The fact that Assad has said this will make the charge that the Syrian rebels really are jihadists an object of scorn and ridicule among the Leftists, Islamic supremacists, and foolish conservatives who are clamoring for Obama to act militarily to remove Assad. And Assad is undeniably a malignant force, a murderous dictator. There are no good guys in this story, belying the U.S. military’s puerile recent practice of avoiding characterizing anyone as the enemy, and instead referring to “bad guys,” as if they were playing a game of toy soldiers in a second grader’s backyard. And by the looks of how seriously they’re pursuing it, they apparently think that’s exactly what they’re doing.
“With rebels at the doorstep, Syrian president says he’s defending his country from jihadists,” from the Associated Press, January 6:
BEIRUT (AP) “” Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country is being subjected to an unprecedented attack and said the conflict can only be solved through a popular movement.
Assad outlined a new peace initiative that includes a national reconciliation conference and a new constitution.
However, he said the initiative can only take roots after regional and Western countries stop funding what he called militant extremists fighting to overthrow him.
Assad spoke Sunday in a rare speech addressing the nation, his first since June.
As in previous speeches, he said his forces were fighting groups of “murderous criminals” and jihadi elements and denied there was an uprising against his family”s decades-long rule….