World

Syrian Forces Kill 15: Arab League Predicts ‘Disaster’ if Peace Plan Fails

Syrian Forces Kill 15 as Peace Plan Falters

(The Blaze/AP) A Syrian peace plan brokered by the Arab League unraveled Friday as security forces killed 15 people, opening fire on thousands of protesters who denounced President Bashar Assad and said he never intended to hold up his end of the deal to end the violence.

The bloodshed, only two days after Syria agreed to the deal, suggests Damascus is unwilling — or unable — to put a swift end to a crackdown that already has killed 3,000 people since the uprising began in March.

Syrian Forces Kill 15 as Peace Plan Falters“This regime is not serious about ending its brutal crackdown,” said Mustafa Osso, a Syria-based human rights lawyer. “Today was a real test for the intentions of the regime and the answer is clear to everyone who wants to see.”

The crisis in Syria has burned for nearly eight months despite widespread condemnation and international sanctions aimed at chipping away at the ailing economy and isolating Assad and his tight circle of relatives and advisers. The protesters have grown increasingly frustrated with the limits of their peaceful movement, and there are signs of a growing armed rebellion in some areas.

Some protesters even are calling for the kind of foreign military action that helped topple Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

But NATO has ruled out any plans for Syria, a country of 22 million with a combustible mix of sectarian and religious identities, and Assad still has a firm grip on power. The iron loyalty of his security apparatus sets the stage for an increasingly destructive fight over the future of a nation ruled for more than four decades by the Assad dynasty.

Tremors from the unrest in Syria could shake the region. Damascus‘ web of allegiances extends to Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah movement and Iran’s Shiite theocracy. And although Syria sees Israel as the enemy, the countries have held up a fragile truce for years.

Thousands of protesters braved cold and rainy weather Friday after opposition groups called for a large turnout to test whether the regime would in fact refrain from using deadly force, as agreed under the Arab League plan. But gunfire erupted shortly after the protests began, following the same pattern seen during previous Friday protests for months.

Al Jazeera on “Great Friday,” the deadliest day of protests in Syria:

Low-quality video from the protestests posted on YouTube by NewsOnABC, SOME VIOLENT IMAGES:


“Arab League, beware of Bashar Assad!” read one banner carried by protesters in the central city of Homs, which has turned into one of the country’s most deadly areas due to the military crackdown and what appears to be growing sectarian bloodshed.

Two main activist groups, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordinating Committees, said at least 15 people were killed Friday, most of them in Homs and suburbs of the Syrian capital.

The violence was a blow to the 22-nation Arab League, which announced Wednesday that Damascus had agreed to a broad peace plan that also called for the Syrian government to pull tanks and armored vehicles out of cities, release political prisoners and allow journalists and rights groups into the country.

Officials from the Cairo-based Arab League could not be reached for comment Friday, the start of a holiday weekend.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the Assad regime has yet to live up to a single commitment it has made to the Arab League. She said the government’s “long, deep history of broken promises” appears to be continuing.

The Arab League plan presented flaws at the outset, in part because it did not provide for any repercussions if the regime reneges on its commitments. There also was no mention of any on-the-ground monitoring to supervise the regime’s actions.

The government has largely sealed off the country from foreign journalists and prevented independent reporting, making it difficult to confirm events on the ground. Key sources of information are amateur videos posted online, witness accounts and details gathered by activist groups.

The structure of Syria’s security forces also could prevent any immediate end to the violence.

Assad, and his father before him, stacked key military posts with members of their minority Alawite sect, ensuring the loyalty of the armed forces by melding their fate with that of the regime.

If the regime falls, the argument goes, the country’s Sunni majority gains the upper hand and the Alawites lose their privileged status. Although there have been army defections, they appear to be mostly Sunni conscripts, not high-level commanders. Adding to the violence are the shabiha, the mafia-style network of young Alawite men who act as enforcers for the regime.

The Syrian deadlock, in many ways, is rooted in the country’s sectarian divide.

The Alawites rose from economic obscurity after the 1970 coup led by Bashar Assad’s father, Hafez, gaining power and financial muscle in exchange for loyalty to the Assads. It is their support that the younger Assad sees as the key to continued power.

Alawites claim they would be oppressed as Muslim heretics if the Sunnis come to power, and Sunnis claim they are unable to get the government jobs essential to reach the lower rungs of the middle class.

The now-privileged Alawites, along with other minority groups who feel protected under the Assad regime, would see majority rule as a risk at best, a nightmare at worst.

Syria blames the bloodshed on “armed gangs” and extremists acting out a foreign agenda to destabilize the regime. Assad has played on some of the countries worst fears to rally support behind him, painting himself as the lone force who can ward off the kind of radicalism and sectarianism that have bedeviled neighbors in Iraq and Lebanon.

On Friday, Syria’s Interior Ministry gave one week for anyone who was involved in carrying, selling, buying or distributing arms to turn themselves in and benefit from a pardon.

Analysts say Assad’s support is waning, and his backers are often motivated by little more than fear.

In a report this week, the International Crisis Group said the support “is almost entirely of a negative sort: fear of sectarian retribution, Islamism, foreign interference, social upheaval or, more simply, anxiety about the unknown.”

Comments (24)

  • mike_trivisonno
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 7:43am

    As long as the American Military policy of GITMO is operational, unrest in muslim nations will increase. It is desired. America will retain operational control and resources will flow so that The West can continue to prosper. What the natives do, is of no concern to us anymore.

    Liberty was offered but Sharia was chosen.

    GITMO is a policy not a place.

    Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on November 6, 2011 at 11:31am

      Good thing life is meaningless to these people, then. It will make the “disaster” that much easier to bear.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • KingCanon
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 7:00am

    If it fails? You mean when it fails? Just a matter of time till THE NEXT STEP for domination!

    Report Post » KingCanon  
  • Molaki
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 6:58am

    It is for Syrian’s to liberate Syria, not the U.S. or other countries. Yes, a lot of people will die in the process but, it is THEIR country, not ours. How many of our ancestors died on the field of battle to liberate us from England…..certainly a lot more than the 3000 or so dead in Syria. So let’s put this all in perspective and understand that in war, people die…..sometimes many, many, many people die.

    Report Post »  
    • mike_trivisonno
      Posted on November 6, 2011 at 8:09am

      There will be no Liberty in Syria so long as they remain yoked to Mecca.

      There will be Sharia.

      Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
  • mikee1
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 5:48am

    CIVIL WAR IN THE MUSLIM MIDDLE EAST. This was done by ODUMBO INC. to lay the tracks for the destruction of Israel. BACKFIRED. LOL. You see, the white communists, pulling Odumbo’s strings are mostly dumb asses too.

    Report Post » mikee1  
  • moxjet1
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 2:50am

    These people are putting their lives on the line just to have
    a taste of the freedoms we enjoy. Its a shame that we have
    so many idiots who say “lets collapse the system” and take
    this wonderful USA so for granted!

    Report Post »  
  • michael79
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 1:46am

    Only 15? If they were a real bloodthirsty regime I’m sure they have the means to kill thousands at a time. Maybe it’s like OWS, taunt the police into action and then claim police brutality when they respond in their own defense. Whaaaaa.

    Report Post » michael79  
    • lukerw
      Posted on November 6, 2011 at 1:05am

      There are no “bleeding heart” Liberals over there… under Sharia Law brutality is Justice!

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • gwssacredcause
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 1:21am

    I would like to know exactly which country the “independent foreign journalists” would be from, maybe we could send for some to take the place of the ones we are stuck with.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 1:09am

    The Arab League is only united when fighting Jews & Christians!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • the hawk
    Posted on November 6, 2011 at 12:40am

    Assad knows if he loses he’s probably dead ! Or hiding in Pakistan !

    Report Post »  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 11:21pm

    OBAMA, I‘m sure you just don’t “have time to wait for Congress” – so come up with a catchy new phrase like “kinetic action”.

    Let’s see if I can help:
    A) agressive negotiation
    B) dynamic intervention
    C) presidential prerogative

    Hope one of those works for ya

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • Banter
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 7:52pm

    The Arab League plan presented flaws at the outset, in part because it did not provide for any repercussions if the regime reneges on its commitments. There also was no mention of any on-the-ground monitoring to supervise the regime’s actions

    Seems to be the equivalent of “pretty please with a cherry on top.”

    Report Post » Banter  
  • scout n ambush
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 7:09pm

    Intrnational Crisis Group funded by none other than george soros a leading figure of this org is robert malley who was slick willys special assistant for arab israeli affairs .

    Report Post » scout n ambush  
  • bullcrapbuster
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 7:05pm

    Only countries where some freedom exists can be overthrown by force from within.

    Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
  • garyM
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 6:54pm

    Assad is taking his orders from Putin and Iran now! They are setting up a coalition against Israel and the US!

    Report Post »  
  • DagneyT
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 6:39pm

    The pain, the agony in that woman’s eyes in the first picture speaks volumes. What these people are going through, to know that they are braving real live bullets to voice their concerns, puts lie to the ridiculous babies at OWS!

    Report Post » DagneyT  
  • knighttemplar999
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 6:37pm

    Assad, is he one of George Bush’s hand holding buddies too?

    Report Post »  
    • Robert-CA
      Posted on November 5, 2011 at 6:47pm

      NO he’s not in fact Bush cut all relations with Syria & Obama over turned that & supported the Assad regime by appointing an ambassador in Syria without the knowledge of congress .

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • Steve
      Posted on November 6, 2011 at 1:48am

      knighttemplar999

      Sometimes one must simply remain quiet and let others assume his ignorance while others open their mouths and confirm it.

      Nice try. You’d make a great field reporter for MSNBC or a blogger for the Huffington Post.

      Any Other moronic things you want to share with the class?

      Report Post »  
  • Dustyluv
    Posted on November 5, 2011 at 6:29pm

    Hurry get the drones in ther Obama. We need to kill someone fast!!

    Report Post »  

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