Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The End for Assad? High Ranking Officers Desert, Join Rebels
Arutz Sheva ^ | 31/7/11

Posted on 07/31/2011 12:08:15 AM PDT by Eleutheria5

A Syrian Major-General has deserted Assad's army along with a group of other officers and joined the rebels.

In an Arabic video clip posted on Youtube on July 29, 2011, the officer, Major-General Riad El As'ad is seen in the company of other officers, announcing the establishment of the "Free Syrian Army whose main goal will be to fight the army of oppression headed by President Bashar Assad".

As'ad accused the Assad regime of crimes against the Syrian people and called on the officers and soldiers in the Syrian army not to aim their weapons at the people. He further called on them to join the Free Syrian Army.

The major-general warned that the Free Army will eliminate any soldier who acts to harm his own people. The present army commanders do not represent the army, he continued, they are acting for the criminal gang that controls the media and prevents the people from obtaining truthful information on what is happening.

In recent weks, a large number of officers and soldiers have deserted the regular Syrian army. In once instance, there was a mutiny and over ten of the soldiers participating were shot and killed. Assad continues to control the country, but the violent protest against him goes on and has even reached the outskirts of Damascus. Tension is high between the Alawites, the minority Shite sect to which Assad belongs that controls the country, and the majority Sunni sect which is 70% of the Syrian population.

The former Vice President of Syria, Abd Al-Halim Khaddam, Assad's bitter enemy, speaking from France, opined that Assad will fall only if the army disintegrates. That disintegration may have begun...

(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arabspring; assad; officers; syria
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last
And As'ad until now was part of that "criminal gang". His penitence is probably more a matter of personal survival, but it does my heart good to see rats leaving the Ba'athist ship of state.
1 posted on 07/31/2011 12:08:21 AM PDT by Eleutheria5
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5

He’s killing 100 people a week. He needs to be stung up.


2 posted on 07/31/2011 12:10:15 AM PDT by spyone (ridiculum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5

The ball is in Assad’s court. Time to invite in more Iranian and Hezbollah thugs/mercenaries?


3 posted on 07/31/2011 12:13:38 AM PDT by bkopto (Obama is merely a symptom of a more profound, systemic disease in American body politic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
Looks like Sodem’s WMD’s are about to be revealed. An ‘Accident’ with them could make Damascus a wasteland,
4 posted on 07/31/2011 12:17:43 AM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah, so shall it be again.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
If Assad flees Syria, wherever will he go? /s


5 posted on 07/31/2011 12:25:30 AM PDT by South40 (Palin/Cain 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5; spyone; bkopto; fella

Mebbe Britain could bring a peaceful end to all this by offering Bashar a chance to abdicate and return to London and return to his opthalmology practice if he promises to lead the quiet life and stay out of politics henceforward?


6 posted on 07/31/2011 12:25:39 AM PDT by sinanju
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5

The YouTube clip has him down as a Colonel.


7 posted on 07/31/2011 12:27:27 AM PDT by sinanju
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
WATCH:
8 posted on 07/31/2011 12:28:32 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Obama is making me sick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5

This could be the big break. If this guy’s a competent soldier and all the deserters flock to his banner with all th equipment and weapons they can take with them it will snowball.


9 posted on 07/31/2011 12:30:07 AM PDT by sinanju
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
When will NATO enforce a no-fly zone to protect the rebels?
10 posted on 07/31/2011 12:33:54 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob (Greed + Envy = Liberalism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cowboy Bob

No, but we’ll give them $30 billion


11 posted on 07/31/2011 12:39:43 AM PDT by spyone (ridiculum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5

This could be big.


12 posted on 07/31/2011 12:50:12 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

Bad regime will be replaced with worse regime full of muslim extremists.

Not to be crude, but for the interests of America (and certainly Israel) the Mideast move to democracy is akin to divorcing your wife who has herpes and marrying a gal with herpes and HIV.

I have yet to see any improvement for peace and stability and I am not holding my breath.


13 posted on 07/31/2011 1:05:58 AM PDT by volunbeer (Keep the dope, we'll make the change in 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: South40

The new tyrant may be worse than the old tyrant.


14 posted on 07/31/2011 1:31:48 AM PDT by exnavy (May the Lord bless and keep our troops.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: spyone

Oh, Damascus will be destroyed in the not so distant future.


15 posted on 07/31/2011 1:49:43 AM PDT by hope
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
Syria controls Lebanon and Hezbollah. They are allied with Iran.

And Syria is coming apart at the seams.

And we're dicking around with Libya...???

16 posted on 07/31/2011 1:52:09 AM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance On Parade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eleutheria5
As'ad accused the Assad regime of crimes against the Syrian people and called on the officers and soldiers in the Syrian army not to aim their weapons at the people.

In recent weeks, a large number of officers and soldiers have deserted the regular Syrian army. In once instance, there was a mutiny and over ten of the soldiers participating were shot and killed.

See tag line. Apparently, the Bamster has anticipated such a possibility.

17 posted on 07/31/2011 2:04:44 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (GunWalker: "We need a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as well funded")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cowboy Bob
Al Jazeera TV: Heavy weaponry reportedly being used in fighting between different Libyan rebel groups near Benghazi
18 posted on 07/31/2011 3:10:14 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Obama is making me sick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: South40
There is a photo 0f Assad (SIC) and “Hilary!”

Just sayin’

19 posted on 07/31/2011 3:35:31 AM PDT by hummingbird (Help keep Guam from tilting...still not tilting...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: spyone

If you think Assad has a long neck now, wait until he meets Mr. Rope.


20 posted on 07/31/2011 4:45:24 AM PDT by JPG (Yes she can!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson