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Syria’s Assad: Some refugees are “definitely” terrorists

Feb 9, 2017 8:08 pm By Robert Spencer

When Isikoff presses him about whether the terrorists constituted a significant percentage of the refugees, Assad noted correctly that the number didn’t matter, because a small number could do great damage, as on 9/11.

Assad is right, of course, but his words will be dismissed as those of a bloody dictator, and misrepresented as if the only information he has on this are Internet memes, when he was merely invoking something he thought might be familiar to Isikoff. In any case, clearly Assad, however much of a scoundrel he is, recognizes the security risks involved in admitting the refugees that eludes the grasp of so many American jurists.

“Exclusive: Syria’s Assad tells Yahoo News some refugees are ‘definitely’ terrorists,” by Michael Isikoff, Yahoo News, February 9, 2017:

Weighing in on one of the most contentious issues in American politics — the danger posed to host countries by the 4.8 million people who have fled from Syria’s civil war — Syrian President Bashar Assad told Yahoo News that some of the refugees are “definitely” terrorists.

In an exclusive interview with Yahoo News at a presidential office in Damascus, Assad said President Trump’s freeze on admitting refugees from his country — part of an executive order that has drawn widespread protests and is being challenged in federal court — “is an American issue” on which he would not take sides. But asked if some of those who fled are “aligned with terrorists,” Assad quickly replied, “Definitely.”

“You can find it on the Net,” Assad went on: “Those terrorists in Syria, holding the machine gun or killing people, they [appear as] peaceful refugees in Europe or in the West.” He said he couldn’t estimate how many there might be, but he added that “you don’t need a significant number to commit atrocities.” He noted that the 9/11 attacks were pulled off by fewer than 20 terrorists “out of maybe millions of immigrants in the United States. So it’s not about the number, it’s about the quality, it’s about the intentions.”

As for the future of Syria’s 4.8 million refugees, Assad said, “For me, the priority is to bring those citizens to their country, not to help them immigrate.”…

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Filed Under: Donald Trump, Featured, immigration, Syria Tagged With: Bashar al-Assad


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Comments

  1. David Scoltock says

    Feb 9, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    This is the problem today, two world wars bankrupted and broke British rule. For nearly two centuries we had that part of the world under control.

    50 years of cold war proxy conflicts, narrow minded foreign policy and America doing Iraq on the cheap with no German stye Marshal plan and look what we have?

    • Voytek Gagalka says

      Feb 9, 2017 at 8:26 pm

      Agreeing with most what you said, I seriously doubt that “German style Marshal Plan” could ever possibly work in any Muslim (Arab) country of the region.

      • Christianblood says

        Feb 9, 2017 at 9:13 pm

        Obama, Cameron, Kerry, Clinton others: Assad must go”! Please watch the end result of their useless and stupid “Assad must go” mantra:

        http://theduran.com/assad-must-go-who-must-go-goodbye-cameron-obama-hillary-merkel-hollande-youre-next/

        • mousey says

          Feb 10, 2017 at 12:27 am

          thanks for the laugh christianblood

        • DFD says

          Feb 10, 2017 at 2:43 pm

          Christianblood, that was funny. And thanks for the trip.

        • DFD says

          Feb 10, 2017 at 2:45 pm

          PS from DFD for CB:

          It was supposed to read: “…and thanks for the STRIP.”

          Also, I know it’s strange, approval from me. But that was a good one. High marks!

        • Christianblood says

          Feb 10, 2017 at 6:51 pm

          mousey & DFD

          The “Assad must go” photos are great and funny!

          Thanks!

      • Westman says

        Feb 9, 2017 at 9:27 pm

        it seems that only a tyrant, like Muhammad and his Quran, or, the current Imams, can herd the cats. It would take the unthinkable, like what happened to Japan, to quickly dethrone Allah and Muhammad. Lets hope that perhaps Islam will be modified, in the West, by its own adherent’s realization that it is a liability. Was I dreaming? Probably..

        • no_one says

          Feb 9, 2017 at 11:18 pm

          You are dreaming. Radical muslims will never change. They will insist on making everyone muslim or else.

      • gravenimage says

        Feb 9, 2017 at 11:11 pm

        Agreed, Voytek. The Marshall Plan could not work in Dar-al-Islam.

  2. Terry says

    Feb 9, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    Overlooked in all the BS about Assad.:

    1. He is a doctor (I beleive ophthalmologist)-studied in (I have seen Britain and France- so, one of those two– most likely-IE. medical school).

    2. Jimmy Carter, after he lost his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan called Assad a ” true leader” and more of an honest president than Ronald Reagan. (Words to that effect).

    3. he (Assad) was a favorite of the DC (and European_ elites-until he stopped the “peaceful” is Arab Spring, which such far sighted geniuses like John Kerry saw as the beginnings of democratic, free Muslim countries (he really was pushing that) (before terrorists were terrorists because they did not ahve good health insurance; and the refrigerators and air conditioners are a greater threat than ISIS).

    We have seen how Arab Spring turned out.

    AS TO HIS GASSING THE CIVILIANS–LET THE MEDIA GO BACK AND SEE WHAT SOME/MANY OF THE STORIES THAT THEY- THE LAME STREAM MEDIA HAD-AT THE TIME)– MANY OF THE SURVIVORS SAID IT WAS THE TERRORISTS, THE “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” ( so-called by the intelligentsia) who did the gassing. But, what did these peasants- who lived there, spoke the language- and saw their families know? The elites in London & NY & Paris & Brussels and DC knew better.

    In my view, there are NO GOOD GUYS. JUST THE LEAST BAD. AND PROBABLY ASSAD.

    • overman says

      Feb 9, 2017 at 9:27 pm

      And now he’s been accused of hanging thousands – not sure that’s fake news, though.

      • overman says

        Feb 9, 2017 at 9:29 pm

        Sorry, that should be ‘not sure IF that’s fake news, though’

      • Terry says

        Feb 9, 2017 at 9:33 pm

        I am fairly certain IF THAT IS TRUE- (note, if midnight or late night ” secret trials” with no witnesses- how do these people know??))

        And, do you suppose that they were in prisons for pissing in the street, or showing their schlongs to little girls? Or, were terrorists? I say the latter.

        • Tjhawk says

          Feb 10, 2017 at 9:50 am

          Showing your schlong to little girls would never land one in an Islamic prison.

      • DFD says

        Feb 10, 2017 at 2:53 pm

        Fake news. Christians and Jazidis are trying to reach gov held territories. After the liberation of Aleppo they held Christmas celebrations with trees.

        Several months ago a report from Damascus, people sitting in roadside cafes, having ice cream, and even beer, were being interviewed. Strangely enough, nobody mentioned that they were trying to escape to the “free Syrian army” or to ISIS, wonder why?

        Could it be that Assad (by and large) left everybody alone, except for the Sunnis. The security forces kept all their eyes on them, again, I wonder why.

  3. overman says

    Feb 9, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    These so-called military-age, mostly male refugees from syria, are not really refugees. They’re conscripts and deserters from the syrian army, who should be fighting for their country – even their women and eldery have called them such in interviews.
    You only need one terrorist with a dirty bomb in a suitcase to blow up new york; or pour a toxin into the water supply; or hack the power grid – it amazes me that this hasn’t already happened, because terrorists like ISIS must have the know-how and technology to carry out something on this scale.
    Also, we know that thousands of jihadis are traveling and recruiting within the refugee hordes crossing europe.

  4. Champ says

    Feb 9, 2017 at 9:48 pm

    Wow even Assad sees the danger …

    Veeery interesting!

  5. gravenimage says

    Feb 9, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    Syria’s Assad: Some refugees are “definitely” terrorists
    ………………..

    Of course, this is true.

  6. Allan Mandrowski says

    Feb 10, 2017 at 6:09 am

    Assad, nicely dressed and shaved. His wife, without a headscarf and wearing modern attire. Both protecting the minorities – christians, alawite, yazidi etc. – in their country. And somehow, the West defames him and – vigorously – supports murderous intolerant barbarians instead: ISIS / al qaeda / nusra and whatever other “moderate” rebels they make up.

    • Angemon says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 7:54 am

      Assad allowed Syria to be used as a highway for jihadi groups who wanted to kill Americans in Iraq. His government also aided Al-Qaeda in the bombings of Amman in 2005. And back in 2011 (after the Americans left and the terrorists and terrorist groups he supported came home to roost because they ran out of Americans to kill), when he wanted to portray any opposition to him as “terrorists”, he granted amnesty to dangerous jihadis, some of which ended up in high positions with ISIS or the Al-Nusra Front. He literally released dangerous terrorists among his people – how is that “protecting minorities”?

    • gravenimage says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 7:12 pm

      Yes–Assad is still a vicious Muslim, who has supported Hizb’allah attacks on Israel. But for political reasons he is less genocidal towards Christians and other religious minorities, so right now he is the lesser of evils in the region.

  7. Angemon says

    Feb 10, 2017 at 7:49 am

    Assad is one of the fathers of ISIS. He has more than a little explaining to do, the least of it not being the amnesty he gave “rebels”:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3472290/President-Assad-promises-amnesty-rebels-lay-arms-efforts-continue-bring-peace-Syria.html

    http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Syrias-Assad-Offers-Rebels-Amnesty-If-They-Surrender-Aleppo-20161007-0003.html

    Notice the dates. Is it any wonder that his government, who not only aided Al-Qaeda to kill American citizens in 2005 but also granted amnesty and released, in 2011, to dangerous, battle hardened jihadis who ended up in high places in ISIS, talks about “terrorists among refugees”? They probably paid their passages to Europe.

    • DFD says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 3:05 pm

      Yeah, I don’t really know what to think about the middle east. It’s a hotch potch. To put it mildly. I posted something positive about him above, then saw your links.

      I remember as a kid, forgot how old I was (it was about 15 or 20 years after the war), I asked my grand dad about ww3, if it could happen and what would happen and where – I was fearful of course, cold war and all that. He replied: “I don’t know if it will happen, nobody can accurately foresee the future. But I can tell you where it will start, in the Middle East.” I asked why. He said: “Because that is the place where most liars and deceivers are. (small pause, and he added) And where people have no self control.” I thought about it and thought it, couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Then that is…

  8. Oliver says

    Feb 10, 2017 at 3:37 pm

    As a friend of mine ( and sort of mentioned by Terry)-in the ME ( especially the Arab ME-like Syria & Iraq) there are no good guys and bad guys. All are bad- just depends upon the degree of badness.

    • gravenimage says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 7:16 pm

      That sums it up.

  9. Eric Jones says

    Feb 10, 2017 at 5:53 pm

    Assasd is one of the few secular leaders left in the middle east. The blood thirsty Obama armed the free syrian army and ISIS. Assad’s next door neighbor Erdogan assisted in the robbery of Syria. Its ISIS and the free syrian army that is killing Christians in Syria, not Assad.

    The whole world should be helping Assad fefeat jihad’s; and help Assad rebuild Syria.
    Enough Asssad bashing. I am having a beer to the fact that Obama is gone and that Asssad is still in power.

    Eric

    • Eric Jones says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 5:54 pm

      typo sb “defeat.”

      Eric

    • Angemon says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 6:18 pm

      Assad? Secular? LOL!!!

      But please, explain me why I should support a man who unleashed dangerous jihadis on the people he claims to protect just so he could turn to the international community and do the “do you prefer to deal with me or the terrorists?” false dichotomy. Isn’t that rewarding the transgressor? Isn’t that send a signal to all wannabe ME tyrants that they can get away with anything just as long as they set up someone seemingly worse than them as being the alternative?

      • Eric Jones says

        Feb 11, 2017 at 1:57 am

        Syria has a secular constitution under which there is freedom of religion. All religions are free to be practiced and are protected under the constitution. Sharia is not part of the constitution. Many Syrians fled to Turkey to escape the fighting. Once in Turkey it is Erdogan that releases these migrants into Europe.

        Eric

        • Angemon says

          Feb 11, 2017 at 6:39 am

          “Syria has a secular constitution under which there is freedom of religion. All religions are free to be practiced and are protected under the constitution. ”

          http://www.dictionary.com/browse/secularism

          secularism
          [sek-yuh-luh-riz-uh m]

          noun
          1.
          secular spirit or tendency, especially a system of political or social philosophy that rejects all forms of religious faith and worship.
          2.
          the view that public education and other matters of civil policy should be conducted without the introduction of a religious element.

          Secularism and freedom of religion are not one and the same. A country that has a Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs is not secular. Assad and his government provided assistance to jihad groups, including groups that would later morph into ISIS. Not only that, anti-semitism is an endemic problem. You want to know how much of a “good guy” Assad is? He has the support of the islamic Republic of Iran, the #1 terrorism-sponsoring state in the world. But please, try telling the families of Christians killed by Assad for protesting against him that they have it good because secularism and freedom of religion:

          https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2884/assad-slaughtering-syrian-christians

          “Many Syrians fled to Turkey to escape the fighting. Once in Turkey it is Erdogan that releases these migrants into Europe. ”

          Erdogan “releases” them? If they wanted to escape the fighting wouldn’t they just stay in areas controled by the Syrian government and wait for it to end? Or, better yet, take up arms and fight the rebels? Why aren’t they defending their country and elected leader? Could it be because they see no difference, in practice, between Assad and ISIS when it comes to, for example, freedom of criticizing the power?

          And I see you ignored the point I made about Assad actively empowering jihadi groups and unleashing dangerous jihadis on his population so he could force a false dichotomy of “it’s either me or the terrorists” on the international community. What do you think of his support of jihadi groups and release of jihadis who ended up as high ranking members of groups such as ISIS or the Al-Nusra Front? There’s plenty of evidence out there documenting Assad’s collusion with ISIS and Al-Qaeda – Assad’s gambit was plain to see even in the naked eye:

          http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/inside-assad-s-playbook-time-and-terror

          ISIS’s role in Syria fits into a plan that has worked for Assad on several occasions. When a crisis emerges, Assad pushes his opponents to spend as much time as possible in developing a response. (…) His favorite diversion is terrorism, because it establishes him as a necessary force to contain it. In the meantime, world events wash away international focus on the initial crisis.

          (…)

          Assad renewed a version of this approach after non-violent protestors took to the streets demanding freedom and reform in 2011.cconcluded that any meaningful concessions to non-violent protestors could precipitate the collapse of the regime. The advisors decided that it would enact no reforms that could weaken Assad’s hold on power. Assad learned from the Libyan case that a hasty resort to large massacres, or the threat thereof, could draw intervention from NATO forces. A slower increase in violence against opponents, however, would likely go unchecked. Assad needed to take steps that would pass time and prove himself as indispensable, both to the international community and to Syrians who fear retaliation from the Sunni majority.

          To achieve these aims, Assad first changed the narrative of the newborn Syrian revolution to one of sectarianism, not reform. He then fostered an extremist presence in Syria alongside the activists. Further, he facilitated the influx of foreign extremist fighters to threaten stability in the region. Finally, any efforts to kill time on the clock, such as the chemical weapons deal, its slow implementation, and the Geneva process, were enthusiastically exploited. The resulting international paralysis allowed Assad to present himself as an ally in the global war on terror, granting him license to crush civilians with impunity. The Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) emerged as one of those facts created to ensure Assad’s survival as he and his Iranian backers seek to frame this conflict as a regional sectarian issue, with a classical choice between military powers and Sunni extremists.

          (…)

          …Once the unrest shifted to an armed conflict, Assad’s choice of allies promoted sectarianism. Hezbollah and the Iranian Republican Guard, primarily Shiite forces, assisted in further highlighting Assad’s sectarian narrative. Today, the conflict has morphed into a sectarian regional proxy war. This is precisely how Assad envisioned it, and creates a dynamic that the internationals can dismiss as too complex or dissonant to Western interests.

          The Assad plan also included allowing extremist Sunni groups to grow and travel freely in order to complicate any Western support for his opponents. The Assad regime and Iran have meticulously nurtured the rise of al-Qaeda, and then ISIS, in Syria. In his March 2011 speech addressing the protests, Assad claimed that an international terrorist conspiracy sought to topple his government. During this time, Assad released battle-hardened extremists from the infamous Sednaya prison; extremists with no association to the uprisings. These fighters would go on to lead militant groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al Nusra.

          In conjunction with the terrorist-release policy, Assad was sure to imprison diverse, non-violent, and pro-reform activists by the thousands, many of whom are still in government prisons. These efforts, coupled with relentless barrel bombing, torture, and chemical weapons campaigns, were designed to silence, kill, or displace civilians so that the influence of extremists would fill their absence. Assad was careful to never take any steps to attack ISIS as they grew in power and strength.

          The announcement of ISIS’s caliphate is most helpful in draining time and distracting the world from Assad’s destruction of Syrian society. Now that ISIS has fully matured, the Assad regime and Iran offer themselves as partners to the United States. For the first time, Assad is striking ISIS in Raqqa and locations inside Iraq, in a perverse harvest of the terrorist seeds he planted to quash the civilian-led reform movement. Assad will continue to make himself appear helpful by offering intermittent air strikes, details of fighters released from prison, and intelligence.

          The rise of ISIS in Iraq and events in Gaza and Ukraine have placed Assad’s war safely outside the headlines. Once again, the world is convinced it has higher priorities and may again conclude that Assad is a problematic, yet stabilizing dictator in a troubled region. Safe from public scrutiny, he can go back to his hidden room, manipulating various players. US coordination with Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, or the Assad government in the fight against ISIS will play directly into the Assad plan. It will prove to Assad that his manipulation of time and terror has once again worked.

    • gravenimage says

      Feb 10, 2017 at 7:19 pm

      No, Assad is not secular. He is, by default, currently one of the least bad actors in the region–but that is damning with faint praise.

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