Syrian rebels seize village, Christian inhabitants flee, some shot

From this news article by Vatican Radio:

"Patriarch Gregorius Laham says three Catholics were shot dead and its Christian inhabitants were forced to flee from the village of Maaloula near the Syrian capital after it was seized by Al Qaida-affiliated rebels on Saturday. Clashes between Syrian government troops and the rebels have been raging for over a week in and around Maaloula, an historic and predominantly Christian village that is home to two of the oldest surviving monasteries in Syria....

Patriarch Laham says that "virtually all" of the Christian inhabitants of the village have fled and that he has been told by some witnesses that the rebels threatened Christians in the village with death unless they converted to Islam. The Patriarch says he believes that some of the rebels that captured the village were from the al-Qaida affiliated Nusra front and some were from other factions.

"Asked for his reaction to the fading threat of an imminent American military strike against Syria, Patriarch Gregorius said they were all very grateful to Pope Francis for his decision to hold a world day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria on September 7th and said the new diplomatic proposal by Russia has given all of them new hope that diplomacy rather than force will prevail. He said the threatened American military intervention against the Syrian regime had caused fear and deep trauma among the Catholic community there in Damascus"

I don't think it seems like a good idea for the U.S. to intervene in Syria if it helps these "rebels" out, do you?

It seems like Christians in Syria may prefer Putin's plan to the possible U.S. strikes.

I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....LJS9502_basic

Russia's proposal for Syria to get rid of its chemical weapons may be helpful, but it doesn't really address the violence by conventional weapons. Congressman Chris Smith's idea of setting up an international tribunal to investigate and prosecute for war crimes or similar offenses by both rebels and regime supporters may intimidate both sides into behaving better, and perhaps Archbishop Dominique Mamberti's (I think he is the Secretary for Relations with Foreign States of the Holy See) proposal for a cease-fire may be good ideas.

It's such a shame that Obama hasn't used the violent authority of the State to force us all to fund a military effort to help these guys. They're clearly so deserving of aid.Rhazakna

I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="Rhazakna"]It's such a shame that Obama hasn't used the violent authority of the State to force us all to fund a military effort to help these guys. They're clearly so deserving of aid.whipassmt

I wonder if Obama will condemn them or remain silent.

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

[QUOTE="Rhazakna"]It's such a shame that Obama hasn't used the violent authority of the State to force us all to fund a military effort to help these guys. They're clearly so deserving of aid.Rhazakna

Perhaps an air campaign doesn't really scare middle-eastern dictators:

""As the U.S. marched toward war and we began massing troops on his border, why didn't he stop it then? And say, 'Look, I have no weapons of mass destruction.' I mean, how could he have wanted his country to be invaded?" Pelley asks.
"He didn't. But he told me he initially miscalculated President Bush. And President Bush's intentions. He thought the United States would retaliate with the same type of attack as we did in 1998 under Operation Desert Fox. Which was a four-day aerial attack. So you expected that initially," Piro says.
Piro says Saddam expected some kind of an air campaign and that he could he survive that. "He survived that once. And then he was willing to accept that type of attack. That type of damage," he says.
"Saddam didn't believe that the United States would invade," Pelley remarks.
"Not initially, no," Piro says. "

from: http://www.cbsnews.com/2102-18560_162-3749494.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

[QUOTE="Rhazakna"][QUOTE="whipassmt"] by these guys do you mean the "rebs".

whipassmt

religion of peace

The questionable character of the rebels is why we shouldn't be getting involved in Syria, desite the use of chemical weapons. I seriously hope the diplomatic solution works.

On another note: TC certainly is trying hard to show he's only interested in Christians and no one else.

The questionable character of the rebels is why we shouldn't be getting involved in Syria, desite the use of chemical weapons. I seriously hope the diplomatic solution works.

On another note: TC certainly is trying hard to show he's only interested in Christians and no one else.

jimkabrhel

Also as far as chem weapons go, if the regime falls then those weapons can fall into the wrong hands.

As a side note, I just found out today that Pope Francis studied chemistry when he was younger.

"The Vatican today"

"The Vatican today"

Jebus213

I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....LJS9502_basic

The US wants to depose Assad because he's an ally of Iran, Hezbollah and Russia... anyone who takes the humanitarian posturing at face value in this is falling for the PR claptrap.  Of course this policy is short sighted because supporting the rebels props up this kind of scum which is going to have negative consequences in the region including crass US interests.

Religion of peace.

Also, this is something I definitely disagree with Obama on. I would prefer bombing the **** out of both sides over just supporting the rebels. Not a fan of either side of this conflict....

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....Alpha_S_

The US wants to depose Assad because he's an ally of Iran, Hezbollah and Russia... anyone who takes the humanitarian posturing at face value in this is falling for the PR claptrap.  Of course this policy is short sighted because supporting the rebels props up this kind of scum which is going to have negative consequences in the region including crass US interests.

[QUOTE="Alpha_S_"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....LJS9502_basic

The US wants to depose Assad because he's an ally of Iran, Hezbollah and Russia... anyone who takes the humanitarian posturing at face value in this is falling for the PR claptrap.  Of course this policy is short sighted because supporting the rebels props up this kind of scum which is going to have negative consequences in the region including crass US interests.

How?  Countries usually act in their own national strategic interests above all - you only need to look briefly into foreign policy history to see that.  Expecting countries to intervene for humanitarian reasons or to support "good guys" is naive.  If the US really cared about humanitarian intervention it would be in numerous African countries - but notice how troops weren't sent into the likes of Rwanda or Sudan. 

It's only rational for countries to intervene for tangible strategic interests...but that said I still don't see how it helps the US to intervene on behalf of the rebels which includes Islamic radicals who would further destabilize the region and aren't friendly towards the western powers. 

You need to learn more about realist foreign policy my friend.  Read something by Henry Kissinger for instance to get some insight into how US foreign policy decision makers think.

you know that the conflict is a three way between loyalist, rebel secularist and "islamist" rebels right?

blame on the terrorist backed rebels if you want someone to point.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Alpha_S_"]

The US wants to depose Assad because he's an ally of Iran, Hezbollah and Russia... anyone who takes the humanitarian posturing at face value in this is falling for the PR claptrap. Of course this policy is short sighted because supporting the rebels props up this kind of scum which is going to have negative consequences in the region including crass US interests.

Alpha_S_

How? Countries usually act in their own national strategic interests above all - you only need to look briefly into foreign policy history to see that. Expecting countries to intervene for humanitarian reasons or to support "good guys" is naive. If the US really cared about humanitarian intervention it would be in numerous African countries - but notice how troops weren't sent into the likes of Rwanda or Sudan.

It's only rational for countries to intervene for tangible strategic interests...but that said I still don't see how it helps the US to intervene on behalf of the rebels which includes Islamic radicals who would further destabilize the region and aren't friendly towards the western powers.

You need to learn more about realist foreign policy my friend. Read something by Henry Kissinger for instance to get some insight into how US foreign policy decision makers think.

You might want to take your own advice since the argument in favour of a strike is not based on a humanitarian position.

Been that way for Christians there since the Mamluks. Sad really.

wait, you mean sectarian attacks are happenning in a sectarian war? BossPerson

It only matters if Christians are killed.

I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....LJS9502_basic

I hope they all die.

I hope they all die.

MakeMeaSammitch

People throw around the "tin foil hat" crap far too much. A belief that the government is ran by lizard people? Yeah, that's tin foil hat territory. A suggestion that a military action might not be truely undertaken in the interests of peacekeeping, but rather in furthering national and strategic interests? Not so much.

Muslims get worse everytime I hear about them.  They are so spiteful and ignorant.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]I'm not sure why Obama thinks the rebels are good guys.....TheGrinchh

There's mostly rotten apples in the syrian war.  On both sides.  It's the frickin' middle east for christs sake.

Muslims get worse everytime I hear about them.  They are so spiteful and ignorant.

GOGOGOGURT

[QUOTE="GOGOGOGURT"]

Muslims get worse everytime I hear about them.  They are so spiteful and ignorant.

BossPerson

At least I keep my wisdom.