Syrian Arab Army drops leaflets in Idlib which call for reconciliation

[SALMAN F]

Whatever side is winning this war must stop and that a good thing

 

[HannibalBarca]

Actually, believe it or not, but years ago on PDF, I talked about Russian involvement being a question of time and asking why the pro-Syrian states where this silent and not active enough to make the "final blow".

You know what? Because the parties involved had different ideas and plans and where fighting for influence among themselves. There was the MB project (which will be denied today) which would have succeed if Morsi had remained in power and involved Egypt directly in Syria. Then you had KSA, Jordan, UAE who had other ideas and priorities (removing a pro-Iranian regime) while Turkey, Qatar and Morsi (the MB "bunch") wanted the MB to rule Syria. USA had their own priorities as well. Syrian opposition groups differed too. Many were not Islamists (in fact most) yet the Islamists gained the power like in similar uprisings that turn bloody. For instance in Tunisia you were lucky that the protests did not turn bloody in comparison (Ben Ali deserves credit here) which prevented radicals from gaining ground. Instead Islamists gained power by votes and you removed them again by vote. No big deal.

It's a mess indeed. However people who knew Syria could have predicted such a pattern. 40+ years of (firm grip) Ba'athi rule in Syria and all minorities being pro-Al-Assad by default due to the nature of the Syrian opposition, and you have a tough nut to crack. Add Russian involvement and Iranian Mullah involvement (Hezbollah) and 1000's upon 1000's of Shia militias from Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan (how many Hazaras were not killed in Syria - we are talking several 1000's) and it becomes a problem when you are lightly armed and have no air force or anything to protect yourself other than urban fighting or using ISIS like "battle tactics" (quick ambushes).

The biggest tragedy is that Al-Assad helped destroy Syria and that Syrians did not saw it coming. Putting your faith in the hands of foreigners (nation states moreover that only look for their own interests) should be a lesson for everyone. Change in such regimes (peacefully) can only occur from the top down. Not the bottom up. If it could, Syria would not be what it is today in 2018 but another Tunisia (success story in comparison).

That's what you get with a civil war... Allies/Enemies doesn't exist... It's an "Opportunist Driven conflict".
As for TN, It wasn't thx to Ben ALi... But to TN structural repression... It was a Police state, the Army had no power, no place in the oppression sys.
Police were police, they had simple handguns, shields /Stick and that's it... They were overrun in only few days.

Many don't know that, But because of Ben Ali departure from TN, That snipers were unleashed in TN... Were a group of armed group, made of Tunisians and Foreigners played cowboys on the Street... That fired at whoever may cross their path... That event went for few days, till Locals took that in their own hands + The Army + Police (the Paradox of this revo).

In the End, The Real Syrian Conflict has just begun, IMO... If this conflict keep following the steps of previous conflict in History...Then it's just the beginning...

Whatever side is winning this war must stop and that a good thing

The war will not stop... This conflict has just begun...
Yesterday it was a "local conflict"...nowadays it isn't... Too many sides invested in it... Too many death... It's like at the casino where you already lost Few hundred $... You lost too much... you just say" F*ck it, All in"...
The players involved are betting... for their "heads"... and Every player is "Internationally corned"... Each side need to win...

 

[Saif al-Arab]

That's what you get with a civil war... Allies/Enemies doesn't exist... It's an "Opportunist Driven conflict".
As for TN, It wasn't thx to Ben ALi... But to TN structural repression... It was a Police state, the Army had no power, no place in the oppression sys.
Police were police, they had simple handguns, shields /Stick and that's it... They were overrun in only few days.

Many don't know that, But because of Ben Ali departure from TN, That snipers were unleashed in TN... Were a group of armed group, made of Tunisians and Foreigners played cowboys on the Street... That fired at whoever may cross their path... That event went for few days, till Locals took that in their own hands + The Army + Police (the Paradox of this revo).

In the End, The Real Syrian Conflict has just begun, IMO... If this conflict keep following the steps of previous conflict in History...Then it's just the beginning...

Sure, Tunisia was never as militaristic as Syria (Ba'ath model was totally different, since Ba'athist's gained power due to the military, so military down), however he could have copied the Syrian or Iraqi model which he did not do. That deserves some kind of credit even though he probably did not mean to do so, lol, if he could stay in power longer.

It's hard to imagine things turning worse and I actually thing that we have seen the worst (for now). Just like in Iraq. 2006-2008 was actually worse than 2014-2017 actually which many forget.

But climate changes will be the real war and wars for water that will cripple much of the world. Hopefully we are long dead when that happens because it will be ugly. Really ugly. Unless humans begin to invest billions of dollars in science and technology rather than weapons and useless endeavors.

Whatever side is winning this war must stop and that a good thing

Sadly too late now. It should have been done in the beginning. The first few weeks/months. It did not happen and the Al-Assad regime (Ba'athi stronghold ideology) is to blame here. No genuine reforms took place either. Al-Assad might win the actual battles of the war but he already lost the war. Syria and the Syrian people (first of all) lost the war. Now fate wanted it so that even his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. The irony.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

No Tourist will ever go there in the first place...Even Syrian under Regime rule wouldn't...
That cityis in ruins... The Mosque and the Castle too... There is nothing to see, but Destruction...

The last Time I heard something about Aleppo reconstruction, it was like 3-5Bil$ for reconstruction and 6-8 years...

If the conflict is frozen with a Russia Turkey deal, then tourists will go there en mass.

 

[SALMAN F]

Sure, Tunisia was never as militaristic as Syria (Ba'ath model was totally different, since Ba'athist's gained power due to the military, so military down), however he could have copied the Syrian or Iraqi model which he did not do. That deserves some kind of credit even though he probably did not mean to do so, lol, if he could stay in power longer.

It's hard to imagine things turning worse and I actually thing that we have seen the worst (for now). Just like in Iraq. 2006-2008 was actually worse than 2014-2017 actually which many forget.

But climate changes will be the real war and wars for water that will cripple much of the world. Hopefully we are long dead when that happens because it will be ugly. Really ugly. Unless humans begin to invest billions of dollars in science and technology rather than weapons and useless endeavors.



Sadly too late now. It should have been done in the beginning. The first few weeks/months. It did not happen and the Al-Assad regime (Ba'athi stronghold ideology) is to blame here. No genuine reforms took place either. Al-Assad might win the actual battles of the war but he already lost the war. Syria and the Syrian people (first of all) lost the war. Now fate wanted it so that even his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. The irony.

I remenber Saudis giving bashar money and called for dialogue between Assad and his people but the jihadi Islamists and ikhwanjies backed by Qatar and erdogan and also many opportunists didn't like it


KSA helped hafez before against the US sanctions in the 1980s

Bashar even though he is more liberal and opened like hafez but his father knew how to keep balance between the regional powers

After 2003 invasion of Iraq bashar faced many crisis include Lebanon after the hariri assassination and turkey from north israel from south west hafez had the pkk card against turkey while bashar had only Hezbollah card and amal movement and Hezbollah is more loyal to iran than to Syria, bashar was forced to let the Iranians and jihadis use Syria to support Hezbollah in Lebanon and the insurgents in Iraq otherwise he will face the fate of saddam Hussein's fate

He allowed the Iranians in Syria and signed many treates with them which hafez refused to do before

 

[Saif al-Arab]

I remenber Saudis giving bashar money and called for dialogue between Assad and his people but the jihadi Islamists and ikhwanjies backed by Qatar and erdogan and also many opportunists didn't like it


KSA helped hafez before against the US sanctions in the 1980s

Bashar even though he is more liberal and opened like hafez but his father knew how to keep balance between the regional powers

After 2003 invasion of Iraq bashar faced many crisis include Lebanon after the hariri assassination and turkey from north israel from south west hafez had the pkk card against turkey while bashar had only Hezbollah card and amal movement and Hezbollah is more loyal to iran than to Syria, bashar was forced to let the Iranians and jihadis use Syria to support Hezbollah in Lebanon and the insurgents in Iraq otherwise he will face the fate of saddam Hussein's fate

He allowed the Iranians in Syria and signed many treates with them which hafez refused to do before

KSA (as in House of Saud) was against the MB project from day 1.

1) Because it threatened their rule (potentially)

2) Because KSA and the society experienced first hand (due to giving asylum and sometimes even citizenship to MB members kicked out of Egypt and Syria next door in the 1960's and 1970's) which destroyed certain societal norms (as those people infiltrated all educational systems, university, schools, many became teachers) and mixed Hanbali (itself relatively conservative already) teachings with some pseudo-teachings (Qutbism) which is what has given rise to most Jihadi groups, including the likes of Al-Qaeda. Which even OBL diaries have admitted to. "Court clerics" are not followed by "revolutionists" as they are deemed to be "part of the old system" and "traitors to the rightful cause" and "Western agents" by default.

KSA had no real problem with the Al-Assad regime. People forget a few facts here.

1) KSA and Syria had great/cordial ties prior to 2011. Al-Assad opened KAUST prior to the civil war began and often met with King Abdullah.

2) House of Saud and Al-Assad members have even intermarried so there was/is a dynastic bond, lol.

3) Al-Assad regime even send troops to KSA during the Gulf War and where part of the anti-Iraq/Saddam coalition.

A year ago Syria, which always has aspired to a leadership role in Arab affairs, was isolated and resented by most of its neighbors. Now it has forged an alliance with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and has joined with Egypt in providing the bulk of the troops for a new Arab peacekeeping force in the Persian Gulf region.
​

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...yria-president-hafez-assad-peacekeeping-force

King Abdullah was against supporting militias anywhere and was always about "status quo". KS's policy was "defensive" and not where expansionist. Outside of the short-lived war (alongside Yemen) against Houthis back in 2009 and 2010.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Scorched_Earth

Also KSA was not as strong as today and had indigenous problems to deal with and changing the society after the Al-Qaeda uprisings between 2003-2006 which meant the end of the most radical clerics who post USSR-Afghan war were praising Jihadism against Americans in Iraq, against Russians in Chechnya, against Serbs in Bosnia, which also were against US presence in KSA and criticized it openly.

If you watch the "Path of Blood" documentary released last month you will notice terrorists fighting against US/Western expats in compounds in Riyadh and elsewhere ask security forces "we fought that you were with us" (as in being against US policies and presence) and "come and join us instead of serving the tyrants" (House of Saud).

Back then (under Khatami in Iran) KSA-Iran ties were not as bad (not so hostile, KSA even helped Iran during the Bam Earthquake that killed some 50.000 people if you remember some 15 years ago). Only post Iraq civil war in 2006-2008 and afterwards anti-Shia/Iran rhetorics among certain clerics emerged and vice versa (against Sunnis) from the other party. Later conflicts in Syria (especially) fueled this hostility online and policy wise.

@SALMAN F

Yes, indeed KSA helped Syria against US sanctions in the 1980's.

 

[timmy_area51]

syria was Hillary Clinton's affair . that's why DT wanted to put her in jail.

 

[Zhukov]

To be honest i am always so amazed at Arab world.
I mean these arabs are so proud of their ethnicity ehenever i talk to them from any arab country. Iraqis, Egyptians, Saudis, Syrians, Emiratis, Yemenis and so on.
And Yet they keep fighting each other.
I mean here in country like Pakistan we are all about our nationalist pride. We have multiple ethnicities which keep making so much trouble for us only nationalism binds us together. If we had a single ethnicity i cant imagine how united our country could have been.
But here we have Arabs.
Syria is a Pure Arab Nationalist State there is no identity of Syria Other then Arab Nationalism, Yet the people that hate Syria the most after Israelis and Turks are Arabs themselves, Jordanians, Saudis, Emiratis etc.
Get along mates. You should have defended Iraq and Libya when they fell for the sake of Arab Identity. Look at those countries now Surviving for existence playing in hands of foreigners.
Don't let Another Arab Nationalist Fall to these Foreign Vultures Put differences Aside.
A Strong Arab Unity is good for Middle East and for the World as a whole.

 

[Sineva]

If revolution succeeded, Syria would have made peace with Israel and got 100 F-16 paid for by American tax payers. History didn't turn out that way in this universe. Only in parallel universes.

Peace with israel and f16s?,lolololol,is that a joke?,did the libyans get this?

 

[Saif al-Arab]

To be honest i am always so amazed at Arab world.
I mean these arabs are so proud of their ethnicity ehenever i talk to them from any arab country. Iraqis, Egyptians, Saudis, Syrians, Emiratis, Yemenis and so on.
And Yet they keep fighting each other.
I mean here in country like Pakistan we are all about our nationalist pride. We have multiple ethnicities which keep making so much trouble for us only nationalism binds us together. If we had a single ethnicity i cant imagine how united our country could have been.
But here we have Arabs.
Syria is a Pure Arab Nationalist State there is no identity of Syria Other then Arab Nationalism, Yet the people that hate Syria the most after Israelis and Turks are Arabs themselves, Jordanians, Saudis, Emiratis etc.
Get along mates. You should have defended Iraq and Libya when they fell for the sake of Arab Identity. Look at those countries now Surviving for existence playing in hands of foreigners.
Don't let Another Arab Nationalist Fall to these Foreign Vultures Put differences Aside.
A Strong Arab Unity is good for Middle East and for the World as a whole.

I agree with your conclusion in your post but I question your actual knowledge about Arabs.

Do you speak Arabic, if I may ask?

Because some of your comments are rather absurd. No offense.

Syrians and Jordanians do not hate each other. Syrians and Saudi Arabians do not hate each other (rather the contrary) either. Iraqis and Syrians do not hate each other either. We share deep ancient history (since time began), genetic ties, tribal/clan ties, linguistic ties, religious ties, cultural ties etc. 1.5 million + Syrians live in KSA. Many Saudi Arabians have ancestral ties to what is modern-day Syria and obviously vice versa too.

It is easier to be united when you have 1 single country compared to 20 +. Yet I want to remind you of the fact that the Arab League was created before the freaking UN was and KSA and Syria were founding members, speaking about them.

It's harder to be united when the average Syrian (under Al-Assad if we are to be honest) has no political say. Or in KSA. Or in numerous other Arab countries.

Read post 36.

Anyway politics is a complicated thing. When Syrians are highly divided, how can you imagine all Arabs from day one to the last day parroting the Al-Assad line? It's impossible.

Not every Arab is all about the integrity of Syria and has a wish to have it preserved as more important than toppling Al-Assad. I personally, have no love lost for the Al-Assad regime. However I don't blame Syrians who want him gone at all costs or other Arabs. Or those Syrians who are pro Al-Assad because his rule has been good for them personally (take the average Syrian from Latakia).

What every sane Arab should hope for, every time there is a need for political changes/regime change, is for that to occur like it did in Tunisia or Yemen (initially). Relatively peacefully. Because no sane Arab or person in the world for that matter (I assume) is rejoicing over what happened in Syria and continues to happen.

 

[Zhukov]

I agree with your conclusion in your post but I question your actual knowledge about Arabs.

Do you speak Arabic, if I may ask?

Because some of your comments are rather absurd. No offense.

Syrians and Jordanians do not hate each other. Syrians and Saudi Arabians do not hate each other (rather the contrary) either. Iraqis and Syrians do not hate each other either. We share deep ancient history (since time began), genetic ties, tribal/clan ties, linguistic ties, religious ties, cultural ties etc. 1.5 million + Syrians live in KSA. Many Saudi Arabians have ancestral ties to what is modern-day Syria and obviously vice versa too.

It is easier to be united when you have 1 single country compared to 20 +. Yet I want to remind you that the Arab League was created before the UN was.

It's harder to be united when the average Syrian (under Al-Assad if we are to be honest) has no political say. Or in KSA. Or in numerous other Arab countries.

Read post 36 and 37.

No i Don't speak Arabic. All Knowledge i have about Arabs is from my Arab Friends from different forums and Social Media sites and my Friends and family living in Arab countries. I remember one of my Kuwaiti Friend always bad Mouthing Syrians that they are enemies, Something like low caste Arabs or something. They come to our country for work and they cause unrest and so on.
And most of Hardcore Religious Saudi friends keep Sectarian Issue above Arab identity when talking about Iraq or Syria. thats my personal experience. May be i am wrong you know better my Friend.
And the Geopolitics of Arab World is not very Confirming as well don't you think?. I mean Arab world is a formidable Force Financially and Militarily unmatched in this region. Even if not living like one country but still at least protect each other from foreign Forces.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

No i Don't speak Arabic. All Knowledge i have about Arabs is from my Arab Friends from different forums and Social Media sites and my Friends and family living in Arab countries. I remember one of my Kuwaiti Friend always bad Mouthing Syrians that they are enemies, Something like low caste Arabs or something. They come to our country for work and they cause unrest and so on.
And most of Hardcore Religious Saudi friends keep Sectarian Issue above Arab identity when talking about Iraq or Syria. thats my personal experience. May be i am wrong you know better my Friend.
And the Geopolitics of Arab World is not very Confirming as well don't you think?. I mean Arab world is a formidable Force Financially and Militarily unmatched in this region. Even if not living like one country but still at least protect each other from foreign Forces.

My friend, idiots are abound in this world, unfortunately, and that obviously includes Arabs. This Kuwaiti might have had such a view (Kuwaitis are known as the most conceited Arabs out there but once again one should never generalize) while a Syrian might have a similarly negative view about Kuwaitis despite likely never encountering one in his life.

In this social media day and age "online conflicts" can be fueled by the most idiotic things. PDF is a great example of this.

Yes, "hardcore religious". People who live and breath religion and their sect. It's the same story with a "hardcore religious" Iraqi Shia. Let say a "hardcore religious" Shammari Iraqi who is identical to his Saudi Arabian Shammari brethren (I don't know what your ethnicity is but imagine a Pashtun in Northwestern Pakistan hating the same tribe/clan member across the border in Afghanistan due to poltiics), he will put religion and politics above everything else.

The same "hardcore religious" Saudi Arabian will hate his own countryman with a different sect, ideology etc. Maybe the same guy hates other clans and tribes. Same with the "hardcore religious" Shia Iraqi. He probably will prefer a Shia Kuwaiti or Shia Saudi Arabian over an Iraqi nationalist (Sunni Arab) from say Mosul. He might even believe that everyone in Mosul is a terrorist. List is long.

Most people (vast majority) are not like that because if this was the case, especially in times like this in the Arab world and region/Muslim world/world in general with extreme positions developing, political in particular but not only, the situation would be 100 times worse.



Anyway looks like the SAA is advancing towards Jisr Al-Shughour.

 

[Saddam Hussein]

Any vids of that

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Any vids of that

Not seen any footage. Maybe Syrian State TV or some other Arabic channels are covering it but I have no access to a television currently.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027948654433370118

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027949132705685506

@OutOfAmmo

A good source to follow.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Land trips between KSA and Syria (through Jordan) have resumed.

Jordanian-Syrian (regime) relations also improved drastically in recent weeks/months.

I think Russian presence was for the better (politically) as it prevents and removes Mullah cancerous infiltration inside Syria. Not to say that Syrians won't accept the Mullah poison since there are hardly any Shias in Syria. Most Syrians are nationalistic Syrians and Arabs.

This will be crucial when reaching out again (regime to regime).