Calling it now. If this insurrection intensifies, assad will use gas. The guy is not going to let go.

Opposition: Syrian war planes blow up oil pipeline in Homs
A massive plume of thick, black smoke billowed from the Syrian city of Homs Wednesday, punctuating the chaos that has plagued the opposition stronghold for months.

According to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition activist group, government war planes flew over Homs and blew up an oil pipeline.

But Syrian state-run TV blamed a "terrorist group" for the assault.

Under the opaque cloud of smoke, sounds of sustained attacks -- including artillery fire and automatic machine gunfire -- echoed through the city of 1 million people, CNN's Arwa Damon reported from inside Homs Wednesday.

Opposition activists say government forces are set on flattening every neighborhood that might hold dissidents calling for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
But reports of fresh violence Wednesday weren't limited to Homs.

Three bodies were recovered from Idlib province; a 16-year-old student was killed by gunfire in Daraa province; and another person was killed in Aleppo, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

And military forces stormed the city of Hama, where explosions rattled two neighborhoods, the group said. The Observatory said landlines, cell phone communication and Internet access in Hama were cut off.

While residents across Syria grappled with the turmoil, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said al-Assad has set a date of February 26 for a referendum on a draft constitution.

Members of a committee tasked with drafting the document "reiterated their keenness on a constitution that allows ... public freedoms and political plurality in a way to lay the foundation for a new stage that will enrich Syria's cultural history," SANA reported


Al-Assad has previously said Syria planned to hold a constitutional referendum, but reports of bloodshed at the hands of his regime have only intensified since his statement.

Meanwhile, after repeated U.N. failures to formally denounce the Syrian government, the latest U.N. draft resolution condemning Syria could go for a vote in the General Assembly as early as Wednesday.

Though a General Assembly vote would not be binding, it would mark the strongest U.N. statement yet on the violence. Russia and China have vetoed attempts to condemn Syria for the crackdown by the U.N. Security Council, whose resolutions are binding.

The draft resolution calls on Syria to end human-rights violations and attacks against civilians immediately, and condemns "all violence, irrespective of where it comes from."

But any U.N. action is long overdue, say opposition activists, who reported 49 deaths across Syria on Tuesday. The dead included three Syrian soldiers who defected, the LCC said.
Deaths took place in Idlib, Homs, Daraa, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Hama, Damascus, the Damascus suburbs and Latakia, the group said.


Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said Monday most of the wounded avoid going to public hospitals for fear of being arrested or tortured. Instead, they are being treated in underground hospitals where hygiene and sterilization conditions are rudimentary and medical supplies are scarce, she said.

Pillay denounced the Syrian government's "ongoing onslaught" against its citizens.

"The nature and scale of abuses committed by Syrian forces indicates that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed since March 2011," Pillay said.

Syria posted a banner on state TV Tuesday saying its Foreign Affairs Ministry "absolutely rejects all the new allegations in the new report by the human rights high commissioner."

The Syrian regime has consistently blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the violence in Syria.

"What is happening has nothing to do with reforms, with the spread of democracy. This is the work of armed terrorist groups that are being funded from outside," said Syria's ambassador to Russia, Riad Haddad, according to Russia's RIA Novosti state news agency.

He added: "Damascus will not let international peacekeepers into the country. Syria does not need peacekeepers. Syria has categorically dismissed that option."

CNN cannot independently confirm details of events across Syria because the government has severely limited the access of international journalists.

But the vast majority of accounts from within the country indicate al-Assad's forces are slaughtering civilians en masse, part of a brutal crackdown on protesters calling for democratic reforms.

Pillay has said at least 5,400 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict, but she said it is difficult to update that number due to the turmoil on the ground. The LCC has said well over 7,000 people have been killed.

European Union diplomats said they expect new EU sanctions on Syria by February 27, targeting the Syrian Central Bank and imposing a ban on exports of precious metals and phosphates.

Victoria Nuland, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, said Tuesday that increasing pressure and sanctions on al-Assad's government was crucial.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe announced a national decision to establish an emergency relief fund for Syria, according to the website of the permanent mission of France to the United Nations. The fund, with an initial sum of €1 million ($1.3 million), will "fund the actions of all organizations and associations wishing to help the Syrian people."

France will propose the creation of a similar fund at the international level at the first "Friends of Syria" meeting in Tunis, Tunisia, on February 24, the statement said.

Juppe said on French radio Wednesday morning that diplomats have not given up on Russia in the Syria talks.

"We are currently renegotiating a resolution at the U.N Security Council to see if we can persuade the Russians," Juppe told France Info.
credits link---> http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/15/world/meas....

Quote:

Calling it now. If this insurrection intensifies, assad will use gas. The guy is not going to let go.

Not sure about gas, but he definitely won't let go. Televising Ghadaffi's final moments was but a warning to Assad from the power elite that they're done with him too, and to kindly step aside. I don't think he will.

Quote:

"Syria is a country of significant proliferation concern, so we monitor its chemical weapons activities very closely," the State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related matters. "We believe Syria's chemical weapons stockpile remains under Syrian government control, and we will continue to work closely with like-minded countries to impede proliferation (of) Syria's chemical weapons program."

The official added that the U.S. is in discussion with its allies on ways to ensure that Syria's stockpile of portable anti-aircraft missiles, called Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS, aren't stolen or diverted. "We are consulting with allies and partners as we plan for a variety of contingencies," the official said.

Just like we did so well in Libya. Oh wait...

http://www.ksla.com/story/16938072/us-ve....

in a word or two, why is the west dithering so much over syria? are the russian/chinese ties to syria strong enough to ignite russia/china against the US if the US intervenes?

wtf does syria have to make it that important to russia/china?

Quote:

in a word or two, why is the west dithering so much over syria? are the russian/chinese ties to syria strong enough to ignite russia/china against the US if the US intervenes?

"Full Spectrum Dominance" is the ultimate goal.

Syria is the only remaining independent secular state in the Arab world.

The objective of the US-NATO alliance is to ultimately displace and destroy the Syrian secular State, and replace the Syrian government with a complicit pro-US government, perhaps an arab sheikdom, that won't interfere with our dealings with Tehran.

Quote:

The objective of the US-NATO alliance is to ultimately displace and destroy the Syrian secular State, and replace the Syrian government with a complicit pro-US government, perhaps an arab sheikdom, that won't interfere with our dealings with Tehran.

Because, of course, the Islamofascist freakazoids of the Muslim Brotherhood who're goosestepping all of these regional overthrows are in tight with the godless Great Satan in desiring to toss the "secular State" of Little Lord Greystoke Bashar smack in the middle of Ye Olde Caliphate, eh wot?



Sure. Whatever was I thinking?

Were it not for sinister US scheming, everyone would love the guy....

It may or may not be a conspiracy, but it's a fact, even if you haven't been paying attention in the last year.

Bez, sometimes you make me crazy but sometimes I love ya. I think a dose, no make that a bucketful of reality was needed here

Quote:

Islamofascist freakazoids

that's exactly what they are.

Quote:

are in tight with the godless Great Satan

oh, absolutely.

Quote:

They also discussed the situation in Syria and EU Foreign Policy Chief Ashton said it is "an enormous cause for concern" and that "we need to do everything we possibly can to help." Secretary Clinton said that they are seeking an inclusive, peaceful and democratic transition.

Video: http://www.c-span.org/Events/Sec-Clinton....

Quote:

"we need to do everything we possibly can to help."

Yep, here's what happened last time we did "everything we possibly can to help":

Want to bet that Trained Iranian troops and nasty weapons are on those ships that docked in Syria?

Not a safe bet, IMHO. Because even if there are not there. My guess is that they will be reported as being on them. Why else won’t they let us search their Naval vessels? That’s all the proof you need. Forget the fact that this Naval exercise was planned last year.

09:50 Report: Iranian ships that arrived in Syria aiding disrupting rebels' communication (Ch. 10)

Soooooo... yeah.

ETA: Linkage: http://www.albawaba.com/news/conflicting....

Quote:

Egyptian security sources and members of the Syrian opposition are claiming that the two [Iranian] ships docked off the Syrian coast are equipped with "military communications jamming devices that are disrupting communications made by the Syrian opposition via satellite," the London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported Monday.

Quote:

Quote:

Islamofascist freakazoids

that's exactly what they are.

Quote:

are in tight with the godless Great Satan

oh, absolutely.

Yeah; they just love us to death in their webcasts, don't they?

CNN.com top story: Why the world isn't intervening in Syria

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/23/world/syri....

A USTREAM broadcaster on-the-ground in Syria just filed a report tonight from within the country updating the situation. He can be located online by the moniker 'Willyforeal'

Dire would not even begin to describe it.

As the world has known for awhile now, Russia has sent 3 Million gas masks for use by it's military forces, police, security and paramilitary organizations. It has been further estimated that Syria maintains a large chemical weapons stockpile situation across the country in multiple locations.

Tonight it appears Al-Assad is intent on leaving nothing left for a multinational intervention force to rescue.

It is reported that the long suspected chemical weapons stockpile has been brought out and put into use. There appears to be a common charactarization by locals in Syria getting the word out defining them as 'phosphorous' gas. However, it may be a mis-understanding to the proper name, that being 'Phosgene Gas' AKA, Mustard Gas.

According to the USTREAM broadcaster who is getting his story out late Friday, February 24th from within Syria, Al-Assad forces are now in process of encircling towns and cities with land-mines entrapping civilians within, then finishing them off with lethal mustard gas.

While this is all going on, there is reported a large step-up in arms shipping activity of Russian military grade firearms to Syrian loyalists forces by agents and dealers, both Iranian and Russian.

Keep a close eye on developments here as things are reaching a tipping point, especially relative to the wider approaching Iran confrontation.

although Phosgene Gas is not Mustard Gas, both were used concurrently in world war 1 as part of the chemical warfare strategy and huge stockpiles created afterward.

still... not looking good for the people of syria

'US to announce aerial blockade on Syria'

US readies for possibility of intervention without UN resolution, Asharq Al-Awsat reports, citing US military official; plan to include humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees on Turkey's border

Roi Kais
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,....

The Pentagon is readying for the possibility of intervention in Syria, aiming to halt Syrian President Bashsar Assad's violent crackdown on protesters, the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Saturday, citing a US military offical.

According to the official, the intervention scenario calls for the establishment of a buffer zone on the Turkish border, in order to receive Syrian refugees. The Red Cross would then provide the civilians humanitarian aid, before NATO crews would arrive from Turkey and join the efforts.

The measure would pave the way for the US to declare an aerial blockade on Syria.

The intercession is to be modeled after NATO's efforts in Kosovo, which brought an end to the Serbian control of the region. NATO's plan of action included prolonged aerial shelling.

The US' diplomatic efforts have yet to yield an effective international resolution that would stop the bloodshed. More than 100 protesters have died over the weekend alone, human rights activists said.

Russia, China to join aid efforts?
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Pentagon does not anticipate a change of heart on the part of China or Russia, who have opposed foreign intervention or sanctions against Syria. But the US expects the two nations to join the humanitarian aid efforts, support a ceasefire between the Syrian regime and rebels and send special UN envoys to investigate the developments in the country.

The next step in the reported US Department of Defense plan would be to appoint a team of UN observers to monitor the humanitarian aid, and enter Syria. They would need aerial protection, which would eventually lead to an aerial blockade.

The military official said in the interview that the plan is a cautious one, and takes into account the Syrian air force's advanced capabilities.

In his most forceful words to date on the Syrian crisis, US President Barack Obama said Friday the US and its allies would use "every tool available" to end the bloodshed by Assad's government.

"It is time to stop the killing of Syrian citizens by their own government," Obama said in Washington, adding that it "absolutely imperative for the international community to rally and send a clear message to President Assad that it is time for a transition. It is time for that regime to move on."

As government troops relentlessly shelled rebel-held neighborhoods in the besieged city of Homs, thousands of people in dozens of towns staged anti-regime protests under the slogan: "We will revolt for your sake, Baba Amr," referring to the Homs neighborhood that has become the center of the Syrian revolt.

Opposition groups reported that 103 people were killed on Friday by the regime's forces.

An article on CNN today said that Assad's troops were going door-to-door in some areas and taking away all the men and boys ages 13 and older. A Twitter commenter said this is exactly like what happened right before the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia...

10 am ET: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on the ongoing crisis in Syria and its implications.

http://live.cnn.com/

Syrian regime begins ground invasion of civilian neighborhoods in Homs

After four weeks of continuous shelling of residential neighborhoods of the Baba Amr region of Homs in Syria, elite troops of the regime of president Bashar al-Assad are advancing, and a Syrian official has vowed that the region would be "cleansed," raising fears that the expected ground invasion is about to begin, with the objective of completely exterminate all of the people in the region.

The U.S. State Department took the very powerful and decisive step on Wednesday of summoning Syria's envoy in Washington "to express our outrage over the month-long campaign of brutality and indiscriminate shelling of the city of Homs." Daily Star (Lebanon)

http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi-....