Syria Still Photos

[Kirkland Laing]

I think it is a bit oversimplifying things to assume that after years of a brutally controlling dictatorship to assume that the civil war and uprising that is occurring in Syria is solely due to the influence of the Saudis. This is a state where the control of information was so so extreme that the general populace were denied even the ability to purchase books. Books became an expensive luxury that groups of people had to club together in order to afford. There are atrocities happening on both sides but the younger generation have availed themselves of opportunities to connect with the rest of the world and that is why they can refuse to live in subjugation like their parents. Like the Egyptians they are demanding a more open system of government and yes "Islamist groups" are seeking to fill that void but that is no reason to assume that ordinary citizens are all behind the idea of replacing a vicious dog with a bear.

It's not solely due to the Saudis at all. Sunni Islamist groups, especially the extreme Salafist/Wahhabi groups have been violently repressed by the Alawite regime in Syria by Bashar Assad and Bashar's dad Hafez. A couple of decades ago during a past uprising Hafez sent airplanes in to one Sunni town and destroyed all the main buildings. Then he sent the artillery in and reduced it to rubble. Then he sent a fleet of road rollers in and flattened the rubble. This has been going on a long time. The saudis are just doing what they normally do in situations like this, sending tons of money and fighters to fight for the Salafist groups. And fundinf fighters from all over the Arab world too, like they did in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Afghanistan etc etc.

[Master]

That is sad and horrific, I hate needless war.