Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus

The Butcher of Damascus deserves to room with the Butcher of Moscow.

The leader of Syria's biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is poised to chart the country’s future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. His Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the U.N.

oh dear oh dear. Will you swallow this?

Welcome the 2nd Emir of said group. Look up what his previous boss did (before he clipped him) and why certain federal authorities have a 10 mil bounty on his head - dead or alive. He killed US serviceman too, amongst his crimes.

How much are promises of safety for russian forces going to hold up with the Butcher of Damascus peaking out from behind curtains in Moscow?

US was bombing eastern Syria a few hours ago - B-52s, Strike Eagles and Warthogs (before scheduled decommission), according to CENTCOM. So much for peace.

Fair question. Look at a map. Relevant Russian bases are in the (only) two coastal provinces. Drive down the road (M5) and take a look.

Syria is a beautiful country, I have very fond memories of it. Great people.

Assad was a disaster for Syria and it is great he is gone. But the big question now is what happens next. You don't want another Libya and Rebel groups taking control of things have generally not been great portents of positive, lasting political change, though everything is relative in Syria right now I guess.

The Israelis have taken the opportunity to snatch the Golan Heights I see too. They are unbelievable.

A huge question mark for Syria after this weekend’s events!

People like the comparison of the Syrian revolution with the Iranian revolution. Well there are at least two interesting parallels: the former puppet ruler has been taken in for protection by the colonizer and there will be ample time to unfurl all of the plans of the colonizer with evidence that will now come to light. Both items will have consequences for the colonizer.

JJEToday 06:43 am JST

US was bombing eastern Syria a few hours ago - B-52s, Strike Eagles and Warthogs (before scheduled decommission), according to CENTCOM. So much for peace.

We're not about to let ISIS achieve anything, at least until January 20th.

The rebels released thousands of prisoners from a jail in Damascus where more than 13,000 have been executed since 2011—hundreds of small children.

Sednaya Military Prison is known for its torture of people and innocent civilians that started the revolution in 2011.

UN protocol 2254 is the only sensible way forward.

Crack troops and an air policing command to help expedite the process are there already. Plus, the ports are under good supervision.

Asad is gone! Russians are gone! Iranians are gone!

It's already a better place.

If they don't get it right Syria could end up like Libya.

A huge kick in the nuts for Putin.

It shows how weak Russia is right now that they don't have the resources to support their main influence in the area.

Syria was also their link to Africa and Iran.

Syria - that being the "butcher Assad" - willingly cooperated with Washington's "Global War on Terror" for many years. Certain agencies put numerous individuals on unmarked aircraft, worldwide, and got them to do the dirty work. Don't forget that. The same prisons. This went on under Obama too.

JJEToday 07:19 am JST

UN protocol 2254 is the only sensible way forward.

Which says nothing about the colonial bases. Also Assad will have jurisdiction over his living room if Putin allows it.

Crack troops and an air policing command to help expedite the process are there already. Plus, the ports are under good supervision.

I hope they are able to take on thousands of fighters. Actually I don't: I hope they fertilize the soil.

Anyone who is counting on Russia for protection is probably in panic mode right now.

Assad was a disaster for Syria and it is great he is gone. But the big question now is what happens next. You don't want another Libya and Rebel groups taking control of things have generally not been great portents of positive, lasting political change, though everything is relative in Syria right now I guess.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

The Israelis have taken the opportunity to snatch the Golan Heights I see too. They are unbelievable.

Tell me about it.

These people will have to all figure out what’s next. Good luck to them all.

The Israelis have taken the opportunity to snatch the Golan Heights I see too. They are unbelievable. - Tamarama

Indeed

"If we can establish neighbourly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel," - Netanyahu

"the border of Israel" according to Netanyahu which obviously includes the illegally annexed Golan Heights. A pretty thinly veiled threat that if Syria attempts to regain the territory that was illegally stolen from them and that they are entitled to under international law then Israel will have no choice but to "defend itself".

2254 says all relevant parties should get around the table (with the exception of jihadi types).

As such, Moscow is reaching out to all (including the US in the east, on the oil fields) to help stabilize this land. Even the alliance member to the north wants something smooth. Previous commentators are correct: let's not repeat the same mistakes in Libya (western errors) on a far grander scale.

Russia has been in Syria since after the last War. Thousands have married, paid taxes etc. Translates as the FM has more knowledge and lingo skill than you've had hot dinners.

Bases are safe. Coastal region is secure. Tartus port is functioning, ready to bring in grain and aid.

As long as ISIS doesn't regain power

Good thing the US is still going after and bombing ISIS

Iran lost its puppet on Syria. The new Syrian government is Sunni (Iran is Shia)

Syria - that being the "butcher Assad" - willingly cooperated with Washington's "Global War on Terror" for many years. Certain agencies put numerous individuals on unmarked aircraft, worldwide, and got them to do the dirty work. Don't forget that. The same prisons. This went on under Obama too.

Uh, no. That's Jordan

Assad is an Iranian and Russian ally. Jordan King Abdullah II is an US ally

"the border of Israel" according to Netanyahu which obviously includes the illegally annexed Golan Heights. A pretty thinly veiled threat that if Syria attempts to regain the territory that was illegally stolen from them and that they are entitled to under international law then Israel will have no choice but to "defend itself".

Keep dreaming.

JJE

Bases are safe. Coastal region is secure. Tartus port is functioning, ready to bring in grain and aid.

Yeah, right! We will see how long the "safety" of these bases lasts.

The rebel victory has become part of the price they are paying for the war in Ukraine.

Now I guess we might have some more chaos coming down the road. Sometimes it’s better (as I bite on my hand) to have some stable dictatorship than some chaotic unstable country. I recall we have been here with Lybia, Egypt,Afghanistan and Iraq in the past.

are they just changing one dictator for another dictator? Are the people caught between happiness and fear, hoping for peace but also worried about chaos insecurity and another Islamic dictatorship? We can only wait! My best guess is, it’s just another coup replacing one dictator with another. These countries were drawn up post WW1 under the Picot Sykes treaty by the UK, France. Russia and Italy and took no account of the tribal, religious groups .Basically a couple of white men, Europeans! decided on the borders, without any Arab consultation and sowed the seeds of political, religious and ethic dissent for the past 100 years. Further compounded when the white European men decided to cut up Palestine even further, to tick that guilty post WW2 box.

10 million cash reward, the new non-secular leader:

https://x.com/simpatico771/status/1865889024965317007

Will the new puppet regime allow for the theft of Syria’s oil?

I remember the days when the Mujahadeen were allies with the US against Russia.

Lets see how it goes with HTS in the coming year or so.

Forever wars. Yummy.

JJEToday 08:21 am JST

2254 says all relevant parties should get around the table (with the exception of jihadi types).

You're big on acknowledging facts on the ground, right? The facts on the ground are Assad is in control of a hotel room in Moscow.

As such, Moscow is reaching out to all (including the US in the east, on the oil fields) to help stabilize this land. Even the alliance member to the north wants something smooth. Previous commentators are correct: let's not repeat the same mistakes in Libya (western errors) on a far grander scale.

If by that you mean russia will try to start a proxy war, they should have done that when they still had a proxy. Iran will have enough on its hands trying to put down its own rebellion.

Russia has been in Syria since after the last War. Thousands have married, paid taxes etc. Translates as the FM has more knowledge and lingo skill than you've had hot dinners.

Aw, such a shame when colonial forces are given the boot.

Bases are safe. Coastal region is secure. Tartus port is functioning, ready to bring in grain and aid.

And all of that can change any second. Including stopping your stolen grain shipments.

HercolobusToday 08:53 am JST

Will the new puppet regime allow for the theft of Syria’s oil?

And who exactly is paying for these thousands of rebels in this "puppet"? I want some of that free cash being handed out worldwide.

Keep dreaming. - bass4funk

What does that mean?

Abe234Today 08:42 am JST

Now I guess we might have some more chaos coming down the road. Sometimes it’s better (as I bite on my hand) to have some stable dictatorship than some chaotic unstable country. I recall we have been here with Lybia, Egypt,Afghanistan and Iraq in the past.

None of which is unstable now except Libya and that is the foreign actors there at fault.

are they just changing one dictator for another dictator? Are the people caught between happiness and fear, hoping for peace but also worried about chaos insecurity and another Islamic dictatorship? We can only wait! My best guess is, it’s just another coup replacing one dictator with another.

An islamic theocracy is not exactly a dictatorship in the traditional sense.

These countries were drawn up post WW1 under the Picot Sykes treaty by the UK, France. Russia and Italy and took no account of the tribal, religious groups .Basically a couple of white men, Europeans! decided on the borders, without any Arab consultation and sowed the seeds of political, religious and ethic dissent for the past 100 years. Further compounded when the white European men decided to cut up Palestine even further, to tick that guilty post WW2 box.

It was all part of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism has to be learned.

After a revolution there's the celebrating. After that, there's another round of fighting to see who's going to be on top.

KaowaiinekochanknawToday 08:59 am JST

I remember the days when the Mujahadeen were allies with the US against Russia.

Lets see how it goes with HTS in the coming year or so.

Forever wars. Yummy.

Zero evidence of US support for HTS in the past decade. If they end up being anti-American, the worst we can say is that we didn't bomb them in advance.

"" Earlier, Russia said Assad left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups and that he had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. ""

Peacefully!?? REALLY!?, As we all recall the THUG tried to kill as many as he could early this week when his air force dropped Barrel, and Chemical Bombs on Aleppo but failed MISERABLY.

This Thug never met peace nor did his father. Children as young as 3 and 4 years old were locked up in prisons with their mothers just for opposing his regime.

Justice will be served at some point.

Barrel bombs are nothing new. But let's pretend only Syria did it and not a neighbour or their sponsor.

What does that mean?

Rhetorical question?

Barrel bombs are nothing new. But let's pretend only Syria did it and not a neighbour or their sponsor.

Barrel bombs are nothing new, but Assad outright denied it (and even made fun of it in an interview) - and some people actually believed him, lol

Only militaries with unsophisticated weapons still use barrel bombs

Assad need to be turned over to the people of Syria to face JUSTICE for the Chemical attacks of 2018 that killed thousands of Syrians.

This Al-Jazeera article shows just how suddenly Assad's forces crumbled. When more facts emerge it'll be interesting to see what factors led to Russia and Iran letting their proxy regime fall so easily. Especially in the current geopolitical climate.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/8/taking-syria-the-oppositions-battles-shown-in-11-maps-for-11-days

Rhetorical question? - bass4funk

No, genuine.

Watch this report by the UK channel 4 about children being held in the most brutal prisons of all time it's like the dark ages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F1rtl0uTx4

Unless Putin can bomb him back into power, Assad will be eating Russian ice-cream in winter for the rest of his days.

No, genuine

I disagree

Anyone wants Vologda ice cream. Sales are booming. Hard to keep in stock with exports.

Putin is not "bombing him back into power".

This is a political transition.

Russia keeps the bases on the east med.

(The guy who left turned over his Candid fleet too - only 4 but still serviceable)

We should expect a strong opening in Wall Street today.

After Netanyahu, the US administration has welcomed HTS amongst his mani clients and a lot of weapons orders should follow suit. Talking about butchers and the moral implications. Just in time for Christmas.

Keep an eye on the financial markets :)

Moscow is a popular spot for despots losing wars I hear.

Bibi is claiming some credit for the liberation of Syria, to some degree he is right, now stop killing Palestinians Bibi before you end up like Assad.

Well, US neocons seem to be proceeding with the list given General Wesley Clarke back in 2007, but at a slightly slower pace than the original overly-optimistic 5 year plan: Iraq (done), Syria (done), Lebanon (in-progress), Libya (done), Sudan (in-progress), Somalia (in-progress) and Iran (pending).

Syria will now also be an unmanageable failed state run by terrorists, like we've seen recently in Libya and Afghanistan. Not likely the world benefits from this from bad to worse evolution...

Expect the fine folks in Iraq back by Iran to re-assert control shortly. More Biden chaos, the power vacuum continues until Jan 20th. Maybe Taiwan is next!

Fos

We should expect a strong opening in Wall Street today.

After Netanyahu, the US administration has welcomed HTS amongst his mani clients and a lot of weapons orders should follow suit. Talking about butchers and the moral implications. Just in time for Christmas

> Keep an eye on the financial markets :)

So which is it? The US administration or private companies. Because you are implicating both here, but it can only be one.

This talking point is getting old and tired. Defense companies are such a small part of Wall Street indexes.

JJE

Russia keeps the bases on the east med.

Yeah, right! Don't think so.

Syria will now also be an unmanageable failed state run by terrorists, like we've seen recently in Libya and Afghanistan. Not likely the world benefits from this from bad to worse evolution...

We should thank the Americans and Israelis. Considering the depth of the discourse here I'd imagine they are not aware of the consequences. Certainly means more business in the arms industry made in USA, but that's nothing new. I would say just in time for Christmas for the investors in Washington, who cares about suffering?

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  09:06 am JST

Abe234Today 08:42 am JST

Now I guess we might have some more chaos coming down the road. Sometimes it’s better (as I bite on my hand) to have some stable dictatorship than some chaotic unstable country. I recall we have been here with Lybia, Egypt,Afghanistan and Iraq in the past.

None of which is unstable now except Libya and that is the foreign actors there at fault.

i would hardly call them stable either. The ones that were stable ish were sadly ruled by the fist.A new dictator.

are they just changing one dictator for another dictator? Are the people caught between happiness and fear, hoping for peace but also worried about chaos insecurity and another Islamic dictatorship? We can only wait! My best guess is, it’s just another coup replacing one dictator with another. 

An islamic theocracy is not exactly a dictatorship in the traditional sense.

not something I know much about but I’m not sure if Afghanistan, Or Iran would agree. It each to their own form of government. Just not comfortable when religion and politics come together and we decide not to educate people, women are oppressed, gays are killed, under the theme of government/religeon.

These countries were drawn up post WW1 under the Picot Sykes treaty by the UK, France. Russia and Italy and took no account of the tribal, religious groups .Basically a couple of white men, Europeans! decided on the borders, without any Arab consultation and sowed the seeds of political, religious and ethic dissent for the past 100 years. Further compounded when the white European men decided to cut up Palestine even further, to tick that guilty post WW2 box.

It was all part of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism has to be learned.

Yes it was indeed. Under the promise of western Allie’s to the Arabs for their support in defeating the Otomo Empire the Arabs would in return get a greater Arab state. Later reneged on by The Picot Sykes treaty.Also compounding the issue was the Balfour treaty. So I can see why there maybe some antipathy towards to west in the Middle East. Nationalism is an infantile disease and the measles of mankind. Learnt but easily caught!

Lets hope some stability returns to Syria and they can rebuild.

Certain news organizations openly reported Assad's plane crashed. They even altered existing reporting after the fact. And the original version of events was totally fictitious, lacking a remote shard of evidence.

No diplomatic residences of Russia have been touched. Not even a honk of the horn to spoil the slumber. Interesting.

FosToday  10:15 am JST

Syria will now also be an unmanageable failed state run by terrorists, like we've seen recently in Libya and Afghanistan. Not likely the world benefits from this from bad to worse evolution...

We should thank the Americans and Israelis. Considering the depth of the discourse here I'd imagine they are not aware of the consequences. Certainly means more business in the arms industry made in USA, but that's nothing new. I would say just in time for Christmas for the investors in Washington, who cares about suffering?

What? I think the U.S, and Israel have other worries and countries to worry about and Assad was doing very well ruining his own country and buying weapons from Russia and Iran. Russia was doing well as was Iran from selling stuff to Assad too. I don’t see any new Syrian government rushing to by M16s, Abrams, F16s, Missile systems either. More so, since their whole military uses Russian weapons and they can’t afford to buy anything the U.S produces or integrate it. If anything China might be the ones they turn to. Also we all had an interest is defeating Isis, not just the US/Israel. But also Syria, Saudi Arabia, China, Europe, US, etc al.

Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, 

I am surprised; I thought he would go to Teheran. While the Russians will give him asylum, they are certainly not happy with his betrayal. It would have been a pretty icy reception.

Abe234

I think the U.S, and Israel have other worries and countries to worry about 

We need a bit more depth here. Again: you need to look at the business side not the moral implications. Have you ever heard of Operation Timber Sycamore? 

The US administration, two years after the start of the civil war in 2011 put in charge the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of operations to arm anti-government forces in Syria. 

One consequence of the program has been a flood of US weapons to rebels fighting alongside the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra front. The operation became public knowledge only in mid-2016. This is not China or Russia propaganda. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_Sycamore

Glad to see the people of Syria get some short term relief.

We know what happens next Though. Just look at Libya and Iraq after Gaddafi and Saddam were overthrown.

Fingers crossed it pans out differently with the new, self-appointed, ex Al-quaida leader.

WoodyLee

Bibi is claiming some credit for the liberation of Syria, to some degree he is right,

Since the secular Assad regime has been on the Israeli target list for a long time, that is no surprise. I have long criticized this Israeli policy. Now they get what they wanted: a virulent islamist regime on their northern border instead of the hostile but secular Alevite regime. Lets see how that works out.

now stop killing Palestinians Bibi before you end up like Assad.

Hamas (which you call euphemistically Palestinians) can stop the killing at any time by surrendering and releasing the hostages. You are unaware of that?

Next few days will be critical in Syria, whoever has the most guns will win at the end the day = law of the jungle.

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  06:27 am JST

The Butcher of Damascus deserves to room with the Butcher of Moscow.

Kind of surprised he fled to Russia. He might regret it if Putin jails him.

> How much are promises of safety for russian forces going to hold up with the Butcher of Damascus peaking out from behind curtains in Moscow?

trump needs to defect to Moscow too. He is Putin's puppet and not an American citizen.

A disaster waiting to unfold. More terrorism and more loss of rights to the people of the nation.

falseflagsteve

A disaster waiting to unfold. More terrorism and more loss of rights to the people of the nation.

It is a short-term victory for both Israel and Erdogan, who, while they hate each other, were both determined to overthrow the Assad regime. While Bibi celebrates the weakening of Hizballah and Erdogan feels like superman, I predict that both will come to regret this.

falseflagsteve

A disaster waiting to unfold. More terrorism and more loss of rights to the people of the nation.

...and in addition, the US military is still occupying North East Syria, stealing the Syrian oil. That was presented as such a moral cause, because Assad was supposed to be so bad. Lets see how they deal with the Jihadis now, who claim the oil belongs to them...

The US (with the help of Al Qaida, Turkey, and Israel) has managed to destroy another country on its list of targets in their Project for the New American Century. Next on the list: Iran.

A disaster waiting to unfold. More terrorism and more loss of rights to the people of the nation.

It is a short-term victory for both Israel and Erdogan, who, while they hate each other, were both determined to overthrow the Assad regime.

Erdogan never does anything to displease israel. He threw the Palestinians under the bus.

I wonder if Turkey will still be welcomed into BRICS

Asad is gone! Russians are gone! Iranians are gone!

The Russians aren't gone. They have an air base in Latakia and a naval base in Tartus. The fate of these or the future status of Russian forces in Syria have not been announced. I would bet more than beers that the Russians are attempting to negotiate some sort of arrangement to maintain access to these bases. It might be futile but time will tell.

Assad needs to be hauled up in front of the ICC. Barrel Bombs. Chemical attacks. Imprisonment, torture, and executions of tens of thousands.

Assad needs to be hauled up in front of the ICC. Barrel Bombs. Chemical attacks. Imprisonment, torture, and executions of tens of thousands.

Every time the west wants to overthrow a government, they will spin a narrative. Assad did not carry out the gas attacks, just like Saddam was not amassing WMDs.

The US (with the help of Al Qaida, Turkey, and Israel) has managed to destroy another country on its list of targets in their Project for the New American Century. Next on the list: Iran.

Do you actually believe the stuff you write? That statement is so far from the truth it's hard to know where to begin.

So the US lists HTS as a terrorist organization and has a $10 million bounty for its leader. The Turks support the Syrian National Army or SNA and kid of tolerate HTS. The SNA is kind of dysfunctional, composed of a bunch of tribal militias that are at each others throats as often as they fight the Syrians, Russians, Iranians and Hezbollah.

If you go back a few weeks the Turks were pushing the Syrians to negotiate and end to the conflict so the Turks could get rid of their millions of Syrian refugees and and concentrate on fighting the Kurds. They pushed the SNA to attack Syrian positions to pressure the Syrians to bargain. What the Turks didn't count on was HTS striking out from their stronghold in Idlib and nobody saw the rapid collapse of the Syrian Army and its allies, except maybe HTS.

For the Turks this is not what they wanted. They are now looking at a possible Islamic emirate run by terrorists. That is best case. Worst case IS takes advantage of the chaos and re-forms in the power vacuum left by the disintegration of the Syrian Army and police. The US tries to put a favorable spin on it too but the reality is the US isn't happy with the outcome and is every bit as scared as the Turks are of IS reforming.

And nobody knows yet if HTS is willing to accommodate any kind of Kurdish autonomy in the northeast or if that is the next war zone. Kind of a big double-decker turd sandwich.

Raw BeerToday 12:20 pm JST

The US (with the help of Al Qaida, Turkey, and Israel) has managed to destroy another country on its list of targets in their Project for the New American Century. Next on the list: Iran.

Maybe if you dictatorships weren't so shaky and falling apart all of the time, they would put up more of a fight.

ZaphodToday 11:58 am JST

...and in addition, the US military is still occupying North East Syria, stealing the Syrian oil. That was presented as such a moral cause, because Assad was supposed to be so bad. Lets see how they deal with the Jihadis now, who claim the oil belongs to them...

They have to make it through the Kurds first because, you know, 900 soldiers isn't much of an occupation force.

FosToday 11:05 am JST

One consequence of the program has been a flood of US weapons to rebels fighting alongside the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra front. The operation became public knowledge only in mid-2016. This is not China or Russia propaganda. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_Sycamore

The 2010s called and they want their talking point back.

Raw Beer

Assad needs to be hauled up in front of the ICC. Barrel Bombs. Chemical attacks. Imprisonment, torture, and executions of tens of thousands.

Every time the west wants to overthrow a government, they will spin a narrative. Assad did not carry out the gas attacks,

Ah... Yes he did. On his own people.

“The Butcher of Damascus”. Really?

You aint seen nothing yet. The Syrians dancing in the streets will change their minds when their new salaffi rulers take over. No gays were thrown from rooftops under Assad. Girls could get an education. The list goeson.

lets see where Syria stands in 6 months.

There’s nothing like a self righteous “progressive” wearing rose - colured glasses when it comes to epitomizing hypocrisy.

Soon the US administration will need to decide whether is more profitable to keep stealing oil in Syria through their illegal presence at the military base Al-Tanf, in the Homs Governorate, or make a new deal to supply notes terrorists few billions dollars worth of weapons, tax free, just in time for the Christmas presents. In the name of exporting democracy. US investors please keep an eye.

https://thecradle.co/articles/us-troops-conduct-new-oil-theft-operation-in-northeast-syria