Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad prepare for military operations in areas controlled by the Free Syrian Army fighters, in Aleppo November 12, 2012. REUTERS/George Ourfalian
Former Syrian Soldier Describes Life In The Army At The Start Of War -- Daily Beast
A Syrian soldier who was ordered to shoot civilian protesters and imprisoned for refusing to do so speaks with Andrew Slater about life in the Army and the crimes of the Assad regime.
Faced with certain death for desertion, and possible retaliation against their families, many conscripts have been put in the nightmarish situation of choosing between committing war crimes or being killed for trying to flee from a war effort they don’t support.
The excuse of “following orders” has its moral limits but to ignore the position forced on Syrian conscripts is its own form of blindness. Pretending that all Syrian soldiers are the same and equally culpable may be of some comfort if the decision to attack is made but it obscures the truth of the situation.
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My Comment: This is riveting reading. The second installment will be tomorrow.
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