A Christian Syrian perspective on the devastation in Syria

[ArmenianJohn]

I figured I'd post this to help educate so many people who think that Syria is a "culture of death" where there are no people other than muslims who (they think) are a "culture of death" (Note the "culture of death" quote comes from an American Army Soldier).

This is a Catholic archbishop who describes the reality of what the actual people of Syria (Christian and Muslim alike) are going through. Hopefully it gives some perspective and education to those who think it's just a bunch of human garbage that live over there who deserve to die.

 

[Chesterton]

This is not a news item, and you don't have a link to a news source.

 

[dzheremi]

I pray for the Christians of Syria. I am a member of the Syriac Solidarity Council (Lebanon) group on Facebook so I often get these kinds of reports from Christians there of all communions, and it is hard to read and see. The Turks bombed Qamishli, once the stronghold of Syriac Christianity in the region (founded by survivors of the Sayfo/Syrian Genocide done by the Turks at the same time as the more well-known Armenian Genocide). Some of the Christians were killed. There are almost no Christians there now.

To cheer on what is happening in Syria (for whatever reason, like this stupid "culture of death" thing) is to celebrate the death of Christianity in the region for external political purposes (what Erdogan wants, what Trump wants, etc. -- all of these people who are not Syrians). It's horrible. Lord have mercy.

I like HH Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II's take on the situation in the country, from an interview HH gave a few years ago when the conflict was newer:

“Syria belongs to its people. And its people should be able to come together and rebuild it again. If the Syrian people are left for themselves, with support from the international community, without taking sides, I believe they will be able to pull together, establish peace and rebuild Syria. People need to be assured that they can trust each other and work together. As religious leaders we have a role to bring people together to show them it’s still possible to accept each other.”

Syria belongs to its people. Its people need protection to stay in their own country, and that should be given to all, but they and their country should not be used as pawns in wider world politics. Turkey's actions are an invasion, and they need to leave. The only "human garbage" in this situation are the terrorists like Jabhat el Nusra, FSA, etc. and wannabe dictators like Erdogan. Syria opened its borders to the the Syriacs and Armenians who had come from Turkey. We should remember that.

 

[Sparagmos]

This is not a news item, and you don't have a link to a news source.

Rome Reports is a catholic news source and this is absolutely a news/current event story.

 

[Sparagmos]

I figured I'd post this to help educate so many people who think that Syria is a "culture of death" where there are no people other than muslims who (they think) are a "culture of death" (Note the "culture of death" quote comes from an American Army Soldier).

This is a Catholic archbishop who describes the reality of what the actual people of Syria (Christian and Muslim alike) are going through. Hopefully it gives some perspective and education to those who think it's just a bunch of human garbage that live over there who deserve to die.

Thank you for posting!

 

[A Gerbil]

What's happening in Syria is a geo-political matter - it has little to do with the people there.

My take on it is that Assad was pro-Iranian, and therefore seen as a threat to Israel and Western interests in the Middle East. Many, possibly most, of the rebels trying to overthrow Assad were foreigners, i.e. not Syrian nationals. Further they were funded and supported by foreign regimes, including Western ones.

Assad's only still in place because of Russian intervention. Interestingly a lot of Russians (Chechens) fought for the rebels.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

Assad is the only friend Christians have in Syria. Trump's pullout from Syria strengthens Assad and furthers the unification of Syria and an end to the bloodshed.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

Assad is the only friend Christians have in Syria. Trump's pullout from Syria strengthens Assad and furthers the unification of Syria and an end to the bloodshed.

The bloodshed will end for America but it will continue for Syria and Turkey. Hopefully Assad and Syria will kill many, many of the Turks when they invade and America will remain out of it where they belong.

As for the Kurds, they will not get their independent nation now. They were truly betrayed by Trump and America. They fought against ISIS for the US with the promise that the US would help them and Trump completely left them high and dry. Now their only choices are to be slaughtered by the Turks in a genocide or turn to Assad, the one they've been fighting against for an independent nation, and give up their hopes for an independent nation and remain subjects of Syria but at least be alive. America doesn't truly care about freedom and democracy for other people or nations; America only cares about oil and taking resources from others. America's true values are demonic and mammon-serving.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

I'm not concerned with the desires of Marxist Syrian Kurds (a historically nomadic people) for their own (American puppet) state, conveniently, carved out of the Syrian oil fields.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

I'm not concerned with the desires of Marxist Syrian Kurds (a historically nomadic people) for their own (American puppet) state, conveniently, carved out of the Syrian oil fields.

I'm not concerned for their goals but I do have a Christian concern for them as people and they are a prime target for genocide... Or they were, until Assad agreed to help them, anyway. Trump is pretty evil to set them up for genocide the way he did. Of course, that genocide would have certainly also affected the Christians in the Kurdish-controlled areas. But now the best thing is for the Syrian Arab Army to take over.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

I don't think Trump left them set up for a genocide. I think he pulled out knowing Assad wouldn't let Turkey run rough shod over Syrian territory and people.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

I don't think Trump left them set up for a genocide. I think he pulled out knowing Assad wouldn't let Turkey run rough shod over Syrian territory and people.

Wrong. He told the Kurds 2 weeks prior to remove defenses and that the US would protect them from the Turks. He set them up as a gift to the Turks. You're naive to think otherwise; probably a blind Trump devotee who thinks he does no wrong.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

Really? What is the source for telling the Kurds to alter their defences?

 

[Nithavela]

Really? What is the source for telling the Kurds to alter their defences?

Pentagon claims it's not abandoning Kurds while admitting it won't help them - CNNPolitics

The defense secretary said that the US was urging Turkey to forgo its operation and instead address its concerns through the development of a security zone along the border. Previous efforts to establish such a zone, which involved the US convincing the Kurds to dismantle their defensive fortifications and withdraw their fighters from the border with Turkey, collapsed after Ankara launched its incursion.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

Well, I can't get the article to work for me, but it sounds like a basic policy shift. The things we were doing we should not have been.

It doesn't sound like a malicious ploy by Trump to betray and get killed a whole mess of Kurds. It sounds like the consequences of having to shift policy away from policies that only exacerbate the conflicts in the region.

 

[Nithavela]

Well, I can't get the article to work for me, but it sounds like a basic policy shift. The things we were doing we should not have been.

It doesn't sound like a malicious ploy by Trump to betray and get killed a whole mess of Kurds. It sounds like the consequences of having to shift policy away from policies that only exacerbate the conflicts in the region.

I don't think Trump was plotting. He just did stuff and then did other stuff and here we are.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

Regardless, moving out of Syria is the right move. If anything, back Assad to stabilize the borders and protect the Kurds.

 

[Nithavela]

Regardless, moving out of Syria is the right move. If anything, back Assad to stabilize the borders and protect the Kurds.

You don't need to back Assad, he's already the ally of Putin and Iran.

 

[BeholdenGlory]

Because we left him no where else to turn to in a cruel attempt to break up Syria for some obscure geopolitical goals.

 

[ArmenianJohn]

Really? What is the source for telling the Kurds to alter their defences?

Associated Press - see below. I'm anxious for your new story to defend Trump as he can do no wrong in your eyes.

(7 Oct 2019) A video released by the US Defence Department from late last month shows members of the Syrian Democratic Forces removing fortifications that were identified as a concern to Turkey. On Sunday, barely a week after the video was recorded, the White House said that US forces in northeast Syria will move aside and clear the way for an expected Turkish assault, essentially abandoning Kurdish fighters who fought alongside American forces in the years-long battle to defeat Islamic State militants. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened for months to launch the military operation across the border. He views the Kurdish forces as a threat to his country. Republicans and Democrats have warned that allowing the Turkish attack could lead to a massacre of the Kurds and send a troubling message to American allies across the globe. US troops "will not support or be involved in the operation" and "will no longer be in the immediate area," in northern Syria, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in an unusual late-Sunday statement that was silent on the fate of the Kurds. There are about 1,000 US troops in northern Syria, and a senior US official said they will pull back from the area - and potentially depart the country entirely should widespread fighting break out between Turkish and Kurdish forces. The announcement followed a call between President Donald Trump and Erdogan, the White House said.