”.

استطلاع يخالف الطابع السائد: أكثر من نصف السوريين يريدون الأسد
لكن شركة يوغوف سراج أجرت استطلاعًا حول سوريا بتكليف من منتدى قطر لدعم حرية التعبير المعروف باسم “حوارات الدوحة”. وأظهرت نتائج الاستطلاع الذي نشره المنتدى على موقعه أن غالبية العرب يؤيدون رحيل الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد بعد حملة البطش التي شنها ضد المحتجين، ولكن نسبة أقل من السوريين يؤيدون إحداث تغيير فوري في القيادة.

وتبين نتائج الاستطلاع أن 55 في المئة من السوريين لا يريدون أن يستقيل الأسد. وأحد الأسباب الرئيسية التي يسوقها من يريدون بقاء الأسد في السلطة هو الخوف على مستقبل البلد.

ولكن هذا المستوى من التأييد لا ينعكس في بلدان المنطقة الأخرى حيث قال 81 في المئة من العرب أنهم يريدون تنحي الأسد. ويعتقد هؤلاء أن سوريا ستكون في وضع أفضل إذا جرت انتخابات ديمقراطية بإشراف حكومة انتقالية.

وتؤكد نتائج الاستطلاع ما توصل إليه المشاركون في ندوة نظمها المنتدى القطري في تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر الماضي حيث دعا 91 في المئة من جمهور الحاضرين إلى استقالة الأسد.

وتشير نتائج الاستطلاع إلى أن من المتوقع أن تتحسن علاقات سوريا مع تركيا ولبنان والولايات المتحدة إذا استقال الرئيس الأسد ولكنها ستتردى مع إيران وإسرائيل.

وأُجري الاستطلاع الذي شارك فيه أكثر من 1000 شخص في العالم العربي خلال الفترة الواقعة بين 14 و19 كانون الأول/ديسمبر الماضي.

ومرت نتائج الاستطلاع دون أن تحظى باهتمام من وسائل الإعلام رغم نشرها على موقع “حوارات الدوحة” منذ 2 كانون الثاني/يناير هذا العام.

http://www.elaph.com/Web/news/2012/1/710180.html

إغلاق النافذة

Lama Al Atasi, director of the press office of the FSA clarifies some issues relating to the nature of her office function, FSA-SNC relations and FSA to newly announced military council.

– Function of the FSA press office is to disseminate announcements of the FSA
– The office has no direct contacts with either France or any other foreign countries. FSA relegates the political responsibilities to SNC.
– Announcement of the appointment of commander of Damascus area comes in the context of ongoing structuring of the FSA; an effort at partial decentralization due to difficulties in timely communication.
– No news yet on the SNC-FSA liaison office
– Who is leading the other SNC or the FSA?
FSA and leader R Asaad have no political aspirations
FSA leadership is under the command of the ground movement and its political agenda; SNC remains the political voice of FSA as long as their policies comply with the demands and needs of the ground movement.
The FSA knows and the SNC acknowledges the presence of internal governance problems that preclude from streamlining their position with the ground movement.
SNC stands the risk of being bypassed should they fail to comply with the ground revolution.

– As per verbal communication with Colonel Al Asaad: The newly announced Higher Military Council is an institution within the FSA.
It is commanded by Colonel R Al Asaad.
It aim is to transform the disparate defected units into an army institution with defined hierarchy.
– On the AL observers and new efforts at training them: There is an outstanding decision for international intervention in Syria. It is being delayed pending the emergence of a clear, unified political stand from the ground movement and its leadership.

16/01/2012
لمى الأتاسي المسؤولة الإعلامية للجيش السوري الحر
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08C_w_M2rPw&feature=related
Loaded by DEVDAS20009 on Jan 16, 2012
على فرانس 24 العربية لمى الأتاسي المسؤولة الإعلامية في مكتب الجيس السوري الحر في باريس تتحدث عن تعيين قائد عسكري في منطقة دمشق بهدف تنظيم العمل العسكري ولا تخفي انزعاج قيادة الجيش السوري الحر من آداء المجلس الوطني السوري
على فرانس 24 العربية مهع حكيم بالطيفة

The comment by Norman speaks volumes about the utter disregard and I would say almost open racism when it comes to the average Syrian. For him these are “germs” that should be treated with utter ruthlessness. The tone and content of the comment argue that this “other” can only be dealt with with force, crushing the uprising.
Morevoer, the reforms if they are true and radical and genuine will spell the end of the regime as the removal of one of the cards from the house of cards that the father built will lead to the collapse of the edifice. We are seeing this collapse as the actions of various security brances can be different and in different locales.
This hatred that Norman and JAD have is truly mind boggling.
Let me remind him that
1. these are fellow Syrians
2. The Syrian army cannot use large formations for when they do so many defect simply because they refuse to kill and destroy civilians
3. The security house of cards built by the late father was meant to specifically prevent any coordination of action lest a coup d’etat happens. Therefore there may be different approaches depending on who is doing what
4. The leaders of the security services have acted in typical fiefdom mentality with the governor of Deraa for example showing evidence that he acted without consent from the President and some do not even listen to the President
5. The inner family circle is having difficulty keeping loyalty of the rest of the regime in place.
6. There is so much corruption that the army troops sell their weapons and ammunition to the highest bidder and there is money flowing in to arm and train the defectors.

This is from Cham Press today.
Surely some on this blog will get some nausea that the pro regime organ is publishing unwanted news

دمشق ..
في تعميم جديد لرئاسة مجلس الوزراء يحمل طابع السرية طلبت فيه من جميع الوزارات ضرورة ترشيد الإنفاق لاسيما فيما يتعلق بالمكافآت ونفقات النقل والانتقال والبنزين والمازوت وغيرها من النفقات.
وفيما يخص الإنفاق الاستثماري طلبت رئاسة الوزراء بأن يتم التركيز خلال المرحلة الراهنة على المشاريع ذات الأولوية والتي هي قيد الانتهاء.
كما طالبت جميع الوزارات وفقاً لصحيفة الوطن بعدم البدء بتنفيذ أي مشروع أو أي عمل مادي جديد ضمن الموازنة الاستثمارية أو المستقلة لعام 2012 سواء كان المشروع للوزارة أو لأي جهة أخرى تابعة لها أياً كانت طبيعة هذا العمل وضمن زمر المشاريع كافة.
مع الإشارة إلى أن زمر المشاريع الخاصة بالخطة الاستثمارية وكما هو معروف تتضمن مشاريع الاستبدال والتجديد والمشاريع المباشر بها من سنة أو أكثر إضافة إلى المشاريع الجديدة.

شام برس

الأربعاء 18-01-2012
This it titled directives to tighten your belts.
Surely we are seeing glorious success in this regime’s economic great achievements.
Cheers, the germs are coming

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

بيان صادر عن الجيش السوري الحر
Announcement by FSA
كتيبة حمزة بن عبد المطلب – منطقة الزبداني
HBAM Battalion-Zabadani
18/01/2012
http://www.freesyrianarmy1.com/ar/node/204

بعد انقضاء المهلة التي حددتها كتيبة حمزة بن عبد المطلب لقوات الاحتلال الأسدي للانسحاب من منطقة الزبداني بدأنا بتنفيذ التهديدات المذكورة في البيان المتعلق حيث تم تعطيل أحد أبراج سيريتل التابعة لللص رامي مخلوف في منطقة بلودان .
Once the ultimatum to Assad army was over, without withdrawing their forces from Zabadani region our forces executed their threat by disabling a Syriatel telecommunication tower in Bludan.

هذا وتؤكد كتيبة حمزة بن عبد المطلب في منطقة الزبداني أنها ستستمر باستهداف الأهـداف الاستراتيجية والحساسة التابعة للنظام وأزلامه والتي تصيبه في مقتل وذلك بعد التشاور مع أخوتنا المختصين في مكتب التخطيط الاستراتيجي
Regime strategic posts in Zabadani shall continue to be targeted, in consultatyion with the planning and strategy office of the FSA.

كما تعلن الكتيبة أنها قامت في وقت سابق بتدمير ثلاث دبابات ومدرعتين “بي ام بي” وحاملة جند “زيل” إضافة إلى جيب مما أسفر عن مقتل مالايقل عن ٣٥ عنصر من قوات الاحتلال. كما نفذت عناصر الكتيبة عملية نوعية من خلال ضرب سرية إشارة في سرغايا مما أسفر عن انشقاق خمسة عناصر وقتل ضابط وتقييد البقية ، واغتنمت الكتيبة في هذه العملية عدد معتبر من الأسلحة والرشاشات ((رشاشا دوشكا 12.5، صندوق قنابل 11، صندوق ذخيرة 17، سيارتين جمرك وسيارة هجانة ، 25رشاش ))
Other combat operations included the destruction of 3 tanks, 2 armored vehicles, am personnel carrier, and killing of 35 of Assad forces.
Another operation lead to killing of an officer and five soldiers and arrest of the rest of the unit and confiscating their amo, weapons and vehicles.

The regime will be angering lots of Damascene by the way it is handling Zanadani. Many upper class families in Damascus have summer houses in that area and it is becoming up close and personal to them. The regime is losing lots of upper class support who may decide to start financing the revolution.

Assad army completes withdrawal from Zabadani and jubilant crowds pour onto the streets!

مظاهرة أبطال الزبداني 18 1 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nFBSXgMqx_A
Uploaded by abokhaled1920 on Jan 18, 2012

أبطال الزبداني بعد الانسحاب الكامل لكتائب الجيش الأسدي 18 1 2012
مظاهرة أبطال الزبداني 18 1 2012
about an hour ago

Anybody who lift arms against the Syrian army should be treated as they are terrorists, The time for the Syrian army to stand on the side line leaving a Shia family losing her male members for being living in the AL Baiada in Homs and pushing the rest of the family out of the neighbourhood, that should not be allowed and the Syrian army should surround these areas give an ultimatum for surrender and ask the civilians to leave then go from house to house and eliminate all residents, Syria is for all Syrians and anybody that does not submit to the Syrian army is not Syrian in my book, as the Syrian army did in Lebanon it needs to do in Syria, restore peace at any cost.

Observer
“This hatred that (…) JAD have is truly mind boggling.”
What hatred I have you piece of stinky shit!!
What’s making this comment ultra shitty is that it’s coming from a scum of the scums like ‘Observer’ who is calling for splitting Syria into 5 countries according to sects and ethnicity, yet his family is the first to flee leaving average poor Syrians to deal with all the misery he is calling for…your care for Syria is very convincing, freak!

The Zionist Revlon is calling The Syrian Army forces :Occupation forces!

اتحاد تنسيقيات الثورة السورية | Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union

دمشق المحتلة :حي المهاجرين : خرجت اليوم مظاهرة في منطقة العفيف في حارة السكة على بعد أمتار من القصر الجمهوري عند الساعة السادسة مساء، نادت بالحرية والنصرة للزبداني والمناطق المنكوبة والجيش الحر. نؤكد أن مكان المظاهرة لا يبعد عن السفارة الفرنسية كثيراً وسنوافيكم بالفيديو قريبا بإذن الله

Occupied Damascus, AlMhajreen Neighbourhood:
A protest took place in jaddet AlAfif, meters away from the presidential palace around 6:PM tonight.
Video later!
18/01/2012
http://www.facebook.com/monasiqoon

Like · Comment · 7 minutes ago

It seems that there are conflicting reports about the regime troops in Zabadani area, Joshua said the troops did not withdraw, Revlon showed video where the troops withdrew completely, It would be better that the troops withdraw so the FSA and Zabadani people will not attack HA weapons caches.

Norman
It looks that after elation there is depression,it is best to wait so no one is incriminated for being racist,taking the wrong side of this conflict may turn very costly,no one is safe while he has family there.

Especially to Observer:

الافتتاحية : خراي عليكو … وعلى هيك ثورات

الافتتاحية

يكتبها اليوم : اسامة فوزي

خراي عليكو … وعلى هيك ثورات

انا رجل ثورجي … منذ ان ولدتني امي وحتى بداية ثورات الربيع العربي قبل كم شي شهر .. حيث قررت – بعدها – ان انفض يدي من الثورات العربية وان انضم الى ( الفلول ) وارجو من اجهزة المخابرات العربية ( والامريكية ) التي صنفتني من قبل كثورجي خطير ان تقوم بتحديث ملفاتها عني وان تذكر في اخر السطر اني ( بطلت ) ثورة … ( التوبة ) .. ولم اعد اتعاطاها تماما مثل عادة ( شرب السجاير ) التي بطلتها منذ خمسة عشرا عاما بعد ان اكتشفت ان شرب السجاير مضر بالصحة تماما كما تذكر وزارات الصحة العربية في اعلاناتها المنشورة على علب السجائر التي يمتلك معظم اسهم شركات صنع وبيع السجائر في الدول العربية .. وزراء الصحة انفسهم

انا رجل ( خشيت ) على الستين اي انني من جيل الخمسينات والستينات … ونحن جيل نشأ وترعرع على ثورات من نوع اخر غير الذي نشهده اليوم … ثورات مثل ثورة تشي غيفارا .. او ثورة الخميني … او ثورة جمال عبد الناصر … التي – كلها – استلهمت شعاراتها من الثورة الامريكية التي قادها جورج واشنطون ووضع وثيقتها توماس جيفرسون … وصولا الى الثورة الروسية التي انجبت دولة عظمى اسمها الاتحاد السوفيتي سرعان ما باعها غورباتشوف بثلاثة قروش قبل ان يهرب الى المانيا التي يعيش فيها الان … على الشحادة وتبرعات الاجاويد

ثورات تنبع من الشعب وتخلق منظومة متكاملة اجتماعية واقتصادية وسياسية نابعة من قيم العدالة والمساواة والحرية وتوزيع الثروة … وثورات الربيع العربي كلها – للاسف – ليس فيها اي شيء من هذا

كيف يراد لي ان ابارك ثورة وضع فلسفتها الصهيوني برنارد ليفي الذي ظهر مثلا في غرفة العمليات العسكرية في طرابلس جنبا الى جنب مع قائد الثورة العسكري عبد الفتاح يونس الذي كان الى ما قبل شهر من ثورته يعتقل الناس ويعدمهم باعتباره وزير داخلية معمر القذافي

ما رأيكم لو ان حبيب العادلي وزير داخلية مبارك هو الذي قام بالثورة … هل كنتم ستؤمنون بنقاء سريرتها

كيف يمكن ان ( اهضم ) ثورة عرابها شيخ قطر … ولسانها الاعلامي الناطق فضائية الاميرة الجوهرة وابنها الامير عزوزي … وذراعها العسكري الضارب طائرات الناتو … ومفتيها مغتصب القاصرات وصاحب فتاوى المص واللحس المخبر السابق يوسف القرضاوي

كيف يمكن ان اقتنع بثورة لم تجد بين ملايين التونسيين غير كومبارس من كومبارسات برنامج فيصل القاسم حتى تعينه رئيسا للجمهورية …كومبارس غير محترم كل تاريخه النضالي و ( الثورجي ) مختصر بتمسحه على اعتاب شيوخ النفط وكل ما ابدعه من كتب ثورجية ( مسروقة ) تجده في مزابل بسطات سور الازبكية

يا جماعة الخير

ثورة 23 يوليو افرزت ( الف مصنع ) في اقل من خمس سنوات وبنت السد العالي وأممت قناة السويس ووزعت الاراضي على الفلاحين وعلمت الملايين ( ببلاش ) من الاول الابتدائي وحتى الجامعة … ثورة كانت خلالها شوارع مصر انظف من الطبق الصيني وليس فيها تلال و اهرامات من الزبالة كما هو الحال الان … وكانت كل العائلات المصرية على مختلف مستوياتها الاقتصادية تأكل اللحمة يوميا وتتفسح في الاسكندرية وراس البر بأرش ساغ … ثورة جعلت من المواطن المصري سيد العرب وكانت الامة العربية من محيطها الى خليجها تنتظر خطابات عبد الناصر على احر من الجمر ولا تدير مؤشر المذياع او التلفزيون على اذاعة نانسي عجرم كلما اعلن ان سيادة الرئيس سيلقي خطابا كما حدث ويحدث هذه الايام

ثورة انجبت لنا عمالقة في الادب والفن والرياضة والصحافة والسياسة … ثورة كان مذيع واحد من مذيعي مصر من طراز محمد عروق او احمد حمزة او صلاح عويس ( وكان صديقي ) او عبد الوهاب قتاية ( وهو صديقي ايضا ) او امال فهمي او جلال معوض او احمد فراج يعادل مدرسة اعلامية بكاملها … وليس ثورة تنجب لنا معلقا سياسيا يظهر يوميا على شاشة التلفزيون لينصب الفاعل ويرفع المفعول … ثورة يصبح نجمها التلفزيوني مهرج شبه امي اسمه توفيق عكاشة … وعرابها (وحده ) مثل هالة سرحان التي اصبح ثلاثة من صبيانها من مرشحي الرئاسة في مصر واحدهم يتقاضى مليون جنيه شهريا كمرتب لانه يظهر على شاشة فضائية سعودية ربع ساعة يوميا

ثورة كان مطربها عبد الحليم حافظ وايقونتها ام كلثوم وليس المكوجي الامي شعبان بتاع باحب عمرو موسى والاميرة هند الفاسي … وايههههههههههه

ثورة كان نبض شعبها الثنائي امام ونجم .. الذي – للاسف – انجب ( نوارة ) التي لا زال صوتها يطن في رؤوسنا وهي تصرخ عبر الهاتف .. شكرا قطر … شكرا محطة الجزيرة .. لولولولولولولو يش

ثورة ترفع علم الامة العربية في مظاهراتها في قلب ميدان التحرير.. وليس العلم السعودي

ذا بوطم لاين

ثورات الربيع العربي مشكوك في امرها … انها ابنة سفاح .. شارك في تلقيحها اكثر من اب وكانت الرحم التي حضنتها منظومة دولية تشكلت من اسرائيل وفرنسا وجماعة الاخوان وتنظيم القاعدة وباركها اخونا اوباما بتمويل نفطي طاش على سطح برميله شيخ قطر

هل عرفتم الان لماذا عنونت مقالي الذي حرصت – على غير عادتي – ان يكون مؤدبا جدا … خراي عليكو وعلى هيك ثورات

http://74.208.163.97/atn/news_display.cfm?Action&Preview=No&nid=10300

Aleppo quiet?
Not quite!
University of Aleppo students March in protest calling for the execution of “The President”
حلب – مظاهرة كلية الاداب مع الحرائر دقة عالية 18-1-2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fqDKYAMsLMI
Uploaded by streikerbin on Jan 18, 2012

مظاهرة راااائعة للحرائر مع الاحرار
انطلقت امام كلية الاداب واتجهت نحو الفرقان
اتسمت بزلاغيط الحرائر والهتاف باعدام الرئيس
جامعة حلب – جامعة الحرية

Norman

Thank you for making it clear. I do not care for nationalities nor religion, but how on earth can someone with intelligence and the christian faith support masskillings by an tyranns army? I remember well one encounter I had last year in Hama. I was enjoying the local halawat bi jibn and looked over the noorias toward the Cham Hotel. The shopowner said to me that 2 brothers of him got killed in 1982. they never found them, they have no grave, and where is now the Cham Hotel they pilled up the dead bodies in mass graves he said to me. I can never go inside this hotel he told me.

See the language you use is the same all despotes, all racist regimes will use. First you talk of them as foreign to your view, your way of life. Then you label them, Zinist, Terrorist and at the end you mark them as rats or dogs as the ultimate dehumanization. I guess it must be an ease on ones mind to kill just animals.

Dear Tara,

Many wealthy families have started to establish contacts with the opposition. However it is a shame that many still look out for the almighty dollar over their country (which is what many are doing). I know that some factory owners have paid elements on both sides so as to keep their factories safe.

SOD

do you know how far is Slunfeh from Zabadani?

This news claims that Riad Alas’ad is under strict Turkish surveillance which enforce JL comment about the terrorists armed militia being not under one leadership and that every terrorist attack done by them is not organized, therefore, they are not an army they are simply bunch of armed terrorist militias:

رياض الأسعد يعيش في الإقامة الجبرية في ظل تضييق تركي

اعرب أحمد جمعة أحد أكثر المقربين الى ما يسمى الجيش السوري الحر لصحيفة السياسة عن اعتقاده بأن رياض الأسعد “يواجه مضايقات قوية من الحكومة التركية التي تحاول أن تطلع على تحركاته وعملياته داخل سورية قبل وقوعها وعلى كامل ستراتيجيته العسكرية الموضوعة لدعم الثورة”, مؤكداً ان “الأسعد قد يكون يعيش في تركيا منذ اسابيع في شبه اقامة جبرية فيما معاونوه الاساسيون وضعوا في الظل ومنعوا من الحراك الاعلامي مع احاطة رئيس الوزراء التركي رجب الطيب اردوغان بالعميد المنشق مصطفى الشيخ مع مجموعة انتقلت معه من دمشق الى تركيا, بأسباب الدعم لتشكيل “المجلس العسكري الأعلى” الذي سيتعاون مع “الجيش السوري الحر” كما يزعم مرافقو العميد الشيخ الذي يبدو أنه ينسق خارج الاضواء مع المجلس الوطني السوري ورئيسه برهان غليون”.

الخبر برس : الإخبارية اللبنانية

@REVLON
Who are Lamma Atassi father and uncles, can you share that with us all!! Since you are well connected to the 3 letters fronts.

Syrian Independance Flag is put up at the highway entrance to Al Bab city!
Assad grip on peripheral territories is loosening by the day!
Assad forces are in a strategic retreat!

Uploaded by AlbabCityTansiq on Jan 18, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rWrKjHkIQhg
الباب::رفع علم الاستقلال على مدخل المدينة يوم الأربعاء الساعة 11 ظهرآ 18\1\2012

Majed,

I agree , the opposition are more dangerous in days like these, so i should probably shut up, but , then i am from Hama and we do not shut up.

Juergen ,

No it is easier to kill and shoot back at somebody who is shooting at me than killing a dog or a cat.

Memo To: OBSERVER

RE: “…you piece of stinky shit!!…”

Well done, dude. You really got under Jaddie’s skin. That pathetic little Besho buttlicker rarely leaves his cut-and-paste perch to editorialize. You got him to do it. I suggest you do it again. He’s so illiterate when he gets pissed. And it’s so amusing to watch him trying to insult in English…

Juergen,

A lot of people claim to be one thing, when in reality they are not. I recently saw a video on youtube about a preacher talking about how he hates religion but loves Jesus, it is a great watch and his message is truly uplifting no matter what your faith is.
I hope you enjoy it.

This junta is dragging Syria into a mayhem and disintegration, style Afghanistan. Bashar said it clearly in one of his meaningless speeches.

Syria will disintegrate into small territories, controlled by warlords. There will be a Homsi worlord, Latakian warlord, Hamwi warlord, Kamishlian warlord etc.
.

35. Dear Syrian Nationalist Party:
((@REVLON
Who are Lamma Atassi father and uncles, can you share that with us all!! Since you are well connected to the 3 letters fronts))

Sorry! I know neither the lady nor her father or uncles.

Being so ubiquitous, the chances are that her family might just be your neighbour in Homs.

Cheers!

Russia won’t support any resolution that calls for any ‘military action’ while the western countries insist of adding the ‘military action’ in, yet every European leader lies about this and deny that they want to attack Syria…sure the colonial powers are very ‘honest’ and ‘humane’ in everything they do even when the kill, but negotiation and peace and talk is not allowed in the lands of the ‘coloured’!

لافروف: أي هجوم عسكري على سورية لن تتم المصادقة عليه من قبل مجلس الأمن

“الدول الغربية تصر إزالة عبارة عدم استخدام القوة من مشروع القرار الروسي, ولا نعتبر العقوبات الأحادية تجاه سورية شرعية”
أعلن وزير الخارجية الروسي سيرغي لافروف يوم الأربعاء إن دول الغرب تصرّ على إزالة عبارة عدم استخدام القوة من مشروع القرار المقدم للأمم المتحدة بشأن سورية, مشيرا إلى أن أي هجوم عسكري عليها لن تتم المصادقة عليه من قبل مجلس الأمن, فيما لفت إلى أن موسكو لا تعتبر أية عقوبات أحادية الجانب من قبل دول الغرب على سوريا “شرعية”.

وقال لافروف في مؤتمره الصحفي السنوي, نقلته وسائل اعلامية عدة. إن “الدول الغربية تصر بقوة على إزالة عبارة من مشروع القرار بأن لا شيء يبرر استخدام القوة ضد سوريا”، مضيفاً أن “نهج زملائنا الغربيين هو أحادي الجانب”.
وكانت الدول الأعضاء في مجلس الأمن بدأت يوم الثلاثاء على مستوى الخبراء مناقشة النسخة الجديدة من مشروع قرار اقترحته روسيا ووزعته يوم الاثنين.
وقدمت روسيا, التي تترأس مجلس الأمن الدولي, في منتصف الشهر الماضي مشروع قرار للمجلس يدين “العنف “من قبل جميع الأطراف ، ويحذر من تدهور متزايد للأوضاع.
وأشار وزير الخارجية الروسي إلى أنه “في حال قررت إحدى الدول مهاجمة سوريا عسكرياً، فإن روسيا لن تقدر على منعها لكن هذا الهجوم “لن تتم المصادقة عليه من قبل الأمم المتحدة ما يترك المهاجمين مسؤولين عن أفعالهم”.
وتسعى الدول الغربية وعلى رأسها الولايات المتحدة إلى إصدار قرار يدين السلطات السورية فيما يخص الأحداث التي تشهدها سورية منذ اشهر, إلا أن هذه المحاولات اصطدمت بمعارضة كل من روسيا والصين.
وتابع لافروف أن “الصين والدول الأخرى في مجموعة “بريكس” تدعم مشروع القرار الروسي الخاص بسوريا المعروض على مجلس الأمن الدولي، وتدعم بكين موقف موسكو بأن أي قرار مدعوم من الأمم المتحدة بشأن سوريا لا يمكن أن يتضمن عبارات تسمح باستخدام القوة ضد دمشق”.
ولفت الوزير الروسي إلى أن “زملاءنا في الغرب يناقشون إمكانية فرض حظر جوي فوق سوريا”، مضيفاً أنه “يفترض أن الموضوع يناقش أيضاً من قبل حلف شمال الأطلسي (الناتو)”.
وعبّر عن شكه بشأن قيمة هذا الإجراء، كونه “على عكس السيناريو الليبي فإن سوريا لم تستخدم القوات الجوية ضد المدنيين السلميين”, موضحا إن “العقوبات الأحادية الجانب هي دائماً انتقاص للجهود الجماعية بشأن سوريا.. وإن أراد أحد استخدام مجلس الأمن، فمن الضروري مناقشة كل شيء هناك، إن في ما يتعلق بالحاجة لعقوبات أم لا.. أو أية طرق ينبغي استخدامها بعيداً عن العقوبات”.
وأعرب لافروف عن استعداد بلاده لاستضافة جميع ممثلي القوى السياسية السورية لإطلاق عملية الحوار، مبينا إن “روسيا تدعو جميع الأطراف في سوريا إلى بدء الحوار”.
ودعا وزير الخارجية الروسية إلى وقف العنف فوراً في سوريا “أيا كان مصدره”، لافتاً إلى أن بلاده “لا تخرق القوانين الدولية في مجال التعاون العسكري التقني مع دمشق”، وأن سلاحاً يرسل إلى المسلحين والمتطرفين في سوريا هو أمر مرفوض لأنه يؤدي لتصعيد العنف”.
وتصاعدت الضغوط الدولية على سورية, حيث فرضت عددا من الدول الغربية وعلى رأسها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مؤخرا عقوبات على البلاد, شملت المجالات النفطية والاقتصادية, فضلا عن عقوبات على شخصيات ومسؤولين كبار وشركات بسبب ما اسموه عمليات “القمع والعنف” التي تمارسها السلطات السورية بحق المدنيين في البلاد.
وتعد روسيا من أكثر الدول الداعمة للمواقف السورية ,رافضة أي تدخل خارجي في شؤون سورية , مشددة في أكثر مناسبة على أهمية إجراء حوار بين المعارضة والسلطة من اجل إنهاء الأزمة, كما أسقطت مؤخرا مشروع قرار أوروبي مدعوم من قبل الولايات المتحدة قدم إلى مجلس الأمن يدين “العنف” في سورية باستخدام حق النقض الفيتو.
وتشهد عدة مدن سورية، منذ بدء حركة الاحتجاجات في منتصف آذار الماضي، أعمال عنف أودت بحياة الكثيرين من مدنيين ورجال أمن وجيش، تقول السلطات إنهم قضوا بنيران “جماعات مسلحة”، فيما تتهم منظمات حقوقية وناشطين السلطات بارتكاب أعمال عنف لـ “قمع المتظاهرين.
وتنحي السلطات السورية باللائمة على “مجموعات إرهابية مسلحة”، وتقول إنها تقف وراء أحداث عنف راح ضحيتها أكثر من 2000 من رجال الأمن والعسكريين، فيما تشير إحصائيات للأمم المتحدة, تشكك القيادة السورية في صحتها, إلى سقوط 5000 منذ بدء الأحداث، وتتهم منظمات حقوقية وناشطون السلطات باستخدام العنف لـ “قمع المتظاهرين.

http://syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=142855

Homs the endless tragedy:

حمص.. يوميات الخوف والمعاناة تقرير روسيا اليوم 17_1_2012
http://youtu.be/6GmKlqMjeLc

Young man Omar Zarour was shot and killed by Assad sniper in his own neighbourhood.
AlBayadah, Occupied Homs City, today.
AlFatiha upon his soul,
May God bless his family and fiancee with solace and empower them with fortitude.

حمص المحتلة البياضة الشهيد عمر بدوي زعرور 18 1 2012

Most Syrians back President Assad, but you’d never know from western media
Assad’s popularity, Arab League observers, US military involvement: all distorted in the west’s propaganda war

Suppose a respectable opinion poll found that most Syrians are in favour of Bashar al-Assad remaining as president, would that not be major news? Especially as the finding would go against the dominant narrative about the Syrian crisis, and the media considers the unexpected more newsworthy than the obvious.

Alas, not in every case. When coverage of an unfolding drama ceases to be fair and turns into a propaganda weapon, inconvenient facts get suppressed. So it is with the results of a recent YouGov Siraj poll on Syria commissioned by The Doha Debates, funded by the Qatar Foundation. Qatar’s royal family has taken one of the most hawkish lines against Assad – the emir has just called for Arab troops to intervene – so it was good that The Doha Debates published the poll on its website. The pity is that it was ignored by almost all media outlets in every western country whose government has called for Assad to go.

The key finding was that while most Arabs outside Syria feel the president should resign, attitudes in the country are different. Some 55% of Syrians want Assad to stay, motivated by fear of civil war – a spectre that is not theoretical as it is for those who live outside Syria’s borders. What is less good news for the Assad regime is that the poll also found that half the Syrians who accept him staying in power believe he must usher in free elections in the near future. Assad claims he is about to do that, a point he has repeated in his latest speeches. But it is vital that he publishes the election law as soon as possible, permits political parties and makes a commitment to allow independent monitors to watch the poll.

Biased media coverage also continues to distort the Arab League’s observer mission in Syria. When the league endorsed a no-fly zone in Libya last spring, there was high praise in the west for its action. Its decision to mediate in Syria was less welcome to western governments, and to high-profile Syrian opposition groups, who increasingly support a military rather than a political solution. So the league’s move was promptly called into doubt by western leaders, and most western media echoed the line. Attacks were launched on the credentials of the mission’s Sudanese chairman. Criticisms of the mission’s performance by one of its 165 members were headlined. Demands were made that the mission pull out in favour of UN intervention.

The critics presumably feared that the Arab observers would report that armed violence is no longer confined to the regime’s forces, and the image of peaceful protests brutally suppressed by army and police is false. Homs and a few other Syrian cities are becoming like Beirut in the 1980s or Sarajevo in the 1990s, with battles between militias raging across sectarian and ethnic fault lines.

As for foreign military intervention, it has already started. It is not following the Libyan pattern since Russia and China are furious at the west’s deception in the security council last year. They will not accept a new United Nations resolution that allows any use of force. The model is an older one, going back to the era of the cold war, before “humanitarian intervention” and the “responsibility to protect” were developed and often misused. Remember Ronald Reagan’s support for the Contras, whom he armed and trained to try to topple Nicaragua’s Sandinistas from bases in Honduras? For Honduras read Turkey, the safe haven where the so-called Free Syrian Army has set up.

Here too western media silence is dramatic. No reporters have followed up on a significant recent article by Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer who now writes for the American Conservative – a magazine that criticises the American military-industrial complex from a non-neocon position on the lines of Ron Paul, who came second in last week’s New Hampshire Republican primary. Giraldi states that Turkey, a Nato member, has become Washington’s proxy and that unmarked Nato warplanes have been arriving at Iskenderum, near the Syrian border, delivering Libyan volunteers and weapons seized from the late Muammar Gaddafi’s arsenal. “French and British special forces trainers are on the ground,” he writes, “assisting the Syrian rebels, while the CIA and US Spec Ops are providing communications equipment and intelligence to assist the rebel cause, enabling the fighters to avoid concentrations of Syrian soldiers …”

As the danger of full-scale war increases, Arab League foreign ministers are preparing to meet in Cairo this weekend to discuss the future of their Syrian mission. No doubt there will be western media reports highlighting remarks by those ministers who feel the mission has “lost credibility”, “been duped by the regime” or “failed to stop the violence”. Counter-arguments will be played down or suppressed.

In spite of the provocations from all sides the league should stand its ground. Its mission in Syria has seen peaceful demonstrations both for and against the regime. It has witnessed, and in some cases suffered from, violence by opposing forces. But it has not yet had enough time or a large enough team to talk to a comprehensive range of Syrian actors and then come up with a clear set of recommendations. Above all, it has not even started to fulfil that part of its mandate requiring it to help produce a dialogue between the regime and its critics. The mission needs to stay in Syria and not be bullied out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/17/syrians-support-assad-western-propaganda?fb=optOut

Juergen
Slunfeh is close to Latakia,Zabadani is close to Damascus,they are too far.

there was recent interview with Khddam he said one source close to Bashar, that Bashar is going to resign in few days,Maher will take over.I do not trust Khaddam.

Observer
someone has his prions stirred up

Does really the US care about civil war or spreading sectarian violence in the region?
It’s been going on since the beginning of the war in Iraq. What did they actually do to stop it? Nothing.
Obviously, they don’t care, au contraire, they’d like to see all theses people killing each others. The world is over populated and there isn’t enough resources for everyone on this planet, especially water. And anyone who reads a bit about the Middle East, knows about the water issue and what’s going on in Jordan/Israel.
What Clinton says publicly we are concerned about the innocents… it’s just a song to play to the media.
The priority is for keeping the oil wells secure and it’s done already, the last were in Libya. If any threats surrounding the area they send drones to accomplish the mission no need to send troops.

Funny to share:

January 18 2012 00:55

الافتتاحية
يكتبها اليوم : اسامة فوزي
خراي عليكو … وعلى هيك ثورات
انا رجل ثورجي … منذ ان ولدتني امي وحتى بداية ثورات الربيع العربي قبل كم شي شهر .. حيث قررت – بعدها – ان انفض يدي من الثورات العربية وان انضم الى ( الفلول ) وارجو من اجهزة المخابرات العربية ( والامريكية ) التي صنفتني من قبل كثورجي خطير ان تقوم بتحديث ملفاتها عني وان تذكر في اخر السطر اني ( بطلت ) ثورة … ( التوبة ) .. ولم اعد اتعاطاها تماما مثل عادة ( شرب السجاير ) التي بطلتها منذ خمسة عشرا عاما بعد ان اكتشفت ان شرب السجاير مضر بالصحة تماما كما تذكر وزارات الصحة العربية في اعلاناتها المنشورة على علب السجائر التي يمتلك معظم اسهم شركات صنع وبيع السجائر في الدول العربية .. وزراء الصحة انفسهم
انا رجل ( خشيت ) على الستين اي انني من جيل الخمسينات والستينات … ونحن جيل نشأ وترعرع على ثورات من نوع اخر غير الذي نشهده اليوم … ثورات مثل ثورة تشي غيفارا .. او ثورة الخميني … او ثورة جمال عبد الناصر … التي – كلها – استلهمت شعاراتها من الثورة الامريكية التي قادها جورج واشنطون ووضع وثيقتها توماس جيفرسون … وصولا الى الثورة الروسية التي انجبت دولة عظمى اسمها الاتحاد السوفيتي سرعان ما باعها غورباتشوف بثلاثة قروش قبل ان يهرب الى المانيا التي يعيش فيها الان … على الشحادة وتبرعات الاجاويد
ثورات تنبع من الشعب وتخلق منظومة متكاملة اجتماعية واقتصادية وسياسية نابعة من قيم العدالة والمساواة والحرية وتوزيع الثروة … وثورات الربيع العربي كلها – للاسف – ليس فيها اي شيء من هذا
كيف يراد لي ان ابارك ثورة وضع فلسفتها الصهيوني برنارد ليفي الذي ظهر مثلا في غرفة العمليات العسكرية في طرابلس جنبا الى جنب مع قائد الثورة العسكري عبد الفتاح يونس الذي كان الى ما قبل شهر من ثورته يعتقل الناس ويعدمهم باعتباره وزير داخلية معمر القذافي
ما رأيكم لو ان حبيب العادلي وزير داخلية مبارك هو الذي قام بالثورة … هل كنتم ستؤمنون بنقاء سريرتها
كيف يمكن ان ( اهضم ) ثورة عرابها شيخ قطر … ولسانها الاعلامي الناطق فضائية الاميرة الجوهرة وابنها الامير عزوزي … وذراعها العسكري الضارب طائرات الناتو … ومفتيها مغتصب القاصرات وصاحب فتاوى المص واللحس المخبر السابق يوسف القرضاوي
كيف يمكن ان اقتنع بثورة لم تجد بين ملايين التونسيين غير كومبارس من كومبارسات برنامج فيصل القاسم حتى تعينه رئيسا للجمهورية …كومبارس غير محترم كل تاريخه النضالي و ( الثورجي ) مختصر بتمسحه على اعتاب شيوخ النفط وكل ما ابدعه من كتب ثورجية ( مسروقة ) تجده في مزابل بسطات سور الازبكية
يا جماعة الخير
ثورة 23 يوليو افرزت ( الف مصنع ) في اقل من خمس سنوات وبنت السد العالي وأممت قناة السويس ووزعت الاراضي على الفلاحين وعلمت الملايين ( ببلاش ) من الاول الابتدائي وحتى الجامعة … ثورة كانت خلالها شوارع مصر انظف من الطبق الصيني وليس فيها تلال و اهرامات من الزبالة كما هو الحال الان … وكانت كل العائلات المصرية على مختلف مستوياتها الاقتصادية تأكل اللحمة يوميا وتتفسح في الاسكندرية وراس البر بأرش ساغ … ثورة جعلت من المواطن المصري سيد العرب وكانت الامة العربية من محيطها الى خليجها تنتظر خطابات عبد الناصر على احر من الجمر ولا تدير مؤشر المذياع او التلفزيون على اذاعة نانسي عجرم كلما اعلن ان سيادة الرئيس سيلقي خطابا كما حدث ويحدث هذه الايام
ثورة انجبت لنا عمالقة في الادب والفن والرياضة والصحافة والسياسة … ثورة كان مذيع واحد من مذيعي مصر من طراز محمد عروق او احمد حمزة او صلاح عويس ( وكان صديقي ) او عبد الوهاب قتاية ( وهو صديقي ايضا ) او امال فهمي او جلال معوض او احمد فراج يعادل مدرسة اعلامية بكاملها … وليس ثورة تنجب لنا معلقا سياسيا يظهر يوميا على شاشة التلفزيون لينصب الفاعل ويرفع المفعول … ثورة يصبح نجمها التلفزيوني مهرج شبه امي اسمه توفيق عكاشة … وعرابها (وحده ) مثل هالة سرحان التي اصبح ثلاثة من صبيانها من مرشحي الرئاسة في مصر واحدهم يتقاضى مليون جنيه شهريا كمرتب لانه يظهر على شاشة فضائية سعودية ربع ساعة يوميا
ثورة كان مطربها عبد الحليم حافظ وايقونتها ام كلثوم وليس المكوجي الامي شعبان بتاع باحب عمرو موسى والاميرة هند الفاسي … وايههههههههههه
ثورة كان نبض شعبها الثنائي امام ونجم .. الذي – للاسف – انجب ( نوارة ) التي لا زال صوتها يطن في رؤوسنا وهي تصرخ عبر الهاتف .. شكرا قطر … شكرا محطة الجزيرة .. لولولولولولولو يش
ثورة ترفع علم الامة العربية في مظاهراتها في قلب ميدان التحرير.. وليس العلم السعودي
ذا بوطم لاين
ثورات الربيع العربي مشكوك في امرها … انها ابنة سفاح .. شارك في تلقيحها اكثر من اب وكانت الرحم التي حضنتها منظومة دولية تشكلت من اسرائيل وفرنسا وجماعة الاخوان وتنظيم القاعدة وباركها اخونا اوباما بتمويل نفطي طاش على سطح برميله شيخ قطر
هل عرفتم الان لماذا عنونت مقالي الذي حرصت – على غير عادتي – ان يكون مؤدبا جدا … خراي عليكو وعلى هيك ثورات

An opposition friend told me the same this morning, Syrians are getting tiered and somehow bored of the uprising. I’m not surprise, it’s natural to get there with all the barbaric violence they are exposed to and the threatening they are under everyday by everybody:

المعارض السوري عبد الكريم الريحاوي لـ”عربي برس”:المعارضة تتخبط وأخشى تململ الشعب السوري من الثورة
عربي برس – خاص

اعتبر رئيس الرابطة السورية لحقوق الإنسان عبد الكريم الريحاوي أن البيان الصادر عن الجيش السوري الحر والذي أكد فيه أنه “بعد لقائنا اعضاء المجلس الوطني الغليوني أيقنا تماما ان هؤلاء الناس لا يمثلون بطروحاتهم وبرنامجهم الثورة وما يتطلع اليه الثوار على ارض الواقع فهذا المجلس بأعضائه ومكتبه التنفيذي يجب اسقاط الشرعية عنه”، سيساهم في اتساع الهوة بين الجيش الحر، والمجلس الوطني، وسينسف الإتفاق الذي حصل بينهم الأسبوع الماضي، مضيفاً “سننتظر ماذا سيكون رد المجلس الوطني على تصريحات الجيش الحر”.
ريحاوي وفي تصريح لـ”عربي برس” أكد أن رياض الأسعد تسرّع في اصدار نشرة الترفيعات التي رقي نفسه بموجبها الى رتبة لواء، معرباً عن اعتقاده أن تصرف الأسعد جاء بهدف قطع الطريق امام امكانية تبوأ عسكري اعلى منه رتبة قيادة الجيش الحر، كما ان هناك اشكالية تنظيمية داخل “الجيش السوري الحر”.
رئيس الرابطة السورية لحقوق الإنسان عبّر “عن امتعاضه من حالة الإنقسام الذي بدأت تشهدها الذراع العسكرية للمعارضة السورية، لأن الخلافات، وتبادل الإتهامات الحاصل، بالإضافة الى التخوين المتبادل سيعود بنتائج سلبية على العسكريين المنشقين انفسهم”، إضافة الى “أن الشارع السوري بدأ بالتململ، ومن الممكن أن يؤدي هذا الأمر الى احباط الثوار ودفن الثورة في مهدها”.
ريحاوي لفت الى ان كتيبة الفاروق بحمص وقعت في مطب سيؤثر على سمعة المعارضة السورية مستقبلاً، بعرضها صور المهندسين الإيرانيين المخطوفين على أنهم عناصر تابعين للحرس الثوري الإيراني، مضيفاً: ” لا تتفاجأوا اذا تبرأت كتيبة الفاروق من هذا العمل، لأن هناك ارتباك واضح في عملها”.
ريحاوي رأى ان المعارضة السورية لم ترتقي بعد لمستوى الدم الذي يراق، بسبب امراضها الكثيرة، والمطلوب ادخال كافة اطياف المعارضة في بوتقة واحدة، للمشاركة في صنع القرار”.
وفي رده على سؤال حول التيارات السياسية الموجودة في سورية قال ريحاوي: “وحدهم جماعة الإخوان المسلمين عملوا على تطوير حراكهم السياسي، ولكنهم في نفس الوقت غير مقبولين لدى الشارع السوري، حالهم كحال عدنان العرعور الذي وان كان لديه مؤيدين، وساهم في تأجيج الثورة السورية، إلا اننا لا نتفق ابداً مع ارائه المتطرفة، وكلامه عن قطع الألسن يسئء للثورة واهدافها”.
ريحاوي عبر “عن مخاوفه من مرحلة ما بعد سقوط النظام اذا سقط، لأنه لا يمكن التحكم في غريزة القطيع بالإضافة الى عدم تأكدنا من قدرتنا على حماية الأقليات الموجودة، على الرغم من ان الشعب السوري ليس شعباً طائفياً”.

http://arabi-press.com/?page=article&id=18199

The Israelis exposed the Qatari-American agreement!
Why now and why by Israel?

يديعوت احرونوت تكشف بنود الإتفاق الذي وقعته قطر مع اميركا

كشف صحيفة (يديعوت احرونوت) الصهيونية مجموعة المطالب التي وقعت عليها قطر بعد اتفاق عقدته مع الإدارة الأميركية.
1. المشاريع الخاصة بالملاعب و المنشآت الرياضية التي ستقوم دولة قطر بإشادتها من أجل نهائيات كأس العالم 2022 يكون حق بنائها محصور بشركتي بناء أمريكيتان هما شركة (موديولار كونستراكشن سيستم الأمريكية ) و شركة (ستار جوزيف الأمريكية)
2. يحق للولايات المتحدة الامريكية عمل استثمارات جديدة في قطاعي النفط و الطاقة في قطر و بتسهيلات قطرية مميزة
3. السماح للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بالعمل ( الغير مشروط ) في مجال الإعلام خلال فترة المونديال و تجهيز معدات إعلامية متطورة يتم وضعها في قطر اعتباراً من عام 2020 أي قبل المونديال بعامين
و هناك بنود خاصة في الاتفاق ليس لها علاقة بالمونديال و هي عصب هذا الاتفاق و شملت مواضيع سياسية متنوعة و أهمها قضية الشرق الأوسط :
1. تعمل قطر على تعزيز دورها القيادي في المنطقة عبر علاقات مباشرة و مميزة مع سورية و لبنان و تركيا وتطوير العلاقات لتشمل علاقات مباشرة مع حزب الله وحركة حماس و الجهاد الإسلامي.
2. إقناع القيادات السورية إلى ضرورة التخلي عن دعم المنظمات الإرهابية عبر إعطاء ملفات دعم لسورية من خلال إقامة مشاريع قوية في سورية، و تشغيل عدد كبير من السوريين في المشاريع لكسب ود و حب الشعب السوري لأمير قطر.
3. العمل على متابعة الدعم لجنوب لبنان من خلال إشادة الأبنية و المشاريع السكنية و الاستثمارية التي من دورها تُقرب أمير قطر من حزب الله و السعي لكشف مواقع أمين حزب الله و أماكن تواجده من خلال هدايا بسيطة تقدم لاحقاً للأمين العام لحزب الله و هي تساعد في تحديد موقعه بدقة على الأقمار الصناعية.
4. الضغط على تركيا و خاصة ( أردوغان ) من اجل مقاطعة سورية، و بشكل تدريجي من خلال خلق ملف خاص بين الدولتين يتعلق بالأكراد في سورية، و أن سورية تقدم الدعم للأكراد و تثبيت ذلك بمعلومات تصل لاحقاً من البيت الأبيض لأمير قطر من أجل استخدمها في الضغط على تركيا بخصوص أكراد سورية و العراق.
5. تقديم الدعم المادي للرئيس العراقي من اجل أخذ دوره الفعال في العراق و بالتالي الدور الفعال لأمريكا وفق أسس يتم تزويد قطر بها تباعاً.
6. عدم التدخل في الشؤون اللبنانية الداخلية و يبقى الدور مقتصراً على كسب تأييد اللبنانيين في الجنوب و ذلك حسب البند (3)من نص الاتفاق.
7. تفعيل دور قناة الجزيرة أكثر من خلال تغطيات لملفات حساسة في كافة الدول العربية وفق مخططات تصل من مؤسسات إعلامية أمريكية متخصصة بذلك
8. العمل الإعلامي على نشر الفوضى في الوطن العربي من خلال ملفات تتعلق بالفساد في دول عربية في مقدمتها ( سورية ) و جعل المواطن العربي يتحرك نحو التغيير
9. العمل على توسيع النشاط الإعلامي لدولة قطر و المتمثل في قناة الجزيرة من خلال قنوات إعلامية جديدة أو قنوات إذاعية في دول عربية متفرقة.
10. العمل على دعم ملفات خليجية تفيد في تقوية دول الخليج في وجه إيران و المنشآت النووية الإيرانية.
11. السعي لعمل علاقات متميزة مع دول أمريكا اللاتينية من اجل أهداف و خطط سيتم تزويد أمير قطر بها تباعاً.
12. تقديم الدعم لتجمعات ترى أنها مضهدة في الوطن العربي و الشرق الوسط مثل دعم ( السنة في البحرين ) و ( الأكراد في تركيا ) و ( الأرمن في سورية) و ( الدروز في لبنان ) من خلال المال أو الدعم الإعلامي لقضاياهم و مطالبهم.
أما المطالب الاقتصادية فكانت :
1. التأثير على نشاط أوبك من خلال التحكم بالإنتاج النفطي و الإنتاج المصدر من قطر و الخليج العربي
2. توقيع صفقات مالية كبيرة مع دول عربية تستهدف السيطرة على أراضي و قطاعات اقتصادية مهمة في الدول العربية و دول الشرق الأوسط ، من أجل استخدمها كمقرات و مراكز تجسس أثناء تنفيذ المشاريع و التي ستكون مدتها الزمنية مفتوحة بموجب خلق مشاكل و قضايا عالقة من أجل هذه المشاريع مما يعيق إنهاء هذه المشاريع خلال المدة الزمنية المتفق عليها
3. توقيع عقود طيران و عقود سياحية مع دول أوربية طويلة الأجل من اجل السيطرة في مراحل متقدمة على حركة الملاحة الجوية بين الخليج و دول أوربا
4. السعي الجاد لتوقيع اتفاقيات تتعلق بمجال النفط و الطاقة مع إيران على أراضي قطر .. و جعل الاتفاقيات ورقية فقط من أجل تحسين العلاقات مع ايران
5. يتم تزويد قطر بالمبالغ المالية اللازمة لبعض بنود هذا الاتفاق و خاصة ما يتعلق بجنوب لبنان و سورية و ايران
أما البند الأخطر في الاتفاق فهو :
يحق للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية الغاء هذا الاتفاق في أي وقت يثبت فيه عدم قيام قطر بالدور المطلوب منها بموجب هذا الاتفاق و بالتالي الضغط على الفيفا من أجل إلغاء استضافة قطر لمونديال كأس العالم 2022
كما يحق للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية إضافة بنود أخرى للاتفاق وفق المرحلة المقبلة مقابل مبالغ مادية يتم الاتفاق عليها بين قطر و الولايات المتحدة من أجل وضع مبالغ مالية في حسابات الشيخة (موزة ) زوجة امير قطر في سويسرا…
المصدر: وكالات-عربي برس

http://arabi-press.com/?page=article&id=18045

@AMIR SAID:
Syria will disintegrate into small territories, controlled by warlords. There will be a Homsi worlord, Latakian warlord, Hamwi warlord, Kamishlian warlord etc.

Amir, Israel needs to forget this pipe dream that is in total disinterest to them. We know that Israel is still betting on Syria disintegration and they get to have the cake and eat it too. Even if it to end that way, that is not in the best interests of Israel nor anyone else in the region. Extremists will have free hand in the Golan front and Palestinian extremist as well as Shia extremist backed groups will raise havoc on Israel. Even Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq will face armed insurgencies coming out of Syria. In fact, if there is one country in the region that can strategically benefit from regime collapse and fragmentation of power in Syria is Shia Iran. They will quickly construct a HA style front.

Israel best interests lies in supporting a free and democratic united Syria, one that can make peace with it and go on in investment and development, Gaza is not the model for trading partner and not a dozen like it will be called progress. Selling product at a Dollar loss and expecting to make it on volume is Israel Leaders mentality. Support those that want peace and progress in the region, that is how we all can thrive and prosper, start thinking regionally than a little who in the sand.

Send me a list or website of Israel Venture Capital firms will Ya.

50. jadsaid:

The Israelis exposed the Qatari-American agreement!
Why now and why by Israel?

يديعوت احرونوت تكشف بنود الإتفاق الذي وقعته قطر مع اميركا

Looks like Israeli brains finally start ticking, regionally speaking. Why now? Because they were left out and have a lot of opportunities pulled from under their feet and practically sequestered into a hole in the sand in the Middle East. That is what I was talking about in the previous comment. Israel needs to start developing own regional plan and identify, support those that are capable of bringing this economic development so we all can gain and win.

I can tell who wrote that Qatar Agreement, it was not a State Department employee, well he may just acted as delivery person but it was written by someone’s else on you know who behalf. Leo Wanta, missing Pentagon Trillions, missing FED Reserve Trillions, Opium windfall, Nova Scotia, Iraqi and Libya gold….it is endless possibilities. Funny, they shied away from Vatican Conglomerates’ and gone to the Emirates.

45. jad:
((Most Syrians back President Assad, but you’d never know from western media Assad’s popularity, Arab League observers, US military involvement: all distorted in the west’s propaganda war))

It is amazing how Pro-Assad’s aspirations have been humbled down to celebrating a miserable 55% rating, down from 99% popularity of their idol!

Even then, that was an opinion poll mate; not a field survey.
The only field survey that was done in Syria showed 80% plus disapproval of Assad.

An opinion poll on a website represents the views of its frequent visitors.

For example, taking the thumbs up/down on SC as ongoing opinion poll of Assad popularity, Pro-Assads are favourites!
The appropriate conclusion is that more pro-Assad people visit and/or vote on this website than the others; This sample represents SC contributors; not the Syrian public!

If one wants to have a more balanced opinion of Syrians, one needs to consult major news networks polls, where Assad fails miserably!

Thank you for your post as it has made me aware of the dohadebates.com website.

Damm, with all this wealth we can transfer the Middle East into another Singapore, so much money to be made and be hidden, washed clean. The whole Idea is smart but the implementation thereof is really flawed. It relied on false assumptions and stereotyped analysis and expectations. How can we convince the Israeli to start thinking out of the Negev Dessert sand box?

SNP,

I’m not representing Israel on SC. I write what I think. I agree with you that the disintegration of Syria will be bad for Syrians and for the neighborhood. May be the Alawi controlled junta believes that it will be better for the Alawi sect, if their opponents are divided and fragmented. It is the junta that is creating this reality.
.

Dear Son of Damascus,
Sorry for a late reply, I’m going to quickly answer some of the issues you raised in your comment that both of us may see them differently:

SNC:
I guess it’s obvious to many by now that I’m not a fan to the SNC; its vocal members are mostly conservatives and sectarian, its agenda is tainted, and in my opinion it managed to bring together the worst figures any council can have, not to mention that I didn’t trust many of the council members even before the uprising started, so whatever they say I question and I’m suspicious on whatever they are calling for.
What made me write the comment of its supporter being ‘menhebekjieh’ because whatever the SNC announce every body go crazy about and support without understanding the consequence of the decision taken, in a way similar to the ‘baath’ members who say yes to anything the great leader decide.
That is my stand on SNC therefore the fiery comments I wrote against many of its members. Simply I don’t trust them at all.

FSA:
Regarding your stand on FSA, I do understand your position; however, for me I see them as a dangerous element being used to ignite a civil war. I think that they are being a tool and they are ready to be used by whoever pays the right price.

Resistance:
I totally understand your point. In my reply I was referring to the word ‘resistance’ in the context used in the western media as a taboo specific to the endless ME struggle.

Terrorism:
I agree on how you define the term and I add to your list the attacks on infrastructure.

Self defence:
I don’t believe or support holding weapons in an internal political struggle, on individual bases that may be accepted but when it becomes a call for arming the population and militarizing the uprising as we are hearing on daily bases, I object.
It’s the shortest way to a civil war which is already underway in some areas in Syria because of too many weapons and the disappearing of law or order.

Transition in power:
I understand your point that the regime can’t be trusted , it’s killing people, doesn’t have any high standards or respect to human lives, and without any vision, Well, aren’t the coming leadership supposed to bring in all these principles, isn’t the new administration responsible to upgrade the standards, protect people, respect human rights and have a vision. It’s the mission of the new leadership to do all these things and to do that, we need to do the transition and no for any transition in power to happen it’s not necessary that the regime you are taking the lead from to be ‘civilized’, but for the sake of the majority of your people you need to make the process as safest as you could even when it means that you have to deal with the most criminal ones, our priority is to save more lives than wasting them.

Reality check:
I agree with you, It is necessary to dream and to plan and to have limitless vision but again, we have no choice but to be reasonable in our expectation, otherwise we become delusional.

Thank you again for the respected exchange.
Regards.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221741.html
Qatari Emir secretly visited Israel: Clip
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has made a secret visit to Israel despite the fact that Doha and Tel Aviv have no political relations, a video has revealed.

Israeli Kadima leader Tzipi Livni welcomed the Emir and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Bin Jaber Al Thani during the visit.

The Qatari Emir and his delegation also met several high-ranking Israeli officials.

Signing a new gas export contract and writing Qatari textbooks by Israeli experts were among topics discussed between Sheikh Hamad and Livni.

Sheikh Hamad reportedly stressed the significance of political relations between the two sides.

Livni informed Qatar of its important role in talks between Arabs and Israel.

Qatar and Israel have common viewpoints regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Doha has repeatedly supported Tel Aviv against Iran. Qatar would also be able to assist Israel in the event of a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

It is noteworthy that in April 2008, Livni, who was Israeli foreign minister, used a visit to Qatar to lobby the Arab state to oppose Iran’s nuclear program.

AGB/HGH

Russia vows to block Western intervention in Syria
Associated PressBy ZEINA KARAM | Associated Press – 38 mins ago

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=13149#comment-291760

SNP@ 51.

A South African cartoon that shows who is top dog in the ME.

http://www.blackcommentator.com/429/429_images/429_cartoon_israel_us_congress_zapiro_over.gif

Defender,

I think the video is old the Amir has lest significant WT recently, so this is probably old and the presence of the Oriental carpet indicate that this is in Qatar probably

@60. Ghat Al Birdsaid:

Sorry, can you descibe the cartton. My proxy and network will not allow me to click to open embeded links. That is why you don’t see many thumbs up on SNP comments, we hide behind 7 proxy layers.

Revlon,the death and Fatiha specialists
So if Assad only gets 20%,who is getting the 80%?
Ghalion?Zebalih?Aroor?Riad Lahad?
Cheers(your copy rights,always in cheer mode you are as long as you smell blood)

61
http://www.infowars.com/qatari-emir-secretly-visited-israel/

Reflect! What cost of all of it?

I think we will see more and more territory slipping from the army, till they control a tiny part of the country.
They havent been able to stop this growing defection , they wont be now

لافروف يناشد العربي العمل على استئناف الحوار بين الحكومة السورية والمعارضة
ناشد وزير الخارجية الروسي سيرغي لافروف، الدكتور نبيل العربي أمين عام جامعة الدول العربية العمل على تعزيز استئناف الحوار بين الحكومة السورية والمعارضة من قبل الجامعة.
وذكر راديو “صوت روسيا” أن كلا من لافروف والعربي تناولا خلال محادثة هاتفية آخر تطورات الأوضاع على ساحة منطقة الشرق الأوسط بالتفصيل، وبخاصة بعثة مراقبي الجامعة العربية إلى سورية.
وخلال المكالمة، أعرب لافروف عن دعمه لهذه البعثة مؤكدا على أهمية مواصلة عملها في سورية . كما أعرب عن رغبته في أن يتم الحوار بين الحكومة والمعارضة بأسرع وقت ممكن.
المصدر: وكالات-عربي برس
—————————————————

بيرنز أكد ضرورة استقالة الأسد:مستعدون للتعاون مع موسكو لحل أزمة سوريا

جدد نائب وزيرة الخارجية الأميركية، ويليام بيرنز، تأكيد بلاده “ضرورة استقالة الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد، واستعدادها للتعاون مع موسكو لحل الأزمة السورية”.
وأشار بيرنز – في حديث الى صحيفة “كوميرسانت” الروسية ونقلته وكالة أنباء “إيتارتاس” الروسية- إلى “سعي واشنطن لإصدار قرار من مجلس الأمن الدولي يسمح بإدانة النظام السوري، ويزيد من الضغط عليه”، محملاً النظام السوري مسؤولية إراقة الدماء في سوريا، وواصفا ممارسات النظام خلال العام الماضي بـ”القاسية”.
وألقى بيرنز الضوء على أن “السلطات السورية لم تنفذ مطالب جامعة الدول العربية بالإفراج عن جميع المعتقلين السياسيين وإخراج الجيش من المدن وتمكين المواطنين من ممارسة حقهم في الاحتجاج السلمي وتمكين المراقبين العرب من تحقيق مهمتهم على أكمل وجه”.
الخبر برس : الإخبارية اللبنانية

Amir in tel Aviv,

Yoy got it al worng. Syrian society is not tribal based that it can be controlled by “warlords”. Only in some parts of Deir al Zour and Kurdish territories that may happen, but overall Syrians’ loyalties are generally not to local leaders. Syrians have sectarian loyalty and for last 10 moths sectarian soldiarity, all anti-regime will be united behind FSA and pro-regime behind Assad.

And if push comes to shove, the Alawis and loyalist Christians will not fight to the last breath, if they see too many casualties they will go to PLAN B. That is, retraeting with bulk of heavy weapons and soldiers to the Alawite Mountains, set up a Russian-backed Kosovo type state, backed by Russian Naval Power in Latakia and Tartous, set up Capital in Latakia, throw out the Sunnis or massacre them, trade with Iran and Russia thru the ports of latkia and Tartous. That will be a bad situation for “Sunni Syria” as the only outlet to sea will be cut off, large part of Sunni population at Alawites mercy, huge revenue from trading lost. And this Plan B is very viable, the Alawite State will be protected by Russain Navy, recognised by Iran, Iraq and other such, perhaps npt recognized internationally but with Iran, Russia, and others they can survive.

The mountainous nature of the terrain will make ot very difficult for Syria to launch a military assault on this new State, as an Armoured assault out of the question, sending infantry units will get them slaughtered since Alawites will fight in familiar terrain and that area is suitable for guerilla warfare/ Only options for Syria, pound the hell out of the area with Air Force with full backing of NATO/AL, including chemicla attacks Halabja style, plus daily dose of Artillery and rocket attacks, a total massacre may work, but will have top deal with Russia, iraq, Iran and Lebanon, will have to deal with these motherfucking nations, should be prepared top wipe out Iraq from face of the earth if need arises.

Syria will be forced to trade through Turkey, since Iraq and Lebanon will all but cut off relations with “Sunni Syria”, the new Syria will be surrounded by Shia states and rely even more on Turkey, and forced to rely on Israel and Jordan, and wipe Iraq off the map.

Only option for Syria will be to improve relations with Israel and Jordan, as long as there are thick-headed Shia in this region. The best option is to go for jugular vein and “final solution” to “Shia problem”, total extermination of all those who await the Mahdi and call Ali their Imam.

Russia is ordering Assad to resign,and leave Syria,his vice president will take over,dialogue then start,and peaceful transition will start.

New round of sanctions by the EU.  Financial sanctions should include Bushra and her children, Anisa, Asma and the children 

http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2012/01/18/eu-to-slap-fresh-sanctions-on-syria/

JANUARY 18, 2012, 5:04 PM
EU To Slap Fresh Sanctions On Syria 
By Samuel Rubenfeld

The European Union will expand its sanctions regime on Syria, adding 22 individuals and eight companies to its blacklist, EU diplomats said to AFP.

“As long as the repression continues we will step up our restrictive measures,” an EU diplomatic source said to AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The latest measures are expected to be announced Monday during a meeting in Brussels of EU foreign ministers, another diplomat said. Identities of the new targets weren’t immediately available, according to the AFP report.

Thus far, the AFP report said 120 people and companies have had an EU asset freeze and travel ban imposed upon them under the Syria sanctions regime.

The United Nations estimates that more than 5,400 people have been killed in a bloody crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime against pro-democracy protesters.

Also to be discussed Monday in Brussels is a plan for a crude-oil embargo on Iran that diplomats are coalescing around bringing into force on July 1, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Syrian Kurds form their own council in Arbil
Wednesday,January 18 2012,
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syrian-kurds-form-their-own-council-in-arbil.aspx?pageID=238&nID=11806&NewsCatID=352

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
Riot police stand guard as Syrian Kurds protest in front of the UN office in Arbil to demand the departure of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. AFP photo

Riot police stand guard as Syrian Kurds protest in front of the UN office in Arbil to demand the departure of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. AFP photo
Syrian opposition Kurdish parties are preparing to announce the formation of their own “National Kurdish Council” in the northern Iraqi capital of Arbil, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned.

“There will be a meeting of the Syrian Kurdish groups on Jan. 21 in Arbil. The Kurdish parties participating in the meeting will make a call to all the other Syrian Kurdish parties to join them,” Kendal Efrini, a Syrian Kurdish opposition member and representative of the Alliance of Syrian Liberals in Europe, told the Hürriyet Daily News in an interview on Wednesday.

Dr. Abdul Hakim Bashar, secretary-general of the Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria, will lead the National Kurdish Council, which will become the second national council established by opposition forces after the establishment of the Syrian National Council.
{…}

68. majedkhaldoun

The western countries needs a scapegoat. If Bashar al Assad goes, nothing is going to change ( ref Egypt)

Dear Jad,

This exchange has been nothing but a delight for me, for the first time I see myself expressing my thoughts and beliefs about our Syria and it is truly an exhilarating feeling. If one thing this revolution has accomplished, is that we Syrians are trying to solve our own problems for once and not everyone else’s, we have broken through the fear barrier and it is up to us to make the best out of it.
Below is my reply, I kept it short as well (EDIT: I obviously failed at keeping it short, it is shorter now)

SNC:
You are right about the SNC, there are elements within it that I really don’t like or trust (MB, Salafi groups), that does not mean I should deny them their right to voice their opinion, denying them their voice would alienate them and not be correct, just like if they did the same to us (seculars). Extremist exist in every society, but it is society’s job to keep them on the fringes, or else we are doomed to repeat history. Accepting the SNC does not mean I accept every man and woman within it, because as I said before it is not a political party but a group of different Syrians getting together with one main cause, to topple this brutal and bloody dictatorship. By the way I have yet to see anyone kneel down to kiss a picture of Ghalyoun or any member of the SNC for that matter, nor do I see their posters put up in Bab Amr, Harasta, Douma, Idlib … until then in my opinion the Menhebak term is the exclusive right of the pro regime side (and I know many hold that term as a badge of honour).

FSA:
You are absolutely correct in your observation if you believe that the FSA is a coordinated Militia, I don’t believe they have a central command that follows a chain of command. Every area is forming its own militia (or gangs) to protect it from the authorities, which is more plausible in my opinion than a unified force with a chain of command (I like Nir Rosens take, that Dr. Landis talked about in his article). Again I must say that I have a general distrust with anyone with a gun, because my freedom won’t come by a gun but by my voice, but when my state fails to defend me and attacks me I have every right to fight back.

Resistance:
Even in the terms you define it I don’t like it, I don’t see it as resisting colonial/Zionist powers anymore, it is resisting globalization where every culture and country in the world is all of a sudden exposed to the rest of the world. This resistance you can see it all over the world (Chavez, Nasrallah, Ahmadinejad, Wahhabis, Christian Right, Neo Nazis … ) and they are all spewing the same hateful bigoted message, what they are resisting at the end of the day is peace for it goes against their self serving interest.

Terrorism:

I really have nothing to add here, we both agree it is a horrible and despicable act when the innocent are targeted.

Self defence:

The right for one to stand up to the face of tyranny and fight it is important, and to do so alone pretending you are Rambo against an actual State Military Force is both impossible and futile. The better organized local rebel forces that know the area and work together have a much better chance than if they tried to do so alone.

Transition of power:
In order for any new leadership to enact those principles they must first topple the existing one, I am willing to give the SNC the benefit of the doubt for now but if they falter or take their sweet ass time when the time comes and the regime is toppled, believe me when I say I will be doing more than just voicing my displeasure. I want what is best for our country, and I have absolute trust in the Syrian people in general, because if we just look at the diaspora of Syrians around the world a lot of them went on to be leaders of industry and commerce, great musicians and poets. I read a sentence today at OTW blog that made me cry at how genuinely true it is: “Syria, I trust you” the only thing I would add to that is “Syria, I love you”

Reality Check:
There is a fine line between delusional and genius, Galileo was called delusional at his time and excommunicated by the Catholic Church, we all know now how untrue that was.

Again this has been a delight, this kind of discourse between Syrians is what Syria needs in my opinion, we all love our country and are all extremely sad and angry at seeing it ripped apart.

Thank you Jad

Regards

Son of Damascus

What the fuck, if Bashar resigns, the FSA should kill the entire Cabinet, NO DIALOGUE !!! FINAL SOLUTION TO SHIA PROBLEM !!!

Khalid,

The last man that had a final solution for a group of people, as hard and as many he tried to kill he did not succeed. And he had the might of the third Reich backing him.
Calling for murder and purging of Syrians (or any group of people for that matter) is sickening and wrong on so many different levels, I hope you learn that one day.

Dialogue does not mean talking with the murderers, dialogue means Syrians talking with each other so that we build a better future for our Country. Every person with blood on their hands must be brought to justice, but justice does not mean hatred and bigotry.

Long live Khalid Tlass
Long live Abdelrezaj Tlass
Long live All the Terrorists,the builders of the new
JAHEEMSTAN

I maintain that the current regime and the armed forces are not legitimate and under both Syrian and International law the officers are obligated to refuse orders to shoot to kill innocent civilians. That was the basis for the Nuremberg trials and Syria is a signatory to the International judiciary with regard to human rights and to the Geneva convention for more emphasis. Calling for the army to enter into a town and kill people is pure criminality.

I read hate and propaganda from JAD and Norman and I never read SNK for he is not worth wasting my time, as for ANN which stands for ADORING NEWS NETWORK I usually look at the title as the regime is trying to clutch at straws from here and there to prop up its support and to discredit its opponents.

As for JAD under the foul disguise of reasonableness he is actually asking for a status quo and for the fox to guard the hen house and be its guardian asking us to believe that this fox has become vegan.

As for the accusation that “I want to split the country” my response is simple to all of the arguments: ask the people what they want and if some want to separate and create their own country so be it. What is so great in keeping the Sudan together, an artificial country with the north and south so different and with one group trying to impose its agenda and identity on the other. Why should the Kurds remain partitioned into the artificial countries of Syria and Iraq and to a lesser extent Iran and Turkey. In Iran 52#% of the population is Persian the rest being ethnically diverse such as Arabs Kurds Baluch Azeris and what have you. In Iraq we are seeing the disintegration of the country that was kept together by fire and steel. Now that the US has departed it is up to the Iraqis to rise to the challenge so is the case for the Libyans as they struggle to rebuild and whatever they rebuild it is THEIR CHOICE. It is not JAD’s choice or Norman’s vision or my vision. Let the people decide and wish them well and give them your support instead of constantly patronize them and tell them what to do. For 50 years we have been fed the garbage of One Umma with an Eternal Mission and with Arab nationality as the only way.

It is a myth and the myth was destroyed first and foremost in 1967 and any doubts about this myth were finally buried in 1991 when one country invaded another.

One final thing, the scandals and the depth of corruption and the utter hellish depravity of the Arab regimes and the horrific stories of torture and humiliation and mass killings that these regimes have practiced now that they have been overthrown is again a testimony to the resilience and patience of the people as they endured so much hardship that their Job’s patience should be celebrated.

There is no Heaven or Hell in afterlife, there is certainly Hell on earth and one chamber of it is the Syrian repression system.
Wake up you adoring adulating Besho crowds.
Cheers the germs are multiplying.

One final note, JAD’s comments are proof of his hatred.

Was Perry wrong on Turkey?
By Michael Rubin
January 17, 2012, 12:07 pm
http://blog.american.com/2012/01/was-perry-wrong-on-turkey/

Governor Rick Perry is catching flack for calling Turkey’s leadership “Islamic terrorists.” While I would not go so far as Governor Perry, had he simply called Prime Minister Erdoğan an enabler for Islamic terrorists, he would be 100 percent correct.

I’ve previous charted Turkey’s path from ally to adversary. But here are a couple factoids which Perry might know, but many journalists and analysts may not:

• Prime Minister Erdoğan endorsed an Al Qaeda financier.
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/24/turkey-yasin-al-qadi-biz-cz_rm_0124alqadi.html

• Turkey also helped supply Al Qaeda in Iraq.
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=196752

• Erdoğan had repeatedly embraced Hamas and acted to supply it.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=2465

• Under Erdoğan’s watch, the murder rate of women in Turkey has increased 1,400 percent.
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Turkeys-Murder-Rate-of-Women-Skyrockets-117093538.html

• Under Turkey’s Islamist government, press freedom has plummeted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/world/europe/turkeys-glow-dims-as-government-limits-free-speech.html?pagewanted=all

Governor Perry may not have broad foreign policy expertise, but sometimes it’s useful to call a toad a toad, or at least a supporter of toads.

SOD
“but justice does not mean hatred and bigotry.”

In the Arab World it does. Just read some comments and these are educated people!

Justice for violence Aryeh Neier (Debate)

19 January 2012 For months now, it has been clear that no peaceful, even satisfactory, resolution of the conflict in Syria is possible without external intervention.
Paradoxically, too many Syrian civilians have been tortured, wounded, and killed to stop the demonstrations seeking the ouster of President Bashar Al Assad. The victims’ families, friends, and neighbours simply will not accept the Assad regime’s continuation in any form. So what will happen?

One possibility is that the regime will greatly escalate the killing. If it kills 10 or 20 times as many as have died thus far, perhaps it will succeed in creating so much terror that the protests will stop. Though this is far from certain, it is hard to imagine that maintaining the current level of violence will make Syrians bow to the regime, given that so many have refused to do so up to now.

Another possibility is that Assad, his family, and his top associates flee the country. But, even in that case, their flight probably would not end the strife. The Syrian armed forces have so much blood on their hands that those who have suffered losses or sympathise with the victims of repression are sure to demand that the killers be held accountable. Without a mechanism in place to see that justice is meted out in a fair and orderly way, Assad’s departure, by itself, will not end the violence.

If an even greater catastrophe than what is now taking place is to be avoided, external intervention is essential. Yet there are many good reasons not to intervene militarily – including the undesirability of doing so again so soon after NATO’s intervention in Libya, which would create the impression that such actions are becoming routine.

Indeed, many in the Arab world questioned even the Libyan intervention, because the United States-led invasion of Iraq years earlier had discredited the use of military force against a dictator. And, of course, it is difficult to discern who would contribute military resources for intervention in Syria, how great a commitment would be required, and how to ensure the least possible additional loss of life.

One way to intervene with the aim of securing legitimacy and minimising further bloodshed would be for the Arab League to establish a tribunal modelled on the International Criminal Court (ICC). Such a tribunal would have Arab judges, prosecutors, investigators, and defence attorneys, and it would conduct its proceedings in Arabic. It would have jurisdiction over the crimes that are spelled out in the ICC’s statute, and it would operate in accordance with the ICC’s procedures.

The ICC itself does not have jurisdiction over Syria, because the country is not a party to the treaty that established and governs the Court. Moreover, it seems likely that Russia, perhaps joined by China, would use its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to block referral of Syria to the ICC.

Though it would take time for an ad hoc Arab tribunal to be formed and to reach the point at which it could issue indictments, Syrian military commanders would immediately be put on notice that they could face prosecution for their actions against protesters. Indeed, the Arab League could strengthen the incentive to end the killings by determining that priority would be given to prosecuting those who commit additional crimes after the adoption of a resolution to establish such a tribunal.

Experience over the past two decades with ad hoc tribunals in other parts of the world demonstrates that they have a good record in apprehending those whom they indict. When the UN established the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in 1993, its many detractors claimed that it would go nowhere because it could not compel the appearance of defendants. In fact, however, the ICTY has succeeded in bringing before it every defendant that it indicted from all parties to the post-Yugoslav wars of the 1990’s.

It is impossible to predict that establishment of such a tribunal, whether by the Arab League or some other international body, would suffice to halt the bloodshed. More may be required. But setting in motion a process to bring the perpetrators of heinous crimes to justice seems appropriate in its own right. And it seems worth trying such an approach before attempting to fight violence with violence.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2012/January/opinion_January72.xml&section=opinion

Irritated,

Ones level of education does not necessarily translate to humility, bigots come in all colours and levels of education.

After Libya, it is again Arab League who could trigger a change in the Syrian crisis: a thorough analysis of what is at stake.

Syria monitors’ report awaited at UN Security Council
By Barbara Plett BBC UN correspondent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16610263
For the UN Security Council, much is at stake when it comes to the Arab League’s monitors in Syria.

There are two broad but opposing positions in the Council. Both have tied their policies to the fate of the mission, which was given a month to observe Syria’s compliance with an Arab peace plan, and is expected to report back this week.

In essence, the divide is over whether the Security Council should get involved in the Syrian crisis.

On one side are Western nations (in particular Britain, France, the United States and Germany) which see the conflict as appalling government repression of peaceful protesters. They seek a strong condemnation of Damascus and punitive action such as sanctions or an arms embargo.

On the other side are states led by Russia, which is intent on protecting its considerable strategic interests with a long-time Arab ally.

But it also believes that any Council intervention would have a hidden and counter-productive agenda of ousting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and fears a scenario where the UN backs one side in a civil war, as it claims happened in Libya.
..
Hence the importance of how the Arab League judges its mission, and what it decides to do next.
Continue reading the main story
“ We might have a chance of avoiding a Russian veto only if we get a public and official request for action from the Arab League” Gerard Araud French ambassador to the UN

It might bow to growing criticism that its monitors are failing to stem the violence in Syria and refer the matter to the Security Council. Council members give considerable weight to regional requests, and Western powers believe such a clear signal could break Russian resistance to UN action.

“We might have a chance of avoiding a Russian veto only if we get a public and official request for action from the Arab League,” says French Ambassador Gerard Araud. “That is certainly a necessary condition, although I don’t know if it is a sufficient one.”

But the Arab League could also decide to continue and bolster its mission, strengthening the hand of Russia, which has argued that the monitors are helping to stabilise the situation.

“We think they’ve established a foothold there,” says Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin. “They’re in a better position than initially to have a restraining influence, so we hope they will continue beyond (one month) and as long as it takes for the political crisis to be brought to a halt.”
Arab divisions

It is not only the Security Council that is divided: members of the Arab League are also far apart.

Qatar is leading the drive against Syria, with quiet support from Gulf states. Others like Algeria, Iraq and, according to a Western diplomat, even Egypt may oppose any referral to the Council.

Arab differences mirror the UN debate over the need for outside intervention and the desirability of regime change, even though they couch their concerns in the language of human rights.

Analysts say the Sunni Muslim Gulf states see the end of the Assad regime as an opportunity to weaken Syria’s Shia Muslim ally Iran, which they perceive as a growing regional threat.

Other Arab governments see the end of the regime ushering in a sectarian and civil war that could suck in players from Israel to Iran. For them, supporting the Arab mission is a way of avoiding any international action that could contribute to the break-up of Syria: not necessarily through a Libya-like Nato operation but through punishing sanctions, no-fly or buffer zones, or the creation of safe havens for the opposition.
‘Fuzzy outcome’

For these states, the emergence of an armed resistance in Syria is every bit as alarming as the government’s repression.
A member of the Free Syrian Army in the Idlib province of Syria, close to Turkey Some Arab countries say the monitors are having trouble with the armed resistance

“The feeling is that the Syrian government is in the process of making more of an effort, but the Arab League is especially having problems with the armed opposition and is not managing to penetrate neighbourhoods that are today belonging to the opposition,” Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci told journalists at the UN recently.
…
Yet the bottom line remains that the strength of any Council action will depend on the strength of an Arab League mandate. And without a clear Arab referral to the UN, Western nations will likely face a Russian veto for anything other than the weakest of resolutions.

76. OBSERVER said:

Observer, you have said many good things in your post, there is but one major error. There is heaven on earth, but some choose to make it hell, and the religious fools are the main culprits.

Observer,

The Syrian soldiers are not shooting at civilians, otherwise we would have see more death, we do not see much in most of the country, the death are in Homs, Idlib and Daraa, the army is shooting back at militants that use the civilians as human shield, The Syrian army should be more careful but the civilians should stay clear from these terrorists,

We can still have one nation but we need to decentralize and make the people responsible for their leaders.

Interesting article from Homs

http://syriasteps.com/?d=152&id=81322&in_main_page=1

Dear Son of Damascus,
Nice come back, again, my reply:

SNC:
I agree with you, I guess I should’ve been more specific in expressing my disagreement with the council instead of being vague and general.
I’m not denying their rights to voice their opinion, the core of the changes many Syrians are calling for is the right of expressing their opinions without fear and I’m support that in any and every peaceful way possible.
I’m against the incoherence in the message they are sending, I’m against the false hopes many of the SNC members sending to their supporters knowing the difficulties of achieving what they are promising, I’m against attacking the core of Syria either the flag or the anthem those are not symbols of the regime, they are our national identity and they should stay out of the political market. I’m also against the segregation message they are proposing between the Syrian society and I’m against the violence path they are taking as their only solution to what we have and their disgusting partnership with the Syrian people enemies to get to power, for me that is not what I want to see as a Syrian in the opposition. It’s giving the wrong message to everybody and putting Syrians in danger of losing everything instead of helping them gain strength and move forward for me they proved that they are bunch of politics and diplomacy illiterate and they let a warmonger to lead them to a disaster.

FSA:
Please read these few articles and studies by Erica Chenoweth a well-known non-violent researcher, she is a strong supporter for Syrians and she always ask for the same message, ‘DO NOT USE WEAPONS, it’ll be the end of the struggle’. I linked couple of her studies before but as usual nobody cares to learn from history, they want to repeat every mistake done and weep afterword on losing their future instead of listening and learning from other people’s mistakes.
13 Ways to Support the Syrian Opposition Right Now
http://rationalinsurgent.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/13-ways-to-support-the-syrian-opposition-right-now/
How Important is Turkey’s Support of the Free Syrian Army?
http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2011/10/30/how-important-is-turkey%E2%80%99s-support-of-the-free-syrian-army/
Armed Wing in Syria: To What Effect?
http://rationalinsurgent.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/armed-wing-in-syria-to-what-effect/

Resistance:
I’m ok to disagree with you on this hoping that when things get better we can both come back to this point to make our differences closer a bit.

Terrorism:

Agreed as before

Self defence:

We don’t have to be Rambos, even in Nazi Germany people fought in a nonviolence way and many of them died but they start something that last longer and inspired many generations afterward, look for The White Rose movement to see that self-defence can be done without a gun.
Our Syrian martyrs against the Ottomans who were hanged in Alamrjeh sq, on May 6th they didn’t need to kill anybody to spread the light of freedom to us all, sometimes, we may need to lose our weapons to gain freedom instead of become murderers.

Transition of power:
“they must first topple the existing one”
not necessary, you can only topple it from within and through a political revolution over the existing mentality of the society, there is a way out without the need to destroy everything.
“I am willing to give the SNC the benefit of the doubt for now”
They are part of the picture and not the whole picture, they represent part of the Syrians and not all of the Syrians, and they can work better as political parties within the state to make it better instead of what they are doing today.
I know that all what I’m writing means nothing in the middle of this ‘war’ but ignoring the facts that the damage been done so far by the SNC is grave, at least from my point of view.

(“Syria, I trust you”) Beautiful yet it’s merely words for me when I’m putting my trust in a picture I’m not being able to make it reality what is real is this: ‘Syria, we betray your trust’
Reality Check:
Delusional in ‘Science’ is different than delusional in ‘reality’ 

“this kind of discourse between Syrians is what Syria needs in my opinion”
Dialogue and reconciliation is the way out my friend.
“we all love our country and are all extremely sad and angry at seeing it ripped apart.”
We do, as you wrote “Syria, I love you” my worries is that we are going to kill it out of our ‘love’

Have a great day Son of Damascus, be happy, strong and optimistic, Inshallah Sourya tseer a7san.

Zabadani is under the control of the FSA.  Is that finally confirmed?  Assad to remain Prez while MB control the government?    

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-syrian-rebels-take-control-over-area-outside-damascus-1.408046

Report: Syrian rebels take control over area outside Damascus
Assad forces withdraw from area of al-Zabadani, located 19 miles outside Damascus, after Syrian government and rebels reach local ceasefire.

Opposition forces in Syria succeeded in taking control of an area outside Damascus on Wednesday as Syrian troops withdrew from the town, Al-Arabiya reported.

The Free Syria Army’s seizure of the area of al-Zabadani, located 19 miles (30 km) outside of the capital Damascus, marks the first time rebels succeeded in taking control over land in Syria.

Syrian troops reportedly withdrew from the area after rebels and government forces agreed on a ceasefire one day earlier.

The deal was reached between town leaders and Deputy Defense Minister Assef Shawkat, who is the brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“We do not know how long this ceasefire will last,” opposition activist Ahmad al-Saeed told German news agency DPA on Wednesday. According to al-Saeed, government forces had agreed to end their siege of the town, while rebel forces agreed to withdraw from the town’s streets.

The Syrian government issued no immediate comment on the matter.

Fighting continued elsewhere in the country, as the army shelled the city of Daraa. Opposition sources reported five people killed and some forty arrests in the area.

Also Wednesday, representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood claimed to have rejected a proposal floated by Iran that that group be given control over the Syrian government in exchange for its agreement that Assad remain president.

The return of the ‘eye witness’ soapopera:
وينو علي، وينو علي؟
مذيعة العربية وشاهد عيان من الزبداني
http://youtu.be/tOAQWDOPBCg

“An attempt to negotiate a cease-fire during battles in the central town of Rastan in July fell apart and an armored force regained control after 10 days of fighting rebels.

Activists said Zabadani, linked to old smuggling routes in the rugged mountains separating Syria and Lebanon, is more difficult to storm than Rastan, surrounded by flat farmland.

“I think the regime agreed to the truce because they know that with the mountainous terrain, if their forces fought on they would suffer much heavier losses than the rebels despite the difference in weapons,” said Maher Ismail, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, an umbrella group for loosely organised army defectors that says it is helping defend the town.

“Our calculation as of now is that the regime will stop firing, but it will not back away. We imagine they may just be planning a new strategy for attack,” he added.

Kamal al-Labwani, an opposition leader from Zabadani who fled to Jordan last month, said keeping tanks nearby was part of pressure by the authorities on residents to give up their guns.

“The regime is pushing through intermediaries for the rebels to hand in their arms, but I don’t think it is going to happen,” Labwani said.

Labwani said earlier that one person had been killed and 50 wounded in Zabadani during the attack. About 30 pro-Assad soldiers had also been killed, as had an unknown number of soldiers who had defected to the rebels, he added.

Activists from Zabadani said the cease-fire agreement was reached on Tuesday between town leaders and Deputy Defense Minister Assef Shawkat, Assad’s brother-in-law.”

Read more:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jan/18/syria-ceasefire-in-zabadani-live-udates

Russia wont give ‘the west’ any UN resolution for a military mission, they have no choice but to do it on their own while France won’t accept that unless something really big happens:

«الإجراءات الاقتصادية ضد إيران لا علاقة لها بالملف النووي»
لافروف: سنستعمل الفيتو في مجلس الأمن
ضد العقوبات أو التدخل العسكري في سوريا

رفضت روسيا أمس، استراتيجية العقوبات التي يتبعها الغرب ضد سوريا وإيران، فانتقدت فرض المزيد من العقوبات الاقتصادية على إيران، وأكدت انها لن توافق على اي تدخل عسكري في سوريا في إطار الامم المتحدة.
وفي مؤتمر صحافي في موسكو، حذر وزير الخارجية سيرغي لافروف من أن روسيا التي تعارض فرض اي عقوبات او اي تدخل خارجي في سوريا، مستعدة لاستخدام حق النقض (الفيتو) الذي تتمتع به بصفتها دولة دائمة العضوية في مجلس الامن الدولي. وقال «بالنسبة لنا فإن الخط الأحمر واضح. لن ندعم فرض اي عقوبات». وأضاف ان اي دولة ترغب في اي تدخل عسكري في سوريا «لن تحصل على اي تفويض من مجلس الامن الدولي».
وأشار لافروف الى ان روسيا ستستخدم حق النقض لمنع تبني اي مقترحات للتدخل العسكري في سوريا، بينما تصبح السياسة الخارجية الروسية اكثر تصلباً مع اقتراب الانتخابات الرئاسية التي ستجرى في آذار المقبل والعودة المتوقعة لفلاديمير بوتين الى الكرملين. وقال الوزير الروسي انه اذا ارادت دول «اللجوء الى القوة بأي ثمن فاحتمال ان نتمكن من معارضة ذلك ضئيل. لكن هذا يبقى مبادرة خاصة بها وتعود الى ضمائرها … لكنهم لن يحصلوا على اي تفويض من مجلس الأمن الدولي».
وأخيرا، دافع لافروف عن التجارة الروسية مع سوريا وسط تزايد الجدل حول الشحنة الغامضة التي تردد انها تحمل اسلحة الى دمشق. ورداً على سؤال حول انتقادات المندوبة الاميركية في الامم المتحدة سوزان رايس عقب انباء أن الشحنة تحمل اسلحة وذخائر للقوات السورية وسط حملة القمع التي يشنها النظام السوري، قال لافروف «لقد سمعت أن سوزان رايس تطلب حتى بعض التوضيحات». واضاف «لا نشعر بأن علينا ان نوضح او ان نبرر اي شيء لأننا لا ننتهك اية اتفاقيات دولية او قرارات لمجلس الامن الدولي». وتابع قائلا «نحن فقط نتبادل سلعاً مع سوريا لا يحظرها القانون الدولي».
من جهة أخرى، انتقد لافروف العقوبات الجديدة التي ينوي الغرب فرضها على ايران وأكد أن أي هجوم عسكري على إيران سيشكل «كارثة تؤدي الى اخطر العواقب»، يمكنها خصوصا ان تؤجج التوتر الحالي بين المسلمين السنة والشيعة. وقال الوزير الروسي إن «فرض مزيد من العقوبات الأحادية على ايران لا علاقة له بالرغبة في ضمان التزام النظام بالحد من الانتشار النووي». وأضاف إن «فرض عقوبات إضافية أحادية ضد ايران ليس له اية علاقة بالرغبة في ضمان التزام النظام بوقف الانتشار النووي. ويهدف بشكل كبير الى خنق الاقتصاد الإيراني وإرادة الشعب الايراني، ربما على أمل إثارة حالة من الاستياء» الشعبي.
وقال لافروف إن إيران «تنتظر الآن وفد الوكالة الدولية حتى تتمكن من مناقشة قضايا جدية. لذلك لن تسهم العقوبات التي سيتبناها الاتحاد الاوروبي في تحسين الأجواء او جعل المحادثات مثمرة اكثر». وأضاف لافروف ان «جميع العقوبات المحتملة التي يمكن ان تؤثر على سلوك ايران بخصوص الملف النووي او على تعاونها مع الوكالة الدولية قد استنفدت».
من جهة اخرى، اكد لافروف رداً على سؤال حول احتمالات شن اي عمل عسكري ضد ايران «بالنسبة لاحتمال حدوث مثل هذه الكارثة يجب طرح السؤال على الذين يؤكدون باستمرار ان هذا الخيار يبقى مطروحاً على الطاولة». وحذر لافروف من «اخطر» العواقب» لمثل هذا الهجوم، وقال انه قد يؤدي الى ازمة لاجئين وتأجيج التوتر بين الطوائف في المنطقة. وقال «لا شك لدي في ان (العمل العسكري) لن يؤدي سوى الى صب الزيت على النار في النزاع الذي لا يزال قائماً بين السنة والشيعة. ولا اعلم اين ستنتهي التفاعلات الناجمة عن ذلك». (أ ف ب)
http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionID=2054&ChannelID=48816&ArticleID=1651

حوار مع نبيل العربي:
ننفذ في سوريا مهمة غير مسبوقة في تاريخ الجامعة
جميل مطر

“2 ـ المشكلة السورية: لا ثروة سورية لدفع فواتير الحرب المحتملة

أشفق على باحثين وأكاديميين يحاولون الاقتراب من «المشكلة السورية»، وأقصد بالمشكلة السورية كل ما يتعلق بموقع سوريا في شبكة العلاقات الإقليمية والدولية. أشفق عليهم لمعرفتي بالصعوبات المحيطة بأي محاولة لفهم مكونات الدور السوري وطبيعته وعلاقته بالتكوينات السورية الداخلية. أشفق أيضا على السياسيين العرب والأجانب الذين تدفعهم مسؤولياتهم للتعامل مع السياسة الخارجية السورية، وما يتعلق بها من سياسات إقليمية. لذلك تمنيت لو أن الظروف سمحت للصديق نبيل العربي أن يبدأ مسيرته في الجامعة العربية بقضية أخرى غير قضية تتعلق بسوريا.
أظن أن الأمين العام فوجئ بعد زيارته الأولى لدمشق حين طالب تيار سوري معارض بتدخل دولي على غرار التدخل الذي حدث في ليبيا. علق على هذا الظن من جانبي بقوله: «كان هناك بعض الرافضين للتدخل الدولي في تيارات معارضة أخرى على أساس أن التدخل سيدمر البلد. حاولت أن أشرح لطالبي ومؤيدي التدخل الدولي أن الجامعة ليست في حاجة لتحويل الملف إلى مجلس الأمن. شرحت للكثيرين أن الطلب إلى الجامعة أن تدعو الأمم المتحدة للتدخل كلام وهمي ويدل على عدم دراية جيدة لأسلوب العمل في المنظمة الدولية. فالموضوع، باعتباره أزمة حادة، معروض بالفعل أمام مجلس الأمن، ثم ان مجلس الأمن ليس في حاجة إلى إحالة أي موضوع عليه. مجلس الأمن لديه صلاحيات كاملة طبقا للميثاق أن يتدخل في أي مكان في العالم حتى دون إذن من الدولة المعنية. ولا أذكر أن مجلس الأمن استأذن أحدا لإحالة ملف أزمة من الأزمات عليه».
انتقل الحديث إلى أوجه الاختلاف بين الحالة السورية والحالة الليبية. ليس خافيا في كل الأحوال أن الدول الكبرى إذا أرادت التدخل فستتدخل كما فعلت في أزمة البوسنة عندما رفض الاتحاد السوفياتي أي دور لمجلس الأمن. «هذه الدول لا تريد التدخل في سوريا لأسباب ثلاثة على الأقل، أولها أن العالم الغربي منهك، وثانيها أن أميركا وفرنسا مقبلتان على انتخابات رئاسية، وثالثها أن سوريا على عكس ليبيا لديها جيش قوي وجغرافيتها وتركيبتها مؤثرة في كل ما حولها، وخامسها أنه لا نفط في سوريا، بمعنى أنه ليس لدى سوريا الثروة الكافية التي تسمح لها بدفع فواتير الحرب للدول التي تشارك فيها». ما لم يقله صراحة هو أنه لا مصلحة مادية مغرية للدول الكبرى لتتدخل عسكرياً في سوريا.
سمعته يشرح لطالبي التدخل الدولي، وأغلبهم كان رافضا الدور العربي. قال لهم إن الأزمة في سوريا تشبه حالة رجل مريض يحتاج لعلاج. يمكن علاجه بعملية جراحية وهذا في يد مجلس الأمن، ومعه المشرط، ولكن لا أحد من أعضاء المجلس مستعد للإمساك بالمشرط وإجراء العملية. أما نحن في الجامعة العربية وعن طريق مبادرتنا فنعالج بالأدوية ومقتنعون بأنها أفضل وأكفأ وأقل تكلفة من حيث الخسائر في البشر والتداعيات المتوقعة.
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كان رأيي منذ البداية أن دمشق اختارت تعقيد مهمة نبيل العربي لأسباب يقدرها ويعرفها القريبون من النظام هناك والمتابعون بانتظام السلوك السياسي لقادة حزب البعث. وهو الرأي الذي لم يتحمس له الصديق نبيل وأصدقاء آخرون لعبوا أدوارا نبيلة خلال الأسابيع الأخيرة رغم أكثر من دليل قدم لهم.
كان رأيي أيضا أن بعض فصائل المعارضة لم تتمتع بفضيلة الصبر والنفس الطويل حين بدأت تضغط منذ الأيام الأولى للأزمة لاستدعاء التدخل الدولي. بعض هؤلاء تخيلوا سيناريوهات للتدخل الدولي لا تمت للواقع والظروف الدولية والإقليمية بصلة. لم يحللوا بالعمق الكافي تداعيات الكارثة الليبية وعواقب الوصاية الدولية المفروضة حاليا على ليبيا، وصراعات الميليشيات وبعضها بالفعل ممول من قوى عربية وأجنبية.
من ناحية أخرى رفض الكثيرون الدخول في تجربة لم تقدم عليها الجامعة من قبل، وهي إرسال فريق من المراقبين إلى سوريا، وهي الفكرة التي تبناها الأمين العام واعتبرها المدخل العربي المناسب لطمأنة الشعب السوري ولجم قوى القمع والعنف.”

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إسلاميو سوريا: الغواة

ساطع نور الدين
ما زالت المعارضة السورية ضائعة بين الهواية والغواية. وما زال إسلاميوها يثيرون الشبهات حولهم، وحول وعيهم ونضجهم لأداء هذا الدور التاريخي المتمثل في ازالة الاستبداد عن كاهل سوريا، وحول انتمائهم الى مجتمع كان ولا يزال يعتقد أنه أكثر تمدناً وأقل تديناً من المجتمع المصري الذي خيّب الآمال فيه عندما غزا صناديق الاقتراع وأعطى غالبيته لمن هم غرباء عن ثورته، دخلاء على حريته المستعادة وديموقراطيته الموعودة.
الملتقى الإسلامي السوري الاول الذي تأسس وانعقد في اسطنبول طوال اليومين الماضيين يتخطى الشبهة ليبرر التهمة بأن ثمة في المعارضة الإسلامية السورية من لم يلاحظ بعد أن النظام لم يسقط، ولم يدرك أنه من السابق لأوانه البحث في وراثته، او في طلب حصر إرثه، وتوزيعه حسب الأوزان والأحجام المقدرة بناء على أحلام وأوهام.
ليس الملتقى الأول من نوعه انشقاقاً عن صفوف المعارضة السورية في الخارج، وتحديداً المجلس الوطني الذي ينتمي اليه معظم الحاضرين لا سيما جماعة الاخوان المسلمين المنظمة للملتقى، والذي كان أحد مندوبيه حاضراً بصفة «مراقب» وسط ممثلي أكثر من تنظيم وشيخ وداعية إسلامي كانوا يعلنون تمايزهم ويدشنون عملية فرز مبكرة ومريبة داخل صفوف المعارضين السوريين التي لم تنتظم بعد في تحالف واحد، على الرغم من مرور عشرة أشهر على الثورة، وعلى الرغم من ضغوط الشارع السوري والخارج العربي والأجنبي من أجل الاعلان عن البديل.
ثمة حاجة مشروعة الى قياس حجم كل طرف مشارك في الثورة السورية، وثمة حشرية طبيعية لمعرفة حجم الإسلاميين الذين يبدو ان انشقاقاتهم عن النظام تعادل ان لم تكن تفوق الانشقاقات العسكرية، وتتطلب توفير غطاء لحمايتهم ورعايتهم. لكن الارتقاء بهذه الحاجة الى مستوى ملتقى إسلامي خاص، يقدم عنواناً جديداً للمعارضة السورية التي لا تحتاج اصلا الى المزيد من العناوين، التي يمكن أن تثير حفيظة المعارضين الآخرين، وتوفر مركز إغواء او محل اختراق من قبل النظام.
اما بعض الاسماء التي حضرت الملتقى وشاركت في تأسيسه، والتي كان يفترض انها نبذت كلياً من جانب المعارضة السورية وحتى من قبل الإسلاميين انفسهم، بسبب اللغة الطائفية المشينة التي استخدمتها في الأسابيع الاولى من الثورة وكادت تعيد عدداً من المعارضين الى حضن النظام، وبعض الكلمات والمداخلات التي ألقيت في ذلك الجمع الاسلامي السوري، فإنها أثارت المزيد من الشكوك التي لا يمكن تبديدها ببيان ختامي كتب كما يبدو قبل انعقاد الملتقى وتضمن التأييد والدعم للثورة والحرية والديموقراطية في سوريا.
الثورة السورية أكبر من ان يصادرها الإسلاميون، وأقوى من ان يغادروها الى ملتقى خاص، يحرض الآخرين على تشكيل ملتقياتهم الدينية والسياسية الخاصة، ويسعى الى القفز على سلطة لا يمكن أن تمر الا عبر الشارع السوري المختلف جوهرياً عن الشارع المصري او التونسي او الليبي.

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الانتفاضة السورية: مطالب الشعب وطريق التغيير
سلامة كيلة

تلخصت الانتفاضة السورية في مطلب إسقاط النظام، وأحياناً في اعتبار أنّها ثورة «الحرية والكرامة». وظل هذا وذاك يتكرران طوال الأشهر المنصرمة، إذ بقي الشباب يمحور هتافاته عليها. وكان يظهر كم هي قاسية وطأة الاستبداد الطويل، وتدخلات الأجهزة الأمنية، والشرطة في حياة المواطنين. وبالتالي كم كان عبء السلطة مهولاً، وممارساتها فظة. وإذا كانت بعض الفئات تريد الحرية التي تعني التحرر من السيطرة الأمنية والانغلاق الإعلامي، وتحقيق الحرية الفردية، من أجل أن تمارس حقها الطبيعي في التعبير عن ذاتها، فإنّ كتلاً كبيرة كانت تضمّن هذه الأهداف مكنوناتها، وهي التي لا تستطيع أن تصوغ مطالبها واضحة في شعارات نتيجة غياب الوعي السياسي الذي نتج من الاستبداد الطويل.
ولذلك تمحور الهدف الأساسي للانتفاضة في إسقاط النظام من أجل الحرية. أو كما تعبّر المعارضة السياسية بمختلف أطيافها: الانتقال من دولة الاستبداد إلى الديموقراطية، وأصبحت انتفاضة «حرية وكرامة». لكن هل يستوفي ذلك مطالب كلّ الطبقات الشعبية المشاركة (أو غير المشاركة بعد) في الانتفاضة؟ هل هذا ما تريده كلّ الفئات المفقرة والتي بلا عمل، أو التي لم تعد تستطيع تعليم أبنائها أو مداواتهم، أو حتى توفير أبسط سبل العيش؟
إذا كانت الطبقات الشعبية لم تعبّر عن مطالبها في الشعارات التي ترددها، أو اللافتات التي ترفعها، فليس معنى ذلك أنّ ليس لديها مطالب واضحة، كانت تكررها من وقت لآخر. وهذا يفرض أن نتلمس مشكلات تلك الطبقات لتلمّس مطالبها، لأنّها لا تطالب بأكثر من تجاوز تلك المشكلات، وليس في مقدورها أن تنتقل بـ«التجريد» إلى مستويات أخرى يوصل الوعي السياسي إليها، أو حتى تصل إلى تصوّر حول كيفية تحقيق مطالبها. لذلك تنتفض، وتسقط، ومن ثم يتوقف كل شيء على «النخب السياسية» التي تتصدّر المشهد بعدئذ.
ولذلك لا بد من استخلاص مطالب تلك الطبقات، وصوغها في أهداف تصبح هي الحاكمة لكلّ تغيير سياسي، أو تأسيس سلطة جديدة. وهنا يجب الابتعاد عن الميل الأيديولوجي أو المصلحة الضيقة لفئة اجتماعية يمكن أن تعمل على حصر المطالب في مطالبها هي بالذات. ويبرز خصوصاً وضع النخب التي تميل عادة إلى تحقيق مصالحها باسم الأمة كلّها، وبالتالي تجاهل مصالح الأمة. الأمر الذي يفرض علينا تحديد المطالب العامة للطبقات الشعبية. المطالب التي يثورون من أجلها، ويعتقد كلّ منهم بأنّ التغيير سوف يقود حتماً إلى تحقيقها. أو يجب أن يقود حتماً إلى تحقيقها. وسوف يستمر في الصراع إلى أن تتحقق.
وهنا لا بد من أن تشمل المطالب كلية البنية السياسية المجتمعية، وليس شكل السلطة السياسية فقط، أو الأشخاص الذين يحكمون فحسب. أو أن يفضي إسقاط النظام إلى تغيير البنية الاقتصادية السياسية التي فرضت التهميش الاقتصادي والمجتمعي، وكان الاستبداد الضرورة التي تسمح بذلك. وبالتالي تأسيس بنية اقتصادية سياسية تتضمن حلّاً لكلّ مشكلات تلك الطبقات، من العمل إلى الأجر إلى التعليم والصحة والضمان، إلى الثقافة والوعي، إلى الدولة الديموقراطية. البديل إذن، يجب أن يتضمن حل مشكلات مجتمعية وليس تغيير شكل سلطة.
من هذا المنظور أرى أنّ المطالب يمكن أن تختصر في النقاط التالية: 1) بناء دولة مدنية حديثة تقوم على إرادة الشعب ويحكمها دستور مدني ديموقراطي، وتنطلق من الحريات العامة، ومن فصل السلطات، واستقلالية القضاء، وتقوم على أساس النظام البرلماني. 2) حق تأسيس الأحزاب والنقابات وكلّ أشكال الاتحادات التي تعبّر عن مصالح فئات اجتماعية مصونة في الدستور وتخضع للإشهار فقط. 3) تحقيق المواطنة الكاملة، وإقرار قانون مدني للأحوال الشخصية. 4) إقرار الحقوق القومية للأكراد والأقليات الأخرى، والتي تتمثل في الحق في التكلم باللغة الأم ونشر الثقافة والتدريس بها. 5) محاسبة كلّ الذين نهبوا الاقتصاد الوطني استناداً إلى قوة السلطة وعبر تعميم الفساد، ومصادرة أموالهم لكي تسهم في إعادة بناء الاقتصاد الوطني. 6) إعادة النظر في الاقتصاد من أجل حلّ مشكلات البطالة (خصوصاً بين الشباب) والأجور، انطلاقاً من إنهاض الزراعة والصناعة وفق خطط حكومية، وبمشاركة الرأسمال الخاص. 7)مجانية التعليم مع بنائه على أسس علمية، وتحقيق الضمان الاجتماعي والصحي لكل المواطنين.
التنمية المتوازنة بين المحافظات، والاستفادة من التنوّع في الظروف فيها. 9) التأكيد على إعادة بناء الجيش لكي يكون قادراً على تحرير الجولان والتصدي للهجمة الإمبريالية. والتأكيد على حلّ مسألة احتلال الإسكندرون من خلال الحوار مع تركيا. 10) إعادة بناء الأجهزة الأمنية لكي تكون معنية بالوطن وليس في المجال السياسي المباشر، انطلاقاً من إعادة صياغة «عقيدتها الأمنية»، وإعادة تأهيل كادرها، وإخضاعها للمراقبة الشعبية.
تلك مطالب عامة، تتضمن مطالب كلّ الطبقات الشعبية، وهي الأساس في انتفاضة هذه الطبقات، والتي أصبح مدخلها هو الهدف العام الذي طرحته هذه الطبقات، أي إسقاط النظام. بمعنى أنّ إسقاط النظام هو الطريق لتحقيق هذه المطالب التي تحقق الحرية والكرامة والعدالة الاجتماعية. ولا بد لكلّ حزب يتنطح للوصول إلى السلطة من أن يعمل على تحقيقها، أو ينكشف ويحاسب انطلاقاً منها. ولا بد من أن تكون أيضاً في أساس اختيارات الأفراد للحزب الذي تعتقد بأنّه يحققها. وبالتالي يمكن أن تتمرّد عليه إذا لم يستطع تحقيقها، أو تجاهلها وفرض مصالح ضيقة لفئات أخرى.
في كلّ الأحوال، لا بد من مرحلة انتقالية. ولقد تحقق ذلك بأشكال مختلفة في تونس ومصر، وليبيا، اي البلدان التي انتصرت الثورات فيها. لكن تلك التجارب، التي أوضحت أهمية المرحلة الانتقالية، أوضحت كذلك أنّ تحقيق الانتقال من نظام إلى آخر لا يكون حينما تستمر بنية النظام ذاته، والطبقة الرأسمالية المسيطرة ذاتها، وأنّ الأمر يحتاج إلى إعادة صوغ بنية الدولة، وإعادة الحيوية السياسية إلى المجتمع. الأمر الذي يفرض التركيز في المرحلة الانتقالية على تأهيل الدولة، وتحقيق مطالب عاجلة للطبقات الشعبية. في سياق الإعداد لانتخابات تؤسس لشرعية سياسية جديدة.
لذلك لا بد من حكومة انتقالية تتألف من شخصية معارضة ذات كفاءة، وتحظى بموافقة عامة من الشباب وأحزاب المعارضة، مهمتها: إعادة هيكلة الأجهزة الأمنية، وإعادة هيكلة الإعلام لكي يعبّر عن المجتمع، وهيكلة بنية الدولة ومحاسبة الفاسدين فيها، والتركيز على الكفاءة، وإعادة هيكلة القضاء وطرد الفاسدين فيه، واعتماد المهنية والكفاءة. كذلك من مهماتها إطلاق حق تشكيل الأحزاب، وتأسيس الصحف والإعلام المرئي والمسموع، وتحرير النقابات والسماح بتشكيل نقابي دون قيود أو هيمنة، وصياغة دستور جديد يطرح على الاستفتاء خلال سنة.
كذلك يجب دراسة زيادة الأجور بما يساوي ثلاثة أضعاف الحد الأدنى الحالي، والبدء بتوظيف العاطلين من العمل، وتخصيص أجر حد أدنى إلى حين توفّر العمل، وبدء معالجة الوضع الزراعي والصناعي والتعليمي والصحي.
هدف الحكومة الانتقالية إذن هو التمهيد لشرعية جديدة تأتي عبر الانتخاب، لكن بعد أن يتأسس واقع سياسي جديد، يعبّر عن الطبقات الشعبية ذاتها التي انتفضت، وليس عن أحزاب ومصالح هي مصالح السلطة الحالية، وأحزاب لا تختلف عنها كثيراً، وتمتلك رؤية تكرّس الواقع الاقتصادي القائم. أحزاب تأتي لكي تعبّر عن الرأسمالية ذاتها المسيطرة الآن، أو عن إحدى فئاتها بتقزيم أخرى. فالمسألة تتمثل في إسقاطها كلّها، لأنّ النمط الاقتصادي الذي تكرسه هو السبب في كل الفقر والبطالة والتهميش، وانهيار الزراعة والصناعة والتعليم والصحة.
لقد سيطرت الرأسمالية ذاتها، من خلال المجلس العسكري في مصر، ومن خلال الحكومة الدستورية في تونس، على المرحلة الانتقالية، فأعادت إنتاج النظام ذاته بأسماء أحزاب جديدة، ووجوه جديدة. فلم تتأسس دولة مدنية ديموقراطية، بل جرى اختزال الديموقراطية بالانتخابات، وجرى التمسك بالنمط الاقتصادي ذاته الذي كان قبل الثورة. وجرى كذلك الإصرار على صحة ذاك النمط، وبالتالي تجاهل مطالب العاطلين من العمل والفقراء. نحن لا بد من أن نتلمس صيغة مرحلة انتقالية تفضي إلى التغيير العميق، وهو ما يتجاوز مصالح ومطامح كل الأحزاب القائمة. ويفرض العمل على تأسيس جديد.
لهذا، لا بد الآن من التركيز على توسيع مشاركة الطبقات الشعبية انطلاقاً من فهم يقوم على أنّها هي التي يجب أن يرسم أفق المستقبل، دون خوف أو تخوّف أو اتكاء على أي خارج. فالصراع هو بين هؤلاء والسلطة التي تمثّل فئة نهب وأثرت، فاستحوذت على الثروة من خلال تسلطها السلطوي. الأساس هو الثروة والسلطة، لذلك، الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام.
* كاتب عربي
http://al-akhbar.com/node/30478

Iran and Syria Connection: President Obama’s WMD?

By L. Vincent Poupard
http://news.yahoo.com/iran-syria-connection-president-obamas-wmd-223500273.html

COMMENTARY | The White House is pressing evidence that points to the potential of Iran supplying Syria with weapons to battle the uprising, according to the AFP. As a political scientist, I can understand the signs, but am still leery about committing to the idea. President Barack Obama has to insure these points of evidence to not add up to his version of “Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

While some of the evidence has not been released, most likely due to national security, the White House has stated that Qasem Soleimani was in Syria this month. Soleimani is the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds force. Fox News has pointed out a statement by White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor as this being the greatest evidence so far of Iran trying to help the Syrian government battle the uprising. Fox News is also reporting a statement from Syria in which the government denies the claim of support.

Even though President Obama’s connection between Iran and Syria makes sense, the government also gave us a clear picture less than a decade ago about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. We went into Iraq with the perceived intention of making sure Saddam Hussein would never use those reported weapons. As we all know, WMDs were never found in the country and the conspiracies began to flow about the real reason we were in the country.

President Obama has to be one hundred percent sure about Iran supplying weapons to Syria. Chances are good, this could lead to a showing of military force by the U.S. and/or U.N. in Syria to help the oppressed revolutionaries. He has to ensure all the duck are in a row and all of the ducks are real. Of course, action in Syria could easily end with military action in Iran.

With troops coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq, the White House, Pentagon and President Obama have to have solid evidence to convince the American people of a potential hazard in the Middle East. If we enter the region without valid reason, we might find another instance of our men and women going for war over faulty evidence. If we come to this type of impasse again, people may lose faith in military planners.

Al Assad needs to accept harsh reality
Syrian president’s stubborn attitude is ruining the economy and pushing the country towards a bloody civil war
By Joseph A. Kechichian, Special to Gulf NewsPublished: 00:00 January 19, 2012

…..
One simply wondered whether Israel was ready to reward its Syrian allies who, for lack of a better term, ensured Israeli security by imposing an iron-clad umbrella on and around the Golan Heights. When one contemplates that few shots were fired along this contested border since 1973, one wonders what was Syria’s national defence strategy, and why Iran, its heretofore ally that insists on liberating Palestine, has not raised the issue.
To be sure, Iran has much to lose if the Syrian crisis evolves into a full blown civil war, which is why few understand Teheran’s brinkmanship that literally ‘expelled’ the USS John Stennis (one of America’s 13 aircraft carriers that give Washington its unmatched global capabilities) from the Gulf in the most amateurish way possible. Threatening to close the vital Strait of Hormuz is, to put it simply, a dangerous initiative and one expects better from savvy Iranians.
One must also touch on Turkish policies, which hold the key to resolving the latest Syria crisis, and ask what happened to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s repeated pleas to President Al Assad to stop the killings. Erdogan extended his now famous two-week notices so often that one is puzzled by Ankara’s delay tactics.

What is Erdogan up to? Is he basking in the shadows waiting for the call to create a neutral zone along the Turkish-Syrian borders? Does Ankara have an understanding with western powers as to when to impose a no-fly-zone over Syria that would, by sheer necessity, involve Nato bases in Turkey? Was he waiting for a League request to join it in sending troops to Syria as proposed by the Qatari Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani?
…..
 
Dr. Joseph A. Kechichian is a commentator and author of several books on Gulf affairs.

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/al-assad-needs-to-accept-harsh-reality-1.967774

Dear Jad,

Unfortunately as a direct result of over 40 years of tyranny, coherence is tough to achieve right away. As for the flag, it is a symbol, many nations change elements in their flag to reflect the changes of their time (Star spangled, Maple leaf, Union jack …). As for our anthem, Khalil Mardam Bey wrote a beautiful anthem and hearing it still to this day give me goose bumps, but how can we say Humat Al Diar 3alikoum el Salam, when they are the ones demolishing our home.

It took a lot more than non violence to take down the Nazis, 12 million people that died in concentration camps are a testament to that. While the stories of Schindler, Ann Frank and brave souls like them are an inspiration and proof that in the midst of evil, humanity can survive; however the Nazi killing machine was not stopped by Schindler or Ann Frank.

As for working with the state, Jad you can’t work with the devil and not expect him to screw you. This regime had ample opportunities in the early stages to work towards that, they chose not and continue to do so. When Bashar in his latest speech is still jabbering about how this is all a conspiracy by everybody in the world, and still to this day not take any responsibility for what has transpired in Syria is delusional, and treasonous.

The lack of a reasonable political deal in Syria serves the hawks on both sides but it does not serve Syria. The opposition in particular needs to focus on weakening Assad by winning the so-called fence sitters,a term I am borrowing from hitaan blog. Without giving those fence sitters a rescue pill they can swallow,no peaceful solution will be found and this crisis will take years to end,a bloody end I have to say.
A starting point is accepting the undeniable fact that Syria is different and that Syrians are divided along sectarian and political lines. This acceptance will open the door for a compromise which must include forming an inclusive government from all willing parties and groups. When all is said and done,people will admit that attacking every Syrian with any possible link to the regime,including army units that did not necessarily engage in the killing of civilians,was a terrible strategic mistake. People,especially those who are neutral or even sympathetic to the regime, were less opposed to targeting security forces that were identified by locals as assassins and torturers,but the same people were alarmed when they realize that armed militia hit men were on a campaign to kill everybody they did not like including army officers and civilians who they accused of being regime collaborators. The armed men in Syria from both sides can terrorize and control the streets but they are losing the hearts and minds of many Syrians who simply had enough.

الرياض- يعود اهتمام العرب بالإبل إلى مئات السنين، غير أن السعوديين ينظمون سنويا مهرجانا للمفاضلة بين سفن الصحراء وفقا لعدة مقاييس، أهمها الجمال.
ففي منطقة نفود الصحراوية شمال الدولة الخليجية الغنية، ينظم مهرجان “أم رقيبة لمزايين الإبل،” وهو عبارة عن مسابقة جمال تضم 480 مشاركا من السعودية ودول الخليج.
ويقدر عاملون ومشاركون حجم سوق الإبل في منطقة أم رقيبة بنحو ملياري ريال، موزعة على أكثر من 5000 آلاف ناقة وبعير من الإبل المشاركة والتي تعتبر الأفضل والأجمل في العالم كله.
وبلغت قيمة الصفقات في مبيعات الإبل خلال مهرجان هذا العام أكثر من 500 مليون ريال، إذ تتجاوز عمليات البيع عشرات الملايين يومياً في المهرجان، بينما كانت أعلى صفقة بقيمة 150 مليون ريال.

تابعت الصحافة الفرنسية مستجدات الازمة السورية ونشرت الفيغارو مقابلة مع المعارض السوري ميشيل كيلو الموجود في باريس.
– المعارض كيلو الذي يقدم نفسه مستقلا عن التنظيمات المعارضة وخاصة المجلس الوطني يرى ان اهم الوسائل الكفيلة باسقاط النظام هو المجتمع المدني ويدعو ” لجان القاعدة” الموجودة في الداخل الى حيازة السلطة.
– بشان انقسام المعارضة يرى كيلو ان التنظيمات التي ظهرت للمعارضة كالمجلس الوطني في الخارج ولجان التنسيق في الداخل كانت دائما متاخرة مقابل تسارع الحركة الشعبية التاريخية.
– ويعتبر كيلو ان انشاء تنظيمات عسكرية لاسقاط النظام غير مجد نظرا لتماسك الجيش النظامي وقوته. وركز على ان اسقاط النظام يتم بالحوار الوطني مع الجميع بما في ذلك النظام.
– ويوافق كيلو ان البلد الان في مازق لان النظام غير قادر على الحسم لصالحه والمتظاهرون لا يستطيعون اسقاطه.
– وعن اقتراحاته للحل يرى المعارض اليساري كيلو ان هناك قوة جديدة صاعدة تدفع باتجاه اقناع المحايدين للانخراط في الحراك الثوري لتكوين لجان قاعدية في كل مكان هم من سيشكلون الحكومة السورية مستقبلا مع المجلس الوطني والاطراف الاخرى في الداخل ونوه الى ان اغلب اعضاء المجلس الوطني مغتربون منذ زمن وغير معروفين كثيرا من الشعب السوري.
– وعن قدرة الشعب السوري على الاستمرار في الاحتجاج اجاب كيلو بحماس ” حتى نهاية التاريخ ” فاذا ما توقفت الثورة فسنشهد مجازر مشابهة لما حدث في حماة عام 1982 حيث سقط 46 الف قتيل”.
– ويعتقد كيلو ان من الضروري رحيل بشار الاسد عن السلطة في سوريا كمفتاح للحل.
– وعن سبب عودته الى سوريا بالرغم من القمع اجاب بانه ” من العار الخوف من العودة والناس يموتون كل يوم من اجل الحرية”.
ترجمة : نور النجار/ باريس

It is well proven ,again and again that wisdom and arms are the best way to prevent dictatorship and support democracy, the judicial system has to be independent and not under the control of the executive branch.
The balance between the power of the goverment and the rights of the people,should be defended always, neither the goverment nor the people , should be stronger than the other,what will protect the people from the abuse of power by the goverment? owning weapons is the best way,if the ruler tilted toward dictatorship the people not the army not the security forces will straighten him, the army is in te hands of the ruler, the people must be able to defend themselves.
We in this country have said it ,power corrupt and too much power ,too much corruption.

Assad stays prez,and MB control the goverment is wrong , wrong ,wrong.We want neither Assad nor MB,the people decide not Assad or Iran .

In Zabadani the presence of FSA helped this truce,I still do not trust the regime,the expected massacre would have been horrible, the regime does not feel the troops are loyal,and worried about defections,it would have taken 10,000 soldier to control Zabadani area,with only temporary control,it could have been a mistake to go on with the massacre.The unites which are sent to Zabadani were under the control of Asef Shawkat, not Maher Assad,so Asef is responsible for this truce,

I do not think the regime can afford to lose in any spot,Zabadani or other areas,because such loss will trigger a domino effect that will deprive the regime from the power it needs if fighting parties finally agree to talk peace. Politicians from the SNC and the CNB are not as effective as those who stayed in Syria and paid dearly since March and before.
The regime may be able to convince some members of both councils to negotiate but that may not win the approval of fighters on the ground who are not likely to accept any deal that does not include the departure of Assad and most of his security and army chiefs,whether those fighters can force their will on the rest of Syrians is another story. For that exact reason the regime is not likely to allow armed militia to control Zabadani,we my have to accept another wave of violence before fighting parties realize that they can not win.
A quick victory for one party over the other may temporarily end blood shed but it is not a long term solution,only a balanced government with real checks and balances can survive.

As if the situation in Syria is not complicated enough:
أعلن عضو المكتب السياسي لحزب يكيتي الكردي في سورية فؤاد عليكو أمس أن أحزاب «المجلس الوطني الكردي» «علقت عضويتها في كافة أطر المعارضة السورية» على خلفية عدم التوصل إلى تفاهم مع الكتل المعارضة الثلاث بشأن الحصول على «اعتراف دستوري بوجود الشعب الكردي كقومية أصيلة في البلاد وإيجاد حل ديمقراطي للقضية الكردية في سورية على قاعدة حق تقرير المصير بإطار سورية الموحدة».

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Syrian Nationalist Party – الحزب القومي السوري
Metaz K M Aldendeshe معتز محمد عبد الرحمن آ غا الدندشي
Chief Strategist

“……Also Wednesday, representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood claimed to have rejected a proposal floated by Iran that that group be given control over the Syrian government in exchange for its agreement that Assad remain president…..”

That shows the nobilities of Syrian Moslem brotherhood, belated, after Khaddam stunt. Don’t ever forget Hama and betray the souls of the innocent Moslem women, children and brave men, they are watching and cheering for you now, they are alive in another dimension and are feeling your vibration now. Show the “Shia Munafekeen” of Iran, Shia of the world, that Syrian Moslems are noble, not tradable commodity like SOFA Shia of Airaq. Muwaiya and Yazid would have not only said firm NO, but done a whole lot more to the infidel who weakened Islam by their arrogance. Desperado, when their puppets in Syria and Lebanon vanish from power, and Premier Netanyahu drop for visit in Damascus, Cairo, Beirut, Bahrain, Qatar…it is over for them baby. The Next Item on the agenda after removing the puppets: منظمة معاوية الإسلامية الدولية

Here send this man an invitation now:
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng

What is Erdogan up to? = Well he is ill, possibly terminally, Syria is the last thing on his mind, he is worrying about saving own life now.

Is he basking in the shadows waiting for the call to create a neutral zone along the Turkish-Syrian borders? = No, he simply doing the prudent thing and just holding out for Qatar to deliver more cash, after all, once this dry out, no more cash for turkey, once Assad and HA is out, the cash flow to A:LEBANON, B:Syria, C: CAIRO and D: JORDAN. I think Qatari is running out of cash now, they pissed it, gambled it on a soccer game. But I do respect the Leader and what he is doing to his country and the region. When it comes to Arabs, my favorite personality is Turki Al-Faisal, don’t ask me why, I just like him, then The Dubai ruler and some of the Sabah’s. And despite all that I said about Abdullah in anger ( and I have every right to be angry), I will be a liar if I did not say that I like him too, for some odd reason, even though, he done so much ugly things, my favorite picture of him in Blue boldly striped suite and no Kaffieh.

“…..Russia wont give ‘the west’ any UN resolution for a military mission, they have no choice but to do it on their own while France won’t accept that unless something really big happens:…”

That is immoral. One can appreciate Russia stand on military intervention, but they cannot just sit and watch Syrians being genocidal liquidated by the murderous Baathist regime. They must take the lead, if they really care, in having the U.N. approve a resolution that will outline mandated reforms the regime must take under strict U.N. supervised, monitored and time-lined conditions, reform that will bring Syria to confirm with United nation Charter and various International law that protect the citizens and prevents genocide. It is absurd that in this day of age, a puppet for a genocidal regime, a bunch of war criminals will be allowed to maintain foreign bank accounts all over the world, accounts that are filled from stolen national wealth and treasury. It is Russia duty to take the lead in having this human right abuse issue resolved either by assisting in passing a strong and effective U.N. resolution or send own troops to Syria, either Russian or a coalition headed by Russian forces not to protect the outlawed and clearly genocidal regime, but to protect the Syrian People, it is about protecting human lives and not selling more weapon for Russia, that is really what should be the goal of Russian policy in Syria. After all, trades between a free market Syria, at peace with Israel, a recipient of billions in aid from Arab states, can provides Russian economy and businessmen with astronomical economic and business opportunities, far more that the peddling arm trade delivery once in a decade. Russia, needs to not repeat Iran mistake in Syria, it burned all its bridges and relied, like that in Lebanon on a single Shia force. That Iranian strategy alienated the majority of population in both countries. Russia should look to the future full of opportunity, far more than what this criminal mafia now illegally ruling can offer it.

If Russia is worried about losing Syria’s footprint (bases), that is not going to happen, especially, if Russia is the country that aid in freeing Syria from shackle of the mafia, it will be appreciated and co-opted. Also, having a good term with all Syrians, unlike Iran short-sidedness, it will insure that Russia will have the Middle East gate wide open for them.

Let’s face it, the Middle East is heading into an era of “Peace, Prosperity, Progress” (that is SNP motto by the way, so you illiterate 3 letters fronts don’t steal it, or else), Weapons are no longer the commodity Russia will sell, but construction, expertise, and the likes, and there are far more future and wealth in that that selling a dozen jets every decade to small country like Syria. The west is desperate for cash, so they taken this strategy, Russia should immolate that, rather, formulate an economic future that cash in on developments.

@99 Ghufran
Right on the money.

The Baathists should be out, segregated and banned, separated and singled out for the Haig. A Provisional Assembly is installed for six months, tasked with setting up new constitution, or bringing back the one of 1958, or drawing on it. Setting up Political Party and Election Law, free the economy; dismiss the Mukhabrat apparatus to the Haig as well, send home most low ranking Government officials replaced with revolutionary fighters and able administrator who graduated from Western Countries or have work experience in the West / Gulf countries. Then after six months, there will be yet another six months period for preparatory and campaigning for all offices, liberal elections and party laws, let all campaign and whoever win, from local, to Muhafaza, to first free parliament, to President will be the Legal Representative, the legit deal. No 3 letters foreign backed org, not even SNP should take permanent positions, except on that 6 months provisional period, if qualified to carry on the transition. And you know SNP is a middle line of the opposition, so you can bet on fairness and equality, along with experience, ideas and leadership. SNP can deliver the foundation of New Modern Syrian State.

We wants every Syrians to sleep in peace, live every day in joy, and look to the future with abundance of optimism and progress, love his Syria for the great opportunity and prosperity it will offer every Syrian. Let all Syrians be proud again to be one.

Tahiya Souria. Next year in Homs…

The propaganda machine of SOHR badly exposed after 10 months of daily propaganda and lies…Rami Abd Alrahman, their ‘director’ who has been quoted every day around the world in every news paper is not a real name! Amazing!! they couldn’t become clean earlier, they were ‘busy’ lying:

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
Apparently, just today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights–aware that their story is going to come out–distributed this statement to journalists:

“Dear Sir/Madam
We would like to apologise for any confusion that you may be currently experiencing with regards to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
We would like to take this opportunity to give you some background information for your benefit.
Firstly, there is NO individual by the name of Rami Abdulrahman. This is just an alias that was being used by all SOHR members and mainly by the founders of the SOHR when articles were being originally published.
There is however a gentleman based in Coventry whose primary profession is installing satellite dishes who volunteered at the SOHR in late 2010. This gentleman is called Mr. Osama Ali Suleiman and as a volunteer he contributed in publishing the Arabic language news articles on the SOHR website syriahr.net. This was the full extend of his remit and contribution, as a volunteer of this organisation. It is worth noting that Mr. Osama is unable to communicate in the English language and only had a very modest level of education in Syria.
In August 2011 the board of trustees asked Mr. Osama to cease publishing news articles onto the syriahr.net website as it was alleged that he had established links with Mr. Rifaat Al Assad (the uncle of the current Syrian President Bashar Al Assad). The very nature of the articles being published were also controversial as they were not verified by any other member of SOHR and they referred to incidents and deaths suffered by the Syrian regime security forces. The reasons as to why this raised suspicions is because the Observatory does not have any links with Syrian regime members in order to be able to state or verify any such incidents.
When Mr. Osama was asked to give up his volunteer post he retaliated by changing all the username and password details of the syriahr.netwebsite so that only he could access it and publish material and subsequently declared himself chairman. He started using the Rami Abdulrahman alias which the rest of the trustees abandoned as it was decided after the eruption of the Syrian uprising on the 15 march 2011 that, in the interest of transparency, only real names were to be used from that point on when communicating with the press.
The rest of the organisation decided that due to the swift developing nature of the Syrian uprising no time should be wasted in altercating with Mr. Osama as the website that he was controlling doesn’t ever hold any useful/recent information on Syria and that he would not be able to actually engage in any activity with the English speaking press. As a result syriahr.org was established and it gets regularly updated (in both Arabic and English) with the developments on the ground in Syria.
Ignoring Mr. Osama for this length of time appears to have been a misjudgment by the rest of the SOHR members as it appears that Mr. Osama has since sought and acquired some support from fellow friends in order to boost his claims and spoil the reputation of the SOHR. We are deeply concerned as we have been informed that Mr. Osama himself is a member of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and these friends are suspected to be affiliated with same organisation as well.
Further proof of the isolation of Mr. Osama is given by the fact that he currently has no operational team and that he acts authoritatively with no peers to verify, support or challenge his work.
You will already be aware that the SOHR is London based. This is because the majority of our members are based in London whereas Mr. Osama is solely based in Coventry. We would like to take this opportunity to confirm that the Trustees of the SOHR are:
* Mr. Fadi Al-Haddad (Co-founder of SOHR, Based in London)

* Mrs. Maya Fateh (Co-founder of the SOHR and Writer – Now in Syria)

* Dr. Lina Jamoul (Team Leader with Citizens UK in East London)

* Mr. Husam Aldin Mohammed (Chief Editor of the Alquds Newspaper in London)

* Mr. Mohammed Antabli (Businessman and Writer Based in London)

* Mr. Ghassan Ibrahim (Chairman of the Arab Global Network in London)

* Mr. Abdul Sayed Omar (Project Manager & Human Rights Activist Based in Wolverhampton and Works in London)

* Dr. Mousab Azzawi (Consultant Pathologist & Human Rights Activist Based in London)
We at the SOHR are now seeking legal advice and are preparing to take legal action against Mr. Osama whilst we remain committed to our cause of flagging human rights abuses committed in Syria to the international community and media.
Should you need any further information or clarifications please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours faithfully;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (London)”.

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2012/01/syrian-observatory-for-human-rights_18.html

UN official expresses concern about settlement violence, Gaza border crossing – 2012-01-19

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/19/c_122603798.htm

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Valerie Amos, UN under- secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said here Wednesday that she is concerned about certain developments in the occupied Palestinian lands, such as settler violence and the closing of the Karni border crossing into Gaza.

Her statement came as she addressed reporters outside the chambers of the UN Security Council. Amos had just briefed the council in closed-door consultations about the humanitarian conditions faced by Palestinians, at the request of Arab states and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

“I alerted the council to my concerns about, particularly the impact of higher levels of settlement violence,” she said. “We have seen an increase in the levels of settler violence which had an impact on Palestinians, but also has an impact on Israeli settlers as well and I also alerted the council in relation to East Jerusalem to my concerns about the proposals for an additional settlement which would cut off East Jerusalem from the West Bank.”

Israel has continued to build settlements in Palestinian territory, and recently issued plans to build a tourist complex in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem.

Amos also discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, an area Israel has blockaded since Hamas took over in 2007. Israel has said it has loosened the blockade restrictions.

Amos said she briefed the council on the “continued blockade of Gaza and the impact on economic development in Gaza.” She voiced her concern to the 15-member body for international peace and security on the closing of the Karni commercial crossing that connects Israel and Gaza.

She told reporters that the dismantling of the crossing “means that commercial activity into Gaza and in particular exports coming out of Gaza into the West Bank and Israel will decrease, which again will have the impact of de-developing Gaza rather than developing Gaza.”

Mohammed Loulichki, permanent representative of Morocco to the UN and the Arab representative on the Security Council, also addressed reporters outside the council chambers.

Loulichki said that there was a “convergence of views” in the council that Israeli settlement building impedes the lives of Palestinians. He said that “this settlement activity has to end and Israel has to show the political will and the intentions to resume the negotiations because all of the efforts have to be put in place in order to promote the resumption of the negotiations without which we cannot reach the global peace and particularly the establishment of a viable, independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Preliminary discussions are underway in Jordan to try and restart the direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine that have been stalled since October 2010.

The Palestinian permanent observer to the UN, Riyad Mansour who joined Loulichki, said that there has been widespread agreement in the council that the settlements are detrimental to the peace process, but that one country had obstructed the creation of a statement or resolution on the topic.

Despite these road blocks, Mansour said, Palestine will continue to raise the issue in the council.

“We are continuing with these efforts as an investment in helping the efforts in Amman, Jordan to break the deadlock by removing the major obstacle in the path of peace which is the settlement activity,” he said.

Following the Arab diplomats, Ron Prosor, permanent representative of Israel to the UN, spoke to reporters about events in the Security Council. He questioned the council’s ability to prioritize discussion of issues.

“I’m not surprised that the Security Council instead of dealing with those pressing issues that I think are on the agenda like Iran, like Syria, like Iraq and like Libya, is dealing with this and taking really precious time from the most important issues,” he said.

He rejected any allegations that Israel is not putting its settlement activities on the agenda at the Jordan talks. However, he said that he does not believe that settlements are the major problem preventing a final peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.

Turkey vows to strengthen economic ties with Iran, regional countries – 2012-01-19

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/19/c_122603775.htm

ANKARA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Turkish environment ministry expressed the country’s determination to strengthen its commercial and economic relations with Iran and other regional countries, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Wednesday.

The ministry’s statement came after a close-door meeting between Turkish Environment and Urbanization Minister Erdogan Bayraktar and visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Wednesday afternoon.

Turkey and Iran plan to jointly set new roadmaps in a variety of fields with special focus on commercial and economic relations, said the environment ministry, adding that trade between the two countries hit 10.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2010 and 14.9 billion U. S. dollars in the first 11 months of 2011.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also held talks with the visiting Iranian foreign minister. A press conference, attended by Salehi and Turkish officials, will be held on Thursday afternoon.

According to the schedule, Salehi will also meet with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara on Thursday.

Anatolia news agency quoted sources close to the prime minister as saying Erdogan and Salehi discussed regional issues including Iran’s nuclear program, situation in Iraq and Syria, as well as bilateral relations.

Russia says will stand firm with China on Syria – Wed Jan 18, 2012

Russia will offer Washington no explanation for arms deliveries to Syria and together with China will prevent the U.N. Security Council from approving any military intervention in the conflict-torn nation, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Using his annual news conference to draw lines in the sand on Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said veto-holding Security Council members Russia and China would stand firm against foreign intervention.

“We will insist – and we have an understanding with our Chinese colleagues that this is our common position – that these fundamental points be retained in any decision that may be taken by the U.N. Security Council,” Lavrov said.

“If somebody intends to use force … it will be on their conscience. They will not receive any authority from the Security Council,” said Lavrov, who also emphasized that Russia and China oppose any sanctions against Syria.

He said Western members of the Security Council “are categorically determined to exclude from the resolution the phrase that (says) nothing in it can be interpreted as allowing the use of force.”

The United States said it had raised concerns about the ship with Russia, but Lavrov said there was no need for an explanation.

“We don’t consider it necessary to explain ourselves or justify ourselves, because we are not violating any international agreements or any (U.N.) Security Council resolutions,” Lavrov told an annual news conference.

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Tuesday that the United States “would have very grave concern about arms flows into Syria from any source” and that it was unfortunate there was no U.N. arms embargo on Syria.

Russia says such an embargo would cut off supplies to the government while enabling armed opponents to receive weapons illegally. Lavrov repeated on Wednesday that Russia and China oppose any sanctions on Syria.

“The red line is quite clear: we will not support any sanctions, because unilateral sanctions have been imposed without any consultation with Russia or China,” he said.

Lavrove said “if foreign intervention occured Russia will not do anything but such decision will not pass through UN SC”
It is obvious Russia will not interfere in such action.this is bad news to the syrian regime.

Zionist propoganda service announces a “ceasefire” on behalf of a sovereign state against a band of terrorists that never happened.

Then said zionist propaganda service announces that the ceasefire is broken when it is clear from CNN et al. that the army control almost all of the Zabadani. There are only a few areas remaining where wounded/hiding terrorists are being sheltered by local traitors.

The government has made the decision that even if there is only a pile of rubble remaining of these areas, they will be cleaned. The Zabadani is a strategic site.

There are no ceasefires amongst lions and mice.

#106

majedkhaldoun,

Sorry terrorist, you’re wrong. It isn’t bad news at all, because if a war were to be launched on us, it will CERTAINLY not be contained. You’re misreading Russian diplomacy. The only hope they have is eroding the army over a long period of time, your zionist vipers are helping them do that. But their time is almost up.

If the arab snakes were smart, they would extend the stupid observer protocol agreement, but I predict that they will pull off the greedy move and cancel it. I can guaratee you there would be no more agreements at that stage and Assad will announce something in the works that your scum bastards have been fearing for some time.

Then, it will be all over inside Syria, but just beginning, perhaps closer to where you’re hiding.

@ IRANIAN WIMP COMMANDO

Majoosi, you’re going down. Alongwith your impotent clown Ayatullahs, they won’t get any more babies to sexually abuse in their hawzas in Qum and Najaf.

Khalid

Please leave the labeling of other nominations within islam to the Wahabis, or to the devine itself, it will only portray you as an ignorant human being. I dont know if you know any shiite, try to understand where they come from. The earliest generation of islam fought bitterly over the matter of succession. Aysha fought against Ali, 10.000 were killed, just years after the death of the prophet of islam, by people who knew him and the message directly. How can you judge and know better today if even the ones married to the prophet or the relatives did not know and killed each over this matter?
Omar ibn al Khatab gave his followers this advice: what you dont know you will hate soon.

Khaled, the alawites are themselves victims of the Assads. With a sunnisation of the alawite religion the Assads tried to eliminate the hate and the suspicion alawites have always been experiencing.
You know better than me that the regime depends not only on the christian minorities or the alawites only, so many sunnis are part of the game and willingly support the regime. If you make it a question of the religion you fall in the holes the regime has digged. I think that the majority of people always will adopt to any regime or government as a reflex to survive. Few individuals have the courage to confront those evil doers, and believe me there are quite a lot of alawites out there who are part of the uprise.

بيان من مواطنون علويون تضامنا مع الثورة السورية
Pledge of solidarity wit the Revolution by Alawi, Syrian citizens

2012/01/19نشر فى: أخبار محلية
http://all4syria.info/web/archives/47063

نحن الموقعون أدناه، مواطنون سوريون، علويو المولد، اخترنا أن نعبر عن رأي مجموعة كبيرة من أبناء الطائفة العلوية حيث أجبرتنا الظروف والمسؤولية الوطنية إلى الإشارة مكرهين إلى خلفياتنا الاجتماعية.
We undersigned, Alawi born, Syrian citizens have chosen to speak up on behalf of a large segment of the Alawi community

منذ بداية انتفاضة الحرية في سوريا، دعمنا كافة مطالبها مروراً باسقاط النظام بكافة رموزه وانتهاء ببناء دولة مدنية ديموقراطية تحترم جميع مواطنيها. إننا نستنكر محاولة النظام من خلال ألاعيبه الأمنية والإعلامية ربط الطائفة العلوية خصوصاً والأقليات الدينية عموماً به.

بنفس السوية ندين سلوك وتصريحات أطراف معارضة تحاول إضفاء صفة طائفية على انتفاضتنا التي كانت ومازالت انتفاضة كرامة بمطالب مدنية. هذه الأطراف ليست سوى الوجه الآخر للنظام القمعي. إننا نؤكد على ما يلي:

1. وحدة الشعب السوري بكافه أطيافه الدينية والقومية، والعمل على بناء دولة حرة ديموقراطية تحفظ حقوق مواطنيها بالتساوي وهذا يتم بداية باسقاط النظام الاستبدادي الحالي.
2. نطالب الجيش السوري التوقف عن تنفيذ أوامر القتل ضد المتظاهرين السلميين.
3. نجرّم أعمال القمع الوحشية التي يقوم بها أزلام النظام (الشبيحة) أيّاً كانوا، ولأي جماعة دينية أو قومية انتموا.

4. نتبنى الدفاع عن الحقوق المدنية للمواطنين السوريين من كافة أطياف المجتمع السوري وسنبقى ندافع عنها في وجه من يتعدى عليها أيّا كان.
5. ندعو المواطنين السوريين العلويين وأبناء الأقليات الدينية والقومية المتخوفين مما سيلي انهيار النظام إلى المشاركة في إسقاط النظام القمعي والمساهمة في بناء الجمهورية السورية الجديدة، دولة القانون والمواطنة.
6. ندين أية ممارسات وتصريحات طائفية تصدر عن معارضين، ونعتبرها إساءة للشعب السوري كله ولمستقبل سوريا. وندعو قوى الثورة إلى إدانة مثل هذه الممارسات والتصريحات.
7. ندعو جميع أبناء سوريا بكافة انتماءاتهم إلى التوقيع على هذا البيان بعد صدوره.
عاشت سوريا حرة ديموقراطية.
All Syrian citizens, irrespective of backgrounds, are invited to sign this statement.

الموقعون (بحسب الترتيب الأبجدي): هذه النسخة لا تحتوي كل التواقيع لأنها ليست محدثة
Name of signatories in alpahbetical order, as of the time of its publication:

1. أمل سليمان
2. أحمد قصير
3. اسماعيل سمهر
4. إنعام محرز
5. اعتدال اسماعيل
6. إيمان الجابر
7. إياد الكردي
8. إيمان زريق
9. إيناس سعد
10. إيهاب الحسن
11. أحمد سلمان
12. الحسن دبّول
13. بتول نيوف
14. تماضر عبدالله
15. جمال صبح
16. جفان ديوب
17. جلنار أحمد
18. حسان الخطيب
19. حسام نيّوف
20. خولة دنيا
21. دنيا علوش
22. دعد مهنّا
23. رامي البيطار
24. ربا حسن
25. رشا عمران
26. رولا أسد
27. روزا ياسين حسن
28. ريتا قاسم
29. ريهام العلي
30. سامر بدّور
31. سامر رضوان
32. سمر يزبك
33. سمر الخطيب
34. سحر شعبان
35. سامر عساف
36. سمير ميهوب
37. سندس سليمان
38. سلوى الأحمد
39. سهير بسمة
40. سوزان شعبان
41. طارق حمدان
42. طلال نعمان
43. طالب العلي
44. عباب خليل
45. عدنان منصورة
46. عبدالرحيم حمور
47. علا رمضان
48. علا يوسف
49. علي ديوب
50. علي سعد
51. علي نزير علي
52. علي سليمة
53. علي ميّا
54. عمار ياسين
55. غسان سلامة
56. فادي منصور
57. فراس سعد
58. فراس سليمان
59. فراس صبيرة
60. فؤاد حمدان
61. كرم الصالح
62. كنان يوسف
63. كنان فرحات
64. لمى حمّاد
65. لويز عبد الكريم علي
66. ليلاس حمود
67. لينا عمران
68. مالك خيربك
107 .ماهر إسبر
69. محمد حسن
70. محمد صبّور
71. محمد عدنان محمد
72. محمود حمدان
73. محمود ديب
74. مها جديد
75. مها محمود
76. معتز محمود
77. معد حسن
78. منيف ملحم
79. مناف سلّوم
80. مهند ناصيف
81. ميادة الخليل
82. مي رستم
83. نضال سلوم
84. نسيم ملحم
85. نجيب محمود
86. نبيل معروف
87. نبيل ابراهيم
88. نسرين ديب
89. نسيم عمران
90. نمير بيطار
91. نضال جديد
92. نهاد خيربك
93. نهى معروف
94. نعمان حميّد
95. نعمى أيوب
96. نوار قاسم
97. نينار حسن
98. هلا جديد
99. همام الأسعد
100. وسيم حسن
101. وسيم فاضل
102. يامن حسين
103. يمان سلامة
104. يسار سليمان
105. يزن معلّا
106. يارا عثمان

Heavy shelling in Homs resulted in collapse of the roof of a house on its inahbitants.
Some of family members were rushed for treatment.
Unaccounted ones are being searched for under the rubble.

This is a glimpse of what whole neighbourhoods must have looked like in Hama when Papa was in charge!

حمص باب هود تدمير منزل بلكامل جراء القصف 19-1-2012

Mr Tamer was rescued from under the rubble

However, He died a while later for lack of medical treatment

حمص – باب هود – 19-01-2012 الشهيد تامر صفوان البيطار

I think this excellent dispassionate article from Juan Cole’s blog is worth adding to the list of news
Please take the time to read it and I am looking forward to ALL of your comments on it
http://www.juancole.com/2012/01/schmidt-the-freedom-and-democracy-struggle-in-syria.html

#107 syrian commando
You ,who call himself commando, is a terrorist and criminal, you support the regime who is killing civilian, this is the definition of terrorist, your threat worth nothing,
and yes you are zionist,you support the regime that collaborated with the zionist entity.
Your accusation reflect projection of yourself, and let me tell you something , you will live to regret what you say.you will swallow your filthy words .

As far as Russia,you know very well that Russia will do nothing, Iran can not do anything either,the time for people like you is gone, and your depression will cause you to commit suicide.

Some are using the scare tactic of the conflict becoming regionalised and escalating sucking in foreign powers.

Good news for people. The Banu Asfar (yellow/blonde people) [Russia} are gonna be defeated in Syria as per Hadith. It has been posted here before.

The scenario suggested by Khalid Tlass of an Alawite state backed by Russia sounded like a very possible one to me. Very interesting. Perhaps this is how the conflict with Russia will develop. Khalid I’m gonna share your scenario elsewhere if it’s ok.

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=12822&cp=all#comment-284969

https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=12677&cp=all#comment-283777

Observer

very good comment on Syria indeed.

I got interested to read the original opinion poll published so here i found it:

http://www.pepperdine.edu/pr/images/press-releases/2010/august/Syria%20Survey%20Report_August%205_final.pdf

One can only wonder why Bashar has not choosen the path of Muhammad VI and King Abdullah, there was a chance for him in the beginning, i think just about before Hama received special treatment by Maher where he could have implemented substantial change and reform, but now one can share the authors view, he will end up in the garbage dump of history.

Activists: Syrians pull back from besieged town
By ZEINA KARAM | Associated Press – 19 January 2012
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government tanks and armored vehicles have pulled back from an embattled mountain town near Damascus, leaving it under the control of the opposition, activists and eyewitnesses said Thursday.
The besieged town of Zabadani has witnessed heavy exchanges of fire between army troops and anti-government military defectors over the past six days.

http://news.yahoo.com/activists-syrians-pull-back-besieged-town-093947932.html
{…}

All medias are puzzled and do not know how to interpret this move. That is my interpretation.

The army is showing strength and restraint. Zabadani as a ‘safe haven’ was a bad choice, it has no future: It is bordering Lebanon whose government officially support Bashar’s regime. The Lebanese will control the passage of people and weapons.
The FSA fighters and their mercenaries are therefore trapped and cannot move to any other place. If the hope that a ‘safe haven’ will encourage soldiers to defect, I doubt any soldier would want to find refuge into a besieged town. I think it may be the other way around.
The SNC was expecting that the death toll of the shelling will create the “Hama’ effect on the international community. It did not happen. In a way, it looks like the regime has been able to neutralize a large part of the armed rebels without killing anyone ( only one death was reported, despite the ‘heavy shelling’). Zabadani is now a prison for the rebels. Their freedom will be the subject of negotiations with their patrons, Turkey, Qatar and the SNC, under the auspices of the AL.

If the FSA/SNC thought they would create a Benghazi, it is a failure.

Observer #113

“Syrians are modern people. Most of them have internet, mobile phone and satellite TV. ”

Who has internet Syria? 15% of the Syrians…The writer is really well informed.

The writer refers to the absurb Pepperdine report as the Bible. This report is flawed , it was based on the syrian ‘internet’ users.

Another ridiculous evidence:

“There are basically two possible resolutions of the conflict in Syria: a compromise between the parties or the victory of one side over the other.”

What else??

” Bismarck advices to Bashar Al Assad”

This writer is very stupid, sorry and the article is not worth reading.

Sectarianism is what some people breath, they can’t live without polluting everything they touch with their corrupted way of thinking, All4syria and Sooryoun net both have the same disease, the original statement they publish is titled ‘Statement for Citizenship’ and not a ‘Statement from the ALAWITES’ as the site put it, nothing new since Ayman Abd Alnour’s All4syria is famous of manipulating the news text to get attention as he did before to Haytham Manna and Haytham Almale7.
In short the statement says ‘Alawite community is supportive of the Syrian regime because they fear the future’ here is Bassam Alkadi opinion on it: another sectarian statement that wont create ‘citizenship’:

الطائفية لا تصنع مواطنة.. حتى المقنعة منها

وصلني بيان لكي أوقع عليه (منشور أدناه)، معنون ومزخرف بكلمات عن “المواطنة”، لكنه في الحقيقة ليس إلا بيانا طائفيا سبق أن نشر البعض مثله باسمائهم/ن الشخصية، المعنى الوحيد فيه هو أن “الطائفة العلوية داعمة للنظام السوري بسبب من خوفها على مستقبلها”!.. فهؤلاء المتزيين بأزياء المواطنة لم يتسطيعوا، حتى بعد عشرة أشهر وآلاف الضحايا، استيعاب أن حجم التأييد الشعبي لهم لا يتعلق بخوف الناس من النظام، (وهم من قالوا أن حاجز الخوف قد كسر منذ أشهر)، ولا بخوفهم على مستقبلهم “الطائفي”، بل تحديدا بسبب تحول حركة الاحتجاجات إلى حركة إجرام واسع النطاق سيطر عليها القتلة المرتزقة باسم الدين من أخوان مجرمين يعرف الجميع مدى إيغالهم في العنف والتمييز، ووهابيين وسلفيين وغيرهم.. إضافة إلى الخيانة العلنية المستمرة من قبل “قادة” هذا الحراك، سواء مجلس الخيانة بزعامة غليون، أو غيره من تشكيلات قبلت أو دعت لقبول التدخل الخارجي بما فيه العسكري بأسماء مختلفة، بل أن أغلب “الرموز الشبابية” التي استولت على الحراك بعد أن أمنت تمتعها بالأمن التام في أحضان أمريكا وأوربا أعلنت خيانتها لبلدها دون أي مواربة..

لأسباب كثيرة يشكل هذا البيان بيانا طائفيا لا يهدف إلا لتأمين نوع من غطاء للإجرام والخيانة، بمسميات مختلفة، وبالتالي فهو مرفوض جملة وتفصيلا. وهذه بعض الأسباب التي أرفض هذا البيان وأدينه من أجلها.

1- كل حديث يتحدث عن خلفية طائفية أو يتوجه لطائفة أو يتحدث باسمها هو حديث طائفي يناقض المواطنة في صلبها، مهما تم تبريره وتقنيعه… كذلك الأمر كل حديث يتحدث عن “اقليات وأكثريات” عرقية أو قومية أو دينية أو طائفية.
2- لا يدين بالاسم، وبلا تحفظ، خيانة ما يسمى بـ”المجلس الوطني” وكل من يدعو إلى التدخل العسكري الخارجي تحت مسميات “المناطق العازلة” و”حماية المدنيين” وما إلى ذلك.
3- لا يدين بالاسم، وبلا تحفظ، الإجرام الذي يمارسه على نطاق واسع ما يسمى بـ”الجيش الحر” ومن يتلطى تحت عباءته من وهابيين وسلفيين وغيرهم.
4- لا يرفض، بوضوح تام، وبلا أي تحفظ، أي تدخل خارجي في الأزمة السورية، عربي أو أجنبي.
5- لا يحدد بالضبط ماذا يعني شعار “إسقاط النظام” في بنود واضحة تتضمن على الأقل، وحكما:
– تأكيد فصل الدين عن الدولة، في الدستور وجميع القوانين السورية، ومنع أية إمكانية لتغيير الوضع اعتمادا على “صندوق انتخابات” بتنا نعرف جيدا كيف يمكن أن يصاغ في ظل “الديمقراطية الجديدة”.
– منع أي نوع من التمييز بين النساء والرجال، بنص واضح وثابت في الدستور، وبتغيير كل القوانين التي تخالف هذا النص.
– تأكيد حرية الاعتقاد بإطلاق (دون ربطها بالاعتقاد الديني الذي يعني حصر هذه الحرية بأتباع الأديان الثلاثة الإسلام والمسيحية واليهودية)، وإلغاء أي قانون ينتهك هذه الحرية،
– تأكيد وحدة الأراضي السورية كما هي ناتجة عن اتفاقية سايكس بيكو (ضمنا حق لواء اسكندرون بالعودة إلى سورية).
– تأكيد الحق باستعادة الجولان بكافة الوسائل بما فيها الوسائل العسكرية.
– تأكيد دعم المقاومة ضد الاحتلال الصهيوني.

وبناء عليه، يشكل البيان أدناه بيانا طائفيا بامتياز، ومحاولة أخرى لتقنيع الواقع الذي وصلت إليه حركة الاحتجاجات في سورية لإخفاء حقيقته الإجرامية اليوم، والتي لم يعد للشباب الديمقراطي المدني السلمي فيه (في هذا الواقع) إلا بضع مظاهرات متفرقة هنا وهناك.. لا تقدم ولا تؤخر من واقع الحال.

لذلك، فإنني أدعو من وقع/ت على هذا البيان، ممن أعرف أنه/ا يعتقد فعلا بالمواطنة والدولة العلمانية المدنية الديمقراطية والمستقلة والآمنة معا، لمراجعة موقفه/ا، فالنوايا الطيبة لا تحل محل الوقائع القاسية.
http://www.bassam-alkadi.com/index.php/on-the-crisis-in-syria/667-sectarian-against-citizenship

Zanadani battle is clear indication of weakening of the Syrian regime and its occupying army. Asef knowing that it is a lost battle, decided to cut their loss and pull the army out. The only way the regime could win Zabadani battle would be an all out onslaught massacre, Hama style, which they can’t do anymore while the world is watching. Pathetic regime, it has extensive military power it is forced not to use.

Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood tells world to isolate Assad (peacefully?)
19/01/2012
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=28151

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – The leader of Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood said world powers should pile diplomatic pressure on President Bashar al-Assad and he called for a no-fly zone and “safe zones” to be set up to help the Syrian leader’s opponents.

Mohammad Shaqfa told Reuters that the Arab League, which has sent monitors to assess Syria’s implementation of a plan to end 10 months of violence, should press the U.N. Security Council to take “deterrent measures” against Assad.

“The Syrian people are determined. Nobody will go back to their homes unless Bashar leaves. There is a determination and God willing the people will reach this goal,” he said in a telephone interview late on Wednesday.

“The international community should take the right position … They should fully isolate this regime, pull out their ambassadors and expel the regime’s ambassadors.”

Shaqfa said the Brotherhood, which in 1982 staged an armed uprising ultimately crushed by Assad’s father, backed peaceful protests and wanted insurgents to restrict their operations to defending demonstrations against Bashar al-Assad’s 11-year rule.

“In the Muslim Brotherhood we reject taking up arms. We are with the peaceful revolution. We will not slip into militarising the revolution,” he said.

Asked what further action the Arab League should demand from the United Nations, Shaqfa said he wanted to see “a no-fly zone and safe zones” established, although he denied this would amount to military intervention.

…
“WE DON’T WANT WAR”
…
Shaqfa said his Islamist group had urged the FSA to only defend itself and protesters. “We do not advise the Free Army to launch any attacks. Only defensive attacks (are accepted). We do not want a war. We do not want confrontation.”

Shaqfa confirmed that the Brotherhood rejected an indirect approach from Iran to mediate with Assad, saying Tehran must first distance itself from Syrian authorities and dismissing any proposal that would allow Assad to stay in power.

“They sent a Turkish mediator but we rejected the dialogue and told the mediator that we will not talk to the Iranians if they do not amend their position towards the regime,” he said.

“They offered (us) participation in power. The most important thing is they wanted to guarantee that Bashar stays. For us, after all these crimes, it is not acceptable any more that Bashar stays.

Russia warns West it risks war over Syria, Iran – January 20, 2012

http://www.smh.com.au/world/russia-warns-west-it-risks-war-over-syria-iran-20120119-1q8ei.html

MOSCOW: The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, has warned outside encouragement of anti-government uprisings in the Middle East and north Africa could lead to ”a very big war that will cause suffering not only to countries in the region but also to states far beyond its boundaries”.

Mr Lavrov’s annual news conference on Wednesday was largely a critique of Western policies in Iran and Syria, which he said could lead to a spiral of violence.

He said Russia would use its position on the United Nations Security Council to veto any UN authorisation of military strikes against forces loyal to the government of Syria’s President, Bashar al-Assad.

”If someone conceives the idea of using force at any cost – and I’ve already heard calls for sending some Arab troops to Syria – we are unlikely to be able to prevent this,” Mr Lavrov said. ”But this should be done on their own initiative and should remain on their conscience. They won’t get any authorisation from the Security Council.”

He ruled out the imposition of a flight-exclusion zone in Syria because, he said, the government had not used warplanes to attack demonstrators.

He said foreign governments were arming ”militants and extremists” in Syria and plotting to ”create an impression of a humanitarian disaster” by dispatching convoys of humanitarian aid to the Syrian border. He gave a bristling response to Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, who on Tuesday expressed concern about possible Russian arms shipments to Syria.

”We are only trading goods with Syria that are not prohibited by international law,” he said.

Mr Lavrov said a military strike against Iran would be a ”catastrophe” and that sanctions proposed against Tehran had been couched in terms of nuclear non-proliferation but were ”seriously intended to have a smothering effect on the Iranian economy”.

The cost of the fall of al-Assad
19/01/2012
By Tariq Alhomayed
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=28152
…Hence, concerns over the potential costs of the fall of al-Assad must be reflected at the regional and international levels. Delaying the fall of al-Assad will entail subsequent security and economic complications, not only for Syria, but for the region as a whole. Of course, in the event of al-Assad remaining in power, the price will also be high for the Syrians and the region, specifically Turkey, as at this point al-Assad would be far more dangerous than Saddam Hussein following the liberation of Kuwait.

…Hence, it is dangerous to merely wait for the fall of the al-Assad regime without doing anything to accelerate this process. This is what those concerned with the stability of our region must be aware of, whether we are talking about the Saudis or the Turks, or even the Europeans and the Americans.

It’s very telling that the media is so quite over Rami Abd Alrahman fake identity, I guess too much to explain to the readers, however, now, Osama Ali Suleiman aka Rami, is accusing the SOHR of being ‘regime loyalists’ which means that sometimes soon the story will break out to the media where they can’t ignore it anymore and a reality check will hunt the organization, its position, its people and its ‘INFORMATION’ that have been over used by everybody in the media, human rights organizations and in the UN.

The statement from the SOHR about the small 10months long mistake is here:
Important Letter from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights about Rami Abdulrahman.
http://syriahr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=638&Itemid=7

League monitors likely to stay on
http://gulfnews.com/news/region/syria/league-monitors-likely-to-stay-on-1.967827
Nation believed to be willing to accept extension of observer mission’s stay
Reuters 00:00 January 19, 2012

Beirut: Syria may let Arab monitors stay on after their mission expires today, but foes of President Bashar Al Assad say the UN Security Council should step in to halt 10 months of bloodshed.

Arab foreign ministers, due to consider their next step later this week, are split over how to handle Syria, as is the Security Council, which has failed to adopt any position.
..
The Arab League source said China and Russia, which have blocked Security Council action so far, had urged President Al Assad to accept an extension of the monitoring mission to avert an escalation at the international level.

Syria would allow a rise in the number of monitors, he said, but opposed giving them formal fact-finding duties or permission to visit “military zones” excluded from the peace plan.
{…}

USA and EU efforts to collapse the government of Syria are being combatted by Iran and Russia. Some details…

New Bid to Stifle Iran Aid to Syria
By JAY SOLOMON And ALAN CULLISON

U.S. officials have uncovered an effort by Iran to help Syria mask its oil exports and evade an American and European embargo, in a potent new sign of Tehran’s campaign to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as his regime cracks down on public opposition.

American officials investigating the Iranian operation said it is designed to quietly ship Syrian crude oil to Iran, where it can be sold on the international market, with revenue going back to Damascus.

Transit records document one such shipment, involving more than 91,000 metric tons of crude, which took place last month.

“The oil shipment to Iran was designed to evade the sanctions that have been imposed on Syria,” said a senior U.S. Treasury Department official familiar with the case.

In response, the Treasury Department has begun targeting the insurance and registration of international tankers shipping Syrian oil overseas.

Concerns aren’t limited to Iran. Washington and its allies are also intensifying the scrutiny of maritime and air traffic moving into Syria from Russia, as Moscow has publicly committed to continue arming Mr. Assad’s security forces.

This month, Cyprus intercepted a St. Petersburg-based ship, the Chariot, that was moving four containers of munitions bound for the Syrian port of Tartus, according to Cypriot officials. Cyprus eventually released the ship after assurances from its Russian owners that it wouldn’t complete the delivery, according to Cypriot officials.

But Moscow this week confirmed the arms shipment was made. The ship’s owner, the Russian freight company Balchart, declined to comment.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday defended the arms shipment from Russia to Syria, rebuffing growing American and European calls for Russia to comply with the U.S. and European Union arms embargo on Damascus. “We do not feel we have to explain or justify anything because we are not violating any international agreements or U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Mr. Lavrov said in Moscow. “We are only trading with Syria in items that aren’t banned by international law.”

U.S. and Russian officials are negotiating a Security Council resolution to address the violence in Syria. The U.S. and Europe are pushing for an arms embargo and financial sanctions on the Assad regime as part of the resolution. Moscow has opposed such a measure.

A spokesman for the Iranian embassy at the U.N. said there are no international sanctions on Syria that Tehran needs to respect. He also said that outside powers, not Iran, have been feeding the conflict inside Syria by shipping in arms. “Syria is an independent country, and Iran respects its sovereignty,” said the spokesman. “Iran believes that Syrians have the right to self-determination free from any foreign intervention.”

Russia and Iran historically have been the Assad family’s closest allies. Moscow is Syria’s largest arms supplier and maintains a naval base in Tartus. Syria and Iran closely coordinate in funding and arming the militant groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.

Soldiers carry a general’s coffin in a Damascus funeral Tuesday attended by Arab League observers, in orange.

The U.S. and EU have focused on drying up Mr. Assad’s oil revenues ever since Syrian security forces began a military crackdown against opposition political activists in March that has left thousands dead.

In the past, Damascus generated roughly one-third of its revenue from oil sales to Europe, according to official Syrian statistics. But its shipments have been crippled by U.S. and EU sanctions that ban the financing or insuring of Syrian oil exports, industry executives say.

Mr. Assad’s government has spoken about reorienting its oil sales to Asian countries, such as China and India, to generate earnings.

In late November, U.S. officials said they had gathered information that showed Iran was stepping in to aid Syria with its oil trade. U.S. and European officials believe Tehran is assisting Damascus with its military crackdown by providing arms, software, training and intelligence.

U.S. officials and shipping executives said Iran, through a Dubai-based company, Sea Enterprises Ltd., chartered a Greek-owned tanker, the Mire, to ship more than 91,000 metric tons of crude. The Mire loaded the oil from Nov. 19 to 21 at the Syrian port of Baniyas with the intention of delivering it to Iran’s Ras Bahregan oil terminal, the officials and executives said.

The Treasury Department was able to get the Mire’s insurance and registration pulled after telling company executives that the ship was carrying a product sanctioned by the U.S. and EU.

The Mire, like many international oil tankers, uses American insurance, is registered in Liberia and flies under a Liberian flag. The Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry ordered the Mire’s owners to desist from delivering the oil to Iran, said Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian company.

But the owners ignored the order and discharged the shipment in Iran before eventually returning to the United Arab Emirates. Efforts to reach Sea Enterprises were unsuccessful.

Liberia issued a notice of violation against the Mire’s owner, Eurotankers Inc. of Greece, in accordance with Liberian civil-penalty procedures. The company declined to comment.

“We are seeing more and more action taken by both the U.S. and the EU against shipping interests,” Mr. Bergeron said.

Spokesmen for the Syrian government declined to comment. U.S. officials said their strategy of targeting Syria’s shipping was drawn from Washington’s wider financial war against Iran—and say that Iran’s ability to provide financial assistance to Syria is increasingly constrained by the growing sanctions placed on Tehran. Planned EU sanctions on Iran’s oil exports could tighten the screws.

Damascus has been increasingly reliant on oceangoing vessels for arms shipments, because neighbors have been making air shipments difficult, according to U.S. and European officials.

Turkey has been denying overflight rights, halting the shipments to Syria from Iran, according to these officials. As an alternative, Syria has also tried to fly arms in from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in Eastern Europe, but those flights have been blocked by neighboring Lithuania.

“The air is no longer an option for the Syrians to get weapons,” said Hugh Griffiths of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, an international arms watchdog. “So it makes sense to go after the sea shipping and the insurance companies.” It is easy to use the insurance companies as a pressure point, Mr. Griffiths said, because most of the insurance companies are based in the EU or the Caribbean.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203735304577169191656832540.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203735304577169191656832540.html

Jad #125

I was surprised to read among the trustees of the Observatory that one of them was in Syria. How happens she is not in prison?

* Mrs. Maya Fateh (Co-founder of the SOHR and Writer – Now in Syria)

Irritated,
Regardless that the issue for now is about the name, in the west everything is connected, if someone caught lying that’s the end of it.
The bigger problem now is who to believe, the coordinations don’t have the credibility the SOHR has other than in Arab media and it will be hard for the mainstream media to circulate the coordinations numbers without the credibilty needed unlike the Arabic media that publish every crap.
I agree it’s the Gay girl story allover again but bigger.

129. Afram

The oil and arms embargo on Syria is NOT an UN resolution. It is a unilateral decision from the US and the EU.
No other country is bound by these sanctions.

Russia, Iran and others are free to help Syria sell its oil and provide its legitimate army with weapons based on a long term contract.
The EU and the US do not own the world.

Many killed in Syria’s hotspots in unabated violence
2012-01-19 17:50:41
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/19/c_131369245.htm
DAMASCUS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) — At least four people, including two law-enforcement personnel, have been shot dead by armed groups in central province Homs and southern city Daraa, state-run SANA news agency reported on Thursday.

Sana also said Lieutenant Hussein Ali Abbas has been killed and five law-enforcement personnel injured in an attack by “armed terrorists” in the town of Hantoutin in al-Maara area in Idleb governorate.

Meanwhile, the private Al-Watan newspaper said on Thursday that gunmen attacked checkpoints in different parts of Homs and killed three security agents and wounded 11 others, some of them in serious conditions.

The paper also reported the discovery of a torture house at Deir Taelaba neighborhood in Homs used by “terrorists groups” and the rescue of two women during a search of gunmen in the area.

The national hospital in Homs on Wednesday received seven unidentified mutilated bodies, Al-Watan said.

Also, military engineering units in Daraa on Wednesday dismantled two explosive devices planted in crowded areas, the first weighing 40 kg and the second 8 kg, according to SANA.
{..}

How Libya’s Success Became Syria’s Failure – January 19, 2012

http://www.undispatch.com/how-libyas-success-became-syrias-failure

Another day, another round of news that more people have been killed by the Syrian government.

Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front the prospects that the Security Council will adopt any sort of punitive resolution (like sanctions, an arms embargo or ICC referral) are getting bleaker by the news cycle. Just yesterday, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov categorically rejected any punitive measure against Syria. And if the Russian foreign minister’s words are not enough to show you which side Russia is on, maybe this shipment of weapons to the Syrian government may convince.

At a forum marking the 10th anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect yesterday, Ban Ki Moon called the unfolding human tragedy in Syria “the next test of our common humanity.”

But if nothing changes, it looks like we’ll fail this test. Why? The reason has less to do with Syria than with the diplomatic fallout from the NATO-led Libya intervention.

Most non-western countries on the Security Council are still smarting over how NATO carried out the Libya military campaign. Russia and China, which are traditionally wary of this kind of intervention, took a big risk and withheld their veto to Resolution 1973 which authorized the use of force in Libya. They did so because they believed that the resolution very narrowly circumscribed the kind of force that NATO would use. They expected civilian protection. What NATO became was the de-facto air force of Libyan rebels.

It also was clear that the Libyan rebels were being supplied with arms and weaponry despite an arms embargo mandated by resolution 1973. “We did not realize that the punitive measure of the arms embargo would be selectively interpreted,” said Indian Ambassador Puri who voted to abstain from the resolution (along with Brazil, Russia, China and Germany).

The thing is, if Libya is a test case for R2P and the concept of international intervention to avert mass atrocities, the international community passed with flying colors. As Gareth Evans, the former Australian foreign minister who is one of the intellectual fathers of the Responsibility to Protect put it, “Libya is a textbook case for the application of the R2P.” He’s right. The intervention happened quickly, helped avoid a potential mass atrocity in Benghazi, and had the formal backing of the Security Council. This is pretty much how it is supposed to work.

But success in Libya may have come at the expense of intervention (even non-military intervention) in Syria. NATO’s liberal interpretation of the Security Council mandate helped it achieve its goals with efficiency, but it poisoned any chance that the Security Council would coalesce around R2P when a future crisis arose.

“Syria is the collateral victim of Libya the same way that Rwanda was the collateral victim of Somalia,” said Jean Marie Guehenno, the longtime head of UN Peacekeeping. In other words, just as the Black Hawk Down made western powers wary of even contemplating a humanitarian intervention in Rwanda three years later, the steamrolling of non-western interests in the execution of the Libyan intervention is coloring Russia, China other non-western powers’ approach to Syria. From their perspective, they just don’t want to get played like that again.

This leaves us at a pretty uncomfortable conclusion that humanity is poised to spectacularly fail Ban Ki Moon’s test. But do the Syrian people and the Free Syrian Army know that?

If not, someone should tell them.

There’s a theory which posits that the principle of humanitarian intervention has a hidden moral hazard: rebel groups may feel emboldened to take up arms against a more powerful foe if they have reason to believe that foreign powers will come to their aid. Given the way in which R2P was applied in Libya, it would not be unreasonable for a Syrian resister to believe that the international community will rally against the Assad regime. Alas, the hard reality is that NATO will not be the Free Syrian Army’s air force. And even if the Security Council did somehow get on board, air power would probably not be as effective against Syria as it was in Libya. No one is talking about ground forces.

There will not be a Libya-style intervention in Syria. There probably will not even be sanctions, an arms embargo or an ICC referral either. Someone should stand up and tell them this hard fact. As Louise Arbour, the head of the International Crisis Group, said “Part of the responsibility to protect includes the responsibility to tell the truth about our own limitations.”

FOOL’S PARADISE?! – 19.01.2012

http://english.pravda.ru/world/asia/19-01-2012/120284-Fools_Paradise-0/

Less than a year ago, an attempted coup took place in the Sheikdom of Qatar by a disgruntled coterie that consisted of some military officers who wanted to dispose of the present ruler from the Al-Thani family who himself came to power in a bloodless coup that got rid of the elder Al-Thani who was at that time enjoying some fresh European air in the Alps.

It was bloodless coup by the present Sheikh who nevertheless has bloodied his hands by his illegal involvement in the recent decimation of Libya. He has now offered his hands again to the ill-fitting gloves of the western imperialist powers that plan to intervene militarily in the country of Syria that is witnessing unrest instigated and promoted by the same imperialists.

The Arab League consists of countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE etc. that have monarchies in power that have total support of the US, UK &=and few other western countries. Needless to say, without the support of these imperial thugs, the Sheikhdoms are sitting on powder-kegs that can explode at any time since their power base is weak by themselves, but are held on by sheer coercion.

The unrest that is going on in Bahrain and the attempted coup in Qatar are two examples of the state of affairs in these Sheikdoms. Most of them don’t even have a hint of the “democracy” that is so dear to our western friends who desperately attempted to enforce the same in Iraq and Libya.

In Libya, they did this by sending incessant explosive messages of democracy from 30,000 feet for months that killed over 60,000 men, women and children. Iraq is another story in which almost a million people are dead, but the oil is flowing through the pipelines made and controlled by the imperial powers.

It is obvious why these Sheikdoms have joined the western nexus of imperial powers. Without this support, they can collapse like a house of cards. Countries like Iraq, Syria and Libya which had gotten rid of despotic monarchical rule were a threat to these Sheikhs and their hold of power. In true sense, these countries that had no more Royals at the helm were seen as a threat to the imperial hegemonic ideas of the western nations and their thirst for oil.

Whereas the Sheikhs and their fiefdoms have offered all possible services to their imperialist masters by providing military bases, cheap oil and finally, as in the case of Libya, manpower a.k.a. a mercenary force by Qatar to fulfil the wishes of an illegal invasion.

The same service is now being offered by this thug, Al-Thani, to the US, by prompting US led NATO to start the bombardment and get rid of Basher Assad, who by his policies has made Syria a modern State where women enjoy equal freedom unlike their counterparts in these Sheikdoms of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, etc. Libya and Iraq, too, had offered women an equal role in their societies by providing them education, jobs, etc. which again are lacking in these despotic Sheikdoms which are ruled by a bunch of subservient Sheikhs whose duties are to abide by the diktats of the West.

It is apparent that modernity in the Arab World is not tolerated by the western imperial powers. Their pseudo push for democracy is a gimmick. The quest for oil and gas and the access to the same is all they want. These Sheikhdoms are providing that without a question.

The problem was or is the more enlightened leadership in this region that with threats of nationalising their oil wealth, the possibility of a cut off to accessing the much needed energy source could or would become a reality. Hence these illegal attacks and invasions by the ex-colonialists on certain sovereign nations have taken place.

Their tactics and reasons are much masked by the controlled media of the imperialist west, most media owned by large corporations who have high stakes in the energy sectors. To put it bluntly, most media in the West lie about the true state of affairs in the regions of the Middle East and North Africa. It is the modern version of Goebells at work. Murdoch and the gang are the new ‘Avatar’ of Goebells!

Notwithstanding the joint veto by Russia and China at the UN Security Council on the resolution on Syria, if the imperial west overrides the same with impunity, as they have shown in the past, an attack on Syria by US led NATO will result in mass casualties and destruction of a country.

In the not too distant past, the southern part of the Americas had a number of countries, small and medium sized, called ‘Banana Republics.’ They were ruled by despots who directly came under the rule of thumb of the US. They were made to sway to the tune played in Washington by big business houses who had ownership of immense tracts of land in these countries. But now times have changed and the scene is now being shifted to the Middle East and Africa.

With the same ruthlessness, tied along with lies, the attacks, invasions and installations of puppet regimes have begun. Of course black gold is more precious than a bunch of bananas!

The question is this. How long will these new ‘colonies-by-default’ or the new ‘banana republics’ in the Middle East and North Africa remain under the cudgel and yoke of western imperialist masters?

If not for long, hopefully speaking, are these western masters living in an imaginary wonderland where all things are hunky-dory or are they so mentally imbalanced not to realise, after all, it will turn out to be a “fool’s paradise” once the locals reclaim their land, power and wealth from the occupier?

131. irritated said:

129. Afram

“The oil and arms embargo on Syria is NOT an UN resolution. It is a unilateral decision from the US and the EU.
No other country is bound by these sanctions.

Russia, Iran and others are free to help Syria sell its oil and provide its legitimate army with weapons based on a long term contract.
The EU and the US do not own the world.”

I know&totally agree with you

I also know one of you would have posted WSJ link sooner or later
I just did to please the wicked step mother of cinderella”TARA”&her step father”MAJEDKHALDOUN”
Both voted with red thumb down

128. Aframsaid:

0 2
.
January 19th, 2012, 11:04 am

I didn,t even make a comment in my previous post!
to justify a vote…but hate is their game,so be it
regard

السماح للمصارف ببيع الدولار بسعر السوق السوداء ..
مدير بنك خاص: يخفف من الضغط على الليرة ويحقق أرباح ويلجم تلاعب الصرافين
دمشق – سيرياستيبس:

قالت مصادر ” لسيرياستيبس” أن الحكومة قد اتخذت قراراً ( لم يعمم بعد ) بالسماح للمصارف الخاصة ببيع الدولار بسعر السوق السوداء , وذلك لتوسيع قاعدة المتعاملين ببيع القطع ولجم المضاربة التي يقوم بها الصرافة ( السود والبيض منهم) ما يمكن تخفيف الضغط على الليرة وتسجيل ارتفاع في سعر صرفها ..

وقال مدير بنك خاص ” لسيرياستيبس” : أن هكذا إجراء وفي حال تمت صياغته ضمن تعليمات تنفيذية محكمة يمكن أن يساعد فعلاً في تخفيف الضغط على الليرة إلى حد كبير وتدخل المصارف كطرف منافس للصرافين من أجل وقف التلاعب بأسعار الصرف وتوفير معروض يلبي الطلب.

مشيراً إلى أن البنوك يمكن أن تقوم بذلك عبر جزء من رأسمالها الذي هو بالقطع, وهو ما يمكن أن ينعكس عليها ويؤمن لها تحقيق أرباح كبيرة ولكن المهم هو أن تتم العملية من رأسمالها من القطع وليس من أموال المودعين وهنا نقطة مهمة جداً يجب التنبيه إليها جيداً وتضمينها ضمن مضمون القرار وبشكل يبقي أموال المودعين بعيدة عن العملية برمتها .

موضحاً أنه من المهم قيادة العملية بذكاء وحنكة وعلى أسس نقدية واضحة وليس على أساس من التجريب ..

مؤكداً أن الخطوة من شأنها أن تمكن المصارف من تحقيق أرباح خاصة وأن عام 2012 ينظر إليه على أنه من أصعب الأعوام عالمياً فكيف مع وجود أزمة كما في سورية ..

هذا وكان صناعيون وتجار طالبوا المركزي بتصحيح سياساته النقدية سريعاً لمنع تدهور الليرة واتخاذ إجراءات صارمة يعيدها إلى وضعها الطبيعي, مؤكدين في هذا السياق أن سعر صرف 60 ليرة لم يعد جيداً للتصدير و الاستيراد على حد سواء ..

هذا وكان المركزي تسانده قوى الأمن الجنائي كشف مئات من مؤسسات الصرافة الشركات ومكاتب غير مرخصة وبعضها مرخص تمارس مخالفات وتتلاعب بسعر الليرة وتحويلاتها إلى جانب الكشف عن غرف متخصصة بتهريب الأموال إلى دول الجوار وخاصة لبنان ..

هذا و شهدت تداولات الدولار في سوق غير النظامية (السوداء) أمس تقلصاً للفجوة السعرية بين محافظتي حلب ودمشق كما كان سائداً خلال اليومين السابقين.

وقد واصل الدولار ارتفاعه ولكن بشكل طفيف مقارنة بتداولات أمس الأول أمام الليرة السورية في السوق السوداء، حيث وصل سعر الشراء مساء أمس في دمشق 72 ل.س والبيع 73.5 ل.س وفي حلب وصل سعر البيع 73- 73.25 ل.س والشراء 72 ل.س مساء أمس.

أما رسمياً فقد ارتفع سعر الصرف الرسمي للدولار الأميركي مقابل الليرة السورية أمس إلى مستوى 57.83 ليرة مقارنة بـ57.78 في تداولات أول من أمس وفق نشرة مصرف سورية المركزي، على حين ارتفع اليورو مقابل الليرة إلى مستوى 73.86 ليرة لليورو مقارنةً بـ73.69.

أما عالمياً، فقد واصل الدولار الأمريكي تراجعه أمام معظم العملات الرئيسية لليوم الثالث على التوالي، حيث كشف مؤشر الدولار أمس تراجعاً بنحو 0.6% في التداولات المسائية، مع العلم أم المؤشر يقيس أداء الدولار الأميركي أمام ست من العملات الرئيسية.

وكشف تقرير للمركزي أمس عن انخفاض الطلب على الدولار بشكل حاد، وإلى مستويات غير جديرة بالذكر مقارنةً بـ5 ملايين في تداولات أول أمس، في حين ارتفع العرض منه، إلا أنه بقي دون مليون دولار في الوقت الذي سجل فيه الطلب على اليورو انخفاض جوهري لليوم الثاني على التوالي إلى مستوى 8 مليون يورو مقارنة بـ21 مليون يورو في تداولات أول أمس، بينما سجل العرض منه ارتفاعاً طفيفاً بواقع نصف مليون إلى مستوى مليون.

هذا وكشف التقرير عن انخفاض في تعاملات المصارف فيما بينها إلى مستويات محدودة جداً. أما في سياق مراكز القطع فقد انخفضت نسبة مراكز القطع الأجنبي المدينة بالدولار الأميركي من إجمالي المراكز المدينة بالعملات الأجنبية لدى المصارف المرخصة إلى مستوى 94.90% مقارنة بـ95.14%، في حين سجلت نسبة المراكز الدائنة بالدولار الأميركي من إجمالي المراكز الدائنة بالعملات الأجنبية مقيمة بالدولار الأميركي لدى المصارف المرخصة انخفاضاً إلى 7.47% في تداولات الأمس مقارنةً بـ7.83% في تداولات أول أمس، علماً بأن مراكز القطع الأجنبي الدائنة لدى المصارف المحلية تتركز بشكل رئيسي في العملات العربية التي مازالت تتسم بأنها عالية العائد والتي ترتبط في الوقت نفسه بسعر صرف ثابت مقابل الدولار الأميركي، في حين ارتفع احتفاظ المصارف العاملة بمراكز دائنة باليورو، وسط توجه المستثمرين للتعامل باليورو وذلك على خلفية تخوف المستثمرين من التعامل بالدولار الأميركي إثر العقوبات التي فرضتها الولايات المتحدة الأميركية على حوالات الدولار الأميركي.

http://syriasteps.com/index.php?d=126&id=81415

@ANN
Any word on the genocide now taking place in Syria by Shia backed Baathist Mafia? Lira hits 72/1 this morning, any resolution other than oppositions do the Assad deed and become puppetteers for the war criminal Mafia?

Afram

I am not wicked. I am nice. Everyone around me say I am very nice. You are wicked. You celebrated the death of thousands of Turks after the earthquake. Remember?

Alqaeda in the region:

معلومات فرنسية عن قدوم 18 عنصراً من القاعدة إلى لبنان… و30 آخرين يتمركزون في بؤرة حدودية

على الرغم من انحسار التراشق السياسي والإعلامي حول وجود “القاعدة” في لبنان، وهو التراشق الذي تفجر إثر كلام وزير الدفاع فايز غصن، إلا أن الأروقة الأمنية في بلدان عدة ومن ضمنها لبنان تضج بأخبار التنظيم المذكور وفروعه المنتشرة، لجهة دخوله على الحدث السوري أو لجهة إفادته من انشغال السلطات الأمنية السورية في احتواء الاضطرابات الداخلية.
وينقل مصدر متابع على تواصل مع قيادات أمنية، أن “القاعدة” عبر التنظيمات المتفرعة عنها في لبنان، بدأت تتحضر منذ الآن لما تتوقعه من فوضى سورية مقبلة، وقد لاحظت الأجهزة الأمنية اللبنانية نشاطاً غير عادي لعناصر هذه التنظيمات في الفترة الأخيرة، ويؤكد المصدر أن الانتربول الفرنسي قد أبلغ الأمن اللبناني “بأن هناك حوالي 18 لبنانيا موجودون في منطقة وزيرستان الحدودية بين باكستان وأفغانستان، وهؤلاء هم كوادر من القاعدة ويتدربون في معسكراتها، وقد يعودون الى لبنان في فترة قريبة”.
ويضيف المصدر: “ولا أخفي سراً ايضاً، اذا قلت إن هناك مسؤولا كبيراً من أصل تونسي في قيادة القاعدة، هو موجود حاليا في لبنان منذ حوالى سنتين، ويتنقل بتمويه كبير ويتخفى تارة في مخيم عين الحلوة وتارة في أماكن اخرى ويتصرف بحذر شديد، ويتولى تنظيم الشبكات السرية اللبنانية التابعة له، وربما هو من ارسل اللبنانيين الى وزيرستان، وهو شخص خطير، وبالتالي نستطيع ان نستنتج بأن هناك نشاطا ما للقاعدة على عدة مستويات ومناطق، وربما هناك أشياء كثيرة خافية ولا نعرفها، وهذا فقط ما يتسرب حاليا”.
ويتابع المصدر: “هناك قرار عند قيادة “القاعدة” بالانتقال من العراق الى سوريا واستخدام لبنان نقطة العبور إلى الداخل السوري، فلم يعد لبنان فقط ملجأ للتدريب والاختباء بالنسبة لقيادة “القاعدة” في بلاد الشام والتي منها مجموعة عبدالله عزام التي يتزعمها صالح القرعاوي، ولكن اليوم بدأت القاعدة تعتبر لبنان أرض نصرة للمعارضة السورية، وعلى “القاعدة” في لبنان ان تستغل الاوضاع لمؤازرة اخوانها داخل سوريا ، طبعا ليس سرا القول ان هناك اكثر من 13 ألف سوري قد التحقوا بتنظيم القاعدة في العراق خلال فترة “الدولة الاسلامية في العراق” او في فترة ابو مصعب الزرقاوي، وبدأ قسم من هؤلاء العودة الى ما يعتبرونه “الجهاد” في سوريا، ومنهم من يفكر أيضا ان يتمركز على الحدود ـ اللبنانية، والكل يعرف ان الطبيعة الجغرافية للحدود الممتدة على أكثر من 360 كلم فيها مناطق وعرة ووديان ويصعب مراقبتها أمنيا من الطرفين اللبناني والسوري، وبالتالي هناك مناطق جبلية وعرة من الممكن ان تتمركز فيها عناصر للقاعدة والمنطقة الحدودية بغض النظر عن الحديث عن منطقة الشمال ووادي خالد”.

ويؤكد المصدر: “اليوم اهم نقطة تقيمها القاعدة كمنطقة لوجستية وكبؤرة تمركز، هي نقطة حدودية قريبة من عرسال، وهي تقع داخل منطقة حدودية مشتركة على الحدود السورية اللبنانية وتبعد 5 كلم عن عرسال، وهي وعرة وفيها بؤرة لعناصر من القاعدة يعرفها الجيشان اللبناني والسوري، وهناك صعوبة للوصول اليها، وفيها ايضا ما يقارب 30 عنصرا من القاعدة السوريين وبعض الجنسيات العربية وسواها، ولقد سبق ان تمكن الجيش اللبناني من توقيف أحد السوريين المنتمين لتنظيم القاعدة أواخر الأسبوع الأخير من شهر تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر الماضي، وحصلت عملية امنية ضد هذا المسؤول الكبير في تنظيم القاعدة السورية”.

ويشدد المصدر على أن أهمية هذه البؤرة في تلك النقطة الحدودية، لم تنبع من كونها تقع في منطقة حدودية مشتركة ومتداخلة، بل أيضا من كونها “تشكل معبر إمداد للجماعات التكفيرية في قوس من البلدات هي الزبداني ومضايا والتل وحرستا ودوما، وهذه الأخيرة فيها كتيبة ما يسمى ابو عبيدة الجراح التي تمولها قطر وفيها كتيبة سلفية كبيرة وتاريخيا فيها الالاف من الارهابيين وتشكل قاعدة للتيار السلفي الوهابي”.

الانتقاد

http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/ar-LB/qaeda-lebanon-zek-886.htm

If Bashar stays one more month the dollar will worth 100 lira

I missed Bronco
He was polite , not like Afram and irritated, they are the worst of the worst as bad and evil as syian commander

Orient TV
report on the syrian Economy and the exchange value of the Pound

Grim video casts shadow on methods of Free Syrian Army

A video has sparked a flurry of reactions among Syrian bloggers: it shows the brutal interrogation of an officer captured by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a combat force made up of soldiers who have deserted the regular army to support anti-government protests. The FRANCE 24 Observers team has been able to authenticate the video. When questioned about its content, an army deserter now working with the FSA suggested that in times such as these, the ends justify the means.

This video was first posted on YouTube on October 20, 2011, and has recently resurfaced. The recording bears the logo of the Farouk brigade, a group of rebel fighters linked to the Free Syrian Army and based in the eastern city of Homs. The prisoner being interrogated is presented as a member of the Syrian Air Force’s secret service. Forty-four seconds into the video he can be heard saying that he is from Deraa but that he was in deployment in Homs, in the neighbourhoods of Diar Baalbeh, Bayadah and Khaldiyeh. At 1’01 minutes, he says that he was ordered to shoot to kill, and that he had opened fire on demonstrators in other cities at various times since the start of the protest movement.

At 1’59 minutes, the interrogator asks him whether he has a last wish to express before he dies. Asked whether he regrets what he has done, the prisoner replies: “yes, very much.” The interrogator then continues to sermon him, ordering him to “look up, son of a bitch” (at 2’48 minutes). The video ends with the question: “Then why didn’t you desert?”

Some bloggers have compared the FSA’s methods to those of the regular Syrian army. Others claim that the video is entirely fabricated by Syrian secret services or supporters of president Bashar al Assad to tarnish the image of the Free Syrian Army. However, our team has been able to verify this video and confirm its authenticity.

Abou Hussein is a deserting Syrian officer. He is the administrator of the official Facebook page of the Farouk brigade, where the video was originally posted.

This video was indeed filmed by members of the Farouk brigade last October. I had posted it on our official Facebook page, but it was shut down and we had to create another one.

The prisoner you see in this footage has not been tortured by members of the Free Syrian Army. He was injured during combat. This caused the cuts and bruises you see. The man was part of the Air Force secret services, which is the most powerful branch of the Syrian secret services [due to the fact that former Syrian president Hafez Al Assad, Bashar’s father, was a member of the Air Force.] They receive their orders directly from the presidential palace. [At 0’53 minutes, the prisoner says he received orders to kill directly from the president himself, as well as Maher Al Assad, the president’s brother.] The Air Force secret service members have authority over all members of the army, even higher ranking officials. Their job is to ensure that soldiers remain loyal to the regime. If they are the least bit suspicious about a person, they have the green light to make arrests or even carry out executions. These men are every deserter’s worst enemy.

(“We are at war and […] we can’t afford to have prisons”)

I’m not sure what happened afterwards with that particular prisoner, but in general, there are two possible scenarios: either we proceed to a prisoner exchange with Syrian authorities, or the man is judged by the Free Syrian Army. If it turns out that he has killed protesters, as was this man’s case, he will most likely be executed. We are at war, and given our organisation and our constraints, we can’t afford to have prisons. And it would be unthinkable to set him free for him to start killing again.”

http://observers.france24.com/content/20120119-video-syrian-opposition-army-methods-farouk-brigade-free-syrian-army-deserter-homs-interrogation-secret-service
Video can be viewed at the link.

“Apart from the violent and even bloody events prevailing in some parts of the country, Syria is also plagued by a dramatic surge in robberies and burglaries targeting shops, houses and cars.

Residents in the suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus have been talking about looters roaming the streets sometimes with knives, sticks and other weapons. The thugs have exploited the chaos caused by months of protests to ransack shops, prompting shop owners to close early at night. … Street violence took a new form recently with marauding gangs sacking homes in a number of areas, including Damascus’ suburbs.

According to government reports, crimes in Damascus suburbs have increased by 400 percent since mid March.”

read more… http://english.cri.cn/6966/2012/01/18/2743s676935.htm

“…..According to government reports, crimes in Damascus suburbs have increased by 400 percent since mid March.”…

@JNA..
In the 80’s Riffat Assad units were doing the same as the Bashar Shia Shabiha doing now. Just as desciberd by you in the above post. When will this Shia criminal mafia terror ends?

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30278.htm
NATO vs. Syria

By Philip Giraldi

January 18, 2012 “American Conservative” — Americans should be concerned about what is happening in Syria, if only because it threatens to become another undeclared war like Libya but much, much worse. Calls for regime change have come from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who several weeks ago predicted a civil war. That is indeed likely if the largely secular and nationalist regime of Bashar al-Assad falls, pitting Sunni against Shia against Alawite. Indigenous Christians will be caught in the meat grinder. Ironically, many of the Christians in Damascus are Iraqis who experienced the last round of liberation in their own country and had to flee for their lives.

NATO is already clandestinely engaged in the Syrian conflict, with Turkey taking the lead as U.S. proxy. Ankara’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davitoglu, has openly admitted that his country is prepared to invade as soon as there is agreement among the Western allies to do so. The intervention would be based on humanitarian principles, to defend the civilian population based on the “responsibility to protect” doctrine that was invoked to justify Libya. Turkish sources suggest that intervention would start with creation of a buffer zone along the Turkish-Syrian border and then be expanded. Aleppo, Syria’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, would be the crown jewel targeted by liberation forces.

Unmarked NATO warplanes are arriving at Turkish military bases close to Iskenderum on the Syrian border, delivering weapons from the late Muammar Gaddafi’s arsenals as well as volunteers from the Libyan Transitional National Council who are experienced in pitting local volunteers against trained soldiers, a skill they acquired confronting Gaddafi’s army. Iskenderum is also the seat of the Free Syrian Army, the armed wing of the Syrian National Council. French and British special forces trainers are on the ground, assisting the Syrian rebels while the CIA and U.S. Spec Ops are providing communications equipment and intelligence to assist the rebel cause, enabling the fighters to avoid concentrations of Syrian soldiers.

CIA analysts are skeptical regarding the march to war. The frequently cited United Nations report that more than 3,500 civilians have been killed by Assad’s soldiers is based largely on rebel sources and is uncorroborated. The Agency has refused to sign off on the claims. Likewise, accounts of mass defections from the Syrian Army and pitched battles between deserters and loyal soldiers appear to be a fabrication, with few defections being confirmed independently. Syrian government claims that it is being assaulted by rebels who are armed, trained, and financed by foreign governments are more true than false.

In the United States, many friends of Israel are on the Assad regime-change bandwagon, believing that a weakened Syria, divided by civil war, will present no threat to Tel Aviv. But they should think again, as these developments have a way of turning on their head. The best organized and funded opposition political movement in Syria is the Muslim Brotherhood.

Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer, is executive director of the Council for the National Interest.

In North Africa, poor and desperate citizen self immolate.
We have not seen this in Syria or any other Arab countries.

5 unemployed Moroccans set selves on fire
PAUL SCHEMM – AP – 22 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/5-unemployed-moroccans-set-selves-fire

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Five unemployed Moroccan men set themselves on fire in the capital Rabat as part of widespread demonstrations in the country over the lack of jobs, especially for university graduates, a rights activist said Thursday. Three were burned badly enough to be hospitalized.

Once rare, self-immolation became a tactic of protest in the Middle East and North Africa ever since a vegetable seller in Tunisia set himself on fire in December 2010 to protest police harassment, setting off an uprising that toppled the government and sparked similar movements elsewhere in the region.

The Moroccans were part of the “unemployed graduates” movement, a loose collections of associations across the country filled with millions of university graduates demanding jobs. The demonstrations are often violently dispersed by police and in some towns and cities have resulted in sustained clashes.
(..)

Saudi Arabia playing a dangerous game in participating in the oil embargo to squeeze Iran.
Iran will probably retaliate in a way or another.

EU to sanction Iran bank, Greece holds up oil embargo
http://news.yahoo.com/eu-nations-agree-sanctions-against-iran-central-bank-191403078.html

EU nations Thursday agreed to sanction Iran’s central bank, freezing assets used to finance its nuclear drive, but have yet to clinch an oil embargo deal that could penalise debt-hit Greece.
…..

“Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said this week that the kingdom’s output could be boosted by around 2.6 million barrels a day to offset a potential cut in Iranian exports.

But Iran warned Saudi Arabia to reconsider its vow to make up for any shortfall.”

It is so quite today.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30289.htm

Most Syrians back President Assad, but you’d never know from western media

Assad’s popularity, Arab League observers, US military involvement: all distorted in the west’s propaganda war

By Jonathan Steele

January 19, 2012 “The Guardian” — January 17, 2012 — Suppose a respectable opinion poll found that most Syrians are in favour of Bashar al-Assad remaining as president, would that not be major news? Especially as the finding would go against the dominant narrative about the Syrian crisis, and the media considers the unexpected more newsworthy than the obvious.
Alas, not in every case. When coverage of an unfolding drama ceases to be fair and turns into a propaganda weapon, inconvenient facts get suppressed. So it is with the results of a recent YouGov Siraj poll on Syria commissioned by The Doha Debates, funded by the Qatar Foundation. Qatar’s royal family has taken one of the most hawkish lines against Assad – the emir has just called for Arab troops to intervene – so it was good that The Doha Debates published the poll on its website. The pity is that it was ignored by almost all media outlets in every western country whose government has called for Assad to go.

The key finding was that while most Arabs outside Syria feel the president should resign, attitudes in the country are different. Some 55% of Syrians want Assad to stay, motivated by fear of civil war – a spectre that is not theoretical as it is for those who live outside Syria’s borders. What is less good news for the Assad regime is that the poll also found that half the Syrians who accept him staying in power believe he must usher in free elections in the near future. Assad claims he is about to do that, a point he has repeated in his latest speeches. But it is vital that he publishes the election law as soon as possible, permits political parties and makes a commitment to allow independent monitors to watch the poll.

Biased media coverage also continues to distort the Arab League’s observer mission in Syria. When the league endorsed a no-fly zone in Libya last spring, there was high praise in the west for its action. Its decision to mediate in Syria was less welcome to western governments, and to high-profile Syrian opposition groups, who increasingly support a military rather than a political solution. So the league’s move was promptly called into doubt by western leaders, and most western media echoed the line. Attacks were launched on the credentials of the mission’s Sudanese chairman. Criticisms of the mission’s performance by one of its 165 members were headlined. Demands were made that the mission pull out in favour of UN intervention.

The critics presumably feared that the Arab observers would report that armed violence is no longer confined to the regime’s forces, and the image of peaceful protests brutally suppressed by army and police is false. Homs and a few other Syrian cities are becoming like Beirut in the 1980s or Sarajevo in the 1990s, with battles between militias raging across sectarian and ethnic fault lines.

As for foreign military intervention, it has already started. It is not following the Libyan pattern since Russia and China are furious at the west’s deception in the security council last year. They will not accept a new United Nations resolution that allows any use of force. The model is an older one, going back to the era of the cold war, before “humanitarian intervention” and the “responsibility to protect” were developed and often misused. Remember Ronald Reagan’s support for the Contras, whom he armed and trained to try to topple Nicaragua’s Sandinistas from bases in Honduras? For Honduras read Turkey, the safe haven where the so-called Free Syrian Army has set up.

Here too western media silence is dramatic. No reporters have followed up on a significant recent article by Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer who now writes for the American Conservative – a magazine that criticises the American military-industrial complex from a non-neocon position on the lines of Ron Paul, who came second in last week’s New Hampshire Republican primary. Giraldi states that Turkey, a Nato member, has become Washington’s proxy and that unmarked Nato warplanes have been arriving at Iskenderum, near the Syrian border, delivering Libyan volunteers and weapons seized from the late Muammar Gaddafi’s arsenal. “French and British special forces trainers are on the ground,” he writes, “assisting the Syrian rebels, while the CIA and US Spec Ops are providing communications equipment and intelligence to assist the rebel cause, enabling the fighters to avoid concentrations of Syrian soldiers …”

As the danger of full-scale war increases, Arab League foreign ministers are preparing to meet in Cairo this weekend to discuss the future of their Syrian mission. No doubt there will be western media reports highlighting remarks by those ministers who feel the mission has “lost credibility”, “been duped by the regime” or “failed to stop the violence”. Counter-arguments will be played down or suppressed.

In spite of the provocations from all sides the league should stand its ground. Its mission in Syria has seen peaceful demonstrations both for and against the regime. It has witnessed, and in some cases suffered from, violence by opposing forces. But it has not yet had enough time or a large enough team to talk to a comprehensive range of Syrian actors and then come up with a clear set of recommendations. Above all, it has not even started to fulfil that part of its mandate requiring it to help produce a dialogue between the regime and its critics. The mission needs to stay in Syria and not be bullied out.

© 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited
============================================================

Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered In US War And Occupation Of Iraq “1,455,590”

Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In U.S. War And Occupation Of Iraq 4,801
Number Of International Occupation Force Troops Slaughtered In Afghanistan : 2,863

Cost of War in Iraq & Afghanistan
$1,293,685,253,578

http://costofwar.com/en/
Cost of War to the United States

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001
$1,293,829,612,087

Cost of War in Iraq
$800,366,504,666

Cost of War in Afghanistan
$493,463,107,421
——————————————

ما هي التكلفة التي يمكن ان يتحملها المجتمع سعيا للديمقراطية؟

نشر الصحفي البريطاني جوناثان ستيل تقريرا عن الاوضاع في سورية ذكر فيه ان استطلاعا للرأي اجرته “مؤسسة قطر” اوضح ان 55% من السوريين لا يرغبون برحيل الاسد، وذلك خوفا من حرب اهلية، لكنهم يريدون انتخابات حرة باشراف دولي.

الاستطلاع يوضح ان فريقا من السوريين يرى ان تكلفة تغيير النظام وتحقيق الديمقراطية مرتفعة للغاية، ولهذا يرفضونها ويريدون بدائل اخرى. على النقيض من ذلك اعلن مساعد مراقب عام الاخوان في سورية محمد فاروق طيفور رفض عرض وساطة من ايران يقضي بتولي الاخوان الحكومة بشرط بقاء الاسد ، وأكد اصرار الاخوان على رحيل الاسد حتى لو تطلب الامر تدخلا دوليا، وقال ان مثل هذا التدخل “يدين النظام”، ولا يدين الجماعة.

هناك نقاش ايضا في دول عربية اخرى تشهد احتجاجات مثل البحرين واليمن حول استمرار الاضرابات والمظاهرات التي تطالب بالتغيير.

هناك فريق يرى ان مثل هذه الاحتجاجات تؤدي لازمات اقتصادية واجتماعية يدفع ثمنها المواطن العادي، وبالتالي الاصلح للمجتمع ان تتوقف. لكن هناك من يرى انه لابد من استمرار جهود تغيير النظام أي كانت تكاليف هذا التغيير.

ما رأيك؟ ما هي حدود الممارسات المقبولة سعيا للديمقراطية والحرية؟

هل مقبول مثلا الاضرابات او اغلاق الشوارع لفترات طويلة او حرق سيارات الشرطة لتغيير النظام حتى لو ادى هذا لاضرار اقتصادية بالغة؟

هل اذا وصلت تكلفة تغيير النظام الى مستوى وقوع حرب اهلية تظل مقبولة؟ ومن الذي يحدد ذلك؟

سنناقش معكم هذه المحاور وغيرها في حلقة الجمعة 20 يناير/ كانون الثاني من برنامج نقطة حوار الساعة 15:06 جرينتش.

اضغط هنا للمشاركة في الحوار بالصوت والصورة

خطوط الاتصال تفتح قبل نصف ساعة من البرنامج على الرقم 00442077650211 ويمكنكم أيضاً المشاركة عن طريق الرسائل النصية sms بالعربية على رقم: 00447900040407

55. ALDENDESHESAID:

Damm, with all this wealth we can transfer the Middle East into another Singapore, so much money to be made and be hidden, washed clean. The whole Idea is smart but the implementation thereof is really flawed. It relied on false assumptions and stereotyped analysis and expectations. How can we convince the Israeli to start thinking out of the Negev Dessert sand box?
1 12
January 18th, 2012, 2:34 pm

Holly Molly, how and why this comment above deserve 12 thumb downs? If you know me, you would know that I love to push everyone buttons. How can I find out some data why this particular comment, gave me the 2nd highest record thumb downs in 7 years on SC. I am willing to pay you by Paypal for this valuable info.

1- The word Damm (harmless, but maybe)
2- Transferring the Middle East into another Singapore (economic Development)
3- SINGAPORE, sucks, ( I don’t watch news maybe something going on)
4- So much money to be made ( someone likes poverty)
5- Money to be hidden ( if you to read the Agreement that is obvious, it said acct in the prince wife name)
6- Money washed clean ( what is new, how all the drug money trillions get into the system)
7- The whole idea is smart ( someone don’t think so)
8- Implementation is flawed ( that is obvious 11mo and have nothing to show for)
9- It relied on false assumptions ( that is why you are in standstill, read my comment on Juan Cole)
10- Convincing Israeli to think out of the box ( what is wrong with that? Everyone can benefit from it in the region)
11- Aldendeshe ( you just hate my family, we are not trash, we are noble and cannot get corrupted)

That is it, the entire comment, word by word. I am baffled, you see I studied marketing in the U.S. and for me; the reply is valuable information that is how pros operate.

And here:

56. AMIR IN TEL AVIV SAID:
SNP,
I’m not representing Israel on SC. I write what I think. I agree with you that the disintegration of Syria will be bad for Syrians and for the neighborhood. May be the Alawi controlled junta believes that it will be better for the Alawi sect, if their opponents are divided and fragmented. It is the junta that is creating this reality.

4 19

1- I’m not representing Israel on SC ( I guess they thought he is, disappointed them)
2- I write what I think ( Baathist Shia mafia kill for doing so)
3- I agree with you that the disintegration of Syria will be bad for Syrians and for the neighborhood (They don’t want Syrians and Israeli agree on anything)
4- May be the Alawi controlled junta ( they are Alawite Shia in control, that is no secret)
5- it will be better for the Alawi sect ( we know that is what they are promoting, sectarian fears)
6- It is the junta that is creating this reality. ( it is Bashar Assad Baathist mafia, maybe the Alawite junta marked 19 thumb down)

19 thumb downs for an honest talking Israeli, who unlike regime lackeys hiding behind western names and mastering the cut and paste technique of stupid regime propaganda that no one read, this Israeli have told us what his job in the army honestly. And Even Akbar Palace, said he is Jewish and monitor the blog for the word Zionism.

An enthusiasic dissident benefits of the amnisty and joins the SNC.

Out of jail, lifelong dissident joins Syria revolt
http://news.yahoo.com/jail-lifelong-dissident-joins-syria-revolt-203035477.html
By DALE GAVLAK | Associated Press – 7 mins ago
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — One of Syria’s most prominent dissidents, who worked for years against the Assad family regime, stepped out of prison two months ago to discover that his country was aflame with the revolution he long hoped for.

Jailed since 2005, Kamal al-Labwani had heard hints about what was happening on the outside the past year from visitors and even from guards. But prison authorities kept him and other prisoners under an information blackout — no newspapers or TV news over the past 10 months when hundreds of thousands of Syrians were taking to the streets nearly daily despite a relentless and bloody crackdown, demanding President Bashar Assad’s ouster.

So he was stunned to see the full extent of the revolt when he was freed in November as part of an amnesty Assad’s regime ordered as a reform gesture.

“I am seeing my long-time dreams come true, even better. For years, I dreamt of revolution, change. I was astonished to see it all happening,” the 54-year-old al-Labwani told The Associated Press this week in the Jordanian capital Amman, his voice welling with emotion.
{..}

the best comment of 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COMzyrtEYuY

One day a Jewish grandmother had taken her grandson to the beach for a play when suddenly a huge wave washed over the infant and pulled him out to sea.
The distraught grandmother fell down on her knees, and sobbed, “Please God, don’t let my grandson die, please, he is my only grandson! He is the future of my family, please return him to me safely!”
Instantly another huge wave rolls the infant back onto the beach and the grandmother looks up to the sky and said, “He had a hat!”

149. defendersaid:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30289.htm

Most Syrians back President Assad, but you’d never know from western media

Assad’s popularity, Arab League observers, US military involvement: all distorted in the west’s propaganda war

By Jonathan Steele

If that is the case, then Bashar Baathist, monopoly mafia regime, should not object at all to a United Nation implemented and monitored referendum on his Presidency vs. a program submitted by the oppositions. Why don’t we go to the SC and present our program for Syria and have them pass a resolution mandating, under chapter 7, this referendum. If he wins majority vote, we can live with this and accept this fair Democracy. If Syrians votes against him and his Baath monopoly, Socialist Monopolized economy, then he will dismantle all, hand power to opposition, and part his way. Should he agree, he gets to keep some cash and avoid the Haig, live in a.. well… not a sixty million Dollar mansion, maybe 4 million one on Lattakia coast.

An opinion piece by Maysaloon:

The so-called Free Syrian army has been mounting bolder attacks, and has been maintaining a stout defence in Homs, the heartland of the Syrian revolution, as well as in the Zabadani and Madaya suburbs of Damascus more recently. It’s not clear how much longer they can maintain this, but I think the steady trickle of defections that are happening could start turning into an avalanche if this situation continues. On another front, the Syrian currency has recently sunk to a jaw-dropping low of 70.5 Syrian pounds to the dollar. Any more than that and the Syrian economy will start to go into free-fall.

I think all this discussion and condemnation of international intevention is a moot point. If this situation continues the way it is any longer, without one side trying to end the stalemate in its favour, then this regime could implode. Hezbullah daren’t get itself embroiled into a Syrian civil war and stretch itself with Israel lurking just south of the border, and Iran, with all its enthusiasm, is too far from Syria to do anything more than token support and advice. We’re not going to see divisions of the Quds brigade airlifted to Damascus just to prop up Assad, though we could start seeing a bigger spurt of suicide bombings, explosions and assassinations.

Still, the country is crumbling under the political crisis, and whilst Assad is preparing to dig himself deeply for a long fight, he might find himself a prisoner in his own palace, as he faces not just defected Syrian soldiers, but the economic influence of the wealthy, bourgeois, Syrian diaspora who are enthusiastically supporting the Syrian revolution.

Syria pound hits record low as sanctions bite: traders

AMMAN (Reuters) – Conflict in Syria has pushed the pound currency to a record low of 70 to the U.S. dollar on the black market, exchange dealers said on Thursday, eroding a third of its value since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 10 months ago.

Read more:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-syria-currencytre80i19e-20120119,0,3448114.story

Tara,

Angry Arab has labeled the Free Army as “the Salafist FSA”. Your opinion ?
.

Tara #155

“Iran, with all its enthusiasm, is too far from Syria to do anything more than token support and advice.”

My jaw dropped…She is obviously very bad informed or wishful thinking.
Iran is closer than it has ever been through Iraq. It is even accused recently by the US of delivering money and weapons and has been repeating that it will stand with the Syrian government.

“the wealthy, bourgeois, Syrian diaspora who are enthusiastically supporting the Syrian revolution.”
What about the wealthy, bourgeois Syrians in Syria, they don’t count in the equation? .
My jaw dropped again.
What an article….

Amir,

And about every mnhebak on SC labeled me as either a Wahabi, a Zionist, wicked or ugly face yet, I am “not ugly”, nice, pro-Palestinian and too “liberal” for Arabic “taste”.  I do not know who Angry Arab is but I also do not care to know.  I wouldn’t want to read somebody who call himself Angry anything.  His name does not interest me.  The propagandists on SC quote him when they run out of propaganda material.  

On a serious note, the FSA is composed of honorable men who refused to kill their own people.  They are the real heroes who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the rest of us.  They are my brothers and my neighbor brothers (not literally).  As far as I know, there are no religious fanatics in Syria.  People in Syria are afraid of god and invoke divinity during time of crisis, they fast and some pray but in general they are very moderate.  Honestly, the only extremism I have been exposed to being Syrian is the extreme hatred I have felt from some Christians on SC.  These people are the one who should be called Salafists, not the FSA.           

The FSA : Zabadani is the “first free town in Syria”, it is Benghazi!

Syrian town to become hub of armed resistance
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9026222/Syrian-town-to-become-hub-of-armed-resistance.html

Syrian insurgents who have claimed control of a mountain border town have added to the pressure on the Assad regime, saying it is to become a hub of armed resistance.

After five days of intensive battles, dozens of government tanks, along with armoured vehicles and infantry pulled back from the town of Zabadani following what was said to be a ceasefire agreement with opposition militias.

But the insurgents heralded the move as an unprecedented victory, claiming Zabadani to be the ‘first free town in Syria’ and a haven in which to build and strengthen their troops, as Benghazi became in the Libyan uprising.

“A lot of soldiers have refused to obey orders, and tried to escape,” said a resident, who gave his name as Zean al-Zabadani. “Many of them have been killed. We are going now release the soldiers from Bashar al Assad’s prison grip and help them to escape.

“But this is a tenuous safety. We are frightened that they will bomb us from the air, or try again to retake the town. We need international help to make this a real safe zone”.

Although the town is small and may yet come under renewed attack, its residents’ claims follow discussions by Syria’s neighbours of the creation of a “buffer zone” for the provision of aid, possibly supervised by outside military.
The Arab League is likely to discuss all options when it meets this weekend to discuss the report of its monitoring mission, which ended on Thursday.

Leaks said it would recommend the mission being extended, saying that while it had not stopped the violence, it had not made it worse.

League officials said the monitors would remain in Syria in the meantime.

Zabadani, close to the border with Lebanon, was among the towns visited by the monitors, who found its streets already taken over by opposition protesters. After the ceasefire was announced, video footage showed masked gunmen sitting on the bonnets of cars and leaning out of the windows of slowly moving vehicles, toting kalashnikov and rocket propelled grenades in a victory parade.

“The city is effectively under the control of the Free Syrian Army,” said Mohammed al Dais, from the Syrian Revolution General Commission. “They will use this time to create a safe space for Assad army soldiers to defect to. They need to create a stable, safe place where they can gather”.

Mr Dais said the regime acted out of concern for what might be said at the Arab League meeting if an attack went ahead.

“They have withdrawn from that area to release some pressure, and as a show of will to the international community.”

Irritate,

Why is your jaw dropping too much? Do you have loose joints?

Governments has always two versions of any plan, one for media and public consumption, and the other a real one. Iran would help Besho the retard with money and logistic support. It will also import some terrorists from the IRG to cowardly kill our women and children but it will not fight a war for Besho’s blue eyes, a media war yes, but not a real war. They are much more savvy than that. They will make nice with the opposition when they feel that the balance of power is tilted toward the revolution.

Tara #161

Nothing wrong with my jaws. It’s your Maysaloon’s article who inspired me:
‘a jaw-dropping low of 70.5 Syrian pounds to the dollar”

“They are much more savvy than that” I fully agree.

The Syrian pound is being floated. I am not sure what that means and I am no economist and not sure the reasons or the consequences of it mean. It may lead to runaway inflation. One contact in Syria tells me that the fourth division was badly beaten in Zabadani. I fear there will be severe retaliation and the regime cannot afford to look weak.

The news are ominous; Russia has done its maximum, Iran’s help is being limited severely, KSA will pump 12 million barrels a day and replace Iranian crude, South Korea and Japan agreed to limit imports from Iran, the European and the US are being blackmailed by Israel to impose sanctions otherwise they will bomb Iran.

My best source of the wind change is Jumps a Lot Jumblat who is arguing for a political solution as the security solution has failed.

Observer

“Jumblat who is arguing for a political solution as the security solution has failed.”

Can you elaborate? what political solution are you thinking of, the Russian one,the French one?

Egyptian scholar says Islamist win is just a blip

Bradley Hope Jan 20, 2012
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/egyptian-scholar-says-islamist-win-is-just-a-blip

Gamal Al Banna, an Egyptian author and academic, is trying to contribute to what he calls the Islamic Renaissance.
CAIRO // When it comes to the political turmoil in Egypt, Gamal Al Banna is anything but short-sighted.

Indeed, the 91-year-old younger brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood sees developments through the lens of the 30,000 volumes of Islamic theory and world history that line the walls of his office near Bab Al Sheariya Square in downtown Cairo.

Looking elfin in a Moroccan hood and scarf behind a desk stacked with paper, he said the success of Islamist groups in parliamentary elections – the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party won roughly 45 per cent of the seats in the lower house – was but a blip in Egyptian history.

“I’m completely unhappy with their victory, but it is not a major historic moment,” he said dismissively. “They are living in a different time than our contemporary one. I think they will fail to deliver a better society.”
…
When politics and religion are mixed, the result is a path to totalitarianism, he said.

“When Christians merged politics with Christianity, they got the Spanish Inquisition.”

(…)

Zabadani, Jabal al-Zawiya, and Bab Amro have been liberated – Sheikh Anas Airout

19/01/2012
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=28158
By Mohammed Al Shafey
London, Asharq Al-Awsat – Although he fled Syria for Istanbul in August 2011, the youth of the Syrian revolution still fondly recall Sheikh Anas Airout, Imam of the al-Rahman Mosque in Banias. They recall his fiery rhetoric denouncing the Bashar al-Assad regime and the leading role he played during the early days of the Syrian revolution. Many remember 11 March 2011 as the day that the Syrian revolution was born, with protests and demonstrations taking place in different Syrian cities demanding reform, including following Friday prayers at the al-Rahman Mosque in Banias. The following Friday, Sheikh Anas Airout called for the toppling of the al-Assad regime, whilst demonstrations and protests broke out across the country. It was his words that were repeated by the demonstrators’, such as his most famous quote “even if you kill us, our spirits will rise up from our graves and demand freedom.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat from Istanbul, Syrian National Council [SNC]-member Sheikh Anas Airout acknowledged that “the protests in Syria were launched from the al-Rahman Mosque, and the first demonstrations calling for the toppling of the regime took place in the streets of Banias where the unarmed youth confronted the blind killing machine of the regime and the violence of the Shabiha [militia].”

He added “the al-Assad regime called for my head, they wanted me, dead or alive, and they gave me the nickname ‘ras al-fitna” [head of the chaos]…therefore I had no choice but to leave the country.”

The al-Rahman Mosque Imam said “they gave me this nickname, but God protected me” revealing that he was present in a Banias house that was raided by Syrian security forces, but was able to avoid arrest.

As for the situation in Syria, and how he remains in contact with the revolution from Istanbul, Sheikh Airout told Asharq Al-Awsat that “there is daily communication and coordination with the [Syrian] revolutionaries via the internet, whether we are talking about the Syrian coastal area, including Banias, Tartus, Latakia, and Jabla, or the rest of the Syrian cities.”

The al-Rahman mosque imam also stressed that many Syrian districts and cities have been “liberated”, including Zabadani, Jabal al-Zawiya in Idlib, and Bab Amro in Homs.” He said “the youth of the Free Syrian Army [FSA] are in control of these areas, and the Shabiha [militia] and the regime’s forces are not able to enter.”

He clarified “on the ground, one can say that some cities are outside of the control of the regime, like Deraa, Homs, Idlib, Zabadani, and others are on the way. The extent of the division means that the Syrian regime army is no longer capable of suppressing all of these cities, in light of the terrible crime being committed by the Syrian regime and its security apparatus and Shabiha [militia].”

Sheikh Anas Airout told Asharq Al-Awsat “let me repeat that we began [the revolution] with God, we launched and took action with God, and we are not relying on anybody except God Almighty. We will continue and never back down, relying only upon God Almighty, and even if we are killed our spirits will rise up from our graves to demand freedom! We are not frightened of being arrested, and they [the Syrian regime] will never be able to weaken our resolve, because they are not fighting against a people, they are fighting against what is right!”

As for the claims of sectarian discrimination in the city of Banias, Sheikh Anas Airout confirmed this, saying “we have suffered from sectarianism for the last 40 years. For example, the high ranking posts in the oil companies [in Banias] are guaranteed to Alawites, whilst only a handful of Sunnis work in such companies.”

As for whether he had a message to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, he said “I continue to say to President al-Assad: as you were [previously] bold enough to label the protesters terrorists, be bold enough today to acknowledge that in Qardahah [home of the al-Assad family] there is an armed gang who are even better equipped than the Syrian security or intelligence apparatus, and they are working under their cover.”

He also stressed that “the protests in Banias, and the rest of Syria, will continue to demand freedom” regardless of any suppression or violence.

Could Iran save the Syrian regime?

The imam sends a satrap
Friday 20 January 2012
By Amir Taheri
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=28160
After months of hand wringing and, perhaps, internal squabbles, Iran appears to have decided to play a direct role in shaping the outcome of the struggle over Syria’s future.
Several signs indicate the change in policy.
For almost a year, the state-owned media had tried to appear neutral on the Syrian issue. News of the uprising was either under-played or presented in a more or less balanced way, reflecting the views both of the Baathist regime and its opponents.
In recent weeks, however, the Khomeinist media have adopted a position openly hostile to the Syrian opposition.
….
Another sign that Iran may have decided to heighten its profile in Damascus is the increase in arms shipments to Syria. An Iranian air cargo company, Aseman [Airlines], reports a 50 per cent increase in flights to Damascus.
….
Yet another sign of Iran’s greater involvement in Syria is the recent visit to Damascus of General Qassem Suleimani who commands the Qods Force (Sepah Quds), an ad hoc military unit with the official mission of “exporting revolution”.
According to Tehran sources, Suleimani held a four-hour meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss “coordination of strategy to protect Syria against foreign conspiracies.”
Suleimani reports directly to the “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei. Thus, his visit might indicate that the ” Supreme Guide” has seized control of policy on Syria, by-passing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi.
…
Sources in Tehran tell me that the “Supreme Guide” has decided to prevent the fall of Syria into “the camp hostile to the Islamic Republic.”
Could Iran save the Syrian regime?
Of course, Iran could ease the effect of sanctions on Syria by supplying it with money and arms. It could also play a role by bolstering the Syrian regime’s policy of trying to crush the revolt by killing and kidnapping.
General Suleimani already has a presence in Syria with a military mission of over 600 men. He could bring in units from the Lebanese branch of Hezbollah to help Syrian forces loyal to the regime. The Qods Force has trained hundreds of Hezbollah fighters for operations outside Lebanon. Suleimani has tested some of those fighters in operations in Iraq.
….
Stronger support from Iran could also raise the moral of Syrian ruling elites, some of whom have began to waver in recent weeks. Some potential deserters from the Syrian security forces may decide to await the outcome of Iranian intervention before making their move.
Iranian intervention could also persuade Russia and China to continue dragging their feet over possible United Nations’ intervention to stop the massacre in Syria.
More importantly, as some circles in Tehran suggest, the Islamic Republic could promote a formula under which President Assad is asked to step down so that the Baathist regime could survive in a new configuration.
Despite all that, Tehran’s chances of success in Damascus are slim.
To start with, the Syrian armed forces have never really warmed to the Tehran-Damascus axis. Although the two countries have signed a defence pact, exchanges between Iranian and Syrian military have remained limited. Iran has more such exchanges with North Korea and Venezuela than with Syria.
Syrian elites are equally cool towards alliance with the Iranian imamate.
…
Even if Tehran succeeds in making Suleimani de facto Satrap of Syria, the Syrian revolt may prove more resilient than Khamenei imagines. Ahmadinejad and Salehi have understood this. This is why, in cryptic style, they have tried to put some blue water between the Baathist regime and Iran.
Iran has no national interest in helping crush the Syrian uprising. Its military intervention could open the way for other nations to also send troops to Syria.
Prudence dictates that Iranian policymakers take into account the possibility that the Syrian revolt may succeed in bringing about regime change in Damascus.
By trying to prevent Syria from moving to the “hostile camp”, Khamenei and Suleimani may well render that inevitable.

Letters
Syrian poll backing Assad has no credibility

reddit this
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 January 2012 16.00 EST
Article history
It is astonishing that you publish an article based on such poor evidence (Most Syrians back Assad, 18 January). We have no doubt that the Doha Debates are a respectable forum for dialogue, but in the poll Jonathan Steele quotes, 1,012 respondents completed the survey, with only 21% (211 respondents) from the Levant. Only 46% of those 211 were from Syria – that’s about 97 respondents. How can this possibly be representative of Syrian opinion? And is it even possible to conduct an objective opinion poll in a tyranny ruled by fear, where expressing opinions freely can lead to arrest, torture, and even execution? Steele talks about western media bias, but does not mention that very few journalists have been able to enter Syria legally. Those that do are kept under tight surveillance. Neither does he mention the role of Syrian state media in spreading disinformation and fuelling armed conflict. He seems to have set himself an impossible task – proving the legitimacy of a dictatorship which kills its citizens on a daily basis.
Anas El-Khani, Kinana Saffour, Anass Toma, Amr Salahi, Hamza al-Sibaai, Hussam Hajjouk
British Solidarity for Syria

• One has to wonder at the naivety of accepting the results of any opinion poll in Syria. Every phone, email, Facebook account and conversation is liable to be bugged. There is a large section of Syrian society trapped between a brutal regime they detest and a divided opposition they do not know, who are fearful of foreign intervention, or a civil war that would destroy the country they love. They are the key to Syria’s future.

Contrary to Steele’s argument that the media has ignored the armed uprising against Assad, I have lost count of the articles about the Free Syrian Army, that, if anything, overhype its strength. It also underplays the role of the huge numbers of peaceful protesters who march every day, putting their lives on the line. Yet one of the strangest things about Steele’s article is that, actually, for once, Nato states, especially Britain, are definitely not champing at the bit to intervene in Syria. Many Syrian opposition groups have been seeking their support for this in vain. It is as if, after seeing the west intervene all over the Middle East for decades, they refuse to, believe that on this occasion there will be no US cavalry coming to invade. In the US and Europe, there is no political will, no clear winnable military strategy, no electoral support nor the financial resources to intervene.

On one issue, Steele is right. Syria needs a strengthened monitoring presence. It has to be a team numbering thousands, properly trained, with leaders of impeccable credentials, and with a tough independent mandate that allows them to travel and communicate with complete freedom. Only then will the regime’s freedom to kill and torture be restricted.

“………More importantly, as some circles in Tehran suggest, the Islamic Republic could promote a formula under which President Assad is asked to step down so that the Baathist regime could survive in a new configuration….”

No way jose. Farsi Bakhtian /Bakhtiar to the Haig, he must pay for his crime and the Baath BANNED FOR 1000 years.

Irritated
If your mouth drop any further, Shut it up with your hand ,if you can not shut your mouth, have someone else punch your jaw up it will shut up

#169 Majedalkhadoon

I know you want me to shut up because I say the truth and you like to hear only yours.
Your threats do no impress me. Contrary to you, I only punch someone’s jaws in self defense not because they are kuffar or such imbecility of which you are a specialist.

An other german tv journalist was allowed to film inside Syria.

Note the interview with Mohammed Hanous the governeur of Daraa. The reporter said that some dont like at all that they are in the country, and the governeneur seems to me like the prototype of an syrian government employee.

The reporter stressed that during this organized trip they did not get close to any people because the presence of the muhabarat was preventing any honest encounter, but one young man managed to give him a paper on which it said that the regime is not telling the truth. They let the reporters also visit an burned down courthouse. They have not cleaned it after the fire broke out in April.

http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/syrien1052.html

Syria’s prolonged descent into civil war

“For a civil war to break out in any given community, the parties concerned must first have the will to fight each other; and second they must have, or project, approximately the same amount of power. In other words, any party who wishes to fight a war must believe that he/she has the slightest chance to win it, or at least change the status quo. So far, these two elements are lacking.”

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/syria-s-prolonged-descent-into-civil-war-1.968327

TARA, we should not feel shy about Salafists, they will be an important component of post-regime Syria, and yes, FSA is Salafist, SO WHAT ?

I dont know if this article was shared here before:

The Alawi Capture of Power in Syria

http://www.danielpipes.org/191/the-alawi-capture-of-power-in-syria

Haytham Mannaa reiterated his opposition to the Free syrian army,this proves that he is unpatriotic, does he want the syrian soldiers to agree to kill syrian,as ordered by the Assad alawite officers?, he should be tried for his opposition to the FSA,he must understand that what saved Zabadai was the FSA,and what prevented the Alawite Assad criminal army from taking over Homs was the FSA, and what kept this revolution alive is the hope created by the presence of FSA, and what will change the regime is the FSA,
You can not win with demonstrations only,the assad syrian soldiers are Assad alawite,are killing the demonstrators, they are using violence in a brutal way,so far we lost over 10,000 young men,how many death he want to see before he is convinced that the regime will not change except by force, he is betraying the syrian blood, he is helping the regime,because of his lack of good vision, and he is cooperating with the persians,and betraying the Arabic cause,also he is delusional.His way is an invitation to more bloodshed,more martyrs,his ideas will lead to the end of this revolution, he has no support in the street,he has no future in the free Syria.

When Gilles Jaquier died there were two swiss reporters also among the group of journalists whon visited Homs.

The two reporters say that the attack was planned by the regime and that the group of journalists were traped by the regime. When the mortar attack happend they had visited an pro Assad demonstration. When the first mortar hit the neighborhood their security rushed them into the car saying to them come lets see the attack from near. When they arrived at the scene of the attack Gilles was dragged outside by the security, his wife shoiuting at him not to follow them. The security brought all of them then into an building, and Gilles was killed inside the building when 2 more mortars hit the street.

Both said that they were left alone with one minder, before there was military also present, when the attack happened they were gone. They said that the military personal looked suspicious to them, like they have the plan of the attack already in their mind. Inside the building the two were brought up to the roof like the minders new exactly what will happen. They showed them a school building on the other street and it was hit after some seconds.They showed an house, it also was hit. They asked how can they know where the next mortar would hit?
Suddenly they said to us to go downstairs and there outside we saw Gilles was seriously injured and suddenly there were taxis waiting for us, which werent there before. Gilles wife was first not allowed to enter the taxi.

Minutes after the attack life was normal again, and we did not hear a single gunshoot after the attack. They have met terorrized people and people with much fear, those people know that the regime will do everything to survive even to sacrify their own people.

My forbidden rights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5GuDVm3Ino&feature=g-all-u&context=G2a39b4bFAAAAAAAAJAA

with english subtitles if you click on cc in the player

Re 102. Syrian Nationalist Party said:
“……Also Wednesday, representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood claimed to have rejected a proposal floated by Iran that that group be given control over the Syrian government in exchange for its agreement that Assad remain president…..”

I dont agree with your response on this.

Nothing to do with “nobilities”. Nothing to do with killed “moslem women” in Hama. MB are just very confident right know after their success in the elections in Egypt etc.etc…
They know they have Allah (or at least much of the arab street) on their side.

I am not sure they would have reject the same proposal a few years ago…

However, I am sure SNP would happily accept such an offer. Wouldn’t you?

The real tactical reason/s for Assad’s army request to FSA for truce and for finally submitting to withdrawing from Zabadani are not clear to me.

Theoretically more Assad forces could have been ordered to flood Zabadani with hundreds of tanks and attacking copters used to neutralise FSA ground forces.

The scene of destruction of three tanks in this video raises the possibility that the attacking forces might have been decapitated as a result of seriously or mortally wounding its commander.
If that was the 4th brigade, the commander could have been an Assad family and the order to withdraw could have been handed by Anisa or even her sister!

17/01/2012
مضايا : تفجير مدرعة في سهل الزبداني من قبل الجيش الحر

How can the opposition think that a country like this will come to save them,

بعد مقتل 4 من جنودها، فرنسا تعلق عملياتها العسكرية في افغانستان

Piecemeal defection is steadily eroding Assad army.
These soldiers that defected in the linked video came from a wide range of Brigades and belong to various specialties.

Count wise, every defector is a gain for FSA and a loss for Assad army.

محافظة إدلب انشقاق جماعي 19-1-2012

Revlon
I agree with you, the real reason for the withdrawal of Assad troops from Zabadani is enigma,

180. Dear norman:
((How can the opposition think that a country like this will come to save them,
بعد مقتل 4 من جنودها، فرنسا تعلق عملياتها العسكرية في افغانستان
))

That is a responsible decision; life of their soldiers/citizens is a valued commodity.

France’s contribution, in case of intervention shall not involve soldiers on the ground. Therefore loss of combatants life shall not be a consideration.

Their contribution shall be limited to 24 hour air surveilance and readiness to take out any air or ground assaults on the enforced safety zones.

Mr Nawaf AlBasheer has proven once again that confessions by arrested Syrian activists on official Regime TV stations are false.

Compare the following two videos; the first was taken while in custody with the Syrian regime while the other was taken right after his release and flight out of Syria.

These videos constitute learning material on how to tell when some one is lying from his body language!

الشيخ نواف البشير يفضح المعارضة المسلحة وقنوات العهر
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQCHiiALjlE&feature=related
Uploaded by THETRUESYRIA on Oct 13, 2011

الجزيرة الشيخ نواف البشير يدعو لتسليح العشلئر ودعم الجيش الحر
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qzdsuldtb2s
Uploaded by shabab4souria on Jan 19, 2012

176. Juergen said:

Why would the security agents wanted to kill Jacquier and not the BBC journalist or the swiss journalists?
Jacquier’s visit was independently organized with the help of sister Agnes who is a regime supporter and he has been critical of Israel.
There will be many theories of plots behind this killing. I wont be convinced by an interview with reporters who start by saying the government was responsible before any serious inquest is done.I would prefer to hear the wife and the reporter who was inside the building with Jacquier and was safe.
Note that the BCC journalist who was present, was threatened by the opposition when he told his version of the situation.
Time will tell the truth , if ever.

184. Revlon

I wish Adnan Bakkour reappears, now he is not the only defector.

Majedalkhaldoon

“the real reason for the withdrawal of Assad troops from Zabadani is enigma”

Funny, when the events contradict your prediction, it becomes an “enigma”.
It is no enigma, it is clear like water. It is a very smart no-casualties military strategy of the Army.
Zabadani is now a prison for the FSA, they can demonstrate all day long, the army will not intervene. Why would they? There is no escape and help is impossible from the Lebanese side.
The FSA will be obliged to negotiate as their terrorist threats to break the water supply and electricity will have all the Syrians and the International community against them.
The FSA is in a dire and weak situation in Zabadani.
This is a reality, not an ‘enigma’

شام طرطوس تعذيب المواطن حسام أحمد نابلسي من قبل عصابات الاسد +18
19/01/2012
Watch the interrogation of the badly tortured civilian, Mr Husam Ahmad AlNabilsi.
Notice the interrogator/s Jabali accent and their callous manners!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMksSxdEDN4

Here is a translation of the Q/A:

Q. What is your name?
A. Husam Al Nabilsi

Q. What is your Father’s name?
A. Ahmad Al Nabilsi.

Q. What is your Mother’s name?
A. Hiyam Mousa.

Q. What is your birth date?
A. 1980

Q. What is your wife’s name?
A. Farah Raslan.

Q. How many kids do you have?
A. 7 kids.

Q. What are the names of your kids?
A. Ahmad, hamzeh, Hiyam, Walaa, Rasha, Sana, and the little one.

Q. What is the name of the little one?
A. I have not had a chance to give her a name yet.

To those who romanticise about “peaceful change” and the need to “preserve the Syrian Institutions” I say:

Take a good look at this poor soul!
Then think for a moment that it was you or your brother who was interrogated in that video!

Now! What words would you have for those activists and bloggers who prefer the continuation of your misery for as long as it takes and keep the “revolution peaceful” over realising your dream of setting you free from torture, saving your life, and bringing you back to your family through campaigning for quick international military assistance to expedite the fall of the regime?!

Here is what I would say if I were in his place:
Brother! I can not take the pain any more. I feel I have been dying every day since I was arrested. Please take my place for one round of torture and may be I will understand you better!

Syria loses $2 bn over oil sanctions: minister
January 19, 2012 08:59 PM
Agence France Presse

DAMASCUS: Syria has lost more than $2 billion in revenues since September 1 as a result of European and US bans on importing its oil, Oil Minister Sufian Allaw said on Thursday.

“We have suffered important losses as a result of our inability to export crude oil and petroleum products,” Allaw told a news conference in Damascus.

“The shortfall and losses from September 1 until now add up to more than $2 billion,” he said.

“The oil embargo has caused a drop in production of 150,000 barrels, or $15 million, a day,” he said.

The United States has banned the importation of Syrian-origin petroleum and petroleum products. It also prohibits US nationals, wherever they are, from engaging in any transactions or dealings in or related to Syrian-origin oil.

Sanctions were slapped on five Syrian government companies — General Petroleum Corp, Syrian Co for Oil Transport, Syrian Gas Co, Syrian Petroleum Co and Sytrol.

The European Union has a ban on imports of Syrian crude, along with that of oil and gas equipment.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Middle-East/2012/Jan-19/160446-syria-loses-$2-bn-over-oil-sanctions-minister.ashx#ixzz1k0xGycne
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

Meshal failed to pass on Arab League’s message to al-Assad – Sources
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=28170

…
“The Arab source also informed Asharq Al-Awsat that this message was viewed as representing interference in internal Syrian affairs, particularly as the Hamas movement is a guest in Syria, and so is in no position to get involved in Syrian affairs in this manner.
…
Senior Palestinian figures strongly criticized Hamas chief Khalid Meshal for his involvement in this issue, particularly PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo. Abed Rabbo stressed that Meshal had “no right to mediate on behalf of any regime – Syrian or any other”. “

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
بيان صادر عن الجيش السوري الحر كتيبة الفاروق
قامت كتيبة الفاروق بالتصدي لكتائب الأسد في باب عمرو وتم تدمبرسيارتين تقل أمن وشبيحة ومعهم ضابط
http://www.freesyrianarmy1.com/

Two passenger cars belonging to Assad forces attempted to trespass Baba Amr.
They were confronted by FSA units and they were taken out along with their commanding officer.
20/01/2012

Interesting observations on attempts by regime to introduce reforms through more corruption!

بإسهاب فضح النظام السوري وقانون الأحزاب !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SJ8r9qa7kGU#!
Uploaded by syrian4all on Jan 18, 2012

النظام المتهالك لايزال يدعي أنه مرغوب به ويعلم يقيناً أن إصلاحه يعني سقوطه ولذلك يحاول الكذب والمراوغة في كل شي .. دراسة لقانون الأحزاب وتعديله والأحزاب الخلبية المؤلفة من أبواق النظام وشبيحته والتي تقدمت للترخيص

Anti-government protesters rally in northern Syria, violence ongoing as AL mandate expires – 2012-01-21

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/21/c_122613120.htm

DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Around 5,000 people staged anti- government protests Friday in Syria’s northern province of Idlib as chaotic incidents took place in other parts of Syria.

About 5,000 people took part in anti-government protests in Idlib and its suburbs on Friday, a source in Idlib told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The protests only lasted for half an hour, the source said, adding that anti-government protesters stage rallies every week in that troubled area.

“Armed men” took over the national hospital in Idlib and took photos of the injured people to send them later to satellite TV stations, portraying them as victims of the government crackdown, said the source.

The remarks, however, couldn’t be independently verified.

Meanwhile, the private Sham FM radio reported that an explosive device went off in Ariha area near Idlib, causing little damage.

In central Homs province, another hub of armed insurgency, border guards thwarted Friday an attempt of smuggling weapons from neighboring Lebanon through the border area of Tahunat Halat, the report added.

Also in Homs, nine gunmen were killed while planting an explosive device which went off during the planting process at Bab Sba’a neighborhood, according to the report.

Another explosive device went off at the Salah El-Din area in northern province of Aleppo, leaving two law-enforcement members injured, the report said, adding that anther device was detonated Friday at a house in coastal Latakia city. The owner of the house was killed in the blast, the report added.

In the meantime, the state-TV reported that crowds of Syrians staged pro-government rallies in several areas across Syria to express support to embattled President Bashar al-Assad, who is facing mounting international pressures.

The Syrian government said in December 2011 before the arrival of Arab League (AL) monitors that more than 2,000 army and security personnel were killed during the months-old unrest. The United Nations puts the overall toll in Syria at more than 5,400, with at least 400 killed since the observers arrived.

Violence shows no sign of abating as the mandate of Arab monitors expired on Thursday evening.

Qatar, which leads the AL ministerial committee concerned with the Syrian crisis, said the Arab observer mission has failed. Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani said in excerpts of an interview released last week that he favored sending Arab troops to Syria to stop the violence there, citing the observers’ failure to curb the escalating violence in the Middle East nation.

The emir’s remarks were flatly rejected by the Syrian government. The Syrian foreign ministry said in a statement that Syria “rejects all kinds of foreign intervention in its affairs, under any title, and would confront any attempt to infringe upon Syria’s sovereignty and integrity of its territories.”

The emir became the first Arab leader to publicly suggest military intervention in Syria and the proposal has not been echoed by any other members of the AL.

Head of the Arab observer mission in Syria Moustafa al-Dabi will submit his report to Arab foreign ministers at their upcoming meeting on Sunday. The ministers will decide whether to seek an agreement from Damascus to extend the mission for another month.

On Thursday, a senior NATO official denied that the alliance has any intention of direct military intervention in Syria.

“There is no planning and we are not thinking about an intervention,” General Knud Bartels, the head of NATO’s Military Committee, said after a two-day meeting of NATO military chiefs.

He said that nations from NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue, a forum which gathers Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, expressed concerns about the upheaval in the region, but “there was no discussion at all of a military intervention.”

Irritated
What is wrong with you?
first you said the FSA are completely eliminated in Zabadani.
Now you say
Zabadani is now a prison for the FSA
if you keep zigzaging and say opposite things ,everyone will think you are not normal

Japan extends peace keeping missions in Golan Heights – 2012-01-20

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/20/c_131370729.htm

TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Japan’s government on Friday decided that it would extend tours of duty for its Self-Defense Forces who are in Haiti and Golan Heights on United Nations-led peace keeping missions.

In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the SDF who have been there since 1996 to aid a truce between Israel and Syria, will see their mission extended by six months until the end of september, the government also said here on Friday.

The decision came as a part of Japan ongoing commitment to assist international efforts to encourage and facilitate the peace process in the Middle East, government officials said.

Forty-six SDF members are involved in supporting the cease-fire between Israel and Syria and transporting daily essentials and other key roles as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force, which has been active in the region since 1974.

*** BLOOD THIRSTY ISLAMIST TERRORIST COWARD KILLERS AT WORK ***

Syria’s raging violence results in economy, human losses – 2012-01-20

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/20/c_131371296.htm

DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — The 10-month-old violence that has swept Syria is suffocating the country’s economy and targeting government forces including high ranking officers, as well as civilians.

On Thursday, a brigadier general and two security force members were killed by the gunfire of “armed terrorist groups” at the district of al-Jarajmeh in central province of Hama, according to official SANA news agency.

An official source was quoted by SANA as saying that an armed terrorist group opened fire on a police patrol in the district, killing Brigadier General Adel al-Mustafa and two security force members.

In Daryya, a district of the capital Damascus, another armed group opened fire on the former head of the city municipality and killed him in front of his house. The state-run agency also reported that the head of an Electricity Department in Douma area, just outside Damascus, was killed Thursday along with a technician in the same department.

The disfigured bodies of the electricity department’s members were found dumped in the street in Douma after being kidnapped by “armed terrorist groups,” said SANA.

At Tadamun neighborhood in Damascus Thursday, an armed group blew up an explosive device in the car of a civilian, who was seriously injured as one of his legs were amputated by doctors, said SANA.

In northern Aleppo province, the second largest city in Syria, two explosive devices planted by “armed terrorist groups” near Oweis al-Karni Mosque were dismantled on Thursday, SANA said, adding that a stun grenade exploded at the same place, causing no damages.

The Syrian government says that the turmoil in Syria is plotted by terrorists and foreign-backed armed gangs. It said more than 2, 000 army and security personnel were killed during the months-long unrest, while the United Nations put the death toll in the country at more than 5,000.

Meanwhile, Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Allaw said Thursday that the terrorist acts carried out by armed groups against oil pipelines and other oil institutions, in addition to EU sanctions on Syrian oil, have extremely damaged Syria’s oil sector, totaling the damage at 2 billion U.S. dollars.

Allaw said at a press conference that the damage that befell oil institutions is estimated at 2.1 billion Syrian pounds (about 35.7 million U.S. dollars), noting that 21 people were killed and 24 others wounded from the oil sector, in addition to five others who were kidnapped throughout the past 10 months.

The minister said 43 vehicles related to oil institutions were damaged, adding that damages in oil buildings were also estimated at 2.134 billion Syrian pounds (36.278 million dollars).

He said “terrorists” have primarily targeted the oil sector for its “economic and vital importance and to cause big damages to this sector.”

The minister said the size of damage resulted from halting oil exports and other oil derivations was estimated at 2.1 billion dollars.

He said the sanctions imposed by European countries on Syria have halted the exportation of 150,000 barrels a day. This, according to the minister, has left around 2000 employees jobless.

The minister said Syria’s needs of gas, fuel and gasoline come mainly from Venezuela. He added that Syria’s oil output that stood at 380,000 barrels a day has reduced currently to 220,000-250,000 barrels a day, noting that there is no oil exports at all.

On Wednesday, Minister of Electricity Imad Khamis said at a press conference that recent attacks carried out by armed and terrorist groups have inflicted big damage on distribution networks and maintenance workshops.

The minister said that the direct material damage inflicted upon the networks is valued at nearly 713 million Syrian pounds ( 12.1 million dollars) whereas the value of indirect economic damage, which hit the national economy, reached around 23 billion syrian pounds (391 million dollars).

The minister noted the efforts exerted by the ministry in coordination with the authorities concerned to control energy demand in light of current circumstances.

He also said that terrorist attacks at gas pipelines and railways that ferry fuel to power generating stations have undermined some of those stations while the others are operating with partial capacity.

Two weeks ago, an armed group attacked a gas pipeline near al- Rastan town in central Syria that feeds al-Zara and al-Zayzoun power stations.

At least five pipelines have been targeted since the eruption of unrest in Syria in mid March, 2011. Syria held what it called ” saboteurs” responsible for the attacks.

In July, 2011, fire damaged a natural gas pipeline in Deir el-Zour. Another oil pipeline was blasted in Talkhalakh area in Homs on July 29 last year.

On Dec. 27, 2011, a gas pipeline was targeted by an explosive device planted by “terrorist groups” at the north of al-Ashrafiya village.

On Dec. 13, 2011, Syrian government said gunmen blew up a gas pipeline in Homs, causing minor damages. A week earlier, another oil pipeline in Homs was targeted. No injuries were reported in the three attacks that hit Syria in one month.

Irritated,

“help is impossible from the Lebanese side”

Can you please read your opinion before you share with us. I thought most FSA’s weapons are smuggled from Lebanon or sold by the Syrian occupying army to the revolutionists. You guys also told us that “Lebanese Qaeda” are helping the revolution. Now all of the sudden, you opinionated that help is impossible from Lebanon? Was that an opinion or wishful thinking?

Anyhow, it is good to be hopeful, to a certain degree though other wise you end up heartbroken.

very significant and interesting development. protest in liberated Zabadani today with Alawi involvement

Mr. Haytham Manna:
-International military intervention is rejected, period.
-The fsa armed militias attacks are unhelpful and wrong, they spread violence.
-The civil movement is fading because of the volatile situation.
-Sectarianism will lead to a civil war where everybody loose.

هيثم مناع: لن نبيع الجولان مقابل استقدام الناتو ولا بأي ثمن

“القاهرة- (د ب أ): أكد هيثم مناع المعارض السوري البارز ورئيس ما يعرف بهيئة التنسيق الوطنية أنه يرفض أن يكون إرسال قوات عربية لسورية مقدمة أو محاولة توطئة للتدخل العسكري الغربي.
وشدد مناع في اتصال هاتفي أجرته معه وكالة الأنباء الألمانية من القاهرة على أن “القوات العربية مرحب بها شريطة ألا تكون توطئة للتدخل العسكري الغربي من قبل مجلس الأمن أو أي حلف عسكري كحلف شمال الأطلسي (ناتو)”.”

“ووصف مقترحات بعض أطياف المعارضة السورية باستقدام الناتو أو أي تدخل عسكري بالاقتراحات اليائسة والمسعورة، وقال: “هؤلاء(أصحاب هذه المقترحات) يريدون الوصول للسلطة ولو على دبابة أمريكية أو تركية..” معتبرا أن “من لديه ثقة أن الناس سوف تؤيده لا يحتاج لتدخل عسكري خارجي”.
وفي إشارة إلى أن الناتو يتحرك وفقا لمصالحه ، قال إن “”الناتو ليس جمعية خيرية وقد تدخل بليبيا من أجل النفط والآن يتردد أن صحراءها قد تحولت لقواعد عسكرية له ، وأنا أتساءل ماذا سيكون الثمن لدينا بسورية خاصة ونحن لا نملك النفط؟”.”

“وشدد مناع على رفضه أن تتحول الثورة السورية لساحة تصارع إقليمية مذهبية، وانتقد الإعلام الخليجي ورأى أنه “يجمل صورة التدخل التركي لأن الأخير إخوانجي. وهناك تحالف ما بين دول الخليج وتركيا على أساس الاشتراك سويا بالمذهب السني في مواجهة إيران الشيعية ، وأنا كسوري أقول ما دخلنا نحن بهؤلاء جميعا : أهم شيء عندي هو وحدة الثورة السورية”.
وأعرب هيثم مناع عن رفضه التدخل التركي محذرا من أنه إذا كان “الإسلاميون سعداء به فإن العلمانيين والأقليات السورية القومية والدينية ضده، فالأرمن مستعدون لقتاله وكذلك الكرد.. وبالأساس الشعب السوري لن ينسي 60 عاما من الصراع مع تركيا”.”

“وأستنكر مناع اتهامات البعض له بأنه عميل للنظام السوري نتيجة لرفضه التدخل العسكري الغربي وكذلك أستنكر تصنيفه بالمعارضة المصطنعة التي تبرر وجود النظام ولا تطالب بإسقاطه ، مشددا بالقول :”نحن بالتأكيد ضد هذا النظام الحقير ومع سقوطه اليوم قبل غد ولكننا لم نفقد البوصلة بعد”.
وتابع :”عيب على الذين ليس لهم أدنى علاقة بالثورة والشهداء أن يتهموني في وطنيتي، هؤلاء ممن أسميهم فريق المعارضة مدفوعة الأجر الذين لا علاقة لهم بالثورة والشهداء سوى التكسب من وراء ترديد الترحم عليهم في الفضائيات بينما يعاني أهالي الشهداء العوز والفقر… لقد سقط من عائلتي 12 شهيدا واعتقل 156 ولا نزال ندافع عن الثورة وسنظل لأن هذا واجبنا”.
ولفت مناع إلى تراجع الحراك المطالب بالثورة في الشارع السوري مؤخرا، مرجعا ذلك للبعد عن الطريق والهدف الأساسي في سلمية الثورة حتى إسقاط النظام، وأوضح: “كثير من الناس لا ينزلون للمظاهرات الآن إلا بعد أن يعرفوا شعارها فهم لا يكترثون لقضية العلم جديد أم قديم أو قضية الجيش السوري الحر”.
وتابع :”الناس تريد الخلاص من الديكتاتورية ومرحلة انتقال هادئة ومستقرة ومؤسسات جديدة دون عسكرة كما حدث بالنموذج التونسي فلماذا نصر نحن على النموذج الليبي”.”

“وشكك مناع في الأعداد المنضوية للجيش السوري الحر وانتقد كذلك نوعية عملياته، وقال :”لقد قام ذلك الجيش بضرب مركز تابع للمخابرات في حرستا وفي الأسبوع التالي قامت السلطة بضرب مركزين لأمن الدولة بدمشق وألصقت التهمة به وصارت البلاد في فوضى وأصبح هناك مناطق لا يتظاهر بها أحد خشية حدوث انفجارات مماثلة .. ولو كانت عملية ضرب المركز إيجابية لما أعادت السلطة إنتاجها فالأخيرة لن تقلدك إلا إذا كان لديك عامل خاطئ وبالتالي يصب عملك في مصلحتها”.
وتابع :”تسليح الثورة خطأ استراتيجي لأن نظام بشار يملك مليون عسكري وبالتالي هو الأقوى عسكريا ، لكن الثورة أقوى سلميا والعالم كله تعاطف معها عندما أعلنت سلميتها ونبذها للطائفية ورفضها للتدخل الخارجي”.
وحذر مناع من أن سورية الآن تقف على مفترق طرق صعب ، وأحد الاحتمالات التي تواجهها هي خطر الحرب الأهلية ولا يوجد طريق لإسقاط طريق الحرب الأهلية والابتعاد عن الحرب الإقليمية وسقوط بشار إلا بالتمسك بسلمية الثورة ونبذ الطائفية وعدم الخوض في أي تفاوض مع السلطة.
ورأى أنه “بقدر ما تكون الثورة سلمية كلما اتسعت قاعدتها الشعبية ، كما ستقنع عددا كبيرا من الضباط الشرفاء بأن يغيروا كفة الميزان لصالحها لأن العسكري يتخندق في الجهة التي ينتمي إليها إذا كانت المواجهة عسكرية أما إذا كانت الثورة سلمية فالعسكري قد يتخلي عن الأوامر ويرفضها.”

#194 Majedalkhadoon

Where did I say ‘eliminated’ ? I said neutralized.

Obviously you don’t see the difference. I guess the ‘abnormal’ one is not me.
Years in the USA seem to have harm you beyond repair without improving your understanding of english .

178. Humanist said:
However, I am sure SNP would happily accept such an offer. Wouldn’t you?

@HUMANIST
Why on hell you are sure of that, you are not in the know that for sure!!!%$#@%

We will never work under Baathists (our ardent and only enemy). In the past, we did make a separation between Assad and Baath. There were times in the past 7 years, that should Assad agreed to have us open office in Syria, SNP will be close to advises him on reform issues and press him on turning Syria into a decent country, meaning, using Assad to fulfill SNP agenda and program, since we are getting too old and tired to want his job. But will never directly work under a Baathist ruled Syria, will not even work alongside Baathists if they have constitutionally or practically the upper hand and control of Syria.

Since the Conspiracy aided Revolution started, and we had about 4 months advance knowledge of its minute details, and that we will be “LEFT OUT” LOL&LOL (who should I send thank you note to). SNP begged Assad and Iran to support us in having this footprint in Syria, so that we can basically render advice based on what we know, but Iran said they “will only help Moslems” and Assad practically banned us before we are in Syria.

There are other issues, personal in nature that will hinder us from working under / with the Baathist, many SNP members have a set of personal issues. For me personally, return of family property and compensation, implementing 40 years old court decisions and orders that could not be enforced because a higher military man said so. The land worth less than what I make in a month, but it is not a material issue, it is DIGNITY. Needless to say, Asef Shawkat was a little boy peasant in my grandma village of Madhale, it was very humiliating for my uncle, a Sorbonne graduate lawyer working in Tripoli-Lebanon to agree, under duress, to the sale of the land to Asef, although they were forceful, but respectful.

As an American raised and trained person I personally try to look at these peasants in an American life prism. That is I accept the [Social Mobility] concept. However, what I find it not acceptable, is that, in America, that Social mobility is achieved by the person, or a minority group, own ingenuity, talent, ideas, hard work, education and all out effort, whereby the State and Nation benefits tremendously from their drive to achieve that upward status, not as the Baathists did at gun point and by robbing others, by the use of deadly force, confiscation of others properties, illegal seizure of state power, monopolizing the state, and the entire economy into a one Mafia. Other in SNP, and we represent the Syrian social mosaic, some in Europe don’t accept the Social Mobility concept and are adamant at having this peasant rule out and they be compensated for stolen industries that now are being privatized (given to Baathists insiders) instead to being turned back to the original owners.

There were time, when a possible working relation with the regime, should it had taken the reform option possible, if all other oppositions join in as well. That is now not possible, and the regime is breathing last breath. SNP can implode it in three months should we have the sufficient fund, but elected to save our own cash for rainy day since it is imploding anyway.

It is the day after that we are now planning for. It is obvious that there exist someone else plan and conspiracy that is riding along the overall objective of Syrian Revolution. In fact, there are competing plans and conspiracies: The Americans (WASP) has one, the American Neocons/CIA/One World’ers has another, the French, British, Russians, Turks, Saudi, Qatari, Iranians and Israel all have competing plans and agendas, and each apparently out to shape the end result of the game in their favor. As they say in Syria: من كترة الطباخين بالمطبخ احترقت الطبخة

Le fiasco des barbouzes français à Homs
La mort en Syrie du journaliste Gilles Jacquier

“Alors que Paris accuse Damas d’avoir organisé l’assassinat du journaliste de France-Télévisions Gilles Jacquier à Homs, une équipe de journalistes russes vient de présenter une toute autre version des faits. Selon leur enquête, M. Jacquier commandait sous couverture de presse une opération des services secrets militaires français qui a tourné au fiasco. Les accusations françaises ne sont qu’un moyen pour masquer la responsabilité de Paris dans les actions terroristes entreprises pour déstabiliser la Syrie.”
{…}
http://www.egaliteetreconciliation.fr/Le-fiasco-des-barbouzes-francais-a-Homs-10001.html

المعارضة الفرنسية تشن هجوماً كبيراً على ساركوزي وتنشر تحقيق بغاية الأهمية عن مقتل جيل جاكييه بناء على شهادة الصحفيين الروس عن الحادثة:
وفي ملخص لهذه المقالة :
جيل جاكييه أصر أنه ليس هناك تهديد عليه في حمص لأنه لا يوجد إرهابيون ولا عصابات مسلحة برأيه، ورفض مرافقة الأمن عدة مرات، وأصر على البقاء إلى ما بعد الثالثة ظهرا رغم أن المحافظ اتصل به وأمره بالمغادرة بأسرع ما يمكن، وكان قد رفض ارتداء الخوذة والسترة الواقية، واستأجر عددا من مواطني حمص كأدلاء له، وكان لديه مواعيد مع ناشطين في الحارات العلوية وفي بابا عمرو.
يقول المحللون العسكريون أن القذائف كانت تستهدف طاقم قناة الدنيا الذي كان يصور في نفس المنطقة، وقد استخدمت القذائف الأولى لضبط الهدف ثم جاءت القذيفة الأخيرة على مدخل البناء الذي كان طاقم الدنيا على سطحه، ولكن جيل جاكييه كان في نفس البناء وقد اندفع إلى الخارج معتقدا أن القصف قد انتهى، ولكن عندما وصل إلى الباب انفجرت القذيفة وقتلت معه ستة من طاقم الحراسة المرافق لتلفزيون الدنيا.
مع حضور السفير الفرنسي وطاقمه تم منع التواصل مع كل طاقم جيل جاكييه، بما فيه الصحفية كارولين بوارو التي دخلت حالة صدمة وكان من الممكن أن تقول أشياء كثيرة، كما تم منع تشريح جثة جاكييه لتحديد نوع القذيفة التي استهدفته.

تروي المقالة تفاصيل أخرى عن حياة جاكييه، وتخلص إلى أنه كان في مهمة من المخابرات الفرنسية تتعلق بالإيرانيين المخطوفين في حمص. ولذلك فقدجاء السفير الفرنسي بعد الحادثة فورا لإخراج طاقمه العسكري، وترك في مسرح الأحداث المراسلة الفرنسية الوحيدة المدنية، وهي مراسلة فرانس برس. وقد أرسل الطاقم لأخذ أغراضه من الفندق، ثم انتقل مباشرة إلى مطار دمشق ليرحل فورا على متن طائرة خاصة أرسلتها وزارة الدفاع الفرنسية.

ولمنع المراسلين الفرنسيين الحقيقيين من كتابة الحقيقة، ظهر فريق المخابرات الفرنسية على كل شاشات التلفزيون العلمية وبدؤوا ترويج الأكاذيب عن مقتل جيل جاكييه بشكل مكثف
——
by: HNN| شـبكة أخـبار حمص

Irritated
1147. irritated said:

$1145 Majedalkhaldoon

“I think the FSA was trapped and rounded up in Zabadani and about to be totally crushed as I had predicted.”
Rounded up and totally crushed
now Irritated says
#194 Majedalkhadoon

“Where did I say ‘eliminated’ ? I said neutralized.”

Irritated do you see how crazy you are.

Governments generally choose their words carefully when speaking to each other. The fact that we have the head Russian diplomat saying this is not a small matter by any stretch.

‘Chain reaction’ is a term used in discussing events whereby a release of energy at an exponentially-increased level, takes place, and while it can be associated with chemical chain reactions, it is generally understood that it refers to nuclear fission.

The Russians understand that Israel, America and the west have lost their minds and are on the rampage in causing havoc across the world, and Russia is on the list of targets, due to her natural resources and the fact that she refuses to be a pawn to the New World Order. Putin gave a speech several years ago while still President whereby he said that Russia needs a strong defense so that she does not end up like Iraq, signalling to the Beast that she knows she is in their sites but will not go down like other countries.

In other words, what Russia is saying here is that if Israel–through her ‘Christian’ surrpgates like the US, GB, France, et al attack Iran, it will drag Russia into it, and what started off as just another innocent country being attacked will lead to WWIII.

AND REMEMBER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOU IN THE US, EVERY GODDAMNED ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THOSE SEEKING THE WHITE HOUSE ARE WORKING TOWARDS BRINGING THIS ABOUT–THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR WORLD AND YOUR LOVED ONES.

independent.co.uk

What are the alternatives to the military intervention in Syria:

البدائل المقترحة لخيار التدخل العسكري ضد سوريا

الجمل: تزايد إدراك الأغلبية العظمى من الخبراء والمراقبين والمحللين السياسيين بأن خيار التدخل العسكري الخارجي لم يعد ممكناً في سوريا، وتأسيساً على ذلك، برزت العديد من التساؤلات حول كيفية تعامل خصوم دمشق الدوليين والإقليميين مع ملف الحدث الاحتجاجي السياسي السوري خلال المرحلة القادمة، وبالذات بعد انتهاء مهمة بعثة المراقبين العرب: فما هي طبيعة هذه التساؤلات وما هي البدائل المحتملة لخيار التدخل العسكري الخارجي في سوريا؟

* ترسيمات الوضع القائم: الحقائق الجديدة
تقول المعلومات والتسريبات، بأن الأكثر احتمالاً هو أن تسعى الجامعة العربية لجهة تمديد فترة عمل بعثة المراقبين، إضافة إلى محاولات إجراء بعض التعديلات الإضافية، وأشارت التسريبات إلى أن زيادة عدد المراقبين وتمديد الفترة يمكن أن تكون أموراً ممكنة، ولكن ما هو غير ممكن هو أن تسعى الجامعة العربية لجهة تعديل “ولاية” بعثة المراقبين العرب بما يجعلها تتخطى دورها الحالي باتجاه تجاوز الخطوط السياسية الحمراء، والتي سعت دمشق منذ البداية لجهة مقابلتها بالرفض القاطع.
تحدثت التحليلات والتسريبات قائلة، بأن سبب قيام الجامعة العربية بتمديد فترة بعثة المراقبين العرب في سوريا يعود إلى أسباب عديدة، منها:
• الرغبة في عدم الدخول في تصعيدات عدائية جديدة مع دمشق.
• الرغبة في الحصول على المزيد من المعلومات، بما يجعل مشهد الحدث السوري أكثر وضوحاً.
• الرغبة في كسب الوقت إلى حين تتم عملية التغلب على الخلافات بين العواصم العربية إزاء الملف السوري.
• الرغبة في تفادي الضغوط الخارجية الدولية بواسطة خصوم دمشق الدوليين وبالذات أطراف مثلث واشنطن ـ باريس ـ لندن، وبعض خصوم دمشق العرب والشرق أوسطيين.
هذا، وتشير المعطيات الجارية إلى أن الفريق مصطفى الدابي رئيس بعثة المراقبين العرب سوف يقدم اليوم تقريره للجنة الجامعة العربية، وأضافت التقارير والمعلومات بأن المجلس الوطني السوري المعارض، قد أعلن صراحة الآتي:
• اعتبار مهمة المراقبين العرب بأنها فاشلة.
• اتهام رئيس بعثة المراقبين العرب بأنه متورط في حروب إقليم دارفور السوداني.
• مطالبة الجامعة العربية بسحب بعثة المراقبين العرب وعدم اعتماد تقريرها.
هذا، وأضافت التقارير والمعلومات بأن المعارضة السورية الخارجية قد سعت لجهة العمل من أجل تجميع عدد كبير من المنظمات غير الحكومية ومنظمات المجتمع المدني التابعة لخصوم دمشق، وذلك بما يتيح بناء تحالف دولي مدني غير حكومي لجهة الضغط على الجامعة العربية، والأمم المتحدة، والدول الكبرى من أجل القيام بالتدخل العسكري الدولي ضد سوريا.

* مأزق خصوم سوريا الدوليين والإقليميين: الدخول في الشبكات والتأمل في الخروج
سعى خصوم سوريا الدوليين والإقليميين ومعهم المعارضة السورية الخارجية، لجهة دعم إرسال بعثة المراقبين العرب إلى سوريا، وذلك من أجل تحقيق هدف وحيد هو إثبات صحة اتهامات ومزاعم المعارضة السورية، بما يتيح لاحقاً بناء ملف تدويل الحدث الاحتجاجي السياسي السوري ضمن نفس سيناريو تدويل الحدث الاحتجاجي السياسي الليبي، ولكن بعد دخول بعثة المراقبين العرب إلى سوريا برزت النقاط الآتية:
• استطاعت بعثة المراقبين العرب التعرف ميدانياً على الحقائق الرئيسية، الأمر الذي أبطل قدراً هائلاً من مزاعم المعارضة السورية الخارجية، إضافة إلى أن معلومات بعثة المراقبين العرب أصبحت أكثر فعالية في كسر احتكار المعارضة الخارجية للمعلومات المتعلقة بالوضع السوري.
• تصريحات رئيس بعثة المراقبين العرب، وبعض أعضاء البعثة، أثارت حفيظة أطراف مثلث واشنطن ـ باريس ـ لندن، وأغضبت المعارضة السورية الخارجية، إضافة إلى أنها خلقت شعوراً بالإحباط في أوساط خصوم سوريا الشرق أوسطيين وبالذات بالنسبة لقطر والسعودية وتركيا.
تقول المعلومات والتسريبات بأن التقرير النهائي لبعثة المراقبين العرب، سوف يؤدي إلى إشعال المزيد من الصراع في أوساط الجامعة العربية، وذلك لجهة التنازع المتوقع حول خيارات توظيف نتائج التقرير، وذلك بما يمكن أن يتضمن الآتي:
• محاولة الدفع باتجاه خيار التدخل العسكري الدولي، ويحتاج حصراً لموافقة مجلس الأمن الدولي
• محاولة الدفع باتجاه خيار التدخل العسكري العربي، ويحتاج حصراً إلى موافقة دمشق
• محاولة الدفع باتجاه خيار إعطاء دمشق المزيد من الفرص لاحتواء الوضع، ويحتاج حصراً لإجماع الأغلبية في الجامعة العربية
• محاولة الدفع باتجاه خيار الضغط على الفرقاء السوريين من أجل الحوار، ويحتاج حصراً لموافقة واشنطن ودول مجلس التعاون الخليجي
هذا، ونلاحظ أن خيار التدخل العسكري الدولي هو غير وارد، بسبب عدم حماس واشنطن لذلك، إضافة إلى أن فرنسا وبريطانيا لن تستطيعا القيام بذلك بدون مشاركة واشنطن، أما بالنسبة لتركيا، فتقول التسريبات بأن أنقرا بدأت خلال هذه الأيام وهي أكثر رغبة لجهة التراجع عن مواقفها المتشددة إزاء دمشق، إضافة إلى تزايد رغبة أنقرا لجهة القيام بمراجعة وإعادة ضبط وتقويم توجهات سياساتها الخارجية إزاء دول جوارها الإقليمي وبالذات سوريا والعراق وإيران، بعد أن تبين لأنقرا أن تعاونها مع إيران والعراق لن يكون ممكناً بمعزل عن تعاونها مع سوريا.
نشر مركز ستاتفور الاستخباري الأمريكي تحليلاً مختصراً، أشار فيه إلى أن مستقبل مصير ملف الحدث الاحتجاجي السوري، سوف يظل غامضاً ومبهماً، وذلك بفعل الأسباب الآتية:
• أسباب داخلية: المعارضة السورية الحالية، ثبت أنها ضعيفة وغير متماسكة وغير موحدة، وبالتالي من الصعب أن تشكل أي تهديد على الوضع القائم في سوريا.
• أسباب خارجية: تمثل واشنطن العامل الحاسم في تشكيل قوام الموقف الخارجي، وحتى الآن ما تزال واشنطن أكثر نفوراً من فكرة التدخل في سوريا.
هذا، وأشار تحليل مركز ستراتفور الاستخباري الأمريكي إلى أن الخيارات المتاحة الآن أمام واشنطن هي متعددة، ولكن ما هو جدير بالاهتمام أن الخيار التدخلي العسكري ليس مطروحاً من بينها، وفي هذا الخصوص أشار التحليل إلى الخيارات المتاحة أمام واشنطن، على النحو الآتي:
• توسيع تفاهمات واشنطن مع طهران، بما يشمل بناء موقف موحد إزاء دمشق.
• توسيع تفاهمات واشنطن مع دمشق، بما يشمل بناء موقف موحد إزاء طهران.
بالنسبة لتفاهمات واشنطن مع طهران لاحظ التحليل أنه يصعب الحصول على موافقة طهران إزاء التخلي عن دمشق، وبالنسبة لتفاهمات واشنطن مع دمشق، فإنه يصعب أيضاً الوصول إلى موافقة دمشق إزاء التخلي عنت طهران، وأضاف التحليل ملمحاً إلى انه إذا كان تفاهم واشنطن مع دمشق وطهران، لن يتيح لامريكا التوصل إلى ما هو مطلوب، فإن تدخل أمريكا عسكرياً في سوريا لن يتيح لواشنطن الحصول على ما هو مطلوب طالما أن الخسائر الباهظة سوف تلحق أضراراً هائلة بالمصالح الأمريكية. خاصة أن إشعال سوريا سوف يشعل كل منطقة شرق المتوسط بشكل يفوق قدرة واشنطن على الاحتواء والسيطرة، وتأسيساً على ذلك سوف يكون خيار تمديد بعثة المراقبين العرب والدفع باتجاه حواتر الفرقاء السوريين هو الأكثر جاذبية خلال الفترة القادمة.

الجمل ـ قسم الدراسات والترجمة
http://www.aljaml.com/node/80280

197. Tara

If you look at the geography, you will understand.
Zabadani is near the Bekaa, mainly a stronghold of Shia and Hezbollah and in very tight control by the Lebanese army, while Homs and Hama are close to the northern border cities where alleged Hariri’s sunni militias and salafists are a majority.

Arms Smuggling is mainly reported in the north.
The current Lebanese government is favorable to the regime’s reforms and not to a unknown regime change extremely dangerous for Lebanon. Even Christian and other minority leaders traditionally opposed to Bashar’s Syria are having second thoughts.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/11/25/gun-smuggling-business-is-booming-thanks-to-syrian-uprising/

#203 MajedAlkhaldoon

They were “about to be totally crushed as I had predicted” … until they begged for a ceasefire. I thought the FSA were heroic enough to resist until death. My mistake.
The Syria army made a better decision, saving lives and avoiding human rights and the Arab League critics: They neutralized them as prisonners of Zabadani..

Irritated

that must be something new then the Syrian Army is learning here: saving lives. Was it an Freud mistake when you write: avoiding human rights? I totally agree, thats what this regime and its forces are known for.

Syria in the Eye of the Storm
Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya. (CRG), Montreal.
What Washington is doing is exerting psychological pressure on Iran as a means of distancing it from Syria, so that the United States and its cohorts can go for the kill. Up until the start of January 2012, the Israelis have continuously been preparing to launch an invasion of Syria in a rematch of 2006, while U.S. and E.U. officials have continously tried negotiating with Damascus for a deal to de-link from Iran and the Resistance Bloc. The Syrians, however, have always refused.

Foreign Policy, the magazine of the Council on Foreign Relations, published an article in August 2011 stating what was on the Saudi King’s mind about Syria in context of attacking Iran: “The King knows that other than the collapse of the Islamic Republic [of Iran] itself, nothing would weaken Iran more than losing Syria.” [7] Whether the above statement genuinely came from Abdul Aziz Al-Saud or not, this strategic outlook is representative of the reasons for the targeting of Syria. Obama’s own security advisor has also said the same thing, just a few months after the piece by Foreign Policy was released, in November 2011. National Security Advisor Donilon gave a speech saying that the “end of the Assad regime would constitute Iran’s greatest setback in the region – a strategic blow that will further shift the balance of power in the region against Iran.” [8]

The Kremlin has also made statements that corroborate that Washington wants to de-link Syria from its Iranian ally. One of Russia’s highest security officials has announced that Syria is being punished, because of its strategic alliance with Iran. The Secretary of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai (Nikolay) Platonovich Patrushev, has publicly stated that Syria is the subject of Washington’s pressure due to geo-political interests tied to cutting Syria’s ties with Iran and not due to any humanitarian concerns. [9]

Iran has also given signals that should the Syrians be attacked, it will not hesitate to intervene militarily to come to Syria’s aid. Washington does not want this. The Pentagon would much rather swallow Syria first, before turning its full and undivided attention to Iran. The Pentagon’s objectives are to fight its targets piecemeal. Despite the U.S. military doctrine of fighting simultaneous wars in multiple theatres and all the Pentagon literature about it, the U.S. is not ready yet to wage a conventional regional war against both Iran and Syria or risk an expanded war with Iran’s Russian and Chinese allies yet. The march to war, however, is far from over. For now the U.S. government will have to continue the shadow war against Iran and intensify the media, diplomatic, and economic war.

#208 Juergen

The Syrian army is now under scrunity by the AL observers. This is why they are showing restrain.

More division ahead in the opposition ranks
“If Syria becomes a religious dictatorship, the next day you will see a crisis and the day after civil war,” Labwani said. “There has been no Islamist democratic country in history, and we do not want to try to be the first.

Syrian opposition leader seeks to counter Islamists
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis | Reuters – 1 hr 42 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-leader-seeks-counter-islamists-185348253.html

AMMAN (Reuters) – Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities need to work together with liberal Sunni Muslims to counter the influence of Islamists in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, a prominent Sunni Muslim opposition figure said.

Kamal al-Labwani said Islam was being used to galvanize street protests against Assad and the population had grown more devout, but most Syrians still want Islam to “remain a religion, not a political party.”

“The bloody repression has given the opportunity for clerics to pump Jihadist Islamist values into the street, so we have seen the emphasis on slogans such as ‘God is great’ and martyrdom,” Labwani said.

{…}

Irritated

Are you Syrian?

I hope you don’t have the usual pro regime paranoia and start misconstruding the question as a way to ” neutralize ” you. It is a simple inquiry that has no dimension.

Khalid

I am not ignoring you. I am actually interested in carrying a conversation with you about salafists. May be later on today EST.

#212 Tara

Anonymity is the rule on any weblog. I respect that.

Not a problem irritated.

One wonder if Paranoia is perhaps associated with may be unconscious guilt. We know basic info on all anti regime including the Israelis and the westerners. Paranoia is so evident in hose who support the oppressors.

After all it seems that Jacquier was killed by the armed militias of fsa ‘djahach’ (mules) according to Le Figaro:

INFO LE FIGARO – Jacquier aurait été victime d’une bavure des insurgés

«Nous savons qu’il y a eu une bavure commise par l’Armée syrienne libre», a confié au Figaro un responsable de la Ligue arabe, confirmant les propos d’un dirigeant d’une organisation des droits de l’homme.

Quelques heures après l’attaque qui a provoqué la mort de Gilles Jacquier à Homs, mercredi 11 janvier, un dirigeant d’une organisation des droits de l’homme de cette ville a confié à un responsable de l’opposition syrienne en France qu’il s’agissait «d’une grosse ânerie» commise par les adversaires de Bachar el-Assad. «Au téléphone, mon interlocuteur, que je connais depuis de longues années, m’a dit en arabe que c’était une “djahachaneh”, c’est-à-dire une grosse bourde de la part des opposants», nous a déclaré ce haut dirigeant de l’opposition. Pour ce dernier, son interlocuteur savait qui était derrière l’obus de mortier qui a tué sur le coup le journaliste de France 2, en visite ce jour-là à Homs, l’épicentre de la révolution contre le pouvoir d’Assad. «Peu après l’attaque, on a su assez rapidement, dans certains milieux de Homs, qui avait tiré», ajouta la source. Immédiatement après, opposants et pouvoir syrien s’accusèrent mutuellement d’être responsables de la mort de Gilles Jacquier.

Ce responsable de l’opposition se confia le lendemain de l’attaque. Mais il fallait disposer d’autres éléments avant que Le Figaro n’en fasse état. Le même jour, jeudi 12 janvier, notre source transmit le contenu de sa conversation avec son correspondant de Homs à Nabil al-Arabi, le secrétaire général de la Ligue arabe. Dans le cadre d’un plan de sortie de crise, l’organisation panarabe disposait d’observateurs sur place à Homs. «Nous les avons sollicités afin que toute la vérité soit faite sur cette affaire», confiait ce mercredi un diplomate du Quai d’Orsay.

Les rebelles « poussés à la faute »
Sur le terrain, les recherches des observateurs arabes semblent avoir progressé assez rapidement. Vendredi, un responsable de la Ligue arabe déclarait au Figaro que «nous savons désormais qu’il y a eu une bavure commise par l’Armée syrienne libre (qui a coûté la vie Gilles Jacquier, NDLR). L’ASL a été poussée à la faute par les miliciens pro-Assad, qui défiaient ses hommes depuis plusieurs jours. Les déserteurs ont voulu leur donner une leçon et leur faire peur. Nous savons que les tirs sont venus de Bab Sbah», un bastion de l’opposition, qui fait face à celui de Nouzha, peuplé d’alaouites pro-Bachar, où a été tué Jacquier.

Pour des raisons de sécurité, le responsable de l’organisation des droits de l’Homme à Homs et son correspondant de l’opposition en France ont demandé à garder l’anonymat. Mais ce dernier est prêt à témoigner devant une commission d’enquête. «J’attends qu’un juge indépendant soit nommé, dit-il. Même si elle est en notre défaveur, la vérité doit éclater.» Il confie avoir reçu, ces derniers jours, d’autres appels téléphoniques de Homs, confirmant la thèse de la bavure par l’Armée syrienne libre. Ces révélations contredisent l’hypothèse d’une manipulation par le pouvoir syrien, alimentée par les témoignages de plusieurs journalistes présents aux côtés de Gilles Jacquier au moment de l’attaque. Ceux-ci faisaient état «d’éléments troublants», comme le brusque départ des militaires en charge de leur surveillance, au moment du premier tir d’obus. Pour eux, le régime aurait voulu discréditer ses opposants en montrant au monde que les journalistes étaient visés par des «gangs armés».

Gilles Jacquier, 43 ans, se trouvait à Homs en compagnie de plusieurs journalistes, suisses, belges et libanais. Leur séjour avait été organisé par Sœur Marie-Agnès, une religieuse libanaise installée près de Homs. Plusieurs Syriens ont également trouvé la mort ce jour-là dans les quartiers de Nouzha et d’Akrima, touchés par plusieurs projectiles en l’espace d’une demi-heure, peu après 15 heures. «Pour moi, ces tirs venaient du quartier de Bab Sbah», assurait également jeudi soir sur France 2 le photographe libanais Joseph Eid, de l’AFP, qui se trouvait au sein du groupe de journalistes.

Selon des membres de l’opposition, les déserteurs de l’Armée syrienne libre possèdent des obus de mortier. «Ce type d’armes est trop imprécis pour une mission de liquidation ciblée», nous ont affirmé plusieurs généraux français.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2012/01/20/01003-20120120ARTFIG00667-jacquier-aurait-ete-victime-d-une-bavure-des-insurges.php

#214 Tara

“Paranoia is so evident in hose who support the oppressors.”

I have not seen any study about that specific assertion. I know it’s a disease that can attack anyone in certain circumstances.

Syria’s Rebels Claim Control of City

“The Free Syrian Army rebel force claims to have gained control of the southwestern Syrian city of Zabadani. The city’s terrain has some advantages for a defending force, but also significant limitations in terms of a base of operations for broader efforts against the regime. More important, while these claims would represent a significant development, there is no indication that the rebels forcefully ejected the Syrian regime from the town, much less can deny them access should they return in force.

Analysis
After five days of alleged fighting in the Syrian city of Zabadani, the Syrian army and rebel forces reportedly reached a cease-fire, and the Syrian army pulled back Jan. 18. If true, Zabadani would be the first city to fall under rebel control (the Free Syrian Army, or FSA, also allegedly controls part of Ain al-Bayda). A Syrian opposition leader said food and basic supplies had begun trickling back into the city, but the situation remains tense; the opposition claims that Syrian forces withdrew to military garrisons only about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away. It is far from clear that the military was compelled to withdraw by force, much less that rebel forces within the city have the tools and wherewithal to hold it.

In December, Stratfor discussed the similarities and differences between the situations in Syria and Libya. One key contrast has been the Syrian opposition’s lack of a secure base of operations. The eastern city of Benghazi served as a haven for Libyan rebels for most of the war. Benghazi was geographically distant and buffered from the core of the regime’s power — specifically from loyalist military formations. In Syria, loyalist military formations are close at hand. While the Syrian rebels’ purported control of Zabadani is a new development with some propaganda value, the rebels — even if they can hold the territory and resist army attempts to take and clear the town — remain hemmed in by local geography. The Syrian rebels’ underlying problem remains the same, and there is no indication of a meaningful change in their military capability.

Geography of Zabadani

Zabadani is located in southwest Syria’s Rif Dimashq governorate, near the border with Lebanon. It lies in the middle of a narrow valley that runs north-to-south. To the east and west are mountains nearly 2,000 meters (about 6,000 feet) high, meaning the north-south axis harbors the only easily accessible routes to and from Zabadani. Lebanon is reached by a 12-kilometer highway drive to the north, or by crossing 7 kilometers to the west, over a 900-meter-tall ridge and generally rugged terrain.

This terrain does provide certain benefits for the Syrian rebel force, purportedly unified under the aegis of the FSA. For instance, the avenues of approach are limited. An assault from the north would require movement over mountains, which is time-consuming and complicates the movement of armor. A large-scale attack from the north is therefore unlikely — unless Lebanon is involved. (However, it would be fairly simple to maneuver a smaller, lighter unit — such as the Syrian 14th Special Forces Division, which trains in air assault tactics — into the northern valley, where it could prevent rebels from retreating up the valley toward the Lebanese border.)

A heavier offensive on Zabadani would thus likely come from the southern route. The approach is readily identifiable and funnels forces — conditions that can benefit a more lightly equipped defensive force. The urban environment — which also tends to favor the defender — would also play to rebel forces’ advantage.

In addition, the geography would enable the FSA to break contact and flee the city if necessary. Even if the Syrian army cut off the northern route, the rebels could move directly west into the mountains and toward Lebanon. The difficult terrain to the west would benefit the rebels because they travel much lighter than the army due to their lack of heavy weaponry or armor — and by virtue of being locals, they will know the terrain better. Once they have escaped the mountains, the rebels could disperse to safer areas, in Lebanon or elsewhere.

The Rebels’ Disadvantages

But the geography around Zabadani, while offering a defensive force a number of benefits, also has drawbacks. For example, Damascus sits about 30 kilometers by highway to the southeast, while the Golan Heights are only a 50-kilometer drive south. The bulk of Syria’s army and air force is located in these areas, placing them well within striking distance of Zabadani.

Additionally, the city’s terrain restricts logistical support, facilitating any attempt to cordon off and isolate the city. If fighting resumes, the Syrian army will be able to close off the northern and southern routes and put enough pressure on the area to make sustainable resupply of FSA forces impossible — and the FSA has severely limited logistical capability to begin with.

The Syrian army possesses the capability to bring substantial armor, infantry, artillery and airpower to bear on Zabadani; there is little indication that the FSA has the tools or capabilities to meaningfully resist any sort of concerted assault. The rebels’ limited access to firepower is their biggest disadvantage in trying to hold territory for an extended period of time. Rebels in Zabadani claim to possess 60 anti-tank guided missiles, various types of rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. But even if they have these weapons, their ability to use them effectively is questionable.

The rebels still lack the firepower or logistical base to repel a concerted push by the Syrian army. Meanwhile, there is every indication that loyalist forces have acted in a deliberate and careful manner. The West cited the use of Libya’s air force as a reason to intervene in Libya. Syria’s air force has for the most part remained on the ground (in part due to concerns about Sunni pilots’ loyalties), and Syrian President Bashar al Assad has stayed largely away from the most devastating repressive tactics — particularly the heavy shelling of dissenting towns — so visibly employed by former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. With the mandate of Arab League monitors expiring on Jan. 19 (though it will likely be extended by at least a month), al Assad is walking a very thin line. Restraint on his part should not be confused with progress on the rebels’ side, particularly since loyalist forces are being deployed in a deliberate manner intended to ensure the longer-term survival of the regime.

The Free Syrian Army rebel force claims to have gained control of the southwestern Syrian city of Zabadani. The city’s terrain has some advantages for a defending force, but also significant limitations in terms of a base of operations for broader efforts against the regime. More important, while these claims would represent a significant development, there is no indication that the rebels forcefully ejected the Syrian regime from the town, much less can deny them access should they return in force.

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/syrias-rebels-claim-control-city

I don’t want another war and am SICK of them since I was in the Military during the “Vietnam Conflict”. When will it all STOP?? LET THE PEOPLE VOTE…….WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER PHONEY WAR!!! The “military complex” and the Federal Reserve are behind this crap…..it’s a MONEY MAKING GAME TO THEM…….NOTHING MORE, and WE ARE PAYING THE PRICE IN MONEY AND LIVES!!!
RON PAUL 2012!!!

Dictators gym

http://www.youtube.com/user/captain5obza?feature=watch#p/search/0/ZILzcXRgMkk

#215 Jad
I took the liberty to translate the french article for people like Juergen and others to see what is the truth about the death of Gilles Jacquier.

Jacquier was the victim of a blunder by the insurgents

By Georges Malbrunot ( Le Figaro)
posted on 20/01/2012 at 18:54

“We know that there was a blunder committed by the Syrian army free,” told an official of the Arab League to the Figaro, confirming the words of a leader of an organization of human rights.

Hours after the attack that killed Gilles Jacquier in Homs, Wednesday, January 11, an officer of an organization of human rights of the city told a responsible in the Syrian opposition in France that it was “a big stupidity” committed by opponents of Bashar al-Assad. “On the phone, the speaker that I know for many years, told me in Arabic that it was a” djahachaneh “, that is to say a big blunder on the part of opponents,” told us this top opposition leader. For the latter, the speaker knew who was behind the mortar shell that killed instantly the journalist of France 2, who was visiting that day in Homs, the epicenter of the revolution against the power of Assad. “Shortly after the attack, we knew pretty quickly in some quarters of Homs, who fired,” added the source. Immediately after, opponents and the Syria government accused each other of being responsible for the death of Gilles Jacquier.

The opposition leader confided the next day after the attack. But we had to have other elements before Le Figaro exposes it. The same day, Thursday, January 12, our source transmitted the contents of his conversation with the correspondent of Homs to Nabil al-Arabi, the Secretary General of the Arab League. As part of a plan to end the crisis, the pan-Arab organization had observers on the ground in Homs. “We have sought them so that the whole truth about this matter come out ,” one diplomat told us this Wednesday at the Quai d’Orsay.

The rebels “pushed to make a mistake ”

On the ground, the investigations of the Arab observers seem to have progressed quite quickly. Friday, an official of the Arab League told the BBC that “we now know that there was a blunder committed by the Syrian army free (which killed Gilles Jacquier, Ed). The FSA has been pushed to make a mistake by the pro-Assad militias, who have be defying its men for several days. The deserters wanted to give them a lesson and scare them. We know that the shots came from Bab Sbah “a bastion of the opposition, which faces Nouzha, populated by Alawites pro-Bashar, where Jacquier was killed..

For security reasons, the head of the organization of human rights in Homs and its corresponding opposition in France asked to remain anonymous. But he ready to testify before a commission of inquiry. “I am waiting for an independent judge to be appointed, he said. Even if it is against us, the truth must be. ” He says to have received in recent days, some phone calls from Homs, confirming the thesis of the blunder by the Free Syrian Army. These revelations contradict the hypothesis of a manipulation by the Syrian government, fueled by the testimony of several journalists alongside Gilles Jacquier at the time of the attack. They were stating the existence of “disturbing elements” as the abrupt departure of the military in charge of supervision at the time of the first shelling. For them, the regime wanted to discredit his opponents by showing the world that journalists were targeted by “armed gangs”.

Gilles Jacquier, 43, was in Homs with several journalists, Swiss, Belgian and Lebanese. Their stay was organized by Sister Mary Agnes, a Lebanese nun installed near Homs. Many Syrians also died that day in the neighborhoods of Nouzha and Akrimi, hit by several bullets in the space of half an hour, shortly after 15 hours. “For me, these shots were from Bab Sbah” also ensured Thursday night on France 2 Lebanese photographer Joseph Eid, AFP, who was in the group of journalists.

According to members of the opposition, the Free Syrian army deserters have mortars. “This type of weapon is too imprecise for a mission targeting a liquidation”, told us several French generals.

Stop Islamization of Nations (SION) Calls on UN to Protect Christians of Syria

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – A prominent international human rights organization is calling upon the United Nations and the international human rights community to act quickly and decisively to save the Christians of Syria, who are being increasingly threatened and victimized by Islamic supremacists.

(Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120117/DC36672LOGO)

Stop Islamization of Nations (SION) notes with sorrow the one hundred dead in Syria in the recent and ongoing series of kidnappings and murders of Christians. SION President Pamela Geller said in a statement: “We deplore the manifest lack of respect for human life and the dignity of the human person. We call upon the United Nations Security Council and UN Commission on Human Rights to schedule an immediate meeting to discuss how to protect the Christians of Syria.”

Geller added: “We call upon Muslim groups in the U.S. and the Middle East to condemn these killings in word and deed, instituting programs in mosques and Islamic schools to teach Muslims that the lives of non-Muslims must be respected as equal in dignity and value to those of Muslims. We call upon the centers of Islamic authority and education to repudiate the specifications in Islamic law that set the value of a non-Muslim’s life as less than that of a Muslim, and call upon the international human rights community to focus on those inherently discriminatory laws as a human rights abuse.”

SION is an international umbrella organization dedicated to defending human rights, religious liberty, freedom of conscience and the freedom of speech against Islamic supremacist intimidation and attempts to bring elements of Sharia to the West.

The confirmed list of Board of Advisors for SION currently includes Dr. Ali Sina, the renowned ex-Muslim author and founder of FaithFreedom.org; Dr. Wafa Sultan, the ex-Muslim human rights activist and author; the German pro-freedom activist Stefan Herre of Politically Incorrect; the Israeli author Dr. Mordechai Kedar; the Hindu human rights activist Babu Suseelan; and Anders Gravers of Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE). More prominent pro-freedom activists will be added to the Board shortly.

A worldwide summit of SION freedom activists is currently being organized; location, date and other details will be announced in the coming weeks.

SION establishes a common American/European coalition of free people determined to stand for freedom and oppose the advance of Islamic law, Sharia. Islamic law is not simply a religious system, but a political system that encompasses every aspect of life; is authoritarian, discriminatory, and repressive; and contradicts Western laws and principles in numerous particulars. SION respects Muslims as fellow human beings and rejects Islamization as a comprehensive political, religious, cultural and social system of behavior and ideology.

SION stands for:
■The freedom of speech – as opposed to Islamic prohibitions of “blasphemy” and “slander,” which are used effectively to quash honest discussion of jihad and Islamic supremacism;
■The freedom of conscience – as opposed to the Islamic death penalty for apostasy;
■The equality of rights of all people before the law – as opposed to Sharia’s institutionalized discrimination against women and non-Muslims.

A foremost objective of SION is to establish a network of free nations that work to free the oppressed and to call worldwide attention to the persecution, slaughter and subjugation of non-Muslims and free women enslaved by the Sharia. SION will act only through democratic and non-violent means, and categorically rejects all acts of violence and vigilantism. It aims to preserve the fundamental freedoms and rights articulated in the Constitutions of the Western democracies, the U.S. Bill of Rights, and the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

SION will also work to winning back the culture, with a particular focus on the academic world, as the Islamic teaching of history is based on faith and Sharia, not on the Western objective criteria of truth. In the West, history must be taught according to the truth, not according to the dictates of ideology.

SION also offers diversity and sensitivity training to corporations and government agencies at the local, state and national levels. This diversity training is designed to help these entities understand the jihad threat in all its different manifestations, including Islamic supremacist cultural initiatives to assert Islamic law and practice in the American workplace. It helps them protect their business practices in the face of demands for special accommodation for Muslim employees.

To schedule a session, please write to media@sionations.org.

Join the SION Facebook group here.https://www.facebook.com/pages/SION-Stop-Islamization-of-Nations/150974048350848?sk=wall

For more information, contact Pamela Geller at media@sionations.org.

SOURCE Stop Islamization of Nations

Mohammad Al Abdallah linked a clip of a tortured Syrian man named Hosam Al Nabilsi from Banyas, the clip is so graphic and the treatment of this Syria man is beyond barbaric.
What kind of sick criminal subhuman treat anybody this way then take a clip for the crime.
I second Mohammad call to contact the AL observers and even the Syrian government to search for this man and save him from wherever and whoever is torturing him like that and to expose whoever did/doing this crimes against all of us.
This man is in urgent need for an immediate medical care, he is a father of many kids and nothing justify the pain and torture he is dealing with, NOTHING AT ALL.
It is disgusting, disturbing and alarming that Syrians are treated this way by every side of this struggle, it’s criminal.
I apologize for not linking the clip, it’s horrific but the title is:
طرطوس مسرب مافيات الاسد تهين المعتقلين وتعذبهم المعتقل حسام احمد نابلسي

Mohammad Al Abdallah
أطالب المجلس الوطني أن يرسل كتاباً رسمياً لبعثة المراقبين العرب لزيارة المعتقل حسام النابلسي على الفور… الموافق الرجاء إعادة النشر!

Mohammad Al Abdallah
المواطن السوري حسام أحمد النابلسي من بانياس في فروع أمن بشار الأسد!!

@JAD, do they pay you enough for this outstanding work you doing on SC? You are nice educated person whith great cut and paste skills that is second to known, well maybe secod to ANN. FLIP MAN, FLIP, ok at the safe right time do it please.

Mou3taz,
I know very well that you wrote your comment with the best possible intention, thank you.
I want you to be sure that nobody is paying me anything, and I only share what I think is important and may help to bring some truth to this whole vague tragedy we live in and I do the cut&paste when there is no real discussion to be involved with or interest me.

http://m.cnn.com/primary/wk_article?articleId=urn:newsml:CNN.com:20120120:syria-unrest:1&branding=&category=cnnd_world_meast&pagesize=10
US embassy in Syria

Zabadani: The town President Assad does not control
Jeremy Bowen
Video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16663264

Jad

Thank you and others for your occasional selected cut and paste from various sources. They are eye openers and stimulate discussions otherwise I think it would be very repetitive and uninteresting.

عمان ـ رويترز: قال معارض بارز إنه ينبغي للأقليات الدينية والعرقية في سورية أن تعمل مع الليبراليين السنة لمواجهة نفوذ الإسلاميين في الانتفاضة ضد الرئيس بشار الأسد.
وقال كمال اللبواني إن الاسلام يستخدم لتحفيز احتجاجات الشوارع ضد الأسد وإن ‘معظم الشعب السوري متدين ولكنه يعتقد أن الاسلام هو دين وليس حزب’.
وأضاف ‘مواجهة الثورة بالقمع الدموي جلبت إلى الشارع قيما إسلامية جهادية مثل التكبير والشهادة وهي لا تقلقني.. انا عندي تاريخي وديني ليس حتى أخبئه ولكن حتى استعمله وقت الشدائد إذا لم ألجأ وقت الشدائد إلى ربي وقلت الله إلى من ألجأ’.
وقال إنه ينبغي أن تعمل الأقليات المسيحية والعلوية والاسماعيلية والكردية التي تشكل نحو 30 في المئة من السكان مع السنة الذين يعارضون خلط الدين بالسياسة.
Comment: I like what I read,I will celebrate if this guy does not change his skin.

@JAD
It is a tragedy for Syrians but not for Syria, and I am not questioning your posts, but what can we do now, is turn it around from being a PLANNED TRAGEDY into a better future for Syria. Bashar had 11 years to take his time and 11 months under duress and Syria is not one step closer to a State, still run like a farm house, slaughter houses on all four corners.

Libyan Islamists rally to demand sharia-based law
By Mahmoud Habboush | Reuters – 52 mins ago

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Hundreds of Libyan Islamists rallied on Friday to demand that Muslim sharia law inspire legislation in what organizers called a response to the emergence of secular political parties after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorship last year.

Assembled by Islamist political and religious groups, mostly young and bearded men holding up copies of the Koran demonstrated in squares in the capital Tripoli, the eastern city of Benghazi and in Sabha in the southern desert.
{..}
In Tripoli’s Algeria Square, Islamists burned copies of the “Green Book,” Gaddafi’s eccentric handbook on politics, economics and everyday life, to underline that the Koran should be the country’s main source of legislation.
http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-islamists-rally-demand-sharia-based-law-231100653.html

Irritated

thanks for the transaltion, my french is ok enough to got the point though.

Well i think at the end of the day its a matter of belief.

Rejoice ya friends of Bashar Lizzi Phelan is presenting an other masterpiece of journalism:

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

I guess the end is near if she is around in the country. Wonder what she will say when Damascus is freed…

Here is the report of Jeremy Bowen of Daraa

Ghufran #228

Read Zoo’s #211
It is the same subject with much more details.

Its funny how much effort the regime had made to get the embassy in place and functioning. The wikileaks papers indicate that Damascus was very much interested in very good relations with the USA. Wonder if those relations were just good on the security level.

خلود الزغير
لم يكن غريباً أبداً افتقاد النظام لثقافة الوعي بالآخر وحواره، وغباء آلته الإعلامية، فهذا أمر معروف من أربعين سنة، ولأجله قامت الثورة. لكن الغريب هو افتقاد (بعض) تيارات المعارضة لهذه الثقافة وممارستها الإقصاء والتخوين والاستفراد على رفاقها في المعارضة أيضاً. لذلك كان من نتائج افتقادهم هذه الثقافة عجزهم عن استقطاب الشارع الوسطي المتردد في سورية قبل أن يفكروا أصلاً بالشارع المؤيد.
فكما أن إعلام النظام ومخابراته وأجهزته الأمنية يتصرفون بقناعة ساذجة أن كل السوريين يحبون رئيسهم بشار وعلى استعداد لافتدائه بالروح والدم ويقعون بمفاجأة كلما سمعوا منتقداً أو معارضاً لسيّدهم فيخونونه ويتوعّدونه. للأسف (البعض) في المعارضة اتبع ذات الثقـــافة وذات الخطاب تجاه الآخر ‘السوري’، وسار بالثورة اعتماداً على هذا المنطق. موجهاً خطابه للشعب السوري معتبراً أن كل السوريين مع الثورة وضد بشار الأسد، غير مكترث بالمؤيدين ‘الخونة’ ومتجاهلاً الفئة ‘الصامتة والمترددة’ دون إعمال التفكير والجهد بكيفية استقطابها.
هنا يطرح سؤال لهؤلاء إذا كنتم تقومون بثورة لأجل سورية جديدة دولة مدنية تعددية ديمقراطية تكون بديلاً لدولة الاستبداد، إذاً ستكونون جزءاً من حكومة لكل السوريين، أي الثائرون والمؤيدون والصامتون. هذا يعني أنه يتوجب عليكم تقديم خطاب يحاكي آمال وطموحات الجميع ويلفت نظرهم ككل وليس كجزء. لا أودّ أن يفهم من كلامي أبداً تقديم خطاب وسطي مُراوغ كما فعلت بعض هيئات المعارضة، لكن المقصود طرح خطاب كاريزمي يليق بتضحيات الشعب الثائر أولاً، يفضح فساد وإجرام النظام واستغلاله واستبداده لكن بدون لغة سوقيّة واتهامات غير موثّقة وتخوين دون دلائل أو لغة استفزازية طائفية، بل بلغة سياسية بنائية تحاكي المواطن بدل ابن الطائفة وتقدم البديل لسورية المستقبل بوضوح. سورية الدولة التي تغري كل سوري كي ينزل للشارع ويضحي لأجل مستقبل أولاده. لكن بنفس الوقت تطرح خطاباً ‘ممكناً’ دون مبالغات في الوعود والمواعيد بل بواقعية وصدق وأمانة.

لندن – نقلت صحيفة فايننشال تايمز البريطانية الجمعة عن حاكم مصرف سوريا المركزي أديب مياله قوله ان سوريا تخطط لتعويم موجه لسعر صرف عملتها الاسبوع القادم.

وتأتي هذه الخطوة التي تعني فعليا السماح بانخفاض قيمة الليرة السورية وسط أزمة سياسية تعصف بالبلاد منذ عشرة اشهر ومع اتخاذ الحكومة اجراءت صعبة لدعم اقتصاد يتضرر من عقوبات للاتحاد الاوروبي تشمل تجارة النفط.

وقالت الفايننشيال تايمز ان خطة البنك المركزي السوري -التي اصدرها مكتب رئيس الوزراء- يبدو انها تنطلق من أن السماح للبنوك الخاصة ببيع العملات الاجنبية بالسعر الذي تختاره سيزيد السيولة في النظام المالي رغم انها ستسمح بخفض فعلي لقيمة العملة السورية.

واضافت الصحيفة ان البنك المركزي سيواصل تمويل استيراد “المواد الاساسية” بسعر الصرف الرسمي وان المعروض من العملة الاجنبية للاستخدام الشخصي سيظل يخضع لقيود مشددة.

وقال صيارفة يوم الخميس ان الاضطرابات في سوريا دفعت سعر صرف العملة المحلية للهبوط الى مستوى قياسي منخفض بلغ 70 ليرة مقابل الدولار الامريكي في السوق السوداء. “رويترز”.

Juergen #231

When proofs are damning, guilt is

” a matter of belief.” Brilliant!

I think you just don’t have enough honesty to admit like some of the genuine opposition that it was a blunder and the guilt is on the rebels.
Go on with your beliefs, it it protects your ego from doubts.

And please always jump to a diversion, a very obvious technique you have often used when you are cornered in admitting you were wrong.

Thank you Irritated 🙂

إن النشاط السياسي والعسكري لمؤيدي القذافي يتعاظم بشكل علني وذلك بسبب تحذير قائد المجلس الإنتقالي مصطفى عبد الجليل أبناء القذافي من تشديد السيطرة. ونظرا إلى أسر سيف الإسلام حاليا، فإن عائشة القذافي هي الزعيم الحالي تقريبا ذ لك أنها تتمتع بالذكاء والطاقة والالتزام القوي باستبدال “ثوار الناتو”، وتبرئة والدها، والمحافظة على ميراثه الصحيح، وتنظيم حركة إصلاحية بالتوازي مع بعض الخطوط التي كانت هي وبعض أفراد عائلتها والموالين لهم يعملون عليها، بموافقة والدها على حد تعبيرها.
وكل ليلة تتزايد النقوش المؤيدة للقذافي على جدران الطرقات والأبنية وحول الميدان الأخضر “ميدان الشهداء”. ويؤكد النشطاء المتزايدون يوميا على أن المجلس الإنتقالي لم يتعرّض لهم مؤخرا وهم يشعرون بالحرية في التعبير عن رأيهم وفي التنظيم. والرأي يعود لكل فرد على حدة في تقدير مدى طول هذه الحال قبل اتخاذ إجراءات صارمة وبدء القتال.
ومن الصعب تقدير المزيج بين المناهضين للمجلس الإنتقالي والمؤيدين للقذافي، فضلا عن الاتجاه الذي تسير نحوه الأحداث الغامضة في ليبيا بشكل متزايد.
ولكن، ومع رحيل معمر القذافي، الهدف الأول لقوات (الناتو) منذ 19 آذار/ مارس التي سيطرت على حملة قرار مجلس الأمن في الأمم المتحدة ضد ليبيا رقم 1973، فإن (الناتو) قد استنتج بشكل صحيح أنه ومن دون زعامة القذافي الساحرة في ليبيا والمنطقة، فإن أي “ثورة خضراء مضادة” ستكون غاية في الصعوبة. وهذا ما نشهده اليوم.
وفي حين يتململ الليبيون من الثورة على المجلس الإنتقالي لأسباب عدة، فإن حادثة تبوّل قوات (الناتو) على أجساد الأفغانيين تحتل الصحف والمناقشات في هذا البلد المسلم والمحافظ. ولقد ضيع (الناتو) الكثير من محاولات تفعيل علاقاته العامة على حد زعمه بعد انتهاء عمليات القصف في ليلة عيد جميع القديسين. ويشتبه المرء في أن ذلك ناتج عن تراكم القضايا الكثيرة المكتشفة مؤخرا حول قصف (الناتو) المدنيين في ليبيا فضلا عن تقارير الجنود الأبرياء الذين لا يشكلون تهديدا في باكستان والعراق وأفغانستان. وتتزايد مخاوف الشعب الليبي بسبب القضايا الكثيرة التي تظهر يوما بعد يوم حول الأعداد المرتفعة للأطفال الذين قتلهم (الناتو).
هذا وبالإضافة إلى السخط من تبوّل قوات (الناتو)، أصبح مسؤولو (الناتو) محط سخرية لاستنكارهم أن مهمات القصف في ليبيا التي فاق عددها 11000 عملية قصف قد أدت إلى مقتل المدنيين، ولزعمهم أن قوات (الناتو) تصرفت بحسب المعايير الأخلاقية والعسكرية الأسمى، وقد عرضوا أنفسهم للخطر في بعض الأحيان لتجنّب إيقاع ضحايا مدنيين. وتذكر هذه الإدعاءات البعض بحملة العلاقات العامة المثيرة للضحك التي تتعهد بها الحكومة الإسرائيلية بشكل منتظم.
أما الإشارات من ليبيا فتدل على أن هذا البلد يبقى متقلّب الأحوال، وأنه يتعارض ومزاعم (الناتو) حول إنشائه “ليبيا ديمقراطية جديدة” وأن الفصل الجديد المتوقع بدأ التصريح بأن نهاية المجلس الإنتقالي باتت وشيكة أي قبل انتخابات حزيران/ يونيو المقررة لاستبدال المجلس بحكومة أخرى.

يمكنكم التواصل مع فرنكلين لامب على بريده الإلكتروني
fplamb@gmail.com

From the article posted in #211

“”The Alawite community still has to take a clear position against the killings by the regime,” he said, pointing to Syria’s 300,000 Shi’ite minority whom he said have distanced themselves from Assad and continue to co-exist with Sunnis, even though Shi’ite Iran is Assad’s biggest supporter.”

Is that true? How did the mainstream Syrian Shiite distanced themselves from Assad. Was this I public statement. We did hear it from Mundas before. This is pretty admirable. Syrian Christians’ position on the other side was very very disappointing.

The Barada river start in Zabadani plain, an area south of the city of Zabadani all the way to Tekyeh, which is very narrow area hardly enough for four cars to go thru,part of it is the space for the river,the tanks will have hard time moving in muddy area, flooding the plain with blocking the river can easily be done all what it takes is few bombs and the army of assad can be isolated where his tanks can not move

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&key=0Ak2bkcx8LxKTdGxQVjNWYk1oTTBBSktXRy0tM2s4VWc&output=html

الجامعة العربية ترفع عدد المراقبين في ظل ضغوط لإحالة ملف سوريا على مجلس الأمن

شهدت سوريا أمس تظاهرات موالية ومعارضة في عدة مناطق. وفيما يرفع أنصار الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد شعار «دعم برنامج الإصلاح الشامل ورفض التدخل الخارجي»، اختار المعارضون تسمية «جمعة معتقلي الثورة»، بينما تصاعدت الضغوط على الجامعة العربية لإحالة الملف على مجلس الأمن، مع تسليم المراقبين العرب «تقريراً حاسماً» عن الشهر الأول من مهمتهم في سوريا.
وفيما تركزت التظاهرات الموالية في دمشق ودير الزور، انطلقت عدة تظاهرات معارضة في حمص وإدلب وريفها وبعض القرى في حلب وريف دمشق، وعدة قرى في ريف درعا. كذلك تظاهر سوريون يعيشون في الأردن لإبداء دعمهم للمحتجين في سوريا، وقدّر عدد المتظاهرين في كافة أرجاء سوريا بنحو 34 ألف شخص، فيما انفجرت عبوات ناسفة في عدة محافظات، أدت إحداها إلى إصابة شرطي.
وقال مصدر رسمي سوري لـ«يونايتد برس إنترناشونال»، إنه لم يسقط سوى جريح واحد في أنحاء سوريا، وهو شرطي أصيب بانفجار عبوة ناسفة في حي صلاح الدين بحلب. وأضاف المصدر أن عبوات ناسفة انفجرت في حي العليبيات بمدينة حماه نجمت عنها أضرار مادية فقط، وانفجرت أيضاً عبوة أخرى في حي الجبيلة في دير الزور من دون وقوع إصابات أو أضرار. وتابع قائلاً إن وجوداً كثيفاً للجماعات المسلحة ظهر في باب السباع بحمص قرب أحد المستوصفات، فيما أقدم مسلحون على إطلاق قذيفة (أر بي جي) على حاجز لقوات حفظ النظام، لم تؤدِّ إلى وقوع إصابات.
من جهة أخرى، قالت «لجان التنسيق المحلية» إن عدد القتلى بلغ أمس 13 قتيلاً على أيدي قوات الأمن السورية، فيما قال نشطاء إن ستة أشخاص على الأقل قُتلوا في سوريا وسلمت جثث ستة آخرين لأسرهم. وفي دير الزور، أفادت لجان التنسيق المحلية في بيان بأن قوات الأمن «أطلقت النار والغاز المسيل للدموع» على متظاهرين و«أطلقت نيراناً كثيفة أمام مسجد عثمان لفضّ اعتصام نفّذه الأهالي لإعادة فتح المسجد بعد أن أغلقته قوات الأمن». وأشارت اللجان إلى «انتشار أمني مع مرافقة من مصفحات في الشوارع الأساسية وقرب المساجد الرئيسية في داريا»، وإلى «انتشار قناصة حول جامع عبد الرحمن بن عوف في حماة، وانتشار أمني في الشوارع المحيطة».
ودعا «المجلس الوطني السوري» إلى المشاركة في فاعليات «يوم الغضب العالمي لنصرة الشعب السوري» المقررة أن تنطلق اليوم في عدة مدن عربية وعالمية.
وفي اتصال هاتفي أجرته معه وكالة الأنباء الألمانية (د.ب.أ)، أكد رئيس «هيئة التنسيق الوطنية» هيثم مناع أنه يرفض أن يكون إرسال قوات عربية لسوريا مقدمة أو محاولة توطئة للتدخل العسكري الغربي. وتابع من القاهرة يقول: «نطالب بقوات عربية خفيفة لا تتعدى عشرة آلاف جندي لتسهيل مهمة عمل المراقبين العرب على الأرض ليتمكنوا من الانتشار في كل موقع في سوريا وليسمح للجميع بلقائهم والتحدث معهم بحرية. وستقوم تلك القوات بحماية المدنيين وفك الارتباط بين الأطراف المتنازعة، وخاصة في المناطق الساخنة». ووصف مقترحات بعض أطياف المعارضة السورية باستقدام الأطلسي أو أي تدخل عسكري بالاقتراحات اليائسة والمسعورة، وقال: «هؤلاء يريدون الوصول إلى السلطة، ولو على دبابة أميركية أو تركية». وتساءل: «هل سنقبل باحتلال وإقامة قواعد عسكرية أم كسر هيبة للأبد أم نبيع الجولان؟». وأوضح: «اليوم هناك أكثر من 16 نقطة ساخنة في عموم سوريا لا يستطيع أحد ادعاء السيطرة عليها ويفتقد فيها المواطن البسيط أدنى درجات الأمان، ورغم أن هذا المواطن في الغالب غير مؤيد للنظام ولا لغيره ممن يسمون الجيش السوري الحر فإنه لا ينجو من هجمات أي منهما ولا من الخطف من الشبيحة في مقابل فدية أو طلب إطلاق سجناء». وشكك في أعداد عناصر الجيش السوري الحر وانتقد كذلك نوعية عملياته.
وفي تصريح من الأردن، قال المعارض السوري كمال اللبواني إنه «ينبغي للأقليات الدينية والعرقية في سوريا أن تعمل مع الليبراليين السنّة لمواجهة نفوذ الإسلاميين في الانتفاضة».
وفي القاهرة، أكد رئيس غرفة عمليات بعثة مراقبي جامعة الدول العربية إلى سوريا السفير عدنان الخضير أن رئيس بعثة المراقبين العرب، مصطفى الدابي، سيعود اليوم السبت إلى القاهرة من دمشق لتسليم الأمين العام نبيل العربي تقريره الثاني عما رصده المراقبون العرب ميدانياً على مدى شهر فى مختلف المناطق السورية التى تشهد اضطرابات واحتجاجات. واوضح أن الدابي أرجأ عودته إلى القاهرة 48 ساعة بعد تأجيل اجتماع اللجنة الوزارية العربية المعنية بالأزمة السورية من غد السبت إلى بعد غد الأحد.
من جهته، أكد مصدر دبلوماسي عربي مسؤول أن «كل المؤشرات الواردة من دمشق ومن عدد من العواصم العربية بعد التشاور في ما بينها هو أن يجري التمديد لبعثة المراقبين العرب في سوريا ومضاعفة عددهم إلى نحو 300 مراقب». وأوضح أن هذا مرده إلى «إعلان الحكومة السورية الموافقة على التمديد ووجود رفض من عدد من العواصم العربية لفكرة إرسال قوات عربية إلى سوريا وعدم إغلاق نافذة الحل العربي للأزمة السورية».
ومن المقرر أن يجتمع وزراء الخارجية العرب في القاهرة يوم الأحد لتحديد ما إذا كان ينبغي تمديد البعثة أو إنهاؤها. ومن المقرر أن يصل أيضاً برهان غليون رئيس «المجلس الوطني السوري» المعارض على رأس وفد إلى القاهرة حيث يعتزم مقابلة العربي. وقال بيان صادر عن «المجلس الوطني» إنّ من المقرر أن يطلب هذا الوفد من الأمين العام للجامعة والوزراء العرب الذين سيلتقيهم «العمل على نقل الملف إلى مجلس الأمن للحصول على قرار يتيح إنشاء منطقة آمنة وفرض حظر جوي ويعطي قوة دفع دولية».
وقالت منظمة هيومان رايتس ووتش المعنية بحقوق الإنسان ومقرها نيويورك إن على الجامعة أن تنشر تقرير المراقبين بالكامل وأن تحث مجلس الأمن الدولي على فرض عقوبات مستهدفة تشمل حظراً للسلاح لوقف القتل في سوريا.
وقال الرئيس الفرنسي نيكولا ساركوزي إن «القمع الوحشي» للمعارضة على يد السلطات، يدفع سوريا إلى الفوضى ولن يستفيد منه سوى المتطرفين. وحث الجامعة العربية على تكثيف جهود المراقبة ودعا مجلس الأمن الدولي الذي تعوقه حتى الآن الانقسامات بشأن سوريا إلى التحرك.
بدوره، استبعد وزير الخارجية الفرنسى آلان جوبيه إرسال قوات عربية إلى سوريا، مشيراً إلى مواصلة بلاده الحوار مع المعارضة السورية لهيكلة نفسها. وقال جوبيه، في حديث لصحيفة «أويست دو فرانس» الفرنسية، رداً على سؤال عما إذا كان إرسال قوات، كما اقترحت قطر، خياراً ممكناً، إنه «في السياق الإقليمي الحالي، نحن لا نعمل على مثل هذا السيناريو». وأضاف: «في المقابل، نحن نتحاور مع المعارضة السورية لهيكلة نفسها والانفتاح على جميع النقاط الحساسة».
إلى ذلك، دعت مشيخة الأزهر في مصر، الحُكام العرب إلى اتخاذ إجراءات جادة وفورية لحماية الشعب السوري، والحيلولة دون «استباحة الآخرين لأرضنا العربية». وناشد الإمام الأكبر الدكتور أحمد الطيب شيخ الأزهر، في بيان، الحُكام العرب «العمل بجدية لفوقف العنف في سوريا، والحيلولة دون استباحة الآخرين لأرضنا العربية».

(الأخبار، سانا، د ب أ، رويترز، أ ف ب، يو بي آي)
http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/32782

News analysis: Syrian pound depreciation ominous for economy
2012-01-21 04:54:18
DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — The Syrian pound, which has struggled to remain stable during the past 10 months, is now in jeopardy in light of its continuing and rapid decline in its rate against the U.S. dollar.

The pound’s depreciation sends bad signals about the country’s overall economic situation and foretells that the Syrians will not ride out the current turmoil in the near future.
{…}

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/21/c_122613159.htm

أسرار باريس ـ دمشق: من مسرحيّة 7 أيار حتى لحظة الانفجار

7 أيار في بيروت كان مسرحيّة فرنسيّة ــ أميركيّة معدّة سلفاً، والسعودية تؤكدانتقال «مجاهدين» أصوليين منها الى دمشق، ومنذ البداية كان الأمر مشروعاً إسلاموياً، لسوريا ولبنان، وبتخطيط خليجي، ووساطة ساركوزية. هكذا تروي أوساط باريسية عارفة بالكواليس والخفايا والوقائع والأسرار

جان عزيز

“منذ الأسابيع الأولى لتوليه الرئاسة، بدأ ساركوزي التحضير لكسر القطيعة الفرنسية السورية. بسرعة، أعد لزيارة سرية لدمشق. خلية رئاسية متخصصة، من مجموعة مختارة بعناية كبرى، انتقلت بلا أضواء ولا أسماء، من أورلي الى مطار دمشق مطلع صيف 2007. في دائرة المهمات الخاصة في الإليزيه، أُعطيت المهمة عنواناً تعريفياً واضحاً: «ماذا تنتظر سوريا من فرنسا؟». في العاصمة السورية، كانت المواعيد متخذة عبر «مكتب فرنسي خاص»، يعرفه السوريون تمام المعرفة ويتعاملون معه دائماً على أنه القناة الجدية. توالت اللقاءات على مدى أيام، وكان البحث مركزاً في سياق توضيح النيات والأهداف: نحن هنا لنبحث في حدود انتظاراتكم من باريس. قالها الزوار الفرنسيون السريون: قولوا لنا بصراحة، ماذا تنتظرون من فرنسا الجديدة مع ساركوزي؟ بعدها سنعود الى بلادنا، ونبحث الأمر على مستوى رأس الهرم. إذا كان الطرح مقبولاً، نعود إليكم بما ننتظره في المقابل، وإن لم نعد، نتواعد على محطات لاحقة.
بعد أيام، كان تقرير الزيارة الدمشقية السرية على طاولة طبخ القرار في الإليزيه. المستشارون وفريق العمل قرأوه بتمعّن، حرفاً حرفاً. الكبار وأصحاب الأمر، أو «صاحبه» تحديداً، قلبوا صفحاته بلهفة لا بسرعة، للوصول الى فصل الخلاصات والتوصيات. هنا كانت ثمة فقرات محددة بالأسود، لتقفز بوضوح أكبر الى عيون المعنيين. تنتظر سوريا من فرنسا ثلاث مسائل: المحكمة والرئيس والاقتصاد.
بوضوح كبير، صاغ التقرير أجوبة دمشق الثلاثة حول ما تنتظره من باريس:
أولاً، لجهة المحكمة، ينتظر السوريون منا أن نمنع تسييس عملها، وأن نحول دون استخدامها وسيلة لاستهدافهم. كانت قد مضت أسابيع على القرار 1757، القاضي بإنشاء المحكمة تحت الفصل السابع في 30 أيار 2007، وكان الموضوع نجم التداول السياسي والإعلامي والتهويلي. صاغ السوريون انتظارهم بحذر ودقة: نريد من المحكمة الحقيقة في موضوع اغتيال رفيق الحريري. ونريد منكم ضمانة ذلك. فأنتم تعرفون أكثر منا أن قصة محمد زهير الصديق مهزلة لاغتيالنا. فلا تغطوا تركيبات كهذه.
ثانياً، لجهة استحقاق الرئاسة، كانت الأيام تمر بسرعة، في ظل العجز عن تأمين نصاب دستوري وغياب توافقي انتخابي. وكان الاتجاه صوب فراغ رئاسي بدا يتضح أكثر فأكثر. لم يحرم السوريون محاوريهم الفرنسيين من مفاجأة في هذا المجال. قالوا لهم: ننتظر ثانياً من باريس السعي معنا ومع كل المعنيين لإيصال الاستحقاق اللبناني الى خواتيمه الإيجابية. نحن واقعيون، براغماتيون، نعرف الموازين والحدود. نكتفي بأن نعرض عليكم لائحة بالأسماء التي نعتبرها تفخيخاً لهذا الاستحقاق، أو اقتراحات تعجيزية لعرقلته. بمعنى آخر، فهم الفرنسيون أن مضيفيهم لن يقولوا لهم من يريدون رئيساً للبنان، بل سيكتفون بالكشف عمن لا يريدونه رئيساً. كانت اللائحة طويلة نسبياً. وكانت المفاجأة الكبرى أن بينها أسماء «حلفاء» لسوريا. استغرب الفرنسيون الأمر. سألوا استيضاحاً تحت وقع المفاجأة: إذاً من تريدون رئيساً لو قُدّر لكم الاختيار؟ فكان الجواب موضوعياً جداً: نحن ندرك تماماً أن من نريده رئيساً لا قدرة لنا إطلاقاً على إيصاله. الباقي عندكم.
فهم الفرنسيون أن دمشق تحاول قلب الأدوار بينها وبين واشنطن، حيال ما كان عليه في استحقاقات رئاسة 1995 و1998 و2004. يومها كانت ثمة مقولة أن دمشق لديها «الصوت» ( Vote) وأن واشنطن لديها «النقض» (Veto). اليوم قررت سوريا أن تدعو واشنطن عبر باريس إلى تجربة اللعبة معكوسة: أنتم لديكم حق الاقتراع، ونحن لدينا حق النقض.
بقي بند ثالث على لائحة الانتظارات السورية من فرنسا: العلاقات بين دمشق وباريس، وبينها وبين أوروبا: الاستثمارات، العقوبات، الطيران والنفط وكل الملف الاقتصادي الاستثماري والتنموي.
بسرعة، اتخذ الإليزيه القرار: موافقون. وفي المقابل، نحن ننتظر منهم أمرين: أولاً، الاتفاق على استقرار الوضع اللبناني مع تعايش الرئيس المقبل مع سعد الحريري. ثانياً، إجراءات سورية داخلية طفيفة. ننتظر من دمشق إطلاق سراح هذه اللائحة من المعتقلين السياسيين المتقدمين في السنن والانفتاح «الإخوان المسلمين»، يمكن أن نبدأه في الخارجين العربي والأوروبي. استقرار لبنان بهذه التركيبة ضروري لتسهيل المطلوب على صعيد المحكمة الدولية. ذلك أن وجود الحريري، لا شخصياً، في السلطة عامل أساسي لتمرير أي تسوية في موضوع آلية قضائية معنية باغتيال والده. كما أن إصلاحات الداخل السوري وخصوصاً مواضيع حقوق الإنسان، ضرورية لتحقيق الانتظار السوري الثالث منا، على مستوى التبادل البيني والعلاقات الاقتصادية معنا ومع أوروبا.
عادت الخلية الرئاسية الى دمشق. عرضت الجواب الرئاسي الفرنسي. وبسرعة قياسية أيضاً حصلت على كل الموافقات والتصديقات اللازمة. فانطلقت عجلة التفاوض الرسمي والعلني بين العاصمتين، وخرجت زيارات غيان وليفيت الى الضوء، وصولاً الى وقوف بشار الأسد في الشانزيليزيه في 14 تموز 2008، إلى جانب 43 رئيس دولة، وبعد ثلاثة أعوام فقط من العزلة السورية المطبقة غربياً.”
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“اجتمعت حكومة السنيورة. كلمة حق تقال: لم يكن رئيس الحكومة موافقاً على المخطط. البعض يقول إنه أحسّ بأنها لعبة، اشتمَّ فيها شيئاً من المناورة. كان يدرك أن الحل سيخرجه من السرايا لمصلحة «الأصيل»، فيما «البديل» كان قد بدأ يطرب للافتات الطريق الجديدة: «دولة الرئيس … رئيس الدولة». في النهاية، كسر جنبلاط تردد السنيورة. فُتح الهاتف خارج قاعة جلسة 5 أيار الشهيرة، قيلت الكلمات الكبيرة. صار التهديد إمّا إصدار القرار ضد حزب الله فوراً وإمّا الاستقالة. فصدر القرار، وكانت الشرارة للسيناريو «المضبوب» في جارور في الإليزيه منذ كانون الأول 2007. اندلعت أحداث 7 أيار، وتماماً وفق التصور المسبق، ساعات قليلة وحُسم الوضع، لا عسكرياً وحسب، بل سياسياً أيضاً وأصلاً. حُسمت بكلمات قليلة من كوندوليزا رايس. في 9 أيار صباحاً، سمع سيد المختارة تصريح ناظرة خارجية واشنطن. لم يصدق الصدمة. بتعابير فجة، قالت حليفة الساعات القليلة السابقة: «ما يحصل في بيروت مسألة لبنانية داخلية …». فهم اللعبة: لقد خدعوني. فتح الخط مع طلال إرسلان. وقرر الحد من الخسائر، والذهاب الى مؤتمر الدوحة سائحاً متفرجاً.
بالنتيجة، أقر البند الأول مما طلبته باريس من دمشق: استقرار لبناني، بأرجحية حريرية، وبقي البند الثاني: ماذا ستفعلون داخل سوريا: إطلاق المعتقلين والمصالحة مع الإخوان.”

“«ظبطت» لبنانياً، ولم «تظبط» إخوانيّاً

على مدى عامين ونيف تقول الرواية الفرنسية، احترفت باريس تذكير دمشق بالمسألة الداخلية، من دون جدوى. مع أنها كما تقول، حتى في هذا المجال قامت بأكثر من مسعى للتسهيل والتمهيد. فبعد بضع خطوات سورية محدودة وجزئية، لجهة إطلاق سراح بعض المعتقلين، عملت فرنسا بالتنسيق مع الولايات المتحدة الأميركية، وبالتعاون المباشر مع كل من قطر والسعودية، على تأمين مناخ مساعد لنوع من الانفتاح بين دمشق والتنظيم «الإخواني. حتى إن اجتماعاً عقد في أوروبا على مستوى القيادة العالمية للإخوان، شاركت فيه تنظيمات كل من الأردن، مصر (محمد مهدي عاكف) وسوريا (علي صدر الدين البيانوني). وقصدت باريس وقطر أن يكون اللقاء تحت أنظار القيادي الإخواني السوري البارز، عصام العطار، المقيم في ألمانيا، وشقيق نائبة رئيس الجمهورية نجاح العطار، في محاولة لطمأنة دمشق. وفي شكل متزامن، عمدت الدوحة الى الضغط على الشيخ يوسف القرضاوي للتعاون، فأصدر في الوقت نفسه موقفاً إعلامياً أشاد فيه بالرئيس بشار الأسد. فاعتبرت باريس أنها سددت قسطها من الاتفاق الثنائي، ولبثت تنتظر الشق السوري المقابل. لكن على مدى عامين من الوعود وطلبات التريث، لم يتحقق شيء بحسب الرواية الفرنسية.
في هذه الأثناء، بدأت تظهر مؤشرات معاكسة: سيناريو دير شبيغل للمحكمة الدولية، الثورة المخملية في طهران إثر انتخابات حزيران 2009، وصولاً الى تقارير عن انتقال جهاديين أصوليين من السعودية الى سوريا عبر كردستان العراق. حتى إن بعض هذه التقارير أكد اعتراف السلطات السعودية بنحو 1850 «مفقوداً» من الأشخاص المراقَبين من قبل السلطات السعودية على أراضيها، نظراً الى الاشتباه فيهم، مع «ترجيح» انتقالهم الى دولة أخرى. عند هذا الحد، بدأت تظهر أولى علامات التفسخ في الاتفاق الفرنسي ـــــ السوري. وراحت تتبيّن أكثر فأكثر مشاعر الريبة والحذر وعدم الاطمئنان. أواخر سنة 2010 كان الاتفاق المذكور يلفظ آخر أنفاسه: سوريا تؤكد وجود مخططات متطرفة ضدها، والشق اللبناني يُدفن نهائياً بإسقاط حكومة سعد الدين الحريري. فأعلنت باريس أنها باتت في حل من كل تعهداتها، وبدأت الحرب.
وفي شهر آذار 2011، وصل مسؤول أمني سوري رفيع الى فرنسا، حاملاً لائحة طويلة من أسماء المتطرفين الإسلاميين، المرجح أن يكونوا قد تحولوا الى أعضاء في خلايا إرهابية نائمة في أوروبا. لكن الرد الفرنسي جاء فجّاً: لا نريد لوائحكم. انتهى الاتفاق السابق. لا تفكروا بعد اليوم بأي مقايضة بين تنسيقنا الأمني وتغطيتنا لنظامكم. من الآن فصاعداً، أنتم مسؤولون عن كل ما سيحصل لكم … وبدأت «الثورة السورية».
في النهاية، يقول الفرنسيون، بلغنا جميعنا المأزق نفسه. كلنا بتنا في خانة الجمود، لا قدرة على التقدم، لكن أيضاً لا إمكان لأي تراجع. إلى أين من هنا؟ إنها بداية نفق طويل.”

http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/32810

Memo To: BADDIE JADDIE

RE: “…I want you to be sure that nobody is paying me anything…”

Bullshit!

الانتفاضات العربيّة: مُخطّط أميركي؟
أسعد أبو خليل
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“لنتفق على أن الولايات المتحدة فوجئت بالكامل باندلاع الانتفاضات العربيّة كما فوجئ غيرها. لنتفق على أن الولايات المتحدة لا تريد أن تظهر أمام الشعب العربي على حقيقتها: مُفاجَأة ومذعورة من انتشار الانتفاضات العربيّة.”
{…}
“الحقيقة التي لا لبس فيها أنّ إسرائيل وأميركا فوجئتا بالانتفاضات العربيّة. من يذكر كلمات جيفري فيلتمان أرفع «خبير» أميركي في شؤون الشرق الأوسط، مع أنّه أقلّ واحد ممن تولّوا هذا المنصب كفاءة، بعد انتفاضة تونس؟ ألم يقل إنّ مصر هي غير تونس، مُحاولاً أن يهدّئ من روع الصهاينة في الكونغرس الذي وضعوه في منصبه؟ ألم يهرع فيلتمان إلى تونس ثم إلى مصر في محاولة منه لترتيب الأوضاع من أجل إحداث أقلّ قدر ممكن من التغيير؟ ألم تعمل واشنطن على مدار الساعة على امتداد أسابيع وأشهر لتهدئة روع إسرائيل بعد اندلاع الانتفاضات؟ ثم، من يظنّ أنّ أميركا أو إسرائيل كانت وراء سقوط حسني مبارك؟ حسني مبارك كان أهم عنصر من عناصر النظام الإسرائيلي الإقليمي المفروض. ليست الدول العربيّة إلا أدوات مُنفّذة في هذه المنظومة الإقليميّة. (هل هناك من يصدّق أن أنظمة الخليج التي ورثت عن حسني مبارك مهمّة ترتيب البيت الإقليمي العربي بما يتلاءم مع مصلحة إسرائيل تعبّر عن شعوبها في تعبيرها عن الخوف المتعاظم من سلاح نووي إيراني موجود، وفي التعبير عن الراحة الكليّة من أسلحة الدمار الشامل الإسرائيليّة؟).
وبعض الصحافة الصهيونيّة يحاول إخفاء الذعر والهلع الصهيوني، الذي لحق بقادة إسرائيل ومؤيّديها بعد سقوط نظام مبارك. تخشى الصهيونيّة إدراك الشعب العربي مكامن قوّته الخلاّقة متى تفلّتت وانطلقت. انطلقت في عدد من المطبوعات نظريّات عن اقتباس أو استلهام الشعب العربي انتفاضاته من نظريّات غربيّة، وتكثّفت التقارير والمقالات عن دور لأكاديمي أميركي مُتقاعد لم يسمع به أحد في العالم العربي (اسمه جين شارب، وحظي بتغطية وافرة في الصحافة الغربيّة، كما أنّ واحداً من أتباعه تولّى إخراج فيلم مُضحك عن دور جين شارب العالمي، وقامت «الجزيرة» بشراء نسخة من الفيلم، وبثّته تباعاً مُترجماً. أرسل إلي المخرج نسخة منه وكتبتُ فيه نقداً على موقع «الأخبار» الإنكليزي). هل هناك من يصدّق أن نظريّات رجل أبيض هي التي ألهبت مشاعر الشعب العربي؟ من يصدّق روايات كهذه غير الصهاينة في واشنطن ومنظّرو الممانعة القلقون؟
طبعاً، لا تريد الحكومة الأميركيّة أن تعترف بالحقيقة علناً: بأن جين شارب لا علاقة له «بنوب»، كما يُقال في سوريا، بالانتفاضات العربيّة. فهو من الداعين إلى التغيير السلمي، لكن نظريّة الانتفاضات السلميّة كانت إسقاطاً من أميركا بهدف تقييد حركة الشباب العربي (كما فعلت بالنسبة إلى فلسطين، عندما شرعنت العنف الصهيوني، وجعلت من مقاومة الشعب الفلسطيني إرهاباً خطيراً). تريد الولايات المتحدة إقناع الشعب العربي بحرمة استعمال العنف إلا لغايات تخدم مصلحة إسرائيل ومصلحة المُستعمر الأميركي (لا تمانع أميركا في تسليح ميليشيات من الأوغاد ومن مجرمي الحرب من أفغانستان إلى العراق). لم يظهر أبداً أنّ الشعب العربي اعتنق عقيدة اللاعنف لأنّه يعي أنّها لا تُطبّق ولا تُطلب إلا من المقهورين والمعذّبين ومقاومي الاحتلال. تعظ الولايات المتحدة الشعب العربي عن جدوى اللاعنف، فيما هي تمارس العنف على نطاق عالمي وواسع. ليس صحيحاً طبعاً أنّ الشعب العربي التزم بمبدأ اللاعنف، كما أنّه ليس صحيحاً قطعاً أنّ الرجل الأبيض كائناً من كان هو الذي ألهم الشعب العربي. والغريب أنّ انتفاضات «حركات الاحتلال» المناهضة للرأسماليّة في أميركا تعترف عن حق بأنها هي استلهمت تحرّكها من الشعب المصري.”

لكن كيف للإعلام الموالي للنظام السوري أن يغرّد النغمات الصهيونيّة نفسها؟ كيف ينظر إلى كلّ الانتفاضات العربيّة كأنّها مؤامرة صهيونيّة، هل فقط لأنّ الغضب الشعبي وصل إلى سوريا؟ وكأنّ الشعب السوري (بصرف النظر عن حركات معارضته) يفتقر إلى دوافع الاحتجاج ضد النظام الذي يرزح تحته، مثله مثل باقي الشعوب العربيّة. يريد أدعياء النظام السوري أن ينام الشعب السوري على الضيم، وأن يكتفي بطعام من شعارات الممانعة ووعود لا تزال ضبابيّة بالإصلاح؟
لكن المجلس الوطني السوري ومطالباته المتزايدة بتدخّل الناتو (على أن يلتزم جنوده عدم التبويل على الشعب السوري) أو من لفّ لفّه، تساعد دعاية النظام على ربط (جائر) بين كل فرد في معارضة النظام، ومؤامرة صهيونيّة أميركيّة.
إنّ الولايات المتحدة تحاول أن تلتقط أنفاسها وهي تجرّب اللحاق بمجريات الانتفاضات العربيّة. هي تلهث وأقطابها مصابون بالإعياء. هي بالتأكيد لم تكن مرحّبة بأي من الانتفاضات إلا في سوريا وفي إيران (لو تجدّدت)، لكن الرأي الصهيوني الأميركي بشأن الوضع في سوريا لم يُحسم بعد: هناك رأي يقول إنّ النظام السوري الحالي حازم في ضبطه للحدود مع العدوّ، وفي منعه قيام مقاومة جديّة في الجولان المحتلّ، وهذا تأكيد على أنّه لا إسرائيل ولا الغرب تكترث لمعاناة الشعب السوري. وجهة النظر تلك ترغب في أن تؤدّي الانتفاضة السوريّة إلى إضعاف وإنهاك بشّار الأسد، لا إلى إسقاطه. لهذا، فإن المجلس الوطني السوري جعل من إسقاط بشّار لا من تغيير النظام بالكامل هو الهدف: لا بل هو تعهّد أن يعمل معاً مع الجيش السوري في بناء نظام جديد، أي إنّ المجلس السوري يعوّل على الجيش السوري الذي قمع وقتل متظاهرين في سوريا من أجل بناء وطن ديموقراطي جديد، لكن المجلس الوطني في هذا وفي غيره من الأمور، لا يعكس إلا الأجندة الخارجيّة، التي تتحكّم في مسار تنظيم الإخوان المسلمين، لكن هناك وجهة نظر صهيونيّة أخرى، تقبل تغيير النظام في سوريا، في مقابل تعهّد من الحكم الجديد بتجاهل ملف الصراع معها، وهذا بالضبط ما حصلت عليه إسرائيل من مواقف المجلس الوطني السوري، وخصوصاً من تصريحات قادة الإخوان المسلمين. إنّ المجلس الوطني السوري بات نسخة مبتذلة عن تجربة المؤتمر الوطني العراقي، الذي ارتمى في أحضان الصهاينة لتنفيذ غاياته، وأغدق الوعود للغرب عن اتفاقيّة سلم مع إسرائيل حالما يسقط صدّام. (وها هو أحمد الجلبي مجرّد بيدق بيد مقتدى الصدر وإيران).
هذا لا يعني أنّ الولايات المتحدة ليست ناشطة اليوم في كل الدول العربيّة دون استثناء: إمّا للدفاع عن النظام بقوّة وشراسة، كما هي الحال في دول الخليج والمغرب والأردن والجزائر، أو لمحاولة التكيّف مع واقع جديد في عدد من الدول العربيّة. ولا يمكن استبعاد استعانة أميركا وإسرائيل بالوسائل السريّة وبوسائل الخداع للتأثير على الشعب العربي، لكنّ أميركا فقدت زمام المبادرة والسيطرة في أهم دولة عربيّة بمقياس إسرائيل وأميركا. إنّ التفجير العاشر لأنابيب الغاز إلى دولة العدوّ الإسرائيلي يشي بحالة من فقدان السيطرة من قبل الاستخبارات المصريّة، التي عملت أميركا وإسرائيل على تشييدها من الصفر بعد القضاء على نظام عبد الناصر. لم تعد أميركا تأمر لتطاع، حتى وإن أراد المشير أن يستمرّ في طاعتها. ليس له من القدرة على الطاعة بعد اليوم. تتفكّك بعض أجهزة النظام، وخصوصاً الاستخبارية، بعد سقوط الطاغية. هذا لا يعني أن نظام مبارك سقط بالكامل، على العكس، تسعى أميركا ودول مجلس التعاون إلى المحافظة على نظام مبارك دون مبارك، لكن ليس هذا بالأمر اليسير.
إنّ الغرور والصلف يضربان رؤوس كل الطغاة العرب. يظن الواحد منهم أنّه في منأى عن الاحتجاجات والانتفاضات. ستذهب مقابلة بشّار الأسد مع «وول ستريت جورنال» مضرب الأمثال: استفاض في الحديث عن اختلاف نظامه عن الأنظمة المتهاوية حوله، فقط لأنّه ظنّ أن شعبه يستطيب شعارات الممانعة، وأنّ شعارات الممانعة تغني عن جوع وعن قهر وعن ظلم. كان ذلك يوم ناصر النظام ومؤيّدوه الانتفاضاتيْن في تونس وفي مصر. كل ذلك تغيّر بمجرّد أن اندلعت الانتفاضة في سوريا.
الانتفاضات التي كانت محمودة صارت، فجأة، في الخطاب الموالي للنظام السوري، خبيثة. عفويّة الشعب العربي التي كانت تحظى بالإعجاب زالت، وحلّ محلّها خطاب يحتقر العامّة ويصفها بالغوغاء. كانت الانتفاضات العربيّة حركة مُضرّة بالمصالح الأميركيّة والصهيونيّة، وتحوّّت بين ليلة وأخرى إلى مجرّد أداة في يد الصهيونيّة العالميّة. هناك نبرة عنصريّة أكيدة في خطاب التأييد للنظام السوري. هناك تحميل للشعب السوري لمسؤوليّة خيارات والإخوان و14 آذار السوريّة. الحزب الذي تغنّى بالجماهير بات لا يرى في الجماهير إلا أدوات بيد أميركا. هل كان الأولاد في درعا جزءاً من المخطّط الصهيوني هم أيضاً؟
حركة الانتفاضات العربيّة اندلعت لأسباب محض داخليّة، وإن تداخلت فيها تدخّلات خارجيّة حرفت مسارها أو اختطفتها في أكثر من حالة عربيّة، ولا سيما في ليبيا أو في سوريا، لكن حراك الاحتجاجات مستمرّ، ولا يمكن تحويل جمهور المحتجّين في سوريا إلى مجرّد جيش مطيع للإخوان المسلمين. إنّ تداخل العوامل الداخليّة أو تشابكها مع العوامل الخارجيّة يعود إلى حسابات وتحالفات من قوى في المعارضة، أو حتى من تنازلات تُفرض على حكومات فاقدة للشرعيّة، وتقبلها تلك الحكومات مثل سوريا من أجل الحفاظ على السلطة بأي ثمن. إنّ التدخّلات الخارجيّة لا تعني بالضرورة أنّ كل متظاهر يرفع مطالبة بالتدخّل الخارجي هو جزء من مخطّط أميركي، على بشاعة هذا المطلب، وخصوصاً أنّ بشاعة المثال الليبي الماثل كان يجب أن يبدّد تلك الأوهام حول قدرة الناتو على تحرير العرب وبناء ديموقراطيّة لهم، حبّاً بالعنصر العربي، كما أنّ حسابات وارتباطات الإخوان تفرض أجندة وشعارات تتعارض مع عفويّة الاحتجاجات التي وسمت الحقبة الأولى من الاحتجاجات الشعبيّة.
تهين الشعب العربي مقولة سيطرة أميركا على مقدّرات العالم العربي. من المهين تعميم نظريّات مستقاة من الاستشراق الغربي المبتذل عن عدم قدرة العرب على تحقيق الديموقراطيّة. إنّ مؤيّدي النظام السوري يستميتون في الدفاع عن النظام السوري دون اعتبار للعنصريّة التي تتضمّنها المقولات التي يسوقونها. إنّ معاداة الانتفاضات العربيّة في المطلق، بصرف النظر عن الحالة المُعيّنة، وعن الظرف المكاني، تلتقي مع نظريّات تشكّك في قدرة العرب على حكم أنفسهم، وعلى تغيير مستقبلهم.
لن تتوقّف الانتفاضات، وإن مرّت بحقب ومراحل متنوّعة. ستصعد وستخفت وتتفجّر. المسألة ليست في أسابيع أو أشهر. المراحل الثوريّة لا تُقرأ بروزنامة من يرصد الخلافة في نظام ملكي. ستأخذ سنوات. أميركا وإسرائيل ستقفان بالمرصاد: هما بمثابة الثورة المضادة «البيضاء» الرجعيّة التي واجهت البلاشفة لسنوات لا لأشهر في روسيا بعد اندلاع الثورة. قلبهم يخفق جزعاً، وقلبنا يخفق شوقاً وأملاً.
http://al-akhbar.com/node/32765

ديمقراطية أنا وحدي

أثارت فتاوى للصادق المهدي، إمام طائفة الأنصار زعيم حزب الأمة السوداني، حالة من الجدل أخيراً للدرجة التي دفعت دعاة من الرابطة الشرعية والدعاة لتفكيره ومطالبته بالتوبة عن تلك الفتاوى.

ودعت الرابطة المهدي إلى تغيير أقواله والاستتابة أو تقديمه لمحاكمة شرعية، وهو الأمر الذي دفع عدداً متزايداً من المثقفين والناشطين السودانيين لرفض أي نوع من التفكير أو العنف الفكري.
معارضة سلفية
وقال الشيخ محمد عبدالكريم، عضو الرابطة الشرعية للعلماء والدعاة، في مقابلة مع “العربية” بثتها اليوم الجمعة، إن مشكلة المهدي ليست مع الرابطة الشرعية أو مع السلفيين، ولكنها مع قطاعات أخرى من العلماء أصدورا فتاوى بحقه.

وقال إن الصادق المهدي لديه مشكلة فكرية حتى مع جده الإمام المهدي إمام الأنصار الأول، وهو قال في كتابه إن أحكام المرأة في الاسلام التي أصدرها جده الإمام المهدي كانت متشددة، وعزا ذلك إلى أن المجتمع السوداني في القرن الرابع عشر الهجري كان متفسخاً ومنحلاً.

وقال عبدالكريم إن هذه ليست المرة الأولى التي تصدر فيها عن الصادق المهدي مثل هذه التصريحات، وقال بالحرف الواحد إنه ليس هناك حجاب بمفهوم الزي الخاص بالمرأة في القرآن الكريم، وادعى أن كلمة الحجاب كانت خاصة بأمهات المؤمنين.

باريس: اكدت صحيفة لوفيغارو الفرنسية مساء الجمعة ان مقتل الصحافي الفرنسي جيل جاكييه في 11 كانون الثاني/يناير في حمص وسط سوريا ناجم عن خطأ ارتكبه “الجيش السوري الحر”، في معلومات سرعان ما نفتها ممثلية هذا التشكيل العسكري السوري المنشق في باريس.
وقال مسؤول في المعارضة السورية في فرنسا لم تكشف الصحيفة عن هويته “انه خطأ كبير من جانب المعارضين”. كما نقلت لوفيغارو عن مسؤول في الجامعة العربية طلب ايضا عدم الكشف عن اسمه “بتنا نعلم ان هناك خطأ ارتكبه الجيش السوري الحر”.
واعلنت ممثلية “الجيش السوري الحر” في باريس ردا على سؤال حول هذه الاتهامات “نفيها القاطع” لمعلومات صحيفة لوفيغارو، مجددة اتهام النظام السوري بالوقوف وراء مقتل الصحافي الفرنسي.

If the outlines of the report as claimed in Annahar, it will be a bad news for the opposition and some ‘democratic’ Arabs like ‘Qatar’ and ‘honest’ France, they may try to either cancel the Observers’ mission or to make it impossible for Al Dabi to continue the mission.
The main points of AL Observers report:

-The media is reporting from Syria including many Arabic and international channels
-The Syrian government and the oppositions were helpful
-There is an existence of armed militia that target Syrians and the observers.

“النهار” تنشر عناوين تقرير الدابي
لبنان غير متحمس لإرسال قوات عربية
خليل فليحان

“وأفادت أن البند الرئيس المطروح على اجتماع الوزراء الساعة الرابعة والنصف بالتوقيت المحلي، هو مناقشة تقرير رئيس البعثة الفريق محمد الدابي، وعلم ان العناوين الاساسية لتقريره هي:
أولا ان المراقبين لاحظوا تمثيلا لفضائيات عربية كافية “العربية” و”الجزيرة” ودبي و”المنار” اللبنانية و”العالم” الايرانية ومراسلين لأقنية أجنبية مثل “بي بي سي” والتلفزيون الجزائري، والتلفزيون الالماني والنمسوي ومراسلين لصحف تركية وبريطانية. وثانيا، لاحظت البعثة ان هناك تجاوبا من الجانب السوري بعد انتشار المراقبين، وأن المعارضة رحبت بهم واطمأن اليهم المواطنون، وجاء في التقرير أنه ثبت للبعثة ان مسلحا لا يتقيد بنصوص البروتوكول ويطلق النار على المراقبين وعلى المواطنين.
ثالثا، لفت التقرير الى تعرض المراقبين لحملة اعلامية وصفت بأنها “شرسة وغير مسبوقة”. ويخلص الدابي الى ان هناك جهات تسعى الى احباط مهمة المراقبين.
وعدد التقرير ما أنجزه المراقبون من تنفيذ بعض ما ورد في البروتوكول الموقع بين سوريا والجامعة، كاطلاق عدد لا بأس به من المعتقلين وانسحاب الآليات الضخمة والأسلحة الثقيلة من الشوارع. ويقر الدابي بأن المراقبين لم يتمكنوا من وقف أعمال العنف، ويذكر ان عددا منهم تعرضوا لاطلاق نار وعولجوا وكانت اصاباتهم طفيفة. وسيطالب الدابي بسيارات مصفحة وبدروع للمراقبين لوقايتهم من اطلاق النار، وبأجهزة اتصال. وسيُسأل عن صحة ما يروى من انشقاقات في صفوف القوات المسلحة، وهو كان أبلغ اللجنة الوزارية ان هذا مقتصر على جنود يؤدون الخدمة العسكرية ويهربون بسلاحهم.
وسيقترح رئيس اللجنة الوزارية المكلفة متابعة تنفيذ المبادرة التي وضعها مجلس وزراء الخارجية العرب، رئيس وزراء قطر ووزير الخارجية الشيخ حمد بن جاسم بن جبر آل ثاني لزيادة ميزانية البعثة من مليون الى خمسة ملايين دولار أميركي، وهي قابلة ايضا للزيادة من أجل تنفيذ خطة العمل العربية. وحض الشيخ حمد الدول الاعضاء على الاسراع في دفع المستحقات.”
http://www.annahar.com/article.php?t=main&p=5&d=24625

Kamal al Labwani : A new anti-islamist voice in the SNC. Would he survive?

Syrian opposition leader seeks to counter Islamists
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/syrian-opposition-leader-seeks-to-counter-islamists-1.408391?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.216%2C2.295%2C
Prominent Sunni Muslim opposition figure Kamal al-Labwani says most Syrians want Islam to ‘remain a religion, not a political party’

Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities need to work together with liberal Sunni Muslims to counter the influence of Islamists in the uprising against President Bashar Assad, a prominent Sunni Muslim opposition figure said.

Kamal al-Labwani said Islam was being used to galvanize street protests against Assad and the population had grown more devout, but most Syrians still want Islam to “remain a religion, not a political party”.

“The bloody repression has given the opportunity for clerics to pump Jihadist Islamist values into the street, so we have seen the emphasis on slogans such as ‘God is great’ and martyrdom,” Labwani said.

Syria’s Christian, Alawite, Ismaili and Kurdish communities, which form about 30 percent of the population, should join ranks with Sunnis opposed to mixing religion with politics, he said.

There are few accurate indicators of public opinion in Syria but many minority groups, including Assad’s own Alawite sect, are reluctant to support the uprising, fearing an Islamist takeover if the president were to be toppled.

Islamists made strong gains in elections following the overthrow of entrenched leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, and are also a growing influence in post-Gadhafi Libya. But Labwani said Syria’s broader religious mix made that unlikely in his country.

“If we allow Islamists to take over the revolution it will be a problem (but) if we ask the rebels to deny their identity and their religion it will (also) be a problem,” said Labwani, a
53-year-old physician from the town of Zabadani who left Syria after being released from a lengthy jail term in November.

“The solution is to form an all-encompassing current that respects civic and individual rights.”

No Islamist democracy

The main Muslim Brotherhood movement and other Islamists in the opposition say they do not aim to turn Syria into an Islamic state and that they will honor democratic practices, although some secular Syrians are skeptical.

“If Syria becomes a religious dictatorship, the next day you will see a crisis and the day after civil war,” Labwani said. “There has been no Islamist democratic country in history, and we do not want to try to be the first.”

But he said Assad’s minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Islam that has dominated the country for the last five decades, needed to take a stand against a crackdown that has killed at least 5,000 people, according to a United Nations count.

“The Alawite community still has to take a clear position against the killings by the regime,” he said, pointing to Syria’s 300,000 Shi’ite minority whom he said have distanced themselves from Assad and continue to co-exist with Sunnis, even though Shi’ite Iran is Assad’s biggest supporter.

Labwani met U.S. officials in the White House in 2005 to push for support for human rights in Syria. He was arrested upon return but was freed under an amnesty last year and fled to Jordan.

“It was impossible to stay in Syria and be publicly active in the opposition. If one appears on television one is either arrested or assassinated. I also wanted to help strengthen the Syrian National Council,” Labwani said.

He was referring to the main opposition group which formed in Istanbul last year and which is heavily influenced by Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood, which played a major role in armed opposition to Assad’s late father Hafez Assad in the 1980s, has said it no longer wants an Islamist state and supports a civic democratic system in future.

But Labwani said Islamist politics must change more.

“This region will not stabilize without a reformation in Islamic culture that creates an Islam compatible with liberal values and modernism and breaks the totalitarian dogmatic Islamist thinking,” he said.

“This project needs work,” he said. “It will start in a free Syria after the revolution triumphs.”

Any report from the AL observers must be made public,so all syrians know about it,AL tend to talk in secret,SNC must know everything and must publicise everything.

God bless the FSA

Irritated

Well what else is it that keeps you among the worshipers of this dying regime than your believe? I did not see any proof in that article. If i take the same technique of you guys i could say why are there no names listed of the informers within the AL? Does this make it more credible when LE FIGARO prints it?
When i read the BBC report its not more obvious or different from what the swiss reporters were saying, and the BBC reporters were inside the group of chosen ones who were taken directly at the site of the attack. If the opposition did that why was there no counterattack? Given three shoots were made, one with an military mind could make out from where the attacks where launched. To my limited military knowledge i would say that the lauch was less than 500-800m away, probably from the roof of an building. Also as the reporters said, why did the military escorts left right before the attacks?

I am the last to give the opposition an what we call in German an Persilschein- an clean record. There are no excuses and let there be no misunderstanding any violation of human rights by whomsoever should be made public.
This regime is after what we have heard from Hama in 1982 capable of doing atrocities and let there no doubt about it they have the means and the motiv to make hell on earth for everyone who endanger their system. Why has the world so easily accepted the possibility that the Medan bombings were more likely carried out by the government itself? In my understanding this brutalization of the civil masses is an result of the brutality this regime showed to its own citizens for no other reason than to create fear and to stay in power with this fear.

A friend of mine fought in the bosnian war and he described me that in one village they had found all inhabitants killed. The only place in the village which looked kind of normal was the bakery. There was smoke coming out the chimney. When they opened the oven they have found 4 children who were put alive in the oven. He told me that after that the next time they captured an Serbian, he got beaten to death in a slow way so he would suffer more. I believe it takes just a few episodes or experiences like that to create killer machines, we all are bound to morality,but if we experience such we will all most likely become less of a human. This is true for opposition forces as for government forces.

People like you will of course not see this part of reality, and here we are back to my conclusion that many are out there who still worship this regime, and their daily prayer is bashar wa baas.

As Arab League mandate expires in Syria, activists turn to U.N.

Liz Sly
for The Washington Post

“About 40 monitors have already left because they felt unsafe, said an Arab League official in Cairo who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the news media.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/as-arab-league-mandate-expires-in-syria-activists-turn-to-un/2012/01/19/gIQAPlWgBQ_story.html

Zoo,
Mr. Labwani is one of the few liberals who joined the SNC because they found in the MBs the strongest mule they can use to get rid of the regime, that about it, and their plan is to defect from the SNC the moment the regime falls, the MBs know that too and they too can’t wait for the regime to fall to ditch the liberals, but for now, both of them need each others and they are using each others to get the strength each one of them misses.
This partnership wont stand for an extra one hour when they get what they want, therefore, all these comments by the liberals or the secular figures of the SNC are allowed, just for now!

ثورة اولاد القحبه اولاد العرعور
التتريون الانذال امثال تارا

مناطق في سوريا لم تتحرر من الحضاره بعد

As predicted, Zibaleh’s boys are unhappy with the AL Observers’ report. Nato, Occupation, Destruction and more Blood are what they want nothing else:

عبيدة فارس: شخصيات متنفذة في الجامعة العربية من مؤيدي بشار الاسد

اعلن عضو المجلس الوطني السوري عبيدة فارس، لـ”الشرق الأوسط”، ان “المجلس قد تجاوز موضوع تقرير بعثة المراقبين العرب، وتوجه أمس بطلب إلى الجامعة العربية من أجل تحويل الملف إلى مجلس الأمن.
وأضاف أنه “من الواضح أن الجامعة ليست لها قدرات حقيقية على وقف الانتهاكات التي تقع في سوريا، نتيجة لوجود بعض الأطراف العربية التي تضغط باتجاه تمييع دور الجامعة العربية، والحد من أي خطوات حقيقية يمكن أن تقوم بها”.
وأكد فارس اننا “تواصلنا مع عدد من المراقبين، الذين أكدوا أنهم شاهدوا الكثير من الأمور ولم يتمكنوا من تسجيلها في تقريرهم، نتيجة لرغبة أطراف في الجامعة العربية في صدور تقرير لا يتضمن لهجة قاسية تجاه النظام”. وقال إن هذا يعود لأن بعض الشخصيات المتنفذة في الجامعة العربية من مؤيدي بشار، والنظام يستخدمهم لشراء الوقت وتقديمه على أنه يعاني من عصابات.
وأضاف أن هذه الجهات “تعلن رسميا، أو بشكل شبه رسمي، دعمها للنظام السوري، وتحاول تفريغ التقرير من محتواه. وهي تسعى الآن لتمديد وجود المراقبين، وإرسال مراقبين عسكريين، سعيا لمنح الأسد مزيدا من الوقت”، وقال فارس إن أحد هؤلاء قال في جلسة خاصة جمعت مجموعة من السياسيين إن “الأزمة كلها تتلخص في 3 آلاف ناشط، ولو أعطينا بشار فرصة حتى نهاية شباط سيتمكن من القضاء عليهم”.
وتابع “هناك مراقبون، مثل أنور مالك وآخرين، كانوا يخبروننا، أولا بأول، بما يحدث حقيقة في سوريا، لكنهم كانوا مُصرين على عدم النشر حتى يغادروا سوريا، وأيضا لالتزامهم بالقسم الذي أدوه، لكن بعد انتهاء مهمتهم ستعلَن تقاريرهم للملأ”.

أبت الدراسات والتقارير الدولية المعنية بتمكين المرأة إلا أن تدرج مصر ضمن قائمة الدول التي لا تحظى فيها المرأة بفرص تمكين سياسي مقبولة عالميا. ففي دراسة للاتحاد البرلماني الدولي عن التمثيل البرلماني للنساء في 188 دولة حول العالم نشرت عام 2008، جاءت مصر في المرتبة 134، حيث لم تتجاوز نسبة وجود المرأة المصرية كنائبة في البرلمان 2% فقط.
 
”
النتائج المتواضعة التي حققتها المرأة في الانتخابات البرلمانية لا تتناسب بأي حال مع الوجود الفعلي للمرأة في المجتمع المصري، والذى ينعكس بشكل لافت في ثقلها الديمغرافي حيث تمثل نسبة 50% تقريبا من إجمالي عدد السكان
”
وفي ذات السياق، وضع المنتدي الاقتصادي العالمي في تقريره حول “الفجوة الجندرية العالمية” والذى شمل130 دولة حول العالم، مصر في المرتبة 122 من حيث التمثيل البرلماني للمرأة. يأتي هذا رغم حصول المرأة المصرية على حقها في المشاركة السياسية تصويتا وترشيحا عام 1957 بموجب دستور 1956، وهو ما يعتبر توقيتا مبكرا للغاية إذا ما قورن بتجارب دولية أخرى تأخرت كثيرا غير أن المرأة فيها تمكنت من تجاوز نظيرتها المصرية لاحقا.
 
وفي سياق متصل، خيمت أجواء من الغياب والتهميش على وجود المرأة في برلمان الثورة، ليس فقط كمرشحة وإنما أيضا كنائبة برغم مشاركتها الملفتة في عملية التصويت، والتي فاقت مثيلتها لدى الرجال إلى حد جعلها عنصر الحسم الرئيس في نتائج الانتخابات. فلقد رصد تقرير المركز المصري لحقوق المرأة تضاؤل إجمالي المقاعد التي حصلت عليها المرأة في انتخابات مجلس الشعب الأخيرة قياسا إلى عدد المرشحات، فضلا عن تراجع أعداد المرشحات والفائزات في الجولة الثانية عن الأولى وفي الثالثة عن الثانية برغم تنامى نسبة النساء اللائي شاركن في عملية التصويت بشكل مطرد حتى آخر أيام الماراثون الانتخابي.
 
ففي حين لم تفز أية امرأة على جميع المقاعد الفردية، كان نصيب المرشحات على القوائم الحزبية هزيلا، فبينما لم يتجاوز عدد المرشحات بالمرحلة الأولى 376 مرشحة، فازت ثلاث فقط بثلاثة مقاعد على القوائم الحزبية.
 
وفي المرحلة الثانية، فازت ثلاث مرشحات فقط من بين 328 مرشحة. أما في المرحلة الثالثة والأخيرة، والتي اختزل عدد المرشحات فيها إلى 280 مرشحة، فلم يتم الإعلان رسميا عن فوز أى منهن حتى جولة الإعادة. ومن ثم، توقع خبراء ألا تتعدى حصيلة مقاعد المرأة في برلمان الثورة -انتخابا وتعيينا- 15 أو عشرين مقعدا على أقصى تقدير بما لا يتعدى نسبة 1,5% فقط من إجمالي مقاعد البرلمان.
 
والمثير في الأمر أن هذه النتائج المتواضعة لم تتناسب بأي حال مع الوجود الفعلي للمرأة في المجتمع المصري، والذى ينعكس بشكل لافت في ثقلها الديمغرافي حيث تمثل نسبة 50% تقريبا من إجمالي عدد السكان، و25% من قوة العمل، و49% من طلاب الجامعات و40% من مجموع الناخبين المسجلين في جداول الانتخابات.

I know from friends that in kamishli ,the same 500
People have been going every Friday .most of them are بوييجيه and بياعيين علكه or حرامية قناني غاز وبسكليتات.They get paid 500liras a week.

صديقي س ن ك
أنا أخر شخص يحق له اعطاء نصيحة للأخرين في هذا المجال لكن كأخ عزيز أريد أن اطلب منك أن تحاول قدر المستطاع ألا تهاجم أي شخص لم يتعرض لك دون مبرر.
رجاءً 🙂

Jad
Thanks.believe it or not : This is a war,it is a war between Dark and light,civilization and
Destruction ,honesty and lies….I don’t care about the regime all I care about is not to
Let those Terrorists get hands on a country I love.Any one who support terrorists is an enemy to the syrian people.With all the noise going around we have all lost the Syrian rhythm and became more or less neutralized with any thing.Tactics of pro terrorists crow
On this site has been very successful in making every one doubt the basic stuff.Any one who is not with the revolution in Bab Omer gets killed,Any one who is not with the revolution here at SC gets attacked by pro terrorists gangs like Revlon,Tara,Majed the Salafi,Khaled the Wahabi and Hyatham the Christian molla….I am too busy to be on SC
And exose their lies day and night….They are all paid representative at this site:Revlon
Is MB payroll,Tara is MB or Turkish agent,Amir is Mossad payroll,Majed is Salafi pay roll
…..they all have one common goal:DESTRUCTION OF SYRIA.

Dear SNK
I understand your frustration and pain, I’m with you.
What do you think that makes me stay on SC this long? Like you, it’s my passion to Syria, however, if we learn one thing from this is that we must bring our differences to the table and talk about it, it’s not about Bashar anymore, some people think it is, I don’t, it became too big, too complicated, too important and too costly to concentrate it in one person, it’s not, he can be replaced but we can’t replace our homeland.
I think it’s about the future of all of us together, not mine or yours or Tara’s alone, it’s the future of all of us and if we can’t work it out between us with the huge differences and mistrust we have nobody can make it work and for the sake of Syria we must do it the right way, it may take time until we gain trust again but we have no choice, learning to listen to each other fears, visions, ideas and try to close the gap between us is what will make it work, other than that we are committing a suicide.
We are just few Syrians of many who are doing the exact same thing,so try to let your anger out but don’t make it take over your logic, we all need cool heads, me first, am I right my dear friend SNK 🙂

Here is something that may make you feel better, Mr. Yaseen Haj Sale7 for some ‘reason’ suddenly is waking up only after 10 months, he and his friends just noticed that naming the Fridays should be done in a different way and Fida2 shouldn’t be the only one choosing tsk tsk tsk 🙂

تسمية أيام الثورة في سوريا
بسبب القمع الذي تمارسه صفحة الثورة السورية ضد بشار الأسد أرتأينا أن تقوم جهة مستقلة بالعمل من أجل أن تبقى ثورة هي ثورة الشعب السوري

Yassin Al Haj Saleh
لازم ما نوفر أي جهد لانتزاع تسمية ايام الجمعة من صفحة “الثورة اللسورية ضد بشار الأسد”. تسمية أيام الثورة هي بمثابة وضع يد رمزي على الثورة وخصخصة إيديولوجية لها، تسجلها باسم تيار إيديولوجي محدد، يعني بالعربي الفصيح خصخصة للثورة. وهذا لم يعد ممكنا الاستمرار في السكوت عليه.
الجماعة مفكرين يسموا الجمعة الجاية جمعة إعلان الجهاد. هذا فوق وضع اليد على الثورة وخصخصتها رسالة شديدة السوء لعموم السوريين، وللعالم ككل. وهي خلافا لما يظنه أصحاب هالافتراح لا تخاطب إلا أقلية محدودة من السوريين، يعني هي اقل حتى من أن تكون تسمية طائفية.
لكن بدل ما ننق ونتذمر، لازم نعمل شغلتين. أولا الإصرار على إنو الثورة ثورة السوريين جميعا، ويشوف كل حدا منا كيف ينخرط فيها وكيف يشارك.
وثانيا لازم نقترح تسميات قوية، تجمع وتخاطب الشعب السوري، وتعكس الالتزام الجذري بالثورة حتى النهاية.

The word is somehow getting through from the higher command of FSA to field units.
Talbiseh Martyr’s Battalion has been inaugurated as per directive of the FSA higher command.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w4MKoaImR5M
تلبيسة – تشكيل كتيبة شهداء تلبيسة في مدينة تلبيسة 19-1-2012

FSA is liberating Syria Post Post, and Zanga Zanga!
This video shows a fortified Assad forces post destroyed by FSA fighters, along with their transport bus.

19 1 2012 Talkalakh Homs أوغاريت تلكلخ حمص , عملية نوعية للجيش الحر
تدمير حاجز المستوصف وقتل من فيه ج2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XLTGbaBVlGQ
Uploaded by UgaritNews on Jan 19, 2012

19 1 2012 Talkalakh Homs أوغاريت تلكلخ حمص , عملية نوعية للجيش الحر تدمير حاجز المستوصف وقتل من فيه
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4EIw-BojlU&feature=related
Uploaded by UgaritNews on Jan 19, 2012

More Assad army posts are eliminated.
Six Assad forces posts were hit by FSA yesterday; two were completely destroyed.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

بيان صادر عن الجيش السوري الحر لواء خالد بن الوليد
Announcement by KIW Brigade in Homs
20/01/2012

قام لواء خالد بن الوليد بضرب 6 حواجز في مدينة الرستن و تم تدمير 2 منها تدمير شامل
والنصر لشعبنا الحر الأبي

اسماء الاسد تبيع حصصها في شركات أوروبية
Asma AlAssad sells her shares in Europian companies, as well as companies she owns in the Gulf through Arab Investors.

2012/01/21نشر فى: أخبار محلية

Ali AlYami
AlSharq Newspaper
القصيم – علي اليامي : صحيفة الشرق
http://all4syria.info/web/archives/47414

قال رجل الأعمال السوري فداء الناجح الذي يدير شركة أوروبية بهولندا لـ «الشرق» إن زوجة الرئيس السوري أسماء الأسد تجري مفاوضات مع سماسرة عرب لبيع حصتها بشركة عالمية تتعامل بإنتاج الزيوت الخردة ومقرها أوروبا، وأن أسماء الأسد تتحاور حاليا مع سمسار لبناني من أجل البيع. وقال إنه اطلع على محتوى الاتصالات الأخيرة التي أجرتها أسماء الأسد مع تجار أوروبيين وسماسرة لبنانيين لبيع حصتها البالغة %30 من رأسمال الشركة..

وأكد الناجح أن «هناك تحركاً ونشاطاً واسعاً داخل عائلة الرئيس السوري لتحويل الأموال من المصارف السورية عبر أصدقائهم ورجال أعمال لبنانيين» وأضاف الناجح أن عائلة الأسد «تحاول التخلص من شركات تملكها أسماء الأسد في دول عربية مسجلة بأسماء رجال أعمال عرب وبيعها بالسرعة الممكنة وأشار إلى أن «السيدة الأسد أخرجت من سوريا كميات من الذهب والممتلكات الخاصة عبر صديقات من جنسيات مختلفة لبنانية، ويونانية وهولندية».

Revlon
You are sick minded ,psycko,blood thirsty Moran .you love killing and blood.what happened with your peaceful fucking lies?
Why are your rats turning their behind to the camera ?is that because they are like your god Alaaroor exposing their behind?

سرقة متحف درعا الوطني ليل أمس
Daraa Museum was looted las night by security forces.
It is the second looting of Museums since the start of the revolution. The first one was in Hama where a golden statue of Aramic diety was stolen by Baathist caretaker of the museum.

2012/01/21نشر فى: أخبار محلية
http://all4syria.info/web/archives/47403
قالت “الهيئة العامة للثورة” إنه تم سرقه جزء من مقتنيات المتحف الوطني بمحافظة درعا ليل أمس الجمعة 20-1-2012 من قبل بعض عناصر الأمن، وأكدت الهيئة ان الآثار المسروقة كانت موجودة بالطابق الثاني وهي مجموعات آشورية ورومانية تعود لآلاف السنين. ونوهتى “الهيئة” إلى إن هذه هي الحادثة الثانية التي تسجل في سوريا لسرقة الآثار خلال الثورة حيث سبق وأن أُعلن عن سرقة تمثال ذهبي يمثل إله آرامي يعود للقرن الثامن للميلاد من متحف حماة وآظهرت التحقيقات ان أمين المتحف هو السارق

Your gangs uncivilized Aaroorists pigs did that Mr Allah Akbar.The Same pigs looted Bagdad musem and Cairo musem, Same pigs destroyed Buddha statue in Afghanstan,it is All the same infection,you are not in fault ,you are just infected.

Heroic work of the Bastards of FSA: Killing civilians.watch this and see shrameet alFSA
In Action.They don’t even know how to stage a show.watch them while they kick they daughter of this old Christian man away after they killed him.The San thing is the Christian
West is supporting these Shrameet.So far at least 500 Christians have been killed by the shrameet Wahhabis in Homs and surroundings .The Pope,Sarkoozi,Europ,USA ….all
Are supporting these Shrameet :

SNK,

The only “terrorists” I see are the members of the Alawi junta that you so much admire.
.

@271.

Selective amnesia at work referencing “terrorists”. This has bee published in Haaretz and the guardian. Another proof of the practice of dual loyalties by the chosen ones.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/uproar-after-jewish-american-newspaper-publisher-suggests-israel-assassinate-barack-obama-1.408429

النضال في جبال الألب

بيروت: خضع رئيس الحكومة اللبنانية السابق سعد الحريري إلى عملية جراحية جراء إصابته بكسور في ساقه اليسرى أثناء ممارسته رياضة التزلج في منطقة الألب الفرنسية.

وتمت العمليّة في المستشفى الأميركي في باريس بنجاح. وكان الحريري نُقل إليها من منطقة الألب حيث كان يمضي مع زوجته وأولاده إجازة لمناسبة عطلتهم المدرسية”.

وذكر المكتب الإعلامي أنَّ “الحريري كان تلقى بعد تعرضه للحادث إسعافات أولية في أحد المراكز الصحية في المنطقة، ثم جرى نقله بعد ذلك إلى المستشفى الأميركي حيث أُخضع لجراحة إستمرت ثلاث ساعات”.

Ghufran,

What is wrong with skiing?

Skiing is a good sport. It is good for the heart and the psychological well being.

Juergen

If you keep coming back with the massacre of 1982 that many justify as a retaliation to terrorists acts, why don’t you come back to 1939-1945 massacres that no one can ever justify? There were horror stories much worse than in Serbia or Syria.
Racism and violence is still latent in Germany and you know it. Germans and French are the last to give lessons
By the way, I am the last to give the regime an what we call in German an Persilschein- an clean record.”
I worship no one and I only want the Syrians to get out of that mess with the least suffering and avoiding the destruction of the social tissue that makes the beauty of this country of tolerance .

ريما فليحان
الذي يريد اعلان الجهاد سيعلن بنفس اللحظة عن نعوة الثورة المدنية الملونة بألوان كل مكوناتها.. الذي سيعلن الجهاد سيطلق الرصاصة على الثورة وسنصبح ليس فقط تحت نيران النظام بل ايضا تحت نيران كل العالم .. الذي سيعلن الجهاد سيقدم هدية لا تثمن بثمن للنظام لانه سيعطيه حجة يثبت بها النظام كل اكاذيبه حول طائفية الثورة وسلفيتها وانها ثورة سنية وليست ثورة شعب… اتوسل اليكم لا تقتلوا ثورتنا…
Tara: there is nothing wrong with skiing, I am just jealous.

Reaching the tipping point
Shane Farrell, January 21, 2012
http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=355159

…
Indeed anti-Assad Security Council members, the United States, France and Britain—as well as other leading Western states—seem happy to take a back-seat approach; more concerned, it would seem, with domestic and financial matters. Granted, they have condemned and sanctioned the regime, but this has been their policy for many months. Clearly their actions and calls for reform are being ignored. They have also called for the matter to be discussed in the Security Council, though these calls have been less fierce and frequent than in the past. A systemic drive to pressure Russia and China is conspicuously absent.

Turkey, which is playing a central role in the drive to oust Assad, by, for example, hosting the Syrian National Council and issuing the most vociferous threats against the regime by any NATO member, has also been less vocal in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, other Arab League countries such as Saudi Arabia and its GCC partners are conspicuously quiet; they appear unwilling to steer the ship, yet are unprepared to let the Security Council take control. Bahrain is troubled by its own anti-regime demonstrations, which a GCC force helped to violently subdue in March, and a sterner position on Syria would obviously smack of double standards. But rather than pay lip service to Syrian protesters and extend the ineffective observers’ mission, they should push for the Security Council to take on a greater role.
…
Although it will be no mean feat, through their cumulative efforts, Arab League members, Western states and Turkey could exert enough pressure on Russia and China to ensure that a meaningful resolution in the Security Council is adopted. This may just be the tipping point.

To read more: http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=355159#ixzz1k6pQZJAw
Only 25% of a given NOW Lebanon article can be republished. For information on republishing rights from NOW Lebanon: http://www.nowlebanon.com/Sub.aspx?ID=125478

270. Dear Syria no Kandahar:
The English title of the video, its English subtitles and its annotated English summary are gross and twisted misrepresentation of its Arabic sound track!

Your posting of this fabricated video underscores the blind hatred that you hold against your opposites.
Your posting was either an honest, yet stupid, Muallem-style mistake, or a deliberate and diabolic act act of deception targetting Non-Arabic readers on SC; In either case it speaks for a rash, subcortical judjement.

You said:
((Christian Man in Homs Killed By terrorists In Homs Dec 13 2011

Heroic work of the Bastards of FSA: Killing civilians.watch this and see shrameet alFSA In Action.They don’t even know how to stage a show. watch them while they kick they daughter of this old Christian man away after they killed him.
The San thing is the Christian West is supporting these Shrameet.
So far at least 500 Christians have been killed by the shrameet Wahhabis in Homs and surroundings .The
Pope,Sarkoozi,Europ,USA ….all
Are supporting these Shrameet ))

Here is the English translation of the conversation that took place in Arabic in that video, which carry completely the opposite message to that portrayed in the forged subtitles and annotated summary:

Here are the facts of the video as told in Arabic in the sound track:
Young rescuers/civilian bystanders shouting in panic:
– There! She is inside the car!
– Homs, Bab AlSbaa
– Allhu Akbar (God is greater)!

Young resucer addressing the lady driver:
– Easy, easy !

Lady replies in anger:
– Leave me alone; I do not have the time for you!

Rescuer to the Lady driver:
– Get down here I said; You are wounded in the neck!
– Come down here! You need to fix your neck!

Lady driver:
Leave my father!
My Neck?!

Rescuer: Allahu Akbar (God is Greater)! There is shooting at people driving cars!
– The Guy is dead! He is dead!
– He has been Martyred.
– May God disown you Bashar (Al Assad)!
– Qalaa Checkpoint (Assad forces) are shooting at people driving cars!

Another Rescuer shouting:
– The Guy is Christian. He is neither Salafi nor Mindass (Infiltrator)!
– The bullet entered from the back! Look at the wound!
– He is neither Salafi, Nor Mindas!
– This is Bab Alsbaa, Haj Badr AlQasiri street!
– Allahu Akbar (God is greater)!
– There are no Doctors around! The street is deserted!
– The date is 13/12/2011 Bab Al Sibaa.
– The guy was hit while inside the car with his daughter!
– Hurry! Some one brings a car!
– Watch out for shooting from Qalaa checkpoint!
– Let’s lift him up
– Say in the name of God and let’s pull him away!
– God is greater Ya Bashar
– Homs Bab AlSibaa
An older man was shot while riding in a car. He is Christian. His name is Sami Makhoul! He was killed.
His daughter was wounded in the neck.

Reading the conversation one can tell that those civilians were
– in panic
– trying to evacuate a mortally wounded civilian
– allerting the daughter to a wound in her neck.
– Muslems
– disgusted at the killing of a Christian as he could not be a Salafi!
– The shooting was coming from Qalaa check point (Assad forces)
– damning bashar Al Assad for killing people!

There you have it!
Cheers!

The FSA kills police and 14 prisoners.

Ambush of police truck carrying prisoners in northern Syria kills 14
By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, January 21, 9:38 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/ambush-on-police-truck-carrying-prisoners-in-northern-syria-kills-15/2012/01/21/gIQAAGwpFQ_story.html

BEIRUT — A string of explosions struck a police truck transporting prisoners in a tense area of northwestern Syria on Saturday, killing at least 14 people, the country’s state-run news agency and an opposition group said.

Troops fought intense battles against defectors elsewhere in northern Syria, activists said, leaving “dozens” of people wounded. The 10-month uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad has turned increasingly militarized and chaotic as more frustrated regime opponents and army defectors arm themselves and fight back against government forces.
SANA news agency blamed the attack on the police truck on “terrorists” and said it occurred on the Idlib-Ariha highway, an area near the Turkish border that has witnessed intense fighting with army defectors recently.

Four bombs that went off in “two phases” hit the truck, and then attackers targeted an ambulance that arrived to assist the wounded, SANA reported.

Six policemen who were accompanying the prisoners were also wounded, some of them in critical condition, it said.

The British-based opposition activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, confirmed the incident Saturday and said 15 prisoners were killed.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, director of the group, said the truck was hit by several roadside bombs, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but members of the so-called Free Syrian Army are known to be active in the area.

….

January 21, 2012
For the Muslim world, it’s not a safe and easy path to modernity
By DOUG SAUNDERS
From Saturday’s Globe and Mail
Countries like Tunisia and Egypt are changing the same way France did, with wild swings of revolution and reaction

A year ago, as he watched the great uprisings in Tunis and Cairo, French scholar Olivier Roy declared that they marked the end of Islamist politics. “If you look at the people who launched these revolts,” he wrote, “it is clear that they represent a post-Islamist generation. … The new revolutionaries are perhaps practising or even devout Muslims, but they separate their religious faith from their political agenda. In that sense, it is a ‘secular’ movement that separates religion from politics.”

Well, you might say, how awkward. Those January protesters may have been secular and liberal, but, when I visited Tahrir Square six months later, Islamists commanded the stage. We’ve recently watched Egypt’s first somewhat free elections give 48 per cent of the vote to a party controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, plus 20 per cent to 28 per cent to Salafists, who aren’t just Islamist but want an actual theocracy. Secular liberals were left with a rump of 15 per cent to 20 per cent. If this is “post-Islamist,” it sure has a lot of crescents and guys with beards.

This week, Dr. Roy – probably the world’s most respected scholar on Islamic societies and politics – was asked to explain himself on French radio. Did the Islamist electoral victories in Tunisia and Egypt pour cold water on his “post-Islamist” prognostication? Quite the contrary, he said. They proved it. The new individualism behind the Arab revolutions, he said, has led Arabs to vote for parties with an Islamic identity (in large part, because “secularism” was strongly associated with the dictatorships they overthrew) – but, in the process, it’s forced those parties to abandon the Islamist goal of a pure religious society governed only by the Koran.

“Islamist movements like Ennahda in Tunisia and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt can no longer even be called Islamist,” he said. “They are conservatives analogous to the religious right in the United States.” Much as socialist parties in the West had to abandon the revolutionary goals of Marxism to become electable, the new Islamist parties have had to give up actual Islamism: They can’t impose the Koran on people, but rather combine “a religious reference” with democratic bids to influence “family values.”

I don’t quite share Mr. Roy’s optimism. While an Iranian-style theocracy isn’t a possibility in Egypt, there are leaders in the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party whose views on women and Israel are alarming enough and whose ties to Egypt’s military overlords appear authoritarian enough that the result could look a lot like Islamism.

Where the “post-Islamism” scholars do have a point is in their reading of the trends that led people to vote for the Islamist parties. These, paradoxically enough, are driven by a shift to secularization of private life. Egypt and its neighbours are in the midst of the same demographic change that revolutionized the West two centuries ago: Fertility rates are falling to European levels, and institutions such as first-cousin marriages are becoming increasingly rare. Religion has become a badge of identity, not a way of life.

This shift has made Islamists desperate to seize influence, because social influence can now only be won through politics. And it has put them in a unique position to gain it. Former Ottoman states such as Egypt never bothered to replace the religious obligation to give alms with a secular obligation to pay taxes. So the imams and mullahs became not only the leading voice of dissent but also the leading source of welfare. That, more than the Koran, wins them votes.

“The fundamental contradiction of Islamism is that its leaders think of themselves as guardians of a tradition, whereas the popular wave behind them is the result of a modernizing mental revolution,” demographers Youssef Courbage and Emmanuel Todd write in their analysis of Muslim-country modernization, A Convergence of Civilizations. “Political victory is inevitably followed by cultural defeat.”

In between comes a tumultuous time. The Muslim world is becoming modern the same way France did, with wild swings of revolution and reaction. “Westerners would like to forget,” the two demographers conclude, “that their own demographic transitions were also strewn with many disturbances and a good deal of violence.” It’s not a safe and easy path, but it’s progress.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/doug-saunders/for-the-muslim-world-its-not-a-safe-and-easy-path-to-modernity/article2309955/

271. Amir in Tel Avivsaid:
SNK,The only “terrorists” I see are the members of the Alawi junta that you so much admire.

Tell that to the relatives of the victims please. https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=13169#comment-292011

The shift in western thinking,if you believe there was actually a shift,is to keep a weak government in Syria with or without Bashar,keep the sanctions and pressure Iran and its friends until the situation allows a more aggressive approach.
Removing Bashar will give his opponents a symbolic victory which is not probably enough to pacify the streets but it can send a signal to Iran and Hizbullah. This plan includes forming a government that gives the power-hungry opposition access to Syria’s limited sources and help balance an expected surge of islamists. The fight over Syria is not about oil or money,it is about Iran and the balance of power in the middle east,the well-being of
Syrians is at the buttom of the wish list of western and GCC government.
This plan is doomed to fail as it ignores the will of a significant section of the Syrian society which is not ready to accept a half victory,it also underestimates the determination of the Iranian regime. The more probable course is further escalation until the Iranian issue is settled,and even then,Syrians in the streets may choose to reject any compromise. The weakest party here is secular Syrians who may emerge as the top losers, the failure to omit the line about the religion of the president in the constitution draft is an example,the regime kept it in an effort to win the support of certain segments of the religious establishment.

Another blunder of the chaotic FSA, killing its own allies and blaming the governement.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/01/20121219212823456.html

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, following events in Syria from neighbouring Lebanon, said the police vehicle may not have been deliberately targeted.

“There are roadside bombs planted [by the opposition] all along the highway in that area,” she said. “The police vehicle may have been targeted unintentionally.”

Idlib, the base of many defected soldiers, has become a stronghold of the armed opposition, which has been targeting army convoys to prevent them from regaining pockets of territory under the opposition’s control.

“This is strategic territory because it could provide them with a supply route to Turkey,” our correspondent said.

Syrian activists in the Turkish border city of Antakya blamed the bus explosion on the government, saying it was carried out to “get rid of prisoners”.
…

United states is considering closing its embassy in Damascus,due to security concerns, I really do not understand why did US send back Mr. Ford back to Damascus.

We hear lately the pro regime on SC saying, Bashar can be replaced,He used to be their God, I think this indicate that they are begining to realize the end is coming.

FSA is gaining , their number is increasing, and their power is more evident, as in Zabadani and ma3arret al nu3man.
God bless FSA

Druze are joining the revolution, and many christians are changing their mind and begining to support the revolution, also common people start to complain and tired of the Assad criminals.

TARA IN A BAG!

http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/gallery/bags/

السفير
يتعلم السوريون في مدارسهم وجامعاتهم كما في حلقاتهم الحزبية ومقاهيهم السياسية ان بلادهم هي قلب العالم العربي ومحوره الاستراتيجي وهي مدخل الشرق الاوسط ومركز العالم الذي لا يمكن ان يطل على الشرق كله الا من دمشق، التي لا يمكن ان تكون حرب او سلام من دونها.
وهو عارض لا يقتصر على السوريين وحدهم بل هو يشمل غالبية الشعوب العربية التي اكتسبت تلك الثقافة السياسية بناء على دراسات مبسطة لخريطة العالم وعلى قراءات قديمة للجغرافيا السياسية مستمدة من معطيات القرن التاسع عشر، عندما كان موقع اي بلد عربي هو العنصر الحاسم والوحيد في تحديد أهميته، وعندما كان تاريخه هو العامل المؤثر في تحديد دوره وراجت نظرية الجسر بين القارات والحضارات والامم ، من دون اي اعتبار للقيمة الفعلية التي تمثله هذه البلدان ومن دون اي تقدير للتطور الهائل في معارف الغرب ومصالحه وطموحاته العربية.
وهو وهم سبق ان أصاب الفلسطينيين الذين اعتبروا انفسهم، وربما ما زالوا، الرقم الصعب في العالم العربي بل وفي الكرة الأرضية كلها، كما سبق ان أصاب اللبنانيين الذين زعموا انهم طليعة اليمين واليسار العربيين وظنوا ان بلدهم هو مرآة العرب ومنارتهم قبل ان يكتشفوا انه ملعبهم ومركز تسليتهم، كما سبق ان أصاب العراقيين الذين افترضوا ان نفطهم ومياههم تحميهم من الخراب والدمار ..
ما زال السوريون يعيشون على ذلك الشعار الاثير الذي يرددونه كل يوم، على اختلاف انتماءاتهم واتجاهاتهم السياسية: قلب العروبة النابض الذي ينزف الان بغزارة شديدة، من دون ان يبدو ان العرب يشعرون بالاضطراب، بل ببعض الوجع والأسى المستمد من بعض الحرص الذي تتنوع أشكاله وتختلف درجاته على الوطن السوري الغارق في حرب أهلية لا احد يعرف مداها ولا سبل إنهائها.. لكن الجميع يدرك ان سوريا لن تكون أغلى على العرب من فلسطين، او اهم من العراق، او اشد إغراء من لبنان، ولن تكون أيضاً اكثر إلحاحا من اليمن او مصر او حتى ليبيا او تونس مثلا .
حان دور السوريين لكي يدفعوا ثمن هذا الوهم الذي يبدو ان الثورة الشعبية تفككه من اجل ان تعيد انتاج هوية وطنية سورية ومصرية وليبية وتونسية طبيعية تستطيع ان تبلور في مرحلة لاحقة الهوية العربية على أسس عقلانية راسخة. الكلفة الدموية باهظة، لكنه مسار حتمي لا رجعة فيه، لا في سوريا ولا في اي بلد عربي آخر.
.. ويتحدثون عن مؤامرة خارجية على سوريا، لن يكون لها سند في قرار الجامعة العربية غداً في القاهرة بتمديد مهمة المراقبة البائسة، ولا في التزام الغرب بان يصرخ بأعلى صوته مستنكرا المذبحة التي تمثل ذروة الخيانة للثقافة السياسية السورية المشوهة.

279. Dear zoo:
((The FSA kills police and 14 prisoners.
Ambush of police truck carrying prisoners in northern Syria kills 14
By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, January 21, 9:38 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/ambush-on-police-truck-carrying-prisoners-in-northern-syria-kills-15/2012/01/21/gIQAAGwpFQ_story.html))

and

(( 283.
Another blunder of the chaotic FSA, killing its own allies and blaming the governement.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/01/20121219212823456.html
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, following events in Syria from neighbouring Lebanon, said the police vehicle may not have been deliberately targeted.))

You have posted two reports on the same incident.
Allegations of FSA responsibility, which they have denied, are based on Rami Abdulrahman’s and anonymous activist stories.
Members of SOHR are considering filing a law suit against him.

So-called Rami Abdulrahman has been expelled from SOHR.
Reasons given included his publishing of unsubstantiated reports of regime casualties and links to notorious Rifaat Al Asad.
The anonymous activist’s credibility is as uncertain as his identity!

The link to the SOHR was provided earlier on by JAD.
Here it is again.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2012/01/syrian-observatory-for-human-rights_18.html

Cheers.

The ambush on the bus carrying prisoners was probably conducted by anti regime armed forces who are now planting bombs in Hama and Idleb to target regime vehicles,it is fairly possible that they did not know that the bus was full of prisoners but the end result is the same: 15 Syrians are dead.

معتزجبل الزاوية
هااااااااام جدآ للنشر (( عدد الشهداء في سوريا هو أضعاف ال 7000 )) ::

http://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Supreme.Council

يوجد لدى النظام المجرم عدد كبير من جثث المعتقلين الذين قضوا تحت التعذيب ، وللتخلص من هذه الجثث الكثيرة يلجأ الآن النظام إلى تفجير باصات النقل ( مثل تفجير الباصات الثلاثة …خلال اسبوع في ادلب ) والعمليات الانتحارية المفتعلة (مثل تفجيرات دمشق) ويضم الى جثث قتلى التفجيرات جثث لمعتقلين وجثث لافراد امن وجيش تمت تصفيتهم بسبب رفضهم اطلاق النار على المدنيين ،، ثم ينسب التفجيرات للعصابات المسلحة فيكون بذلك قد أصاب عصفورين بحجر واحد :
الأول : يكون قد تخلص من الجثث الكثيرة للمعتقلين وأفراد الجيش والأمن
والثاني : اثبات وجود الارهابيين والعصابات المسلحة
وقد قامت قوات الأمن في مدينة ادلب اليوم :: 21-1-2012 :: باطلاق نار كثيف جدا من على الأهالي في المستشفى الوطني في إدلب بسبب فتحهم برادات الجثث في المشفى الوطني و اكتشاف 30 جثة احضرت اليوم للمشفى الوطني بينهم قتلى تحت التعذيب لدمجهم بقتلى تفجير باص المعتقلين الصباحي الذي افتعله الأمن ونسبه للعصابات المسلحة وفيمايلي فيديوهات لجثث القتلى التي اكتشفت في المشفى الوطني بادلب
( يجب أن يعلم العالم ان عدد الشهداء في سوريا ليس فقط 7000 بل هو أضعاف هذا العدد من المعتقلين الذين قضوا تحت التعذيب ولاتزال جثثهم مصادرة )

The following links show scores of bodies strewn in the mortuary, recently discovered by protestors at the Regional National Public Hospital.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGlZj6bz5L4&feature=youtu.be

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-gQsKYSvp4See More
See Translation link available at the website

288. Ghufran,
((The ambush on the bus carrying prisoners was probably conducted by anti regime armed forces who are now planting bombs in Hama and Idleb to target regime vehicles,it is fairly possible that they did not know that the bus was full of prisoners but the end result is the same: 15 Syrians are dead))

FSA announce all their operations; they have nothing to hide!
This operation was denied by FSA.
Claims by the notorious SANA and shady Rami Abdulrahman to the contrary serve to confirm FSA’s side of the story.

Three cars, Klashnikovs and a sniper rfile were confiscated by FSA Unit in Homs from the hands of Assad Shabbeeha.

The good news is these cars and rifles shall no longer be available to Shabbeha to use them in killing civilians.
Instead, they shall be used to patrol neighbourhoods and defend civilians against the agressors; Assad shabbeeha.

كتيبة ذو النورين غنائم من الامن والشبيحة.mp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQeHx7uyEgs&feature=player_embedded
Uploaded by raairaai1 on Jan 20, 2012

Revlon #287

Al Jazeera :

“The Local Co-ordination Committees activist network confirmed the attack and the death toll, distributing footage purportedly showing the victims.”

I posted it a second time just because Al Jazeera’s article did NOT refer to the dubious and banned Rami Abdul Rahman.

Prisoners being killed by the FSA in error is too shady of a claim to believe. More plausible explanation would be an innovative way by the evil regime to dispose the deads through a make-believe suicide bombs Qaeda- style or a road side bomb blowing a bus with full load of cadavers then blaming it on the revolution. The regime is probably afraid of mass graves that could be used as an incriminating evidence at the Hauge. How come Qaeda’s or FSA’s bombing never been deployed to only affect the regime or it’s supporters?

Irritated,

I have never read in any of Juergen’s comments that he supports the Nazi party, or any of Hitlers despicable crimes. As for the Germans having nothing to teach, lets examine some facts:

_ Germany: Not only recognizes the crimes committed by the Nazis but has outlawed the party (and any and all symbols to the party), built memorial museums where many of the innocent victims died, paid reparations not only to Israel, but to Poland, Netherlands, and the former Yugoslavia (Not to mention what they paid the Allies).

– Assad/Baath: Does not recognize any massacre happening, has paid no reparations, continues to exist and continues to massacre Syrians, has built a government owned Hotel over the bodies of the massacre.

Nobody is denying the fact the MB instigated a confrontation with the Syrian army, what is being denied is the over the top, scorched earth policy, punish the population tactics that the regime chose and continues to choose to this day.

اتحاد تنسيقيات الثورة السورية
Local Revolution Coordinators Union

عاجل وهام جدا!!!!! نرجوا من الجميع نشر الخبر وتعميمه على اوسع نطاق اخر احصائية للشهداء اليوم في مدينة ادلب وصلت الى 76 شهيد, 16 شهيد منهم سقطو في التفجير والباقي تم العثور على جثثهم في قبو المشفى الوطني بعد سيطرة الجيش الحر على المشفى بالكامل ادلب الساعة 7 والنصف مساءا
76 martyrs have fallen today, including 16 victims of the bus explosion.
All bodies were found in the mortuary of Idlib Public Hospital that was captured by FSA around 7:30 PM
21/01/2012
http://www.facebook.com/monasiqoon
43 minutes ago

More on today’s events by an FSA fighter in idlib
مدينة ادلب مقابلة مع الجيش الحر 21-1-2012

292. Dear zoo:
((Revlon #287
Al Jazeera :
“The Local Co-ordination Committees activist network confirmed the attack and the death toll, distributing footage purportedly showing the victims.”))
I have just provided the LCC statement!
Where did the LCC state that the attack was carried by FSA by mistake?

David Icke using our TV documents ! see it !

From the Angry Arab
Syrian rebels in Zabadani
`Ali sent me this: ” About the picture of the “unshaved” Syrian rebels, They seem to be carrying “G3A3″ assault rifles, a German model used by only it’s two neighbors, the Lebanese Army, and the Royal Jordanian Land Forces, The Syrian Army is equipped solely with Ex-Soviet Bloc weaponry, So i guess there’s truth to the accounts of illegal arms transfer to the rebels,”
http://www.angryarab.com

1959 prisoners released from jail, including one Egyptian blogger (oh, sorry, it’s in Egypt!)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/32306/Egypt/Politics-/Blogger-Maikel-Nabil-released-after–months-in-det.aspx

Saudi headache
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NA21Ak03.html

Petromonarchies’ political dreams
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/class_and_capitalism_in_the_gulf_the_political_economy_of_the_gcc

#294 SOD

Germany have a history of genocides and horrible medical experimentation on prisoners.

All germans bear the responsibility of what happened during the war, including young germans whose family were either pro nazi or accepted tacitly the massacres. It is a stain on their nation that nothing can ever correct and all the Germans deep inside know it. The worst part of it was that it was pure racism and cold blood on unarmed innocents. They were not provoked.
As for regretting and paying for forgiveness, they had no choice, they were vanquished, they lost the war.
After the Jews, we, Arabs, were next in the concentration camps.
Even today Germany suffer of a “mild form” of racism. It is obvious that if any economical crisis happen in Germany, their latent racism and feeling of their race superiority may reappear.
“Undercover journalist Gunter Wallraff traveled across Germany for more than a year wearing a dark-haired curly wig and with his white skin painted black.[20] The film reveals a frightening degree of racism in Germany. Wallraff said that “I hadn’t known what we would discover, and had thought maybe the story will be, what a tolerant and accepting country we have become,” said Mr Wallraff after a screening of the film Black on White in Berlin. “Unfortunately I was wrong.”[20][21]

With a past and a present like that, they have no lesson to give to anyone.

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

292 Dear Zoo,
Here is what is currently posted on AlJazeera net web site in relation to todays events in Idlib.

I think you misread the two paragraphs that I translated below as belonging to the same source.
Read them again!
The first was an LCC statement.
The next was Al Jazeera statement.

الجيش الحر يخشى هجوما على الزبداني
60 قتيلا بسوريا وقتال عنيف بإدلب

http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/50CE28C1-3296-4ADA-A3B8-39341A914F58.htm?GoogleStatID=9

قتل العشرات اليوم السبت في معارك عنيفة بين الجيش السوري ومنشقين، وفي تفجير حافلة سجناء في إدلب شمالي البلاد حيث عثر أيضا على ثلاثين جثة في مستشفى بالمدينة، مما يرفع حصيلة ضحايا اليوم إلى ستين على الأقل وفقا للهيئة العامة للثورة السورية. في الأثناء, قال الجيش السوري الحر إنه يتوقع هجوما للقوات النظامية لاستعادة الزبداني قرب الحدود مع لبنان.

وقال مراسل الجزيرة في تركيا -نقلا عن مصادر الجيش السوري الحر- إن 23 من عناصر الجيش والأمن السوريين سقطوا اليوم خلال مواجهات مع منشقين حول بلدة خربة غزالة التابعة لجسر الشغور بمحافظة إدلب المتاخمة للحدود مع تركيا.

وقالت لجان التنسيق المحلية إن الاشتباك اندلع عقب انشقاق عسكريين, مشيرة إلى مقتل ضابط من الجيش النظامي ومدني خلال تبادل إطلاق النار.
LCC stated that shooting erupted upon defection of military elements resulting in death of an Assad army officer and a civilian.

وبشكل متزامن تقريبا, قتل صباح اليوم 15 سجينا سوريا في تفجير استهدف حافلتهم على الطريق بين إدلب وبلدة أريحا القريبة بينما كانت قوات الأمن تنقلهم من موقع إلى آخر.
Around the same time (This is Al Jazeera statement, not the LCC)15 prisoners were killed this morning in an explosion that targetted their buss while being transported by security forces to another place.

وتحدثت وكالة الأنباء السورية عن أربعة انفجارات استهدفت الحافلة, وقالت إن “إرهابيين” هاجموا لاحقا سيارة إسعاف قدمت لإجلاء الجرحى. لكن ناشطين سوريين اتهموا أجهزة النظام بتدبير الهجوم, وتحدثوا عن استهداف الحافلة بأسلحة ثقيلة.

وأكدت لجان التنسيق المحلية في الأثناء اكتشاف ثلاثين جثة في مستشفى بإدلب, وقالت إن الأمن أطلق النار على الأهالي بعد اكتشافهم الجثث الموضوعة في برادات مما تسببب في جرح عدد منهم. ووفقا لناشطين فإن الأمن السوري أتى بتلك الجثث ليضعها مع جثث السجناء الذين قتلوا اليوم بهدف التمويه.

وتحدثت الهيئة العامة للثورة السورية من جهتها عن ارتفاع عدد القتلى اليوم إلى ما يقرب من ستين باعتبار الجثث التي عثر عليها في مستشفى بإدلب. وأشارت إلى سقوط قتلى في مناطق أخرى بينهم خمسة في حمص, واثنان في حلب, ومثلهما في ريف دمشق, بينما سقط قتيل في دير الزور.

ميدانيا أيضا, ذكرت لجان التنسيق المحلية أن مواجهات اندلعت بين قوات النظام والجيش السوري الحر في دوما بريف دمشق عقب إطلاق الأمن الرصاص على مشيعين.

ووسط العمليات العسكرية والأمنية والاشتباكات المتواترة بين القوات النظامية والمنشقين, خرجت مساء اليوم مظاهرات في عدد من المدن والبلدات بمحافظات ريف دمشق وإدلب ودرعا وحتى في دمشق حيث نظمت مظاهرة في حي الميدان تطالب بإطلاق المعتقلين وتحيي الجيش الحر

297. Dear Mina,
Syrian rebels in Zabadani
`Ali sent me this: ” About the picture of the “unshaved” Syrian rebels, They seem to be carrying “G3A3″ assault rifles, a German model used by only it’s two neighbors, the Lebanese Army, and the Royal Jordanian Land Forces, The Syrian Army is equipped solely with Ex-Soviet Bloc weaponry, So i guess there’s truth to the accounts of illegal arms transfer to the rebels,”
From the Angry Arab

You do need an angry arab to tell you that illegal arms are being transfered to “rebles”

Take it from the calm and self assured leader of the FSA!
He repeatedly said that FSA get their arms in part from dealers who operate across borders, especially from lebanon.
Moreover, some of the suppliers are Assad family and accomplices!

Unshaven rebels!
It just shows how disconnected some of those posters from the situation on the ground.
FSA fighters are on the run; they have much more pressing priorities than to shave their beards.
besides, with the ubiquitous, severe shortage in heating fuel and Gaz and electricity even civilians in restive areas now find it a luxury to shave.

297. Minasaid:

From the Angry Arab
Syrian rebels in Zabadani
`Ali sent me this: ” About the picture of the “unshaved” Syrian rebels, They seem to be carrying “G3A3″ assault rifles, a German model used by only it’s two neighbors, the Lebanese Army, and the Royal Jordanian Land Forces, The Syrian Army is equipped solely with Ex-Soviet Bloc weaponry, So i guess there’s truth to the accounts of illegal arms transfer to the rebels,”
http://www.angryarab.com

No Mina, There is transfer of rebels and their weapons to Syria,

The FSA is the monster militia that will stay for years carrying exactly the same horrors as the ones we see in Iraq, and will necessarily be opposed by other monster militias. Just what your masters in the Gulf want, poor nonsensical fashion-victim. If your all life is resumed to visiting malls and watching TV and the stock exchange news, why not just moving to the Gulf?

298. irritatedsaid:
((#294 SOD
Germany have a history of genocides and horrible medical experimentation on prisoners.
All germans bear the responsibility of what happened during the war))

Are all Syrians responsible for the war crimes that took place in Hama in 1982 and are taking place now?
As a Syrian notwithstanding your stance from the regime, do you bear the responsibility for the war crimes of Hama in 1982 and ongoing war crimes in Syria now?

JUERGEN as the German Jew can’t praise Nazi party, or any of Hitler’s disdained crimes. He is the missionary Zionist on color revolutions the unsuccessful student at late age.

This Germany is the direct criminal in relation to the Palestinian tragedy! All that that occurs in region and in Syria including it is result of their criminality!!!

مجلة “دير شبيغل”: سفينة حربية ألمانية تتجسس قبالة شواطئ سورية
الاثنين 16/01/2012 12:00
كشفت مجلة “دير شبيغل” الألمانية الأسبوعية اليوم، الأحد عن أن سفينة حربية ألمانية قامت بمهمة تجسسية قبالة شواطئ سورية.

وقالت المجلة – على موقعها الإلكتروني: “إنه تم رصد السفينة الألمانية التى تقل 85 بحارا على مسافة قريبة من الشواطئ السورية تصل إلى 15 ميلا بحريا فقط، أثناء قيامها بمهمة تجسسية بالمنطقة”.

وأضافت، أن المهمة السرية التى تم تكليف السفينة بإنجازها تمت بدون علم البرلمان الألمانى، وكانت تستهدف جمع معلومات باستخدام أجهزة استشعار عن بعد سمعية وبصرية.

وأشارت المجلة إلى أن سفنا حربية من ألمانيا – الحليف العسكرى الوثيق لإسرائيل العدو اللدود لسورية – قامت بمهام تجسسية مشابهة قبالة الشواطئ الليبية إبان الحرب الأهلية هناك.

301. Norman:
((297. Minasaid: No Mina, There is transfer of rebels and their weapons to Syria))

You mean the ones that were shown by Al Mu3allem in his press conference last a few weeks back?

Or else, provide us more than just hearsay; perhaps a link to a credible site with verified supporitve evidence!

304. defender,
What is your Arabic source?
Regime media?
Show the link please!

Arabic source : Syrian Defender !

اعدام أربعة مدنيين بسلاح مضاد للطيران في ادلب
Horrific scenes of execution missed or rather avoided by AL AlDabi who did not see anything scary in Syria.

4 civilians executed by Assad forces by anti-arircraft machine gun.
ادلب – جبل الزاوية: فصل جديد من مجازر الجيش الأسدي

اعدام أربعة مدنيين بسلاح مضاد للطيران في ادلب 19-1-2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCJ6y_S3CNc&feature=player_embedded

الشهداء هم:
1.الشهيد البطل نجيب اسماعيل الزين
2.الشهيد البطل محمد حسن حج ابراهيم من (( بلدة معراته ))
3.الشهيد البطل عمار مصطفى عثمان من ((بلدة البارة))
4.الشهيد البطل مهند عمر الحكمات من (( بلدة جوزف ))

AlFatiha upon their souls.
may God bless their families with solace and empower them with fortitude.

307. defender:
((Arabic source : Syrian Defender !))

How different are you from “German defenders”, who were once party to the Nazi regime crimes that you seem to despise (Your ref 304)!

اتحاد تنسيقيات الثورة السورية | Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union
http://www.facebook.com/monasiqoon

دير الزور : عاجل : اشتباك قوي في شارع الوادي بين كتيبة الشهيد معاذ الركاض وعناصر الامن والشبيحة نتيجة الاشتباك اصابة 26 من عناصر الشبيحة والامن وانسحاب كتيبتنا الباسلة بسلامة

Urgent- Deir Azzor: Shoot out broke between MR unit of the FSA and Assad forces resulting in 26 Sahbbeha casualties.
Our unit managed to withdraw safely.
31 minutes ago
21/01/2012

Arming the opposition was a bad idea from the start,outsiders now are starting to compare regime violence with opposition violence and some are clearly having second thoughts about a total regime change. Proponents of an armed struggle are driven by an understandable urge for revenge and justice but they will destroy the country in the process.

94 killed today? Is it true?
.

“Syria’s govt said Al Qaeda was behind the Damascus bombings. Many were skeptical, but it seems the US thinks so too and is closing embassy.”

http://twitter.com/#!/lizsly/status/160486172706082816

Liz Sly
Beirut, Baghdad
Washington Post Baghdad Bureau Chief, covering Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and beyond http://www.washingtonpost.com

There is clearly a backlash in social media against the Islamization of the Syrian uprising with people from Sunni background who are now worried about the direction this uprising is taking.
I am still hopeful that Syrians at the end will prove that they are tolerant and thoughtful and are able to change a bad regime without creating another that is worse.

This a real dialogue about two syrians that took place somewhere in the world in my presence. The subject a is M who lives in Damascus and is owner of a bussiness, he has relatives connected to the regime and beneffits from stability, with or without democracy. The subject R is living outside Syria long time ago,clearly oppositor and expecting to return to a more democratic Assad-free Syria in the future, he as most syrians is a sunni, and as most syrians abroad is liberal in politics.

R- What´s going on inside Syria, what is the situation right now inside Damascus?

M- There is nothing in Damascus, right some towns have violence but in Damascus there is no certain danger.

R- No man, what do you say if there are tens of dead every day.

M- What do you pretend, if you are outside the country, you do not know what is going on.

R- Don´t you see the news? Or just look at Sana? Come on guy, it´s crazy, this president must go.

M- Show me a real alternative. There is none. And as long as there is none I am sure that the fall of the president would bring tens of thousands of deads. And as I am living in Damascus I do not want to die.

R- There is already thousands of dead men, women and children.

M- All syrians abroad are against the regime because their lifes are not in danger.

R- Salam

M- Salam

Revlon #305

“Are all Syrians responsible for the war crimes that took place in Hama in 1982 and are taking place now?”

No, they are not. The only that are the ones who accepted or were involved in the killing innocents because of their race or their religion.
Any war is full of crimes. Jews were not at war.

Al Dabi, is saying that his mission was not to stop the violence as the media trying to show but his mission is to ‘observe’ the situation on ground, which is true.

الدابي:مهمة بعثة المراقبين بسوريا الإطلاع على حقيقة الوضع لا وقف العنف

أكد رئيس بعثة مراقبي جامعة الدول العربية في سوريا الفريق أول محمد الدابي أن مهمة البعثة هي التحقق من تنفيذ الحكومة السورية لبنود خطة العمل العربية لحل الأزمة وليس وقف العنف والقتل الذي تشهده بعض المناطق السورية.
وأشار الدابي في بيان وزعته الأمانة العامة للجامعة العربية إلى ان مهمة البعثة هي الاطلاع على حقيقة الأوضاع والأحداث الجارية في سوريا من خلال المراقبة والرصد لمدى التنفيذ الكامل لوقف جميع أعمال العنف ومن أي مصدر كان في المدن والأحياء السورية.
واستغرب اصرار بعض وسائل الاعلام على الاشارة دائما الى أن مهمة البعثة وقف أعمال القتل والعنف.
وأوضح أن “فرق البعثة المنتشرة في مختلف المناطق السورية وخصوصا تلك التي تشهد اضطرابات واحتجاجات تجد تعاونا، ما يؤشر على مهنية وموضوعية أعضاء البعثة في أداء مهتمهم”.

However and as predicted, the results of the AL observers showing that the armed militias are working on ground and committing lots of crimes is in contrast to the continuous denial by the media wasn’t a good news to the opposition, Qatar and France so the reaction was irrational and in support of the armed militias. By doing that they are damaging the political stand of the SNC, and they look like as a terrorism supporter organization, not a wise and trustworthy political partners that Syrians can depend on and believe in for a better future. They are doing a huge mistake:

برهان غليون: تمديد مهمة بعثة المراقبين العرب سيكون خدمة للنظام السوري
لفت رئيس المجلس الوطني السوري برهان غليون الى أن “المشكلة هي مشكة شعب يطالب بحقوقها ويتظاهر سلمياً منذ 10 أشهر”، وأكد أن “النظام السوري هو من يتحمل مسؤولية العنف في سوريا”.
وعن تقرير بعثة المراقبين العرب، أكد غليون لـ”العربية” أن اللجنة لا يمكن أن يعتد كثيراً بتقريرها بسبب الظروف التي تعمل بها، معتبراً أن التمديد للبعثة في ظل هذه الظروف خدمة للنظام.
وأعلن أن الأمين العام للجامعة العربية نبيل العربي العربي “قال لنا ان تقرير بعثة المراقبين قد يشتمل على أمور غير مرضية لنا”.
وعن ما يسمى “الجيش السوري الحر”، أكد أن هذا الجيش يقوم بمهمة وطنية وهي الدفاع عن الشعب السوري.

Irritated,

Again no one is denying the horrific crimes committed by the Nazis, and Germans should never forget the level of hatred and bigotry they showed.
But to hold all Germans responsible for the crimes that were committed is wrong, because in that same manner you should hold all White Americans responsible for the Slave trade (might I remind you that racism and bigotry still exists in the US), and all Male Americans responsible for the mistreatment and sexism towards female americans.

77,000 germans died resisting the Nazis, 10,000 germans fled Germany and joined the British Army, people like Oskar Schindler, Gustav Schroeder, George Ferdinand Duckwits risked their lives saving thousands of Jews, are they responsible for the crimes the Nazis did?

Revlon!
You daily live pleasure of bloodshed!Every day you have an order on more and more blood! It is clearly visible in your comments.

IRRITATED

The worse criminals are those who kill and torture for your opinions, your ideas, your political position.

If you are killed for being a jew or a gipsy or you are killed for being a muslim or a black in america in the past, then you have bad luck but no choice, you are what you are and you have no choice to change your skin or religious origins.

But when it comes to killing and tortures on intellectual crimes, it means that those who are killed are brave enough to stand on their ideas knowing they are going to be killed. And instead of changing or hiding they defend their ideals as it is happening in the young arab spring.

US (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) and Dictators, be Hitler (jews, gipsies and communists), Assad (intelectual oppositors) or Mao (rural populations) are the main world criminals in history. Dont fool yourself, Bashar has clearly become subject to be judged by crimes against humanity. This is a fact.

Revlon,

This one is for you,

http://feb17.info/news/libyan-fighters-join-free-syrian-army-forces/

Ghufran,

The only way to put an end to this crises is for the Arab league and the world to give full support for the Syrian government to end the crises and restore safety and security, ask all people to stay off the street and in return increase the sanctions to push the government into reform rapidly,that should include multi party system and separation of powers, that is if they really want reform and to provide more freedom for the Syrian people.

مقتل 617 معتقلا تحت التعذيب بسوريا

617 prisoners killed under tortures in Syria

http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/57B29495-00A5-4308-875E-7193B7897A71.htm?GoogleStatID=9

تعليق مواطن في صفحات التواصل الاجتماعي

Ali Atassi
لبعض الإسلامين أقول: سكتنا في الماضي على محاولة تجيير ربيع دمشق لصالحكم. سكتنا على مفاوضاتكم السرية مع النظام. سكتنا على تحالفكم مع الفاسد عبد الحليم خدام. سكتنا على الهدنة التي أعلنتموها مع النظام واستمرت لأكثر من عام. سكتنا على مغازلتكم للبوطي حتى عشية الثورة. سكتنا ودافعنا، وسنظل ندافع عن حقكم الكامل وغير المنقوص في أن تكونوا جزء لا يتجزأ من الحياة السياسية السورية ومن سورية
المستقبل. لكننا لن نسكت بعد اليوم علي محاولة البعض منكم تطييف الثورة وأسلمها. فهي كانت وستظل وستنتصر كثورة مدنية ضد الاستبداد بكافة أشكاله

Dear regime supporters:

This is special for you.

I think what must be denounced today is not only the crimes and abuses comitted by the regime since 15th March, but every single political, economical, personal, sexual and physical abuse commited by this regime and its Baath Party from the very first day they got power. Do not forget every bribe paid, every bussiness licence denied without reason, every soldier who served for 2 or 3 years for not paying enough, every prison arrest without judgement, every torture, every killing covertup or not, every freedom violation, everything that happened day after day during 40 years and in every city and every prison and Justice Court of this country. There is not money enough in Syria to compensate the damage done to most syrians, in the case this violations could be calculated in monetary terms.

324
http://rutube.ru/tracks/4917084.html?confirm=fa591f8762a0e6d4d6badca85cb2a02b

Haytham,

This one is for you , in response,

PrintBack to story

French Journalist Was Killed by Syrian Rebels, Le Figaro Says

By Gregory Viscusi – Jan 21, 2012

The rocket that killed French television journalist Gilles Jacquier Jan. 11 in Homs, Syria, was fired by anti-government rebels and not security forces, Le Figaro reported, citing interviews with rebel leaders.

Syrian army deserters have told Arab League observers they fired the rocket by mistake, thinking they were attacking soldiers loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, the French newspaper said.

Jacquier, who worked for television station France 2, was buried yesterday in his native village in the French Alps.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net
.
®2012 BLOOMBERG L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The report of the AL will not please hardliners because it exposes lies broadcasted by fighting hawks who are destroying Syria in the name of saving Syria. This is why the AL mission was attacked by both sides. Moza of Qatar spent $ 2 million on a medical trip to the UK in 2011 but the budget of the AL mission is less than what it cost to beautify Moza’s behind.
If Arabs want to help,they need to send ten times as many observers and consider sending military personnel to separate fighting parties. Opposition to the AL mission is a reflection of fear: fear from the truth. The regime has a lot to hide,and the military arm of this uprising does not want the world to
know that there are thugs in Syria who kill in the name of peace. You may have noticed an increase in reports by foreign journalists who went to Syria and dared to distance themselves from the conventional wisdom dominating reports about the Arab spring,those reports are also attacked because they bring an inconvenient dish to the table,that dish is called the truth.

I think everything could be said, argued and exposed has been already said, argued and exposed. So, let´s give it up. SC is cleary showing tendency for the regime on its main entrances. Now it is time for reality to show us what will finally happen.

I cannot imagine Syria without Assad, but it´s difficult to imagine a Syria under Assad security state apparatus for some more years to come. And this is what will most probably happen since no international actor will directly attack the regime.
But it will be an unveiled Assad with all the repression exposed and international damage in them.

http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/brics-back-russia-hands-off-iran-and-syria/

BRICS Back Russia: Hands Off Iran And Syria
Russia warned the West against military intervention in Iran and Syria and rejected unilateral sanctions against the two nations.

Military action against Iran would have “catastrophic consequences,” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

Mr. Lavrov told an annual press conference that Moscow is seriously concerned about the threat of a military operation against Iran and is “doing its best to prevent it.” He said the war would provoke an exodus of refugees from Iran to Azerbaijan and Russia, would pour fuel into the simmering Shia-Sunni conflict and trigger a chain reaction.

The press conference was devoted to Russia’s foreign policy in 2011, but Mr. Lavrov’s tough language suggested that Moscow was bracing up for hardnosed confrontation with the West in 2012.

Mr. Lavrov said the West’s unilateral sanctions against Iran, such as the proposed oil embargo, were “aimed at suffocating the Iranian economy” and “inciting popular discontent.”

He said Iran was ready for a resumption of talks with international mediators and hinted that Europe and the United States were imposing new sanctions at this juncture with the specific purpose of torpedoing further negotiations.

The Russian Foreign Minister said Moscow would block any Western attempts to obtain United Nations mandate for military interference in Syria. A draft resolution submitted by Russia states that all Security Council members refrain from interference and use of force in Syria. Mr. Lavrov said it was self-revealing that Western powers were trying hard to remove from the Russian draft the part stating that “nothing in the present resolution can be interpreted as allowing the use of force against Syria by any party.”

At the same time, China and the other members of the BRICS group have thrown their support behind the Russian draft, Mr. Lavrov said.

“We consider it absolutely unacceptable to seek to apply the so-called Libya scenario to other conflicts,” the Russian Foreign Minister said.

“For us, the red line is fairly clearly drawn. We will not support any sanctions,” he added.

Mr. Lavrov rejected Western criticism of Russian arms supplies to Syria.

“We haven’t violated any international agreements or the U.N. Security Council resolutions,” he said. “We are only trading with Syria in items, which aren’t banned by the international law.”

Any comment?

Damascus, Syria (CNN) — Dissident groups have taken control of all districts in the Syrian city of Douma, a suburb of Damascus, according to the activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Free Syrian Army, a resistance movement comprised of military defectors, clashed with government security forces in the city.

Dear NORMAN #327.

I am not surprised that the rocket fired by the rebels.

But, I was surprised that if you are a journalist and you want a visa, you should contact Mother Agnes. Do not you think this is scandalous?

What state is this? Mother Agnes became the foreign minister of Syria.

Arab League chief receives observer mission report – 2012-01-22

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/22/c_122615541.htm

CAIRO, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) — Arab League (AL) chief Nabil al- Arabi has received the report of the regional bloc’s observer mission to Syria, AL Deputy Secretary General Ahmed Ben Helli said on Saturday.

Helli said in a statement that the report had been distributed to Arab countries on Friday for discussions at a meeting of the Arab ministerial committee in charge of handling the Syrian crisis on Sunday morning.

The report would then be submitted to the AL council meeting of foreign ministers to be held later on Sunday, he said.

The report is a conclusion of the observers’ work from Dec. 14, 2011 to Jan. 18, and it will be available for all international organizations and parties concerned with the crisis developments in Syria, Helli said.

http://presstv.com/usdetail/222304.html
Jewish paper: Israel should assassinate Obama
An American Jewish newspaper has caused a massive stir by suggesting that Israel would benefit by having President Obama assassinated.

According to News Gather, Atlanta Jewish Times owner Andrew Adler has said “Give the go-ahead for U.S.-based Mossad agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for the current vice president to take his place.”

HIGHLIGHTS
===========================================================
Paper Owner Apologizes for Obama ‘Hit’ Column
By wmw_admin on January 21, 2012

Nathan Guttman – Jewish Daily Forward January 20, 2012

The owner of an Atlanta Jewish newspaper has apologized for a column in which he discusses the possibility of Israel ordering the assassination of President Obama.

The Secret Service says it is investigating and a parade of Jewish leaders quickly moved to denounce Andrew Adler, publisher and owner of the Atlanta Jewish Times.

Adler wrote in a January 13 opinion piece that one of Israel’s options in confronting a threat from Iran would be to put out “a hit” on Obama. The story was first reported Friday by the website gawker.com and later picked up by ABC News and The Guardian, among other outlets.

“Did I go too far? Yes. Do I regret it? Yes,” Adler told the Forward on Friday. “I should have thought about it twice and three times.”

Offering up a series of options that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might pursue, Adler wrote that one choice would be to, “Take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel.”

The publisher went on to forcefully reiterate his opinion: “Yes, you read … correctly. Order a hit on a president in order to preserve Israel’s existence. Think about it.”

“You have got to believe, like I do, that all options are on the table,” he wrote.

The opinion piece does not appear on the web site of the paper, but is available here.

The option for Israel to assassinate Obama was the third in a series that Adler laid out as choices for Netanyahu to confront the threat posed by Iran. Adler denied that he was advocating that Israel consider ordering Obama’s assassination. He claimed he only wrote the piece to provoke readers.

“I don’t stand behind what I wrote and my intention was never to stand behind it. I just wanted to get a reaction from the local community, to see what they would do,” he told the Forward.

Adler said the reaction had been “very negative.” He vowed to write a column explaining himself, and insisted he has nothing against Obama.

“My view of the President is favorable,” Adler said.

The Secret Service, which investigates threats against the president, confirmed it is aware of the article.

“We are conducting appropriate investigative steps,” said Secret Service spokesperson George Ogilvie, withuot elaborating.

Adler, who is a member of the Chabad Movement and has been active in the Atlanta Jewish community for years, bought the paper 2-1/2 years ago. It has a circulation of between 3,000 and 4,000.

The Anti-Defamation League denounced the opinion piece as “outrageous and beyond the pale.”

“There is absolutely no excuse, no justification, no rationalization for this kind of rhetoric,” said ADL National Director Abraham Foxman. “These are irresponsible and extremist words. It is outrageous and beyond the pale. An apology cannot possibly repair the damage.”

The National Jewish Democratic Council blasted Adler’s column, calling in the “height of irresponsibility.”

“To dare to give such despicable ideas space in a newspaper … is beyond the pale,” said NJDC President David A. Harris in a statement.

The Jewish Federation of Atlanta contacted Adler shortly after the article was published and urged him to retract the piece.

“We don’t agree with his sentiment,” Atlanta Federation marketing director Tali Benjamin said. She stressed that the Atlanta Jewish Times is a private and independent newspaper that does not receive support from the federation.
It’s hard to tell whether or not Adler is just some crank. But the Atlanta Jewish Times, which he purchased in 2009, appears to be a real community newspaper. It was founded in 1925 and, according to Wikipedia, claims a circulation of 3,500 and staff of five. To judge from its web site, it’s a going concern. gawker.com

In the midst of the 2012 election cycle, GOP hopefuls such as Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have attacked the president on his handling of threats from unfriendly nations. According to The Hill, some GOP candidates feel that the president is being too hard on Israel and not tough enough on its enemies. Huffington Post

“This president appears more generous to our enemies than he is to our friends,” Romney said at the Republican Jewish Coalition forum in December. Huffington Post

FACTS & FIGURES
U.S. policy towards Israel at the moment is to basically do anything they want regardless of whether it benefits the United States or not thanks to a bizarre combination of born-again Christian fundamentalists and a massive Zionist lobby in Washington. News Gather

President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have had a tense relationship at times, including public disputes over settlement activity in the West Bank. Republicans have also criticized Obama for suggesting that the 1967 borders be the starting point of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The Hill

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has a dangerous stranglehold over U.S. foreign policy towards the Middle East. Moveoveraipac.org

AIPAC lobbyists with their Christian Zionist allies guarantee billions of dollars in military aid for Israel each year. AlterNet

AIPAC has also lobbied heavily for U.S. funding of various Israeli weapons programs, including Israel’s Arrow missile defense system. Rightweb.irc-online.org

Syrian agricultural sector losses 8 mln USD due to terrorist attacks – 2012-01-21

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-01/21/c_131372396.htm

DAMASCUS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) — The value of damage caused by terrorist attacks against the agricultural sector in Syria has been estimated at 450 million Syrian pounds (about 7.8 million U.S. dollars), a Syrian newspaper said Saturday.

Al-Thawra newspaper quoted agricultural ministry official Omar Hajo as saying that 103 vehicles and 25 establishments have been destroyed by terrorist groups during the past 10 months, six people working in the agricultural field have been killed and five others were kidnapped.

Engineer Ramadan al-Mohammad at the ministry told the paper that the damage was estimated at 450 million Syrian pounds.

Terrorist acts have also targeted other sectors of the Syrian economy.

Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Allaw said Thursday that terrorist acts carried out by armed groups against oil pipelines and other oil institutions, in addition to sanctions imposed by the European Union on Syrian oil industry, have caused a damage of about 2.1 billion Syrian pounds (about 36.5 million U.S. dollars).

In addition, 21 people in the oil sector were killed, 24 others were wounded, and five others were kidnapped during the past 10 months.

On Wednesday, Minister of Electricity Imad Khamis said at a press conference that the recent attacks carried out by armed terrorist groups have inflicted a big damage on the distribution network and maintenance workshops.

The minister said the direct material damage inflicted upon the network was valued at nearly 713 million Syrian pounds (about 12.4 million dollars), while the value of indirect economic damage reached around 23 billion Syrian pounds (about 400 million dollars) .

He also said that some power generating stations were undermined or operating with partial capacity due to terrorist attacks at gas pipelines and railways that ferry fuel to these stations.

At least five pipelines have been targeted since the eruption of unrest in Syria in mid March, 2011. The Syrian government held what it called “saboteurs” responsible for the attacks.

Sandro said
He can not imagine Syria without Assad.
I do ,Gaddafi was ousted, and Assad the booha will be ousted.
Those who oppose the FSA are co criminal, they lie, they fabricate stories they are strong supporters of the regime,

Haytham
Thank you very much for bringing the documentary here, I’m not sure why you start your comment with (Dear regime supporter), this report is actually to all who are looking for truth, regardless who they support.

Couple notes about this excellent report, all signs are pointing more towards the armed militia in Bab Alsba3, regardless that the report is asking very legit questions about their security man, their driver and the coincidences, all those question are very circumstantial and in a try to point out the crime on the regime, however, it doesn’t.

Many told them not to go because it’s too late, the driver was scared to death of going, the security guy was doing what he was asked to do, stay next to the cars, the journalist after the first attack went in too many directions and didn’t stick together, the Syrians as we both know are ‘curious’ and want to convince you with their views in any way possible, hence they were trying to prove their points that they are targeted by terrorists that the media denies all the time, so the incident triggered the locals emotions to just do that. Besides, for them to be surprised that people are not afraid of gun shots anymore is stupid, for Homsis living under consistent shelling for the last 7-8 months will make anybody loose the fear the french are arguing against.

Now I’m almost sure that Le Figaro conclusion that the attack was a random terrorist incident by the armed militia is the correct version of this bloody incident and it was caught online which makes it more influential.

What surprised me in the report is when they introduce our Sunni Moufty Hassoun, a SEMI ALWITE, how ignorant is that?!

Thank you again Haytham.

كتيبة الاباليس

Syria seizes Lebanese boat, family says man killed – Sat Jan 21, 2012

Syrian forces killed a Lebanese fisherman and wounded another when they seized a boat suspected of smuggling off the Lebanese-Syrian coast on Saturday, a relative said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/21/us-lebanon-syria-boat-idUSTRE80K0EY20120121

Syria’s state news agency SANA said the sailors were smugglers and that Syria’s naval patrol tried to stop the boat but was fired on by other nearby Lebanese vessels. It said two of the men on the seized boat were wounded by friendly fire.

The border areas between Lebanon and Syria are known for smuggling, and Syrian security services have become especially sensitive to contraband runs since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted 10 months ago.

Syria complains that its neighbors are not clamping down on smuggling of weapons they say are destined for insurgents.

Residents in Lebanon’s northern coastal town of Arida said they heard gunfire offshore but did not see who was shooting. They said they later saw a Syrian boat towing the Lebanese fishing boat toward the nearby Syrian port of Tartous.

Syrian authorities did not report any deaths to SANA but the agency said two wounded sailors were in hospital. It said a third man had been “turned in to concerned authorities.”

“The port patrol warned the infiltrating boat to stop more than once but the crew did not obey orders and instead threw their cargo overboard and tried to escape toward northern Lebanon,” SANA said.

Lebanese security sources confirmed the seizure of the boat but declined to give details of any casualties.

Ahmed Hamad told Reuters his wife had crossed into Syria and had found their 16-year-old son Maher Hamad dead in a Syrian state hospital. He said a second fisherman had been wounded and the third was being interrogated by Syrian security forces.

Dozens of angry residents and relatives of the fishermen tried to block the Arida border crossing, where they attacked a Syrian truck, smashing its windows, and burned tires.

Security forces prevented the crowd from entering Syria, witnesses said.

336. majedkhaldoun said:
Sandro said
He can not imagine Syria without Assad.

I can never imagine Syria with Assad. I can never imagine any sane person can magine Syria and the Middle East with Assad anymore.

AL Observers Visit al-Zabadani, Madaya Accompanied by Pressmen, al-Dabi’s Report Handed in to al-Arabi – Jan 22, 2012

http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2012/01/22/395746.htm

DAMASCUS COUNTRYSIDE/ CAIRO, (SANA)_ A team of Arab League Observer mission on Saturday visited the Damascus Suburbs of al-Zabadani and Madaya and was briefed by the competent authorities on the situation there.

The observers team, along with a number of Arab and foreign pressmen, toured neighborhoods there and listened to citizens as they reviewed the general situation in the region as a whole.

Ghufran,
I’m not sure how correct the news of Douma is, but I’m convince that the militias plan now is to get Damascus first thing instead of any other city in Syria, it’s the opposite of what the Nato plan was in Libya by leaving Tripoli to the end, they learned the lesson and now they are trying it out in Syria.
These tactics are defiantly NOT SYRIAN, it’s an obvious Nato directions and all the news we read about European and American officers training the armed militias are true.
At the same time the regime seems to knows that already, and it concentrate all its defenses in the ‘urban’ areas instead of spreading them in the ‘rural’ area, this is why we are seeing the armed militia are let free there in the suburbs and the rural regions with less or little intervention yet the vicious and more bloody attacks are happening when the armed militias get too closer to any city centre in Syria.
For me this kind of defensive mechanism is more planned and intended this way than the propaganda we are reading, so even if the armed militia get Douma as claimed or any rural area inside Syria which is not connected to any of the border countries or to any city centre, the reaction from the military will be minimal, I’m not sure about the viability of this strategy in the long term.

Haytham,

sorry, but your French U Tube video went over my head, i do not know French. i thought they were trying to blame the government for his death as they did before.

SNK
That was horrible.

According to my direct sources Zabadani is 99 % with FSA and ready for fighting till the end. They say there are no informers (mukhbir and moukhabarat) in Zabadani and Madaya anymore. Many were killed, the rest fled. I think this area shows us cleary the situation in Syria. The regime can control the places (Aleppo and Damascus) where their network of informers is well established and intact, specially where informers sometimes outnumber normal people, while in places where they used to be non residents or not originals from the region they have lost control.

Five areas where the FSA has fought and won
Idleb, Douma,Zabadani,Homs and Deir Z ZORE, fsa is able to defend the people, and defeat shabbiha

GOD BLESS FSA

Aside from who is terrorist and who is not one thing is clear. This regime is based on informers and repression. Is this the only way syrian people can be dealt? Is this the only way of keeping syrians altogether? I don´t think so. Isn´t there a more civilized why of living? I think Jordan has given a lesson to the syrian dictator of how a poor over populated country can be more civilized, educated, developed and pseudodemocratic. From the begining of protests in Jordan I only heard once that police shooted at demonstrators. These policemen were jailed inmediately.

(99%! why not 100%) Any-who, there are many people in Zabadani are unhappy and afraid, they told the AL Observers today that they’ve been forced to demonstrate ad been attacked by armed militias from the region and even from Libya and Egypt:

شآم
إن ما جرى اليوم في منطقة الزبداني كان ملخصه كالآتي :

في تمام الساعة 10.45 دقيقة وصلت اللجنة إلى منطقة الزبداني و قبل الوصول إلى معمل مياه بقين ( طلعة الجرجانية ) شاهد أعضاء بعض المسلحين المختبئين حول المزارع و على سطح بناء يكون في أسفله محل لغيار الزيت وعند دخول اللجنة إلى الزبداني توجهوا إلى ساحة المحطة والتقوا ببعض الأهالي التي قالت كالتالي :
إن المجموعات الارهابية والمكونة من بعض أهل المنطقة وسرغايا وكفير الزيت وليبين ومصريين أجبرتنا عدة مرات للخروج إلى المظاهرات تحت تهديد السلاح وكان آخرها يوم قدوم الوفد الآخر في المرة الماضية وقال لهم أحد الأهالي من عائلة برهان لقد قاموا بالإعتداء على بيتي وسرقة مبلغ 120 ألف ليرة كنت قد أحضرتها من محصول التفاح وأخذهم إلى منزله ليشاهدوا آثار الإعتداء وسماع أولاده الذين لم تتجاوز أعمارهم ال6 سنوات واطلعوا على الأضرار التي لحقت بمبنى الناحية والمخفر ومن ثم توجهوا إلى داخل المنطقة ليجدوا مظاهرة في ساحة داخل المدينة تعتلي أسطحها مجموعات مسلحة وقد قامت اللجنة بتصوير كل ذلك ليقوموا بتوثيقه وتسلمت عدة عرائض من الأهالي مستنكرةً ما يجري ، ومن بينها أدلة دامغة على تورط المدعويين :
الشيخ فراس شرف الدين برهان الذي يتقاضى مبالغ طائلة من شيخ الفتنة العرعور وكان آخرها 6 ملايين ليرة دفعت للمدعو لإشادة منزل له .

* المهندس عبد المجيد علاء الدين وشقيقه المهندس حسن علاء الدين والذين يتقاضون مبالغ من منظمة الاخوان المجرمون لتأمين أماكن إقامة لليبين والمصريين الارهابيين القادمون عبر الحدود الجبلية للمنطقة وتأمين ممرات آمنة لهم ولسلاحهم .
والأدلة كانت عبارة عن جلسات مصورة للمذكورين وهم يقومون بفعل ذلك ومكالمات هاتفية مسجلة قام بها بعض الأسود الذين فاجئوا الجميع بتلك المعلومات وتم نقلهم إلى دمشق حفاظاً على حياتهم .
ومن هنا يمكننا أن نقول بأنه توفرت معلومات قوية ذكرنا بعضاً منها تمهيداً لدخول قواتنا المسلحة إلى المنطقة قريباً .

Ann #343
Thanks
ref: Zabadani
Hopefully, we will soon read independent reports from the journalists accompanying the AL observers.

MajedAlkhaldoon

Could you tell us the population of these areas that the FSA says they controls.

“Idleb, Douma,Zabadani,Homs and Deir Z ZORE”

A new generation of political Islamists steps forward
By Olivier Roy, Published: January 20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/muslim-brotherhood-other-islamists-have-changed-their-worldview/2012/01/10/gIQAZgjoEQ_story.html

Olivier Roy is a professor at the European University Institute in Florence and the author of “Holy Ignorance.”

Everywhere, the Muslim Brotherhood is benefiting from a democratization it did not trigger. There is a political vacuum because the liberal vanguard that initiated the Arab Spring did not try, and did not want, to take power. This was a revolution without revolutionaries. Yet the Muslim Brothers are the only organized political force. They are rooted in society, and decades of opposition against authoritarian regimes gave them experience, legitimacy and respect. Their conservative agenda fits a conservative society, which may welcome democracy but did not turn liberal.

Under these circumstances, the ghost of a totalitarian Islamic state is raised, with the specter of imposing sharia and closing the short democratic parenthesis. But such an outcome is unlikely.

The Islamists have, in fact, changed: They are more middle-class “bourgeois,” and they benefited from the liberalization of local economies during the last decades of the 20th century, especially in countries with no oil rent. The Islamists have also drawn lessons from the failure of ideological regimes and from the success of Turkey’s AKP party. They are no longer advocating jihad and understand geostrategic constraints, such as the need to maintain peace, even a cold one, with Israel. Realism is the starting point of political wisdom.
{…}

Irritated/Defender

I am not to teach any lessons to anyone. I never even cared for any blog or worked for an NGO. I never joined any party or any organization as i want to stay independant in my thinking and my decisions. I write and try to give just my point of view. Since 2005 i travel to Syria, stayed there at least 2-3 times a year, i do see and consider this Syria my second home.
When i make comparisons to the german history i do that because that is what is most near to me, what has influenced me most in my being a citizen of this country. No one can choose where he is born, and i believe that being German involves to be informed about what this country was build upon, how ugly and how painful the process was to be what we are now. All of my fathers family were repatriated germans from german occupied land in Poland and Hungaria. My grandmother fe was fleeing her hometown when she was 17, she had to leave her familyhouse with just a handful of memorablia and they were lucky to survive the ordeal of this 2 months escape from the russian forces. I had long conversations with my grandparents, and we all do have similar experiences with this older generations. I asked them how could they have lived and supported this murderous regime, and answers were always painful. My grandmother told me about how many good memories she had about the Nazi movement, girl scout camps, the solidarity they shared ect. I still dont know how she claimed not to know what happend to her jewish classmates. For me nationalism is a drug, and with the right person a whole nation will forget about humanity and liberal rights, which i claim are also part of german heritage as Beethovens ode to the joy will portray. I believe in such times of dictatorship its a matter of owns character, many will do what is being told to them, go the least mile to survive. Others who dare to know more, who dare to question what is unquestionable to many, those are always an minority. Until now we still have the victims and the criminals of that time alive, they all can tell their story, their part of their truth. There is never just an black and white picture, there is alot of grey. For example i am totally against the herofication of the 20th July assensins who tried to kill Hitler in 1944. They have almost succeeded. But those ordained to this bravery were soldiers, high ranking officers who were proper Nazis from 1933-1944, just as they saw no end of this slaughterregime, they thought its time to end it. If they would have succeeded app 3 mio people would have been saved, but their aim was surely not to establish the democracy which Germans had until 1933. Many of us Germans are traumatized by the events which took place in my country and many until now are les nationalistic, we kind of had an overdose. I can not understand how someone can cary a flag of their country on the street,nor have i ever sang my national anthem wholeheartly, but as a liberal i dont detest those who enjoy being nationalistic, this may be just our heritage which we have to burden. Hannah Arendt is worthwile reading, she spoke about the totalitarian part of any regime, the banalism of evil which can come as an Austrian homeless young man who wanted to be an painter, or as an ophthalmologist who just wanted to be a doctor but has to run the family business.

i have no words for this ordeal this poor man is going through. What kind of mentality must you have to torture this family man who is supposed to have 7 children, i guess its the same sick mentality that brings up children torture as well.

Berlin 21.01.2012

demonstration in support of the civilians in Syria

#352 Juergen

That is a courageous statement. Thanks for the honesty.
None of us wants evil for Syria, but evil sometimes disguises itself as the liberator from a lesser evil. That’s is the suspicion of many who reject an opposition who looks increasingly more malevolent, violent and ill-intentioned than the regime they want to displace.
If I had the conviction that what comes after the fall of this regime is worth it, I would adhere to the course of changes, but until now I am increasingly convinced of the opposite. I guess many Syrians have come to the same conclusion. They see the regime ready to move to another step and they prefer to give it a chance rather than put the destiny of their country into the hands of a chaotic, undisciplined, polluted, tainted , divided and dubious opposition.

‘PKK Using Israeli Drones to Attack Turkish Troops’ – 20 January 2012

Kenan Yıldızbakan – a PKK member who led an assault against a Turkish naval base in Hatay in 2010 – has visited Israel on numerous occasions, further raising suspicions of his organization’s ties to the Jewish state.

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/130286/%C3%ABpkk-using-israeli-drones-to-attack-turkish-troops-39-.html

Kurdish militants have access to intel gained from UAVs to set up bases in northern Syria, Turkish daily reports.

Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used in southern Turkey to assist the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, a Turkish newspaper reported Tuesday.

The party, known by its acronym PKK, has a long history of violence in pursuit of Kurdish- self rule and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

Today’s Zaman newspaper reported that two months ago, Turkish intelligence had detected two Israeli Heron UAVs operating in the southern Turkish provinces of Hatay and Adana. The UAVs were reportedly collecting data on Turkish military units, then using the intelligence to set up PKK bases in northern Syria for confronting Turkish troops.

The report also claims that Kenan Yıldızbakan – a PKK member who led an assault against a Turkish naval base in Hatay in 2010 – has visited Israel on numerous occasions, further raising suspicions of his organization’s ties to the Jewish state.

Today’s Zaman is the English version of the Turkish paper Zaman, a mass-circulation daily linked to the Gulenist movement – an influential Islamist organization led by a Turkish religious scholar living in exile in the United States. Its coverage is broadly favorable to the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.

US Jewish Publisher Regrets Obama Hit Scenario – 21 January 2012

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/130352/us-jewish-publisher-regrets-obama-hit-scenario.html

A Jewish newspaper publisher in the US apologized on Friday for suggesting in a column published last week that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu consider deploying Mossad agents to assassinate US President Barack Obama.

Atlanta Jewish News owner and publisher Andrew Adler suggested that Netanyahu deploy Mossad agents to “take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel” in the case that Iran got a nuclear weapon.

In his column he listed three options for Israel to counter Iran’s nuclear weapons. The first was to launch a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah and Hamas and the second was to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. The third, according to Adler, was to “give the go-ahead for US-based Mossad agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for the current vice president to take his place and forcefully dictate that the United States’ policy includes its helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies.”

“Yes, you read ‘three’ correctly,” the publisher continued. “Order a hit on a president in order to preserve Israel’s existence. Think about it. If have thought of this Tom-Clancy-type scenario, don’t you think that this almost unfathomable idea has been discussed in Israel’s most inner circles?”

In an interview with JTA Friday, Adler expressed contrition for his column.

“I very much regret it, I wish I hadn’t made reference to it at all,” Adler said of a presidential assassination.

He also told the Internet site Gawker, which first reported on his column, that he had published his piece to see what kind of reaction he’d get from readers but that he in no way endorsed such action or thought Israel was considering it.

According to JTA, the many calls and emails he received were overwhelmingly negative.

Libyan Islamists Rally to Demand Sharia-Based Law – 21 January 2012

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/130351/libyan-islamists-rally-to-demand-sharia-based-law.html

Assembled by Islamist political and religious groups, mostly young and bearded men holding up copies of the Koran demonstrated in squares in the capital Tripoli, the eastern city of Benghazi and in Sabha in the southern desert.

The Islamist demonstrators encompassed members of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood and harder-line Salafis, who both back strict versions of Islam, and relative moderates who prefer a civil state simply inspired by sharia.

Juergen

Not too long ago, as I was watching the last minute of Quaddafi’s life, I thought that I would never want similar fate to anyone. I am now changed. Watching the clip Juergen posted in 353 and many many other, I wonder if Syrians would be able to forgive. Justice must be served before any attempt of reconciliation takes place in Syria. Bashar and all the head murderers must face a fate not less atrocious than Quaddafi’s once. Everyone who committed murder or torture must be prosecuted and punished. Justice can not be served otherwise.

Italy to help Libya protect borders, oil-Libya PM – Sat Jan 21, 2012

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL6E8CL07M20120121

Italy will help Libyan authorities protect the North African country’s borders and oil facilities, Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim al-Keib said on Saturday.

German Left Party under fire for supporting Iran and Syria – 01/22/2012

The Left Party politicians signed an anti-Israel and anti-US petition in support of the governments of Syria and Iran.

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=254597

BERLIN – Bundestag deputies from mainstream political parties on Thursday accused the Left Party of aligning itself with the Islamic Republic and Syria.

A group of Left Party deputies called early this month for all sanctions applied against Iran and Syria to be lifted.

The Left Party politicians signed an anti-Israel and anti-US petition in support of the governments of Syria and Iran. According to the online petition, “the USA together with other NATO states and Israel is keeping both countries in a state of permanent alert so as to wear them down.”

Annette Groth, a Left Party deputy who signed the petition, was aboard the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara in 2010 during its attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Left deputies Eva Bulling-Schröter, Sevim Dagdelen, Diether Dehm, Heike Hänsel and Ulla Jelpke also signed the document.

Politicians from the party have compared Israel to Nazi Germany and stoked hatred of the Jewish state at pro- Palestinian events across the Federal Republic over the years. Jelpke has defended anti-Zionism as a respectable political position.

According to the pro-Syrian and pro-Iranian petition’s website, 2,470 people have signed the call to remove sanctions against Tehran and Damascus.

The German media reported last week that Christian Democrat deputy Andreas Schockenhoff slammed the six Left Party deputies for agreeing with the orders to shoot at protesters in Syria and joining forces with dictators. Social Democratic deputy Günter Gloser said the Left Party ignores the facts that Syrian President Assad initiated the attacks on his people.

Free Democratic Party deputy Birgit Homburger termed the behavior of the Left Party politicians to be shameful.

Markus Löning, the human rights commissioner for the German government, told the Süddeutsche Zeitung paper in January that “members of the Left Party have placed themselves on the side of the murderer Assad.”

Löning , who is from the Free Democrats, called on the leaders of the Left Party to distance themselves from the six deputies.

Alexander Fischer, a spokesman for the Left Party, called the Springer media company’s criticism that “Left politicians support solidarity with dictator Assad to be defamation.”

He added, No Leftist is any way shows solidarity with a president who shoots at his own people.”

The BAK Shalom Working Group, a small group of pro-Israel activists within the Left Party’s young members federation, criticized the six deputies on its website. “Against Left Solidarity with the butchers from Syria and Iran!,” BAK wrote.

BAK Shalom rejected the appeal of the petition and said “it is not NATO, the USA or Israel that is creating a civil war in Syria, rather the Syrian and Iranian regimes.”

The pro-Israel leftist group wrote, “We, the members of BAK Shalom, look forward to every sleepless night from Assad and Ali Khamenei and his henchmen in Iran. We hope that the Iranian regime collapses as fast as possible.”

*** A FABRICATED END TO A FABRICATED STORY 😀 ***

Syria rebels retreat after seizing area near capital – 01/22/2012

Fighters seize parts of the town of Douma near the capital Damascus for the first time, then withdraw.

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=254604

BEIRUT – Syrian rebels seized parts of the town of Douma near the capital Damascus on Saturday and then withdrew to their hideouts, activists said.

Night-time gunbattles and explosions rocked Douma, 14 kilometres (9 miles) northwest of the capital, activists said. Douma has been a center of protests in the 10-month revolt against President Bashar Assad.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighters retreated to their hideouts once they had pushed state forces outside of Douma.

“It seems they chose not to hold on to the territory, most likely because it could offer the regime an excuse to storm the area,” Rami Abdelrahman told Reuters.

The fighting posed no direct threat to Damascus itself but may be seen as too close for comfort to the government, which has launched a heavy crackdown since unrest began in March.

One resident told Reuters the move marked the first time rebels, who call themselves the Free Syrian Army, held territory in Douma for an extended period of time.

“No one can get in or out of Douma right now. This is the first time the rebels do anything more than hit-and-run attacks. Tonight they started making barriers in the streets,” an activist living in Douma told Reuters by Skype.

The fighting began on Saturday afternoon, after security forces killed four people when they fired on a funeral march for a slain protester. Ensuing clashes left dozens wounded, activists said.

Activists on Skype from Douma and the neighboring town of Harasta said troops were gathered outside the rebellious suburb.

Another resident in Douma told Reuters she had not heard of the temporary takeover of the suburb but had heard a large explosion.

“One of the explosions was so loud it felt like the whole city shook,” another activist told Reuters on Skype.

Tara

i dont know what kind of drug power is to some folks, obviously it seems that its a very tempting one, and obviously those in power cant think of an life without it. I think everyone can decide forthemselves at some point if to pursue and go on or to stop supporting what in our world is considered inhumane. I think that many dictators live in a cloud of disinformation, all day long they hear how good they are and how beneficial is their rule. I think Syria needs more than reconcilation, I aggree that Den Haag is the wrong place to put the regime on trial. This regime never acknowledged the international community, so they should face the prison cells an the judical system so many Syrians faced. Syria will also need brave and couragous religious leaders who need to summon their sheeps like Desmond Tutu did in South Africa.

But those days seem far away when you see such images where the allmighty torturer is playing God. There is a great cartoon of Ali Ferzat showing the torturer doing his work and cry over sitcoms. I think many of those will enjoy the family life after their cruel work is done.

هوت قيمة الدولار الأميركي أمس السبت إلى ما يقارب 66 ليرة لكل دولار أميركي إثر قرار رئاسة مجلس الوزراء الذي صدر بعد ظهر الخميس بالتعويم الموجه للعملة الأميركية. وسجل الدولار الأميركي صباح الخميس مستويات قياسية إذ بلغت قيمته 75 ليرة سورية في السوق السوداء ما استدعى اجتماعات عاجلة في مجلس الوزراء صدر عنها قرار التعويم إضافة إلى تصريحات حاكم مصرف سورية المركزي بنية المصرف التدخل بقوة اعتباراً من اليوم الأحد في الأسواق قاطعاً الطريق أمام المضاربين الذين لا يتجاوز عددهم أصابع اليد الواحدة فهوى سعر صرف الدولار مسجلاً أمس 66 ليرة في دمشق و65 في حلب مع توقعات بأن يستمر في الهبوط حتى يصل لحدود 62 خلال الساعات المقبلة وأقل من 60 قبل نهاية الأسبوع الحالي حسب مراقبين.
This rosy assessment does not hide the fact that the Lira lost more than 30% of its value.
I have serious doubts that the sanctions imposed on Syria will magically disappear if Bashar resigns or forced out.

I gave up on the AL. I think they are going to extend the monitors mission one more month. This will buy Bashar one more month to kill and to torture. Bashar is able to kill Syrians but is not be able to kill the revolution. Unfortunately, the AL represents the dictatorial Arab regimes and not the Arab street. Had it been up to the Arab street, the AL would’ve condemned Bashar the criminal long ago.

Tara #367

“AL represents the dictatorial Arab regimes”

You mean Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania?

Or maybe you meant Qatar whose leader you had such admiration only 2 weeks ago.
I guess you prefer the “innocent and democratic” USA, France and Britain, thousand kms away to make the decision for the Arab region and make another success story like Iraq or Afghanistan and Libya.

Well, it seems it is now happening, try next month.

Shalom habarim, Shalom Melehem..

#366 Ghufran

“I have serious doubts that the sanctions imposed on Syria will magically disappear if Bashar resigns or forced out.”

The sanctions will be removed only when there will be a government in Syria that will break the relation with Iran, abandon Hezbollah, sign a peace treaty with Israel and allow US bases on its territory.

Now we talk business…

LOL & LOL…I have nothing else to say. Just sit and wait, sit and wait baby… Landis, Alex, any otehr website boss, why, why on earth, we can not use Arabic user name next to English? Why are you blocking the comments? It has been more than a month, I understand that you peaople don’t care much about me or SNP. But what is it that I can not use the Arabic text in conjection of English for user name?

Contradicting the foreign news, the LCC admits: The FSA does not control Douma.

Jan 2012, 22:19 GMT+3 – Syria

Rafif Jouejati, a spokeswoman for the Local Co-ordination Committees, tells Al Jazeera reports that the Free SYrian Army is in control of Douma are false. She says there’s been an explosion there, which appeared to have targeted a riot police vehicle.

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/syria-jan-22-2012-0119

Iran accuses the FSA of the abduction of the Iranian engineers

Iran’s Mapna blames Syrian Opposition for Abduction of Iranian Engineers
(Dp-news)
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=109171
TEHRAN- Manager of the Syrian branch of Iran’s Mapna Engineering Co. Morteza Ganjizadeh took Free Syrian Army responsible for the recent abduction of the Iranian engineers.

The contractor of Jandar Electrical Power Plant in Syria, where a group of Iranian engineers were working before they were abducted last month, said that the Iranian nationals have been abducted by the Free Syrian Army.

Speaking to Iranian Fares News Agency (FNA) in Damascus, Ganjizadeh said that Al Farouq brigades affiliated to the Free Syrian Army has been the main group behind abduction plots since the beginning of the crisis.
He pointed to a photo published in a French magazine which shows a defected Syrian soldier behind four of the seven abducted engineers, and said the photo proves that the FSA has kidnapped the engineers.
A look at this picture and a passport photo which had been taken a day before their abduction reveals that the picture released by the French magazine is authentic and has been taken just a bit after their abduction.
{…}

قامت الحكومة، وبشكل مفاجئ، برفع سعر اسطوانة الغاز إلى 400 ل.س.، بزيادة 60% عن السعر القديم والمحدد بـ 250 ليرة سورية.

 قال معاون مدير التجارة الداخلية بريف دمشق علي الخطيب ان قرارا صدر برفع سعر اسطوانة الغاز الى 400 ليرة”, دون ايراد مزايد من التفاصيل.
 
بدوره, بين مصدر مسؤول في مديرية الاقتصاد والتجارة الداخلية بحلب لسيريانيوز أن “القرار كان مفاجئاً بالنسبة للمعنيين، حيث أنه لم يتم تداول ما يخص زيادة سعر اسطوانة الغاز من قبل الوزارة والمديريات التابعة لها قط”.
وأردف المصدر “ترافق القرار بنوع من التخبط في الوزارة، حيث قامت مديرية حماية المستهلك، وعلى لسان مديرها بنفي الخبر، على إحدى المحطات الإذاعية الخاصة، ليعود ويؤكد على صدور القرار لاحقاً”.
This exceeds the daily wages of many Syrians.

This is from alarabiya which claims to serve more than 300 million potential viewers.
One has to ask how sleezy and dirty the Goats Emirates media can get. Syrians are surrounded by two types of media garbage,the gulf’s and their own government’s.
كشف المراقب الجزائري المنسحب من بعثة مراقبي الجامعة العربية إلى سوريا، أنور مالك، أن المخابرات السورية زرعت كاميرات خاصة لتصوير المراقبين العرب داخل حماماتهم الخاصة لابتزازهم بالصور، كما أرسلت نساء إلى غرف المراقبين للإيقاع بهم وتصويرهم في أوضاع مخلة. وقال إنه على ثقة أن بعض المراقبين تورطوا في أخطاء. وجاء ذلك في حديث المراقب المنسحب لبرنامج “بانوراما” على شاشة “العربية” اليوم السبت.

AlQuds said
المعارضة السورية سهير الاتاسي غادرت سوريا

2012-01-21
She will support SNC,Kamal Labwani also support SNC
CB has no support,

I think the AL has no choice but to extend the presence of observers in Syria, however, their number has to increase,and they must be trained well, I think Dabi may quit himself,as he will face a lot of criticism sunday,
The vehicle that had prisoners ,was carrying already dead prisoners who died few days ago, and the bomb that exploded was planted inside the truck, it was not hit by the FSA.

Ghufran I checked today and was told that the dollar is 73 syrian pound, could you please tell us where was your source.

321. Normansaid:
((Revlon, This one is for you,
http://feb17.info/news/libyan-fighters-join-free-syrian-army-forces/Posted on November 29, 2011 by main

Libyan sources conveyed in recent days that 600 rebel fighters have already gone from Libya to Syria in order to support the Syrian opposition. The sources explained that the announcement of Libyan interim leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil regarding his country’s willingness to provide support for the rebels in Syria, has actually opened the door to volunteers. The source pointed out that there is coordination between the Libyan interim government and the Syrian opposition.

The source added that the Libyan rebels entered Syria through Turkey, to join “the free Syrian army” in order to counter the pro-Bashar al-Assad forces, asserting that the door is still open to more volunteers in Libya in case they wish to fight.))
_________________________________________________________________

Thank you for the link.
The post is old and was discussed earlier.
Her is my take:

– The source of the news is “Scources”, anonymous.
– FSA has denied the presence of any foreign fighters in its ranks.
– The regime has failed to produce a single evidence for existance of foreign fighters with the revolution in Syria; save for the fake videos played by Al Mu3allem.
– Foreigh agents working for the government of Syria have been captured by FSA.

There you have it Norman.

Cheers!

I am not sure I am ready to believe any news that comes out of Syria any more unless it is verified by trusted sources,I share the doubts many of you have when a story is published online without receiving the required scrutiny,what most of us are doing is posting news and usually mentioning the source( if there is one),that does not make what we post reach the level of undisputed facts.
Majed,If there is a relief for the Lira,it will be temporary,Syrians will have a very tough year in 2012,my relatives paid 72 lira / dollar last week,the recent news about the Lira is from a local non government source,I will recheck tomorrow.
The story about dead bodies being implanted then bombed is hard to believe,this is getting close to becoming like a Mexican soap opera.

Promo of liberation of Zabadani
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y3sl07rPu0k

How the group of three tanks were destroyed is unknown!
Were heat seeking anti-tank missiles used from distance?!
Or was it just a concerted attack resulting direct hit from close range by RPG.

Previous hits by RPG were shot by video cam from close range.
The hits from Zabadani were shot by video cam from quite a distance!

The turkish lira is down a lot more than the Syrian pound vs. the dollar

http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=TRYUSD%3DX+Interactive#chart1:symbol=tryusd=x;range=2y;indicator=volume;charttype=line;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=on;source=undefined

The EURO is down big vs. the US dollar also:

http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=EURUSD%3DX+Interactive#chart4:symbol=eurusd=x;range=5y;indicator=volume;charttype=line;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=on;source=undefined

Majedalkhaldoon #375

It seems your predictions failed again about the AL.
Now you invoke the excuse that they ‘have no choice’..

Of course they have a choice. They just had to listen to the SNC, the FSA, the LCC and the “thousands” of protesters “across Syria”, to Qatar and to the unanimous foreign and arabic media hammering that they should quit and refer the subject to the UNSC.
Obviously they didn’t.
Just tell us why.

Also please spare us the bodies transplanted in a bus that happen to pass near a roadside bomb.. It sounds like a sinister joke.

381. ann

“The turkish lira is down a lot more than the Syrian pound vs. the dollar”

It lost 22% in 2011, and the Turkish economy is supposed to be booming!

Revlon
The video you showed us indicates that the Assad troops suffered casualties,and were forced to pull out of Zabadani area,Also it shows that the weapons used is more than FSA had when they defected,this indicate that they posses advanced weapons,these weapons can be smuggled to Ain Alfijeh area ,and then north of Damascus and East to Barzeh, this area does not have military posts. not like Sahra road and maysaloon area whch is full of military bases.
Is Surghaya also free? if the FSA control Surghaya,this means that movements from Zabadani to Lebanon is easy,

#389 Revlon

Surprisingly 5 days of bombings and no human casualties. I expected the LCC and the London Observatory to claim hundred of martyrs to advance the cause of the no fly zone and the UNSC.
Why are there no death reported?

382. irritated said:

381. ann
“The turkish lira is down a lot more than the Syrian pound vs. the dollar”
It lost 22% in 2011, and the Turkish economy is supposed to be booming!

It lost 40% in the last 2 years. There’s a run on the turkish lira in turkish banks

384. irritated said:

#389 Revlon
Surprisingly 5 days of bombings and no human casualties. I expected the LCC and the London Observatory to claim hundred of martyrs to advance the cause of the no fly zone and the UNSC.
Why are there no death reported?

It’s because of the presence of the AL monitors

They can’t fabricate lies anymore 😀

Torture Machine in Syria
A documentary worth reminding all people to watch, and again!
– Torture is being employed systematically, apparently on an industrial scale.
– B. Al Assad bears the Command responsibility for the crimes.
– Every day pain is being inflicted on thousands of Syrian men, women and children
– It is a question of how many more of lives are lost and souls tortured before the tyranny machine of killing and torture is turned off.
– The human rights commissioner has recommended that the Syrian case be referred to the international courts of justice, based on available evidence of widespread, systematic killing and torture.
– SC must issue a resolution to grant jurisdiction to the prosecutor of the international criminal courts of justice to put these crimes under investigation.

الوثائقي المروع “آلة التعذيب في سورية” كامل مع الترجمة
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xn96i8_yyyyyyyy-yyyyyy-yyy-yyyyyyy-yy-yyyyy-yyyy-yy-yyyyyyy_news

384. irritatedsaid:
((#389 Revlon
Surprisingly 5 days of bombings and no human casualties. I expected the LCC and the London Observatory to claim hundred of martyrs to advance the cause of the no fly zone and the UNSC.
Why are there no death reported?))

– 95 martyrs yesterday!
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BE90F365-EC5D-44A3-BC14-186F24AC3DF6.htm?GoogleStatID=9
– Average 35 per day for last week, including a family whose house fell, on their heads in Homs!

Your statement lacks intelligence!

Perry was Right on Turkey and Islamic Terror – Saturday, January 21, 2012

He may have dropped out of the race, but Perry understood what is happening in Turkey, while the USA still considered Turkey a friend.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11153

In the wake of Gov. Rick Perry’s withdrawal from the Republican presidential race, pundits will argue over the reasons for his rise and fall. But one thing is for certain: Gov. Perry was the only candidate who told the truth about Turkey’s support for anti-Israel Islamic terrorists

Perry was roundly criticized after he remarked, in the January 17 candidates’ debate, that Turkey “is being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists.” The State Department called Turkey “a stalwart ally” of the United States that “plays a very positive and constructive role in the region.” The New York Times, in what was supposed to be an objective news report, asserted flat-out that Perry’s statement was “inaccurate” and characterized Turkey’s governing party as “moderate.” Huffington Post columnist Dorian de Wind mocked Perry as an “uninformed Texas cowboy.”

But within hours, Gov. Perry’s critics were left with more than a little egg on their faces as the foreign minister of Iran, arrived in Turkey for a visit aimed at furthering strengthening the already-friendly relations between the two countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi announced in Ankara that trade between his regime and Turkey, which had been just $5-billion annually in the past, hit $15-billion in 2010 and will reach $30 billion by 2015. Salehi, by the way, has met his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, no less than eleven times in the past twelve months. How is that “positive and constructive”?

The truth about Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government is that they have become experts at playing both sides of the fence–making “moderate” noises when Western ears are listening, while collaborating with Islamic terrorists whenever they can get away with it.

Peace or justice in the middle east? How? The “fair broker”-the zionist controlled US govt & media- are fully sold out and committed to overthrowing/destabilizing Syria on the way to eventually flattening Iran to benefit the Israeli interests that fund them. To see a grown man, a President of once-free America, grovel and crawl like a craven sycophant to his AIPAC paymaster handlers is repulsive and makes American citizens cringe.
Obama gets slapped in the face in front of the entire world by the Nation of Filth, and yet he continues to shamelessly abase himself to them. Why?

If Obama steps out of line, will the dual national treasoners murder him? Jews publically threaten to assassinate US President if their traitor agent Orly Taitz (who is not a US citizen herself, but an Israeli) cant remove him on birth certificate grounds? Funny how they never see prison, like a US citizen would if they’d done the same.

Jewish paper’s column catches Secret Service eye
By Joe Sterling, CNN January 21, 2012

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) — The U.S. Secret Service is looking into a controversial column by an Atlanta Jewish newspaper publisher that mulled the assassination of an American president. Andrew Adler, owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, wrote a January 13 column about the threat of Iran to Israel. He posed three options for the Jewish state to counter the Iranian regime.
One of them called for a “hit on a president in order to preserve Israel\’s existence. Give the go-ahead for U.S. based Mossad agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for the current vice president to take his place and forcefully dictate that the United States’ policy includes its helping the Jewish state obliterate its enemies.”

Israeli designs ‘Who killed Barack Obama?’ T-shirts
04.06.08 / ynet.com
NEW YORK – The American political system sees its fair share of mudslinging, accusation and incendiary statements—especially during a presidential election campaign. An Israeli fashion designer residing in New York has, however, managed to stir up heated controversy in the city even in the midst of a hotly contested presidential campaign.

White House shooting suspect Oscar Ortega arrested
BBC 16 November 2011

A man wanted in connection with a shooting near the White House has been arrested, the US Secret Service says.
Two bullets were found at the White House, one of which struck a protective window when it was fired.
The casings were found on the grounds during a probe launched after Friday’s shooting, but have not yet been “conclusively connected” to it

Distinguishing tattoos
One bullet broke an external pane of glass and but was stopped by the protective inner layer, while another round hit the building. The casings were found on the south side of the White House, where the private presidential residence is located, including the master bedroom and the Lincoln bedroom. The discovery of the bullets, which were found on Tuesday, followed reports of gunfire between the White House and the Washington Monument at about 21:30 local time on Friday evening.

Witnesses heard shots and saw two speeding vehicles in the area. An AK-47 rifle was also recovered, the Associated Press reported.
Mr Ortega was described as a white Hispanic male of medium build, with several distinguishing tattoos – including three dots on his right hand, his name across his back AND THE WORD ISRAEL TATTOOED ON HIS NECK. (caps emphasis mine)

Are AIPAC & Co’s money and threats what have US public officials suberviently wallowing like trained dogs for the zionists?

Twin Cities protest says no to U.S. war threats against Iran, Syria – January 22, 2012

Minneapolis, MN – In response to growing war threats against Iran and Syria, over 50 people responded on Jan. 18 to a call to turn out to a weekly peace vigil in the Twin Cities.

The vigil, held every Wednesday on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, has on many occasions become the focus for people wishing to speak out against new and developing war threats.

The vigil is sponsored by Twin Cities Peace Campaign and Women Against Military Madness. The sponsors were joined by other groups to build the Jan. 18 vigil, including the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and the Anti-War Committee.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “This week, with the growing talk to military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran and the growing discussion of U.S. and Western intervention in Syria, we made a special urgent appeal for people to come out and join us to say ‘No new wars – U.S. hands off Iran and Syria.’”

“The U.S. government uses talk of human rights and nuclear weapons to win support for new wars and interventions. But after ten years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, wars based on lies, with the untold deaths of thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan, the war makers in Washington are in no position to lecture anyone about human rights or weapons of mass destruction,” the statement continued.

“Bombs and military intervention do not bring peace, democracy or human rights, instead they bring colonial occupation,” the statement concluded.

Arab League likely to extend Syria mission – 22 January, 2012

http://rt.com/news/league-zabadani-syria-mission-379/

A decision on whether to extend the Arab League’s fact-finding mission in Syria is due later on Sunday, as League members convene in Cairo. A member of the mission told RT’s crew in Syria that the observers are likely to remain in the country.

­The meeting comes against a backdrop of harsh criticism from opposition groups, which say the observer mission has failed to curb bloodshed.

In the latest flare-up, at least 14 people are reported to have been killed in a roadside bomb attack on a van carrying prisoners in the north-west of the country.

RT’s Sara Firth joined the observers as they visited Zabadani, a town near the Syrian capital Damascus, now largely controlled by opposition forces.

Despite the expiry of the League’s mandate, its observers continue to travel around Syria to monitor the situation. Some see this as further evidence that the LAS mission is set to continue here, possibly for another month. An Arab League observer unofficially told RT that this is very likely.

Zabadani is considered to be under the control of so-called “Free Syrian Army”. In the past few days, a temporary ceasefire has been proclaimed between rebels and government forces, and the city does seem to be divided between the two sides of the conflict, RT’s correspondent confirms. On the other hand, locals say, there is a lot of confusion about what is really going on, who is in charge, and who is killing who.

The terrorist militia ‘angels’ didn’t get enough blood from killing 20 Syrias yesterday in their RPG attack on the bus in Edleb yesterday and the day before, today they commit another hideous massacre they do the best, they attack a mini bus in Homs killing 15 Syrians:

خاص شبكة أخبار حمص الأولى
http://www.facebook.com/HNN.SYRIA

مجزرة جديدة في حمص :

ابن حمص ما بين لقمة العيش وما بين الارهاب الذي قطع أوصال المدينة
تحدثنا كثيراً عن تأمين الطرق ولا حياة لمن تنادي
ونظراً لأنك لا تستطيع الوصول إلى كراجات البولمن بطريقة أو بأخرى
إلا في ساعات محددة وظروف محددة يحددها القدر و الحظ

شبه بولمن تعود ملكيته للمواطن أبو رشيد حمدان
الذي يعمل على نقل المسافرين من بعض الحارات
إلى دمشق وهؤلاء المسافرين يتوزعون ما بين مدنيين وعسكريين

واليوم وفي الساعة الخامسة صباحاً تم استهداف الباص
من قبل مجموعات ارهابية مسلحة على طريق الستين لكونه الطريق الوحيد
الذي قاطني أحياء الزهراء والمهاجرين والعباسية و الأرمن
السير به للخروج من المدينة أو للوصول إلى طريق الشام

تم استهدافه اليوم بقذائف آر بي جي
نتج عنه استشهاد 15 شهيداً ما بين مدنيين وعسكريين
وإصابة 3 آخرين وهم الآن في غرف العلميات في المشفى الأهلي
في حي الزهراء والجميع من أهالي حي الزهراء

في حين جثامين الشهداء بقيت في محلها وهي في حالة تفحم كامل
بالإضافة إلى البولمن الذي تم استهدافه
وبانتظار وصوصل رافعة لنقل البولمن ولنقل الجثامين

وتزامناً في نفس الوقت وصلت إصابة إلى المشفى الاهلي
لأحد المواطنين الذي استهدفته المجموعات الإرهابية أيضاً في شارع الستين

الرحمة على أرواح الشهداء والشفاء العاجل للمصابين

طرق حمص مقطوعة لأعمال الصيانة
ومسؤولين لبسوا لباس موحد كتب على ظهورهم عمال صيانة
وما زالت فيروز تغني إيه في أمل

خاص شبكة أخبار حمص الأولى
http://www.facebook.com/HNN.SYRIA

The AL meeting today has two options on its agenda,
-Extend the AL observers mission
-Suspend the mission and send the Syrian file to the UNSC

From previous experience the second is the outcome:

روز اليوسف:إمكانية إحالة الملف السوري لمجلس الأمن أو التمديد للمراقبي
كشفت مصادر دبلوماسية، في حديث إلى صحيفة “روزاليوسف” أن “رئيس بعثة المراقبين العرب إلى سوريا الفريق أول أحمد مصطفى الدابي، أرسل تقريره الأول للجامعة العربية وقد تم التعتيم عليه من جانب الأمانة العامة”، مؤكدة أن “هناك قرارين مدرجين على جدول أعمال الاجتماع الوزاري، الأول يتضمن التمديد لعمل البعثة لمدة شهر آخر فب سوريا حتى تتمكن البعثة من إنجاز عملها والتأكد من أن الحكومة السورية ملتزمة بتنفيذ بنود مبادرة الجامعة العربية، أما القرار الثانب فيتضمن إنهاء مهمة عمل البعثة وإحالة الملف السوري إلى مجلس الأمن والطلب من أمين عام الأمم المتحدة بمتابعة تطورات الأزمة السورية”.
كما كشفت المصادر أنه “تم استبعاد مقترح قطر الخاص بإرسال قوات عربية إلى سوريا خاصة بعد أن رفضته أغلب الدول العربية أعضاء المجموعة الوزارية الخاصة بسوريا، فيما لوحت الولايات المتحدة بإمكانية إغلاق سفارتها فى سوريا ونقل جميع موظفيها بسبب تدهور الوضع الأمني، لاعتقادها أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد لم يعد يسيطر بشكل كامل على البلاد بعد عشرة أشهر من الاحتجاجات”.

Bassam AlKadi- بسام القاضي
أمر من أمور أعرفها يقينا:
هؤلاء الذين مازالوا يدافعون عن القتلة المجرمين باسم “الإنسانية” و”حماية المدنيين” و”من المسؤول أولا” و…..
سوف يبكون دما حين يطالهم أو يطال أبناءهم و بناتهم العنف الأعمى الإجرامي الذي لا هوية له سوى القتل والإجرام والخيانة..
وحينها.. واثق أنكم/ن لن تجدون من يتعاطف معكم/ن…
فهل ستستفيقون من عماكم/ن قبل أن يفوت الأوان؟؟!!

385. ann said:

381. ann
“The turkish lira is down a lot more than the Syrian pound vs. the dollar” It lost 22% in 2011, and the Turkish economy is supposed to be booming!

It lost 40% in the last 2 years. There’s a run on the turkish lira in turkish banks

Dear Ann,

Guess Rothschild, Inc is putting the vise on Turkish Central Bank? Paymasters yanked the chain? Prostrate your country or we’ll destroy it!

Turkey dropping Marmara lawsuits
Alex Fishman Published: 01.13.12, 09:45 / Israel News

Sources in the US State Department said that the Turkish attorney general has ordered that all legal proceedings against Israeli elements involved in the IDF raid on the Marmara ship in May 2010 to be halted, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.

According to the sources, Turkish prosecutors were instructed to withdraw all proceedings against the elements that gave the order to take over the ship or who actively raided the vessel, an event which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish citizens.

The State Department said that this decision is linked to US efforts to defuse tensions between Israel and Turkey. This includes attempts by Israeli envoy to Turkey David Meidan to find a formula which will allow the sides to end hostility.

In the past, Ankara has demanded that Israel apologize for the raid and pay damages to the families of the Turkish victims and will in return drop legal proceedings.

Ghufran’s post above at #98 (in Arabic) is remarkable. I don’t know where the pasted excerpt is from, but it refers to an interview with Le Figaro given by Michel Kilo.

The French version of the interview is behind a paywall at Figaro, but a kind soul on the internet translated into English:

LE FIGARO: The Syrian opposition seems divided. How to fix it?

MICHEL KILO: There is the popular movement, which is close to the intellectuals, and the opposition by organized parties, such as the National Syrian Council on foreign shores or the National Committee of Coordination (CNC) within. But these organizations are always late arrivals on the scene of popular movements, historically speaking.

What do you think about the announcement that a military Council has been created, directed by the deserter general Moustapha al-Cheihk?

With several thousand soldiers, who do not comprise an army, he wants to attack an army of 400,000 troops! It will throw the country into endless chaos. It’s insanity. Protect the civilians, of course. But one cannot create the illusion of a war against the regime. And then we do not want, after victory, to be once again ruled by military men. The military must obey politicians.

So what is the solution?

One cannot rest content saying that we want to knock down the regime. We must explain how. At the beginning, we the intellectuals, we proposed national dialogue.

The dialogue with who?

With everyone, even the regime. The goal was to win for our cause new sectors of the population. Certainly, the regime would have refused to budge. But that was exactly the goal: show to those undecided that there was a political situation which the regime itself was refusing. At that moment, amassing on the streets was legitimate.

Are we now at an impasse?

Yes. The regime cannot force the protesters to clear out from the streets, and the latter cannot bring down the government. The recent talks show that Bachar al-Assad is desperate. Everything he promises is just a “war against terrorism” with which he thinks he can gain the support of the West, or at least scare the West. But it’s a phony concept. In Homs, the heart of the rebellion, there is no Islamist on the committee directing the revolution. Now, I think el-Assad wants to regionalize the conflict: referring to Iran, Hezbollah, the Iraqis, and threaten the Gulf states with a long war.

What do you propose?

The revolutionaries are in the process of organizing better the populist forces, and of convincing those who are still neutral to join their movement. They push now for the formation of base committees all around the country. These are the ones that shall form the future government of Syria, with the CNS or the parties of the interior. In Europe, in the Eastern countries, the intellectuals, the civil society, were the ones who overthrew dictatorships. We fought for 50 years against the regime. Most people of the CNS live abroad, and have for a long time. They are almost strangers to the people at home.

Can the Syrian people hold out for much longer?

Until the end of history. I posed such a question to some people in Deraa. They answered: ‘We do not have the courage to stop.’ If they stop, the repression will be comparable to that which was waged on Hamas in 1982, when there were 46,000 dead.

Is the exile of Bachar el-Assad inevitable?

It is necessary to find a solution.

You are going to return to Syria. Isn’t that dangerous?

In Syria, people are dying each day for freedom. It is shameful to be afraid.

(link)

Ghufran’s post of Kilo’s remarks as paraphrased by the unnamed Arabic source got nine thumbs down and only one positive mark. I wonder why that is.

I like how Kilo calls no one a terrorist or a traitor — that his disagreements are principled and long-standing — but especially how his essential empathy for the Revolution shines through clearly. He empathizes deeply for the oppressed and suffering in Syria, I gather, and has spent his own long years in the dungeon.

It is too bad that Kilo says things like this to a paywalled Figaro, and not on TV in Syria, on Addounia or Syria TV. Is there any room on state TV and its Makhlouf cousin by corruption? Is there no room on SC for him at least?

Me, I wish we could get Michel Kilo to do an interview with a couple of the conflicted here, with questions drawn from such as JAD (who might find Kilo’s opinions congenial) perhaps and Son of Damascus — otherwise opposed or in disagreement on fundamentals. Kilo has sure been around the block and must know Syria very well. I would sure take a few thousand words from Kilo than another cut and paste from Xinhua.

If anyone is interested, I will put my money where my mouth is and see if Mr Kilo would answer some questions put to him by SC commenters.

Many people that today conforms the elites of Syria , owning bussiness and sharing the system (neo-capitalist system) are members of socialist or communist parties (or their sons), many palestinians, and they got all they got for belonging to this party and for defending their ideals. Today they are supporting the capitalist system, hiding their fortunes and fighting against the masses. Of course, they are the real defenders of the masses, since they were socialists and communists, but the conspiracy is moving the people of Syria against their leaders. So the elites are communist, incredibly rich and killing the masses help them know they are victims of a conspiracy. Time is on our side.

IRRITATED says “It is a stain on their nation that nothing can ever correct and all the Germans deep inside know it.”

No, my friend, the stain here is on you for grouping nationality with evil, for visiting the sins of the grandfathers upon the innocent.

Irritated, although you are usually snide and bilious, you rarely descend to such lows as damning all Germans for Nazism. You owe the list and Juergen an apology. That is a really low and unnecessary thing to say. Please retract that remark and show some integrity.

352
In difference from you Norman has no feeling of inferiority and was brightly expressed!

Senator Chuck Schumer and the other Senator from New York want the Obama administration to put “sanctions” on Syria.

Guess that must be good news for some. And dont you all know who Senator Schumer is a strong supporter of?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10053707

To lie to lie and once again to lie while itself you will not believe is basic line of the western modern policy. There will come soon time when will collect commission Vinogradov on the failure analysis!!

Khaled Mashaal is not going to seek re-nomination net election.  That is good, not That I  have anything against him but 16 hrs is enough.  Looking forward to the success of the Syrian revolution, then Sudan, Algeria, and Morocco in 2012.  4 a year is a good number.  It becomes too overwhelmingly emotional to support more than 4 a year.  Also, read below: the honorable Palestinians have refused to back the Syrian regime, angering the mullahs.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/21/hamas-chief-khaled-meshaal-step-down

Khaled Meshaal has announced he will leave his post as political leader of Hamas at the next elections.
Khaled Meshaal, the political head of Hamas, is to step down from his position when elections for the leadership of the Palestinian Islamist organisation take place in the next few months.

A statement from Meshaal’s office said the Damascus-based leader would not seek re-nomination after 16 years at the helm, but would continue to serve the movement. It followed reports of the move earlier this week.

Meshaal has indicated in recent weeks that Hamas should make a strategic departure from armed struggle to popular non-violent resistance in the wake of the Arab spring revolutions and the success of Islamist parties in elections.

The new approach caused a rift with the internal Gaza leadership, which said there would be no change in Hamas policy. “There has been no change concerning our mode of thinking towards the conflict,” Mahmoud Zahar, the most senior Hamas figure inside Gaza, told the Guardian in an interview this month.

Meshaal’s decision to step down may indicate that the Hamas leadership within Gaza has won a power struggle.

Meshaal had also been pushing for Palestinian reconciliation and the formation of a national unity government ahead of elections. However, he was reported to be frustrated with the slow and uncertain progress, and few observers believe elections will take place this year.

The Hamas leader was also looking for a new base for the organisation amid the ongoing revolt in Syria. Hamas had refused to back the regime of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, infuriating the Iranian government, which had sponsored both it and the Syrian leadership.

The Syrian opposition has withstood blow after blow.

Another month, another failed attempt to stop the killings by Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

The latest lame effort: a mission sent by the Arab League in response to endless reports of innocents being murdered and tortured by security forces.

The league’s observers were supposed to be there to see whether Assad was making good on a December pledge to end his crackdown on dissent.

But as the mission ended Thursday, the terms of an extension up in the air, the watchdogs were on a tight leash — confined to their hotels.

On the ground, there were no signs anything had changed.

In the first 10 days after the observers arrived, about 400 people were reported killed. Then came dozens more.

News is sporadic and unreliable because, thanks to Assad, Syria is a free-press-free zone.

Stating the obvious, one observer said: “Without the correct tools, without the correct authority . . . we can’t do the job.”

This is how the bloodshed continues — with impunity.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/impotent-arab-league-monitoring-assad-continues-kill-people-article-1.1009538?localLinksEnabled=false

Mr. Alkadi and others that have recently posted comments on Cham Press are now more than ever expressing a new tone: sit down let us talk!!!!

The horse has left the barn. The people will not accept this regime.
In Tunis and Egypt the armed forces refused to suppress the uprising and therefore the regimes fell rather quickly. In Libya the regime opted from the outset for massive repression and the intervention of outside forces tipped the balance to the rebels. In Yemen, the regime is fighting a rearguard action to try preserving one thing : immunity from prosecution; not even its stay in power.

In Syria, the use of the repression arm has backfired and is daily splitting the armed forces and weakening the security services. When thugs and bullies get a push back they usually can get demoralized quickly, and in the case of payed thugs, their price to continue to repress will rise with the rising cost to them of trying to maintain order therefore we are seeing disarray among the troops and even the loyalty of these troops is now in question.

I am puzzled however by the poor showing of the fourth division in Zabadani; for these are the best trained and best equipped troops and they are dedicated to the regime. Was the resistance a surprise? Were the destruction of cell phone towers a deterrent? Did the troops refuse to fight?

Now some on this blog consider the revolution as another evil to fight a lesser evil: meaning the devil we know in this regime is better than what might come. They often cite stories about what happened in Iraq and in Libya and often bring the fears of the Christians whether Copts or Assyrians or Iraqis as an example of what is to come. The reality is
1. This regime is the most evil thing that ever happened to Syria and is similar in its structure and make up to the worst Rumanian and Stazi or NK states that you can ever imagine.
2. The very structure of this regime carries within it the seeds of its destruction as the only way to remain in power is to continue to oppress and repress and deny people their rights and freedoms and lure them with promises of reforms and corrections while the propaganda machine continues to spew stupidity.
For example, the number one item of the news on Doonia TV today is the awarding of the boy President the prize of the Russian Association of Writers Prize. I am not aware that he has written any books; he can hardly say anything coherent these days let alone write. This is an example of the utter total stupid backwardness of this regime. They are still in the dark ages with pure cult of personality thinking.
3. The torture machine that we are witnessing unfold in front of our eyes has also shown that the regime is utterly depraved and is nothing more than a monster disguised behind the so called glamorous look of the first ( last in my opinion ) lady. They think that by putting a few of her pictures waving to the adoring crowds they can hide the incredible torture that people suffer. Today the two released “smugglers” from Lebanon show evidence of torture on their bodies and the abductors were in civilian clothes clearly indicating that they are security forces on board the Syrian navy boats.
4. As for the economy, this is a country that has to import its own currency being unable to print it at home, and to commission other countries to print the money. This is a country that still imports its sewing needles and has an economy that is agrarian in large part with an oil sector that for years was the “private” domain of the late President and outside of the budget calculations. Some say that the fortune of the Assad/Makhlouf clan is as high as 70 billion dollars and of course they would not in their wildest dreams put that money in their oh so dear national currency.

This regime is a cruel farce and is a joke in very bad taste.

One final question:
Does anyone on this blog ever read Adoring News Network postings?
I am not sure what relevance the Turkish Lira or the Euro value has on the situation in Syria.

I think that like the most ape-like humans that call themselves the leaders of Syria she/he know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Dabi seems to like his stay in the Four Season in Damascus and has asked for extension. What not to like in the perspective of a war criminal? He is too tainted. If the AL decided to extend the mission for one more month, then they should replace Dabi with someone without criminal records.

401. William Scott Scherk

Juergen replied to my ‘bilious’ attack. I don’t believe he needs someone to defend him or his fathers
It won’t change my mind about Germany, its past crimes and the denial of its engrained superiority feeling.

Declaration of the Academicians of Syrian Universities
21/01/2012
http://www.facebook.com/TheSyrianNationalCouncil
في البدء كانت الكلمة، و كان الإنسان.
من آدم إلى عفاف السراقبي يظلُّ الإنسان ومضة برق على صفحة بحر الحياة، يحترق، يشقى، يتعذّب، لكنّه في النهاية يتمجّد، لأنّه علّم الوجود معنى الوجود، فأصبح وجوده بحدِّ ذاته درباً إلى القمة، على سدرة منتهاها ترتفع للحقِّ راية ويُقام للعدل ميزان.
علّمنا التّاريخ أنّ العلم منارة مقدسة ماتزال تلتمع أمام العيون المدماة في جنح الظلام، لأنّه مكتوب، منذ فجر التّاريخ إلى يومنا الراهن أنّه بالعلم ترتقي الحضارة و بالعلم تنتصر إرادة الشعوب. ولا توسط في حدّ الحدّ بين أن نعيش العمر أحراراً أو نركع العمر كلّه على الركبتين.
باسم أساتذة الجامعات السّورية الأحرار
نعلن انضمامنا إلى قافلة الأحرار، ورفضنا وإدانتنا لنظام الأسد الطاغي الذي أغرق الأمّة بالدماء، وأطاح بخيرة رجالها حقداً وظلماً بغير وجه حق. وندين جرائمه التي ارتكبها ويرتكبها بحقّ الشّعب الأعزل الحرِّ الذي خرج ملبياً نداء الحرّية وكسر حاجز الخوف بعد سنوات عجاف من الصمت والذل والقهر والاستغلال.
أهدافنا:
المضي قدماً في مسيرة الحرّية حتى الشهادة أو النصر.
الانتصار لإراداة الشعب في إسقاط النظام الأسدي بكافة رموزه.
الوقوف جنباً إلى جنب مع طلابنا الأحرار في ساحات النضال قولاً وعملاً، ومحاسبة الاتحاد الوطني لطلبة سورية الذي ظهر على حقيقته مدافعاً عن نظام الاجرام، الذي أساء بشكل مباشر لكلّ طالب علم في الجامعة.
العمل على تحويل الجامعات السورية قاطبة إلى منارة علم وعدل وحرية نزيهة شريفة تخلص لرؤيتها ورسالتها التربوية الحضارية وتسعى جاهدة لتحقيقها.
العمل على إعادة هيكلة الجامعات السورية ووضع الرجل المناسب في المكان المناسب عن طريق انتخاب نزيه.
العمل على إعادة تقييم المنهاج الدراسي وتطويره بما يواكب الجامعات العالمية.
العمل على التخلص من جذور البعثية الطّاغية المستبدّة وإبعاد شبحها الغاشم عن ساحات العلم والكرامة.
العمل على تطهير الجامعات السورية من كلّ المظاهر المخابراتية والتشبيحية والأمنية الفاسدة.

محاربة كل التحزبات والتجمعات والكيانات التي تسيء لجامعاتنا السورية الحرّة وتصمها بالعار وتقودها إلى الحضيض علمياً وأخلاقياً.
محاربة الفساد في الحرم الجامعي بكل أشكاله ورموزه وفضح الفاسدين وتقديمهم للعدالة.
السّعي إلى توحيد الصّفوف والتآلف بين أفراد الشعب السوري عامة وفي الأوساط الأكاديمية خاصة، بعيداً عن كلّ أشكال الطّائفية البغيضة.
إحياء دور الأساتذة الجامعيين في خدمة المجتمع ومناصرة الضعفاء ودعم المحتاجين والأسرة المنكوبة.
مساندة فصائل الثورة و حماية سلميتها.
دعم فصائل الجيش السوري الحرّ في تحقيق أهدافه في حماية الأحرار والدفاع عن الأعراض و إسقاط النظام الأسدي الغاشم.
الاستعداد التام لبناء سورية الجديدة الحرة بعد إسقاط نظام الأسد ودعم البرامج الديمقراطية والدّفاع عن حقوق المواطنة والحرية في الترشيح والانتخاب للحكومة الجديدة.
المشاركة الفعالة في تصعيد الرأي العام العالمي ضد إجرام اللانظام الأسدي وفضح ممارساته الدنيئة ونفاقه وفبركاته من خلال القنوات الإعلامية العالمية والصحافة الحرة.

عاشت سورية حرة أبية
والخلود لشعبنا العظيم

اتحاد أساتذة الجامعات السورية الأحرار
21 / 1 / 2012

By: اتحاد أساتذة الجامعات السورية الأحرار.
5 hours ago

#410 Revlon

“the Academicians of Syrian Universities” =
A federation of free university professors

Revlon

Thanks for the updated reported casualties across Syria( Rami Abdul Rahman is still quoted in all foreign news as the head of the London Observatory.. obviously the confusion persists, despite the letter)

Yet, I did not see casualties in Zabadani after 5 days of ‘heavy shelling’. Do you have an explanation?

New Release: Yassin Al-Haj Saleh analyses social and political contexts of the Syrian revolution
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/18/31918/Books/New-Release-Yassin-AlHaj-Saleh-analyses-social-and.aspx

Saleh’s ‘Walking on One Leg’ tries to uncover the social motivations that led Syrians to revolt
Mohammed Saad, Wednesday 18 Jan 2012

Al-Sayr ala Qadam Waheda (Walking on One Leg), by Yassin Al-Haj Saleh, Beirut: Dar AlAdaab Publishing House. 2011. 320pp.

Syrian political activist and writer Yassin Al-Haj Saleh has just released his new book, Al-Sayr ala Qadam Waheda (Walking on One Leg), through Al-Adaab Publishing house in Beirut. The book tackles Syrian political and social contexts through 52 articles written between 2006 and 2010.

Walking on One Leg includes two articles written after the start of the Syrian revolution that attempt to uncover the social motivations of the revolution. Saleh hopes his book, released 10 months after revolution broke out last March, will offer an overall view of the social circumstances that led the Syrian to revolt. In the preface, Saleh specifically denies the claim that he predicted the revolution in his book.

It’s noteworthy that Saleh, who resides in Syria right now, had great trouble in receiving a hard copy of his book due to the harsh circumstances imposed by the Syrian regime and security forces.

Saleh divides the articles into five main lines, the first tackling the state and power; the second analysing the economic transformations that took place during the past years and its impact on the social map in Syria; the third discussing the problem of the Israeli occupation of Golan; the fourth concerning Syria’s regional location; and the fifth relating to Syrians national identity.

Yassin Al-Haj Saleh, 51, a Syrian thinker, writer and former political prisoner, spent 16 years in the Syrian regime’s prisons during the 1980s and 1990s. He is a regular contributor to various Arabic newspapers and periodicals, including a weekly column in ‘Al-Hayat’ newspaper issued from London. He published two books after he was released from prison in 1997, “Syria from the shadow: Glimpses Inside the Black Box” and “Myths of the Others: Criticizing Contemporary Islam and Criticizing its Criticism.”

The US blackmailing Japan over Iran oil. How long can Japan accept the diktat of the USA arrogant foreign policy?

Japan seeks exception on Iran sanctions
2012-01-19 21:43:50
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2012-01/19/c_131369531.htm
TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) — Japan asked the United States on Thursday to waive a law banning financial institutions who have done business with Iran’s central bank from operating in the United States.
….

The U.S. side has said that the White House may grant a country a waiver to the sanctions if it has “significantly reduced its volume of crude oil purchases from Iran.”
{…}

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/22/189816.html
HA forces in Madaya,and Iran has forces there, this is foreign troops and this not acceptable

FSA fighters came sprang up from nowhere to confront Sahbbeeha (Assad Paramilitia) as they started to shoot at demonstrators.
Ban Al Sbaa, Homs
20 1 2012 Homs أوغاريت حمص حي باب السباع , الجيش الحر يتصدى لكتائب الاسد اثناء اطلاق النار على المتظاهرين

FSA fighters are succeeding in keeping protests alive, energising demonstrators, and detering Assad forces by making them pay heavy price.

410. irritatedsaid:
((Revlon
Yet, I did not see casualties in Zabadani after 5 days of ‘heavy shelling’. Do you have an explanation?)

You saw the destruction did you not?
How about people were in the basements.
How about Assad forces could not enter the city and thus a carnage similar to Rastan’s or Idlib’s have been averted.

Thank you for providing a better translation of the “Union of the Free Syrian professors”

The greatest danger facing Egypt: Economic crisis
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=269200
Egypt, which has managed to make it through the elections for its People’s Assembly without experiencing a crisis, will hold elections for its Shora Assembly in the coming days, followed by the presidential elections in June of this year.
…
But the economic crisis definitely tops the list of topics. The economic challenge occupies the minds of everyone, from the High Military Council, which is currently in power, to the Muslim Brotherhood, and from the Salafis to the various liberal parties.

The economic crisis is rearing its ugly head in nearly every area imaginable in Egyptian life these days. The shortages of petrol and natural gas in recent days are some of the clearest examples of this. And while Egypt’s exports have dropped by nearly 50 percent, the official drop in tourism revenues is said to be 33 percent. As for the Egyptian stock market, it has lost almost 50 percent of its value.
(…)

#415 Revlon

Sorry, I am not convinced that “5 days of heavy shelling and fights” caused a few damages on buildings and not a single death. You mean Zabadani was equipped with bombs shelters where the civilians took refuge?

I think either the shelling was targeting part of the town where the FSA forces were regrouped and the FSA avoids admitting their losses, or there was no real heavy shelling and no fights at all.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

بيان صادر عن قيادة الجيش السوري الحر
FSA Command Announcement
22/01/2012
http://www.freesyrianarmy1.com/ar/node/224

إن قيادة الجيش السوري الحر تستنكر وبشدة عما ورد في صحيفة اللوفيغارو الفرنسية حول مقتل الصحفي الفرنسي ونحن نعتبره شهيداً من شهداء الثورة وسقط على أيدي كتائب الأسد المجرمة
وأيضاً تدين كل محاولات التشويه التي تقوم بها بعض شخصيات ما تسمى معارضة والتي تغازل النظام عن بعد أمثال هيثم مناع بعد أن باعت دماء السوريين طمعاً بالحصول على مكاسب من النظام
FSA Command strongly reject allegations published by Le Figaro of responsibility of FSA for the death of the French Journalist whom we regard as martyr of the revolution, at the hands of Assad Shabbeeha.

We denounce all attempts to defame FSA by some,so-called opposition figures, the likes of H. mannaa who court the regime for the sake of favours.
المكتب الإعلامي – الجيش السوري الحر
Press Office
FSA

Revlon

Do you understand why the foreign news keep referring to Rami Abdel Rahman as the head of the London Observatory despite the letter they posted on their site informing the press that the ‘guy’ is a fake?

20. Revlon said:

“FSA Command strongly reject allegations published by Le Figaro of responsibility of FSA for the death of the French Journalist whom we regard as martyr of the revolution, at the hands of Assad Shabbeeha.”

What else could they say? admitting their mistake and loosing more of their credibility?

Douma is not ( anymore?) in the hands of the FSA, a new Doha based group say.
The total number of FSA rebels in Douma and Zabadani is about 550 men.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012, 13:34 GMT+3 – Syria
http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/syria-jan-22-2012-1634
More on the violence in Douma, this time from the Doha-based Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC).

A spokesperson for the anti-Assad rights group has told Al Jazeera that violence broke out in the Damascus suburb on Saturday after troops carried out a military assault on the area.

Today, the group says, troops re-entered several areas of the suburb and shelled some of them. It says limited clashes took place between government troops and those loyal to the so-called “Free Syrian Army”, and that explosions could be heard on Mesraba Bridge and Aleppo Street.

The group says there are about 300 members of the FSA in Douma, and another 250 or so in the contested area of Zabadani.

Aljazeera has the AL meeting life. Tune in.

417. irritated:
((#415 Revlon
or there was no real heavy shelling and no fights at all))
Was Fourth Brigade having a tank ride in Zabadani?
Would you call destruction and burning of three Assad forces tanks that I linked to earlier as: “No fight at all?

Ignoring facts does not make them disappear!

420. irritated:
((20. Revlon
((What else could they say? admitting their mistake and loosing more of their credibility?))

Admitting one’s mistake boosts one’s credibility!
Covering up does not!
Welcome to the all new, post-Assad Syria!

KSA is withdrawing it’s observers from the mission.

Ok,let see if the blood sucker Revlon is going to admit his friends crimes or like usual he will cover up their sh..t in his demented terrorist way:

Revlon $423

“Admitting one’s mistake boosts one’s credibility!”
“Covering up does not!”

I agree, then why is the FSA covering up this blunder as well as the police bus explosion that killed 14 prisoners (confirmed by the LCC)?

قصف شامل لحلب منذ صباح اليوم
حلب ٢٢/١/٢٠١٢
الله عليك يابشار
وينكن يامراقبين
القصف مستمر
مالنا غيرك ياالله

“Today the Syrian revolutionaries are pursuing a strategy that seems smart and effective so far, namely the search for a Syrian Benghazi or as a source close to what is happening on the ground in Syria told me, the rebels are “searching for multiple Benghazis, not just one”.

Syria’s Benghazi
22/01/2012 By Tariq Alhomayed
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=28192
…
Therefore, the rebels are now seeking to impose a new reality in search of the Syrian Benghazi, and then unite the separated areas in one line or under one context, to serve as a buffer zone before the intervention of any third party. This may explain the information that has been reported about the al-Assad regime’s attempt to involve groups from Hezbollah, in order to help thwart the project for Syrian “Benghazis”! There is also a theory that the al-Assad regime is deliberately waiting for the departure of the Arab observer delegation to deliver a final blow to the rebels.
{…}

Political activists condemn the graphic tortures inflicted by the opposition on the Syrian Air Force officer.
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=28184
…
The topic of discussion, or so it appears, is a leaked video that shows a Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate officer admitting to killing Syrian demonstrators. In the recording, the man appears to be bleeding and bruises can clearly be seen on his face, whilst those questioning him disdainfully refer to him as “boy”. We can assume that the recording was leaked by Syrian dissidents, perhaps even members of the group calling itself the Free Syrian Army [FSA].

Since we didn’t believe the videos shown on Syrian state television in which activists admitted to having committed violations, we will similarly not believe the story being told by the man in this recording. We will therefore not believe that he participated in the killings of Syrians, for now he is the victim and we will take his side in the same manner that we previously took the Syrian revolution’s side.

In fact, what has raised concerns amongst the Syrian people, and others who support Syrian activism, are the contents of these leaked videos, some of which were posted on YouTube. They all share the same features, namely an adoption of the approach of assault, torture, and sometimes killing members of the Syrian army and pro-regime Shabiha, on the basis that the Syrian regime’s practices excuse this and allow the opposition – or at least some of them – to adopt the same approach.

Courageous Syrian political activists such as Razan Zaitouneh, Samar Yazbek and others have not hesitated to condemn this issue as a disgrace that will strip the Syrian revolution of its credibility and legitimacy. Whatever the justification, the regime’s brutal practices must not become a pretext for the opposition to do the same.
{..}