Civil War in Syria

[Frodo]

At least it's a start:

Syria suspended from Arab League

By Liz Sly, Updated: Saturday, November 12, 5:05 PM

BEIRUT — The Arab League approved on Saturday a sweeping package of measures censuring Syria, clearing the way for a significant escalation of international pressure against President Bashar al-Assad and deepening the isolation of his increasingly embattled government.

The 22-member regional body said it would suspend Syria’s membership, impose sanctions and seek U.N. help unless the Syrian government stops using violence to suppress the country’s eight-month-old uprising. At least 3,500 civilians have died in the crackdown, according to the United Nations.

The Arab League also summoned opposition leaders to a meeting within the next three days to formulate “a unified view of the coming transitional period,” offering the clearest indication yet the region is moving closer to the Obama administration position that he should step down.

The unexpectedly severe measures suggested that Arab states are already starting to plan for a post-Assad era. That will in turn increase pressure on other powers that have so far refrained from taking action against Syria, notably Russia, China and Turkey, opening the door to the kind of international consensus on Syria that the United States has been seeking to build, analysts said.
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Also, if anyone wishes to show (symbolic) solidarity with the Syrian opposition movement like they did with the Libyans, here is a pre-Baathist Syrian flag:

[asexual trans victimologist]

What was the symbolism to the removal of the third star and reversal of red and green?

[Judäischen Volksfront]

This year the UN and the Arab League actually did more than just talk!

[Senator Snowstalker]

What was the symbolism to the removal of the third star and reversal of red and green?

I think it was an old flag, like in Libya.

[True Federalist]

What was the symbolism to the removal of the third star and reversal of red and green?

The current Syrian flag is the flag the United Arab Republic had.  It took the stripes from the Egyptian flag and place two stars (for Egypt and Syria) in the remaining Pan-Arab color.  The three stars in the old 1932 flag represent three chunks of the French Mandate of Syria (Aleppo, Damascus and Deir es Zor) that were combined to form the autonomous Republic of Syria in 1930.  When two additional chunks of the Mandate (Jebal Duze and Latakia) were added to Syria, they didn't bother to add more stars.

[Californian Tony]

It's good to see that someone is doing something about this. I don't know if it will stop Assad, but I hope it will have some impact.

[phk]

Throughout the meeting, the Syrian ambassador, Youssef Ahmed, kept shouting that the move was illegal because such a decision had to be unanimous, participants said. He later repeated the claim on state television and accused the league of being “subordinate to American and Western agendas.” Nabil el-Araby, the Arab League’s secretary general, pushed the initiative to a vote, with 18 of the league’s 22 members supporting the action, Yemen and Lebanon opposing, Iraq abstaining and Syria not voting at all.

So it's more like the Arab Sunni League.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

What was the symbolism to the removal of the third star and reversal of red and green?

Part of an effort to build a pan-arab flag. Note how many arab countries used those colours.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

suspended from the Arab League?!  dang, that's like slumming in some podunk dive and being told you're not good enough to gain admittance...

- "It's a private bar.  You're not welcome."
                   
- "Are you tellin' me that I'm not good enough to drink here?"

 

[The Mikado]

I don't usually agree with jmfcst re: foreign policy, but yeah.  Being told you're too bad to be in the Arab League is actually kind of hilarious.

[Frodo]

How long will it be before the Arab League and the West decide to intervene?

Arab League approves sanctions against Syria

By Alice Fordham, Updated: Sunday, November 27, 11:06 AM

BEIRUT— The Arab League on Sunday overwhelmingly approved a series of economic sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, including freezing the assets of senior figures, banning high-level Syrian officials from visiting Arab nations and ending dealings with the country’s central bank.

The decision is the first of its kind by a body which is often perceived as divided and indecisive, and some members are skeptical. Iraq, Lebanon and Algeria abstained from the vote.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Saturday that Iraq has “reservations” about sanctions and analysts doubt Iraq would implement them. And Lebanon, whose government is dominated by groups that support Assad, including the militant political group Hezbollah, also is unlikely to enforce the sanctions.

But the measures, announced in a press conference in Cairo by Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, could nonetheless have a significant impact on the Syrian government and business community, and represent a hardening stance of Arab countries against Assad.

[So the Heroes Fall]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvenEvilHasStandards

[Frodo]

Why is everyone so lackadaisical about Syria as opposed to Libya for which we have at least 90 pages dedicated to it with almost constant updates?  Is it really that boring a topic?  Or is it because the United States isn't directly engaged (at least, not yet) with fighter jets assisting the Free Syrian Army?

[The Mikado]

Syria is a very, very different conflict than Libya, and while I follow this every day (on the fantastic Middle East in Revolt thread over on SA), there's not a lot to comment on.  There won't be US or Euro intervention, and Syria has proven willing to use the most brutal tactics imaginable to succeed.  The only serious possible outcomes are a Turkish intervention or an Assad victory, and until the situation gets to the point that Erdogan has to make his decision, there's not too much to say.

[dead0man]

Why is everyone so lackadaisical about Syria as opposed to Libya for which we have at least 90 pages dedicated to it with almost constant updates?  Is it really that boring a topic?  Or is it because the United States isn't directly engaged (at least, not yet) with fighter jets assisting the Free Syrian Army?

The last part is probably right, when the jets start blowing up Syrian tanks, then the bits will start flying.

[phk]

Why is everyone so lackadaisical about Syria as opposed to Libya for which we have at least 90 pages dedicated to it with almost constant updates?  Is it really that boring a topic?  Or is it because the United States isn't directly engaged (at least, not yet) with fighter jets assisting the Free Syrian Army?

People are less optimistic about the end-game in Syria.

[Senator MaxQue]

There is no oil in Syria.

[dead0man]

But they are a giant pain in the ass.

[Frodo]

There is no oil in Syria.

Perhaps not, but getting rid of the Assad regime would further isolate the mullahs of Iran and leave terrorist groups like Hezbollah hanging in the wind and vulnerable to Lebanon (now freed of Syrian domination) and Israel.  I am sure both states would be more than happy to put Hezbollah in its place. 

That is my interest in the matter -geopolitical. 

[CultureKing]

There is no oil in Syria.

Perhaps not, but getting rid of the Assad regime would further isolate the mullahs of Iran and leave terrorist groups like Hezbollah hanging in the wind and vulnerable to Lebanon (now freed of Syrian domination) and Israel.  I am sure both states would be more than happy to put Hezbollah in its place. 

That is my interest in the matter -geopolitical. 

Personally I am terrified of the prospect of a bosnia-type situation emerging. Supporting any one side would likely just lead to ethnic conflict on an even wider scale. Also I am not so sure that toppling the Syrian gov. would be as easy as Libya (and that obviously took a good amount of time).

[Frodo]

There is no oil in Syria.

Perhaps not, but getting rid of the Assad regime would further isolate the mullahs of Iran and leave terrorist groups like Hezbollah hanging in the wind and vulnerable to Lebanon (now freed of Syrian domination) and Israel.  I am sure both states would be more than happy to put Hezbollah in its place.  

That is my interest in the matter -geopolitical.  

Personally I am terrified of the prospect of a bosnia-type situation emerging. Supporting any one side would likely just lead to ethnic conflict on an even wider scale. Also I am not so sure that toppling the Syrian gov. would be as easy as Libya (and that obviously took a good amount of time).

If the actions taken thus far by the Arab League are of any indication, it seems they have decided that the benefits of the ouster of the Assad regime in Syria outweigh the risks -significant though they are (and not to be taken lightly).  They are already planning for a post-Assad Syria through their interactions with the Syrian National Council.    

[Stranger in a strange land]

Why is everyone so lackadaisical about Syria as opposed to Libya for which we have at least 90 pages dedicated to it with almost constant updates?  Is it really that boring a topic?  Or is it because the United States isn't directly engaged (at least, not yet) with fighter jets assisting the Free Syrian Army?

People are less optimistic about the end-game in Syria.

That's part of it, but also the Syrian conflict is much more complex and difficult to understand, plus there's less hard information coming out.

[phk]

There is no oil in Syria.

Perhaps not, but getting rid of the Assad regime would further isolate the mullahs of Iran and leave terrorist groups like Hezbollah hanging in the wind and vulnerable to Lebanon (now freed of Syrian domination) and Israel.  I am sure both states would be more than happy to put Hezbollah in its place.  

That is my interest in the matter -geopolitical.  

Personally I am terrified of the prospect of a bosnia-type situation emerging. Supporting any one side would likely just lead to ethnic conflict on an even wider scale. Also I am not so sure that toppling the Syrian gov. would be as easy as Libya (and that obviously took a good amount of time).

If the actions taken thus far by the Arab League are of any indication, it seems they have decided that the benefits of the ouster of the Assad regime in Syria outweigh the risks -significant though they are (and not to be taken lightly).  They are already planning for a post-Assad Syria through their interactions with the Syrian National Council.    

If Assad was a Sunni Arab and not an Alawi, than the Arab League wouldn't have done anything to him.

[dead0man]

Other than sell him tanks and tear gas.

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

A bunch of dictators is condemning a fellow dictator.