At least 23 people, all civilians, were killed today across Syria in attacks by security forces loyal to the Assad regime. The largest such incident was in al-Tremeesa, near Hama, where 15 were killed.
The deaths further raise the toll of eight months of popular uprising against the Assad regime, and the United Nations now says that some 4,000 people have been killed overall. They also termed the situation officially a “civil war.”
The declaration of a “civil war” in progress comes as a result of an increase number of clashes between the Syrian Army and members of various factions of defectors from the army, the largest of which is the Free Syrian Army (FSA), based in Turkey.
The reality, however, is that the vast majority of the deaths are independent of the civil war, as thousands of civilian protesters have been killed in attacks by security forces. The deaths played a role in the defections and the nascent civil war, but the slain protesters weren’t necessarily supportive of the FSA or any other defector army, and many were simply pushing for free elections.
Here on this same website today we have the following from respected analyst Pepe Escobar writing in Asia Times Online:
“It’s no secret in Syria that armed gangs – from Salafis to petty criminals – have been attacking regular soldiers, the police and even civilians since the early stages of the protest movement. Of roughly 3,500 people killed during the past seven months, a large number of civilians and more than 1,100 soldiers were killed by these gangs.”
Yet the “vast majority” of these deaths are “independent of the civil war…”
And gee there’s a civil war…?…well that’s news to us readers of antiwar.com…because this appears to be the first mention of it…
all along we’ve been treated exclusively to stories of “pro-democracy” demonstrators massacred by the government…
no nuance there at all…no mention of the sectarian divisions here between Sunni and Shia…no mention of the fact that foreign powers (US and former colonial powers of Europe) have been pouring gasoline on these very old divisions…just like Iraq, just like Libya…
But why should we look at the role of the West…?…our attention must be focused solely on so-called pro-democracy “protests…”
Mr.Escobar closes with this…:
“It’s fair to argue that masses of Syrians want something other than the Assad regime – but certainly not some variant of humanitarian bombing, not to mention civil war. They saw NATO’s legacy in Libya – virtually the whole infrastructure of the country destroyed, cities bombed to dust, tens of thousands of dead and wounded, al-Qaeda-linked fanatics wielding power in Tripoli, widespread ethnic hatred. They don’t want a brand new massacre. But NATOGCC does. ”
What does antiwar.com want…?
That’s the $100,000 question, Gordon! A repeat of Libya, it seems. Speaking of that “liberation,” the incomparable Diana Johnstone has just written an important piece entitled “Here’s the Key Question in the Libyan War.”
Where were UN when US and NATO were bombing Iraq killing thousands of innocent people.., where were UN when US and England was killing innocent people in Falujah.., where were UN when Israel been killing Palestinians for years.., where were UN when US were bombing shelters in Iraq killing man women and children by the thousands.., where is UN when US and NATO bombardment of Pakistan continues killing innocent people.., where is UN to condemn the brutality of UAE and Saudis when they are the one who are the true tyrants in the region killing their own people as they please. That is why the US and EU democracy is based on a falsified notion injected into UN, whatever is left of that notion is the only democracy that exist and therefore they can do whatever to whoever and wherever without or with UN participation in silence. Where is ICC to issue an arrest warrant for Bush and his team of killers.
"The reality, however, is that the vast majority of the deaths are independent of the civil war, as thousands of civilian protesters have been killed in attacks by security forces. "
And how, pray tell, do you know this? Are you on the ground there? No, I didn't think so. So what is your objective basis for this conclusion? What you are doing is taking the word of the foreign-backed rebels as truth. You are a willing dupe. That is exactly what happened in Libya, war on which you also cheered. Then we found out it was all lies, admittedly so. The Libyan NGO head admitted he made up the numbers. Yet still you push the same bull on Syria. And this is antiwar.com? Or has it been taken over by AEI?