Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Nuts!

The Assads are trying to reclaim Syria one mass murder at a time, with mixed results. But at least they have a plan. Sooner or later, opposition groups will need to learn that relying solely on our people’s bravery and sense of defiance does not constitute a plan.

Tuesday October 18, 2011

Reports put today’s death toll at 15 protesters, including 5 in Bab Al-Sibaa Neighborhood in Homs City, 3 in the town of Qseir in the Homs Province, 5 in the town of Hraak in the Deraa/Hauran Province, and 2 in Deir Ezzor Province, including 1 in Deir Ezzor City and 1 in Albou Kamal City on the border with Iraq.

Meanwhile, the Assad killing machine spent the day carrying out sweep operations in the Damascene countryside in search of defectors, several clashes have been reported, but not exact casualty figures is currently available. The sweep, according to the Syrian Revolution General Commission, involved over 40,000 loyalist troops, and targeted the suburbs of Harasta, Moadamiyeh, Arbeen, Saqba, Hamouriyeh, Kafar Batna, Jisreen, Mdeirah, Misraba and other communities in Eastern Ghoutah.

Links
Syrian American Council demands action to stop assad’s increasing violence against civilians: “We urge the world community to use all means to protect Syrian civilians who are only seeking freedom, safety and dignity.”

The Assads are trying to reclaim Syria one mass murder at a time, with mixed results. But at least they have a plan. Sooner or later, opposition groups will need to learn that relying solely on our people’s bravery and sense of defiance does not constitute a plan. Neither does the acquisition of that coveted prize that is international recognition, which seems to be the sole preoccupation of the leadership of the Syrian National Council at this stage, when they are not wrangling over names that is, because, yes, that is still very much an ongoing thing. For the SNC at this stage is like a multi-headed squirrel, with the different heads going after each other’s nuts, if they could find them. Pun most definitely intended.

Meanwhile, the Assads don’t seem to be running out of “nuts” who are willing to kill in their name and for their sake, or of the bullets and tank shells needed for that. And the question facing us is: how long will our people’s supply of willpower and sheer foolhardiness last? Time is an amoral process, and is not necessarily on the side of the good and the just, it’s on the side of the organized and of those who have a plan, no matter how crude. We’re running out of time. We need a vision and a plan NOW.

The Assad killing machine shelled its way into the town of Hraak in the Deraa/Hauran Province http://youtu.be/U4AVoC0Nt6E , http://youtu.be/yX3rcqd6pvs , http://youtu.be/-2r2S7fP4AQ When unarmed protesters tried to stand up to Assad’s favorite engines of death http://youtu.be/GEpI-X8RIrg at least 5 of them were killed http://youtu.be/AhBXfkG3oOQ , http://youtu.be/wunG8WWYCZY A martyr and his grandmother http://youtu.be/ckUp9ASW8Ok

After the shelling of Hraak, people from nearby communities took to the streets to show their solidarity: Basr Al-Harir http://youtu.be/5xnlvy0KzUo Da’el http://youtu.be/F7Kk3m70Lx0 Ataman http://youtu.be/jcCYhzf6SSQ Nasseeb http://youtu.be/nOB3HIshO7E

Student demonstrations: Jassem http://youtu.be/wQrAORzIkTQ Basr Al-Harir http://youtu.be/SeHZRCVxc9A Jizah http://youtu.be/3zxFAPMc8pA

Other major demonstrations: Um Walad http://youtu.be/ETv4KmXLFT0 Nahteh http://youtu.be/zMjAGHA_ugY Ma’arabah http://youtu.be/CR7fU3IsS9Y Tseel “the people want international protection” http://youtu.be/jM2s6yOweDQ Ankhel http://youtu.be/wLPeFoAz0g4 Abtaa http://youtu.be/50xZQiv3GJE

In Homs City, a barrage of gunfire at dawn http://youtu.be/KH-bmm7JzXs ushered in tanks in Deir Baalbah http://youtu.be/MurwUWX101U In Bab Al-Sibaa, protester stand up to tanks http://youtu.be/wXL7RY-Pse4 which continue to roam through the neighborhood http://youtu.be/QhDPY50d1Pg In Karm Al-Zeitun, a tank take shots into the residential neighborhood http://youtu.be/rQCWo64kJL8

Bab Amr a martyr who died under torture http://youtu.be/p6dDjFNfbRE His funeral http://youtu.be/p2H5bKm04QY 2 martyrs rom Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/RsYhHgCMtHg Their funeral http://youtu.be/4VaArLYfAHM A funeral in Bab Dreib http://youtu.be/5O6vxaeWkDc for the activist Adnan Ghalioun http://youtu.be/NHHLpQHRv2E A sample of the shells used in Bab Al-Sibaa http://youtu.be/nGgu3UWDS1Y Assad loyalists spray the neighborhood with a strange gas that causes a burning sensation when people breeze it http://youtu.be/Q-5TMa9JcE4

Despite all this, people take to the streets at night: Bab Amr http://youtu.be/TJw95jLkqaM Wa’er http://youtu.be/Ug1SEFGTMi8  In Bab Houd, protesters carry a banner saying: “We’ve done our duty towards Palestine and Gaza, but Hamas let us down” http://youtu.be/OmCA8QY4TtU Ghoutah http://youtu.be/Nf1kMFl_bfM Jib Al-Jandali http://youtu.be/qFZORTL62rk Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/4xqmurLE5q4 , http://youtu.be/AUZ-TpaNX74 Qoussour http://youtu.be/HwgFTiFFRI8 Insha’aat http://youtu.be/dVE8E5HyfBM Bab Dreib http://youtu.be/vfcxfTigIhU Jouret Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/TcXUjJ8-JeQ Bayadah http://youtu.be/iOKKLs6d1eI

Student demonstrations: Shammas http://youtu.be/CQF3GiqQ22M

In the larger province, student protests took place in Houleh http://youtu.be/CHF52cVuRWE followed by a larger protest in the evening http://youtu.be/tr2LAvyQpsI In Tadmor (Palmyra) http://youtu.be/byi2IPqD_sg Qseir candlelight vigil http://youtu.be/4ddRQEt4pFo

In the capital of Idlib Province, Idlib City, a funeral took place for the local activist Yameen Harmoush http://youtu.be/83NIECKGtm4 , http://youtu.be/MaJ_bHMtjPk In Sameen, locals held a funeral http://youtu.be/ATDJwPrVRp4 for the local revolutionary singer felled on October 17 http://youtu.be/0Ost5Zoa8VI Later, the town observes a general strike http://youtu.be/kkG8zprCikQ and at night, the people gathered near the martyr’s home http://youtu.be/AE_jekbqDes

Student demonstrations took part in many communities: Kafar Nabbel http://youtu.be/8Ks3xk-eyek Idlib City http://youtu.be/6BZVRzM4zqc Ma’arrat Hourmah http://youtu.be/yHj8yrMiqKk Haass http://youtu.be/XceSXz7rHms Ma’arrat Al-Nouman http://youtu.be/SJkQ8A4Oczg Sinjar http://youtu.be/RYDcuNp9Du8

Other major demonstrations: Binnish http://youtu.be/OOhFBf_JbJ0 (night) http://youtu.be/DgTTLQX1TSU Idlib City (night) http://youtu.be/j6kyU4CkvDk Kafroumah http://youtu.be/wsC9x_5e3ao Hbeit http://youtu.be/sby7T5XQ6nc In Ma’arrat Masreen, protesters carry a banner demanding the execution of the President and rejecting dialog http://youtu.be/LBh64alHhZk Heesh http://youtu.be/3v816y3YwfU

In Damascus City, protests took place in Assaly http://youtu.be/wAOJJZNUU9c Security forces take over Saqba http://youtu.be/WfLccC0U354 , http://youtu.be/gCkE_Q-5kRc Zamalka http://youtu.be/T9XN0odqBys Harasta Banner says: “the only thing your escalation will facilitate is your demise” http://youtu.be/V0Qe0fx2F-g But Assad’s loyalist militias soon invade the Suburb http://youtu.be/ukks9ifrgjc , http://youtu.be/Q-rlKjG5LZs Zabadani http://youtu.be/OSx5yrJ_8fE

Student demonstration: Douma student mutiny in a local high school “One way or another, we will bury you underground Bashar” http://youtu.be/K8G1VFKQvYA Barzeh http://youtu.be/u_uJMD-i6d0 These kids from Moadamiyeh think the Assad’s army is a traitor. Who can blame them? Many of their fathers and older brothers are dead or in jail for their opinion http://youtu.be/eGKFFZAFk5M Daraya http://youtu.be/YtPvfXidZws Harasta in the small alleys where loyalist militiamen are not present, students express their frustration http://youtu.be/hPjKqIfGyLk

In Deir Ezzor Province, demonstrations took place in Takaya Street in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/Ci2hHOEWBLY In nearby Qraya, students held an after-school demonstration http://youtu.be/H--AKtvBvDI Albou Kamal a funeral for a local activist http://youtu.be/LCfwwRMuFeE Mayadeen http://youtu.be/abpwDmtkeMY

This newly leaked video shows the destruction of the minaret of the Othman Mosque in Deir Ezzor City from the perspective of the people who did it: Assad loyalist militias http://youtu.be/awfuOO_cMT0 Assad had claimed at the time that the minaret was dynamited by terrorists, saying “I am a military man I know the difference,” he said.

In the province of Hassakeh, protests took place in the Kurdish city of Qamishly http://youtu.be/JFt_PMFQVYs Amoudeh http://youtu.be/iow6UdQvDLU Ras Al-Ain http://youtu.be/dMCXBV9_5s8

In Aleppo Province, demonstration took place in the besieged community of Anadan where protesters carried a sign saluting the Free Syria Army, especially the two brigades allocated to Aleppo: Al-Ababeel and Al-Houriyeh http://youtu.be/165nv0YqzsM

Baniyas students from a local girls’ school organize an after-school demonstration http://youtu.be/FSMGGdFIDE4

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