Ongoing Violence in Syria

Posted by DipNote Bloggers
August 1, 2011
Syrian Refugees Protest Against Syrian President Assad

President Barack Obama issued a statement on the violence in Syria on July 31, 2011. The President said:

"I am appalled by the Syrian government's use of violence and brutality against its own people. The reports out of Hama are horrifying and demonstrate the true character of the Syrian regime. Once again, President Assad has shown that he is completely incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate grievances of the Syrian people. His use of torture, corruption and terror puts him on the wrong side of history and his people. Through his own actions, Bashar al-Assad is ensuring that he and his regime will be left in the past, and that the courageous Syrian people who have demonstrated in the streets will determine its future. Syria will be a better place when a democratic transition goes forward. In the days ahead, the United States will continue to increase our pressure on the Syrian regime, and work with others around the world to isolate the Assad government and stand with the Syrian people."

Secretary Clinton also issued a statement on the continuing violence in Syria on August 1, 2011. Secretary Clinton said:

"The Syrian regime's violent assault on civilians continued today, even as Ramadan began, highlighting again the brutality and viciousness of the Assad regime. Yesterday, President Obama said that President Assad has shown that he is incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate grievances of the Syrian people. Today, as the campaign of violence continues, President Assad is further ensuring that he and his regime will be left in the past, and that the Syrian people themselves will be the ones to determine its future.

During what should be a time of prayer and family gathering, we mourn the deaths of all those killed, especially innocent children like Layal Askar, a one-year old killed by a stray bullet from a security officer's gun in the southern city of al-Hirak. The United States stands with the Syrian people and we condemn the Assad regime's violent campaign against them. We call on President Assad to stop the slaughter now. We call on those members of the United Nations Security Council who have opposed any Security Council action that would call on Assad to stop the killing to reconsider their positions. And we call on the international community to come together behind the people of Syria in this critical time.

As I have said before, President Assad has lost his legitimacy with the Syrian people. Syria will be a better place when a democratic transition goes forward."

You can also read President Obama's statement here and Secretary Clinton's statement here.



Wisconsin, USA
August 2, 2011

Eslaporte in Wisconsin writes:

I'm wondering what the differences are here between Libya and Syria. We get more violence from the Syrian government against its own people, yet Muammar Gaddafi is being given the "Milosevic treatment" by being indicted by the ICC and subject to NATO military actions.
I think the difference here is with the Europeans, who view Gaddafi in not too good of a light. It is said that Gaddafi demanded payments to except deportation of illegal immigrants from "Fortress Europe." It is France,Sarkozy, who wanted this action against Gaddafi's government, followed by Italy, the two countries that were most entwined in relations with Libya regarding illegal immigrants.
The escalating of actions by the Europeans against Gaddafi by bringing in NATO and ICC indictments could actually be related to the "Fortress Europe" mentality and the desire to not see anymore refugees setting foot on European soil from these "democratic revolutions" in he Middle East.
Could it be that Syria is relatively safe to butcher its own people so as long as refugees and illegal immigrants are not setting foot on European soils?!

New Mexico, USA
August 2, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

To those "appalled" (you know who you are);

I suppose it gets easy to be appalled by a lot of things, especially when they seem par for the course with ethical infants, as there ain't no helping dysfuntionality when it looks a lot like a skunk with its head stuck in a jar of "Skippy" peanut butter,...just ask Jon Stewart. Compromise in Congress may equate with a tomato juice remedy in the aftermath of "debtmaggedon-averted" in the time delay it takes to perform public aroma therapy in those chambers.

Assad? He ain't coming out of the asinine conundrum of his mass murdering ways smelling like rose water, that's for sure.

But being appalled ain't no solution either, if you can't prevent the crime occuring, Mr. President...(in case you're reading this).

They say "there isn't a military solution". Well I suggest Assad get with that program before we have to find one for his terminal won't we?

That is unless Amb. Susan Rice thinks it's a good idea to ask the Russians if they feel obliged to repo Assad's tanks they sold him seeing as how the UNSC is in emergency meeting over this today.

I mean, to be only fair to the Russians, I don't think they sold them to Syria for them to be used to slaughter civilians. But for defensive purposes against external threats.
Thus Assad is in "breach of contract" and someone definately needs to relieve him of his tools of genocide....pronto.

I know how the Russians like to do things all legal and above board in the UN, and this would be one way to correct their own karma before it hits home to Mother Russia like a trainwreck of past cold-war manifestations, for there's lot of work to be done on that without a lot of quibbling about it.

The benefactors of our own weapons sales throughout the region have been influenced by our relations to put a lid on any violent response to protest...and Russia flat needs to do its part with the recipiants of their's.

Either one is a responsible global partner or not, and there's not much grey area in the doing.

It's only right to ask folks to correct their mistakes, but when they don't listen?

You know folks be calling on America to solve their problems kineticly, and we generally oblige eventually.

What comes around goes around and I think it's time for Russia to step on a dictator's neck for once, and bring a little peace to the world instead of complaining constantly about how we go about that.

Fair's fair, and I think the Russians capable of meeting such a fair challenge.


Abdullah S.
Rhode Island, USA
August 2, 2011

Abdullah in Rhode Island writes:

What keeps president Obama from saying that Al-Assad lost his legitimacy? is he underwhelmed by the horror and number of victims. Shame on him.

saman b.
August 2, 2011

Saman in Iraq writes:

It would be excellent if Syrian regime before this upheaval, regime put a lot of free tribune in any city for it's nation to set forth their request and compare with other current human rights, if it's the job or abode or improve financial estates or they want kissing together in street freely,/ empty their pressure sex in a cabaret/dance in the bar any of this may be but unfortunately it's late, outcome for Syria is uncertain; according to real interpret Assad mean Lion but this time on the contrary usage, cowardice and despotic sticking.

California, USA
August 2, 2011

Ammar in California writes:

It's about time President Obama speak out since his last comments back in April. The Bashar Al-Assad regime must be ousted out with his thugs and Iranian Shiaat mercenaries immediately. If the U.S. must withdraw thier ambassador in Damacus and never expect to negotiate dialogue and reform with Killers and Assassins like Bashar Al-Assad regime. This regime had proven over more than 4 decades to be TERRORIST at all levels starting with 40,000 innocent harmless Syrian civilians in the city of Hama alone back in 1982 by Bashar's father Hafez Al-Assad and his uncle Refaat Al-Assad (still at large)and was never punished or brought to justice for his crime. The heroeic people of Syria continue to get slaughtered everyday not only by this racist corrupt regime but with the help of Iranian Shiaat Soldiers mercenaries and Hizbullah. The killing of innocent civilians continues in the streets of Damascus even during the holy month of Ramadan. The Syrian people are sick and tired of this regime and what it represent. The people call out the international community for help to STOP the blood shed and masacres commited of innocent women, children, and innocent protesters and replace the Assad regime with a new democratic government immediately. Let's not also forget what this regime has done in Lebanon for 30 years. There is nothing to write home about this regime except BLOODY masacres, assassinations, destruction and corruption in Syria and Lebanon.

August 2, 2011

W.W. writes:

Condamn from international community on Assad : The Syrian king must stop the massacre and do the reform is citizen are asking.
So if Assad will stop and do the reform won't be charged for crime against humanity? Which is the difference between breivik and assad at this point?Why Turkey or marocc or any other Islamic country are not saying nothing in stopping a massacre on Human lives when the Islamic community deplored in one voice the Israeli flottilla massacre?
Are not then the syrian act a crime against humanity as much as the breivik one no matter of religion economy or political views?
Just watching the Syrian massacre (if the information the west has on that are true of course)just a cretain thing that western society is corrupted and criminally organized.
Western society is a society with the only interest to enrich the few instead then the many. A society that if there are no Financial economic interest doeas not think twice in scrificing Human Lives instead tehn sacrifice a dime.

August 3, 2011

W.W. writes:

Uk Embassy in Syria: Protester are terrorist?

Well there is the chance according to analysis that it can be that Terrorist are moving arab spring against arab governament as claimed from the libyan colonel wrote by me at beginning of spring.International community decided to support protester in all country but they were going against 80's western agreemnt for the region

In anycase International community along with Russia and China must enter in Syria with the Priority to stop VIOLENCE both side.

It will be the only way to really see if the protester are along with terrorist or the way around.

August 3, 2011

W.W. writes:

West along with the east Nato and Brics must enter with UN in Syria giving credit to Assad and not Armed protester to investigate and what part is involved with terrorism and Iran Nuclear proliferation. It can be a terrorist strategy to fight disarmed

New Mexico, USA
August 3, 2011

Eric in New Mexico writes:

@ WW,

It's more probbable by orders of magnitude that Assad has recalled the terrorists he sent to destabilize Iraq and is putting them to work in Syria. Example; State video claiming to be of protesters dumping bodies of regime Intel. forces into a river (CNN) because as you know, the western media will just air it globally.

Purpose is two create internal division within opposition and internal division on the UNSC which is debating the merits of a resolution on Syria today.

People will be picking up arms to defend themselves in the streets in response to Assad's war on his people....that's inevitable.

But why would protesters video themselves dumping bodies in a river to show the world they are no better than Assad?

It's critical questions like this you must ask before drawing conclusion.

plus the protesters upload their video's to U-tube very quickly after they've been filmed.

That video was shot earlier this year because that river is now here's the regime releasing something they made themselves dumping protestors bodies and decide to release it now due to international pressure, and see if they can fool the world.

What would be really cool to see is 5-10 million folks on the streets of Tehran protesting for months on end to gain their freedom.

If the Iranian opposition could get a third of that city's population to take to the streets, another third would join them, and mark on the third that represses them.

Do that in multiple cities and they will have their revolution.

It will come at a price, but freedom always does.

The "Armchair activists" of Iran need to get up off their duffs and let their feet do the walkin' where their mouths do their talkin'.

It's the only way they'll save Iran from a war the ayattollahs are determined to start with us and are bound to lose...big time.

That's just a matter of time not of our choosing, unless we get pre-emptive on the threats posed by the world's leading state sponsor of terror.

Until then it will be the same old....$#T$^#, day after day.


August 5, 2011

W.W. writes:


Don't let me explain all Strategies

The priority is to enter in Syria with a little trojan Horse ... We r trying to get the Lernaean Hydra. when a great tribulation occurr, great labour is needed (OP-ED Spiderman)...If you read me, I m personally a bit against Assad and Islam which I consider a mass murdering tribal view of life which stand for Violence : That s why I consider Tom Cruise a better prophet then Islamic Mohammed (Better wondering about to build The U.S.S. Enterprise and travel space with even Captain Kirk in there then worry to bend your slef to wave the leaving sun...and as you wrote It always the same deal. Unfortunally Obama today is a false Prophet for his citizen and for the world after the agreement he signed with ×ž×œ×š on august the 2nd and we have to be ready in facing great and bigger time of tribulation now and we all must try focus and target to end this massive groundhog day that takes away us to progress. A way to ENTER in Syria and stop Victims and massacre of Human Lives independently from race religion and other discrimination is to Give credit to local and current Sovran Governament Giving credit to Assad : It s the new way for terrorism :UnArmed protester :)


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