Syria news: Rebel coalition begins push to take Aleppo

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HerbalVaporCapers
HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 2016 in The Social Lounge
After breaking government siege on rebel-held districts, Army of Conquest pushes to take second biggest city.

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A Syrian rebel alliance has announced the start of a battle to recapture the whole of Aleppo, a day after it broke a government siege on the rebel-held half of the city.

The Army of Conquest, a coalition of rebel groups including Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly the al-Nusra Front), said in a statement on Sunday that it would "double the number of fighters for this next battle".

"We announce the start of a new phase to liberate all of Aleppo," the group said. "We will not rest until we raise the flag of the conquest over Aleppo's citadel."

Footage obtained by Al Jazeera showed rebel fighters at government checkpoints on Saturday after breaking the month-long siege on the rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods of the city in a major setback for the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

A convoy of rebel pick-up trucks entered the city's opposition areas through a newly opened route on Sunday, bringing food aid for some of the 300,000 residents who had been trapped inside.

The breaking of the siege triggered celebrations in Aleppo's eastern districts, but fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian air strikes in and around the Ramosa district prevented safe passage for residents.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said it was one of the most significant defeats for the government since the conflict erupted in March 2011.

Fears grew on Sunday in the government-controlled western half of the city of food and fuel shortages as rebels attempted to surround it.

Large rebel operation

Rebels on Saturday pushed northeast into Ramosa where they linked up with fighters who had been inside the city.

"After a large-scale military operation carried out in six stages, the Conquest Army managed to put an end to the siege," Al Jazeera's Amro Halabi, reporting from the rebel-held half of the city, said.

military colleges.

Jabhat Fatah al-Sham posted pictures on social media of rows of armoured vehicles, munitions, howitzer tanks, rockets and trucks now in rebel hands.

The rebel frontline was pushing northwest into western, government-held Aleppo, on the the edges of the Hamdaniya neighborhood and a housing project called the 3,000 project, according to rebels and the SOHR, which relies on a network of contacts in Syria to track the war.

The Assad Military Engineering Academy, another large government army complex, is located just north of Hamadiya.

“The battle for Aleppo is decisive. Whoever wins the battle could perhaps win the war. For the rebels, keeping hold of Aleppo is leverage – it’s a bargaining chip that they could use to perhaps force the Syrian government back to the negotiating table in Geneva,” Al Jazeera’s Reza Sayah, reporting from Gaziantep on the Turkey-Syria border, said.

“At the same time, if the government is able to take over Aleppo, they take away that bargaining chip. If they have control of the city, there’s no longer incentive for them to go back to Geneva.”

'Government areas besieged'

The rebel advance puts an estimated 1.2 million people in government-held districts under opposition siege, Rahman of the SOHR told the AFP news agency.

"The western districts of Aleppo are now besieged. There are no safe routes for civilians in government-held districts to use to get into or out of the city," he said.

In rebel-held areas, the lack of a safe route out meant conditions for residents were unchanged.

Three vans of vegetables crossed into east Aleppo, Rahman said, but this was a symbolic gesture and the corridor was too dangerous for civilians or significant supplies to pass.

The United Nations and aid groups said conditions in rebel-held districts were a cause for concern.

"Most recently I'm hearing that the markets are closed and it's next to impossible to purchase food. The UN estimates that collectively all aid supplies in east Aleppo will only last about two more weeks," Christy Delafield, senior communications officer for Mercy Corps, which runs the largest non-governmental aid operation inside Syria, told the Reuters news agency.

The battle for Aleppo, Syria's second biggest city, has raged since mid-2012 and is among the fiercest in the multi-front war that has killed nearly 400,000 people, according to an estimate by the UN's chief mediator.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/syria-rebel-alliance-pushes-aleppo-160808033801933.html
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  • Swiffness!
    Swiffness! Members Posts: 10,128 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    None of this is real. The CIA is faking ISIS and Syria with holograms & photoshop. Wake up sheeple
  • Allah_U_Akbar
    Allah_U_Akbar Members Posts: 11,150 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Sounds like a great country to raise a family.
  • The_Jackal
    The_Jackal Members Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I really wish I could understand exactly why the United Nations exist. The League of Nations was a complete failure and the United doesn't look any better.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016
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    The_Jackal wrote: »
    I really wish I could understand exactly why the United Nations exist. The League of Nations was a complete failure and the United doesn't look any better.

    Cosign

    When the UN doesn't send troops I'm like why the ? do they exist

    But when they send troops and all you hear about is their troops sexualy abusing civilians/looting I think the same ?
  • The_Jackal
    The_Jackal Members Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The_Jackal wrote: »
    I really wish I could understand exactly why the United Nations exist. The League of Nations was a complete failure and the United doesn't look any better.

    Cosign

    When the UN doesn't send troops I'm like why the ? do they exist

    But when they send troops and all you hear about is their troops sexualy abusing civilians/looting I think the same ?

    The thing is that by not allowing them to atleast do peace keeping missions you destroy the farce of them actually being a competent force that ultimately has no loyalty to any country.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The_Jackal wrote: »
    The_Jackal wrote: »
    I really wish I could understand exactly why the United Nations exist. The League of Nations was a complete failure and the United doesn't look any better.

    Cosign

    When the UN doesn't send troops I'm like why the ? do they exist

    But when they send troops and all you hear about is their troops sexualy abusing civilians/looting I think the same ?

    The thing is that by not allowing them to atleast do peace keeping missions you destroy the farce of them actually being a competent force that ultimately has no loyalty to any country.

    I agree, we at least need that idea in play even if the reality is something different
  • janklow
    janklow Members, Moderators Posts: 8,613 Regulator
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    The_Jackal wrote: »
    I really wish I could understand exactly why the United Nations exist. The League of Nations was a complete failure and the United doesn't look any better.
    honestly, it's a good concept. but the nature of human beings magnifies its failings.

  • DoUwant2go2Heaven
    DoUwant2go2Heaven Members Posts: 10,425 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Isaiah 17. Amen.
  • kingblaze84
    kingblaze84 Members Posts: 14,288 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016
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    With ISIS losing territory in Syria, and Assad, Iran, Hezbollah and Russia bombing the living hell of out the rebel positions, the rebels are beyond screwed. But they got enough firepower to keep the war alive for probably another 3-4 years. They're fighting a lost cause at this point but their motivation is deep.

    America can't stop Russia and Iran from helping Assad, and America deep down wants Assad or his regime to stay in charge. Assad is gonna have the last laugh. He technically has it now.
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    At this point the rebels are fighting only to have some power at the negotiation table. Issue is, right now Assad has so much power he says he isnt willing to negotiate.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    At this point the rebels are fighting only to have some power at the negotiation table. Issue is, right now Assad has so much power he says he isnt willing to negotiate.

    If the government is pushed away from Aleppo, he will change his tune.

    Inshallah the rebels will be outside the gates of Damascus before they agree to even discuss anything.

    All of the innocent who have died shouldn't die on vain
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016
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    Back in 2009 I was planning on going to Turkey, Syria and Israel (I have dual citizenship so I was gonna go into Syria on my non-US passport).

    However, my father came down with cancer and I went to go see him back in the old country. Had to cancel my plans cuz I was out there for a minute.

    I was lucky enough to go to Israel in 2011, but I have no idea when I'll make it to Turkey now

    There may not even be a Syria anymore by the time I make it there
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    You can make it to Turkey in a few months. Just wait until the fallout from the coup is done and you will be ok.

    When it comes to Syria? Yea stay out. Wait until the war is over, and the people had a chance to reconcile a bit.

    Imo, the best solution for Syria is a federal system like Iraq, but hopefully a more functional one. Have the Kurds in the North, Sunni Arabs in the South and west, and the Alevites on the coast. Few issues with this and itll be hard to do but its possible to do.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    You can make it to Turkey in a few months. Just wait until the fallout from the coup is done and you will be ok.

    When it comes to Syria? Yea stay out. Wait until the war is over, and the people had a chance to reconcile a bit.

    Imo, the best solution for Syria is a federal system like Iraq, but hopefully a more functional one. Have the Kurds in the North, Sunni Arabs in the South and west, and the Alevites on the coast. Few issues with this and itll be hard to do but its possible to do.


    I can see the province of Latakia and the area around it becoming it's own country if the government takes a strategic defeat. Sadly, Bashar Al Assad's sectarian agenda will screw over (and has screwed over) his own people's chances at reconciliation. Between the ? , looting (anyone can look up the phrase shuk al-sunni and be horrified) and widespread extralegal executions by the Alawite militias, shabiha and troops, I don't see much of a chance at cooperation.

    Not to mention the Kurds are pursuing a completely different political course than the Arab Sunnis in Rojava. Sadly, I feel like a full war between Kurds and Arabs is possible, either concurrently or following a government defeat.

    Im hoping the political friction dies down in Turkey, but I'm not how popular Americans will be with the authorities if Gullen stays here.
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    You can make it to Turkey in a few months. Just wait until the fallout from the coup is done and you will be ok.

    When it comes to Syria? Yea stay out. Wait until the war is over, and the people had a chance to reconcile a bit.

    Imo, the best solution for Syria is a federal system like Iraq, but hopefully a more functional one. Have the Kurds in the North, Sunni Arabs in the South and west, and the Alevites on the coast. Few issues with this and itll be hard to do but its possible to do.


    I can see the province of Latakia and the area around it becoming it's own country if the government takes a strategic defeat. Sadly, Bashar Al Assad's sectarian agenda will screw over (and has screwed over) his own people's chances at reconciliation. Between the ? , looting (anyone can look up the phrase shuk al-sunni and be horrified) and widespread extralegal executions by the Alawite militias, shabiha and troops, I don't see much of a chance at cooperation.

    Not to mention the Kurds are pursuing a completely different political course than the Arab Sunnis in Rojava. Sadly, I feel like a full war between Kurds and Arabs is possible, either concurrently or following a government defeat.

    Im hoping the political friction dies down in Turkey, but I'm not how popular Americans will be with the authorities if Gullen stays here.

    Americans will never be liked in Turkey. Turkey has blamed America for its problems for decades.

    And about Rojava, I see Assad and the YPG going to full out war once the fight against ISIS and the rebels is finished. I can also see Turkey supporting Assad staying in power as long as he goes to war with the Kurds. Either way, the problems arent stopping any time soon.
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    See this ? ? Assads forces just bombed YPG positions for the first time in 5 years. And a new front in the Syrian Civil War begins. Haha. I swear i think trump is right when he says we should just nuke them all and start over.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    See this ? ? Assads forces just bombed YPG positions for the first time in 5 years. And a new front in the Syrian Civil War begins. Haha. I swear i think trump is right when he says we should just nuke them all and start over.

    Lol lost me at the bolded. But I'm not surprised that the YPG is getting bombed.

    Erdogan just met with the Iranian Foreign Ambassador about creating closer ties

    This is probably the cost of Turkish support, as the government wants anything but an autonomous Kurdish political entity
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    See this ? ? Assads forces just bombed YPG positions for the first time in 5 years. And a new front in the Syrian Civil War begins. Haha. I swear i think trump is right when he says we should just nuke them all and start over.

    Lol lost me at the bolded. But I'm not surprised that the YPG is getting bombed.

    Erdogan just met with the Iranian Foreign Ambassador about creating closer ties

    This is probably the cost of Turkish support, as the government wants anything but an autonomous Kurdish political entity

    But you see what makes this so interesting? If Turkey works with Iran and Syria at this point it means that Turkey is falling in line with Russias vission. With Syria, Iran and Iraq under Russian influence, and Turkey atleast buying in, Russias influence in the middle east grows exponentially. If this leads to the war ending soon, itll give Iran room to modernize its army now that the sanctions are lifted. Funny how American Foreign Policy after 9-11 basically handed Russia the middle east. Until 9-11, Russia has no chance in the middle east because the middle east was all about religion, and communists equalled athiests so that was impossible.

    Now the interesting part, only way the US could stop this from happening is 1. Promise Turkey they stop helping the Kurds if Turkey cuts off Russian influence. I dont see how this happens though. Erdogan fought for years against US influence in deep parts of his govt and finally got rid of a big chunk. Plus Russias sanctions on Turkey really hurt the economy. The 2nd thing the US could do is support the Kurds and build a base of influence there. The issue is the whole middle east doesnt like the Kurds, so the influence will stop right there, but the US might not have a choice. Along with the Kurds, the US probably wants to topple Assad and put a puppey govt in place real bad right now, but there is not a single candidate to put in place of Assad. Any rebel govt the US supports has a higher chance of being Islamic Extremists then moderites and the percentages are very lop sides and not close. Not saying there arent moderate rebels, but their influence is very low.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    ^ The US is going to have to support the Kurds regardless, mostly because of their influence in Iraq. Without Kurdish support, there is no more unified Iraq and concentrated flow of oil.

    I agree that we have no suitable Arab puppet to replace Assad. And it would have to be an Arab: either a Shia with Sunni support (don't know if that exists in the mid East right now) or a secular Sunni who is willing to include minority groups in the government.

    But like you said, any secular Sunni group is allied with the Wahhabis/Takfiris due to the extestential threat to the Sunni communities in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon as well.

    The Kurds might be the best bet until the field of potential rulers thins, but then that means we would have to turn our backs and snake the Kurds at some point (again).

    On a site note, I might have to say ? it and change the thread title to HVC and AZTG discuss the mid east hahahaha
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    ^ The US is going to have to support the Kurds regardless, mostly because of their influence in Iraq. Without Kurdish support, there is no more unified Iraq and concentrated flow of oil.

    I agree that we have no suitable Arab puppet to replace Assad. And it would have to be an Arab: either a Shia with Sunni support (don't know if that exists in the mid East right now) or a secular Sunni who is willing to include minority groups in the government.

    But like you said, any secular Sunni group is allied with the Wahhabis/Takfiris due to the extestential threat to the Sunni communities in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon as well.

    The Kurds might be the best bet until the field of potential rulers thins, but then that means we would have to turn our backs and snake the Kurds at some point (again).

    On a site note, I might have to say ? it and change the thread title to HVC and AZTG discuss the mid east hahahaha

    The funny thing about all this is that the Kurdish Regional Government, KRG, in Iraq is under the influence of Turkey and Iran. The leading party of KRG, the Barzani clan is under Turkish influence. The biggest oposition party, the Talabani supporters, are under Iranian influence. Iran is already under Russian influence, and if Turkey works with Russia, all of the KRG will ne under Russia. And being that the majorirty of Iraq is Shiite, they are under Iran. Im telling you man, Russia played this ? right.

    The US at this point should allow the KRG to sell their oil without Baghdad, help the YPG get land that connects to the Sea so that the KRG could sell their oil without having it go through Turkey. Europe and the US should buy most of their oil from the Kurds. This will make it so that the KRG is the strongest part of Iraq and Rojava woll be the strongest part of Syria, with that foothold, the US could work to a peaceful resolution in Iraq and Syria and put a moderate puppet in control politically.

    But we have to give props to Russia. They played their cards rignt.

    And yea im down with the name change. Nothing else going on here anyway.
  • kingblaze84
    kingblaze84 Members Posts: 14,288 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016
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    Assad's govt still is bombing the Kurds in some areas today, I wonder how long he'll continue this. It's a little surprising to me because Assad's ally Russia has been supportive of the Kurds at times. America's reaction and Kurdish reaction will be interesting too, considering the PKK and others are already at war with Turkey.
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Assad's govt still is bombing the Kurds in some areas today, I wonder how long he'll continue this. It's a little surprising to me because Assad's ally Russia has been supportive of the Kurds at times. America's reaction and Kurdish reaction will be interesting too, considering the PKK and others are already at war with Turkey.

    Yea there were heavy clashes last night in Hassakah. These are the heaviest clashes between Assad and the YPG since 2011. They had many skirmishes but nothing this signifacant. 1 theory behind it is that Assad doesnt want ISIS to lose more ground in Syria so soon. Ofcourse he eventually wants ISIS out of Syria but not until he consolidates more power and finishes off the rebels. The YPG took the town of Manjib just a week ago and right away they started operation Al-Bab, which is one of the handful of ISIS strongholds left. The regime feels that if ISIS is ousted out of Syria, the Kurds and the Rebels might work together against the Regime and more importantly, the focus on the world will be directly on Assad and how to stabilize Syria. He is not ready for that, so he attacked the YPG to weaken them.

    All accounts say that on the ground, the YPG pushed back Assads forces, but Assad has airplanes and they attack civilian areas. ? can go very left field from here.

    I expect cooler heads (Russia and US) to prevail and calm this down soon though.
  • HerbalVaporCapers
    HerbalVaporCapers Members Posts: 3,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    Assad's govt still is bombing the Kurds in some areas today, I wonder how long he'll continue this. It's a little surprising to me because Assad's ally Russia has been supportive of the Kurds at times. America's reaction and Kurdish reaction will be interesting too, considering the PKK and others are already at war with Turkey.

    Yea there were heavy clashes last night in Hassakah. These are the heaviest clashes between Assad and the YPG since 2011. They had many skirmishes but nothing this signifacant. 1 theory behind it is that Assad doesnt want ISIS to lose more ground in Syria so soon. Ofcourse he eventually wants ISIS out of Syria but not until he consolidates more power and finishes off the rebels. The YPG took the town of Manjib just a week ago and right away they started operation Al-Bab, which is one of the handful of ISIS strongholds left. The regime feels that if ISIS is ousted out of Syria, the Kurds and the Rebels might work together against the Regime and more importantly, the focus on the world will be directly on Assad and how to stabilize Syria. He is not ready for that, so he attacked the YPG to weaken them.

    All accounts say that on the ground, the YPG pushed back Assads forces, but Assad has airplanes and they attack civilian areas. ? can go very left field from here.

    I expect cooler heads (Russia and US) to prevail and calm this down soon though.

    To a decent extent, Bashar Al Assad enabled the growth of Al Qaeda in Iraq during the Iraq War. When the war was going on across the border, he was able to get rid of a lot of radical Sunnis who would otherwise be interested in fighting his government (as they had done in the late 70s/early 80s) who would blow themselves up or die fighting the US army. Two birds with one stone When the civil conflict began in Syria, he had a prisoner amnesty...

    But let out some of the most radical Wahhabis in his prison system. They by and large joined the organization that became ISIS.

    With ISIS, Bashar has a boogeyman. His strategy of crushing the "moderates" first, as they are the true threat to his regime, leaves the door open for international help against ISIS when they are the last men standing. He becomes legitimate because realistically, who would back ISIS over Bashar?
  • AZTG
    AZTG Members Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    AZTG wrote: »
    Assad's govt still is bombing the Kurds in some areas today, I wonder how long he'll continue this. It's a little surprising to me because Assad's ally Russia has been supportive of the Kurds at times. America's reaction and Kurdish reaction will be interesting too, considering the PKK and others are already at war with Turkey.

    Yea there were heavy clashes last night in Hassakah. These are the heaviest clashes between Assad and the YPG since 2011. They had many skirmishes but nothing this signifacant. 1 theory behind it is that Assad doesnt want ISIS to lose more ground in Syria so soon. Ofcourse he eventually wants ISIS out of Syria but not until he consolidates more power and finishes off the rebels. The YPG took the town of Manjib just a week ago and right away they started operation Al-Bab, which is one of the handful of ISIS strongholds left. The regime feels that if ISIS is ousted out of Syria, the Kurds and the Rebels might work together against the Regime and more importantly, the focus on the world will be directly on Assad and how to stabilize Syria. He is not ready for that, so he attacked the YPG to weaken them.

    All accounts say that on the ground, the YPG pushed back Assads forces, but Assad has airplanes and they attack civilian areas. ? can go very left field from here.

    I expect cooler heads (Russia and US) to prevail and calm this down soon though.

    To a decent extent, Bashar Al Assad enabled the growth of Al Qaeda in Iraq during the Iraq War. When the war was going on across the border, he was able to get rid of a lot of radical Sunnis who would otherwise be interested in fighting his government (as they had done in the late 70s/early 80s) who would blow themselves up or die fighting the US army. Two birds with one stone When the civil conflict began in Syria, he had a prisoner amnesty...

    But let out some of the most radical Wahhabis in his prison system. They by and large joined the organization that became ISIS.

    With ISIS, Bashar has a boogeyman. His strategy of crushing the "moderates" first, as they are the true threat to his regime, leaves the door open for international help against ISIS when they are the last men standing. He becomes legitimate because realistically, who would back ISIS over Bashar?

    Crazy thing is, looking at it from just a humanistic point of view, Assad has done so much more damage than even ISIS has. Only difference is Assad does not pose a true threat to the West. Assad has killed close to 500k civilians and forced about 10 million to either migrate internationally or internally.

    Now as an American, I get that ISIS is the bigger threat to stability in the world but Assad has straight up committed genocide and the US didnt do and isnt doing ? to stop it.

    You know how they ask Clinton what his biggest regret of his presidency is and he replies that its not sending forces to Rwanda earlier because he could have saved hundreds of thousands of people? I predict Obama will have the same answer but it will be out Syria.

    We invaded Afganistan to go over Al Qaeda. I get it. After 9-11 it had to be done. But honestly, what amount of threat was Al Qaeda after the US bolstered up its secuirty of the home land? Same with Iraq, getting rid of Saddam was a great thing, especially for my people, but Saddam committed genocide in 80s by killing 300k kurds in 4-5 years and the US didnt do ? . In 2003, as ? up as it was, ? was relatively stable in Iraq, and Saddam was killing people but nothing this bad.

    Assad on the other hand? He was straight barrell bombing his own people. People would be at markets buying groceries and got blown up. 500k people dead and I bet the actual numbers are higher. If any country needed to get invaded in the mid east in the past 16 years it was Syria and thats the only place we didnt invade. Smh.