political writings
Syria
An article by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
WMD Hype: Syrian Government will not Use Chemical Weapons against its Own Citizens
6 December 2012 | Syria will not use any chemical or biological weapons against its own people. The Obama Administration and company are just recycling the same lines that were used months earlier against Damascus.
WMD Hype: Syrian Government will not Use Chemical Weapons against its Own Citizens
6 December 2012 | Syria will not use any chemical or biological weapons against its own people. The Obama Administration and company are just recycling the same lines that were used months earlier against Damascus.Syria
Lavrov: ‘West’s policy of iron and blood doesn’t work’
1 December 2012 | Advancing democracy abroad through "iron and blood" "doesn’t work", said Russia’s Foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. In his speech the diplomat slammed the West’s policy towards Syria and reiterated Russia’s stance on the situation in the war-torn state.
Lavrov: ‘West’s policy of iron and blood doesn’t work’
1 December 2012 | Advancing democracy abroad through "iron and blood" "doesn’t work", said Russia’s Foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. In his speech the diplomat slammed the West’s policy towards Syria and reiterated Russia’s stance on the situation in the war-torn state.An article by Andrei Fedyashin and Alexei Lyakhov
Medvedev slams as ’uncivilized’ France’s decision to recognize Syrian opposition
26 November 2012 | Moscow does not share Paris’ stand on the Syrian issue, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told journalist on Monday ahead of his visit to France. He described as “uncivilized” and “judicially disputable” the West’s decision to recognize the Syrian opposition as the only legal representative of Syrian people.
Medvedev slams as ’uncivilized’ France’s decision to recognize Syrian opposition
26 November 2012 | Moscow does not share Paris’ stand on the Syrian issue, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told journalist on Monday ahead of his visit to France. He described as “uncivilized” and “judicially disputable” the West’s decision to recognize the Syrian opposition as the only legal representative of Syrian people.
Syrian insurgents reject West-imposed coalition, declare own Islamic state
22 November 2012 | As international recognition grows for the Syrian National Coalition as the ‘legitimate representative’ of the Syrian people, Islamist groups in Syria have rejected the coalition, unilaterally declaring the city of Aleppo an Islamic state.
22 November 2012 | As international recognition grows for the Syrian National Coalition as the ‘legitimate representative’ of the Syrian people, Islamist groups in Syria have rejected the coalition, unilaterally declaring the city of Aleppo an Islamic state.Human rights investigations
Free Syrian Army war crime – shoots unarmed civilians – graphic content
15 November 2012 | This is footage from Harem on the Syrian-Turkish border. The perpetrators of this war crime are members of the Free Syrian Army Idlib Martyrs Brigade. The Turkish government is complicit in this crime as it has been arming and providing bases for the insurgency, an insurgency which is destroying the ordinary Syrian people’s hopes for a peaceful and prosperous future, living in harmony with one another.
Free Syrian Army war crime – shoots unarmed civilians – graphic content
15 November 2012 | This is footage from Harem on the Syrian-Turkish border. The perpetrators of this war crime are members of the Free Syrian Army Idlib Martyrs Brigade. The Turkish government is complicit in this crime as it has been arming and providing bases for the insurgency, an insurgency which is destroying the ordinary Syrian people’s hopes for a peaceful and prosperous future, living in harmony with one another.
France recognizes Syrian opposition coalition
14 November 2012 | France is the first of the European countries to fully recognize the Syrian opposition coalition as the "sole legitimate representative" of the Syrian people. Meanwhile the US calls it “a legitimate representative" but is yet to fully recognize it.
14 November 2012 | France is the first of the European countries to fully recognize the Syrian opposition coalition as the "sole legitimate representative" of the Syrian people. Meanwhile the US calls it “a legitimate representative" but is yet to fully recognize it.
’Assad is completely demonized by the press’ – RT’s interviewer
12 November 2012 | The Syrian conflict is exponentially more complicated than portrayed in the press – and as for President Bashar Assad, he is a well-educated man who has fallen victim to media demonization, says RT’s Sophie Shevardnadze.
12 November 2012 | The Syrian conflict is exponentially more complicated than portrayed in the press – and as for President Bashar Assad, he is a well-educated man who has fallen victim to media demonization, says RT’s Sophie Shevardnadze.
Human rights investigations
Stop the use of child soldiers by the Syrian rebels
11 November 2012 | This post examines a particularly horrendous violation of children’s rights: the phenomenon of child soldiers. The footage of the massacre of prisoners in Saraqi is evidence not just of a war crime but also of the use of a child soldier by the Syrian rebels. He was used in the assault on the army checkpoint and was at the massacre scene. There is no doubt that this represents serious child abuse.
Stop the use of child soldiers by the Syrian rebels
11 November 2012 | This post examines a particularly horrendous violation of children’s rights: the phenomenon of child soldiers. The footage of the massacre of prisoners in Saraqi is evidence not just of a war crime but also of the use of a child soldier by the Syrian rebels. He was used in the assault on the army checkpoint and was at the massacre scene. There is no doubt that this represents serious child abuse.
Syrian president’s interview in full
Assad: “I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria”
10 November 2012 | In an exclusive interview with Russia Today, President Bashar Assad said that the conflict in Syria is not a civil war, but proxy terrorism by Syrians and foreign fighters. He also accused the Turkish PM of eyeing Syria with imperial ambitions.
Assad: “I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria”
10 November 2012 | In an exclusive interview with Russia Today, President Bashar Assad said that the conflict in Syria is not a civil war, but proxy terrorism by Syrians and foreign fighters. He also accused the Turkish PM of eyeing Syria with imperial ambitions.
Assad to RT: ’I’m not Western puppet - I have to live and die in Syria’
8 November 2012 | In an exclusive interview with Russia Today, Syrian President Bashar Assad said he will not leave Syria. Assad also spoke on the calls for armed foreign intervention in Syria, and the possible fallout on the country’s internal conflict and across the region.
8 November 2012 | In an exclusive interview with Russia Today, Syrian President Bashar Assad said he will not leave Syria. Assad also spoke on the calls for armed foreign intervention in Syria, and the possible fallout on the country’s internal conflict and across the region.Syria - Aleppo
Free Syrian Army targets innocent civilians for supporting the government
7 November 2012 | Almost 18 months after the beginning of unrest and violence in Syria, the Syrian people are waiting for peace and tranquility to once again rule their homeland and their destroyed lives. The Syrian people are embattled in a war which a number of Western powers and regional states have launched against their country, and the only conceivable reason is their resistance against the expansionistic policies of Israel and NATO who want to bring Syria to its knees and turn it into a new ally for the United States in the Arab world.
Free Syrian Army targets innocent civilians for supporting the government
7 November 2012 | Almost 18 months after the beginning of unrest and violence in Syria, the Syrian people are waiting for peace and tranquility to once again rule their homeland and their destroyed lives. The Syrian people are embattled in a war which a number of Western powers and regional states have launched against their country, and the only conceivable reason is their resistance against the expansionistic policies of Israel and NATO who want to bring Syria to its knees and turn it into a new ally for the United States in the Arab world.An article by Bill Van Auken
US-backed Syrian "rebels" in disarray at Qatar conference
7 November 2012 | Four days of meetings in Doha, the capital of Qatar, of Western-backed elements backing the overthrow of the Syrian government began in disarray Sunday, following last week’s demand by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a shakeup within the so-called rebel leadership.
US-backed Syrian "rebels" in disarray at Qatar conference
7 November 2012 | Four days of meetings in Doha, the capital of Qatar, of Western-backed elements backing the overthrow of the Syrian government began in disarray Sunday, following last week’s demand by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a shakeup within the so-called rebel leadership.
An article by Lizzie Phelan
Mohamad Rafea, the martyr for Syria’s unity
6 November 2012 | It started off with a headache. On Saturday morning a message from a facebook friend on my phone snapped me out of the first stages of limbo between sleep and consciousness. "There are reports that Mohamad Rafea who participated in your documentary has been murdered." Suddenly awake, my head cracked open and the beginning of a migraine that has yet to end set in.
Mohamad Rafea, the martyr for Syria’s unity
6 November 2012 | It started off with a headache. On Saturday morning a message from a facebook friend on my phone snapped me out of the first stages of limbo between sleep and consciousness. "There are reports that Mohamad Rafea who participated in your documentary has been murdered." Suddenly awake, my head cracked open and the beginning of a migraine that has yet to end set in.Human rights investigations (HRI)
Public opinion survey: Syrians reject violence and outside intervention.
4 November 2012 | In a major blow to foreign intervention in Syria, the just published results from an independent public opinion survey show that the Syrian people overwhelmingly reject the Turkish government’s policies towards their country. 65% of Syrians surveyed regarded the Turkish government as very unfriendly or hostile with only 16% characterising it as friendly. Turkey has, of course, been one of the main backers of the violent, sectarian “Free Syrian Army”.
Public opinion survey: Syrians reject violence and outside intervention.
4 November 2012 | In a major blow to foreign intervention in Syria, the just published results from an independent public opinion survey show that the Syrian people overwhelmingly reject the Turkish government’s policies towards their country. 65% of Syrians surveyed regarded the Turkish government as very unfriendly or hostile with only 16% characterising it as friendly. Turkey has, of course, been one of the main backers of the violent, sectarian “Free Syrian Army”.
Human rights investigations (HRI)
"Free Syrian Army" shoot prisoners
2 November 2012 | In this video, uploaded to YouTube, we see prisoners, including wounded, being killed in cold blood. The unit involved is apparently the "Mountain Shield Brigade" of the "Free Syrian Army" and the location Hmeisho checkpoint / west of Saraqeb. The video was issued by the Mountain Shield brigade’s "information department."
"Free Syrian Army" shoot prisoners
2 November 2012 | In this video, uploaded to YouTube, we see prisoners, including wounded, being killed in cold blood. The unit involved is apparently the "Mountain Shield Brigade" of the "Free Syrian Army" and the location Hmeisho checkpoint / west of Saraqeb. The video was issued by the Mountain Shield brigade’s "information department."
Lavrov: West call for Assad departure daydreaming
31 October 2012 | Russia has warned the Western powers that their call for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is like daydreaming and will only lead to more bloodshed in the Arab state.
31 October 2012 | Russia has warned the Western powers that their call for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is like daydreaming and will only lead to more bloodshed in the Arab state.An interview by Kourosh Ziabari
Syrian activist: "Foreign support for the terrorists should be stopped"
31 October 2012 | The U.S.-based Syrian activist believes that the foreign-backed terrorists in Syria are committing atrocities against the innocent civilians while they receive military and financial support from a certain number of countries such as the U.S., Britain, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Syrian activist: "Foreign support for the terrorists should be stopped"
31 October 2012 | The U.S.-based Syrian activist believes that the foreign-backed terrorists in Syria are committing atrocities against the innocent civilians while they receive military and financial support from a certain number of countries such as the U.S., Britain, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
An article by Robert Bridge
Sergey Lavrov: Syria’s al-Assad being used in ‘great geopolitical game’
23 October 2012 | The process of transforming the geopolitical map of the Middle East is under way, and various outside players are seeking to secure their geopolitical footing, argues Russia’s Foreign Minister.
Sergey Lavrov: Syria’s al-Assad being used in ‘great geopolitical game’
23 October 2012 | The process of transforming the geopolitical map of the Middle East is under way, and various outside players are seeking to secure their geopolitical footing, argues Russia’s Foreign Minister.
An article by Jeremy Salt
Syria and the Spanish Civil War
21 October 2012 | In a recent article (’Viewpoint: Echoes of Spanish civil war in Syria’, BBC News Magazine, October 9, 2012), Fouad Ajami has drawn parallels between the Spanish civil war and the conflict in Syria. He compares the cruelty of the warring sides, which is accurate enough. He compares the bombing of Guernica with the bombing of Aleppo, which is not.
Syria and the Spanish Civil War
21 October 2012 | In a recent article (’Viewpoint: Echoes of Spanish civil war in Syria’, BBC News Magazine, October 9, 2012), Fouad Ajami has drawn parallels between the Spanish civil war and the conflict in Syria. He compares the cruelty of the warring sides, which is accurate enough. He compares the bombing of Guernica with the bombing of Aleppo, which is not.
Syria: Evidence of Foreign Countries’ Support to Terrorists - Letter to UN Security Council
20 October 2012 | Syria sent Thursday two identical letters to the UN Security Council and the General Secretary about that evidence on involvement of foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, in supporting and arming the terrorist groups in Syria.
20 October 2012 | Syria sent Thursday two identical letters to the UN Security Council and the General Secretary about that evidence on involvement of foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, in supporting and arming the terrorist groups in Syria.
Arms for Syrian rebels go mostly to jihadists
16 October 2012 | Most of the arms funneled to Syrian rebels reportedly end up in the hands of hardline Islamist extremists, including those affiliated with Al-Qaeda. There is no way of vetting rebel groups to bolster only those with more secular views.
16 October 2012 | Most of the arms funneled to Syrian rebels reportedly end up in the hands of hardline Islamist extremists, including those affiliated with Al-Qaeda. There is no way of vetting rebel groups to bolster only those with more secular views.
An article by Melkulangara Bhadrakumar
Syria: Waiting for Someone Named Obama
16 October 2012 | Even as the German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle who was on a visit to China diverted himself to Istanbul in a mission Saturday ostensibly aimed at tamping down Turkish-Syrian tensions, Der Spiegel calmly reported that the information about the «non civilian cargo», which led to the interception of a Syrian aircraft by the Turkish air force the previous Wednesday night, was actually passed on to Ankara by the American intelligence.
Syria: Waiting for Someone Named Obama
16 October 2012 | Even as the German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle who was on a visit to China diverted himself to Istanbul in a mission Saturday ostensibly aimed at tamping down Turkish-Syrian tensions, Der Spiegel calmly reported that the information about the «non civilian cargo», which led to the interception of a Syrian aircraft by the Turkish air force the previous Wednesday night, was actually passed on to Ankara by the American intelligence.Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya interviewed by Press TV
"US troops deployment in Jordan is psychological war for Syria"
15 October 2012 | Washington’s deployment of troops in Jordan, which is a neighboring country to the unrest-hit Syria, is a psychological war, according to Canadian-based political analyst Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya.
"US troops deployment in Jordan is psychological war for Syria"
15 October 2012 | Washington’s deployment of troops in Jordan, which is a neighboring country to the unrest-hit Syria, is a psychological war, according to Canadian-based political analyst Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya.
Sibel Edmonds: ‘The West is looking for an excuse to attack Syria, but Assad is not giving one’
13 October 2012 | The Turkish interception of a Syrian civilian jet heading to Damascus from Moscow was yet another attempt to provoke Assad to give the West a reason to strike Syria, Sibel Edmonds of the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition told Russia Today.
13 October 2012 | The Turkish interception of a Syrian civilian jet heading to Damascus from Moscow was yet another attempt to provoke Assad to give the West a reason to strike Syria, Sibel Edmonds of the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition told Russia Today.
Planes, strains and geopolitical spills: Syrian conflict goes global
12 October 2012 | The families of 17 Russian passengers on a Damascus-bound plane from Moscow got a midnight shock upon learning that Turkish jets had intercepted the flight. For those asking why, the answer begins in Syria, and ripples throughout the world.
12 October 2012 | The families of 17 Russian passengers on a Damascus-bound plane from Moscow got a midnight shock upon learning that Turkish jets had intercepted the flight. For those asking why, the answer begins in Syria, and ripples throughout the world.
Confirmed: Pentagon deploys military forces to Jordan-Syria border
11 October 2012 | US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has confirmed that US troops have been dispatched to the Jordan-Syrian border to help bolster the former’s military capabilities in case violence escalates in the volatile region.
11 October 2012 | US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has confirmed that US troops have been dispatched to the Jordan-Syrian border to help bolster the former’s military capabilities in case violence escalates in the volatile region.
Turkish parliament authorizes cross-border military operations in Syria
4 October 2012 | Turkey’s parliament has authorized cross-border military operations into Syria ‘when necessary.’ The move follows a cross-border mortar-shelling into Turkey which Damascus has apologized for.
4 October 2012 | Turkey’s parliament has authorized cross-border military operations into Syria ‘when necessary.’ The move follows a cross-border mortar-shelling into Turkey which Damascus has apologized for.An article by Jeremy Salt
Ending the Violence in Syria
3 October 2012 | It would seem to be quite simple. All that has to happen for the fighting to end in Syria is for those with guns in their hands to put them down. So why isn’t it happening? Again the answer is simple and not just seemingly. Outside governments supporting the armed groups do not want them to put their weapons down. It has been deliberately locked into a cycle of violence which its enemies hope will end in its destruction.
Ending the Violence in Syria
3 October 2012 | It would seem to be quite simple. All that has to happen for the fighting to end in Syria is for those with guns in their hands to put them down. So why isn’t it happening? Again the answer is simple and not just seemingly. Outside governments supporting the armed groups do not want them to put their weapons down. It has been deliberately locked into a cycle of violence which its enemies hope will end in its destruction.