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pampango

(24,692 posts) Sat Jul 14, 2012, 10:23 AM Jul 2012

Juan Cole: Syria: You know you’re in Trouble When…

You know you’re in trouble when you can only rule over people if you massacre them: Opposition sources said that a major massacre was committed on Thursday by Syrian government forces, which bombarded the Sunni town of Taramseh near Hama with artillery and helicopter gunships.

You know you’re in trouble when your ambassador to Iraq defects and denounce you as a terrorist: He said that his allegiance was to the Syrian people, not to a regime and army that was massacring them.

You know you are in trouble when one of your top Sunni generals, son of a long-serving minister of defense defects: Although, as a Sunni, he had not exactly been in Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle (which is largely Alawite Shi’ite), he was a top member of the regime.

You know you’re in trouble when thousands of your Sunni foot soldiers flee to Turkey: Sunni soldiers are often put in the front lines and intensively spied on so that they cannot easily escape. Despite these measures, thousands of Sunni service personnel and officers have defected, many crossing over to Turkey.

http://www.juancole.com/2012/07/syria-you-know-youre-in-trouble-when.html

3 replies

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Juan Cole: Syria: You know you’re in Trouble When… (Original Post) pampango Jul 2012 OP

That is precisely the cleavage line -- Sunni v Shi'ia -- that is being used to carve up Syria leveymg Jul 2012 #1

So the protests in Syria are some sort of CIA plot? The Doctor. Jul 2012 #2

What, you never heard of regime change? leveymg Jul 2012 #3

leveymg

(36,418 posts)

1. That is precisely the cleavage line -- Sunni v Shi'ia -- that is being used to carve up Syria

Reply to pampango (Original post)

Sat Jul 14, 2012, 10:54 AM

Jul 2012

and neutralize it as the US, Saudis/GCC/Israel prepare to move on Iran. You can already hear the sounds of holy war.

The Doctor.

(17,266 posts)

2. So the protests in Syria are some sort of CIA plot?

Reply to leveymg (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 15, 2012, 07:34 AM

Jul 2012

Or anything other than an honest revolt by the people against an oppressive regime?

leveymg

(36,418 posts)

3. What, you never heard of regime change?

Reply to The Doctor. (Reply #2)

Sun Jul 15, 2012, 08:39 AM

Jul 2012

And, it's not either/or in this case, but a combination of the two. And, for an extra layer of realism, which may be confusing to some casual observers, there are multiple outside powers that have been fueling this conflict with money, guns and jihadists.

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