Thoughts on the situation in Syria?

[MesaBeno]

When this whole thing started as an innocent faction of the population fighting to topple an unjust leader, I was all for intervention to stop Assad from killing his own people...unfortunately, the world's hesitation gave Assad enough time for his lame excuses to turn into a frightening, albeit very real situation.

Since the beginning, Assad referred to the rebels as "terrorists". While that may have once been nonsense, it's now a sad reality. My stance has now changed because of this. As much as I hate to see a guy like Assad stay in power after what he's done, the alternative is actually worse. Islamic Jihadists have hijacked this conflict, and completely changed the dynamic of it. Now, it is in everybody's best interest for Assad to maintain power against these extremists.

Until the moderates and secularist groups have enough influence to themselves fight against the extremism, I think what's best for Syria and Syrians is for Assad to stay in power...Putin and Assad came out looking like heroes because the West stood by and did nothing.

 

[Xaios]

When this whole thing started as an innocent faction of the population fighting to topple an unjust leader, I was all for intervention to stop Assad from killing his own people...unfortunately, the world's hesitation gave Assad enough time for his lame excuses to turn into a frightening, albeit very real situation.

Since the beginning, Assad referred to the rebels as "terrorists". While that may have once been nonsense, it's now a sad reality. My stance has now changed because of this. As much as I hate to see a guy like Assad stay in power after what he's done, the alternative is actually worse. Islamic Jihadists have hijacked this conflict, and completely changed the dynamic of it. Now, it is in everybody's best interest for Assad to maintain power against these extremists.

Until the moderates and secularist groups have enough influence to themselves fight against the extremism, I think what's best for Syria and Syrians is for Assad to stay in power...Putin and Assad came out looking like heroes because the West stood by and did nothing.

Agreed. As soon as I heard about Al Queda being involved with the rebels, I knew that we were heading down a bad road. It seems to be a recurring problem with the Arab Spring, movements that were initiated by moderates to end oppression end up getting co-opted by extremists, only making things worse a lot of the time. And because the West is understandably gun-shy after Iraq, especially given Russia's continued involvement with Syria, the window of opportunity to rectify the situation seems to have passed. At this point, no one wins.

 

[MesaBeno]

Seriously dude, they have some political influence in the US on the Christian Conservative right - the loony part of the Republican party included. It's the whole "god calling the Jews back to the holy land before the apocalypse can happen" thing.

Christian Zionism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dispensationalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seriously weird stuff, and if you factor it in to US's foreign relations it's scary too. Some of these guys WANT a full-scale meltdown in the middle east (although may not out and out admit it, a few do!), and they have a powerful lobby.

Main reason why Israel exists as it does today is this faction of US Christians who believe Israel needs to be a Jewish land for Jesus to return. It's a case of 2 groups of people cooperating for very different reasons and ultimate goals. But, as Israel will some day learn, "If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas."

And this coming from a cultural Jew who sees value in a Jewish state (mind you, not at the expense and oppression of a different people).

 

[MesaBeno]

Agreed. As soon as I heard about Al Queda being involved with the rebels, I knew that we were heading down a bad road. It seems to be a recurring problem with the Arab Spring, movements that were initiated by moderates to end oppression end up getting co-opted by extremists, only making things worse a lot of the time. And because the West is understandably gun-shy after Iraq, especially given Russia's continued involvement with Syria, the window of opportunity to rectify the situation seems to have passed. At this point, no one wins.

Seems that for every modern/secular/moderate/progressive Muslim, there's 10 other that are by-the-book fundamentalists.