Quote:
Originally Posted by tony20009
OK...well let me ask you. Based on what you've read about Assad, do you think he's benevolent?
Here are some facts: http://www.biography.com/people/bash...0878575?page=1 (Some are listed below.)
- Assad promised human rights reform, not much has changed he took office.
- He successfully suppressed internal dissention.
- In 2006, he expanded the use of travel bans against dissidents, preventing many from entering or leaving the country.
- In 2007, the Syrian Parliament passed a law requiring all comments on chat forums to be posted publicly.
- In 2008, and again in 2011, social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook were blocked.
- Human rights groups have reported that political opponents of Bashar al-Assad are routinely tortured, imprisoned and killed.
- In the Fall of 2011, many countries called for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation and the Arab League suspended Syria.
- In January 2012, the Reuters News Agency reported that more than 5,000 civilians had been killed by the Syrian militia
Protests began in Syria on January 26, 2011, demanding political reforms, a reinstatement of civil rights and an end to the state of emergency, which had been in place since 1963. |
Tony, that's a good detailed list, but I ask you, there is no 'perfect' government or state in the world - one doesn't exist. For much of your list above, I could substitute the name Assad for a lot of western leaders and the name Syria for a lot of western countries,...
- Assad promised human rights reform, not much has changed he took office.
Guantanamo Bay still holds prisoners despite Obama promising to close it down.
- He successfully suppressed internal dissention.
Surely all governments do that to a lesser or greater extent.
- In 2006, he expanded the use of travel bans against dissidents, preventing many from entering or leaving the country.
Travel bans are quite normal in western society.
- In 2007, the Syrian Parliament passed a law requiring all comments on chat forums to be posted publicly.
- In 2008, and again in 2011, social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook were blocked.
Ok, so the US lets its citizens believe they are posting anonymously but secretly spies them anyway.
- Human rights groups have reported that political opponents of Bashar al-Assad are routinely tortured, imprisoned and killed.
Bradley (Chelsea) Manning?
- In the Fall of 2011, many countries called for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation and the Arab League suspended Syria.
I suspect the Arab League is thought of in Syria the same way the US thinks of the United Nations
- In January 2012, the Reuters News Agency reported that more than 5,000 civilians had been killed by the Syrian militia
On searching, I found this quote, "The UN estimates more than 5,000 Syrians have been killed in the past 10 months."
Not welcome at all, but as I stated previously, they are in a civil war and in wars people usually get killed. Of the 5,000 people killed, some of these will have been at the hands of the opposition - it's not all one-way.