Gulf Nations Should Democratize instead of inciting Terrorism

By Helmet Joachim Schmidt and Lee Jay Walker Modern
Tokyo Times Nov. 16, 2012

The so-called National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces materialized because of outside nations. This entity came into existence in undemocratic Qatar which also happens to be sponsoring Islamist terrorism against the people of Syria. Of course, issues related to human rights and killing apostates in Saudi Arabia and the plight of women, and so forth; is all ignored and the same applies to the crisis in Bahrain.

Instead, we have an international "rubber stamp" by undemocratic forces and outside nations which only care about geopolitical issues. This charade was highlighted by the comment of Moaz al-Khatib, the new president of this so-called coalition. He comments that "We demand freedom for every Sunni, Alawite, Ismaili (Shia), Christian, Druze, Assyrian … and rights for all parts of the harmonious Syrian people."

If Khatib believes in this statement then will he denounce the Gulf nations which persecute non-Muslims, apostates, minority Muslim groups, women and which refuse to introduce any notion of democracy? Likewise, will he denounce the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and various different Islamist terrorist groups? If not, then clearly Khatib is trying to mislead the international community, whereby this publicity stunt is trying to disguise the religious cleansing of minorities by the FSA and various Islamist groups.

Recently even Al Jazeera highlighted the barbarity of the FSA Islamists by showing brutal murders. If the so-called National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is allied in any ways with the FSA and various Islamist factions; then not only is this a charade but it is a barbaric propaganda stunt. Also, will Khatib distance this group from the Gulf nations and Turkey? After all, it is these nations which are enabling terrorists to persecute minorities, kill Sunni Muslims who are loyal to the government, kill journalists, do daily terrorist acts including car bombings and other brutal realities like beheading people on video.

It should also be stated that much of this funding is coming from within the Gulf region irrespective if state involvement, covert operations, organizations or wealthy individuals. Therefore, will Khatib condemn the brutal forces behind the FSA and various Islamist terrorist organizations in Syria? Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, Prime Minister of Qatar, is demanding "political and material support." However, Qatar is clearly supporting the FSA and various Islamist terrorist organizations through many channels. These Qatari ratlines are killing religious minorities in Syria and how democratic is Qatar?

In the 2010 Human Rights Report about Qatar by the U.S. Department of State, it is stated that "The emir approves or rejects legislation after consultation with the appointed 35-member Advisory Council and cabinet. There are no elections for national leadership, and the law forbids political parties." This clearly highlights the fact that Khatib and everyone connected with the so-called National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, clearly care zilch about democracy and human rights; otherwise they would not have declared this in Qatar.

Likewise, it highlights the complete hypocrisy of Qatar, other Gulf nations which deny any genuine notion of democracy and similarly, this taints the propaganda of Western nations, Turkey and the mass media which "lauds democracy" and "human rights" when it comes to Syria. If any individual desires to claim that religious freedom under Bashar al-Assad and the rights of women, and other important areas, are less than any other Gulf nation then this is a clear lie. Also, in nations like Saudi Arabia not one single non-Muslim place of worship is allowed and apostates to any other faith equates to the death penalty. Therefore, why is it that Gulf nations care about religious freedom and democracy when they all persecute, to various different degrees, at home -- and whereby democracy isn't on the agenda?

This should raise alarm bells because the comment about the rights of all minorities by Khatib just doesn't wash when it comes to the reality of Syria. Religious minorities are not fleeing the Syrian government and the Syrian armed forces. On the contrary, they are fleeing the barbarity of the FSA and various Islamist organizations which are clearly sectarian. Another major participant in the destabilization of Syria is Saudi Arabia. The 2010 Human Rights Report about Saudi Arabia by the U.S. Department of State comments that "…no right to change the government peacefully; torture and physical abuse; poor prison and detention center conditions; arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention; denial of fair and public trials and lack of due process in the judicial system; political prisoners; restrictions on civil liberties such as freedoms of speech (including the Internet), assembly, association, movement, and severe restrictions on religious freedom; and corruption and lack of government transparency.

Violence against women and a lack of equal rights for women, violations of the rights of children, trafficking in persons, and discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, sect, and ethnicity were common. The lack of workers' rights, including the employment sponsorship system, remained a severe problem." Miraculously, Saudi Arabia alongside Qatar and other Gulf nations are now concerned about democracy, human rights and other important issues in Syria -- despite some of these nations supporting the FSA Islamists, sectarianism and terrorism. Also, the very same nations care zilch about democracy at home.

Syria, on the other hand, is a land of mosques and churches and whereby Syrian civilization is cherished. Yet in Saudi Arabia this nation desires to hide much of the non-Muslim civilization which existed before Islam in this country. Likewise, Salafists, which are being supported by dark forces in the Gulf, are also responsible for destroying Sufi shrines in Libya, northern Mali, Somalia, and in other parts of the world. These sinister forces are also intent on destroying non-Muslim holy places and some Islamists in Egypt also desire to destroy the heritage of this nation.

The six Gulf nations have already recognized the new so-called coalition with being the legitimate representative of the people of Syria. True to form, no election took place and it ignores the people of Syria because clearly Bashar al-Assad and the government of Syria are supported by the majority of Syrians. If not, then the government would have collapsed easily just like what happened in Egypt. Also, how can six Gulf nations which have no political legitimacy at home, somehow recognize anything which mildly supports democracy, religious freedom and so forth? It is a charade from head to tail and clearly the same applies to Syrians who visited Qatar. After all, Qatar is supporting terrorism and sectarianism in Syria by its support of the FSA and various Islamist factions.

Hypocrisy also comes in the way of Turkey because Ahmed Davutoglu, Foreign Minister of Turkey, comments that nations internationally no longer had "no excuse any more" but to support the opposition. Of course, the same Erdogan government in Turkey ignores the illegal occupation of northern Cyprus alongside the cleansing of Orthodox Christians and the destruction of many Orthodox Christian churches and monuments. Not only is Turkey occupying northern Cyprus but many Turkish settlers have moved to areas under the control of Turkey. Of course, other important issues in Turkey related to the Kurds, the Alevis and violating the sovereignty of Iraq are also somehow brushed under the carpet.

Therefore, if Khatib doesn't distance the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces from the FSA, Islamist terrorist groups, Gulf nations which are anti-democratic and against religious freedom; then clearly all political objectives are a charade and a farce. Similarly, if the CIA and other covert operatives from France and the United Kingdom are involved in the destabilization of Syria given their past misdeeds -- then Khatib will be nothing more than a "tool" of various dark forces which have created mayhem in Afghanistan, Iraq and now in Syria, unless he cuts all channels.

It is time for the international community to turn away from the usual ratlines and grand propaganda gestures which are not based on reality. One only needs to see daily terrorism and the "failed state domino system" in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya to understand the reality of such outside meddling. Therefore, the first focus must be on stopping the terrorist and sectarian ratlines which are funding the FSA and various other Islamist terrorist organizations. This should be followed by reclaiming Syria for the people of Syria, whereby they need to decide their own future once stabilization returns to this nation.