[RustyNails]

I've been so out of the loop with this. What is going on over there in Syria?

Arab Spring protests breakout in Syria demanding justice for wrongly imprisoned kids. Syrian regime panics and squashes the protests. Protestors snowball into a nationwide call for ouster of Syrian president Bashar al Assad. Assad brings military firepower down on his people, making lot of his generals and soldiers uneasy about shooting them. They defect and form a "Free Syrian Army", with intention to protect people and attack Syrian regime. One year passes, the stalemate effectively becomes civil war. Syrian regime continues massacring its own people suspected of supported FSA and being anti-Assad. FSA is struggling to hold on as an effective resistance movement.

Talk to al Assad's supporters and you will get a very different picture. According to them, FSA is made up of terrorists, thugs, rapists, Al qaida, Taliban, care bears, unabomber, etc

[Hieberrr]

Arab Spring protests breakout in Syria demanding justice for wrongly imprisoned kids. Syrian regime panics and squashes the protests. Protestors snowball into a nationwide call for ouster of Syrian president Bashar al Assad. Assad brings military firepower down on his people, making lot of his generals and soldiers uneasy about shooting them. They defect and form a "Free Syrian Army", with intention to protect people and attack Syrian regime. One year passes, the stalemate effectively becomes civil war. Syrian regime continues massacring its own people suspected of supported FSA and being anti-Assad. FSA is struggling to hold on as an effective resistance movement. Talk to al Assad's supporters and you will get a very different picture. According to them, FSA is made up of terrorists, thugs, rapists, Al qaida, Taliban, care bears, unabomber, etc

My goodness :O Thanks for the recap.

[maquiladora]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/iran-...prime-minister

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards has warned Arab countries not to intervene in Syria, threatening them with retaliation if they do. A Tuesday report by semiofficial Fars news agency quotes Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, also a spokesman of the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff, as saying that the regime of Bashar al-Assad has friends in the region poised to "strike out," particularly at the "hated Arabs." Jazayeri did not name any country in particular. Gulf countries Saudi Arabia and Qatar support Syrian rebels, while Iran is a key ally of Assad.

It's been widely reported that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been giving Syria rebels light weapons via Turkey for some time. This sounds like a threat to stop that.

Iran and Syria signed a defence pact in 2008.

[goomba]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/iran-...prime-minister It's been widely reported that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been giving Syria rebels light weapons via Turkey for some time. This sounds like a threat to stop that. Iran and Syria signed a defence pact in 2008.

I hope the rebels turn around and use those weapons against the Saudi Arabian reigime.

[Fularu]

Arab Spring protests breakout in Syria demanding justice for wrongly imprisoned kids. Syrian regime panics and squashes the protests. Protestors snowball into a nationwide call for ouster of Syrian president Bashar al Assad. Assad brings military firepower down on his people, making lot of his generals and soldiers uneasy about shooting them. They defect and form a "Free Syrian Army", with intention to protect people and attack Syrian regime. One year passes, the stalemate effectively becomes civil war. Syrian regime continues massacring its own people suspected of supported FSA and being anti-Assad. FSA is struggling to hold on as an effective resistance movement. Talk to al Assad's supporters and you will get a very different picture. According to them, FSA is made up of terrorists, thugs, rapists, Al qaida, Taliban, care bears, unabomber, etc

Or you just got fed a fairytale and were all too eager to goble it down.

But I forget, you have people and family there so it makes you an informed individual who knows what's really going on! (hint, you don't)

[CHEEZMO™]

But I forget, you have people and family there so it makes you an informed individual who knows what's really going on! (hint, you don't)

But you got all the answers, right?

[Fularu]

But you got all the answers, right?

Hardly but then again I have both sides of the events and thus keep myself better informed.

But hey, I guess I have more at stake in this than your travel plans for the country right?

[CHEEZMO™]

Hardly but then again I have both sides of the events and thus keep myself better informed. But hey, I guess I have more at stake in this than your travel plans for the country right?

What have my non-existent travel plans got to do with anything?

Also, I'm curious as to what it was in Rusty's post with which you took issue.

[goomba]

I notice www.sana.sy (Syrian Arab News Agency) is inaccessible from here in New Zealand, though it is accessible via a IP address http://208.43.232.81/eng/21/index.htm

Also :

The head of the UN Investigating Team on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro on Monday said that there is a propaganda war against Syria. In a speech to the Spanish Newspaper of El Pais, Pinheiro said that some of death tolls, reports on the number of victims and video footage are baseless.

[Fularu]

What have my non-existent travel plans got to do with anything? Also, I'm curious as to what it was in Rusty's post with which you took issue.

Unless I'm mistaking you for someone else (could be) you commented on the fact that Assad's regime needed to end so that you could visit Syria (which you should do since it's an amazing place).

The D'hera story is pure fabrication, and the FSA is the ragtag "Assad's supporters" make it out to be. Even foreign intelligence agrees on it, not to mention the various articles published lately (like the Die Zeitung article a few days ago). Yes there are deserters in it, no one is denying it, but they hardly make the bulk of it.

Ps I used "Assad's supporters" because I really don't think there's a lot (if any) of them here, including SW

[Cromat]

Unless I'm mistaking you for someone else (could be) you commented on the fact that Assad's regime needed to end so that you could visit Syria (which you should do since it's an amazing place). The D'hera story is pure fabrication, and the FSA is the ragtag "Assad's supporters" make it out to be. Even foreign intelligence agrees on it, not to mention the various articles published lately (like the Die Zeitung article a few days ago). Yes there are deserters in it, no one is denying it, but they hardly make the bulk of it. Ps I used "Assad's supporters" because I really don't think there's a lot (if any) of them here, including SW

I'm actually more interested in your perspective than the prevalent one (Assad is satan, protesters love freedom). I have no doubt in my mind that some of these rebels are probably worse than anything Assad ever did.

However you must admit that your president is an asshole that could have seen this coming a decade ago and reformed the country, right?

[Shawsie64]

Or you just got fed a fairytale and were all too eager to goble it down. But I forget, you have people and family there so it makes you an informed individual who knows what's really going on! (hint, you don't)

What's the other version of events? Im curious to know both sides of the story..

[Phantast2k]

But you got all the answers, right?

Don't you agree that RustyNails painted a rather simplistic version of the conflict? Leaving out all the details about ethnicities and how the uprising is basically all Sunni so far, while the minorities either sit idle or support the regime.

I'm not surprised Iran is voicing its support, it was just a matter of time tbh. And since the insurgents are being supported by the gulf states/Turkey (openly) and who knows who else covertly I guess it's kind of fair.

Here's a Russian (non-RT) report about the conflict, the part I link to talks about Turkish weapon smuggling and foreign elements (Tunisians, Libyans) leaking through Turkey into Syria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6sXWDdyJY&t=4m20s (German dub)
Now I don't claim that this news outlet is independent, but this is something you'd never see on "western" news, which is either testament to it being fake, or - something I'm more inclined to believe - speaks volumes about the one-sided news coverage in the West.

--------edit------

What's the other version of events? Im curious to know both sides of the story..

Why don't you go trough the thread first?
What's with people just turning up here and asking for a quick summary?! Is it so that you don't look dumb and can participate in conversations about this? (edit2: without actually reading about it yourself and instead asking for digestible, regurgitated information)

[Jason Raize '75 - '04]

Don't you agree that RustyNails painted a rather simplistic version of the conflict? Leaving out all the details about ethnicities and how the uprising is basically all Sunni so far, while the minorities either sit idle or support the regime. I'm not surprised Iran is voicing its support, it was just a matter of time tbh. And since the insurgents are being supported by the gulf states/Turkey (openly) and who knows who else covertly I guess it's kind of fair. Here's a Russian (non-RT) report about the conflict, the part I link to talks about Turkish weapon smuggling and foreign elements (Tunisians, Libyans) leaking through Turkey into Syria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6sXWDdyJY&t=4m20s (German dub) Now I don't claim that this news outlet is independent, but this is something you'd never see on "western" news, which is either testament to it being fake, or - something I'm more inclined to believe - speaks volumes about the one-sided news coverage in the West.

There being a proxy war wouldn't surprise me. But why would the media coverage in the West be one sided, or ignore this suggestion?

[Shawsie64]

Don't you agree that RustyNails painted a rather simplistic version of the conflict? Leaving out all the details about ethnicities and how the uprising is basically all Sunni so far, while the minorities either sit idle or support the regime. I'm not surprised Iran is voicing its support, it was just a matter of time tbh. And since the insurgents are being supported by the gulf states/Turkey (openly) and who knows who else covertly I guess it's kind of fair. Here's a Russian (non-RT) report about the conflict, the part I link to talks about Turkish weapon smuggling and foreign elements (Tunisians, Libyans) leaking through Turkey into Syria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6sXWDdyJY&t=4m20s (German dub) Now I don't claim that this news outlet is independent, but this is something you'd never see on "western" news, which is either testament to it being fake, or - something I'm more inclined to believe - speaks volumes about the one-sided news coverage in the West. --------edit------ Why don't you go trough the thread first? What's with people just turning up here and asking for a quick summary?! Is it so that you don't look dumb and can participate in conversations about this?

Sorry I don't have time to keep up with every thread on neogaf, I have a life outside of the Internet and work long hours, the only time i get to keep up with world events being my half hour at dinner time watching SBS news.. this is a place for discussion and getting a better picture of events I thought, hence me asking the question, Sorry for offending you so much Internet tough guy!

[Phantast2k]

There being a proxy war wouldn't surprise me. But why would the media coverage in the West be one sided, or ignore this suggestion?

Well, I feel like I'm just getting half or maybe 3/4 of the story through German news outlets. Facebook provides me with other sources of information (through the Christian Syrian I know and left-leaning ppl.)
It also feels like Western new outlets easily gobble footage off of youtube/from the rebel groups and present it in their coverage, some of which even turned out to be fake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_2bk0JQdo&t=2m (here a supposed torture scene turns out to be a 2007' video from Iraq)

/edit
⇑ I forgive you.

/edit2
⇓ Yeah, but it happened like what, 3-4 times throughout the thread?
But then I generally have a problem when it comes to asking for help so it always strikes me as rude when ppl. just blatantly do it in situations like this or even open their own topics for stupid shit that can easily be solved through googling...I guess I'm just weird like that.

[Flying_Phoenix]

Why don't you go trough the thread first? What's with people just turning up here and asking for a quick summary?! Is it so that you don't look dumb and can participate in conversations about this?

Maybe its due to the fact that the thread has nearly 500 posts?

There being a proxy war wouldn't surprise me. But why would the media coverage in the West be one sided, or ignore this suggestion?

For the same reason the Israel-Palestine conflict is so one sided.

[Phantast2k]

For the same reason the Israel-Palestine conflict is so one sided.

But that's just true for the US, I guess. Certainly not true when it comes to Europe.

[Shiggy]

Don't you agree that RustyNails painted a rather simplistic version of the conflict? Leaving out all the details about ethnicities and how the uprising is basically all Sunni so far, while the minorities either sit idle or support the regime. I'm not surprised Iran is voicing its support, it was just a matter of time tbh. And since the insurgents are being supported by the gulf states/Turkey (openly) and who knows who else covertly I guess it's kind of fair. Here's a Russian (non-RT) report about the conflict, the part I link to talks about Turkish weapon smuggling and foreign elements (Tunisians, Libyans) leaking through Turkey into Syria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6sXWDdyJY&t=4m20s (German dub) Now I don't claim that this news outlet is independent, but this is something you'd never see on "western" news, which is either testament to it being fake, or - something I'm more inclined to believe - speaks volumes about the one-sided news coverage in the West.

I haven't heard too much about the Tunisian/Libyan elements, but I'd definitely not call the media coverage one-sided. If that was the case, we wouldn't have heard of rebels taking revenge. Neither would we've heard of minorities fleeing due to rebels' attacks.

I am actually rather worried what will happen to these Syrian minorities in future.

[Flying_Phoenix]

But that's just true for the US, I guess. Certainly not true when it comes to Europe.

BBC?

[CHEEZMO™]

BBC?

Not in my experience.

[Solid warrior]

I notice www.sana.sy (Syrian Arab News Agency) is inaccessible from here in New Zealand, though it is accessible via a IP address http://208.43.232.81/eng/21/index.htm Also :

It's shocking that there is such a brave UN official who can challenge the daily propaganda BS.

I'm actually more interested in your perspective than the prevalent one (Assad is satan, protesters love freedom). I have no doubt in my mind that some of these rebels are probably worse than anything Assad ever did. However you must admit that your president is an asshole that could have seen this coming a decade ago and reformed the country, right?

Even If reforms happened and the most advanced liberal democracy was implemented in Syria, The Oil & Gas sheikdom and western influence and money will work in the background to bring the political party or the leader they want. Western leaders know this fact and they'll not allow any political party to take over and oppose western policies in the region even if that political party has won 100% in any free election. Western powers will work against that party until it falls either by political means or by force. (Coup d'etat for example, Operation Ajax)

[Phantast2k]

I haven't heard too much about the Tunisian/Libyan elements, but I'd definitely not call the media coverage one-sided. If that was the case, we wouldn't have heard of rebels taking revenge. Neither would we've heard of minorities fleeing due to rebels' attacks. I am actually rather worried what will happen to these Syrian minorities in future.

Where did you hear that? (I'm assuming you're German). This is the only article I've seen so far about this general topic: http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/a...-11784434.html
-------

Syria intervention is more likely, says UK think tank External intervention in Syria is becoming more likely, says a leading UK-based military think tank - even if Western powers remain reluctant. Planning for possible intervention is already under way in Western capitals, Turkey and Jordan, the report says. It is being spurred, above all, by fears of Syrian chemical weapons falling into the wrong hands. The report comes from the Royal United Services Institute - with close ties to the UK defence ministry, say analysts. Last week the Syrian regime was rocked by the assassinations of four of its senior officials in a bomb blast. On Monday, US President Barack Obama warned the Syrian government against using chemical weapons, after an implicit acknowledgement by Damascus that it held a stockpile of such weapons. The Rusi report quotes Col Richard Kemp, who led UK forces in Afghanistan, as saying the escalating civil war meant it was more likely that Western governments would intervene to stop the bloodshed spreading to neighbouring countries. "Military planners have a responsibility to prepare for intervention options in Syria for their political masters in case this conflict chooses them," Col Kemp says in the report, called A Collision Course for Intervention. "Preparation will be proceeding today in several Western capitals and on the ground in Syria and in Turkey. "They will however have grave reservations over the consequences and the cost of intervention as well as the geopolitical implications." The report suggests President Assad's own future is becoming less relevant, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall. The key issues now include: the danger of Syria's chemical weapons being used either by desperate pro-regime commanders, or extremists allied to the opposition the spectre of a flood of refugees the crisis turning into a proxy confrontation between Iran and its Shia allies on one side, and Sunni governments from the Gulf on the other. The report discounts a full scale invasion as unlikely, but concludes more limited action to protect civilians or to try to secure and destroy chemical stocks may be necessary, our correspondent says. That could include arming opposition groups or putting together a military coalition for action. The report suggests planning for this and other scenarios is already under way. However, Col Kemp asserts in the report that foreign intervention is already under way in Syria. "External intervention has been under way in Syria for months, with Russia arming the regime," he says. "At the same time Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with US and Turkish facilitation, have been arming and funding the opposition; and this covert support has been substantially responsible for the progress opposition forces have made in recent weeks. "Western political leaders may have no appetite for deeper intervention. But as history has shown, we do not always choose which wars to fight."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18973997

[Sentry]

I hope Sentry is okay :(

Has anyone heard from Sentry?

I'm okay and back, thanks for the kind thoughts everyone.

Anyway, it's been a chaotic couple of weeks for sure, especially in Damascus. It's generally calmer now, though (after the first day of Ramadan, oddly enough).

[V_Arnold]

and another thing Islamist winning elections is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Such a shallow way to look at things. Democracy is a constant struggle of ideas through all levels of society. The Islamist in Egypt n Tunisia won? fine let them govern within the democratic frame. When people see their ideas are shitty(and they will), they'll either evolve to something more sane, or die in irrelevance. the Mid-East are staring where we in the West were years ago, where openly racist, misogynist, prejudice, and overall bad ideas won elections, but through civil, political and social struggle, we progress above alot of it. You cant just bury Islamist and hope it disappears, it hasn't worked before and it wont work now. Their failure have to be public, the rejection of political religion has to be clear.

And the change has to come from within, or else every political power in the respective countries can just easily point out the fact that there has been an outsider intervention (knock-knock, US), and hide behind bad deeds to cover their own failures.

[Tony Rocky Horror]

Kevin Bakhurst of the BBC just posted the following tweet:

Reuters: "TURKEY'S ERDOGAN SAYS SYRIA'S ASSAD AND HIS CIRCLE ARE ABOUT TO GO, PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR "NEW ERA"

http://twitter.com/kevinbakhurst/sta...66786918621184

[SquiddyCracker]

Great, just saw the following on the telly:

"We wear this bandana [says something about allah] because we believe Allah is the true God".

I'm not surprised though, of course hard-core belivers will lead the rebellion as they be more likely to sacrifice their lives in this civil war.
Then regular folk like my family end up having to live under the rule of Islamists.

[Azih]

There being a proxy war wouldn't surprise me. But why would the media coverage in the West be one sided, or ignore this suggestion?

For the same reason that Bahrain was quickly forgotten about.

[YoungHav]

I've been so out of the loop with this. What is going on over there in Syria?

MGS4 Trophies. They dunno the war is over yet.

[Minamu]

Really glad to see you're okay Sentry! :D

[Azih]

So Assad spoke today and I read this in an article:

A high-ranking Western diplomat familiar with the intelligence assessments on Syria said earlier this week that there is a great deal of concern in the West over the flow of foreign militants into Syria to fight a jihad, or holy war, against Assad's regime. Militants from Chechnya, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been joining the rebels in significant number, he said. They are entering by way of Iraq and Lebanon and bringing along skills gleaned from battling the Americans and Russians, according to the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss such matters.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...p-aides-killed

Situation is ugly complicated.

[Steelrain]

This shit is getting dirtier and dirtier. Mass executions on both sides with civilians being caught in the crossfire...ugh. It's a damn shame... I'm guessing there's no diplomatic solution at this point?

[Awesome]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/us-usa-syria-obama-order-idUSBRE8701OK20120801

Looks like it's going to start.

[Ether_Snake]

So Assad spoke today and I read this in an article: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...p-aides-killed Situation is ugly complicated.

Concerns my ass, lol. This is part of the plan. The ME is being turned into a mess on purpose.

[Bamelin]

The whole thing sucks :(

[Rei_Toei]

Casual civil war.

[CHEEZMO™]

Casual civil war.

Saw this earlier but only just noticed the cigarette in his hand.

Ballin'.

[Steelrain]

Casual civil war.

Looks like that guy to the left is about to get shot the fuck up if that dumbass dude pulls the trigger.

[CHEEZMO™]

Via the AJ Liveblog

A continued assault by the forces of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, has left at 47 people dead in the Syrian capital, according to the Reuters news agency. Opposition fighters have called Wednesday's shelling the heaviest bombardment so far in August. "The whole of Damascus is shaking with the sound of shelling," said a woman in Kfar Souseh, one of several districts hit during the military offensive to root out rebel fighters. At least 22 people were killed in Kfar Souseh and 25 in the nearby district of Nahr Eisha, activists said. "There are 22 tanks in Kfar Souseh now and behind each one there are at least 30 soldiers. They are raiding houses and executing men," an opposition activist in Kfar Souseh, who gave his name only as Bassam, told the Reuters news agency via Skype.

[InvincibleAgent]

Damascus, OR?

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Looks like that guy to the left is about to get shot the fuck up if that dumbass dude pulls the trigger.

Especially since I doubt it's semi auto.

Kind of looks like a Polish Underfolder AKMS.

[Moral Panic]

Syrian rebels try to use prisoner for suicide bombing

Definitely a war crime, captured in full by NYT reporters. Probably deserves it's own thread.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Syrian rebels try to use prisoner for suicide bombing Definitely a war crime, captured in full by NYT reporters. Probably deserves it's own thread.

Hmm, that's kind of creative.

[B-Dubs]

Syrian rebels try to use prisoner for suicide bombing Definitely a war crime, captured in full by NYT reporters. Probably deserves it's own thread.

This has gone on too long without someone doing something, it'll only get worse til there is some kind of intervention.

[phosphor112]

Syrian rebels try to use prisoner for suicide bombing Definitely a war crime, captured in full by NYT reporters. Probably deserves it's own thread.

...Wow.

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

...Wow.

It almost sounds like an action movie trope (both sides).

[Azih]

This has gone on too long without someone doing something, it'll only get worse til there is some kind of intervention.

Whose side would the intervention be for? Bashar Assad's civilian carpet bombers or the rebel's forced prisoner suicide bombers?

[phosphor112]

It almost sounds like an action movie trope (both sides).

Dude got lucky that shit didn't blow.

[CHEEZMO™]

Hearing reports of around 100 people being killed in the Damascus area alone today, many as a result 2 seperate mass executions carried out by the government. Others presumably killed as a result of artillery and helicopter strikes.

Warning, very graphic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLdBmfWrj5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqQ941hXqQI

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5366933&type=1

[kobashi100]

genuine question here.

how come the media in the west don't show the huge demonstrations in syria with people calling for the return of the khilafah?

I have also seen vids with commanders and fighters all saying that they are fighting for the return of the caliphate.

funny how the media outlets are totally ignoring this,

for example if these vids was calling for democracy and secularism, BBC and Sky News here in the UK would be all over it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXw17OYieRg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-srPyFuAcY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzwIVuar-Q