Just over a year ago Clinton called Assad 'a reformer'.

Then, two months ago, the US turned the aid taps back on for the Egyptian military.

Two weeks ago Cameron was meeting Sri Lanka's president.

No wonder the rest of the world look at the West's "humanitarian interventions" and sneer.

yay let's continue to be massive hypocrites! A future built on spilt blood can't possibly be a shit idea

Look, I'm neither a fan of Mr U-Turn or the disgrace that is Assad - but honestly, what do people expect? Damned if they intervene as bloodlusty, what do people think the alternative looks like? Aid intervention doesn't work, trade restrictions, international pressure - so far it's just seemed to push him into a corner in which he thinks "why NOT bomb all I hate?".

Personally, I'd rather this than continued bloodshed/military intervention.

We are humanity, we are the 99%, we stand with our family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mMlZ0NJTtc

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i don't disagree, but it's hardly inspiring, you'd think the world would have evolved to something better by now

Clemency for a mass murderer?
Is the world insane?

... Putin was not wedded to Assad remaining in power indefinitely, although even this limited concession is disputed in Moscow.

Of course it's not disputed in Moscow. That has been Russia's official position for the last year. How many times do the Russians have to keep saying it before journalists actually listen.

Entirely understood. I'd like to see the guy tried, convicted and imprisoned for life (and in the words of Leo McGarry, made to watch home videos of all he's killed for the duration of his imprisonment).

But I can't help but agree with the "unnamed official" who said:

"It is hard to see a negotiated solution in which one of the participants would be willing voluntarily to go off to the international criminal court."

It's a strange sort of morality where the most pragmatic thing to do is to consider giving clemency to such a man, but if the other option is sustained bloodshed, followed by US/European intervention, it becomes, in utilitarian terms at least, arguably the moral thing to do.

My point is that any option taken will be with the aim of being the "least bad", and this should be acknowledged before people fly off the handle criticising those who make the decisions.

Clemency for a mass murderer?
Is the world insane?

It wouldn't be the first, it won't be the last. We'd never have had the space race but for the pardoned Nazi's who built the V1 and V2 rockets.
Justice is something only for the little people, and maybe sometimes, when it suits the narrative, the big people of little nations. I'll change my opinion when Bush and Blair face a trial for their alleged war crimes.

Who are the UK and the US to judge other countries. Assad is nothing compared to our leaders abd their endless wars

Of Course O'blivious will validate an EFFIN TERRORIST. He has the ball's of a hamster.

the word ''clemency'' doesn't make any sense!

As they frequently say on Russia Today: as long as he's gone before the bombs start dropping on Iran they(UK &US) aren't bothered how it's achieved. Syria is a side show to the planned neocon main event: Iranian regime change.

And the rest of Assad's government ? Thrown to the wolves ?
The little people are never important. Especially the bad ones.

So why did Gaddafi get a rod up his arse and murder, and this guy gets clemency?

What kind of leader walks away from his country at a time of crisis to save his own skin?
No man should put himself before his country its just typical of the morally bankrupt to expect people to give up on everything they believe in and head for the exit in order to save your own life.
He may be a monster but if he runs like a coward from his country in a time of great crisis then he is something far worse, i miss the good old days when anyone who ran from the battlefield was shot in the back by their own side as they fled people who try and surrender they should be shot by their own side too.
This country used to believe in standing firm even in the face of certain defeat we used to walk toward our deaths with our heads held high now the idea from our leaders is if you cant win run away or give up is it any wonder the country is in ruins?
The west may not like him in power but offering him the chance to leave and walk away is just a sign or their lack of understanding of any type of morals or principals, and if they are still offering him a way out after the thousands they claim he has killed just goes to show what a violent act of retribution Libya really was.

SO, the US is not negotiating with terrorists. ....?. . .interesting

The theory is time is short . If he stays and Iran is attacked, Israel has a major potential problem on its doorstep, since the Assad regime is very close to the Iranians, apparently there is even a defence cooperation pact . Virtually any other imaginable Syrian constituted regime replaving Assad's wouldn't be so close .

There is a cold logic to he and his regimes removal . Sadly the logic leads to more unnecessary war , with British and US troops doing all the heavy lifting .

"i miss the good old days when anyone who ran from the battlefield was shot in the back by their own side as they fled people who try and surrender they should be shot by their own side too"

Yes that really does sound a productive way to move the species forward doesn't it!
I'd have thought everyone chucking down their weapons should be encouraged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29XO3iGLVLE

I think don mclean captured well the hopelessness of being in a war, the abstracted morality arguments don't really fit the reality.

The world of diplomacy and politics uterly stinks.
Assad is a mass murderer, clemency should not be on the table.
At the same time, so is Bush, Blair, Mugabe, Karadic, Mubarak, wots his name in Sri Lanka(?) and the rest. Why don't we indict the lot of them and arrest them if and when they cross borders?

The US wants to destabilize Syria the plan has been in affect for along time. Watch this video (its not long) please and if you don't see the relevance to now you can hate on me all you want. Please people just get educated, challenge everything you hear, and make decisions based upon your own ideas. We are straying away from our instincts as animals of this world, and following blindly. When you ask "what can I do about it?" just know that as the people of the US, the government should fear us and we shall not fear the government. When the time comes you will see ME a person not like you standing by your side and you shall not fear for we stand for the same cause. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw

Well - and bravely - said.

So you would rather see even more bloody armed revolution or civil war? If he would agree, it would be the least bloodiest option all things considered. See what happened in Libya or Egypt (you could expect a mixture of those two to happen there). There are few things that can't be ignored here tho, Russian strategic interest in Syria (only Russian naval base outside of Russian territory) and US&UK wish for regime change (possibly with ambition of gaining more political influence in the region). Russia's fear is democratic election could drive Russian troops out of the country and greatly diminish it's influence in Syria and middle east. It's all game of chess IMO.

Assad, Clitory is not fit to sell real estate in Park Ridge, ignore her, she is trying to rerun the playbook from Bosnia and Kosovo. This time Russia and China are not going to stand around.

Well, transition in Yemen is far from over.

I wonder where Bush, Blair, Cheney et al., received their clemency for their crimes. Perhaps racist genocide remains exempt from prosecution even if the crimes committed remain far more egregious. Punishment appears reserved for those who murder their own.

Clemency? This is a mockery of international law/justice.
Offering the likes of this man a get out of jail card will only encourage others to act with impunity.

The last people the Syrians want is interference from war criminals, it's like a nightmare isn't it, the bastards in Washington and London offering clemency. Who the hell do they think they are and why do we put up with all this criminal activity.

Isn't it time we the people woke up before it's too late.

Yes we do the heavy lifting from choice. The few make a massive amount of money at the expense of the unemployed who volunteer to go and murder and be murdered.

Violent retribution basically, but people cant have closure until their has been a lynching and a baying mob cheering as a helpless humiliated person robbed of their dignity is led to the gallows has been a tradition for centuries in our country.
Gaddafi was our enemy and it stands as an example of what happens to our enemies or people like Saddam who defy us and constantly test out patience we may forgive them for their sins but we will never miss an opportunity to rain our wrath or vengeance down upon them.
Rules mean nothing and are applied on a case by case basis and wars fought for poorly disguised excuses for vengeance, i watched a program that said the intelligence on Iraq was good because it came from a guy who fled the regime who said he worked on a mobile weapons lab that travelled on road or rail.
He latter admitted he lied so the west would topple Saddam it hard to believe anyone would go to war on the say so of one dissent who would harbour an obvious grudge against the regime but the crime was made to fit the punishment like in all good witch hunts.
We like to believe we are civilised people but we are really no different to when we were burning witches we love seeing those who have wronged us get what they deserve at the hands of a blood thirsty mob, and what better way to let out all that pain and anguish than pour scorn and hatred on those who have as people cheer on brutal acts of vengeance?
Once the hanging is over that the end of it all bad guy dead and gone no need for public inquiries or the nasty truth to come out about all the back room deals or what our politicians and arms dealers were up to or national security were doing behind our backs.
There are many reasons but the truth is he has done nothing to us but be allies with Russia which is why America really hates him but unfortunately that not a crime, but if he had blown up an American airliner how long do you think he would have lasted?

To all those talking about "how can you give clemency for a mass murderer". Really? Are people living in the same world as I am? Mr Blair drove his country into a war killing more than a million people and destroying an entire country into the ground, the last time I heard of him, he was living in a multi-million apartment on Edgware road and giving advice to Gulf countries on economical strategies worth millions of pounds.

The truth is there's an insurgency happening in my country, Syria, it's an ugly war, and crimes are committed by both sides. If Assad is to be facing a trial, then so should the opposition and militia leaders .

This mainstream hypocrisy should stop.

Who do you think is behind this civil war, who gains by having the Arab people at each others throat.

Asshat should be looking at life in solitary at the minimum, that or the noose but not a free ride for ordering crimes against humanity.

I agree....but hang him anyway. When the last king is strangled with the guts of the last cleric peace will finally reign.

Clemency !!?? for this little shit, you must be joking. Drag him off to the Hague.

I urge everyone to read inside accounts from the white house in the lead up to the Iraq War. Bush (Dick Cheney) wanted regime change in iraq, and they where prepared to use any argument or tactic to use as a pretext. It really was a mad house with routine protocols ignored a mad rush to find an excuse to invade.

Everytime Saddam allowed in UN inspectors, faced dropped inside the White House

The way forward is the CIA to stop funding and training the terrorist through saudi proxies.

Don't worry the blowing up of an American airliner could easily be arranged, ever read about " Operation Northwood " when the USA wanted an excuse to invade Cuba. Who do you think was behind the 9/11 crime.

When Bush got into the White House the USA had a surplus, when he left 8 years later around 13 trillion in debt. That is 13 trillion of taxpayers money gone missing, where did it go.

You are the 30%. Don't speak for the rest of us please.

Why on earth are the Brits and Americans so keen for Assad to go???? Why are they behaving as though they are doing Assad a favour???? Why must we keep getting our noses into the affairs of other countries?

He wouldn't get clemency, it's a ploy to get him out of the way then when he is helpless he'll be arrested and shot,hung,or both.

Exactly. Them too. To the Hague with them.

In a word, MONEY.

If I were him I dont think Id trust a promise of clemency.

So let's get this straight.

Clemency for Assad. He has some rather stiff evidence against him I assume, for quite profound crimes.

And forced extradition for Assange on highly spurious allegations. Arguably one of the biggest aids to Democracy.

I'm for whatever is going to bring peace, but I can't see that being a real priority amongst our leaders. More likely it's to get into the act and install people they like in his place. If it's anything like Egypt, well it just shows what the west really wants.

Any name starting with Ass seems to be in trouble, and that is just today.
Ass ad offered immunity.
Ass ange threatened with arrest, if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy.

Most Syrians back Assad for President:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/17/syrians-support-assad-western-propaganda?INTCMP=SRCH

The US and UK Governments are simply attempting another illegal overthrow of a Middle Eastern sovereign nation using the fig-leaf of the so-called 'Arab Spring'.

The lack of media scrutiny of the West's role in the destablisation of Syria and the simple reporting of Western propoganda is deeply disturbing and should give us all cause for concern.

When is the west going to fucking give up on Syria? Stop interfering already. The rebels and Free Syrian Army are just as murderous and violent as Assad's forces. Would people rather Syria went into the hands of opposition forces, the ones who chant Allah u Akbar every 2 seconds? They're not for democracy, they're for some sectarian regime.

There is a saying, I can't think atm, but it's about if something happens again and again, if the outcomes are the same then it's no accident.

All I see is failure, time and again, anyone would think all these people only really do things for there own personal power and will do anything they feel they can get away with. This is not a bad situation it's a normal condition of our elite culture.

I'v always felt all this stems from inequality and as such have hoped leaders would be true to the term and help that, seeing that class is the biggest risk to people everywhere. But they are like children, there values are shallow and meaningless. Less than meaningless, they destroy our meaning. Our beauty and simple love.

The audacity of the U.S. and Britian to even suggest such nonsense of clemency. This man is the sovereign head of his nation and it is NONE of their businesss to even be involved in these matters. Since when did the U.S. and England become oppressors, attackers of other nations, who gave Obama and his administaration the right to attack another nation and/or dispose of one nations leader? Who does Obama think he is anyway? This is NOT what our nation is supposed to be nor does the Constitution allow such unlawful acts by our President. Let it be known the people DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ADMINISTRATIONS ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AGAINST SYRIA OR ANY WHERE ELSE. WE ARE NEVER TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS, NEVER!! ONLY IF ATTACKED CAN WE ENGAGE IN THINGS LIKE THIS, ONLY IF A NATION WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A TREATY WITH HAS BEEN ATTACKED AND WE HAVE AGREED TO HELP THEM DEFEND THEIR OWN LAND COULD WE DO THIS. NEITHER OF THESE HAVE OR HAS TAKEN PLACE. THIS IS EXTREMISM AND ACTUAL CRIMINAL ACTS ON THE PART OF THE U.S. AND ENGLAND. LET IT BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. Where is our Congress in all of this? Why are they not stopping it? We can't do this to another nations sovereign leader. And by the way, if we could legally, then why haven't we done something like this to China, or to Iran? They both have done more damage to humans than Assad has ever thought about. Also, we should not do what we did in Egypt for now we have a big problem in Egypt because of Obama and his crowd! This insanity must stop. Work to get Obama out of office - vote for Romney please and save American from a mad man and administration.