Take what the "rebel activists" say (who apparently escaped?...really?) and what can be gathered of Syrian leadership stance, add them together and divide by 2. Then you'll have a more accurate picture of how things are over there. I have no doubt things are bad there, but this would not be the first time a group has wildly exaggerated the facts to promote an alternate agenda and create havoc and world tension.

The west should take a good hard look at the pedigree of these so-called rebels before they even consider arming them. They are really just different sects of Islam who all want control for themselves. This is the reason they have not been able to unite into a single force to fight against Assad, they hate each other as much as they hate Assad. This is the problem with many of these Muslim sects, they each feel that they are the only valid form of Islam and anyone who does not go along with their particular views is an infidel to be killed. Having Assad leave will not make things in Syria any better and it could very well make things worse. Under Assad's rule, all of the different sects of Islam are free to worship as they chose. I would not go so far as to say Assad is a secularist, but he is far more tolerant of other sects of Islam than many other rulers in the region. I do not support Assad or condone what he is doing in any way. All I am saying here is that to a certain degree I understand why he is doing it.

The different sects of Islam and their underlying attitudes towards each other is the reason why real democracy will never work in the Middle East. The only way to unify a country where the people practice different flavors of Islam is through a strong hand. It takes a strong ruler with might and the willingness to use it in order to keep the varying sects in line and keep them from fighting with each other. Iraq is a prime example of this. Now that the US has left, the entire country has descended into sectarian violence with the different Islamic groups are attacking each other and fighting for power. It is impossible to get them to come to the table and work together in unison because each feels the other should not even exist and because of this they refuse to share power with each other. You see it is not just non-Muslims that these fanatics hate, it is anyone who does not adhere to their particular brand of Islam. I believe that there are something like 17 or 19 major different branches of Islam, some more violent and less tolerant than others, but each feels that they are the only true Muslims.

Well said JS in SD. But what we do know is the sect who is best organized, armed and supplied will come out "on top", and there is a very good chance that group will also just happen to be very anti-west and very anti Christian/Jew. All we can do is remain prepared and in a position to stop the spread of that group when it reaches critical mass, because it will. Not a matter of if, but a matter of when and what are western nations going to be able to counter it with or will we just let it spread wild and un-checked waiting on "it" to come to us/them.

It could be said "it" is already here on our shores ... They are building their system and waiting on further strengthening and better command and control, and they will get that too, soon enough as they gain more control and power in the Middle East and Mediterranean region. Sad thing is we have an administration who seems completely oblivious and if anything, seems to be more prone to support the "bad guys" than the "good guys".

Did Obama apologize to Syria .... ??

Ben,,,, Get off the archaic ignorant "Apologist" crap the right wing feeds you

FDR "apologized" for the fire bombing of Dresden

Eisenhower "apologized" for torturing Japanese POW's

Nixon & Ford "apologized" for Viet Nam

Reagan "apologized" for the internment of Japanese US citizens

If I'm not mistaken,, Bush 43 "apologized" to China & sent them our industries

the Druze rebels in syria are not muslim and if they say they are its BS. They are a leaching culture and have only selfish intents and care nothing of the rest of the syrian population. They want to grab power and set up a leaching ruling class for there benefit. Just like what happened in Lybia. A small minority group grabbing power to become there nations leaching class.

he looks like he just got out of training camp. maybe its our turn to lock him up for some intel.

Damn will that sounds a lot like corporate America!!

WTF does Obama have to apologize to Syria for? Oh wait...you're just being an a-hole wiseguy. Whatever.

So, I'm going to be skeptical for no reason instead of believing every credible source under the sun.

There's bias in news reports. But at least they have evidence. Evidence trumps just thinking things up.

security forces took him back to a detention center in his town, where a judge decided to release him until his trial

Yeah, he makes the Syrians sound really bad until you hit that paragraph. Whoops!

I hear the same type of thing happens right here in America. How do you think this kind of activity (rebels against the government) would be handled here in America? How would you feel if another nation got involved and would you want them helping setup a new form of government? The only concern should be from the U.N. in making sure serious weapons in countries like this are secure and that they are not stolen, and from organizations like the Red Cross, keeping people feed and providing medical supplies.

Nothing to see here, this is not news!! The Syrian govt which sponsors terrorist is conducting torture, I am so not surprised . Hey Arab League , glad to see you allow your fellow Muslims to be murdered, and tortured. I am sure that some America hating American will figure out some way that the USA is at fault here..A day without a suicide bombing by a muslim extremist is news!!

Yes they do set people free after torturing them John C_1, I guess they figure torture should be enough to keep them quiet afterward. Same thing happens all the time in Iran, when you get arrested you can pretty much count on getting tortured too, I mean especially if you were protesting against the government (or if they think - or pretend - you were, or that you were a spy).

With all the arrests and detentions you would think the places they have to hold the unruly would be running out of room. Torture a person until he begs and promises he will either leave or tell his friends the fight isn't worth the pain. Put your self in their shoes, what do you think would happen in the United States if we protested our government. Now remember the solder from Iraq that was hit in the head by a teargas canister in California. How long do you think it would take for our government to use bullets? I was born and living in Ohio when four collage students where gunned down in Kent State. Our government wouldn't be able to hold us all if we decided we didn't like the government we have. Torture in the United States, I bet you $10,000.00 there would be.

Well there only so many places you can hold a person as Assad forces keep catching more people plus they know he will tell people what's happens if you get caught and Assad's forces hope by this man telling of the horors of torture that less people will kee protesting,say I catch yyou in my neighborhood and all my friends hold people and torture you and we keep catching more people we got to rid some knowing they will tell people to stay away from that neighborhood or this will happen.I can't stand Syria and Assad for they sponcer terrorist-giving Hezablah around 40,000 rocket and thier sitting at the southern tip of Lebonan ready to attack when Iran tell Syria to tell the brutal terrorist groups Hezablah to attack Israel-Iran send the rockets,anti tank shoulder fired rockets,land mines,IED's,anti aircraft shoulder fired missles-Syria is a pute terrorist country-the Arab leauge with some help from NATO is to send in weapons to take Assad out since he is behind terrorist and arms them-I say arm the Syrian people and take out Assad,maybe the next leader want be so dam brutal or sponcer Hezablah-really nothing to lose-it would be muslims killing muslims which is cool with me-mean less for us to have to fight in the near future.

I doubt anything would change in Syria, except the names of the government officials. People would still be oppressed, people would still be jailed and tortured.

Look at Libya, there is no peace there. People are still killing each other, human rights are still being violated.

Look at Iraq, yes, there were significant human rights violations and genocide, however, life was better for the majority of the population BEFORE we stepped in. Now they have no one to stop them from terrorizing each other and committing even more atrocities.

The real victims in all this are the women and children who are victimized traded like property and brainwashed.

At least let's hope that the Syrian government didn't use any of those heinous, ruthless torture methods known as "waterboarding" or loud music or sleep deprivation or chilly accommodations or withholding of prayer rugs and Korans. If the Syrians used any of those methods, then they deserve to be hated and scorned by the entire world. (sarcasm)

Yeah well Dresden wasn't a couple of books burned now was it it was the whple damn city. And none of them bowed in my name to a foreign king. And the people Nixon and Ford should have apologized to for Vietnam was the American people. 50,000 dead in a war our government wouldn't let them win started while Nixon was VP. Civil wars are brutal by their nature. Andersonville was hell for the prisoners kept there. There is more hatred in a civil war between the troops because each side feels betrayed by the other.

If this young man's stories were not independently confirmed, MSNBC and the author are irresponsible journalists. The title of this article reminds me of the sensationalized lead ins on the local news. Lest we forget the, what turns out to be less than credible, source Cheney/Bush used as a motive to invade Iraq?

Anyone remember the movie "All the President's Men"? How many times did the editor not publish something unless they had confirmed by an independent source?

It appears that even the major news sources have become unprofessional bloggers. Is there no one with integrity left?

Assad is by far a better leader than most of the ME leaders like Saudi ruler with 5000 princes and princesses.

But Saudi rulers have monies, oil companies, lobbyists and huge army of puppets like politicians, UN and co, media and others to dance as they want.

About Dandesh: is it much different in most of the Muslim nations?

At least, he is able to talk. In Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait and some more nations he will not be even able to talk to media!

While screaming about Syria and Iran just like Iraq, please remember the NATO soliders "killing innocents, especially children and women" and "burnt Quran."

Oil prices are about to sky rocket to $200 in the repetition of Iraqi dramas!

For Saudi agents, Sunni Islamic religious Nazis are more dear than the poor US soldiers in the middle of battle fields!

Thus is the way of life in the Middle East. Assad's troops torture the Rebels who attacked Assad's troops first and the Rebels torture Assad's troops because they are not winning their battles. It was the same in Libya and also Egypt. What the Western Nations and the U.S. call torture, these countries view it as the "norm". Had the man in this article been truthful, he would not have survived. This is nothing more than "sensational" journalism.

STexan, why does it not surprise me you're in Texas? Thanks for telling us there is no torture happening in Syria. Any more Rick Perrys out there to shed light on this situation?

Ger over it Freely,,, Conservative leadership spit in your face again calling you stupid & dishonoring you

The President does not control the price of oil & he's not a "Marxist" anymore than Jesus Christ & Reagan was

You should be embarrassed for letting conservatives make a fool out of you on the global Internet.

Even people in 3rd World Countries are laughing at your ignorance

Jim, what goes around in the Bush administration comes around in the Obama administration, accept it and deal with your own ignorance and inability to remove your blinders and learn to deal in reality before talking to others about their alleged ignorance.

I thought you didn't like us talking about "Bush"?

Seriously & not meant to be injecting a particular political slant here but, this President improved greatly over Bush's policies... To think his are the same as Bush's is utter nonsense

Jim,

Bush was a bad President. Obama is worse.

Price of oil is set, in the long term, by the oil cartel. Short term fluctuations are beyond the control. The cartel sets the price is high as possible without causing demand destruction. Any oil we produce will not effect the cost unless we can completely replace imported oil or impact them so greatly that cartel discipline breaks down. "Drill baby drill" won't do it. We increase production, the cartel pulls equivalent barrels off the market. The price doesn't change.

Paying $5 a gallon is small suffering compared to the injury inflicted on the people of Syria and other places cursed with being oil rich.

You ignorant conservatives can try to spin it however you want, but Bush will ALWAYS be known as the worst president to ever step in office. EVER! The Bush name is now entagled with the thought: FAILURE. Utter failure. Just like conservative idealogy.

bush was a bad pres. ? you guys voted for him twice... as for gas prices ..you will pay anything to drive to the store or around the block ..if anything open the gates on the border and let our friends work for us ...you lazy SOBs..

Sorry, James...Bush stole his second term...Much to the detriment of our country.

Oil prices are set by speculation in the market, not actual demand for consumption. Read Ed Wallace's column in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Inventories are up, refining capacity is down because of lack of markets for refined products. Iran says it's refusing to sell to countries who don't buy from them as it is, and they're going to close the 34 mile wide Strait of Hormuz while our Navy's there. Really?

Gasoline was $4.21 in July 2008...

Delilah- the first was a little questionable too.

'Bush is the worst president', I think you have it so wrong. History will still judge Nixon as good despite his misdeeds that got him impeached, Carter was the most inept, Bush was the third worst, but Obama is the worst by a landslide. At least with Bush you knew what you were getting, he said he was doing something and he went out and did it, Obama does nothing but act like a Chicago politician (must have learned from his good friend the ex-governor), he will throw anyone under the bus if he thinks it advances his chances of re-election, his campaign was nothing but propaganda of the highest order, and he and the liberals ran this country to the brink of financial run before the voters woke up and voted the majority of them out. Let's just hope that they wake up more and get rid of this joke of a administration, get rid of all the liberals and start enforcing the constitution the way our for-fathers meant it to be.

"Every step we take towards making the State our Caretaker of our lives, by that much we move toward making the State our Master."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
Patrick Henry

"I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, (A)nd if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power."
Thomas Jefferson

Obama is the worst? The country is not anywhere near financial ruin! Don't quote history if you haven't even studied it!! You forgot the Depression...and Vietnam.

Nixon was by far the worst we've ever seen...read up on it. Ulysses S. Grant was terrible as well... John Adams, LBJ, ... George W. Bush was pretty bad too. He was the catalyst of this recession, the current President has not improved the situation, but perhaps made it worse...or perhaps he averted another Depression. We'll never know

As far as the problem with Syria and the rest of the Muslim world is they are living in a modern world with modern technology and yet are living with the same mentality of the people they hate the worst, the crusaders. They continue to commit atrocities in the name of their faith, (yet if you study their faith you will see that their holy book does not support their actions any more then the Bible supported the actions of the crusaders). Then you have a little nation in the middle of them that everyone seems to hate that do not behead, torture, or have their citizens committing acts of terror [and do not believe the paliwood productions, they are nothing but lies, yet the news and people look at them as truth, and more sadly our news along with Europe's are working hand in hand with them knowing what is going on]).

As for torture, this is what they do. They do not abide, nor will sign the Geneva conventions against torture (and personally I think this should only hold for nations that are practicing it), it may sound cold but if water boarding, cutting off their toes can save American lives, then have at it because they would have no hesitation in doing the same. We live in a world with religious zealots in the middle east that have the mindset of the middle ages and the money and power of modern technology, mark my words they next world war will come because of them, and when it does I hope we don't get all week in the knees and give quarter to them, they need to be destroyed so they can no pass on their poison to the next generation. Then you come in with compassion and show how things should run in a modern world, the reason it never works is because we let these people stay in power and even support them.

As for you that say the majority of Muslims are not like this I will have to agree, but sadly they all look at it as if it is not their problem and all they say in Arabic is 'As God Wills', until they start marching in the streets and overthrowing their governments and demanding humane treatment of people and their governments start getting into the mindset of the present day, then they are allowing this to happen by doing nothing. These revolts are not about freedom, these are about giving the clerics and fanatics more power. Like I said WW3 will start with this lot and it will be a fight over us converting or dying.

Bush will also go down in history as America's equivalent to Adolf Hitler, as well as "George [I.P. American Jobs away overseas) Freely] Bush. Seriously, when did the Oil Mafia come into play on this board? Maybe if We The People, specifically the US taxpayers legally were the majority shareholder in the oil and other energy businesses, things would be better. "No better safe despository of the ultimate powers of the society than the people themselves" is right. Since oil is one of those ultimate powers, then the people themselves, that is we the US Taxpayers should by definition be legally the owners of the majority shares of the oil industry and any industry that holds such levels of influence. Supreme Court wrongly rules that Corporations can pour unlimited funds of their money into campaigns, but they said nothing about changing the law so that Corporations can only donate to funds if officiall approved by a majority vote of their stockholders, rather than just the company leaders. If you want a true democracy, that is rule by the people, than we the people should be legally made owners of any major industry with the power to influence nations, that is taxpayers should be made the majority shareholders, the taxpayers, anyone who pays taxes, if we the people could influence big business in such a way, then we hold real power over our govt through the businesses that try to influence it.

Jack,

I have a masters in history and could teach in a school if I wanted to but I am not liberal enough for them. Grant was bad because he was a useless drunk, had it not been for Watergate then Nixon would have went down in a whole different light. John Adams was a good president and LBJ did more to help with racial equality and stopping it then any other president, the problem with LBJ is he tried to get too personally involved the war instead of doing what should have been done, let his generals fight it. And Bush may have started it off, but Obama is inept when it comes to macro and micro economics and he thinks that answer to all just like Bush is to print more money. It is because of him that soon the dollar will lose it's status as the worlds money.

So before you preach, you should study. Your words show you lack of it and the amount you have let others put their indoctrination into your head.

Daniel,

I forgot to state that with your statements about big corporations makes you a socialist. This is a land ruled by free interprise and has been for years, to have the state take over big business (like it has a few) is nothing more then socialism, industry governed by the people.

As I said, you are of course brainwashed by Obama, and are probably one of the people that yell at the violent Tea Party made up mostly of grandparents as a violent organization (where there has been less then ten counts), yet every time this anti-wall street groups get together there is nothing but a huge influx of crime, but then you would not know that because you do not look at the public arrest records but listen to the liberal press; Right? There is one point that I do agree with you partially in is that not all people, but owners of big corporations and share holders should have a right to vote where special interest money goes.

Daniel,

Is it possible for you to state things logically rather then the far rights radical pro-socialist people. This is not America, and thank God is not, because I would be the first to rise up to try and overthrow it if it ever turns into what you are stating. We the people are given the right to replace the government if it is not acting in the will of the people, and it is not, what you are going to find real soon is states are going to break free rather then have the federal government take all their rights away, and it is their right within the Constitution to do such a thing. If Washington, Jefferson, or any of our founding fathers were alive today they would be labeled terrorist because they would support the overthrow of this government that has turned into a monstrosity they never wanted and had fought against.

Well since I live in Texas a place where a federal judge has managed to rule in two cases about the same thing once against and once for in two months time I am not sure today what my 1st amendment rights actually are. I think my first amendment rights depend either on what mood he wakes up in or who gets to the courthouse first. So in my country freedom seems to be relative and I wouldn't waste our people and money somewhere else when we may need them here.

Let us keep away from Syria, Iran and ME nations.

George Bush, Sr and Jrs are model Presidents (take a poll any where in the world) on how one should start dancing to the tunes set by Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists.

Repetition of Iraqi war dramas in Iran and Syria to increase oil prices by Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists and their puppet politicians.

Slowly oil supplies from Iran are being choked. Now it is free for all and at the mercy of Saudi & co.

Wait for the oil prices to shoot up to $200 a barrel this time.

Talk about ungrateful people and backstabbers: you have the Sunni Saudi beastly rulers and co!

TBenton,

Sorry, I don't believe you have a Master's Degree in History. I too have a Master's Degree in education, and I actually teach. Also, you don't have to be a liberal to be a teacher. Why is it that so many people make politics out of every current event?

Anyway, dismissing Watergate like it was nothing doesn't make sense. By that logic, Obama would be a great president too if it wasn't for the economy. As far as John Adams, he was a one term president and very unpopular...look up the Alien and Sedition Acts if you doubt me. The one good thing he did do was step down when he wasn't reelected...the first President to do so. I agree with what you said about LBJ as far as civil rights, but aren't his domestic policies extremely liberal? That goes against what you were arguing about. I was actually refering to Vietnam and his subsequent abuse of power (Gulf of Tonkin Resolution), anyway.

I was going to be President of the United States, but I chose to blog here on Newsvine instead.

These are not "freedom fighters", they are a sect who wants control who if truth be told are not exactly the kind who you'd want to welcome here into the US. The Israeli's probably would rather have the current Syrian leadership than what is trying to topple the leadership. There are cruel leaders then there is evil ideology in a command/control position. The two are very different.

Also, it's probably fair to say Iran is a more imminent, dangerous, and near-term threat to Israel than Syria is right now...who has enough trouble of their own at moment...Israel faces close threats daily, so must deal more with the short term..

Maybe you should send John McCain & Lindsey Graham a letter explaining the situation to them,,, Neocons want to arm the rebels

Jim,

Israel did not give the equipment to Azerbaijan, they sold it to them. Israel has taken the position to do nothing and say nothing about Syria. In their view, anything they do will likely make the situation worse. The Assad family for all the rhetoric has honored the cease fire agreement with Israel for over 4 decades. On the downside, the civil war in Syria may spread to the rest of the Middle East. Even Hamas has come out against Assad pitting Hamas against their old friends Iran and Hezbollah.

What country has Syria attacked, What country has Syria sought to change its government? Where is there militarization? Syria has been peaceful to its neighbors and the world, its people are happy except for a small minority of Druze who are causing trouble once again like they have been for centuries because they stick to their birth given primary group like dogs and care not of Syria or the rest of its people. the Druze are being led by a selfish and leaching leadership who is pushing them to war with the Syrian people.

Actually Syria has indeed attacked Israel in the past & Israel has attacked Syria

they not freedom fighters, they are Muslim brother hood and evil salfeen (Saudi ideology) hate non Muslims in general so stop pull @!$%# people, as we see in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya, stop lying to people jim.looking to take over the government

Also, Syria was the gateway into Iraq for Al Quida who we battled there during the Iraq war. The Revolutionary Guards slipped in from Iran, and Al Quida slipped in from Syria, remember?

Will,

Are you Islamic, because only a Muslim would make such a stupid statement as you have against the Druze who believe nothing more then worship in a different way (Islam mixed with mysticism), they same way the early Christians had different sects and the people in power tried to wipe them out. Syria is not a benign country, but is ruled by a ruthless dictatorship that has supported terrorism around the world. Good Lord, where do you get your facts from.

These aren't freedom fighters by our terms this is a tribal war that flares up every once and awhile. The only reason we are paying so much attention to it is the muslim world is on our radar after 9/11.

Some don't appear to have learnt lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even the Quran burning in Afghanistan is not waking up many!

They want wars in Syria and Iraq.

Please: 1. Let us fight economic wars inside the US. 2. Don't bring back dead soldiers' bodies and maimed soldiers from the wars. After all they are somebody's children too!

Tbenton, thanks for calling Will on his slanders against the Druze. I, too, was wondering what's behind it.

Will writes: "Syria has been peaceful to its neighbors and the world, its people are happy except for a small minority of Druze who are causing trouble once again"--what a joke! Every word in this sentence is false.

What I see lining up is a major world conflict for which Syria, at the moment, is a battleground. On the religious level, it is a recrudescence of the ancient competition for control of the Islamic World (Dar al-Islam) between Shi'ites (Iran) and Sunnis (the rest of the Muslim world).

On the political level, we have various world powers taking sides, according to where they believe their own interest lies. In the Shi'ite camp: Iran, Russia, China, Iraq (increasingly, since the US pulled out), North Korea, Venezuela, and Syria under Assad (who is an Alawite, which is a fringe offshoot sect of Shi'ism).

On the Sunni side: the rest of the Muslim world; predominantly: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, the other North African states; the other Arabian peninsula emirates (or some portions thereof); the Syrian opposition to Assad. Jordan and Afghanistan are also predominantly Sunni, but they're preoccupied with their own problems.

Neither side in this conflict is friendly to the US, apart from when there's something they want to get from us (weapons, money, military support to bolster them against their rivals, after which they will happily turn back against us).

That's how I see it.

If Iran succeeds in developing a nuclear bomb, and no one (meaning the US) stops them, the whole thing will go ballistic in a way that will leave none of us--including the US--unscathed. May we have enough sense to head off that calamity! And I don't mean by sending our troops. This is a matter for high-tech unmanned weaponry to knock out the bunkers and, if we can manage it, sophisticated computer hackery.

But if we don't act fast, our window of opportunity will make this a harder, longer, and deadlier enterprise for everyone than it has to be.

Maybe Syria & Israel can kiss & make up then become BFF? Maybe we can stop sending billions in foreign aid to Israel finally

We shouldn't aid any country in the condition ours is in, period. Need a nurse or a doctor, or a loan call 1-800- china, get no answer = call 1-800- russia, still no answer 1-800- ual. Time for military industrial complex to call on other nations for their bonuses.

We are there to make people rich and that is the story.

Every time one of you wants to save the world first sit down with your youngest child on your lap. Look into their eyes and think when they are 21 and complaining about inflation and taxes will they agree with this decision or will they think WTF were you thinking. Because they will be the ones paying for your decision to ride in on your white horse in your shiny armor.

Instead of acting as agents of Saudi Arabia and co, if we leave them alone they will do the jobs for us.

Food stamps? Arm the same freedom fighters who have been Iran stirring up the troubles? Arm the same freedom fighters the leader of Al Quida & McCain wants armed?

Israel just gave $1.6 billion in drones as well as anti-aircraft and missile defense systems to Azerbaijan --- Syria is Israels neighbor, let Israel arm them. We already give Israel billions in aid we need to stop

We could use those billions we give away to Israel & get nothing in return for some good job creation & get Americans off of food stamps

Vote Republican and get medical- rape, because the economy is the list that they worry about.

Syria is on Israel's border, Syria is an Israeli problem.... Mexico is on our border, we have a problem with Mexico

If Israel can give $1.6 Billion to Azerbaijan who is not on their border, they can arm their neighbor's freedom fighters!

We need the billions back that we give to Israel to keep our own border secure... America is getting tired of getting nothing in return

i guess you are not seeing the picture more clear when these evil (Muslim brotherhood and salfeen believe in Saudi Arabia ideology), these kind of evil hates Israel and wants to destroy it so i do not think Israel would welcome that kind of evil so you are so wrong.

No Dave we are not held hostage by foreign oil... We produce & export more oil now than we did in the last administration....

US Oil production has increased & demand has decreased, President Obama has opened up 400 new drilling & exploration leases in our national parks off shore & deep water drilling

As someone who has worked in the oilfield, more drilling won't help cause the oil companies won't put new wells in production till the price goes higher. They drill wells then plug them and only when it makes them the most money will they pump the oil.

ROFL , Iran holds us slaves. OMG are you a brainwashed fool. Maybe you should do a little research on Hemp and its potential for fuel and the history behind it being grouped in with marijuana to be criminilized. Then you will know who is ruining America and the world. And last i checked Republicans or Democrats are not trying to fix this issue.

A couple years ago I read about the troubles of getting a license to grow hemp in our state- you put out at least two grand to have them check you out (non refundable) then you don't get a license anyway.

Yeah Will do the study.. Bio-Fuels from hemp, corn or whatever is the most inefficient way of producing fuel. It also doesn't produce near as much torque per volume when burning so it takes much more of it to get the same result of regular gas. Hence forth it is also NOT a greener fuel as you need to burn more to get less, bio-fuel is also a carbon based substance, it produces the same CO2 as regular fuels.

The worst part is, it takes up copious amounts of land to be able to produce a limited supply of fuel, because of the expense of it.. the cost of corn and other bio-fuel staples have increased of basic food staples for the poor.

Corn just may be but you are wrong about hemp, corn is a very bad and inefficient. If you then go ahead and calculate the negative externalities that the oil industry puts on society, hemp becomes the cheapest form of fuel. So go ahead and redo your research KEN TROUT, with out clumping hemp in with corn or refusing to look at externalities.

Bottom line is that after the 1973-1974 oil crisis (anyone remebers the green, yellow, red flags, or the odd and even fill days?). We have not learned a damn thing, and never will. Prices skyrocket? Put a cap on them and be done with it.

Ken what has increased the price of growing grain and especially corn is the same thing that makes your milk and bread prices rise and everyother price rise. Fuel costs. Those John Deeres don't run on wishes they run on gas or diesel. Also what would you do with the corn crop in say late September and October when it is piled up in a mountain in the infield of the Buena Vista raceway because the co-op doesn't have silo space for it. If it doesn't get stored inside before the snow flies ethanol is about all it is good for. Unless you want aflatoxin in your food. We could go back to the old way I suppose the government bought the crop, stored the crop, shipped the crop because I can tell you no farmer has the money to do it. Or we can ship the crop 50 miles down the road to Valero. Or burn it for heat in the pellet stove it really is clean that way the emmission from the vent is water.

The minute these two clowns believe that Assad is going down they will be trying to get a cease fire. The Russians do not want to lose that naval base.

The best thing Russia , China and the US could do would be to make a treaty and say we will all keep our troops and our money home and let these wars go on without us. If you can't win a war on your own don't start it and expect us to come riding in on our white horse to save you.

Hanks,, The Arab League is far more involved than ever before. Syria is Israel's neighbor & long time enemy

Why doesn't Israel help? Syria is on their border & not on the Arab's border

Jim, just how "involved" is the Arab League? How many troops, weapons, or supplies are they sending to the rebels? Fellow arabs and muslims should be helping. but not as much as you might think.

And true Syria is Irael's enemy but the rebels are at least as anti-Israeli as the current regime. So why should Israel help either side? A little thought here please!

Ken,,, Find out for yourself its nothing new. The Arab League is very involved in the Middle East... That you can give credit to both the last administration & this one as a major foreign policy accomplishment. Muslim problems have to be handled largely by their own Muslim neighbors

Oh, I know they are "somewhat" involved but not enough to turn the tide in favor of the rebels.

But I definitely agree with you that muslim/arab problems should be handled by muslim/arabs. The US should stay out of the fight as neither side is a friend to the US.

They are here but its just that their voices are not heard because of jerks like you who push us off

Because Israel knows that both sides in that war if they weren't fighting each other would be happy to kill them. So they will wait and see who wins.

The country was founded using laws and principles found in christianity but the country isn't tied directly to christianity. Part of the constitution granted freedom of religion whether it is christian, jewish, muslim, hindu, sikh, or any other religion. So to say the US should support Israel because it says so in the bible is wrong.

Shaloam,,, That's hogwash.

God didn't give Israel to the Jews. Israel didn't become a state until the 20th century

That was a way of kings to settle property & political disputes & it is recorded on ancient tablets...... Their historic home of origin is in the Iraq Delta, Adam, his wife Lilith & Eve is a Jewish story

The country was founded and organized to make government independent in the separate areas. It was organized to keep Representatives dependent on the voters only. Our government is now totally dependent on campaign funders, and while people struggle to pay the bills, Representatives bag allot of money through pacs and lobbyists to live very lavishly and groom themselves for a 6 figure career as a former congressman who know is a lobbyists on K-street. Republicans among the worst culprits of big government especially when dealing with the tax code.

Well I'm at this point not sure if I have 1st amendment rights in my country. It seems to depend on the mood the federal judge in San Antonio wakes up in or who gets to the courthouse first so I'm not interested in saving rights for someone that far away I'm not sure I have myself.

You sound a bit sanctimonious there rick, wanting to impose your values on others. A better approach I think is to leave it to individual countries/cultures to work out for themselves what is best without outside interference. It will likely lead to some bloodshed, starvation, disease, and deaths, but the end result will be a society that works for that society. As long as enough people support it, it will endure.

Attempting to provide outside help or interference doesn't work. North Korea, a basket case of a country if ever there was one, would ultimately collapse if not for outside aid from other countries. Other basket case countries in Africa too would collapse without outside aid and assistance thereby allowing them to continue to limp along.

I guess what I am proposing is Darwinism, the survival of the fittest. Strong societies will survive, the weak ones will perish. That way no one country can claim to have all the answers, it will grow strong or it will fail based on its own merits.

Islam is very conducive to democracy. The only thing that Islam is not conducive too is Usury and Riba.

In a normal world that would probably be the best approach, "irate Ken", but unfortunately we all live in a very abnormal world, one which has been under covert biocybernetic warfare attack for thousands of years already by outside offensive totalitarian ETs. They were the ones who covertly installed all three of these corrupt Abrahamic religions into our world, which in turn are all critical components of a larger ET designed PWMD, or Program Weapon of Mass Destruction, which is designed to crash and explode our emerging human world in a final programmed cataclysm of global warfare fueled with WMDs, known as the Christian Apocalypse or World War III. These ETs are poised to invade our world militarily once this programmed "End Time" apocalypse takes place in our world, under the guise of the returning Christ or Messiah. Unless we take a proactive approach at defusing this ET designed PWMD BEFORE IT GOES OFF, humanity stands to forfeit its place in our greater Milky Way galaxy and Universe (i.e., humanity will become extinct here on Earth). We have very little time left to defuse this ET designed and installed PWMD, before it eventually destroys our world and ultimately extinguishes mankind's existence on this planet. - RC

Lol, you have smoked yourself retarded. Ever think that maybe it is a "test"? The same things that made us successful and got us out of the woods are not the same things that work in society. Survival of the fittest works until you try to make a society. If only there was not an advantage to numbers and society, things would be much easier and simple.

Religion is the only that survives large population collapses like we have had in our history. There is an entire section of history we are missing that is under water 100 feet or so. The Wright bothers were not the first to discover flight, and I am not the first to understand how the universe works. If we do not learn soon then we will spend another 2000+ years relearning the SAME $HIT OVER AGAIN. How many people know how to build a computer? How many people that know could build the parts? How many could build an engine? How many could make the oil or gas it needs? If society collapses, technology will collapse, there are not enough people to sustain our current specialized way of life. Religion is the only that survives, or the most likely thing that will survive. I wonder why the bible has math, science, and hints to unlocking, or understanding the secrets of the universe, hmm I wonder.

Ever try to think about even if we found another planet to inhabit, how hard would it be to send enough people to start a new civilization? How many can you fit on the spacecraft while providing enough food, air, and water for them to make the trip. Then once they got there what about factories or machines to do work? No way to make steel, a backhoe, tractor, gasoline, etc. They would have to start with agriculture and food. The machines on the spaceship will only work for so long until they will need maintenance or to be repaired. Someone has to know how to repair and work on them or else. Depending on how long the trip took to make it to the new planet, the original crew members may be dead, and the new crew will never know about "factories" or any other Earth technology besides what is on the spaceship. It is not as easy to start over as everyone thinks it would be. Any ET's are stuck in the same universe as we are, and are also God's creations, they are our brothers (now people will think I am retarded :P).

As far as Syria, it took Ben Franklin how many years to get the French to help him. Who actually helped him, was it the ruling party or another group? How is Mubarak doing? Did he get murdered or lynched, or did he just went to court? I am thankful that I went to school, ate, broke bread, slept over, did business, etc. with Muslims or else I might believe some of the stereotypes about them. Like the stereotype about how all black people are lazy, I would not be surprised if someone posts "they are". Things have gotten better between the races in the U.S.A., but it was not always like this. What was one of the most important factors to solving this problem? Time, and the next generations.

The majority of the people tire me so.

"Tired," I agree with everything you say. You must me the first person on this board I like enough to reply directly to. When it comes down to it, Faith and Science are one and the same, they just look at things differently, and unfortunately in world history, oftentimes through misguided means.

At this point the Koreas are heating up again and since we have had troops there since this retired person was three years old I don't think we should get involved in anything else.

They are talking about the republican debates. Listening to that, will make you pray for the end.

malocchio. I thought the republican debates were a new reality show. what a joke.

And those damned stupid space rocks keep missing us...

Try being a Texan with the permanent floating primary situation. If we are lucky we will have the primary for the general election in the first week in May in the last week in May.

Interesting that most posters don't know whether the freedom fighters are worse than the current group--See "Egypt" . But Jim thinks that Israel should help the rebels not knowing who or what they are helping. By the way Jim, Israel did that once before helping Jordanian rebels by scaring Syrian jets back into their own country. But of course, knowing little or nothing about the Mid-east, you can just say anything and expect it to be taken as fact. And speaking of the oil processed during the currant admin, the amount is due to drilling leases signed during the Bush administration and put into play during the current administration. So it's really not Obama oil.

Huh? You really think the media is telling you how to feel? --- Seems to me that "Feeling's" are entirely your choice

Maybe you have "sensitivity" issues & just crying like a "bleeding heart conservative"

Media is an idiotic bunch of bleeding heart liberals always looking to stir up something they don't understand. As in they are upset there is a creek in Appalachia called coon creek. Didn't they ever go to the zoo and see the rodent with the mask across its eyes. That is what most americans not from cities call a coon for which we have hunting dogs called coon hounds.

GITMO is closed! Obama said so. In fact that was the very 1st Executive Order BHO signed. His premise - it made our enemies mad!!! Now, BHO just looks the other way when the GITMO subject comes up.