News  Mideast News
Syria's first astronaut defects
Roi Kais, AP
Published: 05.08.12, 13:22
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5 Talkbacks for this article
1. Will not increase anything
sam ,   cairo   (08.05.12)
Will not increase anything
2. Could this guy be a spy for Assad?
David ,   Hartford USA   (08.05.12)
After all, he's one of Assad's hand-picked Generals and an astronaut. He has a lot to lose if the rebels win. He has a lot to gain by giving away locations of the rebel leaders. As a general, he had access to Assad, he could have arrested or killed him. Either action would be seen to be honorable in the eyes of the world- but he did neither. Is this simply a matter of rats fleeing a sinking ship? After all, ALL military officers and soldiers are going to be brought up on 'crimes-against-humanity' charges for the slaughtering of civilians. Maybe he's just trying to save his neck from the hangman's noose.
3. al-Quds
Matt   (08.05.12)
naughty boys.
4. why is his defection so important?
zionist forever   (08.05.12)
He is hardly one of Assad's right hand men or a senior general taking with him lots of weapons. The man is an individual, just because he was the first Syrian in space doesn't make his defection any more valuable that the man who stacks shelves in the supermarket. This hero isn't even planning to join in the fighting he just wants to end his association with Assad to save his reputation.
5. There is only one thing that will
Matt   (08.07.12)
Convince the Russians to give up support for Assad the Ruble. The Communists may be patriotic about Syria. But modern Russia is full of kleptocrats and oligarchic's an the Ruble is God. Once the Russian public see the Kremlin shelling out large chunks of Rubles to keep Assad going it will become unpopular. The USSR and Russia always lost money on Syria, always writing off debts. The question is how much are the willing to lose, having to fund Assad. It is not cheap funding a country. Putin is stubborn, not stupid.
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