Just watched Al Jazeera's Sami Kleib ('Private Visit') on Al Manar, "Bashar Assad promised reforms ... let's wait a month or so and see if he delivers. If he does not, we will all demonstrate. But let's give a month!..."
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Al Jazeera's Sami Kleib: "Let us give President Assad a month 'grace period' & if he does not deliver, we'll all take to the streets!"
Al Jazeera & al actually helping the Syrian regime!
AngryArab, certified enemy of all Arab regimes, says this on the media coverage of Syria: "...I really believe that Aljazeera's over-the-top propaganda helped the Syrian regime because it was so devoid of balance and even facts. The supply of Islamists Syrian dissidents that has been paraded on Aljazeera screen may have alarmed secular Syrians (not that the so-called secularism of the regime is to my liking as I don't consider any Arab regime to be appropriately secular--they all use religion, and US is not secular by my standard of the neutrality of the state on matters of religious preference.). The BBC the other day featured a Syrian officer who a week ago was lionized in Time magazine when he said that he defected with some 30 of his soldiers. That was featured on Aljazeera and every other network. BBC yesterday revisited the guy and admitted that he lied and that he defected on his own. Yet, the report praised his lies and said that this his lies were responsible for delaying the advances of Syrian troops in Jisr Ash-Shughur. So lies on behalf of Western agenda (and the Muslim Brotherhood agenda is part of the Western political agenda--certainly in Syria) are now warmly welcome. The more the better."
"There’s a lot of orchestrating going on, but it’s not all orchestration"
"... While Mr. Assad still enjoys support in Syria — particularly among minorities, the middle class and the business elite — opposition figures said people were bused in and state employees forced to attend the pro-government rallies. Companies owned by figures allied with the government also insisted that their employees go, they said. Syrian television declared that millions had taken part in the rallies, though the numbers, at least anecdotally, seemed smaller...But even within the rallies, there were voices of dissent. An employee of a private company forced by his manager to attend said he resented that at a time of economic crisis, companies and the government came to a standstill for a political ploy...Had Mr. Assad’s speech come before the uprising, it might have been a turning point in the four decades of repressive rule by his family. But as a ferocious crackdown continues, sentiments have hardened, and protesters’ demands have grown. "Assad is trying to preserve exactly the same regime with minor tweaks and that’s not enough anymore, for most people,” said a Syria-based analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “It’s impossible to decipher any strategy, any vision, any policy, and most importantly, any way forward — a credible solution to the crisis.”But other analysts suggested Mr. Assad may be interpreting the lessons of Egypt and Tunisia, where concessions only emboldened protesters, who eventually succeeded in toppling longtime authoritarian leaders.When genuine, the rallies Tuesday demonstrated sentiments that had “less to do with support for Bashar and more to do with not wanting to descend into the unknown,” said Bassam S. Haddad, director of the Middle East Studies Program at George Mason University. “There’s a lot of orchestrating going on, but it’s not all orchestration.”As the rallies gathered in Damascus and elsewhere, the government offered a broader amnesty for any crimes committed until June 20, a move Mr. Assad hinted at in Monday’s speech. It was the second such amnesty in a month, and though rights groups say hundreds of prisoners were released under the first one, a ferocious crackdown that has killed 1,400 people and led to the detention of more than 10,000, by activists’ count, has overshadowed any real change that the amnesty may have represented.“This decision won’t do anything to alleviate the pressure from the street,” said Khalil Maatouk, a lawyer and activist in Damascus. “The amnesty should release all political prisoners. That would mean good intentions and indicate something new."
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
'Make Syria War number Six!'
"...The Obama administration wants to stay in Iraq despite the fact that elections have been held, a military has been created and the insurgency has been suppressed... The United States is expanding military operations in both Pakistan and Yemen, mostly through drone attacks. Although the operations are supposed to be directed at terrorist threats against America, in Pakistan, at least, targets have been expanded to local jihadists who, until recently, were focused on battling the Pakistani government in Islamabad. By killing innocent civilians as well as terrorists, Washington has increased hostility against the United States and created more terrorists, some who now want to kill Americans in New York City. Finally, Libya mixes humanitarian intervention and nation building. The mission was originally justified [3] as necessary to save lives, even though there was no evidence of impending massacres anywhere, including in Benghazi. In fact, Muammar Qaddafi’s forces committed no large killings in any of the cities that they retook, and his oft-cited florid rhetoric was directed against guerrilla fighters, not civilians. Now the administration and European governments, though originally disavowing the objective of regime change, say that Qaddafi must be removed.
After almost three months of war, the United States and NATO have failed to achieve their first objective. In fact, by prolonging the civil war, they are responsible for some of the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 dead. And the allies appear no closer to fulfilling their second objective than when they started: Qaddafi is still fighting defiantly. Moreover, his defeat (assuming it comes eventually) will not be the end.
. . . the question for the world is have we gotten to that point in Syria?” Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, added: “We may not be there yet, but we’re getting very close.” He explained: “It has gotten to the point where Qaddafi’s behavior and Assad’s behavior are indistinguishable . . . You need to put on the table all options, including a model like we have in Libya.”
America isn’t busy elsewhere. Washington has plenty of money. Why not make it war number six?
(continue, here)
Monday, June 20, 2011
Karzai & Iranian MOD: "A major part of the insecurity in the Middle East stems from the presence of trans-regional forces"
"... During the meeting, Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said national and regional solutions for strengthening stability in Afghanistan were more practical than trans-regional ones. "A major part of the insecurity in the Middle East stems from the presence of trans-regional forces that have disturbed peace in the region to provide their own illegitimate security," Vahidi said."The Afghan nation is not alone, and we and all Islamic countries stand beside you," he said.Karzai expressed gratitude for Iran`s support of Afghanistan during the past 32 years, and called for the continuation of Tehran`s help in reconstructing the country and strengthening security.Vahidi is expected to meet with other top political and military officials in Afghanistan, including Interior Minister Hanif Atmar to discuss bilateral interests as well as the latest regional and international developments.The Iranian defense minister arrived in the Afghan capital on Saturday on an official visit upon the invitation of his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak."
Saudi Abdallah lobbying Jordanian Abdallah to 'Ignore the United States!"
"Senior U.S. diplomats have been dropping by the royal palace in Amman almost every week this spring to convince Jordanian King Abdullah II that democratic reform is the best way to quell the protests against his rule.But another powerful ally also has been lobbying Abdullah — and wants him to ignore the Americans. Saudi Arabia is urging the Hashemite kingdom to stick to the kind of autocratic traditions that have kept the House of Saud secure for centuries, and Riyadh has been piling up gifts at Abdullah's door to sell its point of view.... The quiet contest for Jordan is one sign of the rivalry that has erupted across the Middle East this year between Saudi Arabia and the United States, longtime allies that have been put on a collision course by the popular uprisings that have swept the region."We do have a lot of friction there," said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. "The 'Arab Spring' has injected tension into the relationship."The Obama administration has generally supported the protests, and urged the region's governments to share more power. But when President Obama demanded reform from Arab regimes in a major speech last month, he carefully avoided any mention of Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that brooks little or no dissent.Riyadh, which believes the U.S. is turning its back on loyal allies, is trying to step out of America's shadow. It is embracing a foreign policy that often diverges from Washington's — and sometimes seeks to undermine it.On the key political issues "the Obama administration doesn't really listen to the Saudi views," said Abdullah Askar, who is vice chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the king's Consultative Council, or Majlis Shura, in Riyadh.This shift doesn't mean the end of the 70-year-old U.S.-Saudi alliance, which is built on a simple foundation: Saudi oil for U.S. military protection. But it means a further loss of influence for Washington in the Middle East at a time when other crucial relations — with Egypt and Turkey, for example — are facing new strains... ... "The Saudis "are upset, they are frustrated, they are angry," said a former senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the Saudis' traditional reticence. "They don't know exactly what to do."(Continue, here)
Sunday, June 19, 2011
More on the not so 'peacful, peacful' demonstrations!
"... The countless number of bullet holes on the walls of the intelligence building where 72 soldiers lost their lives, the blood stains which marked the spots where soldiers died, and the horrifying traces of the soldiers who were beheaded are still fresh.One of the residents of Jisr al-Shughour told reporters that a military intelligence officer's head had been exhibited in the town for three days after he was beheaded by the members of an armed opposition group. Adding to the sheer horror of the clashes is the remains of dead soldiers who were killed by armed groups that line the River Asi...."
'Machiavelli's 'raison d'etat': strike hard!'
"Donnez une chance à Bashar!"
"Le leader druze est le seul dirigeant libanais de haut-rang à rencontrer Bashar el-Assad. Le raïs syrien lui a demandé de venir à Damas le 9 juin, pour la troisième rencontre entre les deux hommes depuis le début de la contestation, il y a trois mois, qui secoue le régime baassiste.« Bashar veut sérieusement entamer des réformes. Mais en même temps, il m’a longuement parlé des infiltrations aux frontières, et pas seulement d’islamistes », nous déclare Joumblatt, qui est venu à Paris plaider la cause du numéro un syrien auprès d’Alain Juppé, le ministre des Affaires étrangères et de Jean-David Lévitte, conseiller diplomatique de Nicolas Sarkozy à l’Elysée. « Donnez une chance à Bashar », a insisté Joumblatt auprès de ses interlocuteurs. Joumblatt, qui s’est réconcilié avec Damas depuis deux ans, s’inquiète de « voir couler le sang au Liban », si le régime baassiste venait à tomber. Mais sa venue à Paris n’a pas modifié la position française à l’égard de Bashar al-Assad. La France semble avoir perdu tout espoir de voir le régime de fer syrien s’amender.Le leader druze, qui a également tenté une médiation avec le Qatar – mais sans succès là-encore - ne désespère pas pour autant : il prévoit de se rendre en Turquie pour convaincre Ankara de ne pas lâcher son voisin."
The West has it figured: "If it's not Amina, it will be Angelina who will bring down Bashar Assad!"
"... Hollywood do-gooder Angelina Jolie met with Syrian refugees in Turkey today. Though there are fewer than 10,000 of them so far, Jolie could help their plight become a cause célèbre and push governments to take stronger action against the Syrian regime ..."
'US opposition to Bashar Assad is total, but ...'
"... US opposition to the Bashar regime is total. However, unlike Libya, officials have ruled out any direct involvement leading to regime change..."
the US "retreating from global activism & returning to traditional isolationism..."
"The disconnect between domestic politics and foreign policy is widening. At the Republican presidential candidates debate on June 13th foreign policy was an afterthought. When the topic of Afghanistan was raised, the response was muted – to the effect that the US should accelerate withdrawal. On Libya, the same Republican pressure on President Obama to cut short US engagement is in evidence. Conservative commentators from the previous Bush Administration are raising questions about whether the Republican Party is retreating from its modern emphasis on an activist US global role and is returning to a more traditional form of isolationism. This issue is far from settled and is certainly much colored for the present by partisan calculations. However, with the US facing increased financial stringency, the question will be a live one for whichever president is in the White House over the coming years. In a series of farewell speeches, the outgoing Secretary of Defense has spoken starkly of these implications and of the need for increased defense spending by US allies. Our judgment is that US interventionism will become much more focused on specific US priorities. In the defense appropriations requests making their way through Congress, the Pentagon is indicating that it will retain a robust global strike capability. One of these priorities – unstated as yet – will be China. The current area of concern continues to be the South China Sea. Here the US will insist on maintaining a visible naval presence under the auspices of the Pacific Command, designed to resist what it sees as Chinese moves to dominate these waters. Meanwhile, the debate in Washington about the pace of drawdown in Afghanistan is gathering speed. Pentagon contacts tell us privately to expect a “larger than expected” drawdown number to be announced soon, but still leaving a substantial presence in country. In the Middle East Administration officials are focused on Syria. US opposition to the Bashar regime is total. However, unlike Libya, officials have ruled out any direct involvement leading to regime change. Another sign of rising tensions is the massive Israeli missile defense exercise to take place next week. Finally, concern is rising about Sudan in advance of the July 9th date for the independence of Southern Sudan. A senior State Department official will have consultations next week with the US Africa Command about the deteriorating situation there."
Karzai confirms 'direct' US-Taliban talks
"... Karzai's comments, made in a speech filled with criticism of the U.S., came hours before a suicide attack on a police station in central Kabul that killed at least nine people and injured 10 others just a few hundred yards from Karzai's heavily fortified palace.
The U.S. hasn't publicly acknowledged the talks, and some U.S. officials privately question whether the initiative, portrayed as exploratory discussions, will bear fruit.
There have been at least three meetings between a senior U.S. diplomat and Tayyeb Agha, a former senior aide to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, the last one recently held in Germany under German auspices.
The discussions so far have made no apparent progress toward kick-starting talks on a political settlement of the war. Some U.S. officials are pessimistic they will, in part because they don't know how much clout Agha still retains with Omar and his leadership council, based in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta... ...
But some U.S. officials in Washington and Afghanistan are concerned that violence is getting worse and that security conditions are too fragile to allow for the "significant" troop drawdown that lawmakers and Obama's aides want."
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