Syrian truce collapses in deadly violence

What a horrible bloody violent mess!! Who can honestly be happy about such violence? Not me!! I pray that this violence ends ASAP !! NMRK!!

The rebel jihadist group Al-Nosra Front, which has claimed responsibility for deadly car bombings in the past, had refused to sign up to the ceasefire.

That more or less sums it up. The rebels are openly and proudly admitting to car bombings against civilians and their openly snubbing the truce.

How can a cease-fire succeed when one side refuses to cooperate?

That more or less sums it up.

Let us get this straight, now you believe media reports about what is going on in Syria?

Assad could have avoided all of this by simply not murdering peaceful protesters. Now we have car bombs and everything else under the sun from competing groups who now see the opportunity to compete for power after the chaos he started. Some simple reforms would have probably placated the protesters enough, instead he decided to kick the hornet's nest and everyone is suffering.

This is the danger with al-Qaida like thinking. Since you are aiming for a super Islamic Emirate or Caliphate, anything you do to get there is justified, including bombing mosques, breaking ceasefires, destroying world culture, killing women and children, etc., because you entertain a higher aim. In the meantime, Death stalks the land.

Sadly humans will always be humans, and a shining dream in the sky will always be just that...

Some simple reforms would have probably placated the protesters

Is there any substantial proof of that? Or even statements or other action by the organizers of the protests that would lend support to such a supposition? Didn't Assad offer some reforms that were rejected as too little?

It seems that the sectarian divide was always a factor waiting to be exploited by anyone trying to upset social order, as there is a history of violent conflict in the not-too-distant past, not to mention Lebanon, etc.

I certainly hope that the moderates among the Sunni groups can come to the fore so that this conflict can be resolved and a political solution found as soon as possible.

The Observatory said nine fighters were killed in the clashes between rebels and Kurdish militants.

That's curious, just last week the same newswire, the AP, reported that the Kurds were "neutral" in this conflict.

Doesn't seem like the Kurds are neutral when they're actively fighting the FSA.

The question needs to be asked too, if the rebels are so squeaky clean and wholesome and the current government is so bad, why have the Kurds decided to oppose the rebels and support the Syrian government?

Never Submit, are the (Syrian?) Kurds supporting the Syrian government? Any proof?

It could make sense when you see Turkish and Iraqi Kurds fighting against Turkey. The Kurds have always had one agenda, however, to carve out their own country from the backs of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey. If they are supporting the Syrian government as you say, or simply opposing certain groups within the FSA, then it must be a temporary expediency.

Superlib: Some simple reforms would have probably placated the protesters

ubikwit: Is there any substantial proof of that?

Would it mean anything to you either way? Please continue.

The bombing took place in a Sunni area apparently, and it truly is a shameful act. Indescriminate killing designed to continue the violence. What a mess.

where's Michael Jackson when you need him??? He really needs to "make the world a better place for you and for me"

@SuperLib

You made an assertion that would appear to be groundless, so I responded with a somewhat rhetorical question.

I don't believe that it is progressive to try and oversimplify the complex situation of Syria.

I support reform and democracy, but the history and demographics of the country and the region make that a rather complicated proposition. In a country where people at this point seem more inclined to identify with their religious sect than their country, a political reconciliation is a difficult work to forge.

Nonetheless, I believe that where there's a will there's a way, and it seems to me that Assad has shown a greater willingness to compromise than the rebels.

SuperLibOct: Assad could have avoided all of this by simply not murdering peaceful protesters.

Nice try to twist the situation but you failed. Still haven't heard much of Bahrain's protests and protestors getting shot their too? Where is your indignation?

Superlib: Some simple reforms would have probably placated the protesters

ubikwit: You made an assertion that would appear to be groundless, so I responded with a somewhat rhetorical question.

So you feel the need to challenge people who post groundless accusations regarding Syria?

TumbleDry: Nice try to twist the situation but you failed. Still haven't heard much of Bahrain's protests and protestors getting shot their too? Where is your indignation?

In the future I'll be sure to include Bahrain in all of my comments about Syria.

Assad could have avoided all of this by simply not murdering peaceful protesters.

The initial reports of these "murders" all came from one source, the ill-famed Damascus blogger. For months her Skype reports of atrocities in Syria were plastered all over the front pages of Western papers in the west.

She (he) was subsequently totally discredited as an absolute fraud since the Damascus blogger was actually a hoaxing based in the UK.

There's is no independent verification of any of the initial claims of mass atrocities in Syria.

@Superlib; Do you have any credible evidence from verifiable sources that these alleged murders took place or are you just regurgitating the thread that the Damascus blogger weaved.

Of course I do, but I feel like talking about other things right now.