Author Topic: Whither Syria?  (Read 1998 times)

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Offline Colwyn

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Whither Syria?
« on: September 07, 2016, 16:29:59 PM »
I heard a chilling statistic today: ISIS (Daesh) have killed about 1% of the number of people that President Assad has managed to wipe out so far. The most recent atrocity is the government bombing of citizens of Aleppo with barrel bombs laced with chlorine. The report said a Syrian government spokesperson had said they were preparing for another 10 years of war. The UN is powerless since Russia will use their vote on the Security Council to any veto any move against Assad. Assad is estimated to have slaughtered over 400,000 Syrian civilians. There are calls for a Syrian no-fly zone but could that bring us into head-to-head conflict with Russia? Is there any appetite in NATO for any such initiative? Or do we just wait until Assad notches up his score to 1 million?



Offline kevin3

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2016, 19:50:50 PM »


  Four years ago the West were ready to take action against Assad and he was wetting his pants. Russia hadn't entered the ring

  and Obama wanted Cameron to back him in any action. Cameron reached an agreement with Ed Milliband to recommend joint

  US / UK action to Parliament. At the last minute Milliband stabbed Cameron in the back and withdrew his support. Cameron

  called off his support to Obama and Obama refused to carry out a unilateral attack on Assad/ Syria.

  The following four years are history, as is most of Syria, and a quarter of it's citizens. I firmly believe that if the West had lobbed

  two dozen Cruise Missiles at Assad's prized assets the Syrian people would have achieved a democracy, and the ensuing chaos

  across the globe would have been avoided. You have to confront bullying dictators or face the consequences.

  I think most of the West's problems right now can be traced back to that lost opportunity.

Offline nichola

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2016, 23:18:49 PM »
I think most of the West's problems as well as those of parts of the Middle East can be traced back to the unilateral invasion of Iraq by the UK and US without the approval of the UN or Europe and the illegal war that ensued.

Offline Colwyn

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2016, 11:32:35 AM »
The USA and Russia have come up with a temporary plan for Syria. The US and Russia will bomb mutually agreed Daesh and al Nusra targets. Russia will ignore the non-jihadist anti-Assad opposition (which they regard as terrorists but the US don't); the US will ignore Hezbollah (with they regard as terrorists but Russia doesn't). Russia will put pressure on Assad to stop the barrel bombing. I don't hold out much hope for success. But some hope is better than none.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/10/world/middleeast/syria-john-kerry-ceasefire-deal-russia.html?emc=edit_th_20160910&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=48388843

« Last Edit: September 10, 2016, 11:32:50 AM by Colwyn »

Offline nichola

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2016, 13:17:28 PM »
According to the Independant they've agreed a Peace Deal - no one I know is holding their breath though...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-peace-deal-us-russia-ceasefire-plan-john-kerry-lavrov-geneva-assad-latest-a7235316.html

Offline Colwyn

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2016, 10:06:08 AM »
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says there have been no reports of civilian deaths since the cease fire started. A few days to get relief supplies through would be good.

Offline kevin3

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Re: Whither Syria?
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2016, 12:14:59 PM »


  Fingers crossed for the poor souls caught up in it all,  what a nightmare.




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