Thread by @Charles_Lister

My goodness: here's a prime example of policy advocacy on #Syria based either on ignorance, or [hopefully not] malign intent.

This is *riddled* with inaccuracy & misinformation.

@steelejourno says the West should force an opposition surrender in #Syria:

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

@steelejourno #pt: @steelejourno says the US, UK & #France are “less honorable” in seeking to delay #Syria & #Russia’s “success” in regaining territory.

- They seek to enable a meaningful political process, in which there’s an opposition entity to sit at the table. I’d say that is honorable.

@steelejourno #pt: Here, @steelejourno says UK, US, France & "Gulf Arab monarchies” want ceasefires to protect rebels, not civilians.

In #Idlib, nothing could be further from the truth. None of those countries have *any* ties to rebel groups in #Idlib, who only equal ~0.5% of the population.

@steelejourno #pt: Here, @steelejourno says the best way to protect #Idlib’s 2 million civilians (try 3m) is for a surrender.

Did he miss Jamil Hassan’s statement about 3 million Syrians wanted on terrorism (i.e. death) charges? Or the mass arrest campaigns in “reconciled” areas? Seems so…

@steelejourno #pt: @steelejourno even belabors the point, seemingly praising #Assad for his generosity in allowing defeated rebels to keep their rifles (!) while they were being displaced to #Idlib.

Yet the strategy was to make #Idlib the dumping ground. There’s nowhere to go next. So…

@steelejourno #pt: Next up, @steelejourno tells us that “thousands” of civilians have been displaced to #Idlib from defeated opposition areas.

Umm. Try more than a million.

Talk about belittling the biggest forced civilian displacement in recent history. Truly shameful.

@steelejourno #pt: Here, @steelejourno tells us that “western special forces” have worked with Ahrar al-Sham. That’s ridiculous.

+ Zinki works in #Aleppo, not #Idlib.

Then he repeats the @RT line, by describing @SyriaCivilDefe as a rebel group. That’s both false & stupendously irresponsible.

@steelejourno @RT @SyriaCivilDefe #pt: Next, @steelejourno brings forth his anti-imperialist pedigree in claiming “rebels have not given up the hope of a US-led bombing campaign on #Assad’s headquarters in #Damascus”

- They gave up on that 4yrs ago. You won’t find a single rebel who “hopes” anything of the sort.

@steelejourno @RT @SyriaCivilDefe #pt: This paragraph really is something extraordinary. @steelejourno uses the same logic of CW truthers in asking:

- "The idea that the #Syria authorities would kill civilians who return to government control makes little sense.”

Do some research - it’s been the norm for years.

@steelejourno @RT @SyriaCivilDefe #pt: Next up, @steelejourno reveals how little he knows about the conflict in #Syria - he says surrendering rebels won’t need to be conscripted, as “the war is almost over.”

The regime (& #Russia) is absolutely **desperate** for conscripts & “stabilization” requires *many* more.