It is said these people worshiped the false messiahs Hamza bin Laden,Abu Bakr al Baghdad and Osama bin Laden
But maybe the age of mercy has come? Look how the wicked Donald Trump is slowly becoming righteous with the help of his beautiful forgiving wife and Mother and Father type Christians he now prays with and slow and steady "becoming " wins the pace.
If only the ruler of Turkey can be given help after opening his borders to this crushed suffering people and then they can come more holy than all others by living in tents as Abraham and his son did saved from the sacrifice and as Jacob did:
9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.…Hebrews 11
As Saint Paul the tent maker did free of the temptations of Sodom as the old Jerusalem came to be called and in their holy when the red Heifer is sacrificed they can have the bleesed holy place of living in tents near the two holy temples that will be built on in northern Isreal and one in America
Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty
slow and steady wins the pace
2
If we had bombed Assad's palace when he violated the "red line" and nerve gassed his citizens, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Instead we made a speech of condemnation at the UN. And Assad laughed.
Iran, Russia, and Turkey are overjoyed.
7
This campaign by Russian forces reminds me of the obliteration of a Georgian city, possibly in the August 2008 war with Russia. Everything was obliterated including hospitals and schools, as now in Syria. I remember the story because it was noted as a city now new and gleaming. I tried to look it up and found several instances however, nothing jogs my memory. Apparently, this is the Russian way. Destroy and rebuild without the nuisance population to stand in the way.
7
The US should take an active role in this humanitarian disaster and declare a no fly zone. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed by the Assad/Putin coalition why the US stands by and does nothing. History will not remember us kindly.
5
The carnage in Syria has been going on for a long time and the unwillingness of world leaders to intervene is appalling. We have seen Al-Assad obliterate large sections of Syrian citizens who were opposed to him. Russia and Iran are complicit. The nations that had been cheering the opponents of Assad during the initial phase of the uprising have stuck their heads in the sand. Hospitals, civilian populations, schools have been bombed beyond recognition by Putin who seems to think that even a month old child is a terrorist.The inability of the UN to apply pressure is a result of the veto that Russia and China have been using regularly. If the UN is to remain an effective and relevant organization, the veto in the security council needs to be done away with and replaced by a vote by the UN General Assembly where perhaps a 80% vote in favor of a resolution would arm the UN with powers to implement the resolution. Obama developed cold feet and his redline was stomped out. Trump is pampering Netanyahu and planning to visit India where ground work for a genocide is being laid by the Nazi admirer Modi. Why would an American President want to visit India at a time when the country is witnessing unprecedented protests by the general public against a Fascist regime?
5
Let's be clear-eyed. Thousands of Sunni extremists recruited, trained, and inspired both by our presence in the Middle East and our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken nearly a million civilians hostage in Idlib for protection. Sunni Turkey is the reason for their presence. While denying involvement in the Syrian civil war, she not only quietly supported existing Sunni extremists fighting against Assad but also allowed their regional reinforcements to pass through Turkey to Idlib.
So now we have Russia that needs a Syrian port on the Med and Iran that needs a land-bridge to its Arab aspirations, both behind the vicious minority family that the French left in charge of Syria. And the West lacks unity in the face of such entrenched disparate national interests.
President Tacep Erdogan broke faith negotiating with the Kurds and sees them as a threat inside and outside Turkey which explains some of his actions. He also reportedly has Al Qaeda and other extremist Islamic cells in his own cities and that may explain his ruthless determination to destroy former allies/ hostage-takers in Idlib regardless of the genocidal cost.
Ultimately President Erdogan is most directly responsible for creating the current situation and now for resolving it by gradually draining Idlib of all possible innocent hostage civilians and then gradually isolating and destroying extremists who refuse to surrender.
2
The steadfast silence of AOC, Tlaib and Omar is as shocking for such self-styled defenders of human rights as it is telling of the scope of their commitment. We don’t hear any vocal support, let alone a plan for action. No call for sanctions against Turkey, Russia, Syria - nothing.
With no plausible way to blame Israel or its supporters, they seem seem all too happy to ignore this unfolding tragedy. They must be too busy trying to help the Palestinian Arabs create, within the four year time frame of the Trump “peace to prosperity” Plan, the basic structures for a unified civil society that eschews violence and focuses internally on creating a fair society with equal opportunity for all its people, men and women, to succeed and find their place in the 21st century. You know, an actual rogue Muslim state in the best possible sense.
3
Syrian war has been going on for nine years. I do not think that any other country has been devastated and ruined like Syria. After Alleppo we thought the war was over. But it keeps dragging on and its victims are civilian women and children. The world has to stop this carnage. 700000 dead and seven million refugees. People who have stayed in Syria have become destitute. How many times have I seen that the UN had started the peace process, then it stops with out giving any reason. The US has to take the initiative and do something to stop the carnage in Syria, because no body else is doing anything.
6
The Turkish invasion of Syria has entered another year. What is Turkey's goal in holding on to the Idlib province with these foreign mercenaries, which Turkey has armed? Idlib has nothing to do with Kurdish separatists, the original reason for the invasion. An Idlib Ottoman Vassal state maybe? The civilians who have been stuck in Idlib are hostages that did not have the money to pay at the border crossing to leave Idlib. The U.S. does not act on this tragedy because we do not want to threaten our valuable military bases in Turkey. It is the same reason Saudi Arabia is allowed to do what they please in Yemen, those valuable U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia. The country with the most international military bases wins, apparently.
What will be very interesting to watch is, although Turkey has a large, well equipped, military machine. Erdogan has purged the Turkish military of it's leadership much like Stalin did with the Soviet army in the 1930's. The Soviets tried to invade Finland after that and failed miserably.
The Turkish military, now deprived of actual leadership or experience has threaten an offensive against a Syrian Army that has been at war for almost 10 years now. 10 years of live fire combat training. How will that work out for the Turks?
Remember when giant China tried to invade Vietnam after the U.S. withdrew in the 1970's? The battle trained Vietnamese army slaughtered them.
Let's see what the Turks will try in the next chapter of their Syrian invasion
4
The biggest bad man is Assad, the Syrian dictator. Why is he still alive?
Gee, ... too bad the Kurds and U.S. troops weren't there to prevent all of this. Thanks, Donald!
2
What in God's name would Turkey do with 900,000 refugees? This is a fight between Syria, Syrian refugees, and Turkey. Neither Russia nor the US should become involved. If Turkey wants to push back the Syrian army the problem will be solved. No more foreign wars. The Middle East is always in turmoil and senseless war.
4
This is the beginning of the second part of the war in Syria. In their pursuit of the rebels the Syrian forces keep firing at the Turkish soldiers. They have already bombed and killed more than a dozen Turkish soldiers since early Feb. What I could understand from the Turkish press is that the public pressure is growing. They have been providing logistical support to the rebels but refraining from actual fight. It looks like soon the Turkish government will be compelled to send the troops inside Syria. That will start the second part of the war. However, this has the potential to spread as despite their newly developed amicable relationship Turks and Russians are supporting the opposite sides in this war and Russians have been fighting together with the Syrians against the rebels. This might be the pandora's box opening. I hope not.
2
This civil war could have ended years ago but for jihadists supported by the US allies and Turkey with their anti Assad proxy war. Syria has not been stopped by civilian casualties much as the US and its allies were not stopped, killing 1000s of innocent people, when attacking ISIS in eastern Syria and Mosul. The plain fact is that civilians are the last concern of the combatants in this civil war.
5
Let us be clear. Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were behind the adventure to overthrow Bashar-Al-Asad. When the fighting began they sent in lots of money and arms to the rebels. This caused the civil war and of course innocent civilians got caught up in the cross-fire. But the west is only blaming one side, Syrians and Bashar-Al-Asad. If you want to be honest then Turkey, Qatar and Saudi-Arabia need to explain why they thought overthrowing Syrian Government was a good idea. Please don't say because it is a brutal dictatorship because all three of these countries are brutal dictatorships as well. So it was just Shia hatred right? Now why don't they open their borders and help these poor people?
9
You must be extremely misinformed if you think that Turkey is a dictatorship. I’m from Turkey and I wonder if you visited my country before to have such an opinion? And Turkeys borders were open for such a long time, we have millions of Syrians right now living in Turkey.
5
As Bashar al-Assad "The Butcher of Syria" and his partner in war crimes, the Russians, continue bombing civilians and causing a human tragedy of massive proportions in Syria's western province of Idlib, what are the US troops in northeastern Syria doing? Why guarding oil wells of course.
The US and Western nations could have acted long ago under NATO auspices to declare a no-fly zone over Idlib and at least bring an end to the aerial bombardment of civilians. Instead we chose to look the other way; thus emboldening the dictator and the Russians to commit even further carnage.
As regards their claims of "fighting Islamic terrorists", the following figures were given by an expert in a BBC news article on 18 February 2020 titled "Syria: Who's in control of Idlib?" by reporter Zulfiqar Ali:
"Charles Lister, of the US-based Middle East Institute, says he believes HTS (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham) has roughly 15,000 full-time fighters, and several thousand more civilian employees.
'Beyond HTS, Idlib is also home to at least a dozen other jihadist groups, most of whom remain more openly loyal to al-Qaeda - they probably command a rough total of 7,500 more men at arms,' he says."
Idlib is believed to currently have a population of approx. 3,000,000 - roughly half of whom are persons previously internally displaced from other regions of Syria due to violence. Which means Islamic jihadists constitute only 0.75% of the total population of Idlib. And that justifies bombing the civilians?
1
These war stories are absolutely worthless. They say nothing, just reflect the senseless killing in the Middle East. It is a joke, one tribe hates another, no direction, no government at all in Syria. How many more times must it be said: Americans need to get out of the Middle East, and what is left, whoever they are, let whoever they want to call themselves just fight each other and decide their own fate. Who reads these war stories anymore. They are meaningless. Not even the wasted billion of $ make sense. America's military is a disgrace. They have accomplished nothing.
6
Trump gave Erdogan permission to commit genocide and has allowed Russia to extend its reach in the Middle East.
The media needs to start counting the numbers of human beings that have died at the hand of this despot; Syria, Yemen, children at the border and those sent back to drug infested countries where US support has been withdrawn, etc.
People also seem to forget that cutting out coverage for pre existing conditions and Medicaid is a death sentence. I am afraid that rote journalism is not enough in the age of Trump. We need to alert people to the fact that this man has clearly accepted genocide as a norm.
3
Why are so few given the power to destroy the lives of so many? I contend that if a leader wants to start something they need to be front and center of the conflict which does not include sitting in a war room pushing buttons and giving orders.
137
@DC
That will portray Trump at his best. This is his doing.
5
This is the horrific cost of isolationism. People can say all they want about not getting involved, its not our business. And they turn a blind eye. But mankind is our business. We should be involved. The UN should be involved. Standing by watching this happen is the moral equivalent of a lifeguard watching someone drown. We have the power, but we do nothing.
170
@Eric,
'The Power is in U' to help if you care. Perhaps The New York Times would consider posting a web where donations can be made to UNICEF, the International United Nations Children's Fund. It may not feel like enough, but it is something to know that you tried, and not only cried.
12
@Eric Involved how? The situation isn't as black and white as it may seem on the surface. The one's defending these people, the rebels, are also allied or part of Al Qaeda, and the last time we armed them some of them went off and formed the ISIS state.
30
@Eric I feel the same way. This cruelty and lack of caring is beyond imagination. I keep asking myself how we allow this to continue to happen and I fear the real reason is we just don't care unless it affects us.
8
I was set to click on the news story about Trump granting clemency to rogues who should remain in jail. It is so easy to be drawn into the latest Trump scandal. Then I saw this story. This is the story that should grab at our hearts. Syrian families seeking safety, facing the cold, starvation, and living in the open air. And unless Turkey opens its borders, which seems unlikely, they face calamity. They wish for help from the U.S, but that is also unlikely. So I am turning away from the latest shiny scandal to make a contribution to Syrian relief. And I am walking away from another Trump news story that is sure to anger me and about which I can do nothing.
314
@Lois Kuster Obama is the one who was part of the group who started the Syrian War. The CIA started arming the rebels back in 2011, and that started the war.
It is against the UN Charter for one country to meddle in another sovereign country, so Obama's actions were a violation of the Charter.
Trump cannot commit US forces to Syria and get drawn into the civil war in yet one more country.
9
@Jay "Obama is the one who was part of the group who started the Syrian War."
This is a lie. Even the most cynical interpretation of Langley's attempt to arm the rebels was certainly NOT the start of the Syrian civil war.
Syria descended into chaos when the dictator Bashar al-Assad responded to the Syrian people's calls for democratic reforms with gunfire, mortars, and sarin gas.
20
Donald Tusk, the former President of the European Council, said a number of years ago that Europe could not withstand another mass refugee influx. He was referring to the more than million asylum seekers who arrived in Europe in 2015/2016. At the moment Greece can not cope with the addition of the surge of recent asylum seekers on its islands. I use the term asylum seekers because many do not qualify for international protection. I read 70% are young Afghan men. As a result of the 2015 influx the migrants/refugees are stuck in Greece. Greek citizens do not want this, it does not matter whether they like it or not, Greece is part of the EU and must abide by all the norms established to protect refugees under the Geneva Convention. And if the US goes in and saves everyone? Remember past interventions?
3
Commenters who want to blame President Trump for this situation should be reminded that the U.S. military was never involved in the Syrian civil war to decide its winner or loser, but to fight against the establishment of the Islamic State in the eastern half of the country, in conjunction with other forces that also included Russia. The U.S. forces that were withdrawn from Syria by the President were at the other end of the country's border with Turkey, not where this current refugee crisis is unfolding. The occasions where the U.S. has responded directly against Syrian forces was when they used chemical weapons, not in an attempt to shift the conflict. President Obama did contemplate intervention, in 2013, but decided against it because there was little support in Congress for such an action. This conflict has a long and tortured history; to wrap it all up and place the blame on either Presidents Obama or Trump, or both, just reflects a lack of understanding of that.
7
@David Godinez
The US has worked to destabilize Syria since 2006, as revealed in diplomatic cables leaked in 2012.
The US has long wanted regime change in Syria.
Obama was careless, stupid and lacking in vision when he allowed the CIA and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to arm Syrian dissidents and encourage those dissidents to instigate a civil war, with the US intending to install its choice to head the Syrian government.
We know from our own from our own history, civil war is ugly... any war is ugly.
You mention ISIS... While Secretary of State, John Kerry can be heard saying in a leaked audio.
that they were WATCHING ISIS grow, hoping that it would be useful in deposing Assad.
Kerry uses the term Daesh, to refer to ISIS.
You can google about the leaked article, and the leaked diplomatic cable.
You can also google a 2012 UN sponsored Syria peace agreement that Hillary Clinton disallowed, because it did not demand that Assad leave.
Can you imagine, if there had been an agreed on peace agreement in 2012 how much less death, pain, wreckage, refugees and hate could have been avoided
The NYT and most Establishment media only present the facts that make the US look noble.
No wonder citizens disagree.
We have different facts... a problem!
The US is at fault in causing this human catasrophe.
Perhaps it can take these Islamist extremists, Al Qaeda and ISIS, that it aided and armed or enabled others to arm... perhaps the US should resettle them... with Saudi help...
2
Trump supporters: Take heed! This is what happens to countries ruled by dictators, ruled by thugs disguised as politicians, where intellectuals, journalists are mocked as elitists and are tortured and jailed, criminals are give free rein, corruption is normalized, where rule of of law is extinguished, where presidents with their families become monarchs for life, where democracy does not exist and nihilists spew hatred and darkness take over.
21
Remember those shiploads of German refugees turned away from American shores in WWII? US tradition of ignoring foreign tragedies adds another craven and tragic chapter here and now.
14
@vishmael Let's be specific - those turned away or who were never considered for visas were Jewish. The U.S. had a very strict limit on how many Jews to let in. As a result, countless Jews had nowhere to go and ended up in the ovens, families lost forever. Why can't we learn lessons from our past?
3
When will there be Peace in Syria?
When will the world put an end to this massacre? To these continuous crimes against humanity? What is the purpose of our international institutions if not to protect the safety of people! Everybody has the right for a safe home! Where is the UN, the European Union, NATO or the Arab League? Do they only protect the economic interests of capital, or do they also care for human life, for the suffering of our children?
We are going towards the moral bankruptcy of our international institutions!
Time for a new moral awakening!
18
Here’s a great place for Bloomberg to blow $500,000,000.00 since he is such a concerned humanitarian, a lot more good than attempting to buy a Presidential race. I’m never really sure but isn’t freedom from the type of rule we are racing toward a major part of the reason millions are dying in the Middle East?
7
If indeed Bloomberg were trying to buy the US presidency, it would just be an investment in ridding us of the man whose tweets facilitated this slaughter, Donald Trump. Anyone who cringes at the sight of these images should remember this, and GOP senatorial complicity, at the polls in November.
12
@Ed Pittsburgh Trumps tweets begat the mess in the Middle East, it seems to me we were in that cesspool, dying for oil and Israel, since Mr. Trumps days at Studio 54: sorry Ed we can hang a lot of stuff on Trump but the continual wars in the Middle East have been supported by members from both sides of the aisle for decades, anyone not living in a bubble will acknowledge that; in fact the darling of many commenters, Hillary, wanted to not only escalate the wars particularly in Syria, but start one with Iran as well: and we don’t have the space to discuss her and Victoria Nuland enthusiasm over a coup in Ukraine, dragging us potentially into a war with Russia. We need a change in the direction our country is going with respect to squandering our future fighting wars for special interests; perhaps take a page from China’s playbook, takeover the world without firing a shot, without change it will be us and Israel going down together as the world turns against us: for that matter Bibi has been quite chummy with Xi as of late, perhaps looking for another benefactor, this one is almost broke.
2
How many of those are Russian bombs to prop up the dictatorship of the 100,000 people who control Russia and its neo-imperialistic mindset! They should lose their veto-power at the UN, at the very least. Russia wants a voice in world affairs but it is not for the good of the world, only for a very narrow minded and backwards elite.
8
How can you report this story and neglect to mention that the largest "rebel" group in Idlib, and the principal target of the Syrian Army's operations there, is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as Al Nusra or Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria?
That seems like a pretty big detail to leave out. If it were just this article it might not be so suspicious. But its not. There is a consistent pattern in this newspaper and others of portraying the Syrian government's attempts to reclaim sovereignty over their national territory from an Al Qaeda affiliate operating under the protection of Turkey as a maniacal attack on innocent civilians.
Who precisely are the refugees fleeing the Syrian offensive? Many are undoubtedly innocent civilians. Others, however, are Salafist fighters and their families, some from outside of Syria, who fled to Idlib as support for their efforts to impose their rule on Syria's ethnically and religiously heterogeneous population collapsed in other parts of the country.
The horror show that unfolded in Syria over the course of its civil war was stoked by the US, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates arming and training salafist militias including Al Nusra. Reporting like this that ignores the role of these powers in the creation of this latest wave of refugees, that obscures the fact that the Western powers and Western media have been acting as cheerleaders for Al Qaeda is grotesque in its irresponsibility to your readers.
16
@Christopher Agree, the onus should be on Turkey to clear out HTS from its border areas and cease its tacit support for these terrorists. Maybe if turkey dropped support for the rebel groups there would be less destruction and the fight wouldn't be drawn out any longer than it has to.
The anti-tank weaponry that Turkey provides Hayat Tahrir Al Sham prolonges rebel resistance and continues to cause misery while empowering this al-Qaeda(!) offshoot.
3
@Christopher No mention that Iblib is where Bakr al Baghaddi had fled to and was later killed by US Special Forces after the fall of ISIS nor that the jihadis fighting in Aleppo were evacuated here by buses in 2016.
1
The world’s leaders have to put a stop on this NOW! Assad will have no qualms decimating these refugees. He has already shown complete disdain of his own people who oppose him, to the tune of 500,000 killed. The Turks will not be able to stop the imminent onslaught, with Russia doing much of Assad’s dirty work. Enough watching; enough tweeting and writing; world leaders do something!
5
Once upon a time a Nobel Peace Prize-winning POTUS declared that the U.S. laid down red lines in the face of the Syrian government murdering its own citizens. Those red lines were mulled into oblivion, millions of refugees overran Europe, and Syria (and Russia) realized early on that Western shame and commitment were certainly not going to stop them, ever.
5
The UN is silent - the Europeans are silent, the Arabs are silent, the Trump administration has given away America's moral authority while dictators have a free hand to shape Syria and the world. What tragic times we live in.
24
@Judy
And the commentators are for the most part silent
4
Our current National Security Advisor pretty much said, in a callous way, that this situation is not a problem that the U.S. should care about.
PBS Newshour 2/18/2020
9
"For these are all our children, we will all profit by or pay for what they become." - James Baldwin
16
When theSyrian democratic forces ,backed by American military Forces were doing exacrly the same thing ( bombing until the surrender or death of opponents) in Bagghouz and aother rebel territories, it was the general consent that it was the only way to end this war and bring peace to the region.
But now, this same policy is deemed, bad, bad ,bad, as Trump would say.
Double standard any one?
Not that thes events andthese civil wars waged by all out to the end fanatics are not horryfing
Trump and other autocrats don’t care. Democracy is a very fragile experiment. Sad what the world is coming to,
3
@Dennis autocrat: "a ruler who has absolute power." Is it Trump? It seems there's rarely been a president so constrained in his actions - by the legislative, courts and media - as Trump.
3
It was China that supported a Russia in the Security Council in the UN when Syria was isolated back in 2011.
Then the slaughter came, then the crematorium.
The Europeans were left with the Turks to “help” the refugees.
China and Russia get free passes and did not take one refugee nor will they spend a dime on the rebuild?
I guess you can call be a costal elite — can we not just send over blankets, surplus winter coats, water purifiers for starters and put a proposal in the UN for a no fly zone.
Is it time to not lead every news segment with Trump’s daily spin?
Who is left to stand up to Moscow?
7
Why not end the US and the West’s blockade and sanctions on Syria? Why is Trump blocking Syria from using its own resource, the oil?
4
Where is the United Nations in this?
Why aren't they getting food and shelter to people?
Regardless of their politics, people need food and shelter. That children bear the brunt of these conditions I find intolerable.
What does the United Nations do?
11
This is what russia does to the world. russia is the enemy of order in the world. If we do not stand up to the russian aggression, we will continue to face mass unrest all over the world.
8
Give thanks to Trump and his unfettered foreign policy incompetence.
15
We should do more to help these refugees including take them in.
11
This is really up to the Turkish. They could take out the Syrian army if they wanted. They border Syria and have been, besides the Syrians themselves, the most affected. It looks like Assad and Putin are calling Erdoğan's bluff as he has not drawn the line in Idlib. The Syrian government recently stated that Erdoğan's talk is nothing but empty threats and that they wont be stopped. Erdoğan has promised action by months end if the Syrian army does not relent so we will see what happens. The Americans didn't belong in Iraq and we don't belong in the middle of a Syrian civil war. Especially if the Turkish don't have the stomach for it.
2
It's hilarious that some of these people want the US or Europe to intervene like they have their best interests in mind.
What's happening in Syria is certainly horrible but I'd like to remind the fact that hundreds of thousands of perfectly healthy and young Syrian males are having a very long vacation in Turkey doing nothing...
Women and children should be helped. The others, I'm not so sure.
7
Nine years. Russia has propped up this failed Syrian government for nine years. A recent article on the stagnant Russian economy doesn’t mention their military budget, only their savings for ....rainy days. Another recent article on Russian radio in the U.S., doesn’t mention any outside radio, media in Russia. Do Russians get to see the Syrian humanitarian disaster they are supporting?
These refugees ask, where is the EU, where is America. The EU is making energy deals with Russia. We are making friendly phone calls with Putin. The UN, great at humanitarian aid, does nothing to stop this travesty of war, among its members.
Russia, like the Taliban, like ISIS, like others, know they just have to outlast their...enemies. Those women, children, families that just want a normal life. And all those pesky rights....freedoms, representative government, equal opportunity.... But we’re tired of endless wars. And then there are those trade deals.....
6
It’s shameful how Syrians can’t count on any of their neighbors (except for Turkey who is compensated) to help. Middle East stands by silently while their Muslim neighbors die of exposure and violence (Palestinians, sound familiar?). On one hand US and Europe are vilified for involvement in the Middle East but are asked for help in the next breath. I’d love to read an article attempting to explain these discrepancies from a local perspective.
6
How can the governments of the free world sit back and allow such a monstrous calamity to unfold without ever trying to intervene or do anything substantial to alleviate the terrible suffering of almost a million people. I am ashamed.
6
So many years ago, the Obama administration in cahoots with other powers decided to support a revolution against Assad. Here you see the results, the disastrous destruction of a nation. The US should learn to mind its own business and stop trying to impose its notions of democracy on the Middle East with the aid of high explosives.
6
Not to worry, Hong Kong; we’ve decided to let people who want freedom, democracy, rights...go it alone. Your financial center can rest easy- we, like you, have decided money is more important.
4
In Syria, there is a civil war between the Shiite government and the Sunni portion of the government, just as there was a civil war in Iraq under Saddam. Except in Iraq, Saddam's government was Sunni and he oppressed the Shiite portion of the population. The "rebels" in Syria can only advance toward Turkey because they are surrounded everywhere else by Shiite governments.
1
Who builds the weapons used in this conflict?
Who sells these weapons?
How do these 900,000 people get food?
How do they get petrol for their vehicles?
4
This is what happens when US foreign policy is determined by a phone call from Putin to Trump. One day, when it's too late, we'll know the extent of Putin's influence over our president.
8
Please advise on the best and most direct route to help these refugees. Is it the Violet organization? What will actually result in food and blankets for these suffering people? I know many people want to help in a way that is not mired in bureaucracy.
10
I don't feel welcome reading the NY Times. I comment anyway, regarding it as an obligation, although I know what I say has no effect.
You can look up statistics on Wikipedia. Birth rates, population growth, demographics for Syria and neighboring countries.
What you find is population growth for decades near 3% per annum. That requires doubling of the number of schools and hospitals every 23 years. What happens at such high growth rates is the infrastructure falls behind. People get poorer and poorer. It's not impossible if you have your own farm and grow your own food. But each farm must be divided in two every 23 years.
Yes, Bashar Al-Assad is a proximate cause for misery. He is a tyrant who has used chemical weapons to kill his own people. But after a certain point there were no good outcomes. When there are not enough resources, people will fight for what remains.
Population growth did not continue. It was brought to an end at least temporarily by the casualties of the civil war. And there were streams of refugees. Now perhaps 5% of Denmark consists of Muslims, the rest belong to a monoculture that Denmark tries to preserve.
Refugees caused Poland to lurch to the right, and Hungary. It was part of the reason for Brexit, although nobody wanted to admit it.
The long range cause of misery in Syria is population growth.
The long range cause of global warming is population growth.
Will people ever wake up? Maybe the future is hopeless.
12
There three more points to be made:
1. The Jihadist fighters accumulated in Idlip region use the civilians as shields. Those fighters are no different from ISIS fighters. As ISIS occupied areas have been recovered, Idkip region has to be recovered from the Jihadists.
2. The civilians of the area have the option of going into the areas controlled by the government, a general amnesty is in place.
3. Turkey already carries an unfairly big burden resulting from the Syrian civil war. Other concerned countries must chip in.
6
It is apparent that the current leadership of Syria will stay in place. All of this bloodshed and human suffering would end if the rebels just gave up and conceded the areas to the Syrian government. The government is going to end up controlling this area very quickly in any event. The current government in Syria is not what most would like to see but it may better than no government at all. Look at Libya and Iraq. We helped displace a government and ended up with no government at all. Time to get out!!
3
Humanity at its finest hour. Meanwhile everything is dying, but consumer confidence remains high.
13
It seems to be a government tactic to drive the population out of areas with bombing attacks before it conquers an area. That way it is easier to establish full control. People are then later allowed back in through "humanitarian corridors". The Syrian government has recently opened two such corridors so it looks like it is feeling safe enough to let some return.
It is far from clear that the Syrian government aims to conquer the whole of Idlib. Rumors from the recent negotiations between Russia and Turkey say that Russia proposed a rebel-held area bordered by the two highways (what was rejected by Turkey). That would leave the town of Idlib in opposition hands.
But even if the Syrian government would conquer the whole Idlib province it doesn't need to become a disaster. When the Syrian government conquered the Southwest of the country a very similar situation arose near the border with the Israeli held Golan heights and it was solved quite well.
2
Not a single mention of how the territory in question being advanced on by Syria is largely held by an internationally recognized terrorist group (HTS) with ties to Al-Qaeda. If a US state was being occupied by Al-Qaeda, would people really say "use restraint, leave them be, consider the humanitarian consequences"? What do we expect Russia and Syria to do? These are terrorist jihadists who refuse to surrender, civilian displacement is an unfortunate side effect, but Syria won't and shouldn't accept an Al-Qaeda offshoot on their territory. Were people complaining to this degree when the fight against ISIS lead to massive displacement? People should be more critical of Turkey, asking why they are shielding terrorist groups.
I understand that the author of the article wants to focus on the civilian consequences of the offensive, not the political or military reasoning behind it. However, the fact that a literal terrorist group is on the other side of the table can't be overlooked and it is disappointing to see the NYT overlook and omit this key detail.
10
It was right for DJT to have moved US troops from dangerous harm's way. The US had no business to have been involved in the failed attempt to change the Assad regime during the time of the Obama admin. It destabilized his fairly stable country, Syria, created a colossal structural disaster, gave birth to ISIS and resulted in epic migration of people leaving their bombed out homes. Obama likes to in a circuitous subtle way try to take credit for the good that has happened during the DJT presidency. How about the albatrosses of the regime change wars in Syria, Libya and Yemen which were initiated during the Obama administration on top of the regime change wars in Afghanistan and Iraq initiated during the Bush admin.
It is admirable that DJT is trying to end the wars he inherited and bring back the US troops safely home or redeployed to safer places.
As far as the 900,000 people on the Turkish border with Syria. The Turskish president Erdogan has assured that he will try his best to prevent the slaughter. Additionally, DJT needs to tell Putin that it will be his responsibility if his boy Assad does any harm to the close to million people fleeing a suspected Syrian assault from the Assad regime. US could also be ready to attack any criminal who tries to harm the fleeing Syrians. It is also time the world recognizes KURDISATAN as a separate country if Erdogan fails to protect the Kurds and call out his bluff as a leader of Sunni Islamic countries trying to claim he cares.
1
The sad and tragic thing is that even if Turkey let them in life would not get that much better for these victims of this viscous war and the brutal men (Assad and Putin) who care little for human suffering.
It helps not at all that the wider world is in a self-involved nationalistic stage where fear and even loathing of the "other" is high. Even at the best of times figuring how and whether to help is difficult. At such times it takes international partnerships and the action of international alliances to offer any real help. Such organizations and even such cooperation among nations are currently greatly weakened. I fear that this will truly become an even greater tragedy. As usual the most vulnerable, especially the children, will suffer the most.
34
@Anne-Marie Hislop
At the moment they are freezing cold ,without proper shelter in the middle of winter and staving so yes they most definitely would be better off if Turkey allowed them to enter its territory.
3
Thank you for your reporting Ms. Gall.
The world needs to hear this story and then find our common humanity and help these desperate people survive. Information on relief organizations we can support would be helpful. Your article mentions groups in Turkey collecting blankets and food for relief efforts for the refugees, and some limited evacuations being carried out by the UN, but it doesn't appear from the reporting that the US, EU or UN are providing adequate relief assistance. And it sounds as if bureaucratic complications may be slowing NGO relief efforts. A coordinated international refugee relief effort is needed. I think many people would like to know how they can help.
Thank you again.
54
It’s almost as if the world has forgotten Vietnam; sure the tensions are different and the base reasoning is completely other, but the outcome is the same; dragging civil war exacerbated by foreign involvement, fueled by foreign weapons, and the casual death of hundreds of thousands of civilians- only this time with no forests to hide and forage in.
History only repeats itself because we put the same kind of people in power.
31
The slaughter of innocents exacerbated by intransigence on both sides of the Syrian/Turkish border. Erdogan of Turkey is no better than Bashar.
14
The US should take in these refugees.
66
@Mik
Why should we take in refugees we cannot screen in any orderly fashion? In the meantime, there are people who have applied for admission to the U.S. with documents. Why should refugees from the ME, parts of Africa and Europe be given preference?
2
“We wish the Europeans would strike the government,” the trader, Muhammad, said. “We wish America would come. But we do not expect them to.”
“Bashar is killing us,” he blurted out, referring to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. “Every day hundreds are dying and now America needs to do something.”
To which Donald J. Trump, CEO, The Trump Organization replied, "It is under control and a world away."
32
@Mary Elizabeth Lease
Its not clear why the USA shoulds sort out their Civil War. Our Civil was bloody and long. No foreign country could bail out either side.
18
@Mary Elizabeth Lease
That is the essence of Syrian conflict. Anti-Assad forces simply do not have the support of the Syrian people and relied on foreign intervention from the get-go. They do not deserve to win. Because they would not be able to stay in power without help of a foreign occupying force. If anyone goes there to help the "revolutionaries", he would have to stay there forever to prop up a weak regime. The only solution is to let win the only force capable of ruling Syria - Assad.
3
@Luke Mansingh The U.S. maintained a presence with small numbers of U.S. soldiers that provided a significant degree of stability until Trump decided to withdraw the small force. Now, the U.S. no longer has leverage to influence what happens and the killing has accelerated.
Assad was losing until Russia stepped in with air support and other support troops including Russian mercenaries. This is not a Syrian civil war but rather Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran contending for influence on the territory of Syria with the people collateral damage.
If the UN were stronger the UN could impose order and then under international supervision the various contending Syrian parties could negotiate resolution. Neither Russia nor the U.S. wants such a strong UN. The people continue to suffer.
1
NYT, you should explain the dynamics of this war as opposed to the one sided story. The fleeing Syrians are not all innocents, they are mostly Sunnis supporting HTS (former Al Qaeda) with some remnants of ISIS (remember Kayla Muller, James Foley). When they were more ascendant earlier in the war, they were committing genocide against the Alawites (i.e. Bashar/Iran's tribes). HTS just happens to be losing now...is that really such a bad thing.
33
@Marketing Manager Did you read the article? 900,000 war refugees, mostly women and children, lacking shelter and having nowhere to go-- in February, no less? I will answer your question since you seem to be having a hard time with it. Yes, it's a bad thing. It is a very bad thing.
49
Yes, this is very bad, and thousands of innocent people are caught in the middle and suffering. However, this article should clarify that “the opposition” refers to rebel militias connected with ISIS. These are not freedom-loving rebels who want to usher in democracy. They want to replace an autocratic dictator (Assad) with a violent, fundamentalist Islamist theocracy. Neither are good options.
4
In case you have not noticed the USA is disengaging in the Middle East because it is an unending no-win Medieval mess. 5,000+ of our soldiers killed in Iraq to "free" the citizens from Saddam and Iraqis hate us as much as ever. It is time to get out and stay out. Why is this thrown into the lap of the USA to resolve ? If Europe decries this crisis and demands action then France, Germany, Italy and all the rest of those enlightened countries can send in whatever resources are needed to remedy the situation. Go for it nobody is holding you back. How about the UN stepping up and managing this crisis ? Isn't that their job description ? They have troops in blue helmets so send them into that cauldron. I presume the UN has sent a stern warning to all factions that has everyone quaking in their boots.
21
@Carlito Brigante Trump chose to exacerbate tensions in the Middle East when he withdrew from the JCPOA despite Iran being in full compliance and not developing nuclear weapons (as confirmed by the CIA in testimony to the Senate intelligence committee in early 2019). JCPOA is an act of the Security Council gutted by Trump. Now the U.S. lacks any means to influence Iran short of military action. The same holds true in NW Syria where Trump withdrew a small U.S. force permitting the invasion by Turkish backed forces. With the Americans present that region of Syria was relatively stable. Even though Trump sent more troops and more heavily armed to secure oil fields in Syria the U.S. has significantly less capacity to influence events in the region than before.
The U.S. has limited control of the actions of the UN Council unless Russia or China veto. It appears that the veto powers on the Security Council do not agree, so no action will be taken thru the Security Council.
5
@Carlito Brigante
Of course, disengaging does not entail stopping arms sales or maintaining military bases.
1
Trump symbolically renounced any involvement with Northern Syria when he agreed with Erdogan to remove a token number of troops. It wasn't the numbers of troops removed so much as the clear message to contributors to the chaos in that area. Assad, Putin, and Erdogan.
It is highly likely this would not have happened if Trump had clearly told Erdogan that the troops were staying and that everyone should put their guns down and go pull weeds in their farms and gardens.
But no, Trump talked to Erdogan. He couldn't remember any arguments from all the advisers he had fired as to why he shouldn't do that so he went ahead and removed the troops.
Then Trump sent Erdogan a letter .... which was ignored. Trump essentially authorized a free for all for all combatants by announcing that he would not interfere. I am quite sure that Trump himself has no idea what difference it made that he bent over to Erdogan and removed a small number of troops. It was the act of policy deference that mattered. Trump and Pompeo don't have a clue as to the importance to that on a million devastated lives.
Vlad is very pleased that Donnie is learning. The Dictatorship training and deference to Russia is going well.
80
Look, Trump abandon the Syrian Kurds, means that US Army abandon the Syria.
Erdogan thought that he can manage refugee crisis, but Assad and Putin has something else in their mind. Eliminating all resistance and gaining control of At least entire western Syria.
These people are forgotten , de-facto.
9 year of civil war is going to finish one way or another, that is the Russia's promise to Assad. There will not be second Palestine condition.
Middle east is not under the legal supervision of UN, EU, US or NATO any more. All responsibility left to Local actors.
Iran, Turkey, Israel, Saudi's .... we know how that goes.
9
Thank the USA for fostering and supporting the amalgam of terrorists, opportunists, and opposition that has almost destroyed Syria. Exactly what is Assad to do? Allow the country that has undermined his government for years, destroyed Iraq and Libya, destroy his country too? Of course he will fight as hard as possible to preserve a unified Syria. If you are concerned about the human cost, as any compassionate person would be, tell your government to pull all support from those resisting an end to this war, to stop preventing Syria from access to the oil that can fund rebuilding and repatriation, and stop the "sanctions" that prevent Syria from recovering.
23
I’m heart broken that our government will not act to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. It is sickening. Our government is a disgrace.
38
I am heartsick, all the way down to my gut. keep telling myself, maybe someone somehow will rid this world of Assam. Then my Christian nature kicks in, then my hope for revenge kharma, then I realize, once again, how helpless I am, and empathy settles down into that last little corner of my heart not broken, and I see the smile on that young girl's face.
God help us all
20
They need to go back to their government. This has gone on long enough, Russia wins and Syria is their new pet.
3
@Monsp
Syria has been Russian's pet last 50 years .
9
Every time I see these articles about Syrian refugees & even the people waiting in Mexico for asylum ( which is bad but nothing like this ), all I can think of is .. why doesn't Bezos with his 150 billion, or Bloomberg with his 65 billion, or Gates or any of these mega rich people, why don't they go there and do something. Build a place for these people. New tents, blankets, I don't know whatever they need. You know spend a couple billion. I don't think it will put that big a dent in their wallet and they'd be doing something.
83
@Doctor Woo
"all I can think is .. why doesn't" my government do something!?
17
The simple answer to that question is that, without governmental/military protection anything given to the local population would simply end up in the hands of the local dictator.
So instead of helping innocent civilians, they would effectively be subsidizing the Turkish military efforts in the area.
3
And Trump keeps asking why he hasn't received a Nobel Peace Prize! He has done absolutely nothing to ease the suffering of the Syrian People, diffuse tensions in the middle east, or bring peace to anybody. What a pathetic state of affairs.
24
Another calamity engineered by this incompetent administration. If a Democratic administration displayed such incompetence, the Republicans in Congress like Lindsey Graham would apoplectic. But, they haven’t even noticed it. Such cowardice.
20
You do know that this started in 2011, right?
16
I dont understand why Erdogan thinks a strategic partnership with Russia is possible? The last 300 years is full of battles even before getting into the geographies both see as their own.
He fell for Putin's delay tactic allowing Esad to consolidate. Probably the US lack of concern for Turkey's policymakers has a large part in this. But whats new.
Turkey should have either extended their forces to cover Idlib, probably not a good idea, or better yet pressured Obama to be more active in a joint force deployment to push Esad out before Russia deployed. When Obama coughed and redrew red lines only to be crossed again and again it became a lost cause.
Looser Erdogan.
Winner Esad and Russia.
5
@A-OK
It's not Erdogan's place to be dictating to the Syrian people who is going to be the Dictator of Syria! I'm pretty sure that Putin and Assad will concede some part of Idlib Province to Turkey-- but only if Erdogan is willing to invest heavily, and effectively take on responsibility for provisioning and sheltering millions more Syrian civilians--only this time, from without the borders of Turkey.
3
This disaster is a direct result of Trump’s abandoning the Kurdish people in Eastern Syria near the Turkish border to protect gas fields.
19
@Dan Romm : Wrong. This disaster began when America sanctioned the removal of the Assad regime. This is the last part to that war, the removal of the last bastion of terrorists who fled there after losing control in other parts of Syria.
3
It’s so sad the war in Syria has gone on for as long as it has. I can’t imagine as a young mom having to raise kids and feel they may have no future. To any Syrian friend who reads this, I am so sorry for what is happening to your beautiful country. I am praying for peace in Syria and Yemen.
42
"Where is the United States?", asks many a New York Times reader. Fair question.
Here is another one: Where is Europe? This is Yugoslavia in the 1990s all over again. Many European leaders pride themselves on not exerting military force, as European countries did in the bad old days. That's fine. But the more Europe stands on the sidelines of these conflicts, the more people get hurt.
28
@Metaphor
So you think a European army going to war with the Russian Army and its Iranian allies would result in few people getting hurt?
5
It's a civil war.
No war is a good war.
A civil war is the worst war of all.
22
The story presented here is one-sided and overly simplified. Yes, in a war, civilians die, and if you hear their side, the other side will sound like monsters. The last time we armed these people, they went and took those arms and conquered half of Syria and Iraq, forming a state known to the world as ISIS. These people are a confusing mix of democracy activists, Islamist, and Al Qaeda members, and arms freely flow from one group to the other. Most of the weapons we provided the Free Syrian Army ended up being given or sold to ISIS or Al Nursa. There are no good answers here.
38
@Ash There are up to 30,000 members of Al Qaeda in Syria right now. There are approximately 13.5 million displaced persons in Syria right now. Using those numbers, there is about a .045% chance of a refugee being an Al Qaeda member. Using screening techniques, the number of people that enter the US will decline. I think that we have to help the refugees because more deaths will occur from our indecision, than deaths from people entering the US.
18
@ry
Those are dubious numbers and dubious math. The total population of Syria in 2010 was 21 million. While millions of Syrians were displaced at one point or another during the Civil War there, it is simply not true that anything like 13.5 million are presently displaced.
Idlib's pre-war population was about 1.5 million, but that has doubled as Salafist fighters and their families from other parts of Syria relocated there following previous defeats.
What percentage of the present wave of refugees consists of Al Qaeda members and their families and what percentage consists of other Salafists and their families is likely impossible to know, but it is likely considerably more than your calculations suggest.
This is not to imply that innocent people are not suffering. Obviously they are. But it is to say we need to understand that this article is essentially war propaganda intended to stir outrage at the Syrian government while obscuring crucial facts that readers would likely want to know to form a more complete picture of which forces are doing what and why.
The US and its allies in the region armed and trained Salafist fighters, many now affiliated with Al Qaeda and concentrated in Idlib. Nobody wants these people living in their country, but there is no easy or peaceful way to dislodge them. US readers are not well served by reporting like this that conceals these crucial facts.
4
Strange that there is no mention anywhere in this article, that the main rebel group who are putting up a last stand in the fight for Idlib are Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as Al-Nusra, the Al-Queda linked group). A listed terrorist organization by virtually every nation.
This is who the Syrian arab army, backed by the Russian airforce are at war with, and who Turkey is protecting. Honestly, what does anyone expect Syria to do, allow this festering haven of jihadists to exist in it's territory forever? Of course it's terrible that civilians are pushed from their homes, and sometimes occasionally killed and wounded, but that's what happens in war. Don't pretend that the exact same thing didn't happen when the US led Coalition went to war against ISIS in Syria & Iraq, or went to war against the Taliban and AQ in Afghanistan etc. Of course it did. The only difference is the level of reporting because our side did it, rather than the Russians & Syrians.
The war in Syria was all over for the rebels back in 2016 when they lost Aleppo. Anyone who is still there fighting today is doing so because they would rather die a matyr for Allah than reconcile with the government or escape into Turkey as tens of thousands already have. The war needs to end, and the only forseeable way that this can happen at this point in time is with a swift victory by the Syrian Army. Turkey prolonging this conflict by arming rebel groups has only made things worse.
36
@Sasha
We expect they will kill (sorry murder) all 900,000 civilians.
1
@bill Except that wanton murder of civilians just for the sake of it, hasn't been the experience in the rest of Syria which has been captured from the rebels since 2015. Previously the rebels would either surrender / reconcile or request to be bused out to Idlib. While civilians would come back under the control of the government and allowed to rebuild their lives. The only difference now is that there is no other pocket left for the rebels to be evacuated to, so they're fighting until death and getting whacked everytime they pop their heads out.
6
If we had just protected the Kurds we would be in a position of leverage with Turkey and the Syrian regime. The one group in all the Middle East that we should have helped and instead we threw them under the bus, again. I still remember watching the videos of Saddams helicopters gassing the Kurds. Those videos were taken from an American F-15 that could have prevented that death but didnt. Now we did the same thing again.
25
The global situation appears bleaker by the minute...a deadly virus on one side of the globe, endless war on the other, and too...many...people...everywhere. Add to that the negative impact of climate change, the disappearance of wildlife habitat, economic uncertainty and masse homelessness...
The 1950s decade is starting to look like paradise.
13
@Susanna
Actually the world is a much much better place than the 1950’s. Poverty is exponentially lower. Crises like that in Syria were a routine of existence in much of the world. Death due to war is much less common now. The Korean War killed millions. Vietnam was aflame. Tibet invaded after the Muslims in western China were finally defeated. The Algerian war killed a million or more. Columbia was a killing ground. Polio and small pox were still running wild. Malaria was more widespread.
9
Pick up your phones tomorrow and call your congressperson and senator. Let them know you expect them to do something.
This is a holocaust.
8
As an American, I am ashamed of my government's inaction as this tragedy unfolds. Instead of acting to help people in desperate need, Trump is acting to pardon convicted criminals. Very sad.
76
@Dan Frazier America can't even help its OWN people in desperate need.
2
Its obvious the Assad regime backed by Putin's air strikes and Iran's militias are driving these refugees north to probe whether or not Turkey will counterattack to stop them and whether NATO will support Turkey doing so. Besides driving horrific humanitarian crisis north towards Turkey and Europe, this is Putin's latest wedge to divide and weaken NATO. If NATO does not backstop Turkey and face down this murderous assault now, then Assad-Putin-Iran will just keep killing and driving the refugees north into Turkey and on into Europe. Much more killing is coming soon, meanwhile Putin's stooge Trump tweets and busies himself pardoning corrupt politicians, businessmen and celebrities trying to habituate the rest of us to his bent sort of 'normalcy.'
23
@Allan Slipher Syria is not attacking Turkey. In fact Turkish troops are in Syria. NATO was not designed for offensive actions. It is a defensive alliance
11
@Allan Slipher
Turkey’s status as an ally is on thin ice anyway by their own choice.
1
@Marketing Man There 3 million plus Syrian refugees in Turkey now, Assad-Putin-Iran are driving 3 million plus more north by daily air and ground attacks. do try to connect the dots, there are only two!
2
Either NATO, Turkey and the US goes all in for the jihadists of Al-Nusra and devastates Syria to establish a pious intolerant humanitarian caliphate for Sunnis or let peace take hold as soon as possible after the war is over.
9
Meanwhile, 45 fiddles and pardons convicts in the US. This is truly tragic.
How and why does the 'free' world not intervene?
8
Time to stop the dying, the Syrian government is not going anywhere. Face reality and end this.
13
@Frank Thomas Agreed.
4
@Frank Thomas
If you keep fighting once defeated, the moral responsibility for the death is on you. The opposition has been whipped. Time to submit. They are not the only people in the world to have lost a war and their defeat confers no obligation on the rest of the cosmos. No one came running when the Union Army burned my hometown.
9
In the war-by-proxy between US and Russia, is this what it looks like when US surrenders, skedaddles, loses?
6
Spare me, please. Many of these people were bussed out of the south as part of an agreement with the lawful Syrian government several years ago. Ask why do they flee? We need some critical thinking by Americans regarding the Middle East in general.
14
Trump's legacy.
3
Does anyone know if there is an agency where Americans can contribute food and warm clothing for these souls before they all starve and die from the cold?
8
@sandcanyongal The International Rescue Committee. It has the highest four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
1
Like all wars started by the CIA this one is no different. Try and start an uprising so the the US companies can pull a fast one. After Libya the soviets had seen enough of Americans arming terrorists and thugs to depose folks that get in the way of Yankee plans. If you folks would just reign in your CIA, NSA and all your other A's this kinda thing wouldn't happen. American's need to look in the mirror to see who the real perpetrators of situation are.
15
@Noras Dad Thank you for reminding Americans that this all started with a regime change fantasy on our part.
10
Yes, we should be more like Canada. Building pipelines through indigenous lands, relying on a neighbor’s military to protect us, and in recessions, sending our kids south for jobs. And ignoring that Arab Spring desire for democracy, freedom. Canada, never let an opportunity to criticize others pass, while doing...nothing. Such a model.
With Turkey already accommodating millions of Syrian refugees, an extra million should be possible if the price is right. Paying them off may be cheap in the long run compared to the unpredictable consequences of the current unsolved situation.
15
The EU is already paying Turkey to keep its borders closed.
5
@sissifus
They can replace the Turks fleeing Erdogans dictatorship.
4
What are the intentions of the Syrian and Russian forces? To annihilate those 900,000 people, or something else? What has the Trump administration said about what's happening there? Do they have any intentions of stopping this?
I hope we haven't forgotten the 1994 genocide in Rwanda under Clinton's watch. Allowing something like that to happen again would be a moral failure of the highest order, an affront to all humanity.
167
@Wes,
President Clinton was the first remembered in this long life to send Military troops to Somalia on a humanitarian emergency peace-task mission in the 90s, but this did not sit well with the majority of popular opinion.
If a president does not have the support of The People on these emergency-life interventions, there is little that can be done.
Ask our Last President, Barack Obama, and he will remember how hard he tried to appeal to the Nation, addressing the massacre of Syrians and their children.
'There is no God!', screamed a twelve-year old girl, when her leg was blown off.
This administration does not stand tall on 'moral failure', and it is one of the reasons that we are slumping into a spirit of Isolationism.
President Jimmy Carter and his wife continue with effort to help the world's most vulnerable people improve their lives.
We can turn our backs, or face the reality with responsibility, inviting other nations to join in putting an end to this genocide, and the brutality of nations.
25
@Wes
"What has the Trump administration said about what's happening there?"
Does anybody anywhere still attribute moral significance or truth value to anything this administration says? We know what they did in Syria. Trump removed all of the forces that we had on the ground along the border between Syria and Turkey. The presence of out troops there had prevented Turkey from perpetrating genocide against our longstanding ally the Kurds, who had lost tens of thousands of their soldiers on our behalf in the fight against ISIS. The presence of our troops there had prevented Syria and its ally Russia from bombing hospitals, slaughtering civilians, and otherwise doing just what they are now indiscriminately doing to these 900,000 refugees. Trump gave no thought to the consequences of his decision, refused to listen to any of his own advisors, made no effort to understand what was happening there, and subsequently made a number of jokey public statements about the Kurds that revealed an unbelievable disregard for the value of a human life or the horrors of war. Trump said he ordered our troops out in order to bring them home. A week or two later these soldiers were part of the three thousand soldiers that he sent to Saudi Arabia.
9
@Robert
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/middleeast/syria-trump-kurds-interpreter.html
This is an unusual worthwhile NYT article explaining some of the long supported contradictions of US Syrian policy.
1
Absolutely astounding that the world is allowing this to happen. Shameful and disgusting...nice work Pompeo et al.
66
@keefer21a
5 Years ago most of the rebels who now occupy Idilib were either ISIS or Al Queda....that has not changed. These aren't moderates...they fled a long time ago to Europe or Turkey.
12
Trump and McConnell have given Russia a free hand in Syria.
147
@loveman0
And before 2016?
3
Agreed. This is the largest mass Exodus since Donald Trump moved U.S. troops out of northern Syria given Bashar al-Assad the chance, along with Russian forces, to retake this region. A humanitarian crisis that was preventable and foreseeable but Trump has his own self interest with Recep that is talking priority. Mitch McConnell happy to play along as long as he gets tax cuts for the rich and conservative 30 year old judges that can do the GOPs bidding for yesterday to come.
@KBronson yes. Congress refused to support Obama's red line in the sand over chemical weapons deployed by Syria.
This is horrifying! Where is the United Nations Security Council on this? Where is the United States of America on this?
63
@Joe Russia is fighting in the war! They have a security council veto. This is not news and has been the case from the very beginning of the war!
6
@joe
Same place we have been 5 years ago....not interested...learn the actual dynamics of this war, the sectarian aspect and you will realize, both sides are bad....only one side is losing now and are trying to play the victim card, but when they had the power, they were just as bad, if not worse
10
The United States is no longer a country that "helps." We build walls and send soldiers to our own borders. That's the way it is now.
56
@Daisy22 Trump did the right thing by pulling back. The Syrian government is not going anywhere and can not be defeated unless you want to commit to a full-blown war with them. Start talking to the Syrian government and work out a deal that gets the 900,000 refugees home. It makes no sense to prolong the fighting, Assad will not stop as long as there is resistance and he won't be defeated.
13
But for an accident of birth, I or my family could as easily be these refugees. Why doesn't America follow through on its UN funding commitments?
199
@Anne Thanks god Canada has stepped in with aid and funding to pick up the slack
15
Because Trump Tweeted his support to Turkey and now Russia, Syria’s ally, patrols the border. These people have no hope for protection
13
@Anne
Rampant waste, corruption and anti-Americanism at the U.N. We fund a cabal of crooks and enemies there.
5
The world watches as Bashar , with Putin's help, slaughter his people. Sickening.
75
@Brian Abraham Lincoln slaughtered his own people too. Such is the nature of a civil war that you must take up arms against your own countrymen.
11
@Brian Well the world watched for decades how US destroyed middle east that resulted in the slaughter
8
@Lone The middle east is not tamable. The only craddle of civilization is ancient Greece not necessarily the middle east . It is in a perpetual war.
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't America, my home, in the past help people in desperate need of just the bare necessities to be able to stay alive? What has happened to our humanity. It's as if everybody declares it not their problem. Why won't this current administration spend some of the almost trillion dollars that it has allotted for the military and spend a billion to save thousands of women and child lives. Kids are freezing to death. In 2020! Right, now I remember. The public officials who could address this are too busy globetrotting to here and there to enhance their already privileged life. As the rest of the world is realizing that the once great America has turned its back on any form of being the moral country that was before the age of Trump and his circus of characters that are planted in the People's House.
90
@Desertdawg Those trillions of dollars were invested in millitary to help capitalist world domination. The more the chaos in the world and wars, the better for US
6
@Desertdawg
The tax rate isn’t 100%. The government doesn’t have all of America’s money. You have some of it. What are you going to do?
2
@Desertdawg-Imporant points. Also the U.S. is the number one weapons seller in the world.
1
The Russian and Syrian governments need to be held responsible for the destruction they have done. They need to be held accountable and pay for the rebuilding of homes and industries. They need to pay for the costs of refugees and the healing of the people.
27
@Pat In order for Syria to pay for the rebuilding of homes and industries, it would be of great help if crippling sanctions were lifted by the US & EU.
8
Assad May win the war but will lose his economy. In the last few months the Syrian currency has dramatically lost value and the economy can’t survive when a third of the country is fleeing. Give it 6-12 months and you’ll see everyday non refugee Syrians start to go malnourished and migrate out of Syria, likely to Europe. The country is about to collapse, it’ll be worse than Venezuela.
17
Venezuela does not receive Russian subsidies. Syria surely will continue to be the client state of Syria, and Putin is willing to foot the bill to keep and maintain a secure regional outpost for Russia.
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I am moved beyond words.
This is complicated politically and there are no simple solutions I know, but innocent people are dying and despite much progress, the human race cannot prevent this. Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon and some parts of Europe have taken many, but the rest of the world needs to step forward.
The Syrian refugees must number more than 6 million by now and their names are being added to a seemingly endless roll that includes virtually every ethnic group on the planet.
I am moved to take personal action. Thanks to the NY Times and a Free press for this reporting.
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@Brian Barrett Irresponsible press that does not explain both sides of the story....not saying Syrian government is good, because they are not, but this is a sectarian war...Alawites vs Sunni...and the Sunni's here in Idilib are mostly aligned with Al qaeda and ISIS. Did you know that reading this story?
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@Marketing Manager I said it was complicated politically...but are we then just to ignore and condemn to starvation, homelessness and death those innocents who are not part of the war, just its victims?
Be careful with whom you align yourself. There are many who are simply don't care or who back Assad who are using these complexities to persuade good people to turn their backs on this and other refugee crises.
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@Marketing Manager There seems to be little if any attempt to present more than one side of a story, as in the US everything seems to be done in service of profits for corporations.
It seems to me that the news is no longer the news because the press is no longer the press. If they had standards like doctors they'd be sued into oblivion for malpractice of journalism.
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