I feel guilty every day that I don’t write about Syria’s revolution. There are massive numbers of demonstrators taking high risks and often paying with their lives for their desire for change; Syria has a higher proportion of really democratic-minded people than in other Arab countries; and there is general international indifference to their battle in contrast to the “glamor” surrounding the far shorter, much less bloody Egyptian uprising. The estimated death toll is over 4,000, though, of course, nobody knows for sure.
In contrast to Egypt, and partly due to the inability of journalists to cover the story, the Syrian insurgents aren’t made into celebrities. And, curiously, the regime that is repressing them isn’t stigmatized anywhere near what happened to the far less repressive governments in Egypt and Tunisia or even, for that matter, democratic Israel.
Much of the news is the bare stuff about lists of demonstrations and acts of repression. At the end of this article I have appended the story of one province on one day alone to give some sense of the magnitude of the battle.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration, so eager to overthrow friendly regimes in Bahrain, Egypt, and Tunisia, has a peculiar disinterest about doing more against the hostile regime in Syria. Of course, for almost three years the U.S. government considered that anti-American, terrorist-sponsoring, repressive regime to be friendly or at least potentially so. For the U.S. government to do more, I’m not talking about military intervention but far more basic efforts.
As Tony Badran writes in NOW Lebanon: “It became obvious that four months after President Barack Obama called for Bashar al-Assad’s departure, his administration has yet to develop a policy to achieve that objective.” U.S. officials sound as if they are advocating conciliation between the regime and opposition, something they never sought in Egypt or Tunisia.
In addition, rather than have a real independent policy, the Obama administration seems just to be following the Arab League’s lead. Yet, as Badran explains, by continually minimizing what it is willing to do the Obama administration even undercuts the Arab League’s leverage.
To make matters worse, the administration subcontracted the issue of choosing the external leadership of the opposition to an Islamist Turkish regime which, naturally, favored the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. These people might be friends of the Turkish regime but they certainly aren’t friends of the United States.
In fact it’s incredibly stupid; the US should be playing Bad Cop to the Arab League’s Good Cop. “Listen, Bashir, if you don’t take our advice and go into exile, Allah knows what those trigger-happy, bomb-laden crazy Americans might do.”
An excellent analysis. It also describes perfectly the phenomenon that I have dubbed the ObAmalek Doctrine: Appease your enemies and screw your friends.
Dr. Rubin, an extremely compelling offering. It is painful to perceive the suffering of nearly helpless human beings. For what it is worth, I wish that it would be something other than impossible for arabs who seek freedom from dictatorship to reach out to israel, and to embrace an alliance with israel. of course, that would not be possible. the hatred of israel, whipped up for 60 + years by arab institutions, renders such a dream an impossibility. if assad goes, will arab hatred of israel begin to disappear? i doubt it. there seems to be precious little, of a positive nature, for jews (who care about israel,) in israel and outside of israel, to look forward to. nevertheless, we must retain our humanity, and we must regardf these people who, at such great personal cost, fight assad, as deserving of recognition and of justice.
Arabs side with Arabs and Israelis with Israelis: generally speaking, if one is hatred both are.
For what it is worth, I wish that it would be something other than impossible for arabs who seek freedom from dictatorship to reach out to israel, and to embrace an alliance with israel. of course, that would not be possible. the hatred of israel, whipped up for 60 + years by arab institutions, renders such a dream an impossibility.
The principal institution that renders any kind of long term peace with Israel impossible is the 1400 year-old-old religion of Islam. The idea that Jews should rule a territory previously conquered by Muslims is unacceptable to the ummah, who barely tolerated the Jews in their midst before Israel was founded. The unfortunate truth is that you may not be interested in history, but to a Muslim, the whole point of existence is to reaffirm in thought and deed that what’s theirs is theirs and what’s yours is also theirs.
No one can rule in an eternal waqf but Muslims: they don’t care if it’s Jews. The only reason Muslims aren’t bitching about Spain is that immigration make for slow conquest.
But just wait. Suddenly it’ll be Granada and the whining about right of return and 18 trillion dollars in reparations. A waqf never expires; just like Islamic mouths never shut when it comes to what others should do.
Clearly a bad situation for all concerned
But–
Syria and Lebanon are tiny countries and they are trivial to American fundamental interests in the region.
This is a matter for the Arab League — they can call in the UN if they want.
America has larger and broader interests and in these tough economic times we will not get involved in tribal/religious/ethnic disputes in a part of the world that is marginal and trivial to out fundamental interests.
The fact they are tiny countries causes them to form alliances they may otherwise not form, in this case acting as conduits for countries like Iran when in fact they may not care one way or the other about Iran but merely find protection in non-Sunni numbers.
Barry, the question really boils down to whether it is merely coincidence that Obama/Valerie Jarret/Robert Malley/Rashid Khalidi have adopted a Middle East policy that removes friendly regimes, threatens Israel and strengthens Iran?
Is there any move politically that could have been made…that has not…by act or omission, that would have made Iran’s position stronger and Israel’s weaker…than the ones that have taken place under this administration?
At what point do we cease talking about the “failure to understand” and begin to connect the dots?
Are we to believe that a lifetime that began at the knee of Frank Marshall Davis, proceeded through Jakarta learning the Koran, then on to Dr. Khalid Abdullah Tariq al-Mansour a/k/a Donald Warden, then to Jeremiah Wright, then to Rashid Khalidi, then to Bill Ayers, then to George Soros.
Can we find a friend to Israel among them?
Are we to assume that NONE of this took hold? Valerie Jarrett, Robert Malley, Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said…are these friends of Israel?
Toppling America’s influence, bringing her down a peg, apologizing for her influence, the treatment of Bibi, is there a lifetime more rife with explanation than this one…and yet, we whisper in the shadows that it is surely not by design or intent.
Yet, influences and associations…would we be so timid with Pat Buchanan or James Baker. Would we walk on eggshells talking about Ron Paul.
Jimmy Carter did not have nearly the lifetime of hostile influences, are we confused about where his sympathies lie?
Leftism is simply a fiscal jihad aimed at the US, Europe and Israel. It has partnered with radical Islam, an oddity that confuses the senses. But can it be really denied?
Are there dots to be connected? Or are we going to remain silent and not even ask the questions?
The only regime Obama has taken down is Libya.
Unless whispering in ears is like the proverbial butterfly in China causing a hurricane in the Atlantic. Notoriously difficult to control; probably explains why Obama’s wrecking America. He’s Wrong-Way Corrigan.
Dear Mr. Rubin,
I have also been following the website ‘syrianrevolutiondigest.blogspot.com’.
In all likelihood I reached it by following a link from one of your articles.
Might I ask for your critical evaluation of its qualities as a news source?
On the one hand, it appears invaluable and unparalleled in its collection and presentation of timely youtube videos from Syria. For the non-arabic reader, it would be impossible to find this information on one’s own, and it opens a window which would otherwise remain forever closed.
And yet I have sometimes noticed some discrepancies between the descriptions which he provides for his links, and the contents of the links themselves. For example, a recent (gruesome) video is described as portraying the handiwork of snipers, yet the poor fellow in the video has been shot in the side of the head and seems to have his hands tied behind his back. This is an execution-style killing, not the work of a sniper firing from far away.
I recall a video a few months ago purporting to show the results of tank shelling, yet in fact containing what seemed to be 20mm casings on the ground. Not a lie, certainly, yet not really accurate either.
My (admittedly amateur) conclusion was that one should be grateful for his links, but skeptical of the titles of the videos until they have been confirmed by watching them.
I would be most interested in hearing your evaluation.
“U.S. officials sound as if they are advocating conciliation between the regime and opposition, something they never sought in Egypt or Tunisia.”
Well, in a very strange way, I think the Obama administration is finally waking up to the fact that you can’t just overthrow a dictator and expect green things to grow in a country that has never, ever, had any form of democracy. Obama and Clinton probably thought that they could “allow” the demise of the governments in Egypt, Libya, and Algeria because of the heavy western influence in those countries. Even in Libya, you had western oil companies dealing with a dictatorial regime that had a definite fondness for the creature comforts supplied by the west. So Obama and Clinton probably thought that democracy would automatically be embraced after those dictators were overthrown.
Wrong. The Muslim Brotherhood and the Slafists have taken over Egypt, Islamists have taken over Algeria, and rival radical Islamic factions are still fighting in Libya. Swell. So our “wonderful” State Department probably thinks that they should just let Syria alone and see what happens. What the fools don’t realize is that radical Islamists could also take over Syria if Assad is overthrown. Syria could look just like Hezbollah or even worse, and the west isn’t doing a thing to stop it.
The west should be nurturing and supporting real democratic movements and factions in the Middle East. We should have been doing that in Egypt especially, before throwing Mubarak under the bus. But all we did was create a vacume for the Salafists and the Muslim Brotherhood to take over. The same thing will probably happen in Syria, too. It will only be a matter of time before this contagion spreads to Jordan and then Israel will truly be surrounded.
Ironically, the best hope for some real democracy could be, in all places, in Iran. There is a definite rebellion brewing in that country and Obama had a really good chance of overthrowing the mullahs in 2009, after their “elections.” Anything the rebels could have come up with would have been better than keeping the mullahs in power, but Obama and Clinton were too stupid to see that. Now anything that happens in Iran will require a lot more bloodshed since the mullahs still have a firm grip on the country. In the Middle East, timing is everything, and Obama and Clinton’s timing on just about everything is terrible. Hopefully, we can survive all of this until they are thrown out of office in 2012. Hopefully.
I really do not believe is a forgotten revolution.
The Geo politics in the middle east are rapidly changing, action is requiered but very well planned.
the major changes are on Turkey (border w/Syria)
US pulls out of Iraq (Border With Syria)
Iran Closes the hormuz strait (Border w/ Syria), not on the Hormuz.
To really follow this we have to watch the Jordanian press (independant siurces if possible)
The events are already having significant effects which are positive to US goals. Reports out today that Hezbolla is in severe financial trouble as a result of the Syrian revolution and sanctions against Iran.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Oct-12/151111-iran-cutting-financial-aid-to-hezbollah-report.ashx#axzz1h5mkTZwO
This is the time for the US to increase pressure on Iran and Syria. I wonder if our leadership understands how much advantage we really have.
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Oh? And how many “Trangs” ARE there in Montenegro, anyways?
Obama is is a celebrity! That is all he is! Oprah and some other powerful people helped him to get into power. He has done more to hurt liberty than any U.S. president EVER! It is obious he is on the side of heinous regimes like Syria, Iran and Saudia. He supports them!
It’s true: Obama won the “Politically Correct Popularity Contest.”
No experience required.
Or concern for the greater good.
After all, black Americans make up 12% of the population and almost half the crime. Why wouldn’t I want to micromanage majority success like that by hiring Holder to operate the “Payback Machine?”
“What are you waiting for?”
Well, first of all, if you want to be free, go take your freedom, by whatever means are necessary. It doesn’t depend on me.
And you folks are kind of late to the party, anyway, aren’t you? Where were you during the years that the Assads and their muscle turned the jewel of the Ottoman middle east into a reeking cesspit? Did you somehow miss the wild-eyed terrorst invasion and takeover? Hello? Hamas, Hezballah, Al-Q, you name it, they’ve got an “embassy” in Damascus. You let them take over Lebanon as well, and another jewel gets tossed into the crapper
If you mooks can’t fix it, why should I? Go shoot the assholes and stop whining about it.
“It’s time to nut up or shut up.”
– Zombieland
We do not care what you want or who you are. Trade with us and our friends. Be at peace. And deal with your own shit…
If you really, really want to see a Blood Bath in Syria, go ahead and force Assad out. Once the ‘Peace-Love and Understanding’ demonstrators inherit the country, half of them, the popular-young-idealistic-public face half, will be purged along with 100% of the Assadi-Baathist Coalition (namely the Sunnis/Christians/Druze and Secular Modernists). Libya will look like Disneyland in comparison. Yes Assad is a bloody handed Dictator. But that has only been used (mostly) in the attempt to hold the Islamofasciti in check.
Yes.
It’s all about ‘imaging’.
Some things are promoted as cool, some as super-cool, others as less cool and others as positively naff.
Sorry Syrians.
The promoters of cool don’t like your flavour. (As with the greens in Iran.)
Thank you Barry for this great article.
Want to know why such indifference to the Syrian’s revolution and not so to the less intense and less bloody Egyptians?
Syria has oil and the backing of Iran the 2nd oil producer in OPEC, which Europe and its sugar daddy US needs it bad, whereas Egypt had no oil and no stake in handing over its power to whatever. West did not even care if there was a power void and a big chance for the Moslem brotherhood to take the power in Egypt.
There is no sense of humanity in any of the West’s policies to these barbarians ruling their freedom seeking people with such iron fist, batons, guns, chains and swords. They did that to Iran 2 years ago and they are doing it now to the Syrians.
But you know what? Such inhumane indifference will catch up one day, one day with the spineless Western leaders!!!
The Egyptian revolution lasted 18 days and had 850 dead. It was more not less intense; it was simply shorter. Syria’s has lasted months.
“Syria has a higher proportion of really democratic-minded people than in other Arab countries”
yeah yeah that’s what was said about tunisa , egypt and libya also. syria is NO different. IF al-assad is ousted he will be replaced by an islamic theocracy that despises the west and wants to wipe israel off the map just like all the others
Frankly, I don’t think it makes a dime’s worth of difference who wins in Syria. The Assad’s are status quo and that’s not good and the “rebels” are Sunni fanatics, also not good. Both will become or are clients of Iran becasue, to quote Willy Sutton, that’s whre the money is and will continue to be. Neither side is speaking about regional peace because neither side believes in it. Let both sides kill each other–the civilized world has no dog in this fight!
To a degree it is true. As long as Islam as a cultist faith is the law of the land anywhere in the world, be it in the Arab world or god forbid if it ever comes to us in the West one day, there will be inter faith killings and violence mostly between Sunnis and Shiites or whatever crap there may be. Just today in Iraq 14 bombings resulting to about 100 of death and more in injuries.
So to have peace once and for all, it is Islam that needs to be dealt with as the law of the land to be exact. Islam has to be separated from State and once it does, peace will follow.
But again it is exactly because of the policies of the “Old Europe” meaning the colonial Europe that we see Islam rise. Europe has always bred, promoted, supported and appeased Islam in the globe. Just to think of it, it is documented that Britain has in its possession the real deal, the original Koran as it has been rumored. There is reports that China yes China is printing Koran laced with real Gold threads and all the fan fair and selling them in huge numbers to its people. Yes thanks to all the PC minded niceties of Old Europe. All of this while we are banning the term “merry Christmas” in our public announcements and even in some schools and institutions!!!
Why all this bowing to Islam and its uneducated followers through times mostly after 18th century?
It is the 3 word: OIL. After the discovery of Oil, Old Europe saw its progress economically in preserving barbaric rulers in the Islamic lands in exchange for making profitable deals. Any other system of governing those oil rich lands specifically free democratic systems would have jeopardized those profits. Exactly as that old hag Queen (Queen of England) once said: To rip the riches we (meaning the Britain) must keep the Arabs (meaning Arab leaders) stomach full in other words keep them $$$ corrupted rich, while keep the Persians leaders (One of the most advanced secular minded people of the world)hungry and that is what they did. They kept the Shah hungry and ousted him with shame and replaced him with their desired Islamic State.
History is our path of enlightenment and there are great historical books on the sickening vision of Old Europe on that and the naivety and blindness of the US around it.
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