The Iranian regime is running to the rescue of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is struggling to contain a growing revolution against his rule. The protests continually reach new heights despite the killing of over 1,700 and imprisonment of 12,000. Now, Iran is offering Assad a massive $5.8 financial aid package in a desperate attempt to stabilize its ally.
Last Friday’s protests in Syria were the largest yet. For the first time, there were large demonstrations in the capital of Damascus, and not just its suburbs. Over one million Syrians came out into the streets, out of a nation of only 22 million. It is likely that the increased turnout was encouraged by the U.S. and French ambassadors’ visit to Hama the previous week, without the Assad regime’s permission, to show support for the protesters. They were met with cheers, flowers and olive branches. The Assad regime is very worried about Western support for its domestic opponents, and retaliated by staging attacks on the U.S. and French embassies. The regime is also stoking sectarian warfare to ensure the loyalty of the Allawite minority it comes from, and to frighten the Syrian people and the West about causing ethnic cleansing and a civil war.
A think tank tied to the Iranian regime says that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is willing to give a $5.8 billion package to Syria, including a three-month loan of $1.5 billion. The Iranians are also considering giving 290,000 barrels of oil per day to Syria for a month to help bolster the economy, and to help secure the border with Lebanon to stop refugees from fleeing with cash. This investment reflects how worried Iran is about losing Syria as an ally, as the overthrow of the Assad regime would upend its strategic position in the Middle East.
Iran rushed to aid Assad shortly after small protests turned into an uprising in March. Reports of Iranian and Hezbollah involvement first came out of Daraa, where the revolution gained steam. Citizens told stories of attackers speaking Farsi and talking with a southern Lebanese accent, as Hezbollah operatives would have. On March 21, a massive stockpile of Iranian weapons destined for Aleppo was intercepted in Turkey. The arms included “60 Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, 14 BKC/Bixi machine guns, nearly 8,000 rounds of BKC/AK-47 ammunition, 560 60-mm mortar shells, and 1,288 120-mm mortar shells.”
The Reform Party in Syria revealed in April that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards had taken over a base in Homs Province to oversee the suppression of the revolution. The Syrian military allegedly began being supervised by the Iranians, resulting in Farid Ghadry of the Reform Party of Syria’s declaration that “In essence, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps now occupies Syria and has become its de facto ruler. Syria has become the 32nd province of Iran.”
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And why is Iran "terrified" at the prospect of losing Syria as an ally? In a word: Lebanon.
The Sunni conquest of Syria would mean the end of the patronage that Syria provides Hezbollah in Lebanon. And the loss of Lebanon makes it that much harder for Iran to threaten Israel.
In general I agree with your comment however, what Iran fears most is freedom. Arabs living under a free and just system of government is a threat that does not bear contemplation for Iran.
It’s best if Syria doesn’t fall until the Iranians rise against the mollahs themselves. Exaggerated talk of one million walking in the streets and billions given to Syrians is just hype. If the truth is told both the Iranians and Syrians will know what to do and plan to bring down their oppressive regimes. But in these shark infested waters of who writes the best lies where one million becomes one billion and ten thousand becomes one million no sane resident of these two nations would put their lives on the line so special interest groups can take over their country and run it to please the Western media’s appetite for blood and gore to sell their tabloids.
No steve; it's true, If you see the live reports on the youtube by the students who are not the paid reporters, all the student and amateur reports says the same, in Iran we saw that it was true and it is true, the reason why the regime in IRAN and SYRIA is there is that the riots are not leaded by an organized resistance.
The repression is the FULL MILITARY OPERATIONS against a huge mass of non armed and non organized people.
China has provided special huge anti riot armored Camions that are invulnerable by the non-armed people.
In Iran we have the Organization, but USA has kept them in it's terror list, and USA delivers them to the Mullahs, maybe you have heard about the genocides of Ashraf City.
Can't wait to see Israel give Iran what it is struggling to get. The bomb. Let Israel drop it right on them.
Nothing that a little genocide can't solve.
And why not? You've proven to be a strong cheerleader for genocide of the U.S. and Israel, why is Iran hands-off?
It is comments like yours that justify Iran obtaining an a-bomb. Iran is a wealthy
country and the idea that it does not already have one is foolish. They probably
bought several when the Russian Empire downsized. Continuing comments such
as yours justify a lot of countries develping an a-bomb. That way we can sit back
back and see these small countries swagger and boast how bad they are because
they have an a-bomb. If Israels' military is so good why doesn't it attack with
conventional forces. Or is it afraid of the same ass kicking it got in 2006.
Whither Now, MURDOCH
One could hope he is off to the Bank to secure a vast donation to Frontpage.com,or to offer a joint effort in fighting the evils of our World……………William
yea ,one could hope . Murdoch's in it for the money .He's got alot riding on the M.E. and he'll take whatever side benefits his empire .Dont get your hopes up Ward . One CAN hope however that the general population of Syria , will see Iran for what it is , aiding in the killing and jailing of their fellow Syrians . Just stand back and let muslims do unto muslims what they do best ….kill each other . bad guy versus bad guy ,as it were . At the end of the day , it's Shia vs Sunni , as it has been since the cult leader croaked .
Man, everyone knows it's Israel that's the biggest terrorist over there. You all just like to draw ATTENTION to the Arabs because that's what jews do to excuse thier own bad behavior. I gotta say, the world would basically be at peace right not if not for jewish meddling.
If, as you say, the world would be at peace without the Jews, then I would say that it presupposes that only Islam would be allowed in this world as Islam has never been at peace with any non-Islam faith.
Your ignorance is boundless.
Islam has never been at peace with itself, more Shiites have been killed by Sunnis over the past thousand years then have Jews by either faction. You can thank DH Lawrence and the British for what goes on today, things were relatively peaceful in the mid east when the Ottoman Turks ran the show.
I meant my reply to be to DeShawn's stupid comment, not to Clearpath's reply.
HINT;
Moderator, DeShawn is the NIAC man, NIAC is the Ahmadinejad's lobby who operates illegally in USA.
Islamic Iran has worked for almost three decades to establish the strategic link between Iran,Syria, Shiite Lebanon and part of Shiite Iraq. The Shiite elites in Iran, Lebanon and Iraq are historically close family members. The Hezbollah helped kill Iranian demonstrators ( film and photo were distributed) now Iranian islamic forces help kill Syrian revolutionaries… these are part of ONE strategic alliance.
Breaking this link as a result of the downfall of the fascist Assad regime and the isolation of Lebanese Hezbollah will neutralize Iran's 30 years worth of conspiracies in the region.