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Zain Karam / Reuters
Free Syrian Army fighters hold their weapons as they look at a jet in the sky above Aleppo's Bustan al-Basha district on Wednesday.
ALEPPO, Syria - Most of the rebels fighting government forces in the city of Aleppo fit a specific mold: They're poor, religiously conservative and usually come from the underdeveloped countryside nearby.
They bring to the battle their fury over years of economic marginalization, fired by a pious fervor, and they say their fight in the civil war is not only against President Bashar Assad but also the elite merchants and industrialists who dominate the city and have stuck by the regime. The rebels regard this support for the government to be an act of betrayal.
The blend of poverty, religious piety and anger could define the future of Aleppo, and perhaps the rest of Syria, if the rebels take over the country's largest city, which is also its economic engine. They may be tempted to push their own version of Islam, which is more fundamentalist than what is found in the city. Their bitterness at the business class may prompt them to seek ways of redistributing the wealth.
"Those who have money in Aleppo only worry about their wealth and interests when we have long lived in poverty," said Osama Abu Mohammed, a rebel commander who was a car mechanic in the nearby town of Beyanon before he joined the fight.
Syrian helicopter reportedly downed by rebels
"They have been breast-fed cowardice and their hearts are filled with fear. With their money, we could buy weapons that enable us to liberate the entire city in a week," he said.
Rebels pelted
With neither side able to decide the battle after three months of fighting and with winter fast approaching, however, the rebels from the countryside in Aleppo province risk losing the popular good will they have enjoyed from their fellow impoverished Sunnis in the city.
Fabio Bucciarelli / AFP - Getty Images
A look back at the violence that has overtaken the country
On Saturday, civilians pelted a group of rebels with broken glass as they headed to the front line because they feel the fighters' presence brings the regime's destruction down on them, according to an Associated Press photographer and cameraman who witnessed the incident.
"The city of Aleppo has not really joined the revolution," acknowledged one 32-year-old fighter who goes by the name of Abu Ahmed and is from the nearby town of al-Bab. "All of us are from rural Aleppo."
Like some other rebels, he spoke on condition he be identified only with that nickname — by which he is widely known among his comrades — fearing that use of his real name could bring retaliation on his family.
Asmaa Waguih / Reuters
A man runs past a damaged bus at the front line between the Free Syrian Army and the pro-government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday.
The battle for Aleppo is a stark illustration of how Syria's conflict, now in its 19th month, is as much a revolt of the underclass as a rebellion against the regime's authoritarian grip.
The countryside surrounding Aleppo is dotted with small farming towns where the population is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, with a social fabric built around strong family and clan ties, primarily guided by local customs and a conservative brand of Islam.
NATO leaders discuss the volatile situation along the Turkish-Syrian border following last week's shelling of a village by forces loyal to Syria's government. NBC's Jim Maceda reports.
In contrast, Aleppo's estimated 3 million residents are a mix of Syria's main ethnic and religious groups — Sunni and Shiite Muslims, Alawites, Christians, Kurds, Turkomen and Armenians — with a relatively liberal lifestyle.
The northern city is home to a powerful community of factory owners, manufacturers and merchants, mainly from prominent Sunni families, who were largely allowed to operate without government interference while the Assad family's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, kept its grip on political power.
The battle for Aleppo: My 18 days with the Syrian rebels
The flashpoints of the uprising have been the poorest parts of the country.
It began in March 2011 in the impoverished southern province of Daraa. A drought hitting parts of the country displaced tens of thousands of people from farming areas, putting more pressure on the economy. The city of Homs, which has been a main center of the rebellion, is known as "the mother of the poor" because the cost of living is lower and its population generally less well off. When Damascus saw its worst fighting yet in July, it was largely in the capital's poorer districts that the rebels operated.
Gap between rich and poor
The gap between rich and poor across Syria grew in the more than a decade of free market economic policies initiated by the late Hafez Assad and accelerated by his son, Bashar, when he took power in 2000.
Focused on the service sector, the new policy benefited a tiny segment of the country's 22 million people, particularly a clique of regime-linked businessmen and the mostly Sunni merchant class in Aleppo and Damascus, who have largely stuck by Assad. But the policies also triggered steep price increases that reduced many Syrians to poverty, particularly among the country's broader Sunni majority.
NBC News
People resisting the army of President Bashar al-Assad in northern Syria cope with loss and prepare for fighting.
For much of the uprising, Aleppo largely remained on the regime's side, with little rebel activity. The city's businessmen could use their influence, threats and payoffs to make sure of that — with tens of thousands on their payrolls and the countryside dependent on them.
What few anti-Assad demonstrations that did take place early on came from the dormitories of the University of Aleppo, home to students from rural parts of the province.
Then the rebels from the countryside launched their surprise attack on the city in July. They moved into its impoverished, mainly Sunni districts, where residents are mostly of rural origin. They have since used those areas as their base from which to wage their bid to take over the city. To this day, all of Aleppo's rebel-held areas are poor, while the city's affluent parts remain under government control, with life there reportedly continuing much as it had before.
Once inside the city, the ranks of the rebels swelled with Aleppo volunteers bitter over their poverty.
Mohammed Al-Ali, 25, is one of them.
Syrian rebels use catapult to launch homemade bomb
Just back from a two-day stint on the front lines in Aleppo — "the enemy was no more than 15 meters away from our position," he said — Al-Ali is fighting as much for social justice as for freedom.
In a blue tracksuit and tennis shoes, he spoke of a father with a meager pension of $200 and a family so poor he had to drop out of school and take various jobs in shops to make ends meet as prices skyrocketed across Syria in the past decade.
"We sold everything in the house that we did not absolutely need," Al-Ali said.
Besides being a fighter, he earns a monthly wage of $80 as a helper in a field hospital.
"I am hoping that when this is over, I will go to university and study Arabic literature. This is my dream," he said.
Fundamentalist outlook
The rural fighters also bring with them their more fundamentalist religious outlook, which the trauma of war has only deepened. Most rebels in Aleppo wear beards, a hallmark of piety, and their conversation is filled with verses from the Quran or sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. They frame the fight in a religious context and speak of martyrdom as something they wish for.
They often trade stories of miracles showing God's support for them.
Andrea Mitchell talks to Ambassador Dennis Ross about the escalating tensions between Syria and Turkey, and what both presidential candidates are saying they'll do about the situation.
Waiting at a field hospital as one of his fighters was treated for shrapnel wounds, a rebel commander who goes by the nickname of Abu Ekrimah recounted one such tale to a comrade.
The burly, bearded commander with piercing hazel eyes — his vest full of ammunition magazines and an automatic rifle slung over his shoulder — told how a long-bearded man with a reputation for piety once gave his brigade's fighters some homemade grenades. He instructed them to ritually wash themselves as if for prayers and then throw them while shouting, "God is great!"
Civilians bear the brunt of Aleppo fighting
"We followed his instructions, and we could see that when we tossed them, they changed course in midair to score direct hits against the enemy," Abu Ekrimah said.
"God is great!" his comrade exclaimed at hearing the story.
For some of the Aleppo rebels, the war against the regime has inspired a turning point in their personal journey of faith.
The rebel Abu Ahmed has images stored on his mobile phone of party dresses he once designed as a tailor working in Egypt, Lebanon and Aleppo: low-cut, strapless, see-through in parts. He says designing such revealing dresses was part of a past he has now put behind him.
He also has a picture of himself with a bruised forehead and a deep cut under his left eye — what he said was the result of a beating from regime loyalists while taking part in a street protest in May 2011. He now is an ambulance driver for the rebels, who revere him for his seeming fearlessness in battle zones.
"Initially, I wanted it to be a peaceful revolution against the regime, but now it is a war fought in defense of our faith," according to the bearded Abu Ahmed.
It is impossible to gauge the degree of support enjoyed by the rebels in the parts of Aleppo they control. The rebels acknowledge that many residents are fed up with the hardships they endure.
Regime forces punish the city daily with artillery and airstrikes. Civilians are killed and wounded while standing on bread lines, walking the streets or watching TV at home. Snipers target civilians in areas where rebels have positions. The staff at the rebels' field hospital said 80 percent of the 100-120 cases they treat daily are civilians.
Even in rural Aleppo, there is a degree of disgruntlement over the impact of the fighting on the local economy. State-supported farmers' associations that once sold fuel, seeds and fertilizers no longer do so. Black market prices for the items are so high it's not worth planting some crops when the season starts in December.
The fighting also almost completely shut down markets that traditionally bought their produce of wheat, barley, chickpeas and olives.
"Supplies were available for the last farming season, but this season will be a very difficult one," said Mazen Aleto, a local council member in Tel Rifaat, a village north of Aleppo. "There may not be a harvest this time."
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Leave a Comment:
"They're poor, religiously conservative and usually come from the underdeveloped countryside nearby."
What we are noticing in Syria, Iran and other Muslim nations is simply intolerance of Sunnis. Many have simply become one-way traffic Islamic religious Nazis.
To give a class color to the actions barbaric and beastly Sunni rebels supported by the Sunni Islamic killers like al Qaida, MB, Salaffi and others is a joke of the decade.
Just examine most of the autocratic, highly corrupt, despotic, and bigoted rulers of Sunni Saudi Arabia (ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses), Kuwait (battalion of wives and keeps), UAE (many princes and princesses), Qatar and other Sunni Arab League nations.
Compare the ruling class (hardly two percent) with the rest 98 percent.
Conditions (class variations like some being too rich and many being unemployed) in most of them are worse than Syria or even Iran.
Sunni Saudis, oil companies, Jewish Netanyahus and their lobbyists are running amuck like before Iraqi wars with inventions and fairy tales!
Sunni Saudis and co are real culprits in Syria and for manipulation oil prices from $40 in 2009 to more than $110 now by managing sanctions on Iranian oil through their agents in the US, Britain and Europe.
Compare the ruling class (hardly two percent) with the rest 98 percent...
Where have we heard that recently.?.
The ruling RICH 2% are the problem...It is an age old problem that has toppled RICH ruling class governments many times...
And like usual they use religion to control the 98%...
Are voters in the USA smart enough to see the resemblance between Syria (and many other governments ruled by religion) and the type of government the TEA PARTY and the likes of Paul Ryan would bring to America if elected...
Do not allow the FAR RIGHT WING WACKOS and religious fanatics to invade our government...We see what it has done in the rest of the world...
Vote Democrat and save Americans from the 2%...
The self destruction of Islam has just begun... you see it in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Syria... every day Sunnis are killing Shiites and vice versa. The whole middle east is a powder keg... just a matter of time before it spills into Iran and other countries. Israel should just sit back and watch.
Big Dawg: I have to agree with you.
I support Shiites as they are infidels like I. Who can kill one Muslim better than another one?
All infidels including Jews of Israel should have patience. Those who want to have popcorns for watching their battles (as in movies), please get them too.
Let us worry about the remianing.
If we don't erase Islam from the map in this century itself, their barbaric and beastly actions since the birth of Islamic cult will repeat and continue to hurt.
Of course, their own Allah has predicted end of Islam in this century itself. I don't want to contradict their Allah here.
The article fails to mention that the rebels as a whole want to win and establish Sharia Law throughout Syria. The same thing that Al-Qaeda wants.
Let's call this for what it is: An internal religious war, nothing more, nothing less. But it is an example of the total hate filled culture of islam where it is acceptable and expected that you kill another muslim if his interpretation of islam is different from yours. If the rebels do wrest control of the country it will sink into the morass of Sharia law, a total lack of commerece, complete corruption and the cruel and hate filled subjugation of women and education. In other words it will another failed, backward islamist country and eventually sink into oblivion. Islam....the greatest scourge this world has ever known!
I do not know how the Sunni-Shiite conflict will play out. However, I can not condone a hereditary dictatorship turning it's army against its own citizens when they peacefully demonstrate for change. That, after all, is at the heart of the Syrian conflict. My preference would be a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government which would respect human rights for all its citizens regardless of their religious beliefs, or lack thereof. Assad has refused to allow that to happen, and has chosen instead to destroy his own country. The consequences are unpredictable, but are not likely to end well in the near term. However, I am optimistic that democracy is the best form of government known to man, and that efforts to expand it will ultimately improve the lot of the humankind.
Let them keep their fury. Let us keep our tax dollars.
Syria's 47 percent? Could this be us in ten years? Republican business owners have told their employees that if the "right" person doesn't win the election, they are going to fire people...taking their ball and going home. Don't let the door hit your face on the way out.
You're spot on! At the rate the middle class is being exploited I expect problems of this nature before 10 years. By then there will be no middle class only the 1-2% and all the rest.
This country has been sold to, and the politicians bought out by big business and the 1-2%. The warning signs are everywhere but we are to blind to see.
@vermillion, Having a bad day are we? Apparently you can't read very well or comprehend what you read. Neither one of us mentioned Obama, re-election or Robme for that matter. Just stating facts and opinions as we see it.
@vermillion
So according to you we should support the 2% that are protected by the Assad government...While Assad kills his own people in massive numbers we should tolerate it because it is a legitimate religious war...Like many other countries wealth rules their religion and all others suffer...
It does relate to our politics in the USA...The FAR RIGHT WING TEA PARTY movement wishes to promote only Christianity and purge the Muslims and other non-christian religion from the USA...I haven't heard of any Democrats who are claiming to be Tea Party members...
The Romney/Ryan ticket is all about a return to our Christian heritage...The Obama/Biden administration about religious freedom...
This is the USA, not a religiously ruled government...Keep it that way...
Vote Democrat and silence the likes of the FAR RIGHT WING WACKO tea Party members...
It is a bit tricky, isn't it? Romney wants to arm these rebels. We never learn.
@cheese: Oh, I don't know, I think WE learn, it's the people WE elect who seem never to learn.
Total BS... all of these rebels are Islamic fighters wanting to establish a religion based Syria. Common thugs and terrorists.
JohnBrowning, it could conceivably be us some day, if the Romney/Ryanites have their way with the economy.
John Browning, I was thinking the same thing. I don`t think the rebels are wrong in Syria, they are tired of greedy government and the rich people over powering them.
Get the facts 1st Pilgrim - Meanwhile 'stop pollutng this site' with conjecture and ignorant thoughts. BTW: The Taliban isn't wrong in Afghanistan (defending their country against foreign aggression) and they have every right to send the US/NATO aggressors and baby killers home in metalic coffins wrapped in their respective flags.
@AZ: But you neglected to state about what the Taliban is wrong. And you call US/NATO baby killers! Put on some 3D glasses when you view this tragic comedy called Afghanistan.
The "cowboy" has his turban wrapped too tight as usual.
with tensions between Turkey and Syria, it was not mentioned that Turkey has been building dams and keeping the water flowing to Syria. In that part of the world, if there is no water to irrigate with, there is no way to grow crops. See Lester Brown's new book - Full Planet, Empty Plates.
2015, September 4.
In an ironic twist, the Syrian government that came to power after President Romney supplied the anti-Assad rebels with weapons in 2013, is now supplying weapons to the American underclass that are currently fighting in the American Civil War.
Pagan@
That's a very scary and real description of life in the U$@ and probably not far off the truth. The Monopoly Game is nearing the end as some players have been beat and drop out.
No doubt, Vermillion Sky.
Which goes to prove the differences between Obama and Romney are cosmetic at best, just enough to keep the rabble divided and conquered (and with the illusion that they actually have a "choice") while those at the top continue to do as they please.
"There are none so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe that they are free" - Goethe
Ok yes, after destroying Iraq (1.4m civilians massacred), then Libya (30,000/50,000 massacred) and now Syria (pushing on 50,000 innocents murdered) we are 'Oh sooooo, proud of what we do and who were are.' Low life thieves that we are pretending to 'sell' democracy' to little countries we are 'plundering and raping' in order to make the Middle East safer for the Jew MFer's special brand of racist terrorism and our own brand of racist imperialism.
Yassar, the Taliban have said 'NO!" to the UNITED SNAKES (US/NATO) and they have kicked our asses bloody. So much so that the UNITED SNAKES have sought a 'peace deal' with the Taliban but they have said 'Fugg you!' Hey, you don't conceed anything to a bunch of low life oil/gas parasites wheather they are Jewish or equally 'pale assed' white assed Anglo-Saxon blue bloods (Yes, they have a history of screwing their sisters and their mothers - so the term MFer's was invented to discribe them) and their equally pale white arses.
If Iran was arming the 'rebel's' in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait (All low life thugs and allied with the bankrupted US/NATO oil thieves, the low life UNITED SNAKES would be holloring to high heaven and talking about Iranian 'aggression.' Right? But, Iran, a nation that has attacked 'NO ONE' in 200 years and is currently too busy defending its honor against the dishonrable bastards of the US and EU.
@AZ: May I ask just what is it the United States of America did you you to fill you with so much venom?
And let me add something about you death tolls in your post: Don't put all those deaths on our hands! Gaddafi, Hussein, Assad and the Taliban take the brunt of that.
And so what that we buy oil from those countries. It's up to them on how they distribute the wealth in their countries, and they are not very fair about it!
There you sit in front of a computer, you live either in a tar paper shack or a beautiful home. You either walk or drive a gas guzzler. You either make your own clothes or get them from third world sweat shops. You either and you either. I wonder just how much of a hypocrite you really are.
@TheAZCowBoy, Tombstone, AZ.- Perhaps relocation to the middle east rather than the U.S. would improve your disposition? Your moniker is laughable.
Now there's a big surprise, AZCowboy got collapsed by the community. Gee, I just can't come up with a reason why. Anybody got a take on this?
No matter what they're carrying you can bet it was paid for by the American public.
@TheAZCowBoy, Tombstone, AZ.- As a part of a sleeper cell, shouldn't you be sleeping? Just saying.....
The truth is SYRIA that the Saudis and Qataris want the Syrian government out , because the are not Sunni Muslims and they allow the Christians to live in peace and practice their religion ., and in Qatar case they just discover plenty of natural Gas in Syria , and Qatar scared Syria will take its place in that , So these thugs coming from every where in the world , the Saudis and Qataris financing the war ,the US and Turkey training and smuggling them through Turkey and Lebanon, No matter what anybody says, Hillary , McCain, Lieberman and Graham are pushing so hard to over throw the Assad regime , because that will help Israel , not thinking about the Hundreds of thousands of civilians that will die in the process . and lets not forget , if the Russians and the Chinese decided they had enough with this BS from NATO and the US , It might escalate to a bigger war , But what the hell these Senators care ???
@my turn: Oh, your bleeding heart lectures on poor, innocent Syria and Assad. What a filthy country it is under Assad, and before him, his daddy. What business did Syria have poking its nose in Lebanon? What business does Syria have getting in bed with Iran? Well, we all know the answers to those questions.
You are so pathetically one-sided on Syria that you have no objectivity. But, here is an idea I suggested to you in a post from last Sunday: Get a sound and camera crew, a ticket to Damascus and report back to us on what's going on over there, I'm sure Assad and the regime will roll out the red carpet for you.
By the way, I hope someone, preferably the rebels, overthrows that scumbag. I don't care what a mixed bag of nuts make up the rebels, no matter who runs that country, it will remain a pig stye.
Those mixed rebels just butchered Amb. Stevens and other Americans ! What a sick person you are ! Lebanon was once a part of Syria that foreign France made a country for its own interest-originally they were to take Mt. Lebanon but added most of the Syrian coast ! The governmnet of Lebanon invited Syria in Lebanon to help with the civil war-get your facts striaght !
@Tony: I'm aware of how France and Great Britain carved up the Middle East and that Lebanon was once part of Syria. It's not so simple to say Lebanon asked Syria in, many did not want them, and for good reason. As you said it was a civil war. Does that tell you anything? Many Lebanese didn't want Syria there. And here is a fact for you: Lebanon got so sick of Syria that they demanded it leave.
I got my facts straight and I still don't care what a mixed bag of nuts the rebel movement is. Had Syria been at peace and basking in harmony, some whacked out faction would still have attacked the compound in Benghazi. Boy, you must have sprained both ankles jumping to that conclusion.
That is sick ! I am sad for you! Innocent people murdered- both American and Syrian and you are happy ! You are warped ! Lebanon & Sanjak both belong to Syria ! but anyway Syria has a right to defend herself from your alQaida scumbags !
@Tony: Don't put words in my mouth, I never said nor implied that I am happy.
Get your facts straight, stupid: Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese.
And Syrian citizens have the right to fight against a tyrannical regime.
You did get one fact straight: Al Qaida are scumbags! And I don't care if Al Qaida kills those scumbags in the regime.
So you are for everybody killing everybody ! You are a very sick person ! Syria has been invaded by jealous nations for most of her history ! Syria never asked for any of this! It is ALL outside foreign fighters causing the trouble ! My facts are correct, People born in Beirut before France sliced it , was born in Syria ! If you like the rebels so much then join them, and learn to speak Arabic !
@Tony: Obviously, you are not very good at inference. I am not in favor of everybody killing everybody.
As far as my being sick; well, that is your opinion, but it's not a diagnosis. Let's just agree to disagree on this whole issue. You know what is at the core of all this for me? I'm just sick and tired of the whole Middle East cesspool. That said, why would I go to the ME, fight with the rebels and learn Arabic? Been there, did that on a three-year stint in Turkey.
Yes, people born in today's Lebanon before France scliced it up were born in Syria. Just as people born in Bosnia before their civil war were born in Yugoslavia. There are problems with that anaology, but my point is that the world changes and we will just have to live with it - begrudgingly. BTW: Why don't you go join the Syrian army and learn Arabic?
Why does AZCowboy hate the US so much? Maybe he spent time in prison and got raped in the showers.
Americans continue to die from the aid that traitors in our government has giving the rebels ! Clinton, McCain, Obama, Lieberman and Romney all support these thugs ! ! Shame ! Assad has been good to ALL Syrians ! He even married a Sunni woman ! But he and all decent Syrians will fight against the evil Muslim Brotherhood who wants to take over and impose Sharia law ! Syria never had an alQaida problem until Hillary started aiding them and sent them in to attack Christians in Syria ! Now Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Chechnya, Qatar, and Libya are sending more foreign scum to fight against Syria and the regime ! Americans need to stand up now or it will hit home soon !
@Tony: You're a fine one to tell anyone to get their facts straight. It's what stands behind the facts that is important. And gee, Bashar married a Sunni. Now why would that be? Let me guess, I think it has something to do with how rulers in that part of the world use marriage to create alliances and build power, they have been doing that for centuries.
Idealism begets naivety and naivety nurtures idealism!
Its interesting that the US worked with Sunni fundamentalists in Afghanistan to have them fight the Soviets and supported the Libyans (resulting in recent US consolate attack), and are helping the rebels in Syria against yet another secular despot.
Its like they are deliberately trying to empower our future enemies so we will have somebody to fight when they turn on us.
It reminds me of the plot in "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith", where Palpatine is directing both sides in the Clone Wars to further his own power.
Curious that one result of fighting Islam, while simultaneously helping them, is laws like Patriot Act and NDAA 2012 being passed to graduatlly help turn us into a police state.
On Nightly News with Brian Williams, a Syria rebel-hunk, said if given a no-fly zone they would take out
Assad in one day,. Which seems to me to be the solution. Syriously! When the solution is simple, God
is answering" -- Albert Einstein
@vermillion sky
I think we're on the same page as to our possibly backing the wrong side. I only say this in part, because, there is no right side. Assad is a murdering thug. The rebels have too much A-Qaeda baggage, and want to establish strict Sharia Law. We need to stay out of it. One is just as bad as the other. And, there is no middle ground as I see it. To trust Saudi Arabia and Qatar is just a bad idea as well.
About six weeks ago I read an article "Our Man in Syria" and he may be the right man at the right
time. (The Daily Beast article)
@roger white-
You do seem to have your facts straight, I agree. The whole country is a cesspool basically and allied with Iran. And, Iran will quickly ally themselves with the rebels should they win. I'm stocking up on beer nuts and Budweisur should Turkey invade.
"ALEPPO, Syria - Most of the rebels fighting government forces in the city of Aleppo fit a specific mold: They're poor, religiously conservative " Translation = islamic extremists .
Roger White knows about that area of the world as much as Sarah Palin knows about Russia and foreign policy , so all the facts that our own Intel. and news telling us that Alqaida are in Syria and fighting the Assad regime , that does not mean anything to you and bunch of other people here , because you all blind to the fact that Assad against Israel and Alqaida , and most of you backing Alqaida the monsters that Attacked here on 9/11 and killed our troops in Libya and Afghanistan , ???? Wow what a surprise , can some body explain it to me , I might jump on board with you all , if you give me a decent reason . and to you Roger , people in Syria and that part of the world not all bad , like you keep repeating , I See every day the thousands of criminals we got here , the Child abusers , the rapists , the killers , and the people like you that thing they love this country , but they keep wanting to send our troops to die for other countries , and most of these countries are the ones behind the attack that killed our heroes , people like you hide behind fake patriotism and act like they are the decent people of the world , I see people like you every day buddy and I hear them too . that's the people we are trying to get out of the Senate and Congress .
@ my turn: I have more knowledge of foreign policy in my left little finger than Palin has under that Joan Baez hairdo.
What pisses me off about you is that you are so single-minded about the events in Syria. You are so supportive of Assad, why don't you put him up for the Noble Peace Prize?
No, not all Muslims and Arabs are bad, but it is the terrorists, the extremists and the fanatics the that give Muslims and Arabs a bad name in every corner ow the planet.
You are a lunatic to accuse most Americans of backing Al Qaida.
Our murderers, child abusers and rapists are hunted down and, when arrested, sent to jail. Those people in your part of the world believe they get a free pass to heaven. How many times have Arab Muslim suicide bombers killed innocent women children and elderly while they were doing nothing more than trying to find a little sanity in an insane Arab Muslim world? Will the suicide bombers sit in heaven with Mohamad and concubine with virgins? No, they are all in hell licking the hobanero-hot toe jam from between Satan's toes - for all of eternity.
And do not ever again assault my patriotism!!!!! I went, I served, I gave. America has its faults, but when the world finds itself in need due to natural disaster, we are there first, give the most, and leave last - politics suspended. An example: I remember in 1989 when Iran was struck by an earthquake, we got there before any Muslim or Arab state.
Tell me this, how on Earth could Assad and the regime find itself in such a domestic quagmire if, as you claim, they were so altruistic with the people of Syria?
In closing, let me say about Syria what foreigners love to say about America: It's Syria's foreign policy that has them fighting against other Arab Muslims. Arab brotherhood, Muslim brotherhood, what a disfunctional family of brother what a joke! This is not a sibling rivaly, this is unadulterated hate among brothers. Proud of that?
ROGER WHITE , YOU SEE YOU STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT i AM TRYING TO TELL YOU , I did not say all American are Alqaida supporters , I said our senators and Congress are supporting these Alqaida in Libya and in Syria , so where does that puts them , how hard is that , and I respect your service to our country , but Buddy McCain served in the air force , and I think Graham did too , so from all people these two senators should try to prevent our troops from going to needless wars , but instead they are the biggest war monger politicians in the US , second , I do not think Assad is a hero or a man deserve the Nobel prize , But at least he treat his christian people with respect and allow them to practice their religion , and I will agree with you on every thing you say , If you show me one country in the whole middle east that treat their people good and allow the Christians to live in peace , our best Friends and allies are the worst human rights violators in the world , ( THE SAUDIS , QATARIS AND ALL THESE LITTLE KINGDOMS THAT WE SUPPORT AND PROTECT ) THAT'S WHERE MY PROBLEM , you see every body keep misunderstanding what i try to tell them , if we are to be the police of the freedom of the world , we should start with these countries , and one more thing , since you we love this country , why don't we go after the people that attacked us on 9/11 . 19 of them were Saudis , and Alqiada till this day get their financing from the Saudis and Qataris and all these Muslims extremists countries , so why don't go after them too .
@my turn: No, the problem is not with people misunderstanding you, the problem is with you misstating your position.