Jake Havechek: Assad is a punk. We should air strike his ass but the Republicans and teabaggers would just whine and complain.

So you've established yourself as an ignorant partisan hack. If you look at Iraq and Afghanistan, you realize that toppling a corrupt, evil regime is not enough. If you look at Egypt and Libya, you realize that supporting rebels against corrupt, evil dictatorships is not enough. If you look at the stable governments of the world, you realize that what all of them have in common is the supremacy of the rule of law and respect for the rule of law. Israel is stable because they have a strong constitution to which all officials and citizens adhere. Iraq, under Hussein, had no rule of law because the law was whatever Hussein's whim was on that day. Dictators not only do not follow laws, they leave no legacy of laws for their successors. Note the smooth transition of power in the U.S., in Israel, in European countries, then compare that to the upheaval that occurs in dictatorships when regime change occurs.

Historically, the U.S. was in charge of West Germany after WW II and imposed the rule of law while not ruling the country. Same in Japan. Two very successful examples of how to rebuild a nation after both the ravages of war and the devastation of life under dictatorship. The question is how to accomplish that in the Middle East. Iraq shows that we can overthrow dictatorships very easily. But we apparently lacked the will or moral courage to change the system of governance from tribal power struggles to the rule of law. I'm not sure I know the answer when dealing with religious ideologues. Sunnis and shiates do not seem to comprehend that cooperation and submission to the rule of law would allow both of them to succeed while the sectarian violence and power struggles allow neither of them to succeed. In this country, there were strong religious differences. So the compromise was that, while we were founded on Judeo-Christian principles, we are not a Christian or Jewish nation. Rather, everyone subscribes to the same rule of law; which law governs the secular affairs of the people without infringing on religious observance.

So if you can figure out how to get the various nations in the Middle East to subscribe to the rule of law, feel free to depose any dictator you'd like. If you can't figure that out, taking partisan shots only demonstrates your ignorance. Neither party has figured out how to deal with Islamic extremists anywhere in the world. But we needn't feel too badly about that - no other stable democracy has figured it out either!

Tragedy about the reporter and photographer. Had they been killed by U.S. forces, there would be screaming from all quarters about collateral damage. Will Syrian be held to the same standard? Here's hoping.

I had a sad. Then a confused. Then I lol'd. And then felt sad.

/badass woman.

Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

Let's spend 6 minutes remembering the person brave enough to go into a battle to tell us first-hand that 7000 people were actually killed because they saw it rather than just pulling stuff out of their butts.

Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

We know about those 7000 people because of people like her, you useless twat.

Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

More along the lines of "shiat's so bad even journalists are dying." At least that's my impression. Imagine if right wing media actually took up the cause of freedom and paid attention to Syria.

Was wondering which pirate-based headline would be greenlit.

Got to respect people who put themselves in harm's way to ensure the world knows what's going on and can't just ignore it (although we are currently doing quite a good job of ignoring it).

Link to Ochlik's winning photo here. (new window)

More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

She's not just a "female journalist". She was one of the leading war correspondents in the world, if not *the* leading correspondent.

Colvin and Ochlik were two journalists at the very top of their professions who chose to go to Syria to tell the story of innocent civilians being massacred by their own government. They died doing what they did best, Colvin having filed an extraordinary report just last night.

As a journalist who has given up all that war-zone business because he had a nervous breakdown after getting shot at once to often, I raise a glass to these brave colleagues, and say FARK YOU, TROLLS

She was more of a hero to me than Whitney Houston will ever be. I heard her last night on CNN reporting on the civilian slaughter.

It must be terrible for some people to have to see war on T.V, I hope it didn't ruin your episode of Glee.

When I hear the words "French photojournalist", I picture someone looking exactly like that guy.

Meethos: Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

We know about those 7000 people because of people like her, you useless twat.

Not to mention the 24/7 coverage of Whitney Houston. Thousands are getting killed in Syria, but it was more important that we cover a drug addict's funeral. Fark you media-except for the reporters actually covering stories like Syria.

OldManDownDRoad: Let's paint her as the best thing since Edward R Murrow broadcast from the Blitz - even if we've never heard of her before.

Maybe if you would quit reading about Whitney Houston and the gorram Kardashians and pay attention, you would have heard of her. Or maybe even gone to a news site other than Fark and read her work.

Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

Yep. Government calls in artillery and air strikes on densely-populated area, then blockades food, water and medicine to that same area? Put that on page 10Z under the story about the rooster.

Western reporter finds out that bullets can't tell if their target is a female journalist? ZOMG! Front page! Top of the broadcast! Let's paint her as the best thing since Edward R Murrow broadcast from the Blitz - even if we've never heard of her before.

We'll be hearing about this for days. Meanwhile, Syrian forces will continue hunting civilians from helicopters.

Dinodork: More journalistic masturbation. "7000 people were killed this week, let's spend 6 minutes of the news remembering this journalist". Sickening.

fark off