Civil War in Syria

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvenEvilHasStandards

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A bunch of dictators is condemning a fellow dictator.

Well, yes. But he is... somewhat worse than they are.

That's why I referred to this: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvenEvilHasStandards

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

As for why the lack of attention in comparison to Libya, I suspect that would change if the Free Syrian Army took control of the second largest city in Syria and started a true civil war as opposed to just a guerrilla campaign now.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Well opposition is getting SERIOUS: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57375542/syrian-general-slain-in-damascus-regime-says

I think it's obvious how they're going to operate now to speed up the collapse of the regime since it's obvious what will happen to any official who stood with Assad if Assad were to flee and the regime fell. How many non-exiled SAVAK officers survived into the 80s?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

More high ranking defections: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18445370

Starting to look what happened with Gaddafi's regime, only a couple months later.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Two Syrian generals(!) allegedly kidnapped by FSA in Damascus suburbs.

There's already been killings of Syrian generals so it's nothing new, of course kidnapping's a bit more difficult than just a drive-by shooting.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Does anyone doubt there's already covert Turkish special forces in Syria now?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Nice reminder to Assad: http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/18/227047.html

Good follow-up to a day that had the killing of several of his inner circle.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Turkey arms the rebels with SAMs now: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/31/us-usa-syria-missiles-idUSBRE86U1T920120731

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Laziness probably.

Kurds are predominately Sunni (except for those that belong to that weird offshoot religion whose creation story sounds like the background plot of an anime and that Muslims accuse of being Satan worshipers...I don't think any of those are in Syria though, almost all are in Iraq) so Sunni on the map really means "Sunni Arab".

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Turkish parliament authorizes the PM to order military action against Syria: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19830928

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Turkey actually had pretty friendly relations with Syria until all this started in 2011, so there's no reason for them to provoke and/or fabricate incidents. They're legitimately pissed about what Assad is doing.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's funny that Iran's only ally in the region is ran by a heretical sect that would be relentlessly persecuted in Iran if they existed in any large number.

The Alawites have also become my least favorite branch of Islam (assuming you even consider them Muslims at all of course) due to their staunch support of Assad.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Obviously not every single Alawite does. But the leaders and "community" in general do. Look what happens to Alawites that stand against Assad: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/24/world/middleeast/samar-yazbek-branded-betrayer-for-embracing-syria-rebels.html?pagewanted=all

Also I've read that of all the military and government officials that have deserted Assad, not a single one is Alawite.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The rebel should start publicly gunning down army officers outside of battle again and see how quickly they start deserting. Also what's the Syrian equivalent of West Point? That'd make a nice bombing target...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

One could defect and then renounce their past "Alawite heresy" and claim to have converted to standard Sunni Islam now.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I feel like the red avatars around here could benefit from reading this

There's hordes of logical fallacies in that article, but I'll give the author credit for putting forward a point that consists of more than:

1-OMG THIS IS JUST LIKE IRAQ/VIETNAM!
2-NO TO IMPERIALISM!
3-Any intervention would provide benefit to US/European businesses, therefore it's not truly humanitarian, therefore Gaddafi/Assad is the better guy.
4-Right wing talking points about the opposition all being al Qaeda terrorists.

Because that type of junk is literally all I've seen on DU whenever anyone criticizes an Obama military intervention like in Libya or the sending military advisors to Uganda. (It's a minority of course, but too vocal of one.) In hindsight it makes me realize that lots of anti-Iraq War types relied on really stupid bumper sticker slogans instead of real arguments, but since I was on the same side as them and saw the pro-war side as far worse I didn't even notice it/care.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

What invading forces? Just wipe out the Syrian Air Force (The entire Libyan Air Force was basically annihilated in two days) and then hit all the chemical weapons delivery systems with a bunch of cruise missiles.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How about dropping "bombs" that are just spray neutralizing agents into the air?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I was thinking of a certain Spec Ops level of Call of Duty 3 with that comment there.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

If Assad's using SCUDs he's probably feeling cornered.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That's quite a contrast to our more hospitable treatment of former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

Yes, and Russia is actually taking the better stance amazingly.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So would anyone be opposed to providing the rebels with masks?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You can play a game of this here or on an Android if you have one.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Pro-Assad forces kill 106 civilians in sweep

Nice way to continue to follow in Gaddafi's footsteps Assad.