Free counter and web stats

Translate

..There's a little Samuel Pepys in all of us..

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

We've not paid much attention of late, to the goings on in the Middle East..
And for the most part, the relative situations in Libya and Syria have been see-sawing back and forth, with nothing near a resolution to hand..
But, looking at Libya.. we see rebel forces making important inroads in their movements towards Tripoli.. Two towns which supply Tripoli are now in rebel hands..
And why we still see crowds in their hundreds in Tripoli, rallying to a telephone broadcast from Mohammar.. calling on his supporters to supply the "..river of blood.." that will flow, to quench the fire of this insurrection..
But slowly,, the 'freedom fighters' are taking strategic towns, and recruiting to their cause as they move on..
NATO continues with it's bombardment of Tripoli.. and the tactics taught by the fifty or so French, British, and American 'advisers has been learned well..
A matter of time.. is what it comes down to..

Now in Syria, Assad's government troops and rebel forces have both been censured by the UN Human Rights commission.. neither side is too particular on how they get information from their prisoners..
But the government troops are in a class of their own..
To join a protest in any of the main cities in Syria, is deliberately putting one's self in harms way.. And still, they're out there..
The government's Draconian response to these protests has been condemned not only by the UN, the West in general, but by influential Arab States including the Arab League..
But.., this seems to have little weight with Assad..
Sanctions will be next.. but it's unfortunate these actions percolate down to those who can least afford it.. And in fact, strict sanctions could lead to problems down the road.. when finally Assad is brought down..
Syria is pivotal in that all the rebel factions active in the Middle East, have lived in general harmony under Assad's dictatorship.. When finally he is brought down, it will be of some concern whether Hammas..Hezbollah..al Q'aida.. and all the others.. will form a government which could be an immanent threat to Israel..
For the protesters in Syria.. it's a fight to choose.. For all those looking on, it's a frantic scrabble for intelligence that might help predict a 'popular' Syrian government..
However.. Assad can count on one firm ally.. Iran..
In a country that knows a thing or two about diplomatic isolation, Iran's politicians and media describe the Damascus government as an outpost of resistance to Israel that has been set upon by Washington and its lackeys in the region..
While several Gulf Arab countries have withdrawn their ambassadors in protest at the violence, and countries once close to Damascus.. Russia and Turkey.. have turned harshly critical.. Iran is the only big country still backing Syria, arguing anything else would spell disaster..
Alaeddin Boroujerdi.. the head of the Iranian Parliament's Foreign Affairs committee.. said "In regard to Syria we are confronted with two choices.. The first is for us to place Syria in the mouth of a wolf named America and change conditions in a way that NATO would attack Syria.. That would mean we would have a tragedy added to our other tragedies in the world of Islam.. The second choice would be for us to contribute to the termination of the clashes in Syria, the interests of the Muslim people command that we mobilize ourselves to support Syria as a center of Palestinian resistance.."..
A senior cleric pressed the message home.. "It is the duty of all Muslims to help stabilize Syria against the destructive plots of America and Israel," to quote Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi..
We are still thoroughly involved in Jihad..

A sentiment in Canada that should afford we Britons a touch of pride..
This story in a major Toronto newspaper..
"The Conservative government's decision to restore the traditional designations of the Canadian Forces; the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is a welcome move that recognizes a reality that has been long ignored by officialdom: The decades-long attempt to erase the historic designations, and unique identities, of the RCN, Canadian Army and RCAF was a failure..
Who would, given the choice, wish to refer to the Canadian Army as “Land Forces Command” or the Royal Canadian Navy as “Maritime Command”? The restoration of the names hard won in battle during the last century, and in countless operations since, can only serve to reinvigorate pride of service in the Canadian Forces. It represents a mark of respect for the men and women who serve in the defence of our country and its values.."
Hear hear..



While our immediate attention may well be directed towards that which directly affects us at home.. the economy.. public unrest here at home.. politicians who to all appearances should be set in the ranks of the terminally bewildered..
It always does us well to take a wider view from time to time..
And more on the economy, as this day unfolds..





No comments:

Search This Blog

Blog Archive

Followers