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Forums - Politics - Do you want The rebels in Syria to Win

 

Do you want the rebels in Syria to Win?

yes 55 26.44%
 
no 77 37.02%
 
maybe 20 9.62%
 
Fuck Syria, I want games ... 54 25.96%
 
Total:206
fordy said:
I'm finding it hard to decide now. I've heard bad stories from both sides.

I'd probably pick the rebels marginally, only because it will be a possibility of removing a dictatorship, which would have not gone peacefully, given their actions.

If a Theocracy is established, I hope many see the disadvantages that a state-instated religion does to minorities, and vote differently next time (provided that it becomes/remains democratic...)


even with the reports of cannibalism?



 



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Zizzla_Rachet said:
fordy said:
I'm finding it hard to decide now. I've heard bad stories from both sides.

I'd probably pick the rebels marginally, only because it will be a possibility of removing a dictatorship, which would have not gone peacefully, given their actions.

If a Theocracy is established, I hope many see the disadvantages that a state-instated religion does to minorities, and vote differently next time (provided that it becomes/remains democratic...)


even with the reports of cannibalism?

I've heard reports on cannibalism and use of nerve gas, but like I've said, I'm still very divided. Should we stick with a dictator who isn't afraid of butchering his own people, or leave the foundation of a new government in the hands of an unethical mob in hopes that it COULD become better? It's like choosing between getting your teeth smashed in with a hammer, or having your fingernails ripped out with pliers, instead of being able to just walk away....



Kasz216 said:

 For the life of me I'm not sure what your referring too.  As far as i can tell though there are two options.

The status quo of what's happening now mantaining.

The rebels winning.... and likely putting in place a shitter government.

 

The Status quo leads to contant death, and fighting forever pretty much until the status quo loses it's power.

The Rebels winning, likely leads to a shitter government and more infighting... but eventually may turn into something decent.

I'm referring to "get the f**k out of your informational ghetto". Given how drastically different current informational background around Syria from, say, Yugoslavian confilct where informational background was monopolistically held in the same hands, Syrian situation has more than one explanation, nothing prevents you from studyning the subject except from own disinterest.

 

Not that you're unique here, superficial glance at the thread only proves that fighting windmills is a waste of time, still let's take a look what we've got here?
"Even if things go wrong and it ends up worse then an Assad government. It might end up better long term because it got to that stage sooner."

- the fallacy that Assad government is bad (what is bad in the context? why it is bad? who said it's bad besides MSM? why all of sudden Assad is a problem? no answers);
- the fallacy that smth might go wrong as if it never went wrong in the first place (merceneries destroying your country -- your actions?);
- the fallacy that smth might end up better than it were (better compared to what? why it will be better? who is there to judge it will be better? and more importantly -- since when the whole point of this mess is to make Syria better? what kind of logic is that?);
- jesuit kind of thesis that end justifies the means (so short-term it's not ok, but on a longer run current death toll is justifiable? I wonder is there anyone will be left to say: "oh my, it's so much better now"? how long is long term here? why Assad is a problem for Syria to get better even if we agree Syria was bad? and more importantly -- how come mercenaries from various countries destroying Syria could help it get better?).

Previously I was questioning only your moral integrity, while that quote of yours makes me question your moral and intellectual integrity.

 

//Having had experience talking to people from other places on the subject, I always wondered who deep inside them sitting this fallacy about oppressing regime and simple freedom-thirsty people -- sometimes I envy them, the world is so crystal clear for them. At the same time I've seen people who were trying to defend Assad, but what they didn't understand -- as long as they accept that paradigm of horizontal slices of the society (regime above, people below) -- they lost the argument. While in real life these slices are never horizonatal, but vertical -- regime and people on both sides -- a civil war situation. Though in Syria civil war has ended long ago, current situation is better described with the word "invasion".



While we're talking, big group of mercenaries has been blocked near al-Qseira:



I want to know who is making profits by selling weapons to either side.



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mai said:

Kasz216 said:

 For the life of me I'm not sure what your referring too.  As far as i can tell though there are two options.

The status quo of what's happening now mantaining.

The rebels winning.... and likely putting in place a shitter government.

 

The Status quo leads to contant death, and fighting forever pretty much until the status quo loses it's power.

The Rebels winning, likely leads to a shitter government and more infighting... but eventually may turn into something decent.

I'm referring to "get the f**k out of your informational ghetto". Given how drastically different current informational background around Syria from, say, Yugoslavian confilct where informational background was monopolistically held in the same hands, Syrian situation has more than one explanation, nothing prevents you from studyning the subject except from own disinterest.

 

Not that you're unique here, superficial glance at the thread only proves that fighting windmills is a waste of time, still let's take a look what we've got here?
"Even if things go wrong and it ends up worse then an Assad government. It might end up better long term because it got to that stage sooner."

- the fallacy that Assad government is bad (what is bad in the context? why it is bad? who said it's bad besides MSM? why all of sudden Assad is a problem? no answers);
- the fallacy that smth might go wrong as if it never went wrong in the first place (merceneries destroying your country -- your actions?);
- the fallacy that smth might end up better than it were (better compared to what? why it will be better? who is there to judge it will be better? and more importantly -- since when the whole point of this mess is to make Syria better? what kind of logic is that?);
- jesuit kind of thesis that end justifies the means (so short-term it's not ok, but on a longer run current death toll is justifiable? I wonder is there anyone will be left to say: "oh my, it's so much better now"? how long is long term here? why Assad is a problem for Syria to get better even if we agree Syria was bad? and more importantly -- how come mercenaries from various countries destroying Syria could help it get better?).

Previously I was questioning only your moral integrity, while that quote of yours makes me question your moral and intellectual integrity.

 

//Having had experience talking to people from other places on the subject, I always wondered who deep inside them sitting this fallacy about oppressing regime and simple freedom-thirsty people -- sometimes I envy them, the world is so crystal clear for them. At the same time I've seen people who were trying to defend Assad, but what they didn't understand -- as long as they accept that paradigm of horizontal slices of the society (regime above, people below) -- they lost the argument. While in real life these slices are never horizonatal, but vertical -- regime and people on both sides -- a civil war situation. Though in Syria civil war has ended long ago, current situation is better described with the word "invasion".

You make some pretty valid points. 



the2real4mafol said:
mai said:
the2real4mafol said:

why would our governments do this? It's like they ignore their own history. Iran 1953, Afghanistan 1980's to present, Iraq 2003-2011 and now possibly Syria. Why install a radical muslim dictator just so later on we will overthrow them for what horrible acts they will do? We even done this to non-muslim states like Chile and america tried it's luck with Venezuela and Cuba before. But I just don't understand that and what i can't believe is no one has really noticed it, all we need to do is look at the last 60 years and we can see it has happened. It's like everything is a big conspiracy

Ask people from Zero Hedge or Pepe Escobar of AsiaTimes, they'll probably tell you it's a fight for hydrocarobnes transit routes, ask people with more traditional background in geopolitics they'd probably tell -- the whole idea of Arab Spring is to destabilize the region (it certainly done that, whether for better or worse) for whatever reason. Both might not be mutually exclusive.

But given your question is more general (and rhetorical, still answer it anyway), I believe you confusion is coming from the idea of national government pursuing national interests. Since the stance of major EU countries on situation in Syria is questionable if not counter-productive in regards to their national interests, confusion is understanable. Simple solution is to get rid of idea of national goverment when talking about Western World entirely, it doesn't exist.

I suppose you support the European Union then? they want a European super state in the end

Not sure, why you decided I'm pro-EU, I'm indifferent.

EU "superstate" is following the same schema for building a nation (how successful is another story). Nation (=nation-state) is relatively new invention, there're no nations older than 200 years old. So when I'm talking about meaningless attempts to understand these events from strictly national viewpoint of interested parties, in reality I'm talking about globalism, that when fully-developed would logicaly deny anything national, even EU.

I makes me sound like I'm anti-globalist, I'm not, I'm alter-globalist. The problem is there's no alter- right now :D



okr said:
Without a doubt the rebels will win.


They've already won our hearts!!

 



mai said:

I'm referring to "get the f**k out of your informational ghetto". Given how drastically different current informational background around Syria from, say, Yugoslavian confilct where informational background was monopolistically held in the same hands, Syrian situation has more than one explanation, nothing prevents you from studyning the subject except from own disinterest.

 

Not that you're unique here, superficial glance at the thread only proves that fighting windmills is a waste of time, still let's take a look what we've got here?
"Even if things go wrong and it ends up worse then an Assad government. It might end up better long term because it got to that stage sooner."

- the fallacy that Assad government is bad (what is bad in the context? why it is bad? who said it's bad besides MSM? why all of sudden Assad is a problem? no answers);
- the fallacy that smth might go wrong as if it never went wrong in the first place (merceneries destroying your country -- your actions?);
- the fallacy that smth might end up better than it were (better compared to what? why it will be better? who is there to judge it will be better? and more importantly -- since when the whole point of this mess is to make Syria better? what kind of logic is that?);
- jesuit kind of thesis that end justifies the means (so short-term it's not ok, but on a longer run current death toll is justifiable? I wonder is there anyone will be left to say: "oh my, it's so much better now"? how long is long term here? why Assad is a problem for Syria to get better even if we agree Syria was bad? and more importantly -- how come mercenaries from various countries destroying Syria could help it get better?).

Previously I was questioning only your moral integrity, while that quote of yours makes me question your moral and intellectual integrity.

 

//Having had experience talking to people from other places on the subject, I always wondered who deep inside them sitting this fallacy about oppressing regime and simple freedom-thirsty people -- sometimes I envy them, the world is so crystal clear for them. At the same time I've seen people who were trying to defend Assad, but what they didn't understand -- as long as they accept that paradigm of horizontal slices of the society (regime above, people below) -- they lost the argument. While in real life these slices are never horizonatal, but vertical -- regime and people on both sides -- a civil war situation. Though in Syria civil war has ended long ago, current situation is better described with the word "invasion".

1) The Assad Government has ALWAYS been bad?  Nothing new about it.   He's generally made a good "placeholder" for both western and eastern interests, but he's always been awful.  I know you tend to take a "patriot" view where it's perfectly fine to support your government, and think it's fine for puppet governments to take over and trample on people, just so long as it's stable for other countries.  I don't really agree.

The change in tone from Western governments is just more the realization that there is zero chance Assad can win, so they want to be abl to try and support the "good." Rebel groups.  I doubt i will work well. (Didn't in Libya) but really, Assad can't win indefinitly, so the EU and US want to get ahead of Syria.

2) By something going wrong... that's pretty obvious.  As in, when the rebels fight for government control.  The Syrian rebels aren't really remotely uniform.  Which is why they don't control ANY of Syria's provinces.  Despite currently being in a position, they can't really lose.  The rebels seem far too diverse for any one group to gain total Assad like control.   So who knows what the new government will bring, espiecally when ex government officials start peeling off and supporting various rebel groups.  Best case scenario forces some kind of stalemate of poltiical power that makes a fairly even government.

Worstcase scenario, your on to another shitty dictatorship, and further along to overthrowing it, then if there was further Assad stalemates.

 

3)  You've got it backwords.  Assad provides the longer term death toll... and the greater death toll.  There  is really zero chance of Assad winning at this point.  So the choice is more or less, Assad loses or this status quo... forever.  Hell, as it is, the war could drag in Israel or Turkey into tis mess. (Well, more so then Israel's bombing campaigns they're already doing.)



mai said:

While we're talking, big group of mercenaries has been blocked near al-Qseira:

What do you mean by "mercenaries"?

Have you got a link to this news in English?