Excellent, insightful analysis Vernon. The issue of the lack of an all-embracing opposition movement, led by a charismatic leader, that you allude to, is a major problem. The consensus here in Istanbul is certainly that the AKP is damaged goods and that this will be reflected at the ballot box, initially in local elections scheduled for the spring of 2014.
But turfing the mass political machine that is the AKP out of power is very hard to envisage in the current circumstances.
The only other thing I would flag up is the whole "Ergenekon" imbroglio which, as you are no doubt aware, has seen hundreds of secularists languish in jail for years, on the pretext of plotting to overthrow the AKP. It has been a vindictive, premeditated, putsch against its Kemalist opponents.
"To be the victim of the unlimited power of offended mediocrity is an affront not to be borne by any man."
One of my favorite quotes ever, by A.R Crewe, a writer/academic.
As someone who's represented asylum seekers in the UK and has had numerous interactions with uniformed officialdom, I know that a) authority figures are all hard-wired in the same way, nationality is irrelevant and b) you just have to force yourself to stay calm, something that is much easier said than done. But there is no choice, challenging them can only ever end badly. Expecting them to communicate rationally and on a level playing field is simply never going to happen.
With great respect, Arnold Evans, I don't think it's rocket science. If Asad and his clan had had any genuine interest in engaging with the opposition they would, first and foremost, have refrained from slaughtering and torturing thousands of their people.
They would then have sought to initiate a national dialogue with all stakeholders following which they would have been able to put forward some meaningful proposals for reform i.e. the drafting of a new constitution, political pluralism, an independent judiciary, freedom of speech and movement etc.
Just what type of regime do you think it is? Surely you don't deny that it's fascistic in nature?
All these tyrants have done is repeat falsehoods about how malevolent foreigners and terrorists have sought to undermine them. The whole world knows that is a fallacy.
Arnold Evans: "Unless Martin Gascoigne is Syrian, then he, like Barack Obama, is not in a position to answer any questions about the legitimacy of Syria’s government, nor or his own questions relevant."
What a strange assertion. We have to be Syrian if we want to comment with authority on the Syrian situation. Really? I can see what JT McPhee is implying. It seems that you have your own agenda.
Grumpy Old Man: "If the régime falls, what follows will be worse, especially for Syria’s Christians. Be careful what you wish for."
Thanks but no thanks. I will not be careful when it comes to wishing every day for the downfall of a murderous regime which is slaughtering its own people with impunity. I feel sick to the core that the world is standing idly by while this outrage is happening.
Alexno: "There is a lot of evidence now that the opposition have been exaggerating their reports. For example, the daily accusations of shelling: they have never been able to come up with a video showing the results of government shelling. Machine-gunning, yes; artillery, no. The buildings are all complete. The nearest I have seen was a photo of a room with two 20 mm cannon shell holes."
How magnanimous of you to concede that machine-gunning is taking place. How dare the opposition embellish their case in such a cynical way. Their credibility is shot to pieces. All those tanks we see, they just happen to be patrolling through a whole host of city centers, but their intentions are in no way malevolent. The hundreds of eye witness accounts and videos cannot possibly be trusted. Awful that the Assad regime is being misrepresented.
Bravo Mr Alexno, the great, objective, truth-seeker.
It seems to me that it is counter productive for Ghalioun to pledge to cut ties with Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas. At this very early stage, when his movement is, arguably, a million miles away from taking power, what would be the purpose of being so polemical?
I, like many others, desperately want him to succeed and I find it disappointing that he feels the need to make such unnecessary pronouncements.
Wise-up Ghalioun, I say. You need to sharpen your political antennae.
Wow! Thanks for sharing Juan.
Excellent, insightful analysis Vernon. The issue of the lack of an all-embracing opposition movement, led by a charismatic leader, that you allude to, is a major problem. The consensus here in Istanbul is certainly that the AKP is damaged goods and that this will be reflected at the ballot box, initially in local elections scheduled for the spring of 2014.
But turfing the mass political machine that is the AKP out of power is very hard to envisage in the current circumstances.
The only other thing I would flag up is the whole "Ergenekon" imbroglio which, as you are no doubt aware, has seen hundreds of secularists languish in jail for years, on the pretext of plotting to overthrow the AKP. It has been a vindictive, premeditated, putsch against its Kemalist opponents.
Sorry, got that wrong, they abstained.
Juan, do you know why the Germans, shockingly, voted against the new Palestinian status?
"To be the victim of the unlimited power of offended mediocrity is an affront not to be borne by any man."
One of my favorite quotes ever, by A.R Crewe, a writer/academic.
As someone who's represented asylum seekers in the UK and has had numerous interactions with uniformed officialdom, I know that a) authority figures are all hard-wired in the same way, nationality is irrelevant and b) you just have to force yourself to stay calm, something that is much easier said than done. But there is no choice, challenging them can only ever end badly. Expecting them to communicate rationally and on a level playing field is simply never going to happen.
With great respect, Arnold Evans, I don't think it's rocket science. If Asad and his clan had had any genuine interest in engaging with the opposition they would, first and foremost, have refrained from slaughtering and torturing thousands of their people.
They would then have sought to initiate a national dialogue with all stakeholders following which they would have been able to put forward some meaningful proposals for reform i.e. the drafting of a new constitution, political pluralism, an independent judiciary, freedom of speech and movement etc.
Just what type of regime do you think it is? Surely you don't deny that it's fascistic in nature?
All these tyrants have done is repeat falsehoods about how malevolent foreigners and terrorists have sought to undermine them. The whole world knows that is a fallacy.
Arnold Evans: "Unless Martin Gascoigne is Syrian, then he, like Barack Obama, is not in a position to answer any questions about the legitimacy of Syria’s government, nor or his own questions relevant."
What a strange assertion. We have to be Syrian if we want to comment with authority on the Syrian situation. Really? I can see what JT McPhee is implying. It seems that you have your own agenda.
Grumpy Old Man: "If the régime falls, what follows will be worse, especially for Syria’s Christians. Be careful what you wish for."
Thanks but no thanks. I will not be careful when it comes to wishing every day for the downfall of a murderous regime which is slaughtering its own people with impunity. I feel sick to the core that the world is standing idly by while this outrage is happening.
Alexno: "There is a lot of evidence now that the opposition have been exaggerating their reports. For example, the daily accusations of shelling: they have never been able to come up with a video showing the results of government shelling. Machine-gunning, yes; artillery, no. The buildings are all complete. The nearest I have seen was a photo of a room with two 20 mm cannon shell holes."
How magnanimous of you to concede that machine-gunning is taking place. How dare the opposition embellish their case in such a cynical way. Their credibility is shot to pieces. All those tanks we see, they just happen to be patrolling through a whole host of city centers, but their intentions are in no way malevolent. The hundreds of eye witness accounts and videos cannot possibly be trusted. Awful that the Assad regime is being misrepresented.
Bravo Mr Alexno, the great, objective, truth-seeker.
It seems to me that it is counter productive for Ghalioun to pledge to cut ties with Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas. At this very early stage, when his movement is, arguably, a million miles away from taking power, what would be the purpose of being so polemical?
I, like many others, desperately want him to succeed and I find it disappointing that he feels the need to make such unnecessary pronouncements.
Wise-up Ghalioun, I say. You need to sharpen your political antennae.