Syria: Deadly price of pursuing change
by NewsBot
End the Lie
January 9, 2012
Amid heavy criticism for failing to stop violence in Syria, the Arab League has renewed calls for the regime to end bloodshed and open its borders to more observers. As the carnage continues, many say they are paying too high a price for change.
The observers held a meeting with the governor of Damascus, Hussein Makhlouf, on Sunday and visited a local hospital to meet with relatives of the victims of recent violence.
As the country edges ever closer towards civil war, hundreds of people from both sides are losing their lives every month – opposition, pro-regime, civilians, soldiers and children alike.
On Friday, another suicide bombing in Damascus was yet further evidence of the escalating conflict. The attack hit the central Damascus neighborhood of al-Midan, killing 26 and wounding dozens. And all this has continued to take place with Arab League observers on the ground.
“We went to the League and asked them to help,” a local woman said. “But they did not want to listen to us and did not respond to our complaints.”
Exactly who is responsible for what is happening in the country right now remains far from clear.
In an effort to shed light on the situation, people have continued to risk their lives getting information out of the country. Gene Sharp, a leading expert on non-violent revolution, calls the actions of the Syrian people “quite amazing.”
“Even though so many people have been killed, they are going out on the streets,” said Sharp, a senior Scholar at the Albert Einstein Institution in Boston. “When the population loses its fear, that is a great achievement towards success.”
But the opposition itself is becoming increasingly divided, with more and more Army deserters joining its ranks and calling for a violent overthrow of the government.
“The danger now is that those soldiers who have been moved by these developments and defected from the Syrian army have concluded that they need to use violence to fight the rest of the Syrian army. If they want to succeed, that is not the way to do it,” explains Sharp.
The Arab League has once again renewed calls for the violence from all sides to end, having met to review their findings so far.
All across the country right now people are fighting tooth and nail for the right to determine their own future.
Despite government promises, many people now feel that simply too many lives have been lost, too much blood has been shed, for anything other than real change to be an option.
Source – http://rt.com/news/syria-observer-mission-price-379/
Syrian state media reports Russian naval flotilla arrival in Tartus
By Madison Ruppert
Editor of End the Lie
January 8, 2012
Similar reports emerged in November as well as reports of Russian warships entering Syrian waters as the Syrian opposition called for a no-fly zone along with later reports of Russian ships delivering highly advanced anti-aircraft missile systems and technicians to Syria in late November.
I have grown quite skeptical of these reports as it seems there is always a hullabaloo but nothing actually ever seems to happen.
This is similar to how I feel about the reports of U.S.-NATO troops on the Syrian border which made a large splash in the alternative news community but never materialized into any actual action as far as we know.
Then again, that report could be completely accurate and the troops are simply waiting for something, although all of that is nothing but pure speculation at this stage.
Regardless, the Syrians seem to be openly praising Russia and the SANA news agency quoted a Russian naval officer, Yakushin Vladamir Anatolievich, who said, “The port call is aimed at bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship.”
I think it is quite obvious to even the most oblivious observer that this is more than just a show of friendship, but instead a statement to the West as a whole, which has been relentlessly pushing for increased sanctions against Syria and for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
SANA took a similar approach in writing, “The commanders of the Russian naval vessels docked in Tartus took turns to express their solidarity with the Syrian people,” which clearly means solidarity in the opposition to Western pressure, not solidarity with the openly Western-linked Syrian dissidents.
Russia and China have both been the most major opposing force in the face of Western nations attempting to increase sanctions and pressure Assad into giving up power.
In early October, Russia and China blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution, pointing to their concern that it could mean yet another foreign Libya-style intervention.
This is hardly an absurd notion seeing as in late November it was reported that the Arab League and Turkey were in the process of developing plans for a no-fly zone over Syria, with logistical assistance from the United States.
Like most of the reports floating around regarding Syria, this one seemed not to have materialized, although one might rightly assume that this plan has simply been set aside for a later date.
With the situation regarding Iran developing at break-neck speed, one might assume that the plan to topple Assad and take over Syria has been placed on the back burner, at least for now.
Be sure to read our exclusive series on the developments in Iran which is currently three parts and can be read here: part I, part II, and part III.
The drums of war are being beaten with a vengeance and now all we can do is hope that it won’t actually happen while wondering if it will be Syria or Iran first.
Personally, I believe that it would be Iran first given the Western positioning in the region, although I’m hardly psychic and my analysis is merely based on the slim trickle of information we receive, which is likely highly filtered and spun to give the public a certain impression which very well might be wholly erroneous.
The longer I spend researching and writing about these topics, especially when it comes to geopolitics, the more I realize how little I know and how wildly inaccurate most predictions end up being.
This is why I am trying my best to stick to the facts and let my readers come to their own conclusions while still putting forth my own analysis for your perusal. If you want to give me feedback, please feel free to email me at Admin@EndtheLie.com with any and all comments, questions, or rebuttals.
At this point there is little we can do but wait and hope that people like me are wrong. Hopefully there will be no conflict whatsoever and it is just more saber rattling from both sides.
However the geopolitical developments are far from comforting and do not seem to back up the assertion that this is pure rhetoric and no real action will be taken on either side.
Related posts:
- Reports say Russian ships in Syrian waters delivered advanced anti-aircraft missile system and technicians
- Russian warships entering Syrian waters to inhibit foreign invasion as opposition calls for no-fly zone
- United Nations Security Council issues statement condemning Syrian violence, media still glossing over armed opposition
- Syrian news fog getting denser
- Russian Protests: Western Media Lies
Short URL: http://EndtheLie.com/?p=33919
‘Opposition behind Damascus blast, lays ground for intervention’ (video)
RT
January 6, 2011
A deadly explosion targeting police has rocked a residential neighborhood in Damascus, killing up to 25 people. It’s believed to have been a suicide bombing, with most of the casualties civilians. Syrian TV says the blast happened near a primary school. It comes as the leader of the country’s biggest armed opposition group has reportedly called for President Assad’s regime to be overthrown by military means. Meanwhile a former high-ranking army official who defected to the opposition has claimed the government was lying when it said the violence was caused by gangs aided from abroad. Author and Middle East expert Tariq Ali believes the opposition is responsible for the attack and they’re laying the ground for a foreign intervention.
First video of Damascus terror: Dozens killed in suicide attack (video)
RT
January 6, 2011
Syrian state TV says a suspected suicide bomber has killed at least 25 people in the capital, in an attack that was apparently targetting a police bus. The attacker detonated his explosives in central Damascus on Friday, killing and wounding dozens of people, Syrian state TV reports. The target of the attack appeared to be a bus carrying policemen – that’s according to a Syrian official. Syrian TV showed the damaged bus that had bloodstained seats, and riot police helmets and shields scattered around. The government’s blaming terrorists for the assault. The attack comes after Syria’s opposition rounded on the Arab League observer mission on the violence in the country, urging the UN to approve a Libya-style no-fly zone.
Libya rebels go gunning for Syria to topple Assad (video)
RT
January 1, 2012
Former Libyan rebels are now chanting for Syrians to follow their revolutionary path. Hundreds of mercenaries, some of whom are said to be former terrorists, are ready to pick up arms again to help overthrow President Assad.
Dr. Webster Tarpley: US-UK Ruling Elite Targets Russia, Syria, Iran, Pakistan (video)
The Alex Jones Show
December 28, 2011
Alex interviews Dr. Webster Tarpley in this christmas Day Special broadcast for radio listeners. Alex and Webster break down what will happen to the middle east in the months to come and will america start something with Russia.
http://tarpley.net/
http://www.infowars.com
Syria: Pepe Escobar Breaks Down Arab League Investigation (video)
RT
December 28, 2011
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(hat tip: Land Destroyer Report)
Free Syria Army includes foreign mercenaries armed & backed by very Arab League supposedly investigating Syrian violence.
For more information on Syria, please see the [Land Destroyer Report] Syrian Archives.
PN 