Watch "Fareed Zakaria GPS" Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET.
In Syria, the brutal regime of Bashar Assad is testing the proposition that repression works. The massacre of civilians in Houla is only the latest example of what appears to be a strategy of making no concessions and using maximum force. To the Assad regime's way of thinking, Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi erred by hesitating, emboldening the opposition and sowing doubts among their supporters. So far, Assad's strategy has worked. Kofi Annan's mission, which appears to be based on the idea that Assad will negotiate his own departure, seems utterly doomed. The U.S., the Western world, indeed the civilized world, should attempt instead to dislodge the Assad regime. Is there a smart way to do it?
Watch more in the video above, read more from Fareed Zakaria at TIME and check out past TIME columns
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Let's try this solution. Have Iran, Russia and Turkey broker a deal with Syria for the removal of Assad.. Put concrete sanction removals on the table but include them in a comprehensive resolution of the enrichment program which would include assurances and intrusive inspections. Sanction removal can be phased in. There should be limitations on the development of intermediate and long range missiles and this should be tied to the non deployment of the nuclear missile shield in Europe. ( It is only a waste of money and will bring Russia on board.) Recognition of the soverign rights of Saudi Arabia to their territory in the sections of Saudi Arabia where Shiites dominate the population along with the guarantee of their rights as well as the rights of the shiite population in Bahrain should be woven into the bargain.The Syrians will cave under the presure of their 2 biggest allies and give Assad the boot,. The United Nations can work to impliment the reforms needed in Syria and bring the conflict to resolution.
Good idea John. But I'm not sure Assad will play ball.
The oppostion must retreat and unify.
Once they unify, they will be a force to be reckoned with, I promise. However, I have a feeling the war will move south of Homs into Lebonon and then alittle further south, if this is what I think it is...
Problem is what will happen to the minorities once Assad and 2 of the insurgent groups want Sunni based Syria with Sharia law. You will end up in iraq like situation with varying factions fighting for power.
They are already fighting for power.
The real problem you could have here is the same thing that happen in Rwanda. Plus, Syria signed the 6-point peace plan and look how well they are abiding by that.
Russia is already getting what it wants. They don't care about dead Syrian people. Russia will get ALL that it wants if the US finds it impossible to stay out of Syria. This is chess...not checkers...Russia is the long-time adversary. Sad to say, but the Syrian people are the pawns, and Assad is the King that doesn't seem to realize he's just another piece getting played on the board. We can't go walking our knights into traps over pawns.
Well said. It does seem our politicians pander to whatever is going on in the press as to pressure. Somehow, we need to weave this so it reflects exactly what it is, that we cannot do anything without China or Russia so indeed look to the Chinese and Russians to blame the murders on. They may then relent.
Zakaria comes up with yet another stupid concept – let world dictators slaughter their citizens and just sit back and watch like a TV Show... send in the military... NOW...!!!
You sir are a simpleton.
Im anti-war usually, but you cant just sit around while children are being slaughtered! Does Zakaria 360 ever disagree with Obama??? Ever???
So, "Hawk" I would assume by your statement, you have no problem with running down to the recruiting office and signing up, right? I didn't think so. You seem ready to spill other's blood very easily. I bet you wear camos and talk about Iraq a lot. If you were even there, I bet you were in the rear with the gear. There are other ways to deal with this than stomping in like storm troopers. We're just getting out of two wars that didn't work.
Don't worry, Fareed will be ok with going into Syria if Obama does it.
like
And you are willing to send your son or daughter over there? are you willing the posibility of killing civilians while trying to get assad out? Is so easy to thing about the world in a coach watching tv. this is not ghost recon videogame. the same mistake people does all over again is thinking that bombs and soldiers will solve everything and not thinking about what happens next... Cut assad's funds, everything is about money. A final question: USA has the money to wage war, but Has the money or the will to wage a reconstruction process?
"""let world dictators slaughter their citizens and just sit back and watch like a TV Show... send in the military... NOW...!!!"""
The situation must sound so simple to you. Kudos.
Now go do some reading about war, finances, geopolitics, religious differences, and cold war history.
At some point you will begin to understand it's not so simple after all.
and who is going to pay for it??? the rest of us are weary after a decade straight of war so please send your own kids if you think Syrian lives are worth more.
US intervention in Iraq for more than two decades caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children, and probably more than a million overall. It is difficult to believe US intervention in Syria will lead to a net reduction in lives lost.
FZ is right on. This is a religious war that has been going on for over 1000 years. It's past outbreak was with Bashir's father when he slaughtered 10,0000 Sunnis who were in the Muslim Brotherhood in HOM. Do you think for a minute that the Sunnis will be kind and nice to the Shi'ites, especially the Alawites and the Druze if they win. Another bloodbath. We should not use blood or treasure in a civil war, let alone a religious civil war that has plagued the region since the death of Mohammed. http://www.where-eagles-soar. Click on DDBlog for more information
If we don't protect freedom worldwide we might as well give it up here. If you think watching people get murdered and not even lifting a finger to stop it you become a part of the problem. Assad is a very bad man. He's a murderer and rapist. Americans used to be known for their gall. We would stand up for freedom wherever possible. Most of you care more about American Idol more than what is happening in Syria.
At some point, and I think it's close, the military will "just say no" if we ask them to undertake another useless invasion of a country that doesn't want our help.
Troll alert!!
I agree with you Hawk. And I'd be willing to sign up tomorrow if they'd take me. I'm a little too old for that now though.
Too many cowards out there who are unwilling to risk their comfy little lives here in the good ol' U.S. to stand up for anybody else.
Lord forbid you lift a finger to help a neighbor.
And I have no problem calling y'all cowards who think we should not get involved. Would you stay out of it if you saw your neighbor beating his kids and wife? You'd probably call the cops wouldn't you? Isn't that getting involved?
Just because this is another country on the other side of the world makes no difference. If those who cannot defend themselves are being slaughtered daily by the same people who are supposed to be protecting them then it is our American duty to defend them.
I sure hope God doesn't judge you cowards for your lack of sympathy for innocent women and children who are being hog-tied and put to the sword.
Shame on you all and hopefully you will never have to personally suffer the types of attrocities being commited by the Satanic Syrian regime.
Zakaria is just one of probably a dozen "Opinion" writers here on CNN's site whose consistent role is to prop up the moribund image of Obama, whose stock went south long ago. You will almost always hear him vilify nearly all or any Republicans/Conservatives (despite the vast majority of Americans describing their leanings to either of these categories). Its gotten to be both predictable....and boring. Hey Zakaria, while Coptic Christians were being routinely killed in Egypt this past year (with the Egyptian Army turning a blind eye), I don't recall Our Dear Leader lashing out very much about it. How come, O Wise One? But he sure acted quickly to throw Mubarak under the bus and then INVITED the Genocidal Group, the Muslim Brotherhood, to enter the Egyptian election, thus ensuring that EGYPT will now emerge not as any "democratic" state, but yet one more Islamist Regime. Stay tuned for Sharia "law" and the despair of Egyptian women along the way....nice work, Barack!
@hawk – I will personally pay for your way over there. It is easy to talk tough but will you put yourself at risk and not our kids. After Iraq I am no longer willing to send our kids over in the middle east for a "good cause" because those same morons we will be going to help will end up shooting at us. Let you zealots go over there on your own but leave our kids here.
So are you in the military and ready to go with the first on the ground? It is always easy to act tough and say send in someone else. Before you say 'that is their job' think again. Your military gave their oath to defend the USA 'against all enemies foreign and domestic'. Their oath didn't say anything at all about 'enemies of the Syrian people' or 'whatever enemies the media is currently driving the USA to attack this week'.
OK why do nt you send your son first to stand infront of the Syrian Tank?
STUPID, NO more WAR, you understand let those people figure out their problem.
Why send in the military when a few drones with missiles will do. ID where the "royal" family is hanging out and light them up. Let them have a small taste of their own medicine. No one can say they weren't warned.
Mike: That's a pretty high horse you seem to be riding, don't fall off!
Your analogy of the Syria conflict to a neighbor abusing his or her spouse doesn't accurately describe the situation unfolding. Who are the police to call on Assad? What we're currently grappling over here is whether the USA has the responsibility to police this atrocity. If you have an abusive neighbor, is it a good idea to go over there yourself and be a cop, to try and save a life? What if doing so may cause another neighbor (namely Russia) to go in themselves and support the abuser?
There is no doubt that what Assad is doing to his own people is an atrocity and deserves condemnation and action. However, the question of what action to take is a difficult one, as the USA has had a sordid past of entering conflicts in other countries and making them even worse. Which would almost certainly be the case if the USA intervened in this conflict, as Russia would almost undoubtedly come to the support of Assad, with what I can only speculate to be tragic and disastrous results.
Let them fight their own battles – these same people were dancing in the street on 9/11 and passing out "sweets" to celebrate the murder of 3000. I have no pity for them.
You should pity the children. They are truly innocent.
I'm with you on this one. Much of the middle east can trace it's evil back to biblical times.
Yes I pity the children.........but these same children will grow up to be adults. They're brainwashed at birth to hate the USA – these same children are future terrorists.
That was in gaza strip and just was a minority of folks doing that. please reduce the amount of DANCING WITH THE STARS watching and educate better about world affairs. then you maybe will understand why 3000 died on 9/11 and how we can avoid to happen again...maybe i am asking too much...
Right on! It's not our battle. We are not the "Husband of the World."
Right on! It's not our battle. We are not the "Father of the World."
North Africa and the Middle East are the toilets of civilization. Unless a dictator is in power, their solution to government is open rebellion and war with each other based on their tribal and religious differences. They are not worth the effort, time, money, or lives of ANY American soldiers. They rejoiced during 9/11 dancing around in the streets, so now it's my turn to dance a little bit and rejoice at the self-decimation and obliteration of their society. I hope they kill each other along with all their children. The fewer of them left, the better. I have not one care about the massacres they dump on each other – I say enjoy the moment just like they did during 9.11, The world will not suffer one bit for their descent into chaos, and I pray fervently that they end up just like Somalia. That's Islam for you – a religion of war, attrocity, repression, and death. They wanted it – they deserve it – they got it.
I agree with doubledees ... not every battle is our fight
DT that kind of thinking is straight evil. Its Monstrous of you to think that the slaughter of living, breathing, sentient people is deserved. Perhaps their ideas are backwards, and cruel, but humanity is better than that kind of blind hate. We need to educate, not exacerbate. There is so much human potential I only wish others would see it.
How about we do exactly what we are doing now.....which is nothing. This will settle itself nicely in a few years. Who cares which way it goes.
Nice moves Mr. Fred. Now if you could only take your teleprompter to dinner and it could pet your dog and wash the car you would have it made.
If the US and western powers are not responsible for what's happening in Syria, why are people commenting in here about this article ? Although the US have no boots on the ground does not mean the US did not provide logistical, financial, arms support for the rebels as we speak. US citizens do not have any knowledge what so ever about what their own government is doing militarily around the world, period. All they are fed vie their "news" is they this country, that country wants freedom. Throw the word "freedom" into the mix and the US is all gung ho with little or no knowledge about the historical facts about the country, the people they are sending their troops into. Given the fact the US were wrong about Iraq and with it's many military base around the world, does it not seem like it does indeed want to control the world ? If the US really want to root out terrorists, it has to come to gripes with the fact it originated from its own "ally" in Saudi Arabia. Of course the US will never attack the Saudis because then oil prices would shoot up and US citizens would be in an uproar. It all boils down to oil.....
Jack: No, it doesn't "all boil down to oil". Of course, when dealing with the mideast, oil is a consideration, but not the only, or even the largest one. For about ten years, after Desert Storm and until the invasion in 2003, the U.S. led an embargo against Iraqi oil. If it had all been about oil the U.S. would have been in favor of the unrestricted sale of Iraqi oil, including to the U.S. Ditto this mess in Syria. The current uproar is not about oil, but about the Syrians killing so many of their own people, and about the even larger question of how much the U.S. should intervene in other countries' internal violence.
Your comment reflects a cynicism that is at least as inaccurate as the blind faith it replaced. After WWII we Americans believed everything our government did was right. Then we realized it wasn't, and some of us became cynical. Now some people believe nothing the U.S. government does is right - as with your comment that it's all about oil. And those people are also incorrect.
Diana R,
I would just like to say thank you for putting into such eloquent, well written words an idea which I have had for a long time, but was unable to communicate. You give me faith in the ability of people to have honest, thoughtful discussions in this country. Please, don't stop posting. We appreciate it.
Commenting on the situation in Syria does not mean that Americans are willing to send soldiers to DIE in Syria in a war that we cannot afford. I would like to avoid needless deaths – and it's not like the rebels are angels! The rebels are a tiny minority, and we are supposed to help them win? That's not how Democracy works.
You are right.
Very forward thinking. I like it but then again I am writing on this web page a 12:45 in the afternoon and am not working for the state department. If I were I would forward it to my bosses. Send it in.
Iran's self-interest might overwhelm the brokered deal. Russia and Turkey may be able to accomplish something. Assad is secular and, while he may work with the fundamentalist, he is not interested in becoming one. In any case, we need to stay "out" of Syria. We have zero national security interest in challenging Assad. We actually have a security interest in seeing that Syria does not become another fundamentalist state. As far as "atrocities" there are many places that these happen in the world, including Sudan. We have never found it a national priority to invade Sudan, have we? What exactly does Syria provide that Sudan does not?
John,
we cant be playing world`s police,let them fight until they get to the realization that fighting will only destroy their own lives...
Iran will never listen,deal or work with you on any level,it is a Muslim thing and we are the "infidels"...let Muslims handle their own issues.just like we handle ours without foreign influences.
We cannot and should not be the world's police. Let the Arab League deal with the issue. They understand the culture and the language much better than the U.S. They also have the financial and military resources.
Interesting idea to back off of the missile shield in exchange for Russia agreeing to stop blocking UN efforts to resolve this. I would bet that if we scrapped the missle shield that Russia would sign off on targeted airstrikes to dimish the Syrian military capability. Only problem is it's an election year and there is no chance Obama will concede on the missile shield because the Repukes will slam him for being weak on defense if he does. We are living in an age of waging war on an election cycle (Thanks GW for the precedent) and that means not much is going to be done to help the Syrian civilans until After November. And just to be clear, I do not think that airstrikes alone will solve the problem but if every time civilians are massaacred Assad loses some of his military capacity to airstrikes it won't take long before he decides to stop massacring civilians.
John-
Why tie what's happening in Syria to an unrelated issue ? Iran has a perfect right to enrich uranium – fuel will be needed for the power reactor (soon to be two) at Bushehr. 3.5-4.5% enriched. To that level, entirely justifiable, beyond that it gets murky, but I don't see anyone in the West jumping up and down about Israel's 200+ nukes – which required much higher enrichment, and that capability still exists.
Military intervention in Syria comes with much more risk than Libya due to the many ethnic/religious groups caught up in this: Arab, Kurd, Turk, Christian, Sunni, Shia, Alawite, Maronite, etc. Regional destabilisation is a real possibility and are we prepared for that ? Again, unlike Libya. It's a case of knowing what you can do, rather than the little train that says "I think I can, I think I can."
There is no simple right or wrong answer to this situation or others like it.... Whether you are Obama, Bush, Romney, Clinton, etc........if you involve our nation-America or a leader involves any nation – this is an engagement which will commit that government for many years to come. The cost of involvement is human life.........both with the loss of life and financially. Human life suffers.........but that is the reason for action the suffering of human life.
No matter what your religious believes may be, most religions do not believe in human suffering and torture. Those religions who do believe in the suffering or inflicting harm on others are Godless and primative animals at best.
This situation is a SOUL FOR A SOUL..........our troops will give their lives for the protection of the lives of others..........
This is a very spiritual call for any elected leader no matter what nation they represent.
Lastly, this situation is in the hands of God, we must pray and have hope that all world leaders will look for direction from God – and let God's will be done.
Better idea. Let's just mind our business.
I like that idea, Spike. My brother is in the military, 21 years old, best kid anyone would ever meet. He signed up to protect the USA, not to police the rest of the world. It's so easy for people to say – send our troops in! – but they don't know what it's like to have a family member in that sort of danger. Wouldn't we all rather protect OUR troops than the Syrian people – if you all HAD to choose? Come on now.
I think the Arab world needs to figure out the solution here among themselves and impletement. We can help with the non-military dimensions. Too often we have intervened in ways that made it easy for the Arabs world to wash their hands of the out come. They need to own one of these.
I say leave this one to some one else. We have our neibors to help with the drug problem that is directly effecting us. Help Mexico more, and when the Arab league is ready to ask for our help they will.
It amazes me people comment on things they know nothing about, I'm ashamed to say this but most of my Americans have no idea how the middle east works, if you think you can just get Iran, russsia and whoever else to talk Assad into leaving your wrong, he is not going to give up power and besides whatever we ask them to do they will want to do the opposite if for no other reason than Because America supports it. We don't need another full invasion I agree, but a bombing campaign would be helpful to at least make assad think before he orders another slaughter... I am a veteran of both wars, and I can without a doubt politics and the media are what has cause these wars to drag out.. Not the us military.. It's pretty bad when you have to get authorization from higher up to shoot back because it might make the news.
Not to burst your bubble, but do you think that the country leaders don't know of these "peaceful" tactics. The thing is that greed, money, oil ect. ect. comes in the way everytime and blind them, leaving them to scatter for a profitable solution.
Your thoughts, though I might disagree here or there, are not at all unreasonable on the whole. EXCEPT for one wild card in the mix: Islam.
This is a sectarian battle. Shi'ite, et al, vs Sunni, et al. Alawites appear to fall closer to the former, since Iran, (Shi'ite) is helping to arm the Assad regime.
Your thoughts are based on your personal knowledge of basic human nature and of historical experiences. So it ought to apply to almost any nations that were involved in this kind of conflict. But "ought to apply" does NOT apply to people who are Muslims. Despite all the trouble they cause in the world, very few of us are willing to put down denial and acknowledge that the Muslim realities are not our own at all – that they are often the inside-out of our own values and realities. What works for non-Muslim conflicts does not work among the Muslim conflicts. And we always end up scratching our heads and wondering how things went so colossally WRONG. What went wrong was that we listened to Muslims, and didn't do our own homework directly on Islam, from its holy scriptures alone. We were misdirected by Muslims into making those mistakes.
We can NEVER assume that Muslims will respond to things the way people we know would. We think how we'd respond is universal – it is NOT.
Many of us still think that AMD (Mutually Assured Destruction) would keep Iran from using a nuke, if it had one. This is entirely wrong. It's right for any other nuclear-armed state, but Iran isn't like them. Ahmadinejad has stated openly that he dreams of Iran becoming a "martyr nation." He WOULD push the button. Would Pakistan use its nukes, then? Yes, absolutely, but they are biding their time to make optimal use of them. They won't blindly martyr themselves until the price they can exact from the enemy would be enormous. They're also very busy with their own internal sectarianism.
It's a similar scenario in Syria. There are two sides, each of one of the forever-genocidal sects, Sunni and Shi'ite, and various sub-sects, like the Alawites, Druzes, etc. It is still a holy war, and we have no proper place in tilting the table.
Unless we use the proper "yardstick" for deciding how Muslims will react, we will always make mistakes. We use, as most people do, our knowledge of how our own people would behave. To apply it to Muslims seems only reasonable to us. But it is the worst thing we can do. Muslims have learned how to push our emotional buttons. They have a set of values that is utterly ALIEN in the non-Islamic world. So we must learn THEIR values in order to understand them and formulate appropriate responses.
Our collective ignorance of Islam is the one reason why we keep making mistakes about Muslims.
I recommend – URGE – that you study Islam from its own texts – never ask any Muslim, because they will all LIE to you. Lying to us infidels is a virtue in Islam, and they all do it. We are confused by the violence in what is supposed to be a religion of peace and tolerance. If you subtract ALL that we've learned from Muslims, and relied strictly on the Islamic holy texts, all our confusion would vanish.
Try it.
Russia and China will never agree to broker anything as it is not in their interest to do so as they will lose finacially and strategically if they did.. Besides China and Russia are both guilty of the very thing Assad is doing – Tianmin square... Chechnya etc. The west should only assist Turkey and the Arab nations to show some balls and step in, they have the superior numbers and technology, the US and its allies can stand back and only intervene if Iran tries to help Assad.
Paul, don't drop your popcorn on the floor when watching holliwood movies. Your mom won't be happy with it.
PS. the bunch of morons knowing "the world" through computer games
Iran is supporting the Syrian regiem. Russia will just veto anything that America proposes. I am sorry but the only option we are willing to exercise is the one we used in Rwanda.
Fred your way off. Damascus has been surrounded in a horseshoe shaped enclave of rebels that have control of 1/4 of Damascus. The Rebels way outnumber the Syrian forces. What CNN puts out is a bunch of cool whip trying to stage UN troops or coalition same thing. Throw up all the pictures you want. Dosen't mean anything. Anyone that would trust the most trusted name in news or the UN wolfpack needs a new head installed. Thank you Good evening Fred. I'll take my wake up call at 11am.
Yes, US military in Syria would not likely work. Most of our major military interventions since Korea have been profoundly unsuccessful. But on the other hand, what do we do? Nothing? Sit idle while innocents are being killed in great numbers? That isn't what America stands for? Should we just look the other way? Or enter with military force to "save the oppressed" even though we know it will ultimately be unsuccessful, involve us in a lengthy and very expensive occupation, and take the lives of many American personnel. Darned if we do, and darned if we don't.
"save the opressed" are you for real? Don't you americans see what the heck is going on? Big oil has you people brainwashed! Do you think for one second that the $$$$ people that REALLY run your country give a rat's behind about "oppressed" people? They want you poor folks to think that way so you will send your sons and daughters over to do their dirty work for more $$$$....wake up and smell the roses...
oh but ron you are correct on one aspect..."expensive" and who gets all that money? Ask yourself this...how much did "Haliburton" (Dick Cheney and co-horts) make off the Iraq fiasco? BILLIONS I dare say...
What a bunch of nonsense. The REAL reason the USA will not "intervene" (invade) syria is because there is no oil there.
Sitting back is problematic from many angerls. However, I propose arming th eopposition NOT with M16th (everyone there seem to have an AK 47 or ten) but with F16s (well, more like F5's).
Stated simply, everyone can make parts and ammo for a rifle. The lifetime of a missile is too long. However if you give someone an advanced airplane, after some time it becomes as useless as an old stick – you can only fly it so many hours before it stops flying, and you don't just go to the next basement bargain store to get the spare parts. The same goes for an Abrams tank – it requires a lot more knowledge to be useful after a short time, then just to rig up some ammo or parts. So now you level the playing field, support fairness and halt inhumanities, buy goodwill, yet those will not be turned against you or your allies if you find out the y are worse than the regim they fought. At the same time you provide work in the US and you can place a pricetag on them liek the land-lease deal. They may not pay, but if they do, you gain long term economic benefits.
I had a reliable credible source tell me the Muslim Brotherhood is forcing Syrian Orthadox Christians to leave. 20 years ago they represented more the half the population there and Assad is trying to prevent this exodus. Leave it alone step said and let Biblical prophesy run its course.The birds of prey are waiting to clean the flesh off the bones of the 3m.That will perish there. Ironic the birds are not native. Assad is not the problem. The Antichrist will emerge from this with a peace plan.
Fareed, it's true what you said, "It would be morally far more satisfying to do something dramatic that would topple Assad tomorrow. But starving his regime might prove the more effective strategy". But before Assad's loyalists feel the squeeze ordinary citizens are already bearing the brunt. They have suffered enough and don't have the perseverance to endure more hardship. Their unpredictable behaviour could be either positive or negative, as always when so many forces are involved.
I have a better idea here, j.von hettlingen. We need to stay out of Syria ourselves and let out rubber-stamp European "allies" do something about this Bashar al-Assad if they have the guts to do so! In fact, when was the last time that any of these gutless wonders did anything on their own?
without the US, the NATO wouldn't have even been able to keep up its 6mo bombing campaign in Lybia.
World War II.... give or take.
Why should any western country go in? Because we see horrific pictures in the news? If anybody should do it should be the Arab League.
I agree Marine5484. Why do we always have to be the world's Superman? We're always vilified throughout the world for sticking our nose into other people's business, and the people we help end up hating us. If Islam is the religion of peace and the West is "the great Satan" then the Arab league should do something about it.
The opposition needs to retreat for a month and unify, if they want a fair fight.
The way I see it, every day in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and other Mid Eastern countries, the more Arabs that die the better off the world is. Keep up the slaughter!
Dude. Decaf.
My guess is your a republican and/or christian.
As they say in the old country- "May the fleas of a thousand camels fly up your nose". Would you feel the same way if YOUR family was over there? Yankoff!
lets take care of thing at home for awhile and let the arabs take care of themselves! this type of activety has been going on with this culture for centuries.
WAW "the more Arabs that die the better off the world is. Keep up the slaughter! ". that's an impressive comment.
Tell me something, what do you know about Arabs? Except, what you watch/read at CNN. Do you know the difference between Arabs and Muslims?
You’re missing lot of infos around you, little ignorant.
stop the intervening and not to think about the intervention
Fareed , The situation in Syria is so different from what have happened in Libyia and Egypt , what is happening right now in Syria is called "creeds war " this is from the Syrian regime , Iran and Hezbollah perspectives . Iran and Hezbollah are feeding this war by worriers , weapons , and by the political support .because for them , it's a matter of death and life , to get this , you have to know that past , when Hafid ,( Bashar's father) took power he prevented anyone from the Sunni sect to be in a high position in the military , all of the generals and commanders were from the Alawait sect , now for Hizbollah Syria is the valve of life , what links Hizbollah to Iran is Syria , i mean if the Syrians won ,Tow things might happen , first Hizbollah will lose the link and then the Sunnies in Lebnan will be much stronger and they will control the scene there and it will be the beginning of the end of Hizbollah . Iran , Syria for Iran is the main ally , It's like Iraq for Iran , losing it means the situation for Iran will change from the worse to the worst , now who is raging the war in Syria is Iran and Hisbollah , the vast majority of the Syrian army is from the Sunni sect and most of them defected but all of them in low ranks , not generals or commanders , because the Sunnis in Syria are more than the Shia . now the solution to make the revolution goes to the Syrians side is to impose more sanctions on Iran and to prevent the from crossing to frontiers toward Syria and to do the same thing with Hizbollah , after that for sure the revolution within month will drag Assads in the Syrians outskirts ,( Stop The Iran and Hizbollah intervening and not to think about a global intervention ) Assad alone can't make a war and can't stop a revolt , sorry for my weak language
Not nations. Tribes.
Syrias armed forces are a lot stronger then Lobyas. They possess modern Pantsir S1 air defence systems, S-300 long range systems, and literally thousands of BMPs and T-72s. Any NATO intervention would likely take many more casualties then in Libya.
Libya sorry
Adam, Good knowledge of the Syrian asseets but the Pantsir S1 is an absolute ZERO match for a B-1, which of course translates to Syrian ground-to-air defenses getting wiped off the map within 72 hours which translates to all those T-72's being about as relavent as a swarm of flies against a group of grandmothers equipped with giant flyswatters. Control the air, control the ground. Of course a ground conflict would prove more difficult and costly although there are built-in allies already waiting who know the ground. All that being said, as I recall, Syrians celebrated on 9/11 and I'm not big on grudges but what would Syrians be doing if American kids were getting murdered wholesale, Celebrating of course. Yet still, my decency still tells me we should intervene even though my head says not too.
Then encourage the Arab League to get involved. They have the money and military resources to act.
Thousands of BMPS and T72s and a top rate air defense system...........Just like Saddam had.
Because no matter who is in control, Islame still ruins everything!
Still hasn't matched the bloodshed that Christianity is responsible for.
What a ridiculous statement. The Arab and Turkish conquests permanently wiped out most of the indigenous cultures of Western Asia and North Africa. Egypt, Syria, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia were major centers of Christianity.
That's mainly because Islam hasn't been around as long.
more than matched it, it has overcome it by hundred fold.
They both suck
when you speak or the bloodshed christianity caused just what century are you referring to, why not deal with things in the present! try and concern yourself with current events.
So very true.
How many people were tortured at the hands of Christians imposing the Christian agenda on others?
Christ was a Jew and Hitler killed thousands of Jews..........Jesus protect us from your followers!
to zoeyj:
To state that Hitler's regime killed thousands of Jews is incorrect. He killed over 6 MILLION of them.
@mike: Gee whiz, nobody told ME there was a contest of which religion has slaughtered the most people. Tell me about it.
Bringing in someone else's atrocities and indiscretions is one of the best-known ways of diverting attention from your own. It is worn out, threadbare, and reveals the unlovely agendas of those who try to still use that ploy.
The subject isn't Christians' atrocities, but those of Muslims.
Stick to the subject.
To those, like the other @Mike, who says it's our DUTY to protect the innocent, we can provide him with abundant examples where the world stood by while atrocities were being committed. It isn't that we shouldn't care – though many Americans don't – it's a question of what good can be done if we DO get involved.
Like most free people, I am appalled, I weep, over the thought of slaughtering babies. It DOES fire up my protectiveness for such total innocents. But what CAN we do to protect them? Nothing that wouldn't make everything worse. If killing babies can gain our military assistance, more Muslims will kill more babies to get us in on their side. Did you stop to think of THAT?
Muslims will be...Muslims. They're doing what Muslims DO. Fighting. No rules of engagement whatsoever, including killing babies, even, if desperate enough, some of their own. Muslims do NOT cherish human life the way people in other religions and parts of the world do. Life is to serve Allah. To work your whole life to gain global conquest and reach for paradise. Almost nothing else matters at all. Even babies. They DO care about their babies, but not with the same kind of mindset that we apply to it. If the religious gains make it worthwhile, they would do it.
Your feelings are appropriate, but your ideas of how to deal with these things only help Muslims and hurt us.
I'd leap to help stop a baby-killer in America. I am NOT squeamish over getting involved. I don't even HAVE a TV, much less have an addiction to it. But I AM rational enough not to do so when the result of venting my wrath can do no good at all.
If you feel that God will disapprove of us doing nothing, it would only be to our indifference over dead babies. I am not remotely indifferent. But I am practical and realistic. Our visceral urges on this subject would result in what a lousy fighter would handle with a round-house punch. The only way to deal with Muslim atrocities requires subtlety, planning and finesse, to give a good, smooth punch from the shoulder. Just as Obama did when he left Pakistan entirely in the dark about the raid to get bin Laden – which is WHY it worked.
Things in this world are not always linear, the way most people would like them to be. There are, and can be, other ways to deal with people who'd kill babies. We may not engage in war over these baby-killings, but that will NOT be the end of it for us, will it? We'll find other ways.
Assad understands only the language of force. Military intervention is the solution .
If we intervene, they'll unite again to attack us, once we throw Assad out. Just look at Iraq, and you'll have a pretty good idea of how U.S. intervention will work out.
War costs lives – probably some of ours! We have no business in Syria. It would be immoral and unethical for us to intervene. Not like that has ever stopped us before. The rebels do not represent the Syrian people. Why do you think that the Arab league has been reluctant to intervene? They are not ignorant. Only America wants endless war. I am sick of war.
smart way IS Continues Slaughter !!
Fareed – stick to reporting on local issues. Have you been to Syria? Probably not. Sunni/Shia/Christian – support Assad. And as much as you try to highlight Syrias religiouse differences, the truth is the people have always lived side by side in peace. Until NOW! These so called "Democratic" "Peaceful Protestors" are anything but! I speak to my relatives in Syria and they all call these rebels Terrorists! They are not welcome in Syria, if the USA is so passionate about supporting them, then please take them into the USA and give them US citizenship. Then after their "friday" prayers if they decide they dont like the way the government is running the country, they may shoot some police officers...and apparently thats OK? When you turn the situation on yourself, you realise how ridiculouse the american support of these rebels is. God Bless all Syrians, may they forever be united, as they always have been under President Assad.
Finally – you say what I suspected all along. These rebels are just terrorists, a small band of bad men. I wish that my fellow Americans would learn peace, but they want their stupid circus.
I question the effectiveness of direct or indirect military intervention by NATO allies. Israel has effectively been at war with Syria for decades. To this day, the two countries still exchange fire every few years. Also, the relationship between Syria and NATO has never been one of trust. Syrians are more likely to see us as invaders in support of Israel, not altruistic liberators. We should not expect cooperation of the people even if we crush their military.
The only way by dislodging Al-Assad from power is by using force against him, because no any other dictator in the world has ever resigned, or given up power.
Actually the guy from Yemen did just recently.
Let's stop serving what is clearly a zionst agenda pushed by Israeli and Jewish lobbies within the country.
Research AIPAC if you've been out of the loop for a while. It's horrific.
you are far more whoriffic thn any fund raising group. You sell your people and your ideas for crap propaganda, makes you a classic whoriific
Let's stop pushing blatant pro zionist aggression. It's barbaric.
syrians killing syrians, muslims killing muslims and you are obsessed with Israel? Whoriffic!
Trying to cause the regime to collapse in an uncontrolled manner would doom the Allawites. I would say that it is not morally acceptable to leave them to the mercy of the Sunni and just let that play out naturally. Sanctions are a bad fit, precisely because the regime is so sensitive to them. You can't just remove the regime and replace it with nothing.
The situation in Syria is unstable because force cannot maintain control over a country. People need to be able to make a living and don't have time to fight. Outsiders are on both sides, Russia and China and Iran support the regime, which is hostile to the west. The Arab gulf states are supporting the opposition, which is actually the majority of the people, since most Syrians are Sunni, and the rulers are Shia.
There is more than one way out of this situation, but unless the outsiders all agree to play by the rules, it won't happen. It is unlikely that Russia would go along with any regime change, as it doesn't want to lose it's military bases. Iran definitely would opposes any settlement that would cause it to lose influence. A military conflict just kills a lot of Syrians and continues a failed state. If everyone would agree to a truce and allow peaceful elections to be held and agree to accept the outcome, then the situation could be resolved peacefully, which is clearly in the majority of the people's interests.
Iran and Russia will oppose this, but the rest of the world has to force them to accept a peaceful settlement path. Ultimately, Syria won't be stable until the political situation is resolved. It is very important that the people's will is expressed.
There are only two courses of action available. Either obtain Russian/Chinese cooperation to stop all violence via massive military intervention. Or watch a whole lot more people kill each other.
False Dichotomy. It's a basic fallacy of reasoning.
Here is my two cents.We cannot go around the world removing rulers that we don't like. This is exactly what leads countries like Iran to go for the bomb and all other deadly means to "protect " themselves. We have to respect the chain of command in a country. Right now Assad rules Syria. He should be supported in restoring law and order. There are too many people walking around with guns and dead bodies showing up everywhere. We cannot tell him to pull his troops out of battlefield and legitimately expect him to restore law and order in a country over run by terrorists and bandits .He needs to be able to exercise sovereignty and use the law enforcers to enforce the law. I don't know any expert in the world that doesn't agree that if left to himself, he will defeat the rebels, American support and all. It may take time, but this kind of cleaning up takes time because the opposition has to purify itself from warmongering elements. as for us not being able to do anything, I beg to differ. We can cut the support to the rebels and Gulf States who are funding this "enterprise". The violence will stop
Assad has no other option but all out repression. Mubarak stepped down and now he'll be in prison for the rest of his life. Ghadaffi didn't finish off the opposition and he got killed the minute they caught him. Would anyone in Assad's position want to negotiate when the only viable outcome of negotion would be to lose power and face the rest of your life in prison or be executed? I don't think so.
That is right! He should keep fighting al Qaeda thugs. That is his duty for his people and his country. Doing anything else would be a betrayal.
If he gives up and steps down now the power will be captured by islamists who will torture and kill. Then eventually US will go to war with them, occupy Syria: that will lead to even moce civilian casualties but to no decisive end.... That will be the end for Syria.
He may lose, but he rather do it in the way Kaddafi did, rather than follow Mubarak's example. The choice is rather straightforward.
Let the Arabs take care of the Syrian problem. The U.S. is NOT the world's police force. All the death in Syria is tragic, but every Syrian could die tommorrow and it wouldn't effect the U.S. at all. We have no interest to protect in Syria.
Are all of the people on the left blithering idiots? As the worlds superpower it is our responsibility to stop brutal murder and genocide in other countries. Why don't you people 'grow a set', come out of your 'kumbaya' bubble and realize the truth, then get rid of the clueless schoolboy in the white house and put a real man in there.
No. A thousand times no. It's people like you that are the reason most Arab countries hate us. You want to meddle in something that is none of our business. It's a foolish, arrogant act that benefits noone and gets American soldiers needlessly killed. The reason we should not be the world's police force is because the world didn't ask or choose us to be its police force; we inappropriately assumed that responsibility all on our own. How would you feel if your neighbor decided he held jurisdiction over your whole neighborhood and started enforcing his own rules and values with a bigger posse and better guns than anybody else in the neighborhood could afford?
YOU WIN !!!! The FOOL OF THE BOARD award !!! Go volunteer on your own, doofus....
That "schoolboy" has done more to cripple Al Quaeda in 3 1/2 years than Bush did in 8, and that has a hell of a lot more to do with American security than anything that's happening in Syria. We don't even know who the Syrian "opposition" is, or what they stand for, so why should we support them?
You keep blaming the Russians and Chinese......they are at least consistent with their statements...US diplomacy is fast becoming a standing joke......Libya,Iraq,Syria...countries which were termed allies or with which you traded arms and tech only a few years ago are now being termed evil and irresponsible by you, even though their leaders and policies havent changed a single bit from when they were your friends.....if they are evil then how do you explain your role in having given them tech etc? You blame Russians for selling arms to Syria. The French had almost built a reactor for the Iraqis with full support of the US? You created the Taliban.....Now you expect the rest of the world to tag along your new penchant for hatred towards Syria and beleive that the fact that these countries trade oil in currencies other than the dollar is a mere coincidence.....as far as we are concerned we are better off without another Taliban.....No Thanks USA
We are following a disasterous pattern that has bit us before. We assume that every enemy of our enemy is our friend, and after the events of Afghanistan that led to 9-11, we should have learned by now that this is simply not true.
Assad can stay in control for a very long time. Contrary to the way the news reports, this rebellion is pretty much located to a couple areas in the country, rather than the nation as a whole. Without any outside intervention, Assad is predicting that with the very loyal Alawite military command on his side, he will be able to hold out indefinately. This is probably very true, so do not expect a change anytime soon.
This is our opportunity to depose a thorn in our side and further isolate Iran. Let's go in there and take care of business and put a buffer zone between Lebanon and Iran.
Contrary to what you said on the TV recently Syria does have oil. Oil is a major contributor to the Syrian economy. The European embargo on Syrian oil is making a significant dent in Syrias export income.
The other countries in that area seem overly eager to attack "western" nations. Let them deal with their own for a change and let the U.S. take a break.
and why do they want to attack us? Let me guess..."they are jealous at our great American lifestyle?" You are a typical neocon.
We should also stop talking about it. The media needs to stop encouraging people and stirring fires. This is bankrupting the United States and driving the global economy in the ground.
I think it should be a military intervention against soldiers who murder Native Americans kids, women, old ppl in Wounded Knee. On the contrary, soldiers and army got honored. If US willi start war with Syria, it will trigger an economical colapse and many US soldiers will die in combat. It will be a huge mistake.
That's and insane comment.
Obama will only enter a fight if he can do it from several thousand feet using only drones and robots.
I've had my boots on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan and believe me you will learn to love drones. Now go crawl back under your bed and leave the fighting to the big boys and quit hating on Obama.
He's a smart man, and your comment proves it.
heck yeah we should stay out of Syria..or any other country for that matter. We all know that US of A only do things with our own agenda ..the true intent has never been about helping other countries anyways.
cross-hairs on the forehead...pull the trigger...next!
It would only cost 25 cents or $5 for a good bullet.
Let them handle their own stuff.
A friendli injun, this Zakaria!
This zakaria uglylizard-face nobody is doing exactly what israel and jews told him to say. The only reason why usa wouldn't intervene is because they want to keep the jew puppet dictator in power. the outcome of this will be utter annihilation and utter butchering of each and every jew in retribution and in principle. even if it leads to the end of the world and nuclear ww3, it will be done and God is paving way for jew's utter annihilation and if necessary entire world will burn in the process.
Your tin foil hat is a bit tight today.
you jew maggots think this lizard-face indian turdnugget can bail you from annihilation? youll be up for a surprise
Dude, if you read the label on top of the pill bottle, you'll be able to get the lid off and everything will be fine.
jew vermin will be uprooted and culled throughly, usa will be devastated and broke as b@lls. the killing of jew pest will be a sight to behold. you'll see
Wow people actually say things like that???? No wonder the islamic world is backward and receding into the depths of self destruction
Coo Coo!!
Syria rebels were shocked by news of cease fire and quickly abandoned it, because all that mercenaries can do is kill.
Doesn't look like the Arab League is going to do anything, but have knitting circles to discuss the next message they should send to the world media to make it look like they're doing something. We need to sit this one out and see how the great humanitarian states of China and Russia deal with it.
USA must mind our own business and stay out of Arab fights. We need money for US schools why spend it on yet another muslim war? they hate us don't you remember them dancing in the streets and calling for death to USA?
Oh lets just let the buck passer in chief make this call??? It will be interesting to see what he does when the action is not so clear but the consequences of inaction are so possibly devastating for the long term stability of an entire region.
People getting killed is a tragedy, but we don't have a dog in this fight. Assad's a brutal dictator, yes, but, who are the people fighting him? Are they any better, or are they Sunni fanatics who will start murdering the Alawites as soon as they get rid of Assad? And, long term, if we intervene, the Syrians will just turn on our troops, just like the Iraqis did. Us getting involved is definitely a losing proposition,
Perhaps 2012 is the year Israel is slapped back into ashtrey where it belongs, dec 21 ..looking forward to it
Coo Coo!! Visa denied again? Hookah run out? or just stuck in an islamic state? too bad, so sad.
starve the zionized west. give the zionized west the "democracy/humanitarian treatment" known as suffering, destruction, death.
the tired old palestinian mantra: "woe is me, woe is me, the west is responsible for our misery, woe is me, woe is me, we send a rocket, they send back three". "Oh, poor us. our shoe bombers cant tie their shoes and our underwear bombers blow up their gonads, oh woe is me. why can we be loved?"
It's an Election year...Other than the US, the western world don't have the means to topple Assad. Whether by sanctions or force. Syria will stil get stuff from russia, china iran. However, after Nov 2nd. I bet we'll see harder langauge used, crippling sanctions starting and "use of force" talk.
Um yes, the US should stay out. Let the rest of the world handle this, or no one at all. Either way, the international community has to learn a tough lesson: what happens when the US does not give a sh!t. Far too often they are eager to point the finger at US intervention, so its time to give them a taste of what they want. And if you cannot tell by my tone, I fully expect there to be consequences to this, but I am sure its something all the other second-rate countries in this world can handle, if they find a way to work together (lolz).
it all depends on what our goals would be, fareed. as a government we obviously don't care about the people of syria or we would already have gone in. but, in keeping with the strategy of setting up multiple staging areas for the coming war with iran, as well as the oil wars to follow, there really is nothing that could stop us, should we decide to do that in syria. it would most definitely work.
fareed, you don't understand American politics. you don't understand America. you think we actually care what foreign dictators do to their own people and that's what makes your articles so funny.
the bottom line is that if it serves a militarily strategic or financial interest, we will do something. i don't know if our current leaders believe syria to be an optimal position for use as a staging ground in future wars, but for now it looks like no, which is THE ONLY significant reason we aren't there.
Syria is not our country and it's not our war. We have no business intervening and we literally can't afford it largely thanks to GW Bush's tax cuts and his other wars, which blew up trillions of dollars. Our education system is crumbling while some right-wingers want to spend money for a war with Syria? It's insane. NO.
The US should stay out of it and let some other countries take the blame when things don't work out. The US needs to stay out of it, period.
We are not the world's police if other countries are upset about it let them deal with it. Every time there is a world outrage OUR troops go, OUR money goes. and who wins? No one that's who. Let them kill themselves off then we don't have to deal with them anymore.
We should stay out...of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Our soldiers are dying for nothing. Freedom? for who. We are losing ours at home and we should fight for others?
usa should stay out of helping jew parasites, stay out of iran vs jew thingyl et iranians kill all jews its their problem as well
oooooooooo john as in "toilet" ...........oooooooooooo "toilet" ignores syrians killing syrians, shia killing sunnis and sunnis killing shia, toilet hates Jews!!!......ooooooooooooo time to flush, "toilet", your crap is too smelly
Absolutely not. We already extend ourselves further than we should. There is no reason for us to interfere with Syria, which would also further strain relations with Russia. This isn't the cold war anymore, there is no reason to have icy tenstions with them, who happen to be rising again in influence and world power. We had already, because of UN resolutions, were involved more than we should have in Libya during the Libian Civil war, there is no reason to get involved in another one of these. Unfortunetly depending on what the UN does, we could be involved with another limited role, but I feel we should stay out of it all together and focus on more pressing issues such as the state of the US economy, job growth, Iran's nuclear ambitions, ect.
Syria is Arabic. Let the Arabs show the world that they can solve a problem in their own backyard.
Sending American forces into Syria strikes me as a seriously dangerous, short-sighted, and ignorant idea.
1. America is NOT the World Police. Every soldier who enlisted is a patriotic idealist who wants to protect his/her country. Committing them to a problem that doesn't affect American interests violates the trust of why these people enlisted.
2. Arabs will conduct guerilla ops against American forces in Arab countries no matter what. Arabs in other countries will riot and the potential for them acting against American interests would be real.
3. Our country simply doesn't have the extra $X billion/day to spend to stop the murder of people who dislike us anyway. Sorry for being honest.
Noooo! Don´t send US troops. They will need 10 years. Send NATO, they can do the job in 2 weeks.
KICK ASSAD OUT!! NOW!! Syria has always been a silent agent of Iran against the U.S. and allied with Hezbollah in the Bekkah valley in Lebanon. They have killed Americans and held them hostage. Kick them out now that we have the excuse!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I suppose then that you're all right with the idea that you're saying that possibly thousands of American troops are going to die to overthrow a dictator so someone (we have no idea who) can take his place?
Jews belong in ovens, USA should not intervene in any conflict there.
coo coo!! every post you make with every name change is the same.................. coo coo!!
They are about the most evil race on earth
so what is the fuss between Sunnis and Shiites in the region, can't they just solve their problems on their own?
No
Syrian mercs just abandoned ceasefire
That's only logical since mercs are not being paid when they do nothing.
I think it's worth having WW# as lon gas it leads to destruction and death of every Jew. So what if everyone else dies in process.
Hmmmm. Rebels that beg for foreign invasion. mkeyy.....
Rebels? Others call them Terrorists
I agree we shouldn't get involved, and the sad thing is if we did we'd be blamed more than thanked. The international community always criticizes us for not helping then criticizes when we do help(with the inevitable casualties that go along with 'helping'). Its about time they stop expecting us to come to everyones rescue considering how often America is getting slandered by the same people. I'm tired of spending our tax dollars helping foreign countries as well, its about time our politicians start worrying about our country more than others with their big fat do gooder egos. your elected to serve THIS country, not all of the bad around the world. I'm also skeptical it was the Syrian government that committed the massacre. IMO it very well could have been a desperate rebel force trying to make it look like the government did it to make the international community get involved. I don't believe we can trust the Syrian people to begin with altogether, and they're about one of the last countries we should be helping in this world.
If we spend one moment or dollar on Syria... I;m going to VOMIT. NO!.
Still think Adolf Hitler was such a bad idea? Auschwitz is the original jew homeland.
12/21 2012 !!!
what about the right to protect doctrine? humanitarian causes? libya saw intervention for faaaaaar less people killed....
you cant just stick your head in the sand fareed....its an awesome display of just how cynical and selective obama is. This isnt a courageous president, this is an amoral do anything for himself president. It was so easy to lead from behind- but when one MUST lead from the front, he's nowhere to be found. I find this president an embarrassment.
You are a propagandist and a hate monger. You cry foul because he doesn't want to endanger AMERICAN LIVES and AMERICAN DOLLARS on a conflict that we have no business in. The United States Citizens have had enough of the war and stealing of OUR MONEY to pay for it.
Why is it that I'm absolutely certain that if he DID intervene, you'd be crying about him sending "our brave young men and women out to die for no reason"?
I don´t like this. There is no LIKE button
But there is no hate. The point is to remain perfectly neutral.
It's gonna be a fight for democracy till last Syrian stands alive... literally..
We don't know if it's a fight for democracy. All we know is that it's a fight to overthrow the ruler of the country. We have no idea who the people trying to overthrow him are.
Stay out of it. It's none of our business.
No the U.S. shouldn't go to the aid of these people. Did any other country come and try and "help" us when we had our civil war? No, of course this is over different matters, but the point is still valid. Why should we keep going to the "aid" of these other countries when we need to take care of our own problems at our home front? Instead of forcing on starting another war or what ever it may be called, lets take care of the unemployment and poverty levels that seem to still be climbing. We have done our job in Iraq and lives have been lost there for another country not for any reason of protecting the way of life we live now. They are only going to be doing the same thing in Syria. Why keep loosing men and women to other countries wars?
You ever hear of a little country called France? Cause they kinda ensured we got our independence.
Haha. Good one.
DId you ever think why they did? A couple reasons – they believed in enligtnment and those "socialist" ideas that are so scary to the modern americans; and because they really didn't like Great Britain – the big bully of the day, kind of like the US is today.
Ironic, isn't it?
France's interest in our revolution was more the weakening of its perpetual rival, England, than in helping us win our independence
As an active member of the Syrian opposition, I want Americans to understand that the intervention of the United States is not requested simply because we can't do the job ourselves – we could, if it were Assad alone that we were fighting. But weren't not – we are up against Russia and Iran who are maintaining a flow of arms and personnel. We cannot face Russian hegemony. We may be able to defeat Iranian interests, but it makes our situation that much more difficult. Arms are overflying Iraq under the USA's nose from Iran to Syria. Sophisticated weapons are being trafficked to Assad which are killing us daily. The Free Syrian Army asked for weapons to counter Russian arms, but this request was turned down. There is no need f
You want weapons because you fight to win, which you clearly think means fighting to kill. But there are other ways of winning. Gandhi defeated an empire. You learned nothing from him. There are other forms of power than guns. If guns and killing are all that you have at your disposal, what would you do with more power? Clearly, you would kill more people. Because that is all that you know. Power is in the people. You are too few to represent the people. I think that the people have spoken – and their choice is not you.
Syria issue, among many others, is indicative that UN has failed and USA is struggling as world power. What we need is a world government based on the democratic paradigm. It should be headquartered in the tribal areas of Pakistan/Afghanistan where a new city should be built called Globalistan. All problems in the world will disappear fast including, Kashmir, Palestine, Iran, Mexico, Syria etc.
Aw come on!
Military bombardment worked miracles in Libya – look how free & happy they are. Surely, the same can be done in Syria!
Whatever reason people can come up with to stay out of another war is ok by me. The Arab League is who should be dealing with Syria. NOT THE USA!
The Arab league is to busy counting oil profits to bother with this issue.
US should not intervene into Syria violence. We have more issues than them. If US is doing good economy wise, then we can think about going into Syria. We already wasted ton's of money, so why we should care about another nation building process? It can be handled thru Russia, China and all European Countries... This is my opinion.
No troops on the ground. When Russia eventually fails to convince Assad to stop, We have the ability to strike from afar. And eventually, Turkey should be helped to take the country. There is one thing that that Iran, Iraq, Syria all fear, The Turks! If Turkey is backed by us, the whole region could change forever!
Fareed you are a reporter, not a foreign policy expert or a military strategist. You should be reporting the news, not trying to influence the US by making misinformed states -– I think my plumber has better ideas on foreigh policy than you -
This sort of journalism is dangerous – it is misguided – and it threatens national security -–
CNN should report the news and not try to mekae it.
Oh, and for Anderson Pooper, you should honor your contractual speaking engagements and not cancel at the last minute something that has been set up and contracted for months –just to cover a late breaking story to advance your personal agenda - BAD decision blowing off a speaking engagement like that Pooper
Let Israel go in and clean up or at least play as a vital support role for a revolution. They could use some good PR and they have the strength to give the Syrian people their country.
And that would ABSOLUTELY guarantee the breakout of a full scale, scorched earth, war to the death in the middle East, that would destroy the world economy (by shutting down the oil fields)
No Comment.
good comment
I hope they kill assad and every jew afterwards. revenge is sweet
Death is not the ultimate goal. People are being wasted out there when they should be doing more meaningful things. That's the issue we should focus on.
This is coming out after Alex Jones from infowars.com was calling out Fareed on wanting an starvation blockade on sirya for regime change,
how naive !! why does anyone think the US has anything to do with the region or rest of the world. BUTT OUT. fix our own crap. we are friends with Saudi which has less huma rights than any other Middle East country. stop being silly. we are not better than anyone else. lets educate our childern and fix the economy.
US is fixing it's own stuff .... by trying to steal Iranian and Syrian stuff...
USA thinks keeping Assad on power will help keep Israel safe, I hope the war engulfs until it leads to Israel's doorstep and their most horrible death.
Why this discussion? It is a presidential election year and if anyone thinks that Obama is going to enter into a war in Syria, during an election year, they have to be ignorant of recent history. Of much greater concern is Iran's nukes and we also will not do anything about them. Well at least until either Israel decides to strike or until after the election. But not before that.
Fareed: I think you are wrong on this one. I know that the US is tired of war and conflict, BUT America will lose it moral compass if we just sit by and watch innocents killed 100 at a time. The United States had the same public disagreement before we entered WW II to help the europeans, but we had to stop Hitler, we had to stop Evil. Assad also needs to be stopped and the diplomats have had their chance and have failed. If you want a closer to home example of Evil, just look at the mass executions south of our border in Mexico. I feel that squadrons of targeting Drones would help to resolve both conflicts.
Because intervention in the Middle East worked out GREAT for the WTC workers on 9/11.
Syrian western backed rebels are terrorists. They're the ones who organized Houla massacre in order to get justification for a US invasion.
Jordan is next, they are harboring USA soldiers who are trying to keep Assad in power and people's wrath and fury will soon be forwarded to the right place. The outcome should be many dead American rats and Jewish pest purged for good! ! !
I almost never agree with Fareed, but this is the rare instance that I do. Stay out of that hell-hole. We have enough problems to deal with here in the US.
war is BIG BUSINESS. it will be hard no to go in there with all those dollars that could be made.
US should not put boots in Syria, They can support the Arabs country too intervene in Syria. US has already experiences taking out one dictator and look at mass that was and the million of dollars and life it cost the Iraq people hatting US for it action. The Arab people do want are way of life.
If we keep doing the Arab League's bidding, people might start to think that Obama's a member. They got us to go into Libya and on our nickle to boot. If the Arabs want to be rid of Assad then the Arabs should pay for it, with their own blood and money. No matter how reprehensible Assad's actions, they are not our responsibility.
The problem with the US being the police force for the world is that it is unsustainable. It costs lots of money to protect the world from tyrants and jealous warlord leaders and terrorists. We are the only country that is willing to do this for free. If our economy collapses, China is posing it self to take over as the world leader. Do you really think that China will become the world police force for free?? Do you really think that the Chinese will listen to the edicts of the UN? Wake up?
If the world wants the US to still be a police force for the world we have to get paid for it. Since there is NO ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCE for having to risk a war with the US. It is a viable option for a despot to challenge the power of the world and the US. It is also a devious way to continually weaken the US with continual world conflicts as it is a drain on the US economy, and will ultimately result in the US becoming a third world country.
There are two flaws in the way the US sees itself in the world and works as the police force of the world.
1. Would New York City have a police force if they were not paid? Would people just volunteer to be police for free. Maybe for a time, but not as a permanent professional police force. Who should pay, the country we have to go to war with. Believe me the Chinese will make them pay, any other country would make them pay. THAT IS WHY NO OTHER COUNTRY IS WILLING TO SEND THEIR TROOPS IN HARMS WAY. If the country that we have to go to war with would have to pay a tribute other world leaders would be more happy to join in sending their troops. By not charging a tribute we are making it more ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO GO TO WAR for a despot.
2. We think that other countries want to be like us. A generous, democratic country. NOT ALL PEOPLE WILL RELATE TO THIS WAY OF LIVING. There is one other flaw in the American thought and that it is based on capitalism and the way we have allowed it to evolve. I am all for capitalism. However, what does every capitalist want???? PROFIT. What is the way to get profit easy. Cheap labor. What does the Chinese communists want? POWER. The Chinese have demonstrated that they are willing to make their people work for the lowest wage in the world so that they can become the largest economic (manufacturing) power in the world. Someone in the CIA in the 70's said the best bullet in the world is money. Take that away from any leader, country, CEO and they are your slave.
We need to wake up.
2.
The United States and its Western allies are trying to incite a civil war in Syria in order to pave the way for military intervention in the country, a Syrian activist tells Press TV.
“The whole point of them is to try to create a civil war in Syria, trying to create a pretext for some intervention in Syria by NATO and its allies,” Syrian activist Mimi al-Laham told Press TV in an exclusive interview on Monday.
Laham reiterated that both the United States and Israel benefit from the massacre of the Syrian civilians, saying that US and Israeli elements are being stationed inside Syria as death squads and are taking orders from Washington and Tel Aviv.
I am an American and I strongly oppose interfering in Syria's affairs. It is clear that the Syrian people support Assad. I support the people of Syria.
We didn't help places like Rwanda, why would we get involved here?
Remember when GW sent troops to Iraq? The media, Democrats, and liberals all complained that it was a civil war and we had no business being there. We are not international policemen. Russia and China are still communist by their Mideast actions. The Syrian government is Bath which has its origins in the Nazi SS. There is no peaceful or idealistic solution to a mess that began with the British at the end of WW I who carved up this area to suit their agenda.
Every country has their repressive regimes, Syria has the brutal regime of Bashar Assad, and we have obama, the idiot.
STAY OUT already. Not our battle or worry...we are BROKE. Let some other nation, or group of nations take a turn already....enough is enough....
I have an idea. Let's do nothing and watch as thousands more innocent civilians are murdered by their government. Oh wait. That was the plan. America has given billions of dollars to the Syrian military and now they use those weapons to kill civilians. No blame here at all right? Wait. Let's not play the blame game cause that doesn't get us anywhere. We are sure to do it again too. I'm an American that realizes in our inability to promote democracy we lose our freedom in the process. Our world is owned and run by corporations.
Fareek is a former military commander and strategic military expert NOT
We're broke. Not just broke; up to our eye balls in debt. Our days of saving the world are history.
US never tried to do anything for the world. That was all a corporate propaganda.
ITS TOO LATE WE ARE ALREADY THERE,,we are the ones that sponsors the rebels.
s/rebels/terrorists/g
Stay out of Syria. Let the UN {useless nothing} do something for once!! We have enough problems here as it is!!! Get our troops out of Afghanistan too!
To stop the violence in Syria the people need to put aside their differences and diversify their beliefs. Nothing the free world can do will make these people change, they must change on their own. Intervention is not the key, educating the people to get along and at least tolerate each other is the only answer. The Syrian government and the religious leaders need to move towards these ends.
Why not? We meddle in the affairs of every other non-Xtian country full of brown people. I think we should go into Syria and throw our weight around like a drunk middle-aged football fan in a bar on game day, who just heard someone make fun of his favorite team.
At least that way America will be consistent and not look like an ignorant hypocrite. *rolls eyes*
We must stay out of civil wars.
Call the Arab league. Muslims need to help their own. Just please keep the U.S from amassing large groups of this violent culture on our soil.
" The U.S., the Western world, indeed the civilized world, should attempt instead to dislodge the Assad regime. "
Where we are living ?? This guy does not have any shame !!
U.S.stay out. Those miserable muslim countries cannot be fixed no matter what we do.
Is there a smart way of doing anything in war? The western politicians are too concerned about their own internal agendas right now. After all, the economy is the life line of these states. President Obama has enough on his plate to keep him occupied till the November elections. Why would sane man / woman take such a BIG gamble?
I trust Fareed opinion on the Middle East (maybe not so much elsewhere). We can not stop civil wars everywhere even where large casualties are involved. All revolts pay a price and many times a high price. The US certainly did in its independence bid some 200 years ago. That said, it does seem some kind of air campaign to stop the most powerful of the Syrian forces could make sense. The question is, no matter what's done, how to you achieve a result you actually want?
we haven't learned for Vietnam war, if we want to help the world lets start from Africa not in Asia. people in Asia are not starving. People in Africa are starving for the most basics water and bread. we are in Asia cos our rich guys have their businesses there..
While everybody is lost looking somewhere else....I believe you're looking at the right picture....marvelous insight angela!!
lets begin with Africa.....feed them...those looted of their diamonds,gold,riches,,yet pitifully lack basics..water & bread
To feed the hungry is more urgent then democracy...and that does'nt have the horrendous side-effect....WAR!^*+":?/><#%
Let the Arab League (ME's version of UN, 22 ME countries) with their limitless wealth, massive military and equipment continue to not give a damn about their own people being slaughtered. Nothing new.
We should stay out of Syria and all other islamic countries. In the past we tried to fix Afganistan, Egypt, Libya, Iraq and many other islamic countries that had war like situations. Today if you take a poll in any of these countries, every citizen hates America. Why do we waste our time, soldiers lives and tax payers' money trying to fix countries that cannot be fixed. Islam and democracy/modernity just don't go together. Every country that had a islamic population has ends up trying to divide the country in the name of religion. Then they start fighting among themselves. Then they start immigrating to developed countries. Then again they start dividing the country. The story keeps repeating itself. I request everybody to read history.
Yes 6 million were killed. However twice that many Germans died in the 24/7 carpet bombing that wasnt necessary towards the end of the war. The way the world is nowadays I wonder if the world would of been better off if Germany would of won.
We need take care of home before we dip our nose in someone else backyard
Under the UN Responsibility to Protect Law, the UN should lead the intervention, but as a key member of the UN, the US should be supporting appropriate action to protect the people of Syria, including military action if required. Like it not, but we are a part of the world and can't ignore mass killing of dissenters..
'Staying Out' of a nation...should also include the CIA, US Special Forces, as well as and just importantly US Security Companies like Blackwater / XE.
I'd wager we've already spend hundreds of millions if not billions clandestinely destablizing the Syrian regime through some "Presidential Finding" authorizing such efforts.
At this point we are creating our own wars by empowering elements through financing, equiping, providing logistical support, intelligence and weapons as well as elements not indigenous to Syria who have and will travel there just to get in on the payday.
Something is rotten in Denmark if you ask me!
We should have learned that you don't put boots on the ground in muslim countries.
Whatever Obama does decide to do I guarantee Republicans will be 100% against it. If he doesn't intervene they will say he is allowing innocents to be slaughtered without lifting a finger to help. If he intervenes they will say he started an illegal war. They don't care one way or the other what he does, they just know they are against it 100%.
Take Libya. Top Republicans like McCain and Bachman were calling Obama out for not helping and demanded a no fly zone. FOX News was all over Obama for allowing the atrocities to occur without doing anything about it. Then The US met with the UN, NATO, Europe and the Arab League and they ALL decided to enact a no fly zone. The next day FOX News and Republicans were all over Obama's illegal warrant they were 100% against even thought hey we're 100% for it the day before
Do what you think is right Obama. Republicans will automatically take the opposite stance no matter what, so don't even factor them into the equation.
you are 100% correct, Nodack. Would any republicans care to deny that what he says is true? Be honest.
FAREED: There are many countries the world over that disagree with our government. Do you see your own picture above with rebels with RPG's and Kalashnikovs? Do you believe our own USA govt. would hesitate for even one second if ANY US citizens start trying to "make a new govt." with RPG's and arms? and that any country supporting them would be our instant enemy?
will someone on the left explain why we intervened in Lybia but wont in Syria?
ANYBODY?
Will somebody on the right explain why the repubs blasted Obama for not intervening in Lybia until he did, and then accused him of waging an illegal war?
Exactly Dave. The reason I think we haven't intervened is because whatever Obama decides to do, Republicans will take the opposite stance and try to use that against him at home in the upcoming election. They baited Obama into Libya and then attacked him for going in. They are doing the same thing now and so far Obama hasn't bit on the bait.
Hmm I think everyone really needs to sit back and see what's going on over there . The killing is out of control . He is killing everyone not just people who are against him. This is coming from a Syrian American and a Syrian who has friends and family over there as I type this . If we do nothing he will kill more people then his father did . As for the people say oh what about the minorities in syria well they are screwing them self by not siding the the pele who are being killed who are Sunni . By sitting on the side lines and doing nothing the Sunni s will remember that day and screw everyone that did not help . As for syria becoming like Iraq no it won't because syria is a different kind of Iraq 80 % is Sunni then 10 is catholic and the rest is mix. The shia well that's a different story what will happen to them well lets just say and eye for an eye blood for blood that's how it is in the middle east . Like it or not .
Russia will not stop supporting syria because syria is the doorway to the middle east also syria is also an early warning system for Iran attack radar systems are on the coast lines to warn Iran of attack . And Lebanon is also supporting Assad because all weapons to hezbollah coming from Iran run right through syria . So losing syria is a major blow to a lot of people .
The shia are starting a war in all the middle east Qatar Dubai bahrain and Yemen . They are trying to use the spring uprising to gain control of Sunni countries and thus make issues to Saudi Arabia and Saudis will blow everyone away if they try to take any land from it and thus aka al-quid a strikes are more like attacks on Shia military targets ... Iran wants a war well there are more Sunni the Shia bring it ..
why did Obama intervene in Lybia?
Why did Obama assasinate Qadafi?
It's their revolution, not ours. We should stay out of the Middle East and Syria!
hey fareed, how come Lybia, not Syria?
Go in if necessary, but only AFTER Russia, China, France, Germany
and England. And don't go in any more than they do.
We would be forever waiting on France to go in. I guess that works though.
I think the best thing the USA can do right now is try to take care of US citizens and our failing economy.
I am not sure we could protect our own country any more let alone other countries. At some point in time we the people and our government have to take responsibility for our own borders and citizens including our growing number of senior citizens. Once we have that is control then I think it would be fair to offer help to others.
Meaning no disrespect to Syria and it's people but how many times do we get involved and then are hated by the country we were supposedly trying to help.
Syria is the tip of the iceberg. Even ousting the Assad regime would just be putting a band-aid on a bullethole. The entire Islamic world will self-destruct and bring huge chunks of Asia, Africa, and some of Europe down with it when the oil there runs out. With no water and no money to buy it or extract it from the ocean, the entire middle east will explode. The sheiks better start building water refineries instead of oil refineries if they want to keep their intact cities from becoming smouldering piles of rubble.
Nothing we do will ever stop those people from killing each other. Let them do it, stop medling in other nations problems and deal with our own at home. Our economy is in the toilet, political in-fighting prevents anything from getting done, our politicians are corrupt and out of touch with the rest of america. We would be a much greater nation if we invested all the money in other nations into our own. The Obama and Romney's of the world care too much for what is going on abroad and keeping themselves in power that they are crippling our nation. It's time for America to become once more Isolationist. Fix things at home before fixing the rest of the world.
The United States does not have the resources to fight the wars we are already involved in. We simply do not have the money to fight another one.
Just curious about one thing. Why is it that whenever there is trouble in a middle east country, the U.S. feels it has to get involved. We sell billions of armaments to our "Friendlies" over there, which they never use. Why can't an Arab country or countries step in and handle it. They never seem to want to be involved unless it's internal; they'd rather the West lose blood & treasure to resolve it. The Russians aren't getting involved but they are letting their Friendly (Iran) pitch in. Just curious.
Arab rulers are bloated ticks, too fat and happy to move unless someone puts a bomb directly under their thrones. They also are so used to people dying in the name of Islam that they don't really give a damn what Assad does, as long as he doesn't point his guns at them.
It's easy to call for rmilitary action when something like 1% of Americans have served in the two current conflicts. For most people sitting in the comfort of their homes the men and women who would die are strangers; someone else's son or daughter. It's disturbing to me that so many Americans have apparently learned nothing from 10 years of war. I feel for the Syrians being slaughtered, I really do. I've seen what war can do to a civilian population. But we're not the world's police, and our country is falling apart at home. I don't think we should risk one American life or dollar for a country that generally hates the West.
I, for one, am thoroughly enjoying the utter chaos, death, and war the muslims are raining down on each other since the "Arab Spring." What a payback for the rejoicing they did during 9/11. I say to hell with the lot of them. Let them blast each other back into the stone age and live under the oppressive rule of their Imam's and all their baloney religion. If God really loved them, they wouldn't be in the toilet they have festered in for the last several months.
There are two reasons why attacking Syria cannot happen. From Fareed's standpoint, he's Muslim and on that point alone he'd never come on board with the idea. Allied with that is the fallout from military action on Syria, which Zakaria ignores and in that, is being intellectually dishonest. He only barely touched on Lebanon, but Lebanon is really the key. Syria still controls Lebanon's Hezbollah, their heavy arms and has used them in the past against the Israeli's. An attack on Syria by the US would bring about a near-simultaneous reprisal attack on Israel by the Lebanese. We're not talking the Lebanese Army here, which is a token government force, but Hezbollah and it's tens of thousands of missiles, which are, as Israel found out in the last war, stored and accessible underground where artillery and bombs can't get to them. Hezbollah would like nothing better than to mix it up with Israel again. They could rain rockets down on the cities and incur relatively few losses in return unless Israel were to cross the border. We saw how well that worked out last time. Assad has an ace up his sleeve and he will use it against Obama, NATO or anyone else. Everyone knows he's holding it and everyone knows he'll use it the final hand of the game. With Iran backing Assad too, he may go down, but when he does, half of the Middle East will be in flames. Obama doesn't have the stomach for it. The same applies to Iran's nuke program. While taking out Iran's facilities present some technical challenges, the real problem is, again, Hezbollah. We fire on Iran, Hezbollah sends rockets into Israel's cities. Obama has stood by and watched not only Iran build up it's nuke capabilities but also ignored the elephant in the Middle East, that being Syria sending Iranian rockets into Lebanon. Hezbollah has been rearming over the last few years with only token news of it getting out, but we've known they were doing it and allowed it to happen. Obama's let the fox have the run of the chicken coop and now he's powerless to do anything about it.
FWIW, while I'm sure Assad has actually been shelling his own people, I have no doubts that the massacres of women and children are being done by the opposition. Assad gains nothing, and loses everything, by butchering kids, which is reason enough not to. Shells terrorize just as well as knives and executions. No...the opposition dresses up and goes on a killing spree and then points the finger at Assad. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain, because "the opposition" is always seen as the good guy. That's the liberal thought process hard at work. One need only ask who has the most to gain to find out the truth here. Even Human Rights Watch has been pondering this and their thoughts are evident in the tone of their reports. Assad makes a good case when he says that terrorists are doing it, because it's the truth. He's still on the hook for the oppression of his own people, but those kids? No...
I tend to agree . Opposition is not the good guys . They'll be loayal to the US as long as US keeps feeding them, just like Saudi are.
Also, remember what happened in Iraq in the power vacuum – sunni and shiites started killing each other. There were no good guys. US had to bring troops back to police them to stop them from killing each other. They dont' value human life, none of them.
We don't like getting involved in conflicts, we don't like sitting by and watching people, especially children, getting killed. This conflict is the source of our own turmoil. We need to pick the lesser of these two and stick with it. We need to say "Damn the expense and the causualties, we're coming in!" guns blazing OR we need to say, "while we abhor what's going on, we're committing not to fight."
However, NATO is composed exclusively of democracies, and democracies are made up of many different voices, some that will say "go in" others that will say "stay out."
When Assad is gone, things might get worse. Those rebels are just as evil if it isn't more evil than Assad. It's not that when Assad is gone, they go "oh we always wanted democracy". Islam is dictatorship (means submission) and dictatorship has a subscription on (civil) wars.
Oh look, it's this guy again. We're gonna go bomb Syria as soon as t he elections are over and there's not a thing anyone can do to stop it. 'Cept, maybe, I dunno, blow something else up somewhere to distract us for a bit.
I read that US soldier in Afganistan plus all the gear, housing, food etc. for that once soldier cost us 800K per year. Anyone unable or unwilling contribute 800K towards fighting for democracy ro whatever else in Syria, who are you expecting to pay for it?
Ok, enough people. Listen to yourselves! Attack now! No, let Assad do his repression!
Stop! This is ridiculous, we can think about this in an orderly fashion.
Now, we can all agree that Assad is bad, right? I don't think anyone here is advocating for giving the Nobel Peace Prize to him. However there's a difference between Military intervention and non military intervention. I tend to agree with Obama on this one: We invade, we will get bogged down in another Iraq, spend millions of dollars which could have gone to healthcare or social security, plus we'd have to help with reconstruction, and, in all of this, risk turning more of the Arab community against us. That's not counting the lives we'd lose on both sides. The costs outweigh the benefits here.
I believe that Obama is rightly following a pro-peace policy. You don't solve this problem by throwing money or bullets at it. We can't go in there gung-ho and shoot a bunch of people, because Syria will hate us for it, just like Iraq hates us for it. And neither can we spend money funding rebels who, for all we know, will use those same funds against us in the future, like what happened with the Taliban in Afganistan.
The major players here are Russia and Israel. Instead of sanctioning Syria, we should be sanctioning Russia for funding Assad. Russia, right now, is Assad's life line. Putin keeps Assad armed because he's the only one buying Russian armaments. Israel, on the other hand, could do more to help. Want to earn some good will with the Arab league? Help out! Israel has one of the largest weapons stockpiles in the region, it could do more to help the insurgency.
But finally, what I would suggest is to follow Politics of Peace, not Politics of War. The more we get militarily involved, the more it will hurt us in the long run. Assad isn't Kony. He's not a fugitive war criminal, he's a head of state with a strong military and financial backing. You can't win by shooting.
"Putin keeps Assad armed because he's the only one buying Russian armaments."
hm-m-m-m... If this is "reasonable" voice of "knowlegeable" US citizen then what "regular" ones knows about the world outside their own county?
PS. Russia is No. 2 in arms sales. Guess what country is No. 1 in the world?
Lets let them worry about this. Russia and China don't care so why should we? It's sad that innocent people are dying but we the America are not the world police. I personally am over it
You totally don't understand the nature of this conflict. US worrying about democracy and freedom for other is only a guise for military aggression in order to take over small nations resources.
Current anti-Syria propaganda campaign only began about 2-years ago in order to form public opinion against Syrian Government. It's been widely reported that US supplies rebels (terrorists) with money and weapons. US also trains terrorists through blackwater/akademi camps in Turkey.
IT's very easy to solve Syrian conflict – US should simply stop funneling money to terror groups!
Where is UN? Some how in the United States we think we are in charge of world peace .... That is a job for the UN and every country should do their part.
Why should we intervene in Syria? Answer: For the sake of God. You want mercy from Him? Than give mercy to others.
For the sake of dying children. I doubt the world gets the actual casualties from this genocide. I guess some people enjoy the genocide of these people solely because of their religion. Sad but true.
If you want to save children you should be on the next plane to Sudan or Haiti. They are in much worse shapre than Syria.
Boo Hoo. Hungry people here, nobody cares. Homeless people here, nobody cares. People without health care here, nobody cares. People die all the time and nobody cares.
The case against intervention in Syria. The United states is not the policemen of the world. Let others solve this problem. The United States does not have the money for another war.
Too late, the US is already involve.
I would like to see the same comments, don't do nothing, when Israel gets attacked!
Did Syria get atatcked by somebody?
But Israel recieved a huge support from the US in the past military and financially. And still does. Israel receive all kind of financial support from the US to keep the level of trouble up in the middleast.
this is a civil war. the country isn't being attacked. and Israel is a bit more capable of protecting itself than the Syrian population.
Israel is always getting attacked so your commment is nonsense, Israel defends itself each and every time without outside military help, Israel unlike Syria will never have a civil war as it is the only true democracy in the middle east. Although Syria did just have an election it was rigged just like Iran does. Why is it that when problems occur in any muslim country especially the middle east or Pakistan the Islamists and their supoorted drag Israel into it... Face it Islam is the problem not jews and not Israel... 90% of conflicts in the world today involves Muslims... China, Russia, Afganistan, India, Phillipines, Thailand, Middle east, Balkan states etc etc etc... none of which is caused by jews no matter what you Jew haters state....
i agree that US intervention is not the answer. nor is this the US's problem, at least not solely so. in general, i don't see a course for military action here and it's obvious Assad knows that. however disgusting this waste of DNA might be, he's not stupid. no matter who is in power in Syria, you're going to be dealing with religious conflict and civil strife. you can't just turn these Middle Eastern countries into democratic republics by ousting a dictator. the populations of these countries are often in opposition to each other and you're always going to have too many fanatics on all side to achieve peace. it's sad and it's tragic, but i don't see how we're going to change this. the Middle East is a different world and i don't think that we in America/Canada/Europe can understand it. i don't even think all-out global conflict will ever achieve peace out there.
Syria is rulled by Islam. Remove Islam = Peace. Syria is THE textbook exemple of wht Religion (ESPECIALY ISLAM) need to be ban planet wide. The penalty for breaking the ban should be INSTANT DEATH
Once again, where's Allah? Why doesn't Allah clean this up with a wave of his hand? BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EXIST. The middle east is the armpit of the world and will stay that way until the oil runs out. Oil is the only reason the middle east is relevant.
This Syrian chaos is more than an issue of whether we should be policemen in the world. Such a statement can only reasonably apply to the non-Islamic world. The Islamic world is totally a separate thing from the one we know. Anyone who has really studied Islam (as I have) knows that Islamic values are like our own, turned inside-out. We'd also know that Islam is NOT about peace and tolerance, but about CONQUEST. Conquering the whole world is every Muslim's duty to spend his life working for.
The real issue is why the Arab Union isn't getting involved militarily. Or at least a respectable number of their member states forming a coalition to do so. They seem to have decided to continue their intense campaign of doing nothing.
Furious though we may be, this is NOT our fight.
If they aren't riled over this baby-killing, what does that say about the Muslim mindset in general? We ARE riled by it, but it is not within our bailiwick to try to fix things over there. If other Muslim states choose to sit on their hands, let them, but WE should stay totally clear of it. And we now know Muslims will either kill babies to get what they want, or they will try to manipulate us by making us think they do. Either way, that's pretty darned LOW. And you'd be wrong to think that only one of these sects would consider it. Nothing is unthinkable, to any Muslim of either sect, if it helps move the sect, or Islam itself, closer to global conquest. Where WE are concerned, both sects are of one mind: we should be conquered.
The sectarian war going on in Syria is as old as Muhammad himself. It is a genocidal blood-feud over who his successor ought to have been, and will never end until one sect or the other is eradicated – totally GONE. Or else it'll end when Islam dies out in the world, which isn't likely to happen for many centuries. It is GENOCIDAL. It is 1400 years old. Nothing anyone can do will ever make them set it aside. The notion once touted in Iraq that the sects might "reconcile" was pure propaganda for US. No Muslim would even consider reconciliation with the "other" sect, and all Muslims know it.
Since Syria is in a sectarian civil war, there is nothing any non-Muslims can ever do to stop it. We can make one side or the other prevail, but the war itself would rage on, and on, and on, even under a whole new regime.
This is a MUSLIM conflict. We have no place in it, even though we're appalled at the baby-slaughterings. Should we not, then, leap into battle over the honor killings that are common in the Mideast? The report of baby killings may – or may NOT – be true. It doesn't matter, because it is an attempt to communicate rage to US, so we'll do something about it. If we respond to it as they hope we will, we'll have given them yet another tool, based on our values, with which to manipulate us again. More baby-killings would be the result, in various parts of the world. If for no other reason than that, we should not give them our Pavlovian response to slaughtering babies, much as we'd otherwise want to.
Both sides, conceivably, have a motive to kill babies for the shock value in the West. It is hard to claim that the opposition is killing the babies, but it isn't inconceivable that they'd do it, perhaps with babies they'd kidnapped from elsewhere, or even with their own babies. If their own babies, they'd think they'll go straight to paradise as martyrs, so that makes it okay. They'd be trying to push our buttons so we'd come in, militarily, on their side, and it's worth a few baby-martyrs to get it. It is harder, still, to claim the regime is killing the babies, when they'd know it would make the West really go to town on those war drums – against the regime. The regime has every reason NOT to slaughter babies.
We have to ask the classic question that detectives do: WHO GAINS? Of the two sides, the regime is least likely to gain anything, but has plenty of reason NOT to do it. It is said they're doing it to further terrorize the public, especially the opposition. Rather than terrorizing the public, it could just as easily fire them up to greater resistance. That's pretty flimsy reasoning. Especially considering that the West might easily decide to come in militarily against them. Is the terror they could engender worth it? No, it couldn't be enough. The opposition, on the other hand, has a very visible motive to have us riled over baby-slaughtering. It would almost surely bring us into the skirmish on their side.
The question is, are we stupid enough to fall into the trap? If babies were slaughtered, it was done entirely to manipulate peoples' mindsets – most of all, ours. Muslims know our basic values well. They've learned how to manipulate them and use them as weapons against us, and it's particularly easy to do, since they do NOT share our values at all. Like religious tolerance of a religion whose god tells them YOU deserve to be slaughtered. That's kind of taking religious tolerance too far. They USE their own religious liberties while they work hard to deprive US of our OWN. That ought to cross a big fat red line, but instead, we just move the line. It will surely cost us dearly one day.
The Arab League is not known for being bashful about criticizing Muslim regimes, and, if anyone has the legitimate standing to do so, it is them. WE have no standing in the Muslim world at ALL.
If someone ought to leap into battle in Syria, it certainly shouldn't be US. It should be the Arab League or other similar collective Islamic state groups. It is their business to promote peace in the Muslim world.
It absolutely is NOT ours. Yeah, it hurts, to even THINK of people who could massacre babies. There is nothing we can DO about it, though, that won't make the whole thing worse, impoverish us of our troops and money, putting us into an even more vulnerable position, while the people we helped begin setting up yet another Islamic State and continuing to hate us. The only losers in their game with us will be – US.
There are only two things we CAN do. First, we can try to prevent military aid from reaching EITHER side from beyond Syria's borders.
The second is to weep.
I disagree with Fareed's "take" on why Assad would kill babies. He may want to terrorize the public, but he's not stupid. The terrorizing could easily backfire by making the opposition all the more resolute. They'd then fight harder. I have trouble believing that this wouldn't occur to Assad, too. He IS attacking hard, but I don't think he'd kill babies. It's against his own best interests, since the opposition would become much more determined, and the odds of bringing the West into the matter are close to maximum. How could he want that?
We began a learning process in Viet Nam. What did we learn? If you don't know, it's part of the reason why we've made this mistake over and over, and always with the same result: failure.
We have a huge military, a large number of land, sea and air fighting troops, and the most high-tech weaponry, in abundance. We should be able to win almost any war except one against Russia or China. Should...
We have never lost a full-fledged war. However, we HAVE lost, every single time, too, when we've tried to pit our military against an enemy which was intermingling itself with innocent citizens.
We can't win such a conflict. Our weapons are geared toward classical war – the kind with battlefields, y'know. Our troops are, today, better trained for dealing with an enemy which is hidden among a population, but there's only so much TO be learned about it. At its ideal best, it can't help but be messy, bloody, and result in many unintended deaths of civilians. In urban conflicts, the only way to even TRY to fight an enemy is to find ways to get the enemy to show itself, to try to get them out of the area, so we can isolate them under attack. Even that isn't enough to avoid considerable "collateral" casualties among the citizens.
The alternative to that is to simply bomb away, and damn the torpedoes. Then we'd be as bad as the enemy.
Syria is just such a war. Even if we chose to go after the regime, we'd still be trying to knock out their troops and weapons in the midst of a civilian population. In such cases, we're lucky if we can "take out" more enemies than innocents. It isn't this way by accident. It's this way by design. This is WHY Muslims always prefer to fight in the midst of noncombatants, including women, children – and babies. Have we ever known Muslims to FAIL to fight dirty this way? Has there been ONE battlefield in any of our military conflicts with Muslims? At least since the Crusades, that is? I know of none.
We lost in Viet Nam. In Mogadishu. Yes, even in Iraq, to a large degree. In Afghanistan, we are STILL losing. Muslims aren't the only ones who prefer fighting urban warfare, but they are the ones who do it the most – and consistently.
Muslims have learned fast. They have no conscience over the deaths of innocents, even of the ones among their OWN people. Their dead ones will be happy, having been martyred and sent packing to paradise, so it's okay to them, even if they're infants. It's NOT okay to us, and that's where they can win over us. They know they can use our OWN moral values in waging war against us. So they do. It works.
We will NEVER win such a war, even when it might take place within our OWN borders. How would we kill an enemy that is hiding among our own innocent citizens? We have to go after them one by one, naturally, but they'd be able to replace those faster than we could remove them.
We have SEEN the kind of destruction that even ONE person can commit when jihading. Now project that into thousands, many thousands, of similar events going on all on the same day. Then picture it happening on our OWN soil. Do you think Muslims would be too nice to do that to us?
Syria IS a genuine conflict, but it is almost entirely sectarian, one sect slaughtering the other. Those waging it are aware of the ways to bring US into the conflict militarily (like riling us up over baby-slaughtering that may or may not be true), and they are aiming, thereby, at reducing our fighting strength in a way that further drains our treasury. Making the West vulnerable this way has been a stated goal of Muslims for a long time. Not all of the destruction they wreak on us is physical. They also seek to wear us out, weaken our military and make us go broke.
The genuine conflict involved is purely sectarian. Political, as some say – and that's true, but it's still based on which sect will prevail and then rule Syria. Again, with yet another iron fist. The secondary aspect, to draw US into the fighting, may not be primary in importance, but very close to it. The WORST thing we could do would be to fall into that trap.
We should stay entirely OUT of their holy war.
Stay out of Syria. Our well-intentioned intervention would end up only making things worse. Whichever side prevailed would hate us more. We couldn't help but end up killing innocents in an urban war, which would pile up hatred, even in the people we were supposedly helping.
Regardless of which side "won" the conflict, WE would be sure-fire LOSERS. Deeper in debt, more of our fighting troops dead. And with a pile of greater Muslim hatred toward us. Is the new regime in Libya, for example, thanking us for our help? Other than to keep foreign aid flowing in, they are silent. And all we accomplished there was to help enable the formation of a new Islamic State to hate us all the more. When they told us they "yearned" for democracy and rights, they...LIED. But it worked on us, didn't it? So now, are we going to let them pull that one on us again?
This is what Muslims, all over the world, WANT. To weaken us. To what end? YOU figure it out for yourself.
You may have noticed, too, that the Islamic world has been staying out of the direct conflict. Some supply arms to one side or the other, but NONE have offered to negotiate a settlement, and NONE is willing to put their own troops and weaponry in harm's way. If they won't, where is it written that WE should? Aren't THEY just as offended by the "baby-killing" as we are?
How can we think that WE can help arrange a final settlement in Syria? We're not Muslims. We have no standing to negotiate settlements, but other MUSLIMS do. Where are they? If the Arab Union feels it doesn't have the standing to intervene, what makes US think we do? They're killing babies. That really draws us, as it should, but we shouldn't let them manipulate us into war this way. We should, instead, be putting strong pressure on the Arab Union to do the job. They DO have the standing to do so.
Whichever side wins, whether with or without our help, the result will still be the same: another strongman Muslim dictator at the head of yet another new Islamic State. And they, too, can kill babies if they see fit.
Syria is an Islamic State, whether officially so or not. Let the Muslim world community work it out – their own way. It's what WILL happen, anyway, no matter what we do.
They're trying to push our buttons. Don't let them.
if assad falls extremist muslims will take over and it will be worse i think the us should stay out of this one.
The U.S Against the Syrian people. America doesnt want freedom for the Syrian people .
I see people throwing down the "lets send in the troops" card like it was just that simple. Look the government in Syria knows how the game is playing out. Nato just finished Libya, and Europe is more concerned about the zone going into the toilet than some 3rd world country with nothing to bring to the table. America wont jump in because it's an election year and Obama really needs that "we left Iraq" card or else he's gonna lose.
Frankly no one with the means cares, and the the ones who care don't have the means. The issue will either be solved by the Syrians themselves, or will just spill out into another Iraq. Either way, it isn't the United States's problem, and I'm not for sending my loved ones to deal with it. Granted I'm not opposed to giving the opposition some tools to actually help them stand a chance...a great deal cheaper and more effective than sending over a Marine division.
Bob. I assume you won't object if others will send Assad some tools to deal with tools you suggesting to send?
PS. BTW I'm still wondering where is Iraq's WMDs?
American Empire is over. Now, Russia and China rule the world. Bye Bye America!
Relax guys. You simply don't have money "to bring freedom and democracy to the world".
PS. Should I mention nobody is asking you to do so. Who the hack are you to teach the world?
If the Muslum countries are not helping then why should we? How is it our job?
Syria can only hold few month more before it breaks to pieces by huge civil war..which will involve all the Syrian and Lebanese.
It would only take one bullet.
The level of brainwashness of Americans will never seize to amaze me. They blame evil Muslims for terrorism, but they never ask simple questions like "Why were there virtually no attacks on Americans before their series of aggressive wars in the Middle East?", "Why aren't there any terrorist attacks on Canadians?". Simple answers to simple questions will clearly show that the problem is not Muslims, but rather aggressive foreign policies of USA.
this smart ass Zakaria he might be right but Russia and Iran , US's enemies, already helping the Syrian government This should be an incentive for the US and the western world to help the Rebels and wonder what branch of Islam Zakaria follows?
God, YES! We need another war, lest the world start to think we've been overrun with peace!
There's a disconnect between American public opinion and reality. What is happening is Syria has nothing to do with the "brutality" of the Assad regime. Aren't Iraq, Lybia, Egypt just not enough for you people to understand that there is a mighty force behind all this at work? And that it doesn't have anything to do with "democracy" or Obama? This force is bringing the world to turmoil by funding terrorists and destabilizing Arab countries. And then it asks the US to sacrifice its sons and daughters in the name of "peace". The official news carries little truth – more lies. Read alternative sources. Or you will be duped for ever.
There is no group that is in a position to assume leadership and control in Syria once Assad is gone. Taking Assad out would create another Iraq after Saadam. The Syrin opposition needs to unify itself into something that can assert a level of control in the struggle against Assad.
Mr Zakaria puts forward a good case with the best possible intentions, but like the Annan plan, there's numerous faults. 1. For sanctions to work will require that everyone enforces them, which clearly Russia and Iran have already shown that they have no intention of doing. 2. The Annan plan was flawed as its assumed that Assad would obey it, he will not. He's a Nazi dictator murdering the population to keep power. The Houla atrocity presents us with a very clear right and wrong. To now continue to do nothing to help these people is clearly wrong. 3. Comparisons with Libya and the (successful) strategy there aren't that helpful. Yes, Syria is smaller and more densely populated, but if we look where the rebels are holding ground, Idlib province, Rastan, Deraa, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, suburbs of Damascus these are all close to a border and with military support would give territory that can be defended such as happened with Benghazi. A buffer zone/ humanitarian corridor could be established up to these areas so as to give civilians a safe haven to go to and as a base for the FSA. With so many defended buffer zones/ safe havens and a with a heavily armed FSA , plus with aerial support, the regime would have to divide up its forces and would not last long, plus it would be limited in its ability to commit further atrocities. I don't buy the inevitabililty of it descending into a sectarian conflict either. The FSA and the protestors have consistently denounced this. However, if these people are left to defend themselves with hardly any weapons then, yes, there will be a protracted civil war, which is why we ( the West) should move to intervene quickly.
Wow, you are something... you shine even between the most brainwashed folks out there. Talking nonsense with such a rare assuredness is a clear sign of schizophrenia. Instead of your arbitrary assumptions, you can base upon historical facts. For instance in Libya, that you mention, the number of victims before the NATO intervention was about 2000 (for several years), after – 50 000 (for several months). Please, do not offer any more ridiculous plans here, leave this job for professionals, like Mr Zacharia.
Agreed . But the Obama administration wants to destroy the Syrian by army – Assad . Our allies in the Middle East have become disgusted feel of our policy Aggressive against the Syrian people .
I noticed President Assad Sunday addressing the recently elected Parliament. Can anyone tell me what were the results of that election?
Sure can! Assad won! It was a landslide. As a matter of fact, everybody voted for Assad.
That's what the Democrats would call brining people together.
They'd do it just like Assad - if they only could.
But they can't.
Bomb em, we should bomb all murderous leaders. Next Zimbabwe and lets then go from there.
Fareed Zakaria explains why the world shouldn't intervene militarily in Syria ?
Because the U.S want a civil war in Syria. No need for excuses. The U.S. administration is evil. Should be on the U.S administration to allow for other countries like Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to defend the rebels themselves. Administration does not want to intervene militarily and prevent other countries from arming rebels. This means that the U.S. does not want freedom for the Syrian people. Shame on us. Why take advantage of the killing of the Syrian people. Bombing by B-52 aircraft for a period of one week is enough to destroy the army of al-Assad, and to stop the massacres.
If it were only that easy, Tony. But it's not.
We've wasted enough young lives and treasure on the Rabs.
We will intervene militarily if Assad attack Israel . But should not we care for the massacres in Syria by the Assad regime. Let the Assad regime slaughter children by knives. President Obama is weak president in U.S. history.
The real reason Assad is allowed to stay is because Syria without Assad would be more hostile to Israel. Assad plays the game and will only be forced out soon because it's become totally untenable to stay
Asaad is no longer thinking of retaining power. He is afraid. He is thinking of his own survival. He will be held accountable and will either go to prison or be killed if he loses his grip. Only if he is garunteed safety for him and his family will he leave, and if he doesn;t believe he will be safe he won't go.
Why should the US spend it's money and man power to fix a problem that is Syria's. Anything we do or don't do is going to get people bad mouthing us and attacking our embassies etc. So let them settle their own problems. No arms, no troops, no airpower. It's not our problem. And yes it's a tradgey that those kids were killed, but if their parents hadn't been door mats for Assad and his goons for so long..........
Reblogged this on The Global Drift and commented:
I find global politics, especially within the middle-east, fascinating. Syria has been one issue in the global arena that I have found particularly conflicting. A brutal authoritarian regime has repeatedly crushed its own people through massacre and by deprivation of any kind of normal human dignity. So why haven't western powers stepped in???
When we intervene in Lybia, the President made a big deal of saying it was for "humanitarian reasons" to pre-empt a catastrphie. CNN gave this its explicit approval with all their inferior reporting pretty much orchestrated by David Axerod. Now what is different here. Are not hundreds, no thousands of innocents being slughtered daily. This is obviously a political decision by the President not to intervene & Cnn should be charged as being culpable in the deaths of innocent civilians by caving into liberal doublespeak rather than doing your jobs..
The big picture is Syrian regime is part of Iran regime group so you can put pressure on other parts to consider helping themselves rather than Alassad, This step along with improve the opposition legal power. Then there will be a better position for negotiation.
For the first point hezbollah a strong ally for Iran has illegal weapon in lebanon and can be classified as terrorist organization so if you can move this card in the UN and security council, and there is al-malike in Iraq who is making a new dictatorship in Iraq you can put pressure on him to resign from his position -most of Iraq parties want him to resign-.
As for the second part you can declare the Free syrian army as legal armed opposition .
I think in this situation that obviously concerns a very large civilian and ethnic population, that the Arab League should be empowered to voice their will for the populace.
With their decisions and actions to the forefront, we as free citizens of the civilized world would lose nothing but gain self dignity in supporting their moral obligations to people very closely cared for in a regional responsibility.
The hope and strength in that scenario is the removal of a sadistic dictator whom has killed too many children.
How else can it be seen?
Your phrase: "The US, the Western world, indeed the civilized world..." is insulting to the rest of the world including China and your own India!
Tell me, Nicole... what was civilized about Tianamen Square?
I guess it's okay to machine gun your own people in the name of socialism.
Well... isn't it?
US stay out of Syria. We've wasted enough young lives and treasure trying to civilize the Arab mentality. They don't understand democracy. They only understand the likes of Assad, Saddam, and the Moslem Brotherhood.
As long as they keep the killing on their lands and off of ours.
What I don't understand is the naitivety the citizens of these western nations have. I feel as if they have amnesia or something. Sure I understand the killings of innocent people by a brutal regime. Also, I understand we shouldn't be the world's police force. Especially the latter, we need to be more focused at home here in America. We have our own crisis in terms of the economy and jobs, which if not addressed and fixed very soon, will bring upon our own humanitarian crisis. In fact, it's slowly unfolding in front of our eyes everyday.
Also, it is in the interests of the war lobbyist to have these conflicts take place in the Arab world as well as Africa. Even Mitt Romney himself said during one of the debates a few months ago that we currently have "covert operations" in Syria to dismantle the Assad Regime. This basically means we are trying to sow conflict day by day so that ultimately you get sides fighting, therefore leading to a mess like this, then leading to what we are discussing now, whether we should intervene militarily or not.
Many say we shouldn't stand silently and turn a blind eye to the killings over there, but what about Bahrain??? It's all about the control of the media and what they want the public around the world to see. They have done a great job on supressing the news in Bahrain. We are top allies with Saudi Arabia, a nation that tops the list of human rights abuse. Bottom line is, let the Arab Nations handle their Arab neighbors problems and let's handle our own problems.
That is total nonsense and lies, You have no evidence to back this up, because it isn't true. What is happening in Syria started spontaneously and internally. Syria ran to Iran for help and started brutally repressing the opposition. The Shia minority is repressing the Sunni majority by force and Syria should be a target of regime change. There are no western troops on the ground. Stop blaming the West for incompetent government in Syria!
No oil in Syria worth mentioning. Israel Survives. They beat Syria and friends in every war since 1948. You are a wind bag. You spew false information and lies. Your lack of schooling is apparent and you should consider going back to primary school.
You sir, are a moron. Assad is to blame for Syria's problems, not the USA. Maybe in your delusional world, the CIA controls Assad? LOL
Syria is not our problem. I sympathize with the Syrian plight, but that is their problem not ours. We have done enough for the world and still the Arabs blame us. Let some other country like France, Russia or China solve the world'd problems and let's not spill our own blood or money.
Actually (and you seem to be in need of a way to rationalize all of this) the ruling families in Syria have been working to destabilize Lebanon for years and years, while suppressing the Syrian people. This can all be framed as karmic payback via Arab Spring.
clowns? look in the mirror! you're parroting the palestinian/muslim mantra blaming everyone but yourself: "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but us is responsible for our misery".
Bite me Seed. we all know that the only good muslim is a dead muslim.
Typical mideastern bull....always blame someone else you your problems. It never changes , does it ?
Wait.......the US is to blame for you morons killing each other in the streets in Syria??? While we didn't have anything to do with your imbecile decision to kill each other off, we DO appreciate your killing each other off in droves. In face, could you step it up a bit and have an all out civil war and turn your pathetic toilet of a country into something like Somalia?? So while you morons were dancing in the street during 9/11 – hey, turn the TV on, maybe you'll catch us doing the same here while you obliterate each other. Nothing better than the "arab spring" this season. Way to go – keep it up!!
saeed, go f yourself.
LOl...USA has done enough for the world.... like what??? Stealing Iraq, destroying Afghanistan, killing Vietnams, bombing Libya,....Plz, I'd like to know what have USA done to our world??? Nothing good, darn it.
@zack – seriously, the best favor that we can do for the rest of the world is stop interfering in their affairs.
America is NOT Syria's "daddy". We have no dog in that fight, yet we are clearly itching to hop in! War is something that CIVILIZED nations avoid – yet so many posters here are just oh-so-ready to dive right in. People want a bloodbath – well, when you fight a war, it's the blood of your neighbor's sons and daughters that gets spilled! Stop being so eager for blood. Let Syria handle Syria's internal issues.