President Assad

Freya5

petal53

I suspect Syria will end up as an Islamic State, much like Iran or Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless I was hoping the rebels would manage to apprehend Assad so he can account for his crimes.
Neither Assad nor an Islamic State will be good for the ordinary people of Syria.

If they'd caught him, he would have ended up like Gaddafi. Goodness knows what would have happened to his wife.

There would have been no accounting for his crimes.

petal53

I suspect Syria will end up as an Islamic State, much like Iran or Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless I was hoping the rebels would manage to apprehend Assad so he can account for his crimes.
Neither Assad nor an Islamic State will be good for the ordinary people of Syria.

If they'd caught him, he would have ended up like Gaddafi. Goodness knows what would have happened to his wife.

Wyllow3
Sad to say but $2 billion is small fry in this industry.
Just a few weeks ago a Mexican cartel was broken up.
Estimated value $800 billion.

Syria has oil and gas reserves, back in his father's day they would have been lucrative, although not so much as the big producers. All fairly defunct now or in dubious hands - but a resource if they can reclaim them, update them and get any embargoes lifted.

Wyllow3

Well the drugs seem to have played a part, but I don't know what else he got up to to accumulate that. Money from Russia itself ("gifts"?)

Assad would have used to drug money to buy his way into Russia by bribing officials and polititians, now that cash has been cut off he may find much less favour. So far Israel has left the Russian bases alone the Russian fleet is still standing off close to Syria and they don’t want to provoke a fight with them.

Well the drugs seem to have played a part, but I don't know what else he got up to to accumulate that. Money from Russia itself ("gifts"?)

Willow3
How do you think he accumulated a property portfolio ( in Russia) worth over $2 billion.

Caleo

MOnica:

"No, it cannot, I would never wish for the death of anyone."

Not even a wee fleeting thought?

No, I would never wish for the death if any one.

That does not mean that I cannot understand when people in anger turn on others. There was a compelling piece of reporting ysterday (i think) by a BBC reporter in Syria reporting a build up of a cheering crowd when a false report came through that one of the worst of the torturers in the main prison was going to be publicly executed. I could fully understand people feeling as they did, but it does not follow that I wish for his death.

Personally, I think that would be to easy a way out for him. I think someone like that should be imprisoned in conditions, which, if not what he inflicted on others, are unpleasant and uncomfortable for, say 20 years.

"Syrian rebels seize vast haul of banned drug captagon, country’s largest export

Drug dwarfed all legal exports put together, with Assad’s brother widely believed to be power behind lucrative trade"

I had no idea this was going on. Deeply shocking!

www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/13/syrian-rebels-captagon-drug-haul-exports-fenethylline

"Captagon turned Syria into the world’s largest narco state. It became by far Syria’s biggest export, dwarfing all its legal exports put together, according to estimates drawn from official data by AFP during a 2022 investigation.

Experts – like the author of a July report from the Carnegie Middle East Center – also believe that Assad used the threat of drug-fuelled unrest to put pressure on Arab governments.

Captagon fuelled an epidemic of drug abuse in wealthy Gulf states, threatening social peace wrote Carnegie scholar Hesham Alghannam."

PS MOnica, My question, above is serious, actually.

I am impressed by the depth of you knowledge and your moral principles. But I wonder how you or anyone can be so free from the reactive anger response.

MOnica:

"No, it cannot, I would never wish for the death of anyone."

Not even a wee fleeting thought?

Today people on the streets in several cities celebrating the end of the regime.

Israel has not advanced any further but given notice they will maintain current positions over winter.

"Elsewhere, diplomatic moves are gathering pace to stabilise the country. Members of the G7 nations, who will meet virtually today, say they're ready to support an inclusive and non-sectarian government"

Mohammad al-Bashir the interim prime minister was greeted in Damascus. HTS say they will prosecute Assad's key torturers.

Not a lot of news today as regards how the HTS and PM will work together with different factions, very much a case of hoping for the best.

More details and what people are saying on BBC I player feed

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn9g1rg0y7yt

I recommend watching For Sama too , moving snd a worthy winner of its award.

This mornings reports centre around life in Damascus - shops re opening etc...the Prime Minister to stay in power in talks with HTS to try to re-establish governance - but very uncertain

"While many in the country are celebrating the downfall of a family dynasty that ruled Syria with an iron fist, the future is uncertain and the situation on the ground remains in flux, with a number of different rebel groups controlling different parts of the country."

Israel still hitting military targets - the future of the Russian bases on the west coast in question

- HTS has control of the oil rich area (lots of issues around this, as the US had interests there) to try and maintain income for economically on its knees Syria -

refugees returning from Turkey

more horror stories coming out about Assad -

all in BBC I player news feed. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c8781yyqddrt

Casdon

I think most of us did know what was happening in Syria, and understood why people were seeking asylum. I hope that there will be an internal solution.

i agree. the horrors of what has been found in the main prison near Damascus was well known. Although the horror of knowing what is happening and the shock of seeing the evidence, as we have over the lat few days cannot be compared.

Remember the first revolt against Assad was triggered by the arrest, torture, death and mutilation of a 13 year old boy.

MayBee70

For Sama is being shown on Channel4 catchup. I haven’t watched it yet.

Please watch it, an academy award nominee and deservedly so.

Allira

Everyone was ignoring Syria (except some of us) because of all the other horrors that have been happening but now we find out the true extent of Assad's wickedness against his own people.

Jingle used to highlight what was happening in Syria.

For Sama is being shown on Channel4 catchup. I haven’t watched it yet.

Casdon

I think most of us did know what was happening in Syria, and understood why people were seeking asylum. I hope that there will be an internal solution.

I meant generally, news outlets etc except at first.

I think most of us did know what was happening in Syria, and understood why people were seeking asylum. I hope that there will be an internal solution.

Mojack26

Hope is pal Putin is next to flee! 🙏. Doubt transition will be peaceful. Middle East is a tinder keg and always will be, sadly! Too many factions all want power and control and ordinary people suffer...😢

I'm just concerned that Putin might want to re-install Assad.

However, his forces and ability to do so are very stretched at the moment.

The Syrians have suffered enough. Let them return and rebuild their country.

Hope is pal Putin is next to flee! 🙏. Doubt transition will be peaceful. Middle East is a tinder keg and always will be, sadly! Too many factions all want power and control and ordinary people suffer...😢

Everyone was ignoring Syria (except some of us) because of all the other horrors that have been happening but now we find out the true extent of Assad's wickedness against his own people.

ronib

I really don’t think so M0nica. It’s a bit of a stretch to assume that?

You under estimate Netanyahu.

I really don’t think so M0nica. It’s a bit of a stretch to assume that?