Sunday, September 18, 2011

The Age of the Guillotine!

The Syrian Revolution is settling into a longer term- phenomenon, and people have to expect ups-and-downs in terms of its intensity levels and demonstrations size, even as the crackdown gets more and more violent and the daily death toll gets higher.

Saturday September 17, 2011

50+ protesters were killed on Friday in protests throughout the country in Idlib, Hama, Homs, Deraa/Hauran, Damascus and Deir Ezzor. There were also reports of mass arrests and mass defections in Deraa/Hauran, Deir Ezzor and a number of Damascene suburbs. On Saturday 9 more protesters were reported killed including 3 in the town of Khan Shaikhoon in the Idlib Province.

Links

The Guillotine

The Syrian Revolution is settling into a longer term- phenomenon, and people have to expect ups-and-downs in terms of its intensity levels and demonstrations size, even as the crackdown gets more and more violent and the daily death toll gets higher. If anything, the Syrian Revolution is being transformed into an actual revolution that carries with it the promise and willingness to replace the ancien regime in its entirety. The pragmatic longing of erstwhile days that would have settled for a Tunisian or an Egyptian scenario are gone forever. Those who would endorse such scenarios and those who agree to dialog with the regime will from now on be looked on as traitors. Those who would try to ride the wave and appoint themselves as trustees over the revolution will soon be spit out or trampled underfoot. For now we enter the radical phase. Ideologies will soon flourish, and compromises will be harder to reach, even between the revolutionaries, pragmatism is now more necessary and harder to attain. This might prolong the life of the regime only to seal its fate in a more dramatic if not violent manner when the moment comes. The Rule of Guillotine, figuratively and perhaps not so figuratively, is fast approaching.     

An Interesting Gaffe

"The revolution in Syria is still on the fringes," said Imad Moustapha, Damascus's representative to Washington. "It has not touched most of Syria… It's in the mosques and the small towns."

I think this constitutes the first official confirmation by an Assad apparatchik that an actual “revolution” is underway in the country. And when Assad’s official representative in Washington D.C. is willing to go on record on this, the phenomenon must be too big to deny.

Congress & the Syrian Revolution 

CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS – FOREIGN POLICY (Sept. 16, 2011 – 8:37 p.m.)
Momentum Wanes for Strong Legislative Response to Situation in Syria
By Emily Cadei, CQ Staff (link unavailable, because CQ.com requires subscription)

“The anti-government protests in «Syria» appear to be losing momentum, and so do lawmakers’ efforts to increase pressure on Syria’s government. Both houses of Congress have introduced legislation that would tighten sanctions against the Syrian regime. The Senate also has a resolution (S Res 180) pending that expresses support for peaceful protests in «Syria» and condemns the human rights violations being committed by autocrat Bashar al-Assad’s regime. But the resolution has been held up for more than four months by Rand Paul, R-Ky., as Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., revealed last week.”

We understand the pressures Congress is under and the concerns of some that resolutions might pave the way for intervention, but the situation on the ground in Syria is worsening by the day and Congressional resolution might actually give the Obama Administration more tools to circumvent the need for direct intervention. Don’t punish the Syrian population for the way the Libyan situation was handled, especially seeing that we have already been punished for the way the Iraq situation was handled.

Update on Councilmania

The Antalya Group officially withdrew from the recently National Council, sighting domination by one political current (Islamist) and failure to represent the true diversity of the Syrian people. Reports also suggest that the Muslim Brotherhood itself will also withdraw in the coming days, despite the fact that some of its members have already taken place in the Council and are unlikely to withdraw, a development that points to anew split in the group. Damascus Declaration leaders inside Syria have not yet enunciated their position, and the Local Coordination Committees are divided over the matter, and a decision that does not reflect a consensus inside the group could cause further splits in an already fragile institution. The opposition is successfully exporting its divisions and divisiveness to the protesters. This has been its one and only success over the last few months.

More Defections

Homs – Bab Houd dozens of soldiers defect after receiving orders to fire at unarmed protesters http://youtu.be/hubUSebxvJs The town of Basr Al-Harir in Deraa/Hauran had also witnessed some defections on Friday as a result of the bloody raid that left 6 dead http://youtu.be/2QTA4jd1IVY In Douma defectors protected protesters from pro-Assad militias, protesters can be heard hailing the defectors who can be seen shooting in the opposite direction, that is, away from protesters (min 7) http://youtu.be/dI1fWyJA36A While some defects, others torture (Idlib – Kafroumeh) http://youtu.be/pnYTsGUWKUg

HOMS

Homs City – Saturday – Daytime
Bayadeh a funeral http://youtu.be/rXJ76cmrymU Baba Amr a children’s demonstration “No studying, no teaching, until the President falls” http://youtu.be/GSj8kYLaiFk , http://youtu.be/8mFgJHqTNGk

Homs City – Saturday – Nighttime

Homs City – Friday – Daytime

Homs City – Friday – Nighttime

Homs Province – Saturday – Nighttime

Homs Province – Friday – Daytime

DAMASCUS

Saturday – Daytime
Douma thousands take part in mourning for 2 Friday martyrs http://youtu.be/VvlabyDVD-A , http://youtu.be/UG4hnV0LF2Y protesters clash with security as one teenager is arrested http://youtu.be/9yjWaL4NeJI , http://youtu.be/7xDeLgrO-DU Qaboun http://youtu.be/wR3A5xDgfQ4 , http://youtu.be/C8sd5zHIRn4

Saturday – Nighttime

Friday – Daytime
Douma thousands take to the streets http://youtu.be/ohu2LSpji9c protesters burn the Russian flag http://youtu.be/X4bN0HvL5MI the usual confrontation between protesters and pro-Assad militias take place soon after http://youtu.be/Ed2sDBacuos protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/UJARBIeMWZE Targeting the cameraman http://youtu.be/Hi-fjMk9Y30 The martyr Subhi Zrarah http://youtu.be/eSHedugv0rA The martyr Mouhanad Al-Natour http://youtu.be/5hHzgkRG3E0 Daraya worshippers come under fire in the Al-Farres Mosque http://youtu.be/JundHT2INYs


Friday – Nighttime

IDLIB

Saturday – Daytime
Tanks and gunfire in Khan Shaikhoon http://youtu.be/OqdjQsQdntc Jabal Al-Zawiyeh - Joseph mourners taken an oath to go forward with the revolution as they bury their dead http://youtu.be/nlZXySCKD9c the funeral http://youtu.be/z2eQrbYITxY , http://youtu.be/xlLPgPjWIEw , http://youtu.be/DpNZ44C6oF0 Ihsem troops and tanks just passing through http://youtu.be/i0Y9VmySYao , http://youtu.be/m5ELxAWudP4 Thousands take to the streets in Jarjanaz http://youtu.be/wLIix4bCf-Q , http://youtu.be/yi18dBBanDY

Saturday – Nighttime
Jabal Al-Zawieyh – Sarjeh burying 2 martyrs http://youtu.be/3ngl8TwuxCs Hzano http://youtu.be/-m40Enr_gfs Saraqib http://youtu.be/JwC_vNfV7G4

Friday – Daytime
Jabal Al-Zawiyeh – Abdita a martyr http://youtu.be/SZloBiWaG28 Jabal Al-Zawiyeh - Kinsafrah martyr and mother http://youtu.be/RIVE5IT6fGs The funeral http://youtu.be/IM7-S6gczAA


Thousands demonstrate in Sarmeen calling for the freedom and safety of Lt. Col. Hussain Harmoush http://youtu.be/2ZcjEZivMqI coming face to face army troops http://youtu.be/GslH5lRkpxQ , http://youtu.be/LbW0wZjRnmo Binnish http://youtu.be/wrQu8e-YEF8 Jarjanaz http://youtu.be/hQxiYWyFXQ4 Taftanaz http://youtu.be/MYbWZ3uUpxw , http://youtu.be/cUvKBy0HP24 Khan Al-Subul http://youtu.be/KjnEzh42M58 Khan Shaikhoon http://youtu.be/wGDb-QVOrgk Kafar Takhareem http://youtu.be/jP7yI_WNdAA , http://youtu.be/OjJLCq-H_R4 M’arr Tamsareen http://youtu.be/lrRElwGuMtw Khan Shaikhoon http://youtu.be/rE5kquPb-A8 , http://youtu.be/9JeZRkRaPCA Kafroumah http://youtu.be/54c1hu_cX04 , http://youtu.be/Vkp4wb4rEWg Telmans http://youtu.be/2EMim8FJrss Kafar Nabbel Indeed, it’s not fair that Medvedev can prevent the world from saving us http://youtu.be/Qp2Vqcki1is M’arrat Al-Nouman http://youtu.be/UYTKTKk7LP4 Saraqib http://youtu.be/x3LS0qczuIs

Friday – Nighttime

DERAA/HAURAN

Saturday – Daytime
Basr Al-Harir locals confront security officers with stones http://youtu.be/nH1bbZHrk3E the martyr Alyan Al-Hariri http://youtu.be/wI-s75cxPS0 the martyr Abdelbassit Al-Hariri http://youtu.be/wvLLncniCHQ the martyr Ali Ahmad Hanout Al-Hariri http://youtu.be/JiUfl9h-xtY the martyr Hassan Youssef Al-Hairri http://youtu.be/bQ_0kPb3lYU Khirbet Ghazali locals challenge troops and taunt them by shouting “the Syrian army is a traitor” http://youtu.be/iIHQ5dgrvo8 

Nahteh http://youtu.be/wVCT1gaXHqk Sanamein observes a strike in mourning http://youtu.be/h6B8CpOAR7s After holding a funeral for Friday’s martyrs http://youtu.be/eENsS5duTPE , http://youtu.be/b7GSQZNnAE0 Sourah http://youtu.be/7rBV7PT394A Deraa City all women protest http://youtu.be/kFtrKqlofUg Da’el tanks in the city http://youtu.be/ZfCoZqK3Zm4

Saturday – Nighttime

Friday – Daytime
Harrah Army troops open fire on protesters http://youtu.be/Yx63DTF5jCE Basr Al-Harir stormed http://youtu.be/7n0o2lOhtns tanks move in http://youtu.be/g96mSkUUna4 leading to defections by some troops in their armored vehicle http://youtu.be/fws0clC8pc8 Sanamein stamp on poster of the Assads and burn the Russian flag http://youtu.be/TCJr3jXjCnI then they come under heavy fire http://youtu.be/ASiggkGROqg the child Ibrahim Al-Farrouh hit by a sniper http://youtu.be/WkWrxfxGFKQ The martyr, Ahmad Adnan Nassar http://youtu.be/KUseDv6zxvk Mseifrah protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/7isCIJfwADU their protest was peaceful as usual http://youtu.be/uSR2V2P5eC4 Tseel protesters come under heavy fire http://youtu.be/cooVc2nsYN4   the martyr Ahmad Ouaidat http://youtu.be/eKWSWtN4_-I protesters respond by throwing stones http://youtu.be/eOysKJ9mJAc a wounded http://youtu.be/bj0h6icDi-g

Khirbet Ghazali locals hoist a large flag between 2 minarets with the word Freedom http://youtu.be/WSiEiBnLJXA , http://youtu.be/uo61ztV60mQ snipers firing at protesters from top of the local mosque http://youtu.be/ucWUbO06VzY , http://youtu.be/_ifKEmcjOW4 , http://youtu.be/oFGSeNw6q4k and here they are taking up positions around the mosque http://youtu.be/12egrFG9oEA using tear gas http://youtu.be/_gNxRIKTJf0 roaming the streets picking targets http://youtu.be/gb_tquzGA8Q , http://youtu.be/ISO9wimVMXs as their targets try to evade them http://youtu.be/RNcZEiVHzbY , http://youtu.be/x62q8X6mhI8 and finally bringing down the flag http://youtu.be/B-9rkTw22u8 , http://youtu.be/cGZlZV6eCzw the wounded http://youtu.be/EmRWm1IrkSw


Friday – Nighttime

ALEPPO

Friday – Daytime

Friday – Nighttime

DEIR EZZOR

Saturday – Nighttime

Friday – Daytime

ELSEWHERE

Hassakeh – Amoudeh Friday (daytime) http://youtu.be/mvoISs7DxXs Qamishly http://youtu.be/Q2MVUPYZZKM , http://youtu.be/TnBn8XBQKYU

Lattakia – Jableh – Sturday (Nighttime) http://youtu.be/ixyEljgOCAQ

Hama – Friday (daytime): Sauran http://youtu.be/dkVpFG1ITTw Ellatamneh http://youtu.be/AaFlorI-HkI Kafar Zita http://youtu.be/Nkvlq0muaV0 Karnaz http://youtu.be/SP4f3Z6561E Madeeq “death to Bashar Al-Assad” http://youtu.be/KAA0BWtS6a0 Taybat Al-Imam http://youtu.be/Jj-xIe4TYyg Hama City (Taweel) http://youtu.be/7W4QbjES-Wk

Suweidah – Shahbah – Friday (Nighttime) http://youtu.be/AYdEnPbnL9I

Palestine – Al-Nassirah – Friday Palestinian demonstrate in support of their Syrian counterparts http://youtu.be/6qmL3uk86xo

Turkey – Refugee Camp – Friday (daytime) http://youtu.be/ka4a1d79cak

No comments:

Post a Comment