assad belongs to a sect of Islam called the Alawhite(sec); they are non traditional Muslims, incorporating Jewish Catholic and Muslim beliefs. they do not believe in Sharia law, they are the most liberal of all the Muslim sects; that is why over 600 thousand Catholics fled Iraqi for Syria after Sadam was overthrown, they had lost his protection. the rebels who want him out are mostly Sunni hard liners, they do not consider him a real Muslim, since his sect follows a lot of teachings of Jesus, (originally they were called Nazarene's); the middle east is now being purged of all infidels(those that do not follow strict Islam.) we have a major problem of our understanding of the middle east.

you mean what Americans say they always wanted, 'democracy' is finally taking hold in the middle east and all of american's/jewish allies/dictators are getting purged one by one? what a b.! can't send/rendition people to syria to be tortured anymore. ah, but not to worry, there are still the romanians.......

Assad will recieve the rain of fire! Syria will be at peace as soon to his extinction!

Also a bit hypocritical that the USI was telling Egyptians to protest peacefully against Mubarak (which they did for the most part, despite being attacked and killed by Mubarak repeatedly), while they supply Libyans and Syrians with weapons instead of encouraging them to "protest peacefully".

That is how you know which revolutions are real and which are fake. The real ones are where they are told to "protest peacefully" while the fake ones are where there is not enough popular support to overthrow the existing government, so the USI (using our tax dollars of course) loads the "rebels" (like in Libya and Syria) instead of the government (like in Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, and Tunisia) with weapons and support.

It is interesting that the bastion of Islam - Sunni Islam - is Saudi Arabia. That is the country that gave birth to every one of the 9/11 terrorists. That is the country where women are forced to be veiled, cannot drive, etc. That is the country that is against any other form of Islam other than Sunni. That is the country that is pushing for Assad to be dethroned.

Saudi Arabia allows Christians to enter the country as foreign workers for temporary work, but does not allow them to practice their faith openly. Because of that Christians generally only worship in secret within private homes. Items and articles belonging to religions other than Islam are prohibited. These include Bibles, crucifixes, statues, carvings, items with religious symbols, and others.

That is the country that also has lots of petroleum. To them, anything other than Sunni Islam is heretical. That's why Saddaam had to go, And Assad, and Mubarek. It appears to be a consolidation.

Why does the United States support this consolidation of strict Sunni Islam? Are we naive - or are there other forces in play?

Americans can get rid of President Barack Obama on Nov. 6, if they are displeased with his policies. Syrians, on the other hand, have been trying to get rid of President Bashar Assad for over 17 months; all to no avail. Therefore, I must come to the conclusion that a Democracy is a much better form of government, for the people, than a Dictatorship; any-time, any-day.

freedman,

Saudi Arabia supported Saddam and Mubarak. Saddam was Sunni running a Shi'ite country (Iraq). The other force in play is Israel of course. How else you send agents to another country to assassinate someone using fake passports, have them end up on the Interpol list, and have them never caught and have everyone forget about them.

tomtom

Romney isn't going to be much better (or potentially much worse). If you guys think the presidents and congress are running this country, then you are fooling yourselves. Why else would they desire to take away every right that this country was founded for?

Saudi Arabia took action against Iraq claiming Iraq's actions posed a serious threat to its security and requested the United States to bring troops into the kingdom to help contront Iraq. Riyadh's fears concerning Baghdad's ultimate intentions prompted Saudi Arabia to become involved directly in the war against Iraq during January and February 1991. Although the United States was the principal military power in the coalition of the forces that opposed Iraq, the kingdoms air bases served as main staging areas for aerial strikes against Iraqi targets, and personnel of the Saudi armed forces who participated in both the bombing assaults and the ground offensive. Iraq responded by firing several Scud-B missiles at Riyadh and other Saudi towns. This conflict marked the first time since its invasion of Yemen in 1934, that Saudi Arabia had fought against another Arab state.

The Secnd Iraqi war, Bush II, Saudi did not allow U.S. forces to stage from Saudi soil, but provided money to Sunni supporters intent on Saddams defeat. Apparently they believed Saddam's secularism was poison.

But you are correct, they did express support for Mubarek.

Oddly, those idiots who are saying the Aurora shootings were caused by godless "Darwinists" need to look at middle east. All this chaos, all these deaths, all over the middle east...caused by religion. But somehow, we need religion in order to enforce morality? What a joke. Religion doesn't enforce morality. It just enables the powerful to abuse it. You want to worship a god? Find god yourself. Don't don't let a church or a neighbor tell you what to think or do in terms of your religion. Otherwise, you become a pawn in their power games.

This all part of in the Last days of Prophecy

Prophet Jeremiah wrote in Ch 49

Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized
on her: anguish and sorrows have taken
her, as a woman in travail.How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war (not just a few) shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.

There is still time to prepare for the Big Big day ............ but not alot.

Russia with its allies are thinking an evil thought.

just a sidenote to think about next weekend is Tisha B'Av "the Nineth of Av"

While it is correct to label the Saudis as Sunni Muslims, it is a dramatic understatement of their religious beliefs. The royal family are followers and supporters of the Wahhabi sect, a extremely conservative sect of the faith that has supported & taught violence as a means of instigating change, throughout the world.

Wiki..

" Wahhabism (Arabic: وهابية‎, Wahhābiyyah) is an ultra-conservative^[1] branch of Sunni Islam.^[2] It is a religious movement among fundamentalist (with an aspiration to return to the primordial fundamental Islamic sources Qur`an, Hadeeth & Scholarly consensus (Ijma)) Islamic believers.^[3] Wahhabism was a popular revivalist movement instigated by an eighteenth century theologian, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–1792) from Najd, Saudi Arabia. He began his movement through peaceful discussions with attendees of various shrines^[4] and eventually gained popular support by convincing the local Amir, Uthman ibn Mu'ammar, to help him in his struggle. ^[5] Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab advocated a popular purging of the widespread practices by Muslims being what he considered to be impurities and innovations in Islam. It is claimed that this was carried out by some of his more extreme followers by the killing of innocent Sunni muslims however this is fiercely debated.^[6] His has become the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia.^[7] Its adherents prefer to be referred to as Salafis."

"

Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab

Main article: Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab
Further information: First Saudi State

Mohammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab studied in Basra (now in southern Iraq) and is reported to have developed his ideas there.^[13][14] He is reported to have studied in Mecca and Medina while there to perform Hajj^[15][16] before returning to his home town of 'Uyayna in 1740.

After his return to 'Uyayna, ibn Abd-al-Wahhab began to attract followers, including the ruler of the town, Uthman ibn Mu'ammar. With Ibn Mu'ammar's support, ibn Abd-al-Wahhab began to implement some of his ideas such as leveling the grave of Zayd ibn al-Khattab, one of the Sahaba (companions) of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, and ordering that an adulteress be stoned to death. These actions were disapproved of by Sulaiman ibn Muhammad ibn Ghurayr of the tribe of Bani Khalid, the chief of Al-Hasa and Qatif, who held substantial influence in Nejd and ibn Abd-al-Wahhab was expelled from 'Uyayna.^[17]

Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab was invited to settle in neighboring Diriyah by its ruler Muhammad ibn Saud in 1740 (1157 AH), two of whose brothers had been students of Ibn Abdal-Wahhab. Upon arriving in Diriyya, a pact was made between Ibn Saud and Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, by which Ibn Saud pledged to implement and enforce Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab's teachings, while Ibn Saud and his family would remain the temporal "leaders" of the movement.

Question is: What would our government do under similar circumstances?.

Do we have the right to bring down our government if they get to oppressive? I would bet that our 'establishment' would use violence against its citizens to protect the interests of the .001%. (The vast majority of the "1%" are pawns, just like the religious right)

I like you sandmantruth...

you've obviously taken the RED pill and not the BLUE one

@alan3015148,

What happened on the Ninth of Av?
A Historical Overview

What do you make of all this? Jews see this as another confirmation of the deeply held conviction that history isn't haphazard; events – even terrible ones – are part of a Divine plan and have spiritual meaning. The message of time is that everything has a rational purpose, even though we don't understand it.

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/946703/jewish/What-happened-on-the-Ninth-of-Av.htm

we have a major problem of our understanding of REALITY!

The delusional could do the world a big favor by joining your various gads immediately.

Abosolutely we have that right.

"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."__Thomas Jefferson

"It's not tyranny we desire; it's just, limited, federal government."__Alexander Hamilton

"There are three things that deserve no mercy, hypocrosy, fraud and tyranny."__Frederick William Robertson

"The strongest reason for for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, to protect themselves from tyranny in government." __Thomas Jefferson

The framers, the founding fathers knew from history the oppression of big government and wanted to protect America from the pitfalls. Unfortunately today, we are seeing all their fears realized as "liberty is yielded and government gains ground.".

G A Custer: Too few seem to understand that when Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was certainly taking aim at the British, but in a larger sense, he was also saying that the principles he laid forth would apply to any other government as well; including our own.

That's why, if you read the Declaration of Independece, he didn't even get around to mentioning the British, until about a quarter of the way through the document. He was laying out general principles that applied to all.

Not many seem to get that.

One must ask......is Syria acting out to divert attention away from Iran?

Freedom Fighters will not be coming after Assad.

Russia has taken Assad's wife, and young children to live in exile there. Russia has announced they will also take Assad.

It is astounding Assad has lived this long--but it looks like he will be rescued before anything happens to him.

Now, is Russia, Putin, Medvedev a true friend of the United States?. Syria is closely connected to Russia and China. They will defend him, giving Assad protection, and whatever is left of his regime with firepower. What did Putin do when the Chechyans were massacred. Nothing--no value for human life, either.

This Dictator is cunning, and of higher intelligence than most of the other Dictators in the Middle East.

Freedom Fighters will not be coming after Assad.

Russia has taken Assad's wife, and young children to live in exile there. Russia has announced they will also take Assad.

It is astounding Assad has lived this long--but it looks like he will be rescued before anything happens to him.

Now, is Russia, Putin, Medvedev a true friend of the United States?. Syria is closely connected to Russia and China. They will defend him, giving Assad protection, and whatever is left of his regime with firepower.

This Dictator is cunning, and of higher intelligence than most of the other Dictators in the Middle East.

Yay! The good guys strike back!

The insurgents need a few truck loads of S2A missles!!!!

Politics and religion will be the death of the human race, unless a big space rock gets us first.

It is my fondest desire to see Assad captured through a fluke as was Gaddafi but not subject to the quick release he had. Rather he should be given the Mussolini treatment only in a hot desert instead. Doing so will allow him to adjust to the heat he will forever suffer in Hades.

saxon is right.

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 (S. Sudan, Darfur, Nigeria and other places) and Muslims (Mali, Syria, Pakistan and others).

We see Muslims inventing problems in most of the non-Muslim nations.

Even in the US, we can notice these actions!

When Muslims form more than five percent, downhill march starts.

Muslims are inventing problems in Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, India and other places.

When they form more than 30 percent then it is Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Lebanon (few decades back)

In Muslim majority nations, they kill each other!

Better wake up before it is too late on inventions of problems by followers of Sunni Islamic cult!

Jonathan - You forgot that it was a Muslim problem in predominently Hindu India that caused the beginning of Pakistan; the only smudge on Ghandi's record.

jonjojon: You look in one direction and that too with half-baked knowledge.

There are many posting with good knowledge of history and track records. Do you care to read them?

If you read and understand them, you won't be making these sorts of idiots comments in your posts.

In the very Pakistan, after Hindus and Sikhs were eliminated by massive genocides during 48-50, the Baloochs, Shiites, Sufis and Ahmedias are targetted.

These days, the fate of Shiites, Sufs and Ahmedias are worse than Hindus and they are Muslims too.

Whom do you blame what is going on in Pakistan?

In Nigeria, S. Sudan, Somalia, whom do blame?

In Mali, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq there are battles between Shiites, Shunnis and Kurds.

There must be somebody to blame.

If Muslims have problems with non-Muslims and among themselves in most places of the world, then followers of Islam have to blame themselves.

Here Saudi Sunnis have become Islamic religious Nazis.

Those who are used to one-way traffic can't understand two-way traffic thinking and understanding.

Thank You, Jonathan for your insulting comment. I'm the last person you will see accepting one form of an argument without full knowledge of the other side(s). YOU on the other hand are projecting your text-book observation as to what has and is happening in the world today. If you wish that is your prerogative, however you should at least have the grace to allow others theirs without your insults of/to them.

My approach to a subject is based on the pondering and filtering the outcome of an incident/event and I do it quite eclectically. My historical consideration goes back much further than the split; it takes into consideration the ancient history of the area and who was there and who were the "newcomers".

Islam is a religion that banks no rivals, accepts no preaching other than their own. Look to the massacres of Christians and Jews in up and coming Muslim controlled nations as evidence. Further you could look to the way the first Muslims insinuated their religion into the "Unclean" castes of India which was by far the largest during that time period. By doing so they were addressing the same cadre upon which a once-upon -a-time desert nomad tribe became a multi-family, multi-tribal and eventually multi-national Quasi-Religious group strong enough to challenge first Christianity and then the Western Nations.

Jonathan, if you had studied history as I have (from the directions they form and interchanged their views on religion) you might see where I am coming from. Meanwhile, just accept that the post I issued on yours was not an insult of your theory but an addition I felt was missing from it.

All multi-national empires start the same way, it is how they act AFTER they gain power that either glorifies or demonizes their conquest (yes conquest, it comes in many forms) in the annals of world history. And, yes I am including the Jewish, English, French, Germanic and Christian expansions.

jonjojon: Most non-Muslims don't care much about religion these days. In my family, many of my close relations are married to different groups.

But the followers of Islamic cult, especially Saudi Sunnis, have marched backwards and see the killings they are doing all over the world.

Most of them have become liabilities and curses on societies and nations wherever they are.

Let us not compare apples and oranges by talking what Christians and others did in 18/19th century and what Saudi Sunni Muslims are doing right now!

All religions have to reform with times. If not they will become history.

Communism is the example of death of an extremist ideology. Faster it marched to extremism, quicker was its down faill.

Jonathan, I hope and pray you are correct in your assessment of Communism. I do feel that Communism is under a toned down reform itself and is now evolving to a Socialistic point between Communism and Capitalism and will not be gone until a few generations beyond our own.

I don't trust Putin anymore than I would be able to see the Kremlin from the porch of Sarah Palin's Arizona Home.

Umm, no they didn't. They said they would take necessary measures to prevent the weapons from getting into the hands of hezbollah.

Syria is 10% Christian, and are protected by the constitution.

"If the regime goes, you can forget about Christians in Syria," said George, a 37-year-old dentist who, like others interviewed, asked to be identified by either a first name or nickname. "Look what happened to the Christians of Iraq. They had to flee everywhere, while most of the churches were attacked and bombed."

http://tinyurl.com/cwpbw4d

The only problem is that it's our balls they're showing, as usual. Without their longtime protector behind them and supporting their aggressive stance, Israel is far less impressive and menacing.

Mjolinir really, just ask the countries who attacked them, and got their butts kicked. Every country in the ME, has a sugar Daddy. Try and guess where most of the new technology we have in the US comes from. Dude, good try in trying to minimize how tough that little country. Oh, and please don't bring up 2006 in Lebanon with Hezballoh using Women, and children as human shields, and hiding behind their Mother's skirt, or firing from the middle of cities. Israel could have wiped them out, but choose not to, unlike Assad.

Kevin.

What they said in essence is the same.

freeman1:

your thesis is flawed. Saddam was a Sunni. Fess-up and rethink your thesis.

Kevin:

"His comments could not be verified, but Israel said on Friday it would consider military action if needed to ensure Syrian missiles or chemical weapons did not reach Assad's allies in Lebanon, the Shiite Islamist movement Hezbollah"

Sounds like he said that they would use Military Force to me... But then again, I am a little bit hard of hearing.

Syrian rebels are supported by Sunni Islamic religious Nazis like al-Qaida, MB and other label ones.

If we apply their logic, Bahrain should have Shiite ruler instead of a despotic, corrupt and autocratic Sunni ruler.

British should kick out all members of Syrian Observatory, front end for criminals and jihadists like al-Qaida, MB and others.

Why sould we support our enemies?

Oh please, You have got to be kidding me!!! First of all, NATO is not involved in any way in what is going on and has not provided any weapons or assistance to the rebels. The assistance they are getting is coming from other Arab countries like Saudi Arabia as well as from the Muslim Brotherhood. Second, the support Assad has received from Russia is minimal. All they did was deliver some helicopters that they had been overhauling under a long established contract, the Russian, Chinese, or anyone else have not been providing anything in the way of significant military support for Assad. This is definitely no proxy war between NATO and the Russians/Chinese, it is a civil war with the "rebels" getting some support from other Arabs. Please do some reading and educate yourself before posting so you do not embarrass yourself.

I am going to have to agree with the proxy war statement. if you think that NATO, China, Russia, Iran and even Israel have not in any way been a part of this, then you have not studied history. If the US mentions Russia in a news conference in a strong negative tone, and the Russians fire back with some back handed remark that is public acknowledgement of a proxy situation on the ground. It is called reading between the lines.

Russia needs to keep the Assad in power and the US wants him gone. Neither country will fight an open war over it, but neither country will sit around and not help their side. Even if the US and Russia are sharing intelligence to their respective sides, they are both involved.

It would be foolish to think that the only players here are the ones you see shooting at one another.

You're kidding right? Have you been watching the news at all? The U.S. has been supplying them with weapons for weeks.

Definitely a proxy war. If this movement against Assad was so popular, the rebels would be able to take him out without getting outside help, just like the Egyptians took Mubarak out despite the fact the US was supplying him with weapons.

Real Revolutions: Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain

USI induced "Revolutions": Libya, Syria

Confessions of an Economic Hitman - Great book.

Freedom fighters?

You think they're fighting for freedom?

Saudi Arabia backed - the bastion of freedom in the middle east.

Just to show how wrong you are JS.

Here's a story about the U.S. coordinating the supplies from the Washington Post.

tinyurl.com/7tkbrf9

The American military, the paper notes, has also prepared options for Syria “extending all the way to air assaults to destroy the nation’s air defenses.” However, US officials describe such scenario as unlikely, claiming instead, that the United States and its allies are increasingly focusing on coordination of intelligence and the supplying weapons to anti-Damascus rebel groups.

Here's a quote from another story talking about the U.S. role. Notice it says "allies" and guess what NATO is?

www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/05/16/241508/us-shipment-new-weapons-syria/

Here's another story from the New York Times in which the Russian foreign minister Sergey V. Lavrov states that the U.S. is sending weapons to the rebels. Which is akin to Hillary Clinton saying the Russian's are sending Attack Helicopters to Syria. Both have been said and both are true.

www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/world/middleeast/russia-and-iran-accuse-the-us-of-arming-syrian-rebels.html

here is a youtube story of a former Reagan administration official explaining the whole situation.

and finally here is one of many interviews with Dr. Brzezinski the former National Security Advisor under Jimmy Carter on Morning Joe with his opinions on this.

video.msnbc.msn.com/morning-joe/48255953#482559

So we have both former Conservative and Liberal officials as well as many of the top news organizations saying what I am saying and then we have you telling me to do some reading before I embarrass myself. Hmmmm. Anyone else see the irony here?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZzEyJxRmc8

The youtube story since it didn't post the first time.

JS,

Are you an idiot? This whole Arab Spring has CIA all over it. All the "target" nations" had governments that wanted to end the days of the petrodollar. That is why we want to take out Assad, but not the Saudis, who actually, support radical Islam in the form of Wahhabism.

@Robert-3107100.............. The leader of any nation that seeks to change the American Dollar as the world's recognized currency, is removed from power. Case closed.

The Synical View: Proxy this and proxy that, it's alway's the same when hiding the shame!

Are we, are we not, maybe we did but no we're not! We may have to wait for wiki leak's to be sure of anything. But between voter uproar of any outright commitment by the US in Syria. And the fact that the west can not help the Syrian people, without inadvertantly putting weapon's in our own enemie's hand's. Weapon's that would later be used against NATO troop's in the hand's of islamic radical's, formed of Syrian rebel's. Who answered the call by radical leader's and their mullah's to support their Syrian brother's on the ground.

So there is just to much confusion and uncertainty of who the rebel's actually are for the US to openly support them. Without possibly getting a little egg on the face. Once the full make-up is known of who or what the rebel force truely is. So the front of weapon's move's, undeniably through other's, with deniable big O support.

Big O, from safely out of sight and out of mind, but within deniability range of no involvment. Has a steady weapon's flow of, up your's Russia, China and Iran, flowing into Syria, as we'd shoot off our own foot, we'd befriend their enemie's, we'd supply our own enemy with weapon's, just at the mere thought of screwing even one of them, let alone the chance of all three at once.

Just think what a vacum of shiite would be created, if big O, stood tall in his vocal support for the Syrian rebel's. Backed it up by openly suppling weapon's and technical warfare support, directly to, and not through a Saudi Arabia front. Then as Assad fall's. Suddenly the true color's of the backbone of the rebel force emerge's as an, al-Q, paki backed, taliban style, sharia government, US equipt, is born of a new Syria. Deny, deny, deny we had no part in supporting terrorist.

Risen out of the immediate ashe's of Assad's defeat with many praise's and thank you's from smiling, smearking, radical islamist, mullah face's. All thanking the big-O as they cart off all their new weapon's. Back to Afganistan and Pakistan to resume the fight against US and NATO forces. The fight, that appeared, since this civil war began, that they were loseing. When in fact they had just shifted priority of their seemingly 10,000 year war, to Syria and back. After all they're in no hurry and have plenty of time ahead as they have in the past to break for a new and different place to wage the same old fight.

We should keep away from Shiites vs Sunni battles.

We should learn something by making bigoted, autocratic, despotic and highly retrograde Sunni Saudis, UAE, Kuwaiti rulers winners against Saddam with Iraqi wars.

We lost from all sides and we ended up with more enemies than friends.

An ignorant, racist comment.

Islam the religion of peace. So much money and land in the middle east,to bad the palistinians couldnt just move.But no the hate and desire to kill jews comes first.

I wish all the muslims would leave the usa,they suck. They well cause problems just like in France and Briton. Koran,death to the infidels and non beleavers.

Dont like my views,tough.

They are fighting for the right to beat the women and breed the camels and donkeys.

Ron17571:

Google 'Dearborn MI"...

"They well cause problems just like in France and Briton. Koran,death to the infidels and non beleavers"

It's already happening, and the 'Authorities' have done Nothing to stop it.

You are absolutely correct, Proud2BaVet........... IR12 I was sworn in 40 odd years ago and never sworn out. I still stand by it . Lt USA Remember, foreign AND domestic?

Jamie, no rational person should be loving this violence or any violence. There is real potential here for a lot of innocent people to be killed. Those people are no different that you or I in only wanting to live in peace with dignity, protect there children and otherwise pursue what makes them happy. Please have some empathy for others and respect for how awful the situation in Syria is right now.

He thrives on it as well as our ignorance.

thrill22, your ignorance and Jamie's is showing. Does Obama love that too?

At least President Obama isn't listening to Senator John McCain who wants to send troops to Syria...

Devil's son, Obama is a forked tongue devil.... wait, is he your father?

Although many Christians have lost their lives in the midst of the conflict, particularly in the city of Homs, they have generally stood by the government due to fears of what changes hard-line Muslim rebels may bring to the country.

http://tinyurl.com/cv5576v

Willin and Devil:

How much you want to bet, that when the current gov't is brought down, it will be replaced with members of the 'Muslin Brotherhood"...

No, you're not wrong. But something horrific is always just over the horizon.

Not being ruled, or unduly influenced by your fear is a choice however. Whatever problems the Middle East has are the result of religious intolerance, restrictions on free thought and ignorance.

Let their suffering serve as an example to Americans in this election year that reason, not religion is far better equipped for the protection of freedoms.

Mjolnir-88974:

You forgot to include the Meddling of Other Gov'ts (Ours included).

I have said this before and I say it again, religion in government equals violence of one form or another. Read your history, Spanish Inquisitions, Crusades, the founding of America was partly because or based on escaping religious oppression, and here we are, back at it again. The Middle East is not that much different from what some 'Rightwing Religious Zealots' here in the USA want.

Keep religion out of government and we all will be better off. Read the original Constitution and learn to understand what our founders were talking about when they wrote it.

Most people in to-days religions have never really read their own religious books, they only know what their religious leaders tell them. That is also true of most Americans, they have never really read and studied our original papers and documents, they only know what people tell them. In most cases, it is distorted.

Remember when in school, a game called 'telegraph' or 'telephone', where the teacher would tell something to one student, and then in turn have each repeat it to the next until it completed the classroom, and at the end it was different than it was at the start. That principle holds true in government and religion, and all of the translations in-between.

If you don't really dig in and learn what it is for your self, you will NEVER really know the truth. It does not matter who told you what in the long run, it's what you accept and believe, and if that is based on your own research and not what someone else says, then you have the 'truth' to believe in. The truth based on how you accept and interpret what you personally have researched and dug out.

Glad to see that I'm not the only one who sees the similarity. Christianity had its violent/militaristic time during its evolution. It overtook the Roman Empire and the Pope commanded armies that ranged as far north as the British Isles. It eventually grew out of it. Islam is approximately 1200 to 1500 years behind Christianity in its development, and seems to be headed in the same direction. I sure hope it doesn't succeed.

You believe there is a shortage of arms in the Middlle East and they have to depend on the west for their weapons? Get real.

“What’s driving Russia’s position is Moscow’s deep discomfort at what happened in Libya and (its determination) that it not again sanction civilian protection as pretext for regime change." ~ Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations

thrill22, the "average" American is only concerned about their possessions and entertainments. This stupidity has been carefully cultivated over the last few decades to produce a mindless, fearful and easily manipulated consumer of trash goods and services. Easily disposed of and replaced by yet another hungry, and unquestioning drone.

They are unable to "wake up" or "snap out of it", to do so they would have had to exist in a state of awareness at some point previously.

thrill22 and mjolnir-889746. You guys have some unresolved daddy issues?

Spoken like a true Mama's boy.

I feel that way when looking at Obama and Romney an finding it hard to beleave people dont see how much better Ron Paul is.Daily loss of freedoms under Obama.

Romney is like a white more experienced version of Obama,who has had a job and made money.They vote about the same.

Mjolnir-889746:

I like your statement, "the "average" American is only concerned about their possessions and entertainments"

I had several Relatives in the Veitnam War and each an everyone of them said that the people over there didn't care who run the country, as long as they got their rice and fish.

What makes me bring this up is the other night, I was at the local pub when I over hear 2 guys talking, one said "I don't give a Shlt who wins, as long as they don't F##K with my foodstamps".

We are headed into A Pile of "DoDo"

Troy F, did you ever know your own?

Perhaps you're too young to have seen the changes in this country in the past 40 years, if so, your ignorance is understandable and exactly the attitude you were programmed to have. If not, well, no amount of logical demonstration will ever convince the willfully ignorant.

Don't worry, there will always be others to do your thinking for you, especially since it seems to be a personal struggle for you to post more than a simple remark that I'm sure you thought was funny.

Cheers!

@ Proud2BaVet... Even our veterans have learned to scam our system of assistance. Only a few years ago 5% of the returning vets from the Gulf War were gettting assistance, as PTSD related, today a full 80% receive it. They refer to it as "milk money". I thank them for their service and sacrafice, but what's right IS right. Their loyalty is to their pockets and NOT to their country. The final 20% get far more of my respect and thanks.

Bensgpa:

Point Taken and I agree with you...

What I guess I was trying to say is that there are some out there who could care less what happens in there gov't as long as they get taken care of...

Our elected leaders will make what goes on in Syria our business because this country's economy can no longer be supported without war or the inevitable threat of war. This much has been clear since the Eisenhower administration.

As our forces draw down in Iraq and Afghanistan a new theater of operations was vital to maintain the profitable machinery of war production, Syria and Iran will fill this need for the next couple of decades.

It's also the reason the US supports the torture of prisoners; to maintain a steady supply of highly-motivated enemies intent upon the destruction of the country who tortured them. Torture is never, ever forgotten or forgiven, a fact well known and exploited by the administration who authorized it.

RUSTY, You are so wright its all fun and games untell you get on the two way range.

Terrorists, Muslim Brotherhood, Dictators, Islamic extremists, liars, Yep sure sounds like the Democrat Party

laure Lindsay sweetie I HATE to tell you Syria was safer country than the US , before we and our allies the Saudis and Qataris start sending and arming these Alqaida and Muslim brother hood there . read today , the king of Saudia collecting contributions in Ramadan month for the killers in Syria , Qatar announce that paying the Salaries to all these so called freedom fighters , I wonder if a country announce they are collecting money to help Alaida attack us here in the US , what would we do , Qatar and the Saudis paying countries to smuggle these thugs into Syria , Our Intel. admitted that , but still our politicians and people like you can see it or hear it , do not cry when these thugs come over here and start doing that to us , because it will our arms and training , Our politicians care about other countries interest and about the money they put in their pockets than they care about me and you , and nothing goin to change till we the people of the US start asking questions and demanding the trail of all these politicians , no body above the law , but the way it looks the US and allies had dragged this so called UN to the dirt and that Dumb aaass Ban Ki Moon is nothing but a puppet for them , they need to do away with it , Russia was a good Friend when they agreed to let the UN attack Iraq and Libya , but now that they are seeing the writing on the walls when it comes to Syria , OHH no THEY ARE NO GOOD , IT GOES BACK TO MR. BUSH YOU EITHER WITH US OR AGAINST US , BUT HE FORGOT TO FINISH THE SENTENCE ,,, RIGHT OR WRONG , EITHER YOU WITH US OR AGAINST US .

In the case of the Christians in Syria, a few facts are in order. At the beginning of the ‘Arab spring’ uprising when it reached Syria, there was a chant amongst the revolutionaries—’Christians to Beirut, Alawites (i.e. the Assad clan) to the coffin’. In other words, the revolution was religious in character to a real degree, and one of its goals was driving Christians right out of the country.

In light of this, and partly because of this we have an explanation for the second fact— Christians in Syria tend to support Assad, and Assad in turn has protected various Christian groups and churches from radical Muslims. Of course, of this fact you hear nothing on the American news. A third fact is important. Christians in Syria know their fate will always be determined by the Muslim majority. But what sort of Muslims do they want in power? Obviously those who are tolerant of Christians and don’t try to drive them into the sea.

http://tinyurl.com/7thr2em

More unresolved daddy issues.....wheres Dr Phil when you need him

Actually, it realy does sound like the GOP. Extremists trying to force their beliefs on the population for their own good.

Nations like Syria and Iran use religion to beat down their populations with. They legislate morality, wrap it up in a shiny "god said do this" package and indoctrinate their young so they know nothing else.

This is the same method christians used for over 1500 years bringing death and destruction to Europe. The players change, the names change ... even the deity's change, but the song remains the same.

Of course, just like the GOP and the religious right, they truly believe they are doing the right thing. They truly believe the end justifies the means. They can't conceive that they may wrong and as a result, will never question what they do.

Nothing new here.

My Turn, Sweetie, or Angel Buns, Darling, I'm not sure I follow your post, but thanks for the reply. I suspect that once Assad does depart this earth, the trouble in Syria will continue due to the sectarian segregation. Syria has more religious segregation than Boston has racial segregation, which is to say a lot.

People who tend to be extremely religious, also tend to be extremely fearful of different religions, and Syria has a lot of different and opposing religious views. Don't be surprised to see a demand for splitting this country up into 3 or 4 different nation states just to prevent them from killing eash other.

MIKE1961582:

It never ceases to amaze me that people like you Always has to Blame Someone, (But I guess you are just taking your lead from your "super Hero" in DC)

It's like you are on a sinking ship and will not get off until you find out who put the hole in the boat to begin with and thus you drown because yyou don't have enough where-with-all to realize yyou are getting wet.

Great way to put it !! Thanks Proud...

DAMASCUS, Syria -- As the announcement was made Saturday evening that Russia and China had vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the actions of the Syrian regime, some Christians inside the country celebrated.

One man from the western Syrian town of Qatana called his relatives to say "mabrook," or congratulations, on the result of the vote. A lounge bar in Damascus offered two alcoholic drinks for one in a happy hour offer.

But in Christian homes around the country the prevailing sentiment is one of relief rather than delight -- they link the survival of the Assad regime to their own.

"Thank god for Russia. Without Russia we are doomed," said a Christian woman from Damascus recently.

http://tinyurl.com/73j564x

This all part of in the Last days of Prophecy

Jeremiah wrote in Ch 49

Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized
on her: anguish and sorrows have taken
her, as a woman in travail.How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war (not just a few) shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.

There is still time to prepare for the Big Big day ............ but not alot.

Russia has a much much bigger prize in mind(an evil thought). Only to be eventually thwarted and destroyed when they enter the valley of Megido.

sidenote to think about(this is not a prediction): something big could happen next weekend in Israel because next weekend is "the Nineth of Av" Tisha B'Av.

It's also the beggining of the Olympics, and four years ago Russia invaded Georgia on the opening day of the Olympics.

LEFTISTREPORTING:

What if they are Russians? As you stated " Russia needs to keep that base in Syria"... What do you think the US of A would do if someone was trying to take control of one of Our Bases?...

Not that I agree with it, but it's the facts.

Christians do know what could happen. In the wake of Saddam Hussein’s downfall, the Christian community in Iraq has more or less been decimated; those who haven’t fled the country are confronted with systematic repression. After the civil war in Lebanon, which Christians are generally perceived to have lost, the Christian community remains on the defensive and is shrinking. And in post-Mubarak Egypt, the Coptic Christians – 10% of the population - remain vigilant about their rights and their security.

The Christian minority in Syria is facing a growing threat and thousands are being forced to flee their homes as they face harassment and discrimination from radial Islamist factions of the opposition.

At least 9,000 Christians from the western Syrian city of Qusayr were forced to seek refuge after an ultimatum from a local military chief of the armed opposition, Abdel Salam Harba, Fides news agency reports.

Yeah, they could've been quickly moved from Iraq before, say, Shock and Awe (if Iraq had any to move). Maybe Hussein hoped Bush would've cooled down after a few bombs, and would've withdrawn the chemicals back to Iraq if the US left.

Assad has not spoken in public since the bombing. Diplomats and opposition sources said government forces were focusing on strategic centers, with one Western diplomat comparing Assad to a doctor "abandoning the patient's limbs to save the organs."

...but is Assad saving the limbs or organs? By all accounts (but his own), it looks like he's shooting the limbs and about to try to poison the organs.

a---rand, You hit the nail on the head dam wright those weapons came from Irag !!!!

There have been reports last week that some mosques in the city have announced from the minarets: "Christians must leave Qusayr within six days, which expires this Friday."

Two Catholic priests who fled Qusayr confirmed to the news agency that they heard the ultimatum "with their own ears" repeated from the minarets.

"The situation is unsustainable in the area and exposed to total lawlessness," Fides sources on the ground say. They also fear that the fate of Christians in Qusayr could soon affect the 10,000 believers who live in other villages in the area.

The areas controlled by the opposition are witnessing the rise of radical forms of Sunni Islam with the extremists not willing to live in peace with the Christians.

The sad thing is that congress sucks so bad,no matter who is president i dont see anything getting done.

Well mabe the Iran war well have such a bad effect on oil and our economy well be so bad there well be riots and martial law.So Obama can stay in office,thats the only way i see him staying in power.It sure wont be because of his reord.

Are we positively, absolutely sure we want that to happen? Everyone talks about democracy, but remember, the majority rules and the majority seam to want a religious government. Until they can rid themselves of that concept, they and the rest of the world might be better off if they had a strong dictator.

Just food for thought!

Ron Pauls idea of keeping out of other countrys buisness makes to much sense.

Heck the way things are going we have never ending war.Why? i dont see anyone attacking the usa,else than a few wack jobs.

a---rand:

It is suppose to be "Majority Rules", But just take a look around at our country and you will see that is not the case here in the US of A.

ron17571:

They will not have to attack us, we will fall from within.

These are true statments from Our history:

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
- Abraham Lincoln

"We do not have to destroy America with missiles; America will destroy itself from within."
- Nikita Khrushchev (Russian Leader in the 60's)

Nobody is born to fight. Islam poisons their brains.

Nobody is born to fight, politics and religion poisons their brains.