General Discussion

RZM

(8,556 posts)

3. Some of the responses here to the Arab spring have been all too predictable

Tue Apr 10, 2012, 05:42 PM

Apr 2012

When the regime is pro-American (Egypt, Saudi Arabia) then the protesters are freedom fighters and deserve to be cheered. When the regime is anti-American (Syria, Libya), then the protesters have no agency whatsoever and are just Western stooges preparing the ground for the inevitable imperialist occupation.

It is a little irritating. BTW, I noticed this on Libya threads BEFORE the intervention. Some posters were attempting to minimize the rebels from the outset.

The truth is that whatever their relations with the US, just about all of these regimes are bad. And all of the protester/rebel groups contain some bad people too. But all of the protest movements also contain secular liberals - just the kind of people that DU is supposed to be supporting.

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You know what? It's simply a fact that Assad is killing people [View all] cali Apr 2012 OP

totally agree. The slaughter is the starting point from which any/everything else springs DisgustipatedinCA Apr 2012 #1

I've been beating this same drum. The same goes for the underreported situation in Bahrain as well. Cleita Apr 2012 #2

Some of the responses here to the Arab spring have been all too predictable RZM Apr 2012 #3

Those trying to minimize the rebels from the outset, I have a theory, have Cleita Apr 2012 #5

My theory is that it's mostly just classic 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' RZM Apr 2012 #8

I have seen American foreign policy in action quite close in other countries. I do not care for our Cleita Apr 2012 #10

Could you elaborate on this? Boojatta Apr 2012 #19

Killing the draft for one opened up the opportunity to hire mercenaries, outsource Cleita Apr 2012 #25

How should I interpret this? Boojatta Apr 2012 #43

The whole "foreigners can't have agency of any sort" thing is probably my biggest pet peeve here. nt Posteritatis Apr 2012 #14

They are the "West is Evil" brigade. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #69

Exactly. I will never understand where this extreme hatred of their country comes from Daniel537 Apr 2012 #75

They are like the Western Communists who adored Stalin in the 30s and 40s. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #77

Yes, that was a very hurtful realization I had when it came to the Arab Spring. joshcryer Apr 2012 #102

Russia and China do not want abelenkpe Apr 2012 #4

Agree. Assad is a bad guy, but so are the ones who are murdering people to replace him. leveymg Apr 2012 #6

Who are the ones murdering people to replace him? Cleita Apr 2012 #7

Apparently, you didn't read about the suicide car bombings and assassinations. leveymg Apr 2012 #11

Apparently you have. Do you have links? n/t Cleita Apr 2012 #13

Here's the first five that came up when I Googled "Syria car bombings" leveymg Apr 2012 #18

considering that the syrian dictatorship doesn't allow journalists into the country Daniel537 Apr 2012 #15

Here's Human Rights Watch on the Free Syrian Army Comrade Grumpy Apr 2012 #17

How are attacks on Syrian security forces "human rights abuses"? Daniel537 Apr 2012 #20

Torture, kidnapping, and extrajudicial executions are NOT human rights abuses? Comrade Grumpy Apr 2012 #22

What exactly is an "extrajudicial execution" in these circumstances? Daniel537 Apr 2012 #24

I think lynching somebody would probably qualify. Comrade Grumpy Apr 2012 #32

I don't excuse anything, i merely recognize that people who have suffered for years Daniel537 Apr 2012 #33

Unfortunately, war is not played by rules, however, it was the peaceful demonstrators Cleita Apr 2012 #40

by ALL reports there are plenty of regular people protesting- and dying cali Apr 2012 #9

But, you didn't read that most of the victims of sniper attacks that started all this were policemen leveymg Apr 2012 #16

Shooting at policemen is perfectly legitimate in an armed conflict. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #21

There hadn't been any shooting until then. Not for years. leveymg Apr 2012 #27

Who said they wanted to spark a civil war? Daniel537 Apr 2012 #30

"that started all this" Boojatta Apr 2012 #23

See immediately above. leveymg Apr 2012 #28

Its sickening that this is even worth arguing. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #12

You are very right. Cleita Apr 2012 #26

Please don't confuse context with defense of that regime. My biggest problem is that this won't leveymg Apr 2012 #29

All hell is going to break loose across the world because Assad is overthrown? Daniel537 Apr 2012 #31

Fortunately, Clapper has a better handle of things there than you do. Here's what he said about leveymg Apr 2012 #34

And fortunately for Clapper he doesn't have to live inside Syria. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #39

All hell could well break loose across the Middle East. Comrade Grumpy Apr 2012 #36

"Could" Daniel537 Apr 2012 #37

"We had to destroy the village to save the village." leveymg Apr 2012 #101

In this information age, we cannot sit back and watch a country kill its own people. Cleita Apr 2012 #35

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as that. The murdering is on all sides, including the outside leveymg Apr 2012 #38

This is war. Cleita Apr 2012 #45

Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #42

Some "would have even opposed"? Opposed what? It was not even on the table then. Fool Count Apr 2012 #56

If you had read what I said, it was because people didn't have the communication we have today, Cleita Apr 2012 #58

The only reason you didn't know about it was that your rulers didn't want you to know Fool Count Apr 2012 #61

How old are you? Cleita Apr 2012 #67

This "fool" is no longer among us... ellisonz Apr 2012 #84

The US/British/French/Canadian position was that winning the war was quickest way to help. ellisonz Apr 2012 #83

How in bloody hell do you know this for sure? green juice Apr 2012 #41

Buy a first-class ticket to Homs and then get back to us. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #44

Looks like poster is no longer with us. Cleita Apr 2012 #49

I Had NO Idea That "Santorum" Was Green... WillyT Apr 2012 #51

Yep! Cleita Apr 2012 #53

Aww, too bad. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #52

You've got it. Cleita Apr 2012 #54

Yep... K & R !!! WillyT Apr 2012 #46

Its all fake! Globalist, NWO lies! Daniel537 Apr 2012 #47

Repeating anti-Syrian propaganda for a millionth time Fool Count Apr 2012 #48

lol, the only anti-Syrian here is Bashar Assad, who is slaughtering Syrians. Daniel537 Apr 2012 #50

LOL. When Galileo said "And still it moves". That's when it became chic to not Fool Count Apr 2012 #57

The man is murdering his own people. He started it. He started a civil war. Cleita Apr 2012 #60

Keep repeating the lies hoping that they come true. I am not afraid of anything. And I am not Fool Count Apr 2012 #63

Well, now we know who you are. Cleita Apr 2012 #68

And now, "He's dead, Jim" (finally!) :) pinboy3niner Apr 2012 #82

Yeppers. Cleita Apr 2012 #87

don't you think that's in poor taste? Alamuti Lotus Apr 2012 #97

Did you read why the poster was PPR'd? pinboy3niner Apr 2012 #108

Big mistake Dokkie Apr 2012 #96

Propaganda? For fuck's sake cali Apr 2012 #55

There are so many propaganda memes in this one sentence, I don't know where to start. Fool Count Apr 2012 #59

Look Fool-iyo, I offer you a 'privet' RZM Apr 2012 #62

Lies are lies. Just because you repeat them constantly doesn't make them true. Fool Count Apr 2012 #66

You are repeating the lies about this. Cleita Apr 2012 #71

I'm going to go out on a limb here RZM Apr 2012 #72

Sooner-later, it doesn't matter, what's few more years or even decades in the large Fool Count Apr 2012 #76

So the US 'belongs in the dustbin already?' RZM Apr 2012 #79

Fool Count is in the dustbin...PPRoni'd, that is :) pinboy3niner Apr 2012 #89

I saw that in a meta thread RZM Apr 2012 #91

. inna Apr 2012 #92

Thanks! I'm not one to check profiles that often... joshcryer Apr 2012 #103

you are so right. why you're so stuck on repeating lies is a mystery to me cali Apr 2012 #98

oy. inna Apr 2012 #88

Please . . . the poster did nothing but pimp the Russian Federation RZM Apr 2012 #90

enlighten... wtf does any of this have to do with the russian federation?? inna Apr 2012 #93

Type 'fool count' into the DU search RZM Apr 2012 #95

Yes, his defense of Putin and the hateful regard for Russian protesters... joshcryer Apr 2012 #104

Why don't you give evidence instead of snark? Odin2005 Apr 2012 #65

Evidence? For fucks sake. You have the whole history behind you. Look at it. Carefully. Fool Count Apr 2012 #70

Typical you, just keep on snarking without evidence. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #74

Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #78

HEY! Drool Fool Count! YOU are a PATHETIC LOSER!!! NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #105

I will say this. I don't think that such obvious anti-American sentiment really belongs here RZM Apr 2012 #80

I remember seeing the genocide in Bosnia and Rwanda on the news as a kid... Odin2005 Apr 2012 #64

+1 Daniel537 Apr 2012 #73

+1000 I have experienced this in my own life. Vehl Apr 2012 #81

Has anyone here actually DENIED that Assad was killing people? n/t. Ken Burch Apr 2012 #85

quite a few people here have defended his killing people. cali Apr 2012 #100

what is this crap, now?... missed the context inna Apr 2012 #86

What do you propose? Taverner Apr 2012 #94

Nothing. That's not the point of the OP. I'm just cali Apr 2012 #99

Understood Taverner Apr 2012 #106

I don't think there is an answer- at least I don't think there is an answer cali Apr 2012 #107

Because people were predicting a Civil War in Syria long *before* the Arab Spring. ieoeja Apr 2012 #109