One thing missing from discussion of Baa’thist Syria’s record on human rights, which I’ve long insisted was (a) distorted and (b) nothing but a pretext for removing another insufficiently Washington compliant government – where (a) follows (b) as night on day – is that a full belly, clean water, healthcare and schooling are also human rights. When these are factored in, even Bashar al-Assad’s ruthless dad, Hafez, looks pretty good. One aspect of this, literacy, was the driver of Sarah Abed’s post, below. (I’ve not obscured her name because to anyone following events in Syria, she’s a well known commentator with a large following.)
But one respondent took the discussion in an unanticipated direction. As one who’ll shortly be posting here on the sheer illogicality and risible evidential standards colouring much of the debate on whether Assad is or is not an evil tyrant, I loved this diversion. Even if you dispute the premise – as I do not, and these things are easily checked out – the logic is flawless …
