Simon Shasha

I have seen a handful of reports about what ISIS has done in regards to my people. What I wish to uncover and show is how the more "moderate rebels", as Western media phrases it, have also done the exact same things to us that ISIS have. That is what I was getting at.

Though I disagree with some parts of the article, i.e. "U.S.-led Western coalition trying to restore stability with an as-yet-unidentified new regime" (that's a nice way of saying "we're trying to overthrow a government and replace it with a government that is favourable to us"), I am glad to see my people's plight get exposure, regardless. 

I never "ranted". In fact, I only mentioned it once...

Regardless, the U.S mainstream media is rubbish. Absolute filth. A morally corrupt conglomerate of six-corporations that control 90% of all news media made in the U.S.A. Complicit for decades with the U.S. military industrial complex and the cronies on Wall Street with whom they share financial. business and social ties.  Any defense you try to mount for it will be in vain to those that are well aware of the lying shit-pile that is the U.S. mainstream media.
Media critic, historian, and Bernie Sanders delegate, Norman Soloman, summed it up well; “One way or another, a military-industrial complex now extends to much of corporate media. In the process, firms with military ties routinely advertise in news outlets. Often, media magnates and people on the boards of large media-related corporations enjoy close links - financial and social - with the military industry and Washington’s foreign-policy establishment.”

It is getting worse, and more concentrated, as time goes on, too. In 1983, 90% of the U.S. mainstream media was owned by 50 companies. Now, that 90% is owned by 6 companies. Four of the top-ten U.S. mainstream media companies have major defense contractors on their boards of directors:
William Kennard: New York Times, Carlyle Group

Douglas Warner III, GE (NBC), Bechtel
John Bryson: Disney (ABC), Boeing
Alwyn Lewis: Disney (ABC), Halliburton
Douglas McCorkindale: Gannett, Lockheed-Martin.
And no, there hasn't been "extensive coverage" regarding Iraqi civilian deaths at the hands of U.S. forces, nor has there been "extensive coverage" or in-depth reporting on the use and abuse of Depleted Uranium used against Iraqi civilians by U.S. and coalition forces. No in-depth reporting, nor war-crimes charges, or anything even remotely close to war-crimes charges, no compensation for the Iraqi civilians (and the majority of U.S. soldiers that loaded Depleted Uranium rounds).

Why has there been no charges? No mass outcry? No major compensation for the victims? Because they great majority of people don't even know about it...
The only organisations that reported in-depth on the use of Depleted Uranium on Iraqi civilians were health organisations and journals, like WHO and The Lancet.
And even then, Hans von Sponeck, a former UN assistant secretary general and UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq (who resigned in protest of U.S.-backed sanctions) said "I saw in Geneva how a WHO mission to conduct on-spot assessments in Basra and southern Iraq, where depleted uranium had led to devastating environmental health problems, was aborted under U.S. political pressure."
Do you think they want the masses to be aware of this? Do you think the six-corporations that own the mainstream media want people to know about this? I'm sure General Electric, which owns COMCAST(NBC, MSNBC, CNBC), and made $11.6 billion in 2012 from military contracts with the U.S. government, wants their viewers to be anti-war. I'm sure General Electric is telling the media companies they own to publish Depleted Uranium stories "extensively"...

"Reported on extensively by the U.S mainstream media" - give me a break. Sorry if this offends you, but that is a rather demeaning remark to say, especially with respect to the victims of Depleted Uranium...
What's "extensive" to you? A few news briefs, a few short-wire stories? I'd say "extensive" is one article a week, no?

The war began in 2003 (though the ramifications still continue until this day), with the U.S. military officially withdrawing on the 18 December, 2011.

That's 8 years and 8 months (448 weeks). Please provide an "extensive" list of coverage. At least 448 articles/news reports published/broadcast by the U.S mainstream media about the use of Depleted Uranium on Iraqi civilians by U.S. and coalition forces. If not, please provide at least half that...

Pointless, anyway. Your mind is made up, as is mine.

I will say this before I leave indefinitely. I do believe there is a media, and journalists, out there that are honorable. That seek the truth. That are not controlled by corporations and boards of directors. They exist, and I know they exist, because they are the small, exceptional, subtle few that did write about Depleted Uranium and Iraqi civilians deaths by means of their own independent ways.  And I think their voices are growing ever stronger and the people are listening ever more intently. In a world where the mass mainstream media has become so concentrated and controlled by the few, whom have the power to influence the many, the rise of independent voices can only be a good thing. Though I supported neither Trump nor Hillary (I supported Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein), the one good thing that has come out of this shit-show of an election is, what seems to be, the beginning of the end of the mainstream media...

Cool, thanks

That's what I'm hearing too, x2.2 crop.

I'm leaning towards the GX85 for run and gun/something to throw in my jacket, or the A6500 (which has been offered to me by Sony Australia at a 30% discount - $1600AUD/$1185USD).

I'm invested in Sony lenses, and have the official Sigma MC-11 to go with my 18-35mm F1.8, as well as Metabones Canon-EF to Sony-E adapter...but man, I'm on the verge of getting rid of everything and grabbing a GX85 + 20mm F1.7.

I wanna go back to basics...ultra basics :P

Cool, thanks

That's what I'm hearing too, x2.2 crop.

I'm leaning towards the GX85 for run and gun/something to throw in my jacket, or the A6500 (which has been offered to me by Sony Australia at a 30% discount - $1600AUD/$1185USD).

I'm invested in Sony lenses, and have the official Sigma MC-11 to go with my 18-35mm F1.8, as well as Metabones Canon-EF to Sony-E adapter...but man, I'm on the verge of getting rid of everything and grabbing a GX85 + 20mm F1.7.

I wanna go back to basics...ultra basics :P

Cool, thanks

That's what I'm hearing too, x2.2 crop.

I'm leaning towards the GX85 for run and gun/something to throw in my jacket, or the A6500 (which has been offered to me by Sony Australia at a 30% discount - $1600AUD/$1185USD).

I'm invested in Sony lenses, and have the official Sigma MC-11 to go with my 18-35mm F1.8, as well as Metabones Canon-EF to Sony-E adapter...but man, I'm on the verge of getting rid of everything and grabbing a GX85 + 20mm F1.7.

I wanna go back to basics...ultra basics :P

Looks pretty good. I was using the Prolost Neutral settings that were popular for Canon DSLRs... for Panasonic maybe it's Prolost Natural...
But basically turn contrast, sharpening and noise reduction all the way down and then saturation half way. I did not touch the curves or iDynamic.
Where did you notice a benefit with iDynamic?
I also started shooting everything at 4400 Kelvin. I found it was a good all around WB number that worked better than AWB, but still gave me the leeway to correct/push either way in post without too much effort.
I've posted this before, but it gives you a quick idea of my results. I colored it with FilmConvert...
I have been going through a lot of my equipment and deciding what to keep and sell. Every time I think I am definitely selling the GX85, I'll pick it up and the floaty image brings me back to it. 
I am primarily a hobbyist with a few short/feature film ideas I'd like to work on in the next year. Each film has its own look and needs, so I have been testing and testing a bunch of cameras. One of my ideas is a B&W project, with my preliminary tests, the GX85's L-Monochrome is excellent... so much so I have ordered the Rokinon 12mm cine lens (I'm done with lens adapters) to give the GX85 one last test to see if it would be a good option for this upcoming project.
Anyway, I love seeing the results the members of the forum are getting with this camera!!!

Back testing profiles, and still not happy with my best effort so far which was
Natural 0, -5, -3, -3, Highlights -3, Shadows +3
and still too contrasty for my taste,
I tried setting iDynamic to Standard rather than Off and was very surprised with the improvement.
I'm sharing this because conventional wisdom is to leave this kind of thing off and someone else might like to try it.
This is NOT interesting video. Just walking around the block, pointing at "difficult" lighting situations...
 

Talk about cherry-picking my words and taking them out of context - I was talking about how there is a sense of awakening in the air regarding the mainstream Western media losing its power and influence.
You don't know me, mate. Drop the condescending attitude.

Talk about cherry-picking my words and taking them out of context - I was talking about how there is a sense of awakening in the air regarding the mainstream Western media losing its power and influence.
You don't know me, mate. Drop the condescending attitude.

I agree wholeheartedly

And I see how my wording may be taken as a generalisation - which I didn't intend, but yes, when I say "Western" and "U.S. led", I do mean the corporate run-and-owned media, and military-industrial-complex influenced governments of the West - not the citizens of the West, nor Western values - which I cherish, personally.

Every so often, I am given hope when I read posts like yours - it reminds me that not everyone has fallen victim to the propaganda the corporate Western media has put out against Syria (and Russia).

Back when the war began, and all these "rebels" from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya, Chechnya, and so on, began flooding into Syria and attacking our towns and villages, I would turn on mainstream Western media, and they were framing it as some sort of popular uprising for democracy. Nobody was saying a word about the Wahhabi and Salafi filth that the Gulf/Turks and NATO had sent our way - and when they did, they would call them "army defectors", "freedom fighters", "rebels fighting for democracy" - nor did they ever say a word about how our country was being punished because our government refused to bend the knee to the Saudi/Qatari/Turkish gas pipeline...

I really thought it was going to be the end of us - I thought that everyone in the West was going to fall for it the way they fell for the whole Iraq WMD lie...

We're still here though. Still holding on...

You know, the second point you made is very important - very crucial. It actually reminded me of an article (http://www.ecowatch.com/syria-another-pipeline-war-1882180532.html) written by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for EcoWatch back in February called "Syria: Another Pipeline War".

He said:

"As we focus on the rise of ISIS and search for the source of the savagery that took so many innocent lives in Paris and San Bernardino, we might want to look beyond the convenient explanations of religion and ideology and focus on the more complex rationales of history and oil, which mostly point the finger of blame for terrorism back at the champions of militarism, imperialism and petroleum here on our own shores.

America's unsavory record of violent interventions in Syria—obscure to the American people yet well known to Syrians—sowed fertile ground for the violent Islamic Jihadism that now complicates any effective response by our government to address the challenge of ISIS. So long as the American public and policymakers are unaware of this past, further interventions are likely to only compound the crisis. Moreover, our enemies delight in our ignorance."
 
Somebody actually emailed me a video today that address that exact article, and how Western mainstream media never gives their audience the important facts or the full-story (in this case, regarding Syria):
 

 
Perhaps the fall of the Clintons, and their neo-con and elitist cohorts and partners in the mainstream media, is the beginning of the end of the mainstream media...

I can't help but feel that there is a sense of awakening in the air - it seems as though the great majority of people do not trust the mainstream media anymore. For me, personally, I couldn't understand how anyone could trust them after the Iraq WMD debacle - not only the lies and manipulation, but the way the mainstream media cheered on and beat the drums of war was disgusting. F**king disgusting.

I'm glad you are a truth seeker, Matt. It is refreshing to see

I am Syrian.

I am Antiochian Orthodox Christian.

I come from a place in Syria called Wadi al Nasara (known in English as the "Valley of the Christians").

I come from a village called "Safita" - about two-hours north of Damascus. I currently reside in Sydney Australia. 99% of my family remains in Syria.

If you are not Syrian, if you have not lived in Syria, if you don't have all your family and friends in Syria, please do not pretend to know about Syria, or talk on behalf of Syria.

I have lost many family and friends in the past few years. All at the hands of the US and NATO's so-called "moderate rebels". The youngest was two-years old - killed, along with her mother, whom was attempting to rock her to sleep, by a "moderate rebel" sniper. Why? Because she was unfortunate enough to be punished and killed for no other reason other than for being born a Syrian Christian.

The Western-backed "democracy loving rebels" destroyed our towns. They desecrated and burnt our churches. They beheaded our priests (two from the village next to mine).

I am doing my absolute best to control myself as I write this. I keep telling myself to back-track. Delete the post entirely. In all serious, what is it going to change? What is going to happen other than having myself, my background, my history, exposed? It will most likely be in vain - most people have been manipulated by Western media for years. My hope is that perhaps one mind could be changed. If that. Regardless, I am absolutely fed up with this diatribe and propaganda that is purported and spurred on by Western exceptionalism at the behest of US/NATO hegemony.

Obama. Clinton. Merkel. Erdogan. All these NATO war-mongers, and their partners in the Gulf, namely Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have armed, trained, and funded these Salafi and Wahhabi proxies militias against us. I blame them personally for this. I blame them for all the family and friends that I have lost.

What's worse, Western media would have you believe that was is happening in Syria is all in the name of "democracy" - that it was some "popular uprising" - when anyone that is Syrian, or has lived in Syria, especially during the war, knows that that is complete rubbish. Regardless, the idea that the West wants democracy anywhere is a joke. Only political romantics that do not understand geo-politics, Western hegemony and realpolitik fall for this.

The West wants democracy in Syria, huh? Even though they partner, arm and train the two most undermocratic governments and armies on Earth - Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Give me a f**king break.
I don't care for Trump. I don't like Trump. I don't have hope for his administration. Personally, I supported Jill Stien. Regardless, anyone that thinks Clinton would have been any better is deluded and ill-educated on her neo-con and neo-liberal history and agenda.

You know what - I'll tell you the real "cruel irony" - the one BBC, CNN, and the rest of the faux news wont tell you - that people who support LGBT rights and women's rights, the people that are against crony capitalism and corruption, the people that are against war, are the same people supporting and protesting for Hillary Clinton - a woman funded by Saudi Arabia and Wall St cronies - whom are the absolute antithesis of everything those people stand for - that is the f**king cruel irony.

And this whole anti-Russian sentiment has reached ridiculous proportions. You know, I got off the phone with my Dad in Syria the other day. He said to me; "If Russia dies, we all die."
If you were a Syrian Christian, or a Syrian that supports secularism, you would know what that means without even needing explanation.

Russia is the only reason Syria hasn't fallen to the proxy armies and militias of NATO and Saudi Arabia. If if wasn't for Russia, there wouldn't be a single Syrian Christian/secular Syrian, left alive.

People want to keep playing this anti-Russia card, fine. Keep believing the same bulls**t media and governments that sold you the Iraq WMD lie. Or the photo-op phony NGO groups like "White Helmets", et al.

Real Syrians know the truth.

The only issue I would take in how you phrase things is using the word "Western" or "US led".  There is no more a coherent western position than there is a coherent Syrian position.  By saying western it sounds to some that you are against 'western' liberalist values such as free speech etc, which I am sure is not the case.   If you were to say "Globalist corporatist factions of the western establishment" or something along those lines, it would help avoid this misconception.
The fact is that these factions are only getting away with this because the corporatist media are brain washing everyone.  They exploit the fact that people understandably have suspision of dictatorial governments, but if the media were honest that western agencies where arming and militarily supporting wahabist islamists (the word extremist is obviously superfluous), and were honest about what these people represent, then more people in western countries would be opposed to it.

I have seen a handful of reports about what ISIS has done in regards to my people. What I wish to uncover and show is how the more "moderate rebels", as Western media phrases it, have also done the exact same things to us that ISIS have. That is what I was getting at.

Though I disagree with some parts of the article, i.e. "U.S.-led Western coalition trying to restore stability with an as-yet-unidentified new regime" (that's a nice way of saying "we're trying to overthrow a government and replace it with a government that is favourable to us"), I am glad to see my people's plight get exposure, regardless. 

It's a shame that Western journalism, especially in the USA, has turned to complete and utter s**t.

The mainstream media isn't really the "Fourth Estate" anymore, nor does it hold or adhere to the "muck racking" ideals that the Fourth Estate was built upon. Rather, it has mutated into nothing more than a public-relations firm - regurgitating and glamouring-up State Department press-releases and political speeches.

I remember when I began my Media Degree at University here in Sydney, the first lecture I attended, the lecturer's opening words were; "The modern mainstream media...is a lie. The Fourth Estate is dead."

It's funny how Australia gave the world that wretched bastard, Rupert Murdoch, however, has also given the world Julian Assange and John Pilger - two great inspirations to me personally - and the future of independent media - how the Fourth Estate was originally intended and meant to be.

I hope to be travelling back to Syria soon to make a documentary about my village/region (Syria's Christians), and how they suffered at the hands of Western-backed "rebels" - something that is never reported on in the West.

I am Syrian.

I am Antiochian Orthodox Christian.

I come from a place in Syria called Wadi al Nasara (known in English as the "Valley of the Christians").

I come from a village called "Safita" - about two-hours north of Damascus. I currently reside in Sydney Australia. 99% of my family remains in Syria.

If you are not Syrian, if you have not lived in Syria, if you don't have all your family and friends in Syria, please do not pretend to know about Syria, or talk on behalf of Syria.

I have lost many family and friends in the past few years. All at the hands of the US and NATO's so-called "moderate rebels". The youngest was two-years old - killed, along with her mother, whom was attempting to rock her to sleep, by a "moderate rebel" sniper. Why? Because she was unfortunate enough to be punished and killed for no other reason other than for being born a Syrian Christian.

The Western-backed "democracy loving rebels" destroyed our towns. They desecrated and burnt our churches. They beheaded our priests (two from the village next to mine).

I am doing my absolute best to control myself as I write this. I keep telling myself to back-track. Delete the post entirely. In all serious, what is it going to change? What is going to happen other than having myself, my background, my history, exposed? It will most likely be in vain - most people have been manipulated by Western media for years. My hope is that perhaps one mind could be changed. If that. Regardless, I am absolutely fed up with this diatribe and propaganda that is purported and spurred on by Western exceptionalism at the behest of US/NATO hegemony.

Obama. Clinton. Merkel. Erdogan. All these NATO war-mongers, and their partners in the Gulf, namely Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have armed, trained, and funded these Salafi and Wahhabi proxies militias against us. I blame them personally for this. I blame them for all the family and friends that I have lost.

What's worse, Western media would have you believe that was is happening in Syria is all in the name of "democracy" - that it was some "popular uprising" - when anyone that is Syrian, or has lived in Syria, especially during the war, knows that that is complete rubbish. Regardless, the idea that the West wants democracy anywhere is a joke. Only political romantics that do not understand geo-politics, Western hegemony and realpolitik fall for this.

The West wants democracy in Syria, huh? Even though they partner, arm and train the two most undermocratic governments and armies on Earth - Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Give me a f**king break.
I don't care for Trump. I don't like Trump. I don't have hope for his administration. Personally, I supported Jill Stien. Regardless, anyone that thinks Clinton would have been any better is deluded and ill-educated on her neo-con and neo-liberal history and agenda.

You know what - I'll tell you the real "cruel irony" - the one BBC, CNN, and the rest of the faux news wont tell you - that people who support LGBT rights and women's rights, the people that are against crony capitalism and corruption, the people that are against war, are the same people supporting and protesting for Hillary Clinton - a woman funded by Saudi Arabia and Wall St cronies - whom are the absolute antithesis of everything those people stand for - that is the f**king cruel irony.

And this whole anti-Russian sentiment has reached ridiculous proportions. You know, I got off the phone with my Dad in Syria the other day. He said to me; "If Russia dies, we all die."
If you were a Syrian Christian, or a Syrian that supports secularism, you would know what that means without even needing explanation.

Russia is the only reason Syria hasn't fallen to the proxy armies and militias of NATO and Saudi Arabia. If if wasn't for Russia, there wouldn't be a single Syrian Christian/secular Syrian, left alive.

People want to keep playing this anti-Russia card, fine. Keep believing the same bulls**t media and governments that sold you the Iraq WMD lie. Or the photo-op phony NGO groups like "White Helmets", et al.

Real Syrians know the truth.

Nobody is happy. As per usual. If people can't make a film with the A6500, they couldn't make it with anything.

Nice  You've probably got more experience than me, then, I'm 31

X-T2 looks great. Colours are awesome. I'm basically in your position - heavily invested in Sony, but tempted by X-T2 - mainly for photography, actually.

I use my Blackmagic Micro setup for more serious shoots/clients - but never for "run and gun" stuff.

I am really liking the image from the GX85. Especially the 5-Axis stabilisation performance, and really good rolling-shutter performance. I'm considering the GX85 with a 20mm F1.7, and Metabones SB for the Canon-EF primes I already own.

I'm not someone that shoots in "no light", so any camera than can handle ISO800 is plenty for me. I have really high hopes for the GH5. Also hoping to see a Blackmagic Pocket Mark II in 2017 

Well, as a U.S. citizen I'm not going to poo-poo implementing our system of government elsewhere.  The players within my system will range from benevolent to malevolent, but the ideas are noble and can overcome the former.  What the U.S. did in the 18th century is a novel modern idea and has worked rather well and remained flexible within the the shifts of the industrial revolution.
Granted, the U.S. is not always about implementing our brand of democracy.  Most often those Americans involved in international politics just want something that gives U.S. businesses some sort of foothold to exploit things. So, yeah, ulterior motives.
Of course, there's an argument I'd make that Western republicanism/democracy as defined by the U.S. constitution and Bill of Rights is a good thing, and those that can adapt to something similar have a real potential for societal advantage. Which I think is true.  It allows liberal freedoms within structure; room for innovative enterprise too.  That's a key component.  I'd submit that certain cultures might even be able to handle it better than the USA.
I don't think it fits everywhere, but neither do dictatorships.
Basically, I'm saying the ideals of my country are kind of cool, so let's not bash the whole system because some people or elements in it suck.

Nice  You've probably got more experience than me, then, I'm 31

X-T2 looks great. Colours are awesome. I'm basically in your position - heavily invested in Sony, but tempted by X-T2 - mainly for photography, actually.

I use my Blackmagic Micro setup for more serious shoots/clients - but never for "run and gun" stuff.

I am really liking the image from the GX85. Especially the 5-Axis stabilisation performance, and really good rolling-shutter performance. I'm considering the GX85 with a 20mm F1.7, and Metabones SB for the Canon-EF primes I already own.

I'm not someone that shoots in "no light", so any camera than can handle ISO800 is plenty for me. I have really high hopes for the GH5. Also hoping to see a Blackmagic Pocket Mark II in 2017 

Nobody is happy. As per usual. If people can't make a film with the A6500, they couldn't make it with anything.

Hi Kisaha,

First let me thank you for the humanity you have shown my fellow Syrians. It is very kind of you, and it is appreciated and remembered, believe me.

I am well versed in the suffering of my fellow Orthodox Christians. In the last century alone, 2Million were killed by the Ottomans, 20Million by Nazi Germany in Russia (half of which were civilian), and now many more in Iraq and Syria at the hands of the Gulf and NATO backed proxies.

I'm sure if we delve deeply enough into history, we will find that every empire has committed atrocities and war-crimes at one time or another.

I would like to note - I do not appreciate Russia's help simply because they are (mainly) an Christian Orthodox nation. Rather, I appreciate their help because they are the only real power that came to our aid when the rest of the Western world and Gulf states sent their Salafi and Wahhabi proxy militias against us under the guise of "democracy".

The West has a well-documented track record of creating failed states.

In the recent past, much of this took place in Africa during European colonialism. So much devastation did the West reap and sow in Africa that we are still seeing the devastating results of European colonialism till this day.

In our current time, the West is still creating failed sates - this is usually done under the guise of "promoting democracy".

These failed states are either resource-rich, or are of geo-strategic importance.

In the case of my country, Syria, the West, and their dictatorship allies in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, want(ed) to build a pipeline from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, through Turkey and on to Europe, in order to cut-off and destroy Russia's dominance of energy supply to Europe.

In other instances, the West will use the excuse of "stabilising" a country that they have purposely "de-stabilised", whether through an engineered colour-revolution or through direct military force, in order to gain a foothold by means of military occupation, new bases, or propping up a government that is favourable to them - what then proceeds is the raping of said country's natural resources.

Here in Sydney, I achieved a Degree in Media from Macquarie University, while my brother achieved an Honours Degree in Political Science and Middle East studies, and Masters in Law from Sydney University. If there is one thing I have learnt in all our study and exchanging of knowledge and books, it is that in the realm of realpolitik, one cannot be influenced strictly by ideology alone, or at all. One must be practical, realistic. Factual. Romantic ideologies, for all their utopian and altruistic beauty, do not, unfortunately, interact well with the stark bleakness of reality and complexities of the real world.

I wish they did, but they don't. 

People tend to forget this - the gritty complexities of the "fog of war". If people want to survive a war, I recommend they check their romanticised ideologies at the door. Believe me. War and politics do not work this way. To paraphrase Norman Finkelstein, the regime of Stalin was brutal, it was not exactly a bed of roses, but who didn't want the Red Army to defeat Nazi Germany? Who didn't cheer on the Red Army's advances on the Führerbunker and Reichstag?

Getting back on track, people so quickly paint Russia as the villain - as if we were in some Cold War era Hollywood red-scare film. But who is the real villain here? It was Cold War-era Secretary of State, James Baker, who said to the Russians that in exchange for cooperation on Germany, the U.S. would make "iron-clad guarantees" that NATO would not expand “one inch eastward.”

And what have we seen? NATO expand eastward. Eastward towards Russia's borders year on year since the end of the Cold War.

The U.S. has 800 US bases in a multitude of foreign countries - with 174 U.S. “base sites” in Germany alone.
You know how many military bases Russia has world-wide? 10.

And Russia is the aggressor?

Did Russia destroy Iraq? No, the U.S and the "Coalition of the Willing" did.

Did Russia destroy Libya? No, NATO did.

Did Russia destroy Syria? No, NATO and the dictators they love selling weapons to in Saudi Arabia and Qatar did.

What I find absolutely most nauseating is this idea many in the West have - this idea of Western Exceptionalism.

In the media, this can be most simply seen with the use of words like "smart bombs", "high precision bombs". The West tries to humanise their bombs. Make them more appealing and humane, thus to distract away from their truly devastating and horrifying nature.

The Western media, governments, and their apologists, would have their audiences believe that their bombs are full of chocolate and roses. They do not talk about the Agent Orange in Vietnam. They do not talk about the White Phosphorus used in Afghanistan and Iraq. Or all the Depleted Uranium they used against Iraqi civilians in Fallujah - which has resulted, not only in countless deaths, but birth defects and mutations which are still being seen till this very day...

No, no, the West is exceptional - their bombs are full of rainbows and butterflies. And "democracy"...

Nobody is happy. As per usual. If people can't make a film with the A6500, they couldn't make it with anything.

I am Syrian.

I am Antiochian Orthodox Christian.

I come from a place in Syria called Wadi al Nasara (known in English as the "Valley of the Christians").

I come from a village called "Safita" - about two-hours north of Damascus. I currently reside in Sydney Australia. 99% of my family remains in Syria.

If you are not Syrian, if you have not lived in Syria, if you don't have all your family and friends in Syria, please do not pretend to know about Syria, or talk on behalf of Syria.

I have lost many family and friends in the past few years. All at the hands of the US and NATO's so-called "moderate rebels". The youngest was two-years old - killed, along with her mother, whom was attempting to rock her to sleep, by a "moderate rebel" sniper. Why? Because she was unfortunate enough to be punished and killed for no other reason other than for being born a Syrian Christian.

The Western-backed "democracy loving rebels" destroyed our towns. They desecrated and burnt our churches. They beheaded our priests (two from the village next to mine).

I am doing my absolute best to control myself as I write this. I keep telling myself to back-track. Delete the post entirely. In all serious, what is it going to change? What is going to happen other than having myself, my background, my history, exposed? It will most likely be in vain - most people have been manipulated by Western media for years. My hope is that perhaps one mind could be changed. If that. Regardless, I am absolutely fed up with this diatribe and propaganda that is purported and spurred on by Western exceptionalism at the behest of US/NATO hegemony.

Obama. Clinton. Merkel. Erdogan. All these NATO war-mongers, and their partners in the Gulf, namely Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have armed, trained, and funded these Salafi and Wahhabi proxies militias against us. I blame them personally for this. I blame them for all the family and friends that I have lost.

What's worse, Western media would have you believe that was is happening in Syria is all in the name of "democracy" - that it was some "popular uprising" - when anyone that is Syrian, or has lived in Syria, especially during the war, knows that that is complete rubbish. Regardless, the idea that the West wants democracy anywhere is a joke. Only political romantics that do not understand geo-politics, Western hegemony and realpolitik fall for this.

The West wants democracy in Syria, huh? Even though they partner, arm and train the two most undermocratic governments and armies on Earth - Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Give me a f**king break.
I don't care for Trump. I don't like Trump. I don't have hope for his administration. Personally, I supported Jill Stien. Regardless, anyone that thinks Clinton would have been any better is deluded and ill-educated on her neo-con and neo-liberal history and agenda.

You know what - I'll tell you the real "cruel irony" - the one BBC, CNN, and the rest of the faux news wont tell you - that people who support LGBT rights and women's rights, the people that are against crony capitalism and corruption, the people that are against war, are the same people supporting and protesting for Hillary Clinton - a woman funded by Saudi Arabia and Wall St cronies - whom are the absolute antithesis of everything those people stand for - that is the f**king cruel irony.

And this whole anti-Russian sentiment has reached ridiculous proportions. You know, I got off the phone with my Dad in Syria the other day. He said to me; "If Russia dies, we all die."
If you were a Syrian Christian, or a Syrian that supports secularism, you would know what that means without even needing explanation.

Russia is the only reason Syria hasn't fallen to the proxy armies and militias of NATO and Saudi Arabia. If if wasn't for Russia, there wouldn't be a single Syrian Christian/secular Syrian, left alive.

People want to keep playing this anti-Russia card, fine. Keep believing the same bulls**t media and governments that sold you the Iraq WMD lie. Or the photo-op phony NGO groups like "White Helmets", et al.

Real Syrians know the truth.

I am Syrian.

I am Antiochian Orthodox Christian.

I come from a place in Syria called Wadi al Nasara (known in English as the "Valley of the Christians").

I come from a village called "Safita" - about two-hours north of Damascus. I currently reside in Sydney Australia. 99% of my family remains in Syria.

If you are not Syrian, if you have not lived in Syria, if you don't have all your family and friends in Syria, please do not pretend to know about Syria, or talk on behalf of Syria.

I have lost many family and friends in the past few years. All at the hands of the US and NATO's so-called "moderate rebels". The youngest was two-years old - killed, along with her mother, whom was attempting to rock her to sleep, by a "moderate rebel" sniper. Why? Because she was unfortunate enough to be punished and killed for no other reason other than for being born a Syrian Christian.

The Western-backed "democracy loving rebels" destroyed our towns. They desecrated and burnt our churches. They beheaded our priests (two from the village next to mine).

I am doing my absolute best to control myself as I write this. I keep telling myself to back-track. Delete the post entirely. In all serious, what is it going to change? What is going to happen other than having myself, my background, my history, exposed? It will most likely be in vain - most people have been manipulated by Western media for years. My hope is that perhaps one mind could be changed. If that. Regardless, I am absolutely fed up with this diatribe and propaganda that is purported and spurred on by Western exceptionalism at the behest of US/NATO hegemony.

Obama. Clinton. Merkel. Erdogan. All these NATO war-mongers, and their partners in the Gulf, namely Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have armed, trained, and funded these Salafi and Wahhabi proxies militias against us. I blame them personally for this. I blame them for all the family and friends that I have lost.

What's worse, Western media would have you believe that was is happening in Syria is all in the name of "democracy" - that it was some "popular uprising" - when anyone that is Syrian, or has lived in Syria, especially during the war, knows that that is complete rubbish. Regardless, the idea that the West wants democracy anywhere is a joke. Only political romantics that do not understand geo-politics, Western hegemony and realpolitik fall for this.

The West wants democracy in Syria, huh? Even though they partner, arm and train the two most undermocratic governments and armies on Earth - Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Give me a f**king break.
I don't care for Trump. I don't like Trump. I don't have hope for his administration. Personally, I supported Jill Stien. Regardless, anyone that thinks Clinton would have been any better is deluded and ill-educated on her neo-con and neo-liberal history and agenda.

You know what - I'll tell you the real "cruel irony" - the one BBC, CNN, and the rest of the faux news wont tell you - that people who support LGBT rights and women's rights, the people that are against crony capitalism and corruption, the people that are against war, are the same people supporting and protesting for Hillary Clinton - a woman funded by Saudi Arabia and Wall St cronies - whom are the absolute antithesis of everything those people stand for - that is the f**king cruel irony.

And this whole anti-Russian sentiment has reached ridiculous proportions. You know, I got off the phone with my Dad in Syria the other day. He said to me; "If Russia dies, we all die."
If you were a Syrian Christian, or a Syrian that supports secularism, you would know what that means without even needing explanation.

Russia is the only reason Syria hasn't fallen to the proxy armies and militias of NATO and Saudi Arabia. If if wasn't for Russia, there wouldn't be a single Syrian Christian/secular Syrian, left alive.

People want to keep playing this anti-Russia card, fine. Keep believing the same bulls**t media and governments that sold you the Iraq WMD lie. Or the photo-op phony NGO groups like "White Helmets", et al.

Real Syrians know the truth.

I am Syrian.

I am Antiochian Orthodox Christian.

I come from a place in Syria called Wadi al Nasara (known in English as the "Valley of the Christians").

I come from a village called "Safita" - about two-hours north of Damascus. I currently reside in Sydney Australia. 99% of my family remains in Syria.

If you are not Syrian, if you have not lived in Syria, if you don't have all your family and friends in Syria, please do not pretend to know about Syria, or talk on behalf of Syria.

I have lost many family and friends in the past few years. All at the hands of the US and NATO's so-called "moderate rebels". The youngest was two-years old - killed, along with her mother, whom was attempting to rock her to sleep, by a "moderate rebel" sniper. Why? Because she was unfortunate enough to be punished and killed for no other reason other than for being born a Syrian Christian.

The Western-backed "democracy loving rebels" destroyed our towns. They desecrated and burnt our churches. They beheaded our priests (two from the village next to mine).

I am doing my absolute best to control myself as I write this. I keep telling myself to back-track. Delete the post entirely. In all serious, what is it going to change? What is going to happen other than having myself, my background, my history, exposed? It will most likely be in vain - most people have been manipulated by Western media for years. My hope is that perhaps one mind could be changed. If that. Regardless, I am absolutely fed up with this diatribe and propaganda that is purported and spurred on by Western exceptionalism at the behest of US/NATO hegemony.

Obama. Clinton. Merkel. Erdogan. All these NATO war-mongers, and their partners in the Gulf, namely Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have armed, trained, and funded these Salafi and Wahhabi proxies militias against us. I blame them personally for this. I blame them for all the family and friends that I have lost.

What's worse, Western media would have you believe that was is happening in Syria is all in the name of "democracy" - that it was some "popular uprising" - when anyone that is Syrian, or has lived in Syria, especially during the war, knows that that is complete rubbish. Regardless, the idea that the West wants democracy anywhere is a joke. Only political romantics that do not understand geo-politics, Western hegemony and realpolitik fall for this.

The West wants democracy in Syria, huh? Even though they partner, arm and train the two most undermocratic governments and armies on Earth - Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Give me a f**king break.
I don't care for Trump. I don't like Trump. I don't have hope for his administration. Personally, I supported Jill Stien. Regardless, anyone that thinks Clinton would have been any better is deluded and ill-educated on her neo-con and neo-liberal history and agenda.

You know what - I'll tell you the real "cruel irony" - the one BBC, CNN, and the rest of the faux news wont tell you - that people who support LGBT rights and women's rights, the people that are against crony capitalism and corruption, the people that are against war, are the same people supporting and protesting for Hillary Clinton - a woman funded by Saudi Arabia and Wall St cronies - whom are the absolute antithesis of everything those people stand for - that is the f**king cruel irony.

And this whole anti-Russian sentiment has reached ridiculous proportions. You know, I got off the phone with my Dad in Syria the other day. He said to me; "If Russia dies, we all die."
If you were a Syrian Christian, or a Syrian that supports secularism, you would know what that means without even needing explanation.

Russia is the only reason Syria hasn't fallen to the proxy armies and militias of NATO and Saudi Arabia. If if wasn't for Russia, there wouldn't be a single Syrian Christian/secular Syrian, left alive.

People want to keep playing this anti-Russia card, fine. Keep believing the same bulls**t media and governments that sold you the Iraq WMD lie. Or the photo-op phony NGO groups like "White Helmets", et al.

Real Syrians know the truth.