Army Mutiny Spreads, Syrians Fear Massacre(Sunni troops defect)

OnIslam ^ | 06/07/11

[TigerLikesRooster]

Army Mutiny Spreads, Syrians Fear Massacre

OnIslam & News Agencies

Tuesday, 07 June 2011 13:45

Residents and activists say Jisr al-Shughur casualties followed a mutiny among forces sent to quell civilian protests.

DAMASCUS – Syrian anti-government protesters warned on Tuesday, June 7, of an expected massacre in the town of Jisr al-Shughur as a long line of military vehicles and enforcements moved towards the tiny town following reports of killing 120 police and army members yesterday.

"Thirteen military vehicles are heading to Jisr al-Shughur," where the alleged massacre took place, an activist in the northwestern town told Agence France Presse (AFP) by telephone.

According to Syrian officials, the new army enforcements headed to the town of Jisr al-Shughur after the authorities said 120 policemen were massacred there.

The death toll is the bloodiest in nearly 12 weeks of popular protests against President Bashar al-Assad's 11-year rule.

[TigerLikesRooster]

So is this shaping up to be 'Hama II' ?

Murderous Syrian regime vs murderous Muslim Brotherhood.

[dr_lew]

According to one thing I read, this was a massacre by government loyalists of defectors in the ranks. How does this fit with the current reports? Is the army moving to shore up the loyalists? That would be my guess.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think we are reaching a climax soon. The regime and its loyalist would close ranks and strike “hard.”

[nuconvert]

Why do you think Muslim Brotherhood is involved?

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Uh,duh,,I thought Obozo was going to save people from being killed en mass?

[TigerLikesRooster]

If Sunnis make up bulk of people rebelling against Assad regime, I suppose Muslim Brotherhood would involve itself in the unrest, even if not initially, don’t you think?

[nuconvert]

They could

[Mariner]

If this continues to escalate I would not be surprised to see Turkey intervene on the side of the rebels.

I know...I'm crazy.

Still, that's what I'm thinkin'.

[nuconvert]

“If this continues to escalate I would not be surprised to see Turkey intervene on the side of the rebels. I know...I’m crazy.”

Just thought I’d repeat that crazy part.

[Pining_4_TX]

I wish these folks would wear different colored tee shirts or something so I can tell who is on whose side. Why on earht are we over there in the midst of all this? Let these various tribal thugs keep knocking each other off. There are no good guys in these conflicts.

[Mariner]

"Just thought I’d repeat that crazy part."

I appreciate the boost.

But consider this: Turkey, the Saudi's and Iran are the only contenders for the Caliphate.

Turkey has the biggest and best military of the bunch and share a border and the Kurdish homeland with Syria (and Iraq). These 3 players has been the center of that civilization for longer than there was an Islam, though the Saudi's origins are with Islam.

They will not peacefully coexist forever.

Right now Turkey has the chance to prove itself "moderate Islam" in the yes of the world and to diminish Iran's standing throughout the region. They could do so with near impunity.

The ONLY question is why they DO NOT intervene.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Word is Assad has brought in a notorious merc group based in Jordan that belongs loosely to the Alawite tribe. They operate in plain clothes and have been responsible for the worst of the worst going on there recently, including the mutilation of that 13 year old boy. They pull up to houses in vans, bust the door down, torture and kill, and then make it appear as it was committed by say a rival faction or tribe.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Seems to me it’s time for artillery and tanks not death squads.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Turkey could be an interesting force here.

Erdogan is trying to make the country more muslim opposing Kemalism. But Turkey under Kemalism has prospered and grown and the citizens don't want to give that up.

Could get interesting and not in a good way.

[Justa]

I highly doubt the police were members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Very few protesters in these ME events are. It's akin to saying the Koch brothers were behind the Tea party movement.

Sometimes people are just angry with their government's economic policies.

[expatpat]

So what? Tyrannical activist groups have always tried (and often succeeded) to take over such disaffected movements. Can you say “Bolsheviks”, or “Nazis”?

[ZX12R]

I think I’ll arrange to have multiple tons of ammunition air dropped all over Syria, just in case either side runs out.

[Justa]

“So what? Tyrannical activist groups have always tried (and often succeeded) to take over such disaffected movements. Can you say “Bolsheviks”, or “Nazis”?”

Can you say “our freedoms were founded by revolutionaries against autocracy”?

[RightCenter]

The MB aren’t necessarily active in every country in the region. I don’t know if they have a branch or chapter present in Syria.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Muslim Brotherhood has had significant presence in Syria. So much that Assad regime banned it outright and its membership punishable by death. In '82, massive armed uprising by MB broke out in Hama. In the ensuing battle, 10K ~ 30K people were killed. Since then, it went underground.

This underground presence coupled with many sympathizers who have kept their head down may well come out in this uprising. Yes, Assad regime is brutal state sponsor of terror, and many people inside Syria are enraged by the regime. It has been actively developing nuke program in cooperation with N. Korea, and Israeli bombed its nuclear installation(most likely nuclear reactor building according to N. Korean spec.)

However, it also has brutal Muslim Brotherhood. All I am saying is that things may not turn out as positive as we hope. If Assad regime and Muslim Brotherhood both weaken due to this bloody conflict, that would be a positive development.

When passion runs high and blood flows, people become very extreme and Muslim Brotherhood fits nicely with such an atmosphere.