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What's happening in Syria?
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I know this may come across as being ignorant but I've read up a couple of times of the problems in Syria but I don't actually understand what's going on! Could somebody tell me what's going on in way that a complete idiot would understand.
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Around 75% of the population are Sunni moslems. The government is composed of Shi'ite moslems. The Sunnis think that, since they are a large majority of the population, they should be running the country rather than the minority Shi'ites. The government, being in power, don't like that idea, and so are stamping down hard on the Sunnis. The Sunnis are retaliating.
If I was you, my starting point would be here......
http://www.newstatesm...ger-blair-syria-iraq. (Copy and paste into google)
As mentioned there is internal conflict in Syria, on one side is the Syrian Army who is loyal to Assad's ruling regime and on the other there is the Free Syria Army, whose aim is overthrow Assad's Authoritarian regime. This uprising has been going on for about a year, UN estimate for Syrians killed ranges 5,000-9,000 since it started.
There is intense international pressure calling for political change. Amercia has been very vocal calling the UN to remove Assad, they dislike him and want him to resign. Russia and China have vetoed this at the UN hence Amercia not getting its way.
Is this another example of an Amercian Imperalistic attempt? It happened with Libya : 'Nato attacked Libya to counter and manipulate a general Arab uprising that took the rulers of the world by surprise. Unlike his neighbours, Gaddafi had come to power by denying western control of his country's natural wealth. For this, he was never forgiven, and the opportunity for his demise was seized in the usual manner, as history shows. The American historian William Blum has kept the record. Since the second world war, the United States has crushed or subverted liberation movements in 20 countries, and attempted to overthrow more than 50 governments, many of them democratic, and dropped bombs on 30 countries, and attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.' (Pilger)
The civilian uprising started out as a call for democracy, (Assad had promised reforms but didn't deliver) however Sanctions imposed upon Syria by America - technological, banking and economic gave rise to the calls for democracy in the first place. Syria's economy and national budget has suffered because of these sanctions. (Actually look at Iraq, the decade long sanctions imposed by the West killed more people than Hussein killed.
Quote - Denis Halliday (resigned after 34 yrs with UN as Assistant Secretary Gen) 'I am resigning...because the policy of economic sanctions is totally bankrupt. We are in the process of destroying an entire society. It is as simple as that....Five thousand children are dying every month...I don't want to administer a programme that results in figures like these....I had been instructed.... to implement a policy that satisfies the definition of genocide: a deliberate policy that has effectively killed well over a million individuals, children and adults.'
Forget Amercia's imperalism, is it about Syria supporting Iran and Amercia's ongoing interests with Iraq?
I am not saying Hussein and Assad are the 'good guys' but what has and will replace them?
Also reported in yesterday Times...'but the Country is now also being hit by mysterious car bombings. Two suicide blasts rocked the city of Idlib on Monday, killing nine people and injuring more than a hundred. The Assad regime sees this as evidence that it is fighting terrorism rather than trying to crush a domestic uprising...............the opposition has distanced itself from the bombings, but US intelligence officials say that Al-Qaeda groups and radical Sunni Islamists could now be at work.' Foreign groups are fuelling the fight against the Govt.
Al-Queda from Iraq, the exiled Muslim Brotherhood (Assad's father, Hafez cracked down on their uprising leaving a death toll of upwards 10,000) are fuelling the fight. They have also been vocal in stating a democracy post-Assad. This is all lies, is Syria better off under Assad or a Muslim Brotherhood? Look at Egypt, Tunisia and Libya....they cannot be trusted. They follow Sharia Law and oppose Democracy. There will be a greater number of people killed following ethnic cleansing if Assad is toppled, like Egypt Churches will be burnt and Syria's neighbours affected.
The question is, who does it benefit the most if the Assad Regime is toppled?
http://www.newstatesm...ger-blair-syria-iraq. (Copy and paste into google)
As mentioned there is internal conflict in Syria, on one side is the Syrian Army who is loyal to Assad's ruling regime and on the other there is the Free Syria Army, whose aim is overthrow Assad's Authoritarian regime. This uprising has been going on for about a year, UN estimate for Syrians killed ranges 5,000-9,000 since it started.
There is intense international pressure calling for political change. Amercia has been very vocal calling the UN to remove Assad, they dislike him and want him to resign. Russia and China have vetoed this at the UN hence Amercia not getting its way.
Is this another example of an Amercian Imperalistic attempt? It happened with Libya : 'Nato attacked Libya to counter and manipulate a general Arab uprising that took the rulers of the world by surprise. Unlike his neighbours, Gaddafi had come to power by denying western control of his country's natural wealth. For this, he was never forgiven, and the opportunity for his demise was seized in the usual manner, as history shows. The American historian William Blum has kept the record. Since the second world war, the United States has crushed or subverted liberation movements in 20 countries, and attempted to overthrow more than 50 governments, many of them democratic, and dropped bombs on 30 countries, and attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.' (Pilger)
The civilian uprising started out as a call for democracy, (Assad had promised reforms but didn't deliver) however Sanctions imposed upon Syria by America - technological, banking and economic gave rise to the calls for democracy in the first place. Syria's economy and national budget has suffered because of these sanctions. (Actually look at Iraq, the decade long sanctions imposed by the West killed more people than Hussein killed.
Quote - Denis Halliday (resigned after 34 yrs with UN as Assistant Secretary Gen) 'I am resigning...because the policy of economic sanctions is totally bankrupt. We are in the process of destroying an entire society. It is as simple as that....Five thousand children are dying every month...I don't want to administer a programme that results in figures like these....I had been instructed.... to implement a policy that satisfies the definition of genocide: a deliberate policy that has effectively killed well over a million individuals, children and adults.'
Forget Amercia's imperalism, is it about Syria supporting Iran and Amercia's ongoing interests with Iraq?
I am not saying Hussein and Assad are the 'good guys' but what has and will replace them?
Also reported in yesterday Times...'but the Country is now also being hit by mysterious car bombings. Two suicide blasts rocked the city of Idlib on Monday, killing nine people and injuring more than a hundred. The Assad regime sees this as evidence that it is fighting terrorism rather than trying to crush a domestic uprising...............the opposition has distanced itself from the bombings, but US intelligence officials say that Al-Qaeda groups and radical Sunni Islamists could now be at work.' Foreign groups are fuelling the fight against the Govt.
Al-Queda from Iraq, the exiled Muslim Brotherhood (Assad's father, Hafez cracked down on their uprising leaving a death toll of upwards 10,000) are fuelling the fight. They have also been vocal in stating a democracy post-Assad. This is all lies, is Syria better off under Assad or a Muslim Brotherhood? Look at Egypt, Tunisia and Libya....they cannot be trusted. They follow Sharia Law and oppose Democracy. There will be a greater number of people killed following ethnic cleansing if Assad is toppled, like Egypt Churches will be burnt and Syria's neighbours affected.
The question is, who does it benefit the most if the Assad Regime is toppled?
With ongoing complex news situations, the BBC often do a good overview and for the Syria crisis it's here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17344858
However, that page looks a bit of a mess in my browser and it's almost unreadable, so I've cut and pasted the key points below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17344858
However, that page looks a bit of a mess in my browser and it's almost unreadable, so I've cut and pasted the key points below.
What's happening in Syria?
The Syrian government has been trying to suppress an uprising inspired by events in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. The UN says thousands have been killed in the crackdown, and that many more have been detained and displaced. The Syrian government says hundreds of security forces personnel have also died combating "armed terrorist gangs".
What sort of country is it?
The family of President Bashar al-Assad has been in power since his father, Hafez, took over in a coup in 1970. The country underwent some liberalisation after Bashar became president in 2000, but the pace of change soon slowed, if not reversed. Critics are imprisoned, domestic media are tightly controlled, and economic policies often benefit the elite. The country's human rights record is among the worst in the world.
Is it ethnically or religiously divided?
Syria is a country of 21 million people with a Sunni Muslim majority (74%) and significant minorities of Alawites - the Shia heterodox sect to which Mr Assad belongs - and Christians. Mr Assad promotes a secular identity for the country, but he has concentrated power in the hands of family and other Alawites. Protests have generally been biggest in Sunni-dominated areas.
Are there social and economic issues?
Under the sanctions imposed by the Arab League, US and EU, Syria's two most vital sectors, tourism and oil, have ground to a halt in recent months. The IMF says Syria's economy contracted by 2% in 2011, while the value of the Syrian pound has crashed. Unemployment is high, electricity cuts trouble Damascus, and critical products like heating oil and staples like milk powder are becoming scarce.
When did the trouble start?
Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 after the arrest and torture of a group of teenagers who had painted revolutionary slogans on walls at their school in the southern city of Deraa. Security forces opened fire during a march against the arrests, killing four. The next day, the authorities shot at mourners at the victims' funerals, killing another person. People began demanding the overthrow of Mr Assad.
How did the government react?
The government has tried to deal with the situation with a combination of minor concessions and force. President Assad ended the 48-year-long state of emergency and introduced a new constitution offering multi-party elections. But at the same time, the authorities have continued to use violence against unarmed protesters, and some cities, like Homs, have suffered weeks of intense bombardment.
Who are the protesters?
What do they want? The opposition is deeply divided. Several groups formed a coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), but it is dominated by the Sunni community and exiled dissidents. The SNC disagrees with the National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) on the questions of talks with the government and foreign intervention, and has found it difficult to work with the Free Syrian Army - army defectors seeking to topple Mr Assad by force.
How have other countries reacted?
International pressure on the Syrian government has been intensifying. It has been suspended from the Arab League, while the EU and the US have imposed sanctions. However, there has been no agreement on a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to violence. Although military intervention has been ruled out by Western nations, there are increasing calls to arm the opposition.
What will happen next?
Correspondents say a peaceful solution seems unlikely. Syria's leadership seems intent on crushing resistance and most of the opposition will only accept an end to the regime. Some believe the expected collapse of Syria's currency and an inability to pay salaries may be the leadership's downfall. There are fears, though, that the resulting chaos would be long-lasting and create a wider conflict.
The Syrian government has been trying to suppress an uprising inspired by events in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. The UN says thousands have been killed in the crackdown, and that many more have been detained and displaced. The Syrian government says hundreds of security forces personnel have also died combating "armed terrorist gangs".
What sort of country is it?
The family of President Bashar al-Assad has been in power since his father, Hafez, took over in a coup in 1970. The country underwent some liberalisation after Bashar became president in 2000, but the pace of change soon slowed, if not reversed. Critics are imprisoned, domestic media are tightly controlled, and economic policies often benefit the elite. The country's human rights record is among the worst in the world.
Is it ethnically or religiously divided?
Syria is a country of 21 million people with a Sunni Muslim majority (74%) and significant minorities of Alawites - the Shia heterodox sect to which Mr Assad belongs - and Christians. Mr Assad promotes a secular identity for the country, but he has concentrated power in the hands of family and other Alawites. Protests have generally been biggest in Sunni-dominated areas.
Are there social and economic issues?
Under the sanctions imposed by the Arab League, US and EU, Syria's two most vital sectors, tourism and oil, have ground to a halt in recent months. The IMF says Syria's economy contracted by 2% in 2011, while the value of the Syrian pound has crashed. Unemployment is high, electricity cuts trouble Damascus, and critical products like heating oil and staples like milk powder are becoming scarce.
When did the trouble start?
Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 after the arrest and torture of a group of teenagers who had painted revolutionary slogans on walls at their school in the southern city of Deraa. Security forces opened fire during a march against the arrests, killing four. The next day, the authorities shot at mourners at the victims' funerals, killing another person. People began demanding the overthrow of Mr Assad.
How did the government react?
The government has tried to deal with the situation with a combination of minor concessions and force. President Assad ended the 48-year-long state of emergency and introduced a new constitution offering multi-party elections. But at the same time, the authorities have continued to use violence against unarmed protesters, and some cities, like Homs, have suffered weeks of intense bombardment.
Who are the protesters?
What do they want? The opposition is deeply divided. Several groups formed a coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), but it is dominated by the Sunni community and exiled dissidents. The SNC disagrees with the National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) on the questions of talks with the government and foreign intervention, and has found it difficult to work with the Free Syrian Army - army defectors seeking to topple Mr Assad by force.
How have other countries reacted?
International pressure on the Syrian government has been intensifying. It has been suspended from the Arab League, while the EU and the US have imposed sanctions. However, there has been no agreement on a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to violence. Although military intervention has been ruled out by Western nations, there are increasing calls to arm the opposition.
What will happen next?
Correspondents say a peaceful solution seems unlikely. Syria's leadership seems intent on crushing resistance and most of the opposition will only accept an end to the regime. Some believe the expected collapse of Syria's currency and an inability to pay salaries may be the leadership's downfall. There are fears, though, that the resulting chaos would be long-lasting and create a wider conflict.
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