Japanese journalist Mika Yamamoto was killed in Syria by pro-government forces

[Abdur Rahman]

" Yamamoto and her Japanese colleague, Kazutaka Sato, were travelling with the Free Syrian Army members when the attack occurred in Aleppo. She was seriously wounded in the Suleiman al Halabi district of the city during a clash between Syrian opposite forces and pro-government forces on 20 August 2012; fellow journalist Sato stated that Yamamoto's death occurred when pro- regime troops appeared and started "random shooting". She died at a nearby hospital after being shot in the neck. A rebel fighter reported that she was killed during shelling by the pro-government forces. Masaru Sato, a spokesman with the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, confirmed her death on 20 August 2012. Her body was delivered by the members of the Liwa Asifat al Shamal, one of the groups attached to the Free Syrian Army, to Japanese consular officials in Kilis, southern Turkey, at 1:00 pm on 21 August 2012"



'from wikipedia'

 

[thomas]

Her tragic death has been well covered in the Japanese media. It appears that she was shot by government troops while filming. Skimming trough her CV it is quite obvious that she must have known about the risks related to her profession.

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

Silly bint went and got her cover blown didn't she.

lol the free syria army - get a grip, alqaida gangsters and thugs.

ever wonder why since the "arab spring" and events in lybia and Syria, the weekly bombings and terroist activities in Iraq have stopped?
Because they are all in Syria now.

Riding around on motorbikes butchering and bullying civilians.

I hope Assad does the world a favour and wipes them out.

 

[Abdur Rahman]

Silly bint went and got her cover blown didn't she.

lol the free syria army - get a grip, alqaida gangsters and thugs.

ever wonder why since the "arab spring" and events in lybia and Syria, the weekly bombings and terroist activities in Iraq have stopped?
Because they are all in Syria now.

Riding around on motorbikes butchering and bullying civilians.

I hope Assad does the world a favour and wipes them out.

You don't know what happened in Syria
I am from Syria and I live in Syria and I know what happened
In Syria there is a revolution against the the the regime
80% of syrian people hate the regime
the army killed people everyday
Army attak cities by tanks and by Airforces
The army killed 25000people during the last year
I hope the revoltion wins and I hope Assad goes out of Syria
Do you want Assad to wipe syrian people out?
Do you want Assad to kill Syrian people every day?
There aren't terrorists in Syria
Assad supports Terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon
if syrian people hate Assad why do you support him ?

 

[Michael Paulson]

Sorry Abdur, but have seen enough despicable actions from both sides. The "freedom fighters" have just as much innocent blood on there hands as the government forces. If these men where fighting for your countries freedom the last thing the would be doing is executing people labeled Assad supporters in the streets. They would also not be killing post office workers then throwing there bodies off the roofs of buildings while there comrades cheer them on. These actions make them no better then the Assad forces killing innocent people. I honestly hope you can see that.

 

[Abdur Rahman]

. They would also not be killing post office workers then throwing there bodies off the roofs of buildings while there comrades cheer them on.

first I am against killing but those weren't post offic workers they were shooters standing on the roof of the post office building

Yes there are some cases where fighters make bad things but these actions are few and scattared
In my city for example fighters didn't do any bad things
I live in Syria and I know what is happened more than other people
We can't compare between rebels and government
There are few rebels make bad things but most of rebels are good
If you come to Syria you will find that Most of Syrian support rebels and hate government forces
rebels don't have tanks and air forces
Syrian army attack cities and towns by air forces and killed children and women
Now while I am writing i hear sounds of tanks and Air forces attack villages around my city
For example Today 450 people killed by Syrian forces
Everyday hundreds of people are killed by Syrian forces
Iran sent fighters to kill Syrian people
Iranian kill our children and women by knives
I am very worried about the future maybe all Syrian will be killed
Syrian forces and Iranian fighters kill everything and destroy everything
Now there are 2million people without houses becaus tanks and air forces destroyed their houses
six of my relatives were killed by Syrian forces
A lot of people in other countries don't know what Syrian suffer and they don't feel in their feelings
Why UN can't save Syrian souls?
Why UN can't stop Iranian fighters who come to Syria?
Why they can't stop air forces?
Are Syrian animals or humans?
I hope that Rivers of Syrian blood stop
but I don't know when

 

[Michael Paulson]

I hope you don't mean the UN "helping" by pulling the same crap they did in Libya. Libya is much, much worse of since the UN "helped" and its a proven fact that while people where fighting and dying in the street, the US and other NATO powers where using a National Transitional Council they elected to get there greedy hands on the countries oil and other natural resources. It's also a proven fact that this Council has signed billions of dollars worth of contracts with the same war profiteers that run Americas military industrial complex. Add on top of all that the fact that a civil war between Northern Libya and Southern Libya has been brewing since the Council assumed power in Libya.

I can understand why you would want NATO to help your people. I can also understand why people in Japan would also want this so that no more of there reporters have to die. I just don't think people honestly know what they are asking for. NATO and the US will help Syria so long as they have something they want. After that they will leave even if it means Syria self-destructs. Also if push comes to shove I could see NATO, the US or both taking what they want by force and not caring how many innocent Syrian people die in the process. That's how both have worked in the past and as so long as most countries are willing to roll over they will continue to stomp all over the same people they where trying to "help."

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

You don't know what happened in Syria
I am from Syria and I live in Syria and I know what happened
In Syria there is a revolution against the the the regime
80% of syrian people hate the regime
the army killed people everyday
Army attak cities by tanks and by Airforces
The army killed 25000people during the last year
I hope the revoltion wins and I hope Assad goes out of Syria
Do you want Assad to wipe syrian people out?
Do you want Assad to kill Syrian people every day?
There aren't terrorists in Syria
Assad supports Terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon
if syrian people hate Assad why do you support him ?

I know that clearly even the syrian rebelion have their propoganda machine.
and you are either part of it or have be duped by it.

just take a look at the crap you write here.
and there are even those gullible enough to believe it,one of whom is the same person to tell me i don't understand the situation.

Apologies if the fact that i disagree with what your sponsored Media is telling you.
If you actually think that the like os the BBC and CNN are going to be telling you what is actually going on, and what is actually the root cause and purpose then you are either seriously naive or a true simpleton.

Michael Paulson is closest to the money here.

It's not even a massive secret that so much of the Rebelion is actually al-qaida.
Sponsored once again by western powers.
In the case of Syria, it's very much about Russia.

Just like how Nagasaki and Hiroshima, were about Russia.

It's funny though isn't it.
Notice how we had the exact same situation in Libya, and they were called civilians, then protesters and finally the NTC, in the last few days.

They were of course never unarmed civilians.

We had the same attempt being made in Syria, but this time around the world was not so easily fooled.
even the sponsored media could not hide such damming evidence. As youtube video after youtube video of the "protests" showed nothing more than a bunch of armed men. and at most a group of no more than 100 (almost only young men) usually shouting "allah akbar"

Or how about the fact that during this whole "80% population uprising" especially in the begging, there was only trouble in one town at a time.
Almost as if the "rebellion" was moving from town to town, causing havok and death.
like some kind of macarbe travelling circus. traveling in cars and on motorbikes.

I am sure you have many quick retorts ready for me, pre-prepared
why not just show us some proof of anything you say.
You say Syria supports insurgent activity in Iraq and Lebanon - Prove it.

we will start with that simple one.
I mean I for one am not entirely convinced that a SHIA leader such as Assad would be supporting a SUNNI insurgency in Iraq, but i coud be wrong.
oh and don't forget Lebanon eh

 

[FrustratedDave]

Silly bint went and got her cover blown didn't she.

You are an Aｓｓ!

 

[Hezam]

WOW !!! Seven ! I didn't know who you are but now i knew !!!!!
Your Bashar and his mercenaries will be wiped out soon, And trust me there will be no place for you and the likes of you in Syria anymore.
This is your nature, Slaying men, women, children, is your job just like your bashar and Nasrullat along with their big dady Khamenei.

---------- Post added at 06:37 ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 ----------

Sorry Abdur, but have seen enough despicable actions from both sides. The "freedom fighters" have just as much innocent blood on there hands as the government forces. If these men where fighting for your countries freedom the last thing the would be doing is executing people labeled Assad supporters in the streets. They would also not be killing post office workers then throwing there bodies off the roofs of buildings while there comrades cheer them on. These actions make them no better then the Assad forces killing innocent people. I honestly hope you can see that.

Your talking non-sense !
Do you know who the "Free Army" killed ? they killed the persons who killed/shot people in the street and bombing houses !
Those who the Free Army killed have been arrested because they filmed them selves killing- Torturing people !
You really need to know more about the Syrian revolution.

 

[jeisan]

Well this thread certainly has gone off topic...

 

[Abdur Rahman]

I know that clearly even the syrian rebelion have their propoganda machine.
and you are either part of it or have be duped by it.
-)

You didn't see protests in Hama when they were half million protesters without any armed people for many weeks befor army attacked the city
In my university thousands of students protest against the regime every day and the police shoot them by guns
you don't say the full image so please don't say that I am duped
If you want to talk about Syria you must to know what happened from 15March 2011
If you want to talk you must to have full image
and if you want to have full image you must to read every thing not to watch some youtube vedios
there are thousands of youtube videos with huge number of protesters without armed people
but you want to see only videos that show armed rebels
The word (Allau akbar) all muslims say it
it is a word that all people say it every day
so it isn't mean that person who say Allahu akbar is terrorist
you see armed rebles in your media because journalist can go only to places where there are armed rebles because government try to kill journalists who cover what happened
for me I don't watch media I watch the real situation on the ground by my eyes
If you want to see Syrian revoultion As terrorist revolution you must ask your self why Iran Sent fighters to kill Syrian
Iranian fighters kill women and children by knives
Do you know what happened in Syria more than me ? Of course no because you see only from media and I see what happened by my eyes
I see assad forces killed children and women by my eyes
Are children and women terrorists?
Syrian are tired from the world and they are waiting their death

 

[visser300]

Hmmmm I think it's good to keep your people busy a little bit. Otherwise, you guys may bomb or rocket Israel and cause WW3

 

[Hezam]

Hmmmm I think it's good to keep your people busy a little bit. Otherwise, you guys may bomb or rocket Israel and cause WW3

What the heck are you talking about ?

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

hmm yes nothing more than classic demonisation there:



Bla bla bla, Assad eats babies.

"I know everything situation, but don't pay attention to media"

So you really do get your information from the Rebel propaganda machine.

Tell me if you really have 80% support across the country, why turn down the offer of elections?

Why would the rebels not at least first do the vote before bringing bloodshed,
oh yea, because only Syrian nationals would be allowed to vote, and most of the rebels are foreign.

After all lets not pretend that it started in Syria,
Because how could it have when it's not much of a secret that Colonel Riad al-Asad, has been and is working for Milli Istihbarat Teskilati (MIT, aka Turkish intelligence) I mean for gods sake all dialogue and press access and statements from the "FREE SYRIA ARMY" have to be cleared with the Turkish foreign office!

Which is probably also why he has been causing some outrage by threatening to attack the Kruds

"we are willing to fight against Kurdish forces that intend to divide the Syrian land to declare a Kurdish independent region"

Wake up and smell the coffee, you are being played.

 

[Abdur Rahman]

Sevenstars please don't talk about Syria
leave Syria and take care of your country's issues
I don't want you to give me advice
I started this thread to immortalize the story of journalist Mika
If you want to support Assad don't support him in this thread
you can support him in another thread or in another site

 

[Michael Paulson]

Sevenstars please don't talk about Syria
leave Syria and take care of your country's issues
I don't want you to give me advice
I started this thread to immortalize the story of journalist Mika
If you want to support Assad don't support him in this thread
you can support him in another thread or in another site

Abdur, he can talk about Syria as long as he wishes to do so. So long as a admin or mod on this forum allows him to do so. I know some of the things he is say are getting under your skin, but you really don't have any authority on the forum. The best things you can do at this point is simply ignore his posts.

Also, given the fact that A) You are from Syria and B) This topic was your fist post on a Japanese centric forum could lead people to believable you are posting here to simply drum up support for the revolution in your country. Your replies to people in this thread where you repeatedly say that you are form Syria and there is no possible way for us to know whats really going on, because we are not from Syria, also makes it look like you simply did come here to drum up support for the revolution. To be honest, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I find this to be a little to convenient.

 

[Abdur Rahman]

Michael Paulson welcome here
it's not my first post in the forum and it's not my first thread
this thread is my second thread in the forum
I didn't come here to drum up support for the revolution
and as you see this thread wasn't about revolution and I didn't say any thing about revolution in the thread but I started to talk about revolution after Sevenstars put his post
I didn't intend to drum up support by posting this thread
then I said to him to stop posting in this thread because I was angry but I know that I haven't authority on the forum
then and I don't want to inhibit him from posting here
simply I want to ignore his posts

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

@AR - I find it funny that you have nothing to bring to the Syria topic bar politically slanted rhetoric.
Where are your facts?
Yes you do want to ignore my posts don't you.
Is it because it is easier to ignore the fact that the leader of the Free Syrian army is working for the Turks than to confront it?

Also you mentioned something about Assad sponsoring Iraqi insurgents, I called you out on it, and you have yet to respond.
This leads people reading it to come to the conclusion that you are spreading false information.

Like I said. You are either involved in the creation of propaganda, or you have been duped by it.

 

[Michael Paulson]

Your talking non-sense !
Do you know who the "Free Army" killed ? they killed the persons who killed/shot people in the street and bombing houses !
Those who the Free Army killed have been arrested because they filmed them selves killing- Torturing people !
You really need to know more about the Syrian revolution.

Nope, you simply are not seeing the big picture.

The goal is the revolution is to remove Assad from power and to establish a Democratic government in Syria, right? If those are the goals the Free Army is working towards there actions need to start reflecting it. One of the corner stones of Democracy is its judicial system. If the Free Syrian Army truly wanted to work towards a Democracy, each and every prisoner of war would be given a free and fair trial. The Free Syrian Army would also be fallowing the rules and regulations of the Geneva Conventions when it comes to the treatment of ANY AND ALL P.O.W'S REGARDLESS OF THE CRIMES THEY ARE ACCUSED OF. If there goal is to establish a Democracy the FSA would be doing both from the start and its pretty clear they have not. And with out a free and fair trial where a person is being judged by a completely impartial jury and judge what the FSA is doing amounts to nothing more then a lynching. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not taking Assad's side in this conflict. I'm simply pointing out the truth of the situation. In situations like this the sayings "Two wrongs do not make a right" and "If everyone took an eye for eye then all the world would be blind." very much apply.

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

Just thought i would give those who are interested a little update on the situation in Syria (as this seems to have become the unofficial syria thread)

The events in Syria are not a Revolution, wether it ever was one to start with may well be a point of contention, but regardless of it's starting point Syria is now in a state of Civil war.

And This is a the first time in history that a country with WMD's has been in a state of civil war.
The WMD's that Syria is believed to have
(caveat - Syria has never admitted these stockpiles publicly, however several intelligence agencies are of the opinion that they do, and this will obviously be based on a mixture of intercept and human-int sources)
Chemical and biological weapons.
In terms of it's chemical stockpile.
Several 100 tonnes of primitive gen 1 blistering agents such as Mustard gas.
However also several 100 tonnes of sophisticated gen 2 and 3 Nerve agents. (scary)

It is also believed to have several large stockpiles of dangerous Biological weapons.
The only respite here being that those in the know are fairly certain that Syria has not weaponised any of its biological warfare projects.
(That means there are no biological delivery missiles or bombs)

The rebel army also have access to a large batch of Russian SA7 - infra red - anti air - man portable missiles (MANPADS)
The source of these SA7's is unknown, reports of the rebels being in possession of the more sophisticated US made Stinger MANPAD are believed to be false.

What does this actually mean?
Well as we are all aware there are several "Non State Actors" involved and active in Syria at the moment.
There are also many "Non State Actors" within the region who would be very interested in getting their hands on these weapons, in particular the Nerve agents.
The situation in Syria is the best opportunity so far, and likely for a long time (unless N-Korea has an uprising) for "Non State Actors" to get their hands on a serious quantity of some very lethal WMD's.

So far the Best case scenario is that a very small amount of the Nerve Agent will fall into "Non State Actors" hands.
And any attempt to use these weapons will be successfully interdicted by Intelligence agencies, and/or the remaining stock recovered and destroyed.

Worse than that obviously is if the attack is not interdicted. Even if the casualty count were only moderate the fear and panic it would spread would be long lasting.

These two "positive" outcomes are however reliant on one thing. That order is restored in a quick manor to Syria. Either Assad is able to re-establish control in a quick and decisive manor, or when the rebellion will somehow make a quick clean victory, and the transition to a new government is smooth and fast.

Unfortunately none of these things are going to happen.
So what are the worse case senario's then.

well right at the bottom of the scale is that 100 tonnes or more of dangerous nerve agents make it into "Non state actors" hands, and are quickly sold and moved through the regional black market and eventually globally.
Attempted attacks would be numerous and from many different angles, the possibility of intelligence services interdicting all of them would be remote.
Panic would be full on. As within a matter of years everyone from FARC rebels in Columbia to Congolese rebels in Africa would have potential access to deadly nerve agents, and possibly even biological weapons.
Governments and even serious criminal organisations to whom such capabilities would normally be well out of reach could easily be "in the market" for such weapons.

The bad news is that even if the USA were to make an immediate deployment of the full force available to it right now (roughly 80,000 troops)
This would not be enough to secure the stockpiles.

One senario that is possible however is for the Syrians to get help from another country.
This could possibly be Iran, but is more likely to be Russia,
Who would be given the location of the stockpiles, and would then send in their own forces to secure them.
Holding them for the Syrians, with the agreement that they would be returned should Assad win.

If the Russians can get away with this it would put them in a good position, as they would be able to expand their bases in the region.
However there is of course a risk, because It's not the tpye of thing you would want to get caught doing.

tldr; were all going to die because thanks to the rebels al-qaida is gonna get it's hand on WMD's

 

[Hezam]

tldr; were all going to die because thanks to the rebels al-qaida is gonna get it's hand on WMD's

It would be better to discuss this in " Arab Revolution " in Serious Discussion.
every criminal system blames alQaeda.

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

Well if you had read the post as apposed to the TLDR; You would notice that the situation in Syria is unique to Syria.

Yes the media tends to talk about the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders : AKA : the Base : AKA al-Qa'ida.
So it's easy to refer to these players as a generic term for Middle Eastern "non state actors".
I could easily have mentioned groups such as the Haqqani Network, but most would not have any idea who these players are.

The fact that Syria has one of the most advanced chemical weapons capabilities in the world, makes the situation very different from the "Arab Spring"
Not to mention that the country is now in Civil war, thus the term revolution does not apply.

To that effect, I would have to disagree, Syria deserves it's own thread.

 

[Davey]

Are you guys still talking about Mika Yamamoto?

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

Are you guys still talking about Mika Yamamoto?

I'd say the conversation has naturally progressed to the situation in Syria as a whole,
There is not much to say about Mika's death really,

It's unfortunate, but comes with the line of work.
Was somewhat amazed by the amount of people that didn't realize that her job as "Journo" was a cover.

I wonder what she found out that got her shot?