Madaya, besieged Syrian town, plagued by starvation as winter takes hold

Who wouldn't want to live in that paradise?

(I modified the story, as CKA seems to not allow comments on National Post stories)

The Civilian's I feel for and agree with some of the linked posters that these are the refugees that should be helped. I am wondering why the Rebels in the city will not lay down their weapons so the siege is lifted. I'm not trying to take sides but this is a civil war. The pro Gov. forces have cut off and surrounded a group of rebels. Starving them out is common practice and has been for as long as warfare has existed. The Pro Gov. forces shooting Civilians trying to leave is upsetting. IMO both sides (rebels and pro-gov.) are to blame for the starvation of the Civilians.

Heart breaking, to say the very least.

Truth!

No, the truth is they all would be victims of Assad, if so many hadn't managed to get to Lebanon and Turkey before the cities were surrounded.

The truth is they'd all be just fine absent the US & Europe destabilizing Syria in the name of a gas pipeline.

Assad is no humanitarian but at least he had the dogs on a leash and people were not starving.

That is also true!

But Assad was still a dirtbag, even when people weren't being barrel bombed.

Hate to say, but in the sandbox the odd paradox is that the most humane regimes in the long run look to us to be atrocious in the short run.

Say what you will about Assad but homosexuals and other small minority groups were usually left in peace. Over there the best you can hope for in some circumstances is defacto tolerance and that's what they had in Syria which put it light years ahead of the scumbag regimes we support in SA, UAE, and Kuwait.

Interesting POV, do you have the same criticism of Dubya for destabilizing Iraq?

After all, Saddam was a monster as well, but he too "had all the dogs on a leash."

That entire region is all about picking the lesser evil rather than who is a decent human being as leader. Too many roaches that need to be stepped on hard for there to be anything other than an iron fist wielded. The Assads also gave their own Alawite brethren a shit kicking in the 70s for getting out of line.



he was also the recipient of an international award for improving the lot of women in Iraq. I think it was UNESCO that gave him the award for improving educational opportunities for girls.

People often use Turkey as an example of a modern secular and egalitarian society in the Islamic world. There was a lot of blood spilled by military coups to ensure that could happen.