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SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR Assad has registered to run in next month’s presidential vote, which is expected to return him to power despite the grinding conflict, the parliament speaker announced today.
The election will be Syria’s first multi-candidate presidential vote, after changes to the constitution, but it has already been criticised by the opposition and much of the international community as a “farce”.
The government has not explained how it will hold the vote in a country gripped by a brutal war that has killed more than 150,000 people and left large swathes of territory beyond regime control.
Speaking at a session of parliament, speaker Mohamed al-Lahham read a letter from Assad announcing his candidacy.
“I, citizen Bashar Hafez al-Assad, wish to present my candidacy for the post of president of the republic,” the document said.
A posting on the presidency’s official Facebook page quoted Assad as calling on supporters of different candidates to express themselves through the ballot box.
Those who wish to express their joy and support for any candidate for the presidency should do so in a responsible, patriotic way, first, and secondly, through the ballot box in a timely fashion.
“I call on all Syrian citizens to refrain from firing in the air in joy, whatever the occasion might be, especially as Syria will be having its first election in modern history.”
In Damascus, as children left school, dozens of young girls and boys chanted their approval of his candidacy, shouting “God, Bashar, and that’s all”.
Assad is expected to sail to victory against the six other candidates who have so far announced their runs, one of them a woman.
They are all largely unknown, except for one member of parliament, and it remains unclear how they will angle their campaigns against Assad.
Assad became president after his father Hafez died in 2000 and will be competing in the first multi-candidate elections for the post, after a constitutional amendment did away with a referendum system.
Electoral rules prevent those who have lived outside Syria for the past decade from competing, effectively ruling out participation by the opposition-in-exile.
‘Parody of democracy’
With nearly half the population displaced, inside and outside the country, it is unclear how many Syrians will be able to vote.
The head of the electoral commission also said Monday that Syrians who left the country “illegally” would not be allowed to vote.
Many of the approximately three million Syrians who have fled the country did so through by being smuggled across the border into neighbouring countries, or crossing through rebel-held border posts.
The main opposition National Coalition has criticised the elections as a “farce” and Washington said the vote would be a “parody of democracy”.
Elsewhere in the country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said opposition fighters had announced they would restore electricity to regime-held parts of Aleppo city.
The western part of the city has been without power for more than a week, after the opposition cut high-tension power lines to try to pressure the regime to end aerial raids on the rebel-held east of the city.
But the Observatory, a Britain-based monitor, said Monday that a statement from the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group promised to “restore electricity to all of Aleppo to end the suffering of our people.”
Earlier, the Observatory reported that regime helicopters had dropped barrel bombs on the rebel-held Masaken Hanano district of eastern Aleppo.
Rights group have decried the use of the highly destructive, improvised bombs saying they cause indiscriminate civilian casualties.
The Assad regime has increasingly employed them over rebel-held parts of Aleppo, where fighting between the government and rebels has stepped up in recent weeks.
Hundreds of people, mainly civilians, have been killed in a nearly five-month aerial offensive against Aleppo.
More than 150,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict since March 2011, according to the Observatory.
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Assad day.
No Doubt Honourable Bassar Al Assad will lead in a land slide victory in this upcoming presidential election. Bassar Assad is a true statesman, noble to all his countrymen both Christian and Muslim. He is also diligent suppressor of the EVILS of US and Western backed Imperialism and their proxy terrorist regeime changing poisons that go with it. We wish him the very best in this democratic election.
Thank you Frank!! Sincere and true! Talk to Frank everybody!
There are really no words in the English language strong enough to describe how incredibly horrible your comment is. Singing the praise of a man who has such a fantastic record as shooting, bombing, shelling and possibly even gassing his own people. Many of whom are innocent civilians.
Yet you consider the US, a nation which actually tries to reduce the danger of conflict to innocents, to be an evil regime. The mind well and truly boggles.
U Cleary have no idea what the US have been doin since the invasion of Iraq, can you tell me how many countries in this “free world” of ours do NOT have a Rothschild bank???
And you yourself Jason, an apologist to all those US backed militants that persistently go about ransack Christian villages, slitting throats, and slaughtering anything that gets in their way. Shame on you.
Frank, your talking bollix!
What exactly is a Rothschild bank Larry? Do you mean the few relatively minor funds that still trade under the Rothschild name (in which case lots of countries don’t have them) or are you targeting any bank, which despite being publicly traded, happens to have a Jewish sounding name?
The Rothschild family are bigger players in wine than finance these days, no matter what anti Semites masquerading as concerned conspiracy theorists might have you believe.
Declan Noonan, no doubt you are another US backed FSA Takfiri militant apologist like Jason. We are no longer falling for western propaganda and it’s dirty lies. False flags do not work any more….we are awake…
Re Jason.
You are deluded. Let’s pool internally at the US. The US subjugated it’s own soldiers and civilians to secretary scale chemical testing, nuclear testing and drug testubg. All documented. Yet you say the US tries to protect innocents /civilians.
Let’s look externally. How many innocents have the US protected in their terrorist campaign of using drone strikes. How many women, children killed because they happened to be holding the suspected persons phone. And all these poor souls classed as enemy combatants because they hasten to die within a certain blast radius.
You are either deluded or psychotic Jason for coming out with such a naive statement.
Why don’t you go live there so Frank?
Obvious reasons, as a Christian I would fear for my life from Obama’s knife wielding terrorists also l don’t think it will be too long before Obama drops the big bomb on Damascus.
Praising a man responsible for the destruction of his own people is disgraceful. Bashar al Assad is a tyrant just like his father was.
Re Pat
President Assad is a hero, a true nationalist and defender of his country and people. A man with a backbone and someone who stands for something. Very rare these days.
Playing devils advocate. Why haven’t the Americans gone into Syria to stop the slaughter there ?? Why did they go into Iraq ?? Why not go into North Korea ??
How about the people he killed .. ??? Syrians now are every where around the world. Guess why?
They are all the same: bashar assad – us- all play the same game
Re chara
I think you will find the reason why millions have been displaced both indeed and and outside Syria is down to a few critical issues. Namely among those the reports of Syrian ‘rebels’ killing entire villages of women and children in their cleansing operations. Their abduction of children for use in staged chemical attack videos(Ghouta chemical attack by rebels) and enlisting of children. Their rape of women. There hoarding of goods and basic commodities from civilians. Their implementation of Sharia Law among secular Syrians.
These foreign mercenary jihadists are trained and armed by the West Chara.
He’s keeping the lid on the can of worms.
Oh well. So now bashar is innocent .. Yes he is doing nothing he is just kill who said No for Bashar he is just kill who is SUNNI. Yes well Done.
Horgay, your definition of a hero is quite distorted. Killing your own people does not amount to hero status.
They have the same guy elected all the time we have different ones who do the same all the time.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Armchair ethicists activate
Form of… liberal douchebag
I just can’t trust a man with a moustache that stupid.
Yes, I’d say President Assad will win the elections.
More than 70% of the Syrian population support President Assad, this according to NATO’s own opinion polls, so him having a victory is likely.
I tell you what is a farce, the Syrian opposition calling the elections a ‘farce’. This is from the same opposition who have said they will make Syria an Islamic state what Sharia Law. The opposition has already banned women from driving in previous decrees. There is no way they would let a woman be an election candidate as is happening currently. Anyone who supported the Syrian ‘rebels’ are either bigots or have a total disregard for basic human rights.
The US is in no position to talk about democratic elections. They support the Bahrain regime, Saudi Arabia and haven’t batted an eyelid over the Egyptian situation.
The Syrian Arab Army is to be commended for doing such a great job. It is only through their efforts that such an election can take place.
Here is your beloved SAA at work Horgay – WARNING GRAPHIC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykqs1L4wo3I
Apologies to Journal readers of a sensitive nature but I think its important for Horgay to know who he is supporting, as he seems either naively or wilfiully ignorant to the reality.
To be honest that YouTube video is too difficult to watch. But it doesn’t matter. Horgay, Frank and the other brain dead nutters will claim its a set up.
The reality there Avina, is that this is a captured terrorist and it seems he is receiving retribution for their comrades deaths, many that have also been posted up online, shall we engage in tit for tat postings of such executions, I guarantee you’ll run out pretty fast, there is literally thousands of videos of the likes of the deceased in this video beheading military and civilians alike with blunt blades, and your fully aware of this, so trying to paint the SAA as the only bad guys here, well sinking lower and lower, and no I wouldn’t condemn this at all if family friends or comrades were getting their heads sawed off slowly and videos of it posted online, my boot be the last thing they’d see.
I agree Simon, it is indeed very difficult to watch and there are many others showing atrocities committed by both sides in this conflict going right back to 2011, which is why it annoys the hell out of me to see people like Horgay coming on here and cheerleading for Assad as if he is some sort of shining light for freedom.
I don’t think there’s much support on the Journal for extreme anti-Assad elements (we all know what they’re capable of) but those who support Assad really need to wake up to the brutal reality of what is going on.
Uploaded citizen videos often give a much better indication of the truth of the situation on the ground than the propaganda that one side or another want to spoon feed us with.
Rant over…
Didn’t see your post till after I replied to Simon’s Joe, but I hope I’ve answered your flawed assumption.
Re Avina
It would be great if you would just answer the questions posed instead of changing the topic. The Syrian ‘rebels’ use child soldiers, killed priests and nuns, destroyed churches, beheaded thousands, imposed Sharia Law in their areas of control, stripped rights away for women, gassed innocents using chemical weapons and are so loathed in Syria that almost the entire population has rallied behind President Assad and the Syrian government in an effort to defeat the foreign terrorists masquerading as freedom fighters.
The Syrian Arab Army is to be respected for its valiant efforts. Syria is fighting off a proxy invasion of its country. It’s a war. Not a civil war. There will be casualties. Focusing in on single incidents is a narrow minded approach by you.
Read this to see how the Syrian conflict really started.
After that look up William F Engdahl and see what he has to say on how the conflict started a few days after a pipeline agreement which the West did not wish to see constructed.
They’re just empty words from ya Avina, you’ve consistently enough been an avid supporter of what the US is doing in Syria whether blindly or intentionally, it’s true war is never pretty, but there is every reason to support Assad and the SAA, they represent the Syrian people 90%, the Takfiris are a proxy imperialist militia with no regards for the Syrian people, and not a shred of humanity in them, to try and portray it any other way as you did posting that video is despicable, shill worthy behaviour, shall I start posting the barbaric videos up now?
Lemme ask ye this as well Avina, can you honestly say you believe what is coming out from the BBC and SKY is true?
Joe, you must have missed the bit where I said that propaganda is being widely used by both ‘sides’. Your problem (and Horgay’s) is that you only think that what you hear from western sources is propaganda and you just unquestioningly lap up what you’re spoonfed from SANA or RT (both state controlled media outlets) as you have repeatedly proven with your various posts.
As I said, citizen videos often allow you to see what the authorities on either side don’t want you to see, and I can assure you that what I posted above is not an isolated incident as suggested by Horgay – I have been unfortunate enough to have seen footage of many similar incidents.
Also show me (if you can, which you can’t) where I’ve ever been an “avid supporter of what the US is doing in Syria” – in fact my stance on Syria all along has been to question the precise extent of US involvement in Syria and to look for evidence from those who are claiming that the US are arming islamic jihadist nutjobs when all the evidence is that that element came in from Iraq and brought their weaponry with them.
Just because I oppose the brutality of Assad and support the right of ordinary Syrian people to self-determination doesn’t make me some kind of stars’n'stripes waving neocon warmonger, but you wouldn’t be guilty of such simplified thinking would you?
I have condemned brutality and war crimes on many Syria-related threads regardless of who has committed them, and have no problem continuing to do so. Its just a pity you and Horgay cannot do likewise, but at least Horgay hasn’t said he’d be right in there with them, as you did in your post above.
I can only imagine how different your comments would have been if the perpetrators in the video had been wearing western uniforms.
What a load of bollox Avina, 1st of all your stance has been to question those questioning the narrative at every turn try and debunk those of us who put forward an alternative argument, a quick look back at your posts re Syria will prove that, and by doing this you are de facto supporting the Americans attempt to destroy Syria.
Secondly I don’t put any credibility in any state run or corporate media (BBC, RT, SANA or CNN etc) yes I do watch them not near enough as you would imagine, in fact BBC I watch more regularly than the others.
Thirdly I would gladly stand with any soldier of any army and kick the daylight out of Takfiris, they are in my opinion not human, they should all be exterminated.
You’re absolutely right Joe, many of my posts here are directed at questioning those who come up with an alternative ‘narrative’, but guess what – if they could come up with evidence or proof from credible sources (not including state-controlled propaganda outlets or internet blogs that just parrot what they heard from state-controlled propaganda outlets) I wouldn’t feel the need to ask the questions!
I don’t always agree with the views of people like Mick or Jason but the reality is that at least they’re usually able to back up the claims they make, whereas those promoting an anti-western’ viewpoint (for want of a better word) are frequently unable to answer the difficult questions or provide anything solid to back up some of the more outlandish claims.
Its also been my personal experience that when I dig a little deeper many of the claimed ‘facts’ turn out to be either completely baseless or grossly exaggerated.
So yes, I make no apologies for this and will continue to question the accuracy of certain narratives. All you have to do is provide bona fide evidence and you’ll convince me. Until then you’ll have to live with it.
Oh hold on a sec there, massive contradiction there Avina, you talk about credible news etc from State controlled media and bloggers etc yet Mick consistently uses reports from FOX and Foreignpolicy.com (right wing warmongering mouthpieces that make a mockery of journalism) and Jason rarely posts links at all just his own opinion, and I doubt you even bother to read or watch full links that I have posted before, like this one here http://youtu.be/msA35ATXol8 see I go mainly by eyewitness accounts and in depth analysis of the conflict not the fast food junk news that’s spewed out, and have several Syrian friends, some I knew long before this conflict erupted.
And in your point there the two lads constantly fuhk up their own arguments and get pedantic or just refuse to answer questions put to them so that is also a load if bollox, btw looking for that video you requested earlier re Ukraine will post it up shortly, get ready to try and debunk of rubbish it ;)
Well I certainly wouldn’t class Fox News as a reliable source, but TBH I’ve never seen Mick reference it as a source.
In my experience Jason is usually able to provide bona fide sources when challenged to back up his claims, but hey, what do I know…
Heres the video of the Maidan shootings, its hard to understand but was explained to me that on that map on the right where it says cameraman 2, is where the protestors were advancing from towards the left of the picture where the berkut were positioned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrSfPws7dCU
Joe. I challange you to point out any post that I have used Fox News as a source. Put your money where your mouth is and back up your claim.
A few questions Mick:
Are you really gonna deny ever linking to an article from FOX news?
Do you think I’m really bothered enough to trawl through all thejournals articles to find the posts?
Why would you be ridiculed as a FOX news parrot on previous articles?
Prove it Joe you made the Claim so the onus is on you to provide evidence!!! But by your answer you cant so I am calling you out as a Liar.
Hahaha call me all ther names under the sun, what reason would I have to lie about that, you have linked Fox articles before, fact.
Joe the Liar. Simply because I never have. I gave you the chance to provide proof of your claim you couldn’t and instead of going “sorry my mistake” you try and reinforce the claim. You couldn’t provide any proof when challanged so therefore you are a liar pure and simple. And hence forth will be reference to as Joe the Liar.
Re. your Syria video Joe, I have no reason to doubt the integrity of the lady relating what she had been told whilst in Syria (you called it an ‘eyewitness account’, which it is not), but its quite clear she only heard one side of the story and you’d be incredibly naive to think otherwise – she even begins the piece by stating that they were invited in at the behest of the “Patriarch of Syria” and goes on to say that they met the Prime Minister of Syria whilst there.
You hardly think they were going to hear a neutral unbiased account or be introduced to the victims of the Assad regime on a stage-managed trip like this do you?? Do you expect her hosts to tell her about the shooting of unarmed protesters, the dropping of barrel bombs on civilian areas or the massacre of women and children at Houla etc.??
As I said above I’m well aware that atrocities have been committed by all sides in this conflict and the ordinary Syrian people are now caught between a rock and a hard place. Much of what this lady relates may well be true, but that’s only painting one part of the picture in a complex and brutal conflict.
Re. your second video, I don’t really think it shows anything conclusive – it can’t really be interpreted as protesters being shot in the back unless the viewer is particularly eager to ‘see’ that. This is no ‘smoking gun’ and the thumbs would seem to indicate that most people with an open mind agree.
For the record, I think it can’t be ruled out that some people were killed by armed protesters – we know that there were some protesters armed with pistols and old rifles present at Maidan, as evidenced by clear footage, and the death toll of 13 security forces personnel speaks for itself. If you want to start claiming that they carried out the massacre of upwards of 100 protesters though you first have to explain away the clear footage of armed Berkut firing AK47s and sniper rifles directly at protesters, and the numerous eye-witness accounts (from both protesters and journalists) that testified to the shots being fired from the Berkut lines. Either way, when the dust settles on this I hope a full investigation is carried out and those responsible are brought to justice.
Finally, can you present anything to back up your claim that the US ‘orchestrated a coup’ in Kiev? Do you have any evidence that armed protesters were acting on the instructions of the CIA or anyone else? In the 2011 Tottenham riots in the UK we know that rioters were firing small arms at police, but in the absence of any evidence it would be ridiculous to claim that this was somehow orchestrated by the Kremlin right? Also, you seem to have conveniently forgotten about the Orange Revolution, or do you think this was just a handful of US-sponsored thugs causing trouble too?
ps. As you seem to be so keen on eyewitness reports, I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded of the many eyewitness accounts that testified that the Houla massacre was carried out by Assad’s shabiha as the SAA looked on (and possibly directed proceedings) as detailed in the UN report into the massacre.
Not too long ago this guy was working as a dentist in London, now he’s one of the greatest leaders of the Middle East. Fair play to him.
How about the so called rebels put forward a candidate, the international community monitor the elections and if the people of Syria vote Assad president then the democratic will of the Syrian people has to be respected.
The only reason the rebels and the international community won’t partake in elections is because they know Assad has a comfortable majority in Syria.
Bashar Assad is clearing off his hairy T*ts…
This man is a hero. He has successfully defended his country from a foreign backed insurgency. He’s handled the situation very well, even as the Turks fired into his country and continue to target parts of his country with air strikes. They even planned a false flag operation to start a war with Syria. Don’t forget the sarin attacks, where the evidence points to there rebels. HERO. If I was Syrian I’d support Assad.
Declan Noonan, Jason Culligan, Mick Jordan and all the other Champions of Democracy here, perhaps you would like to check out the McCutcheon vs Federal Election Commission decision in the US Supreme Court then come back to us.
There is no reasoning with those Liberal loons, they obviously get paid to be on sites like this spouting their propaganda nonsense and fail to realise that most of us have had it with the establishments lies. Why else would they seem so deluded? Unless they are genuinely mildly retorted .
@Joe. It’s called freedom of speech. You have the freedom to speak as loud as you want. If you can afford to speak louder then that’s your right. Open your mind.
@Jim. You clearly have no idea what a liberal is. Especially taking in the context of Joe’s quest to understand the recent US Supreme Court decision.
At the very least it’s a step in the right direction, and a woman candidate is also at least a good example to other Middle Eastern countries.
Atrocities on both sides in a bitter civil war. A protracted bloody stalemate and untold suffering for Syrians is what will result if Assad is not forced to step down and peace talks resume.
I wonder if he will win with 150% of the vote.
An Islamic regime showing what is coming Bradford within a generation
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