Meanwhile, In Syria

[OllieC]

The Don of Croy said:

This morning's report on BBC R4 tells me Assad is dropping 'barrel bombs' from helicopters. How are these different from dropping bombs, air mines, grenades, used bales of unread Guardian newspapers etc? Does the unfortunate dropee notice or care that the lethal force is moderately unconventional?

Or are we to deduce that Assad has no more nicely produced bangy things to lob at his people?

Sorry to be flippant, but the beeb repeated the 'barrel bomb' term, so I gave it some thought but then decided a bomb is a bomb is a bomb...

I agree in principle with what you are saying, perhaps (tongue firmly in cheek here) they are using this term as a way to emphasise they are 'dumb' bombs rather than our Western 'smart bombs' which only kill bad guys and not children / kittens.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

Transmitter Man said:

When it comes to this particular conflict I'm afraid I'm no conscientious objector. I don't like anyone dropping bombs from aircraft or heli's but when someone is dropping them on his own people including women & children then I have no time for the man.

How is Assad any more culpable than the bunch of Al Qaeda affiliates ? Who are murdering people, including women and children, mostly Muslims, because they do not subscribe to their particular brand of craziness. They are being supplied weapons by Saudi and Qatar (Who are also quite happy to turn weapons of war on their own dissenting populace). Barrel bombs are inaccurate, but then so is a truck bomb.

Here you go, enjoy the precision guided truck bomb joy , wrought today by your favourite "rebels / terrorists".

Syria conflict: Dozens die in explosions in Homs

Let solve the problem by giving Assad precision guided munitions then ?

Transmitter Man said:

(Remember one thing, we're not talking about Hamas in Gaza firing kasam rockets from school playgrounds into Israel while the kids are still playing) - have you seen the video's of that episode?

Have you seen the episode of white phosphorous being dropped in Gaza by the Israeli military, on a school and the UN building, Kazam rockets kill, but so do white phosphorous artillery shells in a rather gruesome way. The civilians are the poor sods who suffer. Each is as bad as the other.

Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Wednesday 30th April 11:55

[raftom]

Telegraph investigation on the use of chlorine and ammonia bombs:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleea...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleea...

[AreOut]

because children are the main danger for him he decided to throw precious resources on them, how brilliant from telegraph

[BlackLabel]

Things looking bleak for the rebels.


"Syrian army moves into rebel-free Homs, starts de-mining operation"

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/05/09/uk-syria-...


"Hundreds return home to Syria's Homs

As more than 1,700 opposition fighters leave the city that they fought over for nearly two years, residents return. "

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/05/h...

[raftom]

Syria rebels detonate tunnel bomb under army base

"Islamist rebels detonated explosives planted in a tunnel under an army base in northwestern Idlib on Wednesday, killing or injuring dozens, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based group said the explosives blew up under a checkpoint inside Wadi Deif army base, which opposition fighters have been trying to capture for more than a year.

Video posted online showed a massive blast which hurled debris and soil dozens of metres (yards) into the air."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pte1ERktMII (graphic)

[Transmitter Man]

QuantumTokoloshi said:

Have you seen the episode of white phosphorous being dropped in Gaza by the Israeli military, on a school and the UN building, Kazam rockets kill, but so do white phosphorous artillery shells in a rather gruesome way. The civilians are the poor sods who suffer. Each is as bad as the other.

Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Wednesday 30th April 11:55

Quantum,

You're confused.

The difference is that it is mainly extremist elements connected either to Assad directly or sunni backed Iraqi groups (ISIS & ISIL) that are killing people because they don't share their extreme views of islam.
While they may be an al-Qaeda affiliate in many cases they are seen as doing assads work unlike the equally well known al-nusra also affiliated to AQ but who are trying to bring down the assad regime and have frequently fought with and alongside more moderate opposition groups - yes, there are actually Syrian opposition made up of Syrians although they rarely get a mention here on ph.

On numerous occasions the IDF working with the UN troops on the Golan allow injured Syrians to cross into Israel for hospital treatment but of course that's not suitable for public consumption now is it?

[QuantumTokoloshi]

Transmitter Man said:

QuantumTokoloshi said:

Have you seen the episode of white phosphorous being dropped in Gaza by the Israeli military, on a school and the UN building, Kazam rockets kill, but so do white phosphorous artillery shells in a rather gruesome way. The civilians are the poor sods who suffer. Each is as bad as the other.

Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Wednesday 30th April 11:55

Quantum,

You're confused.

The difference is that it is mainly extremist elements connected either to Assad directly or sunni backed Iraqi groups (ISIS & ISIL) that are killing people because they don't share their extreme views of islam.
While they may be an al-Qaeda affiliate in many cases they are seen as doing assads work unlike the equally well known al-nusra also affiliated to AQ but who are trying to bring down the assad regime and have frequently fought with and alongside more moderate opposition groups - yes, there are actually Syrian opposition made up of Syrians although they rarely get a mention here on ph.

On numerous occasions the IDF working with the UN troops on the Golan allow injured Syrians to cross into Israel for hospital treatment but of course that's not suitable for public consumption now is it?

Okay, informative but it does not change my points about both the AQ extremists or the IDF.

Who is dying in this mess ? The civilians, attempting to paint Assad as the only group killing civilians because they are using unguided barrel bombs is mendacious. Truck bombs are as indiscriminate killers.

The record of the UK and US guided munitions is not sterling either in Iraq or Afghanistan, when it comes to civilian casualties.

A dead child is still dead, be that from a high tech laser guided bomb, truck bomb, barrel bomb or gas attack.

There is a entire maelstrom of interests at play here, he is only one of the participants.

Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Thursday 15th May 20:01

[The Don of Croy]

Channel hopping through the news progs the other night up popped a report on France24 which said they were more new recruits to the fighting from France than any other European nation...

Whilst not crucial in and of itself, still a surprise...the implication being that some of them will return one day and might still be a bit fighty.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

A disillusioned Syrian fighter, talks about the take over of the rebellion / coup by Islamist fighters.

A disillusioned Syrian fighter's story

Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Tuesday 20th May 11:26

[AreOut]

it was an illusion from Day 1, if Lybia didn't happen they might stand the chance but there are many people in Syria who don't like Assad one bit but also even more wouldn't like their country to become new Lybia

[QuantumTokoloshi]

AreOut said:

it was an illusion from Day 1, if Lybia didn't happen they might stand the chance but there are many people in Syria who don't like Assad one bit but also even more wouldn't like their country to become new Lybia

The mess in Libya, and the destabilizing effect it had on surrounding countries, shows the mess created with the selective "human rights" intervention by the West, the "Bombing for peace and democracy" game.

Assad may not be the first choice for Western governments to run Syria, but he is preferable to to the religious nutjobs currently trying to overthrow him. Saddam was another dictator who once overthrown, caused the country to collapse into anarchy, providing a breeding ground for Islamist crazies.

[Catweazle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27488006

[AreOut]

so, UK is basically convicting a terrorist who wanted to fight Assad and on the other side accusing Assad because of fighting that same person?

[PRTVR]

AreOut said:

so, UK is basically convicting a terrorist who wanted to fight Assad and on the other side accusing Assad because of fighting that same person?

Is it to much to ask that they all stop fighting and killing each other ? and hold everyone who is fighting responsible.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

Transmitter Man said:

On numerous occasions the IDF working with the UN troops on the Golan allow injured Syrians to cross into Israel for hospital treatment but of course that's not suitable for public consumption now is it?

The IDF seems a confused organisation, saving Syrian lives, but shooting unarmed Palestinian teenagers, funny how this was not published in the UK press.

IDF fatal Palestinian shooting

[The Don of Croy]

Meanwhile in our local news we hear about this family in Hove, where three sons have gone to Syria and one has apparently died;

[i]It was said at the time he had died at some point in the previous few weeks, apparently killed fighting with a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda against President Assad's forces.

When his death was announced it was thought his brothers Jaffar, 16, and Amer, 20, were still in Syria, having gone there with an aid convoy in October.

Mr Deghayes said Amer had suffered a bullet wound to the stomach in the battle but Jaffar was unhurt.

"I am sad for the loss of Abdullah, but at the same time, I can feel some comfort as he went for a just cause," he said.

"I hope he's in peace. Neither Abdullah or his brothers are terrorists."[/i]

The way the news person presented it the Dad was upset that the BiB had 'raided' his home.

[AreOut]

PRTVR said:

Is it to much to ask that they all stop fighting and killing each other ? and hold everyone who is fighting responsible.

you think asking irrational beings called terrorists would have an effect?

[PRTVR]

AreOut said:

PRTVR said:

Is it to much to ask that they all stop fighting and killing each other ? and hold everyone who is fighting responsible.

you think asking irrational beings called terrorists would have an effect?

No but it does not stop them from being responsible and accountable.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

The USA is training rebels/terrorists to fight in Syria. The logical way to promote peace and democracy in the world. To train and arm Militia groups with ties to Islamist groups, what could possibly go wrong ?

11/9/2001 seems to spring to mind.

Syrian Rebels Describe U.S.-Backed Training in Qatar