How Far is Hezbollah Willing to Go in Syria?

1_VahikHow Far is Hezbollah Willing to Go in Syria?
By Vahik Soghom,
BA. AUB, MA. Univ of St. Andrews, Humboldt Univ of Berlin
For Syria Comment April 20, 2015

The melting of snow in the Qalamoun mountains signals the end of the especially harsh winter of 2015. By extension, it opens the door for the much anticipated “Spring battle” of Hezbollah and the Syrian army against Islamist factions stationed in Qalamoun. The battle is meant to achieve Hezbollah’s goal of cleansing the area of Takfiri militants, who consist mainly of Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra units. Hezbollah is confident of its impending victory in Qalamoun, yet one question that has received little attention revolves around the strategic implications of such a victory in the broader context of the Syrian civil war and the regional struggle against the Islamic state.1_Ranqous Plain

Regime forces fight for Ranqous plain in Qalamoun region

The fight for control of the strategic Qalamoun region separating Lebanon from Syria really began with the May 2013 battle of Qusayr in the North. Hezbollah learned to fight in dense urban settings there. Since then, Hezbollah has been bogged down in constant clashes with the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra in Qalamoun, clashes which extend not only to the Syrian-Lebanese border, but within Lebanese territory itself. In the summer of 2014, fierce clashes between the Lebanese army and Islamist forces in Arsal highlighted the severity of the Takfiri threat faced by the Lebanese. Due to fears of heightened sectarian division within Lebanon, Hezbollah refrained from participating in the battle, and its operations have thus been limited to the Lebanese-Syrian border and the Syrian Qalamoun region.

1_Qusayr

Central square of Qusayr after fierce battle b/n pro-regime forces and rebels

There are two questions to ask about the upcoming Qalamoun war: what are Hezbollah’s immediate strategic objectives and what are its long term goals? How far is Hezbollah willing to go in helping Assad and Iran reconquer Syria and defeat the Takfiri militants in the region? The first objective is to protect Lebanese border villages from militants, a threat that has been hanging over Bekaa residents for the past two years. Secondly, the objective is to impede the infiltration and spread of Takfiri ideology in Lebanon. The under-equipped Lebanese army does not stand a chance against a Takfiri assault, especially one that is coordinated among rival Islamist factions. Thirdly, by pacifying the roads between Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah will secure access to Damascus and Homs.

But what if Hezbollah is victorious in Qalamoun, what will it do next? Almost certainly, Hezbollah will expand operations to key fronts crucial to the survival of the Assad regime. Given the heavy losses Hezbollah has suffered in Syria, it will be hesitant to spread itself too thin.

In recent weeks, the Islamic State has been targeting crucial supply lines that, if successfully disrupted, will prove fatal for the survival of Assad’s forces in the north of the country. On March 23, fierce clashes were reported around Sheikh Hilal village on the eastern edge of Hama province. This assault by the Islamic State, which included a reported massacre of civilians, was meant to cut off the Salamiyah-Khanasir-Aleppo highway, a vital regime supply line for its Aleppo front. Another goal is accessing Idlib province, which is mostly dominated by al-Nusra and its coalition of Islamist forces. If IS successfully blocks the highway, Aleppo will run the risk of falling entirely to rebel and Islamist factions.

1_Idlib

Jaysh al-Fatah coalition celebrates after capture of Idlib

Another crucial front that has made the headlines in the past couple of weeks is Idlib, where a coalition of Islamist forces, headed by al-Nusra, managed to expel regime forces from the city. Though the regime has referred to its defeat as a “regrouping operation” and sent reinforcements from Hama to recapture the city, this battle will likely be extremely challenging. Part of the difficulty, and one that applies to all major fronts, is the Syrian army’s drastic losses in men over the past few years. The regime has long lost the luxury of recruiting soldiers from its civilian population, and only by calling in reinforcements from other fronts can it manage to deal with military crises. But what makes recapturing Idlib particularly difficult has to do with al-Qaeda and its newly-formed Jaish al-Fath coalition. Over the past year, al-Nusra has been overshadowed by the Islamic State’s expansion and public display of brutality, but looking at al-Nusra’s success in Idlib province as well as the Southern front, it is giving the IS a run for its money. And with fertile ground for expansion and episodes of success in Yemen and North Africa, al-Qaeda will improve rather than decline, and al-Nusra will benefit from this general resurgence. If, as expected, Idlib remains in the hands of the Jaish al-Fath coalition, the regime will virtually have lost Idlib province. Assad’s Syria will then only be limited to the western stretch of the country, comprised of the provinces of Latakia and Tartous on the Mediterranean, the central to western portions of Hama and Homs provinces, Damascus province, as well as parts of Aleppo.

But there is another crucial province the fate of which is at stake—Daraa. Though the regime still has a significant presence in the province, half of the city and most of its countryside is controlled by a mix of FSA and Islamist factions. Its neighboring Quneitra has witnessed a growing presence of Jabhat al-Nusra, which is most worrying for both Hezbollah and the regime due to the invaluable strategic importance of the Golan. In the event of the fall of these provinces, the regime will no longer enjoy its status as an Arab resistance state, and Damascus will be further squeezed in and surrounded from all sides. All three fronts mentioned—the eastern, northern, and southern—are crucial for the survival of the regime as well as the total disintegration of Syria.

But for the same reasons, these fronts are equally important for Hezbollah. For now, its priority is to secure Qalamoun and Lebanon’s borders. But in the event of victory in the Qalamoun, Hezbollah will extend its operational activities to other Syrian provinces in which it now lacks a strong presence. Which fronts it will prioritize will depend upon circumstances. Hezbollah’s participation will improve not only the regime’s chances for survival, but also allow the Assad regime to maintain its access to Aleppo, as well as launch a more effective offensive on Idlib. Finally, Hezbollah will increase its role in Quneitra and Deraa provinces. And let us not forget that the regime still has a presence both in Deir el Zor itself as well as the eastern edge of Homs bordering Deir el Zor. If, with much needed assistance from Hezbollah, it is able to fend off IS attacks in Hama, it may even be able to start planning an offensive in Deir el Zor. Whether it will be capable—or even willing—to do so, will depend on the outcome in Qalamoun. Should Hezbollah suffer an unexpected defeat in Qalamoun or a decide to reduce its exposure in Syria following a tough fight, the country will be on the road to partition.

Hezbollah will likely win in Qalamoun. Jabhat al-Nusra and IS will remain its strongest of enemies. Their limited cooperation in Qalamoun will not likely translate into cooperation elsewhere. In fact, a recent report suggests that both factions are ready to hand over Qalamoun to Hezbollah in order to migrate to other fronts in Syria. If so, Hezbollah may be spared a grueling battle near home and be drawn further into Syria. It is worth noting that neither the FSA, Jabhat al-Nusra, nor IS will be the biggest obstacle to Hezbollah’s expanding operations. The strongest opposition will come from its Lebanese supporters who, although ready to sacrifice their sons to protect Lebanon, may not be so willing to commit to slaying distant enemies. For now, however, we must await the outcome of the battle for Qalamoun.

Comments (162)


Ghufran said:

All predictions about a pull out by hizbullah from Syria were proven to be wrong, this has more to do with the nature of hizbullah’s enemies that with hizbullah itself. From the early weeks of the Islamist revolt in Syria people on the anti regime side started chanting slogans against Shia, Iran, hizbullah and alawites, the opposition figure heads tried to discount that and called the phenomenon ” isolated incidents” and blamed that on the regime ( of course), but things continue to deteriorate and now we have (Ghalioun) an ex-chief of the Turkey based opposition party openly calling for an alliance with Nusra ( Alqaeda).
Hizbullah is not just fighting to help the regime in Syria, it is fighting to keep the terrorists under pressure so they can not send car bombs to Lebanon with ease and do not slaughter Shia civilians, hizbullah has no choice now but to stay put.

April 20th, 2015, 2:12 pm

 

Atassi said:

Ghufran,
As long As the Alwiates willingly stand to endlessly and blindly continue to supply sacrifices the Assad regimeIranians warmonger aggression machine rooted against toward the Syrian people Nothing will change.
Hezbollah is not the victim here.. They are a proxy and most spent tool of the Iranian aggression.. The victims here are Syria as a nation and the Syrian people .. Please do not poesy us on why Hezbollah should stay… Your argument is full of it

April 20th, 2015, 3:57 pm

 

Juergen said:

Syrian seedbank wins award for continuing work despite civil war

Syrian scientists who risked their lives preserving the region’s ancient farming heritage with nearly 150,000 seed samples are presented Gregor Mendel award in Berlin

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/19/syrian-seedbank-wins-award-for-continuing-work-despite-civil-war

April 20th, 2015, 4:46 pm

 

ALAN said:

Many states, as well as public figures from among those who took a stand in the war in Yemen, all the same thought again. Continuing to believe that the conflict is between Sunnis and Shiites, they are calling for a ceasefire and a political settlement of the conflict. However, for this senseless war is actually hidden project of the Arab … N A t o -led by Israel.
Nothing wrong to compare the methodology of attacks and the selection of targets – It is an Israeli classic.
I am still waiting to read here the title of the article
“How far is Israel willing to go in all the M.E.”

April 20th, 2015, 5:25 pm

 

Juergen said:

Many argue that the IS is a puppy of Assad, I dont think so, but it is obvious that the IS has copied not only the brutality of the Assads but also the tactics and the stratgies especially by using espionage and by establishing an network of secret services throughout their “empire”.

The Terror Strategist: Secret Files Reveal the Structure of Islamic State

An Iraqi officer planned Islamic State’s takeover in Syria and SPIEGEL has been given exclusive access to his papers. They portray an organization that, while seemingly driven by religious fanaticism, is actually coldly calculating.

“The expansion of IS began so inconspicuously that, a year later, many Syrians had to think for a moment about when the jihadists had appeared in their midst. The Dawah offices that were opened in many towns in northern Syria in the spring of 2013 were innocent-looking missionary offices, not unlike the ones that Islamic charities have opened worldwide.

When a Dawah office opened in Raqqa, “all they said was that they were ‘brothers,’ and they never said a word about the ‘Islamic State’,” reports a doctor who fled from the city. A Dawah office was also opened in Manbij, a liberal city in Aleppo Province, in the spring of 2013. “I didn’t even notice it at first,” recalls a young civil rights activist. “Anyone was allowed to open what he wished. We would never have suspected that someone other than the regime could threaten us. It was only when the fighting erupted in January that we learned that Da’ish,” the Arab acronym for IS, “had already rented several apartments where it could store weapons and hide its men.”

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html#spRedirectedFrom=www&referrrer=http://m.facebook.com

April 20th, 2015, 11:29 pm

 

mjabali said:

Many Sunnis were planning on how to fight Hizballah way before events in Syria started.

Also, many Sunni governments were also planning how to fight Hizballah. Remember how much the King of Jordan spoke about the Shia and how to stop them in 2006 and 2007.

Sunni governments, like that of Saudi Arabia, lives and breathes on hating Shia.

April 21st, 2015, 1:04 am

 

Tara said:

Hizbula is a an entity created and nurtured by Iran to serve Iran’s agenda in the Arab world. A bunch of traitors with beard and head pieces that are brainwashing the Arab Shiaa to enslave them to serve Iran interests under the cover of Shiaa Islam and loyalty to Zainab.

A day will come when we a have a cleaner Middle East.

April 21st, 2015, 8:50 pm

 

Ghufran said:

A blast from the past, it is good to see Tara coming back.
Hizbullah is a sign of Arab governments and Arab nations failure to take care of business. Look at every place where Iran has an influence and you will see what I mean. The right response to Iran’s meddling in Arab affairs was supposed to be an alternative policy by wealthy and / or powerful ( relatively speaking) Arab countries and regimes to provide a decent choice to their people including shia arabs ( who were marginalized for decades in more than one country) but that is easier said than done, you can not make chicken soup out of chicken poop. Blame the corrupt Arab regimes not iran (or Turkey ) for the tragic status of the Arab world.
Even KSA, the filthy wealthy country, was only able to attack yemen, one of the poorest nations in the middle east (not iran) for 4 weeks destroying the already weak infrastructure and making life miserable for hundred of thousands of Yemenis without affecting Iran or the Houthis who now control more territories than before the war , it reminds me of the western coalition half hearted bombing of Isis.
Faisal Qasem, the intellectual thug at aljazeera, finally saw god when he said we shall forgive but never forget, that gives ghufran’s name a new meaning !!

April 21st, 2015, 10:41 pm

 

mjabali said:

“A day will come when we a have a cleaner Middle East.”

Here is another Sunni threatening Shia of genocide. Not to forget this person is a doctor.

For more than one thousand years and the Sunnis never changed their attitude towards the Shia, they want them dead.

All the Shia want is for the Sunnis to leave them alone. Apparently almost every Sunni thinks he/she is Allah’s deputy on earth….

April 21st, 2015, 11:07 pm

 

Ghufran said:

A question to KSA lovers here:
What happened to the official Saudi goals of the Yemen war; the surrender of Houthis and the return of the “legitimate” government ?
That was a war launched by rich Bedouin cowards on a poor nation, the Saudi thugs did what they did to forget about their political and military microphallus.
I tried to laugh at the declaration of victory by KSA and their pimps in the region especially the Hariri clowns but I could not.

April 22nd, 2015, 12:37 am

 
 

Alan said:

Mina
أ ف ب: بدء الاجتماع الأول لرؤساء الأركان العرب في القاهرة لبحث القوة المشتركة
اين في القاهرة على مسرح الاوبرا؟
من فضلك اشرح لنا ماهي الاهداف المغناطيسية و اللولبية لتك القوة المشتركة ، هل تشمل تحرير القدس، او عتق الفلسطينيين من الاحتلال البغيض؟
ام ان الاحتلال البغيض هو الامر و الناهي لتلك القوة؟

April 22nd, 2015, 10:06 am

 

Tara said:

It is time that the Arab governments have waken up to the Persian threat. Iran is much more threatening to the ME than Israel could ever be. The Huthi and HA should be completely demilitarized and neutralized to avoid betraying their countries serving the Persian empires brain washed by some religious dogmas

April 22nd, 2015, 10:15 am

 

mjabali said:

– Now it is Arabs vs Persians….as if we live in the days of Khalid ibn al-Walid…This racial divide does not really exist. There are Arabs on both sides of the fight these days. Some Sunnis support Iran and the Iraqi Shia vs ISIS for example.

The Sunnis who try to portray this as an Arab Vs Persians are not telling the truth as we could tell.

– They want to portray Iran as a threat to the middle east…why and how? History tells us that is is the SUNNIS who always killed Shia, so why cry when the Shia are strong and can fend for themselves. Shia always fought to survive the onslaught of the Sunnis.

– The “Arab” governments are interested in the Shia vs Sunnis war because they are stealing the OIL of the Shia and riding on the backs of theirs people sending some to explode amongst civilian Shia here and there. How many Sunni suicide bomber blew himself amongst Shia? Thousands I say….how many Shia: almost ZERO.

– It is a different world between the Persian Empire and the happy kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Kuwait and Jordan. Sunnis should unite and live together alone. It is better for them and for the rest of the world. But, how can you sell this idea to the “princes” and self appointed kings? One kind now is riding a motorcycle in the USA while his F16’s are killing infidel Houthis….his wife is shopping ….

-PS: I forgot to say that many Sunnis like to use the word “traitor.” so go figure…

April 22nd, 2015, 11:04 am

 

Alan said:

/However, for this senseless war is actually hidden project of the Arab … N A T O -led by Israel./

Do you tried the alliances with Syria? Did you succeed? You can rest assured that the next of the events will be on your lands and in your cities including your undergrounds, as revange, Oh dear camels and their
Davids Co.

April 22nd, 2015, 11:36 am

 

Tara said:

Those Arabs who publicly swore allegiance to Iran, aka HA leader Hassan Nasrallah are nothing but the worst kind of traitors . You do not betray your country unless you are brainwashed by a religious dogma.

The tape documenting official Hassan Nasralls ‘ allegiance to Iran and hence treachery is available on the net.

Traitors should be demilitarized and cleansed out back to Iran

April 22nd, 2015, 11:41 am

 

ALAN said:

Did Money Seal Israeli-Saudi Alliance?

Saudi Arabia Gives Israel 16bn Dollars!

http://www.ascertainthetruth.com/att/index.php/al-islam-a-terrorism/intl-qwar-on-terrorq/1353-saudi-arabia-gives-israel-16bn-dollars

If Saudi Arabia’s petrodollars helped secure Israel’s assistance in creating such a potential hell on earth, the Saudi royals might consider it the best money they ever spent – and the resulting orgy of military spending by the U.S. government might benefit some well-connected neocons, too – but the many victims of this madness would certainly feel otherwise as might the vast majority of the American people.

April 22nd, 2015, 2:08 pm

 

ghufran said:

https://youtu.be/9f7pCAfj574
SOHR chief speaks at a well watched Tunisian TV program.
Turkey, as we said before, is guilty to the bone when it comes to supporting terrorism and helping ISIS and Nusra.

April 22nd, 2015, 3:14 pm

 

Sami said:

one of the reasons that this Nobel revolution has not succeeded yet is the because of the deep seeded hatred and mistrust between the different Syrian communities.

I never thought for the life of me that Syrians are not only so ignorant of each other, but the mosaic of our country that I have adored for nearly my entire life can be used to further sectarian hatred and filth.

If some of you here think the opposition is guilty of sectarianism and that the regime and its mouth pieces are innocent victims then think again. WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF IT.

Our country had a chance of a life time and we blew it on sectarianism and fighting “terrorists”. You don’t build a country on hate, you destroy the country with it.

Iran and its proxies is as guilty as Saudi/Turkey and its proxies in furthering the death and destruction of our home. We all turned our backs on each other, celebrated our deaths and torture on YouTube and spread hate on Facebook. While doing so we callously turned a blind eye on the atrocities, blamed the innocent victims and spread made up conspiracy theories.

We all failed Syria, we all failed our people and turned their children into scared, orphaned, and uneducated with absolutely no hope for a future.

Syrians are being stuffed into gas tanks to be smuggled to freedom while we spew venom at each other.

I was proud to be a Syrian, it gets harder every day.
يا حيف

April 22nd, 2015, 9:58 pm

 

Badr said:

Sami,

Sensible comments such as the one by you above have been few and far between. I’m curious to know if you would welcome an Assad’s apologist to your restaurant.

April 23rd, 2015, 4:02 am

 

Ziad Abu Fadel said:

This author’s use of the word “regime” tells it all. He is clearly a propagandist for terrorists just as this site is a pure lie factory. How many Hizbollah fighters have died? All he says is “heavy” losses. Hassan Nasrallah has already refuted these claims by professional liars in several speeches. Hizbollah has not had heavy losses. And where does he thing our soldiers come from? Almost every soldier is from the citizenry including our nephews and cousins. People who deliver this kind of nonsense should be careful lest they be associated with cannibals, savages and other forms of vermin found in Alqaeda and ISIS. In every election, Dr. Assad will win hands down because the Syrian people want him. Not Turks, like the Atassis, who have no business even writing about our country. They ought to go back to Istanbul where they came from. Long live secular Syria.

April 23rd, 2015, 8:19 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

19 SAMI

Your description of a syrian national perception of a Civil War is excatly the same history I Heard a thousand times about lebanese and their civil war.

In Lebanon it was about ASSAD/IRAN/USSR versus ISRAEL/US killing 150.000 people.

In Syria it is about ASSAD/IRAN/RUSSIA versus SYRIANS and supporters from many countries.

The common factor is the same ASSAD/SYRIA/IRAN, do not be fooled it is not the people´s responsability, it is the people in dictatorial power (plus the cowards, the corrupts and inmoral who support them) who drove Syria and Lebanon to destruction.

A part from ASSAD and IRAN we can say US and ISRAEL are the big benefficiares: they got the arab world Split in two becoming great weapons consumers for the future.

April 23rd, 2015, 8:50 am

 

Sami said:

Badr,

yes, I have and do.

April 23rd, 2015, 9:57 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

This article is for Resistance Pro™ Angry Alan:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4650017,00.html

Tara,

I remember you! Good posts as always. Kif Halik?

Iran is the kingpin. Fix Iran, and the ME will be peaceful.

April 23rd, 2015, 12:51 pm

 

ALAN said:

19. SAMI
You talked about the torsion fields of destructive hatred that fantasticly increase in a cone in each cycle. that indicates your sense of third eye chakra, located between rows “lookin inside and identify your internal world” 🙂
http://fy.chalmers.se/~kuzmin/HOBBY/TABLE/STORY/Image35.gif

April 23rd, 2015, 1:23 pm

 

Badr said:

Sami,

Good for you! An emphatic ‘yes’ is consistent with your comment.

April 23rd, 2015, 2:22 pm

 

Atassi said:

How dreadful and radicals means will the AssadHezbollahIran devotees will keep on finding senseless justifications for the regime atrocities against the Syrian people? I have to agree with Sami We Syrians all failed Syria, we all failed their future and destroyed the past ….. Assad will meet his end when his role is over and the ill-advised opposition and all Warlords will end too.

April 23rd, 2015, 3:44 pm

 

ALAN said:

We have built everything we can, but you have destroyed everything we have built under the pretext of your “hollow wishes” Dear Sirs.

April 23rd, 2015, 5:22 pm

 

ghufran said:

Sami,
Thank you, you said what many were not brave enough to say.
Your post reminded me of the prophetic lines written by few of us in 2011 when the war was just starting.
Foreign nations especially Iran and Turkey are guilty of keeping this war raging but it was the Syrians who destroyed their own country, at the end of the day, it is the Syrian mothers who are weeping not the Saudis, Israelis,Turkish,etc. Foreigners will be glad to help you(or help themselves)attack or even kill your neighbor if that can serve their interests, it is a brutal world out there.
Syrians have lost more than the lives of those who died and the hundred of billions of dollars of destroyed and stolen properties and resources, they also lost self respect and the respect of other nations. However, I can not and will not give my back to Syria even if I say:
يا أمة ضحكت من جهلها الامم
I simply have too many people and places that I love in the motherland !!

April 24th, 2015, 1:08 am

 
 

Akb ar Palace said:

Ahlan only likes freedom of speech in “Israhell” NewZ

Ahlan,

What happens to “peaceniks” living in muslim countries like Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia?

I see this person Elizabeth Tsurov is posting and living freely in the Zio Entity.

https://globalvoicesonline.org/author/elizabeth-tsurkov/

April 24th, 2015, 9:39 am

 

ALAN said:

” Pro BiBi , pro levi “propagandist!
Virginia state agency cancels Jerusalem trip citing Israeli discrimination
https://rfodalaw.wordpress.com/2015/03/28/virginia-state-agency-cancels-jerusalem-trip-citing-israeli-discrimination/

April 24th, 2015, 5:45 pm

 

ghufran said:

This is a sample of the “Mujahidden” our thawrajiyyeh friends are celebrating and the media whore houses calling “Syrian rebels”
or opposition (Mu’aradah). There is no doubt about who are the rebels today, who leads them and who supports them, there is also no doubt that this Islamist revolt has nothing to do with Syrians, freedom and democracy. Nusra wants to establish an Islamist Emirate in Idleb to compete or compliment Raqqa which is under ISIS.
If Jisr Ashugour falls, seems unlikely based on how important JA location is, Nusra and Isis will attack Latakia and that will open an even bloodier chapter in this war.
Regime sources are trying to calm people who are watching Nusra and ISIS take new territories while our “national” opposition Turkmani-led coalition is cheer leading and naively waiting for permission from Nusra to enter Idleb (AB Sida claimed that his group does not want to be in the same place with militants :). Nusra and Isis terrorists, and their many cousins, are not in Syria to live and let live, they are in Syria to kill and die.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCi36E-vyQ&feature=youtu.be

April 24th, 2015, 11:55 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

The death of a dog, Rustum Ghazali killed by another dog:

http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=178975

April 25th, 2015, 3:37 am

 

mjabali said:

The US government and weapons manufacturers should stop giving the camel riding/now F16 Saudis and their helpers any help destroying a historic country like Yemen.

The Saudi “princes” do not value not human lives or historic places like Yemen.

See what they did in historic Meccah…it looks like Atlantic City now…

April 25th, 2015, 6:35 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Terribly sectarian focuss as usually.

April 25th, 2015, 11:23 am

 

Observer said:

Well well; I thought ALL Sunnis are complete followers of Ibn T. I thought that the historian in residence has clearly shown time and again that the Sunnis are inherently and intrinsically full of hate and discriminatory mentality. So much so that I had shown that in this the historian in residence has become….. surprise…… a Sunni as he now paints ALL others with the single brush of being evil.
His fixation on Ibn T’s pronouncements have essentially shown that he is too under the full influence of the late cleric.
Now we have him tell us that ALL Sunnis are followers of Ibn T and then we have “Some Sunnis support Iran and the Iraqi Shia” contradicting himself one more time.
However, I must confess that the methodology of the Christian Militia in Lebanon was to carry the fight to the Muslim areas; like the Israelis before them they always carried the fight to the territory of the other; and likewise the regime forces have to this day tried to carry the fight to the other side with loyal villages spared any attack or retaliation of significance.
However we now have some news
1. Apparently Israel bombed two regime forces divisions in the Qalamoun region and along with HA sites as well: total silence from the Syrian and HA side
2. Jisr Ashoghour fell and it seems that it is more strategic than Idlib as it controls the areas to Latakia and to Hama.
3. Hama and Ghab fighting is increasing and several areas have fell to the rebels yesterday as well
4. Jordan refused to open a crossing in Sweda province.
5. All of Aleppo may fall if supply lines are cut
6. The Syria Report has shown that the psychological threshold of 300 pounds to the dollars is about to be reached and hence a run on the pound is likely with a collapse of the economy.
7. Qalamoun is not in my opinion subject to snow melting as it actually favors HA with its supposedly highly disciplined and trained fighters who actually use nature’s condition to its advantage.
8. HA leader has made many mistakes: first by declaring in 06 that had he known of the magnitude of the Israeli response he would not have started the fight; by going full blown on the airwave offensive with regard to Yemen, a place that is of no consequence to Lebanon and whose Shiite population is not a 12th Imam school of Shia Islam. They do not revere apparently Zainab as much as the HA and Iran groups.
It also puts Lebanon again as a battle ground for the fight between regional fighters. Lebanon does not need to be the place for another regional proxy war. It is not Syria that is being threatened by HA actions it is Lebanon. In immersing HA in a fight along side the barbaric regime it has sealed its fate in Syria. Members of my family had given money and shelter and even supported orphans o the 2006 war in defiance of Israel and in support of HA and today they not only regret that show of support to HA that they did but they find themselves exiled in Lebanon and in Jordan and some living in difficult situation as refugees and depend on other family members to support them and they hate the leader of HA to no end.

In conclusion HA will fight in Qalamoun not because it has to and not because it is going to win and not because it is in the right but because like all power hungry and power grabbing lackeys of the Turban in Chief in Qom they will follow orders and will continue to make mistakes. Like all dictators and despots it will continue to sacrifice others and poor recruits for its leader to continue to give speeches on TV screens.

Historian in Residence would you please go and listen to The Boy Prethident talk to France 2 again for me?

Have a nice drink from Ibn T’s Kool Aid

April 25th, 2015, 2:52 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

HA and Assad had a limited time from US and the ¨Civilized World¨ represented by the UN (United Nothing) to destroy all syrians who opposed the Iran Rule over the Middle East.

Time is near to be over and they did not get their goal. Worse even, Iran may have agreed with US that HA and Assad be sacrified in the altar of the New Persina Empire. If this is true then:

¨Allah Isaadkum ya Klaab¨

April 25th, 2015, 4:25 pm

 

Ghufran said:

It is the same story since rebels managed to occupy the first Syrian town: rebels come in, usually with help from jihadists and locals, the army gets out and bombardment starts and videos of refugees, head cutting ceremonies and talibani type police start to come in, yet there are Syrians on both sides who still think this war makes sense and they justify using outside forces to help them kill other Syrians.
Many people are now asking these questions:
Why should the army lose tens of thousands of young men to keep certain anti regime areas under regime control while ordinary Syrians in other areas that support the army live in fear and poverty ?
Who said that Syrians should not be allowed to find an alternative to the regime and the Islamist terrorists ?
Why should cities like Latakia and Tartous take hundred of thousands of women and children from war zones while many men from those families are fighting the Syrian army and killing relatives of the same people that are giving those families food and shelter ?
Why rockets and bombs are only falling on Syrian cities and not on cities in countries that occupy Syrian land and support terrorism ?
Is not it time to end the war and draw temporary borders and let people decide who should rule them even if they choose Nusra and Isis ?
One simple conclusion and no clear answer:
الشعب السوري مانو واحد
أمه فاشله من الألف الى الياء
نظام فاشل و معارضه افشل
Do not forget to apologize for your terrorist brigades or your inept regime
and throw internet sound bombs at Syrians who disagree with your narrow understanding of the events !!

April 25th, 2015, 6:54 pm

 

mjabali said:

– Having Sunnis side with Iran does not mean that these Sunnis are free from the Sunni dominant belief that the Shia are not humans.

– Ibn Taymiyah is the one who established all the notions the Sunnis hold today towards the others. Look at the Saudi family and its view of the Shia, or look at al-Nusra in Syria and its views of the minorities.

– Ibn Taymiya was and is the main theologian for the Sunnis. There are states that follow his words.

– If you like it or not, Ibn Taymiyah was fed to you with your baby milk and it shows.

April 25th, 2015, 11:32 pm

 

jjsayan said:

Here is what we’re getting our info from to base our opinions on, going back decades….

April 26th, 2015, 12:25 am

 

Observer said:

Well well, it so happens that we did not pray or fast and did not go to mosque in my household growing up. I actually did not know how to pray until I was taught once in a religion class in 7th grade in the government mandated religion class.

Yet the thought process of Ibn T has so pervaded our historian in residence, that he is convinced and would not be swayed otherwise that this is the way ALL Sunnis think.

Once again he has become a Sunni par excellence unable to get out from under the thumb of Ibn T. It so happens that the reality is that the thought process of our eminent historian in residence is so warped in this endless victimhood that he has dehumanized in one brush stroke the entire 1 billion or so Sunnis.

Here is Mathieu Rey’s article in La Croix for your edification. It proves my point that like the military and security offensives that bring death and destruction to the other, the same applies to the thought process that dehumanizes the other whereby one brings the offensive by painting the other in a single stroke while deflecting the audience from the abomination that is the Syrian Regime: raping boys in front of their mother, raping mothers in front of their children, killing people alive to take their organs in the thousands and barrel and chemical weapon bombing entire cities. And yet our lamb in residence pretends that he is against the regime but we only hear from him when another “loyal” village falls. Larmes de Crocodile indeed.

Les médias occidentaux se focalisent sur deux catégories d’acteurs en Syrie, biaisant notre compréhension des processus en cours : l’un, le nouvel entrant, l’organisation de l’État islamique ; l’autre, lié aux traditions diplomatiques, les « minorités ». Cela tend à faire oublier les réelles dynamiques de la crise.

En Irak et en Syrie, les acteurs qui se revendiquent comme l’État – les « régimes » – s’apparentent de plus en plus à une coalition de milices, plus ou moins autonomes, développant des liens avec des forces étrangères armées. Les régimes de Damas et de Bagdad partagent une gestion confessionnalisée de leur population, avec l’exclusion de groupes de citoyens et la mise en valeur d’autres ; l’absence de formule politique d’avenir pour la gestion des besoins de la population ; et une approche exclusivement sécuritaire des problèmes.

Dans le même temps, des formes politiques parallèles à l’État montent en puissance. L’individu est laissé à lui-même et doit faire face de plus en plus à des tâches de survie. La crise n’est plus localisée : on sait qu’un Syrien parti de Syrie accédera un an plus tard, au terme d’un périple des plus durs, à un exil/asile incertain. Pourtant, le traitement de la question des réfugiés reste exclusivement humanitaire alors qu’elle devait être intégrée aux questionnements politiques.

Devant les derniers développements depuis un an, l’Occident s’est contenté d’un traitement émotionnel. Les vieux réflexes de la question d’Orient ré-émergent : les acteurs minoritaires locaux susceptibles de mobiliser les opinions occidentales parviennent à monopoliser le discours de la souffrance et empêchent un traitement autre qu’« humanitaire ». Certaines élites, kurdes parfois, chrétiennes d’autre fois, se voient attribuer toutes les vertus de la représentation, alors même que la majorité se voit imposer le silence. Une fois encore, l’Occident attribue tous les droits à des nations ou communautés (kurdes, chrétiennes, etc.) mais rien aux individus qui se sont soulevés contre des tyrannies.

La principale solution apportée tient avant tout au registre de l’émotionnel : un marché aux esclaves de femmes yézidies soulève une condamnation bien légitime ; la mort de deux Américains précipite le déclenchement d’une série d’attaques aériennes contre l’organisation de l’État islamique, sans que nul objectif de guerre ne soit formulé. L’idée est de « détruire », ce qui en termes militaires, diplomatiques et politiques, ne renvoie à aucune réalité.

La crise syrienne, perçue au prisme de l’émotion, fonctionne aujourd’hui à travers le monde comme un aimant pour une migration d’une nature exceptionnelle : des gens en armes. Dans les rangs des Kurdes, des milices des régimes, des forces armées de l’opposition ou encore parmi les forces de l’organisation de l’État islamique, de vastes groupes humains armés ont convergé vers les mondes de l’Euphrate, atteignant la centaine de milliers de combattants. Aux hommes armés iraniens, pakistanais ou irakiens font face des Tunisiens, des Français, des Tchétchènes, etc. La Syrie est devenue le lieu d’accueil de combattants et d’émotions mondiales qui s’inquiètent de beaucoup de choses… hormis des Syriens.

April 26th, 2015, 2:06 am

 

ALAN said:

Enough. stop this madness.
you carry damaging effect to the Syrian identity
Really the ideas of Bernard-Henri Levy overwhelming and devastating!!!

April 26th, 2015, 2:10 am

 

Observer said:

No comment on this Facebook exchange reported by Orient News that a friend sent me

” لؤي حسين وأشباهه من معارضي الأقليات: استخدم جملة “جسر الشغور سقطت بيد النصرة وأشباهها”! إيحاءً بأن التحرير احتلال!؟ جسر الشعور كانت محتلة من النصيري واليوم تحررت بأيدي أبنائها وعادت لهم. يطالبنا بتبني مخاوف الأقليات من الكتائب الاسلامية!؟ لن نتبنى مخاوفكم ولم تعد تعنينا بعد اليوم. بعد اليوم لسنا مضطرون لتبرير أنفسنا أمامكم، أنتم المطالبون بتبرير أفعالكم أمامنا، وأعني تحديدا وبلا مواربة: النصيريون والأرمن والدروز والمسيحيون. عرفنا طيلة أربع سنوات هواننا عليكم! ولم يعد يخيفنا عدم مشاركتكم أو مشاركتكم بالتغيير، أأعجبكم التغيير أم لا! فلا تهددونا! أساسا تهديدكم تافه لأن معظمكم يمارس تهديده بحمل السلاح مع أسد! أربع سنوات رأينا خلالها من التيار المركزي لطوائفكم مساندة للمجرم أسد وتعنت باذلالنا! التغيير الايجابي نحصل عليه اليوم بدماء أولادنا وأنتم تشاركون فيه ولكن باراقته على مذبح أسد ومذبح كراهيتكم لنا!؟ بلادنا تعود الينا بسواعد أبنائنا. لم نعجبكم حين استكنا لحكمكم بالخديعة والبطش، ولم نعجبكم حين طلبا الحرية ودعوناكم للمشاركة بالسير بدرب المدنية والحضارة عبر دبكات بالساحات! ولن نراهن على اعجابكم بنا أبدا اليوم وبعده. رهاننا الوحيد… ســــــــــــــوريـا حـرّة”.

وكان لؤي حسين، الذي ينتمي للطائفة العلوية ويرأس ما يسمى بـ (تيار بناء الدولة) المعارض، قد كتب على صحفته على (فيسبوك) قائلاً:
” جسر الشغور سقطت بيد النصرة وأشباهها. النظام تنهار أطرافه.
جسر الشغور على مرمى العين من قرى العلويين. لا تغيير إيجابي جدي في البلاد من دون مشاركة العلويين بشكل فاعل وحقيقي. مشاركتهم وليس إخضاعهم أو حتى تقديم ضمانة لهم. العلويون لا يجدون في النصرة حليفا بل عدوا، وهم محقون في ذلك. وعلى من يريد مشاركتهم في التغيير أن يشاركهم مخاوفهم المحقة، ويقول لهم إن النظام كاذب في حمايتهم، وأن يشاركهم بحماية أنفسهم وحماية سوريا من كل طغيان بديل لطغيان النظام”.

أما المترجم ثائر ديب الذي ينتمي للطائفة العلوية فقد كتب معلقاً:
“لم يعد هناك “مُسْتَحَى”، كما يقولون، في تأييد “الفتح” الذي تقوم به قاعدة النصرة ولا حتى إسرائيل، من قبل أناس زعموا أنهم خرجوا على نظام الاستبداد من أجل دولة ديمقراطية مدنية،…
بما أن الأمر بات بهذا الوضوح، فإننا نبارك لهؤلاء الفتح الجديد، ونتمنى لهم ولهن إدراكأً لما يجري أحسن بقليل من إدراك البهيمة الذي يبدونه والذي سيتبهدل حتماً، كما نتمنى لهم ولهن فتحاً نهائياً قريباً أوسع وأعمق، خصوصاً فنانات جهاد النصرة السعيدات بفتحها. من يحسب ما يجري عملية تحرير وإسقاط للنظام، ومن يحسب النصرة وأذيالها محررين وقوى ثورة، ومن يحسب الدولة النظام،
من يحسب عناصر الجيش، كل الجيش، شبيحة النظام… فليسمح لنا بأن نبشّر سعادة نباهته بأنَّ كلّ ما سبق يُسقِط كلّ شيء ما عدا النظام.
كم يشبه هؤلاء، بغبائهم المديد، شبيحة النظام الذين يحسبون كل معارض داعش ومؤامرة؟!!!”

في حين كتب منذر خدام من “هيئة التنسيق الوطنية”:
” إن سيطرة جبهة النصرة على مدينة جسر الشغور الاستراتيجية تفتح الطريق نحو الجنوب باتجاه سهل الغاب كما تفتحه باتجاه الساحل…كم نحن بحاجة في هذه الظروف إلى تشكيل تحالف وطني عريض على أساس تطبيق بيان جنيف بما يؤمن غطاءا سياسيا وطنياً عريضاً للجيش السوري، ويستنفر كل القوى الوطنية والمجتمعية ويحشدها لمحاربة قوى الارهاب والتطرف ويعطي للسوريين الأمل بمستقبل مختلف لا مكان فيه للاستبداد بكل صوره وأشكاله…”.
25/4/2015

April 26th, 2015, 2:32 am

 

Observer said:

Again no comment on this news today: I think that Rifaat does not know what Honor means: read it to the end and to those that continue to carry the offensive of the debate on the victims

Un haras, des appartements par dizaines, comment Rifaat el-Assad, en rupture de ban avec le régime de Damas a-t-il pu bâtir en France une fortune immobilière évaluée à quelque 90 millions d’euros ? Des juges français dissèquent depuis un an le patrimoine de l’oncle du président syrien.

Pour l’association Sherpa, qui entend défendre les populations victimes des crimes économiques et dont la plainte en février 2014 a déclenché l’enquête, ces biens ont été acquis par l’argent de la corruption quand Rifaat el-Assad était le bras droit de son frère aîné Hafez, alors chef de l’Etat. C’est au décès de ce dernier en 2000 que son fils Bachar lui a succédé.

“Ce n’est pas de l’argent syrien”, rétorque un des avocats de Rifaat el-Assad, Me Benjamin Grundler. Son client, entendu le 30 janvier comme témoin par les enquêteurs, a invoqué un soutien financier saoudien. “Des éléments attestant de l’origine légale de la fortune de Rifaat el-Assad ont été apportés”, selon Me Grundler.

Accusé d’avoir mené la sanglante répression contre les Frères musulmans et notamment l’assaut sur la ville syrienne de Hama en 1982, Rifaat el-Assad, 67 ans, tombé en disgrâce, a été contraint à l’exil deux ans plus tard.

Mitterrand a été ‘très gentil’

Au faîte de sa puissance, ses frais “étaient pris en charge par le gouvernement syrien”, “tout l’argent qu'(il gagnait, il le donnait) aux pauvres”, selon ses propos lors de son audition rapportés à l’AFP par une source proche du dossier. Le moment du départ venu, “je n’avais rien”, a-t-il insisté. “C’est François Mitterrand (l’ancien président français décédé en 1995) qui m’a demandé de venir en France”, “il nous a octroyé des permis de port d’armes, des agents de sécurité. Il a été très gentil”.

A Paris, Rifaat el-Assad se lance pourtant dans d’importants investissements immobiliers. C’était “pour accueillir (ses) enfants et les gens qui (l’)ont suivi”, se souvient le sexagénaire désormais installé à Londres, et qui a insisté sur son désintérêt pour les détails d’intendance: “Je ne sais pas par quels fonds ils ont été financés”; “je m’occupe uniquement de politique”; “on m’apporte des papiers pour signer et je signe”; “je ne sais pas payer, même le restaurant”.

Le patrimoine de sa famille a été détaillé par les enquêteurs des douanes dans un rapport du 15 mai 2014 dont l’AFP a eu connaissance: “La valeur globale du patrimoine immobilier détenu en France, par M. Rifaat el-Assad et sa famille, au travers de sociétés luxembourgeoises à prépondérance immobilière est d’environ 90 millions d’euros”. Sur cette somme, “52,62 millions d’euros (sont) détenus indirectement par M. Rifaat al-Assad” via des sociétés, notamment une luxembourgeoise, Sounoune.
L’inventaire comprend un haras près de Paris, deux hôtels particuliers, deux immeubles et un terrain à Paris, ainsi que des bureaux à Lyon (centre-est).

Entendus comme témoins, plusieurs enfants de Rifaat el-Assad ont également évoqué le sponsor saoudien qui “a financé notre exil depuis 30 ans”. “Le haras a été donné à mon père par le prince Abdallah d’Arabie Saoudite”, roi de 2005 à 2015, a ainsi affirmé Soumar el-Assad, 43 ans.
Aujourd’hui, Rifaat vit “principalement de la vente des appartements (…) et de l’aide régulière de l’Arabie Saoudite”, selon Siwar, 39 ans.

Rifaat a évoqué son amitié avec Abdallah, née d’une passion commune pour la chasse. Il a raconté qu’avant son exil “à chaque fois que la Syrie avait besoin de quelque chose, on (le) missionnait pour aller demander à Abdallah”: “J’ai rapporté beaucoup d’argent à la Syrie sous forme d’aide”.

Spécialiste de la Syrie, l’universitaire, Fabrice Balanche, est sceptique: “L’Arabie Saoudite n’a aucun intérêt à soutenir Rifaat qui ne représente rien”, a-t-il dit aux enquêteurs qui disposent du témoignage d’un ancien employé de la famille. Celui-ci a raconté comment les appartements d’un des immeubles qu’il gérait “se louaient à la semaine ou au mois”, une activité qui n’aurait “jamais été déclarée”, selon ses dires.
Pour Rifaat el-Assad, l’enquête qui le vise répond à des motivations politiques. “Je trouve cette histoire étrange (…) Cette affaire n’est pas à l’honneur de la France”.

April 26th, 2015, 2:47 am

 

SimoHurtta said:

Hmmmm what about Golan …

On Independence Day, moderate Syrian rebels send warm wishes
Free Syrian Army hopes to celebrate 68th anniversary at ‘Israel’s embassy in Damascus’

“We congratulate the powerful state of Israel and its people on its anniversary of independence, and we hope that next year we can participate in the joy of the grand occasion in Israel’s embassy in Damascus,” the group’s foreign affairs official Mousa Ahmed Nabhan stated in the message.

April 26th, 2015, 3:40 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

There are tens of thousands of empty headed supporters of Ass-ad who still believe that Israel is the great enemy while they do not realize that themselves are their own enemies. Destroying their own country and their own people and destroying themselves at the end.

When arab dictatorships based all their rethorics on Sionism and Israel by the 40´s, 50´s and 60´s we should have been intelligent enough to distrust them. We should have been brave enough to critize both Israel as a colonialist Project and all dictatorships as dirty motherfxxxxxrs destoying our national identity.

April 26th, 2015, 4:27 am

 

ALAN said:

SIMO
so who is indeed the dirty motherfxxxxxrs?

April 26th, 2015, 7:33 am

 

Tara said:

The death of Rustm Ghazale should serve as a lesson to any Sunni sold himself to Assad regime: dying like a dog…

.and then meeting God!

April 26th, 2015, 8:40 am

 

SimoHurtta said:

45.

By the way Sandro most of the Arab dictatorships/kingdoms existed already when Israel did not exist. So criticising Zionism did not create the ruling style of Arab countries. Neither did Iran or Russia/USSR.

Sandro if Free Syrian Army wins, will the democratic peace loving Zionists give back Golan? I doubt Bibi and his extreme Jewish coalition will do that. The fact is that Free Syrian Army has promised to establish instantly diplomatic relations with Israel – the embassy in Damascus next year you know means that – without solving the Golan “problem”. These free Syrian patriots really do not criticise Zionism and are handing over to Israel a part of their home country. Quislings or patriotic democrats?

However it is worth pondering would there be more democracy in Middle East with less Zionism in the neighbourhood. So does the constantly aggressive Zionism without borders stop the natural democracy development in the region? Surely a peaceful Israel with borders and Palestine would allow the neighbourhood to develop democracy in more rational ways as we see now happening in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Egypt etc.

April 26th, 2015, 12:55 pm

 

ghufran said:

I personally resent the sectarian language that I see in many of the posts here not just because it is wrong but because it does not make sense and it only feeds the theory that the war in Syria is a fight till death between people who have a lot in common and live in the same country but are fighting because they have different religious beliefs !!
Most of you should know that being a Sunni does not make one more religious, and being an Alawite does not make one more tolerant or more humane, violence against women, theft, and vulgar behavior have affected Alawite people as much as everybody else in Syria, religious (good) behavior is often independent from stated religious beliefs or affiliation.
The core problem in Syria is the lack of freedom. people in the opposition like to limit that to regime oppression and brutality but they ignore the oppression caused by strict Islam and Wahhabi theology (these two items are not identical) because they are afraid of angering some Muslims. Wahhabi Islam has contributed to Syria’s social problems especially when it comes to treatment of women and how militants see and treat “non believers”.
Only pseudo religious sectarian gangs can justify violence and theft based on religious labelling, most militants today are Sunni but there are well documented sectarian crimes committed by Shia militias, one reason for this pathological pseudo-Sunni phenomenon is that Wahhabi Islam has well established theologians and far better funding especially from GCC countries, it also helps that most Muslims are Sunni today.
Here is the part that regime supporters do not want you to hear:
Sunnis in Syria before 1963(even under the guidance and influence of their Sheikhs)were less oppressive and more accepting to opposing political views than Alawites did under Al-Baath and the Assads,that is how albaath won seats in the parliament before 1963 but as soon as they staged their coup they effectively banned other political parties. Many early Alawite army officers used albaath to benefit Alawites (as a group) but the Assads made albaath a family business and this will haunt Alawites for years to come, yes that was orchestrated by the Assads and their security chiefs but their actions affected how people saw Alawites in general and the opposition failed in separating the two groups (Assadists and Alawites) and treated Alawites as one enemy body thus playing in the hands of the regime.
What also helped the regime was militant Sunnis who used Wahhabi theology and GCC support to inflame sectarian feelings and change the nature of the war, the inept opposition knew that and did nothing about it because they did not want to risk losing their pay check and free plane tickets and fancy hotels stay !!
Rustom Ghazali(a Sunni)and Ghazi Kan’aan(an Alawite)received the same treatment from the Assad family, both were very rich and very influential, and both fell out of favor because the Assad family saw them as a liability or as a threat, Tara is wrong on this one.

April 26th, 2015, 1:33 pm

 

Majed97 said:

“The core problem in Syria is the lack of freedom.”

I respectfully disagree, Ghufran. The core problem in Syria and the Muslim world at large is ignorance and irresponsible behavior, specifically their out of control birth rate. Syria’s population has grown by 420% since 1960, from 4.5M in 1960 to 23.2M today. Just for reference, during the same period, the U.S. population has grown by less than 80% (much of it through immigration). Europe has even grown at lower rates. Muslims always justify this irrational behavior by trusting their god to bless and care for their children. But when god fails to do so, as he often does, they blame it on the dictator. Even today, as Syrians are suffering terribly in refugee camps, they continue to breed at high rate without any consideration to the misery and horrific future awaiting their kids.

Since Syria’s natural resources are limited to start with, keeping up with this rate of growth is far beyond any political system to handle. There is no political system in the world capable of governing such irresponsible people. Freedom is just a political sound bite often used by politicians in order to manipulate people into changing dictatorships.

Think about this for a minute…Syrians and Muslims in general have complete freedom to manage one thing in their lives and that is their own family planning. Look at how well they handled that “freedom”…Now imagine entrusting these people to “freely” manage a country made up of highly diverse population and limited resources…

April 26th, 2015, 3:42 pm

 

Badr said:

A counter argument to what was recently claimed in some comments on the subject of sectarian strife:

The Middle East’s long sectarian peace

By Nick Danforth

The point of this history is not that a present-day eruption of sectarian warfare is impossible. It really is a possibility — not because of anything that happened 1,000 years ago, but rather because of how people today explain what happened 1,000 years ago. And sadly, when people start insisting, against all evidence, that they have been constantly at war for 13 centuries, that’s almost always a dangerous sign.

April 26th, 2015, 4:59 pm

 

ghufran said:

I think you are indeed supporting my argument, majed.
If poor, or not so poor, Muslim women are left free to choose, many of them will not choose to have 8 kids and they will disobey their sheikh’s order and take some pills and do that simple surgery. The lack of freedom is the mother of all evil, it leads to poverty, disrespect of the law and it promotes sectarianism and tribalism. Free citizens who feel that they are only bound by the law and are not cornered by religious or political monsters are happier, less violent and more productive.
make no mistake about, many Muslims are prisoners to their own packaged religion and have no way to challenge it, the worst case is in KSA but Iran under the Mullahs is not exactly free which again disputes the sectarian assumption that Shia can be fee but Sunnis can not.
The war in Syria has many roots and one of them is the population increase which far surpassed economic growth but we still needed other triggers to make it possible for thousands of young Syrians to take up arms, attack the Syrian army and even kill non-armed Syrians and still find sheikhs who justify that !!

April 26th, 2015, 5:30 pm

 

Majed97 said:

Ghufran,
I share your dream of social, sexual and intellectual freedom to liberate the oppressed human spirit throughout the Muslim world from the control of the medieval religious ideology and its evil GCC monarch backers. What the Islamic world truly needs today is a progressive spring, led by the likes of Martin Luther and the renaissance humanists to liberate their long imprisoned mind and spirit. Only then, political freedom can be entrusted to the masses.

April 26th, 2015, 8:58 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Assad regime and HA supporters are scared of a revolution they thought would be over by summer 2011. Iran game is going on and US and the ¨International Community¨ are ready to give the placet to Assad-Iran-HA axis and his control over the Middle East.

For this Iran should first have a victory in the battlefield. But the problem is that even if they win the war they have no real capacity to estabilize the situation in the conquered lands. Even if the win the war they will finally collpase due to a permanent state of terrorism and unstability from inside and outside.

In other words they could die testing their own medicine: local and international terrorism.

April 27th, 2015, 3:08 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

The battle for M4 Road. Situation in the battleground. After the fall of Jisr Shoghur it could be the turn of Ariha… or not

http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/archives/328

April 27th, 2015, 4:17 am

 

Mina said:

Islamists take Jisr al Shughur with American weapons and coordination
http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/world/article19510551.html
As the Angry Arab say, sure they plan to implant democracy and equal rights for all… but before that they have to parade with their Ben Laden posters.
http://angryarab.blogspot.de/2015/04/syrian-rebels-liberate-jisr-ash-shugur.html

April 27th, 2015, 1:10 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Syrian rebels against the Irano-russian dictatorship take Jisr Shoughur and could take Ariha in the coming hours under a rain of misiles and chlorine barrels from iranian and russian financed forces (hezballah junkies supported by afghan and pakistanis mercenaries brought by Iran).

April 27th, 2015, 6:17 pm

 

Jasmine said:

Majed @50
Thank you,At last someone is making sense in this blog.
The fact is that in the last ten years before 2011,the Syrian society was divided sharply between the very little percentage of super rich and the rest of very poor,the middle class has disappeared and every nation’s growth relies on having a sizeable population of educated and enthusiastic professionals with vocational training and real will to serve the country and help their country men.
Syria has fallen into a vicious circle of poor ignorant who is breeding more ignorant and becoming more poor,and this is not a surprise that they will create more frustrated generation,who hates their country and turn into religion to find a sense of belonging and comfort through god and Co,which usually comes with diverse ideologies.
I totally agree that birth control should be the number one issue and should be enforced legally,and it should be sent with the international aid agency and become a priority before food and water.

April 27th, 2015, 10:47 pm

 

Mina said:

#58
“I totally agree that birth control should be the number one issue and should be enforced legally,and it should be sent with the international aid agency and become a priority before food and water.”

…go and tell the Muslim theologians on Gulf cable TVs who galvanize the crowds to the point they can decide foreign djihadists to go and participate in establishing what they decided should be the islamic ideal in Syria

April 28th, 2015, 6:26 am

 

ALAN said:

59. MINA
/…go and tell the Muslim theologians on Gulf cable TVs who galvanize the crowds to the point they can decide foreign djihadists to go and participate in establishing what they decided should be the islamic ideal in Syria/ …

The depth of United States is the one who plans, supports, trains and sents on missions around the world, directly or indirectly, those abnormal Pentagon and NATO “soldiers”. SIS and NATO-US-armed terrorists in Syria clearly coordinating . thousands of US soldiers roll in their graves. Any bluffing about GWOT?
Mina
Please turn toward the head and do not waste your time in the tail Details.

April 28th, 2015, 7:06 am

 

Badr said:

It’s the birth control pill, stupid

Ya, that’s right. The brutal, oppressing, corrupt, mismanaging … Assad regime played a little role, or nothing at all in the more and more worsening situation, that the Syrians have been undergoing for so long!

April 28th, 2015, 12:23 pm

 

mjabali said:

I just read the slurry comments by the French expert Observaaar on this blog that he posted at 2:30 am few days ago. Obviously the drinks were flowing fast as fast as the accusations he was firing right and left.

For his second hand, second class, second degree, attempt at portraying himself as a “learned” man, here is a salvo of FIRE, REASON and FACTS..

– Rape is not an Assad speciality; his speciality is destruction, putting people in prison and killing in many different ways. Typical third world dictator.

– Rape was an issue used against him from day one. No one knows how accurate this is till an independent commission can confirm things.

– The Sunni Jihadis repeat day and night that they came to save the women who are getting raped by al-Assad.

-The Sunni Jihadists always say that someone is raping Muslim women, Afghanistan, Iraq, ….etc

– Sunnis like Observaar are Ibn Taymiyah in disguise no matter how much they try to distance themselves from his ideas. Example: Observaaar, exactly like Ibn Taymiyah, say that Alawites are traitors because they helped the Crusades. This point is the reason of tens of massacres against the Alawites.

Another example: Observaar, wants the Alawites to get out of Damascus, the same as Ibn Taymiyah who issued Fatwas that helped eradicate the Alawites from Damascus and its surrounding and bringing Sunnis from different ethnicities (Mostly non-Arabs) to settle in their space. How many Alawite villages were around Damascus? and how many Alawites were in Damascus ?

Note: Few days ago many Sunni went out in north Lebanon carrying Turkish flags and denying the existence of the Armenian massacre. Remember, Turkey brought them to the Syrian/Lebanese coast so what do you expect?

Never expect people like Observaar to stand for the minorities who are getting eradicated from the Middle East.

April 28th, 2015, 1:07 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Syrians have been morally raped by the regime and their corrupt authorities for more than 50 years and they have reached a point where there is no morals and no real values more than the most tribal and most primitive. Nation and civil society have been destroyed with its values. All is relative all is changable and interchangable. Any action or decision es token based on material and personal interests. This is something inherent to classical orthodox islam and even more clear when under a dictatorship, there is formal external morals but not a personal one. If any morals remains, is kept and hidden inside with shame or fear.

April 28th, 2015, 1:15 pm

 

Jasmine said:

@58
…go and tell the Muslim theologians on Gulf cable TVs who galvanize the crowds to the point they can decide foreign djihadists to go and participate in establishing what they decided should be the islamic ideal in Syria

Those Muslim theologians should be hanged with their masters because they are causing the destruction of the fabric of their own vulnerable society,let alone the rest of the world.
It is all about crowd control,and financial benefits,while they are preaching,they are living sinful life,they are the symbol of hypocrisy and evilness.
One day they will try the taste of their own medicine,it is getting closer now.

April 28th, 2015, 2:26 pm

 

ALAN said:

The US giving informations to Jihadists
الولايات المتحدة تفضل صراع طويل و تفضل أيضا فشل الجيش العراقي
فهي تقدم الأسلحة للمسلحين في مناطق النزاع و تمدهم بالمعلومات اللوجستية و الميدانية الحساسية و تصب لصالحهم تصوير الطائرات بدون طيار
http://www.freepen.gr/2015/03/blog-post_122.html
ذلك غيض من فيض شمولية السلوك الأمريكي على امتداد المنطقة
لايزال البعض هنا يريدون بيعنا المعلب و الفاسد
keep your eyes on the head and do not waste your time in the tail details.

April 28th, 2015, 3:36 pm

 

Sami said:

I really like how some here are advocating to forcibly limit how many children Sunnis should have. Next step is the Final Solution… Hail Assad?

April 28th, 2015, 3:38 pm

 

Observer said:

MJABALI I posted the article without comment.

However you cannot read carefully; you always arrive at the conclusion before reading the post.

To your knowledge I never heard of Ibn T until you mentioned him. Also, I did not know of what an Alawi was until the 80’s when the MB started a sectarian war on the regime and lost fully.

I have been out of Syria since 1971. Each time I went back I saw the depravity of the regime and the deepening poverty and the huge sectarian divide. Minorities have lost their chance have been in power since 1962 to bring about a civic society and create a nation state and hence have remained locked in the mentality of Ibn T as they only see the others as enemies and subhumans.

Well I am observing that he who sows the wind harvests the storm.

The father would have never allowed for his family and cronies to run amok in Syria. He would have personally hanged the governor of Deraa whereas your boy president has argued for a two pronged approach: use force and make it a sectarian war by painting the others with a single brush stroke: Sunnis are followers of Ibn T.

Well once again you have become a full blown Sunni as you think in a single track mind that of……… Ibn T 🙂

April 28th, 2015, 3:54 pm

 

Ghufran said:

I hope Syrians in particular and Arabs in general will eventually be able to connect the dots and understand that they are being used by others including Iran and Turkey to end any hope for an effective and viable arab presence in the region. Look at the timid response by Iran to recent turkish intervention in northern Syria and turkey’s cold reaction to ksa’s request for a larger role in ksa’s conflict with Iran.
Israel is not far behind and the picture has a 3D now:
Let those Arabs do what they do best, kill each other, and let us, the big and mature boys, divide the spoils and use those useful idiots to our advantage.
يا أمة ضحكت من جهلها الامم

April 28th, 2015, 9:35 pm

 

ALAN said:

Biden: Our biggest problem is our allies.
At Harvard University, vice president Biden said SA, Turkey and UAE had allowed extremists groups to flourish in Syria. All in the name of fighting the regime of Bashar Al Assad. And indirectly giving rise to Isis.
Saudi Arabia and Israel regard the overthrow of the Assad government as a geopolitical priority even if it results in a victory by Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State.

Biden!
Are you willing or able to rein in the Saudi-Israeli alliance, and then have to decide what to do with Islamic terrorists dominating a major Mideast nations?
Those Sunni radicals have shown that they will slaughtering infidels, including Christians. Are you give Al-Qaeda a solid platform from which to launch terrorist attacks against your country?
want you a massive losses of lives, and spending trillions of dollars without any little success?

April 29th, 2015, 1:46 am

 

Observer said:

Here is your morning read today. Again I posit that the minorities have continued to think as minorities having been invaded with the pervasive thought process of Ibn T and have not been able to really think in terms of Arab or National identity.
I just listened to a Lebanese lambasting the GCC countries as non entities just families with flags, forgetting that his Lebanon is factions and families with militias.

Be that as it may; here is the read of the day as the situation is slowly but surely crumbling and the Defense minister is in Teheran begging for troops.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/world/middleeast/an-eroding-syrian-army-points-to-strain.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

April 29th, 2015, 3:21 am

 

Mina said:

It must be out of pure luck that the djihadists in Syria happen to achieve the geopolitical interests of Turkey, isn’t it?
Isn’t the governorate of Idlib around the Turkish border? Isn’t the disputed Hatay province right next to it?
http://rt.com/op-edge/253481-al-qaeda-syria-takeover-assad/

April 29th, 2015, 5:53 am

 

Mjabali said:

Here are few facts for the French expert Observaaar who is staying true to his form by never answering the points in the debate, like the proximity of his ideas and those of Ibn Taymiyah and opting to tell us an irrelevant personal story while attacking me personally.

I know it is a waste of time arguing with this “expert” but why the hell not…points for others too

– Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad did not pursue an “Alawite” agenda. They had Alawite soldiers from their family. Even my dog knows that the Alawites that are not from the tribal affiliation of al-Assad were not included in al-Assad’s inner circle. Even my chair knows that Bashar al-Assad has many Sunnis in his inner circle, Sunnis from his city of Damascus, who are business partners, and soldiers.

– Unlike what the repeated claims of this “Observaaar:” the secular policies of the Assads failed because many Sunnis fought it. Many Sunnis benefited from these secular policies, especially women, but, overall the Salafi views of the Sunnis are the ones that prevailed and prevailing now more and more. With the Sunnis that entered Syria in the last three years: the future is obvious: Sunni areas in Syria are becoming more and more worse than Kandahar in its heydays of Talibanism.

– Alawites, and many other minorities, fight with al-Assad fearing the Sunnis. History, and what goes on the ground confirm their fears. A genocide is looming.
Example from this week: when the Sunni group Ansar al-Din entered the Alawite village of Eshtabraq they beheaded about 30 men and prayed to Allah thanking him for this victory and posted pics of all of this online. They promised more, Sunnis online rejoiced and promised more killing to the Alawites. Does anyone read the threats and promises or reprisals the Sunnis promise to inflict? The Alawites are going to fight. This is what they are accustomed to and this is what is going to happen.

– Sunnis are riding high because for the first time in their history of defeats they see they have a vicious feared soldiers like al-Nusra and ISIS, plus 300 f16 owned by the Sunnis.

– Rich Sunnis want to continue with this madness to keep on stealing the Oil from the Shia land, and keep oppressing the Shia in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar (20 percent Shia…) Iraq and now Yemen.

– Sunnis fail to face their real enemies like democracy and opt to fight Shia. What are they afraid of?

– Sunnis till today adopt all of Ibn Taymiyah’s grand ideas like their relations with the Shia, Alawites, Druz and Islamilis. Till the day Sunnis distance themselves from those ideas, YES ALL Sunnis are, in one way or another, under the influence of Ibn Taymiyah, whom they call Shaykh al-Islam. Ibn Taymiyah is Shaykh al-Islam..

– Ibn Taymiyah is the backbone of Wahabism: the plague that is destroying the area and transforming almost all the Sunnis into one block.

– The Gulf countries are made by Britain where some families were put in charge. Lebanon is not families with militias as you say, it is sects with militias. In the Gulf countries you have a population that is like a herd of sheep with slave like immigrants doing all the work for them. Lebanon exports workers to the world, always. What is “observaaar” talking about?

Note: This “Observaaar” had been after every word I write and till now does not know what are my political views. tsk tsk tsk…هبل

April 29th, 2015, 9:16 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

Sandro if Free Syrian Army wins, will the democratic peace loving Zionists give back Golan? I doubt Bibi and his extreme Jewish coalition will do that.

Simo,

I see your focus on the Zio Entity continues. That’s good, because I can help you in your studies.

The Israeli conservatives are the ones that made peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. That’s a fact.

Talks have been on-going with the Palestinians and there is a recent history of talks with Daddy Assad of Syria.

I wouldn’t worry about the possibility of “land for peace” with your bogeyman, because we’ve already been there and done that.

I think the issue is: can Assad, Abbas, and Hamas hold their side of the bargain. Considering where these parties are today, I would say the Palestinians have a better chance of making peace with the GOI, but in any case, all three have bigger “fish to fry” like surviving for starters.

“The core problem in Syria is the lack of freedom.”

For once I agree with Ghufran. What the arab world lacks is a strong, freely elected government. When one leader steps down, another ELECTED leader takes his/her place. Obviously, many of these arab, self-elected leaders can’t do the job and have no incentive to do so, if they know they will be sitting on their throne for life.

Eye Doctors included.

April 29th, 2015, 1:05 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

In 10 years of Syriacomment the best lecture I have read / listen to about what is happening in Syria is that of Mr. Joshua Landis ¨The Great Sorting Out¨. I think this is the best reading we can make not only about what happens today and why it happens but also about what happened in Turkey, Israel-Palestine and through the formation of arab failed nation states.

I believe falling in the trap of sectarianism suggested day after day by MJABALI and other like does not bring anything new and just feed those who are the sources of the problem.

April 29th, 2015, 1:56 pm

 

ALAN said:

Why Israel steals Palestinian gas from Gaza’s territorial waters?

April 29th, 2015, 2:36 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

ALAN,

Why Assads turned the syrian Homs desert into a nuclear waiste center in the 90´s ?

Why Assads stole port and airport taxes, cars, properties, lands and even passports from Lebanon for at least 30 years?

Why Assads stole the lives of tens of thousands of syrians soldiers who were sent to Lebanon believing they were in Palestine freeing the occupied land from Israel and were left unassisted when Israel attacked ?

There are too many why and not a single oficial explanation.

But I will tell you why, because Assad Dictatorship will appear in the eyes of history as one of the worst dictatorships ever registered in Human History. The sectarian dictatorship.

April 29th, 2015, 2:59 pm

 

ALAN said:

UN report: more than 25,000 foreigners from a total of 100 countries have joined militant Islamist terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIL). In Syria and Iraq, there’s more than 22,000 foreign fighters, while some 6,500 are operating in Afghanistan. The total number of foreign radicals in Yemen, Libya, Pakistan and Somalia remains unknown.

the EU Counterterrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove: A total of 3,000 people from different European countries joined the ranks of ISIL. Eleven EU countries have registered the departure of their citizens to Iraq and Syria with the sole purpose of becoming jihadists.

The head of the Swedish Security Police (Säpo) Anders Thornberg: 250-300 Swedes fled the country in 2014 to join the fight of the Islamic State in the Middle East. Out of them 40 were reported as killed in action, others returned to Europe.

As it was relayed to the journalists of the Norwegian broadcasting corporation NRK (Norsk Rikskringkasting) by a former ISIL fighter, jihadists have opened a number of underground recruitment centers in Sweden that are now working overtime to find fresh blood for the Islamic State. Säpo press spokesman Fredrik Milder told news agency TT that the advance of Islamic extremism is not just a local problem, it has already reached a European level.

Finnish Security Police SUPO: 50 Finnish citizens have lately joined the ranks of the ISIL, 20 of them are ethnic Finns, a total of 10 Finns have been killed in action while 20 returned from Syria to Finland for various reasons.

President of the Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maaßen: more than 550 German citizens have left home for Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State, more than 60 of them have already been killed in action, while nine are known to have become suicide bombers. However, some 180 jihadists have already returned home to Germany. According to the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the German language is commonly used by the executioners in the prisons of the Islamic State, therefore the Federal Attorney General suspects that Germans may be participating in atrocities carried out in the prisons of ISIL. There’s a strong probability that those murderers were employed to torture and decapitation US, UK and Japanese citizens. German prosecutors have identified the famous German Islamist radical Philip Bergner among ISIL’s ranks, the latter had previously been employed as a pizza delivery man in Germany before leaving home in 2013 to fight in Syria. there’s a growing number of calls for the creation of an “Islamic State” in Europe. Dennis Cuspert, and after converting to Islam he is called Abu Talha al-Almani in his last “song” urges compatriots to massacre “infidels” and establish “Shariah law.”

More that 600 UK citizens have traveled to Syria to join the ranks of ISIL. Among these people, there are a lot of boys who are dreaming of becoming radical militants, while girls are leaving to become “brides of jihadists.” As confirmed by the Daily Telegraph via the first UK Muslim prosecutor Nazir Afzal, British teenagers are at risk of radicalization because they perceive terrorists as a kind of “pop idol”.

French Ministry of Internal Affairs: A total of 1,200 local residents in recent months have prepared to go to war in the Middle East or have already left the country. Among these one can find some 100 French women and about 10 minors. One in five who went to wage Jihad, has been recently converted to Islam. Some 60 French were killed in action, while a total of 234 former volunteers have already returned back home from Syria.

Radio France Internationale: former French military officers are fighting alongside the Islamic State’s jihadists in Syria and Iraq – one of them has recently become an emir of the Deir Ezzor region, where he is in command of a unit formed from his former compatriots. These facts can be even more disturbing against the backdrop of a poll organized by ICM Research, according to which 15% of the French population approve of the Islamic State and armed jihadism in Iraq and Syria.

April 29th, 2015, 3:55 pm

 

SimoHurtta said:

73.

Well Akbar isn’t it important news, that the Free “Syrian” Army promises Israel instant diplomatic relations without negotiating a peace treaty. That news is important for all Syrians – Shias and Sunnis – to minorities and the majority. Also for us spectators. So are also the news, that Israel is actively helping bearded radical Sunni groups, treating their wounded and returning them to the battle fields with weapons and intelligence.

Akbar Israel has been “negotiating” with Palestinians now for a couple of decades. What have Palestinians to show of that “process”? Nothing, you have stolen during that time their waters, lands and resources and settled halve a million Jews on their lands. Do you seriously claim that Bibi and his hilarious bearded henchmen would give an inch of Golan back?

Israel made peace with Egypt and Jordan because the West demanded it that time after Arabs had shown their oil weapon and financial muscle, not because Israeli Jews wanted to give Sinai back. Akbar it is not about does the right wing rule Israel. Left, center or right Jews in Israel ruling the policies against Arabs and neighbours have been and are the same.

April 29th, 2015, 4:41 pm

 

ALAN said:

Two warships of the Zionist regime violated Lebanese territorial waters.
In trod the repetitive violation by combat aircraft and drones of the Zionist regime, of Lebanese air space, two warships of this regime violated on Wednesday Lebanese maritime space for 7 minutes maritime area off the coast of the city of Ras al-Naqoura.
The spy drones of the Zionist regime violated Tuesday Lebanon airspace over Beirut and the north of the country.

April 29th, 2015, 4:56 pm

 

Observer said:

Thanks for the clarification:
1. I do note that the father may have pursued a secular agenda and I did say that the secular war that was initiated by the MB has led to a sectarianism of the regime and the society after the 80’s troubles.
2. I do note that the discourse that I continuously hear is that the Sunnis are infected if not inherently made up of evil thinking Ibn T’s followers.
3. I do not that all of the other minorities have suffered under the brutal rule of the Sunnis for the last 1400 years. I do note that the discourse that I read paints the populations in exactly the Sunni minded divide of Sunnis vs. the Others.
4. I do note that there is a vilification of the other as the arguments presented are being portrayed as insults to the eminent historian in residence on this sorry blog.
5. I do note that I have never been to the GCC and I do note that they are ruled by families and are totally undemocratic.
6. I do note that Wahhabi thought is a mirror image of Velayet E Fagih thought for each pretends to “bring the true religion back to its pristine status” after it has been corrupted by evil thoughts and man made legislation. As Ahmadinejad used to pontificate to the West that the parliamentary system has failed and that they should revert to a religious based divine rule as their salvation.
7. I do note that the Alawis according to our historian in residence are fighting because they are afraid of the Sunnis. Well in the early days of the revolution there was no desire to replace the regime just to reform it; and there was no desire to make it as a sectarian based fight but again IT IS undeniable that the regime used violence first and foremost and made it look once again as if it is the 80’s all over again and that it is a sectarian based fight.
8. I do note that the historian in residence here has included all of the Sunnis in the region under one umbrella when he should know that the Qataris and the Turks and the Saudis were at odds with each other on how to interfere and how much and through whom in the fight in Syria. True there is regional interference but so is there on the regime side as well.
9. Therefore it is a 100% sectarian war; as for the Sunnis refusing to be included in a secular system this is to say the least disingenuous if not outright a falsehood and lie. The Sunnis in the early 40’s and 50’s did not think of sectarian terms in Syria. Kuwattli joined Egypt in 58 to avoid a communist takeover; the Baath was made up of a large number of disenfranchised rural Sunnis who were neglected by Urban elites like many old families in the cities. Fares Khoury was the President of Syria and was a Christian. I guess our historian in residence is either too young or too focused on the minority or too elastic with the facts to accept that of all the countries that fought colonialism, Syria and Lebanon did not use the religion card for there were too many religions to rally all the population under the banner of Islam to resist the Mandate power of France and Britain.
10. Today I hope and pray with all my heart that the bloodshed ends and that the inner fighting we are seeing within the regime is an attempt to get rid of this inner circle of pure evil people who will sacrifice every Syrian to stay in power starting with the Alawi community itself.
If as our eminent friend here is correct that the community is not equivalent to the Assad family and tribe then show us that they can extend a hand to their protagonists and abandon the fight.
11. As for the recent massacres I deplore every one of them: a life is sacred and holy in my mind. So my question is: HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO STOP AND/OR PREVENT THESE MASSACRES FROM HAPPENING?

April 29th, 2015, 5:15 pm

 

Jasmine said:

How Far is Hezbollah Willing to Go in Syria?

Till the liberation of The Golan heights is achieved.

April 29th, 2015, 10:39 pm

 

Observer said:

How about liberating Shebaa Farms first?

April 30th, 2015, 2:13 am

 

Mina said:

Don’t worry, any time a democracy will try to emerge in the Middle East the Saudis will know what to do to derail it. Escalation in the only word they know rather than to show weakness to the UN and others
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=13732

April 30th, 2015, 2:56 am

 

ALAN said:

Organization “Khorasan” participated in the battles of Idlib
Organization “Khorasan”, the required number one for America, taking part along with it sister Front Al-Nousra in Jisr Al-Shougour battles, Mastumah and Al-Karmid camps in Idlib.
“Khorasan” quoted a large number of their leaders and members to villages in the Al-Zawiye mountain and the area around Darkoush and Salkiyn towns in the countryside of Idlib on the Turkish border and Kafar-Joum village south of Aleppo.”Khorasan” broadened his base in Aleppo, Idlib and now consists of Syrians, Arabs and foreigners who have combat experience and absolute loyalty for “al-Qaeda”.
US pretend like not to cooperate with the Khorasan.
Turkey and GCC countries pretend like not to cooperate with the Khorasan.
NATO pretend like not to cooperate with the Khorasan ….mmmm

April 30th, 2015, 3:29 am

 

Observer said:

And why not till the liberation of all of Palestine? I would vote for that; for that is a goal that is so far fetched that they can continue to sell us resistance BS till the end of time or the arrival of the Mahdi.

So far there is has been a single attack on the border between Israel and Lebanon since 2006. Yes of course Israel lost according to HA in 2006 but the reality is that the border has remained quiet now for 9 years and counting. In the meantime, the HA is sending 15 year old kids to die as they refuted that Mr. Shamseddine was killed in Syria but rather he was performing his duties in the South of Lebanon where we did not hear of any actions recently down there unless of course it was in the South of Syria that they were talking about.

Now to our historian in residence; truly this is a dialogue des sourds mon ami.

So the regime was not sectarian and was secular and in that it has of course the loyalty of many Sunnis as you point out. Yet with the same brush you tell us that all Sunnis are followers of Ibn T the S of Islam. So his thought process is so pervasive that you only think of the religion in terms of his teachings. It is so pervasive that you actually have become fully controlled and under his sway. You only construct a mind set in relation and in reference to Ibn T’s thoughts and fatwas.

As for the regime being secular but of course it was always secular as long as you so eloquently point out to us that the mindset and the framework of any national accommodation of the various communities in Syria have got to take into account the “needs” of the minorities. Once again, proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that the minorities have asked the majority to be secular while they remain fully ethnic/religiously based minorities.

Well I do concede that they were fully persecuted for so many years by the disciples of Ibn T’s followers that they are now branded and require a special status. Therefore, it is time that they create their own state and entity wherever they want to live and since I have called for federation of the entire region it is high time that we accept that these communities cannot live together.

The US congress is asking that the three groups of Iraq be dealt with as three entities and no longer as a single Iraqi nation and lo and behold the Shia are up in arms but then again what is that they want; to emulate the Sunnis and rule over the others with an iron fist as our historian has pointed out to us so many times is the method of the Sunnis?

Go figure!

As for insults, I am not sure where and when an insult was pronounced and if I did then I do apologize for that was not my intention.

I am afraid though is that the retribution coming the way of the community in Syria is going to be ugly and I hope and pray that the leaders of the community will accept that and stop fighting for the sake of a depraved regime that has exploited their fear to the hilt and accept to remove the inner circle and create a truth and reconciliation commission to look into everyone’s atrocities and move on. What say you to this proposal my friend.

April 30th, 2015, 4:51 am

 

Jasmine said:

I would rather have Hezbollah than Isis as ruler ,they have proved already that Lebanon would have been wiped out by Israel if it wasn’t for them.
Liberating Palestine is not a bad idea at all,but again I think that Syria has contributed enough to the Palestinian cause with no thanks from any Arab nation.
Syrian are not Arab and they should have nothing to do with those countries.

April 30th, 2015, 7:08 am

 

Mina said:

I would bet she was posting on SC at some stage
http://rt.com/news/254505-isis-recruiter-seattle-girl/

April 30th, 2015, 8:09 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

Jasmine states:

How Far is Hezbollah Willing to Go in Syria?

Till the liberation of The Golan heights is achieved.

Jasmine,

Last I checked, your Hezbo friends haven’t done anything to liberate The Golan Heights. It seems they are in Syria for the sole purpose of keeping Assad on his throne. Is that what you want? Why don’t you send a letter to Hezbollah asking them to redirect their priorities? In fact, Assad has done more than any other arab leader in keep their border with Israel quiet.

Well Akbar isn’t it important news, that the Free “Syrian” Army promises Israel instant diplomatic relations without negotiating a peace treaty.

Sim,

Why don’t you work harder to prevent Finns from cozying up to Israel first before you tell Syrians what to do? I suggest Syrians learn to vote first, and then maybe they can decide to go to war or to make peace with the Zio Entity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland%E2%80%93Israel_relations

So are also the news, that Israel is actively helping bearded radical Sunni groups, treating their wounded and returning them to the battle fields with weapons and intelligence.

Israel is providing medical aide to wounded Syrians. If that is your biggest concern, you should have your head examined. How did these Syrians become wounded in the first place? How did over 200,000 Syrian die? How did over 4 million Syrians lose their homes (far greater in number than the Palestinian Nakba)? But, of course, the anti-Zio crowd has a funny way of making the smallest Israeli action worse than the largest arab, self-inflicted catastrophe. Please provides links showing what weapons and intelligence the Zios provided anyone in Syria. Your information is, again, a figment of your anti-Israel imagination.

Akbar Israel has been “negotiating” with Palestinians now for a couple of decades. What have Palestinians to show of that “process”?

How about peace instead of war? How about economic improvement? How about greater autonomy and self-government?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_Palestinian_territories

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carriesheffield/2015/02/22/boycott-israel-movement-stunts-the-palestinian-economy/

It is nice to know we have a Finn on SC telling Syrians and Palestinians to go to war and die for a Scandinavian screw loose.

Nothing, you have stolen during that time their waters, lands and resources and settled halve a million Jews on their lands.

So if it bothers you so much Sim, go fight the Zios yourself. Join your Hezbo friends who are working so tirelessly in the support of “Freeing Palestine” (more like freeing Assad).

Do you seriously claim that Bibi and his hilarious bearded henchmen would give an inch of Golan back?

Sure, under the right circumstances, just like Sinai or even Gaza.

Israel made peace with Egypt and Jordan because the West demanded it that time after Arabs had shown their oil weapon and financial muscle, not because Israeli Jews wanted to give Sinai back. Akbar it is not about does the right wing rule Israel.

“The West” did not pressure Egypt and Jordan nearly as much as the Palestinians, and so Egypt and Jordan did not have to make peace. Both Egypt and Jordan recovered substantial land for peace, and if it were such a major issue, both Jordanians and Egyptians would be clamoring for war, which or course, they aren’t. Only you are.

Left, center or right Jews in Israel ruling the policies against Arabs and neighbours have been and are the same.

Please worry about your country’s peace (Finland) peace with Israel before telling other people what is best for them. Just a suggestion so you don’t look so silly to other people whose brethren are dying in such great number (by non-zionists).

April 30th, 2015, 8:59 am

 

Alan said:

اليس توقيت فتح مسرح العمليات في جسر الشغور و ادلب هو متتالي بعد اسقاط الدفاعات السورية للطائرة الامريكية بدون طيار التي كانت تتجسس على المواقع السورية في تلك المناطق. ان الولايات المتحدة الامريكية تخوض حربا غير معلنة على الكيان السوري و يجب تغيير قواعد التفاهمات غير المباشرة
ليكن الوضع ذاهبا باتجاه التفجير كون تاثير الفلفل لا يزال يحرق مؤخرة الحاقدين. اما بالنسبة لليمن فيتوجب تدمير البنية التحتية لمصادر جني الاموال التي تستثمرها المملكة السعودية في زهق ارواح اليمنيين و العراقيين و السوريين السنة قبل غيرهم.
يجب فرض على الاعداء واقعا يمكن ان يؤدي الى عض الصابع العشرة.

April 30th, 2015, 12:26 pm

 

Jasmine said:

Alan@88
This task should be delegated to Putin once he is awake.

Akbar @87
I have full confidence in Hezbollah military strategies,they don’t need any guidance.
So strange,you are so polite today!

April 30th, 2015, 3:04 pm

 

Ghufran said:

Do not you wish that western officials stopped being ” concerned” ?
Isis (not just Alqaeda ) is in Yemen now and has videotaped a group of Yemini soldiers being slaughtered on the hands of Isis terrorists. Notice how the US backed the Saudi war on Yemen which strengthened Islamist terrorists but that did not stop US and other Western officials from expressing “concerns” about the spread of Alqaeda in Yemen.
The same thing was done in Syria under GCC and Turkey direction: the Syrian army was attacked in every part of Syria then western officials expressed their “concers” about Nusra and Isis after head cutting videos started emerging, however that was not enough for the GCC, Turkey and opposition bone heads, they still cheered for Nusra when it succeeded in controlling much of Idleb !!

April 30th, 2015, 3:53 pm

 

Syrialover said:

TARA! Welcome back!

I’d stopped visiting the SyriaComment comments section after it was reduced to a massive flow of junk postings by Apparatchik(s) ‘ALAN’.

But I’m glad I came back to discover you and a couple of other healthy plants reappearing among the weeds.

It’s been too long. You’ve been missed.

April 30th, 2015, 5:11 pm

 

Syrialover said:

And TARA, what a welcome blast of light through the fog with your comments on Iran in #7 and #13.

Iran’s role in controlling and destroying Syria has had a bizarre free pass and veil of silence for many months here on SyriaComment.

An indicator of how the quality and relevance of postings has deteriorated.

April 30th, 2015, 5:28 pm

 

Syrialover said:

It is looking at a core problem upside down when people like MAJED97 (#50) call Syrians irresponsible and ignorant for breeding too much, or JASMINE (#58) feels there should be tough enforced contraception for the poorer classes.

The population problem reflects the devastating lack of economic and social development under the Assad regime.

Dedicated aid workers among Syrian refugees report their despair at being faced with the typical phenomenon of 25-year old women with 7 children, without a family breadwinner.

Meanwhile, many of those who arrive as already-large intact families continue to produce thousands of new babies in the camps, their births soaking up scarce medical and welfare resources. And teenage refugees start having babies once they have found a spouse.

Agencies are trying to get contraception programs off the ground, but these are often misunderstood and rejected with suspicion. And these programs are also lost in the tsunami of other desperate problems, including sexual violence in the camps.

These people are not lesser human beings. Their children have all the dreams, potential and energies of children everywhere.

But they are doomed victims of the Assad regime’s policy of ignoring and neglecting a very large section of the population, keeping them deprived of any chance of social, educational or economic advancement. Thus ensuring their horizons remained confined to only what they could see looking out their front door.

The lid is now lifted on this, as millions of Syrian children who were already badly underprivileged with little hope of escaping poverty, have now had their future completely destroyed by the war.

This is one of the most devastating legacies of the dark ages of the Assad regime. No matter how hard Syrians work to rebuild their country, this demographic issue will be overwhelming for many generations to come.

April 30th, 2015, 6:42 pm

 

Alawi said:

Syria will not be divided.

April 30th, 2015, 9:24 pm

 

Jasmine said:

Syria lover
You sound very sad and you continue with the blame on Other countries.
We should blame ourselves,we were idiots enough not to see all this coming.
The only way out of this miserable situation is to create multidisciplinary institutions with an emergency task forces to nurse the Syrian society back to normality.
This requires a high skilled coordination between the agricultural and industrial entities and labour forces,this should includes research in sociology to able these institutions to problems solving.
When I mentioned the birth control,I meant all Syria and this includes all classes and religions and all refugees camps.
Could you please tell me what is the solution if the refugees ended up with a population of seven millions in 2 years time?
How On earth the government is going to build houses for this population?
We all know that Syria is now 50 years back with the economical progress,but one thing I know for sure that Syrian are resourceful and creative and they will rebuild their country back and fast.
Political and diplomacy are the only way out of this proxy war,we made the arms dealers rich enough.

May 1st, 2015, 2:28 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

I have full confidence in Hezbollah military strategies,they don’t need any guidance. So strange,you are so polite today!

Jasmine,

I’m always polite!

What ARE Hezbollah’s military strategies, and why don’t they join Lebanon’s military? Are you happy they are fighting in Syria to support a dictator? And don’t you think it is rather dangerous to have two competing militaries in 1 country?

May 1st, 2015, 9:33 am

 

Jasmine said:

Akbar
They are not competing,they complement each other and they are looking after their friends in Syria.
I would rather live under Assad’s rule than ISIS.

May 1st, 2015, 10:24 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

ALANS

You all ALANS must go to fight side by side with Hezbollah, you have the full support for Russia, UN, Obama and Iran, why losing your time posting here? If you are so brave to support the massacre of rebel populations then go and fight and liberate them from their bodies and reform their cities with the Brand of RAMI MAKHLOUF REAL ESTATE HOLDING.

May 1st, 2015, 12:44 pm

 

Akbar Palace said:

Jasmine,

Thanks for your answer. Assad/ISIS, I would pick Assad too, but I share a lot of the disdain for Assad that many on this board have.

Not much of a choice.

Also, just know that if Hezbollah decides to “Free the Palestinians” again, Israel will have to respond. Not all Lebanese are thrilled with that scenario.

May 1st, 2015, 1:04 pm

 

Tara said:

SL,

Thank you for your kinds words. I have been heavily involved in humanitarian relief and in advocacy exposing Assad’s crime. I lost interest in knowing the anatomy of ISIS that the blog has been trying to force on its audience in a covert attempt to hide the anatomy of a brutal sectarian regime in order to portray it as the least evil.

The Syrian military is on the verge of collapse. I just pray that the collapse of Assad that I see inevitable does not lead to Alawi slaughter.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/syrian-military-verge-collapse-164238939.html

May 1st, 2015, 8:14 pm

 

Ghufran said:

From the first few weeks, thawrajiyyeh started their crusade to ” dismantle the regime from its roots”, that looked attractive for few days then we learned that what they really meant was attacking the Syrian army everywhere they can and destroying the Syrian state ( as dysfunctional as it was) and slaughtering minorities. Now, opposition clowns are openly supporting terrorist organizations and cheering for Nusra.
It is a form of black comedy to hear ” concerns” about minorities from the same people who have called those minirities traitors, savage, Kuffar,etc. the truth is that a lot of Syrians today have become a group of confused and hateful people who hate each other more than they love their country.
Foreign jihadists and foreign governments are guilty of keeping this war going but the tragic outcome we see today was only possible because of the Syrians inside and outside Syria. It is not just the army that is being drained, but not on the verge of collapse, it is the Syrian psyche and the future of Syrian kids.
With freedom comes responsibility, Syrians today are neither free nor responsible, if you want to help Syria, focus on the humanitarian aspect of the crisis and do not pledge allegiance to the regime or the rebels, you should be loyal to the victims especially children.

May 2nd, 2015, 1:08 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

¨International Coalition Forces¨, i.e. US in strategic long term Alliance with IRAN have killed 60 civilians in Bir Mahali last night. Assad must be proud of Obama services.

Is this what America can do for democracy, sustaining the worst dictatorship and creating the new proxy Persian Empire?

FY

May 2nd, 2015, 8:14 am

 

mjabali said:

The Alawite civilians that were rounded by the Sunnis in the village of Ishtabraq are the responsibility of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Whatever left in Syria is going to go through some bloody sectarian violence that was never seen before.

May 2nd, 2015, 10:34 am

 

Alan said:

Obama and Co
Soon you will have hell scenario- Syrian Saigon!

May 2nd, 2015, 11:42 am

 

Tara said:

Lots of Alawi acquaintance of mine are now regretting supporting Assad, providing him with foot soldiers, and setting the stage for sectarian hatred. I hope it is not too late and Syrians have the forgiveness in their heart to not take revenge after Assad inevitable eventual fall.

This is a lesson that people should always be reminded of. One harvests what one plants.

May 2nd, 2015, 12:27 pm

 

Alan said:

Move towards Latakia will stimulate the move towards Galile

May 2nd, 2015, 3:07 pm

 

Ghufran said:

The GCC and Turkey ( and Iran) never had the interests of Syrians on their mind, they were only after protecting their interests, Syrians were simply used to protect those interests. The position of foreign countries is unethical but predictable, however it is taking Syrians 4 years to start to understand that they were used and abused.
It is not just the regime that is responsible for prolonging the Syrian war by refusing to compromise, the opposition that was largely funded by foreign countries is guilty for supporting violence and allying with jihadists and staying on the fence when the rebel force endorsed a sectarian agenda then openly supporting Nusra et al in the name of toppling the regime. Do not believe anybody who claimed that minorities in Syria wants to keep a corruptive and brutal police regime in place. Those minorities looked around and did not find a ship to jump to, this is where Assad regime succeeded and the opposition failed.
People in most of Syria watched how scores of Syrians were butchered by rebels with jihadist flags because they were alawites or Ismailis. Christians also saw their churches burned and looted and their bishops kidnapped by people who rose up in the name of freedom and democracy, other Syrians who happen to be Sunni watched the bombs and rockets of freedom lovers fall on their homes and neighborhoods and realized that they are being asked to support a bunch of thugs and killers to prove their ” Sunnism” . As long as Islamist rebels continue their crusade to hunt minirities and Sunnis living in regime controlled areas those minorities and urban Sunnis will continue to side with the lesser of the two evils they face or simply sit down and watch.
You can not make chicken soup out of chicken poop, neither the regime nor the rebels can win, this war needs to stop even if that means drawing temporary borders, enough blood was shed and no victory is near, those who tell you otherwise are lying, plain and simple.

May 2nd, 2015, 8:31 pm

 

Observer said:

I do not know where you have been in last four years as if it was not a sectarian war from day one used by the regime to hold the entire country hostage first and foremost its own sect and you and I know that Alawis who dissent are punished even more harshly than other dissenters specifically to make sure that the sect remains entirely hostage.
I am dreading terribly what may happen. As for the rosy scenarios of rebuilding people should realize that the society is fractured and it will take at least four generations before any hope of coexistence or reconciliation is possible.
To go back to HA, an article in An Nahar today sent to me by a friend talks about the Nakba that is befalling HA.

Here is the article, I have no comment to make on it

28 نيسان 2015

توالت انباء التطورات الميدانية الدراماتيكية تباعا في سوريا، فبعد اقل من شهر على سقوط مدينة ادلب بيد المعارضة السورية وقواتها المؤتلفة تحت اسم “جيش الفتح”، سقطت مدينة جسر الشغور الاستراتيجية وتبعتها مجموعة من المواقع العسكرية القريبة وصولا الى منطقة سهل الغاب التي تعتبر حلقة مركزية تصل منطقة الساحل السوري حيث قلب النظام، بمدينتي حلب وحماة. وكان لافتا منذ معركة ادلب ان مجموعة من الفصائل الاسلامية الكبرى بينها “جبهة النصرة” تمكنت من تجاوز خلافاتها وتنافسها، وتشكيل قوى عسكرية مشتركة على مستوى عال من التنسيق بحيث تمكنت من اجتياح مواقع نظام بشار الاسد بسرعة، قياسا على حال المراوحة التي استمرت لاكثر من ثلاث سنوات. يأتي ذلك وسط حديث متزايد عن تبلور “التفاهمات” التي حصلت اخيراً بين السعودية وتركيا وقطر، للعمل على احداث تغيير ملموس على الارض في سوريا. ووسط حديث آخر تزايد في المدة الاخيرة في المحافل الدولية، ومفاده ان نظام بشار الاسد الذي منع من السقوط ربما اقتربت نهايته، وذلك في اطار معركة تقليم اظافر ايران في المنطقة التي تبجح مسؤولوها في المدة الاخيرة بأنها تسيطر على اربع عواصم عربية!

في الجنوب فشل النظام وميليشيات ايران الطائفية وفي مقدمها “حزب الله” في استعادة المبادرة، وسقطت بصرى الشام، ولم تتم استعادة بصرى الحرير، وسقط آخر منفذ حدودي مع الاردن بيد المعارضة المؤلفة من تحالف فصائل اسلامية احداها “جبهة النصرة”. وفي القلمون تحولت الارض الى فيتنام حقيقية بالنسبة الى مسلحي “حزب الله” الذين يقتلون يوميا من دون ان يتمكنوا من تحقيق اي انجاز عسكري دائم يحسم المعركة.
وقبل يومين عادت الطائرات الاسرائيلية الى الإغارة على مواقع للنظام و”حزب الله” تحتوي صواريخ “سكود” متطورة، فيما يقوم “حزب الله” بتوزيع شائعات عن قرب بدئه “معركة الربيع” في القلمون ضد الثوار السوريين. ويسجل في هذا الاطار السعي المتواصل من قبل الحزب الى توريط الجيش اللبناني في المعركة ليؤدي دور الظهير في المعركة!
سواء أطلق “حزب الله” ما يسميه “معركة الربيع” ام لا، فإن الواقع على الارض يفيد أن المعادلة غير قابلة للتغيير، وبأن اكثر ما يمكن ان يحصله الحزب من مكاسب (اذا استطاع ذلك) سيكون موقتا وغير دائم، لان الارض تغيرت في سوريا بين الشمال والجنوب. ولان قوى الثورة متجددة، وفي تزايد مطرد، وتسليحها يرتفع في مستواه مع مرور الوقت. ان الحقائق على الارض لا يمكن تكذيبها: ان نظام بشار الاسد ساقط في النهاية. و”حزب الله” سيهزم في سوريا بعد ان يكون ضحى بمئات الشبان اللبنانيين المخدوعين. والحقيقة التي يستحيل دحضها تتلخص في امر واحد: يستحيل ان تنتصر الاقلية في سوريا. قصارى القول ان النظام ميؤوس منه، و”حزب الله” يأخذ بيئته الحاضنة الى نكبة تاريخية.
ali.hamade@annahar.com.lb

May 2nd, 2015, 10:08 pm

 

Alan said:

لن يسمح لا لامريكا و لا لعبيدها الحاقدين، نافثي السم النجاح في قلب الانظمة الشرعية بواسطة نشر ممنهج مدعوم للارهاب في امكنة و القيام بسلوك عكسي بوجه اخر في امكنة اخرى.
اعتقد ان تقوم روسيا و الصين بوضع حد لهذا السلوك خصوصا في جغرافياتها السياسية. و سورية دولة تقع ضمن تلك الجغرافيا .
ان الاعتقاد باضعاف الجيش السوري بهذه الطريقة سوف يؤتي حتما بالنتائج العكسية. http://rt.com/news/254613-china-russia-mediterranean-navy/

May 3rd, 2015, 12:40 am

 

ghufran said:

Against most predictions I believe Hizbullah will launch a new offensive soon, the likely target is Qalamon and may be other areas too.
I also do not think the latest gains by Nusra will be long lived but a new attempt to strike in the South by Alloush and other thugs is likely, the attackers will be sure to announce that they are not associated with Nusra.
The last few weeks have been full of media exaggerations and psych warfare, that seems to be used more effectively by the GCC and its puppets in Lebanese press, pro rebels syrian sites financed by Qatar and KSA are also more active than pro regime sites, but talk is cheap and events on the ground matter a lot more, the loss of Jisr Al-shugour and Idleb is real and far more serious than press reports here and there, the only way to end this hysteria is by defeating Nusra terrorists.
There is a lot of pressure on HA and Iran to respond in Syria and in Yemen, they may or may not respond in Yemen but if they do not act in Syria a lot of assumptions and “guarantees” will evaporate and a new more dangerous phase of the conflict in Syria will begin. I am still hopeful that those who kept this war raging will finally ask their agents to stop and allow a grand bargain to materialize by the end of June.

May 3rd, 2015, 1:36 am

 

Alan said:

US special operations forces have seen a five-fold increase in budget and a doubling of personnel since 2001. They are now active in at least 81 countries. They operate in secret, with little scrutiny. Is this a good thing?
Read more at http://investmentwatchblog.com/us-special-operations-forces-have-seen-a-five-fold-increase-in-budget-and-a-doubling-of-personnel-since-2001-they-are-now-active-in-at-least-81-countries-they-operate-in-secret-with-little-scrutiny/#wvxgtfiyHhomCHFC.99

May 3rd, 2015, 4:54 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Alan

Go watch your 007 and Putain KGB agents and stop spreading info garbage.

Do you promote diallogue ? …. with prisoners in jail after eletroshocks, beating and rape ? Frankly Assad supporters would better disappear under a nuclear bombs if all people in Damascus were like you. Pray God Damascus will be freed from de Assad HA and Iranian moghuls tamerlanjis.

May 3rd, 2015, 11:36 am

 

Observer said:

I wonder what MJABALI would think of this report whereby apparently the declaration of an Alawi state has mixed responses from the community with some celebrating finally the emergence of the state and others afraid that it will doom them.
http://www.aljazeera.net/news/reportsandinterviews/2015/5/1/العلويون-منقسمون-حول-دولتهم-بالساحل-السوري

I have no way of knowing what goes on but he may be able to tell us.

Also, I am surprised that the community is satisfied with Tartous and part of the coast for the new state for I thought that they belonged to many urban centers.

May 3rd, 2015, 12:43 pm

 

Ghufran said:

The issue of partition in Syria is linked to whether the war comes to an end or not. If the war continues people in coastal areas will be more supportive of the idea out of fear not out of choice.
Those who are pushing for more blood shed are also pushing for partition whether they want that or not.
There are millions of Syrians who are not willing to accept the regime but there are millions who prefer the regime or a hybrid form of it over Islamist rule.
Stop the war.

May 3rd, 2015, 1:40 pm

 

SimoHurtta said:

111. SANDRO LOEWE

Sandro Löwe are you healthy – mentally? Your comments are becoming more and more extreme and absurd. How civilized would it be saying the same about you what you say about using nukes against those like Alan? Nowadays you are calling names everybody who do not fit in your totally strange “democracy view”. Putin, US president Obama, Assad, Iran, HA, Alan etc all get their share of your colorful damning.

By the way Sandro the Lion whose nukes do you want to be used against Alan. Israeli or US?

PS. Sandro are Saudi jails better than Syrian and is treatment of prisoners more civilized in Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia exporting democracy to Syria and Yemen including a fair and civilized legal system. The comedy of the century.

May 3rd, 2015, 3:44 pm

 

ALAN said:

SIMOHURTTA
Thank you.

May 3rd, 2015, 7:04 pm

 

Nadia said:

Syrians should think for the future.

May 3rd, 2015, 7:58 pm

 

Ghufran said:

The white coup in Saudi Arabia was provably staged with the blessing of the White House. Iran is not upset to see Saud alfaisal retire and people are guessing that this signals a shift toward a political resolution to a number of issues including Syria. That could explain the restrain shown by Iran at events in Syria and Yemen and the mild tone of America’s boy in Saudi foreign ministry ( who spent most of his adult life in the USA and is rumored to have a us passport).
I doubt the big boys want a bigger war in Syria but it is obvious that they want to push Assad out, you will be surprised how many people and ” allies” may be willing to talk !!

May 3rd, 2015, 9:42 pm

 
 

mjabali said:

The French Expert Observaaar should have known better.

al-Jazeera is fabricating lies about the Alawites. Same as al-Quds al-Arabi, that is bought by the Saudis of course, that printed an article today saying AIDS is destroying the Alawites in the Syrian Coast.

I forgot to mention the lie about the Alawites being ordered by al-Assad to leave Damascus.

The media war by the Sunnis vs al-Assad is clear and they pay a lot to publish stories that are fake.

See Gerlado Rivera Vs Bolig on Fox TV ya French expert

By the way: al-Jazeera article published a lie about the Alawites forcing the Sunni inhabitants of Salma, al-Haffeh and Doreen to flee….These Sunni Kurds and Turkmen were planted to terrorize the Alawites since the days of Salah al-Din.and they did day in and day out….why your article does not state this fact to show what are the roots of that fabricated incident.?

Aren’t the French expert the one who keeps on repeating that you reap what you sow…

al-Jazeera is a group of amateur liars thinking people do not read or know their history….

al-Jazeera with its clown posse are liars and Salafi Wahabi Takfiri propagandists…

May 4th, 2015, 10:08 am

 

mjabali said:

To this day, with all of this madness and bloodshed, most of the Alawites I spoke with and who live in Syria are for Syria. They feel Syrian more than Alawites.

May 4th, 2015, 10:27 am

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

Simio,

Sometimes you need to kill the body to extrrminate the virus or the virus will kill the body and will later spread.

May 4th, 2015, 12:45 pm

 

SANDRO LOEWE said:

MJARBALI

You are a clear image of Syria today. You keep on talking about sectarian issues and your sect is always the best and the victim. I find it boring.

May 4th, 2015, 12:49 pm

 

Nadia said:

@(They feel Syrian more than Alawites)

I’m not sure why anybody would suggest otherwise.

May 4th, 2015, 8:18 pm

 

Observer said:

MJABALI do not subscribe to the article. I just wanted to know your opinion, no need to feel offended. Forget the propaganda piece, just your comment is sufficient.

Now, another article appeared that sought to propose the following reason for the Alawi support for the regime
1. It says that the premise that the regime has tied the fate of the sect to its fate is false
2. It says that the Alawi that fought and are fighting for the regime are doing this of their own accord
3. It says that they are doing it to preserve finally a status of first degree citizenship in contrast to their lifelong status of being second rate or worse constantly persecuted.
4. It says that they are fighting out of hatred to the long held Sunni oppression ( in this MJABALI you point out that the Turkmen and others were implanted by the Ottomans to change the demographics of the area and to specifically oppress the minority sect and the Christians I presume ).

Now to the news of the regime suggesting moving the families to the coast; I have no way of knowing but it seems that a rumor can have a huge impact especially since the area of Ariha has seen two more posts fall to the rebels tonight and the Daily Star and L’Orient Le Jour both reporting the rebels launching an offensive in Qalamoun and the reports that the checkpoints are manned by fewer soldiers than before.

I also read that Russia is waiting for Turkey or the GCC or both to intervene so that it can actually intervene to protect the Alawis not only in Syria but also in Turkey and perhaps carve out a section of the coast of both Turkey and Syria where it used to have assigned to it by Sykes Picot agreement ( before the Bolshevik revolution ) and where gas fields are said to be waiting for the taking.

I wonder what you think about these reports.

Now, one more thing, I am not bothered one bit by your pejoratives and your characterization of me. I think you are intelligent and knowledgeable and you helped me understand the psychological background to the rifts of the various communities of the region. Hence, I solicit your input into all of this new information.

On the one hand you tell me that the community will fight, on the other you tell me that they are facing genocide and are helpless and being massacred. I do not know what is going on so perhaps with your contacts you can tell what is going on and what conflicting feelings the community has.

Tara says that Alawis are regretting supporting the regime I tend to disagree for they though that the regime could repeat a Hama and as a wall slogan said: the people need a repeat lesson of Hama; they expected that the destruction of Homs would serve as a lesson when in fact it showed that there is no redemption to this regime and it stiffened the resistance.

Again, overcome your dislike and tell me what you think, what the feelings are, and what is happening really.

May 4th, 2015, 10:43 pm

 

Nadia said:

Alawites understood and clinched to three major facts from day-1 of this imperialist-terrorist war against Syria.

1- One leadership, there was this non-spoken consensus that our survival depends on our unity irrespective of our agreement/disagreement with the royal family. Any challenge to this leadership must be faced with one treatment called (removal). Every body from all tribes within Alawites welcomed the news of removing Asef, Helal, Sheikh Aljabal, ….. even their close family members and allies. It’s very simple one rule – one leadership.

2- Never leave, we learned it the hard way throughout history that the second we leave our territories there’s no coming back. We held our presence in our villages, towns, and cities never left and never thought of leaving. Sunnah have the luxury of leaving their properties and running away to Europe, Turkey, Egypt or any other place and they know that they can come back when it’s over. Sunnah have this self-proclaimed upper hand right that their lands stay theirs no matter what. For Alawites it’s a different story and we know that we will end up in diaspora and mountains again if we leave our grounds.

3- Patriotism, we wanted Syria as a whole we did not want an isolated Alawite State. We felt home and belonging in Syria and we will not give that feeling away. Syria is ours equally to all other patriot Syrians irrespective from religion and background. We will only let go of Syria when there’s nothing called Syria.

May 4th, 2015, 11:29 pm

 

Juergen said:

Amnesty has published this extensive report on barrel bombs. Over 11.000 people have been killed by this indiscriminate weapon, a weapon the regime still denies of using.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/1370/2015/en/

May 5th, 2015, 12:05 am

 

Nadia said:

There is nothing called (barrel bombs). It’s simply non-sophisticated Syrian made traditional legal bombs like any other endorsed weapon by the international community.

May 5th, 2015, 12:34 am

 

Observer said:

What is the definition of “all other patriot Syrians”?

May 5th, 2015, 7:32 am

 

Observer said:

Once again demand that the majority be secular while the minority remains a minority. If this is not Ibn T’s teachings I do not know what it is.

May 5th, 2015, 7:32 am

 

Akbar Palace said:

The Resistance Pros™ are getting nervous. As if Assad even matters.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4653868,00.html

May 5th, 2015, 7:48 am

 

Juergen said:

@ Nadia

That is a good one. So because of arab or should we say Syrian mediocrity the barrel bombs are “legal” intended bombs? Now the sanctions force the regime to illegally use such horror weapons when regular bombs aren’t available?

For all, here is a video of how Berlin looked like 2 months after the war. We were able to rebuild a city, a country which was almost 90% in some parts demolished. I really hope that Syria will have a similar rebuilding process.

May 5th, 2015, 1:48 pm

 

Observer said:

Juergen there is no use. They are all followers of Ibn T to the hilt but in reverse

May 5th, 2015, 1:51 pm

 

ALAN said:

135. JUERGEN
Tell us please about nuclear bombs provided by Israel to Germany in return for high-tech military supplies and also about long technological secret military cooperation between your country and Israel.

May 5th, 2015, 2:05 pm

 

SimoHurtta said:

125. SANDRO LOEWE said:

Simio,

Sometimes you need to kill the body to extrrminate the virus or the virus will kill the body and will later spread.

Well Sandro the Lion if somebody sees you as the ideological virus, which opinion I see as “understandable”, what is your answer? Do you approve the solution you recommend performed to you and to those sharing your attitude and views?

I see it as a rather astonishing attitude when those like you demand others to killed simply because they do not believe in an internet discussion the blurry, violent and fragmented rebel movements creating a better solution for Syria. It is hilarious when a political debater in the first sentence condemns Assad for imprisoning and torturing their opponents and in the next sentence more or less directly demands the killing of a fellow internet conversationalist who has a different viewpoint. An example of a Saudi “democracy” attitude or what Sandro?

May 5th, 2015, 3:07 pm

 
 

Syrialover said:

You think the Americans would never punch Iran in the face ? Look back. Yes they could.

U.S. strikes 2 Iranian oil rigs and hits 6 warships in battles over mining sea lanes in Gulf (1988) http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/19/world/us-strikes-2-iranian-oil-rigs-hits-6-warships-battles-over-mining-sea-lanes-gulf.html.

And who would care? Putin, Assad, that weirdo in North Korea and the “ALAN” team here on SyriaComment? That’s about it.

May 5th, 2015, 6:06 pm

 

Syrialover said:

REACHING THE LIMIT – The Syrian regime’s Iranian-engineered resurgence starting in 2013 has ended.

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentary/565206-reaching-the-limit

EXCERPT:
Even at the height of the Assad-Iran counteroffensive, the regime’s constraints were apparent—despite Iran’s infusion of thousands of Shiite mercenaries into the battlefield. For example, for all the talk about retaking Aleppo over the past two years, the regime was never able to achieve that objective. In the south, meanwhile, the regime’s hold gradually collapsed over the course of 2014 — and this despite the heavy Iranian investment there.

By all accounts, the attrition rate among the regime’s core base of support — the Alawite community — has been very high. “Everything we hear about casualties among mobilized Alawite males tells us that the loss proportions are comparable with the armies that suffered the worst loss rates in the First World War,” says Harris.

Aside from this insurmountable structural problem, Saudi Arabia’s response to the Iranian intervention has also played a much larger role than most commentators have noticed. Having recognized that Obama had abandoned America’s traditional leadership role in the Middle East, the new Saudi monarch moved to organize regional states to challenge Iranian expansionism. This decision has translated into coordination between Riyadh and other regional players—namely Turkey, Qatar and Jordan—which quickly influenced the course of events on the Syrian battlefield. As a result, the regime’s position in Idlib is now collapsing, and it continues to deteriorate in the Daraa province as well.

Thus we are now back where we were almost two years ago. For structural reasons, this is how the regime was always likely to end up: as an enclave in western Syria. In the last phase of the war, the Iranians compensated for the regime’s manpower deficiency on the battlefield, but they also exploited, diplomatically, Western fears of ISIS. Iran and its surrogates managed to convince half-educated Western commentators that Iran and Assad shared the same interests as the United States and Europe in defeating ISIS. They had no grasp of the fact that the Syrian dictator could never play the role they envisioned for him. Structural constraints always determined that Assad would be, at best, a warlord propped up by Iran in control of a strip of cantons from Damascus to the coast.

May 5th, 2015, 6:15 pm

 

Marwan said:

Salam everybody

Can I join the discussion please?

Dr. Marwan

May 5th, 2015, 9:04 pm

 

Juergen said:

Alan

That is no news here, and believe me many question why we send submarines and tanks to countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia. The answer is quite simple. Because the weapon industry is actually quite as big as the car and chemical industry when it comes to profits. Employment is a key figure, and unfortunately business always seems to outdone ethics.

You could also question where did all those computer parts came from which were sold for long time in the souks of Syria. On the boxes those were always labeled made in Cyprus. I never heard of a major cyprus computer industry. I know that Israel is one and sells a lot to Cyprus. So much about boycotting Israel. Cheers!

May 6th, 2015, 12:54 am

 

ALAN said:

Juergen@142
Is this how your country will react in the competent courts about its violations of content of the Non Proliferation Treaty?
How many Israeli nuclear missiles that remained in your country? have your country the right to possess them?
Without doubt the Government of your country will stand in front of the judiciary

May 6th, 2015, 4:12 am

 

ghufran said:

Opposition sources and GCC media whorehouses are hysterical about UN sponsored negotiations on Syria just because western politicians have declared that Assad can not take part in any future government.
First, who said that Syrians care about what X or Y say regarding of who should participate in SYRIAN negotiations or not, the people who are telling Syrians what to do are the same ones who kept this war going, we know they do not care about Syria.
Second, who said that Syria= Assad or that minorities will evaporate if Assad is not in power ?
Minorities like most Syrians are not stuck on names, they want peace and the chance to live in dignity and freedom, if an Assad-less government can provide that those minorities will carry it on their shoulders.
Dear Thawrajiyyeh, before you throw stones on pro regime (or neutral)Sunnis, Alawites and Christians look at who is fighting on your behalf:
TERRORISTS.
I settle my case !!

May 6th, 2015, 3:34 pm

 

ALAN said:

When you start playing around with weapons on someone’s borders, tensions with that nation are going to go up!
Maneuvers “Lion-prepared” was launched with the participation of eight thousand military, including four thousand five hundred US military and three thousand Jordanian military, while 17 countries involved by about five hundred component only.
the integrative responce is supposed to be proportional to the events.

May 6th, 2015, 4:39 pm

 

Ghufran said:

What hizbullah is doing now in Qalamon and Jurood Ersal and surrounding areas answers the question posted by the author and confirmed what we suspected. Hizbullah has no choice but to defeat the terrorists regardless of how bad the Syrian regime is and how angry Saudi pimps and their clients get.
It was a revolution in the making until the sheikhs and Wahhabi thugs got in, now it is a fight between a bad regime and the terrorists, most Syrians are not ready to back the terrorists, those who do should not give us lectures about freedom and democracy.
يا أمة ضحكت من جهلها الامم

May 7th, 2015, 12:13 pm

 

Sami said:

Drone footage of the devastation in Homs

http://cdn.top4top.net/d_060451b1a91.mp4

And some still argue that barrel bombs don’t exists…

May 7th, 2015, 12:33 pm

 

ALAN said:

The Pentagon is poised to begin, as soon as this week, a controversial program to train “moderate” Syrian rebels at locations in Turkey and Jordan.
The first of 400 U.S. military trainers have now arrived in both countries. Out of a list of 3,000 rebels who have expressed interest in joining the program, some 400 have passed the initial security screening. Once final approval is given.

In a rational world this sort of intervention would be (and should be) considered an act of war. How many more provocations can the US commit before there’s blow-back?
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2015/05/its-official-the-us-collaborates-with-al-qaeda.html#comments

May 7th, 2015, 5:09 pm

 

Tara said:

هذا هو المقال
“شرف الدين” يقول إننا نعيش حربا صامتة مع العلويين منذ عقود، و”رضوان” يعقب: ظهّر الصورة

زمان الوصل
ألقت الآراء التي طرحها المعارض “ماهر شرف الدين” بحجر كبير جدا في بركة الجدل المستمر حول ما تشهده سوريا، وارتباطه العضوي بـ”الطائفية”، جعلت “شرف الدين” هدفا لهجوم شرس، وصل عند البعض حد تهديده علنا بالقتل.

وفي آخر حلقة من برنامج “الاتجاه المعاكس”، أطلق “شرف الدين” مجموعة من المواقف مسميا الأشياء بمسميات “صريحة”، معلنا أن السوريين يعيشون منذ سنة 1966 (انقلاب حزب البعث)، ما دعاه “حربا أهلية صامتة مع العلويين”.

وأثارت مواقف موجة واسعة من ردود الأفعال، بين مصادق على ما ورد فيها، ومهاجم لها ولمن أطلقها شخصيا، وقد ردّ “شرف الدين” على الطرف الأخير، موضحا: “لم ولن أُعادي علوياً لسبب طائفي بل لسبب سياسي إجرامي ارتكبه معظم العلويين في حق بلادي.. أنا غاضب! وما سمعتموه البارحة (في الاتجاه المعاكس) هو مجرّد غضب صادق من إنسان حزين… وليس من إنسان حاقد!”.

وتابع: “لن نشفى بالكذب! لن نشفى بالادّعاء والتدليس!، علينا أن نتصارح ونقول الحقيقة!، أنا -بعد 4 سنوات من الذبح الطائفي- صار لديّ مشكلة أخلاقية مع العلويين! في بداية الثورة تعاليتُ على كل ممارساتهم السابقة وكنت صاحب أول دعوة لعدم شيطنتهم! لكنهم هم الذين شيطنوا أنفسهم!، الدم الذي يجري اليوم ثمنه الكذب الذي كذبناه البارحة كسوريين!، علينا أن نوقف حفلة الكذب والتكاذب لنصنع عقداً اجتماعياً جديداً بعد الاقتصاص من القتلة من كل الطوائف… وعلى رأسهم الشبيحة الذين ينتمون إلى طائفتي! سأطالب بتعليق المشنقة للشبيح الدرزي قبل الشبيح العلوي!”.

واستدرك “شرف الدين”: “لكن النظام علوي، عقله علوي، مصالحه علوية، قادته علويون، بوصلته علوية… كلّ ما فيه علوي!، لذلك دمّر مجتمعاتنا (غير العلوية) حين عوَّم حثالاتنا ووضعهم أسياداً علينا. إذا أردنا لهذا الدم الطاهر أن يتوقف… علينا أن نتوقف عن الكذب أولاً. ما قلتُه البارحة هو ما يقوله السوريون حين يتصارحون!”

وختم: “لا بدّ من أن يملك أحدُنا شجاعة (أو تهوّر) الاعتراف بالحقيقة المرّة: العلوي صار عدواً بسبب ما فعله وليس بسبب دين أو عرق أو معتقد!.. اكذبوا واستمرّوا بحفلة كذبكم… لن أشارككم هذه الوليمة المسمومة أبداً!”.

وفي جملة ما أثارته آراء “شرف الدين”، برز ما كتبه السيناريست “سامر رضوان” قائلا: “هجمة شرسة تطال ماهر شرف الدين هذا اليوم.. وكأنه اخترع مجموعة قضايا مسكوت تماماً عنها، وتحدث فيها مخالفاً السرب العاقل، أو ابتدع دستوراً طائفياً جر وراءه ملايين السوريين.. هذا يريد محاكمته وذاك يصدر بياناً ضده، وأولئك يستبصرون خراب البلد بعد حلقته في الاتجاه المعاكس.. لكن بنظرة متأنية أجد أنه ظهّرَ الصورة ليس إلا.. وتحدث بلسان عدد كبير من السوريين (هذه حقيقة).. ولا يصح ضمن العقل النقدي أن نعتبر هذه الآراء ليست موجودة، وبحجبها عن الإشهار يتم خنقُها حقاً.. أنا مع الحديث بها للوصول إلى أقصى درجات التعبئة العقلية.. لأن الأمور إذا لم تذهب للأقاصي لن تحل أبداً، يجب أن نعيد التاريخ ونستمع إلى سعد حداد وأنطوان لحد وبشير الجميل ونبيه بري ووليد جنلاط وحسن نصرالله.. السوريون لا يتعلمون إلا من أكياس دمائهم القادمة على ما يبدو.. فقد أصبحوا شعباً أستاذه الكفن”.

May 7th, 2015, 7:58 pm

 

Tara said:

To summarize the article above in English:

The resentment against Alawis in Syria is not due to religious hatred. It is due to the partaking of the vast majority of the Alawi sect in criminal acts against the other Syrians under the auspice of Assad regime since the beginning of the revolution.

May 7th, 2015, 8:02 pm

 

Ghufran said:

غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمِنْ بَعْدُ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ المؤمنون

May 7th, 2015, 10:21 pm

 

Jamal said:

What’s happened in Syria so far is nothing in comparison to the coming dark days.

May 8th, 2015, 4:41 am

 

lee said:

“It’s a different world now in Syria, because the Saudi pocketbook has opened and the Americans can’t tell them not to do it,” said Joshua Landis, the director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. “It’s quite clear that Salman has prioritized efforts against Iran over those against the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Landis, however, warned that the recent pact could prove risky for both countries, especially for Turkey. “The cautionary tale is that every power in the Middle East has tried to harness the power of Islamists to their own ends,” he said, noting that Assad’s government also backed Islamists in Iraq who later turned their guns on him. “It always seems to blow back.”

Link:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Turkey-to-Send-Ground-Troops-to-Syria-Opposition-Claims-20150508-0002.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. http://www.teleSURtv.net/english

May 8th, 2015, 5:11 am

 

ALAN said:

Our faith will not be broken. Who feels the faith-weakness, the same one should be defeated!

May 8th, 2015, 6:05 am

 

Mina said:

I wonder what the supporters of al Nusra hear make of this. how many of the medics assisting daesh in their atrocities have been studying in the west?
http://rt.com/news/257085-isis-sexual-abuse-un/

May 9th, 2015, 4:56 am

 

Jamal said:

The Fateh army (Jaysh Alfateh) is a rebranding job of al-Nusra (recognised as a terrorist group by the UN). Qatar did a class A diplomacy job of reuniting the opposites Turkey and Saudi Arabia to put aside their differences and agree on one strategy to oust the regime. The trinity (Qatar, Saudi and Turkey) has two months to achieve as much as possible before finalizing the agreement between Iran and the top 5.

May 10th, 2015, 12:24 am

 

mjabali said:

No wonder Tara is defending the guy who said on al-Jazeera to kill all the Alawites and their babies….Not surprised al all….

May 10th, 2015, 5:33 am

 

Observer said:

No wonder that we only read comments when the Alawites are concerned. As for the rest of Syria; pffff they are nothing worth writing about.

Again, ” Let us all be Syrians but Let us Remain as Minorities “; and one wonders where this racism is coming from.

May 10th, 2015, 7:41 am

 

Tara said:

Mjabali, the Alawi Ibn Taimieh,

Syria comment is filled with your Sunni hatred commentaries. You taught us what sectarian hatred really means and misrepresented Alawis worldwide.

Don’t expect that I would exchange sectarian posts with you. It is beneath me. Sorry.

May 10th, 2015, 9:46 am

 

mjabali said:

When Tara got caught defending the guy who said on al-Jazeera to kill ALL the Alawites and their children she tried to claim that I said something sectarian against her sect the Sunnis.

I tell Sunnis things they had never heard before with all honesty, and for sure I never called to kill not one single one of them.

Defending a criminal like Maher Sharaf al-Din, who called in plain language to kill all Alawites and their children is a lost cause.

Someone should tell her that the topic is not me, it is the man who called to kill over 2 million Alawites that she is defending…. متى سيعرف هؤلاء ماهو الموضوع…

May 10th, 2015, 4:22 pm

 

Ken Kelso said:

Why is HEzbollah having trouble against Isis in Syria?
Hezbollah cant use its strategy against ISIS of firing missiles behind civilians like they do against Israel.
Why, cause ISIS will fire every time Hezbollah fires missiles behind civilians.
Hizbollah had become used to firing missiles against Israeli behind
civilians in South Lebanon and Israel not firing back.
ISIS is going to fire back.

Good article below
http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-losing-1000-men-in-syria-hezbollah-builds-security-zone/
After losing 1,000 men in Syria, Hezbollah builds ‘security zone’
As its death toll mounts, the Shi’ite group deploys along the Lebanon-Syrian border to prevent entry of Sunni fighters; has little time to focus on Israel
BY AVI ISSACHAROFF
October 31, 2014

May 11th, 2015, 8:59 pm

 

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