• The Syrian rebels will one day turn on the West once they're finished with him, says Assad
    42 replies, posted
[quote](CNN) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned Western nations against supporting rebel groups battling his armed forces, predicting the militants will one day strike against the United States and others. In an hourlong interview with Syria state TV network al-Ikhbariya, al-Assad claimed the West is supporting al Qaeda sympathizers in Syria as he says they did during the Libyan uprising. He compared the support of rebels in Syria now to the backing of fighters in Afghanistan during their war with Soviet troops in the 1980s. "The West has paid heavily for funding al Qaeda in its early stages. Today it is doing the same in Syria, Libya and other places, and will pay a heavy price in the heart of Europe and the United States," he said, according to a CNN translation. Al-Assad also spoke harshly of Jordan, saying thousands of fighters were crossing the border to take part in the civil war in Syria. It called it "illogical" for Jordanian officials to deny this was happening. He guaranteed victory in the conflict, which began two years ago and which has led to the deaths of more than 70,000 people. according to the United Nations. "There is no option but victory, otherwise it will be the end of Syria, and I don't think that any Syrian citizen will accept such an option," he said.[/quote] [url]http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/17/world/meast/syria-assad/index.html?hpt=hp_t3[/url]
Wow, so both sides are complete assholes. Brilliant.
I would've never suspected that funding Middle-Eastern rebels could end poorly for us, things worked out so well with the Mujaheddin in Afghanistan!
[QUOTE=XxPsychoxX;40321950]I would've never suspected that funding Middle-Eastern rebels could end poorly for us, things worked out so well with the Mujaheddin in Afghanistan![/QUOTE] Contrary to popular belief, the people we supplied in Afghanistan are not the same group the US went to war with in 2001.
He's got a point.
[QUOTE=The Rifleman;40321963]He's got a point.[/QUOTE] His point is to stop anyone from helping the rebels at all costs so he can stay in power. Don't for once think anything he says is out of honest concern for the west.
Its honestly a damned if we do damned if we don't scenario it seems.
[QUOTE=Jetblack357;40322120]Its honestly a damned if we do damned if we don't scenario it seems.[/QUOTE] Funny you should say that when referring to religious fundamentalists.
How well is Assad currently doing against the rebels? I really have no clue how much control over Syria the government still has, last I heard the rebel groups were doing pretty well but that was quite a while ago.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40321961]Contrary to popular belief, the people we supplied in Afghanistan are not the same group the US went to war with in 2001.[/QUOTE] We helped mujahideen. Bin Laden [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/antisoviet-warrior-puts-his-army-on-the-road-to-peace-the-saudi-businessman-who-recruited-mujahedin-now-uses-them-for-largescale-building-projects-in-sudan-robert-fisk-met-him-in-almatig-1465715.html]was mujahideen himself[/url]. It's silly to think that no resources given to fight the Soviets would wind up in his hands. That said, Al-Qaeda and the people of Afghanistan didn't come after us because they just hate Americans on principle after fighting off the Soviets. It was American involvement in the Middle East, through Desert Storm, that bred resentment and hatred. Each time we kick the anthill we make things a little worse for ourselves. There's no guarantee that, given no outside incentive to radicalize, they'll end up hating us- and not all radical Muslims hate us in the first place.
He's right about one thing though. The Taliban are deep within the FSA, so are every anarchist, and psychopath wanting to kill. I don't support Assad, but that sure as hell doesn't make me an FSA supporter. I say let them work themselves out, and if they become a problem later, sort them out then. No sense in getting involved now, when we really don't even know who the enemy is.
He's got a point. The US has a much more consistent track record of propping up regimes like his than it does of helping populist rebel movements. The fact of the matter is that, much like Saddam, his government keeps the extremists under control and out of power. Take away that centralized authority and anything could happen.
[QUOTE=Valdor;40322175]How well is Assad currently doing against the rebels? I really have no clue how much control over Syria the government still has, last I heard the rebel groups were doing pretty well but that was quite a while ago.[/QUOTE] He's got the big cities, and a few outlaying villages. But the FSA has most of the country side, and half a major city.
[QUOTE=Jetblack357;40322120]Its honestly a damned if we do damned if we don't scenario it seems.[/QUOTE] So I say we don't and save a few billion in taxpayer money.
[QUOTE=TestECull;40322225]So I say we don't and save a few billion in taxpayer money.[/QUOTE] As do I.
[QUOTE=TestECull;40322225]So I say we don't and save a few billion in taxpayer money.[/QUOTE] And if they do turn on us, they will be the aggressors, not us.
[QUOTE=Psychokitten;40322263]And if they do turn on us, they will be the aggressors, not us.[/QUOTE] If they turn on us, it won't be a formal military strike against a military target. It'll be a single man or a small group who attack civilians with at best loose ties to the new regime.
[QUOTE=Valdor;40322175]How well is Assad currently doing against the rebels? I really have no clue how much control over Syria the government still has, last I heard the rebel groups were doing pretty well but that was quite a while ago.[/QUOTE] it's a meat grinder stalemate at the moment with the SAA making some minor gains here and there. Geographically rebels control about ~50% of the country while most of the major cities are either totally under government control or are a contested warzone.(Aleppo, Damascus suburbs)
Not surprising really, this is why I want Assad to stay in power.
By the same slippery slope it could be said Assad will do the same thing just because we didn't aid him. Not that he needs a reason to despise the US.
There's not much the FSA could do anyway, they're firing rockets from inside a building, or ripping off arms of their own men with the backblast.
I agree somewhat, but that doesn't mean this shitdick should run the show.
Stop helping the rebels and everyone except them will be happy. And I don't give a fuck what they feel cause they're assholes.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40321961]Contrary to popular belief, the people we supplied in Afghanistan are not the same group the US went to war with in 2001.[/QUOTE] Same weapons.
Bashar al-Assad is a lying thief.
This is one big shit sandwich and we're all forced to either take a bite or sit there slowly getting little particles of shit up our noses
Well maybe it's a good thing that they turn on the West. The West seems to be a pile of shit at the moment.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;40322216]He's got a point. The US has a much more consistent track record of propping up regimes like his than it does of helping populist rebel movements. The fact of the matter is that, much like Saddam, his government keeps the extremists under control and out of power. Take away that centralized authority and anything could happen.[/QUOTE] This is much why, in my opinion, dictatorships/monarchies are necessary in the Arab states. They may be hardliners and assholes but people like Mubarak, Ben Ali, Assad and Gaddafi have kept extremists out of power. Tunisia used to be an extremely liberal country, you could find brothels in Tunis and women walked around with no head dresses whatsoever. Nowadays, all that has changed and it has become a much darker place to live in. Assad may not be a great person and I in no way agree with the way he has treated the Syrian people but you have to admit, his being there has prevented Islamic extremism from manifesting itself. Being Lebanese myself, I would have to say that I prefer that Assad stays. If Assad falls, Hezbollah, who are affiliated with him and the Iranians, would not be happy and would probably cause turmoil in Lebanon itself.
The best case scenario would be that actual political philosophers and democrats, supplied by the West, manage to knock out both Al Assad and the radical Muslim parties. But somehow I think the radical Muslims are better supplied and are having an easier time recruiting people to their cause, especially now European Muslims are going to Syria to get involved in a fight that will without doubt backfire spectacularly.
you [I]could[/I] selectively support both factions such as to maintain a stalemate and neutralize them both
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