Syria who knows what

[mecch]

A couple of months ago I was talking to a sophisticated old gay guy who was turning my ear about the catastrophic destructions of all different kinds on many fronts in Syria.  I had never hear of Aleppo. 

I watched this documentary Friday
http://video.pbs.org/video/2280715740/

I hope the New Year brings a collapse of Assad. 

Gaddafi was rid of with far less destruction.  Its a mixed bag when these old dictatorships fall. 
http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/a-year-after-gaddafis-death-libyans-weigh-revolution

One thing hard for me to accept - why these rulers and ruling "clans" resist inevitable change - haven't they socked away sufficient billions to cut their losses and flee with their own families and associates to pampered and safe exile? Its madness. 

God forbid I hope my countries never end up in these situations where the 1% stop at nothing to maintain control.  The greed, megalomania and disregard for human rights..and human life.  The mind boggles. 

(Counting my blessings for the passports I have. I always have some students who are here in exile and Switzerland has a lot of people in exile, and their stories, they are impossibly violent and lead to such hardships.  I had a neighbor for 10 years - from Argentina - she was imprisoned, and her husband was killed by the military regime and her children taken away.  She came here in exile and started ALL over, and had a new family. Can you imagine!)

[WillyWump]

I've been following this for months, and have been shocked at the brazen atrocities the regime is inflicting on its civilians namely the women and children being targeted and slaughtered to try to break the back of the rebellion. There are no "red lines" for Assad and his stockpile of chemical weapons worries me.

-W