Syria’s Dictator Must Go
President Obama alienated Saudi King Abdullah when he announced that “Mubarak must go.” Obama followed that call with another, this time for the ouster of Libya’s Col. Moammar Gaddafi. Mubarak and Gaddafi haven’t killed as many of their own people as have Syria’s Hafez Assad and his son, sitting dictator Bashar Assad. But we have yet to hear President Obama call for “Assad to go.” Rather, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called Assad “a different leader” and a reformer, and the administration has been silent when it comes to this brutal anti-American killing his own people who are demonstrating for a genuine democracy and freedom.
More significantly, those opposing the Syrian dictatorial regime are from diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Alawis (the kinsmen of Assad), Kurds, Christians, Druze, and Sunni Arabs. The Syrian opposition seeks the abolition of the state’s emergency law and demands the rule of law through the ballot box. Contrast this profile with that of Libya’s opposition groups, whose leaders’ ultimate purpose and attitude toward the West are still largely unknown (there are allegations of rebel connections with al-Qaeda).
Sherkoh Abbas, president of the Kurdistan National Assembly of Syria and a leader of the Syrian opposition, demands the abolition of Article VIII of the Syrian constitution, which has heretofore given the Baath party exclusive powers to govern. The opposition further demands a new constitution that would represent all Syrians — Arabs, Kurds, Christians, Druze, and Alawis. It is time, Abbas and the opposition contend, for Syria to become a federal state, affording protection to minorities by establishing autonomous districts governed accordingly.
During a telephone interview from Dubai, Abbas delineated further demands that have been agreed upon by all opposition members, including the repeal of laws and decrees instituted by the Assad regime, which allowed for the arbitrary confiscation of properties and funds, and the return of these assets to their rightful owners.
Furthermore, they want the corrupt members of the ruling Baath party held accountable — and they want the passage of strict legislation which would prosecute any such corruption in the future.
Personally, Abbas noted that he “would like to see the abolition of the national differentiation between the two main ethnic groups in Syria: Arabs and Kurds. This would amount,” he said, “to ending the discrimination and persecution of Kurds, the granting of citizenship to disenfranchised Kurds, the reversing of the Arabization policies of the Assad regime, which pursued the ethnic cleansing of Kurds and their return to their historical Kurdish regions of northeastern Syria.” Such changes would mean the abolition of the patronage system, which discriminates against Kurds in consideration for employment and housing.
Asked what kind of a Syria he would like to see, Sherkoh Abbas said Syria must be governed by a system that rewards merit — “a democratic, secular Syria that is a friend to the West, and at peace with Israel, a state that would exclude the Muslim Brotherhood and the extreme forms of Arab nationalism from power.”
Of all the Arab countries that have hitherto experienced uprisings, and whose dictators have been forced out of power (Tunisia, and Egypt, and possibly Gaddafi of Libya and Saleh of Yemen), Syria’s Assad is by far the most anti-American and poses the most danger to the region. He is a major sponsor of terrorism and has allowed the country to be used as a transit point for al-Qaeda terrorists to enter Iraq and kill American servicemen.
the kurds in Syria suffering from discrimination, persecution and arabization, for example the Separation of 230 kurdish students from the Institute of teachers, while they offer year-end exams, pulled them out from the halls of the state.
“Shouldn’t President Barack Obama call for the ouster of current Baathist regime? Shouldn’t we hear from Obama and Congress that Assad must go? Surely it would be in America’s interest to see an anti-American dictator ousted for a change.”
Sorry, but this is something for the Syrian people to do. THEY need to overthrow Assad, just like the Egyptian people came out in the hundreds of thousands to overthrow Mubarak. But, be careful what you wish for. As always, there does not seem to be any pro-western democratic leader waiting to step in if Assad is overthrown. Assad could leave and a radical Islamist could take over by force, just like what’s happening right now in Egypt. It doesn’t really matter what the reformers “want,” what matters is what they can DO after Assad leaves. And if they do NOT have the strength to put their own people in power after Assad leaves, then another strong group, like the radical Islamic Muslim Brotherhood, will take over.
Good, go for it. Get back to us when it’s done. It’s not our fight and victory will be far sweeter when you do it. . . for yourself, by yourself.
Good luck.
I’m afraid that I agree. Let them settle matters with their own blood and treasure.
The Arab Middle East seems to be now eating the bitter fruit of their own particular world/religious views, always at odds with others, especially tiny Israel.
There simply aren’t enough young American men to take on that entire region, considering that we have about two children per couple to their eight or more, not counting the Arab youngsters rigged to blow up infidels, or used to clear minefields.
We’re lectured daily by elite, overpaid educators and media types that all cultures are good, equal and worthy of respect…fools.
The Syrian regime protects its large Christian population and has taken in 10s of thousands of Christian refugees fleeing Iraq.
It is up to the Syrians to decide what sort of government they want.
Turkey has strong influence in Syria and is working effectively the move the regime away from Iran and towards the West.
As with Egypt –Syria will move to the Turkish Model
A strong military guarding a largely secular constitutional democracy.
Jordan will the next state in ME to follow that path.
This is all good for US interests–Turkey is a strong ally and has been a NATO member since 1952-it has a thriving economy and excellent universities–these are all attributes that other states in MENA are eager to follow.
This is all good for US interests–Turkey is a strong ally and has been a NATO member since 1952…
Is this the same Turkey that has apparently been edging toward Islamism itself under the current leader Erdogan? He is reportedly working to reduce the secular influences over Turkish society, especially the military, and sponsored the Gaza Flotilla that was trying to smuggle arms to Gaza under the pretext of humanitarian aid.
If Turkey is supposed to be America’s friend, I’m not sure I see how it is a lot better than America’s enemies….
You, sir, are delusional.
That, or a neocon.
Of course, that’s a distinction without a difference.
You are Turkish, correct? You must be Turkish and a defender of Erdogan to write that post.
Congratulations on your powers of imagination, Victor.
America’s dictator must go.
I agree. Obama needs to stop acting like if he’s Superman. Stop sticking his nose in foreign affairs using our army.
Next time (hope there’s no next time) we should make him go alone.
“The Syrian regime protects its large Christian population and has taken in 10s of thousands of Christian refugees fleeing Iraq.”
Oh the irony of that. They protect and arm terrorist Islamists operating in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza and then get credit for “protecting the Christians” fleeing them. Too good.
Turkey and Syria do share a common interest. Persecuting and subduing the very Kurds we are talking about.
“One war at a time. . .” A Lincoln. We already have two and a half on our plate as it is. At best Syria will have to wait. This Administration can only put a happy face on impotence. Another pig in lipstick!!!
and we need to actually fight a war
we have been dilly dallying since we regained the 38th parallel in korea
since that moment every action has been about restraint; the very thing that needs to be lessened
if the united states had put her full military might into specific and concentrated efforts the deterrent factor would still be alive
the fear of a full and swift retribution against the enemies of the united states does infinitely more in hindering the bad guys than pussyfooting around the circumstances and making war a political tool
war is an annihilation tool and let the politicians grandstand after the losers surrender
the results would be less war and when it happens it would be so complete and brutal that agitators will think twice and thrice before making a move
Question, if Bashar Assad goes, who’s going to take over the reigns in Syria? Is it al-queda, hamas, or hezbollah? And I also think there are some people here in the US who wants Assad to be over thrown, remember back two months ago in Egypt when Mubarak was overthrown, George Soros, Jimmy Carter, etc. had conducted that movement in Egypt, it wasn’t the so-called young people in Egypt who wanted Mubarak overthrown. When Mubarak was in power, he had al-queda and the Muslim Brotherhood in check so that they won’t take over power in Egypt, and we all know that Mubarak was a dictator, but he was a middle-of-the-road dictator!
Similar thing happening in Libya, where the so-called rebels want Gadhafi overthrown, and those “rebels” are al-queda, and we SHOULDN’T be in Libya at all, Libya’s problems right now are NOT our own problem. Now to Syria, if Assad is overthrown, who’s going to take over their government? Will that next leadership be better than Assad or worst than Assad? You know what, let islam sort out their problems, and I hope we don’t go into Syria as well like the situation in Libya.
“A nation is defined by it’s borders, language & culture!”
Iran is the head of the snake and the most important regime that needs to go. If sending Assad packing helps to achieve that goal then the US should do all it can. Thing is that Libya is a cake walk by comparison. Syria is backed by Iran and Russia. I can’t say if Iran is backed by Russia or China on the ground but it’s most likely backed by them in the UN. Libya’s mad ruler has no friends (except Syria which has been reported to send planes and pilots to bomb the rebels in Libya). The difference between Syria and Iran on the one hand and Libya and Egypt on the other is that Syria and Iran will be hard. They will require more of Big O than we’ve seen to date. Whether he has to guts to go all the way with Syria and Iran is unknown.I doubt he’s got it in him. And I doubt that that the opposition in Syria or Iran can do it themselves. On the other side of that chasm is a much better world. I don’t know if we can jump it.
In July of 2009 the New York Times reported that President Bashar el-Assad had sent a message to Obama praising him and inviting Obama to Syria. It seems to me that I have seen an article and photos on Obama and his wife visiting Damascus yet, today, I can not find an article on this. What I did find were other very interesting interviews and articles:
rhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/04/world/middleeast/04syria.html
http://www.hulu.com/watch/154930/charlie-rose-syrian-president-bashar-al-assad-on-john-kerrys-visit
http://www.hulu.com/watch/154932/charlie-rose-syrian-president-bashar-al-assad-on-hezbollah-and-hamas#continuous_play=on
Listening to these I could not help but think of the deception on the last days. Yashua (Jesus) told us not to even consider that that He had come to send not peace but a sword. Nine times in the Book of Revelation you will find a sword referred to.
It isn’t that the USA should take on yet another war, absolutely not. But why support the uprising of Egypt which had a relatively friendly dictator, and not support the uprising in Syria where the dictator is much much worse and is the enemy of the USA.
It seems that the present US administration supports its enemies more than its friends.