Opinion
Assad losing control
Ronen Bergman
Published: 28.09.08, 11:17
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11 Talkbacks for this article
1. The Terrorist State of Syria.
Robert Bernier ,   Tel Aviv   (09.28.08)
Israel cannot be reconciled with the Mafia regime of Assad. Syria will wait till the moment that it sees chances of defeating Israel. Syria cannot efford good relations with Israel. The Assad family has established a hereditary dynasty shored up by repression within, and confrontation and terror abroad. The rule of the Assads is not aimed at improving the lot of their people or forwarding a particular ideology. They changed ideology from secular Arabism to a seemingly impossible confection of pan-Arabism and Islamist extremism because it was expedient to do so. Hafez Assad came to power following a dizzying succession of coups that had made Syria the most unstable regime in the Middle East. The Assads are seated atop a bucking bronco. They are members of the Allawi religious minority who are usually not even considered to be Muslims. They rule a country of disparate minorities with a potential for chaos almost as great as that of Iraq. The radical Muslim Brotherhood is always there, threatening to take over the country by fair means or foul, and the usual Ba'th party rivalries that have plagued all such regimes are also a threat to Assad family rule. Their rule is not about improving living standards for Syria. Syrian living standards have fallen behind the none-too-glamorous ones of Jordan or Egypt. It is not about democracy, a Western luxury Syria can't afford, according to Bashar Assad. The Assad regime is about stability, and it is about money and power for the Assad family. The regime is comparable in every way to the fictional Corleone Mafia family. Prosperity and peace would ruin the Assad regime. Therefore, Western assumptions that Syrian leadership must want peace and prosperity are mistaken, and it is pointless to "engage" Syria in dialogue except insofar as it is possible to confront them with their violations and insist that they mend their ways as explained at : http://xrl.us/bjcsd
2. Olmert: Israel should signe a deal
Popo ,   Ramat Aviv   (09.28.08)
Before I and Assad are gone (to nice islands).
3. Wonder if this was written before or after the bombing
Chanalau, Tova ,   London, UK   (09.28.08)
Israel's instant interpretation of the significance of event is possibly a day or so too quick off the press; one might get the impression it is part of a concerted campaign for destabisation and regime change.
4. 3# Dude, you did not take your pills today !
Ezra ,   Canada   (09.29.08)
5. 3 - are we paraniod?
mike ,   israel (formerly usa   (09.29.08)
all those conspiracies are hard to keep up with, eh?
6. #3 - well done! clickfool recommended yout post :-).
redmike ,   Tel Aviv   (09.29.08)
The two of you are a complete joke and only worth reading if one can't find anything funnier. You need to start living, to start having fun and to stop feeling guilty because you feel that you ran way. There are ex-pats from every country including me and it's OK. Shanna Tova .. Mike
7. Main Reason Israel should not give up Golan in any Deal!
GHook93 ,   Chicago   (09.29.08)
Assads is from a same sec of Islam that is Shia. The majority of Syria is Sunni. Sunni Islamist hate Shia Islamist nearly as much as they hate Jews and Christians. It is just a matter of time until the majority in Syria kick out the ruling minority. After Assad is removed you will have a fundamentalist Al-Qaeda loving Sunni government.
8. #3 Spoken like a true loser
Jake   (09.29.08)
9. From London, The Chanalau Phenomenon is right on target,
Genuine Tosefta ,   Tveria   (09.30.08)
as usual. Let Arbs scare themselves to death believing that the Jewish Mossad is behind every stone and tree watching and following their every step. It increases Israel's respect and enhances its deterrence in the Middle East, so that Arbs will think less about attacking Israel.
10. #3 it was written before the Great Flood and Apple Sin
Genuine Tosefta ,   Tveria   (09.30.08)
Hopefully this answer satisfies your humongous appetite for everything insane, outrageous, irrational and irrelevant.
11. The author is living in a parallel universe
Gene ,   Raleigh USA   (09.30.08)
Syria just signed huge military agreements with Mother Russia and Russia building a permanent naval facilities there. Also...that bombing was an obvious false flag.
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