Arming the Opposition ..
Call them rebels, freedom fighters whatever..
As per the Telegraph, Syrian rebels have held meetings with senior US government officials in Washington to authorise a shipment of heavy weapons, including surface-to-air missiles to combat the Assad regime.
Does this mean that we are now going into a proxy war where supposedly Russia arms the regime and we arm the opposition.
More importantly, should we be now overtly entering the fray ?
My own opinion is that the USA, UK , France need to steer clear and let the Syrians themselves sort out their mess.
What say you ?
"Arms to the Syrian people wouldn't be to start a war, it would be to give them a fighting chance. Oh and war? I think we've past that point"
Tweet from Nawaf Al Thani - commentator on Arab Affairs and columnist for Al-Raya newspaper
OK.. Perhaps someone from Syria can help me out here..
This morning, the news again showed shelling of Homs.. Now the same news has been given for the last year. My question: Why have the government not taken Homs and is Homs the only place aainst the regime ?
yes. seems i was wrong.
drsam, not really! infact it was the y2k scare amongst people for the 1st of jan 2000. Nostradamus didn't write anything about the end of the world in 2000.
prophesy!
Knight Returns
nostradamus predictions failed big time the eve of 1st of january 2000, when the world didn't end.
michel de notre dame (nostradamus) main prediction was that the world will end in 31-12-1999 at midnight.
well a cocktail is brewing for sure....
Who are 'we' and 'they'?? It doesn't matter what we think or should do..me and you will be a mere spectator of how this WW may unfold.
It will indeed be a proxy war where allies of US and Russia would be drawn in gradually. This is what happens when there is no UN or no mandate in UN.
I wish Nostradamus' predictions don't come true!!
Actually I don't see the problem of these countries breaking up into smaller states. The Austro-Hungarian empire broke apart so did Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia breaking up was a big help for the inhabitants. So if Libya and Syria form some new countries it will probably be good in the long term.
UN is a Failed Organization....
It's the Super Powers who are Calling the Shots!
nothing much at stake in syria (150k baril/day of oil).
the way i see is that the west will try threw the UN, knowing the russian and chinese will block any resolution. so no blame on them: they tried.
USA is making the Same Mistake, which They did against the Russians in Afghanistan, Making Taliban & Arming them & Training the Freedom Fighters....
Dynamics of Syria is totally Different from Libya, In Syria the People are Divided, Crack down is taking place in Homs/Hims.....
But then again Syrian Regime does not have the Right to Kill Innocent Citizens of Syria...
As with libya, the question remaimns.. What percentage is currntly fighting against the Assad regime ...
so it's a DO or DIE for both sides.
will just vanish in the air. It's sad they have NO oil unlike Libya!
Who knows what will happen, but let's worry about Syria for now ..
civil wars in Libya? Will it ultimately end to DIVIDED Libya? Who will pay the war cost?
The problems in Libya are now beginning to surface. The tribes want to go their seperate ways and form their own fiefdoms.
As it happens in every MENA country once the "revolution " is on.....or any other kind of change in leadership happens.
Tunisia was really bad but Libya is relatively good at that time. Egypt also. All of a sudden, the chose the trouble path and now, what happens. Is there really a real good outcome?
So we remove the ass-hole, but who fills the void ? Will this lead to more deaths ?
As we're seeing in Libya, getting rid of a tyrant does not always mean that the populace will live in harmony ..
Maybe the west and the GCC should leave the Syrians alone to kill each other. When they are all dead we can declare Syria a national park and leisure destination.
Or Qatar and Saudi can provide the money and the US the weapons which will still lead to deaths but it maybe over quicker and a ass-hole will be removed from power
th only intention is dividing the people more and more and keep the sectarians violence on run, like what happens in iraq, afghan and now in libya.
the provocation?
Brit, yes, I think so too. Russia is no threat anymore...the more we act as if it is, the more power we give to them. Let them be...in the end they will hang themselves...they usually do :P
Of course, it would be nice if we, in fact, could end the tragedy that is happening in Syria.
But I guess they have sold their soul a long time ago, and now they are paying the price.:(
Exactly mine and nomerci's point. The west is in a no-win situation.
I believe that for the long term, we need to keep away. Let Russia do what it wishes.
and try their weapons of mass destruction!
anywhere. West on one side, China and Russia on the other side. What's new?
I agree with you Brit. I believe that if one starts something, one has to have the foresight and do the planning to see it through, without relying on others.
Besides, IF the West arms anybody, the West will be blamed for what ever happens. And if they don't...well, the same will happen.
But of course, with Russia in the game, well, the West pretty much can't stay out...:(
it is a mess.
but arm
WHO?
there is different oppositions parties there. from communists, to al qaeda.
HOW?
Turkey as a sovereign nation won't allow arm transiting it to syria. transiting through Lebanon will simply ignite lebanon as many weapons will be used within.
WHY?
is the regime in place so hostile (or more hostile) to the west than the one that will replace it ? won't it be a new libya?