A Straight Simple Question

Another massacre. This time in Daraya, Damascus. At least two hundred martyrs, killed on the streets while running away, killed sitting behind the steering wheel, countless dead bodies whereever you look.

No, there aren't any words to lose about that because no words appear in the meantime more honest than the usual empty-felt phrases of deep concernment, consternation, dismay, sadness, shock.

All those five words have a same meaning in German: Betroffenheit. Always I hear it here from our representatives I've got the strong feeling that they only want to cover teir helplessness.

I've full understanding for the Syrians all over the world complaining about the inactivity resulting from the felt helplessness nearly resigning to beg for international help. Until today the cries for help obviously didn't reach the global powerful who became astonishingly active helping to topple one dictator - Ghaddafi - but hesitating rigorously in the case of toppling the other dictator - Assad.

So let me try to put in in my own words to demand global support:

To the international community's representatives,

I'm addressing myself to you both as a European citizen not directly being affected from the violent occurences in Syria and as a human directly being affected from the violent occurences in Syria calling many Syrians my friends and all Syrians my human being fellows.

Since nearly one and a half years I'm witnessing abnormous crimes against humanity committed by a meanwhile illegitimate regime and I'm asking you straight forward what you're gonna do to stop the ongoing bloodshed.

The number of martyrs increased from massacre to massacre and the total amount of victims is exponentially growing. All I witnessed regarding token actions from your side was to impose sanctions, the most effective of all of your efforts, to found contact groups, to launch task forces and to hold crisis conferences after sending different monitors' missions.

So what you're gonna do as next?

Please explain to me your next steps how to stop effectively the murder machine in Syria. In the case you aren't able to explain it to me because you don't even have a plan or an idea of it then tell it also straight forward. That would give me the chance to ask further why you don't have a plan or idea and where it might lack of.

In both cases I like you to explain me the actual situation in words I'm able to understand. So please do not use the usual common grounds you spread in your speeches referring to less dramatic incidents.

As a citizen being part of the democratical process electing you as representatives and most of all as a human being I'm exercising my right of becoming informed. I'm no longer satisfied with the typical Betroffenheit and all the related gestures not really expressing growing trust in you and your actions.

All I do is to ask you a straight simple question expecting a simple straight answer.

Defending The Honor, Avoiding The Myth

It began anew to rain. Somewhere above the massive buildings whose arcades offered me shelter a gap of clear blue sky opened the evening sun a gate to shine on the shower illuminating the streams of water drops in the air. I took place on the flat stairs waiting for the next dry moments.

A long enduring night before stuck into my bones celebrating a birthday party together with a handful of Saxons. We, the locals, had to kind of defend our honor as to celebrate solid as rock. Not in that adrenaline driven teen mode. No. It was only about natural given rivalry: Both, Bavaria and Saxonia are free states possessing more autonomy than ordinary federal states. But hey, we're the top dogs. No way a Saxon tumbles after me.

We used the time also getting to know each other. Finding out the similarities. The differences. Suddenly in between the conversation the classic nasty stereotype appeared. Before I'm figuring out what exactly he said I like to remark that the guy was all in all an average dude equipped with compassion, understanding and awareness. The more I was surprised that he tried to sell me the foreigners-are-responsible-for-the-misery myth. Not joking.

So how do you avoid counterarguing using another myth? Not as easy, the seduction of generalizing our East German fellows as prone to ethnocentric behavior patterns is not to underestimate. Especially if the discussion becomes emotional. I tried to teach him carefully the look from above analyzing the whole situation so that he could empathize the wrong conclusion of a true grievance. It's our system which is vulnerable becoming exploited by each and everyone no matter of being a native or a foreign national. So why not remembering those being responsible to make decisions that they have to do something against that? Abiding the wet, of course. Our representatives, exactly!

Another way of describing democracy is labelling it as permanent under construction. Autocratic and repressive systems have abolished the natural percentage of doubt keeping the laws and rules alive. In autocratic leaderships those laws become cemented for eternity (in general the period a dictatorial regime survives before becoming toppled, replaced or cracking itself down). Permanently working on the improving of the mechanisms being also able to admit faults and wrong perspectives is nothing else but the necessary flexibility to uphold the democratical consensus. But instead we tend unfortunately to play the blame game pointing the finger to each other.

The rest of the night we rocked and celebrated the birthday of our guest host with the result that I sat down on the stairs a bit dizzy waiting that the rain would stop at least for ten minutes, that was the estimated time I would need to reach the appartment of my buddy who's on vacation allowing me to use his flat for this time. Lucky me. I was more than fifteen miles away from my home and not in the mood reverting to the public transportation system. My bike parked already there, I took the chance to visit another mate running an oriental fast food and shisha bar in the city to hand him out some flyers for a certain event, I promised him.

So we sat on the table having a relaxed chat when suddenly our attention was attracted by two young troublemakers, each one carrying a bottle of beer in his hand, molesting a Muslima with the question why she's wearing a Niqab. One of them thied to grab for the scared woman's shoulder as the most men sitting around jumped up making the guys clear that they immediately have to stop offending the woman.

My mate was also among the group showing civil courage by defending the woman impassionately telling the two drunken bullies with the Russian accent - probably Wolga Germans, got a lot of them here in the South - that their disrespectful behavior's not tolerated. In the meantime I stood also behind my mate's buddies, they were seven against two, attentively monitoring the events. Short before it came to a palpability the bigger one of both became reasonable pulling his friend back.

The next myth popped up in my brain: the typical-behavior-for-that-ethnic-group myth. Like a giant puddle it lays in front of our feet waiting that in a moment of not-reflecting we will trap in. But wait, wasn't that the myth I mentioned earlier being avoided? Of course. East Germans are latent ethnocentrists. Wolga Germans are fascist bullies. Bavarians are alcoholics. Women are these. Men are that. Nonsense. All statements are pure bullshit. The myth of generalization is buzzing around our heads like a moth around a lantern. It takes an amount of concentration to avoid it, especially the more emotional experiences and discussions become.

Besides displaying civil courage the men also defended the woman's honor in that moment by the way. Another myth? No. Just a small misunderstanding, that's all. In our Western culture of equality defending a woman's honor could become misinterpreted as a relict from paternalistic times. Defending the fellow human being's honor or more simply said defending the fellow human being might sound a bit more - equalized. But let's not forget that our way of life isn't a solution of striking simplicity. Especially when it concerns the familiar and the tribal aspects. So seen me and my fellows are also to be regarded as rural defending our honor as Made in Munich Bavarians being proud of our roots and our affiliation.

The rain slowly stopped and the next limited period of dry weather conditions started. I rabbed my backpack, stood up and left the stairs under the jutty ready to move on before the next wave of summer shower gained on me ..

The Art Of Constantly Scrutinizing

When I studied attentively Mahmoud Salem's excellent read http://thedailynewsegypt.com/2012/08/21/reconciliation/ which deals about the actual situation in Egypt after the Jan25 revolution I remembered an online discussion taken place approximately one year ago. Topic was the definition of democratic behavior during a revolution to install that what we generally understand as democracy. We figured out that democracy in our modern context is more a red line than a cemented dogma: the ability to ask yourself permanently if the decisions token are right or not.

That's what differs democracy from totalitarian systems crucially. The oppressive mode doesn't allow critical queries. The decisions of the ruling elements are sacrosanct, the slightest touch of doubt will be regarded as undercutting the correctness, as infiltrating, as act of hostility, as high treason.

But it's not only the totalitarianism in our political life threatening the expansion of democratic awareness. The devil's in the details of our being, our environment as well as our own existence. In the worst case we're fighting against injustice becoming ourselves unjust without realizing it.

It's not the point that the dissidents have to question themselves being dissidents. It's about the art of constantly scrutinizing the ways and methods to reach the desired goals. Self-criticism is a necessary tool and not a taboo theme. And it's by the way something the totalitarian counterparts aren't capable of.

Remarkable that the regimes tend to defend themselves with a strategy blaming the revolutionary forces for faults they committed (happens, we're all human beings and therefore all but perfect) standing objectively regarded in absolute no relation to the regime's faults (I know, a euphemism in that case). The regimers are pointing with the finger on it shouting out loud: 'Ha! Crimes against humanity! They're not better than us!' but when it comes to an examination in the revolutionary forces' own rows admitting that something like that happened and taking measures to prevent in common similar occurrences the regimers become suddenly deaf, dumb and blind. That's the way they defend their delusions: Infiltrators, terrorists, foreign conspiracists, drug addicts - the spectrum of simple explanations is sarcastically said pittoresque.

Admitting own faults is not a sign of weakness the regimers want to make us believe. It's a sign of strength.

From Doves And Falcons - Entering Kafka

Maybe I‘m not the only one asking myself in the meantime the percentage relation between the dove and the falcon in each one of us. I mean all those of us starting witnessing, supporting, experiencing a peaceful uprising in the beginning getting meanwhile out of control thanks to the berserk going regime bunch. I guess we all began following the increasing crowd of chanting protesters through the dove‘s view: enlightened by the spark of the people‘s will for change in the MENA region we believed in the power of non-violent resistance calculating more or less with a few victims in the own rows.

A few. Regarding that now under the circumstance that this year‘s murdered civilians during the Ramadan was more than eight (!!) times higher than last year it appears in a moment of bitterness naive and ridiculous.

So how influential has become the falcon in us after nearly one and a half years frustration and disappointment facing the avalanche of diplomatical desasters and political failures? In my case I honestly admit that the bird of prey in me has become very influential. My full loyalty is with the revolutionary forces, the freedom fighters, the FSA. Well, nobody is as perfect as a Manichean mind desires, there‘s always a variety of greytones, of course it‘s not per se excluded that actions or reactions might happen not according with the military codex or the Geneva conventions. But to throw the few crimes the revolutionary forces‘ branches are responsible for into the same-size scale like the crimes the regime and its‘ cronies are responsible for, sorry, that comparison is a joke. A disgraceful joke considering especially the child martyrs tortured slowly and icecold to death. Alright, under that aspect I‘m a falcon, yes.

Does that mean that all my reflections about non-violent resistance are worthless now?

I believe not. Because my heart still beats faster watching a fresh uploaded video of anti-regime protesters raising their voices but not any arms. The difference is: I became that falcon as a natural given reaction witnessing the increasingly cruel violence.

This regime simply has to become removed. And it will become removed. There is no space for dialog after all what happened. In seventeen months the regime has slammed practically all doors the world‘s powerful opened. Instead of admitting that the international diplomacy‘s the hardest part and that no one has to expect miracles this extraordinary league of gentle but ineffective negotiators we experienced in the case of Syria is still trying to sell the global spectators their suggestions as successful business.

Well, it might perhaps stop one day the bloodshed but this will be the day

1) the head of the regime becomes annoyed of the daily killing spree (quite impossible),

2) the head of the regime dies a natural death (might take a very long time in the worst case until that happens)

or

3) there are no civilians left to kill (if the exponential increasing martyrs‘ count continues that moment might come in a future not as far apart).

Truly, only a very small number among us had expected that it takes as long as it is today. For sure we were a bit blue-eyed in the beginning, believing in a certain attitude the regime top had to possess in our point of view: insight. But, oops, wrong horse. Until today the clan and the responsibles for the one-sided war on the own civil population aren‘t showing the slightest touch of insight being confronted with the abnormous crimes against humanity they‘re responsible for. They‘re hiding themselves in a jungle of myths and conspiracy theories neglecting totally the thousands over thousands of tragedies they caused. That‘s why they have to be stopped. That‘s why they have to be removed. They are natural born falcons with all the bad habits we‘re able to imagine.

What brings us back to the origin thought of this post, the question how many falcon a dove has to handle still being a dove. To answer that let‘s leave the path of the Aesopian tale.

Entering Kafka.

According to the circumstances part of the doves has become falcons after an increasing part of falcons discovered the doves inside themselves (the growing amount of defectors from the regime army). Both are acting

1) to protect the doves from the merciless regime falcons and

2) to undermine the territorial influence of the regime falcons - even by attacking them well-coordinated guerilla-style (due to the lack of their ammunition).

The regime itself sees only falcons, result of their own conspiracy myths. Foreign falcons, jihadi falcons, whatever falcons, potential common falcons, they all have to be eliminated, without exception, just to make sure that it works the regime hires above all the crème de la crème of the most disgusting mercenaries, preferred from the Iranian regime and the Hezbollah.

And the kafkaesque UN? Adapts almost obviously the regime‘s view offering it the global public as concerns. As worries. As stuff which has to be discussed extendedly as if a cease-fire has become reality and everyone has all the time in the world to decide what might happen as next.

The problem is there is no cease-fire. The regime is willing to crackdown the justified uprising and the revolutionaries; the free Syrians, the civilians are no longer willing to let themselves slaughter like sheep.

The refugees need urgently space inside the country to get humanitarian and medical aid. Freed zones have to be created, as long as it‘s required declared as no-fly zones to prevent the civil population from helicopter gunship or jet fighter attacks. Besieged areas have to be liberated to grant the inhabitants staying there access to food and fresh water. These and all the other measures to defend successfully gained liberated territory won‘t get realized through five o‘clock tea small talks, nope. And the free Syrians won‘t for sure follow the advice ,Stay as doves, let yourself slaughter, maybe two or three years more, can‘t predict, thumbs up‘. 

No. Better becoming falcons when it‘s necessary turning back into doves when it‘s over. That‘s the quest. Believe me, I‘m glad when it‘s done but until then I‘ll stay solid as a rock together with all those also becoming falcons because the world refused to help the doves.

„You‘re not a falcon.“ - „But yes, I am!“ - „Forget it. No way.“ - „So why?“ - „Ducks are no falcons.“

Opinion: Back To Start Or The Art Of Bullshitting

After endless seeming months of enduring Kofi Annan's exercises in helplessness regarding the advice-resistent Assad regime a new player's entering the diplomatical stage.

The first obvious sign raising scepticism was Lakhdar Brahimi being extraordinary affectional welcomed by the Russian and the Chinese governments. Were they the whole time dissatisfied with Annan and if yes, why haven't they said a word? Instead of displacing him at the right time (in my opinion latest after the insight that not a single one of his six points was accepted by the regime, better said after approximately one week) the whole world witnessed over months the inglorious fail of international diplomacy in person of Kofi A. Exceptional appreciation of an old man, really (care: contents sarcasm!).

And now Brahimi's taking up the cudgels for Bashar & Co beginning anew as if seventeen months of crimes against humanity committed by a regime which has lost legitimacy to rule a very long time ago never took place. A slap in the face of each free Syrian who has lost a beloved family member, a friend, a compagnon thanks to the shabeeha's indiscriminate violence.

But before I'm wasting too much energy in ranting decide to smile whispering 'Thank you'  because this UN body exposed itself as an organization ruled by fundamentalist leftist blockheads leaving the 'small majority' not the slightest chance of deciding in favor of the freedom striving Syrian people.

Therefore I'm glad that the free Syrians decided not to listen any longer to empty promises and false hopes spread from the dirty diplomacy.

'God helps those who help themselves' becomes replaced by 'God frees those who free themselves'. Anyway, Mr Annan, Mr Brahimi or whoever might follow the footsteps of failure, go on, have a drink, have a chat with the inhuman dictator, smile if the cameras are there, but please don't harass us any longer that you're really interested in solving the conflict and ending the bloodshed. The freedom striving Syrians and their real friends are tired of international hypocrisy.

The Curious Case Of Michel Samaha

A former information minister was arrested under terror suspicion smuggling explosive materials into Lebanon to commit bombings hitting the Syrian revolution as such.

In Hassan Nasrallah's Lebanon news like that doesn't appear unusual at the first glance, the Hezbollah is known for its' close relation to the Assad regime. The arrested is a Christian, known as loyal to the Baathist apparatus and it seems the explosives found could be the same type used in earlier bombings on Lebanese ground.

Disregarding the circumstance that Michel Samaha's behavior is not in accordance with the moral codex of Christianity his confessions planning the assaults in the generally Sunni dominated North of the country letting it appear as a terror act obviously Muslim extremists are responsible for widens the whole plot into new dimensions especially relating to the Lebanese-Syrian relations. It looks that the covering of Samaha's activities together with a high ranking Syrian head of intelligence and other co-perpetrators could be the top of an iceberg called proof that the Syrian regime is directly linked to former assaults on the Southwestern neighbor's territory. So the Lebanese themselves might be the ones mostly irritated about this plot turning definitely off the pro-regimers' coalition including the Hezbollah if proven true.

Until Samaha's arrest everything went well viewed through the Syrian regime's glasses: Besides the Eastern ally and big player in the Arab region, Iran, the dominating influence of the Baath party seemed cemented. But this as almost natural given regarded liaison will become becomes deep cracks if the Lebanese society's becoming aware of being simply Bashar's backyard.

The last remaining questions are what has driven Michel Samaha to confess amongst others the planned assassination of a spiritual leader of the Maronites? Was he really overwhelmed by remorse? Or did he felt that Assad's close allies are also part of the sinking boat?

The impact of the discovered plot is strong enough to reduce mid-termed the silencing or indirect support of the Lebanese pro-Assad faction exposing them as a minority of hardliners betting on the losing horse. The info war jungle around the Syrian regime and its' allies has made the most among the pro-revolution supporters becoming cautious jumping to conclusions but this might perhaps really be the beginning of a paradigm shift in the Lebanese-Syrian relations ..

Articles related to this post:

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/49716-samaha-referred-to-military-tribunal-over-bombings-plot 

http://english.alarabiya.net/views/2012/08/11/231614.html

http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/angry-corner/michel-samaha-affair 

Closing A Gap

With what we‘re busy at the moment?

Witnessing tragedies, yes.

Examining uploaded videos.

Analyzing reports and comments, that also.

Recording regime crimes,
demanding justice,
crying together with the Syrians inside for international help,
being diplomatically said disappointed by the United Nations‘ inflexibility,
defending the honorable acting part of the Syrian freedom fighters (I‘m absolutely convinced that those are represented in an enormous high percentage),
getting bored of endless desastrous mou‘amara myths,
grumbling over the the political wing of the revolutionary forces -

hold on, what?

In fact, the coverage of the political activities around the Syrian National Congress is rare in comparison to the alltime present revolutionary forces on the ground, the chanting protesters' masses and the recorded eye witnesses among the civilians.

Could it have something to do that it lacks personalities like Ali Abdussalam Tarhouni, Mahmoud Jibril and Mustafa Abdul Jalil? Being themselves not above all criticism but they appeared as kind of glue to keep on the political sector as guiding representants until the successful end of the uprising against the tyrant diva Ghaddafi.

,We cannot create them out of the blue,‘

I tend to hear but I do not second that.

Because I believe in the power of attraction if enough people try to work hard and consequently on creating, proving and defending the desired manifestation. It doesn‘t depend on the person. If he or she‘s already there or not is not the question the free Syrians have to ask themselves. All everyone has to do is to answer him- or herself honestly crucial questions like

„Which qualities must own the person representing the political top of the revolution during the stage of liberation (and in the best case for the time after the successful end)?“

„Could this person be among the actual defectors?“

„Could this person be among those still backing the pro-regimers but having no blood sticking on their hands (chances to find them becoming from day to day fewer)?“

„How important is the person‘s awareness of the responsibility as representative of the free Syrian people (you know why I‘m asking that? There exist from time to time some humans being able simply to do the right thing but they could not describe how they gonna do that)?“

The path of manifesting is entered. The questions will become more detailled the more often the free Syrians confront themselves with that powerful imagination. See, the global powers, better said their players, are sitting in the meantime around the oak tables thinking themselves about that. And before they might present an own manifestation in form of a leader figure representing their views the Syrians should be prepared to answer with their own views and the God given right to become successful. Because it‘s their country.

Hussam Eddine Armazani - A Tribute

He studied medical science in the fourth year in Germany. His heart was in Syria, was with his fellows, with the freedom movement.

 

He witnessed the global inability to guarantee any kind of protection for the people inside. So he decided to give up the safety he lived in to fight for his brothers and sisters. He went to Aleppo to join the Free Syrian Army becoming a freedom fighter.

He knew about the risks he'd been taken to prevent the people of the bloodshed the regime's responsible for.

He made a decision.

 

Hussam Eddine Armazani is one of so many martyrs fighting for a better future. A future without random violence against civilians, without detained and slaughtered minors, without an autocratic apparatus allowing only the elites and their cronies a prosperous life.

Representative for all those being killed trying to liberate their home from the repressive tyranny:

Hussam, you will be never forgotten. Your courage deserves to be honored and remenbered.

To The Highest Heaven.

About The Misinterpretation Of Faith

I'm a believer. I confess myself to the Divine principles, to the three holy books of Monotheism, to the spirit of reformation in general and to humanism in special.

I'm not a role model of a believer. I'm not perfect. I'm striving. Every day, every second. Trying to adapt the Divine recommendations for a fulfilled life on earth - due to the temporary existence in this body.

So if I would wear a frontlet with the inscription 'The Lord Is My Shepherd' defending my family, my fellows, my ground, my home, all what is worth to defend and even to die for against a real ugly enemy most people might think for themselves watching that: Tough guy, fighting with God by his side. A few might see in me a religious weirdo.

But almost no one might see in me a potential extremist agitating under a spiritual umbrella. OK, waving a huge banner 'Death To All Who Won't Follow My Faith!' written on it the reactions from the outer sphere would become increasingly sceptical up to alarming, yes. But I'm not waving a banner like that.

The freedom fighters and FSA soldiers are besides their destination as defenders of the Syrian people human beings like you and me, they believe in the words of the Prophet Mohammed - Peace Be Upon Him - worshipping God also by praising His name. The name of Allah appears in the Arabic language very often, in connection with adresses of welcome, greetings, congratulations as well as in situations the people are searching inner protection, to strengthen themselves and to overcome their fear for example in perilous moments.

A closer look to the YouTube archives of the Syrian revolution offers the proof: regime guards are firing in the crowd and the fleeing civilians are shouting 'God Is Great'. A grenade explodes in the neighborhood recorded by a young Syrian commenting the impact with the words 'God Is Great'.

The mentioned examples are far from being a sectarian threat.

And the freedom fighters and FSA soldiers carrying a flag 'There's No God But God' with them are also far from being that.

This inscription is the first half of the Islamic confession of faith. And not a slogan some radical reactionary hardliners created somewhere in the Afghan mountains.

The Hezbollah has an emblem. The Al Qaeda has an emblem. Even the most wanted splinter groups of the global organized crime do care about their branding and PR. But a simple banner with those words even the Christians and the Jews couldn't counterargue is in no way the evidence for an existence of religiously motivated fanatics.

Just take a walk through a town in the middle of Europe, choose a Catholic dominated one, and register how many people are wearing a cross on a necklace. Are they radicals? Are they a threat? They're not. They're only showing to which faith they confess.

Sadly the global perception witnessing Muslims expressing their faith is still connecting a relation to 9/11 and other terrorist attacks abusing the Islam as compurgation. The threat an unethical minority is spreading makes many of us literally blind for distinguishing normal expressions of faith from hate-motivated slogans.

Every religion can be abused as compurgation. For those arguing that the Christians are merely seen as kind of Canadians among the Monotheists (due to their grace of charity): remember Breivik? Yes, this Norwegian manifestation of an ego-shooter referred in his bewildered appearing notations to the Christian-occidental faith.

The Syrians have actually no one but themselves and their faith. The whole world is stuck in geopolitical proxy wars unable to help the people on the ground effectively. By generalizing the Syrian people as potential religiously motivated terrorists the global community hits them twice in the back: one time for neglecting their justified freedom of practicing their faith and the other time for declaring them as backward in relation to its' own standards - a dangerous stance by the way.

Keeping The Regime Busy

The clashes about the control of the Aleppo districts are ongoing. The regime soldiers were not able up to now to claim effective regains. The Free Syrian Army is both defending and attacking with surprisingly satisfying success.

In Deir Ezzor the FSA units claim to have the control about more than three quarter of the Eastern city.

The borders in the North are partially freed from the regime army. Not to forget to mention that in the North-Eastern Kurd parts of the country Assad's mercenaries have enormously lost ground.

Only in the Rif Dimashq and in Al Sham itself regime loyals are fighting an eye-to-eye battle with the freedom fighters - for an outstanding it appears being a draw at the time.

Massacres are unfortunately still happening, the last one this day in Deir Ezzor when a regime grenade hit a group of civilians, killing nearly a dozen, many of them kids.

But something's different.

What actually had changed in the recent weeks since the bombing of Bashar's closer circle is that the initiative's now in the hands of the resistance and not any longer in those of the regime.

A clear sign that the power of the regime's melting.

And also a reminder to keep up the alertness. Not to spread a flood of fears and concerns which becomes always counterproductive for the revolutionaries, no. Just to keep in mind that after all the world has witnessed up to now it is absolutely impossible to trust in any kind of action the regime takes. The whole circle is unpredictable, in his words and in his deeds.

The tendencies are positive, indeed, but first after the confirmed removal of the regime it's time to take a deep breath that this stage will be finished successfully.

With Or Without You: After Annan's Retreat

Finally he himself stopped becoming one of the most tragic figures in newer history. And maybe Hollywood might jump up on the Kofi train producing in the next months a block buster with Morgan Freeman under the working title: 'The Negotiator'.

To present Assad the six-points-plan almost half a year ago was both naive and ridiculous. Everyone knowing about the ruthless intentions of the regime to defend their requirement of power realized from the first moment that the demands never would be fulfilled.

So what has changed after Kofi's good bye ending a mission impossible appealing on the goodwill of thoroughgoing evil human beings?

For the people on the ground absolutely nothing. They are still busy seeking shelter from the indiscriminate shelling the regime troops are responsible for, risking every day to get arrested, tortured, murdered.

For the protesters and activists also nothing. They are organizing rallies and civil disobedience, risking every day to get arrested, tortured, murdered.

Also not for the refugees. Their humanitarian situation is the same miserable as it was when Kofi entered the diplomatical stage. And they are risking in the meantime to get attacked and killed by unleashed regime army units.

And what will remain from Annan's six points' initiative which failed in six months, average one point per month? That powerlessness can't be compensated with illusional efforts to appeal to humanness and honor. That more and more people worldwide have lost confidence in the UN body - where a very few number of nations can block and therefore control decisions a majority of other nations brought on the way.

And that it's a waste of time to invite the devil to talks expecting the successful implementation of own conceptions.

About Beards

Trying to keep up a firm voice the guy explained the Syrian state TV - also known as regime TV - that he and the wild bunch around him are serious-taken fearless religious extremists when a grenade impact only a few blocks away shuddered the whole group til' the bones leaving them more or less spechless back.

I'm describing this hilarious outtake from the regime media files not to figure out their dilettantism, no. The dude interviewed was the only one wearing a long beard. At least that one went good for the regime campaigners presenting the public the classical stereotype of a mujahed. Admittedly our interview partner playing a rough fundamentalist appeared more like a hippie version of it.

Show the people guys wearing long beards - they even haven't to say much - and a lot of the viewers will still connect that with radical islamism. 'Salafis!' they will think, comment, shout out.

Wrong. Sensibilize your perception please. A beard alone makes not a potential terrorist. Like a bold head makes no racist.

It'a dirty clichee still surrounding in our brains keeping us away from looking closer, behind the presented façade, the orchestrated curtain.

Captured regime soldiers told being forced not to shave their beards. The beard itself has become a 100% propaganda tool and is therefore not longer an exclusive argument to raise concerns or fears.

'A man without a beard is like a lion without a mane' according to an Arab proverb. And in Latin America your full beard lets you appear as politically left-sided.

It's hard enough to fight the sectarian myth and the conspiracy myth. So please let us all avoid in common a beard myth.