Liberals, how do you choose?

Given the recent victory of the Syrian army in Aleppo, I wonder what criteria liberals use to support a side. Assad is a brutal dictator, but minorities and women have more rights under him. Islamist rebel groups have a lot of support from the poor and rural parts, but are brutally repressive.

Every country that had an Arab spring was initially supported by liberals, but most of them have become war torn Islamist **** holes. The ones that haven't have achieved stability only through secular autocrats.

What criteria do liberals choose to support a side? I've met many who support Islamists, but am finding some who are quietly more supportive of secular autocrats that give rights to minorities and women. This question can be applied towards communist revolutions as well. However given that half the world will be Muslim in a few decades, and that they will have a significant minority in the West, I feel it is relevant towards the politics in their states.

As a liberal, I can only agree that it is difficult and extremely so... Personally I don't support any autocratic leader or repressive group and am against any oppression of any kind. BUT, and it is a big but, if said autocratic leader or repressive group have some policies I actually do agree with (like giving more rights to minorities and women) then I do support those policies though I'm still squarely against the autocrat or repressive group... Same on the other hand - a leader can be the most celebrated liberal in the history of mankind, but if he have one small policy that is repressive then I do not support that policy... Does it make sense? I don't know, but it keeps me sane sort off...

MD said:

Given the recent victory of the Syrian army in Aleppo, I wonder what criteria liberals use to support a side. Assad is a brutal dictator, but minorities and women have more rights under him. Islamist rebel groups have a lot of support from the poor and rural parts, but are brutally repressive.

Every country that had an Arab spring was initially supported by liberals, but most of them have become war torn Islamist **** holes. The ones that haven't have achieved stability only through secular autocrats.

What criteria do liberals choose to support a side? I've met many who support Islamists, but am finding some who are quietly more supportive of secular autocrats that give rights to minorities and women. This question can be applied towards communist revolutions as well. However given that half the world will be Muslim in a few decades, and that they will have a significant minority in the West, I feel it is relevant towards the politics in their states.

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Here's my choice: none of them. I won't pick sides because neither side should win. The rebels are too prone to engage in civilian-killing that the government forces seem to indulge in as a part-time sport. Now apparently they (the Government) are turning Aleppo into a charnel house. Awesome. The rebellion has been partly co-opted & partly weakened by Islamic State so they've become desperate. The only faction I have any sympathy for are the Kurds who are being hit by IS-supporting Turkey.

This isn't a dichotomy - we don't have to pick one side over the other. I refuse to on the grounds that choosing the 'lesser evil' is moronic. It's still an evil at the end of the day. Al-Assad is a repressive mass-murderer who shows no hesitation in killing civilians to secure his power and the opposition is basically Islamists hell-bent on forcing everyone to live under Sharia law. Forget supporting either side.

I think Treebeard got there before me: "Side? I am on nobody's side because nobody is on my side, little orc."

Thank you for you replies @A Greased Scotsman and @SpentaMaynu.

It's interesting that only two people replied, given that the majority of RFs members are staunch liberals.

MD said:

Thank you for you replies @A Greased Scotsman and @SpentaMaynu.

It's interesting that only two people replied, given that the majority of RFs members are staunch liberals.

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I would have posted something similar to @A Greased Scotsman, but I am not liberal enough to post in this forum.
Tom

What's to support? What's to oppose? I've got enough problems right here in the USA to worry about other countries.