December 31, 2018 - added: - Well it seems as if Assad has really won this time! But at what cost in human lives and materiel? With the Americans deciding to pull out of Syria and Iraq, this gives free reign to Assad's allies, Iran and and Russia. Good luck to the Kurds and any others in opposition to Assad, still in Syria! Assad will have a field day with any opposition still in the country.
If you thought his father, Hafez al-Assad was bad - who killed 20 000 opposition countrymen and women - I'm thinkin you ain't seen nothing yet! Son of Hafez, one Bashar al-Assad, has presided over at least 200 000 deaths, millions displaced and the cities and infrastructure destroyed. Now there is no one to stop him!
And in spite of various claims to the contrary, ISIS, that murderous fundamentalist Islamic group has not been defeated or destroyed. Weakened? Yes. Destroyed? No.
March, 15. 2018 - added:- According to the latest news with the assistance of both Russia and Iran the "rebels" who have been fighting to free Syria from the murderous regime or Bashar al-Assad have been all but driven out of Syria. Likewise the ISIS, at least what is left of them have also, more or less, been defeated. So, shortly, there will be proud proclamations that Syria is free!
The trouble will be rebuilding a shattered country. Aleppo - formerly a large thriving city - is now absolutely devastated. And there are many similar situations. And what about the people - homeless, injured, refugees in their own country?
This will be no "victory"; this will be an example of brute force applied indiscriminately to prove a point.
Sept, 15. 2017 - added:- According to the latest news what I have written below is coming to pass. The Russians are now in control of much of what was ISIS controlled Syria. So be it.
I wonder at the “victory” the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad will inherit after his "civil war" is over. He will win but he does not have the ability to do it his own.
If you thought his father, Hafez al-Assad was bad - who killed 20 000 opposition countrymen and women - I'm thinkin you ain't seen nothing yet! Son of Hafez, one Bashar al-Assad, has presided over at least 200 000 deaths, millions displaced and the cities and infrastructure destroyed. Now there is no one to stop him!
And in spite of various claims to the contrary, ISIS, that murderous fundamentalist Islamic group has not been defeated or destroyed. Weakened? Yes. Destroyed? No.
March, 15. 2018 - added:- According to the latest news with the assistance of both Russia and Iran the "rebels" who have been fighting to free Syria from the murderous regime or Bashar al-Assad have been all but driven out of Syria. Likewise the ISIS, at least what is left of them have also, more or less, been defeated. So, shortly, there will be proud proclamations that Syria is free!
The trouble will be rebuilding a shattered country. Aleppo - formerly a large thriving city - is now absolutely devastated. And there are many similar situations. And what about the people - homeless, injured, refugees in their own country?
This will be no "victory"; this will be an example of brute force applied indiscriminately to prove a point.
Sept, 15. 2017 - added:- According to the latest news what I have written below is coming to pass. The Russians are now in control of much of what was ISIS controlled Syria. So be it.
I wonder at the “victory” the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad will inherit after his "civil war" is over. He will win but he does not have the ability to do it his own.
With Russian help he will win. But at what
cost?
What I fear is that what was a country with
an ancient history – stretching back thousands of years – I fear it will be in
ruins. My concern is what will remain after the “victory”?
Cities devastated; infrastructure in ruins;
half the population (about 12 million out of a total of about 24 million people)
either dead, injured, displaced or homeless. For what? So Bashar al-Assad can
claim “victory” and satisfy his ego and support the legacy of his megalomaniac
father?
As my one loyal reader knows I like poetry.
Now there is a poem by Robert Southey (1774-1843) called “After Blenheim”, which satirizes the concept of “victory”, which I
believe is very appropriate in this situation. I won’t burden my reader with
the whole poem – just the last three verses. They will give some idea of the
gist:-
…..
‘They say it was a shocking sight
After
the field was won;
For many a thousand bodies here
Lay
rotting in the sun;
But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.’
‘Great praise for the Duke of Marlboro’ won
And
our good Prince Eugene.’
“Why ‘twas a very wicked thing!”
Said
little Willelmine;
“Nay …. Nay … my little girl”, quoth he,
“It was a famous victory.”
‘And everybody praised the Duke
Who
this great fight did win.’
“But what good came of it at last?”
Quoth
little Peterkin:-
‘Why that I cannot tell,’ said he,
‘But ‘twas a famous victory.’
As always in war it is the innocent, the
women and children, who suffer the most.
What a "famous victory" Bashar al-Assad will have won!
What a "famous victory" Bashar al-Assad will have won!
