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pampango

(24,692 posts)
7. Defending the latest representative of the Assad royal family is not the same as defending Syria.
Wed Feb 20, 2013, 07:36 AM
Feb 2013

If the latest Assad family ruler were mainly interested in the 'independence and sovereignty' of Syria he could have negotiated with other Syrians for a peaceful transfer of power to other Syrians and a non-royal form of government when Syrians took to the streets in massive peaceful protests 2 years ago.

He chose the path of repression (always a favorite path of dictators who have large armies and a desire to hold on to the personal power that he inherited from his father) gambling that his military could win a civil war if it came to that. The king (a non-Sunni in a majority-Sunni country) is smart enough to know that a civil war in Syria, if it happened, would not be a quick victory for professional soldiers with tanks and planes over civilians learning how to shoot a rifle and a few military deserters. It would be long, ugly and sectarian. That is what has happened. Après moi le déluge.

Most of those opposed to Assad's royal dictatorship are not 'religious terrorists' (though the longer the civil war goes on the more true that becomes). Most of the opposition to the king comes from Syrians who see a chance to escape from life under a repressive regime.

An argument can be made that Syrians are going from the 'frying pan' to the 'fire', but that argument has rarely stopped revolutions in the past. The French Revolution overthrew Louis XVI but got the Great Terror a few years later. Russian overthrew the Tsar but got Stalin a few years later. People rebel against the repression of royal rule even though there is no guarantee of what will come after it. That is why royal families do not rule forever. (If you or I lived under the repressive rule of a royal family for a few decades we might well take to the streets in protest its continuation.)

To portray a dictator as a great protector of national 'independence and sovereignty' against 'religious terrorism' is precisely the 'logic' offered by Bush in 2001. Perhaps Syrians should be 'smart' enough to have accepted continued royal rule because the alternatives might be even worse, but history shows that is not how people think.

Syria has long been their toehold in the Middle East AgingAmerican Feb 2013 #1
So what does that mean, exactly? loudsue Feb 2013 #2
Land? Lasher Feb 2013 #5
Good donco Feb 2013 #3
I hope he stays in Damascus. David__77 Feb 2013 #4
Revolting, but I hope he stays as well so they can eventually kill him and his gang of thugs jzodda Feb 2013 #6
I don't think it's revolting to oppose al-Qaeda. David__77 Feb 2013 #10
This is a simmering civil war and you are advocating for it to become a full blown shitstorm riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #16
Well I agree to an extent jzodda Feb 2013 #18
This is not secular v Islamist. Its not an Arab Spring revolution. This is Sunni v Shia riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #19
I was talking about the intra faction not overall jzodda Feb 2013 #20
If you are not considering "overall" than you are speaking from ignorance. riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #21
The "Arab Spring" revolutions are not only grass roots "democratic" movements, but pampango Feb 2013 #22
I don't disagree with hardly any of that pampango BUT there's an element here on DU riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #23
Honestly I think the only ignorance is coming from you jzodda Feb 2013 #29
Please point out anywhere I've said I support Assad. I'll wait. nt riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #30
I can't jzodda Feb 2013 #31
Defending the latest representative of the Assad royal family is not the same as defending Syria. pampango Feb 2013 #7
fantastic post! jzodda Feb 2013 #8
Assad himself is not so important. David__77 Feb 2013 #11
Assad is a royalist because he inherited the right to rule from his father. That's how royal famiies pampango Feb 2013 #14
We don't know who the "rebels" are and to assert that you or anyone else knows is wrong imho riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #15
"Once he goes the entire region will be engulfed in a firestorm..." pampango Feb 2013 #17
I hope he stays as well, so he can face trial for his regime's crimes. geek tragedy Feb 2013 #9
Yes, he belongs to it, and not vice versa. David__77 Feb 2013 #12
he's a dictator responsible for the murder of thousands of his citizens dlwickham Feb 2013 #26
The Russians have a strategic interest in Syria in that their only naval base on the Mediterranean PufPuf23 Feb 2013 #13
What I dont understand is this roxy1234 Feb 2013 #24
because they're attacking Islamic terrorists in Mali dlwickham Feb 2013 #27
And I am ok with it roxy1234 Feb 2013 #28
Russia probably has the decks loaded with more of their WW2 junk to sell there. Sunlei Feb 2013 #25
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