Hah - Muslims against capitalism - from May

Turkey is getting quite good

Posted by: somebody | Jun 6 2013 9:42 utc | 101

It is breathtaking hypocracy of the US to object to the Syrian Government driving out terrorists backed by the US . Could it be mental instability.
If Syria backed terrorists in the fukusrial countries would that help them to understand?
Remember Falluga where the US slaughtered (with DU ammunition and napalm ) after refusing to let the women and children leave. Etc etc.
What is more amazing is that Arab countries support the GWOM (global war on muslims)

Posted by: boindub | Jun 6 2013 10:01 utc | 102

The Syrian army has taken control of a UN-monitored crossing in the Golan Heights which had been overrun by rebel forces, Israeli military sources say.

Tanks and armoured vehicles were used in the raid at Quneitra, near Israeli-held territory, the BBC was told.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22795655

So when the Israel/Western-supported al Qaeda rebels attack Israel across the Golan border - who are Israel going to blame. Addad?

Posted by: johnf | Jun 6 2013 11:03 utc | 103

Sorry, Assad.

Posted by: johnf | Jun 6 2013 11:04 utc | 104

Addad was the god of Damascus in the Iron Age (1st millennium BC). You were evidently under divine influence when you wrote that.

Posted by: alexno | Jun 6 2013 11:47 utc | 105

@102 - That is what I find 'The' paradox, and something I can never understand; Arabs tent to stab each other in the back, much unlike the German version of Shaden Freunde, but very unlike, some call it clandestine, but that has no true bearing, the only thing that is apparent (To me) is the religious divide (Also ideologically identical in many ways), that is even more complex speaking as a non-Arab - The Arab Intifadah. Yet I understand the problem from Cath/Prod stance; but even then, it's missing something I can’t fathom within the’ Arab ‘ context; be it cultural or other, it does not gel with my thinking. In turn, why are involving ourselves (The West) in ‘change’ as it is simply incomprehensible to 99% of us and to ‘Them’. Yet we ‘all’ understand this is not 100% ideology, but simply 'Business'.

Then I read this; http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/05/arab-world-caught-between-turkey-and-iran.html and figured out it's all the same; 'Power'. However, no comments and I don’t know if this is just a one sided 'take' or even accepted as ‘thought’.

Question? In the matrix of the Arab world, do they simply have two sides, or is it simply 'When the need arises, do unto others?' - without any 'Arab' unity as a whole/collective, and have no other outcry than the two sided battle?

OK, this is a outside look in, and if the outside can’t understand, it then can only understand the media, wrong or right, herein lays the problem.

Posted by: kev | Jun 6 2013 12:11 utc | 106

kev @ 106

Arabs are very tribal oriented/minded and that's always been their downfall..I'll give you an example. There're Palestinian Arabs from occupied Palestine,Jordanian Palestinians, Lebanese Palestinian..From afar, one would think they're all Palestinians. But they're not. Even in occupied Palestine, the Palestinians in the West Bank will happily collaborate with the Israelis to skit it up their Palestinian "brothers" in Gaza and the ones in Jordan will happily collaborate with the Israelis to stick it up to the ones in the West Bank..The reason is simple, family, tribe, money, power.

The picture is the same across pretty much the entire Arab world..Which makes it easier for any outsider to rule them. The West only need to exploit their fears and play one tribe against the other - then presto, yo have Arab - Arab fighting against each other.

Posted by: Zico | Jun 6 2013 12:19 utc | 107

@Zico#107, that is my take in general, it's just hard to get someone to say that. Not that it only an Arab mentality, it's pretty global (Take Kosovo, in terms of society, Nato and conflict). In turn, blood is thicker than water should be the predominant factor when it come to 'outside influence', yet it is not.

On a boarder scale, Africa was the epitome of this type of 'divide and conquer' and still is. All seem to have a buy-in, and I mean that literally, this conflicts with for example the arguments from either side on the surface, yet the underlying issue is 'Power/Control' the rest is rhetoric, or at least a ideal to control only; take Turkey and the current dilemma.

The turning point, and Syria, or for a better word, the ‘Domino effect’ lost its traction since the issues in Turkey - Most 'Turks' are pretty worldly, in tune, and (hate to use this word) democratic! As well as being 'socialites' - on all levels and on ‘all’ spectrums (Politically, Business, Entertainment, etc) and diverse, as many are integrated in the EU (Germany for example)and as a Country have a solid manufacturing/Skill base that is pretty Global; and well educated in general I will add, unlike many other regions or nations. Although the current protests are not ‘Syrian’, they do shout out ‘We are not to be dictated upon’ something many thought would not be an issue, and any notion this is ‘injected’ is daft; in fact I find many Turks akin to the Celts, willing to stand-up as a Nation and a culture, they may be repressed at times (Leadership) but will draw a line, and in turn revolt to preserve their rights internally all the more so.

As for generalizing (Turks), well that is the majority, in turn - That’s what counts…

Posted by: kev | Jun 6 2013 13:02 utc | 108

'87) It is a dictatorship, maybe you would prefer to live in one, most people don't. If you find Western democracies repressive, it is plain stupid to expect a better life in Syria.';

you do live in one Somebody, or demand your say in govt policy making.

Youre the sort who end up supporting the war on syria: the jihadis believe what you believe and they are led to take part in the current war.

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2013 13:46 utc | 109

'Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 6, 2013 5:10:13 AM | 100;

hardly novel: Obomber also got a Peace Prize

Theres a need to institute WAR prizes..the biggest killed gets the prize

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2013 13:47 utc | 110

Posted by: boindub | Jun 6, 2013 6:01:34 AM | 102

no its simple hypocrisy, familiar in any real dictatorship

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2013 13:49 utc | 111

~ بشرى ~ ‏@Souriyaa_ 11h
Lebanese star Ragheb Alama has rejected participating in any Arab TV show that uses the French mandate flag to represent #Syria :)

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2013 13:51 utc | 112

further on the meaning of 'dictator'

the devils dictionary(2000 edn) defines this as:

'strong capable independent leader, not danglng from a foreign arm, pursues rational humane policy based in local needs. Perceived as obstacle by foreign interests.

Posted by: brian | Jun 6 2013 14:17 utc | 113

SANA report on Qusayr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWC0nndN-E&feature=youtu.be

Posted by: brian | Jun 7 2013 0:53 utc | 114

@noirette#27 and following comments
as well as @somebody#96:

It is getting very funny now actually

Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Egypt on Tuesday accused Turkish protesters of receiving foreign funds from entities which they claim “want to make the highly successful Islamic project fail,” according to local Egyptian media reports. Hussein Ibrahim, secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), blamed “foreign groups” who wish to “manipulate internal issues to serve international interests.” He did not clarify. Ibrahim said the protests serve a purpose of fighting everything Islamic, even if Turkey “has made unprecedented strides with regards to developments rates and the improvement of citizens’ incomes,” Egypt Independent reported. Meanwhile, Mourad Aly, the FJP’s media adviser, said: “Some parties intentionally want to make its seem that what is going on in Turkey is a revolution,” adding that those assessments “are exaggerated and have nothing to do with what is happening on the ground.”
Posted by: somebody | Jun 6, 2013 4:02:33 AM | 96

Among the "NGO workers" convicted by Egypt's courts were State Department "Democracy Promoting" groups, like the International Republican Institute, Freedom House and the National Democratic Institute. Egypt's MB has reason to be suspicious of spontaneous protests considering their experience with American Democracy Promoting NGOs. I would not be surprised if these NGOs have contributed to organizing in Turkey -- the question I have is more about whether they provided some of the initial sparks for the protests or whether they have much influence as the protests have evolved and grown.

I assume that our State Department has been seeding its "Democracy Promoting NGOs" around the world, among both friends and foes. Much as State and the CIA try to manipulate the direction of their color revolutions, they can go wildly off-plan. Among our loyal clients, State continues to mouth platitudes about the importance of all parties remaining non-violent: if our puppet, like Mubarak, overreacts, then we drop him like a lead balloon; if a puppet like Jordan's King Playstation proposes fake reforms, we laud him as a humanitarian; if one of our key allies, like Bahrain, cracks down brutally, we just ignore it or we blame the protesters for complaining about the teargas and rubber bullets. Among our enemies, we use the excuse of any initial nonviolent protests to quickly condemn the "dictator" and his "regime" and move to provide some ruse for R2P intervention. We may even use our "Democracy Promoting NGOs" in our client states as leverage to keep our puppets in line. If Erdogan has been perceived as going too far off the US gameplan, State may have unleashed some Democracy Promoting sparks from its NGOs -- even if just to shake Erdogan up a bit.

Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Jun 7 2013 2:37 utc | 115

Mother of Tunisian Jihadist Weeps as She Apologizes to the Syrian People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ays0BN081Ok

Posted by: brian | Jun 7 2013 8:27 utc | 116

AJE photo caption

Syrian demonstrators posing with a banner during an anti-regime protest in Kfar Nubul in the northwestern province of Idlib.

banner says-

OBAMA! YOUR REQUEST TO IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH'S TERRORISTS TO LEAVE SYRIA MADE THEM WET THEIR PANTS IN FEAR. THANKS :-)
THE SYRIAN REVOLUTION KAFRANBEL 7 6 13

from wiki

Kafr Nabl has come to be a well-known name for the banners that the town's inhabitants have been drawing since the beginning of the uprising in Syria; banners and drawings that reflect their view of the revolution. The drawings, which are published and widely shared online, are powerful critical messages, not only about the Assad regime, but also about the international community, geo-strategic interests in Syria and the passivity of Arab countries.

more banners from Kfar Nubul here.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 7 2013 15:32 utc | 117

Wonderful! I had not kept up with the events. After Libya, I got depressed and stayed away, for the most part.

I am sorry to hear, though, that Aleppo is not free. I had thought I had heard [obviously, wrongly] that Aleppo was free. I pray that Aleppo will be freed, and then the "takfiris," as I've learned that these ANARCHISTS WITH WEAPONS are called, will FINALLY return home [to THE NEXT LIFE!!] and that no more will be sent to bring hell to Syria.

I hope that Hezbollah will continue to help Syria at Aleppo. Qur'an says something like this, although I can't remember the exact words: "If We [Allah] did not raise one people to keep another people in check, then there would be no churches, mosques, synagogues or cloisters in which to worship the Name of Allah." (Qur'an)

My understanding is that, before the takfiris came to Syria, Syria was a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-ethic country, living in relative peace, with no sects killing the others ects. Then the U.S.-backed takfiris came. And this posed a threat to "churches, mosques, synagogues or cloisters."

So, it appears that Allah raised up Syria and Hezbollah, "to keep another people in check," the term "another people" referring to Zionists, the U.S., the pitiful and despicable Arabs [whom the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said were "the worst of creation under the sun"] and the mentally ill takfiris.

We have a WHOLE LOT of thanks to give to Vladimir Putin!!!

But, more importantly than him, I want everyone to remember the MOST IMPORTANT person that helped Syria: Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Al-Gaddafi. Yes, sir!! Remember: During NATO's vicious assault on Libya, even the NATO generals, in the corporate news media, openly said the following: "We can't figure out HOW the LDF [Libyan Defence Forces] have held out against us for so long!!" Two different NATO generals said that.

It was also being said that if NATO failed in Libya, then it would eventually fall apart. Well, NATO FAILED. Oh, yes! That sounds incorrect, but it is not. NATO, at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, conducted a self-analysis of its Libya operations. And here's what it concluded:

1. That its operations were (to use its own words), "pathetic."
2. That its operations were, "ineffective."
3. That, due to the INCREDIBLE and strong defense of Libya by the LDF (despite its eventuall loss), NATO would have to postpone any new operations FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR.

Now, the obvious reason that NATO deemed its Libya operations as "ineffective" despite the fact that NATO apparently "won," is that NATO OBVIOUSLY had some other goals that none of us will ever know. And because they didn't reach those goals, they concluded, at Langley, that their Libya operation had been an INEFFECTIVE FAILURE.

This is due to the spirit of Brother Leader Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Al-Gaddaf, the Libyan Jamahiriya, the Libyan Defence Forces, and, above all, the Libyan people. Their strong defense of Libya SLOWED DOWN NATO plans to go into Syria and other countries. NATO was shocked, and the time table of the U.S., Britain, France and Qatar was REVERSED drastically.

When the entire world, including Syria, saw what NATO did to Libya, everyone was put on alert. The Syrian government knew, in advance, how to prepare. And I personally believe, as I said, that Brother Leader is to be given BIG credit for this. We must remember him in our prayers EVERY SINGLE DAY. This is just my personal belief. He should never be forgotten. And, as the years go forward, I an convinced that history will show that the beginning of the end of NATO was at Libya.

NATO will dissolve. Because Libya broke NATO's spirit, and it will become to much, financially, for the various NATO countries to remain in that alliance.

By praising Brother Leader, I am not taking a SINGLE thing away from the INCREDIBLE valient and strong fighting of the Syrian Arab Army. WOW!!!!! But, Muammar Gaddafi needs to be given credit for his part in "slowing the roll" of NATO, the takfiris, and the other DEVILS that want nothing but chaos, war, and bloodshed on this earth.

Allah, Muammar, Libya wa bas!!!

Posted by: Dennis South | Jun 7 2013 15:39 utc | 118

Aleppo is the hornets nest. Better to consolidate peace from Daraa to Latakia first, which German Intelligence suggests the Syrian army will achieve before the year is out. Let the insurgents fight among themselves a bit longer within the ruined neighbourhoods that they occupy in the North.
Meanwhile, the Russians are coming. 400 to shore up the Golan, where the militants roam under the affectionate gaze of the IDF. That is, unless objections are raised at the UN, as they were when Russian experts were blocked from the UN Chemical weapons investigation.
We can't have Russians undermining the "revolution", can we..

Posted by: Pat Bateman | Jun 7 2013 16:15 utc | 119

Aleppo is about 50-50. Some say 60-40. Anyhow, it's next. Reportedly Hez is there in number, the SAA is charged up and the locals don't like al-Nusrah which dominates the anti-Syria force there.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 7 2013 16:19 utc | 120

Thx to all for the responses.

Like Harry at no. 30, O.. at no. 32, somebody at 33, others, and Colm who wrote, about Assad, But just because of his woeful record doesn't mean I side with the US attempts to destroy Syria in the name of having a Pro-Western puppet state. which is pretty much what I said in my post. Plus, Pragma at 42. Debs at 65. Brian at 75, etc. Rusty Pipes! at 115...

Pirouz at 38 took me to task for my glib remarks about ‘twitter demo type thing’ and I take his post to heart. Of course an independent Assad was, is, better, than interference / control / meddling by Saudi / Qatar (for Muslim brotherhood or more radical), or the Humanit. war-monger West who only wants to create local strife and squeeze out meagre, temporary profits, besides crowing victory of some type over changing the face of the ME.

Brian at 47 : Assad did a lot to bow down to the US and the poodle W, but nothing is ever satisfactory. You can scotch farmers, starve the country-side, push the poor into misery, change your laws/banks to be US compatible, and it is never enough. There is always a further submissive step you have to take. Being super-nice and acommadating while extravagant at home (like Kadafi) leads you straight to a bloody unmarked grave. So of course the Heritage Foundation and the like are displeased. The pressure is supposed to work better, if no clear and immediate results are forthcoming there is a PRO-blem.

Posted by: Noirette | Jun 7 2013 18:03 utc | 121

As a follow-up to #115, Right Web has some good information about the NED and related Democracy Promoting NGOs (from last year):

The war on terror and subsequent democratic uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa have led to expanded NED programs in Iran, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, and the Palestinian territories, according to NED’s website.[3] Although many of these programs have performed relatively non-controversial functions like monitoring elections, NED’s support for civil society organizations active in their respective countries’ politics has not been without controversy.

In early 2012, for example, as part of a broader crackdown on international non-governmental organizations, Egypt’s military government enacted a travel ban on several representatives from NDI and IRI, preventing them from leaving the country. As of February 2012, the Egyptian government was planning to prosecute at least 19 Americans, including representatives from NDI and IRI, on charges of illegally operating unlicensed foreign NGOs in the country.[4] The government lifted the travel ban on February 29 under pressure from the United States and amid a series of resignations by Egyptian judges who refused to hear the case, although it was unclear whether the charges would be dropped.[5]

The incident marked a period of considerable tension for the U.S.-Egyptian relationship, with the U.S. government threatening to cut off aid to Egypt if the U.S. detainees were not released. However, some observers have argued that the Egyptian government had reason to be wary of the targeted organizations. UN Human Rights Rappoteur Richard Falk, while criticizing the military regime for using “licensing and funding technicalities as a pretext for a wholesale crackdown on dissent and human rights,” added that “these Washington shrieks of wounded innocence, as if Cairo had no grounds whatsoever for concern, are either the memory lapses of a senile bureaucracy or totally disingenuous. In the past it has been well documented that IRI and DNI were active in promoting the destabilisation of foreign governments that were deemed to be hostile to the US foreign policy agenda.”[6]

Inter Press Service contributor Emad Mekay argued that NED-backed groups in Egypt were supporting a “small circle of sloganeering politicians on the take from the U.S. government who are unpopular and discredited among their own people.” He added, “When these U.S.-funded politicians ran for office in Egypt's first real and democratic elections last month, they lost, leaving Washington with no leverage in the new Egypt. If Washington delivers on its threats to cut aid to Egypt, it is undermining whatever remains of U.S. influence.”[7]

Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Jun 7 2013 22:50 utc | 122

'The common perception is that the Syrian air defense systems deter the US and its like-minded allies and partners from imposing a "no-fly zone". On the contrary, military experts estimate that there is no question that the US and its allies have the overwhelming capacity to suppress the Syrian government’s airpower.

The Russians may think their S-300 missiles are invincible, but the Israeli air force has held military exercises with Greece, which has S-300 missiles in its inventory, and would know how to outmaneuver them. Suffice to say, the only real question that remains is whether Obama has the will and resolve to take the path of an overt military intervention in Syria.'

Posted by: brian | Jun 8 2013 1:18 utc | 123

meant to add the link:
Moscow remembers Charlie Wilson’s War
http://www.voltairenet.org/article178717.html

Posted by: brian | Jun 8 2013 1:19 utc | 124

the palestinians are trying to outdo the americans in benighted stupidity: torch aid from Hezbollah: reason?

“When the refugees realized that the aid was from the same party which is killing their people in Qusair and in other places, they, with dozens of locals, took the boxes from the Palestinian Cultural Center and burned them,” Halabi said.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Jun-06/219614-for-second-time-palestinians-from-syria-torch-hezbollah-aid.ashx#axzz2VOwp994v

but WHO in Qusair are they referring to as 'their people'?

also
The popular committees in Ain al-Hilweh, which represent various factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), had asked for Hezbollah’s assistance. Hezbollah agreed to the Palestinian request and launched an aid campaign to assist the refugees and provided 2,300 food rations to the camps in Saida.

In parallel with this obstructionist policy adopted by several factions against Hezbollah, the followers of Sheikh Jamal Khattab, the leader of the Islamic Jihadi Group, continued the group’s recent campaign against Hezbollah by collecting some of the aid and setting it on fire. The group’s media office distributed photos of burning aid to journalists via email.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-saida-rally-target-hezbollah?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AlAkhbarEnglish+(Al+Akhbar+English)

Posted by: brian | Jun 8 2013 1:50 utc | 125

OTV: Post-Liberation Qusayr & FSA's Desecration of Qusayr's Churches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF3kzRJEfvY

Posted by: brian | Jun 8 2013 1:56 utc | 126

'SyrPer received this Intel last night: 3 foreign intelligence officers were taken prisoners yesterday while they were conducting a special recon operation around the Kunsurwa Factory north of Idlib City. The first officer was an American female. The second was a British male and the third is believed to be an American-born citizen of the Zionist Abomination' http://syrianperspective.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/first-post-june-6-2013-idlib-confirmed.html

Posted by: brian | Jun 8 2013 5:37 utc | 127

RE #119: Maybe not. UN peacekeeping agreements prevent it from accepting Russian troops

Posted by: Pat Bateman | Jun 8 2013 17:48 utc | 128