Arab Spring protest in S.F.: unexpected twist ending
Whenever I attend a political rally, I almost always know ahead of time whether or not I’ll agree with the protesters. The flyers or online notices usually make it very clear where on the political spectrum the organizers stand and what their stated goals are.
But last Saturday was different: A rally was scheduled for San Francisco’s Civic Center, and for the first time in a long while I didn’t know whether or not I sympathized with its intent.
The Facebook page announcing the event called it “San Francisco Rally and March for Democracy in the Middle East,” with a tagline that said,
Protest and march to stand in solidarity with the people of Syria, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and other countries in the region as they struggle against dictatorships and repressive governments.
Democracy? Opposing dictatorships? What’s not to like? So my first urge was to sympathize with the protest.
But then again…I scan the news each day, and I’ve read many essays from American analysts and pundits who worry that the “Arab Spring” may only serve to open the door to Islamic extremists seeking to seize control of various Arab countries. In other words, the revolutions wouldn’t necessarily get rid of totalitarian government as a concept; they might only replace one form of totalitarianism with another.
So, if the Arab Spring revolutions were successful, they could have two possible outcomes: “democracy” (assumed by most analysts to mean moderate/secular/flexible elected leadership); and “Islamic fundamentalism” (i.e. religiously based and inflexible).
I diagrammed the two possible options like so:
So I thought my task would be simple enough: attend the rally, and look for any evidence for Islamism. If they had flags/signs/chants or speeches championing Hezbollah or the Muslim Brotherhood or the like, then I’d have to conclude that the protesters were in favor of the fundamentalist outcome, and I’d be disappointed; but if they focused on the secular, then I could join in the protest with a clear conscience.
When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. There was no mention of Islam at all; just calls for political freedom and for overthrowing the Middle East’s various dictators and strongmen.
And it wasn’t focused on any one nation or region: There were flags and signs about Libya, Egypt and Tunisia in North Africa; Syria and Iraq in the Middle East; Yemen and Bahrain on the Arabian Peninsula; and others as well.
“Freedom, Justice, Democracy.” Hey, can’t argue with that.
“Stop Genocide”? Can’t argue with that either.
The rally was pretty small; somewhere around 100-200 people was my estimate. And most of the people in attendance were Middle Easterners themselves. And my first impression was that they wanted the same thing I do: a democratic and secular Arab world.
This impression was strengthened by the presence of Westernized young Arab women, such as the protester shown here on the left, who wore form-fitting clothes, sunglasses, smoked cigarettes, etc. — the kind of attitude that would be anathema to Islamic fundamentalists.
Even the young women who wore traditional head-coverings also wore makeup and tried to “look good” in the way that young women do in any secular society. And so I concluded: No way these people are Islamists. So the only other option is that they favor pro-Western democracies.
And here’s where our story takes an unexpected turn.
Not everyone at the rally was Middle Eastern. Around the periphery was a smattering of various non-Arab types, such as this schmuck showing off his hammer-and-sickle shirt.
And he wasn’t the only one.
Soon Code Pink showed up and attached themselves to the rally, unfurling a “Democracy Now” banner.
But then they flipped it around to show their true colors: “Thank You Wikileaks.”
The parade of parasitical leftists was just getting started. The International Communist League strolled around hawking their Workers Vanguard newspaper.
In fact, the more I looked, the more I saw non-Arab socialist/communist/leftist types hovering around the fringes. And I thought to myself, “Damn, these people are so annoying; they’ll show up at any rally, uninvited, and contaminate the proceedings with their leftist claptrap.” And I wouldn’t blame the Arabs for secretly resenting these political remoras.
At small rallies like this, I quickly run out of interesting things to photograph. And so, as often happens, I turn my camera to secondary, less noteworthy subjects, just so I don’t feel like I’m standing around passively while I ought to be doing something. Usually such second-tier images end up getting deleted when I’m back at home sorting through the pictures, but this time around, one of my most boring time-filling pictures turned out to be the key that unlocked the mystery of the whole rally. Here it is:
As you can see, for lack of anything better to do, I snapped a picture of some Middle-Eastern flags that the rally’s organizers had piled up on the ground. I was about to delete the image when something caught my eye: The flags all said “Please return – AROC.” Curious, I Googled AROC.
Bingo!
nice gumshoeing
another thing i’ve noticed in these protests are the vague shoutouts for “democracy” but the commies are genetically unable to promote “liberty”
Yeah I’m thinking that their idea of democracy is similar to the Bolshiveks killing off all the Mensheviks.
Yup that was the first thing that came to my mind too: the Russian Revolution. Where genuine democrats partnered with the communists (both the B-viks & M-viks) against the Tsar, only to get rolled later.
I think the reason the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and the Chinese Revolutions ultimately failed (in that they all wound up with a dictator in charge) and the American Revolution succeeded is that we had a long tradition of, if not democracy (there was a king) then at least since 1215 a king who had a check on his power, with the check growing stronger over time. yes, it was easy to deem George III as a tyrant (for a revolution you need a devil incarnate) but it was Parliament that imposed the 3 pence/gallon tax on rum that angered the colonists (who were open to a 1 – 2 pence/gallon tax.)
We had 550 years of training wheels before we got a true constitutional democratic republic. Historically, going from absolute dictatorship to genuine democracy doesn’t work out all that well. Unless there’s a war, loss, and decade+ occupation.
That’s not to say there aren’t genuine reformers of the type we want in these current movements, just that there are other types in there as well. And they will bide their time.
Plus the colonist were de facto independent from day one. The Brits didn’t even have regulars troops in the colonies until 1741. The revolution started when the King George started acting like he owned this place. I just read statement from that period indicating the only reason we stayed with Britain as long we did was due to fear of the French in Canada.
The main reason the American Revolution succeeded is that the people were, in the main, already self-governing as individuals, towns, churches, colonies….. they neither needed nor wanted any overarching government meddling with their lives. They took care of their own business. That is why they left England to start over on their own, and every one of the charters for the thirteen colonies preserved their right of self-rule and cooperation.As King George’s Parliament got further out of ocntrol, taxing and micromanaging and dictating, the colonises began to take steps to withstand the encroaching loss of what liberty they’d managed to retain. It was merely a matter of throwing off the oppressors, they already KNEW how they wanted to live…. same way they set out to live when they left Europe.
That deeply embedded value set does not exist in the arab world, nor in any moslem-controlled place. It did not exist in pre-soviet Russia, nor does it there now. Until THAT ethic is deeply embedded in the hearts and minds of a people, they will never be successful at securing self-rule; they will ever be subject to outside control… by dictators, imams, presidents for life, the Party, a king……
Clausewitz, notice the scarfs the dudettes are wearing from Code Pink-Hizbullah trademarks.From my neck of the woods we tend to notice such accessories.
Case closed.
Adina, I went back to school at a later stage in my life. I couldn’t get over the number of students at University who thought that Palastinian Neck Scarfs and Che t shirts were nothing more than a fashion statement in a lame attempt to look edgy and cool. I also had a Che T-shirt, but that was with the caption, “Communism killed 100 milion people, and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt”. Quite a few times the clueless came up and said “Oh Che man, cool”. At that point I asked them to take the effort to read the caption and figure it out for themselves.
“….but the commies are genetically unable to promote “liberty”
Commies are genetically unable to PRONOUNCE “liberty”
Communism? Liberty? What’s the connection? T
Communism? Liberty? What’s the connection?
The whole idea (in comunism) is that there is a group of people who knows everything better then everyone else. They are the leaders. No one else has say.
Indeed. All animals are equal. Some are more equal than others.
Stealth jihad. Stealth Communism. (sigh)
Are there maybe some stealth groups on the Right? The kind with ammo for when the ballots no longer work? (sigh)
I weep for my country.
Any stealth groups on the right would be criticized for being RINO’s.
I believe you are correct. More and more Americans are stockpiling ammo and food. We are headed in the wrong direction and our idiotic government has no clue what is happening. As was said years ago, “Don’t Tread On Me”. Government beware!
Don’t forget medicine and first-aid supplies!
“More and more Americans are stockpiling ammo and food.”
It won’t help. The ammo will go un-fired (minus two or three rounds), and then the food will go uneaten.
Those who are stockpiling weapons and ammunition will be raided, and either killed or imprisoned, ONE AT A TIME. And when it’s done, liberty will vanish from the earth for a thousand years.
Keep in mind that at least nominally, Assad is the last remaining Baathist, which is a secular/socialist party out of the mid 20th century. Why are they against Assad? Probably because he’s not red enough.
Either that, or Assad Jr. isn’t living up to his daddy’s example re Israel, aka “driving the Jews into the sea”.
Assad pere’ went to war against “the near enemy” (the U.S. being “the far enemy”) several times. This counts in the Islamic “eternal jihad” mindset, even though his military got its ass hammered every single time. Assad fils’ has at least learned from his sire’s example; his one attempt at going after Israel, in Lebanon, was mainly intended to prevent the Israelis from rolling up his occupation forces in that benighted country.
From the news out of Syria in recent years, it looks more and more like Assad Jr. has rebuilt his army from a primary field force to a regime’ protection force, intended to keep control of his own (fractious) populace. The two kinds of armies are not the same thing, and generally cannot do each others’ typical missions. This has probably blunted his ability to pursue the “jihad” against Israel, by conventional means at least. Asymmetric warfare, i.e. state-sponsored terrorism, is of course still feasible- assuming that he can afford to bankroll it, that is. (Syria’s balance of payments may be of more import here than how many divisions its actual army has, believe it or not.)
All of which puts Assad Junior in the uncomfortable position of having the various Islamic terror groups asking him, “But what have you done for us lately?”
That question, put to an Arab leader, can all too easily end up with said leader getting Excedrin Headache Number Seven Point Six-Two- from his own supposed “allies”.
My guess is Assad Jr. isn’t sleeping well, these nights.
cheers
eon
If you were part of a culture where even people considered stupes could build a car from a junk yard and race them once a week or could make unique swamp buggies of their own invention to race as opposed to people who couldn’t reverse engineer a safety pin which would you favor: communism/socialism or capitalism based on a meritocracy?
Speaking only for Egypt, it is no secret that adherents of a civil/secularist form of gov’t are socialist/commies almost to a man. The thing is though, they don’t like the Islamists and are in fact afraid of them.
For that kind of commie stupe, you have to go to the U.S.
This is some of the crap we have to deal with up here in the Pacific Northwest. Watch out for the ISO and social-anarchist. The are not only violent, but will stop at nothing when their “revolution” starts. http://daylightdisinfectant.blogspot.com/2011/06/daylight-opinion-who-trashed-tea-party.html
At least they policed up their protest signs after their rally. Often they just get thrown on the ground or stuffed into a trash can, til it’s overflowing.
Also, perhaps we can get some of these protesting Arabs to at least *read* “Animal Farm” before they go ahead and commit to a revolution that ends up with a dictatorship of the proletariat. Once they figure out that they’d be exchanging one overlord for another, they might not be so impressed. Wasn’t Sadaam Hussein’s Baath party supposedly some sort of socialist entity?
The Ba’ath Party was, and is, neither specifically Iraqi, or even specifically Saddam Hussein’s. It is actually a pan-Arab socialist movement with its own definition of socialism, much closer to the French Jacobins than the Soviet model. And that much more dangerous for that reason. In this version, violence is often an end in itself, and enemies are more often to be exterminated, as opposed to being “merely” conquered and enslaved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba%27ath_Party
Yes, I know it’s Wikipedia. But even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while.
cheers
eon
Awesome investigative journalism, Z!
Damn commies, they’re everywhere! I’ve noted the Code Pinkos don’t take their clothes off anymore, something for which I’m profoundly grateful.
Excellent work Zombie. Those Arab kids are the handiwork of the leftist faculty at San Francisco State University.
AROC is part of “Center for Political Education” which is a hub of pure Alinsky Style Political Organizing. They break down their organizing efforts by race, ethnicity, and sexual preference — kind of how they see the world.
Sadly I just missed the class on the modern leftist orgnaizing classic “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” by Brazilian Paulo Freire.
Dude, as soon as I saw the words – “San Francisco Rally and March for Democracy in the Middle East,” – That was it. I mean, each one on its own raises the alarm bells.
I admire the fact that you have a wonderful sense of optimism, but you are in the belly of the beast. Great work all around though, so thanks.
Great work as always, Zombie!
Communist scum. You’ll note that there were NOT too many of them at the protest. Although communists are the second most hateful group of people on this planet (the first are radical Islamists), they know that what they’re “selling” the American public isn’t that popular. Unless, of course, you’re like Obama and are trying to force socialism, the poor half-brother of communism, on to the American public.
Even during the darkest days of the Great Depression, communists were never the majority in any party, let alone a priniciple voting bock. But progressivism or socialism, ah, that’s a different story. THAT is the sugar-coated version of communism, or communism light, and that IS being accepted by the American public, big time. With all the entitlements being demanded by the people and all the calls for “Social Justice” being made by our politicians, this is a “soft communism” that has taken over much of this country and needs to be rejected quickly before we lose what little liberty we have left. The problem with the people in the photograph is that they are too overt about what they want. With people like Obama in office, all they have to do is join the Democratic party and vote for Obama. They’ll get what they want, only under a different label. With politicians like Obama, what’s in a name anyway, as long as you arrive in the same place, which is communism.
Not very likely.
Freedom/Justice/Democracy.
Glenn Beck says that’s the Muslim Brotherhood. He said they use that phrase so people will say “Yeah, who’s against that”.
That’s their party name for the coming elections in Egypt.
It’s basically for NYT and WaPo journalists.
Freedom/Justice/Democracy
the problem is we and they do not speak the same language, the words look the same, the sords sound the same
however the meanings are lost in translation
Freedom: to live under ISLAMIC theocracy or “people’s politburos”
Justice: Justice of the Koran- youthe oppresive imperialsit dog should die! The commies will imprison and torture you instead and then kill you
DEmocracy- mob rule, cry, whine, slander and libel all enemies
yes it sounds nice- and repeat of the same old lies, worked before and it’s working now- get a slogan, promote it=WINNER!
I am convinced that democracy as we in the US understand it cannot exist in any of the Arab countries, at least not on a permanent basis. Democracy requires an individualist state of mind first, which just doesn’t exist in the the tribal mind set of the Arab world. So, as predicted by you – when democracy comes they will “vote” for one of the tyrannies.
Redbear – Spot-on.
Redbear, this is exactly why the Arab world is in so much trouble. Tribalism is the first major hurdle they have to face, and Islamism is the second. Given the history of the Arab world, Islamism is used to reinforce the Tribalism that is causing so much hate and discontent.
I wish the Arab people nothing but the best. Sadly, they’re not likely to get there with these obstacles in their way.
Communism is the “dictatorship of the proletariat” just like Democracy is the “dictatorship of the majority.” We all have been taught for years that Democracy is a sacred tool of freedom, in reality Democracy is mostly used to legitimize unrestrained power. Notice how some politicians think they are above the constitution simply because they were elected by “the majority,” how the interests of some people are completely disregarded because others voted something else, and how Socialists and dictators all over the world are in love with Democracy (Chavez, Ahmadinejad, even Castro). This is why our country is a Constitutional Republic and not a Democracy.
I always find it ironically amusing that the communist Arabs are faithfully following the heavily Jewish-influenced communist model originated from Karl Marx and early Jewish communist thinkers. Communism is rooted in the Jewish idea of an one-world socialist system under a total state, no class, no racism, everyone is taken care of from birth to death at the discretion of the state. Generally, the Arabs’ attitude toward the Jews are that of contempt, hatred, envy, jealousy, and bloody murder, and still these Arab communists are promoting a communist model system in the Arab world, obliviously of its strong Jewish origins.
Sorry Rob – I can’t agree with you about Jews. Except for the “No racism” part, what you are describing has its origins elsewhere, not in Judaism.
‘ableism?’
Ye gods.
Zombie-
So glad it’s you rather than me wading in among that omnipresent cadre of geriatric SF marxists. God, I know they really smell bad too so I admire your grit.
Why is it that everytime people organize to protest tyranny, the crazy far-right lunatic fringe starts yelling “COMMUNISTS!” Why is that? A womyn protests the brutality of the Assad regime while holding a “Democracy Now” sign, and she’s a “communist”? The crazy logic escapes me. What these people are fighting for is true-blue democracy, just like the ancient Greeks intended. In fact, for you maroons out there, the word “democracy” in the Greek language breaks down as follows: “Demos” means “the people” or “of the people”, while “cracy” means “economic justice”. Thus, the word “Democracy” means “economic and environmental justice for the working class people”. I know this because I studied a bit of ancient Greek while at Columbia under Noam Chomsky (an on-line course). You neocons put Assad in power so as to maintain a puppet who will ensure the free flow of cheap Syrian oil. So now to protect your beloved oil, you all have to label anyone calling for his ouster a communist or a free grazer. Your game is up and the world sees it. And the Israeli Lobby can’t help you out of this mess. I for one support any organization that in turn supports real democracy, like Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Fatah, and Meg Ryan. The world knows the protests are not about “communism” (how 80′s a term is that anyway?) or about the destruction of the Zionist Enity, but about real change. And shovel ready opportunities.
Parody, or real? You decide.
I particularly like
OK, I mean, it’s gotta be a joke, but then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if people really were taught these things.
I’m definitely going with parody.
There has been someone here on PJM for a couple years who writes under different monikers and hilarious parodies as a Lefty. If this is that same person again, I once conversed with him/her here and he/she slipped from under the cover of parody to give me a wink and a nod.
“Meg Ryan” + “And shovel ready opportunities” = Parody
And a good one.
“Parody, or real? You decide.”
NO ZOMBIE!!! YOU DECIDE!!! Where’s your video camera? Can’t make a decision without getting proof on video!? You get some guy wearing the hammer and sickle shirt and all of a sudden everyone at the event is a dyed in the wool Trotskyite? Is that how you spell “Trotskyite”? I wouldn’t know, because I have a hammer and sickle shirt, and a Che Guevara shirt, and a Pulp Fiction shirt, yet I’m not a commie!! And I support everything those brave protesters stand for! Down with imperialism! Down with the US backed Assad regime! Down with corruption and despair and hunger and anti-abolishionists and gay-bashers and that SINISTER Gary Sinise!
Do you have a Charles Manson shirt? How about a Hitler shirt or one with a swastika? If not, why not?
Hardy, har, har. You maroon….I don’t have a Nazi shirt because that would be offensive. I don’t have a Manson shirt, because that would be sick. I do have a Karl Marx shirt, but that’s not an uncommon thing here in Berkley. It doesn’t mean I’m a admirer of Marx, although I do agree whole heartedly with much of his thought. But that does not mean I am his supporter, or a supporter of his political philosophy. Although I do agree with his opinions.
“But that does not mean I am his supporter, or a supporter of his political philosophy. Although I do agree with his opinions.”
*dies laughing*
—
LovelyEarth…
I do not agree about Gary Sinise. He was hot, hot, hot in “The Scarlet Letter”… Oh wait that was Gary Oldman. Neverrrrrrr mind. Yucky. I agree. Sinise is Sinister! rotfl
Hey, I have a “baby on board” t-shirt I wear even though I’m not pregnant.
True story! ;p
Oh my friend, you are beyond parody. You think it offensive to wear a shirt with a Nazi symbol but the ol’ hammer and sickle is A-OK. I wonder why that is? Oh wait, wait, I know! The Nazis killed millions under the banner of an ideology based on racial supremacy.(racism – Very bad!) The Commies (the hammer and sickle crowd)trumped that achievement and killed HUNDREDS of millions by promising to deliver a worker’s paradise based on economic justice! (Unfortunate, but at least their hearts were in the right place!)
Yeah, hardy har har.
Everyone knows that “-cracy” comes from Greek krazein, “to be insane”. As in “That LovelyEarth is one cracy dude!”
I’m so happy. Ten years later, 5,000 American martyrs, about two trillion $$$ providing free schools, roads, and their first flushing toilets and clean water to the Muslim world “bringing democracy”, and we have 17 actual moderate appearing Muslims to show for all the sacrifice!!!
That’s what I call progress! At this rate it will only take two sextillion more dollars (that’s $2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) and ten billion years for the rest of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims to come around…
Way to go, America!!!
Way to go, Muslims!!!
AROC? What the heck are Alfa Romeo Owners Club members doing handing out cute little tiny Muslim national flags at an Arab Spring rally for? Shouldn’t they be home polishing their sports cars?
Oh, … Arab Resource and Organizing Club? That’s Diferent!
Never mind!
– Emily Littela
I oppose all war and occupation! And I told that to a friend. When he started accusing Israel of being an occupier. Then I asked him what was his opinion about the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. His answer was, I need to understand the geopolitics of the time … but the occupation continues today! It seems that these guys do not oppose ALL war and occupation.
What you really should have asked your friend was his opinion about the Turkish occupation of…Turkey.
Very few Americans know that the central Asian tribes known as “the Turks” did not seize control of and become the dominant population of Anatolia (modern-day “Turkey”) until the 1300s — just a few decades before the Europeans started colonizing the New World. (Before the 1300s, Asia Minor/Anatolia was Greek territory.)
If someone were to oppose “occupation,” then really, you’ve have to draw some kind line in the historical sand to determine the moment before which people are deemed “native indigenous inhabitants” and after which they are deemed “invaders/occupiers.” To the ancient Hebrews, the Arabs would be considered “occupiers” of the Holy Land. To the ancient Egyptians and Copts, the Arabs would be considered “occupiers” of Egypt. To the Assyrians and the Kurds, the Arabs would be considered “occupiers” of Mesopotamia/Iraq/Syria. To the Byzantine Greeks, the Turks are “occupiers” of Asia Minor. And on and on its goes. These stances are no more (or less) valid that the Native Americans viewing the Spanish/French/Portuguese/English as “occupiers” of the Americas.
Really, how far back do you want to go? The Bretons and the Gauls view the Frankish tribes as “occupiers” of Brittany/Gaul/France.
And the Neanderthals almost certainly saw the newly arriving Cro-Magnons (our ancestors) 35,000 years ago as an invading force “occupying” the Middle East/Europe/Asia.
So, basically, ALL HUMANS are “occupiers” who usurped the native population.
This “I oppose all occupations” argument is one the liberals simply can’t win. If they truly believed it, then they would immediately evacuate from wherever they lived and go kill themselves, or at best find an abandoned mid-ocean oil platform to colonize.
AROC is the Alfa Romeo Owners Club. There must be a problem getting spare parts, and swapping stories of how the cars always break down, in the ME. That’s all they want. What’s wrong with that?
I’m just disappointed that douche bag wasn’t wearing a ‘Che Guevara’ t-shirt. That’s usually the membership card for dupes – but the hammer and sickle will suffice.
A lot of the individuals in the pictures appear to me need to be on a terror watch list. They are of the age, and religion/political system.
Screw Islam, and it’s false moon god!
I had a similar experience when I attended a “solidarity with the Egyptian People” demonstration four months ago. You can see my pictures and report here:
http://www.ringospictures.com/index.php?page=20110205
I’ve now added a link to your earlier report as an update to the end of the essay. Amazing similarities!
Wake up America. They’re determined to destroy us!
THAT needs to be a t-shirt!
Maybe with a hammer/sickle for added emphasis.
Great journalism. But I’m left wondering, isn’t Islamofascism just Communism under a religious flag? It’s been said that “under Islam, women are not free and men have no choice.” But the proof is that all Arab-Islamic countries are crony mafia-type economies, with societies forever stuck in the same poverty as African nations of the sub-Sahara. Which begs the question: Are these Islamic socialists the biggest useful idiots of all?
forgive me, but I cant get over the amount of long sleeved shirts, hoodies and coats on the non arab dress folks. I understand it’s SF, but is it really that chilly there? I would think in mid-june it would be warmer?
great job as always!
Are you kidding? Mark Twain: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
It was cold and windy that day.
Once they all get nuclear weapons, the Middle East will be extremely fortunate if it doesn’t become a plain of radioactive black glass.
Keane ( frmr US 4star ) says that Iran is the worlds biggest problem andlast week Kissinger was talking last about what to do after the big one, which he says is inevitable because Obama has decided to sit this one out. The worst President at the worst time. G-d help us!
“I fear that Arab leftists may be repeating the same mistake this time around: Joining forces with the Islamists to expel the existing dictators, only to later see Islamic fundamentalists seize complete control, once again suppressing leftist parties even worse than they were suppressed in the first place. Ooops.”
Ooop?!? Yeah!
I hope Leftists make that mistake. Why wouldn’t anyone? Because the world needs more communists?
If only the Leftist and Islamic fundamentalists would fight until each were destroyed.
Great work as usual, zombie! As a Veteran I reflect that it’s no sign of respect to roll any nation’s flag around a stick and then to throw it on the ground. Seeing that pile of them you spotted & photographed, I perceive a Reasonable, Articulable Suspicion (RAS) those who’d been waving those flags were less than sincere.
Whenever I compliment an act on its statecraft, don’t bet it was intended to flatter. The STATECRAFT (evident in the way commies can now hide in plain sight) is impressive to behold. We of the VRWC could learn from it.