Protests in Syria - Discussion Thread

[Camera]

So far five Kurdish cities have been freed.

According to this news site (unknown to me) and some other local Kurdish agencies, so far 650 Kurdish soldiers have entered Syria from Iraqi Kurdistan (Can not be confirmed other than they saying "our source"), and a further 4500 soldiers are ready on the border. According to the same source, 50 officers are also ready to enter on the border to oversee the military wing of Syrian Kurdistan.

http://www.kikannews.com/2012/07/blog-post_6526.html (Only English source I can find)

The Kurds played it very wisely.

[kurdman]

We have excellent anti-terror and special forces (thanks to the US) which will be needed in Syrian Kurdistan. I hope some are sent over there soon.

[Atlantic Friend]

George Bush had noble intentions with Iraq even though those ideas were extremely naive.

I wouldn't go as far as "noble", but there were arguments going in favor of seizing the initiative in deposing Saddam.

[Camera]

We have excellent anti-terror and special forces (thanks to the US) which will be needed in Syrian Kurdistan. I hope some are sent over there soon.

Take care of your own interests and the ones of your brothers in Syria, as you've done up to now.
What do the people want for the future? I guess they will want to unite, in a way or in another, the Kurdish communities from both sides of the border.

[Combat-Master]

We have excellent anti-terror and special forces (thanks to the US) which will be needed in Syrian Kurdistan. I hope some are sent over there soon.

Well I hope for your sake the Syrians won't see it as an Act of War. People are still forgetting, Syria still has Land Forces, Naval Units and Air force.

[kurdman]

Take care of your own interests and the ones of your brothers in Syria, as you've done up to now.
What do the people want in the future? I guess they will want to unite, in a way or another, the Kurdish communities from both sides of the border.

What the people want is obvious however, we are landlocked and therefore have to walk a very thin line of maximising our gains, yet not isolating ourselves in the eyes of the enemy (you know the old saying, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer) Iraqi Kurdistan succeed with that, however it'll be harder for Syrian Kurdistan.

[kurdman]

Well I hope for your sake the Syrians won't see it as an Act of War. People are still forgetting, Syria still has Land Forces, Naval Units and Air force.

Exactly but first of all as I said, non of it can be independently verified, so for now we can consider it as a rumor and not a fact. That actually crossed my mind and I was surprised at the lack of resistance from the Syrian army. There are two explanations, either the Syrians have given up, or Assad is going to concentrate his army in one spot to ensure a homeland for his clan.

[EITAN88]

Brazilian embassy in Damascus has been evacuated due to the fighting in the city.

[Camera]

What the people want is obvious however, we are landlocked and therefore have to walk a very thin line of maximising our gains, yet not isolating ourselves in the eyes of the enemy (you know the old saying, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer) Iraqi Kurdistan succeed with that, however it'll be harder for Syrian Kurdistan.

It will be very interesting to see how all this will evolve. Up to now, your leaders proved to be patient, mature and very wise.
I have the impression the Syrian Kurds are quite united with no serious divisions.
Is it so? I ask because there is very few information about them in the news.

[kurdman]

It will be very interesting to see how all this will evolved. Up to now, your leaders proved to be patient, mature and wise.
Are there any serious divisions among the Syrian Kurds? I have the impression the Syrian Kurds are quite united with no serious divisions.
Is it so? I ask because there is very few information about them in the news.

There were some divisions, small ideological divisions but ultimately they all agreed on self governance. These divisions were eliminated by President Barzani under agreements signed in Erbil.

[Laworkerbee]

Exactly but first of all as I said, non of it can be independently verified, so for now we can consider it as a rumor and not a fact. That actually crossed my mind and I was surprised at the lack of resistance from the Syrian army. There are two explanations, either the Syrians have given up, or Assad is going to concentrate his army in one spot to ensure a homeland for his clan.

If that were the case then the Sunni would have no reason to fight for the government - Everything I've seen over the past 48 hours suggests that the government is trying to keep the republic together.

While it's easy to look at ethnic divides in Syria I think people are overlooking something very important and that is the secular versus religious aspect of this conflict. Every secular person in Syria - Especially the women must be horrified at the thought of Haji's taking over and empowering the mullahs to run their lives.

[Atlantic Friend]

Exactly but first of all as I said, non of it can be independently verified, so for now we can consider it as a rumor and not a fact. That actually crossed my mind and I was surprised at the lack of resistance from the Syrian army. There are two explanations, either the Syrians have given up, or Assad is going to concentrate his army in one spot to ensure a homeland for his clan.

I think your #2 option is close to the truth. Given the clanic nature of the Syrian regime (despite its secular/citizen facade), there must be units who either don't want to die for Assad or are simply not trusted and therefore given the strict minimum in terms of weapons/ammo.

[Laworkerbee]

I wouldn't go as far as "noble", but there were arguments going in favor of seizing the initiative in deposing Saddam.

I've been debating a response but still have PTSD from the '04 Eurowussie wars. All I can think of writing about is Oil Vouchers and shit.

[Camera]

Exactly but first of all as I said, non of it can be independently verified, so for now we can consider it as a rumor and not a fact. That actually crossed my mind and I was surprised at the lack of resistance from the Syrian army. There are two explanations, either the Syrians have given up, or Assad is going to concentrate his army in one spot to ensure a homeland for his clan.

Assad seems to be unable to control the whole territory. Now, he tries to keep Damascus and by doing so he is forced to move troops and to lose over other cities, border crossings… This is the impression I have.

[Laworkerbee]

Double post.