Protests in Syria - Discussion Thread

[Flamming_Python]

Yeah, so why don't you paradrop with your fellow soldiers into Syria and help Assad to "stabilize" his country, and to make sure Ze Evil West's "imperialism" won't go any further?

Why bother? I like how Russia is going about it so far; helping Assad take control of his country and drive out Western-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents, while at the same time keeping the pressure on him for reform and elections, making sure that he fulfills all such demands after its certain that Syria will retain a sovereign government rather than becoming another client state or Gulf Arab monarchy.

But the USSR had that right to control the world? I see.

No of course not, but encouraging Africans, Arabs, Asians, South Americans to take control of their own destiny and throw off the yoke of imperialism was definitely a good thing we did.

[Flamming_Python]

The same old argument by the same old nutjobs.

There is so much evidence for US meddling in the latest Russian elections that only a blind man can't see it. They loved Yeltsin of course, everyone did, because he was a sell-out whore that was drunk all the time and running the country into the ground. They even helped him steal an election in 1996.

I'm sure that if Russia didn't have nukes we would be the next target for 'liberation' from bloody, murderous Putin who killed thousands of his citizens and whatever.

[Steak-Sauce]

Why bother? I like how Russia is going about it so far; helping Assad take control of his country and drive out Western-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents, while at the same time keeping the pressure on him for reform and elections, making sure that he fulfills all such demands after its certain that Syria will retain a sovereign government rather than becoming another client state or Gulf Arab monarchy.

I assume if your government helps Assad to drive out "Western-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents", the Russian-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents will stay where they are?

And show my the pressure on him for reforms and elections. Where has this pressure been this years, I ask you? Furthermore, you forget that Syria is already another client state - of Russia. Your country is busy supplying him with weapon systems, which magically end up in the hands of terrorist organizations, which in turn target Israel. But that's falling under the category "to take control of their own destiny", hm?

I'm sure that if Russia didn't have nukes we would be the next target for 'liberation' from bloody, murderous Putin who killed thousands of his citizens and whatever.

Oh yes, the United States, Europe and China would all stand in line to liberate your folks from Putin's oppression.

Btw, speaking of evidence of meddling into the latest Russian elections.. Hasn't there been a shyteload of evidence presented (even by fellow Russian MP.netters) that not "the West!!!1", but Putin's party was in fact meddling quite heavily?

[Flamming_Python]

I assume if your government helps Assad to drive out "Western-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents", the Russian-sponsored rebels and intelligence agents will stay where they are?

Probably, but whose fault is that? You have forced Assad into a corner so now if he or his party remains in power of course they will draw closer to Russia.

And there are no Russian sponsored rebels.

And show my the pressure on him for reforms and elections.

Plenty of it; calling for free elections not long after the West started calling for it, as well as asking for negotiations between the opposition and Assad, offering a neutral venue in Moscow. Russia also started dialog with the opposition itself, several representatives of which have traveled to Russia. Has opposed any economic or political sanctions that could entrench hardliners and less chance of conflict resolution. Opposed any sort of foreign intervention in the country outside the auspices of the UN. Russia offered Assad a plan to step down and be replaced by his less-controversial and potentially divisive deputy.. And now Russia is requesting that the UN head of human rights be allowed into the country. Russia's position has been nothing but constructive.

Where has this pressure been this years, I ask you?

Nowhere; we didn't give a ****. And why would we? It's not our country, and there were no outbreaks of unrest or mass protests (I'm not talking about the armed rebels here; no need to negotiate with them, but with genuine people's discontent and desire for reform).

Furthermore, you forget that Syria is already another client state - of Russia. Your country is busy supplying him with weapon systems, which magically end up in the hands of terrorist organizations, which in turn target Israel. But that's falling under the category "to take control of their own destiny", hm?

No Syria is not a client state of Russia; it's a country that has its own interests and relations with Russia were not all that close until the 2nd half of last decade or so.
The only Russian client states are maybe Abkhazia and S. Ossetia; and I fully support their sovereignty without Russian interference; or even better rejoining Georgia in a loose sort of confederation as no-one (especially Russia) needs more dependent micro-states in the world. You can maybe put Armenia and Belarus as well but they have more of a US-Israel relationship to us really.

[Flamming_Python]

Btw, speaking of evidence of meddling into the latest Russian elections.. Hasn't there been a shyteload of evidence presented (even by fellow Russian MP.netters) that not "the West!!!1",

Plenty of evidence that the US and to a lesser extent the EU are trying to encourage regime-change in Russia.

but Putin's party was in fact meddling quite heavily?

Putin's party sure, but then again they are not an aggressive foreign power which only has its own interests in mind and is unaccountable and insultated from the Russian people and their demands.

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

The Tsars were not always nice guys; but guess what in 1612, after only 2 years of rule by a Polish-imposter in the Kremlin; the Russian people simply staged a mass siege and revolt against him.

[Steak-Sauce]

Probably, but whose fault is that? You have forced Assad into a corner so now if he or his party remains in power of course they will draw closer to Russia.

Assad wasn't force by "us" into a corner, he succeeded so all by himself.

Plenty of it; calling for free elections not long after the West started calling for it, as well as asking for negotiations between the opposition and Assad, offering a neutral venue in Moscow. Russia also started dialog with the opposition itself, several representatives of which have traveled to Russia. Has opposed any economic or political sanctions that could entrench hardliners and less chance of conflict resolution. Opposed any sort of foreign intervention in the country outside the auspices of the UN. Russia offered Assad a plan to step down and be replaced by his less-controversial and potentially divisive deputy.. And now Russia is requesting that the UN head of human rights be allowed into the country. Russia's position has been nothing but constructive.

In other words, "the West" had to make the beginning before Russia trailed behind. And this plan to let Assad step down, but to replace him with his deputy is just laughable. In your other post you were talking about reforms and elections, and now you say Russia wants to replace the dictator with his deputy? That's just great, FP, and wouldn't change a thing. No reforms, and certainly no elections would take place.

No Syria is not a client state of Russia; it's a country that has its own interests and relations with Russia were not all that close until the 2nd half of last decade or so.

Oh, suddenly Syria is not a client state? How sweet. With regard to Russia, every sovereign nation has it's very own interests. However when it comes to the United States, Europe and "the West" in general, everyone and his dog is a client state or puppet according to your opinion.

Plenty of evidence that the US and to a lesser extent the EU are trying to encourage regime-change in Russia.

Yeah, we've all heard the stories about CIA-sponsored color revolutions and liberal parties in Russia that are aiming to destroy your country. Traitors, all of them. And yet the Russian government (be it Putin or Medvedev) is the uber-traitor of them all, doing absolutely nothing against foreign sponsoring of political parties in Russia. I remember we had the same discussion in the Protests in Moscow thread some time ago, and all you did was to talk the same crap as always. "Booohooohooo. CIA/MI6 wants to destroy Russia. Sponsor of liberals in country here. Boohoo."

[kalerab]

Sad to see the USSR is not around any more; it did a good job showing the Europeans that they have no business playing control the world.

Yeah, thank you very much for that.

[b0sco]

This is for you, Python.

[themacedonian]

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=260265

A terrorist suicide bomber on Saturday detonated a car he was driving," the Syrian state news agency Sana said, reporting two people had been killed and 20 wounded.Opposition activists in Deraa denied the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber but did not give an explanation for the attack.

[MikeMonolith]

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=260265

A terrorist suicide bomber on Saturday detonated a car he was driving," the Syrian state news agency Sana said, reporting two people had been killed and 20 wounded.Opposition activists in Deraa denied the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber but did not give an explanation for the attack.

Is this the part where we all stare blankly at the screen and marvel at how these dudes turn to assymetrial warfare?

[kalerab]

Could´ve been very well an IED.

ICRC says still no Syria aid convoy access to Baba Amro

GENEVA, March 3 (*******) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Saturday it was still negotiating with Syrian authorities who have denied its aid convoy access to the shattered Baba Amro district of Homs.

An ICRC convoy of seven trucks carrying food and other relief supplies, joined by Red Crescent ambulances to evacuate the sick and wounded, has been stalled in Homs since arriving there on Friday.

"The ICRC and Syrian Red Crescent are not yet in Baba Amro today (Saturday). We are still in negotiations with authorities in order to enter Baba Amro. It is important that we enter today," ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan told ******* in Geneva.

On Thursday, Syrian authorities gave the independent agency "positive signals" regarding the ICRC's proposal for a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire across Syria, he said. "It is still important that we implement this initiative urgently". (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Sophie Hares)

http://af.r*euters.com/article/commo...8E302N20120303

[IconOfEvi]

Python...you're always good for a laugh


Still, I reccomend putting the pipe down



Lay off the rocks man

[themacedonian]

do we have members that speak Arabic? It would be nice to know what is going on here beside the text.

[kalerab]

You may send it to Paul or LEB, they are both Lebanese. There are several other members who speaks Arabic but I doubt they follow this thread.

[themacedonian]

You may send it to Paul or LEB, they are both Lebanese. There are several other members who speaks Arabic but I doubt they follow this thread.

There is another video on Syrian Uprising thread which I find interesting.