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December 14, 2016 11:45 AM UTC

Colorado Dems, Refugees Appeal To Obama Over Aleppo

  • 81 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin.

Danika Worthington at the Denver Post has a must-read story today about a Syrian-American Coloradan, Obeid Kaifo, who is getting support from Democratic Colorado lawmakers in his appeal to President Barack Obama to intervene in the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, Syria:

“The people in Aleppo are on their last breath. There needs to be action in the next hours,” [Syrian-American Colorado resident Obeid] Kaifo said, his hands shaking and his speech punctuated with emotion-filled pauses. “We do not want to be the country that stands by as a genocide occurs.”

Kaifo gathered state politicians and clergy Tuesday to call on the Obama administration and elected officials from Colorado to take advantage of every diplomatic channel available to ensure safe evacuations and the creation of civilian safe zones following reports that the Syrian government has regained control of eastern Aleppo, a rebel stronghold.

Kaifo was joined on the Capitol steps by state Sens. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, and Irene Aguilar, D-Denver, as well as state Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton, and Rabbi Brian Immerman.

FOX 31’s Ashley Michels reports from yesterday’s small rally at the state capitol:

A handful of lawmakers, including Sen. Morgan Carroll, (D-Aurora), Sen. Michael Merrifield, (D-Colorado Springs), Rep. Joe Salazar (D-Thornton) and Rep. Irene Aguilar (D-Denver), gathered outside the State Capitol on Tuesday afternoon.

“My fear is in a time when there’s so much tragedy and so much crisis that we close our eyes and we close our hearts to what is literally unfolding by the minute and by the hour right now in Aleppo,” Carroll said…

The group organizer, Obeid Kaifo, is a Syrian-American whose parents originally came to the United States from Aleppo. He said four of his family members have died in the violence and worries about the rest of his family members.

The joint Syrian-Russian military operation to retake the city of Aleppo from rebels backed by the Western coalition of nations involved in Syria’s civil war–rebels also opposed to the more or less universal adversary ISIS–underscores the divergent interests of the Russians and our own nation in this conflict. Although Russia claims its military intervention in Syria is to combat both their and the West’s mutual enemy ISIS, Russia is directly working against the American policy goal of removing Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from power.

With all of this in mind, along with the recent explosive headlines about Russian intervention in the 2016 elections to benefit the openly pro-Russian President-elect of the United States, and the next Secretary of State who happens to be a member of something called the Russian “Order of Friendship,” you can understand the sense of urgency on the part of the people who protested and spoke yesterday.

Because come January 20th, whatever America can do by then to save civilian lives in Aleppo may be all that gets done.

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81 thoughts on “Colorado Dems, Refugees Appeal To Obama Over Aleppo”

  2. Not our fight! Not our fight! Not our fight!

    Take note how the religion of peace deals with its own people. Pray five times a day then go kill your neighbor.

    1. Like the 500,000 innocent Iraqi's who died as we were liberating Iraq?  

      Spare me your pious Christian faux-high ground. 

      Remember the time when our little faux pro-life watermelon farmer was the sole vote in our combined legislature (99-1) not to divest Colorado's investments in companies operating in Darfur during the genicide because "it isn't governments role to tell business how and where to operate"?  What a wonderful tribe you belong to. 

    2. Pyrus, You would benefit from stepping outside the right wing echo chamber once in a while. I know you're on here all day, but your self-appointed mission to us unfortunate heathens is to pontificate, lecture, ridicule, troll, and undermine, not to listen.

      Islam is a religion of peace. It does have some sects or practitioners who are violent, just as there are violent and sectarian Christians, or any other religion for that matter. The majority of Muslims, who are the second-largest religious group in the world, believe in "submission"or surrender to the word of Allah. The word Islam comes from "salaam", which means "peace".

      In Greeley, with its large Somali refugee population, I had several students who would come in on their own lunch time to pray. They did this  because their deeply held beliefs were that they had to pray five times a day to keep the world in balance, to keep it from destruction. Who is to say that prayer (from all religious traditions) is not the only thing keeping us all from tipping over the brink into chaos? If nothing else, it heals the mind of the person praying.

      If they were Christian students who chose to use their lunch time to pray, you'd be all about it. By the way, I am visualizing you huffing up like a blowfish to protest that I discriminated against Christians by allowing Islamic prayer, or was promoting Sharia law, or some shit like that. No….I actually had some Buddhist and Christian kids who also chose to use the quiet time in my classroom for their own reflective time. 

      Islam shares the first six books of the Bible with Judaism and Christianity. They chose to follow a different path. But who are you to say that their path is less righteous than yours?

       

    2. What is it you wish to say to the Syrian young man about saving his town Aleppo?

      At least Gary Johnson admitted he didn't know about Aleppo but you do. If you want to fight for Aleppo, what is your plan?

      1. My plan would have been a President with lady parts who wouldnt have been a Putin Poodle; the majority of Americans agreed with me. What I'd like to know is 2 things: 1) what is Trump's response, and 2) when will the WI, MI and PA National Guard be called up and sent in to Aleppo to fight for the POTUS they helped elect?  Will Donnie Jr and Eric sign up and bravely lead our troops in war? Or did they inherit their father’s dehabilitating bone spurs?

        In case you missed history class, we had a Civil War of our own once upon a time. I'd tell you to pray harder, but the newly-empowered Right Wing Jesus seems to be occupied with making sure the rich will get tax cuts and vouchers for their kids. He doesn't have time for the weary, the war-torn and the hungry. 

          1. I'm on task, Powerless.  Did I say it was 'up to' Trump? He may be taking the reins on this pony in five weeks. Perhaps if he was taking his security briefings on a daily basis and not spending his time with Kanye he'd have a clue. In the meantime I'd guess we'll participate with our allies (as we should) as they take the lead on humanitarian efforts.  

            1. "In the mean time I'd guess". Poor Obeid Kaifo, losses his city and what remains of his family, while Democrats guess on what not to do. 

              Once Assad rolled Obama on the red line, the outcome was determined. 

              From what I can tell Aleppo was a beautiful city. The Rebels moved in and now Aleppo is in ruins. Just saying, blame the Rebels and Obama for him pretending to have their back and his support. Western values are not transferable to Muslim cultures.

              2. I'm confused. Do you want to be the world's policeman? Should our allies (who benefit from our global military presence) take the lead in their own backyards or not? Do you prefer war to sanctions? Baghdad, too, was a beautiful city once upon a time. Tripoli as well. Just what is your definition of 'western values'?  We have more people dying from our national opiod epidemic than died in Aleppo. It's a different kind of death but equally as devastating to the rural communities that are affected. We have a child die every 10 minutes in the US from seizures that could be controlled largely with CBD oil, yet for three years Congress hasn't acted on legislation to remove it from Schedule I. A death is a death is a death. Some of them are just slightly less barbaric than others.  Just what is the judicious application of our resources in your mind? 

                1. Stay the hell out of Muslim civil wars, or any civil war for that matter. If you want peace, there must be a winner and a loser. Lots of people will die, a cold fact.

                  If you want to use military force, get a Declaration of War from Congress. Kill the enemy with great prejudice and violence. Kill them until they don't want to be killed any more. Men, women, children, pets and every other living thing.

                  I have lived through 58,000 killed in Vietnam, with no commitment to win. The Vietnamese didn't give a shit about a central government. The army fled when attacked just like in Iraq. The US has been training these people for 15 years and they still won't stand and fight.

                  I cried when my sons went to Iraq, I cried when he emailed me his truck was hit with an IED.

                  It is a universal theme, if you try to overthrow the central government, they will kill you. Only you can determine if it is worth it.

                   

                  1. Your rants seem to be written by the same person with opposing views. Given this response I can only assume your previous 'Poor Aleppo' remark was sarcastic. That, or you need to up your meds. 

                    1. War creates cognitive dissonance. People need to believe that the slaughter means something, that it's for a greater good.  Vietnam veterans still believe that "Our cause was just", at the same time that they know that no cause was worth the lives lost. Vietnam is at peace now – because the Communistss won and we lost.

                      War is the last resort when reason and art and education and persuasion and compassion and charity have failed to resolve a conflict. Maybe there are wars of self-defense against invasion that still mean something. But, in general….

                      War! Huh! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. – Edwin Starr

                    2. I have two uncles that served in Vietnam.  One of them still won't talk about his time there. They both came back and built successful businesses in Minnesota but coped with the experience in different ways. Vietnam is poised to become an export tiger. 

                      A third (great) uncle was at the Battle of the Bulge and still with us. He can, to this day, recite in detail almost every moment of his time there. 

                  3. "Stay out of civil wars"….on that we agree. It would have been smarter for Bush / Cheney to stay out of the Sunni/Shia civil war under Saddam Hussein, and not lie about weapons of mass destruction….but they wanted the oil….and they got it.  It almost seems as though you're saying getting $9 billion in oil revenues wasn't worth all of those lives.

                    All those years of pointless destruction, torture, breaking the Iraqi civilization back to the stone age…got us Al Qaeda, and now ISIS , ISIL and all their nasty relations.

                     

                    2. Actually, MJ, the U.S. defeat in Vietnam led directly to our victory in the Cold War.  The war in Vietnam was the only thing keeping the SinoSoviet alliance intact.  Nixon basically surrendered in Vietnam and then played on historical  Chinese resentment of Russia to make China a defacto ally.  Far frombecoming  a "chi com" puppet, Vietnam fought and won a nasty border war with China within two years of our withdrawal.

                      Now, the Pro Moscow Trump regime wants to support the ancient Tsarist drive for hegemony in the Far East by backing Russia against China and Japan.  Mercantilist Vietnam just wants access to U.S. markets.  Methinks the shade of Ronald Reagan will curse the Moscow minions of Trump.  I know I do.

                2. RE: Our national opiod epidemic mentioned above

                  For Small-Town Cops, Opioid Scourge Hits Close to Home

                  Fentanyl is supercharging the longstanding problem of drugs in small towns. Police, forensic labs and prosecutors are struggling to identify and safely intercept new narcotics that can sicken or kill anyone who handles them, and to combat trafficking networks that sometimes extend many hours away. Death rates from overdoses are now higher in rural areas than in big cities, reversing a historical trend.

                  “It’s hard to imagine how it could have gotten worse than the heroin we were dealing with,” says Brad Schimel, Wisconsin’s Attorney General. But “the fentanyl has taken this to a new level.”

                  1. How the American opiate epidemic was started by one pharmaceutical company

                    Meet the American Death Squad:

                    On December 12, 1995, the Food and Drug Administration approved the opioid analgesic OxyContin. It hit the market in 1996. In its first year, OxyContin accounted for $45 million in sales for its manufacturer, Stamford, Connecticut-based pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma. By 2000 that number would balloon to $1.1 billion, an increase of well over 2,000 percent in a span of just four years. Ten years later, the profits would inflate still further, to $3.1 billion. By then the potent opioid accounted for about 30 percent of the painkiller market. What's more, Purdue Pharma's patent for the original OxyContin formula didn't expire until 2013. This meant that a single private, family-owned pharmaceutical company with non-descript headquarters in the Northeast controlled nearly a third of the entire United States market for pain pills.

                     

              4. Your buddy and Trump's benefactor Putin is supplying the 'air power' bombing the civilians into rubble you fucking heartless hack. That would be Orthodox Christian if you are following along. I guess the Prince of Peace, the Reason for the Season, is not up to your standards either? 

                    1. The Fox dress code of big boobs, big hair and massive red lips makes it hard to distinguish one from another.

                2.  Obama is the President why don't you and the other Democrats tell him to do something about it if it concerns you so. I doubt you give a shit about civilians but it sure sounds good that you care so much.

                  2. Pyrus, step away from the monitor and go pray to Right Wing Jesus for comfort in these troubling times. He may not get back to you right away. He's awfully busy killing  men, women, children and pets in the Aleppo region,  providing divine guidance to our POTUS-elect and casting curses on the Hamilton Electors. 

  4. I see all three of our turncoats rushed to post here in support of their heroes.

    Putin, the Murderer and Assad, the Butcher.

    PeePee, Fluffy, and the PissAnt. A trio of self-righteous traitors if there ever was one.

    1. That makes for a great screenshot. It isn't often that our spineless, faceless chickenshit trolls show up three-in-a-row like that. It's almost as if they're hiding under the same sheet. 

        1. You and Trump make a pitiful pair — When confronted with reality, you two simply squeeze your eyes shut, stick your fingers in your ears and sing "La La La" until the hurt goes away.

          So much for Republican "values".

  6. "We cannot tell anything about what he's going to do, but if… he is going to fight the terrorists, of course we are going to be ally, natural ally in that regard with the Russian, with the Iranian…"

    Butcher Assad on natural affinity with Putin's Puppet.

  7. There won't be any action taken to end the suffering in Aleppo.  That's the sad but brutal truth.  Because that would require direct action against Assad's forces and the Russian military assisting them.  And that is a mess that President Obama would be foolish to start.  

    If there was a window in which the United States could have effectively intervened in Syria's civil war, it was certainly closed when Russia sent in troops in September of last year.  Assad has proven adamant against any diplomatic pressure levied against him, and Obama's empty threats have only strengthened his position domestically.

    There is already an ongoing slaughter of civilians by government forces, and of the major powers, one is in no position to give aid, and the other is aiding the killers, if not taking part themselves. 

    1. True, and brutal. All that can be done now is to try to save some lives from the slaughter, which is why asking Obama to set up "safe zones" and camps is a good idea. We also need to push back against the prevailing prejudice against Syrian refugees in our communities.

      In your opinion,  would setting up safe zones within Syria also require direct action against Assad and the Russians?

      1. I think that Assad is determined to severely punish those who he believes has opposed him, or supported the opposition.  And if the current reports are to be believed, his forces aren't making much effort to determine the difference between opposing forces, and those who were unfortunate enough to live under their rule.  

        Assad has made resisting western opposition to his rule, especially by President Obama, part of his strong man image domestically.  Given that we have given overt aid to forces opposing his rule, any attempt by the US and its allies to defend fleeing civilians in the face of Syrian government forces would likely be seen as a cause for further strikes against our forces there.  The Russians have made it clear that they won't let us attack Assad's forces unopposed.  There is also the problem that we really don't have the forces on the ground to effectively perform any such actions.

    2. "of the major powers……."  I would not consider Russia to be a major power despite all of Putin's posturing and bloviating.

      And just where would so-called “safe zones” be set up in Syria and how to protect them? Sorry, but the only safe zones for Syrians are those in other surrounding countries.  

      1. Russia certainly has the ability to effectively project power into Syria, with both ground and air forces.  That qualifies them as a major power in the region at least.

        And you make a good point as to where such safe zones could be set up.  There is no where in Syria that could be made safe from all of the different factions fighting there.

        1. Depends on how one defines "projection of power." Yes, they fired cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea. Some of them missed or fell apart. They have an air base on the coast. Their only, and rickety, aircraft carrier barely made it into the eastern Mediterranean. Old saying about the Soviet Union still holds true for Russia: 1st world nuclear arsenal; 3rd world country (outside of a few major cities). I've been in backcountry Russia; the Caucasus region; a number of times for mountain climbing. Some changes have occurred during a 16 year period, but still backwards compared even to places like Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechia, all of which I've visited in the past 6 years.

        2. MB.

          The universe of people who think you are a jerk is limited only by your exposure to people, not just those who disagree with you on this site.

          That said, I do not condone the punch you in the face comment.

          1. …says the chickenshit behind the veil. The fact this website is open to anyone on the planet who chooses to log in…just how much bigger do you think my universe can get?

              1. So your grandiose statement is actually limited to a portion of the 25 people who actively log on here? With no grasp of the irony that it’s coming from an anonymous troll this progressive blog accommodates?

          2. The fact that I own 20 guns, about average for a phillips county boy, keeps the would be face punchers off my case.  If you want, Michael, I'll lend you a Glock.

            1. I may have to take you up on that V.  It's more likely these spineless trolls would never show their face for fear of being discovered the frauds they are. If The Scholar (I think I could narrow 'it' to one of two trolls on here) wants to try to punch me in the face all it needs to do is reach out and tell me when and where. 

        3. Michael, most unfortunate that you would be singled out. The fact that you accuse me and my conservative friends indicates you are not in tune with opposition to ideas. Nothing the Pols have written, including the hateful Duke has ever written about me has lead me to wish I could punch anyone. On the contrary I have gotten chuckles and occasional belly laugh from MJ, V and the kook Duke, I can only wish him success in his city council bid, what a hoot that will be. AC is right it is rather silly for any of us to post to an audience of less than 100 at the peak of the election. 

          Remain well!

          1. Pear, I think it's safe to say the threat didn't come from a progressive. That said, this page is a forum for progressive ideals.

            Think of ColPols as a court for those ideas. 

            Our judicial system is adversarial. We progressives on this page are the plaintiffs for our case. You and your friends are the defendants. The jury are the bloggers in this forum. I have little problem with opposition ideas when they're accompanied with something to back them up beyond 'how one feels'. You'll notice most of us embed data in our posts to back up our assertions.

            Don't come to the table thinking we're just going to embrace ideals antithetical to a progressive cause. Don't be shocked when you drag a stinking carcass into the courtroom and get pushback from the court, particularly when you're a faceless troll.

            We don't owe anonymous trolls a thing – including simple courtesies. If you want that, man up and come out from under the sheet. 

            1. Powerful Prune: you, Andrew, Moderatus are free to post what you want here; as am I, as a common sense conservative. Why is it, however, that the preeminent far right blog, Colorado Peak Politics, is not set up for our progressive acquaintances here to post on that site? At least, I haven't found a way to do it.

              2. The only way one can post on CPP is on their FB page under one's real (or at least FB) ID.  Shockingly(?) CPP is not as committed to the First Amendment as are the moderators of CPols, and they will delete / hide posts from progressives which they disagree with. Pompous Pyrus' posts would probably be A-OK.

  10. So how are things there at Fort Logan? Any despair, gloom, or agony there?  There's plenty to go around, you know. And your President-elect does not care.

    1. I assume that you are looking for confirmation that your search for my identity is correct. My gosh, how oblivious do I have to make it for the dullards on this site. Funny, I never wasted a single minute on trying to determine who you and or your friends are.

      After serving in Vietnam, I don't live in fear.

      What there is at Fort Logan is a commitment to something greater than ones self. Not surprising you would make fun of it.

      America repudiated Hillary and the ideas (if she had any) of progressives. 

      1. I think you meant "obvious". laugh That was funny, though. You don't have to worry about me outing your past history – I am too unfortunately familiar with veteran's mental health issues, as a family member of a Vietnam vet with PTSD….unless you mess with my friends in more than a Pols – bantering way.

        Then, all bets are off. indecision

        You probably would be surprised to learn that most progressives share a commitment to something greater than themselves – but we define that vision differently than you do. Or maybe not. Peace, freedom, security – for everyone, not just the wealthiest among us. We may have more in common than you know.

        1. I agree, we have common goals. I want every person to be successful to the highest degree posible.

          Why would I waste any energy physical energy with Pols when it is so easy to beat the crap out of them with mere words.😉

          1. Pyrus, I think you're giving yourself too much credit to suggest your words are beating the crap out of anyone on this page. Given the tone of The Scholar on Wednesday, he not only singled me out but progressives and Democrats on this page. He's your comrade, not ours. 

            As for 'truth', Donald isn't going to raise your wages and America didn't repudiate Hillary. 538 electors may do that, but the majority of American voters didn't – to the tune of 2.8 million Americans (including my great-uncle who fought at the Battle of the Bulge and both uncles who served in Vietnam).  Veterans aren't a monolithic voting block.   

            I do thank you for your service; this country falls short of how we care for those who have served us in battle. 

          2. Words aren't a very good weapon for you, powerless, because it is very hard to use them without that commie librul spelun thingee that you so suck at.  I think that would be oblivious to you.  Have you considered using numbers?   Like your 666 mark of the beast presidunt elect?

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