Tag: syria

The Lies We Tell

A recent report in the London Telegraph is emblematic of the lies Washington tells, and the means by which they give these lies circulation: “Despite mounting fury from the Syrian rebels, who are seeking assistance for their efforts to overthrow the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, the White House has refused all requests for heavy weapons … Continue reading “The Lies We Tell”

Tall Tales in Tremseh

For what seems like months we have been inundated with reports of “massacres” carried out by Syrian government troops against defenseless villagers. The sourcing for these reports is always Syrian “activists,” sometimes named but often not, and the details are always quite horrific: There was the “massacre” at Houla, touted by the BBC in a … Continue reading “Tall Tales in Tremseh”

Wars Have Unpredictable and Dangerous Collateral Effects

The recent bloodless (referring to American blood — the most important to U.S. policymakers) overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya has been touted as a low-cost model for future U.S. military interventions. The recent Libyan election is said to have vindicated America’s “leadership from the rear” strategy — supporting indigenous armies on the ground and … Continue reading “Wars Have Unpredictable and Dangerous Collateral Effects”

Shin Bet Arrests Israeli Druze at Syrian Border, Slaps Gag on Media Reporting

UPDATED HERE (7/3/12) The Syrian news service, SANA, reported on June 29 that Israel’s Shin Bet security service arrested Dr. Eyad Jamil al-Jawhari, a resident of the Golan village of Majdal Shams. Jawhari is completing medical studies inside Syria and was returning home via the Golan border crossing when he was arrested. His family, who … Continue reading “Shin Bet Arrests Israeli Druze at Syrian Border, Slaps Gag on Media Reporting”

Syria and the Phantom

What was that Turkish F-4 Phantom II up to when the Syrians shot it down? Ankara said the plane strayed into Syrian airspace but quickly left and was over international waters when it was attacked, a simple case of carelessness on the part of the Turkish pilot that Syrian paranoia turned deadly. But the Phantom … Continue reading “Syria and the Phantom”

Stay Out of Syria

The recent downing of a Turkish military aircraft by Syria is one indication that Turkey may now be more aggressively supporting the overthrow of the Assad regime. Although Turkey insists that its aircraft had accidentally entered Syrian airspace but was in international airspace when shot down, the Syrians claim that the aircraft was flying threateningly … Continue reading “Stay Out of Syria”

What Russia Fears in Syrian Conflict

Russia’s unyielding support for Damascus throughout the 16 months of Syria’s escalating crisis has earned Moscow strong condemnation from Washington and other Western governments, but the reasons for Russia’s implacable position have never been fully explained by Moscow or its critics. Washington’s latest tension with Russia over Syria came last week in a face-to-face meeting … Continue reading “What Russia Fears in Syrian Conflict”

The Evil of Humanitarian Wars

In a traditional cowboy movie, we know what to do: we look for the guy wearing the white hat to be sure whom to cheer, and for the one wearing the black hat to know who deserves to die, preferably gruesomely, before the credits roll. If Hollywood learned early to play on these most tribal … Continue reading “The Evil of Humanitarian Wars”

Has the Day of the Islamist Arrived?

Sixteen months after the United States abandoned its loyal satrap of 30 years, President Hosni Mubarak, to champion democracy in Egypt, the returns are in. Mohammed Mursi, candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, is president of Egypt, while the military has dissolved the elected parliament that was dominated by the Brotherhood and curbed his powers. The … Continue reading “Has the Day of the Islamist Arrived?”