Syria's Assad says he will not negotiate with armed groups

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Syria's Assad says he will not negotiate with armed groups

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad said in remarks published Friday that his government will not negotiate with armed groups, calling them "terrorists" and saying they will only talk to political opposition.

Assad's comments to Spanish news agency EFE were published by Syria's state media Friday, a day after a conference in Saudi Arabia that sought to form a unified opposition front ahead of proposed talks on ending Syria's nearly five-year conflict.

A peace plan agreed to last month by world powers meeting in Vienna set a Jan. 1 deadline for the start of talks between Assad's government and opposition groups. Within six months, the negotiations are to establish a "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian" transitional government that would set a schedule for drafting a new constitution and holding a free and fair U.N.-supervised election within 18 months.

Saudi Arabia has been a key backer of Sunni opposition blocs pushing for Assad's ouster, such as the hard-line Jaysh al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham groups that were at the two-day talks in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

Assad told EFE that Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and some Western countries "want terrorist groups to join the negotiations table." He said they want his government to "negotiate with terrorists and this is a matter that I believe no one will accept."

The Syrian leader said "we are ready to start negotiations with the opposition ... and the opposition for any person in the world does not mean armed" groups.

The powerful Ahrar al-Sham group pulled out of the opposition conference in Saudi Arabia on Thursday in protest over the role given to groups it said are close to the Syrian government, signaling continued divisions among rival factions ahead of the proposed peace talks.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country has been among Assad's strongest backers, said last month that peace talks for Syria cannot go ahead until all parties involved agree on which groups should be listed as terrorists and which are legitimate opposition.

"In principle we are ready for dialogue ... and in order for the dialogue to be successful you have deal with real national opposition that has a popular base in Syria," Assad said.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-12

[craigt3365]

Complicated. As we've heard many times before, one person's freedom fighter is another person's terrorist.

[Credo]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

[craigt3365]

Well put!!!

[Harsh Jones]

Complicated. As we've heard many times before, one person's freedom fighter is another person's terrorist.

what makes a terrorist a terrorist is if they partake in terrorist acts.

[konying]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Edited December 12, 2015 by konying

[Credo]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

You see things in black and white but unfortunately this is a grey war. For example those that you say are fighting Assad and is not terrorist, received arms and ammunition from the US. As these "fighters" entered Syria they handed over some of these arms and ammunition to IS. Does this not make them terrorists. Remember the Sarin attack ? That attack was launched by the "freedom fighters" does that not make them terrorists ? In the Syrian war todays "freedom fighters" is tomorrows terrorists. Hereby I am not saying Assad is not evil, just that those fighting him maybe just as evil. If these freedom fighters had the support of the population why are Syrians fleeing to Europe and not staying to fight Assad ?

Here is a link with the other side of the same story.

https://www.rt.com/news/325690-syria-negotiate-terrorists-assad/

No, it's not really very gray. The people who target and kill civilians are terrorists. It doesn't make much difference where they get their guns. Also, you might want to note that I said the two aren't always mutually exclusive.

Now try a source other than RT.

[Credo]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Cutting out the heart of a soldier does not make him a terrorist. Deliberately cutting out the heart of of a civilian does.

But I don't think this topic is about a definition of a terrorist. It's about Assad not negotiating with armed groups.

[konying]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Cutting out the heart of a soldier does not make him a terrorist. Deliberately cutting out the heart of of a civilian does.

But I don't think this topic is about a definition of a terrorist. It's about Assad not negotiating with armed groups.

Nor he should, unless you believe some idiots with guns are the ones to run the country

[Thorgal]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Cutting out the heart of a soldier does not make him a terrorist. Deliberately cutting out the heart of of a civilian does.

But I don't think this topic is about a definition of a terrorist. It's about Assad not negotiating with armed groups.

Majority of Assads Syrian army is a popular army. Means many civilian volunteers are represented. You have Kurds, Alawites, Alevites, Sunnis, Shias, Christians, etc fighting in his army.

It's known that many FSA went to Al Nusra and IS.

It's known that territories captured by FSA are immediately administrated by IS. Sharia law is applicable, schools are closed, tax need to be paid, etc...

The 'moderated' rebels were from the beginning a media hoax.

[Chicog]

So Assad doesn't want to give up power.

I would have thought sending his army to bomb,, maim, gas and kill his own people kinda proved that already.

If he's going to be intransigent, then it's best he's removed.

Over to you Vlad.

[Thorgal]

So Assad doesn't want to give up power.

I would have thought sending his army to bomb,, maim, gas and kill his own people kinda proved that already.

If he's going to be intransigent, then it's best he's removed.

Over to you Vlad.

You still don't get it.

It's not about power, it's about sovereignty and decisions of the citizens.

Russia is just a catalyst.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Thorgal

[simple1]

So Assad doesn't want to give up power.

I would have thought sending his army to bomb,, maim, gas and kill his own people kinda proved that already.

If he's going to be intransigent, then it's best he's removed.

Over to you Vlad.

Syrians are flocking to Assad controlled areas. The western media doesn't want to report this. Its even getting hostile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxwXU4vhrZE

It is very obvious the interviewees are dedicated Assad supporters. Though the Assad regime has a history of trying to block such efforts, you would, if you're able to, try and enter more secure areas. Be a lot safer than being in the contested areas as a civilian being subjected to starvation tactics, minimal medical care, indiscriminate bombing by way of cluster bombs, barrel bombs and white phosphorous by Russia and the Assad military. There are numerous war crimes by Assad's Alawite and other minority militias, that's aside from the Islamic extremists cruelties.

Assad security forces are claimed to be responsible for the large majority of civilian deaths. Nearly 8 million people Internally Displaced People in Syria due to the Civil War. What has the Syrian government contributed to the funding / resourcing for the more than 4 million Syrian refugees outside it's borders? It's farcical to even suggest Assad is a 'good guy'.

Edited December 12, 2015 by simple1

[Chicog]

So Assad doesn't want to give up power.

I would have thought sending his army to bomb,, maim, gas and kill his own people kinda proved that already.

If he's going to be intransigent, then it's best he's removed.

Over to you Vlad.

You still don't get it.

It's not about power, it's about sovereignty and decisions of the citizens.

Russia is just a catalyst.

Well that's easy.

It's called "Free and Fair elections" as opposed to North Korean-style ones.

Duh.

[craigt3365]

So Assad doesn't want to give up power.

I would have thought sending his army to bomb,, maim, gas and kill his own people kinda proved that already.

If he's going to be intransigent, then it's best he's removed.

Over to you Vlad.

Syrians are flocking to Assad controlled areas. The western media doesn't want to report this. Its even getting hostile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxwXU4vhrZE

All 22 million people in Syria support Assad. Only a small number, maybe 10,000 don't support him.

Talk about not telling the truth!

[craigt3365]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Cutting out the heart of a soldier does not make him a terrorist. Deliberately cutting out the heart of of a civilian does.

But I don't think this topic is about a definition of a terrorist. It's about Assad not negotiating with armed groups.

Nor he should, unless you believe some idiots with guns are the ones to run the country

You mean the idiots with guns trying to run the country now? Not doing a very good job are they?

[GOLDBUGGY]

Not quite. A terrorist is a terrorist and they operate by actions directed against the civilian population. A freedom fighter fights a gov't.

Those fighting the Assad regime are not terrorists. They are the enemy of Assad. Those lopping off heads, holding sex slaves and other atrocities are terrorists.

The two groups aren't always mutually exclusive, by the way.

So by your account , when freedom fighter cuts out soldiers heart and eats it, does he fall into a terrorist or a freedom fighter category?

When one is sponsored by foreign entity to remove current government for the benefit of foreign entity , is one a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

Cutting out the heart of a soldier does not make him a terrorist. Deliberately cutting out the heart of of a civilian does.

But I don't think this topic is about a definition of a terrorist. It's about Assad not negotiating with armed groups.

Nor he should, unless you believe some idiots with guns are the ones to run the country

I don't think it is the dastardly deeds that one commits, or how they commit them, that sets them apart from being a Terrorist or Freedom Fighter. One just has to look at Hitler and the Nazis during WWII and how many Jews, Gypsies, and others, of Men, Women, and Children, they put to death in a cruel way in the Gas Chambers. They may have been considered Extremists, but history has never considered them Terrorist either.

You might even want to consider Stalin and his forced famine of the Ukrainians in 1929 only because they were seeking there independence. So although Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini all may be considered Ruthless Dictators, they were never considered in history to be Terrorists. So the government in power of there own country either elected or otherwise cannot be considered as Terrorist. So now that we know what a Terrorist isn't what is a Freedom Fighter?

A Freedom Fighter may go against the government in charge but he first needs to be fighting for his own land. During WWII the French and Polish Underground would be considered Freedom Fighters, as both were trying to oust Germany out of there Native Lands. The British may very well have called the Americans Terrorists, during the American Revolution, if that word was invented then. But I think most would agree that they were in fact Freedom Fighters as most would agree that this land belong more to them than the British. As in Canada, Australia, and India.

So if you come from the USA, Canada, or Europe, and fight in Syria against the government in power, including civilians, or from Saudi Arabia to blow up some building on USA Soil, then you are not a Freedom Fighter. You are a Terrorist! If you are a Syrian going against your own government by trying to blow up a Police Barracks or School, you are Terrorist. If you are a Saudi and trying to blow up a Refinery, or Expats, you are a Terrorist.

How can anyone be considered a Freedom Fighter when the government they plan to overthrow will be replaced by one under Sharjah Law which takes away your rights as a civilian? Where women have to cover themselves from head to toe and are not allowed to work , or drive, go shopping by themselves, or even get married without there fathers permission. Where she cannot Divorce her husband as if she did she would lose the children, while he can divorce her for no reason and at the clap of his hand, and also have 5 wives. Where 1 Mans' Testimony in Sharjah Court is worth 2 or more Women. As women are considered to have half the brain as a man's brain.

How Saudi Arabia can agree to having some other government like Syria have forced elections, when they do not have elections themselves, is beyond me. But for me it is easy to spot a Terrorist. He is the one in old shabby clothes, wearing old torn sandals, having 15 small children in rags around him and all calling him Daddy, and yet he has a $25,000 Grenade Missile Launchers strapped to his back.