Some sources on Syria
Obama PBS Newshour Interview Video
Obama PBS Newshour Interview transcript
Army War College Options for Syria Presentation
Argument against Humanitarian claims for war
FROM Ramah
Kudaimi August 26
at 11:12pm on Facebook
original post here https://www.facebook.com/login.php?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Framah.kudaimi%2Fposts%2F10100633216146585%3Fnotif_t%3Dlike
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ok, here are my do's and don'ts for
Syria is u are a progressive/radical anti-war organization/activist in the US,
please share any thoughts u have, including critiques because i know it has
shortcomings:
1. DON'T in any way say or imply both sides are wrong
and it's not clear who we would be supporting if we get involved militarily.
This is an insult to every Syrian who has and continues to go out in the
streets and protest both the regime and those forces who are looking to use
this time of war to assert their own power over others. It is a shame how many
progressive groups in the US just jump on the both sides are bad so we
shouldn't get involved. There are 1 million children who are refugees and that
is the fault of the regime. It is the regime who is bombing cities with jets,
it is the regime that has ruled the country with brutal force for decades. Any
statement that doesn't acknowledge this is again an insult to those who have
sacrificed so much.
My Comments----liberals
acknowledge the protestors, refugees and martyrs to the cause of democracy, who
as part of the Arab Spring simply asked their government to hear their
complaints, only to get a response of bombs and bullets and chemical weapons.
We just know from too much
experience that war only increases chaos and death. Yes we support democracy
and want to end the bloodshed but we know that there will be more bloodshed
when we intervene and the conflict will absolutely lead to unforeseen
consequences in other regions as well---each war leads to new wars.
2. DON'T over conflate Iraq and Syria. Just as
ludicrous those who look to Kosovo as an example of military intervention to
support it in Syria are, it is quite pathetic when so many progressives and
leftists are just obsessed with supposedly false chemical weapons claims. There
are 100,000 Syrians dead, majority killed by conventional weapons. So there are
a million and one excuses for the US to intervene and faking chemical weapons
attacks is not needed. There is also no basis I believe in claiming al Qaeda
has access and uses such weapons. Al Qaeda fought the US for a decade in Iraq
and not once deployed such weapons. But all of a sudden they're using them in
Syria? And if the rebels had these weapons, the regime would've fallen a long
time ago.
We do not conflate iraq and Syria----but we do try to learn from our past
experiences, and we now question claims of “”Syria could attack us”” obama in
PBS Newshour Interview calls it a choice, claims we don’t stand by when
government attacks its own people (Bahrain comes to mind, where we helped the
King stay in power as an ally and because of our 5th Naval fleet in
port there) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahraini_uprising_(2011–present)
Obama talks military bases, allies, and “”folks”” (Hezbollah
and Hamas and Al Qaeda affiliates are NOT “”folks””)
“”We’ve got allies bordering Syria. Turkey is a NATO ally,
Jordan a close friend that we work with a lot. Israel is very close by. We’ve
got bases throughout the region. We cannot see a breach of the nonproliferation
norm that allows, potentially, chemical weapons to fall into the hands of all
kinds of folks.
We have looked at all the evidence, and we do not believe
the opposition possessed nuclear weapons on – or chemical weapons of that sort.
We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the
opposition could have carried out these attacks. We have concluded that the
Syrian government in fact carried these out.
Judy Woodruff asks “” If it’s not going to do that much harm to the Assad regime, what
have you accomplished?””
Obama answers “”doesn’t solve all the
problems inside of Syria, and, you know, it doesn’t, obviously end the death of
innocent civilians inside of Syria. “”
---Essentially it is a punishment for use of
chemical weapons.
Obama says “”and I think if the idea is that
what we should have done is done more to shore up autocratic governments, that
we should have stood by while governments that we had relationships with killed
their own people – peaceful, innocent protesters – then I suspect you’d have a
different set of questions for me.”” Yes
Mr President I would ask specifically about Bahrain.
3. DON'T obsess over al-Qaeda,
Islamist extremists, jihadists, etc. Since 9/11 progressives have shunned the
use of all these labels when it comes to the US War on Terror, yet we now use
them freely when it comes to Syria and actually believe it. The overwhelming
majority of Syrians, both those who have taken arms and those who continue to
resist through nonviolent means, have nothing to do with the extremist groups
and are rising up against all forces who are destroying their country, whether
they be regime or supposed "opposition" groups. It is also important
to understand that the Free Syria Army is not a central command army with orders
given from the top. It is a loosely affiliated group of different battalions
and anyone can claim to be part of it.
MOST know difference between THE Al Qaeda of bin Laden and
Ayman al-Zawahri compared to any islamist terrorist group claiming affiliation
and allegiance to Al Qaeda in attacking US and US interests such as AQ in iraq,
yemen, libya, etc.
4. DO point out all the US failures toward Syria and
how dropping bombs on the country is not what is needed. I personally don't
believe that US is going to get militarily involved. They promised weapons to
the rebels and have yet to deliver. No way is the US getting in because as has
been pointed out by Dempsey and in a NYT opinion piece, it is so much for
useful for US "interests" for Syrians to kill each other. I think
taking a position of the US should not get involved through a military
intervention is fine. DON'T put it as "Hands off Syria" implying this
is some kind of American conspiracy. DON'T argue this is about US not having a
right to taking sides in a civil war. DON'T make it all about money for home
since we do want more humanitarian aid. DO frame it as what will help bring the
suffering of Syrians to an end.
Weapons promise has been suggested was only diplomatic poly
to begin negotiations with Russia---not a real promise to rebels, also many
generals made comments and statements about iraq beforehand that bush
ignored---so Dempsey’s great letter means little unfortunately
5. DO point out US hypocrisy as it
judges Russia for sending weapons to the regime. Just last week a story came
out that the US is sending $640 million worth of cluster bombs to Saudi.
Weapons continues to flow to Egypt, Bahrain, and Israel despite massive human
rights violations. DO call for an end to all sales of weapons to all regimes in
the region.
YES YES YES!!! no argument from me here-----hypocrisy of
sending weapons to OUR allies while criticizing others from sending weapons to
THEIR allies
6. DON'T let genuine concerns with US imperialism,
Israel, Saudi, etc make you look at pictures and videos of dead children and
think conspiracy. Bashar is a piece of shit and has never once given a shit
about any resistance. Just remember he collaborated with the US during the Iraq
war, including on renditions. Just because the CIA is training a few fighters
in Jordan or some anonymous rebel leader is quoted in some Zionist paper
doesn't mean this isn't a legitimate Syrian uprising against a brutal regime.
No need to talk about Zionist papers----but yes Assad is clearly brutal
and some know of his father’s attacks during the Lebanese Civil War and
uprisings in Syria during that time, Hama, Muslim Brotherhood uprising Hafez
Assad murdered thousands and bulldozed the entire city.
7. DO highlight the continued bravery of the Syrian
people who take to the streets and protest against the regime, extremists, and
all others looking to destroy their struggle for freedom and dignity. As in
with everywhere, coverage of violence trumps coverage of continued nonviolent
resistance.
YES YES YES brave courageous people of Syria protesting making their
voices heard and risking freedom and life to bring democracy to Syria
8. DO strongly urge people to donate for humanitarian
aid. Between deaths, imprisonments, internal displacement, and refugees, I
think 30-40 percent of the Syrian population is in one way or another uprooted.
YES YES YES 7 million refugees 100,000 dead many more
homeless, hungry,
9. I have no actual solutions to suggest that you
encourage people to support. Perhaps pushing for an actual ceasefire might be
an option, which would require pressure on Russia to tell Bashar to back down.
I know my not having answers about how to resolve anything is a shortcoming,
but sometimes the best course of action is to just be in solidarity with folks
in their struggle through simply recognizing it.
10. Syrians deserve the same respect for their struggle
as all other struggles in the region: Tunisia, Egypt, Libya Bahrain, Yemen, and
always Palestine.
YES YES YES support democracy and
political freedom wherever it is being oppressed
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