Syria conflict: Russia neutral, U.S. pledges additional aid

Russia knows better! She is getting all these dictatorial country's all hyped up at first, then drops the bombshell on them!

France on Tuesday became the first Western state to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The U.S. has also recognized the body as a legitimate but not the only Syrian representative.

B92

This 'Syrian opposition' is in no way representative of the on-the-ground Islamist-backed fighters let alone the Syrian people as a whole. It is representative of foreign interests and positioning.It is a Turkish / Qatari/Saudi re-hash of the SNC meaning that it has little support among the people themselves but 90% support among would-be-political-opptunists living abroad - mainly in Turkey.People in Syria know what kind of democracy the US and Nato invasions brought into Iraq and Libya and this is why they support Assad.

Frog Hollande and Clinton ,both armchair generals, need to realise that the overwhelmingly majority of people in the US and France are not interested in participating in Syrian civil war.
They should just concentrate on getting out of Afghanistan before their Waterloo happens.

"Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has condemned partiality of certain countries in the Syrian conflict and stressed that Moscow is neutral."

This makes sense, Russia is known as being supportive towards the Assad regime; however Russia doesn't want to be seen supporting a regime which it considers of only having a 1/10 chance of surviving. They're distancing themselves whilst they still can. Also they don't want to go through the humiliation again of what happened to their friend Gaddafi.

Isn't Russia selling weapons to Syria? How can that be called neutral?

Posters like yourself who support the islamists and champion the bombing of civilians in Libya ,Afghanistan and Syria, justified on some nebulous "War on Terror" or “human rights and democracy” are probably the same ones who vehemently clamour the "disappearance" of Abu Qatada in Jordan, that oasis of democracy and human rights. They are hypocrites, and this judgement by European courts sticks in their craws.

The funny thing is these Muslim extremists love the UK and its social security system so much that they can't bear to leave.
(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 17:24)

Don't be so shallow, the Islamists are a small minority of the Syrian Opposition; they're smaller than the Syrian Kurdish movement within the Syrian opposition. Not to mention that Assad is backed by a larger amount of Islamists! With Hezbollah, Basij and other Shia Islamist terrorists doing Assad's dirty work. I have never ever 'championed' bombings on civilians. And if you have ever read my comments before, you'd know that I regard the term "War on Terror" as manufactured and that I have described as sounding like something out of a Hollywood film.

You're just bitter that another anti-Western dictatorship is going down the pan and you just love anything which is anti-Western.

I bet before you know it, you'll be praising the Syrian Opposition, telling us how wonderful it because of it's Greek Orthodox Christian leader and how it is backed by your brother Kurds which you supposedly care about.

Looks like Russia is playing the same game with Syria, as it played with Serbia... Dont worry, You have big brother on your side, until the bombs begin to fall out of the sky! Then Russia distance itself ? Everyone remember, Primakov? He was the the one that had the plane make a huge u-turn right back to Russia, when NATO gave Serbia a little lesson in, shock n awe! They just ain't want no part of it, they probably had the entire Russian forces on high alert! And does everyone remember those brave & bad a.. Serbs? I ain't never seen a mass migration get organized & take off so quickly! Dude I just wonder at times, what if us kosovars had 1/2 of the weoponary Serbia had? I'll bet, we would have marched on Belgrade itself! All of Serbia, would be called Kosova today...

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 20:58)

Turkey's ambitions vis a vis Syria are totally different to those of Saudi Arabia.Erdogan's main aim was the spread of neo-Ottomanism in Syria and beyond.The West backed Turkey's interpretation of events(lies) and made a big mistake in doing so.Turkey has shown itself to be less than capable of achieving anything outside its slave-like textile industry.

Saudi Arabia's aim is mainly to establish Wahabism in Syria and to curb the influence of Iran( I bet the first thing Wahabists will do once in power will be to put women's rights on top of their agenda).

Do you really think that Assad would've still been around if he didn't have the support of the Syrian people?I reckon not (see what happened to Mubarak).

FYI China has presented a four point plan which envisaged the ending of hostilities and return to the ballot box which was accepted by Assad and rejected by the rebels who demanded Assad's removal.China has been against intervention from the very beginning of the civil war.

The Islamists in Syria,backed by Turkey, wanted to further ignite the regional war by involving the Kurds in northern Syria. The Kurds, as in northern Iraq have been peaceful didn't want any part in the blood-shedding game that is being played out in Syria. However, the Islamists on behalf of Turkeyattacked them and the Kurds responded. In Turkey, this is now seen as an act of PKK.It is all Turkish propaganda.

A Kurdish nation should unite all Kurds in the area.

(Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 00:24)

In order to understand whether neo-Ottomanism is a fabeicated term you'll have to read Davutoglu's book "Strategic Depth" in which he advocates a commonwealth with Turkey's neighbours and old Ottoman connections under the leadership of Turkey of course.Davutoglu's ideas were further re-enforced in his 2009 Sarajevo speech in which he rejected the claim that the Ottoman rule in the Balkans was the root of the region’s poor economic development and conflicts and instead he counter-claimed the Balkans had its golden age of peace during the Ottoman reign.Turkey's attempts to re-assert itself as a regional power, albeit a failed one ,can also be seen in the context of its role in West-Syria and West-Iran hostile posturings.

Your claim that Libya,Egypt and Tunisia have somehow become democratic is just laughable.In Libya, one year onwards, you have the power of the militias flexing their muscles not to mention the recent massacres in Walid Bali(not a word in Western press),Islamists in Egypt (Christian copts are leaving the country in droves)and in Tunisia you have Selafists and other Islamist factions in power.

China will have to adopt with time and find its own brand of democracy(not the two party system of US and UK).The next decade will be crucial for China in terms of both its economic and political power.By 2016 China's economy will overtake the US and in order to use its soft power around the world will have to change politically.

(rote, 14 November 2012 17:41)

"Assad is winning the war"

So was Gaddafi at one point. Look how that ended!
The second part of your first paragraph was factually incorrect ranting and nonsense therefore I won't comment on it.

"Russia is not neutral in this conflict"

I never said Russia was neutral. If you read my first comment, you would see that I wrote "Russia is known as being supportive towards the Assad regime"; hence I don't believe Russia to be neutral in the civil/ proxy war. Also you clearly do not understand the composition of the Syrian Opposition as Islamist extremists in the Syrian Opposition number about 1,500 in size. Also there are plenty of Islamic terrorists backing the Assad regime too. At least 1,500 Hezbollah Islamist terrorists and hundreds of Iraqi Shia Islamist terrorists and thousands of Basij too. Also the Syrian Democratic Union Party aka the largest Kurdish movement is actively supporting the Syrian Opposition.

I really think you need to change the record, going on about the evil west tearing up countries, backing terrorists and Islamists and that everything is a Western conspiracy ect. Because how much truth is there in that?
Also ask yourself, why has Russia been backing Syria? Because the Assad Family are pro-Russian and like to buy ridiculous amounts of arms and military equipment off Russia. Russia finds this very convenient and doesn't give a s*** about the Syrian people, even though Russia Today would have you believe otherwise.

yes, its funny how the serb diaspora or their orthodox-brother-in-arms Leonidas decry the crimes of the west, whilst sitting in the comfort bosom of the western sphere. you know what, give me western style democracy (there are other parties in the US besides Democrat and Republican, they're just not popular) over the mad totalitarian systems of China, Russia and the lefts new pet love Assad. for all their faults, the west is still a magnetic pull for migrants who seek to escape the tyranny of their repressive regimes and their economic hardships. its odd how the serb diaspora is concentrated in the west and not in the paradise of china, russia and of course...syria

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 16:22)

Posters like yourself who support the islamists and champion the bombing of civilians in Libya ,Afghanistan and Syria, justified on some nebulous "War on Terror" or “human rights and democracy” are probably the same ones who vehemently clamour the "disappearance" of Abu Qatada in Jordan, that oasis of democracy and human rights. They are hypocrites, and this judgement by European courts sticks in their craws.

The funny thing is these Muslim extremists love the UK and its social security system so much that they can't bear to leave.

Ian, UK

«…1/10 chance of surviving»

1/ Assad is winning the war ! Do you know why no more officers and soldiers fly to the rebels ? Because only Allawites , Christians , Kurds and other minorities has remained there. They take no money cause they fight for their families. So no Lybian scenario is available here. Assad is defending our churches and our brothers in Christ. The Turk trained bands failed to seize any more or less big territory like it was Benghazi to attract official intervention. So they have to travel to and fro for their empty declarations. We are to take the upper hand. Shia Iraq and Iran will send there as many forces as it will be required. Kurds of 3 countries are already on our side. Altogether it makes population of some 150 mln fed up with the Western hypocrisy and blood.

“They're distancing themselves.. “

2/ Don’t be so naive ! Russia is not neutral in this conflict and F.Holland in his today speech was closer to the truth than Medvedev. Whatever is said We are on the Syrian side while the West supports the Salafites , Al Qaeda , Ihvan-ul-Muslimins and the Libyan rebels to compose 90% of the “opposition”. I am proud to say that we provide Bashar with armaments , money , info and political support. I was ashamed when we let them to tear apart Yugoslavia , Iraq , Libya ect. But this time we behave honest. We support Syrians to effectively resist the invaders.

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 18:56)

You're really dreaming.Do you really think that Saudi Arabia and Mullah Erdogan would've backed any opposition that wasn't Wahabi/Islamists?The so-called Syrian rebels have long been infiltrated by foreign Jihadis who have NO DEMOCRATIC MANDATE to fight on on behalf of the Syrian people - nonetheless Turkey has been allowed them to arrive via Turkish airports and then over-land routes to Syria. None of this is news to you or anyone thinking like yourself (stop reading the Sun or listening to British Propaganda Corporation aka BBC).Only idiots think the Syrian conflict is completely black and white

Do I regard myself anti-western?Certainly not but I do regard myself as an anti-imperialist always believing that it's not the West's damn business to impose its own f----d up values and R Murdoch's democracy on other nations.

As to who is leading the Jihadist rebels in Syria is totally irrelevant.It is obvious that the foreign governments pulling the puppets are more interested in this "unity" than the rebels themselves .

I do care about the Kurds being the largest ethnicity in the world without a country.It's about time the have one and they will.

(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 20:15)

All Turkey and Saudi Arabia care about is not having a Shi'ite government under the influence of Iran on their doorstep. Yes there are some foreign Jihadists who have infiltrated the Syrian opposition, however Jihadists have also been invited to fight for Assad too; the same Jihadists who tried to bomb Cyprus in July aka Hezbollah!

Also Assad and his Shia terrorists have NO DEMOCRATIC MANDATE to fight on on behalf of the Syrian people either.

You don't think the West should stick their nose in Syria, but you don't seem to complain when Russia or China do, as they are doing. But when the West do it, they're apparently "imperialist".

And I never read what it considered to be "news" in The Sun, the odd occasion I do look at The Sun when it is lying around when I'm on a train, I have a quick look at Page 3, then go straight to the back for the Sport section as that is the only good thing about it.

I too care about the Kurds having a state of their own, but I believe it should be carved out of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran unlike you who believes that only Turkish Kurdistan should become independent due to your resentment towards the Turks.

(Leonidas, 15 November 2012 11:57)

Yes Neo-Ottomanism was a term created by Greeks after the Turkish ivasion of Cyprus. It is a fearmongering term, like "Greater Albania" or "Greater Serbia"; then as soon as the idea of a Commonwealth by Turkey comes out, people like you go mental. Russia has a Commonwealth, Britain has a Commonwealth. So what if Turkey wants one too?

Yes there are militias in Libya, byt they're in the process of being disolved, everyone knows that there is still chaos in Libya; however the situation is normalising. And so what if Ennahda Movement and Muslim Brotherhood are in power in Tunisa and Egypt? They were elected to power.

And yes China will have to change, becuase there is a big growing middle class in China (even though it is 'Communist') and this growing middle class are going to want to have a say how things are run. There will be huge changes in China in the next 20 years, but I wonder how many people will die at the hands of Chinese Communist Party during and in support for these changes.

(Nikolle, 15 November 2012 13:52)

Albanian clan sarcasm apart,foreign affairs is not your area of expertise and I would suggest you continue doing in what you've been excelling at,that is exchanging insults with other posters and it will help you to expend your nationalistic views and make you feel better.

(Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 15:18)

Yes Neo-Ottomanism was a term created by Greeks after the Turkish ivasion of Cyprus

Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 15:18)


Do you have sources on which you based your above statement or you just pulled it, as usual,from the top of your head? The term of Neo-Ottomanism has been identified as the child of Ahmed Davutoglu who emerged on the Turkish political scene just ten years ago whereas the Turkish invasion of Cyprus took place more than 38 years ago.

Do you have sources on which you based your above statement or you just pulled it, as usual,from the top of your head? The term of Neo-Ottomanism has been identified as the child of Ahmed Davutoglu who emerged on the Turkish political scene just ten years ago whereas the Turkish invasion of Cyprus took place more than 38 years ago.
(Leonidas, 15 November 2012 18:27)

Yes I do have a source.

Kemal H. Karpat, Studies on Ottoman Social and Political History: Selected Articles and Essays, BRILL, 2002, ISBN 978-90-04-12101-0, p. 524

Also please note that this book was first published 10 years ago, before Davutoglu became a well known politician in Turkey and certainly before his ideas of a Turkish Commonwealth were popularised.

(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 22:15)

You do realise that "neo-Ottomanism" is a fabricated constructed term used to spread anti-Turk sentiment?

Also "slave-like textile industry" is a bit of a racialist term, just because they're famous for making rugs; you do realise that Greece is the only Balkan country with a higher GDP per capita than Turkey? Turkey has a better economy than every Balkan country.

We saw how loyal the people in Tripoli were to Gaddafi until the civil war came there, then his ever so loyal Tripolians dispersed like the rays of the sun. And yes the Syrian people may be "loyal" to that Islamist backed "leader" Assad, but how many of them are actually loyal? But oh yeh, I'm brainwashed by the BBC whilst Syrian state TV and Russia Today is broadcasting the "truth".

Lets say for example when the Syrian Opposition do come to power, the Provisional Government devalue Women's rights through Islam (which I doubt under a Christian leader), Syrians will have the power to change this through elections; like they have in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt ect.

And yes China might officially have a 4 point plan, but unofficially it has it's real plan. Of course China is against intervention, China wants Assad to remain in power and China promoting the ballot box is a bit like a rapist promoting women's rights.

And the Syrian Democratic Union Party has been sending soldiers to be trained in Iraqi Kurdistan to fight against the Assad regime.

Leonidas, 14 November 2012 22:15

My god Leonidas you seem to know everything, historian, economist, politician... did I miss something else? help me out please... give me a break man, what's the beef with greeks and west or capitalism/imperalism whatever you want to call it? or it's because no more free money for your buzukja? after all that's where everybody is trying to migrate nowdays.
And please tell me why do you always side with liders that have been in power for decades? do you really believe that somebody can stay in power for that long thru democratic elections?

(arti, 15 November 2012 03:30)
To you anyone that bucks the trend of loving the west is stupid or just making it up. The sad part is that that same west has a very ugly side to it and you can’t see it. If the west kills it for freedom and democracy or for the greater good but anyone else its murder. The west has over a period of 6 decades put into power some of the worst dictators in history – look at Saudi Arabia. Now do you get the picture?
And please lay off the sauce, there is no such thing as a democracy. You are told who to vote for in the west through the media and the few who know what is really going on are ignored. The US has “democracy” and it’s had the same two parties, Republicans and Democrats, sharing power for 160 years – yes 160 years. That is not democracy.

Disfigured by her greed and hatred for Serbs, power crazy as she is, she went on to do everything imaginable to make sure many Serbs perish.

I feel grateful to people who decided to try and bring her to justice. I am sure they will have an abundance of proofs to support the claim she hates Srbs. She has blood on her hands.

Rocky, are you by any chance a former NATO soldier?

Russia knows better! She is getting all these dictatorial country's all hyped up at first, then drops the bombshell on them!

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 16:22)

Posters like yourself who support the islamists and champion the bombing of civilians in Libya ,Afghanistan and Syria, justified on some nebulous "War on Terror" or “human rights and democracy” are probably the same ones who vehemently clamour the "disappearance" of Abu Qatada in Jordan, that oasis of democracy and human rights. They are hypocrites, and this judgement by European courts sticks in their craws.

The funny thing is these Muslim extremists love the UK and its social security system so much that they can't bear to leave.

France on Tuesday became the first Western state to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The U.S. has also recognized the body as a legitimate but not the only Syrian representative.

B92

This 'Syrian opposition' is in no way representative of the on-the-ground Islamist-backed fighters let alone the Syrian people as a whole. It is representative of foreign interests and positioning.It is a Turkish / Qatari/Saudi re-hash of the SNC meaning that it has little support among the people themselves but 90% support among would-be-political-opptunists living abroad - mainly in Turkey.People in Syria know what kind of democracy the US and Nato invasions brought into Iraq and Libya and this is why they support Assad.

Frog Hollande and Clinton ,both armchair generals, need to realise that the overwhelmingly majority of people in the US and France are not interested in participating in Syrian civil war.
They should just concentrate on getting out of Afghanistan before their Waterloo happens.

"Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has condemned partiality of certain countries in the Syrian conflict and stressed that Moscow is neutral."

This makes sense, Russia is known as being supportive towards the Assad regime; however Russia doesn't want to be seen supporting a regime which it considers of only having a 1/10 chance of surviving. They're distancing themselves whilst they still can. Also they don't want to go through the humiliation again of what happened to their friend Gaddafi.

Ian, UK

«…1/10 chance of surviving»

1/ Assad is winning the war ! Do you know why no more officers and soldiers fly to the rebels ? Because only Allawites , Christians , Kurds and other minorities has remained there. They take no money cause they fight for their families. So no Lybian scenario is available here. Assad is defending our churches and our brothers in Christ. The Turk trained bands failed to seize any more or less big territory like it was Benghazi to attract official intervention. So they have to travel to and fro for their empty declarations. We are to take the upper hand. Shia Iraq and Iran will send there as many forces as it will be required. Kurds of 3 countries are already on our side. Altogether it makes population of some 150 mln fed up with the Western hypocrisy and blood.

“They're distancing themselves.. “

2/ Don’t be so naive ! Russia is not neutral in this conflict and F.Holland in his today speech was closer to the truth than Medvedev. Whatever is said We are on the Syrian side while the West supports the Salafites , Al Qaeda , Ihvan-ul-Muslimins and the Libyan rebels to compose 90% of the “opposition”. I am proud to say that we provide Bashar with armaments , money , info and political support. I was ashamed when we let them to tear apart Yugoslavia , Iraq , Libya ect. But this time we behave honest. We support Syrians to effectively resist the invaders.

(Leonidas, 15 November 2012 11:57)

Yes Neo-Ottomanism was a term created by Greeks after the Turkish ivasion of Cyprus. It is a fearmongering term, like "Greater Albania" or "Greater Serbia"; then as soon as the idea of a Commonwealth by Turkey comes out, people like you go mental. Russia has a Commonwealth, Britain has a Commonwealth. So what if Turkey wants one too?

Yes there are militias in Libya, byt they're in the process of being disolved, everyone knows that there is still chaos in Libya; however the situation is normalising. And so what if Ennahda Movement and Muslim Brotherhood are in power in Tunisa and Egypt? They were elected to power.

And yes China will have to change, becuase there is a big growing middle class in China (even though it is 'Communist') and this growing middle class are going to want to have a say how things are run. There will be huge changes in China in the next 20 years, but I wonder how many people will die at the hands of Chinese Communist Party during and in support for these changes.

(Nikolle, 15 November 2012 13:52)

Albanian clan sarcasm apart,foreign affairs is not your area of expertise and I would suggest you continue doing in what you've been excelling at,that is exchanging insults with other posters and it will help you to expend your nationalistic views and make you feel better.

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 18:56)

You're really dreaming.Do you really think that Saudi Arabia and Mullah Erdogan would've backed any opposition that wasn't Wahabi/Islamists?The so-called Syrian rebels have long been infiltrated by foreign Jihadis who have NO DEMOCRATIC MANDATE to fight on on behalf of the Syrian people - nonetheless Turkey has been allowed them to arrive via Turkish airports and then over-land routes to Syria. None of this is news to you or anyone thinking like yourself (stop reading the Sun or listening to British Propaganda Corporation aka BBC).Only idiots think the Syrian conflict is completely black and white

Do I regard myself anti-western?Certainly not but I do regard myself as an anti-imperialist always believing that it's not the West's damn business to impose its own f----d up values and R Murdoch's democracy on other nations.

As to who is leading the Jihadist rebels in Syria is totally irrelevant.It is obvious that the foreign governments pulling the puppets are more interested in this "unity" than the rebels themselves .

I do care about the Kurds being the largest ethnicity in the world without a country.It's about time the have one and they will.

(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 20:15)

All Turkey and Saudi Arabia care about is not having a Shi'ite government under the influence of Iran on their doorstep. Yes there are some foreign Jihadists who have infiltrated the Syrian opposition, however Jihadists have also been invited to fight for Assad too; the same Jihadists who tried to bomb Cyprus in July aka Hezbollah!

Also Assad and his Shia terrorists have NO DEMOCRATIC MANDATE to fight on on behalf of the Syrian people either.

You don't think the West should stick their nose in Syria, but you don't seem to complain when Russia or China do, as they are doing. But when the West do it, they're apparently "imperialist".

And I never read what it considered to be "news" in The Sun, the odd occasion I do look at The Sun when it is lying around when I'm on a train, I have a quick look at Page 3, then go straight to the back for the Sport section as that is the only good thing about it.

I too care about the Kurds having a state of their own, but I believe it should be carved out of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran unlike you who believes that only Turkish Kurdistan should become independent due to your resentment towards the Turks.

Leonidas, 14 November 2012 22:15

My god Leonidas you seem to know everything, historian, economist, politician... did I miss something else? help me out please... give me a break man, what's the beef with greeks and west or capitalism/imperalism whatever you want to call it? or it's because no more free money for your buzukja? after all that's where everybody is trying to migrate nowdays.
And please tell me why do you always side with liders that have been in power for decades? do you really believe that somebody can stay in power for that long thru democratic elections?

(arti, 15 November 2012 03:30)
To you anyone that bucks the trend of loving the west is stupid or just making it up. The sad part is that that same west has a very ugly side to it and you can’t see it. If the west kills it for freedom and democracy or for the greater good but anyone else its murder. The west has over a period of 6 decades put into power some of the worst dictators in history – look at Saudi Arabia. Now do you get the picture?
And please lay off the sauce, there is no such thing as a democracy. You are told who to vote for in the west through the media and the few who know what is really going on are ignored. The US has “democracy” and it’s had the same two parties, Republicans and Democrats, sharing power for 160 years – yes 160 years. That is not democracy.

(Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 00:24)

In order to understand whether neo-Ottomanism is a fabeicated term you'll have to read Davutoglu's book "Strategic Depth" in which he advocates a commonwealth with Turkey's neighbours and old Ottoman connections under the leadership of Turkey of course.Davutoglu's ideas were further re-enforced in his 2009 Sarajevo speech in which he rejected the claim that the Ottoman rule in the Balkans was the root of the region’s poor economic development and conflicts and instead he counter-claimed the Balkans had its golden age of peace during the Ottoman reign.Turkey's attempts to re-assert itself as a regional power, albeit a failed one ,can also be seen in the context of its role in West-Syria and West-Iran hostile posturings.

Your claim that Libya,Egypt and Tunisia have somehow become democratic is just laughable.In Libya, one year onwards, you have the power of the militias flexing their muscles not to mention the recent massacres in Walid Bali(not a word in Western press),Islamists in Egypt (Christian copts are leaving the country in droves)and in Tunisia you have Selafists and other Islamist factions in power.

China will have to adopt with time and find its own brand of democracy(not the two party system of US and UK).The next decade will be crucial for China in terms of both its economic and political power.By 2016 China's economy will overtake the US and in order to use its soft power around the world will have to change politically.

yes, its funny how the serb diaspora or their orthodox-brother-in-arms Leonidas decry the crimes of the west, whilst sitting in the comfort bosom of the western sphere. you know what, give me western style democracy (there are other parties in the US besides Democrat and Republican, they're just not popular) over the mad totalitarian systems of China, Russia and the lefts new pet love Assad. for all their faults, the west is still a magnetic pull for migrants who seek to escape the tyranny of their repressive regimes and their economic hardships. its odd how the serb diaspora is concentrated in the west and not in the paradise of china, russia and of course...syria

(Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 15:18)

Yes Neo-Ottomanism was a term created by Greeks after the Turkish ivasion of Cyprus

Ian, UK, 15 November 2012 15:18)


Do you have sources on which you based your above statement or you just pulled it, as usual,from the top of your head? The term of Neo-Ottomanism has been identified as the child of Ahmed Davutoglu who emerged on the Turkish political scene just ten years ago whereas the Turkish invasion of Cyprus took place more than 38 years ago.

Posters like yourself who support the islamists and champion the bombing of civilians in Libya ,Afghanistan and Syria, justified on some nebulous "War on Terror" or “human rights and democracy” are probably the same ones who vehemently clamour the "disappearance" of Abu Qatada in Jordan, that oasis of democracy and human rights. They are hypocrites, and this judgement by European courts sticks in their craws.

The funny thing is these Muslim extremists love the UK and its social security system so much that they can't bear to leave.
(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 17:24)

Don't be so shallow, the Islamists are a small minority of the Syrian Opposition; they're smaller than the Syrian Kurdish movement within the Syrian opposition. Not to mention that Assad is backed by a larger amount of Islamists! With Hezbollah, Basij and other Shia Islamist terrorists doing Assad's dirty work. I have never ever 'championed' bombings on civilians. And if you have ever read my comments before, you'd know that I regard the term "War on Terror" as manufactured and that I have described as sounding like something out of a Hollywood film.

You're just bitter that another anti-Western dictatorship is going down the pan and you just love anything which is anti-Western.

I bet before you know it, you'll be praising the Syrian Opposition, telling us how wonderful it because of it's Greek Orthodox Christian leader and how it is backed by your brother Kurds which you supposedly care about.

(rote, 14 November 2012 17:41)

"Assad is winning the war"

So was Gaddafi at one point. Look how that ended!
The second part of your first paragraph was factually incorrect ranting and nonsense therefore I won't comment on it.

"Russia is not neutral in this conflict"

I never said Russia was neutral. If you read my first comment, you would see that I wrote "Russia is known as being supportive towards the Assad regime"; hence I don't believe Russia to be neutral in the civil/ proxy war. Also you clearly do not understand the composition of the Syrian Opposition as Islamist extremists in the Syrian Opposition number about 1,500 in size. Also there are plenty of Islamic terrorists backing the Assad regime too. At least 1,500 Hezbollah Islamist terrorists and hundreds of Iraqi Shia Islamist terrorists and thousands of Basij too. Also the Syrian Democratic Union Party aka the largest Kurdish movement is actively supporting the Syrian Opposition.

I really think you need to change the record, going on about the evil west tearing up countries, backing terrorists and Islamists and that everything is a Western conspiracy ect. Because how much truth is there in that?
Also ask yourself, why has Russia been backing Syria? Because the Assad Family are pro-Russian and like to buy ridiculous amounts of arms and military equipment off Russia. Russia finds this very convenient and doesn't give a s*** about the Syrian people, even though Russia Today would have you believe otherwise.

Looks like Russia is playing the same game with Syria, as it played with Serbia... Dont worry, You have big brother on your side, until the bombs begin to fall out of the sky! Then Russia distance itself ? Everyone remember, Primakov? He was the the one that had the plane make a huge u-turn right back to Russia, when NATO gave Serbia a little lesson in, shock n awe! They just ain't want no part of it, they probably had the entire Russian forces on high alert! And does everyone remember those brave & bad a.. Serbs? I ain't never seen a mass migration get organized & take off so quickly! Dude I just wonder at times, what if us kosovars had 1/2 of the weoponary Serbia had? I'll bet, we would have marched on Belgrade itself! All of Serbia, would be called Kosova today...

(Leonidas, 14 November 2012 22:15)

You do realise that "neo-Ottomanism" is a fabricated constructed term used to spread anti-Turk sentiment?

Also "slave-like textile industry" is a bit of a racialist term, just because they're famous for making rugs; you do realise that Greece is the only Balkan country with a higher GDP per capita than Turkey? Turkey has a better economy than every Balkan country.

We saw how loyal the people in Tripoli were to Gaddafi until the civil war came there, then his ever so loyal Tripolians dispersed like the rays of the sun. And yes the Syrian people may be "loyal" to that Islamist backed "leader" Assad, but how many of them are actually loyal? But oh yeh, I'm brainwashed by the BBC whilst Syrian state TV and Russia Today is broadcasting the "truth".

Lets say for example when the Syrian Opposition do come to power, the Provisional Government devalue Women's rights through Islam (which I doubt under a Christian leader), Syrians will have the power to change this through elections; like they have in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt ect.

And yes China might officially have a 4 point plan, but unofficially it has it's real plan. Of course China is against intervention, China wants Assad to remain in power and China promoting the ballot box is a bit like a rapist promoting women's rights.

And the Syrian Democratic Union Party has been sending soldiers to be trained in Iraqi Kurdistan to fight against the Assad regime.

Isn't Russia selling weapons to Syria? How can that be called neutral?

(Ian, UK, 14 November 2012 20:58)

Turkey's ambitions vis a vis Syria are totally different to those of Saudi Arabia.Erdogan's main aim was the spread of neo-Ottomanism in Syria and beyond.The West backed Turkey's interpretation of events(lies) and made a big mistake in doing so.Turkey has shown itself to be less than capable of achieving anything outside its slave-like textile industry.

Saudi Arabia's aim is mainly to establish Wahabism in Syria and to curb the influence of Iran( I bet the first thing Wahabists will do once in power will be to put women's rights on top of their agenda).

Do you really think that Assad would've still been around if he didn't have the support of the Syrian people?I reckon not (see what happened to Mubarak).

FYI China has presented a four point plan which envisaged the ending of hostilities and return to the ballot box which was accepted by Assad and rejected by the rebels who demanded Assad's removal.China has been against intervention from the very beginning of the civil war.

The Islamists in Syria,backed by Turkey, wanted to further ignite the regional war by involving the Kurds in northern Syria. The Kurds, as in northern Iraq have been peaceful didn't want any part in the blood-shedding game that is being played out in Syria. However, the Islamists on behalf of Turkeyattacked them and the Kurds responded. In Turkey, this is now seen as an act of PKK.It is all Turkish propaganda.

A Kurdish nation should unite all Kurds in the area.

Do you have sources on which you based your above statement or you just pulled it, as usual,from the top of your head? The term of Neo-Ottomanism has been identified as the child of Ahmed Davutoglu who emerged on the Turkish political scene just ten years ago whereas the Turkish invasion of Cyprus took place more than 38 years ago.
(Leonidas, 15 November 2012 18:27)

Yes I do have a source.

Kemal H. Karpat, Studies on Ottoman Social and Political History: Selected Articles and Essays, BRILL, 2002, ISBN 978-90-04-12101-0, p. 524

Also please note that this book was first published 10 years ago, before Davutoglu became a well known politician in Turkey and certainly before his ideas of a Turkish Commonwealth were popularised.

Disfigured by her greed and hatred for Serbs, power crazy as she is, she went on to do everything imaginable to make sure many Serbs perish.

I feel grateful to people who decided to try and bring her to justice. I am sure they will have an abundance of proofs to support the claim she hates Srbs. She has blood on her hands.

Rocky, are you by any chance a former NATO soldier?