Why doesn't some country take this tyrant Assad out quickly to stop the killing go innocent people?
1
Well, well, well. Another headline by the neoliberal NYTimes to foment outrage and to disparage the actions of the Syrian government in support of terrorists and anyone lined up against Israel's occupation of Palestine. By now we know the modus operandi of your journalists. Where was the outrage by our levelling of Falujah, Mosul and Raqqa? Did Ms. Barnard, or any other reporter, express the same indignation there? As far as I'm concerned, the Syrian government has had to fight terrorists created, ala Taliban, by the West's intelligence services and the despots in the Arabian peninsula, supposedly for regime change. What about reporting on the unmitigated disaster in Yemen for a change, or have you conveniently swept that under the rug?
3
“...whatever the cost...”,
accumulating reports,official visits,journalism perseverance!,...
and...
much later on,in historical perspective and opportunistic national interests,
the Question:
Genozids? or another definition...
just to put things in context - ghouta was the suburb/base/fortress of saudi/us backed sunni extremists (the ones with the beards who support an islamic state) who have been shelling damascus for years (clean shaven and women wearing skirts)...understand?
2
Today is the third day in a row that the Russian Air Force has carried out missions in eastern Syria on the border with Iraq, the last bastion for ISIS. Worth noting that these are the ISIS terrorists that were allowed to leave Raqqa before it was "liberated" by the US-led coalition. The USAF may have trouble spotting them in the desert, in an area monitored by them, but the Russians pilots don't seem to be suffering from glaucoma.
1
The vitriol, the blame, here in the comments. All while this town is being massacred. No purpose to this, but must admit that's what civil war becomes. All of this because Assad wouldn't grant people the right to work and a few hundred protested. Those were the innocents; ISIS and Sunni radicals came in and claimed rebel power. Not the citizens, it was Sunni radicals from outside.
Obama and Clinton made a big mistake supporting the 'Arab Spring.' They thought it would bring democracy and freedom to the people, which in turn would wipe out radicals and bring about elections, etc. Naive to say the least. The US doesn't get it, the middle east doesn't want democracy. They want ruling sects of a religion that is not based in peace.
This will not stop. The US cannot stop it, especially now when Russia has dug in and is supporting Assad. Unless, the US goes to war with Russia? NO WAY would that be a good outcome for the planet. But Russia should be sanctioned and kicked out of the UN. Do we still have a UN?
I believe the US Civil War was a horrific and destructive loss of life and property. As I understand, General Sherman conducted a scorched earth campaign in the drive to Savanah to help end it.
The US has never been interested in helping to maintain stability and support the Syrian government which has been struggling to survive a ten years long rebellion mounted by its enemies who have funded, armed and trained a wide variety of mercenaries and terrorists, and which include Saudi Arabia and the US.
The CIA goal in Syria has been to remove Assad, put Syria under pro west control and contain Iran. After losing the primary intended goal of the regime change in Ukraine - - Crimea, the CIA is more than determined not to let Putin win again.
However, the US lost stage one of the Syrian civil war. It will now use the Kurds to help the 30,000 US troops in the region, who after supporting the Syrian government will then turn against it per the latest game plan.
My guess is that Putin also sees this and will remain committed to remove the vermin from Syria. He is not shy and he will see it to the end despite Syria being surrounded by enemies. This phase will be just as messy, but will go much faster than stage one.
2
It is too simplistic to just blame Mr. Assad's government for the death and destruction. If the rebels had not rebelled, of it they simply surrendered, there would me no need for the government to bomb the city, would there? As the old maxim states, if you shoot at the king, be sure to kill the king. The rebels took their shot and lost, just like the Confederacy in 1860, and Ghouta is today's Atlanta.
1
It should be noted that the so-called rebels in Ghouta are mostly jihadists and their families--mainly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra)--who are no different than the jihadist families the US bombed to clear them out of Mosul and Raqaa, killing thousands. When the Iraqi government and its U.S. allies were doing it, it was considered upsetting but necessary; when the Syrian government and its Russian allies do it, it is considered a war crime.
It should also be noted that the so-called Syrian Observatory for human rights is a UK-based propaganda operation by one former Syrian who supports the rebels, and that the White Helmets are not just rescuers but are also a well-financed anti-Assad propaganda operation.
Further, given the constant stream of claims about hospitals being bombed and the constant stream of photos of gruesome-looking scenes supposedly from hospitals, it appears that Ghouta has the world's highest concentration of hospitals per capita. Surely some degree of journalistic skepticism, not to say dispassionate investigation, is warranted.
8
What at the end results mostly suspicious is the immoderate presence of 'journalists' almost always taking this pictures of boys either in the hands of bearded men or alone inspecting the rubble. What these journalists even if they're apparently present in the area never report is the rocket's attacks flying from there to government areas in Damascus killing civilians.
4
Remember all the partisans who slammed Obama for drawing the red line and then not respond when it was crossed? Trumpy apparently thinks it better not to have a red line. Like, who cares about innocent Syrian children?
Picture says a lot. But the real story beneath the surface could tell more. Without the lethal weapons & bombs, the war cannot go on forever. Just check and publish whoever provides the weapons and ammunitions, then we will know who is the real culprit behind all these casualties.
2
The juxtaposition of an ad for Annihilation, the film, over the image of the family in a grey rubble-strewn street is heart wrenching. Oh humanity.
1
This is a civil war. People will die. It was irresponsible for the US to encourage and support the rebels. This is the result.
The Syrian government is attempting to reclaim its territory, just like Iraq did and the US did with the Confederate states.
5
The war in Syria is another money maker for the bomb makers.
The Saudi government wants to build a gas pipe line through Syria to feed the European market taking away Russia main source of revenue.
The US sells Saudi hundreds of billions in military supplies to hand out to anyone that calls themselves a opposition fighter.
Your children and grandchildren will fight and die in the Middle East forever because it is profitable to the 1% that own stock in the bomb makers companies.
8
We all let that little kid in the picture down by allowing this to continue unabated.
...back to our Latte
Shame on us.
9
This is the same blueprint Putin used in Chechnya for destroying a civilian population.
5
Why does every country involved get to off load their weaponry on civilians and demand more money for the most funded entity on the planet the United States Military? American tax payers have killed theses people.
5
Are Syrians less important than Palestinians? It would seem so ,by the silence from the world & liberals in America as Assad with the help of the Russians & Iran are murdering civilians, which include hundreds of Children.Don’t Syrian Lives matter ? Where are the marchers, Penelope & her husband Bardem.
6
After these many years of bloody civil war, what has Syria gained? Peace ? No. Thousands of thousands of civilians, including scores of children have died. The amount of civilian deaths is more than the terrorists killed.
That the recent bombardment has killed so many children is a very serious issue. If intelligence gathering is not accurate about the location of the terrorists, the forces should not have launched any attack in the first place.
Whether president Assad accepts or not, Syria is being used as a practice ground by both the Americans and Russians to test their weaponary and battle techniques.
That the United Nations is doing nothing to stop the war is more shameful.
2
T. Anand Raj: I see why you asserted that the Americans and Russians are testing their weaponry and battle techniques, but I think this assertion is incorrect. Each is there because the other is there and are interested in oil, likely. Protecting supplies for the West.
But the war appears to be a proxy war for Saudi Arabia and Iran, a long-standing conflict which we do not really understand. There are sectarian disputes of great magnitude and symbolism. It is a huge, HUGE and very lethal chess game being played here. Extraordinarily sad for civilians, in this case Syrians, and others who need to have their space without being marginalized and targeted (I think this is true for Kurds, though I might be mistaken about this assessment).
A lot of bad mistakes by leaders, Assad included==specifically and fully mistaken in torturing that boy and lighting the tinder of the war. But also Obama, likely, and certainly the Bushes in getting Iraq destabilized without understanding what they were unleashing. Hubris.
Now countries are protecting their so=called interests. So terrible for the ME. But the ME also has responsibility for its ongoing battles and ease of incitement to war.
5
"The government’s move to support the Kurds threatened to unravel months of diplomatic efforts by Russia, Turkey and Iran to de-escalate the conflict. It also signaled a new phase of the war with a greater potential for military engagements between other countries with a stake in the outcome, among them Turkey, Iran and the United States."
And what exactly is our stake?
And didn't you forget to mention another country that has a real stake, like Israel, they seem to disagree.
" The first effort is to attack important Assad regime assets every time we are faced with an opportunity to attack an Iranian target. Syrian President Bashar Assad isn’t interested in a conflict at this time, and he definitely doesn’t want to lose important assets just because it benefits Iran. This way, we might be able to create tensions between the two and hope Russia takes Assad's side.
...
Removing the Iranian forces from Syria must be another component. As far as Israel is concerned, by the way, removing the Iranians from Syria is much more important than new missile production restrictions.
... and Israel must pressure the US to show more understanding towards other Russian needs (for example, the Western sanctions on Moscow) while gaining a more supportive Russian approach towards the Iranian issue."
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5114884,00.html
2
Once again this is about greed, every war is about greed. Russia and US corporate interests both want a pipeline. Yet not one mention in this article about the cause of the conflict. We would not want to shine any light on just how evil big business is, now would we.
2
In 2012 it became sadly evident that, if Assad didn’t go, his country would. What kind of national leader favors his own self- preservation over the country of his blood, and to do it he destroys the country of his blood? The wrong one! Syria has already become another Lebanon, figuratively, literally and completely destroyed.
3
Sadly, Tillerson and Trump are dismembering the State Department at a time when diplomatic action could help alleviate this growing area of conflict.
Is there even a US diplomat seated by the Trump Administration for Turkey, Syria and other regional nations?
3
Assad and Putin, by their continuing world class actions against humanity, are world class criminals. Period!
5
How long is America and Europe going to put up with this BUTCHER's madness?!
10
It would be nice to think that all the USA would have to do it step in to stop this but that is nonsense. Getting involved will only make things worse.
This American would like to suggest that instead of embroiling ourselves in foreign wars with no end in sight that we focus on healing our own country.
2
It's long past time for a no-fly zone. Any Syrian military aircraft that takes off, gets shot down.
6
Open your eyes. This war was started and stoked by the US. Here they come again with Assad being responsible for the gas attacks, whilst there is no evidence of that, on the contrary all evidence points to it being staged with the help of the good old US of A. Just when Russia,Syria and Iran managed to sort the US's proxies out, along comes the news of this from the very same culprits, whose only purpose is , to fume the flames of this conflict. America, go find the WMD's in Iraq and gtf out of Syria.
2
Dirk: Middle Easterners have their sectarian conflicts which became very evident in the Iran-Iraq war. The U.S. did not start this war in Syria, and did not stoke it. It is not always about the U.S...people in the ME are perfectly capable of having their own conflicts for their own reasons.
Assad tortured a boy who was protesting his rule during the Arab Spring movements. He is a minority clan/tribe/ethnic group in Syria and it really angered people not of his identity group.
It is truly a horrific, terrible mess, and a proxy war for all kinds of countries for all kinds of reasons. Imagine ten people trying to play in a single chess game. Some are trying to protect oil; some sectarian supremacy, some settling old scores.
It would help if we moved to being a solar energy planet ASAP. I am serious here. It would help slow global warming; it would help slow worries about access to oil; it would help outside interference in ME affairs. What it probably would not do is solve the ME parts of the conflicts. They will have to figure this out.
2
It seems that there is a concerted effort by multiple countries to perform a genocide.
11
Zero sympathy. These Salafi butchers were on their way to forming a caliphate where sex slavery, crucifixions, throwing gay people from rooftops, inspiring terrorists on our soil and across the West, and eliminating minorities like the Yazidi were their goals and what they were most gleeful about. Remember their videos? Of the captured pilot they tortured and killed? Remember their women, the ones who spread propaganda for their cause, and lured impressionable Muslim teens in the West to join their sick and twisted cause?
Let them pay for it. They’re no different than the Nazis. When Hitler Youth and their mothers were being abused and steamrolled by the Soviets in the closing days of WW2, no one cried for them. And no one with any experience in this part of the world should cry for these cockroaches either.
In fact, I suspect the only people who are bemoaning the justice of this righteous payback are the same American ignoramuses who can’t tell a Salafi from a moderate Sunni, who can’t tell an Arab from a Kurd, and who don’t realize what the ideological pedigree and past actions of these “victims” amounts to. Nor do they realize how completely without honor and dignity these people are. When losing, when captured, even their most hardened fighters often cry like babies and soil themselves. It’s all for show. They relish playing the victim. Don’t let them fool you. Don’t let them seek refuge here or in the EU. Crush them first. And then we can talk. Until then, no mercy.
9
Well said. Exactly what I wanted to say. They are busy photographing scenes that will tug at the hearts of Westerners. Once they succeed in their goal of a caliphate the Westerners will be treated as all unbelievers should be treated. There is no question of any humanity to non-Sunnis.
1
Just go to war already.
1
When will we stop this insane funding of the rebels trying to overthrow Assad? We are the one stoking this civil war for our own geopolitical games. We could care less about the civilians thrust in the middle.
15
I am not wise enough to parse the long term consequences of one outcome or another, but war is the worst thing humans do. This war is almost over. It is now clear that it will end with Assad ruling Syria for now. Those who oppose this, for whatever noble reason, are arguing for prolonging war. That is wrong. We should all hope for these rebel enclaves to fall quickly and aid to be resumed to the beleaguered residents.
15
Somehow, even with Turkey and Russia calling the shots, we have no leverage to even make a passing attempt to end this brutality. We are truly leaderless.
9
Wow!
Sounds almost as bad as when
Israel attacks/bombards/obliterates civilian infrastructure (and civilians!) in Gaza
(maybe Syrian forces are taking lessons from the big boy in the neighborhood, Israel?).
Now, that's bad...So in terms of looking forward? Another endless war? Great. Join the countries around Israel club!
14
"...Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the government advance on Afrin was halted after he spoke with President Vladimir Putin of Russia by telephone Monday. He also spoke with Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani. Mr. Erdogan announced that the military operations against Afrin would continue..."
this seems contradictory, unless ankara reversed its position (which would not be the first time).
at some point, moscow and tehran--like the US--will need to choose sides in the north, even if implicitly by silence and inaction, (ex., pro or contra damascus, pro or contra ankara, pro or contra kurdistan, pro or contra idlib), in a battle largely among sunnis and local tribes, in a conflict that seems increasingly difficult to understand.
3
Take a good look at that picture America. A man running with his blood soaked child.
15
"Syrian officials vowed to show no quarter." Killing everyone--including innocent children is a savage and cowardly act.
1
Red line? What red line? said Obama. Is Trump any better?
2
They have no soul.
2
It's a good thing Israel isn't the one indiscriminately bombing Syrian civilians....otherwise the world would care. If the Arabs do it, it's totally OK.
5
Israel did just bomb Syria, but it seems that the world only "cares" when Assad does it "to his own people"...
1
In a world full of bad actors, there is Bashar al‑Assad, the real actor and mass murderer. I imagine Trump admires him, too.
5
Si sad than United Nations and the most powerful countries in the world don’t do anything to stop this blood bath. Perfect place to create the next wave of terrorists.
4
They can. They just don't care.
2
Are we bleeding now in sympathy for OUR children and not THEIR children again?
What are the Turks doing in Syria? It looks like an illegal war.
4
You folks need to look up the declassifed CIA document in 1984 It is called bringing muscle to bear. The CIA wanted Assad gone to control a pipeline that would cut Russian influence is why the US embarked on this regime change.
3
That was 34 years ago. Different Assad...and the uprising was spontaneous, beginning when Assad's secret police began torturing children.
2
Does anybody over there even remember what they’re fighting for anymore, or is it just the way of life? Death then becomes a reward. Everything is relative. Perhaps that’s what President Obama wa thinking when he yielded the red line. Existentialism. Very deep.
If the Syrian Government, along with their Iranian allies do such horrendous deeds to their own Moslem Arab people, what do you think they would do to Israeli Jews...?
Fortunately Israel can and will defend itself ...
5
Sometimes things need to get worse before they can get better. American involvement sparked this entire mess and increased American involvement now can spark a regional conflict with actual nations fighting each other. Let the rebels negotiate with Assad and see what happens. Assad clearly isn't going anywhere and Syria is entitled to it's sovereignty and borders.
6
The only constants in war: Soldiers die, civilians die, and valuable things are destroyed. The Syria war is no different from any of that.
And while I'd like to say "Assad is the bad guy because he's a dictator", I also know that the US government has never had any real problem with dictators, so long as they were *our* dictators.
37
We are well on the way to getting our own dictator here in the USA.
4
Thanks for being able to get right to the point in a few words. Now even fewer words from a Syrian woman holding a sign during an antiwar march here in Chicago: "
"WE ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE THERE."
2
"Only the dead have seen the end of war"
War Graffiti - Peter van Agtmael photographer
14
Its time for U.S. to get involved and quickly as it is the objective of Assad is to form a Shia alliance to strike at Israel and also USA. Helping the Kurds at this late stage may not be enough to justify major U.S. involvement but if Israel strikes Iran in Syria as Israel has said it is considering and then there are counter attacks against Israel in such a case the U.S. would likely become involved in a major way against Assad. It is time for Iran and Hezbollah to leave Syria and they have no legal jurisdiction to be there. It is in best interest of U.S. to get more involved quickly to help drive them out of Syria.
4
Do you have a source for that objective of Assad's ? So far as I can tell, he doesnt have the military means to strike at Israel, let along the USA. The Syrian army are struggling enough as it is to take back territory off ragtag groups of Islamists, let alone launch an offensive at the well equipped armed forces of Israel.
As for Iran and Hezbollah, they are in Syria at the invitation of the UN recognized government of Syria. They are in the country legally, whilst the USA on the other hand stationed in Syria illegally.
10
The US history of "helping" the Kurds is one of exploitation and one-sided, as we've used them as all's in most of our wars over there, yet leave them to die under Erdogan's army?
Furthermore, Israel already bombed Iranian backed targets in Syria, over a supposed drone, so it's not a hypothetical. Israel is one of biggest fomenters in the region just itching for a war over the "existential" threat they help to create with these disproportionate actions.
1
"Anne Barnard reported from Beirut, Lebanon, and Carlotta Gall from Istanbul. Hwaida Saad and Nada Homsi contributed reporting from Beirut, and an employee of The New York Times from Damascus, Syria."
Just to be sure that none of the reporters working for NYT and writing the report are in Syria - essentially its all hearsay. I am not disputing the war going on in Syria but to report these pictures and writing these reports as facts is difficult to imagine. The closest person is in Damascus. I wonder although the regime forces have besieged the Ghouta area and are trying to put down the rebellion in Syria but is this article meant to justify our further involvement in Syria?
Please be careful in accepting all that you read and hear on TV as we do know what predated the Iraq War. and we are still paying because of it.
22
Your complete disregard and callousness in response to the unimaginable and unending suffering of the Syrian civilian population in Ghouta (which has been documented and verified in extremely graphic photos and video footage) is utterly contemptible.
5
There was nothing produced as evidence before the Iraq War - just words.
I am not sure why the attacks maiming civilians is hard to imagine They have been targets of Assad, and "in the way" of all the parties to this dirty war from the beginning.
3
The Syrian army has, in a coordinated operation with its allies, liberated the last stronghold of ISIS terrorists west of the Euphrates, that of Deir Ezzor.
The only places that now constitute "safe havens" for the head-chopping, rapists of ISIS are monitored by the US and its coalition of the willing to commit war crimes. The US military has not carried out a single operation against this terror group, on the contrary, it protects them with its own airforce that it placed at the terrorists' disposal.
7
No body cares!! Europe, Muslims, U.N., all silent, unless they can somehow blame Israel.
12
Another Syrian atrocity on top of the heap of others. And the UN is still impotent to do anything about it. Indeed, now more so.
3
This is the fault of the Russians. Clearly the Russians are involved. What a mess.
2
With the billions of dollars in our ever-growing military budget, don't tell me we can't stop all these bombings in Syria! Don't tell me that we cannot impose a no-fly zone over civilian zones where seven hospitals were bombarded yesterday! If Trump truly wants to make America great again, he should put an end to Assad's bomb attacks of Syrian cities.
2
America has no interest
We have a crisis of morality. It’s sad and
Sickening
And it’s not just trump, he is just the idiot up front.
This is no way to run a planet
Wait...it’s ending.
2
So you want World War III?
4
The international community shares a collective guilt for allowing this to continue for 7 years.
9
Seriously, do you think the international community is going to interfere in our regime change agenda?
7
I wish us never got involved and fuel anti government elements, just like we have in Iraq, Libya and other countries. people do not need democracy or over throw government with outside help. Let the time and people inside decide it. Otherwise , we will always have this. Please please get out of middle east. we do not need the proxy wars any more.
9
How's the weather in St. Petersburg?
And I don't mean Florida...
2
The United States, unlike the other nations, is not a regional power. We have no dog in that fight and should stay out of it. Given our recent military history engagement is certain to compound our many catastrophes.
18
What do you propose, that we sit on the sidelines while thousands of civilians including children are bombed in their schools and hospitals?
4
Is France still fighting in Mali?. Yes who approved and armed the Rebels in Syria? Yes who approved and supported that coup in Ukraine and now sent powerful lethal weapons there?. Yes and which US major Senator called for a military coup in Venezuela with support from that famous term 'International coalition'?.
2
Yes. No one appointed the United States to World Sheriff. It is the hubris of that silly attitude which has brought us to grief. We do not have the means to accomplish anything in the Middle East.
6
Quick, Dottled!
Bomb an empty airfield to show how tough you are on the Russians.
1
And don't forget to call first.
1
This image is horrifying. The years-long rein of depravity, indifference and cruelty in Syria is pure evil.
5
This is the all too predictable result of the war against ISIS, whose leadership was largely composed of former Iraqi military leaders who were kicked out after the US took control in the Iraq war. We are now embroiled in a proxy war that includes Assad and his Russian allies who feel free to attack civilians to regain power.
1
David, are you sure about that? That ISIS leadership was composed of former Iraqi military leaders who were kicked out after U.S. took control of Iraq? I think we need to be VERY careful about our assertions.
Paul Bremer disbanded the military after early U.S. advisers tried to enlist their leaders' help following the invasion and toppling of Saddam Hussein. That was an idiotic move, truly terrible, because it threw so many men out of work and they knew where weapons stashes were. Bremer did nothing to stop looting of all the national buildings and treasures, but the Iraqi military would have helped.
The leader of ISIS was someone who had been in prison, was Jordanian, and would have been taken out by Saddam had he been there to do it. A true sociopath. The Iraqi military no doubt had a few sociopaths, but mostly they were family men who were pretty tough and quite savvy.
The ISIS leadership was NOT made up of them, although a few may have joined at one point. I am not sure about that, but I am sure that the origin of ISIS was not from disbanded Iraqi military personnel or leaders. The latter were responsible for the insurgency that Peatraeus and George Bush ended up having to deal with, and for good reason (the latter--if he sent Bremer to do that stupid work he did).
There was an excellent Frontline series you could probably still watch.
Syria and the various combatants is a much more complicated situation than what your comment suggests. And it is terrible.
3
To clarify:
What's going on in Syria is complicated, primarily because there are so many foreign actors currently involved that represent their own regional interests. The local population is also very diverse and has historically been under stress, especially after the current border were drafted by (yet another) external intervention by the British and the French, signing of the Sykes–Picot Agreement in 1916.
Look at the map of region. The whole area was carved up by the British and French colonial movements with little regard to the ethnic populations. Syria is yet another country in the region that has been affected. Now, a whole century later and with the help of various triggers, this issue has come back to roost.
The local forces fighting for the control of their country are the Syrian regime of the brutal dictator Haffed Al Assad, from the Alaweit minority (10%) (hims and his father have been ruling the country for several decades), and the Syrian people themselves, mostly Sunni Arabs (75%) and Kurds (10%), that want to free themselves of the dictator and his family. So at its core, this is a civilian war.
The external powers currently at work are less legitimate but also the stronger ones. Russia backs Iran. Both have proxy armies there. Iran backs Hezbollah. All three back Assad, suppress the rebellion and don't do much to fight ISIS. The US backs the Sunni and Kurds. The three fight ISIS. Israel is trying to stay out while fending off Iran's growing threat.
15
Syria was a stable country and growing economically under Assad and the Christians/other minorities were protected. Would you not expect the leader of Syria to try to protect his country when jihadists are attempting to overthrow him. Further, Israel has bombed Syria over 100 times since this all began so they are not staying out as you say.
10
100% correct. Syria I was quite a decent country until their Arab Spring was hijacked. Assad led the country quite successfully. Anyway mostly this is about Qatar and Iran trying to forge route to the Mediterranean for the massive oil and gas field they found and share in the Persian gulf. Ergo the rift between Qatar and the gulf states. Some actors wanna enable this route while others want to cripple it.
3
It is now clear what Trump's last year's bombardment of a Syrian airfield was. Theatre. Trump doesnt seem to care about US kids being gunned down in their schools. Why would he be concerned with the gassing of Syrian children?
20
Yep, as long as the US and the West continue to try and force "regime change" in Syria - maybe meddling a little in the country? - and fail to do anything to get the rebels it has encouraged, armed and defended to withdraw, Syria will do what any country in this situation would do - fight like hell to end this deadly civil war. Pathetically hypocritical for the West to criticize Assad when it engages in equally and more deadly aggression with little regard for "collateral damage" - death to civilians and destruction of infrastructure and the potential for stability and a return to life - think Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan for starters. Please, stop blaming Assad and Syria and take responsibility for another misguided attempt to change the political structure of another country. Oh, and you know we have to deal with those Russians meddling in our politics - laugher.
8
Well we could engage the Russians with deadly force in Syria and the Ukraine, as well as arm and fund an insurgency in the Crimea. How many Russians will need to be collateral damage before the thug-ocracy of Putin's stop attacking our democracy?
I find it hard to believe that you are serious about Russia and Putin attacking our democracy. I think we have access to different news sources. From what I understand we have been antagonizing Russia and encroaching on its borders for years, also invading other countries, Destabilizing the Middle East, and fomenting anti-Russian sentiment on the border of Russia. To me it seems the United States is the thug, invading other countries with “shock & awe “ bombardment, while Russia has shown remarkable restraint.
3
I should point out both to other posters and NYT editors that the commenter judywell's image icon is the flag of the Russian government militants in the Donbas region of the eastern Ukraine. Given that this is probably unknown to the very vast majority of American or Western readers, plus predictable pro-Assad message and Anglicized username, there is a good chance that this is a Russian troll.
8
Seems we get 4 or 5 negative articles every day about Russia in the NYT. Glad to see more issues are being addressed, like we are being led into another war. How about addressing the atrocity in Yemen as well.
20
America supports the atrocity in Yemen and Palestine. With billions of dollars to aid the killing by Saudi and Israel.
We are a lost nation of fools and Jesus.
4
Pro Government forces are pushing to join Kurdish forces in Afrin that is under Turkish attack? Hmm.... I guess Kurds have more faith in Assad than in the US in term of protection from Turks.
6
This is a failure of US foreign policy. Again the US has supported a half effort there and this suffering is on our shoulders.
3
What would be a " full effort "?
3
Blasting the Russians out of the Middle East would be a good start. They really have no manner to retaliate, kind of like we have no manner to retaliate against there disinformation campaign.
This is our blood
Imagine it’s our children
We are the worst nation on earth
That’s Terror
Excellent article I read last night by Paul Pillar, 28 year veteran of the CIA......
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pillar/needed-syria-disengagement-...
Who would/could stop 'butcher of Damascus' Bashar Ul Asad for slaughtering more than one million Syrians for the last seven years? The world citizenry watches in despair as Syrian genocide goes unabated and 'one at the global helm' Putin, Trump, Rouhani, Netanyahu, May, Macron, Morkel et, arab despots/monarchs are equally responsible for this mayhem. This Syrian quagmire will ignite a larger conflict and could eventually destroy the regional/global peace, a little which is left, for times to come. West/US is equally responsible for this mess along with Putin/Rouhani/Natanyahu/Hasan Nasrullah and Syria would haunt all ‘players’ for many rains to come. The conscience (if they have one) of leaders of free world is tarnished….Its such a shame that junior pol pot, Asad survives/thrives after destroying the entire Syrian civilization…'ruling over rubble'.
Stop this genocide 'once for all'!!
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Your list of names has a rather significant omission... Obama.
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Would someone please explain to me why this garbage keeps going on? Is it resources, religion, ego? It is definently ridiculous.
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Oil.
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Very little oil in Syria.
It's not about Syrian oil. It's about pipeline routes, and who we support...the Saudis vs Iran.
WE should be ashamed by our attitude towards the Syrian Kurds, at least they are willing to fight for what they believe in, that is democracy and freedom, they are our only genuine friends in Syria. Turkish Erdogan has ignored all the conventions by sending his troops and jihadists earlier to wipe out Syrian Kurds in Afrin, the world, including the UN kept quiet. In fact, before Erdogan's evil act, Afrin was the only Kurdish Syrian part with relative peace and harmony. Turkey has further fuelled the war. This is a blatant escalation of violence, he has one aim, to eliminate Syrian Kurds, as they did to Armenian in the past. It is despicable that NATO permits this.
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Yesterday, the Syrian government bombed hospitals killing 100 civilians. The New York Times, to your credit, is one of the few sources of news on this and the other most notable (of the many) humanitarian crises taking place in the world; viz.: Yemen, Myanmar, South Sudan.
So consumed is the US press with President Trump's tawdry behavior and tweets that life and death stories both domestically and internationally are not reported. On Morning Joe, for example, the civilian deaths in Syria were not reported. We learned the President played golf yesterday.
Mika Brezinski, daughter of President Carter’s excellent foreign policy adviser, should know better. She should honor her father’s memory by covering Myanmar, for example, where a Holocaust is taking place right now.
It has become commonplace to assert that the Holocaust of the 1930s and 1940s should never happen again. Yet the press has by in large neglected Yemen where a child dies unnecessarily of starvation every 10 minutes.
Although President Trump has supplied the Saudi armed forces with sophisticated US weaponry, the Saudis are losing in Yemen. They are bombing civilian centers with the help of US air support.
The UN asserts 20 million people are in danger of dying of starvation in the world. Visiting Holocaust museums is no substitute for providing food, medical supplies, and adequate housing to prevent massive deaths.
http://www.joelsolkoff.com/20million-people-are-dying/
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You've got to give the United Nations credit for one thing, they're not very good at making peace but they're sure good at keeping the books on what's not peace.
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Sadly, the alternative to Assad in Syria is fundamentalist Sunni Muslim caliphate. Al-Qaeda, IS, and the Taliban have demonstrated (more than fully) what that would entail for women and the diverse communities in Syria.
The war in Syria is a proxy war between the USA/Israel and Russia/Iran. There's no fixing it until one side or the other achieves more-or-less complete victory.
Americans need to stifle their messianic urge to fix everything by military force. It's arrogant and wrong-headed. Not everything that’s sub-Utopian in the world can be "fixed."
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Proxy war between the USA/Israel and Russia/Iran? I understand why people criticize Israel for many things, but it seems a minor player in this war. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Kurds, ... This war seems to have far more than just two sides to it. I think we probably overstate the responsibility of the U.S in this whole mess as well. We've created enough throughout the World, we don't need to take credit for all world problems.
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Our invasion of Iraq led to ISIS and energized the Sunni Shia civil war. We'll be paying for this worst foreign policy mistake in US history.
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Absolutely. How much of the death raining from the skies is stamped with "Made in America"?
War is hell. There is no such thing as humanitarian war. When cornered the different sides will do what they feel is necessary to survive and win. No conventions, Geneva or otherwise, will change that. All the conventions, aka laws of war, do is justify atrocities by the victors and condemn them from the losers.
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The figure I saw in other publications was closer to 200.
From the perspective of one sitting in the Greater Tel Aviv area, I wonder what Mr. Assad would do to Israel given the chance, and from the Golan, if he is capable of slaughtering and gassing and barrel bombing his own people.
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Why is the USA involved and investing so much effort in Syria? Why the USA doesn’t learn the lesson from Iraq and Sadam Hussain? The USA groomed Mr. Hussain for years only to go against him once he didn’t agree with the USA policy. USA should be entirely out of Syria.
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If Israel did something like this, there would be protests worldwide and on college campuses, and rioting in the Muslim world. Not to mention UN condemnation. When it can't easily be blamed on Israel, the world yawns at slaughter in the Middle East.
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perhaps because we don't excepted the same things form a democratic government than a dictatorship leader.
And please, why do you need to bring Israel in the subject ?
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Well said!
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Israel does something like this all the time in Gaza and Lebanon, and even West Bank though not as frequently since Abbas now does their dirty work for them.
What is the point of these images?
We get it. War is tough. Have you seen pictures of the Japanese, German, Vietnamese cities the US has bombed? Have you seen pictures of civilians killed during our civil war? Yes. Tough images.
So what?
The Syrian government is fighting a civil war within its borders. The rebels could surrender, they could flee. But they decided to continue to fight, attack and hold/gain territory.
Until one side gives up, the war will go on. People will die. That is the nature of war.
Is the purpose of these pictures to whip the US into a frenzy to get us involved even more on yet another conflict that we should not care about?
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Thank you for writing this!
Who cares about innocence lives lost! It's a waste of time.
We could be writing comments on the NYT website or driving to the supermarket.
And to think we'd be inconvenienced to be reminded of the devastating effects of our spineless global leaders fighting stupid proxy wars.
We get it - war is bad. I read it in a history book and saw some old photos of past wars. I'm done with history- it's all the same now. Capa and Rosenthal took too many pictures. Those guys were wasting film!
I have no capacity for empathy for the human condition of suffering - so stop filling your pages with current global suffering. I can't be whipped in a frenzy because I have no ability to feel.
Yes, we entered World War II after forcing our leaders to have spine with our whipped up frenzy over death camps- but that's old news.
So let me get back to Netflix. Just don't ask me to watch the White Helmets.
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Wow — your lack of compassion for innocent Syrian civilians, particularly women and young children, who are being savagely slaughtered by Assad’s death squads is astonishing. How did your heart become so hard and calcified?
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It is not lack of compassion... it is hard reality. Every angle has been tried. It has been agreed to by all the power players the best result is to leave Assad in power. The rebels should stop now, it's over.
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Absolutely horrific.
And note that on an average day in the US, 96 people die from guns and countless others injured, physically and emotionally.
Time to end them both.
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Rule #1 Don't get involved in a civil war.
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Its a proxy war between the US/Israel and Russia/Iran, held in Syria. Seems to remind me of Vietnam all over again.
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There was talk that the Syrian civil war was over and that Assad had won. In this particular instance a Turkish enclave doesn't want to be part of Syria. Assad wants to recoup as much of pre civil war Syria as he can. The damning thing about the war is its myriad of players and their lack of concern for human life. In Eastern Syria the Kurds are up against Turkey. The US has 2000 troops there. The US recently claimed that it was attacked, although they received no casualties, and responded killing many Russian contractors claimed as non Syrian fighters.
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As happened after WWII, when the Syrian genocide finally diminishes, the world will have to ponder the horrors that the human species is capable of inflicting on itself while the rest of the world did little or nothing to stop it.
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Train, support, and encourage armed conflicts and you get...death. Provide 200 tons of ammunition and it gets used.
How does the US "win" this one? Siding with Sunni mujaheddin groups pits the US against not just Iran but 76% of the Iraqi people in a centuries-old religious civil war. Why would any "leader" get into that, and why would his successor continue it?
Then there's the Kurds and their claims to Turkish lands, that was never going to end well.
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European media report turkish attacks on the syrian side of the border. coalition of kurdish and Assad forces against these Intrusions. Many civilian dead. so many Interests. involvement of so many powers. what a shame.
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Extremely sad that it has come to this, but the U.S. backed jihadist groups and their allies (they morph into and out of illicit v. "moderate" groups regularly) have had a stranglehold on the Damascus suburbs since the war started. The government has been incredibly patient and tried to use a light hand in retaking its territory up to this point, tragically losing hundreds of young soldiers in the process.
Imagine a 6 year rebel jihadist occupation of the DC suburbs, funded by extremely wealthy outside sources like Saudi Arabia. Get it now? I'm not going to play a fool and cry over emotional images when the underlying recommendation seems to be to go after Assad (again) and prolong this war into eternity.
Time for the U.S. to apologize to the world for this tragedy of epic proportions, write the Syrian government a check for $400 billion, and head out the back door in "victory".
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"..cry over emotional images when the underlying recommendation seems to be to go after Assad (again) and prolong this war into eternity."
The Syrian civil war was started by US, Israel and Saudis. Though now the Saudis and US would be happy to let Assad take control of the country, Israel is not going to let Assad be, because they don't want a strong military in Syria built by the Iranians. So, for Israel's desires the Syrians will continue to die, because they don't apparently rank as high in the ladder of humanity as Israelis.
As we watch Syria burn we need to remember that this is OUR FAULT. We decided we wanted regime change. We thought it would be easy. It wasn't and didn't happen. Yet to achieve regime change we turned a peaceful country into a slaughter house. We even got in bed with various terrorist units in our eagerness to overthrow Assad. We failed - and left behind another country ruined by US ambition to rule the world.
And now we are occupying a small area of a country in violation of the UN. We weren't invited into Syria and this is another Mattis error. We are just making the situation worse not better. We should pull up and get out of Syria and likewise we should leave Iraq and Afghanistan too. We have spent too much blood and treasure in the Middle East and have nothing to show for it.
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Judy, I would hardly call Kurds "terrorists".
Your comment doesn't seem credible...what is your evidence for these allegations?
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Assad turned a peaceful country into a slaughterhouse. We did nothing to stop it. Obama let Assad get away with using poison gas to murder thousands.
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Actually the country was very peaceful until our Ambassador, Robert Ford, went around the country encouraging violent opposition to Assad. We thought we could get regime change on the cheap by egging on a revolt by local group, many allied with Jihadist. We failed - but we spent millions of dollars to fail. We don't seem to understand that it is not our "job" to run around the world and decide who should lead a county. Remember how bad we miscued in Egypt - supporting Morsi.
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This is a bloody civil war and the winner is Assad.
The US could bring both sides to negotiate and stop bloodshed. But, it seems Israel lobby wouldn't allow that. The can neither back the rebels, nor would put any efforts to end the civil war in Syria.
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There it is!! Blame the Jews!!!
The US has zero-ZERO-leverage here. They backed the wrong horse after Obama funded that horse into a race that we were never committed to winning.
Then the Iranians came- fresh with the Obama nuclear pact BBBBBBillions, joined by Russia, and the rout was on.
And so now we have what will be the most unstable region on planet earth, funded by US foreign policy naivete.
If you think that this is slaughter, wait for the "Northern War", which will involve the Northern part of Israel facing Hezballa in Lebanon and simulataneous involvement of Iran-equipped Syrians.
Less than 3 years. The clock is ticking.
Thank you, President Obama.
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Who is the president of the US??? What exactly has he been doing?? Obama defeated ISIS. That was the goal. Now under our current president, who has been there for more than a year, it is totally out of control. Trump doesnt care to protect US democracy from Russian cyber attacks, let alone protect US children from being gunned down in their classrooms. Why would he care about Syria?? It takes too much time away from playing golf.
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Zero leverage?
What are u talking about? The US has supported Islamists from the beginning. Without the US support, there would have been no civil war in the first place.
Syria does not do any military operation against Israel, but Israel bombs Syria. This will escalate the war and cause more violence in the region.
I addition, Kurds are under attack by Turkey because the US promised the Kurds to have their backs. In reality, they will be slaughtered,
I am afraid Kurds and Syrian rebels would be both defeated because they rely on Trump.
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Bombarded by their own so-called president! What does it say about humanity that ONLY callous, unfeeling, evil, cruel, self-serving men rise to levels of power where they can carry out this kind of violence - AGAINST THEIR OWN!
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Where is Europe? China? Japan?
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They apparently weren't seeking a proxy war to get involved with, or maybe they opposed providing support to groups like Al Nusra/Al Queda after fighting against them so long.
The US doesn't seem to mind switching sides when it's politically convenient.
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For all these long, torturous, bloody years of this insurrection it is now time to encourage these enclaves of rebels to surrender to superior forces, there is no need to die.
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Tom, there will be no surrender for these rebels. The day they surrender is the day they get executed.
Jonny,
Unfortunately they will take their family and village with them if they continue. I do understand your point though.
What ? This brutal war like all the rest of them, is insane. And to what end? A smashed apart city left to beg for food and life. Across the world men and their greedy egos make and sell munitions to kill and destroy. America leads the way for no good reason while we look at these terrible images and feel helpless. We are not helpless - we are despicable!
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No, "we" are not despicable. The despicable one are the idiots who backed US intervention in the first place. They are the ones who are complicit in this disaster. Does that include you, brendah?
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How could this happen? Why is there so much violence in the world? We don't need better laws. We need love...humanity...repentance...I believe that we won't find peace until Jesus Christ returns, but until then He can use us to show love to other people.
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Yep. We're awful. But we won't be around much longer, so I wouldn't worry too much.
Really? How many people in history have been slaughter in the name of religion? The last thing the world needs is more religion.
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