Assad Blames West For Refugee Crisis In Europe

[Purveyor]

Source: Washington Post

By Hugh Naylor September 16 at 11:31 AM

BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in remarks broadcast Wednesday that Western support for “terrorism” in his country’s civil war is causing the refugee crisis in Europe.

In an interview with Russian media, the embattled leader warned that backing his multifaceted opposition — which he routinely lumps together as terrorists — would only drive more Syrians into European countries. He also warned the United States and foreign opponents that pressuring him to step down from power would fail.

The defiant remarks come as Russia increases support for Assad’s beleaguered military, which has lost substantial territory over the last year. Russia has been a crucial backer of the Syrian president during a four-year-old conflict that has killed 250,000 people and caused a refugee crisis in Europe.

“If you are worried about them, stop supporting terrorists,” said Assad, referring to Europe-bound Syrians. “This is the core of the whole issue of refugees.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/assad-blames-west-for-refugee-crisis-in-europe/2015/09/16/da7958e6-5c74-11e5-8475-781cc9851652_story.html

[leftynyc]

1. And Irony is officially dead (n/t)

[OneCrazyDiamond]

2. I blame the neo-cons.

[LiberalEsto]

3. My theory, for what it's worth

I think Putin and Russia are behind this mass refugee exodus.

Putin would love to see European governments overwhelmed and potentially destabilized by the massive refugee influx from Syria.

With NATO members distracted by the cost and logistics of dealing with this unprecedented tide of refugees, Russia would more easily be able to invade Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and possibly other former Iron Curtain countries in order to annex them. Russia could also complete its intended takeover of Ukraine.

Moreover, there may very well be trained terrorists among the refugees. They might be planning violent destruction that would further preoccupy various European nations and keep them from marshaling their military capabilities to block any attacks by Russia against Eastern Europe.

Nevertheless, I strongly believe European nations would benefit greatly by welcoming the vast majority of the Syrian refugees and helping them assimilate. Not only is this the humane and moral path, but it would help turn potential foes into friends. It eventually might lead to better relations with other Middle Eastern peoples. It could give these refugees a big stake in the future of Europe.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. Your post would probably be more appropriate in the creative speculation forum.

It's all a Russian plot, eh?

[LiberalEsto]

7. Like the invasion of Ukraine, right? nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. Syria isn't Ukraine. n/t

[Purveyor]

27. "invasion"...

[LiberalEsto]

76. Your point is? nt

[Lychee2]

5. As I recall, it wasn't Russia that destabilized Syria.

Some other country did it.

[840high]

51. Let me guess. Byw - ur right.

[LiberalEsto]

75. I did not accuse Russia of destabilizing Syria. nt

[Lychee2]

81. You said, "I think Putin and Russia are behind this mass refugee exodus."

The mass refugee exodus is the result of the destabilization of Syria. So Russia must be behind the destabilization, on your view. Right?

[christx30]

92. Didn't Syria destabilize itself?

The way I remember it, Assad is an ass. People took to protesting him as part of the Arab Spring, back when that was in fashion. Assad cracked down hard on the protestors. Protestors fought back, acquired weapon to defend themselves, and stared calling themselves ISIS, when they were the good guys. We gave them weapons, which allowed them to take some territory from Assad. He responded with a brutal campaign which has killed upwards of 250,000 people.
Not ISIS has mutated from freedom fighter to terrorist, and so now we're regretting the help we've given isis (which we always do).

[Lychee2]

93. No.

And the story you are telling is a fairy tale. The US was behind the whole "moderate anti-Assad movement," to which we contributed billions of dollars in cash and military equipment. Some of it ended up in the hands of ISIS.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-secretly-backed-syrian-opposition-groups-cables-released-by-wikileaks-show/2011/04/14/AF1p9hwD_story.html

[nichomachus]

6. Is there anyone who doubts this

Outside the Obama, Nuland, Clinton apologists? The US policy in the Mideast has always been destructive, but the malfeasance and incompetence of the last seven years has been devastating -- especially on top of the Cheney/Bush war crimes.

[oberliner]

9. Everyone other than Assad apologists

Of which there seem to be more than a few around here.

[harun]

16. Seriously? I hope not.

The Arab spring righted a lot of wrongs but those well versed in the politics of the region knew when it got to kicking out Assad it would be long, painful and bloody.

Those on the side of Assad are on the wrong side.

[Comrade Grumpy]

18. The Arab Spring has been a disaster, except in Tunisia.

Bahrain--suppressed by the Saudis

Egypt--threw out the dictator, then threw out the elected president, then reinstated the military dictatorship

Libya--we all know what a disaster that is

Syria--we all know what a disaster that is

The West and the Saudis and the Gulf States saw the Arab Spring as an opportunity to get rid of dictators who weren't part of their special dictator club, and leapt at it. The West and the Saudis and the Gulf States financed the armed insurrection in Syria. And this is how their policies are paying off.

For those slinging around the "Assad apologist" epithet, I have only one question: Who or what is going to replace that regime?

[polly7]

21. + 1000. nt.

[ozone_man]

22. Arab Spring sounds a lot like PNAC.

Did we miss any countries?

[6chars]

63. You forgot Yemen

[ozone_man]

84. I see. Well too busy now,

send in the Saudis.

[Dont call me Shirley]

70. Arab Spring. That was probably a Frank Luntz contribution.

[leveymg]

30. "Who or what is going to replace that regime?" ISIS n/t

[harun]

90. Turkey

NATO only needs to green light Turkey and they can take the place in a week.

[harun]

91. The alternative of staying the same was much worse. It will take time.

[leftynyc]

19. Do you believe this?

Poor pitiful al assad being taken advantage of by the big bad west. It's like they have no idea he's a cruel, vicious dictator who thinks nothing of killing his own people and it's all the fault of the west. Fucking nauseating.

[polly7]

23. Exactly like Hussein, and Gaddafi ........ and Chavez, and every other

dictator/leader who hasn't so far let their countries be destroyed in one way or the other by the west.

It never ends.

Don't forget the '7 countries in 5 years' thing.

[leftynyc]

25. It does seem to appear

the choices in that neighborhood are either vicious dictator or religious fanatics.

[polly7]

26. We call them all sorts of things ..... I wonder what they call us?

We've destroyed the lives of millions of people for decades all over the world.

[leftynyc]

29. I don't think any reasonable

person can call al assad anything except a vicious dictator or isis fucking barbarians. We already know they call us the great satan and who gives a shit? Plenty of their own have destroyed their lives in Syria.

[polly7]

31. I give a shit. We've destroyed millions of lives.

Bombing, torture, maiming, mutilation, death, cluster bombs, white phosphorous, depleted uranium - these horrors left behind. Destroying whole economies, habitats, livelihoods of thousands/millions, history, priceless artifacts, and on and on and on all around the world. Millions of desperate migrants begging at shores now because of our actions.

I GIVE A SHIT!

[leftynyc]

33. And none of that has

fuck all to do with Syria. The rebels were fighting assad because he's a brutal prick (am I allowed to say prick? it's pretty sexist and we have so many delicate flowers here these days). We took the side of the rebels. I have zero problem with that. It's when the rebels took up with isis that I stopped giving a shit. They can kill each other but the west has nothing to do with what's going on in Syria.

[polly7]

37. 7 countries in 5 years. Look it up. nt.

[leftynyc]

38. I don't need to look up

anything and I'll blame the US when it's appropriate. It's not appropriate here.

[polly7]

40. Bullshit. nt.

[leftynyc]

42. Because we're obviously the

center of the fucking universe and if it wasn't for the US, al assad would be a prince among men? I'm beginning to think you don't know the first thing about Syria.

[leveymg]

43. That's why you basically don't know what you're talking about.

Let's put it this way, if you don't already know that the opposition in the Syrian civil war was armed, trained and directed by Qatar with the blessings of Washington -- moving weapons and Jihadis from Libya to Syria -- beginning in 2011, you're misinformed. If you didn't know that the Syrian exile groups who carried out the first stage of the uprising were supported, trained and directed by agencies of the governments of the US, UK, France, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia -- and that began years before 2011 -- you're misinformed.

Without the regime change patronage of Madame Secretary and Director Petraeus, there would be no Syrian and Libyan refugee influx, and no ISIS you ever heard of.

[polly7]

44. Thank you, leveymg.

And this has been posted of here since it all began.

[leveymg]

62. Yes, this isn't exactly news except perhaps to those who chose to ignore the facts or to twist them

to support the interventions and serial regime change operations and wars the US has been executing across the region during two Administrations. Six Administrations, actually, going back to 1979.

[polly7]

72. Exactly. nt.

[leftynyc]

45. Sigh

I'm well aware of all that. How does that change the FACT that that al assad is a brutal dictator? How is THAT our fault?

[6chars]

65. Are you blaming Obama?

[leveymg]

68. I give him credit for firing Petraeus and graciously accepting Hillary's resignation.

He put the brakes on before the bus went over the cliff.

[6chars]

69. That's a lot of teflon

You're saying this is entirely caused by two of his direct reports, but you give him credit for changing direction at the end of his first term?

[leveymg]

71. I said he made a decision to put the brakes on, and those who were pushing the policy left the

Administration. Is that not essentially accurate?

History will attribute more precisely how much responsibility the President bears for this catastrophe. Right now, we have to make a rougher judgment based upon available facts. Among what is known is what I have written - I believe they support my conclusions.

[6chars]

73. Fair enough

people might say the same about W though.

[McKim]

79. Amen

We have heard enough fantasies from the state dept. Thanks for telling the truth here.

[Comrade Grumpy]

48. "We took the side of the rebels...the West has nothing to do with what's going on in Syria"

You contradict yourself.

[leftynyc]

50. WE did not start that rebellion

People fighting against a brutal dictator started this rebellion. That we later took sides is completely beyond the point. But perhaps we should have just stood by and watched while assad continued murdering hundreds and thousands of people for turning against him - that surely would have been better.

[leveymg]

64. Yes, we did. For years before the dual uprisings in Lib and Syr were sparked. See #43

Assad is only different because he's not "our" brutal dictator. Millions of people have been murdered across the region over four decades, and we have been responsible to a greater or lesser degree for most of them. Wake up.

[MattSh]

89. And who told you Assad was a brutal prick?

Oh, that's right. The USA media. They would never lie to you...

[Snow Leopard]

94. I disagree. While we have not been saints we've been

By FAR the lesser evil. It isn't even close. Not remotely close.

[MattSh]

88. This woman might disagree with your assessment...

But hey, what does she know? She's only Syrian. Only exceptional people from exceptional countries have the right to have an opinion about this, am I right?

[McKim]

78. Thank You, polly7

Dear Polly,

Thanks for reminding us of our responsibility in creating this mess. The moral sins are piling up. It looks like the PNAC agenda is winning big time. Too many Americans stayed home when they should have been out in the streets for the last several years.

[Purveyor]

32. I'm down with the 'vicious dictators' in this case. Witnessing the religious fanaticism of some of

the people inhabiting those regions, I now understand why these 'vicious dictators' have/had to operate in the the manner they do.

The region didn't come unhinged until we started eradicating these 'vicious dictators', starting with Saddam, and creating a vacuum for ISIS, et al to flourish.

Sometimes I have to wonder if this isn't the PNAC plan all along. Thankfully Russia is stepping up and basically saying 'enough'.

[leftynyc]

34. I quite simply don't care

The dictator and isis can kill each other. But you're right that the only thing keeping the religious fanatics in check were the dictators. Somehow that's all our fault (rolling eyes).

[Purveyor]

39. Our fault is the current diaster taking place because we removed the only people capable of

maintaining order.

Iraq WAS pretty decent place under Saddam, unless of course you were a religious fanatic, until we eradicated him.

[leftynyc]

41. Iraq is definitely our fault

Syria is not. Frankly, I'm more interested in the dynamic of WHY the only choices seem to be dictator or fanatics.

[Snow Leopard]

95. Just curious

Did you live there?

[polly7]

36. Exactly right.

Hussein ruled with an iron fist during sanctions meant to decimate Iraq. Gaddafi was the obstacle to getting into all of Africa. They definitely weren't saints, but we can see what's become of the whole area with their removal.

[leftynyc]

46. And how is it our fault

that al assad was a brutal dictator?

[polly7]

47. This is as much about Assad being a brutal dictator as it was

about Hussein's evilness with the incubator babies, yellowcake and the lies it took to get into Libya.

Naive much?

[leftynyc]

49. Oh - for Heaven's sake

Can you forget that the US is the bane of the existence for the entire fucking world for a minute and just admit the son of a bitch was a prick and you can hardly blame his people for turning against him? Or did we give him a brain transplant or some drug that forced him into being a dictator? This - this right here - is why the far left has zero voice in the political arena. You can't even admit the right in your face obvious without making it all about us.

[polly7]

54. God, that get's tiring. Substitute in the names Hussein, Gaddafi ....... Chavez,

any evil dictator in control of resources not yet owned by the west and it's like fucking groundhog day.

People haven't been sleeping, you know. We've watched it all unfold.

[leftynyc]

56. So you simply cannot admit

that al assad was/is a brutal dictator without making it all about us. That's fucking pathetic. We're done here.

[polly7]

58. I freely admit Assad, Hussein and Gaddafi are and were not the best leaders.

They were/are controlling countries which have been on the west's radar for decades. The al qaeda and other brutal 'rebels' we hate in one region turn into those we use and arm, depending on the timing and need. Note their brutality in Libya, note IS' brutality currently - yet western and SA dollars fund and arm them, even train them. Every recent 'uprising' in that area we've taken advantage of to bring about long-desired regime change - change that, as we are seeing, results in ruining the lives of millions of people.

More than eighty percent of Syrian people live in or have fled to safe, government-controlled areas. Ten percent have fled Syria, and ten percent are in areas controlled by the armed groups.

In all areas where there are foreign-backed militias, like Jobar, Yarmouk, Harrasta, Waer, Idlib suburbs…the armed groups have prevented reconciliation, even killing those who attempt to lay down their arms.

EB: Has there been any external, political, support from the United Nations or any others outside Syria?

AH: We don’t get any political support, except from countries who are friends of Syria. To the contrary, America, Britain, France, Turkey…they have attacked the idea of reconciliation. Hillary Clinton publicly called for the armed groups to never give up their arms. Erdogan told them not to join reconciliation. Some of the armed groups’ sheikhs and Saudi sheikhs and have issued fatwas (religious edicts) that it is ‘haram’ (forbidden) to give up their arms.

As Foreign Insurgents Continue to Terrorize Syria, the Reconciliation Trend Grows
by Eva Bartlett / August 22nd, 2014

http://dissidentvoice.org/2014/08/as-foreign-insurgents-continue-to-terrorize-syria-the-reconciliation-trend-grows/

Dr. Haidar’s son was gunned down while in a car driving northwest of Homs: “My son, Ismail, was in third year of medical school. On May 2, 2012, he was assassinated, as was the driver of the car. It was an attempt to assassinate me. This was before I joined the Ministry, I was just an eye doctor and head of the SSNP. We have so many martyrs, there is no one more precious than another, they are all Syrian.”

[smirkymonkey]

57. Like a rottweiler with a bone!

She's not going to ever give it up, don't drive yourself crazy.

[polly7]

59. Like a vulture with an eye on more meat!!!

Some will never give up ....... they believe the world is theirs to trod upon and millions of lives destroyed because of our bloody and deadly interference are deserving of little laughing similes. Gross.

[smirkymonkey]

60. I'm not saying that we have no responsibility, but let's have some balance here.

We are not 100% percent responsible for the unrest in the ME. Some of it is on them. We stirred the hornet's nest, but it was still a hornet's nest.

[polly7]

61. I'm all for balance!

But when the fucking scale is so heavily loaded on one side with the lust for perpetual war, profit and misery brought about by jumping in on every nation's internal conflict (that in most cases we also 'helped originate' - Post #43 - please read it.) like hyenas to a carcass with the intent of long-planned regime change, despite what the citizens in that country need - there's no balance. It's all transparent, sickening bullshit. The plight of citizens in those countries is not considered in any way, shape or form. They're collateral damage, and when they flee by the millions, we ignore them. The brutal rebels we arm and support even as we decry their horrors, are our monsters. It should be obvious to anyone who's cared even a tiny bit.

[6chars]

66. Assad says we didn't stop him from being a brutal dictator

so that's how it's our fault.

[smirkymonkey]

55. Yeah, why is that?

I have always wondered. They are so extreme.

[Sunlei]

10. Then why do the millions of refugees flee in terror AWAY from Assad?

[Purveyor]

35. What I'm seeing on the news reports are young men, of fighting age abandoning their families and

running like the pathetic cowards they are instead of picking up weapons and fighting for the safety of their families and country.

Were the hell are the women and children, spare a few opportune camera shots, within these miles long que of fleeing refugees?

[840high]

53. That's what I'm seeing.

[Marrah_G]

87. Here is a link to some of the facts

http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/stretching-facts-on-syrian-refugees/

The media, especially american media, has a habit of slanting pictures and stories to show a certain narrative.

[Marrah_G]

86. That's not actually true

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/kleinfeld-refugee-memes-debunking-846

There is a lot of propaganda being spread about people who are just trying to stay alive.

[840high]

52. They're migrants.

[jwirr]

11. While I know we have a lot to do with what is happening

this is where I draw the line. He is the leader of the country they are running from. He has no room to talk.

[MisterP]

12. we're DOUBLING DOWN on demanding "regime change" and regretting we didn't give totally-NOT-IS

even arms and money directly

[pampango]

13. Either that or you have to look in the mirror, Bashar. Oh! That would be a bit uncomfortable. n/t

[nyabingi]

14. No, Assad wasn't calling the "Europe-bound Syrians" terrorists, he...

was calling ISIS, al-Nusra Front, and the various anti-Assad foreigners looking to take over the country terrorists.

The Western media needs to make up its mind. In order to justify more military spending and adventurism, ISIS was depicted by our media as crazed barbarians with a fascination for making snuff films (and they are a group of psychotic people for sure) and making sure we understood that they must be defeated at all costs because they, you know, threaten our "liberty" and "freedoms" and what not.

As it has increasingly become apparent that we can't keep claiming to the public that we're at war with ISIS since they're steadily gaining more ground and territory (with a seemingly endless supply of weapons, cash, and recruits that we can't stop either), the media is now trying to use the refugee crisis, which has been going on for literal years without any comment, to blame Assad and to paint ISIS and al-Qa'ida as freedom fighters and as people worthy of our support.

The Western media cannot present the truth because it is completely owned by the people benefiting from regime change and chaos around the globe. Don't believe anything the NYT, CNN, MSNBC, WP, WSJ, etc. have to say because they are all compromised.

Since the US, Saudi Arabia, and other "anti-ISIS" countries seem to be having so much trouble defeating ISIS, it would be logical to assume that the US would welcome Russian assistance against this common enemy, but we can all see that is not the case at all.

Obama, the Israelis, Saudi Arabia, etc. would all rather see Syria controlled by radical, violent Sunni extremists than a secular autocrat who has at least maintained a stable country. Chalk this up as just one more country destroyed by the good 'ol US of A.

[eissa]

15. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know

Backing the rebels was/is a HUGE mistake.

[Comrade Grumpy]

20. The country needs a negotiated peace. And "Assad must go" hasn't worked.

[6chars]

67. the first round of negotiators will need lots of life insurance

[McKim]

17. They Were Eating and Had Health Care and an Intact Country Until We Meddled

I visited Syria in 2000. It was an intact country with museums, monuments, infrastructure, reforestation projects. Families were intact,
there were no beggars, people had health care. For sure it was no human rights paradise. We were well aware of the massacres a Hamma and the secret prisons. But it was sure better than what most people there have today. It is sickening that the US supported this war in Syria by supporting rebels. This tragedy and lawlessness spawned ISIS. Shame on America. We need to start calling the European Refugee Crisis, the American Syrian Refugee Crisis. The paucity of our response is shameful and disgusting.

[pampango]

24. "For sure it was no human rights paradise." Do you blame the thousands that protested in 2011?

I suspect most DU'ers would have been on the streets if we lived in Syria. The argument that "things could always be worse" does not carry much weight if you've been repressed by a father and his son for 40 years - "Hamma and the secret prisons".

It is sickening that the US supported this war in Syria by supporting rebels.

Our support for the rebels (were the peaceful protesters of early 2011 'rebels' or just those who survived the repression of those protests and took up arms?) has been pathetic when compared to the support that Russia has given to Assad.

If the West's paltry support for the 'rebels' and Russia's massive support for Assad had both never happened, the Syrian civil war would have never happened and the 'Refugee Crisis' would not have occurred.

It is true that if the West had joined Russia in backing Assad, the opposition would have been crushed - the "Hamma solution" of 1981 that Assad's father visited on his opposition. Is that what the West should do the next time crowd's of peaceful protesters take to the streets of a dictator's country? Tell them "Hey, we understand that this is no "human rights paradise" with "secret prisons" but, in our view, the alternative is worse." Are we going to back the dictator's effort to suppress the protests? Urge him to go "Hama" on the protesters?

[McKim]

80. Your Argument has Weight

Your argument has weight. I understand. I am just viewing the complete destruction of Syria and see that people no longer have a way to live there in what was once a beautiful place with most people getting what they needed to live. I believe in ideals too but not
when compared to what has sadly transpired there. Thanks for your ideas.

[ozone_man]

82. That's the way I see it.

I see Iraq and SH the same way. Both were secular countries, where women could be professionals, academics, doctors. It takes a strong ruler to keep the tribes in order, and they were, before we smashed these countries and unleashed the hornets.

The larger question is why the U.S. is there? Is it purely humanitarian compassion? I think not. Oil in Iraq, and a pipeline through Syria from Qatar to Turkey are more likely.

[LanternWaste]

74. In so far as the Sikes-Picot Accord happened...

In so far as the Sikes-Picot Accord happened, and no outside or inside decision has been truly effective in stabilizing the area, regardless of whether that decision happened in Washington, Damascus, Moscow, Ankara or Cairo, and regardless of whether that decision happened in 1922, 1956 or 2010, he has a point lacking relevant historical and current context.

But one must also look at the internal history of post-Independence Syria (1963-2011), understand why it is currently suspended from the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation due to its own actions against its own people (the 1982 Hama Massacre, imprisonment of academics and leading intellectuals, its treatment of Sunni, etc. and all continuing to the present), and eventually self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean for its internal actions.

When we look at the larger context of the region, we're forced to realize that there is much more than simply the west at blame.

[guillaumeb]

77. Not much question that the US, and to a degree Western Europe,

bear heavy responsibility for what has happened in the Middle East since 1917 or so. Actions do have consequences and the effects of colonialism are quite severe.

[gregcrawford]

83. Assad! YOU ar the terrorist, you evil bag of pig excrement!

And so is your buddy, Putin. May you both meet painful and untimely ends. Much too small a price to pay for the agony you have visited upon your own people.

[Marrah_G]

85. Assad is an evil man.