Truly Inconvenient Truths: "What we’re loath to talk about when we talk about Israel and Lebanon."

New York Magazine ^ | 08/07/06 | Kurt Andersen

[brazzaville]

Good morning.

Thanks for the info on the Alawites. I knew about them but was mistaken about their background.

Michael Frazier

[patriot H]

Agree. The Syrian regime is Alawite/Shiite/Baathist.

"Religiously" they are Alawites, a type of Shiite not recognized by many Muslims. Since Shiites are not recognized by Sunni majority, it follows that Alawites are the minority of the minority (pardon my grammar).

"Politically" they are Baathists (a political party). Baathists are generally very secular. Baathist members can be from various religions: Shiite, Sunni, and even Christian.

In 1982, Hafez Al-Assad sent his troops to Hama, a town in Syria to quell an uprising by Sunni Muslim Brohterhood extremists. He killed between 10,000 and 20,000. As such, he killed radical Muslims because they were a threat to his secular and "relatively" moderate regime.

Some may disagree with this next statement: "Alawite-Baathists are much less radical than al-Qaeda or Iran's mullahs." Believe me: I hate what Assad and his son (current president of Syria) are or what they stand for or what they had done to Lebanon... but in the big scheme of things, they are less radical than the others. The USA needs to face Iran and Al-Qaeda because nothing will appease those two jerks short of the destruction of the USA. Syria, on the other hand, can co-exist with the USA if they get what they want behind the scenes (a return of the Golan Heights).

[dangerfield]

I ...see you're one of them thar bible literalists. I didn't know there really were any, I thought you were a straw man of the left.

Hello.

[dangerfield]

whoops , bad manners again.

[justiceseeker93]

When I linked to the "New York Magazine" site for the rest of the article you posted, there was photo "credited" to the now infamous Adnan Hajj, the very same guy whom al-Reuters announced it had suspended for "photoshopping" fraud. This particular photo seems to contain too many flashes in the sky - presumably over Lebanon - to be realistic.

What can you expect from an article in a publication that uses doctored photos, other than more fraud!

[dangerfield]

Say! I didn't notice that. BTW, yesterday someone had a link to all his photos at yahoo. I suppose there are a few hardy souls pouring over that portfolio... I couldn't stomach it myself.