Syria has long been the 800 lb. gorilla in the Lebanese politics, and with elections looming in the near future that is true now more than ever, with the Syria question at the center of the political divide, and the ongoing civil war provoking yet more foreign involvement in the Lebanon vote.
The split is between the Hezbollah-dominated March 8 bloc, the outgoing government, and the March 14 bloc of Saad Hariri, whose last government fell in early 2011. The two sides are always exceedingly close in votes, with a few seats usually the difference in which bloc forms the government.
The Hariri bloc has long disliked the Assad government, while Hezbollah-backed fighters are in Syria fighting with Assad, fearing a Sunni-dominated Syria would shift the balance of power in the region against them.
Whatever happens with Assad, however, both Iran and Saudi Arabia are determined to keep their respective allies in a good position. Since the razor-thin margin could be decided more by electoral law than actual vote, the lobbying has kept the new election law from even being passed yet, delaying the elections for now.
Antiwar.com is presenting the CIA terrorists called "rebels" strong who are near victory to overthrow Assad. ALL EVIDENCE SHOWS OTHERWISE. Anti war pose as "progressive" but everyone knows that, like other "progressives", they are on the side of US gov. propaganda campaign of lies and deception spreading the fabricated "news" for American public against Assad. Jashau Landis, Robert Fisk, Juan cole, Louis proyect, northstar (a CIA front pose as "left") and others at this site are few to be mentioned. Any impartial person knows that CIA terrorists in Syria CANNOT WIN. They are hated in Syria and the region and beyond, like their sponsers, the US/Israel.
"In my imagination, Antiwar.com is presenting the CIA terrorists called 'rebels' strong who are near victory to overthrow Assad."
There, fixed that for ya.
Look Jason.., you either ignorant ignoring the real issues involved in Middle East from Lebanon to Pakistan or you are uniformed wanting us to believe that the problem with Middle East is the people of middle eastern and no other government is to be blamed.., we have said that from day one.., USA political and economical power depends on the wealth hidden in Middle East and wherever USA having a militarism bases guarding that wealth. Persian gulf and Central Asia is the heart of all that power.., any government that are against US and Europeans hegemony need to go and replaced by an lapdog regime as Jordanian or the Turkish and etc. the election in Lebanon is influenced by USA and Europeans especially French. The French and USA are the one feeding those that were and still are against Syria government because they freed Lebanon from the tyrants influences, the USA influence, the Israelis occupation and those that had sold their sole to the devil himself. The people of lebanon want to become independent and self reliant as Syrians are.., they proved the fact when Ronald Reagan wanted to occupy Lebanon by sending them into Lebanon.., so the war in Syria is a direct action by the USA and EU following the old yet modernized right wing fascism who wanted to occupy yet another middle eastern land. Syrian government.., left lebanon when there was peace and prosperity lighting the life of Lebanese.., now the very same regimes as Ronald Reagan and Bush wanted to destroy and divide yet another nation in Middle East and you are blaming it on the political differences forgetting the fact that Saudi Arabia, Israel is the heart of all problem in Middle East and that USA and EU governments are the supporter of tyrants, dictatorial and apartheid regimes.., without such support EU or USA is not going to be powerful or an empire.., empire is no longer there.., what is left of its power is his militarism regime.., and for now no one is going to slash the empire power unless they truly want to become independent from the English influence, or for that matter those who business with tyrants, the dictatorial and apartheid regimes.
I have visited the Antiwar's website almost daily since the beginning of the 2000s.
The website has been very useful for me when it comes to orient me of the U.S. imperialists wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
What has surprised me in the last 2.5 years is the Antiwar adopted a so vague position on the ongoing foreign interference (proxy war) by the U.S., EU and Gulf countries against Syria.
There's nothing "vague" about Antiwar.com's "position."
We're against US intervention and military adventurism, overt or covert, direct or by proxy, anywhere and everywhere, including Syria. Always have been, always will be.
That position does not require us to pretend that Bashar al-Assad is the love child of Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa.
Nor does it require us to pretend to know more than we do know about the composition, activities, goals and foreign ties of the rebel forces.
For sure, Antiwar been vague and mumbling, especially if we compared the site to the Global Researchs website. who from the beginning of the events in Syria have spoken clearly. Even the Russian website War in Iraq have been little more clear on the issue.
U.S. with its imperialist gang of states have tried demonized President Bashar al-Assad.
Thomas L. Key is a bit milder than those when he writes "That position does not Require us to pretend That Bashar al-Assad is the love child of Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa." But who anti-imperialists claimed this? (Jeremy Salt is in the article "Truth and falsehood in Syria" have-but without embellishing the Syrian regime – a more serious approach to the problem)
If your neighbor is attacked by murderer and robbers, is not the first question you ask: Is the neighbor good or evil? What character Bashar al-Assad than has, so he now represents a state that has the right to defend themselves against the imperialist aggression as it is now exposed.
Well, yes, other sites may have been "more clear on the issue" if by "clear" you mean "parrot the line that I prefer."
But all that really resolves to is that we don't reinforce your preference for pretending to know things you don't know by pretending to know the same things.
As far as reporting quality is concerned, we do our best. You can like it or not like it. It will still be our best.
As far as the conflict in Syria is concerned, we oppose US meddling in Syria, as everywhere else. That does not require us to take a side between the internal forces, no matter how badly you may want us to.