Jorge Insunza: Look, the Communist Party of Syria, which is a great, serious, and responsible Communist Party and which is not part of the Syrian government, says that it is necessary for Syria to make progress in the deepening of the real exercise of democratic rights. That there have been flaws and errors is an objective fact. However, North American intervention would not solve any democratic problem. On the contrary, it would result in the establishment of a power that would be much more repressive than the current government which allows the existence of parties that are not part of it and have a critical perspective as in the case of the Communist Party of Syria.

blinkandwheeze posted:
http://www.voltairenet.org/With-the-observers-gone-the-lie

The advocates of intervention in Syria made a mistake by sending an observer mission. The 160 observers from the 22 Arab League countries were able to establish the discrepancy between the version of events put forward by the West and the reality on the ground. For this reason, their report was smothered by the Presidency of the Arab League, and has not been presented to the Security Council, when it was supposed to constitute the very basis for the new deliberations on Syria.

The problem is that the report would bring to light several points wholly at variance with the current Atlanticist version, when the laws of war propaganda aim to silence all dissenting voices in order to impose its own views.

Since they refuse to endorse NATO’s storytelling, the observers have become embarrassing witnesses. Although the extension of their mission had received 4 votes in favor and 1 against (that of Qatar) by the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee of the Arab League, they must leave Syria due to "security" reasons, after the Gulf observers were called back and Saudi Arabia issued a call from Al-sheik Aroor for their assassination.
Although he is depicted as a radical Muslim, Sheik Adnan Al Aroor is a former Syrian officer arrested and sentenced to 70 years for raping several conscripts under his command. Exiled in Saudi Arabia, he created his own sect and became one of the leading Takfirist preachers, the guru of the insurgents.

Now that Syria is again the only one in a position to provide another version of events, the lie industry set up for this operation is back in full gear. Once again the sole source recognized by the West and the Gulf is the self-proclaimed Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, based in London and led by the Muslim Brotherhood. No evidence is submitted; a few blurred photos, the juxtaposition of images showing demonstrations and explosions, and some anonymous testimonials will do: the "information" is instantly relayed, with no verification, by hundreds of media across the world.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NB04Ak01.html

The Arab League's Ministerial Committee had approved the report, with four votes in favor (Algeria, Egypt, Sudan and GCC member Oman) and only one against; guess who, Qatar - which is now presiding the Arab League because the emirate bought their (rotating) turn from the Palestinian Authority.

So the report was either ignored (by Western corporate media) or mercilessly destroyed - by Arab media, virtually all of it financed by either the House of Saud or Qatar. It was not even discussed - because it was prevented by the GCC from being translated from Arabic into English and published in the Arab League's website.

Until it was leaked. Here it is, in full.

The report is adamant. There was no organized, lethal repression by the Syrian government against peaceful protesters. Instead, the report points to shady armed gangs as responsible for hundreds of deaths among Syrian civilians, and over one thousand among the Syrian army, using lethal tactics such as bombing of civilian buses, bombing of trains carrying diesel oil, bombing of police buses and bombing of bridges and pipelines.

http://www.voltairenet.org/What-Is-Really-Going-On-In-Syria

Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria I have made two trips to that country as a member of international delegations in August 2011 and in January 2012. If we watch the dynamics of situation’s development over that period on the one hand we can state intensification of terrorist groups in Syria and on the other hand we see a broader people’s support of President Bashar Assad and a clear demarcation of political forces’ positions.

In the last two months Syria has seen a number of terrorist attacks. The terrorist attacked Syrian servicemen and military facilities, law enforcement agencies institutions, blasts on oil pipelines, railroads, murders and taking of hostage among peaceful citizens (In the city of Homs insurgents killed five well known scientists), arson of schools and killing of teachers (since March 2011, 900 schools have been set on fire and 30 teachers have been killed).

Terrorist attacks in Damascus became one of the bloodiest. Two of them were carried out on December 23, 2011 when cars loaded with explosives went off in front of the buildings of state security service killing 44 and injured about 150 people. On January 6, 2012 on a busy street a suicide bomber attack killed 26 and wounded 60. There were officers of the law enforcement agencies among the victims but most of the victims were occasional by-passers.

After terrorist attacks in Damascus demonstrations with slogans supporting Bashar Assad and condemning terrorists were held everyday. Similar demonstrations were organized in other large cities such as Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Daraa, Deir az Zor. These demonstrations were covered by the Syrian TV. During our stay in Syria we could move around the city freely and speak with people as we liked but we did not see any single anti-governmental rally. Most of the rallies’ participants were young people.

sweet links, thx

my head's awash in conflicting reports. These trots I know are claiming this is a genuine uprising of working people and point to the Free Syrian Army and worker's councils/soviets like that formed in Zabadani as their proof. That sounds really optimistic to me.

I did speak to a Syrian dude on the weekend who was certain 10,000 people had died, he was in full favor of intervention and sanctions I just looked at him like wtf.

blinkandwheeze posted:

deadken posted:
what specific discrepancies exist between the observers report and the western narrative. not a catch out question im genuinely interested

i haven't read the entire report but here are some significant sections

A. Monitoring and observation of the cessation of all violence by all sides in cities and residential
areas25. On being assigned to their zones and starting work, the observers witnessed acts of violence
perpetrated by Government forces and an exchange of gunfire with armed elements in Homs and Hama. As a
result of the Mission’s insistence on a complete end to violence and the withdrawal of Army vehicles and
equipment, this problem has receded. The most recent reports of the Mission point to a considerable calming of
the situation and restraint on the part of those forces.
26. In Homs and Dera‘a, the Mission observed armed groups committing acts of violence against
Government forces, resulting in death and injury among their ranks. In certain situations, Government forces
responded to attacks against their personnel with force. The observers noted that some of the armed groups
were using flares and armour-piercing projectiles.
27. In Homs, Idlib and Hama, the Observer Mission witnessed acts of violence being committed against
Government forces and civilians that resulted in several deaths and injuries. Examples of those acts include the
bombing of a civilian bus, killing eight persons and injuring others, including women and children, and the
bombing of a train carrying diesel oil. In another incident in Homs, a police bus was blown up, killing two
police officers. A fuel pipeline and some small bridges were also bombed.
28. The Mission noted that many parties falsely reported that explosions or violence had occurred in
several locations. When the observers went to those locations, they found that those reports were unfounded.
29. The Mission also noted that, according to its teams in the field, the media exaggerated the nature of the
incidents and the number of persons killed in incidents and protests in certain towns.

B. Verifying that Syrian security services and so-called shabiha gangs do not obstruct peaceful
demonstrations30. According to their latest reports and their briefings to the Head of the Mission on 17 January 2012 in
preparation for this report, group team leaders witnessed peaceful demonstrations by both Government
supporters and the opposition in several places. None of those demonstrations were disrupted, except for some
minor clashes with the Mission and between loyalists and opposition. These have not resulted in fatalities since
the last presentation before the Arab Ministerial Committee on the Situation in Syria at its meeting of 8
January 2012.

C. Verifying the release of those detained in the current incidents33. The Mission received reports from parties outside Syria indicating that the number of detainees was
16,237. It also received information from the opposition inside the country that the number of detainees was
12,005. In validating those figures, the teams in the field discovered that there were discrepancies between the
lists, that information was missing and inaccurate, and that names were repeated.
The Mission is
communicating with the concerned Government agencies to confirm those numbers.
34. The Mission has delivered to the Syrian Government all of the lists received from the Syrian
opposition inside and outside Syria. In accordance with the protocol, it has demanded the release of the
detainees.
35. On 15 January 2012, President Bashar Al-Assad issued a legislative decree granting a general amnesty
for crimes perpetrated in the context of the events from 15 March 2011 through to the issuance of the decree.
In implementation of the amnesty, the relevant Government authorities have been periodically releasing
detainees in the various regions so long as they are not wanted in connection with other crimes.
The Mission has been supervising the releases and is monitoring the process with the Government’s full and active coordination.

D. Confirming the withdrawal of the military presence from residential neighbourhoods in which
demonstrations and protests occurred or are occurring39. Based on the reports of the field-team leaders and the meeting held on 17 January 2012 with all team
leaders, the Mission confirmed that all military vehicles, tanks and heavy weapons had been withdrawn from
cities and residential neighbourhoods. Although there are still some security measures in place in the form of
earthen berms and barriers in front of important buildings and in squares, they do not affect citizens. It should
be noted that the Syrian Minister of Defence, in a meeting with the Head of the Mission that took place on 5
January 2012, affirmed his readiness to accompany the Head of the Mission to all sites and cities designated by
the latter and from which the Mission suspects that the military presence had not yet been withdrawn, with a
view to issuing field orders and rectifying any violation immediately.

that the fsa are committing acts of violence against security forces isnt really contrary to the western narrative, it is an insurgency after all......

deadken posted:
that the fsa are committing acts of violence against security forces isnt really contrary to the western narrative, it is an insurgency after all......

the fact that they're indiscriminately attacking civillians and infrastructure while the violence carried out by security forces are negligible or even nonexistent sure is tho

deadken posted:
i get that people want to give more credence to the baath party because anti-imperialisms but they're also a reactionary alawite elite. the revolutionaries may well be susceptible to western influence but at the same time interesting things tend to happen at moments of revolution

im a one issue guy; my issue is the defeat of western imperial forces

deadken posted:
the report doesnt say that though

how does it not?

27. In Homs, Idlib and Hama, the Observer Mission witnessed acts of violence being committed against
Government forces and civilians that resulted in several deaths and injuries. Examples of those acts include the
bombing of a civilian bus, killing eight persons and injuring others, including women and children, and the
bombing of a train carrying diesel oil. In another incident in Homs, a police bus was blown up, killing two
police officers. A fuel pipeline and some small bridges were also bombed.
28. The Mission noted that many parties falsely reported that explosions or violence had occurred in
several locations. When the observers went to those locations, they found that those reports were unfounded.
29. The Mission also noted that, according to its teams in the field, the media exaggerated the nature of the
incidents and the number of persons killed in incidents and protests in certain towns.

39. Based on the reports of the field-team leaders and the meeting held on 17 January 2012 with all team
leaders, the Mission confirmed that all military vehicles, tanks and heavy weapons had been withdrawn from
cities and residential neighbourhoods. Although there are still some security measures in place in the form of
earthen berms and barriers in front of important buildings and in squares, they do not affect citizens. It should
be noted that the Syrian Minister of Defence, in a meeting with the Head of the Mission that took place on 5
January 2012, affirmed his readiness to accompany the Head of the Mission to all sites and cities designated by
the latter and from which the Mission suspects that the military presence had not yet been withdrawn, with a
view to issuing field orders and rectifying any violation immediately.

deadken posted:
mubarak had a level of popular support too. given the entrenched divide between the alawite ruling class and the sunni populace i find it hard to believe that the fsa is entirely a nato invention. not that nato isnt arming and supporting them obviously

a lot of those guys are directly from libya, jordan and iraq