Recently I saw a photo on the Internet showing ISIS terrorists in a parade of US military vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks, HumVees, and the like. The terrorists were dressed in the green US army camo uniform. Many carried US made Tow missile carriers, and other sophisticated US weapons. With the photos was a video of the parade of the terrorists through the town they had captured from the Syrian government. Please note that we were able to photograph and videotape the parade. It was at least a mile long and was manned by hundreds of terrorist drivers, militants and criminals. If we wanted to do something about ISIS this was our chance but the parade continued on its way with no terrorist ever in danger.
On the same day I saw a photo of a USA bombing raid on Damascus the civilian city and capital of Syria. It was reported that hundreds of civilians in the capital were killed or injured. It looked like the bombing was extensive and brutal. So, we bomb the capital city of the sovereign nation of Syria while we videotape the terrorist ISIS militants. Innocent people in the Capital die from our bombs but the bloody terrorist criminals are celebrating.
I think that B. Assad is a dictator, as was his father. I believe that his government, however, is recognized by 105 nations and had a seat in the United Nations General Assembly. I think an international business that wanted a contract for Syrian oil would get Assad’s signature and the contract would be considered legally binding and could be defended before the world court in Geneva.
So what gives us the right to bomb Assad? It is because the USA says he is a dictator and as our President said, “Must Go.” I guess, therefore, if we were fair, then if Assad said Obama is a terrorist who bombs innocent civilians in Damascus and therefore, “Must Go.” it would be okay for him to bomb Washington so as to get at B. Obama!? I guess there is no crime for either them or us. It’s just the business of Superpowers and nation states.
However, I do not remember reading that Assad or his government declared war on the USA. I do not remember Assad or his government attacking US military personnel at any time. I do not remember Assad arranging for bombs to go off in Washington. He does not bomb the USA embassy in Damascus. I think it would be fair to say that Syria and the Assad regime are not in any way a threat to the USA or USA international interests. So why are we bombing Assad? Why are USA bombs killing innocent Syrian civilians in the capital city?
The USA has not moved to remove the Assad government from the United Nations. It has not moved to have the 105 nations deny diplomatic recognition to the Assad government. The USA has not declared war on Syria. And the last time I looked, I think that the definition of criminal aggression is when one nation (USA) attacks a sovereign nation without provocation. Criminal aggression is a International war crime.
One more thing, there are many in the USA including venerable Charles Krauthamer of Fox News, who promote the idea of sending armaments and sophisticated weapons to the so called “Syrian Free army” in order thereby to topple the Assad government. The so called “Syrian Free Army” has been shown to have morphed from a groups of Syrian rebels with leadership in Paris, France, into a front group for Al Qaeda in Syria. It has also been shown that massive amounts, the guesstimate is 600,000 lbs of arms have been shipped to the “Syrian Free Army” but these were sold or given by them to ISIS. ISIS, in turn, uses these to invade Iraq, capture many Syrian cities, kill Christians and behead people, put people in cages and burn them to death and the like.
This writer says stop the bombs. Stop the massive arms shipments to ISIS. Stop the illegal criminal aggression against the Assad regime. Offer help to the hundreds of thousands of Christians displaced, persecuted, tortured and murdered by ISIS.
We toppled Hussein, what happened? ten thousand American dead and wounded and it is now a haven for ISIS. We toppled Mubarak. What happened? Eqypt was handed over to a leader of the Muslim brotherhood, a terrorist group and was becoming a haven for terrorists. But Egypt has a powerful national military and the Muslim brotherhood was toppled by Egyptians and is now ruled democratically by a religiously responsible activist Muslim leader. We toppled Qaddafi. What happened ? Chaos and Benghazi- an American Ambassador murdered as President Obama, and Hilary Clinton watched it on TV in the White House.
Stop the bombs. Stop the millions in funding to the so called Syria Free Army. Stop international military arms shipment to ISIS. Let’s see if these people, left to their own cannot solve their problems without interference from USA.
Tag: Egypt
USA Needs to Stay out of Syria
http://news.yahoo.com/afghan-civilians-killed-nato-airstrike-114608612.html
This article is a prime and potent example of why we should not attack Syria. A missile, bomb or drone does not know the difference between the innocent and the guilty. The bomb does not stop halfway to the target because it senses that there are innocent children there. It just keeps on dropping until it blows up the target including the innocents who happen to be there. The USA cannot lower itself to the level of the terrorists.
Congress must not support the Obama administration and an over zealous navy. Sure, the Navy had a very small role in Afghanistan but they do not need to prove their value by attacking Syria from their ships. Americans value their Navy and no amount of brazen aggression by the USA administration is needed to make us value them more.
To Mc Cain, Linsey Graham, Nancy Pelosi and congressman Ted Cruz: Please stop your inane and insane posturing and calls for the USA military to participate in the wholesale killing , (can we say murder) of Syrians. I heard our congressional representatives saying that they know for sure that the government of Syria used Chemical weapons. Based on what? They based it upon the CIA intel presented to them by the Obama administration. This same administration came out today and said that it is an absolutely logical conclusion to assume that the government of Syria is responsible. So? Are we to bomb and kill Syrians based on assumptions and logical conclusions. Friends, we are talking about killing people!
I am embarrassed to refer my readers to the interview by V. Putin of Russia. He called for conclusive proof that 1. The government of Syria ordered the gas attack. 2. That the regular army of Syria actually released the chemicals. That is to me more democratic and reasonable. Can it be that a former communist and KGB official is more democratic than the President of the USA.
President Obama. Sir: you said “no “to your cabinet officials who counseled immediate and devastating attacks on Syria. You said “no” to those who advised you to go to war without Congressional approval. Now, Sir, please say “no” to the assumption that the government of Syria is responsible and stand down the navy. Withdraw our ships and stop CIA money payments and USA arms shipments to the Islamic rebels. And at the same time, put the full diplomatic weight of the USA behind an effort to convince our friends in Russia and China that we are believable and willing to cooperate and collaborate with them to end the violence in Syria without demanding the ouster of the President of that sovereign nation.
Obama Administration’s Foolish About Benghazi
http://news.yahoo.com/libya-militia-linked-u-attack-returns-benghazi-141851547.html
The Obama administration is the reason for the continued terrorist success in Libya. Why? Because Obama backed the rebel insurgents and terrorist Islamists who fought against Gaddafi. Using the romantic notion that all the Islamic countries needed was a breath of fresh Spring air, Obama ignited and then supported what has become a nightmare of terror for Libya, Egypt, and Syria.
A glaring fault of the Obama administration’s worldview is directly attributable to the President. He seems to think that simply forcing an autocratic government out of power will automatically produce a grass-roots movement akin to the American Revolution of 1776. However, the governments of Libya and Syria are autocratic for a vast array of social, ideological and tribal reasons. The leadership of these regions, like that in Iraq and Iran is based on powerful clan and tribal allegiances. These forces produced the autocratic governments, perpetuated them in existence and reinforced their continuation into this era. The obvious breakdown of Libya and Iraq into competing tribal and clan factions, each at war with the other over land, influence and Islam, is evidence of the correctness of this analysis. Yet, the Obama administration, its State department and the CIA that serves him, followed an amateurish plan based on romantic notions of hope and change.
Surprisingly, it is Vladimir Putin who is the voice of a seasoned and reasonable national policy regarding the Mid Eastern nations in general and Libya and Syria in particular. Putin was betrayed during the illegal aggression against Libya which was carried out by Obama, Cameron, and Sarkozy. In conjunction with the Belgians, these three leaders had gotten United Nations permission to protect rebels forces fighting against a member of the UN (Libya). But the UN resolution 1973 was then used by these leaders as a cover under which they engaged their nations in criminal aggression against the legal government of Gaddafi, a government, which until his murder by the rebels, was recognized by 103 nations as the legal government of Libya. The criminal aggression was carried out by bombing, and strafing the legal army of Libya by NATO forces. It was carried out by the use of 213 USA cruise missiles fired against the legal army and government of Libya by NATO. The illegal aggression was carried out by the use of USA Special Forces personnel on the ground in Libya who aided the rebels, guided the bombing raids, and spotted for the missile attacks. The entire affair enraged Putin because it was illegal under International law. But the powerful Belgians, French, English and Americans were never called accountable. Instead, the puppet press of the Obama administration depicted the Libyan aggression as a war of freedom against tyranny.
Evidence of confiscated weapons shipments by Russia to the Syrian government of Assad, seems to indicated that the Russians are doing legally what the USA did illegally. How so? The Syrian government, like the Libyan government of Gaddafi, has an internationally recognised right of self-defense against all enemies foreign and domestic. By the way, it is illegal, regarded as treason, and punishable by death, if a citizen or group of USA citizens attempts to overthrown the federal government by force. So, what’s the difference with Libya? Oh, I forgot! We declared Gaddafi a dictator and that made every illegal and criminal action that we took, well, it made our action right!!??
Strange, isn’t it, that a former Communist KGB agent, Vladimir Putin, should be more of defender of national sovereignty and I believe in Libya, of national self determination, then the Obama administration?
Gaddafi had moved very forcefully to attempt to atone for his terrorist actions in Lockerbie. He acknowledged the crime and paid the blood money. Which, although Westerners do not agree with the process, is nonetheless, regarded as an expiation for the crime. So, if the relatives of the victims accept the blood money, they are required to exonerate the perpetrator of the crime. (Hey, I don’t agree either. But if we are going to play the game and accept the money then we cannot secretly decide that we have other rules that we apply to the game that are unknown to the other participant.)
Gaddafi had stopped all Nuclear bomb development in acquiesce to American demands. He had stopped all International terrorism funding and activity in return for USA government recognition of his government. A fact attested by the visit of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Gaddafi.
However, President Obama did not honor the promises of the previous USA administration. President Obama reneged on government to government agreements. He decided to repudiate the promises of the USA made to Gaddafi, instead using our prestige at the United nations to get Resolution 1973 passed and then using it as a legal cover for illegal and criminal aggression against a sovereign Libya government, an action which was condemned by Nuremberg when it was done by the Nazi against Poland, etc.
The amateurish and cavalier approach of President Obama to foreign affairs in terribly illustrated by his handling of the Benghazi murder of four Americans, including Ambassador Stevens. It seems that President Obama thinks that he can engage in acts of war and then walk out of the oval office and go to bed, leaving the conduct of the war to others. But what is his plan? What is he intending to accomplish? What is his focus in terms of the macro and micro scenario of international politics? Where is his instruction manual for what he intends for his officials to achieve? Just saying to his staff, “handle it.” and then going to bed is not the basis for policy, anymore than just giving a speech on a USA issue is the same as the proposal of legislation to the Congress.
Speeches and statements to staff to “handle it” are evidence of a politician who is not engaged in governing. They are the cavalier statements of a person who has little regard for the mechanics of real life government. Maybe, Obama thinks that all he has to do is think and speak and everybody else has to work.
Egypts Coptic Christians Were there Before Islam
http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-egypts-pope-criticizes-islamists-195303020.html
“We are a part of the soil of this nation and an extension of the pharaohs and their age before Christ. Yes, we are a minority in the numerical sense, but we are not a minority when it comes to value, history, interaction and love for our nation,” he said.
His Holiness is right to assert that the Coptic Christian community pre dates the Islamic conquest of the seventh thru ninth centuries His annoyance with constantly being relegated to minority status should resonate with Americans who are currently battling to empower all so-called minorities. However, unlike USA where recent minorities actually are such, the Coptic Christian community dates from the earliest Christian era, in the first century, (that’s 0 to 99 years) Anno Domini.
Russia is Friend of Syrian Peace
http://news.yahoo.com/start-something-big-russia-pulls-hundred-citizens-syria-155610519.html
The rebels are armed by secret USA, British and French arms shipments. Look at map, These three nations are very far away from Syria. Russia is right next door. So the Russians are rightfully more interested in Syria than the rest. The talk on these pages is as though the cold war was not over. What do all those without sons and daughters in our military want…More war? The Russians have been very clear. Stop the secret arming of the rebels. Stop the millions of dollars of pay to the rebels. Stop trying to overthrow the government of Syria by international State sponsored terrorism, which is what such funding and arming of the rebels actually is, Then the Russians will support transition from Assad and international UN sponsored free elections in Syria. From the beginning, it has been the Russians who have pursued peace. The NATO allies, France, Britain and USA have pursued war. First, we helped overthrow our ally Mubarak, than Gaddafi, and now Assad. If Russia tried to overthrow the governments of Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama, we would be screaming about it, rattling our swords and threatening World War. The way to stop the terrible bloodshed is for USA to affirm our commitment to peace. If USA State sponsored terrorism against Syria was stopped, the rebels would retreat. The Assad Regime would stop defending itself. The people would live and many innocent children would be ensured parents into the future.
Catholic Charity Helps Syrian Civilians
Once again Christianity helps the poor dpwntrodden and homeless. What about the Moslems? One wonders if they would do the same for us?
Kofi Annan and Peace
http://news.yahoo.com/annan-meet-assad-seeking-end-syria-violence-002653949.html The question asked in this article is “Can Kofi Annan” broker a peace in Syria?” My answer is an unequivocal yes. However, there are conditions and they are the following:
1. Foreign elements such as the CIA and the British and French Spy agencies must stop fomenting the continued unrest in Syria.
2. Russia and especially Vladimir Putin must be consulted and approve any deal.
3. Iran must be consulted and included in all back door negotiations for a settlement.
4. The legal government of Syria under Assad must be respected and affirmed by the UN as the legal government of Syria.
5. The violent and armed insurgency must be disavowed, disarmed and dissolved by its foreign sponsors.
6. The legal government under Assad must be publicly, and I repeat the word “publicly” engaged and publicly guaranteed legal and legitimate means for resolution of the conflict under Syrian law.
7. The so-called Syrian National Council, which is a surrogate for France and Britain must be disavowed and required to dissolve.
8. China must be constantly consulted and included in the ongoing negotiations for the sovereignty of Syria.
9. USA, Britain and France must publicly affirm their recognition of the legal Assad government in Damascus.
10. NATO must publicly announce that it is not even entitled to intervene in the affairs of the sovereign State of Syria.
11. Turkey, as a member State of NATO must refuse to continue harboring enemies of the Syrian government such as recently defected Generals.
12. Tribal leaders, (for lack of a better “Western” term) must be included as integral to any internal agreement between the government of Syrian and the International community.
13. In the event of free and internationally monitored elections, the monitors must disavow beforehand the prejudiced and inaccurate statements of election fraud which, for instance, were routinely issued after the election of Vladimir Putin.
I recognise that the 13 conditions place all of the burden on the West respecting the sovereign integrity of the Syrian government of President Assad. But this is the only legitimate and realistic way to end the outside influenced insurgency and restore peace and tranquility to Syria. And let me end by emphasis on the central and key role of Russia, China and Turkey. As for England and France, they are former Imperialist Colonial powers and their hands are already bloody because of their brutal pursuit of Western Imperialism in Libya. And the USA? We should be foremost in favor of national sovereignty as reflected by our own revolution against colonial Imperial England in 1776. And we should be for non-interference as reflected by our Federal position during our own Civil War, (or War of Northern Aggression) in 1865. The fact that we abandoned these policies in 1875 versus Mexico and in 1898 versus Spain and in 1917 versus the Axis is merely evidence of our own growth as an international imperial power. WW II is an entirely different story. And Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are exceptionalism adventures, to say the least.
Yes, Kofi Annan can restore peace, to a war ravaged Syria. However, this writer believes that the adventurism of the USA government is already undermining his efforts. And I believe that the robust colonial imperialism displayed by France under Sarkozy and England under Cameron, is not likely to dissipate. Therefore, the goodly people of Syria, like the countries of Egypt, and Libya will be the unwitting dupes of the internationalist aspirations of USA Obama, Frances’s Sarkozy and England’s Cameron. A very sad commentary indeed.
USA Intervention prolongs Tyrany and Prevents Democracy
It is this authors opinion that the progress of democracy is inevitable. I also believe that it is the best form of government for all people’s worldwide. Additionally, I wholeheartedly support efforts to educate, advocate and promote peaceful democracy worldwide. However, war is a terrible thing and as we learned in our own Revolution and Civil War a great many people die prematurely for something which is so inevitable that we do not need bloodshed for its achievement. And for those conservative pundits who argue with me on this, well! Have you been in the US military? Is your child in the US military? Have you been confronted with the agony of mobilization and deployment? Yes, I have and so have my children. So, before we go wrapping everything in the flag, let’s talk. Okay.
Democracy has many forms, including limited democracy such as a real monarchy, and on to parliamentary democracy and a Republic like the USA. However, there is not one form that fits all societies. A tribal system such as Libya and Iraq may not be historically, culturally or ethnically suited for USA style democracy. Rather, ethnic, cultural, religious and societal uniqueness may require that democracy be tailored to the local situation.
And I completely agree that many societies in the Middle East of our world are seeking a greater form of democratic society. However, in distinction from my colleagues, I suggest that democracy was and is inevitable in these societies and that the modern interconnected Internet world, would and will, sooner than later, achieve that democracy, worldwide. However, in many countries and societal situations the so-called “powerful” need to learn the new methods of power and government. It is my belief that they would have, and they will learn the modern way without violence, bloodshed and death. It is inevitable.
But, many object, that in the societies of the Middle East, it is taking too long. First, I ask you, if you are a citizen of the country you criticise? If not, shut up. It is none of your business and don’t spout the crap about “you are your brothers keeper”. When you leave your USA armchair and travel to the streets of the struggle and face the bullets, then maybe, and only maybe, then you will have a little right to speak. Hey, brother, please don’t tell me what I must die for. You die in my place, okay? And then, I will religiously lay a wreath at your grave. Deal?
It is this author’s opinion that much of the violence and the death happening worldwide and especially in the Mid East is caused by geopolitical aims and seeks to falsely use democracy as the excuse for the extension of a western economic imperial model that has nothing to do with the “quality of life” of the protagonists and a lot to do with the wealth and continued economic imperialism of western governments and corporations.
Rather, let’s not arm the rebels. Let’s educate them on civil organization and political reality. But, you say, that we tried that and it failed. Did it? In my opinion, it did not fail. It simply did not meet our expectations. We will need to extend our timelines and get real about what is possible now and what can only be achieved later.
Friends, I will not dictate that for which you must die. Rather, I will do everything I can to promote your freedom within the context, society and culture in which you live. In the end, the result will be the same because freedom and I believe, democracy, are inevitable.
Solutions for Libya.
USA stops ALL support for the Illegal Criminal Oil war aggression against Libya.
USA restores full diplomatic recognition of the legal and current government of Libya.
USA withdraws support for the crony Hague Courts Declaration of Gaddafi as a “war criminal”
USA refuses to support arrest warrant issued by that politically motivated court.
USA tells Sarkozy and Cameron it will introduce UN resolution in Security Council to end all bombing of Libya.
USA tells UN that it support UN humanitarian aid to NATO destroyed Libya.
USA flushes all State department and Defense department and Cabinet members who have war gamed this illegal war.
USA stops money to rebels in Libya, money which is siphoned into personal bank accounts of rebel leaders in France. Yes, that is where the rebel leaders have been, come from and to which they will flee when all of this is over.
This is not easy. It was a few months ago, when the USA would not have needed to do any of the above. But Obama has continued to dig the hole and widen the separation between Libya and the USA. Just 90 days ago, Obama could have stopped all of this carnage by simply refusing to be a part of the UN resolution. Even after his support for it, he could have stopped it by living the truth of his words instead of secretly continuing to do what he told the American people he was not doing. Now that Obama has withdrawn diplomatic recognition from Tripoli and given it to the insurgent forces, the USA has to go through third-party diplomats to even have a conversation with the legal government of Libya! Terrible fiasco by Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama. Maybe, “Joe the Plumber” would have done a better job?
Egyptian Christians Persecuted, Murdered, by Muslims
The video tells the whole story. Sadly the mainline Christian Churches like the Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians are virtually silent on this issue. However, Roman Catholicism and world Orthodoxy are trying their best to bring this crime to international attention. But France and England, former colonial powers in Egypt are not interested. Instead through NATO and with help of USA they are interested in fighting a “Resource War for Oil” against the Libyan people. Watch the video, get informed and write your federal reps and the leaders of the USA churches telling them they need to take this seriously. You can make a difference with your emails, letters. Think of it this way, your email in defense of persecuted Egyptian Christians is your voice against the modern nazi-like persecution of an innocent people. When the Jews were being herded and exterminated in Dauchau, too many people were silent. It has happened again in Sudan, in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Ghana, in Ruwanda, in Dafur. But in all of these the world ignored the pleas of those being killed. Please email your leaders and the denominations and ask them to do something about this.
Progressive Politics 