Insight: Arabs open way for arming Syrians, civil war feared

[Ian62]

http://news.yahoo.com/insight-arabs-open-way-arming-syrians-civil-war-115245793.html;_ylt=At3BUnCKmt2dOcGq.0W7UtK1qHQA;_ylu=X3oDMTRvb2c0YmZjBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDTmV3cyBmb3IgeW91BHBrZwM4Y2E3NmIxMy02YjExLTNiMzAtOTg3ZS0yYzNhMTY1MmRlOTIEcG9zAzgEc2VjA25ld3NfZm9yX3lvdQR2ZXIDOWMzMjc4OTAtNTcwMi0xMWUxLThmZWYtNTRkZmJjZGUxZjA5;_ylg=X3oDMTJwdGltNm4zBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMTdjNjM5ZTYtYjkyMi0zOTI2LTg1OTYtNjMxOGU3MTRjNTNjBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

The message was folded into Article 9 of a League resolution passed on Sunday that urges Arabs to "provide all kinds of political and material support" to the opposition, a phrase that includes the possibility of giving weapons to Assad's foes.

Diplomats at the meeting confirmed this interpretation.

[Ian62]

1. Raising the Syrian Independence flag and burning a picture of Assad in Iran

Assad is committing nothing short of mass murder in Syria.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/world/middleeast/syria-resumes-heavy-shelling-of-homs.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

[leveymg]

2. Great. Now war and chaos can spread across the entire region. This regime change thing is

really working out well, don't you think?

[Javaman]

5. And your point is? nt

[leveymg]

7. When you're in a Lose-Lose situation (as are both Washington and Jerusalem), reshuffle the deck

and play a different hand. Managed chaos.

Under Bush, it was "Double-down in Iraq". We lost that hand. They're trying it again in Syria and Iran. Are the odds better this time, or are we just being played again, too stupid to walk away until we've finally lost all our chips?

[Javaman]

9. So while there is wholesale murder and

"genoside-lite" going on in Syria, you are okay with sitting on the side lines?

this isn't iraq or afghanistan, it's proably closer to the break up of yugoslavia.

The world diddles while countless people being killed by a military dictatorship.

[leveymg]

10. There's Murder on all sides. Or, are you blind in one eye?

The breakup of Yugoslavia was engineered by outside powers too, or didn't you know that? But, the US (acting with a more united Islamic coalition) were then much more powerful (relative to now) to see the process through to a more stable outcome.

By the way, what do you think's going to happen when the religious civil war escalates and/or there's a military invasion of Syria? Peace and harmony? The Shi'ia, who dominate the regime, are a small minority - what do you think will happen to them if Assad falls? Why do you think they're so desperate in a country 75% Sunni to hold onto power? Now, THEY face a real genocide. The rest of it's just mass murder by comparison.

[Javaman]

11. Please provide me with a link that proves your assurtion that

Yugoslavia was engineered by outside powers. I certainly no neophite to world politics, but I would love to have that information.

And regardless of your assurtion, Melosovic (sic) was quite a guy, huh? We should have just let him be, regardless of how the conflict started, right?

"By the way, what do you think's going to happen when the religious civil war escalates and/or there's a military invasion of Syria? Peace and harmony?

I don't even know what the heck you are trying to say here.

are you suggesting, even for a moment, even with everything we have witnessed over the past year, that things will be peaceful after military intervention? are you implying that I'm that naive?

Do you enjoy being rude?

so you perfer to have Assad to continue his rule? Rather than then the people who hold the majority of the population take control?

We are dealing with blood fueds that have been going on for 2000 years. for you to assurt that I would think that would suddenly stop if there was military intervention is just beyond ridiculous.

However, I'm also of the belief that it's better to have the shooting stopped and for people to negociate rather than trying to kill each other than what is currently going on.

We are finished here. You and I are diametrically opposed and will not convince each other of the others point of view. I'm not going to waste anymore electronic ink trying to do othewise.

And besides, you seem to enjoy being rude aka snarky when trying to make your points.

So you may have the last word. it's all yours.

[leveymg]

12. The choice we have now is between murderous suppression of Sunni rebels or genocide of the Shi'ia

I don't like that choice presented to us, and I don't like the people who fomented this civil war from the outside with the goal of weakening and dividing Syria while the US and Israel ratchet up conflict and set upon Iran.

As for the complex, multi-party, engineered division of Yugoslavia, probably the most balanced work on that is the 5-hour BBC series and accompanying book, The Death of Yugoslavia: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/death-of-yugoslavia/

I don't think I'm particularly rude or snarky by the standards of this community. I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings.

[riderinthestorm]

6. My first thought too. Arab League (Sunni) stepping into Assad's civil war (Shia/Sunni ugliness)

Between Iran's (Shia) aiding Assad, "Iraqi jihadis" (Bath party Shia no less, same as Assad), flare ups already in Lebanon (primarily Shia)....

Ugh. The entire region in flames.

With Israel in the middle.... bad, bad, bad news. This is a terrible OP if true.

Then there's Russia and China standing by as big power backups in the region....

[malaise]

3. So who is financing said civil war?

The usual suspects who showed up in Libya?

[leveymg]

8. Follow the money.

[Dokkie]

4. Imagine if some country

came and intervened in our civil war with the south. They came in, posted the picture of the atrocities of our generals to civilians in the south(atlanta) and used it to justify and invasion of America. I know I would have opposed it and I oppose it now. The truth is if you decided to overthrow the leader of your country be it legitimate or illegitimate, you have to be prepared to get it hard.

Even if you believe the story coming from the rebels, Assad is not doing anything the US wouldn't do to a group of people who chalenged their authority. Just look at what they did in Waco

[TakeALeftTurn]

13. WAR

Which bank benefits from this fiasco? Do you know? G&S?