Syria

[jakswan]

Eh? Islamic State is a CIA creation gone bad. Same as Al-Qaida.

No, funding a rebel group with an Islamic ideology does not equate to creating it.

No, Ad-O is correct. This is from a former CIA contractor:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-created-the-islamic-state-isis-for-sake-of-israel-and-military-industrial-complex-ex-cia-contractor/5457911

So IS are really fighting for the US?

[Hope]

But why were there protests in the first place? Because he wasn't being too nice to other groups in the country. So the best thing is to remove him and bring in democracy for all - a lot easier said than done, though.

JK, Syria has a large majority of Sunni Muslims, and President Assad leads the Ba'ath Party - a predominantly Sunni party.  The original demonstrations were from very small the Shia minority.  Whilst ISIS are nominally a Sunni organisation they are extremist in their views and regard Assad as a 'traitor' to the Sunni cause because of his willingness to protect the other minorities including Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians, Mandeans and Turks. Religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Alawites (nominally Shia), Druze, Mandeans and Yazidis.  (these two lists are from the wikipedia article on Syria).

[ad_orientem]

... but at the expense of sparing Assad and his continuing brutal onslaught against his own people? I don't know - my head hurts...

The problem is that the majorty of the minority populations in Syria want Assad to remain, as he protected them.

But why were there protests in the first place? Because he wasn't being too nice to other groups in the country. So the best thing is to remove him and bring in democracy for all - a lot easier said than done, though.

What right do we have to impose democracy on any nation? Anyway, it would only end up being an Amercan puppet like in Iraq and Afganistan. Bollocks, I reckon. Democracy isn't the be all and end all of everything and in some places (maybe even most places) it just don't work.

[dadvokat]

I am getting increasingly concerned about the possibility of U.S.A and Russia inadvertently being dragged into a confrontation. What's stopping an accidental firing and downing of a plane by the other side in this conflict - a slew of unintended consequences. I see the Turks have warned the Russians their plane would be fired on if there is an incursion into their airspace.

[Jack Knave]

But why were there protests in the first place? Because he wasn't being too nice to other groups in the country. So the best thing is to remove him and bring in democracy for all - a lot easier said than done, though.

JK, Syria has a large majority of Sunni Muslims, and President Assad leads the Ba'ath Party - a predominantly Sunni party.  The original demonstrations were from very small the Shia minority.  Whilst ISIS are nominally a Sunni organisation they are extremist in their views and regard Assad as a 'traitor' to the Sunni cause because of his willingness to protect the other minorities including Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians, Mandeans and Turks. Religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Alawites (nominally Shia), Druze, Mandeans and Yazidis.  (these two lists are from the wikipedia article on Syria).

Hope? Where are you getting your info from? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad

Look at the right hand section - he is a Shia Muslim. In fact an Alawite.

Generally, he was oppressing the Sunnis, which has its roots in the past - conflicts and all that.

What I've heard was that the US had put disinformation about terrorists groups looking to bring down Assad as early as 2008-ish and when the peaceful protests started in 2011 he over reacted because of those fears from the US 'gossip'.

[Jack Knave]

... but at the expense of sparing Assad and his continuing brutal onslaught against his own people? I don't know - my head hurts...

The problem is that the majorty of the minority populations in Syria want Assad to remain, as he protected them.

But why were there protests in the first place? Because he wasn't being too nice to other groups in the country. So the best thing is to remove him and bring in democracy for all - a lot easier said than done, though.

What right do we have to impose democracy on any nation? Anyway, it would only end up being an Amercan puppet like in Iraq and Afganistan. Bollocks, I reckon. Democracy isn't the be all and end all of everything and in some places (maybe even most places) it just don't work.

There are different forms of democracy. But the thing is what choice is there? What do you suggest? And....in the end nothing works you just have to do what fits best.

[Jack Knave]

I am getting increasingly concerned about the possibility of U.S.A and Russia inadvertently being dragged into a confrontation. What's stopping an accidental firing and downing of a plane by the other side in this conflict - a slew of unintended consequences. I see the Turks have warned the Russians their plane would be fired on if there is an incursion into their airspace.

I agree. What if an Ally plane sees a Russian plane about to bomb some of our 'friendly' rebels or hit an area known to have civilians? Would they hit it in self defence?