Israel Matzav

To whom else could they give all that money?

This makes perfect sense.... The United Nations wants to distribute $519 million in 'humanitarian aid' to displaced Syrians. Given the state of affairs in Syria, you would think that the UN would like to send the money with its own people to make sure it gets where it's supposed to go. But no.... The UN is giving Bashar al-Assad $519 million - less than a day of President Obama's budget deficit but still not chump change - to distribute as 'humanitarian aid.' Asma's licking her chops....

Does it really make sense to transfer more than $519,000,000 worth of international aid to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, when nearly every major world leader has predicted the imminent dismemberment of the Assad regime, if not the man himself?

Assad’s own mother has fled the country, following his sister Bushra who moved to Dubai, according to news reports.  They do not intend to return anytime soon, as Bushra has already enrolled her five children in a Dubai school. Bushra’s husband was killed in a bombing raid on July 18.  Since the fighting began, more than 600,000 Syrians have fled the country, many of the wealthy emigrating to Dubai.

If your only point of reference is the January 19 UN document explaining the rationale for the transfer to Syria of more than $500,000,000, you would be hard pressed to understand exactly what is happening in that country that has caused the huge increase in need for humanitarian aid.  The deaths of more than 60,000 in less than two years, which most people call the Syrian Civil War, are instead referred to in UN-speak as “the events in Syria since March, 2011,” or, sometimes, as “the current events.”

Does it really make sense to transfer all that money to Assad? Only if you share Assad's goals.

Incredibly, the report states that it “aims at supporting the Government of Syria’s [that's the Assad regime] efforts in providing humanitarian assistance to the affected populations.”  Most people in Syria believe it is the Assad regime that has created the huge increase in need for humanitarian assistance.

...

All humanitarian assistance is, and will continue to be, delivered with full respect to the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic during the implementation of this Response Plan.  Decisions on strategic or logistical issues including field office locations should be done after formal consultations with the government in order to receive the clearance and accreditation.

What could go wrong? 

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Syrian uprising, United Nations

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:39 PM