Syria 2

Unionist wrote:

Thanks for replying, Merowe, but on review, my question was a bit unclear. I really meant, why did [b]all the others vote in favour[/b]? Like Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, ... even Palestine (which I gather is a voting member?)?

Is it really just Saudi and Qatari money, as NDPP suggests? It just seems to me that some of these regimes are not on the U.S. friendly list. And I still don't get Yemen voting no.

Syria has been a lone voice in Arab world since Iran-Iraq war, in which it sided with Iran, and throughout the past two decades has remained the main supporter of the Iranian regime in the Arab world. That, and the fact that it is the only sunni country ruled by a shia minority (even though the government is absolutely secular), puts it out of the circle of its Arab brethren.

I was talking to a couple of my Lebanese friends, and they believed one of the main targets of this focus on Syria is to break the line from Iran to Lebanon. Syria is the main and only conduit from Iran to Lebanon that allows the transfer of funds and weapons and other material support from Iran to Hezbollah of Lebanon, which has made Hezbollah the most powerful player in that country. With Iraq essentially becoming an ally or at least a friend of Iran, the US and the Arab league are both focusing on compensate for that loss by taking Syria - and consequently Lebanon - out of this axis. This would also explain why Iraq and Lebanon both abstained.

According to my Shia Lebanese friend who has recently been back home, The Lebanese shias know that the fall of Syria will have serious consequences for them - worse if the extremist anti-Shia Ikhwan group gains the power in Syria. they are hanging to a remote hope that somehow Iran or Russia would intervene and save Syria. I told my friend that he should tell his family to stop dreaming. Assad is a goner and the Lebanese shias should plan quickly for a future without any help from Iran.

Thanks for the insight, sanizadeh.

sanizadeh wrote:

This would also explain why Iraq and Lebanon both abstained.

I believe Lebanon voted "no". Indeed, I would have been shocked if it didn't.

Also, I still don't understand some of the African countries voting yes (Sudan, Algeria, etc.).

sanizadeh wrote:

Merowe wrote:

 The Assad regime enjoys massive support among the general population - a good deal more than Stephen Harper does - regularly fields demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of loyal and patriotic citizens.

Having lived the first three decades of my life in Iran before and after the 1979 revolution, I recall that the Shah of Iran used to stage demonstrations with hundreds of thousands of loyal supporters up to a few months before he had to flee the country. So does the current  government of Iran. Such shows are not necessarily signs of real support. In the Middle East a leader may be cheered by a seemingly worshipping crowd in the morning, and hanged from a lamp post by the same crowd in the evening. In the absence of democracy, it is hard to gauge the real fealings and opinions of the masses.

Hey, thanks for the observations Sanizdeh. I take your point on the 'encouraged' component of pro-Assad demonstrations, but I saw many when I travelled there this spring and there was real passion in the crowds. How deep is the support any politician enjoys? At any rate, from the enthusiastic, spontaneous outbreaks of patriotic songs among packs of schoolchildren, to wildly flagwaving, weapon-firing processions of pickups full of excited young men to the cheerful crowds of everyday people, my own questions about the degree of coercion required to produce these crowds were answered. Nor did my conversations with people there suggest a baseline of misery that compared, say, to Guatemala, or Kenya.

Assad's regime utilizes modern mass media propaganda methods - rather like Stephen Harper, or any other modern politician - to ensure the inert mass of society is bascially on-side. I mean, every automobile, every shopfront, every empty wall had a poster of The Glorious Leader on it. I made jokes about measuring local support in terms of 'Assads per meter', the streets were so festooned. Radio stations were required to play a selection of inspirational martial tunes, a lot of male choirs chanting 'Suriya'...

I suggest he enjoys a great deal more support than Harper. Talk of revolution at this stage, as an expression of popular will, is not reality-based. I would guess certain western powers are striving to push things to the point where, like Libya, one could be hothoused into existence, but it would not be representative. I'm not familiar enough with the regime's inner workings to know how much power the security services exercise, but I think they represent the heart of the problem. If they could be defanged, Assad might even remain in power. But I suspect, like the Egyptian military, they are too dug in, and too innured to their privilege, to give up easily. At the best of times, transitioning away from authoritarian regimes is extremely tricky, and in the context of western vilification and propaganda it is even more difficult for the regime to evolve while maintaining face - the natural reaction is to dig in, batten down the hatches and hand out ammunition, and that is what is happening. It's why I cringe with each new fake headline in the western press; if they'd just shut the fuck up for a bit and leave it to some serious backroom finagling, the thing could be done. But the west must have its wars...

West's Policy on Syria Could Ignite WWIII (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/syria-iran-russia-china-921/

"The situation in Syria is just a warm-up before a real confrontation, which will draw Russia and China into action, believes Lawrence Freeman from the Executive Intelligence Review magazine. 'President Obama is acting on a British geopolitical plan to force a confronation with Russia and China, a military confrontation of which Syria and Iran would be the ignition point,' Freeman explained."

Libya and Now Syria?

http://www.4thmedia.org/2011/12/05/the-road-to-hell-libya.and-now-syria/

"...Reconsituted Syria's future is already being written. A leading figure in the Syrian national Council, Burham Ghalium, has said that a new government would break relations with Iran and would overturn the present strategic relationship with Hizbollah. The connections of other members of this council with the Gulf States, the US State Department and Israel's lobbyists in Washington are further evidence of how Syria is to be remolded if the present government can be brought down..."

Some clearheaded analysis here:

http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/civil-war-in-syria-must-be-avert...

"So long as the army and security services remain loyal, it will be difficult for the opposition to topple it. The more the opposition takes to arms, the more the regime will feel justified in crushing it."

Knesset Delegation Warns NATO of Arab Spring

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=249205

"...MKs Avi Dichter (Kadima), Yohanan Plesner (Kadima), Tzipi Hotovely (Likud), Arye Eldad (National Union), Moshe Matalon (Israel Beiteinu) and Orit Zuartez (Kadima), met with NATO officials, as well as US, Italian, Portugese and CANADIAN ambassadors to the defense organization.

Dichter said it would be a mistake to call the upheaval in the Middle East the 'Arab Spring', because it has led to radical elements being strengthened, and Hotovely said that it is more like an 'Arab Winter'. 'The Arab World and democracy are two things that have trouble connecting,' Dichter said.

Matalon agreed with Dichter, saying that democracy is a cultural matter that goes beyond the voting booth. He pointed out that Hitler was elected democratically. Dichter added that he 'has trouble understanding why NATO has not intervened in the situation in Syria, after it battled Gaddafi's forces in Libya.

Plesner, however, said that Iran is the real challenge and that NATO cannot avoid action. "We must not wait until the last minute, when it'll already be too late,' he explained....Iran is a global problem for the entire free world and not just Israel,'Hotovely said. 'The world can't expect Israel to solve its problems."...

Baird Tells Canadians in Syria To 'Leave Now'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/12/15/pol-baird-syria.html

"The time to leave Syria is now', Baird said at a news conference in Ottawa..."

Baird says Atlantic Alyin'ce isn't propping-up Al-Qa'eda in Syria

Okay, John, whatever you say. Say no more about it already. The phony global war on terrorism that is. Ex-nay on that one whilst you and Steve Harper await further instructions from Warshington.

Summer terror attack on passenger train to Damascus targeted 480 people, Mostly women and children - August

Al-CIA 'da front man Ayman al-Zawahiri was nowhere to be found claiming victory for NATO-armed insurgency in Syria. We know.

Iran warns NATO against entering Syria "quagmire" August

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings][IMG]http://img...

Meanwhile proletariats still awaiting Al-CIA'da rebels's help in Egypt, Bahrain etc in opposing U.S.-backed military crackdowns on pro democracy protesters. It's like Toto once said about it: Al-Qa'eda isn't always on time?

Despite Failures, Western Nations Turn Military Eyes on Syria  -  by Scott Taylor

http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/46399-despite-failures-western-nati...

"...What is important is that NATO claimed Libya as a victory and that this same blueprint appears to be the basis for a possible future intervention in Syria.."

From Tripoli to Damascus (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/syria-libya-gunmen-mercenaries-643/

"Libya's former rebels are urging Syrians to follow their revolutionary path. Hundreds of mercenaries, some of them former terrorists, are ready to take up arms again to help overthrow President Assad..."

Qatar Builds Up Anti-Syria Wahhabi Army

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/218149.html

"The top commander of the anti-Syria mission headquartered in Antakya (Turkey) is Abdel Hakim Belhaj, whose militia [with NATO help] seized control of the Libyan capital in August.."

Syria: Arab League Head of Mission Refutes Western Media

http://globalresearch.org/index.php?context=va&aid=28379

"What is revealing, however, is that this AL mission on the ground, which was intended to provide a justification for a 'humanitarian' intervention by NATO, refutes the reports of the London based 'Syrian Observatory for Human Rights', which in the course of the last four months has been feeding lies and fabrications into the Western news chain.

The Syrian Observatory is in permanent liason with the British Foreign office 'receiving the entirety of their reports' via phone and YouTube videos from Syria and working in coordination with both US-funded NGOs and the British Foreign Minister William Hague.."

NDPP wrote:

Syria: Invasion of Terrorist Elements Sponsored by the West

http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/terror/31-12-2011/120128-Syria_invasio...

"US Intelligence is the true leader of the 'Syrian Free Army'..."

That link kept setting off my malware protection so here's a link to a different site that carries the article...

Syria: invasion of terrorist elements sponsored by the west

As for this whole thread subject; I don't really subscribe to the theory the USA/CIA/Western World is totally responsible for the Arab Spring and what's happening in Syria (and the rest of the Arab world). Are they trying to manipulate it? Sure they are, just like every other intelligence organization on the planet that has interests there is trying, that's thier job, but to claim it's ALL the doing of an outside entity that's duping the people into revolution and not the result of an increasingly large portion of Syrians being dissatisfied with their political condition is not giving Arabs credit where it's due. It's kind of insulting really, but hey...

The good news for the Syrian regime is that if all this stuff posted by NDPP is true (I mean who wouldn't believe the Iranian and Russian state news agencies) than they, the Syrian regime, really have nothing to worry about because in the end the people and the military will say loyal to the government and the "small army" lead by "Col Cleveland" and the Muslim Brotherhood won't be able to overthrow the entire nation even if "NATO" helps.

 Let the Syrians work this out, one way or the other.

It's probably my settings and nothing more. 

[url=http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2011/12/free-syrian-army-commanded-by-...'eda commander in Libya now leading NATO's armed insurrection in Syria[/size][/url]

Someone should send an anonymous tip to the NSA & CIA!!

Oh wait? They must be pretty busy spying on the lives of millions of Americans and assassinating overseas civilians with drone attacks.

Arab League's Syria Mission Slammed From All Sides (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/arab-syria-mission-mistakes-263/

"...I have a problem saying 'the Free Syrian Army.' This is a group of soldiers and officers who have deserted the Syrian army and who are supported by the Western powers and NATO in order to create chaos in Syria..."

Assad to Nation: 'The Victory is Near' (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/assad-speech-nation-victory-447/

"Beirut-based political analyst Kanel Wazne believes that some Arab countries have adopted the US agenda and will raise no objections if Syria slides into civil war if it keeps the country from being a major regional power. Nevertheless he believes that Assad has really solid support among Syrians, who have witnessed how the country has changed over the last decade.

An international consultant and former Belgian MP, Lode Vanoost, told RT that the international community and the Arab League in particular, should focus on forcing the sides of the Syrian conflict to sit down and negotiate, instead of exacerbating the situation.

Vanoost agrees that Assad is clearly not what one would call a democratic leader, but says he is 'clearly not the worst one.' 'Assad is right in saying that they are not the ones that should point a finger at him,' he said. 'Who does the Arab League represent? Bahrain? The United Arab Emirates? Saudi Arabia? They are feudal monarchies..."

Regime Change in Syria and Iran on Hold for Now

http://www.voltairenet.org/Regime-change-in-Syria-and-Iran-on

"The choice to embark on such heavy [pipeline] investments denotes the empire's change of heart about overthrowing the Iranian and Syrian governments in the short to medium term..."

'Syria Is Being Punished for Ties with Iran' (and vid)

http://rt.com/news/syria-iran-assad-clinton-657/

"Syria is to go the Libyan way with NATO members planning 'direct military intervention' says Nikolay Patrusev, Russia's Security Council Secretary:

'NATO members together with several Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, acting along the Libyan scenario are intending to turn the current mediated interference in Syrian affairs into a direct military intevention,' Patrusev said."

Syrian President Grants General Amnesty

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221125.html

"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has granted general amnesty to all prisoners who were detained over involvement in the country's ten-month-old unrest..."

The US and its Middle East Proxies  -  by Chris Marsden

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jan2012/pers-j14.shtml

"The United States, Turkey and the Gulf States are actively preparing a military intervention in Syria. Russia's security services claim to have concrete evidence of an imminent shift to a 'Libya scenario' of 'direct military intervention' beginning with establishing a no-fly zone - the very device that was used to sanction NATO's bombardment of Libya..."

NATO's Libyan Al-Qa'eda commander in Syria demands apology and money from British taxpayers

A_J wrote:

Good news everyone!

UK "journalist" Lizzie Phelan, who formerly reported that everything in Triploi was normal and that everyone loved Gaddafi, is now covering events in Syria . . . and reports that everything in Damascus is normal and everyone loves Abbas.

Soooo, you just gonna leave that there, like something the cat sicked up, or do you have a credible narrative you care to share?

NDPP wrote:

best pay close attention - so you learn the difference between the President of Syria and the 'President' of Palestine.

That's an embarrassing typo.  Obviously supposed to be Assad, not Abbas.

'FSA Headed to Military Elimination' (and vid)

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/10/20/330333/fsa-headed-to-military-el...

Press TV has conducted and interview with Webster Griffin Tarpley, an author and historican from Washington, about the crisis in Syria..."