My heart is aching from seeing what is happening in Lebanon…very disgusting…every summer something happens and it is very saddening.

Why are we still stuck in the 70s and 80s violent days??? it really says a lot that Lebanon the country with the best potential to be so advanced and civilized…with its brightest people everywhere are ruled by few lunatics that take orders from outside. 

What can I say Assad got the blessing from Iran and Israel to burn Lebanon one more time…Thank you Nasralla for showing us the thug that you are, may you go to hell. You really showed us what the Arab resistance is all about, use weapons and bombs to burn innocent cities…

Isreal must be very happy to expose you to the Arab world, basically another terrorist…also perfect timing with the Israeli celebrations in place, how much did you get paid for this???

No wonder Assad keeps Michel Kilo and the rest in jail because he knows that they won’t accept how Lebanon is being toyed with one more time. Many Syrians don’t know any better so they believe the Syrian propaganda but I truly believe that the Syrian regime is another player (kept in place by outside) in the region that make sure the Arab world never goes anywhere but back to the savage ages.

I am really Sorry Michel Kilo on the eve of 2 years anniversary of your arrest that you are still a victim of oppression with no hope in site. 

Thanks Maureen for sending the pictures of the Amnesty protest in London, can’t but post them again!

Hoping for a better tomorrow, the middle east current situation is heading for a big explosion…unless a miracle happens…Bashar needs to show some dramatic wisdom and do a 180 shift to avoid a lot of bloodshed…opening up and being flexible is his only card, being a hardliner won’t get him anywhere.

Nothing surprise me from Damascus these days except to say “thakhanouha” (going overboard)…unless they have decided to transform all the prisons into cultural ones and make sure all the intellectuals unite inside them. Fayez Sara is a respected writer who always tread carefully between the lines and there is no reason to arrest him at all…I read his articles in the past just like I read those of Michel Kilo before he was arrested and he was pleasant to read. 

Anyway why is this happening??????????????????????????????

Why the Syrian regime keeps showing his middle ages and barbaric mentality !!!!!!!!!! are doctor Bashar and Asma Al Asad really ruling the country? or some low security guys who decide to humiliate the civilized people…anyway if Mr Bashar wants to portray his intellectual wise image then he better act soon and change the mentality of his regime, stop these arrests and allow for some breathing space. If he can’t rule over the security animals then he should retire with all the billions that he made (sorry stole) unless he is a retard who enjoys the glory and all his talks about being educated were just for mere consumption.

Clearly I am not optimistic, and I don’t think any positive change is happening soon based on their mercurial policies in Lebanon…they could sing different tunes and stop arresting people in Syria for any hope to shine. They are playing their spoiler role in Syria and the region perfectly…we can call them the NEW or BIZARRO ZIONISTS, destroying the region better than Israel ever did.

on the Margin, another sad arrest for a blogger Tarek Bayassi

Here is more from Elaph on Fayez (arabic)

في ما يعتقد أنه على خلفية نشاطه العام و مشاركته في اجتماع المجلس الوطني لإعلان دمشق اعتقلت أجهزة المخابرات في العاصمة السورية دمشق حوالي الساعة العاشرة من صباح الخميس 3/1/2008 عضو المنظمة السورية لحقوق الإنسان (سواسية ) الكاتب و المحلل السـياسي الأستاذ فايز ساره و اقتادته لجهة مجهولة.

- الكاتب و المحلل السياسي فايز محمد ديب ساره تولد جيرود التابعة لريف دمشق عام 1950.
- متزوج و له أربعة أولاد.
- كاتب في العديد من الصحف و المجلات و الدوريات العربية منها (الحياة اللندنية والسفير والمستقبل اللبنانية والنور السورية والعرب اليوم الأردنية ) و محلل سياسي ومهتم بالشـأن العام المحلي و العربي و الدولي.
- له العديد من الكتب و المؤلفات نذكر منها:
موسوعة الكاريكاتير العربي ( جزءان)
الأحزاب و القوى السياسية في تونس
الأحزاب السياسية في المغرب
كما شارك بتأليف الموســوعة الفلسـطينية.
- ناشط في مجال حقوق الإنسان و المجتمع المدني و من مؤسـسي لجان إحياء المجتمع المدني و المنظمة السورية لحقوق الإنسان و شغل منصب عضو مجلس إدارة في المنظمة السورية لحقوق الإنسان لأكثر من عام كما شارك في العديد من المؤتمرات و الندوات و ورشات العمل في مجال حقوق الإنسان إضافة لعضويته في الهيئة الدولية لمكافحة الفقر.
- شارك بصفته ممثلاً للجان إحياء المجتمع المدني في تهدئة الأوضاع في محافظة الحسكة بعد الأحداث المؤسفة في آذار من عام 2004ومارافقها من احتجاجات شعبية كوردية.

- يعاني من وضع صحي حرج جداً جراء إصابته بمرض القصور التام في عمل الغدد الدرقية و هو أحوج ما يكون للمراقبة المستمرة و العلاج الدائم.

and he is some sarcastic humour out of this, as a comment on the arrest

شو يعني إذا صحفي سوري تمت إستضافته في منتجع صنف خمس نجوم عند ظرفاء المخابرات السورية ؟؟ القصة لا تحتاج لأن تكتب مقالا عنها و عن صاحبها. السيد فايز سارة محظوظ جدا ,تصور لو أنه كان معتقلا في جوانتنامو ,هل هذا أفضل له ؟ كن واقعيا يا سيد غسان و تيقن بأن السيد فايز يلقى كل العنايةطيبة عند مضيفيه , و بالتأكيد أنه يرى نجوم الظهر و بالألوان الطبيعية. من قال لك يا سيد غسان أن الظرفاء لا يعطون العلاج الكامل و الفعال لمريضهم بالغدة الدرقية ؟ هم بالمناسبة يعالجون له كل الأمراض التي يعاني منها ..و ربما يقصون له لسانه الطويل الذي يتناولهم ظلما و عدوانا , كما سيبدلون له نظارتيه التي يرى فيهما سوءاتهم . و لن ينسوا بأن يضعوه في قسم الأمراض النفسية كي يعيدوا تركيب مخه ليتناسب مع واقع الحال في بلد الوحدة و الحرية و الإشتراكية . , آخر علاج سيكون في قسم أمراض القلب و سوف يغسلون له قلبه من الأحقاد السوداء عليهم , التي سكنت قلبه. على الإعلام العربي أن يشكر ظرفاء المخابرات على كرمهم و أريحيتهم .و على الصحفيين العرب أن يكتبوا عن معاناة اي فرد في أي مكان على الكرة الأرضية مع إستثناء سورية في الزمن الراهن

SYRIANS RISE UP AND REJECT THE HUMILIATING STATUS QUO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally I applaud Bilawal (Son Of Benazir Bhutto who said today)

“I believe that the problem is that dictatorships feed extremism, and once the United States stops supporting dictators, we can successfully tackle the extremist problem as well,”

Sorry that is just wishful thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But the decision makers in Culture less Syria could may be shock us by releasing the prisoners of conscience. They can help welcoming the celebrities, making them more comfortable that they are not approving a regime that suffocates cultural and free thinkers. The prisoners would really make the celebrations and fireworks meaningful instead of an empty culture that only offers crushing hope and silencing the voices of the society.  Is it too much to ask? Of course, nothing is expected from a bunch of cowards who pride themselves on oppression and the language of terror. 

The Arab and international guests should insist on visiting the prisoners or they better boycott such a tasteless farce. They can also insist on witnessing the destruction of important parts of old Damascus or destroying nature in the name of making money. 

Happy New Cultural Year Michel, Kamal, Aref, the list is becoming too long and be happy that others are joining you I write…

Here is part of the news article:

 Damascus heads into a new year as the cultural capital of the Arab world for 2008, hosting a year-long series of theatrical and musical events, along with talks by renowned intellectuals. American linguist and leftist intellectual Noam Chomsky, Czech writer Milan Kundera and Lebanon’s famed songstress Fairuz are among the personalities coming to Syria as Damascus assumes the cultural mantle from Algiers.

But not everyone welcomes the planned events, with Syrian writer Ibrahim Haj Abdi calling them “ephemeral cultural festivities.”

“Syrian intellectuals might have believed these promises (by the organisers) if only they had been accompanied by efforts to free one of the country’s most important intellectuals, Michel Kilo,” he wrote in Sunday’s pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Hayat, published in London. Kilo was jailed in 2006 for being a co-signatory of the Beirut-Damascus Declaration, along with nearly 300 Syrian and Lebanese intellectuals. In May this year he was sentenced to three years in prison.

The declaration called for an overhaul of ties between the two states and for Syrian recognition of the independence of Lebanon, where Damascus was the major powerbroker for three decades until 2005.

“My experience with the organisers quickly dismissed any hope… of seeing it revive the role of culture that has been destroyed over decades” in Syrian society, wrote Samar Yazbek.

The cultural year will get under way on January 10 with a fireworks display on Mount Qassiun overlooking Damascus, followed by an official ceremony nine days later.

Could not resist writing a post about this sarcastic matter!!!!!

 A Film about Buthaina Shaaban!!!!!!!!!!! in the Damascus film festival 

“ “في مواجهة بيئة اجتماعبة جائرة من التعصب الديني ..الهيجان السياسي..والتقاليد البالية ..ومع صعود الحركات الاسلامية الاصولية كان هناك امراة عربية واحدة انبثقت من قلب الجمود متحدية الخطر الداهم في طريقها الصعب لتحقيق العدالة والمساواة لجميع النساء 

“To face a difficult social environment of religious fanatics, political instability, outdated customs and with the rise of Islamic radical movements, THERE WAS ONE ARAB WOMAN that came out from the heart of the people challenging great risks on her difficult path to achieve justice and equality for all Women!!!!!!!”

 Bravo, I could not resist the humor…my hat goes off to that woman, what a courage!!!!! you think she lived in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia 500 years ago!!!! or that Syria in now heaven on Earth in terms of freedoms!!!

This whole ass-kissing is usually reserved for the Assad Gods, not for a woman who did nothing useful in her life except to write and say garbage, twisting logic and making Syrians look like they live in another planet…

If there is any Islamic fundamentalism in Syria (which is a country of a lot of great women –some of them are in jail now thanks to her regime), it is because people like Buthaina nurture that and benefit from it…she does not miss an occasion to make it look like Syria is attacked because it is the real leader of Islam. Not to mention she makes shit as she goes about the lack of freedom in other countries ignoring the freedom that she offers in Syria.

Anyway I don’t want to sound too political or get too emotional…but I think that is what the tragic comedies of our region revolve around, people who have nothing to do but to attract ridiculous attention about how important they are with nothing to sustain their claim!!!!!! no thanks to the idiot who made that film happen!

I wish you all Happy Holidays (Muslims, Christians and Jews) and a better 2008 but we can only dream…

Fares

May 2008 change the idiot mentality of the regime that they become so strong by jailing few intellectuals. Freedom for Kilo, Labwani, Bunni and all the heros that have been too long in jail. If any idiot think they are bargaining chips with the West, they are way off…the West use them to make Syria looks ugly (which is what the regime is doing anyway) but those victims are left on their own, they have no value but to tarnish Syria’s ruling cowards already rotten image.

Apparently Mr Bashar who is CREDITED for bringing the internet to Syria before becoming president is now blocking any popular internet exchange medium such as FACEBOOK (the new fatality). Mr Bashar is to be applauded for this decision because Syrians deserve to stay in the stone ages since they tolerate anything Bashar decide.

 Let’s stay silenced…apparently all the ass kissing that happened on facebook such as ridiculous groups like “we love Bashar” or “Bashar Foreever” or “Syria can’t be blamed for Lebanon problems” did not fullfil the appetite of Bashar’s hunger for attention.

 Syrians why do you need the internet since you can’t read anything useful there anyway…tell Bashar to take his sutpid internet and offer it to some other people who could make use of it!

I just found out through Yazan’s post and some other bloggers at Syria Planet that Yazan Badran ’s parents passed away. I am still not sure what happened in what kind of circumstances. Yazan is a great young guy, very active in global voices and Syria planet, not to mention full of energy and rebellion. I got to know him through his posts and the exchanges we had in many blogs. He has a great heart!

It is very devastating to hear such incredible fatal news and I don’t know what to say…

Yazan we are all with you through these dificult times, must be very tragic indeed just to hear about it. Hang in there. Our deepest condoleances…

Dear Maureen,

I have not checked my fares email in a while…sure you can add my name.

I know you believe in what you are doing and it is great to have people dedicating themselves to human rights causes…I am just having a lot of confusion and I don’t know what the solution is to the many problems that we have. I feel helpless and I know that the blog is just preaching to the choir.

It is blocked in Syria and only people who read English know what I am talking about but in Syrian politics people stick to their positions regardless of what some people preach.

Anyway it is a very messy game and I tried with everything I can and there were no results but a lot of frustration. What pisses me off is that the US is really enjoying the Syrian role in the region and all the problems which they cause (the Syrian officials can’t fart without the blessing of the US and Israel) so the key to solving all the problems is the US and if they really wanted the Syrian prisoners to be free they can have that in 5 minutes.

Keep up the fight and best of luck

Fares

By Maureen

It is Dr Kamal Labwani’s 50th birthday on 10th October. I suggest that we inundate ‘Adra Prison, near Damascus, Syria with postcards sending him our greetings. I am also compiling a list of names of people who wish to send him goodwill messages and I will forward this to his family so that they may let him know he is not forgotten on his 50th. If you wish to be on the list, please send your name and town/country to mhudsonthomas@yahoo.co.uk

This blog has been very passive the last few months…but now it is official, I no longer enjoy blogging or discussing middle eastern politics anymore…and it is best to ignore the tragedies of the middle east since we have zero control over it. Whatever happens, just Let it be

I just feel like purging this blog but I won’t out of respect for the prisoners, I will just freeze it. I had very good intentions at the beginning and throughout the last 2 years. I wanted to promote freedom of expression and the ability to break the taboos of the Middle East and change how people view events or envision progress. I felt for the poor prisoners that people cared little for… some people who expressed sympathy were just doing it to show a better image or play politics but not willing to change their priorities. The most disgusting thing was what the Syrian regime made these people who had little courage to say something slightly different from the baathist line: they made them traitors and a pawn in their battle with the international community.

Anyway, talking to a lot of young Syrians whom I met socially the last year, made me realize that people there, are entrenched in their views. They say that they want a better Syria but in reality they are very comfortable with the political climate and in fact very used to it. They don’t really care and they brush aside whatever bothers them. Their only enthusiasm come only when Syria or HA defies the rest of the world…so the regime has accomplished a great job in brain washing the people and modeled them to accept whatever positions they want to make.

It is a sad reality but I raise the white flag and I don’t think that the region will change in the near future so why frustrate myself…I am so glad that I am not a politician and my dad once joked when I was a kid “why do you see yourself as a social reformer”…but now I see why I chose a different career, something more practical and less emotional.

I thank the other bloggers that I looked up to and everyone who supported me or shared my views at some point. I really appreciated that and for people whom I differed with: there was nothing personal and I wish everyone success and happiness…I still despise the Syrian regime but I hope they do enough “release the prisoners and be less of a regional trouble maker” to make me accept them again

Peace and Good Bye
Fares
Happy Ramadan as well…

I remember 13 month ago, someone very active on Syria Comment (won’t name him) that if Aoun wins in Lebanon Michel Kilo will be free!

So my question after yesterday’s Metn Elections! why is Michel still in Jail and why everyone is mute about all the Syrian political prisoners…nothing in the news despite Syria’s regional stronger position on paper and not being the target of political isolation anymore!

What would it take for the ruling idiots in Syria to release harmless citizens? Enough: Free Michel, Kamal, Anwar, Aref and all the others and move on with the 21st century! and please solve the electricity problem as well…Syrians deserve a better environment for their progress…enough obstruction and subjugation!

First, I apologize from my readers for not posting anything recently. Second I want to thank my new job (started 5 weeks ago) for not allowing me to surf for news like before and certainly I don’t have the freedom to blog as much. Third I am so happy that my new job had totally distracted me from politics and reading arabic sites and opinions with all the depression that they bring along. I don’t have the same attention span or motivation to be passionate, let the region be the region and the people ruled by oppressors.

 Let the area be shared and dominated by foreign powers and interests along with the resistance wannabees and trouble makers. If the people decide to rally behind their rulers then why not let them suffer the consequences; and if the leaders want to play games to look important then let them enjoy their fake glories…it is all comedy and an act to suck the region out of its blood; and keep us always in the last wagon of civilization.

Oops I am getting pationate again, sorry. About Michel Kilo, Kamal Labwani and all the idiots who decided to speak for a better society, why did they bother since no one is there to think about them except for rare occasions. It seems like the mood now is a complete Syrian-Iranian victory in both Lebanon and Iraq, as well as Palestine even though the dream was destroyed. Syrians in jail, who cares!!! a small price to pay for Syrian regional role. Assad is and will be forever just like the people want!

 I am very confused with the US tacid approval of what is going on!!!!!!!!!!! not that I ever liked the US middle eastern policies but it looks like the axis of evil in their eyes is unchallenged these days. Confusion Confusion Confusion but I am so relieved that it is very quiet on the Israeli front and there is no repeat of the Lebanese disastrous war of last year. The month of May was scary and promising an ugly summer in Lebanon but now it is pretty well contained despite some casualties…it is minor losses in the big chess board.

As for Syria, Assad has graduated from the Junior league to be an important regional player ready to serve his purpose for American policies (even though he looks like he is standing up to them, he exists to forment needed instability in the region) for another 40 years. Like Father like son and the people of Syria pay a heavy price but no one is raising a finger except the cheer leaders who refuse to see our potential being crushed.

But the reason I started this post was a great arabic article that I received about a webworld which I never heard about “Second life” but I love its conclusion , about how the arabic world needs virtual worlds to escape their tragedis and dissapointments!!!!

هل ستنتهي حروب القتل والدمار أخيراً، أم ستنشأ حروب فيروسية والكترونية من نوع جديد، وقد بدأت معالم بعض هذه الحروب الالكترونية القادمة بالظهور خلف حدود الحياة الثانية، مؤكدةً أصالة الغريزة العدوانية لدى البشر؟ ألا يكفينا الفقر الروحي والاجتماعي الذي اجتاح عالمنا الحقيقي في عصر الأنترنيت وثقافة الدولار؟ لاأدري. وبالنسبة لي، اتخذت قراري بعدم الدخول مجددا أبداً إلى الحياة الثانية، مع أنني، فكرت كثيراً، كم نحتاج في عالمنا العربي إلى عوالم افتراضية نهرب إليها من مآسينا وخيباتنا الكثيرة.

Here is the full article in Arabic and it is great to be preoccupied and distracted from never ending problems! specially the headaches of politics and tragedies…Michel and Kamal and their friends, I hope they have fans or aircondition!!!! so it is not like burning hell over at your five star jails. You in jail is really making us beat up imperialism and zionism and complement our glorified resistance so please enjoy your sacrifice!

How many people need to be killed in Lebanon? Gaza? Iraq so you can prove that you are a regional player??? or do you get personal satisfaction by killing and improsining people or force an entire country to worship you…As long as Michel Kilo and his friends remain in Syrian prisons you are suspect number one in all the crimes and chaos happening in Lebanon.

 I can’t get how dumb you are by not even trying to cover your crimes…you even choose to send all these messages of intimidation so bluntly…but it is not your fault it is the fault of the Syrian people and other foreign powers (hint hint Israel and the US) that allow you to remain where you are; so you can cause as much harm as possible. I am still very confused about why targeted assassinations happen everywhere around Syria but not within Syria??? oh sorry it is usually called suicide or a one way ticket to prison, or dissapearance forever, bombs usually explode in empty areas.

Also, how clever of you to have people’s hearts and minds directed toward libaring a land that you are so happy that it is occupied. Tell those people that the Golan is just an excuse for you to have total rule and control…tell them that you need to control Lebanon because it was a cash cow that needs to remain in safe hands to not give freedom loving Syrians any wrong ideas…tell them that you offer nothing to Syria and people are so dumb for marketing you otherwise. 

You are a big engine of instability in the region and the engine of Syrian backwardness. You are needed to ensure that the region remain in the dark ages…don’t forget to thank your masters for all the wealth that you and your family worked so hard to accumulate: it is ultimately sucked from the sweat of the hard working people, the blood of the innocents, the freedom suffocation, the brainwashing of the young minds and souls.

Syria I cry for your misery…Lebanon hopefully you will be soon freed of the criminal spirits. 

Before we ask how can we get it back or what should we do to get it back…we should ask why did we lose it in the first place: would we have lost it if the evil baath revolution never took place? if the political and military state of affairs in Syria was in a normal shape, would we have kept inviting the enemy to preempt us?

It is easy to blame Israel and the Big powers of the west as well as the Soviet Union for the loss: but the truth is we have to start by blaming ourselves for allowing a bunch of thugs to rule us and destroy the country. We can also blame ourselves for believing or pretending to accept that the Assad family will ever get the Golan back after having cashed the monetary price in full as well as the benefit of being allowed to stay in power.

What happened in the Golan in June 1967 was not a military defeat because there was no fighting on the ground, it was treason for selling out the land in exchange for power and domination of the Syrian people. We can also blame the rotten Baath mentality that we can get the Golan back through instability and faked resistance in Lebanon.

In June 2067, I bet Bashar Assad the second (grand kid of current Bashar) the new leader of Syria will still vow to liberate the Golan. For that he’ll be the new Syrian clown after having won a very popular referendum and silenced some opposition critics by throwing them in jail to keep with family values and traditions.

Viva Syria Libre with the Golan back where it belongs as a price for democracy and modernism to be the source of Syrian pride not defeat and treason.

Saint encouraged me to make what Maureen wrote a new post, makes sense since it seems that the country is too festive to talk about our own prisoners. Let’s hope they get their due freedom soon…

———

Talking of nightmares, and having the courage to go on - here is a message sent by Kamal Labwani’s family to the CIVICUS World Assembly held in Glasgow, Scotland last weekend. It was attended by about 1,000 delegates and all of them were given a petition on a postcard to send to the Syrian government demanding the release of all prisoners of conscience in Syrian jails. The family’s message was written shortly before their father was sentenced to 12 years detention.

“The crime our father has committed is that of expressing his opinion. Among other things, he criticized the lack of freedom in our country, the corruption, the poor education system and the longest state of emergency in the world – 40 years.

Our father was detained and sentenced for three years in 2001. When they released him in September 2004, six of his friends remained in prison and he campaigned for their release. Five were released after appreciable pressure by several NGOs like your organization, and foreign governments. Unfortunately, one of the six, Prof. Aref Dalila, remains in prison with a sentence of ten long years.

Our father was arrested again and now he is being charged with an accusation that can sentence him to prison for life or cause him to be executed if Syria becomes involved in a war.

But they didn’t imprison his scent, which we detect in every corner of the house, in his books and in our souls. They didn’t imprison his ideas and his hunger for freedom. They cannot detain his right to dream of a better country where all people are equal before the law. Our Dad still dreams in prison – and thousands of people share the same dream.

Dreams can’t be captured, but sometimes fear can turn dreams into nightmares. Yes, we share your dream, Father, but our daily life has become a nightmare. He smiled when he heard us say this (after he had been shut up for 18 days in solitary confinement in terrible conditions) and told us, ‘Freedom has a price’ and ‘I want you to have the kind of dreams that free people have.’ And then he whispered, ‘Even dreams are different when you live in a free country and I am willing to pay the price so that you may discover this for yourselves, my dears.’

I tell you no secret when I say that we miss him. We miss his daily presence and sometimes we feel not only sad, but angry. When so much injustice is practised one tries to tolerate it, but it takes courage because it is so unfair. People like yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, make anger vanish and dreams possible. Thank you for sharing our sorrows and our dreams.”

—

For people who are unaware, Kamal was harshly sentenced to 12 years, so he’ll be in prison for the next referendum and may be 3 rounds of the selection of the people’s assembly. Are the authorities using the post cards to decorate their offices? Will Assad denie the existence of prisoners the next time he speaks some English on TV??? some Egyptian friend was fooled by his innocent young look and was like man isn’t Syria lucky!!!!!!

 Our thoughts are with Kamal, Michel, Aref, Anwar, Faek, Mahmood and all the free people even though some thugs decided to place them in jail in the name of stability! and steadfastness and false nationalism. Also our prayers are for their families who are suffering tremendously.

The Golan was lost 40 years ago in a stupid war because of ignorant leaders, provocative slogans, empty speeches and false rethorics. Having free people in prison is not the way to get the land back or to solve the challenges that Syria faces internally and externally.

Apparently Assad and his wife have joined Hollywood and are becoming popular show stars during the day and oppressors/killers/thiefs at night.

My congratulations! on the seven years, more like 7 years of many more 7 year terms. My question is what should we expect? How many more people will be imprisoned??? how mant more young souls will be brainwashed? how many more billions will be stolen from Syria? How many regional crisis Syria will find itself in? How many media people “bullshiters” will write to state the importance of Syria, and the wisdom of the regime! causing the rulers to become overconfident.

I support the people’s choice as long as they were free to express themselves! and please please for the hard working people who are counting the ballots, don’t waste your energy, no one dared to say NO and they would have been caught before putting their choice in…and to the Minister of the interior, I say 3 extra hours is not enough, the referundum should be open for voting all year long so people can continuously express their gratitude for Assad ruining the country and their lives.

Tahanina and people don’t waste your time asking for presidential pardons or writing requests to improve policies because it is all useless and no one reads or want to change anything anyway. Nice suit Mrs Assad, It would nice if you pay the prisoners a charity visit or remember that they too have families to be with.

It is time for oppostion bloggers to take a long break…freesyria.wordpress.com was a waisted effort, should not have bothered, people are happy with what they have with all the drama and negativity.

Even the “reformers” the people who criticize and even heavily at times but don’t bother the regime, complain and protest as a habit for the sake of tradition, but they stand with the regime when it matters. We the people who call for a better changed Syria are considered outsiders and a bunch of idiots or traitors. Glad to be living somewhere else because to be happy there I’ll need to accept whatever is offered to the country including cheering Assad on and all the garbage that goes with that.

It is just a nightmare that never ends!

More of the same as the previous 7 years, tons of road accidents, destroyed buses and builings collapsing, straving the population, putting people in jail. He has discovered the best way for population control.

 Some of Syria’s achievements under his leadership only the last couple of days on Syria News

a Terrible Road Accident: Involving some Iraqis who were lucky to stay alive in Iraq only to face their fate on the miserable roads of Syria. How Ironice because the overturned bus could represent real Syria and where it is headed

Another Building ready to collapse in Aleppo (3 or more in the last 2 months with 11 dead and tons of injured and displaced, represents the state of the economy: dirty, rotten, cracked up, put together with no planning or foundation.

Meanwhile Assad hopes that in 7 years he would have bigger balloons and larger pictures and more love than ever. By that time our People may be would decide to wake up and throw his rule down the Sewage drain that float under these buildings.

Maskhara!!!

But I love the old woman, she must be enjoying the circus for free and wondering how dumb can we go!

For a real laugh read about the best Syrian bus driver (Arabic).

حمّل نائب الرئيس السوري فاروق الشرع مسؤولية الاحداث في لبنان الى الأكثرية الحاكمة، متهماً أحد قيادييها بتمويل مباشر، أو غير مباشر، لبعض التنظيمات التي ظهرت في لبنان نتيجة غياب الدولة.

وقال الشرع في محاضرة له على مدرج جامعة دمشق لمناسبة تجديد ولاية الرئيس بشار الأسد: «ان منظمات «جند الشام» أو «فتح الإسلام» أو «أنصار الاسلام» لا تجد مكاناً لها الا في بلد ضعيف منقسم على ذاته، فهي ظهرت في العراق ولم تكن موجودة قبل سنوات، كذلك ظهرت في لبنان ولم تكن موجودة سابقاً». وحمّل مسؤولية ظهور هذه التنظيمات لمن يرفض اقامة حكومة وحدة وطنية ويستقبل الأجنبي.

ورداً على اتهام سورية بما يجري في لبنان قال الشرع: «انهم يتهمون الآخرين وهذا شعور بالعجز عن ادارة الدولة وعن رفض الاستقواء بالأجنبي»، مؤكداً انه لا يوجد علاج أمني من دون مشاركة سياسية لجميع القوى الفاعلة في لبنان «وهو مطلب مشروع ومتضمن في اتفاق الطائف».

وأشار الى «انه لا يوجد تناقض بين مصالح لبنان وسورية، وانما هناك «افتعال لتناقض، إما لضيق الأفق وإما لأوامر من العواصم الكبرى»، معتبراً ان «التناقض الحقيقي هو بين مصالح لبنان واسرائيل».

واشار الى وجود مناورات اسرائيلية حول موضوع السلام، مؤكداً أنه مؤجل حتى اشعار آخر لأن الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل لا تريدان الهدوء للمنطقة.

وأوضح ان الحشود الأميركية في الخليج حالياً موجهة ضد إيران، منتقداً ميثاق الأمم المتحدة ومجلس الأمن، لافتاً الى ان أهم ما صدر عن مجلس الأمن وبدفع من الولايات المتحدة قرارات تستهدف الشعوب اكثر مما تستهدف الانظمة والمسؤولين بل انها تقوي الانظمة على شعوبها

I am not commenting on the stupid Sharaa speech but the last 6 words of the article cracked me up big time after few days of depressing news and events. Sharaa is condemning the united nations security council when they issue resolutions because they target populations more than regimes and the responsables, not only that but it makes the regimes stronger and tougher on their people. Well coming from you poor Sharaa who does not belong to any regime or is not the vice president and master of bull shitters in Damascus, coming from you makes me say: poor guy he is really fighting for the people and if it was not for the united nations Michel Kilo, Kamal Labwani, Mahmoud Issa, Aref Dalila, Anwar Bunni, Faek IL Mir and all the oppressed jailed people would be set free.

Shame on you Banki Moon since if it was up to Bashar and Farouk the Syrian jails would be empty and Bashar would only get 40 % in the reelection referundum…laugh while you can.

Update: since this post is  dedicated to comedy, here is to Ghawar Al Toshe.

I found this great article by Rami Khouri in the Daily Star, I dedicate it to all the people who refuse to acknowledge realities and stand behind tyrants while attacking a small part of their poilicies…dedicate it to people who cry foul for something and put their head in the sand when it matters. Syria’s regime prentend to stand up and be a role model for all the leftists and people mad about foreign interference and imperialism yet the Syrian regime is a big part of Syrian misery as well as the misery of the region. They are proud to be a big force in the region so they should take their share of the blame as well for all the ills of the region.

They are to blame mainly for Syrians been parrots to what Syria claims and Syrian people believing that Syrian Rulers are unfairly targeted when the Syrian Regime are the agressors. I remember that, as a Christian kid growing up,  I kept hearing Assad is our best option because if he goes then the Muslim brothers will take over and we will become like Iran or Saudi Arabia: Hello we are already like Iran in terms of freedoms if not worse. Now the people (all Syrians) are worried that If Assad goes then Syria will be another Iraq or Lebanon: you bet we will because the Syrian mukhabarat will change their skins and go underground and make sure they bomb the shit out of us, create a civil war, put various camps agaisnt each other, or make the whole country live under constant terrorism.

I don’t know what the solution is, I don’t care for the Syrian regime being in power. However I am sick of brainwashing the young generations with their hypocrisy and manipulating the people to be robots in praising the Assad God. I am sick of lining up to defend all their destructive regional policies even though it is very damaging to Syria’s interests (notice how they become peaceful and friendly when they are given by the US a piece of the cake like in the 90s they had Lebanon to devoure) and the well being of its people. Keep riding the Syrian carpet of hell and enjoy your summer dose of Lebanon firecrackers and make sure you always oppose the Lebanese government because that is what Assad enjoys the most. Long live the coolest Arab Tyrant.

 Now the Article:

Regional conflicts join together to destabilize Lebanon
By Rami G. Khouri
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

In recent years I and others have been warning that the growing number of conflicts in the Middle East is pushing the region toward new forms of radicalism and trouble. The clashes between the Lebanese Army and the Fatah al-Islam extremist militants that have rocked parts of North Lebanon since Sunday are the latest face of that phenomenon.

The fighting in and near Tripoli represents the local convergence of four separate conflicts that attest to the complex matrix of violence that plagues the Middle East today. The four are the uneasy legacy of tensions between various Lebanese forces and armed Palestinian refugee groups in the country, going back to the 1960s; the continued tensions between Syria and Lebanon since a popular uprising forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon two years ago; the regional spin-offs from the US-led war in Iraq; and, the expanding clashes as US President George W. Bush’s “global war on terror” both battles and breeds assorted Islamist terror groups that pursue Al-Qaeda-like goals and tactics.

The convergence of these four factors in the clashes in Tripoli this week is no surprise. Fatah al-Islam has been slowly building up its band of several hundred heavily armed fighters in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp for nearly a year, while other militant Islamists have been expanding their small constituencies in North and South Lebanon. Lebanese, Palestinian and foreign officials alike have all expressed concerns about the potential for such extremists to gain a foothold in Lebanon.

The fighting in Tripoli erupted after Lebanese security forces pursued a band of Fatah al-Islam fighters who had robbed a bank, but the confrontation was inevitable in view of the steadily rising threat that such militants represented. Many Lebanese blame Syria for instigating the Fatah al-Islam threat as one of the ways that Damascus allegedly seeks to keep Lebanon in a state of turmoil. Syria denies the charge. Lebanese accusers insist that Syria is trying to undermine the international tribunal being established to try the killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others in the past two years. Two bombs that exploded in Beirut Sunday and Monday night are also widely blamed on Syria as part of this alleged campaign of destabilization. An ongoing UN investigation of the Hariri and other murders has pointed the finger in the direction of Syria, but its final conclusions - and the all-important evidence it is expected to reveal - will not be made public until at least later this year.

It is difficult to say precisely what Fatah al-Islam represents. It is a small breakaway faction of the Syria-based and Syria-backed Fatah al-Intifada group that was created to oppose Yasser Arafat’s main Fatah guerrilla organization. Yet Fatah al-Islam is less of a traditional Palestinian group and is very much in line with the bevy of small militant Islamist organizations that have sprung up around the Middle East since the advent of Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda.

Though it is led by former Palestinian guerrillas, Fatah al-Islam’s fighters come from half a dozen Arab countries, with a sprinkling of Asians as well. Mainstream Palestinian groups in Lebanon such as Fatah, Hamas and the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization all openly oppose it and see it as a threat to themselves and to Lebanon’s stability. The group’s several hundred fighters are concentrated in the Nahr al-Bared camp but have also established small toeholds in adjacent Tripoli and also in a few other places in Lebanon, including refugee camps in the South.

This latest eruption of urban violence should remind us of several basic facts that seem to get lost amidst the dramatic television pictures of yet another Arab country rocked by explosions and enveloped in smoke. The first is that any legitimate political grievance that is left to simmer for decades on end - like the Palestine refugee issue - will eventually boil over and cause new problems.

The second is that using brute force to achieve unilateral political goals - as the United States has tried to do in Iraq - will inevitably spark a backlash. Some Fatah al-Islam fighters boast of fighting the US in Iraq, suggesting that Iraq is breeding new and more virulent terrorists.

A third reminder is that a Middle East bedeviled by multiple conflicts will inevitably see them link up with one another, as seems to be the case with the Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian-Lebanese conflicts converging into a single battle, at least this week.

Where this convergent militarism rears its head next month is not clear - but you can bet your bottom dollar or dinar that it will, as long as tyrants run Arab countries, foreign armies invade other Arab countries, and Israel continues to refuse reasonable Arab offers to resolve the Palestine problem, in particular the refugee issue, peacefully.

My Heart goes out to Lebanon in these tough times…here is some very good analysis on the role of Syria in funding trouble there.

Some interesting arabic readings to understand what is happening and why, the articles written below are from balanced more or less neutral people: 

* Nice call by Ghassan Sharbel  of Al Hayat to save Lebanon from becoming another Iraq.
* Hazem Saghie  and Abdallah Iskandar -Al Hayat
* Mashari Zayed  and  Ghassan Al Imam    -Asharq Al Awsat, Sorry Baathist Buthaina does not make the cut.

But this post is to announce that another symbolic Candidate has emerged to challenge Bashar for presidency. I think he is the fifth Candidate but the 3rd who is not in Syria, so he basically won’t be on the ballots…and he would face charges if he goes back to Syria.

I like his presentation, here it is in Arabic
أيها السوريون

No need to explain what is happening in Lebanon, except to say that somehow Lebanese and Palestinian blood is a cheap commodity for the Syrian Mukhabarat thugs and their lovely mafioso leader who gets elected by bidding and sacrificing the blood of others!

Why do wars happen always around summer time??? why the last 2 years Lebanon and Gaza sync up in misery?

I think Lebanon should close down all the palestinian refugee camps which would be remove an important source of instability and helps Lebanon long term. I am not an expert on the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon but I had some friends in Canada from there in the 90s. Haitham was from the Bared Camp near Tripoli, he was trying to make it in Canada with no education and no money, his 6 brothers were dispersed between Yemen, Sweeden and Lebanon. He remembers working for Bassel Assad Network working in all kind of smugling activities from cigarettes to other merchandize (he never mentioned drugs or weapons but it is a strong possibility). I remember passing by the Bared camp everytime going to Tripoli from Syria…nothing appealing, it is mostly full of miserable poor people trying to survive.

These refugee camps are the arab stamp of Palestinian tragedy, they got screwed by Israel first then the Arab decided to screw them further and use them tragically as pawns in their international “struggle” agaisnt Israel. They became armed and started causing all kind of troubles wherever they were: Jordan or Lebanon and a very minimal extent Syria (although they are in Syria very useful to the regime) . Any smart person who was able to leave left and only misery or thugs remain.  The poor people who have been promised to “return” to their lands for 60 years…it is not looking that it is happening anytime soon. Why would they go to overcrowded Gaza where people are already fighting between themselves or to the West Bank where the camps there are sharing the same life style as well. Israel is never going to allow them back so why keep them in these inhumane tragic conditions when they become “favellas” and a burden to their hosts. Not to mention that terrorism and extremism has a perfect ground to flourish where no hope shines.

They already caused a civil war in Lebanon (they were the catalyst to start it) and they fought the other militias and Amal and they split amongtheves around different factions and fought, more palestinias killed by their own than by their enemy. Outside powers use them whenever they need a hot card to use. Palestinians are great people, they don’t deserve this, they deserve to live with dignity and given hope for a better future. Lebanon already decided that they are not able to host them forever since the country can’t absorb them. Syria and Jordan already have their own refugee problems. The only solution is for other countries to offer them a new life with Isreal eventually giving them proper compensation.

I don’t have logistical plans but immigration countries Canada, Australia, US and Volunteer contries in Europe and the world should step in to take them for a new much improved life. Other arab countries like Tunisia or Yemen would cover the rest who want to remain in Arab countries with individual compensation to start a decent living. Saudi Arabia and the gulf countries could help financing as well. They should be given legal status and naturalized within 5 years so they can be free to travel afterward, given proper education and the ability to start businesses.

I know that the issue is simple to solve when it comes to money and logistics, but the main obstacle is the political will. The hardliners would say “Look at Lebanon they are liquidating the Palestinian cause” but the reality is that arabs know that the refugee problem have to be solved, they just want everything to happen in a global deal with Israel. I think things should happen in steps for any chance of success. Solving the problem in Lebanon first, would be a good test to solve the problem in Syria. Taking these 2 hot and contentions issues off the agenda of negotiations with israel will make things much better. The only thing for Israel would be to pay financial compensation to the Palestinans when peace deal is reached.

I know some Syrian bathists will jump all over me and accuse me of treason but I decided to break some taboos and find practical solutions for Palestinians to live in dignity once again, instead of enjoying people dying in Lebanon and people chearing on the prospects of “Syria” more like “Syrian Regime’s” enemies being in another quagmire and Syria through its proxies dragging Lebanon once again to hell.