Stop Reducing Syria's Victims Into Political Bargaining Chips for Israel

Americans are being fooled again; rooting for war in Syria is the last thing we should do

(SALEM) - Why do the same Americans that preach peace instantly jump on the war bandwagon as soon as the media tells them they should? Lessons are all too soon forgotten. Follow the money to the end of this trail and you might find yourself sipping a latte in Tel Aviv.

Our writer Rod Driver Ph.D., a former Rhode Island State Representative, recently wrote, 'Compare Responses to Israeli Massacres and Syrian Massacres', and I can't stop thinking about it. People are so upset about the killings in Syria, and they should be, but where were those voices when Israel was playing target practice with children's bodies during 'Operation Cast Lead' in 2008 and 2009? Among Gaza's 1400+ victims, were more than 400 children; thousands were maimed and left as amputees. Why did the media barely cover this? Why is Syria' opposition is receiving coverage nearly 24/7 in the US?

We all know why; but most Americans aren't willing to admit it.

The general pubic is living in an oblivious state of denial, rooting for war whenever media and public pressure stresses that they should. I keep hearing peace oriented people talking about "doing something about Assad". I suspect only God and a handful of witnesses know who is responsible for what, in the terrible Syrian conflict.

I have news for you; when it comes to artillery, you don't know who fired it, that takes intelligence and technology. These victims have none of that. But if they are told that one particular side is responsible for having harmed them, they tend to believe it, and so do we, but who is being served by this terrible publicity and to what end?

Assad's comments about the Houla massacre were convincing, he and his staff questioned why, if the government forces were responsible, were they nowhere to be seen? Only anti-government activists were in place with video cameras, prepared to go on YouTube and tell everyone Assad's forces were responsible. It seemed too convenient from the beginning. The victims should not be reduced to serving as political bargaining chips.

It is a game and a terrible one at that. There is no question that Bashar Assad's government is by and large, an egregious offender of human rights. But this is not unique to Syria in any way. Lest we forget that this is a nation situated on the Israeli border. I think it is very clear that the excessive security of Syria and Iran and Lebanon, also Egypt, is almost entirely a result of Israel's eternal agitation of its neighbors who refuse to sign on to the Zionist program of apartheid and war crimes that define Israel's fundamentalist, right-wing military / religious structure.

Tyler Vincent II writes... When you consider what kind of bullshit is peddled in the mainstream media... and after all of the brainwashing and indoctrination that so many people have been through then lies might make sense but the alternative media is winning out over the mainstream. You know that designated enemies in the middle east are not the problem. This idea that there is somehow a consensus for these wars is fabricated to try and convince you that war and mayhem is the norm. Netanyahu, Hillary are trying to convince you that Assad is the problem, and that Israel and their own governments are innocent, above the law, and beyond question. They are trying to channel peoples attention away from the international Jewish bankers who are behind all of these wars and onto the bankers enemies, and the last remaining resistance to Zionism in the region, Hezbollah. Another thing to consider as that many people in the so called truth movement have opted out to the highest bidder in order for some kind of temporary illusory gain and sacrificed everything of any real value in the process. For the record I have noticed accounts that have not been used for nearly two years suddenly activate and began pumping out disinformation about Syria out of the blue. This propaganda campaign against Assad on facebook and elsewhere has been in the works for years.

Syria has an on-again off-again history of working with Israel, but its record of doing this does not touch the Arab nations that have been in bed with Israel for generations.

Saudi Arabia, ironically a friend of Israel and the hallmark of anti-Jewish religious extremism, is the land of the Wahhabi sects and they, along with the Salafists, keep this part of the world in the hands of Islamic tyrants.

They are regularly regarded as friends by American politicians, but the Saudi dictators belong to religious sects that are offshoots of the Muslim faith, like Taliban in Pashtun country, and Westboro Baptist Church in the US, the fundamentalist Zionists in Israel, or the Buddhist firebrands of Sri Lanka.

As diametrically opposed as these religious and national groups may be, they have quite a bit in common. They're dangerous religious fanatics willing to literally purge females and minority cultures of human rights without ever even knowing how wrong it is. Some of the Israeli friendly Middle east Arab countries, are also known for detestable behaviors like female circumcision, and banning women from driving, and voting.

Palestine is perpetually at the center of this conflict and nearly every other in this part of the world. It's people were murdered en mass and forced to flee by the newly arriving Israelis in the post-WWII years. This created a massive Diaspora of Palestinian refugees, who left behind homes and lives; entire villages... that their families had possessed for centuries, taken by the Jewish settlers of Palestine who became 'Israel' and took everything. The Jewish refugees did this, it it is all hard, documented fact. The Palestinians were victims from the day it started, and all who accept Israel as legitimate, are complicit in theft and murder.

Get over it, that's how it is. Israel is a military manifestation of fundamentalist Judaism, is is not a representation of the Jewish faith, only a spinoff from it.

The idea that all of Israel's killing machines are adorned with the Star of David is really a sad, obcene picture when you consider what that means. God and the Jewish faith are not about hate and military power. David has become Goliath, and his spirit is reborn in the spirit of the Palestinian children, not their oppressive counterparts.

Anyway, just remember that a small number of countries have governments that speak out over Israel's endless unpublished war crimes like 'Cast Lead' and the more recent attack on the unarmed peace ship 'Mavi Marmara' that left nine dead in international waters from a massive Israeli attack

Each time Israel is drug in front of the United Nations on war crime charges, some serious enough to lead to executions, the United States invokes something called 'Super Veto Power' to make the matter disappear as it if never took place. But it is always after a full UN vote, where most nations vote to punish Israel. That is when the Americans use this unfair political advantage.

Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, are nations with governments that have taken a stand by the Palestinian cause. Saddam Hussein called out for the freedom of Palestine as he was put to death; from a war that was based on false information. Hezbollah in Lebanon is a key supporter and defender of Palestinians; a staunch opponent of Israel, Assad's government and Israel are enemies, but of course Israel wants to drag Iran into war more than any other country. The point is that Iran's government, Syria's government, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are all keenly connected. If Syria sees regime change, it will weaken this chain of resistance against Israel. Many charge the Free Syrian Army of strong association with Israel, this appears that it could be true and it fits into the puzzle as it should.

Israel, armed with hundreds of illegal, undeclared nuclear weapons, wants World War Three because Iran might be developing a nuclear weapons program, which it denies and those denials are backed by reports from world inspectors.

Syria has a close relationship with Iran and if the rebels take control, it will become like Libya, and the western nations always hungry for more corporate claws in international business, will become inserted into this country. Then, any attack on Iran would be far more easily facilitated. It seems the answer for Syria is simply to end the violence, draw up cease fires; Assad needs to make major concessions and if the right formula could be found, even following the failure of the Annan Peace Plan, peace is possible. We are hearing much from both sides of this conflict and most of the major players agree that this conflict needs to end.

Those who think the US should assume the warmonger role in this cause are simply warmongers themselves. No peace advocate should ever call for war; the media is dragging the minds of Americans through the mud once again with selective information all derived from a government they NEVER question unless of course, a sex scandal arises.

Special thanks to Carlos Latuff for the images included with this entry; I am not sure where he stands with regard to this conflict; the use of his artwork does not equate to his endorsement of this article.

Tim King in 2008, covering the Iraq War

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from The Associated Press the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs, Electronic Media Association and The Red Cross In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005.

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