Saturday, April 8, 2017
Moqtada al-Sadr urges Assad to quit
Shia Iraqi cleric condemns killing of 87 people in the suspected chemical attack in a rebel-held Syrian town
Link
Link
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Saturday called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, also calling on Washington and Moscow to stop intervening in the conflict.
The Najaf-based cleric condemned the killing of 87 people, including 31 children, in a suspected chemical attack last week in a rebel-held Syrian town that has been widely blamed on Damascus.
"I would consider it fair for President Bashar al-Assad to resign and leave power, allowing the dear people of Syria to avoid the scourge of war and terrorist oppression," he said in a statement.
Read More ►
The United States fired a barrage of 59 cruise missiles at Shayrat airbase in Syria early on Friday to push Damascus, despite its denials of responsibility.
Sadr, who fronted a militia that fought the US occupation of Iraq, also condemned the American missile strike, urging all foreign parties involved in the Syria conflict to pull out.
"I call on all sides to withdraw their military assets from Syria so that the Syrian people take things into their own hands. They are the only ones with the right to decide their fate -- the alternative will turn Syria to rubble," he said.
Several Iraqi Shia militias, some of them directly supported by Iran, are helping Assad's camp in the Syria conflict by sending fighting units across the border.
Sadr, however, is seen as a nationalist. His forces have focused on protecting the holy sites and his drive against corruption and nepotism has drawn support from beyond his traditional base.
During 2005 and 2006 Sadr's self-styled Mahdi army was involved in the sectarian killings which engulfed Baghdad. Hundreds of Sunnis were murdered by militias loyal to various Shia leaders. Hundreds of Shias were murdered in return.
But last month Sadr told Middle East Eye that sectarian militias have no place in Iraq.
Speaking from his home in Najaf he told MEE that he favours urgent dialogue with Iraq's Sunni politicians so as to prevent clashes sectarian clashes once the country no longer has a common enemy.
"I'm afraid that the defeat of Daesh [Islamic State] is only the start of a new phase. My proposal is inspired by fear of sectarian and ethnic conflict after Mosul's liberation," he said.
I would consider it fair for Assad to resign and leave power- Moqtada al-Sadr
"I want to avoid this. I am very proud of Iraq's diversity but my fear is that we may see a genocide of some ethnic or sectarian groups."
The Iraqi government issued a statement in reaction to the events in Syria reflecting a difficult balancing act between its alliance with the United States and with Iran, a key backer of Assad.
The statement from Baghdad condemned the chemical attack, without naming Assad, calling instead for an international investigation to identify the perpetrator.
It also criticised "the hasty interventions" that followed the chemical attack, in an apparent reference to the US strikes.
'Do you only care how we die?' Syrians ask why gas attacks are the only red line
Khan Sheikhun has been bombed, burned, starved and now gassed. Locals ask why Assad has been free to kill them for so long
Link
Khan Sheikhun children hold pictures of victims of chemical attack (AFP)
Hamid Kutini carried a victim of the gas attack in Khan Sheikhun (Reuters)
Link
Khan Sheikhun, Idlib, Syria - As US cruise missiles struck a Syrian airbase in Homs on Friday, the government was going about its usual, deadly business: Syrian or Russian bombs were at the same time falling on the Idlib suburb of Baldat Heesh, destroying several homes, killing eight people including three children, and injuring 10 others.
Baldat Heesh is a short distance from Khan Sheikhun, where more than 70 people were killed in a chemical attack on Tuesday. And while the focus remains on that attack, and the US response, the people of Idlib cower in their homes as barrel bombs continue to fall.
In the end, the result for us is the same. We die. We continue to die- Um Ahmad, of Khan Sheikhun
Many spoken to by Middle East Eye were frustrated it took a chemical attack to force the hand of the US: gas, bombs, starvation, sieges - they all have the same result in Syria.
And such is the twisted reality after six years of war, some rationalise and decide they would rather be gassed to death than eviscerated by high explosives.
Um Ahmad, a mother from Khan Sheikhun whose three-year-old nephew was gassed to death, told MEE: "The world is shocked by the chemical attack and yet they do not understand.
"To us who have lived through six years of siege, forced starvation and incessant attacks by both Russia and the Syrian regime, this is simply another other way to die, no more and no less," she said.
"It does not matter that it is forbidden internationally or how it kills, in the end, the result is the same. We die. And we continue to die. Do you only care how we die or that we are dying?
And in a chilling reflection on the reality of war, Ahmad said: "We prefer death this way. We can bury our children in one piece and not have to search for their parts among the rubble and shrapnel."
Khan Sheikhun children hold pictures of victims of chemical attack (AFP)'How many more ways to die?'
Moaz al-Shami, a citizen journalist, echoed Ahmad's feelings in the the aftermath of the Khan Sheikhun attack: "Why has the world abandoned us and doesn't even look at us?" he said in a broadcast.
"There is no type of death that we have not experienced! Death by chemical weapons, death by drowning, death by phosphorous, death by rockets, death by air strikes, buried under rubble, death by suffocation.
"Please answer me, what type of death have we not tasted yet? How many more ways to die are still left for us to face?"
It was terrifying - you could see the souls leaving the people's bodies- Hamid Kutani, rescue worker
Mahmoud Othman, also of Khan Sheikhun, told MEE: "There are crimes you can see and other war crimes we face that are invisible to the eye.
"Both my brothers have been imprisoned by the government since 2013, we were told they died under torture, others say they may still be alive, we don't know.
"The world cannot see them but we know that this government is killing us in more ways than the world can see."
Othman said the US strike in Homs gave the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, a red line, but it did not deter him from killing by other means.
"The US strike only provides a red line to the Assad regime to not use chemical weapons.
"The message to us is that the US wants the Assad government to continue to kill us just not with forbidden weapons."
Civil defence volunteers were among the first to arrive after the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhun. They have seen much in the years of war, but nothing as profoundly shocking.
Hamid Kutini, a White Helmets volunteer in the town, recalled the horror he witnessed on that day.
"The first rescue team to arrive at the scene called and told us that they were starting to lose consciousness - they asked for back-up, but warned us to be careful as we may be affected by the gas.
"When I arrived people were everywhere, many had lost consciousness, many were foaming at the mouth. It was terrifying - you could see the souls leaving the people's bodies.
"My mind could no longer tolerate it. I started to feel the gas had affected me and I was afraid it would make me lose consciousness too."
Kutini put the numbers of dead and poisoned in the hundreds.
"We treated 300. The children and the elderly were harder to save, their bodies were weaker and could not tolerate it."
Hamid Kutini carried a victim of the gas attack in Khan Sheikhun (Reuters)Double tap attack
"As I began to take the children's bodies inside our office was targeted by about 10 air strikes.
"I cannot describe to you the second attack because what I had seen earlier turned my mind blank.
"Witnessing the chemical attack was harder than the air strikes that were targeting us for over 45 minutes. Some people that we had rescued from the chemical attack were killed by the air strikes. "
Local sources told MEE that Khan Sheikhun was still facing air strikes and that many of the locals have fled the area fearing another chemical attack.
Read more ►
Kutini too seemed baffled by the idea that chemical weapons were any important than other forms of attack. "Is it acceptable for people to die with barrel bombs but not chemical weapons? Is that acceptable?"
"This was the worst attack I have experienced because it took the largest number of lives."
"But this time we didn't have to search for the scattered parts of the victims bodies among the shrapnel and rubble as we do with barrel bombs."
"Every day there is blood, every day there is death, every day there is a massacre, there are strikes now as I am talking to you, I don't agree that chemical weapons should be the red line.
"No one has ever tried to stop the holocaust inflicted on us."
الصدر يدعو الأسد للتنحي وواشنطن وموسكو إلى كف أذاهم
Link
دعا زعيم التيار الصدري، مقتدى الصدر، واشنطن وموسكو إلى كف أذاهما عن سورية، كما دعا الرئيس السوري، بشار الأسد، إلى التنحي، كما دعا الجميع إلى الانسحاب العسكري من سورية كي يتسلم الشعب السوري زمام الأمور.
وقال الصدر، في بيان نشرته 'السومرية نيوز' إنه 'لا ينبغي على الرئيس الأميركي أن يفرط في تصريحاته ومواقفه وقراراته الرعناء.. فهذا ليس مضرا لأميركا فحسب، بل مضر للمجتمع الدولي كافة. فلا ينبغي عليه أن يزج نفسه في محرقة جديدة قد يدفع الجميع ضريبتها، وقد تكون سورية فيتنام جديدة لهم'.
وتابع أنه 'لا يعقل أن يكيل بمكيالين، إذ يقصف المدنيين العزل في الموصل، وفي نفس الوقت يستنكر القصف المدان للمدنيين بالكيمياوي. ألا يكفي سورية أن تكالبت عليها الأيادي أجمع من الداخل والخارج لكي يأتي دور أميركا السلبي أيضا، والمتضرر الوحيد هو الشعب السوري'.
وأضاف الصدر 'لا أستبعد أن يكون قرار ترامب بقصف سورية هو الإذن بتمدد داعش في مناطق أخرى، فغالبا ما تكون أميركا راعية للإرهاب كما تعودنا منها ذلك في الكثير من الموارد'.
واستدرك 'ثم إنه إذا أرادت أميركا أن تكون راعية للسلام، فعليها أن تدعم الحوار وإنقاذ الشعوب في كل المناطق، سواء في فلسطين أو بورما أو البحرين أو غيرها من المناطق، وأن لا تكون ميالة لجهة لجهة دون أخرى'.
وتابع الصدر 'ليعلم الجميع أن تدخل أميركا العسكري لن يكون مجديا، فهي قد أعلنت قصفها للدواعش في العراق، وما زال الإرهاب جاثما على أراضينا المقدسة، ولم يكن تدخلها مجديا ولا نافعا على الإطلاق'.
وأضاف 'حسب ظني فإن مثل هذه القرارات ستجر المنطقة إلى صراع، لا سيما مع وجود رايات أخرى تدعي تحريرها أو إنقاذها لسورية الجريحة، والتي صارت مصلبا لصراعات سياسية مقيتة'.
ودعا الصدر الجميع إلى 'الانسحاب العسكري من سورية لأخذ الشعب زمام الأمور، فهو صاحب الحق الوحيد في تقرير مصيره وإلا سيكون عبارة عن ركام يكون المنتفع الوحيد هو الإرهاب والاحتلال'.
اقرأ/ي أيضًا | موسكو تحذر من القصف الأميركي لسورية وتغلق الاتصال مع واشنطن
وطالب الصدر أميركا بـ'كف أذاها، كما أن ذلك مطلوب من روسيا والفصائل الأخرى'، مشيرا إلى أنه 'لعلي أجد من الإنصاف أن يقدم الرئيس بشار الأسد استقالته، وأن يتنحى عن الحكم حبا بسورية الحبيبة، ليجنبها ويلات الحروب وسيطرة الإرهابيين، فيعطى زمام الأمر إلى جهات شعبية نافذة تستطيع الوقوف ضد الإرهاب لإنقاذ الأراضي السورية بأسرع وقت، ليكون له موقفا تاريخيا بطوليا قبل أن يفوت الأوان، ولات حين مندم'.
Friday, April 7, 2017
AZMI BISHARA'S LATEST COMMENT
1. النظام السوري أُبلغ بالقصف قبل ساعات من وقوعه بواسطة روسيا.
2. هذا يعني أن الرسالة استعراضية وتأديبية في الوقت ذاته، ومفادها: "لا تحرجونا أكثر باستخدام السلاح الكيماوي"! فلا يمكن انتقاد أوباما على تقصيره والسير على خطاه حذو النعل بالنعل.
3. أثرها الرئيسي أ. إن الفاعلين الرئيسييين اصبحوا أميركا وروسيا، وبينهما سوف تدور المفاوضات المقبلة، وب. روسيا ظهرت عاجزة. إنها فاعلة فقط نتيجة لامتناع اميركا عن الفعل.
4. لو ارادت الإدارة الأميركية إسقاط الأسد لكان لها ذلك بسهولة، باختلاف عنوان القصف ومدته، لكنها لا تريد إسقاط الأسد بدون اتفاق على البدائل.
5. المرحلة القادمة تتوقف على رغبة الولايات المتحدة وروسيا على وقف التوتر بينهما والتوصل إلى حل في سوريا، أو مواصلة تسجيل نقاط حتى التوصل إلى حل.
2. هذا يعني أن الرسالة استعراضية وتأديبية في الوقت ذاته، ومفادها: "لا تحرجونا أكثر باستخدام السلاح الكيماوي"! فلا يمكن انتقاد أوباما على تقصيره والسير على خطاه حذو النعل بالنعل.
3. أثرها الرئيسي أ. إن الفاعلين الرئيسييين اصبحوا أميركا وروسيا، وبينهما سوف تدور المفاوضات المقبلة، وب. روسيا ظهرت عاجزة. إنها فاعلة فقط نتيجة لامتناع اميركا عن الفعل.
4. لو ارادت الإدارة الأميركية إسقاط الأسد لكان لها ذلك بسهولة، باختلاف عنوان القصف ومدته، لكنها لا تريد إسقاط الأسد بدون اتفاق على البدائل.
5. المرحلة القادمة تتوقف على رغبة الولايات المتحدة وروسيا على وقف التوتر بينهما والتوصل إلى حل في سوريا، أو مواصلة تسجيل نقاط حتى التوصل إلى حل.
عزمي بشارة
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Syria: US launches 60 missiles in strike on airbase near Homs – live
US military strike under way in Syria after gas attack in Idlib appears to have changed Donald Trump’s view on Bashar al-Assad
The Guardian
Link
The Guardian
Link
Pentagon: Russia notified before strike
The Pentagon has confirmed it used a hotline for minimising the risk of aerial combat between US and Russian jets in eastern Syria to alert Russia of the strike against its Syrian client.
The Russians are sure to have routed that warning to Assad, raising immediate questions about what the strike will have accomplished, and also signalling that the US does not seek escalation.
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said:
Russian forces were notified in advance of the strike using the established deconfliction line. US military planners took precautions to minimise risk to Russian or Syrian personnel located at the airfield.We are assessing the results of the strike. Initial indications are that this strike has severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment at Shayrat airfield, reducing the Syrian government’s ability to deliver chemical weapons.The use of chemical weapons against innocent people will not be tolerated.
Tillerson: Russia 'complicit or incompetent' over Syria chemical weapons deal
Trump speaks on Syria strike
The US military has launched a cruise missile volley at Syrian airfields, making the US a direct combatant for the first time against Bashar al-Assad.
Donald Trump, who for years signalled comfort with leaving Assad in power, abruptly switched course after seeing images of children gassed to death in Idlib province after Assad unleashed sarin gas in his latest chemical weapons attack.
The strike comprised dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from the guided-missile destroyers USS Ross and Porter in the eastern Mediterranean. An airfield near Homs was targeted, signalling a limited initial engagement. The US did not target Syria’s formidable air defences, as it does before a concerted airpower campaign.
Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both armed services committee hawks who have been sharply critical of Trump even as they have long sought an attack on Assad, praised Trump on Thursday evening.
In a joint statement, they said:
We salute the skill and professionalism of the US armed forces who carried out tonight’s strikes in Syria. Acting on the orders of their commander-in-chief, they have sent an important message: the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin’s Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs.
Tomahawks are sophisticated missiles with the ability to shift course in the air, making them analogous to drones on a one-way mission. Syria’s formidable, Russian-supplied air defences, largely along the Mediterranean coast, have long prompted warnings from US military officials against attacking Assad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)