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[News] Bashar Al-Assad gone
- Thread starter shingle
- Start date
Like the removal of Saddam Hussein, it’s like popping the cork off a shaken up bottle of champagne. There is going to be a big mess.
At least Putin and Iran have, in theory, strategically lost out here as their man was overthrown (and hopefully executed).
At least Putin and Iran have, in theory, strategically lost out here as their man was overthrown (and hopefully executed).
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Soton Seagull
Well-known member
Potter had already applied.
Christ, that was quick.
Already, the rebel alliance has already begun attacking Kurdish forces, Israel now moving troops up to the Golan. Worrying times for the region.
I thought that Israel would be happy that Hezbollah and Irans influence in the region should be greatly diminished.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 26,351
I think it's the opposite. The rebel groups, often painted as the goodies, are full of dodgy origins. A stable dictator is often the best option in foreign relations, as the West realised in Iraq after the event.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,950
Well, now we have Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who wanted rid of Assad and are wanting an Islamist regime, The Syrian National Army a wholly Turkish backed group wanting to ensure the the Kurds don't get any power, The Syrian Kurds, who want independence and are/were supported by the the US, a fairly significant US presence in Syria, Islamist State who want an Islamic Caliphate, and Israel seeing how it can 'help'. And those are just the ones I know off the top of my head.
I should make clear that the above does not indicate any level of support of Assad, a particularly nasty dictator. It certainly doesn't look good in the short term
I should make clear that the above does not indicate any level of support of Assad, a particularly nasty dictator. It certainly doesn't look good in the short term
The new lot are even more beheaddy and medieval.
Comrade Sam
Comrade Sam
What a shame, he seemed like such a sweet and gentle brutal dictator. Stephen Merchant crossed with Mr Bean and Joe Pasquale.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 7,252
What, and leave a power vacuum for ISIS or another al-Qaeda group to reassert itself? For Syria to be ground zero for another proxy war between Russia and the US?
The most likely (interim) replacement for Al-Assad is Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the ex-Al-Qaeda terrorist, now head of the HTS, (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and a designated terrorist organisation by the US.
Not good for Israel.
Not good for the US or UK.
Not good for the already desperate refugee situation in the Middle East.
Not good for Europe as another major upheaval in Syria could mean another mass movement of Syrian refugees towards Europe.
That won’t matter to Israel.
The fact the new bunch of pyschopaths don’t like, or , more importantly, support Iran and Hezbollah will be all that matters to Israel. Arms from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon we’re going directly through Syria
They may still be a bunch of medieval pyschopaths, but, they won’t be Irans medieval pyschopaths.
Been given asylum in Russia
Billy in Bristol
Well-known member
Defending with three tanks in the middle never works...
Maybe lynching would be better
Allardyce until the end of the season?
maffew
Well-known member
Predictably signed for Moscow on a free transfer
- Oct 20, 2022
- 7,252
It will matter to Israel
You seem to be missing some vital background knowledge -
All Islamic extremist terrorist groups in the Middle East share a fundamental jihadist ideology -
They differ on cultural and sectarian grounds but they all have an existentialist, fundamentalist approach to Israel. It doesn’t matter whether they are Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Houtis, Palestine Jihadists or ISIS etc
Yemen is a good example of extremist groups exploiting a civil war:
AQAP, ISIS-Yemen, and Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hizballah and the IRGC-QF continue to exploit the political and security vacuum created by the ongoing conflict between the Republic of Yemen government under the leadership of President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi and Houthi militants, as well as the ongoing south-south conflict between the Republic of Yemen government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) - exactly the same pandora scenario will happen in Syria in the political vacuum left by al-Assad.
Iran is a State Sponsor of Terrorism throughout the ME not just Hezbollah:
Supporting Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various terrorist and militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and elsewhere throughout the Middle East. Iran uses the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to provide support to terrorist organizations, provide cover for associated covert operations, and create instability in the region. Iran has acknowledged the involvement of the IRGC-QF in the Iraq and Syria conflicts, and the IRGC-QF is Iran’s primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorist activity abroad.
Antisemitism is a core part of fundamental Islamic ideology and Iran backs a plethora of terrorist groups with that ideology not just Hizbollah.
Iran also backs Russia and China who both have influence and stakes in Syria - Russia was already involved in bombing rebels to prop up the Assad regime - US and Russia will be heavily involved in what happens next.
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Yes thats the only warped positive here...that a Putin "friendly" dictator has gone...This could go one of many ways now...none of them without loss of life...