PRI: Public Radio International

VIDEO: Suicide bombing kills Syrian defense minister, Bashar Assad's brother-in-law

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:13:00 -0500

Syria was rocked Wednesday morning by a deadly suicide bombing that killed the defense minister and President Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law, the military's deputy chief of staff. It's a further sign the tide of the revolution may be turning.

Nikos Retsos

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:52:03 -0500

The killing of Syrian Defense Minister Gen. Dawoud Rajiha in Damascus should give Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the idea that Russia's policy on Syria is becoming a disaster that Russia will come to regret dearly. Lavrov's stated bravado "The Syrian rebels cannot defeat the Syrian Army" sounds quite loony now, as the Syrian rebels can bomb the Syrian Defense Ministry in Damascus!

There is no doubt the U.S. and its Arab allies are determined to break the Russian, Syrian and Iranian axis of power, and install a pro-U.S. Sunni puppet regime in Syria. Russia had a chance to ease Assad out with a soft internal coup, and have replaced him with other acceptable pro-Russian Syrian leaders. But it opted to bet everything on the leadership of the nerdy, inept, and hereditary Bashar Assad. It is just mind-boggling!

I hope Vladimir Putin wakes up now and realizes that the Russian Foreign Ministry needs a complete makeover - not just "Yes" men lamenting about "U.S. blackmail!" Russia has boxed itself into Assad's Pandora's Box, and its policy in Syria will share Assad's fate! That is a colossal mistake for Russia!

The U.S., however, shouldn't pop-up the champagne yet! The Syrian rebels are various groups with their own agendas. I see another civil war in Syria similar to the Algerian civil war of 1992-1996 following Assad's demise! Nikos Retsos, retired professor, USA

Robert Whatley

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 06:20:45 -0500

The US needs to stop playing the role of world police and allow foreign governments far from our shores settle their own problems. President Assad is one of the last moderates still in control in the Middle East. Should his government fall to the 'Arab Spring' the region will be significantly less stable. Likely a program of genocide will follow directed towards one of the oldest Christan populations dating to the time of Christ. (as is currently the case in both Egypt and Libia) President Assad is one of the only remaining voice of reason and moderation remaining today. (along with the King of Jordan) US foreign policy is way off track under the inept Muslum dominated Obama administration.