MCT Campus
Mass killings of civilians in Syria continues as the conflict between the Syrian military, led by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and the opposition named the Free Syrian Army, grows more ferocious.
Inspired by the uprising in Tunisia and Egypt, the protests began in the southern city of Dera in March of last year. Al-Assad’s regime responded with a brutal crackdown, killing more than 5,000 people so far, according to the U.N.
Last week, twin bombs exploded in Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, killing 28 people. One bomb went off near a park, killing children as well as other civilians, regime-controlled Syrian State television reported.
FSA denies any responsibility for the bombings, and blames the Syrian army forces for the blasts.
Syria’s third-largest city Homs, a central area for the uprising, has been bombarded for more than a week straight by the Syrian government, resulting in a significant number of casualties.
Those opposing the Syrian government seek the ousting of al-Assad, who took office following his father’s death in 2000. Al-Assad’s family, a minority Alawite (Shiite) sect, has been in power for 40 years in Syria, a predominantly Sunni country.
San Diego State Professor Ahmet Kuru, an expert in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies in the Department of Political Science, said the relationship between Shia and Sunni Muslims is determined by political and socio-economic conditions.
“If President Assad’s family had respected basic human rights of its citizens, then the people would not have opposed the regime so strongly. It is a matter of freedom, not religion,” he said.
President Barack Obama condemned the Syrian government’s assault against the protesters.
“Al-Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people now. He must step aside and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately,” he said in a statement from the White House.
The United States, France and Britain, along with 13 other council members, voted in favor of a recent U.N. resolution aiming toward an intervention in Syria. The resolution was vetoed by China and Russia.
“Russia and China have tried to protect the Assad regime despite the mass killings, and a major reason is that Russia and China regard the Assad regime as the most anti-American Arab state in the Middle East,” Kuru said.
Why should I care?
Anything we in the west do is criticized by Muslims. If we try to take the nice guy approach we’re criticized. If we try the strong approach we’re criticized. If we place a military base in the Middle East, say, to protect the disgusting House of saud we’re criticized.
Why should I care?
Our involvement in Libya resulted in an Islamist regime taking over. (Its first act was to invite the genocidal ruler of Sudan to Libya.)
Our involvement in Egypt has gotten what and for whom? Now Islamists rule Egypt. Their tourism industry – an industry that provided jobs for tens of thousands of Egyptians – in now gone. Women are being forced to wear burkas and stay inside.
Why should I care?
Our invlovement in Iraq – as bad as it has beeh characterized – has resulted in what? A Shi’ite government that is allied with Iran. Whoppee!
Our involvment in Somalia left soilders dead (and defiled) and anarchy rules Somalia with all non-Muslims being systematically killed off.
In Afghanistan what changes have we seen. The Taliban are just as strong and women are killed for the slightest reason by the Taliban.
Aid to any of these countries is also met with disdain. Earthquake aid to Pakistan is forgotten. Billions in aid to the Palestinians is not appreciated. Billions in aid to Egypt is all but pissed away.
I say let these Muslims figure it out for themselves. Ebough of the whinning for help from us. They’re big boys and girls. Let them solve their own self-inflicted problems and quit using us, or Israel, or colonialists or imperialists as their latest excuse for their own incompetence.