Syrian groups come to blows while seeking peace

AFP - Getty Images

A photo by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network on Wednesday shows Syrian rebels a day earlier allegedly taking over an outpost belonging to government forces.

Syrian government forces are killing demonstrators at the rate of 50 to as many as a 150 a day, but Syrian opposition leaders in exile and in Syria still cannot unite around the common goal of how to topple a brutal dictator.

At this week's meeting of Syrian opposition leaders in Cairo, Egypt, the groups meant to come to an agreement on how to achieve a political transition to a government without President Bashar al-Assad at the helm. Instead they came to blows after heated arguments turned into scuffles in the five-star suburban hotel where they convened.

They disagreed on almost everything, such as how to get rid of Assad.


Khalaf Dahowd, president of the National Coordination Body's Congress in Exile, said he is against violence.  He said he believes in peaceful protest and political and diplomatic pressure: "Arms have to stop, the voice of political solution will rise up. The voice of the guns will be stopped."

Syria pummels rebels; bodies of Turkish airmen found

Dahowd opposed an armed revolt and international military intervention.

"If any military attack happens, it will destroy the social contract and the state, not the regime,” he said.  “It will destroy the social infrastructure and peace within society."

He argued that militarizing the revolution has given Assad "an excuse to enforce real power with atrocities."

"The regime can succeed in the field of war. It knows how to use force. We say that in politics, they will lose," he contended.

Dahowd was not alone.

"(Special UN Envoy) Kofi Annan's six-point plan and Geneva transition plan must be supported internationally by the United Nations Security Council to stop the killing,” said Sinam Mohamed, female president of the People's Council for Kurds in West Kurdistan. “If we support the revolution with weapons, it will lead to civil war between the Alawis and Sunnis.  It is already starting in and around Homs."

Mohamed also called for equal rights for Kurds who are not recognized as a separate ethnic group with a distinct language.

"If we support weapons, we will have a war; Syria as a country will be finished,” she said. “We don’t want to have what happened in Libya. War always ends in dialogue."

Why not have dialogue now, Mohamed contended.

Rights group: Syria's 20 ways to torture prove its crimes against humanity

Others held just as fervently to armed rebellion.

Joanna de Boer / NBC News

George Sabra, Syrian National Council spokesman, attends a Syrian opposition meeting in Cairo, Egypt, to discuss political transition in Syria.

"I am sure Al Assad will leave by demonstrations in the streets and the Free Syrian Army (FSA)," said George Sabra, spokesman for the most widely recognized opposition group, the Syrian National Council (SNC). The FSA is made of defected Syrian soldiers and civilians who are fighting the regime with arms captured from raids and attacks or supplied from other countries in the region.  He said he is optimistic about the FSA's progress and claims they now control 60 percent of the country.

"They are making battle in the capital. It is a war between the Free Syrian Army and the government," Sabra said.

 "The difference between the SNC and other opposition groups is that we strongly support the FSA and are looking to supply them with weapons and other kinds of support.  It’s a real war," said Sabra, who spent eight years in prison and was tortured along with his son.

Mustafa Zakwan, director of the "I Love My Country Group," said force is the only option:

"The issue facing the opposition is clear. Syrian support is fragmented. Each region has a different opinion of how to move forward. This meeting is a useless waste of time. How do they expect that they could possibly come up with a solution in two hours when everyone disagrees. The only thing that anyone can agree on is opposition to Kofi Annan's entirely ineffective plan.  Assad will not work with Annan, it is totally unrealistic. There cannot be a solution that comes from the outside.  It must come from Syria, from our country. Syrians have to rely on force. It is the only way. The international community is afraid of Syrian rebels but they do not respect them. They are not engaged with them the way they need to be, with the real people on the ground."

Activist Bashar Kattab has lived outside of Syria for the past 20 years and supported removing Assad by force.

"Hope for a peaceful solution is lost,” Kattab said. “As long as Al Assad doesn’t believe in peace, neither can the protesters."

Opposition groups are vehemently at odds about whether they should unite at all.  Many find it undemocratic that one voice would represent so many diverse interest groups.  The Syrian National Congress purports to represent the opposition and is largely regarded as such by the international community and the media despite objections by other activists.

"The SNC … wants to dominate power,” Dahowd said. “They are not democratic. We can't go forward with that policy. The SNC is based on the Libyan model. It won't apply to Syria because there are 26 different groups in Syria."

Reporter behind the lines in Syria sees no end to war

Dahowd and many others said the SNC is dominated by fundamentalist Sunni ideology and will seek to impose its will on other social groups. Syria, with its large Shiite, Kurdish and Christian minorities, is a much more complex society than mainly Sunni Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. They were able to unite across the fault lines of religion, ideology, tribe, party and gender to unseat their respective dictators. It was only afterward, on the long and messy path to democracy, that discord emerged between factions seeking their own interests rather than the greater national good.

In Syria, the fault lines continue to impede a solution that can be embraced by all parties. After two days of rancorous talks, the final statement reflected a fractured opposition; it simply called for a halt to violence, the fall of Assad’s regime, support of the Free Syrian Army and the protection of civilians.

Participants disagreed about who would represent the opposition and the need for foreign military intervention.

The most powerful opposition group, the Free Syrian Army, boycotted the meeting altogether, saying in a statement "We refuse all kinds of dialogue and negotiations with the killer gangs…," essentially undermining the meaning of any consensus.

Charlene Gubash is NBC News' producer in Cairo. NBC News' Joanna de Boer also contributed to this article.

From the front line in what looks ever more like a fight for Syria's capital Damascus, members of the Free Syrian Army appear to be closing in on President Assad's stronghold, at a terrible cost to both sides. NBC's Bill Neely reports.

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Violence, truly the last bastion of the ignorant. When differences between opposing parties / opinions cannot be rectified with intelligent rhetoric, it is the truly ignorant who resort to violence. islam, a violent virus, has infected too many people of the earth. This can all be traced back to mental patient one, mohammed. The un-infected have two choices, insulate ourselves and hopefully the virus will kill all its hosts or, somehow we must try to abate its proliferation on the rest of the civilized world.

  • 6 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:19 PM EDT

What an ignorant view of Islam. There are many more Muslims who do not support the violence of the extremists in the religion than there are those who support it. It is no different than the fact that the vast majority of Catholics denounce the extremists in the religion who bomb abortion clinics.

The real problem here is that these so called rebels are nothing more than different extremists factions who want power for themselves. None of them want a free and open democratic society in Syria, they want a Syria ruled by their own extreme interpretation of Islam with those who do not agree being persecuted. This is why they have been unable to topple Assad, they hate each other as much as they hate Assad so they can not work together for the good of the country as a whole. These rebels should not be provided with arms by any outsiders. The best course of action is for the international community to just stay out of it and let the Syrians solve their own problems. Any solution that is seen as being dictated by someone outside Syria will be automatically rejected by virtually all of these rebels because any outside solution would be an inclusive one respecting the rights of all Syrians and that is not what any of these rebel groups really want. The only future for Syria is either one of a divided nation, broken up along religious and ethnic lines, or a nation ruled by a strong central government that had the military might to sit on the different religious factions to keep them from causing too much trouble. Democracy will not work in a country as divided along ethnic and religious lines as Syria currently is. The fanatics in each of the different religious factions are completely incapable of accepting each other and living side by side in peace. It will take a strong secular government to be able to repress these fanatics and keep them from tearing the country apart.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

In order for Democracy, or some sort of freedom of choice, to succeed in Syria, the various factions need to accept the majority rules. Opposition will have a voice, but the decisions are made by majority. This is a tough concept for people in the Middle East. The very extreme fundamentalist Islamists are dead against this Democratic concept, read the letters found in bin Ladin's house when he was killed.

Until these various factions can agree how to rule, they won't be able to agree how to oust Assad. Their diffusion keeps Assad in power. The US won't help the general "revolutionaries" They did that in Egypt when it appeared that the liberal face book generation was leading the revolt, but the Islamists were behind the scenes ready to take over, and they have in Egypt.

  • 3 votes
#1.2 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 7:20 PM EDT

People who denounce violence unconditionally value nothing. The type of people who think waiting an extra minute online at a McDonald's drive-thru is a great injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. condoned violence under some circumstances. Ghandi condoned violence under some circumstances. Violence is preferable to cowardice.

  • 2 votes
#1.3 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 8:45 PM EDT

Seven-341804, if violence is the home of the ignorant, what is your opinion of King George Bush, Dark Lord Cheney and the republicans that went to war over Iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan? Is christianity also a bastion of ignorance? Just curious how you feel. IMHO, we as a race of people have only grown and expanded our knowledge due to war and violence. We would not have many things we use today if it wasnt for war, IE: Microwaves, cell phones, radio, rockets to the moon, velcro, etc. We would probably not be commenting on these stories as there would be no computers or internet. The list goes on and on. It seems to me that violence is the bastion of the genius and forward thinkers in our world.

    #1.4 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 8:59 PM EDT

    Well, cowboy, we certainly would not have gotten Hilter out with ____ing feather pillows, that's for sure! We need to let Assad deal with problems like the Muslim Brotherhood in his own way, as we won't have to deal withthem when he's done.

    • 1 vote
    #1.5 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 10:01 PM EDT

    JS in SD

    "There are many more Muslims who do not support the violence of the extremists in the religion than there are those who support it."

    And where are they hiding? I hear about the good muslims all the time, but I have never seen any of them take any action, as in policing their own.

    Here is a great video of the "Good muslims" in action at The Arab International Festival in Dearborn Michigan last month. Completely unedited. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_8MO7IIlCw This is a country that welcomed them as immigrants.

      #1.6 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 10:52 PM EDT

      Democracy isn't always the best choice, unless you have a well educated non fanatic, rational thinking population.

      Look at what democracy did to Germany in 1933, Italy in 1922, Iran in 2005 and Egypt in 2012.

        #1.7 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 11:21 PM EDT

        When Islam was founded, it co-existed, thrived even side-by-side with Jews and Arab Christians. It wasn't until the fall of the Ottoman Empire and European powers sought to fill the power vacuum throughout the Middle East that all these conflicts began. This is a fact - a historical fact evident upon even the most elementary examination of history. Hatred of an entire religion, culture, or race is "backwards" and truly unacceptable in modern society. It is the true hallmark of rampant ignorance, even stupidity.

        I see your ignorant comments about why the "good Muslims" don't rise up and do something - listen - it is a documented fact that your good "Christian" "democratic" West has created and continuously propped up "Islamic extremists" since the the early 20th century to use as tools for violent foreign policy and in particular proxy wars - from WW2, to the Soviet-Afghan war, to Bosnia, to LIFG terrorists in Libya armed, supported, and funded by NATO, to MEK in Iraq who have literally killed US soldiers and civilians, yet are being trained and harbored both in the continental US and on US bases handed over to them IN IRAQ.

        Your ignorance is almost difficult to believe, but there is a concerted effort to poison people's minds with this fictitious "clash of civilizations." I will give you benefit of the doubt - go look up LIFG, MEK, and the US support they've received WHILE being listed by the US State Department as Foreign Terrorist Organizations - and come back to us with your thoughts.

          #1.8 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:06 AM EDT

          You are right!

          These rebel groups are meeting in a wrong place.

          They should all meet in the Saudi ruler's palace, the fountainhead of all Islamic radicalism and terrorism worlds problems.

          As true followers of religion of "love" and "peace", they should use automatic weapons in his palace to solve the disputes!

            #1.9 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:48 AM EDT

            "Democracy isn't always the best choice"

            Yes, it is. It's a complete fallacy to think that any human population is so fundamentally different from others that democracy suddenly becomes an inferior system of governance to dictatorship/monarchy/communism/what-have-you. As for your examples of bad elections (kind of curious you included Egypt, considering it's still technically under military rule and Morsi hasn't done anything wrong yet), governments have always and will always be a problem because they exercise significant power with a wide variety of influences and incentives. So choosing the "best" kind of government is actually a matter of seeing which ones, statistically, cause the fewest disasters. By that count, democracy beats out all other forms of government by a long shot.

              #1.10 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:53 PM EDT
              Reply

              Doesn't anyone at MSNBC read this stuff either before or after it is posted? This is the THIRD sentence in the story: "Instead they came to blows after heated arguments turned into scuffles in the five-star suburban where they convened."

              In the five star suburban WHAT?

              Either there are no editors and no proofreaders, or perhaps elementary school kids working as unpaid interns and this is the best they can do.

              Shame on you MSNBC for yet another of the multiple-times-a-day examples of horrid editing and proofreading errors in the stuff posted.

              • 1 vote
              Reply#2 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:22 PM EDT

              You're right. I see at least one poorly written article on here a day. Those are just the ones I see, there must be more. You can thank the American Educational System and the Twenty Four News Cycle that demands news be churned out faster than the competition rather than making sure it is the correct news.

              Did you see CNN and Fox News the day the Supreme Court decision on Health Care came out? Both reported the law was overturned for about 15-20 minutes. They might as well have said Dewey defeats Truman.

              • 2 votes
              #2.1 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:42 PM EDT

              And yet you two keep clicking on the links! Why is that?

                #2.2 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 8:13 PM EDT

                They have to write in support of Saudis and their Syrian rebels again and again!

                So sometimes, they dance in circels. At times, they are reduced to stupid seventh century Saudi desert dances!

                  #2.3 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:59 AM EDT
                  Reply

                  Of course, any unorganized rag tag opposition is doomed to fail. They are going up against a trained and disciplined military with a seasoned leader. It isn't 1775, they aren't using muskets and cannons.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#3 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:28 PM EDT

                  On the other hand, the military keeps defecting over to the rebels, and Assad can't exercise control over much of the population.

                  The rebels have a chance, but they're not doing themselves any favors here.

                  • 1 vote
                  #3.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:55 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  Civil Wars like this don't end over night. Libya had support from Nato, in Egypt the army took the side of the Rebels, here neither is the case. Russia is supporting Assad and the U.S. is sending weapons to the rebels. This has become a proxy war. It will not end quickly. Just hope the conflict doesn't expand or we could go back to Cold War conditions or worse.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#4 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:35 PM EDT

                  That is what it looks like from Fort Livingroom.

                  • 1 vote
                  #4.1 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:43 PM EDT

                  In this case "Fort Livingroom" has the right idea. This is a proxy war, as well as a civil war. The US, Russia, and China are indeed moving back to a cold war and they are indeed beginning to fight one another through proxies once again.

                  If you think that Russia is not arming the Government, and that the US is not arming the rebels, then you need to go back and take a look at not only history but also the present. The US will not let the Russian's arm Syria without challenge, and we all know that the US and Russia never want to go head to head on their own terms. This is why proxy wars happen.

                  • 1 vote
                  #4.2 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 5:37 PM EDT

                  Agreed, a proxy war that is a waste of U.S. tax dollars. Turkey has tried to open the door to the same NATO action as in Libya. France, Britain, and the U.S. should take advantage of the opportunity to end this blood bath decisively. Launch a few air strikes and embolden the rebels. It is immoral for us to let this torture and murder persist. I believe nothing helped our image more in the mid-east than our taking the side of the rebels in Libya.

                    #4.3 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 6:59 PM EDT

                    Silentmajorityfrontman, hey, hotshot, are you going to climb in one of those planes and risk your ass getting blown off or are you just going to watch it in the safety of your home on TV and be one of those heroes who are only brave when they are sitting in front of their computers? Syria is not Libya, their air defences are much much better as the Turks just found out. So which is it? "Embolden the rebels", LOL judging by the article those so-called rebels will start to slaughter each other as soon as Assad falls. Did you give at least ONE thought to what's going to happen to Christians there? How is that Lybian "freedom" and "democracy" working out for them now? Lybian clans and tribes certainly have the freedom to fight and kill one another. But who cares as long as oil is flowing, right?

                    • 2 votes
                    #4.4 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 7:59 PM EDT

                    We need to hit it in the source, empower Georgia and let Israel wipe out Iran. That is what it looks like from fort Livingroom.

                      #4.5 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 9:14 PM EDT

                      Yeah sure--Are you another one of the idiots that complain about our military going to war because they might die or get hurt? Last time I checked that is what the military does, puts their asses out in harm's way to fight the wars they are told to fight! None are forced to sign the dotted line, our army is a volunteer force today. They must know that enlisting in the ARMY means you just might get shot at. Why else do we have a military, but to go in harm's way?

                      • 1 vote
                      #4.6 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 9:51 PM EDT

                      It will be worse than Libya with bigoted barbaric and beastly Saudis meddling too much!

                      When most don't care for religion much these days, followers of Islamic cult, especially Sunni Saudi inspired Islamic radicals and militants (al-Qaida, Salaffi, Wahhabi, MB and other label ones), are fast marching backwards to their seventh century desert tribal days of rapings, lootings, killings and genocides of non-Muslims.

                      These bigoted barbaric Saudis and their Arab League tried their tricks in Syria like in Bahrain. They sent their human rights groups to Syria.

                      The head of the Saudi and their Arab League observers to Syria was Sudanese Gen. He was responsible for the genocides of at least 300000 Christians in Darfur!

                      Look at the havocs these Saudis and co are inventing in Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, Libya, Egypt and other places.

                      Now Turkey has fast marched backwards to seventh century Islam with Ergodan and his party.

                      Bigoted Sunni Saudis and their Arab League, who are bravest in fighting women, minorities, outsourced their dirty work to Turkey.

                      Even that Turkish drama is not working.

                      So just like Iraq wars, Saudis, oil companies, Jewish lobbyists and lobbyists are busy dragging the US, Britain and others for doing their dirty jobs in Syria and Iran.

                      Saudis and co can get busy by manipulating oil prices!

                      And we can count the injured and dead soldiers and monies sunk just like during Iraqi wars!

                        #4.7 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 3:04 AM EDT

                        "Did you give at least ONE thought to what's going to happen to Christians there?"

                        No, not really.

                        I mean, it's a terrible thing if the Christians are killed and persecuted, but it's no worse to me than Muslims being killed or persecuted. As an agnostic, that quandary pretty much comes down to numbers: in which case is there less violence? Syria may very well descend into tribal skirmishes after Assad falls, but it's hard to think that it could be worse than the crackdown, which is killing at minimum about fifty people a day and involves artillery barrages into cities.

                        "How is that Lybian "freedom" and "democracy" working out for them now?"

                        Actually, pretty well for a nation emerging from civil war. The militia still haven't disarmed, but then Libya doesn't have a properly elected government yet to exercise a legitimate mandate. They've made impressive strides in preparing for elections though, so it's way too early to write off their revolution as a failure, much less a disaster.

                          #4.8 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:02 PM EDT

                          Well, frosty393. I am not complaining about military getting hurt or killed. I am complaining about chicken@!$%#s like you who would send someone else to die needlessly while watching them die from the safety of their own homes. Have you served a DAY in your life? Something tells me NO you did not. I am against them getting hurt or killed in absolutely useless wars that US has no business starting or getting involved in. Is it possible you can get it thru your thick scull that what's going on in Syria is NONE of our business? If we stop arming thugs and fan the flames of war in Syria and stop Turks, Qataris and Saudis from doing the same, the violence will end immediately and the locals will figure out for themselves what country they want to live in and who should govern them. Somehow I doubt you know what's best for them. But don't worry, Hillary and her Saudi and Qatari buddies, pure democrats by the way, are hell bent on "regime change" so you'll get your war after the November election. Enjoy.

                            #4.9 - Fri Jul 6, 2012 7:31 PM EDT
                            Reply

                            Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

                              Reply#5 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:38 PM EDT

                              Different groups of Muslims against the president's group of Muslims is like Egypt and Librya. Hope that they will not rage to civil war; but continue to talk through diplomacy. The former dictator, Saddam Hussein, is belonged to the Sunnis Muslims.

                                Reply#6 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 4:41 PM EDT

                                these people cant even get along when the have the same goals. what they fought for the last 3 thousand years? they will continue to fight till the end of time. its the only thing they know how to do.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#7 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 5:32 PM EDT

                                These are muslims people, they hate each other just infidels more. They need a strong dictator like Assad to keep them in check. They cannot govern themselves at all. Sad to say but when the colonial era was in full bloom, harsh daddy in control was what was needed to keep their homicidal impulses in check.

                                • 3 votes
                                Reply#8 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 5:49 PM EDT

                                There's no rationalizing dictatorship. There's no excuse for depriving people of their rights. And there's definitely no excuse for what Assad is doing to his own people. Indonesia and Turkey are both Muslim democracies, and to write off other people as incapable of democratic governance for being Muslims is absurd.

                                More to the point, it's proving impossible. Those "dictators" you seem to favor have proven they can't keep their populations stable and subdued, even with mass murder and torture. So they're effectively useless on all counts.

                                  #8.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:06 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Ok here is what we do. Start drilling like there is no tomorrow develope our own independance on oil. Then we just get out of the middle east and let them nimwitted bastards blow the hell out of each other until there is none of them left.

                                  They have been fighting since the Bible was written. They do not know how to do anything else. They are not going to ever stop except for one thing the foreign aid we are kind enough to give them so the puppet dictators we support and mold in our image can burn their fuse down to where they do not want to listen to us anymore then they become hostile. Then we go in with the military and take them out and the WORLD GOES ROUND AND ROUND. The list of made by America heads of state is long and not so distingished in that part of the world.

                                  We need to get focused on America and the American people. The hell with these camel jockies. Lets take care of our own. Lets give foreign aid to the steel industry and start making our own steel, lets rebuild our national infrastructure , lets rebuild our educational system , lets get our country back on track for our people. Iam sick of hearing about the middle east who bends us over every chance they get and our balless politicians who let them.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#9 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

                                  The United States actually get a relatively small percentage of our oil from the Middle East, and almost all of that is from Saudi Arabia, which shows little signs of upheaval. In addition, Syria has almost negligible oil reserves. This whole conflict is absolutely irrelevant to energy idependence.

                                    #9.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:08 PM EDT
                                    Reply

                                    Of course the different opposition leaders are fighting with each other. What else would you expect from a backwards, tribal culture? This is the reason that there will never be any sort of democracy in the ME. They only know how to behave wih a boot on their neck

                                    • 3 votes
                                    Reply#10 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 6:29 PM EDT

                                    Yes, they need a compliant, docile, apathetic public much like our own! This is the only way to ensure that democracy will be used responsibly!!!

                                      #10.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 7:16 AM EDT
                                      Reply

                                      It is the nato baby killers that are arming the al Qaida rebels against the Assad government ! For many years all groups in Syria had civil rights under Assad-Christians, Alawi, Druze, Armenians, Shia, and even the few Jews. If the USA and its rebels win out, then only extreme Sunni Muslim Brotherhood killers will have rights ! All others will be killed or headed to the USA to escape the pogrom !

                                      • 2 votes
                                      Reply#11 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 8:00 PM EDT

                                      Oh, sure, they had all kinds of civil rights. Except, you know, freedom of speech, due process, and freedom not to have your fingernails ripped out in a government torture chamber. But those are like, secondary, right?

                                      I mean, seriously, obviously they were unhappy enough to revolt, so any argument that they weren't mistreated goes right out the window. And while the rights of minorities may well be in danger, they can't be protected at the expense of the majority.

                                        #11.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:10 PM EDT
                                        Reply

                                        They can't unite because they don't have a common ideology. They are themselves just a bunch of armed thugs, just like the Libyan oppositions was and now dispite western media best effort to ignore is showing the world their true colors.

                                        • 2 votes
                                        Reply#12 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 9:16 PM EDT

                                        This is how revolutions are always done. Sure was that way in Russia.

                                        • 1 vote
                                        Reply#13 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 9:56 PM EDT

                                        Sounds like he had to give a head to get a head!!

                                          Reply#14 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 10:40 PM EDT

                                          Where was all this concern when hundred's of thousand's of people were being murdered in Africa not too long ago? Just like Chicago, as long as the shooting's are happening the neighborhoods that have no impact on my life. They're acceptable!

                                            Reply#15 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 10:56 PM EDT

                                            Current disagreements will likely result in ... fewer Muslims. Unfortunately, it won't be just the extremists whose numbers will be reduced.

                                              Reply#16 - Wed Jul 4, 2012 11:12 PM EDT

                                              I heard the muslims invented their own middle eastern soda. It's called Phsyco-la.

                                                Reply#17 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 12:05 AM EDT

                                                Syria will become Islamist. The entire ME and the North of Africa and Afghanistan and Pakistan go dark. Except for Israel.

                                                Jihadis claim Syria attacks: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hojFV0_YRgoUu-GlLa12tf6KqAdw?docId=08718a9f260842a5adc293ef511b439b

                                                • 2 votes
                                                Reply#18 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 12:13 AM EDT

                                                Yup, Israel becomes a huge (((sparkling))) radioactive Kosher confetti cloud high up at 90,000' in the stratosphere showing the world that 'Crime does not pay.' As for AmeriKKKa, the Chinese put the Great Satan to work on a high-speed IPhone production line working 24/7 until he pays back his $19 trillion dollar debt he created murdering maiming and blowing up Muslim civilian men, women and chiildren. See Pilgrim in the end (excuse the pun) Crime does not pay.

                                                  #18.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:44 PM EDT

                                                  Chinese don't like Muslims either, AzMuslimCowboy, so be careful. They might think you're a Uighur.

                                                  • 2 votes
                                                  #18.2 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:00 PM EDT
                                                  Reply

                                                  MSNBC is calling armed terrorists who are killing children, detonating indiscriminate bombs across Syria, "demonstrators" when it is in mainstream news that most of these "demonstrators" are LIFG terrorists from Libya, Saudi sectarian extremists and Muslim Brotherhood killers who, during Assad's father's time were chopping heads off and killing Christians, Alawittes, and anyone else who would not capitulate to their despotic vision of a Syria under their perversion of Islam. I dare say propagandists like those at MSNBC are more responsible for the continuing death and violence than the Syrian army - because IF the media reported the truth, the neo-imperialists of NATO would not have the ability to continue defending their support for these terrorists.

                                                  There are real opposition members in Syria - who reject both violence and outside interference - they are already working with the current Syrian government for reforms - the West doesn't want reforms - they want regime change and a puppet proxy government put in power. This is not about "democracy," this is about 21st century imperialism.

                                                  • 1 vote
                                                  Reply#19 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 12:48 AM EDT

                                                  Ahhhh, now you can 'also' see why Papa Ahmadinejad needs the BIG one, huh Pilgrim?"

                                                    #19.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:35 PM EDT

                                                    Actually, unless you contend that the media has completely fabricated Assad's actions, NATO and those non-NATO nations who condemned the violence (there are plenty of those) would still have reason to denounce him. Assad is killing children too, and he's doing it with artillery and a network of police that imprisons people without charge and tortures them for information. The rebels would have a hard time matching that level of cruelty even if they tried (and your post leaves me unconvinced of their dedication to evil).

                                                    Your talk of reforms barely warrants a response. Assad has promised them time and time again with zero results. He's agreed to the cease-fire while launching assaults. How many times should the Syrian people hold out hope when he crushes it without fail?

                                                      #19.2 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:16 PM EDT
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                                                      Syrians are stupid

                                                        Reply#20 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:59 AM EDT

                                                        Syrians are stupid?!!!

                                                        Of, but, but, but, they aren't here in AmeriKKKa murdering our people. So, who are the 'stupid' war criminals, Ohhhhh you figured it all out all by your lonesome, huh? Congrats Pendejo!

                                                          #20.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:25 PM EDT
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                                                          This is news? This IS to be expected. When it really comes down to it, all these groups of power hungry (so-called) rebels are no different than Assad. Both sides are guilty of numerous atrocities. Yet the UN, EU, NATO, Obama, etc., look the other way when rebels use car bombs, executions, etc.

                                                          All the discussions really do not matter here as the Muslim Brotherhood will eventually "win" in Syria. Then, you will have the MB in charge of Egypt & Syria. Thank you BHO! Thank you UN, NATO, EU!

                                                          • 1 vote
                                                          Reply#21 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 3:03 AM EDT

                                                          This is a response to seven the ignorant zionist xenophobe. What you just verbalized (badly) shows that you are egging on the masses to champion one religion over another. Yo are contributing to the overall zionist religious casm that they create between christians and muslims.

                                                          Beofre you make up your mind based on zionist media proaganda (and oh so 2 dimensional and ignorant) you should actually read about the history of Islam and find out more about it as a fw people have clearly done here. I am a christian but I respect Islam becuase they respect chrsitianity completely. If you doubt that, go and see all the churches that have existed for THOUSANDS of years across the Arab world. Those churches that the western zionist media don't want you to know about have co existed peacefully with mosques since the tme of Jesus in Nazareth.

                                                          If you actually go to Nazareth, you can clearly see the various religious neighborhoods that coexisted until outlawed by the stupid israeli government in the 1950's. Christians and muslims lived in peace until the late thirties when the scumbag eastern european jews came and started all the crap in Palestine. Before that EVERYTHING was fine. Don't believe me and research it.

                                                          I guess it's just easier to repeat the zionist mantra that Palestinians and jews have been fighting for housands of years. What revisionist crap. They have been at each others throats for only sixty years when the eastern european jews STOLE their country.

                                                          Instead of trying to educate this seven moron , I'm giving up and just gonna use language that he understads.

                                                          Go @!$%# yourself seven moron. How about that for class ? Why should I elevate your dumbass when you clearly show a tendency to spew venom and as an ignoramus too.

                                                            Reply#22 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 8:47 AM EDT

                                                            BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You so funny! Lived in peace? Muslims and Christians? BWAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAA! (cough,cough,cough)

                                                            You made me choke on my coffee!

                                                            • 1 vote
                                                            #22.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 11:24 AM EDT

                                                            Amen bro. Call me and I'll meet you at the 7-11 near your house. Maybe we can together castrate this biggot and (((stuff))) what we cut-off deep in his throat. That'll shut him up, dah?

                                                              #22.2 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:20 PM EDT

                                                              Shame they didn't rename them 9-11s, isn't it?

                                                              • 2 votes
                                                              #22.3 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:56 PM EDT

                                                              I'm an agnostic and I too hope to see Muslims and Christians living in peace.

                                                              Because, frankly, all of you look crazy to me.

                                                                #22.4 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:21 PM EDT
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                                                                If anyone, especially the Syrians fighting, THINK peaceful means is the way to change in Syria, Then they are either idealistically in fantasy land or totally oblivious to reality. When the protests were peaceful, Assad shot at them. When they would not stop protesting, he put snipers out and arrested them. When they would not stop protesting, he indiscriminatley fired missles into cities. When the protests turned into an armed resistance fighting back, he literally bombed his own cities into rubble. ASSAD is HITLER. ASSAD is STALIN. He will rule with an iron fist and terror OR he will go down. Hitler never quit. He died in his bunker. Stalin never quit. He died peacefully in Russia AFTER the US and Western Europe formed NATO and put troops all along the Iron Curtain. After years of a totally failed prison system called the Soviet Union, it collapsed. STALIN would have kept going IF the US and its allies rescued from Hitler did not fight back. ASSAD will destroy all his enemies and rule by terror OR he will be taken out. I hope the rebels get all the arms they need and take him out.

                                                                  Reply#23 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 8:56 AM EDT

                                                                  LQQkie here Billy boy....

                                                                  (((Yawn))) [Quit wasting the computer 'ink' Pilgrim. People are beginning to think you're a 4th-try GED drop-out!]

                                                                    #23.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:31 PM EDT

                                                                    Aside from the tired, irrelevant, and largely false comparisons to famous dictators just to bring them up, I agree, Bill.

                                                                    Assad has had ample opportunity to respond to diplomatic pressure and reason. Nobody was attacking his soldiers when he ordered them to open fire on the protesters. He brought this on himself.

                                                                      #23.2 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:23 PM EDT
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                                                                      This exposes the problem with the "most muslims are peaceful" lie. Most muslims are violent, arrogant and celebrate the suffering of others. They celebrate the suffering of others in the street. They send money to terrorist organizations. They hold auctions to finance suicide bombers, they take time out of their clitorectomy schedule to poison girls in school, hang women for the crime of being raped.

                                                                      The Koran celebrates marriages of first cousins, as do the general populations of the islamic countires. After several centuries, this is starting to show up pretty clearly.

                                                                        Reply#24 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 10:24 AM EDT

                                                                        You mean like in the perverted societies in France and Britain where many of the 'blue bloods' learned about sex from their mothers and sisters and centuries later are still 'paying the price' for their pervertedness?

                                                                          #24.1 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:05 PM EDT

                                                                          Definately this Dog Steve is not a history major. Probably got his GED/PhD degrees from the Kellog's Cereal company by sending in his 4,000 box tops of cholesterol reducing 'Wheaties" jajajaja.

                                                                            #24.2 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 1:14 PM EDT

                                                                            If you were to look at the last few thousand years, you would be forced to conclude that humans as a species are violent, arrogant, and celebrate the suffering of others. I see nothing unique about Muslims that make them better or worse than any other segment of humanity, save the fact that most of their nations have been held back from the 21st century by decades of oppression and dictatorship that the West has abetted, and sometimes directly supported.

                                                                            The people of the Middle East have spoken. And when their rulers don't listen, they start arming up. The future is here, and neither Assad or anyone else can stop it.

                                                                              #24.3 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 2:27 PM EDT
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                                                                              Editor: Charlene Gubash, obviously a Jew 'Is an unmitigated liar.' Yassar, folks, you be careful what you read on the US Jewish owned and operated corporate media. These Jews sppread their 'venom' real thick in trying to demonize anyone that rejects the United Snakes (US/Israel/NATO) baby killers. The world media has verified that the biggest massacres of innocent Syrian civilians has been the US/Israel/Saudi/Qatar armed and financed 'rebel's. Obviously, trying to make the Middle East safer for Jewish terrorism and US Imperialism is the 'name-of-the-game' in Syria, Lebanon, AF/PAK, Somalia, Yemen and places known only to their G-d. Now, let me say good-bye, while I can get away with 'all of my tail feathers.'

                                                                                Reply#25 - Thu Jul 5, 2012 12:56 PM EDT
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