Syrian President Bashar al-Assad joins Instagram, US unhappy
55 replies, posted
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/d91YIWB.png[/IMG]
[QUOTE]In an apparent move to bolster his image worldwide, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has joined Instagram -- a move slammed by the US as "revolting."
The @syrianpresidency account was registered on July 24, just two days after Assad's forces killed at least 75 Western-backed rebels in an ambush in Damascus -- part of a bloody civil war that has claimed 100,000 lives and displaced more than 1.8 million people since March of 2011.
But there is little by way of violent wartime imagery on what bills itself as "the official Instagram account for the presidency of the Syrian Arab republic."
Instead, visitors are presented with 76 photos (to date) featuring Assad and his wife, Asma, greeting citizens, serving meals to the elderly, comforting patients in hospital, and even wiping the tears from childrens' faces.
The images are a touch too tender for some.
"It's repulsive that the Al Assad regime would use this to gloss over the brutality and suffering it is causing," said US State Department spokeswoman Marie Hard to reporters in Washington this week.
"To see what's really happening right now in Syria, to see the horrific atrocities in Homs and elsewhere, we would encourage people to take a look at unfiltered photos of what's actually happening on the ground."
There are many positive comments to be found under the Instagram photos themselves, though as the Associated Press reports, the Assad regime's social media accounts are moderated constantly to remove offensive remarks.
"I doubt you would ever see a picture of Mrs. Obama so humble. God Bless Mrs. Assad," reads a comment under a photograph of Asma feeding and elderly woman.
Another reads "Shukran Bashar Asad. :) Thank you for this great picture. :) Forever Asad, independence forever. :) Allah bless you."
And yet, some negative comments are finding their way through,
"Shame on you Mr Assad," said one commenter under a photo of the leader. "Liars and blood dealers," wrote another.
[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2013/08/syrian-president-bashar-al-assad-joins-instagram.html[/url]
[url]http://instagram.com/syrianpresidency[/url]
I'm following him.
[editline]2nd August 2013[/editline]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/9ikgskK.jpg[/IMG]
D'aw. His wife's kinda cute, and Baby Habibi is an adorable name for a toy.
When this shit started he was the monster that had to be stopped. Nowadays he seems like the lesser evil compared to the rebels who are a bunch of barbaric scum.
But of course the US has to give out free guns to the rebels so in 10 or 20 years they can invade the place because of 'terrorists'.
I just love how the US foreign policy now is basically, "How dare you use the internet to spite us"
Warfare is taking a new step in the digital era, now the propaganda is coming online
It feels pretty temping to believe that Assad is the good guy trying to protect his country from Islamic terrorists.
One would have to forget it was his rule which led to gunning down of unarmed protesters, tho.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;41683084]It feels pretty temping to believe that Assad is the good guy trying to protect his country from Islamic terrorists.
One would have to forget it was his rule which led to gunning down of unarmed protesters, tho.[/QUOTE]
Problem is, no one's good any more. The rebels have lost the momentum and the war has turned bitter, with genocidal fucks on [I]both[/I] sides now, like some sorta Balkan 2: Electric boogaloo.
I find it funny how world leaders people you'd never expect to care about this shit are using twitter, facebook, etc.
Can't Mossad the Assad.
[QUOTE=Riller;41683151]Problem is, no one's good any more. The rebels have lost the momentum and the war has turned bitter, with genocidal fucks on [I]both[/I] sides now, like some sorta Balkan 2: Electric boogaloo.[/QUOTE]
Good and evil never existed to begin with, really.
[QUOTE=Siduron;41683006]When this shit started he was the monster that had to be stopped. Nowadays he seems like the lesser evil compared to the rebels who are a bunch of barbaric scum.
But of course the US has to give out free guns to the rebels so in 10 or 20 years they can invade the place because of 'terrorists'.[/QUOTE]
Yea, everyone just rushed to judgement when he started shelling civilians an mowing down protesters
At this point, it's just best for Assad to win.
If the rebel factions win, it's just going to get worse as all those splinter factions start fighting.
[QUOTE=Kahgarak;41683484]Good and evil never existed to begin with, really.[/QUOTE]
Not black-and-white good-evil, no, but light-grey, dark-grey did. Not it's all just murky brown.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;41683084]It feels pretty temping to believe that Assad is the good guy trying to protect his country from Islamic terrorists.
One would have to forget it was his rule which led to gunning down of unarmed protesters, tho.[/QUOTE]
I doubt it's Assad who is even calling all the atrocities. People seem to forget that most of the power lies in the hands of his fathers men and that prior to the war Assad was trying to reform Syria, but was struggling due to the traditionalists in government.
#sunnigenocide #chillinwiththeguard
*60 filters over burning village*
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;41684667]I doubt it's Assad who is even calling all the atrocities. People seem to forget that most of the power lies in the hands of his fathers men and that prior to the war Assad was trying to reform Syria, but was struggling due to the traditionalists in government.[/QUOTE]
I've seem some desperate apologists in this conflict so far, but this is pretty much up there.
[QUOTE=Riller;41683151]Problem is, no one's good any more. The rebels have lost the momentum and the war has turned bitter, with genocidal fucks on [I]both[/I] sides now, like some sorta Balkan 2: Electric boogaloo.[/QUOTE]
noone is ever the good guy in war though
Honestly, I'd rather the current government come out "victorious" in the revolution at this point. Both sides are so fucked, but it would be a lot easier to keep track and put to trial a government with a face than dozens of different rebel groups.
[QUOTE=evilweazel;41686457]Honestly, I'd rather the current government come out "victorious" in the revolution at this point. Both sides are so fucked, but it would be a lot easier to keep track and put to trial a government with a face than dozens of different rebel groups.[/QUOTE]
I'd rather the Government get forced into a peace treaty where the top levels of government is removed and progress is made towards actual democracy while the actual state remains mostly intact.
That is what the west is trying to achieve with arming the rebels. Because currently Assad isn't going to negotiate his own downfall if he's curb stomping the rebels.
[QUOTE=NoDachi;41686211]I'm seem some desperate apologists in this conflict so far, but this is pretty much up there.[/QUOTE]
You seem like an Assad apologist?
[QUOTE=laserguided;41686691]You seem like an Assad apologist?[/QUOTE]
What?
[QUOTE=evilweazel;41686457]Honestly, I'd rather the current government come out "victorious" in the revolution at this point. Both sides are so fucked, but it would be a lot easier to keep track and put to trial a government with a face than dozens of different rebel groups.[/QUOTE]
Too bad by the time the war is over there probably won't be much left of the country.
[QUOTE=NoDachi;41686476]I'd rather the Government get forced into a peace treaty where the top levels of government is removed and progress is made towards actual democracy while the actual state remains mostly intact.
That is what the west is trying to achieve with arming the rebels. Because currently Assad isn't going to negotiate his own downfall if he's curb stomping the rebels.[/QUOTE]
Good luck getting that with violent islamist rebels.
[QUOTE=NoDachi;41686476]I'd rather the Government get forced into a peace treaty where the top levels of government is removed and progress is made towards actual democracy while the actual state remains mostly intact.
That is what the west is trying to achieve with arming the rebels. Because currently Assad isn't going to negotiate his own downfall if he's curb stomping the rebels.[/QUOTE]
Why can't he just curb stomp the rebels? We have absolutely no business going around telling other countries what they can and can't do, what forms of government are acceptable and aren't. If Assad crushes the opposition (which he will, all else equal) then we ought to accept that.
I hope he crushes the rebels. If he were a true asshat third world dictator like the rebels are spinning him to be, he'd be hiding in a bunker like Saddam did when he was faced with opposition.
[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;41686880]We have absolutely no business going around telling other countries what they can and can't do.[/QUOTE]
What about massacring civilians? Because that is what he's doing.
[QUOTE=NoDachi;41686978]What about massacring civilians? Because that is what he's doing.[/QUOTE]
They probably had it coming. Remember, popular politics is always low-intensity civil war. There is no such thing as "peaceful opposition" - if demonstrators are interfering with the workings of the state and they disobey orders to disperse, they cannot complain if the military opens fire.
[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;41686986]They probably had it coming.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13167433[/url]
totally
[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;41686986]They probably had it coming. Remember, popular politics is always low-intensity civil war. There is no such thing as "peaceful opposition" - if demonstrators are interfering with the workings of the state and they disobey orders to disperse, they cannot complain if the military opens fire.[/QUOTE]You are an utterly sickening individual.
[QUOTE=NoDachi;41687011][url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13167433[/url]
totally[/QUOTE]
[quote]Protesters - said to number tens of thousands - chanted for the overthrow of the regime[/quote]
[quote]In their first joint statement since the protests broke out, activists co-ordinating the mass demonstrations demanded the establishment of a democratic political system.[/quote]
Yes, they had it coming.
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