POSTING RULES & NOTES
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
*
I agree with Andy, of course.
That said, what seems most convincing to me about this critique of the
story is the sheer distance of this hospital from the regime-rebel
frontline, given the kinds of weapons the rebels have. It also looks
convincingly like a car-bomb rather than a rocket that miraculously was
shot a very log distance. What remains therefore, in my view, is whether
the regime staged the car-bombing as the article suggests, or Nusra (the
main users of car-bombs) managed to evade regime security and get that
far in.
Andy's more general point is right - both in Aleppo and in Damascus.
some rebel groups have at times launched indiscriminate attacks on the
regime-controlled parts of the cities and killed civilians. Of course,
in comparison to regime daily genocidal bombing of civilians and
everything on the rebel-held sides of town, the rebel attacks are a
needle in a haystack, and driven by the sheer frustration of not being
able to resist the ongoing massacre. The exact equivalent of past Hamas
attacks on Israeli civilians. While our focus is on the systematic
terroriser in both (and all) cases, I'll just go on record to say that
*all* attacks on civilians on the "other side", in every conflict,
should be condemned - as anti-Assad activists have done, as Andy notes.
However, while such attacks on civilians have occurred, I'm not aware of
any deliberate rebel attacks on medical facilities. As countless reports
have shown, the regime is responsible for upwards of 95% of attacks on
medical facilities, medical workers etc (and most of the rest is ISIS).
Rebels' weapons are mostly crude, and not very good for targeting. That
reflects the fact that, despite the super-Orwellian BS about
"western-backed" rebels, they hardly ever get useful stuff from anyone
very much. So what they do get, or capture, or build in back-yards, is
crude stuff. When they occasionally "shoot back" at the regime when the
regime bombs daily from the two big cities, they may well not aim to hit
civilians, but still likely will. That is not an argument for continuing
the US embargo on "its allies" inn the region providing proper weaponry.
The best way to fight warplanes and helicopters that bomb you every day
is with weapons that can bring them down - ie, the weapons that the US
intervention has gone out of its way for years to ensure never get to
the rebels.
Proper weaponry, in other words, would not only be better for the
civilians in rebel areas to live without the daily massacre, but also
civilians in regime areas. Shooting warplanes out of the sky does
nothing to help rebels militarily push into regions if the local
population is still pro-regime, or hesitant/neutral. It merely helps
those in liberated areas survive, and, importantly, would help their
political structures, local revolutionary councils etc, survive and pose
a political alternative. Which, of course, is Assad's main fear, which
is why he plunged the country back into war after the brief lull in
fighting brought the people back out into the streets with same slogans
p- end the regime - and the same flags -- the FSA/Revolution flags - as
5 years ago.
And I'll go out on a limb here and say that is precisely why the US does
not want the rebels to get anti-aircraft guns: because the US does not
like revolution. people can insist it is only because the US is afraid
they will "get into the hands of terrorists", but I am finding it
increasingly unbelievable that anyone believes this.
Rebels have of course captured regime manpads before. In recent weeks,
there were two victories for humanity when rebels gunned down Russian or
regime warplanes. It would be good to think there could be many more.
The only thing for sure is that these weapons had nothing whatsoever to
do wit the famous "US-backing" of mythology.
-Original Message-
From: Andrew Pollack via Marxism
Sent: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 11:48 PM
To: Michael Karadjis
Subject: Re: [Marxism]Fwd: Syria Special: How Regime May Have Staged
“Rebel Attack” on Aleppo Hospital…and Fooled World’s Media | EA
WorldView
POSTING RULES & NOTES
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
*
Some comments on the eaworldview story:
1. The site is recommended by Robin and Leila of "
