Syria Readies for Sanctions
Syria appears to be readying for sanctions
By Nicholas Blanford, Special for USA TODAY
Posted 11/13/2005 8:53 PM
BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad appears to be preparing his country for economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations, which is demanding that Syria do more to cooperate with investigators looking into the murder of a former Lebanese prime minister.
Assad used an unusual, nationally televised address from Damascus University on Thursday to call for "national cohesion" in the face of the U.N. demands. He told Syrians to "surround the country with a wall of immunity to face the difficulties and challenges."
The 40-year-old Syrian leader "was preparing the whole nation for possible sanctions," says Ibrahim Hamidi, who follows Syrian affairs for Al-Hayat, a pan-Arab newspaper based in London.
Syria and officials close to Assad have become the focus of a special U.N. investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed Feb. 14 when a bomb ripped through his motorcade in Beirut.
Lead U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis has accused Syria of stonewalling the inquiry and "misleading" his team. A preliminary report by Mehlis implicates Syrian security forces in Hariri's murder. Assad's brother, who is head of the presidential guard, and brother-in-law, who heads Syrian military intelligence, were named in the report, though not accused of plotting to kill Hariri.
Protesters filled Lebanon's streets after the killing, and Syria withdrew its military from Lebanon.
The U.N. Security Council has given Syria until Dec. 15 to demonstrate it is cooperating with the investigation or face unspecified "further action" — probably sanctions.
"Whatever we do or say to cooperate, the response is going to be in a month that Syria is not cooperating. We have to be realistic. Syria is being targeted," Assad said in his speech to the nation.
International sanctions against Syria could have a crippling effect on the economy, further impoverishing this country of 18 million, 20% of whom are considered poor.
The Bush administration is pushing a tough line against Assad. It has accused his government of aiding Palestinian terrorist groups in Israel and doing little to halt the flow of foreign fighters moving through Syria to join the Iraqi insurgency.
Hard-liners in Washington will "have Syria at their feet" if the United Nations imposes economic sanctions against the Assad regime, says Joshua Landis, an American professor and Syria expert living in Damascus.
International restrictions on travel and trade with Syria could weaken support for Assad's regime.
"They can raise (the poverty level) to 40% or 50% or 60%," Landis says.
Assad alluded to the pressure on his government — and its options — in last week's speech: "Resistance and steadfastness or chaos. There is no third choice. ... If they believe they can blackmail Syria, we tell them they got the wrong address," he said.
State Department spokesman Adam Ereli called Assad's remarks "appalling."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Syria's intentions were unclear. "I just know that it, at this point, doesn't look like cooperation," she said.
French President Jacques Chirac said that if Assad "continues to refuse to listen, or understand, then it will become necessary to move to another level, which is that of sanctions."
Syrian officials believe they can absorb the impact of U.N. sanctions for more than two years because of foreign cash reserves and self-sufficiency in food and oil, Hamidi says.
"The regime thinks that if sanctions are imposed on us and we survive for 2½ years, Bush will be (leaving office), Jacques Chirac will have gone and there could be a better situation," Hamidi says.
Syria is in a poor position to ride out serious economic pain, says Nabil Sukkar, a Syrian economist. "Sanctions will have a very negative impact on the economy, especially if it is a broad range of sanctions like those imposed on Iraq," limiting its oil shipments and sharply curtailing its ability to buy goods from other countries.
On Saturday, Rice kept up the pressure by criticizing political repression in Syria and calling on it to release political prisoners.
"We continue to support the Syrian people's aspiration for liberty, democracy and justice under the rule of law," she told an audience in Bahrain.
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[end]
UN on Hariri Murder: Syria has no Option but to Co-operate
Iraqi officials again accused Syria of training Jihadists and sending them across the border in cars rigged with explosives. They insist that suicide bombers in Iraq and foreign. The 6 Iraqis who blew themselves up in Jordan the other day, disprove this Iraqi conceit. There is almost no proof for these claims.
Iraq Says Syria Harbors Foreign Killers
Training Camps Cited; Most Suicide Bombers Are Saudis, Top Official Asserts
By John Ward Anderson and Hasan Shammari
Washington Post: Monday, November 14, 2005; Page A15
BAGHDAD, Nov. 13 -- Top Iraqi defense officials on Sunday accused Syria of allowing foreign fighters to operate training camps on Syrian soil and sneak into Iraq to commit suicide bombings.BARRY SCHWEID, adds this: Thu Nov 10:
"We do not have the least doubt that nine out of 10 of the suicide bombers who carry out suicide bombing operations among Iraqi citizens . . . are Arabs who have crossed the border with Syria," the Iraqi national security adviser, Mowaffak Rubaie, told journalists in Cairo, the Reuters news service reported.
"Most of those who blow themselves up in Iraq are Saudi nationals," he added.
Iraqi Defense Minister Sadoun Dulaimi also criticized Syria.
"We have more than 450 detainees who came from different Arab and Muslim countries to train in Syria and enter with their booby-trapped vehicles into Iraq to bring destruction and killings," Dulaimi said after meeting with Jordanian Prime Minister Adnan Badran in Amman, according to the Associated Press.
"Let me tell the Syrians that if the Iraqi volcano explodes, no neighboring capital will be saved," Dulaimi said, warning that the aim of terrorists was "to kill tolerance and destroy coexistence in Arab and Muslim cities."
Ereli added: "It‘s up to the commission to decide what it wants and it‘s up to Syria to respond positively to the commission. It‘s not up to Syria to negotiate terms."
At the United Nations in New York, U.S. Ambassador John R. Bolton said, "What we want are not speeches or words. We want cooperation, full and complete, and immediate, with Commissioner Mehlis."
En route to the Middle East, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed as a stalling tactic an offer by Syria to conduct its own investigation.
A unanimous vote by the Security Council demanding Syria‘s cooperation with U.N. investigators "couldn‘t have been clearer," Rice said, adding that Syria is expected to provide whatever the U.N. inquiry requests.
In Paris, French President Jacques Chirac warned Syria it could face sanctions if it refused to cooperate with the investigation.
"The regime of President al-Assad just doesn‘t get it and doesn‘t understand where the rest of the international community is on this very important issue," Ereli said.
Human rights groups said Labwani, a physician and founder of the Democratic Liberal Gathering, was arrested Tuesday night upon his arrival at Damascus airport. Labwani had just returned from the United States, where he met with the president‘s deputy national security adviser, J.D. Crouch, at the White House.
"We stress that the United States stands with the Syrian people in their desire for freedom and democracy," the statement said. "The Syrian government must cease its harassment of Syrians peacefully seeking to bring democratic reform to their country."
The statement said Bush also calls on Syria to release all political prisoners and specifically named Arif Dalilah, Riad Seif, Mamun al-Homsi, Walid al Bunni, Habib Issa, and Fawaz Tello.
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[end]
Condoleezza Rice's interview with al-Arabiya is recorded here. This is the beginning"
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Manama, Bahrain
November 12, 2005
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, thanks for joining us on Al Arabiya News Channel. First, we are going to start with the Syrian issue. The 1636 resolution reminded the Arabs, actually, in this situation, of Iraq before the invasion. Is Syria now going in the same path of Iraq before the invasion?
SECRETARY RICE: Syria has an opportunity to put forward the path that it wishes to put forward. The UN Security Council demanded only one thing, and that is cooperation, full cooperation, with the Mehlis investigation, because the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has got to be solved and justice has got to be done for that.
The Lebanese people are acting bravely in seeking their political freedom after years of occupation and I think everybody has been inspired by the Cedar Revolution. But in order for Lebanon to have closure and reconciliation and to move forward, the Hariri assassination really must be solved and those who are responsible must be punished. So that is the road for Syria and it needs to be taken, and taken immediately.
QUESTION: And if Syria doesn’t cooperate?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, the UN Security Council has said that it will come back to determine what further steps or measures might be necessary. But the key here is that cooperation is in the hands of the Syrians. The entire community, international community, is united in demanding that this cooperation be offered. The vote was 15 to nothing. And so Syria needs to take the message.
And it’s not helpful for the Syrians to make accusations about the nature of the investigation or to rant and rave against those who are against Syria. You know, the people of Syria also deserve to know what has happened here and we stand with people all over the Middle East who are trying to make a better future, a better and more prosperous and more democratic future.
QUESTION: There is public opinion in the Arab world saying that America is going to military action against Syria whatever the Syrian opinion is, if it’s cooperation or not.
SECRETARY RICE: America is united with the members of the UN Security Council in demanding cooperation on the Mehlis investigation. That’s what this is about.
Obviously, we also want to insist that Syria live up to the terms of Resolution 1559 because Lebanon should be free from foreign interference, Lebanon should not be threatened and intimidated by what is being said by assassinations that go well beyond what happened to Rafik Hariri.
And of course, yes, we have concerns that the Palestinian camps in Lebanon, that the Palestinian rejectionists not use those camps or their offices in Syria to frustrate the hopes of the Palestinian people. And yes, it is important that Syria cut off the infiltration and penetration of the terrorists into Iraq who are killing innocent Iraqis.
posted by Joshua Landis @ 11/14/2005 01:56:00 AM
81 comments
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81 Comments:
Perhaps they will start by sanctions against the thieves of the regime first!
Bashar Assad and his family mafia murdered Lebanon’s prime minister. Then, forced to withdraw Syrian troops, they began a bombing campaign to destabilize a country that voted for freedom.
The Assad regime harbors die-hards from Saddam’s murder machine and vigorously supports the Sunni-Arab insurgency in western Iraq.
Assad & Co. turn a blind eye to the use of Syrian territory to launch international Islamist terrorists into Iraq.
Syria’s Baathist thugs continue to support terrorists who attack Israeli civilians and who are determined to prevent the rise of a rule-of-law state among Palestinians.
Let me see if I have this right: The collapse of the Assad regime would destabilize the Middle East? Exactly which stability are we talking about?
ForFreedomOfExpression
Everything you accuse Syria of doing comes directly from Sharon's and Bush's desks. And guess what: there is no proof for any of this crap that you listed.
In fact, as much as I dislike the Syrian regime, I think they are innocent of most of these stupid charges that morons in the Iraqi puppet gov, and their masters in Washington and Tel Aviv keep parroting endlessly.
Actually, I have a better suggestion for you:
Removing Israel will definitely result in a much more stable Middle East and indeed, a more peaceful planet.
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FreedomOfExpression said:
Syria’s Baathist thugs continue to support terrorists who attack Israeli civilians and who are determined to prevent the rise of a rule-of-law state among Palestinians.
Oh, so the daily bombings by Israel, the assassinations, the indiscriminate killings of men, women, and most importantly Palestinian children, the severe limits on movement, the corruption of the PA, and the collective punishments by the Terrorists in the Israeli IDF are not the reason that the Palestinians can't get a viable state going???
Wow, was I misinformed.
/idiot
my attitude toward this so called American Freedom of expression is GET LOST AND STAY LOST
No ForFreedomOfExpression's line is the offical American Neocon line so it cannot simply be dismissed or told to get lost.
This is world we live in--a world dominated by America and whatever America thinks. But any instability in the middle east is directly caused by either American or Israeli actions. If we are talking pure stability, Iraq was very stable before American aggression and Palestine was comparatively stable before Israeli Likud leadership.
I agree with DamasceneBlood--the treatment of Palestinians by Israel is what initially started terrorism as we know it. It has grown beyond that issue and that is what scares me.
And the double-standards game that America plays in the middle east causes more instability than any Syrian Baathist action or inaction.
But lets not even mention talk about 'removing Israel'. Lets be realistic, they would nuke half the world before being defeating militarily, our only hope is the so-called 'Palestinian Population Time-Bomb'. It is my hope that the so-called Israeli Arabs--whose poulation grows at a much higher rate than Jewish Israelis--eventually will be able to co-opt Israeli politics and policy.
Friends, sorry, I am not alone and I am Syrian with big family in my homeland. Whose responsibility will it be if they suffer, die.....Most of syrian intellectuals left the country. Foreign countries gives us more chances for a better life and survival.
What about Akkad? Why do the people cry now? How long may he have been in tears? Too late. They buried him and with him hopes and dreams. Isnt it shame that the syrian state and most of citizens honor these famous syrians after they are gone forever?
Our government is proud, that Syrias elite lives abroad, created Expatriate Ministry. No shame?
I agree completly with Ammars words:
.."No, I am not trying here to imply that America is a saint. For in truth, we are all sinners – it’s just that the Americans are better sinners than we are, and we don’t seem to have a way of outdoing them at this stage. I say let’s work with them then, we might learn a few things.
But hating the successful and fearing the ambitious are deep-seated psycho-cultural traits for those who suffer from massive inferiority complexes. Hence the old Syrian saying that goes something like this: “If he’s more handsome than I, this is how God created him, but if he is just better than I, then I’d want his blood.”
I’d want his blood, not I’ll work even harder and learn a few more skills and tricks to be able to compete. No, I’d want his blood. It’s all about leveling, about making everybody equal regardless of consideration of talents, know-how and skills.
Now that’s very Syrian."
Syrians don't want the american way of freedom , we don't want to see the freedom of queersim , the freedom of adultry and the freedom alcoholsim on the street of damascus.
Maybe the United snakes is a super power maybe they can bomb cities , destroy buldings but they can't break the will of a true believer.
I say it again the only way out is to give the power back to the syrian people and we know how we can fight and defeat its aggression. At the end of the day the united snakes has to guts for another war.
But as things stand the regime is fighting a war which he can't win.
Shamee,
Syrians shouldn’t have your conservative way either. Your closed mindedness and extreme religiousness needs to be resisted in all its forms just like the American pressure.
Everyone here knows my position on the American “plot” against Syria but if i was given a choice between them or your fundamentalist friends. I’d be the first crying “Welcome America” and that is another reason why the current government is the lesser of three evils.
I WANT: Alcohol, Girls wearing miniskirts, people doing what ever the hell they like as long as they are not hurting others, parties, night clubs and everything you might find “Fasseq, Sekker wa 3arbadda” in Syria. You can join me if you like but you should not be allowed to stop me or anyone else from doing it.
"" WANT: Alcohol, Girls wearing miniskirts, people
Shame on you!
Innocent criminal,
Well as far as I know democracy is the rule of majority if the majority of Syrians want Alcohol, miniskirts, and the filth of the west on the streets of Damascus, that’s fair enough but if they choose the Islamic way of living , and I pretty sure they will if they are given half the chance , a hypocrite like you will stand up and say oh no! You are not allowed to do that and your argument is that we are allowed to exercise our right to choose as long as we don’t choose Islam as a way of living.
I gather you can't read my lips but I advise you to read my letters very carefully .MUSLIMS WILL TAKE OVER AGAIN IN SYRIA, JORDAN, IRAQ, AND IN EVERY MUSLIM COUNTRY.
It’s a fact, the sooner you believe in it the better and If you don’t like my conservative way which I am pretty sure will be the norm in Syria and else where then stay where you are where you belong i.e.: United snakes, Europe , Australia…... We can live without your valuable contribution to our society
That’s why i am skeptical about democracy in our region. If the majority are a bunch of ignorant sheep, then we will most likely elect ignorants as well. And that’s when dictatorships sound that much more enticing.
China and Russia will not support sanctions on Syria. That is a dead letter.
Shamee,
Democracy is majority rule WITH the respect of minority's right.
But what do Jihadi like you know about democracy anyway?
DamascenBlood, you're the typical ignorant Syrian and you deserve this regime.
Syria more and more seems involved in the Harriri murder.
The fact that the regime is being shady makes the regime seem not only involved, but dumb.
I also hate the fact that the president is preparing us to face sanctions. How about you do your job by trying all diplomatic means to try to avoid sanctions Mr. Assad? Don't play Oprah Winfrey's role and give us motivational speeches about how we will resist everything in the sake of honor.
Without money or a job you have no honor, because people look at you as a poor-ass bum.
As I type I am imagining an old crippled deer in the wild, thirsty as hell, and handicapped through time, laying sideways on the floor. He can hear the wolves coming, but he doesn't know from how far, or when they will come. So all he does is scream and kicking his tiny little legs so he doesn't seem that helpless....but for what?? no use.. The end is soon. He will be eaten, with joy, because he was the easiest prey to chew on.
I plead to Bashar Assad, I asked him nicely and otherwise, to do what presidents usually do in those days, look, after their country and people.
You have the power you are the President, don't make the hungry people starve, stop preparing Syrians for sanctions, do something to stop them.
If people are involved hand them in, and give us the damn Parliament, we want to be heard.
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ForFreedomofExpression I agree with your sentiments. The 'brain drain' of Syria is the saddest thing. But it is also uplifting to see such high poential from our fellow Syrians in other lands.
Let us hope the conditions for success will also be created in Syria.
Innocent_Criminal why declare the majority have to be 'ignorant sheep' if they choose a more religious state? Is it not possible they will do so of free mind and out of backlash from the demise of American culture and the spread of American pop-culture?
The decadence in America is something even many Americans have rose up against--hence you have George Bush, born-again-christians and general conservatism ruling supreme here.
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O.D.M said...
Innocent Criminal, you're the man.
I can't agree more. Mini Skirts, clubs, even Organized Prostitution, and a free society.
Prostitution create nations, like Lebanon, 90% of people who go there are going to meet the opposit sex and do the deed.
In fact, I wrote about Organized Prostitution sometime ago and would like to hear you opinion.
http://syrianistician.blogspot.com/2005/08/theory-of-organized-prostitution.html
O.D.M a.k.a Fidel CashFlo'
Shamee27 summarizes his attitudes toward the country's standoff with America and the U.N. by saying to them "get lost and stay lost". A very deep and profound statement indeed. He talks like a tough patriotic guy and effectively asks all who dissagree with his patheic views to stay away from "his" society. Every word he utters is full with inconsistencies but he is certainly not alone, and this is the problem in the Arab world.
1-His first problem is that he is confused between supporting the secular regime of the Baath against America versus his ultimate dream where muslims will take over "again".
Presumably, for now at least, he supports the regime against America but he would later support the total control of Islam over "his" society.
2- He seems to advocate democracy because he knows that it is the rule of the majority which in his opinion is likely to "choose the Islamic way of living". This is a code word for installing Sharia as the rule of the land. What he fails to communicate, however, is the fact that Islamists effectively call for democracy which they can use as a vehicle to get to power which they think is fair game. But, once they reach power, they force Sharia law which effectively kills democracy after them as anyone that argues against them is essentially a "kafer". They use democracy as their key to open the door. Once in, they throw the keys out, never to be found again.
3- Related to the inconsistency of his dream to impose sharia is his total ommision of how he plans to get to power in the first place. As I have said many times before, were it not for America, there was zero chance Saddam's rule in Iraq would have ended before the next century. This is the same story in Syria. Baby Hafez will most likely be our next President if Bashar is somehow able to survive this standoff with America.
4- In the end, I can anticipate his answer. People like him have been brain washed to hate the west. Regrettably, to the vast majority of Arabs, being humiliated by a fellow muslim is a better option than doing business with a blue eyed christian westner. This is not surprising when you study in our educational and religous systems. In some sense, we are very similar to the Blacks of America. Instead of blaming themselves and looking in the mirror for faults of their own, they have one answer only and that is, white racism.
5- In the Arab world, everythign is mutualy exclusive. People seem unable to think of a situation where they can be partners with the west and keep their cultural identies. Ataturk was a Turkish nationalist. He had made the decision that his country can learn and benefit from the west. He was faught by Islamists for years but he prevailed and the rest is histoy. His country is now on the cusp of entering the EU in the next 10 years.
6- Islamists and Baathists are on the wrong side of history. By the year 2015, Syria's second city (Aleppo) could well be 30 minutes away by car from an EU nation. The opportunities are endless. Socialism has been rejected by its own originators but not by Syria's Baath. Rather than half pregnant measures of reform, Syria needs to move to a full maket based economy "yesterday". the country does not have time to waste, so let us please stop this "let us wait and give the regime more time".
Dr. LANDIS
In the previous post, you even participated in an excellent economic discussion. I don't want to start again but would like to defend my pessimistic view of the economy's prospects. Measuring GDP based on PPP is, in my opinion, a way to let poor countries feel better about themselves. PPP does not use an actual exchange rate. How many bypass surgeries or Boeing planes can you buy with PPP? None. PPP takes a basket of goods and costs them out in each country. In a country with massive subsidies and lack of data collection agencies, you can just imagine the difficulties. Syria subsidzes a large number of items in this basket. A country with cheap bread, diesel, electricity, water and rice would look mighty large if you use PPP. Indeed, based on PPP, China would be the second largest economy in the world. One can justify using PPP if the country's exchange rate has experienced a dramatic fall. Clearly, this is not the case in Syria. Finally, PPP does not allow for quality adjustment. According to PPP, if a bypass operation in Syria costs half that in Lebaon, it would value Syria's GDP at double that of Lebanon (assuming it is the only item in gdp). In effect, things if things are half priced in in Syria but the quality of the items is also half as good, does it make sense to say that Syria's gdp would be double that of Lebanon's (that is what PPP would say). Sir, the Syrian economy is in much worse shape than you seem to advocate. In the next 20 years, oil would need to be imported. The lack of water means that cotton will stop being economical to produce. Thanks to wiping off the debt with the old Soviet union, today's balance sheet looks good. But, the country needs to invest vast amounts in its infrastructure it it wanted to compete for business at the regional level. The health system is in shambles. Any serious disease/operation risks death unless you have the means to travel to neighbering Lebanon or Jordan. The Baath party and its economic policies has devastated this poor country. Please stop sugar coating it. Bashar has amassed a disasterous record since he took over. No respectable country would allow such a state of affair to continue. regrettably, only America can change things for us. It is time for us to work with it and benefit where we can from it and from other advanced western economies. Enough empty slogans. No to Islamization and to Sharia law. Religion is a link between Allah and the individual believer. Those who use religion for their own benefit are detestable. Those who use religion fool people and should be defeated.
People need to make a big distinction between American society and American politics towards the middle east. the first I respect while the latter I detest. American people are one of the sweetest on earth, a little naive, but sweet as cotton candy. they are not wild and crazy as television makes seem to be, actually they average American is a boring, grey and dorky. And please stop associating social misbehavior with the west and America in general. Arabs are way more sick-minded in a lot of subjects. and some of our Gulf brothers have taken decadence to a level unmatched by any other race. so in short STOP STEREO TYPING just as you would want "others" to do when it comes to viewing you. And a lot of you out there who speak as if you know America so well, you dont know jack :)
Great stuff I am branded as Jihadi WOW I hope Allah will give me the reward for that yet I never did it .Well Ladies and gentlemen sorry if I caused you any disappointment but its reality check for you, you secularist bunch need to wake up for reality.
Asad regime fought Islam and Muslims ruthlessly for the last 30 years and what is the result? Asad senior died {fteas} Asad junior will go very soon; nevertheless Syria still Muslims country and its people are committed to Islam more than ever.
Alrafik Aldktor said:
"They want the interviews to take place in Lebanon and this has only one meaning, to humiliate Syria, a matter that we will not accept."
The man is as dumb as his father was astute.
Another step into the trap
You sound more ignorant everytime you speak. It is political Islam and not Islam per se that we are discussing. Just answer one question. Do you support Sharia law in place of civil law or not?
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Ehsani2,
Thank you for your thoughts and comments,
First of all we are not confused at all we know where we stand for the United states and we know where we stand from the regime.
We will not fight for the regime, the United States used the ill regime and when it became useless to its policies they decided to get rid of it. When the regime falls we know how to defend our country from the United States.
yes I do agree with that we want to implement the Sharia law I wont deny this fact , now if we have an elected government who decide to implement the sharia law then who are you to say no to that , you have to stick to the rules of the democracy and if you don't like it mr Ehsani do you know what we say in Syrian way (ballet al ba7er).
No i don't believe in so called civil law there is only one law at there . Its the law of Allah
So we established few things here at least:
1- You will not fight for your regime against America. So stop sounding tough and patriotic.
2- When the regime falls (you are yet to describe how), you say that "we know how to defend our country from the US". Again empty words and substance. Try to be specfic on how you plan to do so.
3- You finally admit that you want to install Sharia law because you don't belive in civil law. Have you been to Iran? I have . I have news for you. It sucks. In the end, with all Bashar's deficencies, Syria will be significantly worse off with people like you in a position of power. Thankfully, your dream is likely to remain just that, a dream. You are on the wrong side of development and history.
shamee27 said
"I do agree with that we want to implement the Sharia law I wont deny this fact , now if we have an elected government who decide to implement the sharia law then who are you to say no to that , you have to stick to the rules of the democracy and if you don't like it mr Ehsani do you know what we say in Syrian way (ballet al ba7er).
No i don't believe in so called civil law there is only one law at there . Its the law of Allah"
Will you allow a democratically elected government to choose not to use the Sharia?
It is not democratic if a democratically elected government implements laws which might or could be anti-democratic.
That's was religious ideouloges cannot be trusted. Once they acquire power democratically it's over for democracy.
The Islamists of Algeria were openly saying that they are for "one vote one time". No wonder this ignited a massive distrust.
Tell us are you for one vote one time?
See democracy is predicated upon rational thought.
Accountability is the hallmark of a democratic system. Every four or six year, voters reflect back on their leader's record, and based on that record they decide to re-elect him or not. Can you imagine that happening to a regime run by sharia law? Any criticism of the leadership is "KIFR". The mullahs and Imams will dictate our every day lives as they see fit, and for eternity.
"Sharon's son faces jail for election fraud"
This is probably the clearest reason why Syria lost every single war with Israel.
Shamee27 should understand that the application of Sharia law would violate a fundamental tenet of democracy which is the seperation of politics from religion. The country should be ruled by a law that makes no distinction based on religion. Why would I, being an atheist, be obliged to accept and follow the precepts of a religion in which I do not believe?
Oh on a side note, Shamee27 is ridiculous to believe that the acceptance of the western way of living would bring prostitution to Damascus. He should realize that prostitution is already rampant in Damascus and that its source is poverty, not the west.
Shamee said:
"you have to stick to the rules of the democracy and if you don't like it mr Ehsani do you know what we say in Syrian way (ballet al ba7er)."
First, it very very that majority rule, can result in very bad things for society. eg Hitler Germany.
This is why democracies have systems that protect the country from simple majority rule decisions. These systems include constitutions, multiple houses of parliment, etc.
Second, even if we assume majority rule, the will of the majority is not always the best and this why if your belief differs from the majority you try to convince them of your beleif. This is in an ideal world the core of politics. Convince poeple of what you beleive in so that they vote for you.
Having said all this, I think that majority rule beats dictatorship anytime, but majority rule with protection of human rights is even better.
Hadad,
I am not westerner my friend. I am a Muslim who lives in the Syria, why do you want me to adopt culture, values and way of thinking which is alien to me and proven to be an utter failure.
Secondly if you are an atheist and believe that your ancestors were monkeys {Darwin’s theory , the father of all atheists), that’s fine with me as long as you keep your belief to yourself.
Likewise I am fine with your beliefs as long as you keep them to yourself. And yes Shamee, humans are apes and your reluctance to accept modern science is silly.
are you guys seriously considering arguing with a closed-minded guy like him? i admire your patience but its a lost battle. I know religous people who can be argued with, but this guy has been brainwashed to the point of no return. dont waste your time or his
Check out this analysis of the current situation on Al-Jazeera website (Arabic):
Here
Also, for those of you thinking that Democracy will come riding over American tanks, I suggest you check this account of the guy who was electrecuted and tortured in Abu-Ghraib, the man infamous for being the hooded-guy-with-wires-picture Here
I see some moderates, hardliner, racists, gays and religious people in here....
Good to hear all of your comments. Thank you Dr. Landis for this opportunity...
White Power!
Shamee27 says that he doesn't want 'freedom of alcohol'. Why is that? If alcohol is allowed, does it mean that he's forced to drink ? You can buy cigarettes in Lebanon, yet I don't smoke.
It is my right to buy alcohol, I am not imposing my lifestyle on anybody. If you don't want to drink alcohol, fine, nobody forces you to, but don't impose YOUR values on ME. If your mother, siter or wife want to wear a veil, fine, but don't imposet YOUR values to me.
Democracy pal, is the rule of the majority, not the dictatorship of the majority. This means that nobody (be it the majority or minority) is allowed to violate a minimal set of rights that are called the human rights.
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"that’s fine with me as long as you keep your belief to yourself."
The same applies for those who believe that they were created with a magic wand.
This discussion about sharia has gone on longer than it should have. Economic discussions are certainly more enlightening than wasting time with Islamic facists.
No Hadad Darwin’s theory has been criticized and rejected by most of well respected scientific institutions around the world.
Those who want to live according to their desires still in denial. Why should you believe that there is a creator for this whole world and this creator send to you a law and he ordered you to follow? You picked the easy way, this whole world came to exist by mere chance, to call your belief just silly would be the under-statement of this century I’d rather call it stupid. what should I call you "the son of apes" ? lol
I've found a new article in FT, addressing the issue of Alawites.
Although the article is mediocre, yet it was striking to discover that Mr. Joshua Landis comments show he is still in the learning phase about Syrian politics despite the long time he spent here.
You can read the article at FT.COM or in my Blog.
Anonymous,
I just saw your comments from the previous story. No one said that per capita differences is a measure of corruption. My comment was if you assume that Syria' per capita should be as high as least Lebaon as an example, then close to $60 billion go missing every year through corruption/stealing and inefficient use of resources. I never said that differences in per capita is equal to corruption. I was merely pointing out the kind of shortfall in Syria's economy from its potential (using Lebanon as a proxy). There is no doubt that the inefficient use of resources is greatly at fault. I refer you to my comment about the crazy system of state subsidies as an example. You call it "poor management". You then go on to say the following:
"If corruption takes the form of someone cutting through the red tape and making available something that otherwise would not be then it is a good thing...Given a choice between a bureaucracy that is so overloaded that nothing ever gets done, and the same bureaucracy with some corruption that allows the economy to move ever so slighty, then I will chose the latter" .
Sir, what you seem to miss is the fact that people who steal and plunder the wealth in the country are the very people who can change the bureaucracy if they wanted to. The whole point of keeping it is to steal and plunder. It takes 47 signitures for you and I to get goods from a Syrian port to a factory floor. In this system, Mr. Makhlouf and people like him can do very well. Corruption flourishes and it does so because people who have the power to stop don't want to. Similarly, you say the legal system is the problem. But who made a mockery of the legal system? It is the same people who steal and plunder. The legal system does not work when a judge makes $300 a month. The Government has outsourced paying for its civiil servants to the bribery system. Lastly, on PPP, please refer to my comments above.
"No Hadad Darwin’s theory has been criticized and rejected by most of well respected scientific institutions around the world."
Yeah! Like al Azhar. Anyway Ehsani is right, I'll stop losing my time and arguing with that idiot.
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It is hard to know what is going on between Syria and the US first it apparent that the US wants Syria to change it,s policy on Iraqi ocupation,palestinian resistant and Lebanese and for that the US will blame Syria no matter what at least for not coperating with Mehles, the truth about Hareeri will matter the same story we heard about the iraqi WMD,after the invasion and the death of 26000 iraqi it did not matter that they wre wrong,Syria has many problems encluding coruption poor economy lack of organization skills but apparently many writers want democratic reform without the democracy of Iraq where islamists are in power so syria needs political reform done with help of others on ways to acheive without violence and that will require middle class economic reform and a legal system,for syria to catch up with the rest of the wourld she should move rapidly,i hope this note is clear .there some informations that american went to Syria about one month ago and helped Syrias to operate machines at the airport to check forgners coming in to Syria ,go figure i thought there is no cooperation.
The people who want to throw the regime out--do you at least acknowledge the risks? The potential for some much worse? Why do you believe making change just for the sake of making change? This is a Rumsfield/Bush mentality--they did not think of the consequences of their actions and now have a fine mess in their hands.
Everyone bashing shamee27, it is wrong to dismiss his denial of Darwinism and to regard yourselves as absolutely right and him as an 'idiot'. To do so would be to ignore reality as we know it where here in America, there is a ferocious debate of Darwinism vs Intelligent Design.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design
And just so you know, the side of Intelligent design has many esteemed supporters in the scientific community and in my assessment is gaining steam in many parts of the country. (but it is absolutely detested my many many and still a great majority of Americans like many of you!)
(And by the way--this is great! It seems this comment section has become a microcosim of Syrian society!)
As an American, I appreciate Innocent_criminal defending my great American society. Yes the vast majority of Americans are kind, generous and happily ignorant people (of international issues that is). But American culture is in decline, (just in the news today I read of the "Cool Mom" who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for throwing parties and providing drugs and alcohol for high school kids and having sex with 5 high school boys) I hate to stereotype and also hate to unfairly highlight one incident, but I can't explain my feelings on this any other way. It is just my take from having lived many years in both cultures. Maybe I am being too harsh on my countrymen though.
And please let us not make the error of many westerners of identifying Sharia with Saudi Arabia or Iran. Both countries may claim to be pure Islamic states but they are nowhere close in reality!! Wahhabism was developed by Wahhab and he was lucky that it was embraced by Saud in large part because part of theory says that no critism of the ruler could allowed!
Comments that identify Sharia with Saudi and Iran are irresponible and only serve to degregate Islam in the eyes of people who don't know any better. Read up on Jaml al-din Al-Afghani, Al-Tawtawi, M. Abduh, Khayr-al-Din Pasha even Tariq Ramadan to find compatable visions of Islam with Democracy and European liberalism. Albert Hourani's "Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age" is a good read if you are interested in the subject.
Intelligent design is a stupid theory. Having idiots in the US don't make them less idiot.
Maybe you are right.
But be careful about easily dismissing things and people as idiotic.
Ignaz Semmelweis was dismissed for coming up with this at the time 'idiotic' concept of germs.
Lol even Darwin himself was dismissed as an idiot! And it took hundreds of years before classical physics was dismissed in favor of quantum physics at the atomic scale. Last I checked, Darwinism is less than 150 years old. So only time (or death maybe with this subject!) will tell who is right.
"[As we see it] our opinion is right though it may turn out to be wrong, while we consider the opinion of our opponents to be wrong though it may turn out to be right."
Thank you for your comments mr engineering.
Apparently as far as Vox concern you are an idiot if you dont believe in his Darwinsim.
I totally agree with you that death will tell us the truth, as matter of fact the quran say that in very clear way.
"لَقَدْ كُنتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَاءكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ"
50:22 (It will be said:) "Thou wast heedless of this; now have We removed thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this Day!"
Ehsani
I don’t think we disagree on the existence of corruption in Syrian society. It exists and its huge. What I’m taking issue with is the statement of what the GDP should be. There is no sound economic reason why Syria’s GDP should not be greater than a lot of other countries, all it takes is allowing capital to flow freely and instituting a strong legal system that promotes competition and trade. People will create the additional GDP simply by taking advantage of the available opportunities and pursuing their own self interest. But if we are going to get into what should be and attributing the lost opportunities to corruption and stealing (and inefficient use of resources) then we can conclude that any number of economies in the world suffer from corruption/stealing and misuse of resources including all western countries since their GDP should be higher (that’s the whole idea behind having an economic policy – to promote growth (increasing real GDP)
Now, the system of protectionism and centralized planning was put in place by people many years ago who may have believed in some sort of a utopian socialist economy where the government will employ all and no one ever has to worry about making ends meet as the road to salvation. Of course, they were wrong. But recognizing that central planning was a mistake, the problem becomes how to undo it. Breaking a couple of the rules to please a relative might be easy (nepotism is not a new phenomenon in the Middle East and elsewhere). Changing the whole system will require some real sacrifices that people may not be prepared to go through. Can you imagine how much bitching and complaining you will have on your hands when the unemployment rate reaches 40%, when milk and bread become luxuries and when public health and public education become the domain of the wealthy. Ask a lowly government employee if he/she is willing to lose his/her job for the sake of fixing the economy and I bet you that the overwhelming answer will be no.
Regarding the judge making $300/month as a reason why the legal system does not work I would say why not. The problem is not in the pay, the problem is in the ethics. We are a nation without ethics where it is acceptable for an official to accept a bribe and it is also acceptable for the citizen to pay the bribe. Wherever your ethics come from, it is hard to justify accepting a bribe to rule in favor of someone at someone else’s expense. I would be interested to know how many people here bribed the guards at the Damascus airport so they may get through quicker. The guards maybe corrupt for taking the bribe, but so are the people who offer it.
Fixing the economy is not an impossible task, it is just a difficult task but sooner or later it will have to happen. In every country there is a critical level of poverty that, once exceeded, will politicize the masses and that is the final source of change. What is that critical level for Syria? I don’t know; but with poverty increasing, we certainly are getting closer to it.
Please do not take my comments to be any kind of defense for the Syrian government. They are not. I think any government who does not take issue with arbitrary arrests and gross violations of human rights to be despicable. And the fact that others in the Middle East are not any better is no consolation either. We need to stop comparing ourselves to the worst and start trying to set a higher standard for ourselves.
And for those people who are always saying Democracy like it is the solution to all problems they need to stop. Democracy is not an ideology. It is a political system designed, at least in theory, to promote the ideology of protecting and promoting individual liberties. Any system that achieves the same levels of protection for individual liberties is just as good. In fact, the only part of the American system that is used to ensure individual liberties is least democratic of American institutions. the Supreme Court.
I think this is the longest serious discussion we have had without someone making a mess of it. and funny enough its not really about Syria.
It is painful to be Syrian these days. This is the lowest point in Syrian history as a country since its independence: No friends, Arabs or otherwise (oops, I forgot Iran and North Korea!). However, please remember that Assad is enjoying the support of a powerful and wealthy merchant class from a bouquet of leading Syrian cities. Bashar’s ruthless and disastrous father and his criminal brother were both saved from the rage of Syrian people after the elite Damascene merchant class (Mr. Challah and his buddies at the Damascus Chamber of Commerce) threw its support behind the Assad’s back in the early 80’s after Hama’s massacres. Let’s face it, it is not only the leader who must get all the blame, the silent and complacent masses must share the blame as well.
Walk around any major Syrian city today: thousands upon thousands of ill-prepared, under-educated, and hapless 20-year olds are roaming the streets in despair. Why is Syria incapable of producing someone today to lead these young minds? What happened to the true patriots of Quwatli, Hanano, Atassi, Khouri, Atrach, and Azmeh? What happened to the great poets of the likes of Kabbani and Deek ElJinn? Why there is no more Sabbah Fakhry and Solhi Al Wadi? Why do we now only have the likes of Makhloof, Douba, Kanaan, Ghazali, and Jumaa? Why some of the most known names among young Syrians today are Rami Makhloof and Firas Tlass? What planet did these parasites come from? Don’t laugh, many young people think of them as role models to be followed: money, cars, women, and irrational behaviour. Let us not forget that these repulsive pests have friends in the most elitist, educated, and affluent classes in Syria.
What is truly enraging me is the submissiveness of today's Syrians to power, money, and religion. Few dare to challenge either and when they fail in attaining either power or money, they hijack religion to its lowest points and claim tranquility and inner peace. What the Ba’ath had succeeded in doing, brilliantly, is to install and spread mediocrity and meekness equally amongst all Syrians.
I am mad and appalled by the cronyism and nepotism in Syria today. Leaders, imams, merchants, thieves, doctors, thugs, engineers, crocks, artists and the rest of the 19 million humbled and misled masses – all have boarded the same vessel to nowhere. What a shame that is for our beloved Syria.
If you have to say something please email here:
shame@syr.gov
I can’t stand this type of whining we see above. Like children we complaining and whine. Corruption is everywhere so stop making it sound like it’s an exclusive trait of Syria today. it was rampant in Syria before the Ba'ath and will continue to be rampant way after they are gone. sure they took it to another level but, as you said, the masses allowed them to. If it wasn't Makhloof, Douba, Kanaan, Ghazali, and Jumaa you would have had others doing the same thing. The problem lies in the system not corrupt individuals
Sounds I have to include more criminals. Innocent?
Sign the list here: shame@syr.gov
Idi....
Bashar Assad’s close associates have already decided that escape is the better part of valor. Influential Syrian VIPs appear to have read the UN resolution carefully last week and are absconding. DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources reveal large cash withdrawals from Syrian banks, currency conversions and transfers to banks outside the country.
The flight of money was accompanied by an exodus of some of the leading families of Damascus – anxious to beat “the ban on travel and assets freeze” mandated by the UN resolution for suspects in the Hariri murder plot.
The largest capital transfer – estimated at $6-7bn – was made by the tycoon Rami Makhlouf who lost no time in removing himself, business and family from Damascus to Dubai.
Makhlouf’s defection is a mortal blow for Assad and his shrinking circle of supporters. He is not only the manager of the Assad clans’ finances, his is also a close kinsman; Bashar’s mother is his aunt, sister of his father General Adnan Makhlouf, who served the late president Hafez Assad in a top position of trust as commander of the presidential guard.
His huge capital transfer and removal of his business center from the Syrian capital are capable of bringing the national economy crashing down about Assad’s ears.
His is not the only defection. Several other affluent Syrian businessmen close to the regime have also decamped. The second richest man in the country, Firas Tlas, has moved lock, stock and barrel, to Abu Dhabi. DEBKAfile’s sources report the secret flit of General Bahajat Suleiman, head of Syria’s intelligence council and virtual overlord of the national clandestine services.
Desperate to drum up support from his fellow Arab leaders, Assad demanded an Arab League summit but was informed that a narrow forum was the most that can be convened.
UN investigator Mehlis and his team were back at work in Beirut soon after the Security Council resolution was passed Monday night, Oct. 31. Mid-December is his deadline for winding up his probe.
Bashar Assad is confronted head-on now with a dilemma: which of his close relative should he surrender as a scapegoat? His young brother Maher Assad, or his sister’s husband, Assed Shawqat? Both top the Mehlis list of Syrian suspects in the Hariri murder plot.
Karfun...you sound like JAM under cover. This is good, keep it up.
As to this moron landis, and that is a polite title for you. If you have any brain whatsoever, which you don't. You will see that when we post, we never insult, attack or as you stated it "terrorize and intimidate" anyone. Our posting in here, in most cases, usually directed to make specific commnet
to someone outside this blog area. Like they say in Syria " We are talking in loud voice to my neighbor, so my mother in-law in the room can hear me"
It is only after we get attacked rudely by your buddies the fagets and Baathist thugs, hiding behind Sunni Syrians, among others, that we show them what we think of them.
But you aint got a brain to see that those Baathist freinds of yours are the one coming here to terrorise and intimidate everyone in this room.... Moron.
aahhhhh?? when did Landis address you by saying that you "terrorize and intimidate"? i am surprised he would give you the light of day but if he has i must have missed it, please let us know where?
Idi.....
we know already that Josh prefers criminals.
Go and write your comments here:
shame@syr.gov
Fucking subhuman expendable garbage this Innocent Criminal is.
dear josh-
whatever happened to the comment section moderator?
this was a good discussion, but now it descended into the pit i was in all summer.
damn zionists.
--raf*
Does anybody know if there a video on the web of Bashar speech?
Iam not Zionist. I am proud to be Christian Baathist.
Don't confuse me with that Baathist Innocent Criminal posting on top. No one insults me here. I am not into politics, I am after a quick fuck. They said fagets are in here using my name and he likes to take 18 incher in his 2 cavities.
A friend of mine wrote this article for a web site.
It is about the latest economic scam in Syria.
Sorry didn't have the time to translate it to English
إحذروا... فالدولة تخدعكم
أصبت بالغثيان وأنا أتابع البارحة المؤتمر الصحفي للسيد عبد الله الدردري (ورفاقه) والذي أتى على خلفية احتمال فرض حصار اقتصادي على سوريا.
قال السيد الدردري خلاله: "أقول لأخي المواطن الإنسان البسيط نعتمد عليك في مواجهة التحديات!!"
وحثّ فيه المواطنين على الإسراع للإكتتاب في سندات الخزينة دعما" لليرة السورية.
فهذا المؤتمر لم يكن لطمأنة المواطن بقدر ما كان مؤتمرا" للتغرير بالمواطنين لإنقاذ السياسات الإقتصادية المتخبطة للحزب الحاكم.
لقد حاول السيد الدردري الإيحاء للمواطن أنه من واجبنا الوطني تحت الظروف الراهنة عدم الهرولة لشراء الدولار حفاظا" على قيمة الليرة السورية.
ومن المشاركين في هذا المؤتمر السيد عماد غريواتي، رئيس غرفة صناعة دمشق،
والذي أتحفنا بقصة عن أعماله مع إحدى الشركات الأجنبية، تفيد بأنه قد ضاعف من كميات طلبياته معهم خلال هذه الفترة إيمانا" منه بسلامة واستقرار الوضع الإقتصادي القادم.
وهذا أكبر نفاق سمعته في حياتي.
فالجميع يعرف أن كل تجار البلد بدؤوا بإستيراد كميات هائلة من المواد لتخزينها ومن ثم ليطرحوها أثناء (الحصار)، فيحققون أرباح خيالية.
ومن المشاركين أيضا" في هذا المؤتمر المضحك/المبكي الدكتور راتب الشلاح رئيس غرفة (تجارة/عصابة) دمشق.
وللذي يهمه الأمر، فإن إسم الدكتور راتب مع بعض أفراد عصابته ورد في تقرير (فولكر) في الأمم المتحدة المتعلق بسرقة أموال العراق، عن طريق إبرام صفقات مشبوهة مع نظام صدام قبل سقوطه. (التقرير متوفر على الإنترنت وهو يفضح الكثير من رجال الأعمال السوريين والغير سوريين)
وعلى ما أذكر فإن التقرير يشير بأن السيد الشلاح قد قام بصفقات بلغت قيمتها حوالي
الأربعمائة مليون دولار، وأنه دفع رشاوي (مذكورة في التقرير) ما يقارب الثلاثين مليون دولار.
وهنا أسأل الدكتور الشلاح الذي يريد إيهامنا أن قلبه على الإقتصاد الوطني، هل صرحت بأرباح تلك الصفقات للمالية في سوريا يادكتور؟ وهل دفعت ضرائبك عنها؟ وهل هذه الأموال مودعة في المصارف السورية؟
وعودة للدكتور دردري، ياسيدي ما يملكه (أخوك المواطن الإنسان البسيط) يعتبر فتاتا" مقارنة" بما يملكه (زيد وعبيد وأنسبائهم)، فلماذا لا تحاول إقناع هؤلاء بتحويل أرصدتهم الموجودة في الخارج بالقطع الأجنبي إلى سوريا وإيداعها في مصارفنا الوطنية؟
إن ما تملكه (شـلّة زيد وعبيد) وحدها يكفي لتخفيف الضغوط على الليرة السورية .
ثم ألم يصرح إعلامنا الرسمي حين سرت شائعة تهجير السيد رامي مخلوف إلى دبي، ألم يصرحوا رسميا" أن الخبر غير صحيح وإنما هو بصدد توسيع أعماله هنالك.
فكيف استطاع السيد مخلوف إخراج الملايين من الدولارات خارج سوريا لتوسيع أعماله،
وأين كان حاكم مصرف سوريا المركزي وتشريعاته.
(www.alarabiya.net/Articles/2005/10/31/18213.htm)
وفي الوقت الذي يفترش فيه شبابنا الأرصفة ملوحين بالعلم السوري إحتجاجا" على الضغوطات التي تتعرض لها سوريا، في نفس اليوم الذي كانت تغلي فيه دماء الجميع، تطالعنا بعض الصحف الصادرة في دبي أن السيد مجد سليمان نجل اللواء بهجت سليمان قد اقتنى شقة" في أحد أبراج دبي بقيمة مليونين دولار أميركي.
وكأن كل ما يجري في الشارع السوري لا يعنيه ، طالما أنه هنالك شبابا" يضحون من أجل حضرته.
لم أرد أن أصدق (حكي الجرائد) فسألت ابنة عمي المقيمة في دبي، التي أكدت لي أن الجالية
السورية في دبي باتت تتوقف بجانب الشقة وتؤشر عليها بالإصبع فهو لم يخفي أمر شرائها.
ومرة" ثانية أسأل السيد دردري كيف تمّ إخراج المليونين دولار من سوريا؟
إنما هذا كله قطرة في بحر، فما بالكم بما فعله الشاليش والميرو والخدام والشهابي وغيرهم.
والآن يأتون للمواطن البسيط (المعتر) طالبين منه حماية الليرة السورية.
ومع أني لست بإقتصادي مخضرم ، ولكن شراء سندات الخزينة في هذه الفترة بالذات هي أحمق ما يمكن أن يرتكبه أي مواطن حاليا"، معرضا" (تحويشة العمر) للضياع.
وإليكم المبررات:
أولا"- إذا ما تمّ فرض عقوبات إقتصادية على سوريا، فإن الليرة السورية آيلة لسقوط قيمتها حتما". هذا ما حصل مع ليبيا والعراق.
وبالرغم من عائدات النفط الهائلة لتلك البلدين فلم تستطيعان الحفاظ على قيمة عملاتها الوطنية.
لذلك، ومهما حاولت الحكومة السورية التدخل للحفاظ على قيمة الليرة فإنها تبقى خطوة مرحلية، ويبقى هنالك حدود لما تستطيع فعله. فالسيطرة على قيمتها ليس حصرا" بيد الحكومة كما يحاولون طمأتنا.
والمعلوم أن أكبر المضاربات على قيمة الليرة تتمّ خارج سوريا مثل أسواق السعودية ولبنان والأردن، وأول ما سيفعله الصيارفة في تلك الأسواق هو الخلاص من الليرة السورية في حال
أقرّت العقوبات الإقتصادية، و وكثرة العرض ستؤدي في النهاية إلى هبوط حاد في قيمة صرفها.
ثانيا"- تهرب السيد دردري من سؤال مهم لأحد الصحفيين، وهو من أين ستدفع الدولة الفوائد
التي ستستحق على سندات الخزينة؟
عادة" عندما تطرح الدول سندات خزينة للإكتتاب العام، يكون لديها مشاريع استثمارية ضخمة تستعمل عوائدها لتغطية فوائد هذه السندات. فأين هي تلك المشاريع الضخمة في سوريا؟
(اللهم إلاّ إذا كانت ساحة الأمويين واحدة منها!!).
فإذا لم يكن لدى الدولة أية مشاريع استثمارية لتسديد الفوائد فهذه كارثة، وإذا كانت ستسدد الفوائد من إحتياطي النقد السوري فهذه كارثة أكبر.
أما إذا كانت الدولة ستستخدم عوائد الإكتتاب للإستثمارفي إقتصاديات دول أخرى (مثل دبي)،
فعندها لنقرأ على الإصلاح الإقتصادي السلام.
ثالثا"- برغم كل ما يقال، فإن مصرف سوريا المركزي لا يتمتع بإستقلالية مصرفية، فهو تابع
أولا" وأخيرا" للنظام الحاكم. فما الذي يمنع صدور قرار بأنه إذا أردنا استرداد أموالنا فعلينا
الإنتظار (بالدور)، وماذا لو كان هذا (الدور) ثلاث أو أربع سنوات.
انظروا ما حصل للشباب الذين أرادوا الإكتتاب على السكن الشبابي. فرغم عدم تخصيصهم
بأي سكن، فإن الدولة مازالت تماطلهم في إعادة مبلغ التسجيل البالغ خمسون ألف ليرة سورية.
وتذكروا ما حصل في الإكتتاب على السيارات حين أخذوا منّا الدولار بسعر ثلاث ليرات وعند تسليمنا السيارات حاسبونا بسعر خمس وعشرون ليرة للدولار علما" أن قيمة السيارة كان مسددا" سلفا".
ببساطة، نحن نتعامل مع دولة قراراتها فاقدة للمصداقية، وقابلة للتغيير (بشطبة قلم).
والمواطن البسيط هو من يدفع الثمن في النهاية.
فلو أشترينا هذه السندات (وتمّ فرض الحصار)، فإننا سنراقب قيمة استثمارنا يتضاءل
بينما سعر صرف الدولار يرتفع. وفي المقابل لن تغطي فوائد السندات التي وعدونا بها فرق تحسن الدولار لأن إرتفاعه سيكون كبير جدا".
وإليكم هذا المثال : قبل خطاب الرئيس الأسد الأخير كانت قيمة الدولار 56.25 ليرة، وبعد
الخطاب أصبحت قيمته 57.50 ليرة. أي أن الليرة السورية فقدت ما يقارب 3% من
قيمتها في يوم واحد فقط .
ولولا تدخل مصرف سوريا المركزي لربما انخفضت ليرتنا أكثرمن 10% خلال هذا الأسبوع. فما بالكم لو أتى الحصار؟
وإلى متى سيستطيع المصرف المركزي تحمل كل هذه الضغوط لإنقاذ الليرة. وهو المفروض عليه فرضا" تأمين الملايين من الدولارات شهريا" لتحويل أرباح شركات الخليوي إلى الخارج. إضافة" إلى كل متطلبات القطر من عملات صعبة؟
سامحك الله يادردري، وسامحكم الله يا غريواتي وياشلاح.
لا تغرروا بالأرامل وكبار السن وأصحاب المعاشات التقاعدية، وإخوتكم المواطنين البسطاء.
إحموهم بدلا" أن تضيق أعينكم على آخر (الليرات الفراطة) التي ادخروها!!! ولكم الثواب عند الله.
I like the sentiment of Karfun's comments.
It is much better to complain and bitch and moan than to be completely apathetic and numb--too used to the way things are to know any better.
And innocent_criminal: Josh did apologize (which he shouldn't have to do--it certainly isn't his fault) for SSRP's ridiculous comments near the end of the "Time for Change" commment section:
At Tuesday, November 15, 2005, Joshua Landis said...
...About the SSRP insults and baseness. I am very sorry. They do destroy intelligent commentary and are meant to terrorize and intimidate, rather than to educate and pursuade. I will remind Joe, however, it is very tedious to spend time errasing
Thanks to the vast majority of the people, the quality of the discussion has improved appreciably. One can just hope that the trend continues.
T.J. Just posted an excellent piece from an unamed intelligent person. For all of you that are yet to grasb the extent of the looting and stealing of the country's resources, the article ought to be another reminder. Where is the outrage? Even seemingly intelligent people on this site seem to be oblivious and nonchalant. The usual response is "everyone does it", "It happened even before the Baath","It will happen even after Bashar", "It is the system", "so what, the products and services that they offer are great", "they are able to cut through red tape, so good for them".....
What a disgrace!
UUHHHHH that feel so good. Thanks for letting me use this public restroom. It is less stincky than the one in Moscow public square but not got a lot of toilet papers to wipe my ass with.
Metaz. K. M. Aldendeshe
Syrian Republican Party
www.ssprs.com
web-media@ssprs.com
The rage is right here and all over the world. The rage is in the millions of Syrians who walked away. Sitting here typing profanities, insults and accusation does not represent rage. Would you feel better about my rage if my comments where along the lines of
"Goddamn motherfuckers stole all the wealth of the nation and they will continue to do so. The damn people need to stop being sheep and rise up and liberate themselves from this tyranny. We need to go to the street and demonstrate, and if they try and stop us we need to start shooting. An all those cops and judges who take bribes need to be hanged....."
That, my friend is not rage. That is uncontrolled anger that comes from not understanding the situation you are in. My rage is expressed when I get an offer to return to Syria and get good employment and I turn it down, not because it does not pay enough, but because I will never put myself in a position where I can end up in prison because some asshole kid of some asshole politician decides that I pissed him off.
40 years of baath political repression had wiped out the population’s dignity and pride.This is the biggest damage,more dangerous than the economical impoverishment.
Adonis is right. Unless the Baath party is fully dissolved, all other measures and reforms are purely cosmetic.
Man, Josh needs to post a new article so that this thread doesn't get any bigger and uglier than this.
/there must be a way to ban people like SRP, not just thru username, but thru IP Address (depends on what technology your site is using, which I cannot tell, there are many scripts to do just that).
T.J
Your friend's analysis is faulty: Dardari invited small Syrian investors/savors to buy USD in quantities up to $5000 with over 3% returns. He didn't call for the buying of the Syrian pound to support the pound. And furthermore, the Syrian gov. is giving a very attractive exchange rate compared with even the black (true supply-demand) market.
In other words, the Syrian gov. is paying the difference, partly to ease any fears about the pound, and partly to prevent the flight of capital out of Syria. Both are commendable causes, not a scam as your friend claims.
As for Rami and his ilk funneling their money out. I say, probably. But Rami and Co. have most of their money in Swiss banks from a long time ago.
Some ideot with Timor blood said........."funneling their money out"
You mean Syrian people money that is stolen by this mafia gang. You could not be that much of an ideot.
SRP, would you STFU already? I know it wasn't their money, and that they stole it. So what is your point exactly? just because you don't have an argument and because everyone here thinks you're a vulgar idiot (not ideot) doesn't mean you should keep posting. I am surprised Josh still allows you to post here.
While the United Nations Security Council prepares to slab Syria with sanctions, the county has arrived at a crossroad; we have been watching form a safe distance the unfortunate developments and the process which led our beloved “Souria” to this crossroad. Over the years we all voiced the needs for a Forum, a nonpartisan Forum dedicated promote a free spirit for all the people in Syria. This Forum should focuses on the current priorities and events and come up with recommendations. We should speak up now or shut up for ever...
Mr. Assad in his last speech shows that he has more aggressive stance and willing to fight back, He knows and we all know this aggressive stance will hurt the Syrian people, I truly believe now that his untested, inexperience and ill prepared policy leading the county into a dangerous environment domestically and on the regional level too.
This Forum needs to Voice the need for the county to:
1- The dominant role of the Baath party needs to be reduced to allow the real oppositions groups can participate in a program of transition to a democratic and free society to facilitate a free and fair election “even to the presidency itself”.
2- Syria now is in uncharted territory, Mr. Assad needs to show the county that he is on the helm of the job at this difficult time. He needs to act and remove any elements opposing the need for institutional reform.
3- Abolishing Decree No. 51 “state of emergency”, in which Mr Assad himself admitted that mistake and abuse were made with Decree No.51. He must reinforce the independence of the judiciary system maybe by removing the office of the president form the higher council of the judiciary.
4- Syria in needs of justice system to fight corruption and enforce transparency in the county public entities for fair and allow a fair and transparent biddings process.
WE ARE OPEN OF MORE RECOMMENDATION.. PLEASE TIME IS RUNNING OUT..
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