Britain in secret talks with Syrian rebels

Britain in secret talks with Syrian rebels

www.independent.co.uk

Britain has formally opened talks with the Syrian opposition movement as international pressure continues to mount against the beleaguered regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Frances Guy, a former ambassador to Lebanon, met members of the exiled opposition in Paris yesterday. The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, is to meet members of the Syrian opposition in London next week when they will also hold talks with senior officials in Downing Street.

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This is starting to look just like the lead up to the Libyan mission. Pretty soon NATO countries will be arming these rebels whether directly or indirectly if it's not already happening.

NATO will need to be more careful with Libya though especially since the Russians are also making their presence felt in the region militarily and politically.

At lease Assad has agreed to allow observers into Syria which hopefully will calm some of the tensions.

www.independent.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Syria has a population density 30 time greater than Libya.

There lies the problem of military action.

Syria is smaller and has more people.

The "humanitarian" casualties will be much more than Libya.

reply to post by xuenchen


If they bomb Syria like they did in Libya the casualties will surely be high.

I have a feeling that TPTB will use the rebels more discreetly this time compared to Libya. I can also see Russia getting involved via proxy.

This will be interesting to watch unfold.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed

Lol, not secret but formal.

reply to post by TheMindWar


LOL I guess it's not really secret if the press is reporting it.

The part where they talk about supporting the rebel uprising is probably slightly secret though.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed

We basically have to let Turkey take the lead role, if there is to be any "assistance" from the outside. We can help Turkey to some extent, but they need to be the lead and on board with any action. They are the regional power that is most effected by the situation going on in Syria (no offense to Israel, they can't be a player on this one). They are the ones who can bring Assad down in a heartbeat. Anyone other nation does it, it will be "meddling", Turkey can play the "Liberator" role well, with minimal loss of life. If you could get some major defections from the Syrian Army, that would go a long way to getting Assad out of power.

I would say the Arab League should take the lead, but in all reality, they can't do anything. Most of the member states have their own issues to deal with right now. Perhaps they could help some with the post Assad transition, which make no mistake is going to happen one way or the other.

reply to post by pavil


You make a very good point and I agree. If Turkey were to take care of this it would cause a lot less anger in the region. I wonder how Iran would react to that though. I think it could be the spark to the real WW3

What is the difference between these rebels and the OWS "rebels"?
Why is it that they are meeting with these rebels how about we stay the heck out of it how about if Iran met with the leaders of OWS how do you think our government would deal with that? There is really no difference between the 2 groups they are both fighting against their governments, both are having violence used against them to quell the protest and both are seemingly accomplishing nothing so what right does the British or even US have to get involved they have their own protest going on and they would not appreciate if someone did this to them. Maybe Russia should meet with OWS to help their cause. Maybe some international recognition for our "freedom fighters" would stop this silliness and help the government see that they should not intervene in another countries civil issues.

reply to post by Immune


Last I heard, the OWS weren't getting mowed down en masse by their repective Government's army.

reply to post by Immune


I agree with most of what you said, and can even appreciate how you came to the conclusion that you did and compare the OWS people to the Syrian rebels. I'm not sure that I agree with that though.

I see major differences, but as you mentioned there are also a lot of similarities so your comparison isn't that far fetched.

Originally posted by pavil
reply to post by Immune

 

Last I heard, the OWS weren't getting mowed down en masse by their repective Government's army.

Well, no, because in Syria the "rebels" are shooting at the security forces with guns and killing them in pretty large numbers. That part hasn't happened here yet, so the army hasn't "mowed down en masse" the "rebels" here in America yet.

reply to post by MegaCurious


That's an aspect a lot of people are not thinking about. I know Assad is a dictator but I have a feeling that a lot of these rebels are part of foreign intervention. A lot of the dead (3,500) were probably armed rebel mobs who were also using violence.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Yeah, we dont get to hear the juicy stuff

Originally posted by pavil
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

We basically have to let Turkey take the lead role, if there is to be any "assistance" from the outside. We can help Turkey to some extent, but they need to be the lead and on board with any action. They are the regional power that is most effected by the situation going on in Syria (no offense to Israel, they can't be a player on this one). They are the ones who can bring Assad down in a heartbeat. Anyone other nation does it, it will be "meddling", Turkey can play the "Liberator" role well, with minimal loss of life. If you could get some major defections from the Syrian Army, that would go a long way to getting Assad out of power.

I would say the Arab League should take the lead, but in all reality, they can't do anything. Most of the member states have their own issues to deal with right now. Perhaps they could help some with the post Assad transition, which make no mistake is going to happen one way or the other.

it's not our fight. seriously. what happened to not intervening in other countries affairs???
and this is only happening because the idea was implanted in Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan social media feeds.

I agree with spreading freedom, but not like this.. where we essentially sell our moral souls for power.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by MegaCurious

 

That's an aspect a lot of people are not thinking about. I know Assad is a dictator but I have a feeling that a lot of these rebels are part of foreign intervention. A lot of the dead (3,500) were probably armed rebel mobs who were also using violence.

no they were protestors, protesting legit, and Assad did what any power hungry dictator does to retain that power.

the difference now is the strategy has been displaced and left up to the opposition to take the lead and become those rebels, different from libya in that we used mercs.

reply to post by TheMindWar

Yeah, we dont get to hear the juicy stuff

I'm sure we will find out eventually just by watching the events unfold.

I predict an all out civil war starting in Syria very soon.

reply to post by yourmaker

no they were protestors, protesting legit, and Assad did what any power hungry dictator does to retain that power.

In no way, shape, or form am I defending Assad's murderous regime but I'm very confident that not all the dead were "innocent" protesters. I wasn't there and neither were you so none of us know for sure.

This article discusses some of the claims by Assad that the US is intervening.

Syria regime accuses US of 'bloody events'

reply to post by Corruption Exposed

Pretty soon NATO countries will be arming these rebels whether directly or indirectly if it's not already happening.

IMO it's been happening for a while..
Many believe the CIA was arming the rebels in Libya from the outset..
Heck, they probably coordinated the whole affair IMO..

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by yourmaker

 

no they were protestors, protesting legit, and Assad did what any power hungry dictator does to retain that power.

In no way, shape, or form am I defending Assad's murderous regime but I'm very confident that not all the dead were "innocent" protesters. I wasn't there and neither were you so none of us know for sure.

This article discusses some of the claims by Assad that the US is intervening.

Syria regime accuses US of 'bloody events'

i watched a lot of the home videos near the start, and watched them slowly devolve into firing back which leads me to believe they were inspired themselves rather than an outside interference of sorts.

although the initial protest i still think we're an external influence,

but yes i'd like to thank you for "I wasn't there and neither were you so none of us know for sure. " you are correct and it is wrong for me to presume with 100% faith.