Coming February 6, 2024 . . .
MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop
Coming February 6, 2024 . . . MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE by Michael Wolraich Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop |
By Julian Borger and Peter Beaumont, The Guardian, 23 Feb. 2012
The UN has accused the Syrian regime of "crimes against humanity" – including the use of snipers against small children – and has drawn up a list of senior officials who should face investigation, reportedly including President Bashar al-Assad. [....]
The UN report found evidence that "army snipers and Shabbiha gunmen [from pro-Assad militias] posted at strategic points terrorised the population, targeting and killing small children, women and other unarmed civilians. Fragmentation mortar bombs were also fired into densely populated neighbourhoods."
It said: "Security agencies continued to systematically arrest wounded patients in state hospitals and to interrogate them, often using torture, about their supposed participation in opposition demonstrations or armed activities."
The list of Syrian regime officials claimed to be involved in the crackdown will remain sealed until the alleged crimes can be investigated by an international human rights court [....]
Also, from the United Nations News Service, see:
23 February 2012 – The United Nations and the League of Arab States announced this evening that they have appointed the former UN chief Kofi Annan as their Joint Special Envoy to deal with the crisis in Syria, where thousands of people have been killed as a result of the Government’s ongoing crackdown against a pro-democracy uprising [.....]
Comments
The article also has good poop on attempts at discussion by Medvedev with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of Iraq, as well as analysis of how Russia has approached the Friends of Syria group, what Russia may be thinking as regards US involvement, and what Bhadrakumar is thinking as to possible US involvement
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 12:20am
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 8:24pm
The Alawite have put their foot down on the Muslim Brotherhood before and not just once. And the place where the most brutal things are happening now is the same place the killing happened before.
I suspect a trend is at work.
by moat on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 9:36pm
Re: Have put their foot down before
To use Yogi Berra's dejas vus allover again is understatement
I suspect a trend is at work.
In general, I see Sunni vs, shall we say, the more "arrogant" Shia groups going: mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Allover the place, from Kings of Saudi Arabia to Sunni rebels in Iraq. That's not to imply or predict anything substantial is going to happen from the "mad as hell". Except maybe putting Hezbollah in a place it wasn't before, and more repression of Shia in north SA and Bahrain without much sympathy from the Ummah. But I'm no fortune teller.
You?
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 8:25pm
I wouldn't bet more than a six pack on anything that happens in (or because of) Syria in the coming year.
I am willing to observe that a lot of connections the Assads have used over the years to play off one set of enemies against another are becoming unraveled.
The sectarian divides are entangled by other lines of interest. The Saudis and other members of the Arab League didn't have a problem with Syria putting the hurt on their fellow Sunnis back in the day because the Brotherhood views those regimes as puppets and overseers of foreign powers. At the same time, the League (and especially Syria) was a place where Hezbollah and Hamas could agree on fighting against Israel together even though they are sharply divided by sect and manifold national identities. So when Assad scoffs at the Arab League's calls for moderation he is not just expressing anger and dismay (like when Saudi Arabia objected to being called "half-men" by Assad for not backing up Hezbollah in the last skirmish with Israel), Assad is cancelling his membership card by saying: " I won't be schooled by monarchs and dictators on the proper role of democracy in society."
As the last bastion of the Baath, Syria absorbed a huge number of Iraqis after we invaded and deposed Hussein. There are reports of Assad moving against the "al qaeda" influence of that group but very little (i can find) is said about what is happening to the Iraqi Baathist remnants during the present crackdown. Around 2006, Assad stopped playing the host who would treat them as Arab brothers and started seeing them as another part of his problem with Iraq. This element plays a part in Hamas denouncing Assad in Egypt because the military in Egypt is also a part of what is left of the Baath network. It looks like whatever deal the Brotherhood and Egypt's regime had about not talking about that sort of thing has come to an end.
And then there is Turkey and the shared problem with restless Kurds. Assad could count upon them in the past to stay out of his maneuvers but those times are over with prejudice.
Let's see, who still loves Syria? Oh right, Russia and one quarter of Iran. Maybe.
by moat on Sun, 02/26/2012 - 4:58pm
by artappraiser on Sun, 02/26/2012 - 4:37am