By David Lesch, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: David W. Lesch is professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author or editor of 12 books, including the upcoming “Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad.” The views expressed are solely those of the author.
The past couple of weeks haven’t been good to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. First, his long-time friend and presumed regime insider, General Manaf Tlas, defected. This was followed soon after by the defection of the Syrian ambassador to Iraq. In the past week it has been reported that a number of high-ranking Syrian military officers defected to the Syrian opposition, perhaps taking their cue from Tlas. Finally, on July 18, a massive bomb exploded in a national security compound in Damascus, killing an unspecified number of Syrian security personnel, including the defense minister and the deputy defense minister, the latter being Assaf Shawkat, Assad’s brother-in-law.
These were certainly serious body blows to the regime. Taken in and of themselves they aren’t necessarily fatal blows to the regime, especially since Tlas’ and reportedly even Shawkat’s access to the inner sanctums of the decision making apparatus weren’t what they once were. Nonetheless, oftentimes perception is more important than reality. And the perception is that two long-time stalwarts of the regime, one (Tlas) from a family that more than any other has been associated over the decades with propping up the Assads, both father and son, and the other (Shawkat) a relative to al-Assad by marriage who had been the head of military intelligence in Syria and for years the most feared person in the country, are now gone. Because of this, it appears that the regime might be on the verge of imploding. The fact that the bomb apparently was planted inside a high security complex that played host to a national security meeting had to send shockwaves throughout the regime. How can anyone feel safe at this point? Are there moles in the inner sanctums of the regime that planted the bomb? In other words, a regime that was already paranoid about pernicious unseen forces arrayed against it just became that much more unsure of who its friends and enemies are.
There’s also the perception that the opposition armed forces are getting better at striking at the heart of the regime. It’s clear that their shift in tactics from trying to take and hold parts of cities, which failed miserably against superior government forces – so dramatically revealed in Homs earlier in the year – toward adopting guerrilla warfare has been much more effective at wearing down government forces and striking devastating psychological blows at the regime. The tactical support, arms, funding, and training opposition forces are receiving directly and indirectly from an array of anti-Assad countries appear to have finally paid some dividends.
Al-Assad could claim for a long time during the uprising that the violence was relegated to the rural areas and select cities; the two largest cities, Aleppo and Damascus, were relatively safe and secure. This is no longer the case. As a result, many of those Syrian fence-sitters, who supported the regime not because of any predilection for al-Assad but for the lack of any viable alternative, may now think twice about whether or not to stick it out with the regime. With the perception that there is no place to go, that the regime is on the defensive and that the opposition is making important military inroads, high-level Syrian officials may think hard about defecting, following the path set out by Tlas and others. If this is the case, as often happens, what follows is a cascade of defections that undermines the foundation of a regime.
The question now is how the Syrian regime will react to the bombing. Will al-Assad see the end of the tunnel for his regime and more vigorously pursue a diplomatic resolution that leads to a transition of power, although he would do so from a perceived position of weakness? Or will he – and his military-security advisors – lash out in a violent fashion to show that he’s still powerful, in control, and capable of withstanding the heat? If recent history is a guide, he will unfortunately choose the latter option. If this is the case, the regime’s attempts thus far at calibrated bloodletting, i.e. enough of a crackdown to suppress the rebellion but not enough to galvanize the international community into action, may be difficult. Certainly there will be those in the regime, maybe even loyalists of Shawkat in the security services, who figure the gloves are off. They may find evidence as to who carried out the assassinations, where their home villages are, and then take to wiping them out. Vengeance in the Middle East is often gruesome and convulsive. In an election year, the United States will most likely continue to wade along the sidelines regardless; besides, it likes what it sees in terms of the perceived weakening of a regime that may be on its last legs, so why change course.
Welcome to the next ugly phase of the Syrian uprising, where violence becomes more indiscriminate than it already has been. Both sides believe it is an existential conflict. And if this is the tipping point for the al-Assad regime, what will it do to desperately hang on? Then there’s still a whole other set of questions regarding what will follow after al-Assad falls – and he will fall. The serious fault lines that divide the opposition might ultimately make the post-Assad environment equally rich in blood, at least until one party wins and imposes its vision for Syria’s future. One can only hope that the last reeds of a relatively peaceful transition are grasped through diplomacy, compelling the Russians – Vladimir Putin – to realize that they’ve wedded themselves to a sinking ship and have one last opportunity to leverage their influence toward a resolution of the problem with rather than against the international community. Perhaps a fanciful wish at this point, but the alternative is more of what we have just witnessed.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Follow the money. The media seem unconcerned, as they were with the Shah of Iran, Egypt, Libya, etc. as to who is making the massive investment in the radicals among radicals. The Administration appears to like it that way as they don't seem to be working in the best interest of the U.S., but that should not be any surprise to anyone who tracked Obama's history and true interests.
Qur'an 64:16 "Fear Allah as much as you can; listen and obey. Pay the zakat. Those saved from covetousness prosper. If you loan to Allah a beautiful loan, He will double it. He will grant Forgiveness: for Allah is most ready to appreciate."
You can speed it faster by getting a loan from Obama. Then he will say to you, " It was the Government not you, that you responsible for your success.
It's going to get worse; the regime has nothing to lose, probably hoping the following inter-opposition conflicts will allow them to come back to power, much like the Libyan end.
No, Assad would see no "inter-opposition conflicts". No doubt they would unfold, not before Assad is six-feet-under, or in the dock.
Indeed the endgame in Syria will be ugly. The rebels, despite the boost yesterday will still have to put up with Assad's well-equipped forces. Sofar their guerilla warfare has borne fruit and the psychological impact is overwhelming.
Everything They’re Telling Us About Syria….is False?http://whowhatwhy.com/2012/07/08/everything-theyre-telling-us-about-syria-is-false/
Syria will be the starting point in breaking the current world that is based on self interest , distrust and crime . Without being slave of west , now one can stand on its feet . Syria will show it .
Bukhari:V7B67N427 "The Prophet said, 'If I take an oath and later find something else better than that, then I do what is better and expiate my oath.'"
Qur'an 9:3 "Allah and His Messenger dissolve obligations."
Mr. Lee Don’t spread mischief in the land. You will face the lord. Here is the correct translation of 9:3
Chapter 9:3 (But the treaties are) not dissolved with those pagans with whom Ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided anyone against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loveth the righteous
Liar!
Qur'an 4:142 "Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah. He shall retaliate by deceiving them."
And therein lies the problem – RELIGION – not just Islam btw – all religion. As there is no religion in the world that accepts that it could possibly be wrong (ie god does not belong to them alone – which ALL religions state), all adherents of any religion use their "holy book" to justify their actions. Except that the holy book is the very same one that states that all other holy books are lies!! So – what we have here is failure to communicate! A complete intractable situation where adherents of one holy book are convinced that they are right (noble, holy – choose the word that fits) and then use that justification to denounce and wage war against those who adhere to another holy book.
And then there are the factions who interpret the SAME holy book differently – Sunni / Shiite / Sufi or Protestant / Catholic or Ashkenaz / Sephardi – the 3 major religions of the world are all designed to do two things – keep people in the dark about their spirituality AND keep power in the hands of those who claim the holy book as theirs...
The ONLY solution – and one which will unfortunately not occur during our lifetimes – is for religion to be redefined as the beginning of spiritual development and the entirety of it. When there is a religion that accepts the POSSIBILITY (no one here is god – none of us can be certain unless you've turned the holy book into a powder and snorted it) that another religion might ALSO have some claim to god, then the world will improve. Until then – war, misery, abuse of power.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it...
Russia will back Assad because Assad guarantees them the only port they have in the Mediterranean. If the rebels were smart they would issue a public ultimatum to Russia and state that if you back Assad and lose we're kicking you out of the port. Russia values the port more than it does its so called alliance with Assad and would serve him on a platter in a Moscow minute. Consequently, the way things are going now, the United States and the west will score another Cold War victory because the rebels have no motive to allow Russian access to the Mediterranean any longer. Russia has lost on basically every bet they've made in the Middle East or Arab World: Egypt, Afghanistan,etc. Now they will lose in Syria too.
It's highly doubtful, if Russia would still back Assad. It has always said, the world should leave the Syrians forge their future. The rebels have now taken matters into their own hands, without the UN. Russia wouldn't send military aid to Syria. Perhaps Iran might. That's why the rebels still have obstacles ahead, defeating Assad's well-equipped forces.
As the crisis escalates, we might see Assad, like a cornered predator, would do anything to survive. He might use his chemical weapons as last resort. Or we might see a palace coup. A turncoat would put a bullet in his head. Be up for surprises.
How effective one can use a mass destruction weapon against a hidden ghosty enemy? Assad certainly can wipe out a whole village or town with such weapons, but the more he kills, the faster the rebels will build up support from the international community and population. He is fighting a losing war the minutes innocent people were killed on the street and then ... even when they were at home. Karma is at work.
This is the most relevant truth about the Syria conflict. Nothing else really matters. It really comes down to the Russians wanting to keep their port. If the Opposition had pledged a post-Assad alliance with the Russians early on, this conflict would have ended long ago.
Funny how CNN and the other news networks will not mention the fact that a suicide bomber is responsible for the death of the defense minister. If the bomber had been in Iraq Israel or Afghanistan the word SUICIDE BOMBER would be in the headline. But since we are backing these insurgents the truth must be ignored.
On second thought, I did read on several media outlets that it was a suicide bombing.
Sorry, nothing to see here folks, just me suffering from Alzheimer/dementia.
Its all the camel steaks.
My head hurts.
Gehlen: your message may be the first time I've ever seen a commenter admit to having made a mistake! Tip of the cap to you.
Biggest problem for all in Syria is that rebel's paymasters don't want democracy in Syria, because they would be next. Most Syrians don't want Islamists even more then they dislike Assad and as long as rebels reject democracy and stick to hard-line Islam, Assad will cling on.
I question "Most Syrians don't want Islamists".
Since when do they have a choice?
If they have imams or mullahs, no choice.
Assad is going to withdraw to his redoubt and fort up. The rebels don't have the combat power to take fortified positions.
Latakia can be supplied from the sea so Assad will wait and see if the rebels can form a government. If they do, then the jig is up for the Young Lion. If the rebels start fighting amongst themselves for power, then Assad can split them up into bite sized chunks. This won't be over until Assad is dead.
The Syrian Regime will never just "give up" power. How do we know that this opposition is going to be any better? The media has been one sided on this. They only talk about the horrible things the regime does but how about the opposition.
So guerrilla warfare is OK and accepted now? The assassination of top officials is OK to do by the opposition? The opposition are the good guys, why? CNN tells us more about them. Give us at least a leader that can make some sense of what there intentions are?
So it's ok to rebel and blow up the legitimate government, as CNN (read world) sees it. Then It's ok also for the 'OCCUPY'ers in America to do so too. Dont you think? they will get international support? For the cause of the oppressed? Will that theory be accepted in USA? Have you been to Libya or Afghanistan lately? How much wonderful progress and democracy they are now in..
let these muslims kill each other!!!! im tried of u.s getting involved with these morans just because there profet was a killer and a rapist!!
Dude, if only you knew how to spell simple words in your own language, you might have had some credibility among ignorant folks such as yourself. But with such spelling, even idiots such as you will laugh at the nonsense you just wrote!
That's right Ramez, attack anything but the content of the message.
Any man who really doesn't want the U.S. to get involved in foreign conflicts should ask himself this question: Do I want the U.S. to terminate its involvement in the Israeli-Arab conflict, stop supporting Israel, stop funding Israel, let the Israelis deal with their enemies on their own, and let Middle-East history take its natural course without any U.S. involvement? If you're okay with the U.S withdrawing all of its forces from all bases outside the United States of America, and to stop funding Israel, then I guess you would have a basis to wish that the U.S stop getting involved in other people's conflicts.
"its natural course", natural to you and the other muslim apologists posting PLO crap on the islamic center bulletin board, you mean? If indeed you wanted it to take its natural course, without input from the US, israel would not have ben stopped in 1956 by the US from reaching cairo. be careful what you wish for "ramez.
That is correct, we want Amerika to cut offf all their friendships and alliances so that we can pick them off.
We musulmaine are so sfart.
The U.S wants regime change there because Syrian government is not a friend to the west or Israel.
Your point????????????????????????????
Motivated: Your comment is true, but hardly a surprise. Would we assist in deposing our friends and allies?
what is your name? "Jason"? worry about your country not Middle East. Think about Devner and your people .
why Syria might get uglier is because we are acting like it doesnt exist.
Obama, why did we involve ourselves with assasinating the terrible leader of Lybia, but we ignore the terrible leade rof Syria... double standard makes you look like everyting you do is politicaly motivated
Very legitimate and excellent question, 'shades'. And the answer is... (drum roll) ..... The the Russian naval port in Tartus, Syria. The Russians did not give a rat's hoot about Libya, so it was possible for the Arabs League and the West to actually support the rebels on the ground. But in Syria the situation is different because the Russians are blackmailing the United States. They won't give up their port in the Syrian city of Tartus without a (diplomatic) fight.
Did you notice how coooooooooooool I was when I said "drum roll..............."
Who says muslims do not learn–eventually.
Having no doubt that Assad will either end up hanging from a bridge like Benito from Italy, or fleeing using every last resort to stay of the grid (eventually), international concern will most likly end, someone needs to tell Hillery and Putin that this is none of their concern now! as supposed to either result. Ive seen pictures and read articles about both support and rebellion for/against Damascus, If the majority of Syrians want Assad out- they will make it happen, but keep in mind in sounds like some still support him, or he wouldnt have the Men on the ground (so to speak). Point is; this is a Syrian thing, or at least should be.-
We muslims breed like rats.
We can afford to have a whole bunch killed.
no problem!
Sorry freind, 100% U.S. youth! (commenter above not me!)
100% US Youth-did I just say that. It sounds like I am calling myself a side of beef.
It must be my muslim background.
Sorry, nothing to see here folks, (drum roll)...
Covetousness is a sin. Translation: Tunisia only has received proper remuneration during the so-called Arab Spring because they are an original. All the rest i.e. Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain and yes Syria, are all covetous copycats.
All fools who haven't figured this out after that sequential and consistent post should check out this link...
http://www.tpinetwork.com/alexanderargentina.html
time to reduce defense expeditures world wide. the syrians need to fix their own problems that have festered for decades. now if the arabs could fix the kingdom and the iranian maybe we can concentrate on the important problems. you know the 800 lb gorilla called the deficit- probably need to giving a haircut to investors to reduce the 16 trillion
When muslim kill muslim = ok
when american kill muslim = allahueggbert
Those that are afraid the most ... kill the most. I don't know where I learned that, but Syria and al-Assad demonstrate its truth.
Of course, if the same thing were happenning in another autocratic regime called Bahrain (think, 5th U.S. Fleet), and the U.N. wanted to slam them with sanctions, imagine how fast the U.S. would veto everything. American hypocrites.
but, its not happening there, is it!
Send George Zimmerman, Jarred Loughner and James Holmes to Syria along with the tearepublicans party. They're good with a gun! Then again, they only shoot women and children! But send them anyway!
You mean muslims do not kill women and children?
Really?
Quran (9:38-39) – "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place." This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell
This is a coup, with the "rebels" being armed by the US, Britain, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Why doesn't the media call it what it is?
Because the media tries to not report outright lies.
Now I understand how this could be construed by a muslim. However, as of today, muslims are not in charge.
I should disclose, I am a racist.
do you mean, you are a hindu, racist?
Time for me 2 sniff my camel.
Dont bite your camel, you know what happened last time, he bit you right back.
Just hope your camel does not break wind in a too convincing manner while you sniff
It is going to get uglier soon, to put people against the wall is not wise at all. Both sides are against the wall and one of them has chemical weapons that can fall in the wrong hands. I just saw an interview done to the Israeli Minister of Defense, he is very worry about this scenario. Too late. There is no free lunch my friends. It is going to get uglier.
ONE THING TOILET TISSUE , NOT THAT HAND !!!!!!!!
Mnaf is back in Syria
Syria will get uglier because Russia and China (our ENEMIES) support this despot.
Just as simple as that !!!
Russia and China (our ENEMIES) are doing us a favor so we can save our face because otherwise this would be just like another Iraq and Afghanistan campaign. Look other Arab uprisings we supported, they all turned from dictatorship to Muslim fundamentalism. Yeah, big win for US. not
Choice of people, hindu's, denier of truth can go to hind, hell. who cares.
All these spineless dictators have the same MO. Go into hiding or flee the fighting to save themselves while the population is slaughtered
Why nobody wants to call this rebels terrorists? If it looks like duck and walks like a duck it is a duck
Assad is chicken sh_t and afraid he's going to end up like his pal Qadaffi. Good riddance Nazi loser.
This time it will be fight of two lions and end will be disaster for middle east and probably mankind.
Filthy colored Indian is a racist , what a joke ?? This is in reply to KRM1007. Does anybody care about 1 billion camels.
The U.S.A is the most powerful country in the world, He are a nation that lives for war don't act like its a bad thing.. Its better we run everything then someone else.Most people hate the man on top. Duhh some other country's don't like us Does everyone like you??.Have some Common sense.. Time to understand this and there is nothing u can do about it.. Leave if u don't like it. Its the way we will always be.. We will never be knocked out of the #1 spot. We wont allow it. Nuclear war will break out before we let this happen and everyone knows it A fight with us will be to the death. American people are strong and its time for us americans stop saying we are weak.Look around who runs this. Do you see anyone else doing it like us? . Have been ever sence we landed on this ground and defeat the most powerful military the world had seen at the time. Just a bunch or back wood rednecks .. WE are strong. We are 400million proud Americans. Lets get out there and kick some Ass! Im pround Of this country!
The Romans fell and your country will fall it's a cycle. get out while you can. America will never be destroyed by another country fighting it . You must be kidding!! America will destroy itself through it's economy. See for yourself today. If you follow the market what is happening then you will understand .
Hey
The situation in syria is way much more complicated than what cnn has portrayed. It is true that there are a big chunk of opposition , However, there is a significant amount of supporters to the regime , especially the christians and the leftists. Moreover , Assad represents the anti-islamist regime in the middle east and the last straw in the throat of the islamization in the middle east. The people who will benefit from a violent transition of power will be the Muslim brotherhood which will destroy the syrian culture and openness completely. It is true that Assad is a dictator , but the idea of transition of power is very touchy too to the whole middle east. Assad should stop killing those innocent people , , I agree, on the other hand. the US would want The moslem brotherhood to take over because they are the extension of saudi arabia that gives the west an easy access to the middle eastern Oil. Those fanatics who will ruin the fabric of the long-lived culture of the middle east , where culture first come to be. Theocracy blind people .
Yours is one of the few sensible posts. Yes, while Assad is a dictator, the "opposition" has never tried to reach a modus vivendi with him, they have been out to overthrow the government from the start. Their program is to turn Syria into a fundamentalist Islamic state. Assad is the lesser of the 2 evils, and that is why the Christians support him. The US opposes Assad because it views the turning of Syria into a Saudi style state a geopolitical victory for its foreign policy, and a gain for its ally, Israel.
I just wish that for once, we could at least win a war?
Cmon, we are the richest with the most weapons and we let the Cong, the Taliban, the Chinese=Koreans and the Sadamists beat us?
I just wanna win a war!!!!!!!
The rebels and opposition are more tribal and theologically at odds with each other then we think. Yes, Assad will fall, but what remains of the population is profoundly violent and at odds with each other (it is the culture). Yes, all hell is going to break out once Assad leaves or is conquered, but we have no idea what we are getting ourselves into if we intervene(Syria is not Egypt or even Libya). Our best bet is to use our military to secure the borders and screen refugees who wish to leave. (If I was a Syrian, I would get out quickly)
"wedded themselves to a sinking ship "
Mixed metaphors have no force; they show only that the author is not even interested in what he is saying. How can you get married to a nautical vessel?
"the gloves are off" This is goofy. Is Mr. Lesch saying that for the mass murderers and torturers of the Syrian regime, the gloves have been on until now?
A fluffy, ill-written piece from an "expert". Thanks for the effort, but all it really does is repeat the obvious.
Russian regime is corrupt. Chinese regime is corrupt. Iranian regime is insane. All are police states. Syrian regime is a cesspool. Of course it will get worse. It can't possibly get better.
Why the US could get even uglier. Another government that ignores the will of its citizens.
Please!
No more Jewish opinions on the middle east.
Oy vai?
Israel is the only nation in the middle east that has any honor. All the rest are moronic muslim sand piles.
Syria, is the only port they have access to in the Med, and puts them in strategic position in the region. Them being USSR, CHINA... In the end... we have food.. .gobs of food... and if we would get our jazz together... could make bio fuels or ethonal from the tons of garbage and shake off the mid east.. but we won't... we are too tide in thanks to the Marshall plan... So, I will sit up here in the hills and hollars of Applicahia and wait for them all to come.. and learn the hard way.
Yippi ky ehy?
to all camel sniffers: Just hope your camel does not break wind in a too convincing manner while you sniff
That would indeed be biological war.
@Lance
Condescending, grammatical buffoons such as yourself sicken me... make a point or go FYourself.
And now there are reports of the CIA scrambling to find the WMD's Syria has. Hmmmm, I wonder where they got those from?
Possibly, there were smuggled-in from Iraq when the previous government fell. More like, however, they manufactured them . Chemical weapons are insultingly easy to manufacture; you could brew some of the simpler ones up in your kitchen.
The former president Basher-al Assad is not a very bright man, he will be hunted down like the dog that he is. history will not be kind to this ego maniac.
Anyone know what the results of the legislative elections in May in Syria are?
The best that rebels can do by themselves in Syria is to wage a clandestine guerrilla war. If they can immobilize the Syrian state and its military machinery that way, then they win. A guerrilla zone is literally nobody's place. It can change hands again and again and on.
Even Mao's strategy of Base building wont work today. They are obsolete. So the prospect is chronic social conflagration in Syria that will end either way.
There wont be peace when one has monopoly in mind, when one is thinking of monopoly there wont be peace.
Democracy is the cheapest word in the world today. Even North Kore will tell you they believe in it.
what
so america has a secret military in syria made up with 100,000 syians paid for by the cia lol
If Assad goes, Syria will become another Saudi Arabia. I'll take Assad any day over that alternative. Long Live Assad!
To all those against Assad: Wait to see these fanatic Islamist rebels how they will turn Middle East. into a Theocratic regime. From Iraq to Libya, to Tunisia to Syria to Turkey. Turkey is supporting these Islamist terrorists, but Turkey will be stabbed on the back by them. Wait and see. The one who laughs last laughs the most.
Kiirk, It was Shariah led Islamists that gave golden age during European dark ages. They propelled rennaisance and gave hope to Europe ushering in industrial revolution. Technology industry wouldnt exist if it was not for those pioneers of modern science
Obama has taken a back seat and relegated power to China and Russia.
is it not evident that roughly, more than a billion people around this world, having already experienced Islam/Allah/Muhammad, fought against it and discarded it for a good reason? Islam’s demise is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’, as the process of its demise started with the advent of the media, IT, etc, and got speeded up exponentially, after 9/11. (Also see article in this website, “Islam in fast Demise”)
To Saeed – ( I am giving you benefit of the doubt) according to your name
Mike & Lance are the same person, don't fall in to the trap.
5% among the mankind are happened to be psychopath, human-excrement with no morals . Period
On the judgement day No mercy upon them, and on the planet, there must be a big hole in their lifes and their destiny been controlled, bullie & manipulated by men of same age or younger them.
Please guys im trying to watch Miley cyrus on TV. Can we get back to reality.. They're are killing their own people. And now the people are standing up to fight. That's all that is happening. Russia and china are simply saying let them fight amongst themselves and lets work on healing our own countries before getting into any more battles. So go to the beach, the river or the mountains and enjoy some time with your loved ones and just be thankful that our civil war is long over with. Sometimes a land needs their own civil to filter out the bad from the good. Then it creates shows like Hannah Montana and we all get along
What is the ratio of Syrian Alewite minority to Sunni and Shiite in the country?
Here it is: The population of Syria is 74% Sunni (mostly Sunni Arabs, but also Kurds, Circassians and Turkomans), 12% Alawi and Shia (mostly Arabs), 10% Christian (Arab Christians, Assyrians and Armenians) and 3% Druze (sometimes considered part of Shia Islam). Combined, 87% of the Syrian population is Muslim. The majority of the Syrian population is Arab.
In the shadow of the escalation, the new Talaban in Syria is lunching their own war fare. We need to pay a special attention to this component.
Immediately after, the recent explosion in the security head quarter, they lunched a series of attacks in the Area of Syda Zainab neighborhood where one of the hollies Shia Islam Mosques of The Prophet Mohamed granddaughter tomb. in a try to demolish it to trigger a new wave of sectarian violence that should extend through the Middle east , specially in the mix countries like Kuwait, Suadi Arabia and Bahrain.
I think the west should act immediately to stop such attempt by putting their influence on Qatar, the main financier to the new Arab Talaban. Such possible tragic action will burn the whole Middle east, and specially the oil producing rival countries of Qatar.
The US cannot afford to get involved in Syria. Plain and simple the fact that the US has waged war in two Countries (Iraq and Afghanistan) the last decade has stretched the military significantly. Suicides are way up, moral is way down and we have other threats pertaining to the US such as Iran and North Korea. I know where people like John MCcain are coming from wanting the US to do more. But I think much of the American people are tired of fighting other people's wars.
JOHN McCain IS WRONG. AMERICA IS BROKE. ANOTHER WAR ? NO WAY. SHOULD WE PROVIDE THE REBEL FIGHTERS WITH WEAPONS ?? YES. TROOPS–BOOTS ?? NO. SAME GOES FOR IRAN, NO U.S. TROOPS. LET ISRAEL DEAL WITH THEM.
the Most of anti Assad in syria are radical Muslims and terrorist from around the world . What bothers me that they get support from united state and european union . In the future those peoples going to do the same thing in all Europa and all of the west will fall under the muslims invasion , the same way of the roman empire fall to the barbarian invasion and the same way how the Turk ottoman destroyed the Byzantine empire
There is but one person in the entire world who could have prevented the carnage that has taken place and is about to take place in Syria: Barack Obama. Obama decided that the Muslims in Syria can just suffer and kill each other off. Is that a bad decision? NO! Muslims have been dependent upon the West to rescue them from their own religion and from their home grown tyrants. They need to feel the pain in order to oust the Islamic leadership that uses Mohammed to enslave them. Obama was correct. Let evil fight evil until someone recognizes EVIL! Maybe Syria shouldn't exist!
There are more than 2 million Christians in Syria they are the native people of Syria, what going to happen to them, under the radicals uncivilaized Muslims ,
What are you calling for is not Evil / Evil war, it it Evil war to control the oil region.Same Evil that we helped controlling Afghanistan in the Nineties to struck us back in 2001 !.
Assad. The person who could have adverted the war, and can now (perhaps) stop the war is Assad.
I thought you were going to say "Assad". Barak has nothing to do with it. Really. And if Barak is smart, he will stay out of it.
Folks, let's get our apostraphes right!! Example: countries, NOT country's; democracies, NOT democracy's, etc. Also, it's there, NOT its there; it's useless, NOT its useless, although its uselessness would be correct. Thank you for your kind attention!!!
Why does SoundOff always fail to post 2/3 of the time?
Leave the Syrian government alone. We have more internal problems than Obama can deal with.Let Syria handle there own problems and quit using Syria to draw our attention away from his own failures.
Let the arabs/muslims fight it amongst themselves. US,CHINA, and Russia get the heck out of there. Let those big-mouthed Arab countries like Saudi Arabia take care of their own backyard instead of building hate cults in other countries and turn them into crap places like their own.
I couldn't agree more but lets include Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Turkey etc.
Fareed we don't care anymore, what sect are you. Enough of our sons and daughters have died in the name of your peoples tribal wars, enough is enough.
The sooner you all kill yourselves off the better the world will be.
I am 61 years old and am tired of the middle east being front page news for the last 50 years! They all hate the west no matter what side of this conflict you are on. We can't win anything in this part of the world and you would think we could learn that fact after all these years!I for one hope they just keep on killing each other all over the middle east until only one man or women is left standing than it would only take one bullet from the west to fix the middle east problem.
Because noone likes to live in a guetto.
DAVE I AGREE WITH YOU. LET THEM KILL EACH OTHER..JUST DON'T MESS WITH THE OIL FLOW.
I heard John McCain (R-Arizona) say that the Assad regime is a close allie to Iran. Does anyone know if this is true
Yes
DUH, YES IS TRUE. ARE YOU SERIOUS ???
Wny the USA media is not reporting on attacks to Sirian Christians by the radical muslim rebels that have armed 11 year old, and why also the requestet that Mrs Weiner, Huma Abedin should be investigated because Ms Clinton named her Chief of Staff, she is a practicing muslim with parents, brother and uncle that are connected to The Muslim Brothehood that is a radical extremist muslim group.
Are Democrats helping the Islamization of America and the world? This news were with photos in International news in the last 2 weeks.
Funny, I just read an article about Syria threatening to use its chemical and bio weapons if attacked. I remember the ugliness of all the liberals attacking the Bush administration when they had reason to believe that Iraq had these weapons and transferred them over to Syria. The truth comes out. The same Bush haters are bowing their knew to Obama and the Muslims. Sure, you all don't need your heads examined!
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-07-23-08-06-13
What is everyone so wound up about. This is the way Arabs change governments. In the west we have elections and in the Arab middle east they murder one another until the last one standing declares victory.
Syria need to be stop NOW...... (AS IN NUKE EVERY SINGLE GOVERMENT/MIITARY BUILDING)/.
THis is the very reason Islam must be vaporize. the world is at war with Islam and *ALL* Muslims are it'a soldiers (AKA: The enemy)
Whether one likes them or not, the rebels are using very much the tactics that brought the US to realisationof failure in Afghanistan ( the Taliban ), and are similar to the tactics used by the Vietnamese in the Tet offensive – namely infiltrate groups of people in largely civilian dress into civilian areas, then start a fight which of course induces massive collateral damage. This is effective for a force weaker in material and numbers than the opposition. It is also dangerous in a sectarian environment where groups sitting it out, suddenly start suffering harm, and then possibly are driven to lash back. Yes, the concept of calibrated response will go out the window – expect marshal law, with anyone moving at night being shot ( we did that in Fallujah in Iraq – so the precedent exist ). Also, expect this to grow across the borders – the countries supporting the ousting of Assad, and arming and paying the rebels, had hoped Assad would go quickly. The longer he hangs on the greater the chances of this sectarian war spreading to Turkey, Lebanon, and one can already perhaps see this in the increasing incidence of bombings in Iraq. Also, arms given cannot just be taken back.All very dangerous.
IF OBAMA IS SMART ??? STAY OUT OF IRAN AND SYRIA...PROVIDE THEM WITH WEAPONS BUT KEEP AMERICAN TROOPS OUT. WE CAN'T AFFORD MORE WARS. WE ARE BROKE.
France created Syria 90 years ago. They should come and clean it up their mess.
Mr. Jake R:
You too said "...going to teach the U.S. a lesson that will never be forgotten..."
This is very informative. Here you are, threating the USA with a "lesson". The lesson will be...what?
You are aware that the US is very educated? The Washington and Pentagon "think tanks" are involved in very deep analysis and study? The studies are by highly inteligent and educated people, Ph.D is the minimum to be a fellow in the studies?
It seems like you are a pea-brain, with a black/white outlook, who projects your own elemetary school world views on everyone else.
Your problem is this: it is easy to understand strength, who has more strength and who has less. But it is nearly impossible for an ignorant, stupid man to understand intelligence and wisdom.
So, before you want to "teach a lesson", try to take a lesson.
A very interesting article by the author Lesch. Yet he never once mentions what this is all about. It is about Sunni Muslims who want to take the power away from the Alewite Muslims. And they will. And there will be a bloodbath afterwards of Sunnis killing Alewites and Chrisitians by the thousands.
people forget that our armed civilian population makes even our own military look minescule. try to take america and its our people you want to watch out for, and thats if you even make it past our military
The man who detonated the actual bomb, by remote control, is a young Syrian university student. Guess where he is hiding at? He is hiding inside the UNITED STATES Ambassador's home in Damascus! Yes, he detonated the bomb by remote from there. But his accomplices were caught and have spilled the beans on him. In fact, one of the official who died later, told investigators that he had trusted that student.
So it appears that the USA is directly involved in the murder of 4 men in Damascus. 1 was Christian and 3 were Muslim.
People can get very emotional in these forums. Folks, cool down. There are no bad guys and good guys in this world. There is only national interest and self preservation (in power). Nobody is saint or evil. The Syrian regime will do whatever it takes to hang to power, the Iranians will do the same; The US and Russia will continue managing their interests openly or covertly, Arabs will continue blaming Israel for all their grief (and to direct attention elsewhere) and Israel will continue enforcing what it believes is necessary for its national security. In the end it is all very logical. Emotion is an artifact the politician and media introduce to mobilize the masses. So if you are going to take sides, take the side that is least likely to bomb you, torture you or shoot you in the back of the head. It is as simple as that.
I wonder whether Russia and China's repeated blocking of attempts to intervene in Syria has anything to do with the fact that they fear there will soon be revolutions in their own countries.
Good point Barry. Maybe, the problems within were created by the Russians and Chinese who live/work in Syria and those countries do not want anybody to know. It is better to squash the populace in Syria then to take the chance that they will need to go home to Russia or China and take their ideologies back with them.
Separately gathered news about Syria is as follows:
In Russia, Even Putin’s Critics Are OK With His Syria Policy
Julia Ioffe
July 23, 2012 | 7:20 pm
On Monday afternoon, Italian premier Mario Monti and Russian president Vladimir Putin convened a small press conference in the slanting, gold light coming off the Black Sea. They had just met to discuss the European economic crisis as well as energy (Italy is Russia’s second biggest gas client), but they also touched on the deepening conflict in Syria.
“We do not want the situation to develop along the lines of a bloody civil war and for it to continue for who knows how many years, like in Afghanistan,” Putin said, standing with his perfect posture in a slate-gray summer suit. “We want there to be peace.” Russia does not want to see the establishment and the opposition to simply switch sides and keep fighting, Putin went on. Russia’s position remains unchanged, commented the reporter of Channel One, the country’s biggest (and state controlled) television channel. “The only way out of the crisis is through negotiations.”
The insistent, demonstrative reasonableness of Putin’s quote was more than bluster; it was also a reflection of how most Russians, including the Russian press, understand their country’s role in Syria’s ongoing civil war.
If the West has come to see Russia as the ornery spoiler in Syria, as the last ally of the cruel and increasingly embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad, Russia sees itself as the last sane person left in the room, the one geopolitical actor able to put emotion and cliché aside in favor of rational, balanced thought. Glancing at Russian press coverage of the Syrian conflict—and it is, in the Russian perspective a “crisis”—one will notice that it does not get nearly the same kind of coverage here as it does in the Western press. “Why does this peripheral country get so much attention?” Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in World Affairs exclaimed when we spoke. “It just is not considered something extremely significant here.”
The Western observer tends to split the Russian press into two camps: evil statists and martyrs. But for their part, members of the Russian press are convinced of their superiority over their Western colleagues, at least when it comes to Syria. Russian journalists aren’t under the illusion that they are more objective than their Western counterparts, but they are convinced of their ability to convey a more realistic, complex picture of the events in Syria.
“The essence of the conflict is portrayed differently here than in the West,” explains Lukyanov. “Here, it is not a picture of peace-loving freedom fighters against a secretive, repressive regime. The Western picture is highly ideological and primitive. They have a template that’s used for all countries, even though, when it comes to these revolutions in the Arab world, each country is more complex than the previous one. The situation in Syria is much more tangled.” And though you can find a great variety of views on Syria in Russia—anything from the conspirological view that America is arming the rebels and ginned up the uprising to begin with, to the pro-Western, liberal chagrin that Russia is once again backing the bad guys—you would be hard-pressed to find a news outlet that uses the term “Arab Spring.”
Russian point of view starts with the naiveté of the Western point of view, and its corollary: That Russians alone can glimpse the ugly truths that run the world. “The Russian press is more accurate than the Western press, because the West, in painting [the Free Syrian Army] as freedom fighters, doesn’t understand that these guys, are blood-sucking vampires and if they come to power there will be hell to pay, and for the Americans, too,” says Maxim Yusin, the deputy editor of the foreign affairs section of the daily newspaper Kommersant, Russia’s largest and among its more liberal. (I should note that, in my three years reporting on Russia and befriending local colleagues, I’ve only ever previously heard the opposite: a refrain about the superiority of American journalism to the unprofessionalism of the still young Russian press.)
clipped one paragraph here...
clipped another paragraph here...
A poll done this spring by the independent Levada Center found that the vast majority of Russians do not support more sanctions against Assad, and even fewer support armed intervention. Asked how they would describe the situation in Syria, most said they saw it either as a civil war or as “terrorists, abetted by the West” fighting a “legitimate government.” But the biggest share of all just didn’t know how to answer.
...and I am Sid Harth@webworldismyoyster.com
Nice information Sid .. but the wrong point of view .. the Kremlin is a dictatorship similar to that in Syria .. if you don't get that you need to review the events in Russia for the last twelve years .. if the Kremlin had it to do over again they would prefer to let Qaddafi bomb Bengazi to rubble .. the Kremlin has said as much .. you really don't get it or you are merely a supporter of bloody dictators ..
Assad is brave and a hero. He will use chemical weapons against all foreign aggressors. Obama and NATO seem dumbfounded...I love it! Zionism is on it's last legs...R.I.P.
In most illnesses the patient suffers a very hot temperature before it breakes. We all witnissed it a shade too much in the past few years. It affected all countries including UK, France, even the Northern Europe.
But this situation is getting to be more of a witches' brew. I wander if anyone knows what the outcome would be. Whoever started this all acted as a dumb sticking a stick into a hive of bees without taking necessary precoutions. Just like a baby pokind a stick. But this is one misdirected sticks too much. I wander who the mischief is. For I do not think he got it right.
please read two reports .. http://infinitynewsnetwork.com/2012/07/23/syrians-are-humans-too/?utm_campaign=syrians-are-humans-too&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
http://infinitynewsnetwork.com/2012/07/23/syrian-moms-forced-to-choose-which-of-their-kids-should-be-executed/
Well, surprise surprise. Articles and blogs carefully and meticulously avoiding the elephant in the teashop on this issue – the arming and funding by the US & its gang of bandit friends. So OF COURSE, things are going to get uglier. Obama and Israel is going to make darn sure things get uglier. Nor is anyone even beginning to mention what the US would do to rebels in the case of an armed revolt. Just take a look at the baton-swinging, fist-swinging festival the cops had on peaceful – confirmed-unarmed demonstrators of the OWS protests. They'd have a field day if someone actually picked up arms. But Syria is supposed to sit down at the table of brotherly love with terrorists who have killed soldiers, government officials and civilians BY THE THOUSANDS. Writers of such plastic blogs don't seem to know this ... at least not by their own writings.
But we are not supplying them with arms. We send the weapons to Saudi Arabia and they give them to the opposition:) Our hands are clean, we are not sending them weapons:) Funny how CNN doesn't say anything about that little nugget. You also notice how they have not been given anti aircraft weapons to take down the helicopters? Who do you think made that decision? And why? Could it be because they believe they will end up shooting down civilian airliners at some point in the future? We have so much trust in these opposition fighters we support!
It interests me the vehemence that is generated here. It is as if we as citizens of the USA are going to bigot ourselves into supremecy. It also continues to show just how uncivilized our apparently superior country is. Perhaps we should all take a moment, step away from the keyboards, and reaffirm what it is we are about in this country; Equality and Acceptance.
What incenses me is your mirror image of islam as the biggest, most violent, most ignorant biggot of all.
I did not know CNN could read the future. Perhaps they should start calling themselves the Nostradamus network. I seriously doubt Assad will fall regardless of the propaganda unless the west sends in military power. The idea though seems to be that if you say it enough it will become true. Keep telling everyone Assad will fall and you build the expectation. Funny how we're now on the side of the suicide bombers. Anyone else notice the attempts to make this out to be something akin to Star Wars? The "rebels" fighting the evil empire. It would be really nice to see some impartial reporting from CNN for a change. Why do they have to be so activist in their reporting??? I'm having to go to European and Asian media sources to get the whole story. So much for a free press. They seem to just run the press releases put out by "Syrian Activists" and the administration. You could just as easily call them the Syrian traitors as Syrian rebels. But rebels fits better with our own independence movement I guess and since CNN obviously has chosen a side they will use language that puts the opposition in the best light. It makes them seem more like us.
In Islam, the future is and always will be the total irradication of anything non-muslim through deceipt, lies, murder...
Hey Saeed! After you get done pumping the neighborhood goat and your little brother, come to the realization that all Muslims are as worthless as you and deserve nothing less than the business-end of my rifle.
LONG LIVE ASSAD and the BA'ATHIST PARTY!
I am still trying to figure out why Muslim sects hate each other so much and are willing to die killing one another .
So it's ok to rebel and blow up the legitimate government, as CNN (read world) sees it. Then It's ok also for the 'OCCUPY'ers in America to do so too. Dont you think? they will get international support? For the cause of the oppressed? Will that theory be accepted in USA? Have you been to Libya or Afghanistan lately? How much wonderful progress and democracy they are now in.. look at israhell for example..it throws every UN resolution in the trash can and get backed by the USA. So what good is the UN anyway.
keep on licking zionist's butthole.
to avoid the increasing death toll, the government should immediately convene a general election . . . do not need shots clashing
no more tears ang blood, . . no more suffering of children and women
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You better hurry up and cash that check the assad regime gave you while you still can.
you sound like the lose Saeed
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaddy?
I am sorry but the fact of the matter is that US, China, and Russia will never have a real war again.
Only proxie wars ..like ... Syria right now.
Nukes will not get used. China doesn't want to get obliterated, which is what would happen if they let "one bomb drop" on the USA. It just won't happen.
Saeed,
Why is it that the Arab League opposes the position taken by Russia, China and Iran with respect to Syria? This is not about the United States or the West. Russia is only supporting Assad because he is guaranteeing them the only port they have on the Mediterranean. If it weren't for access to the port, do you really think given the Russians feelings about their own Muslim Chechnyan citizens, Muslims in Afghanistan and Muslims in Armenia and Azerbajan that they would even care about what happens to Muslims, Druze and Christians in Syria?
Funny. Like so many others you lay blame at the feet of everyone except yourself. Typical.
Saeed, you sound like you're from Porkistan. What I find incredibly silly is that the same people who were burning the US flag and hurling insults are the same people who are saying "where is Obama? Where is the US??!!!"
US visa denied again? keep trying but probably wont happen. too bad, so sad
Everytime I see one of your inane posts, I picture Achmed the Dead Terrorist saying it and it cracks me up. Thanks for the giggles Achmed...er I mean saeed
China has too much pollution. China is overpopulated. China has a crisis in its rural areas.
Saeed,
No matter how bad things are in the USA, at least we are not arabs.
Why do you hate Democracy so much Saeed? Maybe because you wouldn't have a chnce to get a lady friend unless she's forced upon you. Maybe the caves a little colder today or the camels hump went up your as_?
Why nobody wants to call this rebels terrorist? if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck it is a duck.
If we are losers, why are you here sucking our milk and eating our gravy–Go home to your desert and feed your camels.
Hey Saeed– I think you felt like you were a loser in you Desert Land–That is why you came to America. Go back and then you can criticize all you want from standing on top of a camel. But you know you won't go back cause you will starve to death/
Saeed! LOL Go home then. If China could do as you say, they would have already done it. We may be broke, but we can print as much money as we need. Also, If you think America is that weak, you would be mistaken. For 2000 years China has caused havoc during their past dynasty's. They alwasys lose in the end. Why, Like most countries they only think one way. What makes America Strong is we are from all nations and we think many ways when it comes to strategy. America is not going anywhere anytime soon. Again, if you hate America so much, why are you here? You are a noodle.
The U.S.A is the most powerful country in the world, He are a nation that lives for war don't act like its a bad thing.. Its better we run everything then someone else.Most people hate the man on top. Duhh some other country's don't like us Does everyone like you??.Have some Common sense.. Time to understand this and there is nothing u can do about it.. Leave if u don't like it. Its the way we will always be.. We will never be knocked out of the #1 spot. We wont allow it. Nuclear war will break out before we let this happen and everyone knows it A fight with us will be to the death. American people are strong and its time for us americans stop saying we are weak.Look around who runs this. Do you see anyone else doing it like us? . Have been ever sence we landed on this ground and defeat the most powerful military the world had seen at the time. Just a bunch or back wood rednecks .. WE are strong. We are 400million proud Americans. Lets get out there and kick some Ass!
Someone is jealous.
Fyi China has a no first strike policy when it comes to nuclear weapons meaning that they will not resort to a nuclear weapon strike unless they have a nuclear weapon used against them. The US on the other hand does not give up the ability to perform a first strike against another state.
cretin.you are are an example of what is rotten across the middl east
Saeed – you must be the Khameni loyalist wishing for the demise of America, and when your own regime falls – applying for a visa here or Europe.
You muslims couldn't organize a kegger let alone something important. Nothing but third world dung heaps, all of them.
Why are you still Typing? Don't you have a hot date with a Camel?
Don't know what this has to do with China, but our economy is still twice the size of China's and they have more people living below the poverty line than we have people living in our entire freaking country. Look at the numbers. They are not even close. China is still much much poorer than the US and it will remain that way for a long time. We put a man on the moon over 40 years ago and no other has even came close to having that capability or the technological prowess. I could list all the unique accomplishments by the US, but it would take too much time and I have a feeling you're not too bright.
anyone silly enough to compare Chinas military to the US is a fool. Chinas deep diving subs will have to get used to the bottom of the ocean because that`s where the US navys subs will send them
No wonder you guys can't beat a handful of Jews All bravado, no brains. Just like Baghdad Bob.
This US is behind everything that is happening in Syria. With that being said, the Syrian regime needs to go down. They go down, so that Americas support.
Hey Azaan, I agreet with you. You are smart man n cool i love smart people like u man damn you bascially said that finally somebody that agrees with me. Wanna be friends????
Another fanatical Islamic illiterate Jihadi vents his fury.
One Chinese bomb? Aimed at what? I would have thought that a single American bomb aimed at the foundations of the Three Gorges Dam (or is it four?) would wash about a third of China into the ocean...
But we have to be careful. China now has its first aircraft carrier and that's a worry.
Saeed – Have you fondled your goat or beat your wife today.
Man Al Qaeda is getting creative with their terrorism.
saeed another pathetic parasite from a camel crap covered sandpile.
You are such a f***tard go suk a 12 gauge...
And just what chicken @#it country did you crawl out of? Perhaps karma is in effect and Syria is reaping the seeds sown for its involvement in Iraq. The chickens indeed have come home to roost.
You sound like Jeff Dunham's puppet. The one that goes "Shut up!!! I keel you".
Dang it Saeed, you forgot to throw in the mandatory slam at Israel and the Jews. I thought that was lession one at the Troll School. China!!! Be serious, your wish list it too out of wack.
Hip Hip Hurray!!! For another successful Trolling attempt my friend!!! Seaeed tha Masat troll lol. Ppl dont feed the trolls please lol
i feel very sad for you. you have to much hate in your heart. there is already to much hate in the world.
is THAT the BEST you GOT?,saeed
Wow a middle easterner Who hates America I'm so surprised.
@saeed
Your rant is pathetic. I can't help but to laugh. LOL! To begin with, when did you become the "expert"? When you can answer that sufficiently then maybe I'll consider what spews out of your mouth.
At least there's food in Ireland, not like on Assad army bases
You are worried that assad and his gang of thugs do not have food.
HOW SWEET!
no I do not I hope one day the U.S.A go downe
I love my country but I understand the reasons why the US tends to be hated in many countries/cultures. That being said, I hear these arguments and dont see much logic behind them. For example, I'm not sure that the US "going down" would accomplish anything... It's the nature of men to abuse power. The next most powerful countries would eventually take the place of the U.S. in terms of interfering with other nations affairs. I mean why not? If they have the capacity to do it, they will. Every overwhelmingly strong superpower/empire in history has done it. This is simply how humanity behaves.
saeed.
How is that nasty bite you got from your camel ?
Is the camel dead yet ?
Poor thing.
Well stated, anansi. What I find most puzzling about saeed's almost daily ugly messages about the U.S., Britain, and the West in general is that those powers have taken a very small role in the Syrian issue. Perhaps the CIA and MI5 are encouraging, perhaps even funding, other countries to give weapons to the rebels; but even that is unknown. The fighting is all done by Syrians against Syrians, on behalf of the rebels' own agenda, so it's puzzling that Saeed blames the West.
the U.S. has everything to do with everything in the middle east, why u ask?? it's because of ISREAL. isreal owns america, americans kiss isreals ass every second. all of this drama is because iran and syria are supporters of hezb allah, in which america can't touch iran because of how powerfull it is. for your information Bashar al asad will stand and syria will never fall. the russians and chinese are going to teach the U.S. a lesson that will never be forgotten.
I sound like a total brute, barbaric, bigotted but all I want to do is play with my monkey family. Unfortunately, I ate them.
i ate all the camels too.
Excuse I have to go and shave my back.
Muslims killing muslims. Wish them all continued success. Mike and Saaed are probably married and afraid to come out.
That is because the Arab league is a crony organization of Sunni muslims. Iran is the only Shia country. Shias and Sunnis hate each other. The Arab league is supporting the rebels cause they are Sunni. Syria and Iran are the only balance of powers in the Arab world. Where was the USA, UK and other crony allies when Shias were being slaughtered by Saudi Security forces in Qatif, Saudi Arabia? Or for that matter, the uprisings in Bahrain. Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni monarchy while over 80% of the population is Shia. Their popular uprising was thwarted with the full extent of human and machine force possible. Where was the Arab league and the West when Saudi Arabian tanks a little over a year ago rolled in Bahrain to support the puppet King?
Do some reading before blindly following what you hear/see on a cable news network.
you better kiss your own goverment(U.S.A) ass ypi are loser so one one these day you all find out what is going on with us you all going down
Mike, woah buddy, take a breath, put some commas in there.
or Use a colon [ : ] before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. Think of the colon as a gate, inviting one to go on:
There is only one thing left to do now: confess while you still have time.
The charter review committee now includes the following people:
the mayor
the chief of police
the fire chief
the chair of the town council
or Use a semicolon [ ; ]
to help sort out a monster list:
There were citizens from Bangor, Maine; Hartford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island.
OR
We had four professors on our committee: Peter Wursthorn, Professor of Mathematics; Ronald Pepin, Professor of English; Cynthia Greenblatt, Professor of Education; and Nada Light, Professor of Nursing.
to separate closely related independent clauses:
My grandmother seldom goes to bed this early; she's afraid she'll miss out on something.
The semicolon allows the writer to imply a relationship between nicely balanced ideas without actually stating that relationship. (Instead of saying because my grandmother is afraid she'll miss out on something, we have implied the because. Thus the reader is involved in the development of an idea—a clever, subliminal way of engaging the reader's attention.)
Mike: you should consider using a colon cleaner. There is no remedy in existence to clean that brain
Mike why are you stuck in this chat room? Dont you have a hot date with Saeed and a Camel?..and for the record yes I agree you should clean your colon...For the sake of the Camel.
Hey Guy,... long long way to go so long as Russia says NO...Nyet.
in fact many factors and signs need to come to past.. first
1. Hezbollah start taking part ..(they are the Arab version of feared Gurkas of the British army)
2. Iran taking part
3. Russia says okay to have Nato air force to be rebels' air force..
Until all happens .. not just one .. I would still keep the check soundly asleep. Hehehehehe .
As a Gurkha is disciplined for beheading a Taliban: Thank God they are on our side!
By Robert Hardman
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1296136/As-Gurkha-disciplined-beheading-Taliban-Thank-God-side.html#ixzz21UtX5PPN
Its all a smoke-screen, So Iran, Syria and Russia can attack Israel.
lol LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF
Good points!
I disagree. I think Saeed is a Syrian Alewite which is a small minority which sides with Bashar's thugs. Most of the Middle East has realized that the true problem that they deal with is their tyrant leaders, and have embraced democracy and the west. I think the values of democracy are something that everyone in the middle east is now striving for. For years, these tyrants (Gaddhafi, Bashar, etc.) have propagated the idea that the west was the root of all problems and that they were protecting them from the ills of the west. The people now realize how stupid that rhetoric was all along now. I am of Syrian descent, but was born and raised in the US. I think through continued cooperation, the new governments in Syria, Egypt, Libya, etc. will be strong US allies and bastions of democracy in the Middle East.
@Moose: How about the tyrant thugs of the minority Bahrain monarchy's security apparatus? Did that ever make it on any cable news or even Al Jazeera for that matter? No! Cause Al Jazeera is from Qatar which is a Sunni country. And the puppet king in Bahrain is Sunni too. Do you know how the Saudi Arabian security thugs treat the minority Shia inside their own country? Get your facts straight.
@moose. I thought they propagated the idea Israel was the source of all their problems. They usually get the blame for even the weather
Dear Jose. Are you trying to say that any regime in power has a right to stay in power, no matter how brutal and destructive? According to you, we should never have rebelled against Britian and formed the United States. Are you saying that Hitler should have stayed in power and anyone opposing him was a terrorist? Idi Amin; the Taliban? I could go on forever. The Syrian regime is slaughtering its own people; men, women, children, babies. What is WITH you?
Jose, in Syria you have a minority ruling by force for the last 40+ years. Anyone trying to get rid of that dictatorship can hardly be classified as a terrorist. The will of the majority at the ballot box validates a government's right to rule. Any government who does not allow its own people to choose its leaders, automatically loses the right to get support from the civilized world. Regardless of the make up of the rebel force in Syria, the fact is, you can hardly blame them for trying. ( By the way, this would also apply to any armed group that tried to knock off the corrupt Saudi monarchy)
Honestly, like most things being a terrorist or a revolutionary is something is entirely subjective. While the Americans may have been called revolutionaries by those who believed in their cause but the British called them terrorists. The same follows through. I am sure that in Assad's eyes these men are terrorist destroying his country and his regime. As much as I may not agree with Assad and believe he should be removed from power who am I to say he is wrong or right. People seem to forget that the whole "freedom of the press" is another illusion as by the time we recieve any information from another country it has already passed through a dozen editors, writers, translators, censors, etc.
If Obama has his way, soon the US will have few if any nukes to respond with, so there will be no deterrence to nuking the US. Just sayin'...
Ted, modern energetic materials (explosives in layman's terms) and precision guidance make the use of nuclear weapons in combat vanishingly unlikely. A rule of thumb with ordnance is the blast radius has to equal the Circular Error Probable, or CEP. With unguided bombs, CEPs run in the hundreds of meters. With old fashioned missiles CEPs are still in the hundreds of meters. If you want to guarantee your bomb obliterates the intended target, then it too has to have a blast radius of hundreds of meters. Cue up the nukes.
Today, bombs and missiles have CEP's in the tens of meters, some even inside ten meters CEP. This means you can obliterate the same target set with weapons that only have a blast radius of tens of meters. Conventional weapons will do the job at a far lower cost, and none of the security problems associated with nukes, that formerly required nukes.
With modern penetrator warheads it is perfectly reasonable to defeat an enemy's hardened ICMB silos with conventional "bunker buster" weapons. One F-15E armed with four precision guided bunker busters can do the work that formerly required and ICBM to do. A B-2 armed with dozens of precison bunker busters can do the work of a submarine full of SLBM's, and without resorting to crossing the nuclear threshold.
Warfare has changed, and you need to catch up technically.
Self glorification from a guy who are so brainwashed about how powerful USA is.
No this is 21st century where natives do not carry bows and arrows any more. These days the natives carry anti aircraft weapons , anti tanks , submarrines etc... and Lebanon 2006 proved how a low tech fighter can defeat an F16 and super tanks equipped army.
I don't think Saeed is in this country, I believe he is hiding in the basement of Bashar's palace, cowering in the corner, fearful that the rebels will find him.
"American people are strong and its time for us americans stop saying we are weak."
Seriously!
Hahahahahahhahah
SHeeeeeeP
Jaw dropping to hear this crap from a radical Repuglican Texan. Texas is one of only 11 states which is trying its best to rid of anyone other than white yokel. And here he is professing about America and its cultural diversity.
China is the only country that has openly tested a satellite killing missile, irresponsibly creating a lot of harmful space debris. Now, you may not think that this has anything to do with first strike policy but, seeing as our military is so highly dependent on satellite communications, if I was planning to fight the US, the first thing I would try to do is disable its satellites. I will not trust China until they evolve their form of government into some type of Democracy,until then, is just a group of thugs running the life of 1.5 billion people.
scotty please think out of the box i mean think according to the long term may be just 10 years from now america will be no more you feel strong just because of the disunity among the muslim countries by the time these shallow minded dictators you are keeping are removed completely no need of war even with you but sanctioning you of even a single drop of oil and gas then what will will keep your killer machines to work, nothing also iran already has the know how of your killing machines, hesbollah dared nuclear zionist with all the support of your killing machines should not assume as if the world is yesterday and today think out of the box and see far from where your eyes has the limit of focus
ibraha
I appreciate the obligatory comma in a very long diatribe.