Yahoo: Assad predicts disaster if West meddles in Syria

[stevenaa]

It's comical watching these guys. They haven't figured out yet that the only thing that will happen is they will end up hiding in a ditch somewhere awaiting their deserved fate.

http://news.yahoo.com/syrias-assad-w...000302411.html

AMMAN (Reuters) - Western powers would cause an "earthquake" in the Middle East if they intervened in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Sunday, after protesters demanded outside protection from a crackdown that has killed 3,000 people.

[Teller]

I can't imagine the number of people killed on 9/11 being slaughter in the streets by our own government. I can certainly empathize with the people of Syria, but I'm not prepared to say what I think our response should be. There are some stories that really make you stop and be thankful for what we have though. There's nowhere else on earth I'd rather live.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque

AJA BRK: Arab League ministerial committee agree on work plan with Syria and it will be disclosed tomorrow. 28 minutes ago

AJA BRK: Arab League ministerial committee hands Syria's reps a working paper and is waiting for response tomorrow. 12 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/CFKlebergTT

Death toll in Syria rises. Today 11 people killed say activists. 4 in Homs 3 in Hama 2 in Daraa and 1 in Idlib / Harasta. 17 minutes ago

"Heavy gunfire" in Nayrab Idlib as security forces sweep area, activists tell me. 10 minutes ago

Army vehicles stormed Bokamal [Deir Ez-Zour] "with a heavy spread of security forces and surrounding of most mosques", activists tell me. 9 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/funmoi

Snipers in the streets of Homs. A small girl was shot in the back today (family neighboor) 21 minutes ago

Sniper shooting at water and fuel containers on rooftops, flooding the buildings Homs Syria 18 minutes ago

[Hubbs]

The last resort of a toppling dictator. Tell the world that there will be a total disaster if the authoritarian regime is overthrown.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/#!/BSyria

Witness from Hama on AJA: One Shadi Juma, 31, detained three days ago, was returned dead to his family. Tortured to death. 10 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/AJELive

President Bashar al-Assad said he was willing to talk to the opposition. http://aje.me/w2lS3p 28 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/M_akbik

AFP: Qatari PM warns Syrian regime not to take the path of twisting, turning or fraud. 43 minutes ago

Arab countries gived Syria an initiative to stop the violence &the regime should answer by tomorrow. 47 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/CFKlebergTT

Nato "all but rules out" Syria NFZ, Guardian reports. Says Libya "template" unlikely to work, lacks support. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...ia-no-fly-zone 5 minutes ago

[stevenaa]

Why wonm't the Libya template work? Not enough populus support to overthrow the regime?

[visionary]

Why wonm't the Libya template work? Not enough populus support to overthrow the regime?

But Nato officials say the Libya "template" is unlikely to work in Syria, adding that currently a Syrian "mission" lacks both international consensus and wider regional support.

The UN security council would need to approve any Syrian operation – a step that would be unlikely given Russian and Chinese opposition. "We would need a clear mandate from the international community, as well as support from the Arab League and Syria's neighbours," a Nato official said, adding that so far "no-one had asked" for Nato's help.

(The population density might make it harder too.
That last part isn't really true though, unless he means Syria's neighbors.)

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/#!/Basma_

Syrian Delegation left Doha Qatar without giving response to the Arab League paper which includes proposals to end violence in Syria. 39 minutes ago

http://twitter.com/#!/DavidKenner

NATO chief pours yet more cold water over no-fly zone in Syria: "It's totally ruled out." http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Mid...#axzz1cN0lVOse 1 hour ago

He was pretty negative about the chances of NATO getting involved in Libya as well.
I don't think he ever specificially ruled it out though.

[Riggo-toni]

Why wonm't the Libya template work? Not enough populus support to overthrow the regime?

Two things (though noone will say them outright):
1. The Libyan rebels put together an army of sorts, and NATO's role was basically as their air force. The Syrian opposition doesn't have any real military capability, which means the only action capable of success would have to include ground troops...not gonna happen.
2. While Libya has tribal divisions galore, it is almost entirely Sunni Muslim. Syria has deep ethno-religious divisions between Sunni, Alawi, Druze, and Christian. Religious violence in the aftermath of the Assad regime is likely to be horrific, and we don't want to be blamed for it.

[SWFLSkins]

Assad predicts disaster, isn't that what he already has on his hands?

[Larry]

The last resort of a toppling dictator. Tell the world that there will be a total disaster if the authoritarian regime is overthrown.

I was thinking more along the lines of Baghdad Bob predicting how the Americans would be slaughtered if they messed with the Iraqi Army.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/#!/CFKlebergTT

Once again Syria death toll rises, LCC activists tell me. 10 killed today. Homs:6 Idlib:2 Harasta:1 Kafarnaboda:1 54 minutes ago

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/#!/AlArabiya_Eng

Algerian Foreign Minister: an agreement has been reached with the Syrians in the Arab committee meeting 3 hours ago

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Iraq Lobster:

[JMS]

Sounds like Assad has a perfectly reasonable point. It's lucky for Syria that Assad's found such a persuasive spokesman able to tailor statements for public consumption so artfully.



Bagdad Bob, I was wondering what happenned to that guy.