Russia, Arab League Agree Plan on Syria.

[Hisroyalhighness]

So what will be Russia's reaction when Assad's artillery keeps shelling cities?

More stern finger wagging and maybe even stopping an arms freighter or two?

[void]

Funny how lipstick and shaven faces is seen as a more important cultural bond than such unimportant stuff like shelling cities...

And what will the Wests reaction be when the overthrow/expel the government and the rebels institute Islamic law and start stoning men for not having beards and women for revealing their faces? I guess nothing, because by then the media will have found something else to focus on and Syria will be long forgotten. How much did the Western media cover the burning of churches and the desecration of Orthodox graveyards in Kosovo after 1999? How much did the media cover the revenge killings and other bloodshed in Libya after Gadaffi was otherthrown?

Shelling cities is bad, but the alternative is what? Letting a very well financed and supported from abroad Islamist insurgency spread across the country? When Chechen terrorists like Basayev and Umarov in 1999 were in Grozny with thousands of followedrs, you would have suggested what exactly? For Russia to invite them for a nice conversation about democracy and the rule of law? Told them to kindly stop their campaign of kidnappings, terror, insurgency, and bombings? Im sure that would have worked great.

[Atlantic Friend]

When Assad's adversaries kill people, it's terrorism. When Assad shell cities, it's "sad but there's no alternative really". Got that. Must be useful in conversations.

[KoTeMoRe]

Doesn't seem to be working anymore doesn't it ? Allowing Assad to play for time while he tries to get on top of the rebellions isn't going to work.

Wholesale culling of protestors isn't working like the good old' days and only brings more instability and other armed groups exploiting power vacuums.

Booting out the autocrats wont solve anything nor trying to augment their hold on power.

The problem of Inflation, poverty, corruption, autocrats & general hopelessness in the middle east coming home to roost.

Oh it is? Really? Since when? When Hariri was whacked many pointed out that it would have a backlash primarily at the Syrian economy since most Syrian "guest" workers would get the boot and they did. However when people in the Palestinian camps go all ape**** and are suppressed by the Lebanese military every one seems to cheer. Now what was the difference between then and now? Same helplessness, same autocracy and partisan politics, same level of corruption?

While I expressed you exact same point more than a year ago while every one was huuuurling at the "HURRRRUB SPRUUUNG", what is happening in Syria is simply a fruit of opportunity for various Western Chancellaries to get rid of a wrinkle (like it happened with GaGa). The very evident failure of the "Arab" social fabric is clearly seen here as the middle class is the one suffering just like it was during the Iranian Revolutionnary years. The poor will get back at their lack of hope and immigration very fast. The big players will get their way and their sponsors will have new "maps". SOP.

Now Russian reaction at Assads shelling cities? "Please have patience, work in Progress".

[memoli]

Western printed, online and TV media is devoted exclusively to 1-sided information.

we have seen how nice assad is against journalists. they have to be sneaked into the country to cover what is happening inside there. only pro assad sana news agency is there to provide some "expertise, truth about the terrorist al qaida ruled FSA" on Syria.

why i can't find any western news paper being welcomed to Syria by the government to cover what is happening there?

they even kill journalists, what do you expect them to do. say yes to assads brutality and side with him?

[hattusili]

Assad have to go, that's the one step that would make a difference.

[Stasi]

Assad have to go, that's the one step that would make a difference.

what do you think the difference will be?

[Sashko]

When Assad's adversaries kill people, it's terrorism. When Assad shell cities, it's "sad but there's no alternative really". Got that. Must be useful in conversations.

I like how Sunni extremists go from being labelled either as terrorists or partners or simply adversaries, depending on geographic region and interests involved. Scary terrorists in Pakistan/Afghanistan, trustworthy key partners in Saudi Arabia/UAE/Jordan and freedom-loving underdog adversaries in Syria.

[Kilgor]

Oh it is? Really? Since when? When Hariri was whacked many pointed out that it would have a backlash primarily at the Syrian economy since most Syrian "guest" workers would get the boot and they did. However when people in the Palestinian camps go all ape**** and are suppressed by the Lebanese military every one seems to cheer. Now what was the difference between then and now? Same helplessness, same autocracy and partisan politics, same level of corruption

The difference is momentum, the rise of social media, and food prices.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...-east-protests

I don't know about you, but i'd say there is a pretty good correlation here.


The days of locking up photocopiers and the only source of information being Pravda are over too. Autocratic governments can't control information flows like the good old' days.

[void]

we have seen how nice assad is against journalists. they have to be sneaked into the country to cover what is happening inside there. only pro assad sana news agency is there to provide some "expertise, truth about the terrorist al qaida ruled FSA" on Syria.

why i can't find any western news paper being welcomed to Syria by the government to cover what is happening there?

they even kill journalists, what do you expect them to do. say yes to assads brutality and side with him?

You do know that some of the journalists were giving the rebels access to their satellite phones and other such things. When you do that, you become a fair target.

[Kilgor]

Shelling cities is bad, but the alternative is what? Letting a very well financed and supported from abroad Islamist insurgency spread across the country?

Yes, what is the alternative ?

Cutting down and suppressing the self determination of your population forever ?

Why not just pack them in cattle cars to labor camps because "sad but no alternative really".

IMO there is no easy peace in this conflict either way. Perpetual trouble like Egypt.

[Kilgor]

You do know that some of the journalists were giving the rebels access to their satellite phones and other such things. When you do that, you become a fair target.

. This is a civil war, the rebels have on many occasions ambushed and killed many Syrian soldiers. There was even some pretty gruesome videos of this of a Syrian army squad being ambushed and killed..

Does your "fair target" rule apply for your second statement ?

[KoTeMoRe]

Social media? I don't really know, are StormShadows Facebook Apps now? People tend to really think too much about "social Media". Actally I'd wager than closing down the social networks forced the masses to beat the streets. Autocratic governments don't need to control the information. They just need to flood it. We had that in Libya when Ghadaffi was accused of pretty much everything. Without the direct implication of the Western Chancellaries, those preposterous claims made up (Two containers of Viagra to rape anyone?), would have been debunked in a matter of days.

Plus as I said, getting rid of man, a group of men or even a party will not really change the logic here. I said on the post you butchered, that the Syrian economy tanked when the Syrian guest workers were sent back massievely in Syria after Hariri got blown up. If I was to be of the tinfoil family, I'd say the plan to weaken Assad had started then.

Edit: you don't need that Guardian article. I stated that in the Lybian Unrest Thread about a hundred times. Plus it really shows the fallacious and ideological dress up the above mentionned chancellaries are attempting. A sure way to get a back blast.

[kalerab]

You do know that some of the journalists were giving the rebels access to their satellite phones and other such things. When you do that, you become a fair target.

You are quoting Syrian government officials right now. Not very trustable source.

[memoli]

You do know that some of the journalists were giving the rebels access to their satellite phones and other such things. When you do that, you become a fair target.

i am trying to point out that you can't expect journalists to be pro assad when the Syrian regime isn't allowing them access to Syria to see what is happening there.

and on top of that they hear that professional journalists are being murdered by assad regime they won't go around and support him. you keep insisting that the media is to one sided, why doesn't assad just let the journalists have free access to the country to report what is happening on both sides?

is he to afraid to show what his army is doing against the civilian population and those who don't like him.