Of course, white people are protesting and dying now, so none of this matters... but, this is horrible.

GRAPHIC FOOTAGE

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/08/02/syria.video/index.html

It is terrible... even sadder is that no one knows who the tossers are and who the tossees are... I doubt the world will ever know.

Either way, Bashar has shown the world what kind of a tyrant he is, and he should be taken to the Hague for his crimes against humanity. When Gulf Arab leaders chastise you for being too harsh against the protesters, then you really must have crossed the line between brutal and barbaric.

I guess he learnt from the best. His father leveled a whole town killing all its inhabitants, anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hama_massacre

Interesting that this current few month old uprising started in the same town of Hama.

8/10/2011 9:06:15 PM

He actually is being investigated for war crimes, which could apparently lead to a trial in the International Criminal Court. though im not sure what the real implications of that would be.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-syria-tribunal-20110810,0,998128.story

If nothing else we will hopefully get an idea of the extent of what's going on. As far as I know there are still no official estimates of the death tolls from these clampdowns.

In any case, I agree it is a tragedy this doesnt get more play in the news. I am no foreign policy expert, but it seems like the Arab spring and whether it can continue in spite of this kind of violence has to be the most important political issue facing the planet.

8/10/2011 11:19:04 PM

Not when you've got 10% unemployment at home.

8/11/2011 11:02:09 AM

Fun fact domestic and foreign policy are intertwined

8/11/2011 11:06:59 AM

I'm sorry, is there something going on in Syria?

I just figured Obama would take care of it.

He's awesome about those foreign policy things.

Always quick to respond.

8/11/2011 10:43:42 PM

Another reason I'm glad I don't live in Syria

8/11/2011 10:48:17 PM

Quote :

"Not when you've got 10% unemployment at home."

not in the same ballpark.

8/11/2011 11:57:38 PM

And it continues...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/14/us-syria-idUSTRE77D0LP20110814

8/15/2011 9:44:24 AM

that video from the OP was absolutely terrible.

I guess I completely forgot about the Arab Spring since The Daily Show stopped covering it.

8/15/2011 10:10:45 AM

^ Yah, the human costs of what's going on over there is really depressing. Accroding to Hillary Clinton a few week ago, the death toll for the revolt over the past few months is 2,000+ (not sure how they came up with that or what it includes). To put that in perspective, only 1,700 U.S. soilders have died in over 10 years of fighting in Afganistan.

All of this goes to show that al-Assad is a tyrant. But, if the revolt in Syria succeeds, who knows something worse won't take his place. But I guess you can say the same of Lybia or anywhere else.

8/15/2011 11:14:00 AM

good source to follow on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/syrnews

8/15/2011 12:45:23 PM

Quote :

"not in the same ballpark."

Agreed, but one of the products of human evolution is that we care more about the local and concrete (ie unemployment) than the abstract and unidentifiable (ie the death of protestors across the world).

Arguing that being white has everything to do with it ignores the fact that the media covered Egypt fairly thoroughly (though my go to was AJE, not the US media) but only touched a little on white people flipping out in England.


That being said ^ is spot on with going to Twitter for news. Frankly, that is about the only place I go these days if I want real insight.

8/15/2011 1:53:38 PM

Quote :

" FlashNewsPlus Nidal & Joanne Binni RT by SYRnews Foreign intervention in #Syria? It already exists! #Iran is sending snipers to kill unarmed civilians & soldiers who disobey orders to shoot"

It's sad that Bashar Assad has proven to be as bad if not worse than his father. He was never supposed to take over as ruler of Syria. His older brother was groomed for that, while Bashar was educated in the west as an ophthalmologist. One would hope that getting out of the environment he was raised in would give him a different perspective. I guess once someone like that gets a taste of absolute power, he'll do anything to retain it.

8/16/2011 9:05:34 AM

al-Assad has put an end to the military and police operations.
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=234240

will protests continue? is regime change in the future? and what about this?

Quote :

"The UN human rights chief is expected to suggest that the Security Council refer Syria's crackdown on protesters to the International Criminal Court, envoys said on Wednesday."

8/18/2011 12:28:05 AM

the pres just told him to GTFO

8/18/2011 12:06:30 PM

^ FINALLY. And he thankfully backed up his words w/actions (oil sactions and freezing syrian assets).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/18/syria-assad-must-resign-obama

But it is unfortunate that Obama waited to make this move until after al-Assad nominally called off police and military operations. Hopefully, it won't lead to any alienation of the US from the people in Syria fighting for regime change.

FWIW: I'm glad Obama is taking a stand on this. But honestly, it seems like he has been behind the curve on supporting "the Arab spring" since it started last Dec. Kinda depressing.

[Edited on August 18, 2011 at 5:04 PM. Reason : ``]

8/18/2011 4:56:30 PM

obama needs to bomb or assassinate him to ensure the loss of his base.

[Edited on August 18, 2011 at 7:30 PM. Reason : e]

8/18/2011 7:29:49 PM

Quote :

"But it is unfortunate that Obama waited to make this move until "

This seems to happen

all the time

8/19/2011 3:01:01 PM

with

this

president

8/20/2011 9:29:31 AM

this president stops at nothing...then stays there.

8/20/2011 4:25:39 PM

Looks like al-Assad is still at it.

Quote :

"Syrian rights activists and residents say government tanks and troops have entered the central city of Hama, making arrests in a renewed crackdown on the hotbed of opposition to President Bashar al-Assad"

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Syrian-Activists-Say-Troops-Raid-Central-City-128763968.html

This over 2 weeks after al-Assad said police operations would stop. Maybe events in Libya made him nervous? Who knows whats going through his head now. The UN is already investigating him for war crimes and most major powers are calling for his removal. Is this suppose to help matters? Maybe he just figures he has nothing to lose?

[Edited on August 31, 2011 at 1:40 PM. Reason : ``]

8/31/2011 1:37:15 PM

bump

12/11/2011 5:31:50 PM

Thanks.

Anybody see the Barbara Walters interview of Bashar?

Full video here:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/bashar-al-assad-interview-15125366?fb_ref=abc-fb-recs

I don't know what to make of it.

12/11/2011 5:34:42 PM

All I got from it is that he is a pedantic, obtuse, narcissistic fool.

12/11/2011 6:44:19 PM