That’s just absurd. It feels almost like the entire Israeli elite are in a bubble of their own world.
Having slept on this, I think it’s just baffling how no one with any political power in Israel can see that it’s better to have good relations than poor ones, especially since this is a completely new regime in Syria, where the popular sentiment is just joy at a new beginning for their country. If they could make Syria their client state, then that could give them a rare ally in the region and also at least create a buffer between them and the likes of Iran.
I know I keep banging on this drum, but I feel as though it’s not “mainstream media”, it’s just a collective failure of journalism as a profession. It’s too much about who breaks the story, how can you get more eyeballs on it, rather than an actual question of reporting what’s happening.
I’m honestly not sure that it is in Israel’s long-term interest to have a direct neighbour in a permanent state of civil war.
Bar the arms merchants of all countries, and Putin, nobody had interest to maintain Assad, and thus the permanent state of unrest, suffering, poverty and misery. I’m glad he’s gone.
It will be interesting to see how many do go home and what effect that will have in Germany. Any idea that the AFD are going to disappear is wishful thinking though. Its support is based on more than concern about the Syrians.
By the way, that looks like Oranienstrasse. The heart of multicultural alternative Berlin. Well worth a visit if you’re in the city. Do not go to Amrit! Rubbish pseudo Indian food
I do wonder how many Syrian refugees in Germany would want to return. Obviously the country is still in a state of flux, but long term, how many would prefer to go back?
There were a couple of Syrians on my “Deutsch als Fremdsprache” course (German as a foreign language) and I got the impression that they had originally expected that they would have been staying for a year or so, but at the time (2019) they were resigned to staying and wanted to settle down.
There are a lot of Syrian families who now have homes and jobs and their children have gone through the education system. I wonder whether the children, in particular, would want to move as their friends and social life are in Germany and they are, at least culturally, more German than Syrian.
I am friends with Syrian people here. I think the adults would very much wish to return. It’s their home, where their roots and most of their family circle are. Many have found it difficult to learn the language and integrate/be welcomed. But their kids have grown up in schools here and speak with a Belfast accent. Schools provide a community and attachments that adults can’t access. Can’t see any of the children or young people wanting to move (back) to Syria
I find this guy quite impressive to be honest. Here is an article from the beeb on his evolution, and on the possible effects he could have on other, presently more radical jihadist groups:
Let’s see what they do once in power. It’s easy to be magnanimous in victory, trickier to be tolerant of fractious citizens with competing needs and expectations.
I agree, except that in long civil wars, its honestly not so easy to be magnanimous in victory. Large scale revenge killings, torching of homes homes and indeed ethnic cleansing, are all very common post victory, in such conflict.
But i agree that normal governance is very hard. But the previous governance was rather dreadful, so. I don’t know. I am skeptical like most, I suppose. But as long as Syria does not disintigrate, i do not see how it can get worse.
A bit of trivia which might help explain Israel’s paranoia and move to completely annex the Golan Heights ; HTS’ leader took his name from his grandfather who hailed from the Golan and is obviously very attached to the region.
Well-founded or not, this probably explains why there can never be a lasting peace in the region. If you keep believing everyone is out to get you, and acting on that belief, sooner or later you make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1866037427598504053
I approve of this acceptance, please develop Siberia ! It is certainly underdeveloped and poor and its better than conquest in the Middle East and Africa, and I hear that Ukraine is costly too.
With the many cannibalism videos out of Mali, that Wagner is part of, I am pretty sure that the locals are not in love with you either.
I hope his idea gain traction in decison maker circles
That’s normal, so I don’t react to it at all. It’s part of Russian culture and you see it in every single post that has anything to do with non-Russians and and certainly non-christians. It will take a century or two for that to go away.
The things we call racism in the West is part of normal discourse in Russian and they don’t think it’s racism themselves. It’s just shrug, shrug for me really. I would have reacted if a Norwegian had used that kind of language, but in Russia it is just how it is.
What I reacted to and found funny about it, is that Dmitri calls him a blogger (it’s a sneaky stabby-stab insult ).
Because he is: "Deputy Chairman of the Moscow (City) Duma; deputy general director of VGTRK; Member of the “working group special military operation” established per decree by President Putin; journalist · Member of Moscow City Duma (2019-) · "
).