Methusalista,

Oh, and the chatter on those back-channels probably involves making it clear to Assad that, during any Western attacks on ISIS, he is not to simply leave the West to it while he gets stuck into the various other groups. After all, the West can always simply stop their attacks on ISIS in Syria, and focus on Iraq.

Joe

OZ MEDIA BREAKTHROUGH ON SYRIA: LATELINE TONY JONES INTERVIEWS DR BOUTHAINA SHAABAN, PRESIDENT AL-ASSAD'S KEY ADVISOR

https://candobetter.net/node/4593

Finally the Australian media has shown some professionalism and has asked questions of the 'other side', Syria, instead of simply making it up. And it was Tony Jones of the ABC who courageously led the way on http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2015/s4314916.htm Lateline tonight. President al-Assad's advisor, Dr Bouthaina Shaaban, does an admirable job of clarifying the problem and sorting out priorities. Mr Jones asks questions that reflect Western paranoia, but Shaaban is not diverted from her representation of the needs of the Syrian people. "...Targeting presidents in the Middle East does not aim at presidents. It aims at destroying our country, turning our identity, erasing our cultural heritage, destroying our institution. It is Syria that has been targeted, it is not President Assad. President Assad is standing with his army and people to fight for the unity and territorial integrity of his country and this is what we are doing here." This interview probably comes in the wake of the Russian interview with President Assad republished at https://candobetter.net/node/4592 . Dare we hope that justice might prevail; that some sense of proportion might restore itself in the western world's to date unhealthy interest in 'regime' changes in the Middle East, each of which has been more of a humanitarian disaster than the last? Yes, we dare hope. Thank you Tony Jones.

...

There are many good honest and decent people at the Australian ABC, let's hope Tony Jones is one of them.
Many are held back by agenda of others.

I wonder if there might eventually be Nuremberg-type hearings to find and prosecute those responsible for the worsening death and destruction in Syria consequent to political spin 'news' and inaction to aid the Assad government.

JF Aus,
I doubt if the politics of the ABC will ever change as it is in its DNA.
Let me tell you a story about my son.
The day he started work there a friend told him if he was a liberal
voter to not let on about it if he wanted a career there.

A joke about it was that there were no gays in the closet there as it
was full of Liberal voters.

Bazz, I think change has to occur especially because of social media revealing for example, other views such as OLO's malthusista is bringing into the open.
Fingers crossed anyway, for a peaceful and prosperous future for as many people as possible.

Thank you, JF AUS, Bazz

INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE'S STRIKES [LED BY US, BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA AND FRANCE] IN SYRIA VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW

https://candobetter.net/node/4595

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=68&v=2jzQOfpKBaM

The air strikes carried out by the international alliance against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria "ISIS" terrorist organization in Syria contradict with the international law and don't affect the capability of the terrorist organization, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin said.

What our western partners are doing in Syria is considered a flagrant violation of the international law as they justify their steps by the Article 51 of the UN Charter on the right to self-defense, Churkin said in a press conference in New York Wednesday, adding that they carry out strikes in the territories of a sovereign country without the approval of its government.

...

Damascus says the three countries should stop sending terrorists into Syria if they want to fight terrorism.