Opinion  Ron Ben-Yishai
Assad's days are numbered
Ron Ben-Yishai
Published: 20.07.12, 00:13
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13 Talkbacks for this article
1. the Syrians were always cruel
observer   (07.20.12)
2. his days may be numbered..
(07.20.12)
but the one after him can be worse!
3. If Assad wants to go down a hero all he needs is a missile
zionist forever   (07.20.12)
The Syrian army may or may not chose to back Assad if he decides he wants to go down in the history books as the man who attacked Israel before he goes then the best way to do it is a couple of missiles with chemical warheads and he has loyalists who are capable of arranging and carrying that out. All it takes is for one missile with a chemical warhead to beat Israel's air defenses and hit a town or city and thousands could be killed. Even if it landed in an unpopulated area like in the Galilee large plots of lands could be off limits for years as the chemicals sank into the ground. Israel must not rely on the US & Jordan especially considering Obama will do everything possible to avoid military intervention this side of an election and we must hit fast and hard destroying Assad's chemical weapons and missile storage sites. If he got desperate and used them against his own people but not Israel depending on where the missile landed the gas could potentially be taken by the wind towards Israel and kill some Israelis as well. The potential threat from Assad's gas weapon should prove to the world we cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon which could kill millions not thousands.
4. Syria is being paid back for
SD Charger ,   San Diego   (07.20.12)
interfering in the Iraq war. They sent mercenaries to fight and do terror attacks against the US Bases and military people. Assad thought, at the time, that he could aid Iran's Al Qud "by proxy" in making the US leave Iraq. He was wrong and now he is in hiding like Saddam Hussein had to do. Remember when the Special Forces went into Syria and shot up their safe-house a couple kilometers into Syria? Did Assad think he would get away with allowing Syria to be a supply route for arming attacks on American Soldiers and get away with it? The CIA are not stupid and they have great memories as well.
5. Brotherhood coming to yet another neighbor,with lots of WMDs
tom ,   tel aviv   (07.20.12)
6. Next stop Iran!
Sharir ,   US   (07.20.12)
7. Assads days numbered
Obvious Watson ,   Tel-Aviv, Israel   (07.20.12)
We knew this many months ago when the great defense minister Barak predicted his downfall within 2 weeks. And who would doubt the words of wisdom from this great general ?
8. Oh yes
Sagi   (07.20.12)
For more than one year Israeli pundits have been "numbering" his days. Well. it seems that he can "outnumber" us all. An old adage comes to mind. Better keep your mouth closed and be thought of as stupid than to open it and prove yourself stupid.
9. 7 & 8
zionist forever   (07.20.12)
Obvious Watson Our wonderful defense minister said when Olmert was PM that there was no need to return gas masks because it might provoke Syria if they do. All because of budget cuts and even now that masks have been handed out they were not given to everybody and now we have Assad with chemical weapons he might use if he wants to go down in a blaze of glory. Sagi The rebels have scored some points by killing some of Assad's top men and the army is becoming less and less loyal all the time but killing a few top men doesn't mean he has lost the war yet. I think he will keep hanging on and if he doesn't use his chemical weapons against anybody before hand after the US election the president will send in troops because they want to get the WMDS before Assad or anybody else can use them. Before an election though unless Assad does or it looks like he is going to use them there won't be any foreign intervention. The Alawites in the army t least are still loyal to him and he has fighter jets, thousands of tanks, gunships and missiles whilst the rebels don't have all that much. This is very different from Libya.
10. Keep up your courageous work Assad and Russia !!
christian arab ,   nyc   (07.20.12)
We support you guys 100% !!
11. #8
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (07.21.12)
If by "pundit" you are saying "Ehud Barak", and you are saying he is stupid, everyone agrees with you. But let's look at reality. Over the past 18 months, Obama's efforts to seize Syria have had ups and downs. But this week is different. The CIA attack that eliminated 4 top generals in Assad's most secure bunker was a strategic attack. Assad's chances aren't that great anymore. He will probably fight to the end, but he is outnumbered and outgunned by Obama's forces. The real question is how Putin failed so bad in neutralizing Obama's special forces.
12. Loonies
Ronnie ,   Australia   (07.22.12)
Don't forget to take your medication. Also deep breaths!
13. I feel for you!
Ben ,   Chutzlaaretz   (07.23.12)
It has to be tough to be a Christian Arab anywhere in the Mid-East except Israel. In Syria they are protected by the barberous Assad, yet in Lebanon, Assad's buddies, Hizbollah are busy killing Maronite Christians. Nowhere to go, no place to be safe except among those "hateful" Jews in Israel. If I were you, I would be saying the same about Assad. When Assad falls, the Christian and Alawaite communities in Syria will be in terrible shape. Between Alquaida wannabe's and MB supporters, Syria will be a blood bath of ethinic cleansing. I hope your family if you have any in Syria remain safe, just don't place your hopes in Assad. The Russians will protect him until they decide he is not longer an asset, they will then let him die. It might not be as quick as the pundits are announcing, but it will happen. It is almost inevitable. Here's hoping not too many more innocent Syrian Women and Children have to die! Salam!
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