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Subscribe to RSSThe violence in Syria continues to escalate, threatening to turn into a full-fledged civil war. The international community has been divided in its approach toward President Bashar Assad’s bloody crackdown on the popular uprising against his regime in which an estimated 10,000 people have been killed, according to the U.N.
Richard Engel, NBC’s Chief Foreign Correspondent, answered reader questions about the Syrian conflict earlier today.
Click on the box below to replay the informative chat.
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Why would anyone ask a reporter! questions about SYRIA???
Because he's close by.
Many times, even these close by reporters look only in one direction.
If the US, Britain and others support such Sunni Saudi & co barbarians and beasts who treat girls and women as cheap sex slaves, then one can only conclude that Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists determine what to see, how to lecture and where and when to act.
Here media is an important player.
Question for Engel: Is there any sense whether the international observers actually have access to the areas in which the killing of civilians is taking place? Are these observers still subject to the kind of manipulation and control that we saw in Libya when journalists were "escorted" by Ghadafi troops? Any hope of objectivity?
I don't see the Q & A. Is this where one would ask a question?
right
Question for Engel: Is there any question whether the regime is responsible for all of the atrocities so prominent in recent news?
I think this is an important question--and was surprised not to see it addressed in the transcript. What if the "opposition" are committing some of these heinous acts themselves and blaming it on the government troops? I'm not saying there's a lot of that going on--but we just don't know. We've seen that kind of tactic before in other countries caught in the throes of civil/ethnic/religious wars.
Let me add one question.
Syrian rebels are supported by Sunni al-Qaida, MB and others.
Is regime change sole objective of all the media blasts just like in Iraq?
Question: Why is there no media discussion of bombing Assad's known locations as was done by US and its allies in the Libyan conflict (ostensibly to save civilians from slaughter by govt troops), and do you think a drone attack on Assad will someday be conducted by US for the same reason?
The choice of questions that Engel responds to are all "drumbeat questions that hype war. As such, it is more propaganda than professionalism in reportage. The whole scenario is to build the Syria situation into a step toward a "middle east war" involving Iran. NO attention has been paid in the selection of questions to the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of Syrian people. The whole session dehumanizes and devalues the Syrian people as mere pawns in a geopolitical war game.
You have a good point. However, that said, it seems to me that there is no authority on either side of this conflict that can provide and/or guarantee security for humanitarian aid workers to get in there. These combatants have already shot at UN observers--that doesn't bode well for the people who need some kind of "cease-fire" to be able to get in there and do their job of distributing food and medicine.
While I certainly don't condone anything going on in Syria, it is my personal opinion no oil so why even bother?
My Dear Richard Engel,
I am Sid Harth.
I appreciate your personal and very objective views on a very serious situation in Syria. I hope president Barack Obama manages to find out who is paying you.
Just kidding.
What I feel, in my very bones, that neither Barack, nor Binyamin are interested in opening this Pandora's Box. Not now and not, in the least, in distant future.
I rest my case.
...and I am Sid Harth@webworldismyoyster.com
critical times hard to deal with, will be here.
The Free Syria Army can easily kick Assad out by asking for Israel assistance. Assad's army is so weak now; therefore, Israel army can reach Damascus in less than 24hours!
Free Syria Army will have to recognize Israel, and to guarantee that they will live in peace together by creating a 20-100 mile wide demilitarize zone on Syria side along Israel border. I believe that Israel will agree to such a deal for an ever lasting peace with Syria.
Fun fact for you!! In 2012 13,000 people have been murdered in Syria. In the United States last year more than that were killed by gangs. Bring the military home and fight these terrorist!!
From where do you get this 13,000 number? There are about 20,000 people murdered per year in the U.S. (actually less than 20,000). So you found a statistic that well over half of all murders are gang related? And so what if the gangs are killing off other gang members? That's how it usually is.
Saudi, UAE, Kuwaiti and co and oil companies manipulated Iraqi wars gave us following:
Messy state of general US and European nations’ public. There have been high unemployment, cut in welfare measures, housing market collapse and more miseries. Since 2001, US spent three trillion dollars on Iraq and Afghan wars. Did the Saudis and co foot the bill?
2. Poor soldiers killed and injured and their families. In Iraq and Afghan wars 6300 soldiers were killed and 40000 injured.
3. High budget deficits and heavier borrowing. Many nations (PIIGS) and people are on line to bankruptcy!
Questions: What benefits we are going to get by taking Saudi directed sides in the Syrian Shiites vs Sunni battles?
I don't know about the rest of the U.S., but my bank account says I can't afford the Syria war game.
Be glad that there is something in your bank account.
Many are running on credits.
Be glad you at least have credit. Most of us have squat. I wanna bailout!!! Oh wait...........
Be glad you at least have credit.Most of us have squat these days, seeing how we are paying for a war in the middle east for oil. This is just yet another excuse for rich greedy people to jack up prices bcuz there's a war going on, so it makes it ok to rob your nations people blind. Big government, politics, burn in hell!
We should ask the reporter , How much he and his Friends in the Media getting paid by the Saudis and Qataris , Richard was a decent reporter , till he flipped when he was covering the war , And Sorry but I think he lost it after his wife divorced him , So now , he decided he is in it for the money , some body need to tell him to become a politician , He gets more money from different countries . Its shame that our Media had went to hell .
We The Humans use production technology to transform our environment to our good ant to the bad for the common environment.
We use Media and language technology to dominate or to establish balance within divided communities of human population.
We use governance technology to sustain national and international unity or balance.
Evolution of human history is marked by evolving war strategies.
Syria Problem is at the moment in a stage of unconventional war among countries involved; and can only be solved when a balance is achieved.
I only wish that a solution can be reached before so many people are killed.
It is disgusting; and inhuman.
I think we humans misuse our technological capabilities.
Self esteem technology should play greater role in the evolution of human development.
Spoken like a Doctor , But Our problem these days , We have politicians that use to be Crooked layers and god knows what else , And then they become a world problems solvers. So they go back to what they know best , And that is , Making money , So they start collecting from the highest bidders , Mind you that might be countries that do not wish the US well , But that does not matter to them , They send our boys to wars and our money to countries that never done no harm , But they build them up like an evil waiting to get us . And that's how we start attacking countries have no hate for us , But that changes real fast .
I think Richard Engel tells it like it is, telling us things politicians don't tell us, especially the war mongers like certain Republican senators. I notice Romney is quiet on the subject - too busy criticizing Obama to state his views which would probably change from week to week.