A woman and a child walk by graffitti praising Allah and the Syrian revolution in Aleppo. March 24, 2013. Photo by AFP
Posted on 03/24/2013 3:33:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
In the first meeting of its kind by Alawites who support the revolt, delegates distanced themselves from Assad's crackdown against an uprising in which 70,000 people have been killed.
"We call on our brothers in the Syrian army, specifically members of our sect, not to take up arms against their people and to refuse to join the army," the delegates said in a statement after two days of meeting in the Egyptian capital.
Alawite domination of the officer army corp is one of the pillars of Assad's control."The Syrian regime is not an Alawite sectarian regime ... the Alawite sect was and is being held hostage by the regime," said the statement, which was read out by Alawite activist Tawfiq Dunia.
"One of the goals of the Syrian revolution is to restore the national identity and free the Alawite sect from the family of the ruling regime," the statement said.
A government crackdown has sparked a mostly Sunni Islamist insurgency that is leading some Alawites to fear they have no future without Assad. Alawites are an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam that make up about 10 percent of Syria's population.
Assad has said he is fighting a foreign-backed conspiracy to divide Syria, describing the rebels as Islamist terrorists.
The Cairo meeting, which called for a democratic Syria representing all political groups and sects, was also attended by Sunni and other opposition activists.
"What is important is that all Syrians unite regardless of their sect," Samir Aita, a prominent economist and member of the Syrian Democratic Forum, told Reuters on the sidelines of the conference.
On Sunday, the head of the main Syrian opposition group, Moaz Alkhatib, resigned in a blow to the diminishing moderate wing of the two-year revolt.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
A woman and a child walk by graffitti praising Allah and the Syrian revolution in Aleppo. March 24, 2013. Photo by AFP
After his defeat by Alexander, the King of Persia was deposed by a relative, stabbed, and left to die.
Assad lashes out after death of leading Syrian cleric and key Sunni ally
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2013/0322/Assad-lashes-out-after-death-of-leading-Syrian-cleric-and-key-Sunni-ally
Arab League gives Syrian seat to opposition
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/arab-league-gives-syrian-seat-to-opposition-346346
Why Obama Won’t Move Against Assad
He fears angering Iran.
3:05 PM, MAR 22, 2013 • By Lee Smith
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/why-obama-wont-move-against-assad_708817.html
The end game is here, things are going to unravel fast.
So we’ve promised to back them.
Assad’s Fellow Alawites Turn on Him
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/166545
Members of Syrian leader’s sect form opposition group to sway support from Assad to rebels
by Aya Batrawy
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/world/Members+Syrian+leaders+sect+form+opposition+group+sway/8145594/story.html
Syria’s Alawites deny full loyalty to Assad in Cairo conference
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/67586/World/Region/Syrias-Alawites-deny-full-loyalty-to-Assad-in-Cair.aspx
I flew secret missions carrying cash and weapons into Syria for Assad, pilot reveals
A former Syrian army cargo pilot has revealed how he flew secret missions for the regime of Bashar al-Assad to carry cash and weapons into the country in the face of international sanctions.
By Nigel Wilson, Amman
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9949957/I-flew-secret-missions-carrying-cash-and-weapons-into-Syria-for-Assad-pilot-reveals.html
Damascus and about 10 other Syrian cities = smoking heaps.
Or glass, I’m fine with either.
US policy has been (perhaps deliberately) vague. Putting Kerry on the job to visit countries in the region (Iran, Shiite-ruled Iraq) to stop the supply lines, and having Zero spend a large amount of his accumulated vacation time (/jk) touring Israel and Jordan, puts pressure on Russia. The timing — right after backing down on US missile defense in eastern Europe — is no accident.
Otherwise, the Islamics take over, and we’ll have to listen to how women and minorities are hardest hit.
First we got to get the jihadis all in one place. Or ten places.
There will be a certain satisfaction watching Assad go, especially since he so closely aligned himself with Iran. Unfortunately, what follows will probably be governance by Islamic radicals (terrorists). As the "rebels" gain territory they've been imposing Islamic law and it ain't pretty. Many of the modern, less radical people that once supported the rebels have abandoned them and are almost stuck supporting Assad.
Also, do you think this was expected or unexpected by zero?
if Alawites who support the revolt think the rebels will welcome them when the rebels win they are as american jews believing obama supports israel.
These are probably recent exiles for the most part, and who could blame anyone for wanting to leave Syria anytime these past couple of years?
Isn’t he dead?
Assad’s mounted head will look great on Axelrod’s wall.
oh boy ... my translation of this is ... come on over here ... I'll tell you why later. Kind of like pelosi with, "we have to pass it to find out what is in it." oh boy, this is moving faster than I thought it ever could.
When the smart bombs hit, it’s Jihadi Disco — disgoes dis way, disgoes dat way.
Assad? Nothing confirmed that I am aware of. I think he's still alive.
Its is all over for Assad—he better flee fast or he will be dead within the next week. Russians better get out fast too. I fear this will be another nut bag Jihadist state in the making—a new Taliban dominated nation that Israel will have to clean up at some point.
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