http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-western-countries-courted-bashshar.html Why Western countries courted Bashshar Al-Asad:<http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-western-countries-courted-bashshar.html> So Robert Worth writes: "Western leaders courted him, in hopes he would democratize his country, make peace with Israel and stop supporting the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/middleeast/25assad.html?ref=middleeast&pagewanted=print>." Now, really Robert. You believe those words? You believe that Western leaders really cared about democratizing Syria? When they court Moroccan, Egyptian, Libyan, Kuwait, Bahraini, Qatari, Saudi and Jordanian autocrats, you think that they also wanted them to democratize and urged them to democratize? Don't you believe it was all about peace with Israel? Do you think if Bashshar signed a peace treaty with Israel, Western leaders would care if he were to massacre 10,000 Syrians per day? And you also admit after all this: "Yet Irans nemeses including Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia are also deeply unsettled by the prospect of regime change in Syria, which could set off a messy Iraq-style civil conflict." So which is which, Robert? The first or the second contention? Posted by As'ad AbuKhalil at 7:44 AM<http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-western-countries-courted-bashshar.html> Email This <http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5785362&postID=2416363787466470650&target=email> BlogThis! <http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5785362&postID=2416363787466470650&target=blog>Share to Twitter <http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5785362&postID=2416363787466470650&target=twitter>Share to Facebook <http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5785362&postID=2416363787466470650&target=facebook>Share to Google Buzz <http://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=5785362&postID=2416363787466470650&target=buzz>
*Syria: Tanks enter Deraa** * Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUVdeawzkvg&feature=player_embedded#at=26 Syrian forces unleashed a large-scale military offensive in the southern city of Deraa early on Monday. About 3,000 troops some in standard army uniforms, others in black entered the city around 4.30 am, accompanied by tanks and began "shooting randomly", according to a report<http://arabic.cnn.com/2011/syria.2011/4/25/daraa.operation/index.html>(in Arabic) by CNN. The video above, posted on YouTube purports to show the troops arriving. There is another video of a sniper in action here<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7e4fsf-_CY&feature=player_embedded#at=56>. Media coverage in Syria is heavily restricted by the authorities but AFP quotes<http://gulfnews.com/in-focus/mideastunrest/syrian-troops-and-tanks-enter-flashpoint-daraa-1.798755>an activist speaking by phone from Deraa: "Hundreds of security service men entered the town, accompanied by tanks and armoured vehicles. "The men are firing in all directions and advancing behind the armour which is protecting them ... Electricity is cut off and telephone communications are virtually impossible." Deraa is the city where the uprising began last month. ------------------------- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLQYUTLBcCk&feature=player_embedded#at=23 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
