The road to peace in Syria?

Really, it’s Peter Lavelle and Mark Sleboda against the other two guests.

Speaking personally, although they do spout some veritable nonsense I would have preferred it if they could have been,as invited guests, been allowed to finish their points without being talked over..

CrossTalk on Syria: Road to peace?

After years of bickering and bellicose language, it would appear the major powers might be able to come to an understanding on how to end the Syrian Civil War. Well, that’s according to John Kerry. Moscow is not as convinced as the US Secretary of State.

The question remains: can Washington change its thinking about the conflict?

CrossTalking with Mark Sleboda, Stephen Zunes and Josef Olmert

Here are some particularly-illuninating comments from Facebook:

As for the "peaceful protests" that started all and Steven's propaganda here, here are some timeline facts:

(I know it starts before 2010, but I focus on recent years)

1) In 2010, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accused Israel of avoiding peace, and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem warned that in the event of a future war, Israeli cities would be targeted by Syrian missiles. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded by saying that the Syrian military would be defeated in a war with Israel, and Assad and his family would be forced from power.

2) Small protests started in January 2011. No violence.

3) February 2011 Syria declares state of emergency, mostly due to relations with Israel. (obviously, not a good time for protesting...)

4) The protests ("day of rage") that started on 15 March 2011 were allegedly triggered by the arrest of a boy and his friends by the government for writing the graffiti "the people want the regime to fall" (well, well, demanding regime falling already? It is hard to believe this can mobilize a big mob, but hey...). , The protesters marched in the capital of Damascus, demanding democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners. The security forces cracked it down and detained six of protesters. (That is what it often referred to as "harsh government response"...no deaths reported... duh!)

5) On the March 20th, the protesters burned down a Ba'ath Party headquarters and other buildings. The ensuing clashes claimed the lives of seven police officers and 15 protesters (1:2 ratio). Now that's peaceful!

6) Anyway, until 7 April were predominantly democratic reforms, release of political prisoners, more freedom, abolition of the emergency law and an end to corruption...blah blah...and then they started calling for overthrowing the government. (so it took them 2 weeks to radicalize...that's Steven's "long peaceful protesting"?)

7) End of April there were protests in 20 cities. Syrian Army got involved and by end of May 2011 1,000 civilians died and 150 policemen and soldiers. (It's quite an achievement for peaceful crowd to kill 150 armed men!)

8) June 4th 2011, near Turkish border, armed terrorists attacked police station, killing 8 policemen.

9) By end of July 2011, 1,600 civilians and 500 soldiers and policemen were killed. That is 1:3 ratio. (Not a bad good score for "peaceful protesters")

...and then it escalates further....

10) Already in December 2011, former counter-terrorism specialist and CIA military intelligence officer Philip Giraldi asserted that already "unmarked NATO warplanes are arriving at Turkish military bases close to..the Syrian border, delivering weapons from the late Muammar Gaddafi’s arsenals as well as volunteers from the Libyan Transitional National Council who are experienced in pitting local volunteers against trained soldiers" and that in addition, " French and British special forces trainers are on the ground, assisting the Syrian rebels while the CIA and U.S. Spec Ops are providing communications equipment and intelligence to assist the rebel cause.

...add fuel to fire, the usual CIA strategy.

Peaceful for years? Steven is just full of BS and Washington propaganda