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Ear to the Ground

New Violence Against Syrian Demonstrators

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Posted on Aug 10, 2011
Flickr / Abode of Chaos

An estimated 2,000 people have been killed in the five months since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began assaulting the pro-democracy protesters he refers to as terrorists. New attacks left at least 40 dead as Turkey’s foreign minister encouraged the Syrian leader to end the killing. Meanwhile, human rights groups continue to beg the international community to condemn Assad more forcefully and take effective action. —ARK

The Guardian:

Syrian security forces were reported to have launched another wave of violence against pro-democracy protesters on Tuesday as President Bashar al-Assad rejected a Turkish appeal to change tack or meet the fate of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.

Human rights groups recorded at least 40 civilians dead on the day that Ahmed Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, met the Syrian leader to issue what was billed as a “final warning” to end the five-month crackdown, estimated by the US as having claimed 2,000 victims.

Syrian’s state news agency, Sana, quoted Assad as telling Davutoglu that he would “relentlessly fight terrorist groups”—the terminology used by Damascus to describe anti-regime protests. Davutoglu returned to Ankara without speaking to reporters but was expected to hold a press conference later.

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brewerstroupe's avatar

By brewerstroupe, August 12, 2011 at 11:27 am Link to this comment

I guess George W was wrong again.
“Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

Americans are buying precisely the same agitprop they bought prior to the Iraq War. Syrian Nukes, killing his own people, even a kidnapped lesbian blogger (who turned out to be a bearded Scotsman).

Go find one MSM report of Syrian casualties that does not contain the phrase “activists said”.

Then go get the news about the London riots exclusively from the looters and see how accurate that is.

Here’s a sample of reportage from Sky:

“The assault prompted opposition gunmen to fire machine guns and set police stations on fire. ”

Eh? These “activists” had machine guns they were “prompted” to use?

“Honest, I always take my my machine gun to peaceful protests. Its a fashion accessory!”

There is a sponsored insurrection going on.

“U.S. secretly backed Syrian opposition groups, cables released by WikiLeaks show”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-secretly-backed-syrian-opposition-groups-cables-released-by-wikileaks-show/2011/04/14/AF1p9hwD_story.html

More than 500 security personnel have been killed so far.

Peaceful protesters?

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By omop, August 12, 2011 at 6:28 am Link to this comment

Human rights groups tend to be selective in their condemnations.

  While admittedly killing innocent people is the basest of crimes no one if
memory serves one right ever condemned Madeleine Allbright for stating
on CBS that gettting rid of Saddam Hussein was worth the “killing of over
500,000 Iraqi children”.

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Napolean DoneHisPart's avatar

By Napolean DoneHisPart, August 11, 2011 at 8:03 pm Link to this comment

Why doesn’t Assad simply employ a puppet to rule in his stead, and which he can hide behind? 

Why hasn’t he learned how the hegemony stateside does it? 

Could he be that arrogant and proud? 

He could simply title and deed all important industry in his / his family’s name and be done with it… watch in ownership from the sidelines… someone should send him to Harvard to learn how to rule the right way!

Don’t these

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Peter Knopfler's avatar

By Peter Knopfler, August 11, 2011 at 7:13 pm Link to this comment

SHORT MEMORY BOYS! ASSAD`s FATHER IN 1982 Killed
40, 000 people to stay in Power, WORLD SAID NOTHING!
HIS SON ONLY 2000 so far, He will catch up to HIS
father, HE HAS TO TRADITION.
BECAUSE THE Saudi USA supported genocide of Bahrain,
ANYTHING GOES, USA GOT NOTHING TO SAY:USA
DOUBLE STANDARD KILLS PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD,
ASSAD ONLY SYRIA. USA killing in 7 countries ASSAD
only ONE.
HUMAN RIGHTS equals OBAMA DRONES.
Profits before People,
Shoot your way out!AMERICAN DREAM

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By Howard, August 11, 2011 at 12:27 pm Link to this comment

Oh, yeah.  The syrian gov’t has to be innocent of anything,.
they do NOT let any reporters in the country at all. Rite

So why would we not believe the gov’t line.??

etc, etc.

(while they kill their own people to stay in power)

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brewerstroupe's avatar

By brewerstroupe, August 11, 2011 at 1:46 am Link to this comment

Be careful of “Human Rights” organisations reporting on Syria. The last one I tracked down was a one man operation out of a village in England.

All reports of Syrian civilian casualties in the MSM include the phrase “activists said”.

We do not hear exclusively from the protesters in England.

What can we make of reports of 500 Syrian Security personnel killed by these “unarmed” protesters?

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7389608.html

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Not One More!'s avatar

By Not One More!, August 10, 2011 at 3:12 pm Link to this comment

In case anyone forgets. Remember the ‘free speech zones’ at both the democratic and republican conventions where they forcibly restrained free speech?

Then there was 1968 violent restraint at the democratic convention. Why would there have to be restraints at the democratic conventions? Because they are the same as the republicans.

Then the 4 dead in Ohio (students) protesting the Vietnam war, and 2 more later that year.

Do you think that the corporate elite and their government henchmen are not going to use force to quell any demonstration here if it pushes for real change and reform? In fact, they have already been using force.

I’m sure glad that we have given millions of dollars of arms to groups like blackwater etc. I’m sure they wouldn’t use them against us if asked.

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