Today’s news from Syria is that al-Assad and his Alawite minority (10% of the population) may be trying to carve out an enclave that would become a separate Alawite nation on the coast of Syria, leaving the rest of the country to the Sunnis who compose 90% of the Syrian population.
This is refuted by professors and experts who estimate that the coastline has neither the roads, nor the electricity supply sources needed to support a state that would certainly not be supplied by the Sunnis in Syria proper.
But, it does give a new picture of the problem al-Assad and the Alawites face in trying to win a civil war against the vast majority of the Syrian people.
The most recent Alawite tactic is evidenced by signs smeared on walls in cities and villages which have been invaded and ravaged by al-Assad forces and their militia: “Accept al-Assad or we will burn down your town.”
And, it seems that the announced battle for Damascus has shifted to Aleppo, the commercial center and largest city in Syria, with 3 million inhabitants.
Aleppo is just 40 miles from the Turkish border and is considered vital to al-Assad if he is to retain power. But, with Turkey firmly on the side of the rebels, and having today closed its borders to supply trucks moving toward Syria, it seems that the al-Assad forces now have only their weapons, need I say Russian, to win the city over.
There are reports today of strafing by warplanes and heavy artillery attacks in certain quarters of Aleppo. The city center, a UN historic monument, is not yet involved, but surely it will be within days. Unless, of course, al-Assad does what he did to stop Damascus from falling to the rebels - using helicopter gunships to destroy Damascus neighborhoods loyal to the rebel cause, followed by door-to-door searches for rebel sympathizers to be killed or arrested.
With 19,000 dead and hundreds of villages and city areas destroyed or badly damaged, with refugees fleeing to Turkey and Lebanon before the al-Assad enslaught, it seems clear that al-Assad has decided to remain in power by whatever means possible.
Whatever means possible - that is the most sensitive question. Because, also today, Israel announced that if al-Assad allows chemical or biological weapons to fall into the hands of Hezbollah, then Israel will have no choice but to attack…the red line as the Israeli defense minister put it today.
I suppose Syria simply proves that no matter how strong the world’s armies and weaponry are, no matter how united the world is in condemning inhuman aggression against civilians, these things will go on. There is no way for civilized coalitions to combat the insidious idea that “internal” matters are to be left to the country in which they are occurring.
Shall we count them -- Cambodia, Rwanda, Sarajevo, eastern Congo. And now Mali and its border region with Burkina Faso on the brink of al-Qaida domination. And, Syria.
And, lest we forget -- the two biggest offenders, Russia and China (including its own people but also the peaceful Buddhists of Tibet and Nepal).
Who will step up to the challenge? Who will say, enough? Who will stand for humanity and refuse to accept butchery, torture and physical and mental intimidation? It has not been Barak Obama, who seems to be overwhelmed by it all, despite what are surely good intentions on his part.
May we hope it will be Mitt Romney.
We should all pray that it is Mitt Romney. For if is not him, I fear it will be no one, or no organization, or no coalition. The undertaking that you so rightfully suggest is massive in manpower and dollars.
ReplyDeleteAlone the US has the manpower and the capability to do the job. We must do it swiftly. No 10 year operation(s). What we lack, with thanks to President Obama is the dollars. He has emptied Old Mother Hubbard Cupboard so to speak. This small fact leaves us with two choices:
1. We enlist the United Nations. Problem we are the United Nations in man power and supporting military dollars.
2. We form a collation much as we did in the very successful Gulf War. Problem is that is nigh on to impossible under President Obama. Plus throw in the cost to such nations as France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Ireland, England,and Australia who would take a step forward to promote freedom, dignity and well being for millions of citizens of this planet. What countries on this list would join us to stop the rape, molestation of children, slaughter, and physical torture that is part of the every day lives of citizens of Cambodia, Rwanda, eastern Congo, Mali, Russia, China, N. Korea, Syria, Egypt, and on and on. My guess for which countries would - AUSTRALIA. I won't waste anyone times on the inter-relationships of the other countries on list of possible fellow freedom fighters. And be aware of what you propose. It wouldn't be a "walk in the park" it would be war. A war to vanquish the earth of the scum that has become dominate in so many regions. And it has become so dominate in 3rd world countries because of our turning a death ear to the problem oh so long ago. But that is another topic for yet another time.
Again, thank you Casey Pops
Then HOPE it is.
ReplyDeleteSo now it's on to Aleppo, probably the most important city in all of Syria. An absolute necessity for Assad forces and therefore a must win/control for the rebels. Assad has been shelling and strafing certain districts inside the city for 3 days now. And it is rumored that Assad forces from all over the country are ending whatever engagements they are involved in with the rebels and heading for Aleppo.
ReplyDeleteIs this a signal that the 18 month civil war as come down to one coastal city. NO, not at all. No matter the outcome at Aleppo the civil war will wane on for months, possibly years yet.
The outcome in Aleppo will be a mass destruction/damage of the city in terms of life, property, infra-structure, shipping ports damaged beyond belief - the ports should be a major objective to the rebels. Control of the shipping facility would give the rebels a hands up on the economy, import & exporting life line, and a physiological advantage over the entire citizenry population.
So we wait and watch the next chapter in the struggle for Syria. When in essence the elimination of Assad, who has not been seen since the assassination attempt, would bring about a finale to the current bloodshed there.
Maybe Assad is in a shipping container???
ReplyDelete